I Became a Terminally Ill Magic Genius at the Academy

Once again, Yohan’s magical talent was exceptional. 

This meant he could clearly discern the magic circles drawn in midair. 

By sensing his opponent’s mana and reading the intricacies of the magic circle, Yohan’s strengths as the original creator of this world could fully shine.

His understanding of magic circles surpassed not just Haverto but even most of the graduates. 

Yohan’s grasp of them was so advanced it would need to be compared to that of the academy’s professors.

‘No one among the students can match me in this.’

So, he decided to make the most of this advantage.

As another stroke was added to Haverto’s circle, Yohan started analyzing from the innermost lines of Haverto’s spell. 

By doing so, he could understand the nature of the magic. 

Thankfully, the lines Haverto drew were straightforward.

‘Stone.’

Haverto had been using stone-related spells continuously, and this time was no different. 

With the nature of the spell understood, the next step was to analyze the ‘layers’ of the magic circle—the strength, direction, and fundamental form of the spell. 

This was the most complex part, requiring careful examination.

“It’s over now, Yohan Hart.”

Haverto moved his pen swiftly.

There was little time left.

‘Sharp and fast….’

Stone Spear? 

No. It was different. Much smaller in size but in greater quantity.

The direction was, of course, aimed at Yohan.

A normal shield spell wouldn’t be able to stop it. 

Even if it wasn’t as powerful as a Stone Spear, the combined force would shatter a shield quickly.

‘What about using the Blood Shield?’

Perhaps a special shield spell could block it. 

But then what? 

‘I can’t keep blocking it forever.’

So, what if he countered with an offensive spell? 

No, attacking now wouldn’t be a suitable response to Haverto’s spell.

‘Then….’

Yohan focused intensely on Haverto’s magic circle.

“Stone Strike.”

Sharp, carved stones, more than a dozen of them, materialized in the air and quickly flew toward Yohan.

And Yohan’s response was—

He took a step forward.

He had analyzed the magic circle, deciphered its nature, type, power, speed, and direction.

‘Then, why let it hit me?’

There was no reason to take the blow. 

Knowing the exact trajectory of the incoming stones, why should he stand and endure them?

He moved forward and sidestepped.

Whoosh!

A few stone shards grazed past Yohan.

Then, shifting his body the other way, he took another step forward.

Whoosh!

Again, the stone shards flew past him, narrowly missing.

Thud! Thud!

The stones embedded themselves in the ground behind where Yohan had just stood.

And Yohan continued to advance and murmured with a smile.

“This actually works.”

Analyzing the magic circle to anticipate how and where the spell would strike was theoretically possible, but pulling it off in a live combat situation was another matter. 

Even Yohan had some doubts when he tried it, so the success felt both surprising and thrilling.

‘At this level, I shouldn’t be easily beaten when fighting against other freshmen.’

Even if he faced an opponent with no prior information, as long as he could analyze their magic circle, Yohan could handle them properly. 

Higher-tier spells would be much harder to decipher, and mages often customized their spells, so analyzing and countering in real-time wouldn’t be easy. 

However, Yohan felt confident that he could at least handle spells cast by 2-star or average 3-star mages.

Naturally, Yohan regained his composure.

“Stone Spear!”

Haverto frantically waved his magic pen and cast a spell toward Yohan. 

However, Yohan effortlessly sidestepped to the right, evading the attack.

Haverto tried to adjust the direction of the Stone Spear, predicting Yohan’s movement. 

However, once a spell had already been cast, redirecting its trajectory wasn’t easy. 

Even with his best effort, Haverto could only correct its path halfway.

“What’s the matter? Seems like even without a shield, you can’t land a hit on me.”

Yohan teased with a light laugh as he glanced at Haverto.

“Ugh…!”

Grinding his teeth, Haverto raised his magic pen again, determined to cast another spell. 

But this time, Yohan didn’t stand idle and watch.

The spell Haverto was preparing this time was different from his previous ones.

‘Not a projectile but a control spell?’

It meant a spell that could be manipulated to move according to the caster’s will. 

Haverto’s spell had three layers in its circle.

However, just because Haverto was using a 3-star spell didn’t mean Yohan needed to match that level. 

Yohan swiftly completed his magic circle.

His spell had only one layer.

It was merely a 1-star spell, but it meant Yohan could cast it far faster than Haverto.

“Blood Missile.”

A variant of the basic 1-star offensive spell, Magic Missile, and a signature spell of Bryan Hart’s secret arts. 

The Blood Missile quickly formed and flew directly toward Haverto.

——-

Haverto was on the brink of losing his mind.

Among the central nobles, he knew there was no one who could rival him…

Haverto had never faced off against one of the Four Great Family before. 

He should have anticipated that Yohan Hart might be more challenging to deal with than he initially thought. 

Normally, he would have been brimming with confidence, engaging in a magical duel with Yohan and thoroughly overpowering him.

‘But right now, I need a flawless victory.’

Had it not been for that judgment, Haverto wouldn’t have consumed the stimulant for this duel. 

And if he hadn’t taken it, he would have been swiftly defeated.

“Damn it…”

As Yohan effortlessly dodged his attack, Haverto cursed under his breath. 

It was a high-quality stimulant that he had managed to obtain with great difficulty—one that could temporarily elevate his abilities by a whole level. 

Of course, there were side effects. 

After using it, he would be left in a state of exhaustion. 

Since the stimulant allowed him to wield power beyond his original capabilities, it would inevitably strain his magic circles—the core of a mage’s power.

If a mage’s magic circles were strained, it could affect their entire body, and in the worst cases, endanger their mental state. 

Despite these side effects, the stimulant’s effectiveness was so great that it commanded a high price. 

The stimulant was also prohibited by imperial law due to its risky production process and potential dangers. 

Imagine if every mage in the Empire carried such stimulants. The lifespan of the imperial mages would be cut in half, and the number of incidents and accidents would multiply several fold.

‘But as long as you use it wisely, it’s fine.’

In Haverto’s mind, as long as a mage had strong mental fortitude and excellent talent, using the stimulant appropriately posed no issue. 

Confident in his judgment, he took the stimulant without hesitation, and he did not doubt that he would win.

But…

‘Why won’t he just get hit?’

The stimulant was powerful enough to be banned by the Empire for a reason; it greatly enhanced his magic-casting speed. 

Moreover, Haverto felt his entire body brimming with mana, and his mana control felt a level above what it usually was. 

He was confident he could beat not only freshmen but also most Arcana Academy students. 

Even now, he didn’t doubt that he would win. 

The problem was that Yohan was just too good at dodging. And that irritated him.

‘How is he managing to do this?’

It was almost as if Yohan already knew what spells were going to be used against him. 

He dodged Haverto’s spells with ease. 

Haverto’s expression twisted in frustration. He needed to end this duel quickly. 

Regardless of the fact that he would win eventually, the longer the fight dragged on, the harsher the aftereffects of the stimulant would be.

Haverto focused and intensely stared at Yohan Hart. This time, the spell he prepared wasn’t a projectile like before. 

‘Stone Hand.’

His plan was to summon a giant stone hand to grab Yohan. 

Haverto quickly drew the magic circle. 

“Blood Missile.”

However, before he could even finish half of his spell, Yohan had already cast his.

A crimson flash shot toward Haverto, who frantically moved his magic pen—but it was too late. 

Crack!

The Blood Missile struck Haverto square in the chest, shattering the necklace around his neck.

——-

“What just happened? Did we win?”

The students of the White Wolf dorm asked in a dazed tone. 

Haverto’s necklace was shattered, and it had all happened so quickly. 

Yohan, who had only been dodging and defending up until now, suddenly cast his magic at an incredible speed, striking Haverto’s chest directly. 

For the students who thought Haverto had the upper hand, it was nothing short of bewildering.

“What’s going on? Did we actually lose?”

“Is this real?”

In contrast, the students of the Golden Lion dorm looked as if they were in denial of reality. 

But the outcome was clear. Geron raised his voice with authority.

“The winner is Yohan Hart of the White Wolf dorm!”

With his proclamation, the White Wolf dorm students erupted.

“Wooooo!”

“He won! Yohan, you crazy guy! I knew you’d do it!”

“We’re number one! We actually did it!”

The students of the White Wolf dorm, notorious for being last, were now overwhelmed with joy. 

Although this was just the beginning, it meant the world to them, and their cheering was loud and infectious.

Meanwhile, Yohan calmly looked down at Haverto, who was sprawled on the ground.

“No memorized defense spells, huh?”

“……”

This meant Haverto could only memorize one spell at a time, and he had used that one memorized spell for an offensive sneak attack. 

It was understandable in the world of cutthroat competition, but it left a bitter taste.

‘Then why bring up honor at all?’

Yohan found it odd; using a memorized spell for an immediate ambush was not exactly honorable. 

If that was Haverto’s approach, there was no need to talk about noble honor in the first place. 

Clicking his tongue in disapproval, Yohan turned to walk away.

Luckily, he had won before the worst of the side effects from the stimulant could hit him. 

Now it was time to celebrate his victory.

But then—

“Blood Shield.”

Sensing a surge of mana from behind, Yohan swiftly drew his magic pen and cast a defensive spell.

Boom!

The enhanced Blood Shield blocked Haverto’s Stone Spear. 

The spear shattered against Yohan’s shield, and though it left a crack, the shield remained intact.

“This… This crazy bastard…?”

“What’s he doing? It’s over! The match is done!”

Angry voices filled with rage came from the White Wolf dorm students. 

Yohan, too, let out a humorless laugh.

“Wow! Trying to cast a spell from behind after everything is finished? That’s real noble of you, huh? Truly dignified.”

He muttered in disbelief.