Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner-Chapter 224: Episode

Walter’s first Hemomancy class began. As he had promised, not much had changed from Professor Silage’s curriculum. After studying theory from the textbook and carefully examining the composition of the magic circles, they moved on to practical exercises. The students, who had been on edge since the start of the new semester—especially after experiencing Professor Byulya’s class—felt a great sense of relief. The main difference was that, compared to the somewhat blunt and authoritative Silage, the young new professor approached the students more closely, communicated with them, and treated them with a casual warmth, even exchanging jokes. "Alright, this practical will start with the ‘Blood Shield.’"

The ‘Blood Shield’ was a multipurpose barrier of blood that could quickly obscure the area in front by mixing blood and Jet-Black. Its main feature was that, if prepared, it could be deployed faster than a Jet-Black shield. The students simultaneously drew blood from their bodies, mixed it with Jet-Black, and deployed their shields. The results were a mixed bag. One student’s shield melted away, another’s was only the size of their palm, a third’s was wide but paper-thin, and one student’s shield even exploded the moment it was deployed. This was all because everyone’s blood type was different. "Teaching assistants, let’s begin the feedback."

"Yes, sir!"

Following Walter’s instructions, the TAs moved in perfect sync. The initial magic circle composition was the same for everyone, but modifications were made according to blood type. The student whose shield melted learned how to coat the blood. The student whose shield deployed too thinly was prescribed an additional condensation formula. "It worked, Professor!"

"Excellent. Did everyone see that? Students with the LP-2 type can do it like this."

"Thank you!"

After helping one group of students, Walter approached Kamibarez. She was diligently trying to deploy her shield, but it would explode shortly after, unable to maintain its form. She looked upset that it wasn’t working as she intended. "There’s no need to be hasty," Walter said with a gentle smile. "Your KP-1 blood has a fundamental property: it wants to explode when combined with Jet-Black. In that case, how about this?" Kamibarez lifted her head to look at him. "Let’s divide the roles. Use a defensive technique from Jet-Black Dynamics to block small attacks, and use the ‘Blood Shield’ to block large ones." "Large attacks? H-How?" Walter created a heavy orb of blood. "Is it possible for you to control the explosion time of your shield?"

"Yes! But no matter how much I extend the time, it eventually explodes..."

"Then let’s try to make it explode the moment an object hits it."

Walter launched the Jet-Black orb, followed immediately by a Jet-Black arrow. Kamibarez, waiting with her shield deployed, made it detonate the instant the orb touched it. The orb and the arrows following it were caught in the explosion and sent flying. "You can create an offensive shield just like this," Walter explained. "The thickness of your shield wouldn’t have been able to block the orb I just launched, but you covered that weakness with an explosion. Just because it’s a vampire’s KP-1 doesn’t mean it must only be used for offense. Try thinking of other applications." "Oh, it’s like a revelation! Thank you!" Kamibarez bowed deeply, her face filled with emotion. The students next to her were showing off their shields, boasting about whose was bigger or tougher, but one boy sat alone, blankly resting his chin on his hand. ’They all look like they’re having fun,’ Simon thought. It was none other than Simon. His ‘SM-1’ blood, a completely new type, didn’t coalesce well when combined with Jet-Black, leaving him with nothing to do in most of the classes. Bored and envious of his friends, he just stretched his arms out wide. ’If only I had a normal blood type like everyone else, I could have joined that conversation.’

"Simon."

Just then, a TA quietly approached him. "Professor Walter is calling for you."

"Huh?"

When Simon turned, he saw Walter at the classroom exit, smiling and beckoning to him. Was it because of his disquieting first impression? He was suspicious, but he had no reason to disobey a professor’s command during class. As Simon approached, Walter explained, "The blood type you have is special, so I’ll explain it to you directly in my research lab on the fourth floor. Follow me." Walter and Simon walked up the stairs side by side in silence. For some reason, Simon’s nerves were on edge. ’Why does the word ‘Judas’ pop into my head whenever I think of this person?’ Above all...

’Did you see it?’

He could never forget that look in Walter’s eyes when they first met. Of course, it could have just been his imagination; he wasn’t even sure if the professor had really made such a face. The two finally arrived in front of the research lab on the fourth floor. "You seem too tense," Walter said with a smile. "Is this perhaps your first time visiting a professor’s research lab?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Simon just quietly shook his head. He had been to the labs of Aaron, Jane, and even Professor Lang before. "There’s nothing to be intimidated by, so come in and make yourself comfortable."

Walter opened the door and gestured for him to enter first. Simon swallowed hard and strode into the lab. ’Huh?’

Just as Walter had said, there was nothing intimidating. The lab was almost empty, with boxes filled with various documents and books scattered about messily, as if he hadn’t finished unpacking yet. There was only a desk, a chair, and a sofa. "I’ve been so busy since coming to Kizen," Walter said, smiling as he offered Simon a seat on the sofa. As Simon sat down cautiously, Walter asked if he wanted some tea. Simon shook his head. "Then let’s get straight to the point."

Walter picked up a crystal ball from his desk and placed it on the table. When he lightly touched it, a mana screen appeared in the air. "This is the data Professor Silage handed over. Shall we take a look together?" The mana screen showed Simon from the first time he shot a ‘Blood Bullet’ at the magic bullet practice range during the first semester.

— Lane 6, Simon Polentia. Ready! The video showed Simon closing one eye and aiming at the target with the tip of his index finger. A moment later, Silage shouted, "Fire," and the ‘Blood Bullet’ was fired with a recoil from Simon’s arm. The bullet suddenly vanished mid-air, then reappeared in front of the target, emitting a blue light. When the light hit the target, the force spread out in a fan shape. The two targets behind it were torn apart, and one target on each side was also ripped to shreds. "A very interesting phenomenon, isn’t it?" Walter remarked, watching the video. "I can see why Professor Silage was so fascinated by your ‘SM-1’. He conducted research throughout the first semester, and while he was away on his mission, he entrusted the analysis of SM-1 to me and several other disciples. It’s not a boast, but my results were the most outstanding among them." Walter’s gaze turned to Simon. "First, let’s start with this. What do you know about that blood of yours?" Simon answered with what he knew. "I understand it has a kind of proliferative effect. When my blood and Jet-Black combine, without any special process, the Jet-Black consumes the blood, increasing its volume and power."

"That’s not wrong," Walter nodded. "But if that were all, Professor Silage wouldn’t have struggled so much that he left you to your own devices for the entire first semester."

"Th-Then, does it have another function?"

Instead of answering, Walter took an item from a box on his desk and held it out to Simon. ’It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of these.’

It was a magic circle correction tool, a beginner’s item that helped form a magic circle by guiding the flow of Jet-Black into a mold. Simon had used one when he first learned ‘Exhaust’ in Cursology class, but he had barely touched it since. "This is a magic circle that Professor Silage personally developed to effectively operate SM-1. Would you like to try it?"

Looking at the tool, the magic circle didn’t seem to have any particular issues. Simon nodded, grabbed both handles, and channeled Jet-Black into it. The Jet-Black followed the path of the correction tool and began to form the circle. Even with the tool, there were some formulas Simon couldn’t create, but Walter immediately explained them in an easy-to-understand way. Overall, it wasn’t a very difficult structure. Finally, the magic circle was completed and floated into the air. "Now, draw your blood. You learned the magic circle for that in the first semester, right?"

"Yes."

When Simon conjured a small magic circle at the tip of his index finger, a drop of blood passed through it and rose up. Then, it passed through the new magic circle he had just completed. A chemical reaction occurred as the magic circle and the blood drop combined. Simon jumped back in surprise as a crackling sound filled the air. The magic circle flickered between the red of blood and the black of Jet-Black. Then, finally, a complete chemical reaction took place, and it transformed into a form of smoke with a brilliant aquamarine hue, neither red nor black. It also had an unusual, light blue pattern, like the spiral of a nautilus shell. ’This is kind of cool.’ Simon’s eyes sparkled. "This effect only appears when your SM-1 and your Jet-Black pass through a specific magic circle in a specific ratio. Professor Silage called this power SMF24-CLOUD. Or ‘Cloud’ for short." ’Cloud.’ As Simon stared at his new power, Walter raised both arms.

"There! It’s a black magic made from your blood. What do you think you can do with it?" Simon twitched his body. He could feel the smoke slowly floating according to his will. This felt just like...

’It’s similar to connecting to an undead’s consciousness and controlling it.’

It didn’t take long. Walter smiled at the sight of him controlling the Cloud within a minute of using it. "You’re skilled at controlling it. In that case, is something like this possible?" Walter pointed to a box filled with documents in the corner. "Lifting that box with the smoke."

It looked like a gas, so lifting an object seemed impossible, but Simon, who was currently controlling the Cloud, somehow felt it might be possible. As he extended his right arm, the smoke quickly advanced and enveloped the box. ’Just like that.’

Simon turned his hand palm-up and made a slow lifting motion. ’Lift!’

As the box of documents was slowly lifted, Walter let out a gasp of admiration. "To do it on your first try! That’s amazing."

"Ugh."

Simon’s arm trembled. This was surprisingly difficult. Not only was his mental strength being taxed, but it felt like he was lifting the object with his own arm. When Simon slowly lowered the box, the strain disappeared. "But another unique property was discovered in this Cloud."

Walter got up from his seat and approached the smoke. Then, he pinched the Cloud with his middle finger and thumb. "Ouch!"

Simon was startled. It hurt as if he had actually been pinched. "This power shares the user’s senses. Does it hurt?" This time, Walter grew his fingernails long with blood and poked the smoke, causing Simon to let out a startled scream and nearly fall out of his chair. "Professor!"

"Haha, my apologies. My old researcher’s habits got the better of me. I’m a professor now, of course." Walter returned his fingernails to their original state, and Simon dispelled the Cloud and sat up straight. He was truly grateful that Walter had researched his power with Silage, but for some reason, he felt a surge of anger and glared at him. "Are you angry?"

"...No, sir."

"In any case, the conclusion was that Cloud is a power that simply cannot be defined by modern Hemomancy knowledge. Professor Silage originally intended to publish it as a paper at the Hemomancy academic conference, but he gave up."

"Why?"

"Because you might be put in danger. SM-1 could be a research subject that holds the key to the world’s secrets, and mad scholars might flock to you. There are many truly insane scholars among necromancers."

He added with a smile, "Just like me."

"In fact, the reason I accepted the position of Hemomancy professor was..."

His eyes met Simon’s.

"...to meet you. We can create an even greater synergistic effect in the future. I can uncover the secrets of a new blood, and you can learn how to operate the special technique called ‘Cloud.’" Walter extended his hand. "I’m formally proposing it. Won’t you become my direct disciple?"