《Demon-Hunting Genius Mage》 Chapter 1 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 1 "I''m going to delete my character." Thud. My friend dropped the chicken leg he was gnawing on. "Wait, you mean... Demon Fantasy?" "Yeah, my warrior character." We were talking about [Demon Fantasy], a game I''d been ying for over a decade. "Are you crazy? Why would you delete it?" He asked incredulously. He had yed the game for about three years, so he knew exactly what I meant. "Why all of a sudden? Didn''t you just get a mythic-tier trait?" "That was a year ago." "What¡¯s your rank now?" "First ce." "Huh¡­?" My friend chuckled and took a swig of beer. "So you''re finally quitting that shitty game. Why don''t you just sell the ount? You could buy an exotic car with the money you''d get." He was right. If I sold my ount, I could probably make at least as much as an average office worker earns in a year. Or maybe even more. The value of a [Demon Fantasy] ount wasn''t just determined by the character''s stats. My reputation, achievements, rtionships with major NPCs¡ªit all had value. And if one added the title of rank 1 to that... ¡®I could probably livefortably for several years¡­¡¯ Even though [Demon Fantasy] wasn''t as popr as it used to be, it was entirely possible. There was definitely someone out there who would recognize the value of my character. They''d probably jump at the chance to buy it. But I''d already made up my mind about that. "No, I''m going to delete it." "Why?" "I''m not quitting the game." When I was stuck at the final boss, I really wanted to quit. But I couldn''t. I''d been ying this game for over ten years. I had invested too much in it. That''s when I came to a conclusion. "I''m going to start over. This time, as a mage." "Are you insane? You''re going to go through all that again?" I understood his reaction. Starting a character from scratch in [Demon Fantasy] was no easy feat. And if that character was a ''Mage,'' it was even more difficult. But what could I do? My character was already fucked, and I could only create one character. To create a new character in [Demon Fantasy], I had to delete my existing one. I could start a new ount, but then I wouldn''t get any special benefits. Since my character was so high level, the special benefits I would receive would be enormous. It was a shame, but deletion was the only option. "You''re doing this to beat that guy, right?" "Yeah, I''ve already nned out my build. It took me a year." "Well, if you''re sure... I won''t stop you. But... do you think you can actually beat him?" The ''guy'' my friend was referring to was [Baal], the final boss of [Demon Fantasy] and themander of the Demon Army. And it was Baal who had stopped me in my tracks. Even though I had reached the maximum level and obtained mythic-tier traits, I couldn''t defeat him. It would be the same for him, I suppose. ¡®Immortal Warrior.¡¯ My warrior character had obtained this mythic-tier trait, [Immortal Warrior], which exponentially increased my resistance and regeneration stats. Physical resistance, magical resistance, natural regeneration, elemental resistance, and so on. As a result, an invincible zombie warrior was born. Even Baal, the final boss, couldn''t kill my character. But then. ¡®It was a bit¡­ disappointing of a trait.¡¯ [Immortal Warrior] was a totally defence-focused trait so I couldn''t prate Baal''s defences. We were locked in a strange stalemate, unable to kill each other. Aplete unsatisfactory result for a yer. Because of this, I have decided to create a new character and spent a considerable amount of time researching builds. A ¡®Mage¡¯ build¡ª highly specialized in offense. A year had passed since then. Now, I could confidently say, ¡°I''ll definitely defeat him.¡± *** Later at night. As soon as I got home, I immediately opened the character deletion window. [Would you like to delete the character?] [Yes/No] "..." I had clearly made up my mind, and the alcohol had also helped, but¡­ I wasn''t able to press the button easily. It was only natural, as that single click would erase five years of investment in this character. But it was something that had to be done. "...Thank you, it was fun while itsted." Click! [Character deleted.] The levels I had painstakingly raised, the reputation I had built, the rtionships I had nurtured, the achievements I had, the equipment I had worn, the rank 1 title¡­ Everything was gone. With just a single click. A deep sense of loss and emptiness mixed in together. "...I did it once. I can do it again.¡± When times like this, doing what you have to do is the best. I shook my head and quickly pressed the character creation button. [A special reward will be given for creating a new character.] [¡ùSpecial rewards vary depending on the achievements of the previous character.] Special rewards were a rare consideration in the unkind [Demon Fantasy]. A reward was given when you delete a character to promote the rapid growth of your next character. For example, traits, equipment, or skills. Among these, what I wanted the most was, without a doubt, traits. Traits were notoriously difficult to acquire. They were iparable to the others in terms of rarity. From the Heroic-tier and upward, their value was immeasurable. ¡®I hope I get something useful.¡¯ However, there was no way of knowing what I¡¯d receive from the bonus. Information about these rewards was incredibly scarce. And for good reason. In a game where your character is permanently lost when you die, how many yers would willingly delete their character just to gamble on some bonus rewards? Especially when the rewards weren''t guaranteed to be that great. [Calcting achievements¡­] ¡°Hm.¡± While waiting for the calction, I opened the notebook in front of me. A worn notebook with tattered pages. Inside was the culmination of a year¡¯s worth of research into my new build. Flip, flip! I carefully reviewed the pages, one by one. No issues. It was allmitted to memory by now. ¡°If I stick to this n...¡± I could defeat Baal. That¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯de to. Ding! The calction results appeared. [Achievement Calction Results] - Level: 100 (Max) - Rank: 1st - Quest Completion: 99% - Achievements Completed: 162/172 - Titles Acquired: 101/144 - Demons Defeated: 665/666 - Traits Owned: Immortal Warrior (Mythic), Aura (Legendary), Weapon Master (Heroic), Absolute Focus (Heroic) A system window appeared, summarizing my character¡¯s achievements and stats. It was a bit embarrassing to admit, but even I had to acknowledge how impressive it was. Especially the number of demons I¡¯d in. Out of the 666 types of demons, I had hunted down everyst one¡ªexcept for Baal. That was nothing short of an incredible aplishment. But¡­ "¡­That¡¯s what makes it even more frustrating." Just one left. Not being able to defeat that one had left a bitter taste in my mouth. Knowing that it was impossible to beat him with my zombie swordsman character only made it worse. ¡°This time, things will be different.¡± [Bonus rewards will now be distributed.] Thump! Thump! Thump¡­! My heart raced with excitement and anticipation. I deleted the character that I raised for five years. Now it is time to receive special bonuses. Pandora''s box, the one withplete unpredictable rewards, had finally opened. [A new spirit is being engraved into the soul of your character.] [Engraved Spirit: Former Master of Swordsmanship] [¡®Trait Selection Ticket (Mythic)¡¯ has been awarded.] [¡®Call of Destiny (Unknown)¡¯ has been awarded.] The rewards from the special bonuses were three in total. The spirit engraving was expected. It¡¯s a guaranteed reward when you delete a character that ranks within the top 100. Out of those, [Former Master of Swordsmanship] is the highest-grade spirit engraving you can get when deleting a swordsman character. With this, one of the mage¡¯s main weaknesses¡ªclosebat¡ªwas at least partially resolved. But the next reward was the real kicker. ¡°A trait selection ticket?¡± The trait selection ticket. This was an extremely rare reward, only given out asionally after defeating one of the Demon Army Commanders. It allowed you to select any trait within the ticket¡¯s tier. Naturally, it was an incredibly valuable item. But then¡­ ¡°¡­A Mythic-tier trait selection ticket?¡± A Mythic-tier trait selection ticket was something I had never seen before. I hadn¡¯te across it in the trading market or even heard about it in themunity. I was stunned. ¡°So¡­ that means I can pick any Mythic-tier trait I want?¡± Starting off with a Mythic-tier trait that perfectly matched my build was an enormous advantage. And if it was paired with an explosively powerful mage build... If that mage also had a spirit engraving to solve the problem of closebat... What kind of monster character would that even create? I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°A Mythic-tier trait selection ticket as a bonus reward¡­ If people found out about this, it would cause chaos.¡± I was certain. There would definitely be a surge of rerolling fever in [Demon Fantasy]. It was an item with that kind of value. ¡°Let¡¯s calm down.¡± I tried to steady myself, cooling my excitement. As good as it was, nothing good woulde from getting too worked up. In situations like this, staying calm was crucial. I immediately turned my attention to the next reward. ¡°¡®Call of Destiny¡¯. What¡¯s this?¡± The trait selection ticket was self-exnatory since the only difference was the grade. But this waspletely new. In fact, I¡¯d never even seen the ¡®Unknown¡¯ tier before. Even though I¡¯d yed this game for over 10 years, there were still things I didn¡¯t know? ¡°From the name alone, it¡¯s hard to tell.¡± Is it the key to unlocking a hidden quest? Or maybe a levelling item that aids in growth? Who knows, honestly. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out in time.¡± Thinking it couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary item, I skimmed through the reward list again. Spirit engraving, trait selection ticket, and an unknown-tier item. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect much. Special bonuses in this game had always been notoriously inefficient. But this? This was more than eptable. In fact, it was as good as it gets. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t waste those five years.¡± I wasn¡¯t exactly ecstatic, though. The rewards werepensation for five years of time and effort I¡¯d poured into a single character. They were rewards good enough to help skip over the hardest parts of the early grind, but the value of my time and effort wasn¡¯t something that could be measured so cheaply. ¡°Hah¡­¡± And now, it was time to see the fruit of those five years of time andbor. To finally kill Baal, the boss I could never defeat, and bring the main quest to its conclusion. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Click! As I pressed the start game button, the familiar intro screen appeared after so long. [Wee to Demon Fantasy.] The text was in a haunting font on a blood-red backdrop, setting a chilling atmosphere. Thump, thump, thump¡­! Even after more than 10 years, this moment still made my heart race. Just as I was feeling that rush of excitement¡ª [The condition to use ''Call of Destiny'' has been met.] [''Call of Destiny'' is activating.] ¡°Huh?¡± A strange notification popped up, something I had never seen before. [Oh God!] Suddenly, a deep, powerful voice pierced through my mind. And that was it. My entire vision spun 180 degrees before plunging into darkness. My consciousness began to drift away, further and further into oblivion. When I finally opened my eyes again¡­ ¡°...Where am I?¡± I realized I was inside the game. No, I was in the world where 666 kinds of demons roamed freely. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 2 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 2 I always try to stay calm whenever danger strikes. I firmly believe that this mindset would protect me. And in fact, it does. Calmness has always helped me escape danger. In short, this was one of those times when I needed to be calmer than ever. I took a deep breath, calmly scanning my surroundings before speaking. ¡°...Where am I?¡± A starless ck sky. A lone purple moon floating in the distance. A body that wasn¡¯t mine. And a strange, unfamiliarnguage spilling from my mouth. As if that weren¡¯t enough, the old man added to the confusion. ¡°This is Asteron, Sector 7. Also known as...¡± ¡°...A Wastnd.¡± ¡°Indeed. A ce for people like you and me.¡± In the end, I had no choice but to ept it. I was inside the world of Demon Fantasy. I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how, but I had a pretty good idea. I hadn¡¯t missed that strange message before I cked out. [The condition for ¡®Call of Destiny¡¯ has been met.] [¡®Call of Destiny¡¯ is activating.] ¡®So that''s what it was¡­.¡¯ That item must¡¯ve caused all of this. Possession, reincarnation, or something simr. ¡°How¡¯s your head?¡± I instinctively raised a hand to my forehead. The rough surface I touched felt like dried blood, hardened over time. ¡®I must¡¯ve hit my head.¡¯ If this really was Demon Fantasy, it made perfect sense. In that game, you started by possessing the body of an NPC in critical condition. ¡®Seems like possession is the most likely exnation.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Fast recovery, eh? You looked like you were about to die just a while ago.¡± Well, of course. Once the yer enters, the body begins to heal. ¡°...Yeah, I guess so.¡± ¡°Hmm, well, that¡¯s good to hear. I wouldn¡¯t want to sleep next to a corpse.¡± The old man chuckled, clearly amused by something, while I quietly observed him. His matted hair clung to his scalp, and he wore a filthy, ragged cloak that made him look every bit the beggar. Yet, for some reason, I didn¡¯t feel any disgust. Probably because I wasn¡¯t in much better shape myself. ¡°...This isn¡¯t good.¡± As I mentioned before, in Demon Fantasy, the yer begins by possessing the body of an NPC who¡¯s on the verge of death. This makes the early game highly dependent on luck. The difficulty of the starting phase depends entirely on who the possessed NPC is, their status, and their situation. And judging by my current circumstances, I¡¯d drawn the short straw. I was a beggar. That much was obvious to anyone. ¡°Damn it.¡± Normally, in a situation like this, the best thing to do was to restart the character. After all, this was already a difficult game; no one in their right mind would want to start as a beggar. But right now, even that wasn¡¯t an option. I couldn¡¯t delete the character, nor did I know how to leave this ce. Well, given the special rewards I¡¯d received, it wouldn¡¯t have been different even if this were still just a game. In any case... ...I have to stay calm. I was in a dangerous situation. If this was the world I knew, demons could appear at any time, anywhere. This was no time to wallow in despair. I steadied my rattled mind and began searching for a way out. First, let¡¯s get a handle on the situation. ¡®I have been transmigrated into the game. I am a beggar in Asteron, Sector 7¡¯ Considering all the clues, it seemed like the body I had possessed was the character I had created just before I lost consciousness. Which meant... ...The rewards. The special rewards I had received would still be with me. I quickly searched my body and confirmed my guess. Tucked away securely inside my robes was a single white card. The Trait Selection Card. Without hesitation, I decided it was best to use it now and tore it in half. At that moment... Thud. An eerie silence fell over everything. The cool breeze stopped, the rats scurrying around ceased moving, and even the old man watching me was frozen in ce. Time itself had stopped. ¡°So this is how it works.¡± Whoosh. My eyes were drawn to the cards fluttering before me, all glowing with a golden light. Swish. I made a gesture to move them aside, and the cards obediently shifted, one by one. There were around 30 of them¡ªquite a lot¡ªbut I pushed through without hesitation. I already knew which one I wanted. Soon enough, I found the card with the image I was looking for. If this were still a game, I¡¯d probably see a message like this: [Prodigy of Magic (Trait/Mythical)] - The ¡®Insight¡¯ state is permanently maintained. - Magic learning speed, mana regeneration, and mana sensitivity increase by 300%. - Magicalputation ability is maximized. - Maximum mana increases in proportion to magical growth. - The limit on magical growth is removed. Anyone could see that this was an overwhelmingly powerful trait. But now that I was about to choose it, doubts crept in. Was this really the right choice, given the current situation? If this were still just a game, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate. ...But this wasn¡¯t a game. I had spent a year meticulously nning this build. The magic build I crafted was nearly wless. I had been confident enough to delete a character worth anywhere from thousands to tens of millions, knowing this new one would be better. But now that I¡¯m inside the game, the situation hadpletely changed. The risks were too high. My build was high-risk, high-reward. It was designed to explode in power in thete game, rather than the early stages. The entire build had been centered around defeating Baal. But now, there was something more important than Baal. Survival. If I die, none of it would matter. Of course, there was a chance that dying would send me back to the real world... but I couldn¡¯t bank on a hopeful assumption. In the end, I decided to hold off on choosing the card and began sorting through my tangled thoughts. ¡°How do I get back?¡± The first thing that came to mind was using the item that had brought me here¡ª[Call of Destiny]¡ªagain. But [Call of Destiny] was ultimately just a reward I received through a special perk. I didn¡¯t even know if it could be used again. So, I set that aside for now. The next thing that came to mind was... "Of course, it has to be the ending." Defeat Baal and see the ending of Demon Fantasy. That seemed like the most usible solution at the moment. The problem was... it wouldn''t be easy. Not by a long shot. "Can I really do it...?" To be honest, I wasn¡¯t sure. How is the real me supposed to defeat the same Baal I couldn¡¯t even take down in the game? But if defeating Baal was the only way to return to my world, and I failed, I might never make it back. "......" I stood at a crossroads. I had to choose whether to focus solely on survival or to cling to the slim chance of returning to my original world. If I chose the former, I could immediately select a trait that would make me stronger. That would significantly increase my chances of surviving. If I chose thetter... I would face countless near-death experiences. I¡¯d have to roam through every region, hunting demons, facing demonmanders, struggling to grow stronger. Navigatingplicated rtionships, handling quests, battling hunger, and enduring physical exhaustion. And then, finally, I¡¯d have to face Baal. Could I do it? Could I endure that grueling journey? At that moment, a conversation I¡¯d once had with a friend popped into my mind. ¡ª Yeah, I mean, you seem set on it, so I won¡¯t try to stop you. But... is defeating him even possible? ¡ª I¡¯ll absolutely take him down. Back then, I was full of confidence. A decade of gamey experience, a build I had meticulously crafted for a year, the massive special rewards I would receive, and the countless times I had memorized Baal¡¯s attack patterns all backed me up. Ironically, none of that had changed now. I still had my gamey experience. I still remember my carefully crafted build. I still had my special rewards. And I still knew Baal¡¯s patterns. Even though I was now inside the game, the fact remained: I could beat him. Yeah, to hell with it. "I¡¯ll take him down." Resolute, I reached out my hand. sh! The card burst into radiant light. A powerful sensation surged through me as some immense force began to seep in. From my fingertips to the center of my chest, I felt a surge of rity as my vision sharpened and the world around me looked... different. A new awareness bloomed. I could see the flow of mana in the air. A thrilling sensation coursed through me. It felt as though, after centuries of waiting, I had finally achieved enlightenment. ...This is... "Insight." I could see the mana particles floating in the air. Though I had never learned how to use them, I felt like I could control them effortlessly. A deep-seated confidence welled up from within. I extended my hand silently. Swish. Ever so slightly, the mana began to move toward me. I tried to focus my will to pull it in more forcefully when¡ª Time resumed. "...You, you there?" I quickly withdrew my hand. The old man was staring at me, a confused expression on his face. Had he seen something? And just then... "Huh? Who the hell are you two?" Arge and muscr beggar suddenly appeared. The strong smell of alcohol hit me, clearly drunk from whatever he had been drinking. He looked between me and the old man before shouting in irritation. "Don¡¯t you know this is my spot? Get lost! Now!" And just like that, we were chased away. *** "Huff... Huff..." The old man was gasping for breath. We could have just walked away calmly, but he was so startled that he ran off in a panic. As I approached, thinking I might offer him some support, the old man jumped in surprise. "Oh, it¡¯s you! So, where do you n to go now?" "I¡¯m still figuring that out." "Well, that¡¯s perfect!" The old man grinned, showing his yellowed teeth. "If you don¡¯t have anywhere to go, why don¡¯t youe with me?" "Where to?" "I know just the ce for folks like us!" "Then why didn¡¯t you go there in the first ce? Why were you staying back there?" "Oh, well, you need a bit of money to get in... But now, that¡¯s all sorted!" The old man rummaged inside his ragged clothes and pulled something out. It was a small pouch, and as he shook it from side to side, the sound of jingling coins came from inside. "What¡¯s that?" "Money! I stole it from that beggar who chased us away!" The old manughed heartily as he exined. Ah, so that¡¯s why he ran. He managed to steal money during that short exchange. Quite the nimble-fingered old man. Was that his n all along? "So, are youing? I¡¯ll cover your share!" "...You¡¯ll cover it? Why would you do that?" "You seem like someone I¡¯d like to have around." I was skeptical. Money is the most precious thing to a beggar. Generosity without a motive is rare, especially when you¡¯re down on your luck. "Of course, it¡¯s not a free favor. If you promise to pay me back doubleter, I¡¯ll cover it now!" Ah, so it¡¯s about the money. In that case¡­ "Is it safe?" "Absolutely. It¡¯s a ce where former mercenaries gather. If you pay, they¡¯ll give you food, a ce to sleep, and everything. And the security¡¯s top-notch! No ordinary demons would dare approach." Sounds like a temporary shelter. It didn¡¯t sound too reliable, but I didn¡¯t have any reason to refuse. Whatever this ce was, it had to be better than sleeping on the street. And I can always earn money once I start learning magic. By then, I can escape from this hell called Sector 7. "Alright, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll pay you back double." "Great! It¡¯s a bit of a walk, so take it easy." After walking for about 30 minutes, the old man stopped in front of arge wooden building. It looked a bit worn out but had signs of sturdy repairs here and there. "This is the ce. I¡¯ll go in and talk. You wait here for a bit." "Sure." The old man shuffled inside, grumbling as he went. I quickly scanned my surroundings, confirming that no one was around, and turned my gaze away. My hands had been itching for a while now. "I think I can do it." I carefully reached out toward the mana particles floating in the air. It felt like if I just focused a bit more, I could make it work. But contrary to my expectations¡­ Poof. The particles disintegrated into dust the moment my hand touched them. "Looks like it''s not that easy after all." Still, I was getting the hang of it, slowly but surely. And when you''re at this stage, what''s most important is repetition and practice. Poof. Poof! Poof¡­! After several more attempts¡­ "Oh, there we go." Hummm. Finally, the mana particles started to move ording to my will. As soon as I realized what was happening, I immediately gathered the mana in my palms, forming a small sphere. Wooooom! In the game, this would be called [Mana Compression], a skill that literallypresses mana particles into a spherical shape. It¡¯s one of the essential fundamentals needed to cast magic, but by no means easy to master. "...It took me a weekst time." I recalled that even my previous character, the zombie swordsman, had to learn [Mana Compression]. After all, controlling basic mana was necessary to wield auras. But back then, it had taken me an entire week. And that was only after I bribed a high-level mage NPC to win their favor and get them to share some helpful tricks, speeding up my learning process. Yet now, it had only taken about five minutes. The difference was staggering. It was clear that the boosts from the [Prodigy of Magic] trait¡ªenhanced magic learning and mana sensitivity¡ªwere kicking in. "Yep, a mythic-tier trait is on a whole different scale." A grin crept onto my face without me realizing it. I was certain now. At this rate, learning magic would be a breeze. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 3 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 3 The old man came back not long after I had fully mastered [Mana Compression]. "The talk went smoothly. I''ve also made the payment." He was apanied by a towering bald man, who looked me up and down before speaking. "Hmm, you''re the one?" For some reason, his expression seemed a bit curious. Not paying it much mind, I gave a small bow and greeted him. "Pleased to meet you." "Yes, you can count on us." "It''s gettingte, let¡¯s hurry and go in! I¡¯m dying to get some sleep!" The old man was clearly in high spirits and strode into the building first. The bald giant motioned for me to follow, so I walked inside as well. We entered the building without any trouble, and I couldn''t help but be impressed. "Wow, what is this¡­?" The old man had been praising this ce nonstop on the way here, saying how great it was, but I hadn¡¯t really believed him. Even if it was run by former mercenaries, I figured they were still just beggars. I didn¡¯t expect the facilities to be anything special. And the building¡¯s exterior certainly looked old and worn out. But¡­ "This is way nicer than I thought." Contrary to the rough exterior, the interior was spacious, beyond what I had imagined. The floor was polished marble and the ceiling was lined with bright lights. One wall was neatly stocked with various supplies, and there were over a dozen rooms that looked like they were meant for guests. Honestly, this ce was more luxurious than most inns or hotels. "There''s a ce like this in Sector 7?" The giant must have noticed my astonished expression because he spoke in a low voice. "Surprised?" "Yes, well¡­ it''s not what I expected. How is something like this even possible?" "You could say it''s thanks to the power of magic. The space, the lighting, the supplies¡­ There are signs magic¡¯s everything here." "Is there a mage living here?" "Yeah, we¡¯ve got a pretty skilled one. He¡¯s our leader, actually. Oh, looks like he¡¯sing now." Following the giant¡¯s gaze, I turned my head. A man with sharp features and slicked-back blonde hair was approaching. "Oh, so you¡¯re our guest?" "Yes, I look forward to being in your care." "Haha, the pleasure¡¯s mine!" He greeted me with a friendly smile, but I couldn¡¯t help but nce around. While there were plenty of rooms, all of them seemed to be empty. ¡®Looks like they don¡¯t have many guests.¡¯ It was odd. With a ce this nice, how could there be so few people? Then again, it wasn¡¯t entirely unbelievable. A facility like this probably wasn¡¯t within reach for most beggars. A sense of unease crept over me. ¡®How much did that old man even pay?¡¯ Could there have been gold coins inside his jingling pouch? I was starting to worry about what I''d do if the old man demanded some absurd repaymentter on. "Your room is over there." The man with the slicked-back hair pointed to one of the rooms. One nce, and I could tell¡ªit was pure luxury. It seemed like this room was the best among the ones I¡¯d seen while passing by. At a nce, it had a soft-looking bed, a table adorned with intricate designs, and even a private shower facility. "They¡¯re really giving me this room?" "Of course! You¡¯re a paying guest, after all." Well... that''s true, but something still felt off. "What about your room, sir?" I asked the old man. "Ah, I¡¯m right next door!" Even though his room was just as luxurious, my uneasiness didn¡¯t go away. No matter how much they¡¯d been paid, was there really a need to treat a mere beggar this well? "How about washing up first?" The blonde-haired man who was standing nearby suggested. I nced down at my clothes¡ªan old, faded T-shirt whose original color I couldn¡¯t even remember, and pants riddled with holes, all of them emitting a faint and unpleasant smell. "Yeah... that sounds like a good idea." "You made the right choice. There¡¯s a change of clothes inside, and by the time you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll have food brought to you." "Thank you¡­" I followed his instructions and entered the room. After tossing aside my worn-out clothes into the trash bin, I headed straight for the bathroom. Shaaah¡ª Even without a connected hose, the water gushed out smoothly. It had a filter that automatically removed impurities. It was powered by none other than magic. "...Is this a sales tactic? Treat me well so I''lle back?" Despite my lingering suspicions, all those thoughts melted away as soon as the warm water touched my skin. The heat loosened the grime stuck on my body, washing away the umted fatigue in one sweep. "¡­Ah, this is nice." Since I had reincarnated as a beggar, I thought I wouldn¡¯t get to enjoy this kind of luxury for a while. Yet here I was, experiencing it already. Squeak squeak¡ª I scrubbed my entire body clean in gratitude for meeting the old man. It was only near the end of the shower that I wiped the foggy mirror and took a proper look at myself. I stood silently, staring. This was the first time I was really seeing my reflection. "¡­Not bad." A sharp jawline, clear skin, and well-defined features. Even soaking wet, I was handsome enough to be presentable. The dark circles under my eyes even added a kind of mysterious charm. The only downside? I was horribly thin. My cheeks were sunken, and my ribs were clearly visible beneath my skin. "...No wonder. I felt exhausted after just walking for 30 minutes." In this condition, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to manage even basic activities, let alone magic. Come to think of it, they did mention bringing food. With a body like this, eating wasn¡¯t just a choice¡ªit was a necessity. Knock knock¡ª Just in time, I heard a knock. I quickly put on the clothes that had beenid out for me and opened the door. The man with slicked-back hair was standing with a tray loaded with food in his hands. Once again, it was a feast that seemed far too generous for a beggar. "Now that you¡¯re all cleaned up, eat this and rest well. It must¡¯ve been tiring getting here." "¡­Thank you." As I took the tray, the man gave me a warm smile¡ªa smile that seemed to have not a single trace of ill intent. With that, I closed the door behind me and double-locked it with thetch. Click. I ced the tray on the table and sat on the edge of the bed. Gurgle, gurgle¡­ My stomach growled loudly. Yet, I just sat there and silently stared at the food. The reason was simple. I could see something in the food. "¡­" I slowly closed my eyes and reyed everything that had happened so far in my head. The overly kind old man who paid for my share, the strange look from the giant when we first met, the unnaturally friendly man with the slicked-back hair, and this overly luxurious ce. Despite all this, the rooms had been empty. I had chalked it up to good luck, but that had been foolish of me. ¡®¡­This is Demon Fantasy.'' What kind of game was Demon Fantasy? It was a game far from joy, hope, or happiness. It was filled only with despair and frustration. And in my current situation, those feelings were even more fitting. ¡®Asteron¡¯s Sector 7.¡¯ A ce teeming with criminals and dangerous felons. Here, no one showed kindness. Everyone remained on high alert and scrutinized even the smallest things with caution. That was Asteron¡¯s Sector 7. And I was right in the middle of it. Swish. Realizing the situation, I opened my eyes after realizing the whole situation. Only now could I fullyprehend what I saw in the food. The green particles of mana hovering over the dish. Poison. Knock, knock, knock¡­ At the sound of knocking, I instinctively held my breath. Not long after, I heard hushed voices. ¡°...Seems like he ate it?¡± ¡°Haha, looks like you were right. Easier than I thought.¡± "Let¡¯s wait just a bit longer to be sure." The voices belonged to the man with the slicked-back hair, the giant, and the old man. I carefully positioned myself behind the door and moved silently. I gripped a small knife in my right hand. More precisely, It was the steak knife that the slicked-back man had given me along with the food. It was a mistake going to cost them their life. "¡­" I was lucky. Not only had I brought over my unique trait, but something else as well. [The Former Master of Swordsmanship.] A top-tier spirit limprint that every swordsman yer dreams of. It was time to put it to use. *** Bang! Bang! Bang! With a terrifying crash, the door shook violently. The giant outside had confirmed the double lock and was now trying to break it down. I remained calm, thinking quickly amidst the noise. ¡®Magic won¡¯t work.¡¯ At my current level, I could barely manipte mana, let alone cast spells. So I needed to rely on other methods. Fortunately, I had options. [The Former Master of Swordsmanship.] - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. - Awakening during closebat. - Reflexes and hand-eye coordination elerated. - +30 to instinct stats. - Immunity to fear. It was aprehensive imprint that provided everything needed to be a master swordsman. Bang! Finally, the doorknob shattered, and as expected, the giant burst in first. ¡°Wait, there¡¯s no¡ª¡± The moment his gazended on me who was hiding behind the door, I sprang into action. Whoosh! I immediately reached out with my right hand. Though he was physically muchrger than me, I felt confident I could pull this off. Even if I was just holding a small steak knife. Even if it was used to stab a living person. My spirit imprint made it possible. - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. Thud! ¡°Gaaah!¡± The giant screamed and clutched his eyes. Blood streamed from them and poured out in torrents. I had no reason to wait for him to calm down, so I swung the knife again. With a swift motion, I shed at his neck. Shhht! ¡°Cough, cough!¡± His massive hands moved to his throat. Despite their size, they couldn¡¯t stop the gushing blood from spraying like a fountain. And then¡ª Thud! He copsed with a heavy thud. I had no time to relish the victory of taking down one enemy. Now, I could see the next opponent. The man with the slicked-back hair. ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± He seemed unfazed as he was preparing to retaliate as if this were routine for him. The friendly smile from earlier was gone. Ah, he was the mage. Whooosh! Mana swirled around him, forming letters and shapes before finally coalescing into a circle. All of this was a lesson for me. - Magic learning ability increased by 300%. I absorbed the intricate process of mana transforming into magic, and realizations began to untangle like threads in my mind. ¡°...So that¡¯s how it works.¡± I concluded that avoiding the spell he was casting was impossible. [The Former Master of Swordsmanship] didn¡¯t enhance my physical capabilities. Thus, there was only one way to turn the situation around. I needed to dismantle the magic. - Magicalputation ability maximized. ¡°Huh?¡± The anger on his face turned to shock as my fingers twitched more and more. ¡°...What is this?¡± Dismantling wasn¡¯t difficult. I just had to understand the mana pathways of the spell and disrupt them. The current situation proved that. ...Fshhh. The fading mana eventually scattered into the atmosphere. The slicked-back man froze in ce, his expression asking how I had done it. There was no need to answer. I stepped closer and swung the knife. ¡°Gah!¡± Though he was the leader of this ce, he fell just like the giant in the face of death. As he bled out, he crumpled lifelessly. Now, only one remained. Squish, squish! I walked through the puddles of blood, stepping over the corpses. I faced the old man who was trembling and peed in his pants from fear. ¡°Y-you shouldn¡¯t be here¡­¡± There was no need to rush to kill him like before. What could this frail old man do? So I spoke up. ¡°Why did you try to kill me?¡± ¡°Kill you? No, that¡¯s not¡ªcough!¡± I abruptly reached out and gripped the old man¡¯s neck. Though my body was weak, I had enough strength to subdue him. ¡°...Stop stalling. I¡¯ll ask again. Why did you want me dead?¡± The old man¡¯s face turned red as he struggled to respond. ¡°...The heart of a mage sells for a high price.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I saw you controlling mana...¡± Suddenly, a forgotten memory shed in my mind. The moment time resumed after I had chosen my trait, the old man¡¯s startled expression came back to me. ¡°...So it was from then.¡± I felt a wave of nausea. Memories of our conversations came flooding back. - I¡¯ll cover your share! - Why? Because I like you! - I know a good ce for people like us to live. - I¡¯ll be back after talking for a bit, so just wait here. It wasn¡¯t kindness. It was a ruse. From the very beginning, the cunning old man had only intended to kill me. ¡°P-please forgive me! I was just trying to survive! If it were any other beggars in that situation...!¡± ¡°...Yeah, I get it.¡± I understood perfectly. Humans will do anything to survive. So I could forgive the old man, but I also knew I couldn¡¯t leave any loose ends if I wanted to survive. ¡°I¡¯m the same.¡± ¡°N-no...!¡± Thwok! I plunged the knife into the old man¡¯s neck. His trembling body went ck. ¡°...¡± Silence enveloped the room as I slowly surveyed my surroundings. The bloodied knife in my hand, the thick stench of blood in the air, and the three corpses sprawled on the floor... I took it all in. If their mistake had given me this knife, then what happened next was entirely due to my own failure. A naive mistake. A mistake of forgetting what kind of world this was. ¡°...Focus.¡± The danger wasn¡¯t just the demons. This was a world where demons wore the guise of humans. As I firmly acknowledged this truth, I made a vow. ¡°...I won¡¯t repeat my mistakes again.¡± I would ensure this kind of thing wouldn¡¯t happen again. Tragically, the first thing I did upon falling into this world was kill a human, not a demon. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 4 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 4 Thump. Just as I was getting used to the thick stench of blood, my racing heartbeat slowed down and a wave of intense pain washed over my entire body. The ¡®awakening¡¯ granted by [The Former Master of Swordsmanship] had ended. ¡°This fucking body.¡± When the body enters the awakened state it releases a massive amount of adrenaline to make my movements much more fluid. ording to the description it also heightened my focus and judgment. It also dulled my sensitivity to pain, allowing me to fight quite well even with this frail body. The problem arose after the battle ended¡ªlike now. If I fought in a way that didn¡¯t match my physical abilities, I would be hit with a barrage of debuffs for the next 30 minutes. Enhanced pain, reduced focus, dizziness, stomach cramps, muscle aches, and so on. The result was an overwhelming surge of agony, like a dyed aftershock. Even my mind was exhausted, and I was on the verge of passing out. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s sleep for now.¡± I left my unfinished tasks behind and trudged into the next room. It wasn¡¯t as well-equipped as the room I was originally assigned, but I couldn¡¯t exactly sleep next to a pile of corpses. There might also be traps in this room, considering it was where they tried to ambush me. Regardless of it I copsed on the bed and let my body rxpletely. It felt like I was glued to the mattress. I was too tired even to move a finger. I could fall asleep in an instant, but I forced my eyes open despite their heaviness. There was still something I needed to do. The magic that the slick-haired man had been casting. I needed to reconstruct it. ¡®¡­What kind of magic was it?¡¯ I had dismantled the spell before it could fully manifest, so I didn¡¯t know what it was exactly. I could only assume it was some sort of offensive magic. It didn¡¯t seem particrly high-level. But more than that, it was the first time I had witnessed ¡®real magic¡¯ since arriving in this world. And just maybe, I thought, I could make it my own. It would be better to try while the memory was still fresh, just before I fell asleep. I mentally reyed the magic that the slick-haired man tried to cast. ¡®I¡¯ve got a rough idea.¡¯ The part that bothered me most was the start of the spell. I hadn¡¯t seen it because I¡¯d been too busy fighting the brute. By the time the battle ended, the spell had already reached its mid-stage. I¡¯d have to figure it out myself. I slowly sharpened my focus. A tingling sensation spread as I visualized the scenario like a simtion in my mind. The total amount of mana, its direction, its density and the overall flow. I rewound everything step by step until I could picture the starting point. At first, it seemed impossible, but soon enough, I started to get a feel for it. ¡®Is this how it goes?¡¯ I opened my eyes slightly and manipted the mana that had gathered around me. Soon, a small cluster of mana began to glow with a faint blue light. ¡®Is this thanks to the ¡°Magic Prodigy¡± trait?¡¯ I instinctively understood what this phenomenon was. It was the beginning of magic. The starting point of magic. Every spell begins with this small cluster of mana. "...Now." From that point on, I followed exactly what he had done. The mana formed letters, then shapes, and finally a circle. A spell form came into being. I closely observed the floating form before me. Soon, I began to understand its nature. Its surface appeared calm, but its energy was vtile and aggressive and could turn on its caster instantly if mishandled. With such a destructive nature, there could be only one type of magic it represented. ''...Fire.'' The slick-haired man had been casting a fire spell. A subtle sense of aplishment came from deep. "...Ha, haha." I had sessfully recreated more than half of a spell, just after arriving this world for the first time And I had done it without a spellbook. Learning magic on your own is something even highly talented mages wouldn''t dare to attempt. Though it was thanks to the power of my trait, I felt like a true prodigy for the first time. ...Considering I¡¯d been thrown into a game world, I figured I deserved to enjoy this feeling a bit. With that thought, I let everything go and closed my eyes. This was exhaustion beyond what any human could bear. *** When I woke, the room was dark. I instinctively nced at the clock on the wall. "It was around six when I fell asleep..." The current time: 9 p.m. I slept for 15 straight hours. Guess I really was tired. "...I slept a lot. Well, at least I feel fully rested." Crack, crack. I stretched thoroughly after sleeping so long, then headed straight to the shower. I washed off the sweat that had drenched my body while I slept. Only after finishing the shower and changing into fresh clothes did I start thinking about what to do next. Though, there wasn''t much to think about. "First, I need to get out of Sector 7." Sector 7, the slum of beggars known as the Wastnd. There wasn''t much I could do here. To fully make use of the build I had nned, I''d need to at least make it to Sector 6. And for that... "...First, I need money. Then I¡¯ll need money again... and after that... more money." Damn it. "No matter the world, living is the same struggle." The n was simple. Bribe the guards to get into Sector 6. Use a broker to clean my identity. Obtain a spellbook, learn magic, and raise my value in society. The problem was that all of these steps required money. ¡°Where am I supposed to get money?¡± Originally my n was to quickly master the magic to help the beggars and get paid in return. But now, I had changed my mind. ¡°I just don¡¯t trust them.¡± I did not want to depend on beggars for money, because they could stab me in the back at any moment. So, I started thinking of alternative methods. How could I earn money here? While pondering that question, my stomach growled. Grrrrr! ...Now that I think about it, I hadn¡¯t eaten anything yet. I headed straight to themunal kitchen to get something to eat. There were round slices of bread with fruit jam spread on top. ¡°¡­This is kind of different, but pretty good.¡± The sweetness exploding in my mouth sparked my appetite. As the strong vors jolted my brain awake, a sudden thought shed through my mind. ¡°Wait, money?¡± I nced around and noticed how well-organized the kitchen was. Stacks of premium ingredients and fully stocked kitchenware. Everything from the tables to the tablecloths to the sink was high-end. How did I not think of this sooner? ¡°Yeah, in a ce like this¡­¡± There¡¯s no need to search elsewhere for money. Tap tap tap! I quickly searched the building. Then, I came to a stop in front of arge steel door. It was locked tightly, and the sight of it screamed ¡®suspicious.¡¯ If my hunch was right¡­ ¡°There¡¯s money behind here.¡± With the wealth it would take to furnish a building like this, there was bound to be a stash hidden somewhere. My heart pounded with the sudden thought that everything might be resolved in one go. The problem was figuring out how to open the door... Upon inspecting the steel door, I noticed a small hole. A keyhole. ¡°Where would he have kept the key?¡± Two things came to mind. One, in the room of the slicked-back man who called himself the leader. So he must carry important things on himself. ¡°He didn¡¯t strike me first as the cautious type.¡± Which meant the key was probably on him. I headed straight back to where the corpse was and began searching his body. His sleeves, pants pockets, inner pockets. Eventually, I felt something jingle around his waist. ¡°Got it.¡± A bunch of keys each having different shapes. One of these had to unlock that suspicious door. There was no need to agonize over which key it was. ¡°I¡¯ll just try them all.¡± I returned to the steel door and inserted the keys one by one. Soon enough, click¡ªthe sound of the lock disengaging echoed. ¡°Alright.¡± Creeeeeak. The thick steel door swung open with a grating metallic sound. Instead of a room, there was a dark space, and a staircase leading downward. Was there some sort of basement down there? I cautiously proceeded forward after grabbing antern from the wall mount. Step by step. After descending what seemed like an endless staircase and turning a corner, I found another door. It had a small barred window and atch that locked from the outside¡ªmuch like a prison cell. What could be behind this? Creeeeak. With my guard fully up, I utched the door and stepped inside. The interior was pitch-ck, no light whatsoever. I waved thentern around and scanned the room. Suddenly, I noticed a dark figure huddled in a corner. Disheveled long hair, tattered clothing, shriveled body. ¡°¡­A woman?¡± Her figure was in such a bad state that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if she was dead, but I pushed aside my difort and nudged her gently with my foot. The woman flinched and looked up at me with wide eyes. She was alive. ¡°¡­Did they lock you in here too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­Then how did you end up here?¡± ¡°I was just passing through.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The woman, who had been silent for a while, suddenly shifted her gaze toward one spot. Her pupils began to tremble violently. Her face had gone pale, as though she was terrified of something. Her gaze was fixed on the stairs. ¡°Th-the ones outside¡­?¡± I could piece together what had happened. It seemed likely that those men had kidnapped her and locked her down here. I said in a reassuring tone. ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°D-dead¡­?¡± Her eyes welled up, and then she burst into tears. ¡°H¡­ hic¡­¡± The cries were getting clearer and clearer. The heartbreak and anger in it was beyond myprehension. What on earth had she gone through? I leaned against the opposite wall and waited until she calmed down. It took a while before the tears stopped, and when they did, I gently asked. ¡°¡­What happened to you?¡± The woman''s eyes dropped to the floor and she struggled to speak. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been a beggar since birth. A beggar from Sector 7.¡± Even in the slums, love can blossom. She exined that she was born out of that love, the result of a fleeting moment of hope. ¡°I was always hungry, but it was okay. My parents loved me so much¡­¡± Despite the harsh circumstances, she had a family, and that had been enough to help her get through each day. ¡°Then, one day, I awakened magic.¡± She had thought it was a blessing, a divine message telling her that she could finally escape her miserable life. ¡°I told them right away. I said I could use magic now, and we didn¡¯t have to live like this anymore.¡± In this world, awakening magic could indeed change someone''s fate, offering them the hope of a better life. But instead¡ª ¡°¡­Their eyes changed. They were no longer the people I knew.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And before I knew it, they sold me off to this ce.¡± Her story ended in tragedy. What she had thought was her salvation had instead plunged her deeper into despair. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? The parents I trusted so much¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°¡­How long have you been here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ about a week, maybe?¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I looked around the room. A pitch-ck basement with no light having damp air that made the ce feel oppressive and small insects crawling across the floor. She had spent an entire week here, abandoned by the only people she trusted. The emotional torment she must have endured¡­ I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. But what was more important now¡ª ¡ªI saw you¡­ handling magic¡­ If I hadn¡¯t killed those men, I might have been trapped here just like her. ¡°FUCK¡­¡± The guilt that I had tried so hard to suppress finally dissolvedpletely. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 5 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 5 In the quiet stillness. The woman spoke in a determined voice "I''m leaving this ce. And... I''m going to get revenge. I swear it." It was aplete 180 from the tearful breakdown she''d had a moment ago. Revenge, huh? I couldn''t say it was a good thing, but it wasn''t bad either. A clear goal would give her a foothold to move forward. Even if that meant harboring resentment towards her own parents. "I''ll make them regret abandoning me." Whoosh. A deep purple glow ignited in her rage-filled eyes. Simultaneously, ambient mana began to converge on her. ...Maniption? I couldn''t help but be surprised again. She said that she had awakened her magical powers, but it was at a higher level than I thought. She''s quite talented. In [Demon Fantasy], awakening magic requires three stages: Awakening, Maniption, and Manifestation. The first stage - ''Awakening'' is when one can see mana. The second stage - ''Maniption'' is when one can control it. The final stage - ''Manifestation'' is when one can use that mana to cast spells. Only upon reaching ''Manifestation'' can one be considered minimally qualified to be a mage. Of course, even that minimum qualification isn''t easy to achieve. I reached Manifestation instantly thanks to my Mythic tier trait, but... Normally, even with a decent magic-rted trait, one would have to spend two months in the training grounds just to learn mana maniption. In that sense, the woman''s talent was undoubtedly exceptional, considering she had no formal training. She must have awakened a Heroic-tier trait by chance... It was something to seriously consider. ...Should I take her with me? [Demon Fantasy] is not a world one can navigate alone. This cruel world is designed to be experienced by making and losing countlesspanions. For mages, especially in the early stages,panions were not a choice but essential. The sooner one foundpanions, the better. It significantly reduced the extreme difficulty of the early game. However, there was a catch... trust. Can I trust her? The betrayal I felt from the old man still hadn''t faded. I hesitated because of that. It didn''t matter what she''d been through. Just because someone has suffered doesn''t mean they won''t betray you. It all depended on her character. If she was a good person, she would be a reliablepanion. If not, she would eventually stab me in the back. I couldn''t afford to make the same mistake twice with a hasty judgment. I''ll keep an eye on her for now. There was no point in worrying about it. You can''t judge a person based on a brief encounter. It took a long time of conversation and observation. I recalled the reason I''de here and decided to postpone my choice. I stood up and looked around. "What are you looking for?" "Nothing." It was too dark to see clearly, but at a nce, there were no obvious ces to hide a safe or money. Well, I had expected as much. There was no way they would keep something so precious in a ce like this. And even less so, would they keep a woman locked up next to it. So it must be somewhere else. I nced at the bundle of keys. There were only four keys left. Where could they have hidden it? "What are you searching for?" "A safe." I mentioned my goal in the hope that she might know the location. Fortunately, my guess was right. "A safe, huh..." The woman nodded as if she knew just the ce. "I think I know where it is. Follow me." She led the way up the stairs. "What are you doing? Aren''t youing?" "...I''ming." Despite providing me with crucial information, she didn''t make any demands. Was it gratitude for unlocking the door? Or for listening to her story? I wasn''t sure. Okay. So far, so good. *** "Not here." The woman named Ka stopped abruptly in the second-floor hallway. It was the same ce where I''d fought those guys. Ka stared at the corpses causing her expression to twist in anger. "...Those bastards. I''ll kill those bastards, they''re not even worthy to be fed to demon minions!" Even though they were already dead, Ka continued to curse. Well, she must have built up quite a lot of resentment. "What happened to them?" Ka turned to me. Oh right, I hadn''t told her. "I killed them." "You...?" Ka looked at me with questioning eyes. I didn''t mind. If I were her, and a skinny, raggedy beggar told me they''d killed three men, I wouldn''t believe it either. "Why did you kill them?" "They poisoned my food." "Poison? Why?" "Well, the dead guys know the reason better than I do." Of course, I had heard from the old man that they were trying to take my heart, but there was no need to mention that. If I told her that, I''d be revealing that I''d awakened as a mage too. It was better to keep it hidden, at least until we trusted each other more. "The guy with all-white hair was pretty skilled, so it took me a while to..." I paused. Something felt off. I slowly looked around. A vast space with a clean interior and antique decorations. ...Is he that skilled? When I asked how this ce came to be, the giant had replied. "You could say it''s the power of magic. Space, lighting, materials... there''s no ce that magic hasn''t touched." And the giant had said that... "Yeah, a pretty high-level mage lives here. He''s our boss too. Oh, here hees." As if their leader, the white-haired guy, had aplished everything. Something was off. To create a space of this size, you need to be a truly top-notch mage, from using space expansion magic to infusing mana into ordinary tools and making a lot of investments. It would require a truly high-level mage. But the white-haired guy? No way. That doesn''t make sense. From what I''d experienced, the white-haired guy was definitely not a ''high-level'' mage. If he was, even with my Mythic-tier trait, I wouldn''t have been able to dispel his magic. A mage who reaches a certain level can create their own unique patterns within their mana. And once that pattern is formed, no one else can manipte it. If a mage can use space expansion magic... they''d obviously have that level of skill. In other words, the all-white-haired guy hadn''t done this. There was definitely another mage. And a very skilled one at that. That suspicion turned into certainty when Ka spoke. "But where are the others?" ...No wonder it''s so big. It wasn''t just for two people. "...How many people were here?" "Well... when I was captured, there were at least 20?" "...20 people." I coldly assessed the situation. If the others who had left returned, would I be able to survive? And they weren''t just ordinary thugs. ...They said this was made by former mercenaries. My decision was made. I''m going to die. The power difference between Ka and me and them was too great. It wasn''t just a matter of numbers. As long as there was a chance that there was a powerful mage on their side, I had to give up hope of winning. So there was only one thing left for me to do. "Lead me to the safe. Quickly!" I had to hurry and grab what I could before getting out of here. Time was of the essence. *** ¡°Huff... huff!¡± Ka reached their destination and gasped for breath. Considering she was out of breath after running such a short distance, her stamina must be about the same as mine. I was also breathing heavily, but I didn''t have time to catch my breath. "Is this the safe you were talking about?" "...Yeah, yeah." Click. I quickly inserted the key. Thankfully, the second key turned the lock. However, for some reason, it wouldn''t open. "This..." It didn''t feel physically blocked. I quickly figured out the reason. Crackle! "Ouch!" "What, what''s wrong!" A tingling sensation shot up my fingertips. At the same time, a faint magical energy flowed from the lock. Electric magic. They had enhanced the safe with it and added a double lock. "...They went into a lot of trouble, huh? It''s a double lock." "Double lock?" "Yeah, it seems like you have to inject magic into the key to unlock it..." "Wait, can you try?" Ka took the key with a confident expression and stood in front of the safe. But soon, a cry was heard. "Ouch! What, what is this!" Damn it, it didn''t work. I missed being a zombie swordsman character. Back then, I could just smash things to solve problems... ...I guess I have no choice. I wanted to hide my awakening as much as possible, but I had no other option. I didn''t have the time to figure out another way. I had to step in. I took the key back and let out a short breath. "...Huh." "What are you going to do?" "Opening it." Luckily, perhaps out of consideration for the white-haired guy, the double lock didn''t have a unique pattern. In other words, as long as I could manipte magic to some extent, I could open it. And that maniption of magic would be adjusted to the level of the white-haired guy. So... It should be possible. Click. I inserted the key and turned it. At the same time, I channeled mana into the safe through the key. I closed my eyes and focused on the mana. "You, you?" Mana stretched out like tentacles and meticulously explored the inside of the lock. Soon, the structure of the device began to take shape in my head, almost like drawing a blueprint. And there it was, a ce that was clearly meant to pass through mana. Carefully, I channeled mana through it. It was something I had never done before, but my mana didn''t deviate from my intention at all. Yes, this is it. The safe door creaked open right then. "No way... why did that happen? More importantly, were you an Awakener? And you can use mana too?" Is that what matters right now? I ignored the question and checked the safe first. A golden glow assaulted my eyes. Gold coins! Arge amount of gold coins were neatly stacked vertically. At first nce, it was enough to get me out of Sector 7. And next to it. "A rock?" Ka asked as she approached the safe. I said firmly, "It''s not just any rock." Sitting neatly on a small box, this object looked ordinary on the surface but was anything but. "It''s an artifact." And a high-rank one at that. In the game, it was called the [Blink Stone]. It''s a one-time use item that teleports the user to any location they''ve been to. Although it has the limitation of only working on ces the user has visited, it''s perfect for emergency situations. "Why do they have something like this?" "Probably as a means of escape in an emergency. This ce isn''t exactly the best." "...That makes sense." While Ka nodded, I quickly grabbed the [Blink Stone]. It felt like I had gained an extra life. Ka said with a bitter expression, "...Consider this as payment for my debt." "Well, okay." I grabbed a suitably sized bag nearby and stuffed it with gold coins, then immediately thought of my next task. ...So, the money problem is solved. All I have to do is get out of this building. Just as I thought that... Creak! A faint sound from a distance. Small but definitely piercing my ears. I didn''t need to think about what it was. It was the sound of a door opening. The direction was... the central entrance, where I first came in. "...Already?" They''re back. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 6 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 6 Thump! Thump! Thump...! My heart pounded violently. I had expected them to return, but not this soon¡ªfar too soon. Danger. Yes, I was in danger. The moment I realized that, my mind cleared, and everything became calm. I started to think rationally, as I always had in situations like this. What should I do first? I nced down at my right hand. In it was [Blink Stone] I had retrieved from the safe. There was a way out. If I used it, I could teleport to wherever I wanted and escape from this danger. But then¡ª I turned my gaze to the side. ¡°Oh, wh-what should we do? Are they already here?¡± Ka was panicking and anxiously pacing in ce. Seeing her like that made me abandon the thought of using the stone. In a game, I wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to leave her behind. But¡­ this wasn¡¯t a game. ...I can¡¯t just save myself. I felt pathetic for giving up the most rational path to survival, but I couldn¡¯t help it. If I escaped alone, I knew exactly what kind of situation she would end up in. It was all too clear. And I wasn¡¯t ready to live with that guilt. ¡°Hey, are you even listening?¡± I needed to find another way. But what¡­? Nothing wasing to mind. ¡°Hide, for now!¡± ¡°W-Where?¡± This room with the safe was too risky. They¡¯d probably tear the ce apart looking for us. ¡°Follow me.¡± I grabbed Ka¡¯s wrist and led her to the adjacent room. We crawled under the bed and hid. At that moment, a terrible thought crossed my mind. ...Damn it, did I pick the wrong spot? In horror movies, this is always how it happens¡ªthey hide under the bed, get found, and then die. I shook my head, trying to push away the stupid thought. What choice did I have? There weren¡¯t many good hiding ces. Ka seemed just as uneasy. ¡°Do you think hiding here is safe¡­?¡± Please, don¡¯t say that... I¡¯m already nervous... ¡°...Don¡¯t talk. Quiet your breathing.¡± ¡°...¡± Ka gave a slight nod. We stayed perfectly still, holding our breath. Then¡ª Step, step, step¡­ The sound of multiple footsteps echoed through the building. Even without listening closely, there were more than ten voices. The men wereughing and chatting loudly, as if they were having the time of their lives. Their voices were so loud, I could hear everything from this room. ¡°Hahaha! It¡¯s been ages since we had a raid this big!¡± ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t wait to see the boss''s reaction when he hears about it.¡± ¡°If things keep going this well, we¡¯ll be back in Sector 6 in no time!¡± ¡°Haha! Now that¡¯s the kind of talk I like to hear!¡± A raid, huh¡­ So, this ce wasn¡¯t a shelter or a lodging facility. It was a filthy hideout for ex-mercenaries who were now indulging in all sorts of criminal activity. Did I just walk into a tiger''s den willingly...? I wanted to go back in time and beat myself senseless for blindly following that old man just a few days ago. What was I thinking, acting so recklessly? ...No. I had to stop regretting it. What mattered now wasn¡¯t what had already happened, but what was about to happen. I listened carefully, hoping for even a small piece of useful information. Anything that could help. ¡°Hey, why¡¯s our hideout so clean all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Huh? Now that you mention it... you¡¯re right. Did the boss have it cleaned in a hurry?¡± ¡°...Could it be because of an important guest?¡± ¡°A guest? Who the hell would visit our hideout...?¡± Suddenly, the gruff man¡¯s voice cut off. Then he shouted. ¡°Boss!¡± It wasn¡¯t just him. The others started yelling too with shock in their voices. ¡°...B-boss?¡± ¡°...Why the h-hell¡­ the boss¡ª?¡± I could hear their footsteps as they scrambled somewhere in a hurry. I didn¡¯t need to see to know what was going on. The men who had juste upstairs must have seen it. The bodies. The corpses of theirrades. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Garon...?¡± ¡°Garon¡¯s dead too!¡± Bam! The sound of a fist mming into a wall echoed through the building, followed by a furious voice. ¡°Damn it...! Who the hell did this?!¡± ¡°Captain! The blood¡¯s still fresh!¡± ¡°That means they couldn¡¯t have gone far, right? Everyone, move! Round up anyone lurking around the hideout!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Thud, thud, thud! The men rushed out of the building with terrifying speed. So, they really were ex-mercenaries. Their quick judgment and reaction time proved that much. Too bad theypletely missed the mark. We were still right here. Good. At least we¡¯ve bought some time... But then¡ª From a distance, I heard the voice of the one they called the captain again. ¡°Hey, rookie! Search the building! If you find anyone, tie them up securely! You can handle it alone, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I can!¡± ...Damn it, things aren''t going as smoothly as I''d hoped. But, it wasn''t all bad. At least most of them had left. Now, only one person remained in the building. And judging by the orders, it was the weakest one¡ªjust the rookie of the group. I didn¡¯t understand why they¡¯d leave this task to the rookie, but¡­ One person, huh. If Ka and I worked together, we could easily take them down. The most important thing was choosing the right moment to make our move. Thud, thud. Ssssh, sssshhh¡ª ...What¡¯s that sound? One sound was the footsteps of someone. The other... I wasn¡¯t sure. It sounded like something being dragged. Then, I heard a voice filled with irritation. ¡°Useless piece of trash. I told you to quietly y theckey, and you couldn¡¯t even do that before dying?¡± As the angry voice spoke, a man appeared at the door, which I hadn¡¯t closed properly. He was dragging a body by its ankle in his right hand. It was the corpse of a man with slicked-back hair. ¡°Why the hell is this body so heavy?¡± It wasn¡¯t hard to figure out who this person was. There was only one person left in the building¡ªthe rookie. But still¡­ What the hell is he talking about...? Even though I knew it deep down, it confused me. To be honest, I didn¡¯t want to acknowledge it. Useless? Lackey...? A chill ran down my spine. Everything pointed to one conclusion. That so-called rookie was actually the real boss who had been hiding all along. Which meant... The one who created this space with magic¡­ It was him. Just as I came to that conclusion, the man lowered the corpse near the door and knelt down. His face came into view as he crouched. He had wild, red hair and sharp eyes. With a calm expression, he reached out his hand. That hand¡ª Thwack! ¡ªpierced through the left side of the corpse¡¯s chest. Momentster, he pulled something soft and slimy out. It was the slicked-back man¡¯s heart. An old man''s words echoed in my mind. ¡ªA mage¡¯s heart fetches a high price, you know. It had always been a mystery to me. In all the Demon Fantasy lore I knew, there was no such concept. But now I understood the reason. It was all because of this man. ¡°Hehehehehe¡­¡± The man¡¯s grin stretched so wide it looked like it would tear his face in half. Then, he brought the heart to his mouth. And¡ª Crunch! Sluuurp, slurp. He began tearing into the heart, gnawing at it greedily. Like a starving demon, he was devouring his meal. As he did, a dark energy began swirling around him. I could feel its malevolent presence from where I was hiding. ¡°...¡± I¡¯d seen this sight before. Though it was only in the game. But still, it was exactly the same. And so, I knew. That man¡­ was a servant of a demon. More specifically, a servant of the Demon of Greed, Valefar. ¡°Yes¡­ this¡­ this is it! Hahahahaha!¡± There was only one way for Valefar¡¯s servants to grow stronger. By consuming the hearts of others. The more mana the heart contained, the more powerful the servant would be. That must have been the reason he was eating the slicked-back man¡¯s heart. Thud! Thud! Thud! My own heartbeat sped up. More violently than ever before. Any thought of attacking him had long disappeared from my mind. Only one word echoed over and over in my head. ...I¡¯ll die. If he found us, we¡¯d die. There was no way Ka and I could take down a servant of a demon. All I could do now was pray. Please¡­ just pass by¡­ But it was a pointless hope. Thud. Thud. The man finished his meal and started to walk toward us. I held my breath as I listened to his footsteps. My mind raced with questions. Why was heing this way? Was it a coincidence? ...Did he somehow sense us? At some point, the man stopped right in front of the bed we were hiding under. And¡ª Whoosh! He bent down and peered beneath the bed. Our eyes met. My heart froze. He wore a sinister smile with blood-stained lips and he spoke. ¡°Enjoying the show, little rats?¡± ¡­Yeah. He knew we were here from the start. *** It was extremely rare to encounter a demon''s servant this early in the game. Maybe, if you raised 20 characters, you might meet one once. But for some reason, that unlikely event happened to me now. "...Talk about bad luck." The only saving grace was that he didn''t kill us on the spot. ¡ªYou''re... awakened ones, huh? Saying that, he locked us up in an underground prison and left. I had no idea what he was thinking, and the future seemed bleak... but at least we were still alive. And that was something, right? "...I''m locked up again. Locked up, again!" On the other hand, Ka couldn¡¯t contain her anger. From her perspective, it was as if she had returned to the same underground prison we were just in, so it made sense. "...Let''s calm down for a second and think. We need to figure out how to deal with that bastard." "...Deal with him? That monster?" "We have to." Ka bit her lip and let out a deep sigh. "...It¡¯s all over. Everything¡¯s over." "...." She sounded like she had given up. Honestly, I could understand how she felt. I was on the verge of losing it too. If only I had magic... or at least a spellbook... That was the biggest issue right now. I hadn¡¯t learned any useful magic yet. I had copied that slicked-back guy''s fire magic, but basic spells like that were nowhere near enough to take him down. In the end, I needed to learn stronger magic... ...Damn it. No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn¡¯t think of a solution. Even with a Mythic tier trait, I couldn¡¯t just create magic from nothing. To escape here safely... ¡°...¡± My gaze flickered to my pants pocket. [Blink Stone]. Should I use it? I was seriously torn. If it had been earlier, maybe I could have held off, but now... we werepletely out of options. Morality, conscience¡ªnone of that mattered when you were about to die. It seemed Ka noticed my internal struggle because she spoke up. "...Use it." "What?" "That thing you¡¯re hesitating over. Use it. One of us needs to survive." "...." "...I was going to die anyway. You were the one who gave me a chance. But now that things have turned out like this... there''s nothing more to do." As I kept my mouth shut, she added. "Let¡¯s be clear. You''re not abandoning me; I''m letting you go. Don¡¯t forget that." "...." My chest felt heavy. It wasn''t because I thought she was afraid of being left behind again. I couldn''t bring myself to speak, and that frustration weighed heavily on my chest. At that moment¡ª Creak... A sliver of light seeped in as the locked door slowly opened. The red-haired man stepped in, holding antern. "Have I kept you waiting?" He exuded a sense of superiority as if he were looking at toys. Anger boiled inside me. Not just because of him, but because of my own helplessness in this situation. I was furious at myself for being so weak. "Whoa, calm down. I''m going to give you two a chance." "...A chance?" "Yeah, a chance." Thud. He tossed something at my feet. A book was bound in blue with aplicated magical circle on the cover... "A... book?" Ka muttered under her breath, and I responded. "...A spellbook." "Oh, you''ve seen one before?" The red-haired man crouched down looking in my eyes. Then he smirked. "Think you can handle it?" "...So that''s why you didn''t kill us. This was your n all along, huh?" "Yeah, I just thought it would be a shame to waste you right now." Now I understood everything. He wanted to teach us magic. Like feeding livestock to fatten them up before ughter. That way, there''d be more for him to consumeter. I see... that''s how it is. I smiled back at him, not backing down. "Of course I can handle it." This servant of Valefar made two mistakes. The first was trusting in his own power too much, letting his arrogance blind him. The second was underestimating his opponent. And those mistakes would be the reason he dies. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 7 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 7 ¡°Hahaha! I love cocky guys like you. Killing them is the most fun!...¡± The red-haired man mocked me for a while before leaving and mentioning a one-week deadline. Once he was gone, Ka asked. "...What''s going on here?" She still didn''t understand the situation. Well, I did exin it rather haphazardly. "He wants us to learn magic. In a week." "What? Magic? Why?" "He is nning to raise us and then ughter us. That way, he can absorb more mana." "...Ha!" Ka nced at the spellbook and frowned. "Is he out of mind. If he is going to kill us, why don''t he just do it instead of giving us this fake opportunity!" "What are you talking about?" "It''s obvious. He knows we can''t beat them even if we learn this, so he¡¯s just toying with us!" "Toying... " Well, she wasn''t wrong. That was probably his intention. But from my perspective... well, I think she''s seeing things too narrowly. "Why do you think we can''t win?" "...What?" "I don''t n on losing." "...You''re seriously going to take on that monster?" Swish! Instead of answering, I opened the spellbook. It''s quicker to show than to exin. *** Three days had passed since I began to diligently study the spellbook by the dim light of a singlemp in the dark. I was amazed. The spellbook he had given me was no ordinary one. It was a high-quality spellbook that covered not only mana control aspects like maniption,pression, and release, but also a small amount of content rted to elemental magic. He was incredibly arrogant. Thanks to that. "You, you...!" In just three days, I had mastered three elemental magics. Water, earth, and electricity. Combined with the fire magic I had already learned, I had mastered a total of four elements. Of course, it was still basic, but it was an amazing achievement nheless. Naturally, Ka was astounded. "Is this even possible? How did you do it in just three days!" "Anything is possible with hard work." "What? Hard work? Are you kidding me?" Every time I achieved a new feat, Ka would argue with me. It was evident from seeing her like this, even in a life-or-death situation, that she had a strongpetitive spirit. While it was a bit tiring to deal with her, it turned out to be a good thing. Thanks to that, once she could only manipte mana, had mastered mana control and stepped into the realm of elemental magic in just three days. She may not know it, but that was also an incredible growth rate. ¡®You''re just overshadowed by me, who has a Mythic tier trait.¡¯ Anyway, while watching Ka grow, I was able to guess her trait. A Heroic-tier trait: Ardent Desire. To summarize, it''s a trait that activates when you desperately desire something at a specific moment, and at the same time. It gives you a rapid learning ability. It can activate in any field, such as swordsmanship, archery, or spirit magic, but she seemed to have activated it in magic. One could say she was lucky. Because when evaluated objectively, activating it in the magic field is the most efficient. That''s why I created a mage build when I was designing a new character. Anyway. "Did you see that? Did you see the me that just appeared on my palm?" "Well done." This was enough. It''s time for the next step. "Haha! I-I can use elemental magic...! Is this real? Am I dreaming?" I feel sorry for Ka, but it''s too early to celebrate. After quenching my thirst with water magic, I opened my mouth. "Ka, this is the spellbook that guy gave us." "Huh? What are you talking about?" "I mean, even if we learn all the magic in here, we''ll still be at the level he expects." "..." Ka''s face darkened. She understood what I meant. "So... that means we can''t kill him with this?" "That''s right." "...Then what should we do?" Ka''s eyes were filled with worry as she asked. Of course, it''s a useless worry. If I was going to stop here, I wouldn''t have even started. "Naturally, we have to exceed his expectations." "...Exceed his expectations? How?" "From now on, we''re going to modify the magic. And when that process is finished..." Swish. I pulled something out of my pocket. A gray stone with strange patterns on it. "We''ll use this." "...The Blink Stone?" "I know a ce where I can use this." We have four days left. Not much time left. Until I see that twisted face of his. *** [PR/N - Pov changed to 3rd person till next note. And we don¡¯t know Mc¡¯s name till now so he¡¯ll be referred to as ¡®he/him¡¯.] In a damp and dark underground dungeon which was illuminated by a singlemp. Ka took a deep breath. "Phew... phew..." But knowing that a battle would soon break out, she couldn''t calm down. Or maybe it was because she had to fight alone. She looked back on everything that had happened and tried to reassure herself. ¡®It''s okay... it''s okay. We''ve prepared hard, haven''t we?¡¯ As she said that, she realized she had grown tremendously over the past week. With her skilled mana control, fire magic, and even the challenging magic modification, she could confidently call herself a mage anywhere she went. ¡®...All thanks to that guy.¡¯ Her thoughts naturally turned to ''that guy''. ¡®Freak.¡¯ Freak! That was Ka''s honest assessment of him. And no wonder. In just one week, he hadpletely mastered a spellbook. And that''s not all. He modified magic in an extraordinary way to help Ka with her magic training and even nned today''s battle. It was an achievement that was impossible to achieve in just one week. "Is this even possible...?" Ka shook her head to question herself. It was a meaningless question. Hadn''t she seen it with her own eyes? That he had done all that. "Phew..." Judging from what she had read in the spellbook, her own magical talent was definitely not bad. No, she was quite talented. What she aplished in just one would normally take about three days, and what she aplished would normally take about a month But that guy... he was on a different level. If Ka was a magic genius, then he was... ''A Prodigy.'' A magic prodigy. That was the right way to describe him. The word ''prodigy'' simply couldn''t capture his talent. Although it didn''t feel great to know that someone was above her, Ka still felt reassured. After all, wasn''t this freak, or rather, this prodigy, on her side now? ¡®Let''s have a real fight.¡¯ For some reason, all her tension was gone. Confidence surged through her. With that confidence... The man finally appeared. Thump, thump. Each step he took was heavy. Ka''s body tensed up as if she had forgotten how to rx. Fear. As the red-haired man got closer, Ka felt fear. The scene of him biting into my heart kept reying in her mind. The red-haired man met Ka''s gaze and said casually. "Long time no see. Are you ready?" "...You''ll see." "Haha! You''re so confident. You must have worked hard." Ka didn''t respond and took a fighting stance. "Oh, are you going to fight me?" The man smiled lightly and looked around. "But where''s the other one?" "I don''t know." "..." A brief silence. The man''s face turned cold. The atmosphere hadpletely changed. "Where did he go?" It was just one word, but the killing intent behind it sent chills down her spine. Ka forced herself to ovee her fear and extended her hand. Whoosh! Mana surged towards her instantly. It formed letters, then shapes, and finally, a circle. Her final words were a desperate cry. "Die!!" Bang! The meunched from the magic circle created a powerful explosion. It was a me she had fired with all her might. But to no avail. "...Look at that?" He was standing perfectly still. The explosion had urred to his side. He had simply distorted the trajectory of the magic, just as he had predicted. -I think he specializes in using spatial magic. He''ll distort the trajectory of your magic when you attack. How did he know that? She didn''t have time to ponder the question. Whoosh! Ka pulled more mana from her surroundings. At the same time, she continuously released mana spheres imbued with fire. "Aaargh!" Bang! Bang! Bang! The fire magicunched from the magic circle in a chain reaction. The surrounding area became scorching hot, and the smoke and debris from the explosions obscured her vision. mes shot up from the ground. Whoosh! Themp shattered from the heat. ng! Only the mes illuminated the area. Due to the smoke, She couldn''t see if the magic had hit its target. Regardless, Ka kept firing and firing. Bang! Bang! Bang...! After what felt like an eternity... "Huff... huff..." Just as she was gasping for breath from overexertion... Bang! A dark magic burst through the mes. It materialized from the magic on Ka''s right side. Space distorted and she let out a scream. "Aaahhhh..." In the blink of an eye, the skin on her right hand was torn open. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t reacted quickly, my arm would have been torn off.¡¯ Crimson blood dripped down her hand. Ka gritted her teeth. ¡°...You bastard.¡± With a Herculean effort, she lifted her head. The mes that had blocked her path had been pushed aside. The man was slowly approaching through the gap he had created. Thump, thump. Their eyes met. The man raised one corner of his lip as if realizing something. His voice was still dripping with arrogance. ¡°Ah, I see! So that''s where that guy went? I wondered where the Blink Stone in the safe had gone!¡± "..." "...Hah! You cowardly bastard. You were so cocky, but you just ran away?" His face twisted in annoyance as he continued to approach. But Ka didn''t move an inch. Not even when he was right in front of her. Crack! With a cruel smile, the man grabbed Ka''s neck with one hand. ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± She couldn''t breathe. Her windpipe was being crushed. But despite her groans, Ka''s eyes were strangely calm. Because this was the moment she had been waiting for. ¡®Detonation.¡¯ With limited time, she had focused on just one magic ¡®Detonation¡¯ for four days. The spell that would cause an explosion in the immediate vicinity. The only problem was the short range. To hit with the Detonation, she needed to get as close to him as possible. And when that opportunity came... She would use all her mana to cast the Detonation. Just like... Right now! ¡°...Die...¡± ¡°!!¡± Boom! A deafening roar echoed. An explosion erupted around Ka without any warning. Man''s pupils dted in shock. The explosion Ka had created engulfed himpletely. Since she was so close, the st was even more devastating. Whoosh! ¡°Aaargh!¡± It was the first scream Ka had heard from him. The red-haired man staggered back, having been caught squarely in the st and covered in crisp ash. But he had reacted in the meantime. The damage seemed less severe than expected. The man looked down at his burned arms and gritted his teeth. "...You fucking bitch!" Crack! He strode towards Ka and grabbed her neck again. His bloodshot eyes were fixed solely on Ka. This time, he was going to kill her for real. Blood rushed to her head, and she felt herself losing consciousness. "...Ugh!" The mes had long since died down. All around her was pitch ck. A hoarse voice echoed in the darkness. "You''re so pathetic, really. You seem quite talented, so why did you have to meet such an asshole...? If you two had fought together, things might have turned out differently. Don''t you think?" "...Shut up." "Whoa, whoa, calm down. I know you don''t want to hear it, well to be fair you won''t be able to soon." Hiss! Mana surged from all directions, exuding a sinister aura. The sharp edges of the mana were all aimed at Ka. In the dizziness of it all, Ka forgot everything and thought of only one word. Death. ''...It''s over.'' Just then. Crackle! A beam of light emerged from the stairs. Bang! The yellow light struck the red-haired man directly. There was a sound of something crashing against the wall as the man flew away. Thud, thud, thud! "Aaah..." Ka looked up as she slumped helplessly on the ground. Crack! Crack! Crack! The darkness was illuminated at regr intervals. There stood a man with his back to her, covered in electric magic. Even though she couldn''t see him clearly, she didn''t need to think about who it was. ''He¡¯s him.'' "Why did you take so long, you bastard...?" "Sorry, they had hidden him really well, so it took me a while to find him." "...What did you find?" Thud, thud. The man, who had been tossing something back and forth and let out a chuckle. "This will make you guys crazy." "... Make me crazy" "Holy water." As soon as he answered, he gathered his mana and swung his right arm. Whoosh! Something flew at the speed of light. Itnded right where the man had been. ng! There was a sound of ss breaking and a pained scream from where the red-haired man had been. "Aaargh!" Amidst the terrible scream, a calm voice echoed. "You did well to hold on. I''ll take care of him now, so you can rest." "..." A strange emotion welled up inside Ka. With difficulty, Ka forced herself to look away from him. In front of her was a figure that was far too ordinary and shabby to be considered a hero. But why? For some reason, he looked so... reliable. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 8 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 8 [PR/N - POV changed to MC.] "From now on, we''re going to modify magic." Honestly, I wasn¡¯t confident when I said that. Modifying magic. It''s not something you can fully understand just by ying a game. ''The game didn¡¯t really go into much detail about this.'' While it did mention the traits and advantages of modified magic, there was no exnation of the underlying principles. In other words, I had to figure out everything myself¡ªthe calctions needed for modification, the flow of mana, and how to visualize the magic. So, naturally, I wasn''t very confident. But... ''I never expected it to be this... incredible.'' After just one day of trying out modification magic, I realized something. The trait I had¡ªor rather, the magical talent that this body contained¡ªwere so overwhelming that I didn''t even need to worry about the details. The ¡®Prodigy of Magic¡¯ trait truly lived up to its name. The result? Crackle! Zzzt! Yellow lightning started crackling around my body at regr intervals. I had sessfully modified lightning magic to coat my entire body with it. It was a level of transformation magic far beyond what Ka had achieved. Of course, the visible effect is only part of it. With this modified magic in ce, my physical abilities havepletely changed from what they were before. For example, ¡°Take one more bottle.¡± Whoosh! When the holy water bottle shot off, it was so fast that if one blinks, it would be missed. It smashed into where the red-haired demon was standing. The bottle shattered and released a brilliant white light. Almost immediately, an agonizing scream echoed through the air. ¡°Aaargh!¡± Nice, that worked. Now, just one more bottle left. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ dead, right?¡± Ka stammered from behind me. ¡°He¡¯s not dead. He took a serious hit, but he¡¯s still alive.¡± Ka might not understand, but there¡¯s no way a demon servant would die from just this. Especially not one serving Valefar, the Demon of Greed¡ªknown for their persistence even in the game. No matter how much holy water you pour on them, all it does is force out their true form. Still, it¡¯s something, right? ¡°Where on earth did you get something like that...?¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± The answer was simple. If you think about where we are, it¡¯s not hard to conclude there would be holy water around here. ''Sector 7 is swarming with far more demons than any other zone.'' With so many demons, you''d need holy water to maintain any sort of safety with this number of people. It wasn¡¯t certain, but it was highly likely. Plus, I still had two unused keys left. Clink. I nced down at the keyring hanging from my waist. There were four keys in total on the ring. One was for the dungeon cells here, and another was for the vault where I¡¯d found the blink stone and gold coins. The other two keys¡ªno idea what they¡¯re for yet. But it¡¯s worth taking a gamble. And most importantly... my instincts were kicking in. The instincts heightened by the spirit mark. ¡®I need to trust my gut.¡¯ 30 stats in instinct, especially with the added modifiers, is nothing to scoff at. In the game, 30 in instinct meant the character would often figure things out on their own in tough situations. In other words, my instinct was pretty reliable. ¡°I¡¯ll exinter.¡± There¡¯s no time to give a detailed exnation right now. The real fight was just about to begin. ¡°Grrrrr¡­¡± Suddenly, a low growl like a beast echoed through the air. Yeah, it¡¯s starting. Thud. Thud. It stepped forward slowly. As the dusty haze cleared, its figure came into full view. I had expected it, but the reality was worse than I imagined. The sight was enough to make me nauseous. "Is that... thing still alive?" "...Probably." Holy water has the power to forcibly purify evil energy. And that effect was grotesquely evident on man¡¯s body. His entire skin had peeled off, revealing his raw flesh and exposed white bones. The face and head of the man were gone, so it was impossible to identify his former appearance. He didn¡¯t look alive at all, yet he kept moving forward. What¡¯s worse... Sssssss... With every step he took, a wave of eerie and chilling magic spread out around it. Even getting close to it felt repulsive. ¡°Raaaagh!¡± The red-haired man - no - the demon let out a guttural and animalistic howl as if he had lost all sense of speech. At the same time¡ª Crack, snap! His body began to change. ''This is straight out of a horror movie...'' His bones and flesh twisted grotesquely. He looked like he was getting taller, and then suddenly, his bones burst through his skin. His nails grew to the length of daggers, and a blood-red glow filled his eyes. The melted skin regenerated with fresh flesh growing over it. There was no way to call that thing human anymore. He was more like a ghoul. To think I¡¯d see something in real life that I¡¯d only seen in a game... ¡°...Va...le...far...¡± The red-haired demon rasped out his master¡¯s name with a broken voice. At that moment¡ª His gaze shifted menacingly toward me. The murderous intent was so intense, I flinched without realizing it. Whoooosh! The air crackled with surging magic. A pitch-ck magic circle appeared beside it. My instincts screamed danger. ¡°...Can we kill that thing?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m not sure.¡± I couldn¡¯t give a confident answer. I didn¡¯t even know my own limits, let alone how strong that thing was. But did it really matter? This wasn¡¯t a question of whether I could or couldn¡¯t. It was something I had to do. "Die..." Boom! An explosion sounded from the magic circle. It fired a formless st of mana¡ªheading straight for my head. ¡®Can I do it?¡¯ Countless questions shed through my confused mind. But while my thoughts were tangled, my body moved calmly. Just before the magic could hit, I kicked off the ground lightly. My body was strengthened by modified magic and the awakening from closebat causing it to react instantly. I shot forward like a cannonball. Boom! In an instant, I dodged out of the path of the magic and closed the distance. Inded right in front of the demon¡¯s face. There was no more room for doubt. I had already made my decision. That thing is going to die here. And I¡¯m going to survive. I... I will survive. Crack! I clenched my fist tightly, channeling all my mana into it. Since I was focused on body-strengthening magic to enhance my body instead of using long-range spells, this was the strongest attack I could muster right now. My fist was loaded with all the mana I''d gathered and the momentum I''d gained from kicking the ground. Itnded squarely in the red-haired demon''s abdomen. But¡ª I wasn¡¯t the only one whose body had been enhanced. Boom! It wasn¡¯t the sound of flesh meeting flesh¡ªit was like steel shing against steel. I only managed to push it back about five centimeters. Unlike before, when the demon had been knocked away, this time he stood firm. A dull pain shot through my fist. As I thought¡ªthis wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Im...pres...sive...!¡± Before I could even react to its twisted voice, his magic surged wildly. A new magic circle appeared above the demon¡¯s head. Tch! I kicked off the demon¡¯s body with both feet and used the momentum to propel myself backward. At the same moment, a st of magic shot toward the spot I had just been standing on, warping the space around it. Crack! A chill ran up my spine. "...That was close." I took a quick breath and adjusted my strategy. There was only one way tond a decisive hit. I had wanted to save it for the final blow, but... now wasn''t the time to hold back. Pop! The cork of the bottle flew off with a soft sound, releasing the faint scent of holy water. Glug, glug. I poured the holy water over my fist and wet it thoroughly. It stung, like alcohol sshing on a wound. My wet fist began to glow with a subtle and holy light. The moment I saw it, Iunched myself forward again. Boom! This time, the demon wasn¡¯t about to let me get close. It formed a magic circle directly in front of me. There was no way I could break through it head-on. I scanned the magic circle closely, analyzing every detail with my eyes. The key was reading the flow of mana. As a result of the spirit mark, I had enhanced reflexes and perceptions, which assisted me in navigating. ¡ªelerated reflexes and heightened dynamic vision. ¡®Left.¡¯ The instant I made my decision, I rolled my body to the right. Sssszzz! A space-distorting magic shot past me and narrowly missing my clothes. It sucked all the air where I had been. Thump, thump, thump...! My heart pounded in my chest. A cold sweat dripped down my back. The fight would be decided in an instant. Either that thing dies, or I do. Once again, I concentrated my lightning magic into my legs and heart. Crackle! I pushed off the ground. I shot forward. My fist aimed for the same spot as before¡ªthe abdomen. It was the easiest target to hit. Thud! I drove my fist in hard. Ssssss... I heard a sizzling sound. I felt a strange and squishy texture beneath my knuckles. The holy water was melting the demon''s skin. "Graaaah...!" The demon groaned in pain. Looks like my fist hit the spot. This was my chance. Before the effects of the holy water faded, I unleashed a barrage of punches. Bam! Bam! Bam! Each punch made a deeper dent in his abdomen. But there was no time to rx. Dark magic was still firing at me from every direction. Whoosh! Whoosh! And it wasn¡¯t just magic. The demon swiped its long ws. He snapped his sharp teeth in the air, trying to tear into my flesh. Crunch! I focused all my attention on dodging. Ducking, twisting my body, retreating whenever necessary. Sssshhh! Sometimes, an attack came at an angle I couldn¡¯t fully avoid, so I pulled back as much as possible to minimize the damage. Slcce! Demon¡¯s ws raked across my left shoulder and tore through the flesh. A burning sensation shot through the gash, and warm blood flowed from the horizontal wound. ¡°You... okay...?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ...Damn, it hurts like hell. I steadied my spinning head and soaked my dried-up fist with more holy water. Then I charged again. sh! Time passed¡ªwho knows how long¡ªamid the fierce back-and-forth, until it happened. The demon opened his mouth. He was aiming for my neck. This was it. The final move. I twisted my head and moved my arm. The bottle of holy water in my right hand smashed against his fangs. Crash! The holy water poured straight down his throat. The sound of burning flesh was immediate. Hissss! "Graaaaahhh!" As the demon¡¯s roar filled the air, I knew it was over. Holy water was flooding his insides and would tear the demon apart from within. ¡°Grugh...! Grr...!¡± The red-haired demon staggered back and copsed on the ground. He was gasping for breath and began to emit a faint white smoke. It was a sign that he had lost his strength. Ssssss! The swollen body gradually deted. The bones that had protruded and the ws began to slowly revert to their original form. He was once again a human shape. I picked up a sharp fragment from the broken wall and slowly approached the fallen figure. Our eyes met. A frail voice that was on the verge of breaking escaped from his mouth. ¡°I... made a mistake...¡± There was a strange sadness in his expression. But I didn¡¯t feel even a hint of pity. If it weren¡¯t for him, Ka and I wouldn¡¯t have been in such danger. And besides, this was the same bastard who had made a pact with a demon and thought of others'' hearts as nothing more than snacks. There was no reason to feel sorry. If anything, the only thing I could offer him was. ¡°Everyone dies from a mistake.¡± The slicked-back hair guy, the giant, the old man¡ªthey all died the same way. One mistake, one bad decision, and everything they¡¯d built crumbled. The same goes for me. I nearly died because I allowed myself to becent. That¡¯s how it is. One mistake is enough to take everything away. That¡¯s reality. So. ¡°ept it with grace.¡± "......" His death wasn¡¯t anything special. Thud! I felt a slight tremor through my hand. The shard I held pierced through his heart. His eyes lost focus. He was dead. A whoosh sound apanied the sudden re of light. Ka had set the mes alight. From behind me, I heard her relieved voice. ¡°Is it over...?¡± I copsed to the ground. My body had no strength left. But¡­ ¡°...Not yet.¡± Gripping the blood-stained shard, I mercilessly stabbed it into his heart and head. A final and decisive kill. Servants of Valefar could resurrect with the slightest bit of leeway. Thud! Thud! Thud! I don¡¯t know how long I continued. It was only when I felt certain that even Valefar himself couldn¡¯t revive this servant. I finally scanned my surroundings. The ground was covered in blood and the underground prison reduced to a scene of chaos. The stench of blood filled the air. In that atmosphere, I spoke heavily. "...It''s over. Finally." In this cruel world. Once again, I had survived. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 9 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 9 The victory was short-lived. My vision blurred, and the world started to spin. Every muscle in my body screamed in pain, and the sensation in my left shoulder had long since vanished. A throbbing headache, dizziness, and stomach cramps hit all at once¡ªside effects of the awakened state wearing off. It was my second time experiencing this, but it never got easier. ¡®...When I have some time, I need to start working out or something.¡¯ Building up my muscles and body would solve most of these problems, but for now, there was nothing I could do but endure. Still, I didn¡¯t entirely hate the feeling. Likewise, I could only feel this pain because I was still alive. Yes, I had survived. No, we had survived. ¡°We made it.¡± Ka broke the silence. ¡°We really survived¡­! We actually took down that monster!¡± Despite how exhausted she must¡¯ve been, her voice was filled with energy and relief. ¡°Yeah, thanks to you.¡± It wasn¡¯t just a titude. By the time I¡¯d returned to the underground prison, the enemy had already been severely weakened. Ka had sessfullynded her explosive Detonation spell, just as we had nned. Because of that, I was able to pour the holy water and quickly push us into the second phase of the fight. If I¡¯d had to handle everything alone, it wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as easy. She had every right to feel proud of herself. But she downyed her role. ¡°What are you even talking about? You did all the heavy lifting. I just stalled for time.¡± She replied in a rough tone. ¡°...Hmph.¡± We exchanged nces in a brief silence before bursting intoughter at the same time. After all, what did it matter? We were alive. ¡°That said, let¡¯s get out of here. I feel like I¡¯m about to die from hunger.¡± I felt the same way. After a week without food, my stomach felt like it was glued to my spine. ¡°You got it.¡± I nodded and walked over to where the corpse had been. The body of the red-headed man hadpletely evaporated as if it had never been there. Only a few items remained on the floor. There was nothing unusual about it. A servant¡¯s body was reimed by the demon as part of their contract upon death. Valefar must have taken it back. With a soft clink, I picked up what was left. A slightly rusted silver key. The key to the underground prison. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Finally, it was time to leave this ursed ce behind. *** The former third-rate mercenary and Captain of the raider gang in Sector 7, Dwat, opened his eyes withbored breaths. ¡°Gasp! What, what is this...?!¡± Dwat quickly lowered his gaze to inspect his body. He was tightly bound by ropes to arge stone pir that had risen from the ground. He looked around and saw that all the other members of the ¡®Family¡¯ were in the same situation. "Ugh!" Dwat tried to struggle and his veins bulged as he struggled with all his might. But the ropes were so tightly bound that he couldn¡¯t budge an inch. After a long bout of struggling, a hazy memory began to surface. ¡°How did this happen...?¡± It had been a week since they¡¯d begun their search for the culprit who killed their leader. They¡¯d found no trace and were on the verge of giving up. But back at the hideout, they encountered a mysterious man. At that moment, Dwat knew. ¡®This bastard must be the root of problems.¡¯ Just as he made his move, the man calmly ced his hand on the ground, and from nowhere, a deluge of water rained down on them. Along with the water came a shocking jolt of electricity. He knocked out Dwat and all the other members of the Family. Now, as he regained consciousness, he found himself in this situation. ¡°That fucking bastard...!¡± ¡°Ugh...¡± At Dwat¡¯s angry outburst, one of the Family members nearby started to wake up. ¡°C-Captain? What¡¯s going on...?¡± ¡°What do you think? That person we ran into earlier did this to us!¡± ¡°H-Huh? He did this by himself?¡± ¡°Yeah! He waited until we were all exhausted from the search... That cunning bastard! If I can just get out of these ropes, I¡¯ll tear him limb from limb!¡± ¡°...¡± Dwat scowled as one of the members gave him a strange look. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± ¡°N-Nothing.¡± ¡°Spit it out, damn it! Don¡¯t just sit there looking all confused!¡± ¡°Well... we¡¯ve got over twenty people, right?¡± ¡°And what of it?!¡± ¡°For someone to take down all of us this quickly... doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s a pretty powerful mage? How do you n to...¡± ¡°...Tsk.¡± The man wasn¡¯t wrong, and that only deepened Dwat¡¯s scowl. But he was the acting leader of the Family now, and with the leader dead, he would soon be the official leader. It was important to establish his authority early on. Dwat yelled loudly. ¡°And so what?! You think I can¡¯t handle him?!¡± ¡°N-No, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°Just wait and see! Soon enough, you¡¯ll witness me snapping that asshole¡¯s neck! Rahhh!¡± Dwat let out a monstrous roar and twisted his body even harder than before. His face turned beet red from the effort. Perhaps the rumors of his strength as a mercenary weren¡¯t just talk. It was almost like superhuman strength. Crack! Snap! The ropes began to fray and thin. The person beside him widened his eyes in amazement. ¡°Oh wow! You really are as strong as rumors out there!¡± ¡°Haha! See? Even as I get older, this strength won¡¯t ever fade¡ª¡± But then. Rrrrrrumble! A strange sound echoed, followed by a tremor that shook the ground. Those who hadn¡¯t yet regained consciousness were jolted awake by the tremor and all eyes turned to the same spot. ¡°W-What is that?¡± The stone wall blocking the entrance to the underground prison was slowly sinking into the ground. Dwat muttered under his breath. ¡°...It¡¯s him.¡± Gulp. The dry saliva just rolls down his face. The mysterious man who had infiltrated the hideout. At that moment, everyone was on edge. Clomp, clomp. Two figures emerged from behind the sinking stone wall, walking slowly toward them. Dwat shuddered at the sight of them. But it wasn¡¯t from fear. *** [PR/N- Pov changed to Dwat.] Their first meeting was so sudden that he couldn''t get a good look at his appearance. The man had dark hair and eyes, that much he could tell. ''He''s just a beggar, isn''t he?'' From the haggard pupils like a dead fish to the pale face, to the tattered clothes, and the thin body visible within. His hair was sticking up wildly, as if he''d been electrocuted. At a nce, his appearance was no different from any other beggar in Sector 7. Moreover... The man was actually in better shape. Looking at the woman beside him... ''Isn''t that the girl Valen sold off?'' A woman who was locked in an underground prison and forgotten about because he was so busy at that time. It was definitely her, but... ''Why does she look like that?'' It''s natural that she looks unsightly since she was a beggar to begin with, but now it''s gotten too bad. A body that was heavily tanned, hair that was crisp ck, and dark circles under the eyes that reached down to the cheekbones. She looked like she''d been rummaging through andfill for a week. Although he had no idea what she had to do to make it happen, he secretly cheered. ''A slight push could finish them off.'' Subduing such weaklings would be much easier. Unaware of his dark thoughts, the two beggars were chatting away carefreely. "You even blocked the entrance?" "I tied it up, just in case. You never know if someone might try to ambush us from behind during a fight." "How did you create that stone wall? Last I saw, your earth magic wasn''t at that level." "Well... it just happened as I was working on it." "...You''re truly a freak." ¡®Yes, they''re overflowing with confidence.¡¯ Thinking that, he narrowed his eyes sharply. ''The rope is almost undone.'' Thanks to his immense strength, the rope was on the verge of snapping. It would probablye loose with just a little more force. "C-Captain." "Shh, wait quietly." He nned tounch a surprise attack then. Given howpletely off-guard they were, the chances of sess were high. ''This will elevate my standing even further.'' Everyone in the Family knew how strong that man was, even if the woman was an unknown factor. If he could subdue him, his position would skyrocket. He could im the Family leader position with confidence. As these hopeful thoughts raised the corners of his mouth, his eyes met the woman''s. "Hey, did you do this to them all by yourself?" "Yeah, they are trying to find a way to escape." "...Well done." The woman sighed as if she had nothing more to say and opened her mouth. "So, what are we going to do with them?" "We''ll have to kill them." A shudder. Everyone trembled at those words. How could they make such a cruel decision without a moment''s hesitation? "What do you want to do?" "Me?" All eyes turned to the woman. Gazes full of hope. But the woman met their stares calmly and said, "Why are you even asking? Of course we have to kill them. Who knows what they might do if we let them live." "...!!" There was no need to deliberate. What reason was there for raiders who preyed on beggars to live? "I see you think the same. Then..." The man was about to step forward when the woman blocked him. "Wait, I''ll handle this. It won¡¯t be fair if they die by your hand. After all, they''ve wronged me before." "...Alright." Step, step. The woman approached. Although she looked shabby, even that appearance seemed like the approach of a god of death to my family. "Ah... so this is how we die?" The Family members trembled in fear. But the woman just smiled contemptuously at the sight. "Did you really think you''d have a good ending, living like that?" "..." He had nothing to say. Others knew it too. That the path they had been living was by no means the right path. But¡­ ¡­they still didn¡¯t want to die. He wanted to continue living even with the wickedness in their heart. The moment the woman came close. Snap! "Hyaaah!" He leaped up with a battle cry. The rope was already broken. He had a sharp dagger in my right hand. The de lunged straight for the woman''s throat. But¡­ There wasn''t a hint of surprise on her face. "...Of course you''d do something like this." Her voice was cold as if devoid of any emotion. BOOM! What happened next was beyondprehension. A purple light shed in her eyes, and suddenly, a massive explosion erupted around her. At the same time, Dwat, who was everyone''s hope, flew away THUD! He mmed into the stone wall. "...Ugh." Thump. He groaned and fell to his knees. His eyes were unfocused. The dagger in his hand ttered lifelessly on the ground. ng- At that moment, everyone realized. There would be no more surprises. This was the day their Family would be erased. "Die, you worthless scum." *** [PR/N- POV changed to MC.] Soon after it was evening. Under the soft yellow light, Ka, freshly washed and dressed in new clothes, held out a ss of wine. "Did you see? How I sted that so-called captain earlier?" I couldn''t help but chuckle at her triumphant voice. Clink. I touched my ss to hers and said. "I saw. You''ve improved a lot." It was no surprise that the captain was no match for Ka. She''s a proper mage now. She mastered mana control and even me attribute magic. But beyond that, her growth was remarkably fast. Now, if I''m not paying attention, I might miss when she was using modified magic. That''s howfortable she''s be with it. Slice, slice. Ka filled her mouth with a long meat she held in her hand. I stared at her intently. ''I want to take her with me.'' After the past week, I''d made up my mind. I felt that I could ept her as myrade now. Though I couldn''t blindly trust her yet, it seemed unlikely she''d betray me. ''She has some decent abilities too.'' Her desperate wish wouldn''t hinder our future journey. But there was still one thing bothering me. "What are you going to do now?" "Hm? About what?" "I mean, where are you going next?" "Ah..." Ka swallowed meat and continued. "I''ll escape, of course..." A small me appeared on Ka''s palm. Whoosh! The me illuminated her somber face. "And then I''ll go do what I need to do." "...I see." There was only one thing Ka needed to do. Revenge against the parents who abandoned her. Though I was disappointed since I''d considered taking her as apanion, I couldn''t stop her. Everyone has that one thing they absolutely must do. For Ka, it was revenge. "Where are you heading?" "Me... " My goal had always been singr. To catch Baal. And to return to my original world. Because of this, my path was already set. "I''m going to Sector 6." Although my growth had been rapid, it wasn¡¯t not enough. I barely managed to defeat a mere red-headed minion and risked my life in the process. I needed faster growth, more magic. And entering Sector 6 would be the stepping stone for that. "Hmm, is that so?" Ka looked at me with a meaningful expression and held out her wine ss. "Then I''ll see you there. I''ll head that way once I''m done with my business." Her words made me smile. Had my thoughts somehow reached her? Or had my regret shown on my face? Whatever it was, what mattered was that Ka also intended to join me. Clink. "Alright, see you in Sector 6." The red liquid inside the clear ss rippled. Looking at that, I pulled myself together. ''Starting tomorrow, it''s going to be quite busy.'' This rest was nice, but I couldn''t let myself get too rxed. This cruel world wouldn''t idly stand by while I took it easy. But¡­ No matter what crisis was thrown at me, it would never be able to stop me. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 10 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 10 The next morning. Having somewhat recovered from our fatigue, we immediately began searching through the hideout. Normally, we would have just left, but we''d heard something interesting. -Hahaha! It''s been so long since we''ve had such a big haul...! Hadn''t those bastards been rejoicing about their hefty earnings? We might as well take everything we can. No guilt in looting from raiders, after all. "Wow... Is all this really from their raids?" Ka eximed as she rummaged through arge bundle. The bundle was filled with various items... ''Regeneration potions and 100 silver coins. ...What''s this, even an artifact? Where on earth did they steal this from?'' Perhaps they''d robbed some newly impoverished noble who''d just been exiled to Sector 7. Even I could see that there were many useful items. "You can have these." I kept only the items I found useful and passed the rest to Ka. "You''re giving me all this?" Ka''s face showed surprise because she thought that a considerable amount of loot had fallen to her share. But this distribution was carefully calcted, leaving her with only the things I found useless. ''What use do I have for a Mana Sensitivity Ring? I can''t increase my sensitivity any further.'' The same went for the one-time use ''Instant Awakening Potion''. With my ability to awaken thanks to spirit engraving, I had no need for such items. What I really needed were things like this... "Hehehe..." "What''s wrong with this guy?" I couldn''t help but keepughing. After all, I never expected to obtain something that was already part of my build so soon. I looked at the silver bracelet on my wrist. ''Holy Oil Bracelet.'' Its official name was [Bracelet of Holy Oil]. Though it looked ordinary on the outside, this bracelet was infused with holy oil, which had effects simr to holy water. The wearer of this bracelet gradually increases their Holy Power stat as they absorb the holy oil. Holy Power is a counter-stat that''s extremely effective against demons. In [Demon Fantasy], it was an essential stat that could never be overlooked. ''My previous character had about 500.'' When the holy oil in this bracelet is fully absorbed, it increased my Holy Power stat by 5 points. Considering my previous character''s Holy Power stat, there''s still a long way to go, but for now, this is enough. Being able to increase Holy Power in the early stages was a tremendous advantage. Moreover... ''I can imbue magic with Holy Power.'' Unlike other sses where Holy Power protects the body, mages could imbue their magic with Holy Power. In simple terms, the higher the Holy Power, the higher the attack power. This is why mages have superior attack powerpared to other sses. ''Sigh... Why did I raise a swordsman character? I should have raised a mage from the start...'' If I had, I might have beaten the game and quit long ago. Then I wouldn''t have been dragged into this world. Although I felt a tinge of regret, I quickly dismissed it. What''s important is what lies ahead. ''Anyway, this is a good haul.'' Besides the Holy Oil Bracelet, I picked up a few other good items. First, a circr [Wooden Shield] and [Leather Armor] to supplement my weak defenses. And while not an item per se, a pair of leather boots that fit perfectly. This was more than enough for the early stages. "Hee! Hee hee hee! I''m rich now!" Beside me, Kaughed like a madwoman. ''And she had the nerve to ask why I wasughing earlier.'' Still, I understood. While useless to me, many of these items would be valuable for Ka. ''The Mana Sensitivity Ring alone is quite precious for a mage.'' Ka''s ''Mana Sight'' isn''t perfect yet. She can''t see faint traces of mana with her eyes. Because of that, when she practiced modified magic, I often had to guide her to the mana she couldn''t see. But with that ring, that wouldn''t be necessary anymore. ''She''ll be much stronger when I see her next.'' Naturally, it''s a positive thing that Ka, my futurepanion, will grow stronger. I felt a sense of anticipation. Just how much would she have grown? "This should be enough." With our lootingplete, we stood at the hideout''s main entrance. Ka suddenly remembering something and asked. "Hey, what''s your name anyway?" "My name?" Come to think of it, I hadn''t told her my name. After a moment''s thought, I decided to give her my real name. There was no need to hide it. "Yuhan." "Yuhan...? Hm, unusual name." Ka responded with a hint of curiosity, but quickly epted it and said her goodbyes. "Well then, Yuhan, let''s part ways here. I''m heading in this direction." Ka pointed in the opposite direction of Sector 6. I nodded slightly and met her eyes, but something seemed off. For some reason, her eyes were burning with apetitive spirit... She spoke with a voice full of determination. "Look forward to it. Next time we meet, you won''t be able to ignore me." "...When did I ever ignore you?" "Just remember that." As if that wasn''t important, she turned away with those final words. Her retreating figure grew smaller. It waspletely different from when we first met in the underground prison. I couldn''t help but chuckle when I saw that. In a way, what Ka said could be seen as a challenge to me. But rather than being anxious¡­ ¡­. I''m looking forward to it. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not that blind.¡± A challenge like that was always wee. Because people grow more as they experience repeated failures. I also turned my back, feeling somewhat relieved. *** It was still broad daylight. I hurried to survey the surrounding terrain and quickly found the right path. There was a reason for this urgency. ¡®I¡¯d rather not get toofortable and end up running into a demon. That¡¯d be a pain.¡¯ Demons typicallye out at night. That¡¯s why wandering around during the day like this was rtively safer. The chances of encountering a demon were lower, and it was easier to see and assess the situation. ¡®Not that demons onlye out at night, though.¡¯ Because this world was so vicious that it can be described as being swarming with demons, you cannot let your guard down anywhere or in any situation. Especially the lower-level servants like red-haired man. They didn¡¯t care whether it was day or night. Still, I¡¯d learned enough magic that most encounters wouldn¡¯t pose too much of a problem. It never hurts to be cautious, though. ¡°But¡­ doesn¡¯t the terrain look a little different from what I remember?¡± I have memorized all the geography and most of the terrain features of Sector 7. Yet something felt off. There were subtle differences from the maps in my memory. For instance, new side streets I didn¡¯t recognize had popped up, and buildings that had been rtively clean were now dpidated and abandoned. ¡°Come to think of it, the raiders¡¯ hideout too¡­¡± If my memory was correct, there hadn¡¯t been a hideout of that size in Sector 7. Moreover, the ce had been enhanced with spatial expansion magic. There was no way I would have forgotten about something like that. Every time I noticed a difference, I felt uneasy, but no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn''t pinpoint it. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll figure it outter.¡± Because of this, I just roughly remembered it in my head and kept walking. About two hours passed. ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± I waspletely out of stamina. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯m really going to die¡­¡± My body was so weak that it wouldn''t even allow me to walk for two hours without resting. I was out of breath and my legs were shaking. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just the walking that had exhausted me. ¡°Sector 7 lives up to its reputation¡­¡± Sector 7 was infamous for being filled with endless suspicion, betrayal, and conspiracies. True to its reputation, a few beggars had noticed my exhaustion and attempted to rob me of my belongings. Apparently, there were quite a few raiders organized in groups, like the ones back at the hideout. Because of them, I¡¯d often have to enhance my body with electricity-based magic to fend off the attacks. Channeling magic into my body not only required adding elemental attributes, but also wrapping it around myself, which drained even more stamina. ¡°Well, at least I made it.¡± I barely managed to calm my breathing and checked the area ahead. A massive wall stretched endlessly in front of me. It reminded me of the Great Wall of China. My gaze fixed on arge opening in the middle of the wall and beyond it. It was hard to believe that just one wall separated such a clean and developed area. "¡­Sector 6." It had only been about ten days, but it felt like much longer. I guess that just meant I''d gone through a lot during that time. Time is always rtive, after all. "Let''s go." I confidently took a step forward after pushing aside those lingering thoughts. There wererge guards wearing iron armor standing guard beneath the walls built like the Great Wall of China, but it was not a problem. I had a hefty pouch of gold coins dangling at my waist that I looted from the raiders'' vault. One of the guards scowled as he spotted me. "Hey, what the¡ª? A beggar? Do you even know where you are?" nk! The heavy sound of his armor was menacing as he stepped toward me. I quickly pulled out the pouch hanging from my waist. "Mind letting me through?" As I spoke, I gently shook the pouch. Jingle, jingle. The pleasant sound of coins filled the air. The guard¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nced at the pouch. "What, you¡¯ve got coins in there?" "Of course." Quite a hefty sum, too. More than enough to be irresistible to a lowly Sector 6 guard. "¡­Really?" "Yes." He took the pouch of coins, and I gave him a confident smile. "May I go through now?" But instead of the weing grin I expected, the guard''s face twisted into an angry sneer. Jingle! He tossed the coin pouch back at me as he was clearly uninterested. "You think that old trick is going to work? Pulling a stunt like this as if we''re still living a hundred years ago? Beggars¡­ I swear." "¡­What?" For a moment, I couldn¡¯t hide my confusion. A flood of questions filled my head. ¡®A hundred years ago¡­?¡¯ What was that supposed to mean? ¡®It can¡¯t be because I didn¡¯t offer enough, right¡­?¡¯ Did he mean bribing had be some outdated practice from a century ago? In the game I used to y, this sort of thing happened all the time. Even so, with this much gold, shouldn¡¯t I get a free pass? I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around what was happening, but the guard wasn¡¯t waiting for me to figure it out. ¡°Arrest this bastard immediately!¡± Clink! Clink! Clink! The well-trained soldiers sprang into action at hismand. About a dozen guards quickly formed a circle around me and trapped me. In that instant, I sensed danger. Frustration welled up inside me. "¡­Ugh, nothing ever goes right, does it?" Whoooosh! Mana that was inside me was condensed in an instant. [Magicalputation has been maximized.] My thoughts elerated and quickly formted a spell. The image that came to mind was a crisp electric current. Then, I made some changes and wrapped it around my body to strengthen my body. Crackle! Crack! A yellow current emanates from the tips of the feet. Electric current modified magic. Only then did the guards who had been looking at me like I was a wandering rat change their gaze. ¡°M-Magic¡­?¡± ¡°Is this beggar really a mage¡­?¡± "Yeah, I¡¯m a mage." Even while answering, I quickly looked around to find a loophole. The n was to kick the ground like this and break through their encirclement. ¡°Draw your swords, everyone!¡± "R-Reinforcements! We need more reinforcements!" Shing! Shing! Shing! Guards unsheathed their swords in perfect unison. I couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated. Geez, don¡¯t you guys get it? "I said I¡¯m a mage." What do you think your swords are going to do? This cruel world doesn¡¯t give you the luxury of time to stand by idly. But no matter what kind of danger it throws at me, there¡¯s no way it can stop me. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 11 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 11 I picked up the pouch of gold coins that had fallen at my feet and began organizing my thoughts. ¡®Right now, I¡¯m a mage.¡¯ There¡¯s one reason why raising a mage in Demon Fantasy is the hardest. The difficulty of the early stages. In other words, it¡¯s tough to survive until you actually learn magic. If you follow the standard route, you need everything to go right¡ªstarting at the right point, having a clean background, a stable source of ie, loyal NPCpanions who won¡¯t betray you. Only with all of that, and a lot of luck, can you barely obtain a single basic magic book. Even if you make it through that, you still have to acquire magic-rted traits and equipment, and then there¡¯s the chronic weakness in closebat to deal with. But what about me now? ¡®I¡¯ve already ovee most of those issues.¡¯ I¡¯ve mastered the basic courses of the four major elements and can usebat-advantageous modified magic. On top of that, my Spirit Engravingpensates for my closebat weaknesses, and I even have a Mythic tier magic trait. In every way, I¡¯m a pretty decent mage. So, if I put my mind to it, breaking through this guard¡¯s encirclement would be no problem at all. Crackle-! Yellow sparks flickered around me. I raised a wooden shield in front of me and concentrated my magic into my feet. All that mattered now was speed. ¡°Attack!¡± At the shout of the guard captain, the encircling guards charged toward me. One of the guards who reached them first swung his sword. In that instant, I felt my heart beat a half-step faster. Thump! -You have entered an awakened state. I had been waiting for this moment. My previously stiff body loosened in a second. The second I realized I was awakened, I dashed forward. Whoosh! ¡®This feels like I¡¯m using [Shield Charge].¡¯ ¡°Huh, huh?!¡± The guards flinched at my overwhelming speed. I didn¡¯t care and pushed myself to go even faster. This was my one chance. If I didn¡¯t break through the encirclement now, even I would be in trouble. Boom! The wooden shield in front of me crashed into the guards¡¯ shoulders. Two guards were knocked aside, and the encirclement was broken. I regained my bnce and sprinted in a straight line. I couldn¡¯t rx until I got past that massive front gate and found a ce to hide. ¡°What... How is he so fast?!¡± ¡°What are you doing?! After him, now!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Thud, thud, thud! As I ran, I nced back over my shoulder. Luckily, the distance between me and the guards was steadily increasing. At this rate, I¡¯d make it to Sector 6 without any trouble. That¡¯s when it happened. Beeeep! A sharp, tingling sensation shot through me, and a ringing noise pierced my head. My already racing heart began to pound even faster. Thump! Thump! Thump...! What the hell was happening? In that split second, I came to only one conclusion. Instinct. Shhhk! I immediately stopped in my tracks. My leather boots scraped the ground as I slowed down and came to a halt. And I saw it clearly. A silver de falling right in front of my face. Shing. A part of my messy hair was sliced clean off. I swallowed hard. Holy shit, I almost died. ¡°You¡¯ve got good instincts, huh?¡± Standing in front of me was a silver-haired swordsman. No, not just a swordsman. He was a knight. The red emblem with a snake insignia on his left chest proved that much. ¡°Sir Shuharn...?¡± ¡­Yeah, now it was clear. The guard captain who had been following me knelt on one knee and saluted the silver-haired knight. ¡°Captain Jansen of the 7th Guard unit, at your service, Sir Shuharn!!¡± His voice echoed loudly. His stiff posture showed just how high-ranking this knight must be. But the silver-haired knight didn¡¯t return the salute. He simply looked me up and down with a curious gaze. ¡°A beggar?¡± What a shameless person you are. Yeah, sure, I¡¯m a legendary beggar, you fucker. But despite my inner feelings, I nodded with sincerity. I put up expressions like I''m facing the most holy person in my life. This world forces you to act weak in front of the strong. ¡°Looks like you awakened your magic by luck, huh? How long has it been?¡± ¡°...¡± I kept silent instead of answering. At the same time, I thought about how to get out of this situation. ¡°Well, no need to answer. I can tell just by sensing your magic.¡± Buzz. His eyes shed for a brief moment. ¡°¡­Wow, you¡¯ve grown fast, haven¡¯t you? You awakened just three months ago?¡± What a joke. He must¡¯ve used some kind of [Detection], but that thing isn¡¯t urate. The margin of error is pretty wide. Especially for someone like me who grows rapidly. ¡®¡­It wasn¡¯t three months, it¡¯s been two weeks, you little shit.¡¯ I swallowed my words and continued thinking. Soon, the rest of the guards would catch up. There was only one thing I could do. I had to shake this guy off and make a run for it. But my heart pounded violently, as if protesting against that idea. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand what that meant. ¡®¡­If I try to run, I¡¯ll die.¡¯ Even if I did manage to escape, the silver-haired knight would catch up in no time. Still¡­ there were no other options. Either die here or die trying to escape. And if it¡¯s the same death either way, I¡¯d much rather go down fighting. At least I¡¯d be doing something. ¡®I have to do it.¡¯ Just as I resolved to gather my magic again¡ª Clink. The silver-haired knight sheathed his sword. ¡­What¡¯s this? Does he think someone like me is no match for him even bare-handed? But the words that came out of his mouth were unexpected. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I said, go. I¡¯ll let you live.¡± ¡°S-Sir Shuharn! This man is¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up. Unless you want to lose your head.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The guard captain bowed his head again at the cold and authoritative voice. The silver-haired knight continued, as if answering the confusion in my eyes. ¡°It¡¯d be a waste. You¡¯ll be stronger the next time I see you, right?¡± The reason he wasn¡¯t killing me was the same as the red-haired man¡¯s. ¡°Do whatever you want. Hide somewhere, go deeper into the city, or leave Asteron entirely. But remember this¡ªnext time we meet, your heart is mine. Don¡¯t forget it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He wanted to fatten up his prey. I got a good look at his face. One side of his mouth was twisted into a strange smirk. ¡®He wants to give me loot when we meet next time? Good!¡¯ ¡°Get him!!¡± ¡°You¡­ you bastards!¡± I put up a frustrated expression on my face. The guards were getting close again. I quickly gathered my mana and sprinted off like an arrow. Crackle! The silver-haired knight didn¡¯t chase me, as if he really meant to let me go. Even the other guards just stood there, staring nkly as I ran. And so, I made it safely to Sector 6. I copsed against the wall in a shadowy alley to catch my breath. ¡°Hah¡­¡± It''s definitely a blessing to be alive and I should be relieved about that, but... But instead, I just felt dirty. *** After entering Sector 6, time passed quickly. First, I tracked down a broker and bought a suitable identity then I found a ce to stay for the next week. After taking a bit of rest, I tidied up my messy hair with a razor and changed into everyday clothes that wouldn¡¯t attract attention. My reflection in the mirror looked quite humanpared to before. ¡®At this point, no one would recognize me even if we crossed paths.¡¯ While keeping myself busy, night had already fallen before I realized it. I found myself inside thergest tavern in the entertainment district near my lodgings. ¡°A new face, huh?¡± ¡°I just moved here recently.¡± ¡°Got it. What can I get for you?¡± ¡°Start with a beer, please.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As the owner walked away, I drifted back into my thoughts. ¡®I¡¯ve been through a lot, but¡­ I¡¯ve at least made it out of Sector 7.¡¯ Getting into Sector 6 carried a lot of significance. First and foremost was safety. Sector 7cked a protective wall like the Great Wall. That meant it waspletely exposed to demonic attacks. On the other hand, while Sector 6 was still on the outskirts, it was protected by a wall, making it rtively safer. Barring any special events, I could at least sleep peacefully here. In this world, where managing your condition could mean the difference between life and death, that was important. The second benefit was that I could now start building my character in earnest. Though Sector 6''s facilities were old, it still had the basics like markets and a magic tower. But before doing anything else, I had to acknowledge something. ¡®This isn¡¯t the timeline I know.¡¯ That was the biggest issue I was facing. This world was different from the game I used to y. - Did you really think your 100-year-old tricks would still work? Based on what the guard captain had said, this ce was set 100 years in the futurepared to the game''s timeline. Now that I think about it, there were plenty of clues. Like how Sector 7¡¯syout was slightly different or encountering a silver-haired knight in Sector 6, and the fact that so many people were after a mage¡¯s heart. Just looking at the menu in front of me made me feel a sense of alienation. [Roasted Firebird - 500 Silver Coins [Dried Feedna Snake - 700 Silver Coins ] [Vitality Soup - 1,200 Silver Coins] [Beer - 500 Silver Coins] Maybe there had been some intion, but these prices were outrageous. I could overlook most of it, but half a gold coin for a single beer? Even considering that this tavern might be unusually expensive, it was hard to ept. ¡®They charged me 50 gold coins just for a room¡­¡¯ I could understand why the guards tossed gold coins around like trash. It is clear that the value of gold has hit rock bottom over the past 100 years was totally unknown to me. ¡°Here you go. Beer.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Anyway, this ce was different from the world I knew. Which meant I needed information. I had to figure out exactly what had changed and how much. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t rested and hade straight to the tavern. I was here to gather intel. Gulp, gulp. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good.¡± As I quenched my thirst with beer and I focused my attention on the chatter around me. The noisy conversations were bringing me bits of information. ¡°I heard Gandar has turned into a bounty hunter.¡± ¡°Did you hear about the underground auction? The spellbook is being auctioned off, and the price is crazy!¡± ¡°These days, mercenaries aren¡¯t making enough. At this rate¡­ I¡¯m thinking of switching professions.¡± Since the information wasing from an open ce, its quality wasn¡¯t great. Most of it was news you could easily pick up with a little effort. But it wasn¡¯t entirely useless. For instance¡­ ¡°Today, a new bounty was issued. They say someone broke through the main gate and entered Sector 6.¡± ¡°Ha! The main gate? That¡¯s quite audacious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be real¡ªit¡¯s not just audacious; it¡¯s stupid. Or maybe the kid¡¯s out of their mind. Leaving the back door wide open¡­ Tch, there¡¯s no way they¡¯re normal.¡± ¡­That was about me, a story I hadn¡¯t even known. ¡®¡­What? A bounty? Are they saying I¡¯m now a wanted person in Asteron? Wait, there¡¯s a back door? ¡­Since when?¡¯ Ugh¡­ It¡¯s all so confusing. A hundred years may have passed, but this is a bit too much change, isn¡¯t it? ¡°¡­Damn it, let¡¯s just drink.¡± I gulped down my beer withplicated feelings. It was bad enough being trapped in the game as a beggar, but now I was a wanted criminal? I could almost hear the bounty hunters closing in already. What did I do to deserve this?! When I was a little tipsy, I heard an interesting piece of info. ¡°Did you hear? The Aldeon Academy is opening its magic tower!¡± ¡°...Is that true? Why would they suddenly unseal the tower that¡¯s been locked away for so long?¡± ¡°Oh,e on. There¡¯s only one reason for that. They¡¯re nning to officially take on apprentices at Aldeon!¡± I set my beer down with a thunk. ¡®Aldeon?¡¯ It was a familiar name to me, even though I felt a generation gap of 100 years. Aldeon is one of the top five magic academies in Demon Fantasy, after all. I couldn¡¯t possibly not know about it. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Uh, what? What are you asking about?¡± ¡°I mean the news about the Aldeon Academy opening its magic tower.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, indeed. They already put up an announcement on the za bulletin board.¡± My heart dropped! As soon as I heard that, I jumped up and rushed out of my seat. I had to see it with my own eyes. Fortunately, the za was close enough that even my lousy stamina could get me there quickly. I headed straight to the bulletin board, and just as the drunkard said, there was an announcement posted. [Aldeon Academy announces: The magic tower will officially open in one week. This decision has been made after over a century¡­ We hope that only those confident in their abilities will apply. Peace.] So it was true. ¡®That¡¯ Aldeon Academy¡­ was taking in apprentices. I found myself smiling without realizing it. ¡®One week.¡¯ In one week, the first step of my build would begin. And maybe¡­ I could finally find a way to resolve the death sentence hanging over me, which I had tried so hard to ignore. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 12 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 12 In [Demon Fantasy], the external image of the Aldeon Academy was like this. The ¡®mysterious academy¡¯ where no one had any idea what they were up to. In reality, Aldeon was full of enigmatic schrs who were impossible to pin down, and endless rumors¡ªimpossible to verify¡ªcircted constantly. Some imed that a demon of legionmander rank was sealed in Aldeon¡¯s Magic Tower, while others insisted that the schrs of Aldeon had made contracts with demons... Most of the rumors were negative and rted to ¡®demons.¡¯ However, from what I¡¯ve personally investigated: ¡®Demon? What a joke.¡¯ The rumors werepletely baseless. "How would those guys, who specialize in light magic, make contracts with demons?" Aldeon¡¯s magic focuses on the light attribute. They¡¯re not just far from demons¡ªthey¡¯re walking the exact opposite path. ...I can¡¯t understand how those guys came to have this image, but anyway. The fact that Aldeon was opening up their Magic Tower was incredibly good news for me. "I can learn light magic." Light magic had an absolute advantage over demons, who mostly operate in the dark. It was also the only type of magic that used the Holy Power stat. For someone like me, who nned to gather as much Holy Power as possible, it was essential. Well, originally I was nning on learning it about halfway through the build. "But there¡¯s no harm in learning it early." Swoosh. I stood in front of Aldeon¡¯s Magic Tower and pulled a round wooden token from my pocket. It was an ID token I bought from a broker. It bore the identity of amoner named ¡®Yuhan¡¯ who had quietly passed away in Sector 6. I chose it because it was close to my age and had a name simr to mine. I took the ID token and pressed it against the barrier surrounding Aldeon¡¯s Magic Tower. As soon as the token touched the barrier, it shed brightly. sh-! "Got it." This signaled my intent to enter Aldeon¡¯s Magic Tower. I¡¯d probably receive an invitation to attend soon. I turned around immediately. Since it had been 100 years since the Magic Tower hadst opened, many would surely apply. Aldeon wouldn¡¯t ept all of them as disciples. Competition would be fierce. I didn¡¯t have much time. I had no idea what selection process they would use for disciples, so there was a mountain of things I had to prepare. *** The next morning. I headed to the bustling marketce carrying a bag stuffed with everything I bought yesterday. I was on my way to address the most urgent problem which was my frail body. ¡°There¡¯s bound to be a ce around here¡­¡± The marketce in Sector 6 was packed with various shops. I focused on cesbeled as ¡®training centers¡¯ and soon I was able to find the one I wanted among the numerous training centers. I opened the door and went in without hesitation. Ding-. "...Who are you?" The owner inside asked with a suspicious look. I sized him up first. He was short and stocky, with a thick reddish-brown beard, eyes of the same color, and a muscr build. His appearance screamed masculinity and there was no doubt that he belonged to the race I had been searching for. ¡°I¡¯vee to the right ce. I¡¯m here to train my body.¡± "Does that mean... you''re a customer?" The owner asked again in disbelief. Well, I couldn''t me him. How often do customers show up to a ce like this, where even flies seem scarce? Especially a human customer at that. "Yes, that¡¯s right." "...Well, this is a surprise. Why would you want to train here? There are plenty of training centers run by humans nearby. Some are even run by barbarians.¡± Why did I choose this ce? ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± I had plenty of reasons. Cheaper pricespared to other ces, the benefit of one-on-one lessons due to theck of customers, and an intensive training method that focuses on short-term results... But most importantly: ¡°No one¡¯s better at physical training than dwarves.¡± The pinnacle of training centers isn¡¯t one run by humans or barbarians¡ªit¡¯s one run by dwarves. Barbarians are born with naturally strong bodies but dwarves perfect their physical forms through training. In terms of training methods alone, dwarves are far superior to barbarians. ¡°And I know that better than anyone.¡± I still couldn¡¯t forget the thrill of finally perfecting the body of my zombie swordsman character at a dwarf training center and earning the 108th achievement [Perfect Body]. The dwarf owner burst outughing. As befitting the simple-minded nature of the race, his doubts had already disappeared. ¡°You¡¯ve got a good eye! You¡¯re absolutely right! We dwarves are the real experts when ites to body training! Barbarians are nothingpared to us! Hahaha!¡± He was clearly pleased. Afterughing heartily for a while, the owner finally nodded. ¡°Alright. If you recognize the greatness of dwarves, you¡¯re more than worthy to receive our training! But... there¡¯s a reason this ce is so empty.¡± The owner¡¯s face suddenly grew serious. ¡°This will be really tough. You might feel like dying. If your resolve isn¡¯t strong enough, you¡¯ll fall behind. Are you still willing to go through with it?¡± His voice was as low and grave as it could be. He wanted me to carefully consider my decision. But honestly? I had been threatened by a silver-haired knight who promised to take my heart. I was now a wanted criminal in Asteron. Would someone like me run from a tough path out of fear? ¡°That¡¯s out of the question.¡± In Demon Fantasy, there are no shortcuts. The easy road only leads to slower growth. ¡°This is exactly what I was hoping for.¡± This arduous path... It was the one I had been seeking all along. *** The reason I came to the training center even though I chose to be a mage was simple. I had confirmed through the game multiple times that the power of magic is affected by a character''s physical stats. ''...If my body had been stronger when I fought that red-haired guy, I wouldn¡¯t have needed holy water.'' I probably could have handled him with just my modified spells. As such, the stronger the body, the more powerful the magic¡ªeven if it''s the same spell. That''s why I needed to train my body. For stronger and more efficient magic. However, even though I knew this¡­ ¡°Gasp¡­! Gasp¡­!¡± The pain was unbearable. ¡°Where¡¯s that passionate look you had earlier? Right now, you look no different from a dead fish.¡± ¡°...Are you mocking me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying, put more energy into it.¡± The owner who had introduced himself as Barundel chuckled and pressed firmly on my back. I was currently doing push-ups. He was only pressing down with two fingers, but even that felt like my arms were about to snap. Completely unaware of how I felt, Barundel kept talking. ¡°With strength like this, how do you expect to train? We haven¡¯t even started the real dwarf-style training yet!¡± ¡°Huff, huff...!¡± I gritted my teeth and tried to push up again under his barrage of nagging, but... maybe sheer willpower wasn¡¯t enough. Before long, I copsed onto the floor. ¡°...Ugh, how many did I do this time?¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, five. The number is getting smaller and smaller.¡± This felt like some kind of gaslighting. ''Of course, the number goes down the longer you do it, you crazy dwarf!'' The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I didn¡¯t even have the strength to say them. And no matter what, it was true that my body was in terrible shape. ''Only seven push-ups...'' Even in the real world, where I was far from athletics, I could easily do around 15. But here, even in my best condition, my limit was seven. ...I guess it makes sense, given that this body had been starved for who knows how long. Anyway, my strength was far weaker than expected. Realizing I couldn''t continue like this, I decided to use my trump card. ¡°...Could you hand me my bag?¡± ¡°Hm? Your bag?¡± Barundel waddled over and brought my bag. Thud! It hit the ground with a heavy sound. ¡°This one? It¡¯s heavier than I thought.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one.¡± I slowly opened the bag with trembling hands. Soon, sparkling things began to appear inside. ¡°Hm? What are these...?¡± ¡°These are the things that¡¯ll help me.¡± The bag was packed with ss bottles of various colors. These were the potions that I had carefully selected and bought at the general store. To be honest, I¡¯d expected I wouldn¡¯tst long with my weak body. Pop! I quickly uncorked a boltte filled with a green liquid and chugged it. Gulp, gulp. It was a strange sensation. I could feel the potion traveling down my throat with remarkable precision. And before I¡¯d even finished half the bottle, I already started to feel a change. ¡°...Oh.¡± It was as if dark clouds were parting¡ªthe mental fog caused by exhaustion was clearing up. ''The effect is immediate.'' I wanted to drink more, but I closed the lid for now. Since the potions were expensive, I needed to ration them carefully. Pop! Next, I uncorked a red potion. It was one that contained vitality, with the ability to heal injuries and restore the body. I drank about half, and soon felt the liquid seeping into my muscles. The stabbing pain that felt like it stabbing my whole body with needles vanishedpletely. ''Of course, the expensive ones work the best.'' But that wasn¡¯t the end. Pop! Pop! Pop...! One after another, I downed potions. The [Muscle Growth elerator], the [Regeneration Boost Potion], and the [Vitality Potion]¡­ By the time I was stuffed to the point where I felt like my stomach would burst, I finally stood up. I said with confidence. "Let¡¯s start again." ¡°¡­There are limits to what potions can do. If you keep this up, your body¡¯s bound to suffer." Barundel warned me. "But I¡¯ll grow faster in the short term, right? That¡¯s all that matters to me." Barundel¡¯s worried expression gave way to an incredulous smirk. "¡­Are you some kind of madman?" A madman, huh¡­ Well, he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong. I¡¯m someone who would stop at nothing to get stronger¡ªa madman obsessed with growth. *** Meanwhile, in a meeting room shielded byyers of magical barriers. Several people with serious faces sat around a stone-made circr table. ¡°Elder, over three hundred applicants have already expressed their desire to enter the Aldeon Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­I see. It seems the impact of announcing the tower¡¯s opening is greater than we anticipated.¡± ¡°The reputation of Aldeon is clearly still alive. There are likely many talented individuals among them. Why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to expand the school?¡± Dercion, the First Elder of the Aldeon and soon to be the Master of the Tower, sank into deep thought. ''¡­Light is not a power that can be granted to just anyone.'' The brighter the light, the weaker it bes. The brighter it is, the weaker it bes; the darker it is, the stronger it bes. Although it was promising that so many sought entry into the tower, not all of them could be given true enlightenment. More importantly¡­ ¡°That would go against the will of Aldeon.¡± The tower had not been opened to expand the school¡¯s size. It had been opened, after a hundred years of being sealed. Solely for the purpose of seeking true ¡®light.¡¯ And for that, many people were unnecessary. Just ten. And if there were even one truly exceptional person among them, the other nine wouldn¡¯t be needed. The Seventh Elder who had made the suggestion lowered his head in embarrassment. ¡°¡­I got too excited. How could I forget the will of Aldeon over something so trivial? It¡¯s shameful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. I was just as eager as you.¡± The one who broke the solemn atmosphere was the Second Elder who was seated across from Dercion. ¡°So, Dercion, what do you n to do with all of them?¡± ¡°What else? You know as well as I do that there¡¯s only one way. Aldeon needs just ten worthy individuals.¡± ¡°¡­Out of all these applicants, only ten? There will surely be bacsh.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already in tough situations to support the schrs we have. Shouldn¡¯t we be more careful, especially in a situation like this? I thought you would understand?¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Dercion looked around at the other elders with a stern face. ¡°Elders, do not doubt the path we walk. We are moving towards the light.¡± ¡°Well said.¡± ¡°For the light of Aldeon¡­¡± ¡°For the light of Aldeon.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long now.¡± Dercion said quietly. If everything went ording to n¡­ If there was but one individual worthy of receiving the light¡­ ¡°¡­The will shall be fulfilled.¡± Only then Aldeon would witness the true ¡®light.¡¯ [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 13 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 13 The physical training with Barundel only ended by evening. Because the potions were all gone and Barundel advised against further training, saying it would be poisonous to the body. I didn''t like it because it didn''t turn out as well as I thought, but now that I think about it, I''m really d I listened to Barundel. "Ugh... I¡¯m seriously about to die." Arms, legs, shoulders, torso... There wasn''t a single part of my body that wasn''t sore. I was so exhausted that it wouldn''t have been surprising if I fainted right then and there. I had definitely pushed myself too hard, relying too much on the potions. I never thought basic training could wear me out this much. But fortunately, the results are promising. ¡®I can already feel my muscles growing.¡¯ With thebined effect of the potion and pushing my body to the limit during training, my muscles were growing at an incredible pace. Maybe by tomorrow the injured muscles will have healed and be stronger. I''m slowly getting closer to the image of the mage I want to be. Just as nned. ¡­But here''s the problem. Step, step. nce. ¡°¡­What are you looking at?¡± ¡°¡­Ahem!¡± As I walk down the street now, everyone whose eyes meet mine seems suspicious. The silver-haired knight''s words keep reying in my head. ¨C ...Next time we meet, I¡¯ll take your heart. You¡¯d better remember that. Of course, maybe I''m just being paranoid. There''s no way the silver-haired one would have someone tailing me, right? Surely, they wouldn¡¯t resort to something so underhanded. A knight, of all people... On second thought, maybe they would? That guy definitely didn''t seem normal in any way. ¡°Sigh¡­ This is seriously bothering me.¡± Swoosh. In the end, I let out a sigh and changed my route. If I go straight to the inn like this, the uneasiness will keep me up all night. At the very least, I needed to figure out what kind of person this knight really was to feel at ease. After passing through a dark alley, I arrived at an old office. It looked simr to the other shops around the za on the outside. But seeing that it was tucked away in such a secluded spot without a sign, I knew it was exactly the ce I had in mind. Creak. "¡­Wee." As I stepped inside, a man sitting at the desk casually waved his hand. He was dressed entirely in ck from head to toe. He was also wearing small sses perched on his nose that didn¡¯t quite fit his appearance. As I pulled out a chair and sat down across from him, the man asked. "You look new¡­ Do you know what kind of ce this is?" "Of course." To put it simply, this is an [information center]. Unlike eavesdropping in a tavern, you could get much more detailed information here. Well, I would have to pay a hefty price for it. Still, the quality of the information is solid, making this a ce I¡¯d always visit when progressing through quests in the game. ¡°Alright, tell me what you¡¯re curious about.¡± ¡°I want to know about someone named Shuharn.¡± ¡°Shuharn¡­ Shuharn¡­ Ah, that knight?¡± I subtly nodded. So, he does know him. I felt relieved and picked up the pouch of gold coins that were in my bag, but then I was startled for a moment. ¡®Why does this¡­ feel so light?¡¯ I had taken a massive amount of gold from the hideout vault, and this pouch held everything I had. It was my entire fortune. But when did it be so light? What annoyed me even more was the fact that, as I recalled my recent expenses, it started to make sense. ¡®¡­I really spent a lot.¡¯ Lodging fees, potion costs, training expenses, food I bought at the za to sate my hunger. I only spent what I thought was necessary, but when I added it all up, I realized the expenses were greater than I thought. And considering the money I¡¯ll need going forward¡­ damn it. ¡°¡­Looks like I¡¯ll have to make more money before entering the Magic tower.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. Let¡¯s begin.¡± I can think about thister. Thud. The man tilted his head in confusion as I ced a gold coin on the table. ¡°¡­What are you doing right now?¡± His expression was as if to ask whether I was ying a joke on him. Tch, one gold coin was enough in the game. Curse this intion. No wonder I¡¯m running out of money. ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m getting the rest.¡± I nonchntly pulled out more gold coins from my pouch. The total payment ended up being ten gold coins. Once the man stashed the coins in his drawer, he finally spoke. ¡°Shuharn is a knight of the Kingdom of Balkan.¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Balkan?¡± ¡°Yeah, his rank is low-tier, but he¡¯s so talented that even most mid-tier knights can¡¯t handle him.¡± ¡°Why is someone like that in Asteron?¡± ¡°Hm, hold on a sec.¡± The man immediately rummaged through his drawer. There was the sound of papers shuffling before he pulled out a document. ¡°Ah, here it is.¡± The document was a profile with information about Knight Shuharn. [Shuharn Philedia.] [Eldest son of the Philedia Family.] [Age: 29.] [Rank: Low-tier.] Along with various other well-organized details. ¡®Pretty professional. I chose the right ce.¡¯ I hadn¡¯t expected much since this was the first information broker I stumbled upon, but this was quite satisfying. Many ces just charge you formon knowledge, after all. I skimmed through the document, thinking I coulde back here again in the future. While I was looking it over, the man added some details. ¡°ording to our staff''s investigation, Shuharn was sent to Asteron about a month ago. He¡¯s probably aiming for a rank promotion.¡± The ranking system for knights advances step by step through annual promotion exams. From apprentice to low-tier, low-tier to mid-tier, mid-tier to high-tier... The problem is that the promotion exams are only held once a year, so it takes a long time to move up. ¡®I went through my share of struggles too.¡¯ For the zombie swordsman character I used to y, the slow ranking promotions often halted quest progress, so I aimed for promotion based on achievements instead. This could be done by earning merits in war or repelling a demonic invasion, for example. If you gathered enough merits and recognition, you could rise in rank outside of the normal exam process. Shuharn likely came to Asteron hoping to earn achievements. But that still doesn¡¯t exin everything. ¡°What is there in Asternon that has him dispatched?¡± He could easily rack up merits by hunting demons around the Kingdom of Balkan. There¡¯s no reason for him toe all the way out to a distant ce like Asteron. There had to be another reason. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± He leaned back in his chair and adjusted his sses. Despite iming not to know, he had a smirk creeping up on one side of his face. There was only one reason for this. ¡°Here.¡± He wanted more money, of course. I handed over five more gold coins. But instead of grabbing them eagerly like before, the man just stared at me. ¡°Hm, this information¡¯s a bit more expensive.¡± ¡­This money-eating hippopotamus cub. Holding back my frustration, I took out five more coins. Only then was I able to hear the reason why Shuharn hade to Asteron. And¡ª ¡°...Listen carefully. A month ago, the ''Prophecy of the Blood Moon'' descended upon Asteron.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± That was far more valuable information than I had anticipated. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s true?¡± ¡°It¡¯s reliable information. One of our agents was there in person the day the prophecy was dered.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I tried to maintain a calm demeanor, but to be honest, my heart felt like it had dropped. I hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a major event this soon. Especially not one of the rare big events from the game. ¡®¡­This is seriously annoying.¡¯ [The Prophecy of the Blood Moon]. Just like the name suggests, it¡¯s an event where the moon turns blood red. But the moon itself isn¡¯t the main issue here. ¡®¡­It¡¯s an invasion.¡¯ On the day the moon turns red, the demon race invades a continent on a massive scale. This time, it seems like they¡¯ve chosen Asteron. Which means blood will soon flow in Asteron. ¡°The exact date is... three months from now.¡± Right. In three months. Sigh¡­ now it all makes sense. The reason why a knight like Shuharn has been staying in Sector 6 of Asteron started to make sense. ¡°He¡¯s aiming for glory and promotion¡­ He¡¯s not just trying for a mid-tier rank, is he?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, sharp, aren¡¯t you? Yeah, he¡¯s probably aiming to jump straight to high-tier knight with this war. It means he¡¯s pretty confident in his skills.¡± A guy aiming to be a high-tier knight, huh? No wonder he was insanely strong. The puzzle pieces in my head were finally starting toe together. But there was still one thing that bothered me. ¡°¡­Why did he target my heart?¡± ¡°Your heart?¡± Why was he trying to kill me? Of course, I had a few theories. Maybe the silver-haired guy is a servant of Valefor, like the redhead. Or perhaps it had something to do with some characteristic rted to hearts. But for some reason, none of those exnations felt right. There had to be something else... Then, as if a realization dawned on him, the man let out a sigh. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re that guy, right? The mage who broke through the front gate and entered Sector 6!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yeah! I knew I¡¯d seen you somewhere before!¡± ¡­How did he connect that to the heart thing? Does it really make sense to assume that just because of the heartment? At first, I tried hard to deny it. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that. Now that I look at you, you¡¯ve got the exact same face as the one on the wanted posters.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Damn, there¡¯s no way out of this now. I¡¯d hoped to keep that under wraps. ¡°Haha, so you¡¯re the crazy guy, huh?¡± The guy opened his mouth after muttering something so good for a while. ¡°Alright. Seems like you¡¯re still in the dark, so I¡¯ll tell you. Consider it a freebie.¡± ¡°What are you telling me?¡± ¡°The reason. It¡¯s already all over town¡ªShuharn threatened to take your heart, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, he did.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you why.¡± The man gestured for me toe closer, and that¡¯s how I solved the final mystery. *** Thud. As soon as I entered my room, I copsed onto the bed. The man¡¯s words were still echoing in my head like an aftertaste. - Shuharn, that fucking bastard is suffering from Mana Deficiency Syndrome. He¡¯s sitting on a ticking bomb. Mana Deficiency Syndrome. It¡¯s a condition that urs when your body doesn¡¯t have the essential amount of mana it needs. If you have this disease, you need to continuously absorb mana from external sources to survive. Whether it¡¯s by drinking expensive elixirs or using someone else¡¯s heart as a remedy. That¡¯s why he was after my heart. I don¡¯t have any fond feelings for the guy, but I did feel a bit sorry for him. ''I thought you had it all because you were so arrogant.'' He was born with good looks, a strong physique, and a natural talent for swordmanship. But why would someone like that suddenly have a Mana Deficiency Syndrome? Even the gods can be cruel. ¡­Not that I¡¯m in any position to pity someone else. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be shing sooner orter.¡± I¡¯d thought I could convince the silver-haired knight, but if it was Mana Deficiency Syndrome driving him, there was nothing I could do. Unless a miracle had suddenly urred and the deficiency had been cured, he would have tried to kill me until the end. My heart would have made for a far better ingredient than any other mage¡¯s. But... Whoosh! ¡°¡­That wouldn¡¯t do.¡± I had no intention of going down easily. Feeling sorry for him didn¡¯t change the fact that my life was at stake. Even if the odds had been slim, I had to at least put up a fight. If I could have officially learned light magic at the Magic Tower, I might have had a chance. Vroom! A magic circle had formed through aplex process in the blink of an eye. I stared nkly at it, lost in thought. ¡°¡­¡± It had been two weeks since I entered this world. The only things I had learned were the basic spellbook given to me by the redhead and the modified spells I created myself. The war against demons was to begin in three months, and if I had run into the silver-haired guy on the street... Things could definitely have been worse. However, one thing had been clear, both then and now. Whether my opponent had been a demon army or the silver-haired knight¡­ Time had been on my side. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 14 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 14 The same day repeated itself. I studied magic in the morning. In the afternoon, I trained my body. In the evening, I gathered information at the tavern. On the fourth day, something changed. "Huff! Huff!" As I was diligently building my strength like any other day, Barundel suddenly came and started patting my body, and smiled contentedly. "Hmm, your body has improved quite nicely." "Is that so?" "The potion you drank at the beginning certainly helped. It''s time we wrap things up." "By wrapping things up, you mean..." "Now it''s time for some real practice." Thud, thud. Barundel entered his room. When he came back out, he was holding a sledgehammer in his hand that was as big as my torso. "What''s that?" "Physical training isn''t much different from forging a sword. The more you hammer, the stronger it gets." "Are you saying you''re going to beat me with that...?" ¡°It depends on how you think about it.¡± Whoosh! Whoosh! "It''s been a while since I''ve done this." Barundel swung the hammer back and forth to warm up and then turned his head towards me. "You have 30 minutes left. Treat this as realbat and do your best to dodge.Of course, you can attack as well." "Wait, all of a sudden..." There was no time to argue. Swoosh! Barundel appeared right in front of me. The distance closed in an instant. ''What speed...!'' It was like he used a high-level spell [Blink]. How was this possible with those short legs... The surprise didn''t end there. A menacing sound rang out as Barundel swung his hammer with all his might. Whoosh! Though it was a simple swing, it was no less impressive than the Silver Sword in both speed and power. ''This...could be dangerous if it hits.'' My judgment was quick. Thump! Thump! Thump...! [Entering the awakened state.] Crackle! As my heart raced, yellow currents of energy blossomed around me. It felt like my dormant senses and nerves were awakening. Just before the hammer made contact, I bent my waist in response. The body that moved flexibly was already showing the effects of training. Phew-! The sledgehammer, which had been emitting terrifying air pressure, went past my chest. I immediately kicked off the ground to create distance. Tap! "...Isn''t this progressing too quickly? I almost had my newly built body crushed." Myint was short-lived as I made eye contact with Barundel. For some reason, he looked quite embarrassed. "...You''re a mage?" ...Come to think of it, I hadn''t mentioned that. I nodded in confirmation. "Yes, well...I don''t have a circle yet, though." "...Huh, why on earth would a mage be building their body?" Barundel asked as if he was genuinely confused. I suppose it would look strange from his perspective. In [Demon Fantasy], mages are known to dedicate even the smallest bits of spare time to magical research. However, ording to my research, if certain conditions are met,bining it with physical training can be much more efficient. Of course, exining this would beplicated, so I gave a vague answer. "It''s not cool to just use magic with a weak body, you know?" "...You really are a strange one." He changed the subject and got into a fighting stance. "You did say I could attack, right?" "Of course. I''m not so weak as to lose to some mage riffraff." "Your words are quite harsh." As Barundel showed his confidence, I immediately extended my palm. ''Since it''se to this...it wouldn''t be bad to see how much stronger I''ve be.'' Soon, a sphere formed above my palm. Shhhhh- [Mana Compression]. This was the first skill I learned when I entered this world. But the sphere was now iparablyrger and more refined than it was back then. "Phew..." I slowly steadied my breath and imbued my will into the sphere. The image I conjured was... ''Fire.'' Whoosh! Arge me bloomed above my hand. It felt quite different from the me Ka had produced. A much more flexible and softer image. This must be the unique property of my mana. "...What a beautiful me." "It''ll feel different if you get hit by it." "Heh heh." With those words, Barundel and I shed again. Bang! My magic and his years of experience in hammer strikes shed in a savage duel. Dodging, attacking, deflecting, blocking... How much time passed like this? "Huff...huff..." "Phew...!" We both copsed from exhaustion at the same time. The result was...unfortunately, a defeat. No, there was nothing to regret. "...It wasn''t just bravado." 0 wins, 10 losses out of 10 matches. Aplete defeat. Barundel, who was also catching his breath, spoke as if to console me. "...Don''t be too discouraged. There were many dangerous moments." "..." "I''m serious. Dealing with a mage is indeed tiring." "Were you a mercenary before opening this ce?" "Well...something simr. It was a long time ago." "I see." Simr, huh... I had many questions, but he didn''t seem to want to talk about it. Instead of asking more, I stood up and dusted myself off. "Want to go another round?" "...Doesn''t your mana ever run out?" "I recover pretty quickly." "...I''m done. This old body has moved enough for today." Barundel waved his hand dismissively. Judging by his expression, he really was tired. Well, unlike me who mainly shot long-range spells, he had to move his body directly...it must have been twice as exhausting. After lying on the ground for a while, Barundel suddenly spoke up. "Dwarven training can''t be done in a short period. It''s divided into several stages." His voice was quite serious. I nodded slightly and replied. "Yes, I know. It''s five stages, isn''t it?" "I don''t know how you know that...but yes. From building the foundation...to perfecting the body. It consists of five stages in total. And with this practical training just now, you''vepleted the first stage." "...You mean the foundation has beenid?" "Feel the parts where my hammer hit you." I touched the parts that had been hit as Barundel had said. But what was this? Far from being painful, it felt like my tense muscles had loosened up. As if I had just drunk a potion. "This...how..." Seeing my surprised face, Barundel continued. "This isn''t just any hammer." As he said that, he raised the hammer. Then. Swish swish swish. Golden dust flew from the hammer and its appearance changed. From an ordinary sledgehammer to one engraved with ancient patterns. I knew it as soon as I saw it. "...It''s an artifact." "That''s right. It has the property of fixing the body of its target. It''s been passed down in my family for generations." In simpler terms, it''s a family heirloom... Looking more closely, the design was familiar. It was something I knew. ''The Hammer of Bnce.'' An artifact used to repair broken items rather than for fighting, with a ''Dwarf only'' restriction option. ''...So it could be used on bodies too?'' No, there was something even more surprising. "You fixed my body with that? While fighting me?" "If I couldn''t do this much, I wouldn''t have opened a training hall." "...Huh." His matter-of-fact tone made me chuckle. Why is a dwarf of this caliber running a shabby training hall in a ce like this? "Anyway, the first stage is nowplete. All the imbnces in your body have been corrected. ...You''ll probably feel it soon. Ah, the next stage will start in two months..." I don''t know why he''s going this far for me, but... I approached Barundel, who was lying down, and bowed my head respectfully. "Thank you." I meant it sincerely. I had received more help from this dwarf than I deserved. Barundel sat up and patted my leg. "...If you''re grateful, bring a customer next time youe." "Haha, is it hard to make a living, huh?" "Haven''t you noticed there hasn''t been a single customer in days? Just maintaining it would be a pain in the ass." "Just trust me. You''ll feel like you need two bodies when that timees." "...We''ll see." Barundel smirked. I smiled back and said. "See you then." "Leaving already? What an unsentimental fellow." "I have somewhere I need to go." "Well, if that''s the case...alright. Let''s have a drink next time." "Of course." We bumped fists. It was our farewell. I didn''t feel sad. We''d meet again soon, after all. *** After Yuhan left, Barundel, who was lying on the floor of the training ground, let out a deep sigh. "Phew..." His face was somewhatplicated. His mind was full of various thoughts. Still lying on his back, Barundel stretched out his arm. It was an arm nearly perfected through decades of training. But now. That arm was trembling. And it wasn''t just the arm. Every muscle in his body was crying out in pain. It was muscle soreness. "Huh, heh heh." He couldn''t help butugh wryly. He''s just a guy who hasn''t even trained for a week. Yet, after facing such a man, his body was sending signals of overexertion? Even though he had used the [Hammer of Bnce] and expended mental energy in practical training, this shouldn''t be possible. Moreover, That opponent was a mage. "...How can he be a mage?" Barundel was a dwarf who had countless experiences fighting mages. That''s why he also knew how to deal with mages. Stick as close as possible and don''t give up any space. However, that man was cut from a different cloth than any mage he''d seen before. Even while relentlessly casting spells, the man was always aware of the closing distance. And when the distance closed, he immediately surrounded himself with electricity to boost his speed and dealt with closebat. His way of thinking was fundamentally different from other mages who tried to avoid close contact at all costs. Barundel vaguely recalled what the man had said. -It''s not cool to just use magic with a weak body, you know? That was his answer when asked why a mage would build his body. But was that really the reason? "...No way." The man had used magic and physical abilities in an incredibly bnced manner. As if he had trained his body with this exact purpose in mind from the start. Other mages would scoff at the idea. Magic and physical prowess? What an absurdbination. But having faced him directly, Barundel thought differently. "It''s apletely new fighting style." Battles were fought with lives on the line in this world. In such battles, anything that could even slightly confuse the opponent was undoubtedly significant. Especially considering how surprisingly effective that absurdbination was. Barundel shuddered at a sudden thought. -Yes, well...I don''t have a circle yet, though. What if the man''s magical skills grew to the point of entering a higher circle? And if he perfected his body through the uing Dwarven training? What kind of mage would he be? "Hmm, this..." Various emotions flickered in Barundel''s eyes. Expectation, interest, excitement¡­ and a hint of fear. "...I wonder if I''ve let a monster in." In the silent training hall. Barundel got up and swung his hammer right there. A cool sound of air being cut resonated. Whoosh-! "I can''t be a burden." It had been 10 years since he stopped training along with his hunting work. This was his resumption of training after a decade. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 15 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 15 After leaving the training hall, I headed to a tavern in the bustling area near my lodging. It was the ce where I had been gathering information every night. But today''s purpose wasn''t information. "I''ve run out of money." Due to recent expenses and intion, I had spent most of the gold coins I brought from the hideout. Even what remained would be gone after buying the necessities for today. In short, I was t broke without a penny to my name. I stopped by here today to solve this problem before entering the Magic Tower. "It''s open, as expected." True to the im of 24-hour service, the light was seeping out from inside despite the early evening hour. Entering without dy, the owner greeted me familiarly. "You''re early today?" Usually a busy ce, I was the only customer at this hour. As I took a seat at the bar, the owner brought a menu and asked. "The usual beer?" Instead of ordering, I waved my hand slightly and said. "I''m not here to drink today." "Oh? Then?" "It''s about what you mentioned a few days ago." "A few days ago? Ah..." The owner spoke with a deliberately serious face. "You''re going to do it?" "Yes." "...I see, you''ve thought it through. I knew we''d end up connected like this. Follow me." The owner stood in front of a disy case of expensive liquor. I wondered why we came here, but soon understood. Rumble rumble. As he pushed the disy case, a hidden open space appeared. ''So there was a ce like this.'' A barrier to prevent intrusion hung at the entrance, with stairs leading underground inside. Usually, they set up separate facilities outside, but it seems they set this up in the basement of the store. Soon, the owner handed me a piece of copper-colored paper and spoke. "This is your permit. It may not look like much, but it''ll let you pass through the barrier here." "An artifact, you mean." "That''s right. Take that, go down there, pass a simple test, and you''ll be able to do the job you want. Are you ready?" "Of course." As I was about to enter with a nod, the owner casually added. "Oh, by the way, I heard the existing members can be quite territorial. You might need to prepare yourself for that." "Ah, territorialism..." It wouldn''t be a problem. Well, that sort of thing exists wherever you go. "Don''t worry." The owner nodded in response, and I started moving again. As the owner said, I was able to pass through the barrier without any resistance. A soundproofing spell must have been on the barrier, as noisy sounds from below started to be audible. It seemed they were already having a drinking party. Soon, I entered an open space, the noise suddenly stopped and everyone''s attention turned to me. "What''s this? Who''s this weakling?" "How did he get in here?" Certainly not a weing atmosphere. Unpleasant gazes. However, I couldn''t show weakness in a ce like this. Calmly receiving their stares, I pretended not to notice and looked around. It was the same size as the tavern above with simr decor. The difference was the absence of windows and a darker ambiance created by purple lighting. "...A face I haven''t seen before." The one who addressed me in a calm voice was a woman with deep ck hair and copper-colored skin. She seemed reasonable, so I spoke up. "I''m here for work." "Your permit?" I waved the copper-colored paper scrap I received from the owner. The woman nodded slightly and patted the seat next to her. "Sit here for now." As I sat down, the woman brought me a ss of whiskey. When I didn''t pick up the ss, she spoke first. "Interesting. It''s rare for someone toe with a direct rmendation from Rior." "...Rior?" "The tavern owner upstairs." "Ah." "What''s your secret?" "...Well, I didn''t do anything special." "Is that so?" Glug glug-. The woman filled her own ss and took a sip before continuing. "We do two main types of work. Simply put, one is bounty hunting, and the other is information gathering. What do you want to do?" "I don''t really mind either, but if I had to choose, bounty hunting would be better." "Bounty hunting requires skill to back it up..." "That''s not a problem." "Hmm, you seem confident?" "Enough not to die, at least." "Alright." The woman pushed her ss aside and leaned forward. "But even with Rior''s rmendation, you can''t start work right away. We need to verify a few things, is that okay?" "Verify?" "It won''t be anything too difficult." This must be the simple test the owner mentioned. As I nodded in understanding, the woman handed me a piece of paper. Looking at it, I saw it was a wanted poster with a sketch of a man wearing a fedora. "His name is Shane. He''s known for turning into a beast when he drinks, and three months ago, he was wanted for murder charges." "You want me to catch this man?" "As far as your abilities allow. Catch him if you can, or just gather information if that''s all you can do. The most important thing is not to get caught by the patrol. It would be quite troublesome." "How is this different from the actual job?" Just then. "Hey, kid." One of the guys who had been listening from behind sat down next to me and interrupted. He was a man with half his face covered in rough stubble. The scar on his forehead made his appearance even more intimidating. "Are youparing catching some neighborhood punk to what we do? This is a matter of life and death here. It''s not something to take lightly." "..." "Do you know how many cocky guys like you havee here and disappeared without a trace? If you value your life, get out of here nicely. Don''t be greedy." As the man finished speaking, I heard snickering from behind. It felt like I was being bullied. From experience, it''s better to respond strongly in situations like this. "Felix, that''s enough." The ck-haired woman was trying to stop the man when I spoke. "You''re so noisy it''s killing me." "...What did you say?" I began gathering mana from the surroundings. At the same time, I imbued it with my will. The image I conjured was of an electric current. Crackle-! shing electricity illuminated the dark interior. That''s all I did. No further action, no more words. But this was enough. "Uh...uh...?" "A-A mage?" "Damn...a mage? That weakling?" The man sitting next to me just gaped with a dumbfounded expression, while those behind stammered and babbled. Feeling things had settled down a bit, I turned back to the woman and asked. "Where do I take the man if I catch him?" "Huh? Oh...bring him to our ce through that back door over there." "Any items to help with tracking?" "...Here, I''ll give you some of his hair. The request just came in, so you''ll have to find the rest yourself." After receiving the well-sealed hair sample, I immediately stood up. Naturally, I made eye contact with the guys who had beenughing earlier. Their expressions hadpletely changed from before. I was reminded once again of the status mages held in this world. I gave them a slight smile before leaving. *** The way the [Request Office] works in the game is simple. They receive requests from other NPCs, distribute them to users, and operate on the fees they get from this. It''s simr to [Guilds], but the difference is that the [Request Office] itself is illegal in the game''s lore. In exchange, they give arger cut of the reward to the users. ''It''s perfect for someone like me who urgently needs money.'' Moreover, unlike [Guilds] which meticulously grade based on various factors like status, reputation, and skill, the [Request Office] only looks at ''ability''. Simply put, the more skilled you are, the better quests you can receive and the higher ie you can earn. In that sense, the current moment was quite crucial. Because this first request, which I received under the pretext of verification, will determine my future position. I needed to make an impact. "¡­Let¡¯s resolve this as quickly as possible." The approach I chose was to leave a good impression in terms of ¡®time¡¯. The faster I handled it, the more it would prove my skills. Because of that¡­ "¡­" My pouch of gold hadpletely run dry. In my rush to solve things quickly, I had spent everyst coin. "¡­Let¡¯s think positively. This is an investment." With my remaining gold, I had bought something from the marketce. An artifact called [Path of Pursuit]. It¡¯s a one-time-use artifact that allows the user to track a target by channeling their mana into it. It''s a shame that it''s a one-time thing, but there''s no better item to use in the beginning for ''tracking'' purposes. I ced the scroll-shaped [Path of Pursuit] on the ground andid a strand of hair I had received earlier on top of it. Then, I infused it with mana. Vroom. The artifact reacted to my mana and began to tremble. Soon, a thin wisp of mist rose from the wanted man¡¯s hair. Swish. The flickering wisp began to stretch and move toward somewhere. It was guiding me to the owner of the hair, the wanted man Shane. Though I had seen this kind of thing often in games, witnessing it firsthand gave it apletely different feel. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I got up and followed the wisp. After about an hour of walking. I reached the end of the wisp¡¯s trail and found a man I presumed to be Shane. He was puffing away at a cigarette, leaning against the mouth of a dark alley. I kept my distance and observed him. "Hah...why the hell do I have to keep hiding? All I did was kill one lousy piece of trash. What¡¯s the big deal?" Through the clouds of smoke, I saw his face. Sparse hair, gray pupils, sagging cheeks, and a bulbous nose. He matched the wanted poster perfectly. Crackle! I immediately charged my body with lightning magic. As my legs swelled with power, I closed the distance in an instant, appearing right in front of him. "W-What the¡ª!" Wham! ¡°Urgh!¡± The man doubled over, vomiting after the blow to his stomach. After a while, he lifted his head. "You...you bastard...who the hell are you?" He red at me with murderous intent. But fear lingered in his eyes. I responded calmly. "What do you think? I¡¯m here for the bounty." "A bounty hunter¡­?" There was no need to drag this out any longer. I channeled lightning into the edge of my right hand and struck him at the base of his neck. ¡°Ugh!¡± His pupils rolled back, and he copsed. I hoisted his limp body over my shoulder and ran again. This time at full speed, using lightning magic to push me forward. It had been an hour and a half since I left the request office. Everything was going ording to n. *** After Yuhan left, the atmosphere at the Request Office quickly returned to its usual bustling state. However, the conversations had shifted somewhat. ¡°Did you see that earlier? The way he looked at us, like we were bugs.¡± ¡°Yeah, damn, typical mage attitude.¡± ¡°Why are mages always such arrogant bastards?¡± ¡°Is now really the time to be talking about that? Our livelihoods are on the line here.¡± All eyes turned toward one man. The man who had drawn their attention was Felix, the one who had been chatting next to Yuhan earlier. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Felix nced at the man who had asked the question, then continued. ¡°You all saw it too. That guy¡¯s magic. No matter how you look at it, he¡¯s not some amateur.¡± ¡°Hmm...While his magic wasn¡¯t refined, he did seem impressive.¡± ¡°His skills are probably top-tier. If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯ll hog all the good jobs from now on. Are you just going to sit back and watch?¡± ¡°¡­So, what¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s teach him a lesson. All of us together.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The people listening were taken aback by the unexpected words, but Felix spoke firmly. ¡°It¡¯s either him or us. If we want to stay, we have to do something.¡± ¡°Do you have a n?¡± ¡°No matter how much of a mage he is, he can¡¯t handle numbers. We¡¯ll just beat him down.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Even though they had been with Felix for years, no one could easily agree. The thought of fighting a mage made them hesitate. At that moment, one man slowly raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. If we catch him after he finishes his test, he¡¯ll be tired. We might have a chance.¡± ¡°Good, Garen.¡± That broke the ice, and others who had been hesitant started raising their hands one by one. ¡°¡­I¡¯m in too. We¡¯ve fought hard to survive here. I¡¯m not going to stand by and let some mage ruin everything.¡± ¡°Whew...Fine, let¡¯s do this. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to die, right?¡± ¡°Damn it, guess I have no choice but to join too.¡± ¡°Great! That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Felix raised his ss with a smile as he watched them unite. It was then that they drank together and made a toast, vowing to beat up those arrogant mages. Just then¡ªknock, knock, knock. Someone was at the back door. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 16 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 16 A look of puzzlement crossed Felix''s face as he heard the knock. ''Who could it be?'' Today was the first day in a while when everyone gathered together to get to know each other better. If Lena was at the door, she would have opened the door herself ande in instead of knocking. There was no one who woulde here at this hour, especially through the back door. Except for one person. ''Could it be... that mage?'' As he pondered this, he quickly checked his watch and shook his head. ''...Impossible.'' It had only been about 2 hours since that guy left the request office. For a mage with poor mobility, returning this quickly made no sense. Moreover, ''I did call him a neighborhood punk earlier, but...'' In truth, Shane was not someone easily caught. He was a despicable man who would do anything to escape, whether it was overusing artifacts, taking hostages, or using illegal stations. That was Shane in a nutshell. No wonder his nickname was ''Master of Escape.'' "I''ll get it." Felix said and strode towards the door and opened it. Click! But there was the very man he thought couldn''t possibly be there. Carrying a man who had passed out and was foaming at the mouth on his shoulder. "We meet again." ''H-How...?'' Felix was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained hisposure. Though he still didn''t understand what was happening... there was the n he had discussed with the others. "...Come in." That n would proceed without a hitch. To protect their livelihood and that of the other members. *** Thud! After tossing the unconscious man onto the table, I immediately checked the clock. ''2 hours.'' Fortunately, I never got caught by the patrol because I only walked on roads with few people. Shane hadn''t been particrly difficult to subdue either. It had been a bit of a hassle to knock him out again whenever he regained consciousness and tried to cause trouble on the way... but all in all, this wasn''t bad. It was a sufficient record to make my presence known. The problem was that the ck-haired woman who was supposed to verify this wasn''t here. "Where''s the woman?" "...She stepped out for a moment." "Is that so?" I leaned back in the chair I was sitting in earlier and nced around. "Ahem, ahem..." The others quickly averted their gaze when they met my eyes. A suspicious reaction by anyone''s standards. ''What''s with this atmosphere?'' It seemed like they had been quite lively until just before I came in. Just as I was thinking this, a man came and sat down next to me. It was the guy who had picked a fight with me earlier. His name was... Felix, wasn''t it? "What is it?" I asked warily. Felix scratched his head as if embarrassed, then extended his hand as if for a handshake. "Hey, mage. I''m sorry about earlier. I didn''t realize you were such a capable person and said some foolish things." ...A sudden apology? Feeling something was off, I scrutinized Felix''s face. His scraggly beard and forehead scar still gave him a fierce appearance. "To exin myself... we''ve had many reckless peoplee here and die. It was a kind of concern, I suppose. You might see it as meddling." But his expression seemed genuine. A bright smile, as if there wasn''t a hint of ill intent. "We''ll be working together from now on... so let''s try to get along, shall we?" In my experience, people with expressions like this are always trash. See, even now my heart is racing madly. Thump! Thump! Thump...! [Entering the awakened state.] I looked at the hand he extended, or more precisely, at the de hidden in his sleeve. What a fucking world this is. Now they''re even trying to ambush me while pretending to apologize. "Is this apology too? Or... another fuckery?" "What?" It didn''t take long for him to understand my words. But it was enough time for me to make the first move. Bzzt! In the blink of an eye, my electrified fingers gently touched his neck. "Urghhhh!" The electrocuted man fell backward, and that became a signal for the men who had been waiting for their chance to rush in. "You bastard...!" "Aaargh-!" The number was about... twelve. Fire, water, earth. I mercilessly threw magic spheres imbued with each element and dealt with the ones that came out first. The interior of the request office instantly transformed into chaos. Whoosh! "Gaaaah." The one hit by the fire sphere screamed and jumped around. Thud-! The one struck by the earth sphere cked out without even a groan. As for those hit by the water sphere... they shook their heads with unpleasant expressions, but... "What the... hell?" They didn''t remain standing for long. The electricity I released coursed through the puddles of water around them. "Urghhhh!" "You dog... you fucking dog!" They pped about like fish out of water. "Damn it. I didn''t want to do this from the start..." "...What kind of monster are you? How many elements can you handle alone?" Some clever ones had managed to dodge and were still unharmed, but they seemed to have lost their fighting spirit. "That bearded guy said we should get along... I didn''t get to answer." I looked straight at them and said, "Please take good care of me too." I put up the expression of the most charming and righteous man. They couldn¡¯t help but curse under their breath. ¡°Shameless, Fucker.¡± "...Ungh." It was at that moment that the door suddenly opened. Click! "Huh...?" A woman with deep ck hair and tanned skin. Her eyes darted around, taking in the chaotic state of the shop. And then. "...This is." The woman''s face turned cold. Not a trace of her earlier kindness remained. "...I think I need an exnation?" *** Lena, the current owner of the request office. Only after hearing the whole story did her kind face return. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have left. I didn''t expect you to return so quickly. Nor did I think these pigheads would pull such a stunt..." "No need to apologize. I caused damage too." Of course, her friendly face was only directed at me. Every time she turned her head, that demonic expression I saw earlier would resurface. "Move faster! You little shits!" The way her expression kept changing was like watching some ''inner demon'' emerge. This woman was truly scary. "Damn it, why me... I didn''t want to do this from the start..." "Still, we got lucky. Better than that guy with his hairpletely burned off or those still lying unconscious." "Hey, Theo! If you''ve got time toin, start sweeping here. There''s a mountain of broken tes!" "Damn it! Damn it all!" The gang''s cleaning speed increased noticeably at Lena''s scolding. The truly frightening thing here was that if I hadn''t cleared up the misunderstanding, I might have been the one mopping the floor with them. "...Don''t take it too personally, though. They probably just meant to scare you, not kill you. They''re thoughtless and reckless, but... not that malicious." "I''m not particrly bothered." "Well, that''s good then. Anyway." Lena, who had been fidgeting for a while, finally seemed to finish her work and stood up. She then ced her hand on the shoulder of the man sitting in front. "Mmph! Mmph...!" There was Shane, who was restrained with various devices all over his body and couldn''t even speak. Would he be handed over to the client in this state? He probably wouldn''t fare well there. It''s highly likely that the client is a family member of the man Shane had killed. ng! After locking Shane in a room with an iron door, Lena continued speaking. "Phew... Your verification is nowplete. From now on, you''re an official hunter of our Artis Request Office, and you can take any request you want." Despite her words, there was still a hint of distrust in Lena''s eyes. In a way, it''s understandable. Trust and skill are separate issues, after all. "When do you want to start working?" I nced at the time. 10 PM. It waste, but with my training with Barundel finished and my schedule cleared, I figured I could handle one more job. Above all, I hadn''t yet aplished my purpose foring here. I might be entering the Magic Tower soon, so it was better to resolve this as quickly as possible. "Is it possible right now?" "Now?" "I''m in a situation where I need quick cash." "...Well, it''s not a problem, but aren''t you tired? After everything that''s happened." "..." Come to think of it, my condition was unusually good right now. Morning training, afternoon verification, and even entering an awakened state forbat at night, yet... I soon realized the reason. -The first stage is nowplete. I''ve fixed all imbnces in your body. ...You''ll probably feel the effects soon. This must be what Barundel meant when he said I''d feel the effects. I didn''t have high expectations given how short the training period was, but the effects are more significant than I thought. Was [The Hammer of Bnce] always this high-level of an artifact? "...It''s no problem. I''ll do it right now." "You''re an unusual one. Well then, follow me this way." Lena led me to a cramped space behind the bar counter. Business must be good, as request forms were piled up everywhere. Thud! "You can choose from these." Lena said, dropping a stack of documents on a small round table. There must be about 30 requests here. I was trying to sort out as many things as possible that smelled like money, but I couldn''t find anything that I liked. All of this work involved assassination, smuggling illegal drugs, and arresting wanted criminals with small sums of money at stake. But then. "What''s this...?" Among the ordinary requests, one on visibly high-quality paper stood out. Lena answered with an ¡®Oh no¡¯ look on her face. "Ah, I must have mixed that in by mistake. Don''t worry about that one. It''s an absurd request we were nning to discard." Grab. I caught Lena''s wrist as she tried to remove the document. "Wait a moment." "Hm? Why? Don''t tell me... you want to take this one?" Instead of answering, I began reading through the request. Meanwhile, Lena added an exnation in a disapproving tone. "It''s an infiltration request, but it involves entering a Magic Tower. The risk is too high. If you get caught, your life is over right there." "Who''s the client?" ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know who it is because only that piece of paper flew in. Usually, these types of requests don¡¯t end well. I understand your skills, but¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t really rmend it. It¡¯s been a while since a precious mage hase in, so I can¡¯t lose him right away, right?¡± Lena was certainly right. Infiltrating a Magic Tower? Forget the risk, it''s practically impossible. How could one fool the eyes of so many mages? Even assassins specialized in concealing their presence would shake their heads at this. But that''s for normal circumstances. My situation was a bit different. "If all they want is to gather information... there''s no need to sneak in secretly, right?" The information this request requested was about the Magic Tower ''Aldeon''... the one I was nning to enter as an apprentice. "...What? What do you mean?" Ignoring Lena''s words, I focused on thest part of the request form. My eyes fell on the section detailing the reward. An artifact superior to the Bracelet of Holy Oil. A ''Heroic-Grade'' artifact that increases the Holy Power stat by 20. ''The Pendant of Holy Oil!'' The mysterious client had offered that as payment. I couldn''t help but smile at this lucky opportunity. "I''ll do it. This request." Although it meant bing a spy at great risk. If the reward was a Heroic-Grade artifact, it was worth risking my life for. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 17 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 17 "So... you''re saying you''ll enter Aldeon Magic Tower as an apprentice?" "That''s right." "And you''ll gather information directly from there?" "...That''s what I said." "Haah..." Lena sighed deeply as she ran her hand through her hair as she spoke. "I''m still trying to figure you out, but... are you being serious right now? This isn''t some kind of joke, is it?" "I''m always serious." "...I apologize if I''ve misunderstood, but this soundspletely absurd to me. Bing a spy disguised as an apprentice in a Magic Tower." Well, I could understand Lena''s reaction. It was indeed dangerous, and if things went wrong, even the agency could be a target of Aldeon. No, before that, she''s probably doubting whether I could even pass Aldeon''s selection process. But this was a problem stemming from a difference in information. ''I have two end-game level specs.'' The Mythic tier trait [Prodigy of Magic] and the top-tier spirit engraving [Former Master of the Swordsmanship]. With these two, it was safe to say I wouldn''t fail the selection process. Just like how I safely overcame dangerous moments in the Raiders'' hideout and with Valefar''s minion. This time would be no different. "I know we just met today, but... trust me. You won''t suffer any harm. Even if I get caught." "..." "It''s a good chance to raise the agency''s reputation and build trust between us. Wouldn''t it be a shame to miss this opportunity?" "...You have an annoying personality, don''t you?" Huh? Did ite across that way? I was just stating facts, but I don''t understand why she''s reacting like this. Come to think of it, Ka used to call me annoying all the time too. Anyway. "Well... you''re not wrong. Alright. Go ahead, take this request." Fortunately, Lena agreed to my proposal. Maybe it''s because she manages the agency, but she''s clearly a quick-thinking woman. "Remember. Both our necks are on the line for this request." "Of course." After hearing Lena''s earnest request, I felt a deep sense of relief. ''Phew, I almost missed out on that Holy Power stat.'' *** After returning to my lodging, Iy down on my bed and thought about the information I had sorted out with Lena. There were four pieces of information I needed to provide to the agency. To summarize it simply, it was like this. One, the reason why Aldeon is opening the Magic Tower and epting disciples for the first time in 100 years. Two, the results of Aldeon''s light magic research over the years. Three, the existence and current status of any light-attribute artifacts owned by Aldeon. Four, Aldeon''s rtionship with demons. There was nothing that seemed particrly difficult to figure out. Except for thest one. "Why do they want me to find out about this?" From what I had personally learned in the game, the rumor about Aldeon''s association with ''demons'' was clearly unfounded. They were a reclusive academy, but one that purely researched light magic. But something felt off. ''...They wouldn''t request this information without reason.'' I had a strong feeling that there must be something behind this. Someone willing to offer a Heroic-Grade artifact as payment wouldn''t do this for no reason. Moreover, this world is about 100 years in the futurepared to the game world I knew. I couldn''t blindly trust the information I had about Aldeon. Who knows what changes might have urred in the meantime. Of course, all of this could just be my imagination, and the request might have been cast hoping they might just get lucky... ''...That would actually be better.'' A light magic academy consorting with demons? Could there be anything more despair-inducing? The very thought is horrifying. "Tch... I''m justplicating things in my head." Worrying about it now won''t change what I need to do anyway. I''ll learn everything when the timees. With that in mind, I quickly shifted my thoughts. First... let''s organize the immediate tasks at hand. I sat cross-legged on the bed and quietly extended my hand. Whoosh! Instantly, mana rushed in an instant. Apressed sphere of blue mana appeared floating above my palm. It was much more delicate and precise than when I first created it. Butpared to when I trained with Barundel, there wasn''t much difference. ''Even so, it''s still only at the 2nd circle level.'' Of course, my growth hadn''t stopped. I just needed a bit more experience. And that experience was filled by the several battles I''d been through in the past few days. ''Focus.'' Wooong- Maintaining the sphere above my palm, I once again drew in the surrounding mana. For a more efficient and powerful spell. The prodigy within me awakened. [Magicalputation is maximized] The change urred when I refined theplex flow of mana and settled its destination above my palm. Whoooosh-! Behind the blue-glowing mana sphere, another mana sphere was created. An intense sense of tion welled up. ''...Multiple casting.'' I had finally reached the realm of the 3rd circle. With this, I can now cast two types of magic simultaneously. Indeed, it was a talent truly worthy of the Mythic tier trait. To transcend to this level without anyone''s help. Even in the game, it took a long time to reach this point. "Phew..." Swish- I dispersed the spheres as I exhaled my held breath. This level of magic should be sufficient to pass the selection evaluation. What''s urgent now isn''t magic, but other aspects. My gaze shifted from my worn-out armor to a corner of the lodging, where a visibly plump pouch sat. -When I decide to invest, I do it thoroughly. It''s a pouch of gold coins that Lena kindly gave me, remembering that I said I needed quick cash. Although it''s money I''ll have to pay backter... Anyway, I nned to take this to the bustling market tomorrow. "Tomorrow''s going to be busy too." Now it was time to start gearing up. *** The Sector 6¡¯s marketce. Also known as Dmitri Square. It would not be an exaggeration to say it''s where all themerce of Sector 6 is concentrated and this also is the ce where Barundel''s training facility is located. There were so many shops lined up, and the noise was constant because of the merchants who spread out mats and tried to solicit customers. "Come see high-quality artifacts!" "Special potions I made myself! Buy ten and get one free!" "Come y a round of shell game!" While I had visited a general store to buy potions before, this was my first time seriously browsing. After carefully surveying the shops, I entered the one that looked the most promising. "Wee!" The first thing I needed to buy was, of course, the most expensive item - a weapon. "What are you looking for?" I firmly told the shopkeeper whose eyes were gleaming with greed. "I''ll just look around for now." Although they might seem friendly at first nce, I had to stay sharp from here on. The Sector 6 shops are known for overcharging if you blink even once. "Yes, yes! Feel free to look around!" With the owner''s permission, I slowly examined the weapons disyed on the wall. Well-maintained, gleaming des, double-edged axes, maces, longbows, and more. Though there were items that sparked my desire to buy them just after looking, I passed them without a nce. Eventually, I arrived at the section where staffs and wands were disyed. "Oh ho, a mage, are you?" "Yes... well. How much are these?" "Staffs start at 50 gold coins, wands at 20 gold coins. The prices increase as you move to the right." "Hmm..." ...Though I didn''t show it, I felt cold sweat running down my back. What kind of weapons are these that cost dozens of gold coins? I swallowed my discontent and opened the bag of gold coins I was holding. At most, there might be about 50 coins. ''I''ll have to give up on a staff...'' The staff is truly the flower of a mage, but the funds I had weren''t enough for that now. I needed to equip an armor as well, not just a weapon. I had no choice but to start looking more closely at the cheaper wands. "How much is this one?" After much deliberation, I picked up a yellowish-brown wand from the middle section. I could tell it wasn''t an artifact since there were no magical stones embedded, but the quality of the wood seemed decent enough. "Oh, you have a good eye. This wand is made from Ikave wood. Due to its properties, it has excellent durability and mana conductivity, making it popr among many mages. It''s perfect for those just starting out in magic..." The shopkeeper''s lengthy exnation was making me uneasy. "So, how much is it?" "Ah, yes. It''s 50 gold coins." "50 gold coins?" "Hehe, quite a bargain, isn''t it?" Bargain, my foot. I wanted to shove this wand into his ass right now. I wasn''t sure if that was considered cheap in this world, but it certainly didn''t seem so to me. ''If half a gold coin buys a beer, then 50 gold coins is... 100 beers.'' In other words, it was equivalent to about 500,000 won in modern currency. [500,000 won ¡ú 381 dors.] 500,000 won for a piece of wood that wasn''t even an artifact? Absolutely not. I''d rather take the evaluation without a weapon. "...Tsk." It''s the way of the world - if you don''t have money, you have topromise again and again. I naturally shifted my gaze to the left. The quality seemed to drop off sharply here, and nothing caught my eye... Wait, what''s this? My attention was drawn to the wand hanging on the far left. The cheapest weapon that no one had even nced at. "This is..." Before I could finish my question, the shopkeeper exined with a bitter tone. "Ah... that''s the only dead stock in our shop. I think we''ve had it for over five years, but it just won''t sell. Well... you''ll understand why when you see its condition." Indeed, its condition was poor. Unlike the other wands, the handle had no engravings, and there were traces of what looked like insects eating the corners. At this point, it was closer to a rotten stick than a wand. But for some reason, it felt oddly familiar. I was sure I had seen it somewhere... ''Ah!'' At that moment, something I had scribbled in my notes shed through my mind. ''Am I crazy? How could I not recognize this even when seeing it in person?'' The vertical grooves carved intermittently. The oily stains covering more than half of it. It was longer than I remember, but I was certain. This was none other than the growth equipment I had written in my build - a Heroic-Grade artifact! [Holy Staff]. "Whew..." I tried to calm down, but it wasn''t easy. Who would have thought I''de across this wand like this? "You said it hasn''t sold for five years?" "Well, the guy who opened an antique shop down the street came here about six years ago... so yeah, it''s been about that long." I suppose it makes sense. It looks even more shabby than it did in the game. Who would pay money for something like this? I would have passed it by too if I didn''t know better. "Hmm." I tried my best topose myself and asked nonchntly. If I showed too much excitement, I might end up paying more than necessary. "How much is this one?" "Huh? You want to buy this?" "Just tell me the price first." "Well... I originally priced it at 5 gold, but..." 5 gold! At such an incredible price, I immediately started taking off the equipment I was wearing. nk, nk. "Uh... customer? What are you doing?" "Just wait a moment." What I ced on the counter were the [Wooden Shield], cracked from shing with the guards, and the [Leather Armor], worn out from training with Barundel. These items would soon be useless to me once I got new equipment. And the reason I put them on the counter was... "Can I trade these for that wand? They''re not badly damaged, so if you repair and sell them, you could get at least 10 gold." "T-trade?" This was to save even that 5 gold. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 18 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 18 Dmitri Square. A full-length mirror in front of a casual clothing store. I couldn''t help butugh at my reflection. "Hehehehe..." Other people stare at me like I''m crazy, but I couldn''t care less. "Hehehe... Yes, this is what a mage looks like." My upper and lower body were d in the [Hard Leather Armor] set, an upgrade in defense from my previous gear. Various joints were protected by [Minion Leather Guards]. In my right hand, the Heroic-Grade artifact [Holy Staff], which I obtained for free through sheer persistence. And even the ck robe could be seen as a symbol of a mage. With all this, purchased using the gold coins Lena gave me, I now look every bit the mage to anyone who sees me. I''ve finally achieved theplete mage aesthetic. "Even if the wand looks like a rotten twig..." This was something that could be resolved by simply achieving the conditions for releasing the [Holy Staff]. By then, it will have an appearance worthy of the Heroic Grade. "Hehehehe!" "What''s wrong with that guy?" "I don''t know, he''s been like that for a while now. It''s been over 30 minutes... Maybe he''s on drugs or something?" "...Uh, I think he heard us. He''s looking this way. Let''s go." ...Hmm, did I overdo it? I''m starting to be aware of the stares around me. To others, I must have lookedpletely insane. "...Ahem, shall we get moving?" I finally decided it was time to stop indulging and start walking. I''m already wanted, so it would be troublesome if someone reported me to the city guards. My destination was the Library. The reason I came here... well, it''s because I spent all my money and this is the only ce I can go for free. Still, my steps were light as I approached. "I can also gather information about what''s changed in thest 100 years... not bad at all." Beep! There was an identity check device at the entrance, so I confidently swiped my wooden ID tag and walked in. I was immediately in awe of the library''s unexpectedly massive scale. ''Wow, all these books can be read for free?'' I had visited the Central Library of Sector 6 a few times while ying the game, but it seemed they had rebuilt it since then, as it was now evenrger and more extensive than I remembered. As expected, 100 years in the future, the library had developed ordingly. After a moment of admiration, I picked out the thickest book I could find in the history section and looked for a ce to sit. That''s when I noticed him. ''Huh?'' I noticed a young man reading in the center of the library. He looked about 20 years old. What drew my attention was his attire. ''Damn, how much did all that cost?'' The young man, exuding the aura of a mage, was decked out in loose-fitting clothes and all sorts of essories. Upon closer inspection, they were all luxury items. ''That''s the [Ashtar Ring], and that''s definitely... the [Recovery Pendant]... Wait, even his robe is an artifact?'' It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say he was covered in gold coins from head to toe. Thebined price of all that would easily exceed 10,000 gold coins. ''Is he the son of some Duke or something...?'' As I pondered this, I reflexively lowered my gaze. Suddenly, my own equipment started to look shabby inparison. ''Sigh... And here I was, giggling about getting my gear for just 50 gold coins.'' It felt like my shoulders suddenly slumped. ''...No matter the world, money really is everything. It''s all futile. All of it.'' I took a deep breath and sat down in the most secluded spot I could find. There was no need to make myself a point ofparison by sitting near that guy. It was when I was nkly turning the pages in such a gloomy state. "Excuse me... are you a mage?" I suddenly turned around when I heard a sound. He was the rich young man I saw earlier. I nodded silently, and he continued speaking. "Oh, to meet a mage here... I''m Roan Vilgef, a student at the Academy." "And?" "Ah, may I sit beside you for a moment?" "...Sure, whatever." I replied curtly without meaning to, but Roan didn''t seem to mind at all as he pulled up a chair and sat down. "This is great. I was just starting to get bored and was looking for someone to talk about magic with." "Talk about magic?" "Yes. What do you think about the traditional methods of mana maniption? Oh, and have you read the recent paper on mana theory? Wow, when I read that, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head, you know?" "..." I was at a loss for words. What is this guy babbling about out of nowhere? Is he an attention seeker? "...Ah, yes." Flip- flip-. Ignoring him seemed like the best approach, so I answered with disinterest and continued flipping through my book. But the young man showed no signs of stopping. "When you think about it, it was quite strange. The mana within our bodies and the mana floating in nature. They''re both the same mana, yet their applications are different. If what''s written in that paper is true..." ...He sure talks a lot. And I can''t understand a word of it. I had no choice but to close the book I was reading and stand up to him. "Have you forgotten that this is a library? Everyone around us is-" That''s when it happened. "Ah, my mistake. I got too excited and forgot about that." The young man smiled leisurely and lightly extended his hand. In an instant, the surrounding mana gathered. ''An ambush?'' I tried to react immediately, but seeing that my instincts were not warning, it didn''t seem to be an attack. Chiiing- As I stayed still, an opaque barrier soon formed around me and the young man. It was a spell I recognized. [Silence Barrier] - a utility spell thatpletely blocks sound from escaping. ''...Would you look at that?'' The important thing is, this is actually an advanced spell. One that requires at least reaching the 4th Circle to cast alone. In other words, this young man had already reached the 4th Circle... Not only is he rich, but he''s talented too? "How''s that? This should be fine, right?" ...Ah, why is this guy so annoyingly smug? *** The evening sun stained the twilight yellow. A golden-haired young man, whose presence stood out even in the twilight, stretched with a carefree expression. "Ahh, that was fun." Roan Vilgef. He was a member of the Asternon Society and the top student at the Academy. Simultaneously, he was a young man hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius mage. "Lord Roan." Roan turned his head slightly at the voice calling him. An attendant who was assigned by the Society for hisfort was bowing his head respectfully. Roan waved his hand with a weing face. "Oh, Jeff. Perfect timing?" "...Since there was no word about when you''de out, I''ve been waiting here the whole time." "What? So you''ve been... standing here for 7 hours? That must have been tough." "Not at all. It''s simply my duty." "Well, if you say so... Anyway, let''s get going." "Yes, this way." Guided by Jeff, Roan boarded the carriage first, followed by Jeff. After about 10 minutes of travel. Seeing Roan''s contented smile as he gazed out the window, Jeff cautiously asked. "Did something good happen, perhaps?" "Oh, was it that obvious?" Roan, speaking as if he hadn''t realized it himself, chuckled and said. "Jeff. You''ve heard that my eyes are a bit special, right?" "Yes, I''m aware. You have the ability to read others'' mana..." "Oh, you know it right? That''s right, I can read mana. To be precise, I read the properties of mana. The funny thing is, these mana properties resemble their owner." "Resemble their owner...?" "Simply put, if the owner is rough, the mana''s nature is rough, and if the owner is gentle, so is their mana." "So you''re saying you can tell someone''s personality just from their mana...?" "Personality, yes, but more than that. I can deduce their social status, fighting style, potential... things like that." "Wow..." Were all geniuses born that way? Jeff was impressed by this ability he''d never heard of before and suddenly tilted his head. "But how does that...?" He couldn''t understand why Roan was suddenly talking about this. Just then, Roan, his lips curling up once more, spoke with an excited voice. "Well, I saw a really interesting fellow at the library earlier." "...An interesting fellow?" "Yes. He looked about my age... but he had very unusual mana." "Unusual mana...? Like, a different color or behaving erratically?" "No, that would be toomon. That guy''s mana..." As Jeff swallowed hard with mounting curiosity, Roan continued. "It waspletely still. As if it could take any form." "...Really?" "Yes! I''ve never seen mana like that in my life! Hehehe." "Wow... that is interesting. Mana that even you haven''t seen before, Lord Roan. Does that mean he''s a genius like you?" "I thought so too, so I immediately went to check. Had a bit of a chat with him as well." "How was it?" "Want to know?" Roan''s smile grew wider. But his face quickly cooled, as if he''d lost interest. "Unfortunately, he turned out to be nothing special. He didn''t even notice when I was about to cast a spell." "Ah..." Jeff''s expectations deted, and he nodded in understanding. "I suppose... there wouldn''t be another genius like you in this world, Lord Roan. Just as there can''t be two suns in the sky at once." "Haha, you think so?" "Of course. Ah, we''ve arrived." "Oh, already? The Society''s carriages are indeed fast." Roan stepped out of the carriage and looked up at their destination. A gray tower so tall its top was out of sight. "Aldeon... So this is where I''ll be entering." It was the Aldeon Magic Tower. "Now you''ll spread your wings of light and soar high. As befits the one true sun." Roan nodded at Jeff''s words. "Indeed... That''s what both the Society and I desire." But for some reason, Roan''s interest seemed to be focused elsewhere. His cool gaze once again filled with expectation. "Still, I hope the evaluation will be fun. Meeting other geniuses like me." Whoosh! Roan muttered this as he pressed his ID tag against the tower''s barrier. He was earnestly looking forward to the uing Aldeon selection evaluation. Roan''s desire to meet a worthy opponent was more genuine than anyone else''s. *** Meanwhile, at the main hall of the Artis Request Office. Bang bang bang! Lena, who was leisurely sipping whiskey after finishing all her work, was startled by the sound of someone pounding on the back door. "W-what''s going on?" Even though Lena had been doing this job for over 5 years now, such urrences were rare. The few times it had happened, it was always for something bad. Lena hurriedly ran to open the door. And there stood... "Huff... huff...!" Yuhan was drenched in sweat as if he''d been running for a long time. Yuhan who always appeared calm and collected. Could there have been an ident? "Lena...! Do you have any requests I can take on right now?" "W-what''s going on? Didn''t you say you were going to rest until before the Magic Tower request?" Yuhan answered Lena''s worried question. "I need more gold coins!" "...Gold coins?" "That smug blond bastard, I''ll crush him with money someday, I swear!" "..." While still unsure of what was going on, one thing was certain at this moment. Seeing this unexpected side of Yuhan, Lena harbored a new doubt. The doubt of ''Can I really trust this guy...?'' This was a matter where the future of the Artis Request Office hinged on the sess or failure of the request. Lena thought that perhaps she should have been a bit more cautious. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 19 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 19 After spending several busy days with bodyweight exercises and requests... Finally, D-Day. The day of the Aldeon Magic Tower''s disciple selection evaluation. After thorough preparation, I headed to the Aldeon Magic Tower and was utterly astonished. ''Just how many people are here...?'' Mages here, mages there. Even before arriving, everywhere I looked was filled with mages. I had expected arge number of applicants, given that the tower was opening for the first time in 100 years and it was an evaluation for Aldeon, one of the Five Great Academies... but this many? "Huh." After fully entering the tower, it was even more of a spectacle. The first floor lobby of the tower, which had been expanded to a vast size using space expansion magic, was bustling with all sorts of mages. It looked like there were easily a thousand people. Though I hade here confidently, at this point, I was starting to worry. ''...I might actually fail this.'' With so many people, there were bound to be some outstanding talents mixed in. There might even be mages above the 3rd Circle, which was my level right now. Of course, unless they were geniuses, most wouldn''t be able to reach the 4th Circle without the help of a magic tower, so such cases would be rare. Most of them would already be affiliated with other towers. But exceptions exist everywhere. The possibility couldn''t be ruled out. ''If I fail, what would I... No, what am I thinking right now?'' As fear suddenly gripped me, I quickly snapped out of it. ''...Stay calm.'' It''s really funny. Here I am, possessing a character created to defeat Baal, and I''m worried about the possibility of failing this selection evaluation. I calmly assessed the situation. Right now, I have the Mythic tier trait I gained through grueling effort as a zombie swordsman character, and the top-tier spirit engraving obtained by sacrificing that character. I had diligently trained my magic and body and overcame several near-death experiences. Me, failing the selection evaluation? ''...Don''t make meugh.'' The people gathered here have probably learned magicfortably by reading books or attending sses. It was safe to say there was no chance I''d fail against such opponents. Even if some genius mage were to show up. "Phew, I''m finally calming down a bit." After easing my tension through mind control, I looked up at the figures on the second floor. The examiners were watching us like we were children. My gaze focused on the old man seated in the center. ''Is that the Tower Master?'' Judging by the incredible aura he exuded just by sitting there, it seemed likely. From what I heard from Lena, his name was Dercion... or something like that? Just then, Dercion stood up and strode towards the railing. "Wee, those who havee to be disciples of Aldeon. I am Dercion Pygma, the Tower Master of Aldeon." A voice that seemed to pierce directly into our minds rather than be heard by our ears. With that single statement, the noisy mor instantly subsided, and the wide-open gates of the tower began to close slowly with an unpleasant metallic sound. It seems they''re about to start the evaluation. Dercion calmly received the focused attention and slowly began to speak. "From now on, we will select the talented individuals who will have the honor of bing disciples of the Aldeon Magic Tower, which has opened for the first time in 100 years. Is everyone prepared?" Everyone, including myself, nodded with determined eyes. Dercion, looking satisfied with our response, continued speaking. "Before that..." The satisfied smile had disappearedpletely. "We must first weed out the weeds." "...Weeds?" "What does he mean?" Dercion''s cryptic words caused those around to start murmuring. Dercion extended his hand with a resolute expression as if he had no intention of resolving the confusion. And then. Whoosh! In an instant, he gathered mana and floated a sphere. [Mana Compression]. The first skill I attempted when I entered this world. "This is [Mana Compression], something a 1st Circle level mage can do. And..." Whoosh! Suddenly, mes appeared in the sphere Dercion had created. "This is [Fireball], with mes contained in the sphere. It''s a magic only those who have mastered the fire attribute can perform." Dercion, with a face that seemed to say ''This should be enough of a demonstration'' dispelled the fireball and spoke in amanding tone. "Fire, water, earth, lightning, wind, and so on. It doesn''t matter which. Right now, float an attribute-infused sphere above your palm." Suddenly being told to create an attribute sphere. The applicants tilted their heads at this unexpected request, but some quick-witted individuals started to float attribute spheres as Dercion had instructed. Some created spheres infused with mes. Some with water. Some with wind. I too joined in and created a sphere infused with the most familiar attribute to me, electricity. Crackle! "Why suddenly attribute magic...!" Not all applicants managed to create attribute spheres. Pop! Many instances of mana dispersing as people with insufficient skills tried to infuse attributes. Judging by their shabby appearances, it seemed they either couldn''t afford attribute spellbooks due to financial constraints or couldn''t attend magic academies run by societies due tock of funds for tuition. "It seems we''ve narrowed it down somewhat." For them, this Aldeon evaluation must have been a ray of hope. Unlike other magic towers, Aldeon didn''t require exorbitant participation fees or letters of rmendation from societies as conditions for attending the selection evaluation. Of course, Dercion wasn''t showing this generosity out of pure altruism. "Those who still haven''t managed to float anything... leave. Now." Dercion pointed towards the tower exit with a stern face, crushing their hopes. An utterly merciless act. "L-leave? How can that be...! We haven''t even properly taken the evaluation yet!" Someone shouted in protest, but it didn''t change Dercion''s resolute attitude. "Hmm, you look quite indignant. Wasn''t it clearly stated in the announcement that we hoped only those confident in their abilities would apply?" "That''s...!" "Don''t tell me you were confident with that meager level of skill?" "..." The man who had shouted in what seemed like unjust indignation couldn''t give any reply, and Dercion clicked his tongue a few times with a frown before speaking. "Begone, you worthless insects. Aldeon has no need for those without talent." "Damn it!" Starting with one man leaving, the applicants who failed to levitate their attribute spheres began to turn away one by one. Their number was far from small. Nearly half¡ªa full half of the applicants rushed out of the magic tower, each wearing a face as if they''d eat the shit. Boom! As the tower''s main gate mmed shut, Dercion looked around at those remaining and spoke. "So five hundred remain..." The fact that a thousand mages had gathered here wasn''t important. What mattered was that the old man was still frowning, as if unsatisfied. As if there were still too many impurities. ''Geez, the old geezer''s got quite the temper.'' A question suddenly struck me. If I had possessed a rare or heroic trait instead of a mythic one when I transmigrated... No, even before that, if the red-haired one hadn''t thrown me that spellbook... Would I still be standing here now? The answer to that was unknowable, but one thing was certain. "Now we''ll begin the formal selection evaluation." It seems the selection process to enter Aldeon''s magic tower won''t be flowing smoothly at all. *** The evaluation proceeded quickly. From assessing how finely one could sense mana, to the amount of mana, mana control, efficient mana cirction construction, and so on... They scored and ranked each field, and in the process, many more applicants were eliminated en masse. Then came the allotted rest period. "Phew... This is really killing me. I know they''re selecting talented individuals, but aren''t they pushing too hard?" "Evaluation or not, at this rate I''ll run out of manapletely!" "...I don''t know if Aldeon is rted to demons, but I''m certain the tower master is a devil incarnate." The surviving 100 mages were busy resting,pletely exhausted. Of course, I was one of them. ''...This is tough.'' About 10 hours into the evaluation? I had never expended mana for such a long period before. Of course, thanks to my [Prodigy of Magic] trait, my mana recovered faster than anyone else''s, so mana itself wasn''t the issue. This was a matter of mental fortitude. Handling mana requires significant mental energy and concentration, so my head was starting to throb. Well, this much is nothing, but... The others must be having it worse than me, not better. As I was thinking this, suddenly: "Hey, Mr. First ce. You holding up alright?" Turning my head at the unexpected voice, I saw arge, burly man looking my way. With a build ill-suited for a mage... Perhaps he trains with dwarves like I do? Whatever the case, he doesn''t seem to bear any ill will. "...I''m managing so far." "Well, aren''t you a monster? Just what kind of mana circuits do you have?" "It''s thanks to diligent training, I suppose." "Training, my foot... If that could solve it, I''d have be an archmage ages ago." The man walked over to me and extended his right hand. "I''m Thompson and I have no surname. I''m a 3rd Circle mage." "I''m Yuhan." "Oh, so you''re amoner too?" After shaking hands, Thompson naturally sat down beside me. With the rest period upon us, it seems he wants to chat. I didn''t mind, as I was bored anyway. "You''re so talented, I thought you might be a noble." "You approached me so friendly for that, didn''t you?" "Haha, busted? Don''t take it too badly. Your appearance doesn''t give off noble vibes." "Well... that''s true. If I were born with a silver spoon, I''d be decked out in high-grade artifacts." "Silver spoon? What''s that?" "...Never mind." "Hmm, you''re an odd one." Looking puzzled for a moment, Thompson shrugged it off and scooted closer. "Say, have you heard that rumor?" "...What rumor?" "That passing this evaluation isn''t just about entering Aldeon." "What else is there?" Thompson nced around cautiously before continuing. "They say those who pass will be given... the ''Essence of Light''." "What?" I wondered if I''d misheard. After all, the [Essence of Light] is Aldeon''s one and only consumable artifact. Its effect was simple. It granted the user a light-attribute growth-type ''trait''. In other words, it was an artifact that bestows a new trait. "...Is that true? Aldeon is giving away the Essence?" "I don''t know for certain. It''s just a rumor. But..." As Thompson was about to borate, we heard footsteps. Thud, thud. An applicant with their robe''s hood pulled up was slowly approaching us. As Thompson and I watched warily, the figure reached us and pulled back their hood, revealing an unforgettable golden sheen. "You..." Roan Vilgef. The rich person who had made my equipment look shabby in the library. "Ahem, I''ll be going..." Realizing the neer was nobility, Thompson carefully excused himself, leaving me to face Roan''s inexplicably hostile gaze. "Have youe to discuss magic again?" Roan replied to my question in a low voice. "The Essence of Light... is mine." There was none of the slyness in that voice that I had felt when we first met. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 20 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 20 I''m not sure why that guy suddenly showed such hostility towards me. What was important was that even for someone decked out in expensive artifacts, the [Essence of Light] was a precious item. And he was a mage who had reached at least the 4th Circle. "The Essence of Light... is mine." Therefore, it was fair to consider this a deration of war against me. - This is mine too, so give up while I''m asking nicely and get lost. Truly noble-like behavior. It was as if I could feel that he had always gotten everything he wanted until now. Honestly, I wasn''t in a great mood, but... "Take it. If you can." This was the best response I could give. No matter what, unlike me, this guy was a noble with a family name. Even if mages were respected in this world, I needed to show at least minimal courtesy to nobility. Above all, there was no magic tower to shield me if I offended a noble. "...You won''t give up?" Roan tilted his head as if he''d heard an unexpected answer. When I nodded in response, Roan lowered his head deeply. ...Is he going to get angry? While I was wondering about that, Roan''s reaction was surprising. "Pfft-pfft hahaha...!" Suddenly he covered his mouth and startedughing like a madman. Is he really insane...? Damn, first that red-haired guy, then the silver-haired one, and now this blondie... Why do I keep attracting these weirdos? [TL/N: He doesn¡¯t attracts weirdos, he just attracts funky hair coloured individuals.] Heughed for a while before finally raising his head. "You''re really interesting, you know that?" As Roan said this, his serious expression had disappeared, reced by a broad smile. As if he had just been acting, he spoke again in a smooth tone. "I just wanted to get close to you. I was also curious about what you might fear. As expected, you''re not afraid of noble etiquette, are you? Please forget about what just happened." ...He did that because he wanted to get close to me? Bam, bam, bam! You really are a psycho, you bastard. "Let me introduce myself properly. I''m Roan Vilgef, the eldest son of the Vilgef family, about to graduate from the Academy. And you are?" "Yuhan... that''s me." "...Yuhan. I''ll remember that. You''re the first person to surpass me in magic." ''Surpass?'' I pondered what he meant for a moment before realizing. ''In the previous evaluations, except for mana capacity... I was first in everything else.'' It seems he''s talking about the rankings given by the judges in the previous evaluation. ''Then, is this guy second?'' They didn''t reveal other people''s rankings, so I''m not sure, but based on what he''s saying, it seems that way. If so, I can understand the hostility he showed earlier. It probably came frompetitiveness, inferiority, and those kinds of emotions. "But you know, right? The realpetition starts now." I cleared my mind and looked at Roan. Despite admitting his loss with his own mouth, he somehow looked rxed. That rxed attitude muste from confidence that he won''t lose in the uing evaluations. Unlike me, who became a prodigy through game traits... He''s a real genius from birth. "What I said earlier was true. When I said the Essence of Light is mine." "..." "Look forward to it. I''ll show you who the real owner of the Essence is." With those final words, Roan turned away. I too looked away from him, but my mind was spinning faster than during our conversation. ''I''m not a real genius.'' My talent came solely from my trait, spirit engraving, and the information I possessed. But so what? In the face of my grand goal of defeating Baal and my desire to return to my original world, such trivial issues meant nothing. If there was something I needed to achieve that goal and desire, and I had to win to obtain it... ''...I still won''t lose.'' I was determined not to miss that opportunity. *** Even though I was thinking that way just moments ago... Right after the break ended the next evaluation began. I''ve already hit a roadblock. ''What the hell is this...?'' This evaluation is none other than a written exam. It was simply a matter of solving a test paper made by Aldeon Magic Tower. But this isn''t as easy as it sounds. Especially the questions involving history. ''Describe the name and principles of the light magic demonstrated by the Aldeon School at the demonstration ceremony 50 years ago...?'' For someone like me who just read tooltips a few times and used skills, I had no way of knowing the principles of magic. No, to begin with, 50 years ago wasn''t even the world I was gaming in. "Damn, how am I supposed to know this?" "Quiet over there." "...Yes, sir." I forcibly swallowed my anger at the judge''s warning. In the end, I left that question nk and moved on to the next one. ''Just solve what you know. Just what you know.'' The good news is that there are quite a few questions I do know. I never thought the knowledge I gained while researching mage builds woulde in handy like this. ''Alright, this should be...'' Out of 25 questions, I answered 15 confidently, guessed 5, and left 5 essay questions nk. They said the cutoff is 17 questions, so if I didn''t make any mistakes, I just need to get 2 out of the 5 I guessed right to pass. Of course, it''s terrible to leave such an important matter to luck, but I had no other choice. This was the best I could do. ''...Please.'' I waited for the test results with trembling anticipation. Why am I as nervous as waiting for college entrance exam results over this? Finally, the results came out, and the applicants rushed to check the papers. Most of them smiled with satisfaction. "...I passed." "...This evaluation was a bit easierpared to the others. Did Aldeon go easy on us?" "If you fail even this, you''re stillcking the basics." ...The basics, huh. I swallowed hard before squeezing between the applicants. Desperately hoped that I''d be one of those with the basics down. The result was... ''...Passed!'' I barely made the cut-off by getting exactly 17 questions right. Only then did the tension in my body release with a deep sense of relief. Well, I ranked 81st out of 100, but even that was satisfying in its own way. It means there are 19 people worse than me, right? ''They really must not have studied at all.'' While I was grinning at that thought, I felt someone approaching quietly. "Hm?" Turning to the side, it was that blond-haired kid again. Roan Vilgef. He stared intently at the results sheet before turning his head towards me. "Strange. I wasn''t nning on deciding the owner so soon." He said this while tapping the sheet with his finger. There, Roan Vilgef''s name proudly upied the first ce. "..." ...What''s he getting at? *** 15 hours into the evaluation. My stomach was clinging to my back, and my mind was as hazy as if I were in a dream, but I couldn¡¯t voice a singleint. Earlier, I witnessed someone whining to the judges about being tired and asking for food, only to be told ¡®Then go outside and rest¡¯ and get kicked out. That reduced thepetition by one. 80 people remain. ''Huff, just hang in there a little longer.'' But I could endure it if I thought of it as a game. When I was deep into [Demon Fantasy], staying up for two nights straight was nothing. Anyway, "Hey, Mr. First ce. You''ll be with me." This evaluation is to check ''cooperation skills''. Because of this, Aldeon requested we form teams of two, and somehow my teammate was decided for me. Thompson, the owner of a huge body more suited to be a barbarian than a mage. "...Right. I''m d to have you, sir." I didn''t have the option to choose apetent teammate. Out of the remaining 80 people, excluding me and Mr. Thompson, all 78 were noble-born mages. I nced over to where Roan was. "Roan, my boy! Given our connection, surely you should team up with me..." "Roan, you''ll team up with me, right? My water affinity would work well with your..." "Mr. Roan Vilgef, correct? Ah, I''m from the Icestan family..." They were all moring to team up with Roan. Honestly, I wonder if this was right. If they really want to pass, wouldn''t it bemon sense to stick with a talented individual like me who performed best in the practical? What''s so great about social status? ''At least I managed to get amoner status...'' If I hade here with the beggar status I first had in this world... well nevermind, it''s horrifying just imagining it. Even if a beggar bes a mage, it''s hard to ovee their social status. They probably would have openly discriminated against me. Well, I''m not far from being openly discriminated against even now. "Being amoner has its perks too! Teaming up with you means passing is already in the bag, right? Hahaha!" Well, it wasn''t that Mr. Thompson was a bad teammate. After all, he was the only remainingmoner beside me. His skills were definitely guaranteed. "Ah, did you know? That noble called Roan over there, I heard he''s the top student at the Academy? They say he''s a once-in-a-millennium genius, even in the academic society..." ...I wish he''d just talk less. To cut off his rambling, I asked casually. "Mr. Thompson, you said you''re 3rd Circle, right?" "Hm? Ah, yes, that''s right." "What kind of magic can you use?" "Oh, right. You''re trying to make a n! As expected of Mr. First ce. Well, as you can see, I''m quite big, right? To make good use of that, I use earth magic..." Just as we had almost fully grasped each other''s abilities... "Everyone, attention." Our strategy meeting was interrupted by the appearance of the Tower Master Dercion. "It seems all teams have been decided... Now, I will exin about this evaluation." Snap! Creak, creak, creak! As Dercion snapped his fingers, small doors at the edges of the lobby opened. And then. "...Huh?" "...What is this?" "Don''t tell me, we''re supposed to catch those...?" People couldn''t help but be shaken at the sight of the cages the judges brought in. Kieeeek! Growl, growl! ...Hiss. From demon goblins to demon hydras, demon basilisks, and more... Over a dozen types of demons were trapped in the cages. ''These bastards... they''ve actually captured demons?'' It didn''t matter where you were, whether in Asteron or anywhere else in the world, demons were targets for immediate execution. In other words, what they''re doing now is clearly illegal. I couldn''t believe they were boldly revealing such acts in front of 80 mages. ''I thought something was off...'' I finally realized why Aldeon is particrly associated with demons. ''...If they''ve been locking up the tower for 100 years and raising demons inside, no wonder such rumors spread.'' It''s a wonder it remained just a rumor. This is a matter that could endanger the entire academy if the information leaked out. "This can''t be... Aldeon really is involved with demons...?" "We, we need to go out and report this immediately!" "...I can''t do this anymore. I''m quitting the evaluation!" As expected, protests arose among the mages. However, Dercion spoke even more resolutely, as if it didn''t matter at all. "You are not worthy to walk the path of light. Yes, if you want to leave, then get out." Rumble, rumble! As Dercion gestured, the exit slowly opened. I thought they''d explode in anger at this point... but they were opening the door? What were they thinking? Dercion continued speaking with an impassive face. ¡°Let only those who wish to see the true light remain.¡± I still couldn''t understand his intentions. But¡­ "...Hey, Mr. First ce. What are you going to do?" I had to make a choice. Whether to stay here aiming for the [Essence of Light], or choose a different path. [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 21 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 21 *** Mr. Thompson said. "I''ll follow your decision." The unspoken implication was clear. ''Whatever choice you make, as the top-ranked candidate, it''s bound to be better than mine.'' Sigh... Alright, let''s think this through calmly. I have two options before me. One, I can leave the magic tower with those who are now storming towards the exit. It''s not a bad choice. Despite some regrets, at least I''d be ensuring my own safety. I wouldn''t gain anything, but I wouldn''t lose anything either. Of course, this was assuming Aldeon truly won''t take any action against the mages who leave. Two, I could go along with what these guys were demanding, for now. It''s risky ¨C I don''t know what they might ask of me next, and I might have to break somews. But the potential rewards are equally significant. I could fulfill Lena''s request while also joining Aldeon''s magic tower to learn light magic. Learning light magic aligns perfectly with my build. If I y my cards right, I might even obtain the [Essence of Light]. Above all, there are no easy shortcuts to [Demon Fantasy]. Weighing the situation coldly, I reached a conclusion surprisingly quickly. "I''ll stay." "Are you serious, Mr. First ce? Have you thought this through? This involves breaking thew, you know." Thompson seemed to be trying to shake my resolve, but I was already firm in my decision. Since I''m already a wanted criminal, what''s the big deal if I break thew? "If you don''t want to stay, you can leave now. We won''t stop you." "Well, well... You''re a man of stronger principles than I thought." "I''ll take that as apliment." Thompson chuckled and stood beside me. "You''re not leaving?" "I''m a man too, you know. And a big one at that." I''m not sure why this chatty old man is following my lead. But well... It''s not really my concern. He must have his reasons for surviving all the evaluations and making it this far. Whatever the case, I needed to focus on what wasing next. Thud! "So this is all that''s left..." Looking around at Dercion''s words after the door closed, I saw that about 60% of the original 80 had left the tower. I counted the number of people one by one, and there were a total of 32 people including me and Mr. Thompson. "That''s a suitable number." Dercion looked at us standing in a row and began to exin the rules of this evaluation. The key points were... one demon would be assigned to each team, with a time limit of 2 hours. The only criterion for passing was survival. Of course, ¡®survival¡¯ was just a euphemism for ¡®kill the demon.¡¯ We couldn''t just run away for two hours straight. Anyway. The evaluation began with iron cages containing the teams and demons ced at regr intervals in the lobby, all starting simultaneously. nk! Cree-eak. As the lock disengaged, the iron cage door slowly opened. Hiss! This was the demon assigned to us. [Demon Basilisk]. A snake-like demon about 10 meters long, characterized by its iron-like outer shell and venomous fangs that cause powerful paralysis with a single bite. "Mr. First ce... Am I the only one feeling nervous here?" "I tend to be calmer in dangerous situations." "Well, aren''t you special..." "Let''s stick to the n." I had already shared all the details of the n with Mr. Thompson before we entered the cage. Crackle! I calmly channeled electricity through my body and took abat stance. Soon, the Demon Basilisk slithered out of the cage at lightning speed. "Hisssss-!" Dercion had mentioned these demons hadn''t eaten for over a month... It certainly seemed true. It moved with ungodly speed, drooling as it approached. Kiee! Basilisk who had reached my nose in an instant opened its mouth. That''s when I made my move. Thump...! [Entering the awakened state] sh! As soon as I recognized my awakening had activated, I twisted my shoulder and threw my body to the side. It was almost acrobatic, but I was used to this kind ofbat now. Chomp! The beast bit nothing but air as it passed by me. ''As long as I don''t get bitten, I''ll be fine.'' The Demon Basilisk isn''t really scary if you can avoid its venomous fangs. It''s just hard to kill because of that armor-like outer shell. I took advantage of its momentum to create some distance, then waited in position, touching the ground. I envisioned mes, and an explosion spell simr to what Ka had used. sh! A magic circle etched on the ground emitted a red light before disappearing, but the spell hadn''t failed. At that moment, the creature realized it had lost its prey and turned back towards me with a roar. Kieeek-! Looking at that gaping mouth, I felt an urge to shove some holy water down its throat. It would be quite a sight to see it writhing in pain. But holy water isn''t cheap, and I couldn''t afford to waste resources like that. Instead, I summoned orbs of fire, water, and earth, and hurled them one after another. Whoosh-! Having recently reached the 3rd circle, even my familiar attacks had evolved. I could now summon two elemental orbs with a single cast, and they flew three times faster, propelled by electrical energy. Moreover, I was now firing them from my [Holy Staff] instead of throwing them by hand. This was the result. Ssh! Bang! Boom! Elemental orbs exploded in rapid session. A trio of heat, impact, and electric shock. Kieek...! The creature writhed its head in pain. But even so, the distance between us was gradually closing. Slither, sliiither. Despite my relentless assault, it was slowly pushing forward, relying on its defensive capabilities. Looking at its outer shell, I could see only scorch marks, with no significant damage. ''...This isn''t enough, is it?'' But I still had one more trick up my sleeve. I continued swinging my staff while moving further back to lure it in. My hidden move activated when the creature reached the spot where I had originally been standing. Whoosh-! The red magic circle reappeared, regaining its glow. Bang! Whoosh! At that moment, a pir of bright red me erupted from the ground like andmine. It was a trap-type spell, a fire-attribute variation inspired by Ka''s explosion magic. Perfect for reptiles like this one. Realizing it was about to be snake barbecue, the creature began thrashing wildly. Kyaak! Kaaaak! Just as I sensed I had gained the upper hand... Damn it, something unimaginable happened. Shwaaak-! A red-hot scale fragment flew towards me from within the pir of me. Whooosh! In the blink of an eye, the scale struck my right leg. "Urgh!" Thanks to my [Hard Leather Armor], I avoided a burn, but a stinging pain shot through me. Overwhelmed by the pain, I involuntarily dropped to one knee. Shit... at least a fracture. ''...Damn, do modern basilisks have ranged attacks now?'' By then, the fire pir had subsided, revealing the creature hidden within. I looked up with a glimmer of hope, but of course... The beast''s unnaturally tough outer shell was intact, save for some minor cracks. Slither! Sliiither! The creature flicked its tongue and dted its vertically slit pupils. As if it was its turn to attack now. ''...I need even stronger magic.'' Despitending all my spells, I couldn''t take it down because the firepower of the magic I''d mastered was stillcking. In other words, I was short on attack power. It was like a trauma for me. I couldn''t finish the fight this way, just like when I battled Baal with my zombie swordsman character. Of course, the situation now was different from then. I wasn''t the pure damage dealer in that battle. "Now!" I shouted. Bang! At my thunderous cry, Thompson leapt high into the air as if he''d been waiting for this moment. The sound was like a cannon being fired. His thighs, as big as my head, flexed with impressive muscle. He''d said he spent his whole life exercising before awakening his mana... That was certainly some fearsome jumping power. ¡°I thought I was going to die waiting. You¡¯re the best.¡± Thompson came out of the air, met my eyes, smiled, and cast his magic. Whoosh! All the mana he''d been gathering inside his body and from the surrounding air was consumed at once, transforming into magic. -You see, I''m quite big, right? So to make the most of that, I use earth magic... Thompson''s specialty, which he''d developed himself to utilize hisrge frame. An earth-attribute transformation magic. It was simr to how I covered my body with electricity. Though the texture was different. Crunch! Thompson''s body curled up into a ball and transformed into a massive boulder. At a nce, it looked like it could easily punch through steel. That boulder fell vertically, right onto the basilisk''s head. Whoosh. Ah, since the old man hadn''t decided on a technique name yet, I''d suggested one. He didn''t understand the meaning, but there probably wasn''t a more fitting name than this. It was called- "Hamburger." Boom! Along with the middle-aged man''s deep voice, a thunderous crash echoed, like a traffic ident. The impact was so strong that the ground trembled slightly. Crack! Crunch! Kieeeeek-! The old man transformed into a boulder and crushed the cracked basilisk''s body like a hydraulic press. Sticky purple blood sprayed everywhere. Whoosh! Thud! With its head burst, the demon basilisk soon turned to gray powder and scattered. "Hahaha! This snake wasn''t much after all." Thompson dispelled his magic and walked towards me with a heartyugh. "Ah, sir. Good work..." That''s when it happened. I shifted my gaze behind Thompson. ...It seemed I''d been too focused on my own battle until now. To only notice this hellish situation now. "Hm? what''s wrong?" Noticing my gaze, the old man turned around with a puzzled look. "...Oh." He too was left speechless. "Argghhh!" "Stop! I give up-!" "P-please, someone help me..." Yes, unlike us who had won our battle, a horrific scene was unfolding behind us. A massacre created by the demons. Thud, roll roll... Something rolled from afar and touched my feet. It was a human head. I closed my eyes tightly and thought. In this situation with over a dozen demons still remaining, how could I, with a broken leg, ovee this? There was just one way. ''...If teaming up with the old man counts as forming a party.'' And if ''that system'' exists here too... it might be possible. The moment I made that judgment. Whoosh. A mysterious energy flew from where the basilisk had turned to ash. It was absorbed into my arms, my legs, my body. sh! For an instant, my body shed with a green light. "...Y-you?" And I was able to stand up as if nothing had happened. I stretched, checking my body''s condition. Crack, crack. There was nothing wrong. Until just now I felt like I was dying, but now my fatigue was gone, my mind was clear, and I was full of energy. This unexinable phenomenon meant one thing. "But your leg was... How on earth...?" "I leveled up." The system only has demons ssified as ''monsters'' in the game. Since entering this world, I had defeated one for the first time, and in return, I had leveled up. And this was about to be the turning point that would reverse the situation. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 22 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 22 *** ''As expected, it was here too.'' Like many games, [Demon Fantasy] also has a level system. The maximum level is 100, and for mages, when leveling up, the four basic stats - [Health], [Agility], [Perception], and [Mana] - each increase by 1. Of course, an increase of 1 doesn''t have a dramatic effect. But what I was aiming for wasn''t the stat increase effect in the first ce. I was targeting the special effect that activates when your level increases. The effect was definite. Tap tap tap tap! The gnawing hunger, the mental and physical fatigue that could drive a person mad, the fractured right leg, and so on. All the constraints that had been tormenting me were recovered by the level up''s special effect, and my body felt as light as if it could fly. And this was enough for me to turn the situation around. I shouted with all my might at the guy who, among the surviving mages, was the only one who had defeated his assigned demon and was now holding off other demons. "Roan! You support the [Demon Hydra]+ side! I''ll take care of the other side!" "...What did you say?" I realized I had forgotten he was a nobleman and spoke informally, but there was no time to correct such things now. "If you don''t intend to die, run now!" "...Huh." Roanughed incredulously. Still, he seemed to grasp the situation and started moving towards the [Demon Hydra] as I said. "You''ll definitely pay for your behaviorter!" "..." If only he hadn''t added thatst part, it would have been perfect. Ignoring Roan''s words, I looked around. ''...14 of them, is it?'' When the evaluation started, there were 32 people, so the total number of demons released here was 16. The fact that 14 of them were still alive meant that no team except mine and Roan''s had managed to defeat a demon. It was to be expected, really. Roan was a 4th circle mage, and I had a Mythic tier trait. ''Thompson''s skills were also better than I thought.'' Anyway, it was natural that the other mages, who were neither exceptionally skilled nor had any practical experience, couldn''t defeat the demons. "Argh! Go away! Stop chasing me!" Even now, weren''t they just running away in panic? They showed no sign of courage to fight at all. Therefore, the avable manpower was three, including myself. ''...Me, Thompson, and Roan. The three of us have to handle this.'' What I thought would be just defeating one demon had grown into this, but it wasn''t all bad. I would have had to face demons at some point anyway to achieve ''that condition''. I decided to think of it as that time being moved up a bit. Kekekekek-! "Yeah, I''m d to see you too." I stood in front of the [Demon Goblin] holding a short sword, on the opposite side from Roan and Mr. Thompson. In other games, goblins might be ssified as tutorial mobs, but... maybe because of the ''demon'' modifier? In [Demon Fantasy], they''re quite powerful in their own right. Well, that''s only for the early game, andpared to the [Demon Basilisk], they''re infinitely weak. The strongest one here was the [Demon Basilisk]. The rest were all below that. "Shall I go first?" The awakening effect that had activated earlier when I fought was still on. Because of this, I didn''t need to get close and instead floated an elemental sphere from afar. Whoosh! Kieek! The goblin finally charged at me. But it was already toote. "You little shit, where do you get off being casual against a mage? Trash mob." Pububung! Before the short sword the creature swiftly thrust could reach my body, my elemental sphere hit it first. It wasn''t enough to end its life in one go, but it was still a significant hit. I could definitely feel that the power had increasedpared to when I fought the Basilisk. ...Kieak! Not expecting it to be fired at such a high speed, the creature hit by the sphere fell backwards onto its butt. The short sword left its grasp from the impact and flew upwards. Bwoong-. I didn''t miss that moment and fired another sphere. Not at the goblin, but towards the short sword. Paang! ng ng... Hit by the earth elemental sphere in mid-air, the short sword fell far away. Seeing that, despair filled the creature''s face. It had realized its predicament. I looked straight at it and said. "Now you''re unarmed, huh?" ...Kieek! Tadadat! The goblin is certainly clever for its kind. Instead of charging at me here, it''s going to pick up the fallen short sword. But it was a meaningless act. From the moment it lost its weapon, the match was as good as over. By the time it reached the short sword. Pababababang! Dozens of elemental spheres I had been diligently creating rushed towards it. Kiee... The creature couldn''t even properly scream before turning into ash and scattering. And once again, that mysterious energy was absorbed into me. Swooosh-. This must be what they call experience points. Of course, killing this one didn''t make me reach level 3. After all, in [Demon Fantasy], the experience point bar increases exponentially as your level gets higher. But that''s okay. "Next." There''s still plenty of experience points lying around, right? *** [PR/N- PoV Changed] Meanwhile, Thompson was protecting the surviving mages as instructed by Yuhan. Grr-. It was a tense situation where even a moment''s carelessness could put him in danger. Yet, as if entranced, his gaze kept being drawn elsewhere. What captured his attention was the ck-haired man calmly disposing of demons. Peng! Pubung! Peng peng! ''...What am I witnessing right now?'' As someone who had repeatedly ranked first in evaluations, surpassing numerous mages, Thompson naturally expected him to fight well. But to this extent? Hisbat was truly awe-inspiring. Unbelievable, genius-level magic skills, the spirit to not shy away from closebat, and the quick movements to back it up. "Roan! If you''ve taken down the Hydra, go help Thompson over there!" "Is this person really insane...?" And outstanding leadership on top of that. ''Until just a moment ago, the situation was clearly hopeless, and yet...'' With just that man joining, the tide of battle was gradually turning. Thompson couldn''t help but acknowledge the man. Grooar-! Tung-! Thompson, who deflected the ghoul''s ws with his right arm encased in rock, calmly recalled what had happened earlier. Apart from the man''s magical prowess, there was something he couldn''t understand at all. ''He was definitely injured.'' He didn''t know the situation before that because he was focusing on gathering mana with his eyes closed. But he clearly saw the moment when the Basilisk''s scales struck one of the man''s legs. He even heard the cracking sound of bones breaking right after. So there was no doubt that the man had been injured. And yet. Pazizik! Kueeek! The movements of the man, who was now freely deploying electric spheres in all directions, looked far too unrestrained. As if he had never been injured in the first ce. All these changes started from the moment the man''s body shed with a green light. ''...He called it leveling up, didn''t he?'' Honestly, Thompson didn''t really understand what that term meant. Could it be the name of some healing magic he wasn''t aware of? Just then. Thompson''s face, who had been observing the man, turned to shock. Woowoong! ''...Again!'' The moment the man took down the fifth demon, his body shed once more. The man epted this strange phenomenon as if it were nothing. No, rather, he curled up the corners of his mouth as if he had been waiting for it. ''...What on earth is that?'' Thompson instinctively knew that this phenomenon was definitely not some kind of healing magic. He observed the man more closely and soon discovered something strange. ''His magic seems to have gotten stronger too...?'' Upon closer inspection, he could sense it. After the man shed, his magic power had grown stronger. ''It''s definitely not healing magic.'' The moment he reached that conclusion. Suddenly, a story he had heard before shed through Thompson''s mind. It was a story he''d heard from his best friend, Eric. "Hey, Thompson. Did you know? There are people in this world whose souls grow." Eric added that these people would certainly be great figurester. Some became swordsmen who cleaved heavens with just a single sword. Some became archers who could part the sea with a single arrow. Some became great mages who could traverse space and time. Thompson had dismissed this story as a baseless rumor. A soul that grows... How could that be possible? But now. ''Mr. First ce, could you possibly be...?'' Gulp. Thompson swallowed dryly. His firm beliefs had changed. That the man he was watching might be one of those people whose souls grow. Grooooar! Crack-! Thompson extended his fist, which was as heavy as a boulder, and knocked the ghoul down. "Phew..." Currently, his heart was beating wildly. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump...! It stemmed from the thought that this genius mage who was now taking down demons might be a great person in the future. A great person, or a hero. Meeting such people had been Thompson''s lifelong dream since he was a boy. And now, a man with that potential was right before his eyes. Thompson thought. This was his chance to fulfill his dream. No, beyond that, it was a chance to be with such a person. To be with a great figure. "This is unbelievably exciting...!" "You must be Thompson..." Bang! Not even noticing that Roan had arrived, Thompson, his muscles bulging, leapt high into the air. His destination was where the next survivor was. He couldn''t just watch; Thompson had to show more of what he could do too. That way, that small hero might want to take him on as arade. *** [PR/N- PoV changed] Whoosh! The trap-type magic spell I had set up in advance activated on thest remaining demon Lizardman. Gurgle... The Lizardman was cooked to perfection. Thud. It copsed with its tongue sticking out, then turned into ash. At the same time, the experience points were sucked deep into my body. Although I was still far from reaching level 4, I wasn''t disappointed. "Phew." Including the Basilisk and the Lizardman I just defeated. If my calctions were correct, with this... ''Ten of them.'' I had registered a total of ten demons in the bestiary. I had achieved ''that condition''. I closed my eyes and imagined. If this were a game, a message like this would have appeared: [Artifact Liberation Condition Achieved.] [Content: ''Register 10 entries in the bestiary while equipped with the Holy Staff''.] [With the liberation condition met, the Heroic-Grade artifact ''Holy Staff'' will return to its original form.] I didn''t expect to liberate it this quickly. In a way, Aldeon had helped me. It was because they released demons of various types that I was able to achieve the liberation condition. Creak creak creak. As I heard the eerie sound, I opened my eyes and inwardly rejoiced. ''It worked!'' As I looked down, I could see the weapon growing gradually from the size of my forearm. At the same time. Creak creak creak! It was twisting abnormally and changing its design to the form I knew. Antique patterns were being engraved on the handle, and the holes that had looked like they had been eaten by bugs were filling themselves in. Thepleted form was no longer like a rotten twig. It was now fully in the form of a staff. The Heroic-Grade artifact, [Holy Staff]. This artifact has many additional effects, but setting those aside. The most crucial effect is this: ''All magic skills of the equipped yer increase by 1 level.'' From now on, I''m essentially a 4th circle mage. Of course, this wasn''t the time to be impressed about liberating my weapon. "Hic, Allen..." "My leg... my leg...!" "How could this happen... Aldeon is crazy. They must be insane..." The 32 mages had been reduced by two-thirds. Only 12 survivors remained. And that number included the injured. Step, step... No one could have expected such casualties. They probably thought that if a truly dangerous situation arose, the surrounding elders in charge of judging would help. Aldeon must have known this fact too. So-. Step. "I''ve killed them all." "..." The old man who had been standing still, observing this whole situation. The head of Aldeon Magic Tower, Dercion Pygma. I was dying to know what this bastard would say. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 23 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 23 *** I looked around, waiting for Dercion''s words. But somehow, the atmosphere felt a bit strange. "......" "...Ahem." The elders were standing at a distance, looking in my direction. For some reason, their faces were all dark, and when our eyes met, they averted their gaze as if embarrassed. At the same time, they seemed to be watching Dercion''s reaction. That''s when I began to understand the situation. It seemed the other elders hadn''t expected things to turn out this way. ''So... you''re saying he did all this on his own?'' This disastrous evaluation appeared to have been born solely from Dercion''s forceful push. Honestly, I was surprised. No matter how strong the Archmage''s influence was, for the other elders to be this powerless? As I was thinking this, Dercion finally spoke the words I had been waiting for. "I suppose... we''ve now filtered out all the impurities." ...I was dumbfounded. I had expected him to apologize or exin as the person in charge, but... this was his first remark? I wasn''t the only one taken aback. A mage who had been sitting behind me swore and rushed at Dercion. "You son of a bitch...!" He was holding the short sword of the [Demon Goblin] that I had deflected earlier. I wondered when he had picked that up. Before things could escte, I stretched out my hand to block him. "Fuck... don''t stop me!" Bloodshot eyes. Rough breathing. Hunched shoulders. The typical appearance of someone just about to cause trouble. Of course, it was quite an infuriating situation. But in times like these when one needs to be even more calm. Letting emotions take over and making things worse will only lead to even more unfavorable results. I know this better than anyone. That''s why... "What are you going to do? Kill the Archmage? You, who couldn''t do anything but tremble before a mere low-level demon?" I rebuked him more firmly and coldly. "...Are you saying I''m in the wrong here?" He shook the tightly gripped sword as if he might attack me, but I continued my resolute attitude without concern. "I''m not saying you''re wrong. Everyone thinks differently. However..." I ced my hand on his shoulder. "Only bet your life when you''re sure you won''t regret your choice." "Tch...!" He let out an angry hiss. But that was all. Perhaps realizing his position, he no longer tried to rush forward. Dercion, who had been quietly observing the scene, said to me. "Tsk tsk, the more I see you, the more desirable a talent you be." Talent or not, how can heugh in this situation... Before the others behind me could re up again, I changed the subject. "So what are you going to do now? It seems we don''t have enough people to conduct the next evaluation." "Hmm..." Dercion looked around before answering. "Yes, you''re right. It would be unreasonable to continue the evaluation with just these numbers." Every word out of his mouth is truly a gem. I had just thrown that out there, but there really was supposed to be another evaluation. His mouth opens. Well... I wonder what he''s going to say this time. "I''ll give you a choice." "A choice?" "Whether to leave now. Or be Aldeon''s disciple." "You mean..." "Yes. All of you pass." Dercion''s iron-like voice broke the silence. His tone suggested he was bestowing mercy. Someone''s teeth could be heard grinding, but nothing major happened. That''s understandable. After all, those here now are mages who''ve made it this far, beating odds of 1 in 1,000. In other words, they''re mostly people whose reason precedes their emotions. However, Dercion wasn''t satisfied with just that and made one more demand. "Those who want to leave, get out... Those who will follow the light, show your loyalty before me." This could be seen as the final hurdle... It might even be more difficult than the next evaluation that was originally nned. Blood ties,rades, family, and so on. Having to pledge loyalty to the very person who indiscriminately ughtered what might have been precious to someone. Even if it''s just on the surface. "......" As expected, everyone just looked at each other, with no one stepping forward. The funny thing is, no one was leaving the Magic Tower either. They''re probably struggling internally, weighing their morality against the practical benefits of learning light magic. "...Tch. If you''re going to do it, do it properly." Seeing that they couldn''t make a decision easily, I finally decided to step forward and set an example. In Aldeon, there''s only one way to show loyalty. Thud. I stepped forward, straightened my back into an attention stance, then ced my fist against my chest. And then, I spoke in low voice. "For the light of Aldeon." "......" It meant pledging one''s heart to the light. And that was the beginning. Step, step! Thompson and Roan followed, lining up beside me. And then... Step, step, step! The rest of the mages joined as well. Standing straight in a line, they ced their fists on their chests and said in low voices. "For the light of Aldeon." "For the light of Aldeon..." "For... the light of Aldeon." The same posture and the same words. But their expressions were all different. Some were in tears, some had faces set with determination, and others wore nk expressions as if trying to hide their emotions. And they''re probably thinking the same thing I am right now. Let''s learn light magic quickly and get out of this god forsaken ce-. "Good eyes." I suddenly realized where I was. This is [Demon Fantasy]. Not being swayed by emotions even when losing something precious. Only those with that level of cool-headedness can survive here. This was that kind of world. *** Trudge, trudge... As we officially became members of Aldeon, we passed through a mysterious staircase with no direction and arrived on the second floor. Following the elder''s guidance, we finally reached a room with 15 beds. Thanks to the light magic-infused lighting, it wasn''t dark, but theck of sunlight made it feel distinctly ustrophobic. And then. "This is where you''ll be staying from now on." It was also the space where the 12 of us who had ovee the trials would live together. One could think of it as a dormitory. "What are we supposed to do here?" Although I''ve raised multiple mage characters as alt ounts, this was my first time bing an Aldeon disciple. I cautiously asked before the elder left the room. "There''s nothing for neers like you to do. Just attend ss once a day at the designated time. I''ll be conducting the sses, so keep that in mind. I''m the 7th Elder, Ollie Didan." "What about the rest of the time?" "Do as you please. I won''t interfere for the time being." The phrase ¡®for the time being¡¯ bothers me a bit... but anyway, it means it''s all free time. "May I ask one more thing?" "Speak." "Can the Aldeon really survive this?" "......" Not only did Aldeon raise demons, but they also caused the deaths of 20 noble mages who participated in the evaluation. This would be considered a serious crime, like conspiracy to murder, even under modernw. There would surely be an investigation due to the noble families and those who had escaped the tower earlier, and if things proceeded normally, the Aldeon couldn''t possibly remain intact. Of course, the 7th Elder understood the meaning of my question but didn''t give a proper answer. "...The light will guide us." He just threw out a cultish-sounding phrase. But judging by his expression, it was clear that even he didn''t know what would happen. "I see." Hmm, it seems I''ll need to use my free time to figure out how to escape from this tower. "For the light of Aldeon." After giving the Aldeon-style salute to the departing 7th Elder, I turned around. My gaze went to the rectangr table in the center of the room. The table wasden with delicious-looking food, as if to soothe our resentment. However, the only person satisfying their hunger there was Mr. Thompson. Munch- munch-! ...As expected of amoner, he''s eating quite ravenously. "Hey, Mr. First ce. If you''re done talking,e and eat quickly. The food here is to die for!" "Okay." I also took steps to sit down. And then, I nced around. "Aren''t you guys eating?" "......" The ten noble mages just stared at me without saying a word. It''s not like they''re not hungry. At this time... they''ve probably been starving for about 16 hours. So, is it some kind of guilt? Whatever it is, I''ve already done as much as I can for them. I''m not their nanny, and I can''t keep looking after them forever. "...Do as you please." Finally, I stopped caring and picked up a piece of meat that looked like a chicken leg. Someone threw a question just as I took a big bite of that meat. "How can you... eat at a time like this? After everything that''s happened?" It was the mage who had rushed at Dercion earlier. "Why, is it barbaric?" "...I''m just asking. Out of curiosity." "Oh? Then let me ask you something too." After swallowing what I was chewing, I looked in his direction. "Why are you just sitting there?" "What?" "Why aren''t you eating?" "What do you mean...?" "Staying still won¡¯t do you any good anyway, Mr. Rieffe." The one who answered instead was the blonde-haired Roan, who had suddenly sat down. "Isn''t that right, Yuhan?" Roan rested his chin on one hand and smiled, making eye contact with me. ...This sly bastard. "I think I''m starting to understand what kind of person you are. You, Yuhan... is someone who can abandon everything for your goals. Even your own emotions and humanity. Isn''t that right?" "......" "In a way, it could be seen as fear of being left behind." Fear of being left behind, huh... Since it wasn''t wrong, I remained silent, and he continued speaking as he brought a vegetable speared on his fork to his mouth. "But your stomach is really something else. No matter how rational one might be, after seeing so many mages butchered like that... to start with meat from the first bite." Hmm... I suppose it might look a bit strange. But this too was a rational choice made unconsciously. "Meat provides the most energy." In this world where you never know when or where you might end up in a battle, it''s more efficient to consume meat first. Mr. Thompson sitting across from me probably knows this too, which is why he''s been shoveling in nothing but meat. "Isn''t that right, Uncle?" "Huh? Oh... I''m just eating because it''s delicious? I don''t eat vegetables and stuff like that originally." ...Anyway. Considering the energy I''ve expended, I''ll need quite a lot of calories. With the sole intention of stockpiling strength, I continued to stuff food into my mouth without stopping. "By the way, how long do you intend to keep using that damn informal speech?" "......" Even after Roan''s brow furrowed... I pretended not to hear and continued. And so, the first night in the Magic Tower passed without incident. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 24 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Creeak. A man with brilliant silver hair staggered and slumped into a chair. "...Urgh." Pain from grueling training pierced every part of his body. But there was something else that tormented him even more. This thing constricted his heart. "Huff...!" It was the pain from the ¡®mana deficiency¡¯ that had followed him since birth. The man, gasping as if he couldn''t breathe properly, clutched his heart and said. "I don''t... have much time left." He had tried countless elixirs to solve his mana deficiency, but none of them could improve his condition. They only dyed the onset of symptoms slightly. Yet despite this, a faint smile yed on the man''s lips. A few months ago, he had stumbled upon a thread of hope by chance. "By now... it should have ripened quite nicely." A ck-haired man who had fearlessly broken through from Sector 7 to Sector 6''s main gate. Although he was of beggar origin, Shuharn had seen it clearly. With his skill [Measure], which could gauge an opponent''s power and growth, he had seen the enormous mana within the man. ''He was a monster.'' Though the amount of mana itself wasn''t much, the man''s mana showed a movement that constantly spread outward. As if it regenerated faster than it was consumed. Even more surprising was the man''s rate of growth. The point at which that mana first began to spread seemed to be quite recent. A few months at most. If that talent were to be converted to that of a knight... it was enough to surpass even himself. And if it was the heart of a mage with such talent... ''It could cure this disease.'' It might even cure this disease that was constantly consuming his mana. Although it would be an hical act that required consuming another''s heart, and perhaps stealing the destiny of a man who might be an enormous figure in the future. Shuharn thought that this too was the man''s fate. After all, this was a world where survival of the fittest was the norm. "Now then..." tter, tter After the pain had subsided somewhat, Shuharn rummaged through a drawer and pulled something out. What emerged was a handful of ck hair. It was the hair Shuharn had cut off when he first encountered the man. Shuharn ced it on a scroll-shaped artifact. [Path of Pursuit], a one-time artifact that tracks the target using the user''s mana. Using this, he could find out where that ck-haired man was. The reason he had willingly let the man go was all because of this. Of course, since this artifact was made for mages, it required mana to use, but... Shuharn was a knight who had mastered ''aura''. Such things were no problem for him. "Hah!" A crimson aura extended from Shuharn''s fingertips. He carefully pushed it into the artifact. Tremble, tremble! The artifact vibrated, signaling its activation. It was only natural. Although mana and aura were different powers, their essence was ultimately the same. Hiss! The haze that rose along the hair soon headed somewhere. It would lead him to the ck-haired man he was seeking. Instead of moving, Shuharn grasped the haze with his hand to read the direction it wanted to go. And a little whileter. The haze abruptly cut off at an unexpected location. "Hm?" It seemed the guy had realized he was being targeted by an artifact. But it didn''t matter since he had already pinpointed the location. "...Aldeon, is it?" Aldeon Magic Tower. The ce where reports of raising demons had been pouring in recently, and where the situation was serious enough that Shuharn had received requests for support. "...Heh." Shuharn let out a dryugh. It had only been a few months since he first met the man. "I thought he''d be holed up somewhere in Sector 6, learning magic on his own... but he''s already entered a magic tower?" Entering a magic tower meant that the man had be quite a proficient mage. At the same time, it also meant that the chances of curing the mana deficiency had increased. "Hey!" "...You called, sir." At Shuharn''s call, an attendant waiting outside entered and bowed his head. Shuharn spoke softly to the attendant. "Tell the guard. I''m going to Aldeon Magic Tower myself." It was finally time to uproot the well-grown medicinal root. An expectant smile spread across Shuharn''s face. *** Two months since entering Aldeon Magic Tower. Contrary to my concerns, life in the tower flowed more ordinarily than expected. Eating meals at set times every day, attending sses, researching magic, and then going to bed. Days repeated without any special demands or problems. Of course, that didn''t mean there were no changes. The first change was the most important. "Light." I had mastered light magic. Whoom! Formless light materialized and appeared at the tip of my index finger. At first nce, it might not seem different from the elemental magic I had mastered so far, but in reality, it was not so. This was high-level elemental magic, a step above other elements. And it was influenced by the holy power stat. ''If only the absorption would finish...'' My gaze suddenly turned to my wrist, just below the finger emitting light. There, a silver bracelet that still hadn''t lost its luster was fastened. [Holy Oil Bracelet]. An item I had piged from those raiders'' hideout. The problem was that I still hadn''t fully absorbed the holy oil from this bracelet. ''It should be about time...'' The stat increase from the [Holy Oil Bracelet] urs when the bracelet breaks after fully absorbing the holy oil and fulfilling its role. Therefore, my current holy power stat was 0. Although holy power isn''t useful unless fighting demons, it was still disappointing. If I hadbined holy power training with the magic training I''d done over the past two months, it would have been much better. Anyway. "Mr. First... First ce! Look at this!" "Oh? You''ve seeded." "I guess I wasn''t a talentless mage after all! Hahaha!" This was the second change. With Uncle Thompson being thest, everyone in the dormitory had seeded in mastering light magic. ording to the 7th Elder Ollie Didan, talentless mages could never master the light attribute no matter how much they practiced, so everyone seeding was certainly an encouraging development. And the final change. "Thompson, don''t get too excited. You were thest to manifest it." "...Don''t be so quick, blond noble." Ten noble mages, themoner Thompson, and me. The twelve of us had grown quite close. In a way, this could be considered the most dramatic change. The faint traces of discrimination hadpletely disappeared, and we hadpromised to use casual speech with each other until we left Aldeon. Commoners and nobles having a casual chat time? If it weren''t for the mage profession, where one is recognized by ability, this would be unimaginable. Even considering that, it was still a rare sight. Surprisingly, it was Roan who first made such a suggestion and got the agreement of the other mages. "Yuhan. How about your progress?" However, Roan himself opted out of the casual chat time, saying he was morefortable using polite speech. If he was going to do this, why did he suggest it in the first ce? Anyway, he''s quite an odd fellow. Whoosh- "This much." "...Ugh." Ah, by the way, Roan and I had somewhat established a pecking order. Over the two months following the same process, the difference in talent had be clearly evident. It took Roan a month to learn light magic. For me, it took two weeks. "What''s with that smirk? Wipe it off right now. I can do that much too!" "...Oh my! I failed to control my expression." "You shameless mage...!" It was only natural. No matter how much of a prodigy Roan was in the academic world, said to be a magical genius born once in a thousand years... ''He''s no match for a Mythic tier trait.'' From observing Roan all this time, I could infer the characteristics inherent in him. Legendary tier trait [Genius of Magic]. It was exactly one level below my [Prodigy of Magic]. In other words, I¡¯m a perfect upgrade of him. So it was naturally impossible for him to catch up to me. "Just wait a bit. I''ll create the exact same light magic as you." "...Do as you please." It was also a bit of a bitter truth. In a way, it meant that talent in this world was all predetermined under the data. ''I wonder how he would react if he knew this fact...'' I''m not sure how, but one thing''s for certain - it wouldn''t be a good reaction. As these thoughts kept connecting, they gave rise to another question. Well, rather than arising now, it was a question I''d been curious about for a long time but had been avoiding. Is this world a game, or is it another reality...? I preferred the former if possible. To consider this as another reality would be... too horrific a world, wouldn''t it? ''...Let''s keep thinking of it as a game.'' It''s a problem I couldn''t answer on my own anyway. I decided to think in a way that wasfortable for me. So that I could view someone''s death as merely the death of an NPC. ...So that I could maintain the minimum humanity left in me. "Tch." Just as I clicked my tongue at my suddenly heavy heart, "Ooh!" Uncle Thompson, who had disappeared somewhere earlier, entered the room with a beaming face. "Mr. First ce! I got permission!" "...Permission for what?" "What else! Permission for our party, of course!" "Party...? Ah." Come to think of it, a few weeks ago, we had talked about this. If everyone managed to master light magic, we''d all celebrate that day together. It seemed Uncle Thompson had remembered this and gotten permission from the elders. I thought it was just talk at the time. "Are we really doing this?" "Why? Mr. First ce, don''t you like parties?" "...It''s not that I don''t like them." It wasn''t wee news. Things always tend to unravel when you let your guard down. There was actually something bothering me too. ''The silver-haired one mighte.'' A few days ago, someone had used [Path of Pursuit] on me. The only person who would do that was the silver-haired knight, Shuharn. I cut it off as soon as I noticed, but he might have already pinpointed my location. So I always had to be prepared for a surprise attack... "Come on! Backing out now isn''t manly! Let''s get ready for the party!" Uncle Thompson clearly had no intention of listening to me. ''...I guess one day wouldn''t hurt.'' In the end, I had no choice but to reluctantly participate in the party. But once it started, it was fun in many ways. "What''s with this food... Did they use magic on it? How can it taste like this?" "Ah- That''s what we call cuisine." Unlike the first day, everyone enjoyed the prepared food. "So then I grabbed that assassin''s head and..." "Ahaha!" Weughed at Uncle Thompson''s stories of dominating the back alleys before awakening his magical powers. "Next time I meet a demon... I won''t back down." "...That''s a good attitude." We nodded with solemn faces as we listened to the resolution of Lief, the hot-tempered mage who had lost his younger sibling in the evaluation. As we were all caught up in the atmosphere... "Hm?" "...For the light of Aldeon." "For the light of Aldeon." "Yuhan. Spare me a moment." When the tower master, Dercion Pygma, called me with a rather serious face. Somehow I didn''t feel good. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 25 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 25 *** Thud, thud. Dercion walked silently towards somewhere. "..." Although I''m following him, I was feeling anxious enough to go crazy. Even though I''ve been treated well for the past two months and have tried to get rid of Aldeon''s bad image, I can''t trust this old man. Who knows what entric task he''ll make me do next? "Um... What did you call me for?" I finally couldn''t hold back and spoke first. But was I worried for nothing? The words that came out of Dercion''s mouth were surprisingly normal. No, they were actually helpful to me. Very much so. "I''m going to give you the [Essence of Light]." For a moment, I doubted my ears. Suddenly he''s giving me the [Essence of Light]? There had been no mention of it for two months, so I thought the talk about the [Essence of Light] was just a baseless rumor. "...Is that true?" "Yes, I''ve been nning to give it to you since the evaluation ended. There were just many preparations to be made beforehand." "...Huh." I''m not sure what exactly he had to prepare, but he didn''t seem to be lying. So he''s really going to hand it over... But why? ''...Don''t trust him. He must have some ulterior motive.'' I kept doubting, over and over again. However, as we reached Dercion''s room and the essence was ced before my eyes, I couldn''t help but waver. "This is the [Essence of Light]." "This is really..." Whoosh. A transparent crystal emitting a brilliant white light. Aldeon''s secret technique that grants a Heroic tier growth trait. The crystallization of light magic. It was far more beautiful than what I had seen in the game, and now it was right in front of me. "It''s too early to be amazed." Snap! As Dercion snapped his fingers, all the light magic illumination in the room went out. All I could see was pitch-ck darkness and the brilliant [Essence of Light] illuminating that darkness. "Light shines brightest in darkness." "..." I was so captivated by its beauty that I nearly lost my mind. "We call the light that illuminates the deepest darkness... ''true light''. Aldeon is a ce that pursues that true light." "...True light." "Since the time of my predecessor''s predecessor, we''ve pondered and tried countless times. Ways to see the true light. But all that came back were failures." "So you still haven''t seen that light?" "Until now, that''s been the case." Dercion said this with a slight smile. Unlike what I had seen before, it was a genuine smile. "Three months ago, I received a ''revtion''. That revtion showed me how to see the true light." "...What is that method?" "It was very simple. Even from a fundamental perspective, it was a method we could have known. We were foolish. We had been looking far away for such a simple method... tsk." What on earth is he talking about? I wanted a more detailed exnation, but Dercion shook his head. "You''ll know soon enough. What you need to know now is..." Swish. Dercion reached out and caressed the [Essence of Light]. As his fingers moved, deep shadows rippled. "Only those who can fully receive this essence can bring forth the true light. I''ve decided to give this essence to you." "...Why me of all people? Surely there are elders more devoted to light than I am." "Didn''t I tell you? We''ve gone through many trials and errors. It can''t be them. Only a young and exceptional talent can bring forth the light." "...Is that why you opened the magic tower and held the evaluation? To find someone like me?" "Yes." Even after Dercion''s exnation, many questions remained. What was the revtion, what''s the method to bring forth the light, how can he trust me when I could just run off with the essence, and so on. But Dercion didn''t seem to care about my doubts at all. "Choose. Will you be the key to open the light?" His eyes were filled with the sole intent of seeing the light. Probably like my eyes looking at the essence right now. ''This isn''t something to hesitate over.'' I still couldn''t guess Dercion''s true intentions, and I don''t know what entric demands he might make of me after I use Aldeon''s secret technique. But even knowing this, I had no choice. The [Essence of Light] is one of the most crucial items for my build. It''s the trait that makes a mage shine the brightest in this world full of evil. Therefore. "I''ll do it." I had to ept it, regardless of the risks involved. "A good choice." Dercion smiled with satisfaction and ced the [Essence of Light] on my hand. "Use it." "Yes." After swallowing hard once, I opened my mouth. The method to use the [Essence of Light] isn''t difficult. It''s just reciting a set phrase. "Light, answer me-." The change began at that moment. Whoosh! A brilliant white light burst out from the crystal as if releasing the power it had been holding in. It instantly turned the dark room pure white, and I reflexively closed my eyes. And when I opened them again. I was left alone in a pure white space with nothing but myself. A phenomenon as intense as when I tore the trait selection ticket right after falling into this world. "...Where is this?" It was a space even I had never seen before. There wasn''t even such a scene in the game. All that happened there was a system message popping up saying I had gained a trait. "What am I supposed to do?" I took small steps forward, aware of the possibility that this could be a trap set by Dercion. The one fortunate thing was that at least my heart wasn''t racing fast. Of course, I couldn''t let my guard down since it was uncertain whether the awakening effect applied here too. After taking a few steps like that. Rustle. Suddenly, something dark slowly rose from the floor. Something that looked like ck ink in contrast to the white background. It moved as if it were alive, constantly changing its shape. "What is that?" I felt the danger the moment I voiced that question. Shwaaak! Thump! My heart pounded along with the threatening sound. I instinctively turned my head, but the thing, now transformed into spikes, grazed my cheek as it passed. Sss. Along with a stinging pain, I felt something flowing from my cheek. ...It was blood. "Who taught you to attack without warning, you ill-mannered thing?" Crackle! I immediately conjured an electric sphere to counterattack the unknown entity. The electric sphere wasunched as fast as it had shot its spikes. Although it took the form of a slime and bent its body into a ''C'' shape to dodge the sphere. "...!!" Zap! The second sphere I had created right after hit it squarely. "Stings, doesn''t it?" "????...!!" I''m not sure what it''s saying, but it seems quite angry. Judging by how it''s raising spikes all over its body. I responded by shooting light magic. Zzing. It''s my first time using light magic inbat. The mana that climbed up my [Holy Staff] turned into a beam of light. It felt like shooting aser with the staff. Bang! "?...!" The entity hit directly by the light beam scatters into gray powder. I knew light might be its weakness since the electric spheres weren''t very effective, but... "What, is it over already?" The battle ended more anticlimactically than I expected. There''s no feeling of gaining experience either. Most importantly, I still haven''t escaped this space. With no other choice, I walked forward with heightened vignce. Soon, I encountered another ck slime. I''m not sure if it''s the same individual as before. What''s certain is... "????!!" It''s bigger. Zing! I shot a beam of light without hesitation and annihted it. After walking a few more steps forward. I encountered yet another ck slime. If the previous one was about half my size... this one wasrge enough to swallow me whole. Moreover. Ziiing! Whoosh! Whoosh...! The bastard jumped up and down as if he couldn''t take any more hits, dodging the light magic I shot at him. It was only then that I understood the whole meaning of this ce. What I needed to do here. "It''s some kind of trial." I had to move forward endlessly in this pure white space, killing increasingly stronger evils entities. Towards an unknown destination. *** Boom! A massive ck slime fell with a thunderous sound. ...It''s hard to even call this a slime anymore. "??..." Large iron horns on both sides of its head, beast-like fur covering its entire body and hooves supporting its huge frame. And the iron mace that seemed to be its symbol. Its appearance strongly reminded me of the ''Minotaur'', an advanced demon race from [Demon Fantasy]. Well, itsbat ability wasn''t quite the same though. If it had been, I would have long since been skewered on its horns and turned into a human kebab. It seems the bnce was adjusted to match my level. Thanks to that, I was able to defeat it after a 2-hour battle. Swish swish swish-! The creature scatters away as a gray powder. That''s when the light began to recede. Dercion''s room gradually revealed itself from the ceiling down. "...Is it finally over?" Stagger-. For a moment, my legs gave out and I almost fell. Thud! I barely managed to support myself with my staff and regain bnce. Honestly, right now I was standing purely on willpower alone. That''s because I had defeated no less than 50 ck slimes that constantly changed their form, size, and abilities. I couldn''t tell the exact time, but it felt like it took over 20 hours. If only I hade mentally prepared... I never expected using the [Essence of Light] would be such a grueling task. But well... it''s fine now. Because that arduous task is finally over. "Yuhan!" I heard someone urgently calling my name. It wasn''t a wee voice. The owner of the iron-like voice was the room''s owner, Dercion Pygma. "...Were you waiting?" "Waiting? Only 5 minutes have passed since you started using the essence." "Ah..." Fuck, 5 minutes...? Then who''s going to acknowledge all the hardship I went through in there...? My face soured without me realizing it, but Dercion didn''t seem to care and got straight to the point. "So... did you seed?" He said he had gone through many trials and errors, so he must know very well how difficult this was for me. Although I wasn''t in the best mood, I decided to give him the good news anyway. "...Yes, I seeded." But what followed from Dercion''s mouth was an unexpected question. "How far...?" "Pardon?" "How far did you seed, I ask!" How far? Was that something that was decided? I honestly ryed to Dercion what had happened in that space. And then. "...Minotaur? Then... did you reach the end?" Dercion expressed surprise in an unusual way. With two eyes that have grownrge and round. Soon he began tough like a madman. "Hah! Hahahah!" A state close to insanity. I soon understood why he was acting this way. "I''m so proud of you. To think you''ve reached the level of conveying the story in the beginning! With this, our Aldeon hase one step closer to the true light!" I didn''t hear anything else. Only one phrase Dercion uttered stuck in my ear. The level of conveying the story. "Huh?" That was what NPCs in [Demon Fantasy] called a ''Legendary trait''. Then I realized. In this world, the one acknowledging my dog-like struggle was not a person... but the reward itself. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 26 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 26 *** "Hurry." Dercion urged me to try light magic. I felt like I could faint at any moment, but I was just as curious. For now, I had decided to put rest aside and check if I had obtained a legendary trait. "...Light." Swish. Light blooming above my index finger. The moment I first saw it, I only felt one emotion. ''...It''s beautiful.'' Perhaps due to the influence of the [Prodigy of Magic] trait, my magic had always been more spectacr than others. But the light before my eyes now was beyond such a simple description. Just looking at it made my heart swell... this light. Yes, this was literally ''light''. "Ohh... T-This is!" Dercion eximed in a trembling voice, seemingly feeling a simr emotion to mine. No, he seemed even more moved than me, who had actually produced it. Judging by Dercion''s reddening eyes. It wasn''t strange. He was someone who had dedicated his entire life to this light. "...Ahem." Btedly realizing his state, Dercion turned away. From the sound of his breathing, it seemed like he was suppressing his emotions. Once he appeared to have calmed down somewhat, he abruptly started walking forward. Dercion opened the door and spoke quietly without even looking back. "...Rest for a while. I''ll be back soon. Feel free to use this room if you want to sleep." "...Yes." With those words, Dercion left the room. Left alone, I firstid down on the sofa in the corner. My head was in a whirl. I needed to organize my thoughts. ''So this is...'' Swish. Still unable to believe it, I cast the light magic again while lying down. However, the light rotating elegantly above my head was the same as before. Beautiful and noble. "Damn..." Now that I was alone, the emotions I had been suppressing welled up. I felt like I might burst into tears if I loosened up even a little. And for good reason, because I had just obtained a legendary trait. If it had been just any legendary trait, I wouldn''t have been this emotional. This was a light-rted trait, which I had intended to make my main attribute. And it was one of those rare ''growth-type'' traits. A growth-type trait means exactly what it sounds like - it can grow. It can grow up to one rank higher, withmon rank growing to rare, rare to heroic, and heroic to legendary. Which means... ''...Mythic tier.'' I had essentially obtained another Mythic tier trait. On par with [Prodigy of Magic]. Of course, growth doesn''t happen easily. Each growth-type trait has different growth conditions. In the case of the trait obtained from [Essence of Light], one would need to hunt an enormous number of demons or defeat a demon corpsmander to grow the trait. But who cares about that? This alone had already surpassed the level I had nned for. My original n was to obtain a Heroic tier trait with [Essence of Light] and grow it to legendary rank. Two Mythic tier traits... I had never even imagined such a thing. "Ha... Haha." Before this, I just putting up a facade of being strong. Now I''m finally starting to feel real hope. I had been so determined to defeat Baal and return to my original world... but only now. ¡°¡­ ¡­ I really don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing.¡± I decided to admit what needed to be admitted. Honestly, I hadn''t expected that I would defeat Baal. I had just been deceiving myself all this time for self-rationalization. Me, an ordinary young man from Earth, defeating the suprememander of the demon army? There''s no way that could be possible. That was my true feeling. "YEAH BABY..." It was pathetic. The fact that I, who always showed a confident face in front of everyone, was actually more of a coward than anyone else. That I was a weak person who only deceived myself. But humans are animals that continuously grow. It''s because of constant development that humans have be the apex predators of the modern world. In that sense. "...Let''s give it a try." I vowed not to be like that anymore. I made a sincere resolution to defeat him. It wasn''t based on emotion alone. If I could raise to my peak and solidify my foundation based on these two Mythic tier traits... there was definitely a possibility. Now, defeating Baal and the wish to return to my original world. It meant these weren''t just empty words anymore. Clearly recognizing this fact, I forced myself to sleep. Because the moment I open my eyes would be the first step. My real struggle in this godforsaken world I had fallen into was about to begin. *** "Mmm." "Are you awake?" When I woke up, Dercion was sitting on the sofa opposite me. It seems he had been waiting for me to wake up, which made me feel rather ufortable. "...How long did I sleep?" "Probably over 2 hours." "I see." I didn''t sleep that long considering how tired I was. I wonder if the party was over by now? "Then I''ll be going now." I was about to leave, as I couldn''t stay here any longer. Suddenly, Dercion grabbed my wrist. "You can''t leave yet." "Huh?" As I looked at him with a puzzled face, he spoke as if it were obvious. "You haven''t seen the true light yet, have you?" True light? Wasn''t that over when I obtained the legendary trait? "Come now. The elders are waiting for you." "Why are they waiting for me? Where are we going?" "You''ll see when we get there." I had no idea what he was trying to do, but due to his forceful attitude, I had no choice but to follow. Climbing the stairs that changed in real-time, we arrived at the top floor of the magic tower. It was a ce entirely covered in stone, and they had put quite a bit of effort into space expansion magic, as it was as spacious as the first floor lobby where the evaluation was held. However, it was an empty space with no clue as to its purpose. "Why are we..." Just as I was about to ask. "Ugh." A strange smell invaded my nostrils. It was a pungent odor that made me frown involuntarily and felt like it might numb my sense of smell. ''...What is this smell?'' Since I started noticing it as soon as we came up here, the source must be here too. I immediately looked for the source, but? There was nothing particrly noticeable. Only a peculiar pattern drawn on the floor caught my eye. As if entranced, I scrutinized that pattern. It was of enormous size,rge enough topletely cover the floor and runic characters densely filling the border. In the center, as if to indicate the center, there was a shape that looked like two triangles ovepping inside a circle-. ''...A hexagram?'' Suddenly, I felt goosebumps and a chill down my spine. Why on earth is there a hexagram drawn on the floor? "Excuse me, what is this-" "Elders. Prepare for the ritual." Before I could finish my question, Dercion spoke first. As if they had been waiting for just those words, Aldeon''s elders gradually revealed themselves. nk, nk. They were all busy carrying something, moving very skillfully as if they had practiced many times. ''...Those are.'' I closely examined the objects they were carrying. I didn''t need to look closely. I knew as soon as I saw them. These were the third piece of information I needed to know before leaving the magic tower. ''Artifacts.'' They were light attribute artifacts owned by Aldeon. At a nce, there were dozens of artifacts ranging from low-grade to top-grade ones that couldn''t be bought even with money. As they were ced one by one on the floor. That''s when the ringing in my ears began. Beeeeep-! Since entering this world, there had been only one case when I heard this ringing. When my ''instinct'', raised by the spirit engraving sent me a warning. An extreme sense of unease surged. I didn''t know what it was, but one thing was certain. That I was in as much danger now as when the silver-haired knight swung his sword at my neck. No, judging by the intensity of the ringing, I seemed to be in even more danger now than then. Honestly, I couldn''t quite understand it. ''A situation more dangerous than losing my life?'' What could possibly be more perilous than death itself? But there was no time to ponder. I had to escape this ce as quickly as possible. Just as I was about to take a step, I heard it. Thud, thud. "For the light of Aldeon." I saw the 7th Elder Ollie Didan saluting Dercion, along with others rubbing their eyes behind him. "Yawn... Huh? Mr. First ce, why aren''t youing? What are you doing here?" "Yuhan, is there an early morning ss today?" These were people who should have been in deep sleep after finishing their party by now. This situation seems to be escting... My anxiety keeps growing stronger. "Get out! Now!" I shouted as I started moving. Fortunately, Dercion wasn''t paying attention to us. He was just staring at the elders preparing something with a crazed look. "What''s with the sudden..." "I said get out, quickly!" I grabbed Rief''s wrist and ran full speed towards the exit before things could get worse. The others are quick-witted, so they''ll follow without exnation. That''s what I thought at that moment. [You''re toote.] Boom! Along with Dercion''s words prating my mind, the stone door that had been lifted fell from top to bottom. I quickly looked for another exit, but couldn''t even find a small window. We werepletely trapped. "...What are you doing?" Dercion slowly turned around at that question. And still infusing his voice with magic, he spoke. [...Yuhan, I''m so proud of you. Thanks to you fully absorbing the essence, we were able to advance the n much faster.] Beeeep-! The ringing in my ears grew stronger. But Dercion''s voice pierced through even that ringing. [Yes, you asked before. How to see the true light... I''ll give you the answer now.] Thump! Thump! Thump...! My heart was racing madly. Not due to the awakening effect, but purely from anxiety. [They say light shines brightest in darkness. Remember?] The words he had said to me shed through my mind. -I was originally going to give it to you. There were just many preparatory steps to go through first. -I received a ''revtion''. -It was a method that could be understood even from a fundamental perspective. -...Aldeon is a ce that seeks true light. Rumble... Meanwhile, a cart pulled by the elders was ced in the center of the hexagram, and with it came a stronger stench that naturally drew my gaze to the cart. There were mages who had died during the evaluation mixed with men wearing armor engraved with Asteron''s emblem. All of them with flesh rotting and decaying. I had wondered why Asteron left Aldeon alone for two months, but I was mistaken. ...They had taken action but were all killed? "...Allen? Is that Allen...?" "What the hell is this...?" "Dercion, you crazy bastard!!" The disciples'' outcry erupted. I let it go in one ear and out the other, calmly organizing the given information. The words he had said to me, the hexagram and the sacrifices in the cart. And the special property of ''light magic'' that grows stronger the more demons you catch. "...Light shines brightest in darkness. So." I seemed to understand. What Dercion Pygma was thinking. "You''re going to bring forth darkness?" He was nning to open a passage to the demon realm here at the top of the magic tower. To see the ''true light'' they had been so obsessively fixated on. [Hahaha! As expected of my top disciple! To already understand this profound meaning!] Dercionughed uproariously like a man who had shed all his ws. And then. [One thing... It''s not the darkness you''re thinking of.] He moved to the center of the hexagram as if levitating. Simultaneously. Tsss tsss tsss! Dense mana poured out from him, and red haze rose from the sacrifices. The hexagram absorbed it all. ''I have to stop this.'' That judgmentsted only a moment. Even more shocking words followed from Dercion. [...What I''m calling forth is the deepest darkness.] ...What? For a moment, I forgot I had to stop this and my body froze. Did I just hear that wrong? "...What did you just say?" Dercion didn''t answer. [O evil of the abyss! Here lies your path! The light shall judge you!] He simply chanted a forbidden spell that should never be uttered. Groooan-. The heavy atmosphere weighed down on my shoulders, and intense demonic energy poured from the reddened hexagram. Crack, crackle...! Unable to withstand that mighty force, cracks were forming in space. It was unbelievable. "...Ha, haha. I knew you were crazy, but..." I didn''t know he was this insane. What kind of confidence is this? Today, when I whipped my weak self. Dercion Pygma was now trying to manifest Baal, the suprememander of the demon army, right here. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 27 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 27 *** Suddenly, curiosity struck me. Supreme Commander of the Demon Army, Absolute Ruler of the Demon Realm, Evil of the Abyss, or the Deepest Darkness. And... the final boss of [Demon Fantasy] that I could never defeat. What would happen if that being appeared here and now? While the process might vary, the conclusion would be the same. ''This world... would end.'' He had never once crossed over to the human realm. He knew it too. The moment he set foot in the human world, all his toys would meet a miserable end. That''s why Baal had never crossed over to the human realm. He merely sent his minions, observing the unfolding events and filling the void in his heart. Despite knowing this, the human side''s response was... ''Maintain the status quo while fending off the demon legion.'' And asionally, when a human who defiedmon sense appeared, they would send them to the demon realm as an adversary. That''s exactly what a ''yer'' is. But they all ended in failure. Anyway. "Kuhehehehe!" I looked at the old man who was pouring out his mana while soaking in madness. Though clearly psychotic, he was still one of the world''s top powerhouses and upied the position of a magic tower''s head. Dercion Pygma. There was only one reason he was pulling this stunt. ''...For the sake of a ¡®True Light''.'' It''s not entirely wrong thinking. Light magic does have the property of growing stronger the more demons one faces. Whether it''s defeating thousands of demons or a demon legionmander. In Baal''s case, there''s even talk that just facing his existence raises one''s level of light. Gooooo-! That''s probably what Dercion is aiming for. To maximize my potential with the [Essence of Light], then have me face Baal to reach the pinnacle of light. That must be the ''true light'' they spoke of. "Sigh..." It was a feasible n if those here could manage to capture Baal. If that could be done, it would be perfect. I''d raise my level, defeat Baal, and Dercion would fulfill his wish... killing three birds with one stone. However. ''Is that even possible?'' If Baal could be caught just byying out some artifacts and gathering a few elders, humans would have conquered the demon realm long ago. Honestly, it wasughable. I''ve never felt such a generation gap before. ''...Geez, how did Baal''s positione to this?'' In my time, Baal was a being whose mere mention could get you executed. But now... some old coot infected with crazy ideologies is spouting off about summoning Baal? "Mr. F-First ce!" What the hell is the Asteron royal family doing, not arresting this lunatic? "Yuhan, just what is that power...?" You guys cking off just makes things more tiring for me. I don''t have the energy to answer. Wooong-! I shook off all the distracting thoughts I''d been having and focused all my mental energy. Solely on infusing mana. Rattle rattle! The artifact I had sneaked away when the elders weren''t looking vibrated intensely. It meant it was filled to the brim with mana. This was only possible because it was me. -Mana regeneration increased by 300%. Because I''m [Prodigy of Magic], my mana regenerates faster than it''s consumed. Hmm, normally this would only be possible around the 9th circle? Well, anyway. Preparations wereplete. "Die." I pointed the top-grade artifact [Yata''s Mirror] at Dercion. [Yata''s Mirror], which had filled its stomach with my mana, spat out ck rays in return. Kwaaa-! A jet-ck beam that seemed as if it would swallow everything. It made the beam of light I had shot with [Holy Staff] look like aser toy used to y with cats. The problem was... "B-Block it!" The elders of Aldeon, who had been supplying mana to the hexagram, noticed what I was trying to do. The [Light Curtain] they jointly cast barely managed to block the jet-ck beam. Being elder-ss, their reaction speed and spell casting were fast. ng ng ng! The sh of darkness and light. Even though I was using a top-grade artifact, a one-versus-many fight was never easy. As the curtain gradually advanced, the darkness was slowly pushed back. But, if that''s the case, I just need to make it a many-versus-many fight. "Roan!" "...I don''t know what''s going on, but." Swoosh-! The quick-witted Roan immediately cast a spell. Ice spears rushing towards the [Light Curtain]. Only now did I realize, this guy was an ice mage. The ice spears, the same color as his eyes, were more solid than any magic I''d seen from him before. "This is the righteous side, right?" "You got it." Babam! Roan''s ice spears hammered strongly against the curtain. The [Light Curtain] retreated bit by bit from the impact. Maybe it''s because he had a legendary trait, but he was certainly impressive. To be able to put this much pressure on the elders. ''Well, it''s not purely skill alone.'' Swoosh! Swoosh! Paat! Paaat! Every time Roan throws a spear, the area around his body shes mercilessly. They were essory artifacts. Around his waist, [Chronos'' Pocket Watch] that elerates attack magic. On his fingers, [Ashtar''s Ring] that increases magic spells uracy. Around his neck, [Recovery Pendant] that probabilistically returns received damage as secondary damage when magic is destroyed. At this point, I couldn''t tell if he was a mage or an artifact himself. The only useful thing I had was [Holy Staff]... ''...I really need to go out and make some money first when I get the chance.'' I consoled myself that my peak was much higher due to my traits, then turned my head again. ng-! Just when I thought we were gaining the upper hand, the elders seemed to grit their teeth and push back. It was then that I heard a booming middle-aged man''s voice from behind. "Blond nobleman! Now''s the time-!" "...Tch." Another of Roan''s ice spears was shot. But this time, the shape was a little different. The end of the handle was t, like... well, I''m not sure. Why that shape? "Hyaap!" ...Ah, like that? The moment Roan''s spear flew towards the curtain, a huge boulder thrown by Uncle Thompson followed behind it. Kwang-! Abo attack that looked like hammering a nail, with the ice spear as the nail and the boulder as the hammer. With a deafening boom that numbed the eardrums, the sharp spearhead prates the curtain. At this time, Roan''s [Recovery Pendant] was activated as well. Bong-! An invisible force returns the damage the ice spear receives from the boulder. ...Crack, crack. This kind ofbo would only be possible by button-mashing in a game. It was no wonder the [Light Curtain] couldn''t withstand it. Shatter! The cracking curtain finally broke, opening a path for the beam to pass through. Now it''s my turn. The jet-ck beam poured through the opened floodgate, heading straight for Dercion. Whoosh! "...Kuhak!" Despite being the head of the magic tower, Dercion could do nothing as he had poured all his strength into the hexagram. He could only be thrown far away. Kwang! "T-Tower Head!" "You crazy bastards...!" Some elders rushed to him urgently. The rest red at us. "What do you think you''re doing!" "How dare you...! Do you even know what you''ve just interfered with!" "...What?" Huh, is this what they mean by the guilty party getting angry first? At least when people died during the evaluation, they showed a vague sense of guilt, but now even that''s gone. "The elders are really united, aren''t they?" "...You foolish boy! Don''t you know all of this is for your own good! This ceremony to open the light within you-" "The foolish one is you. Who asked for such a thing?" "W-What did you say?" The 2nd Elder''s eyes widened. With veins popping on his forehead, he suddenly rushed over and grabbed my cor. My heart started beating faster. Thump! Thump! Thump! "...You disrespectful brat. Do you really want to die here?" The 2nd Elder was second only to Dercion in power within the magic tower. At least 8th circle or higher. Even with my Mythic tier trait, I couldn''t face such an old man. But instead, I pushed back harder. "...Try and kill me then." "...What did you say?" "I said, try and kill me." I added the unspoken ''if you can'' at the end. After all, the 2nd Elder couldn''t kill me. The focus of this entire ceremony was on me, so how could he possibly- "Y-You...!" Swoosh! ''Shit.'' It was entirely my mistake to forget that humans are very emotional animals. I shouldn''t have provoked him. As a chilling light shed in the 2nd Elder''s eyes, the surrounding mana began to fluctuate wildly. Crack! The magical particles trembled as if they were about to choke the life out of me right then and there. My body felt heavier as if gravity had intensified, and my breathing became rapid. ...To think he could exert such pressure with just his aura. ''...So this is the 8th circle.'' I hadn''t underestimated the 2nd Elder, but I was still amazed. However, Rather than fear,petitiveness arose inside me; rather than frustration, aspiration bloomed. I knew the reason why. Because that was the level I needed to reach. Because I would have to surpass even that someday. I am the one who will catch Baal and see the end of this world. So I can''t die in a ce like this. Swoosh... "...!!" All emotions cooled down, and my thoughts began to rotate rapidly. -Magicalputation ability has been maximized. I quietly sensed the surrounding mana. Each particle entered my perception, giving me a feeling of my skin awakening. -Mana sensitivity increased by 300%. "You... how...?" Unfortunately, I couldn''t control much of the mana. However, it wasn''t that I couldn''t control any at all. This much should be enough. Paat! Paat! Paat...! "Huh..." When I opened my eyes, which I had closed to concentrate, everything around me had brightened. 30% of the mana under the 2nd Elder''s control had be mine. I had just consumed a legendary trait with the [Essence of Light]. That''s why the mana I manipted was glowing bright white. "...Light?" "More precisely, it''s the light you all gave me." "So it''s true that you passed all the trials...?" "Well, as you can see." Swirl- The pure white mana circled around the 2nd Elder and me ording to my will. It was merely a simple maniption of mana without any real power, but it was such a beautiful sight. So beautiful that anyone seeing it for the first time wouldn''t be able to take their eyes off it. "Ah..." The second elder slowly walked around with a nk expression on his face, admiring the light. Sensing an opportunity, I made the mana move even more spectacrly. ''...This feels like I''m putting on some kind of show.'' While it didn''t feel great, the result wasn''t bad. The murderous intent hadpletely disappeared from the 2nd Elder''s eyes. He had long since let go of my cor. Thinking that persuasion might be possible, I opened my mouth. "2nd Elder." In my most solemn voice. "This might be thest time you can see this light." "...What do you mean?" "It''s not just the light. Everyone here, everyone in this world, is standing at a crossroads of fate today. By Aldeon''s choice. You know this well, don''t you?" "..." "There''s no need to take shortcuts. We don''t have to risk the possibility of downfall. I''m sure... I can show you the true light that Aldeon desires." "...Aldeon hasn''t even grasped the edge of that light for the past 100 years. How could you possibly-" "Aren''t you seeing it right now? The possibility that you haven''t seen in thest 100 years." Swirl. The ethereal, pure white mana rotated as if dancing. The 2nd Elder couldn''t help but be captivated by it again. Light due to being a legendary trait, in other words, this alone was a light that one might see once in 1,000 years. Naturally, they couldn''t havee close to this in the past 100 years. "..." A face deep in thought. Intending to drive the point home, I pushed harder. "For the sake of protecting this light, please stop the Tower Head." "But he..." "Many lives have already been lost. If we don''t stop this now-" That''s when it happened. The sound that ruined everything came. [...You''re doing unnecessary things.] The owner of the voice was Dercion. He was getting up with the help of other elders after being thrown into the wall. Both gazes focused on one ce. [Not knowing it''s toote... Kheuk, kuhahaha!] A roar-likeughter. The ringing in my ears started again. Beeeep-! ''...No way?'' I turned my head anxiously. To where Dercion was looking. And there. Crack, crack crack. Something you''d only see in thete stages of the game. [The Day of Judgment has begun-!] Crack crack crack! A portal to the demon realm was slowly opening. It was the prelude to war. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 28 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 28 *** A square-faced man with a reddish-brown beard and a stocky body. "Snore... snore..." Despite his appearance, he was the owner of a perfect physique that was far fromical. Barundel Damascus. "Cough!" As usual, after finishing his intense training, he was sprawled out in the training hall when he suddenly woke up, choking on his own breath. "Urgh... this damn snoring." Barundel sat up with anguid expression and reflexively checked the time. 3 AM. When everyone should be in deep sleep. "I guess it''s better to sleep in a soft, cozy bed after all." He hurriedly put on his clothes, thinking that he would go home and get some more rest, when he suddenly became lost in thought. "Come to think of it..." It had been two months since he started this grueling training regimen. It was also the same amount of time since he''dst seen that monstrous ck-haired mage visitor. ''...Isn''t it past the time he should havee?'' The promised deadline had surely passed. So why hadn''t he shown up? Barundel suddenly had an ominous thought. ''...Could it be because of me?'' The unsettling idea that perhaps he had been too harsh crossed his mind. That absolutely shouldn''t be the case. He had resumed training after ten years with the sole intention of making him stronger. Would it all be for nothing? Fortunately, this anxiety was quickly dispelled. Thinking back carefully, it wasn''t him pushing too hard, but rather the mage who often overexerted himself. Barundel couldn''t forget the intense look in his eyes. ''Hmm, he''s not the type to burn out on his own...'' So why hasn''t hee back yet? After pondering for a while, Barundel came to this conclusion: ''Something must havee up.'' On thest day before leaving, he had clearly said. That he would be staying in the magic tower for a while. Perhaps some unavoidable circumstances were keeping him from visiting the training hall. The magic tower was known for frequent incidents, so it was understandable. Just as he was thinking this... "Kyaaak!" "W-What...?" Barundel was startled by a sudden scream. A loud scream at 3 AM? Sensing something was amiss, he hurriedly opened the window of the training hall. Creeeeak! At 3 AM, a time when no one except the night patrol should be out. Yet the streets were filled with people. All of them in their nightclothes. People were looking in the same direction with pale, frightened faces. Barundel naturally followed their gaze and immediately understood why they looked so shocked. "...What in the world?" Swoosh¡ª! A towering ash-gray tower that seemed to pierce the sky. ck storm clouds were swirling and gathering around it. Boom! sh! A thunderous roar, presumably the cause of the screams, a crimson lightning cutting through the darkness. And then. Thud thud thud thud! "Hey! Get out of the way!" "Clear the path!" "What are you doing? Don''t hesitate, run!" "Y-Yes, sir!" The city guards rushed towards the scene with mounted knights. This was clearly no ordinary situation. Feeling an inexplicable sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, Barundel pondered the reason and suddenly realized what this all meant. A chill ran down his spine. "..." He had seen this before. That same crimson lightning. This was undoubtedly... "...Demons?" It was the omen that demons would appear. And not just a few¡ªthis was the sign of a massive demonic incursion. Barundel''s expression, which had been filled with confusion, became cold. "...It seems the good ol¡¯ days are returning." It has been a while since he''d fully geared up like this, but experience never fades. Click, nk, click! In an instant, Barundel donned his dwarf-specific equipment and headed straight for Aldeon without a moment''s pause. There was only one reason for his desperation. The faint possibility that his precious disciple, who might be a big shot someday, could be there. ''Please, let that brat not be there...!'' Barundel''s fervent wish resonated through the hammer he gripped tightly. *** Tzzzt tzzzt! Honestly, my mind went nk when I saw the fully opened rift. I never imagined I''d face something like this before even learning a proper skill. Is this a dream? ''...Get a grip.'' I bit my lip, trying to snap out of my daze. Panicking and doing nothing won''t improve the situation at all. Right, stay calm. And do what I can. I turned to the chestnut-haired mage and said. "Hey, Rief." "...Yeah." "This is the moment you''ve been waiting for." "Kuku... To say such things in this situation, you really are crazy." Despite his words, determination filled Rief''s eyes. He who had lost his family in Aldeon. "I didn''t expect to carry out my resolve so soon..." While his ultimate goal was Aldeon, demons were also targets of his revenge. "This time... I won''t back down." Swoosh. A gray light emanated from Rief''s eyes. Though hot-tempered, he was a mage with proven skills who had survived apetition with odds of one in a thousand. The mana he released with his firm resolve was incredibly sharp. This should be enough for him to handle the uing battle on his own. I turned my attention elsewhere. "What about you all?" There stood eight noble mages with whom I had bonded over the past two months. "...Are demons appearing again?" "Yes." And they had all experienced the same tragedy. "Then we can''t sit this out either." "Finally, it''s time to show off my skills." "...Damn, why am I shaking so much?" "Don''t be afraid. We''re not the same as we were two months ago." While their reactions varied subtly, all their eyes showed a determination not to back down. The way they encouraged each other waspletely different from before when they were paralyzed with fear. I felt a sense of pride as if looking at well-raised children. ''...Two left.'' Finally, I looked to the opposite side. Therge middle-aged man and the blonde were already looking my way as if they had been expecting this. "You''ll help us again, right? Uncle." "Of course, Mr, First ce. I''ll follow you wherever you go." "...Are you not even going to ask me anymore?" "You do as you please." And so, a group of 12 was formed. It was reassuring, but realistically, this was far from enough. I turned to the elder who was still wavering indecisively and made onest appeal. "This is yourst chance, Elder." "I..." Unfortunately, there was no time to hear the 2nd Elder''s answer. Screech¡ª! Growl¡ª! Demons began pouring through the rift, apanied by pressure that made our bodies tingle. "...Prepare for battle!" I shouted, looking at the rift. More precisely, beyond the rift. I saw the endless parade of demon armys pouring in. No one could tell who would live and who would die in this. *** It had been about an hour, no, maybe two hours since the battle began. To cut to the chase, we were holding up better than expected. Our group of 12 was already skilled, and after two months of intense lessons and light magic practice, everyone had improved by about half a level. "Die¡ª!" "This is for Alen!" Zing! Bang! Zing! Bang...! Orbs andsers of light attribute were fired incessantly. Combined with the power of artifacts prepared in Aldeon, the demons were helpless against our assault. Of course, the Aldeon elders had an even greater impact on the battle. Led by Dercion, the Second Elder, Third Elder... up to the Seventh Elder, Ollie Didan. The Magic Tower Elder Party was formed by the most influential figures in the tower. [Swarm forth.] Thud thud thud thud! They proved why they were elders, using even high-level magic to attack the demons. Illusions created by bending light tore through the demon army, and invisible spheres made by [Invisibility] magic exploded mercilessly. Screech¡ª! Gurgle... Demons caught in the crossfire spewed purple blood into the air before they could even properly advance. Yes, we were holding up better than expected. To others, it might even look like we had the upper hand. ...At least for now. "Ugh! How long will these bastards keeping...!" "...Damn it! My mana is almost depleted!" Starting with the disciples, one by one, they began to show signs of fatigue. And if you looked closely, the demon army''s line had inched closer. Without anyone noticing, we were being pushed back little by little. This was already anticipated. The truly terrifying aspect of the demon race wasn''t the power of each individual, but their sheer numbers. "Get down!" Boom! "...Thanks, Blondie." Roan returned to his position without a word after Thompson''s thanks, once again firing ice spears. He and the elders seemed to be the only ones still holding up well. ''His mana capacity must be enormous.'' I wondered who had beaten me in the mana capacity evaluation, and it must have been Roan. Well, with his wealth, he could easily increase his mana capacity by constantly consuming elixirs. However, neither the elders'' nor Roan''s mana was infinite. A defense game with endless waves would ultimately lead only to defeat. Moreover, ''Baal mighte.'' He must have heard it too. The spell that Dercion had chanted, was clearly a provocation. Fortunately, as he didn''t want to destroy the human realm, he hadn''t shown himself yet... but who knew when he might change his mind. The best course of action now was to close the rift. But that wasn''t as easy as it sounded. ''We need time.'' Closing an opened rift required an understanding of the spell form and a lot of time. Of course, with my [Prodigy of Magic] trait boosting my learning ability, understanding the form was possible for me. The problem was time. More precisely, we needed someone who could hold out until I analyzed and understood the form inscribed in the hexagram. Someone strong enough to fill my ce in battle. Just as I came to this conclusion. "Well, this is quite a sight." A graceful silver aura shot past me. sh! With one sweep of the aura, dozens of demon heads flew off. I turned towards the source of the aura, and there stood a familiar face. Brilliant silver hair, gleaming silver armor, eyes clouded with something indescribable. A man born with both genius and the incurable disease of mana deficiency. The very person who had kept me on edge since I entered the 6th district. ''Shuharn...?'' It was Shuharn Philedia. And then. "Phew... I finally caught up." "Why do you keep following me, shorty?" "What''s the harm in going together? I almost got lost in the magic tower and became a lost child!" The true hidden powerhouse of Sector 6, a dwarf who was no less formidable than the silver-haired man, as I had experienced firsthand. Barundel Damascus. "More importantly, all these demons... No, Yuhan? Were you really here?" With their appearance, a chance to turn the tide emerged. "Yu...han? That guy?" I wasn''t sure if I could control this monster of a knight who was now eyeing my heart area intently. But it was worth a try. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 29 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 29 *** "Something''s strange. He looks different from the one I remember..." Shuharn''s puzzled expression suddenly lit up with gleaming eyes. Ching Just like during our first meeting, he used the [Measure] skill. Then he curled his lips into an unpleasant smirk. ¡°Is that you?¡± His tone was light as if he was speaking to prey rather than a person. Shuharn''s eyes once again filled with greed. I was shaking when I saw the guy who had killed dozens of demons with just one release of his aura, but I didn''t show it and said. ¡°You know very well that my heart is not important right now¡­ right?¡± He nced around briefly before nodding. "Well, it seems that way... but still. Couldn''t I kill you first before dealing with everything else?" "The Tower Head has cast a spell calling Baal." "...What?" The silver-haired man''s previouslyposed eyes widened. Fortunately, unlike Aldeon''s elders, he seemed well aware of Baal''s existence. I added a brief exnation. "If we don''t close that rift, he might cross over into the human realm." "Why would the Tower head do such an insane thing...!" "We don''t have time to argue. This is urgent." After a moment''s consideration, Shuharn asked me with a determined look. "What do you need me to do?" The persuasion had worked. "Just kill any demonsing through the rift. Meanwhile, I''ll look for a way to close that shit up." "...Understood." Shuharn nodded and took off without further questions. He too clearly understood how critical the situation was. I continued speaking to Barundel while listening to the rustling sound of a neck being cut with one ear. "Barundel, you must have many questions, but as you can see, there''s no time to exin." "...I understand what you mean. I just need to beat down these demons, right?" "Yes, that''s right, but... can you handle it?" Fighting demons isn''t something you can do withbat skills alone. You need sufficient knowledge and experience with demons for safebat. However, Barundel swung his hammer with an expression that suggested none of that mattered. Woong- The air pressure was too intimidating to be just a wrist movement. Barundel spoke confidently. "Remember when you asked if I''d done mercenary work before?" "Yes, you said you did something simr long ago..." "Actually, I was a hunter." "What? A hunter...?" "A demon hunter, I mean." Only then did I notice the equipment Barundel was wearing. A hammer with spikes like a meat tenderizer, dwarf-made ck armor that seemed impervious to most ws and fangs, and antidotes attached to his waist... All equipment used for hunting demons. "Huh." To think Barundel had a past where he was a demon hunter. Even though I thought we''d talked quite a bit, this was something I never imagined. ''...Come to think of it, it suits him rather well?'' Either way, this was good news for once. Demon hunters are known for their exceptional ability to counter demons and are capable of fighting a hundred at once. They weren''t called hunters for nothing. Besides, Barundel was strong enough to have defeated my previous weak self up ten times. "Well then... I''ll leave it to you." "Of course." Woong, woong... Pawt! Barundel''s figure disappeared while spinning his hammer. WIth an impressive speed. Even with my Awakening active, I would have missed his movements if I wasn''t focusing. Soon, the demons'' horrible screams began to echo. Kieeeeek! "...Good." With Shuharn and Barundel unexpectedly joining the battle, we''d bought some time. Now all that remained was for me to break the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation''s form and close the rift. ''...The final oue depends on me.'' I immediately retreated to find the most secluded spot possible and knelt on one knee. Then I silently reached for the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation. Until that moment, my insides were still filled with anxiety. ''Can I do this?'' Breaking a magical form? Honestly, I had no idea how to do such a thing. In the game, form breaking just happened automatically with a "Sess!" message once conditions were met. But the game had be a reality, and now I had to perform every step myself. Moreover, this wasn''t just any ordinary form to break. This was the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation created by the Tower Head himself to manifest Baal. So of course Icked the confidence. But, The moment I touched the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation, all such scattered thoughts and anxieties werepletely erased. Whaaak-! Along with a feeling of being pulled somewhere. -Magic Learning speed increased by 300%. -Magicalputation ability is maximized My mind awakened. As my cognition expanded, the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation''s form entered it. My intense will to break the form transformed into keen analytical observation. ''Good.'' I can do this. I scrutinized every detail of the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation, filled with countless rune characters andplex geometric patterns. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes... 10 minutes. It took just 10 minutes. The process of understanding the form''s principles and finding the method to break it by working backwards. No, furthermore, the process of channeling mana to make minute adjustments and break the form''s underlying equations. Kagagang! The Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation''s equation broke. Now I could properly exert ''physical force'' on the rift. A thought suddenly urred to me. ''...Perhaps.'' What was merely called a ''trait'' in the game might not just be an effect created by simple data. Maybe it''s just an easy way to show the potential contained within a person. Perhaps everyone in this world can show limitless possibilities beyond the data woven into their traits... But like all my previous questions, this wasn''t something I could answer. I refocused my scattered thoughts back to one point. Currently, the materials needed for the breaking were engraved in my mind as if hammered in. The first thing I needed to prepare was... ''First... mana.'' The amount of mana I have now is by no means small, but it is not enough to do what I am nning to do now. I made that decision in an instant and looked around. Very soon I spotted it. A method or rather a tool to supplement mycking mana. Teoeop! I quickly grabbed an artifact that had been rolling on the ground and returned to my position. [Dried Spring Water] a cube-shaped artifact reminiscent of cracked earth. An artifact with effects not dramatic enough to be used in battle yet. It onlysts 5 minutes and is merely of rare grade. However, this artifact''s performance varied drastically depending on the person who uses it. For instance, like this. Pak! The [Dried Spring Water] I mmed to the ground crumbled into sand. And the mana particles mixed in that sand seeped into my palm. Seueueu! Simultaneously feeling the surge of pumped mana. This was a one-time artifact that can only be used by characters below level 10, and its effect was simple. Increases maximum mana based on the highest rank of the trait the user possesses. The increase multiplies exponentially with each higher rank of traits and in the case of Mythic tier traits... ''Triple.'' The maximum mana capacity increases threefold. At this moment, I had acquired mana reserves that wouldn''t lose to the elders. ''Though this mana will disappear in 5 minutes...'' There was no time. I moved to the next step without hesitation. This time I needed demon body parts, 10 pieces to be exact. That wasn''t a problem. Demon corpses were scattered everywhere. Thuk! I tossed various severed body parts - hands, feet, heads - onto the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation. Dirty purple blood flowed from the severed body parts and soaked the floor. I took out the [Holy Staff] and infused my mana into the blood. Bubble! bubble! The blood began to boil in response. The mixture of mana and demonic energy soon seeped into the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation. Hwak! The formation emitted the same red light it had when opening the rift. "What are you doing...!" Dercion finally noticed what I was attempting. He hastily shot light magic at me, but my lips had already finished moving. All my tripled mana drained at once. [Gatekeeper of Space, answer my call-] Bbeok! "Kuhek!" As I chanted the spell, Dercion''s light beam struck my body, sending me tumbling back several times with intense pain. Yet even then, I couldn''t help but smile. "...Pointless effort. Toote to stop it now." "...You really." I turned his own words back at him while shifting my gaze. Deudeuk, deudeukdeuk! The demon body parts ced on the Six Heavenly Kings hexagram formation were chaotically merging together. This was the method I''d devised in 10 minutes to close the rift. Using demon bodies to manifest the phantom of the ''Gate Keeper.'' Gatekeeper has barely formed the shape of a bizarre creature after being mixed up here and there. Grwooooo! Kung! Kung! Kung! Kung! It rose with a roar and immediately charged at the rift with an enraged expression. Its massive frame could devour even Uncle Thompson who was thergest person I''d ever seen. Naturally, the ground shook with each step of such a behemoth. "What is that...?" "St-stop it! Stop that thing!" At Dercion''smand, the elders rushed in casting spells, but it was meaningless. The Gatekeeper - neither dead nor alive. No attack would work until itpleted its mission. Kwang! Kwakang! Kwang! Grwooo-oo! Like an ''invincible'' NPC, the Gatekeeper deflected all magic and demons and reached the rift instantly. Simultaneously, the [Sword of the Dead] appeared in its right hand. A sword that only it could wield and was capable of distorting space. Woong-! It raised the [Sword of the Dead] high. Its zing eyes were filled only with the desperate desire to destroy the rift. That desire transformed into a heavy sword strike. Hwuuuk-! "Nooooo-!!" Just as the Gatekeeper''s sword was about to strike the rift amidst Dercion''s screams. Ttuk. The Gatekeeper suddenly froze. My mind filled with questions as I watched the scene. ''...What''s wrong? Did I summon it incorrectly?'' No. I had sufficient mana for the summoning, and using mostly mid-rank demon body parts meant the physicalposition should have been fine. This rift was an anomaly both in the demon realm and heaven. In other words, it is chaos that shouldn''t exist. The Gatekeeper had proper cause to act. ''Then Dercion?'' I looked his way wondering if he''d done something while I wasn''t looking, but his expression was as surprised as mine. He clearly hadn''t done anything. Then what? Why had the Gatekeeper stopped moving? The answer became clear without much thought. Not just to me, but to everyone. Gooooo-! "...!" Everyone''s gaze turned to the rift along with the waterfall-like surge of numbing demonic energy. The inside of the crack that revealed the scenery of the demon world was for some reason dyed pitch ck. The screams that followed came immediately after. "Kyaaaa-!" No one here could react. Not me, not Roan, not Shuharn, not Barundel, not the Aldeon elders. Not even Dercion Pygma himself, the very source of this situation. He was engulfed in a sinister demonic energy and was dragged into the darkness of the abyss without even being able to resist. "-Aah..." His fading screams quickly became inaudible. No one couldprehend the situation, all frozen like broken machinery. That''s when it happened. Grwoo... As the Gatekeeper dissipated into powder as if facing an irresistible force. Blink. From the rift filled with abyssal darkness, an eyeballrger than anything I had ever seen appeared. It was like the heavens itself opened its eyes. It blinked once more. "Kuhek." My breath caught, my heart sank. Though I didn''t know why, that gaze was definitely fixed on me. ''...Fuck.'' What the hell did I do? The system window that had made me want to reach for a shotgun in the game appeared ovepped before my eyes. [You have gained the attention of Baal, Supreme Commander of the Demon Army.] [Singrity urred!] [All Demon army Commanders have imprinted your existence.] [Warning! Character''s sanity may copse!] That''s when I realized. Unintentionally, I had been swept up- [Evacuate immediately!] Into an immense destiny I couldn''t resist. *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 30 [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 30 *** SCREEEEEEE-! The piercing ringing in my ears was so intense, that my head felt like it would explode. Through it, I vaguely made out my surroundings. "E-Elder!" "How... how could this..." The Aldeon Elders screamed in horror as they realized Dercion had been sucked into the rift. "What the hell is that...?" "A demon...? That''s supposed to be a demon...?" The guard unit that had just arrived descended into panic. "Ah... ahh..." Even my fellow mages stood there pale-faced, their mouths opening and closing uselessly. Not a single person maintained theirposure. Including me. ''...Baal, of all things.'' I can say with certainty that none of the crises I faced in [Demon Fantasy] couldpare to this. Of course not - this was like encountering the final boss right at the start of the game. I''d never experienced something like this. No, I hadn''t even imagined that it was possible. If this were a game, I would have quit the moment I saw those eyes. But cruel reality offered me no such escape. ''...I have to do something!'' The one silver lining was that thanks to the ¡®Immunity to fear¡¯ effect from [The Former Master of Swordsmanship] unlike the others, I could still think clearly. Which meant I had to be the one to act. And so. Crack I had to move. If not now, there would be no way to stop this catastrophe. I held onto my senses and carefully lifted the [Holy Staff]. Even with Baal''s appearance, what I needed to do hadn''t changed. ''Close the rift.'' Whoosh! I lightly swung my staff to check how much mana I had left. Fortunately, most of the mana I''d spent summoning the Gate Keeper had recovered. I squeezed all of that and gave it my attribute. The attribute I chose was... ''Light.'' The light attribute - currently my most powerful. Whoooosh-! The sphere ofpressed mana emitted a brilliant radiance. Perhaps because I was using all my strength, but the light seemed even more dazzling than before. But this wasn''t enough. The magic I needed to manifest had to rival the power of the Gatekeeper''s [Sword of the Dead]. There was a way. ''Shape maniption.'' With the [Holy Staff], I was currently a quasi-4th Circle mage. And from the 4th Circle onwards, you could do more than just throw spheres or shootsers, you could give mana physical form. That''s why I''d been carefully studying Roan''s magic all this time. I figured it woulde in handy someday. Though I hadn''t expected that day to be today. Whooom! "...What''s that?" Roan who had been frozen in ce muttered those words. He recognized it too. That this light formation I''d shaped was identical in design to his ice spear. "Borrowing this for a moment." My reason for creating a spear was simple. Roan''s signature ice spear technique seemed quite efficient and more importantly... Crack! This counted as a ''de weapon.'' -300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. As I grasped the spear of light. Suddenly, I heard a ''crack-crack'' sound near my wrist. Yes, even in this worst-case scenario... ''...At least luck''s on my side.'' [You have fully absorbed the Holy Oil Bracelet.] [Holy Power stat increases by ''5''.] Swoosh! Although it was a bit immature because it was my first time, I was able to imbue the spear with holy power. There was no reason to hesitate any longer. I''d poured everything I possibly could into it. I pulled back the spear and tensed my muscles. My entire body screamed in pain, but I refused to stop. Only one thought upied my mind. ''Throw it.'' Creak, crack! My lower body found its bnce, my waist created tension and my arms loaded power. Perfect form and motion, as natural as someone who''d thrown spears their entire life. Whoosh! Shhhhhk! The spear of light left my hand, drawing a straight line through the air. Faster than anything I''d ever seen. More powerful than any magic I''d ever witnessed. BOOM! The pressure alone cracked the ground as it struck the rift dead center. Then. Crack, crack! The rift began spewing unstable mana. I''d seeded in destroying it. Crack-crack-crack! The rift began to copse bit by bit. "..." As I watched impassively, I met his gradually fading eyes within the rift. I saw it clearly. From the moment I threw the spear until it struck the rift... he hadn''t blinked once. Sessfully closed the rift? ''What a joke.'' This wasn''t my sess. He had ''allowed'' it. What could he be thinking at this moment? I bit my lip as I stared directly into those eyes. "...We''ll meet again." Crash! The riftpletely copsed, and only then did everyone sink to the ground, as if their strength had left them. Thud! "...Thought I was going to die." "...Was that truly an Abyssal Evil?" "The Elder, how did he..." "That spear I saw, what was..." Everyone seemed shocked by different aspects of what had happened. That''s when Barundel ran over with a worried expression. "...Yuhan! Are you alright?" "...Ah, yes, I''m fi-" I tried to say I was fine but couldn''t finish the sentence. Before I knew it, I lost my bnce and started to stagger. ''...Well, of course.'' It made sense since I had done so much while in such an abnormal condition. "Leave the rest to me... get some rest for now." Barundel said as he supported me. I wanted to refuse since there was still a mountain of work left to be done but I couldn''t get the words out. In Fact even my vision was spinning. Barundel seemed to understand my inability to decide and urged me to rest. "Excessive enthusiasm always breeds poison. You''ve done more than enough." "...Is that so." ...Then that''s good. Before I could even finish that thought, my vision wentpletely dark. It had been, truly, one hell of a long day. *** Bubble bubble- I woke to the sound of something boiling. The first thing I saw was the back of a man wearing an apron. And that person was... "Awake, are you?" It was Barundel. ...Damn, an apron on that build. Though it made me a bit queasy, there were more important things to discuss. "Did everything... get resolved?" "Fortunately, yes. The rift was closed safely, and the guards who arrivedter cleaned up the remaining stragglers." Phew, that''s a relief. I would''ve been really stressed if there had been problems with the aftermath. But anyway... "...Where is this?" "My home. It''s not spacious, butfortable enough, wouldn''t you say?" At Barundel''s proud words, I looked around more carefully. Cloth-covered wooden furniture like sofas, tables, and cabs, their charm enhanced by yellow lighting. An ivory rug covered the floor, and small potted nts and decorations sat on the shelves. Add to that the mouth-watering soup aroma, and just lying here made my body feelnguid. Overall, it felt like a lived-in home. Somehow, it also stirred up a sense of nostalgia. "Yes, it really is. Do you live here alone?" "Well, for now I do." "''For now''?" "I originally had a spouse. Now only photos remain." "Ah..." Barundel calmly changed the subject when he saw my awkward reaction. "No need for that face. It''s ancient history now. By the way, did you know you were out cold for three days?" "What? Three days?" Barundel quietly nodded. ...Damn, no wonder my body felt so refreshed. After sleeping for 72 hours, it would be more strange if I felt tired. "It seems your body entered forced sleep on its own." "Forced sleep... Does this happen often?" "Of course not. Entering forced sleep means your body was pushed to extreme limits. Far beyond our previous physical training." "I see." Seeing Barundel exin it this way, I must have really overdone it. ''There weren''t restrictions like this in the game.'' I feltplicated. If what I experienced wasn''t a dream, I''d received ''Baal''s Gaze.'' Meaning countless dangersid ahead. ''I need to get stronger.'' I couldn''t hold back because of restrictions like this. "Surely there must be some way to deal with this?" "...A solution? Just don''t overexert yourself, isn''t that enough?" "I don''t think that''s going to work." Reading the determination in my eyes, Barundel nodded once and sat at the table. In his hands was the silver pot he''d been stirring all this time. "This seems like it''ll be a long conversation, so let''s talk over food. I prepared some for you too, help yourself." "...Yes, thank you." Idled some of Barundel''s mysterious soup into my mouth without a second thought. The warmth spread down my throat. The surprising thing was that it tasted better than expected. It could easily rival the soups from Sector 6''s restaurants that cost two gold coins each. ''...Is cooking his hobby?'' This was the kind of taste that would take years of consistent practice to achieve. A demon hunter with cooking as a hobby. I seemed to be discovering more unexpected sides to Barundel. He spoke after I''d taken about three spoonfuls of soup. "Seems it''s to your liking?" "Yes, this is the most proper cooking I''ve had." "Haha, d to hear it. I''m quite confident in my cooking. But anyway... mind if I ask you something?" "Of course." Barundel tapped the table thoughtfully before speaking. "What''s your goal?" "...My goal?" "What are you running so hard towards, I mean." "Hmm." A goal, huh. I''m not sure why he''s asking this, but my goal was clear. To defeat Baal and return to my original world. But I couldn''t just blurt out something so oundish. "To be a hunter. One who won''t lose to any demon." That exnation should suffice. It wasn''t entirely a lie either, since I''d need to officially be a demon hunter to achieve my real goal anyway. "Just as I thought." Barundel stroked his chin as if he''d expected this answer. He didn''t seem particrly suspicious. "You''re choosing a difficult path." "It''s not an easy one, certainly." "Then I should at least help you along that path." Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Barundel continued our earlier conversation. "The way to ovee the forced sleep restriction is simple. This too is a problem arising from insufficient physical conditioning." "You mean more physical training will solve it?" "That''s right. Probably afterpleting the third stage, forced sleep won''t hold you back anymore." That was fortunate. I needed to keep training my body consistently to achieve ''that build'' anyway. This just meant I had another reason to train more quickly. "Would it be possible to start this evening?" "The training? Your body probably hasn''t fully recovered yet... How about starting tomorrow? There''s still much to tell you." "Time isn''t exactly on my side." "Do you have some schedule?" A schedule. Well, I suppose you could call it that. Though it wasn''t just my schedule. ''About a month left, huh.'' I''d spent two months in Aldeon. Which meant, if the information I''d heard was correct, in roughly a month... A crisis woulde to Asteron. A crisis known as the [Prophecy of the Blood Moon]. When I thought about what would happen then, there was a mountain of things I had to prepare for from now on. After all, I''d have to face a ''Demon army Commander.'' A Demon army Commander was a true demon, iparable to any demons I''d seen so far. "...There''s that look again." Of course, even such beings wouldn''t be able to stop me. *** Meanwhile, in the deepest, darkest part of the Demon realm. Rumble! The being seated on the imperial throne with his head tilted back emitted an ominous demonic energy. He resorted to it whenever he was deep in thought. "...!" As his subordinates were unable to handle the pressure emanating from him, he paid no attention to their silent groans. He continued thinking only about one human man. ''That one...'' A man with ck hair and ck eyes. Though clearly a first encounter, something felt familiar. ¡®Why was that?¡¯ After much contemtion, an image shed through his mind, and he finally found his answer. ''...The eyes.'' It must be because their eyes were simr. Like that man from 300 years ago who''d foolishly issued him a challenge. Baal still... couldn''t forget the fighting spirit in that man''s eyes, and the ck-haired man had shown the exact same look. And that was... "It''s been a while." It was a wee change for someone who had been bored most of the days due to the curse of eternal life. "Seems I''ve found a new toy." Bzzt-bzzt-bzzt! Along with intense demonic energy, he slowly raised his hand. Then. Swoosh! "..." A being quietly rose from its ce. A being he had revived by directly injecting his demonic energy. "The Aldeon Magic Tower Head, was it?" Baal opened his mouth softly as he saw the being called the Tower Head in the human world. "I hope this will be an entertaining fight." *** [Trantor - Vani] [Proofreader - Kawaii] Chapter 31 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 31 That evening, we had two conversations. One was about what would happen in the next three days, and the other was to gauge each other''s growth. Simply put, we had a physical conversation. Bzzt! My magic crackled. ng! Lightning shed against his hammer. It was a battle where one wrong move could be fatal, but perhaps because we had been through so much, I didn''t feel as much tension as I expected. It seemed the same for Barundel. "You said the elders of Aldeon were all arrested by the Security Bureau?" "By now, they''ve probably been investigated and transferred to a detention center." "Even though they''re the elders of a big magic tower, they''re in a detention center... They''re certainly efficient." "It was a big enough incident to turn the inner district upside down, so they wouldn''t have had any other choice." With that, Barundel ended our standoff. Suddenly, Barundel''s figure erged in my vision. Whoosh! He swung his hammer again. Did he train in the meantime? Somehow, he was much faster than before. However... Boom! A pir of fire erupted from the training ground floor, blocking Barundel''s charge. Failing his surprise attack, Barundel frowned and brushed off the soot from his body. "I''ve never seen that magic before... When did you learn such a trick?" "Who would teach me something like this? I just studied hard." "...Alone? Ha, are you some kind of monster?" "Isn''t that a bit riching from someone who''s perfectly fine after taking a direct hit?" "Anyone can do it if they have a proper body. That''s why they say the best armor is your own flesh." This wasn''t new information to me. I had already experienced how much a strong body could aplish through my zombie swordsman character in the game. However, that was just a game. Seeing a dwarf who was perfectly fine after being hit by a pir of fire in person filled me with admiration. It was also a bit disheartening. Honestly, I had set it up hoping for at least a minor burn... ''Just how high is this guy''s fire resistance?'' My evaluation of Barundel was rising day by day. "So, is this all I need to know?" "Ah, I almost forgot. That impertinent silver-haired knight had a message for you." "...Silver-haired?" There was only one person with silver hair around. Shuharn Philedia. Only then did I remember him and reflexively looked at my chest, but thankfully, my heart was intact. "...What did he want you to tell me?" "''There won''t be a next time'' is what he said... I don''t know what he meant either. He just said you''d understand." "Ah." It seemed Shuharn had decided not to kill me for the time being. I didn''t know what kind of change of heart that guy, who used to lick his lips whenever he saw me, had gone through. ...Well, maybe it was some kind of reward for closing the rift. Or maybe it was to uphold a knight''s honor. Of course, he doesn''t seem like the type to care about honor. "Ah, he also told me to tell you that you won''t be chased by bounty hunters anymore. Were you a wanted man?" To even lift the bounty... It was certainly good for me, but it made me even more suspicious. There''s no way that bastard would be kind for no reason. Something was fishy. I decided to think about the reasonter and opened my mouth. "Yes, somehow I ended up... It wasn''t a big deal. Asternon is a ce where they issue wanted posters for anything, you know." "That''s true. I was once falsely used. It was when I went hunting like any other day..." Was he bored for the past few months? Barundel went on and on about what he had been through. I kept himpany for a while and then decided to end the conversation. "Anyway, shall we stop here for today? I think you''ve grasped my physical abilities by now." "Of course." Barundel nodded with a serious look on his face. "Be prepared from tomorrow. The second stage of training will be really tough. Potions won''t help either." Potions won''t work...? "That''s good news." I didn''t know how the training I had only experienced in games would proceed, but I wasn''t afraid. Growth alwayses with pain. Then, greater pain would bring greater growth. "...The more I see you, the more I think you''re a strange person." "Is that so?" I smiled and started to gather my things. I didn''t have much to pack. A small amount of gold coins I earned from quests before entering Aldeon, the [Holy Staff], the basic light magic book I received from the magic tower. And the now shattered [Hard Leather Armor] set. It had served its purpose by withstanding the attacks of the Magic Tower Master, but I couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness. "Are you leaving now?" "I have to. I need to find a new ce to stay, and there are many ces I need to visit." "You''re a busy man. I was hoping to have that drink we missed out onst time." "Haha... Don''t be too disappointed. There might be something more valuable than a drink." "...Something more valuable?" "I''ll tell you when it''s confirmed." "Hmm, alright." "Then I''ll be going." With that, I left the training ground. The fresh air, which couldn''t be replicated by the clean magic cast on the magic tower, weed me. A unique and refreshing grassy scent that I couldn''t smell on Earth. "I love the outdoors." Breathing in the fresh air, I quickly nned my next steps. ''After finding a ce to stay... then the information center. Ah, I should meet Lena on the way. It''s time to find out about Ka. I wonder if she''s arrived in Sector 6 by now?'' I had so many things to do that I felt like I needed two bodies. Of course, there was one thing that took priority over everything else. ''...I should go to the detention center first.'' I had to visit the elder of Aldeon. Not only to grasp the whole story of the incident, but above all... Woooong! "Ha, really... What is this?" I had to hear the reason why my light magic had be so perfect. The magic I couldn''t use during my training with Barundel. I extinguished the radiant light, now so wless that no weakness could be found, and took a heavy step forward. *** A massive stone building stood near the Security Bureau in Sector 6. Guards in iron armor were stationed around it. As expected, security was tight, as it was a ce that housed various criminals. However, now that I was no longer a wanted man, There was no need for me to be intimidated. "Aidan Tyron. Is he there?" "Your business?" "I''d like to request a visit." "Scan your ID card first." Beep. The warden, dressed in a ck uniform, manually recorded the information that appeared on the device and gestured for me to follow. I felt it wasx that the procedure ended with just scanning the ID card, but that thought disappeared as soon as I entered. ''...How many people have they deployed?'' Security was airtight, not only outside but also inside. There were at least two guards stationed at every corner. Even their posture and aura... all seemed to be at least semi-knights. It meant that it would be nearly impossible to try anything foolish. ''It wasn''tx, they were just confident.'' "Wait here." I was led to the visiting room by the warden. After waiting for a while, a familiar figure appeared beyond the transparent ss wall. Long gray hair and a simrly long beard. A thin body with wrinkles and dull skin. It was Aidan Tyron, the Vice-Tower Head of Aldeon and the 2nd elder. ''He certainly looks the same as before...'' But for some reason, the authority I felt when I first saw him was gone. Maybe it was because he was wearing a prison uniform. "...Yuhan." "Have a seat." The 2nd elder nodded slightly and sat down. "..." A brief silence followed. I stared at him through the transparent ss wall, somehow looking frail, and then opened my mouth. "Don''t you have anything to say?" The 2nd elder seemed to be contemting something before speaking with a determined look. "...You were right. I was the foolish one." The 2nd elder said so and lowered his head. His slightly trembling voice and pale face showed how much guilt he was feeling. It was somewhatical. Despite having countless chances to change his choice, he only truly regretted it after being imprisoned. Honestly, considering I was ''watched'' because of these guys, I felt like running over and punching him right now... "...Well, that''s not important." It was water under the bridge. There was no point in dwelling on it now. Instead, I decided to use the limited visiting time more efficiently. "Rather than that, please exin in detail now. What motivated Aldeon, why did they do such a thing, and how did the process unfold?" "Don''t you already know?" "Well, I do, but hearing it from the person involved is different." "...Alright." The 2nd elder didn''t refuse and began to exin the details of the incident. Most of it was what I already knew, but some of it waspletely new information. "So, you''re saying that the ''revtion'' the Magic Tower Head mentioned was the work of a demon?" "It''s shameless of me to realize it now... but yes." "Why do you think so?" "There''s no other exnation, is there? The God of Light wouldn''t collude with a demon. This must be the work of some demon who can manipte people''s dreams." "If that''s the case..." "You''re right. It must be a demon legionmander. Or at least someone on par with them." "...Damn it." I wanted to dismiss it as nonsense, but I couldn''t. Because I remembered a demon legionmander who was more than capable of doing such a thing. ''If it''s a demon rted to dreams, it can only be that guy.'' Asmodeus, the demon of desire. He was the one who forcibly amplified the desires inherent in people. That ability could also manifest in the form of dreams. By showing the target what they crave through dreams, and even how to obtain it, he maximized their desire. More importantly, ''...What Asmodeus shows is not an illusion.'' The way to fulfill the desire he showed was not a false illusion or fantasy. If you followed his instructions, you could realize that desire in some way. Although the result wouldn''t be good. Like Dercion, who was dragged into the abyss of evil. Anyway, ''Then the change in my light magic...'' It meant that Dercion''s desire was realized. By summoning Baal, through the medium of ''me''. Simply put, it meant that the ''true light'' was in my hands. The problem was, what did the true light mean...? "ording to the records... Once every 1,000 years, a being who conveys stories through light appears." I asked the 2nd elder about it, and- "And the power that transcends that level... we call it the ''true light''." A shocking answer came back. A being who conveys stories. And the power that transcends it. It was the moment I realized why the light I emitted was so perfect. "...Huh." It seems that my legendary tier trait obtained from [Essence of Light]... ''...has grown into a ''mythic tier trait.'' [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 32 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 32 The traits obtained through the [Essence of Light] can be grown to a maximum of one stage higher. Common tier to Rare tier, Rare tier to Heroic tier, Heroic tier to Legendary tier. Therefore, obtaining a Legendary tier trait with the [Essence of Light] meant that it could be grown to a ''Mythic'' tier trait. I didn''t have high expectations. As far as I know, it would take a very long time for a trait obtained through the Essence to grow. But. ''Did it really grow...?'' Looking back at the situation based on the 2nd Elder''s words, it seemed that my trait had indeed grown. From Legendary tier to Mythic tier. ...It''s unbelievable, but that seems to be the case. Otherwise, there''s no way to exin why my light magic has be perfect. ''What''s the condition?'' It wouldn''t have grown without any reason. I carefully retraced the intricately intertwined situation. The ''revtion'' presumably descended by the Demon of Desire, Asmodeus. Dercion, who tried to see the ''true light'' with the reckless n of using the magic tower personnel to defeat Baal. And my trait, which grew despite the failure of that reckless n. There must be something I missed somewhere... ''...No way?'' Suddenly, a thought came to mind. There are generally two ways to grow a trait obtained through the [Essence of Light]. Hunt arge number of demons, or hunt a demon legionmander. But what if that wasn''t all? What if there was another growth condition that I didn''t know about...? All the puzzle pieces fit perfectly. ''...Confronting Baal was the condition for the growth of the trait.'' There''s actually a rumor about that. The rumor that ''The Light of Aldeon grows just by facing Baal''. Since my light magic has grown, it''s reasonable to assume that the rumor is true-. "Time''s up." Before my thoughts could end, the supervisor informed me that the visit was over. "...I''ll be going." Still, most of the questions I had were resolved. Satisfied with this much, I got up from my seat. "...Farewell." I didn''t specifically mention to the 2nd Elder that my magic had grown. There would be no benefit for me in letting them know this. Above all, they didn''t deserve to know that the ''true light'' they desired had been born. Thud, thud-. I left the detention center without looking back and moved to the next location. Perhaps it was because I realized that I had been given two Mythic tier traits. My shoulders felt strangely heavy. *** After leaving the detention center, I headed to the [Information Center]. To check if there were any further changes to ''The Prophecy of the Blood Moon'' I had heard two months ago. "Long time no see, crazy mage." As before, a man dressed entirely in ck greeted me. I nodded once and sat down familiarly. "So, what brings you here today?" "I came to check if there were any changes to the prophecy you mentionedst time." " The Prophecy of the Blood Moon, you mean?" "Yes." The man rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a document. "There aren''t any major changes. The prophecy wille true in a month, as scheduled." "Is there any information about the invasion?" "About that... here." Tap, tap. The man tapped a part of the document. There was a miniature map of Asternon drawn on it. The man pointed to the outskirts of Sector 6, where the 4th Wall was located. It was also the ce I used when I crossed over from Sector 7 to Sector 6. "There have been reports of frequent magical energy observations in this area recently. It''s still faint, but it seems highly likely that they will invade this way." "So, it won''t be a war within the sector. How is the royal family responding?" "Nothing has been decided yet, but ording to our agent, an announcement will be made soon. They''re nning to mobilize the frontline troops, mercenary groups, hunters, and the Royal Knights. Oh, and they''re also epting volunteers." "...I see." Hearing that the Royal Knights would be mobilized relieved me of some worry. Mobilizing the Royal Knights meant that the royal family was also paying close attention to this war. Then, all I need to do is focus on my growth and preparing for the war. And for that... "There''s one piece of information I''d like to request." "A request? Hmm, tell me. I can get you almost anything." "I''d like to get a list of people researching ''light'' magic in Asternon." First, I needed to learn about the Mythic tier trait I possess. Even I don''t have information on the Mythic tier trait obtained through the [Essence of Light]. To grow, I needed to understand its exact effects, and for that, I needed to visit a researcher. ''Of course, that researcher has to be someone trustworthy.'' Naturally, mages can also conduct research, but fundamentally, researchers seemed more trustworthy than mages, who are generally greedy. If there''s no one suitable, I''ll do it myself. "Light magic... Okay. It will take about a week." "What''s the cost?" "Including the previous information, just give me 20 gold coins." ...This ce is good, but it''s expensive. 20 gold coins is the amount I could earn by taking on two requests. It seems like I''ll quickly use up all the gold coins I worked hard to earn before entering the magic tower. ''...Should I start an information center myself?'' With that idle thought, I hand over the gold coins. "...Here you go." "Heh heh, see you in a week." Leaving the guy with the creepy smile behind, I left the information center. The next ce I headed to was the [Request Office]. Creak-. As I entered through the back door I usedst time, Lena, who was wiping sses at the bar, looked up. And as soon as she saw me, her eyes widened. "Oh... you''re back?" Her eyes held a mixture of surprise and worry. Like a puppy with a treat in front of it, her lips twitched. But Lena didn''t readily speak. Perhaps, having heard the rumors about Aldeon, she was being cautious about asking first. I decided to relieve her curiosity without dy. "I seeded in the request." "...Really?" Lena''s eyes widened once again. Her face showed she hadn''t expected it at all. "I heard that ce was in an uproar... Did you really gather all the information?" "Yes, all four of them." "Wow..." With a small gasp of admiration, Lena beckoned me inside. Her gesture conveyed a sense of urgency. I entered the cramped space where I had received the requestst time, and sat facing Lena in the same ce, still crammed with request forms. She brushed her hair back once and made a serious face. "Then tell me. What in the world happened at the magic tower? I was dying of curiosity." And that face quickly turned to shock as I began to speak. "So... Aldeon was raising demons in captivity, and using them to kill mages who applied for the evaluation as sacrifices...? To open a passage to the demon world." "That''s right. Aldeon''s goal was to summon and defeat Baal. The demons, the evaluation, the opening of the magic tower after 100 years. All of it was a foundation for that." "Huh..." Lena let out a dumbfoundedugh and voiced her doubts, as if something felt off. "Then why did they release the rest of you in the first ce?" "They needed someone to spread the word. If things went south, the troops sent from Asternon would be reinforcements. And that''s exactly what happened." "What kind of life do you have to live to have that kind of thought process?" "...Well." The exnation continued, and Lena''s anger reached the point of pounding on the table. Bang! "...So all of that is because of one magic spell? On what grounds...!" "I''m not sure, but... It seems like they fell for Asmodeus'' scheme." "...Asmodeus? Are you talking about the Demon of desires?" "Yes. He stimted Dercion''s desires through dreams." "Huh..." Lena rubbed her forehead, looking troubled. It seemed like this unbelievable situation was giving her a lot to think about as well. After a while, Lena began to organize her thoughts. "...Okay, I understand. I''ll organize the information you gave me and deliver it to the client." "When will I receive the promised Pendant of Holy Oil and the gold coins?" "You''ll probably be contacted soon. The client will surely be satisfied with this level of information." "Good." Thud, Lena put down the pen she was taking notes with and stared at me. "You''re really something. I didn''t think you''d actually seed in this impossible request." "I don''t take on requests I can''t seed in." "You''re still unlucky." "..." Seeing me speechless, Lena let out a smallugh and said, "So, what are you going to do now?" "About what?" "I was wondering if you''d like some requests if you don''t have any particr ns. There are quite a few lucrative requests these days." "Ah." The mention of lucrative requests made me consider for a moment, but I quickly dismissed the thought. Right now, there were more important things than earning money through requests. "I don''t think I can take any for the time being. I still have a lot to deal with." "Well, alright. Requestse in often, soe by when you need them." "Okay." With that, I said goodbye to Lena and left the Request Office. The sun had already set, and the sky was dark. ''I should find a ce to stay soon.'' Just as I made that decision and was about to take a step, A man suddenly approached me. "Are you Mr. Yuhan?" He had his hair swept to the side and was dressed neatly. A face I''d never seen before. I nodded, and the man began to introduce himself. "I am Jeff Braidan from the Asternon Academy. I am currently serving Mr. Roan Vilgef on behalf of the academy." "Roan Vilgef? Did he send you?" "Yes, Mr. Roan asked me to bring you to him." Only then did I slightly lower my guard. It seemed Roan had something to say to me. "How did you know I was here?" "...Tracking magic is my specialty. I apologize if you were offended. Your whereabouts were quite unclear..." "...Well, it''s alright. As long as there were no ill intentions." "Of course, I had no such intentions." "That''s a relief." Jeff smiled and pointed to the carriage behind him. "If you don''t mind, could you pleasee with me?" "Where are we going?" "The Hope Bar in the central district of Sector 6. It''s also a building owned by the Vilgef family." If we were leaving Sector 6, I would have refused, but that wasn''t the case. ''If it''s in the central district, it''s where I have to go to find a ce to stay anyway.'' I made a quick decision. "Alright. Let''s go." I followed Jeff''s guidance and got into the carriage. Whether it was owned by a noble family or the academy, the ride was quitefortable. I leaned back against the soft cushions and organized my chaotic thoughts. Before long, I heard a knock. "Mr. Yuhan, we''ve arrived." "Yes." As I stepped into the Hope Bar, I saw familiar faces. "Oh! The first ce guy is here! Are you alright?" Mr. Thompson, with whom I had joined forces to catch the basilisk. "You''vee." Roan Vilgef, a true magic genius, though I didn''t know his inner thoughts. "The top ranker has appeared." "...We''ve been waiting." And the other mages who had risked their lives with me. Gathered around a round table, they were all smiles, weing me with bright faces. ...Had they grown fond of each other in such a short time? Seeing them made me feel like my mind, which had been stiff all day, was finally rxing. With a smile on my face, I took a light step forward. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 33 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 33 They said it was the first time they had gathered like this since escaping the magic tower, and the conversation didn''t stop. It started with gossip about the now-deceased Head of the Magic Tower, then moved on to their own heroic deeds in battle, insights into magic, and so on. And now, the conversation had flowed to the story of when I closed the rift. "Does everyone remember when the first-ce guy moved alone? I still can''t forget that scene!" "...It was amazing." "Yuhan, how were you able to move like that?" "Just don''t be scared." "Damn, he''s so lucky." I gave him a ''what can you do'' look and was about to take a gulp of beer when I noticed someone who was unusually quiet and not participating. It was Rief. Putting down my ss, I casually asked, "What''s wrong with you?" "Huh? Ah..." Rief seemed to ponder for a moment before opening his mouth. "...Thinking about that time still makes me feel pathetic." "Pathetic? Why do you think that? Didn''t you fight well, unlike during the evaluation?" "That''s true, but..." Rief bit his lip, looking frustrated. "That''s not the issue. It''s just... I''m too weak now." "Hmm." I think I understood what he meant. When the rift opened, Rief fought well, but he didn''t achieve anything significant. The same was true for the other mages. "Well, except for Thompson, Roan, and Yuhan... we were just insignificant side characters." "...That''s true." They were all gloomy now, despite having been boasting about how amazing they were just moments ago. The atmosphere became awkwardly subdued. Perhaps they were feeling frustrated, remembering their shorings. I decided to lighten the ufortable mood. "Stop being so down. It''s not the first or second time. That''s even more pathetic." "...What?" "You guys were clearly courageous and became better mages. But if you''re not satisfied with the results, what do you think you should do?" "..." No one could readily answer. It wasn''t that they didn''t know. The answer was very simple. Realizing this, they started murmuring. "...You''re saying we should work harder." "...Yeah, you''re right, Yuhan. Nothing will get better if we just stay dejected like this." Meanwhile, Rief, who had been deep in thought with his eyes closed, raised his head with a determined look. "Yuhan, I want to be like you. What kind of effort should I make to do that?" He wanted to know how to be like me... It was a wee question. It was something I was going to bring up first even if he hadn''t asked. "First, you need to remodel your weak body. I happen to know a good training center to introduce you to." "Training center? Are you telling me to train my body now?" "If you don''t want to, don''t do it. But you need to know one thing: you''ll never be like me without physical training." "..." Seeing Rief lost in thought, I egged him on a bit more. "Are you going or not?" "...Will I be able to be like you if I go there?" "The result depends on your effort." It was a lie. No matter how hard this guy tries, he won''t be able to catch up to me with two Mythic tier traits. But what does it matter? As long as he grows, the result doesn''t matter. Not everyone needs to live their lives aiming for the peak. "Then I''ll go." It didn''t take long for Rief to nod. Then, the others, who had been listening quietly, followed suit. "Mr First-ce! Can I go too?" "I was thinking of visiting the Tower of Fire... but I guess I''ll have to postpone that." "Yuhan, please introduce me to that ce too." "Alright." They were all guys with simr pain. I turned my head towards the one who hadn''t said anything yet. "Roan, aren''t you going?" "I''m fine. I don''t think physical training is... very meaningful." Roan firmly refused. "Well, alright... It''s up to you." I didn''t push him any further. With a Legendary tier trait, he would be above others no matter what he did. Just as I was thinking that, "Um, Yuhan." Roan nudged me and spoke softly. "Let''s talk for a moment." "Talk?" Roan gestured for me toe outside with a flick of his hand behind his back. He didn''t speak until we were outside the bar. "Yuhan, you know I''m part of the academy, right?" "Yeah, I even heard that you''re the top student. Why?" "I want to invite you to our academy." "...The academy? Suddenly?" Swoosh! Roan nodded once and suddenly cast a spell. A small de appeared above his palm. It was an ice spear, Roan''s specialty. "You used magic simr to this when you closed the rift, right?" "I did." "Can you summon it?" I didn''t know his intentions, but I followed Roan''s words for now. A spear of light, the same size as Roan''s ice spear, appeared above my palm. "Compare them. Your spear and my spear." "Hmm." As I carefullypared the spears as Roan suggested, I noticed a few differences. ''It feels more refined.'' The size and design were simr, but Roan''s ice spear was more detailed and sophisticated. But... what was the point of this? "Isn''t this just a difference in skill?" I''ve only used this magic twice. This could be attributed to the difference in skill level. But Roan didn''t seem to think so. He then made another request. "Then this time, create the principle behind this spear, the magic circle, I mean." "Magic circle..." I closed my eyes and thought about the principles of the spear of light. But it didn''te to mind easily. I wondered how I had used the magic in this state. Meanwhile, Roan disyed a very borate and detailed magic circle beside me. "Do you understand now?" At this point, I think I understood what Roan was trying to say. "Are you saying my learning iscking?" "That''s right. Your magical talent is tremendous, to the point that even I can''t keep up. But that''s not enough. For more perfect magic, you need systematic education. That''s why I''m inviting you to the academy." Simply put, he was telling me to join the academy through a backdoor and receive magic education. "Hmm." Certainly, it seemed like I needed that kind of process. Actually, until now, I had only been imitating the magic I saw in the game. As Roan said, if I went to the academy and received formal education, my level would definitely improve. Furthermore, I might be able to research my light magic trait with the help of the academy. However, the question that arises here is, "Why are you trying to help me?" I don''t understand this guy''s intentions. Even though we''ve be close after going through a few situations together, this kindness is inevitably suspicious. This is a world where you never know when you might get backstabbed. And Roan''s answer was simpler than I expected. "I want to properly confirm the level of the person I need to surpass." To determine the truth, I looked into Roan''s eyes. His eyes held a firm determination. The determination to surpass me. It wasn''t a situation I would avoid. No, it was rather good. "You''ll regret it." "That won''t happen." "..." I definitely warned him, right? *** The next day. Training took ce in the morning because I had promised Roan to go to the academy in the evening. So I asked Barundel for his understanding and moved the training time to the morning. "Focus more, more on your senses!" While I was training hard like that, mages visited the training center. Barundel''s eyes widened at the sight of the noble mages rushing in. "Oh, you''re here?" "Yuhan, who are these people...?" "These are the mages who will be training here from today." "Is that true...?" "Yes." Just then, Rief approached and bowed politely. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I am Rief of the Hermon family." Following suit, the others also bowed their heads, each offering a greeting. "Huh..." Barundel looked at me in disbelief at the sight of the nobles bowing politely. "Didn''t I promise to bring you clients?" "Yuhan, you really are..." Was he so happy to have clients? Barundel, his voice choked with emotion, cleared his throat with difficulty. "Ahem! Raise your heads, mages. I have something to say before we begin the training." They raised their heads and looked at Barundel. Their eyes were filled with passion. "The training we do is by no means ordinary. If you approach it with a half-hearted attitude, you''ll get hurt badly. Especially for mages who haven''t used their bodies much. Are you sure you''re alright with this?" Their passion did not fade despite Barundel''s warning. "Yes!" A resounding answer. It was certainly a sight to behold... but it brought back unpleasant memories for me. ''When I first came here... I was just as energetic as them.'' And what happened? Ah, right. I stretched out my hand and covered Rief''s eyes, who was standing at the very front. "...What are you doing, Yuhan?" "Rief, what do you see?" "I don''t see anything." "That''s your future." [TL/N: ??] "..." He definitely had a nightmare that night. *** 8 hours after the training started. The smell of sweat filled the training center, and the sunset glow wasing through the window. That''s when Roan came looking for me. "Oh, aren''t you the mage who shot the ice spear that time?" "It''s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I''m Roan Vilgef. I''m here to pick up Yuhan..." Roan stopped mid-sentence. He had seen the scene before him. "What... is this?" More precisely, he saw the guys sprawled on the floor. Groans wereing from all over the ce. "Ugh... I''m dying!" "Damn it...! Why can''t I move my arms?!" "...I can''t get up." Some had fainted, and some were constantly gulping down potions. Roan, with a dissatisfied look on his face, asked me, "Is this the training you were talking about yesterday?" "Yes. It looks like this, but it''s very effective." "You''re doing something pointless." "...Huh?" At Roan''s words, the people sprawled out behind him got up. "Pointless?" "Wouldn''t studying magic be a much more efficient way to grow in this time?" Roan said firmly. Of course, hearing those words didn''t change my mind. ''Training the body has beneficial effects on magic.'' This is the result of countless tests in the game. The problem is... "Are we doing something pointless...?" The other mages who were training hard were being swayed by Roan''s words. ''...They have so little faith.'' In the end, I decided to step up. "Roan, do you really think so? That physical training doesn''t help with magic?" "Of course. Building basic stamina... well, it''s not bad, but learning magic would be a hundred times better than this intense training." "Really? Is that so?" Whoosh! I threw the practice staff I had prepared for the others to Roan. Roan, who caught it, tilted his head and asked, "...What is this?" If you use magic with this practice staff, the power is reducedpared to actual magic. Because of this, no matter how strong the magic used, it wouldn''t be life-threatening. In other words, you can fight freely. "Let''s have a match, Roan." It seemed necessary to (properly) educate this blond noble who was ignorantly muddying the waters. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 34 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 34 "Aren''t you going to do it?" The man in front of him was tantly provoking him, his eyes twitching. Looking at him, Roan thought, How did things end up like this? ''...I buttoned the first button wrong.'' Everything that happened was his fault. The day they first met and talked in the library, Roan underestimated him from that moment on. That underestimation led to his continuous defeats, and now it has evene to the point of being vaguely ignored. However, honestly, it was unfair. Anyone who had experienced that situation would have judged the same way. ''His mana was a bit unique, that was all.'' No special magical knowledge, no magical reaction. Except for the unique mana, there was nothing special about the man. But who would have thought that such a man would achieve far superior results than him in the evaluation? It was unfair. And this duel was also an opportunity to resolve that unfairness and solidify his position. ''...I am Roan Vilgef.'' Roan closed his eyes and thought about himself. The top student of the academy. A rising star of the academy. The pride of the Vilgef family. And, a once-in-a-generation genius mage. That was who he was. Therefore. When he opened his closed eyes, Roan''s expression was bright. "Alright. Let''s do it, the duel." He hated to admit it, but that man''s magical talent was truly monstrous. But whether that would determine the oue of this duel was another matter. Roan had the excellent magical knowledge and experience he had umted. Roan bet on himself as the winner of this duel. "I like that you''re cool." Seeing Yuhan smiling, Roan spun the practice staff once. "We''ll see the conclusion of the match we couldn''t finish during the evaluation here." "Was that still an ongoing match? I thought I won." As if to answer Yuhan''s provocation, a chilling ice spear appeared behind Roan. *** The onught of ice spears. Last time, since we were on the same side, I thought it was just a decent magic spell, but when I actually faced it, it was incredibly powerful. If I rxed even a little, I might be a skewer. Shhh! Thud! "Whew..." I take a breath, watching the ice spear that narrowly missed me and stuck into the ground. "...It''s definitely tiring to deal with a mage." "You''re talking as if you''re not a mage." "I''m a bit different." It was when Roan let out a faint smile that I kicked the ground. Thud! The distance closed in an instant. I had felt it when I faced the Valefor subordinate, but I decided that getting close was the best way to deal with a mage. "Hah!" Crack! At close range, the elemental sphere fired from the practice staff exploded near Roan. It was blocked by Roan''s barrier, which boasted a level ofpletion as high as his ice spear. However, I wasn''t disappointed because the attack I was really aiming for was different. "This will hurt a bit." "Oh no...!" Roan, realizing that a magic circle had formed beneath his feet, tried to throw himself away. But. ''Toote.'' He couldn''t avoid it with such slow movements. Unless he was enveloped in electricity like me. Perhaps realizing this, instead of throwing himself away, he swung his staff. Whoosh! Swoosh! At the same time, a chilling coldness swirled around Roan. The cold air, colliding with the fire magic, transformed into white smoke and spread in all directions. Fwoosh! Of course, Roan couldn''t block the fire magic with the cold air he cast in such a short time. It would only buy him a brief moment. But it seemed that was Roan''s goal. Before the fire magic could reach Roan''s body, Crackle! The magic circle helplessly shattered. Roan had dispelled the fire magic. Just like I had dispelled the slick-haired guy''s magic before. ''...That''s surprisingly impressive.'' I knew he was skilled, but he''s even better than I thought. ''Dispelling magic in that split second?'' Could I have done it if it were me? Honestly, I wasn''t sure. That''s how good Roan''s understanding of magic forms is. ''He didn''t disregard physical training for nothing, huh?'' I cleared my thoughts and focused on my senses. Currently, my vision was limited due to the smoke. But it was rather advantageous. Even Roan, with his excellent understanding of magic, wouldn''t be able to block a sudden attack in this situation. ''I have the advantage in speed. I''ll go for it in one go.'' Just as I was thinking that, Ping! The white smoke cleared, and the sound of something cutting through the air reached my ears. And what I saw before my eyes was... "...!!" An ice spear created without any warning. It was rushing straight towards me. At the same time. Crackle! A sudden chill hit me, and ice rising from the ground wrapped around my legs. Thump! Thump! Thump...! Dangerous. Even though I knew it was magic cast with a practice staff, my heart was pounding like crazy, warning me. It was dangerous. The ice spear was already right in front of me, but I couldn''t move with my legs bound by ice. My mind went nk. It was at that moment. ''...'' The crackling noises around me stopped, and I felt every single muscle cell in my body awaken. As if time had slowed down. So it''s true that you get this feeling when you''re extremely focused on something. ''I can dodge it.'' Crackle! I charged my whole body with electricity and bent my back and head backward. It was an instinctive movement. Whoosh! Roan''s ice spear flew past my eyes. A warm liquid flowed from my forehead with a stinging pain. It was around then that the ice binding my legs shattered due to the electric transformation magic. Crack! "What the...!" Thud! With my movement freed, I leaped forward as if possessed by something. An explosive speed iparable to before. I put that momentum into my fist and threw a punch. Crack! Roan quickly put up a barrier, but my fist broke through it and struck Roan''s abdomen. "Ugh!" Roan copsed to the floor with a pained expression. Thick saliva dripped from his mouth. "Good job. That was a good fight." "Damn it...!" I approached Roan and offered him a hand, but he mmed his fist on the ground in frustration. "...Why did my magic...!" He was unusually emotional. Seeing him speak, it seemed he couldn''t ept that his barrier had been broken. I forcibly lifted Roan and said, "It had to break." "...My magic was much more solid than yours." "Yes, it was. But solid magic isn''t necessarily stronger." "...What do you mean?" "I told you. Training helps with magic." "...So you''re saying that came from your physical body?" "That''s right." Roan lowered his head, lost in thought. His mind must be quiteplicated. It must be the first time he''s heard that the physical body affects magic. Perhaps his values as a mage, which he has held until now, might be shaken. ''Well, I can''t do anything about that.'' Ultimately, this was a problem he had to solve himself. I patted Roan''s shoulder and nced back. "..." There, the nine mages who had been watching the duel were standing there speechless. They must have felt something by now. "If you''re done watching, shouldn''t you get back to what you were doing?" The first one to react was Mr. Thompson. "As expected, the answer is training! Woooh!" Thompson gritted his teeth and lifted the iron bar imbued with weight magic. Following him, the others, who had been looking discouraged, started toe to their senses one by one. "I-I will also definitely train!" "Huff! Huff!" "Haaa!" Immediately after the duel with Roan, The training center quickly heated up. *** tter, tter. Inside the carriage provided by the academy. I was inwardly admiring thefortable ride when I turned my head towards the seat next to me. There, Roan was still deep in thought with a serious expression. Unable to bear it any longer, I broke the silence first. "What are you thinking so hard about?" "...Ah. Um." Roan opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say. "...I was just re-examining what magic is all about." "What magic is?" "Yes, but the answer isn''t easy to find. I don''t know how magic came about in the first ce, what the source of mana is, what the rtionship is between magic, the mind, and the body... I don''t know anything. I only realized my own ignorance." "..." This guy really is a natural-born mage. To be grappling with these thoughts for so long, thoughts that I''ve never had and never want to have... "What I''m most curious about is... where were the great mages in history, and Aldeon, trying to reach?" "Now that you mention it..." In the game''s story, mages with some fame always wanted to reach somewhere. Some called it the end of magic or the pinnacle of magic. Aldeon''s goal was also to reach that end using the ''true light''. Anyway, the important thing is that they wanted to reach ''some kind of end''. "The end of magic..." What exactly lies at the end that they so desperately longed for? Maybe because I was ying the mage ss, but I was also curious about this part. Perhaps someday, the time wille when I, too, yearn for that end. But it was too early to worry about such things. Especially now, with the imminent danger in front of us. "It''s not toote to think about that when the timees." In just one month, a great war with demons is scheduled. Now, finding a way to ovee this problem was our top priority. "Hmm, that''s true." Roan nodded, agreeing with my words. "Certainly, our level is too low to be worrying about such things. It''s better to do it after reaching a higher circle." Well, he seems to have taken it in a different sense, but it doesn''t matter. More importantly... "So, have you finished thinking about physical training?" "Ah, yes. I''ve decided to focus only on magic. I''m not confident in using my body, and above all, my talent lies in magic." "I see." It seems he''s decided to go with the orthodox mage build. "Aren''t you going to persuade me more?" "The choice is yours." There was no reason to persuade him further. He was already growing well, and above all, the orthodox mage build wasn''t bad either. In fact, if you don''t have physical abilities like [Former Owner of the Sword Saint], it might be better to focus on magic. As I was thinking that, Roan smiled and said, "The movement you showed at the end of the duel, Yuhan, was truly amazing. It certainly made me think that training isn''t for nothing." Hmm? Sudden praise? "And so?" "Even though I lost the duel... it''s my turn now." "Your turn?" Roan said so and pointed out the window. And there it was. "...The Magic Academy?" There was a ce with a cluster of advanced spires, so developed that it was hard to believe it was the same Asternon. "I''ll show you what kind of results can be achieved by focusing on magic." It waspletely different from the academy 100 years ago, the setting where I yed the game. What in the world happened there? And what will I gain from that ce? "This... is exciting." I wanted to meet those mages, who were mages to their very core, as soon as possible. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 35 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 35 ¡°Dean, this is Yuhan, the one I mentionedst time.¡± ¡°Oh, is this him?¡± Brown beard, sharp eyes, angr jaw. A man reminiscent of a tiger scanned me from head to toe. Based on the conversation with Roan, this must be the Dean... He''s younger than I expected. Maybe in his mid-40s at most. ¡°It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Yuhan.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you. I''m Asion Gale.¡± Dean Gale greeted me with a gentle smile and extended his hand. The moment I casually grasped his outstretched hand... ¡°Ugh.¡± As soon as our hands touched, I felt a strange energy being sucked into my body. It wasn''t a pleasant feeling, so I instinctively raised my mana, but the energy had already coursed through my body and escaped. I red at the Dean with the most unpleasant expression I could muster. ¡°...What did you just do?¡± ¡°Ah, don''t misunderstand. I was simply checking how your mana circuit is structured.¡± ¡®...Checking my circuit?¡¯ It didn''t seem like a lie. If he had any malicious intent, my heart would have reacted first. But that didn''t make it any less unpleasant. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could give me a heads-up next time.¡± I didn''t hide my displeasure, and the Dean let out a heartyugh. ¡°Haha, as Roan said, you''re quite a character. My apologies. I''ll be sure to ask for your permission next time.¡± The Dean said so with another gentle smile. At first nce, it seemed like he was sincerely admitting his mistake, but I wasn''t so sure. Somehow, that smile seemed to carry an inexplicable sense of pressure. Well, maybe it''s because I know this man is the Dean. ¡®He''s at least on par with Dercion.¡¯ Anyway, the important thing was that this man wasparable to a former Aldeon Magic Tower Head. The fact that he could personally perform a mana circuit scan, a service usually requiring a separate request at a private facility, was proof enough of his skill. ¡®No, if we''re just talking aboutbat power, he might be even stronger.¡¯ The mana swirling around the man spoke for itself. Unlike Dercion, who focused on theoretical research like illusion magic and light magic, this man specialized inbat magic. With my guard up, I spoke. ¡°So, how is my mana circuit?¡± I was curious. How exactly is the mana circuit in my body structured? I hadn''t visited a private facility because of the cost, but I figured it would be good to find out now. Just as I was thinking that... ¡°Your mana circuit? Hmm, it''s terrible.¡± ¡°...Excuse me?¡± An unexpected answer. I thought it would at least be decent since I have a mythic tier trait... ¡°Terrible enough to call it that?¡± "It certainly is. Not only is the number of circuits themselves insufficient, but above all, they are arranged in a very inefficient structure for handling mana. To be honest, I wonder how you even used magic with a mana circuit like this." "..." He wonders how I even used magic? I''ve never heard such harsh criticism. ''...But I haven''t felt any difort so far.'' There was no need to be discouraged. I haven''t had any problems using magic so far, and the fact that my circuit is terrible also means that there''s more room for growth. ''I''ll need to add this to my build.'' It seemed like I would need to take some time to restructure my circuit when I had the chance. "By the way, is it true that you surpassed Roan in the Aldeon¡¯s entrance exam?" When I looked up at that question, I saw the Dean with his eyes narrowed. He seemed surprised as well. It was no wonder, considering that someone with such a terrible mana circuit had defeated the Academy''s promising student. I nced at Roan, who seemed somewhat discouraged, and then answered the question. "Yes, well, it just happened... but I still have a lot to learn." "Hmm... Is that so?" The Dean stroked his chin, deep in thought, and then patted my shoulder. "Anyway, wee. I heard you came here today for sightseeing without any particr purpose, so enjoy your stay." "Yes." "Roan, this guest hase to visit us, so make sure he has everything he needs." "Yes, Dean." Roan bowed his head to the Dean and tugged at my sleeve. "Let''s go, Yuhan." This was the beginning of my official tour of the Academy. *** "This is Building A. It mainly consists of facilities for magic research. The spire next to it... is the Academy''s magic tower. It''s where the Dean and many of the directors reside." "It''s incrediblyrge." "It is, indeed. It''s like the heart of the Academy. As such, it also has a very strong defense system." Roan turned his gaze and pointed to the left. "And this is Building C. This is where we''ll be spending most of our time today." "Ah, is this it?" "That''s right. This is the most prestigious academy in Asternon, the Asion Academy. It''s where I study." I examined the building as I listened to Roan''s exnation. Unlike the other buildings, it was a bright color with windows clustered together, and it consisted of two five-story buildings and one single-story building. I pointed to the single-story building and asked, "What''s that building used for? Is it an auditorium?" "Something like that. It''s a ce where we gather for special events or hold duels with mutual consent." "Duels?" "Yes." Seeing studentsing and going, it seemed like duels were quite frequent. ''Is that why Roan is such a good fighter?'' I was wondering where he gained hisbat experience, and it seems like it was through that ce. ''I''ll have to stop by thereter.'' Perhaps if I go there, I can get a sense of how strong the mages of this era are. "Follow me." Roan started walking again, leading the way. He headed towards the five-story building at the very front. As soon as I passed through the entrance, a luxurious lobby greeted me. From the gleaming marble to the massive chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the walls filled with paintings that looked expensive at first nce. If I had entered without knowing this was an academy, I would have mistaken it for the mansion of some famous and wealthy noble. ''...Crazy. Is the Academy overflowing with money?'' It seemed that the status of mages had risen significantlypared to 100 years ago. Otherwise, there''s no way they could have umted such wealth. ''It''s only hard for me, only hard for me.'' As I was feeling a bit envious, Roan, who was looking at a notice on the wall, asked, "If you''re interested, how about observing a ss? I think it would be a good experience." "Observe?" "Yes, there''s one that fits the time perfectly. It''s a ss called ''The Rtionship Between Mana and Attributes.''" "An attribute ss..." I didn''t hesitate for long. "Sure." *** And so, Roan and I arrived at the lecture hall. We took seats in the very back row, and thanks to that, I could feel the other students ncing at me. "They''re quite curious." "This kind of situation isn''tmon. Everyone''s probably curious. It''s not every day that an outsider of their age observes a ss." "Hmm." Indeed, visiting the academy without going through the admission process was a rare urrence even in the game. Creak- Soon, the door to the lecture hall opened, and a middle-aged woman with white hair entered. "Hello, everyone." She had a kind impression, but the aura she exuded was anything but kind. ''...So this is an Academy''s professor.'' Even at the lowest estimate, she was at the level of an elder in the Aldeon. Since it was a ss conducted by such a person, I naturally had high expectations. The professor quickly scanned the students and immediately started the lecture. "Today, as I mentionedst time, we''ll be learning about attributes and thebination of attributes. As you all know, attributes are ssified into two categories: lower attributes and higher attributes..." ''Combination of attributes.'' Thebination of attributes was one of the essential things I needed to learn in order to proceed with my build. I waspletely focused from the beginning. "First, thebination with lower attributes is... like this." Two attributes of mana mixed above the professor''s staff, showing a color I had never seen before. "This is an area that can be easily achieved if you have a proper understanding of the principles of each attribute." It seemed that she was helping students understand by demonstrating magic in this way from time to time. -Magic learning ability increases. Every time she did that, I focused all my attention. Since this wasn''t a lecture that just anyone could attend, I had to make everything the professor was showing me my own. After a while of beingpletely immersed in the lecture... "Now, one by one,e out and trybining attributes." The professor suddenly asked the students to trybining attributes themselves. ''They do this here too?'' I was surprised by the proactive nature of the lecture, but when I nced around, the other students had calm expressions, as if they already knew. This probably wasn''t the first or second time this had happened. Of course, it was a good thing for me. Because I could learn the process of attributebination in more detail. And it was a bonus to see what the level of the academy students was. "Now, trybining them as I''ve shown you." "Yes. Hoo-¡± At the professor''s request, the young man who hade to the front of the lecture hall took a deep breath. And then. Swirl- Mana containing two attributes formed a sphere above the young man''s staff. It was smooth sailing so far. The problem was what came next. "Heave-ho!" As the young man pulled his arms together as if pping with his staff, the two spheres collided violently. It waspletely different from the smoothbination the professor had shown. Poof. The spheres, which had failed to merge, soon created a small explosion and disappeared. "Ugh..." The young man''s face darkened, and the professor patted his shoulder and said, "Try again. I''ll help you this time." "...Yes." With a dejected look, the young man once again floated two spheres and tried tobine them. However, the spheres repelled each other once more. Crackle! Sparks flew as if it was about to explode again. That''s when the professor stepped in. "...Like this." The professor, who was holding the young man''s shoulder, carefully channeled her mana, and the violently shaking spheres instantly stabilized and soon merged. "Wow..." The students let out a chorus of admiration. I was also amazed. ''...This can''t be easy.'' Directly interfering with another person''s mana maniption is not an easy task. In fact, even Ollie Didan, one of the Aldeon elders, couldn''t teach us this way. This meant that the professor''s understanding and control of mana were at a very high level. ''It wouldn''t be bad to slightly adjust my path in this direction.'' Originally, the mage build I had nned didn''t include attending the academy, but I changed my mind a bit. If this was the level of education provided here, it would surely be quite efficient. Of course, since I wasn''t a noble, this would only be possible if I made good use of Roan... but there would be no harm in trying. "...This is how it feels. Thank you, Professor." "Once you have a good understanding of the fire attribute, you''ll be able to do it on your own next time." The attributebination practice continued, and finally, it was Roan''s turn. Whoosh- Roan effortlesslybined the water attribute and the cold attribute to create ice. Well, I had seen ice countless times, so it wasn''t surprising anymore. "As expected of the top student. That was an excellentbination, Roan." "Haha, it was nothing, Professor." Roan shrugged and grinned at me. His face seemed to say, ''You can''t do this, can you?'' ''Did he bring me to this ss just to show off?'' Just as I was having such reasonable doubts... "Professor, I have a favor to ask." "Hmm? What is it?" "I was wondering if it would be alright to have Yuhan, who came to observe today, give it a try." "Oh?" He pointed at me with that annoying smirk again. Yeah, it seems like... he was right. He brought me here to boost his own ego. "That''s a good idea. Would you be okay with that, Yuhan¡­?" "Yes, I''ll give it a try." Well, there''s no reason for me to refuse. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 36 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 36 "...Hoo." Thud, thud. I slowly caught my breath and started walking. My mind was still filled with the lecture I had just heard. -This is an area that can be easily achieved if you have a proper understanding of the principles of each attribute. -The most important thing in attributebination is to prevent the attributes from ovepping. -The principle is the same for higher attributes, although the form is a bit moreplex. But mastering themes first. I had learned enough theory. But theory and practice werepletely different things. Would I be able to do it? ''I think I canbine lower attributes.'' Fire, water, earth, electricity, wind, cold, and so on. Combining these, which were called lower attributes, shouldn''t be too difficult for me with the [Prodigy of Magic] trait. In fact, even the academy students with ordinary talent had seeded inbining attributes. The problem was... ''Higher attributes... I''m not sure.'' Even I couldn''t guarantee that I couldbine higher attributes like light and darkness. But right now, I was in a ce where a professor from a prestigious academy was directly observing me. Therefore, it was better to try abination that was difficult to master alone. Well, it did sting a little to think that Roan''s ego would get inted... ''Growthes first.'' I decided to try and master the attributebination with this opportunity and stood up. "Let me know if you need any help." I nodded at the professor''s words and held up the [Holy Staff]. And I carefully floated a sphere imbued with the light attribute. Whoosh! The light was just bright enough to be dazzling when looked at directly. It was a mythic-tier light, but I deliberately lowered its level, considering the repercussions it could cause. Whoosh! Next, I floated a sphere imbued with the water attribute. Water, along with light, would be my main attribute. "It''s abination of the water attribute, which is free in form transformation, and the light attribute, which is difficult to transform. Interesting, isn''t it?" "I''m not sure if it will work." With those words, I closed my eyes. Since this was my first time attempting abination, I needed to concentrate. Moreover, I needed even more concentration because I couldn''t let the level of light magic increase in the process. ''Combine...bine...'' I brought two images to mind. Water and light. At the same time, I continued to picture them merging into one in my mind. ''I need to recreate what I achieved in the game.'' The most important thing was timing. So... ''Now.'' With a strong feeling that the time hade, I opened my eyes. Crackle! I shed the water sphere and the light sphere. However, it wasn''t as easy as I thought. Crackle! A strong repulsion began to ur, just like with the students who had failed earlier. But instead of panicking, I instinctively analyzed the cause. Like a [Prodigy of Magic]. ''The mana is losing its way.'' The professor had said that the most important thing in attributebination was for the mana with different attributes to move along a designated path. It seemed that wasn''t happening now, causing the collision. ''In that case...'' I immediately diverted the tangled path to a different route. As a result... ''It''s working!'' The two spheres were gradually merging. But it still didn''t feel smooth. Flutter! The mana was fluctuating violently. The mana path, the image of the two attributes, and the suppression of the light attribute. I had to stabilize the fluctuating mana while paying attention to all three of these things, but it wasn''t working. No, it felt like the spheres would explode if my concentration wavered even a little. Perhaps the professor also sensed the danger. "This... I need to lend a hand." Swoosh! The professor suddenly grabbed both of my shoulders and channeled her mana. I didn''t resist and epted the mana she was sending. The professor''s mana control and mine felt quite different. ''It''s much more delicate and smooth.'' Unlike me, who handled mana roughly, the professor controlled it with a practiced hand. Of course, that didn''t mean the professor''s magical talent was superior. ''...It must be the difference in experience.'' Such skillful control could only be achieved with time and practice. At that moment, I keenly felt what Icked. sh! Finally, all the mana that had been sputtering found stability, and the two spherespletely absorbed each other. The appearance was not much different from the sphere of light I had initially created. I silently examined the sphere and then asked the professor, "Was that a sess?" The professor, who had narrowed her eyes for some reason, slowly nodded. "...Yes, you seeded. Congrattions. That was an excellentbination." So, I seeded. Although it was a bit disappointing that I needed the professor''s help. ''Good.'' I had taken another step forward. *** Click, click, click.... Honorary Professor of Asion Academy, Jyren Renata. Click! The red-haired woman, who had been pacing in the same spot, suddenly stopped. "...Hmm." She was feeling incredibly uneasy. It was as if she had missed something important. It was all because of a student who had observed her ss today. "Strange. It''s strange." It was a feeling she could only have after working at the academy for over a decade. She had experienced countless types of mana firsthand. "It definitely felt like he was hiding something..." Judging from the student''s mana control, although a bit rough, he was by no means someone who would fail. But it was as if he was suppressing something, and the focus on that suppression seemed to be hindering thebination. A divided mind meant that the difficulty of thebination was much higher. If it weren''t for that factor, he would have surely seeded in thebination on his own. The question was... ''What was he trying to hide?'' She had no idea what he was suppressing and trying to hide. Was it some forbidden magic that he shouldn''t touch? "It didn''t feel like that... Hmm." In the end, unable to find an answer to her question, she knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock. "It''s Jyren." "Come in." Jyren opened the door and entered, bowing her head. Dean Asion Gale was organizing his desk, seemingly having finished some paperwork. Jyren spoke first. "I''vee to report on what you requested the other day." "About Mr. Yuhan?" "Yes. As you expected, he observed my ss, and I experienced his mana firsthand." "Hmm." Asion Gale, who had been exhausted from intense work, his eyes became noticeably sharper. Even though it was just an evaluation, Yuhan was the person Asion had been paying the most attention totely, since there were rumors that he had surpassed his own prot¨¦g¨¦. "So... how was he?" "He was quite skilled in handling mana. With a little guidance, he''ll quickly reach perfection." "Does that mean?" At Asion''s question, Jyren slightly nodded. "Yes, he certainly has the potential to surpass Roan." "Huh..." Asion Gale involuntarily opened his mouth. "To think that would be true." He had heard it directly from Roan, but he couldn''t easily believe it. Roan had the most outstanding talent among all the students he had seen since founding the academy. It was natural that he wouldn''t think there would be someone more skilled than him at a simr age. But now he had no choice but to believe it. Jyren Renata, the mostpetent professor at the academy and the one he trusted the most, had seen it with her own eyes. ''This century will be dominated by magic.'' Two geniuses born in the same century. Perhaps their existence would break the stalemate in the tug-of-war between those with supernatural abilities. Just as he was thinking that... "Wait a minute." Asion Gale''s eyes widened as if he had remembered something. "You said there was no problem with his mana handling?" "Yes." "Not even the slightest problem?" "...That''s right, isn''t it?" "That''s impossible!" Thump! Asion Gale mmed his hand on the desk, unlike his usual demeanor. "That child''s circuit was aplete mess!" "...Excuse me?" Jyren also had a bewildered look on her face at his words. "A messed up circuit... I didn''t notice anything like that at all. In fact, he handled mana at a level that wouldn''t be out of ce among children his age, no, evenpared to Roan." "...This is truly unbelievable." This conversation meant only one thing. That child''s talent was far superior to Roan, who was called a genius of magic. To an extent that even Asion Gale couldn''t have imagined. And that meant... ''I need to recruit that child to the academy... by any means necessary.'' It was sufficient grounds for him to decide that he must bring Yuhan into the academy. *** Meanwhile, after the professor left. The lecture hall quickly became noisy due to thebination Yuhan had shown. "Hey, where are you from? Bultan? Freze?" "I''m not really affiliated with anywhere. If I had to say, I guess it would be Aldeon." "What? Aldeon? So that''s why the light magic..." "When did you learn thebination process? You didn''t look like a beginner. If you don''t mind, could you teach me the method..." After answering countless questions... "...Let''s go, Roan." Yuhan pointed outside the lecture hall with an exhausted expression. However, Roan just silently stared at him. Actually, he couldn''t even hear Yuhan properly. All his thoughts were focused on thebination he had just witnessed. ''...He seeded in the end.'' Honestly, Roan was curious too. Just how far did this man''s talent extend? How big was the gap between them? And with thebination he just witnessed, Roan realized everything. ''I guess I was no match for him from the beginning.'' Roan once had this thought. ''I want to meet a rival who canpete with me in magic.'' And he thought Yuhan would be that person. He might fall behind in the manifestation of magic, but he was confident in his theoretical knowledge. Of course, this thought wasn''t wrong even now. Roan''s knowledge was far superior to Yuhan''s. However, the problem was that the difference in their skills wasrge enough to make up for the difference in their theoretical knowledge. Now, there was only one option left for Roan. "Yuhan, I think I have to go now. This is where I end the tour." "What?" Leaving Yuhan behind with a bewildered expression, Roan left the lecture hall. He hurriedly moved towards the carriage managed by Jeff. "You called for me." "Jeff, let''s move right now." "Yes, where to?" "Please take me to my n." "...Excuse me?" Jeff asked back with a look of disbelief. He knew that Roan had severed ties with his family long ago. "...Are you serious?" But Roan had no choice. This was the only way to surpass Yuhan. "It seems I have to ept my father''s offer." Roan made up his mind. To inherit the secret techniques of the Vilgef, the greatest magic family of this era. The techniques that Roan had rejected, saying he didn''t want the easy path. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 37 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 37 "What the...? That guy." Roan suddenly ran off on his own. I was unexpectedly left alone. "Was he that shocked?" I considered that possibility, but it didn''t quite make sense. Roan was already at a level where he could easily perform attributebinations. There was no need for him to feel negatively just because I seeded in attributebination. Well, unlike Roan, I didbine higher attributes... "But even that was only possible with the professor''s help." I probably would have failed if I had tried it alone. No, it might have even caused an explosion and led to a major ident. Anyway... "Hmm." In the end, having no other choice, I left the lecture hall and wandered around the academy. Since things turned out this way, I thought I''d take a look around freely. As I wandered around, I arrived at the magic training hall. "Wow..." At first, I was quite surprised by the facilities in the training hall. Although notrge in scale, it had everything from a meditation room that aided in meditation to mana detectors, breathing concentration sensors, crystal balls, and more. It was overflowing with facilities and equipment that would be helpful for magic training. It was iparable to the academy training hall from 100 years ago that I saw in the game. "If I trained in a ce like this, I could even use magic that I couldn''t use before." And what was even more surprising was... "What? All of this is free?" "Yes. Any mage belonging to the academy or the association can use it freely." [TL/N: Society¡úAssociation] "Huh..." The fact that I could use artifacts owned by the association for magic training. Without any cost or time restrictions. Moreover, the grades weren''t bad either. There weremon grade and rare grade ones, of course, and some were even heroic grades. This was more than enough to use for training. ''So that''s why Roan was so good at using artifacts.'' With that thought, I asked the administrator who managed the training hall, "Could I possibly try using them too?" "Of course. You can use them as much as you like. Those are the Dean''s orders." "Is that so?" I asked just in case, and fortunately, I got the okay. Perhaps the Dean gave me this convenience because I was a guest invited by Roan. "Then it would be rude not to use them." With a slightly excited heart, I carefully observed the artifacts and equipment. Currently, with Professor Jyren''s help, I had a vague grasp of the attributebination process. Since things had turned out this way, it seemed like a good idea to firmly master attributebination this time. "It''s okay if I use this, right?" "Yes, of course." I picked up a couple of artifacts that increased mana capacity and entered a room-type training hall. This ce was under a blinding magic, so you couldn''t see the inside or sense the mana changes happening within. I heard it was for maintaining secrecy during academy exams orpetition preparations. In any case, this was the perfect ce for me right now. "Alright." I immediately settled down and floated two spheres. One was the same water attribute sphere as before. And the other one was... Whoosh! The radiant sphere of light I had obtained while facing Baal. "Hoo..." Thisbination I was about to attempt was very important to me. Depending on whether I seeded or not, it would determine the build I would use in the uing war, the [The Prophecy of the Blood Moon]. If I seeded, I could proceed with my original build, and if I failed or was dyed, I would have to find a new build that I could use even for a short time during the war. In other words, I would be wasting unnecessary time learning magic that I didn''t necessarily need to learn. I hated such inefficiency. Both in the game and now in reality. Therefore... "I will definitely seed." sh, crackle, pop! -Magic calction ability is maximized. I quickly used the artifacts I had brought and entered a state of concentration. At the same time, I recreated the sensation I had felt earlier. ''...Soft and flexible.'' Mana containing the light attribute basically has a quality that makes it difficult to control. That''s why the mana fluctuated so much when I attempted the attributebination before. And Professor Jyren gave me the solution to that obstacle. The so-called mana soothing technique. I carefully gathered the spheres. Swoosh. Unlike before, a pleasant sound spread out. Maintaining that stability, I quickly established the mana path. Even though this was only my second attempt, the talent within me had already reached a level where it could provide feedback and make corrections immediately. ''Now!'' Rumble. The moment a faint vibration ran through the staff... Whoosh. It felt like all the mana in my body was being drained at once. It definitely consumed more mana than the light magic I had lowered the level of earlier. If it weren''t for the help of the artifacts, I probably wouldn''t have even been able to attempt it. ''Increasing my mana capacity is also urgent.'' The increased mana regeneration effect from [Prodigy of Magic] provided good sustainability, but there was a limit to magic that consumed this much mana at once. Perhaps with my current mana capacity, I would struggle even at the 5th circle. Adding ''increase mana capacity'' to the list of things to do before the war, I slowly opened my eyes. And I couldn''t help but admire. "Huh." In front of me, a single sphere of dazzling light floated above the [Holy Staff]. But it waspletely different from what I had created before. The scattered light, influenced by the water, was maintaining a perfect form. Its beauty was unmatched. "...This is not the time to be bbergasted." I pulled myself together. I still had things to do. What remained now was to give ''form'' to this sphere that I had sessfullybined. A form much more solid and perfect than the ice spear I used when closing the crack in Aldeon. If I could just seed in this, I could consider myself to have reached the midpoint of the build I had nned. "Let''s do this." I let go of my greed and attempted a very minute form transformation. Into a cube, a cylinder, a cone, a star. How much time had passed? Finally. nk. What was just a sphere now had a handle and a sharpened de. Yes, simply put... like a ''sword''. I gently swung thepleted sword of light. Whoosh! -300% proficiency correction for all ded weapons. Flutter. Even though I hadn''t cut anything, a thrilling sensation ran up my arm. It was the thrill of aplishment. How long had I waited for this moment? "...Finally." The long-awaited main element of my build. The moment I became a ''Magic Swordsman''. *** By the time I left the training hall, a lot of time had passed. I was so engrossed in practicing light magic that I lost track of time. Because of this, I decided to end my tour of the academy here and stopped by the Dean''s office to say goodbye. "So, did you enjoy the tour?" Asion Gale asked, stroking his beard. "Yes, well. The academy facilities were better than I expected. It was a good experience." I wasn''t just saying that. I actually got to see how the academy education of this era was conducted, I grasped the level of the students, and I even achieved unexpected magical results. I gained a lot in many ways. "I''m d you were satisfied." Asion Gale smiled with satisfaction. Then his eyes suddenly narrowed. "So... do you have any thoughts about enrolling here?" "Excuse me? Did you just say enroll?" "That''s right." Huh, this was apletely unexpected offer. I was just wondering if there was any way to get help from the academy, and he offered it to me first. But I couldn''t readily ept the offer. There were still many issues. "Thank you for the offer, but... as you know, I can''t afford to enroll in a ce like this. I''m from amoner background." First, money. Even in the game, the academy courses were notoriously expensive. And now, 100 yearster, it wouldn''t be any cheaper, if not more expensive. But then... "Don''t worry about that. I''m not nning on charging you tuition. No, not just tuition, I''ll exempt you from all additional costs as well." "Excuse me?" Asion said something very tempting. ''No tuition?'' The cost was the biggest obstacle for me. But if that obstacle was removed... it was something I could seriously consider. However... "I''m sorry. I think it will still be difficult." I wasn''t in a position to leisurely take sses at the academy. Just the uing [The Prophecy of the Blood Moon] event alone was enough to tell me that. If I attended the academy, I would have to spend most of my time here, and if a war broke out, what could I do as a student? I would just be nkly following the association''s instructions and evacuating. Being affiliated with the academy was a significant restriction for me. No matter how I looked at it, enrolling was impossible. "Hmm... So you''re saying you can''t be tied down here?" But then... "Alright. Then let''s do this. You don''t have to attend regrly, juste and listen to lectures whenever you want." "...Excuse me?" Asion made an even more unconventional offer. "Come only when I want to...?" "Exactly. As long as you take care of the exams, there won''t be any problems." This was the first time I heard that this was possible. Even when I yed the game with the intention of following the academy path, there was no such route. "Are you sure that''s okay? There will be a huge bacsh from the students." "This is Asion Academy. If you prove yourself with your skills, there won''t be any bacsh. In fact, Roan did the same." "Ah, Roan..." Come to think of it, Roan was a member of the association and a student at the academy, and he even took the Aldeon exam. Something that wasmon sense-ly impossible when I yed the game. It seemed like this system was newly established. But... ''Why?'' The question I had been having deepened. "..." I quietly observed Asion Gale. He was pretending to be calm, but his facial muscles were stiff, and there were tiny beads of sweat on his forehead. As if he was very nervous. Sensing something strange, I started to probe Asion Gale. "It''s quite a distance to travel here..." "I''ll provide you with a ce in the dormitory." "If that happens, it would be like settling down here..." "Then I''ll give you a dedicated carriage. You won''t have any inconvenience in traveling. Of course, that includes a coachman." "If I spend that much time here..." "If your exam results are good, I''ll let you graduate early. Two years should be enough." "But this again..." "Are you kidding me? We''re offering you full support! Free tuition! Free meals! Free attendance! Guaranteed graduation! Carriage support... Huh? What more do you need?" Did I probe too much? In the end, Asion Gale exploded. ''...This is actually a really good offer.'' Iughed awkwardly and then hardened my expression. There was still onest thing I had to say. "Why are you going this far? I don''t understand why I deserve all this." "..." At my question, Asion also became serious. His face was like that of a ferocious beast, as it was when I first met him. An imposing charisma emanated from him. His answer was short. "It''s talent recruitment." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 38 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 38 ck, ck, ck. The four-wheeled carriage moved forward with the power of magic. This was the carriage promised by the Dean... The ride was sofortable that it was in no way inferior to Roan''s carriage. ''Things are going well.'' I stopped by the academy without much thought, but I unexpectedly gained a lot. From the form transformation of light magic to admission to the academy on favorable terms, and various other support. This was the moment things were going best since I entered this world. But I wasn''tpletely at ease. ''I feel uneasy for no reason.'' In [Demon Fantasy], things rarely went this smoothly. Just when you think things are going well, a major ident is bound to happen. And above all, I wasn''t that lucky. No, I was very unlucky. In fact, wasn''t I struggling here after entering the game? The probability of this happening was probably lower than getting struck by lightning or winning the lottery. Well, anyway... "The more things go well, the more I shouldn''t let my guard down." ck- I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of the carriage. And I recalled the process I had gone through so far. Starting from Sector 7 to the raider''s hideout, Barundel training ground, the request office, Aldeon, Asion Academy... I retraced the people I met and the events that urred in those ces. And even the events that would happen in the future. As I went over them one by one, I immediately realized what I wascking. "Level." My overall growth rate wasn''t bad. My magic skills and physical abilities were improving day by day, and I had acquired traits that were as good as they could be. However, the problem was my level. Currently, my level was 5. Considering the average leveling speed in [Demon Fantasy], it wasn''t low, but by my standards as a veteran, it was an absurdly low level. It was because my growth had stopped after Aldeon. "I need to be at least level 10 before The Prophecy of the Blood Moon begins... I''ve been too cautious." Leveling up helped both magic and physical abilities by increasing stats. Therefore, I needed to reach at least level 10 before the war broke out. Fortunately, there was a way. ''Go outside Sector 7.'' To leave the territory of Asternon altogether. Outside the Sectors, there were many demons swarming, so it was very dangerous, but it was also the most certain way to grow. With that decision, I immediately asked the coachman to turn the carriage around. It would be reckless to go to such a ce alone. Fortunately, there was someone who could be of great help at a time like this. The owner of the training hall with a human touch. "Oh, Yuhan? What brings you here at this hour? Didn''t you say you found a ce to stay? Didn''t it work out?" "I have a favor to ask." Barundel Damascus. A demon hunter like him would surely be a great help in hunting. Above all, I could trust Barundel and have his back. With that judgement, I spoke. "Barundel, would you be interested in going hunting with me?" "...Did you just say hunting?" "...Yes." My tone was very cautious. I still didn''t know why Barundel quit being a demon hunter. And considering the usual reasons why demon hunters quit... it was only natural to be cautious. All I could do now was pray that Barundel didn''t have severe trauma rted to his hunter days. "...Come in first. It''s better to talk inside." Fortunately, I wasn''t turned away at the door, and I exined why I made such a request. "The Blood Moon... So those rumors were true." "Yes, I think the royal family will soon be recruiting mercenaries for the war. I''m nning to apply as well." "...Is there a reason why you must do that?" Barundel continued, his face full of concern. "Demons are not to be taken lightly. They are crazy beings who are only driven by instinct and are obsessed with killing people. A war against them will not be easy." "I know that very well." "...Isn''t there a way to go back? That would be a much safer and easier path." He was saying that I didn''t have to participate in the war. And he was right. Unless you were a soldier, there was no obligation to participate in the war, and no one was forcing me to. In fact, the safest way to survive here was to move to the inner Sectors, not participate in the war. But... "I''m not used to taking the easy path." If I did that, my growth would stop again. And next time, an even more unavoidable trial woulde my way. That trial would eventually lead to death. I had already experienced that pattern enough in the past 10 years, so there was no change in my choice. Perhaps Barundel sensed that conviction. "Sigh, alright. You''re going to participate in the war. And you need to gainbat experience before that. I understand both points clearly." "Then... will you help me?" At that moment. Thud! Thud! Barundel suddenly got up and dragged something over. It was a bundle that seemed to contain a lot of heavy things, and Barundel opened it in front of me with a faint smile. And inside it... "...You were nning this all along." "Haha! I knew this day woulde!" The demon hunting equipment Barundel wore during the Aldeon incident was all there. Well-maintained without a single drop of blood. "Then tell me your n!" Thus, a two-person demon hunting party was formed. *** Late at night, in the quiet hours before dawn. Swish! Yuhan and Barundel, who had just finished their discussion, were now moving stealthily like assassins. They arrived at their destination, avoiding the eyes of the security forces: the outer main gate of Sector 6. The very ce where the ill-fated rtionship with Shuhan began. "There are still a lot of guards. It''ll be difficult to get through the main gate." Although they could break through if they put their minds to it, that would make the situation a bit tricky. They couldn''t attend the academy as wanted criminals. "Is there really a back gate here? All I see is a solid wall." "There is, definitely." Yuhan could be sure of this. He had inquired about it many times because he felt so wronged by the situation back then. Based on the information he had heard, he led Barundel to the building closest to the guard post. And he pointed to a manhole at the bottom of the building''s outer wall. "This is it." "...That''s a very shabby back gate." While Yuhan kept watch, Barundel quietly lifted the manhole cover. As expected, a passage with adder appeared. "I''ll go in first." "I''ll follow right behind you." With a nod, Yuhan climbed down thedder. After a short pause, Barundel also entered the passage. As he entered and closed the manhole cover... Click! Whoosh. The luminous stones embedded in the walls of the passage lit up. "Good. We shouldn''t have any trouble going down." They slowly made their way down, relying on the light. After about a minute of descending... Thud. Their feet touched the ground. ''We''re here.'' "Is this really the back gate?" As Barundel said, the end of the deep passage was blocked on all sides. But if the information Yuhan had heard was correct... ''It''s here.'' Wham! He punched the wall, which had a slightly different texture, with all his might. Then... Rumble! With a faint vibration, the wall opened to both sides, revealing another passage. Beyond this point was Sector 7. They were crossing into Sector 7 without being noticed by anyone. "Hmm, so it was real. Who on earth made this passage...?" "I heard that the residents of Sector 7 once united and dug this tunnel. It wasn''t like this originally, but it was refined over decades and developed into this." "Decades... So no one was caught by the security forces during that time?" "Well, I don''t know if they weren''t caught... or if they knew but turned a blind eye. I think thetter is more likely. Though I don''t know the reason." "Either way, it''s good for us." "Well, that''s true." With that answer, Yuhan carefully examined the passage. Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any variables that could arise in the passage. "Shall we go back?" They had achieved their goal. Now, when day broke, all they had to do was prepare the necessary supplies and go hunting. Just then... Thud, thud. Suddenly, footsteps began to echo from within the passage. ''Someone''sing.'' Yuhan and Barundel instinctively held their breath and assumed a fighting stance. Whoever wasing this way must be someone living in Sector 7. Since most of Sector 7 was made up of criminals, they didn''t know what might happen. Just as they were maintaining their vignce... "Who''s there!" A voice called out from ahead, as if they had also sensed their presence. Yuhan calmly replied. "We''re just trying to cross over too. Let''s not harm each other and just pass by." "We? You''re not alone?" The woman ahead spoke with a wary voice. But was it just his imagination that the voice felt familiar? They slowly closed the distance, and the moment they were close enough to see each other''s faces, they werepletely taken aback by the unexpected figure. "...Huh?" The fire attribute mage they had shared camaraderie with while surviving in the raider''s hideout. "...Ka?" It was their reunion after three months. *** "Ehehe, to meet someone you know there of all ces. What a strange coincidence." Barundel chuckled and offered Yuhan and Ka cups of tea. "Thank you, Dwarf Mister." "You''re wee." Ka smiled and epted the teacup. Her words, her gestures... unlike before, she seemed much more rxed. ¡®Had she achieved what she wanted to do?¡¯ As Yuhan was thinking that, Ka spoke first. "So, how have you been? And why are you trying to cross over to that damned Sector 7 again?" "Well, a lot has happened. I''ve been through several near-death experiences. As for Sector 7... something came up that requires me to go outside." "Outside? Are you talking about outside the territory?" "Yeah." Ka''s eyes widened at his words. "Why would you go there? There''s nothing but demons out there." "That''s right. But hunting those demons is the goal." "What?" Just then, Barundel sat down gently and said, "We''re nning to hunt demons there. The goal is to gain practical experience to be war mercenaries." "Oh, is that so?" Ka looked at Yuhan and Barundel and tilted her head. Her expression seemed to ask if they were both crazy. ¡®...How should I exin this?¡¯ In the end, he brought up The Prophecy of the Blood Moon and exined the reason to Ka. "...War." Of course, he couldn''t convince her with just that. "I still don''t understand why you would go to such a dangerous ce. But..." However, whether it made sense to her or not wasn''t important from the beginning. She had changed even more than he thought. re! "Can''t I go with you? There." Although he didn''t know if it was for the better... Yuhan looked at the mes rising above Ka''s palm and fell into thought. "..." mes much more intense than before. ¡®Perhaps, she could be of help.¡¯ [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 39 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 39 "Can''t I go with you? There." It was Barundel who answered before I could. "Youngdy, do you even know what kind of ce that is?" "I probably know better than you, dwarf mister. I''m a resident of Sector 7." "That may be so, but... not everyone can go there." "You''re going, and he''s going, why can''t I?" "..." Barundel closed his mouth, seemingly unable to find a suitable response. But he wasn''t wrong. "It''s true that not everyone can go." Encountering demons in Sector 7 and encountering them outside the sector are two different things. Because that ce is literally demon territory. It''s a ce teeming with far more powerful and intelligent demons. As such, it would only be a pointless death for anyone without considerable skill. "You''re against it because it''s dangerous for Barundel too, right?" "That''s right. Even I can''t guarantee anyone''s safety in a ce like that." Which meant... "Then let''s do this. The two of you spar, and we''ll decide based on the oue." If you have the skills, you''re not just ''anyone''. "A spar, you say?" Barundel asked as if to confirm I was serious. Of course, I was serious. The more allies, the better. And personally, I was curious to see how much Ka''s skills had improved. "If the result is good. Ka, are you okay with this?" "I don''t know how strong this mister is, but... sure, no problem." Ka answered confidently, then tilted her head. "But why not spar with you?" She seemed a bit dissatisfied with that. Well, it was understandable. She probably trained for the past three months with the goal ofpeting with my magic. But this wasn''t a spar to determine superiority, but to see if she was capable of fighting demons. And since most demons are fought in closebat, it was better for her to spar with Barundel than me. "That''s a valid point. Alright." Ka nodded in agreement after I exined this to her. With the situation turning out this way, Barundel let out a reluctant sigh. "...Sigh, I guess my opinion doesn''t matter... Fine. But I''ll also be a part of the judgment." "Of course." And so, the spar between Ka and Barundel was set. It was a match I was quite looking forward to. *** Barundel''s Training Hall. When we stopped by the hall to spar after a brief preparation, other trainees were already there. "You''ve arrived." "You''re early. Good to see you." They bowed respectfully to Barundel as if greeting their master. And then they also greeted us standing behind him. ¡°Yuhan is here too.¡± ¡°Oh, the number one guy!¡± ¡°But who''s thedy in the back...?" ¡°Nice to meet you. I''m Ka.¡± After everyone exchanged greetings, I exined about the spar and asked them to step aside for a moment. ¡°We can watch, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Just then, Barundel arrived, carrying a training hammer and a staff. Ka received the staff and said with curiosity, ¡°So, if we fight with this, we won''t get hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can use magic freely.¡± ¡°Sector 6 even has things like this...¡± She said with a grin. ¡°Remember what I said about not being able to ignore me next time? Just wait and see.¡± ¡°I''m looking forward to it.¡± I didn''t know what she''d been through, but she seemed quite confident in her skills. This only heightened my anticipation. And so the spar began. Fwhoosh- Barundel took the initiative first, as if he had no intention of going easy on her. It was an attack that cleverly exploited the weakness of mages in closebat. Even to me, who had improved significantly since my first time at the training hall, his speed was still incredibly fast. ''Can she react?'' Whether she could join us or not... Everything depended on Ka. ¡°What the...!¡± Ka, startled, quickly conjured mes. BOOM! It was the fire attribute transformation magic she used when we faced the red-haired man. Ka used the force of the explosion to push Barundel away. "Huh..." Honestly, I was impressed. It was surprising enough that she reacted, but to activate magic in that short time... Moreover, the explosion was faster, more precise, and more powerful than what I had seen before. Indeed, her confident attitude wasn''t a bluff. With this level of skill, it was understandable why she was so self-assured. "Whew... You''re surprising, mister. I didn''t think you were the agile type." "I''m not just agile." Barundel said, pointing at the floor with his hammer. He had struck the floor so hard that it was dented. If Ka hadn''t pushed him away with the explosion, it wouldn''t have been the floor that was dented. "...Are you sure we won''t get hurt?" Ka gulped. As cold sweat trickled down her cheek... FWAM! Barundel leaped again. This time, the hammer was descending from the air. As if anticipating this, Ka touched the ground. And then... FWOOOSH! A powerful pir of fire erupted from where she touched. ''...That''s...'' It was simr to the fire attribute transformation magic I often used in Aldeon. It seemed Ka had also created her own transformation magic. The difference from mine was that the range of the fire pir was much wider. Rather than focusing on a single target, it was a method of activating a wider range to hit many enemies or increase the uracy. The problem was... "Hmph!" Barundel had a body that wouldn''t even get scratched by this level of magic. Barundel broke through the pir of fire and descended. The aftermath of the fire pir reduced his speed, but its power was still not to be underestimated. Just then... "I have one more." "...!" FWOOOOSH! The fading fire pir surged up once more. This time, it was narrower, stronger, and in a more precise location. Barundel was engulfed in the fire pir. "...Ovepping magic." Ovepping magic is the activation of two spells bound together, allowing for an attack with a timeg after making the opponent lower their guard. However, it has the disadvantage of requiring moreplex calctions and perfect timing. Simply put, it''s difficult to use. But Ka used the ovepping magic perfectly and hit Barundel. This was less about talent and more about... "...You have good senses. That one stung a bit." ''Sense''. It seemed Ka was born with incredible battle sense. On the other hand, Ka was rather flustered. "...Is this guy really a monster?" Even though dwarves were known for their toughness, she probably didn''t expect him to be this impervious to damage. Well, it was understandable. I was also quite surprised in the beginning. ''She''ll have to pour all her mana into it.'' Only then could she achieve any meaningful results. As if sensing this, Ka squeezed out all her strength. "Haaah!¡± A purple light emanated from her eyes. At the same time, mana surged around her. This was different from before. This time, it was a smaller spell, but with increased power and number. "Hmph!" Barundel, not wanting to just stand and watch, gripped his hammer and moved forward. The back and forth continued relentlessly. BAM! BAM BAM BAM! Ka''s small, fragmented fireballs flew like rapid-fire bullets. Barundel deflected them one by one, receiving each with his hammer. It seemed like Ka was being gradually pushed back... but it wasn''t a problem. Barundel was still a mountain that even I couldn''t ovee. "Stop." I halted the spar. If it went on any longer, Ka''s physical condition could deteriorate due to magical exhaustion. "Huff...! What? I can still go on...!" "No. It''s enough." Ka protested, but this was sufficient. I had grasped Ka''s abilities well enough. Before announcing the result, I asked Barundel first. "Barundel, what do you think?" "Hmm." Barundel stroked his beard and pondered for a moment. Then... "At this level, it seems she won''t be a burden, at the very least." He dered. Fortunately, his opinion aligned with mine. "I think so too." "Huh? Really? Then I can go with you?" "Yes. But it will be dangerous, so be prepared." "Haha!" It was unclear if she even heard thetter part. Kaughed brightly and copsed on the floor. Seeing her like that somehow lightened my heart. ''Thank goodness.'' Not only had her magic skills improved, but above all... ''She''s not broken.'' It was a relief to see her so cheerful despite having dreamt of revenge. I didn''t know if she had actually achieved that revenge. That was something I could subtly ask aboutter. Just then... "Number one guy?" Suddenly, Mr. Thompson approached me. His face was unusually gloomy. His stiff, serious expression made him seem almost angry... "Mister, what''s wrong...?" He cut me off and asked in a heavy voice, "Where are you going? This is the first I''m hearing of this." "...Excuse me?" "You''re not thinking of leaving me out, are you?" Suddenly, I recalled what Mr. Thompson had said back in Aldeon when we were having a party. ¡ªI''ll follow you wherever you go. ...It seemed that statement, which I had overlooked, was actually sincere. *** Meanwhile, at the main residence of the Vilgef n... The head butler rushed into the Lord''s room. "L-Lord!" He realized his mistake and bowed with one knee on the floor. Seeing this, the Lord tilted his head. ''What in the world could have happened?'' The head butler always maintained a calmposure. For him to show such a flustered state meant something serious had urred. And... "What is it? Tell me quickly." As the Lord expected, the news the head butler delivered was indeed a serious matter. "Y-Young Master... he has returned." "What?" Lord Balond Vilgef rushed out of the Lord''s room. And he came face to face with Roan, who was inside the main residence. His only son, who had left, dering he would leave the n if they didn''t teach him everything about magic... "Father." "...Roan." Balond concealed his excitement and asked sternly, "Why have you returned?" "...Well..." Roan hesitated for a moment, then abruptly knelt before Balond and lowered his head. "Roan...!" "I was foolish. I despise myself for disobeying you and acting arrogantly. I truly do." "...Huh." Roan was always brimming with confidence and self-love. But now, that same Roan was kneeling. This clearly meant something had happened to him. ''What in the world could have happened!'' Balond swallowed his questions and helped Roan to his feet. His wayward son, who had left the family, ungrateful for the privileges he enjoyed... But nevertheless, his only son, who had returned, for which he was grateful. Seeing his son like this, dejected... as the Lord, as a father... He absolutely could not tolerate it. Balond suppressed his boiling anger and asked calmly. For Roan to act like this, he must have wanted something. "What can I do for you?" As he expected... "I want to inherit everything the n has to offer." Roan, with venomous eyes, dered his desire. "...You understand what that means, don''t you?" Balond, in turn, stated his own terms. Roan nodded in affirmation. "Yes, I will seed you and live for the n for the rest of my life." A faint smile spread across Balond''s face. He liked Roan''s words. Or rather, to be more precise... He liked the venomous look in his eyes. It was like looking at his own past self. Balond gripped Roan''s shoulders. "Very well. As you wish, I shall bestow upon you everything our n possesses." The Vilgef n, standing among the highest ranks of all magic families. And Balond Vilgef, the third head of the n. He, the creator of ice magic, dered with gravitas, "You shall wield all the coldness in the world." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 40 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 40 "What? Dangerous? So what?" "War mercenary? I should do it too, then!" "Huh? You''re kidding, right? No way! I actually said that!" In the face of Mr. Thompson''s relentless demands, I finally threw my hands up. "...Alright, fine. Let''s go together. Stop giving me those looks." The silver lining was... - We''re fine. We know we''re not ready for that kind of ce yet. - We''re at least self-aware enough for that. - ...I hate to admit it, but we need more training. ...the rest of the trainees didn''t step forward. And also, taking Mr. Thompson along wasn''t actually a bad idea. Mr. Thompson could use a pretty decent level of earth magic. At least I didn''t think he would be in danger if he stood in the front line. He had also proven his talent by mastering light magic in Aldeon. Above all, with the feedback he received from Barundel on physical training andbat during our hunts, he had a lot of room to grow. If it weren''t for those factors, I wouldn''t have epted, no matter how much Mr. Thompson insisted. "Alright, alright! Demon hunting...! My hands are already shaking!" "..." But why did I feel so drained? Unable to answer that question, I looked at the current situation again. ''A four-person party, huh?'' Ka, Barundel, me, and now Mr. Thompson. The party I originally nned to form with two people had inadvertently be a four-person party. Still, it wasn''t bad because theposition wasn''t bad. No, it was actually quite good. ''Two tanks, one utility, and one damage dealer.'' It was a bit humorous that three of us were mages, but... anyway. The bnce itself was good for hunting demons. I roughly ran a battle simtion in my head, finished my nning, and then spoke to the party members. "I''ve already checked the entrance route to District 7, and now we just need to prepare supplies." "Supplies? Are you talking about potions?" "Potions, and we also need to acquire equipment. Not necessarily the best equipment, but at least equipment that will prevent us from losing our lives." "..." The atmosphere sank for a moment at the mention of losing our lives. But I didn''t bother to lighten the mood. In this kind of situation, there was a need for tension. "Then how do we get the equipment? Do we have money?" "Good question. We need to solve that first." "Solve it? How?" "I have an idea." I said, recalling a certain woman. She was the one who asionally showed a devilish side. She was the richest person I knew. *** At that moment, inside the Artis Request Office... "Did that kid really say that?" "He''s got a big head now that he''s gotten a little stronger. If he actually saw us, he''d probably hide like a scared mouse." "Hahaha! You''re right. That''s exactly what he''d do." Unlike a few months ago when the atmosphere was gloomy, the request office was bustling with chatter and had a bright atmosphere even in the middle of the day. There was one reason for this change in atmosphere. "Whew... Anyway, it''s a relief that that ck-haired mage brat is gone these days." "Exactly. He''s noting back anytime soon, is he?" "Nah, I doubt it. Do you know how many requests that guypleted? He''ll have no problem making a living for the next few months." It was because the guy who used to snatch up all the decent-paying requests was gone. Back then, the regr members of the request office were barely scraping by. "Hey, Lena. Honestly, we''re a bit hurt. No matter how skilled that guy is, how could he take all the good requests?" "...Felix, we have to follow the rules. Don''t you know that higher-ranked solvers get priority for better requests? It''s only natural that they get preferential treatment." "...Yeah, but still! What are we supposed to eat?" "Am I your babysitter? Huh? If you don''t have money, go out and get a real job! With those perfectly healthy bodies... Ugh, you''re so frustrating!" "...Ugh." Finally, overwhelmed by Lena''s energy, Felix sighed deeply. But he soon realized there was no need for that and went back to drinking his beer. "Haha! Whatever! We won''t have to worry about making a living anymore!" "That''s right! We''re perfectly suited for the request office!" "...You pathetic lot. All you care about is money." "Guys, let''s have a drink!" "Woo-hoo!" Clink. It was at that moment, as they were making a toast with joyful hearts... Knock, knock, knock- Suddenly, there was a knock on the back door of the request office. At the same time... The regr members felt a sense of foreboding and their faces stiffened. "...Who just knocked?" Because there was only one guy who knocked and entered this ce... "...No way. Is it?" "Damn it... That can''t be." Even though they knew the reality, they prayed desperately. Please, anyone but ''that guy''. ¡®Lord, please don''t take away our daily bread. Please¡­¡¯ But the gods were cruel. Why do bad premonitions alwayse true? "Long time no see." It was the moment the devilish mage appeared once again. And he even brought his unknown friends along. *** "What the...?" Lena scanned the four figures who entered with Yuhan one by one. ''Well, I let them in since they''re here...'' Something about thebination was strange. A short but wide dwarf. A human man as bulky as the dwarf. A woman with captivating red eyes. And Yuhan as well. What was even more amusing was what Yuhan said. Lena, wanting to confirm the situation, asked again, "So... you''re saying you want to take on a request with these people?" "If possible. I can vouch for their skills. Of course, they''ll have to take the test." "Well... there''s no reason why they can''t if they pass the test, hmm." Lena, lost in thought for a moment, decided she needed to address this, "It''s a bit problematic to bring them here unannounced like this. This is a ce where only invited people cane. Only I or the bar owner above, Rior, have that authority." "I wasn''t aware of that. I apologize. I''ll make sure this doesn''t happen again." When Yuhan apologized sincerely, Lena readily nodded. Although she had a straightforward personality, this much understanding wasn''t difficult. "Well, alright. I''ll let it slide this time. So, getting to the main point... what kind of request are you looking to take on?" "Have there been many of those requests I asked for before?" "Ah, the bounty requests? I''ve been taking all the decent-looking ones as theye in. There should be about ten piled up now." "Let''s start with those for the test." Lena looked puzzled at his words. "Those are the ones I''ve been saving because you''re the only one who can handle them." But Yuhan seemed to like the idea, "The harder, the better. It means a better reward, right?" Lena felt a bit uneasy, but she decided to go along with Yuhan''s words for now. But perhaps she shouldn''t have. As soon as she handed over the requests for the test, she regretted it. "I wonder if it''ll be alright... I did tell them not to overdo it." No matter how strong they were, it wasn''t easy for ordinary people to work as bounty hunters. That''s why the test was designed to be lenient, epting even just basic information. She was especially worried about the woman with the captivating red eyes. Her petite physique made her seem weaker than Lena herself. "Is she a mage, by any chance?" Lena shook her head at the thought. "...No way." Mages weren''t something you encountered every day. Especially not in an illegally operated request office like this. In fact, meeting Yuhan in the first ce was a miracle. Why would a magee to an illegal request office like this? Mages had plenty of ways to earn money. "Then... she''s probably just a regr person who works out a lot. Ugh, I shouldn''t have given it to them. If they get caught, the request office will be traced..." Lena muttered to herself, ming her hasty decision. ''This request office, which I inherited from Artis'' will and have been nurturing...'' But were her worries unfounded? Knock, knock, knock- In less than two hours, someone came to the request office. ''A knock!'' Lena instinctively felt relieved at the sound of the knock. "Whew, they must have given up. That''s a relief." And when she opened the door... "We''re back! We''re back! We''re back!" The woman with the red eyes shouted urgently from outside the request office. And then... Therge, tanned man from earlier carried the unconscious men one by one from behind her. "Heave-ho!" Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! The four men were moved in an instant. "All done." "..." Lena, stunned speechless, finally grasped the situation. Come to think of it, all the unconscious men resembled the figures on the wanted posters. "Are these guys, by any chance..." "That''s right, the wanted men. So the test is over, right?" "...Wait, hold on." Lena couldn''t easilyprehend it. ''...You already caught them?'' It didn''t make sense. She could understand the dwarf, as they were known for their tough bodies and strength... but the others? How could ordinary peopleplete the requests so quickly? And these were the wanted men that everyone else had given up on! Lena realized once again. The misunderstanding started from there. ''They''re not ordinary people.'' With this conviction, Lena cautiously asked, starting with the tanned man, "Um, what is your profession...?" The man replied with a heartyugh, "Haha! Despite my appearance, I''m a mage." "...A mage? With that physique...?" "Hahaha! This is embarrassing." "..." An unexpected turn of events. Lena pointed to one of the unconscious wanted men and asked, "So, did you do this to him?" That wanted man was a serial killer who had escaped, someone with skillsparable to a seasoned assassin. ''...I heard he even received a scouting offer from the Assassin''s Guild.'' In short, he was a murderous fiend that even Yuhan would have trouble handling. But... ''Is he dead?'' For some reason, that man was charred ck. Yuhan didn''t usually handle things this way, so it was probably the tanned man who did it. If he really was a mage, it was understandable. At that moment... "Actually, that was me." The woman behind the tanned man suddenly stepped forward and raised her hand. It was the woman with the captivating red eyes, the one Lena was particrly worried about. "...Excuse me?" Lena looked at her with a questioning expression. But her gaze was confident, without a hint of falsehood. Lena gulped and asked, "What do you do...?" "I''m a mage. Fire attribute." Whoosh! An intense me ignited on her palm. Seeing the magic firsthand, there was no denying it. "..." Lena realized once again that one shouldn''t judge people by their appearance. And then... Lena grabbed Yuhan''s shoulder and said, "Thank you." "For what?" "For bing our golden goose..." "...What are you talking about?" Today was one of the happiest days in Lena''s life. A single request office had gained three mages. ''...Artis.'' Now, all that remained was for the Artis Request Office to soar. To heights where otherpeting request offices couldn''t even hope to reach. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 41 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 41 Our 4-person party stared nkly at the mountain of gold coins and artifacts piled up before our eyes. ¡°So this is¡­.¡± ¡°...the money we earned in just 12 hours? Mr. First ce?¡± ¡°I didn''t know making money would be this easy¡­.¡± Everyone was in awe. Even I was in awe. ¡®We really made an unbelievable amount of money.¡¯ I expected that with four members, we would easily earn gold coins bypleting requests. But I didn''t expect it to be to this extent. My party members were more skilled than I thought, and thanks to that, we earned far more than I expected. The gold coins piled up in front of us amounted to at least 2,000. It was about four times more than the gold coins we stole from the raider''s hideout. Moreover. ¡®If we add these, it will be much more.¡¯ Artifacts that we received as a reward for the request, but are useless to us. If we add the cost of reselling those, we would have even more gold coins. ¡®Well, it''s not that big of an amount if we divide it by four.¡¯ In any case, we would be able to solve the urgent equipment problem for the time being. I instructed the party members to collect the gold coins and approached Lena. ¡°...Uh? Ah? Ah, you came. Wait a minute. This request is¡­.¡± She was also exhausted, no less than us. Indeed, it wouldn''t have been easy to give out requests for 12 hours. I held Lena''s shoulder to clear up the misunderstanding and said. ¡°Lena, I think this is enough for the request.¡± ¡°...Hmm? Ah, is it finally over?¡± ¡°Yes, I''m satisfied with this much for today. You should rest now.¡± ¡°Today¡­.¡± Was that Good or bad? Lena made a puzzled expression and then nodded. ¡°You''re always wee. Thanks to you, I feel like I''m actually working now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fortunately, it seems to be the former. Although her face was full of exhaustion, Lena smiled as if she was truly happy. Well, I understoodpletely. ¡®The skills of the existing members here... were not that good, were they?¡¯ Having watched Lena so far, she had a desire to greatly expand this Artis Request Office. However, since the skills of the regr members who came to the request office were not good, it was natural that Lena would have felt regretful about the results. Perhaps the current situation was like rain in a drought for Lena. If so. ¡°Then I have one favor to ask.¡± Since things have turned out this way, I decided to give Lena one more task. It was a process that I originally nned to omit in consideration of Lena''s condition, but seeing her current state, it seemed possible. ¡°A favor?¡± ¡°Yes, could you also gather requests rted to demons? Like collecting trophies or subjugation requests.¡± ¡°...Demons?¡± Lena paused for a moment at the mention of demons. However, she quickly regained her professionalposure. "Requests rted to demons... If I focus on gathering them, it might be possible. There are many with a desire for revenge or strange collection habits. But why such requests?" I thought for a moment and decided to just tell her. After all, if we were going to work together, there was no way to hide it. "We''re nning to go hunt demons soon. Outside of Asternon." "What?" As expected, Lena was visibly flustered. "Go outside? Did I hear that right?" "You heard correctly." "...Are you serious?" "It probably won''t be dangerous. You saw it too." "...." Lena shut her mouth tightly. Surely by now, she must have felt that the skills of our 4-person party were overflowing. Perhaps she was now weighing the gains and losses of joining this task. Finally, as if she had made a decision, she asked. "I''ll look for them. How much time will you give me? And how many requests do you need?" "Hmm, about twenty requests should be enough. And the deadline..." Twenty requests. This was not an amount that even Lena, with her excellent work efficiency, could easily obtain. Especially with such specific requests. It would definitely take quite a bit of time. However. Tick-tock-. We didn''t have the luxury of caring about such things. I quietly shifted my gaze from the clock to Lena. "By this time tomorrow." 24 hours from now. Until then, Lena was going to experience a living hell of work. *** Late at night. After disposing of the artifacts, we each distributed the gold coins as needed and scattered from Dmitri Square. The shopping time had finally arrived after finishing the hard work of being a Solver. I was lost in thought as I scanned my whole body reflected in the window of a restaurant. ''What should I change first?'' Considering that I was going outside the sector, the only usable equipment I currently had was the [Pendant of the Holy Oil], which I received as a reward for the request from Lena. And the [Holy Staff] that I luckily got for free. That means I have to change everything else. But I didn''t feel bad. This time, I had enough capital to equip myself with decent equipment, and above all.... ''This is the real escape from the early stages, right?'' Recing the equipment meant that I was entering the intermediate stages. Feeling somewhat relieved, I raised the [Holy Staff] I was holding. "Shall I take care of this first?" It was one of the few remaining usable items, but in the end, it was also included in the list of things to be reced. This was because everyone had mastered the form transformation of light magic. From now on, closebat using the [Sword of Light] would be the main focus, so a weapon in the form of a staff would only get in the way and be a hindrance. However, it was a bit iffy to change it recklessly... ''The effect is too good.'' The effect that the [Holy Staff] gives is too overpowered. The 1 Circle increase effect while equipped was good enough to not be inferior even when carried to the final specs. "To get such a weapon for free..." Just as I was feeling how lucky I was. "Ah, there was that." A method suitable for the current situation came to mind. I immediately moved and stood in front of a store. A roof that looked like an overturned helmet with horns and a signboard with two crossed hammers. The exterior walls seemed roughly built, but upon closer inspection, they felt sturdy. And the intense heat and the constant nging of metal, which could be called the symbol of this ce. It was none other than a cksmith''s workshop. And here, I would probably be able to obtain my new weapon. ng! ng! ng! As I passed through the wide-open gate, arge anvil came into view, and a female dwarf was diligently tempering there. "Excuse me." I greeted her as politely as possible, as I had a difficult request to make, but she didn''t even look at me,pletely immersed in her work. Only the sound of the hammer continued. ng! ng! ng! After watching the tempering for a while. Finally, she seemed to have finished her work and turned her gaze towards me. "Customer?" A blunt tone, unlike Barundel, despite being the same dwarf. Since I had a difficult request to make today, I decided to lighten the mood first. "The sword is very nice. The de is sharp and gleaming; it''s clearly a masterpiece. Did you make it yourself?" "...So?" She looked at me with strange eyes, as if asking what I was talking about. But I pushed on. They say praise makes even a whale dance. "As expected, the tempering is art itself. It''s my lucky day to have visited this ce first." Of course, the dwarf was not a whale. "Get to the point." "...." Feeling the atmosphere somehow grow even heavier, I decided to give up on increasing her likeability and just stated my purpose. "I came here to request an inheritance." This is the reason why I came to a cksmith''s workshop instead of a weapon shop. Although you can''t directly purchase weapons here, you can have various reinforcement and inheritance work done. And if my thinking was correct, I would be able to inherit the [Holy Staff] onto a new weapon here. In other words, it meant using a new weapon while retaining the effects of the [Holy Staff]. Of course, it entirely depended on the cksmith''s ability. As inheritance often failed even in the game, I didn''t know how it would turn out today. "Would this be possible?" I carefully handed over the [Holy Staff], and she snatched it and scanned the staff up and down. At the same time, she touched, tapped, and smelled the staff. It seemed like she was assessing the strength, material, etc., to give an estimate... ''Can she figure it out by doing that?'' From my perspective as apleteyman in this field, it was just amazing. ''Well, a professional has a professional''s eye.'' Soon, she seemed to have finished her assessment and spoke to me. "What kind of weapon do you want to inherit it to?" Fortunately, it was a positive question. At least it didn''t mean it was impossible. Judging so, I told her what I had been thinking. "Would it be possible to inherit it to an essory like a ring or a bracelet? A belt is fine too." "...I''m pretty sure you said weapon?" "So it''s not possible after all." ...Damn it, that''s a shame. I wondered if such technology might have emerged after 100 years. If that''s the case, I have no choice but to inherit it to something light, like a dagger... At that moment. "If you want portability... hmm, gloves might be possible." The cksmith dwarf, sensing my intention, made a suggestion first. "Wait, gloves? Is that possible?" "It would be impossible with other weapons, but with a staff, it''s possible. If I grind it down and inherit it, the effect will be sufficiently maintained. But it would have to be good leather." "Huh." I was surprised. Although gloves have the inconvenience of having to put them on and take them off, aren''t they as portable as essories? It didn''t seem like there would be any problem using magic in battle either. Technology has certainly advanced a lot. There were no such weapons in the game. ''A sword in one hand, magic in the other, is that the feeling?'' I carefully considered it, even running simtions, but it still wasn''t a bad idea. In the end, I couldn''t help but readily make my decision. "Alright. Then I''ll request gloves, please." "The cost of materials is upfront." "Yes, I''ll give it to you now. How much is it?" "200 gold coins." "..." I was surprised. By the price. "What kind of material is used to make it so expensive...?" "I told you. It has to be good leather. It must have absorption properties, of course, and it must be durable enough to be used as a weapon. And aren''t you a mage?" "That''s right." "Then it has to be able to conduct mana, and that kind of leather can''t be ordinary leather." "...Sigh." I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. I thought I had brought enough, but a quarter of my entire fortune just for the cost of materials? And this was just the cost of materials. Surely after the crafting was finished, she would ask for a simr amount as an additional cost. In other words, if things went on like this, it could be tight to buy other equipment. ''Why is it so hard to get some breathing room?'' I sighed deeply at the ridiculously inted prices, but what could I do? I had no choice but to hand over the gold coins to the cksmith and bow deeply. "Please take good care of it." "Come back in six hours." "Yes." Thud, thud. Unlike when I entered, I left the cksmith''s workshop with heavy footsteps. My head was full of thoughts about money. However, Thump! Thump! Thump! "This is crazy." Even in the midst of all this, my heart was pounding. Because of the thought of receiving my new weapon. What kind of gloves would be waiting for me? "...I''ve be a person of this world too." Three months after entering this world. It seems I''ve finally adapted. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 42 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 42 Having entrusted the weapon crafting, I returned to Dmitri Square. While I was wandering around the square to buy mage robes, a woman''s back suddenly caught my eye. She was a woman dressed in red equipment from head to toe. "Hmm?" Strangely, she seemed familiar. Soon the woman turned around, and I realized why I felt a sense of incongruity. "Yuhan?" The woman who made me wonder if she was obsessed with red was none other than mypanion, Ka. "Fancy meeting you here?" Ka approached me with a bright smile, as if she was d to see me. I carefully examined her. With her new equipment and her hair dyed red, Ka had changed so much that I almost didn''t recognize her, and it suited her quite well. But there was one thing that bothered me. ''Isn''t it too shy?'' It was too shy, even for just being shy. It seemed impossible to infiltrate the demons or do anything like that with that appearance. "How is it? Not bad, right?" Ka, unaware of my thoughts, showed off, flipping her hair. I instinctively nodded, about to give her my honest opinion. "...It suits you well. There''s no way I''d ever lose you in a crowd." "Hehe, right? I''ve always wanted to dress up like this once we got out of Sector 7." Ka smiled brightly, as if she was truly happy. Seeing that, the thought of saying something to herpletely disappeared. I realized how much Ka was enjoying this moment. Walking around freely like this without any threat was probably something she had dreamed of her whole life. ''Well... it''s not that big of a deal.'' Considering that, I could turn a blind eye to her shy attire any number of times. Coming to that conclusion, I deliberately changed the subject. "So, where are you going now? It seems like you''ve almost finished getting your equipment." "Ah, I was going to stop by the artifact shop onest time." "Artifact shop?" "Yeah, I thought it would be good to get a few protective artifacts. It''s a dangerous ce after all." She was right. Outside the borders of Asternon was a veritable den of demons. It was a ce where you never knew when, where, or how you might be in danger, so having artifacts to prepare for variables was a very wise choice. But apart from that, what I was wondering was. "You mean you still have money left to buy artifacts?" How could she still have money left for that? With that question in mind, I scanned Ka once again. A red robe that clearly used high-quality fabric, a hardwood wand with a fist-sized red jewel embedded in it. Combat iron shoes that helped maintain bnce, gloves that allowed for more efficient handling of mana, and so on. No matter how I looked at it, it was clear that she had paid a hefty price for her equipment. But to buy artifacts on top of that? It was absolutely impossible with the gold coins I had initially distributed. Unless she had gotten lucky and multiplied her gold coins several times over with some kind of gambling game. "Don''t tell me..." Perhaps noticing my suspicion, Ka hurriedly said in a defensive tone, "What are you thinking? No! It¡¯s not what you''re thinking!" Right, it wasn''t gambling. "Then what is it?" Ka let out a deep sigh and started to exin. "You know the unidentified artifact I received earlier? I had it appraised and it turned out to be heroic-grade." "What? Heroic-grade?" "Yeah, so I immediately sold it." This was an answer I hadn''t expected at all. I calmed my surprised heart and recalled the list of artifacts I had distributed to Ka. There was only one unidentified artifact I had given her. ''Surely that was a trash item.'' It was an object that looked like a rusty iron ring, something that looked insignificant at first nce. At least, I was sure of it. That''s because I had memorized all the useful artifacts in [Demon Fantasy]. That rusty iron ring, which I had never seen before in my life, was definitely a trash item. But to think it was appraised as heroic-grade? "...What kind of effect did it have to be appraised as heroic-grade?" "Don''t worry. It was a useless effect. Something about raising soul power?" "...Soul power?" I couldn''t help but lose control of my expression at Ka''s words. This was because there was only one thing that was referred to as ''soul power'' in this world. "...Where?" "Huh?" "Where did you sell it?" "To that peddler with the hat over there..." Whoosh-! As soon as I heard Ka''s answer, I kicked off the ground with all my might. The most necessary item for me right now... To retrieve the ''Experience Ring'' that Ka had unknowingly sold. *** Dash! Dash! Dash! While moving my feet quickly, I calmly organized my thoughts. ''...I was naive.'' Thinking about it, it was only natural. This wasn''t the setting where I yed the game, but the future, a whole 100 yearster. There was an overflowing possibility that new artifacts I didn''t know existed. Countless new artifacts must have been created during that time. "...I just need to get it back." Muttering those words, I arrived at the alley Ka had pointed to. However. "...Am I toote?" I was greeted by an empty alleyway, not even a single rat in sight. It seemed the peddler who bought the ring had already left. Clutching at straws, I looked around. re! It felt like my eyes were widening. I summoned all my concentration and carefully examined the surroundings for any traces of mana. If the peddler had awakened magic, they might have unknowingly leaked their mana. In fact, in the game, most peddlers had awakened to magic, and their level wasn''t that high, so it was a usible story. However, "...Damn it. That precious thing." There wasn''t a single trace. All I felt was deep disappointment. There was no trace of mana in the alley. "...Sigh." My heart was heavy. There was no one to me. This was entirely my fault. It was my fault for not considering this kind of variable. The result was the loss of the ''experience'' artifact, the most necessary thing for me right now. ...Damn it. "...Let''s think positively." I decided to look on the bright side as much as possible. There were actually two positive aspects. First, it might have been a cheap lesson. I could have lost a legendary or even mythical artifact like this instead of an experience artifact. If that had happened, I wouldn''t just be feeling regretful like this, I would have been clutching my stomach and rolling around for days. Yes, it was a blessing in disguise. And second... ''If there are artifacts I don''t know, then there must be equipment too. Maybe my specs will rise much higher than I expected.'' The fact I learned today would have a huge impact on my future growth. In a way that would benefit me. "Hmm, I might need to revise my build." Thump! Thump! Thump! Maybe it was because my gamer''s heart still remained. My heart was pounding. Because I was incredibly curious about the new artifacts and equipment I would encounter in the future. And the results they would create. What would be the limit I could reach in this world? Would I be able topletely surpass Baal? ...Even though I was running such happy circuits. "Sigh." The image of the rusty iron ring kept flickering in my mind. It seemed like I couldn''t erase the feeling of regret. Well, it was understandable since I was nning a long-term hunt soon. "Even a 10% bonus would have a tremendous effect..." The lowest value among heroic-grade experience artifacts was a 10% experience bonus. Even that alone would tremendously elerate leveling up. It was obvious even with simple calctions. Instead of having to kill 100 monsters to level up, I could level up after killing only 90. In [Demon Fantasy], where the amount of experience required increases exponentially as you progress, it was an essential artifact. "How many will I end up killing...? 500? 1,000?" If it was the former, it would be a loss of 50, and if thetter, a whopping 100. "...Forget it, let''s forget it." Doing those calctions only made my stomach ache. In the end, I stopped thinking about it and turned away with a lingering feeling of regret. "Did she go to buy artifacts?" When I returned to where we were, Ka had already left. It wouldn''t be a problem since we were supposed to meet again at the appointed time anyway. I, too, moved to take care of the remaining tasks. The first ce I stopped by was a clothing shop that sold mage-specific equipment. "You''re here again." "I''m here to buy what I saw earlier." It was the ce with the mage robe I had my eye on before meeting Ka. "You''ve made a good decision. The design is simple and the price is reasonable. Missing out on a robe like this wouldn''t be wise for a mage!" ''Simple?'' I listened with half an ear to what the clerk was saying and examined the robe once again. It had a calm atmosphere overall due to the use of ck fabric, but it didn''t look monotonous thanks to the gold band and chain around the outside. Rather, it was a design close to shy by my standards. It definitely wasn''t my style. But the reason I chose this robe despite that? Because I had no other choice. "...Ugh." Turning my head to look at the other robes, a heavy sigh escaped me. ording to the clerk, these were the mostmon mage robe designs... ''Are those clothes or wings...?'' The colors, the patterns, the densely embedded jewels. They boasted the utmost shiness, to the point where I wouldn''t be able to walk around with my head held high if I wore them. They were so shy that they wouldn''t lose out to Ka''s red robe, which was painful to look at. No, it even made me wonder if the red robe Ka chose wasn''t the most ordinary design among the robes in that store. I turned my gaze back to the robe hanging in front of me. "Well, this is decent." Having briefly looked at the other robes, the robe in front of me started to look incredibly beautiful. I was confident that I could at least wear this robe without feeling embarrassed. "I''ll take this one." In the end, I bought the robe in front of me. It cost 100 gold coins. It wasn''t a small amount, but it wasn''t a waste since mage robes were imbued with many useful special functions. After purchasing the robe, I immediately scoured the square to buy the next piece of equipment, and I gradually geared up piece by piece through a simr process. As I did so, my coin pouch became lighter, and soon the sun began to set. It had been more than half a day since I visited the cksmith''s workshop when the sun was high in the sky. The time I had promised to meet my colleagues was also approaching. "Shall we go now?" Now, only one piece of equipment remained. The most important thing in battle, the ''weapon''. It was time to wee the reborn [Holy Staff]. Thud, thud. My footsteps towards the cksmith''s workshop were light. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 43 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 43 "You''rete." As I entered the cksmith''s workshop, the dwarf owner stood up as if she had been waiting. Dusting off her hands, she brought a wooden box from the top of therge anvil. "Is this it? Did it work?" "Yes. Check it out." Thump, thump, thump! What would it look like? With anticipation, I slowly opened the lid of the box. Click. "Wow..." Inside, a pair of ck gloves, clearly made of high-quality leather, were neatly ced. A gold band ran along the lines, and the wrist part was designed with a strap so that it wouldn''t easilye off. It was reasonably standard and seemed to go well with the robe I had just purchased, so I liked the appearance for now. But what matters in a weapon is not design, but performance. "Can I try them on?" Perhaps sensing my excitement, the dwarf owner chuckled and nodded. "They''re yours." "...Then." Slide. I immediately put on the gloves. I simultaneously felt the change in mana. ''1 Circle increase.'' It was the same feeling of fullness I got when I held the [Holy Staff]. It seemed that the unique effect of the [Holy Staff], which increased the Circle, had been sessfully inherited. But if I was satisfied with just that, there would be no point in getting a new weapon. "Well..." Whoosh! I immediately channeled mana over my gloved hand. Swoosh! The mana carrying my will flowed up my arm without any sense of incongruity and formed a sphere on my palm. The process was much smoother than when I handled mana with the [Holy Staff]. Furthermore, although subtle, I could notice it. The time it took for the mana to reach my hand had also been shortened. ''She said it had good mana conductivity...'' I could certainly understand why good leather was used. It wasn''t a huge difference that I could clearly feel, but it was a significant change that would have a big impact in battle. ''Good.'' Swish! I immediately moved on to the next step. Imbuing the sphere with the light attribute and transforming its shape. The transformed shape was that of a sword, which I had practiced at the academy. A much more stable sword of light was created than when I made it with my bare hands. "Hup!" sh! With a shout, the sword of light that I swung in the air drew a smooth arc. Just as I had hoped. To be honest, I thought it would be a bit ufortable... "Whew..." Thispletely exceeded my expectations. It felt like I was handling magic with my bare hands. The usability was so excellent that if I closed my eyes, I would forget I was even wearing gloves. And yet, I could fully benefit from the effects of the equipment, so it was a very satisfying finished product. "You wield magic in a peculiar way." "Haha... I guess I do." "So, do you like it?" "Yes, it feels good to use. The magic conduction is definitely fast." "That''s good to hear. I was worried because this was my first time inheriting into gloves. It gave me a bit of trouble." "Wait, it''s your first time?" "Yes." The dwarf owner nodded nonchntly. "Huh..." They say the god of equipment is a distant ancestor of the dwarves... It seems like that''s not just an empty saying. How could this be the work of someone making it for the first time? She had the skill of someone who had made it at least a hundred times. "...That''s amazing." "Well, I''ve made a living doing this all my life. Anyway... it''s time to pay up, isn''t it?" "Ah." That''s right, I had forgotten about that, engrossed in the equipment. This wasn''t free. Thump, thump, thump! My body stiffened and my heart pounded at the mention of payment. In a negative sense, of course. "How much... is it?" Stiff with tension, I carefully opened my mouth. I hadn''t received any prior notice about the cost, so I had no idea how much it would be. Moreover, since the quality of the item was also good, it was only natural to be apprehensive... "Just give me 200 gold coins." 200 gold coins. It was arge sum, but fortunately, it was an amount I could afford with the money I had. Of course, I would have to empty out my entire current fortune. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the money I had left after buying the other equipment was exactly around 200 gold coins. ''...Oh dear.'' To be honest, I thought I would have money left over. Usually, in games, the crafting cost wasn''t as high as the cost of materials. I was going to use the remaining money to buy various consumables like potions and scrolls... ''I guess I''ll have to give up.'' It seemed like I wouldn''t have the luxury to do that. Well, I should be thankful that I didn''t have to work off the cost with manualbor here. "...Here you go." "Good." Clink, clink. The owner received the gold coins with a bright face and rummaged through her coin pouch. It seemed like she was meticulous when it came to these kinds of calctions. "Hmm, it''s exactly right. You can go now." Having finished counting, the owner dusted off her hands with a satisfied look. Seeing that, I got a rough sense of what kind of person this dwarf was. A bit prickly, but highly skilled, and well aware of her own abilities... Kind of like a workaholic? Overall, she was the type who got along well with me. ''Maybe I''ll see her often.'' I was willing to revisit a cksmith who could craft this level of equipment. Well, the high price was a drawback... but it was better than having poor skills. "I''lle again." With those words, I left the cksmith''s workshop. The sun hadpletely set. "It''s time to go." Checking the time, I quickly headed to another location. There was a ce I had to stop by before meeting mypanions. The ce I arrived at was the Artis Request Office. It was time to receive the requests I had asked Lena for. Knock, knock, knock. "...Come in." After a light knock, Lena''s voice came from inside. For some reason, it sounded like she was on the verge of death. Well, she had been up for two nights, so she must be exhausted. With a slightly worried heart, I opened the door to the request office. And. "...You''re here." I saw Lena in a much worse state than I had expected. She waspletely drained, like a seaweed soaked in water, her face buried in the table... Unable to even lift her head, Lena continued speaking in that state. "There really aren''t many requests in this area. But I gathered as many as I could... Here." Slide. Lena, still face down, pushed the organized request forms on the table. "Most of them are subjugation requests. Not many have decent rewards, so keep that in mind." Judging by the thickness... about twenty sheets? It was more than I had expected. "Oh, and this." Lena then held out a box that was on the other side of the table. "A pendant." "Pendant?" "Yes, the reward you were supposed to receive before." "Ah." It seemed like she was talking about the [Pendant of the Holy Oil] that was offered as a reward for the Aldeon request. ''Good timing. It will be helpful for the hunt.'' With that thought, I took the request forms and the box, and then carefully asked Lena, "...But are you okay?" "..." Silence followed. Lena didn''t answer. Suddenly, a chilling feeling ran down my spine, and I quickly reached out to check Lena''s nose. Whew, whew. Fortunately, she was breathing. It seemed she hadn''t died from overwork. "...That was a surprise." As I was feeling relieved, her breathing soon turned into light snoring. Zzz- She had fallen into a deep sleep in that short time. "Huh..." Rather than finding the situation funny, I felt it was amazing. Even when pushed to the brink of copse, she fulfilled her role to the end and fell asleep. "A pro. She''s a pro." Indeed, her mental strength wasmendable. It also meant that her desire to grow the request office was that strong. Well, it didn''t matter either way. In the end, the more I grew, the more this request office would grow with me. Anyway, "Shall we go?" There was really not much time left until the appointed time. I started walking, anticipating what my newly equippedpanions would look like. *** Meanwhile, at the clock tower in Dmitri Square, the meeting ce. "Hehe, hahaha." Thompson, who was sitting there, chuckled while fiddling with something. The reason he wasughing wasn''t because he had gotten new equipment, nor because he was the first to arrive at the meeting ce. It was because he had purchased a gift for Yuhan. "This, this, I''m looking forward to seeing his reaction!" Just imagining Yuhan''s reaction when he gave him this made himugh. Of course, based on what he had observed so far, Yuhan was someone who rarely showed changes in expression or revealed his emotions... But even he would be different this time. -Level up. He was definitely someone who knew about the existence of ''soul power''. "Well, it seems like it''s called by a slightly different name here... but the name doesn''t matter. He''ll definitely love it! Hahaha!" Thompson was sure Yuhan would be happy with the gift. To those who didn''t believe, it was worse than dog food, but to those who did, a soul power artifact was more precious than anything. Moreover, this artifact had a very convenient activation method; its effect was activated just by carrying it without any special usage. He would definitely be satisfied, and this would further increase his chances of bing a hero. At the same time, it would further increase the chances of Thompson''s dreaming true. Thompson only wished for one thing. To make Yuhan a ''hero''. And to be a hero''spanion himself. "Khehehe, what luck. To get this at a time like this!" Thompson admired his luck as he indulged in happy fantasies. Indeed, it was luck worth admiring. How could he meet a peddler selling this right after he thought about getting a soul power artifact? This was definitely a revtion from God. A revtion from God to raise Yuhan! "Well, thanks to this, my body is a bit lighter... but Mr. First ce will understand." Although he had spent most of his money buying this artifact, it was a minor issue. It was difficult to find equipment that suited him anyway. This was because Thompson''s fighting style was a bit different from other mages. To find equipment that would help with his fighting style of hitting and getting hit while covered in magic, he would probably have to have it custom-made. Above all, the size problem was the most serious. Weapons were fine since he could just about wield them, but armor and essories were impossible to wear. Robes tailored for other frail mages couldn''t contain the vessel that was Thompson. That''s why he decided to buy this artifact. It was a wise choice. They were about to go hunting, and it was better to buy something than to let his money just sit there, wasn''t it? "As I thought, I''m smarter than I look!" Just as he was admiring his extraordinary luck and intelligence. Thud, thud. "Oh? Mister, you''re early." Finally, the voice he had been waiting for rang out. It was Yuhan. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 44 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 44 Arriving at the clock tower, I saw Thompson already there. He was grinning as if something was very amusing... "Oh? Mister, you''re early." I waved to him, happy to see him. And then. Thud! "Mr. First ce!" Thompson suddenly stood up and leaped towards me, even channeling his mana. "What the..." I almost attacked him reflexively. I calmed down the mana I had instinctively raised and asked calmly, "Mister, what''s going on?" "Ah, sorry. I was just so eager to show you this as soon as possible..." Thompson scratched his head awkwardly and held something out. "What is it?" "It''s a gift. A very precious gift." "...A gift?" It was definitely meant well, buting from Thompson? For some reason, I felt uneasy. But I was wrong. nk. "This is... no way?" "Hahaha, as expected of Mr. First ce, you recognize it! This is a soul power artifact, one of the few in the world!" A soul power artifact. Its appearance was unimpressive, but there was no mistaking it. It was that rusty iron ring I had carelessly given to Ka. "Mister!" Unable to contain my emotions, I hugged Thompson. Because of Thompson''srge build, I looked like a rhinoceros beetle clinging to arge tree, but that didn''t matter. At this moment, Thompson was the most respectable person in the world. "Hahahaha! I knew you''d like it! I don''t need to exin what this is, do I?" "Of course! This is what I''ve been looking for..." As I was expressing my joy, a question suddenly came to mind. "Wait, how did you get this? Ka said she sold it?" "Hmm? Ka? What are you talking about?" "I sold it earlier." A familiar voice suddenly rang out. Ka, who had arrived at some point, poked her head out from behind Thompson. "It''s definitely the same ring as before... How did you get it? Was there another one just like it?" Ka tilted her head in confusion. Thompson also asked, still looking clueless, "You sold it... so this was originally yours?" "No, not that. The artifacts were distributed to each of us individually, remember? That ring was among the ones I received." "What?" Thompson''s eyes widened. It seemed like he finally understood the situation. "Wait, to whom? And for how much did you sell it?" "To a peddler I saw on the street. I got 300 gold coins for it." "...300 gold coins?" Thompson''s wide-eyed face quickly darkened. Seeing his expression, I could roughly guess what had happened. "Mister, did you buy this ring from a peddler? One wearing a ck hat?" "...Uh, yes." "How much did you pay for it?" Thompson hesitated before answering. "...600 gold coins." "What?" I couldn''t help but be surprised when I heard the amount. 600 gold coins? It was twice the amount Ka had sold it for. ''He got ripped off.'' As I was thinking that, Thompson''s attire finally caught my eye. Unlike Ka and me, who hadpletely changed from our appearance before we dispersed in the square, Thompson''s outfit hadn''t changed at all. Ah, except for therge wooden shield he was holding in his left hand. "So you spent all your money buying this?" "...I did." Thompson''s face darkened. It seemed he took my question as an usation. To clear up the misunderstanding, I immediately put on a bright smile. "You did well. I really needed this." "...Really?" "Yes, and this is definitely worth 600 gold coins." "...Is that so?" Only then did Thompson''s face gradually brighten. To be honest, it wasn''t a lie. The soul power artifact was one of the items I absolutely had to acquire, no matter the cost. Of course, thinking about the 300 gold coins that vanished into thin air made me feel bitter. Whoever that peddler was, he was no ordinary scoundrel. What kind of crazy person would make a 100% profit margin? Perhaps Thompson felt the same way, as he gritted his teeth and cracked his knuckles. "Still, that peddler... If I catch him, I''ll crush him." "Do you remember what he looked like?" "Of course, I got a good look at his face. I was suspicious he might be a scammer." Thompson threw a punch in the air with an angry face. Woosh-! An unbelievable gust of wind from his bare fist tickled my nose. "Just you wait. You scammer." This was the first time I had seen such a side of Thompson, who usually only showed a simple and positive demeanor. It seemed like he wasn''t bluffing. "Anyway, thank you so much, Mister. This will be a great help for the hunt." "Haha, don''t forget my kindness, Mr. First ce." "Of course not." As we were exchanging gratitude... "But why do you need this anyway?" Ka, who had joined the conversation again, asked with a puzzled look. "Well..." Before I could answer the question, Mister Thompson grabbed my shoulder and pulled me closer. He spoke in a hushed tone. "Mr. First ce, is it okay to tell her?" "...Excuse me?" "That you''re someone whose soul grows. Is it okay to tell her? It''s not a secret, is it?" "Ah..." Now that I heard it, I nodded. It was understandable for him to think that way. Thompson had witnessed the moment I leveled up, and it was probably the first time he had seen such a thing. Naturally, he thought this fact should be kept a secret. However. ''Is there any need to hide it?'' It was pointless in the current situation. After all, I would be the only yer in this world. Moreover, since Ka was mypanion who would go hunting with us, she would see me level up countless times in the future. Rather than being asked what it was all about then, it was better to tell her in advance. "It''s okay. It''s just between us." "Oh, I see. A secret amongpanions!" Thompson seemed to be enjoying this situation itself. He was someone who found it fun to have secrets. As expected, unlike his appearance, Mister Thompson had a lot of innocence. "...Yes, well." I didn''t bother to break his childlike wonder and nodded. Just then. "What are you two whispering about? So why do you need that thing?" Ka urged me to answer, sounding frustrated. And Mister Thompson answered on my behalf. "Miss, soul power actually exists." "...What are you talking about? That''s superstition." "No, it''s not superstition. And don''t be surprised. Soul power is a power passed down only to chosen people, and Mr. First ce here is one of those chosen ones. Hehehe." "What the... Yuhan, is that true?" Ka asked, looking at me as if I were crazy. Wondering what to answer, I agreed since it wasn''t exactly wrong. "Well... yes?" "Huh, so that''s why you were making a fuss when I said I sold the ring?" "That''s why, if you find any soul power artifacts in the future, be sure to give them to me. Don''t sell them." "Even though it has no effect on me?" At that moment, I noticed Ka''s eyes fixed on the ring. Her eyes were gleaming with greed. ''No way.'' I quickly emphasized. "Yeah, none at all. It has no effect whatsoever. It''ll just be a burden to carry around." "...Damn it." Only then did the greed disappear from Ka''s eyes. It seemed they clearly understood what I meant. Just then. "Ah, sorry I''mte everyone. I had a lot of things to buy." Thest member, Barundel, arrived. He was wearing a full set of heavy-looking equipment. Every time he took a step, it echoed with a thump, thump! no less loud than Thompson''s footsteps. "...Barundel, are you alright?" "What do you mean?" "Your equipment. I was wondering if it''s too heavy." "No problem. This is the kind of preparation you need to hunt demons." That''s what he said, but... ''It looks like it''s hard to even move.'' From my perspective, it was just an excuse because he wanted to have the equipment. Even with preparation, there''s a limit. There was no way he could hunt with such heavy equipment piled on. "Sigh..." I let out a deep sigh and looked around. Ka, the conspicuous red witch, even though it was nightfall. Barundel, the dwarf whose appearance made you doubt he was a former demon hunter. And Thompson, the mage who had to go to the front lines with only a shield. It was a motley crew, but what could I do? The party was already formed. "Let''s go now." The only fortunate thing was. I was a veteran among veterans, having experienced countless parties worse than this. "Woohoo-!" "We''re finally departing." "You demons, just wait!" No matter what members I had, nothing could stop my hunt. *** A manhole located in a secluded building in Sector 6. We held our breath in front of it. "...Shh, don''t even breathe." And for a while. "Where is it?!" "This way, this way, there''s a trail here!" Thud, thud, thud! Soon, we heard the sound of the guards running fiercely after finding the traces we had deliberately left. Only then did we exhale the breath we had been holding. "Phew-! I thought I was going to die." "...Barundel, we almost got caught." "...Sorry. I tried to walk as carefully as possible..." "Well, it''s fine." We almost got caught because of the rattling sound of Barundel''s equipment, but anyway. We managed to get here safely. Creak- I opened the manhole cover and beckoned the members to enter. "It''s still an unpleasant sight." "Huh... to think there''s a passage like this in a ce like this." "I''ll take the lead." Perhaps feeling a bit guilty, Barundel went down thedder first. After a short pause, Ka and Thompson followed. I also looked around to make sure there were no witnesses and then carefully went inside. After sessfully entering and closing the lid... Whoosh! The luminescent stones embedded in the walls of the passage lit up. I wasn''t surprised since I had experienced this once before. "Amazing, amazing. Mr. First ce, are there many amazing stones like this in the original world?" "Let''s go down first." I took one step at a time. After going down without any problems, my feet touched the ground, and the party was waiting for me. I did as I had done before and struck the wall with a different texture. Thud, thud, thud! "Ooh..." Thompson, who was experiencing this for the first time, let out an exmation of admiration. Barundel, as someone who had experienced it before, started walking first. "Follow me." "Hurry up, hurry up. It stinks here so much I could die." "...Alright." "It certainly does smell awful." The atmosphere was much more rxed than before. As we walked, the party members chatted with each other to relieve their boredom. There was no problem. No matter how much noise we made here, it wouldn''t reach the surface. This meant that it was a safe zone from here on. But then. "Ugh." "...I can''t stand it anymore." When we were more than halfway through, I couldn''t help but frown and feel something was wrong. ''The smell is a bit strong...?'' This was a ce I had definitely visited before for reconnaissance. There was no such stench back then. It was such a foul smell that just breathing made me want to throw up. And what was even stranger... ''This smell... from somewhere...'' For some reason, this smell was familiar. Soon, I recalled the memory. Yes, this was definitely... ''...Aldeon.'' The top floor of Aldeon''s magic tower. It was the smell of rotting corpses I had smelled there. At the same time I realized that... I felt a shiver down my spine and a red light shed in my heart. Thump! Thump! Thump! A warning signal of danger. Grrrr- A beastly growl came from up ahead. "Wh-what''s that?" "Why are those things..." I spoke to the bewildered party members in a low voice. "Prepare for battle." I didn''t know the reason... But the underground passage had been breached by demons. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 45 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 45 Grrrr- A growl echoed from the darkness. Heightening my vignce, I calmly assessed the situation. ''The passage has been breached.'' I didn''t know the cause, but the passage had been breached. The seven ''Imps'' baring their fangs and glowing red eyes in front of us were proof of that. "We''re in big trouble now, right? Mr. First ce." Thompson asked me, seemingly aware of the situation. "As you can see... it seems so." I wasn''t talking about the group of Imps in front of us. Imps were the lowest-ranking demons among the demon race. Although we were outnumbered, considering our currentbat strength, they weren''t much of a threat. However. "It seems we won''t need to go outside the border." "Huh, how could this happen..." The very fact that these guys were here was the problem. If they had invaded this ce, it meant they were also in Sector 7. And that meant Sector 7 was likely devastated. "We need to hurry. Let''s take care of them quickly." Yes, we couldn''t be sure of anything until we saw it for ourselves. Getting out of here was the top priority. "...I''ll take care of the ones in front." Whoosh! Barundel, who was at the forefront, swiftly kicked off the ground. In his right hand was the vicious axe he had newly acquired. Finally, the moment hade for his burdensome equipment to shine. At the same time. Bang-! Thompson, holding a giant wooden shield, encased himself in rock magic and leaped high into the air. An intimidating jump as always. I could imagine the fate of the Imp that would be crushed under his massive body. "Haa!" Following that, Ka''s barrage of mes began. She, too, unleashed a relentless stream ofrger and more powerful fireballs thanks to the equipment she had acquired. And next was me. Crackle! Buzz! I instantly covered myself in lightning magic and created a sphere of light in my hand. Simultaneously. Dash! I fearlessly jumped into the midst of the Imps. My targets were the three Imps in the rear. Woof! Woof! Woof! The Imps, noticing the attack, rushed at me from all directions, baring their sharp fangs... but perhaps because I had already encountered countless demons in Aldeon? Honestly, I wasn''t scared in the slightest anymore. And that was probably the same for the other members. Bam! Thud! Crack! Whoosh! Whimper! Yelp! Whimper! The almost simultaneous attacks began to brutally crush the Imps. Screech! Listening to their cries, I almost felt sorry for them, but they were demons. We showed no mercy, and the battle ended in the blink of an eye. "Damn you, you mutts! How did you even get in here?" Thompson, covered in Imp blood, said, shaking himself off in disgust. "...Well..." There was no way anyone could answer that question. "Let''s keep going." Rather than exchanging pointless questions, we decided to move on. And soon we were able to figure out the source of the stench. "Ugh!" "...What a mess." Dozens of corpses scattered throughout the passage were visible in the light of the luminescent stones. Most of their bodies were mutted, as if the Imps had gnawed on them. Worms were swarming around the decaying parts, and that was the source of the stench. "This is more serious than I thought." "Just from what I''ve seen, there are easily dozens of corpses. There''s no way this many people would use the passage..." "They must have been fleeing. If Sector 7 was breached, this would be the only ce to go. People probably flocked to the main gate as well." "...Is that so? This is the worst, Mr. First ce." "Sigh..." Thud, thud, thud... We pressed on, enduring the disgusting smell. Soon, we reached the end of the passage. There was only adder leading upwards. "This is Sector 7." From here, Ka took the lead. She was the one who knew the geography of Sector 7 best among the current members. "...Follow me." Ka signaled with her hand and climbed thedder first, and we followed her. After a while. "We''re on the surface." We finally reached the surface we had been waiting for. And as expected, the sight that unfolded before us was... "...This ce too." It was iparably more devastating than the underground passage. Dozens, hundreds of corpses were scattered everywhere, and traces of resistance and fierce battles filled the streets. "..." No one could easily speak at the sight. Silence hung in the air among the party members. "Excuse me." We spotted a passerby and immediately stopped him. Just by touching him, he was startled and said with a flustered face, "Wh-what is it?" "What happened here?" "Wh-what do you mean?" "How did this ce end up like this?" The passerby, who was looking at me with an iprehensible expression, suddenly widened his eyes as if he had realized something. "You... Are you people from the inner sectors?" When I silently nodded, he nced at me and mypanions and hurriedly continued, "Reinforcements! You''re here as reinforcements, right? You seem like mages!" "..." I could sense the desperation in his voice. How should I answer? "...Aren''t you?" I decided to be honest rather than give him false hope. "We happened to stop by. Reinforcements... well, I didn''t see anyone who escaped through the underground passage." "Ah..." The passerby''s face darkened rapidly. "You''re not... here to help us?" "Well, that''s..." I naturally looked at the party members behind me. Instead of saying anything, they silently nodded. It seemed they felt the same way I did. "If you want us to eliminate the demons, we''re willing to help." "...Really?" "Yes, so please exin. What happened?" Did he find hope in those words? The passerby''s vacant eyes were quickly filled with life. "This, this way first. It''s dangerous here." He looked around a few times and then abruptly headed somewhere. The ce he led us to was a nearby three-story abandoned building. Judging from the barricade at the entrance and the signs of life, it seemed like this passerby was using it as a temporary shelter. "Here... This is all I can offer you." He held something out with an apologetic look. It was a few pieces of broken biscuits. But even this would be precious food in the current situation. The fact that he offered this meant that he was incredibly desperate. "We''re fine, so please tell us." "...Ah, yes." Munch, munch. He continued speaking while chewing on the biscuits. "It was three days ago. A demon with a single horn, in the form of a bull, suddenly invaded this ce." "...A bull with a single horn?" "Yes, I saw it myself, although it was from a distance. It was definitely a bull." He said with a convinced tone. ''A bull with a single horn...'' If it looked like that, there was one that came to mind... But for now, I focused on the passerby''s words. "Anyway, it invaded alone and started destroying our sector." "...What about the guards? There should be guards in Sector 7 too." "Of course they tried to stop it. But... it wasn''t a fight. It was just a one-sided massacre." Thump! Thump! Was it because of the biscuit stuck in his throat, or was it because he recalled the events of that day? The passerby pounded his chest in frustration and continued, "Ahem! Ahem! Ah, I''m sorry." "It''s alright. Please continue." "After crushing the guards, it disappeared, and we were relieved. We didn''t know why it came here, but we thought it was over. But..." "It wasn''t the end." "...No, that was just the beginning. The next day, hundreds of demons swarmed in." "..." "And then, well, as you can see..." I followed the passerby''s gaze and looked around. Sector 7 was a devastating sight. The strong stench of blood lingered in the air. It was only natural. The people of Sector 7, without walls or guards, would have no way to withstand hundreds of demons. And above all... The demon in the form of a bull with a single horn. ''Valefor.'' From the moment he, who held the position of Demon of Greed, appeared, the fall of Sector 7 within three days was already a foregone conclusion. The one thing that bothered me here was... ''Why?'' I couldn''t understand why they had caused this situation. Was there something in Sector 7 that they coveted? ''...Well...'' That seemed unlikely. What could possibly be left in this remote sector that even Asternon had abandoned? I came to that conclusion and thought of another possibility. ''Then, was the invasion itself the goal?'' It wasn''t an entirely imusible story. But it also didn''t seem very likely. If invasion was really their objective, they would have attacked Sector 6 immediately after destroying Sector 7. But just recalling the situation in the underground passage we had passed through... ''Then they wouldn''t have left Imps like that there.'' There was no sign of that. In the end, I couldn''te up with a clear answer. "So... will you help us?" The anxious passerby formally asked for help. There was no reason not to help. Our purpose ining here was to hunt, and we could sufficiently achieve that purpose by helping this person here. However. ''The other members...'' Before making a decision, I looked around at the party members who were sitting in a circle. Fortunately, they seemed to feel the same way this time as well. Barundel nodded, and Thompson clenched his fist as if it were a matter of course. And when my eyes met Ka''s... "Wait a minute." She pointed at the passerby with a frown. "Hey, mister. What exactly do you want us to help you with? Do you want us to beat up all the demons wandering around here?" The passerby answered calmly, without getting flustered. "Yes, that would be enough. We can manage the rest on our own." "Why go so far? Can''t you just flee to another ce? Why cling to this dump?" "...Yes, mage, you''re absolutely right. But... even this dump is my home and my hometown. I want to protect it." "Oh, is that so?" I looked at Ka''s face, who had stopped talking. She still looked displeased, but she wasn''t showing any signs of disapproval. When our eyes met, she reluctantly nodded. That settled it. "Alright. We''ll help you." "Th-thank you so much!" The passerby repeatedly bowed, expressing his sincere gratitude. I waved my hand dismissively and asked him, "So what should we do first?" "It''s toote. Please rest for today. You''ll be rtively safe if you stay here." "Hmm, okay." After the conversation, we were led by the passerby to the second floor to rest, and I headed upstairs with the party. As we were going up the stairs, thump! Someone grabbed my wrist from behind. I turned my head to see Ka. "Why? What''s wrong?" She opened her mouth with a very uneasy expression. "There''s something strange. You know I''m from here, right?" "I know." Of course, I knew that. This was where I first met her, after all. But why was she suddenly bringing this up? She hesitated for a moment and then said, "But you see, I''ve never seen that mister before." "...What?" With those words, I could sense it. That something was wrong. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 46 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 46 "Ka, what do you mean?" "Exactly what I said. I''ve lived here for over 20 years, and I''ve never seen that man before. Not even once." "Huh... what..." Thompson, who had been listening quietly, interjected with a dumbfounded expression. "Miss, even if you''re from here, you wouldn''t know everyone living here, would you?" "Sector 7 has a small poption and not many safe zones, so almost everyone knows each other. Rumors spread quickly too." "...Is that so?" Everyone froze at Ka''s words. I was also bewildered. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I checked several times, but I''m certain. He''s not from here." Ka said firmly with a convinced look. Thanks to that, I also became uneasy. "...This situation is taking a strange turn." If Ka''s words were true, the passerby had deceived us. But I couldn''t understand why. What was his purpose? "Maybe he''s nning to steal our equipment while we''re asleep?" "If it''s just theft, there''s no reason toe all the way here. What do the people here have that''s worth stealing?" "Hmm, then why..." We racked our brains for several minutes, but couldn''t easily find an answer. I just had a hunch that it might be rted to this invasion. Since everything was still shrouded in mystery, I didn''t voice this thought. In the end, we came to this conclusion: "Let''s just observe for now. Let''s see what he''s up to." We decided to wait and see. It was a pretty good method. Now that we knew he was lying, we wouldn''t be in any danger. "I agree. If we stay close to him, we''ll find out something." "I also think that''s a good idea." "Can''t we just subdue him and ask?" "Mister, are you really a mage? Why do you want to resort to force right away? It''s better to use that as ast resort." "Ugh..." With Thompson''s agreement, we had everyone on board. We arrived on the second floor, and as the passerby had said, there was an open space. "Not bad." As expected of an abandoned building, it was just a cement floor, but there were useful things like nkets and pillows, so it seemed like we could stay here for a few days without any problems. "I''ll take this spot." "Then I''ll use this ce." Thud, thud, clink, clink. Everyone put down their luggage and settled down. Iid my nket closest to the stairs in case of an emergency. This was to detect any danger as quickly as possible. After settling down, we decided to spend our time individually. "Phew..." Hum! Ka immediately closed her eyes and began her solo magic training. It seemed her magic skills didn''t grow without reason. I couldn''t just sit around either, so I approached Barundel, who was diligently taking care of his equipment. "Barundel, shall we do it now?" "Ah, the training?" "Yes." We hadn''t had the time to properly do the scheduled training because we were busy. Since we came here together, I thought it would be good to train whenever we had the chance. "The fatigue will be a bit severe from this training onwards. It might affect tomorrow''s work... Are you sure you''re okay with it?" "Yes, well. It''s better to achieve physicalpletion even a day sooner. If it seems like I''m overdoing it, I''ll stop on my own." "Alright." With my assurance that I wouldn''t overdo it, Barundel readily agreed. "Dwarf, then take a look at me too. My body has been itching since earlier." "Hmm, thene this way." Thompson naturally joined the training. Huff! Huff! The building was quickly filled with the smell of sweat and heat, and the training continued until dawn. After 2 a.m., I entered meditation to finish the training. I emptied my mind and epted the sensations from my body as they were. Throb! It felt like I hadn''t done much, but the pain was intense. It was true that the intensity increased from this stage onwards. Maintaining a motionless posture for an hour, moving while blindfolded to urately reach a desired location, and so on. The movements and methods were simple, but they required tremendous concentration, which directly tranted into physical fatigue. However. ''The tremors in my body have decreased.'' The effects were also tremendous. I could already feel it, even though it was only the first day. If I continued like this, there would definitely be good results. With that thought, I ended my meditation. How much time had passed? When I opened my eyes, Barundel and Thompson were already asleep, and only Ka was sitting still, wide awake. "Whew... haa." Seeing her regte her breathing, it seemed that her training had just ended. "Did you make any progress?" "...No, not really." Judging from her expression, it seemed like the training hadn''t gone well. In my experience, there was only one reason for this. ''When you have a lot on your mind.'' Magic was a power most influenced by the mind. Therefore, if your mind wasplicated, training wouldn''t go well. And I could roughly guess why Ka''s mind wasplicated. "Are you okay?" I asked Ka cautiously. I had realized she was in aplicated state of mind ever since we were in the underground passage. Herplexion hadn''t been good since she saw the corpses there. She was probably thinking about what happened to her parents. "...What?" Ka asked back, pretending not to know, but when I just stared at her, she reluctantly opened her mouth. "...I''m fine. I don''t care what happens to those people. Really." It seemed she hadn''t seeded in the revenge she talked about back then. Well, no matter how great her anger was, it was a difficult revenge to achieve. Dealing with your own bloodline wasn''t something you could do with just willpower. "Being eaten by demons... It''s fitting. As their end." She said that, but her voice was choked with emotion. Her pupils seemed to tremble slightly. She wasn''t being sincere. Of course, there was no need to point that out directly. "Well, if that''s what you think. But if you change your mind, let me know. I''ll do as you wish." "..." She closed her mouth tightly and buried her face in her knees. It seemed like she was lost in thought again. Somehow, that reminded me of the first time I met her. "...I''m going to sleep." Ka suddenly said that andy down. I didn''t say anything more and set up a detection-type sh spell for a night watch before lying down. Hoping that she would ovee this on her own. I slowly closed my eyes, listening to the increasingly clear chirping of crickets. *** Morning came, and sunlight streamed through the open space where a window should have been. I woke up the party members and we were eating the food I had asked Thompson to prepare beforehand when the passerby came up to the second floor. He was holding the same broken biscuits we had seen yesterday. "Breakfast... Ah, you''re already eating." "Yes, would you like some?" "Haha... I''m fine. This is enough for me." The passerby waved his hand and showed the biscuits. Well, I wasn''t really nning to give him any anyway. I wasn''tpassionate enough to share precious food with someone who could be an enemy. After finishing the meal, I asked the passerby, "What should we do now?" The passerby nodded as if he had something in mind and said, "First, we''ll eliminate the demons nearby and look for survivors. Is that okay with you?" "Yes, let''s do that." "Then this way." The passerby told us to follow him and went down the building first. I put on the robe I had taken off and spoke to the party members in a low voice. "Let''s try to hide our abilities as much as possible. We don''t know what might happen." "Alright." "Hehe... This is kind of fun, isn''t it? It''s like we''re assassins." Fully armed, we gathered and went down to the first floor. The passerby, seeing us, approached as if he had been waiting and unfolded the old paper he was holding. "This is a map of Sector 7 that I drew myself. We''re nning to go this way first..." I briefly scanned the map and looked at Ka. Ka, who met my eyes, silently nodded. Fortunately, it seemed like the map wasn''t fabricated. "As you can see, I''m not good at fighting... Would you mind taking the lead?" The passerby gave a wry smile as he touched his skinny forearm. Was this an act, or was it real? I wasn''t sure, but judging from the fact that my heart wasn''t pounding, it seemed like he didn''t have any malicious intent for now. "Alright. Stay close behind us and follow." After saying that, I gestured to Thompson to stay with the passerby. As the most resilient one among us, he would be able to respond to any sudden surprise attacks. "Let''s go." I checked the map and headed towards the ce the passerby had pointed to. The distance from here was about 10km. On the way, whenever we saw a building, we went in to search for survivors, and every time we did, groups of two or three Imps would appear and attack us. Of course, the pattern of the battles wasn''t much different from before. sh! Barundel cut off an Imp''s head and asked the passerby, "There are fewer demons than I expected?" "Ah, yes. I don''t know why, but there are particrly few demons in this area. That''s why I evacuated here." The passerby answered immediately, but perhaps because we already knew he was hiding something... His behavior seemed even more suspicious. It felt like he had prepared his answers in advance. Anyway, as we entered the fourth building... "Oh?" We found a person huddled in a corner, trembling. It was the first survivor. "Excuse me, are you alright?" "Wh-who..." "It''s been a while, ma''am." Ka gave a wry smile as she checked the survivor''s face. "Oh... Kay-Ka? You''re alive? No, wait, what''s with that outfit..." "I became a mage." "...What? Is that true?" The survivor looked at Ka and us in disbelief. A bulky man, a thoroughly armed dwarf, and me, cloaked in a ck robe. I didn''t know how we appeared to her, but the survivor''s eyes started to well up with tears. "Th-then am I saved? Hup!" The survivor even started to hup. I could imagine how terrified she must have been here. Ka looked at her with pity and held out her hand. "Come on, ma''am. You''ll be safe with us." "Th-thank you. Thank you so much... Hup!" Ka helped the survivor up. Just then. "Um... Are you by any chance from Sector 7?" The passerby suddenly asked Ka, looking at her. As if he didn''t understand what was going on. With a look that realized something was wrong. Ka chuckled at him. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 47 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 47 Ka confidently dered while looking at the passerby. "About 10 years ago? For a short time when I was young. After that, I awakened mana and was scouted." She winked at the survivor after saying that. "Right, ma''am?" It was a very subtle wink, thrown from an angle the passerby couldn''t see. The survivor, who was about to say something, stopped at the wink and swallowed hard. "Ha, haha... Yes, that''s right. It''s already been 10 years. How time flies." "Indeed." The passerby looked back and forth between the two and nodded as if convinced. "Hmm, I see. You''re lucky. Mana awakening isn''t amon urrence... You must have done a lot of good deeds." "Well, I didn''t live a bad life." I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly as I listened to their conversation. ''That went well.'' It was fortunate that Ka was quick-witted; we almost aroused unnecessary suspicion from the start. It would have been troublesome since we hadn''t yet grasped his intentions or obtained any information. But since we had safely navigated that, we would be able to avoid simr suspicions for a while. "Shall we continue then?" Just as we were about to set off again... "Wait, what about the ma''am? Do we take her with us?" Ka stopped us. Now that she mentioned it, it was something to consider. "It''s certainly dangerous to do that." It was risky to continue taking the survivor with us when we didn''t know what would happen next. But we couldn''t send the survivor back to the temporary shelter alone either. Fortunately, we didn''t have to think about it for long. "Let''s do this. For now, Ka will take her to the temporary shelter." "And then?" "When we find another survivor, Barundel will go to the temporary shelter. Ka will join us again after meeting Barundel." "So we''ll gradually increase the number of survivors that way?" "I think that''s a good idea. We should be able to manage the battles even if we''re one member short." "Hmm, alright. Let''s do that. Is that okay with you, ma''am?" "Uh, uhm... I''m grateful as long as someone protects me." "Let''s go then." Once the decision was made, Ka left the building with the survivor. We resumed our search only after she was gone. After that, it was a repetition of the same process. Eliminating Imps, entering buildings, searching for survivors... It was a shame that we couldn''t find any more survivors after the middle-aged woman, but anyway... After about three hours, we almost reached our final destination. "We''re almost there." ording to the passerby, there was supposed to be a temporary shelter set up by the survivors, but... "Hup!" From my perspective, that seemed unlikely. The closer we got to that ce, the more frequently demons appeared. Moreover... Growl, growl! Screech! The types of demons appearing were bing more diverse, including Basilisk and Imps. "Hambu-rger!" Crash! "Yuhan! There''s more behind you!" "I see them!" Zap! The situation was gradually bing more challenging. Hiding our true abilities and fighting with only three members had a significant impact. ''This won''t be sustainable.'' We needed to minimize the risk. It was time to take action. "From here on, let''s lure the demons and fight them. If we can even out the numbers, it will be much better than now." "Alright." "I''ll be the bait, Mr. First ce." Thompson thumped his chest as if saying to trust him. I also thought it would be better for Thompson to take that role. "If you feel like you''re overdoing it, retreat immediately, mister." "Don''t worry. I''m first-ss when ites to running away." Fortunately, the strategy worked well. Click, ck, click, ck! "Now!" sh! Zap! Thud. The demons that followed the fleeing Thompson were caught in our surprise attack, their necks cut and chests pierced. Whoosh- The demons turned into gray dust and became experience points. The hunting speed slowed down, but stability definitely increased. "If we keep this up, it will be fine." After about 30 more minutes... "Phew... We''re finally here." We stopped in front of an abandoned building. This was the final destination the passerby had mentioned. However. "Did you get the location wrong?" The appearance waspletely different from what I had expected. Contrary to what he had said about it being a temporary shelter, the building was on the verge of copse. No matter how I looked at it, there was no way people could survive in a ce like this. "No, this is the ce. I heard the shelter is underground." "Underground?" "Yes, this way." The passerby entered the building without any hesitation and abruptly stopped somewhere, pointing at the floor. There was a square groove in the floor. It seemed this was the entrance to the underground shelter he was talking about. "Heave-ho!" Thud, thud, thud! The passerby, without any exnation, suddenly lifted the grooved floor. A hidden passage was revealed underneath. It looked less like something man-made and more like a naturally formed passage... "Please go in first. I''ll follow you." The passerby pointed at the passage with his chin, seemingly unconcerned about its appearance. And I felt an unknown sense of incongruity. ''What is this feeling?'' I wasn''t sure, but the current situation seemed very unnatural. What was it? It didn''t take long to find the answer. ''He''s suddenly being proactive.'' This was a man who, under the pretext of not knowing how to fight, always stayed in the back, whether we were searching or fighting. But now he was entering the building first, even lifting the floor himself... He had be strangely proactive. As if he wanted us to go in there. He must have been up to something. ''...What should I do?'' However, one thing bothered me: my heart wasn''t pounding. If this man had malicious intent and that malice was dangerous, my heart would have been pounding. Only one reason came to mind. ''Does this mean he''s not dangerous?'' If that was the case, there was no need for this concern. If it wasn''t dangerous, there would be no problem. Rather, it was a good opportunity to figure out what the passerby''s intentions were and what he was up to. Making that judgement, I moved to the front, just in case. "I''ll go in first." If a problem arose, I would be the one who could respond the quickest. The moment I entered the passage with that thought... "Huh?" Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! The world suddenly spun, and a strange sound and a jolting sensation washed over me. Then, the surrounding air changed. No, the space I was standing in itself changed. Instead of a dark passage, I was in a space withrge stone walls extending on both sides. The moment I saw those walls, I realized. ''A dungeon!'' That this was a dungeon in [Demon Fantasy]. That the passage was the entrance to a dungeon. *** Dash! Thompson, who was standing right behind Yuhan, stumbled backward in surprise. He had seen it with his own eyes, but he couldn''t believe it. "Wh-what?!" Barundel was equally surprised. "What is this...!?" The situation that surprised them both was this: Yuhan, who had entered the passage, suddenly disappeared. Thud! "You son of a bitch...! What have you done to Mr. First ce?!" Enraged, Thompson grabbed the passerby by the cor, veins bulging on his forehead. Barundel held out his double-edged axe and ced it against the passerby''s neck. It seemed like he was about to slit his throat at any moment. "It would be wise to confess honestly." At this critical moment, where the situation could change in an instant, the passerby opened his mouth. "Puhahaha..." Instead of answering, he let out an unpleasantugh. For a moment, Thompson and Barundel hesitated inwardly. ''Should we kill him?'' ''Should I just cut him down?'' But neither of them put their thoughts into action. They knew that rash actions would only bring harm. The standoff continued for a while. Then the passerby opened his mouth again. "You''d better follow him quickly. Otherwise... your leader. You might never see him again." "...What? This bastard!" Just as Thompson, unable to control his anger, was about to throw a punch... Thump. Barundel grabbed his fist and stopped him. "Dwarf! What are you doing! We need to beat this guy up..." "...Thompson, he''s right." "...Do you know something?" At Thompson''s question, Barundel nodded with a serious expression. "I''ve heard it before. About the existence of ''dungeons'' in this world. The current phenomenon is exactly the same as what I heard back then." "...Dungeons? What are those?!" "Simply put, they are spaces in another dimension. Various strange phenomena ur within them, and monsters that don''t exist in this world inhabit them. And the most important thing is..." Barundel swallowed hard and continued. "...that if you don''t escape within the allotted time, the dungeon will be closed." "...Closed? What happens then?" "You''ll wander inside forever. Like a lost child drifting through space." "This is crazy...!" Thompson''s pupils trembled. He looked like a child who didn''t know what to do. It was understandable, considering the man who was supposed to fulfill his dream was in danger. But there was no time to calm him down. "There''s no time. We need to go in and find a way for Yuhan to escape." ¡®If we hesitated, we might really lose Yuhan forever, just as the man had said.¡¯ Thompson, who had grasped the situation to some extent, let out a deep sigh. "Sigh... So you''re saying if we go in there, we can meet Yuhan?" "That''s right." "Alright." That answer was enough for Thompson to make up his mind. Whack! Thompson shoved the passerby he was holding hard. The passerby fell to the floor helplessly, and Thompson red at him and cracked his knuckles. "Hey, skinny. I''ll see youter." With that, Thompson started walking. Without a moment''s hesitation. Whoosh! Thompson disappeared into the passage. "...It would be best to run as far away as possible. We''ll be out soon." Barundel also threw a word and followed Thompson. Whoosh! The two who had been threatening him disappeared, and the building became quiet again, as if it had never been noisy. The passerby, who was lying on the floor, got up with an expressionless face. He leisurely dusted off his pants and grinned. "...It doesn''t matter if youe out or not. My target isn''t you anyway. Haha!" At the same time... Whoosh! An eerie mana flowed out from around him. "It''s time for a feast." It had been a long time since he had such delicious hearts before him. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 48 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 48 Thud, thud, thud... I walked slowly along the path, organizing my thoughts. The most puzzling question at the moment was this: "Why didn''t my heart pound?" Why didn''t my heart pound even though it was a very dangerous situation where I was entering a dungeon? This was something I had to figure out to prevent any unexpected variables in the future. I recalled the past situation step by step and considered all possibilities. Eventually... "Ah... could it be?" I came up with a hypothesis. "Is it only considering the danger?" In [Demonl Fantasy], dungeons were very dangerous ces. If you entered recklessly without properly assessing the situation, your carefully raised character could vanish in an instant. But on the other hand, dungeons offered great rewards upon clearing them. And the hypothesis I came up with started from there. "If it judged that the reward I would get was greater than the danger I would face..." A dungeon where the return was greater than the risk. If the dungeon in front of me was such a ce, it would make sense that my heart didn''t pound. Ultimately, I would benefit from it. Of course, it was still too early to be sure. "Sigh... Let''s clear it first and think about itter." It wouldn''t be toote to judge after clearing the dungeon and receiving the reward. I decided to focus on clearing this dungeon as quickly as possible. I slowly moved along the right wall. ''...I''m d about this at least.'' Fortunately, this was a ''maze'' type dungeon. In other words, as long as I knew the ''right-hand rule,'' I could escape. If I just kept my hand on the wall and moved to the right, I would eventually find the exit. The problem was... "Hup!" Whoosh! ...that the process wouldn''t be smooth. "...This is brutal." I straightened up reflexively and turned around. Three arrows, fired from who knows where, were flying along the path. If I had been spacing out, I would have been pierced by them and turned into a hedgehog. Like this, I couldn''t let my guard down for a single moment in a dungeon. Countless traps were installed everywhere. Of course, it wasn''t just physical traps. The first dead end I encountered... Screech! ...a grotesque creature, resembling who knows what, was waiting for me there, dripping with viscous saliva. Hop, hop, hop! It lunged at me, jumping with its six long legs. It was iparably faster than the demons I had fought before. But it was fine. Because I could go all out here. I held the Sword of Light and waited for the right moment. The moment the grotesque creature entered my attack range... - Entering Awakening state. - 300% proficiency bonus to all ded weapons. ''Now!'' sh! The Sword of Light drew a splendid arc, cutting the creature in two. A clean strike, wless for my current level. Thud- The split corpse, spewing blue blood, slid down the walls. "That smell..." As expected of a grotesque creature, the smell of its blood was quite foul. I quickly moved to leave the spot. I had encountered a dead end, but this too was a problem solved by the right-hand rule. After some time... At another dead end, I found a familiar man. "Mister?" "Oh, Mr. First ce! You''re safe!" Thompson, upon finding me, rushed towards me. Running in this ce... I thought I should stop him, but it was already toote. Thud! "Argh! This damn obstacle!" Thompson crashed headfirst into a stone pir that suddenly sprang up from the ground and writhed in pain. Moreover, it seemed like this wasn''t the first time this had happened, as his body was already covered in wounds. What a simple man. "...Are you okay?" "Uh, yeah. Damn it! Why are there so many traps here? Are dungeons always like this?" "Well, yes... but if you concentrate, you can avoid them." "It''s doable for someone as quick as Mr. First ce. For someone like me, it''s an ordeal!" Thompson snorted and wiped the blood from his nose. In a way, it was amazing that he only got a nosebleed from that hit. "Did youe here alone? Where''s Barundel?" "Well, we came in together, but... when I opened my eyes, I was alone." "Aha." It wasn''t strange. It wasmon to start in different locations even when entering a dungeon together. Maze dungeons, especially, had a higher probability of that happening. "We need to hurry. We have to find the exit and Barundel." "That''s right, the dwarf said there''s a time limit here, right?" "Yes. We have about three hours left." "...Three hours. Let''s hurry. I don''t want to be a lost child in space." ...A lost child in space? I didn''t know what he meant, but I decided to let it slide. It wasn''t the first time Thompson had said something strange. "Just follow me." "As expected, you''re reliable, Mr. First ce." Now a duo, we began to navigate the maze more easily. Thompson touched the right wall, and I deciphered the traps. This way, we could increase our speed without losing our way. "Duck!" "Hup...!" "Ju-jump!" "Haaaa!" We dodged the iron thorns protruding from the wall, had a chase with a giant ball rolling at a terrifying speed... After about an hour of this... "Huh? Mr. First ce, is that...?" "Yes, it is. The thing we were talking about earlier." We found arge treasure chest for the first time. This was one of the appeals of dungeons, a major factor that made dangerous dungeons worthwhile withrge amounts of gold coins, high-level artifacts, and more. However, if we opened it recklessly, we could face consequences, so... "Hehehe, so this is the treasure chest? What could be inside..." "W-wait a minute, mister!" Damn it, I should have exined the precautions beforehand. I ran towards Thompson, who had somehow already reached the chest, at full speed. But the chest had already been opened by Thompson. Now all I could do was pray inwardly. Please don''t let it be a dud. The odds were 50/50. "Screeeech-!" Well, well, well. "Uh, uh oh! What is this?!" Thud! I hurriedly threw myself at Thompson, who was covered in rock magic. Thompson flew away from the impact. Woosh- "M-Mr. First ce!" After confirming that he hadnded a safe distance away, I immediately threw myself t on the ground. And... Crunch! Screeeech! A chilling sound of teeth shing and an ear-splitting shriek came from behind me. This sound, which I had heard countless times in the game, never failed to make me uneasy. ''Damn it, I almost died...'' I didn''t have time to admire my survival instincts. As soon as I realized the attack was over, I got up again and ran at full speed. If I tripped here, the result was obvious. Death. "Run!" Dash, dash, dash! After running for a while, We stopped running only when we couldn''t feel the creature''s presence anymore and gasped for breath. "Huff... Huff...!" "M-Mr. First ce, what was that? What kind of chest has human arms and legs..." Thompson plopped down on the floor and frowned as if he had seen something he shouldn''t have. It was understandable. The first time I saw that grotesque creature, I had nightmares for days. "It''s a Mimic." "A Mimic...?" "It''s a kind of hidden boss. You can only see it in dungeons." "A hidden boss... Is it that strong? Strong enough to make us run without looking back?" Well, could that thing be described simply as "strong?" "If you get eaten by it, you just die. Without any resistance." The Mimic''s teeth had a very special property. Theypletely ignored the opponent''s defense and resistance. So no matter how good your armor was, no matter how tough your body was, it was useless. The Mimic''s teeth pierced through everything. If I had left Thompson, who was covered in rock magic, alone, he would have been killed instantly. ''Even my zombie warriors were no match for that thing...'' It was truly overpowered, capable of piercing through something even Baal couldn''t. It wasn''t called the natural enemy of tanks and the number one contributor to breaking the bnce of [Demonl Fantasy] for nothing. "Huh... so all we can do is run away?" "Well, not necessarily..." Of course, unlike Baal, it wasn''t an impossible monster to defeat. If Baal was a boss mob with arge hexagonal position, the Mimic was a creature specialized in offense. Rtively speaking, its defense was weak. But now was too early to try taking on a Mimic. It was worth attempting only after acquiring skills that could melt a Mimic from a distance or having enough agility stats to dodge all its attacks at close range. If that time came, I would be able to rake in money in dungeons. "Someday, we will be able to defeat that thing." "...We have a long way to go." Anyway, after safely oveing the crisis... We encountered a second treasure chest after a long trek. "This... will it be alright?" Having had a terrible experience, Thompson didn''t rashly open the chest this time. "There''s a way to tell them apart." I pushed Thompson back and summoned the Sword of Light. And then I stabbed it straight into the treasure chest. ng! With a clear sound, the chest deflected the Sword of Light. This meant it wasn''t a Mimic. "If it''s intact after being stabbed with a weapon, it''s a treasure chest. If the weapon sinks in, it''s a Mimic." "So this one is a treasure chest?" "Yes." "Whew... that''s a relief. Then what do you do if the weapon goes in? Run away quickly?" "No, a Mimic won''t react unless you open the lid. You can just pass by." "...I did something really foolish earlier." Thompson scratched his head awkwardly. I patted his shoulder reassuringly and stood in front of the chest. Now it was time to open it and check the rewards inside. ''...This is kind of amazing.'' It looked like sturdy wood reinforced with gold-colored metal tes. Seeing it with my own eyes felt new. It was like I was actually inside the game... and I was proud of myself for already reaching the level where I could farm chests in dungeons. ''Well, it''s true that I''m inside the game.'' Anyway, I was currently inside a dungeon where I could lose my life. Reminding myself of that, I firmly grasped the lid of the chest. "I''m opening it." "Let''s go!" nk! I opened the lid with reverence. And then... Whoosh! A golden light, like the effect I had seen countless times in the game, scattered in all directions. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 49 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 49 ''I wonder what wille out.'' There were five main types of items that could appear from treasure chests in dungeons: Gold coins, equipment, artifacts, stats, and traits. Of course, traits appeared with an extremely low probability, so unless you cleared the dungeon hundreds of times through dungeon runs, it was virtually impossible to obtain them. Excluding traits, there were four remaining items that could realistically be obtained: Gold coins, equipment, artifacts, and stats. In the current situation, I would dly ept anything that came out. As I was thinking that, the golden light began to fade. And then... "M-Mr. First ce!" As the reward was revealed, Thompson was startled and stumbled backward. I also flinched at the sudden change, but soon grasped the situation. A sense of fullness that washed over me as the golden light faded. This feeling of energy welling up inside me was simr to the feeling I got when I leveled up. There was only one reward that could cause such a change. ''Stats.'' More precisely, strength stats. Otherwise, it wouldn''t give me this feeling of overflowing strength. ''I''m lucky.'' Although not as rare as traits, stats were still a rtively low-probability reward. This meant that it was a very satisfying result. As these umted, they would eventually have an effectparable to leveling up. "What was that just now...?" Thompson, stillpletely clueless, asked while touching his arm. The problem was that I had no words to exin it to him. No, I was also surprised by the current situation. ''...Did his stats increase too?'' Generally, rewards that didn''t have a physical form were only effective for the yer. In other words, no matter how many traits and stats you obtained from treasure chests, they had no effect on NPCs or summons. However, Thompson''s reaction clearly showed that his stats had increased... Even I couldn''t help but be surprised. ''Is this also a change that happened over thest 100 years?'' That question came to mind, but I couldn''t find a definite answer. Of course, it wasn''t a big issue to worry about. The fact that these rewards also applied to mypanions was a positive thing no matter how you looked at it. ''Once we''ve grown to a certain extent, we should all go dungeon farming.'' If traits appeared, those who needed them could take them, and if stats appeared, the entire party would be stronger. ''...Isn''t this broken?'' Come to think of it, the value of dungeons seemed to have be ridiculously high. Perhaps we could build a party far stronger than I imagined through dungeon runs. Well, anyway. "Don''t be too surprised. You just got a little stronger." "What? Stronger?" "Yes, I don''t know the details, but I heard this kind of thing happens often in dungeons." "Oh? Is that so? It''s amazing what happens when I''m with Mr. First ce. Hehehe." After briefly exining to Thompson, we started exploring the dungeon again. Now that I knew dungeon rewards also applied to party members, there was something I had to do first. "We need to proceed while carefully checking for any traces." Our top priority was to join up with Barundel as quickly as possible. That way, we could maximize the rewards from any treasure chests we might find. Well, I was also worried about Barundel''s safety. ''He should be fine in a dungeon of this level...'' But you never knew. He could have, like Thompson, stumbled upon a Mimic without knowing any better. "Trust me. I''m keeping my eyes peeled!" After some more time... While passing through a seemingly lethal poisonous area, we finally found a trace. A strand of brown hair, which could have been from his head or beard. "Mr. First ce, this is... right?" "It seems so." It was Barundel''s trace. Thompson scratched his head and said, "Not footprints, but hair... Is this something to be happy about?" Instead of answering, I nodded. It wasn''t a big help, but it wasn''t bad news either. There were no bloodstains or blood-soaked clothes nearby. At least it meant he wasn''t injured. And above all, the presence of a trace meant that Barundel had passed through here. He might even be nearby. "Let''s hurry." Dash, dash, dash. We increased our pace and searched the maze thoroughly. As a result... We finally spotted a familiar figure. ck armor covering his entire body and braided hair reaching his waist. And a contrasting short stature. It was definitely Barundel. "Dwarf!" Thompson, upon finding Barundel, rushed towards him. nk! Whoosh! A chain trap hidden in the middle activated and flew towards Thompson, but he lightly jumped and dodged it. After repeating this dozens of times, his senses were so honed that he could avoid such simple traps with his eyes closed. "Dwarf, are you okay?" Thompson reached Barundel and grabbed his shoulders. Barundel, who had been engrossed in something, finally turned his head. "Ah, we meet again. Are you hurt anywhere?" "Well, as you can see, both Yuhan and I are fine. But what are you doing now?" Thompson asked while looking behind Barundel. This was because Barundel''s attention had been focused behind him since earlier. "Ah, that..." Barundel stepped aside slightly and pointed to what was behind him. "I was wondering what to do with this. It seems like a treasure chest, and I think there might be something amazing inside..." Treasure chest. As soon as we heard those words, we stiffened and shouted with urgency, "Don''t open it!" "Absolutely don''t open it!" "..." Barundel stopped moving at our forceful shouts, and we were deeply relieved. We almost had to go through another terrifying chase. "Please step aside for a moment." I pushed Barundel aside and immediately summoned the Sword of Light. And without hesitation, I stabbed the chest. Thud! The sword sank in as if piercing a living creature. Even though I knew it wouldn''t attack us, chills ran down my spine. "...That''s a relief. We weren''t toote." "Why are you doing that? Is there some kind of monster in there?" Monster? Of course there is. A monster that could chew up even the strongest dwarf in a single bite. With that thought, I exined to Barundel about the Mimic. In great detail, so he would never rashly open a chest again. "I saw it with my own eyes, it''s truly terrifying. It even chewed up this wall." "Hmm... So that''s what happened. Alright. I won''t even look at a chest anymore." "Well, you don''t have to go that far. Just follow what I do, and you''ll be fine." Barundel nodded, indicating that he understood. Seeing that, Thompson pped his hands. "Now, let''s get going. I''m tired of this scenery." It was time to seriously search for the dungeon exit. After some time... "Huff... Huff..." "Ugh..." Rough breathing echoed through the maze. Our stamina was depleted from hours of dealing with traps. "...Yuhan, does that right-hand rule really exist?" "...Of course. I''ve cleared dungeons countless times with it... Anyway, it''s for sure." "But if that''s the case, we should have found the exit by now..." "Well, that''s true, but..." I had no words to refute Barundel. Because even I agreed with him. ''...This is strange.'' We had been wandering through the maze for over three hours. No matter howplex the maze was, we should have found the exit by now. ''Did the system change?'' That was the most usible hypothesis I coulde up with. The system might have changed so that the location of the exit changed periodically, or the paths of the maze were shuffled. Considering the countless changes that had urred over thest 100 years, it was quite possible. The problem was... ''...This is a big deal.'' If this hypothesis was true, we were in a very difficult situation. Because we only had an hour left until the dungeon closed. "Mr. First ce, we''re not really going to be lost in space, are we...?" The fear of the dungeon closing was starting to weigh on me and mypanions. "...Calm down. I won''t let that happen." I calmed Thompson down to prevent him from panicking and started thinking of a solution. A way to definitely find the exit within the remaining 30 minutes. But nothing else came to mind. What else could we do in a maze dungeon besides honestly searching for the way out? We couldn''t split up and search for the exit either. Just then... - I saw it with my own eyes, it''s truly terrifying. It even chewed up this wall. I suddenly remembered what Thompson had said earlier. At the same time, it felt like lightning struck my mind. "Huh..." I had no idea. That I would find a hint in those words I had just glossed over. Of course, it would be a gamble with my life... "...I have a good idea." There was no other way. I had to give it a shot. *** Meanwhile, at the abandoned building in Sector 7. Ka, who was protecting the survivors there, suddenly felt a vibration and rummaged through her belongings. Bzzzt! A disc-shaped artifact appeared in her hand. It was an item she had received as a reward for a request and kept just in case. ''Why is this...?'' Ka tilted her head in confusion. This artifact only reacted like this when it sensed demonic energy. ''Is there a demon nearby?'' Ka shook her head at that thought. This building had already been thoroughly searched. There were definitely no signs or traces of demonic presence. Moreover, she had set up barricades and detection magic beforehand. Even if they tried to sneak in, Ka would be the first to know. ''Then why?'' After a moment of contemtion, Ka soon found the answer. No, she couldn''t help but find the answer. Soon, a sinister demonic energy began to be felt by her senses. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t even an unfamiliar energy. More precisely, it was an energy she couldn''t forget even if she tried to. She had already encountered someone with this kind of energy. "Ma''am, stay behind me." "Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?" "Hurry!" Ka shouted forcefully and instinctively turned around. There, as if he had been there all along, stood the man with the familiar face. "...Was that your true identity?" "Puhahaha..." Ka, who intuitively realized the identity of the mysterious passerby she had met as soon as she set foot in Sector 7, confidently assumed a fighting stance. "Bring it on." Whoosh! Hot mes surged around her. Her second battle against a demon''s subordinate. The oue of this battle would be very different from thest. She was now a full-fledged fire mage. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 50 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 50 "Uwaaaaah-!" The middle-aged man''s loud scream echoed throughout the maze. However, Barundel and I couldn''t help him even though we heard it. We had to go ahead and dismantle the traps in advance. ng! The des that were protruding like thorns on the floor were swept away by the Sword of Light. This was thest trap to clear. Our role was over. The next step was up to Thompson. "Mister, hurry!" "I''m goinggg-!" Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thompson, with earth magic on his legs, came running like a cannonball. Screeeech! The creature was chasing after him with a chilling shriek, but fortunately, it wasn''t close enough to catch up easily. "Huff... Huff..." Thompson, who had arrived, stretched out his arms and pressed himself against the wall. I patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Mister, please do your best. You can''t die." "Damn it... I don''t n on dying either!" "This is really thest one." With that, Barundel and I left the wall. Staying at the dead end would only hinder Thompson''s movement. As we held our breath... The creature, not noticing us, rushed into the spot where Thompson had been. Soon, its excited shriek was heard. Screech! Screech! Screech! "Come in! You surprise box bastard!" Screeeech! Perhaps provoked by Thompson, the Mimic ran at full speed. Itsrge head was facing directly at Thompson. Screeeech! Its mouth slowly opened, revealing dozens of teeth clustered together. That was when Thompson threw himself. Thud! Crunch! By a hair''s breadth, the Mimic''s bite missed Thompson. At the same time, the Mimic''s teeth bit into the wall that was blocking its way. Crumble. True to its 100% pration ability, the maze wall, which wouldn''t even get a scratch no matter how much you hit it, crumbled like tofu. And behind it, the open space we had been waiting for appeared. "Th-the exit!" "Get out first!" Thompson, who had somehow evaded the Mimic, shouted at us. And then he provoked the Mimic again. "Did you eat a slug or something! You glutton! This way!" Assigning Thompson as bait was indeed an excellent choice. He was the most dedicated person to the role of bait. Screeeech! Enraged by Thompson''s provocation, the Mimic changed direction again and ran towards him. Thanks to that, the escape route waspletely empty. "Go ahead, Barundel. I''ll help mister." "Alright. Come out right away." Barundel nodded and went through the exit first. After confirming that, I quickly created a light attribute sphere. Woooong! "Mister, this way!" "Okay!" At my signal, Thompson made a sharp U-turn and ran between the Mimic''s legs. At the same time, I bombarded the Mimic with spheres from afar to prevent it from attacking him. Bang! Boom! The light attribute spheres struck the creature and exploded relentlessly. However, after the explosions subsided, the creature lookedpletely fine. ''As expected, it''s still too early.'' With my current mana level, I couldn''t even leave a scratch on it. Perhaps I would need to be at least 6th Circle to deal any effective damage. But for now, it was enough to keep it from opening its mouth. "Let''s go!" Thompson, who had somehow dashed over and reached me, I crossed the exit I had created with him. The Mimic immediately followed us... Screeeech! ...but it couldn''t do anything to us once we crossed the exit. It was a monster that could only operate within the dungeon. Its existence would probably be extinguished if it took even a single step outside the maze. Perhaps aware of that, it fumed for a while and soon turned around and walked away dejectedly. Seeing that, Thompson copsed on the ground in relief. "Huff... Huff... I''ll never be bait again!" "It''s better than being a lost child in space, isn''t it?" "Good work. You were truly the perfect bait." Barundel patted Thompson''s shoulder. Meanwhile, Thompson asked with a curious look, "But is this really okay? I don''t think dungeons are designed to be this vulnerable." Our strategy was to deliberately awaken and lure the Mimic, then break the wall and create a straight path through the maze. We had seeded perfectly, but he was asking if escaping with such a trick was really allowed. And as a 10-year veteran of [Demon Fantasy], my answer was, "No problem." It was possible. No matter the method, as long as you escaped, you could get out of a dungeon. This was one of the reasons why [Demon Fantasy] was praised for its high degree of freedom. Moreover, this strategy wasn''t just a simple trick. It required running around to avoid the Mimic and also leading its attacks towards the wall. It wasn''t something just anyone could do. It was possible only because of Thompson, who could explosively increase his speed. Whoosh Soon, as if to prove my words, a faint light began to emanate from the three of us. It was considered that we had cleared the dungeon, and the escape sequence was initiated. I epted the light and recalled the things I had gained here. Although I had entered the dungeon unintentionally, I had gained more than I expected. ''Three pieces of expensive equipment, one stat, a rare artifact, and 200 gold coins...'' It was a satisfying reward for the first clear. We didn''t even sustain any injuries and were able to gain dungeon experience. Of course, I still felt unpleasant about it. ''...I''ll have to find that bastard as soon as we get out.'' I had already heard from Thompson and Barundel and gained certainty. That all of this was nned by the suspicious passerby. But his intentions were still unclear. Why did he want to throw us into the dungeon? Whoosh! "Oh... finally." "We''re back." Now it was time to hear the answer directly from him. *** About three hours after we safely escaped the dungeon, we arrived at the temporary shelter where we had stayed on the first day. However, we couldn''t enter even though it was right in front of us. The reason was... "...What''s going on here?" Dozens of demons were swarming around the temporary shelter. It seemed that the passerby had returned here... This confirmed my suspicions. "It seems he was indeed rted to demons." There was no other reason for the demons to gather like this. Unless Ka had deliberately gathered the demons... Wait, Ka? "Ha, was that it?" Now I seemed to understand why he had thrown us into the dungeon. He had been targeting Ka from the beginning. No, more precisely, anyone would have done. The four of us were all mages. He must have been waiting for a situation like this where we were separated. ''Damn it, I should have noticed it when Valefor came here.'' "Wh-what! Did you find something?" "That passerby, he''s a demon subordinate. Ka is in danger right now." "What? Subordinate?" I nodded instead of answering. There was no time to exin everything now. If we hesitated any longer, ourpanion''s life might be in danger. The only fortunate thing was... Boom! We could hear explosionsing from inside the building periodically, and we could feel mana and demonic energy shing. We weren''t toote yet. sh! "Stay close! We''re breaking through!" I summoned the Sword of Light and dashed forward with a shout. At the same time, dozens of demons, noticing me, swarmed in. Keeeeeek! Grrr, grrr! Guoooo! The demons quickly closed in like a. But it was fine. I had already assessed the situation. ''If it''s about breaking through, not defeating them all... it''s doable.'' Goblin demons, Scorpion demons, Ant demons, and more. The dozens of demons gathered here were all low-ranking Imp-level demons. In other words, the three of us could handle this. "Barundel! Block the left side!" "Mister, stay in front of me! Opening a path is the priority!" I calmlymanded the members while quickly assessing the situation. Perhaps thanks to the teamwork we had built in the dungeon... "Hup!" sh, sh! "Uwaaaaah-!" Crash! Barundel and Thompson moved proactively, following my simplemands. As a result... Keeeeeek! A path gradually began to open amidst the fearsomely approaching demons. We didn''t lose momentum and pressed forward even stronger. sh! sh...! Thud! Thud! Crack! Zap! Starting with the demons in the front row, they were beheaded, blown up, and electrocuted one after another. We were breaking through the encirclement faster than they could close the distance. ''Alright!'' We sessfully entered the building. Rumble! I immediately erected a stone wall to block the entrance, and the demons btedly approached and pounded on it. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! It was a terrifying force, proving that even low-ranking demons were still demons. With dozens of them clinging to it, it seemed like the stone wall wouldn''tst long. It was time to make a decision. "I''ll hold them off." Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Barundel stepped forward before I could even speak. "Are you sure?" "This is something a veteran should do. Don''t worry about me and go save Ka." Barundel said so and took out the weapons from his bag one by one andid them on the ground. As expected of a former demon hunter, they were specialized equipment for demon hunting. "...I''ll be back soon. Just hold them off." Thud, thud, thud, thud! I trusted him and climbed the stairs with Thompson. We arrived on the second floor. The ce was filled with white smoke, and loud explosions continued to erupt. Kaboom! "Ugh, I can''t see a thing... Mr. First ce, can you see anything?" Of course, it wasn''t a problem for me. Thanks to my ''awakened'' state, I could clearly see where Ka''s mana was. "This way." I led Thompson and delved into the thick smoke. At the same time, I generated a light attribute sphere and heightened all my senses. ''...If I sense it, I strike.'' I was determined to throw this sphere the moment I felt any demonic energy. However... Contrary to my expectations, the demonic energy didn''t threaten us at all. It was so calm that it was doubtful that a battle was even taking ce. Soon... We reached Ka without any danger. Thud "Ka." I found Ka crouching in the thick smoke and grabbed her. Then... "Ah, you''re here?" She turned around nonchntly. With a faint smile. "You''rete." Only then did I notice. The figure of the passerby lying beneath her. No, not just lying, but the subordinate waspletely beaten to a pulp. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 51 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 51 Even though I didn''t know the identity of that suspicious passerby, the demonic power I felt before entering this ce was definitely not weak. Even I felt it would be difficult to handle if I wasn''t careful. However, the scene unfolding before my eyes clearly showed Ka overwhelmingly overpowering the passerby. I was dumbfounded by this unexpected development. "I thought it was dangerous... but it was the opposite?" It seemed Thompson felt the same way. He, too, was staring at Ka with a bewildered expression. "Ka, what in the world happened?" "Ah, well, about that..." Ka started to exin the situation, scratching her head at my question. From the sudden surge of mana while we were waiting for her at the temporary lodging to the passerby''s surprise attack. Up to this point, it was something I could have easily predicted even without her exnation... "So, we ended up fighting all of a sudden, and that guy totally underestimated me. And this is the result." Ka added that it helped a lot that she hadn''t revealed her true abilities until now. Certainly, it wasn''t an impossible story. We had intentionally concealed our strength in front of the passerby. ''...There''s nothing more foolish than letting your guard down in front of a mage.'' If that tactic had caused the passerby to lower his guard even a little, it made sense that the battle ended so easily. However. ''...This is strange.'' What was this unknown, unsettling feeling? Could things really go this smoothly just because of that? No matter how off guard he was... was the passerby really that weak? With such doubts in mind, I approached Ka. "This is torn." I pointed to the back of her robe. That area was spotless, without a single scratch. However, it was a cunning location that couldn''t be checked without taking off the robe. "How about changing it this time? You didn''t like that robe because the color stands out too much, right?" "Ah... right?" She replied with a somewhat awkward expression, and I pressed further. "How about the one we saw recently? The robe with the purple and checkered pattern." "Oh, um... that''s a good idea." "Right?" The more she answered, the more my suspicion turned into certainty. I asked her the final question. "Did the artifact you boughtst time activate?" "...Artifact?" "You know, the disposable artifact you bought because you were low on mana." "Ah, that?" After a moment of contemtion, she opened her mouth with a look of understanding. "Of course it activated. It might have been quite dangerous without it." Shameless, without a single change in her expression. It was beyond absurd; it was disgusting. "Aha, is that so?" However, I didn''t show it and responded with a smile. Srrrng- In my right hand, I grasped the ''Sword of Light'' that I had been concealing until now. The sharp de, formed from magic, threatened to slice her neck at any moment. "But what am I going to do? It seems like things have already be dangerous." "What is this...!?" "M-Mr. First ce!" Just as Thompson, who hadn''t yet grasped the situation, urgently tried to grab me, I said with a hardened expression, "What did you do to Ka, you son of a bitch?" It seemed Ka had been kidnapped. *** "..." A suffocating silence followed. It was Thompson who broke the silence first. "Mr. First ce, what are you talking about...?" Maintaining eye contact with the sword I held to her neck, I replied, "This isn''t Ka. It''s that suspicious passerby." "What?" I already had sufficient evidence. The fact that she agreed when I said she didn''t like the robe, even though it perfectly matched her taste. The fact that she didn''t object when I rmended a purple robe, a color she detests. The fact that she said she used the mana artifact effectively, even though it had never been mentioned before. Everything was a lie. Thump! My heart pounded, confirming that I was right. In other words, the woman in front of me wasn''t Ka. "How long are you going to keep this up? I''m getting bored." As I said that and pressed the sword closer, "Kuh... Kukukuhahaha!" The distorted figure let out a grotesqueugh. Simultaneously, Goooooooooo- The eerie demonic power I had felt before entering the building emanated from him. He was finally revealing his true nature. "It seems it was poorly done because it was so hastily put together?" He said nonchntly, his eyes widening. It was at that moment that his eyes shed. Crack! With a chilling killing intent, one of his ribs pierced through his flesh and extended outward, sharp and menacing. Having anticipated this to some extent, I immediately swung my sword. Slice- The rib that was flying towards my neck was cut down effortlessly. However, as if he hadn''t intended tond a decisive blow in the first ce, he immediately created distance. And the truly bizarre scene began from that point on. Crack, crack, crack! The figure''s body, having gained distance, swelled and contorted. As if bones within his body were restructuring his form. nk, nk! Wrists, ankles, thighs, corbone¡­ From everywhere, stark white bones erupted through the flesh. I had witnessed a simr sight once before, but it was truly nauseating to see it again. Especially with that thing using Ka''s face. "...What the hell is that?" Thompson, who had unknowingly moved right beside me and assumed a fighting stance, asked. It seemed like this was the first time he''d seen such a sight. Keeping my eyes fixed on him, I said, "It''s a demon''s subordinate." More precisely, a subordinate of Valefor, the first demon I encountered after entering this world. There were two reasons why I thought so. ''They are skilled at disguise.'' Valefor''s subordinates possess two exceptional abilities. One is their tenacious survivability, capable of resurrecting as long as Valefor exists, even with a pierced heart and severed neck. And the other is the ability to freely manipte their bodies, allowing them to disguise themselves as anyone. Of course, the ability to shapeshift was only possible for subordinates with a certain level of power. Simply put, the creature in front of me was far stronger than the red-haired one I had encountered before. Therefore... ''I''ll strike first!'' Deciding to take the initiative, I kicked off the ground. Waiting patiently for it to transform was something you only see inics. I wasn''t a fool. Thump! Thump! Thump! Bzzt! Crackle! My legs, enveloped in electricity, propelled me forward with explosive speed. In an instant, I reached right in front of it and immediately lowered my stance, swinging my sword. - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. My body moved as smoothly as someone who had practiced swordsmanship for decades. Of course, I had no intention of killing it with this strike. If I did, I might never learn Ka''s whereabouts. For now, it was enough to just cut off its legs. Shwing! However, ng! Even that wasn''t easy against this opponent. I retrieved my deflected sword and looked at its legs. From the ankles, to the calves, to the thighs. The bones that had been protruding sharply had nowpletely encased both of its legs. As if its own bones had be armor. ng! Its durability seemed to be immense, as Thompson''s attack, which had started a bitter than mine, was also ruthlessly repelled. Thompson, retracting his fist, quickly moved to my side and said, "Damn it... What the hell kind of monster is that?" It was no wonder he was surprised. When it came to a single blow, Thompson packed a much heavier punch than me. However, seeing as Thompson''s attacks weren''t having any effect, it seemed this guy, contrary to his appearance, relied on sturdy defenses. ''Well, of course.'' It was amon trait seen in Valefor''s subordinates who specialized in physical abilities. Fortunately, it wasn''t that there was no way around it. "There must be a weakness somewhere." This was also one of the characteristics of Valefor''s subordinates. No matter how solid their bodies seemed, they each had a weakness. This was a trait that even the demon armymander Valefor himself possessed, so this guy wouldn''t be an exception. The problem was... "A weakness? Where is it?" ...how to find it. Of course, there was no need to worry about that. "It''ll show itself if we beat him to death, right?" There was no other way to find the weakness. If I had to be specific, the only method was to keep attacking until you found it. "I''ll go first." Even simple-minded Thompson would have understood the gist of it by now. Whoosh! Without further exnation, I kicked off the ground once more. From here on, it was a battle of stamina. Either we would run out of strength first, Or, his weakness would be revealed first. The oue would depend on which happened first. *** Meanwhile, in a ce shrouded in darkness where one couldn''t see an inch ahead, "Damn it..." "Sob, sob, sob..." Angry curses and sobbing cries filled the air. The sobbing belonged to the survivordy, "Oh, goddammit!" And the curses belonged to Ka. Bang! Ka mmed her fist against the wall beside her in frustration. However, the wall remained firmly in ce, unmoving. Finally, her patience wore thin, and she shouted with all her might. "Where the hell are we?!" At this point, a thought crossed her mind. Was she destined to a life of perpetual imprisonment? "Why do I always end up locked up like this?" What made it even more infuriating was that, while she at least knew where she was being held captivest time, this time she had absolutely no clue. Surrounded by pitch-ck walls, this ce felt like another dimension altogether. "Sob, sob... K-Ka... Are we going to make it out alive?" "Oh,e on! Be quiet for a moment, will you? It''splicated enough as it is!" After snapping at the older woman, Ka took a deep breath. "Haa..." Although the situation was dire, she was a mage, wasn''t she? She knew that panicking in times like these was far less efficient than calmly thinking of a way to escape. She even had experience escaping from prison using that very method. Of course, it was Yuhan who did the thinking back then, but that wasn''t important now. She could do that much on her own now. ''Think. Think...'' Closing her eyes tightly, she recalled the events. How she ended up in this ce, and by what means. Her mind, honed through months of desperate effort and now fully integrated with her magical abilities, organized the situation. As a result, Ka came to a single conclusion. ''A pocket dimension.'' This wasn''t a ce that originally existed; it was a space newly created by some kind of power. Spatial magic, for example. In that case... ''I can get out.'' Escaping this ce might not be as difficult as she initially thought. After all, unless one was an extremely skilled individual, they couldn''t casually handle powers rted to space. In short, this space was likely a pocket dimension that was just a clever imitation, far more shoddy than it appeared. That meant... All she had to do was disrupt the bnce of this space. "I''ll break it right now." Fwoosh! With firm resolve, she began to release her mana in all directions. The passerby who, instead of fighting, had confined her to this strange ce. It was time to make him pay dearly. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 52 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 52 Crack! Crunch! Shing! Swoosh! Crash! The battle raged on relentlessly. Dust billowed from the impact, and white bone fragments, mana, and rock shards scattered in every direction. Amidst the chaos, he forced out a strained voice, "Kukuku... Are you... really a mage?" "Shut up. Your breath stinks." Instead of responding, I hurled insults and swung my sword. Slice- Another rib was cleanly severed. This was already the twentieth. And then, Bang! Crack! "Whew..." Thompson, having smashed a long, protruding spine with his elbow, caught his breath and moved to my side. This made it twenty-one. Even though this guy kept regenerating his bones as if nothing had happened, no matter how many times we shattered them... "Ugh...!" Had he even reached his limit? For the first time, he let out a groan. ''He was pretending to be fine on the outside... Of course.'' Even if he was human with demon blood, it couldn''t be painless to have his bones cut and broken. Judging by the way he winced, it must have been excruciatingly painful. This also meant that he was exhausted, unable to maintain hisposure. If this continued, we would likely gain the upper hand. ''...Well, maybe not?'' Actually, it was a bit premature to say we had the upper hand. We still hadn''t figured out where his weakness was. Since he could even use shapeshifting, he was at least an intermediate-level demon subordinate, or even higher. Without finding his weakness, we couldn''tpletely defeat him, let alone gain the upper hand. In other words, we had to find his weakness somehow... "Mister, any ideas where it might be?" "Well, his ribs and spine seem vulnerable... but other than that, not really?" "Damn..." The situation wasn''t good. If we continued this war of attrition, we were more likely to be the ones who copsed from exhaustion first. Moreover, demon subordinates had a tricky passive ability: a certain chance to connect with their master when they were exhausted. Simply put, there was a possibility that Valefor would lend his power when this guy''s stamina waspletely depleted. ''This won''t do.'' In the end, I decided to use myst resort, which I had been saving. In terms of risk, this was probably the less dangerous option. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sword in my hand. ''Softly, flexibly...'' Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum! The Sword of Light, which I had been wielding proficiently until now, began to vibrate as if resonating with my will. And then... sh! An even more brilliant light burst forth from the already radiant sword. [Essence of Light]. It was what Aldeon had yearned to see, a power I had never shown to anyone before. "...Mr. First ce? That sword..." I didn''t stop there and added one more step. ng! Another power that evoked a sense of reverence just by looking at it. Divine power enveloped the de. Although it was only a meager amount of holy power due to not yet absorbing the pendant, it was far better than nothing. Indeed, the passerby, who was busy repairing his body, seemed to sense the divine power and flinched noticeably. "Mister, just provide support from now on. I''m going all out." I said in the most solemn voice I could muster. Thompson nodded, tense, but this was also what I wanted. This truly was ast resort, with no turning back. ''I can''t control it perfectly yet.'' Whether it was due to ack of understanding of the attribute or theck of proficiency from not having used it much... I didn''t know the exact reason, but one thing was certain: this power was still difficult for me to handle freely at my current level. Just maintaining the form of the sword made my arms tremble and my mana deplete rapidly. On top of that, I was maintaining the awakening effect, using lightning magic, and adding divine power... I knew instinctively. If this battle dragged on, I would lose consciousness again. Just like that day when I closed the rift in Aldeon. Therefore, ''I''ll finish it before that happens!'' With renewed determination, I kicked off the ground powerfully. Crackle! Thud! "W-Where...?" Reacting to my overwhelming speed, the passerby opened his chest wide. The bones that had been growing from his chest, red and menacing, surged forth mercilessly, trying to engulf me. It was at that moment that Thompson made his move. "Where do you think you''re going, you bastard-!" Simultaneously with my leap, Thompson, who had been waiting for an opportunity while jumping into the air, encased his entire body in rock. Crack, crack! And then, he descended. Crash! His massive body crushed the bones the passerby hadunched. "Gaaaah!" Perhaps because several bones were shattered at once, the passerby let out a terrible scream. I didn''t miss that opportunity, closing in on him and extending my arm. - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. A thrust, carrying all my speed, plunged deep. Thud! The Sword of Light pierced deep into his lower abdomen. Was the sword infused with the [Essence of Light] truly different? It cut with a smooth, effortless sensation, as if piercing through tofu. "Huh-ugh!" His body pierced through, the passerby coughed up purple blood. But I didn''t let my guard down for a second. Having fought countless Valefor subordinates in the game, I knew this wasn''t a fatal wound to him. I twisted my waist and raised the sword. Crack! The sword, swung upwards diagonally, tore through his bones, muscles, and skin in turn. Gush! The blood that was flowing from his mouth now started gushing from his chest as well. My face contorted in disgust as I was sttered with blood. Thud. The passerby copsed, his arms limp, and fell to his knees. His eyes, which had held a semnce of humanity, had already rolled back. "Is it... over?" Thompson approached, his face dumbfounded. I stretched out my arm, signaling danger, and stopped Thompson froming closer. "Not yet." Even though he looked like a tattered rag, I knew better. I couldn''t be fooled by appearances. Those associated with Valefor all possessed cockroach-like vitality. More importantly, we hadn''t found his weakness yet, had we? Until it was destroyed, he was practically immortal. As if to prove it, "Va... le... for..." He muttered faintly, his eyes still rolled back. "See?" "He''s still alive? What the...?" And at that moment, Goooooooooo! A chilling demonic power emanated once again from his dying body. It was a sign that he was about to enter phase two. But this was also an opportunity. If I didn''t miss this chance and cut him down mercilessly... Until his weakness was destroyed. Then, phase two or whatever wouldn''t matter; he would simply die. Of course, I didn''t intend to kill him. I was nning to inflict moderate damage and ask him about Ka''s whereabouts. "Stay back." Just as I made that decision and was about to strike with my sword, "Ah... ah...?" He let out a surprised gasp and then started pouring purple mana from his eyes. Yes, it was definitely mana, not demonic power. "This is..." It even seemed familiar. Whoosh! "Gaaaah!" Suddenly, crimson mes erupted from his eyes, and we soon realized why the mana had surged forth. Thud. "Oh..." "W-we''re... we''re alive...!" Out of nowhere, two people suddenly dropped from the sky. "...Ka?" "Miss!" It was Ka, our missingpanion, and the survivordy. "Oh, Yuhan!" Spotting me, Ka waved with a delighted expression. Seeing her cheerful demeanor, it seemed she was unharmed. "What happened to you? Oh, wait a minute." Ka, who was approaching me, abruptly stopped in her tracks. "...Is this bastard dead?" She had finally noticed the passerby copsed in front of us. "Well, if he''s dead, you probably killed him." It wasn''t an empty statement. The sockets where his eyes used to be were charred ck and hollow. Seeing how Ka and the survivordy appeared when those spots caught fire, it seemed his eyes were his weakness. "What are you talking about?" Ka tilted her head with a genuinely puzzled expression, but it wasn''t a question directed at me. As if it didn''t matter to her either way, she approached the fallen passerby and tapped his cheek. p, p. "Hey, wake up. Don''t we have a lot to talk about?" Her eyes were zing. Whatever had happened, she seemed utterly furious. And surprisingly, "Groan..." "Oh, he''s alive." The passerby started reacting to her touch. He didn''t seem to be in any condition to speak properly, but his resilience was truly remarkable. ''...How is he still alive after all that?'' It made me wonder if the vitality of subordinates had evolved further over the past 100 years, but anyway... It wasn''t a bad thing. We still had a mountain of questions for him: why he was loitering in that ce where we first met, what happened to the residents of Sector 7, whether the shelter truly existed, why he kidnapped Ka, how he knew the location of the dungeon, and so on... "Sit this bastard down." The real interrogation was about to begin. *** Meanwhile, at the entrance of the temporary shelter, There was still a man¡ªno, a dwarf¡ªfighting desperately. Kieeek- Thwack! His name was Barundel. A former veteran demon hunter and current member of a new party, disying his old skills. Kieeeeek- Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! As expected of a dwarf. Even though it had been over a decade since he worked as a hunter, and he''d neglected his training for a simr period, Barundel''s skills didn''t seem to have dulled in the slightest. Thwack- One axe swing, one kill. Every time he swung his weapon, he sent at least one demon to the other side. However¡­ "Whew..." Even he was starting to tire. No matter how many he killed, there seemed to be no end to the demons. Moreover, demons who had been wandering around other areas, drawn by themotion here, were now swarming in. At a much faster rate than Barundel could eliminate them. Of course, "Just a little longer, if I can just hold out a little longer..." It wasn''t entirely hopeless. The sh of demonic power and mana he had felt from the second floor just moments ago had subsided. Soon, Yuhan and Thompson, and maybe even Ka... They would rush down to help him, as if their feet were on fire. Barundel had been holding on with that single thought in mind. But then, "Gasp, gasp... H-how long... how much longer¡­! " After about thirty minutes had passed, Barundel began to doubt that conviction. Hadn''t enough time passed for them toe down and help? What in the world were they doing up there! Such anger was slowly consuming Barundel. Then, a sudden thought struck him. "Could it be... that they''ve forgotten about me...?" The thought that they might have forgotten him in the heat of battle. "...N-no way!" Of course, it was a slim possibility. No matter how chaotic things were, how could they leave their preciousrade alone and forget about him? That was something no decent person would do. But what if, just what if, it were true...? "...I won''t let them off easy." Barundel thought to himself. Perhaps, before the demons... They might witness the return of a true demon hunter-. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 53 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 53 Arms, legs, torso. Wrists, ankles, even the head. Rumble, rumble! I bound the passerby with rock magic, ensuring he couldn''t break free with ordinary strength. Not stopping there, I set up dozens of trap and detection spells around him and positioned Thompson behind him as a precaution. "If you see anything strange, like light emanating from his body, crush him immediately. It means he''s connected to the Demon Commander." "Got it, Mr. First ce. Trust me." "Can''t I do that instead?" "You''re in charge of torture. If he doesn''t answer or tries any funny business, scorch him with fire." "I like that." With this, all variables were eliminated. Finally, I tapped the passerby''s cheek to wake him up. "Hey, are you conscious now?" After a brief wait, the passerby raised his head, which had been hanging low. "This is..." He looked around, seemingly disoriented. Though, with his eyes burnt and hollowed out, it was doubtful he could see anything. "Doesn''t matter. Just answer my questions. Honestly." "..." After a moment of silence, he let out a deranged chuckle. "Heh, hehehe...!" I wondered what was so funny. "...I lost. I... I lost... Haha, hahaha!" It was augh born of frustration at his current situation. Well, maybe he really had gone mad. "Should I roast him?" "No, it''s fine." I stopped Ka, who looked ready to conjure a fireball at any moment, and asked the passerby, "How did you know there was a dungeon there?" This was the question I was most curious about. In the game, I had never seen a demon mention a dungeon or lead yers to one. Not in over ten years. ''That''s why I thought it was blocked off by the system...'' Of course, this wasn''t a game, so it was entirely possible. But that made this question even more crucial. Who knows? Maybe the demons were monopolizing the dungeons of the demon world to increase their power or gather artifacts. ''If they know about the existence of dungeons, there''s no guarantee they''re not doing that.'' If that were true... it was not a matter to be taken lightly. It meant that thebat strength of all demons could be far greater than I knew. A demon army using artifacts. The thought itself was terrifying. "If I don''t answer... will you torture me?" "Well, if necessary?" "Hahaha...!" Instead of answering, he justughed again. Since he seemed to think I was joking, I took immediate action. "Ka." "Yeah." Whoosh! As if she had been waiting, she conjured a fireball and brought it towards the passerby''s forearm. "Gaaaah!" His screams echoed through the building. Honestly, it felt dirty. This made me feel like the viin. ''...Damn demon.'' Subordinates. Those who received demon blood through contracts and reveled in ughter with that power. That''s what they were. Both in the game and here in reality... human trash that deserved no respect. "Stop." Reminding myself of this fact, I continued my questioning without a shred of guilt or sympathy. "I''ll ask again. How did you know there was a dungeon there? And how do you even know what a dungeon is?" "...It was an order. To secure the location of the Sector 7 dungeon. As for how I know what a dungeon is... I don''t understand what you mean. What creature wouldn''t know that?" This time, he answered immediately. It seemed Ka''s fireball had been quite persuasive. ''From the way he''s talking, it seems knowing about dungeons is a matter of course...'' Something else bothered me. "An order... you mean the Demon Commander himself gave you that order?" "Yes." "For what purpose?" "Heh, well? How would a small fry like me know the grand intentions of that being? I just do as I''m told." "Can demons enter dungeons?" "I haven''t tried, but... I''ve heard they can''t." "Hmm." His tone was a bit mocking, but he didn''t seem to be lying. Indeed, it wasn''t as if the Demon Commander would exin his reasons every time he gave an order. "So, you were given that task, and that''s the dungeon you found yourself?" "That''s right." "Then why did you try to lure us there? Were you aiming for our hearts or something?" "..." The passerby hesitated for a moment at my question before continuing. "That''s right. Although it ended in failure..." Huh, I had a hunch because he was a subordinate of Valefor, but it was true. His goal from the beginning was our hearts. ''So, luring us to the dungeon was just to reduce our numbers...'' No matter how I thought about it, it was an absurd n. There were too many variables: us seeing through his intentions, us being stronger than he expected, failing to lure us to the dungeon, and so on... The risk was also significant. If things went wrong, he would have to fight us in a one-versus-many situation. In fact, that''s exactly what had happened. ''Well, maybe it''s not all bad?'' Of course, if we had been even a littlete, his n might have actually seeded. Ka almost had her heart eaten, and we were almost lost forever, wandering in the dungeon. Then, it would have seemed like a bold n, not a reckless one. "...How did you know?" He asked curiously. He was probably asking how I knew he was aiming for our hearts. Well, it was half a guess, but the reason I suspected it was obvious. "Because I''ve been through it so many times." The old man, Redhead, even the silver-haired knight, Shuhan. Whenever something happened, they all went on about a mage''s heart. That incident with the monstrous silver-haired knight wasn''t even over yet. He was probably still out there somewhere, targeting my heart. "Sigh..." I was truly sick and tired of anything rted to my heart. Anyway, that aside... This resolved the questions rted to the dungeon, but there were still more to ask. The location of the survivors, the reason why the demon army invaded Sector 7, what they were currently plotting... Just as I was about to continue with the next question, "Aah... Aah...!" He suddenly started moaning. At the same time, Sizzle! His body heated up and turned red, as if it were being scorched by fire. We reflexively assumed a fighting stance and raised our guard. "...A connection?" We had indeed spent quite a bit of time. Perhaps by now, the Demon Commander had noticed and was attempting a connection. If so, we had to deal with him before anything happened. However, Sizzle! "Ugh, G-Gaaah!" A different situation unfolded than what we expected. His body started burning from the tips of his toes. Just like paper being set on fire. I had seen this a few times in the game. I immediately stopped Thompson and Ka, who were about to attack. "No need to intervene." "Gaaaah! S-Save me...!" There was only one reason for a demon subordinate to end up like this. When their contract was terminated. In other words, the Demon Commander had unterally broken the contract. He probably decided it was better to abandon him than to empower him. "Va... Valefor..." The passerby, who had been groaning in pain for a while, now seemed to be free from it as he slowly tilted his head back. And stared nkly into the void. With a viscous purple liquid flowing from his hollow eye sockets. "...Aah." There''s a saying. It is said that right before a subordinate dies, they can see a vision of how they could have lived if they hadn''t made the contract. If that were true, how would he be feeling right now? Would he be regretful? Or would he be content? The answer remained unknown... but one thing was certain. Whoosh! Whatever it might be, this was the end that awaited a demon subordinate. "..." Silence fell as the passerby turned to ash andpletely vanished. "...Let''s go." I was the first to break the silence. If we lingered on things like this, we couldn''t move forward. *** "...This is really bad, isn''t it?" Thompson said with a grave expression as we descended the stairs. "...How could you forget about him? Yuhan, did you really not know either?" Ka also spoke, her face pale. Even in the face of crisis, they usually remained calm, but now both of them couldn''t hide their surprise. No, it wasn''t just the two of them, but three. Including me. ''We''re screwed...'' This was a serious situation, even I didn''t know what to do. I couldn''t believe it myself; what was I supposed to say when I saw him...? "...He''s not dead, is he?" "..." "..." Ka''s abrupt question brought another wave of silence. No one could refute that possibility. No matter how strong he was, there was no telling what could happen after all this time. The only fortunate thing was that no demons hade up to the second floor. If something had happened to him, the repercussions would have surely reached us. Perhaps realizing this, everyone started to breathe sighs of relief. "...Miss, don''t say such ominous things. Our dwarf friend isn''t that weak..." "...R-right?" And finally, Thud. We set foot on the first floor and witnessed an unbelievable sight. "..." "..." There, piled up like a mountain, were demons, their heads crushed, easily numbering in the hundreds. Everyone was speechless at the astonishing sight, mouths agape as they looked around. After a long moment of stunned silence, "...Dwarf Mister!" Ka suddenly dashed off somewhere. She headed towards the top of the mountain of corpses. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack...! Ka frantically rummaged through the pile of bodies, as if she had seen something. And then... From within, someone familiar was pulled out by Ka''s hand. "Mister, Dwarf Mister!" Barundel Damascus. The one who had protected us, therade we hadpletely forgotten. Thud, thud, thud! Ka shook the unconscious Barundel. Thompson rushed over and checked Barundel''s pulse, and I also ced my ear against his face. ''...He''s alive.'' Fortunately, he was breathing. Though whether this was fortunate or not... "Ugh, ugh..." A momentter, Barundel let out a faint groan. Ka asked with a relieved expression, "Mister! Are you alright?" As if awakening from aa, Barundel slowly opened his eyes. He made eye contact with each of us, then said, "...Who are you?" Ka and Thompson were horrified. "...What do we do? He must have hit his head!" "...Dwarf Mister! You really don''t recognize me?" The atmosphere grew heavy with the realization that our preciousrade was injured. Everyone was at a loss, their eyes filled with worry. And I was the only one... Who was gravely concerned about this situation for a different reason. ''We''re so screwed...'' My eyes met Barundel''s. A chill ran down my spine. Did no one really see it? That look in his eyes, filled with not just anger, but utter fury. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 54 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 54 Thud, thud, thud... The four of us, reunited after a while, were awkwardly making our way up the stairs in a strained atmosphere. To be precise, only three of us were struggling. "Um... I''m sorry, Dwarf Mister. We really didn''t mean to leave you behind." "Stop it. I said I''m fine." Despite his words, Barundel''s expression remained stiff. He was clearly very angry. "But Yoohanes, why didn''t you tell me? That I was supposed to hunt alone." Yes, he was definitely very angry. "Ah, haha... I apologize." I bowed my head and apologized to Barundel, who had suddenly turned to me and questioned me. Honestly, I wasn''t sure how to resolve this. It was fortunate that it was Barundel; if it had been anyone else, they would have been 100% dead. ''What should I do? Should I try praising him...?'' With that thought, I tried topliment Barundel as much as possible. "Still, you''re truly amazing. To be perfectly fine after taking on hundreds of demons alone... Is that the body forged through dwarven training?" "Do I look fine to you?" "..." It was aplete failure. It didn''t work at all. Perhaps I had only fueled his anger further. ''...But it really is amazing.'' To be honest, Barundel''s physical condition seemed perfectly fine on the surface. That was thanks to the presence of only low-ranking demons nearby. Low-ranking demons could pierce Barundel''s Mythril armor but couldn''t harm his body. That''s how much his physical prowess surpassed ordinary standards. ''Would my zombie swordsman have felt like this if he had seen him...? At that level, he wouldn''t need armor, would he?'' Lost in such thoughts, something suddenly came to mind. ''Wait, armor?'' It was the way Barundel cherished his equipment throughout our journey here. ''Yes, with this...'' Thinking I could appease Barundel''s anger, I cautiously gathered the rest of the group. This n was a bit much for me to handle alone. Quietly sharing my thoughts, I asked the others, "What do you think? Is everyone okay with this?" "Oh, Mr. First ce! I''m in! I think that''ll work!" "But will his anger really subside that easily...?" "If it doesn''t work... we''ll have to find another way." "Okay, then I agree too." Fortunately, the others didn''t disagree, and having secured everyone''s consent, I turned and approached Barundel. "Um... Barundel." "What is it?" "We were just discussing how to express our apologies..." "That''s alright. I''m truly fine, so..." "[Anatak''s Great Axe]." He stopped in his tracks. At my words, Barundel, who had been tending to his damaged equipment, abruptly stopped moving. Fortunately, it seemed that this offer had piqued his interest. "What did you just say?" "[Anatak''s Great Axe]. As a token of our apology, we''d like to gift you that..." "Do you even know how much that costs?" Of course I did. While gathering information at the tavern, I overheard a conversation between some patrons. They were talking about [Anatak''s Great Axe] being avable on the ck market. ''They said it was 5,000 gold coins, right?'' Considering that a beer cost half a gold coin, converting it to cash, it would be roughly... around 50 million won. Damn expensive. Even if webined all the gold coins the four of us had split before embarking on this expedition, it wouldn''t be enough. ''...To gather that amount, we''d probably have to save every penny we earn from hunting for a while.'' However, ''It''s worth the investment.'' [Anatak''s Great Axe] was worth splurging on. It boasted the best performance among legendary blunt weapon artifacts. Moreover, it was even more so because it would be wielded by Barundel. If we could increase thebat strength of our strongest member and appease his resentment... 5,000 gold coins was a reasonable opportunity cost. "Please ept that and forgive us..." "...I''ll think about it." Barundel still spoke in a stiff tone, but did he realize? That the corners of his mouth were already subtly twitching upwards. "Yes. Please consider it positively." With that, I headed towards the others, and Ka and Thompson immediately approached me. "How did it go...?" "...S-sess?" Their eyes were filled with anticipation. Looking at them, I gave them a thumbs up. "Aplete sess." Indeed, no matter the world... Money talks. *** Time flew by after an eventful day, and it was nearing dawn. We quickly prepared for bed and promptly copsed into our respective spots. ''...I can''t possibly train today.'' My body wasn''t in good shape due to the fight against the passerby using the [Essence of Light]. My head was dizzy, my muscles were screaming, and my vision was blurry. It was a miracle I hadn''t fainted already. Thankfully, I finished off that passerby with one blow; if I had swung the sword a couple more times, I would have definitely passed out. "Ow..." Anyway, just as I was about to fall asleep, Somethingrge entered my peripheral vision. Turning my head, I saw Thompson... "...What are you doing, Mister?" He was already ready for bed. Right next to me. "Ah, I was hoping to sleep with Mr. First ce tonight." "...Why?" "Well... I have something to ask you." "Something to ask me?" I wasn''t sure what he wanted to ask, but I was somewhat relieved. I almost became needlessly suspicious... "Go ahead." With that, Thompson looked around. He seemed to be checking if the others were asleep. After confirming that everyone was asleep, Thompson spoke. "Mr. First ce, what was that sword from earlier?" "Ah." So that''s what it was, he was talking about the sword I created with the [Essence of Light]. "...Come to think of it, you saw it, right?" "Of course I did. Right in front of my eyes, too." Woosh. Thompson suddenly conjured a small light attribute sphere on his fingertip. "It feltpletely different from the light I learned in Aldeon. What was that?" It didn''t seem like something I could just brush off. Well, there was no harm in telling him, so I decided to exin. "I told you that I received the [Essence of Light] before, right?" "Ah, yes, you did. Is that it?" "Yes, what you saw earlier was light manifested using the [Essence of Light]." "That spear from before too?" "Yes." "Whoa..." Thompson eximed in wonder, then gestured as if he had more questions. "But why do you keep shaping it like that, both the spear and the sword? You''re a mage, Mr. First ce." "Ah." Indeed, it was natural for Thompson to be curious. It wasn''tmon to handle magic in this way. "I was going to tell you about thister... but I suppose it doesn''t matter now, does it?" Woosh! I cast light magic in my right hand. In the shape of a small dagger. And in my lying position, I threw the dagger towards the ceiling. Then, - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. Thwack! The dagger flew straight and embedded itself in the ceiling, which was well over 2 meters high, dangling and swaying. Thompson eximed once again. "Wow... Mr. First ce, did you learn dagger skills or something?" "I didn''t learn it, but I''ve always beenfortable handling ded weapons like this." "ded weapons? Are you saying you can handle all ded weapons? At this level?" "...Yes." "You really are crazy, Mr. First ce." Somehow, saying it like this made me feel embarrassed. It was almost as if it was more broken than the mythic tier trait, [Prodigy of Magic]. It was natural for Thompson to be surprised, considering even I was like this. "Well, I guess you have to be that good to be called a hero, right?" "Huh? Hero... what?" "Oh, it''s nothing. Never mind." Thompson, who was looking at the dagger embedded in the ceiling, gestured as if it were nothing and immediately changed the subject. "But then why did you be a mage? With this kind of skill, you could do anything else, couldn''t you? For example... yeah, like a knight or a royal guard." Thompson asked with a genuinely puzzled look on his face. Well, it would make sense to be curious. In this world, if people had talent, they usually dreamed of things like that. They think that upations such as knights or royal guards, as Thompson said, are much better than mages, who have a slightly entric image. Well, being able to gain both honor and a stable life is a bonus. However. "Do you think they are greater than mages?" The world of geniuses. In other words, if you look at the peak, the story ispletely different. "Hmm... Well, I guess it depends on how you think about it?" "No. Mages have a much greater influence. Because mages can do what they cannot." I''m not just talking about using magic. Creation, distortion, mystery, nature, and so on. Mages had ess to a much wider range of powers than those who used physical strength, and thus could do much more. "To put it simply... well, if they are the ones who remain in history, mages are the ones who can change history." This was something I said, including my own experience. Even my Zombie Swordsman, who beat all those countless users and reached rank 1, couldn''t dare stop Baal. He couldn''t change the set history, the set fate. On the other hand, mages? Their greatness has already been sufficiently proven through records. "It was mages who established the concept of ''time'' in this world, created new resources including variousnguages, and showed miracles by preventing the crisis of destruction that came several times." Even the power of ''Aura'' used by knights is a supernatural ability created after research by mages. ''And it''s not like they''recking in pure power either.'' Just by looking at this, you could see that mages were greater in all areas. At least, that was the case within the worldview of this world. And. "Ah, my magic talent is also superior to others." First of all, I''m a magic genius, right? There would be nothing more foolish than wasting this talent. "...That''s a bit unlucky, isn''t it?" "It can''t be helped. It''s the truth." "..." Thompson, letting out a short sigh, closed his eyes. Did he sense something? After a moment of contemtion, he opened his mouth again. "Changing history... that''s a really cool phrase. You want to be that kind of mage, right, number one?" "If possible." "I see." Thompson, nodding his head calmly, suddenly gathered his things and got up from his seat. "Get some rest now. You need to get a good rest." "You said we''d sleep together?" "I changed my mind. Today is a day I want to sleep alone." "...Um, well, you get some rest too, mister. We''ll start hunting in earnest from tomorrow." "Yeah." Thump, thump... He slowly moved back to his original spot. Thompson''s back, faintly visible because the lights were already off. Is it just my imagination that his back looks very happy? With that thought, my consciousness gradually fades away. I didn''t try to hold onto it. For tomorrow''s hunt, my body needed to take a deep rest. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 55 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 55 Morning arrived in the blink of an eye. We roughly finished breakfast with the food we had prepared in advance, and immediately started to arm ourselves. "Hoohoo... It''s finally hunting time, huh?" Thompson muttered as if he was looking forward to it. It was understandable since we hadn''t had a proper hunt since we arrived here. ''...So far, we''ve been moving as if we were being chased by something. Okay, now it''s time for real growth!'' I was also excited. Because now I could finally focus on growth. Above all, I was most looking forward to experiencing the effect of the experience artifact. Of course, there were still a few problems left. "...Uh, young man. I''m going with you too, right?" First, the survivordy. ''Hmm, no matter how many stationary magic spells I cast... it would still be a bit ufortable to leave her alone, right?'' Starting today, the real hunt would begin, so I was thinking of going quite far. In other words, it would be impossible to leave one of the party members at the temporary shelter. But we couldn''t leave thedy here alone either, so there was only one way. ''I have no choice but to take her with us.'' It would be a bit distracting and less efficient to hunt while protecting thedy... but it couldn''t be helped. Because there was no other way. The best option was to take turns protecting thedy, one person at a time, with some time difference. And the other problem was... ''I still don''t know what they''re trying to do. There must be more survivors somewhere.'' Searching for survivors and shelters along with hunting. And if there were any demons that couldmunicate, we would have to interrogate them as well. If that passerby guy hadn''t died like that, it wouldn''t have been this bad... What a shame. "...Looking at it like this, it''s not much different from the day before yesterday." Still, it was morefortable because everyone was on the same side. Oh, and there was no need to hide my skills either. Thinking it was fortunate, I unfolded the map. p- Unlike the rough map that the passerby had shown us before, this map was much more borate and detailed. I had found it by searching the first floor when I suddenly thought of it while eating, and it was probably drawn by the passerby himself while searching for the location of the dungeon. "Shall we go here first?" I pointed to one of the circles drawn on the map. There were a total of three circles drawn on the map, and it seemed like these circles marked the locations of the dungeons. The reason I thought so was because one of them was the ce we went to yesterday. ''I hope it''s not a dangerous ce.'' Of course, whether or not to enter the newly found dungeon was something I had to think about again after arriving there. "Ah, it''s here." "Do you know where it is?" Ka, who was carefully examining the ce I pointed to, nodded. "Hmm... roughly. I''ll know for sure when I actually go there." Thanks to her, a native of Sector 7, we didn''t have to worry about getting lost. "Okay! Mr First ce! Let''s get going!" It was a good start. *** While we were hunting non-stop for hours. Thompson, who was hiding behind the outer wall of an abandoned building and watching a group of demons passing by in the distance, said, "Oh, that!" He took out a piece of paper from a rolled-up pile of documents with great excitement. "This is it. Right?" It was one of the demon subjugation requests we received from the Artis Request Office, but... "Two horns on both sides of the head... pointy ears, arge shell... Seems right, mister?" The group of demons passing by right now looked exactly like the ones described in the request form. "Hehehe, so that''s the Demon Turtle? I wonder how that thing fights?" "Just be careful not to get bitten. It has tremendous jaw strength." "Oh, Mr. Dwarf. Thank you! As expected, you know everything, huh?" While the two of them were whispering, I looked ahead more closely. ''Judging by the size of the horns... it''s about an intermediate-level demon. One, two, three, four... seven of them?'' Due to the characteristic of Demon Turtles not having arge poption, they didn''t move around in groups like this. Usually two or three at most? However, the exception was when there was a ce nearby that they had to protect. In such ces, arge number of individuals gathered together like this. Simply put, this meant that somewhere near here was their habitat. ''If I''m lucky, I might be able toplete this request in one go.'' The total number of individuals requested in the request form was 30. If I could find the habitat, it seemed like I could subjugate them without much difficulty. The problem was that a little patience was needed. How much time had passed? "...Mr First ce. How long do we have to wait? Can''t we just attack them now?" Thompson grumbled with a frown next to me. "Be patient, even if it''s frustrating. If we catch them now, we''ll be more frustratedter." "...Hoo. They''re really damn slow." Thompson patted his chest, saying he felt something was stuck. Well, since it was a demon modeled after a turtle, it was definitely slow. Sluggishly thump. Sluggishly thump... It seemed to take at least 10 seconds to take one step. Watching them like that made me feel frustrated and impatient. ''...It doesn''t suit the Korean sensibility. I have to exterminate them.'' After chasing them for a while with that thought. "The- There it is!" Finally, their habitat was revealed. "I''ll go first!" Thompson, who had beenining the most about frustration, was the first to jump into the air. Fwoosh- The propulsion was like a cannonball flying. Rumble, rumble, rumble! Thompson, instantly d in rock magic, descended vertically from the exact location. "Ham-burger!" Crash- A fight between a turtle shell and a boulder. The winner was the rock. "Kueeeeek!" "Hehehe, good. You''re all dead!" Around that time, the other members who had been waiting finally joined the hunt. "Hup!" Whoosh! "..." Whoosh, sh-! Whoosh, sh-! nk! Every time Ka shot a fireball, a delicious smell spread, and every time Barundel swung his axe, purple blood sttered. "Ugh..." I was dying to join in right away, but unfortunately, I couldn''t. It was my turn to be on duty. "...Ma''am, are you hurt anywhere?" "Mm... It''s all thanks to you, young man. Thank you." Damn it, I was trying to feel some sense of reward, but maybe it was because I knew the experience loss was significant? I didn''t feel any better at all. ''I feel like I''ll level up if I just catch one...'' Then suddenly, a good idea came to mind. ''...Wait a minute, it''s okay as long as I don''t stray too far from thedy, right?'' It was to attack them from a distance. In other words, poking! "Hup!" Whoosh! Kueeeeek! One of the Demon Turtles screamed as it was instantly lifted and thrown by the spear strike. However, only its shell was pierced, and it didn''t die in one shot. It seemed like the impact was dispersed by the hard shell. But it was okay. Because I could just throw it again. "Die!" Kue...! When I hit it with the second spear of light, it finally vomited blood and flipped over. At the same time. Whoosh! A feeling of fullness, unfamiliar no matter how many times I experienced it, came over me, and my body felt lighter. ''...Is this already level 7?'' If I included the level up in Aldeon, it was probably correct. I could definitely feel that I was growing quickly thanks to the experience artifact and hunting intermediate-level demons. At this rate, it seemed like I would be able to easily achieve my goal of reaching level 10 within this expedition. ...Well, of course, it was still infinitely lowpared to my main character. ''Still, it''s stronger than the Zombie Swordsman whenpared at the same stage.'' Iforted myself with that thought and threw another spear. Kueeeeek-! This time, it seemed like a critical hitnded, as it copsed at once. ''As expected, mages are the best. To have this kind of power from afar already...'' Why on earth did I choose a swordsman as my first main character that I deliberately created? What was so romantic about that? "Romance can freeze to death... Efficiency is the best!" Swish-Thud! Swish-Thud! After catching about two more, The party returned with a relieved expression, having devastated the Demon Turtle''sir and collected their horns. Thompson, in particr, was in high spirits, perhaps because of the demons'' slow movements. "Hoo... I didn''t know hunting was this much fun. Mr. Dwarf, how could you have known this all by yourself?" And. It was from then that Barundel''splexion darkened dramatically. "...Did you just say fun?" Barundel said in a very sharp voice. Thompson tilted his head as if asking why and said, "Why, Mr. Dwarf? Is it because of what happened yesterday? Are you still angry?" "That''s not it!" "...!!" Everyone''s eyes widened at the sudden rise in Barundel''s voice. But he steadfastly shouted, even with veins bulging on his forehead, "Do you think this is some kind of game? These are demons, demons! No matter how ridiculous they look! No matter how weak they seem! Demons are a race that should never be underestimated! Do you understand what I''m saying?" "...Mr. Dwarf." The atmosphere was 180 degrees different from the friendly one just a moment ago. "Well, I can''t help it if you don''t understand. I have no intention of forcing you to understand either. This is something you''ll never know unless you experience it." The chilly air weighed heavily on my shoulders. "I''ll give you onest piece of advice. If you continue to be careless like that, the next one to die won''t be these guys, but you, weakling... I guarantee it!" "...What?" At this point, I felt something was strange. ''...Why is he acting like this?'' An overly sensitive reaction, unlike the usual Barundel. So I thought about why... ''Ah.'' Fortunately, I had an idea. Because I had heard this kind of story from Barundel before. - I used to have a spouse. Only pictures remain now. And he clearly said that he quit being a hunter because of a certain event. Once I remembered that, my thoughts naturally flowed in this direction. If that event was rted to demons. If Barundel lost his family because of demons... ''...Is that what happened?'' It was understandable why he was so angry. Surely, Thompson''s lighthearted attitude must have been extremely offensive to Barundel. Of course, I was able to deduce this because I knew the situation roughly. Before it escted into a bigger fight, I needed to step in and stop them. "Wait-" It was then that I decided to intervene. "Fuck... Mr. Dwarf. Are you done talking?" Rumble, rumble, rumble! Thompson suddenly cursed and covered his whole body with rock magic. "Say that again. Who''s going to die? Who''s weak?" From that point on. "Who else! I''m talking about you!" Step. "Do you want me to prove it to you?" With even Barundel raising his axe, the fight began to grow out of control. It was a vtile situation where things could change in an instant... but. Something was strange. Was this something to fight about to this extent? ''...Why is that guy acting like this again?'' Barundel losing his family in an ident was one thing, but why was Thompson acting like this? This waspletely different from Thompson''s usual image of being carefree and easygoing. Originally, he would have said something like, ''Haha! I apologize if I offended you, Mr. Dwarf!'' and moved on... "You''re really pushing it..." Far from being carefree, he now looked as if he was about to throw a punch. "I''m done with hunting and everything! You guys figure it out yourselves! I''m leaving!" Finally, unable to contain his anger, Thompson turned his back and walked forward, fuming. As if he was going to leave the party altogether. "Wait-" I had no choice but to try and stop him. "Where are you going?" Ka stepped forward and grabbed Thompson before I could. With a very cold expression. "If we decided to do this, we have to see it through to the end. Where are you going, leaving us behind, fuck. Are you kidding me, mister?" The indescribable anger in her eyes looked almost like madness. ''Why? Why...?'' And only then. I realized that something was wrong. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 56 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 56 Let''s think calmly. When the hell did this happen? ''...It was fine until we caught the Demon Turtle.'' Yes, it definitely started then. After catching the Demon Turtle. However, ''Could the Demon Turtle have caused this situation...?'' As far as I know, the Demon Turtle didn''t have any mental or hallucinatory abilities. It''s a guy who can only deal physical damage with his strong jaw strength. ''Then... maybe during thest 100 years...?'' Did the Demon Turtle evolve? ¡­Well. Honestly, that seemed unlikely. No matter how long 100 years is, it''s a ridiculously short time from the perspective of a creature evolving. Moreover, a physical type monster turns into a monster that inflicts mental debuffs? ''That''s ridiculous.'' There was definitely something else. Something else that drove the party members crazy. The hint is¡­¡­. ''It must be there.'' I looked at the Demon Turtle''s cave where my colleagues had entered. If there was a problem there, it makes sense why only the survivordy and I are fine. Because we never set foot there. In other words, everything fits perfectly. The problem is that even if I know this, there is nothing I can do about it. I can''t even go into the cave myself. ''What if I go crazy too?'' Then it''s all over. There will be no turning back. ''Hmm, what can I do...'' And then. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. -Do you think this is some kind of game? These are demons, demons! -Say that again. Who''s going to die? Who''s weak? -¡­Where are you going, leaving us behind, fuck Barundel, who is presumed to have lost his family while working as a demon hunter. Thompson, who said it took a really long time to be a wizard because he had no talent. And Ka, who has terrible memories of being abandoned. The moment their anger exploded seems to strangely ovep with the deficiencies they each have. And if this thought is correct. ''¡­No way.'' It''s not some turtle. There was only one being capable of this. ''...Asmodeus?'' Legion Commander, Asmodeus, Demon of Desire. [TL/N: Asmodeus is female. I assumed she was ''male'', based on the mythos but that¡¯s not the case and so, from this chap I''ll address Asmodeus as a ''Female'' ] It was clear that she was involved in this matter. In some way or another. Thump! Thump! Thump...! As if to support my thoughts, my heart races. Only then did I realize the gravity of the situation. ''...There''s no time.'' Asmodeus''s abilities can be broadly divided into two categories. One is the ability to forcibly realize a target''s desires. The other is the ability to amplify a target''s shorings. And the most important thing is that these two abilities have the effect of gradually consuming the target. The more time passes, the more people exposed to Asmodeus''s abilities be unable to escape from their deficiencies or desires, and the end of those who reach that point is.... ''...I''ve already seen it.'' They be fanatics who will stop at nothing to achieve their own goals. Like Dercion, the Tower Head of Aldeon''s Magic Tower. That was the scary thing about Asmodeus''s ability. "Miss, what the hell are you dissatisfied with?" "What am I dissatisfied with? Are you really asking that because you don''t know?" "Arguing in the middle of a battlefield... Are you deliberately trying to act pathetic?" "What? Dwarf, you''re the one picking a fight right now!" The party members, with bloodshot eyes, gradually raise their voices. "Sigh..." Watching them, I closed my eyes tightly. And ''I have to resolve this as quickly as possible.'' Starting with Asmodeus''s characteristics, personality, weaknesses, countermeasures, and so on... I started to recall all the information about her. There must be a way to resolve this situation. Eventually. ''That''s right!'' I came up with a way. Flip! I immediately unfolded the map and checked our current location. After that, I checked the location of the nearest dungeon from here. We were already moving with the dungeon as our destination. Fortunately, there was a dungeon not too far away, and with this... ''I can stop Asmodeus''s encroachment.'' It was enough to turn the situation around. *** Thump! Thump! Thump! A heartbeat clearly different from usual. Thompson put his hand on his chest and thought. ''What''s wrong with my body...?'' It wasn''t just his heart that was strange. His breathing, muscles, his uncontrolled words and actions. He was even filled with rage as if a fire was burning within him. A situation where nothing goes his way. ''What the...'' How did this happen? While looking around to find the answer, he made eye contact with Barundel. "What are you looking at?" He frowned with a disgruntled face, and seeing that, he got angry again. Only then did Thompson realize why he was pissed off. ''...Yeah, that look. He''s ignoring me right now.'' Being ignored by someone was the thing Thompson hated the most. That''s because he had been ignored to his heart''s content since childhood. His birth, his bloodline, his talent... He had been discriminated against countless times simply because hecked resources and power. Of course, Thompson didn''t stay silent. He made huge efforts to avoid being ignored by people. He invested time consistently every day to build up his small body, he didn''t avoid fights if someone picked on him, and he changed his personality to avoid being looked down upon. And after gaining strength... he even learned magic for status and honor. This was the result. A massive physique that doesn''t fall short even when standing next to a barbarian. Fighting skills that can subdue even a decent assassin with one hand. A 3rd Circle mage who had mastered his own unique attribute. Now, Thompson had be someone whom no one can treat carelessly. Yes, he hade this far... ''...How dare you ignore me?'' Thompson gritted his teeth as he looked at the dwarf in front of him. He didn''t know how strong the small dwarf was, but he couldn''t just stand being treated like this. ''Alright, let''s have a go. You short-legged bastard!'' Thinking that, Thompson clenched his fists. "Mister, are you serious?" Someone walking in front turned around abruptly. It was Yuhan, the man Thompson had vowed to protect with his life. "...Ah." Only after hearing his voice did Thompson realize that he had almost made a mistake. To think he was about to fight with his ownrade just because there was a little trouble. How could he be so pathetic? ''...I almost went astray. As expected of Mr First ce. To think he set me straight.'' Just as a sense of respect was about to arise. "Hey, that''s not right. Do you want your nose to get broken?" "What...?" Yuhan let out a chuckle, saying something unexpected. "You''re not being very self-aware." With a look that clearly said, ''Do you think you can win?'' It was definitely a look of disdain. "Mr First ce... are you ignoring me right now?" "Ignoring you? I was just stating the reality." "Reality?" "Yes, reality. What can you do if you fight Barundel? I think you''ll just get beaten up." Thompson felt a deep sense of betrayal. He never dreamed that Yuhan would say such a thing, that he would think of him that way. "...Do you really think so? Mr First ce?" "Do you think differently, mister?" "Of course. I''m not someone who just gets beaten up anywhere." "Really?" Yuhan tilted his head and pointed behind him. "Then show me yourself. Don''t just talk." Behind him was a lone building that looked like some kind of ruin... "It''s a dungeon. We can''t fight here. You''re not thinking of attracting all the demons nearby, are you?" A dungeon. That ce, said to be a space of a different dimension. ''Good, if it''s inside there, I can fight without worry.'' With that thought, Thompson nodded. "Is Barundel okay with this?" "Of course. I wonder if I''ll be able to loosen up my body." Finally, the duel was set. Thompson made up his mind. He would take this opportunity to properly show them what kind of person he is. *** I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched Thompson and Barundel re at each other as if they were about to kill each other. ''Whew... those two are settled for now.'' The trickiest part was getting those two into the dungeon without breaking up the party, but with appropriate provocation and stimting theirpetitive spirit, I seeded without any problems. Now all that''s left is Ka. I looked at her and asked casually, "Ka, you''reing in too, right?" "There? What for?" "It''ll be fun even if you just watch." "What fun. I''m not interested in that kind of thing. Let them fight and die or whatever." But as expected. Currently at the peak of sensitivity, she wouldn''t easily go along with anything. Of course, it wasn''t a problem. I had devised a method in advance just in case this happened. "Really?" I shrugged with an indifferent expression. "Ah, you''re morefortable being ''alone''? I didn''t think of that." "What?" When I emphasized the word ''alone'', Ka frowned as if she was offended. Her face looked like she would throw a fireball at the back of my head if I took my eyes off her for even a moment. But I didn''t back down and provoked her once more. "As expected, people should live the way they''ve lived." "...What do you mean?" "Well, you know. Except for those people wearing masks in front, you''ve been alone your whole life, so how can you suddenly join us now?" "...." "I think I had unnecessary expectations for you." I could provoke her more, but... she has a trauma of being abandoned by someone. This should be enough. I stopped talking here and called Thompson. "Mister, let''s go in now." "Okay, I was waiting so long my neck was getting stiff." Crack, crack, crack. Thompson and Barundel walked briskly, stretching here and there. ''Please let there be no other variables...'' I also took a step forward, praying earnestly. And I stopped with the survivordy at the entrance of the building that looked like ruins. It was so dark that I couldn''t see an inch ahead, as if no light could reach this ce. ''What kind of dungeon is it?'' That thought did cross my mind, but... well, it didn''t really matter what kind of dungeon it was. Right now, it just needed to be a dungeon. Thump, thump. Thompson walks into the darkness first. Whoosh. He had only taken one step in, but his figure soon disappeared. Fortunately, it seems to be a dungeon. Next, Barundel went in, swinging his axe, and I immediately followed him. Tsssss! A strange energy, like the one I felt when I entered the maze dungeon, enveloped my body. At some point, my vision brightened, and I looked around. The first thing I saw was... "Oh, um..." Thompson, lost in thought with a nk expression, as if he had realized something. And... "Yuhan... What in the world happened?" Barundel, with his eyes wide open as if he didn''t understand the situation. Fortunately... The madness I had seen in their eyes before was gone. "...Huh?" I turned my head at the exmation from behind. There, Ka was sitting down, looking dumbfounded and exhausted. "Are you feeling a bit more sane now?" "..." Ka nodded, looking embarrassed. It was the moment when all the party members returned to their senses. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 57 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 57 While everyone was trying to gather their thoughts, Thompson was the first to ask for an exnation. "Hey, Mr First ce, what in the world happened to us?" Before answering, I posed a question to Thompson. It was necessary to get a clear grasp of the situation from those directly involved. "First, could you describe how you felt?" "Uh, well... that is..." Thompson scratched the back of his neck, recalling the recent events. His stiff expression suggested it wasn''t a pleasant memory. "How should I put it? It was like I suddenly turned into a different person. My heart raced, I felt suffocated, and anger kept welling up... It was as if the function controlling my emotions had malfunctioned." "I see. What about the others?" "Simr for me. I felt like picking fights..." "One thing''s for sure, I wasn''t myself." Everyone had simr reactions. Only then could I draw a clear conclusion. As expected, this incident was caused by her ability. "It seems you were likely affected by Asmodeus''s power." "Asmodeus? Asmodeus... Are you referring to the Legion Commander of Desire?" "That''s right. The symptoms you experienced are identical to those exposed to Asmodeus''s power. Though I''m not sure how it happened." After saying that, I looked at each member of the group, hoping for some clue. A momentter, Ka, who had been lost in thought, pped her hands as if she had remembered something. "Ah, could it be¡­?" "Because of that flower?" "Flower?" Did everyone understand what Ka was talking about? Everyone except me widened their eyes. "...Miss, I think you''re right." "Right?" "...Indeed, that flower was definitely strange." Since it seemed like everyone but me was on the same page, I gestured for a quick exnation. Thompson was the first to speak. "You see... there was a single flower blooming in the deepest part of the turtle''s cave. It was in a very suspicious location." "...What did it look like?" "It had crimson petals, and it seemed to glow...? Anyway, it was such a beautiful flower that it kept catching my eye even during the fight." "Hmm." A flower... It wasn''t the form I had anticipated, but it was certainly possible. Asmodeus''s favorite color was crimson. "Did the flower have a scent?" "Scent?" Thompson, who had been reminiscing, soon spoke with a puzzled expression. "There was a peculiar fragrance inside the cave, but I''m not sure if it wasing from the flower." And at that moment, Ka interjected. "If you''re talking about the perfume-like scent, then yes. I smelled it myself after the battle ended." A perfume-like scent. Ka''s words perfectly rified the situation. It seemed that Asmodeus had somehow imbued the flower with her power. And that power seemed to have turned our party members into madmen. "I didn''t even go near it because it looked suspicious. Can you still be affected like this?" "If you smelled the fragrance, even without approaching it... it''s certainly possible." "Huh, that''s a terrifying power, making caution meaningless. As expected, you can''t let your guard down against those demons." Just then, Thompson asked with a curious look on his face, "But, Mr. First ce, how did we wake up?" How did they wake up? The method to wake up wasn''t that difficult. All it required was proper utilization of the game''s system. "Do you remember me telling you before that dungeons are spaces in apletely different dimension?" "Ah, you certainly did. But why?" "That''s all there is to it. That''s how you were freed from the influence." "What?" Thompson, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was startled as if he had realized something. "Don''t tell me... her power can''t reach this far?" "Yes, precisely." Thompson immediately got the right answer. As expected, he''s smarter than he looks. Well, that''s probably why he''s a mage. Anyway, "Even if it wasn''t Asmodeus''s influence, it would still be the same. No power can have any effect here." Exining from a game perspective made it a bit easier. ''Upon entering a dungeon, all buffs and debuffs are removed.'' That''s all there is to it. "That''s amazing. To think a dungeon would be such a mystical ce... Or should I be more surprised that you used it this way?" "I only knew the theory; this is my first time putting it into practice." That was a lie. I must have benefited from this in the game at least thousands of times. To begin with, not knowing this was the same as not knowing how to y [Demon Fantasy]. Finding a dungeon, hunting extensively nearby, then entering the dungeon to clear all status effects for additional gains. Shortened to ''dungeon con,'' this was a trick that existed as a ''national rule'' in [Demon Fantasy]. It could be considered one of the essential skills that any veteran yer must know. Well,pared to those, it did take me a while to recall it. "...As expected, applying game knowledge to reality doesn''t work as well as I thought." Even though I know this world originated from a game, a strange sense of incongruity keeps hindering my judgement. If I had been watching this through a monitor screen instead of with my own eyes, I would have immediately thought of ''dungeon con.'' Of course,ining about it wouldn''t change anything. ''Ultimately, I have to adapt myself.'' Vowing to view situations with a more gamer-like perspective from now on, I changed the subject. In any case, we had narrowly escaped the crisis. Now it was time to ovee the next hurdle. "Shall we get going?" We had roughly three hours left. We had to escape this ce within that time. *** "This is better than before. We don''t need to find our way, and there seem to be far fewer traps than yesterday." I nodded in agreement with Thompson''s words. "This is usually the typical form of a dungeon. The maze dungeon we entered yesterday was a bit of a special case." As he said, this dungeon had a very ordinary structure. Most paths were linear, so we could just go straight. The difference was that, unlike the maze, this one had multiple levels. "Haaap!" Kieeeeek.... And the monsters here gave experience points. Swoosh- I sheathed my sword, feeling the fullness entering my body. ''Hmm, by now...'' Currently, I was calcting how much my experience increased each time I gained it. This way, I could figure out the effectiveness of the experience artifact I possessed. This was possible because, unlike the general field where each individual demon gave different amounts of experience, here, the experience gained was standardized in proportion to the level. ''It should be about half full now.'' Just as I finished calcting, "But, Mr. First ce, that demon Asmodeus..." Thompson, who was walking ahead, turned around, seemingly curious about something. "Why on earth did she nt that flower there?" "Huh?" "Isn''t it strange? That she nted that flower in Sector 7, where there are few people, inside a turtle cave that''s not easily noticeable." Now that he mentioned it, it was a usible question. A question that I hadn''t considered yet, as I was focused on how to break free from the influence. "Hmm... you''re right. It is strange." Why did Asmodeus nt a flower in such a ce? Actually, that wasn''t the only strange thing. ''Come to think of it... wasn''t that area near that Valefor guy''s territory?'' Just yesterday, we had dealt with a pedestrian who was a subordinate of Valefor. That meant the entire vicinity was under Valefor''s control. But there was a trace of Asmodeus'' power there? ''...Definitely strange.'' Considering the demon race''s characteristic of valuing their territory, this was not a normal urrence. Therefore, it meant there was definitely something going on... ''Ugh...'' Was it because there wasn''t enough evidence? Even after pondering for a long time, I couldn''t readily find an answer. ''...Well, if there''s a problem because of it, I''ll naturally find out.'' In the end, I decided to stop worrying and focus on exploring the dungeon. One way or another, our escape was the most important thing right now. Just as I was thinking that, "Oh?" Ka, who was walking alongside Thompson, pointed ahead as if she had discovered something. And there, an object of a familiar shape was ced. "That''s what you were talking about, right?" It was the first treasure chest we had found in this dungeon. "Ah, Miss! Be careful!" Thompson reacted immediately and pulled Ka back. Seeing him act appropriately without needing instructions made me feel like I finally had proper party members. "Oh,e on, I know all about it. Why are you overreacting?" "...It''s good to be able to think of it as an overreaction. Miss, if you were to see that monster chest yourself, you wouldn''t be able to say that." "Just how scary could it be..." "...It is a scary one, Miss Ka." While they were conversing amongst themselves, I stepped forward with my sword of light. ng! My sword of light bounced back as I thrust it. ''For now, it''s a reward.'' Fortunately, it wasn''t a mimic. Then, from now on, it was a matter of luck. ''Gold, equipment, artifact, stats, traits...'' Five types of rewards coulde from the chest. None of them were useless, but if I had to choose, the two most needed rewards right now were: Artifacts and traits. More precisely, mental-type artifacts and traits. Our party was currently too vulnerable to mental-type abilities. In fact, when we were subjugating the demon turtle, if we didn''t have to protect the survivordy, the entire party would have been in danger, wouldn''t we? Furthermore, ''We don''t know when, where, or how we''ll encounter it.'' Now that it was revealed to be the ability of Asmodeus, mental-type rewards became even more crucial. Of course, this was all under optimistic circumstances. I didn''t have high hopes, even though I thought about it. ''What are the chances of getting what we need from opening one chest?'' Having expectations would only lead to greater disappointment. Just as I was thinking that and about to open the chest, "Wait, can I open that?" Ka, who was watching me from a short distance, suddenly asked. "Why?" "Just seems like it would be fun." "It doesn''t make much difference who opens it." "So, is that a yes or a no?" At her slightly sharp question, I stepped aside. "Do as you please." If it didn''t matter who opened it, it was better for the person who wanted to open it to do so. "Heeheehee, alright." Ka, with a mischievousugh, rubbed her palms together and stood before the chest. Perhaps because it was her first time opening a chest, she seemed quite excited. "Come forth!" Without any hesitation, she flung open the lid of the chest. And then. Click! Along with the always pleasant sound, a golden light scattered in all directions. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 58 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 58 "...Beautiful." After the golden light that had captivated everyone faded, Ka peeked into the box and murmured softly, "Is this... an artifact?" "What?" At her words, I quickly approached the box. As she said, something that looked like an artifact was sitting alone inside the box... ''This is...'' A rectangr stone te with ancient-looking writing on it. I recognized it immediately due to its unique design. ''It''s the Amulet of Hor!'' A heroic-grade artifact, the [Amulet of Hor]. It was an artifact that blocked mental attacks once, and it was always carried by the dungeon monster ''Hor.'' ''She pulled this out on her first attempt..?'' Honestly, I couldn''t help but be surprised. Unlike most artifacts that are artificially imbued with supernatural power, the [Amulet of Hor] could only be obtained by defeating Hor himself. Simply put, it was an item that was hard toe by even if you had the money, as there were few in cirction. Furthermore, ''How many mental artifacts are there?'' In [Demon Fantasy], there weren''t many creatures capable of mental attacks. In other words, there was low demand, so the supply wasn''t high either. And Ka had just pulled out one of those rare mental artifacts. I suddenly looked down at my hand. There, the silver ring, now free of rust, was subtly shining with its own light. ''Come to think of it, this too...'' It was the experience ring that was almost thrown away. If Ka hadn''t gotten it appraised on a whim... Well, was that all? There was also the story of how Ka became a mage. Born in Sector 7, which was called a garbage dump, she naturally acquired a trait and awakened magic without anyone teaching her. And then she met me and learned how to handle mana. At this point, I naturally thought, ''Is she... blessed with incredible luck?'' There are always people like this in life. Everything they touch turns to gold, and they always get above average results in anything that requires luck... the kind of people born with good fortune. Yes, unlike me, who was stuck at home ying a game and somehow ended up in this world. "Why? Is it good?" Ka asked me with a clueless expression. I felt a sense of emptiness. "...You got a good one." I answered her like that and thought to myself, ''From now on, you''re in charge of the draws.'' This was the way to make this unfair world a little fairer. *** 2 hours had already passed since we entered the dungeon. We didn''t find any more treasure chests after the first one we opened, and we entered the 3rd floor. Kieeee-! "The number of monsters has suddenly increased." Unlike the 1st and 2nd floors, which we cleared with ease, we had to be a bit more tense from the 3rd floor onwards. That was because the number of monsters had doubledpared to the 2nd floor. Thwack! Kieeeeek...! Of course, since the four of us were sticking together, there wasn''t a big problem with the battles themselves. However, we were short on time and consuming a lot of stamina. "We should be almost there." If my guess was correct, we were close to escaping. Most dungeons usually had 3 floors. If we went a little further, we would probably encounter the dungeon boss, and once we defeated it, we would be able to get out of here. How much time had passed? While we were going straight ahead along the path, Thompson pointed to the front. "Oh, Mr. First ce. Isn''t that what you were talking about?" Arge door, which we hadn''t seen before, was blocking the path. It was the boss room of the dungeon. "That''s right. It''s all over now." "So we can get out of the dungeon if we just kill the guy in there?" "Yes, and since the dungeon doesn''t copse while you''re in the boss room, we''ll probably have plenty of time." In essence, we had practically cleared the dungeon. Well... it was a bit disappointing that we didn''t gain much. ''...All I got was a level up and the [Amulet of Hor].'' After hunting for over 2 hours, my level had risen by 1 to level 8, and the only artifact I got was the [Amulet of Hor]. Oh, and I also learned the efficiency of the experience ring I was wearing. ''20%.'' It was a pretty decent number for a heroic-grade artifact. My growth rate had increased by 1.2 times. If I didn''t have this, I probably would have barely reached level 8 after defeating the boss ahead. Anyway, "Let''s go in then." "Let''s finish this quickly. It''s so dark in here that my eyes are getting blurry." I was tired too. I opened the dungeon door without further hesitation. Creak- Despite being an incredibly huge stone door, it opened with a slight push to the side. Through the gap, the figure of the waiting boss monster began to appear. "Hmm, that''s..." The appearance of the boss monster was familiar. "A centipede?" It just looked like a centipede that had been enormously erged. Bzzzt! It cried out, shaking its hundreds of pairs of legs and antennae. "It doesn''t look that strong. Mr First ce, how should we... attack it right away?" "Let''s do that. We just need to be careful not to get bitten by its fangs and get poisoned. Ka, can you take care of thedy?" "Okay." With the rough n set, Thompson, as always, jumped into the air first. Dddddd! In an instant, Thompson transformed into a boulder. In sync with him, Barundel also charged forward, gripping his axe. Two attacks unfolded simultaneously. Kooong! Kwagagagak! Bzzzt...! The giant centipede writhed violently, spewing green blood. Seeing this, I realized how much stronger our party had be. ''It feels like just yesterday we were struggling to catch the basilisk.'' Now, we could fight a boss monster several timesrger than that without much tension. Putting aside my thoughts, I joined the battle. Whooong. The [Sword of Light] formed in my outstretched right hand. Thump...! - Entering an awakening state. My heartbeat quickened. - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. Perfect movements unfolded, maintaining eleration. Chwaaaak- With one strike, the giant centipede''s tail was severed. Bzzzt...! After about fifteen repetitions... Kooong! The giant centipede, unable to recover, spun its head around and around before finally copsing with a thud. A feeling of fulfillment, far greater than before, filled me. Chijijik! After waiting for a moment, a portal, simr to a crack, appeared before my eyes. We could finally escape the dungeon. "We''re finally escaping." It was a refreshing dungeon exploration after a long while. *** "Legion Commander." Asmodeus, the Legion Commander of Desire. She looked down at her subordinate who hade to find her and asked, "Antillian. Has something happened?" "Well..." The subordinate held out the crystal ball he was carrying and said, "I found what you were talking about." "Oh my, is that so?" With a faint smile at the news she had been waiting for, Asmodeus received the crystal ball. It was a crystal ball that operated solely on demonic energy and connected the human world to the demon world. Inside it, the scene of the ce where she had sent her army a few days ago, now reduced to ruins, was ying like a video. "Hmm..." After waiting for a moment, the image in the crystal ball zoomed in and focused on one spot. A cave with a moderately humid environment, the dwelling ce of the demon turtle. It was one of the many ces where Asmodeus had set a trap. "Is it them?" Asmodeus focused on the three men and women in the image. They were diligently hunting the demon turtles, unaware that they had been exposed to her trap. The group consisted of one dwarf and two humans, who seemed to be quite capable as they fought in harmony with each other. Of course, they were still just inferior races. "The poor turtles are dying... Poor things..." Asmodeus wiped away tears that weren''t there and concentrated on the image again. "Hmm, it''s not them." Asmodeus quickly lost interest and turned the viewpoint of the crystal ball. Anyway, these people were already exposed to the Flower of Subjugation. It was only a matter of time before they became her subordinates, so there was no need to watch them further. More importantly, these were not the people Asmodeus was looking for. Turning her gaze outside the cave, Asmodeus suddenly narrowed her eyes. Her gaze was fixed on one spot. On a man outside the cave who was diligently casting magic. "...Found him." It was definitely that human. Because the mark of ''that person'' was floating above his head. Asmodeus shuddered with surging envy. "A hundred years... has it been?" The glorious mark that only those chosen by ''that person'' could have. It had been a hundred years since a mere human had received it. ''Just what kind of person is he...'' To have received that person''s attention? There was only one way to satisfy this curiosity. To see it for herself. "Antillian." Asmodeus made up her mind and called her subordinate. "Yes, Legion Commander." "It seems I have to go myself." "Yourself... you say?" Antillian, her subordinate, asked with a worried look. Of course, he wouldn''t be worried about her, who had ascended to the position of Legion Commander. Asmodeus knew well enough what he was worried about. Antillian was worried that she would overuse her power in the human world and disrupt the bnce between the demon realm and the human world. However, "Isn''t it fine?" At this time, she didn''t have to worry about such things. The ''Blood Moon'' was scheduled to rise soon anyway. When that happened, bnce and all that would be meaningless. "Still, wouldn''t it be better to be careful...?" When Antillian asked once more, Asmodeus raised her eyes. Her alluring crimson eyes pressured Antillian. "Huhhu, does it seem like I''m asking you now?" Murderous intent was hidden in her sweet voice. Finally understanding Asmodeus''s intentions, Antillian bowed his head. "Understood. Then, who should apany you?" "No need. I''ll go alone." With those words, Asmodeus rose from her throne. Soon after. Tsssssst! She emitted an alluring demonic energy and transformed her appearance. Into the form of a butterfly with pping crimson wings. "Farewell." p- p- As Antillian bowed at a 90-degree angle, the butterfly pped its wings a few times in the air and then flew away. Around the time the sound faded away, Antillian raised his head and turned his gaze to the crystal ball. There, a man was frozen in the act of throwing a spear. The man Asmodeus had been interested in. And the man chosen by ''that person.'' Looking at him, Antillian clicked his tongue in pity. "Tsk... What an unfortunate guy." Although he had no choice but to report it, Antillian had taken a liking to that human. He had watched the video countless times and fully experienced the man''s tremendous magic skills. He was such an impressive man that Antillian would have wanted to make him his subordinate if possible. However, "To be caught by that woman''s eye..." Now that it hade to this, it was impossible. He had never seen a human survive after catching Asmodeus''s eye. "Such a pity, such a pity..." In the end, Antillian smacked his lips and turned off the crystal ball. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 59 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 59 After escaping the dungeon. "Mr. Dwarf!" "Alright!" Crack! We squeezed out thest of our stamina and continued hunting. And now, everyone waspletely exhausted. "Huff... Huff...!" Even breathing was difficult, but still. "It''s finally over..." "...I think we''ve really done all we can." "Good work, everyone." A sense of aplishment filled us as we reached our target number of monsters hunted. It felt like ying a game after a long time. ''This is what an RPG is all about.'' As we were taking a break at our temporary shelter, feeling satisfied, "Here, have a meal." Barundel brought us food with perfect timing. The menu was a stew made with the flesh of a one-horned demon pig and herbs found nearby, simmered together. We had run out of the food we had brought with us, so this was an unavoidable choice. "Mr. Dwarf, are you sure it''s okay to eat this...?" Perhaps he was still apprehensive about eating demon meat. Thompson, with a spoonful of stew, asked with an anxious expression. The thick stew broth dripped down Thompson''s spoon. "Try it first and then decide." However, Barundel was rather confident. Although the visuals might put you off a bit, he seemed confident in the taste. Having already experienced Barundel''s cooking skills once, I brought the stew to my mouth without any hesitation. And. "...Delicious." Once again, I was impressed by Barundel''s culinary skills. "Delicious? Really, first ce?" "Why would I lie about something like this? Try it." At my honest rmendation, Thompson gulped and took a spoonful of stew into his mouth. And "Huh? Uh...? What is this? Why is it so delicious?" His face quickly brightened. It was the same for Ka and the survivordy. "Wow... Mr. Dwarf, you could sell this, you know? How did you make this taste with these ingredients?" "Thank you... It feels like I''m tasting proper food after a long time." Praises poured out endlessly. Only then did Barundel smile with satisfaction and say, "I may not look like it, but I''ve spent half my life as a hunter. Now I can make a decent meal even with just grass." Barundel, who was in a good mood after showing off his skills, even started exining the secret to this stew. "First of all, making the broth is the most important thing. Even though it seems like I just put in any herbs, they are all in the right proportions..." He talked for about 30 minutes. Finally finished with his exnation, Barundel pped his hands, signaling that it was time to wrap things up. "It''s time to get ready for bed. We need to conserve our strength for tomorrow''s hunt." However... Snore, koool-snore, koool- Everyone except me had already fallen asleep. Barundel, who was so engrossed in his own story that he only now noticed their state, muttered with a disappointed look, "...I was talking to myself." "It was delicious, Barundel." "...As expected, you''re the only one, Yuhan." Anyway, just like that, we got ready for bed and peace returned once again. Lying in my spot, I started nning for tomorrow. ''I''ve leveled up enough...'' What remained were the unresolved requests and uncovering the truth behind the incident in Sector 7. The former was a matter that could be resolved with time, while thetter required a certain amount of luck. "Where can I find a demon with high intelligence?" Demons that couldmunicate were very rare. Moreover, even if I encountered such a demon, it would be troublesome. Just like humans, the higher the intelligence of a demon, the higher the probability of it being strong. Finding such a creature was risky in many ways. ''It would be better to look for another subordinate, like Haeng-in.'' As I closed my eyes, making that decision, Crack, crack! "Ugh...!" Suddenly, an immense pressure began to weigh down on me. Like someone experiencing sleep paralysis, my body wouldn''t move, and I felt my mind gradually bing hazy. When I finally regained consciousness, "Where am I...?" I was in apletely different space. A space covered in pure white. I had no idea what was going on. Whoosh. Whoosh. I cautiously swung my arms. Fortunately, they seemed to be moving fine, but... "Wait, something''s strange." The appearance of my moving arms was different from usual. Or rather, should I say this was normal? "This... is this really my body?" It wasn''t just my arms. My arms, legs, head, torso. Everything was my original, real body, not the one I had in this world after possessing Yuhan''s body. The body I had longed for so much. A surge of emotion welled up in my throat. Just then. [It''s nice to meet you, my child.] A seductive and sweet voice came from somewhere. I turned my head to find the source of the voice, and there... p- p- A crimson butterfly was fluttering about in the air. Tap. As I cautiously extended my finger, the butterflynded on it. Looking at the butterfly, I asked, "Was it you who spoke?" [It was.] That alluring voice again. If I lost my focus even for a moment, it felt like I would be sucked into somewhere unknown. I held my mind steady and asked it, "Did you bring me here?" [Yes, I called you, my child.] "...Where is this ce?" [This is... your unconscious mind.] My unconscious mind. Only then did I realize. The reason why my original body had appeared. ''...So that''s how it is.'' I tried not to show it, but the corners of my mouth turned down without me realizing. I had hoped, even if just a little, that I might have returned... While I was thinking that, the butterfly spoke to me. [...There''s somewhere you want to go.] It spoke as if it was seeing right through me. "How did you know?" Perhaps happy that it was right, the butterfly pped its wings and said, [I know everything. Because you are my child.] ''...Child?'' Was it because I was feeling down? The butterfly''s words were starting to bother me. ''Who the hell are you to keep calling me ''child''? Are you my mother or something?'' Those words rose to my throat, but I didn''t spit them out. I still didn''t know what was happening. It wouldn''t hurt to be careful. [My child, you can confide in me. What do you desire? Where do you want to go?] "What are you going to do with that information?" [If you truly desire it... I will grant it to you.] "...What?" I couldn''t help but flinch at those words. "...Grant it to me? Anything?" [Yes, anything.] At that moment. Tsssssst! Unknown cracks appeared around me, and the pure white space gradually began to change. Into the space most familiar to me. ''This is...'' It was my home. My home that I had longed to go back to. Once again, my heart welled up with emotion. "Ah..." My mind was filled with a single thought. I wanted to go back. I wanted to escape this dreadful pain. Perhaps reading my thoughts, she said, [Do you want to go there? Then speak. What you truly desire.] "...." [Just one word is all it takes.] The butterfly urged me to say what I wanted, and those words sounded so sweet. Like the whispers of a devil... Yes, like the whispers of a devil. My answer was short. "Screw you." [...W-What?] "I said, screw you. Stop with your tricks." [...] Perhaps because of my firm attitude, the butterfly stopped pping its wings and just stared at me, speechless. I looked at the butterfly and greeted it as if we were old friends. "Long time no see, Asmodeus." [H-How...?] She looked noticeably flustered. She was practically admitting that she was Asmodeus. "How do I know? Is there anyone else besides you who would do something like this?" I spat out those words and concentrated. If, as she said, this was truly my unconscious mind, Then I was the master of this space. Swoosh...! Starting from my toes to my head, My previous body disappeared, and I transformed back into the body of the genius mage, Yuhan. Simultaneously, Tsssssst! The space that had transformed into my house began to return to its original form. Not the pure white space, but the form she had initially designed it to be. ''The Demon Realm.'' The newly transformed ce was undoubtedly the Demon Realm. p- p- The butterfly, which seemed to be looking around, abruptly stopped moving. And then, [Huhhu, huhuhuhat!] With augh that sounded genuinely amused, she revealed her true form. Long, flowing ck hair and skin as white as polished jade. Distinct facial features and captivating crimson eyes. As befitting the Legion Commander of Desire, she possessed a beauty that was almost dizzying. But there was no reason to be shaken. Her outward appearance was a stark contrast to her inwardly ckened heart. Her alluring voice once again tickled my ears. [Huhuhut. This is fun, so much fun. Just as I expected. A human who shattered my illusion...] Hoo- Circling around me, she exhaled as if to tempt me, then drew close to my ear and whispered, [Indeed... It''s no wonder that person is interested in you.] That person. For someone of her status as a Legion Commander to refer to someone as "that person," there could only be one being. The Supreme Commander of the Demon Army, Baal. "Did Baal send you?" [...] Perhaps taken aback by the direct question, she hesitated before speaking. [Should I say you''re ignorant? Or should I admire your courage...?] "Just answer the question. No nonsense." [Puhhut¡ª] Covering her mouth andughing, she suddenly shook her head. [That person is indeed watching over you... but it''s not about that this time. I simply came to see you because I wanted to meet you.] Simultaneously, Goooooooooo¡ª! A chilling demonic energy relentlessly pressed down on me. ''...This much demonic energy within my own unconscious mind?'' As expected of a Legion Commander. It was on apletely different level from any demonic energy I had felt before. It was so overwhelming that even breathing properly was a struggle. [And now I''m certain.] "C-Certain of... what...?" Perhaps finding my struggle amusing, her eyes curved into crescents. [Certain that I must make you mine.] The meaning of those words wasn''t difficult to interpret. Asmodeus''s ability was [Subjugation]. The ability to stimte desires and deficiencies, ultimately turning someone into her puppet. And knowing that... there was no need for me to be intimidated. I had no intention of falling for such tricks. Crunch! A metallic taste rose from my bitten tongue. Even though this was my unconscious mind, I could feel the pain, but thanks to that, the pressure weighing down on my body lessened. I didn''t miss this opportunity and opened my mouth. "Do... it, if you can, you damn snake." I was confident. Confident that I would never sumb to my own desires. But Asmodeus shook her head. [It''s not time yet. However...] Her crimson pupils shed. And I saw it. The blood moon reflected in her pupils. [Don''t be too disappointed. It won''t be long now.] Those words sounded like a promise. On the day the blood moon rises, Asmodeus, the Legion Commander of Desire, woulde for me. This was the moment the Great War truly began to unfold. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 60 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 60 [Don''t be too disappointed. It won''t be long now.] With those words, she vanished. "Gasp!" As the pressure lifted, I abruptly sat up. I had woken from the dream. "Pant, pant..." My body was already drenched in cold sweat. I took deep breaths and looked around. "...Yuhan, are you alright?" "What in the world happened? Mr First ce, you were moaning so much..." "Did you have a nightmare?" Mypanions, who had been sound asleep, were gathered around me, staring. Their eyes urged me to exin. "Um... well..." I began to recount what had happened in the dream. *** "What? You were almost subjugated?" I nodded at Ka''s surprised question. "Oh, this time it was really dangerous." I didn''t let it show in the dream, but honestly, it was truly dangerous. I almost fell for her offer to grant my wish. The promise to send me back home sounded incredibly tempting. Of course, if I had fallen for it... ''I would have ended up like Dercion.'' A madman chasing his own desires, unaware that he was heading towards death. I would have met the same fate. ''What good is going home as a corpse? I have to go back alive.'' Well, in any case, It was a relief that I overcame it. "So, what did that bitch say?" "She was a bit vague, but it seems she said she woulde find me again on the day of the Blood Moon." "The Blood Moon? Is she talking about the Great War?" "That''s the only thing I can think of right now." "Sigh..." Ka let out a deep sigh, worried. "It seems like the war is really going to happen. Honestly, I was skeptical." It was understandable. It was hard to grasp the reality of a major event before it actually happened. But the dream, the prophecy, the rumors circting around... everything pointed to the Great War. Even if we didn''t believe itpletely, we had to at least prepare for it. From that perspective... What about us? Were we sufficiently prepared? Well, honestly, I wasn''t sure. Whether we were doing our best. "So, that''s why..." With that thought in mind, I brought up what I had been thinking about since before I fell asleep. "I think we need to postpone the Sector 7 matter for now." "What do you mean?" "I''m saying let''s achieve our original goal." "...Mr First ce, are you saying we should go outside now?" I nodded at Thompson''s question. "Honestly, our current growth rate isn''t bad, but it''s not enough." Indeed, ording to the prophecy, there was less than a month left until the Great War. Perhaps I would even have to face a Demon Legion Commander then. Considering all that, our current growth rate was insufficient. The demons loitering around here were mostly between low and intermediate-level. "There will be stronger demons outside. It''s their territory after all." "Then... our growth will be faster." "That''s right. Although it will be somewhat dangerous." I stopped there and waited for mypanions'' decision. Since Sector 7 had already been breached, suggesting we move further out was understandably a matter requiring careful consideration. If they felt it was too much of a risk, I was prepared to let them go without any hard feelings. But then. "If Mr First ce says so... of course we have to go too." "Why are you talking about such a thing so seriously?" "That''s right. Wasn''t that what we decided from the beginning?" Contrary to my expectations, mypanions epted the proposal without much hesitation. "..." ...What was this? This feeling was like watching baby ducks following their mother. I couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight and said, "Okay, then we''ll depart tomorrow." From tomorrow, our exploration beyond the border would begin in earnest. *** That morning, As soon as we opened our eyes, we headed to the underground passage leading to Sector 6. "Huff... huff..." "Damn... the smell has gotten worse." There was only one reason why we came here directly. "Ma''am, are you alright?" Now that we were going beyond the border, we could no longer take care of the survivordy. "...I-I''m okay. You said it was just a little further, right?" "Yes, it''s just ahead." So this was the method we chose. To escort thedy and send her into Sector 6. Since no other survivors seemed to being out anyway, it was better to do this in many ways. Anyway, how long had we been walking? Soon, adder leading to Sector 6 appeared, and we bid farewell to the survivordy. "It should be fine as long as you don''t stand out too much. Right now, Sector 6 is also preupied with the war and all that, so no one will pay attention to others." I said that and gathered the remaining gold coins from mypanions and handed them to thedy. "Use this money to get by for now once you get in." "Thank you, young man..." The survivordy wiped away her tears, seemingly genuinely grateful. Honestly, I had felt like she was a hindrance until now, but seeing her off like this gave me a sense of aplishment. "Ma''am, see youter! I''lle find you!" "Oh... yes, Ka. Thank you so much." Thedy, with a tearful voice, hugged Ka once and slowly began to climb thedder. Only when we could no longer see her did we turn our backs. Once again, we passed through the passage, enduring the terrible stench. Meanwhile, Thompson, who seemed to be thinking about something, muttered, "Huh... but I never thought it would be like this." "What is it, mister?" "No, I mean, even if the demons came and ravaged the ce, how could there be only one survivor?" "Uh, hmm..." He was certainly right. It couldn''t be that all those people in Sector 7 were dead. "What really happened to everyone?" "Surely they must be hiding somewhere, right?" "That would be fortunate, but..." It was something we couldn''t figure out even if we put our heads together. In the end, we put the matter aside and picked up our pace. Thud, thud! Since we had cleared out the demons in the area on our way here, the return journey was easy. A quiet path with no demons or people. After a while, We stopped in front of a line deeply drawn on the ground. "We''ve arrived." From this point on, we were officially beyond the border. "For now, there are no demons in sight." "Probably if we go a little further, we''ll start seeing them one by one." "But what is this line?" Thompson asked, tapping the line on the ground with his foot, and Ka answered, "That''s the remnants of the outer wall." "Outer wall?" "Yes, I''ve never seen it myself, but I heard that Sector 7 used to be a safe ce like the other districts." "Ah... I see. What happened to it?" Ka shook her head, saying she didn''t know that much. Indeed, even I, who yed the game set 100 years in the past, didn''t know about this. ''There was no wall back then either.'' It was natural for Ka not to know. While I was thinking that, "...Shh." Barundel stopped abruptly and signaled to us. It was an action he only took when he encountered a demon. We immediately assumed a battle stance and looked in the direction Barundel was looking. There, Koooong... Koooong... A monster with the form of a half-man, half-bull, holding arge double-edged axe, was wandering around, looking around. "...It''s a Minotaur." It was a high-ranking demon, a [Minotaur]. "Kuhhu, this is on a different scale..." Just from its appearance, its force was iparable to the demons we encountered in Sector 7. Thud, thud... We moved stealthily, our eyes fixed on the monster, holding our breaths. From this point on, it was a life-or-death struggle. *** The high-ranking demon [Minotaur]. It had two main characteristics. One was its tremendous monstrous strength. Kuoooooooo! Kwaaaaaaaang! Thompson, with rocks wrapped around his arms, barely managed to withstand the Minotaur''s headbutt, being pushed back several meters. "Kuhk, what power...!" Groaning in pain from the considerable impact, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Now!" Our final weapon, waiting for this very moment. Barundel instantly charged behind the Minotaur. Vwoong. The axe swung by his short arms aimed for the Minotaur with terrifying speed. However. Uoooooo! The Minotaur, reacting in time, countered Barundel''s attack with its own axe. Kagagagagang! A deafening roar and a tremendous amount of sparks. This was the monster''s second characteristic. It used weapons with its monstrous strength. This also meant that it had at least the intelligence of a Goblin Demon or higher. "...Oh no!" Instinctively sensing danger, Barundel withdrew his axe and created distance. But had he already received too much of a shock? Crack! Crack! Crack! Cracks began to appear on Barundel''s axe, and eventually, it shattered. "Damn it...! This is as far as I go!" "I''ll take over!" I immediately switched ces with Barundel and jumped into the battlefield. It had already been 30 minutes since we started this fierce battle. The monster''s stamina should be running low. ''I have to finish it.'' Thompson and Barundel weren''t a good match against the Minotaur in the first ce. Their greatest strength was their powerful single blows, but those weren''t enough to ovee the Minotaur''s monstrous strength. On the other hand, me? ''Not bad.'' I had what Thompson and Barundelcked. A nimble body. I might lose to them in explosive speed, but in terms of overall speed, I had a significant advantage. I had to wear down the Minotaur bit by bit with this speed. Crackle! I instantly covered my entire body with electricity and dashed towards the Minotaur. The monster reacted almost simultaneously and swung its double-edged axe with force, but¡ª Crackle! I momentarily increased my speed even further, escaping the monster''s axe''s trajectory. Vwoooosh! An intimidating gust of wind roared from behind. ''...If I get hit even once, it''s over.'' Swallowing my dry saliva, I pushed my speed further and further. Crack! Crackle! Just as I reached close range, Guooo! The monster swung its axe once more. This time, with an urate trajectory that I couldn''t avoid even with increased speed. Of course, I had no intention of dodging. We still had one morerade. "Not a chance¡ª!" Along with a battle cry, I felt an intense heat from behind. It was the fireball that Ka, who had gathered all her magic power, hadunched. Kwaaaang! A fireball dozens of timesrger than any I had seen before struck the Minotaur''s axe. The impact momentarily caused the monster to lose its bnce. Now was the perfect timing. "Now." Slice¡ª! The sword imbued with holy power and the [Essence of Light]. It shed across the Minotaur''s calf. Kuoooooo...! The monster lifted its leg in pain. It was a minor injury considering the power I put into the attack, but it didn''t matter. I had no intention of defeating it with a single blow anyway. ''Little by little, surely.'' As soon as my airborne body touched the ground, I leaped again. Slice¡ª! I shed the monster''s leg once more. And I repeated this process countless times. Slice! Slice! Slice...! Ankle, calf, knee, thigh... Even if my legs were to give out, I wouldn''t stop, relentlessly cutting at the monster''s legs. After a while, Kooong¡ª! Unable to support its weight any longer, the monster knelt, and I, who had been waiting for this moment, jumped high. Finally, our eyes met. The monster looked at me with vacant eyes, as if epting its death. "Die." I swung my sword mercilessly at the monster. Fwoooosh! Blood gushed from its neck like a waterfall, and the monster copsed. Kooong! "..." A brief silence fell. And then, a great cheer erupted. "Woohoo!" For the first time sinceing to this world, We had hunted a high-ranking demon. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 61 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 61 After defeating the [Minotaur]. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­!¡± The pain from myck of breath and overexertion caught up with me. Thud. Eventually, I copsed, my strength leaving me. ¡®Damn, that was brutally hard¡­¡¯ My legs felt like they were about to explode. I''ve been through quite a few battles, but this was a first. In the past, I struggled with abination of mental and physical fatigue, but this time it was purely physical exhaustion from pushing myself to the limit. It was to be expected. I¡¯d been moving non-stop to increase my speed, so it would be weirder if I was fine. Thud thud thud ¡°M-Mr First ce. Are you alright?¡± Thompson, who came running as soon as he saw me copse, asked with a worried look. He''s such a worrywart. He doesn''t look like the type to worry at all. ¡°¡­I''m fine. It''s just that my legs have given out.¡± ¡°Well, it''s no wonder your legs gave out after moving like that. But still, it''s a relief, right? I thought you might have gotten hurt somewhere while I wasn''t looking.¡± ¡°It would have been a bit dangerous at the end if it wasn''t for Ka.¡± While we were having this conversation, Barundel and Ka joined us. Barundel stopped in front of me and abruptly bent down, lowering his gaze. ¡°Barundel, why? Is there something wrong¡­?¡± That''s when it happened. An unbearable heat surged up my thigh. I hurriedly looked down to see Barundel pressing his finger into my thigh. ¡°G-Ugh¡­!¡± I couldn''t help but groan at the immense pain, and Barundel clicked his tongue as he watched. ¡°Tsk tsk, I thought so, but your legs are giving out after just that much? You have a long way to go.¡± He seemed to want to say that there was still a lot of room for improvement¡­ ¡°D-Do you really have to press on it while saying that¡­? I almost died.¡± ¡°It''s good to feel pain like this sometimes. Later, you''ll be able to feel the pain significantly decrease even if you move the same way.¡± ¡®¡­So, he did that to make me feel the growth?¡¯ I understood what he meant, but honestly, I didn''t agree at all. How could he inflict pain for such a reason? What a psycho. ¡®¡­Anyway, this guy is really weird sometimes.¡¯ Sometimes he''s super kind, and other times he''s aplete madman dwarf. Well, who am I to say that? ¡°Aren''t you the real madman? I still can''t forget how you used to train while even drinking potions. You looked like you were desperate to die. And what about the Aldeon fissure incident? Back then, you¡­¡± Was he that upset that I called him a madman? As soon as I voiced my thoughts, Barundel started spitting out past events like a machine gun. I had nothing to say to refute him, so I deliberately changed the subject. ¡°By the way, what do we do now? I don''t think I can move for a while.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Changing the subject, are we?¡± ¡°I''m serious.¡± This was actually a serious problem. Even if we were up against a high-ranking demon, it was concerning that just one of them could put us in such bad shape. And it wasn''t just me. Thompson, who had taken the brunt of the [Minotaur]¡¯s attack, was still rubbing his arm as if he was in shock, and Ka was silently focusing on recovering her depleted mana. Even Barundel''s axe waspletely shattered. The entire party was shaken after just one battle. ¡®They''re stronger than I thought.¡¯ The problem was that their power far exceeded my expectations. Of course, my calctions weren''t wrong. Thompson, who was gradually opening his eyes to the 4th Circle, Ka, who disyed the standard firepower of a mage, and Barundel, who possessed a perfect physique and seasonedbat skills. And me, who had two mythic tier traits. No matter how you looked at it, our party had the specs to easily take down a single high-ranking demon. Which meant¡­ ¡®They''ve gotten stronger.¡¯ It meant that for some reason, their power had grown. And if this was true, there was only one possible reason. Swoosh I naturally raised my head and looked up at the sky. The sky was clear, as the sun hadn''t set yet. But even so, I could see the moon, and I finally realized why they had gotten stronger. Mypanions, who had followed my gaze to the sky, murmured. ¡°Huh? That¡­¡± ¡°¡­It''s turning red.¡± The moon''s appearance was subtly but definitely different from before. It was the moment when it became certain that war wasing. *** Thud, thud. Thompson''s footsteps were heavier than before. It was only natural, since he was carrying the weight of two people with one body. ¡°¡­Mr First ce, you''re heavier than I thought.¡± ¡°I think you just feel that way because you''re tired.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Anyway, this was the conclusion we had reached. We would stay outside the border, but for now, we would evacuate to a safe ce and set up a base camp. Since we had to set up camp to hunt for a few days anyway, it was the best we could do under the circumstances. I raised my head and looked ahead. There, Barundel and Ka, who were in rtively good shape, were looking around and guarding the surroundings. ¡°How is it? Do you see anything?¡± Ka shook her head at my question. ¡°No, not even a single mouse. This ce seems pretty good.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I tapped Thompson on the back to signal him, and he immediately spread his arms. ¡°Whew-!¡± Seeing him exhale like that, it must have been really hard for him. By this point, I had recovered enough to stand, so Inded safely. Thud ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As soon as I stood up, I looked around. As Ka had said, there were no demons lurking nearby, and the ground was t, making it perfect for setting up camp. ¡°Good. Let''s do it here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chuck, chuck chuck! At mymand, the members started moving in unison. Drrrrrr! ng! ng! ng! Thompson built the foundation with his earth magic, and Barundel, with his skillful hands, refined it with a work hammer. A little distance away, Ka was diligently bringing firewood and stacking it neatly. She was probably nning to use that spot for meals. ¡®They¡¯re fast.¡¯ We had only just started the work, but the base camp was already taking shape. Our teamwork was now perfect. The time we spent fighting together over the past few days was paying off. ¡®Good, good.¡¯ I looked at them with satisfaction, and then, thinking I should do something, I sat down. Even though I was injured, I couldn''t just sit around doing nothing. I just happened to remember something I could do. I slowly channeled my mana. Fortunately, unlike my broken body, my mana had fully recovered. Woooong! -Magicalputation ability is maximized. Complex figures and forms appeared before my eyes, forming the shape of a magic circle. Soon, the magic circle wasplete, and I flicked it with my hand. And then¡­ Tak! The magic circlended in the desired spot and disappeared into the ground. I had nted a fire trap spell in the ground, one I had often used. It would be an invisible barricade to protect our base camp. ¡®One isn''t enough.¡¯ I channeled my mana again and repeated the same process. Fire trap spells, lightning trap spells, detection light spells, and so on. Tak! Tak! Chachak! Magic circles with various attributes and functions were ced here and there. The base camp waspleted around the time I finished all of that. ¡°Oh, at first I thought it was too crude¡­ but now that it''s finished, it looks pretty good.¡± Thompson, who was the first to finish his work, admired the camp. The others felt the same way. ¡°Compared to my old house, this ce is heaven.¡± ¡°I hate to say it, but my craftsmanship is art, Miss Ka.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes, it is.¡± Everyone seemed satisfied with their work. ¡®It¡¯s not bad.¡¯ Even I thought it was enough to hold up for a while. While I was having such thoughts, Thompson came up to me and asked, ¡°Mr First ce, what are you going to do now?¡± He was asking how I was going to spend the rest of the time. I answered in a matter-of-fact tone. Why else would I havee all the way here to grow quickly? ¡°We have to hunt again now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Thompson blinked his eyes as if he hadn''t expected that answer. ¡°I thought you were going to rest?¡± Thompson pointed at my leg with his chin. ¡°How can you hunt in that condition?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Well, it was understandable for Thompson to be puzzled. Even though he had seen my abilities, he wouldn''t know how and when to use them. ¡°There''s a way.¡± I gave Thompson, who was tilting his head, a knowing smile. It was time to show him just how amazing a yer was in this world. *** Swoosh! ¡°Whew¡­¡± Thompson muttered to himself as he hid behind a rock. ¡®What in the world is Mr First ce thinking?¡¯ He was doing as he was told, but he still had questions. Or rather¡­ ¡®This could be quite dangerous¡­¡¯ It was more urate to say that he was worried rather than questioning. Not only the party, but he was someone who absolutely must not get hurt. ¡®If something goes wrong, I''ll have to step in.¡¯ He couldn''t let the epic of the little hero end so tragically. Thompson clenched his fist and made up his mind. Even if it meant giving up his life, he would protect Mr First ce. And if in the process he had to cross a river of no return¡­ ¡®That must also be my fate.¡¯ That''s how much Thompson trusted Yuhan. ¡®Mr First ce doesn''t make mistakes.¡¯ Thud, thud. With his mind made up, Thompson came out from his hiding ce and stood tall. And then¡­ ¡°You fake crow bastards! Over here!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs. Just as Yuhan had told him to. Screech? Three or four demon crows turned their heads at Thompson''s shout, their red eyes glowing. And at the same time¡­ ¡°Uwaaaaaaaa-!¡± Thompson started running towards the base camp at full speed. The enraged demon crows pped their wings and chased after him. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! It was an urgent situation where even the slightest dy could lead to disaster. ¡°Huff, huff¡­!¡± Thompson, desperately moving his feet, muttered as if he had remembered something. ¡°But why am I the bait again¡­?¡± He had clearly said he wouldn''t be the bait again. Thompson had failed to recall the nightmare of that day. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 62 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 62 Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! A faint tremor and the sound of thumping echoed from afar. As I watched, the figure of a man desperately running came into view in the distance. ¡°There hees.¡± The man we were waiting for. And the man who was performing his assigned role very well, Thompson. ¡°Uwaaaaa-!¡± ¡°That man sure can run. Even though their wings have degenerated, to be in a chase with those guys¡­¡± Barundel, who was watching Thompson with me, said in admiration. Even to Barundel, who had a wless physique and speed that was second to none, Thompson''s running seemed to be quite impressive. Indeed, it was a rare sight to see someone outrunning [Demon Crows] just by running¡­ But in fact, it wasn''t that surprising if you thought about it for a moment. ¡°His body structure makes him a good runner.¡± Long legs proportional to his tall height. Well-maintained muscles and stamina from constant exercise. And even earth magic to give him explosive speed. It would be strange if he couldn''t run well with all that. I was sure that was what I meant¡­ ¡°Body structure¡­ you say?¡± Was he hurt by my words? Barundel looked down at his own legs and muttered with a sullen expression. ¡°Then it would be impossible for me¡­¡± ¡°¡­Haha, that''s not what I meant.¡± It seemed like he wasplex about his short stature¡­ I hurriedly ttered him before the atmosphere became more awkward. ¡°But Barundel doesn''t need to envy that. You already have a perfect physique. It''s too greedy to want that kind of size too.¡± My own way of ttering. It worked perfectly. ¡°Do you really think so¡­?¡± Barundel asked again, his face brightening immediately. I quickly nodded my head, lest the mood dampen again if I hesitated. ¡°Of course. There''s probably no one in the world who has it all.¡± ¡°Now that I hear it, you''re right. Haha, I was being too greedy.¡± ¡®Whew¡­¡¯ I let out a sigh of relief inwardly. At the same time, I immediately brought up another topic so Barundel wouldn''t have any other thoughts. Barundel must never, ever recall the fact that the ¡®Barbarians¡¯ have a perfect physique, arge build, and inexhaustible stamina. Never. ¡°So, how would you rate my physique¡­?¡± ¡°Judging by today, you''re still at stage 3¡­¡± Around the time we were having a conversation about the changed topic. Duddudduddu! The ground shook louder than before, and when I turned my head, I could clearly see Thompson running towards us. He was almost here. ¡°Barundel, you should get ready now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Thud As I spoke, Barundel bent down and picked up something that was ced beside him. What he picked up was none other than an axe. But it wasn''t the one he usually used. It was a handmade stone axe, sharpened by Barundel himself using Thompson''s earth magic as material. ¡®It suits him quite well.¡¯ Was it because of the bushy beard that covered more than half of his face? Barundel''s appearance with the stone axe was natural, without any sense of incongruity. It was like an image reminiscent of a primitive man from the Neolithic Age. Of course, it was just my own thought. ¡°...No matter how many times I pick up this axe, I can''t get used to it.¡± Barundel frowned as if he didn''t like his axe. Well, if he had to use a primitive stone axe after using an expensive axe, it was understandable that he would frown. But only for a moment. ¡°I''ll go out first.¡± Soon, the dissatisfaction disappeared from his face, leaving only seriousness. He was more serious than anyone else when it came to hunting demons. p! Barundel kicked the ground and dashed forward in an instant. Until a moment ago, he wasmenting on Thompson''s running, but his speed was not inferior at all. The difference was that, unlike Thompson, he was purely using his muscle strength to generate that speed. ¡®¡­I wonder how fast he would be if his legs were longer.¡¯ While I was lost in such thoughts. Screech? Thwack! Kiiiireuk- The sound of Barundel, who had already run far away, shing with the demons could be heard. They say a true master doesn''t discriminate when ites to equipment. Whether that was true or not, Barundel brutally attacked the demons'' heads with just a stone axe. I watched the scene and quietly caught my breath. ¡°Hoo.¡± Now it was my¡­ no, our turn to get ready. If things went ording to n, they would graduallye this way. ¡°Ka.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Ka, who had been waiting for my signal, immediately channeled her mana. So did I. Woooong! Mana, carrying my will, began to gather in my palm. But then¡­ ¡®¡­Is this kind of attack a first too?¡¯ Was it because of my obsession with growing ording to the build? What I was doing now was the mostmon way for a mage to handle mana, but it felt somewhat awkward. It was like I was a novice learning magic for the first time, with that level of control. ¡­ Screech? The [Demon Crow]¡¯s face distorted as if it had seen something unbelievable. That soon turned into a scream. Fwoosh! Bang! Kieeeeek-! As if to prove that it could feel pain, it frantically pped its wings and struggled. But that wasn''t just ordinary fire, it was fire created by magic. There was no way it would go out like that. Ki¡­ eek. Pssshhh- In the end, it wasn''t long before the crow was burnt ck like a forgotten sweet potato, emitting a foul smell and grey smoke. Ki¡­ eek? Kiee-eeeek! The other crows, realizing that theirrade had died, started jumping up and down in ce. Their cries, scratching their throats even more frantically than before, and their bloodshot eyes showed just how agitated they were. And¡­ Their ferocious res and fury were directed at the party. ¡°W-We''ve stalled enough time, right?¡± ¡°¡­I think that''s enough.¡± Barundel and Thompson exchanged nces once more. They nodded once and then moved their feet simultaneously. ¡°Run, run!!¡± Duddudduddu! The ground shook with a tremor that was unbelievable for just two creatures running. But the [Demon Crows] were no pushovers either. Gieeeeek! Kieeeeeeek! Two [Demon Crows] chased after them at a terrifying speed. I watched them and checked the magic once again. ¡®The form¡­ is fine. Enough mana. No internal conflicts.¡¯ As long as I didn''t miss by mistake, everything was perfect. After checking thest variable, I turned my gaze forward again. ¡°Huff, huff¡­ Mr First ce, hurry!¡± Thompson shouted as if it was urgent. Barundel, who was running next to him, also seemed to be in a hurry, judging by his expression. But I just watched the situation silently. As always, the most important thing before casting magic was timing. So¡­ ¡®Right now.¡¯ Kwaaaaaaaang! As soon as I released the control, a bizarre ray of light shot out through the magic circle. Thanks to the perfect timing I had calcted, the result was a direct hit. It pierced through the two demons that were running in a line at once. Pssssss. Seeing them swallowed by the light and turning into grey dust brought a satisfied smile to my face. ¡°This is pretty good.¡± It didn''t receive the effect of the Spirit Engraving because it wasn''t in the form of a de, but it was a spell that squeezed out all my mana, contained the [Essence of Light], and went through casting. Its power alone wasparable to any magic I had ever implemented. The only problem was that the process was too cumbersome. Unless mypanions were openly acting as bait for me like this, it was virtually impossible to use in actualbat. ¡®I need to simplify it.¡¯ While I was giving myself feedback like that¡­ Suddenly, I felt the surroundings be quiet, so I raised my head. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± What was this awkward atmosphere? Everyone was just staring at me without saying a word. ¡°¡­Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Unable to bear the atmosphere, I spoke first, and Barundel answered. ¡°¡­Were you trying to kill us all?¡± It was then that I realized there was something I hadn''t noticed. ¡°Ah.¡± Thompson''s robe,pletely damaged by being caught in the ray of light. Barundel''s hair, scattering in the air. And Ka, who was lying on the ground, panting. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± It seemed like the range of the ray of light was much greater than I had thought. *** About 30 minutes after we returned to the base camp after defeating the [Demon Crow] group. Thompson, still exhausted, asked while sprawled out. ¡°But Mr First ce, how are you going to hunt more? Your legs don''t seem to be fully healed yet.¡± ¡°Ah, about that.¡± Originally, I was going to show him after catching the [Demon Crows], but the n went awry because I was a little short on experience points. I didn''t know what went wrong, but the crows didn''t even think about showing up again. In the end, it turned out like this, so an exnation was needed. Just as I was about to open my mouth¡­ Gieeeeek! A familiar cry started to echo from somewhere. Thompson jumped up in fright at the sound. ¡°What, those bastards. Were they still alive¡­?¡± I patted Thompson on the shoulder to reassure him and said, ¡°No. It''s not like that.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± There was no need to overthink this. The [Demon Crows] were famous for having a strong sense of camaraderie. It wasn''t for nothing that they cried their eyes out when their friend died. ¡°Simply put, it''s like revenge.¡± ¡°What? Then what do we do? Those guys seem like they''re going to attack us here.¡± What do we do? This was also simple. There was only one option a yer could take when faced with demon monsters. ¡°We have to catch them.¡± A monster that was awkwardly positioned between intermediate and high-ranking demons, the [Demon Crow]. ¡®Good timing.¡¯ In my eyes, they were nothing more than lumps of experience points. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 63 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 63 To add to the reasons why this situation wasn''t dangerous, this wasn''t the middle of an open field like before, but our base camp. In other words, our territory. We had already set up various kinds of magic throughout the camp in preparation for such a situation. As a result¡­ Bang-! Ki, kieeeeek! Indeed, one of the [Demon Crows] that was running towards the base camp stepped on a fire trap spell and fell t on its face. It rolled around on the ground, burnt ck, like a d¨¦j¨¤ vu experience. ¡°Now there are three left.¡± ¡°¡­That magic is really effective.¡± ¡°Unless they''re incredibly stupid, they won''t step on it.¡± ¡°That means it''s perfect for those demons.¡± We watched the remaining crows and checked our equipment. Barundel and Thompson quickly put their gear back on, and Ka focused on regenerating her depleted mana. Of course, it would take quite a bit of time to recover mana, and Barundel and Thompson weren''t in very good shape either, as they didn''t have much stamina left. On the other hand, my mana had already been fully recharged. -Mana regeneration rate increased by 300%. ¡®This is when mythic tier traits are really reliable.¡¯ It was beyond the realm of normal mana recovery speed. If only the total amount of mana could be increased, there would be nothing more to wish for. But that was something that time and money would solve. Anyway, everyone except me was in poor condition right now. No, actually, even I hadn''t fully recovered from my leg injury, so should I say that I was only half recovered? Because of this, we had to deal with the demons as efficiently as possible without any waste in the uing battle, and there was only one strategy to achieve that efficiency. ¡®Quick and decisive.¡¯ Woong! Before Barundel and Thompson finished their preparations, I stepped forward and gathered my mana. To be precise, I didn''t step forward, but simply stood still and drew out my mana, but that was enough. I wasn''t some warrior with short arms, but a mage, a long-range dealer who could deal explosive damage from the rear¡­ the highest ?? of [Devil Fantasy]. Crackle! Yellow electric currents spread out like stray hairs from the sphere imbued with the lightning attribute. The image in my mind was being implemented as magic. It wasn''t through a magic book, but magic I created myself, so it was a moment that truly showed the value of mythic tier traits. ¡­Ki-gi-gi-gik! The [Demon Crows] were electrocuted and their bodies trembled. I didn''t stop there and fired a ray of light. Pew! Pew! It wasn''t a ray with a bizarre range like before, but with a casting time that was almost instantaneous and the special training in Aldeon, it had enough power to inflict sufficient damage on a single target. Kieek! The crows'' bodies were riddled with holes like sponges, and perhaps awakened by the pain, they finally started to use their heads. Caw! p-! The crow, which had been battered by the rays of light, realized that it couldn''t approach recklessly without getting killed, so it suddenly spread one of its wings. ck feathers then surged towards me. Shwaaaek! As expected of a demon, each and every feather was like a sharp dagger. In my current injured state, it was impossible to avoid them. Of course, it wasn''t a problem. Because I wasn''t alone. Thud thud thud! Barundel, who had somehow taken out his shield, jumped up and struck down the iing feathers. ¡°I''ll protect you, so just focus on your magic.¡± Could the back of that small dwarf be so reliable? ¡°Alright. Just hold them off for a bit.¡± I put myplete trust in Barundel and channeled my mana again. Despite having just used it a moment ago, my mana had already recovered. Woooong! Although double casting was the best I could do with my low Circle, if I could cast magic indefinitely like this, the number of casts didn''t matter. Pew! Pew! Pew! Two at a time. As a result, I fired countless rays of light. ¡®They won''t be able to take another step forward.¡¯ Kieeeeek! They hade all the way here with the grand ambition of avenging their friend, but all they could do was scream. Well, in a way, it wasn''t unfair to them. This was thew of the jungle that they pursued. The weak die, and the strong live. They were bitterly experiencing the end of that simplew. Ping! Thud! ng! I continued to fire the rays, Barundel struck down the iing feathers, and if anyone broke through the attacks and advanced, Thompson would send them back with a body m¡­ With Ka, who had recovered her mana, joining in the offensive, the battle ended without any variables. And then¡­ Whoosh! As the energy from the [Demon Crow] corpses flew in and was absorbed, my body shed for a moment. The long-awaited level-up had finally happened. ¡°Huu.¡± I rotated my arms, stretched my neck, and jumped in ce. It was a moment that felt good no matter how many times I experienced it. Unlike before, when it felt like I was carrying something heavy, now my body felt as light as a feather. My legs, which had been in bad shape, were alsopletely healed. I led my refreshed body and patted each of my sprawled outpanions on the shoulder. ¡°Good work, everyone.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Their faces distorted as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°How¡­?¡± Recovering from all injuries and fatigue upon leveling up. Perhaps, this was the true mythic tier trait? *** "No way, you had such a cheat-like ability all along?" When I finished my exnation, Barundel raised his voice, unlike him, and said, Even using the word "cheat-like," which didn''t suit him at all, showed how surprised he was. Or maybe there was no other way to express this situation. Anyway, Ka also showed a strong reaction. "No wonder you didn''t look tired at all during the hunt..." She wasn''t just surprised; she also had a somewhat nk expression, and I knew exactly what that face meant. ''...When I was really into zombie swordsman, I was like that when I first saw how mages fought.'' To put this feeling simply, it was a kind of emptiness that came from rtive deprivation. Ka, who had taken the red pill, must have been feeling something simr. But what could I do? It was the truth. "Ka, you have your own strengths." "Just get your hand off me." "...Okay." I stopped the cheapfort and turned my head towards Thompson, who was rtively normal. Of course, he wasn''t normal either. In a slightly different sense, though. "Hehe..." For some reason, Thompson had been staring at me with a sly grin and making creepy noises. At this point, the question that had been resolved a few days ago was about to resurface. "...Mr Thompson, what''s wrong with you?" "No, it''s just... I feel closer to Mr First ce." "Closer? How?" "You told me when that precious ability activates. There''s no better way to show trust than sharing your secrets." "...Ah, okay." Honestly, I didn''t quite understand even after hearing the reason. Was this something to be so happy about? ''It wasn''t really a secret.'' It was just that no one had asked. While I was thinking that, Thompson opened his mouth again. "By the way, is that for real? That your ability activates when you hunt demons?" "Yes. The cooldown gets a bit longer the more I use it, but that''s the condition." "That''s a really amazing ability. Then, in a way, Mr First ce was born to hunt demons, right?" "Is... is that so?" "Of course! I''ve never even heard of such an ability in my life!" Thompson, who shouted that, started muttering again with a sly grin. I could roughly hear him saying something about being born a hero... Whatever he was thinking, it didn''t seem like something I should be too concerned about. Rather, what I should be concerned about now was that time was being wasted. p! I pped my hands once to get mypanions'' attention. "Now, have you all rested enough? Then let''s get started again." And then. "What? You''re going hunting again?" "M-Mr First ce. Isn''t that a bit too much? It seems like it''s going to get dark soon..." "...How many times have we done this already? I think this is harder than any training I''ve ever done." As expected, my exhaustedpanions began toin. But my mind was unchanged. Hunting had to be done to the extreme to get the best efficiency. I had even taken measures beforehand in case something like this happened. ¡°You can''t rest even if you want to.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± At Thompson''s question, I took out what I had hidden in my bosom. It was jet ck, yet it had a faint glow, making it look like ''obsidian.'' ¡°That''s¡­¡± ¡°It''s a Demon Crow''s core.¡± It was called a [Crow Core], an item that dropped with a certain probability when a [Demon Crow] died. Luckily, it dropped when I caught the first [Demon Crow], and its effect was¡­ ¡°They say that if you have this, they''ll smell it and keeping. Something about avenging their kin.¡± It was simple. Crow bait. ¡°You, you¡­!¡± Ka pointed at me with a dumbfounded look and said, ¡°Then, could it be that those guys came earlier because of¡­?¡± Perhaps it was because she had been training her magic, but Ka seemed to be thinking faster. To think she could already deduce that much. Instead of denying her question, I gave her a slight smile. ¡°Bingo.¡± They wouldn''t know. How much I suffered to pick up this core without anyone knowing. It felt like my knees were still throbbing from when I crawled with my injured legs and bumped them on a rock. ¡°Give that to me! I need to destroy it right now!¡± ¡°No way.¡± Swoosh- Around the time I was dodging Ka, who was trying to snatch the [Crow Core]¡­ A signal re went off at that very moment. Gieeeeek! What a wee sound. ¡°What are you doing? We need to get ready.¡± When I urged them, mypanions red at me. They must have realized that it was already an irreversible situation. Everyone looked at me and said in unison, ¡°¡­You''re a demon. A real demon.¡± ¡°No doubt. How about we take care of this demon first?¡± ¡°That''s not enough. Let''s subdue him and torture him? I''ll take the supporting role.¡± re! The mes that bloomed on top of Ka''s staff flickered as if they were about to attack me at any moment. But I didn''t mind at all and shrugged. ¡°Why is everyone making such a fuss?¡± In fact, wasn''t this something they should have been prepared for when they agreed to go outside the border? I couldn''t understand why they were acting like this now. ''If you joined my party, you should be able to do this much, right?'' RPGs are definitely not a game you can y passively. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 64 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 64 After dramatically leveling up by hunting [Demon Crows]. Our daily routine was repetitive. Starting with hunting around the base camp as soon as we opened our eyes, until the sunpletely set or we were so exhausted that we couldn''t move a finger. We ate when it was time to reorganize, and even while resting, we did some Dwarven physical training. Two weeks before the Great War. ¡°I think it''s time to go back.¡± Finally, we decided to end the hellish hunting routine. ¡°¡­R-Really, Mr First ce?¡± ¡°Yes. I think we''ve gained enough practical experience, and we''vepleted all the requests from Lena. More than anything, we need to prepare for the war.¡± Honestly, I wanted to continue hunting, but I couldn''t anymore. As I told Thompson, it was time to prepare for war. From now on, it would be more efficient to prepare for the war than to blindly rush into demons and fight them. Perhaps they felt that the exnation was valid. ¡°Huh¡­¡± ¡°F-Finally¡­ it''s over.¡± ¡°Those were days when I thought I''d rather die¡­¡± Mypanions, who finally started to believe me, eximed with relieved faces. This time, I didn''t push them andforted them by patting them on the back. ¡°You''ve worked hard, really.¡± I wasn''t just saying that. Even though they grumbled about the schedule being too tight, they followed the harsh routine well, and thanks to that, we achieved the goals we had set. ''Just looking at the most important level...'' A whopping 12 levels. It far exceeded the original goal of 10 levels. If I could see the system window, it would probably look like this. [Character Information] - Name: Yuhan - ss: Mage / 3 (+1) Circle - LV: 12 - Ranking: - - Traits: [Prodigy of Magic (Mythic)], [Essence of Light (Mythic)] - Spirit Engraving: [Former Master of Swordsmanship (Best)] - Main Stats: [Stamina +16], [Agility +16], [Sense +16], [Mana +16], [Strength +5] - Additional Stats: [Intuition +30], [Holy Power +25]¡­ I looked at the information window I had roughly scribbled on a piece of paper and let out a chuckle without realizing it. ¡°Huh.¡± Was this really the information window of the rookie who, until recently, was only level 1 and had nothing to rely on but a single trait? Seeing it in the form of a system window like this, I could really feel that I had grown rapidly in a short period. I was especially impressed by the fact that my ss was a mage. ''Have I ever raised a mage this far?'' If my memory served me right, never. Even though I had tried countless times with sub-ounts to create builds, they usually ended up dying before reaching level 5. The highest I had ever raised one was level 10. Moreover¡­ ''The real deal is separate.'' The most important part of my current state wasn''t my ss, level, or stats, but my foundation. I had two mythical traits, and my Holy Power, the anti-demon stat, had exceeded 20. This was thanks to fully absorbing the [Bracelet of Holy Oil] and [The Pendant of Holy Oil] that I had luckily obtained. ''At this level... honestly, it''s iparable to my zombie swordsman at the same level.'' And it wasn''t just the zombie swordsman. Countless characters I had raised over the past 10 years of ying [Demon Fantasy]. Compared to any of those characters, this was an overwhelming difference. Ironically, it was now that it was reality, not a game. ''...Hmm.'' My heart swelled with the fact that I hadn''t lost my growth momentum despite being dropped into the game. This was an indescribable sense of aplishment, difficult to put into words. But. ''Don''t let your guard down.'' I didn''t dwell on that sentiment for long. This was a time when I needed to be even more careful. It had always been like this. Whenever I let my guard down, an insurmountable danger woulde looking for me. I didn''t want to repeat that mistake. Besides. This wasn''t growth I achieved alone, was it? ¡°Ka, Barundel, Mr Thompson.¡± This growth was possible because we were all together. I casually said to them as they turned around from their busy packing, ¡°Let''s go all the way, together.¡± Mypanions tilted their heads as if they didn''t understand what I meant. There was no need to exin. They would be with me even if I didn''t exin. ''...All the way.'' Two weeks outside the Asternon border. This period was a time that allowed me to fully open my heart to mypanions. *** ¡°It''s kind of bittersweet to leave like this.¡± Thompson said as we passed by where the outer wall of Sector 7 used to be. He had said it was truly hellish and painful, but it seemed he had grown quite attached. ¡°I agree. It''s a mixed feeling.¡± Ka''s reaction wasn''t much different. She hadined about not having enough mental strength to cast magic, and now she had a regretful face. I didn''t quite understand what they were so regretful about. ¡°Don''t think too much about it. We''ll do it again someday.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Ka asked with a shocked face. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°I''m serious.¡± And I was 100% serious. I didn''t even think it would take that long. ''...Probably after the Great War. Well, I''ll have to see the situation then.'' In any case, it was clear that we would be doing this kind of hunting again. In this kind of RPG game, not hunting was the same as falling behind. And that would eventually lead to... ''Baal''s invasion.'' It would lead to that. Just like when I couldn''t stop Baal in the game. Even though it was just a story in a game, I still couldn''t forget the tragedy that happened that day. I didn''t want that to happen again. Anyway. ¡°Whew, we''re finally here.¡± Having memorized the route after passing through it several times, we quickly arrived at the passage leading to Sector 6. The only difference from before was that the number of demons in Sector 7 had increased. Other than that, there weren''t any major changes. However. ¡°...It''s incredibly busy.¡± Quite a few changes were happening in Sector 6. Countless barricades were lined up in front of the residentialplex, and the market street, where various foods were disyed on the stalls, waspletely empty as if someone had swept it clean. The shops that sold artifacts and equipment had also all withdrawn. It seemed that the news of the war had spread to the point where everyone knew about it. ¡°This, it seems like all the equipment we were going to buy has already been taken.¡± Other things aside, this part was a bit troublesome. Barundel''s axe, Thompson''s robe, and all the other consumables needed for the war. There was a mountain of things we needed to get. ¡°Is there any other way?¡± ¡°How about stopping by the Request Office? They might have some spare equipment.¡± ¡°¡­That''s a good idea.¡± Barundel''s suggestion certainly made sense. Usually, Request Offices would keep a minimum amount of equipment in preparation for situations like this. Besides, we had currentlypleted arge number of requests. Among them, there were quite a few pieces of equipment and artifacts that we should receive as rewards. Well, most of them were things we didn''t need, but even those could be used to try and exchange for other equipment. With that in mind, we headed straight to the Request Office and soon came face to face with a familiar face. ¡°Lena.¡± ¡°Oh, you''ve returned safely.¡± Lena, who was still at the Request Office, guided us with a relieved face. ¡°I''ve been so busytely that I didn''t even realize how much time had passed. Are you all uninjured?¡± ¡°As you can see. By the way, why is it so busy outside?¡± ¡°Why, because of the war, of course.¡± ¡°So it''s that after all.¡± Lena pressed her temples as if she had a headache and continued, ¡°The royal family made a public announcement a few days ago. They said the [The Prophecy of the Blood Moon] had fallen, and that the war with the demons would soon break out.¡± ¡°The royal family themselves?¡± ¡°Yes, and because of that, they said they were epting volunteer soldiers. They also said that if they were short on personnel, they might have to resort to forced conscription.¡± ¡°Forced conscription¡­¡± The fact that the royal family, who could check the contents of the prophecy in more detail, was considering forced conscription meant that the scale of the war wasrge. Most of the wars so far had been handled with existing troops. Well, that''s why they called it the ''Great War.'' ''It''s not for nothing that there''s such amotion about the [The Prophecy of the Blood Moon].'' If the scale was what I knew it to be, the royal family would inevitably have to choose forced conscription. It would be the only way to protect Asternon. Well, anyway, it wasn''t something we needed to worry about. ¡°Where do you sign up for that volunteer soldier thing?¡± This was what I needed to worry about now. How many volunteer soldiers there were, how much safety was guaranteed, how thepensation was paid, and so on. I needed to know that to decide whether to participate in the war as a volunteer soldier or to fight the demons on my own. ¡°You''re going to apply for that?¡± ¡°I''m thinking about it. I can''t just sit back and do nothing while a war is going on.¡± ¡°That''s true, but... isn''t it too dangerous?¡± ¡°I''m not one to shy away from danger. And you can actually gain a lot from participating in a war.¡± ¡°Hmm, that''s certainly true.¡± Had she experienced this kind of war several times? Lena immediately agreed and continued her exnation. ¡°I heard they set up a checkpoint in the center of Sector 4. If you go there, the royal family will probably give you more detailed information.¡± ¡°The center of Sector 4...¡± Sector 4 was the sector where the Asion Academy was located. It was a good thing, since I was nning to stop by the academy anyway. ''Oh,e to think of it.'' Thinking about the academy reminded me that Asion Gale, the dean of the academy, was friendly towards me. If that was still the case... ''Could I get material support?'' The academy had a lot of useful things for mages, not just various kinds of equipment. For example, magic-rted artifacts and magic books. If I could get support for those, it would be a great help in the war. ''And I can check on Roan''s situation while I''m at it.'' That solidified my resolve to stop by the academy. By the way. ¡°Shall we talk about business now?¡± It was time to get down to business. ¡°Ah, right. How many requests have youpleted? Demon-rted requests are not easy, so...¡± Thump! I ced the stack of documents before Lena finished speaking, and she stopped talking. Her expression was noticeably stiff. ¡°Could this be...¡± ¡°That''s right. I''vepleted them all.¡± ¡°You''vepleted them all...?¡± Judging by her expression, it seemed she hadn''t expected our party''s performance to be this outstanding. Well,pleting the requests was good for us and good for the Request Office. It was a win-win situation, so I spoke without hesitation. ¡°Lena, you have the rewards ready, right?¡± Two weeks of hell outside the border. Now it was time to enjoy the sweetness that came from it. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 65 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 65 "So you''re saying you really...pleted all these requests?" "If you don''t believe me, check it yourself, mister." "Okay." As I signaled, Thompson, who had stepped outside the request office, came back in dragging something. Thud, thud. The sound alone indicated a considerably heavy bundle. It''s even a magically enchanted bundle, so that''s only about half its actual weight... "Oof." Thompson stopped next to Lena and untied the rope fastening the bundle. A foul stench wafted out. "Ugh..." It was a collection of demon body parts requested in several of the requests. "This is quite a lot, isn''t it?" "Well, I got everything." "Hold on." Lena, who had initially frowned at the sudden stench, quickly regained her professionalposure. She immediately opened a cab and put on sanitary gloves. Then, without any hesitation, she began rummaging through the bundle. "Crow feathers, ogre fangs, giant lizard tail... Wait a minute, isn''t this a Minotaur horn? How on earth did you catch a high-ranking demon?" "It was a bit of a struggle." "Hmm, amazing. Are all mages like this?" Scribble, scribble. Muttering to herself, Lena, who had been marking her notebook with red lines, suddenly looked up. "Okay, I''ve confirmed that all the parts on the list are here. That''s incredible. I never dreamed you''dplete all of this... Was this even physically possible? Didn''t you run out of time?" It wasn''t me who answered her question, but mypanions. "Time... was short." "...Yeah, it was. Very much so." "But that didn''t stop us from getting it done. I finally realized that you can make time if you''re determined enough." Each of them had a look as if recalling a terrible nightmare. Lena couldn''t help but be puzzled by their reaction. "...What''s wrong with these people?" "They all went through a lot." "A lot? Is ''a lot'' really the right way to describe it, Mr. First ce?" "There you go again. And after you said you were sorry." "That''s..." Wave, wave. I waved my hand a few times as a sign of exasperation and asked Lena, "So Lena, what about the reward? Is it ready?" "Ah, right. Follow me this way." Lena gestured and headed somewhere. Following her, we arrived at the furthest corner of the request office. As she tapped the floor there, it opened with a thud! It felt like discovering a hidden underground bunker. "There was a ce like this here." Of course, since the request office was already located underground, there wasn''t enough space to go down another level. It was a space suitable for use as a storage room. So it seemed Lena was keeping the request rewards here. "Hand me some from up there." Creak, creak. Climbing down a woodendder, she took out items one by one from the secret storage. Starting with an old dagger, a reddish-brown leather belt, shoulder armor with pointed protrusions, an artifact with apass-like design, and so on... "And, this is thest one." Finally, she put down a pouch full of gold coins and dusted off her hands. "For now, this is all there is. I''ll deliver the rest as the clients send them." "Hmm." I nced over the neatly arranged items. Although it was about half shortpared to the requests I hadpleted, it was a wonder that I could receive this much right now. Usually, it wasmon to receive request rewards a few days afterpleting the request. There were even some items that I desperately needed. "We''re in luck. Did the clients leave them in advance?" "Well, there are cases like that, but..." Lena, who had trailed off, suddenly chuckled. "I''ve more or less figured it out now." "...What do you mean?" "I mean, I separately requested the rewards along with the requests. I had a feeling you''dplete them quickly." "Ah." In short, it meant that I was able to receive the rewards like this thanks to Lena''s intuition. ''When I received the Aldeon request, she seemed very suspicious...'' Now she seemed to have some confidence that I wouldplete the requests I took on. "Of course, I didn''t expect you toplete them all like this." Adding that, Lena handed me a bundle containing the items. "What are you nning to do now?" "For now, I''m nning to stop by Sector 4. I''m interested in the volunteer soldiers, and I have some other business to attend to." "You mean you''re thinking of participating in the war?" I nodded, and Lena continued. "Then you won''t be able to take on requests for a while." "Probably." "That works out well. I was thinking of closing the request office for a while, too." "Closing?" "It would be difficult to run the request office during the war. There won''t be many clients visiting." Now that I heard it, Lena was right. Continuing to run the request office in the face of such a big war was, in a way, foolish. It would be a hundred times better to take this time to rest or strengthen the foundation of the request office. In fact, Lena said she even nned to relocate the Artis Request Office during this time. "The number of clients visiting our request office has increasedtely. We''ve also saved up enough funds. It''s time to expand." That''s a good idea. Since this ce is located on the outermost edge of Sector 6t, it''s difficult for people toe and go frequently. "Thank you, it''s all thanks to you." Lena expressed her gratitude, seeming to think this was my achievement. Well, to be honest, it wasn''t without my influence... "It''s all thanks to your hard work. You reap what you sow. Congrattions." Even so, it only slightly increased thepletion rate of the Artis Request Office. Gathering funds, promoting the request office, and ensuring quick processing so that both clients and solvers wouldn''t feel inconvenienced were all results of Lena''s efforts alone. "Thanks for saying that." Perhaps aware of this fact, Lena didn''t deny it further. She simply promised to meet again next time. "I''ll properly celebrate with you once we relocate. You''re not thinking of noting back, are you?" "No way. I still have a lot of money to squeeze out of you." Lena chuckled at the joke. Leaving her behind, we turned our backs. Because we have to run hard again for the moment we meet next time. ''I wonder what it will be like...'' I suddenly became curious. The Artis Request Office a few years from now. And what Lena would be like working there. For some reason, I felt like she and the request office would have changed as much as I had grown. *** After leaving the request office, I said goodbye to the rest of mypanions. "See you all in three days then." "Finally free... I''m going straight home to get some sleep." "Get plenty of rest. Once the war starts, it could be even harder than when we were hunting." "Don''t say such terrible things. Harder, you say... I''ve been through a few wars, but I''ve never experienced anything that hard." "Even though it''s a war with me?" "..." We all decided to finish or postpone any remaining tasks and gather again. The meeting ce was three dayster, in front of the clock tower in the square where we had gathered before. "Anyway, let''s all meet there, and if you think of anything you need, write it down in advance. It will be harder to get things as time goes by." "Understood." With those words, Ca and Barundel walked away. I watched them go and then turned my head to the side. "Aren''t you leaving, mister?" Thompson was still there. He stood still, as if he had no intention of leaving... "Where would I go, Mr. First ce? It''s just the inn." "...So?" "Let''s go together. I don''t know where you''re going or what for, but." He saw right through me. "Well, okay." There was no particr reason to refuse, so I eventually epted, and we moved together. The first ce we stopped by was thergest stable in Sector 6t. "Mr. First ce, what business do you have here?" "There''s something I need to find." There''s a means tofortably get to my next destination here. It''s the carriage owned by the Asion Gale Academic Society, which the head of the society readily lent me. "You''ve arrived." "Yes, coachman. Is the horse doing well?" "Despite my appearance, I''ve been in the business of managing these guys for 30 years. It means even a dying creature would spring back to life if they saw me." "That''s reassuring." After exchanging light greetings, the coachman soon brought out the horse. "I''ll bring out the carriage shortly." While the coachman went to fetch the carriage, I stroked the horse that was standing idly. "How have you been?" Neigh! A ck horse with jet-ck skin and a brown mane. The quite elegant-looking creature was still well-maintained and unting its splendor. As I was admiring it, Thompson sidled up to me and asked, "...Mr. First ce. I''m asking this because I wonder if I''m remembering it wrong..." "Hmm? What is it?" "Are you, by any chance, a noble?" Apletely unexpected question. But thinking about it, it wasn''t a strange question either. No, rather, it''s me who''s strange. ''Whatmoner would have a carriage and a horse?'' Since I hadn''t exined this until now, it was natural for Thompson to find it strange. "That''s not it, I received this as a gift from the academy." "Academy? Weren''t you from the streets, Mr. First ce?" "While following Roan, I somehow ended up getting connected." "By Roan, you don''t mean the Asion Academy, do you?" "Yes, and I''m going there now." "What? Really?" Thompson was startled by those words. Then he let out a sly chuckle. At this point, I wondered if he alwaysughed like that. "Hehehe, the Asion Academy. As expected, deciding to follow Mr. First ce was the best choice of my life." "...Is it that great?" "Of course! It''s the most prestigious magic academy in Asternon, what are you talking about?" Thompson continued to grin for a long time after saying that. Seeing him so happy, it seems the prestige of the Asion Academy is truly remarkable. ''Hmm, is that so?'' Honestly, I didn''t feel that way. After all, the Asion Academy remained in my memory as an image I saw 100 years ago in the game. I still don''t know what''s so great about it, having only been there once. "The facilities are all it has." And to those words, Thompson said in a subdued tone, "Mr. First ce, you don''t recognize its true value? You have no talent for magic?" Thompson, with a confident face, puffed out his chest and continued, "This won''t do. Just follow me! I''ll show you exactly what kind of ce it is!" Anyone would think... That this mister had been there himself. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 66 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 66 Clip-clop, clip-clop. The road to Asion Academy was as pleasant as ever. Unlike other carriages, this one minimized jolting. With this level offort, it was clear that the horse wasn''t just ordinarily trained. ¡°Ohhh! This is a carriage¡­¡­!¡± Thompson seemed surprised by the ride, eximing in admiration. ¡°Spacious seats, smooth ride¡­¡­ As expected, Asion Academy is different, even their carriages!¡± ¡°Ah, have you ridden other carriages before?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? Of course not. Why would I waste money when I have perfectly good legs?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But why is he saying that? What he just said clearly sounded like something someone who''s ridden carriages dozens of times would say. ¡®Well, it''s true that this carriage is more spacious than others.¡¯ It was already proven to be spacious, considering there was still room left even with Thompson, who was twice the size of an average person, sitting next to me. Suddenly, a thought came to mind. How much would a carriage like this cost? ¡®I don''t know for sure¡­¡­ but it would definitely be well over a few thousand gold coins.¡¯ As I came to that conclusion, my thoughts naturally shifted to the Academy''s dean, who readily lent me this carriage. ¡®Asion Gale.¡¯ A magical genius who reached the 8th Circle at the young age of 30, and the creator of Flesh Transformation magic. And the current dean of the most prestigious magic academy, Asion Academy. That was the information I currently had about Asion Gale. I wasn''t sure if it was urate information, as I had simply found it by looking through old newspapers after forming a party with Barundel. Whether it''s where I originally lived or here, information disclosed to the public couldn''t be readily trusted. Well, anyway. ¡®Such a big shot, huh?¡¯ That Asion Gale even showered me with gifts to get me to enroll in the academy. There must be a good reason why he acted that way. ¡®¡­¡­He said it was to recruit talent.¡¯ Recruiting talent. That was Asion Gale''s answer when I asked why he was going so far to get me to enroll. A surprisingly simple reason. Of course, I couldn''t take it at face value. However. ¡°If that''s true?¡± What on earth did he see in me? The potential as a fellow genius? My tremendous mana recovery speed? Or maybe my [Essence of Light] was exposed when I first manifested the Sword of Light? No matter how much I tried tobine them in a blinded space, it was ultimately created under Asion Gale''s guidance. The possibility that he had a way to monitor that space couldn''t be ruled out. As my thoughts reached that point. ¡°What''s true, Mr First ce?¡± Thompson, who was looking out the window, suddenly asked. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I seemed to have identally spoken out loud what I was only thinking about. Well, there was no reason to hide it, so I decided to juste clean. ¡°I was thinking about why the dean of Asion Academy admitted me there. He said it was to recruit talent¡­¡­¡± As I was about to continue. ¡°What? What did you just say?¡± Thompson, with his eyes wide open, interrupted me and asked. ¡°Where did you say you enrolled?¡± ¡°Asion Academy.¡± ¡°Mr First ce, you''re a student there¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Come to think of it, I only mentioned receiving the carriage as a gift, but I didn''t mention that I actually enrolled. No wonder Thompson was surprised. ¡°How¡­¡­? How did you get in?¡± ¡°It was something like a scout.¡± ¡°Then why haven''t you attended sses? Is it a vacation¡­¡­ or something?¡± ¡°Ah, no, the dean told me I coulde whenever I want. I probably wouldn''t have enrolled if it weren''t for that privilege.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ privilege. So that''s how it is. Huh, hahaha¡­¡­¡± Thompsonughed awkwardly. He seemed to be trying to hide it, but I could tell he wasn''t happy. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­ Was I bad at managing my expression? I''m sorry if you felt offended. I didn''t mean anything bad.¡± ¡°I don''t mind at all, so just tell me.¡± ¡°Well, you see¡­¡­¡± Thompson said, lowering his head with a suddenly small voice. ¡°Actually, I was thinking of staying with you till the end¡­¡­. Wherever you go.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Hearing that you enrolled in Asion Academy made me think that might not be possible¡­¡­. Of course, I''m not saying I''m not congratting you.¡± ¡°I don''t quite understand. What does that have to do with enrolling?¡± ¡°Anyone can see that you have much more talent in magic than me. We''re both mages, but we have different talents. But now that you''ve even enrolled in the academy, the gap will only widen, and then¡­¡­¡± Now I understand. What this guy is thinking. ¡°You think you''ll be a burden?¡± ¡°Right. We might not be able to stay togetherter. Honestly, I''m not even sure if I''m a burden now or not.¡± Thompson lowered his head again with a sullen face. It seemed like he was deeply troubled by the difference in skill. ¡®By ¡®even now¡¯¡­¡­ does he mean he felt the gap during this hunt?¡¯ Circumstantially, it seemed so. But me¡­¡­ well, I don''t know. I was focused on the hunt, and I never really gauged the difference in skill between mypanions and me. Of course, it was true that my magic skills had been increasing rapidly recently. That was what the [Magical Prodigy] trait was all about. -Increases magic learning ability by 300%. When ites to magic, I can quickly grasp even things I see for the first time, and the more I use it, the more I improve day by day. With such an effect, it was entirely possible for Thompson to already feel the gap in skill. And it wasn''t just Thompson. Otherpanions might also be having these thoughts. They just weren''t saying it out loud. ¡®Indeed, I need to take some measures to reduce the growth difference.¡¯ Right now, the difference wasn''t that big, so it wasn''t a major problem, but it was apletely different story when considering the future. As Thompson said, everyone had different talents and grew at different speeds. Unless mypanions awakened mythic tier traits like me, the gap would only continue to widen. Besides, were mythic tier traits something you could get through effort? Luck had to follow. Like when I happened to encounter Baal and grew [Essence of Light]. Of course, the inherent nature of the trait had to be good, and who knew when and how that luck would follow. Therefore-. ¡°Trust me, mister.¡± There was only one thing we could do now. *** Early afternoon bathed in warm sunlight. ¡°Mmm, good, good.¡± Dean Asion Gale was enjoying a leisurely tea time, basking in the sunlight. In the midst of that. Burst! ¡°Dean!¡± Someone appeared, breaking his leisurely tea time-. Asion Gale frowned and turned his chair. ¡°Who is it? Who dares to enter so rudely?¡± Indeed, like the dean of an academy, his dignity was heavily exuded just by revealing his emotions. However. ¡°Please stop with the weird concept, please!¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ugh.¡± Just because he had dignity didn''t mean it was always effective. The important thing was what kind of image he had built up over time. Moreover, that image could crumble in an instant no matter how carefully it was built. Like Asion Gale now. ¡°I''ve loosened the reins too much. I should have realized sooner thatfort isn''t always good. Back in the day¡­¡­¡± ¡°That''s not important now!¡± Thud. Asion Gale, even interrupted by his secretary, put down his coffee cup with a dissatisfied face and asked. ¡°¡­¡­What is it that''s got you in such a fuss?¡± He decided to listen first, and if it wasn''t a big deal, Asion Gale was thinking of revealing the appearance he had been hiding for a while. The appearance that earned him the title ''Lion of Glory'' in his younger days. ¡®Then your attitude will change a little too, you brat with no manners.¡¯ However. ¡°Yuhan is here at the academy now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing the secretary''s words, such thoughtspletely disappeared. ¡°Who did you say is here?¡± ¡°That student you''ve been looking for day after day, Dean. Yuhan.¡± Bang! tter. At those words, Asion Gale jumped up from his seat. He identally hit the desk as he got up too hastily, and the coffee spilled from the shock, but he didn''t care about such things now. ¡°Where is he? Tell me his exact location!¡± ¡°He''s currently with a visitor, looking around the lecture hall.¡± At those words, Asion Gale left the dean''s office without a word. He, who always acted calmly, insisting on maintaining minimal authority, ran like a man starved for days. Thump, thump, thump, thump. Due to his physique, the thumping sound echoed with each step. There seemed to be some anger in his steps. No, there was anger. ¡®¡­¡­How dare he not show his face after saying he would enroll?¡¯ The night Yuhan enrolled in the academy. Asion Gale couldn''t sleep at all. His mind was full of thoughts about what to teach Yuhan. From how to unravel tangled mana circuits to advanced mana theory, Flesh Transformation magic, how to increase concentration using the unconsciously, and so on. So many things came to mind, and Asion Gale finally made a decision. To teach Yuhan everything he could digest, without missing a single thing. But then. -Ah¡­¡­ he didn''te? Well, that can happen. Let me know if heeste. A day passed. -What? Not today either¡­¡­? He must have a very busy schedule. Two days passed. -¡­¡­Did something happen to him? Three days passed. Yuhan was nowhere to be seen at the academy. As it passed a week like that. Asion Gale came to a clear conclusion. ¡®I''ve been had.¡¯ This guy had betrayed him after receiving a ton of gifts. There was no other way to exin why he hadn''t shown up once in over a week. Moreover, was this just any academy? The most prestigious magic academy in Asternon, which every mage dreams of at least once! It was Asion Academy. To have entered such a ce and not hear from him until now meant¡­¡­. ¡®He never intended to enroll from the beginning.¡¯ This provided clear evidence for the hypothesis that Yuhan had backstabbed him. Grit! The sound of Asion Gale clenching his mrs could be heard as his jaw muscles hardened. ¡®There he is.¡¯ He didn''t know what change of heart the thief had, but he hade back on his own feet. Asion Gale made up his mind. As the dean of Asion Academy, he would make him pay the price for his thievery. But then-. ¡°You know this person, right? Asion Gale. He''s the dean. This is Thompson, a new student who will be enrolling today. Say hello to each other.¡± ¡°Wha, wha, what? Mr First ce, you''re saying I''m enrolling here? How¡­¡­?¡± ¡°The dean will take care of it. He told me to let him know if I ever needed anything. He said he''d grant it all. Right, Dean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Asion Gale was left speechless at his audacity. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 67 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 67 ¡°Right? Dean?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Despite my question, the dean didn''t answer. He even looked at me with a strange gaze. Or, more urately, a gaze that seemed to say, ¡®What¡¯s with this kid?¡¯ ¡®Hmm? Why is he acting like this?¡¯ There was only one reason that came to mind right now. ¡®Did I make too much of a request?¡¯ It¡¯s difficult to grant my request. Honestly, I thought it was possible. Even if he was the dean, it could be quite burdensome to unconditionally admit an outsider he brought without any consultation. However. ¡®There¡¯s no better way than this.¡¯ It was difficult for me to give up on the academy. Because there was no more efficient choice than the academy to build the foundation for a mage''s growth. ¡®Of course, this is on the premise that the people I want to enroll receive the same ¡®privileges¡¯ as me.¡¯ If there were problems with costs, Asion Academy, famous for being expensive, would inevitably be less efficient. Anyway. ¡®I have to push for it somehow.¡¯ I was about to continue speaking after making that judgment. ¡°¡­¡­So, Yuhan. You want me to enroll him in the academy?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Dean. Is that possible?¡± ¡°It wouldn''t be a problem. As long as I have my letter of rmendation.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fortunately, the dean gave a positive answer. It seemed that the dean''s influence in the academy was stronger than I thought. But then. ¡°But what makes you think I should write you a letter of rmendation?¡± The dean''s following words were somewhat chilling. His face hardened again, like before. I hurriedly opened my mouth to persuade the dean. ¡°You don''t have to worry about that. This mister, at least his identity is certain¡­¡­¡± ¡°No, not you. I''m talking about Yuhan.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I''m asking what makes you think I should write you a letter of rmendation, Yuhan.¡± I wondered what he was talking about. I didn''t understand why he was suddenly showing hostility when he was being amicable just a moment ago. I decided to ask directly without making any hasty judgments. ¡°Did I do something to upset you, Dean?¡± ¡°You''re asking me that?¡± The dean replied with a look of wonder on his face. ¡°You weren''t really nning on properly attending the academy anyway, were you? It seems like you''vee here with another purpose now?¡± ¡°What are you¡­¡­¡± ¡°If that wasn''t the case, you wouldn''t havee to the academy after all these weeks.¡± The dean said in a truly unpleasant tone. After hearing him, I think I understood what he''s thinking. It seemed he was unhappy that I hadn''t visited the academy for over two weeks after deciding to enroll. However, I didn''t understand at all. ¡°You said I coulde whenever it was convenient for me, Dean? You said I didn''t have to worry about attendance.¡± Why is heining now after saying that himself? When I pointed that out, the dean faltered and continued. ¡°That''s true, but¡­¡­ that''s not what I meant.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I didn''t mean you could disappear for two weeks. Especially right after deciding to enroll.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I was speechless after hearing his exnation. ¡®Attend sses whenever you can, but noting for two weeks is not okay¡­.¡¯ What is he talking about? ¡°You''re being a bit unreasonable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Unreasonable?¡± ¡°Yes. Anyone can see that what you''re saying now is different from what I heard initially.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Was he at a loss for words? The dean seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking. ¡°Then tell me. Are you serious about attending this academy, Yuhan?¡± ¡°Of course. I''m nning to attend whenever I can until I have nothing more to learn from the academy. I couldn''t do that these past few weeks because I had some business to take care of.¡± ¡°And that business is¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Nothing much. Just caught a few demons.¡± ¡°Caught demons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At those words, the dean''s eyes, which had been filled with suspicion, lit up. The same eyes he had when we first met. ¡°Are you working as a hunter?¡± ¡°Something simr. Well, not an official hunter.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­ Mages who can confront demons are definitely notmon. You''re an interesting fellow indeed, aren''t you?¡± ¡°Thank you for looking favorably upon me.¡± Judging from his reaction, it seemed like he only showed those eyes when he was interested in something. The fact that I could catch demons seemed to appeal to him. The dean pondered for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright. I''m still suspicious, but I''ll take your word for it for now, Yuhan.¡± ¡°Then will you grant my request?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean enrollment?¡± As I nodded, the dean narrowed his eyes and scanned Thompson up and down. Then he suddenly reached out his hand. ¡°It''s nice to meet you. I''m Asion Gale, the dean of Asion Academy.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, Dean. My name is Thompson.¡± It was then, as Thompson bowed his head and sped the dean''s hand. ¡°Huh?¡± Thompson flinched and pulled his hand away. On the other hand, Asion Gale smiled as if he found it amusing. It was an obvious situation. He must have checked his mana circuit. Just like he did to me. "Huh, this is..." "How is it?" I was also personally curious. I wanted to know how the mana circuits of my otherpanions were structured. The dean, with an ambiguous look on his face, stroked his chin and said, "Overall, it''s not a bad circuit. But... it''s a bit strange." "What is?" Instead of answering, the dean approached Thompson and asked, "Excuse me, but how long have you been practicing magic?" "Ah, well... it''s been a little over 10 years now." ''What? 10 years?'' This was something I didn''t know. Even though I became quite close with Thompson, I didn''t ask about his past. But 10 years? Even after hearing it directly from Thompson, I couldn''t easily believe it. This meant that he had been practicing magic for 10 years but was still stuck at the 3rd Circle. This meant that Thompson was incredibly inept when it came to magic. ''...As I feared.'' It wasn''t for nothing that I was worried about the difference in growth. If he knew that he was progressing that slowly, I would have been worried too. I felt a bit sorry for him, thinking that he must have been under a lot of stress. On the other hand, was Asion Gale intrigued by this fact? "Hmm, 10 years..." He continued to stroke his beard as if he was deep in thought about something. Unable to wait any longer, I spoke first. "What''s wrong? Is there something wrong with his circuit?" "No, quite the opposite." "Huh? What do you..." "His circuit is too well-managed." ...Well-managed? "Mister, have you been managing your mana circuit?" "Ah, no. I don''t even know how to manage it..." "Dean, how is this possible?" I asked in a way that urged him to exin. The dean said, "There''s nothing to be surprised about. He must have been managing it unconsciously." "Unconsciously?" "To manage a mana circuit, you have to learn the method from someone, but that''s not always necessary. Some people learn it on their own without any special training. Ah, Yuhan, can I speakfortably?" "Yes, that''s fine." "Good. Anyway, to continue the exnation..." Wung! Above Asion Gale''s staff, something with aplex structure appeared. It looked like blood vessels in the body, and at first nce, it was a shape modeled after a mana circuit. "This is the circuit of a mage who hasn''t done any management." "...It''s very intricately intertwined. There are also things that look messy." "That''s right. Most mages implement magic in this state. And..." Thump. As Asion Gale struck the floor with his staff, the shape of the circuit changed. If it looked like a twisted pretzel before, now it resembled a coral reef. "This is what a consistently managed mana circuit looks like." "It certainly looks different. Cleaner and lessplicated." "You''re exactly right. And this is..." Thump! The shape changes once more. "This is Thompson''s circuit." How should I describe it? It looked a bit ambiguous. The thickness of the circuit was thick, and the twists were somewhere between the first and second ones I saw. The dean, as if noticing my question, added, "Even though it looks a bit twisted, the thickness of the circuit is fundamentally thick, so the cirction is fast. And here." The dean pointed to the spaces between the circuits. "Most importantly, there are no impurities. This is proof that it''s being managed." "...I see." "But there''s something more important." "What is it?" "It takes constant effort to learn how to manage your own circuit. And for quite a long time." "..." A brief silence fell. It was the dean''s footsteps that broke the silence. Step, step. He walked slowly over and ced a hand on Thompson''s shoulder. "You must have been through a lot. Judging from the traces, it seems like it was terribly tangled at first... You did well not to give up on magic." Thompson''s body trembled slightly at those words. "...That''s right. Honestly, I always thought about just giving up. But then I met Mr. First ce." "Mr First ce?" "He means me." "Hmm... So you''re saying the state of your circuit started to improve after that?" "I don''t have the ability to see circuits... But it gradually became easier for me to handle magic, and my learning speed increased." "That''s the same thing." "Is it?" Whizz. The two of them turned their heads simultaneously and looked at me. "Uh... um..." I had nothing to say even when they looked at me like that. I hadn''t done anything. In the first ce, I didn''t even know how to touch my own messy circuit, so I was neglecting it, wasn''t I? The dean, as if reading my mind, said, "Sometimes, just being around talented individuals can improve your skills." "That might be true." Thompson and the dean nodded at the same time. It seemed like they were getting along quite well despite having just met. Well, anyway. Since we had somehow gone off on a tangent, I brought up the main topic again. "So, can he enroll?" "If he passes a few evaluations, I''ll allow it. I''m quite fond of hardworking people." "Evaluations?" "I''ve only checked his circuit so far, I haven''t seen how well he can handle magic. He''ll probably be evaluated bypeting with the students here." At those words, I remembered the building I saw when I first came here. The single-story building that stood alone among the three buildings. -It''s also a ce where people gather for special events or have duels with mutual consent. That was the very ce where Roan said duels were held. It seemed the dean was thinking of having Thompson fight against an academy student there. And if that''s the case... ''It''ll be a piece of cake.'' I wasn''t worried about him failing at all. Because Thompson''s level had risen tremendously during these past two weeks. He was originally the type to be strong in actualbat anyway. "Mister, are you alright with this?" "Hmm, I''m confident if it''s that." After getting Thompson''s consent, the dean made his decision. "Then let''s hold the evaluation tomorrow at 3 p.m. If you pass, I''ll write you a letter of rmendation right away." "Thank you, Dean!" Thompson bowed with a touched expression. He seemed very grateful, as it was the Asion Academy that he looked up to so much. But that was Thompson''s perspective. ''This isn''t enough.'' I still had a lot more to get. For example. "I think we''ll need the same privileges you gave me. We tend to move together." Like privileges. "Ah, and one more person." Like the magepanion I haven''t even mentioned yet. "..." From the carriage ride itself, I was determined to receive everything I needed. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 68 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 68 Right after getting the dean''s agreement, We immediately left the academy and searched for Ka, finding her at an inn near Dmitri Square and exining the situation. "What? The academy?" Ka was startled after hearing the story. It was a sudden story, so it was understandable for her to be surprised. "Yeah, he said if we go and pass the evaluation, he''ll let us enroll right away. He also said he wouldn''t charge us anything." "So, you''re saying the dean of Asion Academy said that?" "Yeah, he''s not the type to lie, so you can believe it. So, what do you think?" "...Of course, I''d love to. It''s a chance to enroll in a prestigious academy for free." "Okay, then I''ll tell him you''ll take the evaluation too." After getting her consent, as we were about to head back to the academy, Ka stopped me. "...Wait a minute." For some reason, she hesitated to speak. "Is something bothering you?" When I asked, Ka said in a small voice, "But do you think I can beat the students there...? All I can do now is handle a bit of fire magic... And didn''t he say the cost would only be waived if we clearly pass?" Unlike Thompson, who was strong in actualbat, Ka seemed a bit worried. But, well. Was there a need to worry? "Ka, [Minotaur]. Remember?" "Ah, that bull bastard... Of course I remember. How could I forget it?" "Do you remember how many effective hits younded on it?" "I don''t know about the beginning, but I didnd more and more hits as time went on." During the two weeks of hunting, we encountered the [Minotaur] a total of five times. And as she said, Ka''s magic hit it more and more frequently. That meant she had gained experience in actualbat and be more proficient in handling magic. Then, what about the academy students? No matter how much they were students attending a prestigious academy, I thought this: "Just once. If you cannd just one effective hit, the evaluation will be no problem." That Ka would overwhelm the students of Asion Academy. "...Are you serious?" "I''m serious." I was 100% serious. How could mere academy students defend against magic that even worked on a high-ranking demon? ''Of course, if it was a student on the level of Roan, she might have a hard time...'' But that possibility was slim. Roan was the top student at the academy and known as a magic genius. If there were many students like that, Roan wouldn''t have stood out in the first ce. Anyway. "So don''t worry too much. It''s not us who should be nervous, but those students." "...Okay." Victory was already ours. *** A day passed quickly. The next day. After moving once more in the evening and getting a good night''s sleep in the academy dormitory, we headed straight to the auditorium as soon as we woke up. Although there were still 3 hours left before the evaluation... "Are you ready?" It wouldn''t hurt to get used to it in advance. Of course, the opponent wasn''t an academy student, but me. "Uh, uhm... Mr First ce." "Sigh, I wanted to avoid sparring with that guy." "Don''t be scared. I''ll go easy on you." Mypanions seemed reluctant, but considering the results, it was better to face me than the academy students. I roughly knew their skills, so I could push them to their limits. And this level of tension was necessary for the practice to be meaningful. "Then let''s begin." At my words, Ka and Thompson immediately took a fighting stance. Due to the difference in strength, we decided to spar in a 2:1 situation. Because of this. ''I''m not exactly rxed either.'' I had to be tense as well. No matter how much of a difference in magical level there was, fighting one-on-one and fighting 2:1 were worlds apart. If I let my guard down even a little, I could be the one defeated. Perhaps knowing this fact. "Hup!" Thompson charged out before I could even make a move. Rumble! With his arms sped together, he was d in arge rock magic. It felt like a huge rock shield was pushing forward. I also responded with the same earth magic. Rumble-! With the feeling of my body floating, my vision gradually widened. I had used earth magic to create a pir at my feet and rise high up. When I was almost within reach of the ceiling. ''Now.'' I threw myself down without hesitation. Crack-! Thompson''s rock shield forcefully smashed into the pir I had erected. Crash! The stone pir shattered into pieces. Just from the sound, I could tell that it had received tremendous damage. Of course, I had already escaped from that spot. I immediately withdrew my mana and imbued it with a different attribute. This time, it was the water attribute. A wave that suddenly surged from the ground caught my falling body and simultaneously engulfed Thompson. Ssh! "Gah!" Perhaps flustered by the attribute he had never seen from me before, Thompson was swept away by the wave. "Cough...! Cough...!" Thompson was drenched. The real beginning was now. "Let''s go again." "...What?" Crackle! I sent electricity along the water trail connected to Thompson. It was the same method I used when fighting those troublemakers at the request office. But this time, the electricity was much stronger. Of course, Thompson was a mage who knew how to use his head. He realized that he would be electrocuted if he stayed still, so he crouched down. Then, Thompson''s entire body transformed into a huge boulder. Crackle... The electricity that hit the rock failed to inflict any significant damage and quickly died out. ''As expected, the elemental matchup is unfavorable.'' It seemed like the rules from the game applied here as well. I stored this newly acquired information in my mind and assumed my stance again. It didn''t matter if electricity didn''t work on him. I had plenty of attributes to utilize. Woong! A dazzling halo of light bloomed over my gloved hand. It soon took the form of a sword with a sharp de. Thompson, who had finally released his rock magic, spoke. "Mr. First ce. That¡­ it''s okay for me to get hit by that, right...?" "You won''t die." I summoned it with just enough power to hurt him badly, but not enough to kill him. And at that moment. "...!" Whoosh! Suddenly, I felt an intense heat from behind. I turned around to see a giant fireball flying towards me. ''Damn it, he did that on purpose...!'' I realized then that Thompson''s question was a tactic. It was already too close to dodge. In that split second, a past event shed through my mind. - ...Why is this happening? It was when the red-haired guy was shocked to see his fire magic being dismantled. That situation was the same as now. There was only one way to ovee this moment. ''Dismantle the magic.'' - Magic calction ability is maximized. The invoked attribute, the flow of mana, even the techniques contained within. Everything came into view at once. And my brain... no, the mana I had already released traced back the process at an unbelievable speed. Fizzle...! "Huh...?" The flying fireball dissipated right in front of my nose, and I saw Ka behind it. Her face was dumbfounded, as if she didn''t know what had happened. It was a natural reaction for someone experiencing this for the first time. Having your magic erased by someone else would be quite shocking. "Wait, what just happened...?" However, what she overlooked was that the spar wasn''t over yet. - 300% proficiency boost for all ded weapons. Shing-! Shing-! The light daggers I threw in an instant surged towards Ka. It was the dagger throwing technique mainly used by assassins. However, with the proficiency correction effect, it was a techniqueparable to that of an assassin. Could she avoid it? ''No.'' It was impossible. Perhaps Thompson, who had trained his body with me, might have been able to, but not Ka. Just then. "Hup!" With a shout, the ground in front of Ka rose up. Thompson, sensing the danger, had cast earth magic to protect Ka. ng! The light daggers vanished powerlessly as they hit the rising stone pir. However, "Toote." It was meaningless. Because I had thrown two daggers. "What?" Rumble. At my words, Thompson retracted the pir. "..." Ka''s expression, even more dumbfounded than before, caught my eye. Right in front of her face, a dagger emitting pure white light stood still. Seeing that, I said quietly, "Ka, out." "...Damn it." The 2:1 had just be a one-on-one. I immediately turned around. "Heh heh... Now it''s just the two of us, huh? Mr First ce." Thompson was grinning at me mischievously. What was he thinking again? It was Thompson who attacked first. Boom! An explosive jump. Thompson, leaping high into the air, once again encased his body in rock. The technique I had named, and now Thompson''s signature move. "Ham-burger." It was the Hamburger. Surely dozens of demons had been killed by that technique. Seeing it in person, it was understandable. Unlike when I watched from behind, it was falling much faster and was much more threatening. Moreover. Thompson''s Hamburger was different from before. It had evolved considerably with the know-how he''d gained. Crackle, crackle, crackle! Thorns erupting from the surrounding floor targeted my entire body. They were meant to keep me in ce, unable to avoid the Hamburger. ''...This is dangerous.'' If I cut down the growing thorns, I would be crushed by Thompson, and if I countered Thompson''s Hamburger, I would be pierced by the thorns. Even dismantling the magic wouldn''t help. I didn''t have the capacity to dismantle both attacks simultaneously. In short, it was a dilemma. I had to choose. Be crushed or be pierced. Naturally, I chose thetter. ''If I avoid the vital points, I won''t die.'' Making that judgement, I summoned the Sword of Light. Woong! The brilliant Sword of Light. If I had to pay the price, so should he. I raised the Sword of Light high. ''I will cut.'' I intended to pierce right through Thompson, who had turned into a boulder. Of course, only to the extent that it wouldn''t be life-threatening. However. Rumble! "W-wait! I surrender! I surrender!" Thompson canceled his magic before he evennded. I lowered the sword and moved slightly to the side, and Thompsonnded there. "Whew..." Thompson caught his breath, hands on the ground. Then he suddenly turned his head. "Mr First ce, are you crazy...? Are you trying to kill me?" "Haha, of course not. Just a little prick?" "...A prick with that sword? That''s not reassuring at all!" "It''ll heal quickly. I saw that the medical facilities here are incredibly good. Besides." Chuck. I showed him the item I was carrying on my waist. "I have this." It was an item I borrowed after asking the dean for permission before the spar. Its name was [Chronos'' Wind-Up Clock]. It was a legendary artifact that could turn back time three times. ''Well, only for 1 second...'' Anyway, it could prevent any serious injuries. Therefore. "Alright, everyone get ready." I took my stance again and gestured to mypanions. I hadn''t pushed them to their limits yet. "Huh? What?" "What do you mean? Round 2, of course." We still had stamina left. "Ready, go!" "Eek...!" And plenty of time. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 69 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 69 Not long before the duel was to begin. ¡°It''s been a while since I''vee to watch something like this.¡± ¡°I heard the dean put up a legendary artifact as a prize?¡± ¡°What? Legendary grade?¡± The empty seats gradually filled up as students entered the auditorium one by one. ¡°But who''s the duel with?¡± ¡°I don''t know, some guy named Thompson. I heard he''s an outsider.¡± ¡°An outsider? Huh, since when did our academy be a ce to duel with outsiders? How embarrassing.¡± I unintentionally overheard them, and the reactions weren''t exactly positive. It seemed they weren''t too happy about a student from a prestigious academy having a duel with someone they didn''t even know. No matter how much Asion Academy revolved around merit, it seemed this kind of exclusionary attitude inevitably remained. Well, that''s human nature, after all. As long as we don''t mind it, it''s fine. Tap, tap. ¡°But¡­ who''s that over there? I think it''s the first time I''ve seen that face.¡± A guy tapped me on the shoulder from behind and spoke to me. It was the student who had been noisily chattering on and on about reputation and honor earlier. ¡°Me? An outsider.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At the word "outsider," the very word they had been disparaging, the chatter finally stopped. I thought I could finally watch in peace. ¡°Oh?¡± This time, someoneing from a different direction spoke to me. ¡°You''re Yuhan, right?¡± I turned around to see one of the students who had pretended to be friendly with me after I seeded in attributebination back in the academy. So¡­the name was¡­ ¡°It''s me, Jensen Ville. Remember?¡± Right, Jensen Ville. I remembered it because it was an unusual name. Well, it''s a verymon name in this world, though. And for the record, she''s a girl. ¡°Oh, I remember.¡± ¡°I heard you enrolled in our academy, but this is the first time I''ve seen you? Why haven''t youe out all this time?¡± ¡°I''ve been training while hunting down some devils.¡± ¡°Pfft, you''re joking.¡± Jensen Ville, who took my words as a joke, let out a cartoonishugh and sat down next to me. I wondered why she chose to sit here out of all the many seats, but I didn''t bother asking. I''m not some naive guy who reads meaning into every little thing just because she''s a bit pretty. Even if I look like this, I''m a K-Korean in my 30s. I''ve had countless experiences talking to women in my work life. Of course, I''ve never been in a rtionship, though. I''m someone who dedicated his life to gaming. Anyway. ¡°By the way¡­ are you here to watch the duel as soon as you arrive? There are many other students in the student waiting room over there, so it would be easy to make friends.¡± ¡°I''m not really interested in that. And the person in today''s duel is an acquaintance of mine.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Who is it? I know most of the students in the academy.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not a student here.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ then I don¡¯t know.¡± Around the time we were having that conversation, someone else approached me. This time, it wasn''t a pretty girl like Jensen Ville. Rather, it was theplete opposite¡ªa middle-aged man with a bushy beard, Dean Asion Gale. Screech¡ª. ¡°¡­¡± As he gracefully pulled out a chair and sat down, the students who had been chattering around him quieted down. It seemed everyone was being cautious because the dean was nearby. ¡°Why are you sitting here? I believe there¡¯s a separate seat for the dean.¡± ¡°Well, I want to share my impressions of this duel with you, Yuhan.¡± ¡°It seems like the other students are ufortable, though?¡± At those words, the dean looked around. The students subtly averted their gazes whenever they met his eyes. However, Asion Gale didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as you¡¯re not ufortable, Yuhan. Are you ufortable, by any chance?¡± ¡°No, not really.¡± If that was the reason, I weed it. It was an opportunity to share insights with a mage who had reached the 8th circle. It could also be helpful in improving my skills. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just stay here.¡± Was that really his purpose? Asion Gale didn¡¯t say another word after that, and as we waited in silence, the duel soon began. Thompson and the unknown student entered the open space between them. Then, the first thing I heard was¡­ Waaaa¡ª! The roar of the crowd that packed the audience. And¡­ ¡°But why does that person look like that¡­?¡± ¡°Y-yeah? Is he a beggar¡­?¡± ¡°No, what, did they bring in a homeless person from Sector 7 as a duel opponent?!¡± ¡°Boooo!¡± They were criticizing Thompson. They booed enthusiastically, as if they had forgotten that the dean was nearby. But neither I nor the dean could step forward. Well, to be honest¡­ he did look like a beggar. His hair was sticking out in all directions as if he had been electrocuted (which he had been). There were bruises here and there, and his robe was tattered like rags. On top of that, he had a vacant look in his eyes. Now that I was seeing the results with the other students, I felt a sense of guilt that I hadn¡¯t felt before. ¡®¡­Did I go too far?¡¯ I had been pushing him incredibly hard to make sure he was thoroughly prepared for the duel, but it seemed the process had been too harsh. The dean must have felt the same way, because he spoke for the first time. ¡°¡­Did you make him roll around in the sewers or something?¡± ¡°¡­Not the sewers, but he did roll around.¡± ¡°I see.¡± On the other hand, the opponent, as befitting a student of a prestigious academy, was very neatly dressed. A robe and staff that looked quite expensive at first nce. And a mysterious book in his left hand. Just by looking at it, it seemed to be an artifact that aided in casting magic¡­ "The participating student is Yuri Sendia. He''s a student whose strength is his skillful use of ice magic." "What about his circle?" "I hear he''s just about to reach the 4th circle?" Ice attribute at the end of the 3rd circle. He was slightly disadvantaged in terms of elemental affinity, but his skill was almost the same as Thompson''s. That is, if it weren''t for the two weeks of hunting and the dozens of practice duels they had just had. "It probably won''t be easy for Thompson to face him." "Well, we''ll have to wait and see." "You seem confident?" Of course. It wasn''t just confidence, it was certainty. Thompson had now stably entered the 4th circle. Besides. ''The difference in practical experience is too great.'' Thompson had already won by andslide in the life he had lived. ''Would that nerdy-looking guy even know the unpleasantness of being covered in purple blood?'' While I was thinking that, a woman stepped between Thompson and the student. A middle-aged woman with white hair and a benevolent impression. It was a familiar face. "It''s Professor Ziren." [TL/N: Jyren¡úZiren (same pronunciation, easy spell)] "You remember her. She will mediate today''s duel." "I see. But how do you know I met her?" "...I''m looking forward to seeing who the winner will be." Asion Gale pretended not to hear and looked away. It seemed he knew that I had observed Professor Ziren''s ss before¡­ ''Was I being followed?'' I didn''t know for sure, but it was revealed when I made a slip of the tongue. He was more careless than I expected for a dean. Well, it didn''t really matter whether I was followed or he received a report from someone. I already knew he didn''t have any ill intentions towards me. I just assumed he was curious about how I observed the ss and moved on. "Duelists, please stand at the line at the back." Step, step. Under Professor Ziren''s guidance, Thompson and Yuri Sendia took their positions. It seemed the duel was about to begin. "The rules are simple. Any kind of attack using mana is allowed. You can try to subdue your opponent moderately, or you can use magic with the intention to kill. You won''t be in any danger, so. However, forbidden magic is not allowed." Forbidden magic. It referred to ck magic that eroded the caster''s mind or ancient magic that had been erased from records. Even after 100 years, it seemed they still strictly prohibited those two. ''Simple and good.'' As Ziren said, the rules of the duel were really simple. The exnation was long, but to summarize, it meant that everything except forbidden magic was allowed. However, there was one thing that bothered me. "Is that alright?" Just a slight concern that it might be a bit dangerous. "No need to worry. If something unexpected happens, Professor Ziren will intervene directly." "Professor Ziren? Isn''t she a theoretical professor?" "That''s right. But just because she specializes in theory doesn''t mean she''s weak in practice. Despite her appearance, Professor Ziren is a 7th circle mage." 7th circle. One circle lower than Asion Gale, but still, the 7th circle is a tremendous level. Enough to im the position of Master of a small magic tower. In fact, most of the elders of the Aldeon Magic Tower were below the 7th circle. That meant... "It was an unnecessary worry." There was no need to worry at all. In the eyes of a 7th circle mage, this duel would probably look like a fight between little kids. "Are you ready?" "Rea...dy." "Yes, Professor." Bang! As soon as the two nodded, a small explosion urred at the tip of Professor Ziren''s finger. It was a signal re announcing the start of the duel. And at that moment. "Spread, O frost-!" Swoosh! The student mmed his staff down, and at the same time, the floor of the auditorium froze over. It was as if he had turned the entire auditorium into his domain. ''Ice Field.'' It was a technique I knew. In the game, it was one of the essential skills that every frost mage had to have. Its effects were continuous slowing, +30% to ice magic effects, and temporary restraint. As if to prove it, Thompson''s legs were frozen solid as soon as [Ice Field] was cast. His strength was his skillful use of ice magic, was it? ''He certainly seems that way.'' His casting speed was fast, and there was no unnecessary waste of mana. It was a clean spell cast without any frills. Of course, we had to take into ount the effect of the book he was holding in his left hand, the artifact, but still, it was impressive. ''...If only it weren''t for that chuunibyou-like chant.'' Thinking that, I shifted my gaze. Thompson''s legs were bound by ice, but I wasn''t too worried. With that man''s leg muscles, the ice would easily shatter with just a little force. However. Stagger. Stagger. "Huh?" Something was strange with Thompson''s condition. Far from breaking the ice, he couldn''t even control his own body and was staggering. Everyone, including myself, saw it, and they all started clicking their tongues. "Tsk tsk, it''s already over. Yuri''s victory." "What? He''s done in by just one [Ice Field]?" "He didn''t look well from the start. Managing your condition is also a skill." "Does he even know how to use magic...?" "Ah, this is boring." They seemed frustrated that the duel ended without any tension. In fact, even the opponent student looked like he didn''t know what to do. How long did we wait? Everyone assumed Thompson''s defeat, and some students were about to get up from their seats when... Crack! Suddenly, a stone pir sprang up from where the student was standing, and the impact sent the student flying into the air. "Whoa, whoa...?" He couldn''t react to the sudden change. At the same time. Whoosh! Thompson jumped high towards the same target. Ignoring the ice that was holding his ankles. His body was instantly covered in rock. And a familiar voice rang out. "Ham¡­ Burger-!" Only then did I remember the winning strategy I had taught Thompson. -Winning strategy #1. -Induce your opponent''s carelessness. Right, I definitely said that. I almost fell for it myself. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 70 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 70 Kwaaaang! Watching Thompson collide head-on with the student without mercy, I thought, ''Mister... maybe you have a talent for acting, not magic?'' It was definitely a performance that would make you think that. Everyone here, including myself, was fooled. Even Asion Gale nodded as he watched the scene. "A prepared mage must always be ready for variables. Thompson used his head well in this." As expected of an 8th circle mage''s assessment. His perspective was different from the students around him who were shouting that it was cowardly. It meant that not just anyone could be the dean. "Moreover, to lure the opponent to the desired location and then attack with his body... The application is excellent, and his magic control is skillful." He had noticed even the smallest details, and his face showed a hint of surprise. Indeed, he probably didn''t expect Thompson, who came from the streets, to be able to use magic to this extent. But it was still too early to evaluate Thompson''s skills. His attack didn''t end there. Shuuuuu- I turned my gaze forward again. "Ugh...!" The student was flying far away from the impact of the collision with Thompson. ''He reacted well, too.'' The moment they collided, he quickly used ice magic to withstand Thompson''s body m. A quick response befitting an academy student. But there was nothing he could do about being blown back from the huge impact, and that gave Thompson another chance to attack. Ddd! Thompson, his body covered inyers of rock magic, descended vertically. Kooong! He used his weight tond before the student. "Huu." He exhaled once and immediately ced his hand on the ground. Then. Dddddd! Sharp stone thorns sprouted from the ground. The location was exactly where the student was falling. "Hmm...?" Professor Ziren, who had been reading a book while ncing at the duel, got up from her seat. The calmness she had maintained since the beginning of the duel was gone. She must have realized it too. That if this continued, the student wouldn''t be able to avoid looking like a sponge full of holes. It also meant that Thompson''s magic was very threatening. ''Yes, well done.'' Is this what it feels like to watch your well-raised child? A deep sense of pride welled up inside me. Of course, it wasn''t just Thompson who had grown well. "Where do you think you''re going...!" Swoosh! The student, who still had some strength left, released cold air in mid-air, and a t ice sheet formed over Thompson''s stone thorns. The studentnded softly on the ice ground he had created. Exmations flowed from the students who witnessed it. "Ooh..." "As expected of Yuri." "How dare you with such a weak spell!" "But that homeless guy is pretty good too, huh?" Professor Ziren sat down again and opened her book. It seemed she judged that there was no more danger. It was then that the studentunched his attack. "Die, outsider!" Shwaaaack! Dozens of icicles that appeared around the student flew towards Thompson. [Icicle Volley]. This was also one of the standard skills of a frost mage, and the student still used magic cleanly. One unfortunate thing was that he chose the wrong skill. A magic spell that increased range instead of power like that had no effect on Thompson. Pabababak! Knowing this, Thompson didn''t even try to dodge, standing still and taking all the flying icicles with his body. And then he threw out a line. "...That tickles." -Winning strategy #2. Break the opponent''s spirit. "Grrr...!" Perhaps that strategy worked, because the student''s expression became fiercely distorted. Soon, the student abruptly drew up his mana. He didn''t charge at him like a warrior, though... ''He''s already been caught.'' His mana was showing an unstable flow, unlike before. "Oh dear, Yuri''s magic has be unstable." "He''s still young. He''s easily shaken by a little provocation." "That''s true. ...Hmm?" The dean, who was nodding, looked at me with a strange expression. To trante it literally, it would be something like, ''Are you any different?'' I didn''t bother reacting and concentrated on the duel. "...This time it will hurt a bit!" The student shouted confidently as he increased his mana. It seemed to be quite a powerful spell, as the mysterious book he was holding fluttered and turned over. And a sharp ice spear was revealed. That, also called [Ice Spear], was a magic spell familiar to us. That was the magic that Roan mainly used. However, it was different from Roan''s ice spear. In a bad way. The mana contained in the spear, its sturdiness, sharpness, size, and everything else were inferior to Roan''s ice spear. As a result. Kakakang! Thompson, once again, didn''t avoid the student''s magic and took it head-on. He struck it down with his right arm, thickly covered in rock magic. Of course, it wouldn''t bepletely without impact, unlike the icicles from before. Indeed, Thompson''s right arm, which had taken the ice spear, was trembling slightly. However. "...How weak!" Thompson said without changing his expression. No, he even had a faint smile on his face. This was also for winning strategy #2. Break the opponent''s spirit. That strategy worked perfectly. "H-how..." The student, his spiritpletely broken, flinched and stumbled back as if terrified. His face was already pale. It was at that moment that Thompson charged. Ddddd! "Woooh!" Thompson, his arms crossed in an X, covered himself in rock magic and ran like a madman. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! A tremendous rush. It was like watching a bull charging at a bullfighter. "...Eek!" The student, panicked, fired off ice magic indiscriminately. Shwaack! Shwaack! Shwaaaack! Unstable icicles flying endlessly. Crack! Crackle! They all crashed against Thompson''s body, only to shatter into small fragments. When the distance was halved, even that unstable magic was gone. He was just trembling and terrified. Was there really no way for him to stop Thompson''s charge? ''No.'' He could have erected an ice wall, oryered slow effects on the opponent, or temporarily frozen the surroundings... In fact, for a frost mage of that level, there were countless ways to stop Thompson''s charge. If only he had stayed calm. He had already sensed his defeat, and because of that, he couldn''t make the right choices, and his magic couldn''t demonstrate its power. That was the student''s biggest mistake. ''Even if he lost, he shouldn''t have given up until the end.'' When only about ten steps remained between Thompson and the student. Whoosh! A crimson pir of fire soared between Thompson and the student. A pir of fire muchrger, more beautiful, and more powerful than the ones Ka or I cast. Chwaaaack! Thompson stretched out his legs as if to stop suddenly, slowing down, and the student copsed as if his legs had lost their strength. Tap, tap. A middle-aged woman with an indifferent face stepped between them. The 7th circle mage, Professor Ziren. "Hmm, it seems the match is decided." She abruptly approached Thompson and grabbed his right hand, raising it. "Thompson is the winner." "..." Those words were followed by a brief silence. p p p p¡ª! The silence quickly turned into apuse. "That homeless guy! He''s pretty good!" "He didn''t participate in the duel for nothing." "I heard he gets to enroll if he wins here... So does that mean that guy bes our ssmate now?" "He''s definitely skilled enough." Oh, and when did they stop badmouthing him so enthusiastically? That thought crossed my mind, but the dean quelled it. "Didn''t I say? Our academy is merit-based." He said with a sly smile. I didn''t like that smile, but... "...You''re right." I couldn''t help but agree. *** "Haa, haa..." After the duel, I headed straight to the waiting room and found Thompson there, gasping for breath. It seemed like it had been quite a tough fight, as his whole body was drenched in sweat. "Here." I handed him a dry towel. "Good work, mister." "Ah, Mr. First ce." "How was it? Actually experiencing the duel." Thompson wiped his face with the towel and said, "Well, it wasn''t much, really. I was nervous because he was an academy student." To be precise, it wasn''t that the student wascking, but rather that Thompson was outstanding. Especially in terms of experience. No matter how much of an academy student he was, he was just a child in front of Thompson, who had gone through all sorts of hardships. "But why are you sweating so much? Are you sure it wasn''t much?" "Hmm?" Thompson narrowed his eyes at my question. He had an expression that clearly showed discontent. "Are you really asking because you don''t know why?" "...Yes. Why are you like this?" "This is all because Mr. First ce pushed me so hard! Even walking a little now feels like my lungs are going to burst!" "Ah." Come to think of it, I had forgotten that Thompson was extremely exhausted. Well, it was fine as long as he won. As I was thinking that, "But Mr. First ce. By any chance..." Thompson asked with a serious look on his face. "What about enrolling in that academy...?" After all that talk, it was about enrolling. "The dean said he would allow it." "R-really?" "Yes, you won. You proved your skills sufficiently." "Oh, oh my...!" Thompson jumped up from his seat and stretched out his hands towards the ceiling. Was this his own personal celebration? He seemed quite emotional. "Heh, wow... This is happening! You never know what life will bring, do you?" "What do you mean?" "Who would have thought that at this age, I''d be attending an academy? And Asion Academy, no less!" "Hmm." Come to think of it, it was quite amazing. A third-rate mage who learned magic for over a decade and barely reached the 3rd circle. And now he had mastered light magic and even passed the Asion Academy entrance exam. How often did this happen? Moreover. "The dean asked me to ask you something." "T-the dean? What is it?" "He asked if you''d be interested in learning body transformation magic from him. Something about liking the way you handle magic..." [TL/N: Flesh Transformation magic¡úBody Transformation magic] "Wha-what?!" He even had the chance to learn magic from the dean. I didn''t know for sure, but I wondered if this was what ate bloomer''s life was like. Well, all of this was possible because of Thompson''s efforts. "Would you like to learn it?" "Of course! I have to!" Thompson nodded repeatedly as if there was nothing to think about. "Then I''ll let him know." "Whoa... Body transformation magic. Body transformation magic! Hahaha!" Was it really that great? As I was feeling happy for him, Waaaa¡ª! A loud cheer came from outside the waiting room. It seemed Ka''s duel had begun... "Why is it so loud...?" The atmosphere waspletely different from when Thompson''s duel started. "I know, right? Did a popr studente to fight against the youngdy?" Thompson also found it strange. With our curiosity piqued, we peeked our heads out of the waiting room. And. "That''s..." We spotted a familiar figure standing opposite Ka. Bright golden hair and sky blue eyes. A luxurious robe that suited him. The atmosphere felt a bit different, but I was sure. The top student of Asion Academy. "Roan?" It was Roan. He was Ka''s opponent in the duel. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 71 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 71 ''Wait, this wasn''t part of the n...'' Just like with Thompson, with Ka''s skill level, there was nothing to worry about in the duel. She had also just reached 4th circle. Moreover, she had honed her skills further through practice duels with me and even received winning strategies. However... if her opponent was Roan, it was a different story. ''There''s no way she can win.'' Roan had already reached the 4th circle when we first met. Furthermore, he had learned light magic since then and gained practical experience through the Aldeon incident. He must be much stronger now. Moreover. "It''s a pleasure to meet you. I''m Roan Vilgef." "I''m Ka." ''...The atmosphere is different.'' His cold gaze, his stiff tone. Whatever had happened, he felt different from the Roan I had seen just a few weeks ago. As if he had be apletely different person. No, what was important now wasn''t Roan''s gaze, tone, or atmosphere. It was the fact that his mana had noticeably changed. For some reason, Roan''s mana was emitting a much vaster and stronger energy than before. ''If she even grazes a spell cast with such eerie mana...'' It would definitely result in a fatal injury. Of course, Professor Ziren would intervene if there was such a risk... What was this unease? I had a feeling things wouldn''t go as nned. ''I have to stop the duel.'' With that single thought in mind, I returned to my seat. There was only one surefire way to cancel the duel. Persuade the dean. "Dean!" "Ah, you''re back? The duel is already underway..." "What''s going on here?" "Hmm?" The dean tilted his head and asked. "What do you mean? What''s going on?" "Roan. Why is he suddenly the opponent? There was a different student on the list." "Ah, it just happened that way. Roan came to see me this morning. When I told him that Ka was an acquaintance of yours, he said he would participate himself." "Is it okay to change it like that so suddenly?" "There''s no problem. It''s not a real fight." Did Asion Gale not sense Roan''s eerie mana? He spoke as if it wasn''t a big deal. Every time he did that, my insides churned. Thump! Thump! Thump...! This pounding that I couldn''t get used to no matter how many times I experienced it. I was sure of it. It was a sign that something bad was about to happen. Perhaps he noticed my hardened expression. "It seems you have some concerns." The dean asked first, and I confessed honestly. "I can''t exin it clearly, but I have a bad feeling. It''s as if Ka is going to get hurt..." This was the best way to exin it. There was no real basis for a hunch like this. However, the dean respected my intuition. "Okay, then what should we do? Should I cancel the duel?" "You believe what I''m saying?" "There are definitely times in life when you have to. People like you, with good intuition. Once you''ve experienced it, you never ignore it." "Then..." "Yes, if you wish, we can pretend this duel never happened. But how about this?" Fwoosh! In the middle of our conversation, Asion Gale''s figure disappeared before my eyes. Knowing who I was talking to, it didn''t take long to figure out what had happened. There was only one way to disappear so instantly. ''Teleport!'' The symbol of a high-ranking mage, teleportation. I immediately shifted my gaze and, as expected, found Asion Gale standing in a different spot. He appeared next to Professor Ziren. -If I said I would intervene directly if there was a problem. The voice echoed in my head. Telepathy from such a distance that only I could hear. It was a moment that made me realize how high Asion Gale''s level was. "..." As I was pondering, I heard his voice again. -Think carefully. This could be a good opportunity for Ka. He wasn''t wrong. Actually, if I hadn''t felt this unease, the duel with Roan would have been a good opportunity. The more experience you had facing strong mages, the better. It would all be nourishment for Ka''s growth. However, ''Isn''t it too dangerous?'' This wasn''t a practice duel with training wands. It was a situation where Ka could be in danger. -Whether she is admitted to the academy will be judged separately from victory or defeat. "..." I had to choose. Whether to take the safe route. Or take a little risk and give Ka a new experience. If I had to choose between the two, what I could choose was, of course... "...Alright. Please intervene if there''s a problem." Thetter. Could he hear my voice even though I didn''t use telepathy? Asion Gale, who was looking at me from afar, nodded. -Just trust me. His face was more serious than ever. "Huu..." I shook off my anxiety and took a deep breath. Even if my intuition was screaming, it was worth trusting Asion Gale if he was going to intervene directly. Indeed, the pounding in my chest had noticeably decreased since I heard those words. ''That must mean it''s much less dangerous than before.'' As I sat down with that thought, someone spoke to me from beside me. "Is something wrong?" A student with pink hair in pigtails. It was Jensen Ville. "It''s nothing." I brushed it off like that, but Jensen Ville pressed on. "It''s not nothing. Is it because of Roan?" She must have overheard my conversation with the dean, seeing as she figured it out right away. I felt like it would be troublesome if I dragged it out further, so I just confessed. "I think Roan is too much for Ka to handle." "You know Roan?" "We lived together for a few months." "Hmm, Roan is amazing. He''s the only one who holds the top student position in our academy." Jensen Ville nodded and continued. "But don''t worry too much. Even though he''s a bit reckless, he''s not the type to cross the line." "Are you close?" "Somewhat?" Jensen Ville said with a grin. Was it because of her bright face that showed no worry? I felt a little more at ease. Of course, that didn''t mean my anxietypletely disappeared. ''...Okay, let''s not overthink it. It''ll be fine.'' Looking at the situation objectively, even though Ka couldn''t defeat Roan, she wasn''t at the level of beingpletely overwhelmed either. She hadn''t been cking off all this time, so she would be able to cope in her own way. In the end, I decided to clear my mind and watch the duel. You never knew the oue until the very end. "The rules are the same as before. Any attack using mana is allowed, and forbidden magic cannot be used. Do you understand?" "Yes." "I understand." "Please stand at the line at the back." And so the duel began. Bang! A small explosion erupted from Ziren''s fingertips. Magic was cast immediately after. "Haa!" Ka''s first attack began with herunching a fireball. It was a clean spell cast,parable to the ice mage student from earlier. She had definitely improvedpared to before. However. Shwaaaa- Whoosh... Roan mmed his staff down once, and a chilling cold spread out, extinguishing the fireball. At the same time, the duel space was covered in ice. ''Ice Field.'' The same magic as the student from before. But it was on a different level than what that student had cast. Crackle, crackle! It was as if the lecture hall had transformed into an arena. The lecture hall was instantly covered in ice, and Ka''s legs were firmly bound. "Ugh..." Ka, after struggling a few times with the difort, quickly calmed herself and cast a spell. Aposed response. Woooong! The magic she activated was the transformation magic she had first cast. Kwaaaang! A huge explosion erupted around her body. It seemed she intended to break the ice binding her legs with the explosion. However. "...What?" The ice binding Ka''s feet wasn''t even scratched. It was still firmly holding Ka in ce. It was because of the elemental affinity. ''...The stronger side has the advantage.'' Ice attribute and fire attribute. With equal skill, the two attributes showed the same performance. However, if one side''s power was even slightly stronger, the weaker attribute would bepletely consumed. This was precisely that case. Even the explosion Ka caused with all her might couldn''t break Roan''s ice. It was something that could be predicted. However. ''This much of a difference?'' It was strange that it wasn''t even scratched. The difference in skill between Ka and Roan wouldn''t be that big. It seemed that my feeling that something was different about Roan wasn''t just my imagination. His level had risen much higher than before. "You don''t have to push yourself." Roan muttered and started walking towards Ka. One step, two steps... Blue mana surged with each step he took. Along with it, a murderous intent could be felt. Woooong! An ice spear appeared behind Roan''s back. An ice spear that wasrger, sharper, and sturdier than before. Whirr- It spun. As if it would pierce Ka at any moment. ''...Is he going to kill her?'' Casting magic with the intention to kill and casting magic to kill felt different. And the ice spear Roan was currently disying felt like thetter. That uneasy premonition hit the mark, and soon Roan''s ice spear rushed towards Ka. Judging from its trajectory... it was aiming for Ka''s heart. "Huh, huh?" Jensen Ville was also flustered, sensing something was wrong. Shwaaaack! The fierce tearing sound that ripped through the air. Anyone could see that it was a dangerous attack. Still, Ka didn''t panic and raised her staff. Fwoosh! Powerful mes erupted in front of her. However. The gap between the two had already been confirmed. Ka''s mes couldn''t stop Roan''s ice spear. The ice spear reached Ka in an instant. ''This is dangerous!'' It was at that moment that I sensed it. Fwoosh! Suddenly, a figure disappeared from beside Professor Ziren. It appeared in front of Ka, extinguishing her mes, and at the same time, Crackle! It shattered Roan''s iing ice spear with one hand. It was Dean Asion Gale. Fortunately, he intervened before an ident could ur. ''...That was a close call.'' If he hadn''t stepped in, Ka might have died. Even if I turned back time with [Chronos'' Pocket Watch], I couldn''t bring back the dead. If Ka''s heart had been pierced, there would have been no way to reverse it, no matter what method I used. Did the dean know that too? "Hmm, are you alright?" "Y-yes... Thank you." After confirming Ka''s safety, he turned his head towards Roan. "That was a dangerous prank, Roan." Contrary to his calm tone, he had a frown on his face and looked quite angry. As if he was disappointed in his best student. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 72 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 72 "That was a dangerous prank, Roan." "..." After a brief silence, Roan replied with a sly grin. "Hahaha, I apologize, Dean. I made a mistake." "...A mistake?" "Yes, it''s been a while since I''ve had a duel, so I seem to have... lost control of my strength." He even bowed his head as if it were a genuine mistake. But I knew he hadn''t made a mistake. Me, the dean, and Ziren too. How could we not know after he exuded so much killing intent? "...Let''s talkter." Still, it wasn''t something we could discuss here. The dean seemed to have decided to wrap things up for now, as he walked over. And then he suddenly raised Roan''s hand. "This duel... is Roan''s victory." Then came the outpouring of apuse and cheers. p p p p! "Woooh!" "As expected of Roan!" "As expected of our top student!" Did the other students not notice anything strange? They were sincerely congratting Roan. "Whew... that was a surprise. See, I told you he wouldn''t cross the line, even though he''s reckless." Even Jensenville, who was next to me, clutched her chest in surprise. That meant Roan''s acting was perfect. However, he couldn''t fool me. "He already crossed the line." "Huh...?" And he would definitely pay the price. *** In the student waiting room inside Asion Academy. Thompson and I were there,forting Ka. "Don''t be too discouraged. Your opponent was too strong." "That''s right, youngdy! Even I wouldn''t have stood a chance against that Roan guy! Do you know what kind of guy he is?" However, was the shock of the duel too great? Our words didn''t seem to reach Ka at all. "I couldn''t do anything... anything." Clench. Ka tightly clenched her fist as if recalling the previous battle. She seemed deeply hurt. Well, it was understandable, considering she had gone through two weeks of hunting and practice duels with me, only to end up with this result. Of course, as someone who knew exactly what kind of person her opponent was, this was a natural oue... Anyway, this kind offort wouldn''t be of any help. In the end, I stopped the useless constion and instead held out my hand. "...?" Ka looked at me with a questioning expression. "Follow me." No exnation was needed. After signaling Ka to follow me, I headed somewhere without a word. The ce we arrived at was the auditorium where the duel had taken ce. It was empty since the duel was over. "...Why did wee here?" "When you have a lot on your mind, moving your body is the best." I said that and immediately drew up my mana. And imbued it with two attributes. Water and frost. Woooong! I attempted attributebination. This was my first time trying tobine these two attributes, but there was no problem. I had observed Roan casting magic countless times during the two months I was in Aldeon. Woong...! Woong...! Woong! I seeded in thebination with ease, and a small ice crystal was created. Soon. I released frost through the ice crystal. Shwaaaa- The frost spread through the auditorium in an instant. "This is..." The essential skill of a frost mage that he had used. [Ice Field]. Crackle, crackle! The spreading frost turned into ice and covered the auditorium. It even tightly bound Ka''s legs. "..." Ka frowned as if recalling the previous memory. But there was no time for that! "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and break free." "...Break free?" "Yes." After a moment of hesitation at my words, she drew up her mana. Purple mana swirled around Ka. It soon contained heat and turned into an explosion. Bang! Crackle! With a warm heat, the ice binding her legs shattered. ''It''s stillcking.'' The durability was disastrouspared to Roan''s ice. It was only natural. It doesn''t matter that I have the [Prodigy of Magic] trait, I obviously couldn''t use magic for the first time and be at a simr level to Roan. But. ''I can repeat it.'' Instead, I had endlessly regenerating mana. Scoot. I crouched down and touched the ground, casting [Ice Field] once again. Shwaaa! The coldness spread again. Crackle. And the binding. It wasn''t over yet. ''One more time.'' I cast [Ice Field] once more on top of the ice binding Ka''s legs. Crackle, crackle! Now a doubleyer of ice. "Break free." "...Alright." Did she realize what I was trying to do? Instead of asking for an exnation, she immediately triggered an explosion. Bang! Crack, crack, crackle! The ice shattered again. But itsted longer than before. It didn''t shatter all at once; cracks appeared before it broke. ''That''s it.'' Convinced that this method worked, I repeated the same process. Crack! Crackle, crackle! [Ice Field] three times, [Ice Field] four times, [Ice Field] five times... Thicker and thicker ice encased Ka''s legs. Bang! Bang! Bang! The ice, which had been repeatedly shattering, began to withstand the explosions for longer and longer periods. When we reached sevenyers of [Ice Field]... Bang! Finally, ice was created that wouldn''t break even with Ka''s explosion. The power of the ice magic I cast became stronger than Ka''s fire attribute. "From now on, it''s on par with Roan''s ice. In other words, if you can break this, Roan''s ice won''t be a problem either." In a way, it could be called a brute force method. Simply casting magic inyers to increase its strength, and using that for practice. But, right now, anything was better than just sitting there with a sullen expression. Boooom! "This... damn it!" Indeed, Ka waspletely focused on breaking the ice. The gloom from earlier was nowhere to be seen; she had forgotten all about it. How much time had passed? Bang! Bang! Bang! Explosions urred consecutively. Beads of sweat trickled down her cheeks. But despite her efforts, the ice didn''t budge. It was only natural, as her magic couldn''t be stronger in such a short time. It didn''t matter. I hadn''te here to achieve results in the first ce. It was just to relieve stress and give some feedback along the way. Just then. "You''re working hard." A middle-aged woman with a familiar appearance entered the auditorium. It was Professor Ziren. "What brings you here...?" "I kept hearing noises from outside." "Ah, I apologize if it was too loud." "No, I didn''te here toin... Are you a fire mage, by any chance?" Ziren asked abruptly. Her gaze was directed at Ka. "Yes, I am. Why?" Ka nodded, and Ziren, after looking around, gave a slight smile. "I think I might be able to help you... What do you think?" "Help?" "Yes, my favorite attribute is also fire." Whoosh! A small me flickered at Ziren''s fingertips. ''Come to think of it...'' It was Ziren who stopped Thompson when he was charging at the ice mage. ''A crimson pir of fire soared up at that time.'' It was a more intense pir of fire than any I had ever seen before. Perhaps Professor Ziren''s main attribute was also fire. Then there was no reason to refuse. Maybe we could achieve unexpected results. *** As I was leaving the auditorium, leaving Ka and Ziren behind, "Mr. First ce, are you sure this is okay...?" Thompson said with a worried look. He had every reason to be. ''...To think Professor Ziren was that kind of person.'' The Ziren I saw in the ssroom and the Ziren I saw in the auditorium werepletely different people. If her image in the ssroom was that of a kind university professor, then in the auditorium just now... -This is disappointing. If this is all you''ve got, it''s only natural that you lose. You need to ept it humbly. -The most important thing about fire attribute mana is control. With that level of control... it might be better to just give up. -Are you giving up already? If not, get up right now. She was like a strict tutor teaching a high school student a week before their college entrance exams. I didn''t know how long it would take, but Ka had a tough road ahead. But. "It was effective." Professor Ziren''s teaching, as strict as it was, was highly effective. Even in the short time I watched, I could feel the change in Ka''s explosions. Indeed, the teachings of a 7th circle mage seemed to be extraordinary. Above all, "Her expression is brighter than before." It was enough that she could forget about her defeat for a while through training. In many ways, it was good timing that Professor Ziren came to the auditorium. "...You''re right. She did seem that way. Now that things have turned out like this, I hope the youngdy''s skills improve significantly." "You should train too, mister." "Huh?" "The dean told you to stop by when you have time. He said he needs to schedule your body transformation magic lessons." "I-is that true?" "Yes, you can probably go to the dean''s office." "Ah, okay!" Dash! As soon as I finished speaking, Thompson ran off to the dean''s office. I didn''t know what body transformation magic was, but it seemed like he had high expectations. Of course, I''m sorry to Thompson... but I made up the part about the dean calling for him. I felt like I had to. "Come out." An alleyway that appeared after turning the corner of the building in front of me. I focused my attention there and waited for a while. "Hahaha, as expected. You noticed quickly." A familiar blond man appeared. It was Roan. "There''s no way I wouldn''t notice with you leaking mana like that." "I wanted to talk to you for a moment." "About what?" "Just... greetings, I guess. To see how you''ve been doing." Meaningless talk. He probably had something else he wanted to say. I didn''t reply and looked away. Blue mana was surging around Roan. It feltpletely different from the mana he had before. What level was he at now? 5th circle? 6th circle? Or... higher? Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked first. "What the hell have you been doing?" It had only been a few weeks since Ist saw Roan. The fact that he had changed so much in such a short period meant there was definitely something going on. Like he had taken illegal drugs, or learned forbidden magic, or something. Whatever the process was, it couldn''t have been a normal route. Spin- He twirled an ice crystal at his fingertips and opened his mouth. "Well, are you curious?" The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "..." Honestly, I thought we had be quite close. But the current Roan was aplete stranger. What in the world had made him like this? I didn''t know for sure, but... "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to. However." Crackle! Sizzle! "If you try anything funny with that power, you''ll die." If his transformation was going to harm me and mypanions... I couldn''t just stand by and watch. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 73 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 73 At my warning devoid of any humor, Roan actually let out a chuckle. "Heh, are you saying you''re going to kill me now?" His eyes narrowed. "Do you even have the strength to do that?" "..." He became even more obnoxious in the time I hadn''t seen him. But I had nothing to refute him with. I didn''t want to admit it, but Roan was indeed stronger than me at the moment. Even if he tried something strange, there was no way for me to stop him with my current abilities. However. "Strength is something you can build up." No matter what level he was at, what kind of power he possessed... it didn''t matter. I had the growth potential that wouldn''t lose to anyone. I was confident that I could catch up to him somehow. Did he sense that determination? "Haha, don''t make that kind of face. I was just kidding." Roan, who had a rather serious expression, suddenly rxed his face. "Kidding?" "Yes. Threatening Ka, emitting dangerous mana like this, it was all a joke." Swoosh. The blue mana that had been surging around him subsided. "Well, I guess you thought I had bad intentions... but there''s no reason for that, is there? I''ve never met Ka before, and we haven''t been on bad terms." He wasn''t wrong. Rather, from my point of view, I was just bewildered by him suddenly showing such a different side. Maybe it was all a joke, as he said. Even if it was a bit bizarre... ''He was always like that.'' He had been like that from the first time we met. Hadn''t I already firmlybeled him as a psycho once? Of course, this was just a possibility. It was hard to simply dismiss this incident as a joke. ''The killing intent back then was real.'' The moment heunched the ice spear at Ka, he was undoubtedly serious. How could that be called a joke? Something must have happened, that much was certain. But since he was acting like this... I couldn''t argue. What was the point of me ranting? He was saying it was a joke. "...Okay, I hope you''re being serious." "I assure you, I am. There''s no malice, just... a feeling of joy at seeing you again after a long time?" "You didn''t seem particrly happy." "Oh no! I''m sorry if you felt that way." "..." With his exaggerated gestures and tone, Roan left me speechless. Feeling that there was no point in continuing this conversation, I changed the subject. "So, what have you done to your body?" To something rted to Roan''s power. Honestly, I was curious about how he was able to grow so much in such a short period. If possible, I wanted to know if I could use that method too. Of course, I realized that wasn''t possible from Roan''s following answer. "I received some help from my n after a long time." "Family?" "Yes, even if it doesn''t seem like it, my n is quite renowned for magic. ...Well, I cut ties with them for a while." I had also heard of Roan''s family, the Vilgef n, to some extent. A n of frost mages with a history of 100 years, wasn''t it? 100 years wasn''t a very long history for a n, but they were famous for most of their members having outstanding magic talent. In short, it meant they were a prestigious n that was second to none when it came to magic. ''Family...'' I thought about ways to grow rted to that. One thing came to mind immediately. ''Secret Technique.'' In this world, prestigious families usually had at least one secret technique. For example, knight families had their own unique aura techniques, and mage families had exceptional mana breathing techniques. Of course, there were various kinds, such as mana operation, high-ranking magic passed down through generations, and so on, not just mana breathing techniques. ''...This is why being born a noble makes the game easier.'' It was a growth method I couldn''t even dream of, having been reincarnated as a beggar. Anyway, the ''help from family'' that Roan was talking about must have been this. "What kind of secret technique was it?" "Hmm..." Whoosh. As soon as I asked, a chill suddenly started to spread, and an ice crystal formed on top of Roan''s staff. Aplex yet beautiful crystal. It was like looking at ice magnified. "It was a secret technique to handle coldness like coldness." "What does that..." "I can''t tell you any more. Or do you perhaps have any thoughts of joining our n?" "...No, thanks. I''ll pass." "That''s a shame. Someone like you, Yuhan, would be a wee addition to our n." I tried to dig up more information, but Roan blocked me with a difficult question. Well, if it were this easy to find out, it wouldn''t be called a secret technique in the first ce. While I was thinking about that, Roan held out his hand. "Then I look forward to working with you in the future." "Working with you on what?" "Hmm, friendlypetition?" Somehow, I could see apetitive spirit in his eyes, a desire to win. Just like when we first greeted each other in Aldeon. It was a suggestion topete with magic once again. "Sure, just wait a little bit." As I said that and epted his handshake, Roan smirked and turned around. Thump, thump. Roan gradually walked away. After confirming that his back hadpletely disappeared, I opened my hand. It had been itching for a while now. Thump, thump, thump! ''It seems possible...'' Shwaaaa- The frost I generated gathered on my hand, forming a shape. Soon, an ice crystal was revealed. "...Huh." It wasn''t as intricate as Roan''s, but it was still a beautiful crystal. It was hard to believe it was my first time using it. "...This is a truly monstrous talent." Roan, who had be even stronger by inheriting his n''s secret technique. It seemed like it wouldn''t take long to catch up to him. *** The dean''s office where Asion Gale resided. After my conversation with Roan, I headed straight there. To bring back Thompson, who must be feeling awkward. However. "Oh, Mr. First ce." "Yuhan, you''re here?" Contrary to my expectations, the dean and Thompson were there, sipping tea and chatting. It seemed like the timing had luckily worked out. "It seems you made up a story that wasn''t true, Yuhan?" "...I apologize. There were circumstances." "Well, it''s fine. It was something that had to be decided anyway." "How did it go? Did the talk go well?" The dean nodded, and Thompson answered instead. "I''m going to receive body transformation magic training three times a week." "Oh, that''s great. Three times a week shouldn''t interfere with other schedules." "Hehe, the dean said this is the first ss and it will be one-on-one training. It''s a truly glorious opportunity." One-on-one training for the first ss. That meant that other academy students hadn''t learned body transformation magic. It seemed like Thompson had caught the dean''s eye... "What''s the reason, Dean?" When I asked for the exact reason, the dean replied as follows. "Until now, there hasn''t been a suitable talent to pass this magic on to." "Talent?" The dean nodded and began to take off his clothes one by one. Until his bare skin was revealed. "What are you doing...?" As I was bewildered by the sudden exposure, The dean pointed at his body, urging me to look. His body was covered in scars, ranging from those as small as fingernails to those that seemed life-threatening. But what was even more surprising was... "His body..." "Wow..." The muscles that covered the dean''s entire body. His body, hidden under his clothes, was so well-maintained that despite his middle age, he was incredibly muscr. His frame was alsorge, as if Thompson and Barundel''s bodies had beenbined. Only then did I understand the prerequisite for body transformation magic. "You have to have a body like that to use this magic?" "That''s right. That''s why I couldn''t teach it even if I wanted to." It made sense. Most mages were, on average, frail. If it was magic that could only be learned by training the body to that extent, it wouldn''t be easy to teach, even if he wanted to. "Moreover, this is magic that can only be handled by those who wield earth attribute magic." At this point, I understood why the dean called Thompson a talent. A mage with a strong body and earth attribute as their main attribute. "Mr. Thompson is the perfect candidate." He would probably be hard to find even if they openly recruited. The dean nodded in agreement and asked with a curious look, "I heard he''s volunteering for the war mercenaries, is that true?" "Ah, yes. It''s not confirmed yet, but I think that''s the n." "Most people would try to avoid war, but you''ve made a strange decision." "I thought it wouldn''t be bad to experience war at least once." "I see." The dean seemed to buy my vague excuse as he put his clothes back on and nodded. "Anyway, Thompson''s body transformation magic will take quite a while. He''ll probably be able to use it little by little after the war is over." "That''s fine. It wasn''t in the original n anyway." "After the war is over, I''m thinking of increasing the training schedule from three times a week to five. Is that okay with you, Thompson?" "Oh, I''m just grateful that you''re teaching me." Thompson showed his clenched fist as if to express his eagerness. Meanwhile, I remembered something I had missed. "Ah, what about Ka''s admission?" She lost the duel, but that didn''t mean she couldn''t enroll. The dean himself had said that he would judge it separately from the duel''s results. As he said, "I''ve decided to allow Ka to enroll as well. She should have been informed already." The dean announced Ka''s eptance. It was a natural oue, in a way. Even though she lost the duel, the magic Ka disyed was clearly beyond the level of an academy student. "You''ve made a good decision. She''s also very talented. And passionate." "I''ve heard. She''s currently receiving special training from Professor Ziren, isn''t she?" "Ah, yes." Did he receive a report through telepathy? The news traveled faster than I expected. "Then Ka''s skills will improve quickly." "Has this happened before?" "Three times in total, I think. The students who received Professor Ziren''s special training improved their skills quickly." It wasn''t my imagination that Ka seemed to be growing. Of course, I couldn''t expect too much from just a few hours. As I was thinking about that, I brought up thest topic. "What happened to Roan?" The dean probably hadn''t spoken to Roan yet, but I still had to ask. A mage superior to me might have seen something. As expected, the dean knew quite a lot. "Looking at his mana... it seems he''s inherited the Vilgef n''s secret technique. It was definitely that kind of energy. ...It''s unfortunate that he ended up receiving that power." The dean shook his head with a regretful expression. "Why do you say that?" When I asked for the reason, "The Vilgef n''s secret technique has a side effect. A side effect of gradually losing emotions." He revealed a fact I didn''t know. ''...Losing emotions?'' It was the moment I realized what was strange about Roan. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 74 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 74 "...What do you mean?" Losing emotions. Even though I had yed [Demon Fantasy] for over 10 years, this was the first time I had heard of this. I had never even heard of the fact that there were side effects to secret techniques, let alone that they could affect emotions. However, the dean seemed to be serious as he said, "The Vilgef n''s secret technique has the side effect of eating away at human emotions. The more you indulge in that power, the more your emotions wear down." "Then, if you fully inherit the secret technique..." "You be an empty shell that can barely feel any emotions. ...Tsk, I brought him to the academy to prevent that..." Hearing those words, I recalled the scene from earlier. When he wasunching the ice spear at Ka, overflowing with killing intent. Roan''s face, which was expressionless and dry, without any agitation. ''...Yes, there was definitely something strange.'' Until then, Roan and Ka had no connection. In other words, they wereplete strangers. Well, he might have heard something about her being mypanion, but that couldn''t be the reason why Roan tried to kill Ka. Then... -It''s been a while since I''ve had a duel, so I seem to have... lost control of my strength. Perhaps heunched that threatening ice spear to experience his changed power? Without any regard for the opponent''s safety. It was a truly psychopathic idea, but if his emotions were already wearing down from inheriting the secret technique, it was quite possible. "That arrogant noble will be like an empty can...? Dean, shouldn''t we try to stop this somehow?" Thompson, who had been listening silently, said with an urgent expression. However, the dean shook his head. "Thompson. This isn''t something we can do anything about. It''s something Roan chose himself." "He chose it himself...? You mean he did it knowing the side effects?" "He knew about the side effects before he even entered the academy." "But why on earth would he..." "Perhaps he considered increasing his power more important than the emotions he would lose as a side effect." I had a rough idea about this. I had been wondering about the day he invited me to the academy and disappeared without a word. Right after I seeded in attributebination. ''Competitive spirit, sense of deprivation... Was it that kind of emotion?'' Perhaps my sess in attributebination was what made him decide to inherit the secret technique. No, from what I saw, it was almost certain. Roan was the type who hated falling behind anyone. ''...I unintentionally became the cause.'' I couldn''t say it was my fault, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. But as the dean said, this was something Roan chose himself. There was nothing else I could do. I could only pray that he would be as strong as he wanted. Perhaps sensing the gloomy atmosphere, the dean cleared his throat and said, "I''ve decided to talk to Roan separately, so don''t worry too much. ...Well, now that we''re all gathered here, how about we go see Ka?" "...Yes, I''d like that, Dean." "Are you going too, Dean?" "Of course. I also want to properly check Ka''s magic. And I need to deliver the news of her admission." Indeed, the duel ended so quickly that Ka couldn''t demonstrate her true skills. "Alright. I''ll lead the way." With that, the three of us headed to the auditorium. As soon as we approached the auditorium, we started hearing explosion sounds. Bang! Bang! Boooom! The intense explosion sounds continued endlessly. "...This is no joke, is it, Mr. First ce?" "I agree." It was clear that they were still in the middle of intense training. So, had Ka changed? I opened the auditorium door with anticipation. Click. Whoosh! A wave of hot air greeted us as if weing us. The first thing that caught my eye was Professor Ziren sitting in the middle of the auditorium. "Ah, you''ve arrived." She, who was sitting on a chair with one leg crossed, spotted the dean and bowed in greeting. She looked as rxed as she did in the duel arena. On the other hand... "Gasp...! Gasp...!" Ka was practically dying. Lying on the charred floor of the auditorium, she gasped for breath. Thompson approached her with a worried look. "Y-youngdy, are you alright...?" "...Gasp. Ah, mister. Yes, I-I''m alri...Ugh!" Ka suddenly sat up and started retching. Soon, vomit poured out. "Blegh¡ª!" I knew this feeling well, having experienced it myself a few times. It was a phenomenon that often urred when you pushed your mana to its limits during training. Of course, most people here, besides me, would know this. However. Whoosh! "Now. You''ve rested enough, shall we start again?" Professor Ziren incinerated Ka''s vomit with fire magic and resumed the training. "A-al-already? I justid down..." "The morefortable your body gets, the less efficient the training bes. This is enough." It was like she was a demon, not even giving her proper time to catch her breath... Watching this, a question came to mind. "Dean, is Professor Ziren from a prestigious n by any chance?" "She is, but why do you ask?" "I was wondering if Professor Ziren also inherited a secret technique from her n. Something that erodes emotions or..." "...No. Professor Ziren is perfectly normal." "I see." That was a relief. It meant she wouldn''t kill Ka. Well, she seemed to be pushing her to the brink of death, though. ''As long as she''s alive.'' This harsh training was something I weed. Ka and Thompson. The reason I brought them here in the first ce was to narrow the growth gap between us. From that perspective, choosing the academy was a stroke of genius. Bang! Bang! Bang! "Gasp...! Gasp...!" Ka''s explosions, which I witnessed with my own eyes, werepletely different from just a few hours ago. "The range of the explosion has widened considerably. The power too... seems to have doubled." It wasn''t just the explosions. Fwoosh! She consecutively cast pirs of fire and fireballs. Not to mention her casting speed had increased, the firepower had also risen to the point where it had a faint blue hue. Even with the help of Professor Ziren, a 7th circle mage, it was honestly hard to believe. It was iparably more efficient than the two weeks of hunting I had put effort into. "You seem surprised." "...Yes. How is this possible?" "Originally, the concentration of mana increases every time you exhaust it. That''s why such a rapid change in a short time is possible." The dean stroked his rough beard and continued his exnation. "Above all, Ka''s understanding of the fire attribute must have increased. No one can match Ziren when ites to theory." "No one can match her?" "Yes, at least not in Asternon." It seemed like Professor Ziren was an even more remarkable figure than I had thought. For the dean to say such a thing. "Of course, this is only possible if Ka has a certain level of talent to back it up. It seems the youngdy is more talented than she looks." "Ah... she''s not bad." Indeed, Ka had [Ardent Desire], a Heroic-tier trait. Heroic-tier wasn''t as outstanding as Roan''s or mine, but it was a talent that could easily surpass most mages. With the addition of Professor Ziren, the best theorist in Asternon, it seemed this result was achieved. By the way. "It''s amazing that the concentration of mana increases as you repeatedly exhaust it." Personally, this was the most interesting part. This was information I couldn''t have known from the game. "You really didn''t know?" The dean tilted his head. He looked even more surprised than I was. "Your mana concentration is quite dense, Yuhan. I thought you would have known this information and trained ordingly." "Ah, that''s..." Now that I heard it, it was understandable for the dean to misunderstand. It wasn''t like I had only exhausted my mana once or twice. When I fought Ollie, when I closed the cracks in Aldeon, when I hunted outside the borders, and so on... I had been in a state of mana exhaustion several times unintentionally. After briefly exining that, the dean let out a heartyugh. "Well, aren''t you incredibly lucky?" "...Is that so?" He seemed to think this situation was lucky. Of course, I didn''t think so. ''Lucky, my ass.'' Having my mana depleted unintentionally meant that I had been in many life-or-death situations. I couldn''t consider it lucky that the density of my mana had increased in exchange for risking my life. Well, anyway. With this, Ka''s growth, and even Thompson''s growth, were resolved in one go. Now all that remained was my own growth. With that thought, I asked the dean, "What about my mana circuit? What should I do about it?" "Ah, that''s right. I''ve been thinking about that." Swoosh. Mana gathered on the dean''s old wand. And then a square shape was created. ''So you can use mana like this too.'' It was a model with arge door on the front, covered by numerous chains. "What is this?" "It''s a space in the basement of the dean''s office, and it doesn''t have an official name, but... we call it the Room of Time and Mind." "...Room of Time and Mind?" "Yes." The dean nodded and added that anyone who entered this room couldn''t leave until they achieved their goal. The most surprising thing was the unique mechanism this room had. "Time flows slower inside...? "Yes, exactly ten times slower than normal time." In other words, one hour for others was ten hours inside this room. I had never seen or heard of such a structure before. ''...Why are there so many new things?'' The side effects of the secret technique, this Room of Time and Mind. It was full of things I didn''t know. Of course, the existence of such a ce was a positive thing for me. "Honestly, I don''t know the principle either. There are only rumors that someone from 100 years ago created this." "Someone from 100 years ago? Who?" "If I knew, I wouldn''t have said ¡®someone¡¯. No one knows the identity of that person. That''s what makes this room even more mysterious." 100 years ago could have ovepped with the setting of the game I yed. However. ''There wasn''t anyone like that.'' Time was still a power in an unreachable realm. If there was someone with that kind of power, I should be able to make some guesses, but no one came to mind. It was truly a mystery. Well, that wasn''t important right now. "So, what do you want me to do inside?" "What else? Untangle your circuit. There''s no better way to untangle a circuit as twisted as yours. Or are you okay with untangling it when you''re old?" "...Of course not." Anyway, the dean was telling me to enter this room and untangle my circuit, but there was one thing that bothered me. It was the exnation that anyone who entered this room couldn''t leave until they achieved their goal. Untangling a circuit wasn''t something just anyone could do, and what if... what if... "What if I can''t untangle my circuit?" What would happen if I couldn''t achieve that goal? The dean''s answer to this was simple. "You''ll be trapped forever." "..." Eternal imprisonment. Experiencing that would be more painful than death. Did this guy even realize that? "Will you do it?" He asked casually with an indifferent face. A psycho no less than Roan. Of course, there was only one answer I could give. "I will." Perhaps this crisis could be an opportunity for me to leap forward in an instant. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 75 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 75 On the way to the dining hall after Ka''s training ended. "Mr. First ce, are you really going to do that...?" Thompson asked with a worried tone. "I have to. It''s a chance to untangle my twisted mana circuit in one go." "What if you get trapped? You''ll be a cosmic wanderer." "Well, what else can I do? There''s no other way..." I understood their concern, but there was really nothing I could do about it. How could I miss this opportunity? It was a chance to increase my growth rate several times over. "Aren''t you scared? You''re talking about it like it''s someone else''s problem." It seemed Ka was also feeling uneasy. To reassure them, I patted both of their shoulders and said, "Don''t worry too much, everyone. Everything will be fine. And it''s not like I''m doing it right now." ording to the dean, it wasn''t something I could try right away anyway. Since it was risky, I needed to have a sufficient understanding of mana circuits before proceeding. So, we postponed it until after the war, after thorough preparation. In other words, worrying about it now was just a waste of time. "...Alright. If Mr. First ce says it''s okay, there shouldn''t be any problem." After reassuring them like that, we arrived at the student cafeteria. "...Wow, what is all this?" "This is the cafeteria...?" It was my first time in the academy''s cafeteria, and the facilities were incredibly impressive. The pearly marble floor, the bright lighting, the shiny tables, the clean tableware. And the finishing touch, the appetizing food lined up in a U-shape. ''...A buffet?'' It was like being at a 5-star hotel buffet. There was everything from juicy meat, reddish stews, springy noodles, to sweet desserts. "L-let''s eat quickly...!" Thompson, sniffing the air, dashed off as if someone was chasing him. tter, tter, screech, tter! Thompson swept away the food as if he was going to clear out the entire cafeteria. Ka wasn''t much different. "This too, this too, oh... this looks delicious too!" Despite the considerable difference in size, the tower of food Ka piled up was in no way inferior to Thompson''s. ''Can she even fit all that in her stomach?'' Perhaps it was because they had only been eating tasteless demon meat for two weeks during the hunt, but everyone seemed to have gone crazy for the food. Of course, I was the same. After settling down in a suitable spot, I stuffed my face with food as I pleased. Munch, munch! Honestly, I thought Barundel''s food wasn''t bad, butpared to this, it was simply pathetic. My mouth felt ecstatic even before I finished chewing. The others couldn''t stop expressing their admiration as they ate. "Wow, as expected of Asion Academy! I''ve never had anything like this in my life! It''s on apletely different level from the food at the Aldeon party." "Leaving Sector 7 was the best decision of my life..." After eating like that for a while, we finally started talking when our stomachs were about to burst. "Ugh. Oh... my stomach. Mr. First ce, where are we going now?" "Ah, it''s about time we head over. To apply for the war mercenaries." "Okay, shall we get going then?" Tap. I stopped Thompson, who was about to get up from his seat. "No, please rest a bit longer." "Huh? Why?" "I don''t think there''s a need for you toe with me. I''ll go alone this time, so please continue what you were doing. Well, if you have nothing to do, you can look around the academy." Ka had to receive special training from Professor Ziren, and Thompson had to learn body transformation magic from the dean. On the other hand, I didn''t have any particr schedule, so it was more efficient for me to go alone. "Will it be alright?" "Of course it will be. It''s just a short distance away." Thompson seemed convinced and nodded. "Alright. If anything happens,e running back here." "Haha, yes, sir." The sun was beginning to set. Before it got anyter, I left the academy and headed for the checkpoint. *** After asking passersby for directions, I arrived at the checkpoint. Perhaps because there were many people who wanted to volunteer, the front of the checkpoint was quite crowded. I joined the long line and waited for my turn. "Name." "It''s Avan." "Specialty." "Uh, um... I''m good with swords." Click! "Okay, next." From the soundsing from the front, the application process didn''t seem too difficult. You just had to state your name and specialty, take a picture, and that was it. Seeing how they were letting people through without proper identification, it seemed the royal family was quite desperate. How long did I wait? "Name." Finally, my turn came. "It''s Yuhan." "Specialty." "Excuse me, before that, could I ask about the participation rewards and contribution rewards?" "What?" "I was told I could hear about them if I came here." "Sigh..." The knight who was receiving applications let out a deep sigh. For some reason, he seemed to have a lot ofints about his current task. He waved his hand dismissively at my face. "Hey, go find out about that yourself. If you''re not going to apply, get lost. I''m busy." "..." Why was he making such a fuss over telling me just that? "I''ll apply." In the end, I decided to apply for now. Well, I could always find out about the rewardster and withdraw if I didn''t like them. Or I could just not show up without a word. There were plenty of people like that. It wasn''t something the royal family could care about individually. "Specialty." "I''m a mage." "Hmm?" The knight, who had been staring at the documents, finally looked up. "A mage?" At the same time, he scanned me from head to toe. There was no need to be nervous. I had been reborn as aplete mage with my new equipment. "Yes." "What circle?" "4th circle." To be precise, I was a 4th circle mage who could stably handle the power of the 5th circle. All thanks to the effect of the [Holy Staff]. However, I didn''t reveal that fact. There was no benefit to being noticed in a ce like this. The 4th circle wasn''t a position that received great treatment, but it wasn''t ignored either; it was just the right position. As if to prove that, "The participation reward is 500 gold coins, and the contribution reward is 1,000 gold coins per star. From 3 stars onwards, it''s at themander''s discretion." Suddenly, his attitude changed. The knight answered my previous question without me asking again. I even heard murmurs from behind. It made me realize once again that this was a world where power was everything. Anyway. ''Not bad.'' The reward details the knight told me were quite decent. As expected of arge-scale war, it seemed they were investing quite a bit in the volunteer mercenaries. Of course, the real valuable reward here wasn''t the gold coins. ''Special reward.'' The special reward given at themander''s discretion when you achieved 3 stars or more. That was the key. Usually, achievements in war were expressed as ''number of stars''. 1-star contribution for showing performance superior to others. 2-star contribution for defeating an enemy at the staff level. 3-star contribution for taking down amander or significantly contributing to it. 4-star contribution for turning the tide of the battlefield through some action... and so on. ''3 stars...'' In other words, if the knight was right, I had to make a significant contribution to defeating amander... ''Seems doable.'' That was something worth aiming for. If I had to do it alone, it might be a different story. But I had the solid support of the academy and reliablepanions. "So, what do you think? Not bad, right?" "Yes, it is." "So, are you going to do it?" "Yes." "Alright, I''ll see you on the battlefield." The knight grinned, now fostering a sense of camaraderie. He asked a few more questions, such as my main attribute and affiliation, then extended his hand. "Let''s do well out there, friend." It seemed like he was about to wrap up the application. However, he was mistaken about one thing. "Two more people." "...What?" Who said I was alone? *** A makeshift warmand center in Sector 3 of Asternon. Barus Girian, themander in charge, was currently racking his brains. Flip, flip! "How could this be...?" An interim report from the Sector 4 checkpoint. The mercenaries on the list were utterly inadequate, and that was the problem. Forget about proper identification, there was a peasant whose only skill was wielding a sword, a deliveryman with a weapon he had never even heard of, a passerby who imed to have war experience despite his frail appearance... There was no onepetent, only weaklings. Had these people ever even faced a demon before? "Just because we''re handing out some gold coins, they swarm in like dogs. Sigh..." Normally, he would have cursed a few times and brushed it off, but he couldn''t do that now. This war was on a different scale than usual. If things continued like this, Asteron could be in danger of copse. Less than two weeks remained until the war. He had toe up with a solution somehow. "...Should I ask the Balkan Kingdom for reinforcements?" The first thing that came to mind was, of course, asking the neighboring country for help. It was a simple and certain method. However. "...They probably won''t approve it." They had already received support once. And now they were asking for more because it wasn''t enough? Just thinking about the repercussions made him shake his head. It was a political matter. Not only arge amount of gold coins, but also precious artifacts, human resources that were scarce in Asteron, and in the worst case, even some territory... It was clear that the Balkan Kingdom would demand those things in return. There was no way the royal family would allow such a detrimental thing to happen. Those in power usually valued their own interests more than the stability of the country. "...There must be some way." Flip, flip. Barus continued to scan through the documents, but he didn''t stop thinking. If he gave up, the oue of the war would be too grim. Massive casualties, and Sector 6... no, maybe even Sector 5... They could be overrun by demons. Just like the current Sector 7. He couldn''t repeat that damn history again. "There must be some way..." Just then. "Huh?" There was a person on the list who caught his eye. A man with a jet-ck robe, ck hair and eyes, and an expressionless face. "...Yuhan." Unlike the other riffraffs, this man was clearly stated to be a 4th circle mage. In arge-scale battle like this, a mage was a valuable asset, capable of taking on a hundred enemies alone. Of course, if that was all, Barus wouldn''t be scanning the documents with such intensity. "Thompson, Ka..." There were three of them. Three mages who had reached the 4th circle had volunteered for the war mercenaries. This alone was already a force of over three hundred. And it didn''t end there. "They''re affiliated with Asion Academy?" Among the many magic academies, Asion Academy was the most prestigious, founded directly by the academy. These three mages were affiliated with that ce. There was even a note in the special remarks section that said ''Partial academy support possible''. For a moment, Barus felt like he had found hope. His mind raced. "If I can just persuade these people..." The Asion Academy, where the best magic authorities in Asteron were gathered. He might be able to bring in the bigwigs from that ce. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 76 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 76 After sessfullypleting my application, I lingered around the checkpoint for quite a while to assess the level and scale of the volunteer mercenaries. "Yuhan." Suddenly, someone called me from behind. Turning around, I saw it was the knight who had processed my application earlier. "I''m d I found you. I have something urgent to deliver." The knight said, holding out a rolled-up document. When I looked at him with a questioning expression, he added an exnation. "It''s a summons to the warmand center." "...The warmand center? At this hour? Why?" "Well, I haven''t heard the details either." The knight shrugged his shoulders as if he knew nothing. The scroll only said toe as quickly as possible and contained no other information. I was left to ponder the reason myself. "But it seems to be quite an urgent matter." "Why?" "This has never happened before. Themand center summoning someone like this. And you haven''t even been registered for long." "Hmm." He was right. It had only been about three hours since I filled out the application. The fact that they sent these summons in such a short time meant there must be some problem at the warmand center. Or maybe they had something urgent to tell me. ''Should I go?'' I was troubled by the summons with no known cause or reason. ''But Mister and Ka will be waiting...'' I promised to return soon, and they would surely worry if I disappeared without a word. Especially Thompson, given his personality. I was more worried about what he might do on his end. "Anyway, go quickly. They said they have a carriage waiting for you over there." I couldn''t refuse either. They even sent a carriage, how could I refuse? Moreover, themander of the warmand center must be a very high-ranking person. Finally, after much deliberation, I came up with a solution. "You''ll be here all day, right?" "Huh? Ah, yes. Not just today, but I have to stay at the checkpoint until the recruitment is over." "That''s good. Then, just a moment." Swiftly, I grabbed a nk piece of paper and a pen nearby and diligently wrote something down. It was a message for Thompson, in case he came rushing here. ''Hmm, this should be enough.'' Handing the finished message to the knight, I said, "If someone named Thompsones looking for me, please give him this." "Thompson? Ah, isn''t that the name of the mage you applied on behalf of earlier?" "Yes, that''s right. He''s an uncle with bronze skin and bigger than most knights. You''ll know who he is as soon as you see him." "Bigger than most knights? Is he really a mage...?" The knight seemed to have doubts, but in any case, the message delivery was sessful. With this, I could go to themand center without much worry. I immediately headed to where the knight had pointed, and indeed, a carriage was waiting. There was even a coachman. "Are you Mr. Yuhan?" "Yes, I am." "If youe this way, I will escort you." Unlike other coachmen, he was quite elegantly dressed and guided me very courteously, bowing his waist. Judging by the atmosphere, it seemed like they hadn''t called me in for something bad. Erasing the possibility that I had been worried about, I boarded the carriage. Clip-clop, clip-clop. The carriage slowly started to move forward. Feeling the rattling, I fell into thought. ''Why did they call me?'' Earlier, I had just brushed it off, thinking there must be something urgent, but it was better to think about it now. That way, I could be prepared for whatever happened. ''First of all, judging by the coachman''s attitude, it''s not a bad thing.'' I looked at the situation from a third party''s perspective. ''A 4th Circle mage applied with less than two weeks left before the war... ...Could there be a problem with that?'' This wasn''t enough to go on. In other words, it was a matter that needed to be viewed from a broader perspective. I went over the situation step by step, thinking about the reasons. Fortunately, something came to mind. ''...Come to think of it, the level of the volunteer mercenaries was terrible, wasn''t it?'' It was only a few hours of observation, but that was enough to tell. That the level of applicants was very low. Of course, it was possible that today was just a particrly bad day. But what if it wasn''t? What if it had been like this all along? Surely the warmand center would be quite anxious. With arge-scale war looming, only those who were of little help were applying in droves. They must have been racking their brains over theck of manpower. ''...And that''s when I applied.'' It must have been wee news to them, like rain in a drought. And it wasn''t just me. There was also Ka and Thompson. Three precious mages applying together at once, they must have been even more pleased. Of course, this wasn''t a reason to call me in separately. There must be something more to it. As I continued to ponder... ''...Aha?'' A thought crossed my mind. "I see." I thought I knew why they had called me to themand center. *** About an hour after I boarded the carriage? Clunk-. "Mr. Yuhan, we have arrived." The carriage suddenly stopped, and the coachman knocked on the door. It seemed we had arrived already. "We¡¯ve arrived faster than expected?" "That''s because there''s a dedicated road between Sector 4 and Sector 3. Here, this way." "Ah, thank you." "Then, I''ll be off..." The coachman escorted me to the front of the building, bowed politely, and returned to the carriage. Seeing him hurry, it seemed he was going to pick up someone else. Well, it''s none of my business. I turned my gaze to the building in front of me. "So this is the warmand center." I had heard that this ce was hastily built in preparation for the uing [Blood Moon Prophecy]. [TL/N: From this Point onwards I¡¯ll Address (The Prophecy of the Blood Moon) as (Blood Moon Prophecy)] However, the building was neat for something like that. Perhaps they were using a pre-existing building? Well, it''s Sector 3, so it''s only natural. There are no shabby buildings here. Aside from the building, even the streets were clean without a speck of litter. Anyway. Chuck, chuck! Clearing my thoughts, I approached the entrance of the building, and guards with spears blocked my way. One of them looked me up and down and asked, "What''s your business?" "I received a summons toe here." I replied, holding out the scroll I had received earlier. The guard captain carefully checked to see if it was forged. "Ah, yes. I''ll confirm your identity. Please present your identification card." Beep. I swiped my ID card on the device provided at the entrance. "If you have any weapons, please submit them. This includes artifacts." "Here you go." I took off all the bracelets, nes, gloves, and so on that I was wearing. "Please wear this." "What is this?" "It''s an artifact that suppresses magic. It''s a precaution in case of any idents." Only after I put on the strange-looking wrist guard was I given the signal to enter. Certainly, the level of security was different from the rear areas where everything was handled haphazardly. Nevertheless, I managed to get inside and soon found a room with a sign that read ''Strategy Room.'' I was told that the person who summoned me was in this room. Knock, knock, knock. "Come in." I knocked lightly and opened the door. The first thing I saw was a man with a curled mustache. His presence here meant he was a very high-ranking person, so I bowed my head respectfully. "I am Yuhan." "I am Barus Garian." He introduced himself and gestured for me to sit down. I sat down as instructed and waited for a moment, then Barus sat across from me. He spoke first. "So, you''re a 4th Circle mage currently enrolled at Asion Academy?" "Yes, that''s correct." "Why did you volunteer to be a war mercenary?" "To gain real-world experience. It''s something I can''t get just by attending the academy." That was about half a lie. Honestly, I wouldn''t have applied if there hadn''t been a reward. However, perhaps it sounded reasonable enough, as Barus nodded his head. "Huh... you''re a rare one. Unlike those know-it-alls who just brag while shooting magic from the back." "I''m grateful if you see me that way." "I like you very much." Barus tapped his chin and fell into thought. Then, as if he had remembered something, he opened his mouth again. What was he going to say? "So, are you doing well with your studies at the academy?" An unexpected question about grades. "Ah... yes. I''m getting satisfactory results." "That''s good to hear." And then... "Are you short of money by any chance? It must be expensive to attend Asion Academy... Isn''t it a bit of a burden?" "...I have a full schrship, so it''s fine." "This is an amazing talent!" A sudden question about money. Questions about family, residence, career path, and so on... I couldn''t understand what he was trying to say at all. It felt like I was looking at an NPC trying to increase their affinity with a yer. At this rate, it seemed like we would be up all night, so I had no choice but to bring up the topic myself. "So, the reason you called me...?" Only then did Barus put on a serious expression. "Is there anything you want? Tell me everything if you do." Of course, the content was still absurd. Suddenly asking for what I want? "...Excuse me?" "I''ll grant you all of them." Barus opened his eyes wide as if he wasn''t joking at all. It seemed like he had been saying strange things to find this out... First, I needed to hear what they wanted. "What do you want from me?" When I asked that, Barus slid a document across the table. I checked and saw it was the application I had filled out earlier. His finger was pointing to the special notes section. [Can provide support from some academic societies.] "Is this written here true?" ''I knew it.'' As expected, there was no other reason for them to call me here but this. The support of the academic societies. From the warmand center''s point of view, there was no better option than this. It would be a sure way to fill the shortage of manpower. "Yes, it''s true." "Then I''d like you to help us. What do you think?" The point here was to figure out how much they wanted. "What kind of support are you looking for?" I had already discussed this to some extent with the head of the academic society. He said that they could provide support in the form of necessary supplies, food, and even some artifacts as a welfare measure. If the warmand center was asking for something like that, it would be reasonable toply. In return, I could get something better. But... "We need more mages. With our current forces, there''s no way we can win this war... If you grant my request, I will definitely give you what you want." Barus demanded human resources, not material goods. He held my hand with a desperate look. Honestly, I wanted to help, but this was a bit difficult for me too. "I''m afraid it''s difficult to get students to participate in the war. Most of them tend to avoid war, and it''s actually very dangerous..." As I was about to refuse... Barus shook his head and interrupted me. "I''m not talking about the students." "Excuse me? Then..." "We already have enough manpower. What we need now are high-ranking mages who can influence the war on a legion scale." High-ranking mages. That meant mages of the 7th Circle or higher. In other words, he was asking me to get support from the elder mages of the academic society. ''Huh.'' It was absurd. Asking me, a mere academy student, to do that? Shouldn''t he be going directly to the academic society? ''Who am I to bring such people?'' As I was making a dumbfounded face at the thought... Barus continued. "Asion Academy values the safety of its students above all else, right?" At the same time. Thump! Thump, thump, thump! Chuck. Chuck. Chuck! My heart warned me of danger as dozens of guards suddenly stormed into the strategy room. All of them pointing their sharp spearheads at me. "...It seems my choice didn''t matter from the beginning." "I''m sorry. I had no other choice. It''s an urgent situation." Barus Garian. I thought he was a foolish person, unbefitting of his position. But now that I see him again, he''s a cunning and bold person. "Will you cooperate?" Honestly. The minds of the people in this world are unpredictable. How could they even think of taking an academy student hostage? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 77 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 77 "Will you cooperate?" Barus''s face as he spoke showed he had already made up his mind. No matter what I said, the oue wouldn''t change. It seemed he was nning to use me as a hostage to get help from the academic society... ''Then they''ll probably release me only after the war is over.'' If that happened, not only would I not receive the reward for participating in the war, but my growth would also be halted while I was captured. An absolutely uneptable scenario. ''I can''t let that happen.'' To break the situation, I slowly looked around. Dozens of spearheads aimed at me. The door locked, closing off the room. And a device to suppress magic. ''A frontal breakthrough is impossible.'' It was absurd to try to defeat all these people and escape in this situation. Even if it were possible, there was another problem. What kind of repercussions would follow? They might frame me for everything and make it impossible for me to even set foot in Asternon. They seemed to have enough power to do that. Therefore, I had to find another way. Preferably a win-win situation for both sides. ''If possible, it''s best to give them what they want...'' Actually, if that happened, there wouldn''t be any problem at all. That is, if I could get the elder mages of the academic society to participate in the war. Then Barus would have no reason to hold me hostage any longer, and I could get my reward. However. ''Would that be possible?'' It was easier said than done; it was a preposterous idea. Who am I to make such a request to a high-ranking mage? Even if I begged them, they probably wouldn''t even look at me... Probably... Wait a minute. ''...Is it possible?'' Thinking about it carefully, it seemed possible. Until now, I had only thought of asking high-ranking mages from the academic society whom I had never met before, but there was no need for that, was there? Instead, I could ask a mage I was acquainted with. There was even someone who immediately came to mind. A man who almost broke off rtions with me when we met again after a long time, but who was still friendly towards me in the end. The head of the academic society, Asion Gale. ''If not anyone else, if it''s the head of the academic society...'' If I could persuade him well, it might be possible. Moreover, if I got help from the head of the academic society, there was a high possibility of additional benefits. Other high-ranking mages who were close to Asion Gale or followed him. They wouldn''t just stand by and watch the head of the academic society participate in the Great War alone. They would naturally lend their support. When my thoughts reached that point, I slowly began to speak. "Yes, I will cooperate." "You''ve made a wise choice. As expected of a mage, you''re a quick thinker. While you''re here, I''ll make sure you''refortable..." "No. That''s not the kind of cooperation I''m offering." "...What do you mean?" As you know, negotiation should be done on equal footing. At Barus''s question, I leaned back against the backrest behind me. The situation had changed. From a damn hostage situation to a one-on-one business meeting. "You mentioned high-ranking mages. Would an 8th Circle mage suffice?" "That''s true, but... Are you saying you''re going to ask for their support directly?" Perhaps flustered, Barus''s tone rose slightly. Instead of answering right away, I nodded my head towards the guards. "First, please dismiss them." "..." After a moment of contemtion, Barus quickly made up his mind. "Everyone, leave." "Yes, sir!" Chuck, chuck. Thump, thump, thump! With a single word, the guards rushed out. Seeing this, I realized that power is indeed a good thing. As the room became quiet, Barus spoke first. "I hope you''re not bluffing. I hate those who y tricks." Shing. With a low voice, he drew a thin sword that had been mounted on the wall. The de was gleaming, clearly a fine sword. The fact that he had such a thing meant that he knew how to use a sword. Of course, there was no reason for me to be intimidated. "Don''t worry. I hate bluffing too." "Is that so?" Tap, tap, tap... Returning to his seat, Barus repeatedly tapped the table with his finger. Seeing him staring at my face, he was probably trying to read my expression. "I''m d. You don''t have the face of a liar." "Because it''s not a lie." "Good, then tell me. How exactly are you going to bring an 8th Circle mage here?" Barus quickly decided to believe me, and I began to tell him my n step by step. Of course, it wasn''t anything special. The n was just to go to the head of the academic society and ask him for help. "So, you''re saying there''s an 8th Circle mage you''re acquainted with?" "Yes. If I ask him politely, he''ll probably listen to me. He''s very fond of me." "Huh..." "However, there are a few conditions." "Tell me." The reason I set conditions was that no matter how friendly Asion Gale was towards me, I couldn''t just receive help one-sidedly. ''He''s not a pushover.'' From special privileges rted to the academy to the admission of Ka and Thompson. And even the support of materials for the war. The head of the academic society had already given me a lot of support. ''Honestly, it''s burdensome now.'' Just as there''s giving, there should also be receiving. I was determined to settle this with this opportunity. I spoke of the items I had in mind beforehand. "I would like you to provide me with magic-rted elixirs, a top-grade magic book that has been kept confidential, and 10,000 gold coins that can be used for support." "...What? Are you serious?" Barus asked back with a dumbfounded look, but I nodded without any hesitation. "Of course." Asion Gale had already reached the 8th Circle and was running a prestigious academy along with the academic society. As such, ordinary things wouldn''t even catch his eye. This much was needed to satisfy him. In fact, I had carefully chosen things that would appeal to the head of the academic society. First, magic-rted elixirs. ''No mage can refuse this.'' From elixirs that increase maximum mana to those that increase mana regeneration rate, mana density, mana sensitivity, and so on. There are many types, but the production process isplex and time-consuming, so the demand for elixirs is absolutely higher than the supply. In other words, they are precious. Because of this, mages tend to rush towards elixirs like starving people. That''s because they are not easy to obtain even with a lot of money. Surely, Asion Gale would be simr. Well, I don''t know if he''s aiming for the 9th Circle. Anyway. ''The same goes for magic books.'' In Asternon, there is a separate space where magic books that are deemed unsuitable for public release are kept. It''s called the ''Forbidden Library,'' and only those rted to the royal family can ess it. And the magic books there have a value simr to elixirs. Not because of their effects, but simply because of the content they contain. Mysterious magic books that the royal family has directly prevented from being circted in the market. What better way to satisfy a mage''s endless thirst for knowledge? And finally. 10,000 gold coins. The reason for this was simple. ''Money is always the best.'' Asion Gale is famous for sparing no expense when ites to the development of the academy. As such, he would always need a lot of money. 10,000 gold coins is a huge amount, enough to cover the cost of running the academy for a while, so the head of the academic society would surely be happy. In other words, all three are attractive rewards for the head of the academic society. With this much, I thought I could persuade the head of the academic society without any problems. Of course, on the premise that Barus agrees. But... "That seems a bit difficult. Would you lower the conditions?" Was it too burdensome? After much deliberation, he conveyed his refusal. Because the conditions were too high. Honestly, to me, it just sounded like he was testing me. Lower what? This is a great deal. "Please reconsider. This is about bringing in an 8th Circle mage." "But acquiring elixirs and undisclosed magic books isn''t as easy as you think. Especially to enter the library, I need permission, and that process is moreplicated than you might expect. 10,000 gold coins is also... honestly, a burden." He was saying this and that, but in the end, it meant that the deal wasn''t profitable enough for him. However, from my perspective, Barus had miscalcted. "Then are you really going to take me hostage and threaten the academic society? Something like, ''I''ll kill him if you don''t participate in the war''?" The oue of that was obvious. The academic society and the Asternon government would bepletely at odds. They would harbor animosity towards each other, waiting for an opportunity to devour the other. In the long run, there was no worse choice than this. "I wonder if it''s the right decision to turn your back on the academic society to ovee a momentary crisis. Well, it''s up to you." "..." With that, I calmed down the excitement that had risen from my frustration. I had exined enough. Anyone with a proper mind would make the right decision. Fortunately. "...Alright. I''ll do as you say." Barus was a man with a proper mind. He also seemed a bit indecisive. In any case. "That''s a wise choice. There will be good results." "However, there''s something we need to rify." "What is it?" "Tell me what you''re going to do with all those things. I need to know that to make a decision. Oh, and tell me who the 8th Circle mage you mentioned is." Barus said so and added an exnation while holding up his teacup. "If they''re not as powerful as I expect, they won''t be able to fill the shortage of our forces." Come to think of it, I hadn''t mentioned who it was yet. "I can answer that all at once." I spoke, anticipating Barus''s reaction inwardly. "All the support you provide will go to the academic society." "...To the academic society? Not for your own use?" "Yes, it''s a reward for him for participating in the war." "Wait, does that mean...?" "Yes, you''re probably right." Even if I only said this much, Barus should be able to understand. Because there''s only one 8th Circle mage belonging to the academic society. A magic genius who reached the 8th Circle at a young age. The current head of Asion Academy. The creator of Body Transformation magic. My reliable backing. Asion Gale. Was he surprised by that fact? "...Keuk, Kuahahaha!" Suddenly, Barus startedughing. Even whileughing, his gaze was fixed on me, as if he was fascinated. "What''s so funny?" "Ah, I''m sorry. This situation is just so amusing." Barus, who was stillughing, said while holding his head with his hand. "Hehehe, I thought I brought in a novice mage... but I brought in a monster! I can already see your potential!" For some reason, Barus seemed to like me. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 78 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 78 After sessfullypleting the deal... "It''ste." By the time I left the building, it was already dusk. I had taken more time than I expected. Mypanions would be worried. I headed straight for the academy. ''The training must be over by now, right?'' I approached the main gate with that thought in mind. Then I saw two people. Both were dressed as mages and guarding the main gate. As befitting a prestigious academy, Asion Academy is guarded 24/7 with tight security. These were the mage staff in charge of the night shift today. sh! The staff member who spotted me activated a sh spell and asked, "What''s your business?" "Ah, I''m a student here." I said and handed him the student ID I had received earlier, and the staff member''s wary gaze softened. "Ah, I know you. You were admitted on the rmendation of the Dean, right? You must be very skilled." "Haha... well, it just happened." "Pleasee in. I''ll guide you." The floating sh spell moved forward. It seemed like the guidance was to follow this. Before I started walking, I asked, "Ah, have the two mages who visited today left? They''re my acquaintances." "You mean Ka and Thompson?" Judging from what he said, it seemed like the admission process was alreadyplete. As expected of a prestigious academy, the work was processed quickly. "Um, please wait a moment." The staff member took something out of his pocket and fiddled with it. It was a palm-sized tool I had never seen before... "ording to the previous staff, they moved to the academy dormitory a little while ago. You can go there." The staff member quickly gave me the answer. Rather than surprised, I was more curious. "What is that...?" I pointed at what the staff member was holding with my finger, and he said, "Ah, this? It''s called a magicmunicator. With this, you canmunicate with people far away. Even if you don''t know how to use telepathy magic." A magicmunicator. It''s a tool I''ve never seen in the game. It somehow felt out of date. Perhaps this was how the elderly felt when they first encountered smartphones? "Is it expensive?" "If you want to buy it... I think about 4,000 gold coins should be enough." There was a reason why I hadn''t seen it even though I had been in this world for months. 4,000 gold coins. It''s almost the same price as a legend grade artifact. Unless you''re a noble with money to burn, you wouldn''t be able to buy it easily. Of course, it was a tool that was definitely worth the money. ''It''s practically like buying telepathy magic with money.'' It allows you to indirectly use magic that you can''t learn until at least the 7th Circle. ''I should get a few of those too.'' It''s definitely a tool that would be very useful for our party. It should be prioritized after Barundel''s axe. Of course, the high price is a drawback... but money can be earned. If it seems a bit difficult, I can borrow it from the headmaster. If the staff members are each carrying one, they must have a lot in stock. Anyway. "Thank you." Thanks to the kind staff member''s guidance, I safely arrived in front of the dormitory. sh! As I bowed my head, the sh spell spun and disappeared. Leaving that behind, I entered the dormitory, and soon I saw a familiar face. Ka was at the entrance of the dormitory, resting her chin on her hand with a sullen expression. "You''re finally here?" "Ah, yeah. Were you waiting?" "Well, not really... I was worried." "Worried?" "Miste ran out to look for you because you weren''ting back." "What?" Oh no. The thing I was worried about had finally happened. "When did he leave?" "Just now." "Oh dear..." Since he left just now, it seemed like I had missed Thompson. But it wasn''t toote yet. I headed back to the main gate and soon found Thompson arguing with the staff member from earlier. "I''m telling you I need to go out! Why are you stopping me? This isn''t a prison!" "...It''s not that, I''m telling you that Yuhan just came in. He should be in the dormitory by now..." "Huh, I was just at the dormitory, what are you talking about...!" It looked like a fight was about to break out. I spoke before it was toote. "Mister." "Huh? Mr First ce! You really were here...?" "I told you several times." "Hahahaha... I''m sorry." Thompson apologized politely and approached me, scratching his head with an embarrassed look. "...When did you get back? Mr First ce." "Just now. I guess we missed each other." "Damn it, I didn''t even know!" Thompson, pping his forehead as if embarrassed, suddenly asked, "No, but why were you sote?" "Ah, something suddenly came up." "Something? What something?" "I''ll exin it to youter. Let''s go inside the dormitory for now." I led Thompson to the dormitory like that, and, as he kept urging me, I told him the story. As expected, Thompson''s reaction was intense. "...What? You were almost kidnapped?" "I went in on my own, so it was more like confinement." "Kidnapping or confinement! It''s all the same! Anyway, those inner sector guysmit crimes without hesitation, don''t they? I''m going to..." Thompson rolled up his sleeves with an angry look on his face. He''s such a mysterious man. It''s not easy to make someone feel reassured and worried at the same time. Of course, thetter feeling was overwhelmingly greater. I hope he doesn''t cause any trouble... "Calm down. It was resolved well." "So why did those guys do that?" Ka, who had been listening silently, asked. I cut out the unnecessary parts and answered to the point. "They said they needed more support. It seems like they''re really short on manpower." "...Huh, that''s the reason? That''s why they did that?" Ka said in disbelief. I could fully understand why she was reacting this way. Even I was dumbfounded when I first learned of Barus''s intentions. ''...In the carriage, I naturally thought they would try to persuade me.'' Who would have guessed that they would take me hostage and threaten the academic society? It''s absolutely impossible for someone with normal thinking. At the same time, it meant that Barus didn''t see us as human beings. In a way, should I say it''s still the same? ''It''s the same as the game.'' Even after 100 years, the actions of the nobles in the inner sectors haven''t changed. Their way of thinking waspletely different from ours. ''...Maybe it''s a good thing I was reincarnated as a beggar from Sector 7.'' If I had been reincarnated on their side, I might have been corrupted by their ideology and changed into something I don''t know. It was rather fortunate. Anyway. "In the end, I agreed to get support from the headmaster." "Support? Ah, material support?" "No, the Dean''s participation in the war." "...What?" Ka''s eyes widened. Thompson was also surprised. "...Mr First ce, are you serious? The Dean is going to participate in the war himself? Is that possible?" It was understandable. Those in charge of a ce, like the Magic Tower Master or the Knight Commander, don''t step forward unless it''s a serious crisis. Naturally, Asion Gale is also at that level. However, there was nothing absolute about this. Things could change at any time depending on the situation or their own will. "I''ll have to persuade him." Now it was time to see the results. *** "Ugh..." Asion Gale, sitting in the Dean''s office of Asion Academy, let out a groan. A mountain of documents piled up in front of him. Trying to catch up on the backlog of work was no easy task. Researching magic and writing rted papers was so much fun, but why was this so hard? Honestly, he wanted to go home right away, but... "...No, I can''t. I can''t." Every time he thought about it, Ziren''s coldly sunken face came to mind, sending chills down his spine. She had said: - A diligent Dean is essential for the smooth operation of both the academic society and the academy. If you keep putting it off like this... your contract renewal might be postponed as well, Headmaster. She had said that if he dyed any longer, his contract renewal might be dyed as well. In other words, if he didn''t work quickly, she wouldn''t renew his contract. How bad must it have been for her to say that? Considering that all the work he had put off had been passed on to Professor Ziren, it was understandable why she was saying that. "...I should finish it quickly." He couldn''t lose a valuable talent just because he couldn''t ovee hisziness. It was then that Asion Gale was about to speed up his work. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, a knock was heard. Could it be Professor Ziren, who came to check on his work? "...Come in." He gave permission with that fear in mind, but fortunately, it wasn''t her. "Dean." "Ah, Yuhan. Thank goodness. Thank goodness..." Asion Gale finally let out a sigh of relief. "What is all this...?" "What else could it be but the documents I have to process? The position of being responsible for many people is this heavy." "You didn''t just put it off, did you? I don''t think I''ve ever seen you work before. And you''re even wearing sses." "...Ahem, what nonsense is that? I''ve never rested once. Stop talking nonsense and tell me why you came." When Asion Gale urged him, Yuhan waved his hand dismissively. "No, it''s okay. You seem busy, so let''s talk tomorrow." Yuhan turned around to leave. Asion Gale hurriedly called out to him. "Ah, no! You can tell me now!" "...Yes? But you said you were busy." "...I was just about to take a break. It''s fine for a little while." "You were putting it off, weren''t you?" "..." In the awkward silence... Yuhan settled down and sat down. "I went to the warmand center today." "The warmand center? Why? I thought you said you were going to the checkpoint earlier." "I didn''t go there because I wanted to. Anyway, that''s not important." Slide. Yuhan pushed something across the table. It was a document written on good quality paper... Asion Gale pushed up his sses and examined the document. "This is...?" The contents were surprising. [ording to this contract, the Dean of Asion Academy, hereinafter referred to as Asion Gale, is referred to as ''Party A,'' and themander of the warmand center, hereinafter referred to as Barus Garian, is referred to as ''Party B.'' Upon sessful conclusion of the contract, ''Party B'' shall pay ''Party A'' 10,000 gold coins in advance. Upon sessful fulfillment of the contract, after the war through the [Red Moon Prophecy] is over, ''Party B'' shall pay ''Party A'' 1 ''Magic-rted Elixir.'' Upon sessful fulfillment of the contract, after the war through the [Red Moon Prophecy] is over, ''Party B'' shall pay ''Party A'' 1 ''Undisclosed Magic Book.''] It was a contract to pay him 10,000 gold coins, a magic-rted elixir, and an undisclosed magic book. Moreover, one side was already signed. In the name of Barus Garian, themander of the warmand center. Judging from the traces of magic power remaining, it was undoubtedly a contract written with an artifact owned by the royal family. In other words, it wasn''t forged. Asion Gale stared at Yuhan with a dumbfounded look. "You... what have you done?" ''This guy had a knack for surprising people no matter how many times you saw him.¡¯ [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 79 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 79 "You... what in the world have you done?" The dean, visibly flustered as he scanned the contract, was understandably surprised. I had sprung the contract on him with no warning. However, from the dean''s perspective, it wasn''t a bad deal at all. "Please read it. I negotiated skillfully so that you wouldn''t be taken advantage of." "Yes, it''s incredible, but..." The dean pointed to a section of the contract. His finger rested on the use stating that he must participate in the war specified in the [Blood Moon Prophecy] and faithfully follow themand center''s orders. "This means you''re telling me to participate in the war, right?" The dean had a hesitant look on his face. Indeed, would these rewards matter to him now? It wouldn''t make much difference whether he had them or not. However, I couldn''t back down here. Instead, I spoke confidently. "Yes, please. Please sign this contract and participate in the war." "Huh, huh..." Perhaps it was because of my boldness. The dean let out a hollowugh and asked, "So, Yuhan, there must be a reason why you brought this contract, right?" "...Yes." As expected, I couldn''t persuade him without exining the process. I nodded once and then confessed what had happened. Starting from receiving the summons at the checkpoint, to almost being confined there, and then dramatically negotiating my way out. After I revealed everything, Asion Gale''s reaction was unexpected. As a mage, I thought he would listen calmly. "...What? They threatened you? And a student of our academy at that?" His face crumpled frighteningly. Far from being calm, he seemed angrier than I was, the person involved. It seemed that the rumors about Asion Gale cherishing the members of the academy were true. "How dare they, those ignorant fools...!" Shwaaa-. Along with his angry voice, an eerie magical energy began to swirl around the dean. As expected of a high-ranking 8th Circle mage, his mana had an overwhelming pressure. Just being near him made it difficult to breathe. I could instinctively tell. ''...He''s much stronger than Dercion.'' Asion Gale was much stronger than Aldeon''s former Magic Tower Head, Dercion. I was sure of it, even though I had only felt his mana. It was a moment that made me realize that even within the same Circle, the level of ability varies greatly. "...I need to see that guy''s face." Chuck. Asion Gale muttered as he picked up the staff that had been ced nearby. He seemed ready to storm the warmand center right away. I desperately stopped him. "You can''t go." "Step aside. Those who cross the line must be made an example of!" "...Are you thinking of making enemies of the royal family?" "I wouldn''t hesitate to. Lately, the royal family has been underestimating the academic society. They''ve forgotten how great mages are, thanks to the long period of peace." "No, even so...!" "Why, do you think I would lose?" "..." Well, I wonder. An 8th Circle mage single-handedly raiding the warmand center. That Barus guy seemed quite strong, but... I couldn''t imagine Asion Gale losing to him. Even if someone stronger than Barus came to help. But that''s one thing. "...This would put me in a difficult position. No, it could even shake the entire Asternon." "Shake Asternon?" "Aren''t we about to go to war? Now is not the time to be divided internally." Moreover, if the division arose between the royal family and the academic society... the result was obvious. I wondered if he didn''t know that. "Those demons can be swept away. Asternon has always endured that way." It wasn''t that he didn''t know, but that he simply had no sense of crisis. Well, he''s not wrong. Indeed, they must have ovee past wars that way. However. "This time, the scale isrge. There''s a reason why they call it the Great War, right? Don''t you have any sense of crisis?" This war is different from those that have urred before. Just look at the [Blood Moon Prophecy]. It''s a serious matter, enough to be written in the prophecy. "..." Was he somewhat persuaded? Asion Gale was lost in thought for a moment before speaking. "You''re not wrong. It''s certainly not a good time." From what he said, it seemed like he understood to some extent. I let out a sigh of relief inwardly. If Asion Gale had acted so recklessly, that warmand center would surely have been destroyed. It would have created a huge hole in their forces, which were alreadycking. I spoke once again to drive the point home. "Please bear with it. I beg you." I bowed my head politely as I said those words, and I felt his gaze fixed on me. When I raised my head again, the dean said in a low voice, "Alright. I''ll let it slide for now." At the same time, the mana that had been pressing down on the surroundings subsided. It seemed like he had given up on the idea of attacking. Moreover. "Contract? Participating in the war? It''s all good. If that''s what you want, I''ll do it." "Yes?" "I''m saying I''ll do as you wish." He suddenly epted my proposal. "If what you say is true, then there''s no other way, is there?" "...Yes, that''s right." The situation was going suspiciously smoothly. It was so easy that it made me uneasy. As if to prove my hunch, the dean continued. "However, it''s clear that this is not something that can be simply overlooked. You understand that, right?" "..." I had nothing to say to the dean''s question. Because he was right. Whatever the reason, those guys had done something they shouldn''t have, and the dean had to respond. This was a tant disregard for the academic society. As the academic society had always maintained a proper distance and bnce with the royal family, they couldn''t just sit still. Seeing me silently acquiesce, the dean spoke again. "I''ll participate in the war and follow their orders. However, those guys will definitely pay the price. After the war, that is. Will you stop me then?" The dean asked, looking me straight in the eye. I had no choice but to nod. "Alright. After the war is over... do as you please, Dean." I had done what I could. Those guys should also take responsibility for what they did. What the dean did after the war, whether he went on a rampage or whatever, was none of my business. "Good." With thatpromise, Asion Gale signed the contract without hesitation. And then he suddenly handed the contract to me. "Deliver it." From his voice and the forcefully written signature... it seemed like his anger hadn''t subsided yet. For a moment, I felt like he was simr to someone. Somehow. ''He seems simr to mister...'' He felt strangely simr to Thompson in personality. And not just his personality. Hisrge build, muscr physique... now that I see it, they''repletely alike. If Thompson''s magic skills improved dramatically to the level of a great mage, wouldn''t he be a mage like this? ''...I''ll have to keep an eye on him.'' It seemed like I needed to observe how Thompson''s Body Transformation magic progressed for the time being. *** The morning came after afortable rest in the dormitory. It felt refreshing, as if I had finally gotten a proper rest. Was it the same for Thompson? "Ah! I slept well!" Thompson, springing up from bed, stretched with a refreshed look on his face. Well, he was already asleep when I returned after meeting the dean yesterday. He had gotten enough sleep, so there was no way his body wouldn''t be free from fatigue. Anyway. "Huu, huu...!" ''He''s lively, lively.'' I was lost in thought as I watched Thompson doing hundreds of push-ups early in the morning. ''The preparations here are all done.'' There were some twists and turns, but anyway, the things I had to do here were almost finished. I had enrolled Thompson and Ka in Asion Academy, secured special training sessions with the dean and Professor Ziren, and even finalized a contract between the dean and the warmand center. With this, I could say that the preparations for the war were more or lessplete. Of course, I still had a lot to do separately. ''One by one. One by one.'' First, Barundel. Now that I had volunteered as a war mercenary at the checkpoint, I had to inform Barundel. Unlike Ka and Thompson, Barundel had decided to apply separately. He had asked me to let him know when it was finalized. ''Well, that''s just a matter of visiting him and telling him.'' The reallyplicated things start after that. Visiting the ck market. As I had promised Barundel, I needed to visit the ck market. Of course, I wasn''t just going to buy his weapon. Besides Barundel''s weapon, I was also nning to buy anything else worthwhile. It would definitely help me y an active role in the war, even if it was just a little. Lena''s reward should be ready by now, so I should have enough funds. The problem was... ''...Would the ck market even be open?'' Whether the ck market was operating. Hadn''t I seen it already? The shopping district waspletely empty after the hunt, with all the shops closed. With the war approaching, there was a high chance that the ck market would also be closed like the shopping district. Well, I wouldn''t know for sure until I went there myself. Anyway, after visiting the ck market... ''It''s about time I went.'' I was nning to visit the information center, which I had been putting off for a long time. I had requested them to find people who were researching ''light magic.'' Apart from things like mana circuits, mana density, and magic handling skills, I currently needed an understanding of the light attribute itself. If I could just gain that understanding, the possibilities of light magic were endless. As I grasped the special characteristics, applications, and limits of light, I would be able to use increasingly sophisticated light magic. Indeed, the elders of Aldeon used light magic in various ways. For example, illusions, barriers of light, and such. I wasn''t able to handle those yet. Before the war started, I needed to gather as much information as possible about the light attribute and prepare. "What? Light magic? Hmm... I wonder if there''s anyone left who does that?" Thompson was skeptical of my n. It was understandable, as light was a difficult attribute, and there weren''t many mages who learned it. Moreover, those from the Aldeon academy who had focused on researching light had all been arrested in the previous incident. To be honest, I didn''t have high expectations either. I was already prepared for the possibility that I would have to research light magic myself to improve my skills and understanding. But if... ''If I just have a little bit of luck...'' If I could luckily find someone who fully understood light magic... Perhaps my level could rise even further than it is now. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 80 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 80 I returned to Sector 6 after escaping the academy. There it was, the information broker''s shop, tucked away in a dark corner. Still hidden from in sight, with no signboard. How did I even end up going in there in the first ce? I thought I was pretty lucky. "Anyone there?" "Ah, Mr. Crazy Mage." A man dressed in ck from head to toe, with small sses perched on his nose. He was dressed the same as before and waved his hand in greeting. "Long time no see? How have you been?" "Well, so-so. More importantly, what about what I asked for?" "Ah, that. I finished it a while ago. Here." The information broker slid a piece of paper across the table. A paper full of what appeared to be names. It was the list of Light Magic researchers I had requested earlier. "I''d like to see it without those rted to the Aldeon Academy." "Really? Let me see." The man took back the paper he had handed me. And then... Swipe, swipe... He scanned it and drew lines through the names one by one. The list was gradually filled with lines. ''Should have asked him to take them out from the start. I got my hopes up for nothing.'' I was excited to see so many names on the list, but it turned out they were all rted to the Aldeon Academy. In other words, they were either prisoners or fugitives. I couldn''t learn Light Magic from those obsessed with such bizarre ideas. It was a bit of a shame, though. How long did I wait? "Here." The information broker handed me thepleted list. A whopping three-quarters of it had been crossed out, leaving it quite bare. Still, it was a relief. Because there were still some people left. "Hmm." I looked at the names on the list one by one. Three people had survived the man''s elimination: [Ani Persson] [Diablka Zamet] [Adam Michael] Naturally, they were all names I had never heard of before. I pointed to each name in turn and asked for information. The man opened his mouth as if he had memorized everything. "Ani Persson, a man living in Sector 3, I hear he''s been immersed in Light Magic research for over 20 years. He''s the most ordinary man among them." "A man... So you''re saying he''s not a mage?" "From the information I''ve gathered, that''s right. They say he can''t handle a single speck of mana." "That''s a shame." If he had been studying light for 20 years, it meant he was quite an expert in this field. However, the fact that he wasn''t a mage was a huge w. Magic is an ability that cannot be truly grasped without using it, no matter how much you read about it or research it, so it couldn''t be helped that I felt it was a shame. Surely his perspective on Light Magic would be different from mine. Therefore, although he was a reasonable option... I''ll pass for now. "What about this person?" I pointed to the second name on the list. I was curious. The man had said that Ani Persson was the most ordinary of the three. That meant the others weren''t. Why would he say that? "Diablka Zamet. A 7th Circle Royal Mage. Light Magic is his main attribute." "..." Hearing that, I understood why he phrased it like that. ''A Royal Mage isn''t exactly an ordinary person.'' Since the royal family held the most power in Asternon, the position of Royal Mage wasn''t something just anyone could attain. Surely, they would have proven themselves through magic and fiercepetition. ''Or maybe they have royal blood.'' Either way, as a 7th Circle Mage, his skill was definitely guaranteed. However. ''Still, it''s not possible.'' No matter how urgent the situation was or how desperate I was to grow stronger, I couldn''t ask a Royal Mage to teach me Light Magic. It was clear that they saw people as tools, just like in the warmand room, so who knows what they might do to me if I went there? More than anything, I doubted they would teach me even if I asked. An arrogant Royal Mage, teaching me? As if they would. So, I''ll pass on this one too. "...What about this person?" This was already thest person. Adam Michael. Somehow, just looking at the name, it reminded me of an angel... "Adam Michael. This person is also a 7th Circle Mage, but notably, he has a criminal record." "...A criminal record?" "I hear he used to be a Dark Mage. He surrendered, saying he wanted to walk a new path, and after finishing his sentence, he truly devoted himself to Light Magic." "..." An angel, my foot. He was actually quite the opposite. Besides, it was strange enough to find a former Dark Mage on the list of people researching light, but he even surrendered? What kind of wind blew him over? He was apletely unpredictable and unique case. "He resides in Sector 4. So, what do you think? Interested?" "...No way." Whatever the reason, there was a high probability that he wasn''t normal. In the end, I had to pass on this person too... "Tsk." Even if I wanted to see more, there was no one left. As expected, it was difficult to find the right person in Asternon, where an entire Light Magic school had vanished. ''Should I just go back?'' I had three options. One was to give up on everything and research Light Magic on my own. Another was to leave Asternon and search for someone new elsewhere. And thest one was... [Ani Persson] To settle for Ani Persson, the expert in theory, and seek him out. It didn''t take me long to decide. ''Let''s go find him first.'' I could always research on my ownter. The same went for searching in a new ce. Since I already got the information, I figured it wouldn''t hurt to pay him a visit. After all, I had nothing to lose, right? If I didn''t like him, I could simply choose not to learn from him. Anyway. "Alright. Then I''ll give you additional information about this person." The information broker rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a document. It was clearly a profile with Ani Persson''s information. Just as I was about to take it... "Oops!" With an exaggerated gesture, the information broker spilled the water cup next to him. Fizzle And at the same time, the letters vanished. Perhaps it was some special paper used only at the information broker''s shop, but all the contents written inside were erased. "Oh dear, what to do? All the information I gathered has disappeared?" Contrary to his words, the man didn''t look fazed at all. It meant it wasn''t a mistake. "What was that about?" "Well, well, it seems I have no choice but to tell you from memory." His tone was incredibly nonchnt. If nonchnce were a person, this would be it. There was only one reason for him to act this way. "So you''re saying there''s an extra charge..." "..." He wanted more money. This guy was so predictable. Why couldn''t he just ask directly? Why did he have to be so obvious about it? Honestly, it was getting a bit pathetic. Of course, he was a hundred times better than those with unreadable intentions, like Barus or Roan. "Here you go." "Haha. Thank you, customer." I handed him all the money I had left, and he bowed his head. He immediately became serious and began exining the information he knew. From the exact address to the evaluations of the people around him, his likes, his past, and so on... It was quite detailed information, and as expected, he didn''t disappoint. ''It would have been perfect if he wasn''t so obsessed with money...'' Well, what could I do? I had to just ept it, thinking, ''Well, he''s just dedicated to his job.'' Anyway, after jotting down all the information I had heard, I asked one more thing. "Do you happen to know about the ck market?" It was information about the ck market. Nothing major, I just wanted to ask if it was open. "Of course! We know everything, Mage customer. However... you know, right?" But then he immediately hinted that I should pay. I didn''t bother with him any further and got up from my seat. "Oh my. Are you leaving already?" "I''m out. Not a penny left." It was true. I had already poured out all my assets when I went hunting. Of course, I had the gold coins I received as a reward from Lena, but I had thoroughly set those aside to purchase Barundel''s weapons. I hadn''t even received the rest yet. "Hmm..." Perhaps he sensed my sincerity. The information broker, who had been examining my face, suddenly nodded. "Alright, I''ll tell you this one for free. As a service." "...What''s gotten into you?" "Just attracting regr customers, I guess. It''s not really that big of a deal anyway." He chuckled and gestured for me to sit down. Soon, a wealth of information about the ck market began pouring out. As expected, this was a ce I couldn''t give up on, even if it was expensive. *** After leaving the information broker''s shop. "Asking for money as soon as we meet, honestly..." "Haha... Thank you." Upon hearing that the ck market was open, I immediately went to Lena and borrowed some gold coins. Thus, I had 1,000 gold coins in my possession. ''This should be enough.'' ording to the information broker, to enter the ck market, I had to purchase a ticket, which cost a whopping 100 gold coins. Moreover, I needed to buy any cheap and useful items I found inside... So, I had no choice but to borrow the gold coins. Well, to be precise, it wasn''t borrowing, but rather receiving some of the artifacts I was scheduled to receive in advance in the form of gold coins. Anyway. "Is this the ce?" I arrived at the entrance to the ck market that the information broker had mentioned. It was a shabby tavern in a deserted alley in Sector 6. From the outside, it lookedpletely ordinary, arousing no suspicion. With a mixture of doubt and anticipation, I entered. "Wee!" A staff member with a bright voice greeted me with a cheerful face. He seemed too cheerful to be managing the entrance to a ck market. However, after carefully observing my surroundings... "This is the ce." I could sense that this was no ordinary ce. This was because there were five employees in this empty ce with no customers. Except for the woman who greeted me, all of them were burly men the size of Thompson. "Excuse me? What do you mean...?" I tilted my head at the female employee, pretending to be clueless. "One ck Cocktail, please." Then... "Money?" As if she had never been friendly, the woman''s face hardened. The way her expression changed in an instant was bizarre. Perhaps this was her true self. "Here." I handed her the pouch with 100 gold coins that I had prepared in advance, and she took it nonchntly. Then, she handed me a stiff ck paper. "This is your entry ticket. The entrance is that way." Thump, thump, thump. As soon as she finished speaking, one of the men who had been waiting nearby approached. "Follow me." The man led me to a corner. He tapped on the wall. Rumble! Suddenly, the floor opened, revealing a hidden space. It was a staircase leading underground... Judging by the size inside, it seemed like a space expansion spell had been cast on it. This was definitely the ck market. "Go straight down. There will be a separate exit inside." "Ah, okay." Following the man''s guidance, I took one step at a time down into the basement. This was my first time visiting a ck market since I came to this world. I used them often in the game... I wonder what it''s like now? I was quite excited. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 81 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 81 I took one step at a time, relying on the faint light. Unlike the quiet upper floors, the noise level increased as I descended. ¡°Uhaha! Alright, at this price, it''s a steal!¡± ¡°Oh my, it''s been a while since you''ve been here.¡± ¡°What? It''s already sold out?¡± The noise was none other than the chatter of the people here. I hadn''t even arrived yet, but I could already sense the sheer number of people present. And just as I felt... ¡°Wow.¡± The ck market stretched on endlessly, teeming with countless people. People buying goods, people selling goods, people haggling over prices with a grumble... Just from what I could see, there seemed to be at least a few hundred people. But there was something even more surprising. ¡°Is this really the ck market I know?¡± The spaciousness, the facilities, theyout of the shops¡­ It waspletely different from the Asternon ck market I had seen in the game. The ck market had changed almost as much as academies had developed. It felt like looking at an underground shopping mall in Seoul... But on a muchrger scale. It was practically another city in itself. ¡°Well then, where...¡± Putting my amazement aside, I started to browse the goods. Items were disyed on counters in front of each shop, and true to its nature, the ck market was mainly filled with things you wouldn''t normally find in regr stores. Especially equipment. Perhaps due to the war season, there were a plethora of protective gear and artifacts. At this rate, I might have a good chance of finding what I''m looking for. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I chose a shop that caught my eye and stepped inside. As expected, the owner rushed over to greet me. ¡°Wee! Hehehe. Is there anything you''re looking for?¡± ¡°I''m looking for [Anatak''s Great Axe].¡± ¡°Yikes! You mean that expensive item...?¡± The owner was startled and then clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°We don''t deal with such luxury goods in our shop. You''ll probably have to go over there for that.¡± ¡°Over there... you mean the shop with the gold sign?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. That''s right.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± My hunch was wrong, but the oue was good. The owner kindly informed me even though it wouldn''t benefit him. ''Since I''m here, should I look around?'' I feel like buying something. A conscientious owner like this wouldn''t rip off his customers, at least. As I pretended to look around the items, the owner''s face brightened. ¡°Hehe, you''ve made a wise decision. The goods in our shop are of excellent quality.¡± As he said, the items disyed on the counter were indeed of high quality. Most were in A-grade condition, almost as good as new. Among them, one item particrly caught my eye. It was a deep tan mage robe with a distinctly autumnal feel... The reason it caught my eye was simple. It was obviously arge size. ''Mister will like this, won''t he?'' Thompson, being arge man, has trouble finding robes that fit him. This would be a good opportunity to get him one. However, the owner''s expression wasn''t very good. "Ah, um... that item." He seemed to struggle to find the right words, hemming and hawing. Clearly, there was something about this robe. "Does it have any special effects?" "Ah, well... it has the property of ''assimtion'' to the magic used by mages." Assimtion. It''s an effect found on some high-value equipment. With this effect, the robe remains unaffected no matter what magic is used. Simply put, the robe will never be damaged by magic cast by the wearer. It would be a perfect fit for Thompson, who mainly fights by encasing his body in earth magic. However, this didn''t exin the owner''s reaction. This was a beneficial effect, wasn''t it? "Is there anything else?" In the ck market, items are often brought in through unusual channels. As such, they often have special effects that are rarely seen in the regr market. This robe was probably one such case. As I expected, the owner spoke up. "Well, you see... this robe... has a consciousness." "Excuse me?" At that moment... -Get your filthy hands off me, human! A voice that seemed to pierce through my mind echoed, and I was so startled that I dropped the robe. I looked at the owner with a bewildered expression, but he just gave an awkwardugh. "Ha, hahaha..." A robe with a consciousness? I had heard stories about such things existing, but this was the first time I had actually seen one. Whatever its story, it certainly wasn''t an ordinary item. "...There are no other effects, right?" "Yes, yes. It''s just that it can be a bit noisy, that''s all." I felt a mix of worry and anticipation. ''Can anyone even fight wearing this?'' Talking might be fine in everyday situations, but in battle, it could cause a lot of problems. What if it suddenly started shouting in the middle of a fight? That momentary surprise could determine the oue of the battle. Moreover, judging by its "filthy hands"ment, it didn''t seem to have a very pleasant personality. It could have a negative influence on Thompson. That was the worrying part. But there was also something to look forward to. Having a consciousness meant that other senses might be open as well. I picked up the robe again to check. As if waiting for this, the robe started talking. -I clearly told you to get your filthy hands off me! Ignoring whatever it was babbling about, I asked what I was curious about. "Can you see me? Can you hear me?" -Ha! What a ridiculous question! Do you perhaps think that only humans possess those senses? If so, that''s incredibly arrogant... h h h. Having obtained enough information, I put the robe back down. The noise in my head quieted down as if nothing had happened. I had already made up my mind. "I''ll buy this." "R-really?" I nodded with a serious expression. The moment I confirmed that it had senses, my decision was made. The existence of senses meant that there were elements that could be helpful in battle. Like telling me about attacksing from behind, or sensing an energy that the wearer couldn''t feel, and so on. Well, the noisy chatter was a bit of a concern... ''I can tame it.'' It was just a robe, after all. If I threatened it, like saying I''d burn it in fire, it wouldn''t be able to do anything. Besides, it wasn''t like I was going to wear it. ''Mister will take care of it.'' Even if he treated it like a personal punching bag, I wasn''t going to interfere. Anyway, the important thing now was the price. ''5,000 gold coins, plus the 1,000 I borrowed. After deducting the entrance fee and the axe price...'' I had about 900 gold coins left. Of course, it was 900 gold coins, but I couldn''t spend it all here. I had to buy other things too. ''It''s worth buying if it''s under 200 gold coins.'' After making that calction, I opened my mouth. "How much is it?" "200 gold coins." 200 gold coins. The exact amount I had deemed reasonable. But... ''It''s a shame...'' Human desire is truly fickle. Now that the price was exactly what I had in mind, it somehow seemed a bit expensive. "Is it possible to get a little discount...?" "H-how much of a discount would you like...?" The owner, who had been so positive until now, hesitated. It seemed that, as a merchant, he was sensitive about haggling. Well, that was that. If he was a merchant, I was a customer. The cheaper the price, the better. "How about 100 gold coins?" 100 gold coins. A price cut in half. Naturally, the owner was startled and waved his hands. "...Oh, no way! 100 gold coins would be a losing deal for me!" ¡®A losing deal, huh? So that means the cost is at least that much¡­¡¯ "Who would even wear this thing? Just look at it, it''s obviously loud and has a terrible personality. Let''s make it 110 gold coins." I started the real bargaining process, gradually raising the price. "W-well, that may be true, but 110 gold coins is n-no way enough! This is worth..." "Then 120 gold coins. It''s not going to sell anyway." "Hmm... I might consider it for 140 gold coins..." "Alright. Let''s go with 130 gold coins. That''s my final offer." Around that point, the owner reluctantly nodded. "You''re a real robber, customer... Fine. 130 gold coins it is." 130 gold coins. I had cut the original price by 35 percent. This was a reasonablepromise. "Thank you." "...Here you go. Please wear it well, no, treat it well." "Don''t worry." I bowed in thanks and received the robe from the owner. The robe was inside a luxurious disposable bag, as if it were a gift. Fortunately, it seemed like the voice couldn''t be heard unless it was in direct contact with the body. I was already looking forward to it. ''Thompson will love this.'' This should be enough. As a way of repaying him for the experience point artifact. ''I''ll get you something betterter.'' As I was thinking that, I arrived at the shop with the gold sign that the owner had mentioned earlier. It certainly was a ce that dealt with luxury goods. The size, the exterior of the building, and the overall appearance of the shop were all different. It even seemed like a perfume-like scent was wafting from inside. I stepped inside, earnestly hoping that they had what I was looking for. "Wee." A gentleman dressed in a refined manner greeted me at the front. The man bowed his head and remained standing in ce. It seemed like I was supposed to browse on my own. ''Well then...'' I slowly walked around the shop, taking in the sights. Weapons, essories, equipment, and more. Items were well-organized by category. Everything looked expensive. I felt like someone who hade to splurge with their first paycheck. Of course, putting aside that feeling of inadequacy, my eyes were delighted. ''Whoa, this is definitely a legendary-grade staff, isn''t it?'' ''...What? The robe has a built-in barrier function?'' ''Crazy, a single ring costs 10,000 gold coins...'' The prices were high, but the quality was top-notch,parable to anything. These must have been meticulously crafted by artisans from all over the world. Of course, there was probably a reason why they were in the ck market. For example... BOOM! Yeah, like this. "Oh my gosh!" A paper book disyed behind me suddenly exploded. Fortunately, the book was kept inside a transparent cubic ss case, so I wasn''t harmed. Only its pages were burnt ck. "Sir, are you alright?" "...What was that?" "Ah, that''s an artifact that periodically explodes." "But then it can''t be used, can it? It looks like it''s all burnt." "Haha, don''t worry. If you wait a little, it''ll recover soon." "Recover?" Just as he said... Flip, flip, flip! Whoosh! Not long after, the pages of the book flipped madly and it spewed ck smoke around it. When the smoke cleared, the book appearedpletely fine. It had self-restored. ''...I''m speechless.'' This was the ck market, after all. No matter how much I saw, it was a mysterious ce. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 82 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 82 "There are so many... fascinating things here." At my words, the employee chuckled. "Well, that''s the charm of this ce, isn''t it? Hahaha." "That''s true." Although I was a bit startled by the explosion, he was right. This was the charm of the ck market. Even when I yed the game, I liked this aspect of it and often visited the ck market. Well, I stoppeding once I passed the 5-year mark. From then on, I knew everything, so nothing was surprising anymore. However... ''That book, and the robe I just bought...'' Now, everything was fascinating. Since it was an era 100 yearster, it seemed like many new and bizarre items had been added. "I heard you can enter from other sectors here... Is that right?" "Ah, I see you''re new here. Yes, that''s correct. This is a mystical market connected to every sector. There should be guides for each sector who can direct you to the entrances." ''This is the same as before.'' Even though the location of the entrance had changed, the unique feature of being connected to all sectors remained the same. This meant I would have to frequent the ck market like it was a dining hall for a while. ''I need to n my build.'' I needed to update my build to match the new items. Such a spirit of inquiry was an essential virtue for a true veteran. It was also a way to prepare for variables I didn''t know about. Anyway... "Have you seen everything?" As I continued to browse the shop, the employee asked. He seemed to be hoping that I would buy something. The problem was that they didn''t have what I was looking for. When I told him that, the employee kindly asked, "Ah, may I ask what you''re looking for?" "I''m looking for [Anatak''s Great Axe]." Flinch The employee, who had been listening quietly, asked in surprise, "[Anatak''s Great Axe]... you say?" "Yes." Then he suddenly bowed deeply. "I apologize. I didn''t realize you were such a VIP customer and treated you carelessly. I should have served you better..." He seemed to regret his somewhat casual demeanor. Considering the things VIP customers did in the ck market, his worry was understandable. I waved my hand to reassure him that it was okay. "Oh... no, it''s alright. You treated me well enough. I actually preferred it this way, without feeling pressured." "Thank you for thinking so." By the way, a VIP... It seemed like the item I was trying to buy was quite expensive. His attitude changed just from me saying I was looking for it. Considering it was a luxury item worth about 50 million won in Korean currency, it wasn''t surprising. "So, do you have the item I''m looking for?" "Ah, of course. Please follow me." Click, ck. The employee led the way, his polished shoes tapping against the floor. He stopped in front of an iron door and pressed a button next to it. This was the first time I''d seen an elevator in this world. ''They said this works with mana, right?'' Whatever the method, it was quite fascinating. There were many things simr to where I used to live, like the magicmunicator that resembled a smartphone, and now this elevator. ''People live the same way everywhere, I guess.'' With that thought, I boarded the elevator. Ding. The employee naturally pressed the button for the second floor. "We''re going up?" "Ah, yes. The highest-grade items are kept separately on the second floor." "I see." This ce was undoubtedly a top-tier luxury shop, even among the ck market''s offerings. The first floor was already full of incredible items, but there were even more amazing things than those? "...Wait a minute. Highest-grade items? You mean there are even better items than those on the first floor?" "Yes? ...Ah, yes, that''s right." "Then that means the prices are even higher?" "Yes, they usually exceed double the price. Is there some kind of problem...?" The employee asked with a worried look, but I couldn''t hear the rest of his words. My mind was preupied with a single thought. It was about the most expensive item I had seen on the first floor. That ring cost a whopping 10,000 gold coins. ''Why was such an item on the first floor...?'' There were two possibilities that immediately came to mind. Either the ring had a serious defect and was sent to the first floor, or... The items on the second floor were all far more expensive than that ring. Ding. I would soon find out which was the correct answer. "Let''s get off." When we arrived on the second floor and the elevator doors opened, the employee strode forward first. I followed right behind him and quickly scanned the price tags of the items around me. essories like rings, nes, earrings, bracelets, and anklets. Equipment such as armor, protectors, helmets, and weapons. And even clothing like coats, cloaks, and scarves. I checked them all, but... ''This is bad.'' The starting price was at least 20,000 gold coins. An absurd amount for me, who currently only had around 5,000 gold coins. "[Anatak''s Great Axe] is this way." Unaware of my suffocating feeling, the employee guided me with a friendly smile. "...Ah, yes." I followed him for now. I couldn''t just turn back aftering this far. I needed to see it with my own eyes first. And... "Ha, hahaha..." I ended up confirming it. 30,000 gold coins. A price close to a staggering 300 million won. Moreover, 30,000 gold coins was the most expensive price among the items I had seen on the second floor. "Haha, isn''t it wonderful? You''re quite lucky, customer. We were nning to send it to the auction house next month." "...Wa-wasn¡¯t this originally 5,000 gold coins?" Flustered, I stammered as I asked, and the employee replied, "Ah, it was originally, but the price has gone up since it was recently upgraded to the highest grade." "It was upgraded? How...?" "Well, it''s because a hidden ability was recently discovered. Ah, you didn''t know?" "...No." I couldn''t help but give a dejected reply. It was understandable. Who would have known that the price would suddenly increase when I hade here with such high hopes? Or perhaps... -Do you even know how much that is? ...Perhaps Barundel knew. That might be why he was so angry. "Sigh..." Anyway, the situation had be very difficult. I hade here to gift Barundel a new weapon, but now I was going to have to return empty-handed. Moreover, there was no one to me. This was something I had thought of and done on my own. It was purely my fault. ''Damn it. Who would have known that a 5,000 gold coin item would be 30,000 gold coins!'' Feeling a bit wronged, I asked the employee, "What kind of effect is it that made the price go up so much? And how did it get the highest grade rating?" "Oh dear... it seems you really didn''t know anything." Did he realize that he couldn''t sell the item? The employee shook his head regretfully and said, "[Anatak''s Great Axe]''s upgrade condition was recently discovered." Upgrade condition. That meant one thing. "...You mean [Anatak''s Great Axe] was a growth-type artifact?" The fact that this was a growth-type artifact and could ultimately reach the mythic grade. The employee nodded in agreement with that unbelievable story. "Yes, that''s right." "...Huh." If that was true, it made sense that the price had increased this much. A mythic-grade artifact was something that was hard to obtain, no matter how much money you had. The fact that such a weapon was currently priced at 30,000 gold coins meant... "It hasn''t grown yet, has it?" "That''s correct." It meant that even though the condition had been discovered, no one had been able to make it grow. If it had grown, it wouldn''t be something that could be obtained for a mere 30,000 gold coins. Naturally, my curiosity was piqued. Just what kind of condition was it that no one had been able to fulfill? The employee answered my question, "It seems you need to kill 10,000 demons." "Ah..." Hunting a whopping 10,000 demons. After hearing the condition, I could understand why no one had seeded. ''10,000... that would take forever.'' The number of demons we had managed to kill in the past two weeks, sweating blood and tears, was only a few hundred. And even that was the total number we had killed as a group of four. Individually, it was probably less than 100. So 10,000? It was likely that no one would even attempt it. That''s why it was currently being sold here. However... ''...It''s tempting.'' The fact that no one had attempted it felt like an opportunity to me. An opportunity to give Barundel an end-game level weapon. The growth condition of 10,000 demons wasn''t something to worry too much about. It was a condition that would eventually be met if we hunted diligently. Besides, even now, the basic stats and effects were usable. It wasn''t a legendary-grade artifact for nothing. However... ''30,000 gold coins... that''s just absurd.'' The problem was the price. 30,000 gold coins wasn''t chump change. Without the support of some wealthy noble, it was close to impossible. ''Maybe fighting Baal would be faster...'' I wasn''t just saying that. I was serious. Even when I was raising the rank 1 zombie swordsman, the most I had ever gathered was less than 10,000 gold coins. Of course, I had to consider the soaring intion... Still, 30,000 gold coins was an absurd amount. It would be one thing if I only had to equip one person. But considering the equipment for the other party members as well as Barundel''s weapon, there was a mountain of things to get. "Is it possible to pay in installments?" "Excuse me?" "You know, 120 months interest-free..." "..." The employee looked at me as if I were crazy. So it wasn''t possible. "Then how about renting it...?" "...Sir, how can we rent out such an item? And how would we even determine the rental fee?" "..." He wasn''t wrong. Renting itself was a problem, but determining the rental fee was an even bigger problem. Even if it was just 1,000 gold coins a month, that would amount to 12,000 gold coins a year. Moreover, if it got damaged during use... the cost would outweigh the benefits. "Honestly, we''d like to lend it to you if we could. It''s not selling, so we''re having trouble getting rid of it." "Oh, is that so?" Come to think of it, he did say he would put it up for auction next month. Since it was a difficult artifact to grow, its value might drop significantly at the auctionpared to 30,000 gold coins. Seeing as they were putting it up for auction despite that, it seemed like the shop wanted to get rid of it quickly. Just then... "Wait a minute, how about this?" A decent idea suddenly came to mind. "You lend it to me long-term without a monthly rental fee. For about 5 years?" "What are you talking about? Why would we make such a deal...?" "In return, when I return it, I''ll return it after raising it to mythic grade." "Excuse me?" An idea to borrow [Anatak''s Great Axe] for free. And with a very usible condition at that. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 83 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 83 "Return it after raising it to mythic grade... what does that even mean?" The employee said with a dumbfounded look. Well, it wasn''t surprising. Here was a man standing before him, iming he would kill 10,000 demons - a truly unbelievable situation. If I were in the employee''s shoes, I would react the same way. However... "It''s exactly as I said. If you lend it to me, I''ll return it after raising its grade." These were not empty words. Actually, the condition of 10,000 demons was doable. Demons were everywhere in the journey ahead. Even now, a great war was looming, wasn''t it? Unless something unexpected happened, I would be able to y hundreds more demons there. Considering that such battles would continue in the future, 10,000 was well within the realm of possibility. Of course, it would take some time. ''As long as it doesn''t break before then.'' Barundel was an expert when it came to taking care of axes. He would make sure it didn''t get damaged. "So, how about it? Deal?" This was a good enough offer for the shop to ept. From the shop''s perspective, lending it to us on favorable terms was much better than selling it off cheaply at the auction, wasn''t it? It was a mutually beneficial deal in many ways. The problem was... "How can we trust you and hand it over?" Right, there was the issue of trust. A customer visiting for the first time, a mysterious man whose identity hadn''t been properly verified. That''s who I was, objectively speaking, from the employee''s point of view. It would be difficult to readily hand over an item to such a person. Especially a very expensive item worth 30,000 gold coins. Therefore, I needed to prove myself. To show them what kind of person I was. "First, take a look at this." I detached the identification card I always carried on my waist and handed it to the employee. This should build some trust. "Hmm, you participated in the Aldeon evaluation. You must be quite skilled. Wait a minute... are you currently enrolled at Asion Academy?" "Yes, that''s right." The identification card contained a brief record so that others could see what the owner did. For example, records of me taking the Aldeon evaluation, enrolling in the academy, and volunteering as a war mercenary. In a way, it was like a portable resume. "Oh... that''s quite surprising. A student from a prestigious academy." As expected, the employee was impressed. Even if you didn''t know someone well, if they showed you a student ID from a top university, you would naturally feel a sense of trust. The employee probably felt the same way. The only regret was that I hadn''t updated my circle information yet. ''It would have been better if I had done that too.'' From the 4th Circle onwards, being a 4th Circle mage itself helped prove one''s identity. As the level increased, the number of people at that level decreased, making it easier to identify individuals. This also meant the likelihood of engaging in shady activities decreased. If I had updated my circle information, I could have earned extra points in this situation. Of course, I didn''t know I would be using it like this, so it couldn''t be helped. Putting aside my regrets, I continued with the main topic. "Would this be enough?" I looked at the employee with an intense gaze, making it difficult for him to refuse. However, after a moment of contemtion, the employee shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don''t think this will be enough." "...Is that so?" It seemed that it was difficult to lend out a legendary artifact with just this. I needed to offer something more... How long did I ponder? Suddenly, a brilliant idea shed through my mind. ''This isn''t a problem that needs to be solved by building trust, is it?'' There was a much simpler way than building trust. I exined my n to the employee, and fortunately, he quickly agreed. "That certainly seems like a feasible deal." I had finally seeded in persuading him. Indeed, there was no reason to refuse now. "Well thought out. Then shall we meet again tomorrow here to discuss further? I''ll bring what I mentioned as well." "Yes, that sounds good. I''ll bring the manager too." Having sessfully scheduled the next meeting, I left the shop with a feeling of relief. "Phew." Perhaps because the deal was going well, the air felt clear even though we were underground. Of course, it wasn''t something to get excited about just yet. To make this deal happen, I still had to persuade ''him''. "He won''t suddenly try to kill me, will he...?" My relieved heart became heavy again. "Well, it''ll work out somehow!" Shaking off my worries, I carefully made my way out of the ck market. *** It didn''t take long to reach my next destination. As soon as I left the ck market, I arrived at Barundel''s training hall. I had considered going to his house, but I came here instead, and as expected, Barundel was at the training hall. And with familiar faces. "Oh, Yuhan!" "Huh? Yuhan?" "Oh, it really is him!" Barundel was the first to spot me, and the others also rushed over with smiles when they saw me. "Yuhan!" "It''s been a while." These guys, who greeted me as if they had found a long-lost friend, were none other than the fellow mages I had learned light magic with at Aldeon. Seeing them drenched in sweat, it seemed that Barundel had resumed the training they had paused while he was away. The training hall quickly became lively. "Wow, it''s only been a few weeks, but it feels so good to see you! How have you been?" "Well, I haven''t been up to much..." After catching up for a while... It was time to put an end to the small talk and call Barundel. "Barundel, I have something to discuss with you." "Ah, has the mercenary work been decided?" "It''s not about that, it''s something else important." "Something important? Hmm... Come this way." Barundel tilted his head with an unreadable expression and led me to a side room. It seemed to be a personal space used only by Barundel... As I stepped inside, the chatter from outside was significantly reduced. "Is there a soundproofing spell on this room?" "Ah, I put some effort into it when I built this training hall. I had a romantic vision for this kind of space... Looking back, it was a meaningless endeavor." "You must be quite attached to this training hall?" "Well, I can''t help it. This was the first thing I started after quitting being a hunter." "Aha, it must have cost a lot of money." "Indeed... but why are you asking this all of a sudden?" Barundel asked with a frown, sensing something strange. It seemed I had inadvertently given off a hint. Telling him now would only shock him, so I decided to talk about his weapon first. I started by telling him about my visit to the ck market to find [Anatak''s Great Axe] and how I found it at a shop there. "Oh... is that true?" Naturally, Barundel was delighted. It was only natural, since I was talking about finding his new weapon. At this point, I asked what I was curious about. "Did you know?" "Know what?" "That the price of the axe has gone up tremendously. It costs a whopping 30,000 gold." "3-30,000 gold, you say...?" "Yes." "Huh..." Judging from his expression, he didn''t seem to know. "I heard that the price had gone up... but I didn''t know it would be that much. It seems like it had a hidden ability." "Exactly. I heard that [Anatak''s Great Axe] is a growth-type artifact." "Ah, I see... Wait, growth-type? Does that mean...?" "Yes, it''s an axe that can grow to mythic grade." "Gasp!" Even Barundel, who didn''t usually show much emotion, couldn''t help himself at this news. He covered his mouth with hisrge hand and his eyes widened. He knew the value of a mythic-grade artifact. "M-m-mythic grade, you say?" Barundel even stuttered. I fully understood how he felt. I also had the experience of getting so excited when I first obtained a mythic-grade weapon that I jumped around and broke my monitor. Of course, Barundel hadn''t actually obtained the weapon yet, but this showed how significant a mythic-grade item was. There were less than 100 mythic-grade weapons with normal effects in this world. "So, 30,000 gold..." Barundel seemed to immediately understand the inted price, knowing its value. Along with that, a slightly disappointed expression appeared on his face. "Then... it would be difficult for me to use it." It was a perfectly normal reaction. Who would think they could use a weapon worth 30,000 gold? I was looking forward to Barundel''s reaction when I told him what came next. "But, I made a deal with the employee at the shop." "A deal, you say?" "A deal for them to lend me [Anatak''s Great Axe]." "...Lend? They would lend out such a weapon?" "Of course, it wasn''t easy. But they epted my proposal." "Th-that means!" "Yes, you can use [Anatak''s Great Axe]." Was he shocked? Instead of the reaction I expected, Barundel paced around with a serious expression, his arms crossed. "Huh... Hmm... Me, with a mythic-grade weapon...?" He seemed restless, like a child who had caused a major ident. I added an exnation, thinking he might be misunderstanding something. "To be precise, it''s not a mythic-grade weapon yet. It needs to be leveled up." "Ah, right. What''s the growth condition?" "You need to kill 10,000 demons with that weapon." "Aha, I see... Wait, 10,000?" "Yes." Thud. Barundel, who had been constantly pacing, stopped in his tracks. "That certainly won''t be easy." He finally realized the reality of the situation. In a way, this growth condition could be a big problem for Barundel. "To fulfill 10,000... that means I have to go back to being a demon hunter." The moment he received this weapon, he would have to be a demon hunter again. This was also an opportunity to get a definite answer from him that he would continue to be with me. "Would that be alright with you?" "..." After a moment of silence, Barundel spoke with difficulty. "...I need some time to think about it." It seemed that he couldn''t easily make a decision, perhaps due to his trauma. "Yes, please think it over carefully and let me know. We can postpone the deal." "...Alright." As he replied, I clicked my tongue inwardly. ''I shouldn''t have said this first.'' If I had known the atmosphere would be so heavy, I would have brought up something else first. In my opinion, this next topic would make the atmosphere even more serious. ''...Well, it can''t be helped.'' The water had already been spilled. Since it hade to this, I decided to just go for it. "But... there''s one more condition." "Hmm? What else is there?" "Since it''s an expensive item, we''ll need some coteral." "Ah, you''re right. It''s a deal that can''t be made without coteral. Hmm, but what do we have that we can offer as coteral..." "There''s only one thing." Gulp. I swallowed hard and spoke. "This training hall." At that moment... I saw it. Barundel''s face, hardened with coldness. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 84 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 84 "What did you just say...?" A low voice, the likes of which I had never heard before. I suppressed the shivers running down my spine and spoke. "Th-they said they''ll lend it to me if I put this training hall up as coteral..." At that moment... Thud. "W-wait!" I sensed a murderous intent in Barundel''s eyes and dashed out of the room. Thump, thump, thump! Barundel chased after me in an instant. This wasn''t some cute chase between lovers on a beach. This was a life-or-death chase. At this moment, even a murderer couldn''t be more terrifying than Barundel. "Stop right there!" He shouted in a furious voice, swinging his axe as he chased me. "So that''s why you asked? If it cost a lot of money to build this training hall!" "W-wait!" "Aha! Now I see, you nned everything from the start! Your goal was to steal my property all along!" "That''s not true! ...L-let''s put that down first and talk!" Was he not even listening to me? "You swindler! You devil! Die!" Whack! Barundel continued to run, mming his sharpened axe into the ground. No, it seemed like his speed had increased even more. Now, I wouldn''t be able to shake him off without using magic. Crackle! Dash, dash, dash! In the end, I ran around the training hall with lightning magic enhancing my speed. Meanwhile, I overheard voices. "...This is the first time I''ve seen Master so angry." "His speed is incredible. Is this the true value of physical training?" "...We still have a long way to go." It was the chatter of my fellow mages, watching this situation as if it were a movie. Somehow, it sounded irritating. ''These guys aren''t even trying to help!'' Who were they to thank for being able to train here? I wanted to smack them, but now wasn''t the time. All I could do was run like crazy, vowing never to forget this incident. "Gasp...!" How long had I been running? By the time I waspletely out of breath, Barundel finally stopped chasing me. It seemed like Barundel had finally run out of stamina. "Huff...! Huff...! Your speed has increased even more, Johannes!" "Gasp...! Gasp...! Let''s stop, shall we? Do you really intend to keep this up?" "Huff... I''m getting old, I''m getting old." Thud. Barundel copsed on the floor and spoke between ragged breaths. "Tell me how you came up with such an idea." "..." Judging from his tone, he seemed to be asking how I came up with the idea of offering the training hall as coteral... Honestly, I didn''t have much to say about this part. "Well, it''s the weapon Barundel will be using, and... besides that, we don''t have anything else to offer as coteral." "...Is that all?" "No, it''s not something to be taken so seriously. We''re just making a contract with it as coteral, and you can still operate the training hall normally. If anything, we don''t have to sign the contract at all." "...You''re saying I can still operate it?" "Yes, if that wasn''t the case, I wouldn''t have offered it as a condition in the first ce." As I exined further, I could feel Barundel''s breathing gradually calming down. I wish he had listened earlier. After calming down somewhat, he asked, "...Is there anything else I need to know?" Anything else I needed to know... There was one thing. "The rental period is 5 years, and after that, it has to be returned. After being raised to mythic grade." "Hmm..." "This is a good deal, isn''t it? 5 years is enough time to level it up, and you''ll probably have to retire around then anyway." Barundel, still lying down, closed his eyes. He seemed lost in thought. A momentter, Barundel opened his eyes, seemingly having made a decision. "...Alright. I''ll think about it. When is the date we agreed to sign the contract?" "Tomorrow." "...That''s a tight schedule." "But if we''re going to sign the contract, shouldn''t we get it before the war?" "Alright. I''ll have made up my mind by tomorrow anyway." That''s what he said, but I wonder. In my opinion, there was only one choice. ''It''s an opportunity to rent a mythic-grade weapon almost for free, how could he refuse?'' It was a matter that could be easily concluded with a little rational thought. If it was Barundel, he would surely ept the contract. ''...Somehow it worked out.'' With this, I could say that Barundel''s end-game weapon had been secured. There were some twists and turns, but it ended sessfully. As the tension eased, my body ached all over. Since it hade to this, I got up to take care of the things I had put off. "Shall we do some training after a long time?" It was time for the 3rd stage of physical training. I had been doing it bit by bit during the 2-week hunting period, but I hadn''tpletely finished it yet. Perhaps he wasn''t happy with that suggestion. Barundel replied in a tired voice. "Right now...?" "Yes, now that we''ve warmed up, it seems like the perfect time." "Ugh... Alright." With that, Barundel got up with difficulty. As expected of Barundel. Even though he must have been tired, he never refused training. Thud, thud, thud! After lightly stretching, I turned my head. Towards the guys who had been leisurely resting. "What are you doing? You guys have to join too." "W-we do...?" "Barundel, they won''t die from doing the 3rd stage, right?" "That''s true, but... it''ll put a tremendous strain on their bodies." A tremendous strain... that''s exactly what I wanted. "That sounds fine. Let''s proceed together, shall we?" "W-wait a minute! What about our opinion...?" They asked urgently, but I didn''t bother to reply. I just muttered inwardly. ''This is all for your own good.'' The easy training they had been doing so far was over. *** The 3rd stage of dwarven training was simple. Stand with your eyes closed, maintaining a still posture. And when you sense something approaching¡ª Whoosh! ''Good.'' All you had to do was twist your body like this to dodge. Of course, it was only simple in words. Actually doing it was agonizing. If you missed even a slight hint of movement, immense pain would wash over your body. Whack! "Argh¡ª!" Yes, just like that. I heard the sound of Rief, who was doing the same training next to me, copsing after being hit by Barundel''s club. Of course, the clubbing didn''t stop. Bam! Bam! Bam! "W-wait a minute! I''m going to die! I''m dying!" "Quickly get back into position!" Hearing that cheerful sound reminded me of something from a while ago. ''...It was horrible.'' When I first received this training from Barundel... I was beaten with that club so many times I lost count. It felt like I was going through a meat tenderizing process instead of training. At first, I wondered if it would be effective, but Barundel wasn''t the type to lie. Look. Whoosh! Even now, couldn''t you feel the club swinging in the pitch-ck darkness? ''Now!'' With my eyes closed, I urately grasped the trajectory of the swinging club and twisted my body in the opposite direction. The movement now flowed as naturally as water. "Phew." After the relief of dodging the attack, I heard Barundel''s apuse. p, p, p! "Good. That''s enough for the 3rd stage." Finally, Barundel''s passing notice had been issued. "Is it over?" Just as I opened my eyes and asked... Whoosh! Without a moment to catch my breath, another attack followed. A blow deliveredpletely without warning. Swoosh! But before I could even register it, my body moved. Barundel nodded in satisfaction. "Indeed. You pass." Behind me, I heard the amazed voices of those who had already been knocked out. "Whoa... what was that just now?" "Is that even a speed a human can react to?" It seemed they had witnessed the whole thing properly. Honestly, even I was surprised by that. ''...I certainly didn''t expect that at all.'' I had a simr experience before. When I was sparring with Roan. Back then, in the midst of the hazy smoke, I dodged the ice spear by leaning back as soon as I saw the attack. The realm where the body makes a judgment before the mind. Was this the effect of the 3rd stage of dwarven training? When I voiced my question, Barundel replied, "All nerves are connected to muscles. That includes the brain. Once you reach a certain level, you can move without thinking." Crack, crack. Barundel stretched his neck from side to side and continued his exnation. "That''s not the only effect of the 3rd stage. In the process of dodging attacks with your eyes closed, your dormant senses and muscles awaken." "...Dormant senses and muscles?" "How much do you think people utilize their own bodies? The average person uses less than half of their full potential. Think of it as activating those remaining parts." "...I see." It seemedplicated, but I understood. Simply put, after this training, you could utilize 100% of your body''s capabilities. Even just looking at it that way, it was a tremendous effect. "It will be a great help in the war." "Indeed. This training shines even brighter in chaotic battles." To be honest, I hadn''t nned onpleting the training, but I was d I did. This would significantly increase my chances of survival in the war. Thinking about that, I suddenly became incredibly curious. "What''s the effect of the next stage?" My body itched to learn it right away. If it was already this amazing, how much greater would the effect be with a fully trained body? However, Barundel shook his head firmly. "It''s too early for you to ask about that. I''ll tell you more after the war is over." "...Ah, yes." It was a bit disappointing, but I epted it. There must be a reason why Barundel wasn''t telling me in advance. Anyway, after finishing the training... Barundel brought a container of medicine from somewhere and started giving first aid to the copsed mages. "Don''t move. If you move now, it''ll break." "Ugh... You''re the one who did this!" "Are youining now?" Tight! As Barundel tightened the bandage with all his might, groans emerged. "Argh! Stop! Stop!" Iy down, enjoying the sound as if it were pleasant music. As I rested like this, many thoughts came to mind. ''It really is almost time.'' The Great War, which had felt so distant. Now it was truly just around the corner. But why? Why was there a hint of anticipation mixed in with the fear and tension? Perhaps it was because I had be strong enough to no longer fear war. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 85 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 85 The morning arrived after spending a night at Barundel''s house following the training session. Today''s schedule was simple. To go to the ck market with Barundel and officially sign the rental contract for [Anatak''s Great Axe]. Barundel had already made his decision the night before. "I think we can go now." "Are you all prepared?" "Of course." Barundel patted the pouch of gold coins I had brought and the bag containing other necessary items. Seeing the weight of the bag, it seemed like he hadn''t forgotten anything. "Then let''s go." We left the house and headed towards the ck market. The distance from Barundel''s house to the ck market wasn''t that far. It was close enough to reach within an hour if we walked without stopping. As expected, after about an hour, we arrived at the pub in the alley we had visited before. The guide still looked at me with his dry eyes. "There are more of you now?" "Well, as you can see." He was a bit grumpy, but when I gave him 100 gold coins and purchased an entrance ticket for Barundel as well, he opened the door leading underground without a word. "Oh... this is the ck market." "Is this your first time?" "It''s my first timeing here directly. In the past, my colleagues used to go instead..." Barundel didn''t say anything further. ''Former colleagues...'' I didn''t know who they were, but judging from his expression, he didn''t seem to want to talk about it. I wisely didn''t ask any more questions and moved on, soon stopping in front of the shop with the gold sign. "Ahem!" Barundel cleared his throat with a cough. It seemed like he was nervous since this was his first time making a deal like this. "Come on in." I took the lead and entered the shop, and as if waiting, the employee greeted us. "Ah, you''ve arrived." The employee, who bowed in greeting, fixed his gaze on Barundel who followed behind. "This is...?" "Yes, the dwarf I mentioned yesterday." "My name is Barundel." "Ah, yes, nice to meet you. The manager is waiting for you on the second floor, so pleasee this way." The employee immediately guided us to the manager''s office on the second floor. After knocking and entering, a man with a shiny bald head greeted us with a smile. This bald man was the one who would be discussing the details of the contract with us today. "Ohoho, you''re the..." "I''m Yuhan." "Aha, Mage Yuhan. Nice to meet you! I''m Edward Gallon, the owner of this shop." No wonder there were only expensive items in the shop. It turned out to be a shop run by a noble. He was dressed from head to toe in luxury brands, as if he were rolling in money. After exchanging greetings with Barundel while emanating a strong perfume scent, he gestured for us to sit at the table. "So, I hear you want to borrow [Anatak''s Great Axe]?" "Ah, yes, if it''s not too much trouble, I''d really like to rent it." "It''s no trouble at all. Our employee said it was quite a good offer, didn''t he?" "Yes, that''s right. Barundel, give it to him." "...Here you go." Barundel handed the document to Edward, his hands trembling slightly. It was the document regarding the ownership of the training hall. Seeing how reluctant he was to give it up, it seemed like the training hall was truly precious to him. But what could he do? Unless he was rolling in money, he had to give up what he had to get what he wanted. "Hmm..." Edward stroked his curled beard and examined the document. As expected of a noble running a business of this scale, he was quick with calctions. "It''s a bit out of the way from the mainmercial area, but it''s not a bad location. A building of this size in this location... it''s worth 20,000 gold coins." It was an urate assessment. I had inquired beforehand, and the market value of Barundel''s training hall building was indeed around 20,000 gold coins. Edward seemed to have a keen eye for these things. This would speed things up. "That''s correct. So, our offer is to provide you with ownership of this training hall and a deposit of 5,000 gold coins. Of course, the ownership of the training hall will only transfer to you if we fail to fulfill the contract." "In exchange, we lend you [Anatak''s Great Axe]? For 5 years." "Yes, the contract stiptes that when we return it, it will be leveled up to mythic grade." "Ohoho..." Edward stroked his curled beard once again. After a brief silence, he said with a smile, "Alright. It seems like a profitable deal for us." As soon as he said that, I naturally looked at Barundel. Barundel''s eyes wavered, reflecting his emotional turmoil. Of course, that change in emotion must be a positive one. He was truly in a situation where he might get his hands on a mythic-grade (in the making) weapon. "Really? You''re going to sign the contract?" When I asked again to confirm, Edward nodded with a benevolent look. "Ohoho, of course. But there''s one thing that bothers me." "Ah, yes. Please speak freely." "This." Thump. Edward pointed at the contract on the table. More precisely, thest use of the contract. ''Party B shall return [Anatak''s Great Axe] to Party A in perfect condition at the end of the 5-year rental period. Here, perfect condition refers to [Anatak''s Great Axe] having grown and reached ''mythic-grade artifact'' status.'' "Is there a problem with this...?" "About the growth, which is the core of this contract. How exactly do you n to achieve that? Ohoho." "Ah..." Indeed, it was understandable for Edward to be doubtful. From an ordinary person''s perspective, killing 10,000 demons was practically impossible. Well, it was the same even if you weren''t an ordinary person. How many people in this world could actually achieve this? Since it had to be leveled up within 5 years, that meant hunting 2,000 demons every year. It was a feat that could only be achieved by participating in everything, from wars to hunts, without missing a single opportunity. Of course, that was our party''s n, so it wouldn''t be a problem... ''But how do I convince him?'' The real problem was convincing Edward. "Uh... um..." Even Barundel seemed to be at a loss for words. In the end, I just blurted out whatever came to mind. "Well, this man is a very famous demon hunter." "Oh, is that so? I know quite a bit about famous demon hunters." "Ah... is that so?" Damn, it seemed like I misspoke. I didn''t think a noble would know about demon hunters. ''He''s a businessman, but he''s also interested in that kind of thing?'' This guy sure had a lot going on. If this kept up, my exaggeration might be exposed. "Wait, what was your name again?" "...Barundel." "Hmm, Barundel? I''m sorry, but I''ve never heard of..." But then. "Ah! Barundel, isn''t that the dwarf demon hunter who made quite a name for himself? About 10 years ago?" Unexpectedly, Edward said he knew Barundel. And that he made a name for himself? I looked at Barundel, wondering what this was about, but he just scratched his beard with an embarrassed look. "Ah... yes. It''s an honor that you remember me." "Ohoho! How could I forget such a great dwarf?" "Ha, haha..." "Hmm, alright. If it''s someone like you, I can trust you with [Anatak''s Great Axe]. Let''s sign the contract right away!" As soon as Barundel''s identity as a demon hunter was revealed, the contract proceeded at lightning speed. Thump! Edward stamped his seal without hesitation, as if there was no need for further review. He even said, "Let''s forget about the deposit." "Excuse me? What do you mean...?" "I can''t take such arge sum of money as a deposit from people who do such good deeds." "...Are you serious?" "Of course. Ohoho." Edward even waived the 5,000 gold coins we had promised as a deposit. While 5,000 gold coins might not be a big deal to Edward, who seemed to have money to burn, it was a huge amount to us. This was an unexpected gain that I hadn''t anticipated at all. "Take care." Having sessfully signed the contract, we received [Anatak''s Great Axe] under the guidance of the employee and exited the building. "..." "..." An awkward silence fell. Honestly, I was still dumbfounded. What just happened? "...Well? Exin yourself." "...About what?" "You already know everything." "Ahem...!" Barundel cleared his throat awkwardly and, after a moment of contemtion, spoke. "This doesn''t seem like the ce to talk about this." "Then?" "Do you remember that we promised to have a drink together? I was wondering if we could keep that promise today." "Ah." Come to think of it, we did make that promise. I hadpletely forgotten about it while focusing on other matters. Since I had some free time now, it was the perfect timing. Well, it was still broad daylight... "Sure, let''s do that." Day or night, it didn''t matter when it came to having a serious conversation. We headed straight to the pub. *** "Oh, young man, it''s been a while!" "Hello." This was the pub I frequented when I first set foot in District 6, and it was located above the former Artis Guild office. There were many other good ces, but I came here because it was the most familiar. The prices were also rtively cheaperpared to other ces. "Did you move or something?" "Ah, yes, something like that. Two beers, please. And the usual for snacks." "You mean the grilled phoenix? I''ll bring it right out." Just as the owner said, the drinks and snacks were served quickly, and unable to hold back any longer, I spoke first. "Now tell me. What was that all about?" "...My, you''re impatient." Gulp, gulp. Barundel took a long swig of beer and continued. "When I was working as a demon hunter, I was actually quite famous." "What were you famous for?" "What else would it be? Of course, I was famous for killing demons." "Hmm." Now that I thought about it, it wasn''t strange. With Barundel''s level of skill, it would be stranger if he wasn''t noticed. It was just that I hadn''t bothered to look into Barundel''s background. Of course, he hadn''t told me either. "Were you hiding it on purpose?" "Well, it''s not that I was hiding it, but... honestly, I was a bit hesitant to talk about it." Barundel''s expression darkened noticeably. It seemed that this was closely rted to the reason why he quit being a hunter. "Ah... then you don''t have to talk about it." I tried to say it in a way that wouldn''t make Barundel ufortable, but he took another gulp of beer and shook his head. "No. If that was the case, I wouldn''t havee to the pub." It seemed like he had made up his mind to talk about it this time. "...Are you sure?" "...It''s time I talked about it." Was he reminiscing about the past? Barundel''s expression grew darker and darker. "Ugh." I also took a gulp of beer and assumed a listening posture. "Then tell me." "...Alright." I could sense it intuitively. The story that was about to unfold would be very serious, and also cruel... a story that would reveal what kind of person Barundel truly was. At the same time... This was also necessary for us to be truerades. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 86 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 86 Barundel slowly began his story about the past. "To be precise, it wasn''t me who was famous, but our party." "A party... so you had colleagues you hunted with." "That''s right. It was a party of four: me, Chrissen, Deimot, and... my wife. I was the leader of the party." "...I see." This was the first time Barundel mentioned his wife. Naturally, I couldn''t help but be serious. Perhaps it was because I knew that she no longer existed in this world. As I silently looked at Barundel, he continued. "As I said, our party was quite famous. It was partly because we formed a party, unlike other demon hunters who acted independently, but more importantly, it was because each and every member of the party was strong." "How strong were you?" "You could say that each of them was about as strong as me." Four people gathered together, each withbat powerparable to Barundel... "...No wonder you were famous." Hearing that, it made sense. It wasn''t for nothing that Edward, a noble, knew of their fame from 10 years ago. "Thanks to that, our party always thrived. People were eager to give us demon subjugation requests whenever they saw us, and our party''s fame and reputation grew evenrger. Eventually, even the demons became aware of our existence." Clink Barundel finished his newly ordered beer in one gulp and continued. "That was the beginning." "The beginning, you say...?" "The tragedy of everything." Tragedy. The atmosphere sank again at that word. What kind of tragedy had befallen that powerful party? "It was when we went out on a hunt, like any other day, after receiving a hefty request. The location was [Enoch''s Tower]." [Enoch''s Tower]. I knew that ce very well. It was a very infamous tower in the dwarven kingdom, Ajeunda Kingdom. It was the most robust and tallest tower in the world, built by the dwarf Enoch himself, and it was also the unfortunate tower that had been seized by demons after they failed to defend against an invasion. I heard that it had been sealed for a while to prevent them froming out... "Was it open?" "Hmm? What do you mean?" "Ah, I thought it was sealed." "Yuhan, you''re slow on the uptake. How long ago was that? [Enoch''s Tower] is like a holy ground for hunting in the dwarven kingdom." "Ah... I see." For some reason, it seemed that the tower had been opened during the 100 years I was gone. Well, it was usible. As technology and weapons advanced, they would have thought about reiming the lost tower. By the way, what was surprising here was... "But isn''t that tower located in the dwarven kingdom?" The fact that Barundel''s party''s area of activity wasn''t Asternon. I naturally assumed they worked as hunters in Asternon... "That''s right. I was originally active there. That''s where I made my name. I came here... after the party disbanded. It''s been a little over 10 years now." "Ah, I see. I didn''t know that." Although I hadn''t heard what happened yet, I could roughly guess. Perhaps he left that ce as if fleeing after experiencing an unfortunate incident. People who developed trauma because of demons often left their hometowns. It seemed like Barundel was one of those people. Anyway... "That day, [Enoch''s Tower] was no different from usual. We skillfully climbed the tower and cut down the demons with the intent to exterminate them. The problem urred when we reached the 60th floor." Barundel said, clenching his fist as if recalling the events of that day. "Suddenly, a red lightning bolt struck [Enoch''s Tower]...!" "Red lightning...?" Barundel nodded at my puzzled question. "You''re thinking correctly. That red lightning that once struck Aldeon." "Huh." The fact that red lightning struck here indicated only one situation. A rift connected to the demon world had opened. It meant that arge-scale invasion would follow, led by a powerful demon. "To make matters worse, all the doors in the tower were sealed. We became trapped like rats in a cage." "Why on earth...? Was it the work of a madman like Dercion? Was there someone like that in the dwarven kingdom too?" Barundel shook his head at my words. "Not a dwarf. It was the demons'' doing." "You mean..." "That''s right. A Legion Commander intervened in [Enoch''s Tower]." At this point, I was speechless. Everything was full of questions. Why did the demons open a rift in [Enoch''s Tower]? Why were the doors of the tower sealed? Who was this Legion Commander who intervened in this incident...? I couldn''t even begin to guess. Barundel said there was only one question out of all these that he could answer. The reason why the demons opened the rift on that particr day. "I heard it clearly. That demon''s voice saying, ''We can finally get rid of those pesky insects.''" "...Wait, you''re saying they opened the rift to catch Barundel''s party?" "...I don''t know for sure. Whether they opened the rift to kill us, or whether we happened to be there on the day they nned to open the rift, I don''t know. But what''s certain is that they knew about us and considered us a nuisance." "...A nuisance." This showed how strong Barundel''s party was. It meant that Barundel''s party was such a hindrance that a Legion Commander personally called them a nuisance. If they had been more than just a nuisance... ''They would have been marked.'' The ''mark'' was a power that only Legion Commanders and those above them could bestow. Its effect was to amplify the demon''s power when the marked target fought against intelligent demons. It was such a terrifying power that it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the moment you receive it, you enter hard mode. However, judging from Barundel''s story, it seemed like it hadn''te to that yet. It wasn''t because Barundel''s party wasn''t strong enough, but because there was no need to mark them. From the moment they were trapped inside the tower, they were as good as dead. Anyway... "So you don''t even know who the Legion Commander was who did this?" "...All I know is his voice and the demonic energy he exuded. He never showed himself, just kept sending demons down from the top of the tower. And after that..." I could guess what happened after that without needing to hear it. An endless defense. Only those who could break through the overwhelming numbers and disy an insurmountable gap in strength could survive in that situation. In terms of magic, an 8th Circle mage. In terms of swordsmanship, at least the level of a Knight Commander would be needed to barely escape alive. Gnash! I heard Barundel gritting his teeth. It seemed the memories of that day still caused him pain. I waited for his anger to subside before speaking. "Did everyone die?" "...Yes. Everyone except me." "...How did you survive?" "After three days and nights of fighting... my wife forced me to use the [Blink Stone]. She gave up everything. She must have wanted to save at least one of us." "...I think I understand." "I still regret not stopping her from forcing the Blink Stone into my hand that day..." Barundel''s voice was tinged with a slight sob. Instead offorting him, I silently refilled his ss. With whiskey, not beer. I hoped that this strong alcohol would soothe his bitter heart, even if just a little. And at the same time, in the corner of my mind... ''...Those bastards.'' My hatred for demons grew even stronger. *** After a while of silently drinking, each of us dealing with our own emotions... We had entered the pub in broad daylight, but it was only when the day was almost over that we left. After escorting the nowpletely drunk Barundel back home, I headed straight to the library. To find out more about the incident Barundel had told me about. Since it was an incident from 10 years ago and of such arge scale, there would surely be records of it in books and other sources. My prediction was correct, and I was able to find a rted book before long. [The Tragedy Brought by Enoch''s Tower] "This is it." The book detailed the history of [Enoch''s Tower] from its creation, its period of normal operation, the demon invasion, the victims, and so on. Naturally, it also included the incident Barundel had mentioned. [The Red Lightning that Struck Enoch''s Tower] A chapter clearly rted to the incident. Flip! Flip! I held onto my dizzying mind and slowly read through the book. Most of it was simr to what Barundel had said, but it was written from the perspective of someone outside the tower, not inside. It described the actions the dwarven kingdom took immediately after the incident, what kind of demons emerged when the sealed doors were reopened, and how they fought. Such things were recorded. The unfortunate thing was... there was no information I was looking for. "I can''t figure out which bastard it was." My current concern was singr. Who was the Legion Commander that opened the rift in [Enoch''s Tower]? However, the demons that emerged from the tower were mostly low-ranking demons, and there was no mention of the Legion Commander. There were only spective writings by analysts, guessing who it might be. As Barundel said, no one could grasp why or who caused the incident. "Damn it." I searched for a long time in case I missed anything, but eventually closed the book without any further findings. I closed my eyes and leaned back. Perhaps because of the alcohol, my mind was aplete mess. I couldn''t understand why I was looking into this, or what I nned to do with the information even if I found it. Yet, my mind endlessly sought a solution. "...Should I even ask the Information Guild?" Just as that thought crossed my mind... Suddenly, it all felt pointless. No, I realized it. Knowing the culprit behind this incident wasn''t important at all. Nothing would change even if I found out. It had already happened, and there was only one thing I had to do here. Kill all the demons and free people from this endless suffering. In a way, it was an excessive thought for someone like me, who couldn''t even protect myself... "But if I don''t do it, who will?" It was also a thought that only I could have. Myplicated mind cleared up as if cold water had been sshed on it. "Just you wait." The reason why I had to kill Baal. It was no longer just about survival and returning home. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 87 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 87 After leaving the library, I headed straight to Barundel''s house. I was going to stay there again today. Brrrring¡ª Brrrring¡ª When I arrived at the house, Barundel was already sound asleep. Thud. I also copsed onto the spot as soon as I arrived. Perhaps the alcohol was hitting mete, but my head was pounding. ''Well, I did chug whiskey like it was soju...'' It was to be expected. Even with two mythic-tier traits, I couldn''t help but feel my mind be muddled by alcohol. It seemed like this body couldn''t handle alcohol as well as my old one. Anyway, how much time had passed? I had fallen asleep at some point, and I woke up to a spicy smell tickling my nose. And reflexively looking around... I witnessed a sight I never wanted to see again. "Hmm, hmm~ hmm!" A muscr back with a pink apron. "..." Okay, it was all good. Cooking, liking pink aprons, humming a cheerful tune, it was all good. But did he really have to be shirtless while doing it? That was something I couldn''t tolerate. ''Is that really the demon hunter who made a name for himself 10 years ago?'' I felt nauseous, like the food I ate yesterday was about toe back up. But what could I do? I couldn''tin about such a thing when I was in his care. If I was ufortable, I should be the one to leave. While I was thinking that, I happened to turn around and made eye contact with Barundel. "Ah, you''re awake? I just finished preparing breakfast. Come and sit down." Barundel said so and started setting the table with food. Thump, thump, thump. When did he even wake up? He had prepared quite a lot in the meantime. ¡®...He''s a kind person. Huh.¡¯ My heart softened a little at the thought that all this wasn''t done out of malice. Chanting my own mantra, I carefully took a seat. The table was already full of various dishes. Everything looked delicious, but what caught my attention the most was the main dish. ''Kimchi stew?'' The reddish color was reminiscent of K-kimchi stew. The smell was simr too. "It''s a stew I always make after a night of drinking. Not only is it delicious, but the spicy taste really settles an upset stomach." "It looks delicious." "Don''t just say that, try it." At Barundel''s suggestion, I took a spoonful of the stew and put it in my mouth. Slurp. And then... "Oh my!" A spicy taste spread in my mouth, and my mind was instantly cleared. I had been half-awake and half-asleep from the hangover, but now I waspletely alert. Such an effect from just one spoonful? "This is like an elixir! An elixir!" Just as Barundel said, it was perfect for a hangover cure. It even tasted good. With a taste simr to kimchi stew, I could eat it without any aversion, and the unique savory vor, which I had never experienced before, made me want to keep going back for more. Slurp, slurp! "Uhaha, you seem to like it!" "This is the best food I''ve ever had. It''s exactly my taste." "Is that so? You have simr tastes to me! This is my favorite food too." "Can I have another bowl...?" "Of course." Slurp! Slurp! After a while of devouring the stew... The pot was soon empty, and my stomach was full. Barundel also seemed satisfied as he patted his belly and said, "So, are we going to Sector 3 now?" Judging from his words, he seemed to remember the conversation we had yesterday. Indeed, I was nning to move to Sector 3 today. To meet the man, no, the person who had been researching light magic for over 20 years. "Today, I''m just going to meet him lightly and get a sense of what kind of person he is. I can''t risk learning magic from another strange person." "That''s true. The world is full of crazy people like Dercion... Be careful, be very careful." Barundel said with a worried look. Perhaps it was because of his past experience, but it was probably also because I was going to Sector 3. ''I do need to be careful.'' Sectors 4 to 6 were areas where nobles andmoners lived together. As such, the difference in social status wasn''t as prominent. But from Sector 3 onwards, it was a ce where only nobles resided. The nobles living there were very authoritative and had no intention of ever leaving their Sector. In other words, there were many twisted viins there. Viins with power, such as wealth and status. Hadn''t I experienced it firsthand? Through that crazy guy, Barus Garion. From that perspective, if I thought about what kind of person Ani Persson might be... ''...It won''t be easy.'' Worries immediately flooded my mind. This was a person who had been holed up in Sector 3, researching light magic for over 20 years. I doubted he would be normal, perhaps even stranger than Barus. Well, the Information Guild did say he was an ordinary man... ''I''ll find out when I meet him.'' If I sensed anything strange, I would leave immediately, so it was fine. ''First, I need to get to Sector 3.'' With that conclusion, I said goodbye to Barundel and immediately headed to Sector 3 by carriage. Rattle, rattle. From Sector 6 to Sector 3. The carriage traveled for quite a while, passing through three Sectors. Just as I was starting to feel stiff from sitting for so long, the carriage finally came to a creaking halt. "We''ve arrived." We had finally reached our first destination, the warmand center. "...Ah, you''ve arrived." The guard captain, recognizing me, gave an awkward greeting with a forced smile. Due to the previous incident, our rtionship had be somewhat strained. "Are you here on business rted to the contract?" "Yes, should I show you my ID card?" "No, it''s alright." "Don''t I have to submit any weapons I have?" "...No, you can go straight in." Unlikest time, the strict procedures were gone. It seemed that they confiscated my weapons back then to ensure the sess of the kidnapping. While it didn''t feel good, it also meant that I was safe now. Honestly, I was worried. That they might try something absurd again for some nonsensical reason. Fortunately, that didn''t seem to be the case. Anyway, I entered and headed towards the familiar strategy room. Knock, knock. I carefully knocked on the door, and a voice came from inside. "Come in." It was still an authoritative voice. As I opened the door and entered, Barus Garion greeted me with a wide smile. "Ah, my friend Yuhan! Do you know how long I''ve been waiting?" "A little less than a week?" "Hahaha... That''s not what I meant. Anyway, have a seat." "Yes." As I sat down, Barus went somewhere and brought back two cups of warm tea. "Let''s wet our throats and talk. You must be tired from your long journey." "...Ah, yes." He seemed to be treating me more sincerely than our first meeting. Wondering if there was something strange in it, I left the tea untouched and brought up the main topic. "Here is the contract signed by the dean himself." "Y-you seeded...?" "Yes." As I nodded in reply, Barus burst into heartyughter. "Uha! Uhahaha!" He seemed very pleased to have dragged the dean into the war. That''s why I couldn''t bring up the next point. How could I say it? That the dean might kill him after the war was over. And honestly, I didn''t want to tell him. ''He needs to learn his lesson.'' While I was thinking that, Barus, who had been carefully examining the contract, said, "This is definitely his signature. The mana pattern is very intricate." "Well, he signed it himself." "I meant that I confirmed it wasn''t a forgery. Anyway, now you have to give me what you promised." There was only one thing I had promised. It was the item that was to be paid first among the three rewards specified in the contract. 10,000 gold coins. "Someone!" Barus shouted, and I heard footsteps approaching from outside. Along with a clinking sound. Barus'' personal secretary entered and ced arge chest on the table. Thud! A heavy sound despite being ced down gently. "It''s 10,000 gold coins. Check it." At Barus'' suggestion, I opened the chest, and a deep golden light struck my eyes. ''10,000 gold coins...'' Seeing it in person, it was indeed an enormous amount. The gold coins were piled up high, sparkling brilliantly. I didn''t bother counting them. Partly because there were too many, but mainly because I didn''t think it was necessary. Would Barus, who was overflowing with money, try to cheat with something like this? Anyway...n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Could you send this to the academy instead of me? With the recipient being the dean." I asked Barus to send the chest to the academy. It was too heavy to carry around, and it wasn''t my money anyway. Asion Gale nned to use these gold coins for a very appropriate purpose. "Alright. I''ll send the chest as it is to the academy." Barus readily agreed to my request, and the secretary took the chest away again. "It should arrive by tomorrow." "Thank you." As I bowed my head, Barus said with a grin, "By the way, that''s really impressive. I didn''t think he would actually agree to this contract. How did you do it?" How did I do it...? Honestly, it was embarrassing to say how little I actually did. "I just persuaded him desperately. Fortunately, the rewards and purpose of the contract were good, so he readily agreed." I simply exined the most rational choices with some reasoning of my own. I also promised not to stop him from paying the price after the war was over. Perhaps he took that in a different sense... "Haha, as expected of a talented individual. Truly talented." Barusughed with satisfaction and praised me. He seemed to think that this contract was sessful because of my abilities. "Would you be interested in applying to be a Royal Mage after graduation? If you are, I''ll write you a letter of rmendation." He even offered me a position as a Royal Mage. It seemed like he really liked me. ''The Royal Mage build opens up like this.'' It was surprising since it waspletely unintentional, but there was no need to think about it. "No, thank you. I already have a path I''ve decided on." "Oh, I see. Could you tell me what path it is?" I paused for a moment. I wondered if he would believe me if I said I was a high-ranking mage who hunted demons freely without belonging anywhere. In the end, I came to the conclusion that it was better not to say anything and opened my mouth. "I''m sorry, but I don''t think I can say it out loud yet." "Ah, it''s alright. If you say so, there must be a reason." A brief silence followed. I was about to leave, but I asked Barus just in case. "Can I ask you one thing?" "Hmm? What is it?" "Do you happen to know someone named Ani Persson?" It was purely a question out of curiosity. Since they were both residents of Sector 3, he might know him, right? But Barus'' reaction waspletely unexpected. "Ani Persson...? How do you know that man?" Barus'' pupils trembled slightly at the name Ani Persson. As if he had heard a frightening name. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 88 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 88 Barus'' pupils trembled as if he had heard a name that shouldn''t be spoken. Seeing him, I cautiously asked, "Do you know someone named Ani Persson?" Barus opened and closed his mouth as if unsure how to answer, then said, "...Of course I do. You may not know, but Ani Persson is quite famous in Sector 3." "Famous, you say? For what reason?" "If I had to pick a reason, it would be because of his magical knowledge." Magical knowledge. It was an unexpected answer. "Is he that great?" "He is. There''s no one more knowledgeable about magic than him in all of Asternon. Even I, who have no knowledge of magic, know that." "I see." It seemed that Ani Persson''s magical knowledge was indeed outstanding. But at the same time, I had a question. Could someone be this famous just by possessing magical knowledge? He wasn''t actually using magic; he was simply well-versed in theory. Even if that were possible, it didn''t exin the fear that Barus briefly disyed. I felt that there must be another reason. When I asked about that... "That''s right. Ani Persson''s fame isn''t solely due to that. But..." "Please tell me. I beg you." As I bowed my head politely, Barus continued his exnation with a reluctant look. "There was an ident." "An ident?" "Yes. It was a big ident that caused a stir throughout Asternon." "Could you exin what kind of ident it was?" Barus seemed to ponder for a moment, then asked me instead, "Before that, may I ask why you''re curious about him? This is very important." It wasn''t a difficult question to answer. "I heard that Ani Persson has been researching light magic for over 20 years. Light is the attribute I mainly handle." "So?" "I''m thinking of visiting him to learn about light magic." Thud. Barus'' hand, which was reaching for his teacup, froze. His eyes trembled again. "...You''re going to learn light magic from him?" "Yes. Is there a problem?" "Absolutely not!" Bang! Barus suddenly mmed his hand on the table. I flinched and, after calming my surprised heart, asked, "Why are you doing this?" "You absolutely must not learn magic from him!" Barus repeated the same words with a firm expression. "Tell me why. Only then can I decide whether to learn from him or not." "Sigh, how can I..." Barus hesitated for a long time, as if struggling with something, before finally speaking. "Alright, I''ll tell you, but promise me one thing. That you''ll never breathe a word of what I''m about to say." "Yes, I promise." Keeping a secret wasn''t difficult. As I nodded in agreement, Barus finally began to talk about the ident. "It happened about 5 years ago. It was a time when Ani Persson was being talked about as having outstanding magical knowledge. The story became so famous that the rumors spread not only throughout Sector 3 but the entire Asternon." "And so?" "Then one day, a mage went to see Ani Persson. For the same reason as you." "To learn light magic?" "That''s right. His name was Rodveny Ashitan. A 7th Circle mage working for the royal family." "A Royal Mage?" "That''s right." "Huh." Honestly, I was a bit surprised. A mage who had reached the 7th Circle went to Ani Persson to learn magic. Moreover, this Rodveny wasn''t just any mage, but a Royal Mage. That meant Ani Persson''s knowledge was outstanding. Even more so than I had thought. "Rodveny''s purpose was to learn light magic from him and also to recruit Ani Persson to the royal family." "Learning magic must have been a way to confirm Ani Persson''s skills." "Probably. At first, anyway." "At first?" Barus stroked his beard. "Rodveny''s purpose changed. After he visited Ani Persson, for some reason, Rodveny didn''t return to the royal family for a long time. Even though a return order must have been issued." "Why?" "I can tell you exactly why. I met Rodveny a few times back then. And..." Barus continued with a serious expression. "Rodveny''s eyes at that time looked as if he was obsessed with something. No, I''m sure of it! It was the same look as the fanatics I had arrested before." "...Fanatics." In life, there are sometimes people who are obsessed with something. Such people definitely have a different look in their eyes, and it seemed like Barus sensed that in Rodveny. The question here was what Rodveny was obsessed with. And it was surely... "Rted to Ani Persson." "That''s right. That''s the most likely." "Hmm." After a brief silence, Barus continued. "Anyway, in that situation, the incident happened. A very sudden incident. Rodveny suddenly disappeared." "Disappeared?" "In broad daylight, in the middle of the Sector 3 za! There were many witnesses. Dozens of people said that Rodveny suddenly disappeared in the middle of the za. After that, no trace of Rodveny could be found anywhere." A 7th Circle mage belonging to the royal family disappeared without a trace? And in front of many people? What on earth happened? "ording to testimonies, Rodveny said he would prove Ani Persson''sst teaching. Right before he disappeared." What was certain was that Ani Persson would know the reason. "...How did the royal family react?" "Naturally, the royal family investigated Ani Persson, the prime suspect. But even they couldn''t find Rodveny''s whereabouts. The strange thing is, the royal family didn''t hold Ani Persson ountable, but instead kept the incident a secret." "What?" "A promation was issued to strictly silence the people of Sector 3, and those who vited it and spread rumors were punished." "Huh." Now I understood why I knew nothing about this incident. If the royal family directly intervened and enforced silence, it would be impossible for the Information Guild to know about it. "I also heard that Ani Persson and the royal family made some kind of deal... but only they know if it''s true." A direct deal with the royal family. It was a usible story. If that were true, it would exin why the royal family hid this incident and why Ani Persson was alive and well without any punishment. At this point, a thought came to mind. "Is it okay for you to tell me this?" Why was Barus telling me this? It wasn''t like Barus, who only saw people as tools, was telling me this out of concern for me. To that question, Barus replied, "Wouldn''t it be troublesome for me if you disappeared? After all the effort I put into this contract?" He said it was to keep the contract with Asion Gale. It was a very Barus-like thought. "Anyway, don''t ever go see that man. He''s someone who can erase the existence of a Royal Mage without a second thought, so getting rid of you would be nothing to him." "But Ani Persson has no reason to be hostile towards me, does he?" "Well, the same could be said for Rodveny." He had a point. Ani Persson, who resided in Sector 3, would have no reason to be hostile to someone from the royal family, especially if they were close. "So please be careful. At least until the war is over." Barus said with a pleading tone. There was also a hint of warning in his eyes. He was probably telling me not to go see Ani Persson. I nodded without any resistance. "Yes, I understand. I can''t let anything interfere with the contract." "Good thinking." How much time had passed? After that, I discussed the payment schedule for the other rewards with Barus and left the warmand center. And I stopped at a ce a little distance away from there. My mind was currentlyplicated. "...What should I do?" I told Barus that I wouldn''t go see Ani Persson, but well... There was no need to keep that promise. The decision of whether to go or not was entirely up to me. Recalling the story I had heard, I thought about the risks. The biggest risk was, of course... ''Ending up like Rodveny.'' It meant I would disappear without a trace, just like Rodveny. Of course, that didn''t seem very likely. As I said before, Ani Persson had no reason to do that to me. Even if he did have a reason, I didn''t think he could do it without me noticing. It meant I could respond in time. What I was more concerned about was what Barus had said about Rodveny''s state. ''He said he was obsessed.'' Something that could captivate a 7th Circle mage working for the royal family. Ani Persson had that. And it was rted to ''light''. Knowing this, it didn''t take me long to make up my mind. "Let''s go see him." Perhaps it would lead to significant progress in my light magic. *** "This is the ce." Ani Persson''s residence, as informed by the Information Guild. I was currently standing in front of it. I hade to a rational conclusion and came here, but perhaps because of the strange incident Barus told me about... I was a little nervous. "...If it seems dangerous, let''s run away immediately." With that resolve, I knocked on the door. Knock, knock, knock. How long did I wait? The door rattled open, and a smell like medicine wafted out from the gap. At the same time... "...Who is it?" A middle-aged man poked his head out from the gap. Gray hair tangled together, a fluttering white robe. Dull eyes filled with fatigue. He looked more like a scientist worn out from work than someone who researched magic. Still, it was a relief that he had a more normal image than I had expected. I put on the brightest face I could and said,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Are you Mr. Ani Persson?" "Yes, I am, but..." "I have a favor to ask." "...A favor, you say?" "If it''s not too much trouble, I''d like to learn light magic from you, Mr. Ani Persson." Immediately after saying those words... I suddenly felt a chill. "Ahahaha, light magic?" As soon as he heard that, Ani Persson''s eyes curved into crescents. The dullness in his eyes disappearedpletely. They were clear and sharp, like he had found a good ingredient. "I''d be delighted! Pleasee in!" Ani Persson suddenly opened the door wide and let out a chuckle. Now that the situation hade to this, I was hesitant. ''...Is it really okay to go in?'' I had thought about it so much... What was this ominous feeling? It felt like I was entering a ce I shouldn''t. I cautiously ced my hand on my left chest. Thump, thump, thump... Fortunately, my heart wasn''t racing. It wasn''t a dangerous situation. Not yet. "Come in. Heeheehee!" Seeing Ani Perssonughing openly, I finally took a step forward. This had to be better than going to a dark mage or a Royal Mage. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 89 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 89 Thud, thud. Ani Persson walked ahead and said, "It''s been a long time since I''ve had a gueste to learn magic from me. Ehehehe. People haven''t visited because of strange rumors." "Ah, the rumors..." I didn''t know this woulde out of his mouth first. I pretended not to know and asked Ani Persson, "What kind of rumors were they?" Ani Persson turned his head towards me and squinted. His expression seemed to be trying to figure out why I asked such a question. Unfazed, I put on an innocent face as if I really didn''t know anything, and Ani Persson soon rxed his expression and smiled. "You don''t need to know about that, my disciple. It''s just a groundless rumor created by those full of envy and jealousy. Hahaha." "...I see." "Ah, may I call you my disciple?" "Of course, Master." "Huhuhu, Master. It''s a nice title to hear." How long had we been walking? After passing through all the living spaces, Ani Persson stopped in front of a thick iron door. It seemed to be a very important space for Ani Persson, as it was thoroughly secured with strange devices I had never seen before. nk- Click. When he turned the wheel-like handle, there was a sound of the lock being released. It seemed that was thest lock. Then Ani Persson suddenly turned around. "Oh my. It''s been a while since I''ve taught anyone, so I missed the most important question." "An important question?" "Why do you want to learn Light magic, my disciple?" A more normal question than I expected. ''Why do I want to learn it?'' Before answering, I recalled what I had heard about Ani Persson at the Information Center. It would be better to give an answer that would appeal to him to some extent rather than just saying anything. ''He''s a bit entric, but he''s surprisingly honest.'' At least he wasn''t supposed to have a twisted ideology like the Dark Mages or Dercion. Of course, I don''t know if the information is correct... but for now, I have no choice but to rely on it. "Because Light is the most effective way to deal with those demons." No one with normal thinking likes demons. If the information from the Information guild is not wrong, Ani Persson should feel the same. As expected. "Oh... you mean you want to learn Light magic to catch demons?" Ani Persson''s eyes lit up with interest. He seemed to like the answer. I pushed further and drove the wedge in. "It''s not just about catching them, it''s about erasing their existence." At that, Ani Persson let out another slyugh. "Ehehehe. If that''s the reason..." Creak. "You are fully qualified to know about the Light." Ani Persson opened the iron door and beckoned me in with a flick of his hand. ''Maybe he''s not such a bad person after all.'' Thinking that, I stepped inside. ''...What is this?'' The first thing I saw was a darkroom, pitch ck, covered with ck cloth on all sides. "This is where I study Light." "Here? I can''t see anything." "Ehehehe. Right? I''ll turn on the light." Click Ani Persson pulled a string hanging from the ceiling, and the light bulb came on. Only then could I properly see the scene of the darkroom. As Ani Persson said this was a research room, the walls were neatly stacked with what appeared to be research materials. Among them were some yellowed, quite old-looking materials. ''Did he gather 20 years'' worth of research materials here?'' The sheer volume of it seemed like an extraordinary effort. "Are all of these materials rted to Light magic?" "Huhuhu, that''s right. It''s no exaggeration to say that these are the materials I''ve dedicated my life to." "May I take a look?" "If you''re curious, my disciple, I''ll dly allow it." Ani Persson nodded, and I slowly began to look over the research materials. ''The origin of Light, the rtionship between Light and darkness, the properties of Light, the speed of Light...'' As he said, they were indeed all materials rted to Light. Moreover, each and every one of them was filled with detailed content; none of them were written carelessly. I realized anew how sincere Ani Persson was about Light magic. And at this point, a question arose. "Why did you go so far to research Light magic?" That''s the reason why Ani Persson studies Light. Frankly, it was rare to find someone who delved this deeply into one attribute. It''smon to give up research and stagnate once you reach a certain level. Furthermore, isn''t Ani Persson an Awakened who can''t handle mana? It was impossible not to have questions. And Ani Persson''s answer only deepened the mystery. "It''s because I have a mission that I can''t help but fulfill." "A mission? Who in the world...?" "A mission given by God, you could say? Of course, I''m not a religious person. Ehehehe!" "I see." He''s not even religious, yet he ims to have researched Light magic for decades because of a mission given by God... The more I got to know Ani Persson, the stranger he seemed. Besides, he wouldn''t answer when I asked him what exactly that mission was. "It''s too early to talk about that. If you don''t give up and learn Light magic from me to the end, you''ll find out someday, my disciple. Hehehe." He just kept repeating that I would find out someday. In the end, I had no choice but to move on to another topic. Of course, I had a lot to talk about with him. "I heard that you can''t handle mana, is that true?" "Ah, that''s right. It''s very unfortunate. But I understand it to some extent. If I could handle mana, the world would have already changed." "The world would have changed?" "Simply put, it means I have that much knowledge. Perhaps God didn''t grant me mana to prevent such a thing from happening? Hhehehe." Ani Persson said with a joyfulugh. Seeing him now, it seemed he had tremendous pride in his knowledge. "What level do you think you''ve reached?" "Hmm, the public assessment is that I''m at the 8th Circle level. However-" He continued with a confident face. "I, Ani Persson, am confident that I have reached the 9th Circle level." "9th Circle?" "Yes, the world has underestimated me." ''Huh.'' Honestly, I was a bit dumbfounded when I heard this. Okay, I can understand that Ani Persson has that much knowledge. But, 9th Circle? That''s not a level just anyone can im. The 8th Circle and the 9th Circle are worlds apart. Ani Persson was saying that if he could only handle mana, he could easily crush anyone, be it Dersion or Asion Gayle. And naturally, I... ''He''s got a big ego.'' That''s what I couldn''t help but think. It''s only natural, since I haven''t felt anything amazing about Ani Persson yet. In reality, the possibility of Ani Persson''s words being true was extremely low. Anyway, let''s leave that aside. "Then, could you tell me specifically what aspects can be improved if I learn Light magic from you, Mr. Ani Persson?" Let''s hear it. How great is he to evaluate himself as someone who has reached the 9th Circle? "Of course. First, let''s see your Light magic." Ani Persson added that since he couldn''t handle mana, he couldn''t sense the mana that others possessed. In short, he needs to see it directly to tell me what and how to improve. "I understand." I didn''t ask any more questions and immediately disyed my magic. A sphere of Light emerged from the dwarf-made gauntlet-type weapon.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Anyone who learned from Aldeon could do it, but even with the same magic, it changes depending on who casts it, that''s what magic is. Therefore, it meant I could get an urate assessment of what my magic looked like from Ani Persson''s perspective. "Ohho... Hmm... Huh..." Ani Persson circled around for a while, examining the sphere of Light. His eyes were filled with more enthusiasm than ever. Then, as if he hade to a conclusion, he pped his hands. "Good. I can evaluate your Light magic like this. Supreme but unstable Light-" "Supreme but unstable?" "Yes, your mana is very pure. Purity is a property very suitable for Light. It''s hard to judge how far you can climb if you properly handle Light. That''s what I meant by supreme." "Then, unstable means...?" "Everything except your pure mana is terrible!" Ani Persson, who had been speaking calmly until now, raised his voice. "The form that makes up Light magic! The structure! The cirction of mana! The understanding of the attribute! There''s nothing right about it! Ha, it would be difficult to handle Light magic this poorly. This is the level of someonepletely ignorant of Light." "..." Having both [Prodigy of Magic] and [Essence of Light], I had high expectations. This was an unexpected criticism. ''Is my Light magic really that bad?'' While I was thinking that, Ani Persson asked, "Disciple, where did you learn Light magic? Was it perhaps Aldeon?" I flinched. It was a question that I couldn''t help but be surprised by. "How did you know?" "Ha, this is unbelievable. This can''t be..." Ani Persson shook his head regretfully and said, "This is a guess based on experience. Among the mages who have visited me, those who showed such poor Light magic were all from Aldeon or learned Light magic there." "Huh?" This was also surprising. Everyone who learned Light magic in Aldeon was terrible? "Isn''t that the magic tower that handles Light?" When I asked in a tone that showed I couldn''t understand, Ani Persson answered in a firm voice. "Just because they mainly handle Light doesn''t mean they know Light well. That ce is a group that only looks at Light magically." "I don''t quite understand." "So..." Click Ani Persson suddenly reached out and turned off the light bulb that was illuminating the darkroom. His words continued in the darkness. "Tell me. Was the light that was illuminating our vision just now magic?" "...No." "Then is the light emitted by the sun in the sky magic?" "That''s not either." "Light has existed since before magic. It must have existed in the primordial world, no, at the beginning of all worlds." "Ah..." To look at Light only magically. I think I understood what Ani Persson was trying to say. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 90 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 90 "Aldeon is too caught up in a magical perspective." "Indeed. Light is not something to be viewed so simply. To properly handle Light, you need to understand ''Light'' itself, not just the magic of Light." Unlike before, there was noughter in his voice. He spoke in a very serious tone. "That''s why the Light magic learned in Aldeon is so poor." "I understand what you mean." "Good. You''re a disciple with basicprehension skills. Huhuhu." Ani Persson quickly returned to a lighthearted mood. Listening to hisughter, I fell into thought. ''He certainly seems to have excellent knowledge.'' Although we''ve only exchanged a few words, I can tell that the knowledge he possesses is remarkable. After all, Ani Persson pointed out the ws in Dercion''s magic. It was as if he had proven himself to be superior to Dercion. His im that his knowledge had reached the 9th Circle didn''t seem to be entirely bluster. In that case... ''Should I bring this out now?'' I drew up my mana to show him what I hadn''t yet revealed to Ani Persson. As always, mana was instantly sucked out. And at the same time... Whoosh! A brilliant sphere of Light was created, iparable to the one before. A sphere of Light infused with [Essence of Light]. "What... What is this?" Ani Persson looked back and forth between me and the sphere of Light with an incredulous expression. His pupils shook violently. As Ani Persson had been researching Light for 20 years, he couldn''t help but be surprised by the sphere of Light I had manifested. Feeling the need to exin something, I said briefly, "I was told this is the Light that Aldeon pursued." However, was that too brief? "...Is that all? Don''t you have anything more to say?" Ani Persson said in disbelief. However... "Yes, I don''t really have anything more to say. That''s all it is." Even if I wanted to exin more, I really had nothing to say. Even I don''t know anything about this Light right now. In the first ce, wasn''t I here to find a Light magic researcher to figure that out? There was no way I could answer if he asked me what was going on. "To have manifested such Light and have nothing more to say... Huh, Huhihihi!" Suddenly, Ani Persson startedughing strangely. As I listened to it silently, Ani Persson finally shifted his gaze from the sphere to me. "Hehehe, it seems I''ve taken on a very interesting disciple." "Can I take that as apliment?" "Ah, of course. Even though I''ve researched Light so much, I''ve never seen such Light before." "Is that so? How does this Light look to you?" It was time to hear Ani Persson''s objective evaluation. I''m curious how he will perceive this Light. Before long, he opened his mouth. "It''s still terrible Light. The flow of mana that makes up the Light, the form, the understanding, everything. It''s a different Light than before, but it''s even more disappointing because of the contrast." "...Is that so?" I was disappointed to receive such an evaluation even for the Light manifested with [Essence of Light]. Even if it looks like this, it contains the power of a Mythic tier trait, so it''s understandable. But Ani Persson wasn''t finished. "That''s why it''s even more surprising. How can something made so poorly emit such brilliant Light? I can say with certainty that this is a Light only you can wield." In the end, it was Ani Persson''s rave review. Of course, it was praise for the Light, not for me... but I was satisfied with that. In the end, it meant that everything could be solved if I just put in the effort. And at this point, I brought up the question that had not yet been resolved. "If I were to properly understand Light, how would this Light change?" This was a question out of pure curiosity. A question of how this Light would change when it reached the point where it could no longer develop further. Ani Persson''s answer to that question was this: "I''ll exin it from your perspective. You said the reason you want to learn about Light is to erase the existence of all demons, right?" "Yes, that''s right." "You will be able to achieve that goal. Hehehe." To be able to achieve the goal. Frankly, I didn''t think there could be a better evaluation than this. It meant that my Light magic could be strong enough to wipe out the demons. I finally felt relieved. If it weren''t for what he said next. "And... I will be able to achieve my goal as well." Ani Persson''s casual remark struck me. "Excuse me? What do you mean by that?" "It''s nothing. Uhihihi!" "No, it''s not nothing..." "Uhihihi! Uhihihi!" No matter how many times I asked, Ani Persson justughed like a screw was loose. In the end, I had no choice but to think about it myself. The conclusion I could reach now was... ''The growth of my Light is connected to Ani Persson''s goal.'' That there is a point of contact between his unknown goal and my goal. I couldn''t figure out anything else. What in the world is he nning? Is his n something that can only be achieved if I disappear like Rodveny? I wanted to resolve this uneasiness as soon as possible. *** Ani Persson''s teaching started immediately. -This darkroom is a space created to fully focus on Light. Try focusing on your own Light. Until you feel something. Uhihi! With these words, he left me in the darkroom and locked the door. I felt a bit of PTSD, like I was being imprisoned somewhere, but I quickly calmed down. From our previous conversation, I felt that Ani Persson had no ill intentions towards me. At least for now. ''He could change at any moment.'' Since I came to Ani Persson with risks involved, I couldn''t let my guard down. Otherwise, I would end up like Rodveny. However, I still had to diligently follow Ani Persson''s teachings. That''s the only way I could achieve results from seeking him out. In that sense... "Concentrate on the Light..." I closed my eyes and thought. What did he mean by focusing on my Light? I recalled the shorings of my magic that he had mentioned. The form of mana, the flow, the understanding of attributes, and so on. The endless list of things to improve. First, I had to see this with my own eyes. Whoosh! The sphere of Light emerged with a tremendous consumption of mana. With a calm mind, I looked at the sphere. With a different perspective than the admiration I had always held. I focused all my senses to find the shorings that Ani Persson had mentioned. After what felt like two hours... "...This is harder than I thought?" I realized that this seemingly trivial task was quite difficult. Apart from the fatigue of maintaining a still posture, my concentration was being consumed tremendously. In fact, I was drenched in cold sweat right now. Fortunately, there were results. Turning my gaze back to the sphere of Light, I thought. ''I found everything Ani Persson mentioned.'' At first, I couldn''t grasp it at all, but after an hour had passed, I started to see the problems he had mentioned one by one. Just by staring intently at my sphere, my insight into magic had opened up. Of course, this was possible because I already knew what problems to look for and because of the ''magic learning ability'' provided by my trait. Anyway... ''Is this enough?'' There was still one problem left. Did Ani Persson''s words "until you feel something" mean to grasp these problems? After contemting on my own, I came to a conclusion. "No, that''s not it." No matter how much I thought about it, he wouldn''t have locked me in the darkroom for this. There must be another reason. However, I still couldn''t grasp what it was. In the end, there was only one thing to do. "Let''s try again... Again." Whoosh! Manifesting the brilliant Light, I entered a state of concentration once more. How much time had passed? Finally, I felt what he had been talking about. "This is it!" A unique training that I had never done before. And as I gained enlightenment from it, an indescribable sense of aplishment filled me. Ani Persson wanted one thing. It was another problem created by the collision of the very problems he had mentioned. ''The twisted path of mana and the irregr forms are preventing the sphere from growingrger. The structure and understanding are suppressing the Light''s attempt to radiate.'' That''s what he wanted me to realize. While I was thinking about that... Creak The thick iron door opened with a metallic sound. Ani Persson entered at the perfect timing. As I was adjusting to the suddenly bright surroundings, he spoke. "Disciple, have you gained enlightenment from your own Light?" I nodded confidently and replied, "Yes, I think I have." And I eagerly exined what I had realized... But for some reason... "Eh? What are you talking about?" His expression didn''t look good. *** "At first, I tried to find the problems you mentioned earlier. It took some time, but I found them. But it didn''t seem like that''s what you meant. So..." Ani Persson was lost in thought as he looked at the man talking in front of him. No, it would be more urate to say that the man made him think. Because Ani Persson didn''t understand this situation at all. ''What in the world is he talking about?'' He had simply told the man to observe his own Light magic in the darkroom. Because the beginning of all learning is to realize the state of your own magic. He just wanted the man to realize the unstable elements in his Light magic. He had no other intentions. But... "Indeed, the mixture of those two caused many problems. Not only does the magic fail to maintain aplete state, but it also..." Not only did he realize the unstable elements, but he also grasped theplex problems caused by them. Of course, it wasn''t impossible. Mages often realize many problems by observing their own magic. However... ''That''s something you can only do when you''re at the 7th Circle...''n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om That means it''s only possible for high-ranking mages. It was absolutely impossible for this man, who was said to be only at the 4th Circle level. No, it was amazing that he even realized the unstable elements in the first ce. Not many mages had that kind of talent. Then... What about the man in front of him? ¡®This... things are about to get very interesting.¡¯ Ani Persson thought. He thought he could try again what he had ultimately failed to dost time. No. Perhaps this time, he could finally seed. It was the moment when Ani Persson, who had intended to teach with a light heart, became serious. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 91 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 91 After leaving Ani Persson''s residence... -This... things are about to get very interesting. "Ha... What does that even mean?" The words I had heard earlier kept reying in my head. I couldn''t understand what was suddenly going to be so interesting. He wouldn''t even answer when I asked him about it. ''Did I do something wrong?'' That thought crossed my mind, but well... No matter how much I thought about it, there wasn''t anything that I could pinpoint as a mistake. It''s only natural, since I just did as I was told, so what could I have possibly done wrong? "Forget it." In the end, I couldn''te to a usible conclusion and stopped my thoughts. Anyway, thanks to visiting Ani Persson, I gained a lot. Firstly, I secured a promise to meet with him regrly, and secondly, I urately grasped the current state of my Light magic. This had quite a significant meaning. Knowing the problem meant finding a way to fix it, a way to improve it. "It was a simpler method than I thought."N?v(el)B\\jnn Why hadn''t I ever tried this before? I had only thought about how to improve in my head, but I never imagined directly looking at the magic itself to find problems. Not only me, but also the other high-level mages I had met so far, such as Dercion, the elders of Aldeon, and Asion Gale, must have been the same. I had never received advice from them to look into my own magic. In other words... "This is Ani Persson''s unique method." This meant that it was a method he had discovered himself. It wasn''t surprising. Who would think of sitting still and watching their own magic for hours? Improving the mana circuit, reorganizing the form, increasing the total amount of mana. There are so many things to do, just off the top of my head. Perhaps this was a method that Ani Persson was able to grasp precisely because he was not an Awakened with mana. Since he couldn''t use magic, all he could do was observe. He must have observed the magic cast by others, meeting countless mages instead of using his own magic. Naturally, he would have developed an eye for magic. To be honest, I was a bit uneasy about learning magic from a non-Awakened, but now that I think about it, it was an unnecessary worry. I never expected that there would be something new to learn from a non-Awakened. Anyway... "Shall we go back now?" Today''s learning was over. I sessfully delivered the contract to Barus. Now I had no business left in the inner sector. Then, I should return to sector 6 where I was originally staying and make other preparations. Physical training with Barundel, the reward for the request I was supposed to receive from Lena, and material support from Asion Gale. Once that was done, I would visit Ani Persson again to learn Light magic, and so on. It seemed like I had done a lot, but there was still a mountain of things to deal with. "Busy, busy." A little over a week left until the Great War. It seemed like that time would fly by. *** A regr pub in Sector 6. "Really? That professor is something else. You must be having a hard time, missy." "Still better than the head of the academy. I heard a rumor that you were beaten day and night the day before yesterday?" "Ha, haha... Did that rumor spread that far?" "Ahem, Rief has entered the second stage of physical training." Ka, Barundel, Thompson, and me. Everyone gathered for the first time in a while. The reason we gathered like this was because the war was imminent. ording to the prophecy, tomorrow was the day the war would break out. "By the way, we''ve all improved a lot, haven''t we?" Everyone nodded at my words. "Indeed, a lot has changed in the past few weeks." Barundel was right. We had changed a lot. "Uncle Thompson, have youpletely mastered the Body Transformation magic now?" "Hey, Mr. First ce! Completely, my foot! I can barely cast it now. It''ll be a while before I can show you proper Body Transformation magic!" "Still, that''s something. You can use it in war." Thompson was able to use Body Transformation magic to some extent. "Ka, Professor Ziren said you''re now aplete 4th Circle mage?" "...Not really surprising. It''s only natural to level up after being pushed that hard." Ka had be a full-fledged 4th Circle mage. "Ahem, I''mpletely used to the axe now." Barundel hadpletely mastered the use of [Anatak''s Great Axe]. I also had some progress in Light magic and reached about the middle of the 4th stage of physical training. Thanks to that, the penalty of ''forced sleep'' that urred when I overexerted myself disappeared. Of course, I didn''t miss out on other magical growth by attending sses at the academy whenever I could. Now I was a mage who could handle 5th Circle level magic perfectly. Considering it was only achieved in a few weeks, it was a tremendous achievement. ''If I do well, I might even be able to aim for the 6th Circle in this war.'' Education while sitting still or Ani Persson''s teachings are good, but magic truly grows the most through actualbat experience. In that sense, I might be able to reach the 6th Circle level in this war. And if that happens... With the effect of the [Holy Staff], I can use 7th Circle level magic. Indirectly, I would reach the level of a high-ranking mage. ''A high-ranking mage...'' I realized anew that my level had risen tremendously. The things I had experienced so far shed through my mind like a panorama. Starting as a beggar in Sector 7, being imprisoned by Redhead, bing the target of the Silver-haired Knight, the major incident at the Aldeon Magic Tower, the hellish hunt outside the border, and so on. I had ovee many near-death experiences, but the sense of aplishment that came with it was great. Of course, I shouldn''t getcent and let my guard down. "Tomorrow is the war. You''ve all done well so far, but that doesn''t mean there will only be good results." Because the greatest danger lies ahead. "I know, Mr. First ce!" "Don''t worry too much. We''ll do well. This time too." "Yeah, let''s think positive. It''s not often we get the chance to indiscriminately st demons with magic, right?" I said heavily to the slightly excited group, "What I mean is, some of us might lose our lives in the war." "..." "..." The atmosphere turned cold at the mention of someone possibly dying. I didn''t care. That''s what I meant to do. Right now, this was what we needed. "So please, everyone, be on your guard. The moment you becent with your growth is the most dangerous." Ka, Barundel, Thompson. I made eye contact with each of them, and they nodded with serious faces. Slightly relieved, I brought up the main topic. "Alright. Shall we formte a strategy?" A n to prepare for various variables. This is why we gathered at the pub despite needing to regte our condition with sufficient rest. It was time to calmly reduce the risks. *** Meanwhile, at the Asternon Academy at the same time. Asion Gale, the head of the academy, looked around. The heads of each department, gathered around arge round table, were staring at him with stern faces. Although he had summoned them himself, he felt grateful to see them all gathered like this. "Thank you all. It must have been difficult to make time like this." "Not at all. We should naturallye if it''s an emergency summons from the head of the academy." "With the war tomorrow, how can trivial tasks be important?" "Hahaha. Everyone is full of passion." Asion Gale smiled with satisfaction. These were fellow mages who had once risked their lives together. Just by exchanging a few words, he could tell that their friendship was still strong. It remained unchanged even after many years. ''I can trust these people and have their backs.'' These were people with whom he had built a deep trust, without exception. At the same time, they were also the most skilled individuals in the academy. With them stepping up, there was no need to worry too much, even if it was the great war foretold in the prophecy. Those demons would be running away with their tails between their legs. Of course, what he was really worried about was something else. "Three students from our academy are participating in this war. Are you all aware of this?" "Of course, Dean. Student Yuhan, Student Thompson, and Student Ka." "Then, while leading the war to victory is important, protecting those students is the priority." Perhaps it was because they had experience working together. The conversation progressed smoothly even before Asion Gale could speak. "That''s right, Vice-Dean. I wish we could personally escort them, but... the situation doesn''t allow it." "Those damn government bastards. How dare they threaten the Dean?" "This is a tant disregard for our academy." The story of the contract had already reached their ears. Naturally, what followed was an angry reaction. However, Asion Gale calmly eased the tension. "I''ll make those bastards pay after the war anyway, so don''t worry too much. We need to focus on the immediate task at hand." "Yes, you''re right." "So... Vice-Dean, and Research Committee Chairman. Could you possibly protect our academy students during the war?" "Ah..." The two people mentioned by Asion Gale hesitated and couldn''t answer immediately. No matter how important the students were, they weren''t more important than the head of the academy to them. In such a situation, being singled out like this and having to step away from protecting the head of the academy, they couldn''t help but be reluctant. However... They had already experienced Asion Gale''s stubbornness. Once he decided to do something, he had to do it. Even if they refused a hundred times here, they would eventually have toply with his request. "Understood, Dean." The Vice-Dean, who was the first to realize this, epted Asion Gale''s request. The Research Committee Chairman also nodded in agreement. "If you order us to, we will." "Haha, thank you all. Please protect our students. Especially student Yuhan. We must protect him. He is a talent who will make a mark on the history of magic in the future." "Yes, we will make sure he doesn''t get hurt." "This is really reassuring. With the two of you there, I can fight with peace of mind." Asion Gale said with relief. ''Whew.'' With this, one of his worries was gone. All that remained was to win the war with minimal damage. And that was what Asion Gale was most confident in. ''It''s time to show off my skills after a long time.'' The nickname ''Lion of Glory'' he earned in the war long ago. It was time to bring back that old fame once again. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 92 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 92 The day of the war finally arrived. I woke up early in the morning and equipped myself with all the gear I had gathered. These were purchased with the reward money I received from Lena''s request. Although they were a bit faulty because I bought them on the ck market, they still had many useful effects. "This is the first time I''ve been decked out like this." First, an artifact in the form of a belt that temporarily increases the total amount of mana. It has the drawback of consuming more mana than the amount increased when first activated, but it was a very useful artifact for me because of my fast mana regeneration. And next is a ne artifact that enhances hearing. As the name suggests, it amplifies hearing, allowing the wearer to pick up sounds from farther distances than they normally could. The problem is that it picks up too many misceneous things, which can be distracting, but this too can be activated in an on/off manner, making it manageable. And besides that.... Leather armor that reces shock with mana consumption, arm warmers that can store mana for a short time, and so on. I armed myself from head to toe with items that could be useful depending on how they were used. This should be enough to block most variables in war. I nced sideways and saw that the others waiting with me were the same. "Hoo, I feel a bit heavy." "Miss, that''s a strength issue. You need to exercise." "I can teach you physical training. I''ll give you a discount as a friend." "...No, thank you." Everyone was fully armed in their own way. Watching them chat in such attire, I realized that a real war was really happening. But was it different for the others? "Ha, it''s finally today. Why doesn''t it feel real to me?" "You too, mister? Me neither. A war on such a clear day..." Ka and Thompson exchanged conversations as if they couldn''t believe it. Well, it''s not surprising. How can one truly grasp the sight of blood sttering and flesh being cut on a scale of thousands, tens of thousands before it even begins? It was understandable for them to react that way if they had no experience in this kind of thing. Barundel, on the other hand, was silently polishing his axe with an oiled cloth. He seemed to be more proficient than the other two, probably due to his long battle experience. He said, his eyes fixed on the axe, "All battles tend to happen suddenly." The moment Barundel said that. Rumble! The sky suddenly began to scream. At the roar, everyone turned their eyes to the window, and in an instant, We witnessed the clear sky being covered by dark gray clouds. "What is this..." It was the beginning of the signs of war. Not stopping there, sirens red throughout Asternon. Weeeeeeng! It was like a signal re announcing the start of the war. The atmosphere around us cooled down, and the volunteer mercenaries who had been waiting moved in unison. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! It was obvious where they were going without asking. Everyone will be moving to their assigned locations. We can''t just stand around either. "Let''s go." "Oh, okay...!" I led the group to the location we were informed of in advance. Our assigned mission was to guard the main gate so that Sector 6 wouldn''t be breached, but... It wasn''t exactly a good mission. That''s because, at the current time, the most likely ce for the demons to open a rift is near the main gate of Sector 6. We actually confirmed that Sector 7 was swarming with demons. That meant that being assigned here increased the probability of danger. It seems the other volunteer mercenaries here also knew that fact. "Huff, huff..." "Is this a real war? Really? No, right? This is a dream, right?" "...No way." Most of them seemed confused, unable toe to their senses, breathing roughly, or in a state of panic. It seemed they hadn''t grasped the reality of the war either. Just in case mypanions were swept up in the atmosphere, I said calmly, "Be tense, but don''t be afraid. If we stick to the n, there won''t be any unexpected events." "...Uh, okay." After receiving the reply, I turned my head. Dozens of makeshift outposts at the main gate. Gathered in one of them, we focused our attention only forward. Only one thought filled my mind. ''Which side?'' If it''s the same as the event I saw in the game, the moment they appear is... as the name [Blood Moon Prophecy] suggests, the moment the moon turns red. That''s the timing. So... "Huh? Uh... that!" Right now. "It''s begun." Crackle! Simultaneously with the moon turning red, the now tiresome red lightning strikes. The ce where the lightning struck was a little distance from the main gate of Sector 6. The space there distorted, and then opened up like a fish opening its mouth. ''A rift.'' A rift connected to somewhere in the demon realm. I didn''t have to recall what happened next to know. "Ah, demons!" Kieeeeek! The demon army, revealing themselves one by one from the rift. They soon increased their numbers in an instant. At a rough estimate, there seemed to be at least a few hundred of them. "Prepare for battle-!!" "Volunteer mercenaries, charge into the rift!" "Cha, charge!" As requested by the royal family, the volunteer mercenaries stood at the forefront and charged towards the rift. Meanwhile, the knights of the royal family slowly followed behind, sprinkling holy water on their swords. Splish, ssh, ssh! The holy water seemed quite expensive, imbued with holy power stronger than typical holy water. However, they poured it out generously in this moment. This temporarily granted them power simr to a pdin. They raised their faintly glowing swords and closed in behind the volunteer mercenaries. Meanwhile, we... "So this is war..." "It''s more chaotic than I thought." We were watching the chaotic scene from the outpost at the back, drawing up mana. It''s a privilege only mages have, since we''re ranged attackers. Of course, it was different for Barundel. "Uoooo-!" He charged towards the rift, pushing to the front lines more than anyone else. Thompson, watching him, said with concern, "Will he be okay? That dwarf..." "There''s no problem as long as we support him well." Our current task was simple: protect Barundel with ranged attacks. Just then, the demon army shed with the volunteer mercenaries. Kieeeeek! Thud! Kieeee-! Screech! The battlefield instantly became a scene of blood and flesh. We didn''t just watch; we started firing spells, mainly focusing around Barundel. First came Ka''s fireball. Whoosh! It instantly created a long ze across the front of the legion. Kiek! Kieek! Demons caught in the mes writhed and rolled on the ground, while those further back hesitated, unable to approach. And then an even bigger disaster struck them. Shwaaaak-! Boom! Shwaaaak-! Boom! Thompson hurled rocks like cannonballs, hitting the demons mercilessly. Kirik, Kiruruk... The effects of Thompson''s physical training were clear; the power was tremendous. Every demon hit by a rock was instantly killed, foaming at the mouth as they breathed theirst. Those who narrowly dodged the rocks were my responsibility. Pew! Pew! If there were such a thing as aser sniper rifle, this would be it. The demons charging mindlessly were all struck in the head and copsed powerlessly. It was around then that we heard cheers. "Waa-! Ma, magic!" "Don''t be scared! We have mages!!" "Charge! Charge!!" The mercenaries cheered, witnessing the power of our ranged attacks. The gging morale was instantly revived. ''Yeah, this is what a mage is all about.'' In arge-scale battle like this, a mage holds a significant advantage over mercenaries of the same level. It''s not an exaggeration to say they can take on a hundred enemies at once. That''s why morale doesn''t easily waver where there''s at least one mage present. But here, there weren''t just one, but three! ''If I were a Zombie Swordsman... I''d be right next to Barundel.'' And not just standing next to him, but tanking attacks from countless demons.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Just imagining it was terrifying. This wasn''t a game; I''d feel all the pain. Even with my regeneration, I think my mind would break first. Well, it would be reassuring for the other mercenaries, though. Still... "Mages are the best." Thompson and Ka agreed with my unintentional exmation. "Yeah, that''s it! That''s what a mage is!" "Die, you demons!" As if waiting for this moment, mypanions unleashed a relentless barrage of magic. The mercenaries changed their tactics, holding up their shields and enduring. Our firepower gradually had an effect, pushing the battle lines forward. Of course, it wasn''t just our efforts. sh! asionally, when a mid-rank or higher demon emerged from the rift, a royal knight waiting at the back would strike, beheading it. The demon''s head was severed in a single blow without any resistance. The holy water might have yed a role, but the skill of the royal knights was more prominent. Each and every one of them was at a level slightly exceeding Silver Haired Guy. With dozens of such knights gathered, even some of the more renowned demons couldn''t take more than a few steps out of the rift. Anyway... ''It''s going smoothly for now.'' There were no problems so far; everything was going smoothly. If this continued, we could surround the rift and eliminate the demons as soon as they appeared. Of course, the situation didn''t remain favorable. Perhaps realizing they were being pushed back... Shreek, shriek! The demons started sending out high-ranking demons one by one. And the power of a high-ranking demon was formidable. Shriek! Crack! "Kyaaaak-!" A [Giant Demon Cobra] emerged from the rift, squeezed through the ranks, and bit a mercenary with its fangs. Bang! Whoosh! A [Stone Gargoyle] repelled a knight''s attack, soared into the sky, and spewed out its breath. Slurp! Slurp! And a [Proliferating Slime] that absorbed any physical attack and divided itself. Despite only a few appearing, the tide of the battle noticeably shifted. At the same time... An even more shocking scene unfolded. "W-wait!" "Help me... Help meee!" "People? Are those people?" Humans, not demons, began pouring out of the rift. Even I flinched at that unbelievable sight. ''Why people?'' People emerging from a rift to the demon realm? And it didn''t end there. The people who came out of the rift suddenly rushed at the mercenaries and bit into their necks. "Gah, ugh! What is this..." "Die! Die!!" What in the world was going on? After some thought, I came to a conclusion. -Isn''t it strange? That flower was nted in Sector 7, where there are few people, in a turtle cave that''s not easily noticeable. The conclusion was that these people had fallen victim to Asmodeus''s ability. The clothes they were wearing were the evidence. Ragged clothes that looked like they hadn''t been washed in ages. Yes, they were definitely the people from Sector 7 whom we couldn''t find anywhere. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 93 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 93 The way to confirm this hypothesis was simple. Because right next to me was someone who might know the answer. ¡°Ka, by any chance¡­.¡± At that moment, I grabbed Ka''s shoulder to grasp the situation. ¡°¡­¡­Yes, that''s right.¡± I realized there was no need to ask any further. Shoulders trembling as if frightened and a face pale as if drained of blood. That was enough of an answer. ¡°They''re, they''re out of their minds! Cut them down together with those things-!¡± ¡°Kill them! Kill them all!¡± As the Knight Commander''s order fell, the situation spiraled further into chaos. Watching the chaos, I quickly racked my brains. ¡®Killing is not an option.¡¯ Killing is, in a way, the easiest and simplest option to choose here. It''s just a matter of ughtering those people without treating them as human beings. But if I did, I wouldn''t be able to face Ka the same way as before. And the same goes for Ka. In other words, it means I have to stop the situation that is unfolding right now, no matter what. Of course. Crack! ¡°Argh! This damn dog bit me¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Die! Diee!¡± That''s not easy either. Currently, the people of Sector 7 are out of their minds, attacking the soldiers, and those demons are endlessly pouring out of the rift, increasing their numbers. In this situation, I couldn''t just ask them to stop attacking without any countermeasures. Then I had to find a way to save the residents of Sector 7 without harming my allies. Fortunately, I made a quick decision. ¡°When I give the signal, get down! Mister, please take care of Ka!¡± ¡°What? Get down? Wait a minute, first-ce guy! Where are you going!¡± Thud! There was no time to exin everything. Leaving Thompson''s shout behind, I left the outpost and sought out the Knight Commander. He was currently in the midst of the battlefield, diligently attacking the demons and the residents. I immediately cloaked myself in electric magic. Bzzzt! It felt like all the dormant muscles and nerves were awakened at once. Maintaining that sensation, Iunched my body. Fwoosh! I reached the Knight Commander in an instant and dealt with the demon he was aiming his sword at. Bam! Kueeek! The demon, hit squarely with my elerated fist, was flung into the air. When I turned around after confirming that, the Knight Commander was looking at me with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°¡­¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Yuhan, the 5th Circle mage assigned to this ce.¡± ¡°Mage? Why has a magee all the way here? Fall back. We''ll take care of this.¡± ¡°No. Would you please listen to me for a moment?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°We need to stop the attack now. Those people are citizens of Asternon.¡± ¡°What?¡± His surprise was brief. The Knight Commander quickly returned to his expressionless face and brushed the blood off his sword. Pitter-patter! He stared at his clean sword and muttered. ¡°¡­¡­As expected. They were the residents of the vanished Sector 7.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Seeing that he grasped it all at once, it seemed the Knight Commander had also suspected it to some extent. Then it would be much easier to talk. However. The words that followed were far from wee. The Knight Commander looked me straight in the eye and opened his mouth. ¡°Thank you. Thanks to you, I can move without hesitation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°There''s no need to feel guilty about cutting down that trash, is there?¡± Damn it. This is the worst-case scenario I anticipated. The Knight Commander doesn''t even consider the people of Sector 7 as human beings. ¡®That''s why I deliberately said they were citizens of Asternon, not residents of Sector 7¡­.¡¯ To think he would be such a perceptive Knight Commander. There was no helping it now. I had no choice but to persuade him somehow. ¡°If you save these people, it will surely be recognized as a great contribution.¡± ¡°Saving this trash is a contribution? You''ll be lucky if you don''t get cursed out.¡± ¡°Your honor will also rise. The news that you saved the people of Sector 7 will spread throughout Asternon. Honor is the most important thing in chivalry, isn''t it?¡± ¡°The first principle of chivalry is to uphold justice against evil. Honor is not more important than that.¡± ¡°Is harming people justice?¡± ¡°Do they look like people to you? They are clearly evil.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± How long did we argue like that? ¡°They are the ones affected by Asmodeus''s power. Maybe we can find a clue to solve her power.¡± ¡°Asmodeus?¡± The Knight Commander, who hadn''t even listened to a word I said, finally faltered. It seemed that the idea that it could help solve the Legion Commander''s power was tempting. Seizing the opportunity, I continued my exnation. ¡°Yes, distorting the mind is Asmodeus''s specialty. And this war is by no means one that can be ended in a short time.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It won''t be long before Asmodeus shows herself in person. And what she will do¡­ is obvious. She willunch a widespread mental attack. Just like she did to the people of Sector 7. Then what will happen?¡± After throwing that question, I looked at the battlefield. Following my gaze, the Knight Commander also turned his head. ¡°Uwaaagh!¡± ¡°Get out! Get out of here!¡± The battlefield was still chaotic. Soldiers and residents were attacking each other, repeatedly falling and getting back up. Most of the time, the heavily armed soldiers were winning, but some were starting to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. ¡°Ugh, this son of a bitch is at my throat¡­¡­!¡± The important thing here is that this is just the result of the residents of Sector 7. What if knights or a Knight Commander levelbatant were mixed in? Naturally, the result would have been far more disastrous than now. Did the Knight Commander sense that too? ¡°It certainly looks dangerous.¡± He nodded as if he understood somewhat. I didn''t miss the opportunity and drove the wedge in. ¡°We need to prepare for that variable. Maybe those residents will be the key.¡± ¡°You''re saying we should capture them alive?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The Knight Commander clenched his teeth and pondered. Then, with a resolute look, he shook his head. ¡°I understand the intent, but we can''t afford to do that right now. If we''re not careful, our forces could suffer heavy casualties.¡± That''s a valid point. If someone gets injured trying to capture the residents alive, the cost outweighs the benefit. But. ¡°Don''t worry about that. I have a way.¡± I wouldn''t have brought it up if that were the case. ¡°A way?¡± ¡°Yes, I can incapacitate the demons and residents for a while with my magic. If we capture them then, there won''t be any problems.¡± ¡°¡­¡­You can do that with your magic?¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± The Knight Commander clenched his teeth again. Perhaps it''s an unconscious habit when he''s thinking¡­ Soon. ¡°Alright. Go ahead and do as you please. However, if this goes wrong, you''ll have to take responsibility.¡± Finally, a positive answer came. Well, the talk about responsibility weighs heavily on my shoulders, but this is a sessful oue. ¡°Yes, I''ll take responsibility.¡± I nodded once and thenid out a more detailed n to the Knight Commander. By the time the briefing was over. ¡°Cease attack! Everyone into defensive formation!¡± The Knight Commander gave the order to cease attack in a booming voice. It''s finally time to start the operation in earnest. The so-called Sector 7 Resident Capture Operation. Thud, thud, thud! At the Knight Commander''s order, the soldiers lined up withrge shields. ¡°Block them! Block them!¡± ¡°Don''t let a single demon through!¡± They lined up so tightly, as if to not allow even the slightest gap, it was like looking at a wall made of humans. After a brief moment of admiration, I immediately hid behind the shields and raised my mana. Using all the magic-rted artifacts I bought from the ck market, such as the belt and arm guards. Woooong! Like a firmly shut floodgate bursting open, mana drained from me in an instant. There was no need to worry, though. It was being replenished at a speed that could keep up. -Mana regeneration increased by 300%. A mana sphere formed above my outstretched palms. I mobilized the endless mana to continuously increase the size of the sphere. Woooong! Woooong! Woooong! The mana sphere grewrger with time. What I was about to do was a new technique I could use after reaching the 5th Circle. In other words, it''s a superrge casting magic that can only be wielded by those at 6th Circle or higher, amplified by the effect of the [Holy Staff]. This meant that I had to concentrate more than ever. ''Calmly.'' Recognizing that the lives of the people of Sector 7 depended on me, I calmly poured in mana. Bigger, bigger. ¡°What is that mage trying to do?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that size¡­¡­!¡± ¡°That''s not any magic I know?¡± The sphere had now surpassed the size of the rift. Only then did I stop injecting mana. ¡°This should be enough¡­.¡± It was enough. Enough to incapacitate the thousands of demons in front of me. ¡°Huuup.¡± Holding my staggering body, I took a deep breath. And then, I shouted at the top of my lungs in a voice I had never used before. ¡°Everyone, get down-!¡± That was the moment. The world turned white. Fwaaaaaash! Superrge casting magic is activated in various ways depending on the caster''s intention. Dropping a meteor made of magic, freezing all living things around, causing rapid temperature changes to alter the weather, and so on. If the caster''s skill was sufficient, there were truly no limitations. And what I cast now was superrge casting magic imbued with the light attribute. Its destructive power was close to zero, but it could incapacitate enemies over a wide area. Simply put. ''A superrge shbang.'' An intense pure white light spread across the entire battlefield. Even though I was lying face down with my eyes closed and my hands covering them, I could still feel the light. If it was like this for me, who cast the magic and was fully prepared, what about the others? They would probably be blinded. Yes, just like those guys. Kieeeeek-! Groan! Gurururup! The demons clutched their eyes at the intense sh that engulfed the battlefield. At the same time, they started making a franticmotion. Some were writhing, some were spinning in ce, some were running into walls. They were causing a ruckus in all sorts of ways. It was clear that their vision was not functioning properly. It was the same for the residents. ¡°My, my eyes¡­¡­!¡± ¡°I can''t see! I can''t see!¡± They were busy panicking, forgetting all about biting our allies. I naturally turned my gaze to where the Knight Commander was, and our eyes met. As I carefully nodded, the Knight Commander shouted. ¡°Cut down all the demons! Capture the humans alive!¡± ¡°Uoooooooo-!¡± The soldiers let out a loud roar and charged forward. Now, they had nothing to fear. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 94 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 94 Thud! Thud! Thud! ...Kieeek! The soldiers who rushed out mercilessly stabbed the demons who had lost their sight. At the same time, the mercenaries rushed out and tied up the panicked residents. Despite being a makeshift operation, the situation is proceeding quite smoothly. Of course, this smooth sailing didn''t continue. Shwirrrr! Among the demons, there were some who were not affected by the superrge shbang. For example, like the [Giant Demon Cobra] that is currently rampant in front of us. The [Giant Demon Cobra] is a creature that perceives the world using senses other than sight, such as its tongue that senses heat in the surroundings and its skin that senses vibrations. Because of this, no matter how powerful the shbang was, it couldn''t have much effect on it. However. That doesn''t mean that the existence of the [Giant Demon Cobra] is threatening. With the other demons incapacitated, what can it do alone? "Ah, that''s the one that can see! Kill this one first!" "Attack it all at once!" "Uwaaaaah!" Shwiii... Shwirrrr! sh! When dozens of soldiers and knights rushed at it at once, the [Giant Demon Cobra]''s head was cut off before it could even counterattack. No matter how unnecessary sight was, and no matter how thick and dense its scales were, there was no match for a group attack. Anyway. "Okay, then I''ll..." I can''t just stand by and watch. With that thought, I came out of the temporary outpost. The mana I used while detonating the superrge shbang has now recovered to some extent. It was time for me to step up. Just in time. "M-Mr First ce!" Thompson came to where I was, bringing Ka along. I don''t know how he found me in thisrge crowd, but it''s amazing timing. "Are your eyes okay, mister?" "Huh? Uh... thanks to you signaling us to lie down. Was that magic just now done by Mr First ce?" "Yes, I''ve reached a new level of enlightenment. My understanding of light magic has also increased a lot." "I see..." Thompson looked at me with a subtle gaze. It''s a look that somehow feels like awe... "What''s wrong?" When I asked why, Thompson replied like this. "No, I''m just surprised. I heard that your skills had improved, but I didn''t know it would be to this extent." Indeed, it''s understandable for Thompson to feel that way. In reality, my skills have improved remarkablypared to just a while ago. It''s all thanks to Ani Persson. ''It was truly a stroke of genius for me to seek him out.'' Although there are some strange rumors about Ani Persson that worry me, apart from that, seeking him out was one of the best things I''ve done in this world. ...This was because Ani Persson''s knowledge of light magic was far superior to what the rumors said. Every single word he uttered brought enlightenment about light, and thanks to that, my level of light magic has risen tremendously. Whatever his purpose may be, if I hadn''t sought out Ani Persson, I would have regretted it for a long time. In any case, that worked out well. "Isn''t it normal for you to be surprised?" Come to think of it, there was no need for Thompson to overreact. I heard from the Dean that Thompson had also grown as much as I had. Not only his basic magic control, but also the variety and intensity of his magic have changed in many aspects. Especially the ''Body Transformation Magic'' that Thompson newly mastered. It was practically a secret art of Asion Gale that couldn''t be passed down due to theck of a suitable sessor, so it was worth looking forward to. Does Thompson know that fact too? "Haha, is that so...?" He scratched his head with an embarrassed face. Judging from his expression, which doesn''t look too bad, it seems he knows that he has grown quite a lot himself. And fortunately, he doesn''t seem to be worried about his growth rate like he used to be. Catching on to that, I brought up the thought I had been having. "So, how about youe with me to the front? We can show off our skills." "Ah, to the front?" "Yes. I''m thinking of going to the crack and taking care of the demons that are forcing their way out." Dealing with the demons that have already been directly hit by the shbang is no problem at all. However, the demonsing out of the crack after that are in perfect condition. We could suffer casualties while dealing with them. If we take care of those demonsing out of the crack before that happens, we can prevent unnecessary losses. ''And rack up some achievements along the way.'' Above all, as a Magic Swordsman, I specialize in fighting on the front lines. The same goes for Thompson, who handles Earth Magic. It''s more efficient to be at the front than to blindly shoot magic from the rear. When I exined this point. "...Shall we?" Thompson nodded his head with a positive expression. Thus, a two-person frontline dealer team was formed. The only one left was Ka. "...What should I do?" Just then, Ka asked with a hesitant expression. She still seemed bewildered by the current situation. It''s not strange at all, considering that people from her hometown suddenly popped out of the crack and attacked, and I subdued them with my wide-range magic. It wouldn''t be easy to fully ept this, as it was somethingpletely unexpected. Therefore. "Ka, you move to the outpost we were at earlier and provide support fire." It was right to ce Ka in the rear. This would reduce the risk stemming from her unstable mental state and maximize the effect of her specialty, long-range casting magic. "Okay." After assigning each member their roles. Thompson and I approached the knightmander, the currentmander of this ce, and exined the situation. As expected, the knightmander looked flustered after hearing our story. "...You''re going to fight on the front lines? The two of you?" "Yes." "Huh, this is the first time I''ve heard a mage say such a thing on a battlefield." I fully understood the knightmander''s position. What kind of crazy mage would ask to be sent to the front lines? Two of them, no less. He''d be more likely to send them to the rearmost position. This was a first-time experience for him. However. "Alright. I permit it." Getting the knightmander''s permission wasn''t that difficult. There wasn''t any special reason for that...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Because a mage of your level wouldn''t be trying to die." It seemed the knightmander had a certain degree of trust in me. Apparently, the superrge shbang magic I disyed had given him faith. "However, if I give the order to retreat, you must follow it. This is an order." "Yes, I understand." With the knightmander''s repeated reminders, I officially became a mage allowed on the front lines. Without dy, we immediately went through the shield wall formed by the soldiers. And then, the true spectacle of war came into view. It waspletely different from what we saw from the distant outpost. Kieeek! Gurg! Gurgle! Groooo... Bizarre-looking demons endlessly poured out of the crack, and the sounds of blood, flesh, and metal shing filled the air. A living hell where death and killing were repeated. "Hoo." Looking at the scene, I slowly exhaled. Now. "Are you ready?" "Ah, of course!" It''s time for action. *** Elbert Tyran, the 7th Knight Commander in charge of defending Sector 6''s wall and destroying the crack. Tap! He paced in the air with the power of Aura, stroking his chin with aplicated expression. "Hmm." Thanks to his high jump, he could see the chaotic battlefield at a nce. How many demons were left, how many casualties were there on our side, and what the current state of the war was. He could grasp everything. And the reason for hisplicated expression wasn''t because the situation was bad. "It''s easy. Too easy." Although it was only the first day of the war, things were going too well. It was so different from the wars he had participated in before that it felt strange. Elbert Tyran knew the reason better than anyone else. "It''s all thanks to that young man''s magic." Yuhan, the 5th Circle mage who suddenly visited him and insisted on carrying out a rescue operation. He honestly scoffed when Yuhan said he could neutralize all the demons here at once. A mere 5th Circle mage incapacitating hundreds of demons in one go? Who in the world would believe such a ridiculous story? Based on his many war experiences, it was something that could only be done by at least a high-ranking mage. It''s not a realm that a novice mage, a mere 5th Circle, could ever reach. But then. -Don''t worry about that. I have a way. The look in his eyes wasn''t that of a liar. Having met countless people as amander and soldier, Elbert Tyran knew that look exactly. Conviction. It was a look of conviction that only someone who believes in themselves could possess. So he took a chance... "And he seeded spectacrly." He really did neutralize hundreds of demons with a single spell, creating an opportunity to save the residents of Sector 7. In fact, most of the remaining residents have now been captured alive. No matter what anyone says, it was a perfect sess. So how could his feelings not beplicated? He had thought it was absolutely impossible for a 5th Circle mage. One question kept tormenting Elbert. "...Was my judgment wrong? Or is he just special?" This was a rather important question for Elbert Tyran. cingpetent soldiers in the right ces is an essential virtue that amander must possess. Not being able to do that was practically the same as not being qualified as amander. "Hmm?" Elbert Tyran''s gaze fixed on one spot. He tilted his head as if he had seen something wrong. "...What am I looking at right now?" Where his gaze was fixed, there was a mage fighting tirelessly right in front of the crack. sh! sh! sh! He wasn''t seeing things. A mage was really fighting in that dangerous ce, engaging in directbat. And even holding a shining sword. Whooosh! The sword, emitting a dazzling light, was clearly a magically created sword. Even though Elbert Tyran had experienced countless battles, he had never seen or heard of a mage fighting like that. "I knew he was going to the front, but I didn''t expect him to fight like that..." Moreover, the mage had even enveloped his body in magic, pushing his physical limits. And that''s not all. The truly amazing thing wasn''t his novel fighting style or the never-before-seen magic sword. Having risen to the position of Knight Commander, Elbert was second to none in his knowledge of swordsmanship. That''s why he could see it. Just how amazing the swordsmanship of the mage fighting in front of him was. "...Is that really a mage?" The trajectory of the sword, the power put into the movements, the concentration, the flexibility of the attacks, the uracy, and so on. Everything was outstanding, even when evaluated from the perspective of a Knight Commander. With that level of skill, most of the knights he taught wouldn''t be able to match him. ''I want to fight him.'' Even though he knew his opponent was a mage, this thought kepting to mind. That he really wanted to cross swords with him. It was thepetitive spirit that only arose when he discovered a truly outstanding talent. Silently watching his battle in a daze, Elbert soon came up with the answer to the question he had earlier. "Indeed, that guy is special." A 5th Circle mage who can perform wide-range magic and swordsmanship exceeding that of a knight. To be able to do such a thing, without a doubt... Only that guy, Yuhan, could do it. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 95 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 95 Reaching the front of the crack, we immediately joined forces with Barundel and engaged in battle. "I would have been disappointed if you hadn''te." "Haha, I was just observing the situation for a bit..." "As expected, a party should fight together!" Barundel was on the right, Thompson on the left, and Ka was supporting us from behind. Of course, I didn''t hesitate to throw myself in whenever they seemed to be in danger. Anyway, like that, we guarded the crack like an iron wall, and the demons were helplessly defeated as soon as they appeared. About three or four hours passed like that. It was also tiresome to repeat simr battles over and over again. ''It really never ends...'' A long time had passed, but the demon army''s offensive showed no signs of ending. No, rather, it seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. Not only was the number of individuals increasing, but stronger ones were appearing. Now, the low-ranking demons that were mixed in at the beginning were hardly visible. The army was mostlyposed of mid-ranking demons or higher. I already knew it would be like this because I had experienced the [Blood Moon War] countless times in the game, but knowing and experiencing it firsthand werepletely different things. The truly scary thing is... ''This is just the beginning.'' The [Blood Moon War] consists of a total of 5 waves. The waves are cut off on a daily basis, and as it progresses to the next wave, the size and number of cracks increase, and it overflows with even stronger demons. Simply put, today, the first day, is the 1st wave. It means that it''s the easiest day to endure among the remaining ones. ''From the 4th wave, the legionmanders will appear in person.'' If that happens, then it''s truly the beginning of a hellish war. I won''t be able to afford to becent and have other thoughts like now. I must not lose focus every single moment and must endure the fatigue from the prolonged battle. Naturally, there will be many casualties. There was only one thing we could do to prevent such a situation. Closing the crack. In a way, it''s not much different from when Baal appeared in the Aldeon Magic Tower. If we just close the crack, the war will be over. But the differences were clear. First, because this was officially a war stated in the prophecy, we couldn''t use a method like summoning the ''Gatekeeper''. Simply put, the process of closing the crack has be much more difficult than back then. And second, there''s not just one crack to close. ''At least ten or more.'' ording to my experience, it''s possible to close the cracks after at least the 3rd wave. The number of cracks to close is at least ten or more. Naturally, the demons won''t just watch us close the cracks, so it can''t be an easy process, and if we don''t seed before the 4th wave ends? Then the 5th wave begins. The characteristic of the 5th wave is the addition of Baal''s power. It''s virtually safe to say that Asternon will be destroyed by then. Well, I''ve never seen it get that far. Most of the [Blood Moon Wars] I experienced seeded in closing the cracks around the 3rd wave. Even the ces that were a littlete seeded before the 4th wave ended. If the royal family doesn''t just leave it alone and takes action, it should seed somehow.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Anyway. For now, the best course of action is to hold out until the 3rd wave, when we can close the crack. Until then, we have no choice but to endure this tedious, repetitive battle. Fortunately, there''s some decent fun to be had in this process to help us endure. First, the fun of experiencing the strength of my grownrades. "Haaaap!" Thompson, with mana concentrated in his right hand, throws a punch. Simultaneously. Crack-! Kieeek! With a sound of something breaking, the massive [Demon Basilisk] is hit by Thompson''s fist and helplessly flies backward. Fifteen demons, caught in the aftermath, are swept away with the [Demon Basilisk]. Kueeeeek-! Shwiiik! What tremendous power. It''s to the point where I can''t even recall Thompson struggling to catch that thing back in Aldeon. More than the power itself, the most interesting thing was Thompson''s right arm, which looked different from before. ''...What the hell is that?'' From the fingertips to the shoulder. Thompson''s right arm had changed into an arm with thick gray leather. It looked like abination of an elephant''s foot and a human arm. Even though I''ve memorized almost every magic spell in order to raise a mage as a new character, that kind of magic waspletely unfamiliar to me. It''s only natural since it''s magic created by Asion Gale, a mage who didn''t exist in the setting where I yed the game. Anyway. "Mister, what exactly is that arm?" I was going to ask after the war was over, but I couldn''t hold back and spoke up first. Thompson then scratched his head with that thick arm. "Ah, this? Um... how should I exin this?" He rolled his eyes as if trying to find the right words, then said, "This is the Body Transformation Magic I learned. How should I put it, it''s still unstable. All I can use is one arm. It looks a bit grotesque, doesn''t it?" "Grotesque? It''s just amazing." "Hehehe, I''m d to hear that. Anyway, I heard that once I can fully control the magic, I can transform my entire body, not just one arm." "...Your entire body?" "Yeah." Crack! Thompson once again sent a charging demon flying. It''s tremendous power, even when I see it again. I looked at Thompson''s right hand and fell into thought. ''What the hell does it mean to change the entire body?'' I couldn''t quite grasp it just by hearing this. Does it mean that the whole body is covered in that thick leather? Or... With a feeling of disbelief, I asked. There''s a very simple way to solve this question. "Have you seen it by any chance? The Dean using Body Transformation Magic." All I need to do is find out what the Dean looks like when he uses Body Transformation Magic. Then I''d naturally be able to see the final form of Body Transformation Magic. But. "..." For some reason, Thompson couldn''t bring himself to speak. "Why? Don''t tell me you haven''t seen it? Even if it''s the Dean, it''s best to see and learn magic firsthand..." "No, no. I saw it with my own eyes. The Dean''s Body Transformation Magic. Just once, though." "Aha, as expected. What did it look like?" "...Well, about that." Thompson hesitated again. He even trembled slightly, as if he was afraid of something. What in the world happened? Thompson didn''t answer my question. "Mr First ce will find out soon enough. The Dean decided to participate in the war too..." Curiosity surged within me. I was dying to know. But he wasn''t wrong. Asion Gale actually signed a contract to participate in the war. I would be able to see his Body Transformation Magic soon. ''It seems like something he doesn''t want to talk about. Then there''s no need to force him to tell me.'' I decided to see the magic for myself and turned my thoughts elsewhere. Anyway, seeing Thompson''s growth like this is the first small joy. And the second is this. Swoosh-! The feeling of fullness that constantly fills me as I fight tirelessly. It''s experience points. [You have defeated the ''Demon Basilisk'' and gained 5 experience points.] [You have defeated the ''Stone Gargoyle'' and gained 5 experience points.] [You have defeated the ''Demon Lizard'' and gained 5 experience points.] If this were a game, these messages would be constantly popping up at the bottom of the screen. In that continuous feeling of fullness, my body shed five times. It meant I had gained 5 levels. In other words, since I reached level 12 at the end of the two weeks of hunting... ''Level 17.'' I''ve already entered thete 10s in level. ''Huh, 5 levels up just from the first day?'' Indeed, the speed of leveling up was tremendous. It was iparable to the growth in that hellish hunting outside the borders. Unlike back then, when I had to search for prey, now they''re pouring out of the crack without me having to do anything, so it''s not surprising, but it''s still amazing. As expected of the [Blood Moon War]. It''s not called one of the big events in Demon Fantasy for nothing. The rewards are great as much as the hardship. ''If things go well, I might even be able to reach level 20 in this war.'' From level 20, each stat increases by 2 per level up. The efficiency of leveling up doubles. Furthermore, the hidden pieces that I couldn''t get before due tock of level will be unlocked. I''ll have to go get them one by one after the war is over. ''Hoo... I''m already excited.'' Perhaps that''s when the true value of a veteran will be revealed. This is because there''s a world of difference between users who collect Hidden Pieces and those who don''t. ''While I''m at it, I should also grab some useful ones for mypanions.'' A few hours passed as I made ns in my head while fighting. "Hasn''t the number of demons decreased a bit?" "Oh... I think so? Is it finally over?" As the day drew to a close, the number of demons emerging from the crack noticeably decreased. It seemed that the 1st wave was finallying to an end. It started early in the morning and only ended as the day wasing to an end; it sure took a long time. About 30 minutester. "It''s over!" "Woohoo! Victory is ours!" Finally, the demon army stoppeding out of the crack, and many soldiers copsed on the spot, cheering. We were just as happy. "That was a really grueling battle..." "I wouldn''t have been able to withstand it if we hadn''t gone hunting, right? Right, Mr First ce?" "Yes, I would have run out of stamina." "Is it really over?" Ka, who hade out of the outpost at some point, joined us. "Yeah, it''s over." I nodded and nced at mypanions. "Is everyone alright?" "This much is nothing! I''m perfectly fine." "I''m fine too. I''m a bit tired, maybe because I''m getting old." "Me too. I was just shooting magic from back there, so there''s no way I''d get hurt." "Good." None of us were injured. Although it was just the 1st wave, it was a result worthy of being called a great victory. As I was thinking this, a man in armor stepped out onto the noisy battlefield. It was the Knight Commander in charge of today''smand. If I remember correctly, his name was ''Elbert Tyran''. "Everyone, attention!" As if to prove he was the Knight Commander, he floated his body in the air to draw people''s attention. Knight Commander. In other words, it''s a movement skill that only those who have mastered the power of Aura beyond the level of a senior knight can use. This meant that Elbert Tyran was at least a Dercion-level knight. After getting everyone''s attention, he shouted in a powerful voice. "Soldiers, the war is not over yet!" "..." "..." The excited atmosphere instantly subsided. Although it was a statement that dampened the good mood, no one refuted it. Because his words were true. It wasn''t time to be excited. We had only just ovee the 1st wave. "Look around! See what has be of the soldiers who wereughing and chatting with you just this morning!" People looked around and groaned silently. As Elbert said, the bodies of hundreds of soldiers were scattered around. A brief silence followed. Elbert spoke again. "For their sacrifice, we must prepare for a more perfect tomorrow! Everyone, stand up!" At his words, people began to rise from their seats one by one with solemn faces. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 96 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 96 Elbert Tyran''smand was systematic. In preparation for any unforeseen circumstances, only a minimal number of personnel remained in front of the rift, while the rest retreated. Those who were rtively unharmed began to return to the temporary base, carrying the wounded and the bodies of the dead. We also quickly returned to the base ordingly. ''He''s a capablemander.'' As you can tell even without experiencing it firsthand,manding this many people is no easy task. It requires manypetencies, such as leadership, inclusiveness, smoothmunication, and thorough battlefield knowledge, and one must also possess strong military power to match the control they wield. Above all, what I consider most important is flexibility inmand. Elbert Tyran had that. ''If he were a rigid person, he would have rejected all of it, whether it was rescuing the residents of Sector 7 or us going to the front lines.'' Appropriate judgment in appropriate situations. His experience earlier had already proven that he was a flexible person. As long as he continues tomand here, there won''t be much for me to get involved in. Returning to the temporary base, I put aside my worries about that and fell into other thoughts. ''...Now I have to solve that problem.'' There was still one thing left to resolve. That was the treatment of the Sector 7 residents who had been sessfully rescued. In fact, this is the biggest problem. "Absolutely no biological experiments." For now, I persuaded Elbert with the words that it might be possible to resolve Asmodeus''s ability. It was unavoidable because I had to give a usible reason. However, if that really was the goal... they could conduct biological experiments on the residents to resolve Asmodeus''s ability. For Ka''s sake, no, at least to preserve the minimum dignity of human beings, I had to prevent that. But how? While I was contemting this... "Hmm? What biological experiment are you talking about?" Barundel, who was inspecting equipment next to me, asked. It seems I unknowingly spoke my thoughts out loud. ''I can trust Barundel.'' Thinking that maybe he could help, I conveyed my concerns. Despite his appearance, Barundel is a very deep dwarf. After listening for a while, Barundel nodded with a serious face. "Hmm, so that''s what happened. They were the residents of Sector 7 who disappeared... I''m a bit shocked. I understand what you''re worried about." "Do you have any ideas?" "Hmm." Barundel rubbed his temples with his short fingers. Of course, I didn''t have high expectations. I just threw it out there, thinking it wouldn''t hurt to try. But then... "How about this?" Unexpectedly, Barundel offered a solution. "We directly try to undo the brainwashing. Then there would be no need for them to study the residents, right? Preparing for the Legion Commander''s ability is a bonus." "...Excuse me?" This was an answer I hadn''t thought of at all.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But for some reason... That those words felt like a ray of hope. "...Uh, that makes sense?" At first, it seemed absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more usible it sounded. If we could undo the brainwashing, there would be no more problems. Moreover, resolving such a critical issue would earn us considerable merit points. Simply put, it''s a 4-star merit awarded for actions that turn the tide of battle. This meant we could aim for that. Of course, it was still just a hopeful prospect. But even so... "Shall we try it?" It was worth a shot. *** Late at night, when everyone except the rift guards was asleep. Due to the ongoing war, there was no gentle moonlight, only the blood moon hanging alone in the sky. Dadadadat. Barundel and I woke up silently and slipped out of the building, holding our breaths. What we were about to do was a clear vition of militaryw, so we had to avoid getting caught at all costs. And so, the first ce we spoke was in front of the makeshift prison. "Is this the ce?" "Yes, I was told they were definitely locked up here." This makeshift prison was originally intended to confine rebels who disobeyed orders or unidentified detainees, but it was currently being used to hold the residents of Sector 7. And the reason we came here was... ''I just need to get one person out.'' To smuggle out one of the residents brainwashed by Asmodeus. Because we needed a subject to try and undo the brainwashing. In a way, it was like we were conducting the biological experiment that Elbert was nning... ''But I''ll only try safe methods.'' It would be better than Elbert, who didn''t even treat the residents of Sector 7 like human beings. Anyway, we infiltrated the makeshift prison. The entire interior of the two-story prison waspletely surrounded by iron bars. Inside, the residents of Sector 7 were fast asleep, just like the soldiers. Even though they were brainwashed, they couldn''t avoid the human instinct of sleep. "Here, let''s go with this person." After looking around, I was the first to point out a man. Barundel also checked him and nodded. "Young and sturdy, he seems perfect." "Right?" I deliberately chose a robust person. Since he was brainwashed by the Legion Commander''s ability, it would likely be a tough process. The subject''s physical strength needed to endure. Anyway, once we decided on the person, things moved quickly. "I''ll open the prison door." "Can you do it?" "This is a piece of cake for a dwarf with the blood of a cksmith." I wasn''t sure what the connection was between cksmith blood and picking locks, but he looked very confident. I didn''t question further and agreed. "Then I''ll move the person. Please." "Alright." Barundel moved to the prison door, and I silently stood behind him, gathering my mana. Hum. A small light bloomed at my fingertips, illuminating the door. Now, all I could do was pray that Barundel would sessfully pick the lock. I swallowed hard unconsciously. ''Please...'' Honestly, it wasn''t easy. Even if he could unlock it, he had to do it with minimal noise. If we made a loud noise here... Gulp. All the residents here would wake up. It wouldn''t be pretty after that. ''...Then it''s all over.'' Numerous residents would cause amotion, and we would inevitably be summoned before Elbert. Then, far from undoing the brainwashing, we might even get caught and be excluded from the war. Of course, with every bit of strength being precious, that wasn''t very likely, but still. That''s how careful we had to be. While I was thinking about that... Click. The sound of the lock opening reached my ears. Barundel had sessfullypleted the operation. It didn''t even take long. "Oh! How on earth...?" "These kinds of devices have a simpler structure than you might think. If you know the structure, it''s not that difficult to open." "As expected, dwarves are amazing." "Heh heh, it''s not dwarves, it''s me who''s amazing." Barundel''s lips curled up, pleased with thepliment. Leaving him behind, I entered the prison. The man we had chosen as our test subject was sprawled out in the middle of the cell, fast asleep. I moved stealthily. Even though I had good intentions, moving like this felt like practicing assassination. ''Maybe I have some talent for this.'' Shaking off that thought, I carefully approached the man. No matter how carefully I acted... sh! Since I hadn''t used any sleeping drugs, there was no way to prevent the man from waking up. Of course, I was prepared for this. I immediately gathered my mana. Ching! An opaque barrier enveloped the man''s face. [Silent Barrier]. The magic that Roan used when I first met him at the Central Library. Having only seen it once, I couldn''t use it on a wide area like Roan, but it was enough to cover the man''s face. "^$@*&!!" The man shouted something, but thanks to [Silent Barrier], no sound could be heard. Come to think of it, I could have used this when picking the lock. ''Hmm, I was worried for nothing. This magic is more useful than I thought?'' I decided to further develop this magic when I had more time, and continued walking. Just when I thought everything was going smoothly... "Uh oh...!" Thud! Barundel, who was following me, suddenly tripped and fell. "B-Barundel!" "Ah, I''m sorry. This guy suddenly shifted his position and tripped me..." "No, you should have dodged that! Can''t the person who''s been training my body do that much?" "...I''m sorry." An apology was meaningless now. I held my breath and quietly looked around. There was a loud noise when he fell, but fortunately, no one seemed to have woken up... "Uwaaaa!" "Human! It''s a human!" Sigh, yeah. There''s no way things would go that smoothly. Starting with one person nearby, they woke up one by one. Their eyesight had even been restored, so they could see us. In this situation, there was only one option. Run for our lives. "Run!" Dadadadat! I was the first to cover myself in lightning and dash out of the prison at full speed. Barundel also followed behind with incredible speed. The noise we made woke up all the residents in the prison, but it didn''t matter. Right now, escaping was the top priority. "Humaaaan!" "Die! Die!" We scrambled out of the prison. However, it was just as noisy outside. An rm was ring from the temporary base building, and soldiers were rushing out and running towards us. Our eyes even met. "In-intruders!" "A-are they demons? No, humans?" "Who are they?!" Fortunately, neither I nor Barundel were recognized since we were wearing makeshift masks. Relieved, we picked up the pace again. I wanted to throw a miniature shbang to obscure their vision, but... that would clearly reveal it was me. We had no choice but to run. "This way!" Tadat! Tadadadat! I couldn''t use lightning transformation magic either. All I could rely on now was the speed from my physical body. Still, thanks to consistent training, it was enough to outrun ordinary soldiers. "Huff... Huff...!" "They seem to be gone." "Phew..." In the end, we sessfully evaded the soldiers. We hid in the second building of the temporary base. It was where reinforcements stayed during subsequent waves, and it was currently unupied. "Let''s lock him up here for now." "Here? Won''t we get caught? They''ll surely search every nook and cranny to find us." "Don''t worry about that." I tied up the man we had brought and locked the door tightly. Then, I gathered my mana. Woooong! And then... "W-what?" The door to the room where we had confined the manpletely vanished. It was an application of light magic that I learned from Persson. An illusionary effect using the refraction of light. And once again, [Silent Barrier]. I spread it widely where the door used to be, blocking any noise. With this, the task wasplete. Unless I released the mana, no one would be able to find this space. "You can do this kind of thing now?" "It''s a piece of cake for me, with the blood of a mage flowing through my veins." "Hahaha..." Barundelughed in admiration, and I urged him to move on to the next step. "Let''s go back for now. If we''re away for too long, we''ll be suspected." "Alright." We headed back to our assigned ces. Perhaps because we had sessfullypleted a difficult operation, our steps were light. Yes, they were definitely light... But why? "Where were you?" Back at our spot, themander of this ce, Elbert Tyran, was waiting for us, leaning back. As if he had been waiting for us. I hurriedly made an excuse. "J-just went to the bathroom..." "Aha? I see." Damn it. There''s no way that would work. As I felt before, Elbert Tyran was a very perceptive knight. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 97 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 97 "Couldn''t you havee up with a more usible excuse? Casually going to the bathroom in this emergency... Honestly, it''s absurd." "Would it have worked if I did?" "Ahem, what do you take me for?" ...What does he want me to do? Since things hade to this, I gave up making further excuses and confessed honestly. "Alright, fine. I did it. I tried to sneak out a resident to find a way to break the brainwashing, but they woke up as soon as I touched them. So I ran away." Well, it''s more urate to say I was only half honest. The reason I said that was simple. No matter how perceptive Elbert is, he wouldn''t be able to find out where I hid the man. Perhaps that worked. "So you think you can break the brainwashing?" Instead of digging further into our actions, Elbert asked about the motive. I nodded confidently. "Yes, I don''t know how long it will take, but I''m confident I can break the brainwashing." "Huh, is that so?" Elbert pursed his lips. It seemed like he was contemting something again. Then he nodded once and said, "For now, I understand. Go on." At his words, I nced around. Perhaps because Elbert had taken control, currently, only Barundel, Elbert, and I were here. This meant that no one else had heard our conversation. Just in case, I asked, "You''re not going to just bury this, are you...?" It was a situation where I could reasonably have some expectations. However, before I could even finish my sentence. "That''s absurd. You acted without permission, deviating from control. You will receive appropriate punishment. And so will that dwarf over there." A firm judgment was passed. As expected, Elbert wasn''t that merciful. "...Yes." "...Understood." Only after Barundel and I nodded with dejected faces did Elbert turn away. And not long after, a broadcast rang throughout the entire building. It was through an artifact frequently used for broadcasting in wartime situations. -Ahem- To all troops. There was a brief disturbance at the temporary shelter. However, the culprit has been identified, so return to rest. That is all-. It was barely a few seconds long. It was a broadcast that conveyed the cause and effect simply, stabilizing those who were confused. It wasn''t long-winded and was neat, seeming like this wasn''t his first time doing this. I felt it yesterday too, but Elbert was indeed a veteranmander. Then. What would be the appropriate punishment that such a veteranmander would give us? Worried, I subtly asked Barundel, who was lying next to me, "Barundel, we''re not in big trouble, are we?" But I couldn''t hear Barundel''s answer. Zzz, Zzz! I don''t know since when, but he was sleeping soundly. "Ugh, this is all because of you." Looking at his carefree face, I wanted to smack him. But I couldn''t do that to someone who had a hard time today. Suppressing the rising urge, I also tried to sleep. There''s nothing to gain from worrying anyway. In times like this, the best thing to do is wash your feet and go to sleep. *** The second day of the war. Unlike my worriesst night, Elbert didn''te to deliver any news about punishment. He only briefed us on the changed situation for today. -Based on the Mana Meter readings, the expected time of the demon army''s invasion is 8 o''clock. Also, at least three or more rifts will be generated today, and their locations are estimated to be here. ordingly, the deployment of the troops will be rearranged, so be aware of this-. Elbert added that today''s invasion would continue into the night. This is exactly the change that urs in the second wave of the [Blood Moon Prophecy] that I know of. Additional rifts are generated, and unlike yesterday, the invasion continues day and night. It also meant that there would be no time to rest from now on. Of course, the royal family also took appropriate measures. -We''ve received notification that reinforcements will guard the rifts starting from the evening. We just need to hold out until then, so let''s do our best in our duties today as well. That is all-. They''re sending additional reinforcements. Since the generation of rifts here is almost certain, it seems they''re sending soldiers stationed elsewhere. Of course, sending too many reinforcements wouldn''t do either. Even the prediction that the rifts will be generated here is based on the legendary artifact, the [Mana Meter], and no one knows exactly where they will be generated. This means new rifts could suddenly appear in areas like Sector 1 or Sector 2, where high-ranking people stay. They would have deployed the strongest forces like Asion Gale to those areas in preparation. Of course. ''Well, it''s only a matter of time before they all gather here anyway.'' As always, the war caused by the [Blood Moon Prophecy] ends where it begins. In other words, the war will end here where we are. When the timees, all the rifts generated elsewhere will be newly generated here. The royal family will pour all their forces here to close the rifts. The moment when the forces of the Asternon military and the demon army gather. In a way, that day could be seen as the climax of the war. Anyway. "We''ll go with the same method today. Mr. Thompson and Barundel, please coordinate with me, and Ka will provide support from the rear. Stronger ones will appear than yesterday, but if the Knight Commander is right, we only need to hold out until the afternoon, so it will be more manageable than we think." We just need to do our assigned roles well. It was at that moment after the briefing. "Hey, mage. Let''s talk for a moment." It seemed like someone was calling me, and when I looked back, it was Elbert Tyran. My heart skipped a beat. I felt like the inevitable had finallye. "Will Barundel join us as well?" "No, the dwarf is fine. Just youe, mage." "Hmm?" I don''t know why he only called me, but I nodded and told the others,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "When it starts, go ahead. I''ll join you as soon as I can." With that, I followed Elbert. He gestured for me to follow and silently headed somewhere. My mind was filled with thoughts about our destination. ''Where are we going? The punishment room? The detention center? Or... could he have found where I hid the resident?'' If that were the case, there would be no room for further excuses. Since I vited the control twice, I would have to ept any punishment given. Perhaps the reason he called me alone was to talk about that. However, fortunately, it wasn''t. "This is..." "Themand room." The ce Elbert headed to was none other than the temporary unit''smand room. It''s not an appropriate ce to impose punishment. "I know that, but why did you call me here?" "Because there''s something you need to do here." "Excuse me? What am I supposed to do here?" Instead of answering, Elbert tapped on arge desk. There was arge map that urately depicted the terrain here and dozens of figures. They had different shapes, but they reminded me of chess pieces... Suddenly, an ominous thought crossed my mind. "You don''t want me tomand, do you?" "Command. You seem to overestimate yourself." Although it was a slightly aggressive tone, fortunately, it wasn''t the answer I was worried about. Indeed, there''s no way I could do something likemanding when all I''ve done here is learn magic and train my body. I was inwardly relieved. I hate such burdensome tasks. But. "But it''s simr." "Excuse me?" "You remember the broadcast I made earlier, right? About rearranging the troops today." "Ah, yes. I remember." "I''m thinking of entrusting you with that role today." "...Excuse me?" Entrusting me with the troop redeployment? Elbert''s following words were quite burdensome. "Why suddenly... Didn''t you call me to talk about punishment?" "Well, if you must ask, you could say this is the punishment I''m giving." "No, what does that..." What nonsense is this? Redeploying troops as punishment? I''ve yed [Demon Fantasy] for ten years andmitted countless sins with various characters, but I''ve never received this kind of punishment. No, in the first ce, can this even be called punishment? "...I''m sorry, but I don''t think I can do that. I''ve never done anything like this in my life. Besides, troop deployment ys a very important role in war, doesn''t it? If you give me such a huge task..." I first tried to decline. Honestly, I had no choice but to do so. Why would I risk making a useless deployment with mycking skills? This isn''t about moving pieces on a chessboard; it''s about positioning living people. It''s a matter that could determine someone''s life or death, so I couldn''t ept this punishment. However, this excuse didn''t work on Elbert at all. "That''s why it''s a punishment. Stop whining and follow my orders. I''ll take responsibility." Elbert had a resolute face, as if he had already made up his mind. ''That man is stubborn too, huh?'' It seems like he has a personality that must carry out what he has decided. But my stubbornness is no joke either. "No. I absolutely cannot ept this. Not only is it too critical, but it''s also too much." "Too much? Are you saying the punishment is too harshpared to what you did?" "Yes. To receive such a punishment for sneaking into the shelter once..." "Oh really? Is that so?" Thump, thump. Wearing his military boots, he suddenly headed somewhere. It was where the ck cloth that had been bothering me since I first entered was... He pulled off the ck cloth that was covering something and said, "Then how about this?" And there it was. "Mmm! Mmm!" There was the man, tied up once more by someone. Yes, it was the same sturdy man from Sector 7 that I had smuggled out of the shelter. How on earth did he find him? The moment I made eye contact with him, I was speechless. "..." "Is the punishment still excessive?" I had that thought earlier. If I were to get caught smuggling the man out, I would have to ept any punishment. That remains the same now. "I think this is a very appropriate punishment. If you ept it willingly, I''ll even pardon the dwarf''s crime." Elbert offered a sweet carrot. And. "Or, there''s the option of officially reporting it and sending you to a royal prison. Of course, that includes the dwarf." He even added a whip, which you could tell was fierce without even being hit by it. The royal prison, whether 100 years ago or now, was infamous. A ce where once you enter, you can never leave. "Sigh..." There was no reason to hesitate anymore. Because there was only one option I could choose. Checkmate. "Alright. I''ll do the deployment." The sh of two stubborn minds ended in Elbert''splete victory. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 98 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 98 Elbert gives a satisfied smile. "Good thinking. It''s not a task I''d assign to just anyone, so consider yourself honored." He then returns to his solemn expression and pats me on the shoulder. ''Not a task he''d assign to just anyone, huh...'' Well, he''s probably right. He couldn''t entrust this kind of task to just anybody. Which is why this situation is even stranger. "Why are you giving me this task?" I voiced the question that had been on my mind. There must be a reason why Elbert gave me this punishment. The reason was simpler than I expected. "Because I saw the qualities of amander in you." "The qualities of amander, sir?" "Yes, I watched you fight yesterday. You utilized yourrades quite effectively." "Ah." I think I know what he''s talking about. But, well. Could you really call that the qualities of amander? ''I was just doing what I do in the game.'' I simply ced Thompson and Barundel, who were the tank and damage dealers, at the front, and positioned Ka, the damage dealer, at the back. The battle did flow smoothly, but that wasn''t because I had the qualities of amander. It was possible because we had coordinated through numerous battles beforehand. It wasn''t that I was amazing, it was that our teamwork was good. But did it look different in Elbert''s eyes? When I told him this, Elbert shook his head and said no. "Your strength lies in your quick judgment. And that''s the most important quality for amander. Have confidence in yourself, mage." Quick judgment, huh... I don''t really understand what he''s basing this on, but I decided not to question it further and just ept it. Whatever the reason, it wouldn''t change the fact that I had to deploy the current troops. Being imprisoned in the royal prison was something that absolutely must not happen. ''Sigh, okay. Let''s do this.'' Since it''se to this, I have to deploy them sessfully. With that thought, I carefully examined the pieces. Elbert exined as my gaze moved. "Those are resource mercenaries. It''s easy to think of them as a toon grouped by each piece." "The ones holding swords are knights. They''re a key force, so you need to pay attention to their cement." "These are regr soldiers. It''s safer to keep them with the knights if possible." Listening silently to the exnation, I pointed to the pieces gathered on one side. "What are these?" Four pieces painted red, as if they were important figures. Three of the pieces had two blue dots on their eyes. "Those are special pieces I use when there are persons of interest." "Persons of interest?" "Yes. Those who have very strong power, those who need to be protected because of their high status, or those who are dangerous and require attention. In this battlefield..." Elbert looks up from the pieces. Looking me straight in the eye, he says, "It''s the four of you." The four of you. It didn''t take long to understand what he meant. "The ones with dots on their eyes must be the three mages. And the one without is Barundel." It was obvious he was talking about me, Thompson, Ka, and Barundel. "You catch on quick." Of course, I don''t particrly like the term "persons of interest." It makes it sound like we''re about to cause trouble. Well... from Elbert Tyran''s perspective, he could certainly see us that way. Anyway. "Hmm." I''ve roughly finished grasping the pieces. Now, what''s left is the terrain and otherplex elements. The most crucial among them is... "Is this where the new rifts will appear?" That''s right, the location of the new rifts. Since that''s where the enemies emerge, I need to know this to even begin deploying the troops. I pointed to the three ces marked with circles on the terrain, and Elbert nodded. "That''s right. Those are the estimated locations based on the [Magic Measurer]. There are three marked now, but you must keep in mind that more could appear." "So we need to prepare for variables." "Exactly." Okay. I''ve grasped the location of the rifts and sufficiently imprinted the structure of the battlefield in my mind. Now, all that''s left is the actual deployment. "I''ll need to concentrate for a moment." I moved back slightly from the desk and took in the whole picture at once. Then, I closed my eyes tightly. All I see now is a ck canvas with nothing on it. On it, I began to draw images of war, one by one. Images from the second wave of [Blood Moon Prophecy] that I experienced many times in the game. Rumble! Crackle! One in the northeast, one in the southwest. Red lightning strikes, tearing open space. And from within, swarms of demons begin to pour out. Most of them are intermediate-level demons or higher. Definitely a much stronger force than yesterday. Furthermore... Whoosh...! Screech! Screeeech! Hohoho! Each rift contains a high-ranking demonmanding the legion. From the left rift, a [Demon Minotaur]. From the center rift, a [Subus]. From the right rift, a [Giant Scorpion with a Poison Sting]. From our standpoint, these are the ones we need to eliminate first. We''ll need an appropriate deployment to counter them. An idea shes. I opened my eyes and started moving the pieces. Carefully, matching the characteristics of those high-ranking demons. Tak! Tak! Tak tak tak! ''The [Giant Scorpion with a Poison Sting] needs focused firepower all at once. I''ll put six high-ranking knights here, and the [Subus]... right, there''s no need to take her down quickly. Regr soldiers can stall for time. Barundel and I can handle the [Demon Minotaur].'' Thus, the deployment gradually came together. It was my first time doing this, but it wasn''t as difficult as I thought it would be. That''s because my head was full of data about the [Blood Moon Prophecy]. ''The first wave already gave me all the information I need.'' I can guess the type of high-ranking demons emerging from each rift based on the types of demons that appeared in the first wave. For example, if a [Demon Lizardman] appeared, then a [Demon Minotaur] would follow. If a [Demon Goblin] appeared, then a [Subus] would follow. It usually goes like this. And the location where they appear corresponds to theirbat strength. So, the weakest of the three, the [Demon Minotaur], will emerge from the left rift, and the strongest, the [Giant Scorpion with a Poison Sting], from the right. This is a form I figured out myself around the time I entered my fifth year of ying [Devil Fantasy]. Meaning, it''s information I can trust. Of course, I couldn''t blindly believe it. No matter how urate the form, this is the future, 100 yearster. The patterns might be different from what I know. However. ''I can prepare for that too.'' There aren''t that many types of demons that can appear in the second wave anyway. At most, I can count them on my fingers. Therefore, if I prepare for the cases where other demons pop out, I can sufficiently eliminate the variables. And. ''Assuming there are no additional rifts.'' Ipletely ruled out the possibility of new rifts appearing besides these three. Based on the situation in the first wave, there were no signs of that happening at all. In my experience, the probability of additional rifts appearing without any warning was extremely low. Tak! Tak! Tak! The deployment proceeded smoothly. About 30 minutester. "It''s finished." I finallypleted the deployment. Elbert Tyran looked at my finished arrangement and tilted his head with a subtle expression. "Is it really finished?" "Yes." "...That''s an unusual deployment." He doesn''t seem entirely pleased. But at least in my eyes, it was a perfect arrangement. I nodded confidently. "Yes. If we fight like this, we can minimize our losses." "What makes you think so?" "Because I''ve arranged the troops ording to the leader of each rift." "Arranged ording to the leader?" Elbert looked at me with an expression that demanded further exnation. Even though he entrusted me with this task, even though he gave me this role (deleted), I still had to convince him. It wasn''t a difficult task, so I gave him the reasons one by one. From the type of high-ranking demons that would emerge from each rift to their characteristics. After hearing my entire exnation, Elbert, naturally, responded with disbelief. "How can you be so sure?" It was understandable. After all, who could possibly know the exact types of enemies that would appear in a war? It was only natural for him to be skeptical. I didn''t have much to say in response to his doubt. "Uh... um... research?" "Research?" "I''m very interested in this war. So, I did some research, and it seems that wars caused by the [Blood Moon Prophecy] always unfold in a simr pattern." "So you''re saying you predicted them through your research?" "That''s right." "And that there won''t be any more rifts?" "Correct." "...Interesting." Elbert said, stroking his chin. His serious expression showed genuine curiosity. "If that''s true, there must have been many problems with my deployments so far. Because I''ve never been able to predict which demons would appear." "Ahaha..." Problems? That''s normal. Even I only figured this out after banging my head against the wall dozens of times trying to conquer the [Blood Moon Prophecy] event. There was no way an average user or NPC could know this information. Anyway. "Alright, I''ll trust you then." Elbert nodded, seemingly convinced. It seemed he was really going to proceed with the war ording to this deployment. I felt a weight settle on my shoulders. Perhaps it showed on my face. "Don''t worry. I''ll step in myself if anything happens." Elbert patted my shoulder, easing my worries. His words were certainly reassuring. ''If the Knight Commander steps in, nothing can go wrong.'' Elbert Tyran was undoubtedly the strongest force among the hundreds of allies here. Originally, after the first wave, themander should conserve their strength in preparation for the worst-case scenario. But if he were to step in, those high-ranking demons would be dealt with in an instant. This meant I had nothing to worry about. As I was thinking this... "Ah¡ªcan everyone hear me? As I mentioned earlier, I will announce the new deployment." Elbert picked up an artifact mounted on one of the walls and began broadcasting to the entire unit. He was going to move the soldiers ording to the deployment I had created. "Regr soldiers from the 1st to the 3rd toons, move to the g nted in the northeast. The 1st Knight Division, gather at the north g, the 2nd Knight Division, gather at the southwest g..." Elbert finished the broadcast after rying the positions for the resource mercenaries and our party members. As I realized that all the announcements were over, my heart started to pound. Thump! Thump! Thump...! It wasn''t out of fear. It was just that I knew there was no turning back now. This was a deployment I had created entirely with my own abilities, without relying on the help of [Prodigy of Magic] or [Essence of Light], which I had been anticipating ever since I came to this world. What would the result be? "Let''s get going too." It was time to see the oue. [Trantor - Pr?ks]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 99 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 99 7:30 AM. 30 minutes before the start of the 2nd wave of the war. The battlefield was already in an uproar. ¡°They assigned six high-ranking knights to our side?¡± ¡°That''s what I''m saying. I saw it with my own two eyes.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Should I be happy about this, or not? Isn''t it dangerous?¡± ¡°What does it matter? We just do what they tell us to do anyway. I hope I survive and get a hefty reward.¡± It was all because of the change in deployment from yesterday. Everyone was chattering about it, worried about their own safety. And I, the one who caused this situation¡­ ¡°Ugh.¡± I wasn''t feeling well at all. Because if they died, I felt like it would be my fault. ¡®Being amander isn''t easy either. Having to feel like this every time¡­¡¯ It''s pain that ordinary people would find hard to endure. That''s probably why Elbert made me do this. Just like he said, this truly was a punishment. ¡®Let''s think about this lightly. Since the war has broken out, someone has to die anyway.¡¯ I consoled myself and held onto my mentality. If I was troubled by this kind of thing every time, it would only cause more damage. It was more rational to keep my head straight and try to save as many people as possible. At that moment. ¡°What were you talking about? You don''t look so good.¡± Barundel, who was warming up next to me, asked. Apparently, myplicated feelings were noticeable to him as well. Since there was no need to hide it from Barundel, I confessed honestly. As expected. ¡°You did this deployment yourself? No, how on earth did¡­¡± Barundel was quite surprised. Of course, he wouldn''t have imagined it. That I would be dragged to Elbert Tyran and end up doing this. ¡°He said this is my punishment.¡± ¡°Hahaha, punishment¡­ That knight ispletely insane.¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Barundelughed with a dumbfounded face and lightly punched my shoulder. ¡°But don''t worry too much. It looks like an excellent deployment to me.¡± ¡°Excellent?¡± ¡°Of course. If we follow this deployment, we should be able to defeat them easily even if theye out.¡± I couldn''t control my expression at his words. It was as if he knew exactly why I had deployed the troops this way. And in fact, he was right. ¡°Ah, I forgot to tell you. I have the ability to sense demonic energy. I think it developed naturally from hunting down so many demons.¡± Barundel straightened his back and pointed to each of the rifts as he continued. ¡°The one that wille out of there is a [Subus], over there is a [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger]. And in front of us is a [Demon Minotaur]. Isn''t that right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It matched exactly what I had anticipated. I pondered for a while about how to respond before opening my mouth. ¡°When did you get that ability¡­?¡± ¡°About five years ago.¡± Five years. I knew the identity of that ability. Heroic tier trait, [Demonic Energy Detection]. This is also a growth-type trait, which can have a simr effect to the artifact [Demonic Energy Detector], but its performance is superior. This is because the [Demonic Energy Detector] can find ces where rifts are likely to ur, but it cannot identify the type of demon that will emerge from them. On the other hand, the [Demonic Energy Detection] trait can do that. That''s why it''s one of the essential traits for the scout ss. The important thing here is how to obtain this trait. Achieving the feat of hunting 10,000 demons. That was the unlock condition for the [Demonic Energy Detection] trait. Simply put, this means Barundel hunted 10,000 demons five years ago. Considering that the growth condition for [Anatak''s Great Axe] was also hunting 10,000 demons, it was by no means an easy feat to achieve. ¡®Just how much hunting has he been doing?¡¯ I was once again amazed by Barundel. Even though he was a veteran demon hunter and famous, I didn''t know he was to this extent. As I stared at him with wonder in my eyes, Barundel said, ¡°...Don''t look at me like that. I think this ability is unstable.¡± ¡°Unstable?¡± ¡°Sometimes I can''t feel the demonic energy. Like at the Aldeon Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I think I understood what he was talking about. When the rift opened in Aldeon, and Baal appeared from it. He seemed to be talking about not sensing that. ¡®What was that about.¡¯ It wasn''t really surprising. It''s only natural that a mere heroic tier [Demonic Energy Detection] wouldn''t be able to detect Baal''s demonic energy. That would only be possible when [Demonic Energy Detection] fulfills its second condition and grows into a legendary tier trait. And the second condition is to personally defeat a demon legionmander. Even Barundel can''t easily achieve that condition. Well, if he continues to apany me, he''ll achieve it someday. Anyway. ¡°Still, it''s amazing. Thanks to you, I feel relieved.¡± I confirmed that my prediction was correct through Barundel''s trait. I felt the burden greatly reduced. With this, the probability of problems arising from the deployment became very low. While I was thinking that. ¡°But how does young Johannes know? I''m actually more curious about that¡­¡± Barundel narrowed his eyes and threw a surprise question. He was asking how I, without the [Demonic Energy Detection] trait, could know in advance the demons that would emerge from the rifts. While I was pondering what to say, Barundel opened his mouth again. ¡°Come to think of it, there are many strange things. Like being skilled inbat despite your age and experience, and knowing a lot about demons. Ah, and you were also knowledgeable about dungeons, weren''t you?¡± It seems that the things I''ve shown so far have piled up and raised suspicions. ¡°Uh¡­ that''s¡­¡± It was difficult to answer. Even I thought I was acting a bit strange. ¡®How do I exin this?¡¯ At that moment. Rumble! Crackle! Rumble! Crackle! Red lightning struck from both sides. The time hade, and the war had begun. ¡®Good timing.¡¯ I immediately turned my head and ran towards the rift. ¡®Now that the war has started, Barundel won''t be able to ask me any more questions.¡¯ Indeed, he immediately grabbed [Anatak''s Great Axe] and followed closely behind me. He had already returned to his usual serious expression, the one that showed he was risking his life. ¡®Whew, good.¡¯ At the rift ahead, only Barundel and I had to work together. This was because, while changing the deployment, I had sent Thompson and Ka to the rift where the [Subus] was located. It would probably be difficult for the two of them to catch the high-ranking demon [Subus], but they wouldn''t be defeated either. Right now, I needed to focus on killing the high-ranking demon at our rift and quickly joining them. After organizing the path I needed to take in my head, I raised my head. ¡°It''s here.¡± A familiar silhouette slowly emerged from the rift. [Demon Minotaur]. The guy who crippled my leg in a previous battle. Moreover, he was currently amplified by the ''Red Moon''. Kuoooooooo-! He had much stronger power than before. At least twice as strong. But. ¡°It won''t be the same ticklish magic as back then.¡± I had also be stronger. It was time to show him what a proper revenge was. *** ¡°Come.¡± Floating-. As the war began, Elbert Tyran lifted his body into the air. It was a technique that consumed a lot of aura, so normally he would have observed for a while before taking flight, but he couldn''t wait now. Because he was insanely curious. Whether the war would really unfold ording to the words of that mage. He could see the entire battlefield. And. ¡°Huh, how could this be¡­!¡± Elbert Tyran saw it with his own two eyes. The sight of the [Demon Minotaur], the [Subus], and the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] emerging from each of the rifts. It was true. The words of that mage. ¡°...This is unbelievable.¡± To be honest, Elbert hadn''t even half-believed the mage''s words. That''s why he was currently in a state of shock. It was understandable, as he was amander who had led over a dozen wars. While those around him evaluated him as apetent and intelligentmander, the soldiers who died under hismand numbered in the hundreds. Of course, he had done his best in every moment¡­ ¡®¡­What if I had known this?¡¯ If he could havemanded even more perfectly¡­ Wouldn''t he have been able to save at least half of the soldiers who died? Such a sense of loss loomed over Elbert. But only for a moment. ¡°...No. It''s a good thing I know now.¡± Elbert quickly regained hisposure. He had experienced this kind of ordeal hundreds of times on his way to bing a knightmander. He wasn''t the kind of person to crumble from something like this. ¡°Whew.¡± Elbert took a moment to catch his breath and calm his turbulent mind. He shifted his gaze. Towards the mage who had given him this information. Theplicated emotions he had felt just a moment ago quickly turned into astonishment. ¡°Just who is that guy?¡± How could that mage know information that even he, themander, didn''t know? Even though the mage had said he had nevermanded before. Although the mage himself said he had obtained the information from research, if it were that easy, someone would have surely told him when he was first learning tomand. The fact that they didn''t meant that no one knew about this. After a brief moment of contemtion, Elbert came to a conclusion. ¡°As I thought, that bastard is insane.¡± Presumably, it would have taken an enormous amount of effort to find this information through research. He would have had to search through every book rted to the [Red Moon Prophecy] like a rat. Moreover, reading it once wouldn''t have been nearly enough. He would have had to carefully read it over and over again to realize that there was a set pattern. That kind of effort was nothing short of madness. Of course, it was the kind of madness that he, as amander, should admire. Anyway. Having such madness could also be interpreted in another way. ¡°He was interested inmanding¡­¡± That the mage''s dream was to be amander. Making that much effort would be impossible unless being amander was his dream. ¡°He probably became a mage because of that.¡± If you dream of being amander, the first thing you need to prepare is power. Be a knightmander, or a high-ranking mage. Without that level of power, one could never be amander, and because of this, one truly had to make a bloody effort.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Just like Elbert himself had done in the past. Elbert, who had been silently watching the mage for a while, nodded once. ¡°Alright, mage. I''ll make you amander.¡± He couldn''t help with magic-rted matters because he had no knowledge of them, but he could teach him anything aboutmanding. Learning beforehand the qualities amander should have would definitely be helpfulter on. Of course, it was precious knowledge that he couldn''t share with just anyone, but that mage was an exception. This was because he had always liked talented individuals. Johannes was a talented individual who far exceeded Elbert''s standards. ¡°Prepare yourself. I''ll pass on all my knowledge to you.¡± He was willing to pass on everything he knew to that guy. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 100 [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 100 Kuoooo! The demon charged as if it would ram at any moment. The target was, of course, me, who was at the forefront. Thump thump thump thump! Having experienced that demon''s power, I knew that if I got hit at that speed, I would be turned into a human skewer without any resistance. However. "It doesn''t look that fast anymore." If I don''t get hit, that''s it. Thump! Thump! Thump! Crackle! At the same time as I charged my body with electricity, I kicked the ground hard. As I reached the 5th circle, the power of the lightning transformation magic also became stronger. Now I could easily dodge that guy''s headbutt. Wheek! Just before its horns touched me, I jumped up as if doing a somersault. Even though the guy looked like it was 3 meters tall, I was able to get over it because he was bent over for the headbutt. Tap. I stepped on its back once, jumped up again, andnded softly. nk! nk! The horns of the [Demon Minotaur] were stuck in the ce where I had been, only digging up the innocent ground. Snort! Snort...! Grab! It snorted, pulled out the horns stuck in the ground, and immediately turned around. Exactly at that timing, I detonated the sphere of light I had been holding. Bang! It was a micro shbang, a little different from yesterday''s. No, I had practiced hard for a week with the help of Persson. Well,pared to the extrarge shbang, the duration wasn''t that long and the range was narrow, but in a situation like this, this much would be enough. As if to prove that. Kuo-! ng! The demon grabbed its eyes and dropped the axe it was holding. It was the perfect opportunity for me to attack. Fwoosh! I immediately created a sword by gathering light. Unlike yesterday, when I only used ordinary light, today I also used the power of the [Essence of Light]. Even though I had grown a lot, I still had to use this much power to catch the high-ranking demon [Demon Minotaur]. Srng. A handle and de were created from the flickering light. It felt quite different from the sword of light I had created before. A bit more refined, you could say? Instead of emitting light haphazardly, it had a shape more suitable for a sword. It was all thanks to the teachings of No, Persson. - Your light is very brilliant, disciple, but it feels a bit chaotic. The true beauty of light appears when it ispressed. No, Persson advised me to suppress the power of light rather than strengthen it, and as a result of taking that advice to heart and training all night for several days... I was finally able to create a sword like this to some extent. Of course, I felt a bit of regret since the previous one looked cooler, and I had never used this one in actualbat... - That''s it! This is it! Even No, Persson, who became picky whenever we trained, praised this sword. It would definitely not disappoint me. Anyway. "Haaap!" Crackle! Maintaining a perfect posture, I ran in a straight line. Then, I swung the sword horizontally as I passed the demon diagonally. Slice-! Kuooooooo! The [Demon Minotaur], whose calf had been cut, fumbled around with the hand that was covering its eyes. It seemed desperate to find me. Ignoring it, I moved to the other side again and tripped its leg. Ku, Kuoooo...!! The second attack seemed to be quite deep, as the demon groaned in pain. But I didn''t stop attacking.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This thing had probably trampled on many lives during its lifetime. There was no greater extravagance than pitying it. Slice-! Like that, once. Slice-! And again. As time went on, I moved faster and faster, and the demon''s body umted more and more wounds. On the other hand, my condition was currently very good. ''I can really feel the growth.'' Even though I was moving so fast, I didn''t feel any pain in my lower body. The results of the physical training I had done with Barundel were showing. Finally, swordsmanship, magic, and physicality. The three had achieved perfect harmony. At this point... ''Should I try that?'' Greed naturally arose. The greed that maybe, just maybe, I could use ''that technique'' that I couldn''t try before due tock of time. I was already overwhelmingly dominating the battle against the demon. Without hesitation, I immediately cast that technique. It was light transformation magic. [Lightspeed Movement]. The principle was simple. Just like lightning transformation magic, it was just a matter of infusing the body with the light attribute. This would strengthen the body, allowing for much faster speed than when using lightning transformation magic. Of course, at my current level, it would onlyst for a few seconds. Still, there was no better opportunity to try it. I imbued the dense magical power with the light attribute. Fwooosh! Starting with my skin, I felt as if light was filling me up from within. Before I knew it, my body was enveloped in a faint glow, and then... ''...Slow.'' Everything slowed down. The demons, the soldiers, the minotaur, and even Elbert Tyron, who was watching me from a distance. It was as if time itself had slowed down. No, to be precise, I must have be that fast. ''Now!'' Realizing that I had seeded in casting the technique, I kicked off the ground without dy. Swish-! Thud! In an instant, my body reached right in front of the minotaur''s nose. It was iparable to the lightning magic. Even I, who had moved, couldn''t gauge how fast I had just been. While I was thinking that... Throb! "Ugh!" Suddenly, an enormous strain hit my body. It felt like my muscles were tearing and all my nerves were on fire. I quickly reacted and widened the distance again, but in the end, I couldn''t ovee the pain and copsed. ''As expected, was this too much...?'' It seemed that it was too high-level magic for me to attempt. I was inwardly disappointed. I thought I''d be okay for at least a few seconds. Snort! To make matters worse, the [Demon Minotaur] snorted as it looked at me. Its vision had recovered over time. Thump thump thump thump! It lowered its head 90 degrees and charged towards me. Somehow, even with its legs in that state, it was still moving fine. I had to acknowledge its resilience. ''Damn it.'' The situation had be difficult. Due to the side effects of the light magic, even wiggling my toes was difficult. Because of that, avoiding the demon''s attack was impossible, and I couldn''t withstand that brute force attack either. If I did that, both my arms would surely be crushed. However. "Come!" Instead of finding a solution, I shouted towards the demon. Even though it was a desperate situation, I wasn''t worried at all. Because, you see, I wasn''t the only one facing it. A shadow fell over the minotaur. It was Barundel, who had jumped in as soon as he saw me in danger. "Hmph!" He frowned and let out a powerful shout. Simultaneously... Slice! [Anatak''s Great Axe] split the minotaur''s body vertically. Blue blood sttered into the sky, and broken bone fragments flew in all directions. Currently, everyone was focused and looking at this spot. No, to be precise, they were looking at the minotaur that had beenpletely split in half. Thud! The demon''s body hit the ground with a heavy sound. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a brief silence. A mixture of joy and sorrow crossed between the two camps. ¡­Kieeek! ¡­Grrrr. Pururung¡­! The demons, realizing that theirmander, the minotaur, was dead, rolled their eyes around as if they didn''t know what to do. ¡°The-their leader is dead! Wipe them all out!¡± ¡°Charge!¡± The morale of our troops rose sharply as they realized that the enemymander had been defeated. And so, the chaotic battle began again. ¡°Uwaaaa-!¡± ng! Kang! Slice! Kreeek! There was no longer an equal fight. Just by defeating one of the enemy''s leaders, the atmospherepletely changed. Our side hadpletely gained the upper hand. I thought that we could push through to the rift even without me. In that case, I couldn''t just stand still. ¡°Barundel! We need to go over there right now! I''ll follow you!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± I immediately signaled, and Barundel, understanding perfectly, left first. Fwoosh! He was headed for the second rift located in the southwest. Where the high-ranking demon [Subus] was. Perhaps Thompson and Ka were waiting for us with their necks stretched out by now. *** An outpost set up near the second rift. Inside, a woman with fluttering red hair slowly opened her mouth. ¡°[Path of mes].¡± And then. Whoosh! Crimson mes bloomed on the ground, separating the demons and soldiers. Keeek¡­Keeek! Thanks to that, the demons couldn''t easily break through. Ka, who had created the [Path of mes], smiled with satisfaction. Everything was going ording to n. ''He said all we had to do was hold on.'' ording to the party leader, Yoohan, all they had to do was hold on, and reinforcements would arrive soon. At this rate, they would be able to receive support without a hitch. Unfortunately, however, such a standoff did notst long. If the humans had Ka, a one-man army mage, the demons had the [Subus]. [Hee hee hee! Don''t be afraid~!] As the [Subus] grinned from ear to ear and muttered, the terrified demons began to charge through the mes. It was the [Subus]''s power, ''Desire Amplification''. Kieeeeek! Shhhh! The demons no longer saw the mes Ka had ignited. Only the prey in front of them filled their vision. The [Subus] had used her power to amplify the demons'' inherent desire to hunt humans. And Ka, who had no way of knowing this, couldn''t help but be bewildered. "...What the hell. What the hell is she babbling about?" Ever since that ck-haired demon in the obscene leather clothes muttered something, the demons'' attitude had changed. Even though their bodies were on fire, they frantically charged through the mes. As if they couldn''t feel any pain at all. Whatever trick she had used, one thing was certain. That female demon had to be dealt with first. Only then would they be able to hold their ground firmly, as Yoohan had said. "Mister! Just hold on a little longer!" "...Ah, alright!" Ka trusted Thompson, who was steadfastly enduring with the soldiers, and closed her eyes tightly. Then, purple mana began to rise. Soon, it began to spread throughout the battlefield. ''He said to just hold on...'' But things hade to this, so there was no helping it. She had no choice but to sweep them away at once with the magic she had learned from Professor Ziren. How much time had passed? When Ka''s mana hadpletely covered the battlefield... Her lips slowly parted. "[ze Field]." And then. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The battlefield instantly turned into a sea of fire. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 101 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 101 If hell exists, it might feel something like this. Fwhooooosh! Crimson flames engulfed the battlefield, and the demons leaped and shrieked in agony. Kyaaagh! Groooan¡­ Gwaaaargh! Their pain echoed through the air. This was on a completely different level from the [Flame Path] she had used before. Pillars of fire erupted from the ground, far surpassing mere flames licking the earth. Boom! Fwoosh! The flames devoured every demon on the battlefield. This wasn''t some negligible fire. Not even for demons amplified by the [Succubus]''s power. Kieeeegh¡ª! The situation had completely changed with just a single spell. Despite such a dramatic result, Kayla remained calm and collected. This was all within her expectations. ''I practiced this spell for over a hundred hours, you bastards.'' [Blaze Field]. She had trained relentlessly under the tutelage of Ziren Renata, a professor at a prestigious academy and a 7th-circle mage. She had poured her heart and soul into mastering this spell, even to the point of nosebleeds. Even the stern Professor Ziren had tried to dissuade her. He had said that this technique was too difficult for her current level and impossible to learn in a short time. But she never gave up, and her persistence had finally borne fruit. She had perfected this spell. "Haa..." A sense of accomplishment welled up within her. A thrilling sensation spread through her body. This was the first time in her life that she had put so much effort into achieving something. If she had discovered this joy and fulfillment earlier, if she had been a little more tenacious... would her life have been different? Would she have had a loving family instead of one whose fate she didn''t even know? Such questions surfaced in her mind, but she quickly pushed them aside. Whatever the answers, they weren''t her concern right now. ''...There''s not much time.'' [Blaze Field] was a powerful field spell, strong enough to easily wipe out those low-level demon grunts. However, it didn''t last very long. More precisely, Kayla herself didn''t have the capacity to maintain it for long. The proof was in her trembling hands. Tremble, tremble, tremble¡ª Just maintaining the [Blaze Field] for this short time was making her hands shake. This also meant that the spell would soon dissipate. Fortunately, she had someone she could rely on. "Mister, I can''t hold it for much longer...!" Her fellow mage, Thompson, might be a bit slow, but he was more reliable than anyone else. "Okay! Leave it to me!" Immediately understanding Kayla''s meaning, Thompson jumped into the [Blaze Field]. As expected, the flames immediately began to move, attacking Thompson. It was as if they had a will of their own. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fwhooooosh! Thompson gritted his teeth as the intense heat scorched him. [Blaze Field] was a magic spell focused solely on power and range, after all. Even though Kayla saw Thompson being attacked by the flames, there was nothing she could do. All she could do was pray that Thompson would safely break through the flames and defeat the [Succubus]. Meanwhile, Thompson... Whoosh! Fwoosh! "Uhaha! This stings quite a bit, doesn''t it?" He was feeling a sense of pride amidst the flames Kayla had conjured. Although the unexpectedly strong firepower made him frown, his joy outweighed any negative feelings. After all... "...At first, I only saw you as a child, but you''ve grown so much, lass. I should start calling you a fiery lass now, shouldn''t I?" It''s always a joy to witness the growth of a comrade, isn''t it? "I can''t lose either!" Thump, thump, thump, thump! Thompson''s competitive spirit ignited in the face of the scorching flames, and he charged forward with terrifying speed. His destination was, of course, the [Succubus], the mastermind behind this situation. Although she was a high-ranking demon... somehow, he wasn''t afraid of her in the slightest. And the reason for this wasn''t much different from why Kayla remained calm even after successfully casting [Blaze Field]. "Haaa!" At the same time as he let out a battle cry... Swoosh! Thompson''s right arm became covered in gray skin. This was the ''Body Transformation Magic'' he had learned from the dean of the Asion Academy. This was the source of his confidence. There was no way a mere high-ranking demon could withstand this technique. ''The dean said he even used this to knock down a Legion Commander!'' Asion Gale did tend to exaggerate a bit, but having experienced his Body Transformation Magic firsthand... The story about defeating the Legion Commander couldn''t be a lie. Asion Gale''s Body Transformation Magic was so formidable that anyone would believe it. In other words, having learned such a technique, he, as the disciple, should be able to defeat a [Succubus] without much trouble. Now it was time to experience it firsthand. Thump! Thump! Thump! Boom! "Haaaa!" Thompson mercilessly tore through the flames and the demon horde''s minions, leaping high into the air. It was to perform his signature move, the Hamburger. Of course, it wasn''t the same Hamburger as before. As he mastered Body Transformation Magic, this technique had also evolved to another level. A little more powerful, a little faster. Hence the name: "Megaton- Hamburger!!" Crash¡ª! Thompson slammed his right arm, transformed into something gigantic and gray, into the ground. Crack, crack! Crackle, crackle! The very ground where Thompson landed screamed as if begging for mercy. The ground cracked and split apart. It was an unbelievable display of power, something you''d never expect from a single mage... no, from a middle-aged man nearing forty. Of course, this power didn''t solely originate from Body Transformation Magic. In fact, even Asion Gale was left speechless when he witnessed this power. -"...Have you been focusing on physical training instead of magic all this time?" According to him, Body Transformation Magic activates in accordance with the caster''s tendencies. Simply put, if a nimble mage uses it, their speed increases, and if a strong person uses it, their power intensifies. And Thompson was the latter case. For some reason, his strength was amplified several times beyond the normally expected effect, but in any case... How many demons could possibly survive such an attack? From the demons'' perspective, the result was devastating. Cough, cough! Kie... Gik, giik...! Demons coughed up blood, their eyes rolled back, and some even went into seizures. Not only the demons at the point of impact but all living creatures within a 15-meter radius were affected. In short, they were all incapacitated. However, Thompson narrowed his eyes, seemingly dissatisfied. "Tsk, are high-ranking demons really that different? Should I have aimed for the head...?" His original target, the [Succubus]... She was still standing firm. Well, not exactly firm. She was barely managing to stand on two feet, supporting herself with her tail. Pant... Pant...! The [Succubus] gasped for breath, and the reddish membrane surrounding her body dissipated. The effect of the [Blood Veil], the [Succubus]''s last resort, had worn off. The [Blood Veil], which protected the body by densely condensing demonic energy... With that secret technique shattered, the [Succubus] was thrown into a panic. [W-What are you, human! What kind of power is this...?] The enraged [Succubus] shouted in a raised voice. But Thompson just tilted his head without answering. After all... ''...What is she saying?'' He had never learned the demon language in his nearly forty years of life. Who would even bother to learn such a thing? Anyway, it didn''t really matter to Thompson what the [Succubus] was babbling about. ''I''ll finish her off now!'' She was a demon and an enemy, after all. That fact remained unchanged. Thump, thump, thump, thump! Thompson started running again. He resembled a predatory dinosaur facing its prey. The [Succubus], witnessing this firsthand, couldn''t help but feel desperate. [...D-Demons! Protect me!] Kieeee! At the [Succubus]''s cry, dozens of fallen demons sprang to their feet. And they immediately began to gather in front of the [Succubus]. As if they were trying to act as shields. But... They barely lasted a few seconds. "Get lost!" Wham! Bam! Pow! With a single swing of his fist, Thompson swept them away like a tsunami. [Grrk...!] Seeing her subordinates effortlessly knocked aside, the [Succubus] bit her lip and tightened her grip. In her grasp was a thick, long, black whip. [I won''t go down that easily!] Despite her appearance, she was a recognized high-ranking demon. If her underlings couldn''t protect her, she would fight herself. Crack! The [Succubus] slammed her whip menacingly against the ground, then immediately lashed it towards Thompson. Whoosh! The black whip surged towards the charging Thompson. It struck his right arm, making him flinch with a grunt. Seeing this, the [Succubus] smirked, continuously whipping at him. Crack! Crack! Crack! [Hmph. Just as I thought!] No matter how strong he was, it would be difficult to withstand this black whip. This wasn''t just any whip; it was a special one she had crafted over decades, meticulously pouring her demonic energy into it. Unless something was incredibly durable, it wouldn''t even be able to take a step, let alone attack... Just then. [...Huh?] The [Succubus]''s face contorted in surprise. Something unexpected was happening. Crack! Crack... Thud, thud, thud! Slow but sure. The human in front of her was advancing, step by step. He was taking every lash of her whip without any intention of dodging. [H-How...?] She couldn''t comprehend it. Was his body made of stone or something? [W-What in the world are you!!] Whack! Whack! Whack! Incredulous, the [Succubus]''s whipping became faster and sharper. But the more she whipped, the faster Thompson advanced. Only one thought occupied his mind. ''I must get hit. I must get hit. I must get hit...'' You need to get hit. Those were the words of Asion Gale right after he mastered Body Transformation Magic. Simply put, it meant that endurance was crucial for future growth, and he needed to constantly endure hits to develop it. ''...Thanks to that, I got beaten like crazy.'' Because of that, Asion Gale had beaten him to the brink of death. Compared to that, this was like being bitten by bugs. He decided that this was the perfect opportunity to build up his endurance. "This tickles! You demon!" What doesn''t kill me makes me stronger. That was Thompson''s newly ingrained motto. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 102 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 102 Swoosh, whoosh The flames that had blackened the battlefield were dying down. Kayla''s [Blaze Field] spell had ended. [TL/N: I forgot to add a tl/n in the previous chap it will be [Flame Path] instead of [Path of Flames]. ] From now on, the demons emerging from the rift would be free to roam as they pleased. It was then that Thompson began to move in earnest. Whizz! Thud! Thompson, who had been on the receiving end until now, suddenly reached out and grabbed the [Succubus]''s whip. At the same time... "Let''s finish this, demon!" He pulled the whip with all his might. "[Ah, no...!]" The succubus was momentarily surprised by the sudden counterattack. Thompson threw a punch at the [Succubus] who was pulled along with the whip. And the fist landed squarely on her face. Bam! A sound that could not be produced by mere physical impact rang out. The [Succubus]''s entire face was covered in blood as she flew far away and rolled on the ground several times. "["Ugh, ack!"]" The fallen succubus groaned and twitched her finger. The moment she realized death was approaching; she had only one wish. "[Ah, Asmodeus...]" Asmodeus, the Legion Commander of Lust and Desire, her master. Her last wish was to hear her voice just once more. However... "..." Despite the [Succubus]''s call, Asmodeus did not respond. Even though she must have been listening. In that silence, the [Succubus] realized her situation. "[A-as I thought...]" Even though she had risen to the position of a high-ranking demon, treated as a direct subordinate of the Legion Commander, in the end, she was nothing more than a tool to her. "[Ah...]" Swoosh Her body turned to gray dust and scattered. What a miserable life it had been. "[...In my next life, as a human-]" To the point where she wished to be reborn as the race she had so despised. *** "Am I... too late?" I hurriedly headed towards the rift where the [Succubus] had appeared and finally arrived. But it seemed I was already too late, as the state of the battlefield was a mess. Not only were there black scorch marks everywhere, but the corpses of demons with their bones twisted from who knows what were scattered all over the place. "Phew, but still..." There was also a silver lining. Among the many corpses, there were not many human bodies to be seen. If my guess was correct, this meant our side had won. Well, it would be most accurate to ask him directly, but... "Oh, Mr First Place!" Thompson spotted me and called out. I immediately turned my head, about to demand an explanation of what had happened, but... "What happened to you...?" I couldn''t bring myself to ask. Thompson''s terrible appearance caught my eye. His once intact robe was completely torn to shreds, and his exposed skin was covered in reddish marks of unknown origin. Judging from the marks, it looked like he had been beaten with something like a whip... What in the world happened? At my question, Thompson scratched his head with an embarrassed look and said, "Haha, well, it just sort of happened." "Excuse me? No, what do you mean ''just sort of happened''..." "What else could it be? I got beaten black and blue." Just then, Kayla, who had approached at some point, cut in and answered for him. "This old man, he''s completely lost it. That demonic woman was swinging her whip, and he just stood there taking it all without dodging!" "What?" I had a feeling it was something like that, but it really was whip marks. Well, it wasn''t strange. Any player of [Demon Fantasy] knows how threatening a [Succubus]''s whip is. Although I wondered why he would let himself be hit so much, it was still within the realm of understanding. "Well, I guess it can''t be helped. That demon''s whip is notoriously fierce..." As I was nodding in agreement... "No, that''s not it. He got hit on purpose." "...What?" Kayla''s next words bewildered me. "He got hit by the whip on purpose? Why on earth would he do that?" "Why else? To increase his endurance, of course." "Mister, is that true?" "Haha, well, it just sort of..." Thompson scratched his head again. Kayla let out an exasperated laugh at his appearance. "Who in their right mind would let themselves get hit by a high-ranking demon to increase their endurance? Especially a mage! And especially during a war!" "Hahaha... Well, it''s a very important matter to me." Thompson spoke as if he had no choice. When I asked him about it, he said, "The Dean told me so. To move on to the next level of Body Transformation magic, I need to increase my endurance." Thompson added that getting hit was necessary for his growth. Hearing that, I understood completely. ''Hmm, there are cases like that.'' When I thought about it, I had experience with this too. Back when I was in the top 10 of the [Demon Fantasy] rankings, I came up with a way to make my zombie swordsman stronger by putting him in a demon cave and making him meditate. Of course, looking back, it was something I shouldn''t have done as a human being. What if that zombie swordsman wasn''t just a game character but a real person like us? ''...I''m sorry, bro.'' Just imagining it is horrifying. Not only did I put him in a demon cave, but I also did a lot of terrible things to that character. Perhaps they were sharpening their blades every day, eagerly waiting for the day to kill me. Anyway, back to the topic. [Demon Fantasy] is a game with endless ways to grow stronger. Because of that, sometimes, like Thompson and I did, mindlessly taking hits can be helpful. In fact, the torture I inflicted on my zombie swordsman exponentially increased his endurance and tenacity stats, which became the foundation for him to rise from the top 10 to the top 5 in the rankings. That''s how limitless the ways to grow are. Of course, I understood Kayla''s bewilderment. This process isn''t usually necessary for mages. Well, I suppose neither I nor Thompson can be considered ordinary mages. In any case, it seemed like Thompson was in that kind of situation now. "Then you can surely understand." "Oh, Mr First Place! As expected, you get it!" "Oh dear, what are we supposed to do if the leader understands this?" As we were having this conversation... I put aside the small talk and moved on to the main topic. The war wasn''t over yet. First, we needed to grasp the situation. "So, the two of you took down the [Succubus]?" "Ah, yes. She wasn''t as strong as the [Demon Minotaur]." "Huh, that''s amazing! I didn''t expect this outcome at all..." I wasn''t just being polite; I truly didn''t expect the two of them to defeat the [Succubus]. After all, just a few weeks ago, it took all of our party members to take down a single high-ranking demon. Maybe I could do it now with Barundel, but I never thought these two would be able to defeat a high-ranking demon. But since things had turned out this way... ''I underestimated them.'' Thompson and Kayla''s growth was more remarkable than I had thought. In that case, I needed to adjust my strategy accordingly. Originally, the next plan was for the four of us to go to the third rift and defeat the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], but I changed my mind. "You''re not in bad shape, are you?" "Of course not. I can keep going until nightfall like this." "Good. For now, you two continue to take care of this rift. Barundel and I will move on to the third rift." Although the [Succubus], the leader of this rift, had been defeated, residual demons were still pouring out from it. More importantly, judging from the situation so far, there was a possibility that a second high-ranking demon would appear here. That''s why the original plan was for all of us to gather, quickly defeat the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], and then gather our main forces here again to prepare for any variables... But in the current situation, it was more stable to move like this. Even if a second high-ranking demon appeared, these two would be able to hold out without any problems. "Huh? Is that okay?" Thompson asked, seemingly genuinely puzzled by the sudden change in orders. He was probably like that because it was different from the deployment he had been informed of at the start of the war. But there wouldn''t be any problems. Since I was the one who arranged the deployment of troops this time, I had already asked Elbert for his understanding in advance. ''It''s a good thing I got temporary command authority.'' I had already secured temporary command authority, which allowed me to command troops under special circumstances. And since two mere mages had just defeated a high-ranking demon, this could be considered a special case. So it was okay to leave Thompson and Kayla here. After explaining this, Thompson nodded in understanding. "Okay, we''ll take care of this place. You''re sure there won''t be any problems catching the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger]?" "Yes, I think so." If Thompson and Kayla stayed here, two mages would be missing from the forces deployed to the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], but it was fine. This was because I had already deployed most of the main force there. ''Six knights and a full headcount.'' As such, they wouldn''t at least be on the losing side. There would be no problem if we just went quickly. "Then please! Don''t get hurt!" "Okay! You be careful too, Mr First Place!" After saying goodbye to Thompson... Thump, thump, thump! Barundel and I headed straight for the third rift. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To defeat the final hurdle we had to overcome today, the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger]. If we could just get over this, reinforcements would come in the afternoon, and tomorrow we would start working on closing the rifts. If we succeeded in that, the war would be over. All that was left was to enjoy the rewards that would follow and the growth gained from the war. But... "...What in the world is going on?" Contrary to my expectations, the situation at the third rift was not good. "Haa!" Clang! Clang! "Fall back! Fall back-!" The battle line was gradually being pushed back despite the presence of six knights. I could see the reason at a glance. Swish! Swish! Screech! Screech! Thud! "Uaaack!" The [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] emerged from the rift and was rampaging across the battlefield. Its movements were extraordinary. ''Tsk... It''s strong? A variant?'' This happened occasionally. Individuals that possessed greater combat power than their typical strength. They were called variants in the game, and the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] in front of me felt exactly like that. Just in case, I looked around... "..." Elbert Tyran was floating in the air at a distance, watching the situation. Judging from his posture, he seemed ready to jump in if the situation worsened even slightly. Our eyes met, and I nodded to signal that it wasn''t necessary. And I turned my gaze back to the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger]. "Ha... Of all things, a variant?" Seeing its swift footwork already made me sigh. It felt like I was getting tired before even fighting. Of course... "You''re dead." It would just be a bit tiring, but now that we had arrived, there would be no problem in defeating it. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 103 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 103 The strategy for defeating the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] is simple. All you have to do is penetrate its hard exoskeleton and inflict continuous damage to its insides. However, although it''s simple, it''s by no means an easy process. This is because penetrating that hard exoskeleton is no easy task in the first place. As if to prove that point... ¡°Hup!¡± Clang! Clang! Clang! The knights are constantly pounding on the exoskeleton with their auras, but not even a scratch appears. It seems they''ve been struggling with that exoskeleton all this time... ¡®Their aura is weak.¡¯ Compared to the exoskeleton of the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], the power of their aura is ridiculously weak. To penetrate an exoskeleton with that level of hardness, they should at least display an aura that surpasses that of the silver-haired knight, Shuharn. ¡®Tsk tsk, how can they be worse than Shuharn? Those so-called senior knights.¡¯ Frankly, the knights looked a bit pathetic. It''s like they''re openly promoting themselves, saying, ''I got to be a senior knight through connections~'' with that kind of skill, isn''t it? ¡®Anyway, the knight system needs to be overhauled.¡¯ Unlike mages, the influence of clan plays a significant role in the process of knights being promoted. Even if you have the skills, it''s difficult to get promoted if your clan isn''t influential, and if your clan is well-connected, you can get promoted even if you lack skills. Because of this, you can often witness situations like this where incompetent people become senior knights. Of course, there are also true knights who have risen solely through their own skills. ¡®That guy Shuharn was the real deal.¡¯ Suddenly, my thoughts drift in that direction. The silver-haired knight, Shuharn Philedia. I wonder what that guy is doing now. Well, it''s something that''s easy enough to predict. ¡®He''s probably running around all over the place trying to eat my heart again.¡¯ He probably would have reached the intermediate knight level by now. He already had enough skills to be promoted. Maybe he''s even reached the senior knight level. I once again imprint the fact that such a formidable guy is after my heart. However... ¡®This might be doable?¡¯ Honestly, I''m not really scared anymore. I''m now a proper 5th circle mage. No, practically speaking, I''m a mage with the power of the 6th circle. Even if senior knights are a bit much, I can definitely handle intermediate knights on my own. Of course, since Shuharn hasn''t fully revealed his skills yet, I don''t know how things will turn out... But that''s what makes it more fun. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Thump! Thump! Thump! What would happen if I fought him now? Such curiosity fills me. ¡°...Hmm, let''s calm down.¡± It''s something I''ll find out eventually anyway. Calming my excited heart, I focused on the situation in front of me again. Based on the movements I''ve seen so far, it seems like if I combine my strength with Barundel and those six idiotic knights, we should be able to subdue it. The moment I made that decision. ¡°Barundel!¡± ¡°I''m ready!¡± After signaling to Barundel, I jumped into the battlefield. Immediately, its gaze shifted towards us. Did it sense our killing intent? As expected of a mutated species, its senses are sharp. Screech! Screeeech! The creature let out an unpleasant insect-like sound as it shook its body. And at the same time, Shwaaaak! A poisonous stinger, which could be fatal with a single hit, surged towards us. I naturally slowed down my running speed, and Barundel swung his axe as if he had been waiting for this moment. Thud! The trajectory of the poisonous stinger was deflected by Barundel''s swing of [Anatak''s Great Axe]. And what followed was my magic. ¡°Take this, you blind fool.¡± Poof! The sphere of light that flew towards the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] emitted an intense light in front of its eyes. Simultaneously, the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger] stopped moving momentarily and let out a pained cry. Keekeekeeek!! One regrettable thing was that the micro flashbang grenade didn''t have much effect on it. This is because scorpions, which mainly live in the dark, have poor eyesight from the start. Scorpions usually use their abdomen to sense vibrations in the ground and find prey with their excellent sensory organs. Therefore, it was difficult to inflict a significant blow to it with just this micro flashbang grenade. However... ¡®Just a moment is enough.¡¯ The purpose was to buy this brief moment of time. Barundel, who had turned his head at the right moment, leaped forward with all his might. And [Anatak''s Great Axe] swung in line with his forward movement. The [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], belatedly realizing that an enemy was approaching, raised its pincers, but it was already too late. Crack! Barundel, digging deep inside, struck the creature''s body. Sparks flew from the attack where steel met flesh. I felt anew how hard the creature''s exoskeleton was. However... ¡®It''s no match for a legendary artifact.¡¯ Crackle! Cracks began to appear in that hard exoskeleton. It was thanks to the unique effect of the legendary artifact, [Anatak''s Great Axe]. -Physical Penetration +50 The additional 50 points in Physical Penetration. This is why [Anatak''s Great Axe] is considered the best blunt weapon among legendary ones and is even evaluated to have better cutting power than swords of the same class. 50 is a value comparable to the aura of a typical knight. Moreover, with Barundel''s strength and axe proficiency added to that, it would be stranger if the exoskeleton could withstand it. Keekeekeeek! The [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], receiving the shock to its body, immediately sensed the danger and changed its posture. Compared to before, it''s in a much more defensive stance. It seems to have taken that stance with the intention of counterattacking anything that comes in... This is the difference between ordinary individuals and mutated species. Usually, ordinary ones are so focused on attacking that they rush in without thinking. Even... Pssst! Pssst! It started spraying poison from its tail, scattering it around itself. This made it much more difficult to approach. It was certainly different from the other foolish ones. However, there''s one thing it overlooked. The fact that I am a mage. Whoosh! A dazzling halo of light blooms above my palm. The light soon took the form of a spear, and I naturally assumed the stance. The javelin-throwing stance that I''ve now become completely accustomed to. Creak! With a feeling as if the surroundings were becoming quiet, only the target, the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger], was caught in my sight. The high level of concentration I naturally developed while practicing magic was manifesting. Maintaining that concentration, I carefully extended my arm. Legs supporting the ground. Waist creating elasticity. Arm adding explosive speed at the last moment. All muscles expand at once. Added to that are the effects of the spirit inscription, the awakening effect, and the power of divine power. Fwoosh! The spear of light, packed with everything I had, flew towards it in a straight line. Screech! As if reacting to it, it raised its two pincers to guard. Even a mutated species has its limits in intelligence, it seems. It was a truly regrettable decision. ¡°You should have dodged it, not blocked it.¡± Crackle! The spear of light that left my grasp dug into its pincers. After the intense sparks, what followed was a very pleasant sound. Thud! Kyaaaak!! Finally, its pincers were penetrated, and it screamed. The others weren''t just watching either. Barundel immediately jumped over the poison puddle into the air, and the knights, who at least had some sense, appeared behind the [Giant Scorpion with a Poisonous Stinger]. And the all-out attack unfolded. Clang! Clang! Clang! Kieeek! Kieeeek! The creature struggled, unable to come to its senses from the attacks pouring in from all directions. Even in the midst of that, it didn''t give up, as it tried to thrust its poisonous stinger from time to time, but each time Barundel blocked it with his axe. I also added my strength, swinging the sword of light. And as a result... Kieee...! It was clearly visible that the creature was gradually losing its strength. We continued to push our offensive without stopping. Our relentless assault boosted the morale of the mercenary soldiers and regular soldiers who were blocking other demons. "W-We''re finally winning!" "Those mages are amazing..." "Just hold on a little longer! Don''t let a single one of them get through!" How much time had passed? Kee, kee... Thud! The creature, which had endured for a long time despite our endless attacks, finally lost its strength and collapsed. Its exoskeleton was already shattered without a trace. Only its weak, sallow skin barely covered it. Barundel approached it casually and swung his axe. Slash-! The creature''s neck was smoothly severed. Barundel brushed off the blood from his axe and said, "One more down." His nonchalant voice seemed to announce the end of today''s battle. *** Thump, thump, thump! Heavy footsteps could be heard incessantly. A seemingly endless procession followed, just like the footsteps. With the third crack closed, the promised time had arrived, and reinforcements had arrived. Elbert and the commander of the reinforcements shook hands with each other and then relayed the situation. "I heard that the scale of damage is very small... Sir Elbert, your command skills haven''t dulled at all? That''s amazing." "Haha, it''s all thanks to the soldiers who followed my lead well. My command skills can''t possibly catch up to the 2nd Division Commander." "There''s no need to be so modest. You''re already famous for your skills..." Well... To be precise, the conversation was closer to praising each other rather than actually relaying the situation. It wasn''t strange. Whether it''s a knight commander or a commanding officer, it''s all about social skills. "There haven''t been any additional cracks generated yet. As reported, a total of three high-ranking demons emerged from each crack..." "Oh, you mean you defeated them all? This is beyond expectations." "As a special note, unstable mana was detected from the third crack..." Anyway, after perfectly finishing the handover... Elbert Tyran gathered us, who had returned to the barracks, in one place. It seems he''s going to give us a lecture like he did on the first day. As we waited in our exhausted state, Elbert walked over with the sound of his military boots. Somehow, his expression was bright, as if he was quite satisfied with today''s battle. "Soldiers, you''ve all worked really hard. You''ve shown much more improvement than yesterday." "..." "..." Is it because everyone is exhausted? No one opened their mouths even at his words of encouragement, and Elbert, as if understanding, crossed his arms and continued speaking. "Don''t look so down. I''m diligently recording each and every one of your contributions." Flutter, flutter. Elbert took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and shook it. It was written too small to make out, but it was densely packed with writing, as if he was truly recording the soldiers'' contributions one by one. "Rewards will be given according to your efforts. Those who diligently participated in the war will enjoy wealth and honor, and those who didn''t... well, they''ll only receive as much as they put in. Isn''t that right?" "That''s right, sir!" "Then you should work even harder, right? Look at this. This is the contribution a crazy mage has accumulated. This guy will be richer than me after the war is over." "Hehehe." The soldiers chuckled and nodded at Elbert''s joke. With a grin, Elbert once again boosted the soldiers'' morale and finished his speech. "So enjoy this hardship for now. That''s all." [Blood Moon Prophecy] 2nd Wave. We safely overcame today, and a smooth atmosphere is still maintained. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 104 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 104 That evening, after the 2nd wave had been successfully repelled. The soldiers, having successfully switched out with the support troops and returned to the barracks, were reveling in the joy of victory. "Hmph, let those damn demons come at us again! We won''t even flinch!" "They may have the numbers, but do they even know how to fight?" "Exactly! There''s a reason why this is called the Age of Humans. We''ve surpassed all other races." The soldiers, their noses held high in the air, chattered amongst themselves for a while before turning their attention to me. "Don''t you think so, mage?" They stared at me, waiting for an answer. It was clear they were expecting me to agree with them, but... "Well, I don''t think it''s quite like that." I understood their excitement, but I didn''t particularly want to join in their revelry. The war wasn''t over yet, after all. ''What? The Age of Humans?'' The very notion was absurd. No, it wasn''t just a matter of not agreeing; their words were simply wrong. ''What a joke. This isn''t the Age of Humans, it''s the Age of Demons.'' The apex predators of [Demon Fantasy], the ones who truly ruled the world, weren''t humans, but demons. And that remained true even now, a hundred years later. ''...To them, we''re nothing more than playthings.'' No matter how much human magic, swordsmanship, and technology had advanced, they still hadn''t escaped the clutches of the demons. The proof was that the four nations, including Asternon, were still confined within the walls they had erected. If it truly were the Age of Humans as they claimed, they would have torn down those walls long ago. The fact that they hadn''t meant they still couldn''t win an all-out war against the demon race. And from what I could see, the power difference between the demons and humans was vast. ''If they... no, if Baal ever changed his mind, humans could be wiped out at any moment.'' The battles fought just yesterday and today were evidence enough. What if, instead of opening the rifts one by one, they opened all of them at once and unleashed their full force? I could say with certainty that Asternon wouldn''t last even three days before being destroyed. The same would be true for the other nations. So, did the demons currently lack the power to open all the rifts at once? ''Not at all.'' Even a hundred years ago, they would open ten rifts at a time whenever they felt like it. They were more than capable of doing so now, perhaps even more so than before. The reason they were opening the rifts one or two at a time was... ''For fun.'' Because it was simply more entertaining that way. Just like in a sports match where the difference in skill between the two sides is overwhelming, it becomes less exciting to watch due to the lack of tension. In short, humans were currently being shown consideration by the very demons they so despised. And that consideration would end the moment humans were deemed a threat to the demons. This was the overarching backdrop of [Demon Fantasy]. Miserable and bleak beyond measure. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Well, it was unlikely that ordinary soldiers like them would know any of this. This information was only privy to the royal family and high-ranking officials. Unless they went around spreading it themselves, there was almost no chance that the common folk would ever learn the truth. Anyway. "Whoa, you''re a tough one to please, aren''t you? I was just trying to join in the fun with everyone else." "Ahaha, was I like that? I must have been a bit tense. I didn''t mean to be that way, so please understand. Ah, and I agree with what you said earlier. Those demons can come at us a hundred times, and it''ll only give us more experience." As I thought about it, I realized there was no need to react negatively. It would be better for them if I just played along. "Right? As expected, you''re different from other mages!" "I can take that as a compliment, right?" "Of course! There''s no shortage of eccentric mages out there." "Heh heh." Ignorance is bliss, as they say. While I was having this trivial conversation... "Hey, mage." Someone called me from behind. I turned around to see none other than Knight Commander Elbert Tyran. Judging by his expression, it seemed he had something to say to me. "Ah, yes. I''m coming." I followed him, sensing his intentions, and he headed towards the command room in the barracks. I wondered if he was going to entrust me with the troop deployment for tomorrow as well, but thankfully, that wasn''t the case. "Sorry to bother you during your rest, but we still have work to do, don''t we?" Elbert said, tapping on a chair. Not the chair he was sitting on, but the one where another man was bound tightly. Yes, the brainwashed resident of Sector 7 that I had smuggled out. "Ah, you want me to do it now?" "There''s no other time. We won''t even have time to stop by the barracks tomorrow, let alone the day after." "That''s true." As Elbert said, now was the best time. Starting tomorrow, more than ten rifts would be generated, and from the day after that, Asmodeus himself would directly intervene in the war. It would be pointless to scramble for a way to undo the brainwashing at that point. The problem was... ''...How do I undo this?'' I still didn''t know how to undo this brainwashing. To be honest, I had just confidently boasted about it, but I had no clue. Perhaps it was the consequence of my "shoot first, ask questions later" mentality. ''I have to find a way somehow.'' Of course, I had no intention of trying to gloss over it now. This was a problem I had to solve eventually. Perhaps Elbert thought the same. "Until you undo this man''s brainwashing, you are excluded from the war effort." "Huh?" "Exactly as I said. You cannot participate in the war until you resolve this issue." He had made a strong move. ''Huh, he must be serious.'' It might be immodest of me to say so, but I was one of the key players in this war. Even the soldiers who had no particular connection to me knew that. Therefore, not deploying me in the war was quite a risky move, and Elbert couldn''t be unaware of that. Yet, the reason he was doing this was... ''That means she''s serious about undoing the brainwashing.'' It meant that Elbert considered Asmodeus''s power a very important factor. Of course, I did too. ''If, by any chance, her power affects the knights, the scale of the damage will be huge. Even if we win the war.'' Elbert was probably worried about something similar. It was ironic. He didn''t treat the residents of Sector 7 like humans, but he valued his soldiers more than anyone else. ''That''s a mindset ingrained in his bones.'' In fact, it wasn''t Elbert''s fault that he had such values. It was the fault of the people around him who had instilled this ideology in him countless times from the moment he was born. If I had also been born as the child of a renowned noble in this world, wouldn''t I have grown up to be like Elbert? Hiding a bitter taste in my mouth, I nodded. "Yes, I understand. I''ll be sure to undo it." Whatever the answer was, what I had to do wouldn''t change. *** In a warehouse, untouched for a long time, covered in a whitish layer of dust. The man who was tightly bound there struggled desperately and made noises. "Mmm! Mmm! Mmmph!" His eyes were bloodshot, indicating he wasn''t just angry. Wondering what he was trying to say, I slightly peeled off the tape from his mouth. "Die!!" It was nothing special. Rip, slap. "Mmmph!" I covered his mouth with the tape again and continued my thoughts. "...The most likely option is light magic, right?" Having never learned any special techniques like hypnosis or constraints, I had to undo the brainwashing solely with the power of magic. Among them, light magic seemed to be the most likely to work. After all, the light attribute was the most closely related to holy power. Brainwashing was ultimately derived from demonic power. If I tried various methods using light magic with holy power added, I should be able to undo the brainwashing. Having reached that conclusion... Swoosh-. I immediately put it into action. Light mana rose above my hand like a heat haze. It surged without a definite shape and carefully flowed into the man. Soon, the mana, still under my control, began to roam throughout the man''s body. And with it, I felt demonic energy. Tingle! As expected of brainwashing done with a Legion Commander''s power, the demonic energy was extraordinary. It was incomparable to the demonic energy emitted by the suspicious passerby from before. Even though it had been a while since the brainwashing was cast, the energy was still this strong, showing how much power Asmodeus possessed. ''...The demonic energy she directly possesses must be much stronger than this.'' If I ever had to fight her, I would have to keep my wits about me. While I was thinking that... "Hmm?" There was one spot where the demonic energy felt particularly strong. It was none other than the man''s back. Without hesitation, I lifted the man''s shirt, and sure enough... "This is..." A familiar picture was drawn on the man''s back. A pattern that looked like a lotus flower... "It''s definitely Asmodeus." It was Asmodeus''s unique mark, often seen in the game. It was a mark that usually remained on people killed by Asmodeus or those affected by her power. However... Thump! For some reason, I had a strong feeling that the answer lay in this mark. It seemed like my intuition stat of 30, raised through the Spirit Imprint, was reacting. "So, the answer is here, huh?" Even apart from my intuition, it was highly likely. In the game, to dispel mental-type abilities, you had to destroy such marks. Of course, the difference from other mental abilities was that this was brainwashing done with a Legion Commander''s power, not just any ordinary ability. Therefore, destroying the mark wouldn''t be easy. There was even a possibility that I would be exposed to the demonic energy and get hurt in the process. But... "I have no choice but to try." I had no other options anyway. Not only could I not think of any other way, but any choice I made would involve risks. With that judgment, I carefully moved my mana. Softly and delicately. The experience from when I first attempted attribute combination at the academy, no, the training I did in Persson''s lab, was helping me. My already impeccable magic control had become even more perfect. I appropriately avoided dangerous areas and poked at vulnerable spots with my mana. A drop of cold sweat trickled down my cheek. "Mmmph! Mmmph-!!" Even with the man''s screams, I didn''t stop. I maintained my concentration without the slightest movement. There were only two possible outcomes. Either I win, or she wins. One of us would experience their power being broken. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 105 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 105 Unlike when I easily found a way thanks to my intuition... Srrrk, srrrkkk! The process of erasing Asmodeus''s mark took quite a long time, more than I expected. Well, not that long, actually. It just felt that way to me. "Huff... huff..." How many hours has it been since I entered this place? I was so focused on erasing the mark that I couldn''t even guess the time properly. Because of that, my eyes feel like they''re going to pop out, and my hands are trembling. "Erasing a single mark is this hard..." But at least there''s one good thing. Pasasasak! I succeeded. "Done!" I shouted in joy as I watched the mark scatter like fragments. I couldn''t help but feel deeply moved, especially since I put so much effort into it. Of course, it wasn''t a situation where I could be completely happy yet. Because I hadn''t checked if the brainwashing had been undone. ''If it didn''t come undone... Just imagining it is terrible.'' The man from Sector 7 had already struggled for a long time and fainted. "Please!" Hoping that what I did was the right way, I slowly removed the tape covering his mouth. Jjeeeik. Then, I gently tapped the unconscious man to wake him up. And then... "...Mmm." The man tossed and turned a few times before opening his eyes. Thump, thump, thump! My heart pounded like crazy as I watched him. If the man was still brainwashed, he would rush at me as soon as he saw me; otherwise, he would show a more normal reaction. And the result was... "...Wh, where am I?" Fortunately, it was the latter. It meant the brainwashing on the man had been lifted. Ah, how can I express this overwhelming feeling in words? Before I could even ponder that, a commotion arose. "Ugh? Why, why is my body tied up? Wh, who are you! Untie this right now!" The man, who had been muttering questions to himself, suddenly started to thrash around and cause a scene. But for some reason... Even this sight feels like an angel. Perhaps because compared to the earlier rampage, this is cute. When I started to destroy the mark in earnest, he struggled so much that it was exhausting just to watch. "It''s okay. Everything''s okay. There''s no need to be afraid." "O-okay? How is this okay! I said untie this right now!" "I''ll explain, so just listen." I started explaining the situation to the man, one by one, in the calmest tone I could muster. From the disappearance of residents in Sector 7 right before the war broke out, to the sudden emergence of those missing residents from the rift, and then to my decision to try to undo the brainwashing... "..." As the explanation grew longer, the agitated man''s demeanor gradually softened. After I finished explaining everything, I felt he had calmed down enough, so I untied the ropes that bound him. The man stared blankly at his freed hands and then asked, "...Is everything you just said true? All the residents of Sector 7 were brainwashed?" His eyes were filled with confusion. It seemed he couldn''t believe the situation. It was understandable. This wasn''t something an ordinary citizen could easily accept. However, he had to accept what he had to accept. "Yes, I''ve told you without a single lie. And it should be ''were'' brainwashed, not ''had been''. Because you''re the only one who has broken free from the brainwashing so far." "Ha, haha..." The man let out a hollow laugh, as if in disbelief. I gave him a moment to gather his emotions before speaking again. It was time to put the pieces of the puzzle together, one by one. "Do you have any guesses? For example, did anything seem strange before you were brainwashed?" The details of this incident should be known not by me, but by the man who experienced it firsthand. As I expected... The man nodded with a dark expression. "...Yes, there were definitely more than a few strange things in my last memories." "What happened?" "It started with the children." The man recounted what had happened, tracing his memories. It wasn''t particularly special. Children and the elderly, women and men. They began to show strange symptoms one after another, and those who reached the extreme soon disappeared. And at some point, crimson flowers began to bloom everywhere in Sector 7. Hearing that, I could grasp the situation. We had a similar experience in the [Demon Turtle]''s lair. ''So it wasn''t just in that lair.'' When our comrades in Sector 7 went mad because of the flower in the lair, I thought we were just unlucky. That was because that was the only place with flowers in that vast land. But listening to his story, the flowers weren''t only there. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Countless flowers bloomed across that vast land, but they all consumed the residents of Sector 7 and disappeared after exhausting their power. That''s why we only saw the flowers in the sparsely populated [Demon Turtle]''s lair. ''We were unlucky.'' To think we were affected by the few remaining flowers. We were incredibly unlucky. It was a relief that we resolved it safely, but what if we hadn''t thought of using the dungeon as a loophole back then? It was obvious what would have happened. ''We would have been brainwashed like the residents of Sector 7.'' Then we would probably be fighting against the soldiers of Asternon by now. It was a moment when I realized how dangerous it was back then. Anyway, that aside. "Thanks to you, I think I understand what happened. Thank you." "Oh, no. I should be the one thanking you. You saved me. I''m sorry for being ignorant and noisy earlier." With this, I succeeded in undoing the man''s brainwashing. Now, what remained was the treatment of the other residents. Since there were still a mountain of people to free from brainwashing besides this man, I needed to discuss with Elbert how to resolve this. "You can rest here." "Yes, thank you. Really..." After guiding the man to the rest area of the barracks, I immediately went to find Elbert. When I explained the situation, Elbert''s eyes widened. "...You already undid the brainwashing?" He told me that it hadn''t even been two hours since I entered the warehouse. It felt like 4-5 hours had passed, but only two hours? It must have been that tough in there. "Yes, I talked with him a little, and he seemed to be speaking properly and his memories were intact up until the brainwashing." "That means he''s completely back to normal. Magic is truly amazing. Good work." Elbert sat down on a chair with a relieved expression. Suddenly, an ominous feeling flashed through me. ''...Why isn''t he saying anything?'' As I looked at him with that thought, Elbert shrugged as if asking what was wrong. "What are you doing? Why aren''t you returning? You''ll have to switch out again soon, so it''s best to get enough rest." "Return?" "Yes." Damn it, as expected, my ominous premonition was right. Telling me to just return here? What kind of nonsense is that? It was obvious what Elbert was thinking, but I asked him to be sure. "Shouldn''t we undo the brainwashing of the other residents?" "Hmm? No, there''s no need for that." He continued, with an unconcerned expression. "Now that we know the method, if something happens, you can step up and undo the soldiers'' brainwashing. The objective has been achieved. There''s no need to waste our energy here trying to save those guys." "Then what are you going to do? Are you going to leave all those people like this?" "Well, I''ll have to think about that later, but it''s highly likely that will be the case. For now, ending the war is the priority." "Huh." I expected it, but hearing the reason made me even more dumbfounded. Elbert really didn''t see the residents of Sector 7 as human beings at all. It was clear enough from the way he described saving the residents as ''wasting energy''. However, I couldn''t just back down here. "You said before, right? That they are clearly evil. Do you still think so?" "What are you talking about?" "I''m asking if they are evil even though we found a way to undo the brainwashing." "..." "If that''s the case, then there''s no need for me to save other allies who are brainwashed, right? Because they are also evil." Elbert pursed his lips with a subtle expression. The more he did that, the more I pressed him. "Are you perhaps judging them based on their social status?" "..." "They are also people. Please reconsider your judgment." How much time had passed? Elbert, who seemed to be in deep thought for a while, opened his mouth. "I was told that you used magic to undo the brainwashing, right?" What was he trying to say? I nodded, thinking I should at least hear him out. "Yes, that''s right." Then... Elbert asked back, as if in doubt. "Then how are you going to save those hundreds of people?" "Ah." So it was about the method. Certainly, this was a problem. Even if I was allowed to undo the brainwashing, I would have to restore all those people by myself. Knowing this, Elbert asked again. "Are you saying you can heal all those people alone? Seriously?" "..." It took me almost two hours to restore just one man earlier. Realistically, it was nearly impossible for me to heal all those people by myself. But even so... "Yes, I can." I had no choice but to accept this impossible task. This was something only I could do, having practiced light magic like crazy. It was something I had to do. "I see, so that''s it..." Tap, tap. Elbert tapped his chin with his finger, nodded, and said, "Alright. Then I''ll allow it. Go ahead and save them with your amazing magic." Although his tone was a bit sarcastic, permission was finally granted. "...Yes." I bowed and left the command room. Honestly, I felt lost. I had no idea how to heal all those people. Just then... "Huh?" Suddenly, the silhouette of a man came into my peripheral vision. When I turned my head slightly, it was none other than the man from Sector 7 whom I had healed earlier. "Ha, haha..." The man, making eye contact with me, approached with an awkward look and handed me something. It was a ring-shaped artifact with a gray hue. "You dropped this earlier... I thought it might be important, so I brought it." It was a consumable artifact that had already served its purpose and become useless when I detonated the large flashbang. That wasn''t important now. I asked the man, just in case. "Did you happen to hear everything?" Then... "..." The man silently lowered his head. His expression was much darker than before. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 106 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 106 "Haha, I happened to... I didn''t mean to eavesdrop." The man said, waving his hands as if to plead his innocence. Well, I wasn''t particularly suspicious of that. There was no reason for the man, who was still disoriented, to follow me all the way here and eavesdrop on the conversation. However, what bothered me was his subdued voice and gloomy expression. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It seemed like he had listened to the conversation in detail, and his condition didn''t look good. I led the man to the break room in the barracks and gently asked, "Are you alright?" "Ah, yes. I''m fine." "Hmm." Fine? He didn''t look fine at all. As I stared at him with that thought, perhaps feeling pressured, the man opened his mouth again. "...It seems we were a burden to the commander." "I think any commander would feel that way. It was during a war, after all." "Haha, I guess so, right?" "Are you upset?" "Ah, no. I''m just grateful to be alive. It''s just a bit bitter." "I see." Suddenly, the man turned his head towards me and asked, "Was it you, mage, who made the effort? To save us?" "Yes?" "Well, I heard it from the soldiers on the way here. That we were originally going to be abandoned..." "Ah." Whoever it was, it seemed they had given him a pretty detailed account of the situation. Well, there was no need to hide it, so I nodded. "Originally, when the people from Sector 7 came out of the rift, the order was given to eliminate them. I had a bit of trouble stopping that." "Ah... Is that so? Thank you very much. I''m alive thanks to you, mage." The man bowed politely and sat down. And then silence followed. I decided to take this opportunity to ask what I was curious about. "You lived in Sector 7, right?" "Ah, yes. That''s right." "If you don''t mind me asking, how did you end up living there?" "Uh..." The man trailed off. I wondered if it was a sensitive question, but fortunately, he didn''t seem troubled. He just seemed to be contemplating what to say. Finally, he said, "I was banished for theft." "Theft? What did you steal...?" "It was nothing much. I stole some bread that was being sold on the street in Sector 6." "What?" I couldn''t control my expression for a moment. He was banished to Sector 7 for stealing bread? Who did he think he was, Jean Valjean? "Isn''t banishment too harsh a punishment for stealing a loaf of bread?" "Yes, it is harsh. I argued about it several times, but that was the main reason for the banishment order. They said I wasn''t reflecting on my actions or something... Looking back, I guess I dug my own grave." "Huh." The more I listened, the more absurd it seemed. Even when I played the game, I had never heard the stories of the Sector 7 residents, so this was a complete shock. To think there was someone who ended up in Sector 7 because of something like this. ''Weren''t most of the people there heinous criminals?'' Or those born there, like Kayla. Moreover, my surprise didn''t end there. "So I had no choice but to live in Sector 7 with my child." "Child?" "Yes, my seven-year-old daughter." He looked young, so I didn''t expect it at all, but he was a man with a child. And that child was already seven years old. "How old are you?" "I''m thirty this year." "Aha." I thought he was around my age or a little older, but thirty? He had an incredibly youthful appearance. Anyway... "Ah, then where is your child?" After hearing his story, I was worried about his child. After all, everyone in Sector 7 had been brainwashed. There was no way a child would be safe. No, rather, a child would be in danger much faster. As the man said earlier, children, women, the elderly, and then men were affected by the strange symptoms in that order. But... "She''s not here anymore. She passed away a few years ago." "Ah..." The man conveyed the tragedy in a calm voice. I was at a loss for how to react to this. While I was searching for words of comfort, the man continued. "The cause of death was malnutrition. It was impossible to find food in Sector 7." That made sense. There was a reason why Sector 7 was called a wasteland. "Was that why you stole the bread?" "Yes. I had no money and had been starving for days... I was desperate to save my child. Although it led to a worse outcome." "...I''m sorry." "Haha, it''s okay now. I poured out all my sadness and cried it all out back then." "Is that so?" He was a man who truly liked to hide his emotions. To say that he had overcome the grief of losing his child just by crying a few times, did he expect me to believe that? Anyway, I was about to change the subject since it was uncomfortable to continue this conversation. "May I ask you something?" The man suddenly asked a question. It seemed he was curious about something. "Of course." I nodded willingly, and the man spoke as if he had been waiting for it. "What will happen to the other residents besides me?" "Ah, the residents." What should I answer? After a moment of contemplation, I opened my mouth. "They''ll all be fine soon. Just like you." As I spoke, I felt my shoulders suddenly become heavier. It was as if I was carrying the lives of hundreds of people on my shoulders. Well, that was what I was aiming for in the first place. I was determined to save those people, no matter what. This sense of responsibility helped me to keep my resolve. "Is that also thanks to you, mage?" "You could say that. My efforts will play a very important role." "Ah." What was he thinking? The man, who had been silent for a while after hearing my words, spoke in a low voice. "...I will definitely repay this kindness." With a look of determination in his eyes. I didn''t bother to ask and ended the conversation there. More than 30 minutes had already passed. Time was not on our side. It was time to go and free the residents of Sector 7 from that dreadful affliction. *** "I''ll help too." When I told him I was going to undo the residents'' brainwashing, the man rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward. "There''s not much you can do, though?" "I''ll find something to do. This is related to me as well, so please let me help." "Ah, well..." The man''s will was firm, and I reluctantly agreed. After a brief exchange of names with the man, I headed straight to the detention room. As before, the detention room was in chaos as soon as we entered. "Die! Die! Die, die, die!" "Kekeke, a person... a person!" "Young man! Give me blood! Blood!" Clank, clank! Clank, clank! Along with the crazy shouts, the sound of iron bars shaking echoed from all directions. I was somewhat used to it by now, but the man, no, Eos, was bewildered by the sight. "What in the world...?" "These are the symptoms of the brainwashed people. When they came out of the rift en masse, they bit the soldiers'' necks." "So I was like that too?" "You were worse, if anything, not better. You were very strong." "I feel like I keep doing things to be sorry for." I chuckled and pointed to the cell at the very front. "Let''s start from here, one by one. Please take them out and bring them to me. Be careful not to get hurt." "Yes, I understand!" Eos replied vigorously and opened the detention room with confident steps. As if waiting for it, the residents rushed towards him. "Blood! Blood!" "Dieeeee-!" I positioned myself to intervene immediately if things got even slightly dangerous. However... Thud! It was unnecessary. Eos''s shove sent all the charging residents sprawling to the ground. ''How is he so strong?'' It was an uncanny level of strength for someone considered an ordinary person. ''Come to think of it, his physique is comparable to Uncle Thompson''s.'' What was even more surprising was that Eos was from Sector 7. He wouldn''t have been able to eat properly, nor would he have had the energy to exercise, so how did he possess such strength? The question lingered only briefly. "Let go of me! Let go!!" "I brought him here." Before I knew it, Eos was approaching me with a resident grasped by the scruff of his neck. ''Right, focus.'' This wasn''t the time to be distracted by such thoughts. I sat down on a chair and said to Eos, "Please wait a moment. This will take some time." Then, I immediately channeled my mana. Mana filled with the light attribute and holy power. Srrrk! I poured the mana into the old man whom Eos had brought. At the same time, I felt demonic energy. I ignored it and concentrated on finding the location of the mark. Since I had done this once before, it proceeded much faster than before. How much time had passed? Thud. "Phew... It''s done." Finally, the old man stopped convulsing and lay down on the spot. Soon, he would regain consciousness and return to normal. The important thing was time. "How long has it been?" "About an hour has passed." "An hour..." It was much faster than when I erased Eos''s mark. But there were still hundreds of residents left. This wasn''t nearly enough. "Please bring the next person." "Yes!" "D-die!" Soon, the next person was placed in front of me. Eos''s monstrous strength had him bound hand and foot, unable to move. I thought it might be helpful, and it turned out to be crucial. Srrk! "Uwagh! Uwaagh!" The resident screamed as I channeled the mana. I closed my ears and concentrated on the flow of magic. Pasasasak! Another mark shattered and disappeared like fragments. "How long did it take?" "About 40 minutes, I think." "Good." It wasn''t enough yet, but the time had been reduced further. At this rate, I would be able to undo the brainwashing of all the residents soon. "Next person, please." "Yes!" Eos and I gradually increased our speed. "Th-thank you. Thank you..." Thus, the number of normal people increased one by one, and they began to help me under Eos''s control. Of course, unlike Eos, there wasn''t much they could do, but that was okay. "How could we be blessed with such a benefactor...?" "Shh, grandpa. Be quiet. You''ll disturb the mage''s concentration." "You! How dare this young whippersnapper speak to me like that!" Just seeing them having normal conversations by my side gave me strength. I lowered the corners of my lips, which had been raised in a smile, and looked around. ''About... 200 people left?'' Cold sweat was already trickling down my back, and my hands and feet were trembling, but somehow... I was determined to finish this today. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 107 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 107 "D-darling. Are you alright?" "Huh? Oh. Where am I...?" "That mage saved us." Clear sunlight began to stream through the small window of the detention room. ''...Morning already?'' The day, which had been evening, had ended, and dawn had broken. ''By now, everyone must have switched shifts and gone out to the battlefield...'' "M-mage! Thank you. You saved us-." "Thank you. Tha-" The couple whose brainwashing I had undone last approached me and bowed their heads. They seemed to be expressing their gratitude, but honestly, I couldn''t hear them well. I was exhausted and my mind was hazy. It was no wonder, after spending 15 hours like this. "You''re welcome. R-rest..." Damn it. I could barely speak. "...Mage, are you alright?" I looked up to see Eos staring at me with a worried expression. I weakly nodded and opened my mouth. "...Next... person..." I couldn''t stop now. If my memory served me right, there were very few people left to heal. I just had to push myself a little more, just a little bit more. "Yes." After waiting for a while, Eos sat a young man in front of me. Clack! Clack, clack! Clack! He gnashed his teeth as if he were about to bite my neck off at any moment, but I was no longer fazed by such things. "Hold... him tight..." "Yes." Whooosh! Srrk! I imbued my mana with the light attribute and holy power, then poured it into his body. Pasasasak! And then, I found the location of the mark and destroyed it. The series of processes, now completely ingrained in my body, flowed smoothly even in my hazy mental state. "Next." "This is the last one." "The last..." Those words gave me a bit of strength. Since it was the last one, I squeezed out all my remaining power. And then... "Wh-where am I?" "Haha, it''s over..." As I heard the voice of the healed young man, my consciousness faded away. Faded far, far away. *** Two soldiers, returning to their barracks after a grueling battle, stopped in their tracks. "What''s that?" The reason was the unbelievably long line stretching from the detention center, seemingly endless. "...What the...? What are those people doing?" There had been no news of additional reinforcements arriving. Of course, they could have arrived without any notice, but there were too many strange things about those people''s appearance and behavior for that to be the case. "They don''t seem like reinforcements... Why are they swarming around like that? And why are they coming out of the detention center? Oh, could it be?" Suddenly, an ominous thought crossed the soldier''s mind. "Are they escapees?" Come to think of it, he had heard something. That a large number of people had emerged from the rift, consumed by demonic power, and were temporarily imprisoned. The soldier narrowed his eyes and scanned the people. Their ragged clothes, their sheer number, and the location in front of the detention center. There was no doubt, these were the people who had been imprisoned. "Whoa, then that''s dangerous. We need to report this immediately!" "Let''s go quickly!" Realizing the gravity of the situation, the soldiers hurriedly turned back. They had to report this situation as soon as possible. Since they were possessed by demonic power, there was no telling what they might do. Just then... "There''s no need for that." A massive knight with an insignia on his shoulder blocked the soldiers'' path. Looking up, they saw a familiar face. "Commander of the 7th Knights...?" Elbert Tyron, the Knight Commander in charge of the soldiers in the 1st barracks. He was a figure that no soldier belonging to Asternon could not know. "There''s no need? What do you mean?" "Exactly as I said. They are not escapees, nor are they suspicious individuals, so there''s no need to report." "What? Then who are they?" "They''re just... people. Just like us." "...?" Although they couldn''t understand what he was saying, the soldiers nodded for now. "Yes, well then. We''ll be on our way." "Alright." After all, they were just low-ranking soldiers. If a commander like this stepped in, there was nothing they could really do. It would only cause them trouble. ''If there''s a problem, he''ll take responsibility, right?'' With that thought, the reinforcement soldiers headed back to the barracks. After confirming that they were gone, Elbert Tyron turned his gaze. To the bizarre procession. No, to the mage who was being carried unconscious within that procession. "Huh, he really saved hundreds of people?" It was unbelievable. He knew the mage''s abilities were impressive, but who would have expected this? That he would actually undo the brainwashing of hundreds of people. And alone, at that! A little over 15 hours had passed since he had given him the task. He could tell how difficult it must have been to achieve such a result in that time, even without witnessing it firsthand. Perhaps that was why? Elbert felt a strange tingling in his nose. "...Good work." A sense of responsibility to keep his word and the tenacity to accomplish what he set out to do. This was the result of those two things combined. No, it was the result of three things, including the humanity to treat the residents of Area 7 as people despite being a mage. "Don''t worry. Your will has been sufficiently conveyed." That boy already had the qualities of a commander. Elbert turned away, determined to see that bear fruit as soon as the war was over. *** "Ugh..." I woke up with my head pounding. And I couldn''t help but flinch. "Why are you all staring at me like that?" It was no wonder, with dozens of people staring intently at me. It would be strange not to be surprised. "They all volunteered to nurse you back to health, mage." It was Eos who answered my question. "Are you feeling alright?" "Ah, yes. I can bear it." To be honest, it felt like I had been hit by a truck, but I didn''t say that. Everyone was already gathered here because they were worried about me, so what would happen if I said that? I hated being a burden. "Phew... That''s a relief, really. When you collapsed earlier, we were so worried..." Eos exhaled with a relieved look and suddenly clasped my hands, saying, "327 people, mage." "Yes?" "The people you saved." "Ah... I see." Were there really 327 people? I didn''t know because I hadn''t counted them myself, but it was quite a large number. Well, it was ridiculously small considering the number of residents who lived in Area 7. Many residents had already lost their lives before I could persuade Elbert. And surely many had died before that, when the demons attacked Area 7. 327 people remained. Rather than feeling guilty that I couldn''t save more, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I had saved the lives of this many people with my own hands. And above all... "How long did I work? Time-wise." "Ah, you worked for about 15 hours and 30 minutes." "That means it took about 3 minutes per person." After the arduous work, my magic manipulation skills had increased tremendously. What initially took 2 hours per person had been reduced to an average of about 3 minutes. Actually, considering that the first few people took quite a bit of time, my skills must have improved even more than that. In fact, towards the end, it only took about 10 seconds to heal someone. ''This wasn''t what I expected, but it feels good.'' An unexpected magical growth. In a way, it was more valuable to me than the lives of 327 people. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After all, the magical growth I was achieving now would save thousands, tens of thousands of lives in the future. Anyway. "Do you happen to know the situation on the battlefield?" The task I was assigned was over. What remained was to return to the battlefield. "Ah, yes. From what I saw, it seems they''re about to start closing the rift." "And the shift change is done?" "Yes, this barracks is empty now, and I heard that the royal forces will arrive soon. But... are you thinking of going to the battlefield right away?" I nodded confidently at Eos''s words. There was no question about it for me. "I have to. My comrades will be waiting." I had been away for too long without a proper explanation. They must be incredibly worried about my safety. Besides, judging by the setting sun, it must have been a while since the 3rd wave started. As this was the most crucial moment that would determine the outcome of the war, it was right to return as soon as possible. Of course, my body felt like it was about to crumble... but I had to endure it. "It''s just as he said. It seems your own safety isn''t that important to you, mage." "Yes? What do you mean?" "The commander visited a while ago. He said you would probably try to return to the battlefield as soon as you woke up." "Ah, is that so?" It seemed he had figured out my personality... I quickly glanced around and was relieved. They were just staring blankly, which meant he probably hadn''t ordered them to stop me. No, rather... "He asked me to give you this." "This is...?" "It''s an [Elixir]." "What?" Elbert had taken a very unexpected approach. He had handed over the precious [Elixir]. An unexpected magical growth. In a way, it was more valuable to me than the lives of 327 people. After all, the magical growth I was achieving now would save thousands, tens of thousands of lives in the future. Anyway. "Do you happen to know the situation on the battlefield?" The task I was assigned was over. What remained was to return to the battlefield. "Ah, yes. From what I saw, it seems they''re about to start closing the rift." "And the shift change is done?" "Yes, this barracks is empty now, and I heard that the royal forces will arrive soon. But... are you thinking of going to the battlefield right away?" I nodded confidently at Eos''s words. There was no question about it for me. "I have to. My comrades will be waiting." I had been away for too long without a proper explanation. They must be incredibly worried about my safety. Besides, judging by the setting sun, it must have been a while since the 3rd wave started. As this was the most crucial moment that would determine the outcome of the war, it was right to return as soon as possible. Of course, my body felt like it was about to crumble... but I had to endure it. "It''s just as he said. It seems your own safety isn''t that important to you, mage." "Yes? What do you mean?" "The commander visited a while ago. He said you would probably try to return to the battlefield as soon as you woke up." "Ah, is that so?" It seemed he had figured out my personality... I quickly glanced around and was relieved. They were just staring blankly, which meant he probably hadn''t ordered them to stop me. No, rather... "He asked me to give you this." "This is...?" "It''s an [Elixir]." "What?" Elbert had taken a very unexpected approach. He had handed over the precious [Elixir]. "He told you to give me this? To me?" "Yes. And he said he wouldn''t ask for payment." "Huh." I couldn''t easily believe it. [Elixir] was a healing potion known to contain the power of pure spirits. There were various types, but even the cheapest ones cost tens of thousands of gold coins. Pop! I immediately uncorked the [Elixir] and sniffed it. Sniff! Sniff! ''Hmm, doesn''t seem like poison.'' I wondered if this was some kind of assassination attempt because I had defied his will, but fortunately, it didn''t seem like it. My heart was fine. Of course, I still felt uneasy about this unexpected kindness. "Oh well, I don''t know. It can''t kill me, can it?" I trusted my intuition and drank the [Elixir] in one gulp. Gulp, gulp. From my mouth to my esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. A burning sensation spread through my insides as if I had just drunk strong alcohol. And then... Tingle. With a thrilling sensation, I jumped to my feet. "Whoa." "Are you alright?" "I feel like I could fly!" It wasn''t just alright. Not only was my mind clear, but my whole body felt as if it had been reborn. It was incomparable to any potion I had ever taken before. Whoosh! Whoosh! The feeling remained the same even as I moved my arms and legs vigorously. Somehow, it seemed even better than the recovery effect of ''Level Up''. "No wonder it''s so expensive." [Elixir], which I had tasted for the first time in my life. Its effects were beyond my imagination. Well, it was so expensive that I wouldn''t be able to obtain it personally. Anyway. "Then I must be on my way now." Yuhan, the 5th Circle Mage, was revived. It was time to end the war. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 108 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 108 Tadat, tadadat! Pzzzt- I dashed towards the battlefield with lightning-fast speed, using electric magic. Thanks to my fully recovered condition, my body felt as light as a feather. "Phew." And so, I arrived at the battlefield in an instant. I quickly scanned the situation. ''Quite a lot of damage, huh?'' I had expected some damage since this was the 3rd wave, which was supposed to be threatening, but the damage was greater than I thought. I could see hundreds of corpses of allies at a glance. Of course, there were even more corpses of demons, but that didn''t change the fact that the damage was significant. What was the cause? ''There it is.'' It didn''t take long to find it. The number of rifts had increased to 13. And there was one creature openly rampant in one of them. Haaaaak- Shhhhiiiii. With a roar like a monster''s, it sprayed poison everywhere with its nine heads. There was no need to recall its name. [Demon Hydra]. It was a creature that occupied the top rank among the higher demons in terms of combat power, and it was the right-hand man of Valefor, the Legion Commander of Greed. Slash! While I was watching, a high-ranking knight cut off one of the [Demon Hydra]''s heads. However. Haaaaak!! The creature twisted its body, and soon a new head grew from the severed part. Seeing this, the high-ranking knight cursed. "You damn bastard! Just die already!" Knights, who valued honor and dignity, did not use vulgar language carelessly. The fact that he was cursing meant he was extremely angry. Well, there was no reason to be surprised. Even I, who was more patient than anyone else, had cursed dozens of times when I first fought this creature. ''Still the same, you snake-headed bastard.'' The [Demon Hydra] had a regenerative ability that could be described as transcendental. No matter how many times its heads were cut off, it would regenerate them in an instant, just like now. As such, it was a tricky opponent, and the difficulty level increased significantly if you didn''t know how to defeat it. Of course, it wasn''t Valefor''s right-hand man for nothing, so even if you knew the strategy, it was still difficult. The way to defeat the [Demon Hydra] was to inflict damage on all nine heads simultaneously. It was easier said than done, to cut off all nine heads at once... naturally, it wasn''t an easy task. Especially for a swordsman with short arms. ''I''ll take care of it.'' Pzzt! Tadat, tadadat! After grasping the situation, I immediately jumped into the front lines. My current condition was perfect. It was better to step up and finish it off quickly before the damage increased further. "Huh? Is that...?" "It''s that mage, isn''t it?" Fwoosh! I passed by the people murmuring as they looked at me and leaped into the air. And with a shout, I detonated the flashbang I had materialized in my right hand. "Get down!" Bang! "Uwagh! My eyes!" A few people, unable to react to the sudden instruction, clutched their eyes. But it was alright. I had anticipated this and detonated a micro-flashbang. Compared to the large one, its duration was very short, and it wouldn''t cause permanent damage to their vision. However, that was only true for ordinary humans. Haa, Haaaak...! The [Demon Hydra], facing the flashbang head-on, screamed as its nine heads twisted like a pretzel. It was an excessive reaction for just one flashbang. The reason was simple. ''It has many eyes.'' The [Demon Hydra] was, strictly speaking, a reptile. Among them, it was closest to a snake, but unlike ordinary snakes, it had good eyesight. Moreover, it had nine heads. In other words, it had a total of 18 eyes. With 18 eyes that had good eyesight, even a tiny bit of light could be fatal to it. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And there was also the simultaneous strike bonus. - You have inflicted damage to all 9 heads of the [Demon Hydra] simultaneously. - As a bonus effect, all resistances of the [Demon Hydra] are reduced by 50%. This message appeared when you struck many of the [Demon Hydra]''s heads at the same time. 50% reduction in all resistances. If nothing had changed from the game, it should be the same now. And the key to defeating the [Demon Hydra] was to seize this moment. Still positioned above the creature''s heads, I immediately created a sword of light. Not the size I usually used, but several times larger. But then... Shing! Despite requiring an enormous amount of mana due to its size, the sword of light was completed at a speed that surprised even me. In that split second, I realized it was thanks to the increased magic manipulation skills I gained from saving the residents of Area 7. ''Good.'' The admiration was brief. I didn''t stop my movement and swung down. Slice! One, two, three, four... Hak, Haaaak! All nine of the creature''s heads were cut off with a single stroke. Its severed heads fell to the ground and let out labored breaths. But it wasn''t over yet. Even when it was dying, the [Demon Hydra] always had a knack for getting on people''s nerves. As expected... Shhiiiiik! Suddenly, a thick, viscous poison poured out from its severed heads. I had already been prepared and immediately created distance to avoid the poison. Tadat! Sssshiiiiiik- The ground melted before my eyes. Perhaps because I knew the power of that poison, a strange sense of exhilaration welled up inside me. "I''ve lost dozens of suits of armor because of you, you son of a bitch." In a way, I was living my second life. Such obvious tricks wouldn''t work on me. Haaak... Missing its final attack, the creature gave me a regretful look and scattered into gray dust. And behind me, the soldiers cheered in hushed voices. "Uwaaaa! The mage did it!" "Mage! Mage! Mage...!" "Wherever you were hiding, that was a truly awesome entrance!" "Hiya! You''re truly reliable! Reliable!" Seeing their intense reactions, it seemed they had a lot of pent-up frustration towards this creature. Considering that many of their comrades, who had fought alongside them, had died, it was only natural. "Is everyone alright?" "Don''t even ask. That was the most terrifying moment of our lives! Even the knights couldn''t do anything against that thing-" "Damn. I really thought I was going to die here..." "...It should be alright now. Where''s the commander?" It was then, as I was asking the soldiers about Elbert''s whereabouts, that I suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. "Seems like you''ve recovered?" Knight Commander Elbert Tyron had approached me from behind. "Ah, yes. I... drank what you gave me. Thank you." "Really? How did it feel?" "Amazing." "Huhuhu, I bet. It should be. Considering what kind of potion it is." Elbert suddenly continued with a sly smile. "I''ll understand if you repay the debt slowly." "Yes? Debt?" "Why are you making that face? I''m stating the obvious. Oh, don''t tell me you weren''t planning on paying properly?" "B-but you clearly said..." "Just kidding." Ha, did that man enjoy saying such things? My heart almost jumped out of my chest. ''Was he the same kind as Roan?'' It was a very reasonable situation to suspect Elbert of being a psycho. Anyway. Elbert, who had nonchalantly said it was a joke, immediately turned serious and spoke. "I''ll brief you on the changed situation." It seemed he was going to give me a briefing. I nodded with a serious expression, and Elbert began his explanation. "Ten additional rifts were generated today. Therefore, a total of 13 rifts are currently open. The royal family has sent a message that they have completed preparations to close the rifts, and in two hours, they will officially join us and carry out the closure operation." He then went on to describe the types of demons that had emerged from the rifts, the extent of the damage our forces had suffered so far, and the overall state of the war. Despite containing a considerable amount of information, Elbert''s briefing was very concise. It was like he was picking out only the essential points. As I listened, a question suddenly came to mind. ''Why is he telling me all this? And in person, no less?'' It was as if I were the commander, not Elbert. A 5th Circle Mage receiving a situation report from the Knight Commander. There couldn''t be anything stranger than this. As I stared at him, trying to grasp his intentions, Elbert seemed to sense something and shrugged. "Why? Is it awkward?" "Ah, yes. A little? I don''t know why you''re telling me all this." "Well, it''s because I''ve figured out what you truly desire." "Truly... what?" "Hmm, are you going to play dumb? Forget it. Now that the situation report is over, tell me what you think." "..." Although I couldn''t understand what he was talking about, one thing was certain. Elbert was definitely mistaken about something. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to say such things. Well, anyway, that aside. ''What I think...'' I quickly pieced together the information I had just heard. Although the scale of the damage was large, the situation itself wasn''t bad. Things were proceeding smoothly enough that we could close the rifts with the support of the royal family if we could just hold out for another two hours. But then... ''What is this sense of incongruity?'' It was as if I was missing something. Something quite important. ''Think, think...'' How much time had passed? I finally figured out the identity of the dissonance I felt. "The pattern... it''s different." "What?" "The pattern is different from the usual 3rd wave that I know." To summarize the situation: In the 3rd wave of the [Red Moon Prophecy], a higher demon would emerge from each rift. That was the usual situation. However, the content of Elbert''s briefing was quite different from that. Although 13 rifts had been generated, only ten higher demons had emerged from them. When I explained this point... "Do you have any guesses?" Elbert asked as if he didn''t know anything. But nothing came to mind. ''What kind of variable causes this to happen?'' It was then, as I was thinking that... "Come to think of it, unstable demonic energy was observed in the third rift... Could it be related to that?" Elbert''s words hit me like a ton of bricks. "Unstable demonic energy...!" Fewer higher demons than usual. And the unstable demonic energy observed on the second day. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together. But if this assumption was true... we were in grave danger. "B-Barundel. Where is Barundel now?" Barundel, with his [Detect Demonic Energy] trait, would know the exact answer to this. I quickly asked about Barundel''s whereabouts, and Elbert shook his head. "I don''t know. He rushed off somewhere earlier, saying he had something to prepare for. He''s a skilled dwarf, so I just let him be. Is there a problem?" ''Damn it...'' Although I hadn''t heard it directly from Barundel, his words were practically confirmation of my assumption. For the calm Barundel to rush off to prepare for something, it meant something incredibly serious was happening. Just as I was thinking that... Crackle! Crackle! Suddenly, an enormous amount of demonic energy began to pour out from one of the rifts. The unstable third rift that Elbert had mentioned. Gulp. Elbert and I, along with all the soldiers here, swallowed dryly at the eerie demonic energy and stared at the rift. And then... Thud, thud, thud. Goooo- A creature emerged from the rift. "Who is that...?" "Wh-who is that? Is it a human?" Our forces were collectively confused. Only I remained calm. Because I knew that creature. I hadn''t just seen it in the game. I had witnessed this being with my own eyes since entering this world. "...It''s the former Magic Tower Head of Aldeon." "...What?" The former Magic Tower Head of Aldeon, Dercion Pygma. It was a reunion with that crazy old man. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 109 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 109 That ashen gray beard and hair. The robe, though faded, was clearly of the same design. And even the long, ancient wooden staff that was his trademark. No matter how you looked at it, it was undoubtedly Dercion Pygma, the former Magic Tower Head of Aldeon. "Dercion...?" Elbert, perhaps because he knew him, seemed particularly surprised compared to the others. Well, despite his appearance, he was the head of a Magic Tower, so it would be stranger if Elbert, the Knight Commander, didn''t know him. "I heard that he died some time ago?" "I thought so too, but there he is, standing tall." Elbert narrowed his eyes and examined Dercion. I followed his gaze, but this time, instead of focusing on the fact that this man was Dercion, I concentrated on what had changed. His eyes were pitch black as if he had become a demon, and his skin tone had darkened. And there was a thick demonic energy that I could feel along with his mana. It was definitely Dercion, but not Dercion. He now had the complete appearance of a demon. "Huh... how can this be?" Elbert, also realizing this, expressed his surprise once again. I was equally surprised. ''I''ve never seen a human become a demon.'' I had seen demon contractors and those whose appearances had changed into demons due to some power, but this was the first time I had seen someone exuding demonic energy so completely. Aside from my personal experience, the information from the game... That is, throughout the entire history of [Demon Fantasy]. Even Elbert, who would know far more than me about the events of the past 100 years, seemed completely unaware... Perhaps this was the first time something like this had happened. And if so... ''Is this a new power of Baal?'' This was the most likely possibility. That Baal had gained a new power due to some event. He was a being who changed his abilities whenever he got bored, and the last place Dercion disappeared was also the rift where Baal appeared, so there was a good chance this was the case. However. ''...Isn''t that too overpowered?'' If that was true, it was very troubling. Based on my research on Baal so far, the abilities he usually switched were sub-abilities. Sub-abilities were relatively less threatening, so even if they changed, it didn''t significantly hinder our strategies. However, the power to turn a human into a demon was undoubtedly a main ability. And it was a powerful main ability, capable of turning even a high-ranking mage of the 8th Circle into a demon. This was not something to be taken lightly. Being able to turn a high-ranking mage into his subordinate meant endless possibilities. Knight Commanders, Royal Guards, transcendent beings from other races. No, perhaps even the king. Anyone could be a target. Naturally, even myself. Of course, there would be limitations to such a powerful ability, and he would have discarded one of his existing abilities in exchange, but even considering that, the shock didn''t subside. This ability was undoubtedly one that would pose a continuous threat. ''...So it''s not just me who''s growing stronger?'' It was something I had overlooked. Despite my tremendous growth thanks to my Mythic-tier trait and Spirit Imprint, Baal wouldn''t have just been sitting idly by. Not only his current abilities, but perhaps during the 100-year gap when I was gone, he might have undergone tremendous changes that I was unaware of. And ultimately, that would directly increase the probability of my defeat in a battle against him. The information I had gained from fighting him in the game would become completely useless. If that were the case, how on earth would I fight him...? I exhaled in frustration. "Phew, calm down." I was getting too excited without realizing it. It was a situation where I couldn''t jump to any conclusions yet. I could learn about Baal''s information gradually, so there was no need to be frightened or agitated beforehand. There was only one thing I had to focus on right now. I just had to think about subduing Dercion Pygma. Of course, considering the difference in our abilities, it would be impossible for me to do it alone... Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It seems you''ll have to use some of your strength this time, Commander." "Indeed. That demonic energy is clearly too dangerous to just watch." By my side was Elbert Tyron, the Knight Commander, who possessed formidable strength and strategy that were in no way inferior to the original Dercion. If the two of us worked together, we should be able to stop Dercion. "You match my rhythm." "I''ll try my best to keep up." Elbert, signaling that he would go first, drew a long sword from the scabbard at his waist. It was a sword that seemed to fall right in between a longsword, the symbol of a knight, and a rapier, which boasted light weight. It seemed to be Elbert''s main weapon. As I was thinking that... Elbert, who was next to me, disappeared in an instant. I missed his movement and immediately turned my head forward. I found Elbert swinging his sword at Dercion. ''...I couldn''t even react.'' As expected of the Knight Commander. Neither Barundel, Thompson, nor I could imitate that speed at our current level. It was truly marvelous. ''To achieve that speed, I would need to be able to completely infuse my body with light.'' Not long ago, I had tried to use light instead of lightning magic, but I had suffered greatly due to my lack of skill. I dared to guess that I would probably need to be able to completely infuse myself with light to match that speed. That''s how amazing his speed was. But then, why? Dercion was blocking each of Elbert''s sword strikes, which were unleashed with that tremendous speed. And with just that ancient wooden staff, without any magic. How should I interpret this? ''Did he get... stronger?'' Dercion already possessed great power, enough to hold the position of Magic Tower Head. However, from my personal experience, Dercion was not on par with Elbert. In the first place, Dercion was only interested in researching things like the "True Light" and wasn''t concerned with increasing his power. Because of this, he might have been a match for Elbert in summoning magic or knowledge duels, but he was never a match for Elbert in terms of raw strength. But now... Anyone could see that they were exchanging blows evenly. Dercion''s power had clearly increased. And given the circumstances, there was only one reason for that. ''Baal.'' We couldn''t help but think that it was all his doing. "This is unbelievable...!" Elbert, also flustered, swung his sword a few more times and then retreated, creating distance. His face was contorted in disbelief. Well, Elbert would be more flustered than me. He was a knight who had honed his swordsmanship for over a decade, and now he was being pushed back in close combat by a mere mage. He might be feeling a deep sense of loss and denial of his years of training. But he had to accept what he had to accept. Elbert soon resigned himself and acknowledged the situation. "...This is unbelievable. I can''t think of him as just a mage anymore." "He''s clearly not normal, is he?" "Indeed. Honestly, it''s a bit embarrassing. I was almost in danger. Since things have turned out like this, I''m changing the plan." Changing the plan. In this situation where we were trying to subdue Dercion, those words meant only one thing. "Alright." We would just hold out and not attack. Actually, if there were no additional demon reinforcements, we had the advantage. After all, reinforcements from the royal family would arrive soon. There were countless strong individuals among them, such as the Royal Guards, Asion Gayle, and the knights stationed in Area 1. If they arrived, they would take care of the strengthened Dercion without a second thought. However, the problem was... Whether Dercion would stay put until then. Walking forward while emitting an eerie demonic energy, he opened his parched lips. "...It''s been a while, Yuhan." For a moment, a chill ran down my spine. "What, he can talk?" Some of the more intelligent higher demons could sometimes use language. But even then, it was only the demon language, and they couldn''t speak as clearly as this. However, the words Dercion had just uttered were incredibly clear. As if he were a Demon Legion Commander himself. Was it because his base form was human? I didn''t know the exact reason, but the fact that we could communicate was a welcome situation. "How have you been, Master?" "M-Master?" Elbert looked at me as if asking what I meant. Come to think of it, I hadn''t mentioned it. "I learned my light magic from that man. Well, not with good intentions, and I can''t call him human anymore." "Huh, is that so?" Elbert nodded in understanding. I turned my attention back, and Dercion spoke as if he had been waiting. "Yes, I''ve been well. Too well, in fact." Dercion suddenly struck the ground with his staff. And then... The eerie demonic energy swirling around him spread out, making everyone tense. With a sly smile, he continued. "I have been reborn under His will and gained eternal life. Although the light that has been with me all my life has left my hands, this is a more than satisfactory result." "Ah, is that so?" Dercion''s face showed no regret. As if he had no interest in light now. To think that the man who craved light so much would change like this? The power of demons was truly fearsome. "So you seem to be satisfied with your current life?" "Indeed, my past life is now filled with sorrow. If only I had pursued darkness instead of light, I could have lived a much more fulfilling life... I was foolish. Foolish indeed." ''Crazy bastard.'' Could he hear my inner thoughts? Dercion suddenly glared at me and said, "...But it''s alright, for I have now realized the darkness." Dercion struck the ground once again. An even more intense demonic energy than before enveloped Elbert and me. Although my body wasn''t restrained, it was an extremely unpleasant feeling. Despite that, Dercion continued to speak. "In consideration of our past relationship, I will give you a chance. Why don''t you abandon the light and walk the path of darkness with me?" Aha, so this was what he was trying to say after all this rambling. He was apparently trying to "enlighten" me in his own way. It was ironic. The mage who first introduced me to light magic in this world was now trying to teach me darkness. What a comical situation. "Oh, come on. What is this, chuunibyou...?" I immediately enveloped my body with light magic. As if to prove their opposing nature, the light pushed back the demonic energy. It was a gesture of refusal shown through action. "This is too childish, I can''t listen to this, really." "...What?" Dercion, angered by my somewhat provocative words, frowned. His eyes widened as if he were about to unleash an attack on me at any moment. However, it was no use even if he glared at me like that. "You do it. That darkness thing, or whatever it is." I would never set foot on that path, not even if I died and came back to life. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 110 [translator - pr?ks][proofreader - pr?ks] chapter 110 "you do it. that darkness thing, or whatever it is." as i spat those words out, dercion furrowed his brow. but only for a moment. soon, he regained his composure and said in a low voice, "yes, this is only natural. you''ve never experienced true darkness, after all. tsk, tsk, tsk." thud! letting out an unpleasant laugh, he stomped on the ground. "it''s alright. i''ll show you myself. the overwhelming power of one who walks the path of darkness!" goooo- the surrounding demonic energy instantly intensified. and at the same time... crack! crack! crack! dercion''s body began to contort grotesquely. his skeleton enlarged as if his bones were being rearranged, two long horns sprouted from his forehead, and something indescribably hideous grew between his ribs. it looked as if he had six arms. of course, i had experienced a similar situation before, but it felt different from the transformation of the red-haired demon contractor of valefor. if that guy had completely transformed from a human into a different being, dercion felt like he was maintaining his original form while adding a demonic appearance. this was the first time i had seen such a case, but it wasn''t difficult to guess the cause. ''it''s baal''s power.'' it must be related to the new ability baal had acquired. i came to that conclusion and raised my guard. since this was a power i was experiencing for the first time, i didn''t know what kind of variables might arise. "...yuhan. you will soon be fascinated by this power. uhahahaha!" dercion looked down at his palms and spoke, seemingly pleased with his appearance. he even twitched as if he couldn''t control his power. i felt a bitter taste in my mouth. to think that the man who had devoted himself to his aspirations would end up like this. dercion pygma, magic tower head of the aldeon school of light magic. "he wasn''t much to begin with..." now he looked even more pathetic. so much so that i didn''t want to see him become any more unsightly. "let''s end this here." whooosh! i channeled my mana, determined to end his wretched existence. of course, despite my bold words, it was impossible for me to face dercion alone. as i channeled my mana, i glanced to the side. ''good.'' there was elbert tyron, nodding with a determined look, his eyes meeting mine. it felt as if he were saying, "you can go in anytime." it was reassuring to have the knight commander by my side. shing! pzzzt! i materialized a sword of light in my right hand and enveloped my body with lightning magic. i had only one thought in mind. ''as safely as possible.'' maintaining a somewhat aggressive stance while prioritizing safety. buying as much time as possible was the primary goal. with that judgment... fwoosh! i launched myself forward. my body reached right in front of dercion in an instant. it wasn''t as fast as when i was enveloped in light magic, but it was still a surprising speed for a mage. dercion seemed surprised by that. "...closing in?" he muttered to himself, looking flustered. a mage should always be above the opponent''s head. that was the reason for this approach in the first place. dercion wouldn''t have expected me, a mage, to close in like this. shwaaaak! the sword of light swung with a menacing whoosh. this sword of light was also a variable for dercion. it was the first time i had drawn a sword in front of him. when i was living in the aldeon magic tower, i was closer to a pure mage build. however, my opponent was an 8th circle mage with the added power of a demon. he wasn''t going to go down easily. clang! dercion deflected the sword with a demonic energy-clad hand, twisting its trajectory, and let out a hearty laugh. "uhahaha, this is quite interesting! is this the path you''ve chosen, yuhan!" dercion seemed to find this situation amusing. "you don''t have the leisure for that, do you?" as soon as i said that... shwaaaak! elbert, who had somehow gotten behind dercion, thrust his sword. even to me, with my swordsmanship greatly enhanced by the [the former master of swordsmanship] engraving, it was a flawless thrust. "yikes!" tap- dercion, reacting as if startled, lightly kicked the ground. his magic and demonic energy reacted with the ground beneath his feet, and dercion''s body floated up. despite his old age, he had quite the reaction speed. was it because his physical age had become younger due to the demon''s power? shwaak! s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. elbert''s thrust, which had been quite sharp, stabbed empty air without any result, and dercion''s counterattack followed immediately. crackle! the hideous arms protruding from between dercion''s ribs transformed into thorns and stretched out. i immediately created distance, and the thorn-like arms barely grazed the ground in front of my feet. thud! thud! it was just a simple thrust, but the force was so strong. when his arms retracted, a deep pit was left in the ground. if i had been stabbed by that, my body would have been pierced without any resistance. dercion''s attack didn''t end there. as he extended his arm, the demonic energy that had been spewing from his staff shot out in the form of a laser. dercion''s signature move, which i had often seen in aldeon. a ray of light. well, could that blackened thing be called a ray of light now? ching! the dark ray that dercion shot towards us came at us with the force to pierce through elbert and me. elbert, who had been prepared, swung his sword diagonally to deflect the ray, and i... fwoosh! i timed my own ray of light and intercepted dercion''s. the ray of light containing pure light and the ray containing demonic energy collided and dissipated in mid-air. and then, silence fell. it was dercion who spoke first. "...my disciple, you have grown much." dercion''s gaze, with a hint of admiration, rested on my right hand. "is that the light containing purity?" as it was something he had yearned for so much, it seemed he was fascinated to witness the myth-grade light for the first time. "yes. thanks to you, i''m using it very well. i don''t know how to express my gratitude." "...amazing." despite my somewhat sarcastic tone, dercion just said that and then closed his mouth. his face had darkened. it was clear that he wasn''t in the mood for jokes. what was he feeling? awe? regret? lingering attachment? or fear? i didn''t know what he was feeling, but i quickly dismissed the thought. no matter what emotion it was, there was nothing he could do anymore. those who accepted the power of demons had to bear the consequences. whether it was something they desired or not. "commander." "...understood." elbert, understanding my signal, lunged at dercion, who was standing there blankly. perhaps sensing the killing intent despite being caught off guard, dercion immediately reacted. clang! sword and arm clashed. elbert emitted aura, while dercion emitted magic and demonic energy. clang! clang! clang! as i had expected, elbert relentlessly pressured dercion. if dercion hadn''t received the demon''s power, elbert''s skill was enough to overwhelm him, even as an 8th circle mage. indeed, it meant that he hadn''t risen to the position of commander solely through excellent strategy or luck. after a brief moment of admiration, i closed my eyes and concentrated on channeling my mana. crackle! crackle! i could hear the few remaining magic-related artifacts losing their power and fading into gray ash. my mana amplified rapidly. - maximum mana increased by 50%. - casting time for magic reduced by 30% for 1 minute. - the next magic spell ignores 10% of resistance. ...... (omitted) ...... the power of various artifacts was added to the magic i was currently casting. i was going to pour everything into this one strike. the type of magic i was casting was simple. a large-scale casting magic, the light sword wave. like the large-scale flashbang, i had practiced this madly with ani persson''s help. although it contained the light attribute, it was magic that focused on destructive power rather than incapacitation. and with the added effect of the [the former master of swordsmanship] trait... shudder! the sword of light in my hand vibrated violently as if it were about to explode. feeling that i had reached my limit, i shouted with all my might and swung the sword of light. "dodge!" whoosh! and then... shwaaaaak! the mana concentrated in the sword was released in the shape of a crescent moon. [aura blade], a technique used by knights who had mastered aura. this was my own version of that technique. of course, as it was something my zombie swordsman often used, the technique was highly refined. fwoosh! elbert, who had been waiting for my signal, immediately reacted and created distance. "...!!" dercion, who had been focusing all his attention on elbert, turned around and placed his hand on the ground. then, a mixture of mana and demonic energy surged from the spot where elbert had been standing. kwaaaa! although it was different from before, its essence remained the same. it was the [light barrier] that the elders of aldeon often used. the sword wave and the barrier collided, and a tremendous roar and shockwave washed over us. rumble... it was a powerful shock, enough to push me back slightly even though i was far away. i struggled to maintain my balance and focused on the scene before me. gulp. i couldn''t help but swallow hard. since i had poured all my strength into it, it was only natural to have high expectations. but unfortunately... sizzle... the sword wave i had unleashed ultimately failed to penetrate dercion''s barrier and vanished into thin air. "...tsk." it was disappointing, but there was no need to dwell on it. in fact, having such high expectations was my own fault. it just made me realize dercion''s level once again. however, it seemed to have surprised dercion. "..." he hardened his expression, which was quite different from before. i could tell that the attack had been threatening without even asking. dercion, who had been momentarily still, slowly opened his mouth. "...i''ll ask one last time. do you really not want to join me?" as if that were even a question. "i don''t think there''s any need for that. if that''s all you''ve got, i''m honestly disappointed." "...is that so?" dercion, with a look of regret, regained his stance. at the same time, two faint figures began to form beside him. tsssss! soon, they took on a familiar form, and at that moment, neither elbert nor i could help but flinch. the number of people emitting the same energy as dercion had increased to three. "...can mages normally do that?" elbert, who had come to my side, asked, and i nodded. "it''s possible if their main attribute is light." what dercion had deployed was none other than high-level light attribute magic. simply put, it was a technique that used the power of light to create clones that were identical to himself. of course, they were just illusions, so it was a technique that had no effect other than confusing the opponent. however. "...but not like that." what dercion had deployed now was different. thud, thud, thud... the two clones slowly approached us. they moved as if they were truly alive. the situation, where we had been pushing them back with our numbers, was instantly reversed. [translator - pr?ks] [proofreader - pr?ks] Chapter 111 [translator - pr?ks][proofreader - pr?ks] chapter 111 thump, thump, thump. the two clones, spread out on either side, gradually closed the distance. the more i watched, the more i was amazed. their gait, gestures, footwork, breathing ¨C everything had its own unique pattern. woooong¡ª they even emanated the same energy as dercion himself. ¡®¡­looks like i''ll have to deal with three dercions at once?¡¯ no matter how i looked at it, this was already beyond the level of ordinary light magic. as if sensing my admiration, the real dercion, walking in the middle, opened his mouth. "you seem quite surprised. so was i. when i first grasped this power, i was truly astonished." swoooosh! whooosh! the dercion on the left approached with dense demonic energy, while the one on the right wielded a compressed sphere of light. the sphere of light, generated in triplicate as befitting a high-ranking mage, seemed ready to pierce my body at any moment. meanwhile, dercion continued speaking. "isn''t it truly amazing? that light and darkness, complete opposites, can be combined." "¡­light and darkness combined?" s~ea??h the n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. what was he talking about now? ¡®i knew blackmagic existed, but¡­¡¯ a fusion of those two attributes? i had never heard of it, nor had i ever considered it possible. because, as dercion said, light and darkness were completely opposing attributes. ¡®there''s a reason why combining water and fire is impossible.¡¯ in attribute fusion, compatibility between the attributes was the most important factor. simply put, if the compatibility wasn''t there, no matter what you did, you couldn''t combine them. certainly, light and darkness fell into that category. but. ¡®¡­i can''t deny what i''m seeing.¡¯ through my [insight], i could see that both clones were infused with dercion''s unique light attribute magic and that ominous demonic energy. this was proof that dercion wasn''t lying. it meant that the combination of the two was actually possible. in fact, i was witnessing it with my own eyes. "when light creates an illusion, darkness gives it substance. these guys were born that way." "¡­born? you mean they''re alive?" "well, that depends on how you define life, doesn''t it? seeing them move like this, at least to my eyes, they seem alive. hahaha." dercion chuckled ominously, glancing over the two clones before turning his gaze back to me. his face seemed completely absorbed in something. "the combination of these two is truly limitless. to the point where i can''t even fathom its extent." then. "such a pity, such a pity¡­! that you won''t be able to experience that greatness!" dercion suddenly stretched out his hand. and then. shwaaaaaak! the clones, which had somehow gotten quite close, began their attack. magic and demonic energy struck from both sides. thump-thump-thump! my heart pounded as i tried to evade, but then¡­ clang! clang! elbert, arriving before me in the blink of an eye, deflected the clones'' attacks with his sword. fwoom! the demonic energy and magic, their original purpose thwarted, crashed into the ground. having confirmed this, elbert glanced back and said, "i''ll handle these two. you take on the main body." "me, take on the main body?" it was a short, clear instruction, but doubt arose before agreement. "will you be alright alone?" it was a valid concern. after all, he was declaring he''d face two opponents by himself! in a one-on-one situation, they might be evenly matched, but against two, it would surely be overwhelming for elbert. of course¡­ "then will you do it?" "¡­no, sir. i''ll take the main body." his casual remark brought immediate understanding. right, elbert was definitely better suited than me. though it seemed reckless, he was the knight commander and a leader. surely he wasn''t doing this without a plan. clang! crack! bang! leaving elbert behind as he engaged in fierce combat, i slowly started moving. dercion immediately grasped the situation and took a stance. magic, mixed with demonic energy, surged with an unpleasant sound. tsssss! as expected of a high-ranking mage, his reaction was swift. however, contrary to his actions¡­ "heh heh, yuhan. are you really sure about this?" dercion''s expression and tone were laced with mockery. well, it wasn''t surprising. ¡®even in the game, high-ranking mages didn''t consider those below 5th circle as worthy opponents¡­¡¯ so what about now? an 8th circle versus a 5th circle. no matter how things went, it was a gap too wide to overcome. of course, that was assuming a typical 5th circle mage. ¡®i''m not just any 5th circle mage.¡¯ the 1 circle boost from the unique effect of the [holy staff]. the mythic tier traits [prodigy of magic] and [essence of light]. [the former master of swordsmanship], a top-tier spirit imprint that all swordsmen dreamed of. and the rare magic swordsman build, hard to find anywhere else. if i set my mind to it, i could create variables at any moment. therefore¡­ "you won''t have the leisure to worry about me." crackle! i confidently took the first step. "indeed¡­ i''m looking forward to it!" along with his words, dercion''s magic began to pour down. fwoosh! fwoosh! fwoosh! blackened rays of light reached close range in the blink of an eye. i had anticipated this and immediately changed my course, narrowly dodging the rays. or so i thought. tss! drip. a stinging pain, and crimson blood flowed down my left arm. it seemed one of the three rays had grazed my arm by a hair''s breadth. it wasn''t a major injury, but it startled me. ¡®that fast?¡¯ the speed was on a different level from the light magic rays i cast. it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that it truly captured the full speed of light. however, the feeling it evoked was more curiosity than fear. ¡®how does he do it? it doesn''t look that different from what i do¡­¡¯ -magic learning ability increased by 300%. i replayed the situation in my mind, analyzing every detail. a battle against another light attribute mage was a rare opportunity. perhaps dercion''s magic could be a great help in reaching the level of a high-ranking mage. of course, dercion wasn''t the type to just stand by and watch. "tsk tsk, your basics are lacking. distracted thoughts are forbidden in a battle between mages!" crackle! his reprimand was immediately followed by another attack. this time, three rays of light flew towards me again. fwoosh-! he seemed to have put more power into it this time, as the range was wider than before. i twisted my body without hesitation, but¡­ tss! once again, it grazed my arm by a hair''s breadth. drip! a burning pain surged from my arm. but there was no time to catch my breath. dercion, now seemingly serious about the fight, launched his next attack immediately. whoosh! a strange, dark energy emerged from the tip of dercion''s staff, creeping along the ground towards me. it looked like a shadow approaching. i didn''t know what kind of technique it was, but i knew i had to avoid it at all costs. crackle! thud! instinctively, i channeled electric magic into my feet and pushed off the ground, creating distance. the shadow, as if unable to advance further, wobbled before me and then disappeared. silence lingered for a moment. dercion, seemingly not expecting this, frowned. "you''ve become quite the nimble mage, haven''t you, yuhan?" "i''ve always been quick on my feet." "tsk¡­ you''ve already strayed from the path of a mage." what was he so dissatisfied with? clicking his tongue, dercion began to condense mana. simultaneously, black rays of light poured out from his staff. fwoosh! fwoosh! fwoosh! it was a completely different pattern from before, when he fired them in threes. for a moment, i thought dercion had surpassed the limits of an 8th circle mage, but¡­ ¡®¡­no, that''s not it.¡¯ fortunately, it didn''t seem to be the case. he had simply split the three rays of light into multiple strands. as a result, the power and speed of each individual ray had decreased. enough for me to dodge them. whizz! whizz! whizz! i twisted and turned my body relentlessly, weaving through the shower of rays. it was a close call, but somehow i managed to evade all the black rays. however, my heart grew more and more urgent. because i knew that this current attack was just a delaying tactic. ¡®¡­damn it.¡¯ even while dodging the rays, my eyes were fixed on dercion''s staff. more precisely, on the black mass of magic he was condensing. it was a process similar to when i cast the large-scale flashbang. in other words, dercion was casting his own large-scale magic. an ominous sign. if i left it alone, it was clear that not only me, but all living things in the vicinity would be affected. ¡®i have to stop it!¡¯ with that thought, i desperately pushed past the rays and stretched out my arm. at that moment. flash! -magic learning ability increased by 300%. like watching a revolving lantern, the scene from a moment ago flashed before my eyes in slow motion. the scene of dercion firing the black rays. ¡®¡­this is it.¡¯ in an instant, i grasped the principle behind dercion''s ray magic. and at the same time¡­ i fired a ray of light infused with [essence of light]. bang! the ray of light left my hand and flew towards the ominous mass of magic dercion was gathering. it struck the mass of magic in a fleeting instant. the ray of light, moving so fast that even i almost missed it. crackle! fizzle! ¡­ the shocked mass of magic dispersed into the air. and¡­ ¡°¡­you.¡± dercion glared at me with an expression i had never seen before. ¡°what have you done?¡± his face was contorted with fury, his eyes and brow furrowed. honestly, i was taken aback. ¡®is this something to react to like that?¡¯ even if he asked what i had done, i had no answer. after all, i had only imitated dercion''s ray magic. moreover, it wasn''t that difficult. ¡®instead of activating it blindly, you just have to let the magic flow into the trajectory beforehand.¡¯ then, the ray naturally follows the trajectory of the magic, and its speed increases explosively. of course, casting ray magic while doing this required a considerable amount of concentration, but still¡­ i didn''t think it was something to be so surprised about. but then¡­ "what a disgusting ability. i must nip you in the bud right here!" dercion, further enraged, amplified his mana. rumble! rumble! the power was so intense that the ground shook. shivers ran down my spine, and my breath quickened. i knew instinctively. that he, with the power of an 8th circle mage amplified by demonic power, was now using his full strength. and that wasn''t all. turning my head at a sudden groan, i saw¡­ "ugh!" elbert was clutching his stomach with a pained expression. looking closer, i saw that his stomach and the hand holding it were stained crimson with blood. it seemed that handling two opponents was indeed too much, as he had been injured by the clones. the two clones, seemingly thinking the battle was over, slowly turned their heads towards me. as my eyes met theirs, i couldn''t help but swallow hard. gulp. ¡®¡­this is dangerous.¡¯ just as i thought that¡­ "yuhan!!" a familiar voice came from somewhere. turning my head, i saw¡­ "huff¡­ huff¡­!" there was barundel, the middle-aged dwarf, running towards me, gasping for breath. "¡­barundel?" or, more accurately¡­ he was running with a group of powerful individuals, easily recognizable even at a glance. most were unfamiliar, but there were a few familiar faces. roan, professor ziren, shuharn. and asion gale. "huff¡­ huff¡­!" barundel, who had reached me in no time, gasped for breath and then suddenly grinned, saying, "i''ve arrived!" his face radiated a sense of accomplishment that was almost contagious. ¡®¡­right, he did suddenly disappear earlier.¡¯ it seemed barundel had anticipated this situation and brought reinforcements in advance. [translator - pr?ks] [proofreader - pr?ks] Chapter 112 [translator - pr?ks][proofreader - pr?ks] chapter 112 i looked at each of the reinforcements and then asked barundel, "how did this happen?" elbert had mentioned that reinforcements would arrive soon, but he hadn''t said they would come this early. according to the plan, we had to buy at least a couple more hours here. if their arrival time had been moved up this much, barundel must have done something. as expected. "huff¡­ huff¡­ i''m dying. ah, you''re right." barundel caught his breath with difficulty and nodded in agreement. when i asked for a more detailed explanation, he began, "right after the third rift opened, i sensed an ominous demonic energy from it. it was an intense demonic energy that sent chills down my spine, but for some reason, it felt familiar." "familiar?" "i don''t know why, but i had a feeling that ''that guy'' we saw on the top floor of aldeon would appear again." "¡­so you went to find these people yourself?" "that''s right. when i told them the situation, they all rushed over immediately." barundel turned his gaze towards dercion. "looking at the situation, it seems i was mistaken. whew." barundel breathed a sigh of relief, as if he was finally at ease. hearing his explanation, i understood what he meant. ¡®he felt baal''s demonic energy from the rift.¡¯ currently, dercion was presumed to be demonized through baal''s new power. then, a part of baal''s demonic energy must also reside in dercion. it seemed that barundel felt it and moved quickly. of course, originally, barundel''s [demonic energy detection] couldn''t detect baal''s demonic energy until it grew once more¡­ ¡®but he recognized it because he had felt it once before.¡¯ it seemed the situation was different because it was demonic energy he had already experienced. indeed, how could someone with the [demonic energy detection] trait forget that eerie demonic energy? ¡®¡­this is a total win.¡¯ this was something to cheer about for us. the fact that barundel sensed baal''s demonic energy meant that there was virtually no need to grow [demonic energy detection] anymore. it also meant that our party was a little safer from baal''s threat. ¡®there''s no need to add more scouts. to think that the day at aldeon would help us like this¡­¡¯ in addition to the growth of my [essence of light], there was also the quasi-growth of barundel''s [demonic energy detection]. i realized that we had gained a lot unexpectedly. although we almost died that day, this was a satisfactory result. and above all¡­ ¡®we escaped danger.¡¯ thanks to barundel sensing baal''s demonic energy, we escaped the immediate danger. with so many strong people gathered here, dercion would have no way out now. as i thought that¡­ "¡­this has become troublesome." dercion''s attitude, which had been trying to kill me just a moment ago, softened as if nothing had happened. he must have felt it too. that the fifteen people standing behind me were not easy opponents. that the tables had turned. in the end, dercion, cornered, chose a despicable method. "¡­you''re lucky, yuhan." with those cringe-worthy words, dercion turned his back towards the rift. it was clear that he was trying to escape. "are you running away now? without any shame?" when i pointed out his cowardly act¡­ "¡­don''t get cocky. you''ve only earned a few days'' reprieve. after that, your fate will be sealed." dercion scowled and warned me. he seemed quite offended by my words. "oh, really?" regardless, dercion was mistaken about one thing. just why did he think he could escape as he pleased? as i thought that¡­ "hahaha." someone let out a hearty laugh and strode forward. a middle-aged man with a sturdy build, unlike most mages. it was asion gale, the head of the asternon academy. he was also the reason why i believed dercion wouldn''t be able to escape. "to think i''d actually see the old man who''s supposedly gone senile. nice to meet you. i''m asion gale." woosh! asion gale channeled his mana and smiled. in contrast, dercion flinched and his face darkened upon hearing asion gale''s introduction. "¡­asion gale?" it seemed dercion also knew of asion gale''s existence. well, who among the high-ranking mages of this era wouldn''t know him? "i heard you taught light magic to my academy''s student¡­ i''m grateful. unfortunately, i can''t repay that favor." fwoosh! with those words, the mana asion gale had been channeling spread out in all directions. and at the same time¡­ "¡­huh?" creak! asion gale''s mana forcefully pushed everyone, including me, back. i reflexively tried to resist, but the power of his magic was so strong that i couldn''t withstand it at all. it was the same for the others. the elder mages of the academy, professor ziren, the knight commander, barundel, shuharn¡­ everyone on our side was pushed back by asion gale''s mana without exception. "¡­it''s been a while since i''ve felt this." "my, you haven''t changed." sear?h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "¡­what a troublesome power." those were the kinds of reactions i heard. those who took it in stride as if they were used to it, and those who glared at asion gale with wounded pride. in the case of the latter, they were all people who had made a name for themselves, so it was understandable. ¡®what?¡¯ unable to grasp the situation, i looked around and found dercion and asion gale facing each other at the front. their surroundings were enveloped by a semi-transparent barrier formed by the mana that had spread out in a circle. everyone else had been pushed back, leaving only dercion and asion gale within that semi-transparent barrier. only then did i fully understand the situation. ¡®field magic?¡¯ this was probably asion gale''s unique field magic. of course, apart from grasping the situation, i was amazed. ¡®did he develop this himself too?¡¯ i was already familiar with field magic that incorporated elemental attributes, like [ice field] or kayla''s [blaze field]. however, what asion gale was using now was a completely new form of magic. as i was observing the magic with a curious expression, professor ziren, who had approached me, explained. "[asion field]. it''s a magic that the dean developed right after reaching the 8th circle. you could call it a type of transformation magic." ¡­[asion field]. his naming sense was something else. "what''s its effect?" "it''s simple. once you''re caught in there, you can''t get out until one of you dies." "it''s like an arena." "yes, it''s also the magic that earned the dean his nickname ''lion of glory.''" "lion of glory?" come to think of it, ''lion of glory'' was mentioned as another name for the dean. but i had never really thought about it. "why lion of glory?" when i asked professor ziren for the reason, she replied calmly. "he has never been defeated against countless strong opponents. the nickname ''glory'' was given to him to honor his achievements. i heard it was bestowed directly by the royal family." "hmm." i could roughly understand the feeling. it seemed he had made achievements through that magic more than a few times. but there was still something i didn''t understand. "what about ''lion''? what''s that for?" the epithet attached to the end. asion gale was as big as a lion, but that alone wouldn''t have earned him such an epithet. "that''s¡­" just as ziren was about to explain¡­ crackle! with a distorting sound, a white light emanated from within the barrier. the source was asion gale''s body. it didn''t take long for the light to fade, and from then on, professor ziren''s explanation was unnecessary. because, anyone could see that it was the form of a lion. "huh¡­" a physique several times larger than his original form, and a white mane covering his neck. clearly defined muscles and large fangs visible through his slightly parted jaws. even seeing it with my own eyes, it was hard to believe. ¡®¡­even with the power of magic, can a person really transform to that extent?¡¯ now i understood why thompson had been evasive when i asked if i had ever seen the dean''s transformation magic. how could he possibly explain this? he must have decided it would be much better to see it in person. and then¡­ "wait a minute." suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. if that was the final stage of transformation magic¡­ the thought, ¡®¡­what will mister look like later?¡¯ came to me. the grayish leather that had sprouted on thompson''s right arm flickered before my eyes. perhaps thompson would one day transform into a form that would be burdensome to be around. ¡®i hope it''s not too strange¡­¡¯ i hated anything burdensome, but well, it wasn''t something to worry about now. for now, i put aside my thoughts and focused on the situation at hand. tsssss! dercion was channeling demonic energy with a dumbfounded expression. suddenly trapped in an unknown semi-transparent barrier, and having witnessed a mage transform into a lion right in front of him, how dumbfounded must he have been? indeed, dercion''s face was full of tension. an expression of someone desperately trying to figure out how to escape this situation. but for some reason¡­ "ah¡­" dercion''s anxiety quickly disappeared, and he regained his composure. as if he had found a way to escape. ¡®what could he do?¡¯ it didn''t take long for me to realize the reason. "it was an honor to meet you, sir asion gale. however¡­" crack! crackle! crack! suddenly, a strange sound started coming from the rift. it grew louder as dercion''s demonic energy intensified. everyone looked at the rift, unable to grasp the situation. "it seems that now is not the time for us to clash." the moment dercion said that¡­ whoosh¡ª crash! a giant hand suddenly emerged from the rift and struck asion gale''s barrier. shatter! the field magic that asion gale had cast was effortlessly destroyed by a single attack. at that moment, everyone, including me, was dumbfounded. "what is this¡­!" it was surprising enough that a giant hand emerged from the rift, but it was only natural that everyone would be shocked to see asion gale''s magic instantly destroyed with a single punch. "hey, get down!" my allies and i crouched down to avoid the magic fragments scattering from the broken barrier, and in the meantime¡­ thud! the giant hand, having broken through the barrier, grabbed dercion''s body. and then, it retreated back into the rift. "i''ll be back soon." leaving only those words behind, dercion vanished along with the giant hand. we could only stare blankly at the scene, and an awkward silence hung over the battlefield for a while. [translator - pr?ks] [proofreader - pr?ks] Chapter 113 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 113 Ssssssst! The rift connecting the human world and the demon realm slowly closed its maw. Only when it was completely sealed did Dercion release the breath he''d been holding. "Whew... That was a close one." He wasn''t exaggerating; it had truly been dangerous. He hadn''t expected Asion Gale, a prominent figure, to join the war. Moreover, a field spell that forced a one-on-one duel? He almost got stuck fighting that man, once known as the Lion of Glory, and would have been utterly defeated. If not for the help of ''His Excellency''. "...Truly a capable being." When he first met His Excellency, he thought everything was over. It made sense; wasn''t His Excellency the being at the apex of all demons? Demons, by nature, valued strength above all else and would never submit to anyone weaker than themselves. His Excellency had been keeping the peace for hundreds of years by suppressing those demons with overwhelming power, so his strength was undeniable. Honestly, looking back now, Dercion found his own actions laughable. "It was insane." How dare he, with his meager abilities, even think of dragging His Excellency into the human world? He had undoubtedly committed a sin that could not be washed away even with his life. However, His Excellency was merciful and gave him a new beginning instead of an end. Although he had to abandon his human life in the process, he was grateful just to be alive. On top of that, His Excellency shattered his foolish ideals and granted him immense power, so how could he not be satisfied? "I must express my gratitude." Including today''s incident, he owed His Excellency countless thanks. Dercion decided to properly express his gratitude and set off. Gooooo. He arrived in the Abyss of Darkness. As if anticipating his arrival, the grand gate separating the Abyss of Darkness from the rest of the darkness was wide open. "Ugh." Dercion staggered before the gate. The oppressive pressure was overwhelming, making it difficult to even stand. But now, he was a proud servant of His Excellency. He couldn''t crumble under this much pressure. Thud, thud... He endured the oppressive darkness and stepped forward with difficulty. Soon. [You have arrived¡ª] A supreme voice echoed through the pitch-black darkness where nothing could be seen. The moment Dercion heard the voice, he lowered his head and bent one knee. ''Yes, Baal.'' He kept his mouth tightly shut, lest he accidentally utter a word. He swallowed his response, keeping it internal. Without His Excellency''s permission, he was not allowed to open his mouth or raise his head. How long did he wait? Baal''s words continued. [I have been observing the battles you wage.] "......!!" Dercion flinched, his body trembling. Been observing? Since when? Did a being with such power possess some kind of clairvoyance? Such questions filled his mind. But at the same time... ''Ah... I''ve finally proven my worth.'' A sense of pride swelled within him. After all, he had utilized the power of darkness effectively in this battle. Although he had shown a pathetic display towards the end, considering it was a one-versus-many fight, it was understandable. Furthermore, he had even inflicted a fatal wound on a Knight-Commander level opponent, so he couldn''t have asked for more. [Indeed.] Dercion forced his pounding heart to calm down. He felt as if his heart would burst at any moment at the thought of receiving praise from His Excellency. However... [There wasn''t an ounce of entertainment to be found.] Completely unexpected words followed. "Y-yes...?" Dercion unconsciously opened his mouth, then quickly shut it, realizing his mistake. "...." A brief silence followed. He feared what kind of punishment would befall him for his actions, but thankfully, Baal''s words continued. [What do you think was the problem?] A question probing his thoughts. At the same time, it was permission to speak. After careful consideration, Dercion offered his own reason. "...B-because I am insignificantly weak." This was the only reason he could come up with. Indeed, his power must have seemed primitive in Baal''s eyes. Naturally, His Excellency would find his battle boring. But was that really it? [Wrong.] Baal spoke in a firm voice and asked once again. [What do you think was the problem?] Simultaneously. Gooooo! The demonic energy of the abyss began to press down on him intensely. Dercion instinctively knew. If he failed to answer correctly here, he would die. He would lose not only his life as a human but also his life as a demon. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Th-that''s...!" He desperately racked his brains. However, perhaps due to his nervousness, he couldn''t come up with a reason. Drip. Cold sweat trickled down, and a chill ran down his spine. Just as he was about to blurt out anything, [You are the Problem.] Baal spoke first, snatching away his chance. Gulp. Dercion swallowed hard and listened intently. His fate would be revealed in the words to come. [It is because you have a sense of self.] "...Yes?" [Because you have a sense of self, you protected your own life, and that is why I have lost interest.] "What does that..." He listened attentively, but he couldn''t understand at all. Lost interest because he had a sense of self? What did that even mean? He soon realized the answer without having to ask. [Why did you run away?] "..." [Why did you try to escape instead of dying there?] "Ah..." With that one word, Dercion understood everything. His Excellency was extremely disappointed in his judgment. The helping hand offered in a dangerous moment was not out of good intentions. Tssss! Tsssss! The demonic energy pressing down on him grew denser. His mind became hazy, and his vision spun. Dercion could do nothing but wait for Baal''s punishment amidst the suffocating pain. Soon. Fzzzt! Crackle! Baal''s condensed demonic energy pierced Dercion''s mind. "Kyaaagh¡ª!" He couldn''t help but let out a strange scream and thrash about in terrible pain. At the same time, his reason dulled, and his thoughts began to cease. His consciousness rapidly faded. Within that fading consciousness, Dercion thought, ''...Did he say having a sense of self was the problem?'' He seemed to understand what Baal was trying to do. To completely extinguish his sense of self and turn him into a puppet driven solely by instinct. That was the punishment Baal was giving him. ''This time too... I was foolish.'' Why did he think His Excellency was a merciful being? Why did he think he was given a new opportunity? In the end, he was just a demon who saw life as nothing more than entertainment. A demon was just a demon! In his fading consciousness, Dercion vowed, ''In my next life, I will definitely...'' ¡°Tear you to shreds.¡± *** How much time had passed? It was Asion Gale, who had returned to his human form, who broke the awkward silence first. "...This is unbelievable!" Seeing how angry he was, it seemed he still hadn''t recovered from the shock of his field spell being broken. It wasn''t surprising. According to Professor Ziren, [Asion Field] was a magic developed by Asion Gale after he reached the 8th Circle. He probably had never experienced anything like this before. It was understandable for him to be shocked. Of course, from my perspective... ''It was only natural.'' It was a perfectly natural consequence for Asion Gale''s magic to be broken. After all, the hand that emerged from the rift was a part of Baal''s main body. "Barundel, you felt it too, right?" "...It was definitely that guy. It was so sudden that I couldn''t react." Barundel nodded without hesitation. This confirmed that the hand from earlier was indeed Baal''s main body. In that case, there was no need to be upset over a single broken spell. I approached the dean, who was sitting down in frustration, and patted his shoulder. "It''s okay. No one could have withstood that attack." I wasn''t just saying that; I meant it. No matter how skilled Asion Gale was, how could he possibly block Baal''s attack? Such a feat was only possible for a mage who had reached the 9th Circle, at the very least. Or perhaps even higher. However... "...Get off me." The dean glared at me with a strange look and shook off my hand. Apparently, my words weren''t comforting at all. Ahem, even so, isn''t it a bit embarrassing to be like that...? My complaint was short-lived. "Do you know the identity of that guy from earlier?" Asion Gale asked me a question. If I knew his identity... Of course I did. There was probably no one in this world who knew that being better than I did. "Yes, that''s Baal." "Baal...?" Asion Gale asked back in disbelief. I nodded once, and he let out a hollow laugh. "Huh." It seemed like this was his first time encountering Baal directly, but there was no fear in Asion Gale''s eyes. "So that''s the guy, huh?" Instead, he was burning with an inexplicable competitive spirit. Certainly, mages had a lot of confidence. To not be intimidated at all even after meeting the final boss of the demon race... Well, I guess I''m not one to talk. ''...This is the second time, isn''t it?'' The first time was Baal''s eyeball. This time, it was Baal''s arm. Most people wouldn''t even encounter him once in their entire lives, but I had already encountered him twice. That meant... ''We''re getting closer.'' It meant that I was getting closer and closer to him. Whether I wanted to or not. How should I take this situation? ''There''s no need to hesitate.'' He was a foe I had to face eventually anyway. Besides, unlike the first encounter, the second encounter didn''t faze me much. No, it was rather beneficial. Because I could grasp the power he possessed, albeit indirectly. And from what I gathered... ''It''s doable.'' I came to the conclusion that it was definitely doable. This time, it didn''t have the same impact as when I first saw him in the Aldeon Magic Tower. My body didn''t stiffen, nor did I feel any intense pressure. It meant that I had grown that much. If I continued like this, there would come a time when I could face him and act normally. And that moment would be when I would truly confront him. Of course, that was still a long way off. There was something else I needed to focus on right now. It was to end this dreadful war. "Are you ready to close the rifts?" I asked while looking at Asion Gale, who was still burning with competitive spirit. As one of the strongest forces deployed in the inner sector, it was highly likely that he had also been informed about this. As expected. "Yes. Surprisingly, the royal family also put in some effort." Asion Gale nodded and gave a positive answer. "Is that so?" That was good news. With this, what I had to do next was set. "Let''s go then." It was time to close the rifts one by one and put an end to the war. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 114 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 114 The forces sent by the royal family consisted of a total of 20 individuals, including Asion Gale, Professor Ziren, royal knights, and the elders of the Asternon Academy. And... sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Huh? You''re the commander?" Leading them wasn''t some unknown knight-commander, but Asion Gale. "Yes, they relied on that piece of paper and pushed such a bothersome task onto me..." It seemed the royal family had used the contract as leverage to persuade Asion Gale. "Ah, that must have been tough." "Why do your words lack any sincerity? Have you forgotten who''s responsible for this?" Asion Gale grumbled, seemingly quite dissatisfied with that point, but from my perspective, it was rather favorable. If the Head of the Academy was the commander of these forces, it would definitely be easier to move around. Well, with Asion Gale''s level of skill, he was certainly qualified to be a commander. ''I heard he participated in many wars in the past.'' Perhaps the royal family had also considered those points and entrusted Asion Gale with the command. Anyway. "How do we close the rifts?" After appeasing Asion Gale for a while, I finally brought up the question I was curious about. The method to close the rifts. In a way, it was the most crucial aspect of this war. The course of the war would change depending on its success or failure. If we could close all the rifts without any problems by today, we could smoothly end the war, but if there were any setbacks due to unforeseen circumstances... ''Dercion would reappear.'' Surely Dercion, who had escaped with Baal''s power earlier, would emerge from the rifts again and wreak havoc. And it wouldn''t just be Dercion. The remaining high-ranking demons who hadn''t appeared yet, the Legion Commander of Greed, Valefor, and the Legion Commander of Lust, Asmodeus. All of them would surely emerge and cause destruction everywhere. Simply put, it would be chaos. Such a scenario had to be prevented at all costs. And to do that, it was crucial to properly understand how to close these rifts. Seeing my serious expression, Asion Gale also spoke in a solemn voice. "There''s only one way to close the rifts, according to the royal family." Swoosh. Asion Gale reached into his pocket, and soon, a strange device-like object emerged in his hand. It was a familiar object with a shape I had seen many times, but I asked just to be sure. "What is that?" "It''s a Rift Closure Device. I heard all the brilliant minds on this side worked together to create it." [Rift Closure Device]. As expected, it was the object I had in mind. ''They''re going with the standard method, I see.'' The [Rift Closure Device] was one of the artifacts optimized for ending wars, used in most wars. It was a consumable artifact with a limited number of uses, and since it had to be adjusted or completely remade for each war, it required a considerable amount of effort to make it usable. Moreover, there were often various conditions attached to its activation. Still, it was the most reliable way to close rifts. Therefore, using the [Rift Closure Device] was considered the standard method for ending wars caused by rifts. "How does it work? How long does it take to close a rift? Is this the only Closure Device we have?" Having a rough understanding of the situation that would unfold, I asked Asion Gale for a more detailed explanation. The more I knew, the better I could reduce any unforeseen circumstances. "...Ask one question at a time." Asion Gale had an annoyed look on his face, but he didn''t refuse to answer. He explained everything in detail so I could fully understand. How much time had passed since I started listening to his explanation? "Hmm, this is enough for me." I finished listening to the explanation once I felt I had heard enough. The method to operate the [Rift Closure Device] in this war wasn''t difficult. Install the device close to the rift and protect it until it activates properly. That was all. In short, all we had to do was install it and buy some time. "Let''s go right away." I urged Asion Gale, as we couldn''t afford to waste any more time. He, too, seemed to understand that the situation wasn''t entirely relaxed, and immediately began to command the royal forces. "Alright, let''s move out. Everyone, move as I instructed earlier." And then. Swish! The royal forces, who had been gathered together and chatting amongst themselves, instantly scattered. It seemed like they had been given instructions beforehand. Of course, not everyone did. "Uh, what about... Why are these people...?" I looked around with a dumbfounded expression. As soon as Asion Gale gave the order, three or four people in robes surrounded me in a circle as if to protect me. As far as I knew, they were the elders of the Academy, and I was quite flustered by them suddenly clinging to me like this. When I asked about it. "Aren''t you going to participate in closing the rifts?" "That''s right...?" "I anticipated that, so I instructed each elder to escort you." "Huh?" Asion Gale acted as if there was nothing strange about it. "Even if it''s a war, we can''t lose a talent like you in a place like this. We protect our Academy students." "...Huh." So, he had assigned the elders as escorts in case I was in danger. Honestly, I was speechless. ''To be a elder, they must be at least 7th Circle mages, what a waste of resources!'' Assigning such valuable assets to me, as escorts no less, was a tremendous waste of manpower. But even though I thought so, I couldn''t argue. "Of course, of course. You''re absolutely right, dean." "You''ve always been loyal, haven''t you? Hahaha." All the elders surrounding me were nodding in agreement. "Huhu, nice to meet you." When I made eye contact with one of them, he smiled brightly as if nothing was wrong. It seemed like anything I said wouldn''t get through to them. Fine, let''s leave it at that. But this raises another question. "Then what about Kayla? And what about Mister Thompson? Oh, and isn''t there Roan too?" It wasn''t just me from the Academy participating in the current war. Me, Thompson, Kayla. And even Roan. Considering that, there were quite a few people to look after. But had he already thought that far? "I''ve already sent two people to Kayla, so don''t worry." Asion Gale waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, is that so...?" It seemed his words about protecting the Academy students weren''t lies after all. "Then what about Roan and Mister Thompson?" "It''s about time Roan left our hands. Thompson... he''ll be fine." "Huh?" "He''s tough, right? He doesn''t get hurt easily." Asion Gale gave plausible answers to all the additional questions I threw at him. Now that I thought about it, Thompson was quite sturdy. Perhaps even most knights couldn''t compare to Thompson in terms of resilience. And it was somewhat understandable that Roan didn''t need help. "I know because I''ve hit him myself." "..." I pretended not to hear the chilling words that followed. It was the moment I realized that my feeling that Thompson seemed to be afraid of the dean wasn''t a misconception. *** The operation was swiftly executed. There were a total of nine rifts to close. That was the number of rifts remaining after subtracting the one Dercion had closed when he entered, out of the ten initial rifts. Among them, I headed towards the fifth rift, leading the elders who were tagging along. It was the place that needed the most urgent support since Elbert, who was originally scheduled to join this side, had been injured. And this place was closest to the third rift where we had just been. Thanks to that, I was the first to receive the [Rift Closure Device] that Asion Gale had. Since this was the only Closure Device that had been made, we had to close the rifts quickly and hand over the device to the others. Tada-dat, tada-dat! Tadat! We arrived at the fifth rift. I was worried because the main force had been absent for quite some time, but the situation wasn''t as bad as I thought. Kieek! Kieeeek! "Die!" Slash! The soldiers were doing their best in their assigned roles despite the absence of a commander. The high-ranking demon had already been subjugated by the knights, and the number of demons emerging from the rift was being adequately managed. "First, this..." Pak! I immediately went to the front of the rift, dug a suitable hole in the ground, and inserted the [Rift Closure Device] into it. Then, as if to signal its activation, a long beam of light shot up from the Closure Device. Piiiing! It was like a high-tech beacon with no end in sight, reaching who knows how high. And gradually. Ching, ching, ching... The beam began to be dyed a blackish color. The [Rift Closure Device] was absorbing the surrounding demonic energy to close the rift. ''Good. Now we just have to hold out.'' Around the time I had that thought, the soldiers discovered me, who had infiltrated to the front of the rift, and cheered loudly. "Mage! That mage has come!" "S-so that means we just have to hold out a little longer...?" "Uhahahaha! Now there''s nothing to fear!" For some reason, my presence seemed to give them hope. There was no need to spoil the mood, so I smiled and shouted, "We''re going to close the rift now! They say it will take an hour, so please do your best to hold out until then!" Then. "Woooh!" "Let''s wipe them out now!" The faces of the exhausted soldiers lit up. Their morale soared. Even the soldiers who had been resting from exhaustion got up and moved to desperately protect the [Rift Closure Device]. Of course, there wouldn''t be anything for them to do from now on. Kieeeeek! Gurg! Gurg! Gurg! The demons, realizing the presence of the [Rift Closure Device], swarmed towards it like a pack of dogs. However. Fwoom! Bang! Fwoobang! They all scattered as gray dust before they could even get close enough to be considered a threat. The Academy elders, who were assigned as my escorts, had swept them away with magic. I had expected it, but their power exceeded my expectations. To the point where I didn''t even need to lift a finger. ''...They''re definitely 7th Circle, right?'' If I remember correctly, the elders were mostly high-ranking mages of the 7th Circle. But the performance they were displaying now was comparable to that of an 8th Circle mage. Each of their spells was on par with Dercion''s. Moreover, the way they coordinated the timing of their spells showed that they were no strangers to working together. "You seem to be quite skilled at handling such magic?" I asked with a hint of doubt, and one of the elders, who was still clinging to my side, replied, "Ah, we fought in many wars when we were younger. This kind of thing is second nature to us now." "Wars? All of these people?" "Yes, didn''t you know? The dean too. He used to go around with us. What do they call it these days? A party, something like that." Huh, so that''s how it is. These people had experienced this kind of war countless times... In other words, they were practically masters of combat. Knowing that made me feel even more frustrated. No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like a huge waste of resources. ''These people are protecting me? Four of them?'' I appreciated the special treatment, but I couldn''t understand Asion Gale''s intentions at all. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 115 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 115 Thanks to the elders who were overprotective of me, the rift closure operation proceeded without a hint of tension. One hour after inserting the [Rift Closure Device]. Tsss, tssssst! The open rift began to shrink. "F-finally...!" Thud. The soldiers, who had been desperately fending off the onslaught of demons with us, collapsed to the ground. It seemed they had poured all their strength into this final push. Pushing aside the sense of accomplishment that welled up within me, I approached the elders. "Now we need to hand this over to the next rift..." I continued, pointing to one of them. "Would you mind delivering it?" "What? Me?" "Yes." "Hmm..." The elder with the cone-shaped hat stroked his chin, seemingly reluctant. I didn''t understand why he was hesitating. "Then I''ll go, and you can stay here?" The rift was closed, but there were still demons remaining in this area. Someone had to deal with them, and someone had to go to the next rift and hand over this [Rift Closure Device]. I didn''t mind doing either, but if I had to choose, I preferred the former. I could check if the rift was properly closed and gain experience by hunting down the remaining demons. Of course, I could hunt demons at the other rift as well, but I was sure the elders would wipe them out before I even had a chance to make a move, just like this time. "Hmm, no. It''s better if I go. That way, the student will be safer." The cone-hatted elder, who had been looking around, said. He probably judged that there was no further danger here... Anyway, why didn''t he just say so in the first place? "Here you go." I swallowed my complaint and handed the [Rift Closure Device] to the elder. "Don''t get hurt and stay safe. If anything dangerous happens, just run away. Don''t fight back." Fwoosh! The cone-hatted elder disappeared after leaving behind words filled with concern. Even though only one out of four had left, I felt a little less suffocated. "Are you going to interfere again this time?" I asked, looking at the remaining three elders. They looked at me as if they didn''t understand what I was talking about. "When did we ever interfere?" "Yes, that hurts our feelings." Judging from their reactions, they didn''t seem to understand what the problem was. "No, you keep intercepting every demon I try to fight. I wanted to participate in the war and gain some practical experience..." "Ah, is that what it was?" The elders nodded, finally understanding. "Why didn''t you say so earlier! If that''s the case, we''re willing to help." "Help?" "We can''t stop a student from gaining experience, can we? Of course, letting you fight freely is a bit difficult for us..." Swoosh. The elder stopped talking and pointed to a remaining demon in the distance. "Try using magic." "Excuse me?" What did he mean by suddenly asking me to use magic? The elder answered my question. "We''ll correct you directly, so try it. Like your posture, application, judgment, and so on." "Ah." So that was what he meant. I think I understood his intention. ''If that''s the case, it''s fine.'' Shing! Thinking that these elders might actually be helpful, I immediately created a sword of light. However. "No, not that." The elder waved his hand, signaling me to put away the sword. "Try sniping it from afar." "...But this is my main magic." "I already know that from hearing so much about you. A mage is most fearsome when they are far away." "Hmm..." I wasn''t keen on it, but... "Alright." I decided to just follow his words. It would be nice if I could develop my standard magic through this opportunity. It seemed there was a limit to relying solely on the theoretical expert, Ani Persson. Shhh. Whoosh! I put away the sword and summoned a sphere of light. A sphere much more refined than before, thanks to my training with Ani Persson. "The magic itself is solid." It was now a stable sphere, enough to earn praise from the elder. My pride was short-lived as I immediately shaped the sphere into a beam of light. And with that... ''I''ll set the path in advance with mana.'' I even applied what I had learned from the battle with Dercion. Shhh. Mana fluttered, creating a path for the beam to travel. As soon as the trajectory was set, I fired the beam. Pew! Kwak! The beam, fired in an instant, blew the demon''s head off. It was a mid-level demon, but it lost its life with only a death rattle-like scream. I looked back. Clap clap clap. The elder was clapping with a satisfied look on his face. "That''s excellent. Compared to mages of the same level, your casting is clean and your power is strong." "Is that so?" "However." Clap. The elder, who had stopped clapping, continued speaking with an indifferent expression. "It''s boring." "...Boring?" "Yes, light magic has two major advantages. One is speed. And the other is..." Fwoosh! A bright sphere of light appeared above the elder''s staff. The sphere floated towards where the demons were lingering, then burst, scattering rays of light. Pitter-patter! It was as if light was pouring down like rain. Groan! Kyaaagh! The demons hit by it screamed in agony. Dozens of demons were annihilated with a single spell. I stared blankly at the scene and asked, "...Did you learn light magic too?" "A very short time ago." "This isn''t the level of someone who learned it ''a short time ago,'' is it?" "When you reach this level, this much is basic." Basic... Only two Circles separated us, or one Circle considering the [Holy Staff], but it felt so far away. While I was lost in thought, the elder continued, "Well, did you notice anything?" "Hmm... the shape changed instantly?" On the surface, it looked as if the remaining mana after the sphere exploded fell like rain, but that wasn''t the case. The sphere was just a means to transport mana; the true value of the elder''s magic lay in what followed. ''He individually shaped each one.'' He gave a sharp form to all the mana generated from the explosion of the sphere. The result was what I had just witnessed. "That''s right. This is the second advantage of light. It''s not restricted by form." The elder continued, looking slightly surprised that I had accurately grasped it. "In other words, it can create any variable. Because it''s not restricted by form." Woong! Woong! Woong! A new sphere of light appeared above the elder''s staff, wriggling and changing shape. As I stared blankly at it, the sphere vanished with a fwoosh! I looked up to see the elder staring at me. "But the form of your light magic is too predictable. Beams, swords... those don''t suit light. You might as well learn a different attribute if you''re going to do that." "...Is that so?" His piercing advice made my chest ache. Indeed, the magic I had been using so far was predictable. It meant I needed to make a change. Of course, I couldn''t give up the sword. ''I can''t just look at it from a magical perspective.'' From a mage''s point of view, creating a sword with light magic might seem boring. But my goal was to defeat demons. Magical evaluation wasn''t my priority. From that perspective... ''There''s nothing more efficient than this for me.'' I had to somehow stick with this method. After all, I had the [Former Owner of the Sword Saint]. It was only right to make use of everything I could. Then, what kind of change should I make? "Use your imagination to the fullest. That''s the most important quality for a mage." As the elder said, I closed my eyes and thought hard. A form that could utilize light magic most effectively. A form that no one could easily predict. It didn''t take long. There was a form that immediately came to mind. -Magic learning ability increases by 300%. "Hup!" Float-! Swish! The light attribute mana that left my hand flew through the air. Its elongated shape was reminiscent of a snake. Kiek? Kieek! It leisurely weaved its way through the demons. Hiss! Hiss! One, two, three... It gradually coated more and more demons with mana. That''s when I clenched my open hand into a fist. Crackle! Kyaaaaagh! The demons that had even touched my mana started jumping around. White smoke rose from their bodies, and their faces were contorted in pain. Seeing this, the elder said with a slightly surprised expression, "...Did you use the holy power of light?" As expected of an expert, he recognized it immediately. "Yes, I believe the biggest advantage of the light attribute is its effectiveness against demons." As I said, light is fatal to demons. Not only can it contain holy power, but the attribute itself also has some degree of holy effect. Taking advantage of that, I coated their bodies with mana beforehand and activated the divinity all at once. It was a method I had never used before. ''It''s better than I thought?'' It wasn''t as fast as a beam of light, but thanks to the accumulated holy power, the effect was better than I expected. As a bonus, the demons didn''t resist much during the process of coating them with mana. Of course, there was still much to improve before I could use it in urgent situations, but it was worth researching. Perhaps the elder thought the same, as he said, S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s quite good. I''ll be watching, so try developing it further." He didn''t say anything negative and just told me to practice more. I nodded without refusing. "Yes, please let me know if you see anything that needs improvement." "Alright." Whoosh! I immediately channeled my mana and surveyed the surroundings. ''About a hundred demons left.'' I was determined to complete my new magic within this hundred. *** The Vice-Dean of the Asternon Academy, Antrio Tenor, turned around. There stood the Research Committee Chairman and the Audit Committee Chairman, who had been observing the situation. Antrio, looking at the two, spoke with bated breath, "...Hey, Research Chairman, Audit Chairman. Did you see that?" Antrio''s voice was filled with tension, hinting at the gravity of his words. And the other two felt the same. "...Yes. I''ve heard a lot of rumors, but he''s truly a monster." "I thought the Dean had discovered a hidden talent... but that wasn''t it. With that level of skill, he couldn''t have remained hidden." The Vice-Dean, the Research Committee Chairman, and the Audit Committee Chairman. These three were currently in awe of Yuhan''s magic skills. It was only natural, as Yuhan''s abilities, experienced firsthand, were several times greater than they had heard. "That kid, he surpassed me from the first sphere he summoned." Antrio still couldn''t forget what he had witnessed earlier. The refined sphere of light that Yuhan had summoned right after putting away his sword. It was so brilliant that even he couldn''t properly evaluate it. Moreover, Yuhan had perfect control over it. He had lightly praised it as solid magic to prevent Yuhan from becoming complacent, but it had been a long time since he had been so impressed. Furthermore... "...I almost got humiliated by a student." When he summoned a sphere of light himself, claiming to teach Yuhan magic, he was honestly so nervous that he felt his heart would explode. Because the sphere of light he summoned was so insignificant compared to Yuhan''s. Fortunately, Yuhan didn''t seem to mind, perhaps thinking that Antrio had adjusted his power, but Antrio''s back was still damp with cold sweat. But was that all? Yuhan had created a new magic spell with just a few words of advice. A spell that was completely new and quite effective. Having witnessed this situation firsthand, Antrio, at this moment... had only one thing to say. "A monster has entered our Academy." The Research Committee Chairman and the Audit Committee Chairman nodded in agreement. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 116 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 116 The newly developed magic, named ''Swimming Light,'' showed more effectiveness the more I used it. Shhh- Shhh- Crackle! Kieeee¡ª! Just by sending out mana and clenching my fist, fifteen demons lost their lives in an instant. The power was much stronger than before. Moreover, it was developing at a terrifying speed, with improvements like reduced casting time and easier manipulation of mana during the coating process. With this satisfying achievement, I wanted to increase the power of this magic beyond that of the light beam, but... "...There''s none left. Now." Less than 30 minutes after I started practicing, I ran out of demons. Now that it had come to this, I even felt regretful about the fifteen demons the elder had eliminated with his rain of light. "Tsk, I''ll have to do it at the next rift." In the end, I decided to stop practicing for now and approached the elder. He had been observing my magic from a distance. If he wasn''t spacing out, he must have felt something while watching my magic. "Was it alright?" "Huh? Uh... It''s good?" ...Was this guy spacing out? His reaction was underwhelming. "...Well, could you at least tell me what''s good about it? It would be even better if you could point out areas for improvement." When I said that with a twitching eyebrow, the elder finally nodded as if he understood. "From what I see... it seems like you just need to increase the number?" "The number?" "Yes, then you can catch more demons at once. Student, you can double cast, right?" "Of course." Not only double casting, but with a little more effort, I think I could even aim for triple casting. Triple casting... Just imagining it made me excited. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that my combat power would increase by 1.5 times. Anyway. "That certainly sounds like a good idea." Contrary to his initially dubious reaction, the elder''s advice was quite helpful. Until just a moment ago, I was only thinking about increasing the power of this magic. Instead of that, as the elder said, increasing the quantity to hit more targets seemed more useful. "R-right...? Hahaha, well, try your best..." By the way. Why was this guy talking like that? "Why do you sound so unsure?" He looked like an old puppy scared of something. I asked him why, but the elder just waved his hand, unwilling to tell me. "Ah, it''s nothing. I suddenly feel a bit sick. Oh, my stomach..." A sudden stomach ache? ''Why does it look like he''s putting on a show?'' I couldn''t help but think that. Anyway. "Then go take a rest. I''ll go to the next rift first." Since he was someone who could take care of himself, I was about to turn around after saying that. "That won''t do!" The elder, who had just complained of a stomach ache, immediately followed me. For some reason, his eyes were filled with even more enthusiasm than before. "...Well, suit yourself." Just as I was about to step away, telling him to do as he pleased, a strange voice suddenly came from far behind. "S-something terrible has happened!" I turned my head to see a soldier from our side. Judging from where he came from, he wasn''t a soldier in charge of this rift... The important thing was that the soldier''s face was pale as a sheet. When I asked him why, "What''s wrong?" "T-the rift...! Huff! Huff!" The soldier gasped for breath, unable to speak properly. I gently patted his shoulder. "Calm down and tell me what happened." What could be so urgent? "Huff...! Huff...!" Swoosh. The gasping soldier raised his head, and our eyes met. His pupils were trembling with fear. I had a bad feeling. And as always, that feeling was right. "The rift... the rift has turned red!" "Excuse me?" The rift turned red? What kind of nonsense was that on the third day of the war? Before I could dwell on that question, the soldier continued in an even more urgent voice. "It''s exactly as I said! All the remaining rifts are turning red...!" "...!!" And when the man''s words were relayed twice, I could no longer maintain my composure. It wasn''t just me. The remaining soldiers, the elders, me, and even the knights. Everyone who heard and understood these words looked at the soldier, their faces hardening. A red rift. That was a change that only occurred when a Legion Commander appeared. "...We need to gather." It seemed like something big had happened. *** Bang! "What in the world is going on...!" Asion Gale slammed his fist on the table with an enraged expression. Unlike his usual self, the Headmaster''s agitated emotions were clearly visible. But no one could confront him about it. No, they were rather agitated themselves. "I don''t know for sure... but this has never happened before!" "Audit Chairman, have you ever seen such a case?" "...This is also a first for me! I''ve experienced and heard of countless wars, but never has a rift turned red on the third day!" Me, the elders, the commanders of each unit, the royal guards, and so on. We were all currently gathered in front of the seventh rift. We had gathered urgently for an emergency meeting. Of course, it wasn''t proceeding as smoothly as we had hoped. "Huh, what in the world..." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This is unbelievable... Unbelievable...!" "This is absurd..." The situation was only growing more chaotic. Everyone was busy expressing their own emotions. Well, it was understandable. How many of them had actually faced a Legion Commander before? "Hold on a moment." Seeing that this wouldn''t do, I stepped forward. "Instead of panicking, we need to come up with a plan." "Yuhan, do you have any good ideas?" "If you have a plan that we can use in this situation, why don''t you tell us?" Gulp. Everyone''s attention was focused on me, and I couldn''t help but swallow hard. If I spouted nonsense in front of these already on-edge people, it would be a disaster. But someone had to do it. There was no need to be nervous. All I had to do was speak what I knew. Swoosh. ''...Barundel.'' Encouraged by Barundel''s reassuring pat on my shoulder from behind, I managed to open my mouth. ''A plan, a plan...'' There was only one plan we could come up with right now. "As you all know, a battle with the Legion Commanders is inevitable. There are seven rifts remaining." When a rift turned red, the Legion Commanders'' invasion would begin exactly 6 hours later. Of course, we could close the rifts within that time, but there were seven rifts remaining. The [Rift Closure Device] took 1 hour to activate per rift. It would take a total of 7 hours, so closing all the rifts was impossible. Then... We had to somehow turn the situation in our favor. "Considering the terrain, remaining troops, and everything else, where is the most suitable place to fight them?" "Hmm, a suitable place..." At my words, everyone seemed lost in thought, their eyes darting around. Thanks to the large number of people gathered, the answer came surprisingly quickly. "...The ninth rift. The barricades are already complete there, and there are many ridges where we can secure a high ground." I turned to look at the speaker. It was Elbert, with bandages wrapped around his abdomen. It seemed that the injury he sustained from Dercion''s clone had already healed to some extent. "You mean it''s a structure where we can surround the rift?" At my question, Elbert nodded with a serious expression. "Yes, if we want, we can prevent even a single small demon from escaping." "That''s settled then. All that''s left is to concentrate our firepower." "You mean..." "Yes." There was only one thing we had to do. "Within the remaining time, let''s close six rifts and leave only one open." Everyone nodded in agreement. Some even started to take action immediately. "Let''s move quickly." "Alright." Tadat, Tadadat! As I exited the tent, a thought suddenly occurred to me, and I slowly raised my head. The red moon hung in the sky, as if signaling the ongoing war, and for some reason¡­ It reminded me of him. ''Baal.'' He must be watching this situation as well. From within the pitch-black Abyss of Darkness. ''What are you thinking, you bastard?'' The thought of him made anger boil up from deep inside me. *** With the urgency of the situation, the operation proceeded swiftly. "Rift closure complete!" "Second rift closure complete-!" "The tenth rift has also been closed!" Reports of rift closures came from all over, every hour. And Elbert and I were moving busily to prepare for any additional variables. "Mage, should we install it here?" "Yes, please be careful to block it off as tightly as possible." "Yes, understood." The first thing we were doing was reinforcing the barricade near the ninth rift. Elbert said it was already complete, but it could be made even more secure by forcefully erecting a few more. ''If someone like Valefor comes out, this won''t be enough.'' He was the one who destroyed the barricade in the 7th sector in one go. Since we didn''t know who would emerge, this was quite an important task. And the second thing was... Woong! Woong! Woong! Woong! "Hey, Research Chairman. Put in more effort!" "Huff...! Huff...!" Gathering those who could use magic to create a barrier around the rift. Simply put, we were creating an area that would benefit mages. Creating a domain wasn''t an easy task, but currently, most of the high-ranking mages above the 7th Circle were gathered here. By putting them to work, even the impossible became possible. Chiiiing. We could see the domain gradually taking shape. It was my first time receiving the power of a domain, so I was inwardly nervous. ''I didn''t expect to encounter this so soon.'' The effect of a domain on a mage was simple. Five effects that lasted semi-permanently for the duration of the domain. - Magic casting speed increased by 30%. - Mana regeneration increased by 100%. - Maximum mana increased by 100%. - Power of all attribute mana increased by 150%. - Power of joint magic increased by 200%. Each and every one of them was a ridiculously powerful effect. Within this domain, mages became twice as threatening. How many hours had passed? Chiiiing! The domain was complete, and an indescribable power surged forth. I felt like I could do anything now. "Phew." Feeling that fullness, I looked at the rift. "This is necessary for balance." It had bothered me that only they were receiving the effects of the red moon. Now, it felt like we were finally on a somewhat equal footing. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 117 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 117 "... ..." Silence hung in the air. Everyone held their breath, watching the red rift without a word. The reason was simple. The appointed time was fast approaching. Gulp. Just as I swallowed hard with the heightened tension, "...They''re here." Tsssss! Kueeeeee! In an instant, the silence was shattered, and demons began to pour out with intense demonic energy. Their numbers were roughly... around 500? With so many of them pouring out at once, it was like a black tsunami approaching. But the people here were already risking their lives. "Uwaaaaaah!" As if fearless, the soldiers, who had been waiting in advance, desperately fired spears and arrows. Shwaaaak¡ª! The sky quickly darkened, covered by countless projectiles. Shhh! Shhh! Amidst that chaos, I wasn''t just watching; I also contributed by launching Swimming Light. Unlike before, two at a time. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Crackle! Countless demons were pierced by spears and arrows, and white smoke rose from the bodies of about 20 demons. But even in the midst of this chaotic battle, my eyes were fixed elsewhere. Through the surging legion of 500 demons. Kooong! ''...Valefor.'' Just like in the game, his first impression was like seeing a giant bull. A massive head, broad shoulders, a sturdy chest, dark skin, and two curved horns protruding from either side. Huff, huff! Even his snorting breaths. Overall, he exuded a demonic aura, but he looked like he could be a distant relative of a bull. Of course, there were differences from a bull. [...Human.] He could speak human language. Actually, for a Legion Commander, speaking was a given, so it wasn''t that surprising. If anything, Valefor was one of the dumber ones among the Legion Commanders. Anyway, at that moment, [Humaaaaan¡ª!!] Thud! Thud! Thud!... He, who had been silent until now, charged with a roar at a terrifying speed. Kueeeeek! Without a care for his own demons getting trampled in the process. Thud! Thud! Thud! His direction was straight ahead. He was as simple as he looked. ''...He''s going to break through this?'' He was advancing through this dense barricade as if it didn''t exist. Of course, we weren''t just going to stand by and watch until the barricade was breached. "Intercept him¡ª!" With Elbert''s shout, the main forces began to unleash their power. The knights launched their [Aura Blades], the elders used the artifacts they had, and Kayla and I countered him with ranged magic. However. Fwoom! Bang! Bang! Bang! Valefor, without any hesitation, increased his speed and endured all the attacks. When the smoke from the explosions cleared, we saw his unscathed body. No, to be precise, he was injured, but he was recovering in an instant. "...What a monster." As expected of a Legion Commander. Valefor''s threat lay in his immense power and his equally impressive regenerative abilities. This meant that we couldn''t inflict any significant damage on Valefor with this level of attack. He must have known that, which was why he didn''t stop. Whoosh! Thud! Thud! Thud! Valefor charged through the smoke, still at a threatening speed. Fortunately, we weren''t worried yet. We still had many stronger forces remaining. "It''s been a while." "...We''re not on speaking terms, are we?" "You''re as prickly as ever." "Shut up, shorty." Barundel and Shuharn exchanged friendly greetings. Ta-aat! The two of them kicked off the ground simultaneously. And they struck Valefor''s charging body with their sword and axe. Clank! Clank! It sounded like they were scraping against rock. Sparks even flew. That alone told us what happened next. Despite being attacked simultaneously by Barundel and Shuharn, who was aiming for a position as a high-ranking knight, Valefor didn''t even budge. Thud. "What muscles... That''s beyond common sense." Barundel, returning to his position, said in awe. "Even dwarven physical training can''t achieve that?" "Don''t even joke. Those aren''t muscles, they''re rocks! Rocks! Can''t you tell by the way he doesn''t even flinch when we attack him head-on?" Meanwhile, Shuharn was also staring blankly at his sword with a dissatisfied expression. "... ..." I wonder how he was feeling. Come to think of it, I haven''t talked to him yet. Was he still aiming for my heart? ''...I''ll find out soon enough.'' While I was thinking that, "D-Dean, why are you...?" "This is the kind of place where you truly grow. Thompson!" "With a Legion Commander...?" "No backtalk, just follow me!" Fwoosh! Asion Gale forcibly grabbed Thompson by the scruff of his neck and jumped over the barricade. Soon, mana surged, and Crackle! Thompson''s right arm was covered in gray leather, and Asion Gale''s body transformed into a creature with a white mane. Both of them had used body transformation magic. Thompson, who was suddenly forced into a joint attack with Asion Gale, said in a bewildered tone, "What''s this? Dean... you''re overflowing with power!" [Of course, we''re inside the domain.] It seemed Thompson was fully enjoying the effects of the domain. Considering that domains were only used in large-scale wars like this, it was understandable for him to be amazed. "With this power..." While Thompson was still in awe, Asion Gale, who had transformed into a lion, signaled. [Now!] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes!" Thompson and Asion Gale charged. Thompson seemed to be focused on defense rather than offense. He coated his right arm, transformed by body transformation magic, with earth magic, and then Kooong! He leaped and accurately blocked Valefor''s path. He shouted loudly, "Come at me, you damn bull!" On the other hand, Grrrr! Tadat! Tadat! Tadat! Asion Gale, baring his white teeth, crouched and waited for an opportunity. He looked exactly like a predator hunting its prey. Then suddenly, Shwaaaak! He leaped, aiming for Valefor''s neck. At his momentum, Shwaaaaaak¡ª! Valefor extended his forelegs and slowed down. He finally stopped his charge. It seemed he couldn''t ignore Asion Gale''s attack while already facing the wall that was Thompson. [...Human!] Valefor, seemingly angered, snorted and swung his head at Asion Gale flying towards him. Woong! For a moment, demonic energy surged around his horns. It was clear that getting stabbed by those would be quite dangerous. However. Thud! As if he had anticipated it, Asion Gale stepped on Valefor''s back and leaped once again. His movements were incredibly agile, unbelievable for someone of his size. [Humaaaan!] Valefor, further enraged, roared and turned around. Asion Gale also turned around as soon as he landed. Hiss! Hiss! Grrrr! The lion and the bull glared at each other. Valefor puffed up his body and raised his two horns, while Asion Gale growled lowly. Their standoff lasted only a moment. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Valefor immediately charged as if to ram Asion Gale. Asion Gale swiftly dodged to the side and attacked Valefor with his forepaw. His claws were imbued with mana. Shwaaaak! They ripped through Valefor''s side. Purple blood oozed out from the long gash. Of course, Valefor didn''t just take the hit. As soon as Asion Gale dodged, he reacted by turning his head. Shwaaaak! Asion Gale''s arm was grazed by Valefor''s curved horn. [You damn bull...!] "D-Dean...!" They had exchanged attacks, but it was clear who had the upper hand. Asion Gale was clearly the one who suffered more damage. The wounded area on the white lion''s arm gradually turned black. It was affected by Valefor''s demonic energy. However. Woong! This wasn''t some peaceful animal kingdom. Even if Asion Gale was pushed back, Valefor still had to defend against our subsequent attacks. The first to launch an attack was Kayla, who had been concentrating her mana. "Die!" Fwoosh! A fan-shaped flame erupted from Kayla''s staff. The flames spread to Valefor''s body. Simultaneously. "... ..." Thud! Shuharn, who had somehow gotten behind Valefor, thrust his sword, and the seven elders, who had been gathering mana together since who knows when, cast their spells. Woosh! A mixed sphere, appearing black with various attributes mixed together. - Power of joint magic increased by 200% Kaaaa-boooom! It flew at an absurd speed and struck Valefor''s body directly. But it didn''t end there. Chiiiing! Sizzle! My light beam and Roan''s ice spear struck Valefor as follow-up attacks. Even for a Legion Commander, how could he withstand such an onslaught? Pshhhh. Amidst the billowing smoke, we sensed victory. Yes, we definitely thought so... But then Shuharn, who had been silent until now, of all times, "...Did we get him?" He uttered the forbidden words that should never be spoken. Honestly, that useless... "Hey, you idiot!" "...?" Before I could even finish scolding him, the smoke subsided, naturally forcing us to turn our heads, and [Human...] We faced the same situation as before. ''No way, really?'' Valefor stood there on two legs, completely unscathed. It was as if he hadn''t suffered any damage at all. Honestly, I couldn''t understand it. Even with those forbidden words, how? ''Is this even possible?'' That wasn''t an attack he could just shrug off. Even if we couldn''t defeat him, he should have at least sustained enough damage to take a while to recover... But I soon learned the reason. A black barrier flickered in front of Valefor. "...No way?" With a sudden thought, I reflexively looked at the rift. And as expected, there it was. Tsss! Tssssst! An eerie demonic energy was being emitted. Not just one kind, but two. Everyone''s attention was focused on it. Soon. Thud, thud, thud... We saw beings that shouldn''t be appearing now emerge. One was the now-familiar mage, Dercion Pygma. Gooooo! And the other was the demon I had met only once, in a dream. "...Asmodeus." It was the Legion Commander of Lust, Asmodeus. She walked out, exuding alluring demonic energy, and immediately looked at me and waved. "We finally meet?" Her upturned lips seemed to be greeting me with a smile. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 118 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 118 The Legion Commander of Lust, Asmodeus. She was the one who could manipulate people''s desires at will, making instinct take precedence over reason. Her trickiness was beyond words. If exposed to Asmodeus'' crimson demonic energy, one''s mind would immediately start to break down, making it impossible to make rational judgments within a short time. Therefore, she was undoubtedly the top priority target, the one who had to be eliminated faster than anyone else before our minds were damaged. Of course, she, whose specialty was mental attacks, had no defensive abilities like barriers. That meant... Shimmer! ''That black barrier... is that Dercion?'' Judging from the faint mix of mana, it seemed likely. In the brief moment when all our attacks were launched, Dercion must have used his mana to deploy a barrier and protect Valefor with it. Of course, it would have required a considerable amount of mana, but it was entirely possible if Dercion had been channeling his mana since before crossing the rift. There was no need to find it strange. That''s why my attention was currently focused elsewhere. ''...Why is he in that state?'' It was Dercion''s state. Anyone could see that his aura was completely different from before. His eyes were lifeless and unfocused, his mouth slightly agape, and drool was trickling down his chin. It was as if a screw had come loose in his head. He was always out of his mind, but now he seemed completely insane. Above all, Ching¡ª Bang! "...!!" The power of Dercion''s magic had increased even further than before. Even I failed to notice his attack for a moment. Elbert, who had reached me in an instant, deflected Dercion''s black beam. "Ugh...!" And with a groan, he bent one knee. He hadn''t been directly hit by the beam, but he was still injured. Just deflecting that beam with his sword seemed to have put a considerable strain on his body. "Are you alright?" "...I''m fine. Are you hurt?" "...Yes, thanks to you. Thank you for helping me." "I''m glad. Protecting your juniors is also part of a commander''s role." Juniors? I didn''t understand what he meant, but I didn''t ask him about it. Now wasn''t the time to be chit-chatting. No, to be precise, it was a very dangerous situation. ''...Two, no, three?'' I didn''t know what had happened in that short time, but Dercion''s level had risen tremendously. To the point where even he had to be treated as a Legion Commander. That meant there were three Legion Commander-level enemies we had to face. Valefor, Asmodeus, and Dercion. ''...This is crazy.'' No matter how many strong forces we had on our side, I honestly couldn''t even begin to imagine how things would turn out. Could we really defeat those guys? No, in the first place, why were three Legion Commanders appearing on the third day? Unanswerable questions kept popping up in my mind. "Phew, calm down." I emptied my mind and tried to calm my confused heart. My thoughts were meaningless anyway. Things had already happened, and there was no other way but to overcome this. Somehow, we would win. For now, I just had to focus on that. "Dean." [...Yes, speak.] Asion Gale said with a frown. His wound was still stained black. Sizzle. Like Elbert, Asion Gale was also injured. Whether he was blocking the demonic energy with mana or something, the black wound wasn''t getting any bigger, but he still didn''t look well. But. "...Could you possibly handle Valefor alone?" I had no choice but to ask this favor. There was no other way. Only if Asion Gale, the strongest among us, took on Valefor one-on-one, would we have a chance of winning. Perhaps he knew this too. [That''s a given. I''ve already set my eyes on that damn bull.] He spoke in a solemn voice, as if he didn''t mind at all. He was probably trying to lessen our burden. Thud! Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Asion Gale, who had suddenly jumped forward, glanced back. [Don''t even think about interfering.] And then. Woong¡ª Bang! The mana that had been gathering around him instantly spread out, pushing us and the demons away, creating a circular arena. Only Asion Gale and Valefor remained inside. [Asion Field]. His colosseum was created once again. [Come! You damn bull! Let''s settle this!] Growl! [Humaaaan...!] Moo¡ª! The battle between the lion and the bull began immediately. I watched the fight for a moment, then quickly turned around. "Ha, Dean..." "Doing such a thing for us..." Behind me, those who had connections with Asion Gale were watching the field with worried eyes. Clap! I clapped my hands once to get their attention. "Focus." Everyone''s attention turned to me. I nodded once with a serious expression and said, "The Dean will win." Then. "...Well, I suppose so." "I wasn''t really expecting him to lose, student Yuhan." Their reactions were different from what I expected. They looked at me with puzzled expressions, as if wondering why I was stating the obvious. "...Weren''t you worried?" When I asked them that, "Of course we''re worried. But that''s a separate issue. You may not know this, but honestly, it''s not easy for us to imagine the Dean losing." The cone-hatted elder tilted his hat slightly and continued, "You''ll probably realize it soon enough." His face held not a shred of doubt. It was an unexpected reaction, but for some reason, hearing those words made me feel a little more at ease. ''...So, these people too...'' They weren''t thinking of losing. That''s what I thought. Then the conversation would be much easier. I didn''t waste any more time and quickly explained the plan. "Kayla, Thompson, Roan, and I will face Dercion. The rest of you, please take on Asmodeus." The plan was simple. Me, Kayla, Thompson, and Roan. The four of us, whose main strength was magic, would face Dercion, while the others would face Asmodeus, who was a relatively tricky opponent with her mental attacks. This was the best possible distribution of forces. "If one side finishes first, let''s immediately provide support." "We have no problem with that, but... are you sure you''ll be okay? Just four students..." "I think we''ll be fine. We also..." Just as I was about to continue, Thump! Thump! Thump!... My heart pounded, and I felt an intense demonic energy from behind. I turned around to see a massive black beam heading straight for us. Crackle! Thud! Having sensed the abnormality in my heart, I immediately reacted and pulled back... The elders standing in the same spot chose to gather their mana and deploy a [Mana Barrier] instead of dodging. Kaaaa-boooom! The familiar black beam and the [Mana Barrier] created by the elders collided violently. It was a beam filled with incredibly powerful demonic energy, but perhaps due to the ''Joint Magic Power Increase'' effect of the domain, The elders'' barrier thankfully held firm and disappeared after fulfilling its role. "Whew~ That was close." "Attacking during a strategy discussion is a foul, isn''t it? That old man has no manners." "...Student Yuhan, I''m a bit disappointed. You just ran away to save yourself, didn''t you?" The elders wiped the sweat from their foreheads, seemingly terrified. On the other hand, their relaxed tone contrasted with their earlier fear, demonstrating how strong they were. Honestly. ''They blocked that?'' I was even a bit surprised. At a glance, it was a beam fired with quite a bit of condensed demonic energy. I thought even an elder wouldn''t be able to escape unscathed... "I just reacted instinctively. Haha..." It was needlessly embarrassing. Anyway. "In any case, let''s proceed as I said earlier." "Alright. We''ll take on Asmodeus as you suggested, but... please don''t get hurt. Otherwise, we won''t be able to face the Dean." "Yes. Don''t get hurt, student. Absolutely..." These people were still worried about me. "Don''t worry. I don''t want to get lectured either." With that, I turned around. Perhaps they had already been listening, but the people who would be with me were already gathered there. Thompson and Roan. "Phew, mr. first place . I''m so nervous." "I never thought the day would come when we''d cooperate again." "You mean you''ll obediently follow along?" "Well, I always follow the best course of action. Don''t misunderstand, I''m moving according to my own judgment, not yours." "...This bastard and I are fighting together? Is this right, Yuhan?" Kayla grumbled, displeased to be on the same side as Roan. And... A man who seemed even more displeased than Kayla. "...Yuhan, am I included in this too?" It was Barundel. "You didn''t mention me... You didn''t forget, did you?" "Ah, no. It was so obvious that I didn''t say it. Of course we have to be together." Actually, I did forget, but I didn''t bother mentioning it. There was no need to accumulate bad karma. I already had one stack; I couldn''t increase it anymore, even if it killed me. ''Well, it doesn''t matter anyway. Barundel would have joined this side eventually.'' Barundel was a melee damage dealer. And there was nothing more detrimental to a melee damage dealer than mental attacks. Unless they could self-heal their mind with an aura like a paladin. Therefore, it was only right for Barundel to be with us. Anyway, a temporary party was formed like this. "Let''s go." I walked forward slowly, with them at my back. Thud, thud, thud... With each step forward, a chill ran down my spine, and Dercion''s demonic energy grew stronger. A faint trace of Baal''s energy was mixed in with his demonic energy, and his eyes still lacked any focus or reason. Gooooo! Looking at Dercion, who was once again condensing demonic energy without moving, I said, Even though he was someone I had a bad relationship with, seeing him like this left a bitter taste in my mouth. "Is that your end?" Instead of answering, Dercion only made incomprehensible noises. "Ugh¡ª." Dercion howled as if he had lost his voice. Seeing that, I could be sure. The inheritor of light and former Magic Tower Head of Aldeon, Dercion Pygma. He was already dead. That was just an empty shell disguised as Dercion. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 119 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 119 "Ugh¡ª" Dercion, uttering incomprehensible sounds, slowly raised his staff. And then. Kwaaaaaaaaaah¡ª! The black beam we had seen earlier struck us once again. Fortunately, it wasn''t as massive as before, perhaps because he lacked the time to gather enough demonic energy. Crackle! Just as I was about to lean back while channeling electricity, Shwaaaaaaaaaah¡ª! A cold chill rose from behind, freezing the beam solid. It was Roan. "I can''t hold it for long." "There was no need for that in the first place." "Tsk... Show off." I launched myself forward as Roan clicked his tongue. Thud! Closing the distance with Dercion, I released three strands of [Swimming Light]. Shhh! With only one target, [Swimming Light] swiftly swam through the air. The others also started to provide fire support with perfect timing. "[Ignite]!" With Kayla''s chant, a stream of flames surged across the ground. Trrrrrr...! Like a burning fuse, it quickly reached Dercion''s location, and Whoosh! It erupted into an inferno at his feet. I clenched my fist in sync with it. Crackle! The [Swimming Light] enveloping Dercion''s body transformed into holy power. "Transform." The finishing touches were Thompson''s renewed hamburger and Barundel''s full-power swing. Thompson, who had somehow leaped into the air, descended directly above Dercion. Bam! Thud! His fist, accelerated by gravity, struck Dercion squarely in the face, and Barundel''s axe dug into his shoulder. Crack! The sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing. It was clear that Dercion had suffered a significant blow, even without checking. However. ''...What''s this?'' Something felt strange. I quickly realized why. Despite all the attacks hitting their mark, not a single groan escaped Dercion''s lips. Crack, crack! Dercion, whose neck had been turned sideways by Thompson''s punch, twisted his head back. It was a grotesque movement, like something out of a horror movie. I could even hear the sound of his bones realigning. And after confirming that, Dercion... "Ugh..." His face was scorched black, his jaw dislocated, blood gushing from his shoulder, and white smoke rising from the areas burned by holy power... He was a complete mess. However, despite his appearance, "Ugh, Ughh¡ª" Gooooo! Dercion didn''t hesitate for a moment and channeled his demonic energy. As if he couldn''t feel any pain. Shwaaaaa¡ª Fortunately, the beam Dercion fired was frozen again by Roan, but the shock lingered. ''What did he do?'' Even if he was an empty shell, this was beyond common sense. It felt like looking at a zombie. ''A zombified 8th Circle mage...'' Could there be anything more terrifying? More importantly, we had to defeat him. Thud! Thud! Thud! Shing! Putting aside my thoughts, I created a sword of light and closed the distance further. Clang! However, Dercion, as if determined not to be defeated this time, deployed a dark red barrier to block my approach. Simultaneously, Swoosh! Two afterimages appeared beside Dercion''s body. It was the clone magic we had seen before. My companions and I naturally swallowed hard. "The number of enemies has increased to three." "Crazy old man, if you''re going to die, die peacefully...!" Kayla and Thompson expressed their dissatisfaction, but Dercion wasn''t done yet. Along with the two newly created clones, he began to condense mana. Like gathering energy for a Spirit Bomb, a large sphere of mana began to form above Dercion''s staff. And then. Ching, ching, ching, ching, ching! Large magic circles began to appear one after another behind Dercion. It was a structure I had never seen before, and its complexity was evident at a glance, indicating high-level magic. "We have to stop him!" Roan, sensing the danger, shouted. He immediately released his cold energy to slow down Dercion''s condensation process, while Kayla attacked the clone on the left and Thompson attacked the one on the right. And meanwhile, I... "... ..." Just stared blankly at Dercion''s magic circles. For some reason, I felt like I had to witness the process of this magic. That blind thought paralyzed me. - Magic learning ability increases by 300%. "Mr First Place, what are you doing!" I couldn''t hear what Thompson was shouting. It felt like when I first entered this world and encountered magic for the first time. With a bang! to the back of my head, enlightenment came. ''Demon magic...? No, is it spatial magic?'' My eyes naturally began to analyze the structure of the magic circle, and even further, the type of magic. Soon. ''It''s spatial magic...'' I came to the conclusion that it was spatial magic. That''s when I came to my senses. ''Damn it, what am I doing...!'' We needed every hand we could get to stop that magic. But I was spacing out in such a situation? Shing! Just as I belatedly tried to swing my sword of light, Fwooosh! Dercion''s sphere, having gathered enough mana, finally exploded, and Crack! The space there began to split open like a gaping mouth. It wasn''t a rift. It wasn''t a rift because there was only pitch-black darkness inside, and the energy that space held... Swooooosh! While I was thinking that, my consciousness shut down as if someone had flipped a switch. *** "W-what!" Thompson shouted. He had witnessed the situation firsthand, but he couldn''t grasp what had happened. He desperately tried to stop Dercion''s magic, but he failed by a hair''s breadth. In the end, Dercion''s condensed mana opened up a space, and that space suddenly exhibited a powerful suction force, and then... "...He''s gone?" After sucking Yuhan in, it disappeared. That was all Thompson saw. What had happened? "What in the world...!" "...I''ve never seen magic like that before." Judging from the reactions of those around him, it seemed there was no one who could give him an answer. Thompson gritted his teeth. "This fucking..." A strong sense of guilt washed over Thompson. Yuhan, the guy he admired so much. The guilt of failing to protect him. "Why did I..." It was a split second, but he definitely had the time to move. But why, why couldn''t he move at that moment? His mouth felt bitter. With one wrong judgment, he had lost him. His heart felt empty. And all his anger was directed at Dercion. Crack! ''...You''re dying by my hand today.'' Thompson, gritting his teeth, walked forward. It wasn''t long before he muttered, "Transform." Crackle! Gray, leather-textured skin covered not just his right arm, but his entire body. It was the moment his body transformation magic reached a new level. *** When I regained consciousness, I found myself in an unfamiliar place. "...Where is this?" Wherever I looked, there was only darkness. A darkness where not a single speck of light could be found. After spending some time in such a place, I even began to doubt if my body actually existed. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Swoosh, swoosh. "...Ah, there it is." Thud, thud, thud. After confirming the existence of my body by groping around once more, I started walking forward endlessly. Even after staying in the same place for a long time, there was no change. Therefore, I judged that I wouldn''t find any clues by staying still, but by moving. As I walked, I retraced my memories. ''...The last thing I saw was the open space.'' Judging from the situation, it seemed I had entered that space. The inside of that space was also filled with darkness, and the sensation of a powerful suction force just before I lost consciousness lingered. If that was the case... "...This is bleak." Perhaps the chances of me getting out of here alive were slim. It was the same as saying I couldn''t get out unless Dercion intentionally opened this space again. Even if Dercion used spatial magic once more, it was doubtful whether an exit would appear where I was currently standing. How long did I walk while thinking such thoughts? Thud. "Phew, this isn''t it." After a long time, I finally collapsed to the ground. I had given up walking. No matter how much I walked, there was no end, and I couldn''t even tell if I was walking straight because I couldn''t see ahead. Therefore, I concluded that this method wasn''t working. I immediately moved on to the next method I had in mind. "There''s only one thing left." Swoosh. I straightened my back and closed my eyes, maintaining my sitting position. And I slowly began to sense the surrounding energy. Shhh. The surrounding mana was clearly felt even in the pitch-black darkness. The method I came up with this time was simple. Instead of searching for clues within this space, I would break through this space myself and get out. ''Counter spatial magic with spatial magic.'' It was one of the standard methods that could be used when dealing with spatial mages in the game. Of course, to attempt that, I would need to be able to use spatial magic on a similar level to what Dercion cast. Naturally, I didn''t even know the basics of spatial magic right now... ''I can do it.'' Recalling the high-level magic circle from earlier, I felt confident that I could do it. Woong¡ª! I immediately set about putting it into practice. I gradually condensed the mana I felt around me. I couldn''t use clones like Dercion, but it was fine. - Mana regeneration increased by 300%. Because I had almost infinite regenerative power. As long as I paid a little attention to speed, I could do it alone. And then. Shhh, shhh. I extracted some mana and started creating a magic circle with it. The detailed structure of the magic circle was vividly imprinted in my mind. As if I had taken a picture of it. - Magic learning ability increases by 300%. Various shapes combined to create geometric patterns, and magic symbols densely filled the spaces between them. I smoothly refined the boundaries of all the shapes and meticulously worked on the path for the mana to flow so that it wouldn''t get tangled. How much time had passed since I started this process? "Finally..." It was complete. My first spatial magic. My whole body was drenched in cold sweat due to the immense concentration it required, but the sense of accomplishment outweighed the exhaustion. With a trembling heart, I carefully activated it. The mana that started flowing through the magic circle moved as I expected, and the tension made my throat dry. "... ..." As I watched it silently, Crackle, crackle! The magic circle suddenly emitted strong sparks and then vanished. My excitement quickly turned to disappointment. "Where did I go wrong?" I didn''t despair. Although I was trapped in an unknown place, there was nothing threatening me. "...Again." I had all the time in the world. As long as I didn''t give up. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 120 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 120 The trials and errors I experienced while attempting spatial magic were countless. Sometimes the magic circle wouldn''t even activate, sometimes it would stop working right before completion, and sometimes the magic circle itself would clash and explode. But I never gave up and repeatedly revised the magic circle, going through a feedback process. As a result, ''It''s demonic energy.'' I finally found the answer. The reason my spatial magic kept failing was because I didn''t have any demonic energy. Strangely enough, spatial magic was a type of magic that could only be used with at least a little demonic energy. No, to be precise, it wasn''t demonic energy, but ''dark attribute'' power that was needed. Simply put... demonic energy, darkness, abyss, things like that. I needed at least one of them to activate spatial magic properly. ''...That''s a bit of a problem.'' Even with my [Prodigy of Magic] trait, I couldn''t learn demonic energy or abyssal power. In the first place, it wasn''t classified as magic, and if I learned such things, I could be plagued by an internal struggle for the rest of my life. They would try to take over me if I relaxed my guard even for a moment. Therefore, I had only one option. Darkness. It was classified as magic while still being a ''dark attribute''. I wasn''t sure if I should call it lucky, but fortunately, there was a way for me to learn the darkness attribute. Through Dercion, before he lost his mind. - Isn''t it amazing? That light and darkness, complete opposites, can be combined. The scene of Dercion trying to teach me the darkness attribute was still vivid in my mind. Although I had responded to him with something like, "You do it, that darkness thing"... ''But things have come to this.'' In this situation, there was no other way. I had to learn the darkness attribute, even if it was like swallowing a bitter pill. ''I hope learning this doesn''t affect my light magic...'' With that worry in mind, I slowly recalled the darkness that Dercion wielded. Perhaps because I had seen it once, visualizing it was easier than I expected. ''Of course, that doesn''t mean I can master it right away.'' Even though it was a dark attribute, darkness was also classified as a high-ranking attribute like ''light''. Therefore, it would take tremendous effort to properly handle the darkness attribute. Naturally, I also needed the talent to accept darkness. Furthermore, ''I have to do it alone.'' Unlike when I learned light magic, there was no one to help me. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In other words, I had to go through the entire process alone. However, the difference from when I learned the light attribute was that, ''It''s doable.'' I didn''t need to learn it in detail. It was just an ingredient for using spatial magic. It was enough to be able to use it even at a very weak level. Therefore, ''I just need to understand the attribute itself.'' I could easily grasp what to do and where to start. Woong! I summoned a sphere of light above my hand. I began to intentionally dim the brightness of the sphere. Shhh... The light of the sphere gradually faded. Soon, its brightness decreased to the point where it could no longer be called a sphere of light. I didn''t stop there and continued further. ''Darker... darker...'' Not satisfied with simply extinguishing the light, I lowered the brightness until it was close to darkness. I constantly visualized the images and atmosphere that darkness evoked. How much time had passed? Finally, the sphere, which had become almost achromatic, began to emit a dark light. Flicker! Even though I had created it myself, a strange feeling lingered in my hand. However, I didn''t know if this was a success. ''...I''ll know if I try it.'' Woong! Without further ado, I attempted spatial magic once again. I had repeated spatial magic many times, so I was sufficiently skilled. Five magic circles were quickly created, and I channeled the condensed mana through them. At the same time, I also channeled the dark mana I had just learned. And as a result, "...It worked!" Spatial magic finally seemed to be working. Mana circulated through the magic circles without any blockage, and a strange sound began to resonate as if something was reacting to it. Screeeech! It was the sound of spatial magic clashing with spatial magic. It was also the sound that signaled the success of my magic. Crack! Whoosh! Suddenly, the space in front of me split open, and a hole the size of my body appeared. Beyond it, I could see a familiar landscape. It was the battlefield where we had been fighting just before I came here. "...Wow, it really worked." Thud. Overwhelmed with emotion, I approached the hole. Then, Swooosh! A powerful suction force pulled me in once again. Perhaps because it was the magic I had cast, or because I had already anticipated it... fortunately, I didn''t lose consciousness. "Ugh!" Thud! I fell from the air and quickly regained my balance and landed. And the moment I naturally raised my head, "...A rhinoceros?" I witnessed the bizarre sight of a rhinoceros appearing out of nowhere. A rhinoceros covered in blood, engaged in a fierce battle with Dercion. *** "So, you''re saying that''s Mister Thompson?" Kayla, exhausted beyond measure, replied breathlessly to my question. "Uh, yeah. He suddenly transformed like that, as if he had gone berserk..." Kayla''s explanation was as follows: Immediately after I disappeared, Thompson became enraged and transformed into that form, desperately fighting Dercion. I could understand Thompson''s anger. He probably thought I was dead the moment I was swallowed by the space. In fact, Kayla also pestered me with questions about how I managed to come back alive. Anyway, I understood that Thompson was angry. But what I couldn''t understand at all was that. Body transformation magic. ''Could it be completed that quickly?'' I had heard that it takes a very long time to master body transformation magic. But Thompson''s current form was undoubtedly the final stage of body transformation magic. He had completely taken on the form of another creature. To the point where I couldn''t see much difference from Asion Gale''s transformation, except for the smaller size and different species. Suddenly, I remembered what Asion Gale had said before. When I asked him what was the fastest way to improve in magic, he answered... - Magic growth? Hmm, the fastest way is definitely to undergo a significant change in your mental state. He said that among the countless ways to improve in magic, the fastest was through a change in one''s mental state. He said that no other method could compare to it. Of course, he did emphasize that there were also significant side effects. Anyway, seeing Thompson''s current state, ''He grew too fast.'' It was clear that he had undergone a change in his mental state. And the most likely cause of Thompson''s transformation... was probably me. ''...It''s both grateful and burdensome.'' I knew how much Thompson valued me. It was something I could easily feel even after spending just a few days with him. But for it to make him grow in magic so rapidly... I was grateful, but it would be a lie to say it wasn''t burdensome. While I was thinking that, Thud! Thud! Thompson, still unable to control his anger, kicked the ground with his hard hooves. And then, Snort! He started charging with an angry snort. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Even though he was much smaller than Asion Gale''s white lion, the sound of his running was incredibly heavy. What kind of emotions was he feeling right now? My curiosity was short-lived. Realizing that now wasn''t the time to be wondering about such things, I took a stance. Crackle! Shing! I channeled electricity throughout my body and created a sword of light in my right hand. Thompson was already quite injured from his battle with Dercion. I had to help him as soon as possible. Tadat! Tadadat! I reached Dercion first, overtaking the charging Thompson. Then, I swung the refined sword of light towards Dercion''s chest. Slash! Perhaps because his attention was solely focused on Thompson, my sword of light met no resistance and slashed through his chest. Shwaaaak! Sticky blue blood gushed out from Dercion''s wound. Seeing that even his blood was dark blue, it seemed he had completely turned into a demon. Just as I was thinking that, an ice spear flew from somewhere and struck Dercion''s wound once more. Thud! Roan''s ice spear, now much sharper than before, completely pierced Dercion''s body. It was then that someone grabbed my shoulder. "...First-place guy?" I turned around to see Thompson, who had returned to his human form. "Yes, Mister. It''s me." "H-how? You were clearly..." "I was trapped in Dercion''s spatial magic. I managed to escape just now... well, a lot happened, but I''ll explain later." As soon as I finished speaking, Thump! "Ah... I see." Thompson sighed and collapsed to the ground. He seemed to have lost strength in his legs from the tension and relief after hearing my explanation. Well, it was understandable. "Get some rest now, Mister." Thompson had already done his part. The rest was up to me. Swoosh. Thompson lost consciousness without a word. Barundel immediately ran over and carried the unconscious Thompson to safety. After confirming that, I turned my head and looked at Dercion again. "Ugh, uh¡ª" Dercion was covered in his own blue blood. But he was still swaying, as if he could still move. "That''s really creepy. How is he still holding on?" Perhaps he was exhausted from before, but he wasn''t gathering demonic energy or channeling mana right away. I looked at Roan and Barundel, who were relatively unharmed, and said, "Let''s finish this." Simultaneously, Shwaaaak! Barundel, with an axe in one hand, appeared before Dercion in an instant, and Shwaaaaaaaaaah! Roan''s cold air, now overflowing with a chilling coldness, filled the air. And I, cast the magic I had learned in the space filled with nothing but darkness. Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Five magic circles appeared behind me, a faint darkness enveloped my right hand, and mana condensed at a rapid pace. The magic, now flowing smoothly, was activated right after Thompson and Roan''s attacks ended. Whoosh! A pitch-black space opened before my eyes, emitting a powerful suction force. The target was only Dercion. I was going to trap him in the same space I had been trapped in earlier. Until his breath stopped forever. ''This isn''t enough.'' Of course, Dercion was a mage who could handle spatial magic. Therefore, he might be able to escape, so I gave him a final parting gift while he was being sucked into the space. Thud! A sword of light, sharpened more than usual, pierced Dercion''s heart, and I sent him off with the sword of light still embedded in him. "Ugh...uh." Dercion, with the sword of light stuck in his chest, was sucked into the space. His figure disappeared into the distance. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 121 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 121 After the fierce battle with Dercion ended, I finally had the time to assess the situation. However, I had to do so with a heavy heart. "We... fought for quite a while, right?" Roan nodded at my words. "It''s been over three hours." Before we split up to defeat each Legion Commander, we had agreed that the group who finished first would go and support the others. But no one had come to help us yet. This could only mean one thing. ''The battles in other areas are also dragging on.'' With that uneasy feeling, I slowly looked around. The first place I arrived at was where Valefor and Asion Gale were fighting. "...Holy crap." The sight that greeted me made my jaw drop. All the ground within the [Asion Field] was covered in blood. The only consolation was that the blood wasn''t all the same color. Blue blood and red blood mixed together, creating a scene that looked like a work of art. Of course, the reality was far from artistic. "Dean!" Roan, Kayla, Barundel, and I immediately approached the scene, leaving Thompson behind. We couldn''t enter because of the [Asion Field], but we wanted to see how the situation was unfolding. And there, we witnessed a scene that seemed straight out of a movie. "Wow..." "...As expected of the Dean." A white lion was roaring mournfully, pinning the bull''s head to the ground with its forepaw. Valefor''s eyes were already glazed over. Grrrr! Although his mane was stained with red and blue blood, the sight was truly breathtaking. On the other hand, Roan said nonchalantly, "The Glorious Lion has never been seen losing. This was already expected." It seemed that Roan, who had a longer history with Asion Gale than us, had anticipated this to some extent. That Asion Gale would defeat the Legion Commander of Greed. Anyway, I was relieved. "Then all that''s left is..." The Legion Commander of Lust, Asmodeus. "Let''s go." We immediately turned around and headed towards her location. Perhaps they had moved a considerable distance to avoid the aftermath of the battle, as it took us quite a while to find them. And there, "...What''s this?" The sight that greeted us was also surprising. In a different sense than Asion Gale''s battle. Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries among the elders, but "P-please stop this!" The battlefield was quite chaotic. The cause was the people who were originally soldiers on our side. "Dieeee¡ª!" "Killlll...!" For some reason, they were attacking the elders in a completely brainwashed state. There were over a hundred of them. Because of this, the elders were in a bind, unable to do anything. Moreover, Clang! "...Die." Among the brainwashed people, there was someone with considerable strength. That one person was the reason why the elders were struggling even more. His face looked familiar. I muttered his name unconsciously. "...Elbert?" The 7th Knight Commander, Elbert Tyron. He, who had been excluded from the battle due to his injuries, was currently fighting on Asmodeus'' side. "H-hey! Please come to your senses..." The brainwashed Elbert was strong. Unlike the others, he wasn''t just charging recklessly; he was using his sword to attack and retreat strategically. As if he still had some reason left. Furthermore, Drip, drip... Blood was flowing from his wounds due to his violent movements, but he didn''t seem to feel any pain. That made the injured Elbert even stronger. [Hahahaha! As expected, observing humans is truly entertaining, isn''t it? Such a foolish sight. It''s no wonder that He likes humans.] Meanwhile, Asmodeus was laughing uncontrollably, seemingly enjoying the situation. Seeing her, with her alluring appearance, standing in the middle of the battlefield without lifting a finger, somehow made anger surge within me. "That bitch..." Unable to watch any longer, I immediately ran towards them. Of course, the first thing I had to do wasn''t to join the fight, but to restore the brainwashed people to their senses. Bang! As soon as I got close, I detonated a flashbang. The elders, Shuharn, and the others on our side had already noticed my presence and signal and crouched down. "Uwaaagh!" "My eyes¡ª!" Thanks to that, only the brainwashed people were exposed to the flashbang. I didn''t miss the opportunity and approached them one by one, channeling my mana. Shhh! Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fizzle! My mana quickly erased Asmodeus'' mark. I had already memorized this method to the point of boredom. No, I had already mastered it. Without stopping there, I immediately moved behind another person and channeled my mana. Fizzle! That was the second one. Fizzle! Fizzle! Fizzle! And the third, the fourth, the fifth... "...Where am I?" "What was I doing just now...?" The number of people freed from brainwashing increased rapidly. Of course, Asmodeus wasn''t just watching this happen. [You''re really quite bothersome, aren''t you?] Just as her eyes flashed crimson, "Not so fast!" The cone-hatted elder threw water attribute mana to stop Asmodeus. Shwaaaak! "You dare try to touch our student? Absolutely not!" [Damn human...!] Gooooo! Asmodeus, drenched in water, channeled her demonic energy with a furious expression. Although it was the same demonic energy, it felt a little different from what we had seen before. Haughty yet alluring demonic energy. Rather than threatening, it felt as if it would captivate us at any moment. She was someone we had to be wary of in a different sense than Dercion or Valefor. "Buy me some time!" I shouted to the elders, and they all nodded. With this, we had secured some time. All I had to do now was focus on undoing the brainwashing. Of course, there was a priority even in the process of undoing the brainwashing. I turned my gaze to the person I wanted to free from brainwashing the most. Clang! Clang! Clang! Elbert and Shuharn were exchanging swords with fierce momentum. "...That''s a Knight Commander!" Of course, Shuharn seemed to be a bit overwhelmed. No matter how talented he was, Shuharn was young, and Elbert was experienced. Shuharn''s innate talent wasn''t enough to bridge the gap of decades of experience. "Barundel! Kayla!" "Understood!" As soon as I signaled, they understood and immediately joined Shuharn. It wasn''t just the two of them. The knights under Roan and Elbert, and even the royal guards. Everyone joined forces to stop Elbert. With the royal guards involved, there was nothing more Elbert could do. "I was waiting because I heard there was a way to undo the brainwashing... I almost killed him." One of the royal guards, who had pinned Elbert''s face to the ground, said so. Indeed, they were also skilled individuals, no less than the elders. "I''m glad we''re not too late." I responded briefly to his words and immediately got to work. Shhh. Mana flowed into Elbert''s body. Perhaps because Elbert was a Knight Commander, I felt a darker mark of demonic energy than with ordinary soldiers. But it only made a difference of a few seconds. In the end, his mark also dissipated like the others. Fizzle! Only then, "Ugh...!" Elbert, who had been struggling to get up, relaxed his body as if in pain. A pool of red blood formed on the ground beneath him. I hurriedly said, "It''s over. We need to treat your injuries now." "...Already?" "Quickly!" It seemed that Elbert''s condition wasn''t good. He was already having trouble moving his body, and he had fought fiercely in that state, so it was only natural. "Are you conscious?" Barundel quickly laid Elbert down and checked his consciousness. "...Where am I? Ah." Fortunately, he was still conscious. Elbert, with his quick judgment, seemed to have grasped the situation. "Just hold on a little longer." Tsssss! Barundel ripped off the inner layer of his clothes and wrapped it around Elbert''s torso. Immediately, Elbert''s blood soaked the cloth. "It seems the wound is quite serious. We need to go back to the barracks for treatment..." "Yes, please. Barundel." "Understood." Barundel nodded with a solemn expression and lifted Elbert. Barundel was one of the main forces, but in this situation, it was understandable for him to leave. "I''ll be back soon." Tadat! Barundel started running at full speed. Barundel quickly disappeared into the distance. Seeing his speed, it seemed unlikely that Elbert''s condition would worsen. As a veteran demon hunter, Barundel would naturally know some first aid methods. Anyway. "We''ve roughly overcome the crisis." Elbert, who had been our biggest obstacle, was freed from the brainwashing. Now all we had to do was take care of the remaining soldiers. In addition, "We''ll take care of that Legion Commander." The royal guards joined the elders. With this, the somewhat dangerous situation had become quite stable. "Kayla, help me subdue the soldiers." "Okay." Of course, that didn''t mean we could relax. There were still at least 90 soldiers whose brainwashing needed to be undone. Therefore, we had to move busily once again. Fizzle! Fizzle! How much time had passed? "...It''s over." Kayla, who had been looking around, announced that the soldier just now was the last one. And around that time, [Aagh! Stop clinging to me!] It seemed that the situation with Asmodeus had also been settled to some extent. Asmodeus, who had been desperately trying to distance herself, was now staggering as if she had run out of energy. Then suddenly, [You... You''re the problem!] She turned her head towards me with a furious expression. Our eyes met. It wasn''t an ordinary gaze. Ching. Crimson light erupted from her eyes. Seeing that, I instinctively knew. That was what had affected Elbert, and if I kept looking into those eyes, I would end up like him. However. Before the brainwashing could take effect, a royal guard who had approached her swiftly swung his sword at her neck. Slash! The sharpened blade, enhanced with aura, severed Asmodeus'' neck. Thud! Thud!... Her head rolled pathetically on the ground. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 122 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 122 After successfully defeating Asmodeus, we moved even more busily than before. Although we had eliminated all the threats, it wasn''t time to let our guard down yet. Only after closing the last rift could we finally relax. Pak! As we inserted the [Rift Closure Device], Ziren and Asion Gale said with relief, "Phew... Now we just need to hold out for an hour." "...The war is finally ending." It felt like I hadn''t seen Ziren in a long time. But even though our paths didn''t cross, Professor Ziren''s contribution to this war was greater than I thought. ''I heard she swept through the minor demons at the other rifts?'' It was said that the flames didn''t die down for a while in the places she visited. Thanks to that, the main forces were able to concentrate on the battles with the Legion Commanders. Professor Ziren would probably receive a considerable reward from the royal family after the war ended. Of course, not only Professor Ziren. Me, Thompson, Kayla, Barundel, Roan, Shuharn, Asion Gale, the elders, and so on. It was obvious that all the main forces who participated in the war would receive enormous rewards. Well, it was only natural, since we couldn''t have won this war without them. Anyway, with that in mind, "Let''s do our best a little longer." We squeezed out our last remaining strength to clean up the remaining demons and protect the [Rift Closure Device]. Fortunately, there were no more unexpected events, and the rift closure proceeded smoothly. After an hour passed like that, we could no longer find any traces of demons around the rift, the flow of demonic energy stopped abruptly, and Shhh! The rift closed. The moment this grueling war finally came to an end. "...I-it''s over!" "Uwaaaagh!" The soldiers, including Thompson, cheered. Although I didn''t join in, hearing them made my heart swell with emotion. ''Finally...'' It seemed that the greater the hardship, the greater the sense of accomplishment that followed. Our joy was short-lived, as we quickly began to wrap up the war. We collected the bodies of the wounded and the dead, checked the number of personnel, and returned to our respective barracks. All we wanted was to finish the war as soon as possible and get some rest. Before long, - ...Gather. A familiar voice came from the broadcast. ''Elbert.'' It was Elbert''s voice. According to Barundel, he had thankfully overcome the crisis and recovered to some extent. As instructed in the broadcast, we hurriedly moved with the soldiers and found a man covered in bandages standing on a makeshift platform. Judging from his silhouette, it was Elbert. ''...Is he really okay?'' I thought he should be resting more, but thinking about it, I understood. Elbert would never accept it, given his personality. ''He must have thought he had to finish it himself.'' He was a man who valued such formality more than his own injuries. In any case, even though he discriminated between people, he was a responsible commander. Thud! As everyone sat down with excitement, Elbert, who had been looking around, slowly began to speak. "You''ve all worked hard." His first words. Although it was just a single sentence, the soldiers looked like they were about to burst into tears. Well, it wasn''t strange. None of the people here hadn''t faced death. Even though I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, they must have fought desperately in places I couldn''t see. Indeed. ''...The number of people has decreased significantly.'' Compared to the first day when every seat was filled, it was too empty now. Empty seats occupied more than half the space. It seemed that more than half of the people who were here that day had perished. Elbert, who must have known this fact, was not wearing his usual playful expression but a serious one. His voice was very solemn. "Soldiers, you''ve truly... worked hard. Your achievements will be recorded in the history of Asternon, and the sacrifices will not be in vain." Shhh! Elbert unfurled a scroll-like paper. It was a considerably long sheet of paper, densely filled with letters. It was the same one I had seen before. "Your achievements are recorded in detail! Right here!" And then, "Ash Brigham! Subjugated 27 lower-rank demons and 2 mid-rank demons! Rachel Sina, 12 lower-rank demons..." Without further ado, he began to recite the names of the soldiers written there and the achievements they had made, one by one. Without exception, every soldier whose name was called had tears in their eyes. And the surrounding soldiers applauded generously to celebrate their achievements. "Waaaaah!" "Amazing! Calison!" "Calison! Calison! Calison...!" How much time had passed? Finally, it was my turn. "Yuhan! 276 lower-rank demons! 384 mid-rank demons, 3 higher-rank demons! 1 Legion Commander-level enemy! Additionally, participated in rift closure operations, treatment of civilian brainwashing, troop deployment, and..." The introduction was longer than ever. Although they were all things I had done myself, hearing them directly like this made me feel proud. It also made my chest feel tight. I understood why people had tears in their eyes. While I was thinking that, "That''s all!" "Waaaaaaaaah¡ª!" "Yuhan! Yuhan! Yuhan!" "Mage! Mage! Mage!" The soldiers there looked at me and kept chanting slogans they had come up with. The sound was so loud that my ears were ringing. But the soldiers didn''t care and continued shouting for a long time. "Mage! Mage! Mage...!" "Hmm..." Everyone''s eyes were on me, as if expecting me to say something. Wondering how to react, I just smiled slightly and waved my hand. "Wahahaha!" "Waaaaaaaah¡ª!" Then, the soldiers burst into laughter and cheered even louder. I hated being the center of attention... but was it because of the situation? ''It doesn''t feel so bad.'' It was strangely enjoyable. Anyway. "Everyone worked hard!" "Good job!" "Let''s go home¡ª!" After Elbert''s commendation ceremony, which lasted for hours, finally came the order to disband. "Hey, this is fate, how about we have a drink together today?" "Ah, of course! You saved my life, so I''ll treat you to a grand feast!" "Hahaha... I won''t refuse!" Chatter about celebrating our victory filled the air. Just as I was about to turn around to make some party plans with those who had fought alongside me in this war, someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind. I turned around to see, "Ah, Commander." It was Elbert. "Hahaha. It''s even more heartwarming to see you after almost dying. Now that the war is over, please call me Knight Commander." "Ah, yes, Knight Commander. ...But what brings you here?" "I have something to tell you, would you mind if we talked for a bit?" "Talk?" I didn''t have any guesses, but there was no reason to refuse, so I nodded. "Yes, let''s." "Then come to the command room for a moment." "Yes." Thud, thud, thud. I immediately followed Elbert to the command room. "I called you because I have a special offer for you." "An offer?" "It''s definitely an offer you''ll like. If you accept this offer, you''ll be able to achieve your dream." "...My dream?" At those words, I naturally recalled the conversations I had with Elbert. However, no matter how much I thought about it, there wasn''t anything specific. In the first place, I had never revealed my dream. ''I don''t think I mentioned that I want to catch Baal...'' Then what was this man talking about? My question was quickly answered. "Would you like to come with me to Sector 1?" "Huh? Sector 1? Why there...?" Sector 1 was where the king and his bloodline resided directly. Simply put, it was the royal family''s territory. As I was thinking that, Elbert nodded as if to confirm. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You''re right. I''m saying let''s go meet His Majesty." "...So why?" "Because I''m going to recommend you directly to His Majesty. As the commander of the Royal Guard." "...What?" What was this nonsense all of a sudden? A commander? And the commander of the Royal Guard, no less? I unconsciously widened my eyes, and Elbert smiled, seemingly amused by my reaction. "Hahaha, are you surprised? How is it? Does it feel like a dream come true?" "Forget being surprised, that''s not my dream..." "Of course, you shouldn''t get your hopes up too high. Even with my recommendation, there''s no guarantee that His Majesty will approve. Well, you have to endure that much. The position of Royal Guard Commander isn''t something just anyone can have." "Um, are you even listening?" "Even if you get approval, it will take a lot of effort and time to actually get that position. But don''t worry. From what I''ve seen of you so far, I''m sure you can do it." "..." "I''ve already talked to the Royal Guards. If you agree, you''ll probably join them when they return." Elbert continued to express his thoughts without listening to me at all. Feeling like I would be dragged to Sector 1 without being able to refuse, I spoke more firmly. "I think you''re mistaken, I have no intention of becoming a commander." Then, "...What?" Elbert''s eyes widened, and he flinched. "You don''t want to be a commander? No, that can''t be right." He pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Ah, you''re feeling pressured? There''s no need to feel pressured. The fact that I''m recommending you directly means you''re fully qualified. Have some confidence!" ...Was he always this bad at listening to people? "It''s not about pressure, I really don''t want to. I won''t be a commander." "...Why?" "I told you earlier. I have no intention of becoming a commander." "Are you serious?" "Yes." "Huh..." Elbert finally seemed to understand what I was saying. Then he suddenly asked another question. "Then what is your dream? What are you working so hard for?" A question about my dream. It wasn''t a difficult question to answer at all. "To catch Baal." "...Baal?" "Yes, and I''m going to become a demon hunter for that." "...A demon hunter? Then all that dedication to magic was also to become a demon hunter?" "Well, that''s right. To catch Baal, I need to reach the level of a high-ranking mage." Silence lingered for a while. It was Elbert who broke the silence. "I''ve been under a huge misconception... I thought you were someone who dreamed of becoming a commander." "I don''t know what made you think that, but I understand." "Alright. Let''s forget about what I just said." With that, Elbert turned around. He didn''t seem very pleased. Well, he must have been disappointed since he had expectations. ''But it''s not my fault.'' Thud, thud. Elbert, who had taken a few steps forward, said casually, "If you change your mind, let me know anytime. I''m willing to open the way for you." "..." Did he really give up...? [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 123 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 123 Watching Elbert walk away, I fell into deep thought. I knew very well what kind of event had just happened to me. If this were a game, a message like this would have popped up: [Job Event!] - NPC ''Elbert'' has offered player ''Yuhan'' a new job route. If you press accept, you can change your job to [Royal Commander]. (¡ù However, please note that your current [Mage] job will be replaced with [Royal Commander], and your current traits may not apply.) The Royal Commander route. It was the ultimate route among the commander trees. Elbert had just offered me that. ''...It''s amazing. The Royal Commander route opened like this?'' Having played [Demon Fantasy] for over 10 years, I had tried various commander builds. Naturally, I had changed my job to [Royal Commander] many times. However, I had never received a [Royal Commander] job change event through war like this. Maybe just a regular [Commander], but not this. ''Is it the difference of a mythic tier trait?'' It seemed likely. I hadn''t taken the commander route with a mythic tier trait back then. Naturally, I rarely caught the eye of surrounding NPCs, so it seemed I hadn''t been able to trigger a job change event like this. Well, anyway. ''...It''s a bit of a shame.'' Although I firmly refused, I honestly felt a little regret. Because I knew how comfortable and perfect the position of [Royal Commander] was. ''I can gain wealth, fame, and power all at the same time. Ah, and a rise in social status too.'' As the name suggested, [Royal Commander] was one of the best jobs. Just by changing jobs, I could solve most of the problems I currently had. Above all, the biggest merit was that I could be relatively safe in this world. After all, the main role of a Royal Commander was, naturally, commanding troops, wasn''t it? Usually, it was a position that didn''t require direct combat but instead involved giving orders from the rear. Furthermore, after the war, they would reside exclusively in Sector 1. Therefore, they were exposed to danger far less than other jobs. This meant a higher survival rate. However, it didn''t suit my current situation. If I changed jobs to [Royal Commander], I would be tied to Asternon Sector 1 for the rest of my life, and no matter how strong that job was, it wouldn''t allow me to catch Baal. Just like my zombie swordsman build from before. ''It''s fine if the goal is to survive for a long time... but there''s no reason for someone like me, whose goal is the final content, to choose it.'' Defeat Baal and return to my original world. To achieve that goal, I had to be able to give up even the coveted job of [Royal Commander]. It couldn''t be helped that my mouth felt bitter... ''Let''s forget about it.'' Putting aside the unattainable pie in the sky, I wandered around as originally planned. Before long, I found Kayla, Thompson, and Barundel. "Good work, young lady..." "Good work, Uncle." "Ahem, this is strangely heartwarming." Seeing them gathered together, patting each other''s shoulders, was somehow cute. I made my way through the crowd and approached them. And then, "Oh, Mr First Place!" "Hehehe, the hero of the day has arrived!" "Where have you been? We''ve been looking all over for you." They waved their hands and welcomed me with great enthusiasm. "Ah, I was just talking with Commander Elbert." "Talking? About what?" "He asked if I wanted to become a Royal Commander." "...What?" Gulp. Was everyone nervous because of what I said? I could hear the sound of them gulping from here. "...So what did you say?" "...Did you say yes?" "Of course I said no. What am I, a commander?" "Phew!" Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed they were worried that I might go over to the royal family''s side. Well, it was natural for them to be anxious if I received an offer for such a position. Anyway, I changed the subject and brought up what I originally wanted to talk about. "Anyway, that''s how the conversation ended. The war is over today, so I was thinking of having a celebratory drink to commemorate it, what do you all..." Before I could finish my sentence, "Woohoo! Sounds good!" Thompson jumped up and cheered enthusiastically. A somewhat exaggerated gesture. "I''m in too." "Such an occasion is absolutely necessary." Kayla and Barundel also nodded, expressing their intention to join. "Okay, then let''s meet at the tavern in Sector 6 that we frequent. The time is..." Just then, "Excuse me..." Suddenly, someone spoke from behind. I turned around to see that it was none other than Elbert... "What, are you here to persuade me again? Well, I told you I''m not interested." "No, it''s not that." "Then what is it?" "I heard you were having a celebratory drink, I was wondering if I could join you..." "Huh?" He suddenly expressed his desire to join our drinking party. Honestly, I was a bit flustered. ''Elbert at our drinking party? ...A Knight Commander like him?'' Just thinking about it made me imagine how awkward the atmosphere would be. Moreover, ''Absolutely not.'' Kayla was here. Yes, Kayla, the mage from Sector 7. Remembering how Elbert treated the residents of Sector 7 like dirt, I absolutely couldn''t accept his request. Who knows what kind of trouble it might cause? Just as I was about to refuse, "Ah, if you let me join you, I''ll pay for the drinks. We can even move to a better place. On a day like this, shouldn''t we celebrate in a good place and splurge?" Elbert made an exceptional offer, and there was one person in our group who couldn''t refuse it. "Oooooh! How generous! I''m in, Knight Commander!" "S-so, does that mean we can drink expensive liquor to our hearts'' content...?" Actually, there were two. "Of course." "Alright!" "Hehehe, then I agree too." Thompson and Barundel jumped up and down, shouting their agreement. These simple-minded uncles... they loved expensive alcohol. I glanced at Kayla, trying to gauge her reaction. She must also know how Elbert treated people from Sector 7. "..." An expressionless face. Unable to figure out what she was thinking, I quietly approached her and asked, "Are you okay with this?" Kayla glanced at the excited Thompson and Barundel and said, "...Whatever." She nodded in agreement. It meant she would go with the flow. The reason she made that decision was probably because of Thompson and Barundel. "Phew..." Somehow, I felt suffocated. I decided to mediate myself if anything happened and said to Elbert, "Alright. But it''s our party, so please be careful not to spoil the mood." "Heh, don''t worry. I know how to have fun." "...No, that''s not what I meant." Just then, Tap, tap. "...?" Someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind again. Turning around to see what it was this time, "Dean?" It was none other than Headmaster Asion Gale. He was even with Professor Ziren and the elders. I suddenly had a bad feeling, and as always, that feeling was right. "...Yuhan. Do you think we could join you there?" For some reason, it seemed like the scale of this ordinary drinking party was getting bigger and bigger. ***- A luxurious tavern in Asternon Sector 2. Although it had a less formal atmosphere than other places, this tavern, which was usually visited only by nobles, was filled with a diverse crowd today. Me, Kayla, Thompson, Barundel, Elbert, Asion Gale, Ziren, the Society elders... ...and even Roan and Shuharn. Asion Gale had insisted on bringing them along, saying, "They were the ones who stood out in this war, wouldn''t it be right to celebrate together?" Naturally, the atmosphere was very awkward. "Here''s the Asigahan beer you ordered. Enjoy your time." "..." "..." Even though the drinks had arrived, no one dared to speak first. It was questionable why we even decided to celebrate together if it was going to be like this. "...Let''s make a toast first." In the end, I raised my glass and spoke first. "Y-yes, let''s! Everyone raise your glasses!" Clink! We exchanged awkward toasts in an awkward atmosphere. The awkwardness continued, and after repeating similar situations for a while, perhaps because they were getting tipsy, they started to open up one by one. The first one to break the ice was Thompson. "This beer... was it called Asigahan beer?" "That''s right. It''s a beer made by fermenting the Asigahan herb, also known as the herb of life." "It''s amazing! Knight Commander. Expensive alcohol is different after all! Right, Mr First Place?" "Yes, well. It''s delicious. The flavor is deep." "I''m glad you like it." "Kuh-huh!" Thud! Thompson, putting down his glass with a happy face, asked Elbert, "Knight Commander. How much is one glass of this?" "About five gold coins." "F-five gold coins...? For just one glass of beer?" Five gold coins. It was ten times the price of the beer we usually drank at ordinary taverns. Even I was surprised by the price. ''A hundred years ago, it wasn''t even half a gold coin, it''s gone up this much?'' Of course, it wasn''t my first time encountering it. When I was ranked first as a zombie swordsman, I drank expensive alcohol like this more often than I ate. ...Although it was in a game. Anyway, "Is it true that the Knight Commander is paying for today''s drinks?" "I always keep my word." "Good." After receiving confirmation from Elbert, I poured the Asigahan beer into my mouth without hesitation. Gulp, gulp, gulp! Even though the strong carbonation made my throat burn, I didn''t stop. Because this wasn''t ordinary beer. Most alcoholic beverages enjoyed by nobles contained special effects. Asigahan beer was no exception. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If I remember correctly, Asigahan beer... ''Relieves physical and mental fatigue and stress.'' It had an effect that was comparable to the potion I drank during my training with Barundel. ''This is all medicine.'' Indeed, as I drank my second glass of beer, Zing! The fatigue accumulated in my body was relieved, and I felt energized. It felt like I didn''t need to rest separately. ''Expensive things are good.'' Around that time, I turned my attention back to the table. The awkward atmosphere had disappeared, and the surroundings had become much more lively. "Wahahaha! Dean, is that true? You didn''t have a mane when you first succeeded in transformation magic?" "...It''s true." "Pfft, like a maneless lion." "...Do you want to be mauled by a maneless lion?" Stories about the Dean''s past, as well as, "Sir Roan, I heard there''s someone you dislike here...?" "Ah, it''s not that I dislike them. There''s just a mage I find a bit unpleasant." "Is it the mage sitting over there?" "Yes, that''s right." "It''s been a while since I''ve met a mage I can connect with." I could even hear Roan and Shuharn openly gossiping about me. I wondered what these guys were doing, but... ''Well, whatever.'' It was much better than before. As expected, there was nothing like alcohol to break an awkward atmosphere. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 124 [Translator - Pr?ks][Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 124 The drinking party continued with high energy for a while. "Wahahaha! Is that true, Knight Commander? You thought Mr First Place''s dream was to be a commander?" "...It''s still strange. He definitely looked like someone desperate to become a commander." "Is that why you entrusted him with troop deployment during the war?" "...That''s right." "Here''s the Altino Gambas you ordered." "Ah, put it here." The chatter continued endlessly along with the food and drinks. Gulp, gulp, gulp... People poured drinks and food into their mouths as if there was no tomorrow. ''Amazing, really.'' How many glasses was that already? Ten? No, it seemed like they had over twenty... Grateful that Elbert was paying for this gathering, I quietly slipped out. I thought they would have fun on their own. Besides, I still had things to do. To practice what I had learned in this war. For example, [Swimming Light], dark attribute mana, spatial magic, and such. It was better to master these new skills before I forgot them. Just as I was about to leave, "Leaving already?" Someone''s voice stopped me. I turned around to see Elbert looking at me with a magic herb in his mouth. "When did you come out?" "Just now. To get some fresh air. So, are you leaving now?" "Ah, yes. I think I''ve had enough fun. I''ve relieved a lot of stress." "...I see." Phew¡ª Elbert exhaled the smoke from the magic herb and leaned against the wall. "Then I won''t see you for a while?" "I guess so." "Hmm." Thud, thud, thud. Elbert suddenly approached and placed his hand on my shoulder. "There''s something I want to tell you." "...What is it?" Elbert had a serious expression. I had a bad feeling, but fortunately, this time, my intuition was wrong. "Thank you." Elbert suddenly expressed his gratitude. As I listened silently, he continued, "I still vividly remember what you said. About how I shouldn''t judge people based on their status... those words." "Ah, that''s right." I had indeed said those words to Elbert when he was about to abandon the residents of Sector 7. I had completely forgotten about it since then... Did it leave that much of an impression on Elbert? "I thought about it carefully. Whether I really judged people based on their status." "And?" "...It wasn''t even a question. Not just that moment, but my entire life has been like that. I was a noble to the core." Elbert began to express his thoughts, as if he had realized many things. Well, honestly, I couldn''t say I didn''t understand. If I had lived Elbert''s life, I might have become like that too. "Looking back, I was a truly pathetic commander. And now I''ve decided to change. All thanks to you." The important thing was that Elbert had decided to change himself here. "How will you change?" At my question, Elbert answered without a moment''s hesitation. "I''m going to change my deeply rooted values. I will become a commander who is good to everyone, not just a noble commander. I will continue to think about how to do that. I''m also going to visit the residents of Sector 7, whom I tried to abandon, and apologize." "Is that so?" "Yes, then I will eventually become an even greater commander than I am now." I nodded in response to Elbert''s aspiration. "I''m sure you will. A great commander." With that, I turned away. From Elbert, who was silently watching me. And from Kayla, who was leaning against the narrow alley next to the tavern. The fact that the corners of her lips were slightly raised was probably something only I knew. *** S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...It''s damn far." By the time I reached my destination after leaving Sector 2, the sun was already high in the sky. As it was an inner sector, the travel time had increased significantly. Even this was the result of using the transit pass Elbert had given me. I couldn''t imagine how long it would have taken without it. "I can''t do this twice." Muttering that, I started walking. "Ah, student Yuhan." "It''s been a while." The place I entered was Asion Academy. There was no better place to practice magic. The entrance was guarded by the same guard who had guided me last time. "Did you finish the war safely? Are you hurt?" "Yes, I think it ended well. I''m not hurt either. Ah, the Dean will be back soon." "That''s good to hear." "Then I''ll go in now." Thanks to that, I entered the academy without any hassle and headed straight to the mana training room. Click! I entered the blinded space where I had combined light and water attributes last time and took a deep breath. "Phew... Shall I try [Swimming Light] first?" I decided to start with [Swimming Light], which was relatively less burdensome. Shhh! Shhh! The light attribute mana extending from my hand swam through the air. Movements that perfectly matched the name [Swimming Light]. I didn''t stop there and added one more process. ''This is a magic spell effective for dealing with multiple enemies.'' It was to split [Swimming Light] into smaller pieces. Shhh...! One, two, three, four... Starting with a single strand, [Swimming Light] branched out and split into more and more strands. Soon, Shhh! Shhh! Before long, dozens of [Swimming Light] were swirling around me. It was like watching a school of loaches made of light. Before I could even admire the sight, Thud! Crackle! I clenched my fist and detonated [Swimming Light] all at once, releasing holy power. Even though it was in the air, I could tell that the power was quite threatening. ''This much is enough.'' With a satisfied feeling, I immediately moved on to the next magic. This time, it was dark attribute mana. Of course, I wasn''t too keen on practicing dark attribute... ''It can''t be helped.'' Unless I wasn''t going to use the spatial magic I had learned this time, I had to practice it. Because the core of spatial magic lay in this dark attribute mana. Woong! A pitch-black sphere the size of a marble formed at my fingertips. Since I had learned it purely through self-study by only watching Dersion''s magic, this was the limit of what I could handle right now. But, Woong! Woong! Woong! I gradually increased the size of the sphere. My mind was filled with images related to darkness. If I lost focus even for a moment, it felt like I would be swallowed by this darkness. ''Focus.'' Undeterred, I calmly channeled dark attribute mana. How much time had passed? The sphere finally grew to the size of a fist, and as soon as it did, I cast spatial magic. Swoosh! A hole, just large enough for me to enter, appeared before my eyes. Inside, there was only pitch-black darkness where I couldn''t see anything. Just looking at it made me feel like I was falling into the deep sea. Shhh. "Gasp!" I canceled the spatial magic and exhaled the breath I had been holding. My back was drenched in cold sweat without me even realizing it. "...That was dangerous." I managed to cast it, but it was difficult to maintain for a long time. It felt like I would cause an accident if I lost control even a little. It meant that I was still lacking in handling this mana. Just then, "Yuhan." A low voice came from behind me. I was startled and turned around to see... "...Dean?" Dean Asion Gale was standing tall, gazing into the space where I was. As if he could see everything inside. His expression was dark, and I... ''This is bad.'' I realized something was wrong. *** In the Dean''s office at Asion Academy. I was summoned there and sat facing Asion Gale. He was the first to speak. "So, tell me what happened." "...What?" I tried to play dumb since nothing was certain yet, but "Are you going to pretend you don''t know?" Asion Gale replied with a frown. ...It seemed he had seen everything. "I heard that place was blinded, how did you know?" "Do you think I wouldn''t know if you trapped Baal in there?" "...That''s a bit of an exaggeration." "Exaggeration or not, the context is the same. Even if a blinding magic is cast, it can''t hide the eerie aura of dark mana. Especially for someone like me with keen senses." "Well, it was a useless place after all..." "Stop changing the subject, Yuhan, and answer me." At Asion Gale''s urging, I had no choice but to confess everything that had happened. Starting with being trapped in Dersion''s spatial magic. "So, you learned dark attribute mana to escape from there?" "Yes." "And you also mastered spatial magic there?" "That''s what happened." "Huh, this is unbelievable." Tap, tap, tap. Asion Gale tapped his chair, deep in thought. He had an expression of disbelief. "To be able to handle the same magic just by watching it... Should I call this a blessing?" He muttered something to himself and then suddenly nodded. "One thing''s for sure, if you hadn''t done that there, you probably wouldn''t be here now." "Yes, it was an unavoidable choice." "I see, so that''s it..." Asion Gale nodded in agreement. Then he returned to his solemn expression. "But Yuhan, that is a very dangerous attribute of magic. Do you understand?" No, rather than solemn, his expression was more worried. It seemed he was concerned about the dark attribute, which was close to ''evil''. However, I nodded confidently. "Yes, I understand, Dean." No one knew this better than I did. While planning my mage build, I thoroughly researched mages who had this as their main attribute. The reason I didn''t even consider it... It was because, as Asion Gale said, dark attribute magic was indeed very dangerous. "The attribute itself isn''t classified as black magic... but if you''re not careful, it will consume you. Do you understand that?" "Of course." "Hmm, I see... That''s all that matters." "Excuse me?" "I won''t stop you." Surprised by his unexpected words, I flinched. "Really?" "Yes, what kind of teacher would block their student''s path? Although it was brief, the darkness I saw in you was outstanding. Even I felt a sense of caution for a moment. However." Asion Gale paused for a moment, then continued, "I should still help you so you don''t go astray." Swoosh. Asion Gale leaned back in his chair and continued, "I think I''ll have to use that place for this occasion." "That place...?" "That ''space'' I mentioned before." At those words, I unconsciously gulped. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 125 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 125 "That space..." "The Room of Time and Mind." The Room of Time and Mind. Yes, I had definitely heard about it from Asion Gale. A space created by someone a hundred years ago, where time flows ten times slower than in reality. Of course, I also clearly remembered the risk that came with that room. ''He said you could be trapped forever.'' Being trapped inside forever was the risk of that room. And the fact that Asion Gale mentioned such a dangerous place now meant that... "You''re saying that my twisted mana circuit needs to be fixed." "That''s right." It meant that I could no longer neglect my twisted mana circuit. Even if I had to take that risk. As if wanting me to fully understand, he added an explanation. "As I said before, dark attribute mana has the property of consuming the caster. There''s only one way to solve that. The caster must have strong control." "...Strong control." "And to have strong control, you naturally need to be able to freely manipulate mana." Woong! A complexly tangled form appeared above Asion Gale''s staff. A form so tangled that I wouldn''t even know where to begin unraveling it. I didn''t need to ask to know what it was. ''That''s mine.'' It must be my mana circuit, which Asion Gale had called a complete mess. Reading my expression, Asion Gale continued, "You can''t have strong control with such a terrible circuit. No, I''m surprised you can even use magic! You''re probably the only one in the world who can use magic with something like this." Asion Gale spoke with somewhat exaggerated gestures. "...Is it that bad?" "If I were to elaborate on how terrible it is, I''d be confident enough to stay up all night talking about it." "..." I was speechless. It felt like I had become a sinner for no reason. However, Asion Gale didn''t seem to care about that and continued to drive the point home. "What''s more serious is that you have to fix this somehow. Otherwise, it''s only a matter of time before you''re consumed by darkness." Unlike earlier when he had a playful tone, he now had a serious expression. His reaction made me fully realize the gravity of the situation. "Are you feeling overwhelmed?" "...Honestly, a little. Is it even possible to fix this?" "That depends on your ability. I can''t guarantee anything." "Is that so." Just as I was feeling anxious about his uncertain answer, "But there''s no need to be too discouraged." Shhh! Suddenly, the tangled mana circuit began to unravel slowly. Judging from the situation, it seemed that Asion Gale was directly manipulating the circuit model. "Now I''ll tell you the good news." Swoosh, swoosh! The tangled circuit gradually regained its original form. Before long, all the tangles were unraveled, and the appearance of the circuit was... "...Beautiful." It was incredibly beautiful. Incomparable to its previous unsightly state. "It''s not just the appearance that has changed. The circuit you have is three to four times larger than others." Snap! As Asion Gale snapped his fingers, the still circuit began to wriggle. As if it were a living mana circuit. What was even more surprising was that the circuit was absorbing all the mana that Asion Gale was channeling into it. Only then did I realize what he was trying to say. "...No way?" "Yes, you''re right. In a way, this can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage of your circuit." "...Huh." I was dumbfounded by his unexpected words. It wasn''t difficult to describe this situation. All or nothing. A jackpot if successful. ''And a complete loss if I fail.'' The Room of Time and Mind. This could be the biggest gamble of my life. *** Creak! The floor opened, revealing a hidden basement space in the Dean''s office. As I descended the stone steps, I finally saw it with my own eyes, something I had only seen as a model before. ''The Room of Time and Mind.'' A massive door stood in front of me, covered in numerous chains. If I had come here without any prior explanation, I would have mistaken it for a place where something was sealed. I stared blankly at the eerie door and spoke, "...Dean, can I ask you something?" "Of course." Those who entered the Room of Time and Mind couldn''t leave until they achieved their goal. In other words, it was a dangerous place where one could be imprisoned forever. But it also had the attractive effect of slowing down time by tenfold, so there must have been many people who sought out this room. So, S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "How many people have entered this room and returned alive?" How many people had actually achieved their goals and returned alive? I was curious about that. But then, "..." "...Dean?" For some reason, Asion Gale didn''t answer and kept his mouth shut. "Hmm." It was a long time before he spoke. "No one." "Excuse me? No one? What do you..." "Don''t be too surprised. No one has entered this room yet." "It was... No, my father used to say this when he was alive. That although it''s tightly locked now, there will come a time when this room must be used. That when a talented individual with both a good heart and outstanding skills appears, I should personally guide them to this room." Creak! Asion Gale, who was muttering as he unlocked the latch, suddenly turned his head. His eyes, staring intently at me, clearly reflected my image. "That is the reason why I run the academy, and the reason why I recommend this room to you, Yuhan." "..." Honestly, I was a bit surprised. At first, he brought it up so casually that I thought it was no big deal. But now, it seemed he had quite high expectations of me. If that was the case, "Can you do it?" "Of course." I also intended to do my best to meet his expectations. *** Thud, thud... thud. Finally entering the Room of Time and Mind, I took a deep breath. "Phew." Although I had prepared myself, I couldn''t help but feel nervous. I tried to suppress the tension and looked around. ''It''s not much, considering.'' Unlike its grand name, the interior of the Room of Time and Mind was rather ordinary. Just a small, empty room of about 165 square feet. The way down to the basement seemed more eerie. ''Well, the reality is completely different.'' If I were to achieve my desired goal in this place... In other words, if I couldn''t untangle the twisted mana circuit, I would be trapped here forever. It meant that I shouldn''t let my guard down, even though it seemed ordinary on the surface. Moreover, the situation wasn''t exactly relaxed. ''The time limit is 10 hours.'' According to Asion Gale, I had to escape this place within 10 hours to succeed. I had to succeed as quickly as possible. With that judgment, Swoosh! I sat cross-legged and slowly channeled my mana. ''This is different from when I use magic.'' When using magic, all I had to do was channel mana and add various attributes and formulas to it. But this time, the goal was to improve the twisted circuit. So, I focused all my attention on mana alone, more than anything else. Specifically, on the flow and path of mana, the passage through which mana traveled. Naturally, I couldn''t feel anything at first. Even when I used magic, I wasn''t really aware of the problem with my mana circuit. But after about an hour, I, who had been sensing the flow of mana as if meditating, finally realized that something was hindering it. It felt like something indescribable was blocking the way, hindering the movement of mana. This was probably the twisted part of my circuit. ''That was faster than I thought?'' According to Asion Gale, all senses become more than three times sharper in this Room of Time and Mind. He said that a special magic was cast on this room or something... Anyway, this was the reason why we used the Room of Time and Mind instead of fixing the circuit outside. With heightened senses, it was easier to identify problems in the circuit. If I had proceeded with this process without this help, I might never have discovered the problem. Well, anyway. ''This is where it really begins.'' Having achieved one goal, I focused even more and circulated the mana within my body. Soon, I encountered another blocked part, and the method I chose was simple. Swoosh! I started pouring a vast amount of mana into that part. Then, "Ugh!" As an excessive amount of mana rushed into the blocked circuit, I felt a piercing pain throughout my body. A new kind of pain I had never felt before. My whole body trembled, and cold sweat poured out like crazy. How much time had passed like that? Kwaaaaaaaaaah! Suddenly, with a feeling of relief, the mana broke through that section. At the same time, the circuit seemed to stabilize, and mana began to flow normally again. "...Finally." I had passed the first hurdle. Of course, I wasn''t completely happy. Because I knew how many more hurdles I had to overcome. Just from what I could vaguely sense, ''There are more than thirty sections.'' There were more than thirty parts that needed to be cleared. It meant that I had to feel similar pain more than thirty times. Of course, there was no need to despair. Because I would somehow succeed in this seemingly impossible task. As I always had. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 126 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 126 "Haa... Haa..." Unbearable pain tightened around my breath. It had been so long that I had forgotten how much time had passed. Now, time and everything else was irrelevant; I was simply concentrating on not losing consciousness every moment and doing my best. How long had it been? Amidst the agony of my whole body being torn apart, I felt a tingling sense of joy. "Fi...nally." The blocked parts of the circuits were all opened. "Aah..." The remaining mana in my body flowed through the circuits without any blockage. Head, shoulders, fingertips, toes... Mana was clearly felt in every part of my body. I didn''t know what kind of influence this would have on my magic, but it certainly felt different from before. I hoped that the hard work would yield satisfactory results. Of course, there was a more important issue left than that now. ''How much time...?'' No matter how much I retraced my memory, I couldn''t even make a guess. ''...Has it been 10 hours?'' It felt like it had been more than twenty hours. If that wasn''t just a feeling, but reality... If I had really failed... Would I have to be trapped here forever? ''...I don''t know.'' I couldn''t know anything. No, it was hard to even think. Because I had already reached my limit both physically and mentally. I let go of the consciousness that I was desperately holding on to. Hoping that when I opened my eyes again, I would be in a different place than this room. *** "Haa!" I gasped and jerked my upper body up. Reflexively, I looked around, and... fortunately, it wasn''t the place I was in right before I fainted. In other words, it wasn''t the Room of Time and Mind. "You''re awake?" Only then did I realize that someone was standing next to me. It was Asion Gale, the dean of the Academy. "Where is this...?" "It''s the recovery room of the Academy. You''ve made a complete mess of your body." I couldn''t hear the dean''s follow-up words. Only the word "recovery room of the Academy" lingered in my mind. Recovery room, recovery room... "...Does that mean?" "Yes, you succeeded, Yuhan." "Aa." With that one word, all the tension remaining in my body was released. My rough breathing calmed down, and my rapidly beating heart returned to normal. My spine also felt cold. It was only then that I realized how dangerous a situation I had been in. "...I really thought I was going to die. This time." "Was it that difficult?" "Yes, untangling the twisted circuits was no easy task." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Puhuhu." Asion Gale let out a nonsensical laugh at my lament. He couldn''t have looked more annoying. It''s not his business, is it? "Don''t look at me like that, you rascal. How dare you look at the dean like that!" Thwack! Asion Gale flicked my forehead as if I was being impudent. It hurt like hell. It wasn''t for nothing that he was the creator of the Body Transformation Magic that turns one into a white lion. I rubbed my throbbing forehead and glared at Asion Gale. "...Is this how you treat a patient?" "Patient? Are you a patient right now?" "Then if I''m not a patient, what am I..." I was about to say what else I could be if I wasn''t a patient, when... "Huh?" I suddenly realized that my body condition was strange. It wasn''t strange in a bad way, but rather the opposite, which made it strange. ''Why am I so fine?'' I had definitely felt pain that made me think I had gone through a life-or-death situation, but for some reason, my body was perfectly fine. As if nothing had happened. Asion Gale, who seemed to have noticed my confusion, said, "When the circuits are running normally, the body''s recovery ability also increases. This is because mana flows more properly than before. That''s why your body is fine." "What''s the connection between the two?" "Don''t think too hard. Mana can be considered another blood that only mages have. Since that blood has started to flow properly, it affects the body as well." Another blood. I could understand that much. But what was surprising was... "...Like this?" The effect was greater than I had expected. To the point that it felt abnormal to me. However, Asion Gale shook his head as if there was nothing strange about it. "As I said earlier, your mana circuits were several times more serious than others. It''s only natural that your body''s recovery rate would increase significantly. Hhucha." "Whoa." Asion Gale suddenly turned my body towards him. He grabbed my shoulders tightly, stared me straight in the eye, and said, "And that''s not all. Now you''ve become a completely reborn mage." "...Really?" "It''s better to experience it once than to talk about it a hundred times. Would you like to feel it for yourself?" Asion Gale''s eyes were full of anticipation. I silently nodded at his gaze. *** Clump, clump, clump. Dean and I left the Academy building and entered a single-story building that stood alone. This is the place where Thompson and Kayla had their duel to enter the Academy. Of course, there weren''t any spectators like back then. Currently, it''s just me and Asion Gale here. To be honest, I felt a bit awkward. "...Dean, are you serious?" "Is there any problem with that?" "No, it''s just, how can I possibly duel with you? I haven''t even reached 6th Circle yet." "Don''t worry. I''ll only perform at the level of dealing with a crawling earthworm." "...." Um, he meant to go easy on me, but it didn''t sound quite right the way he put it. "Although, whether you''re an earthworm or a baby viper is something I''ll have to find out myself." "Excuse me?" "If you''re ready, let''s begin." "....Yes." As I nodded, Asion Gale began to gather his mana first. Whoo-o-o-m! Along with that, a golden aura enveloped him, and soon after... Gra-a-a-wl! A huge white lion appeared before me. He had used his Body Transformation Magic. ''...Damn big.'' I had seen it a few times during the war, but the pressure then and now was on a completely different level. It really felt like I was facing a wild beast. No, it was probably more than that, not less. ''If I make a mistake, I''ll die.'' As such, I was also very tense as I gathered my mana. Then. Whoo-o-o-sh! Contrary to what I expected, mana circulated through my body at an incredible speed. I couldn''t feel it well in the Room of Time and Mind, but it was a truly tremendous change. To the point that I momentarily lost control of my mana. Crackle! Mana that had escaped control caused a tingling spark. But that was only for a moment. - Magic Learning Ability increases by 300%. - Mana Sensitivity increases by 300%. - Magic Calculation Ability is maximized. I quickly adapted and brought my mana back under control. It wasn''t that I had any particular know-how, it was control that I seized solely by instinct. [Do you have a feel for how to handle it?] I nodded at Asion Gale''s words. "Yes, a little..." At that moment. [Then that''s enough.] Taaa-a-at! Asion Gale suddenly kicked off the ground and rushed at me. His two thighs generated explosive speed, and as I stared at it head-on, I felt a chill. It felt exactly like a herbivore being hunted by a lion. It was obvious at first glance. ''He was talking about earthworms and whatnot...'' This man has no intention of going easy on me at all. "Then I''ll be serious too." After delivering a light warning, I cast a spell. The first spell I cast was, of course, a Light Magic. No, to be precise, it was a Light Attribute Transformation Magic. ''I can do it now.'' That conviction kept growing within me. And as I thought. Whoosh! A pure white aura covered my body, and I felt as if gravity had disappeared, my body becoming lighter. And the moment I took a step. Kwaaa-a-a-ng! I shot out too quickly, and my body slammed into the wall. It was a much faster speed than when I had tried it once before. ''What is this...!'' Naturally, I was taken aback. [...What in the world are you doing?] Asion Gale was no different. "No, this speed is..." [...So, you weren''t an earthworm, but a baby viper after all.] Asion Gale had no intention of listening to my excuses. Taaa-a-at! The white lion, Asion Gale, immediately lunged at me again. Because of that, I didn''t even have time to calm myself down and took a stance again. My mind was filled with only one thought. ''Slowly... Slowly...'' Let''s generate only as much speed as I can control. However. This time again, my body was launched at an incredibly explosive speed. I was just fortunate that I didn''t crash into the wall thanks to already being tense. No, rather, I turned it into an attack. Bbaa-a-a-ck! "...Are you alright?" Gra-a-a-wl! A series of punches followed in an instant. Asion Gale, who was hit by it, bared his pure white teeth as if he felt unpleasant. He looked ready to bite me at any moment. And that wasn''t just my imagination. Swaaa-a-a-sh! Suddenly, a vast amount of mana spread out from his body. Snap, snap! Snap snap snap snap! A semi-transparent barrier was erected, circling around me and Asion Gale. [Asion Field]. It was the dean''s will not to end this duel until one of us fell. "No, there''s no need to go this far..." Gra-a-a-wl! Asion Gale ignored my words again and lunged at me. It was the same charge, but the movement was on a different level than before. His two front paws, no, the sharp claws on those front paws. They glared at me fiercely. ''I have to dodge.'' Sensing the danger instinctively, I immediately moved my feet. Thump! I restrained my launched body as much as possible and moved away from where I was standing. However, Asion Gale, as if he had expected it, immediately changed his trajectory and launched an attack. The view in front of me was filled with huge, pure white teeth. It was at that moment that I extended my finger. "....Void." A chant I was uttering for the first time. Swaaa-a-a! Dozens of magic circles rose behind my back, and at the same time, a pitch-black space opened up right in front of me. It was so large that it could swallow even Asion Gale''s huge body. At the same time, it wasn''t just big; it began to powerfully suck in its surroundings, as if proving it. Whoo-o-o-sh! Clunk, clunk! Whee-e-e! The chairs, desks, various sundries, etc. that were there. It sucked everything in without exception. Even Asion Gale. [......!!] His large pupils visibly dilated. It was at that moment that a vast amount of mana was imbued in Asion Gale''s claws. Chee-e-e-eng! Shaa-a-a-ck! He, who was floating in the air, strongly swung his front paw. Jee-e-e-ek! He tore apart the space of void I had created with his claws. To be honest, I was a little worried. As expected, he was the dean. The power to tear space apart? ''Being a high-ranking mage isn''t something anyone can do.'' But why is it? The voice of Asion Gale that followed. [Just now... you... what in the... ] Sounded more surprised than me. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 127 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 127 [......] Asion Gale was speechless, his mouth just opening and closing as if he couldn''t believe it. I asked him. "What''s wrong?" He seemed quite surprised, but I was just as surprised. My spatial magic was stronger than I had expected, but I didn''t think it would cause this kind of reaction. Besides, Asion Gale had just felt my spatial magic a few hours ago, hadn''t he? That''s why it felt even more strange. But perhaps it wasn''t the case for him. [......You''ve already transcended the level of a viper. Amazing. This is truly amazing.] Without answering my question, he was busy spouting out exclamations of admiration. It was a long time before Asion Gale looked at me. And. [Your spatial magic has already surpassed the limits of the 5th Circle.] He suddenly told me that my magic had exceeded the limits of the 5th Circle. Naturally, I was taken aback. "Excuse me? What does that mean..." [No, in the first place, it''s strange that the 5th Circle can handle that level of spatial magic.] "....Then what level is it, exactly?" Asion Gale replied with a resolute face to my question. [7th Circle.] "....7th Circle?" It was an answer I couldn''t help but be surprised by. 7th Circle. That was a stage two Circles ahead of my current power, and a realm called a high-ranking mage! My mind couldn''t quite believe it, so I asked again. "Is my spatial magic really at the level of a 7th Circle mage?" [Yes.] Asion Gale nodded, confidently confirming it as if there was no mistake. No, it didn''t end there. [It''s not just spatial magic. The Light Attribute Magic you used on your body has already surpassed the realm of the 6th Circle.] "Excuse me?" Asion Gale gave an even more surprising answer. ''My Light Magic is also 7th Circle?'' My head was filled with questions. [Yes, to be honest, I was skeptical at first. No matter how much you unraveled the tangled mana circuits in the Room of Time and Mind, skipping two stages at once is a very rare occurrence. But... I''m certain. You are already at the realm of the 7th Circle.] My whole body trembled at those words, and my hands started shaking. How should I accept this situation? There was only one judgment I could make. "....Professor Ziren. Please call Professor Ziren." To meet a 7th Circle mage directly and confirm. Then, I would soon be able to reach an accurate conclusion. *** Ziren Renata, a professor at Asion Academy and someone directly assisting Dean Asion Gale. The moment she received the sudden order, she clutched her throbbing head. "...Ugh, what is this all about all of a sudden?" On the communicator she was looking at, there was a short and resolute message. [To the Multi-Purpose Duel Room immediately. Duel with student Yuhan.] -Asion Gale, Dean of the Academy- "A duel, you say..." The alcohol she had poured down her throat last night hadn''t even worn off yet. But suddenly, a duel? And with Yuhan of all people... "When I tell them to work hard, they don''t, and when they should be resting, they''re working hard..." She was already sick and tired of it. And no wonder, wasn''t Yuhan the student whose talent was unbelievable? "They said he made enormous contributions in this war too..." A duel with such a student. It was obvious what kind of event would unfold without even looking. It would be a very tiring duel that she couldn''t slack off even a little. With her condition being so bad, it was something she was reluctant to do. But what could she do? Ziren didn''t really have a choice. No matter how lenient and easygoing Asion Gale might seem, the dean was afterall the dean. Even if she didn''t want to, she had no choice but to follow the order. "Hmm." After hesitating for a moment, she nodded as if she had made up her mind. Still, she had fortunately made a plan of her own. "...I''ll finish it quickly and get some rest." A plan to end the duel as quickly as possible and enjoy a sweet rest again. Even though she would have to go all out, and it wouldn''t help the student''s development, there was nothing she could do. "I''m a person too..." Right now, the minimum rest she should take as a human was more important than her posture as a professor. Thinking that, Ziren trudged along. *** Had about an hour passed? Around that time, the professor Ziren I had been waiting for finally appeared. And she wasn''t dressed neatly as usual, but rather in a disheveled state. At first glance, it was clear that she had just woken up. I felt a little guilty for no reason. "Um, I... Did you hear about it?" I asked cautiously, and she nodded with a sullen face. "Yes, I heard you suddenly requested a duel?" "Ah, yes. It''s just, there''s something I want to test a little. I feel like my skills have improved a bit..." "Hmm, I see. I understand perfectly. It''s because you''re still passionate about magic." Professor Ziren''s tone was kind. Fortunately, she seemed to understand why I had called her here. Of course, the kind tone was just up to there. "But being complacent is very dangerous. Magic is by no means an ability that can be improved in a short period. If you become intoxicated with your own power and talent like that, you will soon be frustrated." "Excuse me? What do you mean..." "I mean, don''t be too impatient. With this kind of haphazard sparring, your skills will never improve. Only constant effort, and more constant effort, is the way to develop your skills." "......" What is this person talking about? She was being kind, but her words felt sharp. Her face clearly showed that she had something to say. As I was staring blankly at Ziren with that thought, she sighed deeply and said, "......Hoo, from now on, I hope you only call me when a duel is absolutely necessary." "Ah......" And only then did I understand the reason for Ziren''s long words. ''......She''s displeased.'' It seemed that calling her out early in the morning was still not to her liking. ''No wonder Ziren kept her distance as soon as she arrived.'' I glanced at Asion Gale, who was tucked away in a corner. Asion Gale, who met my gaze, gave me an awkward smiling look. It was a look that clearly said, "Hehe... the aftermath is up to you." ''I hope she''s not angry?'' Just as I was thinking that. "Instead, I will give you a proper match today. Will that satisfy you?" Crack, crack! Professor Ziren, who stretched her neck to the side, sent a signal. It meant that she was about to start the duel. "Yes, that''s exactly what I wanted." "Very well. Let''s begin then." With those words, she took out a rather thick book from her bosom. It seemed that this was the weapon that Professor Ziren used... "Hmm." It didn''t look very efficient to me. If I kept my eyes on that, I wouldn''t be able to fully concentrate on the battle. Although, as someone who hadn''t used that kind of weapon, I couldn''t give a definite answer. Well, there was no need to worry too much anyway. ''I''ll find out soon enough.'' I would know whether that weapon was effective or not once I clashed with her. "Then I''ll go first." "......" I took Professor Ziren''s silence as a sign of agreement and immediately gathered my mana. The first spell I cast was the same Light Magic as before. Swaaaaash! The power of light filling my body. I calmly felt it and then gently stepped forward. At that moment. Paaaang! My body was launched like an arrow, as always. It was a speed that couldn''t even be compared to when I used the Lightning Attribute Transformation Magic. Of course, there was no incident of me failing to control my power and crashing into the wall like before. While waiting for her to come, I had practiced quite a bit through the duel with Asion Gale. As such, my body was perfectly directed towards Ziren, and when I got close enough. I threw a punch while maintaining my speed. Bbaaaack! My fist had landed squarely in her abdomen. "Keugh!" Ziren slumped to the ground as if she was having trouble breathing. The moment I saw that, I was so flustered. ''Why didn''t she react?'' Because I naturally expected Ziren to react when I threw a punch. Who would have thought that she would allow the attack without any resistance like this? I was genuinely worried and asked cautiously. "....Are you alright?" "......" Ziren didn''t give any particular answer. She simply maintained that posture without any response. How much time had passed? Ziren cleared her throat and suddenly got up from her seat. Her nonchalant expression was as if she was telling me with her face that nothing had just happened. "....I was thinking about something else for a moment. Let''s continue." I didn''t know if those words were true, but... well, it wasn''t an important matter. "Yes." I immediately nodded and cast the spell again. This time, I detonated the condensed mana that Asion Gale had praised, adding dark attribute mana, and displayed dozens of magic circles behind my back. Whoooom! Then, a pitch-black hole was created in an instant. The casting speed was definitely faster now that I had used it a few times. This time, Ziren also used magic to counter it. "Ignite." Ignite. It was the same magic that Kayla had used before. However, it was ambiguous to say that it was really the same magic. Whirrrrr! To anyone who looked at it, it seemed much more powerful than the Ignite that Kayla had shown us. Trrrrr! A single stream of fire, connected from the tip of Ziren''s staff, cut through the floor and approached me at a terrifying speed. And at the moment when I was wondering how to respond to this. Swaaaaash! For some reason, Ziren''s flame disappeared before it even reached me. It didn''t take long to figure out the situation. ''....It got eaten?'' The powerful suction of the Void Magic had swallowed the Ignite. And then came silence. "......" Neither Ziren nor Asion Gale said anything, and only then did I realize that something was strange. Ziren was underestimating me too much, and my magic had really become incredibly strong. Thump! Thump! Thump! sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. My heart was pounding like crazy at the thought that what Asion Gale had said wasn''t a lie. I wanted to test my mana against Ziren''s as soon as possible. If possible, a little more fun. I broke the silence first and said. "Um... Professor. You can go all out now." Then. "Heut! Hehehehe!" Suddenly, Ziren started giggling like a crazy person. She, who had only shown a dignified appearance usually, was acting like this, so it looked bizarre. "....Professor?" Even to my question, Professor Ziren just kept muttering something. "Hehehe! I understand now... It''s interesting, it''s interesting...." And then. Pak! She abruptly stopped laughing and lifted her head. "You are truly a student who is fun to teach." By that time, her eyes were somehow different. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 128 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 128 Thwack! Professor Ziren suddenly closed her book and said. "From now on, I''ll be serious." Her gaze was focused solely on me. Now that I saw it, it seemed it was a weapon that could be used in that way as well. "You said you were serious earlier too......" "Here I come." Whooooom! Before I could even get a proper answer, mana surged around Ziren. They instantly formed magic circles, and Ziren''s magic was activated right after. Whirrrrr! A huge fireball shot out through the magic circles. It wasn''t to the extent of a super-large casting magic, but it was a size that was hard to believe was conjured in such a short time. ''......Impressive.'' This must be Professor Ziren''s true strength. As expected, the professor''s position at Asion Academy wasn''t something anyone could take. Chaak. I reached out and drew out dark attribute mana. This time again, I was thinking of responding with spatial magic like before. Whoooom! A pitch-black space large enough to swallow the fireball was created. At the same time, the void space and the fireball began to collide. Pajijijik! One is trying to swallow the magic, and the other is trying to pierce through the magic. And the result was. Puhaaang! It was an explosion. Both the fireball and the void space disappeared without affecting each other at all. Ziren''s eyebrows twitched at that. With a face that showed she was hurt in her pride, she immediately cast the next spell. Hwaaaack! Mana was emitted in all directions. It covered the floor of the duel room and turned into flames. [Blaze Field]. This, too, was the original form of the magic that Kayla had used. Flames began to spring up from all directions. They emitted scorching heat and constricted my breath. ''How should I respond to this?'' After thinking for a while, I came up with a pretty good idea. ''Wait, if I really reached the 7th Circle......'' Wouldn''t I be able to cast a field magic similar to that as well? An image vaguely formed in my mind. I decided to try it right away. First, mana emission. "Huuph." Swaaaaash! My mana, which had become denser due to the improved mana circuits, covered the surroundings. And then. ''Attribute application.'' I imbued the widely spread mana with my will and applied an attribute to it. The attribute I applied was one. Still my main attribute, ''Light''. - Magic Learning Ability increases by 300%. Recalling all the field magic I had seen so far, I moved the mana in a process as similar as possible. Paaaat! The result could be seen at a glance. Above Professor Ziren''s [Blaze Field], pure white lights were flashing. It seemed that I had succeeded in casting my first field magic. "......!!" Perhaps she didn''t expect me to counter field magic with field magic, Professor Ziren''s eyes widened. "......Field magic? Did you just cast field magic?" "Well......? I just tried it. Did I succeed?" "......Heh." Ziren let out a hollow laugh as if she was taken aback by my reaction, which was asking her back. "You can know better than anyone else whether your field magic succeeded or not. You''ll feel something on the outside." "Feel something, huh......" At those words, I closed my eyes and focused on my senses. Before and after casting the field magic. If I had really succeeded, there would surely be some difference. But. "......I don''t feel anything?" I didn''t feel anything in particular. The only change was the light that was still flashing periodically around me. "Don''t you feel like the magic''s power has increased, or your mana regeneration has improved, or... nothing at all?" "Yes, unfortunately." "Then it''s a failure." "......Is that so." Professor Ziren directly told me that the field magic had failed. I felt a bit disappointed. I thought I would succeed since my circuits had returned to normal... ''And I didn''t feel anything particularly off.'' Well, I guess I''ll just have to practice a bit more. "Then let''s go again." "Certainly." I shook off my lingering feelings and focused on the duel again. Now that things had turned out this way, I decided to make the most of even my half-baked field magic. Thwack. I naturally reached out to the light that was flashing around me. The light was in a state where mana was circulating very normally. ''This could be useful?'' With that thought. I grabbed the light and threw it at Ziren. Paaaang! The light clusters flew menacingly towards Ziren as I had intended. Puhaang! Although it was burst in the air by Ziren''s fire magic, I was quite satisfied. Because that last attack was launched without drawing up any mana. Moreover. ''There''s still a lot left.'' There were still more than a dozen light clusters remaining around me. Also, they were in a very flashing state as if they were asking to be noticed. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Pat! Pat! Pat......! As if embracing their wishes, I grabbed another light cluster. This time, even shape transformation. Whoooom! At the same time as the light cluster transformed into a spear shape, I took a throwing stance and threw it. Shaaaack! - 300% proficiency boost for all bladed weapons. As it was transformed into a spear shape, the light cluster was launched at an even more threatening speed than before. "....Hmm?" Puhaang! Ziren, who had a strange look on her face, raised a pillar of fire and burst the spear of light. However, the attack she had to block was not just one. Because after launching the first spear of light, I was creating and throwing spears in succession. Shaaaack! Shaaaack! One, two, three, four...... Light spears flew endlessly. Ziren instinctively felt the danger and began to block them with all her might. Puhaang! Puhaang! Puhaang! However. "....What is this!" No matter how hard she tried to block them, the spear attacks didn''t end. Because I was moving with the intention of throwing all these light clusters away. Moreover. "Huuph!" I also added variations from time to time so that it wouldn''t be too obvious. For example, by shooting beams instead of spears, or by using existing mana to deploy spatial magic. Thanks to that, her breath was gradually running out. "Hoo-uh...! Wa, wait... wait...!" "There are ten more left." Shaaaack! Ignoring her request for a time out, I continued to throw the light clusters. And the more I did that. ''This is pretty useful?'' I felt that the utility of this field magic was quite good, more than I had thought. Although it doesn''t have the effect of increasing magic power or directly raising the caster''s stats like others, it allows for continuous attacks. Shaaaack! Shaaaack! How long had passed? Just when I felt like my skin was burning in Professor Ziren''s [Blaze Field]. Taaat. I stopped throwing the light clusters and landed gently on the ground. And. Paaaat! I immediately used the same method to cast the Light Attribute Field Magic once again. Pat! Pat! Pat! Pat! Dozens of light clusters appeared around me once more. It was at that moment that Ziren screamed as if in agony. "Stop-p-p!" Thwack. At that cry, I stopped moving. "I, I''ve lost. I''ve lost..." Professor Ziren, with a drained voice, admitted her defeat. For a moment, I was too bewildered. ''....I won?'' Although it was a duel. It was the first time in my life that I had defeated a 7th Circle mage with my skills. *** After the duel ended and Yuhan left the duel room. Asion Gale and Ziren Renata stared at each other intently. "......" "......" They clearly didn''t exchange any words, but they could tell. That they were feeling similar emotions right now. "......Did you see it?" "......Of course, I saw it. Right in front of me. With my own two eyes clearly." "I was the one involved, though......" "Hehehehe." ¡®How on earth should I accept this situation?¡¯ It was Ziren who spoke first. "Just what happened to that student?" She couldn''t understand why Yuhan''s skills had suddenly improved so much. Fortunately, Asion Gale, who knew the cause, was able to explain the situation. "Do you remember me saying that Yuhan''s mana circuits were a mess before?" "Of course. I remember. You were making such a fuss about recruiting that student because of that." "Yuhan, today, in the Room of Time and Mind, he fixed those mana circuits." "......Excuse me?" Professor Ziren flinched. ''Fixed the mana circuits...?'' Fixing the circuits was by no means something anyone could do. Even if they were slightly tangled, it would cause tremendous pain. According to the dean, Yuhan''s circuit condition was completely messed up. As such, it was nearly impossible to unravel those circuits overnight. Unless one had extraordinary concentration and perseverance. Moreover. ''And that too, in the Room of Time and Mind...?'' The fact that the student had entered the Room of Time and Mind was even more surprising. That place was a place that Dean Asion Gale had firmly guarded, a space that he hadn''t opened even once until now, wasn''t it? Even to herself, who was a 7th Circle mage and a professor. It was clearly because of the danger... "Just why did you put that student in there...?" Ziren, who had suddenly uttered the question she had, stopped talking. Because she felt like she knew the answer herself. "Could it be that you judged that he had that much value? In that student?" "Indeed." Asion Gale nodded proudly. That much value? She could definitely answer that question at least. A student with potential that even she herself couldn''t properly assess. And from today onwards, Ziren would also agree. After all, she had directly experienced it, hadn''t she? His unbelievable magical growth. "Didn''t it also seem that way to Professor Ziren?" At Asion Gale''s question, Ziren recalled. The situation of the duel that had just happened. The Light Magic he wore on his body, the spatial magic that swallowed everything, there was nothing that wasn''t surprising. No matter how much he unraveled the tangled mana circuits and his skills improved tremendously. Moreover. There was something even more surprising. ''....That field magic.'' The half-baked field magic that the student had just cast. No, the field magic that she thought was half-baked. ''It was a magic with those kinds of effects.'' Having experienced it directly, that field magic was already complete. It doesn''t give special effects, but it''s a field magic that allows you to focus solely on attack. "He has... value." Gulp. Ziren swallowed her saliva. Even though it was a duel, he was already a student who had surpassed her. If that student grew even more from here, she couldn''t even begin to imagine what kind of mage would be born. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 129 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 129 After the duel with Ziren, only one thought kept swirling in my head. ''7th Circle, 7th Circle, 7th Circle......'' The fact that I had reached the 7th Circle. The fact that I had reached the level of a high-ranking mage. Since the 7th Circle was the point at which the realm changed so drastically that one could be called a true mage, I couldn''t help but feel a renewed sense of emotion. "......Am I really 7th Circle?" Doubt also crept in. Unlike Professor Ziren or Asion Gale''s evaluations, I needed to confirm for myself what I thought. I immediately took off my gloves and started. Whoooom! Gazing at the small sphere of light that floated above my palm, I was lost in thought. ''It''s definitely different.'' It was the Light Magic I always used, but the difference was visible even to my eyes. The mana that was constantly circulating within the sphere had definitely changed to a stable form. Thanks to that, the Light Magic itself seemed to have become a bit clearer. To put it a bit more simply, it felt like I had traced the outline of a blurry picture? Moreover, I didn''t even realize that my magic had looked like a blurry picture before. I just thought it was a characteristic of Light Magic. ''......Light can be this clear?'' Whoooosh! Spatial Magic was the same. Perhaps because it was the place where the sphere of light had been until just now, an even deeper-looking space was created above my palm. If I kept staring at it, it felt like I would be sucked in in an instant. Spatial Magic as threatening as the Light Magic, which had grown further. It wasn''t for nothing that the dean and Professor Ziren had rated it so highly. ''......At this point, it''s definitely the realm of the 7th Circle.'' Thump! Thump! Thump! After directly experiencing it, my heart was beating even faster. I immediately wanted to show this Light Magic to Ani Person. I was incredibly curious how he would react. He would surely be happier than me, the person directly involved in reaching the 7th Circle. However, unfortunately, now wasn''t the time for that. There was something more important left to do than looking at someone''s reaction. ''Hidden Pieces.'' It was to acquire the Hidden Pieces scattered throughout Asternon. Since there were no separate schedules arranged, now was the perfect time to get the Hidden Pieces. Above all, the biggest reason was that there was no reason to stay in Asternon any longer after the war ended. It was a situation where I had to take what I could get here and leave. "Mr. First Place!" "Yuhan." "Yo!" "You''re here?" Thompson, Kayla, and Barundel had arrived at the meeting place. I had given them a heads up while we were having drinks. Today, I was planning to take these three with me to search for Hidden Pieces. This was because among the Hidden Pieces, there were many that were useless to me but useful to them. As such. "As I said yesterday, today will be a bit busy. I''ll be traveling all over the Sectors." "It''s okay, it''s okay." I had to move even more busily. Just the places that came to mind right away were not one or two. "But I heard that you''re looking for hidden elixirs in Asternon, is that correct?" "It''s similar. There are many kinds. There are elixirs, artifacts, and magic books." "Huh, how do you know about such things? Come to think of it, you didn''t answer me last time either..." "Ah, there''s an information guild I frequent, and I got the information from there." "......Is that so?" Barundel stared at me with a suspicious look. I, who had vaguely glossed over it, avoided his gaze and changed the subject. "Oh? Mister, you''re wearing that today. It looks like I haven''t seen it before." It was a perfectly appropriate topic. The tawny robe I had gifted Thompson was visible behind his back. It was actually one of the things I had been curious about since before. I wanted him to use it effectively in the war if possible. Well, there must have been a reason why he didn''t do so. "This guy is so noisy, you see. I can''t use him unless I tone down his personality." Ah, so that was the reason. It was quite understandable. He was pretty noisy even when I bought him at the black market. "Is it still talking now?" "Of course. Now, if this guy is quiet, I''d find it rather strange." "Um, just a moment." Wondering to what extent, I approached Thompson and touched the robe. Then. [You-u-u rascal! My archenemy who put me in this situation-n-n! We finally meet agai-i-in!] Even though it wasn''t heard with my ears, a muffled noise echoed in my head. "Oops." I immediately retracted my hand and nodded. It was enough to convince me without room for objection. "It''s certainly noisy." "Right? This guy has quite a temper. It doesn''t even flinch when it''s scorched by fire or submerged in water." "Really?" Judging from what he was saying, it seemed that taming the robe was not easy. While I was wondering how to help him, "Is there anything useful among the artifacts you might get today?" "There''s nothing like that separately... Huh?" I got a hint from Thompson''s words. It was a problem that didn''t require much deliberation. Because it was something that would be naturally resolved once today''s journey was completed safely. "Hehe, let''s go." I glanced at the robe once before moving my feet. For some reason, the robe seemed to be trembling and avoiding my gaze. [...Y-y-you rascal-l-l!] *** We headed to Sector 7 first. Starting from Sector 7, and if possible, all the way to Sector 1. I planned to gradually acquire the Hidden Pieces as I moved deeper inward. "Yuhan, Kayla, Thompson, Barundel. Three mages and one dwarf warrior." "Th-thank you for your support......!" There was no need to sneak in and out like before. Currently, Sector 7 was undergoing a recapture operation after the war ended. As such, our group, with its considerable strength, could easily enter under the pretense of supporting the demon subjugation. How long had we been moving? "This place brings back memories." We had finally reached the outermost area of Sector 7. It was also the place where I first opened my eyes upon entering this world. Strictly speaking, it had been less than a year, a recent event, but perhaps because I had been through so much, it felt like the distant past. Well, anyway. There were Hidden Pieces to acquire here as well. Since we needed the demon parts, I had judged it too dangerous back then and just passed it over. Now, the demons of Sector 7 weren''t dangerous at all. "You three, please take care of the approaching demons. I''ll go find the item alone." "Okay." "Ah, and please do as I said earlier when I send the signal." "Got it." After asking my companions to escort and keep watch, I immediately moved to the location of the Hidden Piece in my memory. Even though the geography of Sector 7 had changed a lot, if there hadn''t been any geological changes, it would probably be in the same place. "It was around here......" After wandering around for about 10 minutes. "......Found it." I found a pit that was particularly sunken compared to other places. There were even weeds growing thickly around the outer rim. It looked exactly the same as I had seen in the game. Pew-pew-pew! As soon as I found the pit, I shot a streak of Light Magic over my head. It was launched like a signal flare and exploded in the air, and soon I found three [Goblin Demons] creeping towards us. They were the ones that my companions had deliberately let through. To get the Hidden Piece here, we needed their heads. Kieeee-e-ek! The goblins, who met my eyes, rushed at me like they were possessed. As a reward, I immediately shot three streaks of [Swimming Light] at them. Ta-da-da-da-dak! Keeee-eee......! The goblins immediately burned from the holy power. Slice! Slice! Slice! Without hesitation, I cut off their heads and put them in the pit. The blood from their heads formed a puddle in the pit. Crack! Crackle! After confirming that, I tore the weeds around the pit and covered it. The last was a short incantation. [May blood and life meet to give birth to another life-.] A response came immediately. Whoo-o-ong! Swaaa-a-a-sh! A red light leaked out from between the weeds covering the pit and then subsided. And when I removed the weeds. "Loot acquired." As expected, there was an item sitting alone inside. [Mana Regeneration Elixir]. Although it wasn''t a very impressive item...... It was the moment I got my hands on a Hidden Piece for the first time since entering this world. *** The operation to conquer the Hidden Pieces of Sector 7 proceeded at lightning speed. From items that could only be acquired by proceeding alone, to those that required a group of four or more people. All sorts of patterns repeated, but thanks to memorizing the conditions for each, there were no instances where we got stuck. As a result. "......So, all these items were obtained based on information you heard from the information guild?" "......Where is that information guild? Let''s share the good stuff." "A-as expected of Mr. First Place!" In less than 3 hours, we were able to acquire more than ten Hidden Pieces. Thanks to the rewards not being fixed to just one type, there was a variety of them. Three Hidden Pieces of the elixir type that we obtained at the very beginning. Five items classified as equipment. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Four items classified as artifacts. Three consumables. And the two most valuable magic books. "This is about enough, we''ve gotten almost everything we could get." I started picking up the items one by one and distributing them to my companions. "This is for you, Barundel, and this is yours, Kayla. And mister, take this." "Y-you''re giving us this much?" "Then, are you not taking anything?" My companions were bewildered and asked about the distribution that didn''t leave a single item for me. "Ah, I don''t really need anything." It wasn''t empty words. Elixirs, equipment, artifacts...... They were all things that were neither here nor there for me. It was to the extent that it would be more profitable to just go to any store and sell them than to use them directly myself. The magic books obtained by revealing the base of the rotten tree were the same. Since they were obtained in Sector 7, they were worse than proper basic magic books. Well, even so, as they were still magic books, they could be sold for a pretty high price. Anyway. There was the most important reason why I handed over all these items to my companions without leaving a single one out. "Instead, if there''s anything I need later, I''ll keep one for myself. You can use the rest." Because this way, there wouldn''t be any objections later when we found really good items. If my companions had their eyes on something I really needed when I found it, it would be quite a difficult situation. That''s why I handed over less important things, and as I thought. "Alright. Do as you please." "......We''ve met a good party leader. It seems like we always receive more than we give." "Uhaha! Isn''t that proof that Mr. First Place has the qualities of a hero?" My companions readily agreed. Without anyone knowing my true intentions. ''This is ultimately a good thing for all of you.'' Everything was going according to plan. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 130 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 130 While moving to Sector 6 to acquire another Hidden Piece¡­ ¡°By the way, Mr. First Place, what is this used for? I can¡¯t figure it out.¡± Thompson suddenly asked. In Thompson¡¯s hand were two golden rings. ¡°Ah.¡± Come to think of it, I only distributed them without explaining. ¡°That''s an artifact called the [Rings of Promise].¡± ¡°Artifact?¡± [Rings of Promise]. The rank was rare, and the usage was simple. Each person takes one of the two rings, and then when they say the content of the contract with the other person, it is activated. The effect was to give the other person a strong electric shock if they broke the content of the contract. Of course, it was an artifact that could be used even if the target wasn¡¯t a person. In other words, it could also be used on artifacts with egos. ¡°¡­¡­Is that really true? Does it really work?¡± ¡°Try it if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Ah, okay.¡± When I told them how to use it in detail, Thompson nodded with a determined face. And Thompson immediately headed to where he had carefully folded the robe. I followed him and picked up the robe. [Heng! What other nonsense are you trying to do! Do you think I¡¯ll fall for such a trick!] The robe¡¯s complaints were heard before it even started. Thompson opened his mouth without hesitation. ¡°If you say that you will obey me for 100 years, I will give you freedom after the contract, robe!¡± Then. [Puh-huh-huh¡­¡­ 100 years? You think I¡¯m a sucker! Did I look so easy to you!] Flap! Flap! The robe started throwing a tantrum. It was only natural since it was such an unreasonable condition. But. Bbaaack! In the first place, Thompson had no intention of making a reasonable contract. Thompson, who even used Body Transformation Magic on his right hand, suddenly started beating the robe. And Thompson repeated the same words. ¡°If you say that you will obey me for 100 years, I will give you freedom, robe!¡± [W-what is this¡­¡­!] Bbaaack! [Kyaaaack!] A gruesome scene, even though there was no blood and flesh splattering. The robe¡¯s screams continued endlessly, and the more it did, the tighter I gripped the robe. ¡°Hold it tight, Mr. First Place!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bbaaack! Even after a long time had passed like that. [You, you bastards¡­¡­ I will never forget this humiliation! I-I will definitely make you pay, so be prepared!!] Flap¡­¡­! Flap¡­¡­! Even though it couldn¡¯t even control its own body properly, it didn¡¯t show any intention of surrendering. "It was certainly stubborn as Thompson said." At that moment, Thompson let out a sigh as if the world was ending. "Hoo, it''s no use. Mr. First Place." "Are you giving up already?" "There''s nothing I can do. It doesn''t want to listen to me even if it dies." "But still..." "I have to dispose of it, then." "Excuse me? Dispose of it?" It was at that moment. Snip! Snip! Snip......! That the sound of metal suddenly came from behind. When I looked back, there was Barundel standing there holding a large pair of scissors. The blades were so sharp that it looked like they could cut through steel. "When did you even...?" "I just made them now. Dwarves are a race skilled in tailoring." "Mr. Dwarf, I''ll leave the back to you." "Trust me. Miss Kayla!" "Yes, let''s go." Whoosh! As Barundel gave the signal, Kayla suddenly lit a fire. It was a fire with a heat that was obviously high at first glance. I was watching what they were trying to do, and I was startled. Chiiiik! Barundel was heating the scissors with Kayla''s fire magic. I could tell what he was going to do with those without even asking. I quickly grasped the situation and spurred the robe''s fear. "Robe, are you going to be okay...?" [Th-these crazy bastards! Let go of this! Let go of this right now!] "That''s not possible. Sorry about this, robe." [Uwaaaa-a-a-a!] Thump, thump, thump. Chiiiik! Barundel, who had completely heated the scissors, came closer little by little, snipping the air with the scissors. His expression was so scary that even my back felt cold. "Huhuhu, robe. I''ll help you be born with an even better look." [N-no! Th-there''s no need for that! Go away! Go away-y-y!] Chiiiik! The moment the scissors, emitting hot air, were about to touch the robe. [Sto-o-o-op!!] Along with the robe''s scream, everyone''s movements stopped abruptly. The robe, as if relieved, said in a sobbing voice. [I-I''ll do it, the contract.] The sentient robe purchased from the black market. It was the moment when it was made to obey for 100 years. *** "Ehehehehe..." Thompson let out a lewd chuckle from time to time. He seemed to be very pleased with having made a contract with the robe, although it was through threats. "You like it that much?" "Of course, I like it. Whose gift is this? Hehehe, finally I can use it!" "......I''m glad. It suits you well." "Really?" They weren''t empty words. Thompson, with his broad shoulders, was wearing a mage robe that fit his size perfectly, and he couldn''t look any more reliable than this. Moreover, since he had succeeded in making the contract, the robe''s performance would surely be excellent. Anyway. "We''ve already arrived." Before we knew it, we had crossed Sector 7 and set foot in Sector 6. The place that could be considered our hometown in a way. This time, I was thinking of gathering the Hidden Pieces here. "But are there really hidden items here too? There are so many people..." "They''re everywhere. The activation conditions are tricky, so not just anyone can find them." "Now that you mention it, the first item was like that too." The first item Thompson was referring to, the [Mana Regeneration Elixir]. I had already told them how we obtained it. By filling the pit with [Goblin Demon] blood, covering it with weeds growing nearby, and then chanting the incantation. It wasn''t just that one. Most of them couldn''t be obtained through ordinary methods, such as having to pass through complex traps in hidden underground areas, or cooperating with others to unlock devices. As such, others probably wouldn''t even know that the Hidden Pieces existed. ''As expected.'' That thought proved to be true this time as well. When we reflected the sunlight of Sector 6 with a mirror and illuminated a specific area, a new space appeared that wasn''t there before. Creak! There, we found the Hidden Piece we were aiming for. A translucent liquid filled in a flask shaped like a gourd. [Beginner Growth Potion]. It was an item that could only be used before level 20, a consumable that raised the player character''s level by 1. And what was more important was. ''My current level is 19.'' It was an item I needed right now. As soon as I found it, I told my companions. "I''ll take this one." "Oh! Are you finally taking one for yourself?" "Yes, it''s something I need. It''s also something only I can use." "What kind of effect does it have?" Pon! Instead of answering, I opened the stopper of the flask. "You''ll know when you see it." Soon, I drank the liquid inside in one gulp. Gulp, gulp. "Ugh... The taste is really like crap." The taste was awful, but the effect was certain. An unknown sense of fullness started to spread from within me right after I swallowed the liquid. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon. Hwaaaack! A green light enveloped my entire body for a moment. A phenomenon that was always welcome whenever I experienced it. I had finally reached level 20. Thompson, who had witnessed this phenomenon countless times, asked while backing away. His hands were trembling, he seemed quite surprised. "D-did your soul just grow?" "Yes, well." "There''s such an item...? I''ve never heard of it before." "It''s a pretty rare item. Of course, it wouldn''t have any effect unless it''s someone like me." Indeed, nothing would happen even if an NPC drank this potion. Because NPCs don''t have levels. It means it''s a potion that only players can benefit from. Thanks to that, I could drink it without any worries. ''...Finally level 20.'' I had finally reached level 20, which I had been longing for so much. But for some reason. I didn''t feel so good. Actually, I knew the reason very well. ''It''s too slow.'' This uneasy feeling was because the leveling up speed was too slow. More precisely, because the speed of leveling up was slow compared to the speed at which my realm was rising. ''It''s abnormal, abnormal.'' To have a realm of 7th Circle, but only level 20? I had raised countless characters, but this was the first time I had grown so unbalanced. And the reason was probably because of the ''Mythic tier trait''. ''...Thanks to the trait, my realm is soaring, but my level isn''t?'' No matter how fast the realm rises, if the level doesn''t keep up, I can''t get the full efficiency. It seemed that I needed to solve this chronic problem. By maintaining the speed of Circle ascension, but drastically increasing the speed of leveling up. Fortunately, there was a way that came to mind. ''Next is Alfheim.'' Alfheim. A land where mystical nature and the ''elves'', a different race, live together. The next destination has been decided. *** Meanwhile, in Alfheim on the western continent. It was a place that always maintained tranquility and peace, but for some reason, the atmosphere was a bit different today. There were birds, beasts, and spirits, but none of them made a sound. They were all holding their breath and just watching the elves. Thud! Elder Elf Ervehim, who slammed the table, said with veins bulging on his forehead. "These stupid dwarves...!" The reason she was so angry was simple. Kazandur, the continent right next to Alfheim. The dwarves living there were gradually expanding their territory. And in a way that encroached on Alfheim''s territory. "Have those fools forgotten what a peace treaty is? I''m sure we agreed not to invade each other''s territory no matter what!" "We also mentioned that point, but... they said they absolutely cannot back down, Elder, as if they have some kind of circumstance." "Circumstance?" At the subordinate''s report, Elf Elder Ervehim twitched her pointy ears. It was her unique habit that only came out when she was really angry. "There are no circumstances to be lenient about in a peace treaty. Regardless of the reason, a peace treaty is something that must be observed. Isn''t that right?" The subordinate, realizing his mistake, lowered his head as if ashamed. "Y-yes, you''re right." "We can''t keep watching them invade our territory, can we?" "...Yes, yes. Of course. We need to set an example, especially in times like these." "Good, I''m glad you think so too." Tzzzzzz! Ervehim''s ears twitched rapidly. To be honest, she was also nervous. Because she knew how much damage this one decision would cause. On the elf side, and on the dwarf side. But there was nothing she could do. She was the elder of the elves. Now that they had invaded the elves'' territory, as the elder, she had to make a decision. "They must have been fully prepared when they did this." Finally, Ervehim, who had made a big decision, declared. "Prepare yourselves. Prepare to make those dwarves feel the fear of nature!" The declaration to prepare for war with the dwarves. This war would probably be one that wouldn''t end until one of the two races, the dwarves and the elves, disappeared. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 131 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 131 About a week after searching for hidden pieces all over Asternon. ''I''ve got just about everything I need, haven''t I?'' There was an end in sight to this whole endeavor. From Sector 7 all the way to Sector 2. I had obtained every hidden piece I could get my hands on. Now there was only one sector left. But. ''Hmm... should I go there or not?'' I was having some serious doubts. The last remaining sector was none other than Sector 1. It was definitely a place with a lot of useful hidden pieces, but it was also a place with a lot of tricky stuff. ''Getting in is going to be tough, though... and it''s not like I took the royal route.'' Just getting in was a problem. Royal Commander, Royal Guard, Royal Mage, and so on. There were a lot of jobs that could get you into the royal palace, but thanks to my decision to go all-in on the Magic Swordsman tree this time around, I was miles away from any of them. In short, it meant that getting into Sector 1 was going to be difficult. Of course, you don''t necessarily have to have those jobs to get into Sector 1... but the other options were the same. In many ways, they were not relevant to me. While I was wondering what to do, I suddenly had an idea that seemed at least possible. ''The only thing I have going for me is the Royal Commander... should I try to use that?'' It was to ask for help from ''Elbert Tyran'', who had offered me the position of Royal Commander. Just enough to get me inside Sector 1. As a nobleman, Elbert Tyran might know a way to get into Sector 1. I didn''t take long to make up my mind. ''Let''s give it a shot.'' I had nothing to lose anyway. It wasn''t like I was going to be worse off for trying. More than anything. "Hehehe, Mr First Place. Are we really going to get to go into Sector 1? That place where only royalty lives?" "I''m curious to know what kind of food the royalty eats." "But is this even possible?" My party members were looking forward to it. Well, even if I managed to get in, I didn''t know if I could bring them with me. "I''ll see what I can do. Don''t get your hopes up too high." After saying that, I went straight to Elbert. Elbert''s residence was in Sector 2. This place wasn''t easy to get into either, but thanks to the ''High Mage''s Guarantee'' that Asion Gale had written for me, I was fortunate enough to get in without much trouble. And so I met Elbert again. I couldn''t help but smile when I saw him. "It''s good to see you again?" "It''s only natural. You develop a bond with your comrades who have fought together." "I''ll take that as a ''nice to see you too'' from the Commander." "...You''re not wrong. Tell me." While Elbert was answering, he suddenly raised one hand. Then, as if he had been waiting for it, a middle-aged man bowed his head. He seemed to be Elbert''s butler. "Yes, sir. The preparations are complete." The place we were currently in was Elbert''s mansion. As such, the hospitality was no joke. Clatter, clatter, clatter! At a signal from the man who seemed to be Elbert''s butler, a dozen or so servants wheeled in carts full of food and began setting them up. At first glance, the food looked like high-end dishes that were worth their weight in gold, and there was a ridiculous amount of it. "...Are you telling me to eat all this?" I was already worried about how I was going to finish all this. "Of course not. Just pick and choose what you like." ''......Yep, he''s got money to burn.'' It was a moment that reminded me once again that Elbert was a nobleman. Anyway, after chatting about this and that and starting our meal, how long had it been? Elbert brought up the main topic first. "So, what''s the reason you came to see me? You don''t seem like the type to come without a reason." "Do I have that kind of image?" "Do you need to ask?" "......I guess I do." It seemed that Elbert had realized that I had a purpose in coming to see him. Without hesitation, I immediately told him what it was. "Is there any way to get into Sector 1? With me and my party members all together." "Sector 1? Why?" "Um...... sightseeing?" "......?" Elbert looked at me with a look as if he was looking at a crazy person. Well, I guess he had a point. Who would go to Sector 1, where only royalty lives, for sightseeing? Of course, I knew that from the start, but I didn''t bother to make excuses. If I gave another reason and ended up having restrictions on my range of movement, it would be worse than not going at all. Right now, I needed to get into Sector 1 in a way that would allow me to move around as freely as possible. "Are you serious?" "Yes." "......I''ve never met anyone who wanted to go to Sector 1 for such a purpose in my entire life." "Is it difficult?" At my question, Elbert, who had been stroking his chin, suddenly nodded his head. "It''s not possible for reasons like sightseeing, but there is a way to get into Sector 1." "What is it?" "Do you remember what I told you before? About becoming a Royal Commander." "Of course I remember." "For now, accept that offer." "......Excuse me?" My eyes widened at the unexpected words. Accept the offer to become a Royal Commander? What was he talking about? Despite my bewildered feelings, Elbert calmly continued his explanation. "There are three processes involved in becoming a Royal Commander. First, proof. Second, perseverance. And finally, third, a duel." Proof, perseverance, and duel. I was aware of these three processes as well. To put it simply, proof is about proving that you have the qualities of a commander. Perseverance is about enduring the harsh training. The duel is about proving your skills in a real fight through duels with other current commanders. And the reason Elbert brought up this story was the first step, ''proof''. "As a royal commander, the proof must be seen and judged directly by His Majesty. In other words..." "You''re saying I have to go to Sector 1 no matter what." "That''s right." I seemed to know what he was talking about. What Elbert was saying was that I should accept the Royal Commander offer and enter Sector 1 temporarily. Let''s think about it for a moment with my mouth shut. ''Not bad?'' I felt that it was quite reasonable. If I did as he said, I would naturally be able to stay in Sector 1, and I would have plenty of time to get the hidden pieces. After getting everything I needed, I could just naturally drop out saying I couldn''t do it anymore. But there was one thing that bothered me. "Then only I can go in, right?" The fact that my party members could not enter through this method. It didn''t matter much, but it was a bit disappointing because there were some hidden pieces in Sector 1 that required four or more people to obtain. But. "It''s possible. All you have to do is say that you need your companions to prove your qualifications." Unexpectedly, Elbert told me that it was possible. "You already have a history of working with your companions several times, so if you explain that it''s necessary for the proof, the royal family will probably understand." "......That''s really going to work." The more I heard, the more it seemed worth doing. I was glad that I asked Elbert. Of course, there were some things that I was worried about. "But just in case, what if, just in case, I get stuck being a royal commander?" The situation where I would have no choice but to be a royal commander no matter what I did. If that happened, it would be more difficult than anything else. I had come all this way, and now I was going to become a royal commander? I could never accept that. Even more so because I couldn''t catch Baal as a royal commander. But that didn''t seem to be important to Elbert. "Then just do it, what''s the worry? Being a royal commander is not something to worry about, it''s something to celebrate." Rather than worrying about such a situation, he seemed to think it was fortunate. "If that really happens, I''ll treat you to a big meal." No, it wasn''t just fortunate, it seemed like he was welcoming it... ''Is this guy recommending this method to make that happen?'' I couldn''t help but have such a suspicion. Well, that aside. "Okay, I understand. It seems promising." The fact that the method Elbert told me was pretty good was undeniable. "Please tell them that I will be a royal commander." "Alright." And so, I began my adventure to get the hidden pieces. *** Three days later. A letter arrived at the Asternon Royal Palace. "Hmm, is it Elbert?" From the crest, it was a letter from Elbert Tyran, the 7th Knight Commander. Ttuk, tteuk! The King of Asternon eagerly tore open the letter. Elbert Tyran was one of the knight commanders who had served him for quite some time. Moreover, he was a man known for his taciturnity. As such, he was very curious to know what kind of content was contained within. [Greetings, Your Majesty. I hope this letter finds you well. As Your Majesty''s health and well-being are directly linked to the safety and security of Asternon, our knights pray for your peace every day...] The beginning was, as always, nothing special. A greeting wishing for his well-being, saying that he must be healthy for Asternon. The king, curious about the main point, immediately turned his gaze to the place where the core content was written. [Therefore, I would like to recommend a talented individual suitable for the position of Royal Knight Commander. It is the mage, Yuhan. Yuhan is an experienced mage who has dedicated himself to the safety and prosperity of the kingdom...] Understanding the context, the king nodded his head. "A letter of recommendation." It was a letter of recommendation for the Royal Commander position from Knight Commander Elbert. He had received countless such letters of recommendation, but perhaps because it was sent by Elbert? "...Yuhan." After reading the entire letter, the king became intrigued by the person written in this recommendation. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In a way, it was a natural thing. Elbert Tyran had been in the position of commander for over 10 years, but he had never recommended anyone before. And that meant. "...Just how talented is he?" It meant that the Yuhan mentioned here was no ordinary talent. To the point of capturing the heart of Elbert, who had such high standards. While recalling the name in his head, the king suddenly struck his knee as if he had remembered something. "...Yuhan. I''ve heard of him." If his memory was correct, he was a mage who was reported to have played a major role in the recent [Blood Moon Prophecy] war. Even a mage who defeated a legion commander-level powerhouse. Strangely enough, since he was a commoner, he didn''t pay much attention to him at the time. But to hear about him again like this, there must be something about him. Thump. Feeling his own heartbeat, the king quietly opened his mouth. "I will judge him with my own two eyes." If he was such an outstanding talent, he could never escape his sight. And depending on the results, the life of this mage named Yuhan would change. In these days full of only mundane things, this recommendation was a welcome news to the king, which he had heard after a long time. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 132 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 132 After deciding to take the Royal Commander''s test. "Then I''ll let you know when I hear anything." "Hehehe, I hope it''s good news." "Don''t worry." I sent my party members back to Sector 6. Although Elbert had written a recommendation letter for me, I couldn''t take the test right away. ''He said it would take about two days at the latest.'' He said that the decision on whether or not I could take the test would be made within that time. The worst-case scenario would be failing despite having a recommendation letter. Of course, according to Elbert, such a thing rarely happened, so I wasn''t particularly worried. Anyway, after sending my party members back. Since I had some time to spare, I went straight over to Sector 3. "Master!" "Oh, disciple!" It was because I wanted to show Ani Persson my improved magic as soon as possible. My head was full of happy imaginations. ''Maybe I can develop my light magic even further now.'' As I had already reached the realm of the 7th Circle, my light magic was almost perfect. But that was just my judgment. I didn''t know how it would look from the perspective of Ani Persson, an expert in light magic. As such. "Take a look at this." As soon as I met Ani Persson, I immediately cast light magic. Ani Persson, upon confirming my magic, showed the reaction I had expected. "......Ma, magic?" His eyes were wide open and quite comical. I couldn''t help but put strength into my voice. "Hehehe, how is it? My light magic." "......It''s like seeing someone else''s light magic. It''s truly amazing!" "Right?" "What on earth happened in the meantime?!" Ani Persson gestured with a face that seemed to be urging me to explain quickly. I could roughly guess how he, who was so sincere about light magic, felt, so I didn''t hesitate any longer and started talking. "I achieved a lot of results in the recent [Blood Moon Prophecy] war. It''s true that you need actual combat to develop magic." "That''s right, that''s right. Good experience tends to lead to faster development. But... that''s not all, is it?" "You''re sharp as ever. Of course, that wasn''t all." Just as I was about to continue the explanation. I suddenly had a dilemma. Whether or not to explain about the ''Room of Time and Spirit''. I quickly came to a conclusion. ''It''s better not to mention it.'' I didn''t know how famous that room was, but it was a place that the academy dean had been guarding for generations. Even if I spread rumors that I used that room, it didn''t seem like there would be anything good about it. Above all. ''I can''t fully trust Master yet.'' I hadn''t given Ani Persson my complete trust yet. I had heard rumors about him, and even I could see that he was a suspicious man. I still knew nothing about Ani Persson. Well, anyway. I started explaining, leaving out that point. "I realized that my mana circuit was a mess during this war." "Mana circuit?" "Yes, so I got help from the Academy and completely overhauled my circuit. The result is what you see now." Woo-oong! Above my palm, a sphere of radiant light was still spinning around. Ani Persson, who was looking at the sphere with me, nodded his head as if he understood. "Indeed, that''s what happened. If you fixed the circuit, it''s perfectly understandable. Of course, even considering that, it''s still a truly amazing development..." "Haha, my mana circuit was quite a mess, you see." Just then. I felt like the timing was right, so I brought up the question I was curious about. "By any chance, what level of magic circle do you think my magic has reached, Master?" It was about directly asking about the realm that Ani Persson saw. You never knew. Ani Persson''s evaluation might be different from Dean Asion Gale''s. Perhaps, unlike the dean, Ani Persson might answer that it was at the 6th circle level. But it was an unnecessary worry. "At this level... I would say it''s at least a 7th circle level light magic." Ani Persson''s evaluation was not much different from Asion Gale''s. No, rather, it seemed that he was evaluating it even higher. "''At least''?" "Yes, if you touch it up a little more from here, you can even aim for the 8th circle." "......8th circle? Are you serious?" "Of course. I''m serious. Ah, but don''t misunderstand, disciple. Just because I said this doesn''t mean it will be easy." Of course, it wouldn''t be. The gap between the 7th and 8th circles is enormous. To the point where the difference of one step in the previous circles seems trivial. The important thing here was that Ani Persson evaluated that the 8th circle was possible. Even if it wasn''t easy, it meant that there was a possibility. ''I''ve seen many cases where people gave up being a mage because they couldn''t reach the 8th circle.'' Most of them were not users but NPCs, but anyway, that was how difficult it was to reach the 8th circle. It meant that Ani Persson''s praise was not something to be taken lightly. I calmed my excited heart and asked calmly. "......Then Master, what points should I improve from here?" Now was the time for Ani Persson''s special lecture. *** A pitch-black room where nothing could be seen. Inside, I, who had been quietly closing my eyes, after a long time, suddenly floated a sphere of light attribute. Hoo-oong! A sphere containing the [Essence of Light]. As it was seen in the dark room, the bright and beautiful light filled the entire field of vision. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. However. ''It''s far from enough. This is terrible light.'' I deliberately belittled my own light and began to look for shortcomings. It was because of Ani Persson''s first piece of advice. -You will only see the shortcomings when you are not intoxicated by your own power. Not being intoxicated by my own power. It was the most necessary part for me right now and the first step to the next level. Of course, even if I had such a strong desire, it wasn''t an easy task. Hoo-oong! ''......I really don''t get it.'' No matter how I looked at it, it was just a perfectly fine light. I couldn''t find any flaws. Unlike the ones I used before, the mana was stable, the shape was clear, and the color was even more brilliant. What more could I possibly add to this light? ''......Let''s move on for now.'' I put aside my troubled feelings for the time being and moved on to the next step. With Ani Persson''s second piece of advice. -Light is an attribute that has more freedom in form than any other attribute. In other words, you can develop it in your own direction. Develop it in my own direction. Ani Persson also added an explanation that he couldn''t help with this part. He said that it was only possible to develop it with my own power, with my own thoughts. There was no need to be particularly discouraged. As he said, all I had to do was find my own direction. A question that I had never considered before was swirling in my head. ''What kind of light do I want?'' The question of what kind of light I wanted. In the case of the light attribute, the path that people pursue varies widely. For example, Dercion''s light had a feeling as if it was being chased by something. Compared to the light magic of other elders, the mana moving within the light was also faster, and the shape changed from moment to moment. It was a light that showed desperation as if it desperately wanted to transform into another form right now. ''Then what about my light?'' I was still maintaining the orthodox form like the elders of Aldeon. However, there were limits to this. I needed something special like Dercion''s light. Something special of my own. While I was pondering for a long time, an image suddenly came to mind. ''......Light that is faster than anything else.'' It was the first thought that came to my mind when I thought of light, and it was the image of light that I wanted. In terms of speed, it was not inferior to anything else. I wanted my light magic to be such magic. And at the same time as I harbored such a desire. Hwaaaak! The mana within the sphere of light began to circulate at an incredible speed. As if it was about to explode at any moment. My desire was expressed through the mana. Hoo-oong! Honestly, the rapidly circulating sphere of light seemed a bit dangerous. But I, far from restraining it, further increased the speed. I could intuitively feel it. That whether or not I could overcome this was the part that could determine whether or not I could break through my limits. ''Faster, even faster...!'' Whee-ee-ing! The speed had become so fast that it was no longer visible to the eye that it was even circulating. ''It''s working!'' It was at that moment that I finally felt the possibility. Puh-wung! The sphere exploded, scattering light in all directions. At the same time, my body was caught in the explosion and thrown backwards. Bang! I crashed into the wall of the dark room and slid down as it was. Only then did I let out the breath I had been holding back. "Cough!" It hurt like hell. I didn''t have any strength left in my body, I wondered just how hard I had hit the wall. Just then, Ani Persson hurriedly opened the door to the dark room and came in. "Disciple...! Are you alright?" "Ah, Master." It seemed that the noise had reached outside. "What is this..." Ani Persson, who turned his head and checked the surroundings, immediately supported me and sat me down. Tap tap, he brushed off my body with a worried face and asked. "What on earth happened?" "...Well, I found the path I wanted to take. I was practicing it and then this happened..." "Are you rushing ahead like this again? I told you to decide on a direction, but when did I tell you to practice it?" "......Haha." "Hoo, disciple. You don''t have to be so impatient. It''s a realm that you''ll eventually reach if you don''t give up. But if you''re this impatient, you might have an accident before that someday comes." Ani Persson scolded me. The sound must have been quite loud, he seemed to be really worried. "I''m sorry." "No, it''s not something to be sorry to me about. Apologize to your own body." "......I''m sorry, body." "Good." Only then did Ani Persson, who seemed satisfied, shake his head and said. "So, what path did you decide on?" Ani Persson''s eyes were shining. He seemed to be secretly expecting something. There was nothing to hide, so I told him in detail. "I just think that light cannot be separated from speed." "......Speed?" "Yes, so I decided to pursue light that has pushed speed to its limit. The explosion happened while I was practicing that process." "......" But, had I said something wrong? "......Master?" "......" Ani Persson kept his mouth shut without saying anything. And he had a rather serious look on his face. It was a long time after that that Ani Persson opened his mouth. "......Disciple." "Yes?" He said quietly, with a more serious face than ever. "Perhaps it is fate that we met." And those words were something that I couldn''t understand at all. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 133 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 133 "Fate... you say?" Suddenly, after creating a heavy atmosphere, he was talking about fate? It was such an unexpected remark that I was dumbfounded. However. "With your current growth, you will soon understand why I said that, disciple." Ani Persson did not clear up my curiosity. Rather, he simply responded with meaningful words. "You''re really not going to tell me?" "You wouldn''t understand even if I told you now." "Hoo..." My chest felt stuffy. ''It feels like it''s an important story.'' I could sense it intuitively. That this story was related to the rumors about Ani Persson that I had heard. And that if I heard this story, all my doubts about Ani Persson would be resolved. But since he didn''t want to talk about it, there was nothing I could do. So, just as I was about to move on. ''Wait, isn''t it about time I could ask about this?'' A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I brought up a question that I hadn''t been able to ask until now. "Would it be alright if I asked you about the rumors from 5 years ago?" Thump. I brought up the story quite cautiously, but upon hearing the question, Ani Persson''s movements stopped. "......Rumors?" What''s more, he even reacted as if he was hearing about it for the first time. It seemed that he was very reluctant to talk about it, but this time, I had no intention of backing down. "It''s no use pretending you don''t know. Didn''t you even mention it yourself when we first met? That people didn''t come to you because of some strange rumors." "Ah, that''s right... yes, that''s right." Only then did Ani Persson nod his head as if he had remembered. I didn''t miss this opportunity and drove the point home. "Could you tell me about it?" Frankly, this was a very important issue. It was an issue that would determine whether or not I could maintain my relationship with Ani Persson in the future. No matter how outstanding an expert he was in light magic, I couldn''t continue to carry this uncomfortable feeling. Ani Persson seemed to sense that as well. "Alright. I can see the look in your eyes. I can''t avoid it any longer. Huhihi..." He let out a meaningless laugh and then nodded his head as if he had made up his mind. Soon after. "Alright. I won''t tell you everything, but I''ll tell you about how those rumors came to be." He said he would tell me the truth and opened his mouth. "First of all, how much do you know?" How much, huh... Without hesitation, I revealed everything I knew. "I heard that Rodveny Ashitan was learning light magic from you and then disappeared." "......Hmm, I guess you know everything then. Alright." Ahem! Ani Persson cleared his throat and composed himself. "To talk about this, we must first talk about Rodveny." He continued, his face quite serious. "Rodveny was..." He calmly told the story of Rodveny, and I quietly listened to him. It wasn''t as complicated a story as I had expected. The circumstances under which Ani Persson met Rodveny, the reason he started teaching him light magic, and so on. It wasn''t much different from the rumors I had heard, and that was all there was to it regarding Rodveny. And, the important story continued from there. "Rodveny, he was as sincere about light magic as you, disciple, and I, too, taught him diligently so as not to betray his sincerity." "Diligently as in...?" "It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that I passed on all the knowledge I had about light." Everything. That one word showed how outstanding a disciple Rodveny was. It meant that Ani Persson had passed on all the knowledge he was so proud of, knowledge that had reached the realm of the 9th circle. And the beginning of the problem also started from there. "As he learned more about light, he gradually went mad. Later, even I couldn''t stop him. He even defied the king''s orders and devoted himself to light magic, so I think you can imagine how crazy he was." "Exactly how was he mad?" "He didn''t harm others. He was just frantically obsessed with and craving light." Ani Persson closed his eyes gently and continued speaking. His face looked as if he was recalling the past. "And he finally reached the last knowledge of light." The last of light. I instinctively realized that this word was the key keyword in the current conversation. At the same time, countless question marks began to pop up in my head. What exactly does the last of light mean, is it a different kind from the "true light" that Dercion yearned for, and so on. I asked him about that. "I can''t tell you the former, and I don''t know the latter very well either. I don''t know what the Aldeon academy was aiming for. However." Ani Persson turned the conversation away as if that wasn''t important, and then suddenly clenched and unfolded his fist in the air. "The moment Rodveny was about to reach the last knowledge, he vanished without a trace." "......Disappeared?" "Yes, it was a complete disappearance. After that, no trace of Rodveny could be found anywhere. It''s easier to think that he just went to another dimension." "Another dimension?" "Of course, that''s just my guess. Puhihihi..." Huh, suddenly another dimension? Is it possible to travel to another dimension with light magic? I couldn''t grasp anything. Unless Ani Persson told me. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eventually. "What exactly is that last knowledge of light?" I further questioned him about the last knowledge that he was trying to hide. Rodveny''s disappearance, another dimension, everything seemed to be related to this. From what I''ve heard so far, Ani Persson seemed to know about it. As I thought. "I will absolutely not tell you about that. The time has not yet come." Ani Persson spoke with a nuance that he knew about the last knowledge. Even though he didn''t say it outright. "I don''t want to repeat the same mistake twice, disciple." "......I understand what you mean." I didn''t pry any further here either. This question seemed to be closely related to Ani Persson''s wounds. Besides, it didn''t seem like he would never tell me. If that were the case, he wouldn''t have mentioned that the time wasn''t right. Anyway. Now I had figured everything out. The relationship between Rodveny and Ani Persson, the events that had occurred there, and the reason why strange rumors had spread. ''So, Rodveny''s disappearance wasn''t something Ani Persson wanted.'' It was just something that the royal mage, Rodveny, had done on his own, driven by his greed for light magic. That is, if everything Ani Persson said was true. "Was this explanation sufficient, disciple?" Ani Persson asked as if he was satisfied. Well, honestly, not all of my doubts were resolved, but this was enough for now. "Yes. Thank you for kindly telling me, even though it must have been a painful memory, Master." As I bowed my head, Ani Persson wore a faint smile. "Let''s end today''s lesson here." With those words, he once again concentrated on his research. It was a sign for me to leave. "I will come back to learn again next time." I also shook off my lingering attachments and turned my back. Meanwhile, only one thought was on my mind. The last knowledge of light. The cause that led Rodveny to disappear. I also had a feeling that I might reach it someday. *** "It-it''s confirmed?!" Two days after receiving Ani Persson''s teachings. Thompson cheered loudly upon hearing the news. "Hehehe, is it really true? Is this not a dream, Mr First Place?" "Yes, it''s confirmed." Through Elbert, I had received word that the first gate of the Royal Commander test, which we had been waiting for, had been passed. And that included all of my party members. "......I never expected that I would get to go to Sector 1, either." "You guys, I''m the most surprised, you know. Who would have thought that I, who came from Sector 7, would get to go to Sector 1?" "It must be quite a special feeling for you, Ms. Kayla." My party members talked about their own feelings and made a fuss. It''s just visiting Sector 1, but I wondered if they were getting too excited, but I didn''t have anything to say. Ironically, I was also just as excited. ''......Why am I so nervous about something like this?'' I had been to Sector 1 of Asternon many times in the game. But now, I was not going as a game character but actually setting foot in Sector 1 myself. It was only natural to be nervous since I was going directly to the place where only royalty lived. Of course. ''......Nothing bad will happen, right?'' On the one hand, I was also worried. Just because they were royalty didn''t mean they were any more gentle than the nobles. No, rather, they were often worse. They had the power to cover up any kind of unreasonable behavior they might exhibit. Thinking about the things that the Asternon royalty had done in the past, there were many things that were beyond what a normal person would do. And, of course, most of them were on the negative side. ''If a serious situation arises... I''ll leave Asternon immediately.'' Just as I was secretly making this plan. Clatter, clatter. "Have you been waiting long?" Elbert appeared, riding in a golden carriage. Since the Royal Commander evaluation was important, he came to pick us up himself. Thanks to that. ''......Everyone, absolutely don''t raise your heads.'' ''If you even make eye contact, you don''t know what kind of tyranny they might inflict!'' ''Oh God. Please don''t let me have any harsh trials.'' ''Move aside! Move aside!'' The residents'' attention was thoroughly captured. Everyone was muttering something and hurriedly moving out of the way. Well, who would come to Sector 6 riding in a carriage full of gold decorations? Perhaps the residents might have thought that Elbert was royalty. "......Let''s hurry." "......Okay." We quickly boarded the carriage before the people''s attention became even more focused. Thompson wiped his forehead with his hand, looking nervous. "Hoo, this is the first time I''ve ever received this kind of attention." "......What kind of people do you think they thought we were?" "Well, wouldn''t they have thought we were butlers or servants?" Meanwhile, Barundel, who was looking around the inside of the carriage with admiration, asked Elbert a question. "How much does a carriage like this cost?" "I don''t really know. It''s something that''s hard to get with money in the first place. Usually, when you gain a position, the royal family gives it as a reward. I received it after becoming a commander." "......A carriage bestowed by the royal family. I can tell how precious it is without hearing more." I let that story pass through one ear and concentrated on the scenery outside the window. Clatter, clatter. The carriage had already departed. The pleasant sound of horse hooves and the moderate swaying helped me to get lost in my own thoughts. ''He said it would take 6 hours.'' According to Elbert, it would take about 6 hours to get to Sector 1. As expected, it took a long time since it was the innermost sector. Fortunately, there was no time to be bored. "Ehhahaha! So, even the commander had such times?" "......It''s not like I was an adult from the beginning. Is that so funny?" "Of course! Who would have imagined? Elbert Tyran, a seven-year-old who wet his pants. Kekekekeke." "Tsk, I shouldn''t have said anything." More interesting stories than I expected were exchanged. They had so much to say that the conversation didn''t seem to stop. How long had it been like that? "We''ve arrived." Clatter. The carriage stopped with the words that we had finally arrived. When I glanced out the window, a magnificent golden entrance caught my eye. Next was the sight of dozens of royal soldiers in golden armor, raising their spears. Clack! Clack! Clatter! Seeing that, I already felt a sense of awe. Because I realized once again where this was. ''Sector 1......'' We had finally arrived at the innermost sector of Asternon. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 134 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 134 "I am Elbert Tyran, the 7th Knight Commander. Accompanying me are the mage, Yuhan, and his party. We are here for the Royal Commander Evaluation that will be held today." Flap! Flap! At Elbert''s explanation, the soldier guarding the entrance scanned the documents, then nodded as if he had found the list. "Yes, you have been verified. You may enter." ''Having Elbert here really makes a difference.'' For some reason, the security seemed even less strict than in Sector 2. It must be because Elbert, whose identity is certain, is with them. ''Come to think of it, the carriage we rode in was a gift directly from the royal family.'' Indeed, being a public official affiliated with the nation has its perks. The support is immense. The value of that one carriage alone was something I could barely dream of earning even if I worked my fingers to the bone. While I was thinking about this, a question flashed through my mind. ''Wait a minute, is that no longer the case?'' Come to think of it, I am now a bona fide 7th Circle mage. I have entered the realm of high-ranking mages. That means my worth has increased tremendously. Even if I take on a single request, the reward I receive will be on a completely different level from what I used to receive. ''Then buying a carriage might not be such a difficult task?'' Well, the only way to know for sure is to earn the money myself. Just as I was resolving to visit the request office as soon as this was over, Thud. "Halt." Elbert stretched out his hand and stopped us. I raised my head and saw that we were in front of a magnificent castle... "From here on out is where His Majesty resides. Always be careful not to make mistakes." It meant that we should be careful as it is a place where many royals and VIPs stay. It was only natural since it was Sector 1, but I became very nervous when I heard it from Elbert''s mouth. Step, step, step. As Elbert warned, I carefully moved my feet. And. ''Wow, what is this?'' Each step was followed by admiration. The main castle where the highest authorities of Asternon reside. The facilities there were so shockingly good. ''This is completely different from the castle I saw in the game?'' The Asternon Academy, the Aldeon Magic Tower, Sector 7, etc. I have witnessed many places that have changed from their previous appearances over the past 100 years. But none of them could match the changes here. Whether I looked here or there, the decorations were all overdone with gold. I was about to get a headache if I looked at it any longer. ''...How much money did they spend on appearances?'' Just as I was endlessly admiring, Thud! "My fellow companions can only accompany you up to this point." The soldiers who were moving with us raised their spears and blocked our way. Looking ahead, there was a large arched gate, which seemed to be the audience chamber. That''s why they blocked us. "Only Yuhan and I will enter." At Elbert''s words, the soldiers bowed their heads as if they understood and stepped back. Afterwards, the audience chamber door slowly began to open. Rumble! The huge sound, befitting its size, echoed in my ears. Soon, my gaze was drawn to the soaring, open ceiling, and the throne situated on the central dais. The moment I made eye contact with the person there, I instinctively bent one knee and paid my respects. "It is an honor to meet Your Majesty." Elbert did the same. "I am Elbert Tyran, the 7th Knight Commander. I pay my respects to Your Majesty." "Yes. Welcome to my palace." A deep and heavy voice echoed in my ears. A noble yet confident voice. Just by exchanging a few words, I somehow felt like I could instantly discern his nature. Kailius Asternon. He is a person who has never bowed down to anyone. While I was thinking that, King Kailius continued to speak. "You are Yuhan. Is that correct?" "Yes, Your Majesty. I am Yuhan." "I heard that you are a 6th Circle mage?" "That was how I was known up until the war at that time, but since then, my skills have improved, and I am now a 7th Circle mage." Wince. I could feel Elbert next to me flinching when I said that. Well, it was only natural since I had never told him this fact yet. Kailius was probably surprised as well. "Oh... a 7th Circle mage at such a young age?" For the first time, emotion was infused into his otherwise calm voice. "Yes, Your Majesty." "Sir Elbert, I wondered why you wrote a letter of recommendation, but you have brought quite the talent, haven''t you?" "...He is a friend whose skills are definitely top-notch, Your Majesty." "So it seems. If he is a 7th Circle mage, there is nothing more to say about his skills." Kailius, who nodded once as if acknowledging, suddenly spoke in a firm tone. "However, as you also know, the position of Royal Commander is not a position that can be attained simply by having outstanding skills." "Yes, that is true." "There are already many talented individuals in Asternon. The important thing is whether you possess your own special quality. Tell me, Sir Yuhan. Do you have such a special quality?" ''Here it comes.'' It was a question that was asked lightly, but there was strength in his voice. The first trial to be overcome to become a Royal Commander, proof. It had begun. ''...Special quality, huh?'' Since I had to pass at least the first stage to achieve my goal, I pondered deeply. What kind of special quality does Kailius desire, and what is my greatest strength? The answer came to me faster than I expected. Well, my strengths are obvious. "I possess outstanding magical talent. Not just ordinary outstanding, but a talent that is so superior that it cannot be compared to anyone else." [Prodigy of Magic]. That was the best strength I could appeal with. "Superior talent, your confidence is quite impressive?" "Because it is the truth, Your Majesty." "I can see that you are a bold fellow. I like how you are not at all daunted even when saying such things." "Thank you." "However." Thud, Kailius struck the armrest of his throne once. The voice that followed was more serious than before. "I truly despise lies. Can you take responsibility for what you just said?" "......" After a moment of contemplation, I nodded my head. "I can take responsibility." To be honest, it would be a lie to say that I have no anxiety at all. Things in life are unpredictable. However, as much as I was anxious, I also had confidence. ''In this world, there is probably no one else who possesses two Mythic-grade traits.'' I have confidence that I will absolutely not be inferior in terms of talent compared to anyone else. Perhaps he felt that certainty? "Good." Kailius, who nodded as if he understood, spoke to a minister waiting nearby. Then. Step, step, step. Before long, a man walked into the audience chamber and bent his knee. "Royal Mage, Kalian Asheron. I pay my respects to Your Majesty." Royal Mage. Upon hearing that introduction, I realized what Kailius was thinking. ''He''s telling me to prove it directly?'' He seems to be trying to verify my talent through that man named Kalian. As I thought, Kailius suddenly presented us with a mysterious magic book. "What you have in front of you is an unpublished magic book that has not yet been released to the world. Read it immediately and show me the results." He demanded that we learn the magic written in it. I was surprised again. I didn''t expect him to verify talent in this way... ''He''s handing over such a precious unpublished magic book so easily?'' It was to the point where I couldn''t understand it with my common sense. That kind of mindset was only possible if you didn''t even think of an unpublished magic book as an investment. Of course, aside from that point, it was also the most certain way. "Yes, Your Majesty." The man who introduced himself as Kalian immediately took action as if he was used to this kind of thing. Flip, flip...! The magic book began to be flipped through quickly. I also put aside other thoughts and immediately unfolded the unpublished magic book. At the same time, my eyes quickly began to scan it. - Magic learning ability is increased by 300%. It didn''t take long to figure out what kind of magic was written inside. ''Gravity magic!'' Although the principle is slightly different from where I lived, gravity exists here as well. And the content written here was a magic with the effect of weighting that gravity. ''Indeed... it''s not for nothing that it''s an unpublished magic book.'' At first glance, it was a magic that could never be learned through normal routes. It''s also a rare opportunity. ''Regardless of victory or defeat, this is something I must learn.'' With that thought, I quickly read through the magic book. In a state of complete immersion, I put the theory and formulas required by the magic book into my head. The pages began to turn like crazy. *** Flip! Flip! Flip! King Kailius Asternon of Asternon. He unknowingly opened his mouth. ''What is this...?'' One page, two pages, three pages, four pages...! No wonder, the black-haired man in front of him was turning the pages at an unbelievable speed. Just like someone speed-reading an ordinary information book. ''Is he even reading it properly?'' Naturally, such a question arose. To his eyes, it looked like he was just skimming through it a few times and then moving on. It didn''t take long to come to a conclusion about this. ''Tsk, he''s playing tricks.'' At first glance, it was a trick he was playing because he realized that he couldn''t compete with the Royal Mage anyway. A trick to make it look plausible just by appearances. If not, there was no other way to explain this situation. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Disappointment.'' To be honest, he had been expecting something. He thought that he would be a great guy since he was recommended by Elbert. But what was this, some dog bone-like guy came in from somewhere. Moreover, a guy who was so out of his mind that he was playing tricks in front of the king of a country. He even felt pathetic for having expected something. ''...He will have to pay the price for daring to play tricks.'' He couldn''t just let this humiliation pass. He had to make this impudent guy pay the price. ''The start is a week in solitary confinement...'' Just as he was contemplating what kind of punishment would be appropriate, Thump! He heard the sound of someone closing a book. It was the crazy mage, Yuhan, who claimed to be a 7th Circle mage. Naturally, he made eye contact with him, and he opened his mouth with a confident face. "It''s over." "Over?" "Yes, Your Majesty. I have perfectly mastered the magic in the magic book you gave me." "Ha ha ha!" In the end, Kailius couldn''t hold back his laughter. It was only natural, since he was a guy who had only read the magic book with his eyes without even trying it once. Of course, there was no way he could have mastered the magic. "Is that so? Then show it to me in front of me!" Kailius demanded that he use magic. And the moment he made an excuse there, the moment his punishment would be confirmed. Yes, he certainly thought so... Thud, thud, thud! Suddenly, the surrounding air began to feel heavy. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 135 [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 135 The change wasn''t just in the surrounding air. His breathing became rapid, it was difficult to balance, and his joints were under strain... Thud! Thud thud! On top of that, even a faint vibration spread throughout the entire castle. "What is this..." Kailius couldn''t understand the situation that was happening right now. And it wasn''t just Kailius. There was no one who could fully accept this situation. "Al-already?" "What kind of magic is this..." "As expected, he doesn''t disappoint." Just as the situation was getting more and more serious, "St-stop!" Kailius, who instinctively felt that proceeding any further would be dangerous, shouted urgently. "Yes, Your Majesty." Yuhan, bowing his head at that shout, withdrew his mana. Thud thud thud... Only then did the vibration of the castle stop, and the strange symptoms felt in his body disappeared. ''...Is it real?'' It wasn''t a coincidence. The mage in front of him had really caused this phenomenon. Kailius immediately asked the Royal Mage, Kalian Asheron. "Kalian, what kind of magic was written in there?" The unpublished magic books given to the two were the same magic book with the same content. Kalian would know the answer to this phenomenon. As expected, Kalian said, his hands trembling. "...Gravity weighting magic." Gravity weighting magic. With that one word, no further explanation was needed. Yuhan. That guy, who he thought was just tall and well-built, had really mastered the magic written in the unpublished magic book, and showed it off on the spot. Kailius then turned to the scribe and asked. "Scribe, how much time has passed?" "Your Majesty, it has been exactly one hour." "One hour... one hour... hahaha!" In the end, Kailius couldn''t help but burst into laughter. It wasn''t the same kind of laughter as before. It was just laughter that came from pure admiration. "Amazing!" Kailius, who had only shown a calm demeanor until now, continued speaking in an extremely excited tone. "I have met and experienced countless mages until now, but I have truly never met a mage like you!" "Is that so?" "Yes, to master the magic in the unpublished magic book in just one hour? As you said, this is definitely an outstanding talent!" "Thank you for seeing it that way. It was possible because it was such a high-quality magic book." "Hehehe, there is no need to be humble now. You have the right to be proud of yourself. Hmm, let''s see..." Kailius, who was stroking his chin and pondering something, opened his mouth. "From my perspective, your talents seem to lie in being a Royal Mage, not a commander. What do you think? Do you have any thoughts on this?" It was a completely unexpected suggestion. Not only for Yuhan but for everyone else as well. Everyone stiffened at those words. It was only natural, as the Royal Mage was the most sought-after position among all the Royal occupations. The Royal Mage was several levels above the original goal, the Royal Commander. As such, receiving such a proposal was naturally an unusual occurrence. But the surprise was only temporary. ''......That''s true. The commander position was my own greed.'' Elbert immediately agreed with Kailius''s suggestion. Yuhan was excellent in command ability as well, but not as much as his magical talent. He simply wanted to bring him in as his junior, but when he thought about it calmly, it was right for him to take the path of a Royal Mage rather than a Royal Commander. A mage with that level of skill couldn''t be allowed to rot by having him command mere soldiers or knights. On the other hand, Kalian... ''What? He''s going to make him a Royal Mage?'' He was seething with resentment inside. From his point of view, it was only natural. How did he reach this position? He had made truly bloody efforts, defeating all the famous mages in Asternon, and used all his family and connections to get into the King''s eyes. It was the Royal Mage position that he had barely been granted. But. ''That guy who no one knows where he came from?'' To make a Royal Mage out of such a commoner with no pedigree? This was something he could never tolerate. Even if it was a suggestion from the King, Kailius. ''I''ll acknowledge his talent, but this is absolutely unacceptable.'' Kalian, who was determined to stop this from happening somehow, opened his eyes wide and opened his mouth. Just then, a possibility flashed through Kalian''s mind. "Your Majesty, if I may dare to offer my opinion... I think that guy used a trick." "A trick?" Everyone''s attention is focused on Kalian. Even though it could be burdensome, Kalian spoke confidently without being intimidated at all. "Yes, I think that guy was able to use gravity weighting magic from the beginning." "......What?" "Magic, no matter how talented you are, can never be mastered in such a short period of time. Even the most basic attribute magic requires several hours of investment." "So?" "Even basic magic is like that, but what about unpublished magic, and even gravity weighting magic that is not related to other attributes? Even if that guy is a genius who is born once in a hundred years, it is absolutely impossible to master it in just one hour." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The grounds were valid. It was not something that was put forward simply for the sake of slander, but a speculation based on reality. Anyone could have suspected it by now. "......Kalian, how long would it take you?" "For this level of gravity magic... I think I would need at least a day, Your Majesty." "......" Silence fell around them as that answer was added. Kalian was also one of the magical geniuses who were said to appear only once in a hundred years. That''s why he''s working as a Royal Mage. But. ''Even Kalian needs a day, but one hour?'' The gap was too big. To the point where Kailius, who had been grinning just now, began to have doubts. "Yuhan, is what he says true?" "No, Your Majesty. I have never handled gravity magic before today. Besides, isn''t this an unpublished magic book? How could I, who has never even been exposed to the world,..." Swoosh. Kailius, who raised his hand and stopped Yuhan, looked at Elbert. "Sir Elbert. What do you think?" "What Yuhan says is true. This man is absolutely not the kind of person who would lie about this." It was an answer without a hint of hesitation. That means Elbert trusts Yuhan that much. Of course, that doesn''t mean they can just skip the confirmation. This is something that must be addressed. "Hmm..." In the chilling silence, Kailius, who had been humming to himself, stood up from his seat as if he had made a decision. Soon after. "Bring three more unpublished magic books that are left in the royal family. The most difficult ones." "......!!" He issued a shocking order. Three unpublished magic books. To be sure, there has never been a case like this before. But what does that matter? It''s an opportunity to confirm whether the mage in front of him is a black-haired beast or not. "Yuhan. If you are truly innocent, prove it yourself." And at that moment. "Yes! Your Majesty." Yuhan answered confidently. Feeling his heartbeat racing several times faster than usual. The corners of his lips were slightly raised at an angle that no one could see. Clack! Clack! Clack! Three books are placed in front of him. Not ordinary books. Three unpublished magic books, no less. Seeing that, the heart that had calmed down for a while started up again. Thump! Thump! Thump! There was only one thought in his head. ''This is an opportunity...!'' When he used gravity weighting magic a little while ago. His heart was more full than when he used any other magic. There''s also the reason that he learned it almost for the first time through a magic book, but it''s more because of the power of the magic. ''It wasn''t just ordinary magic.'' Gravity weighting magic. He could feel it as soon as he used it. This is definitely not magic that you can learn anywhere. *** Clack! Clack! Clack! Three books are placed in front of me. Not ordinary books. Three unpublished magic books, no less. Seeing that, the heart that had calmed down for a while started up again. Thump! Thump! Thump! There was only one thought in my head. ''This is an opportunity...!'' When I used gravity weighting magic a little while ago. My heart was more full than when I used any other magic. There''s also the reason that I learned it almost for the first time through a magic book, but it''s more because of the power of the magic. ''It wasn''t just ordinary magic.'' Gravity weighting magic. I could feel it as soon as I used it. This is definitely not magic that you can learn anywhere. It can only be mastered if you have an unpublished magic book. But. ''Three of the most difficult ones, huh?'' Right now, there are three even better magic spells in front of me. Will there be another opportunity like this? It would be stranger if my heart didn''t beat. ''I really want to give him a kiss. Kalian, I like you.'' Just as I was thinking that, the words I had been waiting for finally came. "Start, Yuhan." "Yes, Your Majesty!" Flip! Without hesitation, I immediately unfolded the magic book. As expected of something said to be difficult, from the first page, the page was filled with dense writing and grotesque formulas. Just looking at it made my face frown. However, there was nothing to worry about. Because I have [Prodigy of Magic], which is more reliable than anything else. Magic learning ability is increased by 300%. Flip! Flip! Flip! With the feeling that my vision was widening, the contents of the book began to enter my eyes, and I turned the pages as I understood them. After reading about ten pages? I realized roughly what kind of magic I was trying to deal with. ''It''s a barrier magic.'' It''s not like [Silent Barrier] that blocks noise from my outside, or [Light Curtain] that blocks attacks from the front. A comprehensive protection magic that surrounds the whole body with a translucent barrier to protect the body. That was the content contained in this unpublished magic book. And I, who knew how precious that magic was, became very nervous. ''I must learn it.'' Barrier magic is one of the magic that can be called the flower of a mage. But even so, the reason why I haven''t learned it yet. It''s precious, but it''s also because it was a very high-level magic, unlike what it looks like. Even when I was planning my mage build, I planned to master it only after reaching the 9th circle. It was a truly tremendous moment of luck to have the opportunity to learn such magic at this point. ''Absolutely...!'' Flip! Flip! Flip! How much time has passed? After reading the magic book with a desperate heart for a long time. Finally, after reading the last page, I closed the book with a reverent heart. Afterwards. Whoo! I immediately drew upon my mana. I couldn''t control the thought that I wanted to use [Barrier] magic right away. Calmly recalling the contents I had just seen, I implemented it as it was. The flow of mana, image implementation, formulas, shapes, etc., exactly as I read it without any difference. Then. Cheering. Along with the thrilling shiver that announced the success of the magic, a translucent barrier was formed around me. No, should I call it a sphere? It was as if the surroundings were perfectly sealed off, and even fine dust could not enter. I had perfectly succeeded in implementing [Barrier] magic. It was a speed that surprised even myself. ''I can definitely feel that I have reached the 7th circle.'' The ''increased magic learning ability'' effect of [Prodigy of Magic] increases learning ability by percentage. In other words, it means that the higher the learning ability you originally had, the higher the efficiency it shows. As such, the speed of learning magic seems to have become tremendously fast as I reached the 7th circle. Then... ''There''s no problem with the others.'' Feeling confident, I silently turned my gaze. To the two remaining unpublished magic books. I don''t know what is written there, but one thing was certain. The fact that those will soon be in my hands. [Translator - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks]