I Got a Fake Job at the Academy
Chapter 468: Clash of the Storm (2)

Chapter 468: Clash of the Storm (2)

"Why are you here?"

Feeling Rudger's gaze, Luther shrugged his shoulders lightly.

"I too have many questions, but it's a shame there's no time for that given the situation."

The moment he saw Rudger, he recognized who he was immediately.

After all, their clash outside Leathervelk that day had left quite an impression on Luther.

Rudger also naturally accepted that Luther would recognize him on sight.

"...I see."

Whatever the case, Luther wasn't an enemy right now.

Rather, at this desperate moment, he was an ally who could provide more reliable support than anyone.

"It's been a while."

Taking his eyes off Rudger, Luther greeted Ambella.

Ambella looked at Luther and curved her remaining eye like a crescent moon.

"Hahah. How long has it been, young human? You've grown unrecognizably since that day."

"Well, I'm human so I've aged quite a bit. But you remain unchanged as ever."

Seeing Ambella exchanging friendly words with Luther, Vierano asked in surprise.

"You, you two knew each other?"

"Well, we taught and learned swordsmanship from each other."

Vierano was shocked at Luther's casual words.

So Luther Wardot was that human Ambella had mentioned?

But conversely, learning that the human swordsman Ambella spoke of was Luther made strange sense.

The strongest swordsmen of the era exchanging and teaching each other their sword techniques was truly a historic event.

Unfortunately, there was no time to pleasantly discuss what happened back then because Ventmin Lifrey was visibly annoyed at the appearance of a new human.

"Luther Wardot. I've heard the name. They say you're the Empire's finest sword, right?"

"Oh. That's quite an honor. But there's one thing wrong."

Luther said this while lightly swinging his sword toward Ventmin.

Following that trajectory, a sharply honed slash aimed for Ventmin's face.

Ventmin summoned an oak barrier to block it, however the sturdy oak barrier split vertically like firewood.

From just a light strike that Luther had casually unleashed.

"Not the Empire's finest sword, but the continent's finest sword."

"How arrogant."

In reality, Ventmin snorted as if such provocation meant nothing, but she couldn't hide how her eyes had grown colder.

Ambella let out a loud "Kahaha!" laugh.

"Since we received something, we should give a gift in return, no?"

As if responding to that, five branches moved to target Luther.

The five branches twisted into a quintuple spiral formation in mid-air, then merged into one and thrust forward like a drill toward Luther.

Luther lightly pointed his finger toward the drill.

The moment the sharp tip of the branch and Luther's finger touched, the branch twisted like a pretzel and gradually began to split apart.

The tightly woven branches unraveled like thread, and furthermore, twisted backward and shattered into pieces.

Ventmin's expression hardened.

Luther Wardot.

Indeed, befitting one who claimed to be the Empire's strongest, no, the continent's strongest swordsman, the martial arts he displayed far surpassed human levels.

"Well well. You have quite the talent for constantly surprising me."

Meanwhile Luther spoke as if Ventmin's surprise attack was nothing, then glanced back and smiled slightly at Hans who had transformed into a spirit beast.

"It's been a while for that beast too."

[.....]

Hans didn't respond.

He simply disliked getting involved with this monster-like human.

Though disappointed at missing the chance to get friendly with the spirit beast, Luther clicked his tongue but didn't forget what he needed to do.

"So, I just need to cut down that tree in front of us? I came as a knight, not a lumberjack."

Of course, those words referred to the World Tree.

It was an arrogant statement, but no one pointed that out.

"I watched from afar, but the World Tree is incredibly strong. To be honest, it would be difficult alone."

"Hey, young human."

"Now that I'm older, I'm far from young, just call me Luther comfortably."

"Ah, right, Luther. Even so, if we combine our strength, we can manage somehow, right?"

"Lord Ambella. Aren't you speaking too lightly of this? No matter what, the World Tree isn't something that can be cut down simply by cutting it."

Rudger interjected between the three people sharing opinions.

"There is a way."

"Yes. What's the method, mysterious young man?"

"...Call me Rudger Chelici."

Having come this far, since Luther already knew everything that needed to be known, Rudger no longer hid anything.

He pointed at Sedina sitting on the throne at the center of the World Tree.

"We need to save that child."

"Come to think of it, someone is sitting there. Is that child the key to controlling the World Tree? Wouldn't it be better to kill them?"

"We must save them. I won't accept any objections to this."

As Rudger spoke firmly with intense flames burning in both eyes, Luther shrugged his shoulders.

"Scary. I was just saying."

Though he said that, Luther was someone who would really kill if he could.

What eliminated such lingering thoughts from Luther was Vierano.

"Killing would be pointless. The World Tree has already accepted her factor and awakened. In other words, only Miss Sedina can suppress this World Tree."

Vierano made the rational judgment that Sedina needed to be saved.

The top priority was to extract and rescue Sedina from that throne.

A common sense of purpose was formed at this moment.

"For that, we'll need to break through that witch blocking our way first and the World Tree trying to interfere too."

Essentially, to rescue Sedina they needed to break through the World Tree and Ventmin to reach the center where she was.

"So, who's going to open the path first? You're not trying to make me do it, right?"

To Luther's question, Rudger shook his head.

"I'll do it."

Saying that, Rudger brought out artifacts stored in Steel Raven and spread them around.

"This is originally a magician's role anyway."

High-firepower rear support that opens the path for knights to advance has been the duty and role of magicians since ancient times.

-Woong.

As the artifacts synchronized with each other, Rudger's body slowly floated into the air.

At the same time, bluish magical power began flowing from his body.

"So protect me until then."

The mana stored in the artifacts' magic stones also responded to Rudger's control and slowly leaked out, drawing complex patterns in the air.

Vierano was inwardly shocked seeing this.

This wasn't simply using a single 6th-tier grand magic.

Two? Three?

Countless magical formulas were being drawn overlapping each other, yet they didn't tangle but naturally achieved harmony.

Just when he thought he was surprised enough, there was something more shocking here but Vierano soon recalled his role and stared straight ahead.

"Ha. Magic against the World Tree?"

Ventmin mocked Rudger's challenge but that was a kind of verbal bravado.

Realizing that the magic Rudger was trying to use was not ordinary, she felt slightly anxious and gave orders to the World Tree.

-Woooooo.

The wood zombies rose up en masse and charged toward Rudger and the one who blocked them was Ambella Burke.

"If opening the path is the magician's role, then protecting magicians has been the vanguard's role since ancient times."

The wood zombies were cut in half and rolled on the ground from a single strike but they immediately regenerated their bodies piece by piece and stood up.

They were opponents that couldn't be defeated simply by cutting them down but buying time was perfectly possible.

Rudger, who was implementing complex magical formulas in the air, looked down at Hans and spoke.

"Connect your magical power to me."

[...!]

"The World Tree absorbs pure magical power that hasn't gone through processing anyway. But magic implemented through formulas is different."

Hans understood what Rudger was trying to say.

Immediately his body shone and the spirit beast's powerful magical power was transferred to Rudger.

The mana from the artifacts, the magical power received from Hans, and his own innate magical power.

Mixing all of those together, stabilizing them, and simultaneously unraveling the threads of magical power to implement formulas.

In an instant, complex three-dimensional shapes like constellations were engraved in the air.

Like a planetarium, blue magical constellations spread brilliantly around Rudger like celestial bodies in the night sky.

"Kill that human!"

Ventmin shot light imbued with solar heat.

Countless light beams pouring from the World Tree's branches all targeted Rudger.

Since it was a hastily made attack, the power was far less compared to when it had swept away the legion.

Nevertheless, it far surpassed a level suitable for targeting an individual.

The falling light beams were as large as huge pillars, and just being hit by one would be fatal beyond critical injury.

It was a very critical situation since Rudger was fixed in place implementing formulas and couldn't move freely.

That's when Luther Wardot stepped forward.

When Luther stretched out his hand, the pillar of light that touched him changed direction and flew off at an angle to a random spot.

The same happened with the light pillars that came after.

After deflecting the attacks in mid-air, Luther glanced back at Rudger.

As if he had expected Luther to block for him from the start, there was no change in Rudger's expression.

Seeing this, Luther let out a small laugh.

"Well well. Besides the First Princess, this is the first time someone's trying to use me like this."

Is this why they say birds of a feather flock together?

Though grumbling, Luther continued blocking or deflecting incoming attacks.

During that time, the formulas Rudger was implementing reached the level needed to unleash the desired magic.

Rudger, whose eyes were emitting blue light, stared at Ventmin.

It was a phenomenon caused by excessive mana overflowing outside his body.

"The magic is complete. I'll open the path."

Rudger stretched his right hand toward Ventmin.

In response, the formulas spread shimmering around him and emitted strong light.

Magia Ex Machina

It was magic that replaced what Leslie had shown in the Kasar Basin with artifacts.

The magic that had been composed of metal cubes gained extreme destructive power when completely composed of artifacts.

If Leslie's magic could use all metal magic without preliminary work using steel components, Rudger can use all 'magic' without preliminary work.

6th-tier ice attribute grand magic [Heavenly Sea Ice-Breaking Fleet]

Just like now.

A massive warship made of ice fell from the sky targeting Ventmin.

"6th-tier? What do you think you can do with such magic against the current me?"

Though Ventmin smiled as if Rudger's intentions were laughable, her expression hardened at the following sight.

The ships falling toward her weren't just one but five whole ships.

Not just a vessel but a fleet rumbled as it crushed down on Ventmin.

Pillars of pure white ice exploded and expanded in all directions as the freezing cold that froze everything around spread out in a fan shape and reached the World Tree.

The power of five consecutive 6th-tier grand magic spells was truly explosive.

"With something like this...!"

Huge tree trunks and roots rose up breaking through the ice.

The World Tree would never die even if a severe ice age came.

In other words, mere 6th-tier ice magic wasn't nearly enough.

However, what awaited the risen roots was terrifying heat flames.

6th-tier fire attribute grand magic [Scorching Great Flame World]

Rain of fire poured from the sky and overturned the roots that had raised their heads.

This time was the same.

Just like using the Heavenly Sea Ice-Breaking Fleet earlier, the Scorching Great Flame World unleashed now also had power stacked at least 3 times.

The proof was that the World Tree's roots couldn't withstand it and were burning black.

Ventmin couldn't get her bearings.

Consecutive 6th-tier grand magic, fired that quickly?

Is that even possible for a human?

Just as she was trying to assess the situation while thinking, Rudger's next magic unfolded again.

6th-tier wind attribute grand magic [Moon-Rending Wind God Palace]

The fortress of the wind god that tears apart the moon.

Living up to its name, the massive wind composed of enormous magical power not only tore apart the roots blocking the path but also fanned the flames of the remaining Scorching Great Flame World.

Wind and fire, the flames raised by the harmony of the two attributes burned everything.

"Just how many...!"

Though shocked by this, Ventmin didn't stay still.

The root portion of the World Tree swelled up with a bulging sound, then spewed streams of water toward the incoming flames.

The water streams mixed with groundwater drawn from deep below and the World Tree's sap engaged in an equal battle with the combined 6th-tier magic.

As fire and water collided, misty steam rose around them and Ventmin suddenly felt uneasy.

'Surely he's not trying to use more?'

Rudger had already far surpassed the magical power levels a human could handle.

Even if he used magical power from artifacts, it was still Rudger implementing the formulas in the intermediate process.

Just controlling all that magical power alone would squeeze a person's brain to its limits.

‘The magic shown so far was already enough to be called miraculous so stop.’

As if reading such inner thoughts from Ventmin, Rudger began squeezing out the enormous magical power into yet another form.

-Crackle!

Fierce sparks flew in the air.

Even Ventmin, who had transformed into the form of an ancient tree, felt an illusion that her skin was tingling.

The area around Rudger was dyed yellow as magical power surged.

The violently vibrating magical power created increasingly intense electrical currents as it friction with the steam.

Such anomalous phenomena unfolded in all spaces within a 500m radius centered on Rudger.

6th-tier lightning attribute grand magic [Thousand Cloud-Cutting Lightning Blades]

Swords burning with golden lightning shot toward Ventmin, cutting through the curtain of steam filling the surroundings.

Some flew as if stabbing, some swung as if slashing and some even spun like boomerangs.

Living up to the magic's name, the number of such lightning blades approached 10,000.

The large number didn't mean lacking in power either.

When a lightning blade grazed past a wood zombie, the wood zombie with its powerful vitality turned black and scattered into ashes.

Spears of light were shot from the World Tree's branches trying to intercept such lightning blades.

When the lightning swords and solar spears collided, they created dazzling light and explosions.

Amidst vibrations that made skin tremble, the acrid smell of burning plants permeated.

At that moment, some of the light spears disappeared as if snapping.

-Crack!

At the same time, an ominous sound rang in their ears.

Ventmin raised her head to look up at the World Tree's branches.

Some of the World Tree's branches that should have been endlessly shooting spears of light while receiving sunlight were breaking with noise.

It was because massive masses of metal were falling.

No matter how sturdy the World Tree's branches were, they couldn't easily withstand the fall of huge meteoric iron containing falling energy.

Much less when it was a super-massive body implemented through magic.

6th-tier metal attribute grand magic [Heaven-Collapsing Falling Metal Jade]