[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun":3,"chapter-the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-chapter-46":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Academy’s Weakest Became A Demon-Limited Hunter",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1374091,1817,"Chapter 46: - Thunderbird Subjugation (4)","the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-chapter-46",46,"\u003Cp>༺ Thunderbird Subjugation (4) ༻\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I was nestled in a cozy cocoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intense pain that had enveloped my entire body had softened. As I blinked a few times, my blurry vision cleared, and the surrounding scenery was revealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, my eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a bright world. That was the only way I could describe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun that hung in the sky emanated a gentle sensation that did not dazzle the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounding me were rows of trees that emitted a pale yellow light. Beyond the horizon, there was nothing but an unfamiliar light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this place…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was invited to an unknown world. It was like the [Fictional Hell] that Leafa the Illusive had used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the difference between this bright world and [Fictional Hell] was that I had never seen this place in ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱. It was uncharted territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite my bewildered state, I tried to make sense of the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you surprised?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep voice rang in my head. I quickly turned my head in the direction of the voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There stood a massive black bird that appeared out of place in the surrounding scenery, it folded its wings and looked down at me. It was ‘Thunderbird Galia’.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart sank for a brief moment, but when I realized that it wasn’t in a combat stance, I dropped my guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It seems that we are in the ‘Midheaven Realm’. It appears that my former master invited us here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Midheaven Realm. A place where souls who were near death, or who had died but had not yet passed on, were invited in order to sort out their thoughts and eventually find solace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also served as a relay point for the souls who yearn to meet other souls in the afterlife. This allowed them to spend the rest of eternity together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a setting in the ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ guidebook. It was known as a setting prepared for the characters who had unfortunately died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the game’s story, however, there was no reason for Ian to come to this world. The game ended with him becoming a renowned Magic Knight who had established a happy family with the chosen heroine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, here I am…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as I knew, the Midheaven Realm was located on the boundary between this world and the afterlife. In this world, time passed indefinitely, and thus no time passed in reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing to do here. Not even magic worked here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that the one who had invited me into this world was the previous master of the Thunderbird, the ‘Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath’. A tragic witch from Luce’s past who embraced death under false accusations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is your former master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Thunderbird raised its head and pointed its beak towards the sun, which emanated a gentle light. Its rays softly warmed my entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The scent I longed for is coming from over there.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did that mean that the sun was the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I somewhat understood the situation, I couldn’t help but feel a little confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the [To Gretel] achievement was one of the legendary achievements that were unlocked when one cleared a major scenario, but there were no separate rewards or new events. It was merely a trophy of sorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have ever imagined that it would turn out like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I want to know your name.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of the Thunderbird echoed in my head. It felt like it resonated within my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Isaac.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I am ‘Galia’… After suffering under that curse for years… Thank you for saving me, child. I truly mean this from the bottom of my heart… Thank you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deep yet gentle voice of the Thunderbird contained a subtle sob. I could only watch his figure in silence\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Adadapubu!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the voice of an energetic boy came from my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I lowered my head, I saw a small familar staring at me intently. It was a raccoon familiar with lightning mana wrapped around its tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A status window did not appear. Perhaps it was because there was no physical body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, what is this…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, numerous magic beasts with elemental mana wrapped around their bodies surrounded me. They appeared in front of me in the blink of an eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was startled and hastily looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These familiars were…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ones I fought earlier…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were the familiars that had been completely corrupted by the darkness mana and met a gruesome end by my magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, there were no longer any traces of darkness mana on their bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you, pubu!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The purple raccoon familiar shouted at my feet before tightly hugging my leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the familiars that had surrounded me started to approach me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They gently rubbed their cheeks against my body, cuddled me, or licked my cheeks and the back of my hands with their tongues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt utterly bewildered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you, meow!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kuooooh─! Thank you! Thank you so much!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you for freeing me from that demon!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you, thank you…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Gratitude to the Great One!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voices of countless familiars gently echoed in my head like waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bitter emotions they had harbored while being controlled by Vera the Summoner were seeping into me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each word they uttered, an erratic, lukewarm wave seemed to continuously engulf my heart, giving me a solemn feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kyahahaha! You’re strong, friend! You took a good hit!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil, the giant red magic beast, approached me with a hearty laugh. His turtle head, muscular body, and the eyes on his three pairs of wings were still the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familars stopped their affectionate gestures and looked at Hakil in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil stopped in front of me, looked down at me gently, and bent one knee to sit down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eyes on Hakil’s wings were all closed. His wings were slightly folded as if to show his respect towards me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You see, I always wanted to explore the vast world with my master.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil murmured with his eyes lowered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[But, after being controlled by that demon… I ended up killing my master with my own hands. That day, I lost everything.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grumbling voice faintly echoed in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Living under that demon was truly horrible… Even though we were once enemies, thank you for saving me… Really, thank you… I will never forget this favor…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil couldn’t hold back the tears and covered his eyes with his large hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Hakil, the other familiars began to share their own stories. I listened in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I met that demon while eating meat with my master, meow… Now, I can never forget the smell of my master’s blood, meow…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[My master always fell asleep with me in their arms. I loved being in their embrace… But I killed them with my own hands. As they were dying, they told me it was okay. They thanked me for traveling with them…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[My master picked me up when I was abandoned. I still vividly remember the sensation of piercing their heart…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Adadapubu…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Jerry, I was so angry being forcibly controlled by that woman! I was so mad! It was so hard! I cried every day!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t save them. They had been so deeply corrupted by the darkness mana that they couldn’t be saved, even if Vera the Summoner had died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they had been freed from Vera, they would have lived a cursed existence, unable to suppress their murderous urges. They would have continued to kill people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s right. I didn’t deserve their gratitude. I had simply killed the familars here without hesitation to prevent a bad ending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet they thought I had saved them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had longed for death, for an end to their suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the numerous voices that echoed in my head, I understood each and every one of the familiars’ stories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I felt relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a while, the familiars shared the numerous stories they had accumulated over their life, laughing and crying as they spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded my head, stroked their heads, and patted their backs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much time had passed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the horizon, one or two human figures emerged in the vast expanse of light. Their numbers quickly multiplied, reaching dozens in no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if coming to greet us, the individuals turned their gaze towards us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The intensity of the light made it difficult to make out their exact appearance, yet it seemed that all the familiars recognized them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiars froze in shock, as if time itself had stopped. Hakil’s eyes also widened in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place served as a relay for souls in the afterlife. It was obvious who the people in the Midheaven Realm had brought along with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, tears began welling up in the eyes of the familiars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ran or flew towards those people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiars cried as they hugged their masters. They shared how much they had missed them and how sad they had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The masters tightly hugged their familiars, stroked their heads, and listened to their cries with a gentle smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It’s been a while, Dyke.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil stood in front of his master, a muscular man, and greeted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his master chuckled and extended his fist, Hakil hesitated for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hakil bumped fists with the muscular man. He seemed to be deep in thought as he recalled the time he had spent with his master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the familiars and their respective masters started walking together, towards the vast world of light, into the afterlife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The familiars looked back at me and shouted their farewells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you! Really, thank you!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you, human!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I won’t forget this favor!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Adadapubu!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’m really grateful, meow!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kuooh! This mark of flame! I will remember you forever!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ll keep the grace of your noble deed in this body of fire even in the afterlife…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Take care! Thank you! Thank you! Really, really, thank you…!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vivid light enveloped the familiars as they returned to their masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They disappeared beyond the horizon with excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I silently watched the scene and felt an indescribable emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they would be together for an eternity. That would be long enough to forget the pain they had experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would embark on new adventures that they couldn’t complete in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figures of the familiars disappeared from my sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes for a moment, then quietly processed my emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I can feel it.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of the Thunderbird rang in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[My former master seems to be very grateful.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the sun was merely warm and gentle to me, it seemed to feel different to the Thunderbird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Even when I lost my reason, I could still feel Gretel’s heart. So I knew that you became her friend. I wanted to say thank you, child. It seems my former master is also grateful to you for the same reason.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gretel. The former name of Luce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was deep in thought. I calmly raised my head and stared at the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath, who had been watching over the boundary between this world and the next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 「Act 3, Chapter 4, Thunderbird Subjugation」 of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, there remained one final mission—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—To catch Luce, who was helplessly falling through the sky, her mana completely depleted. This journey would end with just that task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then I realized why I was in the Midheaven Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed some time to organize my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m about to die, right? And so are you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked as I turned my head towards the Thunderbird.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Thunderbird bowed its head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It seemed like you were deliberately hiding your identity, so I intended to protect your secret, but it seems there’s no need to do that now.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A roundabout answer. It wasn’t difficult to grasp what those words meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha, I knew this would happen. How could I have survived unscathed after fighting against the level 175 Thunderbird Galia?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a futile ending. I did all that to prevent a bad ending…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, there was no rush of emotions, no flicker of intensity. It felt as if even the most fleeting emotions passed by without leaving a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being able to stay calm even in the face of death must be due to the effect of [Ice Sovereign].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone once said, ‘If the world were to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today.’ That’s exactly how I felt at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Send me back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it’s come to this, there’s one last thing I need to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Luce is about to fall. There’s no one else to catch her but me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I’m destined to die anyways, I might as well save someone I deeply cherish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I adore Luce. As long as ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱ is my reality, I can’t bear to see her get hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, at the very least, I want to save Luce before I go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then it happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath expresses her gratitude to you!] [The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath gazes into your fate and offers you with the gift she deems most necessary for you!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A new system window appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I felt a searing pain on my left wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, I looked at my wrist. A black, magic circle-shaped seal was being engraved on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once it was completely engraved, the pain immediately stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Congratulations! You have acquired the [8-star Familiar Contract Circle]!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mouth was wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magic beasts from 1-star to 4-star could be summoned with a Familiar Summoning Circle, and if their wills align, a contract could be formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From 5-star to 7-star, they couldn’t be summoned by a Familiar Summoning Circle, but if they meet and their wills align, a contract could be formed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, an 8-star couldn’t form a familiar contract at will, even if they had a good relationship or understood each other well. A special seal was required. That seal, the ‘8-star Familiar Contract Circle’, could only be obtained in the very late stages of ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath had bestowed that upon me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of fate did she see to give this to someone who was about to die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was about to ask the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath, I lost my voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light emitting from the witch began to envelop my entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>─ To Gretel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a young girl in a worn-out navy blue dress appeared before my eyes. Her rose-gold hair was particularly beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was laughing at an old witch who wore a black witch’s hat with a hooked nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A curious 10-year-old girl. She held the witch’s hand and set off on an adventure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed, and the girl in a school uniform was smiling brightly at the academy’s graduation ceremony with the witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed again, and the woman who became a wizard boasted about her achievements to the witch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time had passed once again, and the lady who became a Tower Master held the witch’s hand and embarked on a new adventure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her beaming smile was no different from the innocent laughter of the 10-year-old girl. The witch was so content with this scene that she laughed happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath. The events that would have unfolded had she not died of tragedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fate envisioned by the Great Witch of Heaven’s Wrath, a reality that never came to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were fragments of a lost future, a calm solace in the sea of memories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>─ I will always love you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking in that sight for the last time, I quietly closed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>",2646,"2026-06-05T21:55:37.647Z",1,"novelbin.me","5a893346177c1bae01f27839c76554f3f57902cdfcf004becc13927f4e4c122f","the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-chapter-47","the-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-chapter-45",377,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-academy-s-weakest-became-a-demon-limited-hun-cover.jpg"]