I Don’T Have Any Magic Power But I’M Having A Blast At The Academy 83
83
I headed towards the occupation site of Xiaoming known as “Checkpoint” on the northern boulevard of Downtown.
As I passed through the worn-out streets and neared the main road, the atmosphere became more chaotic.
I heard rumors about several deaths already, restrictions on movement, and the like.
“Here.”
I glanced at the object placed on her white palm and looked at Amelia with questioning eyes.
In her right hand was half of the healing potion I had given her.
“Just take it.”
“I will, but I want what you have besides this.”
“Why?”
“You just wiped your nose with that hand.”
“Who said I wiped my nose? I just touched it lightly.”
Amelia, flustered, tried to explain, but I didn’t respond.
Amelia, with pursed lips, pulled out a small case from her pocket.
“To your left.”
“Oh, got it.”
Nervously, Amelia opened the case and handed me the recovery pills with her left hand.
Only then did I relax and accept the pills.
Amelia’s face turned stern as she emphasized,
“And, I wasn’t wrong.”
“Yeah, you weren’t. Just a slight mistake.”
“Ugh, seriously...”
Leaving the sulking Amelia behind, I headed towards the checkpoint.
***
Initially, my plan was to assess the opponent and, if deemed necessary, subdue them with just enough force to show dominance.
Excluding the unique environment of the Academy, in the superhuman society at large, I seemed to belong to the strong faction.
However, seeing the reality of what was known as a checkpoint, I couldn’t help but change my mind.
A street in an old downtown area.
Around 30 Chinese individuals were blocking the street with guns and knives.
A burly man from behind was shouting in an unknown Chinese dialect through a megaphone.
They were mercenaries from the “Xiaoming Guild.”
Some superhumans lay sprawled on the ground after being overwhelmed by them, while the mercenaries kicked them aside to clear the street.
Well, up to this point, it was a sight that could commonly be seen in a checkpoint.
The issue was the state of their souls reflected in my eyes.
Most of them were tainted with deep darkness, but a few were so obscure that it was hard to even look at them.
It wasn’t just darkness, but it was vulgar, filthy, and ‘unstable.’
This was the reason for my change of heart.
That was a mine.
And not just any mine, but a time bomb that could explode at any moment.
“Amelia.”
─Yes, please go ahead.
A voice came through the earpiece.
She was standing on the rooftop of a three-story building, overlooking the street as it was.
“Could you close your eyes for a moment?”
─Why should I close my eyes?
“Stop. This is Xiaoming’s checkpoint.”
I was now closing in on them while talking to Amelia.
A mercenary approached me.
“If you want to pass, agree to identification check.”
“Just a moment. If I say go, let me go.”
I have no intention of killing anyone if I can help it.
While this world is relatively lenient towards death, it goes against my ethics to kill indiscriminately.
Even in their category, there are minds that haven’t completely abandoned being human, like undeemons.
However, the mine before the frenzy, it was not.
“This punk, can’t you hear me······ cough!”
“Write proper Korean, punk. It’s so messed up I can’t understand a thing.”
A Chinese mercenary, who was spouting awkward Korean, was punched in the jaw by a rain stick and collapsed.
Swish.
Seven rain sticks floated around me.
Only then did the mercenary bastards all turn towards me.
The mercenary holding a loudspeaker warned in Chinese, but I cleanly ignored it.
Soon, the sharp fangs of the rain sticks were aimed at the mercenaries.
Woong···.
A rain stick filled with antimagic trembled. And.
Swish─!
It struck like lightning towards the ‘mine’ mixed among them.
***
Even the stained corpses seemed to vanish as if washed away by Anastasia’s light, leaving no room for speculation.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight to behold, so it was better not to know.
“One escaped, but...”
I gazed down the alley where the last remaining mine had disappeared.
Though Anastasia’s light had surely illuminated the alley, the guy brushed it off and fled.
“Well, I suppose I can take my time.”
I had already attached a “tail” to him.
Observing as Amelia’s magic and Anastasia’s light tidied up the scene, I slowly made my way towards the alley where the guy had escaped.
***
“Huff, huff...!”
In the dark alley, Jangwi ran anxiously, constantly looking back.
There was no specific plan of where to go. It was just an obsession to get away from that monster-like guy.
Once he felt safe, he planned to seek help from the Association to deal with that monster.
“Couldn’t even handle it. Why would such a guy be on the 1st floor...”
In the Black Market, there existed an absolute difference in power.
The number of floors an ordinary person without talent could ascend was at most up to the 3rd floor, “Normal.”
From the 4th floor, it was the realm of talent. Only monsters born with innate abilities could ascend.
Having briefly tasted the bitterness of the 4th floor, Jangwi knew better than anyone how monstrous those beings were.
Of course, Jangwi, now a mine, was stronger than before.
Even if a Noble from the 5th floor came, he was confident in evading.
But that guy was an exception.
Antimagic, spirit of light.
He was a monster possessing both abilities that a mine must avoid even if it meant death.
Suddenly, Jangwi furrowed his brow as he looked up at the sky.
“Why is that brat...”
He had been bothered by the blue bird circling the sky, but he ignored it and ran aimlessly.
Escaping the 1st floor was the best option, but to do so, he needed to reach the central warp zone, so he moved in the opposite direction.
There was a high chance that the guy was looking around the warp zone.
“Damn it...!”
Jangwi, running until his breath was ragged, cursed.
He reached a dead end. Frowning, he tried to turn around to change direction.
–It was right at that moment.
Thud, thud.
“...!”
Jangwi froze in the same position as he was turning.
Thud, thud.
The echoing footsteps in the alley sent chills down his spine.
“How could he already...?”
The eyes of Jangwi, who turned around, shook.
A monster who had single-handedly destroyed a guild stood before him.
It was when Jangwi harbored doubts at the incomprehensible sight.
“Squawk!”
A blue bird descended and perched on the creature’s shoulder, its ruby-like eyes gleaming mockingly.
“······Damn it.”
Jangwi’s face twisted grimly.
Before long, a blue flame demon engulfed him.
That was the final sight Jangwi witnessed.
***
“Well done, Parang.”
As I watched Parang devouring the mana melting in flames, I tossed a large chunk of red mana stone to Parang.
“Crunch!”
Watching Parang nibble on the mana stone, I nodded approvingly.
“Capturing mana is indeed the best.”
Just by capturing four mana, Parang’s level jumped from 3 to 4.
“If more of these guys show up, it’ll be a breeze.”
There was no need to dig into the background of the mana beings. The Mana Association specialized in enticing and devouring stragglers.
Then, I heard Amelia’s voice through the earphones.
─Where did they suddenly disappear to?
“Chasing the runaway.”
Responding to Amelia’s call, Parang suddenly settled down and spat out a small spirit stone.
“Oh.”
This one was quite big.
─Why?
“It’s nothing.”
I chuckled as I picked up the spirit stone.
Anyway, Hansul’s issue was resolved for now. All that was left was to grow.
It was about time to acquire the main characters’ ‘exclusive artifacts.’
“Whose should I start looking for first?”
Thinking about the ‘exclusive artifacts,’ I slipped away from the alley.