8mi Chapter 412: Winter Break (5)
Chapter 412: Winter Break (5)
Chapter 412 - Winter Break (5)
Baek Yu-Seol's transport was a long and arduous journey. To accommodate it, an emergency transport vehicle outfitted with top-tier medical equipment—practically equivalent to a high-end hospital room—was prepared. Following it were two additional vehicles converted into mobile operating rooms. To ensure his safety, three full battalions of Stella Knights were deployed as escorts.
Such an extravagant display naturally invited speculation.
The news that Stella Academy had devoted exceptional resources to a student's transport spread swiftly, drawing widespread attention.
Even for commoner students injured during outdoor training, Stella Academy was known to send elaborate rescue teams. When distances were too far, they didn't hesitate to dispatch an airship for a single individual.
However, this was unprecedented.
Three battalions of Stella Knights had been mobilized.
These elite forces possessed enough strength to reduce a small city to ruins. Each battalion comprised 60 members, including 10 Class 6 magic warriors. The remainder were all Class 5 mages, forming a unit of formidable power.
But that wasn't the only peculiarity.
Among the escort were renowned figures like Eisel from the Grand Duchy Morph, Hong Bi-Yeon from Adolevit, and the prodigious mage Ma Yu-Seong.
In addition, there were others like Flame, who wielded angelic magic, Hae Won-Ryang, the successor to the Full Moon Tower and a world-renowned inventor, and Jeliel, the daughter of the Starcloud Trading Company. Several other Class S students and even some mysterious elves had joined the group.
'He has more friends than one can imagine.'
The knights, who had assumed Baek Yu-Seol's unconventional personality would leave him isolated, were astonished by the vast network of friends and supporters surrounding him.
However, their curiosity ended there.
Rumors of the principal's favor toward Baek Yu-Seol had circulated for some time, making the scale of this escort less shocking than it might have seemed. Furthermore, it wasn't unusual for companions to rally in concern after an injury of this magnitude.
***
On the second evening of the journey.
The transport required navigating through thirteen warp hole gates to reach the Life and Magic Engineering Laboratory, nestled at the continent's edge. Frequent rest stops were unavoidable.
Thankfully, the Stella Knights' commander wasn't the type to recklessly suggest camping on the roadside.
"Tonight, we'll stay in Tread City. I've already booked a hotel, and each battalion will occupy separate floors. Baek Yu-Seol's room will be monitored in shifts by our knights. In case of emergencies, wake the doctors immediately. Any questions?"
"None, sir!"
"Good. Re
— Really?!
— That's awesome!
— But Flame, where are you right now? Something smells strange...
"Huh? Really?"
She sniffed the air, but all she caught was the luxurious scent of her body wash.
— No. Not that kind of smell.
— Something foul, rotten... a corrupted smell from another dimension.
— ... A demon? No, it can't be. They can't leave the underground.
"What are you talking about...?"
Flame's confusion only deepened, but then—
BANG!!!
A thunderous explosion ripped through the building, shaking its very foundation.
"Whoa?! What the—!"
Flame stumbled, her eyes darting around as a blinding beam of light shot out from the wall and coiled tightly around her wrist.
— Grab this, Flame! It'll protect you!
"Ugh...!"
The light yanked her forward, tearing her out of the shower. She hit the floor hard, but scrambled up, wrapping herself in a towel before hastily pulling on her modified Stella coat.
This coat, enhanced with Alterisha's blend of magic and technology, could easily withstand significant impacts.
"Eisel! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine!"
True to form, Eisel was already on the move. She summoned towering ice pillars to reinforce the buckling walls and ceiling, forming a protective dome above her head.
Flame ducked beneath the icy barrier, fumbling as she tugged on her underwear.
"What... What are you doing?"
"I'd rather die looking good than die looking pathetic, okay?!"
"And that matters now?"
"Don't you know about going out in style? I can't have people saying I died in the shower—whoa?!"
CRASH!
Another tremor shook the building violently.
After hurriedly fastening the buttons of her coat and making sure her underwear was at least decently covered, Flame snatched up her staff and bolted toward the balcony.
Flutter...!
— We'll help you!
Behind her, radiant wings of light unfurled, shimmering with divine energy. While connected to the angels, Flame didn't need to actively control them, which made channeling magic through their power far simpler.
"Hoo, I'll rely on your help this time, so do a good job, alright?"
— Of course!
Saaah...
The dark clouds that had been covering the sky parted, and a pillar of light striked down, illuminating Flame as she hovered over the city at night.
The light was meant to bestow various special buffs on her, but...
"You crazy idiots! I'm only wearing underwear under this coat right now, and you're broadcasting me to the entire city?!"
The glowing aura felt less like divine grace and more like a giant stage spotlight, leaving her burning with embarrassment.
'Still... The buffs are incredible, aren't they?'
Her entire body brimmed with an expanding light energy. Her mana reserves surged to levels she couldn't have imagined before, and she felt as though she could now use spells she had only dreamed of.
Although she had barely managed to grasp Class 5 magic through trial and error, with the angels' assistance, it seemed possible she could even ascend to Class 6.
"Can you figure out what's going on?"
— Can you share your vision with us?
"Yeah. I'll allow it."
The moment she granted permission, her perception expanded, as though her sight had detached from her body and swept through the night.
Through the magical link, she peered into the hotel where Baek Yu-Seol was resting.
Inside, dozens—no, hundreds—of black objects squirmed. They resembled living shadows, like liquid darkness moving of its own will. The mere sight of them triggered an instinctive sense of revulsion.
— As expected, it's demon magic.
"But... It seems like the user is a dark mage."
— Right. Demon magic always has a red hue. This must be a dark mage who modified it.
Having read countless fantasy romance novels, she knew a few things about dark mages who used demon magic.
Among those who completely controlled shadows, there was only one name that came to mind:
'Kaena, the Heresy Inquisitor of the Moon Shadow Church.'
A dark mage cloaked in madness and devotion, Kaena was a fanatical zealot wielding magic that defied the laws of nature. Her power was classified as Risk Level 7... a level reserved for threats capable of razing cities and bending armies to their knees.
She was the embodiment of terror—a cautionary tale of what happens when overwhelming strength is paired with an unhinged faith.
"Of all people, it had to be her..."
Flame tightened her grip on her staff and looked toward the sky.
"Will you do anything for me?"
— Of course.
She had avoided this method as much as possible, but given the circumstances, it was now clear that the Stella Knights would struggle against Kaena.
Thanks to her knowledge of the original story, Flame knew Kaena's weaknesses, which gave her a chance. However, her own power was woefully insufficient to face someone like Kaena.
The only choice was to borrow strength from elsewhere.
"... Grant me Angel's Descent."
At that moment, it was as if the sun had risen in the sky.
No. It was so bright and intense, it could be mistaken for the sun itself.