Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

PR/n:We’re changing the class ‘Epidemiology of Jet-Black’ to ‘Mechanics of Jet-Black’ as we found the previous name unfitting of the content. All previous chapters have been updated to reflect this change. Sorry for the confusion and thank you for your understanding.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!]

Pier, startled, hurriedly stepped away from Simon.

[How terrible! A son born between my friend and an enemy! How in the world……?!]

It was the first time he had seen Pier so bewildered.

Simon, who suddenly wanted to play a prank, loosened up his neck and mimicked Anna’s voice.

“Darling… It’s time for you to eat!”

[Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Stop! Stop it!! A nightmare! A nightmare is resurfacing! Get out of my head right now!]

Seeing Pier in pain, Simon held his side with laughter.

With this, he took revenge for hearing the dark history of his father that he didn’t even want to know.

“I look forward to working with you, Pier”

[Don’t smile like Anna, dammit!]

“Hahaha!”

* * *

The next morning had come.

Simon had stayed with Pier and learned about the operation of the Legion till the last afternoon of the weekend.

[You’re hugely mistaken if you think undead are creatures that follow common sense! The reason why undead under the control of the necromancer often eat people is because the caster didn’t fully understand the undead!]

And Pier’s education was conducted from the point of view of an undead. It was a different kind of the point of view to Kizen’s professors, so it was fun for the one learning.

[What makes the undead move is a strong will of death! Of all the things that a human can do, the closest thing to it would be ‘determination’.]

Simon tilted his head.

“Determination?”

[Yes! Let me give you an example to make it easier to understand. Let’s say you, a Kizen student, met an annoying senior. You think you want to kill him several times a day. Then the undead next to you will remember that determination.]

Simon, who was listening while nodding his head, suddenly felt the hairs all over his body stand on end.

“Wait. Then don’t tell me……!”

[Yes. That undead will now try to eat up the senior while you’re away!]

Flames swirled in Pier’s eyes.

[Even if your feelings for him are relieved! Even if time passes and he disappears from your memory! The undead will forever seek his life.]

“Th-That’s ridiculous!”

Pier chuckled.

[Don’t worry, I’ll tell you about these kinds of precautions from time to time! Going back to the main topic, the most important thing when controlling the undead is a strong determination! Boy, try ordering that skeleton standing in front of the wall to attack it!]

“Ah, sure.”

Simon stood up from his seat and stretched out his right arm.

“Attack that wall.”

Rattle.

The skeleton ran and started scratching the wall with his hands and kicking it.

[That won’t cut it.]

Pier shook his head side to side.

“………Then how should I do it?”

[Watch closely.]

The expression of Pier’s eyes became horrid.

[As long as you’re giving an attack order to the undead, place hatred on whatever the target is! Think of it as the enemy of your parents! The devil who killed your lover! Put more hatred on that wall than anything else in the world! Destroy it! Tear it up! Shower yourself with its blood!]

The movement of the skeleton that was hitting the wall began to gradually change. He scratched hard enough to leave a mark on the wall and smashed it with his whole body.

At the same time, Pier’s voice grew louder and louder too.

Bang!

Wham!

Ba-ba-bang!

The attack grew stronger and stronger. In the end, the skeleton started smashing its skull into the wall while letting out a horrifying shout.

Seeing that fierce spirit terrified Simon.

[Do you now understand, Boy?! The stronger your determination is, the higher you can raise the potential power and initiative of the undead!]

“………While cursing at your opponent?”

[I merely explained it from the perspective of you, humans. Language isn’t important here! A first-class necromancer can express sincere determination even when giving orders to chop some wood! And even with the same determination, negative emotions such as anger, hatred, and killing intent have a greater effect on the undead!]

However, Pier’s voice couldn’t be heard well in Simon’s ears.

The body of the skeleton attacking the wall was being destroyed and shattered beyond control.

“P-Pier! At this rate………!”

[Try making it stop. You have the highest authority in the Legion.]

Simon nodded and looked at the skeleton.

“Stop! Stop it now!”

Slam! Slam!

But the skeleton didn’t stop. Although its skull was cracked and its hands were trembling, it screamed frantically and pounded the wall.

“Can’t you hear what I’m saying? I said stop it!”

The skeleton didn’t even pretend to be listening. It even had seizures and began to become more and more aggressive.

Pier watched the whole thing silently. It may’ve been a bit of a traumatizing scene for Simon, who was still young, but he needed to firmly embed and understand it. This could be used as an opportunity.

The power of determination, and the weight that a necromancer’s order carries.

That skeleton wouldn’t stop until it turned to dust.

Even if its body crumbled and only its hands and feet remained, it’d beat the wall until its existence was erased.

Because that’s what undead were.

“S-T-O-P!!!”

At that moment, Simon shouted out while glaring.

The air trembled and the ceiling rumbled. It was a booming shout, one that made even Pier flinch.

And then…

Step!

Finally, the skeleton stopped.

Its eyes were glancing at the wall, but he couldn’t dare to refuse Simon’s command.

“……Hey.”

Simon breathed heavily and glared at the skeleton.

“If you disobey my order one more time, I’ll make you regret it.”

He didn’t want to see the summon that he had created injure itself any longer.

Seeing Simon’s ferocious gaze, the skeleton hurriedly looked away from the wall and stood up straight.

Looking at that scene, Pier let out a silent exclamation.

‘……That kid is already capable of using an absolute order?’

It wasn’t the level that could be accomplished by just telling them to put their determination in. It was really outside of Pier’s expectations. 

‘What kind of monster were you raising in the countryside, Richard?’

Simon wiped his lips on his sleeve and straightened his posture. Then, he scratched his head with an embarrassed face, as though nothing had happened.

“Pathetic, right? I can’t even properly control my own undead.”

[No, you did well.]

Of course, it was a compliment that came from the heart.

[In actual fights, there’s no time to curse or scold them like you just did. Keep training so that you can move the undead by squeezing in your determination with one command!]

“Understoo—"

Suddenly, Simon staggered and placed his hand on his forehead. One side of his head was throbbing and hurting.

[It’s because you used up all your mental strength. A necromancer always suffers from mental illness. Get enough rest!]

“Ugh… Got it.”

Rest was also important, but he hadn't eaten anything since last night yet.

Simon said he should return to Kizen soon.

[We’ll need a means of communication if you’re going back to Kizen!]

Pier threw a small skull out of who knows where.

[That’s my clone. If something happens in Kizen, use this and call me.]

“Ah, thank you.”

It was a skeleton with a squishy texture. Simon took a pin out of his bag and hung it there, like the other students decorating their uniforms. It wasn’t bad, so it could be considered to be fashion.

“Then see you again next weekend, Pier.”

[Huehe! I’ll look forward to your new achievements in the coming week!]

“Sure thing!”

Simon packed his things and left the ruins.

* * *

* * *

It was about to get dark when he arrived at Kizen.

Simon returned to the dorm after reporting his safe return.

[Kuhahah! It’s been so long… Kizen!]

Pier’s clone hanging on Simon’s school uniform spoke while twitching. Of course, that voice could only be heard by Simon.

[You mentioned that the student protection period isn’t over yet, right?]

“Yeah. It’ll finish next week.”

[Very well! I’ll be able to see a lot of fun in the future! Kuhehe!]

Simon opened the door to room 409 and entered.

Rick was lying in bed and Kajann was nowhere to be seen all weekend.

“Oh, Simon! You’re back!”

Rick got up from the bed with a glow on his face.

“Hello Rick. Did you have a good weekend?”

“It was so-so. It’s the first day, so I just got to know the merchants and made some investment promises. How about you?”

Simon placed Pier’s clone down on the desk before taking off his uniform jacket and handing it in his closet.

“I just met someone I know. I guess I spent it well.”

Actually, it wasn’t just spent well. Simon became the Commander of the Legion, a title which only seven people held in the world.

Pier’s clone, who was placed on the desk, grinned.

“It’s good that you spent it well. Ah! By the way, did you see the updated class schedule for next week?”

“Nah, not yet.”

The faculty staff in Kizen were necromancers who were in active service. The schedule was always flexible since the student’s schedules fluctuated a lot due to their missions and other matters.

All students had to check the changed schedule once a week.

“We have ‘Beginner Dark Magic’ for both tomorrow’s morning and afternoon.”

“If it’s Beginner Dark Magic…… it’s that class with the group activity, right?”

“That’s right.”

Kizen’s freshmen took a total of nine classes.

<Curses>, <Mechanics of Jet-Black>, <Summoning>, <Necromancy>, <Hemomancy>, <Poisonous Alchemy>, <Combat Magic>, <Defense Against the Holy Arts>, and <Beginner Dark Magic>.

Among them, a class that was slightly unusual compared to the rest was <Beginner Dark Magic>, and the professor of this class became the professor in charge of Class A. Classes were conducted in groups, and all of the other 8 subjects were tested.

“I hope Professor Bahil is in charge of Class A.”

With the recent teleportation incident, Rick seemed to be hooked on Bahil.

“Anyway, that’s not important. Looking at the schedule, I think the group will be made during tomorrow's ‘Beginner Dark Magic’ class. And once a group is decided, it stays that way for the whole semester. This is a matter of our life and death in Kizen.”

“Looks like it.”

A group composition for the whole semester. It was undoubtedly important. Simon also tilted his head with a serious face.

“The composition of the group has to be very well-strategized.”

Rick’s eyes lit up.

“First of all, it’s advantageous if the four members of the group are good at different subjects, you see? I’m pretty average at everything, but the highest score on my entrance exam was Mechanics of Jet-Black, so I’m gonna go this way.”

Simon thought for a moment and said,

“I haven’t taken any exam yet…… but I think Summoning would be the best for me.”

“Okay! Then one Summoning, and one Mechanics of Jet-Black, huh? It’s really well balanced!”

Rick continued to speak as he looked through the pocket notebook with the profiles of the Class A students.

“Then our next number one priority recruitment target is unquestionably an aspirant in Curses.”

“Curses? How come?”

“I’ll explain. Look closely.”

Rick put the pocket notebook down and took a notebook and quill out of the desk drawer.

“The subjects with the highest credibility points in Kizen, what’s known as the ‘three studies of a Necromancer’, are Curses, the Mechanics of Jet-Black, and Summoning. The students call it ‘C.M.S.’ for short.”

Rick nicely wrote Curses, Mechanics of Jet-Black, and Summoning in the notebook and tied them together with a circle.

While looking down at the notebook with careful eyes, Simon said,

“We’ve completed ‘M.S.’. That’s why we need a curse specialist.”

“As expected from you, Simon! You’re catching on quick! Well, these days, the proportion of Summoning has lowered, so some people call it ‘C.M.S.N.’ or ‘C.M.N.’, putting Necromancy instead of Summoning but…… it’s a fact that these three subjects are the most widely known ones.”

Simon nodded his head.

“And after the C.M.S., there's a thing known as the ‘four majors’, <Necromancy>, <Hemomancy>, <Poisons>, and <Combat Magic>. In short, ‘N.H.P.C.’. These subjects are also important, but there are many cases where people choose it as their major and dig in deep rather than feeling like they need to learn everything to begin with.”

Rick wrote down all seven subjects in the notebook and wrote the last two subjects below.

“And the supplementary subject, <Defense Against the Holy Arts>, and the general compulsory subject, <Beginner Dark Magic>. People call it ‘D.B.’, combining those two. It’s impossible to choose these subjects as your major.”

“I understand.”

Simon organized it in his head while counting on his fingers.

“C.M.S., N.H.P.C., D.B., for a total of 9 subjects.”

“Yup.”

“Four people in a group, right? If we bring in an aspirant for Curses and complete the ‘C.M.S’, who should we recruit for the one remaining member?”

“That’s what we need to put our heads together for and think about right now!”

Rick got excited and turned the notebook to the next page.

“First of all, it’s good to skip Combat Magic students among the N.H.P.C, you know? People from combat magic are only good at combat magic. They tend to be bad at the other subjects. I checked everything in Professor Hong Feng’s class last time.”

“……So we have to consider those kinds of things too?”

“Yes. And generally, students who want to major in Curses have high grades in Defense Against the Holy Arts and students who’re into Hemomancy tend to have high grades in Poison as a lot of things are compatible between them. We need to understand all these kinds of things.”

Simon and Rick pondered the plan to recruit for the group until late at night.

Rick, who had a lot of knowledge, led the plan, and Simon, who was listening quietly, also sharply pointed out some things. Rick immediately agreed and changed direction too.

As a result,

“Perfect! Then, we’re finalizing this, okay?”

“Okay.”

The recruitment targets, prioritized from No.1 to No.10, were decided for tomorrow’s group class.

——