The Academy Regressor is Obsessed

It was no coincidence that Ena was given the epithet Gaebyeok.

Land, sea, and sky. Each realm is a gift from the supreme beings that have existed since the birth of humanity, and exploring them is the role of those who walk the path of magic.

So said Glut, the first magician.

Therefore, following his will, epithets representing each realm could only exist one per era. Sometimes there were vacancies when no talented individuals existed, but fortunately all three positions were currently filled.

The magicians representing each position were as follows:

The noble earth magician representing the land, Okgon (玉坤).

The pure water magician representing the sea, Haecheong (海靑),

And the violent lightning magician representing the sky, Gaebyeok (開闢),

Traditionally, magicians representing the sky were always held by stellar magicians. The starry sky moving to their gestures and the stellar explosions blooming at their fingertips always gifted people with wonder. Even fellow magicians couldn’t help but admire that beautiful and violent festival of stars.

That was until it was all shattered by pure white lightning.

There are now only a few people left who remember that day.

A girl who walked the battlefield spraying pure white lightning with an expressionless face during the racial war that broke out just 10 years after the fall of the Magic Kingdom, the de facto ruler of the continent. A monster that defied heaven, tearing the sky wherever she went, even piercing through the stars of those great stellar magicians and making them her own power source.

Even planets obscuring the sky were useless. From the start, no matter what the sky was like, that monster always brought clear skies.

That’s why she’s Gaebyeok. When she was covered in blood, and even that blood turned to ashes and disappeared. At some point, she came to be called that.

It was now a war history that only remained in literature. Thanks to that, there weren’t many people left who properly knew how heavy the name Gaebyeok was, or why such a notorious reputation was attached to that magician.

But those who remained always said this when referring to Gaebyeok:

Never, under any circumstances, turn her into an enemy.

It was the highest praise for someone who was once an enemy.

A sudden white fall (白落). Though there were no dark clouds in the sky, for some reason a sharp bolt of lightning fell from the clear sky. The vibration and noise strong enough to shake even the main building where classes were in session struck the windows, and the gazes of all Academy-related people including enrolled students turned there.

“What’s that all of a sudden?”
“Is it going to rain? But… the sky is clear?”
“Must be a sun shower.”
“Does lightning strike during a sun shower?”
“Hey, be quiet. The professor is getting angry again.”

The classroom where magic combat studies were taking place was the same. But unlike other places, the commotion didn’t spread much in that classroom. This was because Professor Firenze, who would flare up in anger at the slightest sound during class, was firmly standing at the podium. Thanks to that, students couldn’t look outside even if they wanted to.

Professor Firenze would probably continue the class regardless of what was happening outside. They held back sighs that were about to escape and forcibly gripped their pens tighter.

“…Ah.”

But contrary to their expectations, Professor Firenze couldn’t continue the class. Instead, as if entranced by something, he approached the window and gazed beyond it. The students tilted their heads looking at his back, but he paid them no attention.

All his attention was focused on the pure white lightning currently connecting sky and earth.

“Amazing.”

Lightning is originally just a momentary flash of light. Its instantaneous destructive power and light are not to be ignored, but its sustaining power is particularly lacking compared to other natural phenomena. This characteristic is naturally reflected in lightning formulas as well.

But… that lightning wasn’t disappearing. Rather, it was growing larger and intensifying its radiance as if about to burn up the sky and earth entirely.

How is that possible? What kind of mental image and uniqueness must one possess to perform such a miracle?

Firenze instantly grasped who the owner of that lightning was. That’s why he couldn’t contain his excitement even more.

The foundation of the magic combat studies he specialized in lies in war and subjugation. A great person who experienced that war history was right there. The reason for coming here and suddenly casting magic were irrelevant in the face of a magician’s curiosity and fighting spirit.

He wanted to see it directly. He wanted to feel it with his body.

That greatness.

That power!

“Professor Firenze! We’re under attack! A strange intruder has attacked the western mountain of the Academy!”

Just as Firenze was clenching his fist, the Academy supply manager appeared as the front door of the classroom opened and shouted that.

At the word “attack”, the students began to stir. Some of them stood up, wondering whether they should run away or fight against the Academy’s crisis. Meanwhile, Professor Firenze remained silent. He opened his mouth as he looked at the white radiance that was starting to grow larger.

“Professor Firenze!”

At that moment, the supply manager who had somehow approached Firenze’s side grabbed his shoulder and shouted. He opened his mouth to yell that they needed to evacuate immediately.

But Firenze was faster.

Still looking out the window, he moved his lips.

“A great magician is there.”
“…What did you say?”
“Perhaps a living monster containing the essence of all combat magic theories defined to date is right there.”
“Professor Firenze. This isn’t a training situation. I don’t know what you’re suddenly saying, but-”
“As a junior walking the same path of combat magic, how could I pretend not to see that?”

Firenze ignored the supply manager’s words beside him and flung the window wide open.

At that moment. An explosive burst of pure white radiance began to erupt from the sky. Soon the light split into lightning and fell towards the earth.

Kwaaaaaaang!!!

The world ignites. For a moment, vision is dyed black from the light intensity beyond limits. The senses throughout the body expand from the killing intent and current transmitted through the air, as if burning the flesh. His hands trembled just from the aftermath of the violent magical power felt.

All of it was utterly delightful.

“‘The sky where she walked was endlessly clear, but the earth was all ashes.'”
“What on earth are you saying-!”
“I finally understand the meaning of that sentence now. Senior.”

Firenze’s mouth corners split wide as he flung his body through the open window.

“I’m going to see her now.”

Whooooosh!!

The wind bore up his body.

Ena stood loftily in the sky looking down at the earth. The pure white lightning dancing behind her writhed as her pupils moved, burning and tearing apart trees and land. It was destruction accomplished through pure emission of magical power, without any formula manifestation.

This way, the amount of magical power consumed increases exponentially, but it wasn’t a burdensome level for Ena, who innately overflowed with magical power.

“…Phew.”

The incoming wind is cold. Though it had gotten quite warm, the weather was still chilly. It seemed there was still quite some time left before summer arrived. It had been quite a long time since she became unaffected by seasons, but she still had preferred seasons.

‘When summer comes, maybe I’ll go to the sea with Asel.’

Ena thought that and burst into laughter with a “pft”. Then she covered her mouth with one hand as if surprised at herself.

Again. Again, when she thought about Asel alone, laughter came out involuntarily. It had been like that before, but it felt like it had gotten worse recently. Moreover, for the past few days it had been difficult to look at Asel’s face directly, and if she had long conversations, her heart would tickle and it was hard to endure.

‘I wonder why.’

Ena pondered for a moment, but couldn’t come up with an answer. A deep sigh escaped her lips.

Well, nevermind. It wasn’t important right now anyway.

Ena narrowed her eyes and glanced at the Academy professors gathered at the foot of the mountain. Though they looked like small dots from so far away, she could clearly perceive them talking urgently about various things.

She could eavesdrop, but deliberately didn’t. Whatever they chattered about wouldn’t change the situation anyway.

She was aware that this current situation was a play created by Frida and herself. So she wasn’t getting excessively angry or engaging in destructive acts. She planned to rampage moderately, then talk about Asel-related matters and leave.

The discussion with the federation was already over. The alliance leader, who had been planning to directly invade the Academy to ascertain the truth of the incident, respected Ena’s wishes for now. But he decided to step in himself after she finished her business here.

It was a good thing anyway. Stopping Nori-um was for the Academy to do, not Ena’s concern.

“…”

Honestly, if asked whether she wasn’t really angry, that wasn’t the case. It’s just that it wasn’t to the extent of losing reason and rampaging.

If Asel had died or remained unconscious for a long period, she would have erased the Academy itself from the map. Regardless of casualties, she would have undoubtedly burned all Academy-related people alive at the very least. Ena knew herself very well.

But there was no need to do that now. Asel seemed to want to return to the Academy too, and she had made a deal with Frida, so she couldn’t engage in indiscriminate tearing and destroying.

Of course, if asked whether Frida was blameless in the current situation, that wasn’t the case. It’s just that she promised appropriate compensation for this, so Ena held back and joined hands for now.

She was only granted a reprieve. Her future dealings would be determined by what compensation was made later and how it was handled.

“…Phew.”

The thoughts were long. Ena let out a long breath and slowly drew up magical power.

She planned to do just enough to moderately vent her anger.

‘First I should close off this area.’

Thinking that, Ena lowered her hand from above. Following that motion, magical power surged once, and the lightning that had been rampaging wildly formed into a single shape beneath Ena’s feet.

[Lightning Spear]

Kwarrrrrrrrr!!!

A giant spear of lightning reveals its majesty. Magical power writhes enough to make even the chattering professors shudder, and Ena plunged it straight into the ground. Just from that, the world flashed for a moment, and ears lost function from the bursting roar.

Professors who failed to protect themselves in time collapsed showing painful expressions, and through their midst, Firenze, riding the wind, flew in at high speed.

Without slowing down, he shouted as he met Ena’s blue gaze looking at him:

“One move!”
“…”
“Please!”

Formless wind needles are fired at high speed from his feet. As magic used by a 7th circle high-level magician, its power was truly formidable.

But that’s all. It fell far short of breaking through Ena’s defense.

Crackle!!

Lightning erupting from Ena’s entire body tears and swallows the wind. Without any resistance, it disappears in an instant as if encountering a being that couldn’t even dare to resist.

Firenze’s attack was so futilely reduced to nothing. But his face was still full of smiles.

A magician’s fighting spirit and curiosity continuously whip him. It was just the first move. He had no intention of being satisfied with just this.

A fight where defeat was certain. So he pours everything in and loses as miserably as possible.

To learn even one more thing.

To feel even one more thing.

Even one more-

“Your moves are obvious.”

Ena said, looking down at Firenze.

“And I have no intention of playing along.”

She extended her hand towards him.

[White Radiance Inviting Death]

Crackle!!!

An orb of pure white lightning explosively bloomed from her outstretched hand and fired towards Firenze.

It was too late to dodge. The firing speed was truly beyond imagination. So he constructed a defensive formula as fast as possible and moved as far away as he could riding the wind from the lightning orb.

But the lightning was faster than him escaping the magic’s range.

Crackle!!

The shield made with all his nerves concentrated disappears without any resistance. The wind he was riding on decomposes as if reversed the moment it touches the orb’s aftermath. The unique mobility of wind magicians is sealed in an instant, and at the same time, the lightning orb reaches right in front of Firenze.

“…Ah.”

A death cry bursts from his mouth and.

Crackle!!!

Firenze’s flesh was enveloped in pure white light. He felt pain as if his entire body was being torn apart and fell.

The difference between one who studies combat magic and one who directly creates it was that extreme.

Academic enthusiasm and fighting spirit were nothing.

“Lady Ena!”

A familiar voice was heard beyond the bushes where Firenze had fallen. When Ena cast her gaze there, Fernan leapt towards her with his sword thoroughly wrapped in aura.

Before their eyes could even meet, he swung his sword down diagonally.

Clang!!

Fernan’s sword was pushed back in midair, blocked by Ena’s magical power. But there was not a trace of regret on Fernan’s face.

It was natural. He had no intention at all of harming Ena.

He just wanted to convey one thing.

“A message from the Headmaster. Half of the people present here now support the Headmaster, and the other half are bastards who have sided with the vested interests. I’m on the supporting side. Anyway, those of us on the Headmaster’s side, including myself, are prepared to be half-killed by you, Lady Ena, so don’t hesitate and attack us hard.”
“Is he on your side too?”
“No. Professor Firenze isn’t on either side. If anything, he should be called a scholar mad about magic.”
“Is that so?”

That was the extent of her interest. Ena extinguished her interest in the magician who had been knocked down by her magic, and looked at Fernan with narrowed eyes.

“You said I could attack without hesitation.”
“Yes. Please destroy this area as you please! I won’t be paying the restoration costs anyway!”
“You. You knocked out my disciple during the entrance exam.”
“…Pardon?”

Unexpected words burst from her mouth. The moment Fernan asked back, Ena grabbed Fernan’s sword with her hand and manifested a formula.

“You should pass out today too.”

[Lightning Fan]

Crackle!!

Lightning poured out in a fan shape and directly struck Fernan’s upper body.