Magic Academy's Genius Blinker Chapter 417

The operation to transfer Baek Yu-Seol to the alchemists' Life Research Association was called off the moment he regained consciousness.

In response to the dark mage incident in Tread City, a Stella search team was swiftly assembled, deploying as many as fifty magic warriors. By sheer coincidence, they managed to apprehend five or six dark mages who had been lurking in the area.

Yet, the mystery behind Baek Yu-Seol's attack remained unsolved. Though suspicions loomed over potential masterminds, no solid evidence could be uncovered.

Given the urgency of the situation, all three dark mages involved in the assault were killed on the spot. Since dark mages vanish entirely without leaving behind corpses, it served as the perfect method to erase any traces.

"Hospital again...?"

Upon returning to Stella, both the Stella Knights and Baek Yu-Seol were admitted to the hospital.

The Stella Knights bore numerous injuries from their fierce battle with Kaena, while Baek Yu-Seol required thorough examinations due to his precarious health.

Moreover, the aftereffects of the 'Harmony of Heavenly Qi' were far more severe than he had expected, leaving him utterly incapable of moving.

[Harmony of Heavenly Qi Maximum Duration: 9 minutes]

Reading the message floating in midair, he pondered deeply.

'Just because the maximum duration is 9 minutes doesn't mean I should push myself to use all of it.'

Nine minutes marked the upper limit his body could withstand. To exceed that threshold would mean risking catastrophic physical collapse.

During his confrontation with Kaena the previous night, Baek Yu-Seol had sustained the Harmony of Heavenly Qi state for nearly 8 minutes. Having fought so close to his limit, his legs were now completely paralyzed, and his right wrist - the very hand that had wielded his sword - was fractured.

The doctor said,

'It's commendable that you endured so much to defeat the dark mage. I truly respect your determination. But if you continue fighting like this... your body may soon give out entirely, and you might never be able to wield a sword again.'

The side effects of Harmony of Heavenly Qi had proven far harsher than Baek Yu-Seol had anticipated. Despite not using the full 9 minutes, his muscles were torn, his bones were shattered, and his body was left battered and broken.

He had a rough idea of the cause.

'It must be because I awakened the Nature's Heavenly Energy Body too hastily.'

Ideally, he should have perfected his control over Magic Leakage Delay before advancing to the stage of Nature's Heavenly Energy Body. Yet, his rapid progress had placed immense strain on his body.

Even so... as long as he refrained from overusing Harmony of Heavenly Qi, the burden wouldn't be too overwhelming. Simply awakening the Nature's Heavenly Energy Body had already granted him a massive boost in power, and from here on, he could focus on gradually honing his control.

Stats

[Physical Strength: 5 stars(27%)]

[Sense: 5 stars(61%)]

[Agility: 5 stars(03%)]

[Stamina: 4 stars(78%)]

[Endurance: 1 star (00%)]

[Mental Strength: 6 stars(00%)]

[Magic Power: 0 star]

Skills

[Flash Lv. 4]

[Tae-Ryeong Lv. 3]

His stats had seen a dramatic transformation. Most of his attributes had now reached 5 stars, and his endurance stat had finally climbed to 1 star.

He recalled that his previous endurance stat had been [0 stars 99%]. The fact that it had increased by a mere 0.01% might seem trivial, but for him, it was an extraordinary breakthrough.

For ordinary humans, the maximum endurance stat was [0 Stars 99%].

Dark mages often enhanced their endurance through forbidden dark magic, and mages strengthened theirs with shield coatings. Yet, Baek Yu-Seol had shattered this human limitation entirely, without relying on such methods!

Breaking through this barrier meant he could continue to grow steadily. Naturally, endurance, being an inherently slow-developing stat, would lag behind his other attributes. Still, the fact that his greatest weakness - his defense - had begun to improve marked a monumental shift.

And there was one more thing.

Baek Yu-Seol raised his right hand, summoning an unfamiliar energy.

Slowly, a faint green mist began to swirl, exuding a gentle vitality.

Natural energy?

No, it was something different.

The nature of this energy was...

Traits

[Nature's Heavenly Energy Body Lv.1]

[Blessing of Pink Spring Moon Lv.5]

[Blessing of Blue Winter Moon Lv.3]

[Blessing of Silver Autumn Moon Lv.3]

[Blessing of Dusk Soil Moon Lv.3]

[Blessing of Soft Green Spring Moon Lv.1]

[Contractor of Divine Beast Leafanel]

It was none other than the Blessing of Soft Green Spring Moon.

He had never actually met her, so why did he possess this blessing?

Baek Yu-Seol was still puzzled about it.

'The woman who appeared as majestic as a mountain in my dream... She must truly be the Soft Green Spring Moon.'

It seemed she had imbued his heart with energy to assist in his awakening, leaving the blessing permanently engraved upon him.

"What's that?"

A girl with long black hair, who formerly had her characteristic short hair, entered. It was Flame. She placed a handful of paper bags she had been holding on the floor, pulled up a chair, and sat down by his bed.

"Just..."

"Is that also from one of the Twelve Divine Moons?"

"Huh?"

Speaking casually, she pulled out an apple and a paring knife from one of the paper bags.

"No need to hide it. While you were unconscious, the Twelve Divine Moons already held a regular meeting here."

"...Really?"

"That's, um... Soft Green Spring Moon, right?"

Baek Yu-Seol hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should admit it or not, but eventually nodded.

"She helped me wake up."

"That's amazing..."

Placing the apple on a tray, Flame began peeling it with practiced ease, her hands moving as deftly as a housewife with fifty years of experience.

"Why is your hair suddenly long?"

"Oh, this? It happens whenever I use Angel Descent."

"Angel Descent, huh..."

It had been a long time since he'd heard that term.

In Aether World Online, every character had an ultimate skill. It was referred to as either a finishing move or awakening skill.

These abilities carried steep penalties and strict activation conditions, but in return, they granted overwhelming power, if only for a fleeting moment. They were, in essence, the defining identity of each character.

If Baek Yu-Seol's awakening skill was Harmony of Heavenly Qi, then Flame's would be Angel Descent.

"I'll cut it soon. Long hair is too annoying to maintain."

"Really? I think it looks pretty good, though."

Flame's hand paused mid-motion for just a second, but it didn't seem enough to change her mind.

"So what's with the apples?"

"I saw in cartoons that people always peel apples for patients during hospital visits."

"I prefer peaches over apples."

"Just eat what you're given."

Crunch. Crunch.

As Baek Yu-Seol fell silent, the crisp sound of Flame peeling the apple echoed softly through the hospital room.

"Hey..."

It was Flame who broke the silence again.

"What exactly happened back then?"

"What do you mean?"

"With Dusk Soil Moon. You suddenly passed out, and it scared me."

"Oh, that..."

Glancing out the window, he noticed the thick blanket of snow covering the ground. When had it turned to midwinter already?

"It was nothing unusual. Giving life to Dusk Soil Moon was something that had to be done."

"So, there are things even you don't know..."

"What?"

Flame's words caught him off guard. Then again, considering how much he still didn't know, she wasn't entirely wrong.

"A lot of people have been waiting for you to wake up—the principal, the Elf King. They all want to know your true purpose."

"My purpose...?"

"Yeah. The real reason you're gathering the Twelve Divine Moons"

Baek Yu-Seol fell silent at her words.

The Twelve Divine Moons.

Even in Aether World Online, it had been nothing more than a side content, and hardly anyone had paid attention to it.

And now, even in this world, the Twelve Divine Moons remained nothing but legends. Most people didn't even believe they truly existed, let alone bother to search for them.

Baek Yu-Seol was likely the only one alive who was actively pursuing them.

But now that he thought about it—was there really a need to keep it a secret?

The purpose of gathering the Twelve Divine Moons...

Wasn't it obvious?

"For world peace..."

The moment those words left his lips, they felt so absurdly corny that silence immediately filled the room.

"W-Well, it's not wrong, I guess... yeah."

Flame blinked. She was clearly caught off guard and quickly attempting to smooth over the moment.

"Anyway..."

Flame shifted the conversation, cut the apple into neat slices, and arranged them on the tray.

"Did you know we're second-years now?"

"Already? That fast?"

"Yeah. It's the New Year now."

"Time really flies."

Baek Yu-Seol's words gave Flame a strange feeling.

What did time flies even mean to someone like Baek Yu-Seol, who had likely lived through hundreds - if not thousands - of years?

Did he genuinely feel that time was slipping away quickly?

Or was this life so unique that, even after enduring countless cycles, a single year felt fleeting to him?

No matter how she tried to make sense of it...

'He definitely thinks this life is special.'

Half-convinced by her own thoughts, a faint smile curled across Flame's lips.

"Most of the seniors we used to be close with have graduated. Oh, and you remember Edmond Atalek, the guy from the Crimson Eagle Club who kept bothering Hong Bi-Yeon? He's doing a master's program now. Seems like his family doesn't think too highly of him."

"You're not surprised? Did you already know?"

Not really. Baek Yu-Seol was still trying to remember who Edmon Atalek even was.

"Ah. That senior who kept bragging about his Soul Chess skills."

"A master's degree, huh? Sounds like a long, rough road ahead for him."

"Exactly. Isn't 'master's degree' just another way of saying you're dead tired? Oh, and speaking of which—remember that little girl Anella you used to hang around with? She's taking Stella's entrance exam this year."

"Oh..."

It was hard to believe that the kid who seemed like she'd stay a middle-schooler forever was already preparing to enter Stella Academy.

'Wait, no. She's already in her 40s, isn't she?'

She was so small and adorable that it was easy to forget her real age.

"And also..."

Flame kept talking, her voice light and animated as she filled him in on all the events that had transpired while he was unconscious. Baek Yu-Seol listened quietly, offering an occasional nod or short reply. Yet, despite his minimal responses, Flame seemed unusually cheerful.

She talked non-stop, as though the words had been bottled up for far too long.

Considering how somber and withdrawn she had been over the past month, anyone who saw her now would hardly recognize her.

It was as if the weight of her worries had lifted at last. She finally had someone to talk to again... someone who would listen.

She spoke endlessly, letting out everything she had held back. It was as if she was trying to resolve all the unspoken thoughts and emotions she had carried in his absence.

—----------

['Baek Yu-Seol' Once Again in the Spotlight!]

[Dark Mages Appear in Tread City—Are They Demons?]

[Analyst Dr. Kim: 'The Return of Demons.']

[Stella Academy's First-Year Student Defeats the Dark Mages of Risk Level 7—Who Is He?]

[Angels and Demons Appear—Where Have They Been Hiding?]

The incident in Tread City quickly became the talk of the continent. It wasn't just the dark mages' brazen attack on a major city that stirred public outcry... countless eyewitnesses claimed to have glimpsed both a 'demon' and an 'angel' amidst the chaos.

Tread City, being a hub of technological advancement, meant that many citizens carried cameras. Evidence poured in, flooding news outlets and fueling speculation.

"An angel..."

Though the photos only captured the figure's back, concealing the face, identifying the individual wouldn't take long.

"Those disgusting beings have returned."

A man muttered under his breath as he flicked open a lighter, setting the corner of a crumpled newspaper alight. The flames licked at the silhouette of the angel, consuming it as glowing embers fell like ash.

On his wrist was a tattoo shaped like an angel's wings. It symbolized 'Angelus,' an organization that had once terrorized its enemies as 'Angel Hunters.' Though long forgotten, it had once been a feared name.

In the aftermath of the disappearance of the Progenitor Mage, a war between angels and demons had erupted.

The ensuing war between angels and demons swept across the lands, leaving devastation in its wake.

To fight back, humans formed two hunter organizations—the 'Devilite' for hunting demons and 'Angelus' for exterminating angels. Together, they succeeded in wiping out both species from the surface.

The conflict became legend, then myth, and eventually slipped from memory entirely.

However, the roots of those groups were passed down through generations, keeping their will alive even in the modern era.

For centuries, the angels' absence had rendered the hunters obsolete.

"If they've shown their faces again... We'll have to eliminate them before they bring harm to our world."

To humans, angels and demons were no different... parasites that brought calamity wherever they roamed.

Female angels, in particular, were considered extraordinarily dangerous. Their ability to leave behind 'angel seeds' - offspring capable of inheriting their power - was nothing short of catastrophic.

Even with their limited numbers, angels had once pushed the surface to the brink of collapse. The very thought of them leaving descendants sent chills down his spine.

"... We need to kill them quickly."

Before they could unleash chaos upon the world again, the angels had to be annihilated.