Academy's Gumiho is a Magic Genius

An explosion artificially caused using「Pyrokinesis」.

In an instant, it tore through the ground. However, it wasn't enough to damage the tough hide of a high-ranking demon.

But if the centre of gravity was off, it was possible to knock it down.

'This guy seems stronger than I thought.'

The impact from the fall should have shaken its skull significantly.

Yet, the creature stares at me with its large eyes, seemingly unfazed.

At the same time, I feel a pressing sensation tightening around my body.

This guy is on a different level from the demons I've been killing until now.

'As expected, high-ranking demons are different.'

Demons are classified into ten ranks based on their combat power and danger level, from rank 10 to rank 1.

This ranking system is highly fluid. Since humans artificially assign the ranks, there are demons whose ranks change frequently.

A prime example of this is the goblin.

When considered as a single entity, it's merely a rank 9 creature. However, due to its pack behaviour and the danger it poses by preying on humans to reproduce, it has been classified as rank 7 at times.

Thus, while ranks can change frequently based on perspective, there's a point beyond which they don't change easily.

That point is rank 5, which symbolizes high-ranking demons.

'It's the dividing line between the upper and lower ranks based on the ten-rank system.'

From rank 5 onwards, they become tricky to deal with.

They wield the power of fear and often possess intelligence equal to or surpassing that of humans.

Clearly, the demon before me has considerable intelligence.

"...Is it because it's dark? I can't see well."

A few days ago, I read a thesis on the types and characteristics of demons, just in case.

Thanks to that, I thought I knew about most demons. But I have no idea what this one is.

If it had a unique appearance, I might have recognized it. The only feature I can make out is its massive outline.

There shouldn't be many demons of this size.

"Ouch...."

As I was quietly observing the fallen creature.

Something massive targeted my head.

It was the creature's forepaw.

The attack from the massive creature was surprisingly swift.

Despite my slow reflexes, I barely managed to dodge.

"A massive body and swift forepaws. A demon with intelligence enough to toy with human lives..."

From the recent attack, thirty-seven candidates come to mind.

However, upon closer inspection, it's a demon entirely different from what I know. Is it a demon not recorded in the thesis?

Bang! Bang!

The demon unleashed a barrage of physical attacks using its massive body.

Since I couldn't dodge anymore, I ignited flames.

The wall of flames was destroyed in one strike from the forepaw, proving to be only a one-time use, and the fiery spikes and spears couldn't pierce its tough hide.

It was merely a move to buy a moment's time.

But that brief moment was enough to discern the creature's true nature.

My keen senses gathered information.

It was a demon I had read about in the thesis.

As I defended against the heavy attacks and raised my head, the massive demon was looking down at me.

As if eyeing its prey.

It was quite unpleasant.

"...For a monkey."

"...!"

The demon reacted sharply to my muttering, twitching noticeably.

It seems my guess was correct.

That massive body isn't its true form. It's merely an illusion.

'This is why there's a difference between just reading about it in a thesis and experiencing it firsthand.'

Rank 5, Illusion Monkey.

A malicious demon that uses illusions to bewilder and corner people. Its combat power is only at a lower rank, but its ability to manipulate illusions places it among the high-ranking demons.

The thesis simply stated that it uses illusions to confuse its opponents, but experiencing it firsthand, its abilities are far beyond mere confusion.

Not only is its massive appearance an illusion, but the massive forepaw that shattered the ground is also part of the illusion.

"Most students would be helpless against it."

Fortunately, thanks to my S-rank senses, I could detect the strange dissonance, which saved me.

If I had been careless, hundreds of students might have been in danger.

Kaaaaah───!

As if displeased that I had seen through its true form, the demon let out a monkey's distinctive cry.

It seems it no longer intends to hide its true nature.

A black shadow looms over my head. It's the massive demon's forepaw.

And not just that.

Front and back, left and right, massive paws flew from all directions.

An attack that leaves no room for retreat. Even knowing it's an illusion, I felt a sense of crisis. I couldn't help but think that there might be a real one among them.

At that very moment.

My eyes turned purple. The shimmering purple eyes glowed eerily even in the darkness.

Without even a blink, I looked to the side.

There, a monkey was swinging its hand towards me.

Not a massive forepaw.

But a hand the size of a human's.

Before that hand could touch my body, I dodged to the side. Simultaneously, flames erupted from where I had been standing.

The demon's eyes engulfed in flames, clearly showed panic.

Honestly, I was also taken aback.

I hadn't expected to use this ability in actual combat for the first time.

[Demon Eye]

[Rank: A]

[Description: One of the powers of Eastern folklore's demons. Using it allows one to see things previously invisible, establishing a new field of vision. It's said that ancient, now-forgotten races used this to accumulate spiritual wisdom.]

[Spiritual Eye: Can observe the flow of mana and spiritual concepts.]

[Gap Detection: Enhances vision, allowing one to see 'gaps' in objects or targets that are otherwise invisible.]

Unlike「Double Helix」this is a skill I've had since after my possession.

I wanted to try using it every morning during training, but I refrained due to unnecessary anxiety. I didn't think I could control an A-rank skill when I couldn't even properly handle the C-rank「Double Helix」.

And that thought turned out to be exactly right.

'Even though I can see, I can see too much....'

The world seen through the [Demon Eye] was monochrome.

A world composed solely of black and white. The only thing with a different colour was the blue mana.

I could see exactly how the blue mana moved. That alone was enough to overload my cognitive abilities.

On top of that, seeing the 'gaps' also caused the blood vessels in my eyes to start bursting.

Indeed, A-rank skills are on a whole different level.

I feel almost guilty comparing it to [Double Helix]. Suppressing the pain as if my eyeballs were about to burst, I glared at the monkey burning before me.

The purple eyes pierced through reality and illusion.

What was originally indistinguishable to the naked eye became clear. The demon was now desperately rolling on the ground.

Struggling to extinguish the flames clinging to its body. A stark contrast to the massive illusion that had students trembling in fear.

Ha, a bitter laugh escaped my lips.

"Students would die to such a creature?"

It's a pathetic sight for a catalyst meant to awaken the protagonist.

It's a waste to spend any more time on such a creature. I created a long spear of flame.

Thud!

The sound echoed through the demon's heart.

Its body grew cold. Naturally, since the heart that pumps blood throughout the body has burst.

"Kua... Kueek!"

The demon let out a rather pitiful death cry.

The pain of a bursting heart was something even a rank 5 demon couldn't withstand.

But I had no intention of stopping there.

I lifted the flaming spear. This time, I aimed for the spine.

The hard bones were difficult to cut through, but the intense heat melted them away.

The demon, sensing its limit, screamed.

"Hiee, Hih... Kieeeeeeeek!"

A desperate and pitiful scream.

It's hard to believe this is the same creature that toyed with students' lives. I turned my head towards the students.

They were all staring at me and the monkey.

It seems the loss of its heart and spine has sapped its strength to maintain the illusion. Still, it's surprising it's still alive after having its spine shattered.

I definitely need to finish this.

At that moment.

Through its blurry vision, the demon saw a monster.

Even though it was the monster itself, it felt an indescribable deep fear from its opponent.

Its vision was so blurred that the black hair and clothes had long merged with the night sky. All the demon could see was a pair of eyes shining like amethyst.

Purple eyes devoid of any emotion.

The demon trembled in fear, barely managing to exhale the last breath in its lungs.

Instinctively sensing its end, the demon tried to utter its final death cry.

A blazing flame turned into a sharp spear and slashed its throat.

"...Finally dead."

As its throat was slit, a spurt of blood.

The spear's heat instantly vaporized the blood, as if intent on leaving not even a trace of the corpse.

It burned fiercely and violently.

A cruel hand.

Yet, it was clean.

As the monkey's hide was completely burned, the sound of a coin falling to the ground was heard. Bending down to check, it wasn't a coin but a blackened pebble.

"...Ah, come to think of it, I forgot to collect the magic stone."

Inside a demon's body exists a substance called a magic stone.

A major resource in this world, it's also the primary source of income for hunters. The stronger the demon, the higher the quality of the magic stone it drops.

A rank 5 demon would be worth quite a bit.

I put the magic stone in my pocket.

I can sell it later or use it as a medium for magic.

"...Um, teaching assistant?"

"Hmm?"

While brushing off the soot from the magic stone and putting it in my pocket.

The students approached me. I hadn't noticed during the fight, but there were more of them than I thought.

Including the injured being supported by their peers on either side, there were ten.

All but one of them would have been destined to die.

I scratched my head in discomfort.

"Th, thank you... H, how can we repay you?"

"Kids shouldn't talk like that. No need for repayment, just head to the shelter."

"Then what about you, teacher...?"

"C, come with us! What if we encounter another demon on the way to the shelter...!"

"No, I have somewhere to be."

The students were trembling.

Among them were mature students talking about repayment and those terrified by the presence of the demon.

Really, how did I end up in such a world?

Swish,! Swish!

I bent down and patted the head of the girl standing at the front.

She had been lying on the ground earlier, so her hair was full of dust, which I brushed off. Her face turned red from the sudden contact, a girlish reaction fitting her age.

'How can they force such young children to fight?'

It was a fundamental question about this world.

Originally, the academy genre was like that. But these are children who haven't even reached adulthood.

Driving children, who still have so much to learn, to the brink of death.

When it was just the content of a novel, I didn't feel much, but experiencing it firsthand made me angry. Perhaps it's because I was a child soldier myself.

"You guys should run away. I need to catch the mastermind behind this incident."

"B-But shouldn't you wait for support from the nearby guild...!"

"No. By then, it'll be too late."

In the original story, the mastermind behind the attack, the 'Mage Hunter,' leaves as soon as he witnesses the protagonist's awakening. Instinctively sensing a threat upon the protagonist's awakening and the rank 5 demon being torn apart.

But since I saved the students, the awakening was foiled.

I guess I really messed up.

The protagonist will still be incompetent, and the culprit behind this incident won't leave.

What can I do? It's the path I chose.

'I was prepared to take responsibility from the start.'

I had resolved to do so when I came up to the rooftop.

To bear the responsibility for my choices while witnessing students dying.

Only the subject of responsibility has changed.

"There's a path over there. It's the path I cleared while running, so don't worry and run."

"Th, then we'll ask the guards or other teaching assistants for help!"

"No need for help, just go."

"B, but...!"

"Hey, Yura! Let's go. He has things to do."

I politely declined the offer from the girl whose hair I had brushed.

I appreciate the sentiment, but having others come won't help. It'll just be a burden.

The 'Mage Hunter' is that kind of guy.

Well, of course, if others come, my survival rate will increase.

My safety is important.

But my convictions are equally important.

As long as I don't die.

'In the original story, he's a mid-boss that can only be caught in the middle part.'

Dealing with the 'Mage Hunter' is no easy task.

It's not yet the time for him to fall into depravity, so there's a possibility of confronting him, but.

It definitely won't be easy.

Still, I intend to do it.

Even if it means preventing the protagonist's awakening and taking on all the responsibility myself.

'I will survive.'

As I have throughout my life on the battlefield.

This time, I will definitely survive.

I turned my back to the students and prepared to move to higher ground. Just then, someone grabbed my sleeve.

Wondering who it was, I turned to see a student who could barely stand. Judging by his limping, he must have been the one who hit the wall during the demon's attack.

A male student, with blood and a metallic taste in his mouth, opened his mouth with a strained expression.

"I-I also...."

What does he want to say?

Suddenly curious, I glanced at the student's name tag.

Though obscured by dust, the faint silhouette was enough to make my mind go blank.

"...Fi, fight... I want to fight...."

So it's him.

A name tag longer than the others.

Faintly written on it was Kyle Iris. The protagonist's name.

'...Is this the protagonist's spirit?'

The protagonist, Kyle, was in no condition to fight.

He seemed to have sustained significant injuries from hitting the wall. Moreover, even at his best, he wouldn't be of much help.

"No, run away with your friends."

"...I-I can fight too. If I get in the way, you can leave me behind. So I also...!"

"That's not the point."

Kyle clenched his mouth shut at my firm response.

His fists were trembling.

Was he cold from losing so much blood? Or ashamed of his weakness?

I didn't want to know the details.

That's why I spoke firmly.

"You won't be of any help. You'll just be a hindrance, so run away with your friends."

"...B-But even someone like me!"

"Hey, Kyle, what are you doing to the person who saved us?!"

"Sorry! We'll be going now!"

The students dragged Kyle away, holding onto his arms.

He resisted stubbornly, but with his injured body, there was nothing he could do. I turned my back again.

From behind, I could hear Kyle's blood-stained voice.

"I-I am also a student of the academy...! I can fight!"

"Y-You're bleeding. Let's get to the infirmary!"

"Do you think the infirmary will be open in this situation?! There should be a health teacher at the shelter, let's go!"

Was the protagonist always this righteous?

For a moment, I wondered, but I had no time to dwell on it.

"...Even while your friends are dying, you can't do anything, yet you say you can fight?"

That's why I had to say this.

I could hear Kyle's voice from behind, but I ignored it and continued.

"Kid, students should just receive help from adults. Use this chance to run away with your friends. With your skills, you can't save anyone anyway."

It was cruel but true.

The current protagonist can't save anyone.

Unless he awakens.

'But since I've already ruined the scenario, it's a meaningless assumption.'

I don't know what kind of past or narrative he has.

Since I haven't read the novel, I only know from Eve's mentions.

All I know is that there's no longer any chance for him to awaken as the protagonist.

He won't fight on the front lines or lose friends before his eyes.

He will remain just a student.

A world without a protagonist.

What will become of this world filled with chaos?

It's a laughable question.

I just have to shoulder all those roles.

In the process, Kyle's opinion doesn't matter.

In this world, nothing is more precious than human lives.

As my thoughts deepened.

There was no sign of anyone behind me.

They must have all moved to the shelter.

The moment I turned my head and confirmed that Kyle was heading to the shelter.

A blue window appeared in my retina.

[Main Quest: Responsibility]

[Description: You saved the students' lives and prevented the protagonist's awakening. You chose morality over the ending. Whether this choice was the right one remains to be seen.

However, before that, you have the responsibility to bear the weight of the protagonist. Kill the 'Mage Hunter' who has invaded the Seven Stars Academy in this distorted scenario to protect the freshmen.]

[Success: Agility +1 level]

[Failure: Agility +1 level]

*No matter what choice you make, nothing will change!

Upon checking, I realized that the 'Sub Quest' had changed to a 'Main Quest.'

Now I'm starting to feel the weight of what I've done.

I am now at the centre of this scenario.

Having pushed aside the protagonist.

Sigh, it leaves a bitter taste.

Feeling stifled, I let out a sigh and reached into my pocket.

I felt something hard.

It was the magic stone I had collected earlier.

Is there any way to utilize it?

While pondering, a good idea came to mind.

I immediately threw the magic stone to the ground and used it as a medium for magic.

This magic stone will now serve as bait and a trap to lure the prey.

After finishing the preparations, I hid in the nearby grass.

Holding my breath and minimizing my movements to erase any presence. About ten minutes later, the hunter appeared.

Upon arriving, he immediately showed interest in the bait laid on the ground.

Now, it's time for the hunter to become the hunted.

I muttered softly while looking at the man's back.

"Damn, this is crazy...."

Now, it's time for the hunter to fall prey.

I muttered quietly as I watched the man's back.

"Damn, this is a real mess..."

It's been over five years since I was discharged from the military, yet my body still remembers those days. There was nothing good about them, but I can't deny that they made me who I am today.

...This is why veterans suffer from PTSD.

Memories and experiences that can never be forgotten.

Staying low, I moved swiftly, recalling my days as a child soldier. Even if I stepped on dry branches or a pile of stones, there was no sound.

Silent and stealthy, like a seasoned assassin.

In an instant, I seized the enemy's back.

I poured all my A+ rank mana into conjuring flames.

Fire, heating up the cold night air, aimed straight for the enemy commander's neck.

"Pyrokinesis"

"Double Helix"

The strongest strike I could muster at this moment.

The trap I had laid on the ground responded to my mana.

Flames, given mass and form, resonated with "Double Helix," amplifying into a massive wave of fire.

The raging flames swallowed the man whole.

"...Hah, I didn't expect it to deal any significant damage."

The man walked out of the sea of fire, completely unscathed.

At most, his clothes were slightly scorched.

Even that wasn't certain.

"Should I run while I still can?"

I let out a sigh and activated the next spell I had prepared.

My breathing was getting ragged, but I could endure this much.

Just a little longer. Just a little more.

I reached upward.

"Pyrokinesis"

"Fire Arrow"

A barrage of fire arrows hung in the night sky like an ominous shadow.

Following the preset trajectory, the arrows rained down, shattering the ground beneath.

***

Hey readers!

Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 20+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.

🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹

Thanks for being awesome! ❤️