Posing as a Genius at Magic University

How many steps does it take for an ordinary person with average talent to pass themselves off as a genius? Hillno answers: Just two. Step one: Crush the geniuses beneath your feet. Step two: Earn their admiration. Everyone knows that at Yamis University of Magic, the prestigious Black Magic College sits at the top of the pecking order; and for the past ten years, its most outstanding student has been the campus idol, Senior Brother Hillno; and the mentor who personally took Hillno on after graduation is none other than the dean of the Black Magic College, Yujia, one of the greatest mages in the magical world. With so many advantages, Hillno is unquestionably crowned a genius. Black magic students: Our aptitude requirements are the highest! Our classes are the most abstruse! Our exams are the most insane! Call us the Grindhouse Palace! Hillno, forced to compete relentlessly from the day he enrolled until graduation, terrified of losing first place: ... These arrogant mages at the Black Magic College are born with an extra strand of DNA that makes them admire the strong. If their powerful, learned dean is a god they look up to and revere, then the genius senior Hillno is the god's messenger, walking the earth to deliver divine decrees. Hillno, working himself to the bone and staying up all night to finish his coursework, sleeping only three hours a day: ... If that's what he likes, I can pretend to be a genius! (Shouting) I'll work hard for five years and become the only one in my teacher's eyes! (Fist clenched) A certain dean: (noticing that a certain student's face has lost one pixel's worth of weight) (serves him a meal 1/1) | Reader's Guide | 1. Receiver-focused, older love interest, with a strong mutual attraction. 2. Teacher and student at first, master and disciple later, with a brief stint as colleagues at the end. 3. Please note that this story focuses on the romance. Don't expect much from the plot :) 4. Comments shipping the characters with anyone else will be deleted. Let's build a harmonious reading environment, heart. 5. There's a separate collection of free bonus chapters on my profile. New bonus chapters posted after the story's complete will be added there. Give them a try! Theme: Hard work pays off.