Chapter 10

"The third disadvantage. Summoning is weak in battle against the priests."

This time, Simon also had to go wide-eyed.

The dispute with the side of Priest has been the most sensitive issue for students recently, and all the professors so far have appealed with strength in this area.

But Aaron was the complete opposite.

"I have said it like this, but to be exact, the study of summoning isn't suitable for the modern war itself."

"..."

"When summoning can play an active role is an 'all-out war'. When tens of thousands collide in a large-scale battle, the summoner will receive an infinite supply of materials to summon an undead. However, the current battle where the armistice has been signed takes the form of a small wars against priests who're on a mission. It's an inevitable trend where the Cursing or Necromantic magics where you can do a quick hit and run are popular.

Although he was saying, in other words, that his major was outdated, Aaron was emotionless.

"And it's also true that summoning magic is weak against Priests. Just imagine an undead army that you put a lot of money and effort into being shattered with a single Holy spell that the priests cast. You're just at a disadvantage to begin with."

Aaron put down his chalk and turned to his students.

"Other than these, there are countless disadvantages that I have not mentioned, but the decision is yours."

At that moment, someone raised a hand.

It was the same student who first presented during the class of curses.

"I'm Jamie Victoria! I'd like to know the advantages of summoning!"

Other professors may have found it commendable to have a disciple who helped them appeal like this, but that wasn't the case for Aaron.

"I don't recall allowing questions yet."

Jamie felt goosebumps rising all over her body. The other relaxed students belatedly came to their senses and fixed their postures too.

"I-I'm sorry!"

Jamie bowed her head.

But as Aaron was a professor, he had an obligation to answer his students' questions.

He kicked his tongue and opened his mouth.

"The strength of summoning is quantity. Apart from fighting alone, you can get help from your summons. Through this, you can develop a variety of tactics, even with a necromancer alone. Did that answer your question?"

"Yes!"

Aaron folded his arms.

"It's your choice whether to take Summoning in the second semester or choose Summoning as your major. But just keep this in mind."

Aaron's voice became serious. He seemed to be a completely different person from when he was conducting the class loosely.

"Don't even think of stepping in this area if you aren't determined enough."

Aaron was really different from other professors.

"I'm telling you that you shouldn't even think about majoring in this study with a soft mindset where you would get frustrated, complain, feel ashamed, and eventually ask for counselling to shift courses beyond your 2nd year."

The way Aaron spat his words sounded like he had some deep resentment as well.

Aaron's assistants standing behind him were also sighing quietly.

"Especially if there's anyone who wants to major in Summoning for survival because of the low competition. I'll expel them with my own hands. That's all."

At that, he declared to the students,

"...Then I'll now start the class."

When Aaron returned with his drowsy voice and gave a gesture, the assistants moved quickly and placed the skeleton sets on the students' desks.

Simon drew a sigh and looked at the skeleton set on the desk.

Pieces of bone were sorted inside the box. He noticed that, upon closer inspection, numbers were engraved on the bone.

"What you guys have there is the bones of 'Island Rat Man'. They have a skeleton structure similar to a human but are simpler and cheaper. Most beginners who study summoning start with this one."

The assistant for summoning pasted a paper that consisted of the detailed bone structure and numbers for the Island Rat Men.

"We'll begin. Take out No.1, the skull."

Simon and the students lifted the skull, nervous, and placed them on the table.

Some girls squinted their eyes a little as if it were disgusting, but no more. There was no hesitation in how they handled it, as expected from the girls who entered Kizen.

"The skull is pre-assembled. There's a part where you can put your hand in the lower part and there's a magic circle rectifying frame inside the skull. Everyone put your hands on it and establish that magic circle."

It was true. It had a similar structure to the magic circle rectifying tool for the first Curses class, except it was engraved directly on the skull.

Simon squeezed the jet black and let it flow through the magic circle rectifying frame.

'Alright.'

I'm now pretty used to using the rectifying tool.

"And when the magic circle is complete..."

"Kyaaaaaah!"

"Uwaah! Aaaaagh!"

The screams of students broke loose from everywhere.

When the magic circle was completed, the skull suddenly came to life, popping the jaw and making a clicking sound.

One after another, students with skulls in their hands threw them away in surprise or fell from their chairs in shock. Even Rick, sitting next to Simon, was panting with his hand on his chest.

"I was going to say that when the magic circle is complete, the undead will start moving, so don't be surprised. But I guess I was a little too late."

Said Aaron, smiling mischievously.

Some students looked at him with resentful eyes, but they didn't dare to complain.

Meanwhile, Simon also completed the magic circle of the skull. The then skull popped around the table as if it were alive.

"Stay still."

Simon grabbed the skull that was about to fall off the desk and placed it on the desk. Then, the undead behaved as if it understood the words of Simon.

"…Simon, are you used to these?"

Rick in the seat next to him was in disgust, like he didn't want to touch the undead.

Simon shrugged his shoulders. His father was a necromancer, so there were many instances of skeletons wandering around the house.

"Get used to it. You guys are necromancers."

Aaron continued to speak with his hands in his pockets.

"And with the magic circle you just activated, the undead is almost complete. Of course, it can't move because it doesn't have a body. Now it's your turn to make the body of the skeleton."

Aaron tapped the picture of the Island Rat Man's bone structure on the blackboard.

"A necromancer must have a complete understanding of the bone structure of the creature that'll be their summons. Normally, humans have 206 bones, but Island Rat Men have 53, so it's much easier. First, find No.2, the cervical vertebra."

The students rummaged through the skeleton set. Simon also found a bone with the words 'No.2' written on it.

"Now attach the No.2 bone to the skull."

Simon turned his head.

'There's no tool for sticking it. How am I supposed to connect this?'

Simon unsurely placed the No.2 bone under the skull.

Then, like the attraction of a magnet, the bones in his hands trembled and tried to stick. When Simon loosened the grip a little, the bones attached themselves with a loud tap.

'Oh, that's fascinating.'

Simon blinked his eyes.

"Again, the entire magic that moves the skeleton was completed by activating the magic circle earlier. And skeletons have a tendency to turn back to their former body shape."

Aaron turned his head back to the picture of the bones.

"Next is the No.3 bone."

Simon placed the skull on the desk, found the bones that matched the number, and connected them step by step.

"Proceed till No. 11 in the same way."

"I-It worked!"

"Great!"

The bones attached to each other by finding them and bringing them close to themselves. Simon's skeleton, completed up to the neck, moved its head up and down as if celebrating.

Simon let out a laugh.

'It's so fun!'

'I don't know if it's because it's not a human bone, but the discomfort and awkwardness disappeared.'

It felt like assembling a moving bone sculpture according to the blueprint, so Simon could fully immerse himself in the class.

"Be careful not to confuse the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. Island Rat Men are animals that walks upright, and the completion of the spine that supports the back of the body is the most important."

"If the sequence of bone assembly is wrong, the movement won't be smooth. It'll creak and cause movement problems, often breaking down at critical moments."

"Now immediately proceed up to No 16."

There were many students who were worried about Aaron's atmosphere at the beginning of the class, but in fact, the summoning class was fun enough to be liked by everyone.

In a lively atmosphere, everyone showed off each other's finished work or asked questions. Aaron didn't particularly stop that kind of free atmosphere.

"We're almost done. Proceed up to No 53. For those who are stuck, raise your hand."

"Professor! I can't really attach the leg over here!"

"Wah, Professor! My skeleton keeps running away!"

Simon succeeded in creating the skeleton at once without any trial and error. A skeleton, slightly shorter than a human, formed with a pop.

'...So this is the skeleton made with my jet-black.'

While he was watching it, emotional, the skeleton tilted its head.

Simon couldn't help but smile at that sight.

"Hey! Take care of your summon! He's hitting me!"

"I did order it to hit you, though."

"Kyah! Look at this! I can make it dance too!"

"…I wonder why this is cute?"

Cheerful laughter could be heard everywhere. The students who successfully completed the skeleton were busy playing with their summons.

Meanwhile,

"Simon! Please look at my skeleton!"

There were some students who couldn't do it. Rick, sitting next to him, was tearing his hair out.

"Why does this guy keep on attaching his legs to his arms!"

Rick's skeleton had his right leg attached to his shoulder instead of his right arm, and he was walking with tottery steps. Seeing this, the other students held their sides with laughter.

"Hm."

Simon looked at the unipedal skeleton with serious eyes.

"I think you confused the leg and arm parts. That's why the skeleton is thinking that their legs are arms."

"R-Really?"

"Look at this. Bone No.21 is a leg bone, not an arm bone."

"Oh, right! Why do they all look so similar?"

Time passed faster than ever in the summoning class.

"Everyone, stop. Today's skeleton assembling ends here."

Disappointed voices came out from everywhere. Aaron picked up the roll after returning to the lecture desk.

"Finally, I'll proceed with the participation class. For the students who are called, come forward."

An inevitable event. It had finally come.

Simon gulped.

'But maybe I could somehow be overlooked this tim—'

"Simon Polentia. Come forward."

However, it was an unavoidable role for the Special Admission No.1. Simon stood up with a resigned expression on his face.

"Do your best, Simon."

Rick cheered while patting Simon on the back.

Hector's group was giggling and laughing from a short distance away.

"And the next one is..."

While everyone was avoiding Aaron's gaze, Meilyn, seated in the front row, was sticking out her neck.

After all, excluding the pressure, a stage where you could appeal to a professor of Kizen was like gold.

However…

"Hector Moore. Come forward."