Will the Mint Chocolate Boom come to the Bread Academy?
To this question, I respond with the mint chocolate aftermath Yunia and I caused.
‘It’s phrased that way, but it’s actually wind-attribute magic.’
Explosion [Wind Attribute].
The powerful explosion shredded the demonic beasts that sought the mint chocolate, scattering countless magic stones across the blast zone.
“W-What the…?”
The hunters were stunned.
Though the sheer number of C-rank cores sprawled across the swamp like frog eggs would make anyone’s eyes turn, not a single person dared to jump down from the wall.
Screeeeeech!
The demonic beasts let out a horrific cry. Why didn’t anyone move?
No, it wasn’t fear of the monsters.
It was astonishment—at the destructive power of Yunia’s magic.
And Yunia? She was wearing the Academy uniform.
Keen-eyed hunters immediately recognized the tie and decoration that marked her as a freshman.
“An A-rank… hunter?”
The sheer magical explosion Yunia unleashed made the hunters instinctively rank her at A-rank, though she was just an Academy freshman.
“Uh, uhh… that is…!”
Yunia, flustered by the attention, scanned her surroundings, her face showing realization as her eyes met mine.
“!!”
Her search was to find someone to help her, and the fact that her gaze landed on me first was delightful.
In a situation that could trigger a panic attack, the first plea for help directed at me was nothing short of fortuitous.
“Wow, I didn’t expect it to ‘enhance’ this much!”
I clapped my hands exaggeratedly and approached Yunia.
“Miss Yunia, it seems we’re an amazing team, don’t you think?”
“W-What?!”
Though flustered, Yunia didn’t back away even as she gripped her staff tightly.
“T-Teamwork? Of course, it’d be great if we worked well together, but…!”
“It’s all good! Look at this! Even with my specialized support magic, I didn’t think it’d amplify like that!”
“Uh, well…”
Yunia, perceptive as ever, caught on quickly.
“How did you do that?”
Her eyes implored me for help, and her question drew the attention of everyone on the wall.
Yunia had shifted the focus to me. Now, I was the center of attention.
“Would love to explain right away, but I’ll improvise while we deal with the situation!”
“Improvise? What are you—ah!!”
I pointed to a direction, and Yunia followed suit, startled.
“There, the demonic beasts!!”
Screeeech!!
At the perfect timing, the demonic beasts began to roar and rampage again.
After the mint-chocolate storm, those monsters, covered in black winds, sharpened their fur and raised their heads to the wall.
“Hunters! The demonic beasts seem to have entered a berserk state!”
“B-Berserk…?!”
“Looks like we’ve definitely drawn their aggro!”
I pulled out another mana bread, of course, mint-colored. Its bold mint hue made it unmistakably mint chocolate.
“Miss Yunia! Just like earlier, infuse it with explosive magic! As much as you can!”
“O-Okay!”
Yunia grabbed the mana bread and infused it with magic. The smell of mint emanating from the mana bread enraged the demonic beasts, which began scaling the wall and sprinting across the plains.
Mint-chocolate storms erupted like mushroom clouds, spreading far and wide.
From a magical standpoint, the beasts were detecting [pure wind-attribute mana, untainted by angelic influences].
In other words, mint-chocolate-scented mana = primordial wind-attribute mana.
Screeeech!
They howled and charged.
It was as though the beasts believed consuming that mana bread would transform them into something new.
To me, it sounded like this.
‘If we consume that mana, if we devour that bread, we can become something beyond mere beasts.’
Perhaps they could gain intelligence, awaken a dormant human soul, or ascend to a state where they could taste food and feel emotion.
Spirits could become people.
Screeeeeeech!!
“They’re even more out of control than before!”
“That’s what berserk means!”
The beasts were rampaging wildly, driven by the hope of transforming into something new.
“What on earth did you do to them?!”
“It’s not what I did to them, but rather all demonic beasts share the same reaction! By analyzing their mana patterns, I filled the missing parts of their cores, materializing their mana….”
“Save the theory for later! They’re coming!!”
My long-winded explanation only served to distract the hunters long enough for them to interrupt me and focus their attacks on the climbing beasts.
“Damn! It’s easier to hunt them now, but we can’t catch a break!”
“Man, this scent is great! If every puff smelled like this, I’d have no complaints!”
“What nonsense are you spouting?!”
It wasn’t nonsense.
If a person is purely wind-attribute, they perceive the scent as mint chocolate. However, those with both wind and darkness attributes—particularly those with an extremely low light attribute—experience a different aroma.
For instance, menthol.
This is a scent often perceived by individuals with a strong inclination toward “evil.” But just because someone senses menthol doesn’t mean they’re someone who must be dealt with immediately.
No, the real targets are the wolf-like demonic beasts that have gone mad for mint chocolate—and the entity creating those beasts, the [Wolf Boy].
“Is there any movement from the boss?”
“The boss…?”
“On guard! It’s watching this way!”
Yurha shouted, staring at the remote magic pad.
“It’s definitely been focused on this direction! The demonic beasts, too, are running straight here as soon as they’re spawned!”
“Thanks for the briefing! In that case, we’ll need to set off an even bigger one to force a reaction!”
“R-ready! But…!”
Yunia held the mana bread infused with her magic, glancing around nervously.
“How… how is this even happening?”
Perfect acting.
The onlookers’ attention focused on the mana bread in her hands. I stepped behind her and gently grabbed her hand.
“It’s simple, Miss Yunia. My ability is [Enhancement], and we’re highly compatible.”
Out of sight of the others, I traced letters on her abdomen with my hand.
“Like this…”
The moment Yunia nodded, I continued.
“Even if Yunia uses a B-rank spell with all her might, I can amplify it to A-rank power.”
I guided Yunia’s hand forward, throwing the mana bread outward with force.
“Now, Miss Yunia! One more time!”
“Air Blast!”
With her staff, Yunia unleashed wind magic, angling it sideways this time to divert the beasts toward us from along the wall.
BOOM!
Another explosion.
While not as colossal as the first, it created a sufficiently large mushroom cloud, unleashing another minty storm.
Having seen it once already, the onlookers weren’t as shocked this time.
“Ugh…!”
Some shielded their faces with their arms to withstand the magical wind, while others conjured barriers like goggles against the force.
But some noticed.
They saw the demonic beasts swept up in the mint-chocolate storm being shredded and vanishing as if purified.
Like undead dissolving under divine light.
Like cursed, tormented souls finding liberation and rest.
Even though the magic stones remained, the spirits bound to them were released, their souls drifting toward the underworld. The demonic beasts disintegrated, one by one.
“Huff… huff…”
Yunia steadied her breath, giving me a discreet signal with her hand. I clapped to draw attention.
“Miss Yunia, are you losing focus already?”
“I-I didn’t expect it to be this enhanced…”
Both of us knew the truth.
“Clearly, your synergy is excellent.”
“Instructor Esta?”
“I’ve confirmed your joint technique. It’ll be reflected in your practical evaluation.”
Her timely comment quelled most of the hunters’ suspicions.
The oblivious ones would chalk it up to a mere collaborative spell. Those with some awareness might deduce Yunia, as an Academy freshman, was capable of repeatedly casting B-rank magic.
A select few might realize I could support Yunia to elevate her spells to an A-rank level.
“You two there—”
Screeeeech!
A hunter approaching us froze at the sound of the beasts’ cries.
“The demonic beasts… What the?!”
“They’re running away?!”
The beasts began retreating—not toward us, but back the way they came.
“Is the mana bread losing effect?!”
“…No.”
In response to Evangeline’s question, I crafted a fresh mana bread.
Groooowl?!
A beast at the rear turned its head but kept running forward, its body moving independently of its will.
Whine, screech, whimper!
Its disjointed movements, as if its body were being forcibly controlled, were unmistakable.
“Could it be…?”
“It’s finally starting to move.”
Marchioness Ludvecia stepped beside me.
“Wolf Boy. No, the cursed ghost of Habsderk.”
The boss was gathering its minions.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves. It’s coming.”
“‘It’? What’s ‘it’?”
“That.”
Ludvecia took a mana bread, infused it with magic, and combined it with another.
“Fusion.”
