Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner - Chapter 82

Chapter 82

The timing for Simon crossing over to the center was perfect.

As the day brightened and the students resumed their activities in earnest, the four bridges to cross to the central Kera Island transformed into bloody battlefields.

Students who had their own way of crossing the river could avoid the conflict, but if they did not, they had to use the bridge.

“Letting you pass for only 50 points!”

In particular, on the western island, there was an incident where a faction of Class E students formed around the Special Admission No. 7 named ‘Elissa’, who was in that class. They took over the bridge and used the point transfer function of the tongue pad to receive points like a toll.

Thanks to that, the students who started on the western island were tied up there for a while.

In the end, a large-scale alliance was formed to overthrow Elissa’s faction on the western island, and Elissa quickly retreated from the bridge.

While the battles across the island were developing, there being no time to catch a single breath, Simon, who arrived early on the central Kera Island, was focusing on the search for Big Krum.

In a way, it was more important for Simon to find Big Krum and sign a contract with him than to get the top rank for Island Survival.

“Phew. But it’s pretty hard to find his traces, Pier.”

Said Simon as he plowed through thickets.

[We can’t help it. He’s not the type to leave traces.]

Replied Pier’s clone, hanging on the school uniform.

[But when the Kizen students start fighting on the central island, the chances of an irritated Big Krum appearing will naturally increase!]

“We should look forward to that then.”

According to Pier, Big Krum was usually small enough to look like a mushroom that grows wild on the street.

However, the more threatened or angry he was, the bigger he became, and when he was fully grown, his height exceeded 20 meters.

If that happened, he’d surely stand out, so Simon thought that it’d be better to wait in an area of conflict in case Big Krum appeared than to blindly search for traces.

As he was walking towards the center like that, he saw a canyon in the distance.

When looking down at Kera Island from above, a towering mountain could be seen in the center. At first, the terrain only gradually steepened, but from here on out, it increased dramatically.

‘It really is quite tall.’

In order to reach the final destination of Island Survival, ‘The Indestructible Mansion’, you had to cross this canyon, no matter what.

Climbing the canyon itself was difficult unless you had the relevant skills. There was also the problem that you became vulnerable to long-distance attacks from the ground, standing out while climbing.

Of course, there was a normal route for you to climb.

As Simon continued walking along the canyon, he saw an area where the hills were layered like stairs. It was a place reminiscent of terraced fields in the highlands, and there were crude tents and huts bunched together.

And in those huts swarmed monsters dwarfish in height.

‘……Th-That’s a lot.’

Level 2 monster, Kera.

The reason why this island was called Kera Island.

Keras looked similar to the goblins that could be found anywhere on the continent, but they were smaller and thinner. Even when they became adults, they were said to be the size of a small child.

Still, because they were monsters, they had tremendous reproductive ability, and they practically dominated this island with the advantages of being able to handle weapons and having excellent cooperation.

The camp of these keras was spread out across the best way to climb up the canyon.

‘I came late on purpose, thinking that others might have cleaned them up, but……’

You could see some burns and traces of broken huts.

However, considering the overall size of this camp, the damage was inconsequential. Simon had to break through this place on his own after all.

Rustle.

While Simon was distracted by the camp for a moment, he heard rustles from the bushes behind him.

Simon spun around and readied his jet-black. His skeletons were also on alert, rattling about.

“Wait! I’m not wanting to fight.”

A male student in a Kizen uniform came out of the bush with his hands raised. He was a man with gray, receding hair.

“……Who are you?”

“I’m Vincent Werley, from Class C.”

Vincent smiled softly and continued.

“You’re planning to cross that kera camp, right?”

“Then let us help! Honestly, I don’t think it’s possible to break through alone with that many of them.”

“Us?”

Vincent let out a slight smile and pointed behind him.

“I didn’t bring them here, I was afraid that you’d be frightened, but there are eight more with me.”

Eight people, huh?

Simon replied while wondering how he had gathered that many people,

“I’m planning to go by myself.”

“……Are you serious? That’s a course meant to test team play! Going alone is just insane.”

He wasn’t wrong. Vincent’s offer to join forces seemed reasonable.

However…

“I have a different idea already. Sorry.”

He couldn’t trust Vincent yet. And he wasn’t going to take the risk of teaming when there was a way to break through by himself.

After finishing speaking, Simon turned his back and went into the woods.

In the end, Vincent returned to his teammates ploddingly. His teammates were sitting in some place chatting.

“What did he say?”

Vincent shrugged at his teammate’s question.

“He said he’d go up on his own?”

“Pfft!”

“Look at him bluffing. Looks like he hasn’t tasted bitter defeat yet.”

Vincent’s team had a lively atmosphere. Moreover, having come to Kera Island right away on the second day, it was safe to say that everyone had sufficient skills.

“Shall I chase him and bring him back?”

Asked one of the team members. Vincent shook his head.

“Nah. It’s a waste of time. Let’s just focus on our own business.”

“If he begs for us to let him into our team later, I’ll just beat him up and get some points.”

“Hahaha!”

Vincent’s team moved in a friendly atmosphere.

It didn’t take them long to arrive in front of the kera camp. They could see the dwarf-like kera roaming on the top of that stair-like hill.

“This is a fight of speed.”

Said Vincent while getting the attention of his teammates.

“It’s more important to take even a single step forward than it is to hunt a monster. I doubt we’ll be taken down by kera, since we’re Kizen, but once we get tired and start to slow down, we may have to deal with the entire camp’s forces.”

Everyone nodded with serious faces.

“Well then, let us get to the positions we discussed before and start right away.”

“Okay!”

“Yeah.”

They immediately went into formation to charge through. Two Combat Magic aspirants took the lead, followed by Jet-Black Mechanics, Curses, and Hemomancy aspirants.

The leader, Vincent, was standing right in the middle of the formation.

“Let’s go!”

* * *

* * *

The eight team members started climbing the hill at once.

[Kerrugh!]

[Kerurrurgh!]

Nearby keras also saw them and rushed in. Maybe because the emergency alert hadn’t been rung yet, they were just running out of their huts one by one.

“They’re just kera.”

The Combat Magic aspirants taking the lead gathered jet-black into their fists and swung.

Poow!

The keras were launched away, heads already caved in from a single punch. The firepower of the students from the rear was poured out, and the surroundings were neatly devastated.

“This way! This is the fastest way up!”

Vincent led the team, and everyone came together, breaking through with a terrifying force. However, at this point, the monsters were actively swarming them. Even reaching halfway up was a struggle.

“We’re already halfway there! Just a little bit more!”

Vincent clapped and encouraged his teammates. The students, drenched in sweat, later realized something was wrong.

‘W-We’re only halfway there?’

Climbing the hill while fighting was more tiring than it looked.

Moreover, it wasn’t easy to hunt the quick monsters who didn’t even reach the students’ waists.

However, there was no other option, as there were monsters constantly swarming them from behind. Everyone clenched their teeth and ran.

“Aaaaaagh!”

While forcibly breaking through, a problem ended up arising.

One of the teammates had sprained his ankle while sprinting up, rolling onto the floor while clutching his leg.

Everyone turned around in surprise.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ugh! M-My ankle!”

Vincent ran to him first and gave the student a shoulder as support.

“I can’t leave you like this! Hang in there!”

“……Th-Thank you.”

The already slow pace was reduced by nearly half because of the injury.

The Combat Magic aspirants in the lead were finding it uncomfortable while beating the monsters up.

‘Am I hindering them? If we dare to bring the wounded, we’ll all be wiped out because of that one person.’

It wasn’t like he was really going to die anyway, and when the barrier gauge reached 0%, the emergency shield would turn on, and he would immediately be teleported to a safe space.

Right now, it was a situation where they couldn’t guarantee if they could break through the camp if everyone was in good condition.

He thought they did not need to take the injured person with a broken leg.

The other students thought the same. The team had a very good atmosphere, so they couldn’t say it out loud, but they all felt the same way.

“Ten more in front!”

“They keep on coming!”

The slower the speed and which they broke through, the more monsters they had to face.

Now, both stamina and jet-black were at their limit. At that moment when everyone felt their limits and were about to give up…

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

Out of nowhere, a deep, earthshaking rumble resounded.

Everyone’s eyes turned. A monster was just walking through the dense terrain of the kera tribe, who gathered like a swarm of ants.

“I-It’s a golem! That’s a golem, right?”

“Someone’s riding on it!”

Simon, who was riding on the mud golem, was smiling while enjoying the cool breeze. Below that, Pier’s clone below him was bursting out laughing.

[Bwahahahahaha! Go! Go on!]

For small keras, the golem was truly like a giant itself.

No other means of attack were needed. Countless keras were trampled to death just by the golem running.

Vincent wondered if there was any other way to break through a monster’s camp this ignorantly.

But it was far more effective. The aggressive keras were now busy running away. The golem was like a wolf that came into a flock of sheep.

“Isn’t that the guy who said he’d climb alone?”

“Insane. Woah, he’s actually going to make it by himself.”

Vincent’s team members were looking at Simon with gazes mixed with admiration and envy.

It was a little shameless, having ridiculed him earlier, but some students hoped he might save them. However, Simon and the golem just passed by as though they didn’t see them.

It was then.

[Kerugh! (What’s wrong?)]

Hearing the commotion, a kera adorned with colorful decorations appeared from the hut.

[Kerugh! Kerururugh! (The humans have invaded!)]

[Kerurugh! (Leave it to me!)]

He was the Chieftain of the kera’s tribe.

Just by the appearance of the Chieftain, the morale of the keras greatly increased. Nearby keras began to raise their weapons and cheer.

Whoooosh!

As the Chieftain lifted the staff in his hand, flames flickered into existence and began to rapidly form into a single mass.

He was none other than the only kera who could use magic!

The moment he aimed his staff and was about to fire the spell…

Squash!

He was hit by a running golem and died immediately.

Simon didn’t notice at all, looking somewhere else.

‘Huh, what? Did I bump into something?’

It was just that kind of reaction.

However, the impact of Simon removing the boss was huge.

The keras, having lost their commander in a single moment, fell into confusion and began to flounder.

“Huh? Why aren’t these guys rushing in?”

Vincent’s team members noticed the change as well. Vincent bit his lips with a hardened face and stepped forward.

“Looks like something changed! Let’s all take a breather……!”

[Kerugh!]

[Kerurugh!]

And all of a sudden, some keras around Vincent began to go to a knee, facing him.

As Vincent stepped back with a bewildered face, a sword suddenly was pointed at his neck.

“Huuff! Wh-What are you doing?!”

“I knew there was something odd.”

The male student who pointed his sword at Vincent said in a cold voice,

“Do you know that you’re the only one with a barrier gauge of 100% right now? Why are you the only one not being attacked by monsters?”

“……!”

“100%? For real?”

The other students also realized that something was odd and went into an uproar.

“Guiding us in the wrong way and going round and round on purpose in order for us to make us lose our energy, slowing down by taking an injured person with us, and making a drama… It’s pretty clear now. Don’t tell me, you……”

The male student ripped the necklace off Vincent’s neck.

Vincent stretched his arms out in fright, but the male student stopped him by placing a sword close to his neck before examining the necklace’s shape.

“This looks similar to what the keras are wearing. Isn’t this an artifact from the ‘supplies’?

The supplies contained various kinds of artifacts that’d help you in Island Survival, not only food.

Perhaps this was something that made keras consider the wearer an ally, or it was a necklace with the effect of gaining respect.

He threw the necklace in his hand to the girl next to him. The female student put the necklace on herself, and then approached the keras

The keras around her flinched and backed away, and soon knelt down toward her.

The female student made an exasperated face.

“So you fooled us, Vincent?”

“N-No! Everyone, calm down! Hear me out!”

The atmosphere became cold in an instant.

“So you were planning to get all our points after we’re all wiped out?”

“No wonder why he’s the only one with a lot of points.”

“Are there any other victims besides us?”

Once the suspicion emerged, it grew out of control. The girl wearing the necklace beckoned as though giving a signal.

“I guess there’s no need to speak more. Goodbye.”

The sword pointed at Vincent’s neck drew its line.

——