I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 438

At the same time that the dramatic events were unfolding at the World Tree...

The Black Magic Sect Leader, Hoiryeon, was observing the World Tree from a distant cliff.

“This is my first time seeing the World Tree...”

The boy spoke with a melancholic expression. Was he somber because of the World Tree’s imposing presence, or because of the countless Black Mages who had died so far?

Clad in an oversized black robe and wearing a mask resembling a respirator, Hoiryeon was an undeniably conspicuous figure. However, there wasn’t a soul nearby.

This was due to the "unperceivable field" he had cast, preventing anyone from approaching the cliff.

As he silently gazed at the World Tree, a gray shimmer appeared nearby. Hoiryeon immediately turned his head.

“You’ve arrived.”

Without making a sound, Hui Gong Shi Wol approached, holding a gray sphere in his hand. He handed it to Hoiryeon, speaking in a tone laced with contempt.

“It’s pathetic that I had to intervene directly.”

Hoiryeon smiled faintly as he accepted the sphere.

“Thank you. With the World Tree now restored to the neutral balance of black and white, our plans will proceed much more smoothly.”

“This should have been done ages ago. And how much longer do you plan to cling to the laughable title of ‘Black Magic Sect Leader’?”

At those words, Hoiryeon raised his head, meeting Hui Gong Shi Wol’s gray eyes—a sight he hadn’t seen in what felt like an eternity.

“Don’t worry, Father,” he said with a confident smile.

“The Black Magic King’s lifespan is nearing its end. Soon, I will ascend to that throne.”

“Weakling.”

“Is that so?”

“In another world, you became the Black Magic King by taking his head yourself.”

“Then the me in that world may be strong, but he’s also foolish.”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Yes, but among your countless sons, I am certain I will prove to be the smartest and strongest.”

As Hoiryeon bowed respectfully, Hui Gong Shi Wol silently watched him for a moment before turning away and disappearing into the void.

Even after his father vanished, Hoiryeon remained bowed for a long time before finally lifting his head.

“I will live up to your expectations, Father.”

Elsewhere, in the Stella Academy dormitory lounge

Baek Yuseol was casually enjoying a cup of coffee, his demeanor relaxed and content.

“You look unnecessarily pleased,” remarked Flame, sitting down beside him with a scowl.

“Well, something good happened,” Baek Yuseol replied lightly.

“Is that so?”

The dormitory lounge, open to both male and female students, was located on the fourth floor to accommodate those using the nearby small reading room.

In truth, however, few students actually used the lounge for its intended purpose.

“So, I heard you went to Hawol Plains?” Flame asked, settling into the seat next to him.

“I had a great time there.”

“With Jellyelle?”

“Hey, don’t get the wrong idea. I mean I explored every Persona Gate I could find.”

“Sure, sure. I saw the news—your exploits are plastered everywhere.”

“Hm. My bad. That was supposed to be the Magic Association’s discovery, but I kind of... took it.”

“At least you have some conscience?”

“I gave them a silent thanks.”

“That’s no conscience at all.”

“Really?”

Baek Yuseol grinned mischievously, prompting Flame to narrow her eyes as she pulled a newspaper from under her arm and flipped it open.

There, in bold letters, was a surprising statement: Baek Yuseol had credited all his achievements to the Magic Association, donating the ownership of the related research and publications to them.

“Then why...?”

“I needed the reputation,” Baek Yuseol said, sipping his instant coffee.

Flame nodded, understanding his reasoning.

To Baek Yuseol, wealth and fame were unnecessary.

Others might strive their whole lives for such things, but Baek Yuseol had experienced countless lives filled with them.

Now, what he sought wasn’t material wealth or prestige but the salvation of the world.

For that, he needed reputation.

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Reputation that would make people believe in and follow him.

Flame stared blankly at the ceiling. Lately, every word Baek Yuseol said seemed to carry deeper meaning, leaving her in constant thought.

“So... after it’s all over... what will you—”

Before she could finish her question, someone burst into the lounge, cutting her off.

“Cadet Baek Yuseol! There you are!”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Quickly, to the headmaster’s office! Now!”

“What...?”

Why were they summoning him so urgently?

Crushing his paper cup and tossing it into the trash, Baek Yuseol stood and followed the staff member out.

‘It’s always like this. Whenever something good happens, something bad follows.’

What sort of incident awaited him this time?

With that thought, Baek Yuseol hurried after the staff member.

***

“...What? Scarlet is missing?”

Baek Yuseol's startled expression deepened as he repeated the words, and Principal Eltman Eltoin nodded calmly.

“Yes, she’s gone.”

“Wait, that doesn’t make any sense...”

“I know what you’re thinking,” Eltman interrupted.

Baek Yuseol had been summoned to the principal’s office in Stella Academy, where he received the unexpected news—Scarlet had vanished.

“Couldn’t she just be out for a stroll? She does that all the time.”

“True, she has occasionally strayed from her routine. Even so, I trusted you and allowed the Witch Queen to roam freely.”

“And this time...?”

“Take a look at this.”

Eltman pulled out a long, wrapped object from his desk. Carefully unwrapping the luxurious cloth revealed an intricately crafted broomstick made of fine wood.

“This is... Scarlet’s staff.”

“A staff? That’s an interesting interpretation.”

“...Is it not?”

“Well, we call it a witch’s broomstick. But really, whether it’s a staff or a broom, witches use it for magic, so I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“That doesn’t seem particularly relevant right now.”

Baek Yuseol ran his hand over the broomstick, only to notice an unusual inscription carved into its surface.

“Find me.”

“This...?”

“It was carved very recently. Most likely just before Scarlet disappeared.”

“So you’re saying Scarlet left this message on her broomstick before vanishing?”

‘...What is this?’

Baek Yuseol’s stomach twisted. His initial thought was the fear that Scarlet had grown tired of Stella’s structured life and decided to run away.

It wasn’t unreasonable. Scarlet, who had always lived freely, might find being tethered to Stella utterly suffocating.

But this...

‘It’s not an escape. Something happened to her.’

Baek Yuseol closed his eyes tightly, trying to organize his thoughts.

At that moment, a system message flashed before his inner vision.

[...Synchronization complete.]

[Combining Baek Yuseol’s trait ‘???’ °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° with the item ‘Magpie Glasses’.]

Even though he wasn’t wearing the Magpie Glasses, information related to Scarlet automatically began to flood his mind.

He paid no mind to this anomaly, instead opening his eyes to the swirling mass of messages in the air.

In the past, it would have taken an eternity to read through them all, but now the information flowed into his mind almost instantaneously, as if he had an auto-reading function.

Yet, even as he absorbed the details, the situation remained grim.

‘...Nothing.’

Despite millions of players engaging with this game, no information about Scarlet’s disappearance existed.

It made sense.

In Aither World Online, Scarlet was frequently portrayed as a transcendent entity. Whenever she appeared in a storyline, she would either resolve everything effortlessly or completely disrupt the flow of events, acting as a massive wildcard.

But that was all.

No player had ever been able to approach Scarlet as a heroine or attempt to pursue her storyline.

Her appearances were always brief—she would make an explosive impression and then vanish.

Still, after more than a decade of game service, scattered bits of information about Scarlet had surfaced:

[The Scarlet seen in the world is a projection.][The projection took centuries to create, so Scarlet doesn’t treat its destruction lightly.][Her true body is sealed in the deepest place somewhere in the world.][No one has ever found the Witch Queen’s true body, nor will anyone in the future.][She is sealed in a space that no one can reach.]Piecing together the clues, Baek Yuseol deduced that Scarlet’s projection had been attacked and destroyed, rendering her unable to return to the outside world for the foreseeable future.

But the real question remained.

‘Who did it?’

Who would dare attack the Witch Queen—and succeed?

Baek Yuseol suddenly recalled Scarlet’s words before he left for the Persona Gate incident in Hawol Plains.

“If I tell you not to go, will you listen?”

She had warned him, her instincts as a witch telling her something felt wrong.

But Baek Yuseol had ignored her warning and rushed to Hawol Plains, enticed by the rewards he could gain there.

In the end, Scarlet had said:

“Fine. I’ll handle it myself.”

The memory struck Baek Yuseol like a bolt of lightning, and he abruptly lifted his head.

“Hmm, did you figure something out...?” Eltman began to ask but stopped when he saw Baek Yuseol’s expression.

“You...”

Baek Yuseol’s face was twisted in a mix of suppressed anger and guilt. It was an expression Eltman recognized—he had seen it in his own reflection before.

“...It’s because of me,” Baek Yuseol murmured, rising from his seat.

“What are you talking about?”

“I need to take a leave of absence.”

It was an audacious declaration from a mere second-year student, but Eltman didn’t seem fazed. Without hesitation, he nodded.

“Very well. You won’t need to worry about your grades or attendance. And if you require assistance, let me know. I’ll grant you access to the world’s top-tier warp holes and private high-speed airships.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Baek Yuseol bowed deeply before leaving the principal’s office.

‘This is my fault.’

His eyes burned with determination.

‘So I have to find her.’