I Became a Genius Black Mage at the Holy Academy

The power of the False Divinity had craved strength ever since it entered Roan’s body.

Unlike other powers that used their own strength, the False Divinity could only function properly when channeled through dark magic instead of holy power.

Even after acquiring this powerful ability and having an innate talent so great that even the power itself was amazed, this boy rarely tried to use his strength.

At most, he crudely forced dark power into circuits with the intention to mask its appearances.

But now, despite being basic, the boy was beginning to use true dark magic.

[Finally… It’s my time to act.]

The False Divinity awakened from its slumber and began to exert its power.

* * *

As Roan channeled his power, a brilliant light filled the lecture hall.

“P-Professor?”

Atoga’s assistant called out to him, but Atoga gestured for him to stay still.

He instinctively felt that this moment should not be interrupted.

Instead, he quietly kept a certain distance from Roan and began to closely observe his state.

‘First, control the blood flow.’

At that moment, Roan was fully focused on his inner self, oblivious to the outside world.

Unlike holy arts, which operate through the combination of symbols and Hilonian language, dark magic was cast using a single dark magic circle.

It was a system unique to dark magic. It was distinct from other magic systems.

Even as an expert in God and Devil, one couldn’t accurately recall and understand each part of a dark magic circle and its meanings.

But Roan was different.

A talent level of 100 was indeed worthy of praise as a combined blessing of the gods and demons themselves.

Even without learning from someone, purely by instinct, he could discern the composition, meaning, and interaction of each part of the dark magic circle.

‘There’s no need to alter the blood flow control itself. Just reduce the output to barely stop the bleeding.’

Roan calculated the necessary amount of power and infused exactly that into the magic circle.

Normally, this alone would manifest the spell.

But then, the False Divinity began to reveal its hidden effects.

‘What’s this? During practice, the magic circle worked just fine.’

The infused magic circle was momentarily distorted and then transformed into a new form.

This unexpected phenomenon compelled Roan to try withdrawing his power.

‘This is…’

The new shape was strangely familiar.

No, to be precise, it was.

‘A holy art?’

It had turned into the symbol and Hilonian language of a holy art.

It was far more complex and longer than the basic healing recorded on the scroll.

Even Roan, who had memorized quite a bit about holy arts, did not recognize this type.

‘Could it be?’

Instinctively, Roan did not withdraw his power and continued to channel it.

During the transformation of the magic circle, his dark power also changed to resemble bright holy power.

Roan’s power followed the symbols and Hilonian language and reached his wound.

And then.

Snap!

It controlled the blood flow perfectly just as Roan intended if not better.

‘Translation. It’s translation!’

Roan quickly realized the true purpose of the False Divinity.

It was a point he couldn’t have known just from gameplay.

The true effect of the False Divinity was to translate the mechanisms of dark magic into holy arts.

Not a complete transformation but an intricate disguise as a holy art.

It wasn’t just visual performance. Even the energy at its was transformed.

Roan immediately prepared the next dark magic spell.

He was excited by the discovery of a hidden setting he hadn’t known before.

‘Next is Flesh Burst!’

Flesh Burst was originally used to restore damaged undead or to create obstacles using undead.

Normally, the flesh would grotesquely swell and veins would burst, creating a horrific sight.

‘If I reduce this part and connect this side like this…’

Modifying simple spells was an easy task for Roan.

When it came to dark magic, even rough attempts would turn out perfectly due to his overwhelming talent.

‘Could this work too?’

Roan significantly simplified the magic circle, retaining only the basic regeneration principle from the original Flesh Burst spell.

With a slightly trembling heart, he infused it with his magic power. If this altered spell could also be translated into a holy art…

‘It works!’

Roan rejoiced.

The False Divinity transformed the modified magic circle into holy symbols and Hilonian language.

Although it seemed more complex than the basic healing spell, it didn’t matter as long as it stopped the bleeding and healed the wound like a proper healing spell.

Moreover, this method significantly reduced the chances of even an Akerandir professor recognizing it as dark magic.

Even an inquisitor wouldn’t insist it was dark magic if it appeared and functioned like a holy art.

‘Hmm… Well, some of them might though.’

Realizing the new function of the False Divinity, Roan checked his body’s condition and snapped out of his trance.

He finished much faster than expected, but this should allow him to pass through the entrance ceremony and other events quietly.

‘I won’t need the herbs after all.’

The slight disappointment was that the herbs he had painstakingly gathered were now useless.

Still, Roan felt satisfied, thinking he had overcome a significant hurdle.

When he finally looked around,

─ …….

“…?”

For some reason, all the students were staring at him.

‘Why?’

Roan tilted his head, puzzled.

Why were these kids looking at him while their arms were still bleeding profusely?

‘Staring won’t make me use healing magic on you.’

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

“Everyone, let’s give Darc a round of applause!”

“Professor! Their forearms, their forearms!”

“Oh, right! Don’t clap everyone! Focus on healing first!”

Seeing the ensuing commotion, Roan finally realized that something had gone wrong.

* * *

Sion had known about the Darc Family even before enrolling.

She knew that a descendant had miraculously survived the massacre.

She hadn’t expected to meet him at Akerandir, but upon hearing of his enrollment, she felt a sense of camaraderie.

The last heir of a fallen noble house and a saint candidate abandoned by her family.

They might share a unique bond with each other at this vast academy.

So, she had secretly approached Roan, hoping to strike up a conversation, but what a shock it was.

Before the entrance ceremony, when their eyes met briefly, Roan had ignored her—or perhaps looked at her with pity as if seeing the character he had raised in the game.

Sion couldn’t forget that look.

Even during the entrance ceremony, when Roan stood on the podium as the representative of the freshmen, their eyes met again, and the look was the same—either dismissive or regretful for taking Sion’s place.

By now, it wasn’t a misunderstanding.

‘What did I do wrong to Darc?’

That couldn’t be the case.

Sion had only been in the Empire for about a year.

She had rarely ventured outside during that time.

Her first encounter with Darc was at Akerandir

Even if Sion tried to clear up the misunderstanding by talking to Roan, Roan never gave her the chance and kept drifting further away.

Roan always stood out, making it impossible for Sion to approach.

During the entrance ceremony, the baptism, and even at the cliff of Panroa Dormitory…

The growing misunderstanding gradually changed Sion’s sense of camaraderie.

‘I’ll perfect the basic healing spell and then talk to him!’

She had heard that Darc had awakened his holy power just before the entrance ceremony.

Therefore, he was likely less skilled in practical holy arts than Sion, who had received pre-training at the Holy See.

By showing off her mastery of basic healing, she could say something like:

‘Darc. Would you like me to teach you a bit about basic healing?’

From that point, Sion would always be one step ahead of Darc, becoming the clear leader among the freshmen!

But contrary to Sion’s plan, Darc’s holy magic…

It seemed worthy of being featured in the Empire’s newspaper under ‘The Brilliant Holy Magic of the Year.’

It wasn’t just because of the brightness of the light that couldn’t be classified as basic healing.

‘The noble dignity emanating from the holy art, I’ve seldom seen that even at the Holy See.’

Every element of the holy art was at a level that couldn’t possibly be attributed to a mere freshman at the Holy Academy.

Could he perhaps possess divinity?

‘That’s impossible.’

Sion thought it was an absurd speculation.

… She couldn’t even fathom that it was true.

Regardless, with such talent, could she still be called a saint candidate?

Sion was almost feeling despondent.

And look at that cold gaze. The eyes which looked down at everyone.

It was as if Roan was declaring that he didn’t belong in such a basic class.

Professor Atoga appeared deeply impressed by Roan’s holy art as well.

And understandably so.

The more profound one’s knowledge of healing holy arts, the more clearly one could see how remarkable it was.

For the first time in her life, Sion witnessed an overwhelming talent far beyond her reach.

Sion’s fingertips trembled.

And she firmly resolved.

‘Just wait, I will win!’

One day, she would defeat Darke and speak to him with subtle victory!

* * *

‘What’s this? Why are they clapping?’

Roan thought he had quietly and unobtrusively finished the healing.

He was bewildered by the sudden commotion around him.

Could basic healing actually be a lot more difficult than he thought?

Was healing a forearm wound such an achievement that it deserved applause?

‘In the game, completing it in three seconds didn’t unlock any achievements.’

That wasn’t it.

Of course, it wasn’t easy enough for students who had just awakened their holy power yesterday to succeed in their first class.

Even if they managed, it usually just earned a brief compliment from the professor, nothing special.

Meanwhile, Roan made eye contact with Sion, who was looking back at him from the front row.

‘Why’s she staring at me like that?’

She was pale and her whole body trembled.

‘Is that from excessive bleeding?’

Roan wondered if he should inform Atoga about Sion’s condition.

At that moment, realizing their eyes had met, Sion quickly turned her head away.

And for some reason, she exaggeratedly waved her hand, trying to cast a holy spell.

Roan finally seemed to understand Sion’s feelings.

‘They say women’s jealousy is scary…’

He had sensed it slightly since the entrance ceremony, but Sion clearly saw him as a rival.

When Roan successfully cast the healing spell in one go, this perception must have solidified further.

… Roan never imagined that from her perspective, it seemed as if he was the one picking a fight first.

‘Did I know I would succeed on the first try?’

Roan grumbled to himself.

He had planned it out to some extent, but whether it succeeded or not was a completely different matter.

The bundle of herbs he had collected at dawn was proof of that.

In this academy, failure was a problem, but success was an even bigger one!

At that moment, Atoga approached Roan with a bright smile and spoke to him.

“Roan, excellent work. Not only did you stab your arm without hesitation, but I didn’t expect you to complete the holy art in one go. And of course, the level of that holy art was impressive.”

“Thank you. It’s only natural for a student to do their best… Wait a moment.”

Roan answered mechanically but then noticed something odd.

“Level? What do you mean by that?”

“Oh my…”

Atoga seemed overjoyed at the question. He was barely able to contain his excitement.

“Humility is good, but you can be honest with your professor. Surely you’re not saying that was a simple basic healing spell?”

“…?”

Of course, it wasn’t.

But the dark magic used by Roan wasn’t that complex either.

Roan looked at Hector, who stood between him and Atoga, for an explanation.

Hector explained with an impressed expression.

“The professor is right. The aura of your holy art was truly noble.”

Impossible.

Roan had a hunch and quickly summoned his dark power again.

This time, he controlled the blood flow with less power than before.

But then.

Fwoosh─

A light many times brighter than Roan had anticipated emanated from his arm.

Specifically, at the moment the dark magic circle was disguised as a holy art!

And the serene, warm, and elegant atmosphere it created was baffling.

‘This is crazy.’

Roan felt a headache coming on.

If basic magic like blood flow control was like this, the altered Flesh Burst, which involved a more complex process…

‘It must have been nothing short of a miracle.’

In short, the False Divinity emitted an overwhelmingly powerful aura during the translation process of dark magic into holy art.

As if advertising, ‘Look at me! I’m using an incredibly amazing holy art!’

“Even though it’s not as impressive as before, it’s still excellent. It seems you’ve already surpassed the barrier of understanding, Roan.”

Seeing the light on Roan’s arm, Atoga interpreted it on his own and nodded.

“Everyone, follow Roan’s example and work hard! If you feel unwell, let me or the assistant know immediately!”

As Atoga walked away.

Demona spoke to Roan in a subdued voice.

“You really are something, Darc. I apologize for calling you an annoying jerk during the entrance ceremony.”

‘So it was you?’

Somehow, just hearing the voice had made him irritated.

“I didn’t say a word. By the way, can I invite you to my estate during the holidays? My father would be pleased to meet you.”

“Hmph! Do you think Darc would like visiting the estate of a fanatic lord?”

Hector and Demona started bickering again.

Meanwhile, they were both bleeding profusely from their forearms.

“… First, you two should heal your arms.”

At Roan’s remark, they finally looked at their arms and realized.

“Oh. That’s right.”

“Indeed.”

‘Can you really call someone else’s father a fanatic?’

Of course, the head of the Pabilto Family, Shenkolt, was indeed a fanatic.

He was a legendary figure in the modern era for his relentless inquisition efforts.

But Roan decided to stop thinking about it.

Hector also had no qualms about calling Demona and the Wickron family heretics.

‘It would be nice if both of them got dragged away silently in the night.’

If that happened, Roan might find himself more attached to Akerandir, even just a little.

Time passed.

“Alright. That’s it for today! Good job, everyone.”

Atoga clapped his hands and declared the end of the class.

Even for Akerandir students, it was too early to fully utilize basic healing magic.

Only Roan and Sion had succeeded perfectly.

Sion’s healing might not be as impressive as Roan’s, but it still emitted a warm, lingering light that garnered Atoga’s admiration.

As soon as Sion succeeded in healing, she glanced at Roan.

‘At this point, what have I done?’

Maybe she had a bad relationship with Darc before he was possessed…

Though still far from the truth, Roan was getting closer to understanding.

When their eyes met, Sion quickly looked away in surprise.

But that reaction made Roan even more cautious.

‘I need to avoid getting involved with Sion as much as possible.’

Sion wasn’t the type of student to be so competitive.

That wasn’t her personality at the start of the academy.

However, with Roan Darc taking her place, her competitive spirit awakened a bit early and directed towards him.

There was no choice but to keep as much distance from Sion as possible.

Meanwhile, among the other students, the only one who managed to produce something resembling a healing effect was Demona.

‘So the Wickron Family is something after all?’

Judging by his performance, it seemed the reputation of being part of the three great families wasn’t just empty talk.

“Keh. There are things that can’t be achieved with fanaticism alone.”

“You… finished talking?”

He taunted Hector as if he had found an opportunity to provoke him, proving he was still very much like a common ruffian.

Meanwhile, Atoga, who had been going around treating the students’ wounds and checking their conditions meticulously, spoke in a bright voice.

“Don’t be too discouraged. It’s not easy to use basic healing in the first class.”

The students finally relaxed a bit.

─ That makes sense, right?

─ How could we beat the saint candidate and that Darc guy?

‘The titles are a bit off, aren’t they?’

Roan felt irritated by the stark difference in how the students referred to them.

Originally, Sion, who should have received this envy and jealousy, was now being called the saint candidate.

Roan recalled thinking during the entrance ceremony that he would save her if she was bullied too much.

Even though she was a character he had nurtured dearly until the end, he still felt the same way.

But now, instead of just helping, he felt like he had to take on everything himself.

‘Should I be happy about this or not…?’

He hadn’t wanted Sion to be this happy.

“The next class will proceed like today’s. Those who couldn’t stab themselves, please try to get used to it.”

─ …….

The students, who had been rationalizing their failures, became depressed again.

It was a normal reaction to hearing that they would have to stab themselves with sharp daggers again.

“And, though it’s rare to give this out in the first class… Roan, would you come forward?”

“?”

Roan expressed his confusion at the sudden call.

But he couldn’t ignore the professor’s summons.

Roan got up and walked to the front of the class.

“You were the first student I’ve seen who stabbed your arm and completed the holy art perfectly. I’ll give you a Dalant as a reward. Everyone knows what a Dalant is, right?”

─ Dalant…

─ He’s already getting a Dalant?

Atoga chuckled at the jealous voices of the students.

He took out a wallet from his pocket and handed Roan a bill.

‘All this for just 10 Dalants…’

Now, Roan had 10,010 Dalants.

Instead of just the first class, he received his first Dalant along with the professor’s high praise, drawing tremendous attention.

“Thank you.”

“Use it wisely. Oh, and—”

Roan nearly let out a “what now?” but held back.

Why did this man have so much to say?

“Can you come to my office after class? I have something to discuss with you.”

“… It would be an honor.”

“Hahaha! Don’t mention it.”

Atoga laughed heartily and patted Roan on the back.

Though his laughter had a pleasant effect, it didn’t work on Roan.

‘@&*$@#$!’

At least not on Roan right now.

Roan returned to his seat under the watchful eyes of the students.

“As expected of Darc… I’m almost jealous.”

“Getting an invitation from the professor on the first day…”

“Quiet.”

“???”

“Sorry. That came out wrong.”

It was genuine, though.

“Then, what did you mean to say?”

“Be quiet.”

“That’s the same thing…!”

“Will you go with me?”

“No thanks. Even though I’m jealous, stealing such an honor would tarnish the name of Wickron.”

“Pabilto feels the same way.”

Roan found it surprising to see Hector and Demona getting along so well.

‘Weren’t they supposed to not get along?’

‘Or maybe they just wanted to mess with me?’