I Became A Flashing Genius At The Magic Academy-Chapter 405

Western Continent, Sarion Desert

The Sarion Desert, infamous as a lifeless expanse, held one unique feature: the Tower of the Full Moon stood tall amidst its barren sands.

The desert was home to hundreds of Giant Worms, colossal creatures swimming beneath the sands, which made it impossible for anyone to settle there. Yet, when Haesung Wol constructed the tower in this inhospitable terrain, the world was astonished.

"Truly remarkable,"

Elteman muttered as he walked through the air above the rotting corpses of dozens of Giant Worms.

The worms, dead for days, were in various stages of decay. Strangely, not even flies dared approach the carcasses.

What had killed these massive creatures?

The answer was obvious.

The Sarion Desert, as Elteman saw it, was no longer a true desert. The landscape was littered with stone, turning what was once shifting sand into a rocky wasteland. For the Giant Worms, which relied on consuming and swimming through sand to survive, this transformation was fatal.

"I came to investigate the sudden change in terrain, and..."

Who could have done this?

Haesung Wol? Unlikely.

Haesung Wol treated the Giant Worms as little more than guard dogs for his tower.

Furthermore, not even the most advanced magic could blanket an entire desert in rock overnight.

That left only one possibility.

A Persona Gate, synchronized with reality, had opened without anyone realizing it—perhaps even right under Haesung Wol’s nose.

It was a disturbing thought.

For a 9th-class mage to fail to detect a Persona Gate opening nearby? Unheard of.

"Their technology is improving."

The Dark Mages’ ability to mask their activities while opening Persona Gates was advancing rapidly. Elteman, who had been observing their movements, realized this only confirmed what he had long suspected: the time was drawing near.

What shocked him was how quickly events were unfolding—much faster than he had anticipated.

"This is troubling."

The Dark Mages were moving so swiftly that even countermeasures seemed impossible. At the very least, he had hoped for enough time to allow the Children of Destiny to mature.

Elteman turned his gaze toward the massive spire of the Tower of the Full Moon in the center of the desert.

For years, he had avoided interfering in such matters, preferring to remain a passive observer.

But this time, he had no choice.

"I must act personally to stop them."

Closing his eyes, Elteman focused on his surroundings. The acrid, cloying scent of Dark Mana filled the air—a sure sign of the Dark Mages’ presence.

His hyperspatial senses were not designed for long-distance detection, but their unparalleled precision allowed him to discern the faint traces of a Persona Gate, even one hidden from the Full Moon Tower’s advanced systems.

With a flash of light, Elteman’s eyes glowed brightly.

"Found one."

In an instant, he disappeared from the spot.

A chilling wind swept across the sand, erasing any trace of his presence. The desolate desert stood silent once more.

***

Southern Continent, Hahwol Plains - The Lotus Inn

Jelliel, dressed in an outfit she rarely wore, sat through the Starcloud Merchant Association's executive meeting with thinly veiled boredom.

"Three days ago, there was a terrorist attack," an elder began, his tone grave.

It was a serious matter—a terrorist attack perpetrated by mages.

"An artifact factory was destroyed. We don’t know why the attack happened, nor have we identified the culprits, but the factory’s collapse is a significant blow."

"Won’t it be repaired quickly? It’s just a mass-production artifact factory..."

"That’s precisely the issue. Perhaps this is an opportunity to scale back artifact production?"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

"I agree. This quarter’s artifact sales dropped by over 20%, while premium items saw a corresponding increase. Consumers no longer want artifacts."

"Blame it on items. The artifact business is obsolete."

"We’ve already secured the contracts for item trade. There’s no need to cling to artifacts."

Jelliel sighed and shook her head.

"Commoners still prefer affordable artifacts over high-end items. Cost-conscious consumers continue to rely on artifacts. The recent spike in item sales is only temporary. Items, by their nature, last an incredibly long time—once purchased, consumers won’t need replacements for years."

That was the problem with items—they were too perfect. Durable and reliable, they rarely broke, making repeat purchases unnecessary. Based on Jelliel’s experience, such perfection made business unsustainable.

Appliances needed flaws.

If a product didn’t break or require replacement every two or three years, companies wouldn’t survive.

Jelliel recalled the story of a company that manufactured flawless artifact purifiers. Once the market was saturated, sales plummeted, and the company folded.

That didn’t mean she advocated intentionally creating defective items. She simply believed in limiting mass production of item-based goods like appliances and furniture.

This wasn’t just her opinion—it was a suggestion from the high-ranking members of Team Item, the division overseeing Altarisha’s business ventures. Although Altarisha herself had vehemently opposed introducing deliberate limitations to item production, she ultimately allowed it, conceding to harsh economic realities.

"Still, terrorism..."

The factory that had been destroyed was already slated for conversion into an item factory. It wasn’t a business decision; Jelliel had intended to donate it to the community.

Recently, Jelliel had become so vocal about philanthropy that her colleagues couldn’t hear the word "donation" without flinching. While she avoided mentioning her plans at this meeting, the attack left her feeling deeply frustrated.

After another 30 minutes of discussion, the meeting finally adjourned. Jelliel, feeling drained, stepped out of the conference room.

She suspected the elven executives—most of whom were nearly a century old—would grumble behind her back, dismissing her as too young to understand societal complexities.

Jelliel’s reputation had never been favorable. During her obsessive pursuit of business success, she’d been labeled a "psycho." Now, she was criticized for redirecting company profits into social causes.

But she preferred being scorned for doing good rather than for being ruthless.

After all, there was one person who appreciated her actions.

"Miss Jelliel, a moment, please..."

"What is it?"

As she briskly walked down the hallway, one of the company’s security officers approached and spoke in a hushed tone.

"There’s been another attack."

"If this is about the incident three days ago, I’ve already been informed."

"No, this is new. Three item factories were attacked simultaneously and are now offline."

Jelliel froze in place.

"Three item factories? At once?"

"Yes. The Mage Tower’s investigation detected faint traces of Dark Mana at the sites. It seems the culprits tried to hide their involvement, but the evidence suggests Dark Mages are responsible."

"Why would Dark Mages go to such lengths to conceal their actions while targeting item factories?"

The officer hesitated, unable to provide an answer.

Jelliel wasn’t really expecting one. Her question was more of a rhetorical exercise—directed at herself.

Her sharp mind quickly pieced the puzzle together.

"They want item manufacturing technology."

But it was a foolish move.

Destroying a few factories wouldn’t grant access to the core technology behind items.

If her assumption was correct, the Dark Mages didn’t even know where to start looking. They would soon realize their actions were futile.

"...The headquarters is at risk."

The Starcloud headquarters housed Altarisha-trained alchemists—prized for their skill and critical to the company’s operations.

"The headquarters? Really?"

"Contact them immediately. Tell them to strengthen security," Jelliel ordered, her tone stern as she quickened her pace. Her high-heeled shoes were unbearably inconvenient, and she resisted the urge to tear her narrow skirt for better movement.

"The enemy is a group of Dark Mage terrorists."

They had destroyed four factories in their greed for item technology. While the headquarters’ defenses rivaled those of a major Mage Tower, she couldn’t shake her unease.

Her worst fears soon became reality.

"Miss Jelliel! It’s an emergency!"

As soon as she returned to her office, her communicator buzzed urgently. Answering it, she heard the panicked voice on the other end.

"The headquarters... it’s been attacked by aerial bombardment magic!"

"What? But the anti-air defenses should have been flawless!"

"We don’t know. Somehow, the shields were deactivated..."

"What about casualties?"

"Fortunately, there are no fatalities. However..."

The voice grew somber.

"Several key technicians have been kidnapped."

"...No."

Jelliel placed the receiver down with trembling hands, her face stricken.

The loss of valuable personnel wasn’t just a blow to business.

Since her transformation under Baek Yuseol’s influence, she had grown deeply protective of her employees. Among those abducted were individuals she personally cared for—trusted team members she had worked hard to nurture.

Dark Mages were more depraved than she had ever been in her darkest days.

"I would gladly surrender all the technology if it meant they were safe..."

But wishing for it wouldn’t change anything.

Jelliel raised her head, her expression darkening. Her fiery gaze startled the staff lingering in her office.

"Contact the company’s security mage team. I will personally lead the rescue operation."

She clenched the communicator so tightly it nearly shattered.

"Those disgusting scum who dared to touch my people... I’ll tear them apart myself."

Slamming the device down, she turned to her startled staff.

"Prepare my equipment immediately."

With that, she stormed out, leaving the employees scrambling to follow her orders.

As they hurried, one thought ran through their minds:

"Whoever these terrorists are... they’re as good as dead."