Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"Why... won't you open the door...? Why...?"

When the students offered no response, the voice grew more agitated.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower retorted sharply, "Enough of this!"

"Why are you behaving like this?!"

“Such quick-witted rascals…”

The skull principal lamented in a distant voice, causing the students guarding the door to grit their teeth in frustration.

This is going too far!

The thought of what might have happened if they had opened the door trusting only the principal's status was too dreadful to imagine.

"If you want to give a test, just do it! Why are you causing such a disturbance?"

“What are you talking about?”

Though they confronted the skull principal, his response was unexpected.

What?

Was he trying to disrupt their study for the test?

“Is this a test?”

"..."

"..."

The students glared at the invisible skull principal outside the door.

Such absurdity!

"Indeed. After all, solving problems in a classroom isn't the only form of a test," mused Yi-Han, nodding as if he understood.

It made sense now why the skull principal had chosen such an annoying method if this itself was the test.

Of course, one could question what this had to do with the <Basic Magic Character Education> course, but that wasn't important.

After all, it was a lecture that sent them to an island full of traps...

"Wardanaz?! You shouldn't just accept it!"

"Don't be swayed by such nonsensical sophistry!"

"It's not that I’m swayed... Principal!"

Yi-Han called out to the skull principal.

“Ah, this irritating voice is Wardanaz. Why are you calling me?”

"Is it alright for you to do this when we have another test tomorrow?"

“Of course! Because my class is more important than those of other professors!”

'I made a mistake. He's crazier than I thought.'

Bringing up the names of other professors was a failed attempt. The skull principal was more insane than anticipated.

“But no need to worry too much!”

"?"

“Because the other dormitories are experiencing the same thing!”

"Oh...!"

"What do you mean 'Oh'! Is this the time to be happy?!"

Yet, despite their protests, some faces of the Blue Dragon Tower students brightened.

Wow! We're all in the same boat!

"I'll clear it up in the morning… if you make it to morning, that is."

The skull principal spoke as if bestowing a favor.

Enraged, Yonaire raised her fist, about to make a gesture, but Yi-Han shook his head, stopping her.

'We might be watched from outside.'

'Oops!'

Yi-Han rechecked the interior of the lounge.

The barricades, reinforced several times, were still sturdy.

'We can hold out for another hour or two.'

Yi-Han was far from complacent, even in the apparent safety.

Given the opponent's twisted intentions, it was unlikely that he would attack only from the front.

"Sharakan! Check the other directions, not just the main entrance of the lounge."

A deep sky-blue leopard growled softly and moved towards the other side of the tower.

Hardly had he spoken when Sharakan began tapping on the wall. A signal that undead were approaching.

"Staircase windows! The undead are climbing up towards the staircase windows!"

"Are you kidding me?!"

The students cursed at this news. As they hurried towards the windows, Yi-Han stopped them.

"No need to panic! It's not that situation yet. I'll give the instructions!"

In such critical situations, it was common for people to argue over who was right.

However, in the Blue Dragon Tower, such disagreements were non-existent.

When Yi-Han gave orders, everyone at the Blue Dragon Tower acted in unison.

"Yonaire, take two with you and cover the window side. Sharakan! Now that you've checked the window, look for other possible entries! Gainando, no need to guard the food storage now, head to the barricade!"

'I'll have to eliminate that guy first next time.'

The skull principal, surveying each dormitory from his workshop, licked his lips at the situation in the Blue Dragon Tower.

That boy from the Wardanaz family was exceptionally talented.

Normally, a flock led by a lion would triumph over a flock led by a sheep. But here, it was as if a dragon, not a lion, led them, leaving no room for vulnerabilities.

It was common for natural leaders among the freshmen to emerge, but this was excessive.

It seemed selfish, stealing all opportunities for his friends to grow through hardship!

“Let’s look at the other towers’ situation”, the skull principal shifted his long-distance magic vision to soothe his irritation.

As expected, the other towers were in utter chaos due to the surprise attack.

Skeleton warriors entered through the lounge doors, dragging out students...

The skull principal nodded in satisfaction. Then, he sent a voice message to the students of the Black Turtle Tower, barricaded behind the door.

“You ironheads... Open the door... I've come to help…”

Today, Yi-Han realized that the tower he resided in had more vulnerabilities than he thought.

Students screamed at the sight of skeleton warriors crawling through unexpected passages like windows near stairs and chimneys.

'A real lesson in practical education.'

Normally, the tower's magic should have repelled such intruders, but it was clear that the skull principal had personally breached the defenses.

Isn't that cheating?

Krrrrrrrr!

Nevertheless, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower were handling the situation relatively well.

Unlike other towers, they quickly counterattacked upon the surprise assault and then shut the door.

Thanks to the barricade at the main entrance of the lounge, even if a few creatures entered from other sides, the students had the leeway to manage them.

Moreover, Sharakan was pulling the weight of several people.

Crouching, it would bark and rush toward a direction, indicating the appearance of an undead.

"Flash forth!"

Yi-Han's lightning struck an undead climbing through a window, eliciting cheers from the Blue Dragon Tower students.

Though all the students had been learning magic gradually since their arrival, the magic displayed by the boy from the Wardanaz family was always on another level.

He continued to cast spells without showing any signs of fatigue.

And he was even controlling a separate summon!

Nebren of the Kirak family couldn't help but express his admiration.

Though loyal to the princess and convinced of her superiority, Nebren was always thrilled by Wardanaz's abilities.

The reputation of the empire's greatest family of mages was no empty title.

"Really amazing... Ah, sorry. Princess."

"?"

The princess raised her eyebrows in puzzlement as Nebren apologized.

"Well... it's true that Wardanaz is impressive, but I still believe you are more exceptional. Magic isn't all about the amount of power! Of course, Wardanaz is quite skilled in cooking and has a good reputation, but..."

As the conversation turned to cooking, the princess nodded.

Nebren, flustered, added, "I mean, if you were to cook, Princess, I'm sure you'd do even better..."

The princess shook her head.

"Really? Well, he does cook very well..."

"What are you two doing?!"

Gainando, struggling and grunting as he carried a chair, suddenly shouted out in exasperation.

Why are you lazing around!

"They're resting to recover their mana after using magic just now!"

"Rest while working! You may have depleted your mana, but you still have physical strength!"

"Gainando, watch out in front!"

"?"

Gainando, who was carrying the chair, suddenly realized that the noise from the lounge's main entrance was growing louder, and now included creaking sounds.

Bang!

The persistent pounding of the skeleton warriors, like water droplets breaking a rock, finally shattered the lounge's main door and split the barricade.

Skeleton warriors that sprung through the gap instantly seized Gainando.

"Aaaah!"

"Gainando!!!"

"Leave him be! Gainando is wrong!"

While his friends said so, Yi-Han drew his Morning Star sword and charged in.

The nearest three skeleton warriors were cleanly sliced and tumbled away. Yi-Han grabbed Gainando's ankle, which was being dragged away, and pulled him back forcefully.

Although a few tufts of hair were pulled out, Gainando was safely rescued. The prince, his face pale with shock, exclaimed.

"These insane undead creatures! Isn't the principal going too far?"

"Why are you surprised now?"

"Gainando, fall back, and everyone, be careful at the entrance! Don't approach!"

Yi-Han warned his friends and then swung his sword.

The skeleton warriors attempting to enter through the gap seemed to sense the mana-absorbing aura from the Morning Star and dared not enter.

Rattle rattle rattle!

The skeleton warriors outside the barricade made a noisy ruckus.

Asan asked in a bewildered voice.

"Why are they suddenly acting like that?"

"Maybe they're angry because the mage is swinging a mana-absorbing sword?"

"…!"

Yonaire's offhand response seemed quite plausible.

The skeleton warriors began to pound again, widening the gap in the barricade to rush in all at once.

But this time, Yi-Han did not leave it unattended.

"Space, be perceived!"

Casting <Spatial Perception> spell once again, Yi-Han started hurling water orbs towards the skeletons outside the barricade.

The viciously flying water beads broke through the gap in the barricade, smashing the old bones of the skeleton warriors.

'I've stopped them!'

Just as Yi-Han was certain of this, a new group emerged from the darkness of the night in the distance.

"Could it be?"

"No, it's not undead! It's..."

Help us!

The newcomers were students from the Immortal Phoenix.

Seeing skeleton warriors swarming and chasing behind the students, it was clear what the situation was.

'They must have escaped after their lounge was breached!'

"What... what do we do?"

"Wardanaz. It might be dangerous to accept them. Considering the undead following them, there's a 90% chance..."

"Let's accept them."

"!"

"!!!"

His friends, who were arguing against it, suddenly felt ashamed at Yi-Han's immediate and decisive response.

To show such fear of the undead was one thing, but to exhibit this kind of attitude was another.

"Wardanaz... I misspoke. I've tarnished the name of my family and dishonored it. I'm sorry!"

"I'll go out and bring them in too! Wardanaz! Let's go together!"

"???"

Yi-Han was taken aback by his friends who suddenly began to reflect on their own accord.

'What are these guys talking about?'

Yi-Han's reason for agreeing to help was singular.

Who else but the skull principal could have sent those students here?

And considering the nature of the skull principal, not accepting those students would have likely led to him accusing them of undermining the essence of the <Basic Magic Character Education> class.

Even minor faults must be guarded against!

"Then... thank you all for agreeing. It's a relief that you came to this decision on your own."

Yi-Han nodded, grateful there was no need for persuasion.

“The ironheads of the Immortal Phoenix have escaped and run away?”

The skull principal, who was resting, reopened his vision upon receiving reports from his summoned creatures.

Indeed, the Immortal Phoenix students were frantically piercing through the darkness of the night, fleeing.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been a moment for mirthful laughter, but...

'They're running to the Blue Dragon Tower?'

What luck, of all places, they're heading to the one that's defending itself the best right now.

The skull principal grumbled and sent out a fervent wish.

'Don't accept them, don't accept them, don't accept them...'

However, Yi-Han, crushing the skull principal's expectations, dashed out with his friends through the barricade to rescue the students of the Immortal Phoenix.

The skull principal, bursting with indignation, exclaimed,

“Such a selfish brat! Such a selfish brat!!”

The other summoned creatures in the workshop, sensing the mood of the skull principal, bowed their heads.