Chapter 14
***
The next morning, Simon's new day at Kizen began.
Three classes were scheduled for today.
The professor in charge of the first class, Jet Black Mechanics, was a middle-aged man named Eric Aura.
His distinguished wrinkles, neatly trimmed beard, stately appearance suited for a business suit, and the relaxed demeanor that came with age made him instantly likeable.
"Jet Black is the foundation of a necromancer. Its importance cannot be overstated."
Eric led the students with practiced ease.
His explanations were easy to understand, and his solutions were clear and concise.
While he lacked the flashy techniques of Bahil from Curseology, his class was refreshingly straightforward.
Before they knew it, the entire class was captivated by Eric's lecture.
How does Jet Black bring about the miracle of dark magic?
The flow of Jet Black.
Understanding runes.
The mechanics of magic circles.
"The origin of runes can be traced back to the 'Eternally Burning Flame' of the Del Temple."
Eric didn't stop at simple theoretical explanations.
"People didn't question why the flame of the sacred fire never went out. They considered the very act of doubting a divine miracle to be blasphemous."
Sometimes, he delved into history to explain runes.
"Eventually, they noticed that the ashes falling from the sacred fire formed shapes resembling 'letters.' And they were astonished by the truth that mere letters could achieve the same miracle as the burning sacred fire. This is the origin of runes."
Eric drew ancient runes on the blackboard and explained how wizards and necromancers had refined them through research.
Then, he seamlessly transitioned into explaining the mechanics of modern magic circles.
Why does this magic circle work?
Why doesn't this magic circle work?
Eric meticulously dissected and explained the magic circles.
Simon, who had been drawing magic circles with his correction tool without much thought, finally began to understand their mechanics.
As Simon diligently took notes and kept up with the lesson, the bell signaling the end of class rang.
"That's all for today."
Eric announced the end of the class.
"I have an assignment for you for next time. Choose a non-functional magic circle from among those you've learned, and submit your proposed modifications, calculations, and formulas used to make it functional. The three students I call will present their work in front of the class."
Perhaps because Jet Black Mechanics was a required course, Simon was spared from being called to the front this time.
He inwardly rejoiced.
"Wow, this class is so difficult."
Rick, his face etched with exhaustion, stretched as they left the bustling classroom.
"It feels like I'm studying arithmetic with my dad again. Can't we just memorize and use the magic circles like we usually do? Why do we have to know every little detail about how they work?"
"I thought it was fine,"
Simon said, crossing his arms.
"I didn't understand half of it, but I liked that he explained everything step by step, starting with the fundamentals."
"You love everything about Kizen. You were even scratching the bath soap with your fingernails because you thought it was so amazing..."
Simon nudged Rick in the chest with his elbow.
Rick stumbled back with a yelp, but his laughter didn't stop.
"Ack! You were scared of the bubbles in the bath and asked if it was okay to go in! Pfft!"
"I'm going ahead."
Simon grumbled and walked away.
Rick quickly apologized for teasing him and followed.
Class A had to prepare for their next class without a break.
After a 20-minute walk, they arrived at their next class location: a desolate field on the outskirts of Kizen.
"There's no one here."
"Oh, look over there...!"
As the Class A students chatted amongst themselves, a cloud of dust rose from the forest.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The ground shook as if an earthquake was occurring.
What approached was a herd of dozens of hippos.
The students gasped and stepped back.
"Ahaha! Hello, freshmen!"
A man riding on a hippo came into view.
He had dark skin, thick lips, a slender build, short limbs, and was barefoot.
He skillfully brought the herd to a halt in front of the students and jumped down.
"Professor Hongpeng has decided that today's class will be held on Mount Locke! Now, everyone, get on a hippo!"
Professor Hongpeng Tun Sokum Marlat, the Martial Combat professor, was a known eccentric at Kizen.
Although Kizen had provided her with a research lab and a residence, she preferred to wander around Locke Island, living and camping outdoors.
Because of her tendencies, most of her Martial Combat classes were held outdoors.
"...You want us to ride those things?"
A male student grimaced at the hippos standing there, snorting.
"Hey, servant! Shouldn't you at least put some blankets on those beasts?"
The man smiled and approached the student.
And then,
"Aaargh!"
He lifted the student into the air with one hand, gripping his face. Surprised cries erupted from the other students.
"W-What are you doing?"
"How dare you treat a Kizen student like that!"
A murderous aura emanated from the man, who was smiling innocently.
The students who were about to protest hesitated and stopped.
"Why are the freshmen these days so clueless? You should address me as Assistant Teacher, not servant."
The male student, finally realizing the situation, quickly yelled,
"Aaargh! S-Sorry, senior!"
If he was an assistant, there was a high probability he was a former Kizen student.
Furthermore, as a close aide to the professor, he was definitely not someone a freshman could afford to disrespect.
"Not senior, Assistant Teacher."
"Sorry, Assistant Teacher!"
Simon shook his head at the commotion.
"Why are they acting like that?"
"They're nobles,"
Rick shrugged.
"They've been pampered and treated like royalty, so they're used to treating everyone like their servants. This kind of thing happens a lot at the beginning of the semester."
Simon nodded, finding the explanation perfectly reasonable.
A moment later, the assistant, his innocent smile restored, waved his arm.
"Well, we've lost some time. Everyone, please mount your hippos! Three students per hippo!"
The students quickly climbed onto the hippos.
Simon hopped on with practiced ease, while Rick struggled, slipping several times before finally managing to climb up.
"Whew, this is tough even before the class starts."
Behind Rick, who was wiping his sweat with his sleeve,
Simon noticed a female student hopping up and down, struggling to get on.
"Is everyone on? Then let's depart!"
The student's expression became desperate at the assistant's words.
Simon kindly extended his hand towards her.
"Need a hand?"
"Oh...! Thank you."
She approached him with a look of relief and took his hand.
Simon pulled her up, and she landed lightly on the hippo's back.
"Alright, let's go!"
As soon as the student was on, the assistant kicked the hippo's hindquarters.
The lead hippo started running with a roar, and the rest of the herd followed.
The student, having barely made it on, sighed in relief and turned to Simon.
"Thank you for helping me! I'm...!"
She was about to introduce herself, but the sudden increase in the hippos' speed interrupted her.
The other students, looking scared, clung tightly to the hippos' backs.
The ride wasn't comfortable, with vibrations shaking their entire bodies.
A student shouted,
"A-Assistant Teacher! I'm going to fall! What should I hold onto?"
"Anything."
"It's too fast!"
"Persevere! Overcome it with your willpower! This is also part of your training!"
The assistant, balancing on two legs, raised his right arm.
"Of course, if you fall and get trampled by the hippos, you'll die, right? There are always one or two accidents every year."
"...What?"
The students couldn't believe their ears.
"Hold on! Hold on tight! A student who can't even ride a hippo has no place at Kizen!"
"Whoa, whoa!"
"Mommy!"
"Hey, stop! Stop this fucking thing!"
"Hahahaha!"
It was a journey of madness.
***
They finally arrived at their destination.
A clearing in the middle of the mountain, surrounded by lush trees.
The sun shone brightly in the center of the forest, as if welcoming them, and the chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects blended harmoniously like music at a concert.
It was an incredibly beautiful place.
"Gasp... Gasp... Fuck..."
"Ugh, gasp..."
Of course, that was if one was in a state to appreciate the scenery.
All the students were sprawled on the ground, exhausted.
The hippos had returned to the foot of the mountain, and the assistants were offering water bottles to the collapsed students.
'What is this?'
Simon took a sip. It had a strange taste.
Sweet, with a slightly spicy aftertaste.
But as soon as he drank it, his thirst was quenched, and his fatigue disappeared.
The other students gradually regained their composure.
Flap, flap, flap!
A flock of white birds flew overhead. Everyone blinked, watching them.
"Welcome to my domain, everyone!"
Simon turned his head.
Beyond the soaring birds, a tall woman was walking towards them, arms outstretched.
She had tanned skin, a toned physique with visible muscles, and her hair was styled in an unusual way, twisted into thick cords.
The students scrambled to their feet.
'That's...'
Hongpeng Tun Sokum Marlat.
The legendary necromancer who single-handedly fought the "Kundar Hydra," a colossal undead monster that had devastated four territories, severing its 100 heads over five days and achieving a dramatic victory.
Hongpeng was scouted by Kizen after that battle and had been teaching Martial Combat ever since.
She was eccentric, but her skills were undeniable, which was why the school tolerated her eccentricities.
Flap!
Forest birds landed on her outstretched fingers.
"Now, everyone, get up."
Her pronunciation was slightly off, as if she wasn't entirely fluent in the common tongue.
"Line, up, in, four, columns."
"...?"
As the students stood there, bewildered, Hongpeng's assistants, seemingly accustomed to this, stepped forward and said,
"Please line up in four columns."
"Quickly, now."
The students formed lines, looking perplexed.
Hongpeng stood at the front, with assistants positioned on either side of the lines.
"Then, let's, begin."
Wait, when does the class actually start?
Just as Simon thought that, Hongpeng started running.
The students at the front hurriedly followed, and a sudden running exercise began.
"A healthy body, houses a healthy, spirit! The foundation of Martial, Combat requires, strong physical strength!"
Her pronunciation was awkward, as if she had only recently learned the common language, but her message was clear.
As she increased her pace, the students at the front struggled to keep up.
Simon, running in the third row, watched her movements with admiration.
'Amazing.'
He had never seen anyone run like that.
The angle of her feet, the movement of her muscles, the swaying of her shoulders and torso.
It was flawlessly smooth and picturesque.
They all had two arms and two legs, but why did she seem like an alien from another dimension?
Her movements were so perfect they felt unnatural.
"Gasp! Gasp!"
"Huff! Puff!"
As everyone ran breathlessly, Hongpeng slowed her pace slightly and began her lecture.
The basics, the spirit, the significance of Martial Combat.
In short, Martial Combat was a class that taught combat techniques utilizing Jet Black to enhance one's physical abilities to the extreme.
Upon reaching a certain level of mastery in Martial Combat, one could manifest "Black Clothing," a garment formed from flowing Jet Black, a symbolic technique of Battle Necromancers.
Many male students romanticized this technique, and it wasn't uncommon for them to choose Martial Combat as their major for this reason.
"Many, trees. Be careful!"
The running continued through dense foliage and trees.
The four columns broke formation as the students dodged trees, each following Hongpeng in their own way.
While most of them scrambled through the bushes, a few students climbed up and ran along the branches.
These were all aspiring Martial Combat majors, eager to showcase their skills.
An assistant climbed up a tree and gave them a thumbs-up.
The aspiring students beamed.
"I envy the Martial Combat guys. Oof!"
Rick grumbled after running face-first into a tree trunk.
'Hmm.'
Simon observed them intently.
He found himself quite interested in this combat-focused, physical dark magic.
"Ugh! Gasp! Hey, Simon! Are you okay?"
Rick asked, his face red.
Simon blinked and replied,
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine."
"Gasp! Huff! How can your stamina be...! Cough, cough!"
"Doesn't everyone do this much running?"
Simon considered traversing the treacherous southern mountains of Leshill a casual stroll.
While even the assistants were sweating, Simon's expression remained relaxed.
'This class is fun too!'
As Simon enjoyed the physical class like a fish in water, Hongpeng watched him with a glint in her eye.
***
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