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Foot.

Use magic with my foot?

— Nyaaaaah!

I looked down at Blackie with a dumbfounded expression.

Of course, there was no time to stay flustered.

Why Blackie knew about such things could be considered later.

For now, I was only pondering whether the foot could serve as a magic output device.

When I stripped away my preconceived notions, several possibilities emerged.

For instance, think of sports that involve a ball.

There are games like basketball or baseball that rely on “hands” and others like soccer or foot volleyball that use “feet”.

In other words, feet can be just as precise and sensitive as hands.

Even the famous detective from a certain mystery series used soccer balls for all kinds of… Wait, that’s not the point.

‘…There’s no reason I can’t use my foot.’

I had some confidence in using my feet.

Alright.

Let’s focus on the sense of my foot.

Imagine precise control, just like playing soccer.

After all, magic is also about channeling power, much like kicking a ball.

Whoosh!

I swung my foot as a test.

A clump of earth, about the size of a toad house, shot out far away.

“!”

My companions, who were watching, looked astonished.

The placement and intensity left much to be desired, but…

“…It works.”

I rubbed my chin with my hand. Ah, I don’t have hands.

I crossed my arms awkwardly, calculating quickly.

‘The interpretation of the magic circle is complete.’

Evan’s self-destruction was like a ticking bomb.

There was no way to defuse it.

Neither could I control or block its size.

However.

‘I think I can control the direction of the explosion with my magic.’

In other words, I could channel that massive energy in a safe direction, using my magic like a path.

The problem was, if I intervened…

‘I might be suspected of “witchcraft.”’

Subsequent investigations would undoubtedly reveal traces of my involvement in the explosion.

Then…

◆

— KABOOOOM!

A massive beam burst through the grounds of Lichten Academy.

A dazzling ray pierced through the dark night.

The beam scattered, tearing through the clouds and painting the night sky a fiery red.

The eerie yet breathtaking sight made passersby stop in their tracks.

Among them were professors from Lichten Academy.

“…I’ve never seen such a powerful wave of magic before.”

“Something seems to have exploded. Could it be the Mana Energy Research Lab again?”

“If they could store this much energy, there’d be no need for further research.”

One of the professors walking down the street rubbed his forehead and muttered.

“In any case, it’s clear another mess has occurred.”

Most nodded in agreement, awestruck.

But one professor, squinting at the scene, murmured.

“…Ah. Ian.”

The professor was Sasha Asilia.

She had extended her senses to get a more precise reading of the magic emanating from the beam of light.

And unmistakably, her senses detected Ian’s presence.

A pure, clean aura of earth elements.

“Professor Asilia, where are you going…”

“I’m going to check the situation.”

With those words, Asilia vanished, leaving the remaining professors stunned.

“We can never match Professor Asilia’s noble character and swift decisiveness.”

“Her speed is so fast it’s almost invisible.”

“Even the swordsmanship instructors are said to be helpless before her.”

Meanwhile, Asilia sprinted swiftly.

To call it sprinting was an understatement—her movement technique had already surpassed the 5-star level.

It didn’t take long for her to reach the beam of light at full speed.

‘… Barrier.’n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Asilia’s sharp senses picked up on a half-collapsed barrier.

What she felt within was an ominous, chilling energy.

The distinct scent of the Bloodstone Cult lingered.

‘… Dangerous.’

Carefully, Asilia stepped into the barrier.

At that moment—

-Step.

The sound of footsteps echoed from ahead.

Asilia suppressed her presence and followed the sound.

‘…Engelgard?’

Upon confirming the figure, she frowned.

It was Engelgard, a professor from the Knight Department.

There didn’t seem to be any valid reason for him to be here.

More concerning was his behavior.

He appeared nervous, glancing around as though wary of being watched.

Even so, interrogating a fellow professor without cause was out of the question.

After brief consideration, Asilia called out to him.

“Professor Engelgard?”

“Ah! Wh-what! Oh… Professor Asilia? How did you… No, how did you get in here?”

As expected, his reaction was suspicious.

Asilia, squinting slightly, maintained her usual calm tone.

“A crimson pillar of light suddenly erupted. I was worried that students might be harmed.”

“Ah, I see… Well, I’ll take care of things here, so…”

Why is he trying to send her away?

Asilia trailed after Engelgard.

“No, I’ll join you.”

Keeping a wary eye on him, she advanced quickly.

Before long, a massive hollow opened up before her.

At its center was a surging energy.

The closer she got, the more she felt it—an undeniable aura of chaos and destruction.

It was powerful enough to potentially destroy part of the academy.

But the reason that energy hadn’t exploded and was instead surging upward…

“Did someone reinterpret the magic circle? Ha… That’s an absurd ability…”

Engelgard muttered in disbelief.

And rightly so.

A magic circle—no ordinary one at that, but a blood ritual circle crafted by the Bloodstone Cult—had been reverse-engineered to prevent its detonation and redirect its energy elsewhere.

Ian’s abilities had already far surpassed those of an ordinary student.

Calling him promising or a genius didn’t do him justice.

He had transcended the level of a student, ranking among the elite magicians of Lichten Academy.

Anyone with expertise who saw that crimson pillar would undoubtedly acknowledge this.

‘This is…’

For that very reason, Engelgard clicked his tongue.

None of the orders from above could be carried out in this situation.

Meanwhile, Asilia dashed forward.

“Ian!”

Her student’s hands were in critical condition.

◆

“Hah…”

I slumped to the ground, utterly drained.

Staring blankly at the crimson pillar before me, I let out a sigh.

The final moments of the Bloodstone Cult’s fifth-ranking member were like a dazzling fireworks display.

This kind of light would surely serve as an advertisement to the whole world.

The relentless torrent of Evan’s energy seemed to even thicken the air.

“Ugh, he sure consumed a disgusting amount.”

This was the reality of a Bloodstone Cult executive.

Each trace of his energy likely came from someone’s blood and life force.

Facing such an overwhelming presence, even I couldn’t help but think—

What if I absorbed all of this? Wouldn’t I become unimaginably powerful?

“Hehe…”

I chuckled involuntarily.

Even for a brief moment, my thoughts had been disturbingly akin to the Bloodstone Cult’s philosophy.

Of course, I had no intention of doing so, but the fact that my resolve had wavered, even for a moment, was unsettling.

Perhaps I was too exhausted.

My hands were shattered, after all…

“Ian.”

A familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts.

Shh.

To look toward the direction of the voice, I lifted my head.

“…Master?”

There stood my teacher, Asilia, with an unusually serious expression.

“Are you alright? No, don’t worry too much, my student.”

Master crouched in front of me like someone who couldn’t sit still, her eyes glistening slightly with moisture.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was an expression of worry and bewilderment—a side of her I had never seen before.

“I know a healer. If we go there, it’ll be fine. Your arm will be back to normal soon…”

“Master.”

“If I ask, they’ll surely—”

“Master, I’m fine. I already know how to restore my hands.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

Master, who had been looking at me, sniffled lightly.

She must have been so worried that her tears were on the verge of spilling over.

“…Can I trust my student?”

“Of course.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

She hugged me tightly as she sat there.

“…Master, your student is grown up now.”

“I don’t care about that. I’m just so relieved.”

It seemed Master was more shocked than I was.

If I had functioning hands, I might’ve patted her back.

As the embrace came to an end, a figure approached us from afar.

A middle-aged man with a sharp impression.

Professor Engelgard.

—Step.

Walking leisurely, he stopped in front of me.

He gazed at the crimson pillar before speaking.

“Ian Blackangers. Is this the work of a student?”

“…To some extent, yes.”

“Impressive. I don’t know exactly how you stopped the Bloodstone Cultist’s final rampage, but you’re certainly not at a mere student’s level. You could even aim for a professor position if you can articulate the insights you’ve gained.”

Instead of responding, I raised the corners of my mouth slightly.

Insights, huh.

The lessons I gained from dealing with Evan were invaluable.

Deciphering and unraveling high-level magic—essentially reverse-engineering spells. It sounds simple, but achieving it means you can replicate or even dismantle another’s abilities.

Even by the standards of Fantasy X Academy, talents capable of such feats were rare—almost nonexistent.

This alone marked significant growth, but it also laid the groundwork for even greater advancements.

Not to mention mastering the art of casting magic with one’s feet.

‘…In a way, this was a stroke of luck.’

I chuckled softly as I stared at Evan’s ashes.

Well, that aside…

There was a more immediate issue to address— the other dangerous individual standing before me.

“So, what brings you here, Professor Engelgard?”

I looked up at him, certain that he was tied to the Bloodstone Cult.