Necromancer Academy’s Genius Summoner

Today was the start of the third 'after-school BDMAT'.

Before the test, Necromancer of Cards Endolas Vaudeville invited the entire first-year cohort to the great hall.

In anticipation of the upcoming BDMAT, they were served easily digestible vegetables and other energy-boosting foods.

While Simon and Group 7 also sat around a round table, enjoying themselves…

"Hello, everyone!"

An unwelcome guest appeared.

She strode over, her silken ivory hair fluttering behind her as she took an empty seat with the casual confidence of being in her own home.

'Serene Aindark!'

"Hehe."

With her back facing Meilyn, Serene rested her chin on her hands and stared at Simon eating.

'…I feel like choking.'

Simon, of course, felt overwhelmed.

"What's the matter with you?"

That's when Meilyn spoke up, glaring into the back of Serene's skull.

"Get lo—!"

"Meilynnnn~!"

Serene immediately turned around and clung to Meilyn.

"Serry missed Mei-Mei so much!!"

"Ugh, shit. Go away!"

Meilyn pushed her away with a grimace.

Serene pouted and pretended to sulk, but because it was Meilyn, it only made her angrier.

"Hmph."

Serene turned her head again, smiling prettily at Simon.

"Have you been doing well, Simon?"

"Stop ruining the mood and go back to your seat!"

Shouted Meilyn, jumping to her feet.

"I don't wanna, I don't wanna~ The people in my class are boring! Serry is going to stay here!"

"…"

Just as Meilyn's anger was about to reach its peak, Serene smiled and said,

"Then, I need you to talk to me for a minute."

"Hah, why should I? I told you, get lost!!"

It was already her third time telling her to leave.

Serene looked crestfallen, but it disappeared in an instant as she turned around to look at the other three. A mischievous smile flashed over her face.

"Everyone! Do you want me to tell you a funny story?"

"What is it?!"

At the mention of a funny story, Rick, who had been dead silent, immediately reacted.

"Aren't you guys curious about Meilyn's childhood? She was completely different to how she is now!"

"You!!"

Meilyn's face turned red, but Serene didn't care and continued,

"When I first joined the Ivory Tower, the first thing that little Meilyn did when she saw me was to run over and—"

Yank!

Meilyn covered Serene's mouth from behind, then grabbed the back of her school uniform with her other hand and dragged her away.

"Urbb! Ubbb! Mrrrrrrrrg!!"

Serene didn't forget to wave gracefully at Simon even as she was being dragged away. Simon also gave her a nod.

And so, Meilyn and Serene left the great hall and stood face to face.

"What! What?! Just what is it?!! If it's something unnecessary, you're gonna pay!!!"

"Oh~ It's just that…"

Serene's voice became soft again.

"I was wondering what it would be like if Simon joined the Ivory Tower."

Meilyn frowned.

"What kind of bullshit are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"I'm asking for your cooperation! You and Simon are pretty close, since you guys are in the same class, and in the same group. I heard that you're joining the siege together this time as well."

"Aha."

Meilyn sneered coldly.

"The elders must be pressuring you a lot these days, huh? That's up to Simon after he graduates."

"So I'm saying we should make that choice a little easier for him!"

Meilyn furrowed her eyebrows.

"Stop blabbering bullshit. Why should I do something that only benefits y—"

"You've got it all turned around."

Suddenly, Serene's voice turned serious. She smirked.

"You're aware of how much the Ivory Tower values the S.A.1, right? If you can bring Simon to the Ivory Tower, don't you think it will change the way the elders look at you?"

"…"

"That's practically you pulling off something I couldn't do. Isn't it?"

Meilyn's face filled with murderous intent.

"I'm gonna kill y—!"

Just then, a huge cheer erupted from the great hall.

The two of them turned their heads. Endolas Vaudeville was walking toward the stage in the great hall.

"Consider yourself lucky."

Meilyn turned her back and walked away.

As Meilyn left, Serene called out,

"Please consider Serry's offer!"

"Get lost!!"

As Meilyn ran back to her seat, Endolas, dressed in an uncanny clown costume, was speaking into his loudspeaker crystal ball.

"Dear first-year students! Are you enjoying the game?"

"Yes!!"

"It's the best!"

"It doesn't feel like a test!"

As the students' praise poured in, Endolas waved to the crowd with a look of satisfaction.

"Look, Professor Aaron! Everyone is reacting so nicely!"

He said in a small voice, tapping Aaron's elbow, who came in to control the students.

"My game is an art, not a test! Now that we've come to this, why don't we extend the test by one more d—"

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible."

Said Aaron, coldly.

"The upcoming schedule is tight. Any more would be a burden on the students."

"Mmm, tsk tsk!"

Endolas clicked his tongue with a disapproving face.

"You really don't know what entertainment is, huh? Are you really going to be this hard on me? It's not like this is my first time cooperating with Kizen!"

"I have no authority, sir. Why don't you try asking Professor Jane when she returns?"

"That lady is too unreasonable."

Even Endolas shook his head at the mention of Jane.

Aaron checked the wristwatch and said,

"You should wrap it up by now. The students need to be in their places before the BDMAT."

"Hmph, I'm well aware of that!"

Endolas raised his loudspeaker crystal ball to his mouth once more and continued,

"Now! Dear students of Kizen! May I have your attention, please!"

The loud chattering of the students quickly diminished.

"I have an announcement! There will be a new element added to the game this time!"

At that, the faces of the students all stiffened.

"Urk, what is it now?"

"That's making me uneasy."

In their experience at Kizen, these kinds of announcements weren't usually good news.

After all, everyone had a plan and a strategy for the test, so new variables would only screw them over.

"The new element is…!"

Endola threw his arms up in the air. The cards from his sleeves flew into the air, shuffling together before fanning out into the air.

Pow!

Boom!

Then, the cards transformed into countless gift boxes and began to stack like towers.

"That there are more presents in this game than ever before!"

Woaaaaah~!!

A wave of cheers erupted from the great hall.

"Endolas! He is the fucking best!!"

Shouted Rick, foaming at the mouth as he climbed up onto the table.

"Hahaha! Thank you! Let's calm down a bit."

Endolas placed his hand on his chest.

"I'm always on the side of adventure-loving children! I guess that makes me different from the usual adults who force them into rigorous study!"

As he said this, Endolas glanced towards Aaron's direction. Aaron remained expressionless, staring straight ahead.

"Ahem! Anyway, the best of the best from these generous bounties! I'll reveal the two greatest prizes at stake in today's test!"

There were two stacks of gift boxes that Endolas had just made out of cards.

The box at the top of the left stack was opened.

"The first great prize is…!"

Fwooooooosh!

The lid of the box popped open and black flame whirred up.

[Kieeeeegh!]

What burst forth from it was a bird covered in black flames.

As the black bird flew freely across the great hall, ashes fell everywhere. The students got startled and covered their plates.

"The first one is a rare undead that doesn't need any explanation! It's a 'death phoenix'!"

The black bird sat on Endolas' left arm and chirped.

[Kieeeeeeeeeeeee!]

The students' eyes flashed with greed. Everyone in the hall had the same thought.

'I want it!'

"He's really giving such a rare undead to a student?"

"That's actually crazy."

The hall was already growing into turmoil.

"Let's keep this momentum. Allow me to reveal the second one right away!"

This time, the silver gift box at the top of the right stack was opened. Deep, dark jet-black poured out along with a staff.

The staff was made of purple metal, with triangular eyes and teeth at the end of it. It was giggling and laughing like a human.

The staff freed itself from the gift box and began flying around the air.

"Kyaaah!"

The students ducked down in surprise.

The staff flew around the great hall, shooting curses indiscriminately. Students hit by the curse went bald, grew tails, or fell in love and hugged the person next to them.

"What the hell is going on?!"

The staff chuckled in amusement at the confused students, then spun midair and entered Endolas' right hand.

"The second prize is the autonomous staff Areldellu! I believe there will be two lucky students who will earn these wondrous prizes!"

At those words, the students' faces turned extremely serious.

"What good timing."

Simon turned his head at what Meilyn said.

"What is?"

"No, think about it. A grand prize like that would be for a big or difficult game. Don't you think one of them would be the reward for the siege theme?"

Hearing that, Rick slammed the table.

"You're right! At least one of them should be in the game with 30 players!"

Camibarez fidgeted with her hands.

"I-I also wanted to come with you guys… I'm sorry…"

"No, Cami! It's more important to get our individual card combinations, right?"

Endolas, on the stage, concluded,

"Then, we'll start the after-school BDMAT in twenty minutes! Disperse!"

* * *

* * *

20 minutes until the test began.

Excited students rushed out of the great hall.

Simon, Rick, and Meilyn also ran through the Kizen campus after parting ways with Camibarez.

"It's an emergency!"

Said Rick, leading them to a shortcut.

"Because of Endolas' announcement today, the competition for the siege theme might become tougher!"

Simon also nodded. It was obvious that people would flock to the siege theme to get their hands on the big prize.

"Do you have any plans?"

"Nothing big enough to call a plan, but the card for siege theme spawns in a random location somewhere on the castle walls, you know? So, let's split up and find it."

Rick pulled a firework out of his subspace.

The plan was that the first person to find the card would use it as a signal to relay the location.

Hearing the plan, Simon objected.

"But that would also attract other people besides us."

"That's right, you dumbass! They'll notice it immediately if fireworks are randomly going off on the castle walls!"

"Hehehe, don't worry!"

Rick held out a blue firework to Simon and Meilyn each. The two of them took their firework and put it in their subspace.

"We just have to blow up lots of dummy ones."

With that, Rick pulled out a bunch of green fireworks, this time from his subspace. Realizing Rick's intentions, Simon smirked.

"As expected from you, Rick!"

Simon thought that no one could ever match Rick's tricks. The two high-fived.

A moment later, the high castle walls of Kizen entered their vision.

"I'll take this side!"

Shouted Rick as he ran to a servant, fireworks tumbling out of his arms.

"Simon, you head to the east and Meilyn to the west!"

"Got it!"

"Alright!"

There wasn't much time. The two of them split right away to the left and right.

"Brother Kon! May I ask you a favor of a lifetime?"

"…Rick? The BDMAT is about to start. What's up?"

Rick utilized his servant connections. He handed out fireworks to servants passing by and asked them to set them off randomly when the game started.

On the other hand, Simon also ran with a handful of green fireworks for 'dummy purposes.' His gaze was fixed on Endolas' cards at his chest.

[The test begins now!]

[If you win a battle with the following student, you shall be awarded with an additional point.]

[Denvan Arina]

'It's starting!'

Simon ran along the castle wall, tapping the skull badge on his blazer.

'Pier! Pier!'

After a moment of silence, the badge's eyes lit up, and Pier's clone began to speak.

[Hm? What is it, Boy?]

'Please help me out! I need you to watch the walls with me and look for a card!'

[Kuhehe! I can't believe you have awakened me for some kind of boring test!]

Simon quickly added.

'It's a test with a rare undead called a death phoenix as the prize.'

[Boy! I can't see the entire castle walls from this side! Hurry up!]

Simon chuckled as Pier immediately changed gears. Simon picked up Pier's clone and put it on his shoulder.

[Hmph.]

Pier's clone said.

[First, I think you need to dodge the attacks flying at you from behind.]

'What?'

When Simon looked back, he saw a dark electric spear falling down from the sky.

Ka-thummp!

He threw himself to the side to dodge it. The area where the spear had struck was dyed black.

Simon belatedly checked his surroundings.

'Ugh, there are so many people!'

The students were already running around the walls, shooting dark magic at each other. There was already a competition happening to participate in the siege theme.

[Boy! You don't have time to deal with small fries like them!]

'I got it!'

Simon ran straight ahead, dodging the dark magic flying into him like an eel.

Explosions were heard from everywhere. And Rick's fireworks were popping in the sky.

'This is so chaotic so ear— Hm?'

Simon's head moved up.

The fireworks sounded a little bit different just now.

Ptooooooo!

A blue firework exploded in the sky.

'That's Meilyn's direction. She found it pretty quick!'

Swiiiiish!

Simon immediately came to a screeching halt, turned around, and started running in the opposite direction. The two students running after him were startled and took up a fighting stance.

"Gasp!"

"You wanna go!?"

Skeleton bones flew from behind, covering Simon's body in Bone Armor as he leaped off the battlements.

'Use the skeleton's force of attraction to hold on!'

Tap!

And like that, Simon began to run on the side of the wall. The two students watched him pass by them with widened eyes.

'Alright. Just like this…!'

Simon ran with all his might towards the direction of the blue firework, his eyes cutting through the flood of green lights set off by the servants

However…

'A-As expected, it's tough running like this.'

It was nice that he didn't have to deal with the other students, but running on the castle wall was quite exhausting.

That's when a certain monster popped into Simon's mind.

The four-legged chimera he'd seen in the basement of Professor Walter's Magic Bullet Shooting Range. It was running across the ceiling despite its enormous size

'If I can mimic that creature…'

Simon took out more skeletons from his subspace.

Click. Click.

The bones of the bone armor floated into the air and began to reassemble.

Simon used eight skeletons to temporarily form four legs, and the body came together to form a single core.

'Something like this, I suppose?'

With his absolute order, Simon kept it from falling apart. And the most important joints, the ones connecting the legs to everything else, had been replaced by Simon's cloud.

'It worked!'

Simon jumped on top of it. The skeleton spider moved its limbs along the wall at incredible speed.

"A-A skeleton spider?"

"What kind of undead is that?"

Moving faster than anyone else, Simon finally saw a card stuck on the wall.

A few students were already entering it. It seemed like the 15 person limit was about to be reached.

'Run!'

Looking at Simon, the students picked up their pace, but the spider skeleton was faster.

The skeleton leaped and went inside with Simon.

[Entering a new game.]

[1 person entering the defense team.]

[All members of the defense team (15/15) have entered.]

It couldn't have been closer.

——