The Obsessive Regressor of The Academy

46. Virsia

*Kwwaaang!*

Struck head-on by the lightning, the doppelganger couldn’t withstand the force and was slammed back into the wall. Smoke billowed, and Quill, seizing the opening, plunged his spear forward. The sound of flesh tearing, thick and wet, echoed.

An attack that, by all accounts, should have landed true. But Quill’s face twisted in a grimace as he recoiled.

He fell in beside Acel, flicking the spear shaft.

“The flesh is soft enough, but the moment the spear breaches the skin, it’s like the meat develops a mind of its own. If I’d stayed put, the shaft would’ve snapped.”

“You think the cells have their own consciousness?”

“…I wouldn’t go that far. But physical attacks, while not entirely useless, aren’t exactly effective. Seems like your magic’s in the same boat.”

Quill jerked his chin toward the doppelganger. Acel hummed in acknowledgement, nodding.

Through the dissipating smoke emerged the doppelganger. Shedding the skin it wore, it stood revealed: a writhing monstrosity of black, viscous slime.

Legless, but sporting six arms, twisted grotesquely and moving like some insectile horror. Where eyes should have been, a tongue lolled out, and from a mouth in its abdomen, dozens of crimson glints flared. Teeth grew in a spiral, and two pairs of tongues flicked from its maw.

Nothing like the depiction Warren had drawn. A grotesque aberration, devoid of any recognizable form.

He was right, then. The doppelganger, too, had been pieced together by someone, leaving only its core essence to be rebuilt through some alchemic process.

He couldn’t even begin to guess what had been spliced together. One thing was certain: its brow was untouched by the blast, hinting at a high regenerative capacity and considerable magical resistance. Acel clicked his tongue, glancing back at the others.

“Sending Quill in alone feels reckless. Anyone here capable of taking the vanguard?”

Silence was his reply. Saya wore a crestfallen expression, and Warren, after a moment of contemplation, sighed and shook his head.

As expected. Saya, at best, was a curse weaver, skilled in sowing confusion, and Warren was a spirit mage specializing in ranged support. Forcing them into the front lines would accomplish nothing.

That left only one option. Acel rolled his shoulders, stepping alongside Quill.

“Looks like I’ll have to go.”

“Not to be rude, but you sure about that? Never heard of a mage taking point. And this isn’t some drill, you know. You could die out there.”

“If I don’t, you’re stuck doing it solo. Can you manage that?”

“What? I never said we shouldn’t go together, did I?”

Quill’s jest drew a laugh from Asel. He imbued Quill’s blade with the lightning attribute, saying,

“Let’s go.”

The words were barely out when an earth spear shot from behind them, hurtling towards the doppelganger, followed by foxfire spiraling forward. Asel and Quill raced after the mystical projectiles.

*KWA-aaaNG!!*

The spear embedded itself in the doppelganger’s chest. The doppelganger, feeling the pain, threw its head back and screamed.

[Mother! Mother-rrrrr!!!]

A voice that sounded like a jumbled mix of genders and ages. Asel let the creature’s cry wash over him as he clasped his hands together.

Having committed to the front lines, he wouldn’t hold back on the magic. Especially against an opponent with magical resistance.

Fail to kill, and you die.

So, he would kill thoroughly.

[Armed Lightning Barrage (武裝鋼雷)]

As Asel clasped his hands, countless weapons forged of lightning appeared behind him.

All manner of spears and swords, shields, bloomed in the air, swirling before simultaneously plummeting towards the doppelganger. Quill, with deft skill, snatched one of the falling lightning spears and hurled it.

The lightning that distinguished friend from foe, instead of burning his hand, stimulated electrical signals, amplifying his strength momentarily.

“This is a good one!”

Quill laughed jovially as he charged forward at high speed. One of the doppelganger’s arms fell as if to crush him, but he evaded the attack with minimal movement and plunged the spear into the doppelganger’s flesh.

“Hiyah!”

He sliced upwards in that position. Black flesh tore away, and acidic red blood poured from the wound like a waterfall.

An acid so potent it could melt a body away. But Quill didn’t panic. A wall of earth rose from beneath his feet, taking the blood’s place. Quill grinned and retrieved his spear, moving in a wide arc around the doppelganger’s flank.

Asel’s gaze met his in the air. Asel didn’t speak, but drew back his arm, wreathed in lightning, before thrusting it forward with force.

[Thunderous Strike of Annihilation (太雷走殺)]

*Paji-ji-ji-jik!!!*

A gargantuan bolt of lightning, carrying immense mass and energy, erupted, instantly crushing half of the doppelganger’s body. The black mass that served as its lower half vanished as if evaporated, and before it could regenerate, Quill drove his aura-infused spear through the creature’s tongue.

*Kuuung!*

Like a mage’s mana, a warrior’s aura possessed the power to work miracles. The aura condensed at the tip of his spear exploded, splitting the doppelganger’s mouth in two.

He gripped the spear with his enhanced, electricity-charged arm, and swung it horizontally. Torn flesh sprayed into the air, disappearing without a trace in the foxfire. Then, the doppelganger clutched its head, crushing it as if trying to wring it out, and screamed.

[Mother will!!! Mother will punish you!! I will punish you-rrrrrr!!!]

“Who the hell’s your mama, you damned b*stard!”

Quill roared, gripping the spear in reverse, and hurled it.

* * *

*Thwack!*

The doppelganger’s head, impaled by the spear, exploded, spraying brain matter and blood in all directions. Quill, channeling mana, activated the retrieval sigil he’d paid dearly to have etched into the spear’s haft, drawing it back into his hand. Asel, shielding himself from the downpour of brain, moved to stand beside him.

He grinned, eyeing Quill’s right arm crackling with lightning.

“Like the new arm?”

“It’s a masterpiece.”

Quill answered, clenching his fist.

But the jesting stopped there.

Both men turned their gazes to the doppelganger simultaneously, their expressions hardening.

The battle might have appeared one-sided, but the doppelganger had already regenerated all its wounds in that short span.

Its regeneration capabilities, far exceeding expectations, were proving to be the sticking point. An ordinary doppelganger would’ve been dead and dismembered by now. What kind of creature did they splice together with this thing? Even with half its body obliterated, it regenerates in the blink of an eye.

“Gotta kill it in one shot, I reckon.”

Quill clicked his tongue. Asel concurred.

The doppelganger’s combat prowess itself was pathetic. It was almost embarrassing how much they had hyped it up; its attacks were laughably slow and, aside from sheer destructive power, it possessed no remarkable qualities. Yet, the fight dragged on, purely because of its regenerative abilities.

To overcome that, they needed to obliterate its massive frame entirely.

“Big one. Gotta prepare.”

“Think you can pull it off? A spell that can vaporize a monster that size in one go?”

“They’re dime a dozen. Most are high-level magic, and I’ve been holding back because we might get caught in the blast. But with the way things are, we don’t have a choice.”

As they spoke, the doppelganger lunged, extending a pointed tongue towards Asel’s chest. Asel manipulated his shield, deflecting the attack and redirecting a bolt of lightning in return. The agony of burning cells was not lost on the creature, which shrieked and flailed.

Quill, watching Asel gather mana, spoke.

“Truth be told, those two behind us? Not much help. Seems like it’s their first time in a real fight, they can’t even time their support properly. If you’re casting a spell while moving, I’m the only one who can protect you.”

“No need to protect me.”

Asel chuckled, stamping his foot hard on the ground.

[Rumbling Thunder Rampart]

At that moment, a colossal wall of lightning erupted, standing sentinel around Asel. He gazed at the dark azure barrier, shimmering with power, and spoke.

“Fall back. If you get caught up in this, there’s nothing I can do.”

“…You sure it’s safe?”

“We’ll be fine.”

Asel formed a hand seal, continuing.

“It’s that thing I’m not so sure about.”

That was enough. Quill clapped Asel on the shoulder once, then sprinted towards the others, who were already retreating. Asel glanced briefly at his back before fixing his gaze on the drooling doppelganger, and began chanting the incantation.

High magic, unleashed without the slightest premonition. To manifest its power beyond the limits, one underwent the process of gestures and incantation. Thus, the magic complete, he unleashed it without hesitation.

[Thunderbolt]

*Pzzzzzzzt!*

From Asel’s fingertips, lightning bloomed and surged upwards. A colossal bolt of lightning, born from cloudless skies, descended.

*KWAhhh!*

Launched at supersonic speed, the thunderbolt. The Doppelganger stood no chance. Struck directly by the falling lightning, the creature vanished, leaving behind only the remnants that had supported its form.

Magic wrought by pouring half the core’s mana into it. No matter how synthesized the Doppelganger, it could never have withstood such power.

But remnants remained. Flesh, bubbling as if about to regenerate, lingered. Asel channeled the lightning low, incinerating every last trace.

Thus ended the Doppelganger subjugation. Asel released a long breath. The three who had stood behind him moved forward.

Quill wore a refreshing smile, but Warren and Saya’s faces were less composed. They felt a debt, having contributed almost nothing to the fight. Asel gave it little thought, but it seemed they felt differently.

Self-disappointment and guilt were a double-edged sword. Sometimes they fostered growth, but other times they were sticky emotions, dragging one down into the ocean depths of lost pride.

He didn’t know where they would end up, but he hoped they would grow from this.

“More importantly, we need to get the blood. What do we do without a corpse?”

Lost in thought, Quill scratched his head. Asel turned his gaze from Warren and Saya to answer him.

“Don’t worry. I have a way.”

“Which is?”

Instead of answering, Asel simply raised his hand. The Doppelganger’s blood, scattered across the floor, gathered into a sphere.

Shimmering red blood, with an acidic tang. It looked like ordinary blood, but it could melt anything it touched and spread poison. A peculiar substance.

Not knowing what might happen if he touched it bare-handed, Asel levitated the sphere, keeping it by his side.

Fortunately, there was no need to carry the blood around. Saya had brought a reinforced glass bottle; storing it inside would be enough to block both the acidity and toxicity.

The amount of blood collected was substantial. Hopefully, Saya would be satisfied.

Thinking so, Asel glanced at Saya.

In that instant, a chill ran down his spine.

The activated mana was still burning, refusing to cool. Though the mana had been mostly expended, preventing the birth of another thunderbolt, its intensity remained ferocious.

The unconsciously deployed shields were layered thick, and the already-impenetrable mental defenses were reinforced with magic, making him virtually immune to mental attacks.

Which was why he knew so acutely.

Beyond Saya. Through the passageway they had crossed to hunt the Doppelganger.

From beyond, he sensed a woman approaching.

“For them to mention mother, I thought something of this nature would suddenly happen.”

A presence faint to the point of being imperceptible. The mana that a human should naturally possess was unmeasurable. It was like sensing an inanimate object. There was only one meaning to this.

That her opponent had reached a far superior realm.

“So, I came to see what all the fuss was about…”

Finally, piercing the darkness of the passage, she revealed herself.

Unkempt hair. Tired eyes and a languid expression marked the woman. Beautiful enough to be called a beauty, yet the group remained silent before her. Instead, they adopted combat stances, only glaring at her.

Conversely, Asel clenched his teeth, searching for an escape route.

There was no way he could win against her from the start.

At least Zervil’s equal. With half his magic spent hammering her with high-level magic, he wouldn’t even be able to buy time if she went all out. If he didn’t want to die, he had to leave quickly.

But how? The only escape route was the passage behind this woman?

“The sound of you thinking is deafening, young mage.”

“…!”

Her voice echoed inside Asel’s head. Almost instinctively, Asel seized the magic being transmitted to him and twisted it. The telepathic message abruptly ceased, but the backlash from the spell’s destruction returned, not to the woman, but to Asel.

“Cough!”

Blood spurted from Asel’s mouth. He had annihilated his opponent’s magic, not his own, yet he had suffered greater damage. Asel didn’t even think to wipe the blood flowing from his mouth as he glared.

As far as he knew, there was only one type of mage on the continent who could inflict the aftereffects of spell destruction on their opponent like that.

“A Necromancer…!”

“Oh, you figured it out from that backlash? I deliberately concealed my magic, but you possess remarkable talent.”

An interest flickered in her once languid eyes. As if the others were invisible, she stared intently at Asel alone, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“I thought mice had gotten in, but it turns out there’s a golden mouse hidden among them.”

“…”

“Oh dear. It was a joke I haven’t told in a while, but no one’s laughing.”

“How did you master necromancy while manipulating synthesis magic? Necromantic and synthetic magic are fundamentally opposed in nature.”

Asel ignored her words and asked. She answered with an indifferent expression.

“Dual attribute. A talent forged anew by grinding down souls.”

“…Forged?”

“Why are you so surprised? Offering ‘living things,’ like sacrifices or souls, to carve out new horizons of possibility. It’s been a path for apostles since the birth of the Demon of Possibility, yet its effectiveness is renowned. It seems they don’t teach even these basics these days.”

“…”

“Well, never mind. In the first place, the very fact that I’m exchanging words with you like this is absurd.”

She said that as she put her hands in her pockets.

“It was research to verify whether synthetic magic could be grafted onto necromancy, but thanks to you Academy students, my laboratory is in complete ruins. The child I raised with such care is dead as well.”

“……”

“But truth be told, I don’t feel much of anything. It was research I was going to scrap anyway, since the results weren’t coming. Even if you hadn’t turned it on its head, I would have swept it away myself. That being said, I can’t just let you all go scot-free, can I? I’m not driven by mere curiosity, like Gervill.”

“…What?”

An unforgettable name burst from her lips. But she ignored Asel’s voice and continued speaking.

“So, die quietly. I’ll make it as painless as possible. It’s just not in my nature to kill people so easily, you see.”

She chuckled, all by herself.

“Even saying it makes me want to gag. It’s a lie, of course.”

-SCREEEEEEECH!!

From behind her, a legion of wraiths arose.