The Conjurer of the Academy

Chapter 86

Main Quest No.7 Clear!

– Successfully completed Exchange Student Week! : Skill Points + 50

– ‘Jeong Ji-hwan’ has developed strong admiration! : Skill Points + 70, Luck + 3

As always, I found myself pondering while staring at the quest window.

First off, my Luck increased by 3. A score of 3 is quite significant.

However, I couldn’t be entirely pleased, since the Luck stat is practically useless at this point.

Luck is a stat that enhances item drop rates during monster subjugations or dungeon explorations. However, it’s considered one of the most worthless stats. The main reason is that the setting of Rolling Hunters is an academy.

There are very few opportunities for students, who are not regular hunters, to roam dungeons and subjugate monsters.

Unless you join a club or participate in external events, the Luck stat can only be useful in the later stages outside of school.

‘Next, the Skill Points.’

Of course, accumulating Skill Points is inherently good. Since conjured spirits are classified as sub-skills of Spirit Conjuration, there’s no hassle in allocating Skill Points.

Thinking this way, Spirit Conjuration can be seen as an overpowered skill that doesn’t consume many Skill Points. But ironically, it shares the same problem as the Luck stat.

‘It’s hard to expand the spectrum without reaching the later stages.’

If I were a hunter, Spirit Conjuration would undoubtedly be an overpowered skill. Constantly entering dungeons and subjugating monsters would broaden the skill’s spectrum.

‘But that’s impossible right now.’

As a student, I can’t even approach a dungeon.

Dungeons are areas where monsters frequently appear or persist due to an unresolved Gate. They are strictly managed by active hunters.

Even if I quit school and started hunting in dungeons, it would just be a waste of time.

So, the time when Spirit Conjuration starts to shine will likely be when students are drafted as cadet troops in the later stages.

[The government recently identified the cause of the increasing rampage of monsters as the C-virus and decided to quarantine hunters showing similar symptoms.]

[In the next news, it has been a month since the murder suspect from last month’s Yeonnam-dong case escaped. The Hunter police have issued a wanted alert for the suspect…]

The media was continually reporting on the growing danger of the C-virus, the rampage of monsters, and the quarantine of infected individuals.

‘The timeline is accelerating.’

The C-virus is spreading much faster than it did in the original storyline.

Events with fixed timings, like Ise-ah’s transfer and the exchange student program, are proceeding normally, but the occurrence of main events is being moved up.

There were plenty of reasons I could guess.

“Nice to meet you.”

I recalled the encounter with the Moon Rabbit on the last day of the festival. It was an event that wasn’t in the original storyline.

‘These variables must be causing the current speed differences.’

The more I try to prepare for the endgame, like developing a cure early, the faster the opposition increases its pace accordingly. Thus, I had to start conserving my strength to prepare for the endgame from now on.

The conclusion I reached was this:

“Are you ready, Yomi?”

[What’s there to be ready for? But you’ve been going out a lot lately. You used to hole up in your room all weekend.]

“It’s nice to get some fresh air.”

Gathering spirits that can be used in advance.

It isn’t necessary to subjugate monsters in dungeons to gather spirits. Collecting wandering spirits like Baek-ah is also an option.

‘Scouring the school bathroom for other wandering spirits doesn’t sound appealing.’

At least by wandering around, I might encounter some useful spirits.

“Let’s go!”

So, I headed out of the school.

* * *

“Wow, there are a lot of people.”

Families out shopping, company employees dressed for weekend work, and groups of female students. The streets were packed, typical of a weekend.

[Are you looking for spirits again?]

“Something like that.”

I sat down on a bench, observing the passersby.

[It’s broad daylight right now.]

Yomi looked up at the sky, squinting as if the sunlight was particularly bothersome.

[Unless it’s a powerful spirit like myself, ordinary wandering spirits can’t maintain their forms in broad daylight.]

“I did consider that.”

Yomi’s point was quite reasonable. But since I had to be back at school by nightfall, when spirits were more active, the conditions were conflicting.

“That’s why I prepared this.”

I took out a notebook I had prepared beforehand. The cover, given to me by Jin So-yul, had a fox character sticker on it.

[What is that supposed to be?]

“It’s a list of famous haunted spots.”

[Haunted sp…pots? Is it something to eat?]

“Wow, you’re not even trying to get the pronunciation right anymore.”

I opened the notebook.

Colorful, vividly painted pages immediately caught my eye.

Gireum XX Cemetery Walkway ★

– It’s a walkway known for ghost sightings. While walking, you might hear unexplained hallucinations or encounter ghosts coming from the opposite direction!

Abandoned Villa Area near XX Station ★★★

– It used to be a slum where poor people lived, but after the area was developed, it became a haven for ghosts.

Yeongdeungpo Purum Mental Hospital ★★★★★

– This mental hospital closed suddenly 30 years ago. According to rumors, the doctors experimented on patients. People who went there for courage tests have even gone missing!

The notebook was filled with detailed comments and difficulty ratings for various haunted spots. Some entries included additional notes like “Highly recommended!” or “You absolutely must visit here!” marked with stars.

‘Such incredible attention to detail.’

Places where sightings of ghosts are likely even in the morning. Those are the haunted spots.

Last night, I specifically asked Jin So-yul to compile a list of haunted spots. Despite being overwhelmed with supplementary lessons, Jin So-yul raised a weary finger and said:

“I’m not in the best condition these days, so I’ll just pick a few places…”

“Too many will be problematic. Please narrow it down to the most highly recommended ones.”

“I told you, I’m not in good condition…”

She filled half the notebook; if this is her being out of condition, she’d probably write a dissertation when she’s in good shape.

Had she not been burdened with supplementary lessons over the weekend, she might have been able to accompany me.

“Yomi, what do you think?”

[Hmph, compared to me, all these are just small fry.]

“…I shouldn’t have asked.”

I flipped through the pages, reading Jin So-yul’s notes one by one.

‘These are definitely places where you’d expect to find ghosts.’

In fact, it would be strange if these places didn’t have any ghosts. As expected of an occult maniac, the notebook was filled with must-visit locations.

‘Too many to handle, so I need to find a suitable place…’

Just as I was searching for a place that met my criteria,

“…!”

A chilling sensation ran through my body.

It felt like waves crashing over a sandcastle, sending shivers down my spine.

“Yomi!”

[Yes.]

A colossal spiritual energy, much like during the Moon Rabbit event, emanated from the crowd. Yomi squinted and scanned the crowd.

[It’s a familiar spiritual energy!]

Yomi leaped powerfully off my shoulder.

Pop!

With a puff of smoke, a girl dressed in Babel’s uniform with white hair appeared.

“How can you transform in such a crowded place?”

“Hmph, ordinary humans won’t even notice my magic!”

Yomi—now in the form of Ha-na, wearing sneakers—darted through the crowd.

‘Is it a familiar yokai?’

Yomi forced her way through the crowd, rarely wearing a smile on her face.

“Hey there! Dorongi! It’s been so long!”

“Dorongi?”

Curious, I followed Yomi. Soon, she stopped at the corner of the opposite street.

“Dorongi?”

Yomi slowly lowered her gaze. And there, sitting was—

“…”

—a young child.

A little boy crouched with his head hanging low, resembling a vagrant with his faded hair and tattered clothes.

“Is this child Dorongi?”

Indeed, I could sense a colossal spiritual energy emanating from him. The fact that he manifested as a human under broad daylight indicates he isn’t an ordinary being.

“Dorongi…?”

At Yomi’s call, the child, who had been motionless, raised his head. His cheeks were sunken from hunger, and his skin was dirty with grime.

“How does Aunty know my mom?”

“A-aunty?”

Yomi, stunned, took a step back. While Yomi was still in shock, I crouched down to meet the child’s eyes.

“So… Is Dorongi your mother?”

“Not a person.”

The child shook his head vigorously.

“My mom is a dragon!”

“A dragon?”

“No, Dorongi is not a dragon but an imugi. This kid is probably also an imugi.”

“An imugi?”

Just then, Yomi added more context.

“Yes, that’s it. Dorongi…”

It seemed that Yomi had realized something, as she nodded. The look of joy from before vanished, replaced by a shadow of seriousness.

“You…”

Yomi’s gaze turned sharp as she focused on the child.

“You must be Dorongi’s offspring. And moreover—”

“Uh, uuugh…!”

“Yomi, what are you doing!”

Yomi grabbed the child by the collar, lifting him off the ground. Despite my protests, Yomi did not release the child easily.

“Why do you have the Yeouiju that Dorongi cherished all her life!”

“Yeouiju?”

“Yes, that’s why this kid can emit such immense spiritual energy.”

As Yomi shook the child,

“Uwaaaah, Mommy!”

“Ugh, my ears!”

Crash!

When the child burst into tears, the surrounding building windows shattered into pieces. Yomi, hit directly by the crying, clutched her ears in agony.

“Mommy!”

“Aaaah, please, someone make him stop crying!”

“It doesn’t bother me much.”

“Imugis possess divine power, making them natural enemies of yokai!”

“Feels like I have a bratty younger sibling.”

I was tempted to leave things as they were, but I decided to intervene.

Ignoring Yomi’s screams, I placed my hand on the child’s head.

“It’s okay. That aunty, I’ll scold her. Have you eaten?”

“…No.”

“Then how about we go get something delicious to eat?”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

The child finally stopped crying and nodded. Relieved from the agony, Yomi lay on the ground, gasping for breath.

“What’s your name?”

“Do-il! Lee Do-il!”

“…It sounds like a name that might cause a lot of trouble for the people around you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

I stood up and grasped the child—Do-il’s—hand. It was evident from his skinny appearance that he hadn’t eaten in days.

“So, what were you doing here all alone? Where’s your mom?”

“Mom is…”

Do-il sniffled, tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to burst out again.

“Mom was killed by a human.”

“What?”

Just as he was about to cry again, Do-il shook his head vigorously. Then, with a resolute look, he clenched his fists tightly.

“I’m here to avenge my mom.”

A chilling surge of spiritual energy ran down my spine.

—
Yeouiju – in Korean folklore, it refers to a mystical or magical bead possessing powerful magical properties.

(T/N): Heluuu~ I apologize for the inconsistent updates—I’ve been busy with the holiday season haha! Advance Merry Christmas, everyone! Thank you all for your support from the bottom of my heart. <3