Surviving at the Magic Academy

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“Mist Monkey? What a name!”

Upon hearing it, I couldn’t help but click my tongue. It was quite the famous monster. These little rascals thrive in dense mist and kill any living creature that dares to wander into their territory. Not exceptionally powerful, yet their notoriety came from their peculiar traits.

Just like the recently vanished corpses, as long as this mist exists, the monkeys will keep resurrecting endlessly. Fighting against these monsters, who continually attack from the magical mist, is no walk in the park. And when we’re talking hundreds or thousands of them? Oh boy.

“From the mist, I’d say at least thousands of them,” Hongryeong stated coolly. Everyone started channeling their magic. As if sensing the movement, the mist began to ripple with a cacophony of howls and murderous intent. But the monkeys didn’t rush in headlong. After witnessing their unsuccessful assault against the turtle, it seemed they were biding their time.

There were two ways to keep these endless monkeys at bay.

The first was to disperse the mist entirely. If it vanished, the monkeys would stop resurrecting. The second option would be to slip out through the mist. If we managed that, they wouldn’t be able to chase after us.

Of the two, the quickest and easiest was to simply escape the mist. I prompted the turtle to move faster. There was no time to waste; we absolutely had to get out of this mist.

“Ebron, what part of this doll is the most important?”

Hongryeong asked. It seemed he was thinking the same thing. He must have sensed that our choices in the mist were running thin.

“Don’t worry about the shell; just protect the legs and head,” he answered through the doll standing next to him.

I too infused magic into the turtle, speeding it up. Only then did the monkeys seem to grow anxious and start moving. Had they finished scouting? Dozens, maybe even hundreds of monkeys leaped from the trees, clinging onto the turtle’s body.

Time was of the essence.

“I’ll go ahead. I’ll protect the head and front legs,” Hongryeong said, riding a wind fish. Ignoring the others’ responses, he headed straight for the turtle’s head. He began to hover near the turtle’s head, calmly surveying the surroundings.

“Hmm, I really don’t want to deal with these guys. But hey, it’s a test, after all.”

Aili turned around and headed to the back of the turtle. Blood began to seep from her hands, gushing like a waterfall. She spilled enough to form a small puddle, returning to her position with the attitude that it was enough.

These two seemed remarkably relaxed even in this seemingly dire situation. Surely, their assigned important spots wouldn’t be breached. That left the task of dealing with the swarm of clingy monkeys.

“Could you both guard our sides?” I said through the doll to the remaining two. The Shaking Rope and Siggeo promptly split up and headed for the sides.

The monkeys surged forward all at once. Initially, they simply flung themselves against the turtle’s shell recklessly, but upon realizing its thickness, they abandoned their futile assaults.

Instead, they converged on the exposed spots—the head and the four legs, which I had been worried about. Damn, if only we had more budget and time, I could’ve made it so they could just break through without a second thought.

One group of monkeys tried to climb up the turtle’s legs to pin its massive movements down, while another charged for its head. Each time the turtle moved, the mass of monkeys surrounding it grew denser.

Hongryeong, positioned at the head, was using wind magic to repel the mist monkeys. With wild abandon, he swung blades of wind. The monkeys clinging to the legs had their limbs torn apart by those blades. Since we couldn’t kill the monkeys, it was a splendid strategy to push them back.

“Try not to kill them, just restrain them. They’ll come back anyway.”

Hongryeong communicated this strategy to all team members through the doll.

“Ugh, it’s tough not to kill them. Should I give it a shot?”

Aili whined. When the doll beside her poured her some tea, she accepted it and swirled her fingers. The magic blossomed from her fingertips, creating a rose-shaped magical circle. This magic seeped into the puddle of blood.

The magically infused puddle morphed into a sort of slime, which slithered up the turtle’s legs. The slime expanded, enveloping the monkeys, and within moments, they dissolved.

“Ah, oops! I killed them!”

Aili exclaimed, swirling her hand again. Smaller roses sprouted and settled in the puddle. The puddle began to tremble. The slime broke into smaller clumps, spreading out to melt the monkeys’ limbs.

Cold sweat trickled down my back. It was a horrifying sight. What if that magic turned around and targeted the turtle? While the turtle’s solid shell might hold out, the legs or head would surely melt away.

“So, when can we get out of here?”

Siggeo shouted. He was battling the monkeys climbing up his sides. True to his military background, he seemed incredibly skilled in physical strength and practical magic. Each swing of the large spear he wielded sent monkeys flying. Each of his movements exuded heavy and decisive power.

I did a quick estimate of our distance. The monkeys didn’t start charging until the mist thickened. If this was the heart of the mist, we’d have to move further out than we entered. The mist appeared about an hour ago. But since the turtle was absorbing my magic while we moved, our time would likely decrease.

“We should be out in thirty minutes at the earliest; at the latest, an hour!” I shouted through the doll I had attached to him.

“Haha, then it should be a breeze. A nice warm-up!” Siggeo laughed boisterously as he swung his spear. It seemed we weren’t in any danger of being overwhelmed here. So what about the Shaking Rope? She just stood there, but the monkeys around her were trembling and collapsing.

What the heck was that? I blinked in disbelief.

The Shaking Rope was roaring with laughter as she emitted black smoke from her fingertips. Gone was that timid demeanor from earlier.

That black smoke was devouring the mist that surrounded us. Within it, the monkeys aged rapidly, went blind, and fell ill. It was a remarkably powerful curse. We hadn’t even put up much of a struggle against it. In fact, it was almost sad for the monkeys at that point.

So far, so good. Everyone was holding their ground just fine. We just had to endure a little longer until we escaped the mist.

Time ticked on. Everyone was casually fending off the monkeys from their respective positions. The monkeys, having lost their limbs, plummeted beneath the turtle.

Gradually, the mist began to thin, and the number of monkeys started to dwindle. Was it finally over?

Just as we began to relax, it happened.

Suddenly, the turtle’s front leg sank deep into the ground.

These pesky monkeys had set a trap. They were more cunning than we thought. Since our existing strategy wasn’t working, they must’ve entirely switched tactics. The turtle’s front leg got caught, and its massive body leaned forward. The turtle fell down. The ground shook, and a roar escaped the turtle. No, my precious!

I had been too confident in knowing the way. While I focused on the strands of mist, I neglected the ground beneath me. What a colossal oversight.

In that moment, an overwhelming number of monkeys swarmed the turtle. Their new strategy was crystal clear. The turtle towered above the trees, making it difficult for them to attack. By lowering its immense height with a trap, they allowed themselves to leap onto the turtle from all directions.

I grimaced as I saw the monkeys piling in from all sides until my vision narrowed. Our defense had been breached. Seemingly realizing that restraining them no longer carried any meaning, Hongryeong conjured a blade of wind and swirled it about. The force of the magic he unleashed was immensely powerful.

Yet, the monkeys didn’t fear death. Instead, they charged harder against the wind, determined to hinder the turtle’s rise. They clung desperately to its legs, tearing at the turtle’s scales to prevent it from getting back up.

This seemed to be the monkeys’ final assault. They blocked our escape while throwing their lives away. It was as if the monkeys were raining down on the turtle’s body like persistent raindrops. While we each held our ground, it was clear that with more time, we’d never reach our destination.

The turtle tried to rise but sank heavily back down to the ground. It seemed injured in the legs, making it difficult to keep steady. It couldn’t move anymore. Hmm, maybe it’s time to use that. I had hesitations about using it since it could severely damage the turtle, but at this point, it seemed there were no alternatives.

“Everyone, could you please gather around Aili? We’re planning to get out of here quickly.”

There was a moment of hesitation. I informed my comrades, at which point Siggeo expressed concern.

“What about the monkeys?”

“Just leave them be,” I replied calmly. My words sent the team swiftly retreating from their respective zones to gather around.

“So, what’s the plan?”

Siggeo asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead. The doll waiting behind him handed him a towel soaked in water. Siggeo stared at it in disbelief for a moment before accepting it and wiping his face.

“Hold on, I’ll protect the turtle first. Then I’ll bring you to where I am, so don’t worry.”

I maneuvered the turtle. Its head and legs retreated into its shell. The monkeys attempted to pursue, but I altered the shell to seal off all the gaps. There was no way for them to break through this wall with their means of attack.

Simultaneously, the ground where my companions were stationed gave way, pulling them into the turtle’s body. The destination was my workshop. To be honest, I hadn’t planned on bringing anyone here… I chuckled bitterly.

This crisis arose from my negligence. If I hadn’t fallen into the trap, we wouldn’t have to suffer this ordeal, so I had to take responsibility. It was unavoidable.

Soon, they found themselves in the workshop. They glanced around slowly. Aili, having noticed the dolls I had recently created, started inspecting them with fascination. The others approached me, who had been sipping tea by the workbench.

The ever-efficient dolls served them chairs. The team naturally sat down, and the dolls poured tea for them. Siggeo frowned.

“Hah, while we were sweating it out, you were lounging here!”

I waved my hands defensively. “That’s a misunderstanding! I was busy moving the turtle until just now. Now that I don’t need to anymore, I’m just taking a little break!”

Siggeo frowned at my demeanor, unimpressed.

“So why did you gather us?”

Hongryeong asked. Despite pouring massive amounts of magic to fend off the monkeys, there wasn’t a hint of weariness on his face. He must already have a plan to escape this mist. That kind of confidence was evident in his actions.

“The mist is nearing its end. According to my senses, we have about ten more minutes to go.”

“Are we to move separately then?” Hongryeong raised an eyebrow slightly.

I shook my head.

“No, considering how this turned out, I’m taking the responsibility, so I’ll move us.”

“How do you intend to do that? Isn’t that doll pretty much wrecked?” Siggeo asked, intrigued.

“What’s visible is merely a fraction of the doll’s numerous functions. I’m going to bind your bodies for a moment, so I would appreciate it if you stay still. Though, if you don’t want to, feel free. Just know it’s going to get quite bumpy from here on out.”

The dolls displayed soft fabric to them. After receiving their consent, the dolls bound them to their chairs. Once finished, the dolls melded into one wall of the workshop. Things were about to get quite wild, so we needed to keep them anchored.

As I heard the sound of monkeys banging on the turtle’s shell, I began rocking the turtle back and forth. Ignoring their attacks, the turtle started to wobble. As the turtle’s shell waved like the ocean, it sprang to the side with a jolt. The entire workshop tilted along with it.

“It’s going to get pretty dizzying, so try to stabilize yourselves with magic,” I warned in advance. Perhaps imagining what was about to happen, varied expressions appeared on their faces. Then, the turtle began to spin like a top. The trap was so deep that the turtle spun ferociously in place. I completely disregarded the conditions and accelerated the spinning.

Finally, the turtle launched forward, deftly cutting through the trap as it began to roll away.

The spinning turtle ground everything in its path into dust—trees, rocks, monkeys. It started tearing through everything. How long did we run like that before the surrounding mist abruptly began to lift? The end of the mist was drawing near.

When I felt we had made enough progress to be completely free, I ejected the team outside.

“Ugh… My stomach…”

The Shaking Rope instinctively dashed to a corner and retched up all the dizziness she had accumulated.

“Haha, that was entertaining!” Siggeo laughed heartily. Aili nodded in agreement.

“With such a great method, why didn’t we use it sooner?”

Siggeo joked. He was a man of clear emotions, everything showing plainly on his face and in his actions. I realized that through all our experiences up to this point.

“Haha, it’s just too exhausting. And as you’ve experienced, it’s still not entirely stable. If the legs hadn’t been damaged, I wouldn’t have had to resort to this.”

Outwardly I laughed, but inwardly I was shedding tears of blood. The sapling was weeping quietly as well. The intense spin had ravished the magic in the shell significantly. To repair all that damage, I was going to have to dedicate at least a full day to fixing things.

Before us loomed tall mountains still. We had only just completed half of our journey. I checked the time. A mere six hours had passed since we started. Everyone sighed resignedly. It didn’t seem likely that this task would wrap up quickly.

I refocused on the turtle. I started extracting the hidden legs and head once more. With a thud, the ground rumbled. The wounds left from the earlier skirmish were laid bare. The scales were half torn away, exposing the inner wood, deeply gouged, damaging the circuits.

“Isn’t it done for now? Can’t it move?” Siggeo queried.

“No, it can recover quickly. Just take a moment to rest.”

There was plenty of material around. The woods scattered nearby could be gathered quickly. I could restore it enough to get it moving again in no time. The real issue was its resilience. It wouldn’t be able to endure like it did before. But I doubted there would be any problem in picking up speed.

The turtle opened its mouth and spat out the dolls. The dolls moved in an orderly manner, setting up tables and chairs, preparing refreshments. Aili eagerly plopped down and sipped her tea. Her expression told me she was thoroughly enjoying it. Hongryeong also sat down slowly, savoring the snacks.

“Hmm, we have some time to spare, so taking a break isn’t a bad idea.” Siggeo remarked. The other two joined him at the table to unwind.

With a deep breath, I examined the turtle’s injuries. We couldn’t afford to remain stagnant. I gathered the necessary woods from around and began to mend the damaged sections one by one. I couldn’t predict how many more incidents we’d face before reaching our destination.

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