The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 38.2
Just then, I heard a voice.
“Well done in the duel, Sir Van. Truly splendid.”
Another competing professor.
It was Balas, a quantum from the magic lineage family!
A ‘Giraffe’, who surprised the conference with a groundbreaking paper.
Eyes filled with sharp hostility were directed at me.
“Could Sir Van really create such a ‘miracle’? I wonder what he will show us at the ‘academic training’ starting tomorrow.”
Miracle.
It was a word deliberately downplayed to suggest that what I just showed was a coincidence.
However,
“Yes, you can look forward to it.”
I nodded slowly and turned my gaze towards the audience.
As if I were telling not just him, but everyone to listen.
“Just by looking at me, it will be an eye-opening experience for you. You will come to understand the difference in caliber.”
“!!”
My declaration ignited a fervor in the arena.
Reporters were buzzing with excitement.
“Write up Van’s statement as an article!!”
“Send it to the headquarters right away!! It’s a scoop! The title will be ‘Van’s Declaration: I Will Show Everyone the Difference in Caliber!'”
And so, the official training began in earnest.
* * *
Meanwhile, there was someone paying close attention to Van’s news.
“Should I really attend the training?”
It was Former Chancellor Rudolph!
‘Normally, even I wouldn’t bother attending training sessions for new professors.’
But such thoughts were prompted by Van.
‘Strange. Why did the traces of the Ascendant lead to Van?’
As Rudolph searched for clues about the Ascendant, he made a startling realization.
The place where Van had been hiding coincided with traces of the Ascendant’s magic.
‘This can’t be. It must be a coincidence.’
Van and the Ascendant. Even thinking about it himself, it’s an excessively absurd conjecture.
However,
‘Still, it might be worth confirming. Something feels off.’
Former Chancellor Rudolph thought as he read the article “Van Causes a Stir!”
The intuition of the Grand Mage, who once reached the exalted realm of Level 8, sounded the alarm.
* * *
On the day of the academic training, a small raven flew into the training venue.
Burnstein, who was already there, bowed his head towards the raven.
“Have you come, Chancellor?”
[I came in secretly, so don’t call me that.]
The raven’s true identity was a transformation of former Chancellor Rudolph!
“But why have you come? Weren’t you usually uninterested in training education?”
[I just came here out of boredom.]
“Hmm? Weren’t you busy searching for traces of the Ascendant?”
[Don’t pry too much.]
Van and the Ascendant.
Even Rudolph himself found the idea absurd, but he kept hidden the fact that he had come to see Van.
However, it seemed like Burnstein could read Rudolph’s mind, as he said,
“I thought you came to see Professor Van again.”
[Professor Van? Why would I see that guy?]
“Come in and see for yourself.”
With his raven form, Rudolph climbed onto Burnstein’s shoulder and entered the training venue, soon opening his eyes wide.
An unbelievable sight unfolded before him.
“Mana Manipulation, Van Ecclesia, Highest Score!”
“Magic Application, Van Ecclesia, Highest Score!”
“Magic Combat Response, Van Ecclesia, Highest Score!”
In most categories, Van was sweeping the highest scores!
[Wait, how is this possible?]
“Didn’t I tell you? Among the new professors, Van is the one to watch. See for yourself.”
Balas was stepping onto the platform.
He, who had become a quantum figure in the Magic Academy with groundbreaking theories.
Unexpected consecutive defeats had left him visibly rigid.
“I’m Balas. I will present my recently developed Fractal Defense Theory.”
Balas glared at Van with ominous eyes.
“Professor Van, would you be willing to assist me? To present my Fractal Defense Theory, I need an opponent. Since Professor Van claimed to be able to unravel fractals, he would be the perfect match.”
It was a challenge!
Everyone held their breath and watched them.
Even former Chancellor Rudolph’s eyes sparkled.
‘Challenge? Can Van be his opponent?’
Now, they would find out
Whether his frivolous speculation had any merit or not.
“Fine. It is not that difficult. But are you sure about this?”
Van tilted his head slightly.
“I might have to debunk your theory as of today.”
“!!”
Balas let out an incredulous chuckle.
“Just watch. This is my invention, the Fractal Shield! Impenetrable by anyone!”
Paaat!!
A shield with endlessly repeating hexagons unfolded.
A near-perfect reproduction of a fractal structure.
With a triumphant expression, Balas exclaimed,
“What do you think?!
This shield breaks the limits of traditional magic by implementing a fractal structure, providing unparalleled defense…”
But then…
Thunk.
Van walked towards the Fractal Shield.
“Is this supposed to be perfect?”
Tap.
He tapped the shield with a hand imbued with mana.
As if knocking on a door.
And at the same time.
Crash!
The shield shattered.
“What? How?! What sorcery is this? This can’t be happening!!”
“Try unfolding it again.”
“What, what did you say?”
“I said, if you don’t believe it, try unfolding it again.”
Grinding his teeth, Balas unfolded the Fractal Shield once more.
But it was the same.
Crash! Spash!
The same thing happened three times in a row.
“This… this can’t be real.”
The unbelievable sight left everyone frozen in place.
Only one person, Van, spoke calmly.
“As I suspected, this is utterly underwhelming.”
“!!”
“Let me show you what true perfection in defense looks like.”
He continued with even more astonishing words.
“Kansir, Balas, why don’t you both try unleashing your attack spells on me at once?”
“!!”
“No, it seems that just the two of you won’t be enough.”
Van turned towards the area where the professors overseeing the training education were waiting behind the stage.
“Wouldn’t one of the professors like to join as well?”
He lifted the corners of his mouth, almost provocatively.
“Just to demonstrate the greatness of my new 1st tier defense spell, ‘Satellite Array’, it seems we might be short with just the two of us here. Professors would be just right.”
“!!”
The atmosphere among the audience stiffened in a different sense.
Van had indeed provoked even the regular professors.
Yes, this was the “plan” Van had prepared.
He intended to overwhelm not only the competing new professors but also the senior professors above during this training.
Meanwhile…
‘…Is it really that trashy Van?’
Former Chancellor Rudolph gulped.
