I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 401

"Done."

Baek Yuseol lifted a headband with two rods sticking out of it. Scarlet, who had been lying on the floor resting, peeked her head up.

"Already done?"

Baek Yuseol bent the ends of the headband into a star shape and placed it snugly on Scarlet's head.

Instead of looking like an antenna, she resembled a middle-school girl at an amusement park.

"Oh! I feel something this time."

"...It’s not even on yet."

When Yuseol manipulated the button on the headband to activate the receiver, Scarlet’s hair stood on end.

The creation was called the "Twinkle Magic Receiver Headband." It had taken only 30 minutes to make.

Though it was disposable, with no rechargeable battery and low durability, it would serve its purpose for the day. Recently, thanks to receiving a "simple crafting kit" from Alterisha, Yuseol had become capable of crafting items like this on the spot.

This crafting kit was something Yuseol had often used during his online gaming days. Being able to create disposable items tailored to the situation was an immense advantage.

With low defense, unimpressive attack power, and nearly no long-range capabilities, relying on tools like this was essential for survival.

"So, how does it feel now?"

"Hmm... I think I can manage up to about 4th-class magic with this. Is that enough?"

By normal standards, this was absurdly insufficient.

To be a match for Yuseol’s current level, the minimum requirement was 7th-class magic.

However, there was a way.

"It’s fine. I’ll seal my Blink ability and spar with you."

"...What? Why?"

"I’m nowhere near the level of Ha Tae-ryeong, the legendary swordsman who faced 9th-class mages while suffering from Mana Leakage Syndrome. To understand his swordsmanship and strategies... I need to give up one of my advantages first."

What would it feel like to view the world from Ha Tae-ryeong’s perspective?

A life without magic?

Yuseol had already experienced that thoroughly.

But to go further, to imagine a life without Blink—what thoughts would Ha Tae-ryeong have while facing mages? Yuseol’s curiosity was endless.

"Why, how. How could someone with that body stand against mages?"

Yuseol intended to start from that point. He planned to assimilate Ha Tae-ryeong’s mindset and strategies, adapting them gradually into his own methods by incorporating Blink later.

"My enemies are in a position so high that I can’t even see them yet."

The Twelve Months and the hidden forces of the Dark Mages.

And even Black Thirteen Months.

But rushing to face them was out of the question.

"I haven’t even laid the proper foundation yet."

Although Ha Tae-ryeong’s journal had been a great help, it was a loosely written diary and lacked detailed content.

Yuseol intended to complete what was missing on his own.

"...I don’t fully understand," Scarlet muttered.

"That’s fine," Yuseol replied.

"Yeah... I guess it is."

Scarlet looked into Yuseol’s eyes for a moment. Those calm yet shining black eyes. Nothing about him—his personality, appearance, or demeanor—resembled Ha Tae-ryeong.

And yet, why did this subtle feeling keep drawing her in?

This was different from how she felt about Ha Tae-ryeong.

Being with Yuseol, she was coming to understand different emotions. Gradually, she was beginning to recognize what this feeling was.

"This feeling is..."

Long ago, Scarlet had been born with radiant talent as a witch, blessed with every gift the world could offer.

In a world where power was law and authority, strength was everything. Witches and mages alike revered power above all.

Perhaps that’s why Scarlet had found life a little boring. Reaching the pinnacle of magic at such a young age and securing near-immortality—what could be interesting about that?

Watching untalented fools struggle to learn magic had been both amusing and pitiable. But beyond that, she felt no deeper emotions.

...Until she met Ha Tae-ryeong.

"Mana Leakage Syndrome."

It was an utterly alien and unique condition. His body, incapable of accepting mana, was treated worse than that of a cripple with no limbs.

Known for his foul temper, Ha Tae-ryeong often responded to ridicule with raised fists, only to be stopped each time.

Fists alone couldn’t win against magic.

But over time, through countless failures, Ha Tae-ryeong came to understand magic better than anyone else.

He developed the ability to read the movement and flow of mana during the brief moments when magic circles activated, enabling him to analyze the spells.

This was the first advantage Ha Tae-ryeong discovered from his Mana Leakage Syndrome.

Despite lacking mana, his sensitivity to its movements was unparalleled.

Once he found this unique strength, everything began to change.

Ha Tae-ryeong continuously honed what seemed like a trivial advantage until he could stand against mages with dazzling talent.

At first, he was easily defeated.

But as time went on, mages began to find it increasingly difficult to deal with him.

And eventually, before anyone realized it, Ha Tae-ryeong had achieved the unthinkable: defeating mages with his bare hands.

...Looking back, it was an absurd achievement. For someone like Scarlet, who had mastered magic at a young age and reached its peak, it was laughable.

But perhaps that was why it fascinated her.

Starting at 100, with everything handed to her, Scarlet found herself drawn to Ha Tae-ryeong, who started at zero and climbed to one, then beyond.

"...So, that’s what this is. Admiration."

Her chest burned and flared with intense emotions whenever she thought of him.

The witch mistook this feeling for first love. Perhaps it truly was. She had never felt such genuine admiration for anyone in her life.

That misconception led to her punishment as a witch.

Even now... she didn’t regret admiring him.

When Ha Tae-ryeong, who had begun with nothing, finally stood as her equal, Scarlet had been more overwhelmed with emotion than anyone else.

In retrospect, that might have been the golden era of her life.

Ha Tae-ryeong’s life was brief; he couldn’t escape death in the end.

And after his passing, nearly a thousand years had gone by. What had she been doing all that time?

"...Nothing."

Her life had been profoundly dull.

Although she had occasionally intervened in the grand flow of history, nothing she achieved had ever brought her satisfaction.

The first time she attained 9th-class magic? Even then, she simply thought, "Well, I guess I did something I was bound to do eventually."

And so, when she looked at Baek Yuseol again...

For the first time in an eternity, she felt a sense of joy.

Realizing that he was carving his own unique path into her heart, entirely different from Ha Tae-ryeong, she felt a small happiness blossom.

"...Baek Yuseol."

"Yeah?"

"You’re giving it your all, so I’ll do the same."

At her words, Baek Yuseol grinned broadly.

"Well, that’s more than I could ask for."

Scarlet raised her staff toward him.

The staff she had chosen during the inheritance ceremony, Mate Metal, was a mid-to-high-grade staff known for its ability to momentarily amplify the power of spells.

This meant that without Blink, Yuseol would have to dodge her powerful magic or cut through it directly.

"A wooden sword?"

Instead of a magical sword like the Terriphone Sword, Yuseol pulled out a simple wooden sword.

Ordinary wood couldn’t channel mana well enough to cut through magic with precision.

"Doesn’t this make it more exciting?"

"...You’ve got a point."

Fwoosh!

Flames swirled around the tip of Scarlet’s staff. There was something distinct about her magic; it wasn’t like that of ordinary mages, who cast their spells only after fully forming their magic circles.

"...Spirit Flame."

As Scarlet quietly chanted her spell, flames shot forward. Baek Yuseol’s eyes sparkled as he lunged forward.

Thump!

Scarlet found herself smiling despite herself, feeling a thrill she hadn’t experienced in ages.

To cut to the chase, Baek Yuseol didn’t manage to win even once.

In fact, he failed to land a single effective hit.

Though Scarlet could only use up to 4th-class magic, her magical techniques were on par with a 9th-class mage. More importantly, without Blink, Yuseol was... well, "incompetent" might be putting it kindly.

But the one who collapsed first wasn’t Baek Yuseol—it was Scarlet.

"Hah, hah, I’m dying here..."

"Already worn out?"

"I—I kept winning! Let’s call it quits..."

"You should’ve worked on your stamina."

Scarlet flinched at Yuseol’s words and turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

Living for a thousand years didn’t mean she was good at everything.

Having been sealed away and lounging around for so long, her stamina was abysmal. Even climbing a flight of stairs felt like scaling a mountain, especially while using her proxy body.

"I’m a witch. I don’t need stamina."

She wasn’t wrong.

When a snap of her fingers could eliminate all her enemies, there was little reason to bother with physical conditioning.

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"...Still, it was helpful."

Scarlet’s magic had indeed felt different. Moreover, she had intentionally used spells to demonstrate Ha Tae-ryeong’s strategies, subtly helping Yuseol improve.

I think I’m starting to get it.

Baek Yuseol flexed his hands, recalling the sensation from just moments ago.

At the end of the session, he had even used Celestial Body Flow to channel mana into the wooden sword. But all it managed to do was barely cut through Scarlet’s dense magic circle.

If he’d had the Terriphone Sword, such magic wouldn’t have required him to use Celestial Body Flow at all. But relying on equipment wasn’t the same as relying on his own abilities.

The ability to fully master exceptional equipment only comes when the user’s skills are at their peak.

I’m not yet ready to wield Cheongpung Myeongwol.

Even now, he could only hold it occasionally when using Celestial Body Flow, and he wasn’t able to utilize its full potential.

Facing Scarlet had made it abundantly clear where he was weak and what he still lacked.

Zap!

"Ugh..."

Lost in meditation, reflecting on the battle, Yuseol was interrupted by the crackle of static as Scarlet’s headband fizzled and stopped functioning.

It had lasted surprisingly long for a disposable item, but it had finally reached its limit.

"Ah... it broke. Guess we can’t train anymore," Scarlet said, glancing at him with feigned innocence.

Yuseol chuckled softly.

"Yeah. Let’s wrap up for today. Thanks for helping—it was a big help."

"Of course..."

"I rushed making the headband today, so I didn’t focus on durability. Tomorrow, I’ll ask a top expert to create one that won’t break, no matter what."

"...What?"

Scarlet’s face instantly paled.

"Unbreakable?"

"That way, we can train longer."

"How about you think about my body’s durability before the headband’s?"

Her pitiful state—sprawled out like torn newspaper on the floor—was genuinely concerning.

"...Fine, I’ll take it into consideration."

"Huh? Wait—"

Yuseol walked over and casually picked her up. Her small frame made her surprisingly portable.

"Hey, what are you doing—?"

"You don’t look like you can walk, so I’ll take you back to the dorms."

Dumbfounded, Scarlet opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

"This... isn’t what I meant by taking care of me."

"Want me to put you down?"

She considered it briefly but decided this wasn’t so bad.

Leaning her head against Yuseol’s shoulder, she murmured, "Well... sometimes being pampered isn’t so bad. Make sure you escort me properly to my dorm."

"Got it," Yuseol replied with a grin.

Sometimes, despite being the Witch Queen, Scarlet’s words carried more cuteness than dignity.

Feeling as though he’d gained a younger sister, Yuseol chuckled as he left the training hall.

What he didn’t anticipate was Scarlet falling asleep on the way.

Reaching the dorms, Yuseol let out a sigh as he stared at her peaceful, slumbering face.

...I need to take her to the girls’ dormitory, huh?

Though it was troublesome, it was nothing he couldn’t handle.

It was, after all, far from the most challenging situation Baek Yuseol had ever faced.

...Nothing at all.