I Became a Terminally Ill Magic Genius at the Academy

The bullet-like stone, crafted with precision, aimed straight for Yohan’s forehead. 

Instinctively, Yohan twisted his body, raising his arm in defense as the 2-star spell ‘Stone Bullet’ grazed his arm. 

The impact triggered his protective barrier, making a dull sound that reverberated through the area. 

Upon witnessing this, Kyle sprang to his feet, alarmed, and made a move toward the arena, only to be subtly held back by Geron.

“If you intervene now, the dormitory duel is over.”

“… What was that just now?” Kyle asked as he reluctantly sat back down. 

Geron let out a brief chuckle at the typical freshman question before explaining.

“It seems you really have no experience in magic duels.”

“No  I don’t.”

“That was a Memorize spell. It’s not something commonly used by students… But you’ll come across it often in the future.”

“A Memorize spell?” Kyle’s eyes widened as he repeated the term, not out of ignorance, but surprise. 

Seeing it in use for the first time left him in shock.

“A Memorize spell works a bit differently from your potions. When casting, the spell’s magic circle is layered with properties of ‘delay’ and ‘detonator,’ allowing you to store the spell and activate it at a desired moment.”

“Isn’t it a bit unfair to prepare spells before the duel even starts?” 

Kyle gripped his fist tightly and voiced his discontent.

Geron shot Kyle an incredulous look.

“And the potions you used—were those brewed on the spot during the match?”

“Well, no, but…”

“It’s not against the rules, and it’s not really unfair either. In real combat, the Memorize spell has its uses.”

Despite his straightforward reply, Geron’s eyes were sharp with contemplation.

It was true that Memorize spells could be quite practical in real-life combat situations. 

Being able to unleash a spell instantly without casting made it an invaluable tool for ambushes or catching an opponent off guard. 

For many battle mages who thrived on precision and timing, it was a favored technique.

However, few students chose to utilize Memorize spells. The complexity of casting such spells, combined with the challenge of crafting intricate magic circles, made it quite rare. 

But the primary limitation lay in the constraints of the Memorize spell itself.

To craft a magic circle imbued with both ‘delay’ and ‘detonator’ properties, a mage needed a higher tier of power. 

Memorize spells were typically used to prepare 3-star spells, which meant the caster required enough proficiency to draw in the additional properties. It essentially required a 5-star mage’s level of skill.

But how often does a student reach the level of a 5-star mage?

While it wasn’t unheard of for graduating students to achieve this level, having a student capable of casting such spells was far from common. 

And if they were, it was almost beyond the level of dueling with other students.

‘If he’s capable of that, then he’s far beyond the scope of an ordinary duel with other students.’

Geron tried to maintain his composure.

The spell Haverto had just cast was ‘Stone Bullet.’

It was a 2-star offensive spell. Typically, it wasn’t worth preparing with a Memorize spell due to its limited power. 

However, if Yohan had been caught off guard, it could have put him in a tight spot, potentially leading to his immediate defeat in the duel.

“But how could he use a Stone Bullet…?”

There was nothing inherently strange about Haverto using the Stone Bullet spell. 

But using it through Memorize? 

That implied Haverto was at least a 4-star mage, which was quite surprising. 

Normally, students enrolled as 2-star mages and graduated as 4-star mages.

Some exceptional students might already be at 3-star level as freshmen, so using 3-star spells wouldn’t be too shocking. 

However, utilizing Memorize to cast a 4-star spell?

‘No matter how talented Haverto is among the central nobility, it’s hard to believe he’s already at the 4-star mage level.’

If he were truly that talented, he wouldn’t just be considered a prodigy among central nobles; his name would have already been widely recognized throughout the entire nation. 

Since that wasn’t the case, it was likely that he was using some other means.

‘Could it be an artifact?’

That appeared to be the most plausible explanation. 

Storing spells in an artifact for use later wasn’t common but certainly possible. 

Alternatively, there might be a family secret technique at play.

“Looks like this won’t be easy.”

Whatever it was, it was clear that Haverto had specifically prepared to go all out against Yohan. 

Despite Yohan’s surprising performance so far, his reputation as a ‘wastrel’ was well-known. 

From Geron’s perspective, even though he was rooting for Yohan, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the upcoming battle.

With a serious expression, Geron kept his eyes fixed on the match.

——-

Meanwhile, Yohan let out a brief chuckle.

‘I almost got knocked out as soon as we started.’

If the Stone Bullet had hit him squarely in the forehead, it would’ve delivered enough force to shatter his protective pendant. 

It was fortunate he managed to dodge, guiding the bullet to glance off his arm instead.

“This is fun.”

In reality, it was anything but fun. 

Yohan raised his gaze to look at Haverto. 

The latter had a smug grin on his face. He pointed his magic pen directly at Yohan.

“The great future head… Of the Hart family… Seems shaken, doesn’t he?” 

Other students at a distance wouldn’t be able to hear the exchange, but Yohan heard every word clearly and blinked in confusion.

“What the hell is up with this guy?”

It wasn’t the sudden attack that left Yohan shocked, but rather Haverto’s strange way of speaking—stuttering and short, disconnected phrases.

When Yohan had seen Haverto in the dining hall and during the alchemy class, there hadn’t been any sign of a speech problem. 

Yet now, he sounded as if he were struggling to catch his breath, speaking in gasps.

To put it charitably, it was like someone who had just sprinted and was now trying to speak hurriedly.

‘To be honest…’

He just seemed… off. Like someone who wasn’t quite all there.

However, despite how he appeared, Haverto’s skills were undeniably real. 

The spell Yohan was preparing had to be canceled as he quickly twisted his body to dodge Haverto’s attack. 

And while Haverto watched Yohan narrowly evade his magic, a sneer played on his face.

Now, both of them had to start a new spell.

‘I’ve never been worried about spell-casting speed before…’

Yohan’s casting speed was faster than most freshmen. 

His understanding of magic circles was practically on a professor’s level, and although drawing magic circles in mid-air was still a bit unfamiliar to him, the act of ‘drawing’ itself was something Yohan excelled at beyond anyone else. 

Quick casting was only natural.

The problem was the person in front of him—Haverto had cast his magic in the blink of an eye. 

Yohan knew exactly what had happened. 

‘That was a memorized spell.’

He managed to dodge, and while it wasn’t against the rules, the uncertainty of how many memorized spells Haverto had ready was nerve-wracking. 

Yohan had no choice but to be on guard. He began moving his magic pen as quickly as he could.

It appeared Haverto had only one memorized spell prepared, as he also moved his magic pen to draw a circle.

“Stone Spear.”

The magic circle formed by Haverto was an offensive spell: Stone Spear. It was a 3-star spell. 

A spear made of stone formed in mid-air and quickly flew toward Yohan.

“Shield.”

Yohan had already prepared for a defensive response. 

Not knowing how Haverto would use his magic, his strategy was to hold out and observe before making a proper counter. 

A half-dome-shaped barrier appeared in front of Yohan.

However—

Crack!

Haverto’s stone spear pierced through Yohan’s shield, boring halfway into it. 

A little more, and the spear would have struck Yohan directly. His face tightened immediately.

In contrast, Haverto spoke in a gleeful, mocking tone.

“I’m worried… Our dear young master of the Hart family… Might be in trouble if all he trusts is his shield.”

The jeering words were spoken in that strange, fragmented manner. It made Yohan narrow his eyes.

‘Something’s definitely off with this guy. He’s taken something.’

Haverto’s spell-casting speed was on par with Yohan’s. 

It was nearly impossible for a normal freshman to cast spells at the same speed as Yohan.

‘And his power is considerable too.’

For a 3-star offensive spell to pierce a 2-star defensive one wasn’t unusual. 

However, the fact that the caster was a freshman at Arcana Academy made all the difference. 

While it was one thing to cast a 3-star spell, putting full power into it was no easy feat for a freshman. 

And on top of all that, there was his suddenly erratic speech pattern.

Yohan was certain Haverto had consumed a stimulant potion. 

Stimulants were no strangers to Yohan. 

As someone who always struggled to meet deadlines as a webtoon artist, caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol had been his constant companions—like life-saving elixirs. 

Caffeine to push through late-night work, nicotine to forget the accumulating fatigue, and alcohol to soothe his weary body and mind quickly and effectively.

But this was different. 

Completely different.

‘Get a grip.’

Yohan’s gaze sharpened as he watched Haverto swiftly draw another magic circle. 

Regardless of what Haverto’s original skill level was, after taking a stimulant, his casting speed had become nearly equal to Yohan’s. 

On top of that, his spell’s power slightly surpassed Yohan’s own. 

If they clashed head-on, it would almost certainly lead to Yohan’s defeat.

A new stroke was added to Haverto’s magic circle. 

The spell would be completed soon.

Yohan had to make a choice. 

Should he defend? Or counterattack? 

There were many options, but none clearly pointed to the right solution. 

The crucial thing was predicting what spell Haverto would cast next.

And then it hit Yohan.

‘Ah.’

He realized something important. There was one thing he excelled at far more than Haverto.

In that case, why not use it?

Yohan calmly observed Haverto’s movements, watching every stroke of his pen as he drew the magic circle. 

Then, a confident smile crept across Yohan’s face.