I Became the Genius Mage of the Martial Academy

Chapter 114 : Ranking Competition (1)

On the day of the ranking competition, when I headed to the training ground where the upper group was, students and instructors were all gathered.

They were all familiar faces now. Baek Hasin, Bong So, Namgung Bihwa, and so on. But the atmosphere of the gathered instructors was somehow unusual.

I approached Baek Hasin and asked subtly.

“What’s going on?”

“I heard Yeo Jin-gon died. It seems he met with a misfortune on his way back from completing a high-grade request.”

“What?”

At the unexpected news, I asked back without realizing it. To think he had died when we had just crossed swords a few weeks ago. It felt strange that a character who was alive and well at this point in the original work had disappeared.

“They suspect a heretic group or the Blood Cult, but the damage is so severe that it’s difficult to distinguish. And there are even rumors that the Blood Cult is conducting human experiments in Sichuan, so it’s very ominous in many ways.”

That must be true. In the original work, the Blood Cult conducts large-scale human experiments in Sichuan and starts a war after being caught by the Martial Alliance.

‘And that’s either at the end of this year or next year.’

For a rumor like this to be circulating, it meant that the Martial Alliance had already finished its investigation. All that was left was the timing of the subjugation. Of course, the Martial Academy would be involved in that.

Originally, it would have taken more time to proceed cautiously, but thanks to the creation of the Great Blood Art and the filtering of spies, there was a possibility that the timing would be brought forward somewhat.

The crisis was getting closer, but at the same time, an opportunity also existed. Because in the Blood Cult’s human experiment site, a corrupted divine artifact, an evil object, was sleeping.

“Then we will now begin the ranking competition.”

While I was lost in thought for a moment, the professor in charge of the intermediate students, Woo Hee-ryeong, came forward.

“First, the student who chose the 5th place, please come out.”

With her instruction, a few students headed to their spots.

After that, Go Su-bin and a few others gathered for the 4th place. For the 3rd place, there was only one person, Mo Yonghan. In fact, he was the winner of today’s mind game.

Now, all that was left were the top four, including me. From here on, it was the real deal.

In the tense atmosphere, I was waiting for the announcement regarding the 2nd place, but an unexpected opening was heard.

“Next, the student for the 1st place.”

And with that, all four remaining people moved. It was me, Bong So, Namgung Bihwa, and Baek Hasin. All of them had chosen the 1st place.

“…You tricked me?”

“I didn’t know you would be so honest.”

Baek Hasin stood next to me and added annoyingly. Woo Hee-ryeong looked at us as if it was interesting and raised her voice.

“Since the number of applicants is even, we will determine the superiority by having a spar at random. First, Zhuge Cheonwu and…”

Her fingertip pointed at me. And the next one it pointed to was…

“Let’s have Bong So fight.”

Bong So of the Shaolin Sect, the strongest and top student among the intermediate students, was there.

‘Ha, crazy.’

To think I would have to fight the top student from the very beginning.

‘What bad luck.’

Naturally, Baek Hasin would fight Namgung Bihwa. We divided the wide training ground into two and used it as a sparring stage.

Since the students corresponding to the 4th and 5th places had gone to the training ground next door, the inside was quiet. I faced Bong So and took out the Martial Arts Sword and the Daoist Scholar’s Fan in both hands.

The revenge match from the last credit snatching was about to begin. But before that, there was something I had to make sure of.

“It’s no fun to just fight, so let’s make a bet.”

“What is it?”

“If I win, let me join the future subjugation of the Shaolin heretics. How about it?”

At this side’s proposal, Bong So’s usually cheerful face hardened.

“…How did you know that?”

“Then let’s make that your condition. If I lose, I’ll tell you the source of the information. Since it’s a spar that’s advantageous to you anyway, this should be enough for the bet.”

“Good. Young Master Cheonwu always exceeds my expectations.”

Although he said that, his eyes were not smiling. I had expected this reaction. And that it would be a provocation. But I had no choice but to do this. Because one of the three evils left by Zhuge Goya was held by one of the Shaolin heretics.

Although it had been released, it wasn’t completely. It might be due to my lack of ability, but if there was a chance for the Daoist Scholar’s Fan to grow by breaking and swallowing the three evils, it was worth a try.

A tense atmosphere filled the training ground. The moment Woo Hee-ryeong shouted start, Bong So’s figure disappeared.

Kwaang!

At the same time, a fist of outrageous speed broke through the shield and clashed with the Martial Arts Sword.

‘An incredible force!’

Even though I had reduced the force by making the floor slippery with ice while retreating with the Spirit God Step, my wrist was tingling.

I immediately flew the lightning strike I had prepared and aimed for his eyes and blood vessels.

The branches of the electric shock that burned Bong So’s entire body like a small lightning bolt. But it didn’t work.

“You’re using a strange sorcery like last time.”

‘As expected, it’s difficult to even scratch him with just a normal attack magic.’

His movements, which rushed in additionally, were so fast that it was difficult to follow with my eyes. But…

‘He’s not as good as Go Du-gyeong.’

I raised my sword to block. If it were before, my hand would have been torn, but thanks to the increase in my realm this time, it was manageable.

I slammed the spear of flame lightning that I had made on the spot into Bong So’s abdomen and widened the distance.

Flames erupted, and Bong So revealed his appearance from within again. But it seemed it was difficult to ignore this time, as he seemed to be trying to scout me rather than rushing in right away.

Without missing that brief respite, I threw a question.

“You’re not using a sword?”

“I’m in the process of shedding the form of the sword. This suits me better.”

And then he rushed towards this side again. The incredible speed of his mobility and the huge destructive power in his fists were amazing. The level was indeed different.

It was a power befitting a being who had reached the peak of the peak.

I slid along the floor that I had made into an ice rink in advance and stepped on the Spirit God Step. I secured my mobility by applying ice magic to the soles of my feet and freezing the ground that touched the floor whenever necessary to secure friction.

It was as if I was the only one wearing crampons. But when Bong So stepped on the corner and broke the ice rink on the floor and rushed in, this was too easily nullified.

‘It doesn’t matter.’

I immediately fired a water stream magic. Bong So also came closer, being hit by the several streams of water that were shot in planes.

His leg strength was so great that every time the stream of water hit his rush, it scattered as if it had exploded. But it didn’t matter. Because I hadn’t shot it to knock him down from the beginning.

“Freeze.”

Bong So’s half-body, which had been approaching while being hit by the water stream magic, froze as it was with the water spray.

What I had learned from the practical combat with Go Du-gyeong was not just practical combat experience.

How to create a situation that was advantageous to me, how to combine my abilities to supplement my weaknesses and effectively subdue the opponent, and so on. It was also a time to discuss, try, and reconstruct various methods.

In that process, checking the situation one or two moves ahead all became a stepping stone for growth.

Jjeo-jeo-jeok-

Just like now.

A lightning strike was shot from my fingertips. At the same time, an electric shock mercilessly struck Bong So’s half-wet body, who was trying to break the ice and rush in.

‘Is this not enough either?’

I clicked my tongue, looking at Bong So who was silently enduring the baptism of the electric shock.

Diamond Indestructible Body, thanks to the external art that the Shaolin Sect prided itself on, the electric shock could not penetrate enough. But it didn’t matter.

I just had to hit him until it worked.

A large drop of water floats in the air. It soon swirls and becomes a stream of water, pouring down on Bong So, who is surrounded by ice.

Kwa-gwa-gwa-ga-ga-ga!

The moment it touched, I activated ice magic and froze the entire area, including Bong So’s entire body. It was as if I had created an ice prison by pouring in all my mana.

‘Then what’s left is…’

It was just then that I was preparing the next magic. A crack appeared in the ice, and a huge explosion occurred as if a volcano had erupted.

In the center was Bong So, standing with his fist extended.

‘To blow away an ice wall of that size in one blow. Was it just a reconnaissance until now?’

I widened the distance with him again and flew streams of water and lightning strikes. But as if he wouldn’t be hit twice, he was approaching, deflecting everything with a protective qi of considerable thickness.

If he comes out like that, the same strategy as before is difficult.

I flew a spear of flame lightning at Bong So, who was chasing me quickly even though I had blocked him with ice. Bong So, who dodged it with a fast evasive maneuver. I quickly fired the five flame bullets that had formed at the tip of the Daoist Scholar’s Fan.

As he approached, deflecting them with his fists, while his attention was on what was in front of him, I exploded the flame bullet landmine that I had planted on the floor.

Kwaaaang!

Thanks to the shadow formation, which had its activation condition relaxed by extremely reducing the duration, I was able to hide the afterglow of the magic and catch the opponent off guard.

I flew two spears of flame lightning at the momentarily flinching Bong So. As if he couldn’t avoid it this time, a flame mixed with lightning soared, with his crossed arms as the last thing.

At the sight created by the barrage of high firepower, Woo Hee-ryeong and the instructors, who were watching, were watching, at a loss for words.

A thick smoke rose. He was not a person to be defeated by this. I widened the distance in preparation for a possible situation.

Then, the side of the flames scattered faintly in an instant, and Bong So rushed at me at an incredible speed.

“You’re tough.”

As expected, this much firepower was not enough. It would be good if I could land a more powerful blow, but Bong So was different from Mo Yonghan. It was difficult to inflict a fatal blow on him with just a hit-and-run method.

‘I have no choice.’

In the end, I decided to use the final method. It was a method I was originally going to use in the war with the Blood Cult, but it wouldn’t be a problem to use it a little early.

While running away from Bong So, I floated a shield. To the maximum height I could float. I created several of them in the air and fixed them.

And then, at the point where Bong So had dug in right in front, I kicked off the ground and climbed up the shields that had been stacked in the form of stairs.

“This is…!”

“Walking on air?!”

Surprised voices were heard from all over the place. It was understandable to be astonished that a mere intermediate student was floating in the sky at a height of 15m.

Because the divine skill of walking on air by utilizing the Yongcheon point on the sole of the foot was a technique that only a master of the Transformation realm could do.

Although I had done it with magic, those who didn’t know the inside story couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Amazing. I didn’t know I would have a fight like this.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gone this far either.”

Bong So and I are polar opposites. I have to widen the distance with him, and he has to stick to me.

When Bong So, who had a hard protective qi and mobility, was on the ground, he was more advantageous, but if I was floating in the air, this side, which had secured the distance, was much superior.

Because I could just attack one-sidedly from the sky.

‘The problem is that I can’t double cast…’

At the level of the 3rd circle, I couldn’t activate two kinds of magic at the same time. In other words, it meant that I couldn’t create a shield while using an attack magic.

The fact that I had activated two or more magics until now was just that I had quickly completed them in succession before the mana and sorcery scattered.

Until now, I had shown a magic operation that was close to a trick with my overwhelming talent, but in a situation like this where 0.1 seconds decided victory or defeat, the difference was absolute.

Even now, while I was preparing a spear of flame lightning, the shield that was serving as a foothold was disappearing in real time.

‘The mana consumption is also quite large. I’ll subdue him quickly when it’s a one-sided offensive.’

I pressed Bong So, raining down flame bullets and spears of flame lightning in succession. Raining down from above was much faster and more threatening than facing him on the ground.

In the middle, I stole Bong So’s vision, who was looking up, with light magic, and confused his qi sense by controlling flame magic and flame bullets.

Although he was a monster who had reached the peak of the peak, since he had not yet reached the super-senses like a super-master, he couldn’t dodge all the flame bullets and spears of flame lightning that were pouring down from all directions.

In the end, he was just being hit one-sidedly.

In the first place, this was the fate of a martial artist who used fists and had to fight in close proximity. If you can’t reach, you just get shattered.

As I was thinking that and firing a spear of flame lightning.

Pachang!

The bottom of the shield broke, and a huge impact was transmitted to my feet.

“This is?!”

I moved to the side foothold before the shield completely collapsed and looked down. Bong So, with his two eyes closed, was surrounded by flames and was extending his fist.

‘Hundred Steps Divine Fist!’

A martial art that could project a fist realm at a long distance. As the rumor that it could break a rock said, its power was considerable.

Pachang!

The moment I thought that, the floor broke again. I first focused on replenishing the shields and made them higher and more numerous.

But even so, the fist realm of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist was mercilessly shattering the shields in all directions. As if to break even the sky.

Considering the internal energy it took to use the Hundred Steps Divine Fist, this side was at an advantage in a war of attrition, but the problem was that he was breaking the footholds faster than I was making them.

‘This is dangerous.’

I spread the shields as high as possible and formed them, and then repeated the process of running away. Only after climbing up to about 50m in the sky could I find some leeway.

‘He’s like a monster.’

Thanks to the increased altitude, it didn’t break in one blow, but the shield still rang every time it was hit by the fist realm.

But as if he thought the attack was meaningless, the Hundred Steps Divine Fist stopped.

‘He seems quite tired.’

I lowered my altitude and resumed the bombardment towards Bong So. As if he was planning to enter a war of attrition, Bong So focused on dodging or blocking my attacks as much as possible.

‘Don’t tell me I’ll have a long-term battle with Bong So.’

I was able to endure thanks to the increase in my mana pool recently, but Bong So was also a being who had reached the top of the intermediate students. No one knew what would happen if it went to the end.

‘I have to land a blow here.’

I flew a spear of flame lightning at Bong So. The guy who dodged it even though I had blinded his two eyes with light magic. But that’s why he wouldn’t know.

What arrangement the magic I had flown so far had pierced the floor with. What shape it had when I looked at the training ground from the sky.

The spear of flame lightning I had just shot was the last point of fire.

I looked at the ground, which was now broken in a geometric pattern, and activated the magic I had planted on the floor.

Medium-level magic, Flame Prison.

Flames soared from the entire training ground where we were located and swirled around Bong So.

Although he tried to run away, it was all within the palm of Buddha’s hand.

Since he couldn’t leave the training ground according to the rules, it was a fight that was advantageous to this side.

I activated flame magic and wind magic in succession and made the flames of the entire magic burn bigger and hotter.

The flames that engulfed Bong So, creating a huge heat. Bong So, who had judged that there was no place to run away anymore, stopped on the spot and tried to endure it with his Diamond Indestructible Body, but it was useless.

‘Because what I was aiming for from the beginning was when you would stop.’

The sight of the pillar of fire swirling and wrapping around Bong So looked like he was engulfed in flames when seen from the ground, but when seen from the sky, it was just a target with a circular hole.

I operated the Daoist Scholar’s Fan and took out the First Blade. And then I formed a giant spear of flame lightning on top of it and wrapped it as if compressing it.

At that huge mana, the First Blade was heated white and began to vibrate at a high speed.

Even if he was surrounded by flames, Bong So would be feeling it to some extent by now. That an unusual energy was gathering in the sky.

And yet, the reason he wasn’t running away was because he had judged that he couldn’t escape in the state of the Diamond Indestructible Body, where his mobility was very slow.

And if he released the Diamond Indestructible Body, he would be burned along with his protective qi by the flames that had been amplified by the medium-level magic.

In fact, it was possible because I had forcibly increased the firepower by cutting the lifespan of the medium-level magic I had created until now to just 1 minute for this one moment.

‘Then let’s see the end.’

I finally aimed the completed First Blade Flame Lightning Spear at Bong So, floating in the sky.

The ground was still swirling with a vortex of flames. A passage of karma that rotated like the eye of a typhoon.

At the end of it, Bong So stood with his eyes closed.

I folded the Daoist Scholar’s Fan and held it as if hitting a slate. And under the blue sky, a single ray of light plunged towards the ground.

(End of Chapter)