I Became the Academy’s Genius Shikigami Summoner – Chapter 156

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓𝟔

As the promised period drew near, I submitted my dispatch order to the academy and headed toward the Red Unit’s hideout with Arietta.

Although they were known for their independence, it seemed that they were, after all, affiliated with the Exorcism Headquarters, as they possessed a rather stylish space.

Shin No-eul welcomed us there in person after receiving our invitation.

“Okay, you all arrived on time. I officially welcome you to the Red Unit.”

“Thank you. We will be in your care for a month.”

Shin No-eul showed us where to unpack and stay, then immediately introduced us to the members.

“Everyone, say hello. These are the juniors who might become full-fledged members.”

“Oh, they’re the ones in the rumors. . . . . .”

“I can’t believe you actually brought them. I honestly didn’t think you would.”

The atmosphere among the members seemed quite harmonious. There was no discord among them, and they seemed to trust and follow their team leader, Shin No-eul.

Since there seemed to be no need to be overly cautious, I nodded my head in satisfaction and greeted the members in turn.

After exchanging brief introductions, Shin No-eul gave us a brief explanation of what we would be doing in the future.

“Well, although this is an experience, it’s based on the assumption that you’ve actually joined, so you’ll join us on every mission we undertake. Of course, we don’t intend to throw you into anything too difficult right away, so don’t be too nervous.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Red Unit is an organization created to undertake special missions rather than ordinary tasks.

Therefore, unlike Defense Corps exorcists, they are not responsible for ensuring the safety of a particular area or patrolling.

“Instead, we tend to get involved in more dangerous situations. Basically, we eliminate wanted criminals or special criminals in the shamanistic world, provide emergency support for the subjugation of high-ranking yokai, and serve as bodyguards for various high-ranking individuals.”

Her words were simple, but it was obvious that each of these tasks would be quite troublesome if they actually unfolded before our eyes.

It was understandable that the average level of the members was high, given that they were entrusted with such tasks.

“. . .What about when there are no missions?”

In response to Arietta’s question, Shin No-eul nodded as if it were a valid question and replied.

“We do rest, but most of the time we train. After all, this is a place where combat instincts are paramount. Since it’s about time anyway, why don’t we start now that the subject has come up?”

Clap!

As Shin No-eul clapped her hands loudly, members who had been resting somewhere began to gather one by one and prepare.

We followed them to the training ground that had been prepared.

“We mainly do sparring or customized individual training, but let’s start with this for now.”

As Shin No-eul manipulated the device, several small birds suddenly began to fly through the air.

They were makeshift shikigami that seemed to have been created as targets.

“The white ones are basic spells, the black ones are intermediate spells, and don’t drop the red ones. Jin-ho, you show them how it’s done.”

“What a pain. . . . . .”

The man who eventually emerged was named Yoo Jin-ho, and I confirmed that his level was 54.

He was one of the two 1st-grade exorcists in the Red Unit.

“. . .I’ll just do what I usually do, so watch closely and don’t miss a thing.”

After uttering those curt words, he began to shoot spells with remarkable accuracy and speed, taking down the targets one after another.

Just as Shin No-eul had explained, the white birds were basic spells, and the black birds were intermediate spells.

However, he never touched the red birds.

「. . .𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙨𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘.」

It’s certainly a good training exercise that allows you to develop many of the skills required in actual combat.

Red Unit was definitely an organization that intrigued me more and more the more I learned about it.

Yoo Jin-ho quickly finished his training, and two more members demonstrated their skills.

As they were 2nd-grade exorcists, they were not as skilled as Yoo Jin-ho, but they were both quite proficient in handling spells.

After watching the members, Shin No-eul smiled in satisfaction and addressed us.

“So, even though it’s your first day, would you like to give it a try?”

“Yes. We will.”

There was no reason to refuse, so Arietta and I stretched out our hands and stepped forward.

After all, if we were thinking about the future, it would be easier to gain their trust by proving our skills and earning their respect.

“. . .I’ll go first.”

Arietta stepped forward and, after activating the device in the same way, stared intently at the birds that had begun to fly through the air.

And then, the next moment.

Whoosh.

Bam!

Ping!

Beep!

Ping!

Spells were fired in rapid succession, accurately hitting the targets without missing by a single inch.

It took her a mere 5 minutes and 41 seconds to complete the set. That was a whole 13 seconds faster than Yoo Jin-ho had been earlier.

“Whoa.”

“Huh. . . . . .”

“What the heck, is that really only 5 minutes?”

Shin No-eul let out an exclamation, and Yoo Jin-ho, who had been yawning with a bored expression, snapped to attention and turned his gaze to Arietta.

The other members looked as if they couldn’t even be sure what had just happened.

「𝙎𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙨𝙩, 𝙩𝙤𝙤.」

Yoo Jin-ho probably wasn’t using his full power, but even so, it’s amazing that Arietta, who was new to the training, was able to surpass his record.

As the stunned gazes remained fixed on Arietta, they gradually shifted one by one to me.

I, too, wondered if I, as Arietta’s companion, possessed a similar level of skill.

「𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙙.」

I’m sorry to say, but I’m different from Arietta.

Arietta demonstrated such skill simply through her own innate talent and ability.

However, for me, this type of training was something I had repeated so often that I was sick of it.

「𝙊𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙪𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙖 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨, 𝙨𝙤 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨.」

Over there, it was called the Tower of Trials event.

It was a place where various obstacles were prepared to evaluate a player’s control and skill, and like other rankers, I did my best to set new records there.

So I can say with certainty that I am very good at this type of training.

And that confidence soon proved to be true.

Flap!

Swish!

「12 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚, 9 𝙧𝙚𝙙, 10 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠.」

As soon as the makeshift shikigami appeared, I grasped their exact number and instantly sketched the optimal plan in my head.

The type and number of spells required, the most efficient order, and even the timing.

All that remained was to execute it without wasting a single second.

Whoosh.

Bam!

Bam!

Clang!

After effortlessly taking down all of the targets, I turned my body with a leisurely air and looked toward the members.

Naturally, their reactions were unanimous.

“What the hell. . . . . .”

“3 minutes and 59 seconds? How can you be so fast?”

“Oh my, that’s really. . . .”

They looked bewildered, as if they were staring at a monster.

However, it was nothing special. They were simply training to improve their abilities, but I had literally repeated research and experiments to set the fastest possible records.

The direction of our goals was different from the beginning, so it was only natural that the results would be different.

But whatever my thoughts, Shin No-eul and the other Red Unit members began to view me differently after this one incident.

Shin No-eul, who eventually applauded, approached us and offered her praise.

“This is beyond my expectations. It’s really rare to find an exorcist who can do this from the start. You will definitely be a great asset to us right away.”

It was the highest possible compliment, effectively acknowledging our skills, and the members nodded in agreement, albeit with some bewilderment.

It was a rather noisy but, in its own way, splendid initiation ceremony.

🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷

Several days had passed since I began my association with Red Unit.

During that time, we had gradually become more in sync with the members through repeated training, and we were finally granted permission to accompany them on external activities.

“We just happened to get a mission. The content is the pursuit and capture of two former state-certified exorcists who have become criminals. You will join us today.”

“Yes. Understood.”

“There’s no need to overdo it, just watch how things unfold. Doo-sik, you take charge of these two and show them around. Can you do that?”

“I understand. Okay! You just follow me.”

Lee Doo-sik, the vice-captain of Red Unit and another 1st-grade exorcist besides Yoo Jin-ho.

He led me and Arietta out with a hearty laugh, preparing to depart.

After making our preparations in this manner, we arrived in Daejeon, where the target’s trail had last been detected, at Shin No-eul’s direction.

And it was there that I was able to confirm the true worth of the special-grade exorcist Shin No-eul.

Whoosh.

Swish!

“I found them. They’re hiding in the mountains, away from the houses.”

Watching that scene, I was quite surprised and asked Lee Doo-sik, who was standing next to me.

“Did the Team Leader just use a detection spell?”

“Yeah. Surprised? Even you’ve never seen anything like that before, have you?”

It took her a while, but as soon as it was activated, it covered the entire surrounding area with an incredible detection spell.

Furthermore, judging from the place she was pointing to, the radius was clearly more than 10 kilometers.

「𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖.」

The consumption of spiritual power alone would be enormous, and no matter how much you widen the radius of the spell, there is a limit to human cognitive ability.

Even a fool would know how difficult it is to discern every object and living thing within that 10-kilometer radius.

And yet, Shin No-eul was doing it without any sign of difficulty.

「. . .𝙄𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙭𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙖?」

I didn’t know about it before, but she’s a very valuable asset. Her abilities would definitely come in handy in the upcoming Night Parade of a Hundred Demons incident.

「𝙄 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚.」

I renewed my determination and joined the members in forming a cordon around the outskirts of the mountain.

Myudusa wouldn’t show up until a little later anyway.

For now, I had to focus on the situation at hand.

Of course, Myudusa was the biggest concern, but every single mission that Red Unit undertook was far from easy.

If I let my attention wander and became careless, I could end up paying a heavy price.

As I was bracing myself, a brief voice from Yoo Jin-ho came through the communicator that had been individually issued to us.

Beep!

『Team 1 is closing in. Both of them are heading toward Team 3.』

“Damn, I thought that would be the least likely escape route. . . . . .”

It seemed that the opponent had decided to break through here, probably because they had anticipated that.

Lee Doo-sik, who seemed to judge that both of them would be somewhat dangerous to deal with, opened his mouth with a subtle expression, looking at us.

“Honestly, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to take care of you while I’m dealing with those two, so will you stay out of the way?”

“If it’s okay with you, we’ll take care of one of them.”

“Team Leader told me not to let you fight. . . . . ., but whatever. I like your spirit!”

The way to gain the trust of the members during the remaining period is simple.

Just prove your skills in actual combat.

Sensing the presence that was gradually approaching, I quietly drew upon my spiritual power.

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