Miserable Reincarnation

51 – Academy (4)

Michel sharply stared at the three physical ability users who entered the testing room.

100 pieces.

An excessively large quantity, considering it was given to just one person.

Thinking about the fact that in the graduation test, each person is given five levitating stones, one could roughly feel how significant this quantity was.

Even Michel’s beloved Barren could control only forty at once.

If we’re talking about a test of magical power control, if there’s a lack in either magical power control ability or the amount of magical power, it wouldn’t be possible to corrode others’ levitating stones, let alone lift my own levitating stones.

In the worst case, a brain unable to withstand excessive calculations might burst.

From the start, this is not a test that can be performed by an ordinary 4th tier. Especially for a physical ability user whose magical manipulation ability is relatively lacking compared to a sorcerer.

As if realizing that fact, Varen spoke with a worried voice.

“…Will there not be any problems?”

“That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.”

“Really?”

“Rather than painfully dying while looking at a mountain that you can never climb in your lifetime, it’s better to understand the subject early on.”

Michela said so, staring beyond the window.

There’s no point in calling it a limit of effort for the 4th tier.

It’s an area allowed only for those who are outstanding compared to others from the start. It’s not something that can be called insignificant, but if you can’t achieve even this level, then you simply weren’t cut out for it from the beginning.

Zzztt…!!

The green floating stones placed around La Shark started to rise one by one.

The floating stones began to circle around him as he sat cross-legged.

The woman with shark teeth also smoothly lifted the floating stones.

Rather than trying to take each other’s floating stones, they focused on establishing their foundation first.

It seems that it wasn’t just empty boasting; La Shark was more than Michela in terms of the speed of lifting the floating stones.

Both of them, as physical ability users, had exceptional abilities in manipulating magic power to the point where it was unbelievable.

“It feels like I’ve become a lab rat.”

Lian thought so as he stared at the floating stone in front of him.

It wasn’t a lie to say that it was specially processed; the inside of the floating stone was engraved with various intricate circuits.

Even Lian, who was ignorant in the field of magic engineering, was amazed by its precision.

‘Is this how it’s done?’

Tchk!

As magical energy flowed along the circuit, floating stones began to rise into the air, emitting a faint blue light.

“Just one? I was wondering, and indeed, you’re just a big talker.”

At that moment, Lian turned his head at the voice coming from behind.

The woman with shark teeth was looking at him with a contemptuous expression.

Around her, dozens of yellow floating stones were hovering. Judging by the confidence reflected in her pupils, it seemed she had the capacity to float more stones, yet she chose not to.

“Just lifting one and trying to endure until the end, seems like that’s the plan. But even if you win, it’s elimination, kid.”

“…”

Mikella didn’t directly mention the conditions for victory. What she explained was only the procedure of the test.

The woman, perhaps realizing this fact from the beginning, looked down at Lian and smirked.

“It seems like you still haven’t understood my words. The purpose of this experiment is not about who can endure longer or who possesses more floating stones.”

Goooo!!

“At the same time, it’s to confirm who among us qualifies to ascend to the 5th rank…!!”

Simultaneously, a fierce magical energy began to emanate from the woman’s body.

The floating stones rotated wildly. Yellow radiance sprayed from all directions, resonating with the randomly scattered stones on the floor.

The air became distinctly heavier. Lian stared at the woman with a furrowed brow.

Certainly, violence was not allowed.

But it seemed dominating the opponent with magical power wasn’t included in that restriction.

“Do you ever think you might get a blow to the back of your head while facing me?”

“Of course, I calculated that much.”

The woman raised one corner of her mouth and stared at Rashaek, who was still in his seat with crossed legs.

“So, I’ve already talked to them over there. I’ll take care of eliminating the competitor in exchange for them not bothering me in the meantime.”

“Do you believe that?”

“I don’t care even if I get stabbed in the back. I’m confident anyway.”

Lian licked his lips upon hearing the woman’s words.

Since there was no way Michela would have made such an agreement within the research lab where Mikella was present with her eyes wide open, they must have had meetings before that.

Certainly, if the connection between Leciere Matap and the other party had not been established, they wouldn’t have known each other’s identities.

But things change when you have a company backing you.

“To join forces with a freelancer hired by Poladrynics. Adriana Arms would find this quite interesting if she knew.”

For a moment, the woman’s expression twisted.

“You-.”

“Why, are you afraid because I said it outright?”

Did Lian think Michela didn’t know?

‘If that’s the case, it’s disappointing.’

Lian turned his gaze towards Rashaek. He, too, seemed bothered by Lian’s statement, glaring in this direction with fierce eyes.

Crack!

Lian shot a floating rock around him towards Rashaek. At the same time, a blue light spread in all directions, corroding Rashaek’s floating rock.

“Shouldn’t you stay calm too?”

“……”

Rashark narrowed his forehead and rose from his seat. He reached towards the floating jadeite, tinged with a shade of blue.

Quack!

The turbulent magic emanating from Lian abruptly vanished. Rashark brushed off the remnants of the magic clinging to his hands.

From Noble mtl dot com

“Thoughtless fool.”

Stupid and lingering. Though he knew why she behaved that way, trying to unleash that vigor upon oneself was an entirely different story.

Merely contemplating a fair duel was evidence of a lack of life experience. In a situation where the technique to rake in billions, maybe even more, was right in front of his eyes, collusion between companies seemed nothing more than child’s play.

“The world is inherently irrational. Let this incident be your wake-up call.”

Rashark had no intention of just watching any longer. Pretending to loosen up, he turned his head, locking eyes with the shark-toothed woman. She gave a slight nod. First, they needed to exclude Lian.

“Somewhere needs to be broken.”

That’s the only way to silence things. While Mikella prohibited violence, this wasn’t violence but discipline. Rashark smirked ominously as he summoned his magic.

Whaack! The tattoos engraved all over his body gleamed like they resonated. The title of a water monk wasn’t a lie; the quality of his magic far surpassed that of other physical adepts.

The floating jadeites, now imbued with Rashark’s magic, spread throughout the laboratory, occupying the space. The shark-toothed woman was no different.

Keeeng!

Green, yellow, and in the center, blue.

As the magic emitted by Rashark and the shark-toothed woman intensified, the objects positioned at the central point began to lose their form and distort.

Lian was no exception. In an instant, her body became heavy, breathing became labored.

Suppressed.

Thud, thud, thud!

“Son of a b*tch. I’ll just kill you like this.”

The shark-toothed woman thought so. There was no way to escape. The pressure had already crossed the threshold, and all that remained for Lian placed in the center was the impending shattering.

Neither side could be pierced. Once their magical powers began to resonate, it was impossible to escape unless both sides were simultaneously demolished.

“St, stop right now!!”

Perhaps realizing that the situation was taking a strange turn, Varen burst into the testing room, flinging open the door.

Kwaaah!

Simultaneously, an enormous pressure poured down.

“Ugh…!!”

A brutal pressure that would have crushed him if he hadn’t protected his body with a shield. Varen groaned in pain.

“St, stop-!”

“hehehe. It’s already too late.”

The woman, staring at Varen with a sidelong glance, chuckled in response.

“What on earth are you doing!”

“Can’t you see? We’re in the middle of a test.”

“What kind of insane person conducts a test like this!”

“Well, your professor?”

Hearing the woman’s words, Varen abruptly stopped. True to her words, Mikel remained completely motionless from the very beginning.

“What…?”

“Just because you have talent doesn’t mean you’re qualified to rise to greater heights anytime. The professor knows that too.”

“….”

An expression of incomprehension. Expecting such a reaction, the woman smirked and increased her magical power.

“If you can’t understand, then leave. Because if you make a mistake, you might end up being a retard like them.”

The woman smiled slyly and summoned her magic.

Chi-eek!

The modified magic circuit ignited and emitted smoke.

Though it felt like burning pain, it didn’t matter. If she could crush Lian and push forward to Rashaq, killing them both, she would no longer be just a dream but would ascend to the fifth rank.

Money is definitely good. The first-grade elixir made in Sachen. If she just had that…

At that moment,

Lian and her gaze met.

He was smiling.

The woman’s pupils lost focus and trembled. He didn’t have the face of someone about to die.

‘…Why?’

A chilling sensation struck her spine. The woman instinctively felt it. It was the instinct of a mercenary who had lived with a sword in hand.

It’s dangerous.

In the midst of the raging storm of magic, Lian stretched his arms out to both sides.

The woman’s gaze followed his fingertips. She couldn’t take her eyes off his slowly closing fist.

‘What is that…?’

Blue levitation stones began to rise one by one. Is he trying to block it now? It’s impossible. Even if he were to raise a hundred of them, it would be the same. The levitation stones she possessed were almost twice as many as his.

But still, the unease didn’t diminish. Instead, it grew larger as time passed.

She didn’t like it. Even though it was clear that she was winning, why did it feel like she was losing?

“I, I-…!”

At the moment when the woman, who could no longer hold back, was pushing her magic even stronger.

Crack! Her vision was instantly dyed blue. The light was so bright that it was almost blinding to open her eyes. Suddenly, what’s this? It was supposed to be blocked by floating rocks, so why…

“Oh.”

The woman realized belatedly. It wasn’t that the yellow floating rocks disappeared. They simply changed to blue.

In that brief moment.

“….”

The woman raised her trembling head and stared at Rian. He had a smirk on his lips.

“You said you were confident, right?”

“W-wait…!!”

Crack.

When Rian clenched his fist completely.

The woman’s world was covered in blue.

*****