The Demon Lord of the Swordsmanship Family Episode 26
The final day of the midterm exams.
After a week of exams where students cried and celebrated over a single coin, the exams were finally nearing their end. Now, the fates of each group had become distinctly clear.
The students who were confident in their excellent results were jubilantly celebrating, while those who had barely managed to survive on a handful of coins were finding solace in their situation, calling it fortunate to some extent. The worst fate, however, befell the groups that had been disbanded. They looked like they were mourning as if the sun itself had shattered. Some still couldn’t believe their group had been dissolved and were aimlessly wandering around the old training rooms out of habit.
On the other hand, others had quickly accepted their new reality and were already beginning covert operations in the “recruitment market” to secure a better future for themselves. Whether they were the ones clinging to memories or the more cunning ones seeking new opportunities, a shadow of gloom hung over their faces.
Cold baths and hot ones, heaven and hell, festivals and funerals.
A grand sight where some were laughing and others crying.
This is the current mood in the Academy.
And me? How about me?
To be honest, I feel nothing.
It’s over. Really.
Because this is the kids’ festival.
The joy these kids feel now, as if they own the world, or the despair as if they’ve lost everything—it all stems from being young. The fact that they express their emotions so honestly about something as trivial as midterms is proof of their youth.
The joys and sorrows of youth.
This is the privilege and charm of purity.
As you grow older, you’ll encounter countless challenges.
Could this midterm be one of those challenges? Or maybe it’s just an embarrassing little step when you consider the long journey of life. In the grand scheme of things, today’s moment will become as trivial as a distant star in the Milky Way.
I, this worn-out adult, guarantee it.
But, was I, who was once an adult, excitedly hyperventilating in the midst of it all? Not only embarrassing, but pitiful.
In reality, my involvement was brief, only at the beginning. I just disbanded a few groups and then handed everything to Mary and Jun-woo. Because of this, my young friends gained invaluable, hands-on experience.
It’s rare to experience so many types of magic, weapons, and battle styles in such a short time. It’s an experience that money can’t buy.
During this process, my only role was clapping and cheering.
I genuinely applauded the sparkling talents of the young ones while watching their growth.
Because this is the role of an adult. A good adult should naturally do this.
“But…”
My narrowed eyes observe the scene.
The repeated duel between Mary and Jun-woo that I’ve seen countless times over the past few days.
It’s a 5 vs. 2 battle.
However, something unusual stands out: my young friends are losing.
Bang!
Mary’s mace is blocked by the opponent’s shield. As the enemy charges in, Mary is pushed back. Another charge approaches while she’s off-balance.
Two large males, each at least two heads taller than Mary, charge with their shoulders, pinning her down through sheer weight and size. Mary is overwhelmed by this primitive assault. She tries to cast her spells at a rapid pace, but…
Thump!
It’s blocked.
An odd magic circle appears on the enemy’s armor, effortlessly countering her magic.
Mary wobbles.
Normally, this situation wouldn’t occur; if it did, Jun-woo stepping in to assist Mary would be the proper response. That’s what I taught them.
However, Jun-woo seems to be in even more dire straits.
An assassin just as fast as Jun-woo, a swordsman skilled enough to challenge him in swordsmanship, and a space magic user ensuring they suppress the bloodline inheritance and dancing powers possessed by Jun-woo.
The opponents are wielding the three most lethal weapons Jun-woo possesses.
The aim: to cut off his hands and feet.
This was the critical point.
Instead of trying to win, they’re simply trying to endure. To contain. To ultimately wear him down.
Had they gone all out, there might have been room for a counterattack, but since they’re deliberately making things difficult, Jun-woo, inexperienced in street fights, doesn’t know how to proceed.
“Hooh…”
Alright. Alright.
That image itself is quite commendable.
How much havoc have the two of them caused?
The breaking method should have emerged earlier already. Since this is a place where the brightest future prospects of the country gather, it’s only natural that they perform at this level.
Armor covered in antimagic materials, a plan to dull Jun-woo’s blade, all good.
Since when have I ever said anything else?
“But, you know…”
I already said this.
Isn’t this just kids’ fighting?
Fighting, winning, losing, rejoicing, feeling despair.
Young sprouts will grow rapidly with the nutrients of all these experiences.
We adults should support them from a step behind. If you’re a good adult, that’s what you should do.
Right?
“Why?”
“Why? Adults are interfering in kids’ fights.”
I focused my gaze on the opposing team.
“Wow, this is insane! It’s all so incredible!”
“It’s not just a feeling—it’s reality!”
One hand completing a spell, the other attempting another—double casting—or predicting their opponent’s attack trajectory to cut them off.
Skills they’d never even dreamt of were coming true under their very own hands.
It was unthinkable.
Anything seemed possible, and it actually was.
All of this was thanks to “Cocktail”, the magical potion.
They were told it turned the impossible into the possible. The group leader, Choi Mi-jung, brought the potion, and they were initially hesitant.
There’s a stark difference between buffing and doping, so they hesitated, fearing they might get punished.
But Mi-jung’s reassurance was enough to quell their anxiety.
“My dad got it. You know my dad, the vice president of the Association, right?”
In reality, if you dissected it, the logic was full of holes.
The Association.
To be precise, the “Korean Meta-Human Association,” which is a pretty high-level organization advocating for the rights of Korean superhumans.
However, can it compare to the Academy, backed by Yggdrasil? Not a chance.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
But do first-year students know that?
Among connections—bl**d ties, hometown ties, school ties—bl**d ties reign supreme. And this was “dad’s chance.” With the vague belief that a father wouldn’t give his precious daughter questionable medicine, everyone drank it with ease.
The results were undeniable.
“Guhk.”
“Cuack!”
Merhem, who was already exceptional and became unbeatable after learning magic, and Han Jun-woo, known for his peerless strength even against the group leader in 1 vs. 1 combat.
They defeated opponents they could only dream of!
They utterly crushed them!
It didn’t matter that it was a 5 vs. 2; they won.
And the result mattered. They won!
“Maybe…”
“Maybe with this, even that monster called a calamity…”
“Could we defeat it?”
Confidence was sky-high.
In reality, the “Cocktail” was gradually causing a loss of reason due to its side effects, but the members of Group 16, in their excited state, couldn’t possibly realize that.
Blinded by their newfound power.
As a result, they started doing things they wouldn’t normally even imagine.
Performing confirmation kills on already defeated opponents, casting high-level flame magic—Flame Burst—on fallen foes.
“Keheheheh! He’s dead!!”
“……!”
“Stop—!!”
Who would have thought, after admitting defeat, they’d be bombarded from behind? It was too late though; the spell had already fired.
Caught off guard by this unexpected situation, Merhem made a critical mistake.
She instinctively closed her eyes.
‘No!’
She tried to quickly reopen them and cast a protective charm, but it was too late.
The sensation of her skin sizzling filled her, and her vision was entirely consumed by fire.
A life-or-d*ath moment.
Even Merhem, in such an unprotected state, could not survive a direct hit from a Flame Burst.
But at this moment, the only thought running through her mind wasn’t about danger.
‘I’m going to get scolded for this one…’
How much more heat she’ll get this time around, just for this. Cold sweat broke out as the future looked bleak.
Merhem’s worries were accurate.
“You were told not to let your guard down, weren’t you?”
Park Ki-hyuk suddenly appeared, shielding Merhem for a moment as the Flame Burst exploded, spewing flames in every direction.
BOOM!
The ground was scorched black.
Thick smoke filled the air.
The fire, magnificent enough to consume any living or non-living thing in its path, blazed brightly.
But…
Even as the flames continued to burn ceaselessly, no one here thought for a second that Park Ki-hyuk had fallen.
Because his opponent was the calamity.
“Let’s save the reprimand for later.”
With a flick of the wrist, Mary was tossed out of the flames.
Amidst the swirling flames, Park Ki-hyuk’s eyes traced a curve.
“Kids, we have something to discuss.”
Suddenly, darkness descended around Park Ki-hyuk.
The flames were absorbed.
The space itself disappeared.
Just like it had never existed, the darkness engulfed everything.
“Let’s have a little chat.”
There is a saying at the Academy.
Everywhere in the Academy, the eyes of Yggdrasil can see.
It’s a story passed down secretly through the years. Most likely, it’s a statement to emphasize the value of Yggdrasil within the academy. Nowadays, though, nobody pays much attention to it.
But…
The truth is, this statement is 100% accurate.
If Yggdrasil truly wishes, she can be aware of everything happening within the Academy.
Just like now.
“Hmm…”
A reflective lake surface shows an image.
It’s the duel between Park Ki-hyuk and Team 16.
“Halt! Block it just as you’ve practiced—there won’t be any problems!”
“Everyone, we’ve used artifacts—endure! The advantage is on our side. We will ultimately win.”
“To all, the light of blessings—’Bless’!”
“Indeed, Miss Mi-jung, you’ve come well-prepared.”
Fighting against Park Ki-huks’ extremist dark attribute using radiant artifacts.
The commonly accepted knowledge dictates that the weakness of darkness is light. So, with an advantage in attribute properties, calmly planning would make overcoming the calamity, Park Ki-hyuk, possible.
As mentioned earlier, this is commonly accepted wisdom.
It’s called the Elemental Relationships.
Fire is extinguished by water, water is absorbed by earth, earth is eroded by wind, and wind isn’t capable of extinguishing fire but instead fans it.
In this relationship, the element that illuminates darkness is light. This is called an Absolute Attribute.
But if you were to ask Yggdrasil about the Elemental Relationships…
Her answer would be:
“Does such a thing even exist?”
Advantage, disadvantage, attribute—she doesn’t deny it exists. That’s just the natural order.
But what’s being talked about here is magic.
Magic derives its power from nature but is not nature itself.
Rather, it’s closer to a miracle.
Isn’t it strange to apply the framework of attribute relationships to something that makes the impossible possible?
Is there anything that can stop fire created so that water cannot extinguish it?
What Yggdrasil emphasizes most in magic is proficiency.
“Does fire always extinguish in water? What about magma? Does water always seep into the earth? What about the ocean?”
Something steadfast despite all winds like a mountain, and something that devours everything like a typhoon.
Absolute attributes themselves are absolute perfection.
Darkness is no different.
“Absolute darkness conceals everything.”
Even if it’s the sun that illuminates the world.
*
In the midst of swirling spells, I whistled.
“The preparation is passing, but…”
The children, wrapped in rare light magic artifacts, the uncomfortable scent of divinity carried by the mana.
Thanks to that, the skeletons I summoned were barely holding out.
Sigh, I still have a long way to go if I’m being held up by something at this level. If there’s anything I gain today, it’s this realization.
This, this is everything.
This is the meaning this duel has for me.
“Hmm, getting a bit boring.”
They attack, we block.
When we close in, they retreat.
I understand their intention to conserve their strength, but it’s tiringly overt how they keep their distance, making it dull.
It’s time to end this tiresome standoff.
“Also, what will I eat for dinner?”
While pondering the dinner menu, I flicked my finger.
A floating magic circle blocked my view.
It pulsated with light.
All kinds of shapes and symbols in the circle.
Rituals and structures; from the incantations to manifestations—all aspects of a fully completed magic circle.
And when the yet unperfected ‘Fragment of the Demon Lord’ is added?
The ‘Hexagram’ shines.
Start.
Snap!
Again, my finger flicked forcefully, and the moment it touched the magic circles, they disappeared.
The magic circles erased all other spells.
The flames were consumed by the magic circle. The winds dispersed.
The water turned into liquid form and was absorbed into the magic circle. The thorns rising from the earth decomposed into sand on contact and were absorbed into the magic circle.
Even the light spears that maintained their form the longest lost their shine instantly upon contact with the dark tendrils emerging from the magic circle and were absorbed.
Ahhh!
Groans of astonishment came from everywhere.
“It can’t be…”
Why can’t it be?
Black inherently includes all colors.
There’s no attribute that absolute darkness can’t hold.
But, what is obvious to me seems to be quite shocking to them.
The professors looked as if they had discovered a whole new continent, their faces filled with astonishment. The children watching the scene could hardly breathe as if they were the ones fighting me.
If I were to pick who looked the most pitiful,
It would be my opponents right in front of me—the children on whom the effects of the “drug” are now fading.
As the excitement wanes, and they begin to grasp the situation, their complexion turns pale.
As the mind exits its excitement-induced state, the body cannot react either, and their movements visibly slow down due to fatigue.
“Sigh, quite a cheap ‘stimulant’, it seems.”
The official imperial term is “Mana Hole Stimulant.”
As the name suggests, it’s a drug that stimulates the Mana Hole, boosting Mana activation exponentially. It once gave temporary insights into a higher realm and was even praised as the “Elixir of Truth.”
However, it was later proven fatally damaging to the Mana Hole, causing it to disappear rather suddenly.
In fact, it goes without saying.
How could it not have side effects?
Is leaping to a higher level a child’s play?
The old man once told me:
“There is no free lunch. Nothing comes easily.”
Every phenomenon has a cause and effect. Behind what you take for granted are countless phenomena connected by intricate interdependencies.
This could be studies, or this could be hard efforts, or anything.
“Isn’t that why I told you to just shut up and go to the laboratory?”
I suddenly recalled those days and chuckled, but then I straightened my expression again.
“Looks like some kids are resorting to tricks already.”
Certainly, someone must have spread rumors and encouraged this.
For example, someone who dislikes me.
As my gaze swept over the professors, some averted their eyes. In particular, Professor Huang, who once clashed with me, was glaring at me as if I could d*e from his stare.
This is entertaining.
“Looks like a warning is necessary.”
Snap!
Magic circles appeared.
Massive magic circles, incomparably larger than before, decorated the sky.
Hundreds of magic circles merged into one.
The magic circle looked like the eye of a god watching the world.
The magic I’m about to perform is the one that, alongside the undead army of skeletons, led me to my title as Demon Lord.
The magic that once terrified the world—known as the most perfected darkness.
That which reduced everything to nothing—known as “Annihilation.”
The punishment of me, the Demon Lord.
Apocalypse.
Apokalypsis
The world broke apart.
