Magic Academy's Genius Blinker Chapter 536: Green Core (1)

One might aptly call the Wailing Cliffs—where the Dark Mage King’s ominous black fortress looms—the very brink of the world.

Traveling via airship from Stella demands enduring one or two entire days of nonstop jolts from chaotic winds and airborne beasts just to arrive.

Yet Ma Yu-Seong skipped all that ordeal. He merely seized the necklace dangling from his neck, shut his eyes, murmured a spell, and teleported right to the fortress.

This stemmed from the powers of the legendary necklace [My Beloved Homeland], hailed as the most enigmatic and precious relic ever. The Dark Mage King bestowed this invaluable gem on Ma Yu-Seong without a second thought.

And that wasn’t everything.

The Dark Mage King poured every resource into aiding Ma Yu-Seong, who possessed the unique blend of dark mage and human traits, granting him exclusive experiences like admission to Stella Academy that no other dark mage could dream of. That fact alone reveals the immense favoritism shown to him.

A few of the Dark Mage King’s offspring began as humans, transformed into dark mages, and were then taken in.

Dark mages chant envy and fury, casting aside their human essence.

They dwelled in the shadows of prodigies, fleeing to the dark mages’ realm to salvage their pride. But even there, a fresh genius arose.

It took little thought to grasp the deep resentment all the Dark Mage King’s children harbored toward Ma Yu-Seong.

Ooooooooh—!

"Get lost, Ma Yu-Seong! This is no place for you!"

True to form, jeers erupted across the cliffs like a unified howl the instant Ma Yu-Seong reached the black fortress.

A vague notion struck Ma Yu-Seong that today’s barbs cut deeper than before, though it failed to ruffle him much.

No matter their snarls—

Ma Yu-Seong couldn’t care less.

Screech—Boom!

Upon nearing the fortress entrance, Ma Yu-Seong watched the drawbridge drop between the cliffs and the gate. Unlike human versions, this one appeared ancient, crude, and hazardous—yet it saw no use, as dark mages never tread it.

Vast in scale, the drawbridge nearly qualified as a modest hamlet. Midway across, as Ma Yu-Seong advanced with measured strides, he met another figure.

"...You’ve finally arrived."

Standing there was a form sheathed in black armor matching the Dark Mage King’s, the entity called the Dark Knight.

Once hailed as a king, the Dark Knight eradicated his whole royal lineage and razed an entire kingdom solo before embracing dark magehood.

Having toppled a realm as a human, his prowess as a dark mage boggles the mind.

"It’s been a while."

Ma Yu-Seong offered a refined greeting, human-style.

The Dark Knight regarded him in silence.

Showing human manners upon returning to the Dark Mage King’s stronghold—the overlord of all dark mages—was no accident. The Dark Knight grasped the intent perfectly.

Ma Yu-Seong declared plainly, ’I stand apart from you.’

"What brings you here?"

"...I’ve come to see my father."

No accident marked the subtle flicker on Ma Yu-Seong’s face at uttering ’father.’

After scrutinizing him, the Dark Knight slammed his foot down hard.

Boom!

"What nonsense. When your father was fighting and bleeding on the battlefield, where were you, and what were you doing?"

"As per his orders, I was carrying out my duties at Stella Academy," Ma Yu-Seong replied calmly.

"You must have known that your father was under attack. Was it not possible for you to think of returning immediately?"

"I believed that the great and mighty Dark Mage King would handle it on his own. I didn’t expect him to be injured in the process."

"Injuries? That’s not the point here. What matters is that you didn’t return. Are you truly thinking of betraying the dark mages, Ma Yu-Seong?"

Though Ma Yu-Seong had countered the Dark Knight’s barbs with sharp wit, this accusation left him without a fitting retort.

"Ma Yu-Seong, think carefully. Do you really believe you could live as a human if it weren’t for your father? Do you think you could have attended Stella Academy? No, you couldn’t have done anything on your own. You were born with a destiny shaped by your father."

Closing in on Ma Yu-Seong, the Dark Knight jabbed a finger his way while pressing on.

"If it weren’t for your father, you would be nothing but trash. You wouldn’t even have been human, you would have lived as worthless refuse and died as such!"

Ma Yu-Seong stayed mute amid the Dark Knight’s raging shouts and escalating tone, bereft of any comeback.

"Are you enjoying life as a human? Does pretending to be one bring you such joy? If that's the case, then dedicate yourself even more fully to your father. All your achievements as a 'human' stem from his support."

"...You're right," Ma Yu-Seong conceded. Every word from the Dark Knight rang true without deception.

However—

"My father is a truly severe man. On his orders, I lived among humans, and there I found a faint ray of light. After beholding such a dazzling realm, why force me back into shadows? Why burden me with this torment?"

"Don't label the existence of a dark mage as 'darkness,' Ma Yu-Seong."

"No, it is darkness. You're self-centered, obsessed with power, fueled by brutal urges to kill. That's no shining life—it's a miserable one, guided by foul shadows, drifting endlessly like a specter. I refuse to take even a single step further into that abyss."

"I understand."

The Dark Knight nodded slowly, grasping Ma Yu-Seong’s declaration.

In a different way—

"Stella Academy, where the youngest prodigies with exceptional talents converge, right? You've only glimpsed the most brilliant aspects of human existence and fooled yourself in the process."

"What are you implying?"

"Did you know your father once studied at Stella Academy too?"

"I..."

Ma Yu-Seong's face stiffened. This was knowledge entirely new to him.

"Dark mages embody darkness. Yet, without light in us, the surface flaws you perceive are our entirety."

"That's precisely my point..."

"Wrong. Humans possess those brilliant, glowing stars. But precisely because of that, their contrasting shadows are far deeper, viler than ours. You've never witnessed the horrifying underbelly of humanity."

Ma Yu-Seong shook his head firmly. He'd never encountered horror among humans.

In his eyes, humans remained eternally noble and untainted.

Such was Ma Yu-Seong's firm belief.

"The Dark Mage King erred."

The Dark Knight let out a mocking snort.

"Your father studied at Stella Academy, exposed to humanity's foulest traits. Simultaneously, he recognized his own boundaries. He decided nothing more worthwhile remained to be gained there."

"You're claiming my father was at Stella Academy? That's... hard to accept."

"Abeline Starberg."

...

A name all too well-known, often cited in history texts.

Fifty years prior—

Precisely when Ma Yu-Seong’s father rose as the Dark Mage King—

He had disappeared from Stella Academy, embracing the dark mages' path.

The figure who abandoned Stella Academy to forge his shadowy realm was none other than Abeline Starberg.

"That's your father’s true name."

Ma Yu-Seong recoiled instinctively. The legendary archmage from history... his own father?

If true, then why?

Why would a human like his father forsake his own kind?

Had his father beheld humanity's complete depravity, a sight Ma Yu-Seong had yet to face?

"Elthman Elwin... as anticipated from such a shrewd individual. The instant he learned of your enrollment, he deliberately sowed agents into Stella Academy."

"...You mean dark mages?"

"Exactly. From Vice Principal Archie Hayden onward, numerous dark mages slipped into Stella Academy unchallenged. I initially saw him as negligent, but his cunning exceeds my expectations."

"Why resort to such measures...?"

"Why? To mask humanity's inherent flaws with dark mages. Elthman Elwin coveted you as well."

Ma Yu-Seong balled his hands into fists.

Despite this revelation, comprehension eluded him.

"Why... why target me like this? I'm insignificant, a mere nobody. All I desire is a peaceful existence..."

"Quiet living isn't possible for you, Ma Yu-Seong. Your father bestowed upon you the world's most perilous and potent gift."

As Ma Yu-Seong retreated, the Dark Knight advanced to close the gap.

He jabbed a finger hard into Ma Yu-Seong’s chest and declared,

"From birth, you've excelled at everything. Any goal you pursued came effortlessly. It overshadowed the efforts of so-called human prodigies."

"Did you believe that was solely your ability? Far from it. That prowess is the fruit of your father’s lifelong dedication, polished into perfection over decades. You've merely inherited a complete treasure and strutted with false pride as if it were yours... Now, without that gift, would human life still delight you?"

A existence shrouded in despair, where relentless effort yields no glimmer of hope. A existence where endless studying keeps you from even glimpsing the geniuses forever outpacing you. A existence where all your hard-earned accomplishments get erased by a single casual gesture from a genius.

"If you had ever experienced limits while living as a human... would you have still enjoyed that life?"

Ma Yu-Seong found himself unable to respond.

How was that possible?

The realization hit that every bit of happiness at Stella Academy, every moment of delight, stemmed solely from his father.

Still, he had rejected his father throughout his whole life.

"I... I..."

"Go see your father, Ma Yu-Seong. Bow your head to him and beg for forgiveness. Bang your forehead against the ground until your worthless head cracks open and apologize!"

Having bellowed those cruel words, the Dark Knight drew a deep breath. Then, with a gentle hand on Ma Yu-Seong’s shoulder, he continued softly.

"And then, become my... our king. That is the only way you can atone to your father."

Shock widened Ma Yu-Seong’s eyes.

The road leading to Dark Mage King.

Such a road clashed against every principle he had upheld until now. However, those principles were forged by his father.

Therefore, following his father’s wish left him no alternative.

What an utterly twisted irony.

Ma Yu-Seong remained rooted in place, speechless and motionless, lips sealed shut, head lowered. He couldn’t even lift his eyes to face the Dark Knight.

"I will give you some time to think it over. Once you’ve sorted everything out, come inside and meet your father."

Content that Ma Yu-Seong had plenty to mull over, the Dark Knight turned to smoke and vanished. Now, Ma Yu-Seong alone lingered there.

The mocking shouts that once rang through the air had faded away.

Not even the crows, hesitant to caw near the Dark Mage King’s youngest son, made a sound.

While Ma Yu-Seong pondered atop the hushed cliffs, a subtle buzz hummed from his pocket. His portable alarm clock chimed right on schedule.

As he fished it out from his pocket, a tiny notebook tumbled to the earth. Instinctively, Ma Yu-Seong checked the date inscribed on it.

[October 4th, 6:27:39 PM!]

[The day to find the best restaurant!]

Eisel’s handwriting filled the page.

Why demand a meeting at precisely 6:27:39 PM?

The explanation was as absurd as it appeared.

Baek Yuseol first proposed 6:00 PM, but Eisel claimed class conflicts and requested a 30-minute delay. That timing didn’t suit either.

Through haggling to the exact minute and second, they settled on:

’Then let’s meet at 6:27:39. You know what happens if you’re even one second late or early, right?’

’Hah, you better stick to the time, too. I’m always on point. Ma Yu-Seong, don’t be late either.’

Baek Yuseol and Eisel’s voices replayed in his thoughts. His wristwatch read 6:20 PM.

Ma Yu-Seong clutched the necklace dangling from his neck.

Its teleportation feature allowed up to two uses when fully powered, but one activation had already occurred.

Employing the last charge meant waiting a full month for replenishment.

Keep his word to Baek Yuseol, or confront his father?

C faced with this dilemma, Ma Yu-Seong struggled to decide swiftly.

This moment stood as the toughest and most painful in his entire life.

Yet ultimately, he chose.

"...I’m sorry."

Gritting his teeth, Ma Yu-Seong squeezed the necklace hard.

Flash!

A brilliant flare erased the boy’s slight figure, abandoning the Wailing Cliffs empty.