Necromancer Academy and the Genius Summoner-Chapter 383: Episode

The day of the promotion exam and the fifth BMAT finally arrived. The entire first-year class was teleported to Skanber Harbor. The island housing the dungeon was in a treacherous location where fixing coordinates was difficult, so they had to travel the rest of the way by boat.

Following the TAs’ instructions, the students trotted to the pier and boarded the waiting four-person wooden boats, each manned by an islander with an oar.

"Four people to a large boat! Three to a small one!" the TAs shouted themselves hoarse, trying to manage the energetic students.

"There’s no room for all four of us," Meirin muttered, hands on her hips as she surveyed the pier. "We’ll have to split up."

"I guess we have no choice," Kamibarez said with a regretful smile. "I wanted us to be together for a little while before the exam..."

At her words, Simon and Meirin flinched and exchanged a rapid glance. Their eyes landed on Dick. ’Do something.’

"Ohoho! Is it time for the problem-solver to step up?"

Dick strode confidently toward the islanders. Since they didn’t speak the continental language, he used a flurry of gestures to explain something.

"Student! Return to your spot!" a TA yelled, but Dick just clutched a boat and mimed a desperate need for the bathroom.

When the TA finally sighed and moved on, Dick resumed his negotiations.

"სყლჹჺჟ!"

The islander said something and ran off. A moment later...

"WOOoW!"

Kamibarez and Meirin hugged each other and jumped for joy. The islander had returned with his own personal boat. Dick discreetly slipped him a gold coin. "Hey! Hey! We’re buddies now!" The two bumped fists, clearly on the same wavelength.

"Alright, everyone, get on!"

They all scurried to the boat, which was slightly larger and even cozier than the others.

"TA! Is that allowed?" Elisa, in a nearby boat, tattled, clearly annoyed.

"Jealous? Go spend your own money," Dick cackled, sharing a triumphant high-five with Simon. "What a shame. A politician’s tongue is useless where they don’t speak the language, huh? But money talks everywhere."

"That little merchant...!"

He was just as insufferable as Simon. While Elisa seethed, Dick leaned back in their comfortable boat, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"Thank you so much, Dick!" Kamibarez beamed as she boarded. "This is the best gift ever!"

Coincidentally, today, the day of the promotion exam, was her birthday. Dick gave a casual thumbs-up.

"Don’t praise him too much, Kami," Meirin warned as she prepared to board. "He’ll be insufferable for a week."

But as she moved, the current rocked the boat, widening the gap to the pier.

"Ah."

She hesitated, pulling her outstretched leg back. The way she bit her lip was a clear sign of fear.

"Oh, you scared? Did poor little Meirin just chicken out?" Dick immediately seized the opportunity to tease her.

Meirin shot him a glare and took a few steps back. "Who said I am?! No way!!"

She broke into a run and leaped for the boat.

The boat rocked violently, splashing cold water. Her landing was awkward, and she let out a yelp as she staggered wildly. Just as she lost her balance and was about to topple into the sea...

Appearing in a flash, Simon gracefully caught her. At the same time, he widened his stance, using his jet-black to stabilize the boat.

The rocking gradually subsided.

"...Ah."

Finding herself unexpectedly in Simon’s arms, Meirin’s face turned beet red. Her eyelashes fluttered, soft breaths escaped her lips, and her cheeks flushed crimson. She was frozen stiff.

"Are you okay?" Simon asked, his arms firm. He gently steadied her by her shoulders and gave her a warm smile.

"Ah, yeah." She brushed her hair back and sat down, tucking her knees together. Then, with a prim expression, she whispered, "...Thanks."

She had nearly suffered the ultimate humiliation of falling into the water right before the exam. As she tried to calm her pounding heart, Dick’s voice broke the silence.

"Hahahaha! I thought the boat was going to capsize!" He wasn’t one to let such an opportunity slide. A sly grin spread across his face. "How heavy are you for the boat to rock like that? I thought a pig had just jumped aboard."

"What, a pig? You wanna die?" Meirin shrieked and lunged at him, causing the boat to tilt sharply. She yelped and scrambled back to her seat, glancing nervously at the islander at the oar.

"See, Simon? I’m right, aren’t I?" Dick said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Simon and Kamibarez burst out laughing, while Meirin just growled, fuming. As they bickered, the boat set off. Relying on a single small vessel in the deep, unfathomable blue sea was a nerve-wracking experience.

Just then, Dick signaled the islander, who nodded and steered them slightly away from the main group.

Simon and Meirin exchanged a quick look. Kamibarez was gripping the railing, her eyes wide as she looked around.

"Um... I think we’re falling a little behind!"

The moment she turned her head back...

’Tada!’

A cake with lit candles sat in the center of the boat.

"READY, SET, GO!" Meirin shouted, clapping.

Then, in unison, they all said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAMI!! WOO-HOO!!"

They clapped for her. They couldn’t be too loud, lest the TAs notice, but it was a small, private celebration for Team 7.

Kamibarez’s eyes welled with tears.

"Blow out the candles!"

"Ah, yes!"

She placed her hands over her heart and, blew them out. The three clapped again, and even the islander paused his rowing to offer a congratulatory "Hwiahu! Hwaihu!" in his native tongue.

"Thank you all so much!" A moved Kamibarez wiped at her eyes. "I couldn’t have survived Kizen without you. Meeting you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me!"

"Kamiii! You say the sweetest things!" Meirin couldn’t hold back any longer and rushed to hug her. The boat immediately squeaked and rocked, forcing her to scramble back to her seat. "Ah! Why does it only do this when I move?" she grumbled, her face red.

Dick deadpanned, "The scale never lies."

"Hey!!!"

After sharing the cake, the four of them rejoined the flotilla. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the island.

"Wow." Dick’s jaw dropped. "...This is insane."

’BOOM—!’

’Baaang!’

A volcano was actively erupting from the island’s crater. The students stared, mouths agape, at the sight of magma flowing down the mountainside and creating enormous clouds of steam as it hit the sea.

"Get down! Stay low and move!"

"It’s dangerous! Absolutely no fooling around!"

The students pressed themselves flat against the boats, eyes darting around. Only the TAs, spread out among the vessels, remained standing.

’BOOOOM!!’

Another eruption sent large rock fragments flying toward them. Students screamed, but the TAs calmly raised their arms.

’‘Spuma’’

Jet-black energy shot from their fingertips with a flash, forming large bubbles that enveloped the volcanic tephra. With a swing of their arms, the TAs sent the trapped debris flying back toward the volcano.

‘Spuma’

‘Spuma’

The TAs continued to clear a path with their magic as the boats advanced.

"Ah! Look over there!" Meirin shouted, clutching Kamibarez’s hand. "It’s Professor Jane!"

The professors and students who had arrived first were waiting on the shore. Instead of clearing the debris piece by piece, the professors had erected a massive safety barrier over one area. Any incoming tephra or magma that touched it simply dissolved without a trace.

"Professor Eric Aura!"

"Professor Bahil is here too!"

Simon scanned the professors’ faces. Vice Principal Jane, Jet-Black Dynamics’ Eric, Cursology’s Bahil, an unfamiliar Venomology professor, and...

’...Professor Walter.’

He had recently received a report from Kajan. The investigation into Count Caron’s disappearance, conducted with Nephthys’s permission, had officially concluded with no charges filed.

’Haaah, was I just being paranoid?’

While Simon was lost in thought, the boats began to arrive. Students disembarked, and the TAs ran themselves ragged taking a headcount.

"P-Professor Jane!" the head TA panted, running up to her. "All 647... first-year students... have arrived."

"You did a commendable job." Jane patted his shoulder, then clapped her hands. "All first-years, attention!"

Every head turned toward her. The roar of the volcano seemed to fade as silence fell over the students.

Dick stroked his chin. "Cooool, our Professor Jane. Her charisma is—"

"Be quiet, Dick Hayward."

Called out in front of the entire year, Dick clamped his mouth shut.

"Years ago, this island was a peaceful resort," Jane announced. "The dungeon’s appearance triggered this unprecedented volcanic activity. We will now climb the volcano."

She looked over the students. "This is an unknown disaster. We don’t know when or how tephra will fall or magma will erupt. There will undoubtedly be monsters. Do not engage them alone. Call for a faculty member. That is, if you don’t want to be eliminated with an injury before the exam even begins."

"Understood!" the students roared in unison.

Jane turned her head. "Professors will take the lead. TAs will flank the formation and maintain control."

"Yes!"

The TAs scattered, taking up positions around the students. Jane looked to her side.

"If you would, Professor Walter."

"Cough, cough,’ yes," Walter replied, his health clearly not having improved.

He pulled a large heart from his subspace. A magic circle activated, and a torrent of blood shot into the air.

"‘Chasseur’," he intoned.

His voice, soft as a warm breeze, scattered into the air. The blood coalesced, spreading out into a vast net that formed a protective canopy over the entire student body.

"Let’s move out," Jane commanded, taking the lead with the other professors. The TAs guarded the flanks as the students began their ascent.

The moment they left the barrier, tephra rained down from the summit, trailing toxic gas. Some students screamed and covered their heads, but...

The debris struck Walter’s net. The net rippled, absorbing the impact before rolling the smoldering rocks harmlessly away.

"Professor Walter is the best!" the female students following him cheered.

Walter blocked the falling tephra while Eric’s magic neutralized the toxic fumes. Jane and Bahil handled any other threats.

A golem made of volcanic rock charged down the slope. Jane flicked her wrist, sending a single purple butterfly to land on its head. She then clapped her hands lightly.

The golem’s head shattered and collapsed. The students gasped in admiration.

Bahil gestured to the side. A horde of Muspells, fire elementals that looked like charred corpses, rushed toward them, only to spontaneously explode.

’Huh, that technique,’ Simon noted with a blink.

"What’s wrong, Simon?"

"Oh, it’s nothing."

With a major trial ahead, the students were treated to a spectacular display of their professors’ power.

Finally, they reached the summit of the erupting volcano. The scorching heat made it hard to even open their eyes.

"I see it!"

Inside the crater, which resembled the maw of a monster, crimson magma churned. And in its very center shimmered a pitch-black gate of space that seemed poised to swallow everything. The dungeon entrance.

"Prepare yourselves," Jane said, turning to the students. "We will be dropping in order."