Genius Gamer Reborn into a Family of Heroes

Chapter 97

Genius, Deis (1)

In the end, Professor Melanta had no choice but to acknowledge it. Harang’s defensive technique was quite unique, and it was exceptional enough to stand on its own as a system of skill.

Their opponent had been Alowin, a 9th-grade, 3rd-ranked student, but there was no longer a need to waste time with trivial arguments.

‘Damn it….’

Melanta bit her lip tightly and stole a glance at Zelka Ainglass’s expression.

He remained calm and composed, making his thoughts indecipherable. Despite being only fourteen, there was an unexplainable aura of authority about him that made others instinctively wary.

After that, Deis sat through the class as if nothing had happened. On the other hand, Alowin found it impossible to sit still.

“Tsk tsk, what a pathetic guy.”

“He’s always acting all macho and manly, yet he couldn’t even beat that girly-looking kid?”

“Ugh, I’m embarrassed for him.”

Alowin’s face flushed crimson, his insides boiling. Yet, what could he say? It was he himself who had flipped over the chance to regain his honor that the professor had practically handed him on a silver platter.

Among those watching Alowin closely was one particular person.

‘Hmm, this is perfect.’

It was Kanya Belluna.

‘…I can’t take this school down alone after it betrayed me. But I can at least tarnish its reputation—just a little. Using the things I know.’

She closed her eyes.

Born to a small provincial family, Kanya had never even dreamed of entering a prestigious magic school like Arniel. But when Ainglass recognized her talent and began to support her, how happy she had been.

Back then, she thought her life had taken a dramatic turn for the better.

Thanks to Ainglass, she escaped the rural life that stank of insignificance and proudly entered the city, dreaming of a bright future as a successful career woman.

The family’s grace hadn’t ended there. Upon entering Arniel, certain high-ranking individuals who admired her loyalty offered her the opportunity to participate in a “special project” that was being secretly conducted.

If she passed a particular test and was deemed suitable, she would gain access to the mysterious power being researched at Arniel!

The test was still ongoing, and the project itself wasn’t complete yet, but just being part of it had significantly elevated her standing within Arniel.

Special privileges.

Special rights.

It seemed like she was on track to becoming an essential figure at the core of Ainglass.

But then.

‘Perta Rendella.’

When he enrolled at Arniel this year, all those dreams came crashing down.

The Rendella family was far larger and more influential than the Belluna family. Perta, whom the Rendellas had taken in as an adopted son, possessed a talent so innate and overwhelming that Kanya’s abilities paled in comparison.

It was said that, upon admission, his mana was already close to 4 cores—just like Zelka Ainglass.

That absurd mana capacity alone was enough to attract Arniel’s interest, and the “special power” that had been meant for Kanya was handed over to him.

And that wasn’t all.

Every benefit and privilege that Kanya had previously enjoyed under Arniel’s generous support now belonged to him:

A private meditation room, a personal study space, a dedicated mentor, luxurious dormitories, gourmet meals, exclusive outing rights, the ability to adjust his schedule, the finest uniforms, and a personal attendant—

Everything that had been hers was now his.

‘…I’ve already lost my dreams.’

Thanks to participating in the project, she had learned many of Arniel’s secrets—about their hidden research and forbidden magic.

If she were to use those things…

‘Even if I stir up trouble, it won’t change anything for you all.’

But.

‘If I’m going to be discarded anyway, I won’t go quietly.’

A cold, murderous light flashed in Kanya’s eyes.

* * *

After class ended, Alowin walked down the hallway, his fists clenched tightly as he endured the ridicule of his peers.

‘Damn it, the result would’ve been the same if any of you had been up there.’

He had shouted this to everyone, but all he got in return was sneering laughter.

“What, are you making excuses now? How pathetic.”

“Pathetic?” Was the match so shameful that they would call him that? Was losing to Deis, that commoner, such a joke?

‘If only it hadn’t been for that bastard….’

As Alowin stormed down the hall with a face boiling in frustration, a familiar figure appeared from the opposite direction: Kanya Belluna, his classmate in the 9th grade, 3rd rank.

Her silver bob swayed as she approached him with a faint smile. Alowin, assuming she was coming to mock him again, was ready to snap at her this time.

But—

“Don’t you want revenge?”

“…What?”

Such were the words she delivered.

A proposal that came completely out of the blue.

When Alowin unwittingly raised his voice in response, Kanya brought a finger to her lips, signaling secrecy.

“Revenge? I don’t do that kind of thing. It’s… unbecoming of a man…”

“How long are you going to cling to that kind of nonsense? Besides, calling it revenge is too much—it’s more like a prank, really.”

Kanya smiled, and her expression was captivating enough to make Alowin swallow hard.

“A prank…?”

“Yes, a prank. A pretty funny one at that. It’ll turn him into a laughingstock. Honestly, I’d like to do it myself… but I can’t do it alone.”

“I see.”

There wasn’t a single 9th-grader unaware of Kanya’s allegiance to Ainglass. It made perfect sense that Kanya would personally dislike Deis, who had defeated Zelka Ainglass during the entrance exam.

“You understand, right? Why I dislike him, and why I’m planning this prank.”

“…Tell me. What kind of prank is it?”

Alowin looked intrigued.

The word prank, carrying its seemingly harmless connotation, had the power to lighten the weight of guilt humans would otherwise feel.

“This is about a magic circle hidden in the abandoned art room in the basement of Old Building 3. Supposedly, there’s a mysterious ritual circle there that summons ghosts. You’ve heard of it, haven’t you?”

“No, I haven’t…”

Of course he hadn’t. This was a lie that Kanya had fabricated on the spot, disguised as a rumor only she knew.

“Really? It’s pretty well-known among the girls…”

Thinking there was no way Kanya would lie, Alowin dismissed it as unimportant.

“Anyway, we’ll send him there under the pretense of running an errand. I bet he’ll faint after seeing a ghost. Even if he’s got guts, he won’t escape the ritual’s magic until morning.”

“It’s not dangerous, is it…?”

“You know this as well as I do. Ghosts summoned through rituals have no physical attack power. They’ll just overwhelm him with terror. If we report it the next day and ‘find’ him, there’s no harm done. It’s just the perfect prank, don’t you think?”

Imagine the famous Deis entering the art room alone, only to faint in terror at the sight of a ghost and be discovered the next day.

Could there be a funnier rumor than that?

And if he were found having wet his pants? He’d be so humiliated that he wouldn’t be able to show his face in school again.

‘It’s not dangerous, and this much is… well…’

Alowin nodded.

“Alright, I’m in.”

Kanya smiled.

* * *

Meanwhile, after the defensive arts class ended, the followers of Ainglass from the 8th and 9th grades approached Zelka.

They had seen the professor pull him aside to discuss something privately.

“What did the professor say?”

“Did they suspect signs of you using an artifact?!”

Zelka shook his head indifferently.

“Of course not. If even the examiners couldn’t catch me using it, there’s no way the professor could. They didn’t notice a thing.”

He hadn’t expected anything from Melanta in the first place. He simply wanted to see how Harang used magic.

“Still, that commoner is strange. Alowin is one of the top-ranked students, and most seniors are hesitant to face him…”

“It wasn’t even a proper duel. What could you possibly learn from a contest of shields and shockwaves? Besides, Alowin’s grades might be top-notch, but his actual skills aren’t even middle-tier.”

Zelka had hoped Alowin could at least force that commoner to reveal his true abilities, but he couldn’t even manage that.

“Some of the others say that while his basic magic skills are mediocre, he’s ridiculously good at practical magic.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that too. And why do you think that is?”

Zelka Ainglass replied as though the answer was obvious.

“His basics are lacking, yet he excels at specific magic… Isn’t it obvious he’s using the help of an artifact?”

“Ah, I see. That makes sense!”

“Indeed, it does.”

Zelka folded his arms and closed his eyes thoughtfully.

“That bastard is hiding a magical tool in his left hand.”

“…What? Really?”

“Absolutely. I’ve been tracking its origin—it seems to be one of Master Avon’s creations.”

“Master Avon, huh…”

“Of course. How else would a commoner obtain such an impressive artifact? If Master Avon, the owner of Mityel, gave it to him as a gift, it all makes sense.”

“It’s certain. I also found out that Master Avon’s skill is high enough to create artifacts capable of fooling Arniel professors. There have even been cases where artifacts bypassed inspections before.”

“That’s incredible…”

The circumstantial evidence was undeniable.

Everything pointed toward Deis relying on an artifact.

“Just wait a little longer. Soon enough, a situation will arise where he’ll have no choice but to reveal it.”

“And what kind of situation would that be…?”

“There are plenty, aren’t there? The upcoming ‘Magic Survival’, the ‘Intergrade Magic Duel’, or the ‘Monster Festival’. We’ll see his real abilities then.”

Zelka smiled crookedly.

The grin, twisted from somewhere deep within, sent chills down the spines of several students.

It was hard to believe he was their age.

It felt like staring into an abyss.

Unable to bear meeting his gaze, the others quietly averted their eyes, looking elsewhere.