I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 488

Another World, Another Dimension.

The entire space was vibrant with colors.

Shades of violet, blue, green, and yellow blended together, creating a mesmerizing, dreamlike beauty.

If an artist devoted to mysticism-inspired landscapes had stumbled upon this place, they might have been so captivated that they would remain frozen in place, gazing at the scenery until their very last breath.

However, the beauty of this world was tragically wasted on its inhabitants—none other than the Twelve Crescent Moons.

Around a circular table, the highest seat of honor stood out.

Even though the table itself had no explicit “head,” the massive dragon statue looming behind one specific chair made it obvious where the most prestigious seat was.

Sitting there, eyes closed, was Returner of the Void, and Magnetic Crescent Moon approached him.

“Returner of the Void. I’ve heard the rumors. You got properly humiliated by Baek Yuseol, didn’t you?”

The Returner neither denied nor dismissed the comment. He simply nodded and replied.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Tch. ‘Doesn’t matter,’ you say? You get beaten every time.”

As the Returner opened his eyes and stared, Magnetic Crescent Moon flinched.

Though she had the appearance of a child, her personality matched her youthful exterior—timid, yet she loved to act bold. Steeling herself, she ignored the glare and continued.

“So, what’s your plan? Isn’t the Fragment of the Otherworld absolutely necessary for this?”

“...It’s not essential. It only delays the plan slightly. From the start, I didn’t expect to succeed in taking it. This time, I was merely testing Baek Yuseol to gauge his reaction.”

“Still acting tough, huh? So, how did he react? Did he flail around dramatically?”

Baek Yuseol’s reaction and countermeasures had exceeded even the Returner’s expectations.

He had anticipated Yuseol might slice through space, but he had never imagined that the young man could cut through overlapping dimensions and strike him mid-teleportation.

In other words...

It meant that Baek Yuseol was nearly ready.

‘He’s growing stronger faster than expected.’

Each passing day advanced the timeline.

“What about over there?”

Magnetic Crescent Moon lowered her voice, nodding toward the back of the room.

Seated there was Azure Sky Ocean Moon, propping her chin on her hand and gazing blankly into the distance. Her demeanor was vastly different from the confident, leisurely smiles she had once worn.

The defeat by Baek Yuseol, despite her meticulous preparations, had shaken her deeply.

‘If only she had brought Angel Morph back then... Tch.’

Clicking her tongue, Magnetic Crescent Moon glanced at the Returner, who instead addressed her.

“Crescent Moon, this time, I will give you an opportunity. Will you take it?”

“What? What do you mean?”

Her non-existent heart seemed to thump excitedly.

“Does that mean... you’ll lift my restrictions?”

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“Yes. Temporarily, you’ll be free to act as you wish.”

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it! Please! What do I need to do? I want to go out and wreak havoc!”

For nearly a thousand years, despite possessing immense power, Magnetic Crescent Moon had been unable to unleash her destructive impulses. The pent-up frustration was overwhelming.

Unfortunately, her desires leaned toward destruction—a catastrophic threat to all living beings on the surface.

“I entrusted the war to War Crescent Moon, but it’s turning into a war of attrition. At this rate, it’ll drag on endlessly without any certainty of victory.”

“Oh, you mean the Black Mage Great War?”

The Returner activated The Gaze That Sees the World, casting his eyes down to observe the surface.

Across the world, wars raged simultaneously in countless places.

Some battles were being won, while others were lost.

The scale of destruction and its impact on the magical world was undeniable.

[Villages vanish overnight... What is the government doing?]

[Disappearing cities: A broken promise by the magical authorities.]

[What purpose do magical warriors serve if they cannot subjugate black mages?]

[Survivors of ruined towns demand answers, but the silence persists...]

The news of the war was spreading like wildfire, reaching all corners of the world.

Though the conflict wasn’t between humans, many struggled to comprehend the sheer devastation wrought by the black mages.

Not all humans, however, were victims.

Central regions or nations with overwhelming military power managed to protect even their outlying villages.

From Adolevit and the Scalven Empire to the Magical Union, the Wind Empire, and mercenary organizations like the Starcloud Brigade, some had proven themselves capable of defending their territories, living up to the trust placed in them.

Even Stella Academy, which had shown vulnerabilities in its defenses when black mages infiltrated its core areas, began deploying forces to unrelated regions to restore its tarnished reputation. Yet, despite these efforts, the Great Black Mage War showed no signs of an imminent conclusion.

“Go and bring this war to an end.”

“What? Wait, are you serious? Sure, you’re lifting my restrictions, but won’t that be dangerous for me?”

Magnetic Crescent Moon hesitated, looking uncertain. The Returner glared at her.

“If you refuse, I’ll kill you myself.”

“Ah—ah, no! I’ll go! I’ll go!”

Terrified, she frantically shook her head and swallowed hard before cautiously asking,

“So... what do you want me to do?”

“The Black Mage King.”

The Returner’s reply was simple.

“Kill him and return.”

“Wait, isn’t he the one they call the strongest on the surface right now?”

“Yes. Can’t handle it?”

A sly smile crept onto Magnetic Crescent Moon’s lips. The trembling corners of her mouth betrayed her nervous excitement, not fear.

“Oh, I can handle it. I’m beyond thrilled.”

Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous violet light.

***

Assimilated by Baek Yuseol, Heavenly Emperor’s August Moon Lived a Quiet Life.

KABOOM!!

“Damn it! Again today?! I told you to do your magic experiments in a proper lab instead of making a racket here!”

Well, perhaps "quiet" wasn’t entirely accurate.

“Heeeng, where am I supposed to get the money to set up a lab?”

She lived in a cramped one-room space, much like a regular human. Unlike the other Twelve Crescent Moons, she blended in with humans without causing any significant issues, allowing her to live this way.

Or perhaps, it would be more accurate to say she was the only one among them who could live without restrictions. Despite her limited power, she considered herself blessed.

Even though she was constantly scolded by the butcher next door, berated by the landlady from the repair shop downstairs, and hounded to pay overdue rent, this life was something no other Crescent Moon had ever experienced.

“Agh, that wretched girl. Where’s she gone off to this time? I need to see her face to give her a piece of my mind.”

“Psh, Madam Rear, what use is seeing her face? Always skulking around with that hood up—what’s there to see?”

“Tch tch tch, a young woman like that... She’ll never get married like this.”

The landlady and her group of friends always roamed in packs, gossiping about Heavenly Emperor’s August Moon. Inside her small room, she held her breath, waiting for them to leave.

“Phew! Are they finally gone...?”

Peeking through the cracked window, she watched the women walk away before sighing in relief.

‘Ah, this is my life.’

Look at the other Crescent Moons.

Silver Crescent Moon bound clouds with the power of time, living a life of tranquility like an ascetic immortal. Bronze Crescent Moon had frozen an entire mountain range, turning it into his personal kingdom. Meanwhile, Blossoming Crimson Spring Moon ruled over the roots of the World Tree, living a life of mystical elegance.

Other Crescent Moons weren’t any different.

Earth Brown Second Moon transformed vast lands into her personal mansion, while Verdant Green Fourth Moon claimed all the forests in the world as her domain.

And yet, here she was, her powers of mind control sealed by Baek Yuseol, unable to do anything deserving of her title.

So, was she unhappy now?

Certainly, back when she could freely use mind control, her life was far better than this.

Yet, she had never felt happiness back then. On the contrary, she had been deeply miserable.

Her existence, dependent on parasitizing insignificant humans to survive, had disgusted her.

But now, things were different.

Thanks to Baek Yuseol, she had come to understand the joy of living among people.

Although she constantly caused trouble, scraped by in a cramped one-room apartment, and endured human scolding, she understood that this was a kind of happiness none of the other Crescent Moons could ever experience.

‘I’ll stay here, living quietly in this village.’

If Baek Yuseol ever needed her help, she would rush to his side. Otherwise, she planned to spend her days as an anonymous hooded spinster magician until everything was over.

‘Learning magic like this is surprisingly fun.’

To avoid relying on her Crescent Moon powers, she had started practicing magic seriously. Unsurprisingly, her growth was extraordinary.

She had already mastered Fourth-Class magic and was close to breaking into the Fifth. If she unleashed her dormant power to its full extent, her destructive capabilities would rival those of a Seventh-Class magician.

‘Hmm, maybe I should start earning research funds. If I take on a few hunting jobs, I could finally afford a proper lab for my experiments.’

Having spent so much time training and studying, she had completely neglected earning money. Her cramped lifestyle was starting to wear on her.

Thinking about buying her own house with money she earned, her lips curled into a small smile.

To achieve something through her own efforts without leeching off others—she never imagined how thrilling and satisfying that could feel.

“All right, that’s enough study for today. I’ll head to the center tonight and look for some work. Maybe I can find a stylish and exciting monster-hunting mission～”

Humming cheerfully, she flung open her door.

“I’ve got you, you wretch!”

“Kyaa?!”

Waiting right outside was the landlady, who grabbed her by the arm.

“Good grief, look how scrawny you are.”

“Tch tch tch. Did you think we’d left? We can see right through your tricks!”

“You think being a magician makes you clever? We’ve been playing this game longer than you’ve been alive.”

Outside, a group of women had gathered, while passersby chuckled at the scene.

Her reputation had spread far and wide—an apprentice magician who made a racket but couldn’t earn a single coin.

On top of that, always covering her face with a hood... The reason seemed obvious to everyone.

“Let’s see just how ugly you must be to always hide your face! As your landlady, I have every right to know!”

“W-wait, no!”

As the women tugged at her hood, Heavenly Emperor’s August Moon summoned her remaining divine energy to reinforce it. The hood stayed intact, but the situation remained dire.

‘Ugh, why is it always me? How do I get out of this mess?’

She didn’t have to ponder long.

BOOOOM!

A deafening explosion echoed from the center of the village.

“Oh my goodness!”

The women stumbled back in shock. The sound was massive, and it came from the magic warrior center.

Pulling her hood tighter, Heavenly Emperor’s August Moon retreated cautiously. From a distance, she saw a massive pillar-like structure had fallen in the village square.

‘What is that...?’

Suddenly, monsters began pouring out of the pillar, ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ and panic spread through the villagers.

“W-what are those...?”

“Monsters! Monsters are attacking!”

“It’s an invasion!”

“Run! Run for your lives!”

Even the landlady fled, screaming, leaving Heavenly Emperor’s August Moon behind.

Watching the chaos unfold, she clenched her fists.

Though she had little affection for these people who treated her poorly, she couldn’t bring herself to hate them.

‘I can’t let this happen...’

No matter the reason, she couldn’t allow monsters to attack her village.

‘They’ll pay for this.’

The Twelve Crescent Moons’ power wasn’t meant to be taken lightly.

Anyone who dared to bring harm to her home would face the consequences.