Chapter 84

“The first exam was in full swing.”

Professor Dirck had arrived in Zone 3.

It was dark around him as no sunlight penetrated the area.

Seemingly accustomed to such darkness, he lit the lamp he had brought with him.

Flare!

The lamp soon emitted a gentle glow.

Relying on the feeble light that barely allowed him to see a step ahead, Dirck reached his final destination.

“Then let’s divide the tasks.”

“I’ll take care of collecting the luminous stones!”

Silfi responded as if she had been waiting for this moment.

Dirck tilted his head in confusion.

“You? Can you really do it?”

“Yes, I’ve learned the Method of Distinction.”

“That’s not it. I’m asking if you can gather 8kg of them. You look a bit weak…”

Dirck frowned slightly.

With an expression of unimpressed skepticism.

In contrast, Silfi nodded resolutely, showing no sign of doubt.

“No worries. I have my ways.”

“Hmm, fine. Then it’s up to you.”

“Yes, I’ll return once the gathering is complete.”

After her answer, she held the small lamp in her hand and vanished without a trace. Though she still seemed a bit unreliable, he decided to let it go.

‘Most importantly right now…’

There was no time to relax.

Just before entering this area, Dirck and Silfi had consumed a specially formulated potion.

This potion blocked the effects of hallucinations and auditory illusions, often associated with Zone 3.

‘The potion lasts for a maximum of one hour.’

Going beyond that would lead to trouble.

Besides, there were no extra potions, and even if there were, drinking them back-to-back would nullify their effects. So Dirck headed straight for the lakeside.

One of two objectives.

To collect Deep Gap Water.

As he finally arrived at the lakeshore.

Clear green water welcomed Dirck. Though the water was so clear that he could clearly see the bottom, he was strictly warned against contact or drinking it.

‘Inside that water lies a high concentration of magic power.’

Each droplet contained magic power equal to that of upper-medium to high-level magic stones.

Just making contact with it would send his body’s magic power into a frenzy. Afterwards, he would be unable to use magic for some time, increasing the risk of a Magic Overload.

‘If I were to drink that…’

Without fail, symptoms of Magic Addiction would occur.

Thus, he had to collect the water without letting it touch his skin as much as possible. It wasn’t an easy task, but Dirck had a solution.

‘Arma’s pouch.’

A leather-like container.

This expensive magic tool could hold up to 50L of any liquid.

By making contact with the surface of the water, it has the ability to absorb liquid up to its maximum capacity.

“I’ll gather enough within the hour.”

Watching the water being rapidly absorbed, Dirck wore a relaxed expression. All that was left to do was to watch until it was full.

Of course, he could also help Silfi gather luminous stones, but he didn’t feel the need to. She had seemed quite confident enough earlier.

“Haaaaah!”

Was he a bit tired from a sleepless night?

Dirck let out a long yawn. As he stared sleepily at the lake, a somewhat unusual sight caught his eye.

In the middle of the pitch-black lake.

Unlike the surrounding area, that spot was oddly bright.

As if the sunlight were shining solely on that part. Thus, squinting, Dirck murmured the identity of that peculiar area.

“…Zone 4.”

A place far more dangerous than this.

Because using magic there would certainly lead to a 100% probability of a Magic Overload.

Interestingly, however, those who reached the level of Master or High Mage could use magic in Zone 4 without any issues.

Why, he didn’t know.

‘And…’

His gaze shifted beyond Zone 4.

There lay a pond filled entirely with jet-black water, at the perfect center of the lake.

This was the Source of Magic, Zone 5.

The true “Source of Magic.”

According to records, the Source of Magic originally referred to the pond near Zone 5.

But as time passed, the power it emitted grew stronger, and along with it, it significantly affected the surrounding lakeside.

‘And as a result…’

The area became severely polluted.

So much so that humans could not survive there.

As such, the guardians protecting the Source renamed the entire area affected by harmful influences to also be the Source of Magic.

Additionally, they divided the lake’s zones according to the intensity of influence, which referred to Zones 1 through 4.

While Dirck was lost in thought, staring blankly at the lake.

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, Dirck’s eyes widened.

Something unusual had just occurred in Zone 5, just where he was looking.

“Wait, I definitely just saw….”

The surface of the water rippled.

Of course, with wind blowing, the surface of the pond could ripple.

But that place was Zone 5.

Known for being a Demon Realm, where no light reached, and wind was said to never blow.

This led to legends that when the lake’s surface began to sway and waves appeared, that was when the Gate of the Abyss would open.

‘Did I just imagine that?’

Dirck blinked, dazed.

He looked again at the surface of Zone 5.

And in that instant.

The surface rippled once more.

“…!”

This wasn’t a hallucination.

This time, he was sure of it.

Why is the surface shaking? Was the record about there not being any wind wrong?

Feeling questions rising up, he kept his eyes fixed on Zone 5.

And from this point on, he began to feel a strange sensation.

What should he even call this?

Gradually, as time passed, a dreamy feeling washed over him like waves. It felt like he was slowly drifting into sleep.

‘I want to keep watching.’

Why was the surface rippling? What could possibly be inside that water? Questions he normally wouldn’t have dared to ponder now dominated his thoughts.

As he remained unable to tear his gaze away.

【To those who peer into the Abyss.】

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed.

Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that it resonated directly in his mind.

If it were any other day, he would have been startled or grown cautious, but not today; he simply accepted the voice nonchalantly.

【Do not take your eyes off the Abyss.】

【This is the only path to the truth.】

【Come. I shall grant you what you desire.】

The more he heard the voice, the more he felt his consciousness being sucked in.

His body felt heavier, and he grew lethargic. Just as he felt himself slipping away.

“Professor!”

A sudden urgent call snapped him back.

At the same time, someone wrapped their arms around his waist.

“Snap out of it, professor!”

It was a strangely familiar voice.

The moment he recognized it.

Dirck regained his senses.

“What…?”

The first thing he saw was the clear green water.

Next, he spotted Silfi, who was desperately clinging to his waist. Blinking in confusion, Dirck muttered.

“What’s happening right now?”

“You suddenly tried to jump into the lake, so I rushed in to stop you. Are you okay now?!”

“…Did I really try to jump into the lake?”

“Yes. Don’t you remember?”

No, he didn’t. There was no way that could have been true.

He knew better than anyone the dangers of Zone 3’s lake—Deep Gap Water.

But more importantly, he had a solid piece of evidence.

“I’m standing here….”

In this place where he stood, taking just one more step could have plunged him straight into the lake.

Gulp!

A shiver ran down his spine as he swallowed dryly.

He recalled what just happened, but strangely, he couldn’t remember anything. Only the memory of staring silently at the lake remained.

‘I feel like I heard a voice…’

Waves of a soothing voice washed over him.

Yet he could only remember hearing the voice, not what it said.

Could it be that the potion wore off and he started hearing voices? Just then, Silfi’s voice chimed in again.

“I gathered all the luminous stones.”

A sack filled with luminous stones.

It looked like she had gathered at least 10kg easily.

Considering it was dark and hard to find, the amount she collected in such a short time made sense now.

“Seems like we’ve got Deep Gap Water as well.”

With Arma’s pouch no longer able to absorb any more water,

Dirck cautiously closed the lid and retrieved it from the water. However, he couldn’t move it far.

Of course, because the pouch could only hold the water and didn’t lighten its weight.

A while later, after they had completed their gathering objectives, Dirck asked a question he had been curious about.

“So how are we going to carry this?”

“We’ll use this.”

Silfi pulled out a mysterious stone glowing in green light. Dirck recognized it immediately.

“Is that a Return Stone?”

“Yes, normally it moves us to the front gate, but thanks to the Count’s arrangements, we can move to the northern outskirts instead.”

The Return Stone was a magic tool usable only within the Arsen Academy, and moving to the outskirts would mean they would not attract attention.

“Also, there should be a carriage waiting at the north gate, so you don’t have to worry about the rest.”

With her added explanation, Dirck felt relieved.

They had a foolproof means of transportation to the mansion. Before they departed, Silfi suddenly looked curious and spoke up.

“Um, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“There were magic stones by the boundary leading to Zone 4. Did you happen to gather them, professor?”

“Magic stones?”

“Yes, they looked like high-level magic stones. I estimated around six of them.”

The six high-level magic stones caught Dirck’s attention, bringing a glint of greed to his eyes. They were incredibly expensive items and were materials vital for his research.

Was that why?

Dirck cleared his throat and spoke.

“Ahem! Yes, I gathered them.”

He spoke the lie with a nonchalant face.

Without his expression changing, Dirck continued to respond.

“When I was last here, I left them behind because I had too much luggage.”

“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”

Silfi nodded silently.

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Understood. Give my regards to the Count.”

“Yes. Please be careful.”

After a brief farewell, she held the sack filled with luminous stones and Arma’s pouch tightly and used the Return Stone.

Fwooosh!

A burst of bright white light erupted.

Before long, Silfi had vanished without a trace. At that moment, Dirck hurriedly stomped the ground. He had a place to drop by.

‘She said near the boundary of Zone 4?’

With a hint of uncertainty, Dirck quickly made his way forward. Moments later, he arrived at the location Silfi described and widened his eyes.

“…!”

Silfi’s words were indeed true.

Six high-level magic stones emitting a radiant glow were arranged at even intervals. Blinking in astonishment, Dirck murmured.

“Who put these here…?”

Yet there was something else besides the magic stones.

Neatly prepared chickens and rabbits, as well as a deer. It looked as if someone was about to offer sacrifices.

“Were they thinking of performing some kind of ritual?”

It was a plausible guess.

But he quickly shook off such thoughts. What was important right now was not that.

What mattered was the six high-level magic stones laid out before him. Staring at them made Dirck gulp.

‘After all, nobody’s watching.’

There were no video recording devices present either.

So taking them wouldn’t raise any suspicion.

‘And if something goes wrong…’

There would be an escape route.

He could just blame Silfi, who had been beside him the entire time.

After finishing those thoughts, Dirck cast off all hesitation.

“Hehe, hehehe.”

With a greedy chuckle, he stuffed the six high-level magic stones into his pocket in the blink of an eye.

“Guess today’s my lucky day.”

After that, he tossed all the animals considered offerings into the lake and leisurely turned away.

But perhaps due to being overly happy, he had let his guard down? He hadn’t noticed what was happening.

Wssss! Pssssss!

The ashen smoke oozing out of the magic stones began to seep into his body. However, Dirck remained unaware as he continued walking.

Towards the Zone 2 where the students were waiting.

7.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

The testing area in Zone 2 was bustling with explanations for the second exam.

“The second exam is a sort of treasure hunt.”

“You must find and submit substances in this area that have an even magic flow.”

“The fewer deviations in the magic flow, the higher the score, so be sure to proceed with caution during the exam.”

“Now, we will begin the test!”

With the supervisors’ shout as a signal, the students immediately dashed forward.

The time limit for the second exam was 30 minutes.

It wasn’t much time to take the exam without using magic.

So moving quickly would be an advantage.

With that in mind, students began frantically searching the area.

However, unlike the other students,

Some were casually strolling around as if on a walk. These were Ulan and his friends, who had performed notably well in the first exam.

There was reason for their composure.

“This should be enough.”

“I’ll take this one too.”

Five minutes into the exam.

Noa and Delia had achieved their goals.

Both were favored by mana.

Since they could visibly see the magic flow, they could find substances with an even flow without any cumbersome methods.

Meanwhile, Ulan was not so lucky.

“Hmm.”

With a furrowed brow, Ulan continuously scanned his surroundings. Yet, no matter how much he scrutinized, nothing seemed to resolve.

Perhaps feeling a bit sorry for him?

Delia cautiously spoke up.

“Want me to help a bit?”

“No. I’ll find it on my own.”

Same answer as in the first exam.

He was stubborn in strange places.

Delia made a sulky face, but this time, she was not as insistent.

“But if you want to know the Method of Distinction, I can share.”

It seemed like he might not reach his goal even after the day passed. Besides, it was Noa that answered this request.

“That’s surprisingly simple. An even magic flow means that the substance is close to perfect.”

“Close to perfect?”

“Yes, so look for a substance that gets the least influence from external stimuli.”

“External stimuli….”

Ulan muttered quietly.

Noa pointed at a small pebble he had found mere five minutes into the exam.

“This pebble has a magic flow that’s almost perfect. It’s almost without deviation. So, it should stay intact even against most external stimuli. Allow me to demonstrate….”

He was about to say this to prove his earlier statement.

But in that moment.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Ulan snatched the pebble away.

In the blink of an eye, the pebble was gone. For a split second, Noa stood there, stunned, before hastily reaching out.

“Hey, wait…!”

He had an ominous feeling about it.

And Noa’s intuition became a reality.

Crack! Crinkle!

The pebble shattered with a loud noise.

Not merely broken, but it had turned to dust. As the pieces fell to the ground, Ulan tilted his head curiously.

“That’s odd.”

“…!”

“Must have chosen the wrong one.”

Ulan muttered flatly.

Meanwhile, Noa’s eyes grew wide as saucers.

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

“External stimuli. I wanted to see how it reacts to that.”

“No, I meant the external stimuli I was referring to was the magic!”

“Magic?”

Ulan frowned.

As if questioning what he was talking about.

“We can’t use magic today, remember?”

“Ugh, that’s why I handed these out!”

Noa, with a sullen face, pulled out a skewering rod.

This was the tool handed out by the supervisors before they began explaining the second exam.

Specifically the “Simple Magic Detector.”

By placing this on the surface of an object, a weak magic reaction is made.

The main goal of this exam was to assess the magic flow of the object based on the reaction that occurred at that time.

“Haa, let me explain the usage from here on out. First, bring the skewer close to the object…”

Yet before he could finish explaining.

Crack! Crunch!

Ulan jabbed his skewer into a nearby rock. The sound of rock crumbling accompanied the skewer burying itself to the handle.

Such power was nothing short of astounding.

Ulan clicked his tongue and muttered.

“This one seems to be a dud.”

“…You’re using it wrong.”

“So you’re saying I should cut instead?”

“More like… stop thinking of it as a weapon altogether.”

Noa sighed.

Trying to explain with words was proving to be fruitless.

“First, Delia and I will show you how to use it, so just follow along….”

But then he suddenly shut his mouth.

Delia, who had been right beside them, had disappeared.

Where had she gone? He glanced around in confusion.

“There she is!”

Ulan pointed toward a particular direction.

Delia stood at the boundary between Zone 2 and Zone 3, staring blankly in the direction of Zone 3.

“Delia!”

When Noa called her name loudly, Delia turned her head.

“What are you staring at?”

“Just… something feels off.”

“Zone 3?”

Delia nodded grimly.

Lost in thought, she murmured.

“Something unpleasant is coming.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a slender shadow loomed from the direction of Zone 3. Moments later, a distinct presence accompanied ashen smoke.

And at that moment.

The identity of that presence was revealed.

“That’s…!”

The color drained from the man’s face.

A man exuding a menacing ashen aura.

It was none other than Professor Dirck Ormine.

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