Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner – 378



Chapter 378

Having achieved an A+ in his final Combat Dark Magic performance assessment Simon was already moving to his next performance assessment.

The subject was Professor Belya’s Poisonous Alchemy and they were starting what was called the ‘comprehensive assessment of jet-black poisons and resistance systems’.

“Isn’t this our first time?”

At the outdoor training field.

“You and me having a duel that is.”

Rick flexed his arms massaging his muscles as if to show off his biceps.

“That’s true.”

Simon put his hands on his hips and smiled.

Poisonous Alchemy’s final assessment was also in the form of a duel but it was more based on the skill displayed than winning or losing.

The rules were simple. Infect each other with a jet-black poison spell and the one who neutralized the poison first using their resistance system won.

Of course the scoring was based on detailed metrics about the poison cast and the resistance system. The outcome of the duel itself was barely a footnote.

“No mercy just because you’re my roommate!”

Said Rick completing his magic circle.

“That’s my line.”

Simon also prepared his magic circle in his palm and took his stance. Then Benya who just finished watching the previous team walked over to them.

“My my so it’s the turn of my little cutie huh?”

Flashing her jagged shark-like teeth Belya ruffled Simon’s hair.

Seeing this Rick quickly interjected.

“Ah wait a minute! Isn’t this blatant favoritism?! I object!!”

“Man~ you’re so uptight! Can’t a professor show a little affection to their students? Got a problem with that? Huh??”

“If you’re doing that then do it to me too please!”

Said Rick confidently pointing to the top of his head.

“Get lost brat.”

“Wow that’s discrimination! I’m against discrimination!”

Belya boomed with laughter as if amused by Rick’s angry expression.

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The chief assistant teacher clutching the central evaluation sheet to her chest came running.

“Professor! You did something again didn’t you?”

Belya quickly feigned innocence.

“Ahem… I didn’t do anything.”

“I’ve told you several times to take it seriously when students’ grades are at stake! They’re extra sensitive at times like these!”

The chief assistant teacher nagged incessantly and Belya pouted as her ears almost seemed to flatten against the side of her head.

Simon watched this scene with satisfaction.

During Claudia’s ‘boycott’ incident the chief assistant teacher couldn’t even look Belya in the eyes but she seemed to have gained some tenacity by the end of the semester. Of course it also seemed like they had gotten closer.

“Then get ready.”

Belya spoke with the slightly charismatic impartiality of a Kizen professor.

Simon and Rick assumed their stances bringing their hands together in front of their chests.

“Alright alright. Then~ begin!”

Belya snapped her fingers to signal the start of the duel.

{Poison Whip}

{Poison Whip}

The two boys cast their Poison Whips simultaneously lashing at each other. Simon’s whip was green while Rick’s was dark brown.

Slaaaaaaaaaap!

As soon as they were hit by the whips and infected with the poison they sat cross-legged on the ground and began to draw out their jet-black.

‘Focus…!’

Simon’s Poison Whip was of an average level but he was confident in his ‘resistance system’.

He activated dark magic to turn the blood in the infected area into blood poison and began analyzing the harmful substances that had entered his body.

‘Oh.’

Simon reaching for the herbs in the poison neutralization kit next to him furrowed his brows.

‘The combination is complicated.’

The protein particles were tangled making analysis difficult. When a poison enters the body one has to observe the transformation of the blood poison to determine how to neutralize it but Simon was confused about which reaction to follow as it shifted.

‘That’s amazing.’

Rick’s poisonous alchemy skills were quite impressive; far more so than they appeared.

While Simon chewed herbs and analyzed the poison Rick also struggled with the neutralization. He didn’t forget to occasionally peek at Simon either.

‘He’s already looking relaxed. Is he really some kind of alien?’

Rick’s resistance system wasn’t that great but fortunately Simon’s jet-black poison was basically straight from a textbook.

The two boys continued to struggle as they neutralized the poison until…

Fwip!

Rick raised his hand first. The chief assistant teacher checked the timer.

“Rick Hayward six minutes and twenty-eight seconds.”

“I won!”

Rick cheered raising his arms in victory.

Simon raised his hand shortly after.

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“Simon Polentia six minutes and thirty seconds.”

He gave an unfortunate smile.

Walking over Rick wagged his finger mockingly as if to tell Simon he had a long way to go.

“Analysis results.”

While the boys were neutralizing the poisons other assistant teachers were analyzing the drops of poison that had fallen to the ground. Belya compiled the results and said to Simon

“Your resistance system is undeniably the best among the first years Simon. However your poison spells are quite average. You lost a lot of points there but still it’s a B+. Well done.”

“Thank you!”

A B+ was a pretty high grade. Simon was satisfied.

“And as for the lazybones it’s the opposite. Your jet-black poison is top-notch but your resistance system is relatively poor.”

“P-Poor?!”

Rick began to straighten up clenching his jaw in anger.

“Nevertheless the way you twisted the components to make it hard to neutralize is quite impressive. You get an A.”

“Ohhh!”

It was Rick’s first ‘A’ in a performance assessment.

Apart from specialists like Claudia it was the highest score.

Rick bowed deeply.

“Thank you Professor! Starting today I’m majoring in Poisonous Alchemy!”

“You brat always so cheeky!”

Belya laughed heartily and kicked Rick’s shin. Rick yelped in real pain and hopped around clutching his leg but he looked happy.

“Congratulations Rick.”

Simon also congratulated him.

As Belya and the assistant teachers went to see the next students Rick suddenly said

“Hey should I really major in Poisonous Alchemy?”

“…The first year is almost over. Are you saying you still haven’t decided on a major?”

“It’s the one bane of being an all-rounder you know?”

Rick put his fingers to his forehead and shook his head then reached his other hand to Simon.

“Anyway the final Summoning performance assessment is this afternoon right? Look forward to it. I’ll beat you in your major too!”

Simon just laughed.

Three hours later.

“Rick Hayward.”

Summoning Professor Aaron was frowning holding a copy of Rick’s thesis.

“It was an impressive presentation.”

It was time for Class A’s final performance assessment in Summoning.

The thesis presentation of ‘creation of magic-type undead and thesis’.

On the stage Rick stood stiffly looking very nervous with a crow in a cage in front of him.

However Aaron’s face wasn’t good.

“Training an undead ‘spirit crow’ to replace the existing messenger pigeon system… I see.”

“Y-Yeah! Isn’t it awesome?!”

Rick gave a double thumbs-up enthusiastically but quickly returned to standing at attention when he met Aaron’s gaze.

“Do it.”

“Pardon?”

Aaron tossed a bundle of papers that were lying nearby to Rick.

“Prove it right now. That the spirit crow can fulfill the role of a messenger pigeon even just to the end of the lecture room.”

“A-Ah that’s basic stuff!”

Rick opened the cage and took out the spirit crow. Despite being undead it looked similar to a regular crow.

Rick briefly made eye contact with the crow seemingly connecting with its thoughts and then ran to the end of the lecture room.

“Yes! Then let’s get started!”

Rick’s voice echoed from afar.

“Bring those papers over here!”

Rick’s order was given.

However…

[…]

The spirit crow didn’t react. It scratched its feathers with its beak and hopped around the lecture room’s floor.

“Come here! I said ‘Come here!’ ”

The lecture room erupted in laughter. Especially when the spirit crow lifted its leg and shat on the papers the students started dying of laughter.

“Stop. Come back.”

Not being able to take it anymore Aaron stopped the presentation. Rick returned to the stage with his head hung low.

“How come even the author of the thesis can’t control the spirit crow?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“There’s more to it.”

As a Summoning professor Aaron meticulously pointed out the problems in the thesis.

He raised details like how the salary for each necromancer is quite high so which necromancer would work for a low wage to care for and train crows? If the delivery distance increased and the thought connection was lost you would have to rely on the crow’s homing instinct which is diminished in an undead. Also the ‘compass’ formula described for the summoning magic circle was just about as wrong as it could be.

“This is an E-.”

Declared Aaron coldly.

“That’s the highest score I can give you. The only reason it’s not an F is because I appreciate your imagination. That is all.”

Rick returned to his seat dejected. Some kind-hearted students gave him small applause for encouragement.

“Pfft! Pffffft!”

When he returned to his seat Meilyn was desperately holding back her laughter.

“Spirit crow messenger… Pfft! A revolution in delivery systems… Pfffft!”

“Stop kicking me when I’m already down deeper than a grave…”

Said Rick unable to bear the embarrassment.

Simon sitting next to him silently patted Rick on the shoulder and then looked down. He was also holding back laughter.

“…Ch-Cheer up Rick.”

Camibarez clasped her hands together and tried to comfort him. Rick pretended to wipe away tears saying that he was glad someone was on his side.

“By the way”

It was a topic he’d be teased about for the next week so Rick quickly changed the subject.

“why are there so many people here?”

It wasn’t even an official thesis presentation yet there were not only Class A students but also seniors from the second and third years. There were even a few adults including assistant teachers sent by professors and researchers from Kizen HQ.

“Why do you think?”

Meilyn giggled and looked at Simon.

“Next Simon Polentia. Step forward.”

At Aaron’s words people started to whisper fervently.

In fact apart from the Class A students almost everyone gathered here was waiting for Simon’s presentation on ‘Herseva’.

“Do your best!”

“Simon good luck!”

Encouraged by his groupmates Simon walked to the front with his presentation materials and thesis. He politely handed a copy of the thesis to Aaron and then looked at the audience.

“Hello I’m Simon Polentia from Class A.”

Clap clap clap clap clap!!

Excited applause erupted. The room was already filled with anticipation.

“Then I’ll begin.”

When Simon opened his subspace Herseva came out from it.

Clamor clamor clamor!

Then chaos ensued immediately. People stood up all over trying to get a better look at the staff.

“Hey would you please sit down?”

“Do you think you’re the only ones with eyes?”

Even the dignified adults stood up in excitement.

[Kid what’s this? I feel like an animal in a zoo.]

‘Just bear with it for a moment.’

Thump!

At that moment the clamor quieted down.

Aaron had struck the blackboard.

“I allowed you to observe the class due to your pleading but if any of you disturb my students once more I shall kick all of you out.”

With that one statement the audience became unbelievably quiet.

Simon lightly bowed toward Aaron in gratitude and then looked ahead.

An A+ in Summoning.

As an aspirant it was a grade he absolutely wanted to achieve. So Simon was deadly serious as he picked up the chalk.

——