I Became a Genius Black Mage at the Holy Academy

“So… I have transmigrated. Is that it?”

Although it was an absurd situation, Roan began to quickly accept it. 

He couldn’t tell if this was a survival instinct kicking in during a crisis or the personality of the Roan he had possessed.

“First. There’s one thing I need to check.”

It was whether or not he had awakened dark magic. 

If he hadn’t awakened it yet, there was still a chance he could live as a regular student. 

The character information mentioned a talent for dark magic, but it didn’t say he started off awakened.

“This doesn’t make sense even to me.”

Roan closed his eyes and concentrated with a desperate hope. 

Of course, he had no idea how to use dark magic, but with an absurd talent level of 100, at least releasing some mana shouldn’t be too hard. 

However, Roan earnestly wished that nothing would happen.

“Please. Let nothing happen!”

He extended his hand towards an empty wall as he exhaled. 

If he had awakened dark magic, even this small gesture should release a hint of its unique dark energy…

BOOM─────!

“…”

The wall was instantly struck by dark energy and partially destroyed. Roan stood dumbfounded, staring at the spectacle he had created.

What do you mean, ‘Nothing will happen?’

He had summoned dark energy as easily as breathing, and even managed to release it. It was powerful enough to shatter a stone wall.

“God damn it─!”

Roan swore. He realized he had hoped for too much.

“Phew…”

He had already awakened dark magic. 

And quite splendidly, too. 

As he let the mana run wild once, he clearly felt it—the violent energy pulsating through his body. 

He even started to remember the dark magic circles he had vaguely noticed while playing the game.

‘Is this how it feels to have an overpowered talent level…’

Roan shook his head in disbelief.

“Yeah. I should have expected this.”

To awaken dark magic or not wasn’t really a choice. 

Even if the character description didn’t state he had awakened dark magic, it was a natural progression. 

Only Yuhan had pretended not to notice.

As his turbulent emotions began to calm, he started to accept more information. 

If this really was the world of ‘God and Devil,’ he would surely know a lot about it. 

After all, he was the player who had cleared all the levels of that ridiculously difficult game.

Roan’s gray eyes calmly scanned his surroundings.

‘I definitely remember this.’

First, a stone statue of the dragon. 

In God and Devil, dragons were usually depicted with three claws. 

However, this one had four. 

Such a dragon statue belonged only to the four great families of the empire. 

Moreover, the bronze mirror that had shown his reflection bore the emblem of the Darc Family.

Roan had definitely visited this place before.

‘The abandoned lord’s Castle of the Darc Family.’

It was a secret space that could only be accessed by activating a hidden mechanism in the lord’s castle. 

He was glad he had explored this place during one of his throwaway episodes.

In God and Devil, even if one diverged from the main storyline, the game continued until the character’s death.

Initially, players despaired because they didn’t discover this fact in time. After they became more skilled, players learned to use those sessions smartly.

They called them ‘throwaway’ episodes. 

This place was also visited during a throwaway episode with the adventurer character ‘Nick Borazine.’ 

The fact that he started here made sense since it was his family’s castle.

“Back then, there were no dark magic transmutation circles here.”

When Nick Borazine arrived here, this place was literally an empty stone chamber. There was nothing except for a hidden door. 

The disappointment of not finding the secret location of the Darc Family was immense. 

However, it turned out that this was actually a starting point for a hidden character. 

“Should I be happy about this or not…?”

If it was simply about enjoying the game, he might have shed tears of joy by now. 

But now he was in the body of Roan Darc. 

The situation was too dangerous to explore and enjoy the hidden settings.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

Thinking in a positive way, he felt a surge of determination to somehow navigate through this situation. 

Roan turned around with a fierce smile and headed in the opposite direction of the exit.

‘In this situation, that place might open as well.’

There was a hidden door discovered by Nick Borazine when he came here. 

Although he knew the door existed with his adventurer skills, every time he tried to open it, a message would block him.

[You are not an authorized user.]

At that time, he thought it was because of Nick Borazine’s lack of skills, but now Roan instinctively knew that the authorized user was but only one; Roan Darc.

“Was it around here…?”

Roan fumbled along the wall opposite the exit. 

The wall was made of fine tiles. 

When he pressed a few tiles he remembered in a certain order, a dull sound echoed as the center of the wall split open.

‘As expected.’

Roan cautiously entered the newly revealed room. 

The internal space was simple in structure, about half the size of the outer chamber. It had no decorations at all. 

‘That’s it!’

In the middle of the stone chamber, a stone book lay on a stone pedestal. 

Although it was covered in moss, the open pages of the book emanated a radiant, auspicious light. The light appeared to possess the power to defy the passage of time.

Roan naturally knew the identity of this book.

‘So this was the power hidden here?’

The power of the gods. 

A fragment of the god Hiloa. 

It was nothing short of a blessing for holy characters such as priests, paladins, and monks. 

It enhanced holy power, revived lost holy magic, and granted various special abilities. 

Such powers couldn’t be acquired through ordinary methods. 

Even Yuhan couldn’t find the power easily. 

Naturally, in order to prevent fixed speedrun play in God and Devil, the powers were relocated to random locations and random content in each episode.

‘Who cares if I’m a dark mage? As long as I get the power!’

Systematically, dark magic and holy power couldn’t coexist. 

However, it was entirely possible to activate the holy power residing within his body without directly using it. 

There were precedents in the game settings. 

Roan suppressed his smile and took careful steps toward the power. The game, which was believed to be extremely difficult, suddenly seemed too easy.

The influence of holy power was absolute within the Holy Empire. 

In the past, even ‘Cain McGodall’, a prominent figure in the world of dark magic, had gained the ‘power’, converted, and ultimately rose to the position of archbishop.

‘Well… It was partly because that power was related to resurrection.’

Anyhow, having this power alone would be of great help to survive in the Holy Empire.

‘Of course, it’s useless if you don’t know about the hidden door here.’

It proved that hard work pays off. 

Roan thought this way.

Who else would come to an abandoned territory with no special rewards in a throwaway episode and find the hidden door in a secret location?

It was nearly impossible for anyone but him.

… Let alone the fact that how many people besides him would unlock the character Roan Darc in the first place.

While Roan was brimming with anticipation for the rosy future ahead.

Fwoosh─

“…?”

Roan hesitated for a moment at the sudden change in the power.

‘Did that just change color?’

It was certain. 

The power was supposed to be pure holy white light.

There was no way it would suddenly turn black in the middle.

Yet, it just happened clearly in front of his eyes.

Fwoosh!

“No way… No way…”

Roan hurriedly ran toward the power, hardly believing what he saw.

Having roamed the world of God and Devil more diligently than anyone else.

Naturally, he knew about the power with such strangeness.

Just one.

‘False Divinity.’

‘Don’t lie. Why now, of all times…?’

Roan glared at the power as if his eyes would pop out.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

It mischievously changed colors. It appeared as if he was trying to confirm his speculation.

“Damn it…”

Plop!

Roan’s legs gave away and he knelt in front of the pedestal.

Unintentionally, his posture resembled that of a devout believer before a divine miracle.

And that was precisely the condition for acquiring the power.

Fwoooosh!

‘Fine. Whatever happens, let it be.’

Feeling the blinding light spread like a blanket, Roan closed his eyes gently.

Why did it have to be the false divinity out of all the powers?

It was frustrating, but.

‘Perhaps if it’s Roan…’

He thought it might be destiny after all.

* * *

Boooo! Boooo!

A crescent moon hovered like a pale band, and the eerie sound of chirping birds echoed.

The abandoned castle of the Darc Family had been untouched for fifteen years, so it was almost a ruin now.

Roan trudged out of the main building and looked down at his hands.

Fwoooosh!

As he simply summoned his power, the dark magic bent to his will and gradually took the shape.

‘The effect is undeniable.’

However, unlike before, it now radiated the brilliant white light; the characteristics of holy magic.

The effect of the ‘False Divinity’ was to disguise all magic as holy power.

In fact, it was the least useful among the powers he knew.

‘It’s just pretty trash at best.’

In essence, this power was like putting a new skin on magic.

For example, in the case of dark magic.

‘A curse that looks like holy magic. The undead summoning magic that looks like holy magic, and the blood magic that looks like holy magic…’

And so on.

It would be possible to use them.

Though he had never used this power as a dark mage, it wouldn’t be enough to fool the keen eyes of veteran priests.

‘If only it were a regular power, I could at least bluff my way through with it!’

When he used this power with a mage character before, high-ranking priests found it fascinating. However, they quickly realized it was mana, not holy power.

Moreover, the Holy Empire fundamentally did not recognize false divinity as a legitimate power.

They claimed it wasn’t made of holy power or something.

Unlike other powers, the changing color seemed to be the reason for this.

No matter how he thought about it, it was incredibly unfair.

‘How can anyone be this unlucky!’

Roan shouted while facing the sky with tears in his eyes. He was overwhelmed with frustration.

But no answer came back.

“… Alright.”

Suddenly, he clenched his fist.

‘Let’s escape.’

In the end, that was the only option left.

Since he had awakened dark magic, he couldn’t afford to enroll in the Holy Academy.

Fortunately, the Ehadon region, where the Darc Family castle was located, was a remote area of the empire.

After the family’s downfall, it was almost impossible to find any traces of people there.

Naturally, no one might know that Roan was currently there.

‘If I act now, I can escape outside the empire!’

Roan self-justified his actions.

Da-da-da-dak─

Once he made up his mind, there was no need to hesitate.

He started running immediately.

Crunch! Crack!

Despite getting scratched by vines and branches blocking the path, he didn’t care.

As long as he could get outside the Holy Empire,

Whether it was dark magic disguised as holy magic or holy magic disguised as dark magic, he could find a place to live quietly.

The half-ruined castle gate appeared before the running Roan.

‘If I can just escape from this castle…!’

God and Devil was that kind of game.

If you wanted to see the ending, you had to take the appropriate route, but even if you didn’t, you could keep playing until the character died.

No matter how difficult the character Roan was, there might be a 1% chance of clearing it, and clearing it might be the way to return to Earth.

But what if the remaining 99% was death or a life sentence?

Moreover, if you could only attempt it once?

‘Clearing it? That’s useless to me.’

Roan would gladly choose to live peacefully here for the rest of his life.

Creak!

‘I am free─!’

As he used all his strength to push open the heavy door and finally made enough space for a person to pass through,

“Oh, Prince Darc!”

“…?”

Outside, there was a priest dressed in high-ranking ceremonial robes. Along with him, there was a squad of paladins and they all bowed towards him.

‘Why are they here in such a place?’

Roan struggled to hide his bewilderment as he stood before them.

The priest had a broad smile, and the paladins were even kneeling on one knee.

Could they have sensed the energy when he awakened his dark magic?

‘That… Doesn’t seem to be the case.’

Even if he were dragged to a tiger’s den, or rather, a dungeon, he could survive if he had his wits to accompany him.

Moreover, judging by their attitude, they didn’t seem hostile.

If they had known he had awakened as an extraordinarily talented dark mage, they wouldn’t be acting like this.

‘Could it be a trap? That’s possible.’

But Roan decided not to let his guard down until the very end.

After all, this was a new world.

These were not game characters, but real people.

“… Nice to meet you, but what brings you all the way here?”

Roan asked in a low voice as if he were indeed the rightful owner of this half-ruined castle.

Despite his disheveled and sweaty appearance, his ashen hair and eyes lent him an air of dignity.

Meanwhile, the priest laughed out loud as if he had heard an amusing joke.

“Hahaha. What do you mean by ‘what brings us here’? Prince Darc, didn’t you personally request our escort?”

“… Escort?”

‘You bastard! What on earth have you done without me knowing?’

Roan cursed the former Roan’s soul internally.

If he was going to leave, he should have left quietly instead of causing unnecessary trouble.

“Yes. It’ll soon be the day of Prince Darc’s entrance ceremony at Akerandir Academy. So we were going to take you there as well.”

Roan glanced behind the priest and paladins.

Indeed, there was a grand, luxurious eight-horse carriage of the Holy Palace.

‘I’ve only seen such a grand carriage a few times even while playing…’

However, to him, it looked more like a prisoner transport vehicle.

“… I see.”

As Roan nodded, the priest smiled warmly and helped the kneeling knights to stand.

“Everyone, please rise. It seems the prince is embarrassed to have met us here.”

─ Hahaha, there’s no need for that!

─ What an honor it is to serve the last heir of the Darc Family, oh Hiloa!

They seemed to be under a great misunderstanding.

They thought Roan had rushed out embarrassed, trying to avoid showing his disheveled appearance to them. So he pretended not to know.

Who would have thought that a descendant of the Darc Family tried to escape the empire?

As Roan watched them laugh and joke, and treat him like an awkward adolescent boy, he thought.

‘…Would I lose if I fight them now?’

He entertained the irreverent thought briefly.

‘Moreover, maybe… Just maybe, there might be something to the combination of false divinity and dark magic…’

The combination of dark magic and holy power. Two polar opposites.

Though it was an overly optimistic hope, considering how full of hidden elements God and Devil was, there was a chance.

‘I’ll live quietly for four years until graduation and then escape the empire!’

At that moment, the priest suddenly turned to Roan with a serious expression.

“But, Prince Darc, you seem quite different from when we last met…”

Roan was startled by the sudden question.

‘Already?’

What combination of extremes? What hidden elements?

The last time they saw Roan, he was likely in a clean state, having not yet awakened dark magic.

Everything felt awkward to Roan, so he hadn’t noticed, but it might have been obvious to them.

‘Still. No matter what, this is supposed to be a power…!’

Could it be that the False Divinity was an even more worthless power than he had thought?

“I was wondering why you insisted on coming to the Darc Family territory the day before your entrance…?”

By now, it was clear.

Roan sneakily gathered mana.

‘If it’s come to this, there’s no choice.’

If he could strike while they were off guard and cause confusion, escaping might be possible…

Just as the situation was about to change.

The priest grabbed Roan’s wrist.

“When did you awaken your holy power!”

“…?”

What?

The hand, which was caught midway, thrived with dark magic that shone like holy power.

Of course, since he had intended to throw a punch.

However, the priest in front of him was on the verge of tears.

“For you to be so dedicated to your studies… I, a servant of Hiloa, am deeply moved!”

─ Oh! Even before baptism! It’s been years since something like this has happened!

The knights behind the priest grasped the situation and began to cheer.

“… For the glory and restoration of my family.”

─ Oh!

─ Sniff…

With just one line from Roan, they were now a sobbing mess.

─ Ah! Truly befitting the one who bears the fate of the Darc Family!

─ My unworthy eyes are opened to the holy power of the prince!

The paladins were now floundering in a mix of excitement and tears.

“How did this happen? Was it a holy relic? A holy flame? Perhaps your sincere feelings of grief and longing for your family reached Hiloa. No. That’s not the important thing right now!”

Meanwhile, the priest, who had been talking to himself, suddenly raised his voice.

Seeing the priest’s misunderstanding, Roam was inwardly baffled.

A holy relic? A holy flame? Grief?

‘It was just an obvious dark magic awakening.’

“What’re you waiting for? Escort Prince Darc to Akerandir immediately with the utmost respect!”

─ Yes!

The paladins were exhilarated and began running toward the carriage.

Roan stood there dumbfounded, while the priest winked at him.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. Awakening holy power before even entering the academy is extraordinary.”

“… No, it’s not that.”

“I will make sure to inform the headmaster and other professors.”

‘This is such─’

… While it seemed he had avoided the worst-case scenario.

If he was going to be dragged along anyway, he might as well stay as quiet as possible until graduation.

Roan’s second plan was on the verge of collapsing.

“?”

“… This isn’t necessary. It’s a minor matter, so no need to inform─”

“Ah! Truly. Prince Darc, you’ve made me cry several times today!”

Roan decided to just keep his mouth shut.

“Come. Let’s go! Future top student of Akerandir, Roan Darc!”

“… Thank you.”

Roan, who was being led by the priest’s hand, appeared like he was being dragged along.

His mood matched the dark night.

While the other party members, who were lost in their own euphoria, remained completely oblivious.