Despite being battered and bruised, Liz refused to back down.

If she didn’t stop it, the dragon’s attack would target the school and everyone in it.

“Not on my watch!”

She caught sight of the dragon looming over Jaesang Lee, gathering dark mana as if ready to strike at any moment.

Liz quickly assessed the situation, noting Shin Haeryeong and Bae Jaeho standing nearby, and sprang into action.

[No!]

She had to get it away from them, and fast.

With all her strength, Liz grabbed hold of the dragon.

– Flap!

Its massive wings began to beat, and Liz, clinging to the dragon, was lifted into the sky.

Even as the dragon thrashed violently, inflicting more wounds, Liz held on.

[Ugh…!]

Gritting her teeth, she steered the dragon higher into the air.

The two dragons became mere specks against the sky.

“Liz…”

“Is that really Liz?”

“Yes.”

“Then we should help her…!”

Shin Haeryeong’s suggestion was met with a shake of Jaesang’s head.

“Half-baked magic won’t help.”

Any spells they cast would be blocked by the dragon’s decay magic.

“…I understand.”

Haeryeong quickly realized the truth of his words.

“What should I do, then?”

“Fix this.”

Jaesang handed her a Dragonyx.

“This is…”

It was a gun she had never seen before, but the mana emanating from it suggested it was a magic bullet gun.

“It’s malfunctioning because of mana jamming.”

If he had the time, Jaesang could fix it himself, but time was a luxury he didn’t have.

Fortunately, he had already noticed Haeryeong’s talent for magical engineering and devices.

Hadn’t she been fixing the classroom equipment when they first met?

“Think you can handle it?”

Of course, a simple magical device and a Dragonyx were worlds apart.

But Haeryeong replied confidently.

“Of course. I’m better with machines than you are, sir.”

Her confidence stemmed from her trust in Jaesang.

He wouldn’t entrust her with this without a reason.

He was never one to act without a plan.

Hadn’t she seen that from the very first class?

How meticulous Jaesang was.

“True. I still don’t know where the podium button is.”

“You never use it anyway.”

Haeryeong chuckled softly.

She quickly set the Dragonyx on the ground and began drawing a magic circle with a stone.

Tools for repairs emerged from her skirt.

She knew she had a knack for magical engineering, but carrying tools everywhere was another level of preparedness.

“You’re impressively prepared.”

“I often fix the machines at school.”

Why a first-year student was doing that, Jaesang didn’t know.

He turned to Bae Jaeho next.

“Jaeho, I need you to help replenish the mana. So…”

“…I’ll start drawing.”

Before Jaesang could finish, Jaeho had already pulled out a piece of chalk and was sketching a large magic circle on the ground.

‘As expected.’

Jaesang had been observing Jaeho closely.

Not just because he thought Jaeho might make a good researcher.

Jaeho’s understanding of magic circles was unusually advanced.

The reason was still a mystery, but that wasn’t important right now.

‘Let’s trust his instincts.’

With just three lines drawn, Jaesang could tell Jaeho was crafting the exact spell he needed.

“Synthia, I’m going to meditate. Can you assist me?”

“Of course! Leave it to me!”

Jaesang sat cross-legged on the ground and closed his eyes.

Haeryeong glanced at him in silent admiration.

‘Meditating in this situation? How rational can he be?’

He seemed to act on impulse most of the time.

But no, he was more rational than anyone in most situations.

Rational thinking was a fundamental quality for a mage.

Haeryeong thought there was much to learn from him.

‘Let’s hurry.’

With Synthia’s assistance, Jaesang entered a meditative state, eyes closed, oblivious to his surroundings.

There was a palpable sense of trust.

‘I can’t let him down.’

Haeryeong activated the 30cm magic circle.

Blue mana rose like a hologram, revealing the Dragonyx’s structure as if seen through an X-ray.

‘…What is this?’

But she faced a challenge right from the start.

The Dragonyx’s design was unlike anything she had ever seen.

‘Why does this line go here…? How does this work?’

The Dragonyx was a magical device capable of firing mana bullets with several times the power of a typical magic gun.

It was natural for Haeryeong to be flustered by a tool she had never encountered before.

‘How do I… No, stay calm.’

‘There must be a reason the teacher entrusted this to me.’

She refocused on the Dragonyx.

‘Don’t let preconceived notions cloud your judgment.’

Calming herself, she slowly channeled mana into the device.

‘It’s just another magical device. The basic principles are similar.’

She spotted a point where the mana flow was blocked.

This was likely the cause of the malfunction.

‘Good.’

Haeryeong swiftly disassembled the Dragonyx.

To avoid mistakes during reassembly, she memorized the position and order of every component in reverse.

Sweat trickled down her forehead.

But she was too absorbed to wipe it away.

‘This part is blocked too.’

Her hands moved deftly over the Dragonyx.

She cleared the jamming points one by one.

‘Steady now.’

She began reassembling the Dragonyx.

Given it was her first time with such a device, she took care not to make any errors.

Following the basic principle that reassembly is the reverse of disassembly, the Dragonyx quickly regained its form.

‘Is it done?’

Wiping the sweat from her brow with her sleeve, Haeryeong sent a stream of mana into the Dragonyx.

The first jamming point.

It passed smoothly.

The second jamming point.

No issues there either.

The final jamming point.

The mana hesitated for a moment.

– Shoom

But then it flowed smoothly.

‘It’s done!’

Haeryeong quickly ended the spell and placed the Dragonyx in front of Jaesang.

Despite the noise, Jaesang remained still.

A blue aura surrounded him.

Haeryeong stepped back and turned to Bae Jaeho.

He was drawing over twenty lines on the ground.

‘What kind of magic circle is that…?’

She had never seen anything like it.

– Rumble.

Amazingly, Jaeho was adding even more lines to the already complex magic circle.

It was a spell Haeryeong had never encountered.

The most intricate magic she knew had only fifteen lines.

‘What is he…? No, don’t think about it now.’

She decided to set aside her curiosity about Jaeho for later.

“It’s done.”

Jaeho spoke briefly, then looked at Jaesang.

The once erratic mana around Jaesang was stabilizing.

The improvement was evident as Synthia’s previously transparent form became more distinct.

And soon.

“It’s ready.”

Jaesang’s eyes snapped open.

He picked up the Dragonyx from the ground.

He didn’t even check if it was fixed.

Trust?

No, it wasn’t that.

He had sensed the improved mana flow with a single touch.

“The Dragonyx is fine.”

Jaesang stepped into the center of Jaeho’s magic circle.

Standing in the middle of the three-meter-wide circle, he examined the lines and gave Jaeho a thumbs-up.

“The magic circle is excellent. Alright then.”

He looked up at the sky.

The fierce battle above was evident from the flashes of mana clashing in the clouded night sky.

Jaesang shouted as loudly as he could toward the heavens.

“Come back!!!! Liz!!!!!”

His voice wasn’t loud.

But with a dragon’s hearing, she would surely hear it.

– Flap.

As expected, Liz landed swiftly, her massive wings beating the air.

Her body was covered in wounds from the intense battle.

“Liz, you did well.”

“Do you have a plan, sir?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I got it!”

Liz’s body began to glow, gradually shrinking back to her usual form.

Despite the injuries, she smiled as if nothing was wrong.

“What about the dragon?”

“I left it behind when you called.”

“Good job.”

The dragon would return soon.

They had only a few seconds, but that was enough.

“Can you lend me some mana? All three of you.”

At Jaesang’s request, Liz, Haeryeong, and Jaeho gathered around the magic circle.

“Let’s begin.”

Jaesang activated the magic circle.

Its purpose was simple: to transfer mana.

For a being of divine power, it might not be necessary, but to transfer mana completely, the magic circle was essential.

‘It was also Jaeho’s Olympiad research project.’

That’s why he could entrust it to Jaeho.

Blind faith in his students wasn’t Jaesang’s style.

– Swoosh….

Blue lines extended from the circle, connecting to Jaesang.

His mana reservoir began to fill, shimmering with a gentle blue light.

A soft breeze stirred around him.

“It’s coming!”

At Jaesang’s shout, the dragon appeared high in the sky.

“Synthia!”

“Leave it to me!”

The distance had kept them safe until now, but at this proximity, they were within the range of the decay magic.

Fortunately, the water barrier Synthia conjured mitigated its effects.

“Hana, do you remember what we did earlier?”

“Earlier… Oh!”

Recalling the battle against ten dark sorcerers, Hana quickly understood what Jaesang was about to ask.

“Where should I aim?”

“Quick on the uptake, I like it. Right here.”

Jaesang tapped the back of his neck to indicate the target.

“Got it!”

Hana stretched out her hands, ready to open a portal.

– Roarrrrr!!!!!

The bone dragon descended rapidly, as if it would devour Jaesang and everyone else at any moment.

‘I’m ready.’

Pure mana, almost as potent as the divine energy he once received, surged through Jaesang’s body. Among it was the mana of a dragon.

– Hum…!

The draconic weapon vibrated intensely, responding to the dragon’s mana. Though the unsealing was temporary, it was enough for now. All that mattered was defeating the bone dragon.

With the temporary release, the weapon could hold more mana than ever before.

‘Fill the barrel with mana.’

The gun barrel glowed brighter than usual, charged with mana.

‘Fire a light-attribute bullet.’

His thumb deftly rotated the chamber, selecting the light-attribute bullet. Light magic could pierce through the dark sorcery.

‘Aim for the back of its neck.’

Though Hana had only recently awakened her abilities, she was confident. She had already proven herself against the dark sorcerers earlier.

‘Gather it all.’

His finger lightly touched the trigger.

‘Fire.’

The trigger was pulled gently, but the bullet that shot out was anything but gentle.

– Whoosh!!!

The bullet, infused with a massive amount of mana, transformed into a spear of light, disappearing into a portal that appeared in mid-air.

Its destination was clear: above the bone dragon.

But then, Hana gasped, covering her mouth.

“Oh no!”

The dragon had momentarily halted, dodging the bullet.

“It’s my fault…!”

She thought it was all over, blaming herself for the missed shot, tears welling up.

But then.

“Don’t panic.”

A calm voice reached her ears. Turning, she saw Jaesang smiling.

“If you make a mistake, just try again.”

Encouraged, Hana looked back at the sky. The bullet was still descending, not yet reaching the ground.

Not yet. It wasn’t over.

‘I can do this!’

She quickly created another portal. Just before the bullet hit the ground, it vanished into the portal once more.

– Roar-aaa!!!!

The bone dragon began gathering black mana in its mouth, true to its name as a calamity dragon.

But.

“Sorry, but.”

Jaesang grinned.

“You’ll have to keep that mouth shut.”

Simultaneously.

– Whoosh.

A portal opened above the bone dragon’s head.

– Crackle!!!

The spear of light, brimming with mana, shot down like a missile, targeting the back of its neck.

The dragon tried to dodge again, but this time it couldn’t.

– Crack!!!!

The spear struck precisely at the magic circle inscribed on its neck.

And then.

– Roarrrr!!!!

A pained scream echoed.

– Roarrr!!!!

The bone dragon, its mouth full of black mana, attempted to unleash its breath in all directions, but.

– Crack…!

Before it could, cracks began to form in its seemingly impenetrable bones.

– Crackle…!

What started as a few fissures quickly multiplied.

White light seeped through the widening cracks.

The bone dragon was falling, powerless.

“It’s falling, sir!”

“It’s alright.”

Despite Haeryeong’s concern, Jaesang remained calm, as if he knew the outcome.

“The end of dark magic is always the same.”

As he spoke.

– Shatter!

The falling bone dragon’s body began to disintegrate into dust.

Even the last remaining bones crumbled into powder, scattering with the wind.

“…!”

Hana and Haeryeong’s eyes widened in disbelief.

– Whoosh….

After a brief silence.

“I-Is it over…?”

Hana’s question was answered by Jaesang’s smiling face.

“Yes.”

“Wow!!!!”

At that moment, Cynthia rushed to Jaesang, embracing him.

“Contractor! You’re alive, right?! You’re not dead, right?!”

“As you can see.”

“Huh, huhuhu! We did it. We protected everyone this time. Huhuhu.”

Cynthia, who had feared losing Jaesang, burst into tears.

Watching her, Haeryeong murmured in disbelief.

“…Unbelievable. They really defeated the bone dragon.”

Being only a high school freshman, Haeryeong hadn’t experienced the previous bone dragon incident firsthand. Yet she understood.

What Jaesang had accomplished was beyond the capability of an ordinary teacher.

“See! I told you. Our teacher is truly amazing.”

“Yes. For once, you’re right.”

“Hehe.”

Haeryeong and Liz looked at Jaesang, who was smiling brightly despite being covered in Cynthia’s tears.

“Oh, right.”

Suddenly remembering something, Jaesang approached them.

Hana, Haeryeong, Liz, and Jaeho.

After meeting each of their eyes, Jaesang spoke.

“Good job.”

***

“…Damn it.”

Back in the dark cult’s laboratory, Baran knelt on one knee.

The emotion he felt was clear.

Disbelief.

He had never imagined being defeated by a mere high school teacher.

Looking down at his body, the black mana that should have been solid was dissipating.

A complete defeat.

“Jaesang….”

Was it because he underestimated him?

No, that wasn’t it.

Jaesang always had an ace up his sleeve.

Even under the full moon, he had managed to inflict a critical wound despite Baran’s thirty shadowless spells.

If Baran had pressed harder, Jaesang would have countered with even more formidable tactics.

The outcome wouldn’t have changed.

‘Is my body disintegrating?’

As he watched his body melt away, Baran searched his surroundings.

“Are you alright, Bishop?”

“You. You might be of use to me.”

“Use… Ah! Just tell me what to do… Ugh!”

Baran’s hand clamped tightly around the neck of a low-ranking dark sorcerer who had approached out of concern.

Baran looked at the sorcerer’s face.

He was a newcomer, having joined the dark cult only two months ago.

Though his melting skin dripped onto the sorcerer’s neck, Baran didn’t care.

He simply gazed coldly with his red eyes.

“Why… why are you doing this…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

– Ssss….

Black mana began to rise from the sorcerer’s body.

It wasn’t by his will.

The mana seeped out as if his body had been punctured.

“You will be of use to me. Be grateful.”

Baran smiled chillingly.

“Ugh… Aaaah!!!!”

The black mana, rising from the sorcerer, flowed into Baran.

The sorcerer’s body began to wither rapidly.

The dark laboratory echoed with his screams.

Yet none of the other dark sorcerers present dared to stop Baran.

Not that they could, even if they tried.

“Ah, much better.”

Baran stood, shedding his robe.

His emaciated body, covered in melted flesh and blood, was exposed.

“Bishop.”

A more experienced-looking dark sorcerer approached Baran slowly.

Baran didn’t remember who he was.

He wasn’t the type to remember every member of the dark cult.

He only guessed the sorcerer’s rank from the crescent moon symbol on his chest.

“What is it, brother?”

“The plan you mentioned last time, how should we proceed?”

Baran looked into his eyes.

Even as his body melted, the sorcerer was asking about the next plan.

Baran liked that.

“What’s your name?”

“Ariun.”

Baran gazed into Ariun’s eyes for a moment.

His violet eyes held a calm madness.

“I’ll remember you. Proceed with the plan as discussed. Without any setbacks.”

“Yes, understood. I’ll send it over once it’s ready.”

“Please do. Can I see the status?”

“Of course, Bishop.”

Following Ariun’s lead, Baran headed deeper into the laboratory.

They stopped at the end of a long corridor, reminiscent of a hospital.

“The preparation is about 30% complete. At this rate… we should be able to awaken it in about a month.”

Baran smiled at this.

Why had he lost this time?

Jaesang’s abilities were far beyond his expectations, but…

Fundamentally, it was impatience.

Even with the full moon rising soon…

He decided to wait for the next opportunity.

To employ even more powerful methods.

“Please ensure we’re ready for revenge next month.”

“Yes. All according to the demon’s will.”

Ariun tapped his chest twice, a salute unique to the dark cult, pledging his heart to the demon.

But Baran’s gaze was no longer on him.

It was fixed beyond.

On the presence that filled the vast laboratory.

Baran smiled.

The only reason Lee Jaesang was able to defeat the dragon was because it was a mere imitation.

But then.

“What about the real one?” he mused, a slender crescent of a smile forming on his lips.

In Baran’s crimson eyes, something enormous was reflected.

It was unmistakably the corpse of a real dragon.