The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 8.2
I swiftly drew out additional magical devices.
I had snatched these top-tier magical devices stored in the family vault, each possessing formidable defensive abilities.
Of course, it didn’t mean I could fend off the Duke with these.
“How amusing. Disappointing.”
The Duke’s gaze flashed coldly.
Whoosh!
A pillar of light surged from his sword.
It was the symbol of a Master-rank knight, the ‘Aurora Blade.’
“Brace yourself.”
Slash!
The shields formed by the pilfered magical devices were shattered in an instant.
Terrifying power.
However, I gritted my teeth.
I had anticipated the Duke’s use of the Aurora Blade.
No, more accurately, I had ‘intended’ for it.
‘Making the Duke use the Aurora Blade is the only way for me to win.’
The difference between the Duke’s level, Lv. 7, and mine, Lv. 1, was vast.
Well, I couldn’t even properly achieve a 1st-tier rank, so I might as well be around Lv. 0.5.
Yet, the simulator still judged a 100% victory.
It meant there was a foolproof method.
‘There’s a strategy.’
The Duke was a named character.
No matter which protagonist you played, you’d inevitably face him.
Dueling the Duke.
It was a crucial event.
The problem is that this event occurred during the second year.
When I was still at a low level.
It was impossible to win in a direct confrontation.
There was a strategy.
‘I have to use the Duke’s Aura.’
The Duke belonged to the ‘Dual Knights’ class.
A class that combined magic and swordplay.
Unlike the ‘Sword Knights’ who dealt with pure swordsmanship, when manipulating mana, he received support from the ‘star.’
In other words, the Duke’s Aura was infused with a ‘star.’
‘I just have to target that star.’
Fortunately, there was a specific strategy point for the Duke’s ‘star.’
A point the Duke himself was unaware of.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the strategy was easy.
On the contrary, dueling with the Duke was notorious for its extreme difficulty. The clear probability was not even 5%.
And that was only achievable by one out of the 16 protagonists, the ‘True Protagonist,’ Jin.
In reality, the event seemed designed for defeat.
‘This opportunity comes only once.’
The Duke, who shattered the shield, reaped the Aura.
No matter what, he couldn’t afford to let his son be torn apart by the Aura.
In that fleeting moment, a vulnerability in the star was exposed.
It was a ‘habit’ even the Duke was unaware of.
‘It’s not exactly a weakness.’
In the first place, those who possessed the agility and the mana control to reap an Aura during combat for such a brief moment were extremely rare.
The reason only the ‘True Protagonist’ could achieve it.
‘I can also perform the culmination of my magic.’
Paaaf!
I drew a star.
It was a 1st-tier manipulation magic, ‘Mana Resonance.’
Just an effect that caused a vibration reaction among mana.
However, when resonating with the exposed core of the Duke’s ‘star,’ a dramatic effect occurred.
“!!”
The Duke’s body momentarily stiffened.
Mana was momentarily shaken.
Of course, it was an extremely brief moment.
If I missed this opportunity, it would be over.
Paching!
I unfolded a 1st-tier manipulation magic, ‘Bind.’
Normally, it wouldn’t have worked, but the Duke’s mana flow was compromised right now.
Especially targeting not the Duke’s body but the damaged ‘star’ in the Duke’s Aurora Blade, I bound the sword.
Pachachachang!
Next, a 2nd-tier manifestation magic, ‘Sphere,’ was invoked. Thanks to the Grand Practitioner’s ability, I could even manifest magic beyond the usual limits through clever tricks.
The target was the Duke’s heart.
The Duke’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“No, Bind and Sphere? Dual casting by Master Van?!”
“Heo! Are you all blind?! It’s a triple casting with ‘Mana Resonance’ for the first time for Master Van! You’re the best!! Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty!”
A hint of hesitation flickered in the Duke’s eyes.
Avoiding the bound sword by twisting his body would mean letting go of the weapon caught in the Bind.
Unless it was a life-or-death situation, letting go of a sword in a situation like this, especially for someone like the Duke, was unthinkable.
Instead, he opted for a different approach.
Paaat!
A shield materialized in the chest area of the Duke.
It was a mana shield!
My Sphere was about to be helplessly blocked.
‘Alright!’
I wore a smile of victory.
From the beginning, my target wasn’t the heart.
Mana stirred.
Though the Duke’s expression belatedly turned to shock, it was too late.
Fwoosh!!
It was a 1st-tier basic fire magic.
“This can’t be!! Quadruple casting?!”
“Did you see? This is the greatness of Master Van!! Haha!”
Such things weren’t essential.
Everyone in the hall opened their mouths in awe at the location where flames erupted.
‘Hmm.’
Originally, 1st-tier fire magic is conjured above the palm.
However, I improved the star to allow remote ignition if there were combustible materials nearby. The material of choice for combustion was hair.
…Specifically, the Duke’s hair.
…The Duke’s head was on fire.
“Duke!!!”
“Are you okay?!”
The knights belatedly screamed.
“…Noisy. Be quiet.”
The Duke raised mana and extinguished the fire on his hair.
His bald head was revealed.
‘…Hmm. Did I go too far?’
But there was no other way to serve a decisive blow.
If I were the ‘True Protagonist,’ I could have won more impressively.
‘…I hope he doesn’t get mad and rewrite the plot because of this heat.’
“How about it? It seems like this is enough for the duel.”
I hastily brought up the suggestion to conclude the duel.
With a nervous heart, I approached the Duke for a gesture of reconciliation.
“Accept this.”
What I offered was a wig.
It was a bribe, begging him not to get angry, but the Duke’s expression oddly changed.
“I’ve proven my point. Now it’s my father’s turn.”
The Duke stared at me in silence for a while with his lips sealed.
Nervously, I flinched, but the Duke did something unexpected.
“Hehehe.”
He let out a sudden laugh.
Gradually, the laughter grew louder.
“Hahaha!!!”
