Episode 28

Ignition is the basic magic that everyone learns the moment they enter into magic.

Lighting a fire on objects, it’s the simplest yet the first magic one learns. I never found it difficult.

Meanwhile, The Mysterious Yoo Clan, said to be blessed by the wind, teaches magic and martial arts according to one’s traits.

Yoo Seolrang still had confidence in herself.

She thought she could master Ignition in no time.

“Huh?”

However, a few minutes later, she realized it was a misconception.

‘What?’

After a moment, she understood.

There was magic cast on the high-purity magic stone.

A magic formula. She knew that much.

He made his students wear iron rings in their first lesson and threw them into heavy water.

She didn’t think it would be easy.

But then,

‘The magic disappears as soon as I cast it?’

It disperses the mana.

At first, she thought that it was what the magic stone did.

She later realized that it was a side effect of something.

Something appears when she tries to concentrate and cast a spell.

A chilly coldness.

Because of that, the fire spell doesn’t work.

This is probably why this magic was said to take a long time to conjure.

‘I think martial arts suit me better.’

She is loved by the wind.

She doesn’t think magic is bad, but she prefers to entrust her body to the wind and strike her opponent.

Yoo Seolrang looked around.

She can see Yoo Eunchae and Shin Yura.

Both were struggling and glaring at the magic stone.

‘Are those two still struggling?’

Thinking that made her feel at ease.

Since she focused on martial arts, she was a bit less confident in magic.

To begin with, beating those two with magic would be difficult.

One of them is known as Chosen by Magic.

While the other, as Problem Child.

Since she is said to have attacked a professor, caused all sorts of problems, and ended up unscathed, it means that her magic prowess is also exceptional.

If Shin Yura was the pinnacle of magic among the first years from the start,

Then, Yoo Eunchae improved her magical skills the most steeply among the first years.

‘No, maybe it’s not just them.’

Contemplating, Han Seojin came to her mind.

But Han Seojin is an exception.

She realized it clearly in his last fight.

While all the students were made to handle a single Corpse Lord, he alone dealt with four Corpse Lords and thousands of zombies.

And yet, there was a strange ease about him.

He didn’t show his bottom line even in such a fight.

He seemed physically tired, though.

On the other hand, he primarily expended his physical strength after facing such numbers and killing them.

‘But it seems he doesn’t know much about human relationships.’

Those two are incompatible.

They despise and ignore each other.

‘It didn’t start off like this.’

Their relationship wasn’t like this from the beginning.

「You, you’re somewhat good at magic, though not as good as me.」

Shin Yura made a few verbal blunders.

「Oh, sorry. I used up all the ingredients just before. Ah, this? It’s the last one, but I’ve infused it incorrectly with magic, so I think its nature has transformed.」

Yoo Eunchae pretended it was a mistake while being hostile.

After clashing a few times, those two had somehow become sworn enemies.

To an observer, those two were beyond redemption.

Neither Shin Yura nor Yoo Eunchae seemed to have any intention of reconciling.

While Yoo Seolrang was still lost in her thoughts,

Yoo Eunchae was struggling with a magic stone in her grasp.

“Argh! Work, will you!!”

This is absurd.

When Han Seojin asked her to cast a spell on the magic stone, she thought it would be a piece of cake.

Because even if he tampered with the magic stone, casting magic is too simple.

To put it simply, the magic in the magic stone is fixed.

The process was akin to attacking a stationary tower to disassemble and erase it.

That is the process of engraving the Ignition magic formula.

‘But what’s with this difficulty?’

A sense of helplessness arose.

A sense of having to break the castle gates alone.

Shin Yura’s lips curled into a smile after seeing that.

‘It’s more complicated than I thought.’

But it was doable.

Dismantling the structure of magic.

Basic Mana Manipulation.

The mana manipulation method taught by Han Seojin.

Because she learned it, she could handle it.

‘It seems he’s asking for something absurd at first glance.’

But what he asked for doesn’t seem completely nonsensical.

Probably, in the eyes of Han Seojin, it’s like gradually moving up step by step.

‘Even though it’s absurdly high level.’

With her concentration at its peak, Shin Yura focused.

Sssss.

She uses magic.

But slowly, the magic formula inside responds.

Dismantling the magic formula with mana.

And then, she draws out the magic within.

Calmly.

“Eek! Ugh…Aaah!!”

Shin Yura, with all her might, injects mana.

Whoooosh.

A single ice flower, cold as can be, bloomed.

And then, flames begin to be engraved within it.

The most basic magic Ignition.

It starts to devour the magic power of the single ice flower.

‘Basic Mana Manipulation. I can see why he said that.’

Shin Yura realized his meaning.

It was literal.

To be proficient in studying magic, one must learn this most basic method.

To grow her magic and to devour the opponent’s magic.

Shin Yura’s eyes glowed red.

Seeing that sight, Yoo Eunchae bit her lip.

‘I can’t beat Shin Yura with magic.’

The same goes for swords.

She doesn’t have the talent of Shin Yura or Nam Hyerin.

Nor does Seon Woohyeon’s talent, which encompasses both of them.

But she has knowledge.

She has the information.

Yoo Eunchae focused.

Eyes that penetrate everything insight everything.

‘Crazy.’

And she cursed.

In the magic stone, the magic powers circulated, forcibly figuring out one magic formula.

Glacial Heavenly Moon.

Han Seojin’s magic formula.

Not the teacher who teaches her, Han Seojin.

The infamous Demon King Slayer of the magic world.

Han Seojin successfully recreated his magic.

Flames bloomed as if they were flowers.

It was also a crystallized flame.

Ignition.

Flames blossomed. The flame that pierced through the ice of destruction seemed as if it would extinguish at any moment, precarious.

Sizzle.

And soon, that flame was dyed a deep blue.

The aura of destruction slowly rose.

And Yoo Eunchae realized.

This ice of destruction harms everything,

Shatter all enemies that stand before it,

Even trying to destroy its user.

That is the Glacial Heavenly Moon, a magic that destroys its user to crush the enemy.

‘Is this Glacial Heavenly Moon?’

Yoo Eunchae was very interested in the Glacial Heavenly Moon.

She thought it was one of the magic formulas one must definitely learn if one were to learn magic.

The reason was simple.

Because the Glacial Heavenly Moon was so powerful.

Han Seojin thought as he watched the scene,

‘Should I raise the difficulty a bit more?’

I am now outside.

The blacksmith’s shop where I had met the iron tribe kid before.

I was headed there.

It wasn’t a big deal, just that the kids followed along well, so it wasn’t too much to push them harder.

So, like what we did at the swimming pool, I decided to give them iron rings today, too.

There, I saw a group.

Seon Woohyeon and Wi Gunak. And two faces I hadn’t seen before.

“You are…”

“You’re using informal speech.”

“…”

He looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

But what can I do?

After living through many lives, my mental age had surpassed 50.

“Professor, how are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Wi Gunak bowed his head slightly.

Mysterious.

It was still a power I couldn’t understand.

‘Well, a mysterious power’s very nature is incomprehensible, so nothing can be done.’

But it’s strange, isn’t it?

His aura ever since our class…

“Professor.”

At Seon Woohyeon’s words, I looked at Seon Woohyeon’s group.

The two unfamiliar faces.

Both seemed to have learned something strange…

‘His movements aren’t bad, are they?’

He hasn’t learned martial arts well, like Nam Hyerin, but he has some basics.

These types of guys grow rapidly once they’re properly taught.

‘Where did he pick this one up from?’

Come to think of it, Woohyeon was a strange one too.

I remembered the incident at the swimming pool.

‘It felt like he became someone else for a moment.’

Someone else.

Literally.

I felt as if ‘another being’ was superimposed over the existence of Seon Woohyeon.

‘I might have thought it was an absurd idea originally.’

But I trust my senses.

And I think it might be related to a Unique Trait.

‘The combination of martial arts and magic is quite tough.’

In my second life.

There were training methods for knights which were different from martial arts.

However, I focused solely on magic.

If it were like now, I would have eagerly learned this and that.

But back then, my capacity couldn’t even handle a single magic.

If I hadn’t learned magic, perhaps I wouldn’t have reached the level of a 7th circle mage, a level comparable to that of a Sword Master.

On the other hand, this kid has some talent, but it seems insufficient to grasp both.

However, his growth rate is strange.

‘It feels like regaining skills.’

So, this bastard is also suspicious.

To the point where I wonder if he’s a reincarnate like me.

Well, that’s something to find out over time.

“What brings you here?”

“Ah, Seon Woohyeon said he would take me to the mage tower today.”

“Mage tower?”

“Yes, he said he would buy me a staff.”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Seon Woohyeon.

“Why do you look at me with those eyes?”

“Better than me… No, you won’t believe it unless I show you. Follow me.”

“Where are you going?”

“The forge.”

As I put my hand in my pocket and moved, Seon Woohyeon followed me.

“It’s magic.”

“What do you mean?”

“Wi Gunak must learn magic. I don’t like Yoo Eunchae, but Wi Gunak must definitely learn magic.”

Sigh.

This is why moderately talented ones are a headache.

Because they believe that’s what they truly are right.

I headed to the forge without a word.

In the meantime, one of Seon Woohyeon’s companions spoke to me.

“Excuse me, who are you?”

“Han Seojin.”

“The lout of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan?”

“A lout, indeed.”

My personality is unrestrained.

I’m the type to clear away nuisances, so I have many enemies.

‘That’s why I can’t easily reveal my identity.’

I have many allies.

But I have far more enemies.

Even among my allies, there are enemies.

But who is this person, being so forward?

“Wi Seojin, don’t bother him.”

“But I’m curious. You’re one of the hottest topics at the academy right now. Suddenly awakening to your past life and rising to the position of the academy’s top professor.”

“I guess I am pretty great.”

As I shrugged my shoulders, their expression turned somewhat annoyed.

But what can I do?

It’s because I am that great.

“Is it really true?”

“What is?”

“That you’re that skilled. The rumors are rampant.”

“Who says?”

I’m curious about which talkative student it could be.

It’s not Yoo Eunchae.

That kid is surprisingly thorough in such matters.

To that extent, in other areas like human relationships, human relationships, and human relationships.

“It’s the principal.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Does the principal want to give more budget that badly?

While thinking that, I saw a very familiar face.

‘That is.’

Black hair, black eyes.

A cold-looking young man and woman dressed in black uniforms were looking at me.

“Iron Blood Sword Family…”

The woman called Wi Seojin said with a slight tremble.

‘They do resemble him.’

They look strangely similar to Han Seojin.

They have black hair and black eyes, and I have white hair and blue eyes.

‘This white hair isn’t normal either.’

It’s like it turned completely white due to immense stress.

The blue eyes are just trying to mimic the Heavenly Eyes, turning a pale blue.

With the corners of my mouth lifted, I approach them with a sneering smile.

“Han Seojin?”

“Ah, nice to meet you. You’re my younger sibling, right?”

“…Don’t pretend to know me, you lowlife.”

Lowlife?

I’m supposed to be the eldest son.

Isn’t it normal for the eldest son to be born from the official wife?

‘What kind of bastard is the Iron Blood Clan Leader.’

I really became curious.

“You, lowly thing. You still dare to tarnish the family name…”

“Stop.”

“…Yes.”

The man complied with the woman’s words.

Seon Woohyeon walked forward with steady steps.

“Han Junseok, Han Yurim. Why have you come here?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“It’s a family matter. I can’t tell you more than that.” Han Junseok responded sharply.

Seeing Han Yurim frown, Han Junseok addressed her,

“Sister.”

“Seon Woohyeon is fine. And… there’s also the eldest son of the Iron Blood Clan.”

The way they treat others.

I let out a hollow laugh.

What kind of family is this?

“A family matter?”

As Seon Woohyeon approached with curiosity, I grabbed his collar.

“What’s going on?”

“Be quiet for a moment.”

Just as Seon Woohyeon was about to say something. I stopped him and stared in one direction.

A faint magical power twitched ever so slightly from a dark alley corner.

‘Seriously.’

This damned academy never has a dull moment.