The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 33.1
Rudolph let out a snort.
‘If I were to survive, I would have stopped that worthless fellow from being appointed to the Ruby Academy by any means necessary.’
But it was an impossible task.
There was no chance of Rudolph surviving this encounter.
GHOOOOO!!!
Fragments screamed with rage, and Rudolph’s face hardened.
Those things couldn’t be stopped.
‘No, it can’t be. Somehow, someway…!’
But then, in that moment,
Something unbelievable happened.
No, “something incomprehensible” would be a more accurate expression.
A pause!
The body of Fragments staggered.
As if it was being pressed down by some mighty force.
‘…What’s happening?’
Rudolph’s eyes were filled with cautious disbelief, unable to comprehend the situation.
The anomaly continued.
GHOOOOO!!
Fragments, as if trying to break free from the mighty force, twisted its body and unleashed a sinister energy towards Rudolph.
However,
‘…Is it weaker than before?’
Rudolph blinked.
It wasn’t a misconception.
He could defend against the attack much more easily!
‘Why?’
Rudolph looked around.
It wasn’t naturally weakened.
Someone definitely intervened.
‘But, unless it’s a being from ‘Sky’s End,’ it’s impossible to exert such great pressure like this, right?’
Sky’s End.
Referring to the Ascendants of Lv. 9.
The true absolute beings, observing the world from the heavens.
But why would they suddenly appear in a place like this?
Yet, the incomprehensible continued to happen.
Fwuuuoh!
Rudolph’s previously damaged internals began to heal!
‘…Could it really be someone among the Ascendants?’
In the end, Rudolph could only speculate like this.
It was said that a righteous Ascendant had secretly intervened against the sinister display of power.
‘I give you my gratitude, unknown Ascendant. I shall not forget this favor.’
Fwouuuuu!
With Rudolph’s strength restored, a powerful aura emanated from his body.
A power reminiscent of the prime days of the ‘The Heaven-Collapsing Mage.’
Rudolph looked at Fragments with eyes crackling with electricity.
“I never yield.”
Kwaaagwaaang!
Intense magic struck Fragments’ body, and the fight entered a new phase.
* * *
‘This should buy us some time.’
I exhaled with a relieved expression.
I didn’t usually intervene like this, but Rudolph’s condition seemed precarious from the start.
‘…Did I help too much? He must have noticed that someone intervened.’
I regretted it belatedly, but there was no turning back.
‘Former Chancellor Rudolph is essential for advancing the Ruby storyline; we can’t afford to let him die.’
I nodded and focused on the task at hand.
‘It’s still at 40%. We have a long way to go.’
As the dominance level increased, resistance grew stronger, making the challenge more difficult.
‘Stay focused.’
I glanced around.
Scenes that seemed indistinguishable from reality.
But my vision contained different contents.
It was a magical formula.
‘This place isn’t reality; it’s a mirage. In other words, it’s a magical space.’
However, it wasn’t ordinary magic.
It was the manifestation of the power of the Great Ones.
It was a completely different form from the hierarchical magic system symbolized by ‘stars’ used by humans.
If hierarchical magic can be likened to refined science, then this mirage was raw, unadulterated chaos art.
‘But in the end, the essence is the same. Magic is magic.’
Chwaaaak!
My eyes dissected the world of the illusion.
Like ink mixed in water, it was a mess that couldn’t be distinguished, but my skills as a Grand Practitioner allowed me to analyze each meaning even in such a situation.
‘If I can interpret the meanings, intervening won’t be difficult.’
Normally, it would have been impossible due to my chronic weakness, the lack of ‘mana.’
But this was a mirage, an illusion.
Anything could happen in an illusion.
I bestowed upon myself a tremendous amount of mana.
“49.9%.”
Just before crossing the halfway mark.
Now, if I take one more step, my dominance will surpass even the Lords of Fantasy, its original owner.
But suddenly, there was an unexpected obstruction.
“…Stop right there, you.”
A figure wearing a mask appeared!
On the forehead of the mask was a coiled serpent.
‘The mark of Ouroboros! Indeed, it was Ouroboros who caused this incident.’
The figure warned coldly.
“I sensed that something was amiss, but I never expected you, Trash Van, to interfere with the phantasm. Have you been hiding your abilities all this time?”
Instead of answering, I brought up another topic.
“Are you an executor of Ouroboros?”
“…What?”
“No, let me be more specific. Are you Vermont Jasac, Vice Commander of the Imperial Court Mage Corps 2nd Battalion, and the rat who sold his soul to Ouroboros?”
“!!”
The figure seemed shaken.
It was because I had accurately pinpointed his identity.
“How did you know that? You must die here right now.”
A sinister aura emanated from him.
As I am now, I couldn’t even muster the courage to confront him.
‘Vermont Jasac, Vice Commander of the Imperial Court Mage Battalion, is a formidable Lv. 6.’
The figure let out a bitter laugh.
“You may think you’re controlling the world of the phantasm, but don’t be mistaken. The power of the phantasm cannot affect existing beings.”
He was right.
The reason I could easily eliminate creatures like the Death Knights earlier was because they were ‘virtual’ beings born in the phantasm.
But for real individuals like Bermond Jasak, the same method wouldn’t work.
However,
“Let me ask you something. Do you know when I… no, when ‘Van’ started being called Trash Van?”
“…What’s with the sudden question?”
“Since I was five years old. After being confirmed as mana-insensitive, I was labeled as ‘trash.'”
Yes, Van started being called Trash Van because of his mana insensitivity, not because of his lack of talent.
