Misfit At Magic Academy: They Wanted a Godly Summon, Got Me Instead
Chapter 41: Bloodthirsty Enemies

Chapter 41: Bloodthirsty Enemies

Riven looked around. I couldn’t be there.

He remembered how I stood up for him against Ash. The first time anyone ever helped him.

Another memory. Last year, sitting before class.

"How long are you going to put up with this?"

"H-how long...? I don’t know."

"You actually like this kind of life? At least punch them back once. They deserve it."

"B-but... fighting isn’t allowed at the academy."

"Fool. No one said you can’t defend yourself. You’re a person, not a punching bag. I refuse to believe you can’t stand up for yourself."

For him, I was the first person who believed in him.

Deep inside, Riven hated his life — for not being able to defend himself. He needed strength. He needed confidence.

He stood up. Bloody, his mouth still pouring.

"How many times will you stand just to fall again? When will you get it — before me, you’ll always bow down!"

"Arcane Wheel."

Six spinning spheres appeared above Riven.

"Arcane Spheres."

He curled three fingers on each hand. Runes appeared, each finger summoning floating spheres.

The crowd gasped.

"This loser can summon runes on every finger?!"

Roy grew nervous.

"H-hey! Where’d you learn that? Got some nerve showing off like that! Want me to beat you to death?!"

He didn’t hide his hostility. Riven said nothing.

The first sphere flew. Roy barely dodged it.

WHOOSH!

Tiny spheres burst from each finger — ten per second. They exploded on impact.

WHACK!

Roy blocked one with a magic barrier. But couldn’t block the rest. Every hit stung his muscles.

He ran. Jumped. But dodging all of them at once was impossible.

WHOOSH!

Four large spheres targeted him. He dodged one. The others exploded in his face.

Head. Gut. Shoulder.

Roy collapsed, unconscious. His face was scorched. Eyes open, staring blankly.

Riven didn’t understand what just happened. But he knew Roy fell.

"Can’t see a thing without glasses..."

"Roy Kirkman has been unconscious for five seconds! And the winner of this match is — Riven il Riverfall!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. A surprise victory for the underdog.

Riven fell to his knees.

Meihua appeared with healers. She placed a glowing hand over him.

"He took way too many blows to the head. Surprising he could even stand. Human tenacity is strange..."

"Leave him to me."

My voice cut through the crowd. Meihua turned in surprise.

"Professor Meihua. You once said I misuse my power. Truth is — I’ve learned how to heal others.

Please, let me take care of Riven."

Meihua paused. Then sighed and turned away.

"Fine. Consider this your assignment. Heal him completely."

I nodded.

⸻

Later.

Riven woke up on a bench. It was evening. Broken glasses on his face.

Blinking, he found himself in the Hanging Gardens.

"Atheron?.." he saw me.

"Oh. You’re awake. Like my gift? I tried to heal you completely."

"I’m fine... Where did you learn healing?"

"Dunno. Just thought I could do it. I wanted to help — as an apology."

"Apology...?"

I turned to him. My gaze steady and calm.

"I should’ve treated you better. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about your feelings.

Dragging you into that dangerous mission was reckless. You’ve got parents waiting for you."

"Me? Atheron, your parents wait for you too... Actually, I should apologize to you too."

He looked down. His shoulders trembled.

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled... at my friend. It was the stress talking!"

"Don’t apologize."

I looked at the moon. Its light filtered through the shimmering trees.

"Atheron... did you see everything?"

"Yeah."

Riven looked embarrassed. Thought I’d laugh at him.

"You did good. I thought you’d lose."

"I didn’t expect that from myself... Where did that confidence come from?"

And then he remembered me. That was his answer.

I snorted.

"Chin up, hero."

I ruffled his hair.

"Wipe your nose. What, gonna cry? Hey, don’t wipe it on me!"

"A-Atheron...!"

"Alright, alright! Stop cuddling already!"

Just when it felt like the scene should end on a peaceful note...

...we heard screaming. It came from the bushes.

We stood alert. Several bushes started rustling.

"Dad... don’t hurt... mom..."

A strange voice echoed. Riven froze as if struck by lightning.

"Who’s there?!"

"Dad... it’s not mom’s fault..."

Chills ran down my spine at the grotesque voice.

Then, three heads emerged from the bushes. Pale, burned skin. No eyes — only sockets leaking black fluid.

One monster was thin, walking on all fours — stomach up.

Another had limp limbs like spaghetti and long hair covering its eerie face.

The third — I remembered it. A slimy, wormlike creature.

They crawled toward us. Surrounded us.

What the hell is going on?

BAM!

Suddenly, we felt a presence — heavy and terrifying. I saw a glimpse.

Impossible to call it human.

A long, shadowy figure, its body spiraling. It had no face — only white eyes staring into our souls.

And as I tried to look away...

The monsters all lunged at once.

The Atrophied one ran — its head barely hanging onto its neck. The four-legged one leapt like a spider. And the slimy one... just stood there, waiting.

They all jumped at once!

I shoved Riven out of the way and leapt into a tree.

Then I saw more monsters emerging from the trees and bushes. Each one unlike the other. It was impossible to comprehend how such creatures could even exist.

They flooded onto the trail. Some climbed trees. Some peeked awkwardly from behind pillars.

I dropped onto one of them. Touched it with my palm, and—

BAM!!

Witness the Light. The crushing steam exploded from my palm, splattering the monster across the ground. All that remained was a wet stain.

But that one was weak... Pathetically so, compared to the others.

Five more monsters lunged at me at once. I dodged and sprang back. They crashed into each other in midair.

Their intelligence was low.

But something else was bothering me...

Why... is that tall figure still standing there? It’s clearly far stronger than the others!

I didn’t even have time to blink — suddenly I was surrounded by ten of them. All charging toward me like drunk animals.

Some even jumped, anticipating my moves.

What do I do?!

WHOOSH!

Not far off, I spotted Riven — summoning dozens of magical spheres. His face full of fear... but he wasn’t backing down.

"Spheres... attack them all!"

BOOM! BOOM! FWISH!

Each sphere hit several monsters and exploded on contact. He cleared a path for me!

I moved to stand beside him.

"You’re not as useless as you used to be, Riven."

"...I guess I’ll take that as a compliment."

But the problem wasn’t over. Even more of those things started appearing!

Where are they all coming from?!

And just as we felt that suffocating pressure return... the presence of the tall creature—

—the world around us began to crack.

All the monsters charged us at once.