I Became The Academy Necromancer

“The key person here is Aria.”

Hearing my words, everyone’s eyes turned to the small girl with black hair.

Feeling awkward, Aria scratched the back of her head, but she shrugged her shoulders, thinking that she had been recognized by me in front of many people.

“Everyone, please become my stepping stones.”

Her words did not sound like a hero’s at all.

Kuaaaaahhhh!

Nevertheless, no one could criticize her arrogant words because they had no time for it.

As if urging us on, Romuleus’ monstrous roar echoed.

I continued speaking immediately.

“Aria is the only one here who can kill that monster. So, support her when pushing forward.”

“In the end, you’re asking us to play a supporting role for this brat, aren’t you? Doesn’t she still need to wear diapers?”

“Are you kidding me?! I’m eighteen! I’m old enough to get married according to the kingdom’s law!”

Watching Aria quickly retort at Findenai’s ridicule, the Archmage Ropelican, the Presiding Mage Tribunal Judge Tyren, and the Royal Knight Gloria from the Royal Family’s side all had perplexed expressions.

Of course, it was natural for them to be bewildered at the exchange. They had just heard a joke more fitting for a bustling marketplace, all while they were currently facing a monster threatening to engulf the kingdom.

“We just need to break through those approaching tentacles and get this brat to the front, right?”

Deia, who had somehow obtained a mana potion from somewhere, gulped it down.

Her shotgun emitted a vibrating sound while accompanied by a blue light, poised to unleash its firepower once more.

“I’m not a brat.”

“Exactly.”

“P-Professor?!”

Ignoring Aria, who was still about to keep arguing, I continued.

“Tyren, who has the strongest defense, will lead the Mage Tribunal Judges as the vanguard.”

“Are you asking me to act as a meat shield? Ha! That’s something I can easily do!”

Tyren immediately grasped his staff and gathered the rest of the Mage Tribunal Judges.

Lined up in a long row, they formed a single barrier, blocking the tentacles that had already started to rush at us.

“To protect this land, we need to move forward first!”

After confirming that Tyren had already begun to lead the way, I then looked at Gloria and the Royal Knights.

“I ask for your help.”

“I do not like Tyren taking the lead… but the Royal Knights are swords, not shields.”

There was no need to say anything more.

Gloria raised her greatsword high and became the next barrier after Tyren, along with the Royal Knights.

Due to the sheer number of tentacles, some managed to break through the Mage Tribunal Judges’ magic barrier.

However, with the Royal Knights now in the fray, their numbers seemed to have significantly reduced.

“Darius and Deia…”

Honestly, I wished they would stay out of it. However…

“I’ll proceed to aid the Royal Knights. After all, other than that, it seems there’s not much else I can do.”

Darius quickly cut me off and ran forward, fearing that I might send him somewhere else.

Deia, watching him with a look of satisfaction, loaded her shotgun and leaned it against her shoulder.

“Since I can’t break through the path myself, I’ll just provide cover.”

“Sigh, since it is dangerous, you should stay by my side.”

If I sent her away, who knows what she might do. It was best to keep her close to me.

“Findenai, guard us well.”

“No problem.”

It felt very unfamiliar to see Findenai get ready for combat by just clenching her fist. However, none of her weapons, other than the Hand of Hemomancy, could inflict damage on those monsters.

“…When this is over, I will find a suitable axe for you.”

“Oh?”

Originally, I planned to give her the Axe of Pangu that she used in the game.

However, seeing her able to control the War Shoes so freely made me change my mind.

It meant that I didn’t just have to give her something that was originally her drop item. It was more important to give her an item that provided better upward compatibility to further unleash her full potential.

It was time for us to start. The number of tentacles pouring out was still increasing, and the surrounding buildings had long been half-destroyed.

“Sir Ropelican, please, open the path.”

“Ah, alright.”

At my words, Ropelican gathered mana and lifted his staff again.

His apprentices also used their mana, resonating together and quickly turning the intangible force into a spell.

Rumble, rumble, rumble!

The ground began to tilt and rise.

It was rough and devoid of aesthetics, but a thick, massive stone bridge was created.

The bridge gradually extended toward Romuleus.

Tentacles stretched to destroy it. However…

Whooossssh!

Gloria leaped from the ground with flames and ran forward across the forming bridge, slashing the tentacles.

Thud!

As the temporary stone bridge created by magic was completed, Ropelican, who was sweating and exhausted, spoke in a weak voice.

“Have a safe journey.”

Even though he was an Archmage, he strained himself by performing numerous high-difficulty spells on a large scale throughout the day.

He deserved a good rest; I thanked him and headed onto the bridge.

“Luaneth, you lead.”

“…Now you’re just blatantly using me.”

Despite his words, Luaneth calmly went ahead and began to run.

With tentacles sprouting from everywhere, the white smoke rising from Luaneth’s entire body transformed into the shape of a hand.

The white hand grabbed, burned, or tore apart the tentacles, demonstrating its might and presence.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Is that really Necromancy?”

Findenai doubted Luaneth being a Necromancer, but he indeed was.

However, unlike regular Necromancers who controlled the souls of others, he didn’t.

[He’s controlling his own soul, isn’t he?]

The Dark Spiritualist, who had already approached my side before I realized it, looked at Luaneth in disbelief.

At a glance, she managed to guess the correct answer.

That’s right.

Luaneth Luden Griffin was still a Necromancer capable of controlling many souls, but he only manipulated his own.

Therefore, he was a Necromancer who didn’t need the souls of others in order to fight.

It didn’t mean that he was like me, who didn’t forcibly control other souls. However, in order to be able to see the evil spirits he possessed, one needed to push him to the brink of death.

That wouldn’t be possible now.

As I followed Luaneth, Aria quickly caught up.

Behind her was Deia, and at the end was Findenai.

With this formation in place, I called out to Aria.

“Run while conserving your strength as much as possible—do not draw your sword.”

“Yes! I understand!”

Her voice was filled with pride at having realized the solution I provided.

Hearing that, a faint smile unknowingly formed on my lips.

Before I knew it, I had become the type of professor who felt proud of a student’s achievement as if it were my own.

“Professor! Do you remember when you freed me from my destiny of being a hero?”

“Yes, of course.”

As we continued pushing forward, Aria started an unexpected conversation.

Despite Findenai and Deia being nearby, she ignored their presence completely.

“You told me that the life I was carrying ended right at that moment.”

The ending of Aria Rias as a hero in the game called [Retry].

And the life of the student named Aria Rias that laid ahead.

Reflecting on it, I realized that even though I claimed that I had given her her ending and would shoulder the burden she had carried, I had still received quite a bit of help from her until now.

“I am sorry.”

Because of my shortcomings, she had no choice but to wield her sword again and again.

When I apologized for that, Aria smiled and shook her head as if she expected it.

“No, I’m not blaming you, Professor. It is my fault.”

“…”

“You gave me a weapon capable of killing a god, but you didn’t tell me about it. You wanted me to realize it on my own, right?”

That was correct.

She was currently the only one in this land who possessed a weapon capable of killing a god.

“Although you showed me a path, I should be the one who realizes it; no one grows if everything is spoon-fed to them.”

Upon hearing that, I could sense what she was about to say to me, but I didn’t interrupt her.

Even if one already realized it, there were things that held more meaning when spoken aloud and heard.

“You showed me that I could end my life as a hero, Professor.”

“…”

“However, breaking that shackle is something I have to do myself.”

Our distance to Romuleus was closing. At some point, Aria’s hand had already held the Sword of Predation, Duathane.

The greatsword had previously cut down and consumed two of Dante’s Dark Mages. Even during normal times, it held an unusual aura. However, today, it felt more extraordinary.

The black greatsword oddly twisted, its color shifting and never settling.

And that very sword was the only weapon present capable of cutting down Romuleus.

“You prepared everything for me, Professor—the method and opportunity.”

“…”

“Now, let me do this.”

Duathane, when in its normal state, wasn’t a particularly great weapon.

However, due to the sword’s special characteristic, it was capable of altering its properties depending on what it cut and consumed.

The last thing Duathane had cut was none other than Mul’s clone.

I had used Duathane to cut down Mul when he came to the academy.

Since then, Duathane had been continuously changing its form.

It was likely that after having consumed the remnants of a god, the sword could only be properly wielded once.

Beyond that, Duathane wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

We only had one opportunity.

In that case, I was confident that Aria would be able to use that chance effectively.

“The resistance is starting to get intense.”

Luaneth, who was leading the way, began to slow down.

Tyren and Gloria, who were moving from below us, had long since stopped moving.

The closer we got to Romuleus, the stronger and larger the tentacles became as they came out to face us.

“We’ll approach Romuleus from here. Take the left.”

Moving to Luaneth’s right, I swung my hand widely.

[GYAAAAAHHHH!]

Then, with the boisterous scream of Velica contained in my prosthetic arm, black mana erupted and tore through the tentacles.

“Demon Lord Velica…”

Luaneth momentarily hesitated as he watched my Necromancy, but soon, he began emitting even thicker smoke from his entire body.

“I shouldn’t be outdone here.”

The white hand made of smoke and Velica’s black mana aggressively carved a path forward, paving a way.

Even though it was just for a moment, the sky cleared up.

“Hold on tight!”

Meanwhile, Findenai, running up from behind, released flames and smoke from her War Shoes simultaneously.

She dashed forward at maximum speed, grabbed Aria by the waist, and leaped ahead.

“We’ll be back soon!”

While gripping Duathane tightly with both hands, Aria’s shout echoed loudly.

The two had distanced themselves from us in an instant.

"Come back safely."

I could only watch the back of my now-grown student.