SRS 40

Yohan immediately sat upright at the explosive noise, then froze when the screams of his friends helped him assess the situation. He and the others leaned out the window with stunned expressions. A completely unhinged professor was really attacking the first-years dormitory. And of all places, he was attacking the East Tower, the tower where Yohan lived.

“Every time I think this school can’t surprise me anymore, it serves me something fresh and spicy. Incredible. Really incredible, Fantasiademia….”

Suhyeok muttered in disgust. Meanwhile, the deafening blasts continued to shake the dorm. At this rate, the wall would break any moment.

“We need to call the dorm supervisor.”

Feeling the danger, Yohan grabbed his coat, but Mikael quickly stopped him.

“The dorm supervisor said he was out on a work trip until this afternoon. He mentioned it last night during attendance.”

“What? I was half-asleep and didn’t hear that.”

Yohan couldn’t believe his ears. He had expected that one day a professor would attack them, ever since reading the dorm rules, but he hadn’t expected it to happen when the supervisor wasn’t around.

He’d grown complacent because he thought someone responsible would always be there.

“Perfect timing.”

“No. Professors don’t match timing, they hunt for timing. That’s what they are.”

Kylus, whose distrust of professors grew more impressive by the day, spoke grimly as he grabbed his sword. When he put one foot on the windowsill, Suhyeok let out a strangled shout.

“Kylus! Don’t you dare!”

Kylus looked like he was about to jump. Yohan grabbed his arm too, trying to stop him. The golden haired student looked at both of them with a serious gaze.

“If everyone in the East Tower works together, we can drive him out. We can’t sit still while being attacked. If you’re too scared, I’ll go alone.”

“What are you talking about?! You just want to punch a professor! Hey! Kylus!”

Whoosh!

Kylus jumped out the window. Since it was only the third floor, he landed fine and immediately joined the students gathering outside to respond.

“That idiot…”

Suhyeok groaned into his hand. Yohan felt strangely sad watching how Kylus—who had seemed so noble and cautious when they first met—was becoming more impulsive each day. He looked toward the attacking professor. Yohan didn’t recognize him.

“Who is that?”

Mikael, watching beside him, let out a small oh.

“That’s the Cursed Arts professor.”

“Cursed Arts?”

“Yes. He teaches things like brainwashing and curses. As you can see, he’s not very stable.”

“I see.”

…Yohan hated how naturally he replied to that kind of statement now.

He watched the chaos—students gathering behind the wall, gathering energy, readying weapons, preparing to counterattack—and sighed before turning around.

“Kylus is impulsive and probably has other motives… but he’s not wrong. We have to go. If this continues, the barrier will shatter.”

Mikael agreed.

“Good idea. When a barrier cracks, other professors usually see it as a chance to join.”

“……”

So they don’t stop the crazy professor…?

…Ah. Right. None of the professors at Fantasiademia were sane.

This school really ran on miracles.

Yohan couldn’t help the expression of pity he wore toward the school. He pulled himself together and rushed out with his friends.

“Hold him back!”

“Are you insane?! How do we hold back a professor?!”

“Anyone here taking Cursed Arts?! Try talking to him as his student!”

“No use! When Professor Menoua go berserk, he can’t hear anything!”

“Useless idiots!”

“What?!”

“Calm down! Why are we fighting each other?! Look at the enemy! He’s…eeek!”

“The professor is right in front of us! He’s breaking through the barrier crack!”

“…It’s chaos.”

Yohan arrived at the gathering point and sighed at the battlefield before him. Suhyeok clicked his tongue, assessing the situation.

He grabbed the collar of a trembling student and pulled him backward.

“Suhyeok!”

The moment students recognized him, their faces brightened with relief. Yohan couldn’t help staring in surprise. That same man who was whining on the floor earlier was now acting like a reliable leader.

Suhyeok raised his voice.

“Everyone calm down and quiet. If too many people shout instructions, it’ll be worse. First things first. How many do we have?”

“Um… I think almost all of the East Tower is here. Isaac and Melek went to ask the other towers for help.”

“Will the other towers help? It’s the weekend, who wants to fight a professor today?”

“They’ll help. If we fall, they know they’re next.”

His cold but honest logic comforted the others. Once the atmosphere calmed, Suhyeok drew his weapon.

“Good. Let’s push the professor back before he forces his way through the crack. If too many crowd the front, we’ll just get in the way. Kylus and I will push him. The rest of you support from behind. Mages, reinforce the barrier. Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

“…I don’t know if this will work, but let’s try!”

“Aren’t you going to tell us how we’re supposed to defend the barrier first?!”

The mages panicked at suddenly being given such a heavy task. When they started protesting that Suhyeok’s orders were too vague, Suhyeok turned his head toward Mikael.

He winked.

A shameless, sparkly wink.

Mikael’s expression drained instantly.

“…Wow. Seriously. Why do you treat Yohan differently from everyone else?”

Suhyeok grumbled, asking if he really had to act that cold about it.

“If you understand my intention, then start with stopping Professor Menoua.”

Mikael ignored him completely and walked toward the group of mages.

“What Suhyeok meant wasn’t repairing the barrier. He meant, don’t let it break any further. Under normal circumstances that’d be hard, but with those two blocking the professor and everyone else interfering with his focus, you can hold him here for a bit. Follow the mana flow.”

The confused mages immediately calmed down as Mikael spoke. He turned toward the dorm’s protective barrier and quietly opened his mouth.

“Mana’s blessing surrounds the wall!”

“……!”

Yohan’s eyes widened.

He uses incantations.

This was the first time since enrollment that Yohan had ever heard Mikael use verbal casting. He always cast magic silently with no chant. Surprised by this unfamiliar side of him, Yohan watched as the mages followed Mikael and channeled mana into the barrier.

“Yohan! What are you doing?! Hurry! You need to help too!”

His fellow priests grabbed his arms and dragged him down to kneel beside them.

“…What are we doing?”

“Praying so the barrier doesn’t collapse! We’re supporting the mages! Buffers and healers are helping Kylus and Suhyeok. Same with the combat students.”

“I understand.”

Yohan joined his hands and prayed. Holy golden light burst forth, seeping into the cracked barrier and filling it.

“Ohhh!”

“The barrier…it’s repairing!”

The students cheered at the miracle born from combining magic and divine power.

“You worthless brats!”

Professor Menoua’s venomous voice thundered through their cheers like lightning.

“Why won’t you let me in! Why won’t you let me in! Why won’t you let me in! Why won’t you let me in!”

Hearing the exact same sentence repeated perfectly, sent chills down their spines. Yohan finally understood why everyone said this professor wasn’t sane. He stared in horror at the raging man.

“Ghh!”

Suhyeok, who was crossing blades with Kylus to block the professor’s entry, put all his strength into pushing him back.

The buffers and healers immediately sent power into him. The combat students reinforced his stance.

“Kylus! Stop plotting and cooperate properly!”

Suhyeok shouted through clenched teeth, veins bulging at his temple. Kylus clicked his tongue and twisted his wrist. Only then did Yohan realize what Kylus had really been trying to do.

Not just push the professor back, he’d been waiting for a chance to land a devastating strike on him.

Once Kylus stopped aiming for assassination and actually cooperated, Professor Menoua began to retreat under their combined pressure. With a unified shout, the two students put strength into their swords.

“Gah!”

The professor stumbled and staggered back. The crack he had opened in the barrier was sealed immediately after.

“…We did it.”

Yohan continued praying just in case, but he still felt happy.

“…We did it.”

“We really did it!”

“We beat him!”

The students hugged each other in triumph, right as the defeated professor slammed his fist into the ground.

“You little… you miserable, stupid brats! All of you are worse than turtles…! Mmph! Mmfh!”

“Professor!”

“Ugh! I knew it! Who was it?! Who was the idiot who gave Professor Menoua wine and got a commercial district access pass?!”

Just as a torrent of vicious insults poured from the professor’s mouth, a web shot out from somewhere behind and sealed his mouth. Students Yohan had never seen before came running in a panic.