《The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family》 Chapter 1 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 1 ¨C Who Am I + ?For Press Reference Only ¨C ssified? Regarding the Formation of the Expedition. ¡õ (Destination) The Land of Death ¡õ (Key Points) All four Divine ns will participate. The expedition will be led by Pelleer Samael himself. ¡õ (Duration) Up to 6 months ¡õ (Expedition Name) Undecided Distribution Date: Immediately upon approval by the Samael n. Responsible Party: 13th Floor Master of the White Tower, Lyle Sirius (Signature) + Through the hazy fog that clouded my vision, I saw a few men. ¡ªAttention Everyone. I will now announce the expedition roster. All regr members of the Crazy Mage Squad, and among the trainee members, Gollin, Hanai, Mirko¡­ Arjeta, Ruin. That is all. ¡®What the hell? Why is my name on the list?¡¯ ¡ª Captain, there must be a mistake. I¡¯m only a second-circle mage. ¡ª ¡­Ruin. The head of the house specifically ordered your inclusion. ¡ª What? Why would the head choose me? ¡ª No questions allowed. Everyone, prepare to depart immediately. Ruin, youe with me. A familiar face grabbed my hand and pulled me along. ¡®No, I can¡¯t go. Let go of me.¡¯ Contrary to my will, I can¡¯t resist. ¡®Let go.¡¯ ¡°Let go, damn it!¡± Suddenly, the fog that had been covering my mind disappeared all at once, and my eyes shot open. ¡°Ugh!¡± Blood spurted from my mouth. I took a deep breath, feeling the harsh air fill my lungs and the metallic taste of blood. Soon, my blurry vision focused, and I slowly sensed my surroundings. ¡°¡­Ha, shit.¡± It was a sign that I was being freed from madness. Whenever my crazed mind returned to normal, my hearing always came back first, followed by smell, then sight. Everywhere I looked was hell. The gruesome corpses of myrades were scattered all over, covered by the bodies of countless grotesque demons. ¡®What am I doing here?¡¯ After regaining consciousness, I should have started to recall my memories. Demons, humans¡­ and battle. ¡°Right. The damn expedition!¡± The ¡®Final Expedition¡¯ that imed to end the demons in six months. I was a member of that damn expedition. And those six months were all lies and bullshit. I didn¡¯t know who first uttered that crap, but I would have smashed their head in if I had known. 12 years? 13 years? I didn¡¯t know. In any case, it had definitely been over 10 years. That damn expedition to exterminate the demons had been dragging on for over 10 years. The expedition, which started with over a thousand members, had now dwindled to five. Everyone died fighting those damn demons. The only constion was that we wiped out the demons before we all died. We even discovered the reason they appeared here. It was because of the dimensional rift over there. The Archmage, Pelleer Samael. Sword Saint, Magnus Balthar. Dragon Knight, Iris Seren. Guardian Saint, Galtan Arihama. And me. The Crazy Mage, Ruin. Crazy Mage. That¡¯s what people called me. It was a bit tackypared to the others, but what did it matter? I couldn¡¯t have imagined being among them ten years ago. Anyway, the five of us tried to seal that dimensional rift. And after that, we nned to cleanly and painlessly kill each other, reveling in the joy of our miserable victory. There was no way to return anyway. If there had been, we would have gone back a long time ago. Just as we were about to seal the rift, that bastard appeared. Demon King Verkes. He looked almost human but was insanely strong. As soon as he appeared, he not only shattered Galtan¡¯s shield but also dispelled Pelleer¡¯s incantation and blew away his lower body. That was all I could remember before I went berserk. * * * When I woke up, everyone was dead. The Sword Saint¡¯s divine sword was broken, and Galtan was cut in half along with his shield. Iris was nowhere to be seen, as if she had beenpletely obliterated. How am I still alive? And how did I regain my sanity? I clearly remembered going into mana overload after seeing Pelleer get attacked. It was so overwhelming that it consumed all my reason. That¡¯s how I was able to kill that Demon King bastard. But how¡­ How did Ie to my senses again? The answer was right in front of me. I finally noticed a human lying there. Even in death, he was clutching an empty bottle tightly. It seemed he had poured an elixir into my pierced heart. ¡°¡­Master.¡± Pelleer Samael. The head of House Samael, the family I belonged to, and the man who was called the greatest Archmage. Even with his lower half obliterated, he crawled to me and poured the elixir into my heart. This foolish master took hisst breath only after pouring the elixir into my heart. ¡°You were annoying to the very end.¡± An elixir can¡¯t heal a pierced heart. At most, it can bring back consciousness for a while. The master knew that. He did it anyway. He was always like that. ¡ª Crazy Mage Squad Commander, Ruin. You need to be there to see the end of this journey. Only you can do it. So you must survive. ¡°Fuck. What¡¯s the point of it all now?¡± It was all for nothing. Everyone was dead. Who would ever know what happened here? They¡¯d probably call it a noble sacrifice and a great journey, then have a moment of silence once a year. Would that be enough? Would the Head of the House be satisfied with that kind of remembrance? Would all those who died here find sce in that fact? Suddenly, I turned my head and saw the corpses of a few mages under mymand. They all had peaceful expressions on their faces. ¡°Idiots. All of them, just like their master. What¡¯s there to be happy about?¡± The honor of House Samael. The burden of House Samael. It was the most unfortunate thing to bear. [¡­Human.] A voice like chains scraping reached my ears. Verkes was staring at me. Wasn¡¯t that bastard dead yet? His face was embedded with a sword and a broken spearhead, one of his legs was severed and burning, and most importantly, there was a watermelon-sized hole in his heart. Yet, he kept talking. [An unexpected variable. I must admit, I¡¯m impressed. Where did you learn the magic of our kind? No, it¡¯s simr, yet subtly different.] He kept talking even with ck blood streaming from his gaping chest wound. Dying just like a human. [It¡¯s astonishing that human magic can be this powerful.] ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re about to die.¡± [It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t think this is the end. No one can stop us.] ¡°What?¡± [Strongest human. You¡¯re regretting it. You can¡¯t fool this King. It seems you¡¯re not that righteous after all¡­] ¡°Shut up!¡± With thest bit of my strength, I cast a spatial explosion at his face. With a loud bang, his head exploded like a watermelon. Dragging my remaining leg, I started moving towards the rift. Knowing no one was watching, I crawled towards it. ¡°Damn Samael.¡± I really didn¡¯t want to end my life like this. I wanted to be stronger and live a prosperous life. But there was nothing more I could do. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m cursed with bad luck to the very end.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I could seal it alone. But I had to try. I was going to die anyway, so I might as well do something before I went. ¡°Damn it.¡± Suddenly, my life shed before my eyes. An orphan, a street thug roaming the back alleys, that was me. Rolling around in the harsh underbelly of life, my heart was twisted, and I could hardly see straight. How desperate was I to even n to kidnap the young master of House Samael for a quick score? Of course, the n failed. I thought I would die, but the Head of the House saved me. He said I had a talent for magic and should be a mage. Talent, my ass. Even after years of effort, I couldn¡¯t break past the 2nd Circle. Then one day, I was suddenly dragged into the expedition on the Head¡¯s orders. The result was what it was now. So, did I regret being dragged into this? Of course, I regretted¡­ Hmm¡­ Shit. Was it only when I was about to die that my true feelings came out? Actually, it wasn¡¯t all bad in this crazy expedition. I awakened to magic through relentless training, fought alongside famous mages I wouldn¡¯t have dared to look at before, and everyone cheered my name. ¡°Damn it. It would have been perfect if I could have lived and thrived.¡± Ah, damn life. Before I could hesitate any longer, I threw myself into the rift and released the rest of my mana. * * * The world spun. My body alternated between cold and hot. My consciousness gradually faded. Was this the end? Wait for me in the afterlife, master. I¡¯ll grab you by the cor and give you hell. How much time passed? Just as my consciousness was about to fadepletely. ¡°¡­!¡± My mind suddenly became clear, as if I had just woken up from a deep sleep. ¡®Why am I not dead?¡¯ In the darkness, a pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared. They waved a hand in front of me, then extended a fist. I just watched, not understanding. Smack¡ª A sharp pain red on my forehead as stars exploded in my vision. ¡®Ugh, is this the afterlife? Do you feel pain in the afterlife?¡¯ ¡°Get your shit together, kid.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you. I thought you were dead, you little shit.¡± Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger. ¡°I¡¯m already dead. You look like you died before me, so if you try to boss me around here¡­¡± I stopped mid-sentence, feeling something was off. Talking left me breathless. Why did my voice sound different? ¡°Ruin Samael, this guy haspletely lost it. He drank everything himself and passed out, and now he¡¯s totally gone bonkers.¡± This was weird. I was a member of House Samael, but I didn¡¯t have a surname. I was an orphan. But they were calling me Ruin Samael? ¡°This bastard, words won¡¯t work on him.¡± What the hell was going on? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 2 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 2 ¨C The Crazy Mage¡¯s Return A sense of unease washed over me, and I looked around. A dark and gloomy room. Hazy smoke and a pungent smell stung my nose, and loud shouts filled the air. The people around me were either staggering or sitting down with strange grins, or lying on the ground rolling around like idiots. ¡®Even in death, I¡¯m surrounded by lunatics. Could this be¡­?¡¯ At that moment, a man with hollow eyes approached, ring at me. I swallowed dryly and asked, ¡°Hey. Is this hell?¡± ¡°Cut the crap. Look at how expensive this is, why did you drink it all yourself?¡± Suddenly, I felt a moist, bitter taste on my lips. I licked them without realizing it. The dizziness and the feeling of my body going limp were all too familiar. It was a taste from the distant corners of my memory. ¡®Hallucinogenic herbs?¡¯ Just in case, I looked down, and my unbelievable suspicion was confirmed. The bubbling yellow bottle in front of me contained psychotropic drugs. Next to it were half-burnt, cheap hallucinogenic herbs. ¡®This is what I used to see when I was a thug, right?¡¯ Even in the most chaotic hell, this shouldn¡¯t exist. Could I still be alive? ¡°Ruin still hasn¡¯te to his senses. It¡¯s been a while since you got a beating, hasn¡¯t it?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but those hollow eyes were staring at me with murderous intent. Two burly men surrounded me. They looked like third-rate thugs. A hollowugh escaped my lips. ¡°Ha.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯reughing? Are you really crazy? Are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right. I¡¯m the Crazy Mage.¡± I red at the man with hollow eyes and said, ¡°Now that you know who I am, stop this. The Crazy Mage doesn¡¯t go easy on anyone, even kids.¡± The man cracked his neck and looked at the burly guy next to him. ¡°Krak.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°Bring that crazy bastard over here. I need to teach him a lesson today.¡± The burly man called Krak approached me with a grotesque grin. ¡°Hehehe.¡± A good beating is the best medicine for kids who don¡¯t understand words. I immediately kicked off the ground, aiming a punch at Krak¡¯s face, but¡­ As soon as I took a step, I realized something was wrong. My body felt heavy, as if filled with a thousand pounds of iron. At the same time, dizziness washed over me. Instead of panicking, I focused on the situation in front of me. I tried to draw mana from the air as much as I could. Even with my mana circles damaged, I could still cast 1st Circle magic without much difficulty. ¡®Huh?¡¯ As I chanted the incantation for ¡®Wind,¡¯ I felt something was wrong. The wind that manifested in my hand was much weaker than expected. Meanwhile, Krak¡¯s heavy fist was approaching my face. I condensed the wind in my hand into a gust and threw a punch. Our fists collided. Wham!¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± Krak grimaced, clutching his hand. A look of surprise flickered across the eyes of the other men watching. I took a moment to assess my condition. I definitely heard a cracking sound from my right arm. ¡®Damn it, did I dislocate my elbow?¡¯ The pain intensified as I rotated my elbow. This didn¡¯t make sense. No matter how much I thought about it¡­ this wasn¡¯t my body. ¡°Hold on.¡± First, I needed to understand the situation. I spoke to the men who were still looking bewildered. ¡°I¡¯m Ruin of Samael. Identify yourselves first.¡± The man with hollow eyes narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°Ruin Samael? Are you really out of your mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a surname. I¡¯m just Ruin.¡± ¡°Right, you ungrateful bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t respond, the man with hollow eyes said, ¡°You really are out of your mind. I am Blok of House Bayern.¡± ¡°Never heard of that House. I¡¯m Ruin, the Crazy Mage, thest survivor of the Final Expedition. Where the hell is this? It doesn¡¯t seem like hell.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man with hollow eyes paused for a moment, then burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahaha! This crazy bastard. The Final Expedition? You¡¯repletely delusional. Are you a dragon? An elf? Have you been alive for 300 years? It seems like I need to beat you 300 times for you toe to your senses.¡± I stared intently at the man with hollow eyes. I could tell whether he was lying or telling the truth by looking into his eyes. That¡¯s when something iprehensible happened. * ¨C ¡ºThe ability ?Mind¡¯s Eye? is activated¡» ¨C ¡ºYou gaze at the target with your mind¡¯s eye¡» ¨C ¡ºIf the opponent is of a simr level, you can ascertain information about them¡» * ======= ? Blok Bayern ¡ª Corpse Eyes ? Talents: Weapon Skill [Swordsmanship (D)], Elemental Affinity [Water (C)] ? Traits: Stamina [C], Mental Strength [D], Mana Resonance [F] ? Tendencies: [Exploiting the Weak], [Despicable], [Observant], [Extravagant], [Pleasure-Seeking] ? Overall Grade: Magic (D) ====== Information about the man flooded into my mind. I wasn¡¯t surprised. I had seen many illusions while fighting demons. The only thing I believed now was that the murderous intent in Blok¡¯s eyes was growing stronger. ¡°Hey, Hollow Eyes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°On second thought, Corpse Eyes is a more fitting name for you.¡± Blok shouted, ¡°Get that bastard over here, now!¡± Krak charged at me again. In my current state, even moving was a struggle. But who was I? I wrapped my left fist with ¡®Wind¡¯ and threw a punch. As soon as our fists met, I heard another cracking sound, and my left elbow felt dislocated. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Suppressing the pain, I lunged at Krak¡¯s face and headbutted his jaw. *Wham!* ¡°Cough!¡± Krak¡¯s eyes rolled back as he fell backward. Damn it, I was already out of breath after just a couple of moves. My vision started to blur. The other burly man, who had been watching silently, cursed and drew his sword. ¡°This bastard is asking for it!¡± A sudden surge of anger overwhelmed me. I grabbed a nearby bottle and focused on the flow of mana around me. My broken body was already at its limit. The cold sensation of the de approaching my face grew stronger. I had to wait. There weren¡¯t many opportunities. I needed to aim for one perfect moment. ¡°I¡¯ll blow a hole in your head, you bastard!¡± Just as the thug¡¯s sword, apanied by a stream of curses, was about to pierce my forehead¡­ I gathered all my strength and chanted a low incantation. ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± *Fwoosh* A small me appeared in front of me. At the same time, I quickly dodged the thug¡¯s sword strike. The cold touch of the de grazed an inch above my forehead. Taking advantage of the thug¡¯s off-bnce stance, I mmed the bottle in my right hand onto his head. *Crack* ¡°Cough!¡± Shattered ss fragments flew through the air, and liquor spilled over the thug¡¯s head. The me ignited the liquor. *Whoosh* ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°What the hell! Water! Pour water!¡± ¡°What happened!¡± Voices mored. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. In the chaos, I approached the thug who was rolling on the floor with burns. I grabbed a shard of broken ss and stabbed it into his neck. ¡°You son of a¡­ Cough!¡± Blood flowed down my hand, following the thug¡¯s twitching Adam¡¯s apple. Meanwhile, Krak, who had regained consciousness, saw me and drew his sword. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯ll kill you, you bastard!¡± I met his gaze and replied, ¡°¡­Think carefully, thug. If you swing that, you¡¯ll die too.¡± The moment our eyes met, Krak flinched and lowered his hand. I felt blood dripping from my forehead onto my lips, so I licked it with my tongue. ¡°Keuk.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. The smell of blood confirmed that I was indeed alive. I turned my head again, and Blok¡¯s eyes were shaking uncontrobly. ¡°You, you little¡­¡± It was clear that he had never experienced anything like this before, as he was visibly terrified. His body was even trembling. It was then that someone¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Hey, stop it, both of you. You know you can¡¯t hold each other ountable for this, right? It seems you¡¯ve forgotten where you are.¡± As if waiting for those words, Blok slowly backed away and said, ¡°Ruin, you son of a bitch, I¡¯ll kill you next time I see you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish it now? What, are you scared?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I red at Blok, he blushed and quickly looked away. Blok hastily turned and walked out, then suddenly red at the thug lying on the ground with a ss shard in his neck and kicked him hard. ¡°You useless piece of shit.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± The thug¡¯s face twitched, so he wasn¡¯t dead yet. Krak dragged the fallen thug and followed Blok. I watched the three of them disappear and cursed inwardly. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t feel any strength in my body. I was trembling as if I had a severe cold. My vision blurred. But I couldn¡¯t show weakness here. ¡®The Crazy Mage looks pathetic.¡¯ Step by step. I pushed through the crowd of lunatics and finally made it outside the building. Then, my body gave out, and I copsed on the ground. * * * ¡°Oh, Young Master!¡± About an hour after I copsed, a slender young man cried and carried me on his back. For some reason, even though I was unconscious, my mind was clear. The young man ran somewhere while crying. I turned my head and memorized the location of the building I had been in. I would definitelye back and kill that Corpse Eyes bastard. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Suddenly, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me. The surrounding scenery was strangely familiar. The streets were unfamiliar, but the distant mountain peaks and the unique scent were simr to a ce in my memory. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ The feeling became more certain as time passed. ¡®No matter how I look at it¡­ this seems like Samael territory.¡¯ The only strange thing was that the surroundings were too gloomy. It was just like the back alleys where I lived when I was young. The young man carried me for a long time, running towards the mountains where there were fewer people. Then, passing through the gate of a clearly run-down family estate, he shouted, ¡°The Young Master is injured! Healer! Call the healer!¡± Thwack¡ª A wooden nk from the gate¡¯s ceiling broke and hit the top of my head. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I had a bad feeling about this. * * * Iprehensible things continued to happen. ¡°What in the world is going on, Ruin?! Oh dear, oh dear¡­¡± A middle-aged woman burst into tears upon seeing me, and an elderly healer next to her started poking and prodding my body. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate, ma¡¯am. The Young Master¡¯s internal injuries aren¡¯t too severe.¡± The woman let out a sigh of relief and pleaded with the healer. ¡°Please, I beg you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Hmm. He seemed like a quack to me. A madman knows another madman well. This healer was definitely a quack. And as expected¡­ Because of all the strange things he did to my body, I was bedridden for over a week, when I should have recovered in three days. I couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. Damn quack. The only strange thing was that my mind remained clear throughout my illness. I had a lot of time to think during that week. At first, all I could think about was getting revenge on Corpse Eyes, but as time passed, more fundamental questions arose. How did I, who was dying in the Land of Death, end up here? ¡­To cut to the chase, I survived. To be precise, the past ¡®Ruin¡¯ died, but I gained a new life. Based on the conversations I overheard, it was clear. Ruin Samael. The current eldest son and sole heir of House Samael. I was reborn as an 18-year-old kid. ¡®And 300 yearster, as a descendant of House Samael, no less.¡¯ I was told that 300 years had passed since my death. I was unsure when I heard Corpse Eyes say it, but after seeing the calendar on the wall, I was certain. Moreover, the young man who carried me was named Lihan Perer. The surname ¡®Perer¡¯ had been passed down through generations of stewards serving the Samael bloodline, so this was indeed House Samael. ¡®But why does he have to be named Ruin too?¡¯ Unluckily, we shared the same name. The previous owner of this body was also named Ruin. That¡¯s why Corpse Eyes called me ¡®Ruin Samael.¡¯ And the moment I epted all these facts¡­ Pfft, I actuallyughed at first. Samael was unlucky, that was true, but that was back in the expedition. What was my original dream? Wasn¡¯t it to live a prosperous life with power and a good background? House Samael was the most prestigious family on the continent, so there couldn¡¯t be a better background than this. Even if the family rules were a bit strict, sneaking out was a piece of cake for me. In the past, I was too weak to enjoy that background, but now it was different. But something was strange. ¡®Why is this Samael body in such a state? There are no mana circles even at eighteen?¡¯ If he was a descendant of Samael, he should have at least reached the 3rd Circle by eighteen, even if he was the worst. But this body had no trace of ever forming a circle. Moreover, it was so emaciated that it was a wonder he was still alive. My mind was hazy, as if filled with fog, and I was incredibly thirsty. These symptoms were clear. It was evidence of addiction to hallucinogenic herbs. ¡®How could this be?¡¯ The descendants of House Samael underwent rigorous physical and mental training from the age of eight, so it was impossible for them to have a body like this. ¡­Ah. Suddenly, the insults that Corpse Eyes hurled at me echoed in my mind. I also remembered the dpidated scenery of the estate I saw when Lihan carried me through the gate. A sense of unease crept over me, as if this wasn¡¯t the House Samael I knew¡­ No, that couldn¡¯t be. The greatest House on the continent couldn¡¯t have just disappeared. ¡°Ahem.¡± I tried to suppress my anxiety with a cough, and Lihan Perer, who had been waiting outside, rushed in. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re awake! Oh my, I thought you were going to die this time.¡± I immediatelyunched my secret weapon. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s my name?¡± The ssic ¡®I¡¯ve lost my memory¡¯ act. Lihan didn¡¯t believe me at first, but when he realized I really couldn¡¯t remember anything, he sighed. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems you really have lost your memory. Well, it¡¯s understandable, considering how bad your condition was when you fainted.¡± Lihan started to ramble, and I listened quietly before getting to the point. ¡°So, what kind of family is our House Samael?¡± ¡°A great family, of course!¡± Lihan¡¯s confident answer, with his chest puffed out, eased my anxiety a little. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then why the hell is this idiot¡­ no, I mean, what have I been doing to end up like this? These are symptoms of severe hallucinogenic herb addiction.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lihan nced at me awkwardly, hesitating to answer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just tell me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide. It¡¯s because you¡¯re such a troublemaker, Young Master. Ah, I misspoke. Anyway, you like to go to those ces, don¡¯t you? And there¡¯s no one to stop you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What about the Head of House? The elders? And before that, it doesn¡¯t make sense for the White Knights, who uphold the family rules, to just let it slide. They wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch, even if you are a bloodline member, would they?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± A sudden headache hit me, and I waved Lihan away. Come to think of it, this room was too small and cramped for a bloodline member¡¯s quarters. There wasn¡¯t even a single artifact in sight, as if everything had been sold off. ¡®This won¡¯t do. I need to meet the current Head of House. What the hell happened to Samael?¡¯ Ah, wait. There was something I had to do first. Since I was reborn, there was no need to remain weak like I was in the back alleys. The mere thought of the humiliations I suffered back then made my blood boil. ¡®First, the mana circles.¡¯ Even if my current body was trash¡­ The brilliant talent flowing through the Samael bloodline couldn¡¯t have disappeared. I knew that for sure. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 3 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 3 ¨C Have They All Gone Mad? ======= ? Ruin Samael ¨C Trash of the Trash ? Talents: Weapon Skill [Swordsmanship (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [F], Mental Strength [F], Mana Resonance [SS] ? Tendencies: [Weak-Willed], [Troublemaker], [Cowardly], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Drug Addict], [Sickly] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ====== I kept tilting my head in front of the mirror. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not an illusion.¡± Was it called [Mind¡¯s Eye]? The strange phenomenon that manifested during the staring contest with Blok. I thought it was an illusion, but it was strange that it hadn¡¯t disappeared yet. Well, even that wasn¡¯t as strange as the fact that I had been reincarnated. But what really pissed me off was¡­ ¡°Damn it.¡± The information revealed through [Mind¡¯s Eye] was quite urate. Trash was trash, and a wreck was a wreck, but what the hell did ¡°Trash of the Trash¡± mean? How much more trash could I be? But I couldn¡¯t deny it. My skinny body was no better than garbage, and the pathetic tendencies like [Weak-Willed] and [Drug Addict] couldn¡¯t be more urate. However, what I really focused on was something else. ¡®Mana Resonance and Elemental Affinity. Especially Fire and Wind.¡¯ The Samael House was the best magic family, and their mastery of Fire and Wind elemental magic was unmatched. As soon as I expelled some of the impurities from my body, I could feel the mana wriggling around me. It wasn¡¯t just a faint sensation; it was thick and almost tangible. Despair came before joy. What I couldn¡¯t achieve even with desperate effort in the past was happening naturally because I was born with Samael¡¯s blood. In my past life, even after five years of struggling as a member of the Crazy Mage Squad from the age of twenty, I could only feel a thread of mana. The level I reached by clinging to that thread of mana was 2nd Circle. If I hadn¡¯t identally awakened to the mana of the Yin dimension during that hellish expedition, I would have ended my life as an insignificant 2nd Circle mage. Of course, mana from the Yin dimension couldn¡¯t be learned under normal circumstances, so that was beside the point. ¡®This idiot wasted such talent?¡¯ I immersed myself in the dense mana I felt around me. When creating a circle, the natural harmony between mana and the body was crucial. The key was to guide the mana to rotate naturally as it passed through my body. Whir¡ª In less than five minutes, a small circle formed in my heart. It was truly a talent of insane proportions. Then, let¡¯s move on to the next step. Now that I had created the circle, I had to test elemental conversion by resonating with the mana in the air. Only then would I be aplete 1st Circle mage. ¡°Young Master!¡± Just as I was about to attempt resonance, Lihan entered with an urgent expression. ¡°The Head of House is looking for you. He wants you toe to his office as soon as you regain consciousness.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± I guess I¡¯ll have to meet the Head of House first and then take care of the rest. I had been wanting to see him anyway. ¡°This way. He seems to be very angry this time. Don¡¯t say anything strange when you get there, just apologize sincerely, Young Master.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I seem to be having a headache. * * * I slowly observed my surroundings as I walked towards the Head of House¡¯s office. Simple arch-shaped buildings caught my eye throughout the estate. They were the symbol of House Samael, which valued harmony and bnce. ¡­They looked pretty worn out, but that was understandable after so much time had passed. ¡°Phew.¡± I took a deep breath, and the refreshing scent of the mountains filled my nose. In the past, the heart of Samael was located halfway up the secluded Mount Khaoto, and it seemed that hadn¡¯t changed. But why was it so deserted? ¡­Could this be all that was left? Where was the magnificent magical barrier that used to cover the skies of the estate? And why had thend shrunk so much? Where were all the mages who should have been filling the air with their incantations? Aside from five or six servants and a few elders, there were only one or two people who looked like mages, no matter where I looked. ¡°Lihan. Is there another Samael somewhere else? Like a branch family or something?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? This is the only Samael.¡± ¡°This is all that¡¯s left?¡± ¡°This is plenty.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Where is it ¡®plenty¡¯?¡± ¡°Our House.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it.¡± This servant was impossible tomunicate with. As my anxiety grew, something else started to bother me. ¡°Hey, you, there¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master? Are you feeling unwell?¡± I stared intently at Lihan and asked, ¡°How many years have you worked here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here since I was born, so 20 years.¡± ¡°Then haven¡¯t you seen a temple or something like that around here?¡± The temple that stood at the very center of House Samael. ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯ve heard of it. It was If¡­ something¡­¡± ¡°The Ifrit Temple.¡± ¡°They demolished it, I think?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°What? When?¡± ¡°Oh my, you startled me. Why are you shouting? It must have been quite a while ago. I heard from my father that it was old and dpidated, just taking up space. Something about blocking the mountain¡¯s energy. But they found some useful grimoires and artifacts when they tore it down, which helped us with our finances. Thanks to that, we were able to build a couple more buildings over¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Cra¡­ Crazy. These lunatics. What kind of temple was that? The temple of Ifrit, the God of Fire and Wind. The most sacred ce for the mages of Samael, and the source of their brilliant talent. It was the only ce that even the past, reckless me refrained from cursing. But they demolished it? And even with their own hands? This was insane. If Pelleer were to be reincarnated, he would kill himself again after seeing this. ¡°Have they all gone mad?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down. ¡°¡­Never mind. What would be the point of telling you? Just lead the way.¡± * * * As I entered the Head of House¡¯s office, I saw two middle-aged men. The one on the left had thick, tiger-like eyebrows and looked quite strong. The one on the right had kind eyes and looked ordinary. It was clear who the current Head of House was. Without a doubt, it was the ordinary-looking man on the right. Those kind eyes were exactly like Pelleer¡¯s. ¡®Except for the fact that he looks ordinary.¡¯ No matter how I looked at him, I couldn¡¯t sense any magical aura from the current Head. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard you lost your memory.¡± Kazen Samael. The current Head of House Samael furrowed his kind eyebrows and red at me. I yed dumb and pretended not to know anything. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you really lost your memory, it doesn¡¯t change what happened. You¡¯ve brought great shame to the family. How old are you this year?¡± ¡°Eighteen.¡± It hurt my pride to speak formally to Pelleer¡¯s descendant, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. I had to ept that much since I had been given a new life. ¡°Eighteen¡­ I¡¯ve never scolded you before. I knew it would only make you more rebellious. But that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t have faith in you. I thought you would grow into a fine pir of the family in due time. However, I was wrong.¡± As expected, his gaze was filled with contempt. Feeling a frustrating lump in my throat, I replied immediately, ¡°It will be different from now on.¡± ¡°Silence! Hanging out with the Bayern House¡¯s troublemaker, indulging in hallucinogenic herbs and drugs. How can you call yourself a Samael with such behavior?¡± I had nothing to say. I was the one who should be dumbfounded. But I couldn¡¯t exactly tell him that I had been on an expedition with his ancestor 300 years ago. ¡°You fool. Do you really not know that everyone in the family isughing at you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even expect you to walk the path of magic anymore. Reflect on your actions and stay confined for the next three months. You won¡¯t be allowed to step outside the estate. Do you understand?¡± ¡­Words I wanted to say welled up in my throat, but I swallowed them back down. It was more important to grasp the current situation. ¡°I have one question.¡± Kazen met my eyes, about to scold me again, but then he hesitated. He must have read something in my expression. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why has Samael be like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Where are all the White Horse Knights? I didn¡¯t see them in the training grounds. What about the Crazy Mage Squad?¡± Kazen clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, it seems you really have lost your memory.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve suddenly developed an interest in magic? The White Horse Knights are at the Tower for training. The apprentice mages are being educated in the training hall. And the Crazy Mage Squad? There¡¯s no such thing.¡± I swallowed a groan. ¡®The Crazy Mage Squad is gone? And by the Tower, does he mean the White Tower? Why would the White Horse Knights go to those old geezers for training?¡¯ Judging by Kazen¡¯s expression, it seemed unlikely that I would get any further exnation. Instead, I asked something else. ¡°Why was the Ifrit Temple destroyed?¡± Kazen looked at me with an even stranger expression. ¡°Ifrit¡­ That¡¯s not something you should concern yourself with. We simply demolished something useless.¡± I was so dumbfounded that I spoke informally without realizing it. ¡°Useless?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Contempt crept back into Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I see your intentions now. No matter what nonsense you spout, I won¡¯t lift your confinement. Get out.¡± I was about to retort but swallowed my words. As I stared into Kazen¡¯s unwavering eyes, a forgotten fact came to mind. The Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knights mages who died as cold corpses in the Land of Death. They were practically all of Samael¡¯s strongest forces at the time. ¡®Kazen is speaking the truth. Could it be that 300 years¡­¡¯ Did the disappearance of those who were called the essence of the family lead to this absurd situation? I took a deep breath. To calm myself, I deliberately looked away and slowly examined the head¡¯s office. Right, even in my past life, I thought the head¡¯s office was surprisingly small and modest. But at least the grimoires on one wall, shimmering with colorful lights, looked impressive. But even those, when I looked again¡­ they were gone? ¡°Even those are gone?¡± ¡­Seriously? ¡°Why are you still here? Get out!¡± ¡°Where did all the grimoires that were here go?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and leave!¡± Ah¡­ I stumbled out of the Head of House¡¯s office. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to ask where the Magic sword Ingrid, the Divine relic of the Head of House, had gone. It was a relic that Pelleer cherished so much that he left it behind even when he went on the expedition. If even that was gone, I felt like I would curse out the current Head of House, no matter who he was. Damn it. Pelleer promised to give that to me if he came back alive from the expedition. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 4 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 4 ¨C Shall We Make a Bet? (1) ¡°It seems he really has lost his memory.¡± ¡°He did seem a bit different than usual.¡± The man with tiger-like eyebrows, who had been silently observing from behind Kazen Samael, spoke up. His name was Hector Kart, Kazen Samael¡¯s right-hand man. ¡°People don¡¯t change easily. How long has it been since youst saw Ruin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two years since Ist saw him, when I returned to the Tower.¡± ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t know about the trouble Ruin has caused.¡± ¡°Trouble, you say?¡± ¡°He was crossing a river of no return.¡± Kazen Samael knew that this wasn¡¯t the first time his only son had acted out. But because his son was sickly¡­ Because he was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even look his father in the eye¡­ Kazen had simply watched, fearing that he wouldpletely rebel. But now, he could no longer stand by. If Ruin was losing consciousness due to hallucinations, it meant he was far beyond the danger zone. ¡°¡­I had a feeling.¡± ¡°Who can I me? It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Who would dare to me the Lord? And Ruin was definitely strange today. I never expected him to bring up the temple.¡± Hector looked at Kazen with a meaningful gaze. ¡°Yes, he said the same things as the elders.¡± About 20 years ago. The day Samael suffered irreparable damage. Kazen defied the elders and destroyed the Ifrit Temple. Ironically, Kazen himself was the one who suffered the most that day. It was an incredibly difficult decision to sever the legacy of his ancestors with his own hands. But he had no choice. Samael was trapped in the illusion of the past and was gradually declining. While other Houses were embracing the new era and developing, only Samael remained stagnant. Their wealth dwindled, and no one came to learn Samael¡¯s magic anymore. So he destroyed it. It was a deration of sorts. A deration to break free from the illusion of the past and embrace the new era. ¡®But Ruin couldn¡¯t possibly know that.¡¯ Ruin was weak. So weak that Kazen couldn¡¯t even dream of entrusting Samael to him in the face of external threats. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t just watch anymore.¡¯ Unwee changes had been happening in Khaoto recently. Perhaps the de of that change was aimed at Samael. This weighed heavily on Kazen¡¯s mind. And that was the reason why he had called Hector today. ¡°Hector Kart.¡± ¡°Yes, Lord.¡± ¡°I have an order for you.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Make Ruin worthy of Samael.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Even if Ruin shows a changed attitude now, he¡¯ll eventually revert to his old ways. The confinement order is just a temporary measure. We need to change him from the roots.¡± ¡°You mean, make him act like a proper human being?¡± ¡°I said, make him worthy of Samael.¡± Hector¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Teach Ruin magic. At least enough for him to reach the apprentice level.¡± Hector recalled Ruin¡¯s aptitude and replied with a hesitant expression. ¡°¡­It will take a long time.¡± ¡°Make it happen within half a year.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Kazen looked directly at Hector and repeated, ¡°Half a year.¡± Hector shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s an unreasonable request.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make a request. I gave an order.¡± Hector¡¯s eyes widened as much as they could. ¡°Hector, Vice tower of the Red Tower. I¡¯m telling you to use all your abilities to make it happen.¡± *Fwoosh* An immense aura exploded from Kazen¡¯s seemingly ordinary body, then quickly dissipated. It was a long time before Hector spoke again. ¡°¡­If it¡¯s an order¡­¡± ¡°This means there¡¯s no more debt between House Kart and House Samael.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Very well.¡± * * * ¡°Are you alright, Young Master? Did the Heady a hand on you?¡± Lihan kept ncing at me nervously. My expression must have been that distorted. I remained silent, recalling the conversation I just had. ¡ª The White Horse Knights are at the Tower for training. And the Crazy Mage Squad? There¡¯s no such thing. ¡ª The Ifrit Temple? Useless things should be demolished. It was absurd. Even if this wasn¡¯t the Samael of the past, these were words I couldn¡¯t ept. And the pitying look in his eyes¡­ I could understand the Head of the House, but who was that weasel-like guy next to him to look at me with such disdain? ¡°Oh, Ruin! Ruin!¡± At that moment, the door burst open, and a middle-aged woman entered. It was the same woman who had visited me every day during my week of illness. With tears streaming down her face, she embraced me and started rubbing her cheek against mine. ¡°¡­Who?¡± ¡°Oh my. You¡¯ve lost your memory and can¡¯t even recognize your own mother. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Your memory will return soon. Oh dear.¡± The woman cried so much that it was embarrassing. Then, she turned her head towards the door and shouted, ¡°Altein!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as a white-haired, kind-looking healer entered, I cheered inwardly. ¡®The quack healer?¡¯ After Corpse Eyes, this old man was the next one I wanted to punish. Because of the strange things he did to my body, I had to stay in bed for several more days. ¡°Altein, it seems Ruin has lost his memory. Please check his condition.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. It seems like a temporary memory loss due to shock. He¡¯ll recover quickly if I treat him for a few more days.¡± As expected of a chatan,his words were smooth as oil. ¡°First and foremost, the patient needs peace and quiet. Everyone except the patient, please leave the room.¡± The middle-aged woman and Lihan left, leaving only Altein and me in the room. Altein took out a vial of yellow liquid from his pocket and slowly approached me. ¡°Haha, Ruin. Please lean back.¡± ¡°Old man.¡± Altein, who had been approaching with a benevolent expression, narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°How much did you take?¡± I pointed at Altein¡¯s face. ¡°Your face is full of greed. How much did you extort? You deliberately dyed my treatment, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Haha. What are you talking about? Show some respect. Those insulting words are hard to hear.¡± ¡°Bullshit. I¡¯ve lived 300 years longer than you. That yellow thing, that¡¯s Xavier¡¯s reagent, isn¡¯t it? Bring it here. Let¡¯s get it officially appraised.¡± Altein hurriedly hid the vial with a surprised look on his face. ¡°How did you know about that¡­?¡± After a moment of silence, Altein seemed to make up his mind and red at me with a vicious look. ¡°Ahem. It seems the trauma has affected your mind. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll cure you.¡± As he walked towards me with an intimidating air, I couldn¡¯t hide my astonishment once again. How pathetic was my past self that a mere healer would think of subduing me by force? ¡°Stay still, Ruin. You¡¯ll get hurt if you move.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± You¡¯re dead. I was just about to test elemental conversion anyway, and here¡¯s a perfect target. As Altein grabbed me tightly, I slowly started rotating the single circle I had created in my body. Normally, it would take a considerable amount of time to get used to mana resonance even after creating a circle, but I was different. The memories of my past life and the insane talent of Samael. *Whir-* I could feel the natural mana resonating as it circted through the ring in my body. I envisioned the image of wind in my mind and chanted the incantation. ¡°Blowing wind, Wind Blow.¡± *Fwoosh* ¡°Cough!¡± Altein, who was trying to force-feed me the reagent, suddenly doubled over and copsed. ¡®Sess.¡¯ Thepressed wind from my fingertips had urately struck the old healer¡¯s spine. His disc problems would probably worsen over time, leaving him bedridden. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± Altein trembled and replied, ¡°Ugh, how¡­¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses.¡± The moment I growled and met Altein¡¯s eyes, he flinched and looked away. Then, he quickly changed his attitude and knelt down. ¡°I apologize, Young Master. Please have mercy¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the word mercy.¡± Altein waved his hands frantically. ¡°You misunderstand. As you know, Xavier¡¯s reagent isn¡¯t harmful to the human body. I had no intention of harming you, Young Master. I¡¯ll return the treatment fee.¡± ¡°You want to negotiate with me?¡± As I took a step closer, Altein lowered his head and trembled. ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not how you negotiate.¡± Altein gulped and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll give you double.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. Bring me ten times the amount.¡± ¡°T-Ten times, you say?¡± ¡°Or should we settle this another way?¡± Altein gulped again and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll return it.¡± I waved my hand dismissively and said, ¡°Make sure you deliver the money directly to me. Of course, you can always change your mind if you want. We¡¯ll see what happens then.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I will.¡± ¡°Get lost, you¡¯re annoying.¡± I waved my hand again to dismiss Altein. Watching him hobble away while clutching his back, I was reminded of a troll-like demon from my past life who ran away after I beat him up. * * * Lihan, who had been waiting outside, tilted his head and entered the room. ¡°Why is the healer walking like that, Young Master? It looked strange.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a quack.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I have a question.¡± I looked at Lihan with a serious expression. My gaze made him straighten up. He must have sensed that something important was about toe out of my mouth. ¡°Just how much of a loser am I?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just how much of a loser am I that no one respects me? I don¡¯t remember, so exin it in detail.¡± Lihan sighed and replied, ¡°¡­Do you really want to hear it? You might be shocked.¡± ¡°Tell me as much as you can.¡± Lihan let out a long sigh and began to speak. By the time his 30-minute exnation was over, my face had hardened considerably. A sickly body. A weak constitution that kept me bedridden in the infirmary until I was ten. After recovering, I became a delinquent who spent money on hoodlums and even dabbled in hallucinogenic herbs. That was the past Ruin. ¡®In short, a loser.¡¯ If I had been born weak and suffered so much, it would have been understandable¡­ but this was just pure idiocy. I could tell just by looking. He was clearly the type to wallow in depression and self-pity, using it as an excuse to act out. The servants, the household staff, the young mages, even the elders, all shook their heads and ignored Ruin whenever they saw him. It was understandable. I would have ignored him too. A pampered weakling who didn¡¯t know the meaning of true hardship. ¡°But if everyone ignores me, why don¡¯t you?¡± Lihan looked at me with pity in his eyes. ¡°If I ignore you too, who will look after you? I¡¯ve always been on your side. And this time, you seem a bit different, so I have high hopes for you.¡± Lihan puffed out his chest as if to say, ¡°Trust me.¡± I looked at him again with a serious expression. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know when the Crazy Mage Squad was disbanded?¡± ¡°Crazy Mage Squad? What¡¯s that? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it. Then how many White Horse Knights are there? You said they went to the Tower.¡± If the Crazy Mage Squad were the mages who handled Samael¡¯s dirty work, the White Horse Knights were the mages who represented Samael¡¯s face. Lihan confidently held up five fingers. ¡°Hmm. Alright, 50 is not bad.¡± Lihan let out a hollowugh and shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? 50 is not bad, considering my expectations.¡± As I made eye contact with Lihan, I noticed something strange about his expression. A sense of unease crept up on me. ¡°Five.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said five.¡± I felt something snap in my head. ¡°Not 50, but 5? Only 5?¡± Lihan nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°T-Then how many apprentice mages are being trained at the main house?¡± Samael¡¯s prestige stemmed from its system of meticulously training apprentice mages from a young age. Only the most elite among them could be White Horse Knights mages. In the past, thousands of young boys and girls applied to be Samael mages. ¡°About ten, I think?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Why are you cursing me? It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It seemed that Samael was in a worse state than I thought. Aplete downfall. So much for living a prosperous life. My life was just as I expected. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 5 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 5 ¨C Shall We Make a Bet? (2) The conclusion was clear: The Samael I once knew was gone. If I were to recall their past glory, the word ¡°decline¡± wouldn¡¯t even begin to describe their fall from grace. I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down. I needed to grasp the situation. Just how much had changed between 300 years ago and now? ¡°Have you ever heard of the Four Great Houses?¡± Three hundred years ago, four families held sway over the entire Central Continent. Samael, the origin of incantation magic. Balthar, of the Void Heart Swordsmanship. Arihama, the shield of Heavenly Pressure. Seren, the half-human, half-dragon. People called them Great Houses. Of course, Samael held an unparalleled position among them. ¡°Of course. But it¡¯s not the Four Great Houses anymore, it¡¯s the Three.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The Balthar, Seren, and Arihama Houses.¡± I thought of therades who had remained in the expedition until the very end. The Archmage, Pelleer Samael. The Sword Saint, Magnus Balthar. The Dragon Knight, Iris Seren. The Guardian Saint, Galtan Arihama. ¡°So the other houses are still thriving.¡± Except for Samael, the other Great Houses were still influential. Only Samael¡¯s name was missing. ¡°Then do you know about the Six Noble Houses?¡± Six families who assisted the Four Great Houses and boasted considerable influence on the continent. They were called the Six Noble Houses. ¡°You¡¯ve really be a different person,young master. Have you suddenly taken an interest in politics?¡± ¡°Just tell me if you know or not.¡± ¡°I know to some extent.¡± Indeed, as befitting someone with the surname Perer, who had served as Samael¡¯s steward for a long time, Lihan knew a lot. All the families Lihan mentioned were in my memory. Three hundred years ago, those who participated and made their mark in the Land of Death expedition. Although the great knights and mages of that time had met their deaths as cold corpses, the potential of their families had been passed down through the generations. The ominous premonition I had hoped was wrong was gradually bing a reality. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Three hundred years ago, the otherworldly beings descended upon the ¡°Land of Death¡± in the northernmost part of the continent. The demons, who in just a week trampled the territory of the demihumans and brought humanity to the brink of extinction. On the northern frontlines, it was Samael who shed the most blood, facing the relentless onught of those abhorrent demons head-on. Even after the demon invasion was repelled. Only Samael. Committed all the family¡¯s resources to the ¡°Land of Death¡± expedition to eradicate the demons. Unlike the other Great or Noble Houses. Ignoring the family¡¯s restoration and the continent¡¯s politicalndscape. For the sole reason that they posed a threat to humanity. Foolishly. Leading the entire family¡¯s forces into battle. I forced down the bile rising in my throat and asked Lihan. ¡°Have you, by any chance, heard of the Final Expedition?¡± Lihan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it. By the way, young master, you don¡¯t look well. Shouldn¡¯t you rest?¡± ¡°¡­¡± So, the oue of that grand humanitarian effort was the current state of Samael. It seemed that the brutal expedition had be a forgotten tale, unrecognized and unacknowledged by anyone. With no survivors, there would be no one to tell the tale. ¡°¡­I understand. I want to rest, so you may leave.¡± ¡°Young Master.¡± Lihan paused as he was about to leave, tilting his head. ¡°I think I might have heard of the Final Expedition or something. Was it in the Land of Death folktales? I think I saw it there.¡± I straightened my posture and asked. ¡°Folktales? Tell me more. What was mentioned about Samael?¡± ¡°Hmm, I read it in a picture book when I was young, so I don¡¯t remember it clearly. But I¡¯m sure there wasn¡¯t a single mention of our family, right? I think I heard that the Balthar family brought peace.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s right.¡± Balthar brought peace? Out of nowhere? I remembered the end of Sword Saint Magnus Balthar. I had clearly seen him, in hisst moments, struck down by Verkes and turned into a cold corpse. Suddenly, I was wide awake. ¡®No one survived.¡¯ Everyone had died. I was thest survivor of the expedition. If what Lihan said was true¡­ Could it be that the story had been distorted by outsiders? As soon as the question arose, the inconsistencies I had overlooked came flooding in. There was a sense of dissonance that couldn¡¯t be exined simply by Samael¡¯s decline. Even if Samael hadmitted all their resources, the legacy of their ancestors should have remained. But¡­ ¡®I destroyed the Ifrit Temple with my own hands. There were no grimoires.¡¯ The more I pondered the words of the head of the family at the time. It felt as if they were denying Samael¡¯s magic itself. * * * I read the picture book Lihan brought me over and over again. It was a simple story. Balthar defeated ¡®scary beings¡¯ and brought peace to the world. There was no mention of Samael. I sat there in a daze for a long time before finallying to my senses and stepping outside. The cold mountain wind whipped at my cheeks. ¡°Damn it.¡± Ten years of expedition. With the grand notion of protecting humanity, we marched on, trampling over the corpses of ourrades, drenched in blood, until we all went mad to the point of bing numb to death. The ending of that cruel and desperate expedition had beenpletely distorted. I don¡¯t know. What happened after that? If the Balthar family had twisted the story to their liking, I would hold them ountable. But what infuriated me even more was¡­ ¡°Unlucky Pelleer. You fools of Samael. See, I was right. No one remembers now.¡± The anger towards my pastrades surged within me. If even one or two high-ranking mages had remained, Samael wouldn¡¯t have fallen this far. The conviction to protect humanity? What did it leave behind? The result of sacrificing lives for such a belief was a family so utterly ruined that no one even remembers it. It¡¯s their own fault. Serves them right¡­ Damn it. * * * Lost in thought, I found myself halfway up Mount Khaoto. The t training ground came into view. It was in the same spot as before. However, the ornate decorations and mana refineries that once surrounded it were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Should I just turn a blind eye and run away?¡± Far from basking in the family¡¯s glory, it seems I¡¯m the one who needs to save Samael. Let¡¯s think about this rationally. What was my original dream? I wanted to live a prosperous life, not take responsibility for a fallen family. I detest such things. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯d be better off working as a mercenary.¡± Why should I, who¡¯s been reincarnated, have to bear the burden of Samael? ¡®Yes, that would be better.¡¯ As I descended from the training ground, I felt as if someone was grabbing my ankles and pulling me back. Hallucinations started echoing in my head. ¡°Shut up!¡± The voices grew louder even as I covered my ears. ¡ª Pull yourself together, Crazy Mage Squad Commander. If you lose consciousness now, it¡¯s death. Go get a healer. We need to save Ruin¡­ We need to save Ruin, I say! In my fading consciousness, the memory of Pelleer¡¯s shouting ovepped with¡­ ¡ª Commander, what do you want to do when we return alive? I¡¯m going to retire and just live a quiet life researching mental magic. Haha. The faces of those unlucky Crazy Mage Squad bastards flickered before my eyes. Why did the faces of my subordinates, who even in death wore peaceful expressions, suddenlye to mind? ¡°Damn it, really.¡± Perhaps the target of my simmering rage¡­ Was not my pastrades. ¡°Those idiots are clinging even in death. Fine, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll just help a little. Just a little.¡± Just enough to help Samael stand on its own two feet, and then I¡¯ll run away. And to do that, I need to get stronger first. I need to be strong enough to help or run away. The training ground was right in front of me. I started running without hesitation. What¡¯s the most basic foundation of magic? Mental Fortitude? A genius brain? No. The answer is physical strength. Enemies won¡¯t wait patiently while you chant your spells. Those who leave the frontlines to the knights andfortably cast spells from behind cannot be called true mages. To maintain focus andplete spells even in extreme situations, strong physical stamina is essential. ¡®It should be the time when the apprentices are filling the training ground¡­¡¯ I cursed as I ran aimlessly around the empty training ground. I pushed my physical limits. I expelled the stagnant energy, but my body was so weak that sweat poured down like rain even after a short run. As my breath hitched in my throat, I rotated the circle of my heart. The mana of nature resonated within me, swirling in harmony. In that state, I envisioned mes in my mind. ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± Fwoosh¡ª A me the size of my palm flickered into existence at my fingertips, then faded away. Not bad for a first attempt with this pathetic body. ¡°Phew.¡± I copsed onto the training ground, sprawled out like a starfish, gasping for air. As the world spun around me from dizziness, I heard footsteps approaching from afar. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ I sat up and looked ahead to see a sturdy man approaching. A familiar face. Tiger eyebrows. The one who used to re at me with disdain beside the head of the family. Even now, he doesn¡¯t seem to have any fondness for me. Instinctively, I got up. Sometimes, negative premonitions consume my body, and this was one of those times. My instincts, honed from ten years of fighting demons, were sounding the rm. Run away, they urged. ¡°Ruin.¡± I tried to ignore the voice and flee, but my body wouldn¡¯t budge. An invisible, sticky force held me firmly in ce. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking all over for you, and here you are.¡± His tone was cold, devoid of any emotion. I turned my head to face him. Up close, he was even more intimidating than I had imagined. ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t quite remember.¡± ¡°Hector Kart.¡± ¡°Kart?¡± I knew the surname Kart. High-ranking mages who had served as protectors of the Samael bloodline for generations. ¡°What business does a protector have with me?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having withdrawal symptoms. Sweating profusely like that is quite unsightly.¡± The disdainful look in the protector¡¯s eyes as he stared at me started to get on my nerves. ¡°Your gaze is quite hostile, Ruin.¡± ¡°I think I should be the one saying that to you.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± With a click of his tongue, the invisible force constricting my body tightened. It was a familiar sensation. Fourth-circle wind magic, Binder. To cast fourth-circle magic without chanting requires at least sixth-circle mastery. The fact that Samael still had a capable mage was surprising, but it wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hector replied quietly, ¡°This is to fix your rotten mindset. From now on, I will control all your actions. Questions are not allowed.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad.¡± Hector¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Even the family rules have gone to hell. Who are you to dictate? By what authority does a protector of Samael control the eldest son?¡± ¡°¡­Interesting words. It seems your head has grown in my absence. Now I understand why you¡¯re acting so insolent.¡± Hector stared into my eyes for a moment before saying, ¡°Insolent fool. Let¡¯s see if you even understand the meaning of your words. Let¡¯s see if you can avoid bowing your head.¡± ¡°I said, cut the crap.¡± A chilling smirk slowly crept across Hector¡¯s face. ¡°Kneel.¡± An immense pressure, like a wave, crashed over me. The sticky, invisible force intensified its grip. Gravity magic. It felt like a massive boulder was crushing my body, pressing me down. ¡®Damn it. This bastard, really.¡¯ Crack¡ª The sound of my footsteps digging deep into the ground. I wanted to copse and bury my knees in the earth. If I forced myself to resist, my knees would surely give out. ¡°Bow your head.¡± My vision blurred. I bit my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. The smell of blood helped me cling to consciousness. My eyes felt bloodshot, my vision turning red. Yes, this crimson world. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Laughter escaped my lips. It was a familiar sight, a situation I had experienced countless times until recently. No one else might remember that hellish expedition, but I do. My body remembers. I am Ruin, the Crazy Mage. Through my crimson vision, I red at Hector with a smile. Hector¡¯s expression was slowly changing. * * * Hector Kart, the vice-tower master of the Red Magic Tower, frowned as he looked at the young man before him. It was clear that the situation was unfolding quite differently from what he had anticipated. ¡®He¡¯s resisting?¡¯ Thebination of [Binder] and [Point Gravity]. Even as low-level spells, they were not something an ordinary person could withstand. Exposure to either one alone would be unbearable for most. Yet, both spells were being cast simultaneously. The pressure the young man was feeling must be unimaginable. Hector had expected him to submit within seconds¡­ But hadn¡¯t it already been over a minute? ¡®There¡¯s no sign of him forming a Core.¡¯ Hector slowly examined Ruin. Bloodshot eyes, knee joints that looked ready to buckle. ¡®Is it purely willpower?¡¯ The determination to endure even if his body were to break. It was impossible for the Ruin he knew, no, even for a highly trained Red Tower member, it would be impossible with willpower alone. ¡®¡­Strange.¡¯ Regardless of the reason. Seeing Ruinughing like a madman, Hector had to revise his assessment. ¡°Fine.¡± With a wave of his hand, the pressure on Ruin vanished. Hector tore a healing parchment and used it on Ruin. The wounds healed instantly. Ruin coughed up blood-tinged saliva, then took a breath and red at Hector. Hector spoke with an indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. It was the Head¡¯s order.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ruin, I was ordered to make you worthy of Samael. To remove your apprentice status.¡± After a moment of thought, Ruin coughed up blood and let out a hollowugh. ¡°It seems even you find it funny. Or have you finally be scared?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruin red at Hector. ¡°You were told to make me worthy of Samael?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that means merely removing my apprentice status?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it alone. It¡¯s better than learning from you.¡± Hector leaned in close to Ruin¡¯s face. Then, with a tiger-like intimidating aura, he growled, ¡°Weakling. Don¡¯t expect me to show mercy again. Do you even know who I am?¡± A suffocating pressure emanated from him once more. But again, Ruin didn¡¯t flinch from Hector¡¯s aura. ¡°Shall we make a bet?¡± ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°Where are the apprentices? I¡¯ll surpass them within a week.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Hector threw back his head and roared withughter. As if the sight of someone who didn¡¯t even know the basics of magic spouting such nonsense was unbearably funny. ¡°You¡¯re amusing. And if you fail?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Juvenile bravado is enough once. Follow me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A frog in a well. Hector dismissed Ruin¡¯s words as the bravado of a young man ignorant of the world. And he wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so. ¡®He knows nothing.¡¯ Ruin watched Hector¡¯s retreating figure, lost in thought. What it means to be worthy of Samael. What Samael truly represents. That man had no clue. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 6 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 6: Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (1) The easternmost part of the central continent, Mount Khaoto, was known for its harsh terrain. Beyond its base, the mountain became increasingly treacherous, with sharp cliffs, deep ravines, and a narrowing path. As a result, outsiders rarely ventured there. For ages, this imposing mountain had been the home of the Samael family. I was currently making my way up its steep slope. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± The cliffside path was perilous, and I had already nearly lost my footing several times. My cursed body was struggling, and I was gasping for air. ¡°Already tired?¡± ¡°Just hurry up.¡± Hector, walking ahead of me with ease, looked incredibly smug. Soon, the cliffside path ended, revealing a t basin and an old building. Hector turned around with an indifferent expression. ¡°You managed to survive the climb.¡± ¡®What an annoying face.¡¯ Instead of replying, I looked around. There were damp clothes in the front yard and the faint sound of hammering in the distance. It seemed this was the training area for the apprentices. Creak¡ª I passed through the worn-out back door into the training grounds and encountered a group of people. ¡°Huh?¡± There was a mage-like instructor and ten grubby-looking boys. They all looked startled and gave me strange looks upon seeing me. What a bunch of brats. They should be greeting the eldest son of Samael first¡­ ¡°Greetings!¡± Good. My heart softened a little as I saw the boys hastily bowing at a 90-degree angle. They finally recognized me¡­ Wait, what? ¡°We greet the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet the Vice Tower Master!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. What was this Red Magic Tower? There was only one magic tower, the White Magic Tower, full of old fogeys. I realized what was happening when I saw Hector nodding as if this were natural. ¡®¡­There¡¯s another magic tower.¡¯ Now I understood why Hector was acting so disrespectfully towards me. How lowly must he think of Samael to be working as a Vice Tower Master instead of a Guardian? I felt irritated. It seemed he was quite famous outside. Everyone was looking at Hector like he was some kind of hero. ¡°Instructor Dyke. This is the new recruit who will be joining us from today, Ruin Samael.¡± Hector introduced me as if I were a piece of discarded luggage. The instructor, Dyke, asked cautiously, ¡°Vice Tower Master, what do you mean by a new recruit?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± The instructor slowly scanned me from head to toe. ¡°¡­Are you saying we should teach him magic?¡± He asked as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°There¡¯s no need to teach him anything. He ims he can surpass all the kids here in a week.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­? Ha.¡± The instructor let out a hollowugh, and snickers erupted from the surrounding boys. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a month, specifically. A week is too short to feel ashamed. Let¡¯s see you struggle.¡± Hector left without looking back, leaving those sarcastic words behind. * * * ¡°Ruin Samael?¡± ¡°He¡¯s as skinny as I heard.¡± ¡°Are you the loser they were talking about? What are you doing here?¡± Seven or eight grubby boys surrounded me. I briefly looked at each of them, making eye contact. Three of them stood out. ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing here. Aren¡¯t you going to answer?¡± Thest one I made eye contact with growled quietly. ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing here, you little shit.¡± ¡°Little shit?¡± Cursing at me right off the bat? This kid has a great mentality. There¡¯s always one troublemaker, no matter where you go. Instead of answering, I picked up a small pebble from the ground and held it between my thumb and index finger. At the same time, I rotated the circle in my heart and chanted the incantation. Windpressed between my thumb and index finger. Whoosh¡ªBam! ¡°Ouch!¡± The boy who got hit in the forehead with the pebble, which shot out like an arrow, clutched his face. There were murmurs. When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with venom. ¡°¡­You little shit, are you trying to pick a fight with me?¡± ¡°Everyone quiet!¡± Instructor Dyke¡¯s shout from afar silenced themotion. Dyke, having seen Hector off, slowly approached and looked down at me with a high-handed air. ¡°Ruin Samael.¡± I briefly met Dyke¡¯s eyes. With his square jaw, he looked quite stubborn. ¡°I am Dyke Dallen of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Yes, I figured as much. You¡¯re from the Red Magic Tower, not Samael.¡± ¡°If you understand, then discard your disrespectful attitude.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was just as I expected. If he were a mage from Samael, he wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me like this, even if I looked like a loser. There were no mages left in Samael to even train apprentices. If Hector was the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower, then this guy must be one of his subordinates. No wonder the apprentices didn¡¯t react to the name Samael. Damn it. The family is really going downhill. ¡°Ruin, was it? I have no interest in your trashy behavior. Whether you feel mana or not, whether you follow the training or not, it¡¯s all up to you. Got it?¡± His voice was full of annoyance. ¡°I understand. Then let¡¯s finish what we were doing. Everyone, activate your mana¡± ¡°Activating Mana!¡± With the chant, mana waves rippled around the apprentices. ¡°Release!¡± The apprentices moved their hands busily, and soon 1st Circle magic spells started shooting out from their hands. ¡°¡­Wh-what.¡± I was so shocked that I was speechless. I stared nkly at the scene, wondering if I was seeing things. It wasn¡¯t just that the apprentices¡¯ level was lower than I expected, nor that they were all snickering at me with arrogant expressions, nor even that the kid with the red forehead was flipping me off. Hand Sign Magic. ¡®Hand signs? These crazy bastards.¡¯ That was the source of the shock that felt like a blow to the head. It was because the apprentices were casting magic with hand signs instead of incantations. And in the heart of Samael, the origin of incantation magic, no less. ¡°Activate your mana, then release again!¡± ¡°Release!¡± I wasn¡¯t seeing things. The apprentices were once again waving their hands awkwardly, manifesting magic. ¡°¡­¡± Hand sign magic was an obsolete system. At best, it was a shortcut, nothing more. No normal mage would ever cast magic with hand signs. Although the activation method was simpler than incantations, the drawbacks were clear enough to outweigh any benefits. I immediately red at Dyke and said, ¡°Instructor Dyke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is this? Why are you teaching apprentices hand sign magic?¡± Only then did Dyke slowly turn his head towards me. ¡°Teaching the basics, you say? Hand signs?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Why are you teaching them hand signs? You know they¡¯ll have trouble walking the right path if they get used to shortcuts.¡± Dyke¡¯s eyes hardened with displeasure. ¡°A brat who can¡¯t even walk is spouting nonsense on his first day. The basics of magic are hand signs.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I stared intently at the stubborn instructor¡¯s eyes and realized that there was sincerity in them. ¡®Could it be that the drawbacks of hand signs have been mitigated?¡¯ No. The limitations of hand signs are clear. They¡¯re not the kind of drawbacks that can be mitigated. The apprentices were proof of that. The power of hand sign magic was ridiculously weakpared to incantations. Even for the same level of magic, the power difference between hand signs and incantations was like night and day. You could even block hand sign magic with a lower-level incantation spell. The 1st Circle magic the apprentices were casting was a clear example. It was far weaker than its normal power. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. The drawbacks of hand sign magic are obvious.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Exin it to me then. Why aren¡¯t you using incantations?¡± ¡°You idiot. If you disrupt the ss one more time, I¡¯ll kick you out.¡± Dyke turned his head away with those words. His expression showed clear disdain. An attitude that suggested he didn¡¯t even want to talk to me. ¡°Everyone, prepare your hand signs again.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Anger boiled inside me as I watched the apprentices waving their hands around. What the hell was going on here? I closed my eyes and slowly began to raise my senses. Whirr¡ª I rotated the mana circle in my heart, resonating with the mana of nature and drawing it in. The mana, rotating along the circle, was converted into an element. Then, I envisioned the image and chanted, ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± Fwoosh¡ª A fireball, twice the size of the ones the apprentices had conjured and in the most orthodox form, appeared. The fireball left my fingertips andnded precisely in the center of the training ground. Boom! All eyes turned towards the source of the explosion. I fixed my gaze solely on the instructor. Let¡¯s see if he can still ignore me after seeing this. Finally, the instructor¡¯s gaze returned to me. ¡°¡­Ruin Samael.¡± Something felt strange. The instructor¡¯s expression waspletely different from what I had expected. He wasn¡¯t surprised by my magic, nor did he even frown. ¡°Did you really just use an incantation?¡± He looked down at me with an incredulous expression, as if I had done something bizarre. ¡°Tsk, like father, like son.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you want to tell me that you have to chant magic with your mouth instead of your hands? You must have read some outdated grimoire.¡± Laughter erupted around us along with the instructor¡¯s sigh. I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment. I wondered if they were all messing with me, but it didn¡¯t seem like it. ¡°Looks like you even drew in the surrounding mana. You were saying you¡¯d surpass the apprentices with that method.¡± ¡°Incantations are the standard of magic. How can you say that after seeing it with your own eyes? Hand signs can¡¯t surpass incantations.¡± ¡°You idiot. Nobody does such inefficient things. I can¡¯t help but call you pathetic.¡± With his eyes full of conviction, I couldn¡¯t continue speaking. That level of belief was insane. It takes one to know one. There¡¯s no one harder to reason with than a madman with unwavering conviction. To solidify my inner belief in myself, I used my ultimate move. ¡°So what circle are you, then?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about circles? You really must have learned from an outdated grimoire.¡± ¡°So what circle are you? Above 8th Circle?¡± ¡°You brat!¡± Dyke, who had been staring at me for a while, said, ¡°This is yourst warning. I won¡¯t tolerate such arrogance again. Listen carefully.¡± Dyke looked down at me, his angr jaw raised high. ¡°I am a 4-star mage of the Red Magic Tower, Dyke Dallen.¡± ¡°I win. A 4th Circle mage like you¡­ Wait a minute.¡± ¡­Did I hear wrong? 4-star, not 4th Circle? Was this stupid mage talking about star ranks like some ignorant knight? No, I must have misheard. I must have. ¡°You seem to be deaf. Let me say it again. I am a 4-star mage.¡± My ultimate move had failed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 7 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 7: Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (2) I¡¯ve never been fond of knights. When asked why, I¡¯d say it¡¯s because they¡¯re ignorant, but that was just an excuse. The real reason was different. I¡¯d never uttered that reason aloud. It was a rather old story. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to admit that during my time living in the back alleys, I had messed with the wrong bumpkin at the ¡°Red Moon Tavern¡± and got the beating of my life. Turns out that bumpkin was a 3-star knight. The practical martial arts I had learned through self-study while ruling the back alleys, unfortunately, didn¡¯t work on him. I was knocked out in one hit. His punch was so strong that the sensation lingered on my jaw for a while. Iter learned that it was something called a Mana core. After that day, I searched for that bumpkin knight, seeking revenge, but I never saw him again. Anyway, mages have Mana Circles, and knights have Mana cores. This wasmon knowledge and an unchanging truth. Knights crudely umte mana in their lower abdomen. They called it a Mana core to sound impressive. To me, it looked more like a Mana Belly. ¡°Hey, another drink here!¡± ¡°I need to fill up my Mana core today!¡± I¡¯d seen countless potbellied drunks stroking their bellies and bragging about their Mana cores. The important thing is that knights ¡°umte¡± mana within their bodies. If I remember correctly, the Swordmaster had a hundred years¡¯ worth of mana condensed in his Mana core. umting mana is a very unrefined and ignorant thing to do. We mages don¡¯t have a single speck of mana in our bodies. We only have pathways for mana to circte. These pathways for mana are called Mana Circles. Mages resonate with the mana in the atmosphere through their Mana Circles to instantaneously manifest magic. It¡¯s like breathing oxygen through our respiratory system. Why do it in such aplicated way? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just store mana in the body? That¡¯s because the pure mana in the atmosphere contains high-quality elements. If you umte mana in your body, impurities mix in, and the elements within it gradually break down. Since converting mana into elements is essential for manifesting magic, it¡¯s naturally impossible to store it within the body. Of course, those stupid knights didn¡¯t care if the elements in their mana disappeared. Ignorance is bliss, so they could mindlessly umte mana in their bodies without any problems. They called the mana umted in their lower abdomen ¡°Qi,¡± and from 4-star knights onward, they could release Qi outside their bodies. If they released Qi through a sword, it would be Sword Qi. * * * I had seen countless madmen in the expedition. The Glutton who stabbed his own temple with a knife to break the ¡°Curse of Cirction,¡± the White Dragon who reced his damaged heart with that of a demonic peacock, and Azeta who swallowed three of his fingers to make his Mana Circle go haywire. There are countless others I can think of right now. But I never thought I¡¯d see someone say something as crazy as¡­ 4-star mage. How could this be? It was no different from denying that he was a mage. ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s training. Go and tidy up.¡± I approached Dyke, who was wrapping up the apprentices¡¯ training. I needed to confirm something. ¡°Hey, I have a question.¡± Dyke replied without turning his head. ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses, have you?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ you umte mana in your core?¡± The answer came from an unexpected source. ¡°That guy is really stupid. Where else would you umte it if not in the core?¡± It was the kid who got hit by the pebble earlier. I ignored him and continued to stare at Dyke. ¡°You must know that the efficiency of elemental conversion is terrible with the dirty mana umted in the body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°You are truly impertinent.¡± Dyke¡¯s eyes changed for the first time. If his expression before was that of looking at a bothersome flea, now there was an inexplicable anger in them. ¡°It seems you have no intention of answering.¡± ¡°Ruin Samael. I clearly warned you. This is yourst chance.¡± Dyke faced me directly. Mana fluctuations slowly emanated from him. ¡°Alright, that works too.¡± ¡°You brat!¡± As I leaped backward, Dyke waved his hand. A Fireball manifested with a simplified hand sign. He probably thought he was using just enough magic to subdue me, but he was wrong. As soon as Inded, I firmly nted my foot on the ground. ¡°Blowing wind, Wind Blow.¡± I let myself be carried by the wind and shot forward. A wind path supported my back. I gathered wind pressure in my fist with the eleration and punched forward. The Fireball shattered upon contact with my wind-infused fist. Dyke¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Whirr¡ª Atmospheric mana gathered through the Mana Circle formed near my heart. ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± We were only a few steps apart. The Fireball manifested from my fingertips and shot towards Dyke. Dyke frowned and quickly formed a hand sign. ¡°Fire Spear.¡± The moment the Fireball and Fire Spear collided, I felt myself lifted into the air as heat washed over me. I was the one who got hit. Boom¡ª I crashed to the ground, my insides churning and blood spilling out. 2nd Circle magic, Fire Spear. Dyke looked down at me with a disdainful expression. ¡°You idiot. Do you understand now? I don¡¯t know where you learned such magic, but¡­¡± Dyke shook his head, cutting himself off. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no point in telling you. I¡¯ve just wasted my time.¡± ¡°Ugh, ptui.¡± I spat out blood and then provoked Dyke. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the stupid one here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dyke¡¯s face once again showed that familiar look of annoyance. It was an indifferent expression, as if he didn¡¯t even care to be angry. I finally understood how he felt about his role as an instructor. ¡°Don¡¯t bothering to ss. I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± With those words, Dyke disappeared over the ridge. ¡°Ha.¡± Dyke might not know¡­ But I had already confirmed everything I needed to. Dyke was no different from the apprentices. The power of his magic was pathetic. A Fire Spear cast by a normal 4th Circle mage wouldn¡¯t have ended like that. And he didn¡¯t even realize it. * * * Drip¡ª Drip drip¡ª It waste at night, and raindrops were starting to fall. I was alone in the training grounds, lost in thought for a while. Pitter-patter¡ª Pitter-patter¡ª The sound of the raindrops grew stronger. I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt a heavy touch on my shoulder. ¡°Yo!¡± The chubby kid with sses had his hand on my shoulder. He was one of the three I had noticed earlier. But I couldn¡¯t figure out what this eerie feeling was. ¡­What¡¯s with this fatty? Suddenly, I felt something heavy in my front pocket. It was a piece of dried jerky. I looked at the chubby kid, wondering what this was about, and he shushed me, cing his thick index finger on my lips. It was salty. The corner of the chubby kid¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. It was a fleeting smile. ¡°You did well today.¡± When the chubby kid looked up at the rain falling from the sky, his face seemed to blur. Swooosh¡ª The rain intensified. The chubby kid, who had been patting my shoulder affectionately, slowly walked past me. I watched his plump back through the pouring rain. I suddenly noticed that his shoes were pink. By the time I realized it, his left hand was raised next to the back of his head. It looked like he was waving goodbye. Exactly three fingers were extended. Thumb, index, and pinky. For some reason, I felt really pissed off. * * * I entered the dormitory to escape the rain. A musty smell hit my nose as soon as I opened the old door. The noisy chatter upstairs indicated that the training was over and they were having fun. There was no one on the first floor. I started looking around for something. ¡®There should be at least some basic books in the apprentices¡¯ dormitory.¡¯ After wandering around for a while, I found a pile of old books in a secluded room. ¡®There it is.¡¯ I picked up the most worn-out book. ¡ºTheory and Practice of Hand Sign Magic ¨C Basic¡» Author: Gaysek Parkunon Background: First Tower Master of the Yellow Magic Tower, Former Vice Chairman of the Magic Tower Federation. Published by: Magic Tower Federation ===== [Chapter 1. History of Mana core and Basics of Hand Sign Magic] ¡ª The importance of Mana core to mages has only been emphasized for a few decades. ¡ª Mages of the past did not umte mana in their bodies. They used Mana Circles to manifest magic as follows: ¡ª [Mana Circle] ¨C [Mana Sensing] ¨C [Mana Resonance] ¨C [Elemental Conversion] ¨C [Incantation] ¨C [Magic Manifestation] ¡ª Incantation using Mana Circles requires extreme concentration. Although powerful, it is structurally vulnerable in actualbat. ¡ª The development of Hand Signs changed the foundation of magic. By simply performing pre-calcted Hand Signs, one can easily cast magic using the mana within their body. ¡ª [Mana core] ¨C [Hand Sign] ¨C [Magic Manifestation] ¡ª Hand Signs have enabled mages to engage in closebat and have led them to y an excellent supporting role for knights. ¡­¡­(Omitted)¡­¡­ ======= ¡°Just as expected.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Instructor Dyke. The difort I felt couldn¡¯t be dismissed as simply Samael¡¯s downfall. The source of that difort was in this book. The feeling that the current head of the family was denying Samael¡¯s magic was not a mistake. In a world where Mana core and Hand Sign Magic had be the norm, magic had regressed over 300 years. [Gaysek Parkunon] The author of the book suddenly caught my eye. ¡®The Parkunon family.¡¯ I knew of them. They were the only magic family that hadn¡¯t sent a single direct descendant to the expedition. ¡®What a load of nonsense.¡¯ The more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Mages ying a supporting role for knights? If the members of the Crazy Mage Squad had heard this, they would have probably foamed at the mouth and beaten the author to death. The values that mages had built up over thousands of years¡­ Shattered in just 300 years. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to save the idiotic mages of the present. I already knew that such a sense of justice was useless. But what made me angry¡­ Was that the apprentices using hand signs kept reminding me of the Crazy Mage Squad from the past. ¡°Idiots.¡± I slowly rotated my circle, checking my condition. It seemed I needed to create another circle quickly. * * * The next day. I attended Instructor Dyke¡¯s ss again. Dyke red at me for a moment with a dumbfounded look, but when I remained silent and just observed the ss, he continued without any further interference. Of course, I had a n. It just wasn¡¯t aimed at Dyke. That stubborn instructor was not someone I could reason with. ¡®There¡¯s a better way.¡¯ Instead, I stared at the apprentices throughout the ss. I focused my gaze on one of them, constantly smirking. ¡°Hey.¡± During break time, As expected, the kid with the red forehead approached me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look away? You think you¡¯re invincible because the instructor is going easy on you, huh?¡± I knew it. This kid didn¡¯t grasp the power of the magic I disyed when I attacked the instructor. I raised my middle finger and wagged it. ¡°You crazy bastard. Do you really want to die? You stay behind after ss.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I cheered inwardly. As they say, teaching is most effective when it¡¯s tailored to the student¡¯s level. Come to think of it, I think I made subordinates around this age in my past life too. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 8 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 8: 2-Circle Archmage (1) Late afternoon after ss. I approached Dyke, who was just about to leave, for the first time. ¡°Instructor Dyke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dyke didn¡¯t even acknowledge me. He ignored me as if I were invisible and walked on. I watched his back and asked sarcastically, ¡°What star-rank mage is Hector?¡± Pause¡ª Dyke stopped involuntarily. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Dyke turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°I thought you¡¯d finally quieted down, but your insolence knows no bounds. He¡¯s not someone you should even mention.¡± ¡°So how strong is he?¡± ¡°You brat!¡± I shrugged and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a difficult question. I¡¯m sure the Vice Tower Master isn¡¯t a secret position. If it¡¯s hard to answer, he must not be very skilled.¡± It was an obvious provocation, but Dyke¡¯s eyes zed. His pride was hurt. ¡°The Mage of Crimson me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Vice Tower Master¡¯s epithet. Since you seem to have asked out of ignorance, I¡¯ll tell you this once. He¡¯s a 7-star mage, and one of the top five mages in the entire world.¡± 7-star mage. In the past, this would probably be equivalent to a 6-circle mage. As expected, he¡¯s a high-ranking mage. But for him to be one of the top five with just that level of power means that the current generation of mages must be quite weak. I suddenly remembered something I had discovered while flipping through booksst night. Four magic towers exist besides the White Magic Tower. The Red Magic Tower, specializing in fire and wind attributes. The Blue Magic Tower, specializing in water attributes. The Yellow Magic Tower, specializing in earth attributes. The ck Magic Tower, shrouded in mystery. If Hector is one of the top five mages in the world, the Red Magic Tower must also have a high standing. ¡°Now that you know, abandon your disrespectful attitude.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to hold back, Dyke added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Vice Tower Master¡¯s generosity, do you think a backwater family like yours would have the opportunity to learn Red Magic Tower magic?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you taught us half-heartedly.¡± ¡°What?¡± I looked at Dyke and replied, ¡°You. The reason you teach the apprentices half-heartedly is because of that.¡± From what I observed in a day, Dyke was only providing nominal education. There was no genuine care for the apprentices. Dyke didn¡¯t deny my words. ¡°There are plenty of families who would be grateful for even that much.¡± I said casually, ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind if I do whatever I want outside of training hours.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking of foolishly reciting incantations again. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have time for that.¡± With that, Dyke turned to leave. After a few steps, he abruptly turned and waved his hand. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind rushed towards me, ruffling my hair. It was a familiar spell. [4-star, Wind Press.] I watched the iing magic without flinching. Bang¡ª Thepressed wind struck the ground just a hair¡¯s breadth away, kicking up a cloud of dust. In the distance, Dyke looked at me with his chin held high. ¡°I think I¡¯ve given you more than enough chances. If you intend to stay here, I won¡¯t tolerate any more disrespect. Address me with honorifics.¡± Iughed inwardly. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep that up. * * * *Thud¡ª* As soon as I entered the dormitory, a rag came flying at my head. I dodged it with a slight tilt of my head and looked up. The guy who had cursed at me this morning was snickering upstairs. I think his name was Zion. ¡°Hey, you moron. Did the instructor leave?¡± ¡°He¡¯s outside. He said he¡¯s going to spank that Zion kid. Who¡¯s Zion?¡± The guy was startled and asked me, ¡°What did you say?¡± I grinned and said, ¡°You must be Zion.¡± Only then did Zion realize he was being teased. He red his nostrils and retorted, ¡°You bastard, I told you you¡¯re dead. Come outside.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± I followed Zion out of the dormitory. We passed the training grounds and went deeper into the mountains. Zion stopped abruptly at one spot. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A big guy with a bare chest was waiting for us. His name was Makan, and he was one of the three I had initially taken note of. ¡°You brought him.¡± ¡°Yeah, heh.¡± Zion cracked his neck and red at me. ¡°Do what you did earlier.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Zion raised his middle finger and waved it. ¡°Don¡¯t remember? Huh? You fucking bastard?¡± ¡°Such foulnguage for a young one. Be careful, it¡¯s a bad habit.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard. Are you trying to act tough because this is Samael? You¡¯re really dead.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± I turned my head and looked at Makan. This guy¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look that malicious, so I didn¡¯t understand why he was here. ¡°Do you feel the same way as Zion?¡± ¡°Newbie, I heard you insulted me.¡± As if it were obvious, Zion nodded. ¡°Yeah, Makan. I heard this guy cursing you out with my own ears.¡± ¡°Now the little brat¡¯s lying, too.¡± Zion red at me. ¡°Little brat, my ass. You were grumbling about Makan earlier. You said he looked like an uneducated idiot.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I instantly revised my assessment of Zion. As they say, you can tell a lot about a person by one action. This guy is quite cunning. Because Makan actually did seem like an uneducated idiot. ¡°Hey, newbie. You need to be taught a lesson.¡± Sure enough, Makan¡¯s face reddened with anger. With Zion mixing truth into his words, Makan had no choice but to believe him. Zion grinned and said, ¡°Heh, some guys only learn after getting beaten up. You teach him a lesson first, Makan.¡± ¡°Alright. Newbie, you brought this on yourself.¡± The more I looked at Makan, the more foolish he seemed. The kid was talking like an uneducated knight. ¡°This is why the dumb ones always get hit first.¡± Seeing Makan approaching me with a re, I felt a thrill I hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. I looked back and forth between the two of them and then raised my hand. ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°What is it, newbie? If you want to apologize, go ahead. I¡¯ll only hit you once.¡± ¡°You two, let¡¯s make a bet.¡± Zion, who was watching from a distance, scoffed and replied, ¡°You¡¯re crazy. What kind of bet?¡± ¡°The loser of the fight bes the other¡¯s servant. How about it?¡± ¡°Servent? How?¡± ¡°Like fetching water if asked, getting hit if told to, running if ordered, and even chanting spells.¡± Suddenly, Zion¡¯s lips curled up into a smirk, and then he burst outughing. ¡°Hahaha. You dream big, kid. It would be fun, though.¡± I asked Makan, ¡°What about you? Do you agree?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it, newbie. But there¡¯s no need to fetch water. Instead, if you lose, I want you to do myundry every morning.¡± ¡°Of course. But there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to¡­¡± I trailed off and crouched down, secretly grabbing a stone and rotating my mana circle. I resonated with the mana in the air and guided it to my feet. Whir¡ª An intense wave of mana gathered at my feet. By the time Makan sensed something strange, I had already finished my preparations. ¡°Pushing wind, Wind Push.¡± I kicked off the ground hard, gaining momentum, and headbutted Makan right in the chin. Crack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± Blood spurted from Makan¡¯s mouth. When Makan¡¯s eyes rolled back in his head, I used the stone in my hand to strike his chin again. Crack¡ª ¡°Argh!¡± The impact was electrifying. It was a satisfying feeling I hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. This is it. This is what being a mage is all about. With a thud, Makan was knocked unconscious. This is what they call a swift victory. Zion stared at me, dumbfounded. His eyes said he never expected me to attack first. ¡°You bastard, you dared to ambush me? How cowardly!¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± ¡°This bastard, seriously!¡± Zion was definitely quick-witted. He backed away a few steps and started forming hand signs. But no matter how clever he was, he had chosen the wrong opponent. ¡°Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Seeing the iing spear of mes, I scoffed. A 2-circle chant producing something so weak was pathetic. ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± The fireball I conjured swallowed Zion¡¯s spell. ¡°What? How can you block a Fire Spear with a Fireball?¡± Panicked, Zion turned to run, but it was a futile attempt. ¡°You idiot.¡± My chant was a few seconds faster. Iunched another fireball, hitting Zion squarely in the butt. *Bang¡ª!* The seat of Zion¡¯s pants caught fire and ripped apart. He screamed and rolled on the ground. ¡°Argh! It¡¯s hot!¡± Seeing the young boy, who had just barely shed his childish looks, scream in pain, I suddenly felt a pang of pity. ¡°Tsk, tsk, how pathetic.¡± ¡°S-Stop it!¡± ¡°Blowing wind, Wind Blow.¡± *p, p¡ª* ¡°Aagh! You bastard! You said you pitied me!¡± ¡°I pity myself.¡± *p, p¡ª* Seeing Zion¡¯s buttocks turn bright red from the wind ps, I finally felt somewhat satisfied. ¡°Ugh, stop it. I¡¯ll be your servant,so stop!¡± *p, p¡ª* ¡°Ugggh¡­¡± I silently looked down at the two unconscious boys. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Makan woke up. Next to him, Zion was squatting, clutching his reddened buttocks with both hands. I immediately leaned over Makan¡¯s head. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°You were sleeping so soundly, I waited for you. That¡¯s how considerate I am of my servants.¡± Makan, who had been dazed for a while, seemed to finally remember what had happened. He grabbed his chin with a pained expression and looked at me with a slightly resentful gaze. ¡°Why that look? Do you feel wronged? Want to go again?¡± ¡°Ugh. No, a loss is a loss.¡± ¡°Good. Now get up, my servants.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°If you lost, you be servants. Get up.¡± Makan and Zion rose from their spots, bewildered. ¡°From now on, address me with respect. Have you ever seen a servant speak informally to their master?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°N-No, sir.¡± ¡°Run.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I said run, you bastards!¡± Seeing me pretend to cast a spell, the two boys jumped up in surprise and instinctively ran forward. The reason for running was simple. The foundation of magic is physical strength. This was the first step in raising Samael¡¯s apprentices my way. * * * Zion copsed onto the ground, his legs trembling uncontrobly. ¡°¡­That bastard.¡± His body wouldn¡¯t obey him. He had run like crazy all night and only returned to the dormitory at dawn, so it was understandable. What rotten luck. After catching his breath for a while, Zion nced at Makan next to him. ¡°¡­Makan, does this make any sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s frustrating, but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°You idiot. Are we going to run like this every day?¡± Makan flexed his chest and replied, ¡°The air was surprisingly good, though.¡± Surprisingly, Makan seemed rtively fine despite running through the mountains for hours. Zion shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s not the issue right now. Are you going to fetch water for that Ruin bastard every day, Makan? Did youe here for that?¡± ¡°But a loss is a loss.¡± ¡°That guy was the one who acted cowardly first. Who attacks in the middle of a conversation?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true.¡± A smile finally returned to Zion¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s join forces. If we bring in the others, we can easily take down that sneaky bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not keen on it. Then what?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make him our servant. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Only then did Zion yawn widely. ¡°Haahm. Damn, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± ¡°I feel a bit tired, too.¡± It was already six in the morning. Zion and Makan fell asleep immediately. And a few hourster. Instructor Dyke returned, and training began. Ruin didn¡¯t show up. Zion searched for him with burning eyes, but he was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where did that bastard go in the meantime?¡± * * * ¡°You eat so well, our Ruin.¡± I came down from the training grounds and went straight to the dining hall, hurriedly eating first. I was so hungry. I had been surviving on the dried jerky the fat boy gave me, and my teeth ached. ¡°Hoho. If you need more, I¡¯ll give you more, so eat a lot.¡± A few loaves of rye bread, tomato soup, tough meat stew, and vegetables. It was a meager meal for someone telling me to eat a lot, but it was still a hundred times better than jerky. Even after the middle-aged woman left the dining hall, I continued eating for a long time until I felt full. ¡°¡­Phew, I feel alive now.¡± I looked down at my body. My body was skinny, with only a protruding belly. It was better than a week ago, but still unsightly. ¡®Truly a worm-like body.¡¯ I immediately left the dining hall and headed to the manor¡¯s spacious central training ground. I had no intention of dying. It was time to improve my physical condition. I started running around the training ground. I focused endlessly as I ran. To naturally resonate with the surrounding mana without conscious effort. *Thud, thud¡ª* Even when my body reached its limit, I continued to focus all my nerves on making the process automatic. I repeated this until the sun reached its peak and then set again. The servants starteding out to watch¡­ and in the distance, one or two old men I had never seen before also appeared. A day passed. And another day passed. I felt like a monkey, but it didn¡¯t matter. Even if I was the only one doing what everyone used to do in the past. Because this was something that naturally had to be done. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± On the third day, I heard a voice in my head. ¨C ¡ºAbility ?Mind Eye? is activated¡» ¨C ¡ºSome tendencies are changed¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Sickly] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Cowardly] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Drug Addict] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Weak-willed] changes to [Steadfast Will]¡» ¡­ ¨C ¡ºTitle [Trash of the Trash] changes to [Skinny Shrimp]¡» The surrounding mana started to feel denser¡­ And the mana rotating in my heart¡¯s circle reached saturation. A smile unconsciously spread across my face. I knew what this phenomenon meant. It was time to create another circle. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 9 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 9: 2-Circle Archmage (2) ======= ? Ruin Samael ¨C Skinny Shrimp ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)], ? Traits: Stamina [D], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [SSS] ? Tendencies: [Steadfast Will], [Wild], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Madness], [Venomous] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ====== I washed up with cold water and looked in the mirror. I looked somewhat human now. Of course, I was still much thinner than the average person. ¡°Skinny is one thing, but skinny shrimp?¡± I tried using the [Inner Eye] or whatever it was called, but again, there was something annoying. The words ¡®Skinny Shrimp¡¯ clearly disyed next to my name. Still, it was better than being called a good-for-nothing or a loser, so I had to bear with it. I closed my eyes and immediately expanded my senses. I clearly felt two rings in my heart. The 2nd circle I had justpleted. Whir¡ª The surrounding mana entered my body and began to rotate powerfully. It was iparably richer than when I had only one ring. ¡°Huh.¡± Suddenly, my meager talent in my past life felt insignificant, but it was okay. It wasn¡¯t all bad experiences. In my past life, I did my best within the 2nd circle. I had a determination that those born with talent could never understand. The arrangement, utilization, and flexibility of magic. For five years, I tried everything to be stronger. Surprisingly, there were times when I even defeated one or two 3-circle mages. I could confidently say that I was the strongest among the 2-circle mages back then. And it was the same now, as I retained all the memories from that time. I put on my pants and called for Rihan, who was outside. Rihan came in and widened his eyes. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this, Young Master? Did you reallye to your senses? Your body looks quite different.¡± I finished putting on my top and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be spending time at the training grounds from today, so if anyone is looking for me, let them know.¡± ¡°The training grounds?¡± ¡°Yes. The one where the apprentices gather.¡± ¡°Why there? Are you going to learn magic or something?¡± ¡°As a Samael, I have to learn magic. To be precise, I¡¯m not going to learn magic, but to teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Just know that I am.¡± I changed my expression to a serious one and looked at Rihan. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Rihan also straightened his posture. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the Red Magic Tower and our family? It seems like everyone I see is from the Red Magic Tower. Why are outsiders interfering so much?¡± The White Horse Unit was out training at the Red Magic Tower. The family¡¯s pir, the Guardian, was the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower. Moreover, it didn¡¯t make sense that even the apprentices were being taught by a Red Magic Tower mage. Was this Samael or a branch family of the Red Magic Tower? ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing to have many people from the Red Magic Tower? It raises the family¡¯s status.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about it? Do you want to go around bragging about being a weak family?¡± Rihan thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason. Maybe the Head asked for it?¡± What nonsense was this? Was he saying that Kazen had asked the Red Magic Tower to teach them magic? ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. Outsiders couldn¡¯t just meddle with Samael without the Head¡¯s permission. Rihan looked at my expression and said, ¡°My father probably knows.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Wright Ferrer, the head butler. I vaguely heard that our Samael family almost went bankrupt in the past. It was thanks to the Red Magic Tower¡¯s help that we became as prosperous as we are now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Who had the most pride in the current Samael? Rihan was probably one of them, if not the most. For him to say that the family almost went bankrupt meant that they werepletely ruined. ¡°So how much money do we have?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly speaking so scary? I don¡¯t have any money.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about our family. I saw that the training grounds arepletely worn out. Let¡¯s renovate them.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be tight?¡± ¡°¡­Why again?¡± I was getting anxious about hearing the answer again. I thought there would be some money rotting away in the house since he was always using hallucinogenic herbs. The training hall was dpidated, and the only meals served were simple things like rye bread, which was a bit strange¡­ ¡°I heard from my father that we¡¯re quite in debt. I heard the loan we borrowed from the Magic Tower is running out soon. Because of that¡­¡± ¡°We borrowed money? What about the businesses we own?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any businesses?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it.¡± It seemed this crazy bastard was using borrowed money for drugs. ¡®Maybe I should have just run away.¡¯ There were more problems than I thought. * * * It seemed that Hector was at the center of the strange rtionship between Samael and the Red Magic Tower. He probably had some connection to the Head. That much was obvious. My experience wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Thud¡ªRumble¡ª Suddenly, my foot slipped, and a pile of rocks tumbled down the steep mountainside. ¡°Whoa.¡± Ah, shit. This was a cliff. Lost in thought, I had misstepped. I almost fell off the cliff with the rocks. ¡°Why would they build a training ground in such a dangerous ce? It¡¯s a perfect spot to die.¡± As I grumbled and walked along, I saw the dpidated training hall in the middle. I kicked the rickety door hard. The doorframe shattered, and a loud noise echoed. Crash¡ª! ¡°Hey, servants!¡± The apprentices rushed out, all with bewildered expressions. I grinned, looking at two of them. ¡°Ah, yes. My proud servants. Get ready.¡± Zion scowled and shouted, ¡°You bastard! You ran away like a coward?¡± ¡°I just went to nourish my body. And you seem to have forgotten to use honorifics. I¡¯ll let it slide this once, so hurry up and get ready.¡± ¡°Get ready for what, you bastard?¡± ¡°To run.¡± Zion¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°Youe with me. I was caught off guardst time, but this time I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m made of.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As expected of someone who uses their head. I had anticipated him reacting this way. He wasn¡¯t the type to submit easily and would always try to climb back up. That kind of attitude needed to be firmly put down. Zion started to climb the back mountain, just likest time. This time, quite a few of the guys surrounded me and went up together. My unpleasant mood from the whole day instantly lifted. Let¡¯s see how many of them there are. ¡®One, two, three, four¡­ Wow, there are a lot.¡¯ At that moment, Zion turned around and shouted, ¡°Kill that bastard!¡± What a foul-mouthed kid. * * * ¡®You¡¯re really dead today.¡¯ Zion walked with that thought in mind. He was still furious when he remembered being humiliated by Ruin. He was even more irritated because the guy had suddenly disappeared, but then¡­ ¡®He crawled back on his own?¡¯ What an idiot. A wicked smile spread across Zion¡¯s face. As he walked, he arrived at the pre-arranged location. This time would be different. ¡°Kill that bastard!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a lesson, newbie.¡± At Zion¡¯s signal, Makan formed hand signs and gathered wind around his fist. Then, he threw a punch at Ruin¡¯s forehead with all his might. Basic Red Magic Tower martial art. ¡°Huh?¡± Ruin dodged Makan¡¯s attack with a simple head movement. Then, a low-voiced chant began. ¡°Hardened¡­¡± Makan threw another punch at Ruin¡¯s face, but this time it didn¡¯t even graze him. ¡°¡­Hardened wind, Wind Barrier.¡± Swoosh¡ª A transparent wind barrier shimmered on Ruin¡¯s right arm. He swung his arm and struck Makan¡¯s nose with his elbow. Crack¡ª! ¡°Ugh!¡± Makan¡¯s jaw twisted violently. ¡°Wh-What? Makan was hit? Wasn¡¯t that a 2-star spell?¡± Surprised cries erupted from all around. None of them had dreamed that Ruin was hiding his 2-star level skills. Zion¡¯s expression hardened the most. But the reason for Zion¡¯s shock was slightly different from the other apprentices. ¡°He¡¯s using incantation while fighting?¡± Zion, who had been focusing all his attention on Ruin, didn¡¯t miss it this time. He saw Ruin perfectlyplete his chants while continuously deflecting Makan¡¯s attacks. ¡°No way!¡± What was the biggest weakness of incantation? Its vulnerability in closebat. That¡¯s what he had been taught. Incantation using the mana circle would fail if one¡¯s concentration wavered even slightly. That was themon knowledge Zion knew. Thud¡ª Thud, thud¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± But this guy waspletely ignoringmon sense. Ruin followed Makan as he was pushed back, continuously striking his face with his elbow. It was a brutal sight, with the well-built Makan unable to even counterattack. ¡°¡­!¡± The moment Makan¡¯s waist bent forward after being punched in the stomach. Ruin forcefully struck Makan¡¯s jawbone with his elbow. Crack¡ª A nosebleed burst forth. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± Bright red blood sttered in the air. The apprentices, who had never witnessed such a brutal scene, froze in ce. ¡°S-Snap out of it! Everyone, shoot Fireballs! Let¡¯s teach that bastard a lesson!¡± At Zion¡¯s cry, the apprentices who had barely held onto their senses began forming hand signs. Rumble¡ª The ground trembled slightly as Ruin stomped his foot. The apprentices¡¯ hand signs were disrupted by the momentary tremor. Only three of them managed toplete their signs properly. Two Fireballs and one Fire Spear hurtled towards Ruin in an arc. A Fireball also bloomed from Ruin¡¯s hand. A total of four fire spells collided, and a loud noise echoed. Boom¡ª! ¡°Keke.¡± Hearing the strangeughter, Zion instinctively turned his head. Ruin was smiling with one corner of his mouth stretched wide. ¡°Gasp!¡± It was chilling. It was a creepy expression that would haunt his dreams. A chill ran down Zion¡¯s spine. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t see it. Ruin¡¯s Fireball piercing through all the other spells and flying towards him. ¡°¡­¡± When he finally looked up, Zion could only watch. He couldn¡¯t fathom how a single Fireball could break through the magic of three people. Or why the tip of the Fireball flying towards him had suddenly sharpened like a Fire Spear. Boom¡ª! Zion¡¯s vision went ck for a moment. He came to his senses with a p on his cheek, only to find that dawn had broken. He had been unconscious for hours. ¡°¡­What?¡± Looking around, he saw everyone crying with dejected faces. He tilted his head in confusion when someone tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Ruin was grinning at him. Zion involuntarily flinched and jumped up, and Ruin burst into a satisfiedugh. ¡°You¡¯re quick to prepare.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Run.¡± It sounded like the devil himself was speaking. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 10 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 10: 2-Circle Archmage (3) The moonlight slowly faded as the dawn breeze swept through the dimness of Mount Khaoto, filled with the unexpected sound of spirited shouts. ¡°One! Two!¡± ¡°Louder!¡± ¡°One! Two!¡± ¡°Good.¡± The apprentices, in a crooked formation, ran while panting. This was what training should feel like. After all, running was best enjoyed together. Old memories surfaced. In the past, Mount Khaoto would echo with the sound of hundreds of apprentices running. Let¡¯s get into the mood a bit more. ¡°Count off!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± ¡°Stop.¡± I halted the formation and red at the apprentices. They all looked at me with a somewhat weary expression. ¡°When counting off, it¡¯s ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I kicked the shins of the most clueless-looking one. ¡°Use honorifics.¡± It was Iron. Rolling around while clutching his leg, Iron looked at me with a resentful gaze. ¡°Why should we use honorifics?! ¡­¡­sir.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t subordinates use honorifics?¡± ¡°Why am I a subordinate? ¡­¡­sir.¡± Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t made a bet with anyone except Zion and Makan. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It was a shame, but it was my mistake, so I should give them a chance. ¡°How about whoever loses in a fight against me uses honorifics?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use honorifics, sir.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I was such a reasonable person. I reminded the apprentices about numbers once again and started running. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯ Don¡¯t ask why. It just is. Count off again!¡± ¡°One! Two! Sam! Net!¡± (Sam and Net are the Korean words for three and four, respectively) Counting off was done with ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯ It was a long-standing tradition and custom of Samael. Even while beheading demons during expeditions, we always counted this way. I didn¡¯t know the reason. Maybe it was to avoid confusing ¡®set¡¯ with ,¡¯ or something like that. Running mindlessly, we soon circled the mountainside and arrived back at the training grounds. The morning sun was gradually rising. ¡°Huff, huff. Oh, I¡¯m exhausted.¡± ¡°Gasp, gasp. I feel like I¡¯m dying, seriously.¡± The apprentices, copsing in exhaustion, took deep breaths. ¡°Your stamina is all pathetic. We¡¯ll end the morning training here, so go inside and get ready, my subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The apprentices, seemingly too exhausted to respond, trudged back to their quarters one by one. Meanwhile, two figures, Zion and Makan, remained on the training grounds, their eyes fixed on me. Zion¡¯s weary gaze held a hint of doubt. Makan¡¯s eyes, on the other hand, seemed strangely satisfied. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Suddenly, I used [Mind¡¯s Eye] to observe Zion. ======= ? Zion ¨C Paranoid Patient ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Dagger (A)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (A), Wind (B)] ? Traits: Stamina [B], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [B], Mana Core [2 Stars] ? Dispositions: [Vengeance], [Competitiveness], [Suspicion], [Perceptiveness], [Knight Contempt], [Pride], [Inferiority Complex] ? Overall Rating: Magic [B] ======= ¡°Wow.¡± No wonder the kid was foul-mouthed; there was a reason. He was a collection of unsavory dispositions, practically a mental patient. ¡®I like it.¡¯ If I could firmly put him in his ce, he wouldn¡¯t be a bad subordinate. A bit of venom was essential for navigating this harsh world. Next up, Makan. ======= ? Makan Tycoon ¨C Charge! Charge! Charge! ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (A), Spear Skills (SS)], Elemental Affinity [Earth (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [SS], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [S], Mana Core [2 Stars] ? Dispositions: [Tenacity], [Steadfastness], [Aspiration], [Simple-mindedness], [Exercise Addiction], [Musclehead] ? Overall Rating: Spear Skills [SS] ======= This one was even more peculiar. Forget his simple-mindedness; his stamina was extraordinary. He possessed a physique perfectly suited for spearmanship. Spear-wielding families would be drooling over him. Wait a minute¡­ ¡®Tycoon? Could he be rted to the 8-star mercenary, Gento Tycoon?¡¯ The name of a mercenary who dominated battlefields with his unique spearmanship suddenly came to mind. He was someone who survived for quite a while in the expedition. ¡®Is this kid Gento Tycoon¡¯s descendant?¡¯ My instincts told me it was likely. His simple-minded nature and overwhelming talent for spearmanship were strikingly simr to Gento Tycoon. ¡®I think Gento was from Leon, near Khaoto.¡¯ What a coincidence. Gento¡¯s descendant learning magic in Samael. ¡®But there¡¯s no rule that he has to master spearmanship first.¡¯ Every apprentice in Samael was precious. I didn¡¯t have the generosity to simply tell him to leave Samael because he had a talent for spearmanship. And most importantly, I knew how to make Makan stronger. The memory of Gento Tycoon incorporating seismic waves into his spearmanship was vividly etched in my mind. ¡®Back then, I just thought it was strange. Now I understand why.¡¯ * * * After all the apprentices had gone back to the dormitory, I sat in meditation at one side of the training grounds and focused on the flow of mana around me. Wiiing¡ª The mana of the atmosphere resonated intensely through my two circles. ¡®It¡¯s definitely different.¡¯ Even though it was the same Second Circle, the feeling waspletely different from the past. In my previous life, it felt like pouring water into a narrow hose; there was a limit to the flow of mana resonating through the circles. That must have been the reason why I couldn¡¯t surpass the Second Circle even after years of hard work. Now, the mana of the atmosphere flowed into the circles without any restrictions, like a waterfall cascading down. It was as if a blocked vein had been opened. ¡®I¡¯ll surpass the Second Circle soon.¡¯ Around the time the sun rose brightly, I sensed someone approaching from afar. I squinted and saw Instructor Dyke appearing in the training grounds. Dyke nced at me, clicked his tongue with a ¡°Tsk,¡± and blew his whistle. Peeeiiiik¡ª Soon after, the apprentices rushed out of the dormitory and lined up in front of Dyke. ¡°We¡¯ll start the training¡­ Did everyone eat something wrong? Why do you all look so pale?¡± Dyke looked at the apprentices with a puzzled expression. Unlike usual, the children looked exceptionally haggard today. They started ncing at me. ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ I red at them, and they quickly looked away in surprise. The instructor looked at the apprentices with a questioning gaze for a moment but didn¡¯t inquire further. As expected, he didn¡¯t care about it much huh!! ¡°We¡¯ll start the training. Everyone, Activate your mana!¡± ¡°¡­Activate our mana!¡± Even as the training progressed, I could still feel the apprentices¡¯ furtive nces. ¡°Where are you all looking! Focus on the hand signs.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± I didn¡¯t even nce at Dyke, focusing solely on my own training. ¡°Alright, stop!¡± At Dyke¡¯s shout, the apprentices, who had been waving their hands around awkwardly, stopped. ¡°Everyone, listen up. From now on, we¡¯ll practice the hand signs for the 2-Star Fire Spear. As I¡¯ve emphasized numerous times, incantations be increasingly difficult as the star level increases. You need to be able to draw the correct hand sign even in extreme situations to use it in actualbat.¡± ¡°Instructor! I have a question. Is that impossible with incantation?¡± Dyke red at Zion and said, ¡°What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a question.¡± ¡°Have you been drinking strange water or something, Zion? The foundation of magic is the mana core and hand signs. All great mages say the same thing. Mana circles and incantation cannot be used in actualbat. So focus on the hand sign. Understand?¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s that?¡± Following Zion¡¯s finger, Dyke¡¯s gaze slowly turned towards me. Thud, thud¡ª I had already wrapped Wind Barriers around both arms and was pummeling the face of a scarecrow ced in the corner. ¡°Hmm?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the subtle shift in Dyke¡¯s expression. What clearly surfaced was a sense of doubt. He must have noticed the simplification of the Second Circle Wind Barrier and the mana waves converging precisely on one point. ¡°Ahem.¡± Clearing his throat, Dyke looked at Zion once again. ¡°Stop paying attention to useless things and focus on my teachings. I¡¯ll say it again, incantation has no practical use. It has clear limitations.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s truly impossible?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s impossible.¡± The quick-witted Zion understood that this was the limit of what Dyke could tolerate. So he didn¡¯t ask any further questions. He just tilted his head with a puzzled expression. * * * Late afternoon. ¡°Hey!¡± As soon as the training ended and the instructor left, the chubby guy approached me. I felt a heavy sensation in my front pocket. ¡°You worked hard today!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I suddenly noticed that the chubby guy¡¯s shoes were yellow. He made a strange gesture and quickly disappeared somewhere. I checked my front pocket. Half-eaten jerky. It wasn¡¯t really a problem¡­ But why did I feel so annoyed? It was a strange feeling I had never experienced before, both in my past and present life. Come to think of it, this chubby guy was the only one who wasn¡¯t part of the group I beat up yesterday. He didn¡¯t seem particrly impressed when he saw my incantations today either. I took a bite of the half-eaten jerky, and a salty sweetness spread in my mouth. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything since morning, so I immediately felt hungry. The chubby guy was kind enough to give me jerky, but I didn¡¯t understand why I felt so annoyed. Ah, wait a minute¡­ ¡°Hey, subordinates!¡± I shouted, and the apprentices rushed out of the dormitory. ¡°How do you guys eat?¡± ¡°Eat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, right? You haven¡¯t been eating only jerky, have you? How do you get your meals?¡± The apprentices asked back with puzzled expressions. ¡°We go down to eat¡­ sir?¡± ¡°You climb down the cliff every time? That¡¯s a bit horrifying.¡± ¡°What cliff, sir?¡± The apprentices looked even more confused. Then they started to go down, saying they needed to eat. They went in the opposite direction from the cliff I had climbed up. ¡°What? Is there another way down there?¡± My anxiety became a reality. After only about 30 minutes of descent, the mountainside ended. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡­How did I not know about this ce until now? Thinking back, it made sense that I wouldn¡¯t have known. Mount Khaoto¡¯s terrain was so rugged that I had never ventured in this direction before. After a while, I noticed local residentsing and going along the mountainside. The outskirts of Khaoto. As soon as the smell of steaming soup and savory stew filled my nostrils, rage surged within me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me there was another way? I even climbed the cliff!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, sir.¡± My subordinates stopped in front of a shabby restaurant. As I squeezed through the narrow door¡­ I was once again taken aback. The plump figure sitting there, wolfing down stew with bread in both hands¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± The chubby guy turned around and slowly waved. Thest shred of gratitude I had in my heart vanished. So¡­ The reason the chubby guy gave me jerky was¡­ ¡®This cheeky bastard was getting rid of leftovers?¡¯ No wonder he always gave it to me right around mealtime. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 11 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 11: Bring It On As soon as I returned to the training grounds, I immediately started running up the mountain. The humiliation of being toyed with by that fatso fueled my determination, pushing me to run even harder. *Thud, thud, thud* ¡°Gasp, gasp. I¡¯m dying!¡± ¡°Please, just slow down a bit!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± If Pelleer had seen this scene, he probably would have said: ¡ª Crazy Mage Commander, you need to control your anger. ¡®As if.¡¯ This isn¡¯t anger. This is strictly physical training. Physical training. ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± I heard groans and turned to see the youngsters struggling with pained expressions on their faces. I made eye contact with each of them and said. ¡°Those who fall behind will get special training. Special training.¡± Feeling a sense of unease, my subordinates gritted their teeth and pushed themselves. When we reached the halfway point of the mountain and returned to the training grounds, everyone copsed like limp squid. Honestly, these little guys are alreadyining. Of course, I secretly used wind magic to runfortably without anyone noticing. After all, when training subordinates, it¡¯s important to conserve one¡¯s own stamina. ¡°Get up, my subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh. It¡¯s not over yet?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing the horse stance now. Anyone who has a problem with it can fight me and win, and I¡¯ll forget about it.¡± My kind smile sent them into a frenzy, and they all jumped to their feet. It seems like their respect for me has been deeply ingrained in just one day. *Whoosh* I lit a pile of firewood and ced it around the training grounds. I carefully observed the trainees¡¯ postures, checking for any ckers. Everyone was desperately holding the horse stance, but after 30 minutes, they started copsing one by one. Only two remained. Makan and Zion. ¡®Unexpected.¡¯ Makan was expected, but Zion¡¯s endurance was surprising. His face was trembling, and he was clenching his teeth, clearly determined not to lose to Makan. ¡°Stop. 30 minutes of rest, then we¡¯ll resume the horse stance. Got it, subordinates?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± ¡°Fuck this, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t!¡± I heard swearing and looked at Zion, but his mouth was shut. ¡°Fuck this, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m going to tell the instructor everything, you bastard!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It turned out that the one cursing with his eyes rolled back was Iron. I had a feeling he had been dissatisfied since the beginning. As I walked towards him with a direct gaze, Iron unconsciously took a step back. His eyes slowly returned to normal. ¡°¡­¡± I met his gaze right in front of him. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m doing this?¡± Iron squeezed his eyes shut and shouted. ¡°You¡¯re just doing this to torment us!¡± ¡°Open your eyes, you little shit. If that were the case, I would¡¯ve just sted you with magic. Why would I bother with all this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iron hesitated, then cautiously spoke, ¡°Are you, by any chance, crazy?¡± ¡°Yes. But you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Your reasoning is wrong.¡± ¡°Then why are you making us do this crap!¡± I grabbed Iron¡¯s head and stared into his eyes. Suddenly, there was something I wanted to tell him. ¡°Why did you join Samael?¡± Fear began to swirl in Iron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wh-what are you talking about? Of course, I joined to learn magic¡­¡± ¡°Tell me the truth. Do you think I don¡¯t know your circumstances? Learning magic without paying? Or because we feed and house you? Or maybe you¡¯re hoping to catch the eye of a Red Magic Tower mage and be their disciple?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It costs a fortune to join other magic families, but you can¡¯t afford that. So you joined Samael, which is on the verge of copse. Because it¡¯s free.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iron¡¯s hands trembled, but he couldn¡¯t say a word. I looked around and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care why you joined. But once you¡¯re in, you¡¯re part of Samael. You learn magic the Samael way, and you fight the Samael way.¡± The trainees all looked bewildered. They had never heard such words before. Something heavy pressed down on their chests. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll give you a solution.¡± I looked at Iron, Zion, Makan, and the other trainees one by one. ¡°Use the beast magic you learned from Dyke to defeat me. Then I won¡¯t care what you do. However¡­¡± I immediately kicked off the ground and started running across the training field at full speed. ¡°Iron, you asked why I¡¯m doing this?¡± While running, I chanted a spell, aiming at a specific spot. *Boom* My spells repeatedly hit the scarecrow¡¯s head, setting it aze. *Bang, boom, boom* The mes continued to strike the same spot. A single me soared beautifully into the dark night sky. ¡°The foundation of magic is physical strength. The stamina to maintain extreme concentration while chanting spells. You need even more stamina than a knight.¡± I looked at one of the trainees who was staring at me with burning eyes. Zion was looking at me with an expression I had never seen before. ¡°¡­Can you even beat a knight?¡± His gaze, filled with anger and hatred, made me unconsciously smirk. ¡°With my methods, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°No one has mastered the Mana Circle. How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°How long have you been studying magic?¡± ¡°One year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying for less than a month. But I beat you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­shit.¡± *** ¡°Well, I¡¯ve lit the fire.¡± The bewildered faces of my subordinates came to mind. Showing them the spell at the right moment had its effect. The trainees¡¯ eyes sparkled as they gazed at the soaring mes in the sky. They all seemed to have some hidden scars in their hearts. ¡®Their aptitude isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ At least none of them seemed to have rotten talent like I did in the past. That was enough. I could take care of the rest. Ten apprentice mages. These guys would be the future of Samael. *Thump* I put my thoughts aside and picked up an old book from the shelf. Late at night. For a while, only the sound of pages turning could be heard¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t it either.¡± I had already devoured most of the books in my quarters over the past few days. I needed to find out exactly what had happened to Samael and how incantation magic had been lost. But¡­ ¡®There¡¯s nothing about Samael anywhere.¡¯ I did find a few decent grimoires that covered basic incantation magic. But there was no mention of the origin of incantation magic, Samael. What was even stranger was¡­ ¡®The demons are gone.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single book that directly mentioned demons. Even if we assumed that thest expedition was unknown, the previous demon invasion was something that all of humanity had witnessed firsthand. There were even books that mentioned the conquest of the ck n and the Demonic Dragon, which happened more than 300 years ago, but there was nothing about the demons. There were only a few books that vaguely mentioned them as ¡°fearsome beings.¡± ¡®This is beyondprehension.¡¯ *** Morning came. I stepped outside and took in the fresh air, and the thoughts that had been weighing on my mind gradually faded away. I took a deep breath of the clear air and shouted, ¡°Subordinates! Let¡¯s go for a run. If you¡¯re not out here by the time I count to thirty, I¡¯ll assume you want thirtyshes. One, two, three¡­ twenty-nine, thirty!¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaah!¡± The trainees all gathered in front of me. It seemed like my authority had grown quite a bit. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to be more respectful of my subordinates¡¯ opinions from now on. We¡¯re going to run now, so anyone who has aint can speak up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s number off!¡± ¡°¡­One! Two!¡± Time flew by as I led them in a cheerful chant while circling the mountainside. We immediately moved on to horse stance training¡­ And as always, Dyke appeared on the ridge at the appointed time. After staring nkly at us for a while, Dyke ran towards us, shouting. ¡°What kind of barbaric nonsense is this!¡± ¡°Instructor¡­ Ugh.¡± Two of the trainees exchanged pitiful nces and copsed to the ground. I didn¡¯t miss that moment. Those guys, it seemed like they were doing it on purpose. ¡®It seems their mental training iscking.¡¯ You two will get an extra hour of horse stance training after this. ¡°Why are you doing things I didn¡¯t even order!¡± Dyke¡¯s bewildered gaze swept over the area, then slowly settled on me. I was the only one not doing the horse stance. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, Ruin, you ordered this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t answer and started meditating, Dyke¡¯s eyes zed with fury. ¡°Answer me. Did you order this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to burst my eardrums.¡± Finally, I looked at Dyke with a smirk. My expression waspletely different from a few days ago. ¡°Should I thank you? It¡¯s a surprise you¡¯re not treating me like an invisible man today.¡± ¡°You intended to disrupt training with this pathetic act?¡± ¡°Does it matter if I ordered it or not?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not training time yet, is it? You said you wouldn¡¯t care what I did. It seems the mages of the Red Magic Tower have the memory of goldfish.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to engage in wordy with you. Get out of my sight immediately.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± I smirked and said. ¡°I¡¯m in Samael, and I¡¯ll do as I please. Who are you to tell me to leave?¡± Dyke¡¯s voice suddenly lowered. ¡°I heard you were a scoundrel, but I pity the head of Samael. I clearly told you to use honorifics.¡± I didn¡¯t avoid Dyke¡¯s fiery gaze. ¡°Damn elitism.¡± Meeting my burning eyes, Dyke flinched and took a step back. ¡°Is this Samael or the Red Magic Tower? Did I ask you to teach me magic? If you want respect, show it first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Refrain from overstepping your bounds outside of training hours? I¡¯m the eldest son of Samael, and these are Samael¡¯s mages.¡± ¡°You ungrateful brat¡­¡± ¡°And one more thing.¡± I interrupted Dyke. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯re doing that? Why are they following my orders?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. They all lost to me in a duel.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Dyke¡¯s gaze, as he looked at the trainees, wavered slightly. He had realized that my words were true. ¡°Nothing you say seems to be right. Where did you get the idea that incantations can¡¯t be used in actualbat?¡± I smirked at the speechless Dyke. ¡°Why don¡¯t you teach them Beast Magic better and have them beat me?¡± *Fwoosh* A surge of mana. Dyke¡¯s body trembled, his face turning pale. I could feel how angry he was. But he wouldn¡¯t have a reason to get angry. Most of what I said was just throwing his own words back at him. ¡°¡­Fine. Arguing with a child is pointless. Everyone, pay attention. We¡¯re starting training.¡± I smiled and stepped aside. Dyke might not know it, but this wasn¡¯t the end. As expected, less than an hourter, I heard the instructor¡¯s booming voice. ¡°Zion, why do you keep saying that!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he used incantations in actualbat!¡± It seemed Zion had decided to cross the line. ¡°Incantations have clear limitations.¡± ¡°He was faster than Beast Magic. Why don¡¯t you test Ruin yourself, Instructor!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that. If you say that one more time¡­¡± At that moment, the fatso, who had been quiet, raised his hand and continued the instructor¡¯s sentence. ¡°Yo! I can answer that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Incantations, or Circle Magic, have clear limitations as you go to higher circles.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to use them in actualbat from the 3rd Circle and above.¡± An unexpected situation had urred. And why was that fatso talking like that? It was getting on my nerves. I barely managed to restrain myself from throwing a punch. What made it even more infuriating was that the instructor was looking at the fatso with a satisfied expression. *** I learned the fatso¡¯s name during lunch. His name was Palge. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing sparring in the afternoon. Pair up and practice your magic.¡± As I watched the trainees pair up in the corner of the training grounds, someone walked towards me. ¡°Yo, don¡¯t just watch. Let¡¯s spar.¡± Palge approached me with a grin. Instantly, everyone¡¯s attention focused on us. Even the instructor was looking at the fatso with an expectant expression. ¡®What¡¯s so special about this fatso?¡¯ Looking closely, I could feel a stronger mana wave emanating from him than from Makan. Was it hidden by his giant belly all this time? ¡°There¡¯s a saying that we should respect the old ways. I respect your choice to learn Circle Magic.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t move forward by only clinging to the old. The weaknesses of Circle Magic be clear from the 3rd Circle onwards. And I¡¯m an elite among elites, having studied magic for three years. My brilliant brain has grasped the strengths and weaknesses of all magic and found the perfect path. In other words, I¡¯ve already stepped into 3-star magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a 3-star mage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll kindly point out your shorings. You can learn your weaknesses through me.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Palge¡¯s speech, expression, face. Everything about him grated on my nerves. Ah¡­ Palge. 3-star meant he was on the verge of graduating from being a trainee. Come to think of it, the month I promised Hector was almost over. ¡°Then bring it on!¡± A 3-star mana wave started emanating from Palge¡¯s belly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 12 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 12: It was definitely a Mana Circle. The fatty opened his mouth with a smug expression. ¡°A me spell that blooms through the mediation of my and Sarins¡¯ souls!¡± At first, I was surprised, thinking he was chanting a spell¡­. But soon I realized that I had no memory of such a spell. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s just meaningless showmanship. ¡°Haaaah!¡± The fatty crossed his hands so fast they were invisible, while making strange noises with his mouth. ¡°Chachachach!¡± Finally, when the guy let out a strange yell, sped his hands together, and even drew a triangle¡­ I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s get this over with. I wrapped ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ around my entire body, jumped towards the fatty, and chanted a spell. ¡°Slippery Earth, Grease.¡± ¡°What the, ugh!¡± The moment the fatty slipped and fell on his butt¡­ I jumped diagonally, ovepping the Wind Barrier on my right foot, and stomped down towards the fatty¡¯s face. The so-called ¡®Fly Like the Wind and Stomp¡¯. Meanwhile, a Fire Sphere shot out from the guy¡¯s hands, but it didn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s only as powerful as a Fireball. I split the Fire Spear with my foot in the same flying stomp motion,nding a kick right on the fatty¡¯s face. Wham¡ª ¡°Guuueeeek!¡± Situation over. From then on, I just let my instincts take over, diligently stomping on the fatty¡¯s entire body with both feet. Thud¡ª Thudthudthud¡ª! ¡°Guuueeeeeaaaak!¡± When I came to my senses again, the fatty was unconscious with bruises all over his body, and everyone around me was staring at me in shock. ¡°¡­You, you.¡± The one whose expression changed the most was Instructor Dyke. His jaw was practically on the floor as he stared at me nkly. ¡°What is this¡­ How did you do that with a chant¡­¡± After a long silence, the instructor suddenly blurted out these words. ¡°Where did you learn Earth magic?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have connections with the Yellow Tower?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Grease is a Specialized Spell with an undisclosed manifestation method. How did you learn Grease?¡± An undisclosed spell? Grease is a basic spell. It¡¯s quite useful among lower-circle spells. I briefly met Dyke¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. The Yellow Tower is specialized in Earth magic, so are they trying to monopolize it? Does that mean other Towers have undisclosed spells too? ¡®What a stupid thing to do.¡¯ When I didn¡¯t answer, Dyke¡¯s expression hardened, and he left even though the training time wasn¡¯t over yet. * * * I quickly grabbed a bite to eat and gathered my subordinates. Most of them were frowning, and some even lookedpletely despondent. The instructor had backed down from me without a word, so it must have felt like the sky was falling. I know a great way to cheer them up in times like this. ¡°Those with frowns on their faces, step forward.¡± The trainees¡¯ faces instantly brightened. That¡¯s how much I care about my subordinates. ¡°Alright, then run!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± By the time we finished ap around the mountainside, the sun was setting. The trainees each let out a sigh and started doing squats without being told. Having done it a few times, they all held up pretty well today. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let them off easy. We have a long way to go, so it¡¯s time for the next step. ¡°From now on, we¡¯llbine magic. Maintain the squat position and manifest a 1st Circle Fireball.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Among the trainees who were frowning, two guys had a gleam in their eyes. Zion and Makan. The two of them seemed to have been inspired by what they saw from me in the morning. They were running around the training ground, drawing Fireball sigils as if they had been waiting for this. It was quite gratifying to see that they understood my intentions. Since they¡¯re so eager, I should reward them. I joined them, running around the training ground while chanting the Fireball spell. Faster than them, with several times the power. It was quite a sight to see Zion¡¯s face contort in frustration. Yes, practice like your life depends on it with that anger. You¡¯ll soon realize that you can never achieve this with sigils. Just then¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± A familiar voice sent chills down my spine. The fatty, with bruises all over his face, was walking towards the training ground. ¡°Can I join you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Only my subordinates can participate.¡± ¡°Then can I practice with you if I be your subordinate?¡± The fatty¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at me, and I couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. ¡°I can¡¯t ept you as a subordinate.¡± ¡°Then how can I be your subordinate? I really want to learn Ruin¡¯s magic. It¡¯s a type I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± Listening to the fatty¡¯s tone of voice made my nerves tingle. I even felt ufortable hitting this fatty. When I hit him earlier, it didn¡¯t feel good even then. ¡°Create a Mana Circle. If you can¡¯t, don¡¯t ever talk to me again.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It seemed to work, thankfully, as he quickly came up with an excuse. The fatty lingered for a while, then turned away with a dejected look. I found myself staring at the fatty¡¯s back, and in the meantime, his right hand rose into the air again. Only three fingers were extended. Thumb, index, and pinky. * * * I barely managed to get rid of the fatty and looked around, only to see that the trainees had already gone into their quarters. Only Zion and Makan remained, still training. I was about to grab the deserters and break their legs, but Zion¡¯s face caught my eye. He was limping on one leg, his body clearly at its limit, but he was still forcing himself to run alongside Makan, shooting Fireballs. Hmm¡­ Suddenly curious, I stopped them. ¡°That¡¯s enough training for today.¡± Zion crouched down on the spot, letting out a deep sigh. I approached him and sat down in the same position. The sunlight hadpletely disappeared, but the training ground still held some warmth. The head of the straw dummy I had hit with Fireballs was burning like a campfire. We both stared at the crackling mes for a moment. Zion slowly turned his head. ¡°Ruin Samael.¡± Zion said, meeting my eyes. ¡°Does this really have any meaning?¡± ¡°Of course. The foundation of magic is physical strength.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who says that. I need to be able to trust it.¡± ¡°Why are you following along if you don¡¯t trust it?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re stronger than me.¡± ¡°Dyke is stronger than me, though?¡± ¡°The instructor doesn¡¯t teach us sincerely. But you¡¯re sincere. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re crazy or what, but you believe that the foundation of magic is physical strength. I can tell. You¡¯re doing the same training as us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re perceptive. Then why don¡¯t you learn Mana Circle as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± I smacked him on the back of the head. The kid talks too much without even making a Mana Circle. But Zion didn¡¯t cower after getting hit. Instead¡­ ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± Zion¡¯s face was burning red like the campfire. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I was curious. Why was this guy, barely twenty years old, acting like this? ¡°Zion, where are you from?¡± ¡°Kaoto.¡± ¡°Family?¡± ¡°None, anymore.¡± ¡°Is that rted to why you despise knights?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zion suddenly clenched his lips. I could feel Makan looking at Zion with a puzzled expression. After a moment of silence, Zion spoke again. ¡°My father was a merchant. Well, not your typical merchant, but¡­¡± As the campfire burned on, Zion¡¯s story continued for a long time. By the time he finished, the surroundings werepletely dark. I shot a Fireball to rekindle the mes on the straw dummy. Fwoosh¡ª ¡®Tsk, they say everyone has a story.¡¯ Zion was the son of a shady merchant who mainly dealt in stolen goods. One day, his father bought a strange sword at Kaoto¡¯s underground auction, and that was the beginning of their downfall. ¡°A sword?¡± ¡°It was an ornate sword engraved with Rune letters.¡± ¡°Did it emit light from the Runes?¡± ¡°It was red. I remember it clearly.¡± ¡°Red light means it¡¯s either a 5th Circle or higher me spell, or a holy relic. It must have been a high-level item. It¡¯s strange that something like that ended up in an underground auction. Where was the auction house?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I know a lot about Kaoto¡¯smercial district, but I never went to pick up goods myself. My father didn¡¯t take me because it was dangerous. Besides, he never told me the location of the underground auction house.¡± ¡°You should have handled it with care.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not new to this business, we know that much. The problem was that it didn¡¯t even take a day.¡± On the very evening they bought the item, unknown knights raided their home, seized the sword, and ughtered his entire family in front of him. Zion sensed something was wrong and hid in a secret attic, luckily avoiding detection. ¡°Those damn bastards¡­¡± Seeing Zion¡¯s expression as he spat out those words, I was reminded of my own childhood. ¡°¡­¡± As I listened to his story, I learned that Makan¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much different from Zion¡¯s. Makan was a ve from Leon, a city near Kaoto. Unable to endure the brutal abuse, he secretly escaped to Kaoto and eventually ended up in Samael. I asked about the other subordinates¡¯ situations, and they were all roughly simr. Orphans, ves, beggars. None of them were without a story. ¡°¡­¡± The three of us stared at the crackling mes in silence for a while. As the fire gradually died down, I spoke to them. ¡°Go inside and rest for now. Oh, and tell Iron and Ain toe out here.¡± ¡°Why those two?¡± ¡°They have to do squats for another hour.¡± I remembered clearly. This morning, when the instructor came while they were doing squats, the two of them exchanged nces and copsed. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Okay, then go in¡­ Wait a minute.¡± The moment I saw Zion¡¯s subtly twitching lips, I felt a sudden chill down my spine. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± As Zion backed away, I kindly approached him and smacked him on the back of the head again. Wham¡ª ¡°Ouch! Damn it, really.¡± ¡°Use honorifics, kid.¡± * * * A few days passed. The instructor no longer cared what I did. No, it felt like he was desperately trying to ignore me. His attitude towards the trainees was the same. It was obvious to anyone that he was forcing himself to conduct the lessons. Zion told me that the instructor would be returning to the Tower soon. Once the useless instructor¡¯s lessons were over, it would be my time again. Today, as usual, I returned to the training ground after physical training, and someone unwee was waiting for me. ¡°Hey.¡± It was the fatty. I don¡¯t know why he keeps hanging around me. I have a feeling he has some sort of affection for me¡­ which is even more disgusting. Whenever I see the fatty, something inexplicable wells up from deep inside me. Thinking about it carefully, it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never seen anyone like him, neither in my past life nor in this one. The moment I saw the fatty, I clenched my fists and warned him. ¡°I clearly told you not to show up. Go away.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± But he puffed out his chest and smiled broadly, as if to show off. That confident expression sent a wave of unease through me. It was ominous. Something was very ominous. It felt like something huge wasing. rms red in the Crazy Mage¡¯s mind. I unconsciously tried to cover the fatty¡¯s mouth, but his mouth opened first. ¡°Burning me, Fireball.¡± The mana in the air around the fatty fluctuated, and a small fireball ignited. Fwoosh¡ª! It was definitely a Mana Circle. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 13 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 13: Hector Kart (1) ¡°Can I be your subordinate now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was momentarily speechless as I looked at Palge, who was proudly puffing out his chest. The mana fluctuations, the shape, the incantation¡­ It was undoubtedly a Mana Circle. How in the world did he¡­? No, more importantly, why, why in the world¡­? ¡°Why did you create it, fatty? You said you¡¯ve been umting Mana Cores for 3 years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any prejudices, you know. You seem touched. And don¡¯t call me fatty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m your subordinate, let me formally introduce myself.¡± Fatty extended his hand and, with a solemn expression, revealed his name. ¡°Palge Jugmund.¡± ¡®This damn bastard.¡¯ Even his name is displeasing. I feel my mind growing increasingly hazy. Barely holding onto my fading consciousness, I red at Fatty. ==================== ? Palge Jugmund ¨C Fatty ? Talents: Weapon Skills [F], Elemental Affinity [Light (S), Fire (A)] ? Traits: Stamina [S], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [S], Mana Core [3rd Stage] ? Disposition: [Gullible], [Golem Enthusiast], [Magic Addict], [Genius], [Curious], [Pushover], [Possessive], [Loyal] ? Overall Rating: Magic [A] ==================== ¡°This is crazy¡­¡± Even if he¡¯s gullible, to create a Mana Circle just from a few words? Suddenly, while checking Palge¡¯s information, I was once again startled. ¡®Light attribute Elemental Affinity?¡¯ This was definitely Pelleier¡¯s curse on me. He must have been pissed off that only I was reincarnated, so he yed dirty tricks from the afterlife. The light attribute was a rare one, with very few mages in the past possessing a good affinity for it. The image of Palge chanting a light attribute incantation shed through my mind, sending chills down my spine. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Are you touched?¡± I pped the back of Palge¡¯s head and asked, ¡°¡­What¡¯s ¡®Golem Enthusiast¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh? Are you interested in golems too, Ruin?¡± Seeing Palge¡¯s eyes light up as if he had met a dear friend, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°How did you create the Mana Circle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a genius. One day was enough!¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re a genius or not, how did you know how to create a Mana Circle?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Fatty suddenly started to stutter, his eyes darting left and right. It was the expression of someone who had been caught hiding something. ¡°No answer?¡± After hesitating for a while, Palge went into the dormitory and came out with a book. It was a book titled [The Basics of Mana Circles]. After receiving it and reading through, I found that the basics of circles and incantations were exined in great detail. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never seen this before. Where did you get it?¡± It was a type of book I hadn¡¯t seen even after rummaging through the dormitory for days. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± Seeing my expression, Palge waved his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s my personal possession. I¡¯m also interested in old books, so I brought it with me when I came here. I¡¯ll lend it to you if you want.¡± Suddenly, I tilted my head and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you a beggar?¡± ¡°A beggar? What a hurtful thing to say!¡± Palge¡¯s face flushed red as he said, ¡°Our family is one of the most prominent merchant families in the West. Something like this is nothing. And the reason I came here in the first ce was because I got information that the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower wasing. Otherwise, why would I be in such a filthy ce¡­ Ah, I misspoke, quack! Sorry, sorry!¡± Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! ¡°¡­Quack! W-wait a minute. I just want to ask one thing!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why is my incantation worse than Ruin¡¯s? It¡¯s not much different from a beastman¡¯s.¡± I could sense the apprentices eavesdropping, their ears perked up. I looked around and said, ¡°Of course it is.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mana Circles and Mana Cores don¡¯t have goodpatibility. The more impure mana you umte in your body, the harder it bes to sense the pure mana in the atmosphere. Simply put, the Mana Core inside you hinders incantations using the Mana Circle.¡± It might have been a difficult concept, but Fatty nodded as if he understood immediately. ¡°Is there no way?¡± ¡°There is. You have to destroy your Mana Core.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Instead of exining, I channeled 2nd Circle mana and shot a Fireball. It was several timesrger and more powerful than Fatty¡¯s. The eyes of the watching apprentices grew wider and wider, their jaws dropping in amazement. It was no wonder. The ¡®Fireball¡¯, which initially manifested as a sphere, gradually sharpened into the shape of a ¡®Fire Spear¡¯. It was a transformation of shape using atmospheric mana. ¡°This is something only possible with a Mana Circle.¡± The sight was imprinted in everyone¡¯s eyes. * * * ¡°Haaaaah!¡± The sound of shouting from outside woke me up. A ray of sunlight streaming through the open window was refreshing. When I went out to the yard, the apprentices were already drenched in sweat. Without being told, Zion, Makan, and a few other apprentices were all training together. ¡°zing mes, Fireball!¡± The sound of an incantation made me turn my head. Someone was chanting in the corner. It wasn¡¯t Palge, Makan, or Zion. ¡®Ain?¡¯ The smallest apprentice among them. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to him before. ¡°¡­Haah, haah.¡± Seeing him panting with a proud expression, I felt proud of him, my ass. Suddenly, the memory of my past life, struggling to create a Mana Circle, shed through my mind, and I felt irritated again. What kind of apprentices can create Mana Circles in a day like it¡¯s nothing? As I approached Ain with a re, he unconsciously took a step back. I leaned in close to his face and asked, ¡°And how did you create your Mana Circle?¡± ¡°I, I already had it?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­ Wait a minute.¡± Suddenly, looking at Ain¡¯s eyes, I remembered someone unpleasant. Looking closer, the unpleasant scent became even stronger. ¡°What¡¯s yourst name?¡± ¡°¡­Ain Samael.¡± So it was a bastard from the Samael bloodline. In the past, the powerful Samael family had numerous branch families besides the direct line, and they supported the family as members of the White Horse Order or as elders. This kid seemed to be a descendant of one of them. I heard that he had learned Circle magic as a child, but after starting to learn magic from the Red Magic Tower, he had been umting Mana Cores. ¡°So you had it from the beginning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How long did it take you to create your first Mana Circle?¡± ¡°¡­About 10 months.¡± ¡°Excellent. Keep up the good work.¡± 10 months meant he was among the least talented of the branch family members. He wasn¡¯t that much different from my past self, so I was pleased. A few hours passed as we resumed training. The sun was slowly rising to its zenith. As usual, the instructor appeared from below the ridge, but today there was one more person beside him. ¡®He¡¯s here.¡¯ It was a familiar face. Tiger eyebrows, Hector Kart. He had returned from his outing. The promised month had passed. * * * I physically blocked the apprentices who were rushing to greet him. I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch them act like that in front of me. ¡°Where¡¯s your focus during training? Start the routine!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The apprentices instinctively followed the routine they had ingrained in their bodies and started running around the training ground. It was a training routine where they ran around the training ground in sync with the count, shooting Fireballs on the count of ¡®three¡¯. Hector¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he watched the apprentices perfectly following mymands. I slowly approached Hector, crossed my arms, and stopped. I spoke with my eyes. ¡®You can see how things are going here, right?¡¯ Hector¡¯s pupils dted slightly as he scanned my body with a disbelieving expression. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Ruin.¡± When his frown rxed, the first emotion he showed was surprise. His eyes were even trembling slightly, as if he hadn¡¯t expected this at all. ¡°You really did create Mana Circles, just like Dyke said. Two of them, no less.¡± The next emotion he showed was admiration. It was no wonder, considering I had created two circles in less than a month. I savored Hector¡¯s changing expressions with glee. Needless to say, the bet was mine. I was curious to hear what woulde out of his mouth next. However. ¡°So the Samael bloodline is indeed something special.¡± After a while of admiration, a hint of pity appeared on his face. It was clearly pity directed at me. Seeing that expression, my tion instantly subsided. ¡°Abandon your Mana Circles right now. I¡¯ll teach you myself.¡± Whoosh¡ª! His aura red up like a me, and I unconsciously took a step back. His presence was more threatening than I had imagined. After creating the circles, I could vaguely sense Hector¡¯s skill. Was it because he was the Crimson Mage? Was he truly one of the most skilled mages of the current era? I resisted the growing pressure, my eyes wide open. It felt like my knees would buckle at any moment, but I endured, tensing my entire body. It was much more bearable thanst time. ¡°Stop bbering. I won the bet.¡± ¡°I admit it, you did.¡± ¡°Then stop interfering. And don¡¯t worry about the apprentices¡¯ training. A Samael mage will teach in the Samael way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± I sneered. ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t ept the bet now? Is the great Crimson Mage going back on his word?¡± Hector¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°This is a separate matter from the bet. I can¡¯t just watch you walk down the wrong path. That¡¯s also the Head¡¯s order.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seem to think you¡¯re something special. Mana Circles have clear limitations.¡± ¡°Limitations¡­ You seem to know a lot about Mana Circles.¡± ¡°Of course. More than you could imagine. Do you think you¡¯re the only one who has researched Mana Circles? I¡¯ve watched countless Samael mages fail because of them.¡± Before I could respond, Hector continued with conviction. ¡°Resonance, elemental conversion, incantation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You can never surpass the beastmen with such inefficient methods.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± I immediately chanted Fireball, aiming at a distant tree. At the same time, I manipted the mana in the atmosphere, transforming the Fireball into a sharp shape. The Fireball,unched from my fingertips, sharpened and pierced a clean hole in the tree. I raised my chin and looked at Hector. See? This is impossible for beastmen. But Hector¡¯s expression remained unchanged. In fact, the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. ¡°That¡¯s just a trick.¡± As Hector dered this, a Fireball flickered at his fingertips. A deafening roar echoed as the Fireballunched from his fingertips collided with the tree. FWOOSH¡ª! Its power was several times greater than the Fireball I had created through incantation. Hector¡¯s gaze slowly returned to me. With the same expression I had given him, his chin raised high. As if looking at a mere puppy. Seeing his unwavering demeanor, a chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°The power of beastmen magic is not inferior to incantation magic. That alone should be enough exnation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°No matter how much you deny it, there¡¯s an unchanging truth. Incantation through Mana Circles is cumbersome,plex, and inefficient.¡± ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve really changed.¡± No matter how many times I checked, the conclusion was the same. The moment even the slightest possibility was eliminated. Looking at Hector¡¯s expression, I could be certain. The mages of this world didn¡¯t deserve the radiant pride that the mages of the past held dear. The glory of magic, so radiant, built up by the Samael, hadpletely vanished. ¡°I see you¡¯ve resigned yourself. Do you understand now?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I raised my head again, facing Hector, who was looking down at me with an imposing expression. ¡°You said you knew a lot about Mana Circles?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Resonance, elemental conversion, and whatnot? He¡¯s just spewing fancy words without knowing anything. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 14 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 14: Hector Kart (2) Hector Kart frowned deeply. A 7-star mage. Since stepping into the realm of the superhuman, no one had dared to openly defy him like this. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Wrong¡­ No matter how ignorant of the world one might be, who would dare to say ¡°you¡¯re wrong¡± to his face? However, Hector felt more pity than anger. Compassion surged within him before rage. The Samael bloodline. Those born with both a blessed, brilliant talent and a cursed, foolish stubbornness. That unique trait had been passed down even to this ruffian, who was no better than a wastrel. ¡®Strange.¡¯ No one would have taught him, so why did he awaken that cursed trait on his own? Could it be true that all those with the Samael bloodline are destined for this? He sighed. What had be of all the Samael stubborn mages who clung only to Mana Circles? Why had the Samael fallen so far? Their brilliant talent had gradually faded under the shadow of foolish arrogance, and Samael failed to adapt to the changing times. If not for the Head¡¯s decision, the family would have long since vanished into the annals of history. That¡¯s why he wanted to enlighten the boy. To tell him to abandon Mana Circles immediately. That if he taught him personally, he too had the potential to be a high-ranking mage. But the moment he met Ruin¡¯s zing eyes, Hector had to swallow his words. Where did that confidencee from? ¡°No matter how talented you are, you cannot surpass Mana Cores with Mana Circles.¡± He saw Ruin sneer at his deration. It was probably born from the arrogant talent of someone ignorant of the world, just like countless Samael mages before him. ¡°Foolish boy. Are you saying you¡¯re different from the others?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m different. It¡¯s that you¡¯re all fools.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know about Ifrit.¡± Hector let out an involuntary sigh. ¡°¡­Do you really believe in such superstitions?¡± ¡°You truly know nothing.¡± Realizing that further lecturing was pointless, Hector red at Ruin. ¡°If you¡¯re so confident, prove it.¡± The corners of Ruin¡¯s mouth lifted. ¡°How should I prove it?¡± ¡°Regr mages. If you can defeat a 4-star mage in actualbat, I¡¯ll respect your foolish choice. Since you call all other mages fools, half a year should be enough. Don¡¯t you think?¡± No matter how brilliant the Samael talent, defeating a 4-star mage in six months was impossible. Especially with Circle magic. Nevertheless, he made this proposal to break the boy¡¯s stubbornness. And as expected. Hector thought Ruin would refuse. If that were the case, he had nned to force Ruin onto the path of Mana Cores, even if it meant canceling the bet. It wasn¡¯t just to repay the debt owed to Kart and Samael. It was out of a lingeringpassion for Samael. Even if it was barely holding on, he didn¡¯t want to see the Samaelpletely fall. ¡°No. That proposal is absurd.¡± At Ruin¡¯s answer, Hector nodded as if he had expected it. ¡°As expected. It was just talk after all. Sophistry without the backing of skill is not worth listening to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need six months.¡± Ruin sneered, holding up one finger. ¡°I¡¯ll surpass them within a month.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hector stared at Ruin for a moment without saying a word. Ruin¡¯s still youthful face came into focus¡­ ¡®Tsk.¡¯ Hector realized then that he had been getting genuinely worked up over a kid who hadn¡¯t even shed his apprentice status. ¡®Just a fledgling.¡¯ A month¡­ Did the boy even know how absurd his words were? Hector didn¡¯t feel the need to exin. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± A month wasn¡¯t a long time. That stubborn boy would soon realize the weight of his own foolish words. * * * ¡°Did you see that earlier?¡± ¡°¡­I did.¡± ¡°What was that about Ruin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Frustration welled up inside Zion, and he stamped his feet. He prided himself on being quick-witted and having good judgment, but even he couldn¡¯t understand what had happened that morning. The Crimson Mage. The aura Hector intentionally unleashed made his knees tremble just watching from the sidelines. No matter how much guts someone had, it wasn¡¯t an aura anyone could withstand. He wondered if this was truly the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower. The level he had achieved filled him with awe. But. Ruin had faced it head-on. The oppressive aura that felt like it would sear his flesh just by watching. It didn¡¯t seem easy for him to endure. His legs trembled as he nted them on the ground. Blood even trickled from his lips. But he straightened his body and preached his beliefs. Why? How? A ripple of emotion stirred within his small chest. Ruin was just stubbornly insisting like a madman, but for some reason, Zion started to feel a sense of exhration. ¡®Where did this crazy bastarde from?¡¯ Zion found himself rooting for Ruin. It wasn¡¯t because he agreed with what Ruin was saying. Zion had clearly seen Ruin¡¯s eyes. Conviction. The conviction to tell the Crimson Mage that he was wrong. The star-like conviction filling Ruin¡¯s eyes made Zion¡¯s heart pound. ¡®He said you can beat a knight if you create a Mana Circle?¡¯ Ruin¡¯s words suddenly came to mind, and Zion¡¯s heart sank. It was a heavy feeling, like a lead weight settling in his chest, but it also felt like a strange excitement. He never thought he would seriously consider such an absurd statement. ¡°¡­Sigh. What do you think, Makan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely impressive.¡± ¡°But even so, the Mana Circle thing sounds a bit crazy¡­ Are you listening to me, Makan? What are you doing?¡± Zion¡¯s eyes filled with questions. Makan was closing his eyes and muttering something continuously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to create a Mana Circle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not actually believing that Ruin guy, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zion looked at Makan with a puzzled expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, why are you doing it?¡± ¡°Zion, your problem is that you think too much. Too much thinking is poison.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just do what your heart tells you.¡± Makan replied, flexing his chest. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s time to run.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± Zion stared nkly at Makan as he ran off, shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°¡­I think the crazy is contagious. By the way, where did that Ruin guy go?¡± * * * The summit of Mount Khaoto. It was a peak that could only be reached after hours of climbing the sharp cliffs halfway up the mountain and scaling a narrow rock face barely wide enough for a child to pass through. A ce where the eastern continent¡¯s coast and the vast ocean could be seen at a nce. Red Summit. That was the nickname given to the peak of Mount Khaoto. True to its name, the rocky terrain of the summit was covered in a deep red color, as if blood had been sttered across it. The blue sky and sea, contrasted with the red rocky ground, held a natural mystique that might be quite attractive to middle-aged people, but the summit was deste. It seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time. Probably due to the rugged terrain, making it quite difficult to climb. ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± At the edge of the Red Summit. I gathered all my strength into my hands, gripping the rock face, and leaped onto the summit. Then, I immediately sprawled out in arge ¡®X¡¯ shape, gasping for breath. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± The mountain terrain was frustrating. It took me more than half a day to get here from the middle of the mountain. And that was even with using Wind Step intermittently. There wasn¡¯t a single area that wasn¡¯t dangerous. ¡°¡­.¡± I turned my gaze to the Red Summit. The summit was dotted with rocks that emitted a mysterious red light. In the past, there was an altar here to honor the ancestors of Samael, the great heroes. ¡­Yeah. I knew this would be gone too. But I knew. That the red rocky ground was not a natural wonder or a mysterious phenomenon. It was a trace. A trace of the heroes who fought the Dragon King on the summit of Mount Khaoto hundreds of years ago, shedding countless blood. The traces of the fierce battle between the Dragon King and humans, whichsted for a month, had seeped into the rocks and remained red to this day. Suddenly, I turned my gaze to the distant sea, and the vast blue, unchanged from the past, came into view. For a moment, my chest felt clear. Then, the words of the instructor and Hector came to mind. ¡ª Just like a Samael. ¡ª Ha, the Samael bloodline is indeed something special. ¡°Bullshit.¡± The Samael were the only mages who clung to Mana Circles until the end, and the result was the decline of the family. The current Samael, barely holding on thanks to Kazen epting new magic through the Red Magic Tower. How did ite to this? How? Not only has the orthodoxy of magic beenpromised, but they¡¯re also receiving pity. These people know nothing about the gods, the demons, the Dragon King, the Ancient Dragons, or the Crazy Mage. They don¡¯t even know what their ancestors aplished. ¡°Damn it, you idiots¡­ Huh?¡± Suddenly, my heart started to pound. Thump. Thump-thump. The Mana Circle in my heart was contracting and expanding frantically. I knew this phenomenon. I immediately clutched my heart with both hands and copsed. Mana from the Yin dimension. I could feel the foreign mana mana from the Yin dimension in my senses. I quickly rxed my entire body. If I lost control, it was clear that all the circles in my body would be destroyed. ¡°Not yet. Not yet.¡± With such a faint amount of mana from the Yin dimension, it was difficult to rotate the circles. If I failed to achieve resonance, a runaway would surely ur. I needed a richer, more powerful stimulus. Moreover, this body wasn¡¯t yet suitable for reacting to Yin mana. ¡°Phew. Phew.¡± After taking a few deep breaths, a wave of energy passed through me. Immediately, I felt the Mana Circle in my heart reach its saturation point. It seemed the Mana Circle had fluctuated, pulling in the surrounding mana beyond its limit. Fortunately, this time it was a good sign. Whirr¡ª A thin ring formed next to my heart, and the saturated mana flowed into it. It seemed like I would be able toplete the 3rd Circle soon. ¡°Lucky me.¡± One circle for a bit of annoyance was a good deal. ¡°Good thing I came up here. Now, let¡¯s go have a talk with the Head.¡± As I hummed a tune and descended the mountain, I saw an old man slowly climbing up from the opposite side. A gentle impression. Long white hair reaching his waist. He definitely seemed like one of the old men who watched me from afar while I was running in the training grounds¡­ ¡®A master? Are there still masters left in Samael?¡¯ An emptiness that seemed to feel nothing. A faint mana fluctuation flowing out subtly. He definitely had the same features as the high-circle elders I had seen in my past life. Oh ho. I was slightly excited. ¡°Huh huh. I thought it was someone, but it¡¯s Ruin.¡± But the moment the old man spoke, I knew. This old man was a 1st Circle mage. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 15 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 15: Magnus¡¯ Illusion I almost fell for it. His face and attire were exactly like the elders of Samael from the past. Just looking at him made me recall my first days in Samael in my past life. The elders who would constantly send me on errands under the pretext of basic training. If I tried to resist, they would spout nonsense like ¡°Huh huh, the leaves are falling today¡± right in front of me, then create some kind of typhoon and blow me away. ¡®Damn old geezers.¡¯ Without realizing it, I ended up pping the old man on the head, thinking to myself. Thwack¡ª ¡°Oof!¡± I didn¡¯t panic and quickly pretended to stumble and slip. Fortunately, the old man didn¡¯t notice anything strange. ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. It happens. It¡¯s been a while, Ruin.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Well, I¡¯ll be going then¡­¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The old man grabbed my sleeve and started talking about this and that. Does this guy not have a wife or something? He¡¯s quite talkative. ¡°Perhaps your wife passed away¡­¡± ¡°Eh? Why would I kill my beautiful wife who¡¯s alive and well?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. What kind of talk is that?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the old man¡¯s eyebrows twitching when he said ¡®beautiful wife¡¯. That¡¯s what I thought. He¡¯s definitely the type who can¡¯t say a word at home. Even the talkative guys from my thug days were all whipped by their girlfriends. I was still envious, though. Anyway, the gist of it was that he was proud of me. He was d I had stopped acting like a wreck ande to my senses. And most importantly, he was grateful that I had created Mana Circles. He must have been watching when I was training in the central training ground. ¡°Follow me, Ruin.¡± After chatting for a while, the old man took me somewhere, saying he had someone to introduce me to. * * * A deep cave with a cool breeze blowing through it. In the center, several elders were sitting cross-legged, seemingly taking their time. ¡°Greet them.¡± I hid my true feelings and politely bowed. ¡°Greetings. It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed elders.¡± I¡¯m not foolish enough to miss a good opportunity because of old emotions. As the saying goes, to extort money from parents, butter up their children, and to ruin a family, butter up the parents¡¯ parents. What does that mean? It means there¡¯s nothing wrong with getting on the good side of the elders here. ¡°Such polite manners. It seems you¡¯ve trulye to your senses.¡± The elders¡¯ expressions softened. However, the elder sitting on the highest rock continued to scrutinize me from head to toe with a stern look. He was the head elder, Noman Samael. I bowed even deeper to the head elder and then quietly sat down in a corner. ¡°¡­.¡± With a slight nod, Head Elder Noman looked around and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s continue our discussion. My theory is wless, Isaac. The higher the circle, the more simplified the incantation bes. Moreover, once you reach the 5th Circle, you should be able to cast lower-level magic with abbreviated chants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only possible in theory. Haven¡¯t we all experienced it already? Circle magic is too impractical in actualbat. It¡¯s time for us to admit it.¡± ¡°I agree with Isaac, Head Elder.¡± Surprisingly, the elders were engaged in a debate. Listening in, the level of their discussion was quite decent. In particr, the Head Elder was advocating for Mana Circles, and I was d to see someone with a sane mind for the first time in this life. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ It seemed that all the elders had created circles in their hearts. Except for the Head Elder, most of them seemed to be regretting it. ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t anger me any further, Isaac.¡± ¡°Are you conceding, Head Elder?¡± ¡°Conceding? Are you defying me now, Isaac?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be clear. You always say ¡®enough¡¯ when you have nothing else to say.¡± ¡°I say that because you don¡¯t understand my theory anymore. If I say ¡®enough¡¯, then enough.¡± ¡°I refuse. If you¡¯re so confident, show us yourself. You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You young whippersnapper!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixty-five.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll shut that brat¡¯s mouth right now!¡± ¡°Oh my, where¡¯s that stenching from?¡± Oh¡­ This was interesting. The elders¡¯ quarrel was as entertaining as a children¡¯s fight. As time passed, the elder named Isaac began to push Head Elder Noman. Cornered, Head Elder Noman started to huff and puff openly, but no one sided with him. Then, as if to drive the final nail in the coffin, Elder Isaac suddenly turned his head towards me. ¡°Ruin, young man, answer this. I heard you created circles. You must have already felt their limitations firsthand. So, whose side do you think is right?¡± ¡°Of course, Elder Isaac¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± Elder Isaac smiled, as if to say ¡°See?¡±, and the Head Elder¡¯s eyes red up. ¡°¡­Rather, Head Elder Noman is absolutely right. A mage must master Mana Circles. Your words are as true as the sky.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± As if I had been waiting for this moment, I sided with the Head Elder. Having tasted a fragment of my vast knowledge, the Head Elder, with a revitalized expression as if he had consumed an elixir of immortality, began to suppress Elder Isaac. ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about?¡± Of course, Elder Isaac and the other elders still thought it was crazy talk, but Head Elder Noman himself seemed extremely satisfied. And there was a reason why I sided with the Head Elder. Of course, it wasn¡¯t for the noble reason of enlightening him about the greatness of Mana Circles. I didn¡¯t have the time for that. I was already busy enough teaching the apprentices. The reason I sided with the Head Elder. It was to¡­ Squeeze him dry. Who in the past Samael had as much influence as the Lord? It was the Head Elder. Why? Because the Head Elder was strong? No. At the time, there were at least five mages in the family stronger than the Head Elder. The real reason was that the Head Elder was in charge of Samael¡¯s treasury. S-grade artifacts, sacred relics that could turn the world upside down just by their names. The Head Elder had the authority to manage and be responsible for all of them, so naturally, he had a lot of influence. Even if the Lord didn¡¯t know about some artifacts, the Head Elder knew about them all. ¡°Huh huh. You¡¯ve been very well educated, Ruin.¡± Seeing the Head Elderughing heartily, I felt good. Those sharp eyes. That stubborn gaze. Truly befitting of the Head Elder. He had a face that seemed to be hiding something. This was an opportunity. A very good opportunity, at that. The Head Elder would definitely have stashed away a few artifacts in case of emergency. Now, all I had to do was coax him and find out their location. I didn¡¯t get properpensation from Pelleier, so I had to get it in this life. * * * About four days had passed since I started following the Head Elder around. With my help, the Head Elder, having perfected his crazy logic, finally silenced Elder Isaac. ¡°This is a blessing, a blessing. Ruin, you are a blessing to our Samael, a blessing!¡± Judging that the time was right, I cautiously brought up the topic. ¡°I have a question, Head Elder.¡± ¡°Huh huh, ask me anything. I¡¯ll answer anything you ask, Ruin.¡± I started by asking about Samael¡¯s supplies. With a solemn expression, emphasizing the responsibility that the eldest son of Samael should bear. ¡°Hmm. Supplies. You¡¯re bringing up a sad story.¡± Head Elder Noman¡¯s detailed exnation of the pitiful situation was so irritating that I immediately got to the point. ¡°Then, are there any sacred relics or artifacts left in the family¡­?¡± ¡°We sold them all. It¡¯s a pity. It¡¯s truly a pity.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± In the end, it was a wasted effort. As I was about to turn away before I got even more irritated, I noticed Head Elder Noman¡¯s tightly closed lips. ¡®This old man?¡¯ Looking closely, Noman¡¯s stubborn eyes were trembling slightly. This sly old man was definitely hiding something. I looked directly into Noman¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°¡­Are you sure there¡¯s nothing left?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry I can only say such disappointing things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame, really. If there were even amplification artifacts or usable magic stones left, I could demonstrate shape transformation or spell guidance for you. As you know, Head Elder, those are only possible with Circle magic. Oh well, it can¡¯t be helped. I With a dumbfounded look on Head Elder Noman¡¯s face, I took a few steps away when I heard a booming voice from behind. ¡°Wait, Ruin!¡± Wow, someone¡¯s got a loud voice. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. I have urgent matters to attend to.¡± ¡°I saide here!¡± Pretending to give in, I approached him, and Noman, after looking around, whispered in a low voice, ¡°Actually, there are some magic stones left. The ones remaining shouldn¡¯t be taken out unless the family¡¯s survival is at stake¡­ Only I know about this, not even the Lord.¡± I hid my true feelings and raised my eyebrows with an indifferent expression. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Did you hear me correctly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Head Elder Noman, his stubbornnesspletely broken, shouted urgently, ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you myself!¡± He should have done that from the start. After leaving the cave, Head Elder Noman followed the ridge for a while, then suddenly threw himself towards a dead-end cliff. His body flickered and disappeared before my eyes. A magic circle. Following Head Elder Noman, I threw myself into it, and a small cavity appeared. Inside, there were piles of magic stones. ¡°Here it is. I¡¯ve only kept the high-grade magic stones, so it should be enough. Now, show me what you were talking about.¡± I looked to the side and saw Head Elder Noman staring at me with an expectant expression. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Why? Because it was all a lie. Magic stones have nothing to do with spell guidance. I ignored Noman and looked around at the magic stones. If there were a few A-grade or higher magic stones, I could sell them for a good price. Most of them were faded and scratched F-grade magic stones, but there had to be some decent ones in here¡­ What the hell? ¡®None?¡¯ I frantically rummaged through the magic stones. And then I was sure. ¡­There were none. All the magic stones here were trash. Meanwhile, I heard Noman¡¯s angry shout. ¡°What are you doing? Show me now!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you. Of course, I¡¯ll show you¡­ Fireball.¡± From the 3rd Circle onwards, two levels of lower magic can be cast with just a trigger word. With three circles already faintly engraved in my heart, simply manifesting 1st Circle magic wasn¡¯t difficult for me. Fwoosh¡ª As expected, a fireball appeared instantly. The Fireball, flying straight towards the sky, slowly changed its course in mid-air, following my hand gesture. Noman¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Incredible. It¡¯s really guiding the spell with the magic stones! Hahaha!¡± Noman threw back his head and burst intoughter, not even realizing that the Fireball¡¯s trajectory was changing towards him. Boom¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Water Bomb. Wind Blow¡± While Noman was out of it, I immediately drenched him with a water bomb and then struck him relentlessly with Wind Blow. This was my preferred method when I didn¡¯t want to leave external injuries. Thwack¡ª Thwack, thwack¡ª! ¡­Is he unconscious? Good. ¡°You damn old man. These aren¡¯t high-grade magic stones! You senile old fool.¡± nk¡ª After bombarding Noman with magic for a while, I turned my head at the strange sound. It sounded like the friction of metal against metal. A sound that could nevere from magic stones. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Among the faded magic stones, there was an even more faded ck ore. As I approached and dusted it off, a dark pendant with the ore embedded in it was revealed. The pendant was so old that even the dust wouldn¡¯te off easily. But the blue hexagonal pattern faintly visible on the ore at the center was resisting the ravages of time. It felt familiar. My heart instinctively pounded. As I slowly rubbed the pendant, a deep blue haze shimmered and gradually enveloped my body. Huh? Could this be¡­? As far as I know, there¡¯s only one artifact like this. ¡ºMagnus¡¯ Illusion¡» I couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 16 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 16: The Other One, I Haven¡¯t Used It Yet My head throbbed as if I had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer. It couldn¡¯t be helped. No matter how I looked at it, the artifact was too familiar. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the one the Sword Saint carried around?¡¯ Magnus Balthar. I remembered it clearly. The way he always wore a blue pendant on his chest. Even back then, I often teased him for carrying around a magic tool, which didn¡¯t seem to suit a knight. I heard it was a gift he received for helping the elves defeat the ¡®One-Horn Tribe¡¯ or something like that. Just in case, I used [Mind¡¯s Eye] to look at it, and limited information about the artifact appeared. It seemed that the effect of [Mind¡¯s Eye] also extended to objects. ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» ¡ª Type: Growth ¡ª Effect: Creates an illusion field centered on the user ¡ª Grade: A ~ SSS ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» was different from typical artifacts in that its effect varied depending on the user¡¯s ability. If the owner was weak, it was just an ordinary artifact, but the stronger the owner¡¯s ability, the artifact¡¯s potential was limitless. In the past, when the Sword Saint used it, there was a time when all the demons gathered within a few hundred meters were frozen in ce, trapped in confusion. The Sword Saint then cut them all down with a single swing of his sword. But is this the real one? Why is it here? Why is an artifact that was buried with the Sword Saint in the Land of Death stuck in Samael¡¯s treasury? As I pondered, I suddenly remembered what Lihan had told me. ¡ª I read it in a picture book when I was young, so I don¡¯t remember the details. I think I heard that the Balthar family brought peace. A strange sense of dissonance. It didn¡¯t feel like it was just a distorted version from the outside. An ominous feeling flowed through my body, making it hard to dismiss as mere coincidence. ¡®Could Magnus have been alive?¡¯ No. That couldn¡¯t be. The Sword Saint was dead. I still vividly remember his broken body, lying next to his broken sword. The only one who survived until the end of the expedition was the Crazy Mage, me. ¡®Then what in the world¡­?¡¯ No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn¡¯t figure out why it was here. It felt like a disruption in causality, a conclusion without a cause. Since I couldn¡¯t find an answer, I had no choice. I had to use thest resort. ¡°What a coincidence. There are two of the same artifacts.¡± The Crazy Mage is a man who knows when to give up. Anyway, the important thing now was that a pretty useful artifact had fallen into my hands. It was worth following Head Elder Noman. I turned my head and saw the Head Elder, drooling and unconscious. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± I wondered where the musty smell wasing from, and it turned out to be the Head Elder¡¯s drool. Elder Isaac was right. ¡°Wake up, Head Elder.¡± Suddenly, Head Elder Noman woke up with a start, as if he had been having a nightmare. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re alive. You suddenly lost consciousness and copsed on the floor.¡± I covered my nose and diligently massaged Head Elder Noman¡¯s body. After staring nkly for a while, lost in thought, Head Elder Noman suddenly whipped his head around and looked at me. ¡°Spell guidance! Ruin, you altered the Fireball¡¯s trajectory. Didn¡¯t you?¡± I continued massaging Noman¡¯s body and replied, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You clearly showed me. By the way, why does my body ache so much? It feels like I¡¯ve been beaten¡­ I think I even heard you call me a damn old fool¡­¡± ¡°You must have had a nightmare.¡± Noman replied, bewildered. ¡°Hmm¡­ Strange.¡± ¡°I think you should get some rest, Head Elder.¡± ¡°Show me again, Ruin! I need to be sure.¡± ¡°I think you really need to rest. These trash magic stones here are not nearly enough.¡± ¡°What?¡± I feigned ignorance and looked at Noman. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll be going now. I wasted my time for nothing.¡± As I started to walk away, Noman shouted urgently from behind. ¡°Wait, Ruin! What did you just say? The magic stones are trash?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I said say it again!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I ignored the nagging voice ringing in my ears and left the treasury. The weight of the artifact in my arms felt pleasantly heavy. * * * I immediately headed towards the Samael estate along the ridge. Lihan, who was lingering near the Head¡¯s residence, spotted me and hurriedly ran over, waving his hand. ¡°Young Master! Where have you been? You weren¡¯t at the training hall, I¡¯ve been looking for you¡­ Huh!¡± Lihan examined my body and pped his hands in amazement. ¡°What happened to you in the past month? I can¡¯t even recognize you!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± What does he mean he can¡¯t recognize me? From the outside, my body hadn¡¯t changed much. I was still the same ¡®skinny shrimp¡¯. ¡°Next time, try to be more discreet.¡± ¡°Hehe. You¡¯ve be much more perceptive. Anyway, hurry to the Head¡¯s residence, Young Master. The Head has been looking for you.¡± Suddenly, I noticed a group of men gathered at the central training ground. ¡°Who are those guys? They¡¯re too noisy.¡± Men in red clothes, whom I had never seen before, were chatting and training. ¡°Ah, those people? They came with Sir Hector when he returned from the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower is here again?¡± Lihan lowered his voice and replied, ¡°Sir Dyke returned to the Magic Tower, and these people came instead. They said they¡¯re Sir Hector¡¯s disciples. Anyway, since our Mount Khaoto has good air and clean water, they said they¡¯ll train here and teach the apprentice mages, so it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s be a tourist attraction. What¡¯s so good about the mountain and the water?¡± I felt the same way about Dyke, but these guys had a bad attitude from the start. How dare they make such a racket in the middle of the estate as if it were their own living room. They had no respect for Samael whatsoever. I was irritated that no one was stopping them, and everyone was just watching them cautiously. I immediately ran down to the training ground. As I got closer, the guys from the Red Magic Tower looked at me with strange expressions. ¡°Hey, you there. Stop.¡± I briefly examined the people around me. They all looked much younger than Dyke. The youngest one still looked like a boy who hadn¡¯t fully matured. ¡°What? Who are you?¡± The youngest-looking one asked me, as if trying to assert dominance. His eyes were full of bravado. Seeing him speak so rudely right from the start, I felt a strong need to teach him a lesson. I immediately returned his question with the same one. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Lokan, a trainee Red Mage of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I am the Crazy Mage.¡± The guy named Lokan briefly exchanged nces with the others, then waved his hand dismissively. ¡°What a weirdo. Get out of the way. Watch from afar. We¡¯re in the middle of training.¡± ¡°Get my permission before you train.¡± Only then did Lokan turn around with a re. ¡°Sister Rina, Brother Doke. There¡¯s some crazy guy here. Why won¡¯t he leave?¡± I didn¡¯t answer and ran across the training ground, passing through them. The young guy, who I expected to cause a scene, was surprisingly quiet. Looking again, I saw the tallest guy signaling him to stay quiet. ¡®That must be the leader.¡¯ While figuring out the leader¡¯s intentions, I suddenly turned my gaze towards the main gate. I could hear amotion. ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± A few soldiers were arguing with someone at the main gate. Lihan frowned and cautiously approached me. ¡°Sigh. They¡¯re here again.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s here again?¡± ¡°Beggars sometimese here. Or thugs who leech off of Khaoto. There are so many of those guys that they sometimese here without knowing their ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a popr spot, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Young Master, please hurry to the Head¡¯s residence.¡± Lihan red and went down towards the main gate. Watching Lihan¡¯s back as he stomped away, I thought there was no need for me to get involved. Lihan probably needed a ce to vent his anger too. * * * ¡°You called for me.¡± As soon as I entered the Head¡¯s residence, I saw Kazen. His strong physique and benevolent face¡­ damn, he looked just like that bastard Pelleer. ¡°You¡¯vee.¡± Kazen looked me up and down, and a puzzled look gradually appeared on his face. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Yes, Head.¡± I addressed Kazen as Head, not father. This was to show that I was facing him as a proud member of Samael, not a spoiled child. ¡°¡­Amazing. I can¡¯t believe Hector¡¯s words were true. It seems you¡¯ve really pulled yourself together.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But I heard you created Mana Circles instead of a Mana Core.¡± I inwardly sighed. I felt a tightness in my chest, as if I had indigestion, thinking that another pointless scolding wasing. But Kazen¡¯s next words were far from what I expected. ¡°Rx your face. I am not here to scold you. There¡¯s no need to exin if it¡¯s difficult to do. Anyway, it must be your first step taken on your own will.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You said you would prove it to Hector. That you would defeat a 4-star mage.¡± Suddenly, Kazen Samael burst into heartyughter. Then, for the first time, he looked at me with a proud expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the first thing you¡¯ve said that befits a Samael. My son should have that kind of boldness. Yes, absolutely.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kazen stoppedughing and looked at me. ¡°¡­For now, that¡¯s enough. Thank you.¡± His sincerity caught me off guard. I shook my head and looked directly into Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°The price we agreed to pay the Red Magic Tower in exchange for learning magic. What is it?¡± Kazen¡¯s eyes, which had been looking at me kindly, suddenly sharpened. ¡°What did you just say, Ruin?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way those calcting mages from the Tower would offer their goodwill for free. What did you give them in return? And while we¡¯re on the subject, the Kart family is clearly Samael¡¯s guardian, so how is the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower involved?¡± ¡°What? How do you¡­¡± Kazen couldn¡¯t continue his words for a while. A heavy silence fell over the Head¡¯s residence. ¡°¡­Where did you hear that, Ruin?¡± ¡°Please tell me. I am also of the Samael bloodline.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kazen only spoke again after a long time had passed. ¡°Repaying the debt to the Kart family.¡± Kazen looked at me with heavy eyes. ¡°The Karts, they are originally outsiders. They simply owe a debt to Samael. That debt can be repaid with three orders that transcend family rules. One debt was cleared hundreds of years ago, and I cleared another by agreeing to learn magic from the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And the remaining one¡­ I haven¡¯t used it yet.¡± Just then, an old servant rudely rushed into the room. He looked so urgent that his hands and feet were trembling. ¡°Head, something terrible has happened. You need toe outside!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 17 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 17: I¡¯m Going to Beat Them Up The old servant who had just entered was named Wright Perer, Lihan¡¯s father and Samael¡¯s chief attendant. Kazen stood up from the head seat with a hardened face. ¡°Lead the way.¡± As we followed the chief attendant outside, dozens of people were moring. A few elders were also present, havinge down at some point, and someone was lying near the main gate, bleeding. ¡®That bastard¡­?¡¯ As soon as I saw arge man standing in front of the main gate with a wicked grin, my blood began to boil. Because I knew him. He was one of the guys who got beaten up by me next to the corpse¡¯s eye on the day I was first reincarnated. Was his name Krak? As I got closer, I could see the face of the fallen man more clearly. ¡°¡­What happened, Lihan?¡± ¡°Ugh. Young Master.¡± ¡°Who did this? Was it him?¡± There was no answer. The soldiers guarding the main gate were soldiers in name only, acting like idiots. They just stared at Krak with uneasy eyes. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I met Krak¡¯s gaze. Krak smirked, staring right back at me as if he had something to rely on. ¡°You need to get beaten up more toe to your senses¡­¡± At that moment, Kazen cut me off and stepped forward. His gaze was directed towards the very back of the group. As if on cue, a man in blue robes slowly stepped forward from the back. The man with snake-like eyes nodded at Kazen. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­I think an exnation is needed, Lord Snake. Are you picking a fight with Samael?¡± The snake-eyed man sneered in response. ¡°Well, would we do that? We¡¯re here on behalf of Bayern. Rather, Samael should educate their servants properly. It was an official visit, but your servant was the first to use vulgarnguage towards us. He¡¯s a hot-tempered fellow, so he acted before I could stop him. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry about what happened to your servant. Apologize.¡± Krak smirked and nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d go down with just one hit. Well, anyway, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you saying that now!¡± Fwoosh¡ª An immense aura erupted from Kazen, and therge man immediately mmed his knees and face into the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± The aura was so strong that even I, standing next to him, got goosebumps. However. The aurasted only a few seconds. Kazen clutched his chest and grimaced, and the mana waves around him dissipated. ¡®Wait a minute. Was his mana circle broken?¡¯ There¡¯s only one reason for mana to disperse so quickly. It¡¯s evidence that the heart¡¯s circle has been destroyed. ¡®Did he experience mana runaway? No. He doesn¡¯t even know mana resonance properly, so runaway couldn¡¯t have happened. Then did he fight with an enemy?¡¯ As I continued my thoughts, Snake smirked and said, ¡°Calm down, Lord Kazen. Acting like that won¡¯t do Samael any good.¡± Kazen red at Snake once again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such tant rudeness. I¡¯ll let this slide once, so leave immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that free. I told you I came for an official matter.¡± Snake¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile. ¡°I think you need to pay back some money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going too far, Lord Snake.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯m not free enough to joke around.¡± I¡¯m starting to feel disgusted. The way this snake-eyed bastard is grinning, it¡¯s like¡­ ¡°I understand Samael borrowed arge sum of money from the Hamad Merchant Guild?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And you put up Khaoto Mountain as coteral.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The expressions of a few elders changed drastically, but Kazen responded calmly, not revealing his inner feelings. ¡°That has nothing to do with Bayern.¡± Snake stared directly at Kazen andughed. ¡°Urgon acquired the Hamad Merchant Guild.¡± Gasps could be heard from all around. The elders¡¯ faces turned pale. Kazen barely managed to maintain hisposure, but he was just as shocked as the elders. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me they¡­¡¯ Reverse Scale. The reason Samael had to admit its own downfall was because of the Urgon family. ¡°It seems you finally understand what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only been paying interest so far. You¡¯ve long passed the due date for the principal. If you borrow money, you have to pay it back.¡± Snake Eyes grinned and held out a document with Urgon¡¯s seal. A document authorizing Bayern to collect the debt. ¡°You can pay us back.¡± One of the elders couldn¡¯t hold back and shouted. ¡°Shut up! The Hamad Merchant Guild went bankrupt? You think we¡¯ll believe such nonsense?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Alright. I understand your anger, so I¡¯ll shut up.¡± ¡°Fuck off, you bastard.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll fuck off too¡­ What did you say?¡± I immediately stepped forward in front of Snake Eyes and said it again. ¡°You look just like a snake. Of course, I mean you look like you should be drowned in poison. Watch your tongue, you snake bastard. Where did you learn to talk like that?¡± A chilling silence fell over the surroundings. The Lord, the elders, and even the Bayern guys all looked at me with dumbfounded expressions. Snake Eyes, having been cursed at, stuttered in shock, and Krak whispered something in his ear. Snake Eyes then said to me with a bewildered expression. ¡°So you¡¯re Samael¡¯s sore thumb. Just as I heard.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t learned what happens when you run your mouth off¡­¡± Snake Eyes and his group suddenly bowed their heads. I thought they might havee to their senses, but that couldn¡¯t be it. ¡°Greetings, Crimson Mage!¡± ¡°Greetings, Vice-Tower Master of the Red Tower.¡± Hector was approaching from afar. The guys who had been acting cocky towards Kazen immediately straightened up and greeted Hector respectfully. Snake Eyes whispered to Kazen, just loud enough for him to hear. ¡°You¡¯ll find out the truth soon enough if you check. I¡¯ll give you exactly three months. If you can¡¯t pay, you¡¯ll have to vacate Khaoto Mountain. Or¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You coulde under us. Our Lord is generous, he won¡¯t turn you away. Haha.¡± With that, Snake Eyes bowed only to Hector and left immediately. Seeing Kazen and the elders staring nkly, I wanted to possess Perer and smack them upside the head. Sigh¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like Snake Eyes was making things up. He wouldn¡¯t tell a lie that would be easily exposed. Of course, what pissed me off the most was something else. Forget about borrowing the money. How can they just stand there and take that bullshit? * * * ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The sound of shouting filled the air halfway up Khaoto Mountain. Young mages were running and sweating profusely as the sun began to set. ¡°Huff huff. Guys, isn¡¯t it too hard? Should we stop for today?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s rest today!¡± ¡°Whoever said let¡¯s rest today, step forward.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°I knew it was you, Iron.¡± I had secretly followed the apprentices from behind. Contrary to my expectations, seeing them train so hard made me a little disappointed, so I tried to provoke them, and someone took the bait. ¡°Where did you go, Captain?¡± ¡°Why am I the Captain?¡± Just as I was about to scold Iron, Zion spoke to me first. ¡°You¡¯re the Captain because you¡¯re the Captain. Where have you been? We haven¡¯t seen you for a while.¡± It was the first time I¡¯d been called Captain, and it felt oddly satisfying. ¡°I had somewhere to go. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve been training well.¡± ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Everyone, attention.¡± The ten apprentices simultaneously took the attention stance. Ain, you¡¯ve gained some muscle. Pass. Iron, not bad for a cker. Makan, this guy is a real monster. Zion, the venom in your eyes has grown, not bad. . . . Palge, still fat. ¡°Pig, you¡¯re hopeless.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, I worked the hardest!¡± ¡°Then why do you look like that? How much do you eat normally?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been like this since I was born!¡± ¡°Shut up. Everyone, continue what you were doing. Zion, follow me.¡± I took Zion down to an open space near the training hall. We sat side by side on a long rock, and Zion asked me, ¡°Why are you suddenly acting all serious? Do you have something to say, Captain?¡± I responded seriously. ¡°Your father was a sessful ck market merchant, right? From Khaoto.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Then you know a lot about Khaoto?¡± Merchants, by nature, need to be well-informed to survive. Especially ck market merchants dealing with dangerous goods, they need to know everything that happens in the city, day and night. It could be a matter of life and death. Zion answered as if I was asking the obvious. ¡°Of course. Until a year ago, I even knew how many times the manager of the Night Dew Pub peed in a day. No one knows it better than me.¡± ¡°Good. Then tell me about Bayern.¡± On the day I was first reincarnated into this body, Corpse Eyes clearly stated that his family was Bayern. I didn¡¯t pay much attention at the time, but it seems his mockery of Samael wasn¡¯t just empty words. ¡°Bayern? Those thugs?¡± ¡°You know them. Tell me everything, without leaving anything out.¡± ¡°It must be because of Samael.¡± Zion was certainly quick-witted. By the time his long exnation ended, the sun hadpletely set in the west. And my conclusion was: ¡°They¡¯re no different from third-rate gangsters.¡± ¡°Third-rate assholes, that¡¯s what they are.¡± The current Khaoto was different from the past. In my past life, it was a dazzling magical city, but now it¡¯s awless wastnd. It¡¯s just like the back alleys I used to live in. Knife fights break out several times a day, and security is terrible. Among them, the Bayern are the thugs who extort protection money from merchants and small shops, and if they don¡¯t like something, they¡¯ll resort to violence and even take over businesses. ¡°They haven¡¯t been rooted in Khaoto for long. Originally, the Dark Soul gang controlled Khaoto.¡± Until a few years ago, the Dark Soul gang dominated Khaoto. As Bayern gained power in Khaoto, the Dark Soul¡¯s influence gradually diminished¡­ Currently, the Dark Soul gang controls the western part of Khaoto. Bayern controls the eastern part. ¡°Are there any notable figures in Bayern?¡± ¡°The bigger problem is that they¡¯re connected to Urgon.¡± ¡°Well said. What are these Urgon guys all about?¡± Zion asked back with a puzzled expression. ¡°What? Are you stupid, Captain? You don¡¯t even know that?¡± I smacked the back of Zion¡¯s head and replied, ¡°Just answer the question.¡± ¡°Geez. Seriously? Urgon is the most famous in Quebec. They have deep ties with the Blue Tower. If we¡¯re talking about magic families, they¡¯re among the top in the east. And that¡¯s not all¡­¡± As I listened to Zion¡¯s exnation, I understood why Kazen and the elders¡¯ faces had hardened. ¡°So, the Bayern guys are nothing special.¡± ¡°What did you hear? I clearly said they¡¯re dangerous. Urgon is backing them.¡± ¡°Alright. Go get me a mask.¡± Zion tilted his head. ¡°What mask? We don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°A ck market merchant doesn¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°I told you, we¡¯re bankrupt. Damn it, Captain.¡± ¡°On second thought, we don¡¯t need one. There¡¯s something better.¡± I gave Zion¡¯s head a good whack and started walking down past the training hall. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± ¡°To beat them up.¡± Anyone who dares to harm my servant deserves to be trampled tenfold. Whir¡ª I must have been ovee with anger. I could feel the three circles in my heart spinning vividly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 18 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 18: Gangsters No matter how grand the n, I was always quick-witted. Even Pelleer had to admit that. I knew how to beat someone down efficiently and relentlessly. Of course, this was just the tip of the iceberg. I was already a notorious gangster at eighteen, and by twenty, I had be the king of the back alleys after taking down the two gang leaders who ruled them. How was that possible? I wasn¡¯t that strong back then. The method was simple. ¡°This punk dared to call me impotent? You¡¯re dead meat today, you bastard.¡± ¡°Bring it on, you impotent bastard. Today¡¯s the day your gang gets wiped out.¡± While the two gang leaders were busy trying to kill each other, I pretended to intervene and easily took their heads. In short, I was a master of dirty tricks. * * * As I circled the back mountain and entered the outskirts of Khaoto, the savory smell of soup tickled my nose. And just then, I saw Palge sneaking into a restaurant. He definitely said he wouldn¡¯t eat much, but I caught him red-handed. ¡®See youter, fatty.¡¯ As I followed the outskirts of Khaoto and entered the main street to the east, the brightly lit buildings illuminated the street. The street was strangely chilly and exciting, with a mix of orange and red lights. I slowly looked around the street and stopped in front of a shabby cksmith shop. ¡°Is the owner here?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see a spear. A thin one with a sharp de.¡± A man with an impressive beard came out from inside, grumbling. His face was flushed, perhaps due to the heat from the forge. ¡°Are you going to use it yourself? A thick ive with strong swinging power would be better for you.¡± ¡°I need a thin one, no matter what.¡± ¡°I see. You¡¯re going to use it as a secondary weapon, huh?¡± The bearded man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at me, then suddenly widened again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Krak? What brings you here? It¡¯s not time for your tribute yet.¡± It wasn¡¯t my name, but I nodded immediately. It meant my n was working. The reason the bearded man called me Krak was simple. ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» An artifact that creates an illusionary field around the user. The blue light that started from my chest was enveloping my entire body. At my current level, it was impossible to create a field, but at least I could make myself look different to ordinary people. ¡®This is quite useful.¡¯ If I were to create an illusion with magic, I would need at least 5th circle illusion magic. Moreover, unlike illusion magic, there was no trace of mana fluctuation, so even a skilled mage would have a hard time doubting it. Currently, the bearded man saw me as ¡®Krak¡¯. There¡¯s an old saying that to enter a tiger¡¯s den, you must be a tiger. In other words, I was currently disguised as Krak, the one who took down Lihan this morning. ¡°Strange. You seem a bit different somehow.¡± ¡°You must be getting old, owner. I¡¯m the same as always.¡± ¡°Whatever. Anyway, I didn¡¯t know you were interested in spears.¡± ¡°What was I interested in again?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I just want a rmendation for a weapon that suits me.¡± ¡°Your way of speaking is a bit strange too.¡± ¡°How did I usually speak?¡± While the bearded man gave me a puzzled look, I pretended not to notice. Even if he found me a bit strange, he wouldn¡¯t be able to question me. ¡°It¡¯s just weird that someone who always asks for swords suddenly wants a spear. Anyway, choose one from over here.¡± I picked up a thin spear that was lying on one side. The de was sharp, and for a shabby cksmith shop, it was in pretty good condition. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not.¡± I looked at the bearded man again, and I could see gray beads of sweat mixed with iron dust and heat on his face. I liked it. That¡¯s the attitude a cksmith should have. I picked up the thin spear, swung it around a few times, and said to the bearded man, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°1 gold.¡± ¡°Is it possible to deduct it from this month¡¯s tribute?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s deduct 1 gold from the tribute.¡± ¡°Alright. Oh, and the glove that Blok left with mest time is done. Do you want to take it now?¡± ¡°Blok? That corpse eyeball?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I¡¯m sure of it. If it¡¯s Blok, it¡¯s that corpse eye bastard. The bearded man went inside and came back with a blue glove. There was a fingernail-sized magic stone embedded in the center. ¡°Take it. This is the gold left after deducting the magic stone cost for the crafting.¡± ¡°Why is there so much?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t cost much. I went all the way to San Chris to get it crafted. Do you know how much it costs to use the crafting tools and the forge? You¡¯ll know when you check it out.¡± The bearded man must have misunderstood me. I said that because the 30 gold he handed me seemed like a lot of money. I turned away before the bearded man could say anything else and put on the blue glove. The fingernail-sized magic stone in the center was B-grade. When I wrapped wind around my hand, I could feel a slight mana amplification effect. For a back alley cksmith, he was quite skilled. Even in the past, cksmiths with crafting skills weren¡¯t thatmon. ng¡ª The sound of the gold coins in my hand made me smile. I¡¯ll have to help the bearded manter. I¡¯m a person who values loyalty and gratitude. * * * I slung the spear over my back and turned west. After walking for a while, the streetlights gradually faded, and a familiar building came into view. This was the building where I fought the corpse eyeball and his gang on the day I was reincarnated. ording to Zion, Bayern¡¯s territory ended at this point. In other words, this was the start of Khaoto¡¯s west side, Dark Soul¡¯s territory. Soon, the main street of the west side appeared. The atmosphere was a bit different from the east side. While the eastern district had a strong red-light district feel, this ce felt a bit run down. However, everyone I saw was carrying at least one weapon. Sharp gazes scanned me once each, but soon they dismissed their suspicions after seeing my demeanor and spear. As I reached the center of the street, arge four-story building caught my eye. [Red Sunset Tavern] The most famous tavern in the west, and the ce where the Dark Soul gang appears the most. This was the reason I came here. As soon as I opened the door and entered, dim lights shone eerily. For a tavern, it wasn¡¯t very noisy. A gruff-looking employee approached me and asked, ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to share life with my brothers.¡± ¡°What kind of drink are you looking for?¡± ¡°Red Dawn, 18 years old.¡± ¡°Please go to the fourth floor.¡± As I spoke the secret code Zion had told me, the employee bowed politely and guided me. As I went up to the fourth floor, the eerie atmosphere grew even stronger. Looking straight ahead, there were rooms with partitions on both sides of the central corridor. I pushed open the door of thergest room. Creak¡ª Three sharp-looking men in ck martial arts uniforms stopped drinking and red at me with murderous eyes. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to share life with my brothers. I¡¯ll buy you a drink. Hey, waiter. What¡¯s the most expensive drink here?¡± As I spoke, I nced at them from the corner of my eye. If anyone recognized Krak¡¯s face, I was ready to act immediately. Fortunately, they all seemed unfamiliar. ¡°Burning Dawn, 24 years old.¡± ¡°Three bottles should be enough.¡± ¡°Three bottles, sir? The price is¡­.¡± ¡°What, do I look like a pauper to you? I hate repeating myself. Bring it now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As I chuckled and took a seat with a friendly demeanor, puzzled looks from everyone in the room gathered on me. ¡°Hmm. A brother? I haven¡¯t seen your face before.¡± ¡°I serve Master Shepiro.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± While the two men immediately dismissed their suspicions, the man sitting at the head of the table continued to stare at me. He was an old gangster who looked quite old. I instinctively sensed that he had a high position. The old gangster pointed at me with his ss. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°Well.¡± The old gangster¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Affiliation?¡± ¡°Is that important?¡± Suddenly, the two guys next to me cursed and pointed their spears at me. ¡°This son of a bitch!¡± Third-rate gangsters are always hot-headed, no matter the time or ce. Not to be outdone, I immediately took out the spear from my back, swung it around, and pointed it at them. Just as the atmosphere was about to turn ugly, the old gangster waved his hand. ¡°Enough. Now I see you were pretending not to know on purpose. You can¡¯t fool me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Garlic, Grid. Lower your spears. This person is from headquarters. He must be on an inspection. Judging by his spear skills, there¡¯s no need for further doubt.¡± I nodded, not knowing what nonsense he was talking about. ¡°You¡¯re perceptive, senior. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could pretend not to know.¡± ¡°Just with words?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll buy you a drink today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± When the drinks and snacks arrived, the guys¡¯ eyes lit up with greed, and they started pouring drinks as if they had hit the jackpot. I took a sip and found it to be quite a decent liquor. Yes, let¡¯s drink a lot. A ss of liquor before you die isn¡¯t so bad, right? * * * The old gangster¡¯s name was Bravo Khan. He said he was in charge of Dark Soul¡¯s military. Of course, he didn¡¯t seem that smart. Gangsters always loved creating pointless titles. As the expensive liquor went down, the old gangster started to open up. I gave him appropriate responses, finding some parts of his story quite interesting. ¡°¡­It seems like you¡¯re quite frustrated.¡± ¡°You have no idea. Our Dark Soul¡¯s reputation in Khaoto has beenpletely ruined. Bayern keeps crossing the line without knowing their ce.¡± A young gangster named Garlic emptied his ss and replied, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just wipe them out? They¡¯re nothing but a few mages. I don¡¯t understand why we keep dragging our feet.¡± ¡°You idiot.¡± Bravo Khan threw an empty ss at him. With a smack, Garlic¡¯s forehead was cut, and blood trickled down. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Think, Garlic. With such a reckless thought, you¡¯ll never be anything but third-rate. If we mess with those sly mages, we¡¯ll be the ones who suffer. Besides, if we attack Bayern, what then? Urgon is behind them.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± ¡°Our Khaoto branch alone is not enough. But we can¡¯t just keep getting beaten up. At this point, we have no choice but to expand the game. We need to bring in the headquarters and quickly take them down.¡± ¡®He¡¯s talking nonsense.¡¯ I listened to Bravo Khan¡¯s words and cursed inwardly. I hated seeing a gangster acting like a real military strategist. I was about to put my n into action, but the young gangsters¡¯ eyes were sparkling too brightly, so I decided to wait a bit longer. As expected, Grid praised Bravo Khan. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re amazing. So, are we going to have an all-out war with Urgon?¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Smack¡ª Grid¡¯s forehead was also cut. ¡°You two are especially stupid today. If we fight Urgon, you two better bite your tongues and kill yourselves.¡± The old gangster clicked his tongue, looking at Garlic and Grid with disdain. ¡°There¡¯s only one way. The best thing is to surprise attack Bayern and wipe them out before Urgon can intervene.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said? Even if we wipe them out, Urgon will retaliate.¡± A strange smile appeared on the old gangster¡¯s lips. ¡°The probability of that is actually low. From Urgon¡¯s perspective, Khaoto is just a nuisance. They just need someone to manage it for them, and it doesn¡¯t have to be Bayern. If we y our cards right, there¡¯s no reason why we can¡¯t get Urgon as our backing.¡± Garlic and Grid pped simultaneously. The old gangster smiled proudly as he tilted his ss. ¡°Haha, a true man should be able to envision the future from where he sits. So, what do you think?¡± Bravo Khan looked at me, who had been quietly listening until now. It was finally my turn. I slowly savored the alcohol and opened my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a great n. You¡¯re very smart. Absolutely brilliant. It¡¯s like seeing a military strategist from a renowned family. But your n is missing one thing.¡± Bravo Khan frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your n is missing your own life.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°No matter how grand the n, life is such that you could get stabbed by a random robber and die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point. But why are you suddenly talking about that?¡± I swirled my ss for a moment before asking Bravo Khan, ¡°Have you ever taken over Samael¡¯s business?¡± Bravo Khan tilted his head for a moment before replying, ¡°Samael? That¡¯s a stupid name I haven¡¯t heard in a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to take over. A bunch of losers like them wouldn¡¯t have a business, would they?¡± I emptied my ss and stood up. I slowly red at them, twirling my wrist with the blue glove. Garlic and Grid, sensing something strange, exchanged nces and gripped their spears. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll give you a punch instead of a stab.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 19 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 19: The King of Instigation Three drunken, third-rate thugs exchanged bewildered nces. I seized the moment, activating two of my circles. Whir¡ª ¡°Emerging ice, Chilling Thorns.¡± Sharp ice crystals sprouted like thorns from my blue gloves. With a swing, Inded an ice-cold punch on the face of the thug named Garlic. Crack¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± Garlic¡¯s left cheek was torn open, his head snapping back. I kicked Grid, who was rolling on the floor, sending him flying into the groin of another thug. ¡°Urgh!¡± Grid clutched his crotch, writhing in pain. Finally grasping the situation, the old thug lunged at me with a spear. ¡°You bastard! You¡¯re Bayern¡¯s dog!¡± I flicked a ss from the table, striking the old thug¡¯s forehead. Crack¡ª His head jerked back. I seized the opportunity, chanting another water spell. ¡°Pouring waves, Water Shower.¡± Swoosh¡ª A torrent of water cascaded down, washing over the old thug¡¯s face. He looked dazed, as if pped awake from years of drunkenness. ¡°Ugh, are you alright, boss?¡± Garlic and Grid, having regained their senses, thrust their spears at my face. I was suddenly reminded of a subordinate from my past life, a demon who loved to show off. I never understood why he acted so foolishly, but now I felt an urge to imitate his mannerisms. ¡°Too slow.¡± I parried Grid¡¯s spear and dodged Garlic¡¯s. With an ice-infused fist, I uppercut Grid while mming the spearhead in my other hand onto Garlic¡¯s foot. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Blood erupted from his foot. The old thug, having finallye to his senses, shouted at me. ¡°How dare Bayern set foot here! Are you dering war?¡± As expected, they mistook me for Bayern. After all, Bayern¡¯s signature magic was water-based. What more proof did they need? I grinned. ¡°You got it.¡± ¡°You snake!¡± The three thugs raised their spears in unison. As they leaped, I activated all three of my circles. What was the shiest 3-circle water spell again? ¡°Condensed¡­ Exploding Water Pressure, Water Bomb.¡± Fizzle. ¡­Wasn¡¯t it something like that? I thought it was simpler. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the formal incantations of water magic. The thugs were already upon me. ¡°Exploding¡­¡± ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± ¡°¡­Water Pressure, Water Bomb.¡± Fwoosh¡ª! The 3-circle water spell, Water Bomb. Immense water pressure engulfed the three thugs, sting them in all directions. The door exploded instantly, the torrent of water ripping through the hallway. Gush¡ª In the chaos, I discreetly picked up a ck spear lying at my feet and hid it behind my back. It was Bravo Khan¡¯s spear. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s causing this ruckus?¡± Men in ck uniforms appeared from all sides. They saw a flooded hallway, three unconscious brothers with broken limbs¡­ and me. ¡°Hey, was this you?¡± Before their expressions could turn any uglier, I shed a grin. I smiled even wider, making sure they¡¯d remember my face. Now for the grand finale. . . . Run. I smashed the opposite window and jumped out, sprinting eastwards. * * * My rigorous physical training paid off. After 30 minutes of non-stop running, my pursuers were nowhere to be seen. As expected, the thugs at the tavern were small-fries. Real gangsters wouldn¡¯t be hanging around a ce like that at this hour. If I were the boss of Dark Soul, I would have knocked those guys out with a mace. As my adrenaline subsided, the main street to the east came into view. A red-light district, flickering with crimson and orange lights. The air was thick with a pungent aroma. It was a far cry from Dark Soul¡¯s territory. To think that the Khaoto I knew had changed so much¡­ Life is full of surprises. I saw drunken men stumbling around, a young punk flirting with two scantily d women, a man passed out in a corner while arge figure picked his pockets. The men were all dressed in expensive clothes, likely wealthy out-of-towners. Those were the easiest targets. I could smell their gullibility. Especially that chubby guy with flushed cheeks, clinging to a hostess¡­ Was he trying to sell something? The idiot. ¡®Ah, no.¡¯ He was just fat. It was a typical red-light district scene, but the closer I got to the center, the more my mood soured. Even during my gangster days, I despised those who operated in red-light districts. There were levels to the underworld. A true gangster looked out for his own. Third-rate thugs disguised it as loyalty or brotherhood, but it was all nonsense. The real reason was survival. The lower you were on thedder, the more you needed to stick together to stay alive. And the gangsters in the red-light district, blinded by money, don¡¯t care about their own. They treat women and children as mere tools. I was born in the red-light district, abandoned in the red-light district, and beaten like a dog every day in the red-light district. As if to prove my point, as soon as I turned the corner, I saw a child being beaten like a dog. Arge man was pping a snot-nosed kid. I saw my past self in him. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t make the same mistake again!¡± ¡°This little brat, how many times do I have to¡­ Cough!¡± I crept up behind the man and slit his throat with the spear. Blood spurted into the air, mingling strangely with the streetlights. Life is indeed unpredictable. Did this gangster know he was going to die today? Thud¡ª The thug¡¯s eyes looked resentful as he fell, but not as resentful as the snot-nosed kid. I returned to the main street and walked until I reached my destination. [Night Dew Pub] A three-story pub radiating colorful lights. It was one of Bayern¡¯s main businesses. As soon as I entered, loud music assaulted my ears. Several men were posturing at the bar with hostesses. It was a stark contrast to the quiet atmosphere of the [Red Sunset Tavern]. As I slowly looked around, one of the bouncers at the door spoke to me. ¡°Why are you back, Krak? You just left.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°The fuck do you mean by ¡®me¡¯? You were just fooling around like an idiot when the shift ended. By the way, when did you change clothes again? What¡¯s with those ragged clothes?¡± ¡°You wanna die, you son of a bitch?¡± ¡°Khahaha. That¡¯s some colorfulnguage.¡± The bouncer suddenly chuckled. It seemed he liked the way I used the typical ng of third-rate gangsters. ¡°Where did you say I went?¡± ¡°You got a hole in your head? Where else would you go, you hallucination-weed addict?¡± ¡°I see.¡± I had a rough idea of where he might have gone. I considered going after Krak right away but changed my mind. I started climbing the stairs next to me to the second floor. ¡°Where are you going, Krak?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have a drink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a first. You usually hate in alcohol, saying it¡¯s nd. Anyway, do whatever you want. But don¡¯t go to the third floor, there¡¯s a VIP there.¡± ¡°A VIP?¡± ¡°I just got orders from upstairs not to let anyone in.¡± ¡°Thanks. As a token of my gratitude, let me tell you something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The sun always rises in the east, you idiot.¡± ¡°Damn you, you son of a bitch. Hahaha.¡± * * * m¡ª I emptied a ss of strong rum in one gulp. ¡°The alcohol tastes good today.¡± ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Their expressions must have been priceless, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Indeed. They werepletely dumbfounded. It¡¯s a shame the Patriarch couldn¡¯t have seen it himself.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fitting for me to go there myself. But I can imagine their faces. They never would have dreamed we¡¯d bring up Hamad.¡± ¡°And when we mentioned Urgon, even the old men were shocked.¡± Bayern¡¯s captain of the guard, Snake, gave a sly grin. The middle-aged man sitting across from him wore the same grin. Glug glug¡ª A ss was filled with rum and emptied in one gulp. ¡°Ah, this is finally clearing my head.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Red Magic Tower, we would have finished this long ago. Why were they protecting Samael anyway?¡± The middle-aged man frowned slightly. The Red Magic Tower had been secretly backing Samael, which had been a hindrance. ¡°But that only served to provoke Urgon even more. Even the Red Magic Tower can¡¯t do anything now. They can¡¯t intervene without a good reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, though, Patriarch.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Why go to such lengths? Why does the great Urgon care so much about a declining family in the backwaters?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A mysterious smile appeared on the middle-aged man¡¯s face. ¡°The reason doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that this has given us an opportunity. If this goes well, Urgon will spare no expense in supporting us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Khaoto will fallpletely into our hands.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all. If we y our cards right, we might even be able to connect with the Blue Magic Tower. We¡¯ll have a chance to be a proper magic family.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The middle-aged man smiled and emptied another ss of rum. Both of their faces were flushed with alcohol. ¡®It¡¯s about time toe out of the shadows¡­ Hm?¡¯ ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Suddenly, the middle-aged man threw his ss at the door with lightning speed. With a crash, the doorknob broke off, revealing the scene outside. A tray of food was ced in front of the door, and at the same time, the sound of footsteps running downstairs could be heard. ¡°I must be drunk.¡± ¡°It seems they sent up food because they knew we were running low. They left the food even though they were told not to let anyone in.¡± Snake said as he brought the food inside. ¡°Please eat, Patriarch. I was getting hungry anyway.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The middle-aged man picked up amb chop dripping with red juice and started gnawing on the bone. Snake followed suit. Blood stained their mouths, creating a chilling sight. ¡°¡­¡± A momentter. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ptoo!¡± Both men spat out the meat they were chewing. ¡°Damn it. This meat tastes like shit.¡± ¡°Damn. Mine too.¡± * * * I must have gotten too close to the door while eavesdropping on their conversation. I never expected Bayern¡¯s Head to be here. But I¡¯m not just anyone. I¡¯ve calcted everything and prepared for this. The moment they noticed my presence, I moved on to the next phase of my n. The veal soaked in kitchen waste came in handy. ¡°¡­¡± The memory of their conversation made my teeth clench. Even to these guys, Samael was nothing more than a punching bag. I slowly descended the stairs, taking out the thinner of the two spears I had hidden behind my back. Then I touched the artifact in my pocket. A momentter. ¡°Hey, who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember sending an old man like you upstairs.¡± The bouncer I saw earlier looked at me suspiciously as I descended the second-floor stairs. I mimicked Bravo Khan¡¯s tone and red at him. ¡°Who do you think I am, you idiot?¡± ¡°Are you messing with me? Who let you in here?¡± ¡°Hey, what do you think life is?¡± ¡°Is this old man crazy?¡± ¡°You catch on quick.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time. Where are you from?¡± ¡°¡­Since you don¡¯t seem to know, I guess I¡¯ll have to tell you. Life, you see, is not knowing when you¡¯ll kick the bucket while acting cocky like you. But I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± The bouncer pulled out a blue knife from his pocket and approached me menacingly. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How dare you say that in front of me? You must be itching to die. I may not know when I¡¯ll die, but you¡¯re dying today. I¡¯ll cut your face open.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re dying, you son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s some colorful¡­ This bastard!¡± I suddenly swung my ck spear. As the bouncer quickly backed away, I held the spear horizontally, infused it with wind, and threw it like a javelin. Whoosh¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± The sharp spearhead pierced deep into the bouncer¡¯s right shoulder, blood gushing out. Thud¡ª Humans experience a wide range of emotions in a split second. In less than a second, the bouncer went from chuckling to cursing, backing away, and then fainting as his arm was skewered. I thought he¡¯d scream, but he was weaker than I expected. A brief silence followed¡­ Then the screams of the onlookers and hostesses erupted. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°H-he cut off Gerk¡¯s arm, his arm!¡± . . . Time to run. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 20 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 20: How many hits do you want? Hiding in the back alleys of the red light district, I began to count silently. After 30 seconds, I faintly heard amotion in the distance. It took them this long? As expected, these guys are third-rate. Now, the fuse has been lit. I quietly headed west again. There was one more ce to stop by. After walking for a while, I came across a building with no windows, all sides blocked by ck walls. It brought back memories. ¡°¡­¡± This was the ce where I was first reborn in this body. [Vani Sky] I recalled what Zion had told me. ¡ª There¡¯s one ce in Khao Tao that¡¯s not influenced by either Dark Soul or Bayern. It¡¯s called ¡®Vani Sky.¡¯ It¡¯s the dividing line between the west, which is Dark Soul¡¯s territory, and the east, which is Bayern¡¯s. ¡ª Not influenced? But Blok seemed to go in and out of that ce like it was his own home. ¡ª Just think of it as a neutral zone. It¡¯s also where the most money is made in Khao Tao. I don¡¯t know for sure, but it probably makes more than thebined tributes of Dark Soul and Bayern. ¡ª Does it have a separate line of business or something? ¡ª I don¡¯t know that much. What¡¯s certain is that whatever happens inside Vani Sky, Dark Soul and Bayern can¡¯t interfere. As I opened the door and entered, yellow light enveloped me in the pitch-ck interior. The parts not touched by the light were all in darkness. A young man in white, sitting under the light, waved at me. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How long has it been?¡± A cheerful voice that didn¡¯t match the gloomy atmosphere. It felt strangely artificial. ¡°Are you here to enjoy the night¡¯s dream, or to pick a rare star?¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but I chose one. ¡°I¡¯ll go with the night¡¯s dream.¡± The young man in white asked with an exaggeratedugh. ¡°Really? That¡¯s unexpected. I thought a guest like you would definitelye to pick a star.¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, so I just want to dream a little. Guide me quickly.¡± ¡°An excellent idea. Follow the light upstairs.¡± As I slowly followed the light, I thought. Night¡¯s dream. Rare star. Zion didn¡¯t tell me about this, but I could guess. ¡®Night¡¯s dream¡¯ must mean hallucinogenic drugs. We used to call it that when I was a gangster. ¡®Rare star¡¯ probably refers to high-ss prostitutes. I reached the end of the hallway and found a huge circr hall. The hazy smoke of hallucinogens obscured my vision, and the disgusting smell stung my nose. Looking around, most of the people were staggering around with zed eyes or drooling, amidst the noisy mor. I slowly scanned the area and headed inside. ¡®He should be around here somewhere.¡¯ The smoke from the hallucinogens was like fog, making it hard to distinguish people. The deeper I went, the more winding paths appeared like a maze. There were individual rooms scattered on both sides. As I checked each room, I suddenly felt like I was reliving my childhood. With the heart of a child ying hide-and-seek, I cheerfully searched for Krak. Creak¡ª ¡®Jackpot.¡¯ I found Krak in a corner room. Not only Krak, but Blok and another big guy were there too, all gathered together and smoking hallucinogens. ¡°Hey.¡± I walked slowly towards them. Their dull, lifeless eyes slowly turned towards me. ¡°What?¡± I shouted at Blok without warning. ¡°You punk!¡± Blok looked at me, dumbfounded. ¡°Are you crazy? Who are you?¡± I puffed out my chest and said proudly, ¡°Norman Bayern.¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as Blok frowned, I pped his forehead with my palm. ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize your own grandfather? You rotten kid.¡± Blok immediately straightened up from his half-lying position. He rubbed his eyes, examined my face closely, and then tilted his head. ¡°¡­Grandfather? I had a grandfather?¡± ¡°You ungrateful brat!¡± I pped Blok¡¯s forehead again, harder this time. With a loud smack, Blok¡¯s head jerked back and then returned, his eyes now ring at me. ¡°You crazy¡­¡± I didn¡¯t back down and met Blok¡¯s gaze. The other two big guys had already regained their senses, but they were frozen in ce, unsure of what to do. This was because I was staring at Blok with such a stern look. They were probably afraid of the consequences if I really turned out to be Blok¡¯s grandfather. Krak cautiously asked, ¡°¡­Excuse me, old man. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone named Norman. Could you perhaps be mistaken?¡± ¡°You rascal!¡± I pped Krak across the face and continued in a stern voice, ¡°Do you think I feed you guys for this?! I put you by Blok¡¯s side to assist him, and look at this mess. You bunch of idiots, getting high on hallucinogens together. Get on your knees and repent. I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson today.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡± As soon as Krak and the other big guy awkwardly knelt, I pped Blok¡¯s forehead once more with all my might. Seeing his nose bleed, I continued in a rapid-fire voice, ¡°You ungrateful brat. Ungrateful bastard. Unfilial bastard who doesn¡¯t even recognize his own grandfather. Where do you get off looking down on me? I might just gouge your eyes out.¡± While I was talking, Krak and the other guy stood up simultaneously. It seemed they finally realized I wasn¡¯t their grandfather. Krak shouted, ¡°This crazy old man is asking for it, really. Who the hell are you? How did you even find this ce?¡± ¡°Krak, you punk! You don¡¯t even recognize your own grandfather!¡± I tried to p Krak¡¯s forehead with the same tactic, but I failed. It seemed he wasn¡¯tpletely stupid after all. Blok, who had finally regained his senses, was leaning back, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. He took a deep drag from the half-burnt hallucinogen and exhaled the smoke with a whoosh, before speaking. ¡°Rip that old man¡¯s mouth apart.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Krak and the other big guy charged at me simultaneously. I swiftly unsheathed the ck spear from my back and swung it horizontally. Caught off guard by the old man¡¯s spear skills, their clothes were ripped open, revealing their flesh. Arge ck dragon tattoo was emzoned on their chests. Typical third-rate thugs and their tacky tattoos. ¡°¡­That spear.¡± Krak retreated and widened his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re with Dark Soul. You damn old man, ambushing us here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, Krak drew a knife from his waist and charged at me, cursing. His momentum was good, but he was still third-rate. I swung my spear, its de glowing red with Fireball, like a bolt of lightning. Their gloved wrists were cleanly severed. Fwoosh¡ª Blood sttered in all directions in the smoke-filled room¡­ Before they could even scream, I thrust my spear downwards again. As I saw the big guy¡¯s chest split open, I kicked off the ground and grabbed Krak¡¯s hair with my other hand. ¡°Ugh.¡± Pulling his head towards me, I whispered in his ear, ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Ugh. Let go, you old bastard.¡± ¡°I told you you¡¯d be dead if I drew my sword.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Want me to set your head on fire like your friend?¡± Krak¡¯s eyes widened in shock as if he suddenly remembered something. ¡°You, you¡¯re that bastard from back then!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I roughly pushed his head down and swung my spear like lightning. ¡°Gah!¡± A final scream. A streak of blood sttered on the table in a long arc. ¡°¡­¡± Was I too good with the spear, or were these guys just too weak? It suddenly urred to me that there¡¯s no knowledge that¡¯s useless. I never thought that imitating knights¡¯ spearmanship out of boredom while ying demons in my past life woulde in handy like this. Of course, it wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°H-hey. Who are you? Why are you doing this?¡± Blok looked like he was about to faint. His face was pale with fear. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this out.¡± Something about his posture seemed odd, so I took a closer look¡­ He was trembling and secretly drawing a magic seal, which made me chuckle. He had plenty of time, but he still hadn¡¯tpleted it. This guy was really something else. ¡°You¡¯re quite the idiot too. Should I wait for you?¡± ¡°¡­Sh-shit.¡± ¡°Call me grandpa.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Alright. You unfilial brat.¡± I poured myself a drink in an empty ss and watched the Corpse Eyes¡¯ antics. ¡°It¡¯s taking you a while. What are you doing?¡± After emptying three sses, Corpse Eyes finally stopped struggling. A look of relief appeared on his face. ¡°You¡¯re dead, you son of a bitch. Water Spear!¡± Fwaaaang¡ª! ¡°¡­¡± Blok¡¯s smile vanished in an instant. With a wave of my hand, the ¡®Water Spear¡¯ dissipated without a trace. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ I moved like the wind, grabbed two of Corpse Eyes¡¯ fingers, and bent them back. ¡°Aaack!¡± ¡°Nice show, grandson. Now it¡¯s time to get hit. How many hits do you want?¡± ¡°¡­U-ughhh!¡± ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t want to answer. Actually, the answer is already decided.¡± I started pping Corpse Eyes¡¯ forehead slowly. ¡°One. Two. Three, four, five¡­¡± Smack¡ª Ah, what a satisfying sound. Blok kept moaning strangely as I continued to hit him without pause. ¡°Uggghhh¡­¡± I kept hitting him because I didn¡¯t want to hear it. After over 100 hits, I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. I got thirsty from hitting him, so I emptied a ss of poison liquor that was nearby. ¡°Ugh.¡± I hit him again. And again. With my left hand, then my right. I even hit him with liquor on my hands. Smack¡ª Smack¡ª Smack¡ª I stopped after exactly two hundred and ny-seven hits. I approached Blok, who had passed out with his eyes rolled back, and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t think this is the end.¡± * * * I finished up and left the room. The hallway was still filled with hazy smoke. Whoever designed this ce did a good job. It was moderately private and moderately open, the perfect structure for suckers to lose track of time and spend money. Lost in thought, I ended up getting lost. I thought I was going back the way I came, but I found myself wandering in an unfamiliar ce. I walked towards an area where the smoke was thinner, and suddenly a narrow passageway appeared, with stairs leading down. ¡°Hmm.¡± Since it was too much trouble to go back, I started down the stairs as if in a trance. As I stepped off thest stair, I saw arge stage-like structure. ¡®What is this?¡¯ The central stage, hidden by curtains, was lit by spotlights, and the audience seats surrounded it. People wearing masks were looking down at the stage from the seats. I was looking for an exit, thinking this wasn¡¯t the ce for me, when someone approached with a chilling aura. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± A man with a white mask covering his face spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve told you repeatedly to follow the rules.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about to start. Why would someone here to pick a star¡­¡± Suddenly, I realized something from the white mask¡¯s words. ¡®Could this ce be¡­?¡¯ The underground auction house. It seemed this was the underground auction house Zion had mentioned, where shady merchants gathered. It was a ce where many items of unknown origin were dealt with, and the participants concealed their identities. ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy today.¡± ¡°Even so, you must follow the rules.¡± I tested the waters, and as expected, my guess was right. The ¡®rare star¡¯ referred to the auction. ¡°I was nning to leave before it started. Could you guide me to the exit?¡± I tried to make an excuse and leave, but the white mask grabbed my wrist. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The white mask¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°May I see your entry pass?¡± I realized that the ¡®entry pass¡¯ meant the ¡®mask¡¯ and tried to say I lost it, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± As the white mask raised his hand, others wearing the same mask gathered around. ¡°Once you enter to pick a star, you can¡¯t leave until it¡¯s over. You must know that.¡± I was about to say something, but then I had a sudden idea. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here to pick a star, but to sell one.¡± I immediately pulled out the B-grade mana stone from my pocket and held it out. I didn¡¯t mind since I was nning to sell it anyway. However, it didn¡¯t work this time either. ¡°You¡¯re lying to the end. You must know what happens when you break the rules.¡± The white masks gathered around me, all staring at me. I sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I got lost. I was ying upstairs, and I must have gone senile. I saw a passage and came down here, and then¡­¡± I pointed towards the passage but gasped. ¡­What? The passage I came down from was gone. I definitely came down the stairs, but now it was blocked by a wall. I looked around, but there was no sign of a passage, only white walls. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Had I finally gonepletely mad? Was I going back to my past life? Just then, a low voice came from somewhere, preventing me from returning to my past life. ¡°Everyone, step back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The white masks parted like the tide, and a ck mask walked out. ¡°You said you want to sell something.¡± I held out the mana stone and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The ck mask examined the mana stone and said, ¡°B-grade. Not bad quality. Let¡¯s do it.¡± The white masks murmured in surprise. ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s against the rules. We need to verify this person¡¯s identity.¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯ll handle it. Go back to your seats and prepare without any issues.¡± The ck mask cut them off and said to me, ¡°Follow me.¡± I followed the ck mask backstage, and there was a staircase leading outside. ¡°Go that way. You¡¯ll find the exit.¡± ¡°Thank you, young man.¡± I nodded silently. As he said, when I reached the top of the stairs, I saw the door I had entered through. At the counter, the same young man in white was dozing off. He saw me and smiled brightly. ¡°Did you enjoy the night¡¯s dream?¡± ¡°Indeed. I even sold a star today.¡± ¡°Haha, I know. I¡¯ll issue you a certificate, soe backter to receive your payment.¡± I felt a sense of unease and stared at the young man before answering, ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Yes. Then, farewell, Young Master.¡± For some reason, the young man¡¯s voice continued to feel artificial. * * * On a dark night filled only with moonlight. As I returned to my family¡¯s estate, having crossed the eastern part of Khao Tao, I suddenly chuckled. Thest words of the phony kept echoing in my ears. ¡ª Then, farewell, Young Master. I was clearly disguised as Bravo Khan. But what? Farewell, Young Master? ¡®What a cheeky fellow.¡¯ I think I know why I kept feeling uneasy. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 21 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 21: The Time to Advance There are few men in the world who are good with money. Even among famous merchants, not many are truly skilled in the art of finance. Most of them were born into wealth. Surprisingly, there are quite a few nouveaux riches who are good with money. I respect those guys. To seed in finance from nothing, one must understand the ways of the world and know how to manipte people¡¯s psychology. We call all of that, in a word, ¡°sangjae¡± (business acumen). Of all the guys I know, the one with the sharpest business acumen was ¡®Garibong.¡¯ He was one of my subordinates in my past life. Garibong had an uncanny knack for smelling money and was excellent at execution. He was the one who first tried to distribute hallucinogens before I took over the back alleys. I took Garibong under my wing and banned the distribution of hallucinogens. Garibong was so resourceful that he made up for the losses with other businesses in just three months. The only pity is that he died young because he was too good at smelling money. He didn¡¯t die in some grand way. He just got stabbed to death while trying to make a deal with a famous thieves¡¯ guild. He died suddenly before I could even try to stop him. Of course, I avenged him, but it was still a shame. If he were still alive, we might have made a fortune together. * * * As soon as I returned to the training hall, I sat down in a chair and lost myself in thought. The more I thought about it, the more I sensed Garibong¡¯s scent at [Vani Sky]. They knew how to smell money, luring suckers with hallucinogens and secretly running an underground auction house. They used hallucinogens as a front, while the real money was made through auctionmissions. ¡®They¡¯re not third-rate.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know about the white masks, but the ck mask¡¯s energy felt quite heavy. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. The real reason I felt uneasy was something else. ¡®Is the underground auction house really the end?¡¯ The more I thought about the structure of [Vani Sky], the more uneasy I felt. If my guess was right¡­ The underground auction house was likely just a front. If they were as clever as Garibong, their true purpose would be something else. The fact that they noticed I was using an illusion and even said something like ¡°Farewell, Young Master¡± was clearly intentional. It was a warning of sorts. A warning that I was in their grasp and should be careful. ¡®Interesting fellows.¡¯ I thought Khaoto was just an ordinary back alley, but it seemed there was more to it than met the eye. I didn¡¯t know what the phony or the ck mask were up to, but I wasn¡¯t going to just sit back and let them y me. I had a hunch. I nced at the window and saw that dawn was breaking. Suddenly, I felt a wave of fatigue and drowsiness. ¡°Hmm?¡± When I opened my eyes, I was curled up like a shrimp on a wooden bed. ¡°Damn. I must have dozed off.¡± The sunlight was gradually filling the room, so I must have fallen asleep for a while without realizing it. After stretching, I went to the bookshelf in a corner of the training hall and started organizing the old books. Most of them were trash like [Basics of Seal Magic], [Interpretation of Applied Seal Magic], and [Practical Examples of Seal Magic], but there were a few useful spell books. I organized the books I had been eyeing and started jotting down notes in my own way. I needed to create a way for the trainees to continue learning magic even when I was away. Sigh. I wonder if these trainees even realize my painstaking efforts. As I was organizing the books, the morning sunlight brightened. I heard the trainees moving around, so I stepped outside the dormitory. ¡°Everyone, gather!¡± ¡°Huh? Captain? When did you get here?¡± They looked like they had seen a ghost, so I shouted, ¡°You know what happens if you don¡¯te within ten seconds, right? One, two, three, four¡­¡± ¡°Aaaah, I¡¯ming!¡± The trainees rushed to gather like their butts were on fire. While everyone¡¯s faces were stiff, some seemed genuinely happy to see me. ¡°Have you all been training hard?¡± ¡°Of course, Captain. We¡¯ve been running every single day.¡± Makan puffed out his chest with a confident face. I looked at the other trainees¡¯ physiques, and it seemed he wasn¡¯t lying. They had all improved their basic stamina considerably. I looked at Zion and asked, ¡°I heard Dyke went back to the Magic Tower.¡± Zion nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. But other instructors came from the Red Magic Tower instead. They all looked young. They said training will start next month.¡± Palge chimed in. ¡°One of them is the Vice-Tower Master¡¯s disciple. He¡¯s quite a big shot in the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°So, there are no immediate obstacles. Everyone, sit down.¡± As soon as the trainees sat down, I said, ¡°Raise your hand if you¡¯ve created a mana circle.¡± ¡°Me!¡± I instantly smacked Palge on the back of the head out of annoyance. ¡°Do you have to make that hand gesture, pig?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sign of respect!¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± I shook my head and looked around. Two other trainees had raised their hands. Ain, and Makan. ¡°Including Palge, that¡¯s three. Now, raise your hand if you¡¯re in the process of creating a mana circle.¡± This time, most of the trainees raised their hands. Everyone except Zion had either created a mana circle or was in the process of doing so. Normally, I would have thought this was enough¡­ But that feeling had vanished yesterday. There was no time to leisurely train the trainees in Samael anymore. Bayern and Dark Soul. The situation outside was more serious than I thought. Khaoto had already be a haven for gangsters, and a full-scale war could break out at any moment. I didn¡¯t know what decision the house leaders and elders would make, but it was best not to have any expectations. The best oue would be the destruction of both Dark Soul and Bayern¡­ ¡®But that¡¯s unlikely.¡¯ There was even a chance that those Urgon guys would get involved. We had to move before that happened. Sitting around and hoping for the best didn¡¯t suit my personality. I had to raise the trainees to a certain level before things got out of hand. I pointed at Palge and said, ¡°Palge. Use Fire Spear with your hand seals.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Just do it.¡± Swoosh! Palge drew his usual shy hand seals and shot a Fire Spear at arge tree. The base of the tree was half-hollowed out. ¡°Watch closely.¡± I immediately focused on anotherrge tree and rotated two mana circles. Resonating with the mana in the atmosphere, I envisioned a long spear of mes in my mind. Remembering the days when Samael¡¯s sorcerers used to chant ¡°Ifrit.¡± ¡°Piercing mes, Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± A spear of mes manifested, twice as long as Palge¡¯s. Fwaaaang¡ª! The spear of mes left my fingertips, piercing through the first tree andpletely through the tree behind it. ¡°¡­Wow!¡± As the trainees¡¯ eyes widened in amazement, I shook my head and said, ¡°Watch until the end.¡± The heart circle rotated as if it were burning. I grasped the atmospheric mana contained in the spear of mes and pulled it back in the opposite direction. ¡°W-what is that?!¡± The spear of mes changed its trajectory, drawing a curve. Itpletely reversed direction and started flying back towards us. Fwaaaaaang¡ª! It pierced through the base of the tree it had previously pierced, scattering sparks. ¡°¡­¡± 3-circle magic spell guidance. A far more intuitive shock than what I had shown Hector. ¡°This is a true incantation manifested through mana circles. The higher the circle, the greater the difference.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to teach you magic properly. Of course, you have a choice. Learn like your life depends on it, or die right now. And¡­¡± I paused for a moment. There was no need to hide in this remote ce and train anymore. It seemed that I had been keeping the trainees cooped up in this secluded ce out of consideration for the Red Magic Tower guys¡­ But weren¡¯t these the ones who would be the future of Samael? There was no need to worry about what others thought. Samael belonged to Samael. ¡°From today, we¡¯ll train in the central training ground. Follow me, everyone.¡± ¡°B-but aren¡¯t the Red Magic Tower people training there?¡± ¡°Shut up and follow me.¡± While the trainees looked at me with uneasy eyes, I could also sense a glimmer of anticipation. They didn¡¯t show it, but it seemed they had a hard time staying in the shabby dormitory. * * * As expected, when we arrived at the central training ground, the Red Magic Tower guys were gathered there. A group of three men and one woman were meditating in a corner. They frowned in displeasure as I entered the training ground with my subordinates. Ignoring their gaze, I had the trainees sit in a circle in the center of the training ground. ¡°Everyone, close your eyes. Straighten your backs so that your tailbone and head are aligned.¡± One by one, the trainees straightened their backs. ¡°Focus. Those who let their minds wander¡­ you know what happens.¡± What I was doing was the most efficient mana sensitivity posture that Samael¡¯s mages learned as novices. The correct sitting posture (zhengzuo) to best harmonize with the mana in the atmosphere. ¡°Rx your bodies and expand your senses. Feel the mana in the atmosphere. And imagine circting the mana in its purest form within your heart. Do not use your mana core.¡± Whirrr¡ª Mana fluctuations rippled around some of the trainees. ¡°Next is elemental conversion. Visualize and chant.¡± ¡°zing mes, Fireball!¡± ¡°zing mes, Fireball!¡± Magic bloomed from Ain and Palge¡¯s mouths simultaneously. Makan instinctively visualized the earth element, and the ground beneath his feet began to crack. ¡°Those who can, chant while running!¡± The gazes of the Red Magic Tower trainees grew increasingly unpleasant. Especially that young guy named Lohan, whom I had seen before, was openly ring at me. The tallest man put a hand on Lohan¡¯s shoulder and said quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, Lokan.¡± ¡°But brother Doke, those guys¡­¡± ¡°Maintain the dignity of the Magic Tower. There¡¯s no need to respond to every petty action. They¡¯ll quiet down once I start training them.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It seemed like the leader was holding him back again, but¡­ Upon closer inspection, the leader¡¯s eyebrows were twitching slightly. I grinned and met his gaze, then cleared my throat. ¡°From now on, even those who can¡¯t chant will run. Everyone, count off!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The loud counting echoed through the training ground¡­ And the leader¡¯s frown deepened. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 22 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 22: Hector¡¯s Disciple The Samael House Hall was filled with sighs. Senior elders, including Kazen and Head Elder Norman, were gathered around a table, their faces pale and filled with deep worry. ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Hamad Merchant Guild really copsed¡­¡± What they had feared had finally be a reality. Urgon had taken over the Hamad Merchant Guild, and Bayern had been entrusted with debt collection. This was a bolt from the blue for Samael. A massive reef they had encountered while trying to rebuild the foundation of their house. Why? The meeting had been going on for a week, but they hadn¡¯t reached any conclusions. However, everyone here had a hunch. Urgon wouldn¡¯t have taken over the Hamad Merchant Guild for no reason. It was clear that they had been targeting Samael from the start. ¡°¡­No matter how I think about it, the only option seems to be asking the Red Magic Tower for help.¡± Elder Isaac¡¯s words broke the silence, but Head Elder Norman shook his head firmly. ¡°That won¡¯t do, Isaac. The Red Magic Tower can¡¯t intervene. Urgon deliberately used Hamad to trap us.¡± ¡°I know that, Head Elder. But what other choice do we have?¡± ¡°We need to find a way to raise money from somewhere else.¡± Elder Isaac bit his lip for a moment, then changed his tone as if he had made up his mind. ¡°No nearbypany will lend money to Samael. The rumor that Urgon has taken over Hamad has already spread throughout the Merchant Alliance. A stablepany disappeared overnight without a trace, so everyone is on edge. They probably already know about the rtionship between Hamad and Samael.¡± Head Elder Norman, who had been listening, sighed. ¡°¡­Even so, isn¡¯t it worth trying?¡± ¡°You need to face reality. No one will lend such arge sum to Samael, risking retaliation from Urgon.¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower is no different. They won¡¯t intervene.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you know there is one way.¡± All eyes turned to Kazen, who was sitting at the head of the table. Head Elder Norman shook his head again. ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. We need to prepare for the future.¡± ¡°There is no future if we can¡¯t ovee the present. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten what Urgon did to us.¡± ¡°Enough! Isaac. Don¡¯t cross the line.¡± With Head Elder Norman¡¯s cold response, A chilling silence fell upon the House Hall. Samael¡¯s sore spot. About 20 years ago, Samael had suffered near destruction from Urgon¡¯s attack. Why they were invaded, the reason behind it¡­ It was still unclear. The official reason was that Samael had tarnished Urgon¡¯s honor, but that was obviously nonsense. Urgon might be powerful now, but back then, they were just another insignificant house in the east. Of course, the reason didn¡¯t matter anymore. Most of the remaining Samael mages had died in the war with Urgon. The Samael that had been rebuilt since then was barely holding on to a thread. Urgon was a dagger lodged deep in the hearts of everyone here, a source of immense pain. ¡°¡­¡± After a long silence, Isaac spoke again. ¡°You must make a decision, House Head. Bring in Hector.¡± Norman red at Isaac with wide eyes. ¡°Isaac!¡± At that moment, Kazen Samael, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°Both of you elders, please stop.¡± Kazen met the eyes of the elders, his gaze weary. ¡®This is difficult.¡¯ He knew it all too well. Head Elder Norman and Isaac might be constantly at odds, but they both genuinely cared for Samael. Who among the remaining members of Samael didn¡¯t? But this time, even Kazen found it hard to make a decision. Ordering Hector wasn¡¯t ideal. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of borrowing money from the Red Magic Tower. Their safety had to be guaranteed afterward. There might even be humiliating situations. ¡®It would be fortunate if we could resolve it even then¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t be sure. But there wasn¡¯t enough time to find another solution. Even though they had promised a three-month deadline, there was no telling when they might change their minds. ¡®Is there no other choice?¡¯ Strangely, at this moment, Kazen suddenly thought of Ruin. Ruin had mastered the mana circle on his own, making Kazen¡¯sst order to Hector somewhat ambiguous. ¡®Is this an opportunity created by Ruin¡­? Huh, indeed.¡¯ Kazen felt a pang of sorrow in his chest. * * * ==================== ? Ruin Samael ¨C Captain Anchovy ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (S), Archery (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [A], Mental Strength [S], Mana Resonance [SSS] ? Tendancies: [Strong Will], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Madness], [Venom], [Mad Dog], [Decisiveness] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ==================== I finished my bath and looked at myself in the full-length mirror for the first time in a while. Thanks to repeated training, I finally had a somewhat human-like body. My face had filled out a bit, making me look somewhat presentable. ¡®Still, I haven¡¯t escaped the anchovy look yet.¡¯ I stretched and went outside, where I found more than ten loaves of rye bread, a pile of chicken breast patties, and various vegetables carelessly ced on the table. As usual, I cleaned up the food and went outside, where I heard the trainees training. ¡°Haaaaaaaah!¡± Leaning on the railing and looking down at the training ground, all ten of them were voluntarily training early in the morning. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Of course, I had threatened them with hell if they came outter than me, but what did that matter? The important thing was that they were doing it. On the other side of the training ground were the Red Magic Tower mages. My eyes naturally drifted towards their leader. ¡®His name was Doke, right?¡¯ I thought he would pick a fight within a day or two, but it had been more than ten days with no sign of him. He was unexpectedly patient. But his expression grew sterner with each passing day, as if he was about to explode. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a great personality. People who suppress their anger like that tend to unleash everything when they finally explode. I immediately jumped into the middle of the trainees and started running with them. ¡°I¡¯m here, my subordinates!¡± As I ran, I closely observed the trainees¡¯ bodies. Thanks to the intense training, their bodies were quickly bing bnced. Even Iron, the weakest of them, was now in good enough shape to cast spells while running. ¡°Shaking earth, Earth Shock.¡± A 2-circle earth attribute spell. I felt a slight tremor beneath my feet. The spell cast by Makan, who was far away, was reaching me. As expected of a descendant of the Gento Tycoon. Makan was clearly more attuned to the earth element than fire or wind, even with spells of the same level. ¡®Yes, keep going like that.¡¯ Then you¡¯ll discover the essence of circle magic on your own. I slowly warmed up and started training as well. Whirrr¡ª Three circles were now firmly established in my heart. Even when I circted an abundance of atmospheric mana in the three circles, I didn¡¯t feel any instability. * * * As I continued training tirelessly until the sun reached its peak, I suddenly felt an unfamiliar gaze. Kazen and Hector were standing in front of the house hall, looking down at the training ground. As I thought it was an unpleasant gaze, one of the trainees nudged me. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look over there.¡± The Red Magic Tower mages were slowly approaching us. The eyes of everyone training turned to me at once. ¡®They nned this.¡¯ They must have deliberately waited for Hector to appear. Doke, who had stopped right in front of me, finally spoke. ¡°I am Doke, a member of the Red Magic Order and a disciple of Hector.¡± It sounded like he was saying, ¡°Know your ce and step aside,¡± but it wouldn¡¯t work on me. I met Doke¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Ruin, was it? I¡¯d like you to step aside with your trainees.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I clearly told you. If you want to train, you need permission. This is Samael¡¯s training ground.¡± Doke¡¯s brow twitched intensely. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the situation. I was trying to be patient, but you¡¯re interfering too much with our training. I¡¯ll be teaching the trainees myself from next month, so please refrain from doing anything unnecessary until then.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Who are you to say that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked what gives you the right to tell me what to do in my own home. Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re the type who doesn¡¯t understand when I¡¯m being nice.¡± Doke¡¯s forehead veins bulged as his face contorted. It was the expression of someone whose kindness had been rudely rejected. At that moment, Lokan, who was standing next to him, shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this. Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± I didn¡¯t respond for a moment because he was right, but Lokan seemed to think I was scared. ¡°Hey, why are you acting so tough? Just shut up and stay still. Do you even know who Doke is?¡± I nodded and replied, ¡°I heard he¡¯s quite the big shot in the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re talking like that knowing that?¡± ¡°So what?¡± The atmosphere quickly turned cold. I stared directly at Doke and said, ¡°Being a big shot, are you confident enough to put your neck on the line for Samael? If you are, then step aside.¡± I then red at Hector in the distance. ¡°The elitist attitude, really. The great mage of the Red Magic Tower will personally teach you, so bow down and worship him, is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching, and the Red Magic Tower is very fair and neutral. It¡¯s quite impressive how they just watch silently even when Samael gets into trouble with insignificant houses.¡± I looked around and said, ¡°Listen carefully. If you¡¯re not confident enough to face the enemies on behalf of Samael, mind your own business. Don¡¯t pretend to be doing us a favor.¡± Lokan¡¯s eyes changedpletely, and he started drawing a magic seal towards me. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to being clueless. Doke, don¡¯t stop me!¡± Iughed and beckoned Lokan with my hand. ¡°Come at me, then.¡± At that moment, Zion quickly stepped out from behind and flipped Lokan off. ¡°You disrespectful little shit, acting all high and mighty. Do you want to die?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What was this now? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 23 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 23: Decision ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Lokan stammered, unable to respond for a moment, and Zion smirked and said again, ¡°Are your ears blocked? I said stop barking, you milk-smelling brat.¡± Lokan¡¯s eyes finally lit up with fury. ¡°Wow, these crazy bastards are in pairs, really!¡± With a Thud, Lokan kicked off the ground and aimed his elbow at Zion¡¯s chin. It was a decent stance. Zion easily dodged it with a nod, and Lokan quickly closed the distance and drew a hand seal. A 2-star Fire Spear hand seal. At the same time, I could feel mana fluctuations around Zion. ¡°zing mes, Fireball.¡± For a moment, I doubted my eyes. ¡®Zion, this kid, made a mana circle?¡¯ I thought it would take him a little longer because he was so suspicious, but I was wrong. I knew he would rebel if I forced him, so I left him alone, and it seemed like he had figured something out on his own. Boom! Zion and Lokan¡¯s magic collided, scattering sparks. Zion had the upper hand. While Lokan was caught off guard, Zion rushed towards him. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched Zion push Lokan back, imitating the moves I had shown him. The young mages from the Red Magic Tower widened their eyes in surprise. ¡°What? Lokan is being pushed back?¡± Of course. Lokan was just a 2-star mage. The moment Zion created a mana circle, there was no way he could lose to Lokan. ¡°Ah, this is so embarrassing.¡± One of the girls next to Lokan blushed and stepped forward. ¡°Makan.¡± At my signal, Makan blocked the girl¡¯s path. It felt like the Red Magic Tower and Samael were having a proxy battle. However, the problem was that Makan wasn¡¯t strong enough topletely defeat the girl. She seemed to be a 3-star mage. But I wasn¡¯t going to let him lose easily. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you if you surrender. Understand?¡± I secretly ced a Wind Spear behind Makan as he charged towards the girl. The moment Makan and the girl shed, I aimed the hidden Wind Spear at the girl¡¯s chest. Boom! With this, our victory¡­ Huh? Contrary to my expectations, Makan was pushed back three steps. A barrier had suddenly appeared in front of the girl, and Doke was ring from behind it. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± Doke red at me with apletely flushed face. ¡°Enough. I¡¯ve been patient enough. I don¡¯t want to disobey my master¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Hector?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re incredibly rude. Or have you truly lost your mind?¡± ¡°You guessed it.¡± ¡°Then a beating will be your medicine.¡± As I smirked, Doke took a step closer. As his hand slowly formed a hand seal, I opened my circles. Whirrr¡ª Me and Hector¡¯s disciple. Hector¡¯s disciple and me. Who would win? ¡°Thump-thump-thump-thump.¡± My heart pounded to the beat of the drum sound I made with my mouth, and the trainees¡¯ eyes burned like a bonfire. Just then, ¡°Stop.¡± Fwaaaaaaaang¡ª! A powerful wind like a typhoon swept through the training ground. I quickly retreated and red towards the house hall. ¡°Stop it, Ruin.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. Did I say anything wrong? In Samael, this kind of¡­ huh?¡± For a moment, I was so surprised that I was speechless. My excitement vanished instantly. It wasn¡¯t Hector who told me to stop, but Kazen. ¡°Don¡¯t be disrespectful to the people of the Magic Tower any longer. Don¡¯t you realize that your actions are tarnishing Samael¡¯s reputation?¡± I could feel Doke shrugging next to me, but my bewilderment was far greater at that moment. Were those really the words of the current head of Samael? I asked, wondering if I had heard wrong, ¡°What are you¡­ saying?¡± ¡°I clearly said stop. Disband the trainees, and you, Ruin,e inside.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing! Disband immediately!¡± * * * Kazen entered the house hall, holding his throbbing forehead and resting his chin on the table. The old steward, Wright Perer, stood behind him. I stared at Kazen without saying a word. A sense of emptiness washed over me, but I wondered if there might be another reason. After a long silence, Kazen finally spoke. ¡°My son.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I respect you, Ruin. I¡¯m not looking down on you because you¡¯re young. No matter what path you take or what magic you learn, even if it differs from my thoughts, I will respect it. Because the fact that you¡¯re showing me this much in front of me is admirable enough. But in return.¡± Kazen¡¯s voice was filled with quiet strength. ¡°As the head of Samael, I ask you one thing. Don¡¯t provoke the Red Magic Tower.¡± Anger welled up inside me. ¡°Samael must not be looked down upon. By anyone.¡± ¡°Looked down upon¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to say they¡¯re not?¡± After a brief pause, Kazen replied, ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter. Right now, Samael needs the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± In the end. Is that what you wanted to say? ¡°Samael must protect itself.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. But sometimes, we need to know when to bow our heads. We don¡¯t yet have the strength to protect ourselves. If only we had a few more years¡­¡± Anger welled up at the sight of him looking at me with pity, as if I were a naive child. This foolish House Head didn¡¯t even know what he was forgetting. ¡°So you¡¯re saying we should cling to Hector¡¯s coattails?¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak formally anymore. ¡°Do you think that will protect Samael?¡± ¡°Ruin!¡± I stared directly into Kazen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Did your mana circle get destroyed while fighting Urgon? Are you scared? You¡¯ve forgotten Samael¡¯s pride and dignity. You say if only we had a few more years? It wouldn¡¯t matter. It would be the same as now. There¡¯s no future for a ce that has forgotten its identity.¡± Suddenly, Old Steward Wright shouted at me with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Young Master! What are you saying?! Show some respect!¡± He was so shocked that his jaw was trembling. I ignored him and kept my gaze fixed on Kazen. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d throw away Samael¡¯s pride. That you¡¯d forget even that. I hope you¡¯ll think carefully about how long we can rely on them.¡± ¡°Stop it, Ruin!¡± Kazen looked at me with a stern gaze. ¡°No matter what you say, you can¡¯t change my decision. This is an order from the House Head. If you disobey my orders again and act recklessly towards the Red Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Suddenly,ughter burst out of me, turning into maniacalughter. After a while, I finally came to my senses. ¡°The Samael I knew ispletely gone.¡± Bang¡ª Ignoring Kazen¡¯s shouting, I left the room. * * * I felt drained. I understood why Kazen said those things. The responsibility of protecting the house must be weighing heavily on him. But this was Samael. The damn Samael I knew shouldn¡¯t be like this. It absolutely shouldn¡¯t. ¡°These idiots.¡± I mmed my fist down on the table in the room without realizing it. With a loud bang, the table split in two, and fragments scattered everywhere. All the other elders must be thinking the same thing. Kazen couldn¡¯t have made that decision alone. These people didn¡¯t even have the will to protect their own house. No, they thought it was impossible. The Samael family members. The spirit of those who charged towards their enemies, embracing their impending deaths and holding onto their crumbling bodies, was gone. This wasn¡¯t Samael. Bang¡ª ¡°Young Master!¡± Lihan, hearing the sound of the table breaking, rushed into the room. ¡°What are you doing? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°What? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± This was the right choice from the beginning. I couldn¡¯t help those whocked the will. In hindsight, it was strange that I hadn¡¯t realized it sooner. When they destroyed the Ifrit temple, when they sent the White Horse Unit to the Red Magic Tower, when they abandoned the trainees in a remote mountain without a second thought, I should have known then. No, perhaps from the very beginning. Maybe it was a bond that only I wanted to hold onto. ¡°¡­Young Master?¡± I turned my head at the sudden presence, and the Old Steward was standing in front of me, bowing deeply. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°Please, Young Master Ruin. Hear me out. It seems you¡¯ve misunderstood something.¡± ¡°Step aside.¡± As I tried to pass Wright and leave the room, he grabbed my sleeve. His wrinkled hand was trembling slightly. ¡°The House Head¡¯s mana circle¡­ it wasn¡¯t destroyed by Urgon.¡± I stopped for a moment. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, A chilling sensation washed over my body. It started the moment I looked into Wright¡¯s eyes. His gaze, as if strongly rebuking me, made me feel uneasy. ¡°The House Head¡¯s mana circle was destroyed while saving you, Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± * * * I could only listen in silence as Wright sighed andmented in a heavy tone. Kazen was a 6-circle mage. And his circles were already destroyed when Urgon attacked. ¡°You were sickly as a child, Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t know the reason. You were born with a congenital disease. Seven of your body¡¯s meridians were blocked by Yin energy. Sadly, it was clear you wouldn¡¯t live past a year.¡± ¡®You¡¯re saying I had blocked meridians? But how could I be alive¡­ Wait a minute.¡¯ Wright nodded, watching my expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to the House Head. He searched high and low and obtained the Sun Herb, and he performed the procedure himself. In the process, his mana circle was identally destroyed.¡± ¡°¡­You expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the absolute truth.¡± No, it¡¯s a lie. I knew. Having seven meridians blocked was an incurable disease, so rare that it might only ur once in a hundred years. And the Sun Herb was indeed a spiritual herb that could effectively treat blocked meridians. But only if there was a practitioner who could withstand its Yang energy. There was no way Kazen wouldn¡¯t have known this when he obtained the Sun Herb. To withstand the Sun Herb¡¯s heat and open up seven blocked meridians, one would need at least seven heart circles. A 6-circle mage could never fully withstand the Sun Herb¡¯s Yang energy. Kazen knew this, and yet he did it. Knowing that his mana circles would bepletely destroyed. Knowing that he would suffer the agonizing pain of his heart shattering. He did it to save his son. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, an uncontroble emotion welled up inside me. Why? Why did I have to feel this wretched emotion again, even in this life? Even though the object of my affection was different, it was ultimately me who was saved. Kazen had saved me. The memory of Pelleer¡¯s unlucky actions came to mind. Thest moments of the expedition. Pelleer, with his lower body blown off, crawling towards me and pouring the elixir into my heart. Why did his actionse to mind? Truly, that foolish nature of his hasn¡¯t changed, even after 300 years. ¡­Could it be that I was wrong? That even after all this time, the nature of Samael hadn¡¯t changed? That they simply didn¡¯t know yet? ¡°Damn it.¡± Frustration surged through me, making my hair stand on end. At this moment, I had to make a decision. And that decision¡­ Perhaps it was something I wanted to do from the beginning, from the moment I saw the crumbling Samael. ¡ª I knew you could do it, Crazy Mage Commander. In the end, it was you, Ruin, who believed in my words the most. Thanks to you, I can see hope. ¡ª Ugh, you sure picked the right side. Aren¡¯t you the strongest now, Commander? I¡¯m the vice-captain, so I guess that makes me second inmand. House Head, don¡¯t be upset. Isn¡¯t it about time you cut us some ck, since we¡¯re all dying together? Hahaha! The faces of Pelleer, Azeta, and the Crazy Mage Squad members, whom I could no longer see, shed before my eyes. My decision turned into conviction. I would raise Samael. With my own hands. Until I restored the glory of the Four Great Houses, the ones no one dared to challenge 300 years ago, and especially the Gongshin House, the first among them. In my own way. It would be different from the Samael of the past, the one I disliked. There would be no righteous Samael led by Pelleer. I wouldn¡¯t create a foolish Samael that sacrifices its own interests for some grand cause. I would make it so that no one would dare to underestimate or exploit Samael. ¡°I¡¯ll collect the price tenfold in the afterlife, House Head.¡± Bang¡ª I opened the door and went outside. In the distance, I saw the trainees walking dejectedly. Only the Red Magic Tower mages remained in the training ground. Whirrr¡ª I opened all three circles in my heart. I could feel Hector¡¯s gaze from afar. I stared at the center of the training ground and chanted without hesitation, ¡°Piercing mes, Fire Spear.¡± As the spear of mes flew in a straight line, I chanted again. ¡°Raging ice, Ice Wave.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 24 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 24: Samael Was the Strongest (1) Sparks flew into the air with sand as the spear of mes pierced the center of the training ground. Crackle¡ª A cold ice fog rolled in, covering the sparks and creating a cloud of steam. Dozens of stone fragments froze in midair. ¡°W-what?¡± As the frozen sand shards rained down like needles, ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± Doke¡¯s urgent cry rang out. He had created a wind barrier above his head to block the shards and was now looking at me with a hardened expression. I met his gaze and slowly walked forward. Meanwhile, my subordinates began to appear one by one from afar, with the sound of their footsteps. ¡°¡­Captain?¡± ¡°Is the Captain really capable of that?¡± The subordinates¡¯ expressions, as they looked back and forth between Doke and me, gradually turned to shock. They looked like they couldn¡¯t believe I would do something so crazy. ¡°Wow¡­ I knew the Captain was crazy, but I didn¡¯t know he was that crazy.¡± ¡®Well, now you know.¡¯ I stood in front of Doke, listening to Zion¡¯s praise. Doke red at me with an incredulous look. ¡°You¡¯re capable of that?¡± I scoffed and replied, ¡°If a mage can¡¯t believe his own eyes, it means he needs to relearn the basics.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Doke¡¯s eyes filled with rage. I nced to the side, and the others were just as dumbfounded. ¡°Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Of course. As the rightful heir of Samael, I was simply conducting proper magic training in Samael¡¯s training ground.¡± Doke gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re even defying the House Head¡¯s orders. There¡¯s a limit to irresponsible behavior. You intentionally attacked us. It¡¯s a clear vition.¡± ¡°It seems that¡¯s what happens when you guys are in the way of my training. I didn¡¯t expect such great mages toin about being attacked by something like this. Why don¡¯t you just step aside? I need to continue my training.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I immediately conjured Fireballs in both hands and fired them. One towards Doke, the other towards Lokan. Doke easily dispelled it, while Lokan stumbled back ten steps, frowning. ¡°At least try to be a decent target.¡± Doke took out a pair of red gloves from his pocket and put them on, pointing a finger at me. ¡°This is a clear act of hostility towards the Magic Tower. From now on, I consider you an enemy.¡± Seeing Doke acting all high and mighty, as if he were a god passing judgment, made me angry. He was full of arrogance. I wanted to be like that too. ¡°This is an act of hostility towards Samael. From now on, I also consider you guys enemies.¡± At that moment, I heard the sound of someone kicking off the ground. Lokan, who had been hit by the Fireball, was charging at me while drawing a hand seal. ¡°This bastard, really!¡± I easily deflected Lokan¡¯s attack and wrapped my elbow in a Wind Barrier. I immediately struck Lokan¡¯s chin, and a sharp impact like shattering ss resonated. At the same time, I hit his face with a Wind Blow with my other hand. ¡°Cough!¡± Lokan¡¯s face was smashed as he sprawled backward. Doke instantly blocked his path and asked, ¡°Demonic magic¡­? Where did you learn demonic magic?¡± It seemed he was referring to the demonic magic that modern mages learned for closebat. ¡°This is the Samael-style crazy demonic magic.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± Finally, Doke stepped forward. Powerful mes flickered from the weapon in his hand. ¡°You brought this upon yourself!¡± A 4-star Fire Arm hand seal. I scoffed as I saw him approaching, twisting his right arm like a pretzel. Wasn¡¯t it pathetic, like a miniature version of Fire Arm? I blocked all of his attacks with a 2-circle Wind Barrier and pushed forward. As Doke aimed for my face again with his hand seal, I ducked and reached for his stomach. ¡°Piercing wind, Wind Bomb.¡± Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± Doke twisted his body reflexively but couldn¡¯t avoid itpletely. Since I had struck his internal organs, the momentary pain must have been immense. I crossed my arms in front of Doke, who was sprawled on the floor. ¡°Is this the legendary demonic magic of the Red Magic Tower? Impressive. I¡¯m honored that you¡¯re showing off with such mediocre skills. Attack me all at once before I get even more impressed. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± A momentter, Doke, who had regained his senses, and three others lunged at me simultaneously. Seeing them rush towards me with murderous intent, I felt a bitterness in my heart. They must have thought they could easily deal with the consequences even if they killed me. This was why one needed power. They desperately needed a lesson. I looked at them and thought of the highest-level 3-circle magic. ¡°Wind des that cut through the air, Wind Cutter.¡± A 3-circle wind attribute highest-level spell, Wind Cutter. Swoosh! Faint de-like shapes flickered above my hands, about a meter long. If you didn¡¯t look closely, it seemed like there was nothing there, but their sharpness was enough to cut through rock. I danced with the des, like a knight. Slice¡ª ng¡ª Slice¡ª The Red Magic Tower mages didn¡¯t even know what was hitting them as they were being cut. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The magic they cast waspletely shredded by my Wind Cutter. Sharp blood sttered into the air. ¡°W-what is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that before!¡± As the murmurs of the trainees reached my ears, Suddenly, an unimaginably powerful mana wave surged from the opposite side. Fwaaaaaaaaaang¡ª! ¡°Ugh.¡± An immense recoil pressed down on my body. It felt like my entire body was being crushed by a giant rock, making it hard to breathe. My head involuntarily jerked back, and my whole body trembled. I forced myself to tense up and raise my head, and Hector was standing in front of me. ¡°Tsk, you fool. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ugh. Feels like the real deal.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you forget about the bet? I defeated a 4-star mage in actualbat. You¡¯re not going to argue that this wasn¡¯t realbat, are you?¡± A look of embarrassment shed across Hector¡¯s face. I casually wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and red at him. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re quite sneaky yourself.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You were clearly watching from a while ago. If you were going to say that, you should have stopped it from the beginning. Why, because it didn¡¯t go the way you expected? Can¡¯t you ept your own disciple being defeated?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hector¡¯s expression gradually hardened, and then he muttered out of the blue, ¡°I can¡¯t understand. How can you use circle magic to this extent¡­? More importantly, where did you learn Wind Cutter? You need to answer truthfully.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wind Cutter is a specialized magic that can only be learned by official members of the Red Magic Order. Where did you learn it?¡± I suddenly remembered what the square-jawed instructor had said. He had mentioned something about Grease being a confidential magic and the Yellow Magic Tower when I used it. ¡°I learned it on my own. You don¡¯t think I stole it, do you?¡± ¡°Wind Cutter can only be cast by members of the Red Magic Order. Tell me how you did it.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re this worked up over a mere Wind Cutter, you¡¯ll probably faintter. Incantations and hand seals arepletely different methods of casting magic. Stop talking nonsense and admit it.¡± Hector¡¯s expression hardenedpletely. It was an expression I had never seen before, but I could sense how he was feeling. Hector was¡­ Truly angry. ¡°I can¡¯t understand this at all.¡± ¡°Are you saying you won¡¯t acknowledge the bet?¡± ¡°I need to confirm it myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of your arrogance again. The arrogant notion that circles are weaker than cores.¡± Hector frowned and asked, ¡°Arrogant?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hector stared at me intently and then spoke quietly, ¡°I am Hector Kart. The Crimson me who rode the Orc King, a 7-star mage, the Vice-Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower, and one who has ascended to the ranks of the superhuman. I am qualified to test you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mentioning being Samael¡¯s guardian. Are you embarrassed about that?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Hector red at me and took a step back. But his aura grew stronger. ¡°Prove it to me. But only use up to 3-star magic.¡± I smirked and looked at Hector. ¡°Alright. But let¡¯s make another bet. I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡± * * * Kazen Samael was taking a nap in the depths of the House Hall. His head was pounding from thinking too much. Boom! A loud noise pierced Kazen¡¯s ears. It was the umpteenth time he had heard it. Kazen didn¡¯t open his eyes. He assumed it was the Red Magic Tower mages training in the training grounds. However. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± The moment Kazen heard Hector¡¯s disciple, Doke, shout, He couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. ¡­Could it be that Ruin had disobeyed his orders? Not now. No matter how much he was his son, this time, he couldn¡¯t tolerate it. It wouldn¡¯t be good for their rtionship with the Red Magic Tower to be strained at this moment. ¡®I told him clearly, yet he caused trouble in the meantime?¡¯ As he hurriedly went outside, he saw Ruin. The best course of action was to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, but Kazen stopped in his tracks as if he had suddenly lost his words. Thud¡ª Ruin was casting a spell. Even Kazen, who had once achieved the 6-circle realm, couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. In an instant, all the Red Magic Tower mages were sprawled on the training ground floor. ¡®¡­Is this circle magic?¡¯ Kazen nced at the other side of the training ground and saw the elders. Seeing them all tilting their heads with nk expressions, Kazen thought, His own expression must be the same as theirs. When Hector pressured Ruin, When Ruin withstood that pressure and retorted to Hector¡¯s face. Kazen had simply watched. His son¡¯s actions were stirring something deep within Kazen¡¯s heart like a zing fire. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s make another bet. I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡± His son, who was talking to Hector, suddenly looked this way. As if telling him to listen carefully. ¡°A bet? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll clear all of Kart and Samael¡¯s remaining debts.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hector¡¯s eyes zed with anger. It was as if he was asking how dare Ruin say such a thing without any authority. Hector¡¯s gaze slowly shifted towards Kazen. Kazen should have shaken his head. That was the natural thing to do. He should have immediately stopped it, asking what nonsense Ruin was spouting, but for some reason, Kazen couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ His heart pounded. A whirlwind of emotions strong enough to overwhelm his usually calm rationality in an instant. Perhaps it was because his son¡¯s bold actions were the image of Samael that Kazen had always dreamed of. His son¡¯s voice slowly reached his ears and pierced through him. ¡°But if I win.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You, Hector, will clearly acknowledge that you are the guardian of Samael.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 25 ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 25: Samael Was the Strongest (2) Hector didn¡¯t answer. He simply scoffed and put his hands behind his back. It wasn¡¯t a sign of refusal. His eyes, burning with intensity, held a mixture of contempt for a young pup who didn¡¯t know his ce and anger that showed he was genuinely furious. As proof, With just a change in his posture, An oppressive pressure weighed down on my heart. ¡°You have an interesting way with words. Alright. Come at me.¡± His hands sped behind his back, he exuded a rxed demeanor as if he were on a leisurely stroll, without a single opening. A difference in ss. I suddenly chuckled. It had been a while since I felt this kind of pressure. Just as I had despaired when I saw Pelleer back then, it was clear that I couldn¡¯t surpass Hector, no matter what I did. Both I and Hector knew this. ¡°Where did your earlier bravado go? It seems you¡¯re scared now.¡± No way. I was the Crazy Mage. And Hector didn¡¯t know that. Whirrr¡ª I opened all three circles at once. As soon as I burned through all the mana flowing through the three rings, I attempted another resonance. ¡°Piercing mes, Fire Spear.¡± ¡®Hardened wind, Wind Barrier.¡¯ ¡®Fireball.¡¯ The Fire Spear flew in a straight line. The Fireball curved. I charged towards Hector with the Wind Barrier wrapped around my body. ¡°Showing off your little tricks again, huh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± I was repelled as soon as I charged. I didn¡¯t even see Hector move. I could only guess what had happened from the bitter pain in my sr plexus. When I came to my senses and looked at Hector, the spell I had cast had vanished without a trace. ¡°Exploding water pressure, Water Bomb.¡± ¡®Slippery ground, Grease.¡¯ ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ It was a smoothbination of magic, but it made no difference. It felt like I was casting magic at a giant iron wall. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± ¡°For all your big talk, you¡¯re nothing special. Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡± I charged at Hector again. Even if I was repelled, I kept charging without rest. Fwaaaaaaaang¡ª! Sweat poured down like rain. After repeating it ten times, my legs started to tremble. The physical strain of simply confronting a powerful opponent was beyond imagination. Hector was still in his initial stance. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°Were you trying to show some age-appropriate spirit? But that won¡¯t change what you¡¯ve said. Even if you are a Samael¡­¡± Suddenly, he trailed off and looked at me with pity. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollowugh again. ¡°You find this situation funny?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°What is?¡± I slowly shook my head and spoke, ¡°Mages of the past all created circles. Knights all built cores. That was a fact that didn¡¯t change for countless years. But in just 300 years, why, how did mages alone sell out their identity?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re trying to talk your way out because youck the skills.¡± ¡°I was curious. What was the reason? Why did circle magic suddenly be so disregarded?¡± ¡°Because magic has evolved. The limitations of old magic have been proven countless times.¡± ¡°No.¡± I red at Hector and said, ¡°It¡¯s because they forgot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Knights value fighting amongst themselves. But mages didn¡¯t.¡± Mages are different from knights. Mages don¡¯t value fighting amongst themselves. Instead, ¡°They proved their worth by fighting against the countless races that threatened humanity.¡± They drove out the giants who ruled the forests, threw themselves into the ogre hordes, defended against the endless waves of monsters, and erased the cunning ¡°ck n¡± from thisnd. [TL/N: ¡®ck n¡¯ name is not final] That¡¯s not all. They marched with dragons and slew dragonkin, and in the end¡­ they even fought and won against demons. Each and every one of those battles was a struggle that threatened the survival of the human race, and it was the mages¡¯ unique value that they constantly questioned themselves and evolved in the process. Just like the damn Samael did. That¡¯s why, in those glorious days, there were many great mages who could rival even the dragons, the agents of God and the origin of magic. ¡°Monsters still exist today.¡± I shook my head at Hector¡¯s indifferent answer. ¡°But they don¡¯t feel threatened. That¡¯s why they forgot. You say circles have clear limits? No, circles are just difficult. Modern mages no longer needed to evolve. That¡¯s why they chose the easy path and envied others. They admired knights and started creating things like cores.¡± ¡°You talk too much. Why are all Samael bloodlines so delusional?¡± ¡°Really?¡± I opened all the circles in my heart once again. ¡°Piercing mes, Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Piercing mes, Fire Spear.¡± I manifested two spears of mes, ovepping them, and focused solely on the path of mana extending from my fingertips. Extreme concentration to not lose track of the mana¡¯s path, which stretched out like threads. ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s pointless.¡± As Hector shook his head and tried to dispel the spell, I raised my fingertips upwards like lightning. Whoosh¡ª! Two spears of mes shot up vertically right in front of Hector. ¡°¡­What?¡± As Hector¡¯s pupils dted slightly, I rotated my heart¡¯s rings once more. ¡°Wind des that cut through the air, Wind Cutter.¡± A meter-long wind de sliced through the air, and I pulled the vertically soaring spears of mes back down. There was only one target. Whirrr¡ª The circles spun wildly, and I felt intense pressure in my heart. As the Fire Spear plunged vertically towards Hector from the sky, The Wind Cutter pierced through the Fire Spear, creating an explosion. Kwaaang¡ª! A makeshift Fire Explosion using three 3-circle spells. ¡°Huh.¡± For the first time, a surprised voice escaped Hector¡¯s lips. A Wind Barrier had formed in front of him. It was the first time he had used magic in front of me. ¡°300 years ago, there were fools who marched towards the Land of Death. The final expedition where countless idiotic knights and mages risked their lives to protect humanity.¡± Hector looked at me with increasingly annoyed eyes. ¡°Are you going to bring up legends now?¡± ¡°Yes. They may be just legends now, but it¡¯s a fact that they existed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this anymore.¡± He pointed his finger at me, without even forming a hand seal. ¡°Ugh.¡± Just one gesture. Blood spurted from my mouth the moment I realized it. Only then did I realize it was a ¡®Fireball.¡¯ Even though it was just a 1-circle spell, the magic cast by a 7-star mage was on a different level. As soon as I sensed the anomaly, I put up threeyers of barriers, but my insides were still shaken, and it felt like my organs were about to burst. ¡°See? No matter how much you rant, this is the unchanging truth. Let¡¯s end this.¡± ¡°Ugh, they were all crazy and strong. The 10-year expedition turned everyone into crazed superhumans. Swordsmen, dragon knights, guardians, spearmen, martial artists, mages, everyone. And do you know who was the strongest among them?¡± The 10-year expedition. The two men who remained until the veryst moment. ¡°It was the mage.¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense.¡± I stood up. Ruin, the Crazy Mage, who endured for 10 years. Pelleer, the Archmage, who endured for 10 years. I couldn¡¯t stand to see their value dismissed as mere nonsense. ¡°Magic must contain will. Hand seals cannot do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more insolent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± I closed my eyes. I opened all my senses and focused on the mana in the atmosphere. The fluctuating waves of mana felt particrly dense. SSS-rank, was it? My ¡®Elemental Affinity¡¯ talent for fire and wind. My ¡®Mana Resonance¡¯ talent. The talent to perfectly sense pure mana and draw out the elements within it. In other words, It meant that I was blessed by Ifrit, just like the mages of Samael in the old days. I chanted Wind Barrier in that state. The atmospheric mana gathered by the three circles transformed into wind. At that moment, the Fireball that Hector had shot collided with the Wind Barrier. Boom! ¡°Ugh.¡± The Wind Barrier shattered, and I was pushed back. But this time, it was different from before. The Wind Barrier I had cast had neutralized more than half of Hector¡¯s magic. Blood welled up in my mouth, but it was bearable. ¡°¡­What kind of trick are you using?¡± ¡°A trick, you say?¡± Bang¡ª Boom¡ª Boooom¡ª! Hector fired three spells in a row. I was pushed back, but I held my ground. As soon as the impact threatened to shake my insides, I converted the mana into wind attribute to absorb the shock. Yes, this is Samael. ¡°And among all those mages,¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Samael was the strongest.¡± My voice, dering as if in a challenge, ovepped with Hector¡¯s hand seals. The 3-star spell he deliberately fired was difficult to dispel even with my blessed talent. I was pushed back 10 meters and mmed my head on the training ground floor. Crack¡ª My skull throbbed, and the bitter smell of blood filled my nostrils. It seemed like my forehead was cracked. But who am I? ¡®I am the Crazy Mage.¡¯ I gritted my teeth and raised my head. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know Ifrit?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still spouting superstition. I really need to end this now.¡± Hector looked at me with a tired expression and slowly turned his head towards Kazen, as if to confirm the oue of this bet. Yes. You bastard. I¡¯ll show you. What the true nature of Ifrit is, the one you call superstition. That dragons weren¡¯t the only ones granted the status of agent by Ifrit. ¡ª Samael Langrish Ifrit. ¡°Langrish Ifrit, source of zing rage and cold wind.¡± The name that the high-ranking sorcerers of Samael used to call upon. The blessing of God that they always included in their incantations when casting high-circle spells. It felt strange. The blessing that I had only watched and mocked back then was now flowing from my mouth. And then, Resonance. All the sorcerers of Samael resonated with Ifrit through their own ¡°status.¡± Then. This is my status, Ifrit. ¡°I show the qualification of one who faced the end of the Land of Death. Grant your status, dwelling in this world, to the one who remembers your name. Bring a fleeting me here.¡± The mana in the atmosphere fluctuated and flowed into the Fireball in my hand. At that moment, my head buzzed, and I heard a hallucination in my ears. * ¡ºIfrit confirms the agent¡¯s qualifications.¡» ¡ºThe agent¡¯s qualifications are met.¡» ¡ºCommencing resonance with Ifrit.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is¡­ equal.¡» ¡ºUnable to contain equal resonance at the current level.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is decreasing.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is decreasing.¡» ¡ºA very small portion of the resonance is contained in the heart.¡» . . . . ¡¾Eternity in a fleeting me.¡¿ * ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¨C The Victor of the Wager Hector¡¯s face hardened. It hadn¡¯t been like this at first. Not when Ruin defeated his disciple, not even when he manifested the Wind Cutter. He never imagined that the convictions he had held for so long would be shaken. It was simply a situation he couldn¡¯tprehend. He had wanted to test Ruin himself, to see how he could have done it. But now, the intense yearning emanating from Ruin, his unwavering determination, made Hector ufortable. It was just a naive boy acting out, yet watching him made Hector feel like he was missing something. Ruin¡¯s resilience wasn¡¯t just youthful bravado. What Ruin was showing now was¡­ an unwavering conviction, the source of which was unfathomable. Where, where did ite from? ¡®Where does such convictione from?¡¯ A single pebble thrown into a calmke creates ripples that turn into waves. A 7-Star Mage. The firm beliefs andmon sense he had built up while achieving that lofty realm were being shaken by a mere boy. Watching Ruin talk about Circle magic and other unbelievable things, even stubbornly insisting on the Final Expedition, a tale so unrealistic it was considered a myth, as if he had experienced it himself¡­ It felt like his heart was being pierced. A mage surpassing knights. Words that even Hector himself hesitated to utter, Ruin spoke them as if they were nothing. ¡°And among all those mages,¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Samael was the strongest.¡± ¡®This kid really¡­ Ah!¡¯ Upon hearing those words, Hector unconsciously drew a 3-Star Beast. It was a clear mistake. No matter how disturbed his mind was, it was something he shouldn¡¯t have done. Boom! As expected, Ruin took a direct hit and tumbled through the air before crashing to the ground. As Hector rushed towards him, Ruin surprisingly raised his head. His forehead was broken and bleeding, but he red at Hector. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know Ifrit?¡± Hector suppressed his displeasure and said, ¡°You still cling to superstitions. This has to end now.¡± His heart pounded. He felt that if he listened any longer, he might make an even bigger mistake because of this fledgling¡¯s words. Hector shook his head vigorously and turned his gaze towards the spectator¡¯s box. ¡®¡­Like father, like son.¡¯ Kazen, too, had once shown the same determination as his son was now. Hector thought Kazen¡¯s face would be contorted. Ruin¡¯s actions were a direct refutation of Kazen¡¯s philosophy. But Hector¡¯s expectations were once again wrong. Kazen¡¯s face looked shocked. At that moment. ¡°What?¡± A powerful surge of mana made Hector turn his head involuntarily. The form of a me bloomed at Ruin¡¯s fingertips. It was clearly a 1-Star ¡®Fireball,¡¯ but Hector couldn¡¯t shake an ominous feeling. ¡°Langrish Ifrit, source of zing rage and cold wind.¡± At the unfamiliar incantation, Hector¡¯s heart sank. Hisposure shattered, and his heart began to race. He opened his mana core, but the ominous feeling remained. In fact, it intensified. ¡°I, who have faced the end of the Land of Death, show the qualifications of one who has witnessed it. Bestow upon me, who seeks to wield your name, the essence that dwells in this world. A fleeting me, here and now.¡± [TL/N: The raws change the incantation here not my fault ;-;] For a moment, time seemed to stop. All the mana in the air gathered towards the Fireball in Ruin¡¯s hand, then slowly flew towards Hector. ¡®What kind of incantation is this absurd¡­?¡¯ Hector felt his heart twist and squeeze. A sense of unease he had never experienced before. He hadn¡¯t felt this way even when facing the Giant King. It wasn¡¯t a matter of strength. This was like¡­ An overwhelming pressure, as if something immense he couldn¡¯t fathom was crushing his entire body. ¡®Could this be the White Magic Tower¡¯s¡­ No. That¡¯s impossible.¡¯ Something shed through his mind, but Hector couldn¡¯t continue the thought. Instinctively, he had to open his mana corepletely. Whoosh¡ª 4-Star, 5-Star, 6-Star, all the way to the 7-Star core. Then, he quickly crossed his hands and formed a seal. Boom! With a deafening roar, Ruin¡¯s Fireball dissipated¡­ And Ruin, spewing blood, copsed onto the training ground. ¡°¡­¡± A brief silence, then shock. ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Commander!¡± As Lihan and the apprentices rushed towards Ruin, he twitched, knelt on the ground, and slowly raised his body. His entire body trembled as if it was a miracle he could even stand, but his eyes were still burning. His gaze fixed on Hector. A translucent, giant shield was spread in front of him, cracked in the center with smoke rising from it. A 6-Star spell. Reflection Shield. Crack¡ª Crackle¡ª As cracks spread across the shield, Ruin, his face covered in blood, lifted his chin and red at Hector. ¡°You¡¯re not going to im that was a 3-Star spell too, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I won the bet, Hector.¡± Hector couldn¡¯t refute him. Not just Hector, but everyone who witnessed the duel was speechless. Thud¡ª As Ruin copsed, unable to endure any longer, everyone felt themon sense they had held onto crumble. * * * A cool breeze blew through Mount Khaoto. ¡°Haaaah!¡± A loud shout echoed through the air. It was still early morning, the dawn light just beginning to break, but the apprentices were already swarming the training ground as if it were their own living room. It was their usual training, but something felt different. Their shouts were filled with confidence, and their shoulders were held high as they walked around, not caring about anyone else¡¯s opinions. ¡°Trembling earth, Earth Shock!¡± ¡°Not a chance!¡± The ground beneath Palge shook in response to Makan¡¯s incantation. Palge firmly nted his short legs on the ground to stabilize his center of gravity, then chanted the Fireball incantation towards the approaching Makan. Crackle¡ª Makan was pushed back as cracks appeared in his Wind Barrier. ¡°Mwahaha, you¡¯re still no match for me!¡± ¡°Impressive. I¡¯ll try again.¡± Makan¡¯s face contorted slightly. But the result was the same this time too. Palge, despite his appearance, demonstrated surprisingly efficient mana control. ¡°Move aside, Makan. It¡¯s my turn now.¡± ¡°Hmph, bring it on!¡± This time, Zion stepped forward. ¡°Sharp me, Fire Arrow!¡± ¡°Not a chance!¡± Palge created a Wind Barrier and leaned forward. At the same time, he lowered his head and secretly began chanting. He nned tounch a Fireball as soon as he blocked Zion¡¯s magic. Bang! ¡°Ack?¡± Palge was flung into the air andnded hard on his backside. It was apletely unexpected situation. Zion¡¯s incantation had disrupted Palge¡¯s Wind Barrier and directly hit his body. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°What the, Zion? How did you do that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Makan jumped up in surprise, and Palge¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Did you destroy his mana core?¡± Zion nodded. His fingertips trembled slightly, a movement only he could barely sense. The power of magic created with a mana circle was definitely different, even to his own surprise. Makan looked at Zion with a curious expression. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°I did what my heart told me to. Just like you said.¡± Ten days ago. The day everyone remembered. Watching Ruin¡¯s fight with Hector, Zion had a realization. It was an intense experience that could change his entire way of life. Zion had always made rational decisions based on endless doubt. Of course, there were times when his emotions took over, but there was a line he never crossed. For example, creating a mana circle. He thought there was no reason to follow such an absurd act. However. The moment Ruin coughed up blood and red at Hector. The moment a strange, unheard-of spell flowed from his lips. Zion realized. He could never reach his desired goal with his confined way of thinking. To be stronger. To surpass knights. He needed a different approach. The desire for strength andpetitiveness overcame Zion¡¯s inherent skepticism. Zion understood why his heart had pounded and why he had cheered for Ruin. It was his admiration for a person who proved his strong will in his own way, a will that Zioncked. And the moment he realized this. Zion decided to discard his mana core. It was aplete upheaval of his values, but somehow, at this moment, it felt like the right thing to do. So he followed his heart. Ironically. Zion, the most skeptical of them all, was the first among the apprentices to destroy his mana core and create a true mana circle. The surge of mana overflowing from the destruction of his heart¡¯s core led Zion to the 2nd Circle. ¡°So, how does it feel?¡± Palge leaned in close, his eyes sparkling. Seeing that, a good idea popped into Zion¡¯s head. ¡°How about we make a bet, Palge?¡± ¡°What kind of bet are you talking about?¡± ¡°The loser of a fight bes the subordinate. What do you think?¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why should we do that?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t established a hierarchy among ourselves yet, have we?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m a pacifist.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s do it. You don¡¯t know how convenient it is to have a subordinate.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°The winner gets to tell the loser to run, fetch water¡­¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± ¡°And gets the meat dishes when they¡¯re served.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Zion¡¯s lips curled into a sly smile. There was no better opportunity than this. Palge was still morefortable with seals than incantations. That meant¡­ He could do to Palge exactly what Ruin had done to him. Bang! As soon as Palge¡¯s magic was dispelled, Zion pped Palge¡¯s butt cheeks. ¡°Ack! Th-this is absurd! What in the world is happening?¡± ¡°My first order.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± ¡°No ¡®neungs.''¡± [TL/N: This is basically a sound effect which Palge tends to add after his sentences] ¡°¡®Neungs?¡¯ What are ¡®neungs¡¯?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t add ¡®neung¡¯ at the end of your sentences, you little¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be difficult. It¡¯s a dialect of our region, so ites out naturally even if I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Damn, is that a dialect? Then use it as little as possible. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Time flew by. asionally, groups from the Red Magic Tower appeared at the training ground, but they only nced at them and didn¡¯t say anything. They even seemed intimidated. As the sun began to set, the apprentices naturally wrapped up their training and gathered at one end. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the Commander now.¡± ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s awake today.¡± ¡°He seemed to be getting better, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± Zion led the apprentices. It had been ten days since Ruin lost consciousness, and Zion was a little worried. He wanted to brag about discarding his mana core. ¡°Huh?¡± But to his surprise. Ruin was nowhere to be found in his bed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¨C Awakening Red Summit. The peak of Mount Khaoto, surrounded by cliffs on all sides, is as quiet as ever today. Reddish rocks and the unchanging blue ocean beyond. Only arge raven with a sharp beak circles leisurely above. Shhhh¡ª Suddenly, the raven spread its wings wide and began to dive vertically towards the ground. It had found a delicious prey. Its shiny beak suggested it hadn¡¯t eaten in days. I decided to watch how desperately it was diving to see what kind of delicious prey it had found¡­ ¡°Holy shit, it¡¯s me?¡± I was spacing out and almost had my right pectoral muscle ripped off. In shock, I swung my arm as hard as I could. With a whoosh, the raven was hit and flew into a rock. ¡°¡­Moment of silence for the fallen.¡± I decided to take a moment of repentance. I¡¯m sorry, bird. But I couldn¡¯t imagine a life without my right nipple, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡®Phew.¡¯ As my startled heart calmed down, a heart-squeezing pressure began again. At first, the pain of my whole body breaking apart continued day and night, but after about ten days, it subsided to a level I could barely endure. Only the pain in my heart still wouldn¡¯t subside. It was to be expected. ¡ºIfrit¡» That name, which only appeared when using high-level magic of 7th Circle or above with all one¡¯s might, could not be handled by a mere 3rd Circle apprentice like me. Of course, normally, resonance wouldn¡¯t even be possible. It was just that the spirit from my past life¡­ Temporarily broke down that wall. ¡®It was reckless.¡¯ I¡¯m a Crazy Mage, but even I thought it was a reckless attempt, driven by anger. Well, for now, it was a great sess. Not only did I achieve resonance, but it was also a resonance of equals. I¡¯ve never heard of a mage who achieved equal resonance with Ifrit throughout history. Even the dragons of the past wouldn¡¯t have experienced such a thing. I was newly proud. Wasn¡¯t this the moment the Crazy Mage was finally recognized in this life? No matter how great a mage Hector is in this era. No, even if he had stepped into a higher realm. It would be difficult to withstand a spell imbued with Ifrit¡¯s spirit in an unguarded state. I clearly saw it. Hector¡¯s face went from surprise to astonishment, and finally, theposure he had built up cracked and shattered. Nothing could be more satisfying. But in return¡­ ¡®Now I¡¯m in this state.¡¯ The price of epting power beyond my capacity was devastating. The Circle in my heart malfunctioned. The surging mana waves engulfed three Circles andpletely exploded. Excruciating pain, like a hot furnace exploding in my heart, enveloped my body. So¡­ Am I going to be a cripple again? Of course not. I knew exactly how to restore a broken Circle. A drop of High Elf tears, half a bottle of Elixir, a root of Snow Flower, and a Dragonic heartbined can restore the Circle¡¯s function to normal. In short, it¡¯s damn difficult. How long would it take to gather all of that? That¡¯s why I came here. * * * I looked down at my palms. My nails were already worn ck, and every joint was torn and bleeding. I had climbed the cliff, practically crawling, suppressing the pain in my heart, and my hands werepletely wrecked. But it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Phew¡­¡± I exhaled a long breath and closed my eyes. I recalled the nightmare-like battlefield. I still vividly remembered that first ridge where the corpses of humans and demons were piled up like mountains. The blood was so thick that even with my eyes closed, everything appeared crimson. Later, I became so ustomed to such scenes of carnage that they no longer affected me, but I still couldn¡¯t forget that day. The day the wretched expedition faced its first setback. It was exactly one year after we entered the Land of Death. Until then, no one thought the expedition would end up in such a state. We even thought we could almost see the end of the expedition. The frequency of demon appearances was clearly decreasing. In front of the expedition, where some were gradually bing intoxicated with heroism and others were increasingly making frivolous jokes¡­ A sly guy who called himself a Count of the Demon Realm suddenly appeared. Keliaak. [TL/N: Name Not Final] The guy, who looked simr to a human, blocked our path with his subordinates, who looked like a cross between trolls and rhinos. He seemed childish. Naturally, the expedition scoffed and tried to kill him. And that day¡­ Everything changed. The price of underestimating Keliaak was devastating. Massacre. One word was enough to describe the tragedy. The expedition members, whom I had considered an insurmountable wall, were torn apart like pieces of paper. It took the elites of the four Divine Families a whole day and night to stop him. Despair. Screams. Pain. Madness. Death. In that hellish chaos, where all the terrible energies of the world were concentrated, I miraculously survived. That was the day both of my Circles were destroyed. And at the same time, the day I awakened the mana of the Yin dimension. * * * Mana of the Yin dimension. Mana withpletely different properties from natural mana, devoid of abundant life force or high-quality elements. Rather than mana, it might be more appropriate to call it an energy concentrated with all the negative emotions of the world, such as despair, screams, pain, madness, and death. But the reason I call it ¡°mana¡± is¡­ I could actually ept this energy in the form of mana and manifest new magic through it. The moment both Circles in my heart were destroyed. Just as a troll demon, split vertically, let out a strange cry and viciously opened its mouth towards me¡­ I felt an immense energy rising endlessly from among the mountains of corpses. The first emotion I felt as I sensed that energy was ¡®death¡¯. It was an ominous feeling, indescribably destructive and seemingly concentrated with madness itself. I was certain it hadn¡¯t just appeared at that moment. It was a familiar energy that had always existed around me in the form of emotions. It was just that, like a me igniting and exploding, I became able to feel that emotion in the form of mana at that moment. I instinctively epted the irresistible energy, and at the same time, the Circle I thought was damaged started rotating backwards on its own. And then, the moment the troll demon¡¯s mouth and my hand touched¡­ Crack¡ª ck smoke billowed from the entirety of its head. The creature¡¯s body, which had regenerated even after being hit directly by 6th Circle personal magic, couldn¡¯t regenerate at all. After that day¡­ I realized for the first time that I had a talent for magic. Until then, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t have known. Because it was a type of magic that didn¡¯t exist in the world. It was a killing magic solely for destruction and annihtion. * * * Not long ago. The day I first climbed Red Summit, I felt the mana of the Yin dimension. The traces of heroes who fought and shed blood against the Dragon of Chaos on the peak of Mount Khaoto hundreds of years ago. Those horrific and desperate traces remained to this day, triggering a catalyst. Back then, I tried to forcefully suppress the resonance, but now it was different. Thump-thump¡ª The mana of the Yin dimension began to flow into the destroyed Circle in my heart. The amount was so meager that if I failed to achieve resonance, a rampage could ur, but with my Circle already destroyed, I had nothing more to lose. I would just feel extreme pain. ¡°There¡¯s no other way anyway.¡± Squeeze¡ª Amidst the pain tightening my heart, I closed my eyes and continued to ept the mana of the Yin dimension. Recalling the one internal explosion I had achieved in my past life, I tried my best to rotate the foreign energy entering my body in the opposite direction. Squeeze¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± The wick burned, as if detonating a fuse at some point, the patience to create a single spark through endless repetition. . . . How much time had passed? Just when I felt like my brain, not the fuse, was about to explode¡­ * ¡ºAbility is activated¡» ¡ºThe soul of the Great Sage, who has pursued truth for ages, is like a wall that cannot be easily broken¡» ¡ºThe Sage¡¯s steadfast soul protects your spirit¡» * A lousy auditory hallucination rang out, the pain subsided¡­ And my hazy mind instantly cleared, vitality returning to my body. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a sess.¡± I could feel the three broken Circles slowly recovering their functions. The gamble I had taken, just in case, had paid off. ¡ºSome characteristics of Ruin Samael will be changed¡» ¡ºDue to the resonance, you will manifest the Upper Element Darkness¡» ¡ºUnique trait Assimtion will bloom¡» ¡ºYour body will be specialized to assimte with dark elemental attributes¡» . . . ¡º¡´Mind¡¯s Eye¡µwill be embodied¡» I immediately rotated all three Circles in reverse. A familiar sensation I hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. A part of the power I had in my past life surged, moring to be released. ¡°¡­¡± I lifted a small red rock in front of me. Sizzle¡ª The red color of the rock¡¯s surface was gradually consumed by darkness. The shape of the rock remained the same, but I could subtly feel its weight decreasing. Evidence that it was being destroyed from within. Sizzle¡ª After a fleeting moment, the rock in my hand scattered into ck smoke, returning to nothingness. As if it had never existed in the first ce. I slowly clenched and unclenched my fist, satisfied with the familiar sensation in my fingertips. ¡®Dark Lightning.¡¯ The magic I loved to use when crushing demon heads in my past life. Although its power was iparably weaker than before, considering I was only at 3rd Circle, it was far beyondmon sense. Even in the past, expedition members who saw Dark Lightning for the first time often mistook it for high-level martial arts rather than magic. ¡°This time, in the normal direction.¡± I began to sense and ept natural mana again. As the Circles rotated in the normal direction, the abundant atmospheric mana surged into the three Circles. I felt like more mana was flowing in, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it was just my imagination. ¡°A de that slices through the wind, Wind Cutter.¡± Wind pressure swirled sharply in the form of a de, extending in a fan shape towards the front. The sound of wind tearing through space followed fiercely. Wheeeeeeee¡ª! It wasn¡¯t my imagination. The mana rotating in the three Circles waspletely saturated. Should I call this a blessing in disguise? A smile crept onto my face. A distinct fourth Circle was forming next to my heart. ¡­This is working. ¡°This is awesome!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 28 Chapter 28 ¨C The True Madman A problem arose. After taking a bath for the first time in days anding out to look in the mirror, I fell into deep thought as soon as I activated [Mind¡¯s Eye]. ¡°It¡¯s the same this time too.¡± No matter how many times I activated [Mind¡¯s Eye], nothing changed. While pondering for a long time, I suddenly remembered the auditory hallucination I heard when resonating with the mana of the Yin dimension. ¡º¡´Mind¡¯s Eye¡µwill be embodied¡» ¡®Embodied¡­¡¯ At first, I thought it meant it would be activated unconsciously, but that wasn¡¯t it. Even after trying it out in various ways for days, nothing changed at all. The ability had disappeared like a mirage. It was a rather useful ability, so I felt a bit disappointed, but then I suddenly came to my senses. ¡®This isn¡¯t like the Crazy Mage.¡¯ A sense of wariness suddenly rose within me. It felt like the dulled senses that had been submerged beneath the surface were sharply rising. Only then did I realize that I had been overly reliant on the convenience provided by [Mind¡¯s Eye]. But who am I? Isn¡¯t the Crazy Mage a man who hates relying on baseless superstitions? If I rely on superstitions, it¡¯s only a matter of time before I be possessed by a demon and be a cripple. It¡¯s not like the knights of the expedition went crazy and did foolish things for no reason, falling for the demons¡¯ tricks. In that sense, [Mind¡¯s Eye] was like a superstition. I didn¡¯t know when or how it came to be, or what its essence was. It was just that the situation at the time was so surreal that I had forgotten about it. ¡®To realize it only after it¡¯s gone.¡¯ But it¡¯s okay. I can do well from now on. The Crazy Mage is a man who does well from now on. Mind¡¯s Eye was an ability that couldn¡¯t be controlled from the beginning. Thinking about it now, there were more than a few strange things about it. I didn¡¯t even know why it activated¡­ ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a magical phenomenon.¡¯ It had been giving me seemingly urate information so far, but that made me even more wary. In the end, I had to be the one to judge whether the information was ¡°urate.¡± If I relied solely on Mind¡¯s Eye, my senses would likely be dull. In other words, the probability of dying unjustly would increase. . . . ¡°It¡¯s better this way.¡± It felt like I had only regained my true essence after awakening the mana of the Yin dimension. I decided to focus on the present. I had to use this as an opportunity to sharpen my senses. In any case, since I had awakened the mana of the Yin dimension, the gains were much greater. Now that I had achieved resonance once, I could easily ess enough mana of the Yin dimension to fill three Circles. Of course, I had to handle it carefully. Its destructive power was excessive, and if I wasn¡¯t careful, I could be consumed by the mana. As a bonus, the number of rings in my heart had increased to four. I had finally escaped the apprentice stage and entered the realm of a true mage. Considering I had only uttered Ifrit¡¯s name once, the rewards were beyond expectations. Since things had turned out this way, should I try resonating with Ifrit again and aim for even greater rewards¡­? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I pped my head. ¡°Get out, demon! Get out of my head!¡± Absolutely not. There was no guarantee that things would work out as smoothly next time. If I messed up, I could be a cripple forever. I wanted to live as the Crazy Mage, not a crazy cripple. After organizing my thoughts, I noticed the sun was slowly rising outside the window. It had already been quite some time since I came down from the mountaintop and had been living on jerky in the training hall used by the former apprentices. I picked up the few old books and notes I had organized and went outside. A cool breeze blew pleasantly. * * * Iron stepped out of the dining hall, patting his full belly. He had eaten more than usual because there had been meat dishes for the first time in a while. ¡°Ah, this is nice!¡± The warm sunlight made him drowsy. He wanted to go back to his quarters and take a nap, but Iron shook his head. He started walking slowly along the edge of the training ground to help with digestion. But as he walked, his eyelids grew heavier. ¡®Damn it. Walking makes me even sleepier. Should I just take a quick nap?¡¯ Iron looked around but soon realized it was impossible. ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± ¡°Count as you go!¡± Makan, the musclehead, was already running shirtless, and Palge was waddling around, practicing incantations. And¡­ Zion was staring at him from afar, grinning. A grin that seemed to ask, ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to run?¡¯ ¡°Ahahaha. I was just warming up. Shall we start now?¡± Iron muttered loudly to himself and joined Makan¡¯s run. Of course, he was cursing inwardly. ¡®Sigh. One madman disappears, and another one appears.¡¯ Thew of madman conservation, perhaps. With Ruin gone, Zion was diligently acting like a madman, as if he had been waiting for this moment. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone ck off even a little. If Iron hadn¡¯t joined the training just now, Zion would have definitelye running to bother him. Mad ¡®I can¡¯t just ram into him.¡¯ Even before Ruin appeared, Zion was already stronger than him. There was no point in fighting him; he would only get beaten up. ¡°Count again as you go!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± Damn it. Running with a full stomach was hard enough, but counting made it even harder. It felt like the meat he had eaten woulde back up. ¡®¡­Sigh, this is my fate.¡¯ Of course, Iron could physically feel the positive effects of the training. Hadn¡¯t he seen it with his own eyes? Zion cornering the Warmages of the Red Demon Tower. And Ruin putting up a good fight against the infamous Crimson Mage. That¡¯s why he was enduring it and not running away. ¡­The real reason was that he had nowhere else to go, but anyway. ¡®Still, this is too much.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t this going too far? With Ruin gone, couldn¡¯t they ck off a bit? It¡¯s not like anyone wasn¡¯t training at all. It would be so much better if they could just rx a bit, chat casually, and then train! Did they really have to train like madmen? Iron suddenly turned his head to the side. He felt a sense of camaraderie when he saw Ain Samael struggling just as much as he was. ¡°Huff huff. Am I wrong? Don¡¯t you agree, Ain?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What did you even say? Are you crazy?¡± Never mind. Iron shook off his thoughts and started running mindlessly after Makan. He thought it was better that way. After a fewps around the training ground, his body seemed to adapt again, and his breathing stabilized. He ran, chanted, and practiced horseback riding postures, and before he knew it, the sun was setting behind the mountain, casting a red glow. ¡°Phew.¡± Finally, the training for the day was over. Iron gathered with the other apprentices in a corner of the training ground, resting and watching the sunset. As they caught their breath, a wistful voice came from one side. ¡°When is Ruining back ?¡± Zion shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Lihan said he went up the mountain as soon as he regained consciousness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks already. Did he fall off a cliff and die?¡± ¡°Is that something he would do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Everyone shook their heads. While they couldn¡¯t say for sure about others, it was hard to imagine that stubborn guy falling off a cliff and dying. ¡°Should we ask Lihan when he¡¯sing back?¡± ¡°Lihan¡¯s not here. He¡¯s out on an errand for the Commander. And you. Hey.¡± Zion suddenly red at Palge. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using honorifics? A subordinate should use honorifics.¡± Zion raised his hand as if to strike, and Palge hurriedly waddled back. ¡°Why should I use honorifics?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how subordinates are supposed to be.¡± ¡°But my speech pattern makes it difficult to use honorifics.¡± ¡°Do it if I tell you to.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Zion stood up, dusting the dirt off his buttocks, and said, ¡°He¡¯lle back eventually. When the Commander returns, he¡¯ll just make us train like crazy again, so why are you getting worked up already? And this time, let¡¯s surprise him a bit.¡± Iron, who had been silently listening to the conversation, nodded absentmindedly. ¡®That¡¯s true.¡¯ Come to think of it, today¡¯s training seemed even more intense than when Ruin was around. He had felt like he was going to die earlier, but now that it was over, his body seemed to have endured it. Even if Ruin trained them again, it wouldn¡¯t be as difficult as before. Iron suddenly felt proud of himself and puffed out his chest. The smell of earth and mountain air mixed and entered his nostrils. ¡°Ah, refreshing!¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± At the sudden voice, Iron whipped his head around. ¡®Who the hell is cursing?¡¯ At first, he thought Zion had said it, but Zion¡¯s mouth was closed. ¡°Refreshing, my ass. Are you here on vacation? Is training refreshing?¡± The voice came again. Iron looked around, but no one was speaking. Then he suddenly realized that Zion¡¯s gaze was directed upwards. ¡­A chilling feeling washed over him. Following Zion¡¯s gaze, their heads turned upwards¡­ Suddenly, Palge muttered in a daze, ¡°Huh? Smack¡ª Zion pped the back of Palge¡¯s head and said, ¡°Use honorifics.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± The figure floating in the air wobbled once and then slowly descended towards the ground. ¡°¡­Levitation? Could it be that the Commander has reached the 4th Circle?¡± Ruin,nding on the dirt floor, then wickedly curled his lips. ¡°You guys. Just that and you¡¯re refreshed? Refreshed? Let¡¯s see how amazing your training was that you said would surprise me. Race to the middle of Mount Khaoto. While chanting. Thest one gets an extra two hours of horseback riding. Run.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Uwaaaa!¡± ¡°Iyaaaaa!¡± The apprentices, as if possessed by ghosts, rushed forward. . . . . ¡®Bastard.¡¯ ¡®This¡­ demonic bastard.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s worse than before. Getting easier, my ass.¡¯ Under the bright moonlight. The apprentices returned to their quarters, limping and clutching their thighs. Everyone looked like death warmed over. The refreshing feeling of finishing training was nowhere to be found. And¡­ ¡°Ugh. Ugh¡­¡± Iron, who had stayed behind the longest to finish his two hours of horseback riding, was crawling like a squid, his legs trembling. ¡°Heave-ho. Heave-ho! How¡¯s it feel? Still refreshed?¡± ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Oh,e on. You¡¯re lying. It¡¯s refreshing, right? This is what being refreshed feels like, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iron desperately ignored the voiceing from beside him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you so refreshed that you can¡¯t even speak? I¡¯m going ahead. Come eat when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iron watched Ruin, who had finished all the training just like him but was now running ahead, humming a tune, and realized something. He had been wrong. Ruin was the only true madman. * * * I slept lightly again today. But maybe because I was lying on a soft bed for the first time in a while, I seemed to have slept a bit more than usual. I went out to the kitchen, tore off a chunk of hard rye bread, and was chewing on it when I sensed someone to my left. I waved happily. ¡°Good morning!¡± Iron, who had been crawling out like a crab, was startled and crawled back in. ¡®Strange guy.¡¯ I suddenly remembered yesterday. It wasn¡¯t bad watching the apprentices train after a long time. Everyone was diligently training even while I was away. Especially Zion destroying his mana core was an achievement even I hadn¡¯t anticipated. Butcency is forbidden. Didn¡¯t I fall off a cliff because I was careless whileing down the mountain yesterday? Using myself as a lesson, I trained the apprentices several times harder than usual. Now is the time they need a strong push. After finishing the rye bread, I brewed a cup of tea, casually perched on the railing, and sipped it. Looking outside, amidst the thick fog, someone was gazing endlessly at Mount Khaoto in the dawn light. ¡®Kazen.¡¯ Unconsciously, I followed his gaze and stared nkly at Mount Khaoto. As more time passed, the elders appeared one by one with serious expressions and disappeared into the main house with Kazen. ¡°¡­¡± While I continued to sit and appreciate the surrounding scenery, someone suddenly rushed out of the main house and started running towards me. ¡°Young Master.¡± The Head Steward, who had run up to me, bowed respectfully. ¡°The Head is looking for you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I had been waiting for this. The Head Steward walked carefully behind me, unlike before. Only after reaching the main house did he step forward and announce respectfully, ¡°Head, Young Master Ruin has arrived.¡± ¡°Let him in.¡± Creak¡ª As I entered, Kazen was sitting in the head seat, and the elders, including Norman Wonju, were upying the seats on both sides with grave expressions. All eyes in the room focused on me at once. ¡°¡­¡± The atmosphere felt somewhat suffocating, so I greeted them brightly first. ¡°Good morning?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¨C Resolution ¡°Ah, refreshing!¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Our esteemed elders didn¡¯t react at all. I tried to break the awkward silence by talking to myself. ¡°Am I the only one who feels refreshed? Haha.¡± I tried again, but I waspletely ignored. But it¡¯s okay. I know that the elderly can be too weak to respond. Yes, it can be difficult. I¡¯m such an understanding person. ¡°Stop feeling refreshed and sit down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I sat on the edge and looked around. All the elders were gathered. Head Elder Norman, Elder Isaac, and even a first-circle elder who looked like a master. Looking closely, they didn¡¯t seem to becking in energy. They all seemed to have a lot to say but were holding back. Especially some of them were giving me burning stares. There was a moment of silence¡­¡­. ¡°Now that Ruin is here¡­¡­Kehel!¡± ¡°Ruin.¡± Kazen and Head Elder Norman spoke at the same time. Head Elder Norman started coughing and drooling as if he was choking. The sudden memory of his foul saliva made me want tough, but I quickly covered my mouth and managed my expression. ¡°Ah, I apologize, Head Elder.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. You speak first, Head.¡± Kazen apologized to Head Elder Norman and looked at me. ¡°Are you feeling alright, Ruin?¡± It wasn¡¯t the question I expected, so I was momentarily speechless. Kazen¡¯s expression made me feel strange, so I quickly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you really okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t answer so carelessly.¡± Kazen scolded me in a stern voice. ¡°Where did you go as soon as you woke up? Look at yourself. Your eyes are as dark as a starved corpse. You may think you¡¯re fine, but internal injuries don¡¯t heal so easily. If you¡¯re not careful, there could be serious aftereffects, so heed my words.¡± His worried eyes felt a little burdensome. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Head Elder Norman exchanged nces with Kazen for a moment, and when Kazen nodded, he spoke. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Yes, Head Elder.¡± ¡°¡­¡­I can¡¯t help but ask. What method did you use to make your circle magic different?¡± With the Head Elder¡¯s question, the atmosphere in the Head¡¯s Hall changed. All eyes were on me. All the elders had the same question, and Head Elder Norman asked it on their behalf. And I had already anticipated this question. I had been thinking about how to exin it, but I had decided that being honest was the best option. ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s my honest answer. Circle magic is supposed to have that kind of power. It¡¯s the current generation of mages who are abnormal. My answer seemed to confuse Head Elder Norman, who widened his eyes and replied. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yes. I just did what I trained for.¡± ¡°How did you train?¡± ¡°Nothing special. I took a four-hour walk every morning and evening, and did a two-hour horse stance? In that state, I kept repeating the incantation. When I couldn¡¯t stand anymore, I sat down and practiced breathing. I kept rotating the circle, and when I felt my heart burning like I¡¯d done a lot of sit-ups, I¡¯d maintain that state for about an hour.¡± As I spoke, the elders¡¯ mouths dropped open. ¡°You trained in such a crazy way?¡± ¡°Huh, even for a brute, that¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Unbelievable.¡± The Head Elder closed his jaw and fell into thought, and the other elders also fell into their own thoughts. I watched them quietly. After all, they had spent their entire lives studying circle magic. No matter how roughly I spoke, they would surely understand something from it. Elder Isaac sighed and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­¡­You pushed your body to the limit and burned the circle to its limit to ept mana.¡± Head Elder Norman and the other elders also sighed. ¡°Huh¡­¡­. It¡¯spletely different from the basics. It¡¯s apletely different path from themon mana training methods.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a method that I could only think of because I hadn¡¯t learned magic.¡± Elder Isaac stared at me intently and then suddenly asked another question. ¡°Then what about the incantation?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Ifrit thing you were saying. Even the Crimson me seemed surprised. I¡¯ve never heard of that kind of incantation before either.¡± Once again, all eyes were on me. This time, Kazen was also looking at me. Suddenly, I felt bitter seeing those longing eyes. How nice would it be if the ones sending those passionate gazes were not old men but other people? I died in my past life without even having a single rtionship. Damn it. Anyway, this was a difficult question to exin, and no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯te up with the right words. In the end, I hesitated and replied as best as I could. ¡°I just blurted it out, Elder.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you think an incantation is?¡± At my question, Elder Isaac closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes. Instead, another elder next to him replied. ¡°It¡¯s the manifestation of the mind or will. It¡¯s the chanting of a standardized spell to embody the imagined image in the most stable form in reality.¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. But at that moment, I didn¡¯t have an incantation to express my image. The only thing that came to mind was Ifrit, so I just blurted out whatever I could think of.¡± Head Elder Norman, who had been listening quietly, opened his eyes wide and shouted. ¡°You¡¯re saying that¡¯s possible!¡± ¡®Is this guy crazy?¡¯ What is he talking about? Of course, it¡¯s impossible. If it were, everyone would be an archmage. Strictly speaking, what I manifested wasn¡¯t an incantation. The only incantation I¡¯ve memorized is Fireball. I simply forced the Ifrit¡¯s essence to awaken and put it into the Fireball. But there was no way to exin this, so I kept my mouth shut and remained silent. I just hoped that the elders would think more deeply about ¡®Ifrit¡¯¡­¡­. ¡°Huh. My mind can¡¯tprehend it.¡± ¡°Same here. It seems a genius has appeared in our Samael.¡± ¡°¡­¡­A blessing. This is a blessing.¡± Despite the admiration, everyone seemed somewhat disappointed. ¡®Huh?¡¯ No. This wasn¡¯t the reaction I wanted. ording to my Samael development n, I still had things to exploit from the elders, no, things to do through the elders. I needed to make the elders crave me even more. I quickly looked around at the elders and continued speaking. ¡°Elders, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m talented.¡± I simply resurrected like a dog. ¡°You can do it too, Elders.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Fighting.¡± Seeing the veins bulging on Head Elder Norman¡¯s forehead, I realized my mistake and quicklyunched into a passionate speech. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Head Elder. Please don¡¯t take it the wrong way and listen.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Think about it. It¡¯s embarrassing, but until recently, I was living a reckless life. Don¡¯t all the elders here know that? The disgrace of Samael, without a single ounce of mana, associating with trash, trash among trash. The worst of the worst. The most useless of the useless. Even a fool like me was able to do it. It¡¯s presumptuous of me, but if I could just help you a little, I¡¯m sure you could achieve even greater things.¡± Hearing my tearful self-loathing, the elders¡¯ eyes gradually began to burn with desire. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because they pitied me. ¡®Yes, this is it.¡¯ My intentions were working perfectly. I knew that no matter how old they got, the fiery passion of Samael wouldn¡¯t fade. As the elders rushed to ask questions, Kazen mmed his fist on the table a couple of times. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª ¡°Elders. I think it would be better to ask personal questionster. Haven¡¯t we heard Ruin¡¯s opinion on the agenda yet?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I guess I got a little carried away.¡± The elders, with embarrassed expressions, adjusted their posture and sat down again with a serious demeanor. ¡°Ruin.¡± Kazen made eye contact with me and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the real reason we called you today. We called you because we¡¯re curious about your opinion. Think carefully and answer.¡± I had a feeling something important was about toe up. ¡°Do you still think we don¡¯t need the help of the Red Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kazen¡¯s voice grew a little louder. ¡°Has your opinion not changed at all?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Kazen stood up and approached me, saying, ¡°Even if it means the family will be in great danger? Think carefully and answer, Ruin.¡± I answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°This is our matter. Help is only meaningful when it¡¯s between equals. The very thought of relying on the Red Magic Tower is making us weak. The more we rely on the Red Magic Tower, the more Samael will lose its power. It¡¯s right for us to ovee this, even if it¡¯s difficult.¡± Kazen, who had somehowe right in front of me, stared at me as if he were trying to pierce through my eyes. ¡°Even if it means the family will perish as a result?¡± I thought of Pelleer and met Kazen¡¯s gaze. ¡°That is the Samael way.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± There was a moment of silence. Rough breathing could be heard. Kazen slowly walked back to his seat and muttered, ¡°¡­¡­Alright. I heard you well. So that¡¯s what you think, Ruin.¡± Suddenly, a smile spread across Kazen¡¯s face. I suddenly felt a familiar scent from him. Kazen stood up and dered, ¡°From now on, Ruin, you will be responsible for the apprentices¡¯ training.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already informed the Red Magic Tower, so you should know.¡± Only then did I realize that Kazen and the elders had already made that decision and asked me. Suddenly, I remembered the annoying tiger eyebrows and asked, ¡°Then did Hector return to the tower?¡± Kazen shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Hector so shocked, so I don¡¯t know. But he wouldn¡¯t have returned to the tower. He would have told me if he did. He¡¯s probably somewhere in Mount Khaoto.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I casually changed the subject. ¡°By the way, about the Bayern¡¯s money. Is there any progress?¡± ¡°Forget it. That¡¯s not your concern.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You can leave now.¡± Seeing the expressions of the Head and the elders, who had just given me the order to leave, harden in an instant, I sighed inwardly. ¡°Ah, and Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The atmosphere in Khaoto is quite ominous these days, so refrain from going outside the family estate if possible.¡± Yeah, I¡¯d like that too. But it¡¯s not like I¡¯m not going to go out. * * * ¡°It seems he¡¯s finally breaking out of his shell.¡± The young elder, who had been silent until now, muttered in an admiring voice. ¡°¡­¡­Indeed. I didn¡¯t expect him to change like this.¡± Isaac nodded in agreement. There were certainly some unclear parts in Ruin¡¯s exnation, but that wasn¡¯t the important part. Enlightenment was often difficult to exin in words. But what was truly surprising was Ruin¡¯s attitude. He didn¡¯t hesitate to dere that he would protect Samael with his own hands. ¡®Huh, really¡­¡­.¡¯ It didn¡¯t feel like the mere bravado of a young child. ¡®Didn¡¯t you see it with your own eyes?¡¯ The sight of Ruin fighting to the end against the Crimson me, even while coughing up blood. Although the current Samael had lost its past glory. The Ruin they saw today was worthy of being called the true heir of Samael. ¡°I agree. Of course, Ruin still seems a bit out of it¡­¡­. Why are you making that face, Kazen? Ah, ahem. Of course, I¡¯m saying this out of concern.¡± Head Elder Norman thoughtlessly chimed in before hastily correcting himself. It was only after he noticed Kazen¡¯s expression that he realized his slip of the tongue. Only then did Kazen open his closed eyes and look around. ¡°Is there still no news from Leon¡¯s side?¡± Instantly, everyone¡¯s expressions hardened. Kazen¡¯s words brought the elders back to reality. ¡°¡­¡­There¡¯s not a single one yet.¡± ¡°What about the noble families?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t reach them.¡± The elders sighed, looking at each other. ¡°¡­¡­There are still families who haven¡¯t given us an answer yet, so we¡¯ll have to wait.¡± ¡°I hope there¡¯s good news.¡± ¡°Since we decided not to ask the Red Magic Tower for help, we have to find a way somehow. Even if something happens¡­¡­. We can¡¯t give up Khaoto.¡± A heavy silence followed for a while. * * * I sat on the railing, staring endlessly at the main gate like a stray dog waiting for food. It was about time for Rihan to return with news from the outside. I had nted the seeds of discord between Bayern and Dark Soul, so something must have happened by now. ¡®Hmm, but he¡¯s noting back.¡¯ Bored, I looked down at the training ground where the apprentices were in the middle of their training, and my feet instinctively moved. ¡°Gather!¡± The apprentices walked over, grumbling with sour expressions. In the bright sunlight, I noticed something awkward about their movements and immediately asked, ¡°Hey guys, did you do your running today? I don¡¯t think I heard themand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡­¡± Zion, on behalf of the shuffling apprentices, spoke with a pitiful expression. ¡°Commander, my legs aren¡¯t listening after yesterday¡¯s training.¡± ¡°Aha. Yesterday¡¯s training was hard, so you skipped it?¡± Makan raised his hand. ¡°I ran, Commander.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± p p p¡ª As I apuded Makan, the other apprentices cursed under their breath. ¡®That tactless bastard.¡¯ I red at the apprentices, and they all lined up in front of me with resigned expressions. Looks like they¡¯ve only gotten better at reading the room. ¡°Makan, step aside. Today, we¡¯re going to the middle of Mount Khaoto. Run.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Go!¡± ¡®F*ck.¡¯ ¡°Whoever said f*ck, step forward.¡± Gasp! Two of them flinched at the sound, and I made a mental note of them. This is why psychological warfare is important. The little bastards were testing me, and they got caught right away. I ran along with them, checking to see if anyone was cking off at the back of the line. It was refreshing to run with the apprentices while receiving the mountain¡¯s energy after a long time. I took the opportunity to look around at the scenery. The deeper I went, the stronger the smell of the mountain became, and the terrain became more rugged. Then, as I passed a steep cliff, I looked up at the top of the cliff without thinking. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± After running for a while longer, I reached the halfway point and passed the same cliff again in the opposite direction. ¡°Stop.¡± I stopped the group for a moment. ¡°¡­¡­Why, Commander?¡± ¡°We still have to go a little further down.¡± ¡°You guys go down first.¡± The apprentices were tired and ran forward without saying anything. As soon as the back of the line disappeared from sight, I looked up at the empty air. ¡°Come out.¡± The rubble on the cliff scattered, and with a pping sound, someonended behind me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ¨C The White Magic Tower ¡°I thought the bet was over.¡± I didn¡¯t need to turn around to know who it was. My body reacted instinctively to the presence behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t ept defeat this time either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But the moment I turned and saw his face, my eyes narrowed involuntarily. Hector lookedpletely different from usual. He had dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn¡¯t slept for days, and his entire face was flushed red. ¡®No way?¡¯ I knew what it meant. It was a precursor to the inner demons experienced by those madmen who hunted down demons in the expedition. ¡®What is this unlucky bastard¡­¡¯ As I carefully observed Hector¡¯s expression, I realized the full picture of the situation. Generally, as one¡¯s level of cultivation increases, so does their mental barrier. However, if the truth they believed in copses, it¡¯s natural to fall into inner turmoil. Perhaps the shock was greater for Hector because of the level he had reached. Lost in thought for a moment, Hector slowly approached. I instinctively took a step back and said, ¡°What? Does the esteemed Vice-Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower have other business with me?¡± Up close, I could see the bloodshot whites of his eyes. As an ominous feeling washed over me, Hector quietly opened his mouth. ¡°I will ask you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is your rtionship with the White Magic Tower?¡± ¡°What?¡± It was an unexpected question. For a moment, I wondered if Hector had figured out my personality and was trying to engage in meaningless chatter, but that wasn¡¯t the case. The White Magic Tower was a tower that existed in the past. It wasn¡¯t a ce I particrly liked, as it was filled with old-fashioned mages who preferred research overbat. The only thing of note was the White Magic Tower¡¯s library. But what does that have to do with me? ¡°Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± Before I could react, there was a sh of light. Hector vanished and reappeared in an instant, grabbing my shoulder with crushing force. Crack¡ª ¡°¡­What are you doing, Hector?¡± ¡°Then try denying this as well.¡± I tried to wriggle free as Hector opened his mouth, but¡­ His next words made my whole body freeze. ¡°Have you ever been to the Land of Death?¡± * * * The White Magic Tower. The pinnacle of all magic towers. Although it didn¡¯t train battle mages like other towers, its contribution to humanity through its schrs and their magical research was a level above the rest. The White Magic Library of the ancient White Magic Tower. The artifacts created by its schrs. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. It took Hector three days and nights without sleep after fighting Ruin to realize this. ¡®Samael isn¡¯t the only mage who uses incantations.¡¯ White Magic Tower schrs. They also use incantations. However, the reason I couldn¡¯t recall this earlier was that these schrs were more akin to academics than mages. They were extremely reclusive and had virtually nobat ability. It was obvious that even a high-ranking schr wouldn¡¯t be able to handle a single ordinary Red Magic soldier. But Hector knew. That apletely different oue would arise when these schrs gathered together. ¡ºMagic Barrier¡» Long ago, in the battle where he beheaded the Giant Emperor nicknamed ¡°Red me.¡± After ying the Emperor, hundreds of giant warriors pursued him. That immense wave, which seemed impossible to withstand¡­ He vividly remembered the sight of it instantly vanishing upon contact with the barrier. In the northernmost part of the continent, the ¡°Land of Death.¡± The magnificent barrier, [Ragnaros], created by numerous schrs over a long period of time. ¡®Yes, it was definitely a simr feeling to that time.¡¯ The moment Ruin used that strange incantation. Hector felt a sensation simr to when he faced [Ragnaros]. Although the mana fluctuations were iparable, the momentary pressure that squeezed his heart brought back memories of that time. After that day, he couldn¡¯t sleep at all. At first, he denied it, but his suspicions grew stronger. There was no way a mere youngster could unleash such power on their own. ¡®Did they receive a divine relic or something?¡¯ If Ruin was truly connected to the White Magic Tower¡­ Then it would exin why Ruin used an undisclosed spell. The White Magic Tower¡¯s library would contain aprehensive collection of ancient magic books. So he had to ask. He had to confirm. If Ruin had lied. No, if Samael had deceived him¡­ Then why? . . . Ruin¡¯s demeanor changed. ¡°You¡¯ve been to the Land of Death?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hector stared intently at Ruin, then flinched involuntarily. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, right now. Why are you bringing up the Land of Death? Do you know about the expedition?¡± Eyes. Ruin¡¯s eyes. He couldn¡¯t understand why, but it was difficult to continue meeting Ruin¡¯s gaze. Hector stopped what he was about to say and went straight to the point. ¡°The barrier of the White Magic Tower in the Land of Death. Ragnaros, which blocked the giants. Are you saying your magic is unrted to it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence lingered for a moment. ¡°Ha.¡± As he met Ruin¡¯s eyes again after the sigh, Hector felt something was amiss. ¡°Yes, I knew it. So you mentioned the Land of Death just to ask about that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thump¡ª Hector¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he let go of Ruin¡¯s shoulder. Not only that, but he even took a step back. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ He looked down at his arm, goosebumps rising on his skin. ¡®Did I, did I just get nervous again?¡¯ Hector raised his head to look at Ruin once more. Nothing had changed. He was just Ruin. But for some reason, his instincts kept sounding the rm. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ Then, at some point, Hector realized it was Ruin¡¯s inherent aura. Suddenly, the refreshing scent of the mountains filled his nostrils, and sunlight filtering through the lush trees caught his eye. ¡°Ha.¡± Hector finally took a deep breath. ¡®It was an inner demon.¡¯ It was a nonsensical story from the start. The White Magic Tower. The Land of Death. There was no way Ruin could know about those things. Even if he did, what difference would it make? A schr¡¯s artifact? A divine relic? Hector shook his head. ¡®It must have been my own denial.¡¯ He simply couldn¡¯tprehend it, so he wanted to deny the magic that Ruin manifested. ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t ask Ruin anything more. ¡°Looks like you¡¯vee to your senses.¡± ¡°Yes. I concede defeat¡­¡± ¡°No need to worry about it.¡± Ruin cut off Hector¡¯s words with an indifferent expression. ¡°It was a bet that couldn¡¯t be kept anyway. Just don¡¯t get in Samael¡¯s way. That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruin passed by him and went down. Hector had something to say but didn¡¯t stop Ruin. Instead, he raised his head and looked up at the sky. The sun shone on Hector as if it had been there all along. Hector¡¯s shadow gradually lengthened and then disappearedpletely. * * * I squatted on a tform overlooking the training grounds, watching the sunset. The sunset looked blood red today. I wasn¡¯t expecting anything in particr. When Hector mentioned the Land of Death, I didn¡¯t think he would bring up stories from my time. He didn¡¯t even know about thest expedition. The White Magic Tower¡¯s barrier? The giants? So what? I wasn¡¯t curious, nor did I want to know. Seeing Hector talking nonsense, it seemed he was indeed deeply trapped in his inner demons. ¨D Have you ever been to the Land of Death? But his question¡­ It only made me think of those times. As I gazed endlessly at the sunset, old memories grew stronger. There, the sky was always blood red whenever I looked up. Why did I forget? Why? There was no one to talk to since no one understood. ¡®What an unlucky bastard.¡¯ The more I saw him, the more I disliked him. It wasn¡¯t just because of what happened earlier. There was no Samael in Hector¡¯s heart. Only pity and sympathy, like looking at a beggar. The hypocritical act of giving to Samael like a handout, using his status as the Vice-Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower, was utterly disgusting. ¡®It would be better to cut ties.¡¯ Suddenly, I heard footsteps and looked to the left to see the crabs gathered in the training ground scuttling up to the dormitory. ¡°Is it dinner time already? The crabs must be hungry.¡± I wasn¡¯t particrly hungry, so I looked around and saw a man passing through the main gate. The man, who had been walking leisurely, made eye contact with me and suddenly started running towards me. ¡°Young Master!¡± It was Lihan. ¡°Yes. Did you find out anything?¡± ¡°Yes, of course. What should I tell you first?¡± I had asked Lihan to gather information about the situation outside. Whether Bayern and the Dark Soul guys had a fight. Which businesses were attacked. Who suffered more damage. I deliberately looked at Lihan, who was breathing heavily, and asked, ¡°Why are you sote? I asked you a while ago. Did you ck off?¡± Seeing Lihan waving his hands with a wronged expression, I held out my hand. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The remaining money.¡± Just in case, I had given Lihan 10 gold from the money I received from Whiskers, so there should be change. Lihan¡¯s eyes wavered, and he slowly took out three gold coins from his pouch. ¡°Lihan. Are you crazy?¡± As I red at him, Lihan pulled out two more gold coins with a tearful face. ¡°Wow, you have sticky fingers. Hurry up and take it all out.¡± Lihan turned his empty pouch inside out and showed it to me. I searched his pockets myself, but nothing came out, so I immediately smacked the back of his head. Smack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± There seems to be no normal person in Samael. I thought highly of him, but of all things, he has a spending problem. ¡°You spent 5 gold? 5 gold?¡± The average cost of a night at an inn was around 20 silver, so if he spent 5 gold, it meant he ate everything, yed everything, slept in a good ce, and splurged. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s why you werete. Our Lihan, you didn¡¯t even listen to what I asked and just focused on having fun.¡± ¡°¡­No, Young Master, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable. It¡¯s understandable.¡± I had never scolded Lihan like I did with the apprentices, so it was inevitable. He must have heard and seen things, but it didn¡¯t really hit home. It seemed he didn¡¯t even know I would ask for change. I should teach him. Yes, I should teach him. ¡°Lihan. Look over there.¡± I pointed to the crabsing out after eating. ¡°Do you want to walk like a crab too?¡± Lihan¡¯s face paled, and he suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud. ¡°I apologize, Young Master! The truth is, I was asking around and buying drinks for people, so it took longer. I don¡¯t have many close friends outside, so I was trying to make some connections. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± ¡°Be careful, Lihan. I¡¯ll only overlook this once. If words don¡¯t work, I have no choice but to turn you into a crab. Now, tell me what you found out.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Lihan began his exnation with a respectful expression. As I listened, I realized that Lihan hadn¡¯t just been ying around. He had a knack for gathering information. From tavern owners and innkeepers to even the trivial gossip of street thugs, he had gathered information from various sources and was able to objectively assess it. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ However, the more I listened to his exnation, the more puzzled I became. In summary, there was no all-out war between Bayern and Dark Soul. To be precise, nothing had happened except for one Dark Soul thug being killed by someone from Bayern. ¡®Only one guy died?¡¯ ¡°I eavesdropped on the Dark Soul thugs talking at a tavern, and there was nothing particrly strange or unusual. Well, it¡¯s not that weird for a thug or two to die.¡± I tilted my head, recalling the recent events. I dealt with the Dark Soul thugs at the [Red Sunset Tavern]. I pierced the arm of a Bayern brute with a spear at the [Night Dew Pub]. And to top it off, I knocked out a Bayern bloodline member at [Vani Sky]. Both groups believed they were being attacked by the other. Considering the nature of thugs, even if it wasn¡¯t an all-out war, there should have been at least a couple of major fights¡­ After pondering for a while, I couldn¡¯t find an answer, so I thought of one ce. ¡°Lihan.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit, so guard the house. Oh, and there are a few books stacked in my room, please distribute them to the apprentices.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If the head of the family or the elderse looking for me, make up a good excuse.¡± ¡°But where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to follow the scent of money.¡± Lihan tilted his head and replied, ¡°What are you talking about? If there¡¯s such a good ce, can¡¯t Ie with you?¡± ¡°I suddenly have a craving for crab.¡± Lihan jumped in surprise and disappeared somewhere. ¡ª¡ª- Chapter 31 Chapter 31: I Want To Buy Some Information (1) As usual, the moonlight filled the streets of Khaoto at night. I stood on the rooftop of a shabby building in the corner of the eastern district and quietly chanted a spell. With a whooshing sound, the feeling of the ground beneath my feet disappeared¡­ And my body began to slowly rise towards the moonlight, as if gravity were reversed. Another advantage of reaching the 4th Circle, The manifestation ofmon magic. Levitation, which could aid inbat through enchantments or haste, or contribute to creating familiars or magic circles by extracting mana. This was the reason why mages from the 4th Circle onwards were considered full-fledged. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that aspiring young mages from ancient times strived to reach the 4th Circle. Once they reached it, they were recognized as capable anywhere. Of course, I was one of those cute youngsters. Even with all my effort, I couldn¡¯t break through the 2nd Circle, making me the most hopeless of them all. Lost in reminiscence, I ascended higher into the sky. Being in a secluded corner of the city, no one noticed me. Soon, the entire eastern district of Khaoto came into view. Suddenly, lights shed, and the dark streets were instantly painted orange. It seemed the nightlife district was opening for business. The sounds ofughter and asional sword fights mingled together. I observed the fantastical street, filled with gangs, hostesses, thugs, merchants, the disabled, and the ordinary, from the perspective of a bystander. I had roughly identified the locations of Bayern¡¯s businesses. However, I couldn¡¯t find the Bayern family¡¯s main house, which seemed to be located further away from the streets. * * * I descended to the ground and headed west. The lights of the nightlife district gradually faded, and a ck building without any windows appeared. [Vani Sky] Creak¡ª As soon as I entered, the pitch-ck interior was enveloped in a yellow light. The pale young man I had seen before was dozing off, but upon noticing me, he smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been here.¡± His tone was friendly, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel it was insincere, whether it was my fault or his. Come to think of it, the world is full of things I don¡¯t know. ¡°What would you like tonight? I suppose the Dream of the Night would be good for you?¡± I just realized something. It¡¯s his fault. His mouth is smiling, but his eyes aren¡¯t. When I shook my head, the insincere guy¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Oh. You want to pick a rare star? You¡¯ll need a reservation fee to see the stars.¡± I met the insincere guy¡¯s gaze with a smirk and asked, ¡°Something else.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I want to talk to the ck mask I sawst time.¡± The insincere guy paused for a moment, then suddenly burst intoughter as if it were amusing. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. A ck mask?¡± I didn¡¯t answer and just stared at him. The moment I confirmed the insincere guy¡¯s lips curling up on both sides, I went straight to the point. ¡°I want to buy information.¡± As I spoke, I red intently at the insincere guy¡¯s face. But he didn¡¯t change his expression and asked, ¡°Young Master. Young Master Ruin.¡± His voice seemed slightly subdued. ¡°Why are you acting like this today?¡± ¡°How about you answer my question first?¡± ¡°Haha, of course. If you have any questions, just ask. Did you find a hallucinogenic herb you want? What information can I bring you?¡± The insincere guy kept smirking, so I smirked back. Laughter is contagious, after all. Anyway, it seemed like the insincere guy would just keep beating around the bush if I said anything more, so I made a decision. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll take the Dream of the Night.¡± ¡°An excellent choice.¡± I passed by the insincere guy, who bowed deeply in an exaggerated manner, and went up to the second floor. I felt a prickling sensation on the back of my neck. * * * As I went up to the second floor, the hazy smoke of hallucinogenic herbs and loud shouting washed over me. Today, as always, the ce was full of people staggering under the influence of drugs, copsing,ughing maniacally, and fighting amongst themselves. I took a seat in the middle of the circr hall and fell into thought. ¡®It seems I was right.¡¯ The insincere guy¡¯s reaction showed he was definitely hiding something. He had been smiling the entire time, but his lips twitched for a moment when I mentioned ¡°information.¡± The hallucinogenic herbs were a distraction. The underground auction was a distraction. The real moneymaker must be somewhere else. There was no way those who only ran an underground auction could see through ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡». What could they be secretly dealing with in this remote ce, with a strange building structure and even distractions? ¡°¡­¡± The most likely possibility was ¡°information.¡± Information could sometimes be more dangerous than any divine relic. Of course, this was just my spection. Given the insincere guy¡¯s nature, he wouldn¡¯t bat an eye and would continue lying even if I kept asking. In his eyes, I was just a naive kid who could only y tricks, so it was natural. Then, was there no way to confirm it? ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I slowly looked around, observing the drugged-out madmen. Thinking back, it was quite strange. Even though I was brutally beaten here before, no one tried to stop it. What was even stranger was when I dealt with the Bayern guys. No one intervened, whether I killed them or not. Why was that? If word got out that Block was beaten up here, Vani Sky would be in trouble too. There could only be one reason for this. They had something to rely on. The confidence that Bayern or Dark Soul wouldn¡¯t dare question what happened inside [Vani Sky]. I suddenly became curious. Would they really not care what happened here? ¡­Really? Whir¡ª I rotated one of the rings on my heart. Just then, a druggie who looked like an unbridled buffalo stopped in front of me. ¡°Hey, weakling.¡± As I briefly looked around, the buffalo spoke again. ¡°Who are you looking at, you bastard?¡± I pointed at myself and said, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you. You weakling. You look older than me, so get lost if you don¡¯t want to get beaten up.¡± I was momentarily stunned, feeling like I had just been pped twice in the back of the head. First of all, I was offended that I still looked weak. Moreover, this buffalo guy looked at least thirty, and he was saying I looked older than him? I turned to the woman next to me and asked, ¡°How old do I look?¡± ¡°Why are you asking, honey? You still look young. Very young. Hoho.¡± Damn it. I was quite annoyed because the woman, who looked at least ten years older than me, was touching my thigh andughing. Meanwhile, the buffalo hade right up to my face. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three seconds. Move.¡± The buffalo, with his eyes narrowed, grinned and looked at the woman sitting next to me. He stuck out his thick tongue and licked his lips, truly living up to his name. I raised one corner of my mouth and said to the buffalo, ¡°I don¡¯t want to, buffalo.¡± The buffalo, as if he had misheard, started poking his ears. ¡°What? Say that again.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll move.¡± ¡°I must have heard wrong.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll move, so go eat some hay.¡± The buffalo, who had been fiddling with his ears, rolled his eyes and shouted, ¡°This crazy bastard wants to die!¡± I grabbed the buffalo¡¯s hand as he lunged at me and twisted it. ¡°Krrrk!¡± Then, as I grabbed the buffalo¡¯s head to teach him a lesson¡­ what¡¯s this? Slippery¡ª The buffalo¡¯s hair was greasy with oil. I can¡¯t stand it when others are dirty, so my temper red up twice as much. I immediately shot a fireball at his head. Fwoosh¡ª Perhaps because of all the oil, the buffalo¡¯s head instantly burst into mes like a firework. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± Bam¡ª Boom¡ª Surprisingly, the druggies gathered around stood up and started dancing and cheering for me. It seemed they saw the buffalo¡¯s burning head as if someone had lit a champagne bottle on fire and was shaking it. ¡°Wooooo!¡± Caught up in the cheers, I grabbed the burning buffalo by the scruff of his neck and spun him around like champagne beforeing to my senses. ¡°I got carried away by the excitement.¡± I extended my senses again and looked around, but I still couldn¡¯t sense anything strange. Did it really not matter what happened here? ¡­Let¡¯s see how long thatsts. I had no intention of holding back. This wasn¡¯t a fight between me and the buffalo. This was a full-fledged battle of pride between me and the insincere guy. The first round was a draw, so the second round was definitely my turn to win. I intentionally started trembling as if I couldn¡¯t control my anger. Then, I shouted at the top of my lungs, so loud that the second floor echoed. ¡°How dare a mere buffalo insult me!¡± I opened all the circles in my heart. Whir¡ª All four rings rotated, resonating with the surrounding mana as if sucking in the air. In that state, I closed my eyes and visualized the ground around me being overturned. ¡°A fissure that splits the earth, Earth Break¡± Crackle¡ª A crack appeared on the round table where our hands met, splitting it in two¡­ Then, hairline cracks spread across the surrounding marble floor, and soon a massive fissure began to form across more than half of the second floor. [4th Circle Earth Attribute Magic, Earth Break.] Although the range of the magic was rtively small, its destructive power within a confined space was considerable. Especially when manifested in an enclosed space like this. ¡°Woohoo! Cough. Ugh!¡± The druggies swayed their hips to the shaking, unable to tell if it was the building or their own bodies that were trembling. Only when the flying marble shards pierced their butts did they scream. * * * As time passed, the cracks in the floor deepened. In that chaotic space, I exuded my presence with my whole being. At that moment, I spotted a mustachioed man who looked calm among the druggies. He definitely wasn¡¯t there before. His face was unfamiliar, but his attire seemed familiar. It was the same clothes worn by the guys in white masks, and he was looking at me with a rxed gaze as if he was out for a stroll. ¡®What?¡¯ I wondered why he was so rxed despite looking unremarkable, and then I realized the reason. Something shed in the mustachioed man¡¯s hand, and a sharp needle flew towards me like a ray of light. Whoosh¡ª I immediately cast Wind Barrier in front of me, and a faint crack appeared. At the same time, the tip of the needle poked through the center of the barrier with a thud. ¡®Poison?¡¯ Seeing the sticky smoke rising, it was clear that the needle was coated with poison. I carefully removed the needle and faced the man. ¡°Easy there. I¡¯m afraid of needles.¡± There was no answer. Only another sh of light and another poisoned needle flying towards me. ¡°I said I¡¯m afraid of needles.¡± As I used Wind Step to retreat, the druggie behind me was hit by the needle instead. He stood there, convulsing, then stiffened. ¡®A paralyzing poison.¡¯ ¡°Quite effective. But are you mute?¡± The mustachioed man remained silent. Instead, he kicked off the shaking marble and plunged into the crowd of druggies. He moved surprisingly fast. The mustachioed man quickly disappeared among the druggies. All I could see around me were druggies. But who am I? The Mad Magician never lost a target once they were caught. I closed my eyes, extended my senses, and ducked as soon as I felt a controlled movement. Then, chanting the spell for Fire Arm, I soared upwards. ¡°Cough.¡± The mes engulfing my arm singed the man¡¯s mustache. I grabbed his neck as his pupils wavered. ¡°¡­Ugh. How, how did you?¡± I immediately jabbed the poisoned needle I had pulled out earlier into his neck and said, ¡°Because I could smell your foul stench among the shaking druggies.¡± The mustachioed man convulsed and then stiffened. I dragged him towards a specific location. I had already figured out where he had appeared from. A wall blocking all sides. Crack¡ª As soon as I mmed my body against the solid wall, the space rippled, and a new passage appeared. It was the same structure as the passage I had stumbled upon while wandering around before. ¡®It seems to be an illusion-type.¡¯ Judging by the absence of mana fluctuations, it was probably a space distorted in advance by an artifact during the building¡¯s construction. After following the stairs inside the passage for a while, I suddenly came across a single iron door in a narrow, enclosed space. Creak¡ª As soon as I pushed the iron door, a yellow light enveloped my eyes. Sitting at a table, the insincere guy stared at me with an expressionless face. I kicked the (former) mustachioed man I had dragged along and said, ¡°I want to buy some information.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 32 Chapter 32: I Want To Buy Some Information (2) A heavy atmosphere settled in the confined space. The insincere guy, who had been staring at me for a moment, quietly opened his mouth. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± I ignored the insincere guy¡¯s words and first assessed the situation. The insincere guy and the ck mask were sitting in the center of the table, and behind them, people wearing white masks were lined up. There was a single loaf of bread on the table, which didn¡¯t seem to fit, and a small mirror hung on the wall. After roughly grasping the situation, I looked at the ck mask and spoke again. ¡°It¡¯s hard to see your face. I want to buy some information.¡± The ck mask finally looked at me. ¡°What¡¯s your intention?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the buffalo bastard?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m confused. I just disciplined a buffalo-like guy who picked a fight with me. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d make such a fuss over this. Aren¡¯t the rules here different?¡± I shrugged and asked back. Since they hadn¡¯t intervened in any fights that happened here before, they couldn¡¯t me me now. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know there was a ce like this here. It doesn¡¯t seem like a ce to enjoy the Dream of the Night. And it doesn¡¯t seem like a ce to pick stars either. Is this perhaps a ce where you have important conversations with people like me?¡± The ck mask started staring at me intently. We met each other¡¯s gaze and checked each other¡¯s energy. I couldn¡¯t tell for sure because only the eye part of the mask was open, but he was definitely above third-rate. The ck mask chuckled and opened his mouth. ¡°Interesting. You want to buy information?¡± ¡°Yes. It would be nice if you could give me a good price.¡± ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± I replied nonchntly. ¡°The underground auction, no matter how important, wouldn¡¯t be this secretive. Plus, if I put together the actions you¡¯ve shown me, the answer is clear. And most importantly¡­¡± ¡°¡­Most importantly?¡± ¡°Garibong told me.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°My subordinate. He died 300 years ago, but still.¡± At that moment, the ck mask briefly exchanged nces with the insincere guy. The insincere guy spoke in a t voice. ¡°Ruin Samael. Heir of the Samael family. Addicted to hallucinogenic herbs. Addicted to Zolpidem. Used to hang out with Bayern¡¯s Blok, but recently they¡¯ve grown apart. Depression, insomnia, and nervous breakdown. Personality disorder¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! How dare a subordinate interrupt when the boss is talking.¡± I scolded the insincere guy, and the ck mask tilted his head. ¡°The personality part seems right, but this is strange.¡± The ck mask stared at me intently and said, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m Ruin Samael.¡± ¡°At this point, we need confirmation.¡± The ck mask gestured, and three guys in white masks rushed at me, showering me with needles. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡± I wrapped myself in Wind Barrier, grabbed a chair, and countered their attacks. ng¡ª While the needle was embedded in the Wind Barrier, I mmed a chair onto one of their heads. At the same time, I gathered a fireball in my other hand and hurled it at another masked figure. With a whoosh, the white mask was engulfed in mes. At that moment, thest remaining one reached right in front of me. I deflected his attack with Wind Push and grabbed a loaf of bread from a nearby shelf, smacking him in the head. As I prepared to continue my attack¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± The impact felt heavy, and I looked to see the guy I hit with the bread knocked out. ¡®What?¡¯ It was absurd that he passed out from just a bread hit, so I looked down and saw that the bread was unscathed. It was a rock-hard loaf. Unfazed, I approached the white mask who was still on fire and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. I shoved his face, which was making strange groaning noises, into the shelf. Crash¡ª ¡®Water Shower.¡¯ Water sprayed from the air, extinguishing the mes on the mask. But I still had a tight grip on his neck, turning my head to re at the ck mask with murderous intent. ¡°Think carefully. I¡¯m Ruin Samael. I don¡¯t know who you are, nor do I want to know. If you have eyes, look closely. I could have killed the one who attacked me, but I mercifully only knocked him out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But there won¡¯t be a second act of mercy. I don¡¯t know you, and you don¡¯t know my abilities. That¡¯s why the leader¡¯s judgment is important, you idiot. Your subordinate almost died because of your gesture. Try it again. I¡¯ll blow this whole ce up and scorch your mask and the insincere guy¡¯s with fire. Why? Can¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°He truly is a madman.¡± ¡°Good thinking.¡± As the ck mask stood up, radiating killing intent, the insincere guy suddenly shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± The ck mask¡¯s killing intent instantly subsided. Then, with a single gesture from the insincere guy, the white masks disappeared, carrying their unconsciousrades. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ I was genuinely surprised this time because it turned out that the insincere guy wasn¡¯t the ck mask¡¯s subordinate, but the other way around. I naturally assumed the ck mask was the leader because he looked stronger, but this was unexpected. I had been engaged in a pointless power struggle. But showing any sign of surprise would put me at a disadvantage in this psychological battle. Instead, I exaggeratedly nodded and smiled brightly. ¡°So the leader is finally stepping up.¡± The insincere guy chuckled and nodded. ¡°Good. It seems you genuinely have no ill intentions.¡± ¡°Are you finally willing to sell me information?¡± The insincere guy shook his head with a smile. ¡°I apologize, but that would be difficult.¡± ¡°Why? I have plenty of money.¡± Of course, that was a lie. I was just trying to get ahead of the insincere guy in case he got suspicious. I could always haggle if I didn¡¯t have enough money after hearing the information. ¡°Information isn¡¯t always just about money.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­¡± The corners of the insincere guy¡¯s mouth lifted a bit more. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for me to make a deal with you, Ruin.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do business with just anyone. That¡¯s how it is in this line of work. Sometimes, it can backfire. And Ruin, let me give you a piece of advice: sometimes it¡¯s better to pretend you don¡¯t know even when you do. I gave you so many hints¡­¡± Ha, this insincere bastard is really pissing me off. ¡°But since things have turned out this way, let¡¯s make an exception just for today. I admit I misjudged you, Ruin.¡± Look at this maniption. Back and forth, hot and cold. I was about to ask if he was ying with me day and night, but before the insincere guy could change his mind again, I quickly nodded. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I happen to be curious about something, so how about we exchange one piece of information each?¡± I carefully examined the insincere guy to figure out his intentions, but I couldn¡¯t read anything. His expression was unchanging, as if he had a poker face. I chose my words carefully and then spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll ask first.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I want detailed information about the powers in Khaoto. Troops, funds, businesses, everything.¡± The insincere guy pondered for a moment, then smiled and replied. ¡°Alright. That shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Haha. It seems Young Master has been involved in the recent changes in Khaoto¡¯s power dynamics.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± This guy is definitely tricky. He suspected my involvement just from me asking for information. ¡°Haha. It was just a passing remark. I¡¯ll have the information delivered to you in a document.¡± The insincere guy nodded, and the ck mask bowed and went somewhere. * * * A momentter, the ck mask returned with two books and ced them on the table. They were documents containing information about Bayern and Dark Soul, and upon examination, they were quite detailed. After browsing through them, I closed the books, and the insincere guy asked, ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn now.¡± The insincere guy went straight to the point. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the artifact you possess?¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as I heard the question, I realized the insincere guy¡¯s intentions. The question was a trap. ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult.¡± The insincere guy said without any hint of disappointment. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask something else. The magic you use, Ruin, where does it originate from?¡± ¡°The value of the information seems a bit different.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I could have just given you information on either Bayern or Dark Soul. Since I gave you information on both, I feel you¡¯ve sufficiently paid for my question.¡± At this point, I started to get curious about their true identities. I smiled and answered honestly. ¡°Samael.¡± The insincere guy stared at me and said, ¡°¡­You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± ¡°Yes. Is that the answer you wanted?¡± The insincere guy slowly nodded. ¡°Alright. I may have taken a bit of a loss, but shall we wrap things up?¡± ¡°Wrap up? You want to end this?¡± ¡°Haha. Why are you acting like this? Would you like to have another Dream of the Night?¡± I met the insincere guy¡¯s gaze and slowly shook my head. I had no intention of ending things here. ¡°It seems like I¡¯m the one taking a loss here.¡± I stood up and slowly started walking. I had been feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu from the left side of the room. The corners of the insincere guy¡¯s mouth gradually rose. ¡°Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you to do this.¡± As the insincere guy pped, the ck mask jumped up from his seat. I pointed at the ck mask with my middle finger and said, ¡°Sit down. How dare a subordinate interrupt when the boss is talking? Hey, insincere guy. Why did you ask about the name of the artifact? Was it because of the disguise as the old man from Dark Soul? It could have been magic.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I continued speaking, following the flow of my thoughts. ¡°You were curious whether it was magic or an artifact. You already knew that illusion is a 5-star spell. So why did you ask in such a roundabout way? Why? Were you curious about my level of ability? Were you contemting whether to kill me or not?¡± ¡°Haha. You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± I stopped walking and looked to the left. The mirror on the wall felt familiar. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I thought I looked pretty good, so why did that buffalo bastard say such things? At that moment, with a thud, the ck mask jumped up from his seat and lunged at me. But I wasn¡¯t surprised because I was watching through the mirror. ¡®Grease.¡¯ The floor beneath my feet became slippery, but the ck mask quickly twisted his body and regained his bnce. He definitely moved like someone beyond third-rate. But by then, my incantation wasplete. ¡°a de that slices through the wind, Wind Cutter.¡± I held the invisible de, visible only to the kind-hearted, and danced with it. The ck mask also wielded his ck sword and countered my attack. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± At the insincere guy¡¯smand, the ck mask retreated with a rather surprised look, and I turned back to the insincere guy. Even at this moment, his expression remained unchanged. ¡°Calm down, Ruin. You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± ¡°Are you saying you didn¡¯t intend to silence me now?¡± ¡°Of course not. You seemed too agitated, so I was just trying to calm you down.¡± ¡°Then why did you deceive me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I pointed at the mirror and looked at the insincere guy. ¡°Are you going to pretend you don¡¯t know even after seeing this?¡± That was when it happened. I could feel the insincere guy¡¯s expression stiffen for the first time. ¡°Don¡¯t you like how it looks?¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to keep pretending, huh? Then I¡¯ll have to show you.¡± As I clenched my fist as if to shatter the mirror, the insincere guy¡¯s tone finally changed noticeably. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand. How did you know?¡± ¡°Finally revealing your true colors, you insincere bastard.¡± ¡°It would be wise to stop there.¡± Looking at the insincere guy who spoke firmly, I punched the mirror hanging on the left. Swish¡ª As if I had thrust my hand into apletely different space, my fist, and then my wrist, sank into the mirror. ¡°And if I don¡¯t stop?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die.¡± The insincere guy shook his head and looked at me. ck threads poured out of the mirror, staining my fist and wrist ck. ¡°Cool.¡± I smiled at the insincere guy and drew in the Mana from the Yin Dimension. Three circles instantly rotated in reverse¡­ And the ck energy that had stained my wrist up to my arm started to get sucked back into the mirror. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± Hearing the insincere guy¡¯s panicked voice for the first time, I detonated the dark lightning. Crackle¡ª! It was the moment the insincere guy¡¯s maskpletely shattered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 33 Chapter 33: Divine Relic, Luminous I had a feeling something was off. Even as I argued with the insincere guy, there was a question that wouldn¡¯t leave my mind. ¡®How did they know I was disguised as an old man from Dark Soul?¡¯ ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡»isn¡¯t an artifact you can easily identify just by looking at it. Of course, mages or knights of a certain level might sense something amiss, but these guys weren¡¯t at that level. The ck mask wasn¡¯t skilled enough, and the insincere guy didn¡¯t show any signs of having practiced mana maniption. ¡®¡­¡¯ But there was no room for frustration. I wasn¡¯t the kind of crazy mage to rely on superstitions, so I focused more intently and scanned my surroundings. Then, at one moment¡­ The side of my head tingled, and when I looked to the left, I felt a sense of unease. It wasn¡¯t a mana fluctuation, so it was hard to notice, but it felt like a ¡®gaze,¡¯ as if someone was watching me. The closer I got to the mirror, the stronger my suspicion grew. It was creepy. I hate being deceived. But I hate being secretly watched even more. If some bastard was hiding and watching me, I was going to rip their head off. I looked at the insincere guy¡¯s face, and it was stiff. Fwoosh¡ª As I reached into the mirror, anticipating what kind of bastard¡¯s face would appear, I encountered an unexpected situation. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The energy emanating from the other side of the mirror was reacting with the mana of the Yin dimension. And I knew the identity of this energy. ¡®There was still one left?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t human. The Shadow n. It was definitely the energy of the Shadow n, whom I thought had been wiped out by the demons during the expedition. ¡®¡­ There must have been one who didn¡¯t participate in the expedition.¡¯ Surprise is fleeting. The source of the Shadow n¡¯s power is difficult for ordinary knights or mages to deal with. This is because they take the form of intangible shadows. They can¡¯t be caught, they can¡¯t be touched. But they chose the wrong opponent. If this guy had participated in the expedition, they wouldn¡¯t be pulling this kind of idiotic stunt in front of me. ¡°Impressive.¡± I admired the shadow creeping up my arm, consuming my wrist. Then, I immediately reversed the rotation of the circle, drawing in the mana of the Yin dimension. Dark Lightning. As I detonated the Dark Lightning with the hand I had inserted into the mirror, the space beyond it began to crumple with intense pressure. Faaaaaaaaaaaang¡ª! ¡°What are you doing!¡± The insincere guy¡¯sposure waspletely shattered. They expected me to die, but when they saw this unprecedented phenomenon, they started trembling. I red at the insincere guy and said, ¡°I told you, you insincere guy bastard. There¡¯s no second chance. If you were going to deceive me, you should have done it properly. To think you were sneakily targeting me like this¡­ Let¡¯s finish this today.¡± The mirror gradually turned ck, and a sound as if it were about to tear filled the air. The insincere guy said urgently, ¡°Please stop, Ruin. I had no intention of killing you. Let¡¯s end it here.¡± At that moment, the ck mask, who had been watching, drew their ck sword and charged. I kept my hand in the mirror and twisted my waist to dodge. Then, with my other hand, I picked up a nearby stone and faced the ck mask. ¡°Stop, Marco!¡± The insincere guy intervened to stop the ck mask and dered surrender. ¡°Ruin, I admit we deceived you. Please, if you continue, the Young Master will be in danger too. I¡¯m not bluffing. Just listen to me first and then decide.¡± I briefly checked my own condition. The Dark Lightning was still shrinking the subspace beyond the mirror, but the space was too vast. It was difficult to maintain the Dark Lightning until I dragged out the Shadow n member. However, I was irritated with the insincere guy, so I pushed in more mana, determined to see this through to the end. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± The insincere guy made eye contact with me and waved their hands frantically. Pretending to be generous, I withdrew my hand¡­ Only then did they rush over and examine the mirror on the wall for a while before sighing. ¡°¡­ Thank you.¡± I red at the insincere guy and said, ¡°What¡¯s your identity?¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a long silence, staring at the mirror, the insincere guy gestured for the ck mask to leave before speaking. ¡°Ruin, are you perhaps a superhuman?¡± I looked at the insincere guy with an expression that said, ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about?¡± They sighed again. * * * Thest descendant of the Shadow n. Yeong Xiao was watching the unfamiliar intruder through ¡ºLuminous¡». After a long period of boredom, something interesting was finally happening. It was the first time Yeong Xiao had seen the contractor disy such a flustered emotion. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ This human was quite deep. Wasn¡¯t the contractor gradually getting caught up with the intruder? In the end, Yeong Xiao decided to observe the intruder directly with ¡ºLuminous¡», which could see through the truth of the opponent. However. As time passed, Yeong Xiao also grew curious about the intruder. ¡®¡­ Strange.¡¯ Even with ¡ºLuminous¡», they couldn¡¯t grasp the intruder¡¯s intentions. ¡®Could their mental barrier be that strong?¡¯ It was iprehensible. The truth revealed by the Divine Relic was something even their fellow n members, who had cultivated their skills for a long time, couldn¡¯t withstand. How could a human, whose lifespan doesn¡¯t even reach 100 years, do it? ¡®¡­ I need to observe a little longer.¡¯ Yeong Xiao focused their gaze on the intruder a little closer through ¡ºLuminous¡». They felt the need to observe them in more detail. The intruder gradually approached the Divine Relic¡­ ¡®What a peculiar-looking human.¡¯ As they looked closely at the intruder¡¯s face¡­ ¡®¡­ What?¡¯ Yeong Xiao felt an illusion as if they had made eye contact with the intruder. The intruder¡¯s expression subtly distorted. It was as if the intruder was looking at them through ¡ºLuminous¡», just as they were looking at the intruder. ¡®That can¡¯t be. I must be imagining things.¡¯ Yeong Xiao immediately shook off the strange sense of unease. The n¡¯s Divine Relic, ¡ºLuminous¡». Humans existing in the outside world couldn¡¯t perceive the Shadow n sealed within ¡ºLuminous¡». That was a truth that had remained unchanged for ages. Unless Yeong Xiao willed it, no being could sense their presence. However. As they watched the intruder slowly bring their face closer to the mirror, Yeong Xiao¡¯s anxiety gradually grew. The intruder¡¯s eyes were fixed directly on them. ¡®¡­ Can they see me?¡¯ At that moment. sh¡ª The intruder thrust their arm into the mirror. Surprisingly, the intruder¡¯s arm appeared in the subspace where Yeong Xiao resided and began to il around wildly. ¡®H-how?¡¯ The surprise was momentary. They didn¡¯t know how it was possible, but¡­ This was their domain. ¡®You have no chance, human.¡¯ Once inside ¡ºLuminous¡», no one could escape without their permission. Yeong Xiao immediately tried to use the n¡¯s secret technique to restrain the intruder. ¡®¡­?¡¯ However, the following phenomenon shocked Yeong Xiao. The entire space was warping. The terrifying energy emanating from the intruder¡¯s fingertips was destroying and constricting the entire space where they existed. ¡®Could this be¡­?¡¯ Mana that could exert physical force in a space where thews of physics didn¡¯t apply. ¡®¡­ Unbelievable. Is this a human who has reached the level of a superhuman?¡¯ As the entire space contracted, Yeong Xiao felt an unspeakable fear. If this continued, they might even be annihted. Even if they used theirst remaining secret technique, they weren¡¯t confident they could handle the intruder. At this moment. Yeong Xiao¡¯s pride as thest descendant of the Shadow n. The goal of fulfilling the Shadow n¡¯s wishes. None of it mattered. [Contractor, this person is not someone you can handle.] They could only hope that the contractor would make the best decision before it was toote. * * * ¡°Superhuman¡­ That¡¯s an interesting thing to say.¡± The insincere guy responded with a bitterugh. ¡°Of course. That wouldn¡¯t be the case. I¡¯m Kant, in charge of the Leon branch of the Calpheon Information Guild.¡± ¡°Calpheon Information Guild?¡± The insincere guy, who introduced himself as Kant,ughed bitterly. ¡°You really don¡¯t know, do you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a secret organization. Any mercenary with a decent reputation knows about us. They just don¡¯t know where we are. If you knew about us, Ruin, you wouldn¡¯t have approached us like this. That¡¯s why we were wary.¡± I asked the insincere guy, ¡°You said you¡¯re in charge of the Leon branch, so why are you stuck in Khaoto?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a diversion. I have my contacts in Leon.¡± This means they made it hard to find them. The structure is that someone contacts them through a liaison, and then they verify the identity before meeting. ¡°I see. So you¡¯re not particrly interested in Khaoto.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve be interested in you, Ruin. Just how long have you been hiding¡­?¡± I looked at Kant and got to the point. ¡°Exin first. You weren¡¯t trying to backstab me?¡± Kant nodded and replied, ¡°You misunderstand. Even if you were an apprentice mage, Ruin, I had no intention of backstabbing you. I was purely curious about the artifact you possess. I already knew it wasn¡¯t an illusion magic.¡± Kant said, touching the mirror. If there had been a mana fluctuation, the Shadow n would have noticed, so it wasn¡¯t a lie. I pointed to the mirror and said, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kant shook his head resolutely. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a problem. I don¡¯t trust you. How do I know if what you¡¯re saying is true or not? I need to know.¡± I stood up and red at Kant again. I took a stance as if I would attack with mana at any moment, but Kant remained firm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He was a gutsy one. Since he looked like he wouldn¡¯t open his mouth even if I beat him to death, I spoke first. ¡°Is it a Divine Relic of a heteromorphic race?¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Kant¡¯s jaw dropped involuntarily. He had never experienced such emotional fluctuations in his entire life. He just stood there with his jaw hanging open like a nutcracker doll that wouldn¡¯t close. ¡°¡­¡± It was only after a long time that he spoke again. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­ I want to make a deal.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I want to invest in you, Ruin, not as the Information Guild, but personally.¡± I pondered the meaning of Kant¡¯s words. ¡°Exin it so I can understand.¡± ¡°Calpheon is a cell organization. They wouldn¡¯t bat an eye even if a branch manager like me died.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll provide you with any information you want, Ruin. In return, please help me.¡± I paused for a moment and then said, ¡°You want a mutually beneficial rtionship. But wouldn¡¯t it be better to hire mercenaries for that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s risky. The moment I reveal my affiliation to them, I don¡¯t know when they might betray me.¡± ¡°You seem to be overestimating my abilities.¡± Kant shook his head and pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯m not trusting you, Ruin. I¡¯m trusting my instincts. Of course, I¡¯m not asking for anything grand. Just a mutually beneficial rtionship. That¡¯s enough. Of course, you can always refuse if you¡¯re not interested.¡± ¡°How can I trust your words?¡± Kant pushed the mirror forward. ¡°Among the elves, there are Gray Elves called the Shadow n. They¡¯re believed to be extinct now, so you probably haven¡¯t heard of them. This mirror is the Gray Elves¡¯ Divine Relic, Luminous. It has the ability to discern truth and create illusionary realms.¡± I stared at Kant for a moment. I didn¡¯t expect him to tell the truth. He had a backbone that was too good for a mere underling of an organization. There were still many unclear points, but this was enough for now. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Fine. I won¡¯t ask how you got it.¡± Kant met my eyes. ¡°Tell me what you want, Ruin. Of course, you don¡¯t have to tell me now, you cane backter and¡­¡± I cut Kant off and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now. I want to know about Urgon.¡± ¡°¡­ I need some time.¡± I stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting it. Let¡¯s see how capable you are.¡± Kant grinned from his seated position. ¡°Understood.¡± * * * The dawn wind blew chilly. After leaving [Vani Sky], I walked west again. There were some things that didn¡¯t sit right with me, but I decided to keep an eye on Kant for the time being. He wasn¡¯t interested in Khaoto and didn¡¯t seem like he would be an obstacle to Samael. Kant probably intended to use me, but there was no harm in me using him as well. In a way, we were both dreaming different dreams in the same ce. Since we were in the same ce, I could always take him down if he did anything strange. As I walked in the wind, I saw a sign in the distance. [Red Sunset Tavern] ording to the documents Kant gave me, there was a reason why an all-out war hadn¡¯t broken out. Bayern had stabbed Dark Soul several times, but Dark Soul hadn¡¯t responded. It seemed they had held back due tock of power. They were spineless rats without any pride. However, Bayern couldn¡¯t just recklessly attack Dark Soul either. Bayern didn¡¯t have many members from their main family and relied on hired mercenaries to run their business. The monthly cost of paying them was considerable. If a full-scale war broke out, they would surely face financial difficulties, so it seemed they had settled for a temporary truce. Then the answer was clear. Which one should I poke to reignite the mes? If my prediction was correct, the rats of Dark Soul would be filled with resentment. That¡¯s how third-rate gangsters are. If someone keeps provoking them and their superiors tell them not to respond, wouldn¡¯t resentment build up? If I provoke them further, they¡¯ll bite Bayern, right? I had no other choice. Because today, I was going to beat up some rats. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 34 Chapter 34: The Flood! While I was contemting in a back alley about what disguise to wear today, I heard the sound of a small stream of water. Drip¡ª drip drip¡ª I looked over and saw a drunkard staggering around, marking his territory. I nced down for a moment and clicked my tongue involuntarily. ¡°Tsk, good luck with that.¡± ¡°What?¡± I turned my head abruptly and made eye contact with the drunkard, who surprisingly turned out to be someone I knew. ¡°Damn it¡­ What are you looking at, punk? You wanna die?¡± I stared at the dirty drunkard approaching me while marking his territory, unsure of what to do for a moment. Then, I noticed the rock I was holding in my hand. Smack¡ª ¡°This punk¡­ Ugh!¡± I hit the drunkard on the temple with the rock, and he copsed onto the ground where he had been marking his territory. I¡¯ve lost count of how many times this rock has helped me. ¡®This is a useful rock.¡¯ I put the valuable rock in my pocket and looked down at the unconscious man. I think his name was Garlic or Greed, but I can¡¯t remember which one. Anyway, he¡¯s one of the guys who got beaten up by me along with the old soldier from Dark Soul. I examined the drunkard¡¯s face and muttered while touching the ¡ºMagnus¡¯ Illusion¡». ¡°I have be the drunkard¡¯s twin brother.¡± Instantly reborn as the drunkard¡¯s hidden-strength twin brother, I headed straight for the main street and entered the [Red Sunset Tavern]. Creak¡ª ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here.¡± A gruff-looking employee acknowledged me. I briefly considered acting drunk but decided to speak as I pleased. ¡°Hey, punk. Bring me some alcohol.¡± The employee scratched his head and replied, ¡°Pardon? Hahaha.¡± I sat down at a random table on the first floor, red at the surroundings, and shouted, ¡°¡­You punks. Hey, employee! Bring me alcohol!¡± Most people were startled and avoided eye contact. Meanwhile, a few guys smirked and looked at me; they were clearly from Dark Soul. ¡°That guy¡¯s drunk.¡± ¡°What an idiot. Haha.¡± As I was about to approach them, the employee hurriedly came over and whispered, ¡°You should go upstairs. You havepanions, don¡¯t you?¡± I continued to act drunk and squinted my eyes. ¡°What, punk?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly. I¡¯ll escort you.¡± The employee put my arm around his shoulder and supported me, and I pretended to be helpless and followed him. When we reached the fourth floor, I saw the same setup as before, with rooms separated by partitions on either side of the central hallway. Seeing the employee sweating profusely but diligently supporting me, I thought he had a strong work ethic. The employee stopped in front of thergest room and bowed to me. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Hey, punk, this won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I held out my hand to the employee. He looked embarrassed as he took out 1 gold from his pocket and politely ced it on my hand. ¡°I apologize.¡± I take back what I said about the employee having a strong work ethic. The way he was picking my pocket while pretending to support me shows he¡¯s done this before. It¡¯s a world where you can¡¯t trust anyone. ¡°Get lost.¡± The employee disappeared in a sh. * * * Creeeak¡ª I opened the door to the room and saw four people sitting around a table in the center. The old soldier from Dark Soul was sitting at the head of the table. I think his name was Bravo Khan. He had bandages wrapped around his head, clearly due to the aftereffects of being hit by my water cannon. He¡¯s still drinking even though he¡¯s out of his mind. This old man is something else. Two unfamiliar thugs were sitting on either side of Bravo Khan, and at the end of the table was a thug with a bandaged leg. I knew this guy. He¡¯s either Greed or Garlic. If I¡¯m Garlic, then he¡¯s Greed, and if he¡¯s Garlic, then I¡¯m Greed. I pondered the 50/50 chance and sat across from ¡®Greed or Garlic.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯rete for someone who said they were going to the bathroom.¡± Bravo Khan clicked his tongue in disapproval as soon as I sat down. I had nothing to say in response, and it didn¡¯t seem like Bravo Khan expected an answer anyway. ¡°Let¡¯s continue our conversation. You said there was a ce where we could get money.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The one-eyed thug finished his drink and spoke. ¡°It seems Lentil¡¯s workshop is doing well this month. We could probably get another payment from him.¡± It was nothing special. The conversation continued with trivial matters, and Bravo Khan only shared drinks with the thugs on either side of him. He didn¡¯t even nce in my direction. ¡®Is the old man sulking?¡¯ I¡¯m sure Bravo Khan used to favor Garlic and Greed, but now he¡¯s not even looking at them. I can guess why. It¡¯s probably because all three of them got beaten up by me. He¡¯s a petty old man. Meanwhile, Bravo Khan asked for the first time, ¡°¡­What do you think, Greed?¡± Oh, damn. I was lost in thought for a moment and didn¡¯t hear what he said. ¡®Was he talking to me or to him?¡¯ Bravo Khan¡¯s gaze was fixed exactly between me and ¡®Garlic or Greed.¡¯ As I was pondering, the thug across from me spoke up. ¡°Yes, yes. I agree.¡± So, he¡¯s Greed. Then I¡¯m Garlic. Bravo Khan threw his ss at Greed. Smack¡ª ¡°You idiot! Agree with what? Think for yourself, Greed!¡± This time, Bravo Khan¡¯s gaze slowly turned towards me. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I still don¡¯t know what the question was. So, I need to take the initiative before the old man asks again. I pointed at Bravo Khan¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°Sir, by the way, is your head okay?¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± The moment Bravo Khan picked up his ss to throw it at me, I lunged forward and headbutted the ss. Smack¡ª Unlike Greed, my head was perfectly fine. This is why you need to use your head. Greed checked my forehead, widened his eyes in amazement, and gave me a thumbs-up. I shrugged and looked at Bravo Khan. ¡°I apologize, sir. I was worried because you were badly injuredst time. I¡¯m fine with my own injuries, but I can¡¯t stand to see you hurt. If I could, I would tear the Bayern bastards apart right now¡­¡± Bravo Khan shook his head, downed a ss of alcohol, and then spoke, ¡°You fool. Didn¡¯t I exin it in a way you could understand? I¡¯m also annoyed that they¡¯re being so unreasonable, but the situation has been resolved. Leave them alone and stay put.¡± This time, the ponytail guy across from the one-eyed man spoke up. ¡°¡­Is there still no support from the headquarters?¡± Bravo Khan shook his head with an irritated expression. ¡°No answer yet. They¡¯re just talking about increasing the tribute. I don¡¯t understand it at all.¡± Bravo Khan emptied his ss. ¡°This alcohol tastes terrible.¡± Greed spoke up courageously, ¡°If we attack them first¡­¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Bravo Khan threw another empty ss at Greed. This time, Greed also red at the ss and headbutted it, but¡­ Smack¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± Greed¡¯s forehead was deeply cut, and blood flowed profusely. I gave him a thumbs-up as he looked at me with resentment. There was nothing I could say. Bravo Khan emptied two sses in a row, then mmed his chopsticks on the table while looking for a side dish. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to eat here. Garlic.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go get some more food and drinks.¡± I left the room with a polite expression. * * * I went outside, but I had no intention of getting any food or drinks. I¡¯m not an employee. However, I felt sorry for hitting the old man before, so I decided to pretend to go along with his request. After all, what goes aroundes around. I walked around and picked up a random tray, then ced a piece of bread from my pocket on it. That should be enough. About a minute after I left the room, Creeeak¡ª ¡°You¡¯re already back¡­ Who are you? Did you enter the wrong room?¡± ¡°I brought the food and drinks.¡± ¡°That was fast. But who are you? Where¡¯s Garlic?¡± Being a master of disguise, I had transformed into Bayern¡¯s snake-eye in just a minute. I presented the tray to Bravo Khan, who was too drunk to think straight, and his gaze shifted to the tray. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the food and drinks.¡± ¡°¡­You call that food and drinks?¡± I threw the rock from the table at Greed. Greed, who was dazed after being hit by the ss twice, unconsciously took a bite of the bread. Crack¡ª ¡°Damn it! Where did you get this rock-hard bread!¡± I took the rock back and climbed onto the table, asking Bravo Khan, ¡°Would you like a taste of this rock?¡± Only then did the three thugs stand up and look at me at the same time. ¡°You crazy bastard. You look familiar. Who are you?¡± I shook my head and replied, ¡°So you don¡¯t like rocks. If you don¡¯t like rocks, I have something else.¡± Meanwhile, Greed instinctively asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A fist.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I pped Greed¡¯s cheek with the rock. Crack¡ª With the sound of his jaw dislocating, Greed¡¯s face twisted to the left, and he copsed. ¡°Who are you!¡± As One-Eye and Ponytail rushed at me with spears, I said, ¡°Act like gentlemen.¡± ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± I didn¡¯t respond to their vulgar insults. I suddenly wanted to act like a gentleman, so I just thought to myself, ¡®Chilling Thorns.¡¯ Now that I¡¯ve reached the 4th circle, I can manifest 2nd circle magic with just my mind. Ice thorns sprouted on my fists¡­ I dodged One-Eye and Ponytail¡¯s spears and focused my attacks on their upper bodies. They were a bit faster than Garlic and Greed, but in the end, third-rate thugs are all the same. It¡¯s like the difference between a dog and a cat. ¡®Water Drop.¡¯ I blinded One-Eye with a water bomb, then snatched his spear and stabbed Ponytail¡¯s foot. ¡°Argh!¡± Seeing Ponytail hopping around, I suddenly thought of a good training method. Enlightenment oftenes from unexpected battles like this. Wouldn¡¯t the trainees be stronger if I made them hop around like that? It seemed like a great way to strengthen their lower bodies. Smack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± I finished things off by hitting One-Eye¡¯s face with the rock-hard bread after his vision returned. Bravo Khan stared at me nkly with unfocused eyes. ¡°¡­You, you.¡± I cheered for Bravo Khan. ¡°Our Dark Soul¡¯s soldier. Dark Soul¡¯s elder. Dark Soul¡¯s cheerleader. Dark Soul¡¯s peace ambassador. You¡¯re old, but you can do it. Come on, remember who I am.¡± I deliberately maintained eye contact with Bravo Khan. At some point, his eyes regained focus, and his face contorted like never before. ¡°Master Snake! Have you lost your mind? Why are you doing this!¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± As soon as I heard those words, I inwardly rejoiced and activated my mana circle. ¡®Water Sphere.¡¯ ¡°You little¡­!¡± Bravo Khan sensed danger and hurriedly gestured, but it was toote. Ssh¡ª Boom! Bravo Khan¡¯s face was struck by the water cannon, and he fell backward, unconscious. Without a moment to breathe, I heard multiple footsteps approaching from outside and chanted, ¡®Exploding water pressure, Water Bomb.¡¯ Water jets erupted from my body in all directions. Bang¡ª! The door burst open, and One-Eye, Ponytail, and Greed were thrown outside, along with the others who were running in. Whoosh¡ª All the windows on the fourth floor shattered, and debris poured out along with the water. Screams erupted from the chaos. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°It¡¯s copsing! Get out of the way! Get out now!¡± I quickly jumped out of the broken window andnded outside the building¡­ The tavern door burst open, and the people inside poured out. ¡°Run!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mess inside! Get out!¡± Everyone was screaming, unsure of what was happening. I joined the crowd, screaming along with them. ¡°Flood! It¡¯s a flood!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 35 Chapter 35: Back Alley of Khaoto ¡°Buy bowls, bowls! We also have flowers!¡± ¡°Peddler! I told you not toe this way! Why do you keep loitering in front of our store?¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize!¡± I opened my eyes to the faint noisesing from outside. As soon as I felt the sunlight streaming through the window, I involuntarily jumped up and then sat back down on the bedding. ¡°¡­I must have dozed off.¡± I don¡¯t know how long I slept. An hour? Two hours? I feel a bit dazed, like I got hit on the forehead. Last night, after secretly escaping in the crowd, I checked into a nearby inn and rested. I couldn¡¯t sleep for a long time and stayed up all night, but I guess I lost consciousness without realizing it. This is why it¡¯s important to get a good night¡¯s sleep. Feeling thirsty, I gulped down the water from the bottle on the bedding. ¡°Ah.¡± I sat on the window sill, bathed in sunlight, and looked outside. The backstreets of western Khaoto came into view. There were hardly any tall buildings. Even from the second-story window of the inn, my view was unobstructed. The gates of the houses were wide open, and the locals were bustling about from early morning. Peddlers in gray tunics were moving around among them. The smell of livestock wafted through the slightly open window. A run-down street. It reminded me of the back alleys I used to wander in my past life. ¡®Nothing much has changed.¡¯ Considering the chaos I caused yesterday, nothing much seemed different. Of course, it didn¡¯t feel particrly strange either. Most of the people in western Khaoto are locals. It was natural for them to continue with their livelihoods. They must be suppressing their fear and living in this run-down environment where fights break out at the drop of a hat. Pretending that everything is normal. Because yesterday¡¯s death doesn¡¯t mean you can escape today¡¯s life. I know this well because I¡¯ve lived that kind of life. ¡°¡­¡± After sitting on the window sill for a while, I went outside and walked around the streets before returning to the inn. Around sunset, I went down to the first floor and had tomato stew, which the owner rmended. It tasted awful, so I only took one bite. Afterward, I continued to watch the peopleing and going on the street. Men carrying spears were moving somewhere one by one. * * * Late in the afternoon the next day, I left the inn room. As I was going down the stairs, the owner, who spotted me, winked and asked, ¡°Tomato stew?¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± I went straight outside and walked around the streets, looking for a ce to eat. I was hungry and wanted to eat something. I saw a shabby tavern and went inside. It was a small space of about 33 square meters, packed with three tables. A young employee approached me and asked, ¡°Are you alone? We only have a corner seat left, is that okay?¡± That¡¯s even better. As soon as I sat down, the employee asked, ¡°What can I get for you?¡± ¡°Whateveres out the fastest.¡± ¡°Would chicken stew be alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As the employee left, I listened to the conversations around me. Unfortunately, there was nothing I was hoping to hear. Most of it was just ordinary, everyday chatter. ¡°Enjoy your meal.¡± The steaming stew the employee brought made my mouth water. But as soon as I took a bite, I felt something was wrong and started poking around the stew with my spoon. ¡®Is chicken not supposed to be in this?¡¯ I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s too much trouble, so I¡¯ll just eat it. As I was eating the chickenless chicken stew, I suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­Did you hear? About Dark Soul.¡± ¡°What about Dark Soul? Don¡¯t tell me they¡¯re asking for more tribute?¡± I nced sideways and saw two men in shabby tunics whispering. Their voices lowered when they mentioned ¡®Dark Soul,¡¯ so I perked up my ears as well. ¡°It¡¯s not that. They raided Night Shade Pub in the east end at dawn. I met Aru earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Oh dear. Is Aru alright? There was amotion at Red Sunset the other day, so I thought something was going to happen. But Night Shade? They must be serious. But then again, this isn¡¯t anything new, is it?¡± The man who first spoke shook his head. ¡°I thought so too. But it wasn¡¯t just a simple brawl. Aru said more than ten people died on both sides.¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± ¡°Shh! ¡­Who are you?¡± I must have gotten too close while eavesdropping. I came to my senses and realized I was practically sitting with them. The men looked at me with suspicion. ¡°Who are you? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± I had nothing to say, so I asked what I was curious about. ¡°Actually, this is my first time here, and something¡¯s strange. I ordered chicken stew, but there¡¯s no chicken. Is that normal?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I must have said the wrong thing. The man who first spoke frowned and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying there¡¯s no chicken. Is it normal for there to be no chicken?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Take a look.¡± I offered my chicken stew to prove my point, but the men backed away, pulling their chairs back. ¡°Stop acting strange. Are you a foreigner?¡± The man narrowed his eyes and scanned me like a snake. If he were a thug, I would have hit him right away, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to hit an ordinary person, so I tried to converse. ¡°Stop staring. I¡¯m a local.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I¡¯ve lived in Khaoto for decades, and I¡¯ve never seen anyone like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bit special.¡± ¡°Your way of speaking is a bit strange too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than speaking informally. Should I speak informally then?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been living in the mountains, so please understand.¡± ¡°What mountain?¡± ¡°Are there any other mountains here?¡± The man who had been listening quietly thought for a moment, then opened his eyes wide and said, ¡°¡­Mount Khaoto? Are you talking about the Samael family?¡± The other man¡¯s eyes widened as well. ¡°You¡¯re Samael? What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ruin Samael.¡± I figured there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems revealing my name here. However, I wasn¡¯t sure how the men would react. A brief silence followed, so I stayed quiet as well. I thought it would be fine as long as I cleared their suspicions. ¡°¡­¡± But contrary to my expectations¡­ The silence continued for a long time. I thought it was just the three of us being quiet, but at some point, an eerie stillness settled over the entire tavern. I was puzzled, and then¡­ ¡°Wahahaha!¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯re Ruin? Really?¡± With the men¡¯s heartyughter, the people inside the tavern gathered around me. Their wariness disappeared in an instant, which was unexpected. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. Haha. I saw you when you were young. You still have some of that childhood face.¡± ¡°You were a little brat even then. I¡¯m sure of it now.¡± ¡°I heard rumors that you were a wreck, but I guess they were exaggerated. Come on, let¡¯s have a ss of mead (honey wine).¡± The people quickly made space, gathered tables, and formed a circle around me. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡°Let me introduce myself. Sorry for the misunderstanding, Ruin. I¡¯m Torun, and this is Harku.¡± The man who was wary of me changed his attitude 180 degrees as if struck by lightning and started introducing the people around me. I wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, but it didn¡¯t seem like a bad situation, so I stayed quiet. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± An old man wearing a sanitation cap came out of the kitchen in a hurry and said, ¡°Here, I¡¯ll provide the mead today.¡± ¡°Are you serious, sir?¡± ¡°Of course! But¡­¡± The old man swallowed as if about to say something important, and everyone¡¯s attention focused on him. ¡°Let me join in! We can¡¯t miss out on this rare guest.¡± ¡°Wahahaha!¡± ¡°Hahaha. Of course, sir. You should definitely join us.¡± ¡°Here, Ruin, have a drink first. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you since you became an adult¡­ Wait a minute.¡± The old man took off his sanitation cap, scratched his head, and looked at my face closely. ¡°This is strange. I clearly remember¡­ Hmm. Were you over eighteen?¡± Torun replied, looking puzzled, ¡°How can that face not be an adult? He looks at least twenty-five. You¡¯re something else, sir. Right, Ruin?¡± I was momentarily speechless. I don¡¯t know why everyone keeps picking on my face, from the water buffalo guy to everyone else. It wasn¡¯t a big deal since I was reborn, but it still irritated me when ugly people criticized my looks. Sensing my annoyance, Torun quickly changed the subject. ¡°By the way, how is Lord Kazen doing?¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good man. I received a lot of help from him in the past. Those were the good old days.¡± As the mead was passed around, people started chiming in with Torun¡¯s words. The old man shook his head andughed. ¡°It was more than that. When I was young, Samael¡¯s influence in Khaoto was considerable. Khaoto was a much better ce to live back then.¡± ¡°Of course. Of course. You must be right. You¡¯re exaggerating, sir.¡± ¡°It was more than that! You young people these days know nothing.¡± I inwardly shook my head at the old man¡¯s words. ¡®It was more than just that, he says.¡¯ By now, I understood why these people were being nice to me. But I didn¡¯t want to listen to their reminiscing about a stranger, so I asked directly, ¡°By the way, what do you mean by Dark Soul raiding the chicken stew?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Ruin? Are you drunk?¡± ¡°No, I misspoke. I meant Dark Soul raiding the Night Shade Pub.¡± Khaoto¡¯s west end is mostly popted by locals, but the east end is dominated by Bayern¡¯s businesses. Night Shade Pub was one of Bayern¡¯s key establishments. Torun¡¯s expression hardened instantly. ¡°Yes. They say ten people died on both sides. There have been cases of one or two people getting hurt, but never anything like this.¡± The atmosphere in the tavern grew heavy. The old man looked around and said, ¡°Everyone be careful for a while. Bayern won¡¯t stay still. It would be a shame to get caught in the crossfire.¡± One of the men tried to calm himself and asked, ¡°Since Red Sunset Tavern was attacked first, wouldn¡¯t they settle things here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s unpredictable. They usually stick to their territories. I wonder what happened between them. From my long experience, it¡¯s best toy low and stay out of sight in times like this.¡± ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± It was clear that Dark Soul had started something. Well, after being beaten twice, they couldn¡¯t just stay still, even if they were outmatched. They had reignited the conflict. The reason for handling things this way was simple. If they simply attacked Bayern directly, they would give Urgon a reason to intervene. I wouldn¡¯t care if it were just me, but Samael still needs time. ¡°Here, Ruin. It should be fine until today, so don¡¯t worry too much and have a drink.¡± The old man¡¯s words reached me as I was lost in thought¡­ And immediately, I turned my head sharply and looked outside. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ There was no one there. But I definitely felt someone¡¯s gaze. An eerie gaze I¡¯ve felt somewhere before. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ruin? You seem tense. Why are you looking outside like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I kept looking around but couldn¡¯t find anything strange. ¡®Was it my imagination?¡¯ Yes, many third-rate people think, ¡®Was it my imagination?¡¯ in situations like this. But not me. I¡¯ve never seen anyone who thought ¡®Was it my imagination?¡¯ actually be mistaken. Let¡¯s see who it is. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 36 Chapter 36: Crazy Mage vs. Airheaded Alchemist (1) I burst out of the tavern and quickly scanned the alleyway to the left and right. Not a single soul in sight. I immediately dashed to the left and turned the corner, only to find another empty alley. I swiftly turned back and headed right, where I encountered three people walking towards me from the opposite direction. Two men and one woman. I red at them one by one, and they quickly moved aside, startled. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s wrong?!¡± ¡°Go ahead, please.¡± I scrutinized them for a while, but they didn¡¯t seem suspicious. They were just locals. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I scratched the back of my head. ¡­Was I really mistaken? I turned around and started walking back towards the alley I came from. ¡°Thud. Thud. Thud. My footsteps.¡± As I vocalized my footsteps, I heard someone muttering ¡°crazy guy¡± behind me, along with a piercing gaze. At this point, I was certain. I wasn¡¯t mistaken. This wasn¡¯t the same feeling. The gaze that had been fixed on the back of my head at the tavern definitely felt familiar. It was sticky and unpleasant, a feeling I had experienced somewhere before. I pretended to return to the tavern and swiftly slipped into a gap between the buildings. I was convinced that the culprit would return. Woof woof¡ª As soon as I crouched down in the gap, a dog emerged from behind and ran into the alley. It was a yellow dog, a stray wandering the streets. ¡°Damn. That scared me.¡± I remained crouched, channeling the spirit of a dog waiting for its owner, and looked up at the sky. The moonlight bathed the darkening evening streets. I focused my mind and listened to the surrounding sounds. Momentster, I heard voices and footsteps approaching. Step. Step. Step. Two heavy footsteps and one light footstep. The young people I had seen in the alley earlier. Just as I was about to feel disappointed¡­. I caught another faint sound. ¡®Three people, but four footsteps.¡¯ My instincts told me it was him. I held my breath and waited for the footsteps toe closer. When they were right in front of me, I jumped out. ¡°Peekaboo. Who are you?!¡± ¡°Gaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Waah!¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± The three young people copsed as if they were about to faint, and the dog barked behind them. It was the dog¡¯s footsteps. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to believe that a dog was the culprit, so I looked up at the sky, but suddenly I felt a sticky gaze on the back of my head. As I looked towards the end of the alley, a figure shed past and disappeared with a whooshing sound. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ It was him. This time, I wouldn¡¯t let him escape. I immediately kicked off the ground and dashed to the end of the alley. As I turned around, I saw the back of the fleeing figure. He was wearing a cloak-like garment over his head, making it impossible to identify him. ¡°Hey! You there, take off the cloak on your head.¡± As I closed in, the guy swerved left and vanished. ¡°Stop before I rip off your hair along with it. You¡¯re not bald, are you?¡± ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ I taunted him with words while chasing him with my feet. I almost caught up using my brilliant two-pronged strategy of shy footwork and verbal abuse, but then he swerved right and disappeared again. He was as quick as a rat. Alley after alley. And then more alleys. It wasn¡¯t easy to chase him because the alleys were soplex and it was getting dark. Only the moonlight faintly illuminated the spaces between the alleys. Meanwhile, the locals were walking around, and I kept losing sight of him. Tadadadat¡ª But a chase alwayses to an end. The guy ran into a narrow alley with no exit. ¡°Let¡¯s see your face.¡± I quickly closed the distance, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and as I was about to exit the alley¡­ Suddenly, the whole world shed orange, and a crowd surged in, pushing me. I lost my grip on the rat. ¡°Get out of the way! Move!¡± ¡°Damn it. I¡¯m nevering back here. I almost died drinking.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Stupid Bayern bastards. They should hide what needs to be hidden. They said it was safe, but they¡¯re the first to die.¡± Pigs in fancy clothes were moving somewhere in a hurry. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± When I came to my senses, the rat was gone. I looked around and found myself on the main street of the eastern part of Khaoto. * * * Main street at the eastern end of Khaoto. The lights from the rednterns of the entertainment district swallowed the moonlight, brightly illuminating the street. I stood there for a moment, gathering my thoughts¡­ Then I started walking sideways, carefully scanning every inch of the street from the general store at the end. The view of the eastern street was wide open, so if the rat had kept running, I would have seen him. He must be hiding somewhere nearby. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t think of anyone in the western district who would recognize me. I looked inside the general store, passed a couple of closed shops¡­ Then a workshop, a closed herbal medicine shop, an inn¡­ ¡°¡­ ¡­ ?¡± I stopped and turned around, staring at a particr spot. Something that had been on the tip of my tongue finally came to mind. * * * I knocked on the door of the herbal medicine shop. Knock knock¡ª ¡°Is anyone in there?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to break it down.¡± The door burst open, and a bald man came out. He was in his underwear and rubbing his eyes, so he must have just fallen asleep. ¡°¡­Master Ruin? What brings you here?¡± Sigh. I was truly impressed by his impable acting skills. Wanting to see more of his performance, I decided to y along. ¡°Long time no see. Did you close up shop early today?¡± ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s been a while since that day.¡± ¡°Is your back feeling better?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± As soon as I saw the bald man¡¯s dumbfounded expression, I changed my approach. ¡°Our quack doctor has gotten quite brazen. We were just ying a fun game of hide-and-seek, weren¡¯t we? If the seeker gets caught, you have to admit it.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I pushed past the bald man and entered. The pungent scent of herbs, reagents, and potions filled my nostrils. I perched myself on the table in the center and pointed at the bald man. ¡°I see. That¡¯s why my threats didn¡¯t work. You¡¯re bald.¡± ¡°Master, please stop this nonsense.¡± I locked eyes with the bald man and said, ¡°Denial won¡¯t help you. The answer is clear, so just admit it. Of course, you¡¯ll have to exin. Did you have unfinished business with me? Why did you run? You were pretty quick.¡± As I continued my rapid-fire questioning, I suddenly realized something strange. ¡°¡­Wait a minute. How could you be so fast?¡± I distinctly remembered this quack healer getting hit by my Wind Blow and fracturing his back. ¡°Master.¡± As I turned my head, I saw the herbs ced on the edge of the wall. Sage leaves, Lapras stems, purified water, a red potion so clear it was almost transparent¡­ ¡­Look at this guy? I turned back to the quack and smiled. ¡°Now I see. Our quack doctor wasn¡¯t a quack after all.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°That red potion is top-notch.¡± The quack was speechless, unable toprehend how I urately identified the potion¡¯s ingredients and quality. ¡°I can tolerate a quack acting like a quack, but I can¡¯t tolerate someone who isn¡¯t a quack pretending to be one.¡± I conjured a Wind Sphere in my hand and aimed it at the quack¡¯s head. I aimed it at the three strands of hair he had left. I nned to blow away hisst shred of pride first. The Wind Sphere left my hand and flew towards the bald man¡­ Swoosh¡ª ¡®He dodged it?¡¯ The bald man simply tilted his head to avoid the Wind Sphere, and it harmlessly struck the closet behind him, leaving a dent. ¡°Haha.¡± The quack¡¯s sudden change in tone and expression sent chills down my spine. ¡°Yourugh is creepy, fake quack. And why did your tone change like that?¡± ¡°How amusing. You¡¯ve changed so much in just a few months?¡± ¡°Answer my questions first. What¡¯s your true identity? And stopughing. It¡¯s giving me the creeps.¡± ¡°Such a disrespectful brat. How can I notugh?¡± ¡°I see.¡± He seemed pleased to have protected his three remaining hairs, and I had to give him credit for that. ¡°Fake quack. If you want to keep your pride intact, answer me first.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you again. Stopughing.¡± ¡°You were the one whoughed first.¡± He had a point, so I nodded. Laughter is contagious. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that I found the fake quack¡¯s face repulsive. I figured I needed to break his pride first before he¡¯d be willing to have a proper conversation. I immediately opened all my circles and drew in the surrounding mana. ¡°Wind that crushes space, Wind Press.¡± [4th Circle Wind Attribute Magic, Wind Press.] A spell optimized for ttening people like pancakes. Wheeeing¡ª The wind above my head surged andpressed. Thepressed wind, the size of a face, shot down vertically towards the bald man¡¯s crown with a whooshing sound. This time, I was determined to blow away hisst shred of pride. Saaaa¡ª ¡°What the¡­?¡± My expectations were once again thwarted. The powerful wind pressure vanished without a trace just before it reached the bald man. ¡®¡­Did he block it?¡¯ No. He didn¡¯t block it. There was no fluctuation of mana. It was as if the magic had never been cast in the first ce, the aftereffects disappearing without a trace. ¡®How did he do that?¡¯ I finally took a closer look at the bald man. His dullplexion, the age spots on his face. In contrast, the three strands of white hair he had left. At first, I didn¡¯t think much of it, but now an ominous aura seemed to emanate from them. ¡°Fake quack. What are you? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re the one I don¡¯t understand. What have you done to your body?¡± Question met question. I wasn¡¯t the only one surprised. The bald man was also staring at me with a bewildered expression. Thinking I might just destroy the building if things went south, I said, ¡°Did someone hire you? Who ordered you to do this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. Who would dare give me orders?¡± ¡°Then what are you? You creepy bald guy. Why did you pretend to be a clueless quack? Why did you deliberately dy my treatment? Why did you follow me? It was a very unpleasant, dog-like stare.¡± The bald manughed as if I had said something ridiculous. ¡°You have no manners. It was pure curiosity.¡± ¡°And you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a form of entertainment. Let your guard down.¡± ¡°Now I see you¡¯re an airheaded bald guy. Would you let your guard down if you were me?¡± ¡°Haha. You crazy fool. You¡¯re missing something. If I had intended to harm you, it would have been over long ago. Why would I bother going through all this trouble?¡± I nodded involuntarily. I already knew that, which is why I wasn¡¯t attacking and was trying to figure out his intentions. I didn¡¯t understand. If he had bad intentions, he could have finished me off the day I came back from facing the Corpse Eye, or even before I was reincarnated into this body. ¡°What are you?¡± Sensing the mana fluctuations swirling around me, the bald man said, ¡°If I leave you alone, you¡¯ll cause chaos. Follow me. Let¡¯s talk.¡± He seemed like a crazy bald man, so my guard was lowered a bit. I followed him without much thought, and we came to an attic. He moved the rug on the floor, revealing a tightly locked iron door. Creak¡ª He lifted the iron door, revealing a staircase leading underground. It was pitch ck inside. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 37 Chapter 37: Crazy Mage vs. Airheaded Alchemist (2) After descending the stairs in darkness for a while, I came upon arge secret room. Despite beingpletely sealed, the air was fresh and invigorating. There were no windows or venttion, yet the temperature remained cool and dust-free. Along the edges, illuminated by a white light, were various herbs and potions, many of which were clearly rare. The bald man brewed a cup of tea in the corner and then sat down on a chair in the center of the room. ¡°I am Altein.¡± I sat down opposite him and replied, ¡°Alright, Baldy Al. What did you want with me?¡± Altein sighed and said, ¡°¡­You¡¯ve lost your mind. Are you aware that your body is of a special constitution?¡± This time, I remained silent. I wanted to hear what he had to say before making a judgement. Altein took a sip of tea and continued, ¡°It¡¯s quite unique. Intriguing enough to pique my curiosity. Of course, it¡¯s not just because you suffered from Severed Meridians.¡± ¡°Who told you I suffered from Severed Meridians?¡± Altein scoffed. ¡°Told me? I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me. It¡¯s obvious at a nce. When blocked meridians are opened, their size changes.¡± I stared at Altein for a moment, trying to gauge his intentions. Even if the size of the meridians changed, it would be a subtle difference, difficult to distinguish. He figured it out just by looking once? ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe.¡± ¡°Hmph, I haven¡¯t been settled here for long. I first saw you not too long ago, so who could have told me? You¡¯re such an arrogant brat. If it were like the old days¡­ Never mind. Whether you believe me or not isn¡¯t important.¡± His fluctuating mental state made him seem more rtable. This shady bald guy was either one of two things: a truly skilled individual who thought nothing of such a feat, or just in crazy. ¡°Oveing Severed Meridians is interesting, but that alone wouldn¡¯t pique my interest. What was truly fascinating was the day you returned beaten to a pulp. At first, I thought you were just filled with turbid energy, but I was wrong. It was a phenomenon I had never seen before.¡± The day I returned beaten to a pulp must have been the day I was first reincarnated. ¡°What phenomenon are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your body was clearly a wreck, unable to move a finger, yet it had a strange resilience. At first, it felt simr to the barriers of those unlucky Baekga bastards, but upon closer inspection, it was different. Haha. I never imagined I¡¯d find something interesting in this backwater vige. The world is truly amazing.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°I spent a week investigating, but I made no progress, so I let it go. As I said, it was just simple curiosity. Do you have any idea what it might be?¡± Listening to him, I had a rough idea. The body and mind are not separate entities. When the body reaches its limit, the mind copses, and when the mind reaches its limit, the body copses. Strangely enough, The day I was brutally beaten by the Corpse Eye, Even though my body was a wreck and I should have passed out from the beating, my mind remained clear. It was because some damn strange voice in my head prevented me from losing consciousness. And this is a fact that no one but me knows. The moment Altein pointed this out, I stopped doubting his abilities. I don¡¯t know what he does, but he¡¯s not your average old man. Lost in thought, I heard Altein say, ¡°Seeing you today, I¡¯m certain. You¡¯ve changed again in those few months. Of course, I¡¯m not talking about your face¡­¡± As soon as he mentioned my face, I couldn¡¯t help but interrupt him. ¡°What about my face?¡± ¡°Haha, doesn¡¯t it look like a corpse? You look years older than thest time I saw you.¡± Suddenly, I thought of the water buffalo calf and the wary Torun, and looked at Altein with a desperate expression. ¡°Is there a way to treat it?¡± I fell into despair as Altein shook his head. ¡°When the body is overexerted in a short period of time, the face is usually the first to copse. There¡¯s no way to treat it. Just get a few days of good sleep, and it will naturally resolve itself.¡± From despair, I found hope. That¡¯s why despair and hope are so closely intertwined. Anyway, there was a reason why I looked older. I vaguely remembered Kazen mentioning that the area under my eyes was dark¡­ It seemed that the battle with Hector had taken a toll on my body. Altein smiled and continued, ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about your face. Even with a body that has ovee Severed Meridians, such explosive growth in such a short time is impossible. So¡­¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± ¡°Would you mind if I examined your body a little further? It¡¯s not a bad offer.¡± At this point, I was certain. It was pure curiosity stemming from madness. How could I be so sure? Because crazy people have a way of understanding each other. I suddenly stood up and started examining the herbs and reagents on the wall. As expected, there were many rare ones. Not just rare, but also those with strong toxicity that were difficult to handle. ¡°Are you interested in herbs? Haha.¡± My gaze settled on a nt with particrly white leaves. ¡°That¡¯s White Grass. When properlybined with reagents, it can help restore vitality.¡± ¡°Are you an alchemist?¡± ¡°I can tell you the form if you want.¡± I shook my head and looked at Altein. ¡°I should be the one teaching you alchemy.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve learned alchemy in vain, quack. You can¡¯t even distinguish Snow Flower Grass from White Grass.¡± ¡°What?¡± I heard a gasp. I looked up to see Altein staring at me with wide eyes. It was no wonder. White Grass was precious, but it couldn¡¯tpare to Snow Flower Grass. Even the ¡°Final Expedition,¡± which gathered the most extraordinary individuals, had only a few stalks of Snow Flower Grass. I met Altein¡¯s gaze and asked, ¡°What are you doing here? What kind of old man are you to have Snow Flower Grass?¡± After a long silence, Altein suddenly threw back his head and burst intoughter. ¡°Cackle, cackle, cackle. This is amusing. Truly amusing.¡± ¡°Ehahahahahaha.¡± I couldn¡¯t lose, so Iughed just as strangely. Laughter is contagious, but this time Iughed on purpose. Weughed like madmen for a while, then stopped abruptly at the same time. ¡°Consider yourself lucky, boy. If I hadn¡¯t thoroughly examined your body before, I would have killed you now. You could easily disguise your face. What are you? Where did youe from to know about Snow Flower Grass?¡± ¡°I asked you first.¡± ¡°¡­Haha, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m an old man who wanders around and lives in hiding.¡± ¡°Why are you living in hiding?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re hiding something too, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting another game of hide-and-seek?¡± ¡°You have no manners.¡± The conversation between the crazy mage and the airheaded alchemist was going nowhere. But no matter what, I had no intention of doing what Altein wanted. ¡°I can¡¯t entrust my body to an airheaded alchemist. Are we going to fight to the death?¡± Alteinughed and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a hassle to move my hard-earned nest again. I¡¯m getting old, you know.¡± Altein stood up and started climbing the stairs. ¡°We¡¯ll have another chance to talk.¡± ¡°Alright. Now that you mention it, I didn¡¯t really want to fight to the death either. I respect my elders. In that spirit, I¡¯ll take the White Grass.¡± As soon as I picked up the Snow Flower Grass, a chilly atmosphere descended. ¡°Such a temper¡­¡± I quickly put down the Snow Flower Grass and followed Altein. When we reached the first floor, Altein saw me off. ¡°Come back if you change your mind.¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s reconcile first. Don¡¯t you agree, Healer Altein?¡± Understanding my meaning, Altein immediately changed his tone. ¡°Haha. Then please take care, Master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not reconciliation. You¡¯ve been speaking informally to me this whole time.¡± I passed by Altein, who was looking at me with a bewildered expression, and headed to the side. I grabbed a nearby bag, quickly scooped up a handful of potions from the wall, and walked past Altein. ¡°You must have owed me money. Consider this as payment.¡± Feeling ufortable under his sticky gaze, I kindly closed the door for him and left. . . . As I stepped outside, the bright crimson lights of the entertainment district enveloped my vision once again. Unlike usual, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t boisterous. There were hardly any foreigners on the streets. I sighed. I remembered where I had seen Altein¡¯s unpleasant gaze before. It was the same look the elders gave me. A somewhat yearning gaze. Damn it. I don¡¯t know why I keep attracting old people. I don¡¯t want to receive such looks from them. I sighed and passed through the main street of the eastern district. It was strangely quiet. The streets, which should have been filled with drunk foreigners and courtesans, were almost empty. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± When I reached the cksmith¡¯s shop after passing through the main street, I finally sensed someone¡¯s presence. A bearded man with a tired face came out from inside. ¡°Are you looking for something? I haven¡¯t seen you before¡­ Ruin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± I spoke to the bearded man warmly, feeling a bit sorry for him. I also addressed him formally out of respect for a craftsman. The bearded man¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t kind, but I didn¡¯t feel offended. This ce was quite close to Samael¡¯s, so he must have seen the pathetic Ruin of the past often. ¡°It¡¯s a small world. What brings you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see a spear.¡± The bearded man let out a strangeugh and gestured to one side. He didn¡¯t seem interested in talking to me. I looked around and picked up a heavy spear with a thick shaft and a wide de. The bearded man let out another mockingugh. ¡°Are you going to use it?¡± ¡°No. How much is it?¡± ¡°3 gold.¡± As soon as I handed over the money, the bearded man disappeared back into the cksmith¡¯s shop. I watched him from a distance for a while until the forge fire went out. ¡°¡­ ¡­ .¡± Only after the forge fire waspletely extinguished did darkness envelop the street. I sneaked into the cksmith¡¯s shop like a cat burr, hung the pouch of gold coins on the doorknob, and slipped away. It contained all the money I had received from Kant for the mana stones, but I didn¡¯t feel too bad about it. I ended the long day and returned to the family estate. * * * Morning dawned on Mount Khaoto. I woke up slowly, bathed in bright sunlight. It was the first time in a while that I had slept soundly without any thoughts. I deliberately stayed in bed longer because of what Altein had said. As soon as I entered the living room, Lihan appeared with a tired face. ¡°You¡¯re awake, Master. I didn¡¯t wake you up because you were sleeping soundly.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Lihan then gave me a few reports. Hector and the Red Tower mages had returned to the tower, and Kazen and the butler were away on business. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°Well, the head of the family didn¡¯t specify their destination, so I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°I understand. Go and do your work. You must be busy without the butler.¡± I had a rough idea. It must be because of Urgon. Kazen probably went to ask for help in person since it couldn¡¯t be resolved through letters. Lihan disappeared again, and I yawned as I stepped out into the yard. The scenery of Mount Khaoto unfolded before my eyes. Swoosh¡ª The refreshing scent of pine filled my nostrils, and a cool breeze brushed against my cheeks. The vast Samael estate. The training ground, etched with countless footprints. They say humans are creatures of adaptation. Now, the wide open view had its own charm. The lush green forest embraced Samael, and the towering cliffs stood tall behind it. Samael had changed, but Mount Khaoto remained the same as it was 300 years ago. ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± I heard a chant in the distance. The apprentices were running down the mountainside in formation. I watched them for a moment, mesmerized by the sight against the backdrop of Mount Khaoto¡¯s scent and scenery. I was reminded that the Samael of old was no more. But somehow, the apprentices¡¯ chanting sounded no different from the sorcerers of that era. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The apprentices descended the mountain and started washing themselves in the stream at the edge of the training ground. I nced at the towering cliffs in the distance and slowly approached the apprentices. If they had built a solid foundation, it was time to start the real preparation. ¡°Oh? Is themander here?¡± The apprentices noticed me and gathered one by one. I paired them up, facing each other, and said to the bewildered apprentices, ¡°We¡¯re starting a duel.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 38 Chapter 38: What is a fight? I looked around at the apprentices, checking each one¡¯s condition. After months of relentless physical training, their bodies were well-bnced, and they had all reached the second circle. ¡°Commander, what do you mean by a duel?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I red at the apprentice who couldn¡¯t hold his tongue and continued my assessment. The body of the apprentice who just spoke, Palge, was a bit, no, quite unusual, but it was just his natural constitution. It was amazing to see him run as well as others with that body. Anyway, everyone had a good foundation. But a fight is not determined by the basics alone. The one with the higher skill is more likely to win, but you can¡¯t be sure of winning. What is a fight? In the words of my former vicemander, Azeta, a fight is about smashing the opponent¡¯s head. It¡¯s a harsh expression, but it¡¯s also urate. After all, the essence of all this training to be stronger is to see if I can kill the opponent before I die. Of course, the apprentices may not think so. They may want to be stronger to avoid being ignored. Or they may want to be a great mage and be recognized by others. But that¡¯s all secondary. Once you set foot in this world, you can¡¯t avoid fighting even if you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s just something that happens naturally. No matter how grandly you package it, the essence doesn¡¯t change. A noble mage? A knight whomands the world with a single word? It¡¯s nothing but superstitious nonsense. Even the divine families that shake the continent¡­ Behind them flows the blood of enemies piled up like mountains. The knights who often duel among themselves or participate in real battles for absurd reasons are all the same. Knowing the essence of a fight and not knowing it is a world of difference. Frankly speaking, a mercenary with no basic training but only real-world experience could beat the apprentices here. Because they know how important it is to break the opponent¡¯s head before their own is broken. In fact, in the past, it wasn¡¯t umon to see young apprentices die from stray des in their first battle. That¡¯s why real-world experience is important. Especially at simr levels. Right now, I was unbeatable among the second circle mages. I even won against five of them at once. Not to mention, I had even beaten a few third circle mages, so there was no need to borate further. ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ I¡¯m that kind of guy. * * * I had the apprentices stand facing each other in pairs. ¡°Think of the person in front of you as your enemy. What did I say?¡± ¡°Think of them as our enemy!¡± ¡°Good. Now, start the duel.¡± One of the apprentices, who didn¡¯t understand my words, asked, ¡°Did you mean to spar, Commander?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, they¡¯re the enemy? What did you hear? Are you going to leisurely time your spells with the enemy? Are you trying to get your head smashed in?¡± I was getting annoyed while speaking. None of them seemed to grasp the importance of realbat. I looked around and warned them, ¡°This is realbat. Realbat. Don¡¯t hold back and give it your all. You can use magic or anything else. Think of him as someone trying to kill you, aiming for your head. Fight with that in mind. Got it?¡± At the apprentices¡¯ level, even with their full power, they couldn¡¯t inflict fatal injuries on each other. They nodded hastily and replied, ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± With a wave of my hand, the apprentices charged towards their respective opponents. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ As I expected, their fighting didn¡¯t go beyond the level of sparring. Each of them chanted spells in sync with their opponent¡¯s timing and waited when the other retreated. After watching this chicken stew without chicken for a while, I looked around and shouted, ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Stop and gather around, you idiots.¡± The apprentices gathered with puzzled expressions. ¡°I¡¯ve seen enough of this sparring that¡¯s perfect for getting your heads smashed in. Zion,e out.¡± ¡°¡­Me?¡± Zion slowly walked forward with a sour expression. As expected of a quick-witted guy, he seemed to have a bad feeling about this. I pointed at Zion and then myself, saying, ¡°Watch closely, because Zion and I are going to have a duel.¡± Zion¡¯s face darkened as he remembered the experience of being beaten by me. ¡°Come on, just say you want to hit me. What kind of duel is this, between themander and me?¡± I held up one finger and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll only use one circle of magic. So, you¡¯ll be at the second circle, and I¡¯ll be at the first. How about it?¡± ¡°¡­What? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course. If I break my promise, I¡¯ll be your subordinate. How¡¯s that?¡± Zion thought for a while and then nodded. ¡°Alright. But a match is a match. Even if you lose, Commander, there are no hard feelings, right?¡± Seeing the glint in Zion¡¯s eyes, he seemed to think he had a chance of winning. I forced back augh and said, ¡°Of course.¡± I created some distance and turned around again. The other apprentices had already moved away. Zion had a clear smile on his face. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re smiling? You seem confident?¡± ¡°Commander, you seem to be underestimating me. You think you can win with just the first circle?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, this is a duel. Think of me as your enemy.¡± ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s start.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I charged towards Zion. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ Zion waited until I got close enough, then chanted and conjured the form of ¡®Fire Spear¡¯. It now had the power befitting the second circle. Fwhoooosh¡ª The moment the spear of mes came right in front of me, ¡®Wind.¡¯ As soon as I saw the trajectory of Zion¡¯s fire spear slightly shift upwards, I did a forward roll on the dirt floor and picked up a pebble. Fwhoooosh¡ª The heat from the fire spear grazed the top of my head, making my scalp tingle. I inwardly smiled as I saw Zion creating distance again. As expected of a young one, he instinctively tried to maintain a safe distance, which was a poor decision. ¡°You idiot.¡± I kicked off the ground, charged towards Zion, andunched a fireball. In the moment Zion hurriedly created a Wind Barrier to dispel the fireball, I wrapped wind around the pebble in my hand and threw it again. Crack¡ª The Wind Barrier shattered, and Zion stumbled backward¡­ I used the momentum of my run to strike Zion¡¯s chin with my elbow. Thwack¡ª! ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s cowardly!¡± Even then, Zion rolled backward and tried to regain his stance. Thanks to his diligent basic training, his body¡¯s resilience had improved significantly. But I had no intention of waiting. I wrapped wind around my feet and continued to strike Zion, blocking his escape routes with fireballs whenever he tried to create distance. Thud¡ª Thud¡ª Thwack¡ª ¡°That¡¯s cowardly! It¡¯s cheating! Argh!¡± Zion¡¯s body quickly became a mess, and dust rose from the ground. I could feel the gazes of the watching apprentices wavering. ¡°Zion, next time you meet an enemy, make sure to call them cowardly after your head is smashed in. Got it?¡± Zion¡¯s writhing and struggling gradually subsided¡­ And as I was about to slowly withdraw, ¡°Yaaaaah!¡± Zion suddenly kicked off the ground and threw a handful of sand with his right hand. ¡®Oh?¡¯ As soon as I cleared my vision with a wave of my hand, something else flew at me from the opposite direction. A pebble infused with wind. It seemed he had hidden a trick up his sleeve even while being beaten. ¡°Wow.¡± As I dodged with a nod, I felt the mana around us gathering towards Zion. ¡°Solid and¡­¡± I looked up to see that Zion¡¯s spell was almostplete. ¡°¡­Hard wind, Wind Barrier.¡± Seeing Zion charging at me with a Wind Barrier on his elbow, as if to smash my face, I finally felt a bit satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± I didn¡¯t bother to dodge. I intended to teach the remarkable Zion a high-level technique. I quickly wrapped wind around my chin and temples to protect my vital points, and as soon as I felt a powerful impact on my face, I focused and aimed a fireball at his face. The so-called ¡®Give flesh to take bone¡¯ technique. Kaboom¡ª! ¡°Ugh!¡± I seized the moment when Zion¡¯s jaw was thrown back and struck him down once more. Then I continued to stomp on him. Amidst the rising dust, blood sttered intermittently. I stopped only after Zion was half-buried in the ground. Only then did I notice the apprentices staring with their mouths half-open. Feeling a bit awkward, I kindly exined to them, ¡°See? This is a high-level technique. What did I say?¡± The dumbfounded apprentices unknowingly responded, ¡°¡­H-High-level technique!¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± The apprentices shivered in unison. * * * The highest-grade potion was indeed effective. As soon as I fed Zion a few drops, he regained consciousness, and the moment I applied it to his wounds, they bubbled and healed instantly. ¡°Eeek!¡± I nudged the startled Zion to his feet and sat down next to him. Zion and I sat on the railing of the training ground, watching the apprentices duel. Zion didn¡¯t say anything, so I remained quiet as well. As it got dark, I called the apprentices together. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± For the first time in a while, all of Samael¡¯s mages gathered in one ce for dinner. It wasn¡¯t a fancy meal. As always, it was just rye bread, watery stew, and a few chunks of tough meat. But the apprentices and I devoured it withoutint. Eating together somehow made it taste better. Once we were somewhat full, I spoke to the apprentices. ¡°We¡¯ll have night training today. Everyone, wash up and gather.¡± Their faces were full of discontent, but I didn¡¯t feel like scolding them. I was in a good mood because I was full. I went back to my room, washed up slowly, and stood in front of the mirror. Looking closely at my face, the dark circles under my eyes had faded a bit. ¡®Damn water buffalo bastard.¡¯ This is why it¡¯s important for people to get enough sleep. After leisurely changing clothes, I went out to the training ground, where the apprentices were already waiting. The training ground was already dark. Evenings in the mountains are naturally darker than in the city. I personally walked around the training ground and lit the scarecrows ced on the edges. Fwoosh¡ª The edges of the training ground zed like a bonfire. It created quite an ambiance. Standing on the railing and looking at the apprentices¡­ Their faces flickered in the firelight, like soldiers preparing for battle at night. I opened my mouth, looking at the soldiers. ¡°Tonight¡¯s night training will be¡­¡± I sensed a wave of anticipation rising on the soldiers¡¯ faces. ¡°¡­duels.¡± ¡®That bastard is doing it again.¡¯ ¡®Crazy son of a bitch.¡¯ ¡°The soldier who just swore will step forward. I will execute you on the spot.¡± I tried my luck, but no one came forward. It seemed they had alle to understand my intentions and held me in high regard. I felt a sense of pride, like a general who had earned the respect of his soldiers. ¡°Ahem.¡± Clearing my throat to establish authority, I paired the apprentices up again. ¡°Start the duel!¡± The apprentices kicked off the ground and charged towards each other. ¡°Yaaaaah!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Zion¡¯s movements had changed. It was a shift in his mindset. Whenever he saw an opening in his opponent, he would try to exploit it and pin them down. Iron, who was facing Zion, already had his training clothes torn, and blood was flowing from his nose. The other apprentices were also trying their best to imitate a real duel. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ But as time passed, the apprentices¡¯ weaknesses became increasingly apparent. Makan fought well but couldn¡¯t finish his opponents off. Palge was too afraid of getting hurt and fought defensively. Iron¡¯s body was stiff, as if he was scared of fighting itself. Of course, the same went for the others. ¡­These useless bunch. Somehow, there wasn¡¯t a single one I liked. I suddenly felt like a general who had to go to war with ipetent subordinates, and I sighed. I don¡¯t know why I suddenly thought of Pelleer. Maybe this is how the lord felt when he first saw me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 39 Chapter 39: Sparks of Defiance (1) ¡°Huff. Huff.¡± Iron gasped for air, his training clothes reduced to tatters. Dried blood stained the fabric. Sweat poured down his forehead. Thanks to the potion Ruin had applied, the major wounds had already healed, but the searing pain lingered. ¡°Haah, haah.¡± A pained groan drew his attention to Ain, whose condition mirrored his own. After a bout of dry heaving, Ain clutched his chest, struggling to breathe. ¡°Ain, are you okay?¡± ¡°Just a moment. Don¡¯t talk¡­ to me¡­.¡± Ain stared nkly, sweat drenching his face. The training dummy, now almost unrecognizable, smoldered like a bonfire. Crackle, crackle¡ª Iron¡¯s gaze drifted to the dying embers. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, that was truly awful today¡­.¡± Someone¡¯sment echoed Iron¡¯s own thoughts. Why go to such extremes? Ruin¡¯s retreating figure, heading back to the dormitory, seemed utterly demonic. They had endured increasingly difficult training, adapting each time, only to be pushed even further. But today it crossed a line. ¡°Damn it.¡± A curse slipped out involuntarily. Iron knew Ruin meant well. But this wasn¡¯t the way. A duel where flesh was torn and blood spilled. Not just using magic, but rolling on the ground, grabbing rocks, elbowing, tackling, even knocking each other unconscious¡­. It was too much. He wanted to quit, but couldn¡¯t. If he let his guard down, he¡¯d be struck in the head with a rock. His body still trembled. ¡°This is wrong. I¡¯ve never heard of training like this.¡± Iron wanted to be stronger. He didn¡¯t consider himself naive. Abandoned by his unknown parents, he knew the world¡¯s cruelty. He wanted to be strong. To be a respected mage, free from scorn. But¡­. There was an order to gaining strength. Magic towers and established families didn¡¯t train haphazardly. Even if the Samael Housecked tradition¡­. Shouldn¡¯t they gain experience before engaging in such brutal duels? ¡°¡­¡­Sigh, so what do we do? Rebel? Refuse?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Iron fell silent, pondering the question. That was the problem. It was obvious that talking to Ruin wouldn¡¯t do any good. That demonic guy definitely wouldn¡¯t even listen. Running away wasn¡¯t an option either. There was nowhere to go, and more importantly¡­ He didn¡¯t even feel like running away anymore. A mage of Samael. At some point, Iron naturally realized his sense of belonging to Samael. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean he felt pride or anything like that for Samael. It was just that, going through hellish training together, he had developed a bond with the others. Ain, Falke, Makan¡­ even Zion didn¡¯t seem so hateful anymore. Crackle, crackle¡ª Staring at the ashen embers, almostpletely burned out, Iron fell into silence for a while. * * * Mount Khaoto was green as always. The apprentices¡¯ shouts echoed throughout Mount Khaoto all day long. There were only ten of them, but their shouts echoed back to Samael. For a while, I repeated the routine of training the apprentices and immersing myself in their training. The daily schedule was simple. Morning: Running. Afternoon: Mana sensitivity training. Night: Duels. It was a tight schedule from afternoon to night, but I didn¡¯t give the apprentices any time to rest. There wasn¡¯t much time left. Meanwhile, there were a few noteworthy things. First, except for Makan, everyone had destroyed their Mana Core. Only Makan had created a Mana Circle while retaining his Mana Core, but I didn¡¯t intend to me him. I knew he was a descendant of the ¡®Gento Tycoon¡¯. Gento Tycoon was a mercenary who used both spear techniques and magic, and a master who created his own training methods. That stubborn Makan also had the potential to forge his own path. When I handed him the spear I received from the bearded man, he quickly got used to it without anyone teaching him. He was definitely a talented one. I had no intention of suppressing Makan. I intended to help him forge his own path as freely as possible. Also, it seemed the others had been reading the magic books I gave them, as they were focusing their Mana sensitivity training on the elemental magic they were good at. Falke was training in light elemental sensitivity, but he hadn¡¯t seeded even once. Every time Falke failed, I teased him, saying: ¡°What a ¡®genius¡¯ you are, ¡®you chubby guy¡¯.¡± Praise makes a whale dance, but that only applies to originally skinny whales. Falke was a chubby whale, so I didn¡¯t think it mattered. Besides, light elemental was actually the second most difficult element to sense after lightning. I was rather surprised whenever I saw a pure white aura swirling around Falke. Thus, the afternoon Mana sensitivity training ended, and it was almost dinner time. After having dinner huddled together with the apprentices, we would light the training dummy on fire and start the night duels. Of course, it was also the time I looked forward to the most. It was the time I could legally smash the heads of these idiots. Thwack¡ª! ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your focus, you idiot!¡± Thwack! Thwack! Today, I knocked Ain out. Unlike the other Samael descendants, hecked focus. He should be concentrating on his opponent, but he had too many distracting thoughts during the fight. ¡°Already passed out?¡± Seeing Ain unconscious, I shook my head and looked around. Makan and Zion were in the middle of their fight. It was a fierce duel, but it fell far short of my standards. Both of them were merely imitating a real fight. Makan, wielding his spear,cked sharpness in his thrusts. It seemed he was worried about hurting his opponent, deliberately aiming away from vital points. Zion had a glint in his eyes, but he had an instinctive fear of des due to the trauma he experienced with the knight. Whenever the spear tip approached, his body involuntarily froze. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ It was the same when I looked at the others. Falke and Iron were also just mimicking a fight. Falke was terrified of getting hurt. Even if his opponent showed a big opening, he wouldn¡¯t even attempt an attack if he thought he might get hurt. And Iron¡­ He was a sight to behold. It was so obvious that he was forcing himself to fight. Smack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± I sent Falke flying and then started fighting Iron directly. ¡®I¡¯ll fix your rotten mindset.¡¯ As soon as Iron was startled and stepped back, I wrapped myself in a Wind Barrier and charged at him with a body m. ¡°Ugh.¡± Iron¡¯s waist buckled, and he copsed onto the dirt floor. For a moment, Iron looked up and red at me, but he quickly looked away when I met his gaze fiercely. ¡°Get it together. If you keep doing it like that, I¡¯ll be your opponent every day from now on.¡± I repositioned myself and watched the apprentices. Nothing changed. Makan and Zion were still just imitating a fight. Falke and Iron were reluctantly continuing their duel. I didn¡¯t intervene any further because this wasn¡¯t a problem I couldn¡¯t solve. It couldn¡¯t be fixed overnight just by yelling at them. They had to break through that wall on their own. Thwack¡ª! ¡°Ugh.¡± The training ended with Iron sprawled on the ground. ¡°Gather around.¡± At my gesture, the apprentices gathered in a circle, stumbling a bit. I roughly applied potions to them and sat among them for a moment, looking around. Of course, there was almost nothing to see. Pitch-ck darkness always descended by the time training ended. Usually, I would have returned to the dormitory first, but today, I didn¡¯t feel like it. The apprentices and I sat down and started staring at the training dummy burning like a bonfire. Sizzle¡­ The mountain was dark and quiet. No sound could be heard. Only the space where the apprentices and I were gathered was dimly lit by the fire. Crackle, crackle¡ª As I stared endlessly at the bonfire, someone shuffled slowly towards me. It was Iron. His body was shrouded in darkness, only his face faintly illuminated by the firelight. He hesitated, then quietly spoke. ¡°¡­Do we really have to go this far?¡± I met Iron¡¯s gaze without saying a word. ¡°Look at us, Commander. It¡¯s too much¡­ This kind of training isn¡¯t suitable for our level yet. Can¡¯t we take it step by step? Do we really have to do it this way?¡± I responded as if answering nonsense. ¡°You¡¯re talking like you¡¯ve got it easy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What if you die?¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± I made a gesture of slitting my throat with my hand. ¡°It happens in an instant. You think the enemy will wait for you to get stronger gradually?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll only encounter idiots who¡¯ll go easy on you because you¡¯re weak?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the enemy? Are you talking about the Bayern bastards? Even so¡­¡± ¡°Save your nonsense for the doghouse. It¡¯s not because you¡¯re Samael. It¡¯s the same everywhere.¡± I red alternately at Iron and the other apprentices, then pointed at the ground. ¡°Bing stronger is your choice. Choicese with responsibilities. Once you¡¯ve stepped into this world, there will always be enemies aiming for your head.¡± I suddenly felt angry as I spoke. ¡°I¡¯m telling you to give it your all, you idiots. Does this look like a game to you? Stay alert. If you act like a fool, yourrades might die instead. Remember that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was no answer. In the dark silence, only the embers continued to burn. * * * The same training continued the next day, and the day after that. I secretly hoped the apprentices would rebel as a group, but it didn¡¯t happen. The idiots diligently participated in the training, and I continued to train them, pushing them hard. Then, one sunny afternoon¡­ While doing Mana sensitivity training, I felt unpleasant gazes from afar. ¡°¡­¡± It was the elders. For the past few days, they had been sitting in the shade at the foot of the mountain, watching the training at this time. Judging by the unpleasant feeling, they were definitely giving me those longing looks again. Why were they staring like that? Well, considering what I had said, I could understand why the elders were acting that way. Seeing the apprentices improve day by day must have ignited their passion. ¡°Hmm.¡± I briefly met the gazes of the elders staring from afar. At first, I thought about treating the elders like the apprentices, but it wasn¡¯t a good idea. They were too old. If I made them do physical training with their stiff bodies, their joints would surely shatter. So, I had to use a different method. ¡®It¡¯s getting worse.¡¯ Unable to bear the increasingly unpleasant gazes of the elders, I immediately started walking. It¡¯s always best to act when you think of it. I left the rest of the training to Zion and headed straight for the mountain. As soon as I took a few steps, Zion asked from behind. ¡°Where are you going, Commander? If you¡¯re going out, take me with you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not going anywhere, so focus on your training.¡± I walked in apletely different direction from where we usually ran. To be more precise¡­ I started climbing the mountain where there was no path. I couldn¡¯t remember clearly because it had been a long time¡­ But this was probably the right way. ¡­Right? ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 40 Chapter 40: Sparks of Defiance (2) ¡°¡­¡± Norman Samael, the Head Elder, sat perched on a rock on the shaded mountainside, gazing into the distance. The majestic mountain range stretched out before him, and the scent of pine filled the air, a refreshing breeze that should have swept away all his worries. Yet, Norman¡¯s heart was heavy, weighed down like a leaden anchor. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The asional sighs of the surrounding elders echoed his own feelings. They were all probably thinking the same thing. ¡®The situation is dire.¡¯ Footsteps approached, breaking the silence. Norman turned his head to see a young elder making his way through the mountainside. ¡°Falcon.¡± ¡°Yes, Head Elder.¡± Before Falcon could finish his greeting, Norman urgently inquired, ¡°What news?¡± All eyes turned to Falcon. He simply shook his head with a bitter expression. ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± ¡°Oh dear, even the Legacy family refused?¡± ¡°How could they too¡­¡± The elders sighed in unison. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Falcon. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Norman offered words offort, maintaining aposed facade, but his inner turmoil mirrored that of the others. ¡®No one is willing to lend a hand to Samael.¡¯ Not a single one. He had anticipated this, but the bitterness lingered. There were still a few ces they hadn¡¯t received a response from, but¡­ ¡®It¡¯s unlikely we can hold much hope.¡¯ Everyone was trying their best, but it was proving difficult. The House Head had personally gone to persuade various merchant groups, but his efforts were likely to be in vain. It wasn¡¯t because the loan from Hamad was an insurmountable burden. While it was a considerable sum, any merchant group of a decent size could handle it. The problemy with Urgon. They were the ones pulling the strings behind the scenes, using Bayern as a front. Most families and merchant groups in the vicinity were aware of this. Rumors of Urgon pressuring Samael financially had already spread far and wide. Perhaps Urgon themselves had deliberately spread those rumors. In essence, Urgon was blocking their path. No one wanted to antagonize them. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped.¡± Norman turned his head at the sudden remark. Isaac was looking at him with a calm expression. Indeed. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The situation was grim, but not hopeless. A me was reignited in the hearts of everyone present. If the situation was unavoidable¡­ Then they would simply have to make the mes bloom amidst adversity. ¡°¡­¡± Norman shifted his gaze to a specific spot. Below the ridge, the apprentice mages were training, sweat pouring down their faces. Their spirits were so high that their shouts could be heard even from this distance. ¡®They¡¯re as consistent as ever.¡¯ Only then did Norman¡¯s heart feel a bit at ease. Samael was already moving forward. . . . ¡°¡­They really train every single day without fail.¡± All the elders¡¯ gazes were now fixed on the area below the ridge. ¡°It¡¯s remarkable. These days, we can even hear their shouts at night.¡± ¡°They¡¯re talented children. They¡¯re already performing 2nd Circle incantations without any problems.¡± ¡°With that training volume, it¡¯s no surprise. If the House Head hadn¡¯t ordered it, I would have been the first one to go down there and stop them. It¡¯s not so much their talent, but rather the one teaching them¡­¡± The image of a certain someone simultaneously appeared in the minds of all the elders. Ruin Samael. Ruin was the one who had brought about this change. It would have been hard to believe if they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes. ¡®It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration.¡¯ Running, horse stance, Mana sensitivity training¡­ All the apprentices were diligently following the tremendous training regimen Ruin had described. ¡°It¡¯s like watching knights train.¡± ¡°If anything, it¡¯s even more intense.¡± ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s the children who are special, or if it¡¯s Ruin who¡¯s extraordinary¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s both.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruin had brought change to Samael. They didn¡¯t know the exact cause, where it all began. But regardless of the reason¡­ The children werepletely different from how they had been when training under the Red Mage Tower. ¡®It¡¯s only been a few months.¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be solely attributed to the difference in training methods. There was a certain intensity. The children themselves might not be aware of it, but the elders could clearly see a newfound determination in their faces, expressions, and every gesture. It was understandable. The training volume was truly harsh. They had never seen or heard of such training in their entire lives. Pushing their bodies to the limit every single day. Even when they stumbled and crawled at the end of training, they would repeat the same intensity the next day without fail. Even now¡­ The children, having just finished their grueling physical training, were immediately chanting spells without rest. Their postures looked as if they could copse at any moment. But the reason why they felt anticipation rather than worry was¡­ ¡°Piercing me, Fire Spear.¡± Whoosh¡ª Crash! The incantations uttered by the young apprentices¡­ Just like Ruin had demonstrated¡­ They were casting magic that the elders had only imagined in their minds. The old wick, thought to be burnt out, was reignited by young mes. That¡¯s why the elders¡­ Were willing to burn first, before the children, so that those young mes wouldn¡¯t die out. ¡°¡­¡± The elders watched the children in silence until the sun went down. Suddenly, an unexpectedment broke the silence. ¡°If only I were ten years younger¡­¡± It was Falcon, muttering to himself. His eyes held a mix of longing and regret. Then another elder murmured, ¡°If only I were twenty years younger¡­¡± Isaac and the other elders followed suit, as if in a trance. ¡°If only I were thirty years younger¡­¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Why wouldn¡¯t they? The elders, once, and even now, were more passionate about magic than anyone else. There¡¯s no age limit to pursuing the path of magic. Until recently, they would gather at every opportunity to discuss magic. It was just that their bodies could no longer endure training in the same way as the children. They were simply too old. Norman, with a bitter smile, agreed. ¡°If only I were forty years younger¡­¡± Hearing this, Isaac suddenly looked at Norman with a yful expression. ¡°Even if you were forty years younger, Head Elder, it would still be tough for you.¡± Norman¡¯s wrinkled face scrunched up. ¡°What do you mean it would be tough? I was in my prime back then.¡± ¡°Haha. Aren¡¯t you quite old, Head Elder? It should be fifty years, not forty.¡± ¡°Isaac. How much older are you than me to say such things? Fifty years, indeed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always so particr about age, except at times like this.¡± ¡°What?¡± The observing elders shook their heads. ¡®Here we go again.¡¯ ¡®Why doesn¡¯t he act like this normally?¡¯ Whenever those two talked, they became childish like kids. Just as the elders were about to intervene in their bickering¡­ Rustle¡ª A strange sound suddenly came from behind. Rustle¡ª Rustle¡ª They turned around to see the forest trembling. ¡®What¡¯s that? Is there a wild beast?¡¯ Rustle¡ª Rustle¡ª Just as one of the elders, unable to bear it any longer, approached¡­ ¡°Haaah! Puhaaaa!¡± A dark figure, covered in branches and leaves, jumped out. The elders were startled and were about to react in a hurry. ¡°¡­Ouch, my back. Phew. Finally found you.¡± ¡°¡­It wasn¡¯t an animal. But who are you?¡± ¡°What are you doing there? Wait. That voice sounds familiar¡­¡± The dark figure brushed off his face, revealing a familiar face. ¡°¡­Ruin?¡± ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Ruin dusted himself off and gasped for breath. ¡°Phew. This damn mountain. It¡¯s so damnplicated. I almost got lost. Anyway, I¡¯m d I found you. Good morning, elders.¡± ¡°Morning? It¡¯s evening now.¡± ¡°Oh, is it? I see. Actually, I was just saying hello casually. I almost pretended it was just to myself.¡± The elders looked at Ruin with worried eyes. ¡°And why are you in such a state?¡± ¡°Phew, that¡¯s not important. Elders, I¡¯vee to keep my promise.¡± ¡°What promise?¡± ¡°I told you that you could do it too, didn¡¯t I?¡± Seeing Ruin¡¯s sparkling expression, the elders recalled what he had said at the House Head¡¯s residence. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. There¡¯s no age limit to pursuing the path of magic.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yes, he had said the same thing back then. Good words. They were good words. But how could he help them? As Norman looked at Ruin with a puzzled expression, Ruin suddenly turned his head and met his gaze. ¡°Head Elder.¡± Looking into Ruin¡¯s eyes, Norman suddenly felt a surge of anticipation. A feeling that something was about to happen. ¡°Yes, Ruin. What do you have to say?¡± ¡°Do you want to use true incantations?¡± It was a somewhatical scene, but Norman felt an inexplicable pressure and answered honestly. ¡°Of course. If I could.¡± ¡°Then look over there!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Norman followed Ruin¡¯s pointing finger. ¡°Morning run for 4 hours! Horse stance for 2 hours! Mana sensitivity training for 3 hours! Another 3 hours of running! Oh! And night duels for 3 hours! You can definitely do it, Head Elder!¡± Norman met Ruin¡¯s eyes and slowly backed away. ¡°¡­Haha. If only I were fifty years younger.¡± Those were the eyes of madness. He suddenly understood why the children could endure such harsh training. As Norman retreated, Ruin abruptly turned his head towards Isaac. ¡°¡­I-if only I were forty years younger.¡± Isaac averted his gaze, and so did the other elders. At that moment, Ruin suddenly pped his hands and drew their attention. p. ¡°That¡¯s right. I know. I really want to train with you all, but there are some things we can¡¯t help. Honestly, even if you were sixty years younger, it would still be tough. Wouldn¡¯t it, Head Elder Norman?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s true.¡± Isaac, the first to grasp Ruin¡¯s intention, asked, ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s another way?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If your basic physical strength iscking, the effects will be diminished. But there is still a way to improve your magic.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You know the Mana Sensitivity Stance, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The key is precise Mana control. In the Mana Sensitivity Stance, you carefully control the flow of Mana rotating through the circle to manifest magic. Repeating this training will improve the quality of your incantations.¡± Isaac paused for a moment before responding. ¡°You¡¯re saying to control Mana as precisely as possible. It makes sense, as that would increase the circle¡¯s efficiency. But it¡¯s also a vague concept. There¡¯s no standard for ¡®precise¡¯.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re sharp. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve prepared something.¡± Isaac nced to the side and saw Head Elder Norman clenching his fists, staring at Ruin with eager eyes. ¡®Of course. The Head Elder is the one most obsessed with magic among us.¡¯ Even Isaac himself had to admit that his passion paled inparison to Norman¡¯s. ¡°This is it.¡± Only then did Isaac notice therge bundle at Ruin¡¯s feet. ¡°What is it?¡± Ruin ripped open the tightly wrapped bundle, and square ck stones poured out. ¡°Stones?¡± ¡°Look closely.¡± Isaac peered at the shimmering ck stones and eximed in surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t these Magic Stones? How did you get these, Ruin?¡± ¡°I found them while wandering around. Anyway, that¡¯s not important. What matters is what we can do with them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Simply put, you need to be able to imbue magic into the Magic Stones.¡± Isaac looked puzzled. ¡°¡­Magic Stones are used to create artifacts and weapons, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯ve never heard of imbuing magic directly into them.¡± ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t. The efficiency is terrible. But it¡¯s possible. Even a slight mistake in Mana control will shatter them. Well, they¡¯re just worthless Magic Stones anyway, so they¡¯re perfect for practice.¡± Isaac pondered for a moment, then nodded. ¡®It¡¯s notpletely nonsensical.¡¯ Magic Stones in their raw state were extremely vulnerable to Mana infusion, especially low-grade ones. Even a slight disruption in their structure would cause them to shatter. But as Ruin said, it seemed possible. Clench¡ª Hearing the sound again, he looked to the side and saw Head Elder Norman trembling, his fists clenched even tighter. His face waspletely flushed. ¡®Haha. The Head Elder is fired up.¡¯ Ruin approached Isaac and held out a Magic Stone. ¡°A 1st Circle Barrier should be fine. Would you like to try first, Elder Isaac?¡± Isaac activated his circle, holding the Magic Stone. He slowly adjusted the flow of Mana and channeled it into the Magic Stone. The Magic Stone vibrated, emitting a ck light, then immediately shattered into dust, scattering with a soft rustle. ¡®It¡¯s harder than I thought¡­ Huh?¡¯ Feeling a burning gaze again, he turned his head to see Head Elder Norman staring at him with apletely flushed face. ¡®Haha, oh Head Elder.¡¯ Isaac swore he hadn¡¯t seen the Head Elder¡¯s face this flushed in years. The Head Elder suddenly pointed at him and mumbled something. ¡°Th-this¡­ break, break it¡­?¡± ¡°Haha. He¡¯s like a child asking for candy. Ruin, quickly give the Head Elder a Magic Stone. I know that look in his eyes. If you don¡¯t give it to him, he¡¯ll throw a tantrum.¡± ¡°I see. Alright.¡± ¡°Isaac, Ruin¡­ I¡¯ll just¡­ these brats¡­ Argh!¡± ¡°It has already begun. Hurry up and give it to him!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 41 Chapter 41: Sparks of Defiance (3) Head Elder Norman¡¯s mentalposure shattered in an instant. ¡®These damned brats deserve a good beating!¡¯ While he was fuming, unable to believe his eyes, a voice that further fueled his anger reached his ears. ¡°Head Elder. Please calm down. No matter how frustrated you are, you can¡¯t act like this.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. Elders. I¡¯ll distribute them fairly, one by one. Besides, there are plenty of trash Magic Stones in this bundle, so feel free to use them.¡± ¡°S-stop¡­ Gaaaah!¡± ¡°Hehe, maintain your dignity. It seems impossible. Let¡¯s give one to the Head Elder first.¡± ¡®Shut up. Just shut up!¡¯ The back of his neck felt so hot that he felt like he would faint at any moment. ¡­What did he say? Maintain dignity? Do they even know what kind of Magic Stones these are? How dare they use these Magic Stones like this? These are Magic Stones that he painstakingly collected, one by one, for decades, scouring every corner of Mount Khaoto! ¡®Ruin, you little¡­¡¯ If these were heirlooms passed down from previous generations, he wouldn¡¯t be this enraged. When Norman first inherited the position of Head Elder and entered Samael¡¯s secret vault¡­ There was nothing but rolling pebbles in there. ¡®Heirlooms, my foot. I collected all of these, me!¡¯ One day, after identally discovering a Magic Stone in a remote location, he started searching for hidden areas in his spare time, like a herbalist seeking rare herbs. At first, it began with a sense of responsibility to fill the vault, but as time passed, he found joy in collecting them. He risked his life climbing steep cliffs. He explored hidden caves that other elders didn¡¯t even know existed. Seeing the Magic Stones gradually increasing in the vault each year brought him immense satisfaction¡­ But what did they say? Worthless, trash Magic Stones? Where did these ungrateful bratse from? He shouldn¡¯t have taken that ungrateful Ruin to the vault. He should have kept it a secret, hidden from everyone. ¡®No.¡¯ On second thought, this wasn¡¯t his fault. Who would have thought they would betray him like this? Those reckless fools. Ungrateful brats. They deserve to be taken by the devil. ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± This wasn¡¯t something he could even tell the other elders. If he did, they would just gratefully ept them, saying, ¡®Thank you, ancestors. We will put them to good use.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t im now, ¡®I collected all those Magic Stones. They¡¯re all mine!¡¯ They would just mock him for being greedy. It was then that Norman heard Ruin¡¯s voice. ¡°Here, elders. If you seed, the Magic Stones won¡¯t break, so try your best.¡± It was as if he was saying it for Norman to hear. Norman unconsciously looked at the Magic Stone in his hand. Memories of his hard work collecting Magic Stones shed before his eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Norman clenched his fist. No matter how resentful he felt towards Ruin, the Magic Stone in his hand was more important right now. ¡®I have to do it. I have to seed first. I have to protect the Magic Stones.¡¯ Norman activated one of the four Mana Circles engraved on his heart. 1st Circle Magic Barrier Slowly guiding the flow of mana, he carefully directs it towards his fingertips. ¡°Head Elder Norman!¡± Ruin¡¯s sudden call made his blood boil, but Norman calmly maintained his focus. Fully sensing and guiding the flow of mana within his body, from his arm to his hand, and then to the Magic Stone. Whiiir- ¡®Is it¡­ a sess?¡¯ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering, Head Elder Norman? Anyway¡­ good luck.¡± Crack- Shatter- The Magic Stone in his hand crumbles into dust. ¡°No!¡± At the same time, the elders beside him fail simultaneously, and Magic Stone dust scatters in the air. Shatter- Shatter- Shatter- ¡°No! No! Don¡¯t break them! You fools who don¡¯t know their value!¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me a heart attack. Why are you shouting, Head Elder?¡± ¡°You ignorant fools!¡± The elders were startled and unconsciously stepped back. ¡®Has he gone senile?¡¯ Norman was staring at the elders with bloodshot eyes, as if possessed by a demon. Isaac even closed his mouth, fearing that Norman might attack if anyone said another word. ¡°Why are you breaking them? Focus. I said focus. You useless elders.¡± Ruin observed the scene, then walked away, muttering quietly. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be going then¡­ Good luck.¡± Norman, oblivious to Ruin¡¯s departure, continued to berate the elders. ¡°All of you elders, focus!¡± ¡°But Head Elder, you just broke one too¡­¡± ¡°Shut up! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Anyway, don¡¯t break them. Anyone who breaks one will no longer be considered my elder!¡± * * * After encouraging the esteemed elders, I slipped away like a stray cat. I didn¡¯t want to disturb the elders who were diligently training with all their might. While walking along the mountainside, I saw a stream and took a break to quench my thirst. Ssh- The cool water sshed refreshingly against my face. Suddenly, the image of the joyful elders came to mind, and I felt happy too. The old saying was true. This is why we should respect our elders. ¡°Hmm.¡± Thinking back, I was impressed with myself. Mount Khaoto was so vast that I got a bit lost, but fortunately, I found Head Elder Norman¡¯s footprints nearby and sessfully discovered the secret vault. ¡®How cool.¡¯ My efforts paid off. I didn¡¯t expect the elders to be this happy. Honestly, they were jumping around so much that it was hard to tell if they were happy or upset. Especially Head Elder Norman. He was like a tantrum-throwing child and a senile old man at the same time. Anyway, there¡¯s one thing I didn¡¯t tell the elders. Even if I put a barrier spell on those trash Magic Stones, it wouldn¡¯t make much difference. Even if they seed, they¡¯ll break after one or two uses. I¡¯m not usually one to hide things, but I had a feeling that if I told them the truth, Head Elder Norman might jump around and copse, so I deliberately kept quiet. As expected, I¡¯m a person who respects the elderly. But there was nothing to worry about. They wouldn¡¯t seed anyway. Infusing mana into raw Magic Stones is not a simple task. Even a basic 1st Circle spell requires extreme precision; the slightest mistake will shatter these trash Magic Stones. It¡¯s a tedious task that demands utmost concentration. ¡®It¡¯ll take at least three months.¡¯ In my judgement, it would take the elders at least three months to seed, even if by sheer luck. Suddenly curious about Head Elder Norman¡¯s reaction, I quickly turned around. Someone was walking towards me. It was too dark to see their face clearly. ¡®Could it be the Head Elder chasing after me?¡¯ I quietly observed the approaching figure, and they, walking without a care, also noticed me. Our eyes met. ¡°Boss?¡± Surprised, I spoke to Zion, who was stepping back. ¡°What are you doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re on an errand for the Head Elder?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, boss? I just finished dinner and came up here for a break. I still have some time left.¡± Evenings in the mountains are darker than on t ground. Come to think of it, the sun had set not too long ago. ¡°I see.¡± Zion finally approached, casually took off his shoes, and dipped his feet into the cold stream. Ssh- With his feet in the water, Zion looked up at the sky. Through the thick foliage, the fragmented night sky revealed stars, one by one. ¡°Ah, this is nice!¡± Looking at Zion¡¯s rxed expression, I asked, ¡°Do youe here often?¡± Zion just smiled and nodded. ¡°Did you wash up?¡± ¡°Just dipping my feet here for a bit. I have to go back to training soon anyway.¡± ¡®Hmm.¡¯ No wonder there was a sudden funky smell. It felt strange that Zion was dipping his feet in the same water I had just been drinking from. I stared at Zion¡¯s wiggling toes underwater for a moment, then shook my head. ¡®I¡¯ll let it slide.¡¯ Zion, still gazing at the sky, spoke. ¡°What are you doing here, boss?¡± ¡°Just hanging around. Respecting elders is tiring.¡± ¡°There you go again with the weird talk. Are you going out today?¡± ¡°Going out where? I told you I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zion lowered his chin and looked at me. ¡°Well, if you do go out, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There must be a reason why you keep going out anding back. I¡¯m curious what you¡¯re up to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re curious about a lot of things. What are you going to do with that information?¡± ¡°You always look tired after going out. Something¡¯s not right. That¡¯s my gut feeling. I¡¯ll help you, so let¡¯s go together.¡± I smacked the back of Zion¡¯s unguarded head. With a thud, his body lurched forward, and he face-nted into the stream. ¡°Pfft! Oh, sh¡­!¡± Now Zion had also tasted the smelly water. But since it was his own feet, it shouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°Stop fooling around and go train. That¡¯s how you can help.¡± ¡°Damn it. This is bullshit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Ah, wait for me!¡± As I turned and started descending the mountainside, Zion quickly emerged from the stream and joined me. On the way down, Zion used fire magic to dry his soggy clothes. Soon, the main house came into view, followed by the training grounds. Scarecrow targets were already aze at the edge of the grounds. Zion said with a satisfied expression, ¡°Those guys are working hard.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join them?¡± I pretended to kick Zion, who was hesitating. He quickly backed away and said, ¡°You¡¯re really not going out, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Of course, that was a lie. I didn¡¯t want the hassle of bringing him along. I avoided Zion¡¯s gaze and slipped out the main gate. * * * As I cautiously circled the eastern district, the central area was once again nearly deserted. The shy lights of the entertainment district felt awkward with so few people around. There were hardly any outsiders, only a few burly men with swords roaming about. Even their numbers seemed fewer than usual. This usually meant one of two things: Either a fight had broken out somewhere else, or they were all holed up together somewhere. There was nothing else worth seeing, so I turned back towards the family estate. Suddenly, I whipped my head to the left. A group of men was walking in the opposite direction, a short distance away. As we passed each other, one of their profiles looked familiar. ¡®Snake Eyes?¡¯ It was Snake and a few of hisckeys. Perhaps they were too far away to notice me, they were just snickering amongst themselves. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ A true gangster should always be aware of their surroundings. It seems that stupid Snake Eyes doesn¡¯t even know that. Returning to the estate, everything was quiet. The training grounds were empty, suggesting that the idiots¡¯ duel was over. ¡®¡­What time is it?¡¯ Suddenly remembering the words of the scatterbrained alchemist, I hurried back to my room to sleep. ¡®He said I need to sleep a lot.¡¯ But the more I tried to sleep, the more awake I became. After tossing and turning for a while, I finally drifted off. Then, I abruptly woke up, feeling like I had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer. ¡°Gasp.¡± My face was covered in cold sweat. ¡°It was a nightmare. Just a nightmare.¡± I had a dream. An old hag with white, disheveled hair and blood-red pupils was throwing stones at me. I couldn¡¯t move, as if I were tied up. With each hit, the hag made a strange expression, a bizarre mix of joy and sorrow, and let out a creepy giggle. ¡°Damn.¡± What a messed up nightmare. I went to the bathroom and sshed water on my face to regain myposure. When I stepped outside, the morning light was already breaking. As I leaned against the railing to calm my mind, I heard faint footsteps behind me. Step- ¡®Are those the apprentices?¡¯ But as soon as I turned my head, I was startled and pped myself. ¡°Demon! Begone, demon!¡± The old hag from my dream was approaching, her body limp like a corpse. With her white hair in disarray and red eyes fixated on me, she shambled closer. p- p- No matter how hard I pped myself, nothing changed. ¡®This isn¡¯t a dream?¡¯ While I stood there dumbfounded, the hag raised her fist in front of me. I saw that she was clutching a stone in her hand. ¡°No!¡± The nightmare shed back, and I instinctively tried to strike the hag¡¯s head. But before I could, her mouth opened. ¡°Barrier.¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 42 Chapter 42: Sparks of Defiance (4) ¡°What the¡­?¡± Feeling the resistance against my fist, I took a step back. Only then did the old hag¡¯s facee into focus. Cracked skin like a corpse, disheveled hair, blood-red pupils. Her appearance was definitely demonic, but somehow familiar. ¡®Head Elder Norman?¡¯ Examining her features closely, I was certain. But for some reason, hisplexion was unrecognizably different. ¡°Head Elder. What happened to you overnight?¡± Norman opened his mouth with difficulty, unclenching his fist. ¡°S-sess¡­¡± As Norman opened his wrinkled hand, a Magic Stone emitted light from within. It wasn¡¯t just a pebble, it was a Magic Stone. The light from the Magic Stone formed a translucent barrier, the source of the resistance I had felt. I immediately realized what had happened. ¡®He seeded? In one day?¡¯ I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, but Norman¡¯s words were true. 1st Circle Barrier. Norman had sessfully imbued a trash Magic Stone with a barrier. ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡± I meant it sincerely. Amazed, I started pping involuntarily. How did he manage to seed? It should have taken at least three months for someone of Norman¡¯s level. ¡°Y-you little¡­ Cough.¡± ¡°Pardon? What did you say?¡± Norman was trying to say something, but I couldn¡¯t understand him. As I leaned closer to listen, I suddenly met his eyes. ¡®Oh.¡¯ It was a gaze I had never seen before in this life, yet it felt strangely familiar. Bloodshot eyes with dted pupils. I instantly understood how Norman had seeded. It seemed Samael had some hidden potential after all. Norman wasn¡¯t Head Elder for nothing. ¡°Someone inside, bring me some water.¡± Lihan, who was inside, brought a water bottle from the kitchen. As I poured water into Norman¡¯s mouth, he gasped for breath and then pointed at me with his finger. ¡°Y-you little¡­¡± ¡°Yes, please speakfortably.¡± At this moment, I was ready to listen attentively to whatever Norman had to say. ¡°Where did you hide the rest of my Magic Stones!¡± ¡°Are you talking about the ones that were in the vault?¡± ¡°Yes. All those Magic Stones that were mine.¡± Norman¡¯s eyes grew even more bloodshot. I bowed politely and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Head Elder. I¡¯ve already moved them to the cave for your convenience. The vault is in such a remote location, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Cave? What cave are you talking about?¡± ¡°The cave you frequent, Head Elder.¡± After a brief pause, Norman seemed to remember something and his whole body trembled. ¡°The ce where you came looking for me? The one where other elders also go?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You damn¡­¡± Norman suddenly lunged for my throat, but I quickly dodged backward. Failing his surprise attack, Norman started screeching like a madman. I understood. When someone¡¯s eyes looked like that, they often struggled to distinguish friend from foe. ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± Norman¡¯s screams were so loud that all the apprentices inside came rushing out. ¡°Keep back.¡± Just in case, I prevented anyone from approaching Norman, who then copsed with a thud. ¡°¡­It¡¯s no wonder he fainted.¡± Norman was sprawled out like a corpse, so I had Lihan cover him with a spare nket. The way everyone was looking at Norman felt strange, so I looked around and warned them, ¡°Don¡¯t look at him like that. He¡¯s not senile. He¡¯s a remarkable Head Elder.¡± He showed no signs of waking up, so I brought some water and sshed it on his face. A momentter, after confirming that Norman had regained consciousness, I started pping again. p p p- ¡°Everyone, apud our amazing Head Elder!¡± Caught off guard, everyone followed suit and started pping. p p p p p- ¡°Head Elder. Congrattions.¡± Norman took a moment to assess the situation. His face flushed red, then turned pale, and he let out a sigh. ¡°¡­It¡¯s all over now.¡± ¡°Over? Head Elder, this is just the beginning. Don¡¯t getcent just because you seeded once.¡± Norman¡¯s expression was strange, but I didn¡¯t back down and kept pushing. ¡°What if Elder Isaac surpasses you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Norman remained silent, only sighing deeply. I wanted to encourage him somehow. I turned to the apprentices and said, ¡°Apprentices, our Head Elder has been living as a fake 4th Circle all this time. He had four circles on his heart, but he was weaker than a beastkin. But today, in just one day, he reached a perfect 1st Circle.¡± Feeling their attention, I continued. ¡°Look at him. This is our Head Elder. What amazing passion at his age. Old soldiers never die. Let¡¯s all follow his example. Apud!¡± Once again, thunderous apuse erupted. Norman stared nkly into space for a while, then trudged off somewhere. As he walked aimlessly towards the mountain, a sense of emptiness washed over him, and he stopped. ¡®I collected them for 40 years¡­¡¯ He never imagined that all those years would vanish so meaninglessly. The precious Magic Stones he had painstakingly gathered since bing Head Elder were stolen in an instant. He hadn¡¯t expected them to take even the remaining Magic Stones from the vault. He couldn¡¯t ask for them back. What excuse could he give to demand the return of something taken from the vault? As he resumed his walk towards the mountain, Norman suddenly turned around. The sound of enthusiastic apuse still reached his ears. He could feel the burning gazes of the youngsters. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Norman closed his eyes as if an idea had struck him. Sensing the surrounding mana, he activated one of the Mana Circles on his heart. ¡°Barrier.¡± A translucent barrier shimmered before Norman¡¯s eyes. ¡®¡­This is different.¡¯ It was a stronger defense than even the 2nd Circle Wind Barrier he had cast in the past. Regardless of the reason, Norman¡¯s level had changed in just one day. Only now did he realize this fact. Suddenly, the words his father had emphasized when he inherited the Head Elder position 40 years ago shed through his mind. ¨C Norman, have an unyielding spirit. Even on his deathbed, those were his final words. ¨C Norman¡­ ¨C I¡¯m listening, Father. ¨C Remember¡­ unyiel¡­ding¡­ spirit¡­ Cough. ¡°¡­¡± Norman¡¯s eyes changed in an instant. They zed with a fire that seemed impossible for an old man. Forget the past. It was time to move forward. The youngsters were watching. ¡®I can¡¯t fall behind Isaac.¡¯ Norman¡¯s steps quickened as he climbed the mountain. * * * While the elders secluded themselves in the mountains and the apprentices repeated their training, I also focused on my own personal training for a while. Simply supervising the apprentices wouldn¡¯t change their foolish mindset. As I said, this was a problem they had to solve themselves. I spent the entire morning and afternoon secluded in a remote location, dedicating time to myself. I had realized something while fighting the scatterbrained Altein: I hadn¡¯t fully mastered the 4th Circle yet. I should be able to unconsciously activate all four circles even in extreme situations, but there was still some awkwardness. This was a serious issue. If my focus wavered during a fight, the efficiency of my Mana Circles would decrease. Not only would the power of my magic diminish, but the physical strain would also multiply. Fortunately, at my current level, it was a problem that could be fixed in a short time. After spending three days smashing the cliffs of Mount Khaoto, I was able to improve to a somewhat satisfactory level. Bang- As I struck the cliff, a shower of rocks rained down from the sky. I quickly dodged the falling rocks, aimed at a specific spot on the cliff, and chanted. Whoosh- Crack! As soon as the 4th Circle incantation manifested, a sharp wind pierced the cliff, creating a deep, needle-like hole¡­ At the same time, the falling rocks collided with the ground, creating a thunderous roar. Checking my condition, I found not a single scratch on my body. ¡®Not bad.¡¯ I could control all four circles without any hindrance. Looking up, the sun shone brightly. I put on the clothes I had taken off and started descending the mountain. As the Samael estate came into full view, I noticed an unfamiliar man loitering near the main gate. ¡®Who¡¯s that?¡¯ But his shifty behavior didn¡¯t suggest any good intentions. The stranger, who had sneaked in like a thief, entered the estate and started looking around. I realized, once again, that there was no one guarding the main gate. To make matters worse, Kazen had taken all the servants and soldiers with him when he left. ¡®What a damn mess of a family.¡¯ I quickly rushed down, but the suspicious man was already gone. ¡°You bastards!¡± I turned and shouted, and the apprentices who were training came running. ¡°Did you see anyone loitering around here?¡± Zion replied casually, ¡°Yeah, I saw him. That rude bastard.¡± ¡°You knew him? Who was it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his name. Last time, he even came into the training grounds to watch. I cursed at him, asking who he was, and he hasn¡¯te this far since.¡± Palge chimed in, ¡°It wasn¡¯t just one person. A group of them came once when the boss wasn¡¯t around.¡± Doubting my own memory, I asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask.¡± Frustrated, I watched as the apprentices simultaneously took a step back. Palge, the slowest to react, also quickly retreated, waving his hands around before regaining his bnce and smiling. ¡°Wow, seriously. The family, the subordinates, it¡¯s all a mess. Am I a god? How am I supposed to know and ask, you idiots? You¡¯d all die without saying a word even if enemies attacked. Fine, let me ask you. When do you think you¡¯ll die, Palge?¡± ¡°Well, I want to live a long¡­¡± ¡°Now! Now!¡± As Palge frantically waved his hands and tried to back away, I kicked the fatty¡¯s belly. ¡°Oof!¡± While giving Palge a good beating, I suddenly remembered the guys I had encountered a few days ago. ¡®That bastard Snake Eyes.¡¯ I had definitely run into them near here. Considering the direction we were going, there was a high probability they had been snooping around here. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Snake Eyes?¡± Zion, realizing who I was talking about, immediately responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t see Snake.¡± No. Judging by the circumstances, it was highly likely they hade. If they deliberately chose a dark time, Zion might not have noticed. ¡°Forget about the others. Zion, why didn¡¯t you say anything? You¡¯re supposed to report when someonees.¡± Zion looked genuinely puzzled. ¡°I thought you already knew.¡± ¡°You idiot.¡± ¡°Why are you getting mad again?¡± I was momentarily speechless. Where should I even begin teaching these idiots? Damn my luck. I smacked the back of Zion¡¯s head, sighed, and pointed towards the training grounds. ¡°¡­Go train.¡± I watched the apprentices scamper away and fell into thought. ording to the information Kant had given me, Bayern wasn¡¯t exactly flush with funds. The monthly tributes to Urgon and the expenses for the mercenaries were significant. But the eastern district remained empty. And in the midst of all this, the Bayern guys were snooping around here? ¡®What a bunch of clowns.¡¯ I climbed onto the railing of the training grounds and observed the apprentices for a while before calling out to one of them. ¡°Zion.¡± Zion approached and looked up at me with unease. ¡°Get ready to leave. Pack some extra clothes.¡± A chilling feeling crept over me. It was time to make our move. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 43 Chapter 43: Madness (1) I instructed Zion to wait for a moment and then headed towards Mount Kaoto. I intended to instill some sense of rm in the elders. No matter how short-handed they were, it was uneptable for outsiders toe and go as they pleased, as if it were their own home. ¡®Anyone would think this was a dog house. Damn it.¡¯ After climbing the mountainside for a while, the cave where I first met the elders appeared. Inside, the elders were each pouring mana into the magic stones with bloodshot eyes. They were so focused that no one even looked up when I entered. While I stood there watching, Elder Isaac¡¯s fist crumbled into magic stone dust, and a roar erupted. ¡°Argh! Again. Again!¡± No matter how much I looked around, I couldn¡¯t find Elder Norman, so I approached Isaac. Although there was no official title of Vice Elder, Isaac was effectively the second inmand. ¡°Elder.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Elder Isaac?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Are your ears blocked from old age?¡± Isaac, who had been staring nkly into space, finally turned his head to look at me. I was worried he might have gone deaf, but thankfully, he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Oh, Ruin¡¯s here.¡± I informed Isaac, who now greeted me with a somewhat weing face, about what had happened below. ¡°What? Outsiders areing and going?¡± Normally, Isaac wouldn¡¯t have considered this a big issue, but given the recent unusual situation in Kaoto, he put on a serious expression and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that it¡¯s rted to Bayern.¡± Isaac gathered the elders and started a meeting. I waited patiently until the meeting was over and then asked, ¡°By the way, Elder Norman isn¡¯t here.¡± It was just a casual remark, but¡­ Suddenly, the elders jumped up from their seats and grabbed the magic stones again, starting to channel mana. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Isaac was muttering something with his mouth open, but I couldn¡¯t understand him at all. I moved closer, and this is what he was saying: ¡°He¡¯s gone senile. The Head Elder is senile. I¡¯ve served him for so many years, and he gets arrogant after seeding just a few times. He tells those without ability to stop wasting magic stones because they can¡¯t do it anyway? Has this old man really eaten his age through his asshole?¡± Hmm¡­ He¡¯s definitely been influenced by Norman. After confirming Isaac¡¯s state, I turned around without saying a word. It¡¯s best not to provoke someone who¡¯s not in their right mind. As I was leaving, I was surprised to see magic stones emitting light from one side. It seemed that not only Elder Norman but other elders had also seeded in the past few days. A sudden idea shed through my mind, and I secretly picked up the magic stones and put them in my pocket. None of the elders noticed. Anyway, since I hade this far, I thought I should see Norman before leaving. I had a rough idea of where he might be. People tend to stay in familiar ces. * * * When I reached the location of the shrine, I saw human footprints. I followed the footprints and came across arge rock. And there, as expected, was the old crow, meditating with his eyes closed. Under the rock, I saw arge bundle. It seemed the old crow had brought his share of magic stones from the cave. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Seeing that Norman wasn¡¯t in a state for conversation, I looked around for something else. ¡®It should be somewhere around here.¡¯ While wandering around, I discovered strange footprints and tilted my head in confusion. The footprints led in one direction and then abruptly stopped, with no path beyond. A curious, Crazy Mage wouldn¡¯t just pass this by. Of course, I¡¯m talking about myself. I turned my head and looked at the old crow, still meditating with his eyes closed. I cheered him on with heartfelt sincerity. ¡°The power of Samael. Elder Norman¡­ Fighting!¡± As I disappeared following the footprints, Norman tilted his head with his eyes still closed. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, Norman¡¯s concentration wavered. He felt as if he heard a hallucination from somewhere. It felt like someone was cursing him. ¡®I must focus. Focus, focus, magic stone, magic stone, sess, suc¡­¡¯ Feeling an ominous sensation, Norman abruptly opened his eyes and quickly looked around. ¡°Magic stones. My magic stones!¡± He hurriedly looked under the rock and sighed in relief. Thankfully, there was nothing wrong with the bundle. ¡°¡­.It must have been my imagination.¡± Normanfortably resumed his meditation posture. After channeling mana into the magic stone for a while, he nodded with a smile on his face. The magic stone was emitting light. ¡®Sess.¡¯ He had seeded twice today. Suddenly feeling hungry, Norman brushed himself off and started moving somewhere. He had been storing the magic stones in a ce only he knew. He couldn¡¯t even trust the secret vault anymore. Moving deep into the forest covered in bushes, Norman started digging at a spot he had marked beforehand. Digging. And digging. And digging. Digging again, and digging¡­ ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Growing impatient, Norman even resorted to casting magic, turning the surrounding ground into a mess. ¡°Why, why can¡¯t I find it? It¡¯s definitely here!¡± It wasn¡¯t there. No matter how much he dug, it wasn¡¯t there. It was baffling. Norman, who had been digging like a mole, copsed on the spot. Feeling like he was losing his mind, he chanted a spell as if possessed. ¡°Don¡¯t break, don¡¯t break, don¡¯t break¡­¡± * * * With my pockets full, I was joyfully descending the mountain when I stopped for a moment. The old crow¡¯s face lingered in my mind. I had always considered Elder Norman to be a stubborn but insightful old man. However, something felt strange about him these past few days. It was as if his insight had disappeared and been reced by madness. Of course, nothing helped improve one¡¯s skills as much as madness, but the problem was that he often lost his mind even in normal situations. Norman had hidden the magic stones like a squirrel hoarding nuts, but I couldn¡¯t understand why he hadn¡¯t thought to hide his footprints. Did he think that if he couldn¡¯t see them, others couldn¡¯t either? It was too early to tell whether Elder Norman¡¯s madness would be a gain or a loss. I took out a handful of magic stones from my pocket, and the one containing the barrier was glowing. The value of an object is rtive. To me, these magic stones were useless trash, but to a third-rate thug, they could be a precious treasure that could save his life once. By the time I arrived at the lodging, the sunset was painting the sky above the mountain red. I gathered the apprentices and Lihan and shared onest dinner with them for a while. Everyone seemed to be avoiding eye contact, probably because of what happened earlier in the day. The only sound was Palge asionally munching. When the awkward atmosphere eased a bit, I looked around and said, ¡°Listen while you eat. Starting tomorrow, each of you apprentices will take turns guarding the main gate. Two-hour shifts. Just until the Head returns.¡± Feeling their attention on me, I continued, ¡°Since we¡¯re short-handed, you¡¯ll have to work hard. Take good care of the house while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°No way. Where are you going?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Palge replied with a disappointed face, ¡°Do we have to guard at night too?¡± ¡°No need for that. Just until bedtime. Close the main gate at night and hang a bell on the doorknob. There shouldn¡¯t be any trouble. If someonees, record it and report to the elders when theye down.¡± I didn¡¯t think Bayern wouldunch a surprise attack. But this was a matter of principle. Having a gatekeeper versus not having one. I couldn¡¯t let Samael be treated like an open dog house. And I hoped the apprentices felt the same way. Once dinner was almost over, I sent everyone out except Lihan and Zion. ¡°Hurry up and get out, Palge.¡± Palge, who had been lingering until thest moment, finally left with rye bread in both hands¡­ I gave orders to Zion and Lihan. ¡°Zion, pack a backpack ande to the main gate.¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± ¡°Pack a few.¡± Zion nodded without saying much. He seemed excited and nervous, lost in his thoughts. ¡°Lihan, go get a g.¡± ¡°A g?¡± Lihan blinked and then widened his eyes. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean the ck Phosphorus g?¡± I waved my hand. ¡°No, not the ck Phosphorus. Bring a small one.¡± Lihan seemed to understand and let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I was surprised¡­ Then I¡¯ll bring the Blue Sea g. It¡¯s in the warehouse, so it¡¯ll take some time.¡± Lihan and Zion disappeared at the same time. I returned to my room, took a bath, and changed into clean clothes I had never worn before. * * * A littleter, I stepped outside the family estate with the Blue Sea g draped over my shoulder. Zion, who had been waiting, naturally matched my pace. As we walked, Zion kept ncing at the g on my shoulder. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Is that our family crest?¡± ¡°One of them.¡± Among the symbols of Samael, the Blue Sea was the most widely used. ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± He was right, so I just nodded. The Blue Sea g was a simple g with a blue background and a white circle in the center. The blue background symbolized the blue sea beyond Mount Kaoto, and the white circle symbolized the sun shining on the Blue Sea. It was a crest that represented Samael¡¯s identity of inclusiveness. Of course, it wasn¡¯t exactly my favorite crest. ¡°Open your backpack.¡± As Zion stopped, I detached the Blue Sea g from its pole, rolled it up, and stuffed it into the backpack. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± We walked through the night streets in silence. The moonlight was particrly weak tonight, making the streets dark. We could barely see a few steps ahead. One interesting thing was that Zion was still holding back his words, even though I had brought him along without any exnation. Where were we going? What were we going to do? He didn¡¯t ask anything. But in the darkness, Zion¡¯s face was faintly tense. Seeing him so nervous yet keeping his mouth shut, it was clear he wasn¡¯t going to ask until I told him first. The moment we entered the central district, the world transformed. The crimson lights of the entertainment district brightly illuminated the streets, pushing back the darkness. Zion let out an involuntary gasp, ¡°Ah.¡± I looked at him, and his eyes were wide with wonder. ¡°Look at your eyes. What? Do you want to go in?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve only heard about it, never seen it before. It¡¯s amazing.¡± Come to think of it, Zion had said that he had never actually wandered around Kaoto during his time as a ck market merchant. His father had left him behind because it was dangerous, or something like that. Suddenly, I saw a few thugs walking briskly from across the street and lowered my voice. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything and let¡¯s just go.¡± Zion unexpectedly burst intoughter but quickly covered his mouth with his hand. I deliberately took a detour through the eastern outskirts, moving slowly. As we moved away from the central area and the crowds thinned, Zion whispered in a low voice, ¡°There are so few people. It¡¯s different from what I heard. Will business even be possible like this?¡± ¡°Do you think it will?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Well, you know, if there are so few people, the maintenance costs will be higher. Are there only idiots in Bayern? I don¡¯t understand what they¡¯re thinking.¡± I looked at Zion and raised my right hand. ¡°Are you a spy or something? What do you care if they fail or not?¡± ¡°A merchant always thinks about such things. I see you¡¯re a brute, boss.¡± I had nothing to refute, so I was going to stay quiet, but then I realized I had already raised my right hand. I had no choice but to hit the back of Zion¡¯s head and pretend I didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The two brutes walked west again without saying a word. As we walked slowly, I realized that Kaoto was quiterge. It was true that it was underdeveloped, but in terms of size alone, it was indeedrger than Leon, the bustling city nearby. Previously, I had used magic to move quickly, but today, as I moved stealthily at a normal person¡¯s pace, we had only just reached the end of the eastern district. But I continued to keep my pace slow, just in case we missed anything. The moment we crossed over to the western district, we heard a faint noise from somewhere. I held my breath for a moment and listened. Zion also held his breath. ng¡ª Cling¡ª The metallic sound of weapons shing. It was sporadic, suggesting there were only one or two people involved. ¡°Are we going to check it out, boss?¡± I shook my head slightly at Zion¡¯s whispered question and headed towards the western district again. I had a hunch. By the time we reached the center of the western district, it was well past midnight. Unlike the eastern district, this area was quite run-down. As expected, thugs from Dark Soul were patrolling the streets in pairs. It waspletely different from thest time I was here. They all held torches in their hands, exuding a menacing aura. They looked like soldiers preparing for a surprise attack. We crouched down on one side of the street and observed the situation for a while. Suddenly, Zion covered his nose and muttered, ¡°That dirty bastard.¡± I looked over and saw a third-rate thug staggering and urinating on the street in a corner. Was he drinking and on duty at the same time? The street was dark, but the torchlight was bright, so we had a clear view of him doing his business. He had nothing to be proud of. Suddenly, we heard the thug muttering, ¡°¡­.Those bastards. Just trying here. I¡¯ll crush them.¡± Looking closely, he seemed familiar. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 44 Chapter 44: Madness (2) Zion covered his nose and muttered. ¡°That guy smells like piss.¡± ¡°That can happen.¡± ¡°Why are you so calm, boss? Should I go teach him a lesson?¡± Zion looked at me in surprise when I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t just hit my long-lost drunkard twin brother for making a little mistake. I felt a bit of fondness, too. Of course, there was a bigger reason. I watched the thugs patrolling the streets for a while longer, then grabbed Zion¡¯s waist and carefully slipped away. I had already achieved my primary objective. It was just as I expected. Dark Soul and Bayern were on the brink of conflict. All it needed was a little spark to ignite a full-blown war. I quickly formted a n and then sought rest in a shabby inn at the edge of the district. Zion seemed more nervous than I thought, as he fell asleep as soon as hey down. Cough¡ª I was startled awake just as I was drifting off. ¡°Which bastard is spitting phlegm?¡± Snore¡ª Cough¡ª I turned around to see that Zion¡¯s snoring sounded exactly like someone spitting phlegm. His head had never looked so tempting. * * * I tossed and turned all night, debating whether to crack his skull open. Unable to sleep, I went downstairs to the first floor, where the young innkeeper was already cleaning, moving tables and chairs. The innkeeper spotted me and greeted me cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯re up early, guest?¡± ¡°Mypanion has been spitting phlegm all night.¡± ¡°Oh dear. He must have a bad cold.¡± I excused myself to the innkeeper and closed my eyes for a moment on a chair in the corner. Fatigue finally washed over me. I woke up to bright sunlight streaming through the wide-open front door. ¡°¡­.How long was I asleep?¡± My stiff back suggested it wasn¡¯t just a short nap. Someone had even covered my legs with a nket. As I looked around, Zion came down the stairs, stretching and greeting me. ¡°Boss, you were here? I was looking all over for you.¡± ¡°Is your head alright?¡± Zion moved his head from side to side and replied, ¡°Sleeping in a bed after always sleeping on the floor feels great. It¡¯s a bit worn out, but it¡¯s fine. The bedding is soft, so my head is soft too.¡± I quickly cut Zion off before I actually cracked his skull open. ¡°Go get your backpack. Let¡¯s go.¡± While Zion went upstairs to get his things, I stepped outside to look around. The westernmost part of western Kaoto. The most dpidated street. There was no one around, and there were several abandoned buildings. I told Zion, who came out with his bag, ¡°Take out the Blue Sea g.¡± Zion opened his backpack and took out the rolled-up Blue Sea g. As I attached the g back to its pole, Zion said with a hesitant expression, ¡°Wow, this street looks like it¡¯s straight out of a ghost story.¡± I draped thepleted Blue Sea g over my shoulder and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t talk carelessly. This street has charm.¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a merchant¡¯s romance?¡± Zion replied without much thought. ¡°Money.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with the money?¡± ¡°Well, nothing special. Just eat delicious food, livefortably in a nice building, that¡¯s the dream.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make that dreame true. Pick one.¡± I pointed at the abandoned buildings, and Zion, not understanding what I meant, just blinked. ¡°Pick one, I said.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Finally, Zion got to the point. I pretended to chant a spell, and Zion¡¯s face turned pale as he involuntarily pointed at one. ¡°Th, that one.¡± A one-story abandoned building with a wide-open front door. I brushed off the dust umted on the building¡¯s exterior and hung the Blue Sea g. ¡°This is Samael¡¯s first business establishment.¡± The blue sea rippled in the dpidated street. * * * While I was roughly cleaning the building¡¯s exterior, Zion came out from inside, covered in dust. ¡°Ugh, what are we doing? This ce is full of cobwebs.¡± I ced the magic stones on a countertop and said, ¡°Are you done cleaning?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going to clean,e here and sell these.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zion approached, picked up a magic stone, and examined it. Suddenly, his eyes changed. ¡°Wait, this is¡­¡± Like a true son of a former ck market merchant, he observed the magic stone with interest and then eximed, ¡°It¡¯s a magic stone. The grade is almost the lowest, but it¡¯s a bit strange. Why is it glowing?¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± I nodded and exined the situation. Of course, I didn¡¯t mention that the elders had gone mad. ¡°It has a barrier spell in it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the work of our esteemed elders.¡± ¡°Can I try using it?¡± ¡°Be careful. It¡¯ll break after a few uses.¡± Zion replied as if he had realized something. ¡°Ah, damn it. Wait a minute. But why are we selling these here?¡± ¡°Good question.¡± This is what I had confirmed while wandering around Kaoto. The Bayern guys were definitely running out of money. The number of outsiders spendingvishly in the entertainment district had decreased significantly. It seemed that the problem arose after the Night Dew Pub was raided and the outsiders left in groups. However, the strange thing was that Dark Soul, the sidecking in power, was the one staying put. They should beunching a surprise attack on Bayern, so why were they just sitting and waiting? But I wasn¡¯t particrly curious. The reason was simple. ¡°Hey, why aren¡¯t you answering, boss? I asked why we¡¯re selling these. You¡¯re doing whatever you want.¡± ¡°Exactly, Zion.¡± Indeed. I wasn¡¯t curious because from now on, I was going to do things my way, at my pace, ording to my n. I said to Zion, who was standing nkly, ¡°Hurry up and sell them. That¡¯s why I brought you here.¡± Zion suddenly became enraged. ¡°What the f*ck?¡± I, too, became enraged. I¡¯m not a man who backs down when angered. ¡°You¡¯re cursing now? Weren¡¯t you a merchant? A merchant should sell things, not a thug. Why are you cursing and causing a scene? Zion. The Blue Sea g is hanging there. Don¡¯t curse. Sell them quickly if you don¡¯t want to get beaten to death. Show me your skills.¡± Realizing he couldn¡¯t win with words, Zion sighed. ¡°How much should I sell them for?¡± ¡°We need to get at least 30 gold per piece. We can¡¯t sell something that can save a third-rate thug¡¯s life for cheap.¡± Zion sat at the stall and stared at the empty street for a while before looking back at me. The sunlight grew stronger¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you selling, Zion?¡± ¡°Who am I supposed to sell to when there¡¯s no one around? I need people to sell to.¡± It was true that there was no one around. Maybe it was because we were too far out. I was lost in thought for a moment when a spicy stew smell wafted from somewhere. I sniffed and realized it wasing from the inn we had stayed at this morning. It was a mouthwatering, spicy smell. Growl¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, boss. I haven¡¯t eaten anything, and I¡¯m hungry.¡± I shook my head firmly. ¡°Sellinges first.¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not going to be stingy with food, are you? I¡¯m exhausted from working since morning.¡± ¡°Do you have money?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Where would I have money? You¡¯re the boss, you should pay.¡± Zion¡¯s eyes suddenly wavered as he spoke. I met his gaze and nodded. ¡°Same here.¡± ¡°¡­.You don¡¯t have any either? Didn¡¯t you give Lihan a few gold coins the other day?¡± ¡°I did back then. But I don¡¯t have any now. Whiskers¡¯ life was expensive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The money I paid for the inn was thest of my possessions. There was a reason I chose a cheap inn. ¡°Then let¡¯s just put it on credit, boss.¡± I hit the back of Zion¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we do something a third-rate thug would do. You¡¯ve never been here before, how can you ask for credit? Get a grip, Zion. Before I crack your skull open.¡± It was fine to put things on credit at the Night Dew Pub. It was also fine to put things on credit at the Red Sunset Tavern. But not here. That was my philosophy as a former first-rate thug. ¡°Ah, f*ck.¡± Just then, the young innkeeper walked out of the inn and towards us. He was holding adle in one hand, and the closer he got, the stronger the spicy stew smell became. The young man looked at Zion and me, then at the Blue Sea g behind us, with wary eyes before asking, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I felt grateful to the young innkeeper, so I extended my hand and formally introduced myself. ¡°I am Ruin of Samael. This is¡­ the business manager in charge of Samael¡¯s external affairs.¡± Zion¡¯s eyes lit up, and he puffed out his chest and greeted the innkeeper. ¡°Business manager, Zion. We¡¯re looking into setting up a business here, so we¡¯re just looking around.¡± The young innkeeper was surprised and recognized us. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard a lot about Samael. I¡¯m Donkey. I never thought I¡¯d see people from Samael here. Ah, instead of standing here, why don¡¯t youe inside if you haven¡¯t eaten?¡± Zion smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Ahem, then we won¡¯t refuse¡­¡± I immediately cut Zion off. ¡°Hey, Business Manager. What are you talking about, eating? We have work to do.¡± Zion frowned and whispered to me in a low voice, ¡°Why are you talking like that? It¡¯s making me sick.¡± ¡°This is how I normally talk.¡± While Zion and I were having a private conversation, Donkey looked back and forth between the shabby stall and the abandoned building, then grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal, so pleasee inside.¡± ¡°Treat us?¡± ¡°I mean I won¡¯t charge you. I can¡¯t consider people from Samael as strangers. Please don¡¯t refuse ande inside. I have to throw away the leftovers anyway since there are no customers.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t refuse.¡± I nodded immediately and followed Donkey into the inn. Zion muttered with a dumbfounded expression, ¡°That crazy bastard.¡± I turned my head and looked at Zion. ¡°What are you doing, Business Manager? Hurry up ande in.¡± Zion approached and spoke in a low voice that only I could hear. ¡°You were just talking about credit and stuff, but you¡¯re only giving me a hard time.¡± ¡°Free is fine. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Credit and free are different. You don¡¯t have to pay back credit, but you have to pay back free. If you get something for free, you have to pay it back in some way. If you don¡¯t, you might experience side effects like baldness. I went in lightheartedly, hoping that side effect would go to Zion. There were no other customers. Zion and I sat at a table, and soon Donkey brought out two bowls of steaming stew. The spicy smell stimted my appetite. ¡°It¡¯s chicken stew. Please taste it and let me know what you think.¡± ¡°Chicken stew?¡± I instinctively stirred the stew with my fork. It was filled with plenty of shredded chicken. ¡°As expected, chicken stew should have chicken in it to taste right.¡± I was surprised as soon as I took a bite. The thick and savory broth was perfect for my taste. Moreover, the chicken seemed to have been grilled separately, giving it an excellent texture. I looked to the side and saw Zion practically burying his face in the bowl, sniffling as he ate. We finished our food in the blink of an eye and gave a thumbs-up towards the kitchen. ¡°Wow, your skills are amazing.¡± ¡°This is crazy good.¡± Donkey, who was in the kitchen, walked out with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it. Thank you.¡± I looked around and said, ¡°By the way, why aren¡¯t there any customers even though your food is so good?¡± Donkey brought a chair and sat next to us. ¡°I just started the business a few days ago.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. But if that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t another location be better than this one? This alley has too few people.¡± Donkey replied with a bitter expression. ¡°The rent in the central district is too high. I should have saved up some money. Haha, well, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. By the way, you two from Samael look about my age. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re selling things.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you¡¯d be better off somewhere else than here.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have money.¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll have some soon. Our business manager is very capable.¡± I looked at Zion, and he nodded with a hesitant expression. Donkey looked at us with sympathy and said, ¡°Would you like some more chicken stew?¡± Zion instinctively replied, ¡°Is that alright?¡± Donkey smiled, stood up, and went into the kitchen. A momentter, Donkey came out with three bowls of chicken stew and a wooden barrel. He ced a bowl of stew in front of Zion and me, and one in front of himself. ¡°I¡¯m hungry too. Do you mind if I eat with you?¡± I looked at the chicken stew in front of me and asked out of curiosity, ¡°Why are you being so kind?¡± ¡°No particr reason. I¡¯ve just heard about Samael since I was young, so it feels familiar. And there are no customers anyway. Plus, it feels like I have someone to talk to after a long time.¡± Donkey opened the wooden barrel next to him, and a refreshing scent of makgeolli filled the air. ¡°Would you like some? I have a habit of drinking makgeolli with my meals.¡± I didn¡¯t refuse and drank. I didn¡¯t care if Zion suffered the consequences of baldness. I was surprised again as soon as I took a sip. ¡°Wow, you brew good makgeolli too.¡± A warm sensation went down my throat, followed by a sweet fragrance at the tip of my nose. Usually, makgeolli is too strong to be considered honey wine. But this one, although strong going down, had a clean aftertaste and a lingering sweetness. * * * The makgeolli was so delicious that I kept drinking. [TL/N: Makgeolli is a traditional Korean alcoholic beverage. It¡¯s a type of rice wine that¡¯s milky in appearance, slightly sweet, and often lightly sparkling.] The three of us continued to pass the cups, enjoying the chicken stew as a side dish. Zion, who had built up his stamina through training, was one thing, but the young innkeeper was also quite a good drinker. He seemed to be a natural. As we drank, we talked about various things. This wasn¡¯t originally part of my n, but I had intended to go with the flow, so it didn¡¯t matter much. The makgeolli and the food were delicious, and Donkey himself was an interesting guy. He was older than he looked and had a passion and dream for cooking. I respect people with conviction. As we continued drinking, we became morefortable with each other. ¡°Hmm, we¡¯re out of alcohol. Should I get another bottle, Ruin?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have just one more.¡± Zion chimed in from the side. ¡°Sounds good, brother Donkey. I¡¯ll buy a lot from you next time. Hehe.¡± While Donkey went to the kitchen, I looked at Zion with a serious expression. ¡°Business Manager, don¡¯t forget your duty. If you don¡¯t sell anything today, I¡¯ll make you bald. Understand?¡± ¡°F*ck.¡± At that moment, we both looked towards the entrance of the inn. A long shadow stretched across the bright sunlight. Arge man with a sword at his waist stood at the entrance, ring at us. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 45 Chapter 45: Madness (3) As the man stepped inside, his physique, hidden by the sunlight, was revealed. He was evenrger than I thought. The man nced at our table once and then took a seat at a table on one side. Zion shouted towards the kitchen, ¡°Serve the customer, brother Donkey. You need to attend to customers promptly when they arrive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± I also looked towards the man, feeling a sense of reciprocation for Donkey¡¯s hospitality. I intended to at least try to attract him as a customer. ¡°The chef¡¯s a newbie, so he¡¯s a bit out of it. But this ce makes good chicken stew. I guarantee it. Of course, I¡¯m not getting paid for this. Have you heard of ¡®paying with my own money¡¯? It means I¡¯m not using my money, but I¡¯m the one buying.¡± The man briefly made eye contact with me, then ced his scabbard on the table without saying a word. It was a scabbard made of woven beast scales, and it was well-maintained. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Most of the Dark Soul guys used spears, but not all of them. asionally, there were those who carried swords, and those guys always bossed around other thugs. ¡°A customer? Wee¡­¡± Donkey hurriedly came out of the kitchen to greet the man but stopped abruptly. He had seen the scabbard on the table. The man spoke in a low voice. ¡°Are you the owner here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any shop here.¡± ¡°Ah, I just opened the shop recently.¡± ¡°Did you pay the tribute?¡± ¡°Ah, about that¡­ Not yet.¡± At that moment, Zion walked up to the man and sat down across from him without hesitation. ¡°Excuse me. Are you an executive of Dark Soul?¡± The man kept his gaze fixed on Donkey and only nced at Zion. ¡°What?¡± Zion took something out of his pocket. ¡°I want to sell you something. Have you heard of magic stones? They¡¯re very useful in this dangerous world. I¡¯ll give you a special discount.¡± The man tilted his head and looked at Zion. ¡°You seem to have no fear of the world. And why is a young kid talking like that?¡± Zion red at me for a moment, but I just quietly gave him a thumbs-up. Encouraged, Zion spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m the business manager of Samael. This item is guaranteed by the business manager himself. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Samael?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The man stared at Zion for a moment with a puzzled expression, but when Zion didn¡¯t flinch, he looked away and spoke to Donkey. ¡°You said you just opened the shop recently?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then register your business first. You might be misunderstood otherwise. And take your time preparing the tribute.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Having said what he wanted to say, the man stood up, nced at Zion and me once, and then left. I watched therge figure walk away and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s acting unlike a third-rate thug.¡± Zion nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. I could have sold it.¡± Donkey added his two cents. ¡°You both have guts. I thought a fight was about to break out. Samael is different indeed.¡± It seemed Donkey also had guts, seeing how casually he talked about such things. I looked back and forth between Donkey and Zion and said, ¡°Unfortunately, our attempt to attract customers failed this time. But the first time is always difficult.¡± Suddenly losing my taste for alcohol, I ordered Zion, ¡°Business Manager. It¡¯s time to stop drinking and focus on your main job.¡± Zion nodded. ¡°Understood. Ah, but since I¡¯m the business manager, shouldn¡¯t I receive amission?¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± ¡°I think about 20% of the sales would be appropriate.¡± ¡°You want to get beaten 20 times?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take 2%.¡± As soon as I nodded, Zion¡¯s eyes lit up, and he disappeared somewhere in a hurry. It seemed he had been diligently thinking about business even while drinking. * * * While I was sprawled out on the stall, trying to sober up, I heard a rush of footsteps from one side. Stampede¡ª I got up and saw a crowd of people running down the street, filling it up. I could hear them humming a song¡­ And I heard Zion¡¯s voice in the midst of it all. ¡°This isn¡¯t just any ordinary stone you see every day. It¡¯s a magic stone, a stone that protects your life!¡± Zion was walking energetically in the center of the crowd, wiggling his hips. Everyone was also excitedly wiggling their hips. It was like watching a traveling troupe passing through the city. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Zion stopped in front of me and picked up a magic stone from the stall. He turned around and waved the magic stone towards the crowd filling the street. ¡°This is that stone, the one and only precious stone in the world.¡± Skeptical boos erupted from here and there. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t lie. It¡¯s just an ordinary stone.¡± ¡°I came here for nothing. A young man is already lying.¡± ¡°I was fooled for a moment.¡± Zion said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll show you a demonstration.¡± I blinked, wondering what was going on. A young boy walked out and stood in front of Zion. Looking closely, he seemed familiar. ¡®Where have I seen him before?¡¯ Zion handed the magic stone to the boy and picked up a wooden stick he had found somewhere. ¡°Alright, here I go.¡± The boy made eye contact with Zion and nodded. The moment Zion was about to hit the boy¡¯s head with the stick, the boy closed his eyes tightly and shouted, ¡°Barrier.¡± Whiiing¡ª The stick bounced off into the air, and cheers erupted from the crowd. ¡°Oh, what? It actually works?¡± ¡°Did you see that? It bounced off!¡± ¡°Ooooooh!¡± Suddenly, the boy looked at me and bowed politely. It was then that I remembered him. I had once saved a boy who was being beaten by thugs in eastern Kaoto, and it was this kid. People rushed towards the stall. ¡°So, what¡¯s the price?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy them all, no matter the cost.¡± ¡°What do you mean buy them all? We have to share.¡± Zion, with a big smile, organized the situation. ¡°Everyone, line up! The price is only 100 gold.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°100 gold, not 1 gold?¡± People simultaneously stepped back. An awkward silence fell, and the lively hip-shaking instantly died down. 100 gold was an unimaginablyrge sum for the locals. It was then that the crowd parted like the tide, and a man slowly walked through. It was therge man we had seen at the inn this morning. ¡°100 gold?¡± Zion met the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you interested? 100 gold isn¡¯t expensive for the price of a life.¡± Therge man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true. But that¡¯s only when it¡¯s truly the price of a life.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just see?¡± ¡°That trickery isn¡¯t enough. You demonstrate it yourself.¡± ng¡ª The man drew his sword from the scabbard at his waist. He looked quite angry. Zion replied with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a suspicious one. I¡¯ll show you as much as you want.¡± Zion, with a confident look on his face, picked up a magic stone in front of me and whispered, ¡°Boss, this one isn¡¯t defective, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t used it.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Zion regained hisposure and faced the man. ¡°Come at me.¡± The man drew his sword and charged. The locals watched in fear. Just as the sharpened de was about to pierce Zion¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Barrier.¡± Whiiing¡ª Crack! The sword was halfway embedded in the barrier, unable to go any further. As therge man pushed the sword with all his might, cracks appeared with a ??? sound, but it still hadn¡¯t reached Zion¡¯s shoulder. Exmations erupted from the surrounding people, and therge man had a very surprised expression. Feeling sorry for the wasted magic stone, I immediately stood up from the stall and intervened. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here.¡± Zion grinned and backed away, and the man muttered in surprise, ¡°¡­.It was real.¡± I looked at the man and said, ¡°I think that¡¯s enough proof of its worth. Tsk, we wasted a precious magic stone on a demonstration. You¡¯ll have to buy another one. I¡¯ll give you a 50 gold discount, so let¡¯s say 150 gold.¡± The man looked at me for a moment. As our eyes met, a hint of murderous intent shed in his eyes. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Is it too expensive?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The man, who had withdrawn his murderous intent, sighed and took out a pouch from his pocket and tossed it over. I checked, and it was full of gold coins. ¡°You made a wise decision. It¡¯s the price of a life, so you won¡¯t regret it.¡± Zion handed the magic stone to the man, who examined it in his hand and then muttered unexpectedly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of magic stones before. But I¡¯m not sure if this is one. I¡¯ve never heard of magic stones emitting light. What¡¯s the name of this thing?¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°It must have a name.¡± I was momentarily flustered and looked at Zion. A magic stone is a magic stone, what other name could it have? Zion also seemed to have nothing to say and remained silent. But I felt a bit of pride and hesitated to call it just a ¡°trash magic stone.¡± While I was pondering, the boy next to me spoke up. ¡°Precious.¡± The man looked down at the boy. ¡°Precious?¡± ¡°Yes. It means a precious stone that protects your life.¡± The man, seemingly not satisfied with the answer, looked back and forth between Zion and me, but he remained silent, having nothing to say. The man looked at the Blue Sea g for a moment, then started walking away, saying, ¡°Not a bad name. I¡¯m Carrot of Dark Soul. You guys should be careful.¡± I nodded as I watched the man¡¯s back receding into the distance. He was a man of his word. ¡®It doesn¡¯t hurt to be careful.¡¯ Unlike a third-rate thug, he knew how to be cautious. If he hadn¡¯t withdrawn his murderous intent himself, his head might have been cracked open today. * * * I handed Donkey a generous amount of gold coins and stayed at the inn. I deliberately got a different room from Zion. Donkey persistently refused the gold coins, but I forced them on him because receiving free hospitality usuallyes with a hefty price. If I saved the gold coins, our business manager might go bald, and I couldn¡¯t bear to see that. That¡¯s how much I care for my subordinates. The next day, I slept in untilte afternoon and went downstairs to find quite a few people gathered on the first floor. I took a seat in a corner, and Donkey came out of the kitchen and said, ¡°You¡¯re up?¡± ¡°Why are there so many people today?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, of course. People flocked to this area yesterday, remember? Some of them had dinner here and came back today.¡± I remembered the traveling troupe Zion had brought. It seemed some of them had eaten here. ¡°That¡¯s good. Bring me a bowl too. I¡¯m starving since I haven¡¯t eaten anything.¡± A momentter, Donkey brought me chicken stew. The spicy smell made my mouth water, and as soon as I took a bite, my appetite was fully awakened. ¡®This is really delicious.¡¯ As I was devouring the food, I heard the sound of raindrops falling outside. Pitter-patter¡ª I rxed and looked outside for a while, and soon everyone had left, leaving me alone. Donkey poked his head out of the kitchen and said, ¡°Are they all gone?¡± ¡°Yeah, no one¡¯s left.¡± A sound of ¡°Ugh¡± came from the kitchen, and then Donkey walked out, stretching his back a few times before sitting next to us. ¡°Having a lot of customers is tiring too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking like you have it easy. You need to work hard at times like this. By the way, is our Business Manager still not down yet?¡± As soon as I said that, Zion came down from upstairs and sat across from us. He looked outside and said, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to rain.¡± I pointed at Zion and said, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about making excuses. Rain or shine, the Business Manager of Samael should be thinking about business.¡± Zion suddenly got angry and held out his hand to me. ¡°Give me the money.¡± ¡°What money?¡± ¡°You promised me 2%.¡± ¡°Why should I give it to you when I was the one who sold it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You may have brought the troupe, but I was the one who sold the magic stone to that guy yesterday. If you¡¯re unhappy, sell it yourself.¡± While we were bickering, Donkey came out of the kitchen with stir-fried chicken and makgeolli, saying, ¡°Shall we have another drink today?¡± Donkey popped the lid open with a pop¡ª the smell of makgeolli wafted through the air, and the three of us drank without saying another word. I took a bite of the stir-fried chicken, and the savory taste exploded in my mouth. It had a different vor from the stew. ¡°Brother Donkey, you¡¯re a culinary master.¡± ¡°Not yet. But someday, I¡¯ll be the best chef on the continent.¡± Donkey, perhaps feelingfortable with us, made a joke. But looking at his face, it seemed like he meant it sincerely, so I didn¡¯tugh. A man with big dreams deserves respect. At that moment, Zion, who had been looking outside, spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡± The raindrops, which had been falling sporadically, were gradually getting heavier. I thought the Business Manager was making an excuse, but I didn¡¯t say anything. Whoosh¡ª The three of us drank makgeolli for a while, enjoying the sound of the rain as a side dish. I loved the sound of rain in my past life too. When it rained¡­ It felt like the madness soaked in blood was being washed away. I closed my eyes and savored the sound of raindrops hitting the dirt floor, but then I suddenly frowned. The sound of rough footsteps was disturbing the sound of the rain. Bang! With the loud sound of the door breaking, uninvited guests arrived. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a bastard here selling junk without permission.¡± Three third-rate thugs, drenched in the rain and holding spears, were ring at us. They whispered among themselves for a moment, and then one of them spoke up. ¡°Are you the one selling the Precious?¡± When I didn¡¯t respond, Zion took a swig of makgeolli and said, ¡°You must have heard the rumors ande looking. I¡¯m that person.¡± ¡°I need to see the goods. Bring them here.¡± ¡°Money first. If you pay 100 gold, I¡¯ll give it to you without a word. But you have to give it only to me. If you give it to this person here, you¡¯ll have to pay 150 gold.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy yet.¡± ¡°Do you want to die? Do you know who we are?¡± Yes, that was the typical third-rate thug I knew. Acting without any caution whatsoever. ¡°10 gold in tribute. Hand over the Precious, and we¡¯ll spare your lives.¡± I continued to focus amidst the chaos. Looking outside, the rain was still pouring heavily. ¡°Hey, no answer? Do we look like a joke to you? You need to die toe to your senses.¡± Zion nodded silently, and Donkey quietly went into the kitchen. ¡®Ah.¡¯ No matter how hard I focused, I couldn¡¯t hear the sound of the rain anymore. I pointed at the thugs and said, ¡°Be quiet.¡± One of the thugs mmed his hand on the table. ¡°You¡¯re asking for it, really.¡± ¡°Please. Just be quiet.¡± Bang¡ª ¡°Guys, cut off that bastard¡¯s fingers first.¡± Two thugs charged at the same time, spears in hand. I unconsciously chanted a spell, my index finger extended. ¡°Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Wind.¡± Whoosh¡ª The two charging thugs were flung back to the main street, holes pierced through their hearts in the exact posture they had been running in. Blood sprayed like a fountain. While the thug who had given the order was running away, I was still looking up at the rain-soaked sky. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± I slowly walked out to the main street, and the rain instantly drenched my entire body. I stood there for a moment, looking down at the dead bodies. The rain was washing away the bloodstains. Whoosh¡ª ¡°Now I can hear it.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 46 Chapter 46: Bayern House Northern Khaoto, Bayern House Estate. A man with a scarred face lined up in front of the head¡¯s residence. A servant guarding the door announced. ¡°Raven has arrived.¡± The middle door opened silently. Raven entered, his gaze lowered. He ced a picture on the central table. ¡°I brought it.¡± A middle-aged man resting in the corner rose. He walked over and sat in the seat of honor, ncing at the picture. ¡°This is the one?¡± The picture showed a facialposite. ¡°He¡¯s the most likely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him.¡± A snake-like man examined the picture. ¡°I think I know him. It¡¯s Bravo Khan.¡± The middle-aged man asked. ¡°What does he do?¡± ¡°He acts like the second-inmand at Dark Soul. Hecks skill and schemes from behind the scenes.¡± ¡°Could you be mistaken?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one old man who looks like this.¡± The middle-aged man frowned, then looked outside. ¡°Bring Blok here.¡± Blok, with a bandaged forehead, entered. ¡°You called, Father.¡± The middle-aged man scolded, ¡°Call me ¡®Head¡¯. You useless fool.¡± Blok trembled. ¡°I apologize, Head.¡± ¡°If only you were half the man your brother was. Look at this.¡± Blok¡¯s eyes turned fierce as he received the picture. ¡°Is this him?¡± ¡°Yes. This old man killed Krak and Ghetto.¡± The middle-aged man looked at Snake. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say hecked skill?¡± Snake replied. ¡°Killing them doesn¡¯t require skill. As for Blok¡­¡± Blok protested, ¡°This is him. He¡¯s cunning. He hid his strength. I had to use 2-star magic to escape.¡± The middle-aged man muttered, ¡°This is strange. Unless he¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°He lied about us attacking first. It was all an act.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s strange. You¡¯re saying no one else was involved?¡± The middle-aged man tapped his head. ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t find anything, no matter how hard I dug. You¡¯re saying no third party was involved? That makes even less sense. We already had an agreement with the Dark Soul headquarters. We were supposed to hand Samael over to Urgon and then withdraw from Khaoto. But now, why¡­¡± Snake, who had been listening quietly, interjected. ¡°Could it be that those Dark Soul bastards have changed their minds?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. But if they were nning to betray us, why would they do it this way? They should¡¯ve gathered all their forces andunched a surprise attack. It wasn¡¯t the headquarters that came, just some kids from the branch causing a ruckus. This is just a warning to us, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­That is a bit strange.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s no benefit to it. There¡¯s no reason for them to betray us. They know Urgon is behind us. It¡¯s in their best interest to just take our money and leave.¡± The middle-aged man, who had been pondering with his chin in his hand, suddenly grimaced. ¡°Call the chief treasurer.¡± A short whileter, a skinny old man entered the head house¡¯s residence. ¡°Chief Treasurer, what¡¯s our current financial situation?¡± The old treasurer replied with a fearful expression. ¡°We¡¯re barely scraping by with this month¡¯s tribute to Urgon. Ever since that day, all the outsiders have left, so there¡¯s almost no ie, only expenses¡­¡± The middle-aged man threw a decoration on the table, and the old treasurer clutched his head and copsed. The middle-aged man immediately turned his head and looked at the man who had brought the picture. ¡°Raven. I clearly told you to keep things quiet around the businesses. How is it that a single problem at one business still hasn¡¯t been resolved? How are you managing the people under you?¡± Raven, who had been listening politely, suddenly smirked and changed his posture. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the middle-aged man with a defiant attitude. ¡°House Head Cyan. I apologize, but they¡¯re all hot-blooded. Even though we¡¯re hired and paid, we can¡¯t just stand by and let people insult us.¡± Snake red at Raven. ¡°I hear you have quite a mouth in front of the House Head.¡± But Raven continued, unfazed. ¡°Well, we¡¯re the ones who are wronged. This situation wasn¡¯t in the contract. The atmosphere is getting more dangerous by the day, so it looks like you¡¯ll have to increase the final payment.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Cyan Bayern, the middle-aged man, stared at Raven in disbelief. Raven had never once been disrespectful to him. But now, he was suddenly acting so brazenly. ¡®Those ungrateful bastards don¡¯t know their ce.¡¯ He had hired the lowest-ranked mercenaries, and they were rebelling at a crucial time. They were doing this because they knew they had the upper hand. He couldn¡¯t fire the mercenaries in this situation. They couldn¡¯t manage the businesses with just the main house¡¯s members, and they hadn¡¯t figured out Dark Soul¡¯s intentions yet. They were short-handed. Cyan forced himself to calm down and fell into thought. ¡®I¡¯ve been cautious of even falling leaves.¡¯ He had suppressed his temper because they were on the verge of achieving their great goal. Once they handed Samael over to Urgon as promised, all that was left was to soar. But now, a variable had arisen. Perhaps Dark Soul really did have other intentions. ¡®There must be no setbacks.¡¯ Cyan made up his mind, mmed the table, and shouted. ¡°Gather all the executives. Tell Shane toe too.¡± The doors of the head house¡¯s residence swung open, and a bell tolled once. People gathered from all directions and lined up in front of the residence. ¡°Shane.¡± A young man who looked exactly like Cyan bowed his head. ¡°Go to the Dark Soul headquarters and deliver my message. Hold them ountable for their failure to manage the branch. Tell them they broke the agreement first, so we¡¯ll be attacking the branch. Observe their reaction carefully. If they truly intend to betray us, it¡¯ll show.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve decided to make the first move. Will you inform Urgon?¡± ¡°Not yet. There¡¯s no need to show them our weakness.¡± ¡°Wise decision, Father.¡± Cyan looked at Shane with a pleased expression. Blok, unaware, nced at them with envy, then quicklyposed himself when he noticed Cyan¡¯s re. ¡°And Blok, as soon as Shane returns, go straight to the Dark Soul branch. Take Raven and the others, and threaten them. Tell them we¡¯llunch a full-scale attack if they don¡¯t surrender. It doesn¡¯t matter if it was a staged act or not. We need to normalize the business as soon as possible, whether it¡¯s through surrender or force. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Father¡­ I mean, House Head.¡± Cyan gave several orders to organize the situation, then finally called Snake. ¡°Snake, did you look into what I asked you about before?¡± Snake smiled and replied, ¡°I was just waiting for you to ask.¡± ¡°Just the conclusion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as we expected. The Vice Tower Master isn¡¯t in Samael right now. It seems all the other Red Mages have left as well.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. They haven¡¯t been seen for days, so they must have returned to the Magic Tower. I even provoked them a few times, just in case, but there was no unusual response. No one¡¯s there except for the Samael kids.¡± A cruel smile spread across Cyan¡¯s face. ¡°Well, even the Red Magic Tower has no reason to get involved in this matter.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Start putting pressure on them. Bring the repayment deadline forward. We need to finish this quickly.¡± Snake bowed his head with the same smile as Cyan. *** Unexpectedly, the back alley was peaceful for a few days. I lived like a bum with a reversed sleep schedule,zing around in the inn during the day and secretly wandering around Khaoto at night. It was fun ying hide-and-seek like a thief. There was nothing unusual in the western streets of Khaoto, but I sensed some interesting movements in the east. Of course, the most interesting change was in our back alley behind Donkey¡¯s ce. It felt like the back alley had suddenly be a popr spot among young people. Donkey¡¯s restaurant was packed, mainly with young customers. The world works in mysterious ways. ¡°Haaam.¡± Today, like a bum with a reversed sleep schedule, I woke upte in the afternoon and went downstairs, only to find the ce almost full. I sat in a corner and looked outside for a while, when the enticing aroma of stew wafted over. ¡°Here¡¯s your stew. I specifically asked the chef to take extra care with the stew for the two beautifuldies. Haha. I added plenty of vegetables too. Beautifuldies love vegetables.¡± ¡°Oh my. You¡¯re as charming as they say.¡± I nced in the direction of the voices. The Samael business manager, who had be a waiter, looked quite happy. ¡°Now, after you finish your stew,e take a look at the ¡®Starlight Meteorite¡¯ that grants wishes. It¡¯s expensive, but it¡¯s worth it because it¡¯s so rare. You can pool your money together to buy it. Haha, enjoy your meal.¡± He was quite the character. The waiter¡¯s actions, like dramatically brushing his hair to the side before turning away from thedies, were clearly calcted. I tried to suppress my nausea when I suddenly felt gazes directed at me from around the room. ¡°¡­Oh, isn¡¯t that the guy?¡± ¡°Looks like it. But I heard he fought Carrot. He¡¯s smaller than I expected.¡± ¡°They say some Dark Soul guys died here. Two of them. He probably did it.¡± I casually swept my hair back, a mncholic look in my eyes. Acknowledging them would be something only a third-rate person would do. It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d received such attention. Every time I came downstairs, the young guys would stare at me like I was a monkey. As I gazed outside with a wistful expression, I noticed a few third-rate thugs approaching from a distance. This was the first time I¡¯d seen thugs on this street since that day. They didn¡¯t seem to have good intentions. ¡°Waiter.¡± I called the waiter and nodded towards the entrance. ¡°Looks like we have some distinguished guests. Treat them well.¡± The waiter¡¯s eyes sparkled as he nodded, and I turned to go back upstairs. I wanted to give him a chance to sell a mana stone directly and earn amission. Iy down on the bedding for a while when I heard a knock at the door. ¡°Guest?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, waiter? Wow, you already sold it? You¡¯re good.¡± The door opened, and the waiter entered with the chef. ¡°No, damn it. He won¡¯t buy it. You need toe out.¡± I smacked the waiter¡¯s head. ¡°Are you a waiter or a business manager? Pick one.¡± ¡°Sorry, boss. I tried to sell it, but he didn¡¯t believe me. The guy who ran away that day is with him. He knows your face.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it then. I sighed, grabbed my precious item, and left the room. The young people who had been eating had apparently fled, leaving the first floor empty. ¡°It¡¯s not raining today.¡± Two thugs stood at the entrance. I knew both of them. One was the guy who ran away when his friend died on that rainy day. The other was my twin brother. I waved hello, but they backed away, and my twin brother hurriedly introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Garlic of Dark Soul. This is my subordinate, Brandon.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± Garlic and Brandon exchanged nces. Brandon nodded, and Garlic sighed. ¡°Are you Ruin Samael?¡± I tilted my head. I didn¡¯t remember revealing my name. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been investigating me.¡± The waiter whispered from behind, ¡°No, I told them, boss.¡± I nodded and walked downstairs to face them. ¡°Are you here for revenge?¡± Garlic shook his head calmly. ¡°If we were, we wouldn¡¯t havee just the two of us. We¡¯re here to deliver a message from the person I serve.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Our boss wants to see you.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 47 Chapter 47: Dark Soul Suddenly, a sly old gangster shed through my mind. If he¡¯s talking about a Dark Soul Branch Head, it must be Bravo Khan. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Of course, I expected the Dark Soul guys toe back, but this kind of visit was unexpected. Bravo Khan loved to scheme, so there was a high probability he had other intentions. ¡°It¡¯s better to go with us.¡± I pretended not to know and tested Garlic. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going to happen to you if you follow them?¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t understand the situation, Ruin. It¡¯s not safe even if you refuse. Two of our people are dead, so this can¡¯t end like this. If you refuse, the captains will be deployed inrge numbers next time. Then it¡¯ll be irreversible. Even if you run away, it won¡¯t work. It won¡¯t end with just Ruin dying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Garlic, who thought I was scared, smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how to survive. The Branch Head cherishes talent. Hand over all the Sojungi, ande under the Branch Head. Then you¡¯ll be protected.¡± It sounded like Bravo Khan was nning to gobble up Sojungi all by himself. ¡°What do you think, Ruin?¡± I looked at the two guys alternately and asked, ¡°Do you guys eat?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat first and then think. This ce makes good stir-fried chicken. Haven¡¯t you tried it? It tastes better than anything you can imagine.¡± I saw Donkey¡¯s expression harden a bit and quickly continued, ¡°But it¡¯s a bit difficult to eat here. A few tables were broken because of your friendsst time. It¡¯s not even raining, so let¡¯s just have a street stall over there. Gangsters are the best on the streets, originally.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand, but food is not the problem right now. The Branch Head wants to see you right away, so you can eat after you go¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± At this moment, Brandon¡¯s eyes changed instantly, and he quickly covered Garlic¡¯s mouth and whispered something in his ear. Then Garlic¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he stopped talking. I walked out and said, ¡°Two stir-fried chickens and a barrel of makgeolli, please. Oh, the strong makgeolli. I¡¯m going to drink it outside, so I¡¯m craving strong alcohol. Show these country bumpkins some skills.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you a spicy taste.¡± Donkey, who dreamed of bing the world¡¯s best chef, bravely said and went into the kitchen. Zion and I sat down at the stall first, and Garlic and Brandon also sat down with hesitant expressions. Soon, a spicy smell filled the air, and Donkey came out with stir-fried chicken and a barrel of alcohol. ¡°Then enjoy your meal. I¡¯ll be inside, so call me if you need anything.¡± I nodded and picked up a piece of stir-fried chicken, and a pungent aroma rushed in. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s spicy.¡± Zion agreed. ¡°It¡¯s especially spicy today.¡± I said to the country bumpkins, ¡°Try it. It¡¯s spicy and delicious.¡± The two guys hesitantly picked up a piece of stir-fried chicken and immediately stuck out their tongues with surprised expressions. ¡°See, it¡¯s delicious, right? This isn¡¯t just any stir-fried chicken.¡± ¡°¡­¡­It is delicious.¡± They continued to eat the stir-fried chicken. They seemed to have developed an appetite, and the speed at which they ate the stir-fried chicken gradually increased. It was spicy but addictive. My tongue was getting numb from eating, so I kept drinking makgeolli. The fiery sensation as it went down the throat was exceptional. Donkey must have made it extra strong on purpose, as it paired perfectly with the spicy stir-fried chicken. For a while, no words were exchanged, only the clinking of sses. I waited until the gangsters¡¯ faces started turning red before speaking again. ¡°So, why is Bravo Khan looking for me?¡± Garlic, sweating profusely from the spice, answered with a puzzled look. ¡°How do you know the Branch Head¡¯s name? Did I tell you? I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of him.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s possible. Anyway, that¡¯s not important¡­¡± Garlic huped once and continued. ¡°You need to go see him soon. You don¡¯t have time to dawdle with me here. Haa, by the way, this is so spicy. Can I have a ss of water?¡± I filled an empty ss with makgeolli and handed it to Garlic. ¡°Drink.¡± ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m done with makgeolli. I want water.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no water. Drink the makgeolli.¡± Garlic stuck out his tongue and panted, then gulped down the makgeolli in one go and burped loudly. I red at him again and said, ¡°That¡¯s the only way to survive?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± I decided it was time to get to the point. ¡°How is that a way to survive, you idiot? He¡¯s going to take the Sojungi and then kill me. It¡¯s so obvious that the damn old man wants to have it all for himself. I can escape here, but how am I supposed to escape if your old man is fully prepared? Huh?¡± As I was speaking, Garlic, drunk, turned even redder and shouted with his eyes half-rolled back. ¡°This bastard¡­ Did he just call the damn old man a damn old man?¡± ¡°You stupid fool!¡± I immediately threw an empty ss at Garlic¡¯s forehead. Garlic, perhaps trained in some strange way, didn¡¯t dodge and headbutted the ss. His forehead split open, and blood gushed out. His eyes returning to normal, Garlic wore a deeply wronged expression. ¡°Damn it. That bastard said it would work. How dare he trick me? He¡¯s dead, for real.¡± ¡°Get a grip, Garlic. You¡¯re suffering because of your idiotic master. It¡¯s not me you should be worried about right now. Worry about your own survival first. If I slit your throat here, who¡¯s going to save you? Do you think your master will suddenly appear?¡± At that moment, I heard a pping sound from the side. I looked over and saw Zion pping Brandon¡¯s cheek. ¡°You penniless bastard. Why did youe back here without any money? If you came, you should buy Sojungi. You won¡¯t buy it? Why not? Take off your clothes, you bastard. If you die ande back as a ghost, everything you have is mine.¡± It was a heartwarming sight. Business should be done ruthlessly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I briefly organized the chaotic situation and then drank more makgeolli. The stir-fried chicken was all gone, but the makgeolli barrels kept increasing. The sun had set, and darkness was gradually settling over the street. For hours, we continued to pass the sses around. For some reason, I didn¡¯t want to see the gangsters¡¯ sses empty. Perhaps because we were being too loud at the stall, there was no one walking around on the street. While Garlic and Brandon were retching with nauseous faces, I happened to nce at the end of the alley. Zion followed my gaze. An unfamiliar figure was slowly approaching us. It was a man with a sword sheath at his waist. He was slightly smaller than Carrot but had sharp eyes. The man approached, locking eyes with me, then chuckled after seeing Garlic and Brandon¡¯s faces. ¡°Now I see these idiots were doing something stupid here.¡± As the man stopped in front of us, Garlic and Brandon flinched and avoided his gaze. I pointed at the man and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s interrupting our drinking session?¡± ¡°Just as arrogant as I¡¯ve heard. Are you Ruin?¡± I turned to look at Zion, and he shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him this time.¡± I turned back to the man. ¡°Why are so many people calling my name today? Why? Are you trying to join us? Unfortunately, we¡¯re out of stir-fried chicken. But we still have makgeolli. Want a drink?¡± The man smirked and replied, ¡°Maybe next time. I¡¯m here to deliver a message from someone higher up.¡± ¡°You too?¡± Not understanding what I meant, the man got straight to the point. ¡°The branch head wants to see you. Get up now.¡± I instantly realized that the gangsters were divided into factions. It seemed the Branch Head and the branch head weren¡¯t on good terms. Feeling a surge of displeasure, I said, ¡°Sorry, but I have a prior engagement.¡± ¡°A prior engagement?¡± I pointed at Garlic and Brandon and answered, ¡°These guys here are working so hard to arrange a meeting between their boss and me. I can¡¯t just ignore that, can I? Right, Garlic?¡± Garlic and Brandon awkwardly avoided my gaze¡­ Finally understanding the situation, the man drew his sword from his waist. ¡°I see how it is. You don¡¯t need to worry about what these guys say, so get up. You need toe with me.¡± I kept my eyes on the man¡¯s de and replied, ¡°Put the sword away.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll have to drag you by force.¡± I pushed off the ground and stood up, and the man smiled. In a rxed posture, I wrapped ¡®Wind¡¯ around my hand, swung my elbow wide, and pped the unsuspecting man¡¯s cheek. Smack¡ª The man stumbled with a loud sound. ¡°You bastard. I said I have a prior engagement, who are you to tell me what to do?¡± As soon as the man turned his head, I kicked his wrist with my foot and pped his cheek again. Smack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± The man dropped his sword and fell to the ground. I bent at the waist and continued to p his cheeks. ¡°If a gangster draws his sword, he has to take responsibility.¡± Smack¡ª Smack¡ª Smack¡ª The man¡¯s cheeks swelled up enormously, and at some point, he lost consciousness. I turned my head sharply and looked at Garlic and Brandon. ¡°Lead the way.¡± Garlic and Brandon, who had been watching the scene, jumped up and replied, ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Our employee is guarding the inn well.¡± Zion nodded, and I gave the sprawled man a final kick. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get lockjaw if you sleep out in the cold. You haven¡¯t gotten it yet, have you? Want me to give it to you?¡± The sleeping man grabbed both his cheeks and jumped up. Geez¡­ Worrying about a sleeping gangster, my personality has improved a lot. Garlic took the lead and strode out energetically¡­ The four of us moved in a line like ducklings. * * * In fact, there was nothing to lose. It was a wee event that they came to me first, just when I was about to make a move. Lost in thought as I walked, I soon reached the end of the western street, where arge open space appeared. At first, I thought we were going to the Red Sunset Tavern, but it waspletely different. We entered the open space and walked for a while longer until we saw arge wall, and beyond that, a few buildings upied a fairlyrge area. The headquarters of the Dark Soul branch. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect toe here.¡± Garlic bypassed the main gate and walked along the wall towards the back. ¡°But why are we going this way?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a side door. The Branch Head wants to see you privately.¡± ¡°Of course. I knew it.¡± I thought for a moment, then turned around and said, ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name?¡± The man with red cheeks replied, ¡°¡­.Derek.¡± ¡°Okay, Derek. Let¡¯s part ways here. You go your own way. Tell the branch head that I¡¯ll meet him after my prior engagement is over.¡± All three of them looked surprised for different reasons, but perhaps because they were scared of me, they didn¡¯t ask any further questions. ¡°Alright.¡± Derek left in a different direction, and I followed Garlic¡¯s guidance again, walking along the wall for a while. Garlic stopped at a secluded spot and knocked on the wall. Suddenly, with a creaking sound, the wall slid open, revealing a side door just big enough for one person to pass through. The side door led to another enclosed space, which looked like a hidden room inside a building. It was structured so that opening the side door, like opening a room door, led to the outside. A one-eyed man greeted us. ¡°You¡¯rete, Garlic.¡± ¡°I apologize. There was something I had to take care of.¡± The one-eyed man narrowed his eyes for a moment. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exinter. But first¡­¡± ¡°Right. There was a guest.¡± The one-eyed man immediately led me out of the room. We walked through the corridors, turning this way and that, and then stopped at one ce and knocked on the door¡­ ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s One-Eye.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and Bravo Khan was sitting across the table in the center, with a bright smile on his face. * * * This old gangster seems to have grown fond of me after seeing me a few times. Hiding my weing feelings, I pulled out a chair and sat down. ¡°You¡¯re a bold one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason you wanted to see me?¡± I got straight to the point, but Bravo Khan justughed and changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯re a fearless one. I heard your surname is Samael. Is that right?¡± ¡°You want to ask one question at a time, huh?¡± I nodded and asked what I had been most curious about recently. ¡°Why do you call him One-Eye?¡± Bravo Khan replied nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯s a nickname.¡± ¡°A good one.¡± Bravo Khan chuckled, as if amused, and continued, ¡°Samael¡­ Interesting. Why did you do something so reckless?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The two guys you killed were my subordinates. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone in Khaoto mess with my subordinates and remain so brazen like you.¡± I instantly sensed from Bravo Khan¡¯s tone that there was intense infighting within the Khaoto branch. ¡®My subordinates¡¯, he said. It was clear that the rtionship between the branch head and the Branch Head wasn¡¯t that great. ¡°Is that a problem? I can¡¯t just stand still when third-rate bastardse at me with the intent to kill. Those kinds of guys need to die to learn their lesson.¡± Bravo Khan¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re fearless, aren¡¯t you? But you¡¯re right. They were idiots, and they would have died someday even if it wasn¡¯t by your hand. But the real problem is¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That I¡¯m behind them. No matter how idiotic they are, they¡¯re still under me. If I don¡¯t make an issue out of you, what will the others think of me?¡± ¡°Is that why you wanted to see me? Is that all?¡± I thought he was trying to swallow Sojungi, so this was a bit unexpected. Did this old man have this side to him? ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand the situation. If I wanted to, you wouldn¡¯t leave this ce alive. I acknowledge your skill in killing those two guys with a single strike. But don¡¯t think that makes you anything special.¡± ¡°So what do you want?¡± Bravo Khan rxed his expression and continued, ¡°There¡¯s one way to survive. Admit your mistake ande under me. Then everything will be resolved. You¡¯re a talent too valuable to kill.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult to give you an answer right now.¡± ¡°Think carefully. As you can see, you can¡¯t survive here alone. Even One-Eye is not below you. He could have killed those two guys you killed with a single strike as well.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s difficult.¡± At that moment, the door burst open, and One-Eye and a few others entered, surrounding me in a threatening manner. Bravo Khanpletely changed his tone and said to me, ¡°You¡¯re a fool who doesn¡¯t understand the situation until the very end. You have no choice. Do you think this will end with just your life? Especially with your surname being Samael. Even if you¡¯re stupid, you must understand what this means, right?¡± I kept shaking my head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not why it¡¯s difficult.¡± Suddenly, a faint noise grew louder and louder, and then there was a loud boom from outside. ¡°I have one more appointment. Let¡¯s talk after Ie back.¡± As I kicked the door open and left, I heard Bravo Khan clicking his tongue and muttering, ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s be difficult to save that guy even if I wanted to.¡± Outside the building, all sorts of third-rate gangsters had drawn their weapons and were creating a menacing atmosphere. In the center of the courtyard, a bulldog-like man was sitting alone on arge rock. And next to him, a man with red cheeks was pointing at me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 48 Chapter 48: What is this, a famous quote? ¡°That¡¯s him over there, Branch Head.¡± The fierce, bulldog-like man¡¯s gaze slowly turned towards me. ¡°Tsk.¡± In an instant, Derek was sent sprawling across the ground by the man¡¯s lightning-fast p. It was clear at a nce that this man possessed tremendous strength. ¡°Useless fool.¡± The man sat on the rock, scanning me from head to toe. I, too, took a moment to observe him. Therge tachi strapped to his back was particrly striking. ¡°Are you the one who killed my men without permission?¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly without permission, but I decided to show some respect to the enemy leader and answered in the affirmative. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you Branch Head Bulrai?¡± ¡°And yet you have that attitude? You¡¯re a fearless little brat. I clearly told you toe see me.¡± ¡°I had a prior engagement, so I was a bitte.¡± Branch Head Bulrai raised his chin and shouted towards the back, where I hade from. ¡°Hey, Officer! What¡¯s going on? Are you handling things without informing me now?¡± As if on cue, the old officer replied, ¡°Haha, how could that be? I merely called him in to confirm something. I didn¡¯t hear that the Branch Head was looking for him.¡± At Bravo Khan¡¯s sly response, Bulrai snorted once and then looked back at me. ¡°Do you know why I called you here?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s to tell me to join you, that¡¯s a bit difficult.¡± Bulrai snorted again and let out a strangeugh. ¡°Now I see, you came crawling here wanting to live. Fine. Beg for your life.¡± ¡°Please spare my life.¡± Suddenly, Bulrai looked around at his gathered subordinates with a smug expression, then stared intently at me again. ¡°You killed two of my men and now you¡¯re begging for your life? That¡¯s not going to happen. Absolutely not.¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he meant by ¡®not going to happen¡¯, so I responded in my own way. ¡°No way. There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t happen in this world. No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s not my fault. A bulldog-like bastard like you can¡¯t even judge the situation properly, unbefitting of a leader. You should be the one begging for your life, you bastard. Why did you call me here? Huh?¡± Bulrai grinned and said, ¡°Hehe, now I see you¡¯re a crazy one. I called you here to kill you personally. I¡¯ll cut off all your limbs and disy them on the streets of Kaotun for a month. Understand?¡± Bulrai looked at his subordinates with a dignified expression¡­ As if on cue, the subordinates responded by waving their weapons up and down and shouting ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Now I understood why this guy called me here. This bulldog-like bastard was a typical attention-seeking narcissist full of bravado. Upon hearing that his subordinate was defeated by a young guy, he wanted to personally and brutally execute him to boost his own prestige. But I couldn¡¯t lose either, so I looked around and shouted at the top of my lungs, ¡°So many people are suffering because of this idiotic, attention-seeking narcissist. Listen carefully, all you subordinates. You guys are screwed now. The branch head doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on in Kaotun and only thinks about himself. This is why leadership is important, you bastards. Huh? What do you think, Officer? Am I wrong?¡± When I turned my head, Bravo Khan just blinked his eyes with a bewildered expression. Suddenly, with a ferocious roar like that of a beast, Bulrai jumped off the rock. He drew his tachi, sheath and all, and pointed it at me. His subordinates formed a circle around us, keeping a bit of distance. Now, only Bulrai and I stood facing each other in the center of the courtyard. ¡°You¡¯repletely insane. Today, I¡¯ll put down a mad dog.¡± ¡°I agree. A mad dog needs a beating.¡± The mad bulldog charged at me, barking, and I ran towards him, bare-handed, ready to take down this mutt. After all, the best way to deal with a mad dog is with your bare hands. * * * The bulldog swung his sword sheath with great force, and I countered by wrapping my palm in wind. Fwoosh¡ª My hand stung. If it still hurt even with ¡®Wind¡¯ wrapped around it, it meant the opponent¡¯s strength was beyond that of a third-rate fighter. Sometimes, there are people born with extraordinary strength. They¡¯re several times stronger than others without any special effort, and with a little training, they can easily be the neighborhood bully. Carrot, who almost broke through my barrier a while ago, had the physique of a strongman, and this bulldog was also born with such natural strength. Once again, the sword sheath and my bare hand shed, and Bulrai and I stepped back a few paces, staring at each other. ¡°What the¡­?¡± The one who was more surprised was the bulldog. Born with such strength, he had never experienced anything like this before. He was staring at my hand with a deeply confused expression. Hearing the murmurs of his subordinates, the bulldog¡¯s ugly face contorted in anger. ¡°This little brat dares to use tricks!¡± Shing¡ª The bulldog drew his tachi from its sheath. In response, I wrapped both my arms in a 2-circle ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯. As the bulldog swung his tachi, aiming to cut my shoulder, I sharpened my elbow and struck the de¡¯s path. A cruel smile appeared on Bulrai¡¯s face at that moment. ng¡ª ¡°Wh-what!¡± ¡°He blocked the sword? With his bare hands?¡± The smile turned to shock in an instant. A nervous twitch appeared around Bulrai¡¯s eyes, and the watching subordinates¡¯ eyes were filled with simultaneous horror. With Bulrai stunned, I drew a semicircle with my elbow again and struck the de hard. Cracks appeared on the de with a crack¡ª and it snapped in two. I instantly closed the distance to the recoiling bulldog and punched his jaw again. Crack¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± Even someone born with the strength of a bull has limits. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The bulldog, pushed back a considerable distance, shook his head a few times and looked at me with slightly dted pupils. He should have been knocked out from a direct hit to the jaw, but perhaps because of his natural strength, his resilience was also considerable. But he wasn¡¯tpletely fearless. ¡°¡­.You bastard, who the hell are you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong question. First, beg for your life.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why? Can¡¯t you do it? Your pride won¡¯t save your life.¡± ¡°You damn son of a¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Bulldog. What do you think life is?¡± Just as I was about to start a lecture on the unpredictable nature of life, the attention-seeking bulldog couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and charged at me with the remaining half of his tachi. ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± ¡°Yes. That too is life.¡± ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ The bulldog, hit squarely in the face by the spear of mes, let out a roar and took a step forward. I was startled and immediately cast another spell. ¡®Water Spear.¡¯ Damn, that surprised me. He charged like a bull on fire, so I shot out a stream of water. With a sizzling sound, the bulldog was finally pushed back. But even then, he somehow managed to nt his hind legs on the ground and maintain his bnce. He truly was a bull-like man. ¡°You baaaastard!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± I graciously showcased my fire-and-water magicbo, rivaling the sweet and salty vors, leading the bull into a heavenly realm of disorientation. Fwoosh¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± It took a total of five consecutive spells before the bull finally crashed into the wall, his entire body aze, and copsed limply. Only then did the other gangsterse to their senses and mutter, ¡°Ma, magic¡­¡± ¡°He was a mage.¡± I walked over to the wall and looked down at the bulldog. He wasn¡¯t moving; it seemed he had finally breathed hisst. This is why life is unpredictable. This guy chose his pride over his life. But I don¡¯t really understand what the point of that was. I turned back from the wall. The gangsters hadpletely surrounded me. Carrot was on the left, ring at me from the front line. On the right, One-Eye stood at the forefront. Carrot red at me and said, ¡°You killed the Branch Head, so you¡¯ll have to pay the price.¡± ¡°You were just watching from the sidelines, what are you talking about now?¡± ¡°It was a one-on-one duel, so subordinates couldn¡¯t interfere. There were no orders to do so either. But it¡¯s a different story now that you¡¯ve killed the Branch Head.¡± One-Eye chimed in. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can handle all of us, even if you¡¯re a mage. You might be a Bayern spy, so we can¡¯t let you go like this.¡± Looking around at the gangsters slowly closing in, I asked, ¡°What do you guys think life is all about?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did that bulldog bastard know he was going to die here today? Did you guys know? Raise your hand if you thought that bastard was going to die here today.¡± No one raised their hand. ¡°You¡¯re all the same, you idiots. You¡¯ve all be idiots under that blockhead. There¡¯s no rule saying you won¡¯t end up like that bulldog. So, it seems you were nning to overwhelm me with numbers. Guys¡­¡± I looked around and said, ¡°Life is, no matter how grand your ns are¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At that moment, my twin brother, who had appeared from somewhere, continued my sentence as if possessed. ¡°¡­.You could get stabbed to death by a random robber? What is this, a famous quote? Why do I know this?¡± ¡°Excellent. A stabbing is better than getting hit by a rock.¡± As I gave my twin brother a thumbs up and caressed ¡ºMagnus¡¯ Illusion¡», Suddenly, a collective gasp was heard, and One-Eye, with his one remaining eye wide open, shouted, ¡°He¡¯s from Bayern! Kill him!¡± Almost simultaneously, the old man¡¯s shout erupted from behind. ¡°Stop! He¡¯s not from Bayern. Stop, I said!¡± * * * Bravo Khan bit his nails, staring at the madman standing at the edge of the wall. ¡®He used magic?¡¯ When did someone of this caliber appear in Samael? And to think that Branch Head Bulrai was defeated so easily. ¡®Where did this guye from? And of all times¡­¡¯ The timing couldn¡¯t be worse. But even so, he couldn¡¯t let him go. He had to capture him and find out his identity, no matter what. If the headquarters questioned him, his own neck could be on the line as the next in line after the Branch Head. Fortunately, there were no casualties other than Branch Head Bulrai. The executives were still fine, so they should be able to capture him with the help of the subordinates. If they all rushed him at once, even a mage wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. That¡¯s when it happened. ¡°Life is, no matter how grand your ns are¡­¡± Bravo Khan felt a strange sense of unease at the madman¡¯s sudden words. He had definitely heard those words somewhere before. But he couldn¡¯t remember where. While he was trying to figure out the source of this ominous feeling, he heard Garlic muttering beside him. ¡°¡­.You could get stabbed to death by a random robber?¡± ¡°Excellent. A stabbing is better than getting hit by a rock.¡± Suddenly, Bravo Khan felt a jolt in his head, and something came to mind. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ The Red Sunset Tavern. ¡®The bastard who pretended to be from the Shefiro Guild Leader¡¯s secret group. The Bayern guy who talked about brothers or something!¡¯ Weren¡¯t those the exact same words that guy said about life? As Bravo Khan looked at the madman in shock, another unbelievable thing happened. The man¡¯s face rippled and slowly changed shape. ¡°Cough!¡± Memories of a recent event flooded back, and Bravo Khan coughed up blood involuntarily. Getting hit by a rock¡­ A stabbing is better than getting hit by a rock¡­? ¡®He¡¯s not from Bayern. He wasn¡¯t from Bayern!¡¯ Bravo Khan trembled, staring at Snake Guild Leader, no, the madman, as if he were looking at a ghost. He had never encountered such a terrifying opponent in his entire life. ¡®We can¡¯t handle him. We¡¯re not even close to his level. We¡¯ll all die!¡¯ Bravo Khan barely managed to hold on to his sanity and shouted, spitting blood, ¡°Stop! Please stop! He¡¯s not Snake. Stop, I said!¡± Bravo Khan looked around at his subordinates and yelled. ¡°He¡¯s not someone you can handle. Drop your weapons and back off!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± The subordinates, with confused looks on their faces, dropped their weapons one by one and retreated. Only then did Bravo Khan let out a long sigh and look at the madman. His throat felt tight, so he forced himself to swallow and spoke respectfully, ¡°¡­.Thank you for your understanding. I¡¯ll take care of this, so please wait a moment.¡± The madman grinned and looked at Bravo Khan. ¡°Wow, you finally recognized me on the third try.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 49 Chapter 49: From Today Onwards, We Are¡­ Even with Bravo Khan¡¯s impassioned speech, the situation didn¡¯t calm down easily. The low-ranking gangsters were still in a state of confusion and agitation. Suddenly, I saw the image of our old elders ovep with Bravo Khan, who was sweating profusely. I touched my chest and shouted to the third-rate gangsters. ¡°Subordinates! Don¡¯t panic. This Bulrai doesn¡¯t die easily.¡± The Dark Soul subordinates turned around to see me and gasped in surprise. Even the executives were no exception. ¡°Br-Branch Head?¡± Only Bravo Khan realized what was happening. I pointed my finger alternately at the burning corpse and the wall and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. The one who burned to death here was actually a fake.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Of course you might not. But whether you believe it or not isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is the belief that you believe, and the belief that if you don¡¯t believe, you die. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But it¡¯s getting a bit hot.¡± The mes that had spread to the wall were zing, expanding their reach. While the subordinates were in a daze, I opened my circle and chanted a spell. ¡°Exploding water pressure, Water Bomb.¡± As soon as the water cannon erupted and extinguished the mes, acrid gray smoke filled the courtyard. I walked towards the center of the courtyard and chanted another spell. ¡°Expanding wind, Wind Expansion.¡± Fwoosh¡ª A gust of wind started from the center of the courtyard and instantly spread out in a circr motion, blowing away the smoke that had enveloped the courtyard. ¡°Much better. Hmm?¡± When the smoke cleared, the subordinates¡¯ expressions were even more dazed than before. ¡°¡­.Wh-what is this?¡± It was as if they had seen a miracle. I briefly considered bing a cult leader, but I changed my mind and slowly walked up the towering building in front of me. Through the wide-open central door, I sat on the ornate chair and looked down. The loyal subordinates were looking up at me with eager eyes. Of course, they were all sweaty men. I waved my hand and said, ¡°Stop staring at me and get to work.¡± Bravo Khan, the first to regain hisposure, gestured wildly towards the subordinates and gave a passionate speech¡­ The executives and subordinates nodded their heads with serious expressions. Before long, the subordinates who had been gathered in a circle quickly lined up in rows in front of me, and Bravo Khan, at the front of the line, bowed his head and shouted, ¡°Loyalty!¡± The subordinates echoed loudly, ¡°Loyalty!¡± As expected, what¡¯s important is the belief that you believe. Well, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to have the belief that if you don¡¯t believe, you die. I held back a chuckle and forced myself to maintain a straight face. These third-rate gangsters had picked up something somewhere and were shouting ¡®Loyalty¡¯. Anyway, with so many new subordinates suddenly appearing, it felt like I needed to give an inaugural address. I waved my hand in response and began my speech. ¡°I¡¯ll skip the inaugural address. Low-ranking members, get to work, and executives,e up here.¡± * * * I sat at the head of the table, with Bravo Khan on my left, followed by One-Eye and Ponytail. On the opposite side, Carrot and Derek took their seats. Just by looking at the seating arrangement, their rtionships were clear. A brief silence fell, and I looked around and spoke, ¡°Tell me your thoughts on life, one by one.¡± The executives, not understanding my words, all avoided my gaze. They thought I was crazy, and they were afraid of ending up like Bulrai if they said anything. ¡°You cowards. Where¡¯s all that bravado from earlier? Officer, you speak. When no one else steps up, the one in charge takes responsibility.¡± Only then did Bravo Khan sigh and open his mouth. ¡°¡­.Resisting would have been meaningless. I can see it too. I already know that you possess skills that don¡¯t even consider us a threat. But I don¡¯t understand why you spared us. Perhaps the magic you used earlier was also a deliberate show of power to prevent us from having any foolish thoughts¡­ That would certainly suggest you¡¯re willing to give us a chance. Hmm. It¡¯s not that I have no idea what you might be thinking.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°If you, honored sir, truly have a connection to Samael¡­ I thought it might be less troublesome for you to use us alive rather than kill us.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quick-witted.¡± As they say, the interpretation is more important than the dream itself. To be honest, it was mostly a spur-of-the-moment decision, but since Bravo Khan was providing a good justification, I nodded. It seems old people get smarter when they¡¯re cornered. ¡°You can continue being the officer.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°With such a capable officer under a fool, you must have suffered a lot. You¡¯re quite talented, after all. I almost misunderstood you. This is why you need to judge people when they¡¯re in their right mind.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°Get a grip. I¡¯m telling you to cut down on the alcohol. It¡¯ll lead to dementia early.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Bravo Khan, who hadn¡¯t yet grasped my personality, quickly deepened his wrinkles. The atmosphere was getting increasingly awkward, so I looked around and saw the gangsters staring at each other, not understanding the situation. ¡°Why are you staring at each other like that, you¡¯re all on the same team now. You need to get along. Mix up your seats a bit. One-Eye, you stay where you are. And Ponytail¡­ Ah, can I call you Ponytail?¡± ¡°You can call me Pony.¡± ¡°Okay. Pony, switch seats with Derek.¡± Even after they switched seats, the awkward atmosphere showed no signs of easing, and I got annoyed. ¡°Are you deaf? Do you want to be like this even after you die?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°These bastards, they don¡¯t even know they¡¯re on a sinking ship. Hey, Officer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know that you¡¯ve been abandoned by your headquarters?¡± Suddenly, Bravo Khan¡¯s eyes started shaking uncontrobly again as he looked at me. ¡°How did you¡­¡± ¡°Answer me. Do you know or not?¡± ¡°I had my suspicions.¡± ¡°Why only suspicions? You said you requested support from the headquartersst time, but there was no response. I clearly heard that. Isn¡¯t the situation the same now? The Bayern guys could attack at any time, and without support, you should havee up with a n. Is setting up a torch brigade the end of it?¡± ¡°¡­.You already know, then. Yes. The headquarters is only telling us not to sh with Bayern. But I thought maybe they were secretly preparing for a full-scale war with Bayern in the meantime.¡± ¡°Bullshit. This old man is delusional. An officer needs to be level-headed. Aren¡¯t the headquarters and you all part of the same Dark Soul? If they were going to have a full-scale war, they wouldn¡¯t have kept it a secret from the branch. There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®secretly¡¯ in this.¡± Bravo Khan suddenly fell silent. It seemed even he felt his excuse was flimsy. ¡°Based on my long experience as a gangster, you guys are definitely abandoned. Full-scale war, my ass. They were probably nning to squeeze you dry and then ditch you. me Bulrai. It¡¯s because he acted like an idiot that you got abandoned.¡± To be honest, I don¡¯t know if they were abandoned or not. But what¡¯s important is that it sounds usible. And with Bulrai dead, there was no one left to refute it. ¡°Do you have a n?¡± At Bravo Khan¡¯s question, I shrugged and replied, ¡°You¡¯re the officer, aren¡¯t you? Why are you asking me? The officer should be the oneing up with the n. If you don¡¯t want to be the officer, do you want to be the cheerleader instead?¡± Bravo Khan swallowed and said, ¡°¡­.I¡¯ll be the officer.¡± ¡°Good. Actually, I already have a n. Are you curious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The n is me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But these guys have been slow to react to their leader¡¯s words, just like third-rate gangsters. Everyone, stand up.¡± I kicked the meeting table and pushed it away. ¡°Link arms.¡± From Bravo Khan to Derek, everyone awkwardly stood up and linked arms. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll sit down and stand up ording to my cues. One for ¡®third-rate¡¯, two for ¡®escape¡¯. Anyone who doesn¡¯t do it properly will get their butt spanked. One.¡± ¡°Third-rate!¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Escape!¡± ¡°One.¡± ¡°Third-rate!¡± * * * The spankings were distributed equally. In fact, this was a method I came up with because these third-rate guys kept staring at each other. If they can¡¯t get their act together with words, they need to be hit. Usually, people get close after getting hit together. Sure enough, the awkwardness finally seemed to ease a bit. ¡°Sit down. Let¡¯s continue our conversation.¡± Pony and Derek quickly restored the table to its original position, and the four of them sat down simultaneously. But they couldn¡¯t hide the winces on their faces from the stinging on their buttocks. I asked the one who seemed the most intact, ¡°Where did I leave off?¡± Carrot paused for a moment and then answered, ¡°Um, you said, ¡®The n is me.''¡± ¡°Right. You haven¡¯t lost your mind. Again, my n is me. The title of the n is ¡®Preemptive Strike¡¯. Don¡¯t ask for specifics, I don¡¯t know them yet. If anyone has a better n, raise your hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You thought there wouldn¡¯t be any, didn¡¯t you? Now that I¡¯ve told you my n, make your choice. Die like an abandoned mutt, or be reborn. Third-rate people always have to make good choices. You never know when you¡¯ll die.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, the third-rate officer, Bravo Khan, answered without hesitation, ¡°I¡¯ve already made up my mind. There was no future under the former branch head anyway. And there¡¯s no other way. I¡¯ll serve you, Branch Head Ruin.¡± The remaining executives also answered simultaneously, but I immediately shook my head and said, ¡°You¡¯ve got the title wrong.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still acting like mutts even after being abandoned. Why am I the branch head, you ves? There¡¯s no branch head here.¡± The third-rate ves widened their eyes and asked, ¡°¡­.Are you saying we¡¯re not Dark Soul anymore?¡± ¡°Of course. From today onwards, we are not Dark Soul.¡± ¡°¡­.Then what?¡± I had just blurted it out without thinking, so I couldn¡¯te up with a suitable name. ¡°We¡¯re not Dark Soul, we¡¯re Dark So¡­¡± Hmm, was I always this bad at naming things? ¡°Dark So¡­¡± The ves were looking at me with faces that yearned for liberation, and I started to get nervous. ¡°Dark So¡­¡± At that moment, I made eye contact with Carrot and blurted out, ¡°Jung-i.¡± ¡°Yes? Dark Sojungi?¡± I had a feeling something was wrong, but as the leader, I couldn¡¯t take back what I said, so I red and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Dark Sojungi.¡± Seeing Carrot nodding with a satisfied expression, I gained courage and shouted once more, ¡°From today onwards, we are the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Group.¡± ¡°Yes. The Dark Sojungi Mercenary Group.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Not a bad name.¡± Everyone seemed to get the hint and started pping one by one¡­ Meanwhile, our quick-witted old officer asked a key question, ¡°Is there a reason you specifically called it a mercenary group? Do you perhaps have an employer?¡± I nodded and replied, ¡°The employer is Samael.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 50 Chapter 50: The Mindset to Escape from Being Third-Rate ¡°Let¡¯s cool our heads first.¡± I ordered the executives to take a break. Meetings also need to be taken in moderation. If you use your brain too much at once, the probability of bing bald increases. Moreover, these people had just transitioned from third-rate gangsters to third-rate mercenaries, so they needed to be treated ordingly. While the executives gathered their subordinates, preached the greatness of the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups, and converted them into mercenaries one by one, I went into an empty room and took a short nap. We resumed the meeting after nightfall. Perhaps because everyone thought their necks were on the line, the discussion focused more on the core issues than I had expected. ¡°¡­You said the power difference with Dark Soul is tenfold?¡± ¡°You can roughly think of it that way. The number of personnel is simr, but the main unit has skilled individuals. If we actually fight, we¡¯ll be overwhelmed in an instant.¡± ¡°Who are the skilled individuals?¡± ¡°There¡¯s Shepiro, the leader, and three vicemanders under him. Originally, there were four vicemanders, including Bulrai, but Bulrai stepped down from the position when he took charge of the Khaoto branch.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a vicemander? They¡¯ve created so many positions. How does Bulraipare in skill?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the skill difference. But Shepiro, the leader, is definitely different. I saw him from afar once, and his presence was overwhelming. He¡¯s truly a fearsome person.¡± A hint of tension was visible in Carrot¡¯s eyes, who had been reporting calmly until now. ¡°There are rumors that he has a Manacore.¡± ¡°A Manacore?¡± When Carrot hesitated to exin further, Bravo Khan, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s probably true. The leader had a big influence on Dark Soul¡¯s current notoriety. The Merchant Alliance even put a bounty on his head. But considering that even the best of the best haven¡¯t been able to kill him yet, it¡¯s highly likely.¡± Come to think of it, the information Kant gave me also included something about Shepiro. He was the guy who enjoyed raiding merchants near the city of Leon. ¡°The guys below are going to have a hard time.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a hard person to read. If things don¡¯t go his way, he doesn¡¯t show mercy even to his subordinates. That¡¯s why we couldn¡¯t easily keep asking for support. I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± ¡°Worried that I¡¯ll lose if I fight him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± I looked around and said, ¡°The way I see it, he¡¯s a coward. Cowards are always hard to read. That¡¯s what happens when third-rate people gain power. The guys below are the ones who suffer. But don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll lose to a coward.¡± As I was speaking, something suddenly came to mind. ¡°By the way, if they¡¯ve been raiding merchants, they must have a lot of money piled up.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°How much do we have?¡± ¡°We¡¯re barely scraping by.¡± I got up from my seat and approached Bravo Khan menacingly. ¡°How barely?¡± ¡°If we empty the warehouse, we might be able to get 200 gold.¡± ¡°Our troops haven¡¯t been properly educated yet. They used to carry 150 gold each without a second thought, and now you¡¯re going to lie to me?¡± When I pointed my finger at Carrot, Bravo Khan waved his hands and exined the whole story. The structure of tribute payments and how the gangsters squandered it. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Hmm. ¡°I underestimated these third-rate guys¡­¡± They were spending the tribute money on alcohol as soon as they received it. They were truly living a hand-to-mouth existence. Carrot was just an exception. He casually handed over 150 gold, so I assumed he had plenty of money, but after hearing the full story, it turned out to be money he had saved up for a considerable time. The more I see him, the less third-rate he seems. Feeling a bit awkward, I changed the subject. ¡°Tell me about Bayern.¡± This time, One-Eye started his report. ¡°First, in terms of power, they¡¯re probably on par with Dark Soul¡¯s main unit. The mercenaries they hired aren¡¯t much different from ours, but it¡¯s hard to handle when mages get involved.¡± One-Eye rambled on for a while. I listened quietly in case there was any information I didn¡¯t know, but there wasn¡¯t anything particrly noteworthy. While I was briefly pondering how to deal with both forces, Bravo Khan suddenly felt a chill and gasped. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Strategist?¡± ¡°Are you perhaps thinking of attacking Bayern too?¡± I looked at him as if asking why he was asking such an obvious question, and Bravo Khan hurriedly waved his hands. ¡°No, we can¡¯t. Urgon is behind Bayern.¡± ¡°Why are you acting so surprised? You were nning a full-scale war with Bayern too, Strategist.¡± ¡°Not now. Originally, the n was to quicklyunch a surprise attack with the main unit, take over Bayern¡¯s forces, and get on Urgon¡¯s good side. But it¡¯s toote now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Strategist. It¡¯s not toote. We¡¯ll hit Dark Soul, and we¡¯ll hit Bayern. We¡¯ll hit them all. We¡¯ll hit them all over, like a stir-fry.¡± The executives felt a pang in their chests, thinking they might have grabbed onto a rotten rope, but they couldn¡¯t dare show it. I clenched my fist, pleased that they were all looking at me like I was crazy. ¡°Get a grip, you guys. If you had stayed put, you were destined to die anyway. How long are you going to live cautiously with the mindset of third-rate trash? You¡¯re mercenaries now, so you need to change your mindset.¡± Actually, attacking Bayern has nothing to do with these guys. Because it¡¯ll be Samael who attacks Bayern. But I had no intention of telling them that. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll teach you the mindset of a mercenary. First, any executive who uses hallucinogenic herbs, raise your hand.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°No one? How about among your subordinates then?¡± ¡°¡­¡­There will be quite a few.¡± ¡°It¡¯s banned from tomorrow.¡± I looked at Carrot and said, ¡°Tell them to leave if they don¡¯t like it. We¡¯re a mercenary corps now. We can tolerate alcohol, but not hallucinogenic herbs. We can¡¯t hire people addicted to drugs. Carrot, keep a close eye on your subordinates and cut off the head of anyone who breaks the rules.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°From now on, Carrot will be responsible for managing the mercenaries¡¯ behavior. Third-rate, but not in a third-rate way. You know what I mean?¡± Carrot, not like a third-rate gangster, replied without a word that he understood. I then looked at One-Eye and Shorty. ¡°One-Eye and Shorty will be in charge of training the mercenaries. Derek, join them. Carrot, you¡¯re out. You were born for business, so you¡¯re not suited to teach others.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Train them day and night, day and night. Stop those silly antics like the Torch Brigade. You should know how to act like a proper unit, not some street urination squad. What kind of Torch Brigade is that? If I checkter and I¡¯m not satisfied with the mercenaries¡¯ condition, you guys will take the beating instead. I¡¯ll make your cheeks look like buttocks.¡± Suddenly, all eyes turned to Derek, and everyone nodded their heads frantically. Bravo Khan pointed at himself and asked, ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me that? The Strategist should know what to do. You¡¯re old, so be careful not to get dementia. Someone of your position should naturally know what to do.¡± I pped my hands and concluded the meeting. ¡°Dismissed.¡± Dawn was breaking. * * * It¡¯s not as easy as it sounds for a third-rate gangster to be a third-rate mercenary. How can a mindset of a reckless life, living and dying as one pleases, change easily? But it¡¯s not impossible. You can use fear. What do third-rate people fear the most? It¡¯s someone just like them. A reckless life fears nothing more than another reckless life. Therefore, a third-rate person is the best fit to manage other third-rate people. ¡°Wake up! Wake up!¡± ¡°Uwaaaaah! One for third-rate! Two for escape! Aren¡¯t you doing it right?¡± One-Eye and Shorty, with their cheeks swollen like buttocks, were driving their subordinates from the crack of dawn. Having been pped by me every day for several days, One-Eye and Shorty were taking out their frustration on their subordinates. The mindset that if they didn¡¯t discipline their subordinates, I would discipline them. In short, it¡¯s ¡®If I don¡¯t discipline the subordinates, who will?¡¯ Iyfortably in the Commander¡¯s room, enjoying the noisy training sounds. The bedding felt particrly soft today. That Bulrai guy had his subordinates sleeping on the floor while he enjoyed a spacious room and good bedding all by himself. ¡­ I was grateful. Lying down made me feel very sleepy. While taking a nap and then going outside, Bravo Khan, who hadn¡¯t been seen for a few days, was hurriedly climbing up to the manor. ¡°Commander Ruin.¡± Bravo Khan¡¯s face looked a bit haggard after a few days. ¡°We just confirmed Bayern¡¯s movement in our territory.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s our territory? Western Khaoto?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do they seem to being here?¡± ¡°No. Judging by their direction, it seems they crossed over from Leon and are heading east. There were quite a few of them. The atmosphere felt strange, so I didn¡¯t get too close.¡± ¡°They crossed over from Leon? That¡¯s odd.¡± Understanding my meaning, Bravo Khan nodded immediately. ¡°Yes, I find that a bit strange too. We didn¡¯t see them when they were going, but we only saw them on their way back.¡± Leon is a city you reach by going west from Khaoto. In other words, they went to Leon by taking a roundabout way to avoid being noticed, but they¡¯reing back openly. Anyway, it seems our strategist took my words to heart and did his own research. All the subordinates are training here, so he wouldn¡¯t have had anyone to run errands for him. ¡°Take it easy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. More importantly, something feels off.¡± ¡°What do you think, Strategist?¡± The old strategist¡¯s eyes gleamed as if he was about to show his true worth. ¡°There¡¯s only one reason to go to Leon at this time. It seems they¡¯ve contacted the main unit. They avoided us on their way to meet the main unit, but they don¡¯t seem to mind encountering us on their way back. This means one of two things. Either they seeded in negotiating with the main unit¡­¡± ¡°Or we¡¯ve been abandoned. It¡¯s one or the other.¡± At that moment, the training sounds from the manor abruptly stopped. One-Eye peeked his head over the middle gate. ¡°Commander. The Bayern guys are here.¡± I exchanged nces with Bravo Khan and nodded simultaneously. ¡°That was fast. Who¡¯s here? The one with snake-like eyes, the one who looks like a corpse, or someone else?¡± After a brief moment of thought, One-Eye replied. ¡°There¡¯s a young guy with corpse-like eyes. They came in arge group.¡± ¡°Alright. Treat them with courtesy. I¡¯ll go out myself.¡± I returned to the room, disguised myself as Bulrai, and slung the long sword ced in the corner over my shoulder. As I strolled out and stood in front of the middle gate, the manor came into full view. ¡°Wow, there are a lot of them.¡± Typical third-rate gangsters, and Those who were shedding their typical third-rate gangster image were facing each other across the rocks. * * * Two executives hade from Bayern. While one was a stranger and the other was familiar, both were staring at me. I greeted the stranger first. ¡°Nice to meet you. You¡¯re from Bayern, I hear?¡± The man with a scar on his face let out a snort. ¡°How absurd. We¡¯re not exactly in a position to exchange pleasantries.¡± One-Eye, who was standing next to me, quickly whispered. ¡°That¡¯s Raven. He acts as the leader of the mercenaries Bayern hired. We call him ¡®Big Head¡¯ among ourselves.¡± Looking again, his head was indeed quiterge. I forced back augh and said, ¡°I see. The leader of the third-rates. You have a magnificent head, befitting a leader. But why have youe all this way? You¡¯ve brought quite a crowd. We have no reason to cause each other trouble.¡± Raven curled his lips into a sly smile. ¡°Heh heh. I see you¡¯re quick-witted, Branch Leader Bulrai. Did you receive an order from the main unit to surrender? If so, grovel a bit more. Before I crush you to death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unpleasant to hear. Branch Leader? Why bring up the trashy Dark Soul all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been ages since we pushed Dark Soul out and took over this ce. Why are you talking nonsense?¡± ¡°What are you saying, Bulrai? Are you crazy?¡± I said nothing and looked at Bravo Khan. Bravo Khan looked at One-Eye¡­ and One-Eye looked at his subordinates. ¡°Who are we!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The moment One-Eye red, the subordinates shouted in unison. ¡°We are the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups!¡± I nodded and said to Raven, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Dark¡­ what?¡± ¡°The Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups. It¡¯s easy to get confused, but we¡¯re distinctly different. We¡¯re not gangsters, we¡¯re mercenaries. Mercenaries hired by Samael.¡± While Raven was speechless, I continued, ¡°Now that you understand, let¡¯s settle this. From now on, the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups will manage the western Khaoto. We won¡¯t interfere with the east, so you can keep managing it as you have been.¡± At this point, Corpse-Eyes, who had been listening quietly, stepped forward and said, ¡°You¡¯re acting arrogantly, unaware of your ce.¡± His protruding forehead suggested that he hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the aftereffects. ¡°And who might this youngd be, interrupting adults¡¯ conversation?¡± Corpse-Eyes, who had been trying to assert his authority, responded excitedly. ¡°I am Blok of Bayern. Let¡¯s get to the point. Cut the crap and get out of Khaoto immediately. This is your only chance.¡± ¡°And if we refuse?¡± ¡°Then you die.¡± The third-rate gangsters behind them collectively drew their weapons, and our mercenaries also drew theirs. I red at Blok and shouted, ¡°You insolent fool!¡± ¡°Grandpa?¡± Blok, who muttered a puzzled word, suddenly screamed and retreated quickly. At that moment, I drew my long sword and struck the ground forcefully, secretly chanting a spell in my mind. ¡®Earth Shock.¡¯ The ground shook violently where the de struck, and cracks began to spread in all directions. A loud rumbling sound followed, apanied by the sound of the earth splitting. Kuuuum¡ª ¡°Say that again. What did you say?¡± In the next moment, the atmosphere in the manor changed drastically. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 51 Chapter 51: Go and Deliver My Words Exactly A tremor that made my body sway slightly. The cracks that spread out from the de embedded in the ground, apanied by a cracking sound, encroached upon the center of the manor. The Bayern subordinates, who had quickly retreated, looked at the de stuck upside down in the ground with bewildered expressions. They all mistakenly believed that I had created this situation solely through my own physical strength. I looked alternately at Blok and Raven and said, ¡°Say that again. What did you say would happen if we didn¡¯t leave?¡± The two looked at each other with bewildered expressions. ¡®What¡¯s going on? This isn¡¯t what we were told.¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t know it would be like this.¡¯ They were speechless because the situation exceeded their understanding of Bulrai¡¯s power level. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Did I hear you correctly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Raven, who quickly assessed the situation, stepped forward again and said, ¡°Branch Manager Bulrai.¡± As I pulled the long sword from the ground and looked at Raven, he corrected himself. ¡°Bulrai¡­ Mercenary Commander. I truly don¡¯t understand. What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re not Dark Soul?¡± ¡°Dark Soul no longer exists in Khaoto. And I¡¯m not the Mercenary Commander, so refrain from using disrespectfulnguage.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Are you saying there¡¯s someone above you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Have you heard of the Crazy Mage?¡± Thinking he was being mocked, Raven shook his head and changed the subject. ¡°Damn it, whether it¡¯s Dark Soul or Dark Sojungi, our stance remains the same. Vacate Khaoto. Or else¡­¡± ¡°Or else what?¡± As I gripped the hilt of the long sword resting on my shoulder, Raven closed his mouth. It seemed he couldn¡¯t decide what to do. At this moment, Blok, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°If you¡¯re really a mercenary corps, then it¡¯s even better. If you¡¯re a wandering mercenary corps, there¡¯s no need to cling to Khaoto. We¡¯llpensate you generously, so leave Khaoto immediately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not a bad offer.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? We have an employer. What did you hear, anyway? Our employer is conducting business here and has requested our protection. You want us to throw away our mercenary credibility? This young one has no sense.¡± Blok retorted angrily. ¡°We are Bayern. You must know who¡¯s behind us. If you don¡¯t leave Khaoto, you¡¯ll only face death.¡± ¡°Oh, really? So I heard you correctly.¡± As I slung the long sword over my shoulder and stepped forward like a valiant general, my emboldened subordinates collectively took a step forward with me. At that moment, the Bayern gangsters simultaneously stepped back, creating distance. Iughed and pointed at them. ¡°Now I see you¡¯re a bunch of pathetic fools. Is that the attitude of people who came to kill me? Can you even swing a sword properly like that? Alright. I¡¯ll show you first.¡± As I drew the long sword from my shoulder and aimed it at them, Raven stepped in front of the gangsters. ¡°Enough. There¡¯s no need for this here and now. I warned you clearly. If you take our words lightly, you¡¯ll surely regret it. We¡¯re also hired, so we understand the nature of mercenaries, but in the end, isn¡¯t it important to keep your heads attached, regardless of your employer or anything else?¡± While speaking, Raven gave orders with his eyes and gestures, and the gangsters quickly retreated to the main gate. At some point, Blok was also among them. ¡°Your tongue is quite eloquent.¡± Raven leaped backward with agility that was unbing of a third-rate, and faced me from near the main gate. For a moment, I forgot we were in the middle of a confrontation and was genuinely impressed. ¡°Your head is big even from afar. Defying perspective. Now I see, if you had grown as an assassin, you would have had great talent.¡± As Raven was leaving through the main gate, he turned his head and looked at me. ¡°Think carefully. Next time, it won¡¯t end with just words.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± I watched for a moment as the third-rate gangsters disappeared beyond the main gate. ¡°One of them is particrlyrge.¡± My subordinates responded from here and there. ¡°He is big.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell if he¡¯s close or far away.¡± * * * While I was taking a moment to clear my head from the dazzling disy of the Big Head technique, the executives gathered one by one. ¡°Good work, everyone. The Big Head technique is truly impressive. At the end, I was so focused on his head that I couldn¡¯t even hear what he was saying.¡± Bravo Khan responded with a serious expression. ¡°I don¡¯t think Raven was bluffing. If you hadn¡¯t shown your divine power, Commander, they would have attacked us right then and there. I have a feeling they¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°They have toe back. But not right away. It¡¯ll take a few days for them to verify the truth.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we prepare, just in case?¡± ¡°Think about it carefully, Strategist.¡± Bravo Khan pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I think we need to find out what was discussed between Dark Soul and Bayern first.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± ¡°Judging by Bayern¡¯s reaction today, the negotiations with Dark Soul didn¡¯t break down. It seems Dark Soul is actually willing to give up Khaoto.¡± ¡°Urgon must have been quite intimidating.¡± Derek, who was standing nearby, asked in a puzzled tone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us this until now?¡± Bravo Khan answered on my behalf. ¡°¡­So we were abandoned after all.¡± I nodded and summarized the situation. ¡°For now, go back to training. Training is the best when you have a lot on your mind. The best preparation is to escape from being third-rate.¡± The executives rushed back to the manor, and as I was about to take a break, One-Eye suddenly poked his head out from the middle gate again. ¡°Commander. Jackson is here.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a messenger from the main unit.¡± ¡°Let him in. Continue the mercenaries¡¯ training. There¡¯s no need for amotion.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°No rest for the weary.¡± It seemed like today was going to be a busy day. * * * The messenger from the main unit, Jackson, had a rather stiff neck. He seemed to havee and gone as a messenger from the main unit a few times before, and he showed clear signs of disdain as soon as he saw me. ¡°What are you doing, Branch Manager Bulrai?¡± As I remained seated, Jackson said with a look of disbelief. ¡°A messenger has arrived, and you don¡¯t even stand up. Are you just now nning to leave?¡± ¡°Sit down first.¡± ¡°Sit down? Should I take that as you disrespecting the Leader?¡± As I remained silent and looked at Jackson with anguid expression, he mmed his hand on the table and sat down on a chair. ¡°Sit quietly. You¡¯ll break the table.¡± Jackson looked me straight in the eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°Why have you be so insolent, Bulrai? I clearly told you repeatedly not to sh with Bayern. Why did you disobey the order?¡± From his attitude, it seemed that Jackson used to treat Bulrai like an underling in the past. I deliberately feigned ignorance and said, ¡°Before that, let me ask you something. We sent requests for support, but why did you keep ignoring them?¡± Jackson suddenly snorted and let out a chuckle. ¡°Branch Manager Bulrai. I¡¯ve always told you, just do what you¡¯re told. Only then can I properly convey your messages to the Leader. If the main unit ignores your requests, you just have to ept it. Why don¡¯t you understand? Why did you do something you weren¡¯t even ordered to do?¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re saying a dog should just crawl like a dog?¡± ¡°You¡¯re slow to understand.¡± ¡°Just stay put and stick your neck out?¡± ¡°If you had just stayed put from the beginning, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± ¡°This is insane. The enemy is attacking, and you¡¯re telling us to just die, you crazy bastard. And you, as a messenger, your job is to deliver messages properly, why are you thinking so much? Maybe you intercepted the messages in the middle, you bastard.¡± ¡°¡­.You¡¯re crazy, Bulrai. Do you even know what you just said?¡± I met Jackson¡¯s eyes, and we red intensely at each other. He was insignificant. Even weaker than Bulrai. Acting as the Leader¡¯s messenger must have gone to his head. He had no sense of his own abilities or the situation, unaware that his life was hanging by a thread right in front of him. ¡°Acting as Branch Manager in Khaoto must have made the main unit seem insignificant to you.¡± ¡°It certainly is insignificant.¡± Jackson, unable to contain his anger any longer, stood up abruptly and said, ¡°Bulrai. Let me tell you what you¡¯re saying. Open your ears and listen carefully, you ignorant fool. From now on, your position as Branch Manager of Khaoto is revoked. This is the order of Leader Shepiro. Return to the main unit immediately. You know what happens to those who disobey orders¡­ Cough!¡± I jumped up and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. ¡°Cough! You crazy¡­ Cough! Let go of me right now. You don¡¯t even know your ce, what are you doing?¡± I mmed his face down onto the iron table. Bam! Blood sttered across the table in a fan shape. As Jackson writhed and struggled, I moved the hand that was gripping his neck to his face and pressed it hard against the table. ¡°What do you think this means, messenger?¡± Blood seeped thickly from his cheek, crushed against the iron table. ¡°I asked you what you think it means, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°Krrk¡­ You damn¡­ bastard.¡± Jackson hadn¡¯t imagined that Bulrai would dare act like this in front of him, the Leader¡¯s messenger. So instead of pain, rage filled him to the brim. I brushed off the hand that was holding Jackson¡¯s face and said, ¡°Damn it. Cleaning this up will take forever.¡± Jackson, trembling, raised his body and red at me while clutching his face. ¡°¡­¡­¡± p! As soon as I pped him, Jackson¡¯s head snapped to the right. I graciously walked over and pped the same spot three more times, and Jackson¡¯s head returned to its original position. One of his cheeks waspletely torn and tattered, like a shredded piece of paper. Only then did Jackson realize that I was hitting him for real. As I raised my hand again, Jackson, feeling like he might actually get beaten to death, hurriedly spoke up. ¡°¡­Branch Manager Bulrai. I¡¯ll convey your message to Leader Shepiro, so please stop this.¡± ¡°Go and deliver my words exactly as I said them, messenger.¡± Upon hearing my words, Jackson sighed. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll convey whatever you say.¡± ¡°Convey it exactly, without missing a single word. If I askter and it¡¯s different, I¡¯ll crush your head first.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Listen carefully. This is not the Khaoto branch. From now on, the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Corps will manage Khaoto. That cowardly Leader should stay hidden like a rat, as he is now, and not interfere. I¡¯ll being to take his head soon, so tell him to keep it safe until then.¡± Jackson¡¯s eyes grew wider as I spoke, and even after I finished, he continued to tremble for a while. ¡°If you¡¯ve heard everything, get lost.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Jackson walked out with a dazed expression, One-Eye and Shorty, who had been watching, approached me. ¡°His cheek is quite swollen.¡± ¡°It seems more swollen than ours. It feels like we lost somehow.¡± I looked at One-Eye and Shorty for a moment, and then suddenly burst intoughter. Were they always like this? As Iughed, One-Eye and Shorty also started giggling along with me. ¡°Ehehehehe.¡± When I abruptly stoppedughing, they also stopped. ¡°Go back to training.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± * * * Perhaps because I had done a lot of work today, I was particrly hungry. Suddenly, the spicy and savory taste of the stir-fried chicken and stew that the future world¡¯s best chef used to make came to mind, whetting my appetite. ¡®My mouth is watering.¡¯ Come to think of it, it had been a few days since Ist visited. Strike while the iron is hot. I left the training to the executives and headed to Donkey¡¯s back alley. I took Garlic and Greed with me as escort mercenaries. I felt like I should take care of these guys since they seemed to have suffered a lot because of me. Arriving at the back alley¡­ There were quite a few people out and about from early evening. Makeshift tables were set up near Donkey¡¯s inn, where locals were huddled together, waiting for their food. The closer I got, the stronger the spicy stew smell became. ¡°Hahahahaha.¡± Meanwhile, our business owner was weaving through the crowd, spreadingughter. ¡°Oh, Commander? You¡¯re back? Haha.¡± The happy business owner greeted me after spotting me. ¡°Hahahahaha.¡± Who said it? Thatughter is contagious. Seeing Zionugh happily made me want to be happy too, so I triedughing along, but I didn¡¯t feel happy at all. I felt like shit. While I was out there busting my ass, my subordinate was living happily without a care in the world. ¡®Damn him. If it were me, I would have at leaste to check on things out of curiosity.¡¯ As I slowly approached Zion, sensing something ominous, he quickly handed me a pouch from his pocket. I checked it and found it contained quite a lot of gold coins. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Commander, I sold one of our items.¡± ¡°Oh? To whom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some kid came and bought it.¡± This was a bit unexpected. The locals didn¡¯t have money, and neither did the third-rate gangsters. Even if there were other peculiar guys like Carrot, the third-rates had been training with One-Eye and Shorty for the past few days, so they couldn¡¯t have been wandering around outside. ¡®It can¡¯t be Vani Sky either.¡¯ Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Looking down at the clinking gold coins made me feel better. Happiness is indeed bought with money. I put the pouch in my pocket and then beckoned to the two big guys who were standing at a distance. ¡°Say hello. These are the mercenaries I hired.¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t that guy the one you took with youst time, Commander?¡± ¡°Yeah. But he¡¯s not a gangster anymore, he¡¯s a mercenary.¡± ¡°All the guys there must have be mercenaries.¡± Zion nodded naturally without any suspicion and then said as he went into the kitchen, ¡°Just sit anywhere for now. I¡¯ll bring you some drinks and snacks.¡± It seemed he really had be a waiter. He couldn¡¯t have been more natural. As I sat down in the alley and looked around, I suddenly noticed a familiar g on the outer wall of the restaurant. The Blue Ocean g was fluttering. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 52 Chapter 52: Vice Commander Daisy ¡°Stay hidden like you are now. I will soon¡­¡± The corner of the man¡¯s lips twitched slightly as he listened to the report with an impassive face. The subordinate, whose cheek was flushed red, continued the report but stopped abruptly upon seeing his superior¡¯s face. ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Continue.¡± The subordinate, gauging his superior¡¯s mood, reluctantly opened his mouth. ¡°I will soon go and take his head¡­ Until then, take good care of your neck¡­¡± The man stood up from his seat without a word and slowly approached his subordinate. The subordinate trembled like an aspen leaf, watching his superior approach. The man gently stroked the subordinate¡¯s cheek and then suddenly jabbed his finger into the wound. Bright red blood trickled down the man¡¯s finger. ¡°Ugh¡­ I apologize.¡± The man continued to poke at the wound as if he found it amusing, and the subordinate trembled but desperately tried not to move, as if any movement would lead to instant death. After poking at the wound for a while, the man waved his hand, and the subordinate stumbled back and left the room. ¡°Interesting.¡± The man nonchntly wiped his bloody finger on his clothes and sat down on the head seat, looking at the others. There were three more subordinates in the room. ¡°What do you think?¡± One of the subordinates who had been silently observing until now answered. ¡°It seems that Bulrai has caught on.¡± ¡°Will he reallye?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a fool¡­ but he trembled before the House Head. He won¡¯te on his own.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s thinking of causing a ruckus in Bayern and then running away.¡± ¡°Bulrai, using his head?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an old man in the branch who knows how to strategize.¡± The man¡¯s lips curled into a smile, his face expressionless, then suddenly burst into a grotesqueugh. ¡°This is amusing. It¡¯s been too long since Bulrai has seen me. That boisterous fellow is now begging for death.¡± ¡°¡­¡± For a long while, only the man¡¯sughter filled the House Head¡¯s room at the Dark Soul headquarters. The man, who had been deep in thought with his chin resting on his hand, raised his head and looked at another subordinate. There was a woman who didn¡¯t seem to fit in with the atmosphere of this ce. Surprisingly, a warm light shone in the man¡¯s eyes, which had been expressionless until now. ¡°Daisy.¡± ¡°Yes, House Head.¡± A clear voice echoed. ¡°I think it would be best for the First Vice-Commander to take on this task.¡± ¡°Speak freely.¡± ¡°Go and take care of Bulrai. It seems difficult to just keep watching.¡± ¡°Should I bring back his head?¡± ¡°Absorb the entire Khaoto branch under yourmand and wait. Stay at the branch until I give you further orders.¡± For a fleeting moment, a subtle expression crossed the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t return?¡± ¡°Yes. This is an important task, I can¡¯t just assign anyone to it. I hope Vice-Commander Daisy understands. It¡¯s a shame I won¡¯t be able to see you for a while, but it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll give you a big reward when this is over, so look forward to it.¡± ¡°A big reward?¡± ¡°You can look forward to it if things go well.¡± ¡°Just the thought excites me.¡± Daisy, her cheeks flushed and her head bowed in embarrassment, muttered inwardly. ¡®That fucking bastard.¡¯ Daisy truly wanted to grind Shepiro¡¯s face into dust. His intention was clear. He was telling her to get lost to Khaoto. It meant that while she was stuck in the backwater of Khaoto, he would absorb all of her influence here at the headquarters. ¡®Should I really kill him?¡¯ Daisy clenched her teeth, suppressing the rising anger within her. It was understandable, as Dark Soul was practically a force that Daisy herself had built. With all sorts of people flocking to Leon, she protected the locals and collected tributes, sometimes even safeguarding merchants for a fee. Strictly speaking, it might not have been a noble endeavor, but Daisy didn¡¯t dwell on it. That¡¯s how the world worked, after all. Legitimate demand and legitimate supply. In fact, during the previous House Head¡¯s reign, Dark Soul was insignificant, but it grew rapidly after the meddlesome Daisy joined. However, things started to go awry after Shepiro appeared. It wasn¡¯t strange that Shepiro killed the former House Head and seized the position. Killing and being killed weremon urrences in this world. The problem was that Shepiro had no sense of moderation. He tripled the tributes under the guise of protection fees, andter, he demanded exorbitant sums from both locals and merchants, sums they couldn¡¯t possibly afford. If merchants refused protection due to the burdensome fees, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to threaten or even kill them as an example. Fear and oppression. Daisy had seen all sorts of things, but even she felt that his actions were crossing the line. Indeed, Dark Soul¡¯s notoriety grew, and the nearby merchant alliance, unable to stand it any longer, even put a bounty on Shepiro¡¯s head, despite the risk. In truth, Daisy had contemted killing Shepiro countless times. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t guarantee sess. The problem was that she couldn¡¯t urately gauge his skills. It wasn¡¯t the first time she had seen bounty hunters trying to assassinate House Head Shepiro only to be killed themselves. ¡®Let¡¯s wait for now.¡¯ In any case, Shepiro had feelings for her. Daisy decided to wait until the right moment arrived. Hiding her true intentions while using her appearance to her advantage was Daisy¡¯s specialty. Therefore, Daisy¡­ When this task waspleted and Shepiro¡¯s heart waspletely broken¡­ That was when she would strike. ¡®Just you wait, you fucking bastard.¡¯ Daisy looked at Shepiro with a bright smile. * * * Early in the morning, after a good night¡¯s sleep, I went down to the first floor, and there was Donkey, diligently cleaning the dining hall as usual. ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re up early.¡± With the recent increase in customers, he should be tired, but Donkey was truly a diligent man. Suddenly, a nostalgic feeling washed over me, and I picked up a broom lying in the corner and started sweeping the floor. ¡°What are you doing, Ruin?¡± ¡°Take it easy. We can¡¯t have the future world¡¯s greatest chef copsing from overwork.¡± Donkey replied with augh. ¡°Just leave it, I¡¯m almost done anyway.¡± While cleaning, I noticed the wind chime and asked, ¡°By the way, why did you hang the wind chime here? Was it Zion¡¯s idea?¡± ¡°I asked him to. I thought it looked pretty. The outer wall is a bit in, and I thought hanging it in the dining hall would make it easier for people to find us.¡± I thought for a moment and then nodded. As I continued sweeping the floor with the broom, Donkey, who had been watching me, said, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re good at cleaning.¡± ¡°Cleaning is a wizard¡¯s basic skill.¡± It wasn¡¯t an emptypliment. If physical strength is the foundation of magic, then cleaning is the foundation of a wizard. Even in my past life, the first thing I did after joining Samael was to clean the training grounds. Wake up and clean, eat breakfast and clean, train in the morning and clean, eat lunch and clean, eat dinner and clean, keep cleaning¡­ In short, I was a master of cleaning. It was almost the end of cleaning when I heard someone coughing outside. I went out to see Garlic and Greed standing guard next to the main entrance of the dining hall, half asleep. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± ¡°Oh, we were standing guard.¡± ¡°Why are you standing guard? There¡¯s no one around. And why are you guys nodding off if you¡¯re supposed to be on guard?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because¡­¡± Dark circles were visible under Garlic and Greed¡¯s eyes. ¡°The, snoring¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed they barely slept, sharing a room with Zion. While I felt a bit sorry for them, I heard someone stretching inside. ¡°Yawn. Ah, I slept well. Donkey, you¡¯re here early. Shall we start the day fresh?¡± I nodded and called Zion, and he approached, wiggling his hips. ¡°Oh, boss, you¡¯re up early. Huh? Why are you guys out here?¡± I tapped the back of Zion¡¯s head and said, ¡°Go back now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Go back to your family.¡± Zion suddenly took a step back and said with a determined expression. ¡°No. I have to protect the business. What if those thugse looking for me when they find out I¡¯m gone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. They all became mercenaries now.¡± ¡°No, just in case.¡± I approached Zion with a smile and said, ¡°Our business owner seems to have lost his mindtely. He started as an employee and now he¡¯s really be one. You¡¯re enjoying every day, aren¡¯t you? How about a duel here?¡± Zion quickly stepped back and replied, ¡°¡­I¡¯ll just take my backpack.¡± A momentter, Zion came out with his backpack, wiping his eyes and saying goodbye to Donkey. ¡°Donkey, thank you for everything. I¡¯ll miss you. Please take care even without me, and be sure to send my regards to thedies whoe looking for me. Until I return, stay healthy and live long!¡± I hit the back of Zion¡¯s head and said, ¡°Stop being sentimental and go, you idiot. And take these guys with you.¡± I looked at Garlic and Greed and said, ¡°You two will receive special treatment, even among the mercenaries. From now on, Garlic and Greed are the gatekeepers of Samael. The gatekeepers are the face of the family. You understand?¡± The two shouted energetically with courage. ¡°Yes!¡± After Zion and the two gatekeepers left, I finally went back inside the restaurant and sat down next to Donkey. Donkey spoke with a hint of regret in his voice, ¡°Zion was a decent employee.¡± ¡°Decent, my foot. If we kept him as an employee, he would¡¯ve tried to climb thedder. If you¡¯re short-handed, just find another diligent kid to hire.¡± Donkey nodded and headed into the kitchen, saying, ¡°How about a bowl of stew? It¡¯ll be a while before the customers arrive.¡± ¡°Sounds good. I was getting hungry anyway.¡± Soon, a steaming chicken stew was served. The savory aroma of the stew filled the air. Today, it was a white broth with boiled chicken. I took a spoonful, and the warm broth with just the right amount of seasoning warmed my insides. ¡°How is it? I made it less spicy since it¡¯s morning.¡± I gave a thumbs-up and savored the stew slowly. After a few spoonfuls, I noticed a strange woman outside the restaurant, looking around. ¡®That¡¯s odd.¡¯ Perhaps it was her unusual attire, but my eyes kept following her. She wore a thin ck martial arts uniform that revealed her curves and a mask that covered her lower face. Moreover, she had small sheaths on both sides of her waist, designed for daggers, judging by their length. ¡®Who is she?¡¯ The woman entered the restaurant and approached me. ¡°Let me ask you something. Where¡¯s the Dark Soul branch located?¡± Just from the way she spoke informally to a stranger, I knew she wasn¡¯t ordinary, so I responded in my own way. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± As the woman tilted her head in confusion, Donkey¡¯s voice came from the kitchen. ¡°What are you muttering about, Ruin? Did a customere in?¡± Donkey came out of the kitchen and flinched, taking a step back upon seeing the woman¡¯s attire. ¡°Are you the owner?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± The woman looked at Donkey and me, tilting her head once as if she found us strange. ¡°The people here are a bit odd. Well, that¡¯s not important. Do you happen to know where the Dark Soul is located?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure of the exact location.¡± ¡°No one seems to know.¡± The woman headed straight outside but then stopped abruptly, turned back, and made intense eye contact with me. Hmm, now that I look closely¡­ ¡®Oh, this is troublesome.¡¯ I unconsciously looked away with a mncholic expression. The woman walked gracefully towards me and stopped right in front of me, then spoke towards the kitchen. ¡°Owner, can I have a bowl of stew before I go? It smells delicious.¡± ¡°Of course. Please have a seat and wait a moment.¡± A momentter, the stew was served, and the woman took a spoonful, her expression slightly surprised. ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled.¡± ¡°Haha, thank you. If youe in the evening, you can also try the spicy one. That¡¯s my specialty.¡± Without any furtherment, the woman finished the stew and approached Donkey. ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°10 silvers, oh, no. 20 silvers, please.¡± The woman narrowed her eyes and replied, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Donkey quickly exined, ¡°I apologize. I recently started this business, and I haven¡¯t adjusted the prices yet. It¡¯s 20 silver.¡± ¡°Why would you double the price? Are you trying to rip me off?¡± ¡°Of course not. I originally intended to charge 10 silver. But because of the tribute, I have no choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The tribute is a bit expensive. Haha.¡± ¡°¡­They¡¯re taking tributes that are as much as the food itself.¡± Come to think of it, Donkey didn¡¯t know that I had taken over the Dark Soul mercenary group. ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± The woman, frowning deeply and cursing, took out a gold coin from her inner pocket and tossed it to Donkey. ¡°Thank you. The change is¡­¡± ¡°Keep it.¡± The woman disappeared outside in an instant without looking back. Lost in thought for a moment, I watched the women¡¯s receding figure. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 53 Chapter 53: Who Are You? Not long after the woman left, I immediately returned to the main base and called Bravo Khan. ¡°Did you find them?¡± I got straight to the point. ¡°Soldier, was there a woman at the Dark Soul headquarters?¡± I described the appearance of the peculiar woman I had just encountered. Bravo Khan paused for a moment before replying. ¡°If she had daggers, it¡¯s highly likely that it was Vice-Commander Daisy.¡± ¡°One of the three subordinates under Shepiro?¡± ¡°Yes. Daisy is the First Vice-Commander. She¡¯s the most senior among the Vice-Commanders. Did you perhaps see Vice-Commander Daisy?¡± As soon as I nodded, Bravo Khan let out a sigh. ¡°It seems House Head Shepiro is quite angry.¡± ¡°He said he was going to take my head, of course, he¡¯s angry.¡± ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t expect him to send Vice-Commander Daisy herself.¡± I let out a chuckle and looked at Bravo Khan. ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between Daisy and me?¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, you could say you¡¯re equals, but Vice-Commander Daisy probably doesn¡¯t see it that way.¡± ¡°Her skills?¡± ¡°I understand she¡¯s quite skilled with daggers. She¡¯s at the top, except for House Head Shepiro.¡± At that moment, there was somemotion outside, and then I heard One-Eye¡¯s scream. ¡°Looks like she¡¯s here.¡± As I stood up and slung Tae-do over my shoulder, Bravo Khan briefly grabbed my sleeve. ¡°You must be careful.¡± As I started walking, Bravo Khan quickly added, ¡°She¡¯s a woman whose intentions are hard to read. I encountered her a few times when I was briefly at the headquarters. Don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance.¡± I touched my chest and replied, ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Afterpleting my disguise, I went down to the courtyard. Bravo Khan stood there for a moment, then muttered, ¡°What am I doing? It¡¯s Daisy who should be careful.¡± * * * ¡°Ugh! Let go!¡± As I went down to the courtyard, One-Eye was screaming with his arm twisted. Seeing the woman I had shared stew with earlier subduing One-Eye andughing gave me a strange feeling. The rest of the mercenaries had surrounded the woman. ¡°Long time no see, Bulrai. How have you been managing your men that they¡¯re in such a state?¡± In response to the woman¡¯s greeting,ced with sarcasm, I replied, ¡°Let him go. He has an eye infection. It¡¯s contagious.¡± The woman, startled for a moment, threw One-Eye to the ground. I immediately gestured to my subordinates to help One-Eye up and move him away. ¡°Why is someone with an eye infection wearing an eyepatch like that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult my subordinate. Anyway, it¡¯s been a while, Daisy.¡± Daisy looked at me strangely for a moment, then suddenly burst intoughter. ¡°Are you crazy, Bulrai?¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t remember the old days? Want me to refresh your memory of getting beaten up?¡± I vaguely sensed the rtionship between Bulrai and Daisy. This bulldog-like guy acted all tough in front of me, but it turned out he was living a tough life, getting pushed around by the messenger and beaten up by Daisy. With the intention of avenging the bulldog-like guy, I said, ¡°If Shepiro¡¯s head is on the line, why can¡¯t I call Daisy by her name?¡± ¡°What?¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Oh my god, chills. You were serious?¡± ¡°Bulrai is a bulldog-like man. He doesn¡¯t lie.¡± Daisy, who was making eye contact with me, walked steadily towards a rock and sat downfortably. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s hear it. If you¡¯re so confident, you must have a n, right?¡± ¡°What n?¡± ¡°You told the messenger, didn¡¯t you? That you¡¯d kill that son of a bitch Shepiro. How are you going to do it?¡± While listening to Daisy, a question suddenly popped into my mind. ¡®Shepiro, that son of a bitch? Are they on bad terms?¡¯ I suddenly remembered Daisy cursing about the tributes this morning and asked, ¡°Daisy. Do you also want to kill Shepiro, that son of a bitch?¡± ¡°Shut up and just answer my question.¡± ¡°Of course, I have a n.¡± ¡°So, what is it?¡± I pointed my finger at myself and said, ¡°Me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Imitating Bulrai¡¯s tone, I repeated, ¡°I will personally go and take Shepiro¡¯s head. Will you join me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Daisy, still perched on the rock, stared at me silently for a moment before speaking. ¡°Someone, give me a sword.¡± I nodded without much thought, and one of the mercenaries approached Daisy and handed her a sword. As soon as Daisy received the sword, she threw it at me. ¡°Kill yourself.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I had a feeling, but I guess I was right. You¡¯re wasting my time, so just kill yourself nicely, you idiot. Even if all of you here attacked me at once, killing you wouldn¡¯t be a challenge for me. You know that, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Daisy shook her head and looked around with an annoyed expression. ¡°Ah, this is frustrating. If you¡¯re going to attack, just do it all together. It¡¯ll be over once I kill you anyway.¡± From what I could see, Daisy wasn¡¯t bluffing. I could sense the remnants of mana wriggling whenever she showed killing intent. ¡®A 2-star Mana Core? That¡¯s unexpected.¡¯ I gestured for my subordinates to step backpletely and said, ¡°You attack me, Daisy.¡± ¡°¡­You want tomit suicide?¡± ¡°This bulldog will teach you a lesson.¡± ¡°Alright, you crazy bastard. I¡¯ll end this quickly.¡± Daisy, still seated, reached for her waist and drew a red dagger with lightning speed. In an instant, Daisy¡¯s figure blurred. * * * I dodged the dagger flying towards me like a ray of light with a slight tilt of my head. Whoosh¡ª A vacuum de grazed my right cheek, missing by a hair¡¯s breadth. I drew Tae-do and wrapped the de in Wind, and once again, the red dagger thrust towards my shoulder. I bent my back 90 degrees backward, deflecting the attack, and then swung Tae-do with the rebounding momentum. At that moment, the red dagger flew vertically, striking the center of Tae-do. Crack¡ª The Wind wrapped around the de shattered, but at the same time, the force in the dagger also dissipated. The dagger, colliding with the remaining physical force of Tae-do¡¯s de, bounced off harmlessly. Daisy regained her posture in mid-air and shouted, ¡°What the hell are you!¡± Whoosh¡ª Before I could answer, Daisy kicked off the ground once again. This time, she aimed for my blind spot, swiftly circling in the opposite direction of the hand holding Tae-do. Her intention was to take advantage of the moment when my movement, burdened by the heavy Tae-do, would be sluggish. Daisy and I circled each other, our movements gradually bing misaligned. And at the moment of a half-beat difference¡­ Daisy suddenly disappeared from sight, and I sensed a killing intent from below. A swift movement, like a lynx crouching and then leaping. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ Almost simultaneously as I kicked off the ground and soared into the air, Daisy swung her dagger with a roar and jumped up from below. Both of us were high in the air. Whoosh¡ª Daisy¡¯s dagger sliced through the air, a hand¡¯s breadth away from my feet. ¡°Shit!¡± In mid-air, I gripped Tae-do with both hands, raised it high above, and spun it, bringing it down towards the falling Daisy. As soon as Daisynded, she instinctively rolled on the dirt floor. There was no time to grasp the situation. An ominous premonition rang rm bells throughout my body, urging me to dodge. Boom¡ª In a split second, a pile of rocks erupted. Tae-do¡¯s de struck the ground, and a massive cloud of dust and dirt billowed in all directions. If I had been even a moment slower, it wouldn¡¯t have been the ground that was crushed, but Daisy¡¯s shoulder. Covered in dirt, Daisy stared at me with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°¡­What the hell was that?¡± I gave Daisy a thumbs-up. ¡°Nice roll.¡± That¡¯s what I said, but honestly, it was a bit unexpected. It was surprising enough that she possessed a 2-star Mana Core, but I didn¡¯t know she could utilize mana so effectively in her movements. She¡¯s a woman who knows how to fight. At a level simr to apprentice knights. ¡®Interesting.¡¯ Her movements weren¡¯t systematically learned. They were rough and unrefined, but her body instinctively knew the forms. ¡°I asked you what that was. Where did you learn that? Don¡¯t tell me you were hiding your skills?¡± ¡°Curious?¡± Daisy, calming her excitement, took a step back and said, ¡°Honestly, I am curious. When did you, an idiot, be so strong?¡± ¡°If I tell you, will you join me in taking down that son of a bitch Shepiro?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decide after hearing what you have to say.¡± ¡°Alright. Keep this a secret. The jumping technique I just showed you was developed by a very rare fatty named Palge from the Sigmund Merchant Guild. But it has a very fatal side effect. You end up using ¡®Neung¡¯ at the end of every sentence¡­¡± As my subordinates perked up their ears and drew closer, Daisy pulled out another ck dagger from her inner waist, held both daggers in a dual-wielding stance, and charged at me like lightning. A blurred afterimage. I lifted Tae-do above my chest. At that moment, the reverse-grip twin daggers crossed in front of me, slicing through the center of Tae-do. ng¡ª Tae-do¡¯s de was nowpletely severed in two, leaving me exposed and defenseless. ¡°Coward! Attacking while talking.¡± Daisy cackled in response. ¡°You believed that? Idiot.¡± Of course, I didn¡¯t believe it. But once again, I reevaluated Daisy. ¡®She¡¯s not just at a simr level.¡¯ She had abandoned defense, focusing solely on killing the enemy with a single surprise attack. In a real fight, she could probably kill most 2-star apprentice knights. ¡°You¡¯ve got some skills, Daisy. You were so fast I almost couldn¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°Idiot. Just die now.¡± ¡°But what if it¡¯s truly invisible?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A de that cuts through the wind.¡± At the moment Daisy crossed her daggers for the final blow, aiming to slice my waist, ¡°Wind Cutter.¡± I grasped the wind de and danced the sword dance. Fwoosh¡ª Blood erupted from Daisy¡¯s hand, and the daggers ttered to the ground. Her mask and uniform were simultaneously shredded, scattering pieces of cloth everywhere. In that state, I infused my foot with ¡®Wind¡¯ and kicked her abdomen, sending Daisy flying back with a mouthful of blood. Daisy clutched her stomach, trembling and ring at me. Her hair was disheveled. Her bare face was exposed, and the torn clothes revealed her skin, causing murmurs to rise from the subordinates. ¡°Our Vice-Commander Daisy.¡± As I smiled and slowly approached Daisy¡­ Daisy stared at me intently, her pupils trembling. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± When I picked up the dagger that had fallen on the ground without answering, Daisy¡¯s expression changed drastically. ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s take down Shepiro together. You and I are enough.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I can do it alone.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Shepiro, that bastard. You¡¯ll need my help.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t team up with a coward like you. Just die.¡± ¡°You fucking¡­ Cough!¡± ¡°¡­¡± I looked at the copsed Daisy for a moment. ¡®She fainted.¡¯ I had only struck her temple lightly, but she copsed instantly and fainted. It seemed her physical resilience was weaker than I thought. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ My subordinates approached, looking at the unconscious Daisy andmenting with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Boss, why didn¡¯t you shoot a fireball this time? Her clothes look like they would burn easily.¡± ¡°I rmend the Water something.¡± I pointed at my subordinates and pretended to cast a spell, and they quickly covered their mouths. ¡°Carrot.¡± Carrot, who had been quietly waiting, stepped forward. ¡°Take her away.¡± ¡°Where should I take her?¡± ¡°Just move her somewhere for now. It¡¯s not pleasant to see her lying around here. Discuss with the soldier and find a quiet ce to stash her. Make sure she can¡¯t escape, tie her up.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Carrot carried the unconscious Daisy on his back and started climbing the stairs towards the middle gate. Bravo Khan, watching Daisy being carried away limply, muttered unconsciously, ¡°Indeed. It was Daisy who should have been careful.¡± I looked at Bravo Khan and said, ¡°Soldier, have the guys clean up here. I need to rest for a bit.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I climbed the stairs and disappeared, Bravo Khan muttered once again, ¡°Bravo Khan, you better be careful too. The boss is a scary person.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 54 Chapter 54: Manager Daisy? (1) A musty smell invaded her nostrils, and the ringing in her ears grew louder. As a sharp pain shot through her wrist and abdomen, Daisy¡¯s eyes flew open with a pained gasp. ¡°¡­ Am I still alive?¡± It was pitch ck all around. She tried to move, but it was as if she was tightly bound, unable to budge an inch. ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± The moment she attempted to rouse her mana, a terrible pain blossomed in her lower abdomen. It seemed she had suffered internal injuries. Unable to do anything as she wished, Daisy instead calmed her mind. At least she wasn¡¯t dead. Closing her eyes again, she began to retrace the events that had just transpired. ¡®Who was it, really?¡¯ At first, she thought Bulrai hadpletely lost his mind. His tone, his behavior, and especially the look in his eyes and the way he spoke when mentioning Shepiro¡­ he was acting like a madman. When they actually fought, she was quite surprised. Where had he gained such skill in the meantime that he could hold his own against her? She wondered if he was truly serious about killing Guild Leader Shepiro. ¡­ But he wasn¡¯t. ¡®It¡¯s not Bulrai.¡¯ The final move Bulrai had made. Even at the moment when the attack she had unleashed with all her mana was effortlessly blocked, she couldn¡¯t evenprehend what her opponent had done. All she knew was that something like a de had swept through her, instantly shredding her. It wasn¡¯t a movement that could be exined by mere skill improvement. It was magic or swordsmanship that transcendedmon sense. And moreover¡­ ¡®I definitely saw it.¡¯ The moment Daisy recalled the look in her opponent¡¯s eyes at thest moment, a chill ran down her spine. Those eyes were definitely not Bulrai¡¯s. Somehow, someone had killed Bulrai and was impersonating him. Daisy clenched her teeth. She should have been more thorough in her confirmation. It was a painful lesson for letting her guard down, unlike her usual self. ¡®No, it¡¯s not toote. I¡¯m still alive.¡¯ It was then, with a sh, the lights in the room suddenly turned on. Startled, Daisy almost screamed. Right in front of her sat Bulrai, or rather, the unidentified man. How long had he been watching her from there? But Daisy quickly masked her inner thoughts and spoke. ¡°¡­ Thank you for sparing my life.¡± The man stared at her silently before speaking. ¡°Our Manager Daisy.¡± Daisy, sensing his intentions, replied. ¡°Yes, Branch Manager Bulrai.¡± ¡°Drop the Branch Manager title.¡± While Daisy was pondering how to respond, the man asked again. ¡°Do you want to kill that Shepiro bastard?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes. He tried to kill me.¡± ¡°Tried to kill you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a lunatic. He chased me for a while, and when I rejected him, he turned violent. He even tried to force himself on me.¡± Daisy, feigning innocence, held back tears and lied. It was true that Shepiro harbored impure thoughts towards her, but he hadn¡¯t openly expressed them yet. Pretending to wipe away her tears, Daisy gauged the man¡¯s reaction. ¡°Oh my. What an absolutely despicable bastard.¡± Thankfully, the man seemed to believe Daisy¡¯s words without a doubt. ¡°How skilled is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s dangerous. No matter how capable you are, there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll die. Even renowned bounty hunters were taken out in an instant. Assassination is practically impossible.¡± Daisy deliberately exaggerated. Saying this would increase her chances of survival. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If you spare me, I¡¯ll create an opportunity. I¡¯m not asking to be sent back to headquarters right away. You wouldn¡¯t trust me, after all. I¡¯ll stay here and wait. When Shepiro contacts me, I¡¯ll create an opening.¡± Daisy looked at the man with pleading eyes. As long as she stayed alive, she was confident she could sway him. She would bide her time, then either kill him or, if that proved impossible, escape. There would be no secondpse in judgment. Suddenly, the man slowly approached Daisy and asked, ¡°You¡¯ll stay here?¡± Daisy didn¡¯t avoid his gaze, meeting his eyes steadily. ¡®It¡¯s working!¡¯ The moment Daisy blushed and averted her gaze slightly¡­ SLAP A sh of fire on her forehead. pped across the face, Daisy¡¯s head snapped back with such force that she felt her neck might break. As a shocked Daisy looked back at the man, he was grinning. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± Before she could even collect her thoughts, a pain like being struck with a stone on her forehead sent her head reeling once more. Only then did Daisy realize that her n hadn¡¯t worked at all. ¡°W-wait!¡± SLAP ¡°T-talk to me. Talk, you damn bastard¡­ ugh!¡± Daisy¡¯s head slumped. The man looked at the unconscious Daisy for a moment, then brushed his hands off. ¡°Our Manager Daisy seems to have lost her mind.¡± * * * A cold chill crept up, and a ringing filled her ears. As a fiery pain blossomed on her forehead, Daisy opened her eyes with a scream. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡­ Oh, am I not dead yet? In the pitch-ck darkness, Daisy trembled. The man¡¯s eyes from before she lost consciousness shed in her mind. ¡®He was a madman.¡¯ Then, something urred to Daisy. She suddenly softened her demeanor, forcing a smile onto her lips. ¡°¡­ Are you there?¡± The madman might not have left the room yet. She had to be extremely careful, as there was no telling what he might do. A momentter, a faint light once again entered the room. There was no one in front of her. As she cautiously looked around, she realized theyout of the room waspletely different from before. With a creak, a door opened somewhere, and an elderly man with a familiar face appeared. ¡°¡­ Bravo Khan?¡± Bravo Khan slowly approached her and met her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Manager Daisy.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s going on? Who is that bastard, really?¡± ¡°Watch your tongue. He¡¯s the one I serve.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Manager Daisy, you shouldn¡¯t even think about deceiving him.¡± Bravo Khan suddenly started groping Daisy¡¯s body, and she was startled, shouting, ¡°What the hell are you doing, you crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Shh! Keep your voice down.¡± Daisy said with a vicious expression. ¡°You. You know my personality. Do I look pathetic to you like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important. You don¡¯t know him at all, Daisy.¡± Bravo Khan met Daisy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shall I tell you how Manager Bulrai died?¡± Daisy unconsciously closed her mouth, and Bravo Khan, reminiscing, began to speak. ¡°He was burned to death. It was a very long time. He burned him with fire, and when it seemed like he was burning too much, he cooled him with water. It was truly cruel torture. And in the end, his whole body went up in mes. From his toes¡­ to the top of his head. His whole body was aze.¡± While speaking, Bravo Khan continued to apply a sticky liquid to Daisy¡¯s body. Daisy couldn¡¯t react at all and just gulped. ¡°Perhaps you too, Daisy¡­¡± Bravo Khan shook his head and pointed at Daisy, whose face turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s done?¡± ¡°Now try moving.¡± With a rustling sound, the ropes that had bound Daisy tightly came loose. She moved her body around, and she no longer felt any pain. ¡°¡­ Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old sentiment. I couldn¡¯t bear to see you die, Daisy.¡± Daisy looked at Bravo Khan with suspicion. ¡°Is there a way to sneak out?¡± Bravo Khan nodded and gestured. ¡°This is a secret space that only I know about. Even the boss doesn¡¯t know about it yet.¡± Bravo Khan stopped at one spot and pushed the wall, revealing a small door just big enough for one person to pass through. ¡°It leads outside.¡± As the door opened, the morning breeze and sunlight poured in. Only then did Daisy greet Bravo Khan with her eyes. ¡°Be careful. If the boss finds out you¡¯re gone, he¡¯ll probably chase after you. He¡¯s persistent.¡± ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t forget this favor.¡± ¡°Suddenly, a thoughtes to mind.¡± Daisy was about to go outside, but she turned her head, thinking Bravo Khan¡¯s words were out of the blue. ¡°What kind of thought?¡± ¡°This is just a thought that urred to me now. Maybe the boss is magnanimous. I was also allowed to live twice. If I had defied the boss a third time¡­¡± Daisy thought there was no need to hear more and jumped outside. * * * Daisy ran through the streets at full speed without looking back. Her body felt as light as air. She felt no pain, and she could rouse mana in her lower abdomen without any difficulty. It was strange, but Daisy had no time to think about it. ¡®Let¡¯s go back for now.¡¯ She had to return to headquarters. Perhaps this was an opportunity. If she went and told Shepiro about the mysterious man, he wouldn¡¯t just sit idly by. He was sensitive about Bayern, so there was a high chance he would take action himself. They might even end up fighting and killing each other. With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Daisy quickly passed through the main street of the west and arrived at theplex back alleys. Running a bit further, she saw the restaurant where she had eaten the delicious stew. Just a little further past that restaurant, and she would be out of Khaoto. Feeling she had put enough distance between herself and danger, Daisy¡¯s mind rxed a bit. ¡®Who the hell was that guy?¡¯ He was impossible to read. His skills were unfathomable, and his words couldn¡¯t be trusted at face value. Just when she thought she had him figured out and tried to probe his intentions, she got flicked on the forehead. ¡®Just you wait, you bastard.¡¯ In any case, as long as she safely reached headquarters, it wouldn¡¯t be bad for her. Whether the man really came to kill Shepiro or Shepiro went to kill the man, she could prepare countermeasures in the meantime. Before she knew it, she hadpletely left Khaoto and was on a quiet forest path. ¡°He can¡¯t chase me this far.¡± Daisy took a deep breath and slowly reduced her speed. She had been running at full speed just in case, but thankfully no one was chasing her. ¡°Phew.¡± As she stretched and inhaled the refreshing forest scent, a strange sound reached Daisy¡¯s ears. Thud¡ª Thud¡ª The sound of chopping wood. ¡®Is there a lumberjack here?¡¯ Looking towards the source of the sound, she saw a skinny boy chopping at a tree with an axe. He was so bad at it that the axe de kept bouncing off instead of cutting into the trunk. Daisy clicked her tongue and passed by the boy when she heard rough breathing. ¡°Huff, huff, huff.¡± Then the smell of sweat wafted over. After taking a few more steps, Daisy suddenly clenched her fist, frowned, and stopped. ¡®Oh, this damn meddlesome nature of mine.¡¯ Daisy turned around and approached the boy. ¡°Hey.¡± The boy replied, bewildered. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Give me that. Do you think you can act like a man like that?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± The boy handed the axe handle to Daisy with a confused expression. ¡°Watch closely. Use your wrist.¡± Daisy gripped the end of the axe handle, swung it in a wide arc, and split the tree trunk. The trunk was deeply gouged. ¡°See? Do it like this.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The boy let out a naive exmation and tried to imitate Daisy¡¯s movement, but nothing changed. ¡°No, not like that. Do it like this.¡± Daisy snatched the axe handle back and demonstrated again before handing it back to the boy. When the boy followed her example, the trunk was cut deeper than before. ¡°That¡¯s it. Do it that way.¡± ¡°Th-thank you.¡± The boy stammered his thanks. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± The boy¡¯s voice called out again when Daisy had turned around and taken a few steps. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Daisy turned around irritably, and the boy quickly spoke. ¡°You left this.¡± ¡°What?¡± The boy slowly approached and handed her something. ¡°Oh, thanks.¡± Daisy unconsciously attached her dagger, which she had just received, to her waist, then gasped, her eyes wide open. ¡°Gasp!¡± Daisy¡¯s pupils shook violently. The boy grinned and spoke. ¡°Manager Daisy?¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 55 Chapter 55: Manager Daisy? (2) Daisy immediately kicked off the ground and ran like mad. Since there was no sign of pursuit, she nced back and saw the boy staring nkly at her from the same spot. ¡®It¡¯s him.¡¯ He was no ordinary madman. After running for a long time on the straight forest path, she looked back again, and the boy was still standing in the same ce in the distance. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he chasing me?¡¯ As soon as the question arose, another one followed. ¡®How did he catch up to me in the first ce?¡¯ She had run using all of her 2-star mana. She hadn¡¯t felt anyone chasing her from Khaoto. So how could he have appeared in front of her? The thought of the man who could change his appearance at will made her whole body tremble. Just as goosebumps were about to rise all over her body¡­ ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Daisy¡¯s eyes narrowed as a thought struck her. ¡®Could he have been waiting there already?¡¯ Bravo Khan might have tricked her. He could have pretended to release her while that lunatic was already lying in wait further down the path. For some reason, the more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. There was no other way he could have suddenly appeared in front of her. ¡®Phew.¡¯ Thinking that, Daisy¡¯s anxiety subsided a bit. But she didn¡¯t slow down, continuing to run forward at full speed. She wanted to get back to headquarters as soon as possible. After running for a while, she saw a group of people walking towards her from the opposite direction. For a moment, Daisy¡¯s heart sank, but then she recognized their familiar attire and let out a sigh of relief. ¡®I was too tense.¡¯ It was the attire of one of the merchant groups operating in Leon. The leader of the four men spotted Daisy and gave an awkward greeting. ¡°Ah, Lady Daisy?¡± ¡°Did you see a strange guy on your way here?¡± The leader replied with a puzzled look. ¡°No? We haven¡¯t seen anyone. Who are you looking for?¡± Daisy shook her head and asked, ¡°Never mind. By the way, where are you guys going?¡± ¡°We have some business in Khaoto.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got guts. With just this many people? And without even hiring mercenaries? You don¡¯t know what will happen if you run into the Guild Leader¡¯s men.¡± It was a strange statement, but the man immediately nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯re not part of the merchant alliance. We¡¯ve paid our dues, so we shouldn¡¯t have any trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then. I¡¯m off.¡± Daisy passed by the group in the opposite direction, walking in a single file. As she passed the four men and thest remaining one, Daisy tilted her head. ¡®His head is shiny.¡¯ Was there a bald guy in that merchant group? Suddenly, Daisy stared at the receding figure of the bald man as if possessed, and she realized that only his clothes werepletely different. ¡°¡­¡± The bald man very slowly turned his head towards Daisy. A sallowplexion, age spots on his face. Then, three strands of white hair, contrasting with his baldness, fluttered above his head¡­ As the whole scene unfolded before Daisy¡¯s eyes in slow motion, like a clockwork being wound¡­ The bald man opened his mouth wide and shouted in a booming voice. ¡°Manager Daisyyyy!¡± ¡°Sh- Shit!¡± Hup- Daisy huped and instinctively threw herself into the pathless forest. She ran, swinging her arms wildly. She couldn¡¯t see clearly and got scratched by branches, and pebbles hit her shins, but she kept running. ¡®I¡¯m scared, so scared.¡¯ Fear gripped her. She had never imagined she would experience such a crazy thing in her life. Bravo Khan¡¯sst words suddenly shed through her mind. ¡ª Maybe the boss is magnanimous. I was also allowed to live twice. If I had defied the boss a third time¡­ She couldn¡¯t tell if this was the second or third time. It was clear he was toying with her, but rather than feeling angry, she only felt scared. ¡®I have to run. I have to escape somehow.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t shake him off by running on the forest path. She had to break through where there was no path at all. Even in the dense forest, Daisy instinctively found her direction and headed west. Sweat poured down her forehead like rain. Her legs trembled. But she couldn¡¯t stop. ¡®J-just a little further.¡¯ She would probably reach Leon soon. Once she got there, she was confident she could somehow get rid of him. It was then, in the enclosed forest, that she heard someone¡¯s presence. ¡°No!¡± Daisy immediately changed direction. As soon as she moved in the opposite direction of the presence, she tripped over a rock in her haste. As she grabbed her shin and got up, a rustling sound apanied a rabbit jumping out. ¡°Oh, it was a rabbit.¡± As Daisy quickly ran off again, another rustling sound apanied a pig emerging. ¡°Oh, it was a pig.¡± ¡­ But why was there a pig in the forest? Looking closely, it was a person in the shape of a pig. Daisy was so out of her mind that she couldn¡¯t distinguish between a pig and a person. The pig-person took a strange stance towards a tree. ¡°Burning mes! Fireball-neung.¡± Suddenly, magic shot out from the pig-person¡¯s fingertips and instantly set the base of the tree on fire. Daisy¡¯s face trembled. It wasn¡¯t just because she had seen magic in front of her. ¡®¡­ Neung?¡¯ The words of the lunatic suddenly came to mind. ¡ª ¡­ There¡¯s a very serious side effect. You end up using ¡®neung¡¯ at the end of every sentence¡­ ¡°Aaaaaaaaaah!¡± Daisy lost her mind. Screaming like a madwoman, she ran out of the forest path. ¡°Help me. Help me.¡± Daisy swung her arms and ran like crazy. She was even faster without her sanity than with it. Thud thud thud thud Dust rose. Daisy, having escaped the forest path, caught up with the merchant procession and quickly passed them. ¡­When she regained consciousness, Daisy was back in Khaoto. * * * People were walking around in the alley. Daisy looked around nervously at the passersby. Whenever she made eye contact with someone, she flinched and stepped back. While standing still, unsure of what to do, a boy looked at her and quickly approached. Daisy stepped back and cautiously spoke. ¡°Crazy bastard-nim?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Daisy walked carefully, huping and dodging whenever she bumped into people. As she walked, a yellow mutt blocked her path. Their eyes met for a moment¡­ ¡°Woof woof!¡± ¡°Help!¡± Daisy¡¯s legs gave out, and she copsed on the spot. Fortunately, the yellow mutt seemed to be just a dog, as it barked and disappeared somewhere. As a tear rolled down her cheek in frustration, a sweet smell suddenly tickled her nose. She looked across the street without thinking, and it was the smelling from the restaurant where she had eaten recently. ¡®I¡¯m hungry.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t noticed while running, but as soon as she smelled the delicious food, hunger washed over her. She carefully entered the restaurant and looked around. One man was eating stew, and the rest of the tables were empty. The chef poked his head out and greeted her. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back.¡± Daisy was too exhausted to answer and just nodded, taking a seat. ¡°You¡¯rete. What can I get you?¡± ¡°The same thing I hadst time.¡± At that moment, someone mumbled from the side. ¡°You should try the spicy one.¡± Surprised, she looked over and saw a familiar man. She had seen him here thest time she ate stew. ¡°This ce is known for its spicy stew. If you haven¡¯t tried it, I rmend the spicy one.¡± Daisy suddenly felt like crying. ¡®Why am I like this?¡¯ She wiped her eyes and nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll try the spicy one then.¡± While the chef went back to the kitchen to cook, Daisy stared at the man. He had stopped eating his stew and was looking outside in a strange posture. ¡®He¡¯s not bad looking, now that I see him.¡¯ Soon, the steaming hot stew arrived, and the spicy aroma filled the air. Daisy took a spoonful of the thick broth and was immediately surprised. It was more delicious than any other soup she had ever tasted. ¡°Wow, this is delicious.¡± ¡°Haha, many people say that.¡± The chef replied with a satisfied expression, then took off his sanitary cap and sat next to the man. ¡°Want some moonshine?¡± ¡°Not right now. Let¡¯s have some after Ie back from somewhere.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the asion? There are times when you refuse moonshine.¡± Daisy unconsciously eavesdropped on the chef and the man¡¯s conversation. ¡®They must be regrs.¡¯ Even as she slowly ate her stew, the voices continued. ¡°My wrist is sore today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no wonder, with so many customers.¡± ¡°Maybe I chopped too much chicken.¡± ¡°Is it because the knife isn¡¯t good?¡± ¡°The de has gotten a bit dull.¡± ¡°A swordsman and a chef both need a good knife. I happen to have a decent one, take a look.¡± ¡°¡­ Wow, the de is really sharp. But it¡¯s a bit too much for me to use.¡± Daisy turned her head to look at the man. A small dagger was lying on the table, its sharp de pitch ck. ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± It was a familiar dagger. Daisy unconsciously reached for her waist, but the dagger she had received from the boy was still there. Then that dagger¡­ The man¡¯s head slowly turned towards her. The moment their eyes met. ¡°Manager Daisy?¡± Daisy plunged her face into the stew bowl and fainted. * * * Donkey nudged Daisy and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? She seems to have fainted.¡± ¡°This knife was originally hers. I guess she got upset when I tried to give it to someone else.¡± ¡°Does that make her faint?¡± I nodded. ¡°Daisy¡¯s been a bit out of ittely.¡± ¡°So you know each other. No wonder she seemed a bit strange.¡± Donkey carefully examined the back of Daisy¡¯s head, which was buried in the bowl, and said, ¡°The back of her head looks fine. Who is she?¡± I thought for a moment and said, ¡°She said she¡¯s in charge of something at the Dark Soul headquarters.¡± Donkey was startled and replied, ¡°Headquarters means Leon? Why is she here from there?¡± ¡°I changed Dark Soul to Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups, so she came to confront me about it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups?¡± After I briefly exined the main point, Donkey nodded without any suspicion. ¡°Ah, so Ruin wiped out the Dark Soul branch. No wonder those guys haven¡¯t been seentely.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to pay tribute anymore, so sell it at a reasonable price.¡± Donkey chuckled and went into the kitchen, and I looked at Daisy, whose face was still buried in the stew bowl. Daisy probably didn¡¯t know it herself, but¡­ I already knew all of Daisy¡¯s habits when she was flustered. For example, like now, how her right leg was trembling slightly. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you doing that because it¡¯s delicious?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Manager Daisy?¡± The stew sshed out of the bowl, and Daisy immediately lifted her face and said, ¡°C-crazy bastard-nim.¡± Suddenly, Donkey poked his head out from the kitchen, chuckling. ¡°That¡¯s a good one.¡± I also found myselfughing, but Daisy remained serious, not even bothering to wipe the stew off her face. ¡°Please spare me.¡± ¡°No one said anything about killing you. But let¡¯s change how you address me.¡± ¡°Bulrai¡­ Boss?¡± ¡°Not Boss yet.¡± ¡°¡­ Oppa?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit weird too.¡± ¡°¡­ Hyungnim?¡± I couldn¡¯t think of any suitable title, so I just answered casually. ¡°Just call me whatever for now.¡± I told Daisy to go wash up, then grabbed a broom and mop to clean up the messy table. Donkey came out of the kitchen, looked at my face for a moment, and asked, ¡°Are you going?¡± ¡°I have to. Let¡¯s have that moonshine when I get back.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful.¡± When Daisy came back after washing up, I gestured for her to follow me and left the restaurant. * * * Throughout the walk, Daisy had a rather carefree expression. As soon as I arrived at the headquarters, I called my subordinates. They didn¡¯t question me even though I showed up with Daisy again. When the executives and subordinates were gathered, I looked around and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to Leon for a bit. Take good care of the house while I¡¯m gone.¡± Bravo Khan replied with a slightly surprised expression. ¡°Are you going alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going with Daisy.¡± Before I even finished speaking, Daisy reflexively nodded and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll follow you, Hyungnim Bulrai.¡± The executives all looked surprised at how Daisy addressed me. Bravo Khan asked again, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we all went together?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of killing Shepiro. There¡¯s no need for a bunch of us to go.¡± Bravo Khan looked so worried that I asked, ¡°Why do you want toe with me, Gunsah? Should the three of us go?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ll stay and guard the house.¡± ¡°Then cheer up.¡± Bravo Khan¡¯s expression instantly brightened. I looked around with a serious face and said, ¡°The Bayern guys might make a move while I¡¯m gone. I¡¯d say the chances are about fifty-fifty. If they do move, they¡¯lle with everything they¡¯ve got.¡± The executives¡¯ expressions hardened, and One-Eye said resolutely, ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to stop them.¡± ¡°Yeah, do your best to stop them and then die gloriously.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Damn. Look at these guys getting all serious just because I made a joke.¡± Iposed my expression again and met the eyes of the executives. ¡°If theye with full force, you guys won¡¯t be able to handle it. Keep a close eye on their movements, and if it looks like arge group ising, send one of your fastest guys to me. The rest of you, don¡¯t even think about fighting them. No matter how important the house is, it¡¯s not more important than your heads.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to run. Hide well until I get back. Their goal is to drive us out of here anyway, so if you run with all your might, they won¡¯t chase you to the death.¡± The executives nodded with determined faces. ¡°Understood.¡± I looked at the mercenaries for a moment, then went to the one with the biggest sword and said, ¡°Lend me your sword.¡± The subordinate handed me the sword without a word. It was a bit smaller than the one Bulldog used, but it was close enough in size. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a better er.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± I slung the sword over my shoulder and turned to look at Daisy. ¡°Lead the way, Manager Daisy.¡± Daisy was startled and replied, ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to catch that Shepiro bastard.¡± ¡°Are we really going just the two of us?¡± ¡°We were going to go as three, but Gunsah didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up and lead the way, Manager Daisy.¡± Daisy was startled again and replied, ¡°Alright. But please, can you stop calling me Manager?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I spun the sword on my shoulder and walked out the front gate. Daisy, clutching her temples as if she had a headache, stood there nkly. Then, as I gradually moved out of sight, she suddenly chased after me with a panicked expression. ¡°Wait for me, Hyungnim Bulrai!¡± ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 56 Chapter 56: You¡¯re Shepiro? I strolled leisurely through the back alleys, feeling like a wandering minstrel. Daisy followed behind me, matching my pace without a word. It wasn¡¯t until we entered the forest path that a sudden question popped into my mind. ¡°Are you and Shepiro on bad terms?¡± Perhaps having regained herposure during our walk through Khaoto, Daisy replied calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not so much that we¡¯re on bad terms, but rather that hecks the necessary qualities. Even if we¡¯re a bit rough around the edges, there are lines we need to respect if we want to stay in Leon. Shepiro is the kind of guy who doesn¡¯t understand that. In short, he¡¯s no different from amon thief.¡± Finally, Daisy was opening up about her true feelings. In truth, I had already gauged the woman¡¯s tenacity during our fight. This kind of woman doesn¡¯t shed tears easily. I already knew that her earlier disy of vulnerability, iming I was trying to take advantage of her or kill her, was all an act. ¡°I take it he demands hefty tributes.¡± ¡°The problem is that if you don¡¯t pay, the madman will kill you without hesitation. It¡¯s not for nothing that the Merchant Alliance has put a bounty on Shepiro¡¯s head. They know he¡¯s a problem. Damn it, we used to have good rtionships with all the merchants.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a lost cause. Worse than third-rate.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a fucking piece of shit.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s ¡®dog,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®dog,¡¯ and if it¡¯s ¡®shit,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®shit.¡¯ Whybine the two?¡± ¡°It has a nice ring to it.¡± ¡°Just tone it down a bit.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother Bulrai.¡± I was already aware of the tyranny of Dark Soul. Their notoriety in Leon and the bounty on Shepiro¡¯s head were well-known. It seemed the internal situation was a bit moreplicated. There appeared to be factions within Dark Soul, and quite a few opposed Shepiro¡¯s actions. Kant¡¯s information hadn¡¯t included these details. Perhaps Dark Soul wasn¡¯t considered a significant enough organization to warrant attention, or maybe Daisy hadn¡¯t revealed that much about them. We had walked about halfway through the forest path when a lynx suddenly darted out from the side, rustling the leaves. ¡°Oh my, that startled me.¡± Daisy instinctively grabbed my shoulder tightly and stared at the lynx for a long moment before sheepishly releasing her grip. I looked at Daisy and asked, ¡°By the way, who taught you about Mana Cores?¡± Daisy hesitated slightly before answering. ¡°I learned it on my own. I bought a basic Mana Breathing Technique manual with the money I had saved up. It was damn expensive. Anyway, I learned it from that.¡± ¡°¡­You learned it on your own? How long ago was that?¡± ¡°Not too long ago. About two years, I think. In this line of work, you never know when you might die, so I needed to get stronger.¡± Honestly, I was surprised. It was unexpected that she had self-taught herself Mana Cores without any foundation. But applying it to actualbat through self-study was a whole different story. It was difficult to achieve even after years without consistent training under the guidance of an instructor. Yet, she had managed to utilize it in realbat to this extent without any help. It meant she possessed an innate talent for fighting. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill Shepiro? With your current skills, you could have easily done it.¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± Daisy shook her head. ¡°Honestly, at first nce, he doesn¡¯t seem like much. But there¡¯s something unpredictable about him. Once, a renowned bounty hunter tried to assassinate Shepiro but failed. When we went to investigate themotion, we found him dead with his throat slit open in a single blow.¡± ¡°You mean he was killed instantly?¡± ¡°Yes, instantly.¡± We walked in silence for a while, and just as the forest path was nearing its end, Daisy spoke cautiously. ¡°Brother Bulrai, could you perhaps reveal your true identity? I¡¯m fine for now, but I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll react when you¡¯re not around. I get nervous, anxious, and can¡¯t function.¡± I was startled and looked at Daisy. ¡®Ah, I almost misunderstood.¡¯ Seeing the look in Daisy¡¯s eyes, I realized the misunderstanding could deepen, so I revealed my identity right away. ¡°I am Ruin Samael.¡± Upon hearing my true identity, Daisy eximed with a relieved expression. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Samael. So, has the Dark Soul branch be Samael now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr but slightly different. Samael doesn¡¯t directly manage it. I hired the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Group to manage it. The subordinates you saw earlier were all Dark Sojungi mercenaries.¡± ¡°Mercenaries?¡± I nodded and replied. ¡°Yes, mercenaries. It¡¯s better to be a mercenary than a third-rate thug. Besides, they won¡¯t be collecting tributes, so calling them mercenaries is urate.¡± Daisy muttered as if she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Ah,e to think of it, you did tell the stew shop owner not to pay tributes anymore.¡± ¡°Not anymore. What tributes are those third-rate bastards collecting when they¡¯re not even protecting anything?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Daisy fell silent again, and as we walked, the forest path ended, revealing the cityscape of Leon before us. ¡°Wow, it¡¯spletely different from Khaoto.¡± Well-organized streets. People wearing various clothes from different cities were walking around. The closely built buildings had neat exteriors, and asionally, carriages could be seen on the main streets. ¡°This way.¡± In Leon, Daisy took the lead. We walked for a long time, passing the grand main street bathed in the red glow of the sunset, until we reached a point where the crowds thinned, and Daisy finally stopped. ¡°¡­Brother Ruin, do you really intend to confront Shepiro?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Daisy hesitated for a moment before pointing to a small inn. ¡°Then wait there.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know your exact strength, Brother. But even for you, it¡¯s dangerous to go now. Let¡¯s wait until nightfall and assassinate him then.¡± As I stared at Daisy intently, she continued. ¡°There¡¯s a back entrance. I¡¯ll go in first, assess Shepiro¡¯s movements, and slip out at night. Then we¡¯ll go together and kill him.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s pointless. I¡¯m going now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Lead the way. If I¡¯m Bulrai, it¡¯s a head-on confrontation.¡± I took out Tae-do, which was slung over my shoulder, and spun it around. Daisy sighed and started walking again. At some point, the flow of people stopped, and after walking for about an hour more, a massive ck wall appeared. Inside, several buildings stood tall. Once we arrived at the Dark Soul headquarters, it didn¡¯t feel like we were in Leon at all. The surroundings were deste, with nothing around. I stopped Daisy. ¡°You wait here for now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If we go in together, that coward might get suspicious. I¡¯ll go in first, so wait ande in after I¡¯ve taken care of things.¡± Without hesitation, I walked towards therge iron gate in front of us. * * * Knock, knock¡ª ¡°Anyone there?¡± A polite greeting. There was no answer, so I knocked on the iron gate again, louder this time. From inside, a gruff voice responded abruptly, using informalnguage. ¡°Who is it?¡± I answered politely once more. ¡°I have an appointment with Shepiro.¡± The iron gate opened slightly, and a fierce-looking face appeared through the gap in the chains. ¡°You have an appointment with the boss? Who are you?¡± ¡°Take a good look at my face.¡± The man scanned me up and down, his expression gradually contorting into a scowl. He didn¡¯t recognize me even though I had Bulrai¡¯s face. It seemed those third-rate thugs hadn¡¯t even trained their gatekeepers properly. The faces of Garlic and Greed shed through my mind, and then the gatekeeper spoke to me. ¡°I asked who you are, you bastard.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll remember something if you look at my hand.¡± I showed my left hand to the man. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize it?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, you crazy bastard?¡± When the man didn¡¯t react, I reluctantly manifested a fireball. The mes from my left hand struck the man¡¯s face directly, sending him flying backward. At that moment, I enveloped my fist in a Wind Barrier and punched the center of the thick iron gate. Creak¡ª The center of the iron gate caved in and bent, and I fired another spell at the same spot. ¡°Fire Sphere.¡± Boom! With a thunderous roar, the entire iron gate was ripped inward. Daisy, who had been watching from behind, had a strange glint of excitement in her eyes and muttered, ¡°You guys are about to get a taste of a real madman¡­¡± As we entered, the gatekeeper was lying under the fallen gate, screaming in pain, and thugs were pouring out from all directions. I swung Tae-do around as I walked, taking a moment to appreciate the headquarters¡¯ courtyard. ¡°Wow.¡± They lived off extorting merchants, yet they had decorated the cevishly, rivaling any noble family¡¯s estate. There was a neat garden with high-quality stone paving and even a small pond on one side. Even as I leisurely admired the courtyard, no one dared to attack me. Thebination of my power, demonstrated by shattering the iron gate with a single blow, and the rxed atmosphere I exuded as I strolled through the courtyard created an eerie sense of intimidation. The thugs surrounded me from a distance, not daring to approach any closer. It was typical behavior of third-rate gangsters. I sat down on a sculpture in the center of the courtyard. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ In front of me, I could see the main hall of a building with a white marble floor. Finally, the executives were starting to appear one by one on the tform. ¡°Which madman is causing such a ruckus¡­ Branch Manager Bulrai?¡± I looked around at the executives and said, ¡°I sent a messenger, didn¡¯t I? I said I¡¯de to take Shepiro¡¯s head.¡± ¡°What?¡± I spotted a familiar face among the executives, pointed at him, and said, ¡°What happened, Jackson? Did you deliver the message correctly? I said I wasing to take his head. You bastard, you didn¡¯t intercept the message, did you?¡± Jackson clutched his face and replied, ¡°I conveyed it exactly as you said, without missing a single word.¡± ¡°Then why is this happening? You should have informed the underlings. Don¡¯t tell me Shepiro, that coward, is hiding in fear?¡± While the executives hurled insults at me, only the two who seemed to be vice-captains tilted their heads in confusion. At that moment, the executives parted to the left and right, and a man walked out from behind them. Ordinary looks, ordinary physique. He was too ordinary to be the boss of these thugs. He was the typical kind of guy you¡¯d see once or twice a day walking down the street. ¡°Bulrai.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. You¡¯re Shepiro?¡± Shepiro replied without any change in expression. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I didn¡¯t expect to see you alive.¡± ¡°I feel like I saw you just yesterday. Why do you look so ordinary? But don¡¯t worry, one of us will die today.¡± Shepiro suddenly tilted his head and asked, ¡°What happened to Daisy?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve. Are you talking about the woman you tried to vite? I heard her story and was so heartbroken that I shed tears with her.¡± I clutched my chest and shouted at the underlings. ¡°Listen carefully, everyone! This rotten bastard not only coveted his subordinate but also tried to take advantage of her. He¡¯s not even a man! Daisy denounced him in front of me and, unable to bear the shame, took her own life.¡± ¡°Shut up! You killed Daisy and now you¡¯re trying to frame the boss!¡± The two vice-captains next to Shepiro red up and interrupted me. Surprisingly, however, I could sense that many of the underlings were swayed by my nonsense. Shepiro picked up arge spear from behind him, slowly descended the stairs, and spoke. ¡°Bulrai, it¡¯s been too long. I should have educated you from time to time. I guess I neglected you too much, thinking you were a discard.¡± Shepiro stepped into the courtyard and said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that Daisy is dead. You¡¯re not skilled enough to do that. But anyway, I didn¡¯t expect you to actuallye here alive.¡± ¡°I sent a messenger, saying I¡¯de to take your head. Looking at you now, it seems you¡¯re not fit to lead. No wonder. If you received bribes from Bayern, you should have shared some with your subordinates. Look at their clothes. They¡¯re all in rags.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And you¡¯re a coward who only knows how to hide.¡± Shepiro¡¯s expression remained nk, but a smirk curled his lips. ¡°A coward?¡± ¡°Yes. If you weren¡¯t a coward, you¡¯d face me in a duel.¡± Even as I spouted nonsense, I carefully observed Shepiro¡¯s Aura. Even his Aura was utterly ordinary. He wasn¡¯t someone Daisy couldn¡¯t have killed in a surprise attack. However¡­ ¡®This is strange.¡¯ There was one thing that felt off. ¡°Let¡¯s have a duel. Even if you¡¯re terrible at managing your subordinates, you wouldn¡¯t go this far in this situation, would you? You saw me smash the iron gate, so you must have some sense. Don¡¯t kill your innocent subordinates,e at me alone.¡± ¡°You want a one-on-one duel?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Attack!¡± The hesitant subordinates rushed towards me all at once. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 57 Chapter 57: The Art of Provocation As the thugs swarmed from all sides, I calmly opened my Mana Circle. Since they were reluctantly following orders, their charge was slow, giving me ample time to cast my spell. ¡°¡­Expanding wind, Wind Expansion.¡± 4th Circle, Wind Expansion. A st of wind pressure erupted, sending the charging thugs flying in all directions. They tumbled and crashed to the ground, entangled with each other. Boom¡ª Thankfully, no one was killed. I had deliberately chosen a wide-area intimidation spell instead of a lethal offensive magic. Standing amidst the aftermath of the whirlwind, I looked at Shepiro. ¡°See that? It¡¯s not a bluff. I¡¯m not the Bulrai you knew, you coward. Now, let¡¯s have a proper duel, man to man.¡± I kept my eyes fixed on Shepiro as I spoke, but his expression remained unchanged. ¡°Attack again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tear apart anyone who disobeys. Attack him, all of you.¡± This time, even the executives descended from the tform. Just as the subordinates, who knew their boss¡¯s temper all too well, reluctantly got up and surrounded me¡­ ¡°Everyone, stop!¡± Everyone turned their heads to look at the wall above the iron gate. There, a long-haired warrior woman stood, overlooking the courtyard, as if she hade to end this conflict. She gracefully jumped down from the wall and slowly walked towards the center of the courtyard. ¡°Vice-Commander Daisy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± Some of the thugs looked at Daisy with tears in their eyes¡­ I, too, feigned disbelief, my eyes widening. ¡°¡­This can¡¯t be. You¡¯re not dead?¡± The warrior woman approached me and whispered, ¡°Brother, saying Imitted suicide was a bit much.¡± I replied in a low voice, ¡°I told you to wait. Why did youe here?¡± ¡°Shh, I can¡¯t let them all die. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Daisy clenched her fists and roared, looking around. ¡°Everyone! Brother Bulrai¡¯s words are all true. Step back!¡± More than half of the subordinates stopped in their tracks. ¡°That treacherous Boss Shepiro really did try to take advantage of me. Not only that, he sent me on a suicide mission. Where in the world is there a leader who sends their subordinates to their deaths? What did I always call those kinds of people?¡± Suddenly, shouts mixed with screams erupted from here and there. ¡°A eunuch?¡± ¡°Boss Shepiro really acted like a eunuch?¡± The warrior woman clenched her fist and raised it high in the air. ¡°Yes! If Brother Bulrai hadn¡¯t shown mercy, I would already be in the afterlife. Listen carefully, everyone! I¡¯m putting my life on the line now, so the choice is yours. Those with any sense know how the boss usually behaves. Will you bark like dogs under the boss and die, or will you trust me and step back?¡± Wow. It turned out Daisy was quite the eloquent speaker. In the midst of the ensuing silence, the two dumbfounded vicemanders suddenly shouted. ¡°Has the First Vice-Commander lost her mind!¡± Without thinking, I raised my hand and shouted, ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s lost his mind!¡± At that moment, one of the executives standing in the corner dashed down from the tform and stood close behind Daisy. It was Jackson. ¡°I can¡¯t live like this anymore.¡± That was the signal. More than half of the thugs instantly switched sides, and now we had the numerical advantage. For the first time, Shepiro looked surprised and nced at Daisy. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Vice-Commander Daisy?¡± ¡°Cut the ¡®Vice-Commander¡¯ crap, you bastard.¡± ¡°If I¡¯ve wronged you in any way, you should have spoken up. Why would you¡­¡± Seeing me charge at him mid-sentence, Shepiro immediately raised his spear. ng¡ª Sparks flew as our des shed, and I used the recoil to leap high into the air, shouting, ¡°No need for words. It¡¯s one-on-one. If anyone interferes, I¡¯ll burn them to death.¡± This is why numbers matter. With more people on our side, my words carried weight. I adjusted my posture in mid-air and lunged at Shepiro again. ng¡ª Sparks flew once more as our weapons met, and I immediately retreated, ring at Shepiro. Strike and retreat. Strike and retreat again. I repeatedly charged at Shepiro and then backed away, while he remained stationary, focusing solely on defense with his spear. He never initiated an attack. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± What I was trying to do was simple. It was called the Art of Provocation. But not everyone noticed my tactic. One of the vicemanders, who had been watching the fight, seemed to think he had discovered my weakness. As I retreated, he swiftly threw a hatchet from his belt. With a simple nod, I dodged the flying hatchet and immediately pointed at him with my free hand. ¡®Fire Sphere.¡¯ A spear of mes struck the hatchet-thrower¡¯s face, and he was sted backward as the mes exploded. ¡°I said no interfering.¡± Even though his entire body was aze, the fire didn¡¯t spread to the tform. The executives were startled and backed away, but Shepiro¡¯s expression remained unchanged. * * * I continued to use the Art of Provocation, and Shepiro continued to defend. In a way, you could say Shepiro was also using the Art of Provocation. But his reason for doing so was different from mine. He knew he couldn¡¯t defeat me with his own skills. He couldn¡¯t keep up with my movements, so he remained rooted in ce, focusing on defense. Of course, he also had a Mana Core. But that was all. In every aspect, he was far inferior to Daisy. In short, he was nothing special. Yet, the reason I continued to provoke him was¡­ ¡®Because he¡¯s ordinary.¡¯ He was utterly ordinary. He had an ordinary face, ordinary aura, and even fought in an ordinary way. That¡¯s why it didn¡¯t make sense. An ordinary person couldn¡¯t remain ordinary even when their life was on the line. Even when I used magic. Even when he realized I wasn¡¯t Bulrai. He didn¡¯t even ask a single question. Look at those eyes. Utterly expressionless. Not just expressionless, but eyes devoid of any emotion, perhaps from having killed too many. Do you know who the second most dangerous person in the world is? It¡¯s those who hide a dagger behind an ordinary face. ng¡ª Once again, our des shed. Suddenly, Shepiro turned and started to run. He swiftly crossed the tform and dashed towards the opposite door. ¡°Coward!¡± I was reminded of a gang leader from my younger days, notorious for his cowardice. I knew Shepiro wasn¡¯t truly running away. The fruits of my Art of Provocation were slowly ripening. * * * Shepiro quickly crossed the tform and headed for the backyard. He moved remarkably fast, as if he had practiced running away his whole life. Even when I reached the backyard, his subordinates were still struggling to catch up. Shepiro jumped over the backyard wall and continued running for a while before stopping in a secluded open space and turning around. ¡°Let¡¯s settle this here.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Come at me.¡± Shepiro beckoned me with a flick of his hand. But as nned, I simply chanted from a distance. ¡®Fireball.¡¯ Boom¡ª As he was pushed back, he said to me with an expressionless face, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª I didn¡¯t answer and continued to shoot fireballs from afar. ¡°Come at me like you did before.¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡°I said,e at me like you did before.¡± ¡°Oh, why would I?¡± It was time for the true value of the Art of Provocation to shine. Shepiro was waiting for the moment I charged at him to unleash his secret move, but I had no intention of getting close. Ranged attacks were the best strategy against someone standing still. Shepiro kept ncing behind me, his expression growing increasingly urgent. ¡°You look like you need to poop. Want me toe at you like before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No. If you thought I¡¯d only use the Art of Provocation, you¡¯re mistaken. Why are you so impatient? Is there something your subordinates shouldn¡¯t see?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Shepiro¡¯s face, which had been expressionless until now, finally contorted. He kicked off the ground and charged at me. I quickly retreated, opening all four of my circles and casting ¡®Fire Sphere.¡¯ It was the same spell, but with vastly different firepower. As I guided the massive spear of mes towards Shepiro¡­ His chest shed open, and something shot out with lightning speed, piercing through the Fire Sphere. Crack¡ª Then, a sharp pain near my throat. The tip of a ck dagger, the size of my index finger, protruded through mypressed Air Shield. Shepiro muttered in surprise, ¡°¡­You blocked it?¡± ¡°I knew you had something up your sleeve.¡± As I looked down at the dagger, I heard the sound of footsteps. I looked up to see Shepiro, who had quickly assessed the situation, running away frantically. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I extended my right index finger and aimed it at Shepiro¡¯s fleeing back. Four circles spun, burning brightly. ¡°Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Air.¡± Whoosh¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± Almost simultaneously with the st of air from my fingertip, a hole appeared in Shepiro¡¯s back, and he copsed. I approached him and found him dead. I opened his chest and found a small, cube-shaped box inside. One side was empty, which is where the dagger must have beenunched from. I could sense traces of mana on it. It seemed to be a type of magical weapon that imbued mana into the projectile upon firing. ¡°Brother!¡± Daisy, who had caught up at some point, looked down at Shepiro and sighed. ¡°¡­That bastard is dead.¡± ¡°He was nothing special.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± I nodded and briefly examined the ck dagger. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary dagger if it could pierce through my 3rd Circle Air Shield. ¡°This is a dangerous toy.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what that bastard used. The bounty hunters were probably taken down by this too. It would be hard for most people to block.¡± I had prepared for a hidden move by casting Air Shield beforehand, but this was slightly unexpected. Most people would have died even if they had anticipated it. It was definitely a dangerous weapon if it could pierce through my Air Shield even after Ipressed it to the front. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I put the dagger in my pocket and returned to the headquarters with Daisy. * * * Daisy quickly took control of the situation. One of Shepiro¡¯s vicemanders had burned to death, and the other¡¯s head was swiftly severed by Daisy when he tried to incite the subordinates. After that, everything went smoothly. In the first ce, very few of the subordinates were truly loyal to Boss Shepiro. Moreover, the situation was resolved smoothly partly because Daisy had the trust of the subordinates. Daisy gathered the subordinates, ryed the events in Khaoto and my identity with some exaggeration, and then quickly took control of the situation by giving them various tasks. She was a capable woman. All I did was stand on the tform after everything was under control and shout, ¡°From now on, this ce is the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Group.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± That was it. It was a bit unpleasant to hear the mercenaries shouting ¡°Yes, sir!¡± like crazy, but I didn¡¯t bother correcting them. After all, if it bothered me, it was my problem, not theirs. Once things settled down, I gathered the executives, just like I did in Khaoto, and started a meeting. I informed them about the mercenary group¡¯s purpose and the n regarding Bayern. I left matters like tributes and other issues to Daisy. She knew the ins and outs of Leon better than I did, so I figured it was the best course of action. I¡¯m a man who trusts his subordinates. There were no major issues during the meeting, but towards the end, Daisy made a suggestion. ¡°Brother Ruin, would it be possible to change the name of the mercenary group?¡± I was momentarily taken aback but managed to maintain myposure and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Dark Sojungi strange?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ the sound of it is a bit¡­ And it doesn¡¯t seem that different from Dark Soul.¡± ¡°¡­Anyone else have anything to say?¡± ¡°No, but why do you keepughing?¡± I suddenly burst intoughter again, covering my mouth with my hand, and then, unable to hold it in any longer, I chuckled andughed. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The other executives, who had heard about my personality from Daisy, also startedughing uncontrobly. ¡°You guys find it funny too, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ehahahaha! Yes, it¡¯s funny!¡± I nodded whileughing. I couldn¡¯t help butugh. It was time to see the money that bastard Shepiro had umted. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 58 Chapter 58: On Par with the Entire Merchant Alliance Every time I spoke, the main hall filled with cheerfulughter. I looked around at the executives with a pleased expression for a while, then said with a broad smile, ¡°Who¡¯s in charge of finances?¡± ¡°In charge of finances, ahahaha!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go smell some money.¡± ¡°Smell money, ahahahaha!¡± ¡°Are you parrots?¡± ¡°Parrots, ahahaha, my sides¡­¡± When I made eye contact with each of the executives, they finally stoppedughing andposed themselves. ¡°I asked who manages the money.¡± As the executives nervously exchanged nces, I raised my right hand, engulfing it in mes. ¡°These guys are really¡­ pushing my buttons.¡± Suddenly, Daisy smacked the back of the head of a frail-looking executive, and he reflexively blurted out, ¡°Ack, I¡¯m the treasurer, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± The treasurer replied with a bitter expression. ¡°The thing is¡­ the money I manage isn¡¯t much. The boss, no, Shepiro, personally handled the actual tribute collection. I just received the money Shepiro gave me each month and managed the underlings.¡± As he spoke, the treasurer¡¯s face flushed red, as if overwhelmed by a sense of injustice. ¡°I didn¡¯t even receive much. I couldn¡¯t say anything, and I was always getting yelled at from both sides¡­ Sob.¡± Daisy interjected, confirming the treasurer¡¯s words. ¡°The treasurer is right. The executives were fine because they collected money separately, but the situation for the lower ranks hasn¡¯t improved. You¡¯ll see when we go to the treasury. There¡¯s barely anything there.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± We followed the treasurer to the treasury. Inside, piles of tattered uniforms were stacked high, and a small pouch of gold coinsy to one side. I pointed at the uniforms and the pouch alternately and asked, ¡°Everything¡¯s in tatters. Is that for a week?¡± The treasurer replied with a sullen face, ¡°That¡¯s for a month. As you can see, it¡¯s barely enough to feed everyone.¡± ¡°The more I learn, the more despicable he seems.¡± He had been collecting so much in tributes but paying his men meager wages. ¡°Embezzlement is a serious crime. Where would this despicable man hide the money?¡± As I muttered to myself, the executives responded, feeling like they were on a treasure hunt. ¡°Maybe he hid it in the backyard.¡± ¡°It could be outside the estate.¡± ¡°Perhaps he secretly entrusted it to an inn or merchant in Leon.¡± I shook my head and said, ¡°You don¡¯t understand the nature of a despicable person at all.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Despicable people are inherently paranoid. They can¡¯t sleep at night unless they check on their possessions with their own eyes every day. Where does Shepiro spend most of his time?¡± ¡°In his office.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± * * * We opened the door to the boss¡¯s office and entered. It was a fairly spacious room with a raised tform at the front and several chairs on either side. The center was just an empty wooden floor, a simpleyout. ¡°Check the walls. And the floor too.¡± The executives searched the walls and floor in groups, but they couldn¡¯t find anything unusual. Daisy shook her head and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be here, Brother. I¡¯ve been in the boss¡¯s office many times, and I¡¯ve never noticed anything strange.¡± I also scanned the walls and floor but couldn¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary. ¡°Where¡¯s the bedroom?¡± ¡°Right in front.¡± I immediately left the office and entered the front room. It was a simple room with only bedding. ¡°That coward slept here?¡± I stared at the spotless bedroom for a while, then went back to the office, out into the hallway, and back and forth,paring the two rooms. The office wall and the bedroom wall were connected. ¡°This is strange.¡± The area of each room was smaller than it appeared from the hallway. Which meant¡­ There was a gap between the walls. ¡°Gather around.¡± At mymand, the executives once again tapped and pushed on the walls, but they still couldn¡¯t find anything unusual. One of the executives cautiously said, ¡°¡­Could you be mistaken?¡± ¡°That¡¯s third-rate thinking.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything here.¡± ¡°Third-rate people make mistakes, first-rate people have conviction. Step aside.¡± I enveloped my entire body in a Wind Barrier and mmed my body into the wall. Boom¡ª The wall caved in, and the entire office shook. I mmed into it again, and with a cracking sound, debris started falling from the ceiling. But the wall still held its shape. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s sturdy.¡± As I stepped back and prepared to charge again, the executives eximed in rm, ¡°Are you going to ram it again?¡± ¡°You guys should help too. Your boss is working hard here, and you¡¯re just watching.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Useless bunch.¡± Meanwhile, Daisy suddenly took out a piece of paper from her pocket and scribbled something on it, saying, ¡°The conviction that one can lose their mind at any moment. Note to self.¡± I didn¡¯t understand what she meant, but her conviction wasmendable. I red at the wall in front of me, fueling my hostility. The moment I imagined it mocking me, I charged at full speed and mmed into it. With a sound like an iron gate bursting open, the entire wall crumbled. Crash¡ª The whole room shook violently from the impact. Debris from the ceiling rained down like a shower. ¡°It¡¯s copsing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic, you idiot. It won¡¯t copse.¡± Daisy smacked the backs of the executives¡¯ heads to calm them down. Amidst the chaos, I remained speechless. The sight before me left me speechless. The executives, sensing something unusual, also approached one by one and stopped on either side of me¡­ ¡°Wow¡­ Oh my¡­ Really¡­ Wow¡­¡± We stood there in silence for a moment, admiring the shimmering waves of gold. Countless gold bars filled the room. In the midst of the silence¡­ ¡°Sob.¡± The third-rate treasurer suddenly ran forward, grabbed a gold bar, and started wailing. Daisy quietly approached and patted the treasurer¡¯s back. * * * I woke up from a nap and went out to the main hall. The new recruits were still in the midst of their training. I went into the tea room, grabbed a piece of dried meat, and then went back out to the main hall, chewing on it while overlooking the courtyard. ¡°Third-rate! Escape! Third-rate! Escape!¡± I squatted down and observed for a while. The guys from the headquarters and the branch weren¡¯t much different. Except for a few executives, they were all the same. In fact,paring the mid-level executives, there wasn¡¯t anyone who could even match Carrot. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that surprising. Third-rate was still third-rate. Daisy alone could handle all the executives, so it made sense why the branch members were afraid of the headquarters. The difference in skill only mattered when it surpassed the third-rate level. So how does one surpass the third-rate level? It actually starts with one¡¯s mindset. Mindsetes before skill. You need to ovee the mindset of giving up when things get tough or annoying. And whates next? ¡®Ah, I forgot.¡¯ I tried to continue my stream of consciousness on the theory of third-rate, but I failed. I was just trying to kill time with random thoughts, but the boredom persisted. ¡®When will they be back?¡¯ I had instructed the treasurer to organize Shepiro¡¯s secret stash. But I had been waiting for a long time, and there was still no sign of them. I wasn¡¯t the type to nag my subordinates, so I hesitated to check on them. ¡®¡­Should I go one more time?¡¯ To be honest, I had already gone there about five times to ask when they would be finished. While I was contemting whether to go again, I suddenly thought of something to alleviate my boredom. I immediately crossed the main hall and headed to the maintenance room in the backyard. I turned on the light in the dark, empty room, and a sharp de gleamed in the corner. The ck dagger. The de was only as long as my index finger, and the handle was so small that I could barely grip it with my thumb and index finger curled like pincers. Its overall shape was that of a dagger, but it was so small that it was more like a hidden weapon. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I picked up the cube-shaped device with my left hand and inserted the dagger into it. With a click, the dagger was sucked into the cube as if it were being absorbed. ¡®Ice Thorns.¡¯ With ice shards swirling in my right hand, I chanted the Wind Barrier spell. The Wind Barrier that enveloped my entire body graduallypressed, and severalyers ovepped on the ice shards in my right hand. I had concentrated the shield¡¯s defensive power solely on my right hand. I held the cube close to my right hand and gently pressed the small protruding part on the back with my other hand. At that moment¡­ Thepressed Wind Barrier shattered, causing the back door to shudder violently. The resulting st of wind pressure shattered the window into pieces. Not only did itpletely tear through the Wind Barrier, but it also pierced the ice shards in my hand, creating cracks. I could feel the dagger¡¯s aura at the tip of my palm. ¡°Wow.¡± It pierced through even though I had fullypressed the Wind Barrier. I was surprised when I blocked it from a distance, But its power was several times stronger when activated up close. It wasparable to the sword aura of knights who had just reached 4 stars. Rather than the firing power being strong, it was the dagger¡¯s unique aura that was exceptional. ¡°This isn¡¯t something a third-rate thug should be carrying.¡± It was definitely not an easily obtainable item. Especially assassination weapons like this were rarely traded through normalmerce or auctions. Even with a lot of money, it wasn¡¯t something you could just buy if you wanted to. I spent some time examining and studying the dagger. * * * Another day passed. I stretched and went out to the courtyard. Training was already in full swing from early morning. I watched Daisy scolding the mercenaries, took a walk along the wall, and then wandered around like a lost puppy. Thinking I had waited long enough, I went back up to the tform. Just then, the third-rate treasurer, looking haggard, appeared in the distance, stumbling towards me. With a weing heart, I grabbed both of his gaunt hands and shook them. ¡°Wee!¡± The third-rate treasurer pped like a scarecrow, so I quickly let go of his hands and said, ¡°Did you figure everything out?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve grasped it all.¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± Suddenly, the third-rate treasurer pulled out a booklet from his pocket, straightened his posture, and began speaking. ¡°Besides the gold bars, there were other assets inside, so it took a while to assess. The amount was several times more than I expected. First, let¡¯s talk about the gold bars. Each gold bar is equivalent to five pouches of high-grade gold coins. Considering the amount of gold in one pouch of high-grade gold coins¡­¡± ¡°Stop. My head hurts.¡± I waved my hand and shook my head. Having been cooped up in Khaoto, I couldn¡¯t grasp the scale even when I heard the numbers. ¡°Exin it simply. Is it a lot or a little? Is it enough to acquire a decent merchant group?¡± Suddenly, the third-rate treasurer grinned and gestured with his hand. It was quite an arrogant attitude, but his eyes were so confident that I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Leon may be small, but it¡¯s amercial city. There are many merchant groupsing and going. However, most of them are not really merchant groups but just a few merchants acting together. You can create a merchant group with just three merchants, so it¡¯s natural. They just call themselves merchant groups in name only.¡± It was the treasurer¡¯s time to shine. ¡°In Leon, there are only three ces that can truly be called merchant groups ¨C the ones leading the Merchant Alliance. You asked if it¡¯s enough to acquire a decent merchant group, right?¡± ¡°I understand. The treasurer is quite the storyteller.¡± ¡°No.¡± As the executives gathered around us¡­ The treasurer savored the moment and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s on par with the entire Leon Merchant Alliance.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 59 Chapter 59: Bounty Hunter Daisy muttered in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s an exaggeration.¡± The chief officer smiled understandingly. ¡°Haha, I knew you wouldn¡¯t believe it. Even I didn¡¯t expect it to be this much.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind, Chief? Even if it¡¯s true, it¡¯s as much as the entire Merchant Association.¡± ¡°The Leon Merchant Association as a whole doesn¡¯t possess an unimaginable amount of money. There¡¯s a limit to the cash they have on hand. This amount is definitely not something to be underestimatedpared to their wealth.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I observed the expressions of the executives for a moment, gauging the situation. Their reactions made it clear that the amount was substantial, and the executives had no idea Shepiro had been stashing away this much. However, from my perspective, it wasn¡¯t particrly surprising. Collecting tolls is inherently profitable. If he had been extorting money from all the merchants passing through the city and keeping it all for himself, it¡¯s no wonder the money piled up so quickly. ¡°Well done.¡± p p¡ª As I abruptly started pping, the executives finally joined in with pleased expressions. The third-rate chief officer, thinking he had finally earned recognition, raised both hands and shouted. ¡°We, we¡¯re rich now!¡± ¡°We?¡± As soon as I questioned him, Daisy swiftly turned her head andnded a quick blow to the back of the chief officer¡¯s head. ¡°Are you crazy? Why are ¡®we¡¯ rich? Isn¡¯t that right, boss?¡± I responded with a serious expression. ¡°Embezzlement is a serious crime. As the employer, I¡¯ll be confiscating all the embezzled funds.¡± While the executives were confused, unable toprehend my response, I looked at the chief officer and asked. ¡°Do you know the Hamad Merchant Group?¡± The chief officer, clutching the back of his head, replied. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°Were they part of the Merchant Association?¡± ¡°No, they weren¡¯t active in Leon. But they were arge merchant group, so I asionally encountered them in Leon. Although they¡¯re no longer around.¡± ¡°Could we acquire Hamad with this money?¡± At that moment, as if an idea had struck him, the chief officer gulped and answered. ¡°¡­If it were the Hamad of the past, maybe not. But the recent Hamad? It would be more than enough.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I briefly surveyed the surroundings and then issued orders to organize the situation. ¡°First, Chief, find a wagon and load the gold bars. Get the most dpidated one you can find. And make sure the gold bars aren¡¯t visible. Don¡¯t load too many, just a reasonable amount.¡± I then looked at the other executives. ¡°Everyone, keep doing your jobs well. And fix that front gate properly. What is that, all tattered? The messenger, make sure the kids keep their mouths shut. Daisy, wait until the chief is done organizing, thene to the Merchant Association with the wagon. I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± ¡°The Merchant Association?¡± I lifted a small pouch lying to the side and said. ¡°I have to go collect the bounty.¡± I walked through the manor and turned back at the front gate. The mercenaries were greeting me with bright faces. ¡°Farewell!¡± As soon as I crossed the front gate and took a few steps, I heard Daisy shouting from behind. ¡°These idiots are grinning like fools. Have you ever heard of a crazy bastard? The boss is a master of disguise. You never know when the guy next to you might turn into the boss. Don¡¯t let your guard down, not even when you¡¯re peeing or sleeping. Got it?¡± The mercenaries shuddered at Daisy¡¯s words. * * * The Merchant Association was located at the edge of the southern Leon district. In terms of location, it was the furthest away from the Dark Soul headquarters. They upied an entire towering building, with men in martial attire guarding the exterior. As I approached, one of the men blocked the entrance and inquired about my business. I held out the bundle and said, ¡°Shepiro¡¯s head.¡± ¡°What?¡± A man who appeared to be the leader hurriedly approached from the side, looking suspiciously back and forth between me and the bundle. ¡°¡­ You say it¡¯s Boss Shepiro¡¯s head? May I confirm?¡± I handed him the bundle without a word. He untied the knot, checked inside the box, and then responded with a surprised expression. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± While the man rushed inside, I struck up a conversation with those standing nearby. ¡°Are you locals?¡± Having seen the severed head inside the box, their attitude towards me had be noticeably more respectful. ¡°No, we¡¯ve been hired for a few months.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It seemed the Merchant Association had paid outside mercenaries for protection. At that moment, the entrance opened, and the man who had gone inside reappeared along with a merchant dressed in fine clothing. ¡°Pleasee inside.¡± The interior was impably clean. The merchant led me to a reception room on the top floor, ordered refreshments from a servant, and then took a seat in the ce of honor. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± As I sat beside him, the merchant scrutinized me and then spoke. ¡°Excuse me, but may I ask your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ruin. Has Shepiro¡¯s head been confirmed?¡± ¡°¡­ Of course. By the way, you look young, but you¡¯re quite impressive. Even renowned hunters failed at this task.¡± ¡°You tter me.¡± The merchant leaned back and let out a sigh. ¡°We¡¯ve been through a lot over the years. Shepiro¡¯s tyranny was so severe that we¡¯ve been deeply troubled until recently. But I never imagined someone would bring Shepiro¡¯s head in this manner.¡± When I didn¡¯t respond, the merchant asked with an awkward expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, how did you kill him?¡± ¡°It was nothing special. Shepiro seemed to have a sudden urge to relieve himself and ran off in a panic, so I simply took care of him from behind.¡± ¡°¡­ Ruin, may I inquire about your family name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Samael.¡± ¡°Samael?¡± The merchant paused, searching his memory, then tilted his head and furrowed his brow slightly. ¡°¡­ Samael, as in the one from Khaoto? ¡­ How¡­¡± I looked directly at the merchant and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point. I believe there was a bounty on Shepiro¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Ah, of course, we¡¯ll give it to you. Please wait a moment. We need the Association Head¡¯s approval for this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Association Head is currently receiving a guest. Please enjoy some refreshments while you wait.¡± The merchant pped his hands, and a servant who had been waiting outside respectfully ced a teacup and some snacks on the table before leaving. I pointed at the merchant¡¯s grinning face and said, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ah, I haven¡¯t introduced myself. I¡¯m the Vice-Head of the Irieu Merchant Group¡­¡± ¡°Move aside.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Get out of there.¡± As I beckoned with my finger, the Vice-Head stood up from the seat of honor with a flustered expression. ¡°Go and call the Association Head or whatever.¡± ¡°I told you he¡¯s receiving a guest. If you wait, he¡¯lle.¡± ¡°I know that¡¯s not true, so go and get him.¡± I sat on the seat of honor and repeated, ¡°I¡¯m being nice, but it seems you guys are trying to y games.¡± As if on cue, the door swung open, and a middle-aged man in extravagant clothes appeared. ¡°I hear there¡¯s someone who brought Shepiro¡¯s head.¡± Following him, a man exuding a fierce aura entered the room. The middle-aged man stared at the seat of honor where I was sitting for a moment, then dismissed the Vice-Head andughed heartily. ¡°I¡¯m Michel Irieu, the head of the Irieu Merchant Group and the Association Head of the Leon Merchant Association. So, our young master here brought Shepiro¡¯s head?¡± Before I could respond, the middle-aged man, who had introduced himself as Michel, looked at the man with the fierce aura. ¡°Haha, it seems things have be a bit awkward, Tuyo. We didn¡¯t anticipate Shepiro¡¯s demise like this. Oh dear. We won¡¯t ask for the deposit back, so please understand. We can¡¯t very well take the head of someone who¡¯s already dead, can we?¡± While the man called Tuyo snorted and red at me, Michelughed again and spoke. ¡°So, what is it that you desire, young Master Ruin Samael?¡± Feeling like I was watching a farce, I replied, ¡°You should give me the bounty.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. Hey, bring it here quickly.¡± Before Michel could finish his sentence, the door opened, and a servant entered carrying a bag of gold coins and a piece of paper. ¡°We¡¯ve put in more than the amount we offered. Here, and this is a certificate proving you killed Shepiro.¡± ¡°A certificate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s something bounty hunters collect like badges. It has a seal on it, so no one will doubt it.¡± As I casually stuffed the certificate into my pocket and rummaged through the bag of gold coins, Michel asked in a nonchnt tone, ¡°Oh, by the way, I¡¯m curious about something. What happened to the headquarters?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°It must be chaotic now that Shepiro is dead.¡± ¡°Not particrly.¡± ¡°¡­ I see. Well then, farewell.¡± Michel exchanged a meaningful nce with the man named Tuyo. From my seat, I warned Michel, ¡°It¡¯s best not to think about touching the headquarters¡¯ money.¡± Instantly, Michel¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, and the man named Tuyo took a step forward. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. Act like a merchant. They¡¯re all under me now. If you have any foolish thoughts, you¡¯ll die. Hey, you there. Wipe that expression off your face before your head gets smashed in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a quick one.¡± At the moment Tuyo took a menacing step forward, drawing his sword, I swung the bag of gold coins and smacked Michel upside the head. ¡°Cough!¡± Gold coins scattered everywhere. I immediately flipped the iron table in front of me with one hand. Tuyo¡¯s sword was blocked by the iron table, producing a sharp metallic ng. I swiftly snatched a ss teacup that had bounced off the table and hurled it at Tuyo¡¯s face. ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ The fire spear Iunched next struck the teacup at high speed. The instantly heated teacup shattered into pieces, showering Tuyo. ¡°AAAAARGH!¡± The red-hot shards of ss embedded themselves in Tuyo¡¯s face, causing burns. ¡°Damn it. These guys are all the same, pissing me off.¡± Having quickly taken control of the situation, I once again grabbed the bag of gold coins and whacked the back of Michel¡¯s head. ¡°Cough.¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± Michel trembled and sat down next to me. ¡°Why do you judge people by their appearance, you idiot? You don¡¯t even know how to read people.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You guys,e and sit down too.¡± I let out a sigh as I looked at the three men gathered respectfully in front of me. I had been momentarily misled because Shepiro had been extorting so much from the merchant groups. It¡¯s not always the good guys who get bullied. It¡¯s simply the weak who get bullied. Among merchants, there are decent ones, but there are also those who, like wolves, try to seize every opportunity for their own gain. These guys were thetter. They had probably been preparing quite thoroughly, and when Shepiro died, they must have seen it as an opportunity. Asking about my family name or using Tuyo to deliberately exude hostility was all a ploy to gauge my level. Suddenly enraged, I smacked the Vice-Head and said, ¡°You idiot. You¡¯re a problem too. I told you I killed Shepiro. So, for fuck¡¯s sake, you should at least be careful, thinking this guy might be stronger than Shepiro. Can¡¯t you read the situation?¡± ¡°¡­ I apologize.¡± ¡°The Merchant Association is acting shamefully. I might just tear this whole ce down.¡± At that moment, the door burst open, and a familiar woman entered. ¡°Boss, I¡¯m here¡­ Huh?¡± Daisy looked around the room, then nced back and forth between me and the merchants with a slightly bewildered expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°¡­ Daisy, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Michel, what happened to your face? Did the boss hit you?¡± As Daisy approached Michel with a concerned look, I said, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, my ass. These guys were trying to steal our slush fund. That guy over there even pulled a knife on me.¡± ¡°Gasp. Really?¡± Daisy suddenly transformed into a warrior, drawing a dagger from her waist and plunging it into Tuyo¡¯s thigh. ¡°Uggghhh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound. A man should take responsibility when he draws his sword.¡± Daisy swiftly pulled the knife from Tuyo¡¯s thigh, then held the blood-soaked de to Michel¡¯s neck. ¡°Should I kill Michel too, then?¡± ¡°P-Please spare me.¡± I shook my head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary. After all, Shepiro brought this upon himself to some extent. But make sure you manage them well so they don¡¯t try anything foolish again.¡± Having witnessed the knife shing before his eyes, Michel wet his pants and repeatedly bowed his head. I spoke to Daisy, ¡°By the way, how did you get in here? The mercenaries were blocking the entrance.¡± ¡°I said I was from the Dark Soul Mercenary Group, and they stepped aside.¡± I had a hunch about what might have happened and nodded with a wry smile. ¡°Let¡¯s take care of things here first.¡± The servants came in and cleaned up the room, and while I was taking a short break, anothermotion arose outside. ¡®Is it another one of my subordinates?¡¯ Once again, the door flew open, and a woman dressed as a merchant rushed in. ¡°Association Head, there¡¯s someone who wishes to see you. The matter seems urgent, so I couldn¡¯t inform you beforehand¡­¡± At the same time, a man with an anxious expression rushed in from behind, causing Daisy to shudder. It was the man we had encountered on the forest path. ¡°A-Association Head, I apologize for this sudden intrusion.¡± Michel managed his expression and replied, ¡°¡­ What brings you here? Do you have business with the Merchant Association?¡± The man shook his head and spoke urgently, ¡°The Association is not the priority. Please inform all the merchant groups in Leon. There should be no merchant groups heading to Khaoto for the time being.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°War has broken out in Khaoto.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 60 Chapter 60: A Crazy Mage? ¡°¡­What do you mean? War?¡± Michel asked in a bewildered tone, and the man continued his exnation urgently. ¡°It¡¯s chaos. A few days ago, there were small skirmishes, and then suddenly men with swords appeared in droves. The streets are in ruins. Our merchant group was almost swept away and killed. We lost all our goods and barely escaped with our lives.¡± I listened quietly to the man¡¯s words, and then, sensing something strange, I asked, ¡°The streets are in ruins?¡± The man replied without taking a breath, ¡°This is not the time for this. We need to inform all of Leon¡¯s merchant groups. It¡¯s urgent. You can verify the truthter.¡± Finally realizing the gravity of the situation, Michel headed out but stopped and looked back. I nodded, and Michel gave orders to the woman and the vice-Commander. ¡°Vice-Commander, gather the allies. Ray, quickly confirm the facts and report back. I will inform the other merchant groups. Servants, prepare for a meeting.¡± As Michel and her subordinates left like an ebbing tide, I organized my thoughts for a moment and then said, ¡°Daisy. You go back to the main base for now.¡± Daisy pouted and replied, ¡°You¡¯re going alone? I want to go with you.¡± ¡°The situation has changed, and we need someone to take care of things. Go back and tell the executives what we just heard. Keep the slush fund in a safe ce. It¡¯s unlikely those guys would have any ill intentions, but you never know. Always be prepared for the unexpected.¡± I nudged the man who had fainted with a bruised thigh and said, ¡°Take this guy with you when you go. Come to think of it, we still don¡¯t know who he is. When he wakes up, ask him what he does. If he¡¯s nothing special, take him in as a low-ranking member. We need to recruit talent at times like this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As I stepped outside, as expected, the mercenaries guarding the entrance were all sprawled out on either side. ¡°¡­You said they stepped aside?¡± Daisy walked towards the wagon and replied, ¡°They did step aside. Look, they¡¯re still aside, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡®Is she out of her mind?¡¯ Seeing Daisy¡¯s confident face as she asked back made me feel like I shouldn¡¯t argue, so I quickly left. ¡°Let¡¯s part ways here. When you¡¯re done, wait for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I parted ways with Daisy and immediately left Leon, entering the forest path. * * * I ran as fast as I could. The man might have exaggerated, but it was clear that the situation was a bit different from what I had expected. ¡®The streets are in ruins?¡¯ That was a strange thing to say. I knew the Bayern guys would be back soon, but I had already informed the mercenaries on how to deal with them. Since Bayern¡¯s goal was to drive the mercenaries out of Khaoto, it wasn¡¯t particrly difficult to deal with. Bravo Khan wasn¡¯t a fool. His personality was far from reckless. In fact, he was a veteran who would carry out my orders more perfectly than anyone else. If there was any sign of an enemy attack, he would have run away without looking back. ¡®Did he lose his mind in the meantime?¡¯ ¡­Could it be dementia? I don¡¯t know. If the mercenaries fought and died valiantly, I won¡¯t let the enemies go unpunished. With each step I took, a fierce gust of wind swept through the forest on both sides. * * * As soon as I arrived in Khaoto, I sensed the changed atmosphere. It was too quiet. ¡®Donkey¡¯s Back Alley,¡¯ which had be a hot spot among the young folks, was devoid of even a single ant. ¡°Nureongi!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Where are you, Nureongi!¡± ¡°Woof!¡± I barked just in case, but there was no response. Usually, when I called like this, Nureongi, the darling of the back alley, would appear, wagging his tail. Even when I approached the restaurant, there was no smell of spicy stew, and the tables and chairs were scattered around haphazardly. Donkey was nowhere to be seen either. The only silver lining was that there were no signs of fighting or resistance. Only the innocent Blue Sea g was fluttering on the outer wall. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I stood still for a while, looking at the restaurant, and then took down the Blue Sea g hanging on the outer wall. I slung the gpole over my shoulder and started walking through the back alley again. As I headed north, the streets continued to be deserted. asionally, when I encountered a local, they would be startled and hide somewhere. After walking for a while, I came across an open space, And then the building that ¡®was¡¯ the headquarters of the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups appeared. ¡°¡­.¡± The main gate and the walls were all broken, and thick smoke was rising from inside. As I entered the courtyard, a few weapons were scattered on the ground, and the rock in the center was split into two pieces. I went back and forth between the ruined building and the courtyard, examining the traces of the fight. After looking around for a while and not finding any bodies, I turned back towards Khaoto. It was only after entering the main street in the west that I started to see signs of the sword fight. There were bloodstains on the street, and the buildings on both sides had marks of being stabbed or gouged by sharp des. The closer I got to the center, the more severe the situation became. In some parts of the street, there were scattered limbs, and many buildings werepletely destroyed, from the roofs to the structures, as if someone had deliberately demolished them. ¡®It really is in ruins.¡¯ In the midst of all this, I thought the man¡¯s description was appropriate. It was exactly in ruins. Suddenly, the wind blew, and something flew and fell at my feet. With the Blue Sea g still slung over my shoulder, I bent down and picked up the piece of cloth. ¡®An eye patch?¡¯ I connected the torn pieces of the yellow cloth, and it was definitely an eye patch. It looked exactly like the one the one-eyed man used. Suddenly, I heard the sound of people. Men with swords were walking around in twos and threes. As I entered the center, the number of men increased. They seemed to think that the situation had been cleared up, as they werepletely ignoring me and demolishing the old buildings along the road. Finally, reaching the center of the central area through the noisy sounds, I encountered a group. ¡®Red Sunset Tavern.¡¯ About ten thugs surrounded the tavern, and a few of them were hanging orangenterns on the outer wall. As I stood there nkly for a moment, one of the thugs sensed something strange and approached me swaggering. ¡°Who are you? I warned you not to wander around.¡± I was still standing nkly when I swung my hand and punched him in the jaw. ¡°Cough!¡± As soon as another thug behind him drew his sword, I swung the Blue Sea g slung over my shoulder like lightning and struck the charging thug¡¯s head. Crack¡ª ¡°Aaaagh!¡± The man¡¯s head shattered, and blood gushed out. At that moment, the tavern door burst open, and a familiar man appeared from inside. ¡°What¡¯s all themotion!¡± I was startled for a moment and quickly swung the Blue Sea g, but unfortunately, it didn¡¯t reach him. As expected of someone with a head so unparalleled that it was difficult to gauge distance. The big head nced at his screaming subordinate, then looked at me and tilted his head. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°I clearly said it. We¡¯ll manage this ce. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± I was in a rather sensitive state, so for the first time in a while, I revealed my true identity. ¡°I am the Crazy Mage.¡± Raven, who suddenly remembered hearing about the Crazy Mage¡¯s status from Brairo, stopped in his tracks and became highly alert. ¡°¡­So there really was someone above you. Are you the Commander of the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Groups?¡± ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°I heard about you from Brairo.¡± ¡°Did I say something like that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What?¡± Feeling something was amiss, I shook my head and said, ¡°Forget it. You know who I am. Then you also know that if you don¡¯t want to die, you need to exin. Tell me. We said we¡¯d manage this side. Where did everyone here go? Where are my subordinates? Don¡¯t tell me they fought bravely and died?¡± As I red, the tavern door opened again, and thugs poured out from inside. There were far more of them than I had seen before. Raven raised one hand, stopping the thugs, and said, ¡°We clearly warned you. Leave Khaoto. You didn¡¯t heed the warning. We even reminded you who¡¯s behind us, and now you¡¯re going to argue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an exnation. Why is this mess happening? Why did you kill the locals? Why are the buildings in this state? Why are the streets in ruins?¡± Raven replied calmly, ¡°That¡¯s only natural. We have to manage this side now, so it¡¯s natural. The entire western part of Khaoto will change, just like the eastern part. Now that we have plenty of money, we should strike while the iron is hot. We¡¯ll get rid of the old buildings and renovate everything. We had to kill those who resisted even after we gave them a chance.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Suddenly, a hollowugh escaped me, and I let out a random chuckle for a moment. What kind of trouble were they causing? These guys werepletely beyond myprehension. Right. The world always has its f*cked up side. How could it always go ording to my expectations? As the thugs surrounded me again, Raven said, ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance now. Think carefully. I don¡¯t really want to see blood.¡± I said to Raven, ¡°I told you that Urgon is behind you guys.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times.¡± ¡°Do you know who¡¯s behind Samael?¡± Suddenly, the thugs giggled, and Raven also let out a chuckle. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking who¡¯s in Samael.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°The Crazy Mage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there are two Crazy Mages?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only Crazy Mage in the world. Are you saying some bastard is impersonating me?¡± Raven frowned and replied, ¡°It seems your mind is a bit messed up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with the big head.¡± At that moment, the tavern door opened once again, and a familiar face appeared. The guy swaggered at the door, looked around, and then his eyes widened when he spotted me. ¡°¡­ Ruin?¡± ¡°There¡¯s another one who knows me.¡± Blok suddenly burst intoughter, as if he had met his match. ¡°Khehehe! Oh, this is interesting. Long time no see, Ruin. You¡¯ve changed a bit, I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. You crazy bastard, why are you standing there like that, waiting to die?¡± Raven looked at me and Blok in confusion. ¡°Blok, do you know the Crazy Mage?¡± ¡°What? Crazy Mage? The front is right, but the back is wrong.¡± Blok jerked his head, and Raven clicked his tongue and replied, ¡°Well, even if Brairo treats him with respect, the way you talk is¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Blok frowned at the disapproving look. ¡®That low-ranking mercenary bastard is doing it again.¡¯ Recently, Raven had been subtly showing signs of disrespecting him. Blok jerked his head¡ª and came down from the tavern. ¡°Now that I see it, Raven, your eyesight is terrible. Just watch quietly. I¡¯ll show you.¡± The moment Blok¡¯s strangeughter erupted again. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ I lunged like lightning, grabbed Blok¡¯s face, and flew straight into the tavern. Crash¡ª ¡°Puheeeaagh!¡± Laughter and screams mingled and stretched out. I mmed Blok¡¯s face onto the tavern floor and pressed the gpole of the Blue Sea g hard against his sr plexus. As the door mmed shut with the sound of wind, I quickly raised both hands and aimed at the entrance. ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ Two fire spears shot from both hands with a slight time difference and hit the door, instantly setting the entrance aze and Blokking it. I looked around, and there were quite a few thugs inside as well. ¡®Were there this many of them originally?¡¯ Putting aside the question for now, I immediately thrust the gpole hard into Blok¡¯s sr plexus. ¡°If youe closer, I¡¯ll kill this bastard.¡± Blok screamed and iled like a shrimp. I grabbed the gpole, sat down on the floor, and flicked his forehead. ¡°I clearly said I¡¯d get revenge.¡± ¡°Kuuugh. You crazy¡­ Cough!¡± I sat down and continued flicking Blok¡¯s forehead. Forget the situation, there¡¯s the target of my revenge right in front of me, how could I hold back? ¡°Cough!¡± Meanwhile, the mes had spread to the first-floor outer wall, and the thugs were panicking inside and out, not knowing what to do. After about 100 flicks, Blok¡¯s screams stopped. My wrists started to ache, but I couldn¡¯t stop. I continued to hit Blok¡¯s forehead with the dedication of a master swordsmith sharpening a de. ¡°Keuh.¡± The moment Blokpletely fainted, I heard a familiar scream from downstairs. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 61 Chapter 61: Who are you? I reflexively turned my head and looked in the direction of the sound. The left staircase. Below it, towards the basement. It was a faint scream, but there¡¯s no way I could have misheard it. ¡°This idiot is for real.¡± I swung the gpole in one hand to create distance, and with the other hand, I grabbed the unconscious Blok by the hair and dragged him towards the stairs. ¡°Out of my way.¡± Thugs with their swords drawn still surrounded me. But they didn¡¯t dare attack, and instead, they retreated while maintaining their encirclement, following my steps. The space was narrow, and there was a risk of Blok getting killed if a sword fight broke out. Also, the surroundings were aze, making everyone¡¯s mental state unstable. While the thugs were hesitant, I took a step down the narrow stairs and turned around. ¡°From here on, it¡¯s the stairway to hell. I¡¯m going first.¡± The thugs flinched and stopped. With each step down, Blok¡¯s body kept bumping against the edge of the stairs, making a dull thudding sound. The basement was pitch ck. The moment I saw a faint light leaking through the gap under the door at the end of the hallway, I heard another suppressed groan. ¡°Ugh.¡± I ran quickly while still holding Blok¡¯s hair, then positioned the gpole¡¯s tip forward, ready to throw. Whoosh¡ª The door with the light leaking out was ripped open, and a thick murderous intent emanated from beyond. I quickly lifted Blok, using him as a shield. ¡°Huh?¡± The moment the opponent hesitated before attacking, I crouched down, extended one arm over Blok¡¯s shoulder, and chanted. ¡®Wind Spear.¡¯ The wind de shot out in a straight line with an explosive force, passing right through the opponent. The opponent twisted their body bizarrely like a mollusk, deflecting the wind de. I seized the moment their posture crumbled and threw Blok over my shoulder. Blok¡¯s body flipped upside down in mid-air, crashing into the opponent and sending them flying into the room. Bam¡ª As soon as I entered the room, I looked to the left as if possessed. ¡°¡­¡± The one-eyed man was chained up with his shirt off. His entire body was covered in blood, and various crude metal skewers were scattered around. ¡°One-Eye.¡± As I approached, One-Eye barely managed to raise his head and look at me. ¡°¡­¡± I ripped apart the chains that were digging into his flesh, and One-Eye let out a groan and a sigh at the same time. ¡°You idiot. What are you doing here?¡± One-Eye took a few ragged breaths and answered incoherently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Ugh¡­ I got caught on the way.¡± ¡°Where are the others, and why are you the only one in this state? Surely you weren¡¯t nning on making a heroic sacrifice. Were you bullied or something? Those guys have no loyalty.¡± ¡°¡­We split up midway. I managed to get past a few of them, but¡­ there were too many enemies¡­ Ugh.¡± At that moment, I grabbed a metal skewer lying on the ground with lightning speed and hurled it backward. There was no sound of impact. Turning my head, I saw a mollusk-like man grinning, holding the skewer I had thrown. ¡°Heh, another one has arrived?¡± I stared at the man, searching my memory. I had never seen him before. I asked One-Eye. ¡°Did he do this to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± I turned back and pointed at the man. ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t know you.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know him, why did you do this? Are you insane?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve turned this kid into a cripple. Look at the hole in his stomach. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± While I examined One-Eye¡¯s injuries, the man twirled the skewer and asked, ¡°How did you get in here?¡± ¡°I walked in.¡± ¡°There should have been guys upstairs.¡± ¡°There was no one. Except for you, everyone went to eat earlier. Are you being bullied, by any chance?¡± While the man flinched in surprise, I continued, ¡°If I ask you a question, answer me. Why did you do this to One-Eye if you don¡¯t know him? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re taking revenge for your parents or something?¡± The reason I kept asking the same question was that this was a very important matter. If they were sworn enemies with a vendetta, I was willing to cut him some ck. The man replied with a childlikeugh, ¡°He kept provoking me and running away. He looked like he wanted to be bullied.¡± ¡°So there was no reason at all.¡± The man licked the blood-stained skewer with his tongue and said, ¡°It¡¯s fun, isn¡¯t it?¡± Just then, a timely groan, ¡°Uuugh,¡± echoed, and I immediately turned around. One-Eye was taking hisst breath. ¡°Don¡¯t die, you bastard. Don¡¯t die. Stop faking it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The man approached from behind and said, ¡°You also look like you want to be bullied. It would be even more fun with the two of you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a skewer flew towards me at high speed. Whoosh¡ª I quickly ducked to avoid it, then grabbed two skewers lying on the ground and threw them backward. ¡°Heh. Too slow, too slow.¡± The man once again contorted his body like a mollusk and easily dodged them. ¡®Wind Barrier.¡¯ I created a barrier in front of One-Eye and immediately turned to face the man, taking a step forward. At that moment, three skewers flew towards me like lightning. Not wanting to lose to the man, I wrapped myself in wind and dodged them with godlike movements. ¡°Oh. You dodged them?¡± The man walked a step closer with a grotesque smile. He wiggled his fingers, as if urging me to throw the skewers. Somewhere along the way, this fight had turned into a pride contest of ¡°who can dodge better.¡± I nodded, picked up four skewers, and red at the man. ¡°Here I go.¡± The moment the man¡¯s body turned rubbery like a mollusk¡­ ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My top is ufortable, so I¡¯ll take it off and throw it away. It¡¯s a bit in the way.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were so serious that I, too, intended to throw with all my heart. As expected, the man, who also held this duel sacred, nodded without a word. The moment I untied the front of my top¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± Fwoosh¡ª A ck light shot out from the front opening, leaving an afterimage, it was that fast. The man hurriedly twisted his body, but a hole had already been pierced in his thigh. ¡°Kyaaaak!¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± I remembered that I had attached a dagger to the front of my top. ¡°Uuugh, you cowardly bastard!¡± ¡°I can forget things too. You should have dodged better.¡± Since things had turned out this way, I started throwing the four skewers I was holding one by one. ¡°Kyaaaaaak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun to hit the same spot.¡± I approached the mollusk-man to pull out the ck dagger, then suddenly looked to the right. The sound of someone pounding down the stairs echoed through the hallway. I took the eyepatch out of my pocket and tossed it to One-Eye. ¡°Can you walk?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I can.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I held the mollusk-man hostage, slung the gpole over my shoulder, and stepped out into the hallway. ¡°Uuuuugh.¡± I pressed the dagger against the mollusk-man¡¯s neck. Even though the de hadn¡¯t touched him, blood trickled out, perhaps due to the sharpness of its aura. ¡°I-I was wrong. Please don¡¯t¡­ Ah, it hurts.¡± ¡°You¡¯re contradicting yourself. You just said it was fun. If it¡¯s fun, why are you telling me to stop? Enjoy the situation.¡± Up ahead, the gangsters had drawn their swords and were blocking the narrow hallway. ¡°I told you it was the stairway to hell.¡± ¡°Die!¡± I swung the gpole vertically, repeatedly smashing the heads of the charging thugs. After a while, no one dared to attack anymore. Slowly, I led the mollusk-man up the stairs. At the central table, Raven was perched, striking a pose. The fire that had been zing earlier was nowpletely extinguished. ¡°Uuuuugh¡­ Raven!¡± Raven, startled, stopped posing. ¡°You were captured?¡± Only then did Raven notice the four skewers piercing the mollusk-man¡¯s body and frowned deeply. ¡°All of them in the belly button¡­ How dreadful.¡± I observed the unfolding situation and then began the hostage negotiation in earnest. ¡°Clear the path, or I¡¯ll kill everyone.¡± ¡°What about Blok?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need him anymore. I smashed his forehead.¡± ¡°¡­Go check.¡± One of the gangsters nearby rushed down the stairs and back up, reporting Blok¡¯s condition to Raven. ¡°Choose. Will you clear the path, or will everyone die?¡± Raven looked at me and the mollusk-man for a moment, then sighed and said, ¡°Stand down.¡± I sent One-Eye out first, then turned my back to the gangsters, holding the mollusk-man, and slowly exited the tavern. Raven stood at the entrance and said, ¡°Let him go now, Crazy Mage.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would let him go? Are you going back on your word?¡± ¡°When did I say that? I told you to choose between clearing the path or everyone dying. You cleared the path, so I won¡¯t kill everyone.¡± The mollusk-man trembled and muttered, ¡°Uuuuugh¡­ L-let me go!¡± I turned my head to gauge the distance to One-Eye. Then, I kicked the mollusk-man¡¯s back, pushing him towards Raven. ¡°Kyaaaaaak!¡± As the mollusk-man lost his bnce and fell, I gripped the gpole with both hands and swung it forcefully. Thwack¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± The gpole split the mollusk-man¡¯s head, and a fountain of blood erupted. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ Without looking back, I ran quickly and scooped up One-Eye. As the gangsters cursed and tried to chase me, Raven raised his hand to stop them. ¡°Don¡¯t chase them.¡± Raven looked down at the man with the shattered head, then back at the rapidly disappearing Crazy Mage, and muttered, ¡°Where did such a charactere from? Yale was captured? Damn it, I should have charged more for this. Let¡¯s head to Bayern for now.¡± * * * I carried One-Eye on my back and ran, cutting through the wind. I had a rough idea of what had happened. It seemed One-Eye ended up like this because of the order I had given him. One-Eye was the fastest runner among the mercenaries. He must have been captured while running back to report to me. So that¡¯s why no one else came. ¡®It was bound to happen.¡¯ For some reason, the number of gangsters had suddenly increased. Moreover, no matter how much I thought about it, the mollusk-like man was someone I didn¡¯t remember. Even if it was usible that I hadn¡¯t seen him before, it didn¡¯t make sense that One-Eye, who had been a gangster in Khaoto for a long time, hadn¡¯t seen him either. ¡®He¡¯s an outsider.¡¯ He was definitely someone who hadn¡¯t been in Khaoto before. ¡°One-Eye.¡± ¡°¡­¡± One-Eye¡¯s head drooped forward onto my shoulder. I nced sideways and saw that he was dozing off. ¡®He must have been tired.¡¯ As we neared our destination, Garlic, who was guarding the main gate, spotted me and ran over with a hardened expression. ¡°Boss!¡± His eyelids were bruised, suggesting something had happened. Grid, the other gatekeeper, was nowhere to be seen. Garlic approached and then jumped back in surprise when he saw One-Eye on my back. ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± ¡°Did the group happen toe this way?¡± ¡°Y-yes. They¡¯re inside.¡± ¡°Take him to the group. They should have potions.¡± Garlic helped One-Eye and went in first¡­ I paused for a moment and looked at the main gate. The wooden pirs were dented as if something had smashed into them, and the side walls were scraped. The Samael signboard was partially torn, its lettering faded. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, I felt my hand slipping on the gpole and looked down. Blood from the g was running down the pole, staining my hand. I jumped up onto the gate and thrust the Blue Sea g into it. [TL/N: I have decided to make various changes in this series (sort of a revamp), mainly some inconsistencies here n there, how people are addressed like a big example would be house head¡úPatriarch and various small changes like Great Houses¡ª>Divine ns. The revamped chaps will uploaded as soon as I am done with the revamp but from this chap you¡¯ll see the changes applied in the chapters] ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 62 Chapter 62: You¡¯re Finally Prepared As I stepped into the n estate with the Blue Sea g nted, familiar faces rushed out to greet me. The apprentices, who had been running towards me with tense expressions, showed signs of relief as soon as they saw me. It seemed they had been through a lot recently. Looking around, I noticed footprints and marks from swords shing the ground inside the estate. ¡°This ce is a mess. What happened?¡± Zion sighed and replied, ¡°¡­It¡¯s the Bayern bastards.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Ever since I returned. The kids told me it started even before that, but it¡¯s gotten worse.¡± I had a rough idea of what had transpired, but I still needed to confirm. ¡°Tell me from the beginning.¡± ¡°At first, they just stood in front of the main gate, calling for the Patriarch, and then left. So I didn¡¯t think much of it. Honestly, I wanted to beat them up, but something felt off. The elders also told us to just observe.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But then, these bastards suddenly picked a fight with the gatekeeper.¡± Palge, who had been listening, chimed in. ¡°Those sneaky bastards! I never thought they¡¯d actually hit our innocent gatekeeper. So I immediately got revenge.¡± Zion nodded and continued, ¡°That¡¯s right. We beat that guy half to death. The next time, they came in arge group.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Snake Eyes also came. We had Head Elder step in. It seemed like they were talking about money. Then, they suddenly barged into the estate, threatened us, and destroyed the main gate¡­¡± Zion trailed off, gauging my reaction. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°¡­We tried to stop them, but the elders just told us to hold our ground. They said the Patriarch would be back soon, so we should wait. The Bayern guys caused a ruckus outside and then left.¡± ¡°When was that?¡± ¡°Less than a week ago.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The apprentices looked surprised that I remained silent, expecting to be scolded. But I wasn¡¯t particrly shocked, nor did I feel like scolding them. I already knew that the Bayern bastards were acting beyond reason. The apprentices were still too inexperienced to handle such situations, so it wasn¡¯t really their fault. Besides, it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. They burned down the mercenary headquarters. Despite being short on money, they hired more gangsters to wreak havoc in Khaoto. They came to the estate almost every day to pressure us. From what I could gather¡­ This was simr to how people act when they¡¯re scared and desperate. Scared people often do things that are beyond reason. I knew this because I had done the same in the past. I didn¡¯t know what they were scared of, but that wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was that there were only three possible oues for such people. Either they die early. Or their bluff works. Or their opponent shows mercy. Of course, in front of me, there¡¯s only one option. They will die early. I looked around at the apprentices and casually asked, ¡°Have you been training well?¡± Makan, who had been silent until now, answered with sparkling eyes, ¡°We¡¯ve been working hard, Commander.¡± I nodded, then suddenly noticed more servants than usual milling about the manor. ¡°Is the Patriarch here?¡± ¡°Yes, he arrived not too long ago.¡± ¡°Get ready for training. I¡¯ll just go say hello.¡± Zion still had more to say, but as I walked towards the main house, he turned without a word and headed towards the main gate. He lined up facing the gate, and the other apprentices took their positions on either side of him. The apprentices exchanged nces, then stood with their feet shoulder-width apart, their expressions solemn. I slowly walked towards the main house, then turned my head to look at the main gate. A group of small, turtle-like figures were huddled together, surrounding the Samael gate. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ As I gazed at the backs of the apprentices, a familiar voice called out from afar. ¡°Young Master!¡± Lihan, having spotted me, was running down from the main house. ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. Why do you look so haggard?¡± ¡°You seem to have gained some weight, Young Master.¡± For a moment, the face of the future world¡¯s greatest chef shed before my eyes, and I replied bitterly, ¡°The stir-fried chicken was delicious. Anyway, go tell the Patriarch that I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I watched Lihan run off, I suddenly turned my head and gasped in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The training ground was swarming with people, like an ant colony. Looking closely, it seemed like all the locals of Khaoto had gathered there. There were the guys from the tavern who reminisced about the past, the kid who wiggled his butt after Zion, and even the wandering troupe. ¡°Why are they here?¡± Meanwhile, our former gangster Dark Sojungi, now a mercenary, was walking among the people, handing out rye bread and helping the injured, as if he had undergone aplete transformation. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Of course, I had assumed the mercenaries would flee to Samael. Bravo Khan was an old man who knew how to use his head. But what about the rest of these people? As I stared nkly at the ant colony, one familiar ant spotted me and waved its antennae happily. It was Donkey. ¡°So the chef was here too.¡± Lihan, who had gone into the main house, came rushing back down. ¡°Young Master. The Patriarch wants you toe in immediately.¡± I had no idea what was going on, but I decided to go anyway. * * * The elders were also gathered in the main house. Judging by the full teacups, the meeting hadn¡¯t started long ago. When I entered, Kazen didn¡¯t greet me, even though it had been a while since we¡¯dst seen each other. He simply gestured towards an empty chair. ¡°Go sit down, Ruin.¡± I bowed once and took a seat at the empty chair at the end of the table. As soon as I sat down, a wave of fatigue washed over me. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to have a meeting with gloomy old men. But I couldn¡¯t just ignore them, knowing that something important was about to be discussed. If the descendants of Pelleier were headed down a foolish path, I¡¯d have to grab them by the hair and pull them back. There were frustrating aspects to dealing with Kazen and the elders, as I couldn¡¯t just act on my own impulses. It¡¯s said that words can influence one¡¯s mood, but right now, even the word ¡°refreshing¡± wouldn¡¯te out of my mouth. That¡¯s how I felt. Not refreshed at all. In this less than refreshing atmosphere, Kazen spoke up. ¡°Let¡¯s continue our previous discussion. I heard Bayern has moved up the repayment deadline.¡± Isaac replied, ¡°They want us to repay immediately. The deadline for repaying the principal to the Hamad Merchant Group has long passed, so we have no grounds to object.¡± Kazen nodded calmly. ¡°They initially gave us three months leeway because they were wary of the Red Magic Tower. It¡¯s not surprising that they¡¯re changing their tune now that they know Hector is gone.¡± I sat quietly, listening to Kazen and the elders. Elder Norman spoke, ¡°They¡¯re trying to find any excuse to attack us.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been patient.¡± ¡°But now that they know the Patriarch has returned, they¡¯ll likely reveal their true colors.¡± Kazen shook his head firmly. ¡°They already have. They¡¯ve openly caused chaos in Khaoto. This wouldn¡¯t be possible unless they believed they had Urgon¡¯s full backing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems they¡¯re confident that we¡¯re ready to give Urgon what he wants.¡± None of the elders failed to understand Kazen¡¯s meaning. ¡°Yawn.¡± Suddenly, I yawned as I felt, and then noticed an unpleasant stare directed at me. Out of habit, I raised my hand to strike the wrinkled head next to me, but then I quickly retracted it and waved my hand. ¡°Ah, what a refreshing morning!¡± Fortunately, the elders, familiar with my quirks, didn¡¯t seem suspicious. ¡®Phew.¡¯ Spending a few days with the mercenaries almost made me slip up. If the mercenaries had looked at me like that, I would have smacked their heads right away. Anyway, as I listened to the conversation, I felt drowsy and kept yawning. I wondered why I was so sleepy despite listening to such a serious discussion, and then I realized the reason. Kazen and the elders¡¯ tone was too calm. Even though they were talking about serious matters, their voices were t, devoid of emotional highs and lows, as if they were having a casual conversation. As I shook my head to fight off sleep, Elder Norman spoke up, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°By the way, Patriarch, how did your trip go?¡± The elders¡¯ gazes turned to Kazen. ¡°I visited many ces, but it was difficult to get positive responses. There were a few ces where the conversations went well, but when I exined the whole situation, they all expressed reluctance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable. Don¡¯t be too disheartened, Patriarch.¡± ¡°However, there were two ces that gave positive responses.¡± Suddenly, the elders¡¯ eyes lit up. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, the Valpong Merchant Group and the Marais n.¡± [TL/N: Marais¡ª Name not final] ¡°Valpong and Marais?¡± Upon hearing the unexpected names, the elders tilted their heads in confusion. The youngest, Falcon, spoke up with a look of realization. ¡°Valpong¡­ Are you referring to the Valpong from San Baul?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Other elders, their memories jogged, chimed in one after another. ¡°If it¡¯s Valpong, I understand they have a close rtionship with Urgon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce that can¡¯t help but be wary of Urgon.¡± ¡°I also visited them with a glimmer of hope, and they cautiously made a promise.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no possibility of it being a lie, is there?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get that feeling. It seems like something is going on between them and Urgon, but they were reluctant to talk about it.¡± The elder who had raised the question nodded. ¡°By the way, Patriarch, you must have been through a lot, traveling all the way to San Baul.¡± Isaac, who had been deep in thought, muttered, ¡°No matter how much I think about it, I¡¯ve never heard of a n called Marais.¡± Kazen nodded. ¡°I also learned about them for the first time during this visit. They¡¯re a small n located at the edge of the eastern Quebec region. Despite already knowing about the rumors, they offered us financial support.¡± After hearing the answer, Isaac paused for a moment and then sighed. ¡°Sigh¡­ All the families we¡¯re acquainted with refused, and yet a ce we have no connection to reaches out to us.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re grateful for their help.¡± Elder Norman brought up a crucial point. ¡°By the way, Patriarch, how much financial support did you receive?¡± ¡°The Marais n gave us five high-grade gold bars. However, Valpong said they need some time. It seems it will take a while for them to avoid Urgon¡¯s attention.¡± The elders¡¯ expressions were a mix of disappointment and surprise. ¡°As expected, the amount is insufficient. But it¡¯s remarkable that a small, unheard-of n like Marais gave us five high-grade gold bars. Did we perhaps help the Marais n in the past?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯ve never heard of them¡­¡± No matter how hard they tried to recall, none of the elders had ever heard of the Marais n. Kazen looked around and said, ¡°¡­We mustn¡¯t forget this.¡± ¡°Indeed. We mustn¡¯t forget this.¡± ¡®Forget what?¡¯ I had been struggling to stay awake and listen to the conversation, but suddenly, I looked into Kazen¡¯s eyes and snapped to attention. ¡®¡­He¡¯s changed.¡¯ Kazen¡¯s gaze was different. It wasn¡¯t just his usual kind look. His eyes were calm, like ake. I had sensed a change in Kazen after the fight with Hector, but now it felt like he was apletely different person. Could it be that he gained some enlightenment while wandering around outside? I briefly observed Kazen and the elders, noticing that they too had changed significantly. The asional expressions of boredom or anxiety were nowhere to be seen. Their eyes were filled with a certain madness. ¡®So Precious was the miracle cure.¡¯ Madness can sometimes bring inner peace. Only then did I understand how they could maintain such a calm tone. They were unwavering. They had already prepared themselves mentally. While I was lost in thought, Kazen and the elders continued their conversation. At some point, Kazen raised his hand and pointed at me. ¡°Ruin. I heard you frequently went out to Khaoto while I was away.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I was about to offer the excuse I had prepared, but then I met Kazen¡¯s eyes. In that instant, I realized Kazen wasn¡¯t trying to me me. He wasn¡¯t looking at me with a father¡¯s eyes. It was the gaze of the Samael Patriarch awaiting a report from his subordinate. A smile unconsciously spread across my face. ¡°Tell us what you saw and heard about the recent situation in Khaoto, and what you¡¯ve learned about Bayern. We need to prepare.¡± I took a breath, about to start my report, when¡­ Suddenly, the door burst open, and Light and Bravo Khan entered together. I tilted my head at this unexpected and rarebination, and then the butler and the military officer shouted simultaneously, ¡°Patriarch, Bayern is here!¡± ¡°Boss, the snake bastards have arrived!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 63 Chapter 63: The Fuse I frowned as soon as I stepped out of the main house. Even though we were quite a distance from the main gate, the ground vibrated and loud shouts echoed all the way here. When I went down, I saw a group of thugs and apprentices facing off against each other with the main gate between them. ¡°Quite a crowd has gathered.¡± The apprentices, hearing my voice, first moved aside to the left and right. Then, the thugs, who spotted us through the cleared view, drew their weapons and shouted. I immediately extended my palm and aimed at one of them. Fwooosh¡ª Two fireballs struck the thug in the front, right in the chest. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ For a moment, I wondered if I had already mastered multi-casting magic, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Zion, who fired a fireball almost simultaneously with me, said while panting, ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line there.¡± While the rest of the thugs were cursing and trying to cross the main gate, I chanted a spell once again. ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ The first thug was hit by the fire spear and copsed backward, and the surrounding thugs, in their typical third-rate fashion, got tangled up and the fire spread rapidly. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± ¡°This is what happens when you ignore our business manager¡¯s warning.¡± While the thugs were in disarray, a stream of water burst from behind, and with a hissing sound, the fire was extinguished. ¡°Move aside.¡± The thugs, who had be quiet in an instant, parted to the left and right, and two men walked out. Snake Eyes came forward first, and behind him, a man I had never seen before was taking it easy. He was a man with eyes simr to Blok¡¯s. Snake, who had walked up to the main gate, looked at Kazen and said, ¡°Finally, we meet. Lord Kazen.¡± When Kazen remained expressionless and didn¡¯t respond, Snake twitched the corners of his mouth. ¡°So, how did things go with your trip?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh dear, it seems things didn¡¯t go well. That¡¯s a big problem. A very big problem.¡± Kazen said in a voice devoid of any emotional inflection, ¡°I clearly warned youst time, Snake.¡± ¡°Haha, we¡¯d like to say the same to you. We clearly warned you. If you can¡¯t pay the money, you¡¯ll have to vacate the house. What is the meaning of this shameless behavior?¡± ¡°The repayment deadline hasn¡¯t passed yet.¡± Snake grinned and nced at the elders. ¡°We¡¯ve already told you several times, but it seems the elders haven¡¯t informed you yet? Then let me tell you once again. The repayment deadline has already passed.¡± ¡°Bring the notarized contract first.¡± Snake burst into exaggeratedughter. ¡°Didn¡¯t we already show you the notarized contract? You¡¯re truly shameless. Are you trying to buy time like this?¡± At that moment, the man who had been standing behind with his hands sped behind his back stepped forward with a smile. ¡°Lord Samael. Listen carefully. We can¡¯t wait any longer. If you can¡¯t vacate Mount Khaoto, we¡¯ll have to force you out.¡± ¡°Shane, did Lord Bayern instruct you to say that?¡± Listening to the series of conversations, I deduced the man¡¯s identity. I had a feeling those kinds of eyes couldn¡¯t bemon. So, he¡¯s Blok¡¯s brother, huh? Always one to satisfy my curiosity, I looked at the man called Shane and asked, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but does your father also have corpse eyes?¡± Shane looked at me with an incredulous expression. ¡°Who are you to speak so informally?¡± ¡°Someone in a simr position as you. So, does your father have corpse eyes? How can those gics be so strong?¡± Snake stepped forward and interjected. ¡°Young Master Ruin, you¡¯re still as disrespectful as ever. I clearly told you what would happen if you couldn¡¯t tell when to butt in and when to not.¡± While Snake Eyes was talking, I had already enveloped my feet in mes. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ I soared up like the wind, twisted my waist, and kicked at Snake¡¯s jaw. Snake quickly jerked his head back but couldn¡¯t avoid itpletely. The tip of my foot grazed his neck, and he stumbled backward. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Why do you keep crossing the line?¡± I said, looking at Snake with a burn mark on his neck. ¡°That corpse-eye guy should show some respect first. Are you looking for a fight?¡± Shane, who had been tilting his head, smirked as if he¡¯d been waiting for this. ¡°Did you just attack first?¡± ¡°You guys trashed our business, and now you¡¯re acting like you¡¯re the victim because you got kicked once? Hey, you shameless bastard. Is that how your father taught you? Talking down to the head of another family?¡± To be fair, Shane hadn¡¯tpletely spoken informally to Kazen, but it¡¯s important to assert dominance first. Humans are creatures of perception. If you strongly assert something first, it can create confusion in their memory. I looked around at the apprentices and said in a serious tone, ¡°Judging by the way these guys are talking, they came here with a fight in mind. Apprentices, today is the day. Today is the day we fight with our lives on the line. It might sound sudden, but heads always roll unexpectedly, so there¡¯s nothing strange about it. Trust in yourselves and the training you¡¯ve worked so hard for.¡± The apprentices immediately spread out and took their positions, centering around the main gate. The ragtag group of mercenaries who had been waiting in the distance also appeared instantly and stationed themselves behind us. In the midst of all this, even the elders unexpectedly stepped forward and filled in the gaps, pulling something out from their robes. ¡®Magic stones?¡¯ The elders were holding magic stones and taking a stance as if they were about to throw them at the enemies. ¡®Throw them? Magic stones?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t predict what they were nning to do. For a moment, I made eye contact with Elder Norman, and it was the same crow¡¯s eyes I had seen a few days ago. ¡°¡­.¡± I quickly averted my gaze and looked at the enemies. The thugs also started drawing their swords one by one. Meanwhile, Snake, who had recovered, was looking at us with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°So, you¡¯ve all decided to go rogue.¡± ¡°Scared?¡± Snake let out a chuckle. ¡°Do you even have a n, you reckless brat?¡± ¡°Whether I have a n or not, you¡¯re going to die, Snake Eyes. There¡¯s only one way to survive. If you¡¯re scared, run away now and disappear. Always keep a lookout around you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it, but you¡¯re truly insane.¡± Kazen, who had been quietly observing the standoff, suddenly looked up at the red g fluttering above the main gate, then leaped up andnded in front of it. He pulled out the gpole, and the dried blood stained his hand. Kazen, who had been silently staring at his bloodstained hand for a while, leaped once again and nted the Blue Sea g in the middle of the main gate where Bayern and Samael were facing off. ¡°This is where it ends. Samael will no longer stand idly by and watch Bayern¡¯s tyranny.¡± His voice was calm. Amidst asional chuckles, Shane threw back his head and roared withughter. ¡°This is rich. You can¡¯t even repay your debts. And you don¡¯t have the Red Magic Tower¡¯s support either. What makes you so confident, Lord Kazen? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re relying on those young apprentices and old elders? Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± Just as Shane was about to give the order to attack whileughing, Suddenly, several metallic sounds rang out from behind the thugs, followed by the sound of flesh tearing and a cacophony of screams. ¡°Oh, for real. What¡¯s with these crazy bastards?¡± It was a familiar voice. ¡°Move aside, will you? Why do you keep blocking me? Anyone who blocks me is gonna die. Want to see what real craziness looks like?¡± After a few more sounds of sword shes, a group of people emerged through the thugs. Everyone¡¯s eyes focused on the beautiful woman at the front. Upon recognizing the woman¡¯s face, Shane shouted in a flustered voice. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! What is the main branch doing here? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to break the agreement?¡± ¡°Do I need your permission toe here? You little brat, you¡¯re asking for a beating.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Master Shepiro? Didn¡¯t we agree that you would withdraw from the Khaoto Branch?¡± ¡°That bastard Shepiro¡¯s been dead for ages. You¡¯re way behind the times. We¡¯re the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Group. Move aside if you don¡¯t want to get sliced.¡± Both enemies and allies gasped in surprise. Shane and Snake exchanged nces, assessing the situation. Our mercenaries, who hadn¡¯t heard the news yet, tilted their heads in confusion, looking back and forth between me and the woman. ¡°Damn it, where¡¯s my brother? Brother! I¡¯m here! Where are you, brother!¡± The warrior woman drew a dagger from her waist and began a fearsome sword dance. Meanwhile, some of the men were staring at the warrior woman with burning eyes, but they didn¡¯t seem to have any malicious intent. How did I know that¡­? ¡°Fuck, where are you!¡± Every time the warrior woman cursed, they all twitched as if they had been electrocuted, their bodies trembling with excitement. ¡°Oh? There he is. Brother, I¡¯m here!¡± I, who had been desperately avoiding eye contact, finally met the warrior woman¡¯s gaze. I collected myself and said, ¡°I told you to wait. What are you doing here?¡± Daisy pouted and said, ¡°You¡¯re being too cold after such a long time. I couldn¡¯t just wait around worrying, brother. I¡¯ve taken care of everything with Leon, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°How did you know toe here?¡± ¡°Where else would you be besides here?¡± The people around us, listening to our conversation¡­ All had mixed expressions of confusion, bewilderment, jealousy, and curiosity. Daisy raised the tip of her red dagger and said, ¡°Anyway, who are all these guys? That idiot-looking one over there is from Bayern.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Should I kill them?¡± At that moment, Snake and Shane, who had finished assessing the situation, stepped back and said, ¡°So this was your trump card.¡± While Snake was ordering the thugs to retreat, Shane red back and forth between me and Daisy and said, ¡°So you¡¯re backstabbing us after all. Fine. We¡¯ll retreat for today.¡± I smirked and pointed at Shane. ¡°You idiot, who said you could?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t crossed the line yet.¡± ¡°You just did. I¡¯m taking your head today.¡± For a moment, Shane looked down at his feet in a flustered manner, but his toes hadn¡¯t crossed the g yet. ¡°I haven¡¯t crossed it.¡± ¡°So what? What does that matter? Would you let me go if I were you?¡± As Shane, startled, immediately jumped back to create distance, I raised my hand to calm him down. ¡°Just kidding, just kidding. You scared?¡± ¡°¡­You bastard.¡± The thugs, who had quickly finished organizing themselves, retreated, and Kazen and I watched their backs with calm expressions. Shane, who thought he had secured enough distance, turned around and red at us. ¡°We¡¯ll be back. Don¡¯t forget who¡¯s behind us. The warnings are over.¡± Daisy whispered in my ear. ¡°Should I kill them?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just clean up.¡± I looked back and saw that the locals had gathered in a circle at a distance, watching us with worried expressions. * * * Bayern had already finished all preparations and was just waiting for Kazen to arrive. If Daisy hadn¡¯t appeared, they probably would have attacked immediately. Nevertheless, the reason I deliberately let the Bayern guys live and sent them back was simple. It¡¯s cleaner to take them out all at once rather than giving them an excuse by killing a few small fries. As the saying goes, when you¡¯re fishing, you need to catch the whole school at once. Trying to catch one or two first can ruin the whole thing. Kazen probably had simr thoughts, which is why he just watched them retreat. While Kazen and the elders were calming down the locals, I received a report from Bravo Khan about the recent events. It turned out that as soon as Bravo Khan escaped to Samael, he exined to the elders about everything I had done. The elders already knew about the mercenary group through Zion and the gatekeepers, so they didn¡¯t have any particr suspicions. Moreover, Bravo Khan had noticed that I had even absorbed the main branch¡¯s troops into the mercenary group. Indeed, the old officer had a knack for handling things neatly. I let Bravo Khan continue exining to Kazen and the elders, and in the meantime, I asked Daisy various questions I was curious about. ¡°¡­ The headquarters?¡± ¡°Completely taken care of.¡± ¡°Did you hide the slush fund well?¡± ¡°Yes. I moved it to a ce only I know.¡± I checked the wagon that had followed us and asked, ¡°You brought gold bars?¡± The skinny quartermaster next to her replied, ¡°Yes, we brought a little, just in case.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± I checked the gold bars in the wagon and had the mercenaries quietly move them to one side. Then, I instructed Daisy to move with Bravo Khan and gathered the apprentices to one side. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± The apprentices didn¡¯t answer. Even though they had undergone harsh training, they were still young. The fact that a real sword fight almost broke out had left them stiff. I looked at the apprentices and started lecturing them as I saw fit. ¡°I told you. It could be tomorrow. It could be the day after. You have to think that if you don¡¯t crush the enemy¡¯s skull¡­¡± Surprisingly, the apprentices interrupted me and replied, ¡°We know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Commander.¡± Iron muttered with a determined expression, ¡°I¡¯m a Samael too.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 64 Chapter 64: Gold bars? Gold bars? Gold¡­ bars? After reassuring the locals, Kazen resumed the meeting with the elders. They had wanted to call Ruin as well, but his conversation with the apprentices seemed unus.ually serious, so they deliberately didn¡¯t interrupt. Regardless of what anyone said, Ruin was currently in charge of Samael¡¯sbat strategy. The elders, seated around the table with solemn expressions, remained silent for a while before one of them finally spoke up. ¡°In the end, Patriarch¡¯s prediction was correct.¡± ¡°Bayern¡¯s, or rather, Urgon¡¯s intentions have be clear. They¡¯re not after money.¡± ¡°They were waiting for us to be unable to repay the debt.¡± ¡°Not only do they want to drive us out of Khaoto, but if we resist, they¡¯re prepared to crush us with force¡­ and even¡­¡± The elder¡¯s eyes sank as he spoke. ¡°¡­annihte our n.¡± The oppressive weight of the unspeakable word, too dreadful to even utter, filled everyone¡¯s faces with deep sorrow. Kazen spoke up with a calm expression. ¡°That was their goal from the beginning.¡± Kazen met the elders¡¯ eyes and added, ¡°We can no longer stand idly by.¡± His heavy yetposed tone calmed the elders¡¯ hearts. After a long while of further discussion, someone said, ¡°¡­Come to think of it, perhaps Ruin foresaw this whole situation.¡± Hearing this, another elder nodded in agreement with admiration. ¡°I wondered why he suddenly created that strange mercenary group¡­¡± The rest of the elders nodded in unison. While the elders were preupied with the magic stones, Ruin went out and created a mercenary group. In a short period of less than a month. At first, they were dumbfounded when they confirmed that the mercenary group was the Dark Souls, who had been operating in Khaoto. Driving out the Dark Souls was remarkable enough, but even more astonishing was how he managed to tame those unruly individuals, who were now showing utmost respect to the elders. They couldn¡¯t fathom what he had done. However, The elders finally realized the reason today. The mercenaries standing beside them, swords drawn against Bayern. They were¡­ Samael¡¯s reinforcements. Moreover, Ruin had even brought in the main branch of the Dark Souls as reinforcements. The woman who was wielding her dagger like a madwoman, pushing Bayern back, couldn¡¯t be anything but reinforcements. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Indeed. It was unbelievable. They weren¡¯t just talking about the level of the mercenary group. It was Ruin¡¯s ability to predict Bayern¡¯s actions and organize reinforcements in the meantime that they couldn¡¯t believe. How was that even possible? Ruin¡¯s previous preaching about Samael¡¯s will and his talent for magic were surprising, but they paled inparison to this. He had aplished something that even the elders of the family couldn¡¯t. As if to prove his determination, He was leading the charge, clearing the thorny path ahead of Samael. ¡°He¡¯s admirable.¡± ¡°The word ¡®admirable¡¯ doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it.¡± While pure admiration continued for a while, only one person, Elder Norman, remained silent, harboringpletely different thoughts. ¡®¡­He¡¯s a terrifying one. The elders don¡¯t know Ruin¡¯s true nature. He¡¯s a truly terrifying individual.¡¯ Norman unconsciously clutched the magic stone in his robe tightly. A momentter, Kazen tapped the table at the head of the room, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°We need to start preparations tonight.¡± ¡°What would be the best course of action?¡± ¡°Waiting is a poor strategy. We have the justification. However¡­¡± Isaac continued Kazen¡¯s words. ¡°¡­It ultimatelyes down to money.¡± The elders simultaneously let out a sigh. ¡°If we can¡¯t secure a loan, Urgon will find a way to intervene.¡± Suddenly, Falcon looked at Kazen and asked, ¡°Is there a deadline for the funding that the Valpong Merchant Group promised to send?¡± Kazen shook his head. ¡°It will be difficult for now. We can¡¯t rely on Valpong.¡± As the elders fell into contemtion again, Kazen spoke with a heavy heart. ¡°Elders.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention focused on Kazen. ¡°There¡¯s no way to avoid this any longer. Even if Urgon intervenes¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Samael will not back down.¡± The moment the vague threat they had imagined materialized, Elder Norman spoke up with difficulty. ¡°Do you believe there¡¯s a chance, Patriarch¡± ¡°It will be difficult. But we cannot give up Khaoto.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± We cannot give up Khaoto. That was the conclusion. Samael¡¯s identity. Samael¡¯s source. Even though a n exists wherever there are people, Khaoto Mountain was the fundamental foundation where Samael¡¯s spirit had resided for countless years, transcending all else. Both Kazen and the elders instinctively knew. If they surrendered Khaoto, the spirit of Samael, which had endured for hundreds of years, would alsoe to an end. Because they knew that, Samael would not back down. Just then, The door to the main house mmed open, and the chief attendant lined up in front of Kazen. ¡°What is it, Wright? I told you not to let anyone in during the meeting. Don¡¯t tell me Bayern has returned already.¡± ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s¡­ Young Master Ruin¡­¡± ¡°What about Ruin?¡± A familiar young man sauntered in from behind. ¡°Come on, seriously. I told you I have something to say. Why are you blocking me like this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ruin bowed his head towards Kazen and the elders. ¡°Esteemed Patriarch, and respected elders. I have arrived.¡± Kazen looked at Ruin with a stern expression. ¡°Ruin. There are proper manners to observe. I was about to call you to the meeting, but¡­¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes. Of course. But from what I heard outside, it alles down to money, right?¡± ¡°Are you saying you were eavesdropping on the meeting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is money right now, isn¡¯t it, Patriarch?¡± Kazen, feeling as if he were seeing the reckless Ruin from his younger days again, scolded him sternly. ¡°Ruin! We are in the middle of a meeting that concerns the very survival of our n. Wait outside until you are called.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± Ruin gestured behind him, and the crazy woman they had seen in the morning struggled to drag in a small box. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just leave this here. Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± While Ruin went back outside, Elder Norman, as if in a trance, approached the box and opened the lid. ¡°¡­Go- Gold bars?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Gold bars? Gold bars? Gold¡­ bars?¡± Elder Norman started tilting his head from side to side like a madman, repeating the same words. Kazen and the other elders, concerned, approached Norman. Suddenly, they all shuddered as if struck by lightning. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gold bars! Gold, why are there gold bars?¡± ¡°What in the world¡­ Someone, quickly bring Ruin back!¡± The chief attendant dashed out and dragged Ruin back in. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this? You told me to leave.¡± Kazen quickly stepped forward and grabbed Ruin¡¯s hand. ¡°¡­Where did you get these gold bars?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special. I bought an empty house in Leon, and out of boredom, I tore down a wall and found these gold bars.¡± Meanwhile, Falcon, who had quickly finished his calctions, looked at Kazen with a trembling face. ¡°¡­Patriarch.¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards Falcon¡¯s mouth. ¡°¡­It¡¯s twice the amount of the loan.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± * * * When absurd things happen consecutively, therees a point where you just ept it. That¡¯s exactly how the elders felt. They were dumbfounded by the sight of the gold bars, but since it was Ruin, they somehow found themselves nodding in eptance. ¡°¡­You¡¯re amazing, Ruin.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not that much.¡± Seeing Ruin speak so nonchntly, the elders felt a pang in their hearts. They knew that Ruin¡¯s flippant words were actually out of consideration for them. The rest of the meeting went smoothly. The atmosphere was heavy, but there were no obstacles. Only Elder Norman remained silent, asionally ncing at Ruin with a strange look in his eyes. As the meeting finally came to an end, Kazen and the elders left the main house one by one. By the time thest remaining Elder Norman slowly stepped outside, the sky over Khaoto had already darkened. ¡®¡­What a terrifying young man.¡¯ Elder Norman shuddered once and started walking towards the Elder¡¯s Council. Someone quietly fell into step beside him. Elder Norman tensed up and straightened his posture. The movement beside him was so silent that he hadn¡¯t even noticed their approach. He slowly turned his head¡­ Gasp¡ª It was him, that boy. ¡°Elder Norman, how have you been?¡± Norman instinctively clutched the magic stone in his robe and looked at the boy. ¡°Do, do you have something to say to me?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing much.¡± The boy looked around and then slyly extended his hand towards his chest. ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Norman, thinking the boy was after his magic stone, quickly stepped back. But faster than that, he felt something heavy in his robe. ¡°Shh! It¡¯s a secret from the others, Elder Norman.¡± Norman stared nkly at Ruin¡¯s retreating figure, then suddenly pulled something out from his robe, feeling a foreign object inside. His pupils shook. An ingot the size of his palm was emitting a golden light. Norman gasped and quickly hid the gold bar in his robe. * * * ¡®Is that something to be so happy about?¡¯ Elder Norman, hurriedly hiding the gold bar and looking around, resembled a thief concealing stolen goods. I watched from afar as Elder Norman tiptoed into the Elder¡¯s Council, then resumed my walk. Come to think of it, the other elders¡¯ reactions weren¡¯t much different. ¡®Honestly. Over something so trivial.¡¯ I had only brought less than half of the gold bars from the wagon to the main house. Seeing the elders looking at me with such touched expressions, I felt a sense of unpleasantness for the first time in a while. Anyway, it seemed the treasurer¡¯s words were true. Judging by how happy they were with just those few gold bars, it was clear that the amount of slush funds Shepiro had hidden was quite substantial. Walking under the dark night sky, I stopped at the railing of the lodging and looked down at the opposite side. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ From the railing, I had a clear view of the Samael estate. The training ground was still packed with locals. Bonfires were scattered throughout the training ground, and the locals were huddled around them in groups of three or five, escaping the mountain¡¯s chill. Mercenaries and servants were moving among the training ground, serving food or distributing nkets and makeshift pillows. Meanwhile, it seemed Donkey was showing off his cooking skills, as each group had a chicken stew ced in front of them, steaming hot. ¡®¡­This is practically a refugee camp.¡¯ While I was observing the training ground with a mixed feeling, someone gently ced their hand on my shoulder. For some reason, I knew who it was without even looking. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± A momentter, I heard his voice again. ¡°¡­They are ordinary people.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why the gloomy expression? I epted them. They are people who have lost their homes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°They have done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Perhaps because my voice sounded cynical, The grip on my shoulder tightened slightly. ¡°Ruin. We fight to protect ourselves, but it means nothing to them. They might even be suffering because of us. Don¡¯t ignore the pain of ordinary people. That¡¯s not what Samael is about. Remember that.¡± Suddenly, something welled up inside me, and I red at the owner of the hand. The moonlight reflected in their eyes. ¡°¡­.¡± Without saying a word, I turned my head back to the training ground. Kazen was walking down towards them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 65 Chapter 65: Ken¡¯s Demon Realm Quiet night streets. I opened the door of the ck building, which had no windows, and yellow light enveloped me. The white young man, who had been dozing off, spotted me and grinned. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Young Master.¡± I feigned surprise and asked, ¡°You¡¯re still alive? The thugs didn¡¯t bother you?¡± ¡°Pardon? Hahahaha.¡± ¡°Yourugh is still the same.¡± I stared intently at Kant¡¯s face and then said, ¡°Should Ie back another time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting. Let¡¯s go.¡± I nodded nonchntly and thought to myself, ¡®His face is like a steel te.¡¯ Not in a bad way, but literally like a steel te. His fake expressions, then and now, made it difficult to read his thoughts. I followed Kant to the second floor, where the interior was empty. There was no one engaging in strange activities while emitting the acrid smoke of hallucinogenic herbs. Kant nced at me and said with a smile, ¡°Business hasn¡¯t been goodtely. Don¡¯t know whose fault it is.¡± Anyway, since I was in the same boat as Kant, I offered him sincere advice. ¡°I think the problem is your smile. How can business be good when you smile so artificially? Try smiling more genuinely.¡± Kant didn¡¯t respond and pushed through the rippling wall. After passing through the passage and descending the stairs for a while, we arrived at the same secret room as before. The ck mask was waiting inside. Kant offered me the seat of honor and said, ¡°Please have a seat, Young Master.¡± I sat down on the seat of honor and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± As if he had been waiting, the ck mask handed me a booklet. [Urgon n Power Analysis Report] ¡°It¡¯s thin.¡± ¡°Urgon¡¯s influence is so strong in Shan Kris that it was difficult to gather information. Please read it first.¡± I opened the first page of the booklet and immediately closed it again. The onught of numbers from the very beginning made my head throb. ¡°You want me to read this?¡± The ck mask replied in an absurd tone, ¡°I worked hard on it.¡± I sighed and opened the booklet again, only to m it shut in frustration. ¡°¡­There¡¯s another idiot here. Is this supposed to be a ¡®look how smart I am¡¯ showcase? When you write something like this, make it simple, easy to understand at a nce for your superiors. Are you doing this on purpose because you think I¡¯m weak with numbers?¡± The ck mask tried to make an excuse, but my rapid-fire words left no room for him to interject. ¡°Mask, you idiot. You have no idea how tired I am these days. I¡¯ve been in meetings with those mercenaries all day, had a fight with the second Corpse Eyes, distributed gold bars to the elders¡­ I¡¯m already dying from a headache, and now you want me to read this? Fail.¡± Maybe on another day, but today I wasn¡¯t in the mood to read through all these details. I even had to cut into my sleep time toe here. I waved my hand dismissively and pointed at Kant. ¡°Exin it to me in words.¡± Kant nced at the ck mask, then grinned and replied. ¡°The Urgon n consists of two magic divisions and the Council of Elders. The Azure Dragon Division handles external affairs and is further divided into three magic units¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Apart from that, there¡¯s a special task force that protects the Lord and his direct bloodline. Due to the low concentration of ns in the southeastern part of the continent, they boast unrivaled power in San Kris. As for friendly forces¡­¡± I, who had been listening silently, raised my hand and interrupted Kant. I couldn¡¯t quite grasp their level, so I decided to ask only the parts I was curious about. ¡°It¡¯splicated. Can youpare them to something in simpler terms?¡± Kant nodded. ¡°If you give me a reference point, I can tell you.¡± ¡°Compared to the Noble ns?¡± Kant¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. ¡°Are you referring to the Six Noble ns?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No matter how influential the Urgon n is in the eastern continent, they pale inparison to the Noble ns. They wouldn¡¯t even be able to im the lowest rank.¡± ¡°Be more specific.¡± ¡°Even if several magic ns like Urgon joined forces, they wouldn¡¯t be able to match the Belusia n, which holds the lowest rank among the Noble ns. Moreover, in high-level confrontations, magic ns are inherently at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°How aboutpared to the Magic Towers?¡± Kant, who had been answering readily, narrowed his eyes for the first time. ¡°Comparing them to the Magic Towers is tricky.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take the Blue Magic Tower as an example. In terms of sheer numbers, Urgon has more, but the Magic Tower has more high-ranking mages. To begin with, the Magic Tower doesn¡¯t have that many permanent residents, and it¡¯s apletely different type of organizationpared to a n. The Magic Tower also functions as a training ground for mages, so if they were to directly sh with Urgon, people from all over who im to be disciples of the Blue Magic Tower might join the fight.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°In reality, it¡¯s more appropriate topare the two in terms of authority rather than military power. Most magic ns either want to connect with high-ranking mages from the Magic Towers or have already received their tutge. Urgon, in fact, has a deep connection with the Blue Magic Tower and treats its high-ranking mages with utmost respect.¡± ¡°So, in any case, the Magic Towers are superior.¡± I suddenly looked at the stone bread on the table and said, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s stone bread again. What is this stone bread made of that it¡¯s so hard?¡± ¡°There¡¯s stone inside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for eating?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a decorative item.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Finally understanding the mystery of the stone bread, I had a sudden thought. This stone bread has saved many lives. It saved the white mask, Grid, Garlic, and Bravo Khan. If it weren¡¯t for this stone bread, I would have thrown away the bread and picked up a spear. The guys who got hit by the stone bread might feel wronged for getting knocked out by mere bread. But if the stone bread hadn¡¯t been hard, they could have been stabbed by a spear. Do they even realize that? This is why people should be grateful even when they experience injustice. I continued my stream of consciousness and said to Kant, ¡°Is there any reason for Urgon to hold a grudge against Samael?¡± Kant pulled his chair closer, interlocked his fingers, and rested his chin on them. It seemed to be a habit he had when starting a serious conversation. ¡°You probably asked me to investigate Urgon because of that. Urgon attacked Samael about 20 years ago. But the more I looked into it, the stranger it seemed. Samael and Urgon had no connection back then.¡± ¡°You mean there was no justification?¡± ¡°The surface-level justification was that they were insulted by Samael, but that information couldn¡¯t be verified. Even if it were true, it¡¯s not enough reason to start a full-fledged war. Moreover, it¡¯s iprehensible why they¡¯re still pressuring Samael now.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s even more strange considering Urgon¡¯s nature. After all, Urgon is a n that, at least on the surface, advocates for righteousness. They can¡¯t ignore the public eye, so pressuring a remote n like this while even taking over the Hamad Merchant Group ispletely different from their usual behavior. In fact, when I contacted some members of the Cheongnyeong Division at a tavern in Shan Kris, none of them knew the reason.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s not even shared within the n. Something smells fishy.¡± Kant replied with a slightly grim expression. ¡°It seems to be ssified information.¡± I organized my thoughts for a moment and then said, ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to find out unless we directly confront them.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s better this way. Is there anything else I need to know?¡± Kant, who had a gloomy expression just a moment ago, curled his lips upward again. I observed Kant¡¯s face carefully and said, ¡°You seem pretty confident about something.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I guess I read your expression correctly this time.¡± Kant, with a confident smile, said, ¡°The eldest son of Urgon has entered the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the Demon Realm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about Ken¡¯s Demon Realm.¡± ¡°Ken?¡± Ken was in the southwestern part of the continent. Geographically, it was on the opposite side of Khaoto, at the very edge of the continent. This is how I remembered Ken. It was where the White Magic Tower, filled with old geezers, was located, and It was a city where monsters emerged from the western border, which was still untouched by humans. ¡°Is the Demon Realm referring to the monsters?¡± Kant, assuming I was stating the obvious, went straight to the main point. ¡°It has been confirmed that the eldest son recently entered the 2nd-level Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kant looked at me strangely. ¡°Young Master?¡± Observing my expression, Kant asked in a bewildered tone, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what the Demon Realm is¡­¡± Remembering the saying ¡°the less you know, the more confident you should be,¡± I replied randomly. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only been in the mountains. It¡¯s something to be proud of. And what a terrible name, Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re truly unpredictable, Young Master.¡± Seeing Kant sigh and wet his lips, I assumed a long exnation wasing, so I cut him off. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the exnationter. I¡¯m a bit tired right now. Just the key points.¡± ¡°The Red Phoenix Division and the special task force are in Ken with the eldest son.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural, considering they would see the 2nd-level Demon Realm as having that much honor and value. The number of people currently stationed in Urgon is less than half of usual.¡± I understood what Kant was trying to say. ¡°So that¡¯s the key point.¡± Currently, there weren¡¯t many people stationed in Urgon. That was the key point. If mages from a n like Urgon were all absent at the same time, it meant that this Demon Realm thing was quite important. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Nothing else that would particrly interest you, Young Master.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± I stretched and leaned back in my chair, then suddenly noticed the ck mask still standing behind me. ¡°You can sit down too.¡± I pulled out a chair next to me. ¡°Sit. You¡¯ll get tired if you keep standing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll stand.¡± If he¡¯s fine, he¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the psychology behind adding that he¡¯ll stand anyway? ¡°Are you sulking because of what I said earlier? It¡¯s okay, man. Everyone learns from mistakes. As long as your head doesn¡¯t get smashed, it¡¯s all good.¡± I closed my eyes and carefully examined the booklet, then said, ¡°Looking at it again, you did put a lot of effort into it.¡± While the ck mask hesitantly approached from behind, I pointed at Kant and said, ¡°Ah, this is frustrating. Make him sit down.¡± ¡°Please have a seat, Marco.¡± The ck mask sat down on the chair, and finally, a quiet stillness settled in the secret room. Kant, having finished what he had to say, suddenly started dozing off. The ck mask was reviewing the booklet he had written, and I enjoyed the momentary silence. The secret room, lit only by a small light, had a cozy atmosphere in its own way. Finding moments of peace, anytime and anywhere, is important. A peaceful mind broadens your perspective. It¡¯s one of the secrets to protecting your head from enemies. Suddenly, Kant, remembering something he wanted to say, looked at me again and grinned. ¡°By the way, thanks to you, Young Master, it might be difficult to do business in Khaoto from now on.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kant clicked his tongue and replied, ¡°It used to be a quiet ce. But changes areing.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of moving?¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering it.¡± I shook my head and said, ¡°You won¡¯t seed in business if you keep ming others. I told you, try smiling more genuinely.¡± Kant curled his lips up even more. ¡°Not like that. Look at me. Smile with a chuckle.¡± I chuckled to demonstrate, and Kant tilted his head. ¡°That sounds like a mockingugh?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, the important thing is to smile genuinely.¡± Suddenly, Kant pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and slid it towards me. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll like it.¡± I casually checked the writing on the paper, and my recent question was answered, causing me to chuckle involuntarily. ¡°Wow. I was wondering where some guy suddenly got money from.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 66 Chapter 66: Deration of War As soon as Samael¡¯s immature brat left, Marco took off his mask and cooled his flushed face. It was a feeling of humiliation he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. If it weren¡¯t for his superior¡¯s order to exercise restraint, there were many moments he could hardly endure. Not only did the brat belittle the meeting report, but he even spoke down to him and his superior openly. ¡°Phew.¡± Marco had some understanding of his superior¡¯s temperament. Despite his gentle appearance, he was a man with dozens of cunning schemes hidden within. ¡®He¡¯s a fearsome individual.¡¯ No matter how much unexpected power Samael¡¯s immature brat possessed, his superior wouldn¡¯t tolerate such a reckless person. It seemed like he was nning to use him to some extent and then discard him¡­ But somehow, it felt like he was being too amodating for that. At that moment, the door to the secret room opened, and his superior, who had finished seeing off the brat, entered and sat down. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Marco looked at his superior, who started dozing off as soon as he sat down, and carefully asked, ¡°Was it really necessary to give him the certificate?¡± His superior replied with his eyes closed, ¡°Consider it a small gift.¡± ¡°But there was no need to stir up trouble¡­¡± Marco unconsciously retorted, then realized his slip of the tongue and immediately stopped talking. ¡°I apologize.¡± His superior, who had sensed Marco¡¯s thoughts, said, ¡°It seems you don¡¯t like Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Tell me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a good impression of him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s reckless. Even if he has some skills, he acts too brazenly. I don¡¯t see any reason to get close to him.¡± His superior didn¡¯t respond and started dozing off again. A momentter, his superior raised his head, curled his lips upward, and looked at Marco. ¡°I have a slightly different opinion.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What we see is only a fragment. What did you feel after witnessing the recent changes in Khaoto, Marco?¡± Marco straightened his posture at the somewhat sharp question and answered cautiously. ¡°It was surprising that Ruin took in the Dark Souls, but that was also a rash decision. It gave Bayern an excuse. Bayern has already hired the Yale Road Mercenary Group to take control of the west.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s the surprising part.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± His superior sped his hands together and pretended to twist them. ¡°Try changing your perspective, Marco.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± His superior tapped his head and muttered, ¡°Ruin left for Leon as soon as he took control of the Dark Souls. He wasn¡¯t there when Bayern attacked the Dark Souls. Why do you think that was?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting he deliberately left?¡± His superior pped his hands once. ¡°Exactly. Ruin had no intention of negotiating with Bayern or worrying about Urgon. From the very beginning¡­¡± His superior¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°He was nning to strike Bayern. That¡¯s why he needed justification. Justification that Urgon couldn¡¯t interfere with.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°He must have already solved the money issue. It¡¯s an interesting situation. It seems simple but it¡¯s also quite difficult. The judgement that he¡¯s reckless was wrong. No matter how I look at it, it¡¯s hard to read his intentions.¡± It was the first time Marco had heard his superior evaluate someone in this way. His superior continued, ¡°It won¡¯t be stirring up trouble. Rather, it was a good timing to show off with a simple gift. You can leave now, Marco.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Marco closed the door to the secret room and left, his superior muttered to himself, ¡°He¡¯s reckless, but perhaps he¡¯s worth keeping an eye on.¡± Kant opened his eyes slightly and smiled. * * * Returning to the n estate at dawn, I roughly took off my clothes and washed up. Perhaps due to fatigue, I fell asleep as soon as Iy down on the bed. When I woke up around the time the sunlight was shining brightly and sluggishly went outside, I finally noticed the clear light of Mount Khaoto. ¡°This is refreshing.¡± This is why people need to get a good night¡¯s sleep. I strolled around the lodging with a rxed mind, visited the main house once, and then wandered around again before stopping at the railing of the training ground. Looking back, I was the only one with a leisurely mind. The Head and the elders were in meetings without rest, and the apprentices guarding the main gate were tense. The faces of the ants in the training ground were also filled with tension. Suddenly, I wanted to say, ¡°How lonely. In this peaceful Mount Khaoto, only the mountain and I have a sense of ease.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± I turned around to see Daisy looking at me. I wondered when she had arrived. Hmm. This is embarrassing. As I pretended not to notice and hurriedly went down the railing, Daisy nodded with a look of admiration. ¡®She¡¯s out of her mind this early in the morning.¡¯ While entering the training ground aftering down from the railing, Donkey greeted me with a smile from afar. He was holding a steaming bowl of stew, and oh, my mouth watered at the sight of it. ¡®Looks delicious.¡¯ There were also several locals around. They were the ones I had deliberately ignored until now. ¡°Come quickly.¡± I reluctantly approached and received the stew bowl, and Donkey grinned and said, ¡°It¡¯s spicy.¡± It was delicious. Still delicious. ¡°I have one bottle of makgeolli left. Want to open it? I was saving it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Now I see there¡¯s one more person besides me who has a sense of ease. ¡°Sure. But only one bottle left? That¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± ¡°Yeah. I came in a hurry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s open it next time then. When the time is right.¡± Donkey mimicked my words with a chuckle. ¡°Sure. When the time is right.¡± While I was devouring the stew like there was no tomorrow, someone handed me a water bottle from behind. I took a sip and turned around to see a familiar little boy standing there. ¡°Precious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Precious.¡± The boy patted his chest and said, ¡°I¡¯m Allen.¡± Suddenly, I heardughter and looked up¡­ The locals, despite their tension, were smiling as they watched me and the boy. I didn¡¯t feel particrly good about it. It suddenly reminded me of the unpleasant Samael from my past life. I quickly left the training ground and walked towards the idiots. As I walked, my sense of ease gradually returned. The apprentices, sensing my approach, tensed up and maintained a rigid posture. Looking at them, they were quite amusing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± As if they had coordinated beforehand, they were forming some strange triangr formation. I sat down on a rock a little distance away and looked at the apprentices. ¡°I said, what are you doing?¡± While no one turned around, Palge replied, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°How is what?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look cool?¡± Palge was the mastermind behind the formation. I felt a surge of anger, but I tried to maintain myposure by recalling my sense of ease. ¡°Stop that ande here.¡± This time, Zion answered. ¡°We can¡¯t do that. We have to protect Samael.¡± ¡°Who am I talking to? Look at me and talk.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t. What if the enemy attacks while we¡¯re not looking and blows a hole in our heads?¡± ¡°But if you don¡¯t listen to me, wouldn¡¯t you be more likely to get a hole blown in your head by me?¡± The apprentices flinched and turned around all at once. ¡°Stop messing around ande here.¡± As the apprentices approached, I stepped onto the rock and turned around. The Head and the elders, who had finished their meeting, were looking at us. Even from a distance, I could sense their determination, so it seemed they were fully prepared. I looked at the apprentices and said, ¡°Hey guys, see those people over there acting all serious despite their age?¡± ¡°The elders?¡± ¡°Yeah. Go over there and rest next to them.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Because you need to have a rxed mind before going into battle.¡± Perhaps they sensed something from my words. The apprentices didn¡¯t say anything and walked towards the elders. I watched their backs for a moment and then asked, ¡°But why are you still maintaining the triangle formation even while walking?¡± Palge, without turning around, said, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Come here. Let me fix it.¡± The quick-witted idiots immediately disbanded their triangr formation. ¡°¡­.¡± With the apprentices gone, I was the only one left at the main gate. I sat alone on the rock, enjoying the leisurely moment and letting my thoughts wander. A few mercenaries approached me, but seeing my mood, they didn¡¯t say anything and went back. The wind was cool, and the overall atmosphere was perfect for contemtion. Among other things, I focused on imagining what the Bayern guys might be discussing. Snake Eyes, who got pped by me yesterday, would have reported back about our mercenary group, and the Head of Bayern would be nning to attack with all his forces. Maybe tonight, or tomorrow at thetest. It was highly likely that they had also informed Urgon of the situation. Those snake-like guys were surprisingly thorough. Kazen would have anticipated this much. He was probably nning to strike Bayern first around sunset today, but I had a slightly different idea. In my opinion, the Head of Bayern was a fool who didn¡¯t know his ce. He was like a wren with big ambitions despite his limitations. The fact that he had never even shown his face in Samael until now showed how much he valued his own authority. And guys like that tend to imitate the actions of those stronger than them. For example, a deration of war. It¡¯s an act of disying the family¡¯s authority and being conscious of outsiders. Exactly the kind of thing a wren-like guy would love. There was a possibility that he would spout some nonsense like, ¡°Listen, Samael! We will punish you for daring to insult Bayern. If you don¡¯t want to die, h h h.¡± Of course, he might not. But it was just my gut feeling. In reality, whether he came or not, it was just my imagination. Boom¡ª But my imagination became reality. I blinked and looked in the direction of the sound, and there stood a man I had never seen before, right in front of the main gate, having smashed the signboard. He was a man with a thick neck, wearing blue clothes. As expected of a deration of war, it seemed they sent someone with a loud voice. ¡°Hear this, Samael!¡± The locals in the training ground came running at his earth-shattering shout. The man waited until enough people had gathered, then unfurled the parchment he was holding in his right hand and read aloud, ¡°By the order of the Head of Bayern, Samael, open your ears and listen carefully! You will be punished for daring to insult Bayern. By tonight, the Head of Samael and his direct descendants must sever their own arms and kneel before Bayern. Otherwise¡­¡± The messenger, in charge of delivering the deration, met the eyes of the approaching Head of Samael and said, ¡°¡­only death awaits.¡± Having finished his message, the messenger proudly looked around. He didn¡¯t even flinch, even though all of Samael¡¯s people were approaching him. It was an unspoken rule not to kill the messenger who delivers a deration of war. Moreover, he was confident that they wouldn¡¯t dare touch him. ¡°Did you hear me clearly, Head?¡± The messenger continued to re at the Head of Samael, who was now within close proximity. He didn¡¯t like the fact that the Head of a mere minor family was leisurely approaching without any change in expression. ¡°I said, did you hear me clearly, Head? Only death awaits!¡± At that moment, sh¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± The messenger¡¯s wrist, holding the parchment, was cleanly severed. ¡°How can you be so careless? None of these guys ever watch their surroundings.¡± Before the messenger could even scream, I shoved my fist into his mouth, forcing him to his knees. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t escape.¡± The apprentices rushed forward and grabbed the messenger¡¯s legs. I wiped the ck dagger, dripping with blood, and said, ¡°Say it again, thick-necked bastard. What did you say?¡± The messenger, his severed wrist trembling, looked at Kazen. ¡°Ugh, you damn¡­ Let me go! How dare you do this to a messenger who came to deliver a deration! Ugh¡­¡± Kazen looked at me without saying a word, and I looked back into his eyes. His gaze was calm, so I couldn¡¯t tell if he was about to reprimand me or not. Most likely, it was a look of disapproval. If it were Kazen, he would have let the messenger go unharmed, no matter how presumptuous his behavior was. But I had no intention of letting that slide. ¡°Ruin.¡± Suddenly, Kazen extended his hand towards me. I was about to say something, but I unconsciously handed him the dagger I was holding. Thud¡ª ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± The messenger¡¯s entire right arm was cut off, and blood sttered in the air. Kazen, holding the dagger, turned around and ordered, ¡°We¡¯re going to Bayern. The mercenaries stay here and protect the people.¡± I looked at Kazen¡¯s face for a moment, then approached the main gate and picked up the fallen Blue Sea g. ¡°Bring the box.¡± While Daisy and the mercenaries brought the box, the apprentices lined up in front of me, awaiting orders. I made eye contact with each of the apprentices and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 67 Chapter 67: Unable to Go Mad (1) Cyan, the head of the Bayern family, emerged from the bathroompletely naked and headed towards the main hall. With a ¡®creak¡¯, he opened the side door, and inside, the executives were already gathered. ¡°Are the preparationsplete?¡± Snake and Shane responded. ¡°The Royal Guard is ready.¡± ¡°We¡¯re also finished on our end.¡± Cyan looked around and asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°Where¡¯s Blok? I told everyone to gather.¡± Snake answered cautiously. ¡°He hasn¡¯t regained consciousness yet.¡± ¡°That damn fool.¡± Cyan clicked his tongue and spread his arms. A servant, looking nervous, approached and helped him into a robe. ¡°And the mercenaries?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Raven; they should arrive soon.¡± Cyan, his robe fluttering, walked towards the head seat. As Cyan took his seat, Snake reported. ¡°The messenger will also return soon.¡± Cyan suddenly muttered, ¡°Do you think Kazen will cut off his own arm?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll probably try to negotiate. He brought in Dark Soul, so he¡¯ll think there¡¯s a chance. He¡¯s probably trying to buy time and raise money in the meantime.¡± Suddenly, Cyan¡¯s shoulders shook as he burst into uncontrobleughter. ¡°Those clever bastards. They¡¯ve done all sorts of strange things to find a way to survive.¡± Cyan abruptly stoppedughing and his eyes filled with murderous intent. ¡°Those who don¡¯t know their ce need to be taught a lesson.¡± Snake and Shane nodded with cruel smiles. ¡°Wise words.¡± ¡°Indeed. When will we depart, Father?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to drag this out. We¡¯ll leave as soon as the messenger returns. We need to finish everything before Urgon arrives.¡± ¡°Understood. Should we bring the people from Yale with us?¡± Cyan smiled cruelly. ¡°Of course. We need to do things thoroughly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to the annex and inform them.¡± Cyan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll go myself.¡± As Cyan finished speaking and rose from his seat, a loud ¡®boom¡¯ shook the ground outside. ¡°Listen, Bayern!¡± Cyan and the executives tilted their heads, thinking they had misheard. The doors of the main hall swung open, and a servant rushed in. ¡°You, you need toe see this, Lord!¡± * * * The iron fence surrounding the estate was shaking violently, and the main gate had beenpletely ripped off. The gatekeepers were sprawled on the ground, crushed beneath the iron gate, and a group of people was entering the estate. Cyan stood in front of the main hall and looked down at them for a moment. The sight was so absurd that he couldn¡¯tprehend the situation. ¡°What in the world is going on¡­ Snake.¡± Cyan demanded an exnation, but Snake was just as bewildered. Shaking his head, Snake finally regained hisposure and stepped forward to face the group. However, after observing the group for a moment, his bewilderment vanished, and a smile crept onto his face. ¡°Lord Kazen. To what do we owe this pleasure? It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯vee to beg for your lives. Are you here to negotiate? If so, your attitude seems a bit too arrogant for that.¡± At that moment, a man with severed arms was flung from the back of the group andnded on his knees before the estate. ¡°Lord¡­ Lord Kazen. Ugh¡­¡± It was the messenger they had sent. While Snake was once again speechless, Kazen red at Cyan and spoke. ¡°Listen, head of Bayern.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Samael gave you a chance, but you¡¯ve crossed the line too far. Considering your past atrocities, beheading you wouldn¡¯t be enough, but I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Disband your family and leave Khaoto immediately.¡± ¡°What? Hahahahaha!¡± Cyan threw back his head and roared withughter. After a while, he caught his breath and looked at Kazen. ¡°Listen, Kazen. Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯d spare your life if you cut off both your arms? What are you doing now? If you don¡¯t have the money, you should at least cut off your arms to repay your debt. Even living as a ve with severed arms is better than being beheaded.¡± Cyan looked around and said, ¡°Did you gain confidence because you brought in Dark Soul? Is that why you¡¯re acting like this?¡± Cyan suddenly looked at the Samael group and realized something strange. ¡°Where are the Dark Soul guys?¡± No matter how he looked, he could only see Kazen, the elders, and a few kids. At that moment, someone unexpectedly raised their hand and politely answered. ¡°They didn¡¯te with us.¡± The mages of the main house had rushed out and lined up on either side of Cyan. Kazen looked around once more and warned, ¡°This is yourst warning. Leave Khaoto immediately with your family.¡± Cyan smiled cruelly and gave an order. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve. Bring that man here. I¡¯ll cut off both his arms myself¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Someone interrupted at a rather opportune moment. It was the polite guy who had raised his hand earlier. He looked at Kazen and said, ¡°Lord Kazen. We also need to respond to their deration of war. You were too brief. Allow me to do it politely.¡± As Cyan observed the neer, Snake whispered in his ear. ¡°He¡¯s Kazen¡¯s bloodline. His name is Ruin, and he¡¯spletely insane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Ruin?¡± Cyan had heard of him before. He¡¯d heard that Kazen¡¯s son was causing trouble by hanging out with Blok. But he looked a bit different from what he had heard. Meanwhile, Ruin brought a wheeled tform from somewhere and unexpectedly climbed on top of it, facing Cyan directly. Two kids walked out from behind and held onto the tform from both sides. ¡°Lord Cyan.¡± His demeanor was so solemn that everyone in Bayern fell silent involuntarily. ¡°First of all, on behalf of Samael, I apologize for breaking down your main gate. However, as the apprenticemander of Samael, I would like to exin why we attacked Bayern. The reason is¡­¡± It was a masterful speech, starting with a polite apology and ending with a cliffhanger, making everyone curious about what woulde next. Cyan¡¯s eyes narrowed¡­ Suddenly, Ruin continued with a catchy melody. ¡°The crime of insulting Samael, the benefactor of the continent. The crime of violently knocking out Samael¡¯s gatekeeper. The crime of forcibly flicking the foreheads of Samael¡¯s eldest son and the Crazy Mage. The crime of massively seizing Samael¡¯s innocent businesses.¡± Amidst the confusion, the wheeled tform rolled forward quickly. ¡°The crime of destroying Samael¡¯s main gate, signboard, and walls. The crime of forcibly closing down Donkey¡¯s back alley. The crime of forcibly threatening Samael¡¯s family under the pretense of loans. The crime of violently seizing Mount Khaoto and attempting to destroy Samael.¡± Finally realizing he was being mocked, Cyan was about to shout when the kids holding the tform shouted in unison. ¡°Who is the sinner?¡± ¡°Who is the sinner?¡± Cyan choked and coughed, and Ruin seamlessly interjected once again, delivering the final blow. ¡°The crime of spreading shameless lies in Khaoto, iming that Samael couldn¡¯t repay Urgon¡¯s debt, and deceiving the people of the continent. The crime of deceiving Urgon by making Khaoto seem peaceful while deceiving everyone outside. The crime ofpletely destroying the peace of Khaoto, an unforgivable sin!¡± ¡°Who is the sinner?¡± ¡°Who is the sinner?¡± It was a perfect harmony, leaving no room for interruption. ¡°¡­¡± Cyan¡¯s face turned red, and he lowered his head, pointing at Ruin with his finger. * * * As expected, the traditional song from the past was effective. The song I just performed was a verse sung by themander of an unknown small nation hundreds of years ago after beheading the enemy general during a foreign invasion. It¡¯s called ¡°Who is the sinner?¡± Thinking about it, themander of the small nation must have been a very sincere and respected man. The word ¡°sinner¡± was such a polite expression. In fact, if I were to express it my way, it would be more fitting to say ¡°Who is the asshole?¡± It was the perfect song to y for shameless bastards like Bayern who didn¡¯t know who the asshole was. Indeed, seeing Cyan unable to say a word and just listen, I felt the greatness of the song. I gave a thumbs up to Zion and Palge and looked back at Cyan. His face was not just red, but beet red. ¡°Are you feeling ashamed now?¡± Cyan looked at Snake with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Snake.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bring that bastard here first. I need to tear his mouth apart.¡± As expected, he couldn¡¯t feel shame. That¡¯s how shameless people are. But it¡¯s even better this way. I stayed on the tform and watched Snake approach. With both enemies and allies watching me and Snake, we looked into each other¡¯s eyes. It felt like the vanguards of each camp were about to have a one-on-one duel. I opened my mouth first. ¡°Is your neck okay?¡± ¡°You insolent bastard.¡± Snake, wearing blue gloves on both hands, cursed at me. ¡°I told you what would happen if you ran your mouth.¡± I stepped down from the tform and replied. ¡°You¡¯re being rude. It seems you need another p to knock some sense into you.¡± As soon as I saw Snake start forming hand signs without a word, I kicked the tform hard with my foot. With a whoosh, Snake leaped over the tform as if it were a vaulting horse. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ I wrapped mes around my feet and jumped towards him. Snake smirked and swiftly turned his head, clearly anticipating my move. It seems he remembered getting hit by me once before. Whoosh¡ª The tip of my foot grazed Snake¡¯s cheek, missing by a hair¡¯s breadth. My kick cut through the air, and the momentum caused me to lose my bnce in mid-air. ¡°You fool.¡± Snake, havingpleted his hand signs, reached out towards my face. But did he know? This was also part of my n. Letting the momentum carry me, I twisted my waist and urately pped his cheek with my other foot. The moment I felt the satisfying impact on my foot, I unleashed mes from my toes. Fwoosh¡ª ¡°Argh!¡± Snake, his face sttered with embers, was flung backward and sprawled in front of the main hall. His cheek, torn and tattered by the mes, was left with a bright red burn mark in the shape of a footprint. I looked around for a moment, and everyone who was surprised was from Bayern. I asked Snake a question with a trap. ¡°Is your cheek okay?¡± No matter what he answered, I was going to rush in and take his head off. Of course, I was curious about what he would say, so I would listen to his answer until the end before killing him. I wondered if he would say his cheek was fine, not fine, beg for his life, or attack again. But Snake gave apletely different answer. ¡°Ugh¡­ Kill that bastard!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Surprisingly, about half of Bayern¡¯s youngsters rushed forward at once, forming hand seals. As expected of third-rate scum. They dared to have their underlings interfere in a sacred duel. Moreover, these guys seemed to have no sense of hierarchy, as they rushed forward on their own even though Lord Cyan hadn¡¯t said a word. ¡°Charge!¡± In response, the apprentices from our side also rushed forward. They were admirable for thinking of their captain. Suddenly, a faint red light fell upon the estate, which had been gloomy until now. The dark clouds covering the sky parted for a moment, and the evening sunset stretched out red through the gap. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ While I was momentarily distracted by the sky, a few of Bayern¡¯s youngsters approached me, forming hand seals. That was the moment. ¡°It¡¯s a burning stone, you bastard!¡± Wham¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Zion, who had jumped out from behind me, simultaneously struck the jaws of two youngsters with a well-heated t stone. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 68 Chapter 68: Unable to Go Mad (2) The two guys who got hit in the jaw with the t stone copsed. Zion chanted another spell towards the other side. ¡°Sharp me, Fire Arrow.¡± A young man, struck in the chest by a ming arrow, went flying backward and crashed onto the floor. ¡°Ugh!¡± There were three of hisrades right next to where hended, but they were all sweating profusely and couldn¡¯t even think of helping him. They were too busy forming hand signs to defend against the bull-like guy charging at them from the other side. ¡°Wa, Water Ball!¡± ¡°Shaking earth, Earth Shock.¡± Makan stomped his foot hard like a bull, causing the three guys to stumble simultaneously. In the meantime, Makan swung his spear powerfully, dispersing the water droplets flying towards him. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn!¡± As Makan charged forward, swinging his spear, the Bayern youngsters panicked and rolled left and right on the ground. The situation was simr on the other side. The Bayern youngsters were being overwhelmed in an instant, unable to do anything. ¡°Th, those guys¡­¡± Snake¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and Shane hurriedly raised his hand and gave an order. ¡°Invincible Corps, prepare to attack!¡± Invincible Corps? I, who had been watching the fight as a spectator, suddenly burst intoughter and quickly covered my mouth with both hands. ¡®What a great naming sense. Is that guy the leader of the Invincible Corps then?¡¯ While I was chuckling inwardly, the magic corps, boasting invincibility, descended into the estate all at once. On our side, the elders were about to step forward, but Kazen shook his head and stopped them. Kazen calmly observed the situation and said, ¡°Head Elder. It seems the enemy is short on numbers. I don¡¯t see any mercenaries. They might be trying to surround us from the outside. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Kazen and Norman exchanged nces for a moment. The sunset that had been illuminating the estate gradually faded, and darkness descended once again. Norman nodded with a stern expression. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the children.¡± As the elders went outside, Shane finally walked down and joined the Invincible Corps. At that moment, the dark cloudspletely swallowed the sunset, and even the faint sunlight that had been shining on the estate disappeared. A gloomy darkness settled in. Shane narrowed his eyes cruelly and gave the order. ¡°Kill them!¡± Dozens of youngsters charged towards us all at once. * * * As expected, the Invincible Corps lived up to its name; there was no worthy opponent. They were so pathetic that they couldn¡¯tpete with anyone. Dozens of members of the Invincible Corps charged at the apprentices, but they were being overwhelmed instead. If the apprentices had understood the importance of actualbat a little better, the Invincible Corps guys¡¯ heads would have been blown off, and the situation would have been over already. Even with Shane and Snake joining the fight, nothing changed. The expressions on Snake Eyes and Corpse Eyes, mixed with bewilderment and anger, were quite a sight to behold. Meanwhile, I was still watching the battle as a spectator, but it wasn¡¯t just because there was no need for me to intervene. I was continuously observing Cyan¡¯s expression. Although his eyes clearly showed bewilderment, there was no emotion beyond that. Why? His subordinates were being beaten back, so why was he just standing there watching? Was he so scared that he was frozen in ce? As I pondered for a moment, a sudden ¡®fwip¡¯ sound pierced my ears. Something like a ray of light shot out in the direction of the apprentices. I instinctively jumped out and caught it, and it turned out to be a familiar iron skewer. ¡°Commander!¡± I looked in the direction the skewer hade from, and several men wereughing while swaying their bodies. They looked just like the mollusk man I had killed a while ago. There was a brief lull¡­ Cyan cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°So you¡¯vee out.¡± From the group of mollusks, a hunchbacked man stepped forward and replied. ¡°This is quite disappointing, Lord Cyan.¡± Cyan¡¯s lips twisted into a sneer. ¡°Didn¡¯t I bring the Yale members here in preparation for this? You can kill anyone except Kazen and his bloodline.¡± The hunchbacked man grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. ¡°I have to earn my keep.¡± ¡®So that¡¯s what it was.¡¯ That¡¯s who Cyan was relying on. I looked at the mollusks called Yale for a moment. They all looked strange. The Guy who tortured One-Eye before was strange, but these guys were even worse. They were wearing cloaks that were either stained with blood or naturally red, and they were covered in iron skewers. Both enemies and allies alike were hesitant to make eye contact with Yale. I also frowned, feeling disgusted. There was a rotten smell in the air. Especially the hunchbacked man, every time he spoke, the stench of blood intensified. He wasn¡¯t someone who had killed just once or twice. I covered my nose and looked at Cyan. ¡°You have quite a strong stomach. Where did you bring these rotten fish-like creatures from? Especially that hunchback, he seems particrly rotten. Get rid of them immediately.¡± Cyanughed as if he was dumbfounded, and the hunchbacked man looked at me with a bewildered expression. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person to speak to me like that. Usually, people are too busy freezing up or trembling in fear. Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± ¡°Shut your mouth and speak. The rotten smell is overwhelming.¡± The Yale members all stirred at once. Even when theyughed, the stench of blood filled the air. ¡°You¡¯re a fearless one. You must be Samael¡¯s bloodline. It¡¯ll be fun to pierce your belly. Let¡¯s see if you can still talk like that then.¡± ¡°Someone said something simr not too long ago. Do you know what happened to him? Ah, don¡¯t answer. The rotten smell is unbearable. Instead, let me tell you the answer. His head got smashed in and he died.¡± Suddenly, the hunchbacked man tilted his head and asked, ¡°Are you the Mad Mage?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Cyan frowned and interrupted. ¡°Are you the one Raven mentioned? Is it true that you killed a member of Yale?¡± ¡°My reputation has spread already.¡± As I smiled with satisfaction, the hunchbacked man slowly descended from the railing. He stared at me intently, and when I didn¡¯t look away, he grinned creepily. ¡°Now I see you¡¯re not just fearless. You¡¯re the same kind as us. You have talent. It¡¯s something you¡¯re born with, and you¡¯re better than most. If it weren¡¯t for this situation, I would have taken you in. It¡¯s a shame.¡± As the hunchbacked man descended the railing, his cloak fluttered in the wind. I observed him carefully and came to a conclusion. He¡¯s a professional assassin and torturer. His skills were hard to gauge just by looking. His eyes were worn and weathered, and he knew how to conceal his energy. Moreover, rats like him who made a living from torture and assassination always had hidden tricks up their sleeves. One by one, the other Yale members descended the railing and stood beside the hunchback. The hunchback pulled out a skewer from his cloak and pointed at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to pierce that guy¡¯s belly, so don¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°Keke, then I¡¯ll take that pig. He looks plump.¡± The others also pointed at the apprentices one by one, choosing their targets for skewers. While the rotten-smelling guys were giggling¡­ I debated whether tounch a surprise attack but changed my mind. These rotten fish were at least faster than the one guy I killed before. If I attacked first, I could kill a few of them in one blow, but I couldn¡¯t kill them all at once. Especially if I let the hunchbacked man out of my sight for even a moment, there was no telling what kind of trouble he might cause. Dying in a fight was an everyday urrence, but I wasn¡¯t alone now. There was no need to put the apprentices and Kazen in greater danger. First, I had to make sure I had a firm grip on the hunchbacked man. I looked at the idiots and spoke seriously for the first time. ¡°This is realbat now. I can¡¯t protect you all. Take care of yourselves.¡± The apprentices nodded with tense expressions. Suddenly, I heard a whistling sound from behind. Whoosh¡ª As expected, the hunchbacked man was sneaky. He threw a skewer as soon as I showed an opening. I turned around immediately, havingpressed a ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ around my upper body. The skewer hit the Wind Barrier, causing cracks. At the same moment, the other Yale members also unleashed a barrage of skewers and charged towards the apprentices. I focused solely on the hunchbacked man and kicked off the ground. The Yale members and I crossed paths like the wind. * * * ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ The hunchbacked man effortlessly deflected the me spear with a nod and pulled out two iron skewers. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t throw the skewers. He gripped them tightly in his fingertips and charged towards me, swinging them fiercely. I dodged the skewers swung at close range and opened my heart¡¯s circle. ¡°mes that wrap around the skin¡­¡± I ducked to avoid another skewer andpleted the chant. ¡°¡­Fire Arm.¡± Dense mana gathered in my right arm, enveloping it in powerful mes. I swung the Fire Arm directly at the hunchback¡¯s jaw. At the same time, the hunchback flung his cloak open like lightning. A volley of skewers poured out from the cloak, raining down on my right arm like arrows. Fwoosh¡ª The two attacks collided. The Fire Arm, its power weakened by the skewer shield, narrowly missed the hunchback¡¯s jaw. While the hunchback momentarily retreated¡­ I briefly turned my head to take in the whole scene. The apprentices and Yale were entangled in battle. The Bayern youngsters were preparing their hand signs. Cyan and Shane stared at the apprentices in disbelief. It didn¡¯t take long for me to make a decision. Whoosh¡ª ¡°Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Wind.¡± The moment Cyan turned his head, sensing something amiss, the wind de had already pierced Shane¡¯s heart and the pir of the main hall. ¡°Gah.¡± There was no further scream. Only the following whistling sound and his copsing body remained. ¡°You bastard!¡± Cyan, his eyes bloodshot, leaped towards me, drawing hand signs. The hunchback, having finished his preparations, also charged at me with skewers between his fingers. I had to face both Cyan and the hunchback at the same time. I skillfully deflected Cyan¡¯s hand signs while keeping my focus on the hunchback. For some reason, the rotten smell intensified every time he moved. After exchanging a few blows, the hunchback¡¯s eyes changed rapidly. ¡°What the hell are you? Are you really from Samael? I¡¯ve never heard of anyone like you.¡± ¡°You called me the Crazy Mage earlier, you idiot.¡± Hearing my reply, the hunchback suddenly introduced himself. ¡°I am Blood.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I noticed that the hunchback¡¯s fingernails were dark red. How many people had he killed for the blood to stain them like that? Such discoloration couldn¡¯t happen just by killing people. Had he pierced his fingertips and dipped them in blood? From observing the hunchback so far, his movements were impossible without mana. But no matter how I looked, I couldn¡¯t sense any mana fluctuations from him. Instead, a murky energy emanated from him every time he moved his body. At first, I thought it was the rotten smelling from his body, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Hunchback, did you perhaps devour someone else¡¯s core?¡± The hunchback grinned, revealing his teeth. Dark red bloodstains were visible between his yellow teeth. ¡°You were even more of an idiot than I expected. So that¡¯s the source of the rotten smell.¡± At that moment, I felt a surge of mana from behind. While I was figuring out the hunchback, Cyan hadpleted a 4-star hand sign. ¡°Die, you brat!¡± A chilling wind blew, and a sizable ice spike flew towards me. I immediately put up a barrier and prepared to defend against the iing ice spike. ¡°Ruin!¡± Faster than that, a powerful surge of mana from behind struck the ice chunk. Boom! The ice shattered into countless pieces, scattering white in the air, and the mana fluctuations vanished without a trace. I turned around to see Kazen clutching his chest and breathing heavily. ¡°¡­Be careful, Ruin.¡± I nodded once and leaped towards Blood. I wondered if the hunchback even realized what a foolish thing he had done. sh¡ª The dark estate suddenly shed, and the world turned white. The dark clouds covering the sky emitted a sh of lightning, followed by thunder. Rumble! A faint scream, masked by the loud thunder, reached my ears. ¡°Ugh!¡± It was the voice of one of the apprentices. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 69 Chapter 69: Unable to Go Mad (3) Bamer, a member of the Yale mercenary group who was fighting Makan, was gradually being cornered. ¡®This damn bastard¡­¡¯ He had chosen the wrong opponent. Bamer was known for his cruelty even within the party, but he was having a hard time handling this one ignorant young fool. He felt like tearing his muscles apart with an iron skewer. Thebination of the young fool¡¯s reckless spear attacks and the strange magic that filled the gaps, left him breathless. He had never met anyone like this before. At some point, with a ting sound, the iron skewer in his hand bounced away. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ A look of urgency appeared in Bamer¡¯s eyes. His initial rxed expression was nowhere to be found. Bamer, having lost his weapon, floundered and was eventually hit by Makan¡¯s spear and fell to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± The moment Makan swung his spear de once more towards Bamer. ¡°S-save me!¡± Bamer knelt down and raised both hands, dering his surrender. Makan twisted the path of the spear de at thest moment, aiming it towards the ground. It was then. The sky shed white. The expressions of the enemies, hidden in the darkness, were revealed. ¡°¡­What?¡± For the first time, a look of surprise appeared on Makan¡¯s face. The enemy was smiling. ¡°Keh, you idiot.¡± A cruel glint appeared in Bamer¡¯s eyes. From Bamer¡¯s mouth, which was gushing blood, a small iron skewer shot out, aiming for Makan¡¯s heart. Makan hurriedly twisted his body, but he couldn¡¯t avoid itpletely. The skewer pierced his chest. ¡°Cough!¡± Makan¡¯s scream was drowned out by the sound of thunder. Bamer, not missing the opportunity, took out another skewer and thrust it towards Makan¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll pierce your face.¡± It was then that another young idiot appeared from somewhere and took Bamer¡¯s attack instead. It was the small young idiot who had been fighting another party member. ¡°Ugh. Get a grip, Makan.¡± The iron skewer thrown by the party member pierced the small young fool¡¯s back. ¡°Ugh. Get a grip, you idiot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only then did Makan pull out the skewer from his chest and raise his head. ¡®¡­Zion.¡¯ There was also an iron skewer deeply embedded in Zion¡¯s back. A fountain of blood erupted from his back. It was a wound he received in exchange for saving him in the middle of fighting the enemy. Makan¡¯s heart pounded. ¡°¡­¡± He turned his gaze to look at the enemies. Two of them were aiming their skewers at them. And behind them, the Bayern Invincible Corps was not missing the opportunity and were forming hand signs. Makan gripped the spear shaft embedded in the ground so tightly it seemed like it would shatter. No thoughts came to mind. Instinctively, he opened both his Mana Core in his lower abdomen and his Mana Circle in his heart simultaneously. The spear de, infused with all the Mana from his Core, made a thud sound as it was driven all the way in, and the Mana Circle rotated, causing the surrounding earth to shake. Makan¡¯s vision narrowed. It was a chaotic situation with numerous ice spears raining down and iron skewers flying around, but Makan¡¯s eyes only saw the heads of his enemies. ¡°I¡¯ll crush them.¡± Makan swung the spear de, embedded deep into the ground, upwards. A straight crack appeared in the courtyard between the Invincible Corps and Makan, and the ground was overturned into the air. Makanunched himself towards the enemies through the overturned ground. Zion, who was watching, also had a flicker of madness in his eyes. * * * Burma, covered in dust, barely managed to dodge. Cold sweat ran down his forehead. The momentum of the two young idiots had changed in an instant. The ground suddenly overturned, even though there was no earthquake, and before he could react, hisrade¡¯s head was blown off. ¡®What¡¯s with those kids¡¯ eyes¡­¡¯ The moment he made eye contact, his body froze. Their eyes were desperate. They were different from him. It was clear that if he continued to block them, his head would be next. ¡®Let¡¯s wait until the leader joins us.¡¯ Burma looked around and quickly flew to the opposite side. Fortunately, the skills of the brats on the other side were insignificant. Every one of them was tense. ¡®Yes, this is normal.¡¯ Burma focused his attention on two of them who were fighting together. One of them had a particrly fearful look in his eyes. His body stiffened every time a skewer flew towards him. ¡°Keh.¡± A cruel smile appeared on Burma¡¯s face again. It was always fun to skewer such cowardly ones. The fight quickly tilted in their favor when Burma joined in. As Burma swung the iron skewers in both hands, the fear in the coward¡¯s eyes grew. His hands fumbled, and his posture crumbled. The moment Burma thrust his skewer deep into the coward¡¯s stomach. Suddenly, the coward screamed and ducked to the ground. ¡°Ugh.¡± The skewer pierced the shoulder of the other guy behind him instead. The coward, crouched down, shouted with trembling eyes. ¡°N-no, Ain!¡± ¡°Keh.¡± Burma, enjoying the screams, pulled out the blood-stained skewer with a grim smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t bad either.¡± He nned to finish off this one first and then slowly torture the coward. Finally, a situation he liked was unfolding. As he approached with the skewer to further pierce the guy¡¯s shoulder, Burma suddenly felt a hot sensation from the side. The moment he instinctively let go of the skewer and pulled his hand back, with a bang, the skewer exploded in a fireball. He looked up to see the coward standing up and charging at him. ¡°Keh, the idiot is begging to be skewered first.¡± Burma took out two of his prized iron skewers from his bosom and thrust them towards the coward¡¯s face. The coward raised his arms to block the skewers. The skewers pierced the barrier surrounding his arms, causing cracks to appear. Before Burma could pull the skewers back, the coward jerked his forehead back and then headbutted Burma¡¯s face. At that moment, a barrier shimmered on the coward¡¯s forehead as well. Thud ¡°Ugh!¡± Feeling the strong impact, Burma grabbed his forehead and quickly retreated. ¡°This damn bastard!¡± Before Burma could regain hisposure, he heard the sound of something tearing through the air. Twisting his body at maximum speed, Burma swung his iron skewer once more. At the same time that he felt the sensation of flesh being pierced by the tip of the skewer, Burma was thrown back with a shock that shattered his ribs. ¡°Kraaagh!¡± Looking down, he saw his ribs protruding through his skin. It was hard to even breathe. While he was still trying to make sense of what had happened, the coward was approaching him. There was also a skewer deeply embedded in the coward¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Ugh¡­ You didn¡¯t dodge on purpose?¡± Was this the same guy who was acting like a coward just a moment ago? The coward pulled out the iron skewer from his shoulder and pointed it at him. ¡°It¡¯s an advanced technique, you bastard!¡± His ribs were broken, making it difficult to breathe. He met the coward¡¯s eyes. The coward¡¯s eyes were fixed on him without a hint of wavering. They were just like the eyes of that reckless fool from earlier. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­Don¡¯t kill me. If you kill me¡­ Cough!¡± The iron skewer pierced his throat. He could no longer speak. Only air escaped from his mouth. He couldn¡¯t see. Blood poured from his eyes. ¡®Kraaagh!¡¯ Burma¡¯s consciousness faded. * * * Cyan knelt down, clutching his burning chest. He couldn¡¯t regain hisposure at all. Even after using all of his 4-star Mana to cast magic several times, he couldn¡¯tnd a single blow on that arrogant bastard. What the hell was that guy? Was it true that he was of Samael¡¯s bloodline? Cyan¡¯s gaze turned to Ruin, who was fighting Blood. ¡°¡­¡± He was even effortlessly dispelling his magic while fighting ¡®that¡¯ Blood, using all sorts of strange tricks. Suddenly, the image of his eldest son shed through Cyan¡¯s mind, and he felt the blood rush to his head. It was all because of that bastard. His family was in this state because of him. ¡°That¡­ damn bastard.¡± Cyan gathered all the remaining Mana in his body. He was already at his limit, but it didn¡¯t matter. His chest felt like it would explode, but he gritted his teeth and endured. A momentter, Cyan, who had been spitting blood from his mouth, finallypleted the magic formation. The most powerful magic he could perform. With this¡­ With this, he could kill that bastard. At that moment, Ruin, who had been fighting Blood, suddenly turned his head and looked at Cyan. ¡°What are you doing? Weren¡¯t you a spectator?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Cyan couldn¡¯t speak because he was on the verge ofpleting the magic formation. ¡°You are an idiot.¡± Cyan¡¯s head was turned by a lightning-fast kick without any reaction. Smack The Mana inside him was disrupted, and ck blood poured out. * * * Anyway, the world is vast, and there are many third-rate people. Forming a hand sign while defenseless, practically begging to be killed. ¡®If you¡¯re going to be a spectator, just be a spectator.¡¯ After giving the spectator who tried to interrupt the stage a lightning-fast p, I turned back to face Blood. Blood still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off me. The evil energy had faded, but the rotten smell was stronger, and his face was clearly exhausted. As I was about to charge again, Blood spoke first. ¡°Crazy Mage.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come under me. You¡¯ll die by my hand anyway if you keep resisting. Your subordinates are also destined to die. But if youe under me, I can save you. If you go to Yale and hide, even Urgon won¡¯t be able to find you.¡± ¡°Are you the group leader?¡± ¡°I am.¡± I grinned and replied. ¡°Bullshit. Worry about yourself. Your organs are probably rotting away already.¡± The fate of someone who forcibly absorbs Mana by devouring others¡¯ Cores couldn¡¯t be good. There were others like him in the past. They ripped out the Core of arade who fought and died alongside them against the demons during an expedition, and miserably absorbed it. Those madmen who refilled their own Cores with the Mana of their deadrades and continued to fight the demons desperately. The more they drew on others¡¯ Mana, the faster their bodies were destroyed, but they did it anyway, knowing that. Because that¡¯s what the expedition was like. But this hunchbacked bastard was different from them. This bastardmitted such a foolish act purely for his own sake. Blood grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. ¡°I can kill you. This is not a lie.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± I already knew he had a hidden trick. Such a smelly bastard always had dirty tricks up his sleeve. I looked into the rotting bastard¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do it, do it quickly. Don¡¯t hesitate and miss your chance.¡± Blood chuckled and pointed his index finger at me. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only madman in the world?¡± ¡°Show me. I¡¯ll be the judge.¡± Suddenly, Blood¡¯s index finger detached from his hand. As soon as I dodged with a nod, he pointed his middle finger at me. ¡°Stop flipping me off. It¡¯s quite offensive.¡± At that moment, his pinky finger wasunched towards a random direction. The middle finger was a feint. Looking at the direction the pinky was flying, it was towards Palge. ¡°Dodge, fatty!¡± Palge, who was fighting two guys near me, must have been watching us because he put up a barrier to block the finger. ¡°¡­What?¡± Blood¡¯s pinky finger, rotten and decaying, melted through Palge¡¯s barrier and pierced his thigh. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± ¡°You idiot, I told you to dodge.¡± As I ran towards Palge, I heard another powerful tearing sound from behind. In the split second I dodged with a nod, I saw Palge in front of me and hurriedly reached out my hand. Before the tearing sound reached Palgae, I caught it with my bare hand. A tingling sensation spread through my palm. This time, it wasn¡¯t a finger but an iron skewer. My hand was torn by the skewer, and blood flowed profusely. ¡°¡­¡± Palge looked down at my hand, and I looked into his eyes for a moment. Palge trembled and opened his mouth. ¡°Gathering radiance, Cure.¡± I guess when Palgae goes crazy, he bes a fatty who can speak properly. Light enveloped my palm, and the wound healed instantly. At the same time, the Yale guys swung their iron skewers at Palgae. ¡°Kuaagh!¡± A barrier exploded from Palge¡¯s body, sending the Yale guys flying. Palge red at the flying guys as if he was going to kill them and ran towards them. ¡°He¡¯s be a crazy fatty.¡± I turned my head again and looked at Blood, who had a dumbfounded expression on his face. It seemed like he had been focusing solely on me until now, and only now was he grasping the overall situation. ¡°Is it over? You seem to have your left hand left.¡± Suddenly, Blood¡¯s entire body trembled. His cloak continued to flutter, and his swollen body was revealed through it. ¡°Piercing a single point¡­ Hmm.¡± I was about to pierce his body but stopped immediately when I felt something was off. Blood¡¯s pupils turned blood red. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? You¡¯re not the only madman.¡± As he spoke, Blood¡¯s body swelled evenrger. I realized Blood¡¯s hidden trick. I also knew what would happen the moment I popped it. I immediately rushed towards Blood andpressed my barrier. In an instant, Blood¡¯s body exploded, and rotten flesh scattered in all directions. Fwoosh Thousands of pieces of rotten flesh, torn into pieces, covered the sky beyond the range of the barrier. I fully opened the Circle in my heart and spread a wide ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ in the air to block the chunks of flesh. But there were too many of them. ¡°Dodge, you idiots!¡± I hurriedly looked towards the apprentices and suddenly burst intoughter. Even as the rotten flesh rained down on the apprentices like spikes, they were nonchntly cutting off the heads of their enemies. At that moment, a massive surge of Mana rippled once more from behind. Kuooooooooong The surge, spreading widely across the courtyard, enveloped the remaining pieces of Blood¡¯s flesh in the air and exploded in an instant. ¡°Ugh!¡± It was Kazen. Kazen knelt on one knee. He gasped for breath as if it was hard to endure. A handful of blood flowed from his mouth. After watching Kazen for a moment, I took a step and slowly approached Blood. Blood¡¯s once bulging body was now emaciated, revealing his skeleton. His entire body was covered in skewer marks, and his flesh was rotting away from the inside. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? Is it over?¡± Blood had a look in his eyes as if he couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening. ¡°How¡­¡± I picked up an iron skewer that had fallen to the ground and pierced his shoulder as I replied. ¡°You idiot.¡± Blood¡¯s body copsed without any resistance. Suddenly, the reason I had been cautious with Blood came to mind¡­ I thought he would try to kill me with whatever he had hidden, no matter what it was. But he didn¡¯t. Blood realized while fighting that he was no match for me. So he tested my reaction by attacking Palge. Then, he deliberately unleashed his hidden move on the apprentices, not caring whether his subordinates lived or died. He probably thought I would die trying to protect the apprentices and get hit by the flesh. I picked up another iron skewer and pierced his stomach. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The shadow of death fell over Blood¡¯s face. Blood briefly turned his head to look at one of his dead subordinates nearby, then let out a sigh of resignation and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­They¡¯re pitiful. So am I. I didn¡¯t live a shameful life. This isn¡¯t the life I chose. Look at my body.¡± Blood looked down at his own body. It was covered in skewer marks. ¡°I¡¯ve been like this since I was a lump of flesh. Every day was hell. The Core I ripped out belonged to my father, who made me this way. I became the group leader, and our lives improved. And yet, you say I¡¯m wrong.¡± I replied without much thought. ¡°You¡¯re no different from your father.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Blood didn¡¯t answer anymore. Suddenly, the sky shed, and another thunderous roar echoed. Blood nced at Kazen for a moment, then looked towards where the apprentices were gathered. All the other Yale members were dead. Yet, the apprentices continued to strike down on their heads. All the surviving Bayern members were looking at the apprentices with fear in their eyes. The dying Blood muttered. ¡°¡­They¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°Yeah, unlike you.¡± Hearing my reply, Blood tilted his head slightly. ¡°Do you really take pride in being crazy?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because if you¡¯re not crazy, you can¡¯t go crazy.¡± Blood, who had been lost in thought for a moment, nodded. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Then, Blood looked at the apprentices and gathered hisst remaining breath. ¡°I am Blood Rahidolf, the Group Leader of Yale. Tell me your name.¡± I looked at the idiots for a moment and replied. ¡°The Crazy Mage Squad.¡± I struck down on Blood¡¯s neck, who had already stopped breathing. [TL/N: Peak Chap]] ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 70 Chapter 70 I don¡¯t know how Kazen felt, but the wriggling bastards were all annihted. None of them died cleanly. They died in horrific ways, reflecting the atrocities they hadmitted. The eyes of the already dead were filled with fear, as if they had seen something they shouldn¡¯t have. It wasn¡¯t particrly surprising. Those who faced the Crazy Mage Squad usually died with such looks in their eyes. It wasn¡¯t a matter of skill, but of mindset. Even the demons feared us, so there was no reason these guys would be any different. Blood, at least, had the cleanest death. I don¡¯t know the true nature of Yale. All I knew was that they were bastards who made a living out of torture, assassination, and murder. Blood called them pitiful, but I disagree. Whether it was by choice or not, it didn¡¯t matter. My conclusion was that these guys enjoyed torture and assassination. Blood was no different. He tried to make his own way in a shitty environment, but that was it. People who becent are usually like this. In the end, the one who was destined to die, died. Despite all this, only silence filled the courtyard. The Crazy Mage Squad members, covered in blood, stood dazed in various ces, and Kazen closed his eyes to heal his internal injuries. The surviving Bayern members, about half of them, had retreated and were cautiously observing the situation, as quiet as mice. I approached Cyan, who was gasping for breath in a corner. Kwack I grabbed his head and met his eyes, but perhaps because he was out of it, there was no resistance. As I dragged Cyan to the center of the courtyard, the Crazy Mage Squad members slowly gathered around me. I made Cyan kneel and lit a fire around him. The sinner¡¯s face was clearly revealed in the darkness. Seeing his pale face and vacant eyes, I doubted he would understand anything I said. But I asked the sinner. ¡°Do you admit your guilt?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no answer, I¡¯ll assume you admit it and smash your head in.¡± I thought of themander of some nameless small country and looked around. Everyone was just watching their lord die, like foreign forces waiting for an execution. No one stepped forward. Even Snake desperately avoided my eyes. At that moment, with a hiss, the fires that had been lit in various ces went out simultaneously. There was no wind, and they didn¡¯t go out naturally. As the courtyard was once again engulfed in darkness, I suddenly turned my head and looked at the right wall. Just then, the sky shed white, and several men appeared at the end of the iron wall. ¡°¡­¡± I had never seen them before, but I instinctively knew who they were. Along with the sound of thunder, a chill swept in and engulfed the courtyard. Then, I heard a tearing sound, and something sharp flew in precisely between me and the sinner. Ting As soon as Makan swung his spear de and deflected the ice spike, a solemn voice echoed from the darkness. ¡°Lord Cyan.¡± The one presumed to be the leader of Urgon¡¯s group climbed over the wall. The man, dressed in blue from head to toe, scanned the scene with sharp eyes and walked straight towards Cyan. Tuk Tutuk Meanwhile, raindrops began to fall one by one. The man, who had approached us, seemed to pay no attention to us. He asked Cyan, who was kneeling. ¡°Is this their doing?¡± Snake, who had been watching from behind, quickly shouted. ¡°It¡¯s Samael! Samael broke the agreement and attacked Bayern.¡± The man once again carefully examined the surroundings. He frowned as he saw the gruesomely scattered corpses, the chaotic courtyard, the scattered pieces of rotten flesh, and the iron skewers. ¡°¡­Cliff?¡± Meanwhile, Cyan¡¯splexion returned to normal. After recognizing the man in front of him, Cyan realized that he had nothing to worry about. Even though the n had gone awry, nothing would change. The Samael bastards had failed to keep their promise anyway. Now that Urgon was here, the situation would be resolved. Cyan quicklyposed himself, stood up, and said. ¡°Cliff. As I reported to Urgon¡­ Samael failed to repay the loan within the deadline. They didn¡¯t repay the money, and they didn¡¯t fulfill the agreement. When we tried to enforce the collection, they attacked our Bayern instead.¡± Cyan continued, gauging Cliff¡¯s reaction. ¡°I apologize. We should have stopped them, but their n was more thorough than we expected. We didn¡¯t anticipate them involving other gangs from Khaoto and Leon. It seems they had been preparing for a long time. They were determined.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only then did the man called Cliff turn his gaze towards me. ¡°Samael. Is what Lord Cyan says true?¡± It was an unexpected question. I had been observing Cliff, and I sensed that he didn¡¯t have a particrly favorable impression of Bayern. Moreover, asking me again about the truth was a strange question for the Urgon guys who were targeting Samael. I suddenly remembered what Kant had said. Not many people knew the backstory of Urgon targeting Samael. I wiped the raindrops from my eyes and met Cliff¡¯s gaze. ¡°Bayern insulted Samael. It¡¯s a separate issue from the loan. They seized Samael¡¯s businesses and destroyed the family¡¯s heirlooms. Not only that, they threatened Samael¡¯s family and even dered war with the intent to annihte them. I believe that¡¯s sufficient justification.¡± Cyan interrupted. ¡°Shut up! Are you trying to distort the fact that you couldn¡¯t repay the debt?!¡± I stopped the Crazy Mage Squad members from stepping forward and replied. ¡°It seems Lord Cyan is suddenly getting excited.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Speaking of which, let me ask you. Who spread the rumor that we couldn¡¯t repay the debt? Did we ever borrow money from you? It seems like the distortion ising from you, Cyan.¡± Cyan scoffed and retorted. ¡°Now you¡¯re spouting nonsense!¡± ¡°Bring it.¡± The Crazy Mage Squad members approached the main gate and brought a box that had been hidden to one side. ¡°Open it.¡± Cyan, who had a look of disbelief on his face, fell silent as soon as the box was opened. It wasn¡¯t just Cyan. The Urgon members and the other Bayern members who were watching also widened their eyes. ¡°¡­W-where did thise from?¡± The gold bars that filled the box emitted a golden light. ¡°We have more than enough money. Now let me ask you, where¡¯s the proof that we have to repay the debt? Do you have a notarized agreement or something?¡± Cyan¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°If you bring the notarized agreement, we¡¯ll pay you anytime.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Where is it, the notarized agreement? You need evidence, don¡¯t you?¡± As Cyan¡¯s silence lengthened, Cliff looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Bring the agreement first.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± I smiled and said to Cyan. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you threatened us without even having an agreement?¡± Cyan, trying to maintain hisposure, growled. ¡°I definitely showed you the notarized agreement back then. Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Then it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to show it again.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Of course, there was no way it existed. They were the ones who borrowed money from ¡°Vani Sky¡± using the notarized agreement as coteral. They used that money to hire the Yale bastards. They probably nned to repay it with the money they collected from Khaoto once the situation was settled, but they didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way. ¡°Why are you silent? Did you perhaps sell it off?¡± Suddenly, Cyan, sensing something, red at me with burning eyes. ¡°You, you bastard, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Cliff interrupted, ring at Cyan. ¡°Look here, Lord Cyan! Don¡¯t ask where the agreement is. Bring it immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cyan couldn¡¯t answer. * * * The rain was getting heavier. Cliff, who had been looking at Cyan with a contemptuous expression for a while, sighed and looked at me. ¡°I am Cliff, the captain of Urgon¡¯s Azure Dragon Magic Division Squad. It seems we need some confirmation. We¡¯ll take care of things here, so Samael should return to your family and wait.¡± [TL/N: Thing is I am not sure what his exact rank is because from what we know Azure Dragon Magic Division has 3 subdivisions? So maybe the group he brought here is one of the said groups or they could be just a random squad under the magic division. So for now until confirmed otherwise I will address him as Squad Captain and consider his squad a part of the azure dragon magic division (not one of the 3 subdivisions)] I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Confirmation or not, that¡¯s not the important thing. The important thing is that these guys insulted Samael. This isn¡¯t a ce for you to interfere.¡± Cliff naturally dismissed me. ¡°We¡¯ll assess the situation and contact you separately. Go and wait.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to assess the situation. They¡¯re all going to die by my hand anyway.¡± The Azure Dragon Magic Division members, who had been quietly waiting, red up and interrupted. ¡°What an insolent fellow. How dare he talk back to the Captain¡­¡± Cliff waved his hand. Cliff, who had been looking at me with an incredulous expression, let out a hollowugh and then gave the order to organize the situation. ¡°I said, Urgon will take care of it. You need to learn how to control your temper. Squad Members, clean up the bodies first and gather Cyan and the executives. I¡¯ll interrogate them myself.¡± The waiting Squad members started rummaging through the corpses, and one of them naturally approached me. ¡°Move aside.¡± The moment the Squad member tried to push me aside, I grabbed his wrist and wrapped it with ¡®Wind¡¯. While the Squad member raised his eyebrows, I shot a fire spear at his chest. Fwoosh The Squad member, who had been pushed back, immediately regained his posture and red at me. ¡°¡­What a crazy bastard. How dare you attack Urgon? You must be itching to die.¡± Other Azure Dragon Magic Division members quickly surrounded me. At some point, Cliff had approached and was ring at me. ¡°I thought I exined it clearly enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interfere. This is a war between ns. See these iron skewers? These bastards even hired assassins from Yale to try to kill us. Does Urgon just let those who threaten annihtion go?¡± Cliff replied in a tone that seemed to be admonishing me. ¡°You¡¯re right. But it¡¯s also presumptuous. What you¡¯re saying only applies to powerful families.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You should consider yourself lucky that I came. If another Captain hade, your head would have already been gone. I¡¯ll give you onest chance, so step aside. I don¡¯t want to harm the weak unnecessarily. If what you say turns out to be true, we¡¯ll back off. I promise on my honor as the Azure Dragon Magic Squad Captain.¡± I looked at Cliff and replied in a simrly admonishing tone. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to say. If someone else hade, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered exining with words. That¡¯s why the leader is important. But you¡¯re also an inevitably foolish leader. You can¡¯t even judge the situation properly.¡± Cliff, looking dumbfounded, raised his hand. ¡°He won¡¯t listen to reason. Azure Dragon Squad.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As they began to form a square formation and surround me, the idiots behind me simultaneously took a step forward. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad, don¡¯t interfere.¡± I turned around and looked at the Crazy Mage Squad. They had pushed their bodies to the limit in a short period of time. Every one of them was covered in blood. I made eye contact with each of the idiots, then looked at Kazen, who was struggling to breathe in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ll handle these guys. You go and take care of the Lord. He¡¯s not in good shape.¡± Blood continued to flow from Kazen¡¯s mouth. He must have been in excruciating pain, having forcibly activated his disrupted Mana Circle twice. Despite that, Kazen was trying his best to keep his eyes open and look at me. As the rain intensified, I briefly met Kazen¡¯s eyes. I don¡¯t know how Kazen felt, but I conveyed my message. Watch. Don¡¯t back down from here. Swoosh Kazen answered with his eyes. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 71 Chapter 71: Well done, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad. ¡°Subdue him.¡± At Cliff¡¯smand, one of the Azure Dragon Squad members stepped forward. It was the same guy who had just been hit by my me spear. He coiled a water vortex around his left hand along with his Water Spirit and said: ¡°I¡¯ll make you kneel first.¡± I sensed a 3-star mana from the water vortex. Not bad. Even though Cyan had fired a 4-star spell, it was at a pathetic level, barely able to manifest. The moment the spell manifested, the mana failed to condense properly and scattered around. A typical characteristic of someone who hasn¡¯t properly mastered mana breathing. This Squad member¡¯s skill was actually superior. Of course, that¡¯s only inparison to Cyan. When the Squad member¡¯s left fist flew straight towards my sr plexus. I also wrapped mes around my right hand and met his fist head-on. FWOOSH¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± The Squad member coughed up blood, rolled in the air, and then copsed backward. Mud mixed with rainwater and blood sttered, staining his face a yellowish-brown. The difference was that before, I had only opened two mana circles, and now I had opened three. ¡°¡­¡± The others¡¯ eyes widened, and they simultaneously drew their Water Spirits and charged at me. While dodging backward, I reached out towards the chest of the man running at the forefront. ¡®Fire Spear.¡¯ FWOOSH¡ª The me spear hit the front line, creating an opening. I pushed off the ground with my toes again, switching to offense, and gripping fireballs in both hands, I scattered them towards the enemies¡¯ faces. The Squad members didn¡¯t panic; they quickly retreated, escaping the effects of the fireballs. Their movements were quite controlled. The eyes of those who had retreated changed. Each of them took out a blue glove from their bosom, put it on, and then slowly gathered, forming a neat formation. At this moment, Cliff stepped between me and the Azure Dragon Squad. ¡°Stop!¡± Cliff raised his hand and said. ¡°Azure Dragon Squad, retreat.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Cliff¡¯smand, the Squad broke formation and instantly retreated. It was a swift movement, showing no hesitation to question theirmander¡¯s orders even in abat situation. Cliff looked at me intently and said. ¡°Samael had a hidden talent. Strange. Indeed, there seems to be a reason for such talk.¡± I met Cliff¡¯s gaze and retorted. ¡°Rx your eyes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses. Cliff, was it? Let me give you a piece of advice. I¡¯m not the type to give advice to just anyone. I certainly don¡¯t give it to dogs or cows. So listen carefully. Whether you¡¯re Urgon or whatever, you idiot, there¡¯s nomander more idiotic than one who can¡¯t recognize the opponent in front of them. Pride isn¡¯t important. Take your subordinates and retreat now.¡± As we locked eyes, Cliff slowly increased the distance between us and then stopped. ¡°I¡¯ll confirm it myself.¡± ¡°Stupid fool.¡± Cliff took out a blue glove from his bosom and put it on. Arge mana stone was embedded in the center. Meanwhile, the rain wasing down harder and harder. The rainwater that sshed violently on the ground mixed with blood, rising up to my ankles. As I brushed back mypletely soaked hair, Cliff, along with his Water Spirit, spoke. ¡°Water Stream.¡± A 4-star spell, Water Stream. A powerful blue stream of water extended from Cliff¡¯s palm, gliding across the ground towards me. Perhaps due to the mana stone embedded in his glove, its power was greater than expected. The water stream swept across the floor, mixing with mud and blood, then a ck torrent surged diagonally towards my face. ¡®Wind Push.¡¯ I pushed off the ground and leaped, wrapping a ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ around my feet as I soared, blocking the rising water stream. Meanwhile, Cliff¡¯s 4-star Water Spirit was once againplete. ¡°Ice Shower.¡± SWOOSH¡ª Instantly, the rain falling within a certain space above me froze solid. It began to plunge towards my face like ice picks. I deployed another ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ above my head to shatter the falling ice shards, then looked down from mid-air. At some point, Cliff, with ice wrapped around both hands, was leaping towards me. ¡°Wind des that cut through the air, Wind Cutter.¡± I, too, with wind des in both hands, charged straight at Cliff. I shattered the ice emanating from Cliff¡¯s hands, then lunged forward, my de biting deep into his chest. Blood welled up, staining his torn clothes. Cliff arched his back dramatically in mid-air, deflecting the wind des, then stopped his attack and retreated abruptly. Landing on the ground, Cliff looked down at his body with a startled expression. If his reaction had been even slightly dyed, his chest would have been deeply cut. I alsonded in front of the wall and looked at Cliff. SWOOSH¡ª For a moment, only the sound of pouring rain could be heard. Cyan was still looking at us with an expression of disbelief, and the Squad members wore the same expression as Cyan. Cliff spoke in a hesitant voice. ¡°¡­You use incantations?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, Wind Cutter is clearly from the Red Magic Tower¡­ Who are you, exactly?¡± I didn¡¯t respond. Since when had it started? A noise was piercing through the sound of the rain. It sounded like the shing of swords, or someone shouting, or maybe even hallucinations. It was hard to distinguish amidst the heavy rain. Suddenly, I heard voices ming me. The Crazy Mage Squad members were calling out to me. Pelleer was ming me. Was this the sound of the rain, or was it their cries of despair? My ears started to throb. The ground trembled with a BOOM¡ª BOOM¡ª, and no matter how much I tried to clear the water from my ears, they remained muffled. I tried covering and pulling at my ears with both hands, but nothing improved. ¡°Ah, this is fucked up.¡± It was so fucked up that Iughed. Even if I wanted to grab someone and ask, I was the only one left alive. Those I could ask if I was going crazy were already dead. Meanwhile, I could distinctly feel the mana waves. That was also fucked up. I raised my head and looked ahead, and there was a strange guy drawing a Water Spirit. I realized that this guy was the leader of the Urgon group I had just been fighting. Since I knew this, I guess I wasn¡¯tpletely crazy yet. ¡°Icicle.¡± A pathetic icicle flew towards me. I watched it calmly and then rotated my heart¡¯s circle in reverse. Just as the icicle was about topletely engulf me, I detonated the dark lightning contained in my right hand. FZZZZZT¡ª The form of the icicle vanished as soon as it touched the dark lightning. No one realized what had happened. For a brief moment, a pitch-ck darkness bloomed from my hand and then disappeared in a sh. To others, it simply looked as if the icicle had vanished the moment it touched me. Someone muttered: ¡°How can a 5-star Water Spirit¡­¡± Then, the aftershock hit. With a loud BOOM, the iron fence surrounding the estate shook violently and then copsed outward. ¡°WAAAAAH!¡± The cacophony of noise that had been ringing in my ears suddenly intensified. I turned around involuntarily, and saw a swarm of ants, drenched in the rain, surrounding the estate and shouting. ¡°Bayern, retreat!¡± ¡°Those who destroyed my house are over there. Drive the wicked Bayern out of Khaoto!¡± ¡°Damn them to hell. Stop tormenting Samael! We won¡¯t stand idly by any longer! WAAAAH!¡± I looked around at them for a moment. They were the source of the noise. Numerous third-rate thugsy scattered on the ground with their sword hilts, and around them, familiar faces looked at me. As I made eye contact, their names came to mind one by one. The elders were visible first, and then the mercenaries behind them. Elder Norman, Elder Isaac, Daisy was there too, and Bravo Khan, and the one-eyed man wrapped in bandages, standing soaked in the rain. I even saw the twin brothers. Donkey was there, and an unnamed kid, and the cksmith with the beard. The nosy people I met at the tavern and the young guys I saw at Donkey¡¯s restaurant were all shouting together. ¡®Ah.¡¯ I turned back around. The Crazy Mage Squad was beside me, and Kazen was with them. I looked around at the rain-soaked ground and reached out towards one spot. As I lifted the slippery gpole, the damp g followed. Red streaks of water poured endlessly from the g. I gripped the blue g in reverse and walked towards one spot. The Crazy Mage Squad parted to the left and right, and even Urgon didn¡¯t block my path. With each step I took, the muddy water that had risen to my instep sshed violently to the sides. I walked, staring directly at one of the guys mixed in with the Bayern group. He was desperately avoiding my gaze. But the moment our eyes met, he shuddered and jumped to the side. I immediately lunged and grabbed him by the neck. CRACK¡ª Snake Eyes¡¯ neck snapped. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Cyan crawled towards Cliff and knelt, pleading. ¡°P-Please, give us a chance. If you abandon us like this, there will be no family in Khaoto that can stop Samael. It¡¯s like giving wings to those bastards. Doesn¡¯t Urgon also hate to see Samael running rampant? If you protect me, I¡¯ll do it right this time.¡± ¡°¡­Shut up.¡± Cliff pushed Cyan away with a contemptuous look, then met my gaze. Cliff spoke in a cautious tone. ¡°I hope it¡¯s not toote. I¡¯ll gratefully ept your advice. My judgement was indeed wrong. We¡¯ll withdraw from here.¡± One of the Squad members standing nearby shouted. ¡°Captain!¡± Cliff shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no justification. The loan issue is already beyond reproach. Besides¡­¡± Cliff looked around at the people outside the estate and continued. ¡°It seems Samael wasn¡¯t wrong. We all know how Bayern operates. The moment I try to stop Samael, all those people will point fingers at Urgon. Are you suggesting I should act that way even in this situation?¡± ¡°But if we return like this, the higher-ups might reprimand you, Master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your concern. And more importantly¡­ I¡¯m not confident I can handle him. Let¡¯s go.¡± Cliff turned and left, and the Squad members hesitantly followed. As Cliff was leaving the estate, he suddenly turned back with a thoughtful expression and looked at me. ¡°Can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°Ruin. Commander of Samael¡¯s Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After Cliff left, I approached Cyan, who was still kneeling. Cyan, trembling like a drowned rat, suddenly red at me with fierce eyes. ¡°You damn bastard. Don¡¯t get cocky, thinking you¡¯re something special. If you kill me, Urgon won¡¯t stay silent. Yale hasn¡¯t evenmitted its full force yet. Let¡¯s negotiate. I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to you killing Shane if¡­¡± As the sky turned white, I struck Cyan¡¯s head with the gpole. Blood sttered in the air, mingling with the sound of thunder. CRACK¡ª BOOM! Fatigue washed over my entire body. Only now did my rain-soaked body feel heavy. The rain still showed no signs of stopping, pouring down relentlessly. I nted the gpole in the ground and turned around. Kazen¡¯s face was the first I saw. Kazen raised his hand to dismiss the Crazy Mage Squad, then walked towards me with heavy steps. Kazen looked me straight in the eye. Somehow, his gaze resembled someone I knew. The Patriarch spoke. ¡°¡­Well done, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± I forced my head up to look at the rain-soaked sky. ¡°¡­¡± As I stood there enduring the downpour, a familiar voice came from somewhere. ¡°Just in time.¡± I reached out my hand, and a cup was ced in it. Still looking up at the sky, I opened my mouth and gulped down the liquor. The strong drink flowed down my throat, refreshingly cool. [TL/N: Goosebumps Damnn] ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 72 Chapter 72: Anyway, it was an interesting night. I continued to gulp down the liquor, using the rainwater as a side dish. I focused all my senses on the sound of the falling rain and the burning sensation in my throat. So that no thoughts would arise. Thoughts, memories, all washed away by the liquor. Only after emptying the entire bottle did Ie to my senses. ¡°Phew.¡± Donkey was chuckling. He had also downed a few cups in the meantime, his face flushed. ¡°Was this the right time?¡± ¡°You timed it well.¡± Even as we spoke, rainwater seeped into our mouths. It was raining too heavily. Suddenly, I saw Kazen leaning against a pir with a pale face. Even with his body battered, he was forcing himself to maintainposure and assess the surroundings. I made eye contact with Kazen once, then called out to the officer standing nearby. ¡°Bravo Khan.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Escort the Patriarch.¡± Bravo Khan, equipped with potions, supported Kazen and led him inside first. I then instructed the servants to take the exhausted elders to the enemy¡¯s main building. Meanwhile, themotion outside the estate continued. Was madness contagious? Everyone was getting drenched in the rain like crazy people swimming in it, chanting strange slogans. Hardly anyone was sane. I gestured to my subordinates and said. ¡°Let¡¯s clean up first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Somehow, no one seemed to be listening. The Crazy Mage Squad, the mercenaries, everyone was mixed in with the locals. ¡°Who am I talking to?¡± As I approached the outside of the estate, all eyes turned towards me. ¡°Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad! Samael! Woohoo!¡± ¡°Wait. Didn¡¯t you say you liked being called crazy?¡± ¡°Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad! Woohoo!¡± ¡°No way. Crazy Mage is a better fit!¡± ¡°Crazy Mage! Woohoo!¡± It seemed like my subordinates needed a good beating. They were losing their minds before the situation was even over. Didn¡¯t they learn that it¡¯s not over till it¡¯s over? Bunch of ignorant fools. I red at the crazy bunch with sharp eyes. ¡°Hey, you bastards.¡± ¡°Crazy Mage! Woohoo!¡± ¡°I am the Crazy Mage.¡± Speaking of which, I was also crazy. For some reason,ughter suddenly burst out of me, and I startedughing openly. When Iughed, the Crazy Mage Squad followed, then the mercenaries, and then the locals. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± In the end, everyone burst intoughter. We keptughing, oblivious to the rainwater entering our noses and mouths. Like a madman, Iughed, spraying rainwater everywhere. I felt at ease. This was me. *** It was quite a while before the locals left, and only then did I start to organize the situation. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad, start by collecting the bodies.¡± ¡°Ow, that hurts.¡± ¡°Ugh, my whole body aches too¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± They wereughing and having fun just a moment ago, and now they were suddenly whining about being in pain. I started by hitting the back of Palge¡¯s head, who was closest to me. ¡°Gah.¡± Palge¡¯s face plunged into the mud, and he copsed. I hit him lightly, but he fainted right away. ¡°Wow¡­ Someone drag this pig away.¡± A few mercenaries helped Palge up and took him into the main building. Looking around, the other Crazy Mage Squad members were in a dire state too. They had all lost a lot of blood. ¡°For now, the Crazy Mage Squad¡­¡± The Crazy Mage Squad members looked at me with pleading eyes. ¡°Clean up this entire ce. Come to think of it, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s had it the hardest. Clean it thoroughly.¡± Zion, who had been looking at the unconscious Palge with envy, suddenly approached me with a re. ¡°What did you just say, boss? Clean everything up? The fuck?¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as I raised my right hand, Zion instantly presented the back of his head. I stroked Zion¡¯s t head and said. ¡°Zion, you¡¯re in charge of cleaning this ce. New recruits in the Crazy Mage Squad always start with cleaning. If I¡¯m not satisfiedter, you¡¯ll be the one getting punished, got it?¡± Zion replied with a wronged expression. ¡°Damn, that doesn¡¯t work anymore.¡± I called out to Daisy. ¡°Daisy, gather all the Bayern remnants with the mercenaries.¡± ¡°Should we gather them and kill them?¡± ¡°Just give them a mental education for now. I¡¯ll decide whether to bash their heads inter.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± After organizing the situation, I entered the main building and looked for a bathroom first. One of Bayern¡¯s maids, whom I encountered in the hallway, froze upon seeing me. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look that handsome?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When my joke fell t, I asked awkwardly. ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom here?¡± Suddenly, the maid¡¯s eyes widened, and she walked over and opened the bathroom door. As the maid entered the bathroom first, I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash up first, so step aside. I can¡¯t stand feeling sticky.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Why are you just standing there?¡± The maid replied with a flustered expression. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted me to attend to you¡­?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Attend to me? What nonsense. I hate being disturbed when I¡¯m washing up. After taking a thorough bath anding out, I found a neat set of clothes folded nicely in front of the door. After changing, I called the maid who was waiting nearby. ¡°You called?¡± ¡°Whose attendant were you originally?¡± ¡°The Patriarch¡¯s.¡± ¡°Did you often assist him with his baths?¡± The maid let out a small sigh and said. ¡°Yes. Every morning and evening. Three of us always went in together.¡± I made a gesture of striking my neck and said. ¡°There won¡¯t be any more bath assistance from now on, so don¡¯t worry. Just act natural.¡± The maid, already aware of the changing circumstances, bowed her head. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± The maid¡¯s reaction gave me a good idea of how Cyan usually treated his subordinates. I asked the maid. ¡°Didn¡¯t a few elderly peoplee in here earlier?¡± ¡°They¡¯re inside. Shall I escort you?¡± ¡°No. Go and do your work.¡± After the maid left, I entered a random empty room and sat down in a meditative posture. Closing my eyes, I could hear the heavy rain outside the window. It wasn¡¯t the kind of rain that would stop easily. It would probably pour all night. Listening to the pouring rain inside the room¡­ Peace settled in my heart. I could also hear the sounds of my subordinates panting in the rain. The thought that everyone was suffering while I was resting alone brought double the peace to my heart. ¡°This is it. This is rxation.¡± I enjoyed the leisure to the fullest and left the room. As I walked further into the hallway, I heard voicesing from one spot. Opening the door, I saw the elders sitting in arge room, and an unfamiliar old man was chattering away beside them. The elders stood up and extended their hands as I approached. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve worked hard, Ruin.¡± ¡°Not at all. This is just the beginning.¡± I asked the unfamiliar old man. ¡°Who are you to be with the elders? Are you the head butler?¡± ¡°Y-Yes. Please spare my life.¡± The Bayern head butler abruptly knelt and said. ¡°I¡¯ve already told the elders here that I have nothing to do with this. I merely managed the finances. I¡¯ll do anything if you spare my life.¡± ¡°How much money is there here?¡± The head butler replied without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°We¡¯re in deficit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ipetent.¡± Sensing the threat of death, the head butler said. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I kept telling the Patriarch, but¡­ he forced it through¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± ¡°But I know everything about Bayern¡¯s businesses and the flow of money. I¡¯ll be useful if you spare me.¡± ¡°Talk to the elders. Stop bothering me.¡± I had no intention of killing an ordinary old butler. I looked around and said. ¡°Where¡¯s the Patriarch?¡± Elder Norman replied with a worried expression. ¡°The Patriarch is resting in the next room. It seems his internal injuries are severe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go see him. I¡¯ll take care of things outside, so the elders should rest and grill the head butler.¡± The head butler, seeing how I interacted with the elders, was inwardly dumbfounded but didn¡¯t show it on the outside. He was afraid of saying the wrong thing and getting killed. Moreover, the elders seemed to ept it without any qualms. *** I carefully opened the door to the next room. Kazen was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, and Wright and Bravo Khan were standing quietly beside him. Wright spoke as I entered. ¡°He just fell asleep.¡± ¡°How is the Patriarch¡¯s condition?¡± Bravo Khan answered. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much. The potion worked well. Fortunately, his heartbeat has stabilized. He should be mostly fine after a few days of rest.¡± Bravo Khan, usually knowledgeable about many things, also had some expertise in medicine. It seemed the top-grade potion made by the scatterbrained alchemist was even more effective than expected. The image of the bald man with three strands of hair shed through my mind, but I quickly shook off the thought. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about the bald guy. ¡°Only the Head butler should stay here. Bravo Khan, make sure no one else enters from outside. Rest is the most important thing right now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Having opened his damaged mana circles twice, his body couldn¡¯t be in a normal state. Kazen¡¯s body was currently as fragile as ss. Even the top-grade potion couldn¡¯t heal himpletely in a short time. I looked down at Kazen for a moment. I saw him in a new light. ¡®Indeed, Samael is Samael.¡¯ To think he could generate that level of mana with damaged mana circles. Just how talented was he? ¡°¡­¡± I gazed at Kazen¡¯s face for a long time, then picked up a few potions from the side and left the room. ¡°I¡¯m taking these. If anything happens,e out to the estate and report to me. I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± *** ¡°Guys, the boss ising out!¡± The Bayern men, who had been standing still, knelt simultaneously. I looked at the Bayern soldiers kneeling in the rain and was genuinely impressed. ¡°The prisoners are well-disciplined.¡± Daisy replied proudly. ¡°Boss, I did well, right?¡± ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°I told them I¡¯d kill them if they moved.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It was a good method, but they still needed some breathing room. ¡°You have to allow for bathroom breaks. It¡¯ll get smelly if they pee their pants sitting there.¡± Daisy, suddenly enlightened, eximed, ¡°Ah.¡± I looked around at the Bayern men and said. ¡°Anyone who peed their pants, raise your hand. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t know just because it¡¯s raining. It¡¯ll be obvious anyway.¡± One guy looked around hesitantly and then raised his hand. ¡°You¡¯re honest. I¡¯ll spare you. Step aside.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°I peed my pants too!¡± ¡°Toote, you bastard.¡± I looked at the rest of the men. ¡°Should I kill you or not? You attacked Samael, so you deserve to die, but then again, that might not be the case from the perspective of low-ranking soldiers. I¡¯ll give you a chance. Those who want to live, raise your hands.¡± Everyone raised their hands simultaneously. ¡°That¡¯s too many. It¡¯s too much for everyone to live. I think only about half should live.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Those who want to live, destroy your mana cores. Three, two, one. Go.¡± Surprisingly, everyone destroyed their mana cores at once. There wasn¡¯t a single person who hesitated. They had all seen with their own eyes that I was a crazy man who didn¡¯t speak twice. ¡°This is troublesome.¡± The guy kneeling at the very front shouted, enduring the pain. ¡°Please spare me. I¡¯ll pledge my loyalty.¡± After pondering for a while and failing toe up with a good solution, I just said whatever came to mind. ¡°All of you, go stand in the rain in front of the copsed wall. Just keep standing there until half of you copse. I¡¯ll consider those who show signs of escaping their third-rate status.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As the third-rate Bayern soldiers headed towards the wall, I gathered the Crazy Mage Squad. They all seemed to have reached their physical limits, staggering towards me and then plopping down on the floor. Looking around, it was evident that they had done some cleaning in the meantime. ¡°You cleaned up diligently.¡± I distributed the potions to the Crazy Mage Squad members, and I personally applied it to Zion¡¯s wounds. ¡°Thanks. Should we keep calling you Commander now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thanks, Commander.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± As soon as I saw Zion¡¯s wounds healing to some extent, I smacked the back of his head. Smack¡ª ¡°Ow, why did you hit me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say ¡®the fuck¡¯?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You said it earlier, you idiot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± While Zion was clutching his head, I happened to nce at the mercenaries rummaging through the estate. I thought they were cleaning, but something seemed odd. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± One-Eye, who had just bent down to pick something up, replied with a bright face. ¡°Collecting iron skewers.¡± ¡°Why are you collecting those?¡± ¡°They might be useful. You can find good stuff if you look carefully.¡± One-Eye grinned, showing me the red iron skewer he had just picked up. Looking closely, I saw it was the one Blood used. ¡°Are you going to use them as hidden weapons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± It turned out there were a lot of impressive people around me. ¡°¡­¡± The idiot and I applied potions and watched the rain from the floor. The mercenaries, as if on a treasure hunt in the mud, picked up good iron skewers and stuffed them into their pockets. Meanwhile, the Bayern soldiers red at us, determined not to copse. Everyone was engrossed in their own tasks for a while, not quite understanding what was going on. Gradually, the rain subsided. As the dark clouds disappeared, the moonlight emerged. Anyway, it was an interesting night. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 73 Chapter 73: Five Circles ¡°¡­Then we¡¯ll take our leave. Sleep well.¡± The mercenaries who had been collecting skewers left for bed first, and the Crazy Mage Squad members also went inside one by one. I remained until the end, gazing at the deepening moonlight. Looking at the moon, I thought of Pelleer. The Crazy Mage Squad members also came to mind. They were the ones whoughed and died during that crazy expedition. They had no idea that the n might end up like this, being toyed with by trashy third-rates. ¡°I killed them all for you. Are you grateful?¡± There was no way I¡¯d hear a response. Still, I shouted as I always did. ¡°You bastards. Yourmander is talking, and you don¡¯t even answer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± How did I end up being the only one alive? I don¡¯t know. It would have been nice to have at least one more person. There was no one to share stories about chewing on demon heads over liquor. Well, it was fine. I was the Crazy Mage who could do well on his own. I had already revived Dark Soul and crushed Bayern. I wouldn¡¯t let Urgon off the hook either. Watch closely from the afterlife, you bastards. See what I do. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re still awake?¡± Turning around, I saw Zion, who hade out to check on me, rubbing his eyes. A chuckle escaped me. Seeing the bump on the back of his head, my hand must have been quite strong. ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± Even the moon was smiling. *** I woke up after a short sleep, and bright sunlight was shining through the window. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± I stretched and walked towards the main hall, but it was quite noisy outside. When I arrived at the main hall, Daisy was giving instructions to the mercenaries, and the Crazy Mage Squad members were also there. Daisy waved happily. ¡°You¡¯re up, boss?¡± ¡°Everyone gather around. And tell the soldiers toe too.¡± A short whileter, the mercenary leaders and the Crazy Mage Squad gathered in one ce. I first asked Bravo Khan. ¡°How¡¯s the Patriarch?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still asleep.¡± ¡°And the elders?¡± ¡°They talked until dawn and went to bed not too long ago.¡± ¡°What did they talk about?¡± Bravo Khan hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°It seemed like they were reminiscing. Should I bring them here?¡± ¡°No need. They should conserve their energy at their age. Let them sleep.¡± As I approached the head seat and sat down, my subordinates also took their respective seats. With a serious expression, I began to speak. ¡°Dark Soul is gone, and so is Bayern. But don¡¯t let your guard down. This is just the beginning. I¡¯ll tell each of you what to do.¡± Everyone¡¯s attention was focused on me. ¡°For the time being, the mercenary group should focus on Khaoto. Help the locals rebuild their copsed homes and clean up the streets.¡± Daisy responded. ¡°What should we do about Leon?¡± ¡°Khaoto is more important. Just pay moderate attention to Leon. Soon, there will be a lot of moneying in from Khaoto. We need toy the groundwork now. Slowly transfer the gold bars in Leon to Samael.¡± Daisy nodded without any suspicion. ¡°Get paid for your work. Take an appropriate amount from Daisy. No working for free. We can¡¯t turn Khaoto into a city of bald people.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± ¡°Once the cleanup is done, start training the mercenaries. They¡¯re supposed to be Samael¡¯s mercenaries, but they can¡¯t even handle a single thug and just get beaten up. Right, One-Eye?¡± One-Eye, being a proud man, couldn¡¯t say anything and just lowered his head. ¡°Use this ce as the mercenary headquarters. The original headquarters in the west burned down, so we have no choice. Train here, chat, have duels, and do whatever you want. If the locals ask for help, help them. And no causing trouble with sword fights outside.¡± Daisy summarized it in her own way. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying we should act like a neighborhood watch?¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Daisy grasped the essence of my words well. As I thought about it more, I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at how perfectly fitting the expression was. When I chuckled, the mercenaries burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± I was satisfied. Whoever taught them, they knew how to behave around their superiors. Meanwhile, Bravo Khan, who had remained calm, asked. ¡°Do you think Urgon mighte back? I¡¯m worried.¡± As expected, it was a question befitting a cautious old officer. Before I could respond, Zion, who had been listening quietly, interjected. ¡°They won¡¯te.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that idiotic way of speaking?¡± Zion replied to me politely. ¡°I¡¯m speaking as Samael¡¯s business manager.¡± Bravo Khan also treated Zion as he would a business manager. ¡°So you¡¯re the business manager. Why do you think that?¡± ¡°My gut feeling tells me so.¡± ¡°Gut feeling?¡± ¡°In other words, when I think about it however I want, I don¡¯t think they¡¯lle. The phrase ¡®however I want¡¯ is an expression our Commander often uses.¡± ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°Haha. This old officer doesn¡¯t understand.¡± Zion looked at me, as if asking if he was right. ¡°Bullshit.¡± Zion¡¯s eyes widened, and he dropped the business investor act. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re saying I¡¯m wrong, Commander?¡± ¡°I think they coulde back as soon as tomorrow.¡± The mercenaries and the Crazy Mage Squad, unaware of the context, gasped simultaneously. Of course, it was a lie. I didn¡¯t know when they woulde. But they wouldn¡¯te back right away tomorrow. They would need some time to create a new excuse to attack. But one should always be thoroughly prepared. Besides, I didn¡¯t like the way Zion was talking. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad, continue your training day and night. As members of the Crazy Mage Squad, you need to be able to crush the heads of anyone, whether it¡¯s Urgon, the Divine n, or anyone else. That¡¯s what the Crazy Mage Squad is about. For now, memorize the spellbooks I gave you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bravo Khan, have your subordinates gather rumors about Urgon. We need to be prepared. Check if there are any suspicious movements among the merchants traveling between Leon and the neighboring cities, as well as the locals. Report anything important.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And you.¡± I pointed to the Bayern head butler who had been standing in a corner. The head butler knelt and replied. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What are you doing there? I told you to go entertain the elders.¡± ¡°I was waiting to see if there was anything I could help you with.¡± Judging by the look in his eyes, he was desperate to survive. I looked into the head butler¡¯s eyes and said. ¡°Organize and report on everyone associated with Bayern. Who they hired with money, how they ran their businesses, how they managed their finances,pile everything.¡± The head butler replied with tears of joy. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Having said my piece, I got up and went out to the estate. As I was looking around at the traces of the battle fromst night, I suddenly felt a burning gaze from afar. ¡°Holy shit, you scared me.¡± A group of people were standing on the copsed wall, ring at me with bloodshot eyes. ¡°You¡¯re still doing that?¡± About half of them had copsed, and the other half were still standing. As I approached, the stench of urine hit me. It seemed they had peed themselves while standing. Seeing this, I realized that the human desire for life was truly remarkable. Thud¡ª In the meantime, one of them copsed. Looking closer, none of the copsed ones were in good shape. They were all unconscious, their heads buried in the ground. They must have pushed themselves to the limit and then lost consciousness. After a brief moment of thought, I turned around and said to Daisy. ¡°Take these guys and use them. Those who fight for their lives deserve to live. Put the copsed ones in the lowest ranks of the mercenary group, and those who are still standing will be used as Samael¡¯s guards. From this moment on, Garlic and Greed are promoted to guard captains.¡± Two guys among the mercenaries embraced each other and cheered. ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t get too excited. Guard captains have to be the strongest among the guards. Remember, I can rece you at any time.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Leaving the cleanup to the mercenaries, I left the n estate with the Crazy Mage Squad. It was time to return to Mount Khaoto. After walking slowly for a while, I suddenly stopped and said. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The idiots looked at me with puzzled expressions. Meanwhile, only Zion muttered, ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Run.¡± With distorted expressions, they forced out a shout. ¡°¡­ Argh!¡± ¡°God.¡± ¡°Oh, shit!¡± ¡°Running again!¡± ¡°Running is the best! Hahaha!¡± The crazy bunch rushed forward. I also ran like the wind and shouted. ¡°Thest one gets a forehead flick!¡± My voice was carried away by the wind. * * * After returning to Samael, I focused on training for a while. Except for patrolling Khaoto in the evenings, I secluded myself in the mountains and devoted myself to individual training. Most of the training focused on mana sensitivity. What is mana sensitivity, you ask? It¡¯s basically sitting in a meditative posture on a rock and spending time doing nothing. People who don¡¯t know might think it¡¯s a piece of cake, but it¡¯s actually quite a grueling training. Sitting in the same position for hours on end causes leg cramps. Still, I endured it. In a way, this was a fight against myself. The mana contained within my four circles was reaching saturation. The time to create another circle in my heart was approaching. Five circles. From the fifth circle onwards, a mage¡¯s capabilities truly blossom. If the fourth circle is the stage of shedding apprenticeship and being recognized as a mage, the fifth circle is when a mage¡¯s true worth is revealed. It allows for the manifestation of powerful, destructive spells for killing or controlling areas, and the form of incantations also changes from before. As a result, even within the same fifth circle, mages¡¯ abilities vary greatly. Some struggle to properly execute even a single incantation, while others can perfectly handle all incantations. Of course, my abilities are insane. But what I was most looking forward to was something else. The fifth circle wasn¡¯t called the ¡®Flower of Mages¡¯ for nothing. ¡°Ah, fuck.¡± My leg cramped again. When I focused quietly, my mind would wander like this, and leg cramps always seemed to strike at such times. I tried to endure it. Relieving a cramp is something a third-rate would do. If you endure it, the cramp will eventually disappear. The Crazy Mage doesn¡¯t lose in a fight against himself. ¡°¡­Bullshit.¡± It hurt too much. I had no choice but to break my posture. I lost the fight against myself. Then who won? In the end, it was still me who won, so it didn¡¯t matter. The Crazy Mage doesn¡¯t engage in losing battles. I roughly washed myself in the stream and then went down to the estate. As I approached the training grounds, I saw the Crazy Mage Squad members engrossed in their individual training. ¡®Are they doing well?¡¯ I stood on the mountainside for a while and watched the idiots train. I felt a sense of pride. It was like watching toddlers taking their first steps after they couldn¡¯t even crawl before. Now, there was no need for me to spoon-feed them training every day. For the time being, it would be enough to help them break through any obstacles they encountered. That¡¯s why I painstakingly wrote the spellbook for them. The so-called ¡®Crazy Spellbook¡¯. It was a spellbook I created bybining Samael¡¯s past magic with my own style. If they fully understood it, reaching the fifth circle wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°¡­¡± The sunset gradually zed. I had gone up the mountain, breathing in the dawn air, and now the sun was setting. The point is, I was hungry. As I approached the main gate, the guards lined up smartly. Garlic, the guard captain in the center, saluted crisply. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°You guys should eat too.¡± After a brief greeting, I went straight out the main gate and onto the street. I hadn¡¯t walked far when I heard a noisymotion. ¡°Another cup of liquor!¡± ¡°Coming right up!¡± ¡°One more bowl of chicken stew here!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Donkey¡¯s restaurant had moved right next to Samael. Of course, it was at my suggestion. Donkey¡¯s back alley was actually quite a distance to walk. Anyway, thanks to that, I coulde out whenever I had a chance and enjoy Donkey¡¯s food. I stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. The spicy aroma of chicken stew and the pungent scent of liquor filled the air. I loved this atmosphere and this scent. ¡°Ehahahaha!¡± I could hear heartyughter. ¡°Hahaha, hey! Bring that over here, you bastard.¡± Drunken, familiar swearing filled the air. Bang¡ª The sound of a hand mming the table with force echoed through the room. Crash¡ª And then, the crisp sound of a moonshine ss shattering. ¡­Wait, why is a moonshine ss breaking? ¡°You, you piece of shit. Go get it yourself, you fucking idiot.¡± ¡°Piece of shit? Where¡¯d you pick up that kind ofnguage, you fucking punk? I¡¯ll smash this moonshine ss into your damn forehead.¡± ¡®¡­Huh.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 74 Chapter 74: The name of the patrol unit is How dare they use such vulgarnguage in the sacred Donkey¡¯s Diner. ¡®Let¡¯s see their faces.¡¯ Curious about which rude guys were causing a ruckus, I entered the entrance and stopped for a moment. It happened to be mercenaries who were fighting. Two of the mercenaries upying the innermost seats were facing each other, grabbing each other¡¯s cors. Their rough faces were written with the words, ¡®I¡¯m a low-ranking mercenary.¡¯ The strange thing was the other customers. Everyone was leisurely eating their food without paying much attention to the mercenaries. In this situation, it would be normal to avoid the scene. When I looked at the kitchen, Donkey was also paying no attention. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ve all be brave or what. Anyway, I red at the mercenaries and went inside. When one of the group recognized me and gasped, the fighting guys also sensed that the atmosphere was strange and looked at me. As their pupils dted, I raised my hand and stopped time. ¡°Freeze.¡± I said, approaching the two guys who were frozen while grabbing each other¡¯s cors. ¡°This mercenary captain is very disappointed. My subordinates are swearing while eating. What a shameful act. What would others think if they saw this? What¡¯s the reason for fighting? Was there no chicken in the chicken stew? Why are you fighting, ruining my appetite.¡± The two trembled. ¡°You haven¡¯t shed your third-rate image. Forehead.¡± The two guys put their foreheads forward in the at-ease position. I pressed my right hand against one guy¡¯s forehead and pulled the middle finger of my right hand with my left hand. It was like a slingshot pose. Thwack¡ª I also shot a forehead slingshot at the guy next to him. Thwack¡ª The two guys fellpletely backward and copsed on the floor. There was a clear red line drawn on their foreheads. The locals who were watching the scene said a word each. ¡°Take it easy, Crazy Mage.¡± ¡°Ouch, that must hurt.¡± ¡°It looks like their foreheads are split.¡± Donkey, who was in the kitchen, also giggled and added. ¡°Easy, easy.¡± I shook my head and said. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see the future world¡¯s best chef¡¯s restaurant get dirty.¡± Donkey replied with augh. ¡°They didn¡¯t really cause any harm. They don¡¯t touch the locals.¡± After hearing Donkey¡¯s answer, I understood the customers¡¯ reactions. I told the mercenaries to act like a patrol unit, and it seems they didn¡¯t even think of touching the locals. But that¡¯s that, and what¡¯s wrong is wrong. ¡°Wake those bastards up.¡± As I sat down on a chair, the mercenaries woke up the two copsed guys by pping their faces with water and kicking them. A momentter, the two guys with bulging foreheads sat in front of me, blinking their eyes. I picked up one of the remaining chicken stir-fries on the table with my hand and said. ¡°Why were you fighting?¡± As soon as I saw the two hesitate, I blew air into the slingshot. ¡°Ha¡ªah.¡± One of them shouted in fear. ¡°That guy looked down on me because he said he was from Leon.¡± Not to be outdone, the guy next to him also spoke. ¡°No, that¡¯s not true. He said people from Leon have no roots. He kept saying that mercenaries from Khaoto have the real roots.¡± ¡°What, you bastard? You were the one who started it.¡± ¡°This son of a bitch is making up stories again.¡± When I blew air into my middle finger once more, the two guys shut their mouths instantly. ¡°Tsk.¡± I clicked my tongue softly. I roughly understood the situation. No matter where you go, those damn factions are the problem. Even two idiots will fight over who¡¯s better. Even two pieces of poop will fight over whose is bigger. It was ridiculous to see these third-rate guys dividing themselves into factions. I looked around at the mercenaries and said. ¡°Go and gather everyone. Bring everyone, from the executives to the low-ranking members.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Donkey, let¡¯s have a drink together.¡± While the mercenaries were gone, I spent time drinking makgeolli with Donkey. After all the customers left, the mercenaries gathered one by one. Then, all the executives, including Daisy and Bravo Khan, gathered as well. ¡°Sit down.¡± The executives sat around the gathered tables, and the low-ranking guys surrounded us. I drank a ss of makgeolli and then said. ¡°Daisy. What do you think about the mercenaries ying faction games?¡± Daisy, who had already been informed of the situation, red at his subordinates and replied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss.¡± ¡°I heard that those from Khaoto looked down on those from Leon.¡± Daisy downed a ss of makgeolli and frowned. ¡°These sons of bitches.¡± I asked Daisy a question with a trap mixed in. ¡°Are you from Leon or Khaoto?¡± Daisy replied without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, boss.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Since the trap didn¡¯t work, I asked Bravo Khan this time. ¡°Officer. Is this Dark Soul or Sojungi? Are you still ying third-rate gangster games?¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s Leon or Khaoto, that¡¯s fucking important¡­¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± The quick-witted officer kept apologizing, and I suddenly forgot what I was going to say. Since there was nothing I could do, I just scolded them all together. ¡°I told you to protect Khaoto, but these guys are fighting amongst themselves. Didn¡¯t you see the locals looking down on you? How can you be a patrol unit like that? You¡¯re still called third-rate gangsters because you act like that.¡± When the mercenaries all bowed their heads, I suddenly lost my appetite for scolding. I picked up a ss of makgeolli at random and said. ¡°First, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± As I took a sip, the executives also drank the makgeolli, and the low-ranking guys followed suit. ¡°Ah.¡± I tore off a piece of the chicken stir-fry and it was spicy. This was the taste. The mercenaries also shared the chicken stir-fry. Meanwhile, Daisy, who was sharing the same te with me, was eating vegetables instead of the chicken. When I looked at her strangely, Daisy smiled brightly. ¡°I like vegetables too.¡± After a few rounds of drinks. I looked around at the mercenaries and said. ¡°Under me, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re from Leon or Khaoto. You¡¯re all the same. Think of each other asrades.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Officer and Daisy, from now on, you¡¯re responsible for making sure this doesn¡¯t happen again. If anyone fights again over Leon or Khaoto or whatever bullshit, that person¡¯s head is gone. The patrol unit should set an example for the locals, not beughed at. Be ashamed of yourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I was about to pick up a piece of chicken stir-fry, but I suddenly noticed that the te was empty and looked around. Somehow, all the other tes were also empty. ¡°We¡¯re all out.¡± Donkey, who was in the kitchen, poked his head out with a surprised look on his face. ¡°Already? I made more than usual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± It was strange because I hadn¡¯t even eaten a few pieces. I tilted my head and then changed the subject. ¡°By the way, the term ¡®patrol unit¡¯ keeps sticking. What do you think, Officer?¡± Bravo Khan replied. ¡°What should we change it ast?¡± Come to think of it, the patrol unit seemed more appropriate than the mercenary unit now. I nodded and said. ¡°Good idea. While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s change the name too. Dark Sojungi doesn¡¯t roll off the tongue. It¡¯s too dark.¡± All the mercenaries except Carrot nodded in agreement. At that moment, someone sitting next to me suggested an idea. ¡°How about the Eight-legged Patrol Unit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shitty name. What the hell?¡± Suddenly, the mercenaries, including myself, were surprised and looked at the guy who made the suggestion. ¡°¡­What are you doing here?¡± It was Eight Legs. How could we not have noticed hisrge physique until now? ¡°I came because I was hungry.¡± Bright red sauce was smeared all over his thick lips. There was a reason why the chicken stir-fry disappeared so quickly. He must have joined us while we were drinking. I don¡¯t know when he appeared, but if he can blend in so naturally while eating, we have to give him credit. Each member of the Crazy Mage Squad has their own specialty. ¡°Impressive. Anyway, we can¡¯t have the Eight-legged Patrol Unit.¡± ¡°Do you have a better idea?¡± I didn¡¯t have anything in mind, so I looked around, but no one said anything. One-Eye, who had been silent, made a reasonable suggestion. ¡°Should we just go with the Khaoto Patrol Unit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than the Eight-legged Patrol Unit.¡± Ponytail chimed in. ¡°Then, how about removing the ¡®To¡¯? It kind of makes me want to throw up.¡± I shrugged and replied. ¡°That makes sense. If there are no better suggestions, let¡¯s go with the Khao Patrol Unit.¡± Daisy said while eating her vegetables. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the Full Khao Patrol Unit.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I like vegetables.¡± Daisy has worked hard, so I should ept her opinion at times like this. I¡¯m such a considerate person towards my subordinates. I pped my hands and said. ¡°From today, we are the Full Khao Patrol Unit.¡± The mercenaries stood up and followed me, pping like thunder. p p p¡ª As we pped and drank, the guys who were fighting earlier even became friendly enough to put their arms around each other¡¯s shoulders. I decided to celebrate a bit more. ¡°To celebrate our rebirth as a patrol unit, I¡¯ll treat you all. Follow me. Donkey, youe too.¡± Arriving at Bearded cksmith with my subordinates, I pointed at the disy case and looked at the members. ¡°Choose whatever you like.¡± Many of them had chipped or broken weapons from fighting various enemies. The members looked at each other and smiled brightly¡­ Beard, who came out of the furnace, also smiled pleasantly. * * * While the members were carefully choosing their weapons, I also looked at the disy case. At first, I didn¡¯t have any particr thoughts, but as I looked, my eyes kept going to the spears. ¡°Mr. Beard.¡± Beard sped his hands together and replied. ¡°It¡¯s Ralph.¡± I also asked with respect for Beard. ¡°Mr. Ralph. Are these all the spears you have here?¡± Ralph tilted his head slightly and replied. ¡°I have a few more in the back, but there¡¯s not much difference.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. Do you not take custom orders?¡± The weapons Ralph made were decent enough for the patrol unit to use, but I couldn¡¯t find the type of spear I was looking for. I was looking at a spear for Makan to use. The other Crazy Mage Squad members could get magic weapons or artifactster, but Makan needed to get used to a spear that suited him early on. Makan needs a heavier and bigger spear. Ralph asked. ¡°If it¡¯s a custom order, what kind of spear are you talking about?¡± ¡°A heavy spear made of cold iron or star iron would be good. The length should be about my height. Is that possible?¡± ¡°Are you going to use it yourself, young master?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to give it to a brute in the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Ralph shook his head with a troubled look on his face. ¡°It¡¯s difficult right now. Not only is it hard to find cold iron or star iron, but even if I do, I¡¯m not confident. I haven¡¯t worked with them much.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing my disappointment, Ralph added, ¡°You¡¯ll probably have to go at least as far as San Baul or San Kris to find them. Maybe there are some in Leon too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Looking around, the unit members were each picking out a weapon and flicking it around. Donkey also chose a long kitchen knife and let out a satisfiedugh. ¡°Did everyone choose?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± I looked around and said. ¡°Daisy, tell the treasure to pay Ralph, and the rest of you are dismissed.¡± The patrol unit members gathered in groups of three or five, wiggling their hips as they disappeared. It was probably their way of expressing excitement. It looked like they were dancing, but it also didn¡¯t. While watching their strange wiggling that I didn¡¯t know where they learned, I suddenly spotted a guy still lingering nearby. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going, One-Eye?¡± Looking closely, it didn¡¯t seem like One-Eye had chosen a weapon. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you choose one? Nothing caught your eye? You want to live with a skewer?¡± One-Eye, hesitating uncharacteristically, gathered his courage and said. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°What?¡± I had a feeling this guy was going to say something strange. Sure enough. ¡°Is there any chance I could learn magic too?¡± ¡°Magic?¡± While making eye contact with One-Eye, I realized the reason. ¡°Is it because of that Yale guy?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± One-Eye had been defeated by Yale before, so he was aware of the gap between them and himself. He probably didn¡¯t think he could beat them just by practicing swordsmanship diligently. I shook my head firmly. ¡°No.¡± One-Eye nodded, thinking he was being shameless. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Then I¡¯ll be going.¡± I watched One-Eye disappear with his head down for a moment. ¡°Tsk.¡± At that moment, Eight Legs, who appeared from somewhere, approached One-Eye and put a piece of dried meat in his pocket. When One-Eye looked at him strangely, Eight Legs made a ¡®Shh-¡® sound and struck his signature pose. One-Eye¡¯s expression contorted when he saw that Eight Legs¡¯ shoes were pink. I understood One-Eye¡¯s feelings better than anyone. ¡°¡­¡± Eight Legs, who had seen One-Eye off, approached me and said. ¡°He looks sad. Can¡¯t you teach One-Eye magic too?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± I realized why I felt strangely annoyed. There was no malice in Eight Legs¡¯ actions. After standing nkly for a while, feeling a strange andplicated mix of annoying emotions, I suddenly turned my head and looked at the opposite side. A group of people dressed in uniforms was approaching. Looking at their faces, they were all men I had never seen before. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± The man at the front of the procession approached me and asked. ¡°Do you happen to know where the Samael n is?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 75 Chapter 75: Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group I eyed the man warily, sizing him up from head to toe. He exuded an air of nobility, clearly not a local. I tilted my head, feigning ignorance. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see. Where was Samael again?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m sure it was in this direction. Strange.¡± There was no malice in the man¡¯s tone, nor any trace of mana. But appearances can be deceiving. ¡°By the way, who are you to be looking for Samael?¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s a personal matter¡­¡± ¡°I know Samael well. Follow me!¡± ¡®What a damn fool.¡¯ Palge interrupted. I red at Palge, but he seemed oblivious to his mistake. His eyes were filled with pure goodwill as he looked at the man. ¡°Pig.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me a pig.¡± ¡°Fatty. How many times do I have to tell you to be more aware? You don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s friend or foe, and you¡¯re just going to trust him blindly? If he were an enemy, you¡¯d lead him straight to Samael. You¡¯re a future traitor in the making.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a traitor. His eyes looked kind.¡± I sighed and shook my head. The man, who had been watching quietly, spoke politely. ¡°I see now. You must be from Samael. There¡¯s no need to be so wary. I¡¯m Alvin from Valpong. I¡¯vee to see Kazen, the n Head.¡± ¡°See!¡± I smacked the back of Palge¡¯s head and racked my brain. Valpong. That was the merchant group Kazen had mentioned. The Valpong Merchant Group and the Marais n. The two who had extended a helping hand when Samael was in dire straits. They had said it would take time to secure funds without arousing Urgon¡¯s suspicion, and it seemed they had finally arrived. I introduced myself with a modicum of courtesy. ¡°I am Ruin of Samael. Recent events have left the n on edge, so I apologize for my earlier caution.¡± The man named Alvin nodded understandingly. ¡°Think nothing of it. I understand.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± As we returned to the n with the procession, Alvin broke the awkward silence. ¡°I heard the news on my way here. I was worried I might be toote, but it seems things worked out well. You even drove out Bayern.¡± ¡°It was nothing major.¡± My dismissive tone surprised him. ¡°I see our assistance wasn¡¯t needed after all. I came anyway, as we had promised, but I feel a bit embarrassed now.¡± I shook my head. Their decision to help in our time of need was meaningful enough. ¡°Samael is grateful.¡± It suddenly urred to me that Valpong had no prior connection to Samael. I was curious about their motive for helping, but I decided not to pry. He was a guest here to see Kazen. In the midst of an awkward silence, Alvin chuckled. ¡°Speaking of which, I hear there¡¯s a Crazy Mage Commander in Samael.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Khaoto¡¯s reputation precedes him. I¡¯m curious to know what kind of person he is.¡± At that moment, I looked intently at Palge,municating with my eyes. ¡®Fatty, it¡¯s your time to shine.¡¯ Misinterpreting my gaze, Palge averted his eyes. He had been so eager earlier, but now his lips were tightly sealed. Such a clueless fatty. Not wanting to say it myself, I feigned disinterest and kept walking. As we walked, I observed the procession. The actual merchant group members seemed to be few in number. Most of those at the back were burly men who looked likeborers. Soon, Samael¡¯s main gate came into view. Between the guards lined up on both sides, the guard Captain saluted crisply. ¡°Sir!¡± Alvin looked slightly surprised at the disciplined guards. Meanwhile, the chief attendant came out to greet Alvin. ¡°Are you from the Valpong Merchant Group?¡± ¡°Greetings. I am Alvin, an official of the Valpong Merchant Group.¡± ¡°This way, please. The n Head is waiting for you.¡± Wright led Alvin into the n Head¡¯s quarters, and theborers who had followed waited to the side. Feeling full and having nothing to do, I strolled around, idly patting my belly. * * * While I waszing about, I heard a soft chuckle. Kazen and the elders wereing out of the n Head¡¯s quarters with Alvin. Seeing Alvin leave the n without further ado, it seemed he had indeede only to deliver the funds. He had arrived withborers, but he was leaving with only his merchant group members. Following Kazen¡¯s orders, Wright led theborers further in. Wright headed towards Mount Khaoto, leaving the manor behind. He stopped where the slope became steep and began giving instructions to theborers. I narrowed my eyes and looked at where Wright was standing. It was a ce where Samael could be seen at a nce, and it was the first thing you saw when you passed through the main gate. It was the heart of Samael. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ My curiosity piqued, I approached them. Theborers were surveying the slope, making strange markings on the ground. I went up to Wright and asked, ¡°What did you tell them to do? It looks interesting.¡± The answer came from an unexpected source. ¡°We¡¯re going to rebuild the Ifrit Temple.¡± Kazen had approached me at some point. ¡°Why the strange look on your face? Are you surprised, Ruin?¡± Caught off guard, I didn¡¯t respond. Kazen looked at theborers for a moment, then muttered in a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s time to move forward. We¡¯ve taken a long detour, but I have no regrets. It has only made Samael stronger. Of course, there will be greater challenges ahead. But.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just as our ancestors did in the past, we will not forget the identity of Samael.¡± It felt like a vow Kazen was making to himself. ¡°The Ifrit Temple will be the first step. Thanks to you, Ruin.¡± Kazen, the current n Head of Samael, had decided to rebuild the temple he had destroyed long ago. It was a moving moment. Ifrit. Even though he¡¯s made up his mind, Kazen probably doesn¡¯t yet realize the true significance of Ifrit to Samael. And it¡¯s not just Kazen. The elders, Hector, all the mages¡­ this is an era where they¡¯ve forgotten the essence of the magic they wield. Forgotten, and thus forgotten. And because of that, it has vanished and weakened. The roots have withered, leaving only a hollow shell. ¡®But they will know.¡¯ Eventually. One way or another, they will know. What they¡¯re missing. Those who have forgotten the essence and taken the easy path, trapping themselves in limitations, will eventually realize. They will see it with their own eyes. The resurgence of the magic that once shone so brightly. As I was lost in thought, Kazen smiled and said, ¡°By the way, it¡¯s been hard to see youtely. Come by more often.¡± Kazen gazed intently at the heart of Samael, and I looked at his profile. His internal injuries seemed to have healed considerably. Kazen¡¯splexion looked much better. * * * Back at the manor, I wandered around, looking this way and that. ¡®Where did they go?¡¯ The Crazy Mage Squad was training diligently, but the elders were nowhere to be seen. I had wanted to chat with them since I had a chance to talk with the n Head after a long time, but they had disappeared. I was sure they were somewhere around here just a moment ago. Of course, I had a rough idea of where they might have gone. When I was training alone in the mountains, I would asionally hear their voices. To be honest, I was a bit uneasy. I kept remembering how they had wanted to throw Spirit Stones at me. Why on earth did they want to throw Spirit Stones? I was worried they might have collectively gone senile. I¡¯d rather not have nightmares about old hags again. ¡®Nah, they wouldn¡¯t do that.¡¯ Unable to find the elders anywhere, I headed back to Khaoto City. The crimsonnterns that once adorned the eastern district were gone. Instead, the white lights that had been hidden by thenterns were now revealed under the night sky. General stores, cksmiths, herbal shops, workshops¡­ small but cozy lights illuminated the streets, mingling with the moonlight. The locals bustled about, enjoying the lively atmosphere of Khaoto. I smiled as I walked, then suddenly bit my lower lip, trying to maintain myposure. It felt like people were staring at me. I couldn¡¯t help but walk with a mncholic gaze, trying to look cool. ¡°Oh my, look at that guy.¡± ¡°Did he poop his pants or something? It¡¯s an eyesore. Oh, wait. Is he the Crazy Mage?¡± ¡°Nah, no way. The Crazy Mage wouldn¡¯t walk around looking like he just pooped himself.¡± They couldn¡¯t possibly be talking about me. A littleter, a building surrounded by ck outer walls came into view. * * * ¡°Hmm?¡± As soon as I opened the door, I sensed something was amiss. Kant, who was always dozing off by the door, was nowhere to be seen. I went up to the second floor, and the hall was gone, along with all the furniture. It waspletely empty, like a restaurant that had gone out of business. ¡®Did he run away?¡¯ After looking around for a while and not finding him, I went back down to the first floor, where I saw a familiar face. ¡°Young Master Ruin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. You¡¯ve grown up a lot.¡± It was (former) Mustache. His mustache had grown considerably, making him look almost like his old self. ¡°Where¡¯s Kant, and why are you here? Are you not open for business?¡± Mustache replied as if he had been waiting for this question. ¡°We¡¯ve temporarily relocated. I stayed behind, expecting you mighte looking for us, Young Master. Please,e this way. I¡¯ll escort you.¡± ¡°So it did go bankrupt.¡± Mustache navigated through the back alleys of western Khaoto, eventually leading me to a shabby inn. At the counter, I saw a familiar face nodding off. I rang the bell at the entrance and said, ¡°Hey, innkeeper. We¡¯d like a room for the night.¡± Kant looked up and grinned. ¡°We have guests.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a very attentive innkeeper. You don¡¯t even get up when guests arrive. How do you expect to run a business like this?¡± ¡°Running an inn is harder than I thought.¡± ¡°Enough with the excuses. Show us to our room.¡± Kant got up and led us upstairs, opening the door to the room at the very end of the hallway. In the simple room, furnished with only a bed and a table, a figure in a ck mask awaited us. I sat down on a chair and said, ¡°So, Masked Man is here too. Take off the mask, Marco.¡± He didn¡¯t respond, probably thinking I was making a silly joke. Kant sat down across from me and asked, ¡°Did you like the gift?¡± ¡°It was alright. Thanks to it, I had fun messing with that Bayern guy.¡± ¡°You handled it cleanly and efficiently.¡± I met Kant¡¯s eyes and replied, ¡°Are you evaluating me?¡± Kant smiled enigmatically and said, ¡°I heard Urgon came too.¡± ¡°Yeah, some guy calling himself the Azure Dragon Magic Division Squad Captain or something came. Do you know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s from the Azure Dragon Magic Division. The Captain is young, but he doesn¡¯t have a good reputation.¡± ¡°A bad reputation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I fiddled with a scone on the table and replied, ¡°He seemed promising to me. That¡¯s strange.¡± Among those who were drawing the Water Spirit, he had decent fundamentals. He was talented. Moreover, judging by his decision-making, he wasn¡¯tcking in leadership qualities either. Kant shrugged and said, ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on Urgon¡¯s movements.¡± I nodded in agreement. ¡°By the way, Vani Sky finally closed down, huh?¡± ¡°No customers. No one was looking for the Dream of the Night or rare stars. Business was bad, so we shut it down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to smile more. You can¡¯t expect to run a business with such an unfriendly innkeeper.¡± Kant shook his head, as if to say he couldn¡¯t argue with that. Just then, the door opened, and Mustache came in with some dried snacks and drinks. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re actually serving guests today.¡± ¡°Haha, I knew you¡¯d like it.¡± ¡°See, people need to fail to learn. Failure is a great teacher.¡± As I downed a cup of alcohol, Kant spoke up. ¡°To be honest, theck of business was a secondary issue. Thanks to you, Young Master, the changes in Khaoto have been too abrupt. In times of heightened attention, we need to be cautious.¡± ¡°Good thinking. I wasn¡¯t too keen on selling hallucinogenic herbs anyway.¡± I met Kant¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Are you nning to move?¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering it. I¡¯m not too fond of Leon either. For the time being, I n to stay here and observe the situation.¡± I nodded and took another sip of alcohol. I was the only one drinking. The masked man clearly had no intention of taking it off, and Kant wasn¡¯t even touching his drink. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys drinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not particrly fond of alcohol.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kant replied casually, ¡°It makes me sneeze. I prefer tea to alcohol.¡± It was the strangest excuse I¡¯d ever heard. It sounded like a lie, but I wasn¡¯t going to force him. I respected people who didn¡¯t drink. I continued to empty my cup without saying anything. Every time I finished a cup, Kant would take a sip of his tea. Unexpected silences like this often urred when I talked to Kant. We enjoyed our own moments of peace in the silence. As I filled myst cup, Kant spoke. ¡°Is there something you¡¯d like to say, Young Master?¡± ¡°Something came to mind.¡± ¡°Feel free to speak.¡± I downed thest cup and looked directly at Kant. ¡°Are there any other clients in Khaoto besides me?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 76 Chapter 76: The Importance of Mindset ¡°Another client?¡± Kant tilted his head, thinking it was an unexpected question. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about those seeking hallucinogenic herbs or the auction house. Surely, you mean a client of the Information Guild.¡± I didn¡¯t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. ¡°The alchemist in the eastern district. The bald one with only three strands of hair left. Do you know him?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the bald alchemist, I think I know who you mean¡­¡± Kant replied with a puzzled expression. ¡°We don¡¯t have any connection with him. Is there a reason you¡¯re asking?¡± ¡°A reason?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I fiddled with the empty cup and said, ¡°Bring me some more alcohol.¡± Mustache, who had been waiting outside, brought in a barrel of alcohol, and I silently filled my cup. ¡°Young Master?¡± I locked eyes with Kant, then downed the cup and said, ¡°No particr reason. Just a hunch.¡± Kant narrowed his eyes at me, then sighed. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying. Of course, the Guild¡¯s principle is not to disclose client information, but as I said, I¡¯m not dealing with you as a Guild member, Young Master. Not only the alchemist, but no one in Khaoto is aware of our true identity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That alchemist hasn¡¯t been in Khaoto for very long. He¡¯s not an ordinary alchemist, but he¡¯s not someone to be wary of.¡± After finishing his firm statement, Kant looked at me as if it was my turn to respond. I emptied my cup and said, ¡°That old man tried something strange on me before. It felt like he was hiding something. Look into him.¡± Altein was not an old man to be taken lightly. I didn¡¯t know his abilities, his identity, or his past. I knew nothing about him. I liked his entric personality, but I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. The fact that he was staying in Khaoto suggested he might have ulterior motives. ¡°Understood.¡± Kant didn¡¯t ask any further questions, even though he must have had some. I deliberately kept my exnation vague. There was no need to tell Kant everything about the entric bald man. I changed the subject, as if something had just urred to me. ¡°I want to acquire a mana cultivation manual.¡± Kant replied, puzzled, ¡°A mana cultivation manual? Are you talking about a proper one?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Kant answered with a troubled expression. ¡°Decent ones are hard toe by. The secret techniques of renowned families are rarely leaked outside. And you wouldn¡¯t be satisfied with the ones sold in the marketce.¡± ¡°Something moderately good will do. Anything beyond that wouldn¡¯t make much difference anyway.¡± ¡°Sometimes they show up in underground auctions, but unfortunately, they¡¯re not operating right now.¡± I put down my cup and stood up without hesitation. ¡°Can¡¯t be helped then. I¡¯m leaving.¡± As I headed for the door, Kant stopped me. ¡°Wait a moment, Young Master.¡± After a brief moment of contemtion, Kant spoke with the masked man and nodded. ¡°There¡¯s an auction house in Leon as well. They¡¯re expecting to get something suitable soon. However, the bidding might be fierce.¡± I asked with an impressed expression, ¡°You have your fingers in many pies, don¡¯t you? Anyway, if it¡¯s too expensive, I won¡¯t buy it. When is the auction?¡± ¡°Two days from now. I¡¯ll give you the contact information of my agent in Leon.¡± A momentter, I nced at the mirror on the wall and left the room. As Kant saw me off, he muttered out of the blue, ¡°As you said, Young Master, there are too few guests. Maybe I should try a different business instead of an inn.¡± I scoffed and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic.¡± He was good at hiding his true feelings. Kant was not one to make a losing deal. Even with Vani Sky closing down and Khaoto changing, Kant wouldn¡¯t suffer any losses. In fact, he was probably happy about it. But I didn¡¯t bother pointing that out. This level of distance was just right for my rtionship with Kant. ¡°At least try to decorate the inn a bit. It¡¯s too gloomy. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Until next time.¡± I said goodbye to Kant and headed to the Full Khao Patrol¡¯s headquarters. * * * I spent the night at the Full Khao Patrol¡¯s quarters and left for the manor early in the morning. I was quite surprised as soon as I stepped outside. ¡°Wow.¡± The sight of the manor, which had been obscured by darkness the night before, was now in full view. Almost all traces of the Bayern n were gone. Even if the dead snake eyes were toe back to life, he would have trouble recognizing its own home. ¡°How could it change so much in such a short time?¡± The once dreary manor was now filled with the scent of grass, and there was even a small pond on one side. The appearance of the buildings also seemed somewhat different. As I looked around in bewilderment, I heard singing from somewhere. ¡°La.¡± I looked over and saw Daisy, with weeds stuck in her hair, frantically cleaning up the manor. I felt a shiver run down my spine and tried to move away, but Daisy called out to me. ¡°Brother!¡± I turned around and waved awkwardly. ¡°You¡¯re up early.¡± ¡°When did you get here? I didn¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°I camest night. The guards at the main gate were so tired they were dozing off. I didn¡¯t wake them up. Let them rest.¡± ¡°Okay. La.¡± Daisy hummed as she pulled out a red dagger. Then, with a look of realization, she said, ¡°Oh, Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Wait a minute. There¡¯s someone alive.¡± Was I still half asleep? I stood there, not understanding what she was talking about, when Daisy disappeared somewhere and reappeared with a few of her subordinates. Carrot was bringing someone tied up with a rope. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Daisy interrupted. ¡°This guy says he knows you, Brother. Do you know him?¡± I approached the tied-up person and examined him closely. His face was swollen all over, but I recognized him from his eyes. ¡°¡­ Corpse Eyes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Smack¡ª Daisy pped Blok across the cheek, her eyes zing. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer?¡± ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s right?¡± Blok replied with a strange expression, a mix of humiliation and fear. ¡°¡­It¡¯s true. I am Corpse Eyes.¡± Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t remember killing Corpse Eyes. I looked at Daisy and asked, ¡°Where did you find him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s an infirmary in the annex building, and he was hiding in the basement there. He said he had something to tell you, Brother, so I left him alone for a bit. Do you know him?¡± ¡°I do.¡± I made eye contact with Blok, then suddenly feeling disgusted, I pped him across the face. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°So you hid while everyone else was fighting, just to save your own skin. You worm.¡± Blok, who had long since abandoned his pride, said in a trembling voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t even know there was a fight going on.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­I was unconscious.¡± Blok pushed his protruding forehead forward. The forehead mark was still clearly visible. Roughly understanding the situation, I asked in disbelief, ¡°What do you have to say?¡± ¡°Please spare my life.¡± As I silently drew the dagger from Daisy¡¯s waist, Blok threw himself to the ground and pleaded ¡°Please let me live. I have no attachment to the n. Please spare me.¡± I stepped on the back of Blok¡¯s head and said, ¡°You pathetic creature, listen carefully. You¡¯re a coward. Even though your family is dead, you¡¯re a piece of trash begging for your life from your enemy. But I don¡¯t kill every piece of trash. What can I do if you were born that way? The reason you¡¯re dying here today is simple. Even if I spared you, you would try to escape and seek revenge. I can¡¯t let someone like that live.¡± As I spoke, Blok trembled all over and raised his head. His face was a mess of tears and snot as he babbled, ¡°Please let me live. Revenge? That¡¯s ridiculous. I only did what I was told because I wanted to impress the n head. I truly have no attachment to the n. I was treated like a discarded child. I want to live. Please.¡± ¡°Please, please spare me!¡±. Just as I was about to plunge the dagger in again, the sunlight reflected off the red de and momentarily blinded me. Coincidentally, the appearbutlered in my line of sight, so I asked without thinking, ¡°Why is this guy so pathetic?¡± The butler, though he didn¡¯t like Blok, felt somewhat sorry for him as he was dying, so he spoke truthfully, ¡°¡­It¡¯s not entirely wrong. Both of us, myself and Blok, were treated as insignificant.¡± I suddenly let out a dryugh. I looked at Blok, who was groaning, and then changed my mind. I told Carrot, ¡°Take this guy and make him ackey. Keep an eye on him and kill him if he does anything stupid.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I simply changed my mind. I watched Blok being dragged away, bound by ropes, and thought. There are some people in this world who are just too tenacious to kill. That bastard got smacked in the forehead a total of 600 times by me. If the Crazy Mage wasn¡¯t the type to repay double what he received, it would¡¯ve ended with just 300 hits. If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t still be unconscious. He would¡¯ve just kicked the bucket with Cyan a while ago. Suddenly, I realized that even if the morning sun hadn¡¯t been so bright today, he would¡¯ve died anyway. If the general hadn¡¯t agreed with Blok¡¯s words, he would¡¯ve died. If I hadn¡¯t felt like it today, for some reason, he would¡¯ve died. I¡¯m pretty tenacious, and that Blok guy was tenacious too. But I don¡¯t think this is an important issue. Things like this are just decided by pure chance. Because life is such that you never know when you¡¯re going to die. In the end, what¡¯s important is your mindset. The mindset of shedding your worthless self. In a life where you never know when you¡¯ll die, what¡¯s important is your mindset about how you live. I don¡¯t know what mindset that guy will live with, but if he lives with the same mindset as now, his life will end up being worse than dying right now. Daisy, who had been lost in thought for a moment, spoke to me. ¡°Brother, by the way, what brings you here?¡± Only then did I remember the purpose of my visit. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere together.¡± Daisy¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Huh, where? Just the two of us?¡± ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re going to Leon. You don¡¯t need to pack anything, just bring yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just wash up and change and be right out.¡± Daisy went into the main building humming a tune and didn¡¯te out for a while, so I also washed up and changed into new clothes. Daisy, dressed in tight-fitting red clothes, was waiting at the main gate. All the subordinates¡¯ eyes were on her. ¡°Cover up a bit. Everyone¡¯s staring.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± I started walking first, and Daisy followed, wearing a coat. * * * Leon¡¯s main street was bustling with activity. I could see the street scene at a nce, which I hadn¡¯t been able to see when I passed by quicklyst time. As befits amercial city, all sorts of goods filled the streets. The front doors of the buildings were wide open, and in front of them were stalls filled with various items. ¡°I wonder if they¡¯re open today.¡± Daisy quickened her pace. Merchants who traveled all over the southern part of the continent, seeking profit from price differences, often stopped by Leon, so there weren¡¯t many cases where they sold goods in a fixed location. Depending on the time, they might or might not be in Leon. Daisy said that among them, a merchant who handled goods from a famous cksmith in the south asionally stopped by Leon. Daisy, who had been hurrying her steps, pped her hands with joy. ¡°They¡¯re open!¡± The door of a temporary building on one side of the street was open, and various weapons were disyed on the stall in front. A young merchant with a friendly face came out to greet us with a smile. Daisy tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s strange. I¡¯m sure he was old. Did the owner change?¡± Meanwhile, the young merchant approached us. ¡°Wee.¡± I looked around the stall and said. ¡°I¡¯d like to see a spear. Do you have any good ones?¡± The merchant looked at me and Daisy alternately and smiled. ¡°What kind of spear are you looking for? We have fancy spears that are good for disy, or we also have self-defense daggers suitable for this lovelydy here.¡± While Daisy looked at the merchant with a flirtatious smile, I carefully examined the items on disy and muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything worthwhile.¡± ¡°If you have something specific in mind, please let me know. We have many more weapons inside.¡± ¡°Do you have any long spears made of cold iron?¡± Upon hearing my words, the merchant¡¯s face lit up with a broad smile. ¡°Of course. Pleasee inside.¡± We entered, and gleaming weapons were disyed vertically on racks. The merchant led us to a spot where a particrly ornate spear was showcased. ¡°This is a long spear made of 100-year cold iron.¡± ¡°This is 100-year cold iron?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry about the quality.¡± As I carefully examined the spearhead, the merchant chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a masterpiece from the Pargel cksmith, the most famous in the southern part of the continent. The handle even bears the Pargel seal.¡± I turned my head to look at the merchant, who then nced between Daisy and me with an even wider smile. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ It seemed this merchant thought I was an easy mark. He probably assumed I was showing off in front of a woman. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 77 Chapter 77: Red Dagger The merchant, with a smile, unlocked the disy case. ¡°Normally, I don¡¯t show this to just anyone.¡± Meanwhile, I took a moment to check my attire. I had changed into these clothes without much thought, but now that I looked, the material was quite nice. It was like something a clueless, rich young master would wear. ¡°This is a precious item.¡± The merchant took the spear out of the disy case and showed me the handle. It was engraved with the word ¡°Pargel¡± in small letters, along with a seal. ¡°As you can see, Pargel¡¯s weapons are not easily obtainable.¡± I received the spear and asked the merchant again, seriously. ¡°Is this really made of Cold Iron?¡± ¡°Of course. The ck de is a color that onlyes from high-purity Cold Iron.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it to me. Did I get scammed?¡± ¡°Haha, you say such unpleasant things. I told you this is a Pargel product.¡± The merchant definitely thought I was a rich sucker. ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t have been scammed. So, how much is it?¡± The merchant said with a big sales smile. ¡°Cold Iron is a precious metal that¡¯s hard to put a price on. You¡¯ll have to give me five standard gold bars.¡± I nced at Daisy once, then blew on my middle finger after tucking it into my thumb. ¡°Ha¡ª¡± As soon as I flicked the de, it cracked with a ¡®ting¡ª¡¯ sound. ¡°Cold Iron breaks from a flick?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Daisy, who had been giving the merchant a sweet smile, instantly hardened her expression and pulled out a dagger. ¡°You son of a bitch. You dare try to scam my brother?¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± The merchant, momentarily surprised and flustered, hurriedly ran inside, tripped once, then got up and rang the bell. Ding¡ª A momentter, as soon as a group of men rushed into the building, the merchant quickly ran out. ¡°Ro, robbers! There¡¯s a thug causing trouble!¡± ¡°What? Who daresmit robbery in broad daylight in Leon?¡± The merchant pointed at Daisy and me, and the men¡¯s gazes slowly followed his finger. ¡°¡­.¡± Daisy¡¯s, mine, and the men¡¯s gazes intertwined. There was a brief silence. One of them looked back and forth between me and the merchant, muttering. ¡°¡­Robbers? ¡­Causing trouble?¡± ¡°He broke a spear made of Cold Iron, and he¡¯s causing trouble with that woman. Please help.¡± The frozen men simultaneously gauged our reactions. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t we pay your protection fee? Hurry up and teach them a lesson. We also needpensation¡­ Cough.¡± One of the men pressed the back of the merchant¡¯s head and said, ¡°Shut up.¡± Finallying to their senses, the subordinates simultaneously greeted us. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Boss.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± At that moment, another group of men strode confidently into the building, but upon seeing Daisy, they froze and averted their eyes. They were the mercenaries who had been guarding the Merchant Alliance the other day. ¡°¡­What brings you here?¡± The merchant, sensing something was amiss, looked around nervously. I spoke up. ¡°That merchant tried to scam me. He must have thought I was an idiot. You need to manage your merchants better. Even one scammer can muddy the waters.¡± As Daisy approached the merchant with her dagger, one of the newly arrived men said with a troubled expression, ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± He continued urgently, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the owner. Please wait.¡± The man left with his group, and Daisy looked at me. ¡°Should I kill him?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s wait.¡± A short whileter, the man returned with a sturdy-looking old man, and Michel from the Merchant Alliance was with them. Having heard the story on the way, the old man immediately barked at the young merchant upon seeing him. ¡°What is the meaning of this? You couldn¡¯t even wait while I was away and you caused this trouble? What a disgrace!¡± The young merchant retorted, feeling wronged. ¡°Master, I¡¯ve done nothing wrong. I was just trying to sell an item at a slightly higher price, as a merchant should¡­¡± The old man¡¯s face turned beet red. ¡°You foolish boy! I¡¯ve always taught you to do business while considering the customer. And when did I ever tell you to sell anything? Didn¡¯t I tell you to just watch the store because I had an important appointment?!¡± The young man fell silent, and the old man finally turned to look at me. ¡°¡­I apologize for the trouble caused by my poor parenting. I don¡¯t know the exact details, but I¡¯ll apologize first. If I had been at the store, this wouldn¡¯t have happened, but there¡¯s no way to undo what has already been done. I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was a clean, straightforward apology. The old man had a sturdy build and a firm impression, unlike a typical merchant. The calluses on his hands suggested he had worked as a cksmith in his younger days. Daisy nodded, finally understanding. ¡°So he¡¯s your son. That exins it. You¡¯re usually the one here. I thought the owner had changed.¡± The old man shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m rarely away, but today I had an appointment with the Alliance Leader. This happened while I was briefly out. I apologize.¡± Daisy smiled faintly and replied, ¡°But are you just going to apologize with words?¡± The old man shook his head again. ¡°No. First, please tell me what happened.¡± I lifted the spear lying on the floor and said, ¡°They said this spear was made of high-purity cold iron. Is that true?¡± The old man grimaced, red at the young merchant, and sighed. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. My son must have said that, but this is not a mistake to be easily overlooked. There¡¯s a tiny bit of cold iron mixed in, but that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any in the de. It¡¯s not even steel. The strength is only about that of wrought iron. If there¡¯s any cold iron, it would be in the handle at most.¡± ¡°You seem to know weapons quite well.¡± The old man looked at me, seemingly surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected to meet a customer who could properly identify cold iron in a ce like this. My mention of the handle made it clear that I wasn¡¯t just vaguely knowledgeable. The old man sighed once more and said, ¡°Indeed. As an apology, I¡¯ll offer you a weapon. You seem to be looking at the spears, is that right?¡± When I nodded, the old man went to the corner of the disy case and took out a sturdy-looking spear. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have any spears made entirely of cold iron. They¡¯re usually not made of cold iron because of the weight. However, I do have a decent spear made by melting dozens ofyers of steel.¡± Ting¡ª I flicked the de, and a clear metallic sound rang out. It wasn¡¯t entirely satisfactory, but it wasn¡¯t a bad weapon for Makan to use for the time being. When I nodded, Daisy asked, ¡°Will you take that one?¡± ¡°No.¡± Of course not. In situations like this, you have to squeeze them until there¡¯s nothing left. I picked up a dagger from the corner of the disy case that I had been eyeing. The old man¡¯s expression instantly changed, and he let out a gasp of admiration. ¡°Oh.¡± The de of the dagger glowed red. Even without touching the de, the energy emanating from the dagger made my fingertips tingle. It was at least as good as the ck dagger the patriarch had taken and not yet returned. ¡°Interesting. What material is this?¡± The handle was engraved with the word ¡°DunKel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Red Dagger. It¡¯s a dagger made of Millennial Iron.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why? Is this one not allowed?¡± After a long moment of eye contact, the old man suddenly smiled. ¡°They say you never know what will happen in life¡­. The Red Dagger is the work of a craftsman named DunKel, who worked at the Pargel forge. I was lucky enough toe across it in my younger days. It hasn¡¯t found an owner for a long time, but it seems it has finally found one.¡± While the young merchant shouted something, the old man sternly barked at him again. ¡°Be quiet! It¡¯s not something we were nning to sell anyway.¡± The old man sheathed the Red Dagger and handed it to me. ¡°DunKel, that name sounds familiar. Anyway, I¡¯ll put it to good use.¡± I attached the Red Dagger to my belt, slung the spear over my shoulder, and said to the subordinates, ¡°Have the manager pay generously for the spear.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I then made eye contact with Michel, who had been standing to the side. Michel, who had been silent, quickly lowered his gaze when our eyes met. ¡°Alliance Leader, let¡¯s have a talk. I was nning to visit you anyway.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± * * * Top floor of the Merchant Alliance. As I waited in the seat of honor, the leading figures of the Merchant Alliance, including Alliance Leader Michel, gathered one by one. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± ¡°Everyone except the merchants who are out on trade routes has arrived.¡± Michel, trying to break the awkward atmosphere, asked, ¡°May I ask why you called us here? We¡¯ve already heard the news from Khaoto.¡± I picked up a refreshment and looked around. There were several elderly-looking individuals who seemed quite distinguished, so I spoke with a respectful tone. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed merchants of Leon. You¡¯ve already heard about what happened to Dark Soul and Bayern. I have some questions because of that.¡± As I mixed formal and informal speech, the gazes around me became even more cautious. ¡°Rx. I¡¯m not going to kill anyone or anything.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with the nature of merchant groups. Please bear with me if I ask any obvious questions.¡± ¡°Speak freely.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡± I looked around and began, ¡°I¡¯m curious why merchant groups traveling between the southern and eastern continents haven¡¯t been entering Khaoto. There wouldn¡¯t have been a need to end their trade routes in Leon, so why did they? Was it because Bayern was blocking the path to the east?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. You can think of Leon as the de factost city for trade routes.¡± ¡°So that was it.¡± Michel¡¯s answer confirmed my suspicions. In the past, Khaoto was famous as a dazzling magical city, but its geographical location also made it a crucial link between the southern and eastern continents. Merchant groups traveling from the southern continent to the east through Khaoto. And vice versa, merchant groups traveling from the eastern continent to the south through Khaoto. The fact that they weren¡¯t using Khaoto, which offered convenient ess between the east and south, meant that someone was deliberately interfering. Michel took a sip of tea and continued his exnation. ¡°Currently, merchant groups traveling from the southern continent to the east don¡¯t pass through Leon. It¡¯s moremon for them to take a detour, even if it takes longer.¡± ¡°Even the famous merchant groups?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no need to take unnecessary risks. Of course,rge-scale continental groups often use jets or warp gates, so they don¡¯t need to take the usual routes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°In any case, reputable merchant groups heading east don¡¯te this way in the first ce. Even though Leon is amercial city, it¡¯s really only at the level where small groups exchange goods. That¡¯s why there aren¡¯t any famous groups in Leon.¡± I nodded. ¡°So now that Bayern is gone, and Samael opens the path, will the groups naturally starting through?¡± Michel and the other merchants shook their heads in unison. ¡°That¡¯s not the case. Even without Bayern, there are many risk factors in going east through Khaoto. If Bayern had been the only problem, we would have found a way.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°The closest major city in the east from here is San Baul. There are several dangers just on the route from Khaoto to San Baul. There are frequent appearances of bandit gangs that are difficult to eradicate, and there are also rough mercenaries. Of course, the biggest threat among them is Yale.¡± I hadn¡¯t expected to hear that name again, so I reflexively asked, ¡°Yale?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a dangerous group. They¡¯re a group of assassins who take on contracts, and they don¡¯t have a fixed base. They usually operate in a region called Uta in the east, but asionally they appear in Leon as well.¡± ¡°Is the head of that group a guy named Blood?¡± Suddenly, as if they had heard a name they shouldn¡¯t have, the expressions of everyone present hardened. ¡°¡­It seems the young master is also aware of them.¡± ¡°Of course I am. He died recently.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± I made a throat-slitting gesture and said, ¡°He¡¯s dead. I killed him.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 78 Chapter 78: The Reason for the Mask ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± As soon as Michel asked back with a puzzled expression, questions poured in from all sides, filled with disbelief. ¡°Are you talking about Blood Rahidolff?¡± ¡°The head of Yale is dead?¡± It seemed the news hadn¡¯t spread this far yet. It was highly likely that Cyan had secretly brought in Yale. Moreover, judging by their reactions, it seemed Blood had quite a notorious reputation around here. With the intention of revealing the truth, I summarized the memory of that rainy day. ¡°He wasn¡¯t that great. He was an idiot. That vermin Cyan brought in another idiot. And it just so happened to be a rotten idiot. He was hiding metal skewers under his skin. In the end, he blew himself up with them. But the reason I call him an idiot isn¡¯t because he hid skewers. It¡¯s definitely not because he had a hunched back either. He abandoned his subordinates. And in the end, he died by my hand.¡± Daisy, who had been listening quietly, chimed in, imitating my tone. ¡°You see, my brother is the crazy mage. It wasn¡¯t just that idiot Blood who died. All the other skewer idiots he brought also died. I counted at least twenty of them.¡± It wasn¡¯t the most pleasing exnation, but it wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, so I didn¡¯t correct her. ¡°¡­Ahem.¡± The merchants¡¯ eyes looking at me were tinged with fear. Michel, finally regaining hisposure, gulped and replied, ¡°I see. You¡¯ve done a good deed. However, it doesn¡¯t end with just killing Blood. Yale is a group of over fifty people. If there are any remnants left, they¡¯ll likely elect a new leader and try to continue their activities.¡± I responded in a dismissive tone, ¡°That¡¯s not a big problem. So we just need to take care of Yale, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± An awkward atmosphere settled in, and someone on the right raised their hand. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more? It would be nice if you could just tell me everything at once instead of beating around the bush.¡± I looked at the merchant who raised their hand. It was the vice-head of the Irieu merchant group, the one who had greeted me thest time I was here. ¡°If Yale is eradicated, some trade routes will likely be established. But that doesn¡¯t guarantee that the eastern trade routes will bepletely open. In fact, it¡¯s more likely that they won¡¯t be. As you all probably already guessed¡­¡± The vice-head looked around and said, ¡°Because Urgon is still there.¡± The merchants coughed awkwardly and pretended to be busy with other things. Now I understood why the atmosphere had be awkward. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. ¡®They¡¯re saying it¡¯s because of us.¡¯ Ultimately, it was because of Samael. It was a fact that almost every merchant group knew that Urgon didn¡¯t view Samael favorably. Since Samael had driven out Bayern and taken over Khaoto, Urgon wouldn¡¯t just sit idly by. They would try to cause trouble in some way. If they weren¡¯t careful, they could get caught in the crossfire. That¡¯s what they wanted to say. ¡®Urgon, huh.¡¯ No matter where I went, Urgon was the problem. I looked around and said, ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying. Once Yale is taken care of, I¡¯ll let the merchant groups know, but only to the extent that it doesn¡¯t burden them. There will be no tolls for Leon and Khaoto merchant groups. Protection and escort fees will be lower than usual, so the conditions won¡¯t be bad. Discuss the details with Daisy.¡± The Irieu vice-head nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with the Alliance Leader.¡± ¡°I have a few more questions, but let¡¯s take it slow. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± As if on cue, the servants opened the door and brought in food. Various dishes wereid out on a portable table, and Daisy and I devoured them in the blink of an eye. After the meal, I followed Michel¡¯s guidance and entered a reception room to rest for a while. * * * The reception room of the Merchant Alliance wasfortable. I spent my day resting there, then going out for meetings thatstedte into the night, and returning to the reception room again. However, I ended up sleeping somewhere other than the reception room. The reason was simple. I got goosebumps while sharing the reception room with Daisy and had to leave. It was because, in the middle of the night, I heard a ripping sound, and the nket I was covering myself with was torn. Daisy was pulling a dagger from her belt and dancing with it. Looking closely, Daisy¡¯s eyes were closed. In other words, she was sleepwalking. I didn¡¯t want to die in my sleep. Anyway, the meetings continued without any issues the next day. I listened to information about the merchant groups and goodsing and going from Leon, and I also shared the situation in Khaoto. I introduced the Full Khao Patrol Group and briefly exined Samael¡¯s changed circumstances and goals. All of this would slowly and naturally spread outside the continent through the mouths of the merchants. As the meeting progressed, it was almost dinner time again. ¡°How about dining out today?¡± The Irieu vice-head was acting particrly friendly. While the other merchants still seemed ufortable around me, the vice-head was different. ¡°I know a great restaurant.¡± ¡°A great restaurant?¡± ¡°Yes, I know all the best ces to eat in Leon.¡± I chuckled at his easygoing tone, and the vice-head grinned in response. He was a merchant who knew how to build connections. He saw me as a dangerous figure, yet he still approached me, showing that he trusted his instincts. It was a fundamental quality for a merchant. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± The other merchants left the meeting room first, and I followed the vice-head outside with Daisy. It was my first time outside in a day, so the evening air felt particrly refreshing. I asked the vice-head as I followed him, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ce specializing in southern home-style cooking. Their chicken stew is exceptional.¡± I replied naturally, ¡°When ites to chicken stew, I know a ce that does it really well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident in my choice too.¡± ¡°Oh, it won¡¯t be easy to beat.¡± The vice-head smiled and continued walking along Leon¡¯s main street. After walking for a while with no sign of stopping, I asked, ¡°How much further?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hidden gem. Almost no one knows about it unless they¡¯re a local. You won¡¯t regret it. Haha.¡± The vice-head kept walking with a friendly smile. When we reached the end of Leon¡¯s main street, the vice-head turned right into an alley and continued weaving through the narrow streets. The area was gradually bing deserted. Daisy tilted her head and asked, ¡°There¡¯s a good restaurant this way? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± A momentter, the vice-head stopped in front of a shabby restaurant and puffed out his chest, saying, ¡°Here it is.¡± The interior of the ratherrge restaurant was filled with a few locals who seemed to be enjoying their stew. Overall, it was a quiet restaurant. Daisy looked around the shabby interior and pouted. ¡°This is really the ce? I was expecting something better since the vice-head rmended it. What is this? Brother, let¡¯s go somewhere else. I know a decent ce.¡± The vice-head nodded. ¡°Try it first before you say anything. I don¡¯t rmend this ce to just anyone. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± I nodded, and the vice-head went inside first to talk to the staff, then called us over. ¡°You cane up to the second floor.¡± I followed the vice-head up the stairs, and Daisy trailed behind, sighing. ¡°¡­I wanted to go somewhere fancy, hmph.¡± The second floor had apletely differentyout from the first floor. There was a long corridor in the middle, with many rooms crammed on both sides. The vice-head entered one of the rooms and sat down, and Daisy and I sat in a row across from him. The vice-head asked, ¡°Should we order now?¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°About 30 minutes.¡± Daisy, who was in a bad mood, red at the vice-head. ¡°Do they have to catch and ughter the chicken first? What kind of stew takes 30 minutes?¡± I ignored Daisy¡¯sment and said to the vice-head, ¡°Order now, then.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As if it were the most natural thing to do, the vice-head pushed on the wall. The wall slid open, and two men wearing white masks appeared. Daisy immediately pulled out her dagger and jumped forward. ¡°You sons of bitches!¡± Faster than her, I grabbed Daisy¡¯s wrist. While Daisy was flustered, the men in white masks held out two masks simr to the ones they were wearing. The masks were identical in shape, except they were red. I immediately put one on my face and handed the other to Daisy. ¡°Shh. It¡¯s a secret, Daisy.¡± ¡°¡­A secret?¡± Daisy¡¯s face suddenly flushed, and she put on the mask without another word. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I nodded at the vice-head and followed the white-masked men through the passage in the wall. * * * The contact Kant mentioned was the vice-head. I had only just found out myself. I had only been told that there was a contact in the Merchant Alliance, but I hadn¡¯t been able to figure out exactly who it was. The contact was supposed to give me a signal that I could recognize, and that signal turned out to be ¡°chicken stew.¡± It somehow hurt my pride, but it was a pretty clear signal. At the end of the passage, a sight simr to what I had seen at Vani Sky appeared. A stage in the center, with tiered seating surrounding it. The white masks led me to a separate seating area, a bit away from the other seats. It was a seat with a direct view of the stage, wider and higher than the others. It seemed the seats were divided based on the color of the masks. The seat I was guided to was a kind of VIP seat. Daisy, sitting next to me, whispered in my ear, ¡°There was a ce like this here. What is it for?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know? It¡¯s a secret auction house.¡± Daisy said in a somewhat excited voice, ¡°¡­Come to think of it, everyone is wearing masks.¡± As Daisy and I sat side by side and looked around, about half of the seats were filled. Everyone in the regr seats was wearing gray masks. In the dim lighting, I briefly imagined their identities. They were all sitting with an air of importance, but none of them seemed particrly special. It was unlikely that anyone who knew Kant¡¯s identity or anyone worth paying attention to was here. Such people wouldn¡¯te all the way here to participate in an underground auction. If they needed something, they would have gone to a major city. Even if their goal was information, they would have contacted Kant directly through the contact. My conclusion was that they were either locals operating in this area or merchants who had picked up information on their travels. They all probably thought they were participating in a very secretive auction, but in the end, even this was just a deception. It showed how clever Kant was. ¡®Anyway, when is it going to start?¡¯ I briefly turned my head to look to the right. Two people wearing red masks approached and took seats not far away. ¡®Who are they?¡¯ Wearing red masks and sitting in the VIP seats meant they were either wealthy or, like me, special cases. Suddenly, with a sh in the darkness, a circr light shone on the center of the stage. The stage lit up brightly, and a ck mask slowly walked to the center. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 79 Chapter 79: The Leader of Insignificant Men ¡°Thank you for waiting. We have arge turnout again today.¡± The ck mask announced the start of the auction in a practiced tone. ¡°I will now introduce you to some rare stars. This time, we have a particrlyrge selection of valuable stars, so please stay focused until the end.¡± I perked up my ears and concentrated on the ck mask¡¯s ¡®voice.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t tell if the ck mask speaking now was Marco or not. It seemed like the voice was being deliberately disguised. ¡°Well, without further ado, let¡¯s get started. Here¡¯s the first star.¡± p¡ª The ck mask pped their hands. From the edge of the stage, a white mask wearing white gloves walked to the center, carrying a small shield. The spotlight followed the shield¡¯s movement. The ck mask, having received the item, lifted the small shield high, as if lifting a baby lion. They were clearly experienced. The white spotlight shed again, illuminating the shield. Some of the gray masks stirred excitedly, leaning forward. The ck mask grinned and began to speak. ¡°It seems some of you already recognize it. That¡¯s right. This shield is Volrare, a relic of the mercenary Laguro.¡± Suddenly, I heard a rustling sound next to me. Daisy was also leaning forward, staring at the shield. I whispered in her ear, ¡°Do you know it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing this here. He was a fairly famous mercenary. He did a lot of bounty hunting. I heard he went missing a while ago, so I guess he¡¯s dead.¡± Just then, the ck mask spoke up. ¡°Laguro was a very famous mercenary who operated in the south. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard of him at least once. He disappeared five years ago, but his relic has be a star ande all the way here. Volrare is famous for being virtually unscratchable by any de.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to use even for beginners, so it¡¯s good for self-defense or even as a collector¡¯s item. After all, the relics of the dead tend to increase in value over time.¡± Daisy whispered in my ear, ¡°That¡¯s not entirely true. Laguro was a mid-level mercenary. He became famous for taking on many assassination contracts, but it¡¯s not worth exaggerating like that.¡± I nodded and looked at the shield. It seemed like there might be some cold iron mixed in, but it wasn¡¯t anything to get excited about. It didn¡¯t even look like a magic item. However, the ck mask didn¡¯t offer any further exnation, and the crowd had no questions. Recognize it if you know it and buy it. We take no further responsibility. It seemed that was how the auction proceeded. It made sense, considering they were auctioning off items of unknown origin. With luck, you might get something decent for cheap, or you might end up buying something worthless at a high price. In short, it was an auction where you could easily get ripped off if you had poor judgement. The ck mask tapped a small gavel, signaling the start of the bidding. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough time. Let¡¯s begin. The minimum bid for Volrare is 300 gold.¡± People wearing gray masks raised their hands here and there, shouting simultaneously. ¡°400 gold.¡± ¡°500 gold.¡± ¡°550 gold.¡± Their voices all sounded somewhat artificial. It seemed they were being cautious about revealing their identities since they were buying unidentified items. Such timid fools. Meanwhile, a few extremely timid individuals were only signaling with their hands. A momentter, the ck mask looked around and said, ¡°The current highest bid is 1000 gold. Are there any more bids? If not, I¡¯ll close the bidding. 3, 2, 1. Sold.¡± p p¡ª Apuse rang out. The winning bidder took out something like a certificate from their pocket and handed it to the white mask assisting with the auction. The ck mask smiled brightly and said, ¡°Congrattions. The winning item will be handed over after the auction ends.¡± The auction continued in the same manner. Various misceneous items kept appearing, and bidding wars erupted among the audience. There was nothing worth buying for me. There was one magic item that caught my eye, a kind of wrist guard. It had amon magic spell on it that blocked cold air. It wasn¡¯t particrly useful, and the price was too high, so I didn¡¯t buy it. Daisy, who had been watching the auction,mented, ¡°All the items are so mediocre. And the prices are high too.¡± I agreed. Most of the items were being sold at inted prices. How did I know? I could just tell by looking at them. The weapons were readily avable at any cksmith shop, and the other items weren¡¯t very useful. In other words, it was exactly as I had expected. Items being sold at inted prices meant the buyers were suckers. It also meant there was no one worth paying attention to among those wearing gray masks. They were just pathetic people who saw others bidding high and followed suit, thinking there might be something they didn¡¯t know about. But there was one thing that bothered me a little¡­ I suddenly turned my head to look at the two people sitting apart on the right. Both of them, wearing red masks, were staring at the stage without moving a muscle. They hadn¡¯t ced a single bid so far. Judging by their build, they seemed to be men, but it was impossible to see their expressions because of the masks. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Feeling a bit uneasy, the ck mask tapped the gavel to draw attention. ¡°Thank you for your patience. This is thest star of the day.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but look at the stage with anticipation. ¡®Here it is.¡¯ The ck mask held a booklet in their hand and drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s a mana cultivation manual.¡± Quiet gasps of admiration escaped from the audience. However, it felt more like a sigh of disappointment than an excited exmation. The ck mask nodded as if they had expected this. ¡°You seem to be wondering why the mana cultivation manual is thest item. I understand. You probably think it¡¯s nothing more than amon cultivation manual that¡¯s easy to obtain. It¡¯s unlikely that a n¡¯s secret technique would be leaked, and even if it were, the risk of buying it would be much greater. Naturally, it¡¯s not an item you¡¯d be particrly interested in.¡± People in the audience nodded here and there. The reasons the ck mask mentioned were indeed significant. A mana cultivation manual was a double-edged sword in an underground auction like this. ¡°However, this manual is different. It¡¯s a n¡¯s secret technique, but there¡¯s no risk in buying it. Now, let me introduce it.¡± The ck mask pped their hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s the secret cultivation manual of the Atark n, which was destroyed long ago.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was still no significant reaction to the exciting introduction. Instead, an eerie silence fell. It was because no one knew about the Atark n. I tilted my head in confusion. ¡®Atark?¡¯ I had never heard of that n. I racked my brain, trying to remember the expedition members. Was there anyone with the surname Atark among those who participated in the expedition? While I was pondering, I suddenly cheered inwardly. ¡®There is! There is!¡¯ As soon as I remembered that there was a capable knight named Ro Atark, my face crumpled again. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t Ro Atark, but Ro Adark. It wasn¡¯t the Atark n, but the Adark n. Of course. There was no way such a fantastic coincidence would happen. I whispered to Daisy, who was sitting next to me. ¡°Have you ever heard of Atark?¡± ¡°No. But I kind of want it. I learned from amon cultivation manual too. Secret techniques like that are really hard to find.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± But there was too little information. It would be nice if we could at least see what it was about. All we could see was the yellowed cover. Helplessly, I stared at the ck mask, but it seemed they had no intention of providing any more information. It was like they were saying, ¡°Buy it if you want it.¡± In the midst of the awkward silence, the ck mask boldly spoke up. ¡°I think we¡¯ve given you enough time to think. It¡¯s time to pick thest star of the day. The bidding for the Atark n¡¯s cultivation technique will start at 2,000 gold.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Once again, there were bewildered sighs. The starting bid was too high. It was burdensome to spend a whopping 2,000 gold on a cultivation technique that they didn¡¯t even know was useful or not. Meanwhile, one of the gray masks cautiously raised their hand, gauging the reactions of others. The ck mask smiled and nodded. ¡°We have a starting bid of 2,000 gold. Any more bids? You might never see a secret cultivation technique like this again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since this is thest star, we¡¯ll remove the bidding restrictions. I¡¯ll ask again. Any more bids?¡± The ck mask, who had been speaking eloquently, suddenly looked in my direction. Our eyes met through the masks. I had a feeling this person wasn¡¯t Marco. As I instinctively raised my hand, the ck mask said, ¡°2,100 gold.¡± Daisy whispered in a delighted tone, ¡°Are you going to buy it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just check it out.¡± 2,100 gold was equivalent to about two standard gold bars. I was a man with plenty of gold bars, so it wasn¡¯t too much of a burden. Besides, I had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be trash. Of course, I could be wrong. If I was wrong, I could just squeeze the money out of Kant. ¡°The current highest bid is 2,100 gold. Are there any more bids? If not, I¡¯ll start the countdown. 3, 2, 1¡­¡± ¡°2,150 gold!¡± Like a ghost, one of the gray masks jumped in. The timing was so perfect that it annoyed me a bit. When I get annoyed, I need to release it right away, so I raised my hand again. ¡°2,200 gold.¡± The gray mask who had jumped in shook their head. They probably hesitated for a while before bidding, and it seemed they had no intention of bidding any further. I looked down, and everyone was silent as mice. ¡°It seems there are no more bidders. The current highest bid is 2,200 gold. I¡¯ll proceed with the sale¡­¡± ¡°5,000 gold.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ I turned my head, and one of the two in red masks was raising their hand for the first time, their back off the seat. ¡°¡­.¡± The ck mask looked at me with a bright smile. ¡°We have 5,000 gold. Are there any more bids?¡± As the ck mask pointed at me with their finger, Daisy grabbed my arm and whispered, ¡°Brother, that seems too expensive. It might be a strange cultivation technique, so let¡¯s just pass.¡± Daisy was worried that I might bid out of spite. But no. I¡¯m not that kind of man. I red at the red masks, but they didn¡¯t even nce at me. They just stared at the stage with an arrogant posture, as if they thought the cultivation technique was rightfully theirs. ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. Why would they pay 5,000 gold for that cultivation technique? Why would they suddenly bid 5,000 gold all at once? Could there be a reason? Something I don¡¯t know? A reason they absolutely have to buy it? Strictly speaking, I was having the typical thoughts of insignificant men. I¡¯m a man who can see myself objectively. But what can I do? Sometimes, you have to move forward even when you know it¡¯s insignificant. There¡¯s an old saying: ¡®Even if you can¡¯t eat it, it¡¯s still a Gorani.¡¯ It¡¯s a saying that refers to a cute and insignificant man. The Gorani is an animal that, although not tasty, is cute, hence the proverb. Even if you can¡¯t eat it, it¡¯s still good because it¡¯s cute. That¡¯s the meaning. I looked down, and countless insignificant men were cheering me on with their eyes from behind their masks. An insignificant man who moves forward, an insignificant man who is objective, an insignificant man who remembers insignificant proverbs, an insignificant man respected by insignificant men, the leader of insignificant men ¨C I raised my hand and shouted to fulfill the dreams of these insignificant fellows. ¡°5,001 gold.¡± Excitement spread through the audience. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 80 Chapter 80: The Atark n¡¯s Mana Cultivation Technique ¡°6,000 gold.¡± ¡°6,001 gold.¡± ¡°7,000 gold.¡± ¡°7,001 gold.¡± Every time they raised the bid by 1,000 gold, I diligently followed, like an ant carrying the hopes and dreams of insignificant men. In technical terms, I was an ¡®ant that doesn¡¯t get shaken off during ant shaking.¡¯ ¡°10,000 gold.¡± ¡°10,001 gold.¡± Finally, when the bidding surpassed 10,000 gold. The red masks turned their gaze towards me for the first time. ¡°¡­¡± As we made eye contact through the masks without a word, goosebumps rose on my arms. I quickly whispered to Daisy, ¡°I think this is as far as I go. You take over from here.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Daisy was a warrior who understood the aspirations of insignificant men. ¡°20,000 gold.¡± ¡°20,001 gold.¡± ¡°30,000 gold.¡± ¡°30,001 gold.¡± A strange heat filled the air. The audience fell silent as the bids skyrocketed. They showed no signs of giving up, and Daisy¡¯s eyes, fueled by the mission of an insignificant man, were filled with madness. ¡°40,000 gold.¡± ¡°40,001 gold.¡± Now the bids were increasing in increments of 10,000. At this point, I started to find it odd. What were they thinking, raising the bid like this? No matter how rich they were, they wouldn¡¯t throw away tens of thousands of gold without a second thought. Did they really know something about that cultivation technique? But something felt off. It seemed like they were determined to buy it, but I couldn¡¯t sense any longing for the mana cultivation technique. Of course, the same went for them. They probably couldn¡¯t understand why I was following their bids. But I had no intention of telling them. I¡¯m a man of few words in situations like this. One of the red masks cracked their neck and stood up. ¡°50,000 gold.¡± Daisy immediately followed. ¡°50,001 gold. Give up if you¡¯re scared.¡± ¡°You little¡­ 100,000 gold.¡± ¡°100,001¡­¡± I grabbed Daisy¡¯s wrist and stopped her. In my opinion, their 100,000 gold bid was a mistake. They must have shouted it out of anger. I shook my head and surrendered. ¡°I give up.¡± p p p¡ª I was the first to apud the men, dropping the act of being insignificant. The ending is always important. If you end well, even a loss can look like a victory. Sure enough, the gray masks also apuded us. It seemed like they were impressed by my magnanimous attitude, even in defeat. The ck mask, who had been observing the situation, announced the end of the auction. ¡°The highest bid is 100,000 gold. If there are no more bids, we¡¯ll conclude. 3, 2, 1, Sold.¡± Once again, apuse filled the room. ¡°That¡¯s the highest price we¡¯ve seen in years. A beautiful finale. I hope everyone who won a star is satisfied, and we¡¯ll see you next time. Thank you for your participation.¡± The red masks looked visibly ufortable. They were whispering to each other in hushed tones, their masks touching. It was quite strange behavior for people who had just won an auction. Meanwhile, the ck mask left first, and then the gray masks dispersed and exited under the guidance of the assistants. Daisy and I also got up from our seats and headed for the exit. The red masks were intently watching our backs. * * * ¡°100,000 gold? They¡¯re crazy.¡± As we returned our masks and went outside, Daisy muttered in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s definitely a trash cultivation technique.¡± I read Daisy¡¯s expression and asked, ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°¡­A little. But it was too expensive. There¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Daisy looked around and said in surprise, ¡°That¡¯s strange. We¡¯re in the opposite alley. How did we end up here?¡± Looking around, the shabby restaurant we had seen when entering the auction house was nowhere to be found. The surroundings were unfamiliar. ¡°Their deception is certainly good.¡± Daisy¡¯s stomach growled as she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. How about we get something to eat, brother?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eatter. I¡¯m craving stir-fried chicken.¡± ¡°Then can we at least wash up? I feel icky after wearing that mask.¡± ¡°Wait. The dreams of insignificant men haven¡¯t ended yet.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Daisy¡¯s expression changed with interest, sensing something from my answer. ¡°I¡¯m intrigued.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk.¡± I wandered around, looking at shop signs and greeting people when I saw them. I stared intently at random passersby and debated with idle old men. If a professional stroller had seen us, they would have considered it a very poor walk. In short, the two of us roamed freely like stray dogs in the back alleys of Donkey¡¯s territory. And when we encountered someone else taking a simrly poor walk across the street. I quietly said to Daisy, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat dinner.¡± On our way back to Khaoto, the back of my neck itched, but I never looked back. * * * Daisy and I settled into a spot at the edge of Donkey¡¯s restaurant and ordered stir-fried chicken. The ce was almost full, and I saw several familiar faces inside. It seemed like my subordinates were having dinner together. While we were resting and exchanging casual greetings, a waiter came out with a tray of food. ¡°Your spicy stir-fried chicken is here!¡± I looked the waiter up and down and asked, ¡°Precious little one? Are you a waiter here?¡± The kid replied with a grumpy face, ¡°I¡¯m not Precious. I¡¯m Allen. Please remember!¡± ¡°The little waiter is feisty.¡± Donkey, who was in the kitchen, came out with two bottles of moonshine, chuckling. ¡°I hired someone because we were short on staff. He¡¯s young but very quick on his feet.¡± ¡°Being quick is important for a server.¡± As I picked up a piece of spicy stir-fried chicken, the vor was rich, and after taking a sip of moonshine, it felt like my throat cleared, making me sigh in satisfaction. ¡°Kyaaah.¡± This is why I can never stoping to Donkey¡¯s restaurant. The young server was running around attending to customers, while those who arrivedte were lining up outside. Even though the ce was packed, the boy remained calm. Just as Donkey said, he was indeed quick and efficient. I looked outside for a moment and then called the boy over. ¡°Bring me another ss. A ss one.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The boy brought the ss and immediately returned to the entrance to attend to more customers. Two new patrons entered, nced around, and ignored the boy¡¯s guidance as they approached my table. ¡°Seems like it¡¯s full here. Mind if we join?¡± Daisy pinched her nose and red at the men. ¡°Get lost.¡± I continued savoring my stir-fried chicken without saying a word. One of the men, younger, sat down uninvited and asked me, ¡°Is it really that good?¡± ¡°Never tried it before? Once you do, you won¡¯t be able to stop.¡± The man let out a random chuckle and said, ¡°Heh, well, at least we get to eat something good before we go.¡± ¡°Care to try?¡± Maybe my expression was convincing, because the man, unable to contain his curiosity, picked up a piece of the stir-fried chicken. While he did, I poured moonshine into an empty ss. [TL/N: Makgeolli¡úMoonshine (author changed the drink) ] ¡°¡­This is incredible.¡± ¡°Have a drink of moonshine, too.¡± With the feeling of offering a final meal, I handed him the moonshine, and the man, without hesitation, brought the ss to his lips. Just as his lips touched the ss. In a sh, I grabbed the ss and shoved it deep into his mouth. ¡°Guh!¡± The ss smashed into his mouth, and two of his front teeth flew out with a spurt of blood. While Daisy, dagger in hand, lunged at the other man, I punched the first guy again, aiming straight for the ss stuck in his mouth. Crash¡ª The ss shattered, sending a mix of blood, teeth, and shards flying out. His mouth was now a mess. Grabbing the back of his head, I mmed his face down onto the table. Thud¡ª Thud¡ª Thud¡ª With every m, a ttering sound echoed as metal skewers fell to the ground. ¡°These flea-ridden dogs followed me all the way here.¡± The man, his face now covered in blood, copsed to the floor, unable to hold himself up. ¡°Is 100,000 gold too much for you?¡± Thud¡ª Thud¡ª ¡°I asked if it¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I searched the unconscious man¡¯s belongings, and as expected, the mana cultivation technique appeared. Daisy asked, ¡°Brother, what should we do with this guy? Should we kill him?¡± I looked over and saw that Daisy had already shattered one of the other man¡¯s legs with her dagger. ¡°Bring them outside.¡± As I stepped outside, the little waiter, sensing the situation, quickly cleaned up the blood on the table and tidied the surroundings. It was an instinctive action ingrained in him. * * * The two men were kneeling side by side on the street. As expected, the red masks were remnants of Yale. I had suspected it as soon as we made eye contact at the auction house. I sensed a familiar murderous aura. I sat on a chair, arms crossed, looking at the blood-soaked Yale members. ¡°Why did you follow us?¡± I drew the Red Dagger from my belt and said, ¡°Were you that upset about the 100,000 gold? Did you follow us to steal the money and kill us? Are you beggars?¡± ¡°¡­¡± In truth, there was no need to ask. The reason I had wandered the streets like a stray dog was because I had anticipated they would follow me. I red at the two and got to the point. ¡°What kind of n is Atark? Why did you spend 100,000 gold?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± I threw the Red Dagger in my hand, piercing the neck of the man who answered. The other man¡¯s eyes shook frantically, and he blurted out words like a machine gun. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I really don¡¯t know. We were just following orders from above. We were only told to obtain the cultivation technique at any cost if it appeared.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The man continued to answer, even as blood poured from his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s true. I know nothing about Atark or whatever. We didn¡¯t even know the cultivation technique would be at the auction.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like a lie. These guys were weaker than the Yale members I had killed in Bayern. They were even weaker than the one-eyed man I had tormented. They were probably low-ranking members. ¡°How much did you bring?¡± ¡°We brought 100,000 gold. It¡¯s all the funds the organization had saved up. We were told to buy any artifacts that might appear. We followed you because we were afraid of what would happen if we said we spent all the money on the cultivation technique. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°They sent low-ranking members for such an important task?¡± ¡°The higher-ups can¡¯t leave the organization right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been chaotic since the group head died. They¡¯re busy reorganizing the organization.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Blood. Who¡¯s the current leader?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been decided yet. It¡¯s likely Par will be the leader.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± It seemed like neither this guy nor the higher-ups knew anything about the cultivation technique. This guy was simply ordered to obtain the cultivation technique, and when I kept bidding against him, he had no choice but to go up to 100,000 gold. What an insignificant situation. He was insignificant, and I was even more insignificant than him. I was the most insignificant man. As I remained silent for a moment, the man realized my identity and said, ¡°Please spare me. I¡¯ll crawl if you tell me to crawl, bark if you tell me to bark. I haven¡¯t been a member of Yale for long. Please give me a chance.¡± His tone was certainly more normal than other Yale members. He continued, ¡°I can help you. Yale is in a hard-to-find location. You won¡¯t be able to find it even if you search all of Uta. I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± I approached the kneeling man and said, ¡°You were a man with the potential for rehabilitation.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I patted the man¡¯s head with my right hand, warming it up. ¡°Make sure you rehabilitate.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes¡­?¡± A me spear erupted from my right hand and pierced through the man¡¯s head. Boom¡ª With an explosion, sparks flew, and his head burst open. In my opinion, there¡¯s no need to keep alive those who go around stabbing people with metal skewers. As the two men disappeared into hell, my subordinates, who had been watching from Donkey¡¯s restaurant, approached. Daisy carefully wiped the Red Dagger and handed it back to me. One-Eye looked at the Yale corpses and kicked them. The Crazy Mage Squad members also appeared one by one, looking at the mes andmenting, ¡°It burns better than a scarecrow.¡± Zion brought a branch from somewhere, started a bonfire, and watched the mes. Meanwhile, the locals also gathered. Since we were acting like it was no big deal, the locals didn¡¯t seem too surprised. This is why atmosphere is important. I sat on a chair by the roadside and said, ¡°Don¡¯t just watch, clean it up.¡± While my subordinates cleared the street, I sat on the chair and opened the old booklet. [Atark n Mana Cultivation Technique] I turned the first page of the faded booklet and read it line by line, enjoying the cool night breeze. The speed at which I turned the pages gradually increased. While the bonfire Zion had lit crackled, I waspletely absorbed in the cultivation technique. Suddenly, I wanted to say this to the insignificant men. If you¡¯re going to be insignificant, be insignificant to the end. ¡®Even if you can¡¯t eat it, it¡¯s still a Gorani.¡¯ The 100,000 gold was worth it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 81 Chapter 81: 100 Days What is mana cultivation? Countless knights boastfully throw aroundplex terms like acupoints and mantras, but the essence is simple. The Sword Saint once defined mana cultivation as: ¡°Breathing in mana and umting it in the lower abdomen.¡± In other words, mana cultivation is the method of creating a mana core. Needless to say, I dislike mana cores. In my past life, I despised the sight of knights proudly disying their protruding bellies as proof of their cores. Now, even mages are creating cores, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯d look favorably upon it. Then why was I seeking a mana cultivation manual? Am I a hypocrite who contradicts himself? While that may be true, it¡¯s not the answer. It was because of the Full Khao Patrol Unit. I sought the manual with the heart of a mother bird feeding her young. It wasn¡¯t particrly because of what One-Eye said that bothered me. I had originally nned to strengthen the patrol members at an opportune time. Although unintentional, they were still under mymand. I couldn¡¯t bear to see my subordinates getting beaten up by ipetent fools. However, I couldn¡¯t teach them about mana circles. These guys don¡¯t possess the aptitude suitable for mages. Their innate tendencies were closer to those of third-rate thugs. They were already too ustomed to wielding weapons. From any perspective, the mana core used by knights was more suitable than mana circles in this situation. The problemy there. I was a Crazy Mage, not a Crazy Knight. I could discern the quality of mana cultivation manuals, but I couldn¡¯t teach them the mantras of mana cultivation that I didn¡¯t know myself. Honestly, I considered fabricating them, but that was too bothersome. I couldn¡¯t just hand them any random mana cultivation manual found on the streets. If I did, they might end up with messed-up mana breathing like Cyan. Cyan was, in a word, like a fish. He practiced mana cultivation in a nonsensical way, as if breathing through gills instead of his nose. Of course, there were exceptional cases like Daisy, but that was simply because Daisy was exceptionally talented. In any case, mana cultivation manuals were that important. In that sense¡­ The Atark n¡¯s mana cultivation manual was quite decent. You could say it was a case where the aspirations of an insignificant man were fulfilled. There were no objectionable parts in its content. Furthermore, crucial sections were apanied by illustrations, which matched the signs observed when high-ranking knights in the expedition practiced mana breathing. It wasn¡¯t at the level of a renowned n, but it was on par with the secret cultivation techniques of a respectable n. Above all, I could sense the traces of dedicated refinement over a long period. ¡°Hah.¡± I was impressed with myself, that is. Even as an insignificant man I had done it. * * * Around the time when people disappeared from the streets, I lit a bonfire in front of the restaurant and gathered the tables together. While sitting at the head of the table, enjoying thete-night snacks Donkey brought and sipping my drink, my subordinates gathered one by one as if they had made a promise. The night was unusually quiet for ate-night snack time. Maybe it was because the moonlight was hidden behind the clouds. The members of the Crazy Mage Squad sat to my right. The leaders of the Patrol took their ces on my left. Garlic and Grid, who had been promoted to patrol leaders, also upied a chair each. I looked at my subordinates quietly and then spoke. ¡°Patrol.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You need to get stronger, right?¡± One of the leaders was about to crack a joke but closed his mouth, realizing the atmosphere was strange. There were times when the mood naturally turned somber without anyone saying a word, and this was one of those times. I emptied my ss and ced the cultivation manual on the table. ¡°Master it.¡± The gazes of my subordinates simultaneously focused on the faded booklet. ¡°¡­Is that a cultivation manual?¡± I took out the Red Dagger and pointed its tip at each of my subordinates one by one. ¡°It¡¯s time to change your rotten bodies. You were born as third-rate thugs, but you can¡¯t stay that way forever. I don¡¯t keep third-rate subordinates. Get stronger.¡± There was no teacher. They had to learn on their own. Those who didn¡¯t want to could leave. Those who were ipetent could get lost. There was no need for such words. ¡°Can we really master it?¡± ¡°Those who are meant to be strong will be strong.¡± ¡°¡­¡± My subordinates emptied their sses, looking up at the sky or closing their eyes in contemtion. If they thought about it, they probably had a lot to say. How do we master it? Is mana cultivation as easy as they say it is? And so on. But no one uttered such words. The desire for strength had already taken root in their hearts. The will to be strong needed no words. As the sses were passed around in silence, Daisy, unable to hold back any longer, asked, ¡°What level is this manual, brother? Is it really worth 100,000 gold?¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡± Daisy expressed pure admiration. ¡°Wow. You¡¯re amazingly insignificant, brother.¡± It was a somewhat strangepliment, but I nodded. Meanwhile, Makan, who had been watching silently, couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and chimed in. ¡°Can I learn it too?¡± I nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯ll need a proper cultivation manual to raise your mana core rank.¡± ¡°How does itpare to the Red Magic Tower¡¯s?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably simr.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t know. I had never seen the Red Magic Tower¡¯s cultivation manual. I only had a vague memory of Instructor Dyke briefly exining it orally to the apprentices. But there probably wouldn¡¯t be much difference anyway. From this level of cultivation manual onwards, individual capability yed a more significant role. ¡°Hmm.¡± I emptied my ss and was about to grab a snack when I suddenly gasped. I had barely noticed that the stir-fried chicken was disappearing at a rapid pace. ¡°Let¡¯s eat quickly, everyone. Fatty¡¯s skills are so good, it¡¯s hard to notice.¡± As if on cue, Donkey poked his head out from the kitchen. ¡°I knew it, so I prepared a lot this time. Don¡¯t worry and eatfortably.¡± I gave Donkey a round of apuse. ¡°As expected of a culinary master, you¡¯re thorough.¡± We resumed drinking the moonshine and picking at the stir-fried chicken. The fire crackled as my subordinates took turns adding firewood to the bonfire. As the cups were passed around and the atmosphere mellowed, my subordinates began to open up and share their stories. They talked about their lives, their struggles in Khaoto, and how they never imagined their lives would turn out this way. I didn¡¯t have much to say, so I just listened quietly. I couldn¡¯t remember how many rounds of drinks we had when I dipped Red Dagger into my cup and tossed it high into the air. Whoosh¡ª The red dagger soared vertically, then arced in a parab before plunging into the center of the table. Thud¡ª As everyone¡¯s eyes focused on Red Dagger, I spoke. ¡°100 days.¡± A few quick-witted leaders gulped. ¡°I¡¯ll give you 100 days. During that time, train on your own. Those who show promise will be promoted to leaders, and those who don¡¯t will be demoted to the lowest ranks. I¡¯ll be the judge.¡± It was important to instil a sense of purpose and urgency. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate anyone cking off. Give it your all. While mastering the cultivation manual, also deal with those who threaten Khaoto. Learning while getting your heads bashed in is the most efficient way.¡± I looked at Bravo Khan, who couldn¡¯t hide his surprise, and said, ¡°The military advisor is an exception. You¡¯re too old to master the cultivation manual, so you¡¯re excused. Instead, carefully assess the surrounding situation and identify suitable opponents for the Patrol to engage. Realbat experience is crucial. Within the city, you¡¯re the Patrol, but outside, operate as a mercenary group.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it on your own, ask the Crazy Mage Squad for help. Work together organically. And if anything strange happens, let Wright and Lihan know too.¡± Palge, who had been listening, chimed in. ¡°Tell us anytime! I¡¯ll help!¡± I smacked the back of Palge¡¯s head and said, ¡°The same goes for you guys. If you can¡¯t create one more circle in 100 days, prepare to die for real.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The atmosphere suddenly turned cold, so I added, ¡°Let¡¯s drink.¡± Everyone reluctantly sipped their drinks. Then, one of them chugged the moonshine straight from the bottle, and everyone else started drinking like crazy. It seemed like they thought it was theirst supper. ¡°Ugh.¡± Even with the burning sensation in my throat, there was no stopping. I couldn¡¯t lose, so I chugged the moonshine too. * * * Days passed quickly. While my subordinates were desperately trying to get stronger during those 100 days, I was also fighting my own battles and focusing on my personal training. I didn¡¯t care about the time or ce. On hot sunny days, I meditated deep in the mountains. On cool days, I sat cross-legged on the railing of the training ground. On rainy days, I meditated on the roof of Donkey¡¯s restaurant. On days when I missed Brownie, I sat down in the back alley and meditated. I meditated on the table while eating. I even meditated while talking to passing locals. I was a man who could meditate and maintain a mana-sensing posture anywhere. Whether the weather was good. Or whether the weather was bad. The weather was perfect. Every day was spent in meditation. asionally, members of the Patrol or the Crazy Mage Squad woulde to me with reports, but I would always chase them away like dogs. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing right now?¡± ¡°It looks like you¡¯re resting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m meditating. Now get lost.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You idiots¡­¡± Damn it. Whenever I scolded them, I¡¯d get a cramp in my leg and the pain would hit me. But as I meditated all day long, the intensity of the pain gradually decreased. I was a man who could even get used to cramps. Then, when I reached a point where I couldn¡¯t even tell if I had a cramp or not, The circles in my heart increased to five. A 5-circle mage. From then on, I slowly opened my senses and began to grasp the situation. After several dozen days had passed, Bravo Khan informed me that the Yale gang in the Uta region had beenpletely wiped out by the Patrol. ¡°How many went? Did Daisy kill them all?¡± ¡°Ten people went. Daisy didn¡¯t go.¡± It seemed there were others besides Daisy who had potential. ¡°Tell them to keep training. Emphasize that those who fall behind will be demoted.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I continued my personal training without stopping. Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. Since I had already formed the 5th circle, I intended to reach the level ofplete mastery in one go. From then on, I secluded myself in the mountains and practiced incantations. asionally, I would sense strong explosions and mana fluctuations from somewhere. I kept hearing strange voices too. ¡°What¡¯s No-Kkeok-Ma?¡± It seemed the elders were definitely up to something strange with the magic stones. But the stubbornness of the elderly couldn¡¯t be broken by force, so I pretended not to know. Everyone had their own path to follow. One day, as I wasing down the mountain after my daily training, I saw Daisy leading a group of Patrol and guards approaching me all at once. Looking around, I noticed the men had stubble on their chins. ¡°Brother, 100 days have passed.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thinking about it, 100 days wasn¡¯t enough time. A few of them had a different look in their eyes, but it was still far from enough. Besides, I hadn¡¯t mastered the 5th circle yet either. More importantly, The Crazy Mage Squad members were finally starting to show some signs of being mages. This was the time to intensify their training. I often helped them train by throwing fire spears at them while they were meditating or throwing Red Dagger at them while they were sleeping. As my sense of time faded, Unfamiliar faces started appearing one by one in the n. ¡°Who are they?¡± Wright, who appeared out of nowhere, answered, ¡°They are children who came to learn magic.¡± It seemed Kazen had opened up the n. Elder Falcon was teaching something to a group of runny-nosed kids in the auxiliary training hall. Although I wasn¡¯t entirely pleased with the situation, I didn¡¯t bother asking Kazen about it. ¡®He¡¯s acting like a proper n head.¡¯ I knew without asking. Both Kazen and I were the same. The reason Kazen hadn¡¯t asked me anything while I was training was probably the same. I said nothing and continued with my routine. I trained in the mountains, meditated regardless of location, and asionally helped the Crazy Mage Squad members pass the time. Meanwhile, I kept my ears open and focused on news from the outside world. Various news reached me, but for some reason, I never heard anything about Urgon. I even went to Kant just in case, but he only shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no movement.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Overall, these were peaceful days. But I knew this was the calm before the storm. Even amidst the repetitive daily life that made me lose track of time, I gradually prepared myself mentally. The sunset was burning red. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 82 Chapter 82: Return (1) In the cool air of early morning, a group swiftly traversed the quiet forest path. Two men led the way, followed by a woman. A total of two men and one woman, all young. Each of their expressions hinted at a sense of determination. ¡°How much further?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± The man who asked the question kicked the ground forcefully. ¡°Let¡¯s pick up the pace.¡± Every time their matching worn martial uniforms fluttered, the wind swirled around them. With each step, they left barely noticeable footprints on the ground. As the forest path abruptly ended and a bustling city came into view, The men at the front suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­¡± Like frozen statues, the two men couldn¡¯t take their eyes off the cityscape. ¡°¡­This is Khaoto?¡± People walked freely on the modernized streets, and merchants formed a lively procession. The man on the right closed one eye and surveyed the distant mountains before speaking. ¡°It seems so, Senior Brother Taylor.¡± Taylor, the man addressed as such, nodded with a puzzled expression. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m seeing right now.¡± Taylor turned his head to look at the woman who had followed them. Even Arin, who rarely showed surprise, had her eyes wide open as she gazed at the city. They knew the past state of Khaoto better than anyone, so the current sight was beyond theirprehension. The man who called Taylor ¡°Senior Brother¡± asked, ¡°Shall we return to the n immediately?¡± Taylor had originally intended to, but he changed his mind. ¡°Let¡¯s look around a bit first, ir.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ir, the man, led the way. The more they walked along the main street, the more unbelievable the scene became. ¡°Huh.¡± The old, gloomy, and shabby Khaoto was gone. It was as if it had transformed into apletely different city. It was hard to tell if this was Leon or Khaoto. The neatly maintained streets were filled with foreign merchants, and well-trained warriors patrolled the streets, exuding a sharp aura. At first, they thought they were the same gangsters from before, but seeing how friendly the locals were with them, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°Huh, really¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Taylor¡¯s exmations continued. ir nced at him briefly with a surprised look. It had been a long time since Taylor had openly expressed his inner thoughts. And ir knew the reason why Taylor had be so taciturn. ¡®¡­Senior Brother.¡¯ Seeing Taylor express his emotions after such a long time made ir¡¯s heart ache for some reason. ¡°Hey, handsome young men. Come here for a moment.¡± ¡°Why are you sighing like that? Are you feeling unwell? You should see a doctor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Of course, ir was also having trouble adjusting. The people who used to be so wary were now acting friendly as if they were possessed. ¡°This is absurd.¡± After wandering around Khaoto in a daze for a while, the group finally headed towards their destination as evening approached. ¡°Hmm?¡± While walking, ir suddenly looked at a particr spot. Taylor instinctively turned his gaze as well. From a restaurant upying one side of the street, the enticing aroma of spicy food wafted towards them. Come to think of it, they hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day. They hadn¡¯t touched any food since they left Ken, too tense and anxious. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± After a brief moment of contemtion, Taylor replied, ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Returning to the n was their priority, but for some reason, seeing the state of Khaoto had left them feeling unsettled. * * * As they entered the restaurant, it was already quite crowded despite being early in the evening. After a considerable wait, the chef approached them. ¡°Wee.¡± The chef bowed with a friendly smile. ¡°I apologize for the long wait. We usually have servers, but they¡¯re all busy at Samael these days, trying to be mages. Haha.¡± Suddenly, the group¡¯s gazes all turned to the chef. ¡°Samael is teaching magic?¡± The chef finally took a closer look at the group and said, ¡°Now that I look at you, I haven¡¯t seen you before. That¡¯s right. Samael is selecting children and teaching them magic. Anyway, what would you like to eat? If it¡¯s your first time, I rmend the chicken stew.¡± ir was about to say something but closed his mouth after seeing Taylor¡¯s expression. When Taylor nodded without saying anything, ir looked at the chef and said, ¡°Two stews, please. Arin, what would you like?¡± The woman, who had been sitting quietly without saying a word, finally spoke for the first time. ¡°Can I have it spicy?¡± The chef replied with a smile, ¡°Of course. We have spicy, big brother spicy, and crazy spicy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the spiciest one.¡± The chef responded with a slightly concerned tone, ¡°It¡¯s going to be very spicy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± As the chef left for the kitchen, ir shook his head and sighed. ¡°¡­It seems a lot has changed while we were in the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°Fortunately, the situation we were worried about doesn¡¯t seem to have happened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit disconcerting.¡± Taylor, who had been closing his eyes in thought for a moment, said, ¡°It reminds me of what the Vice Tower Master said.¡± ¡°¡­Hector?¡± Taylor closed his eyes for a moment, recalling recent events. As soon as they returned from the Demon Realm and arrived back at the Magic Tower, he couldn¡¯t hide his confusion. The Vice Tower Master, who he thought would be at the n estate, was unexpectedly staying at the main tower. ¡°What did the Vice Tower Master say?¡± ¡°Just one thing.¡± Taylor opened his closed eyes and replied, ¡°Things will have changed.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ir also understood the Vice Tower Master¡¯s words. The chef came out with steaming stews and ced one in front of each of the three. Only one was noticeably red. As soon as they took a bite, they were surprised by the appetizing vor that stimted their taste buds. Arin was the first to speak. ¡°Wow, this is delicious.¡± The chef replied with a surprised look, ¡°It¡¯s not too spicy for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person besides that guy to say it¡¯s not spicy. That¡¯s amazing. Well then, enjoy your meal.¡± ir looked at Arin with a slightly surprised expression. It was rare to see Arin express such admiration. ¡®I¡¯m surprised several times today.¡¯ Both Taylor and Arin. ir couldn¡¯t immediately judge whether the current situation was good or bad. ir looked at Taylor and said, ¡°Try it quickly, Senior Brother. It¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Once their hunger was somewhat satisfied, Taylor looked around the restaurant and observed the people. It was a habit of his. There were mostly men, and they were all sneaking nces in their direction. It wasn¡¯t a situation that bothered him particrly. It was amon urrence when he was with Arin. Arin attracting attention was a familiar sight wherever they went. However, at this moment, Taylor couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Wondering if he was seeing things, he nudged ir and pointed in a certain direction. ir, who was in the middle of eating his stew, spat it out and eximed, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A man was sitting cross-legged on a table, meditating. It was a bizarre sight. What on earth was he doing in a restaurant? Even more bizarre were the people sitting around him. Rough-looking men were eating their food without paying any attention. Even the chef didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Have I been in the Demon Realm for too long?¡± It seemed like he was hallucinating. Just then, the meditating man suddenly opened his eyes and smacked the back of the head of another man sitting next to him. ¡°I told you not to get distracted while eating.¡± Smack¡ª The man with the ponytail, who had been sneaking nces at Arin, face-nted onto the table. The surprising thing was that even after getting hit on the back of the head, he didn¡¯t react at all. ¡°Our ponytail friend here stillcks mental discipline. He should be focused on eating quickly and getting back to training, not ogling like a pervert. Decide now. Do you want to be demoted or get hit with a slingshot?¡± The man with the ponytail replied, ¡°I¡¯ll take the slingshot.¡± ¡°Slingshots are fun, aren¡¯t they? Come on up.¡± Ponytail climbed onto the table, sat facing the man in a meditative posture, and swept his bangs back. The man pressed his right palm against Ponytail¡¯s forehead, then pulled his right middle finger with his left hand and blew a breath. ¡°Haaaah.¡± With a loud smack, Ponytail copsed onto the floor, then immediately got up, regained hisposure, and started eating his stew again. Meanwhile, the people in the restaurant continued about their business,pletely unfazed. ¡°I have no idea what I¡¯m witnessing.¡± ¡°This is dizzying.¡± ¡°If we stay any longer, I might start acting strange too. Let¡¯s go.¡± Once outside, ir shook his head, trying to forget what he had just seen in the restaurant. As they headed towards the n estate, old memories resurfaced. ¡°I wonder if the n head and the elders are doing well. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen them.¡± The corners of Taylor¡¯s mouth tightened subtly. ¡°They must have gone through a lot.¡± ¡°But they¡¯ll be happy to hear about our achievements.¡± Sensing the mood turning somber, ir tried to brighten the atmosphere. ¡°I wonder how the kids are doing.¡± Arin, who had been following behind, responded for the first time, ¡°The apprentices?¡± ir replied with a smile, ¡°Yeah. There was that kid who used to follow you around. What was his name, Zion?¡± ¡°Not that brat, I meant Ain.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The briefly lifted mood soon subsided. As they got closer to the n estate, a natural pressure, as if being suppressed by something, settled among the three of them. Taylor suddenly turned around with a serious expression. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to lead Samael. Remember that.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother.¡± * * * ¡°State your purpose!¡± ir was once again taken aback by the ear-splitting voice. It felt like he was experiencing a year¡¯s worth of emotional turmoil all at once today. Who were these people? The guards were on high alert, and the patrol leader red at them with an intimidating gaze. ir turned his head and exchanged a brief look with Taylor. ¡®Who are they?¡¯ ¡®They seem like gatekeepers¡­¡¯ But somehow¡­ Somehow, they resembled¡­ The warriors guarding a prestigious n. It wasn¡¯t about their strength. It was their posture and spirit. They exuded the pride of those who protect their n. ¡°State your purpose immediately!¡± At themanding voice once again, Taylor shook his head slightly. If they didn¡¯t state their purpose, it seemed like they were ready to use force immediately. ¡°I am Taylor Samael.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that? State your affiliation¡­ Wait. Taylor Samael? You¡¯re Samael?¡± ¡°Please inform them inside that the White Horse Squad has returned.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± A look of confusion flickered across the patrol leader¡¯s face, but it was only for a brief moment. Quickly regaining hisposure, the patrol leader went inside to deliver the message. This, too, reminded them of the gatekeepers of a prestigious n. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad change.¡¯ Taylor, who had been watching the patrol leader¡¯s back, suddenly turned around without realizing it. ir followed suit, his expression hardening, and Arin¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. A woman in a blue martial uniform was slowly walking towards them, escorted by a middle-aged man. ¡°¡­¡± They all recognized the face. It was a face they had spent many years with. The woman they thought would return to Samael with them was now looking at them with a cynical gaze, as if they were strangers in a foreignnd. As the woman approached, ir spoke with aplicated expression. ¡°La.¡± The woman called La didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Have you still not changed your mind?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you can see, Khaoto has changed. Samael must have changed too. If we work together, the possibilities for the future¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to say hello.¡± ir¡¯s breath hitched. Her resolute decision was evident in her emotionless reply. La, who had been looking around with indifferent eyes, met Taylor¡¯s gaze. ¡°Since this is thest time, let me try to persuade you one more time. There¡¯s still a chance. You won¡¯t be able to achieve anything in Samael.¡± Her tone was firm and cold. ir was momentarily enraged and about to shout something, but he forcefully suppressed his emotions at Taylor¡¯s gesture. Taylor looked at La. ¡°La.¡± His tone was also devoid of any emotional inflection. La shuddered slightly as she met Taylor¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­¡± Taylor didn¡¯t bother asking. What had changed her mind in the Demon Realm? Why did she want to leave Samael? And why, of all ns, did she choose the Urgon n? He hadn¡¯t asked from the beginning, and he wasn¡¯t asking now. He simply opened his mouth with a calm expression. ¡°It seems our paths are different.¡± It was an indifferent answer, but La could read a lot from Taylor¡¯s eyes. La bit her lip once and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± She smiled as if she had said all she needed to say. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped then.¡± It was a smile devoid of any lingering attachment. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 83 Chapter 83: Return (2) ¡°You¡¯ve returned safely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Wright.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve all grown so much. Pleasee in. The n Head is waiting for you.¡± Guided by the butler who came to greet them, Taylor and his group entered the main hall. Kazen was already seated at the head of the table, waiting for them. Taylor knelt down on one knee in a respectful manner and said, ¡°Taylor Samael. I havepleted my training at the Magic Tower, entered the 3rd-level Demon Realm, achieved my goals, and returned.¡± ir and Arin followed suit. ¡°ir Raphel. I havepleted my training at the Magic Tower, entered the 3rd-level Demon Realm, achieved my objectives, and returned.¡± ¡°Arin. I havepleted my training and returned.¡± Kazen nodded with a pleased expression. ¡°Wee back. You¡¯ve all worked hard.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I was worried when I heard you entered the Demon Realm, but I¡¯m d you returned safely without any injuries.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Taylor involuntarily rxed and let out a sigh of relief. That tone, and that look in his eyes. It was exactly as Taylor remembered. Kazen¡¯s words, expressing concern for their well-being, melted Taylor¡¯s tension like warm water poured on ice. ¡°¡­Thanks to your concern, we were able toplete our training safely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± The fact that Kazen didn¡¯t specifically mention the Demon Realm was clearly out of consideration for them. But Taylor knew. He knew that Kazen was inwardly overjoyed, even if he didn¡¯t show it. Entering the 3rd-level Demon Realm and returning alive was significant in itself, especially for Samael. Taylor looked up at Kazen and tilted his head slightly. He felt that Kazen¡¯s physique had grown a bitrger. ¡°But why have only three of you returned? I don¡¯t see one person.¡± Taylor, lost in thought, suddenly remembered something he had forgotten for a moment. ¡°Did La not return?¡± ¡°No.¡± A look of puzzlement appeared in Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°La¡­¡± As Taylor hesitated, Arin spoke first. ¡°She¡¯s leaving Samael.¡± Kazen asked again, as if he had misheard. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s leaving the n. She¡¯s joining Urgon.¡± Taylor straightened his posture and spoke, ¡°I apologize, patriarch. La received help from Urgon a few times in the Demon Realm, and it seems her feelings have changed because of that.¡± Taylor spoke calmly but couldn¡¯t bring himself to meet Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡®A disciple of Samael joining Urgon.¡¯ He knew how deeply those words would wound the n Head¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­¡± As Kazen remained silent, a knock echoed through the main hall¡¯s entrance. ¡°It¡¯s Wright, Patriarch.¡± There were times when an ominous feeling arose for no reason, and this was one of those times. Everyone present sensed that something was about to happen. ¡°La has also returned. Ah, and¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let them in.¡± A woman in a blue martial uniform entered, followed by a middle-aged man in the same attire, who stood at attention behind her. La walked towards the head of the table without hesitation and stopped one step ahead of Taylor. She didn¡¯t kneel or show any formal courtesy. She merely bowed her head slightly as a greeting. Kazen looked at La and spoke with an indifferent expression. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I heard you¡¯ve been through a lot. Are you hurt anywhere?¡± La gave a cynical smile and went straight to the point. ¡°Have you been well, n Head? You¡¯ve probably heard the news. I¡¯m here to say goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye?¡± Only then did La bow deeply, showing proper respect. ¡°I express my gratitude for raising me. I will be leaving Samael.¡± Kazen looked at La for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°I forbid it. It¡¯s a hasty decision, La. I understand that being away from Samael for so long might have changed your feelings. But stay in Samael for now. Samael is changing. It¡¯s not toote to make a decision after careful consideration.¡± La suddenly let out a chuckle, as if something had welled up inside her. ¡°I¡¯ve already made my decision. I¡¯ve learned all too well that such optimistic thinking doesn¡¯t help me in life. And I¡¯ve also learned how much I¡¯ve been living like a frog in a well.¡± ir interrupted. ¡°La!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this insolence in front of the n Head!¡± La calmed down and shook her head, saying, ¡°When leaving a n, it¡¯s customary to destroy all magic and the core learned from that n. But I haven¡¯t learned anything from Samael, so there¡¯s nothing to destroy. Thank you.¡± Kazen gazed intently into La¡¯s eyes. As their eyes met, La flinched for some reason. ¡°¡­¡± Kazen asked again, ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Are you truly leaving the n? Do you understand what that means?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kazen¡¯s gaze slowly shifted behind La. The middle-aged man in the blue uniform, who had been standing in the corner, stepped forward. He stopped at a suitable distance and looked directly at Kazen. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, n Head. I am Bata, the External Affairs Manager of Urgon.¡± Kazen met the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes and tapped the armrest of his chair. ¡°The External Affairs Manager. Are you here because of La?¡± ¡°La will be joining the Urgon main n¡¯s magic division. She will be entering as an important figure, so I hope you won¡¯t be too disappointed. It¡¯s certainly not a bad thing for La herself either.¡± Kazen¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°So, it¡¯s already been decided?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be a bad thing for Samael either. You¡¯re well aware that we, Urgon, have been keeping an eye on your n. This incident can serve as an opportunity for Samael to signal its desire for a friendly rtionship with Urgon.¡± Bata¡¯s purpose for apanying La was clear. It wasn¡¯t just any soldier who came with her; an External Affairs Manager held a position of considerable status. This was a subtle show of force. Bata took out a certificate from his pocket and held it out. ¡°Although Urgon isn¡¯t responsible for this, there¡¯s still a matter of moral decency. We¡¯ve prepared a small gift. It¡¯s not a small amount from Samael¡¯s perspective, so you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Kazen slowly descended from his seat and approached Bata. ¡°Take it back.¡± Bata smiled faintly and replied, ¡°I understand your n holds negative feelings towards Urgon. However, you need to see the situation clearly. Don¡¯t you realize that every little action you take can be reported to the higher-ups?¡± Kazen stopped right in front of Bata and took the certificate. ¡°You¡¯ve thought this through carefully¡­¡± Kazen tore the certificate in half and stared intently into Bata¡¯s eyes. ¡°I already know Urgon¡¯s intentions.¡± Bata red back at Kazen, about to say something, but then flinched and involuntarily stepped back. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Bata left the main hall in silence, he suddenly turned around, seemingly offended, and said, ¡°I was trying to avoid saying this, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There will be interesting news soon. n Head Kazen.¡± The moment Bata turned away and La followed, Kazen spoke softly, ¡°La, if you change your mind, let me know anytime.¡± La paused for a brief moment. Then, without any response, she followed Bata out. * * * It wasn¡¯t that his physique had grownrger. His aura had changed. Taylor looked at Kazen and became certain of it. It was hard to exin, but the atmosphere surrounding the man himself had transformed. The silence that briefly enveloped the main hall when he faced Urgon¡¯s External Affairs Manager. ¡®It wasn¡¯t mana.¡¯ If he had topare it¡­ It was the sense of pressure one felt when facing someone powerful like the Vice Tower Master. It was appropriate to say that the Patriarch¡¯s aura was simr to that. ¡®Solid.¡¯ He didn¡¯t understand it, but it was definitely true. The n Head¡¯s gaze. It was as solid as a sturdy rock, as unwavering as a calmke, and as deep as a profound abyss. He didn¡¯t panic when facing La and the External Affairs Manager, nor did he ask for reasons. He simply deduced the situation naturally and faced it calmly. After organizing his thoughts during the prolonged silence, Taylor looked up at Kazen. Taylor¡¯s eyes had also returned to their usual state. ¡°Could you tell us what happened in Khaoto?¡± Kazen spoke calmly, ¡°Bayern has been eradicated. Dark Soul is gone too. Now Khaoto is just Khaoto.¡± ¡°Samael did that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Taylor wasn¡¯t surprised, as he had already guessed the situation while looking around Khaoto. His real curiosityy elsewhere. As if on cue, ir asked the question for him. ¡°May I ask which mage from the Magic Tower came?¡± If Bayern had been eradicated, it must have been with the full support of the Magic Tower. Perhaps Samael had gained the power topletely break free from Urgon¡¯s clutches. However, Kazen shook his head with a smile. ¡°The Red Magic Tower no longer exists in Samael. Samael is just Samael.¡± ir¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand. If Bayern was eradicated, there must have been help from the Magic Tower.¡± ir was about to mention Urgon backing Bayern but swallowed his words. ¡°There was no help from the Magic Tower. The Crazy Mage Squad did it.¡± ¡°The Crazy Mage Squad? What does that¡­¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower is no longer in Samael.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Samael is forging its own path.¡± Kazen met the eyes of each person one by one, and finally, he gazed intently at Taylor and said, ¡°Just like your father used to say.¡± At that moment, Taylor realized what Kazen was trying to convey. It wasn¡¯t some old, clich¨¦d saying, nor was it a meaningless joke directed at those who had been away from Samael for a long time. Samael had eradicated Bayern with its own power. And the fact that there was no help from the Red Magic Tower meant¡­ ¡°Then Urgon¡­¡± As ir unconsciously mentioned Urgon, Kazen smiled and dismissed them. ¡°You¡¯ll find out eventually. Just as you¡¯ve grown, a great wind has swept through Samael. It will take you some time to feel it. Take your time and look around.¡± * * * ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ir, who hade out of the main hall, looked at Taylor with aplicated expression. He couldn¡¯t understand the n Head¡¯s words. It was even harder to ept because he was such a serious and sincere person. ¡°Does the n Head have some other hidden intention?¡± However, ir realized from Taylor¡¯s expression that he felt the same way. As they walked, Taylor kept shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s disconcerting.¡± A 5-star mage. Taylor had quickly built up his mana core to 5 stars, enough to rival even the disciples of renowned families. He had also gained ample experience by oveing the 3rd-level Demon Realm. He had endured the hardships and believed that he could surely ce Samael on solid ground in the future. But why? ¡®What was he in such a hurry for?¡¯ This was not good news. Perhaps, because the n Head and the elders had only been in Khaoto, they hadn¡¯t properly grasped the situation outside. Even the wisest people could make wrong decisions. ¡°¡­¡± However, instead of despairing, Taylor encouraged himself inwardly. He had already experienced and ovee countless setbacks in the Magic Tower and the Demon Realm. No matter the situation, Now that he had returned to Samael, He would guide them in the right direction. [TL/N: Bro has the Main Character Syndrome,Smh] ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Senior Brother?¡± At ir¡¯s bewildered voice, Taylor turned his gaze to see massive rectangr marble foundations with pir-like structures being built upon them. ¡°What¡¯s that, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The shape¡­ it looks like a temple?¡± ir approached one of the pirs and carefully examined the inscription carved in the center, then frowned slightly. ¡°Ifrit?¡± Ifrit¡­ wasn¡¯t that the name of the strange temple the n Head destroyed a long time ago? ¡°Why is this being built here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No, what kind of wind blew for the n Head to rebuild it¡­¡± ¡°He must have his reasons.¡± ir felt deted by Taylor¡¯s sinct answer. He turned to look at Arin, but she didn¡¯t seem to care either. ¡°Haaaah!¡± ¡°Eyah!¡± Following the youthful shoutsing from somewhere, they found young children undergoing strange training in the secondary training hall. They were probably the children learning magic¡­ ir¡¯s bewilderment turned into astonishment, and finally, he let out a hollowugh. ¡°Incantations?¡± ir looked at Taylor, and this time, even Taylor¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Are those young kids chanting incantations?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± If it were just one of them, it could be dismissed as mishearing, but since both of them heard it, their ears weren¡¯t deceiving them. Moreover, the person instructing the children was a familiar face. ¡°Elder Falcon?¡± Elder Falcon, who was teaching the children, spotted the three of them and waved with a smile. ¡°Wee back. I heard you finished your training sessfully.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. We did.¡± ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m busy with something here, so I couldn¡¯t go out to greet you. Please understand. The other elders are also a bit busy these days, but you¡¯ll see them soon.¡± ir, too astonished to even remember his manners, asked, ¡°But what are you doing right now¡­?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t heard yet? We¡¯ve opened the n¡¯s doors. I¡¯m temporarily training Samael¡¯s apprentices, although it¡¯s not much.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve heard about it. But I was curious because it seemed like the children were chanting incantations¡­¡± Elder Falcon finally pped his hands and nodded. ¡°So that¡¯s what you were curious about.¡± ¡°Incantations? I never imagined I¡¯d hear incantations. And you¡¯re teaching them directly¡­¡± Interrupting ir¡¯s rambling, Taylor asked, ¡°Could you exin it to us?¡± Elder Falcon shook his head, as if a thought had just urred to him. ¡°Have you met Ruin?¡± ¡°Ruin?¡± ¡°Yes, it would be good to see Ruin first.¡± The three of them tilted their heads. They had definitely heard the name before, but they couldn¡¯t quite recall it. As Taylor was about to ask Elder Falcon again, ir muttered beside him, ¡°The wastrel? Are you talking about that good-for-nothing Ruin?¡± Taylor finally remembered where he had heard the name. It was a name he hadpletely forgotten in the depths of his memory. The disgrace of Samael. The n Head¡¯s sore spot. ¡°Why Ruin¡­¡± Elder Falcon smiled knowingly and replied, ¡°He¡¯s the leader of our Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°The leader of the Crazy Mage Squad?¡± Taylor suddenly recalled Kazen¡¯s words about the Crazy Mage Squad eradicating Bayern. ¡°Go see Ruin first.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 84 Chapter 84: You¡¯re the real Ruin? ¡°Huh huh, the wind tickles my cheeks.¡± Today, too, I meditated leisurely, reciting like an immortal. asionally imitating the elders¡¯ way of speaking brought peace to my mind. It was a secret technique I discovered through countless hours of meditation. There was a lot to learn from the elders. Since the elderly could fall ill from even the slightest anger, controlling their temper was crucial. It was something I needed as well. Immortality wasn¡¯t that special, to begin with. When the elderly kept suppressing their anger, there were cases where they exploded in a fit of rage. In those rare instances, they became immortals. Here in the training grounds, there was a man who revered the elderly like immortals even while meditating. That was me. Wind des that cut through the air, Wind Cutter ¡°Stupid immortal.¡± Hearing Zion¡¯s incantation, I felt like an immortal about to explode with anger. I immediately threw Red Dagger. The red dagger instantly disrupted the Wind Cutter and hurtled towards Zion¡¯s chest. Whoosh¡ª Zion twisted his waist to evade it, and the dagger, imbued with guidance magic, arched back in a wide curve. I caught the dagger and said, ¡°You stubborn brat. Are you going to keep doing it like that?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do it properly?¡± As always, he wouldn¡¯t understand unless I spoke harshly. It had been ages since he reached the 3rd-circle, yet he still couldn¡¯t handle a simple Wind Cutter properly. ¡®Inner Peace. Inner¡­Peace. Peace.¡¯ I thought of the immortals again and engraved peace in my mind. As I embraced peace, I began to understand his perspective. Zioncked talentpared to Makan. Makan and Palge had already entered the 4th-circle, but Zion still couldn¡¯t perfectly control the 3rd-circle. I knew that frustrating feeling well, so I didn¡¯t intend to scold him too harshly. Just enough to motivate him. I closed my eyes and meditated again, sensing the apprentices¡¯ training. Then, I opened my eyes slightly and looked towards the distant mountain ridge. Three figures were loitering near the temple. ¡®They¡¯re from the White Horse Squad.¡¯ They were the ones I saw at Donkey¡¯s restaurant yesterday. The White Horse Squad members, who Lihan said had gone to the Red Magic Tower for training, had finally returned. I hadpletely forgotten about them since there had been no news for so long. I suddenly remembered what Kant had said a few days ago. ¡ª The eldest son of Urgon has left the Demon Realm. It seems it took a bit longer because he had to conquer the 3rd-level Demon Realm. The Red Phoenix magic Division and the special task force also returned with him. Urgon will probably start making moves soon. ¡ª There¡¯s one more piece of news. It¡¯s been confirmed that Samael¡¯s mages also returned from the Demon Realm this time. It seemed they had been in the Demon Realm, which was why I couldn¡¯t contact them. As I continued to observe them, one of them looked in my direction. ¡®Was his name Taylor?¡¯ ording to Lihan, this guy¡¯s father was the former leader of the White Horse Squad. Since the current leader position was vacant, he was probably acting as the de facto leader of the White Horse Squad. I observed the three of them for a moment and thought, ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Their eyes were alive. Although they couldn¡¯t match Urgon¡¯s Azure Dragon Squad Leader, they seemed stronger than most of the Azure Dragon Squad members. They had potential. But it seemed their thoughts were different. The guys who had been making eye contact with me started walking down towards the training ground. ir, who was carefully examining my face, suddenly tilted his head back and forth. ¡°¡­That yesterday at the restaurant? The slingshot guy?¡± Since it was a usible situation, I nodded. ¡°Seems like it left an impression. I¡¯m the guy who can shoot a slingshot to his forehead. That¡¯s me.¡± ir¡¯s pupils were shaking. It must have been quite impactful. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in my own house. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Are you also part of Samael? A new recruit who joined after the n opened its doors?¡± I looked at the three of them and said, ¡°It seems polite to introduce yourselves before asking about someone¡¯s identity.¡± Taylor nodded and said, ¡°Taylor Samael. A member of Samael¡¯s White Horse Squad. I¡¯ve returned afterpleting my training at the Magic Tower.¡± I also stood up and formally introduced myself. ¡°Ruin Samael. Leader of the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ir, who was listening next to me, suddenly gasped. ¡°Ruin? You?¡± ¡°Speaking informally right off the bat is a bit unpleasant.¡± ¡°Are you really Ruin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the real Ruin, there¡¯s no fake Ruin. I¡¯m the one and only Crazy Mage. Just like you¡¯re not a fake ir.¡± Taylor and ir exchanged nces, seeminglymunicating with their eyes. Having reached the 5th-circle, I had attained the ability to somewhat deduce a person¡¯s thoughts just by their gaze. The signal they exchanged probably meant something like, ¡®It seems like he¡¯s the real one.¡¯ ¡°It seems so. If you¡¯re really Ruin, you should greet Senior Brother first.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m the leader of the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°Ha, are you trying to pull rank just because we haven¡¯t seen each other in a while?¡± Ah. Why were there so many people in the world who disrupted one¡¯s peace of mind? Senior Brother my foot. I suddenly thought that the path to controlling anger was long and arduous. But I still intended to suppress my anger as much as possible with these guys. ¡°Greetings aren¡¯t difficult. Nice to meet you, Taylor.¡± ir red at me. ¡°You call that a greeting?¡± I raised my hand, then suppressed my anger once more and said, ¡°Courtesy should be mutual. And considering both age and position, I should be the one receiving greetings first. I¡¯m the leader of the Crazy Mage Squad, so you should show some respect. Even if we¡¯re in different divisions, there¡¯s a clear difference in rank. What¡¯s with calling me by my name right away?¡± As ir¡¯s face contorted and I sensed mana fluctuations from him, Taylor stepped forward and extended his hand for a handshake. ¡°Alright. Nice to meet you, Ruin.¡± ¡°Senior Brother?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cause a scene, ir. It¡¯s right to show mutual respect.¡± Taylor looked at me. As I didn¡¯t look away, Taylor nodded. ¡°Anyway, it seems things have indeed changed. It¡¯s not bad for the n. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± At that moment, the woman who had been looking around stepped forward and spoke to someone. ¡°Ain?¡± It was a clear and refreshing voice. ¡®So that woman is Arin.¡¯ At Arin¡¯s voice, Ain, who had been meditating in the distance, opened his eyes involuntarily and greeted her cheerfully. ¡°Huh, Sister Arin?¡± The atmosphere suddenly lightened. Only then did Taylor look around and express his delight. It was because he knew everyone. But I didn¡¯t like the way things were going, so Ipressed the wind into the Red Dagger in my hand. ¡®Compression, Wind Press.¡¯ Now, I could activate 4th-circle magic with just a simplified chant. It was one of the many advantages of having five circles. Although it couldn¡¯t match a full incantation, it was quite useful in situations like this. Whoosh¡ª Red Dagger, charged with powerful wind pressure, shot straight towards Ain¡¯s face. It happened so quickly that everyone just blinked in surprise. But Ain, who was already used to this kind of situation, twisted his bodypletely, enveloped in a Wind Barrier, and evaded Red Dagger. ¡°Distracted thoughts during meditation, you stubborn brat.¡± ¡°Sorry, Commander.¡± ¡°Forehead.¡± As Ain approached without any resistance, Taylor couldn¡¯t say anything in response. Smack¡ª Ain got smacked on the forehead, rolled backward, and then got up and resumed his meditation posture. ¡°¡­¡± Breaking the brief silence, Taylor stepped forward and looked at me. ¡°I have a question.¡± It was a simple sentence, but the atmosphere shifted. His attitude seemed unaffected by my actions. He was a man who knew how to change the flow with his own presence, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. It was quite a seasoned response. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you directly. You eradicated Bayern? How did that happen? And why are the apprentices learning incantations?¡± At the barrage of questions, I tilted my head and asked, ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. I already heard it from the elder.¡± ¡°Which elder?¡± ¡°Answer my question first.¡± ¡°The Head Elder is secluded in the mountains, and it¡¯s not Elder Isaac either. Considering you mentioned incantations, it¡¯s most likely Elder Falcon.¡± ¡°I heard everything, so exin.¡± Taylor red at me, and I red back. If I were to follow my usual personality, I would have pped him by now. But as I met Taylor¡¯s eyes, I discarded that thought. For some reason, I didn¡¯t feel like doing that to him. It was because of his gaze. ¡°Sigh.¡± Suddenly losing myposure, I looked up at the sky and started walking slowly across the training ground. * * * Taylor red at Ruin¡¯s back, about to say something, but then looked around again. ¡®Zion, Makan, Iron, Palge¡­¡¯ They were all familiar faces. The children who had joined as apprentices before they left for training at the Magic Tower. Their appearances hadpletely changed. Their youthful faces remained the same, but their bodies were as firm as those of knights. But for some reason, they were all meditating without acknowledging them. It didn¡¯t seem like they were doing it on purpose. They looked as if they were in a state of extreme concentration. Suddenly, they heard the sound of someone rolling on the ground in the distance. The good-for-nothing guy was sighing heavily. Then, his face turned slightly red, and he burst into a torrent of curses. ¡°Damn it. There¡¯s not a single person I can trust in this damn n. An elder should act like an elder. If they take two gold bars, they should at least do their job. Should I just take them back? Passing their responsibilities onto me because they¡¯re toozy?¡± Taylor was momentarily speechless, while ir cursed, ¡°That crazy bastard, how dare he speak such nonsense to an elder¡­¡± Taylor didn¡¯t stop ir. He also judged that Ruin¡¯s words had clearly crossed the line. How had Samael¡¯s hierarchy crumbled to this point? Just as a powerful mana surge erupted from ir, An aged voice boomed from the distant mountain ridge. ¡°White Horse Squad!¡± The elders, led by Head Elder Norman, were descending towards the training ground. ir immediately suppressed his mana, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head. Arin knelt down, and Taylor followed suit. ¡°Taylor Samael, greetings to the elders. We have returned to Samael afterpleting our training. We apologize for not greeting you sooner.¡± Head Elder Norman approached with a hearty smile and helped them up. ¡°You¡¯ve all grown well. I heard you conquered the 3rd-level Demon Realm. Thank you. It¡¯s trulymendable and a proud achievement.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The three of them, well aware of Head Elder Norman¡¯s strict personality, knew that these words were high praise. Taylor looked up and met Head Elder Norman¡¯s eyes, then tilted his head slightly. ¡®The Head Elder¡¯s aura has changed too.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t as drastic as the n Head¡¯s, but there was definitely a change in Head Elder Norman¡¯s aura. As Taylor observed Head Elder Norman¡¯s aura for a moment, he noticed a hint of impatience in his expression. ¡°¡­Head Elder?¡± ¡°What are you doing here? You must be tired from your journey. Go inside and rest.¡± ir, who had been silent, shook his head and spoke, ¡°No, Head Elder. There¡¯s someone disrupting Samael¡¯s hierarchy.¡± Head Elder Norman followed ir¡¯s gaze and sighed. It was as if his ominous premonition hade true. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but discard those thoughts, ir.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying your thoughts are mistaken.¡± ¡°No. Those who fail to uphold Samael¡¯s n precepts must be punished thoroughly. I¡¯ll educate him¡­ Mmmph.¡± A wrinkled hand covered ir¡¯s mouth. Head Elder Norman¡¯s eyes darted around anxiously, ncing at Ruin before sighing again and looking at ir. ¡°Go inside and rest now.¡± Watching this, Taylor immediately realized that the cause of the impatience in Head Elder Norman¡¯s eyes was Ruin. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go inside and rest! Taylor!¡± ¡°¡­ir, Arin, follow me.¡± Taylor didn¡¯t ask any further questions and immediately led ir and Arin into a separate room. Seeing this, Head Elder Norman let out a sigh of relief. Ruin shook his head and clicked his tongue, then finally greeted them. ¡°Hello, Head Elder.¡± Ruin bowed his head to each of them in greeting, then suddenly his eyes lit up and he said, ¡°Ah, Elder Falcon is here too. Would you mind having a meeting with me?¡± ¡°Go ahead, Falcon.¡± As Head Elder Norman stepped aside as if he had been waiting for this, Falcon, sensing the atmosphere, smiled awkwardly and grabbed Norman¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Head Elder.¡± ¡°Let go, Falcon.¡± ¡°Head Elder?¡± ¡°Do you want a taste of the magic stone?¡± Head Elder Norman ruthlessly shook off Elder Falcon¡¯s arm. For some reason, Elder Falcon seemed to be sweating profusely. * * * ¡°This isn¡¯t something we can just overlook, Senior Brother.¡± Despite ir¡¯s urging, Taylor remained silent. ir raised his voice. ¡°Are you just going to watch?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Taylor shook his head slightly with a serious expression. They had entered the room following the Head Elder¡¯s orders, but no matter how much they thought about it, this wasn¡¯t a situation they could simply ignore. ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of disrespect.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°We need to know the whole story first.¡± A brief silence followed. ir sat on the bedding, lost in thought, and Arin also closed her eyes, contemting something. Taylor, who had been tapping the table in thought, suddenly looked up and said, ¡°Bring Wright here.¡± ir, seemingly sharing the same thought, straightened his posture and nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± As ir was about to open the door and leave, Taylor corrected himself. ¡°No. Bring Lihan. That would be better.¡± A momentter, Lihan entered the room with ir, bowing respectfully. ¡°Greetings, Young Master Taylor.¡± ¡°Have a seat.¡± As Lihan sat down, Taylor went straight to the point. ¡°Do you know Ruin well?¡± Lihan had already anticipated what Taylor was going to ask. ¡°Yes, I serve by his side.¡± ¡°Then you must be well aware of what Ruin has been up to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Taylor looked into Lihan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear the details.¡± ¡°Where should I start?¡± ¡°Everything that happened after we left Samael.¡± Surprisingly, Lihan smiled and replied, ¡°You might find it hard to believe.¡± ¡°Tell me everything, without leaving anything out.¡± Taylor found Lihan¡¯s smile somewhat odd but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Then I shall begin.¡± Lihan cleared his throat once and started speaking. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 85 Chapter 85: Still a Youngster ¡°¡­¡± No one spoke. ir, who had initially looked at Lihan with suspicion, now had his jaw hanging open, and Arin¡¯s pupils were slightly dted. Even Taylor was trying hard to hide his surprise. An unexpected silence filled the room. ir finally parted his lips. ¡°So Ruin lost his memory.¡± ir began to mutter as if trying to organize his thoughts. ¡°And then he suddenly came to his senses and started learning magic¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°He took the apprentices under his wing, fought and won against the mages of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He gathered all the gangs in Khaoto and Leon and turned them into a mercenary group.¡± ir let out a hollowugh in between his words. ¡°And not only did he secure the loan Urgon demanded, but he even eradicated Bayern?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Are you telling us to believe that?¡± ¡°Even I think it sounds unbelievable after saying it. But it¡¯s the truth. Surely you don¡¯t think I¡¯m lying, do you?¡± ir knew that Lihan had no reason to lie. And judging by the reactions of the n head and the elders over the past few days, what Lihan was saying was definitely true. However, the content was so absurd that it went far beyond their expectations. ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe.¡¯ Taylor clenched and unclenched his fists, pondering the information. Every single thing Lihan had said was beyondmon sense. It was something a kid his age could never aplish. Moreover, to think that the good-for-nothing Ruin they knew had done all this. ¡°Are you saying he was reborn or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ruin had done many things, but in the end, it boiled down to one simple fact. Ruin, all by himself¡­ had changed Samael and Khaoto. How were they supposed to ept this? Of course, he couldn¡¯t have done it all alone. But the three of them knew better than anyone the position Samael was in. Unfortunately, Samael was a n without a single decent mage. If it wasn¡¯t for the Red Magic Tower, there was no one inside or outside the n who could offer help. In the end, Ruin was at the center of all this. But what they couldn¡¯t understand the most was, ¡®He forced the Vice Tower Master to step down? With incantations?¡¯ They were told that he used incantations of unknown origin to force Hector to step down and drive the Red Magic Tower out of Samael. That was the most iprehensible part. What kind of ancient incantations were they talking about? Of course, there must have been some exaggeration involved. Taylor knew well what kind of mage Hector was. But even so, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Ruin had aplished these things. ir clenched and unclenched his fists as if his hands were numb, and finally managed to speak. ¡°¡­It seems I was mistaken.¡± ir then nodded. Just a moment ago, he had been cursing Ruin with murderous intent, but after hearing the whole story, his anger vanished instantly. When it came to loyalty to Samael, ir was second to none. Samael¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t sofortable that he could afford to hold onto selfish grudges and refuse to acknowledge someone¡¯s achievements. On the contrary¡­ ¡°It¡¯smendable.¡± ir expressed genuine admiration. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it was even something to be grateful for. Arin also nodded. ¡°It¡¯s unexpected.¡± While the three of them were striving to improve their skills outside, Ruin had changed Samael. That was the source of the inexplicable confidence they saw in the n head, the elders, and the apprentice children. ¡°¡­It was just as the n head said.¡± However, only one person, Taylor, had a hint of worry in his expression. ¡°It¡¯s surprising, but I can¡¯t deny that it was hasty.¡± ¡°Is there something you¡¯re concerned about?¡± ¡°His approach iscking.¡± ¡°Approach, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Rejecting the Red Magic Tower¡¯s help wasn¡¯t a good choice.¡± ir¡¯s face also became clouded with worry. ¡°You¡¯re worried about Urgon.¡± ¡°It was a rash decision.¡± ir immediately understood Taylor¡¯s concern. A tree that doesn¡¯t bend will break. Ruin probably didn¡¯t fully grasp the extent of Urgon¡¯s power. His strong convictions must have clouded his objective judgement. Hadn¡¯t the three of them also held such romantic beliefs at some point? But the world wasn¡¯t so forgiving. If only the n head and the elders had stopped him¡­ Perhaps their feelings had changed over time. Without a doubt, It wasn¡¯t a good choice. Hadn¡¯t they experienced firsthand in the Demon Realm how crucial the n¡¯s strength was? Urgon wasn¡¯t a n that an individual could handle alone. A long-established prestigious n was like an imprable fortress. ir said with a bitter expression, ¡°You¡¯re right. It might seem fine now, but things could get worse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We need to set things right.¡± Now Samael had the White Horse Squad. They could correct what was wrong. ¡°As for Ruin¡­¡± At ir¡¯s words, Taylor nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll guide him in the right direction. He did what he did because hecked experience. His abilities have been proven, so it¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Taylor reviewed their ns for the future. First, he would personally take the new apprentices under his wing and train them as part of the White Horse Squad. They also needed to reestablish a friendly rtionship with the Red Magic Tower. After pondering for a while, Taylor looked at Arin and asked, ¡°What do you think, Arin?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± It was an indifferent, short reply, but Taylor and ir didn¡¯t find it strange. That was just how Arin was. * * * For a few days, it was peaceful without any incidents. The White Horse Squad members kept snooping around, getting on my nerves, but I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡®Huh huh, peace of mind¡­¡¯ The sunset was gradually burning red. I had already given orders to Bravo Khan and Daisy. I told them to mobilize all the mercenaries and gather information about Urgon. There was a possibility of hearing something from the merchants traveling between Khaoto and Leon. Considering what Kant had said, I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Meanwhile, I somehow maintained my peace of mind and continued the same training routine. I repeatedly focused on my personal training and asionally checked on the Crazy Mage Squad. I mainly targeted Zion and Iron with my daggers because they were both stuck at a crucial point. With a little push, they showed the potential to surpass the 3rd-circle. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ But was it because I had been too quiet? The Taylor group, who had been observing from a distance for a while, finally approached me and spoke abruptly. ¡°Ruin.¡± ir got straight to the point. ¡°From now on, Senior Brother and I will teach the new apprentices.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I anticipated this would happen if I stayed quiet. But even though I expected it, I chose to remain silent. Because it hadn¡¯t happened yet.¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not my fault.¡± ¡°You agree?¡± ¡°To what?¡± Taylor, who had been listening silently, intervened. ¡°Elder Falcon said we need your consent. We can¡¯t let the new apprentices create mana circles too.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not happening.¡± Was it because I said no too firmly? Or was it because my answer was different from what he expected? Taylor started ring at me. ir, looking back and forth between Taylor and me, interjected in a gentle tone. ¡°Ruin, we¡¯re not unaware of your contributions.¡± Why was this guy suddenly changing his attitude like this? I clearly remembered him cursing at me like he wanted me dead. ¡°For Samael to move forward, we need to work together, Ruin. If Senior Brother takes care of the kids, we can build an even stronger foundation for Samael.¡± Suddenly, I reflected on myself. These guys cared so much about Samael. Not wanting to be outdone, I spoke with strong conviction. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Ruin.¡± Taylor red at me, and I red back at him. Yes, that gaze. That annoying gaze reminded me of myrades from the expedition in my past life. Based on my countless experiences, someone with that gaze has their own convictions. ¡°Do as I say, Ruin.¡± As they red at each other, Taylor showed a willingness to even engage in a physical confrontation if necessary. One could discern intentions through their eyes. I stared back at him, then let out a chuckle. ¡°Taylor, you¡¯re serious.¡± It wasn¡¯t simply a gaze seeking to establish hierarchy. He genuinely believed that it had to be that way. And the goal of that belief was ultimately Samael. I shook my head and looked at Taylor. ¡°Before stating your demands, fix your tone first.¡± ¡°Are you saying I should speak to you with respect?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the eldest son of Samael. Even if I weren¡¯t, I¡¯m themander of the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± Taylor smiled as he met my eyes. ir, who was standing behind, stepped forward and intervened. ¡°Ruin, don¡¯t nitpick. You know this. Senior Brother has always been our central figure. You haven¡¯t even been officially recognized as the eldest son of Samael, so creating this kind of hierarchy and confrontation isn¡¯t a good choice.¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you think of me?¡± ¡°I told you, we¡¯re not unaware of your contributions.¡± ¡°You tell me, Taylor. What am I to you?¡± Taylor red at me and slowly said, ¡°I heard you¡¯ve changed.¡± ¡°Yes, you must have heard. That I¡¯ve changed. A wastrel. A good-for-nothing. Immature. An ipetent fool who can¡¯t even fulfill his role as the eldest son. Trash that disgraces the n. That I¡¯ve changed into a decent person.¡± ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t epted it, have you?¡± I looked at ir, then back at Taylor. ¡°Do you consider yourself objective? It seems like you¡¯ve already made a judgement before even talking to me. You have a disgusting habit of pretending to be considerate. Your actions, your tone¡­ Can you truly say they¡¯re free of prejudice?¡± Taylor just red at me without answering. I said to Taylor, ¡°You¡¯re still a youngster.¡± ir stepped in front of me. ¡°Ruin! That¡¯s too much. There are things you should and shouldn¡¯t say. Apologize to Senior Brother right now.¡± At that moment, I suddenly turned my head towards the main gate. An old gangster was running over the gate. ¡°Boss!¡± Bravo Khan reached me in an instant, his face flushed and breathing heavily. The atmosphere changed instantly. ¡°Alright, our old military advisor. Tell me quickly.¡± ¡°I have news about Urgon.¡± Suddenly, everyone¡¯s attention focused on Bravo Khan as if on cue. ¡°The eldest son of Urgon has returned to the n.¡± I already knew that. My eyes sparkled as I waited for Bravo Khan¡¯s next words. ¡°¡­It seems Urgon is nning to hold a banquet.¡± ¡°A banquet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I felt deted. ¡°Hey, military advisor. Of course, there would be a banquet when the eldest son of the n returns. Are you telling me that¡¯s news?¡± This wasn¡¯t the news I was waiting for. I was about to smack the back of Bravo Khan¡¯s head, but I lowered my hand when I saw the old soldier¡¯s pleading eyes. Bravo Khan¡¯s eyes lit up as he continued, ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary banquet. They¡¯re sending invitations to the neighbouring families.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I heard that Samael is among the invitees. The information came from the merchant alliance, so it¡¯s not entirely unreliable.¡± I frowned slightly. They were sending out invitations to a banquet, and Samael was on the list? ¡°It smells fishy. When did you hear this?¡± Bravo Khan panted and managed to say, ¡°Just a moment ago.¡± As I pondered Bravo Khan¡¯s words, I suddenly shifted my gaze towards the main gate once again. Almost simultaneously, Taylor¡¯s gaze also turned towards the gate. The Crazy Mage Squad members, who had been meditating, opened their eyes at the same time and looked at the gate, and the others also instinctively looked in the same direction. Thump¡ª The ground shook violently, and a strange, eerie sound like a horse¡¯s neigh echoed. The guards tensed up, looking more flustered than usual. Before the patrol leader could report anything, an unfamiliar voice boomed from beyond the gate. ¡°Messenger from Urgon!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 86 Chapter 86: Urgon¡¯s Invitation The patrol leader, who had btedlye to his senses, stopped the visitor and approached me to report. ¡°They say a messenger from Urgon has arrived.¡± I grabbed Garlic¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t panic and take the initiative.¡± ¡°Please tell me how.¡± ¡°The first strike wins. The one with the louder voice wins. If you¡¯re in a staring contest, just shout first.¡± Garlic nodded with a determined expression. As I approached the main gate, the Urgon group was waiting. Intimidating gazes converged on me all at once. Their disciplined postures and the aura naturally emanating from their bodies were on apletely different levelpared to the Bayern guys. ¡°Oh.¡± But I calmly looked around, assessing the situation. They were all unfamiliar faces. Judging by their appearances, they weren¡¯t from the Water Dragon Squad. However, the one at the front looked familiar. It was the middle-aged man who had briefly passed by when the White Horse Squad members returned a few days ago. I suddenly raised my head and looked at the carriage behind them. A carriage pulled by two white horses. The horses¡¯ eye sockets were empty, and a bluish-green light flowed from them. Their skin was peeled off, leaving only bones. I could sense a strong mana fluctuation. ¡®So I¡¯m seeing skeletal horses here.¡¯ Skeletal horses were magical beasts created by artificially capturing the spirits of horses using mana control. They weren¡¯t particrly threatening. However, due to their rarity, they were used in the past as a disy of power to showcase a n¡¯s influence. Behind me, ir muttered with a slightly flustered expression, ¡°¡­Amand carriage?¡± The middle-aged man at the front smiled, seemingly pleased with ir¡¯s reaction, and spoke, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± Before I could say anything, Taylor stepped forward. ¡°What brings the External Affairs Manager of Urgon back to Samael?¡± The External Affairs Manager was a position responsible for managing external affairs. It was by no means a low-ranking position. The External Affairs Manager looked back and forth between Taylor and ir, then spoke gently, ¡°Please don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m here with good intentions.¡± The External Affairs Manager stated his purpose for the visit. ¡°Our eldest son has returned after conquering the 2nd-level Demon Realm. To celebrate this, Urgon will be holding a grand banquet. You might find it hard to believe, but Samael has also been invited to this glorious event. May I meet with the n Head?¡± I inwardly admired the External Affairs Manager¡¯s eloquence. It was truly befitting of his position. He had the skill to provoke others subtly without giving them any reason to find fault. ¡°¡­¡± As no one refuted his words, the External Affairs Manager, with a victorious smile, was about to enter. At that moment, I swiftly blocked the entrance. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Intimidating gazes poured onto me all at once. The External Affairs Manager narrowed his eyes and looked at me. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m themander of Samael¡¯s Crazy Mage Squad.¡± The External Affairs Manager, who had been looking at me with disdain, suddenly widened his eyes and eximed, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re themander of the Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°How?¡± The External Affairs Manager replied with a weing expression, as if seeing a long-lost friend. ¡°Themander of the Crazy Mage Squad is also on the invitation list.¡± It seemed my fame had spread. Although my anger had subsided a bit, I wasn¡¯t going to let the External Affairs Manager¡¯s words slide. He might have been proud of his smooth-talking skills, but he should know better than to use them on just anyone. ¡°Anyway, please wait for a moment.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°It will take some time to inform the n Head, so please wait.¡± I turned around and looked at Garlic, who was waiting on the side. ¡°Patrol leader.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Go and tell the n Head that Urgon is here. Don¡¯t wake him up if he¡¯s sleeping. He¡¯s probably sleeping. He should be sleeping. You know what I mean?¡± Garlic replied loudly, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then go and tell him quickly. We can¡¯t keep such esteemed guests waiting.¡± The Urgon group looked at me in disbelief. As time passed, they started openly releasing mana fluctuations to pressure me. ¡°These crazy¡­¡± While our side was flustered and their side was taken aback, I calmly blocked the entrance and sat down in a meditative posture. The Crazy Mage Squad also positioned themselves around me in a triangr formation and began meditating. asional curses could be heard, but that was all. The External Affairs Manager couldn¡¯t use his eloquence against our unwavering spirit. No one here had the guts to forcefully push aside the Crazy Mage Squad. * * * Suddenly, I felt a dampness on my lips. I opened my eyes, wondering if someone had yed a prank on me, only to find it was my own drool. I had dozed off while meditating. I nonchntly wiped my mouth with my hand and looked around, only to see the guards. I stood up and looked at the patrol leader. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ¡°I believe you gave a strict order not to disturb you during meditation.¡± ¡°¡­Excellent. By the way, where did everyone go?¡± The patrol leader pointed towards the manor. ¡°They¡¯re going inside.¡± I turned around and saw the Crazy Mage Squad and the Urgon group heading towards the main hall. ¡®These disloyal bastards.¡¯ I hurried over and naturally joined the end of the group. As we entered the main hall, the butler announced, ¡°Please, only one representative may enter. The rest of you, please wait outside.¡± While the External Affairs Manager naturally entered the main hall, I signaled to the Crazy Mage Squad. The Crazy Mage Squad waited outside with the Urgon group, keeping a watchful eye on them, while only I and the White Horse Squad members entered the main hall. Kazen, Norman, and Isaac were seated in order. As I and the White Horse Squad members each took a seat, Urgon¡¯s External Affairs Manager bowed to Kazen. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, n Head. I am Bata, the External Affairs Manager of Urgon.¡± ¡°Greetings, External Affairs Manager.¡± I tilted my head slightly in confusion. They had clearly met a few days ago, so why were they acting like strangers? As I looked back and forth between the External Affairs Manager and Kazen, I soon realized the reason. So¡­ This was a kind of power struggle. Kazen didn¡¯t even offer the External Affairs Manager a seat and asked, ¡°So, Urgon is holding a banquet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The External Affairs Manager added with a smile, ¡°The eldest son has returned after conquering the 2nd-level Demon Realm. Considering his age, it¡¯s a rare feat even across the entire continent. A grand banquet will be held.¡± While speaking, the External Affairs Manager nced at Taylor, whose face had subtly hardened. ¡°That¡¯s something to celebrate. But what does that have to do with us, Samael?¡± ¡°Our n Head wishes to share this joyous asion with many people. It¡¯s a grand gesture, hoping to create an opportunity for the various families in the East to unite. You can think of it as a gathering for harmony and exchange.¡± ¡°Harmony and exchange?¡± ¡°Although Samael is a n on the outskirts, our n Head sees it as a n with potential. You will be able to gain valuable experience.¡± ¡°It seems Urgon has finally decided to walk the path of righteousness.¡± ¡°Haha, we always have.¡± I listened to their conversation with great interest and eximed inwardly, ¡®Wow, this is intense.¡¯ It was like aedic dialogue with hidden des in their mouths. They were smiling and talking, but it was also a verbal duel where they were spitting out and dodging des with their words. A verbal duel was a battle of words, often employed by seasoned strategists. It was essential to have a thick skin. If you failed to notice the hidden des in your opponent¡¯s words, you would find yourself entangled at some point. That was the thrill of a verbal duel. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ From what I had observed so far, neither of them seemed to be faltering. The Urgon¡¯s External Affairs Manager was expected to be good at this kind of thing, given his position, but it was quite surprising to see Kazen handling it so skillfully. He had another side that I didn¡¯t know about. * * * Acknowledging his opponent¡¯s skill, the External Affairs Manager called a truce to the verbal duel and approached Kazen, holding out an invitation. ¡°Due to limited space, we had to restrict the number of attendees. Please understand.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve invited four people: Taylor, ir, Arin, and Ruin. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kazen asked with a puzzled expression, ¡°If it¡¯s a banquet, wouldn¡¯t it be customary to invite the n Head or the elders first?¡± ¡°As I mentioned, this banquet is a gathering for harmony, celebrating the eldest son¡¯s return. To be more precise¡­¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°You can think of it as a gathering for exchange and harmony among the future leaders who will lead the eastern part of the continent.¡± ¡°You deliberately chose those four?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. We¡¯ve invited the three of them who returned from the Demon Realm together, and themander of Samael¡¯s Crazy Mage Squad, who has recently distinguished himself. Does that answer your question?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason for seeking exchange now, of all times?¡± Kazen looked at the External Affairs Manager, suspecting another motive, but found no clues. ¡°Our n Head has a grand vision. He hopes that the families in the East will develop through more exchanges in the future. You can consider this banquet as the first step. There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Many families in the East have already responded. Moreover, distinguished guests will be attending to celebrate the banquet.¡± After a pause, Kazen spoke, seemingly impressed by the eloquent response. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it and decide, so please return for now.¡± A faint hint of contempt flickered across the External Affairs Manager¡¯s eyes. ¡°You must be aware that such opportunities are rare. I naturally assumed you would attend¡­¡± Suddenly, the External Affairs Manager¡¯s expression hardened as he looked around at Kazen and the elders. ¡°Our n Head specifically requested your attendance.¡± Leaving behind a threatening remark, the External Affairs Manager smiled and left the main hall. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. See youter.¡± * * * Kazen looked at the White Horse Squad members and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± ir replied with a stern expression, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Urgon¡¯s eldest son in the Demon Realm. He has a mboyant personality, so it¡¯s not surprising that he would throw a banquet. But there¡¯s no reason for him to invite us.¡± Kazen¡¯s gaze shifted to Taylor. ¡°Taylor?¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t know their true intentions, it¡¯s better not to attend.¡± Head Elder Norman looked at Kazen and said, ¡°They¡¯re not the type to forget past grudges. I thought it was strange that there was no news from them for a while, and now suddenly a banquet? Moreover, I don¡¯t understand their motive for inviting the young ones.¡± Isaac, who had been listening silently, looked at Kazen. ¡°The pretext of fostering harmony among the future leaders sounds usible. It¡¯s probably not a lie. That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more suspicious. It¡¯s unsettling. What are your thoughts, n Head?¡± ¡°I also find it unsettling. But even if we try to investigate, we won¡¯t be able to uncover their true intentions.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Kazen said, ¡°We should ask Ruin for his opinion.¡± Norman and Isaac nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s better to ask the person involved.¡± ¡°I think that would be a good idea.¡± ir suddenly looked at Taylor with a hesitant expression. There was no change in Taylor¡¯s expression. However, ir instinctively sensed that Taylor wasn¡¯t pleased with the current situation. ¡°I wonder why he¡¯s taking so long.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Ruin, who had gone out to see off the Urgon group, hadn¡¯t returned for quite a while. ¡°Surely he hasn¡¯t gotten into trouble with Urgon, has he?¡± Norman and Isaac¡¯s expressions hardened simultaneously. They thought it was entirely possible for Ruin to do something like that. ¡°Perhaps we should go check.¡± Kazen shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± Just then, they heard amotion outside. It was the sound of several people talking loudly. The main hall was so quiet that their voices were clearly audible. From what they could gather¡­ ¡°Going to the banquet?¡± ¡°Take me too!¡± ¡°The business manager can¡¯t miss the banquet.¡± ¡°Ehahaha, you idiots. Just keep meditating.¡± ¡°Is there a lot of delicious food at the banquet?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As everyone blinked in confusion at the childish conversation, The door to the main hall swung open, and Ruin entered with a cheerful expression, saying, ¡°When are we leaving?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 87 Chapter 87: Do You Hold the Sword with Your Left Hand Too? In my opinion, Urgon¡¯s External Affairs Manager was all talk. He was a man specialized in provoking others. To put it in a metaphor, he was like a weasel. You don¡¯t get much by beating a weasel. What¡¯s Urgon¡¯s true intention? I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s highly likely that even the weasel-like External Affairs Manager doesn¡¯t know. The pretext of a banquet sounded usible. But did they really invite us just for a banquet? No one but a fool would believe that. They must have some ulterior motive. Just off the top of my head, there were dozens of possibilities. They could challenge us to a duel under the guise of exchange or try to humiliate us. They might want to show off Urgon¡¯s prestige or step on Samael. Or maybe they¡¯re just curious to see the Crazy Mage in person. But I¡¯m not afraid of such things. Honestly, I wanted to go to the banquet. I was curious to see how entertaining it would be to watch everyone bragging about themselves. In my past life, I never had the chance to attend one. I was always stuck cleaning or dragged off on expeditions. Pelleier used to attend banquets from various families all by himself. That disloyal Pelleier. There¡¯s a man here with a grudge against banquets. That¡¯s me. Anyway, the important thing is that we don¡¯t know what will happen at the banquet. Some might ask, ¡°How can you go if you don¡¯t know?¡± That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m going. We¡¯ll find out when we get there, won¡¯t we? Whatever it is, attending the banquet will reveal Urgon¡¯s true intentions. The Crazy Mage doesn¡¯t tolerate unanswered questions. * * * ¡°When are we leaving?¡± Kazen tilted his head and asked, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s right to go?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After briefly expressing my intention to attend, I received the invitation from Kazen and checked the date. Ten days from now. It wasn¡¯t a lot of time. Usually, forrge banquets, many families would gather beforehand to build up the excitement. ¡°I¡¯m so excited. Shall we leave today?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sensing a tense atmosphere, I looked around. While everyone else seemed indifferent, two people had stiff expressions. ir said with a hardened face, ¡°Ruin, you don¡¯t understand Urgon. It¡¯s better not to go to the banquet. It won¡¯t be good for our n.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a scaredy-cat, ir.¡± I heard Taylor click his tongue. ¡°Still a youngster.¡± ¡°Is this revenge?¡± ¡°Anyone can talk tough. This isn¡¯t something to be decided so easily. We need to consider what¡¯s beneficial for Samael.¡± Taylor looked at Kazen and said, ¡°n Head, Urgon is a dangerous n. If we don¡¯t attend the banquet, our superficial rtionship might be strained for now, but if we attend out of fear, we might face even greater danger. We could end up falling into a trap.¡± I, who had been listening silently, interjected, ¡°We should think about destroying the trap. Still a youngster.¡± Taylor red at me once, then continued. ¡°They¡¯re insidious and more meticulous than you think, n Head.¡± When Kazen didn¡¯t respond, I offered a simple solution. ¡°I respect that. Then let¡¯s each decide for ourselves. We don¡¯t all have to go. Those who want to go, raise your hand.¡± I said it casually, without much thought, but I was a bit surprised. I thought I¡¯d be the only one raising my hand, but unexpectedly, the woman named Arin also raised hers. ¡®Is she also crazy about banquets?¡¯ Looking around, it seemed the other guys were even more surprised than me. They looked as if they had been betrayed. Kazen took charge of the situation. ¡°I think leaving today is too soon. Let¡¯s take a few days to prepare and then depart.¡± ¡°n Head!¡± Taylor, who hadn¡¯t expected Kazen to decide to attend, involuntarily questioned him, but Kazen shook his head firmly. ¡°I understand your concerns. Urgon is a dangerous n. But avoiding them won¡¯t solve anything. If we avoid the wind, a greater cold wave wille.¡± Kazen¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to take on this difficult task.¡± * * * After the meeting, I gathered the Patrol at Donkey¡¯s restaurant. The restaurant was full, so we waited outside for a table to be avable. The leaders arrived one after another, forming a long line behind me like earthworms. I was the first to enter the restaurant and sat in a meditative posture on an empty table. The leaders who followed me took the same posture beside me. After a while, once all the leaders had gathered, I released my meditation posture and made eye contact with each of them, checking their auras. It had been a while since I had properly checked them, although I had asionally monitored them. One member stood out. ¡°Brother, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Daisy, exuding a sharpened aura, had already built a 4-star core. Her mana felt particrly dense. Even with a good cultivation manual, this level was impossible without individual talent. As I continued to stare, Daisy suddenly pulled out a dagger from her waist and showed it off. A faint heat haze shimmered above the de. Even a faint sword aura signified that she had mastered her 4-star core. Without a proper teacher, this level of skill meant her talent wasparable to those in the expedition. I judged that she wouldn¡¯t be easily defeated even if she fought against the Crazy Mage Squad. The other leaders had also built 2-star cores. Derek was the best, and One-Eye was also decent. It was almost the same as their previous hierarchy as gangsters. Of course, it wasn¡¯t so much that they had talent, but rather that they had been beaten up a lot by Daisy and me. Some people grew stronger through hardship, and these guys were like that. They had mostly shed their third-rate thug image. Gathered together, they looked like a decent group of mercenaries. One curious thing was¡­ As I observed them, I could sense their auras bing more refined. ¡°One-Eye.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you been holding your sword with your left handtely?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing dual-wielding. But how did you¡­¡± One-Eye¡¯s surprised expression made me feel strange again. It was as if I had intuitively known. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Well, it must mean I¡¯ve grown that much. Lost in thought, Daisy asked me with a somewhat serious expression, ¡°Why did you call us here? Did the Urgon guys say something?¡± Donkey, who wasing out of the kitchen, answered instead. ¡°Your brother is going to the banquet.¡± ¡°Banquet?¡± I looked at Donkey in surprise. How did he already know when the meeting had just ended? Donkey replied with a smile, ¡°Palge came and told me. He ran out the back door in the middle of his meal when you arrived.¡± ¡°That Fatty is impressive in many ways.¡± Donkey continued to bring out tes of stir-fried chicken. ¡°What¡¯s the asion today? Why is there so much stir-fried chicken?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t be seeing each other for a while, so let¡¯s have one whole chicken per person today.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The best chef is one who understands people¡¯s hearts. As expected, Donkey had the potential to be the continent¡¯s greatest chef. * * * Daisy took a sip of moonshine and asked, ¡°Won¡¯t it be dangerous, Boss?¡± I also took a sip and replied, ¡°Danger is what makes it fun. Do you want to go?¡± ¡°It might be fun if I go with you, Boss. But banquets aren¡¯t really my thing. I¡¯d rather have a sword fight.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± One-Eye replied while eating stir-fried chicken, ¡°It sounds boring. Brawling is the best.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like there would be much fun in teasing my subordinates, so I got straight to the point. ¡°Military Advisor.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Take care of Khaoto. Consult with Zion if anything happens. And if you have a bad feeling, report to the n Head and the elders immediately.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take on any mercenary work for now, and stop escorting merchants. Focus on your own growth. Don¡¯t getcent. You¡¯re still far from being good enough.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As we continued talking for a while, I suddenly noticed Bravo Khan¡¯s eyebrows twitching. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your eyes, Military Advisor? Are you sick?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to sleeptely because I¡¯ve been gathering information about Urgon from everywhere.¡± I clicked my tongue and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard, Military Advisor. Sleep is the most important thing at your age. Go get some rest. Next time, delegate some tasks to your subordinates.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as Bravo Khan left the restaurant, another customer entered as if on cue. They must have been waiting outside because the restaurant was full. My subordinates nced at the customer involuntarily, and I recognized her face. ¡®Why is she here?¡¯ The customer looked around for an empty seat and naturally sat down at the spot Bravo Khan had been upying. It happened to be right across from me. Donkey, who spotted the customer, said, ¡°You¡¯ve beening here oftentely. Shall I get you the spiciest one again today?¡± ¡°Yes. And I¡¯ll have the stir-fried chicken too, please.¡± I looked at the woman sitting across from me for a moment. She was Arin from the White Horse Squad. Come to think of it, I had rarely seen her speak. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ As the tables were grouped together, Arin naturally joined us. For some reason, she didn¡¯t seem ufortable at all. Of course, I wasn¡¯t the type to care about such things, so it didn¡¯t matter to me either. ¡°Daisy.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± ¡°Take care of the Military Advisor. He¡¯s an old man with a lot of unnecessary worries. Ponytail and One-Eye are busy training, and Garlic and Grid are patrol leaders, so he must be quite lonely. If we leave him alone, he¡¯s likely to get sick.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll take care of it, Boss.¡± I chatted with my subordinates, passing around drinks and eating stir-fried chicken. It had a spicy and savory taste that was hard to stop eating once you started. A thought suddenly urred to me. ¡°Will there be anything more delicious than this at the banquet?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± ¡°You think so too? I have a feeling I¡¯ll keep thinking about it.¡± At that moment, Arin, who had been silently eating the stir-fried chicken, looked back and forth between my te and hers and tilted her head. ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± It felt like she was talking to me, so I responded, ¡°What is?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried both ¡®Big Brother Spicy¡¯ and ¡®Crazy Spicy,¡¯ but this color is different.¡± ¡°This is M vor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You could call it a secret spicy vor. Not everyone can handle it.¡± ¡°Can I try it?¡± Before I could answer, Arin quickly grabbed a piece of M-vored stir-fried chicken. She had a side like Palge. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± My subordinates and I smirked at the same time. We had seen countless people challenge the M vor and end up in tears and snot. ¡°Wow. This is crazy good.¡± It wasn¡¯t the reaction we expected. Arin took one bite and then started devouring the M-vored chicken like crazy. ¡°Huh?¡± My subordinates stared at Arin as if she were a strange creature. Arin quickly emptied the te, stuck out her tongue, which was numb from the spice, and said, ¡°This is it. This was it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not spicy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± One of the subordinates, seemingly acknowledging her, handed her a drink, and Arin gulped it down. ¡°Ah.¡± I watched Arin drinking and felt a strange, inexplicable feeling. As I was about to observe her more closely, Daisy asked with a curious expression, ¡°But why is it called M vor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. The culinary master called it M vor, so I assumed it was M vor.¡± Anyway, as long as it tasted good, that was all that mattered. * * * After drinking moonshine with my subordinates untilte, I met with Kant for a brief chat and then returned to the n. Looking up at the sky from the manor, it waspletely dark. The mountain nights were pitch ck. Instead of going to my quarters, I deliberately crossed the mountain ridge and headed deeper into Mount Khaoto. ¡°Huuuuuh.¡± I let out a long sigh, and the smell of alcohol filled my nose. I casually lit a fireball and strolled along the mountain ridge like a carefree wanderer, stopping in front of a rocky area overgrown with boulders. ¡°Ah, this is nice.¡± Feeling a bit tipsy, the chill didn¡¯t bother me, and it was just perfect. As they say, training while slightly drunk is the best kind of training. I gently ced my hand on a small pebble rolling around in front of me and opened all the circles in my heart. Whir¡ª All five circles rotated, drawing in the surrounding mana. Twice the amount of mana resonatedpared to when I had four circles. I converted all the mana into wind attribute and concentrated it in my right hand. Then, I cast a 5th-circle shock spell. Just as the shockwave was about to hit the pebble, I instantly reversed the rotation of the circles in my heart. With a heart-wrenching pain, four circles resonated with the mana of the Yin dimension and pushed back the shockwave. Boom¡ª The aftermath of the incantation sent shockwaves in all directions, creating a gust of wind. I kept my eyes wide open and stared at the pebble. There was no change in the pebble except for a few hairline cracks. It remained almost in its original shape. ¡°Phew.¡± An unsatisfactory result. But there were countless pebbles around, so there was no need to be disappointed. The important thing was to keep trying. I hadn¡¯t had much sess with circle conversion anyway. I spent two days and nights secluded in the mountains, continuing to torment the pebbles with my training. On the morning of the second day, Countless pebbles were scattered around me. Among them were some that had retained their original shape quite well. * * * After cleansing myself, I greeted Kazen and the elders early in the morning and then thoroughly teased the Crazy Mage Squad. As I was heading down to the main gate, Zion approached me and handed me a pouch. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Zion looked at me with a serious expression. ¡°Being broke outside is the worst.¡± I opened the pouch and saw it was filled with bills of exchange. ¡°I asked the Patrol¡¯s general manager to exchange the gold bars for these. They¡¯re well-known battlefield bills of exchange, so they¡¯ll be epted without any problems.¡± As expected, Zion, who was also in charge of business, had a different way of thinking. ¡°The business manager is smart. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll go easy on you. Make sure you break through to the 4th-circle while I¡¯m gone. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll show you the true terror of the forehead slingshot.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Just go and enjoy all the delicious food without getting intimidated. And if you see any knights, show them what you¡¯re made of. Damn it, Commander.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± I took out one of the bills of exchange, handed it to Zion, and headed down to the main gate. The White Horse Squad members were already waiting there. Forgetting my past memories, I waved and greeted them. ¡°I see you changed your mind about not going?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me.¡± Taylor red at me and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for us to fight amongst ourselves.¡± ¡°Good point. But why the long face?¡± His expression was a bit stiff for someone who said they shouldn¡¯t fight amongst themselves. ¡°This is my usual expression. Now that the decision has been made, we need to work together.¡± I smirked and looked at the three of them, replying, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act rashly when we get there. Consult with me before taking any action.¡± I interrupted Taylor and replied, ¡°Consultation is good. But as you heard from the n Head, I¡¯m the decision-maker. Remember that.¡± I didn¡¯t miss the slight frown that appeared on Taylor¡¯s face. ¡°Your face looks strange.¡± ¡°This is my usual expression.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Are you sulking?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°You say you want to work together, but you tell me to shut up. Youck mental discipline. Still a youngster.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to bete.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 88 Chapter 88: Urgon¡¯s Domain Shan Kris. Shan Kris was one of the major cities representing the Quebek region in the eastern part of the continent. It boasted beautiful scenery, spread widely around Lake Kris. [TL/N: San Kris and San Baul would be changed to Shan Kris and Shan Baul; And Quebec to Quebek. The author rified their spelling in this chapter.] ¡°Shan¡± meant ¡°surrounding¡± in the ancientnguage, so a literal trantion would be ¡°the city surrounding Lake Kris.¡± The fact that Lake Kris was used in the city¡¯s name meant it was a famousndmark in the East. Unlike other major cities, it was characterized by its natural atmosphere, preserving the beauty of theke. As a result, it was also a ce where tourists from outside came to enjoy their vacations. ¡°Nice.¡± I walked along the turquoise easternke, appreciating the surrounding scenery. The water was so clear that I wanted to jump right in and ssh around. Small sailboats floated on theke, and elegant buildings with blue bay windows blended harmoniously with thekeside. Sharp warriors, mboyant merchants, rugged mercenaries, and mages in groups frequently roamed the streets. It reminded me of Khaoto. Khaoto was developing rapidly, but it was still far behind this ce. The city¡¯s aura felt different. I was briefly ovee with nostalgia for the once-splendid Khaoto, feeling a tinge of bitterness, but then I became happy again. It would have been such a shame to die without experiencing a ce like this. Anyway, I was d to be alive again. There was an unexpectedly positive man, and that was me. ¡®I should bring the brats here sometime.¡¯ As I chuckled inwardly, feeling a sense of amusement, someone called me from behind. ¡°Ruin.¡± Taylor was looking at me with a displeased expression. ¡°I wish you¡¯d be a bit more tense. We¡¯re not here for leisure.¡± He was right, so I nodded. ¡°We¡¯re not here for leisure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking to you too.¡± ir, who was ncing back and forth between Taylor and me, said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go grab some dinner first.¡± Come to think of it, I was hungry too. Strengthes from food. ¡°Where should we go?¡± ¡°Anywhere. I just want to grab a quick bite.¡± I shook my head firmly. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®anywhere.¡¯ Strengthes from food. Since we¡¯re here, we should go somewhere delicious.¡± Before they could respond, I approached a dark bench I had been eyeing. A couple, seemingly lovers, were embracing tightly and making smooching sounds at each other. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The man in the fancy clothes turned around abruptly and replied with an annoyed expression, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt. I have a question. Do you happen to know the most famous restaurant in this area?¡± ¡°A pub famous for its bad food?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Of course, I mean a ce with good food. You¡¯re saying strange things.¡± The man waved his hand dismissively with an annoyed expression and said, ¡°Kris Beer.¡± ¡°Enjoy your time.¡± I quickly turned around and looked at Taylor. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Kris Beer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not happening.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s the most famous ce here. Do you know somewhere better? You should have said so earlier. You just wasted the precious time of a passionate youth.¡± Taylor shook his head again. ¡°I told you we¡¯re not here for leisure. I saw them selling rye bread and soup in the left alley. That¡¯s enough.¡± Now I saw that he wasn¡¯t worth dealing with. ¡°Your taste is bizarre. Let¡¯s each go our own way.¡± I was about to pass them by when I paused, noticing Taylor¡¯s peculiar expression. I looked back and forth between Taylor and ir, then chuckled. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re broke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s sad to be broke. Not being able to eat what you want.¡± I started walking and said, ¡°Follow me or not, it¡¯s up to you.¡± I took a few steps, but there was no reaction, so I turned around. Taylor and ir, seemingly hurt in their pride, hadn¡¯t moved an inch, and Arin was staring at theke, lost in thought. I continued walking and muttered, ¡°Steamed fish with a ss of moonshine, ah! It makes my mouth water. Pride won¡¯t fill your stomach.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As I walked away, ir grimaced and said, ¡°He¡¯s so rude¡­ Just bear with it, Senior Brother.¡± ir tried to calm his anger and said, ¡°Sigh, let¡¯s just go eat some rye bread. A simple meal is enough anyway.¡± ¡°Steamed fish¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Taylor, who had been silent, started muttering to himself. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to let him go alone. If he runs into Urgon, we¡¯ll need someone to control him.¡± Taylor suddenly turned his head towards ir. ¡°Right, ir? Arin?¡± Taylor¡¯s eyebrows twitched intensely, as if demanding their agreement. ¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As ir made eye contact with him, Taylor¡¯s stomach growled loudly like thunder. Taylor¡¯s face turned red, and he suddenly dashed forward at an incredible speed. It was the exact same direction Ruin had gone. ¡°¡­Senior Brother?¡± ir stared nkly at Taylor¡¯s back as he ran like the wind. * * * What were the must-visit ces in Shan Kris? There were several, but one that was always mentioned was ¡°Kris Beer.¡± Thergest tavern in easternke, Kris Beer was famous for its clean appearance and the delicious food prepared by its chef, who came from a prestigious family. If you excluded the westernke, which was firmly upied by the Urgon n, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Kris Beer was the most famous tavern in all of Shan Kris. ¡°Impressive.¡± I admired the exterior of Kris Beer for a moment. It was a five-story tavern, and perhaps because it was situated near a hill, it looked particrly tall. Upon entering, I found the first floor already packed. Amidst the lively atmosphere, a server approached us. ¡°How many are in your party?¡± I asked the two guys awkwardly standing behind me, ¡°Why are there only two of you? Where¡¯s the other one?¡± ir cleared his throat and replied, ¡°She said she wanted to look around theke a bit more.¡± I nodded and told the server, ¡°Four.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait. We¡¯re full.¡± ¡°Are there no seats upstairs?¡± ¡°To dine upstairs, you must order at least one main dish.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The server led me to the second floor, but it was still full. ¡°I apologize. There was a table avable just a moment ago.¡± ¡°What about the third floor?¡± ¡°To dine on the third floor, you must order at least two main dishes.¡± ¡°Their upselling tactics are impressive. So, is it three main dishes for the fourth floor?¡± The server shook his head. ¡°The fourth floor has a separate seating charge. Three main dishes and a bottle of rum are also required.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± They were truly shameless. But they must be doing it because business was good. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I said lead us to the fourth floor.¡± The server looked me up and down, tilting his head in confusion, so I asked, ¡°How long have you been working here, server?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking that¡­¡± ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice. For a server, being perceptive is crucial. If you keep looking at customers like that, you¡¯ll get a good flick on the forehead someday. Now hurry up and lead the way.¡± The rookie server suddenly became quick and efficient, guiding us to the fourth floor. Meanwhile, Taylor and ir remained silent behind me. This was the power of money. Since I had the money, they couldn¡¯tin even if they had any objections. The fourth floor was finally a bit less crowded. But I wasn¡¯t particrly satisfied. ¡°There are no good seats.¡± Unfortunately, the few tables by the window were all taken. There was no point in paying extra for a seat on a higher floor if we couldn¡¯t get a window view. Seeing my displeasure, the rookie server said, ¡°Then would you like to wait on the first floor until a table bes avable?¡± I looked around and approached a warrior blocking the stairs to the fifth floor. ¡°What do I need to order for the fifth floor?¡± The server who had followed me replied, ¡°You can¡¯t enter the fifth floor.¡± I responded naturally, ¡°I havepanions up there.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As the rookie server¡¯s eyes widened, I naturally climbed the stairs. However, it seemed my trick didn¡¯t work on the warrior. The burly warrior ced his hand on the sword at his waist and blocked my path. ¡°Whose party are you with?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡± I looked back at the rookie server and said whatever came to mind, ¡°Be careful of such tricks. There might be people trying to deceive you by pretending to havepanions upstairs. A server should always be more perceptive than the customers. Anyway, why can¡¯t we go to the 5th floor? Is it under construction?¡± ¡°Only those attending the banquet can enter the 5th floor.¡± ¡°What banquet?¡± As soon as I asked the question, I realized the answer. ¡°Are you talking about Urgon¡¯s banquet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Suddenly, Taylor and ir¡¯s auras sharpened, and a heavy atmosphere filled the air. The warrior nervously ced his hand on his sword, and the server gulped. I asked the server, ¡°Who decided that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order from the Urgon n.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I suddenly remembered what Kant had said. It seemed the rumors about Urgon¡¯s influence spreading throughout Shan Kris weren¡¯t exaggerated. It was highly likely that the entire tavern was under Urgon¡¯s control. ir whispered from behind, ¡°Let¡¯s just eat downstairs, Ruin.¡± ¡°Do you have money?¡± As I approached the warrior, Taylor blocked my path this time. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°I told you I make the decisions.¡± Taylor¡¯s gaze hardened. ¡°Listen to me before I drag you down by force.¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± Just as mana fluctuations surged from Taylor, ir intervened with an urgent voice, ¡°Senior Brother, if we cause a scene here, they¡¯ll find out anyway.¡± Taylor, with a frown, suppressed his mana and said in a low voice, ¡°Ruin, listen to me.¡± ¡°Looking at your eyes,¡± I noticed one thing hidden deep within Taylor¡¯s venomous gaze. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been infected with a disease.¡± I smirked and walked past Taylor towards the warrior. ¡°You said only those attending the banquet can enter, right?¡± I took out the invitation from my pocket and showed it to the warrior. ¡°Can I go up now?¡± The warrior¡¯s eyes widened just like the rookie server¡¯s. I passed them and went straight up to the 5th floor. Taylor and ir followed me with hardened expressions. * * * The 5th floor had apletely different atmosphere. From the floor and lighting to the furniture, everything was several times more luxurious than the lower floors. On one side of the window, a group of young people, blessed with wealthy parents, were having a noisy drinking party. The rest of the seats were empty. While Taylor¡¯s expression hardened as he observed the group, I took a seat at one of the window tables. A new server appeared from somewhere and attended to us. ¡°Wee. What would you like to order?¡± Judging by his smooth-talking manner, he seemed to have been a server for a long time. ¡°Bring me the price list first. I don¡¯t intend to be ripped off.¡± ¡°All dishes areplimentary on the 5th floor.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean it¡¯s free?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go bald, but it¡¯s okay in a ce like this. It was definitely worthing up here.¡± I looked at Taylor and ir as if to say, ¡°See?¡± Then, I politely requested the handsome server, ¡°Bring us a few of your best dishes.¡± ¡°What about drinks?¡± ¡°The most expensive one. Is this also free?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As the server bowed and left, I looked at theke view reflected in the window. It was quite picturesque. Roundnterns emitting colorful lights illuminated the nightke from above, and people strolled along thekeshore. Suddenly, fireworks erupted from thenterns, painting the sky with bright colors. ¡°Wow.¡± It was a magical phenomenon. It was probably another one of Urgon¡¯s setups. I nced at Taylor because he had been unusually quiet, and his expression was stiff as a board. Someone from the group across the room had spotted us and was walking over. A mboyantly dressed man approached and greeted us affably. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Argain Heintz from the Heintz n. If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask for your names?¡± Taylor replied in a low voice, ¡°Taylor Samael.¡± ¡°¡­Samael? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± The man who introduced himself as Argain¡¯s attitude suddenly changed. He lifted his chin slightly and looked down at us with an air of arrogance that seemed ingrained in him. ¡°Hmm. I see you¡¯ve been invited to the Urgon n¡¯s banquet. This is fate, so why don¡¯t you join us at our table and have a conversation?¡± ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Many descendants of prestigious ns have gathered here. It¡¯s a good opportunity for a n from the outskirts to make connections.¡± I replied with an annoyed expression, ¡°Stop asking and go away. We haven¡¯t even eaten yet. What kind of nonsense is joining your table?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± An unexpected silence fell, and someone from the group across the room muttered loudly, ¡°Did I hear that right? Samael?¡± The man who had been drinking at the head of the group finally looked in our direction. After confirming Taylor and ir¡¯s faces, the man frowned as if he had seen something unpleasant, then smirked. ¡°Well, well, well. Look who it is.¡± I read ir¡¯s lips as he cursed. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 89 Chapter 89: Moose Urgon ¡°Aren¡¯t you Young Master Taylor and Young Master ir?¡± As soon as the man acknowledged them, Taylor clenched his fist, and ir¡¯s face hardened. My good mood also dampened a bit. The man¡¯s voice was filled with arrogance. But that wasn¡¯t all. I didn¡¯t usually care much about appearances, but for some reason, the man¡¯s looks were very, extremely, considerably unpleasant. In terms of physiognomy, it was an extremely offensive face. It was a face that practically screamed, ¡°I¡¯m despicable.¡± ir muttered under his breath, ¡°Moose Urgon¡­¡± ¡®Urgon?¡¯ It was finally the moment they first encountered a direct descendant of Urgon. But I didn¡¯t feel any particr emotion. I just thought his name perfectly matched his slicked-back hair. Meanwhile, the man named Argain Heintz in front of us was frozen in ce, unsure of how to react. Moose stretched his neck from afar and said, ¡°Well, this is unbelievable. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± As Moose continued to express his delight, Argain became visibly flustered. ¡°I apologize for my rudeness. I didn¡¯t know you were acquainted with Young Master Moose.¡± Moose waved his hand dismissively and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Juste here, Argain.¡± As Argain left, Moose beckoned to a nearby server. ¡°You called?¡± Moose twisted his lips and said, ¡°I told you not to let just anyone in here.¡± The server, after checking Moose¡¯s expression, suddenly turned pale and whispered something in his ear. Moose¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, and then he muttered, ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I confirmed their invitation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Should I ask them to leave?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. When would they ever get toe to a ce like this?¡± Moose whispered something to the server. Meanwhile, a woman asked curiously, ¡°Who are they?¡± Moose replied with a greasy smile, ¡°They¡¯re from a backwater n called Samael. You probably haven¡¯t heard of them.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of them somewhere.¡± ¡°They were involved with us in the past. They¡¯re not worth Gaby¡¯s attention. They¡¯re beneath us.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The woman lost interest and turned her head away. * * * As Moose and his group resumed their drinking, ir sighed in relief and muttered under his breath, ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t be worse. I can¡¯t believe we actually ran into Urgon.¡± ¡°Is that guy the eldest son?¡± ir shook his head and replied in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s the second son. An illegitimate child.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s not someone of importance.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a good person.¡± ¡°Physiognomy is always urate.¡± As I nodded in agreement, a sudden curiosity arose within me. ¡°But how do you know that guy?¡± ¡°I saw him in the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°Did he also enter the 3rd-level Demon Realm or something?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I noticed ir¡¯s expression stiffen for a moment. He definitely had something he wanted to hide. Taylor, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. ¡°We should go downstairs.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in staying here. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? We haven¡¯t even eaten yet.¡± ¡°Listen to me.¡± ¡°Then you go down first.¡± Taylor clenched his fist and red at me. ¡°Are you really¡­¡± ¡°Definitely. You¡¯re clearly infected with the disease.¡± I started observing the group across from us. Since we would inevitably encounter them at the banquet, there was no harm in getting a good look at them beforehand. Focusing on their voices in the quiet atmosphere, I could hear Moose and his group talking. ¡°¡­So what happened then?¡± ¡°What else could have happened? I beheaded the mutant monster.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, you could say that I was the one who conquered the 3rd-level Demon Realm. My father said he¡¯s going to give me a big reward this time, so you can look forward to it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Do you have any other questions, Gaby?¡± ¡°Well, let me think. Hoho.¡± Listening to their conversation, it was nothing but trivial talk. All the men¡¯s attention was focused on the woman named Gaby. The men were bragging about themselves, and Gaby, the woman, responded with appropriately haughtyughter. In short, it was a typical scene of insignificant men trying to woo a woman. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Observing closely, Gaby¡¯s skill at responding was exceptional. It was almost mechanical, showing that she knew how to handle men. At that moment, the server appeared carrying a tray filled with various dishes. ¡°Your order is here.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± I was startled as soon as I saw the dishes ced on the table. They brought food that wouldn¡¯t even be sold in the marketce. When I looked up, the server gave me an apologetic look. ¡®Moose must have ordered this.¡¯ Footsteps echoed from the stairs, and Arin appeared. It seemed she had juste up after enjoying theke view. Arin naturally took a seat at the table and frowned at the dishes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the food?¡± Suddenly, the noisy chatter stopped abruptly. All the men¡¯s gazes turned to Arin and froze. ¡°¡­¡± I suddenly realized the ¡®theory of rtivity squid¡¯ that one of the Crazy Mage Squad members from my past life used to advocate¡­ ¡®They¡¯re really nothingpared to her.¡¯ Looking at Arin and then at Gaby, the term ¡°squid¡± was indeed a perfect fit. It seemed the other men thought the same. * * * A momentter, Argain, who had received instructions from Moose, approached our table again. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to invite you once more. Would you like to join us?¡± Taylor shook his head. ¡°No, thank you. We¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± Argain nced at Arin and then said in a strong tone, ¡°It would be better if you joined us.¡± ¡°I said we¡¯re fine.¡± The woman named Gaby said with a somewhat ufortable expression, ¡°They said no. Why are you doing this? Let¡¯s just enjoy ourselves.¡± Ignoring Gaby¡¯s wordspletely, Moose stood up and looked at us. ¡°It¡¯s fate that we met Samael like this. I was wrong. I¡¯d like us to join tables, if possible. What do you think?¡± Before Taylor could respond, I stood up and approached their group. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± As I took a seat, the White Horse Squad members followed me with reluctant expressions. The reason I epted Moose¡¯s offer was clear. I was curious about their rtionship with Moose. The way ir and Taylor¡¯s expressions changed when ¡®Demon Realm¡¯ was mentioned earlier. I had to find out the truth behind those expressions. My intuition told me it was definitely rted to Urgon. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. I needed to find out what happened in the Demon Realm to strategize against Urgon. As I sat down, Moose raised his ss with a satisfied expression. ¡°What a wonderful moment to be with good friends and good drinks in such a fine ce. Let¡¯s have a toast.¡± Argain Heintz chimed in with a supporting chant. ¡°Good friends, good drinks, good times!¡± ¡°Good friends, good drinks, good times!¡± As the incredibly cheesy gangster-like toast continued, Moose downed his drink in one gulp and asked Arin, ¡°Excuse me, but may I ask for the beautifuldy¡¯s name?¡± All the men¡¯s eyes turned to Arin at the same time. It could have been an ufortable situation, but Arin answered calmly, ¡°Arin.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Samael had such a beautifuldy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Arin replied briefly and started eating the food on the table. ¡°Haha, take your time.¡± As Taylor and ir quietly observed the situation, I suddenly had a strange feeling. ¡®Didn¡¯t Arin enter the Demon Realm?¡¯ Moose seemed to know the other guys, but he acted as if he was meeting Arin for the first time. Unable to contain my curiosity, I asked Moose directly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you enter the Demon Realm with Arin?¡± Moose scanned me from head to toe, then looked at Arin without answering. ¡°You have a beautiful name too. Did you also enter the Demon Realm this time, miss?¡± When Arin nodded, Mooseughed heartily. ¡°What a coincidence. I entered the 3rd-level Demon Realm in the 8th district. Where did you enter, miss?¡± ¡°The same ce.¡± ¡°¡­You entered the 3rd level? Then there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t have seen you.¡± ¡°I left from the entrance.¡± Moose suddenly puffed out his chest in a heroic posture and said, ¡°That makes sense. But even if it was just the entrance, the courage to enter the 3rd level ismendable.¡± The men around him all chimed in, directing their attention towards Arin. ¡°That¡¯s right. Just entering the Demon Realm is praiseworthy.¡± ¡°Especially the 3rd-level Demon Realm. Where did you find such courage with your delicate frame?¡± As the men¡¯s attention focused on Arin, Gaby interjected with a jealous look. ¡°But if it was just the entrance, it¡¯s practically the same as doing nothing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Moose shook his head firmly. ¡°We¡¯re talking about courage here.¡± ¡°It seems cowardly to have run away.¡± Moose looked at Gaby and lifted his chin. ¡°Let me give you a piece of advice, Gaby. It¡¯s best to discard such thoughts. Besides, even at the entrance, it¡¯s dangerous because you could encounter monsters. It¡¯s all the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Despite the sudden change in attitude, Gaby forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m also going to enter the Demon Realm soon. My father said I could even handle the 3rd level.¡± Argain burst intoughter. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about the Demon Realm, do you, Gaby? The 3rd level? Hahaha.¡± Moose agreed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate the Demon Realm, Gaby.¡± ¡°Of course. Thanks for the advice.¡± Gaby nodded while maintaining her smile, but I could tell what she was thinking. She must be feeling anxious, having gone from being the center of attention to being treated like a leftover. Moose looked at Arin again and said, ¡°I¡¯m Moose Urgon. I made significant contributions to conquering the 3rd-level Demon Realm this time. Have you perhaps heard of me?¡± Arin took a bite of meat and replied, ¡°No.¡± Moose looked disappointed for a moment, then continued speaking confidently, ¡°Without me, it would have been difficult even with the Red Phoenix Division and my brother. Of course, these two gentlemen here also made decent contributions. Although ir was busy running away. Haha.¡± I perked up, sensing that the topic I was curious about was about toe up. Arin chewed on the meat, then spat it out and said, ¡°This is really disgusting.¡± Moose, finding even that endearing,ughed and said, ¡°You have refined taste. By the way, our Young Master ir also suffered a major injury midway, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As ir frowned, Moose smirked and continued, ¡°Does it bother you so much to hear that you received help from me?¡± ir red at Moose and retorted, ¡°You should speak truthfully. You didn¡¯t do anything in the Demon Realm, did you?¡± The corners of Moose¡¯s lips stiffened slightly. ¡°What did you just say?¡± As ir and Moose engaged in a staring contest, Argain intervened. ¡°That¡¯s quite rude, Young Master ir.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Taylor stepped in. ¡°He seems drunk. We¡¯re leaving.¡± Moose replied with a smile, ¡°You can¡¯t leave without my permission. But I¡¯ll make an exception and allow you to leave alone. Your presence here lowers the atmosphere, so hurry up and go. I need to have a chat with Lady Arin. Haha.¡± I just confirmed one thing. While speaking, Moose was awkwardly forcing a smile. It felt like he was putting on a show of bravado. ¡®Is he wary of Taylor?¡¯ For some reason, Moose was paying attention to Taylor¡¯s every move. This was the perfect opportunity for me to step in. Keeping the wise saying ¡°Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated¡± in mind, I spoke to Moose. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about your reputation, Young Master Moose. You made great achievements in the Demon Realm, they say.¡± Moose looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m the highest-ranking person here. Taylor and ir might be too proud to admit it, but they did mention your impressive aplishments.¡± I continued speaking rapidly before Moose could respond. ¡°Actually, Arin also knows your name, Young Master Moose. Right, Arin? Look, she¡¯s nodding in agreement. She must be too shy to speak. She¡¯s curious about the rest of the story, so please tell us. It seems Arin is also eager to hear more.¡± Moose¡¯s expression immediately softened. He smirked and looked at me with an intrigued expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was someone so perceptive in Samael. What did you say your name was?¡± I replied with the first name that came to mind. ¡°Zion.¡± While ir stared at me in bewilderment, Moose ran his hand through his hair and grinned. ¡°Nice to meet you, Young Master Zion.¡± His behavior was truly disgusting. But sometimes, you have to endure disgusting things, and this was one of those times. I hadn¡¯t heard what I wanted to know yet. ¡°Alright, since thedy is curious, I should tell you. About what happened in the 3rd-level Demon Realm¡­¡± But sometimes, there are people who can¡¯t stand disgusting things. Arin, who was eating a piece of raw fish, spat it out and said, ¡°Why is this so fishy? It¡¯s so disgusting, I can¡¯t eat it.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 90 Chapter 90: The Mysterious Woman A momentary silence fell. The men¡¯s eyes widened simultaneously. They hadn¡¯t expected such vulgarnguage toe from those delicate lips. ¡°¡­Disgusting?¡± I was also taken aback. But who was I? Quickly assessing the situation, I spoke at lightning speed. ¡°She meant it¡¯s like a demon. You can think of it as a simr expression to saying something is awesome.¡± ¡°A demon?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t mind it and please continue with the story.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Having smoothly navigated the situation, I nced at the White Horse Squad members, but Taylor and ir showed no change in expression. It seemed Arin¡¯s personality was more straightforward than they thought. Moose cleared his throat and continued, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, no one would have survived the 3rd-level Demon Realm this time.¡± As questioning gazes gathered, Moose smiled. ¡°We, Urgon, were deployed midway. My brother was a bitte because he was conquering the 2nd-level Demon Realm.¡± Another man chimed in at the right moment. ¡°As expected of the Urgon n. With the Red Phoenix Division, Young Master Libre, and Young Master Moose entering together, the 3rd-level Demon Realm must have been a piece of cake.¡± ¡°And my role was the biggest among them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When we arrived, those who had entered earlier had already suffered near-total casualties. The corpses, mangled by the mutant monsters, were a truly gruesome sight.¡± Gaby, who had been listening silently, covered her eyes with both hands and eximed, ¡°Oh my! Just the thought of it is horrifying. You did a great deed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But Moose didn¡¯t even nce in Gaby¡¯s direction. Neither did the other men. Gaby¡¯s attempt at courage only made her look foolish. But I was a man who knew how to seize an opportunity. ¡°Did you say your name was Gaby? You know how topliment others. That¡¯s really admirable.¡± Gaby¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Having gained her favor with a single sentence, I focused my attention back on Moose¡¯s words. My patient efforts were paying off. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for us, the vanguard would have all perished. And among that vanguard were Young Master Taylor and Young Master ir here. I especially can¡¯t forget the look on Young Master ir¡¯s face when we first arrived. The way he was desperately running away from the monsters¡­¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Suddenly hearing a cracking sound, I looked at ir and saw that the ss in his hand was cracking. I roughly understood the situation. So ir and Taylor had entered the 3rd-level Demon Realm and were about to die at the hands of the monsters when the Urgon guys suddenly appeared and saved the day. ¡°Young Master ir, think about it carefully. I¡¯m just saying whates to mind. If I were in that situation, wouldn¡¯t I be so grateful that I¡¯d want to bow down? Haha. There are so many ungrateful people in this world.¡± Another manughed and chimed in, ¡°In other words, Young Master Moose practically saved the lives of these two gentlemen. Oh my, I didn¡¯t know there was such a story behind their stiff behavior. Young Master Moose is truly a magnanimous person.¡± ir red at Moose and retorted, ¡°You conveniently leave out the fact that people who could have returned alive died because of the Urgon n.¡± ¡°There are no achievements without sacrifices. Well, in any case, you two survived. As Argain said, I¡¯m not so petty as to hold your attitude against you any longer.¡± I organized my thoughts again. From what I could gather, it seemed Urgon had put others in danger while conquering the Demon Realm. ¡®There must have been more to the incident.¡¯ Meanwhile, Arin was still tasting various dishes and spitting them out. Moose, who still had something to say, continued, looking at Arin. ¡°The point of my story is this. The weak are inevitably nothing but burdens. You must know this well, having entered the Demon Realm. In the end, only by joining forces with strong ns like ours can we navigate this harsh world. What do you think, Lady Arin?¡± Arin replied, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°Is Lady Arin perhaps a direct descendant of Samael?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s no problem for you to leave Samael.¡± At that moment, the ss in ir¡¯s hand shattered. ¡°Shut up!¡± Moose smirked and retorted, ¡°Such harsh words. I was just joking. I was simply talking about possibilities. I see Young Master ir has quite a temper. I didn¡¯t know you had such a side, always running away. You might even throw that ss next.¡± Argain, understanding Moose¡¯s intentions, chimed in. ¡°He¡¯s not entirely wrong. There¡¯s nothing good about staying in a backwater n. It¡¯s better to be under the protection of a strong n in every way.¡± Moose smirked and nodded. ¡°Indeed. Such opportunities don¡¯te easily. Besides, I wasn¡¯t speaking nonsense.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I believe my brother took in someone from another n in the Demon Realm this time. I think her name was¡­ La, was it?¡± ¡°Moose!¡± At that moment, Taylor stood up with a surge of mana. Moose¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he awkwardly assumed a defensive stance. It was almost an instinctive reaction, clearly showing his wariness towards Taylor. Moose managed topose himself and said, ¡°¡­Do you have a problem?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cross the line.¡± Moose looked around and, seemingly regaining his confidence, retorted, ¡°What will you do if I cross the line? Get a grip, Taylor.¡± At that moment, Arin threw the te in front of her. ¡°Everything is so fishy, I can¡¯t eat it. What¡¯s wrong with this ce?¡± Arin stared at Moose and frowned. ¡°I know why. Looking at you now, your face looks fishy, so the food tastes bad. I have a weak stomach.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Moose looked at Arin and said, ¡°You should also choose your words carefully, Lady Arin.¡± ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°I see you¡¯re a naive youngdy.¡± Taylor and ir stood up abruptly, emitting killing intent, and the other men followed suit. The sudden surge of hostility filled the entire floor. It was a vtile situation. At that moment, the woman who had been silent until now raised her hand from her seat. ¡°Let¡¯s stop this.¡± I, who had been observing the situation as a spectator, nodded with a satisfied expression. Finally, she makes her move. * * * I had sensed the strange atmosphere earlier. While everyone was paying attention to Moose, one woman in the corner was sipping her drink alone, as if she were in a different world. Her presence was so natural that no one paid her any mind. However, the moment the woman stood up, revealing her presence, The atmosphere in the room changed drastically. Suddenly, as if their mouths were filled with honey, all the men fell silent at the same time. It was as if they had just remembered the woman¡¯s existence, and they looked at each other with bewildered expressions. Moose also sobered up immediately and remained seated. The woman nced at Moose. ¡°You seem drunk.¡± Moose gulped and replied, ¡°I apologize for my unbing behavior, Lady Celestine.¡± I also looked at the woman for a moment. Until now, she had been so inconspicuous that it was hard to even notice her presence. But now it was different. With a single word, her weighty presence dominated the room. Everyone was watching her, holding their breath. She was no ordinary woman. The atmosphere itself spoke volumes. This kind of atmosphere couldn¡¯t be intentionally created. It was a presence that only those born into a position of authority could possess, naturally cultivated from birth. ¡®Who is she?¡¯ Celestine, the woman, looked at Moose with a disappointed expression and then spoke to us, ¡°You said your name was Taylor, right? You should calm down too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Moose and his group suddenly became as docile as puppies, Taylor clenched his teeth and sat back down. Celestine then looked at me. ¡°You said you were the highest-ranking one here, right? It would be best if you left now.¡± ¡°Are you telling me to leave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I locked eyes with Celestine for a moment. As expected, her gaze was strong. She was controlling the situation with her words. But I was different. ¡°Leaving is fine. But¡­¡± Honestly, I didn¡¯t care who she was. ¡°This seems a bit unfair.¡± As Celestine raised her eyebrows slightly, I looked at Moose. ¡°I need to hear an apology first.¡± I held out a ss to Moose with one hand. ¡°Pour me a drink.¡± Moose, ncing at Celestine, looked at me with an incredulous expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you need to apologize. Of course, I appreciate you satisfying my curiosity. But no matter what, I can¡¯t overlook the way you treated Samael.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You quenched my curiosity, so I¡¯llpromise. If you pour me a drink and apologize sincerely, I¡¯ll let it slide. But I can¡¯t leave before that.¡± This wasn¡¯t about pride. Matters between ns should always be clear-cut. Moose let out a hollowugh and said, ¡°Are you acting this way because you¡¯re relying on Lady Celestine? Get a grip.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like he intends to apologize.¡± ¡°This is unbearable, Young Master Zion.¡± ¡°Actually, my name is Ruin. I¡¯m the Commander of Samael¡¯s Crazy Mage Squad.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Celestine, who had been looking back and forth between Moose and me with a pitiful expression, intervened. ¡°Ruin, it would be best if you stopped too. I understand you¡¯re angry, but you should choose your words carefully depending on who you¡¯re talking to. I hope you realize that acting like this won¡¯t benefit your n in any way.¡± Ipletely ignored Celestine¡¯s words and locked eyes with Moose. ¡°Now that I look at you, you really do resemble a demon.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you know there¡¯s a type of demon that resembles a dog?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you look like a damn dog.¡± When Arin let out a chuckle, Moose unleashed a torrent of curses. ¡°You insolent bastard!¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t want to apologize?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± I threw the ss directly at Moose¡¯s face. At the same time, I used ¡®Wind Cutter¡¯ to shatter the ss into pieces and scatter a rain of des towards the men. ¡°You damn bastard!¡± Argain, who had been acting like Moose¡¯s loyal dog, charged at me with his face flushed from alcohol. I ducked in a split second to evade the attack, then drew Red Dagger from my waist and shed Argain¡¯s thigh. sh¡ª Following the spray of blood in the air, I stood up and grabbed Argain¡¯s neck with my left hand. My palm was already imbued with mes. As sparks flew from his neck, Argain screamed. ¡°Aaargh!¡± I forced Argain to his knees with just my grip, then kicked his chin with the top of my foot. With a loud crack, Argain¡¯s head snapped back, and he passed out. ¡°Ruin! What are you doing!¡± It all happened in an instant, catching everyone off guard. Taylor was the first to jump up from his seat and re at me. I spoke to Taylor with my eyes. ¡®You stubborn brat.¡¯ The other men, who hadn¡¯t expected me to actually resort to violence, finally came to their senses and stood up. Moose looked at Celestine and said, ¡°I apologize, Lady Celestine. This is going to be difficult now.¡± Moose cracked his neck from side to side and looked at me. ¡°So you¡¯re a madman.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Moose smiled. ¡°This is actually better. There are those who can¡¯t hold back when they should. I¡¯ll show you the consequences of your childish actions.¡± I also smiled and picked up a bottle from the table. Chapter 91 Chapter 91: You Touched Samael Everything happened in a split second. I struck the charging man¡¯s head with the bottle while simultaneously throwing Red Dagger at the other man¡¯s stomach. Thud! The red dagger, imbued with wind pressure, pierced through his stomach with a tearing sound. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± It all happened in less than a second, in the blink of an eye. Moose, realizing the situation, red at me with murderous intent and started forming hand signs. ¡°You bastard!¡± Taylor, with a hardened expression I had never seen before, gave orders. ¡°ir, Arin.¡± Mana fluctuations emanated from the three of them, backing me up. The other men also red and drew their weapons. But once again, I was the fastest. I punched the cluster of bottles on the table. The bottles shattered mercilessly, and liquor gushed out in all directions. I leaped onto the table and enveloped my fist in mes. The first important thing when fighting multiple opponents. Style. Maintaining your style is always crucial. ¡®Wind Barrier.¡¯ I surrounded myself with a Wind Barrier, bent my waist, and mmed my fiery fist onto the table. The spilled liquor caught fire, and mes erupted instantly. I stood nonchntly on the burning table and surveyed my surroundings. As expected, everyone around me was flustered and didn¡¯t know what to do. In the midst of the sudden chaos, both our side and the enemy stopped what they were doing and looked at me. It felt like the atmosphere demanded it. I looked at Moose and raised my middle finger. The second important thing when fighting multiple opponents. Trash talk. Taunting the enemy leader is crucial. ¡°You dog-like Moose, you¡¯re truly insignificant. Tell me, what happens when you don¡¯t hold back when you should? I¡¯m curious, so show me.¡± Moose, with a clear killing intent in his eyes,pleted his hand signs. Judging by the form, it seemed he was about to use the water cannon that the Azure Dragon Squad Leader had used before. However, the mana fluctuation was far weaker. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll show you what happens, Water Stream.¡± I concentrated mana at the tip of my middle finger. ¡®Piercing Wind.¡¯ With a whooshing sound that ripped through the air, a wind bullet shot from my fingertip, splitting the water cannon in half and hurtling towards Moose. Horror filled Moose¡¯s eyes. Just as the wind bullet, having split the water cannon, was about to pierce Moose¡¯s shoulder, A de-like energy surged from somewhere and deflected the wind bullet¡¯s trajectory. ¡®Sword Qi?¡¯ I turned my eyes to look at Celestine. A thin sword was in her hand, its paper-thin de vibrating from side to side. ¡®A flexible sword?¡¯ Only a flexible sword could have such a supple de. Due to its nature, it was difficult to release sword Qipared to ordinary swords. But for some reason, Celestine seemed more surprised than I was. She had tried to disrupt my magic with sword Qi, but it only managed to alter its course. ¡°¡­I said it was a wrong decision, Ruin.¡± ¡°Wrong?¡± I smirked and kicked off the table, aiming for the demon dog-like guy. * * * The zing mes heated the interior. Somehow, the situation had escted into a one-on-one confrontation between Moose and me. I fired fire spears at Moose with both hands, then concentrated ¡®Fire Arm¡¯ on the skin of my right arm. Hotter, denser. As Moose¡¯s face turned red and he retreated while forming hand signs, I charged at him and taunted, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, you damn bastard?¡± At that moment, another de imbued with Sword Qi flew towards my waist from the left. ¡°Dodge, Ruin!¡± Taylor cast a spell, trying to obstruct the de¡¯s path by forming hand signs. Surprisingly, the de wriggled as if it were alive, bypassing Taylor¡¯s magic and approaching me. Swoosh¡ª I leaped into the air, twisted my waist, and narrowly dodged the de. The flexible sword¡¯s de then curved and chased after my waist again. Its tip was as flexible as a snake hunting its prey. ¡®This is annoying.¡¯ Falling from mid-air, I kicked off the ground once more and chanted a simplified incantation. ¡®Haste.¡¯ I shot forward like a ray of light and pped Moose across the face. Smack¡ª With a loud sound, sparks flew from Moose¡¯s left cheek as he was knocked back. I dashed forward faster than Moose and grabbed him by the cor. He wasn¡¯t even as skilled as a Azure Dragon Squad member. I pulled him up by his cor and met his eyes. ¡°Tell me. What happens when you can¡¯t hold back?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t answer, can you?¡± I picked up a bottle rolling on the table and smashed it over Moose¡¯s head. Crack! Moose clutched his head and replied, ¡°Ugh, are you messing with Urgon right now?¡± ¡°Stop it, Ruin!¡± Before I could respond, Taylor shouted from the left. And a momentter, an even stronger presence dominated the room. ¡°I told you it would be best to stop.¡± It was Celestine. She pointed the tip of her flexible sword at me. ¡°I think this is enough. I won¡¯t tolerate any more disrespect. Don¡¯t take it personally. This is for your own good too.¡± Everyone stared at Celestine, momentarily overwhelmed by her powerful presence that made it difficult to breathe. ¡®A woman from a n that uses flexible swords.¡¯ I had a rough idea. I just didn¡¯t expect to see her in a ce like this. This was interesting. Indeed, what a noble sense of justice. Old memories resurfaced, and I couldn¡¯t help butugh. Acting from a position of strength and pretending to help the weak was always somewhat repulsive. Celestine frowned and looked at me. ¡°You find this funny?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help butugh.¡± If she thought she could persuade me with just this level of presence, she was mistaken. ¡°You said this was enough?¡± ¡°Of course. Stop this.¡± ¡°Why do you get to decide that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The presence emanating from me instantly erased Celestine¡¯s pressure. Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted from Celestine to me. A suffocating pressure. Celestine let out a groan and looked at me with genuine surprise in her eyes. ¡°¡­How.¡± I picked up another bottle rolling on the table and smashed it over Moose¡¯s head. ¡°Say it again. Did you say I was messing with Urgon?¡± ¡°Ugh, this bastard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the right answer. You messed with Samael.¡± Even after breaking so many bottles, there were still plenty left. I continued to hit his head with bottles and taunted him. I hadn¡¯t cast any protective magic, so shards of ss pierced my hand, and blood started to flow. ng¡ª Shatter¡ª Crash¡ª ¡°What, did you think it was okay to mess with Samael as you pleased? Did we look like idiots to you? Same here. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re from Urgon or not. What matters is that you touched Samael.¡± Celestine was looking at me with a somewhatplicated expression. Moose¡¯s slicked-back hair was now covered in blood, and his entire body was drenched in liquor. I grabbed Moose by the cor and lifted him up. His eyes were still filled with malice. ¡°¡­This fucking bastard.¡± ¡°Your eyes still look like a dog¡¯s.¡± I grabbed another bottle at random and continued to smash it over his head. A momentter, I grabbed Moose¡¯s cor again with my right hand. I enveloped my left hand in mes and met Moose¡¯s eyes. ¡°It seems you have no intention of apologizing, so I have no choice. I hope you¡¯ll be reborn in the afterlife. You¡¯re soaked in liquor, so burning to death should be quite enjoyable.¡± Suddenly, Moose, who had been staring intently into my eyes, trembled like an aspen leaf and said, ¡°¡­Ugh, I apologize.¡± ¡°What?¡± Thud¡ª Moose fell to his knees. ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± I patted his head and then pped him. ¡°Tell me what you did wrong. Since we¡¯ve already started this, I want to put on a fire show, but I¡¯ll give you a chance. I¡¯ll listen and decide. You might be the star of the fire show, or you might not. I¡¯ll be the one to decide.¡± Moose, who had never met anyone like me in his life, opened his mouth with fear in his eyes. ¡°¡­I misspoke.¡± ¡°Mispoke?¡± ¡°I must have lost my mind for a moment. I¡¯vemitted a grave offense against Samael. I said unforgivable things to the two young masters. I deliberately exaggerated to provoke them¡­ I didn¡¯t help them at all in the Demon Realm. I apologize.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­And I apologize for looking down on Samael. I didn¡¯t mean to insult the n. I was just¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± I pretended to p Moose, then enveloped my hand in mes. Moose immediately prostrated himself and shouted, ¡°Ah, I apologize to Lady Arin too! I apologize for insulting your n. I said things I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± I grabbed Moose by the hair and lifted his head. I pped his liquor-soaked face with a fiery hand. Suddenly, time seemed to slow down for Moose. He could clearly see the trajectory of the mes flying towards him. Anticipating a future where he would be a burning roast, Moose screamed. ¡°Aaaaaaaagh!¡± I withdrew the mes the moment my palm touched Moose¡¯s cheek. Moose, his face covered in tears and snot, let out an iprehensible sound and then fell silent. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. You almost became the star of the fire show.¡± I gently stroked Moose¡¯s cheek and assessed the situation. Everyone was speechless. Moose and his group were frozen in ce, unable to process what had happened, and Celestine was staring at me intently with a subdued gaze. ir was looking at me with a dumbfounded expression. Taylor was still ring at me. As the tension in the room escted, I suddenly turned my head and looked out the window. Meanwhile, the nightke was beautiful. The roundnterns floating in the sky swelled up and exploded simultaneously. Bang¡ª The sky shed, and colorful lights adorned the nightke. ¡°What a beautiful night.¡± I looked out the window, then slowly walked towards the stairs. ¡°I had a great time. See you at the banquet.¡± I turned around at the top of the stairs and waved goodbye. But no one saw me off. ¡®Rude bastards.¡¯ Feeling a bit embarrassed, I quickly lowered my hand and ran down the stairs. * * * Outside, I walked along thekeshore. Even though it waste at night, there were still many people taking walks. I also enjoyed the refreshing scent of the water and felt a sense of liberation. As the crowd gradually thinned, someone grabbed my shoulder from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± It was a low voice, like a predator growling. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Taylor led me away from thekeshore and walked endlessly towards the opposite side of the bustling area, stopping at a deserted open space. I looked around the eerie clearing. ¡°You picked a good spot for a conversation.¡± Taylor stared at me for a while, clenching and unclenching his fists, then suddenly sighed and said, ¡°Go back to Khaoto.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need someone like you who can¡¯t distinguish right from wrong.¡± I met Taylor¡¯s eyes. His gaze was burning. Good eyes. They were good eyes. But they were also the kind of eyes I disliked. I knew the festering nature hidden deep within those eyes, filled with conviction. ¡°You stubborn brat. What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you go by force.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 92 Chapter 92: Our Boss Was Sick It was an eerie night. Without any ordinarynterns, only the moonlight from the sky illuminated the open space. Taylor red at me from close range, while ir and Arin stood at a distance, observing the situation. ¡°You fool.¡± I looked at Taylor and said, ¡°You couldn¡¯t even squeak in front of the enemy, but now you¡¯re taking out your anger on your allies.¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t even understand what you¡¯ve done, Ruin.¡± ¡°You stubborn brat. I¡¯d rather¡­¡± I turned around and looked at ir. ¡°He¡¯s better than you. At least he kept his pride.¡± ir looked somewhat confused. Taylor, for the first time, spoke in an agitated tone. ¡°Shut up. Do you think I¡¯m just standing here because I can¡¯t get angry? I¡¯m saying, have you even considered the immense danger your actions could bring to our n?¡± ¡°I know. I also know you¡¯re sick with the disease of holding back.¡± There was someone like that in the past too. A long time ago, when I was a young gangster who had just entered the back alleys. It was the boss of a washed-up gang who led me, an orphan at the time, into the world of gangsters. Our boss, who endured all sorts of humiliation to protect the failing gang. He wasn¡¯t like a typical gangster, always trying to please the stronger gangs and minimizing damage by giving in to their demands. During my time in that gang, we were never threatened by external forces. So what happened? In the end, the gang copsed. It withered away painfully, like wringing a dry towel. Our boss, who had been waiting for an opportunity, never got one. In the end, he was betrayed from within and stabbed to death. The gang he protected fell apart, and the women he protected were sold into brothels or exploited by other gangs. I remember the look in the boss¡¯s eyes as he was dying. Looking back, the boss was severely afflicted with the disease of holding back. Taylor, who had approached me, said, ¡°I almost wish you were still your old self. You¡¯ve be a madman wielding a sword. I¡¯ll say it onest time. Go back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No answer? Do you think you¡¯re something special just because you subdued Moose? Don¡¯t be delusional.¡± I suddenly pointed at Taylor and said, ¡°Hey, do you know what happens when the disease of holding back gets worse?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You be a coward.¡± The moment Taylor red at me with an intimidating look, I pped him across the face. Smack¡ª It happened so quickly that Taylor couldn¡¯t defend himself. ¡°Keep holding back. Keep being a coward. Even if the n falls, even if you¡¯re exploited, keep holding back until you die.¡± At that moment, a powerful surge of mana erupted from Taylor¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ll send you back by force.¡± Taylor didn¡¯t hesitate. He activated his 4-star core and instantlypleted his hand seals. His mana control had reached its peak through countless real battles. Although the mana fluctuation that the madman had briefly shown in front of Moose was threatening, that was all it was. Taylor was about to show his true power. The experience he had umted from countlesspetitions among the continent¡¯s geniuses at the Magic Tower, and from the hellish disasters of the 3rd-level Demon Realm. Crack¡ª With a sound, Taylor shot forward like an arrow and clenched his fist. ¡°Fire Burst.¡± Mana fluctuations concentrated in his fist, and mes erupted. He threw a punch at the face of the madman, who was still standing there, dumbfounded. The fist connected with his face. Or so it seemed. ¡®What?¡¯ Boom¡ª Feeling a repulsive force pushing back against his body, Taylor was startled and retreated. He didn¡¯t even have time toprehend what had happened. Taylor looked around in confusion, then his eyes met the madman¡¯s. Goosebumps rose all over his body. * * * ¡®He¡¯s quick.¡¯ I had secretly hidden a spell, but I didn¡¯t expect him to dodge it. He had good instincts for a brat. In situations like this, a head-on confrontation was the answer. Iunched a headbutt, the epitome of a frontal assault, at the dumbfounded Taylor. I had already enveloped my upper body in a stylish ¡®Wind Barrier.¡¯ ¡®Haste.¡¯ With the Haste spell cast, I shot forward like an arrow. At the same time, I felt a powerful repulsive force from the Wind Barrier spread across the front of my body. With a cracking sound, I broke through the repulsive force and Taylor threw himself to the side. ¡®He dodged?¡¯ Taylor, who had rolled on the ground and gotten back up, looked at me with a surprised expression. I was also a bit taken aback because he had managed to absorb the impact with a defensive spell and dodge. He had considerable innate talent. ¡®This level is top-tier even among direct descendants.¡¯ At that moment, Taylor formed a 5-star hand seal with a determined gesture. For a damn mage who had learned mana core, he was quite capable. He was the best I had seen recently. But it was still no use against me. My headbutt was actually a continuous attack. The more I rammed, the faster and stronger it became. Its power didn¡¯t weaken even after several hits. I was a man who could ram without getting tired. My endurance was also considerable. ¡®Wind Armor.¡¯ I reced the defensive barrier around me with the 4th-circle ¡®Wind Armor.¡¯ With Wind Armor enveloping my body, I charged at Taylor like a bull. Even if Taylor perfectly formed a 5-star hand seal, the 4th-circle was enough. Boom¡ª I broke through the 5-star explosion head-on and sessfullynded my headbutt. Taylor let out a heavy groan and was pushed back. Iunched another headbutt at Taylor¡¯s chest as he was being pushed back. With a thwack,Taylor stumbled backward, then regained his footing with a roll. Even while being hit, Taylor somehow managed to maintain his bnce and look for an opportunity. It was clear he had trained his physical endurance extensively. Unexpectedly, he was a clever kid who knew the basics of a mage. I decided to stop the headbutts and start throwing punches to match the brat¡¯s level. ¡°Haaah!¡± With my loud shout as a starting point, our fight instantly turned into something akin to a martial arts duel. Dodging, blocking, punching, dodging, blocking, punching. To the untrained eye, it might have looked like a brawl between street thugs. If you ignored the magic surrounding our bodies, that might have been true. But for those ignorant people, I needed to let them know that our fight was not a mere brawl. The way to do that was simple. Just shout out the name of the martial art technique. It might seem like a rather insignificant method, but there was no more efficient way. I aimed for his stomach and shouted, ¡°Red Magic Tower¡¯s Mana Martial Arts!¡± Taylor¡¯s face filled with surprise, and he staggered. I seized the opportunity while he was flustered and punched him in the sr plexus with a fist full ofpressed wind. ¡°Ugh!¡± Taylor¡¯s body folded in half. I enveloped my hand in mes, set his hair on fire, then created a chunk of ice and mmed it onto his head. Taylor copsedpletely onto the ground. I stood over him and stomped on his body with my feet. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª ¡°Say it again.¡± Even in that state, Taylor tried to find an opening for a counterattack, but it was futile. He couldn¡¯t concentrate at all. He thought he had experienced all sorts of extreme situations in the Demon Realm, but he was wrong. He had never experienced being beaten senselessly like this. All the magical knowledge andmon sense Taylor had umted were being shattered right now. ¡®Ugh, what the¡­¡¯ The madman¡¯s voice echoed in Taylor¡¯s fading consciousness. ¡°Coward.¡± * * * While I was stomping on Taylor, another brat charged at me from the side. ¡°Stop it, Ruin!¡± I hated being interrupted during a fight. I also hated being cut off mid-sentence. I deliberately stomped on Taylor harder, exposing an opening, and then switched to offense as ir charged at me. ¡°Cough!¡± With a few body ms, ir was also reduced to a ragdoll. Although ir himself hadn¡¯t done anything particrly wrong, a leader¡¯s mistakes were also the responsibility of his subordinates. It was collective responsibility. I continued to stomp on the two of them. And as I stomped, I started to say my piece. ¡°You want me to go back to Khaoto?¡± Thump¡ª Thump¡ª ¡°Why would I go back? I¡¯ve been wanting to go to this banquet so badly, you bastard. Why are you taking out your anger on me after getting pped by Moose? Are you proud of holding back? You did it on purpose? If you hadn¡¯t held back, why? Were you afraid of the consequences? You pathetic bastard. What happens when you hold back? Do you think that guy will let it slide next time?¡± After mindlessly stomping for a while, a pit formed where I was standing, and dust rose from it. The two brats were buried in the dirt, barely visible. When I came to my senses, it looked as if I was burying living people in the ground. I felt a wriggling movement beneath my feet. I suddenly remembered something I wanted to say to my old boss from my gangster days. ¡°You should have known when to stop holding back. All that holding back turned you into a pathetic fool. Do you know why you became pathetic?¡± Did the boss know? ¡°Because you lost your courage.¡± Poof¡ª Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone spitting out dirt and coughing from beneath my feet. I looked down to see Taylor¡¯s upper body exposed, his entire body covered in dust. I met Taylor¡¯s eyes. Even with his face covered in dirt, his burning gaze was still fixed on me. ¡®Ah, damn it.¡¯ That gaze. People like him wouldn¡¯t change just by being beaten until they were convinced themselves. That¡¯s why they had good eyes, and that¡¯s why I hated them. Looking at it this way, his eyes were different from the boss¡¯s. If I had topare¡­ The boss endured until the end and was betrayed, But this guy would probably kill himself if it came to that. ¡°Sigh.¡± Suddenly feeling a sense of incongruity, I looked up at the sky. Arin was squatting above, watching. I asked Arin, ¡°Since when have you been watching?¡± ¡°For a while now.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you attack me?¡± Arin replied as if it were obvious, ¡°Even if all three of us attacked, we would have lost.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re smart.¡± Arin looked at the two men with a slightly pitiful expression. ¡°How long are you going to keep stomping on them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I was about to stop, but then I felt them squirming more intensely beneath me, and I got annoyed, so I started stomping on them again. I stomped on them diligently, like someone with a grudge against stomping. Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª After stomping for a while, I pulled the two of them out. They were surprisingly fine, considering. Most of the footprints were concentrated on Taylor¡¯s face. Seeing Taylor ring at me with his face covered in footprints, I couldn¡¯t help butugh and looked up at the sky. Moonlight filtered through the round opening in the ceiling. ¡°The scenery is nice.¡± Arin looked at me strangely. ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°ces like this have a unique charm.¡± There¡¯s a man who enjoys the ambiance even in a pit like this. That¡¯s me. Ignoring the three of them who looked disgusted, I spoke to Arin, who was still squatting. ¡°Wash these guys up and bring them along.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°We need to eat something.¡± ¡°What are we eating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m craving some spicy steamed fish.¡± Arin¡¯s expression brightened, and she quickly took action. While Arin was gone with the two men, I continued to look up at the sky from inside the pit. Moonlight kept pouring in through the round opening in the ceiling. ¡°The weather is perfect for ate-night snack.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 93 Chapter 93: To Each Their Own Thoughts After a quick wash at a nearby inn, I started my morning routine with some calisthenics in the courtyard. Arin, who had followed me out, asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Cooling down.¡± After an intense leg workout, it¡¯s essential to stretch and cool down properly. It¡¯s a must for a refreshing start to the day. While I was exercising and waiting, the other two, freshly bathed, emerged hesitantly from the inn. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I finished my routine and headed towards the bustling downtown area. Taylor, though ring at me, obediently followed. He was quite the enigma. It seemed like he was curious about me. As we walked, I nced back at the two and had to suppress augh. Could people change this much? Everything else aside, the footprints clearly stamped on their eyelids were hard to ignore. I guess even scrubbing hard didn¡¯t erase them. Still, at a nce, they could pass for pillow marks, so it wasn¡¯t too bad. Despite thete hour, the downtown area was brightly lit, as if it were daytime. Not wanting a noisy meal, we bypassed the central hub and headed towards thekeside. We entered a quiet tavern, and the owner, with a protruding belly, greeted us. ¡°A party of four? Take a seat wherever you¡¯refortable.¡± We settled at a small table outside, and the owner, in his friendly manner, said, ¡°Tourists, are you? Oh, that facial tattoo is quite impressive. What can I get you? I can make some rmendations.¡± ¡°Earlier, I saw people eating some kind of steamed fish.¡± The owner smiled. ¡°Steamed carp is our specialty.¡± ¡°Make it spicy, please. And do you have any moonshine?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°A bottle of that too, then.¡± As the owner headed to the kitchen, I turned to admire thekeside view. Lanterns hanging overhead cast a soft glow on the nightke. Being so close, the coolke breeze tickled my face pleasantly. ¡°This is it.¡± This was the charm of dining outdoors. The chairs might be a bit ufortable, but I preferred this to fancy ces like Chris Beer. I felt at ease. Come to think of it, maybe it was inevitable, considering my background as an orphan and a former gangster. The White Horse members were also lost in thought, gazing at theke. While we were enjoying the view, a delicious aroma wafted over. ¡°Steamed carp is ready!¡± The owner ced arge tray and a bottle of moonshine on the table. ¡°I made it extra spicy, just for you. Enjoy your meal.¡± As soon as he left, I took a deep breath. The spicy scent filled my nostrils. ¡°Man, this is making my mouth water.¡± The steaming carp was coated in a vibrant red sauce, topped with a sprinkle of red pepper kes. As I ked the meat, it fell apart as smoothly as sliced tofu. The soft fish, infused with the spicy sauce, tickled my tongue as soon as I took a bite. Washing it down with a sip of moonshine, I felt a burning sensation in my throat, followed by a refreshing coolness in my chest. ¡°Ah, this hits the spot.¡± This was a properte-night snack. Arin, after taking a bite of the steamed carp, also let out a sigh of satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± However, I sensed a hint of disappointment in Arin¡¯s tone. I seemed to understand the reason, so I nodded in agreement. Compared to Donkey¡¯s cooking, this fell a bit short. But then again, Donkey¡¯s culinary skills weren¡¯t something you could easily find elsewhere. This was tasty enough to satisfy my cravings. The four of us ate in silence. Taylor and ir, seemingly hungry, were diligently devouring the carp. Seeing them gobble down the food with footprints all over their faces, I suddenly felt a pang of guilt and let out augh. ¡°Heh heh.¡± I quickly covered my mouth with my hand. The amusement outweighed the guilt, andughter escaped me involuntarily. I observed the two for a moment¡­ They had been eating, but at some point, they started ncing at me from time to time. Especially Taylor. It felt like he had something to say. Since we were moderately full, I decided to break the ice to aid digestion. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die holding everything in, then learn to let go a little.¡± Taylor stopped eating. ¡°If you act like a pushover, everyone will underestimate Samael.¡± Taylor quietly replied, ¡°Anyone can say that.¡± ¡°But I showed you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even worse. We¡¯re the underdogs. Reckless actions won¡¯t do us any good.¡± ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s necessary. Especially for the underdogs.¡± I pointed at Taylor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t sugarcoat cowardice. If you keep yielding, you¡¯ll lose everything. Even your convictions.¡± While Taylor remained silent, ir interjected. ¡°It¡¯s not cowardice.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Senior Brother has fought back before. In the Demon Realm.¡± I suddenly recalled how Moose feared Taylor. I had a feeling it was connected to what ir just said. I was about to ask but decided against it. For some reason, I sensed a whiff of the old, obnoxious Samael. Instead of arguing, I said, ¡°Samael is stronger than you think. If you keep holding back, the Samael you envision will nevere to be.¡± Taylor just stared at me silently, so I added, ¡°Forget it.¡± To each their own thoughts. As I mentioned, you can¡¯t change a man with convictions by force. In the end, the decision was mine to make. After a few rounds of drinks in silence, Taylor suddenly looked at me and asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious. What kind of magic did you use?¡± ir¡¯s gaze also instinctively shifted towards my mouth. I shook my head and replied, ¡°You know the answer.¡± Taylor muttered, as if to himself, ¡°¡­ Was it really incantation magic? Circle magic? How could incantations have that kind of power?¡± ¡°How is it possible? It¡¯s just how it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. I am the proof. You got beaten, so what¡¯s so absurd about it?¡± I fired off words rapidly, cutting off any further questions. This was something they needed to feel for themselves. Especially someone like Samael. After a moment of contemtion, Taylor said, ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t know about Circle magic. We experimented with it a long time ago. But there¡¯s a limit to incantations cast through Circles.¡± As expected, these guys, like Ain and the elders, already possessed Circles. While I looked at them with a disappointed expression, Taylor calmly recounted the battle. ¡°I definitely unlocked all five stars of my Mana Core. The Beast Soul Transformation was wless. My magic manifested correctly. And I clearly confirmed it. The barrier you surrounded yourself with was undoubtedly a 4-star Wind Armor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not 4-star, it¡¯s 4-Circle.¡± Taylor narrowed his eyes. ¡°Fine, 4-Circle, as you say. I understand the theory of Circle magic. You didn¡¯t even utter an incantation. To cast Wind Armor that easily, it must be the Abbreviated Incantation that the former head mentioned. Tell me, how did you prate my 5-star Beast Soul Transformation with a 4-Circle defensive magic so effortlessly?¡± For a moment, I looked at Taylor with surprise. He was fully aware of what had hit him. Knowing and not knowing what hit you makes a big difference. This time, I exined in detail. ¡°Beast Soul Transformations are weak. It¡¯s inevitable when you do something stupid like drawing Beast Souls from your Mana Core. You saw it, right? Even if you use the same magic, the power differs. The concept of ¡®star rating¡¯ itself is wed.¡± I met Taylor¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°In other words, all the magic you cast with your Mana Core¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I can counter with Circle magic one tier lower.¡± Overwhelmed by my confidence, Taylor looked at ir with a bewildered expression and asked, ¡°¡­ Where did you learn magic?¡± ¡°From Samael.¡± Taylor sighed and shook his head with a tired look. ¡°I can¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger and pped Taylor. Smack ¡ª With the sound, Taylor¡¯s head snapped back. ¡°I¡¯m so pissed off. You don¡¯t understand? Do I have to exin it to you? Let me ask you something. Do you know who the second most difficult person tomunicate with in the world is?¡± As I prepared my forehead slingshot, Taylor quickly replied, ¡°An ignorant person who knows nothing?¡± ¡°Someone who knows nothing but one thing. Who do you think is the most difficult person tomunicate with in the world?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Someone who knows nothing but one thing, and on top of that, has convictions. Someone like you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell once again. Meanwhile, Arin continued to eat the steamed carp and drink the moonshine as if nothing had happened. She seemedpletely uninterested in our conversation. She had been like that from the start. Even when I was arguing with Taylor or talking about Mana Circles, she hadn¡¯t even nced our way. Suddenly, I looked at Arin and, out of curiosity, asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you enter the Demon Realm? You said you turned back at the entrance.¡± Arin replied while sipping her moonshine, ¡°I had my reasons.¡± ¡°What reasons?¡± ¡°There were reasons.¡± Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over me. I turned my head, and Taylor just shrugged. He seemed to be as clueless as I was. I stared intently at Arin. There was something I wanted to confirm. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest of the three. Why didn¡¯t you go in?¡± Arin hesitated slightly. It was a fleeting moment, but I didn¡¯t miss her biting her lip. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Returning to her usual expressionless demeanor, Arin took a sip of moonshine and coldly replied, ¡°Mind your own business.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I couldn¡¯t shake this strange feeling. It was a simr sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu that I had felt when I saw One-Eye a while ago. But I didn¡¯t press further. I decided to let things flow naturally. After indulging in more of the spicy steamed carp, I said, ¡°I bet there¡¯s even more delicious food at the banquet, right?¡± The owner poked his head out from inside and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to Urgon¡¯s banquet?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Now I see you¡¯re quite the distinguished guests.¡± The owner chuckled and walked out. ¡°But even there, you won¡¯t easily find something tastier than our steamed carp.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got confidence.¡± Iughed along with him. It seemed like skilled cooks shared amon trait: immense pride in their dishes. Speaking of which, maybe it was because I had eaten so much of the steamed carp, but a sudden thought crossed my mind. ¡°I want to catch a carp.¡± I immediately jumped up and ran towards theke. It¡¯s best to act on your thoughts when they strike. Ssh¡ª The cold water jolted me awake as I plunged into theke. I started sshing around, searching for carp. I searched for a long time, but no carp were in sight. I nced across theke and saw the White Horse members staring at me with pitying eyes. I didn¡¯t care. So what if I couldn¡¯t catch a carp? ¡°Wow, this is so refreshing.¡± Feeling good was all that mattered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 94 Chapter 94: The Urgon n While I was sshing around in search of carp, a sharp whistle pierced the air, followed by a group of people rushing towards me. ¡°Get out of theke immediately!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just catch one and be out of your hair.¡± The man who blew the whistle clicked his tongue. ¡±Every time at this hour, we get these crazy people. If you don¡¯te out now, we¡¯ll drag you out.¡± I realized they were theke¡¯s caretakers. Feeling embarrassed, I quickly swam back to shore. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t know it was prohibited.¡± The men looked me up and down. ¡°A tourist, are you? Be careful next time. Every now and then, someone drunk ends up drowning in thiske.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The man who seemed to be the leader approached theke and dipped a stick into the water. With a faint mana fluctuation, bubbles emerged, purifying any impurities. It seemed this was how they maintained theke¡¯s cleanliness. Looking closely at their matching blue uniforms, I realized they were Urgon soldiers. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Not wanting to pick a fight with low-ranking soldiers, I nced back at the tavern. The three were still staring at me with disapproval. They trulycked any sense of romance. My clothes were soaked, so I quickly paid for the food and headed to a nearby, decent-looking inn. As expected, the White Horse members trailed behind me. * * * I woke up after a good night¡¯s sleep and stepped outside to a bright sunshine. It was a clear day with not a cloud in the sky. A gentleke breeze blew. ¡°Refreshing.¡± The morning view of theke from the inn was quite romantic. The turquoise Eastern Lake was beautiful, and many people were already strolling along its shores. After enjoying the leisurely atmosphere for a while, I narrowed my eyes. ¡®They¡¯re starting to gather.¡¯ The groups of people walking around looked somewhat unusual. The ns invited to the banquet were gradually arriving in Shan Kris. Taylor suddenly appeared behind me and stood beside me, hands sped behind his back, admiring theke. He must have slept well because the footprints on his face had almost disappeared. Uncharacteristically, Taylor said with a slightly embarrassed expression, ¡°Thanks to you, I slept well.¡± ¡°Thanks to me?¡± ¡°The facilities were nice.¡± ir and Arin also emerged from the inn, each expressing their gratitude in their own way. I looked at them in turn. ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± ¡°No need to y dumb. You paid for our share too, didn¡¯t you?¡± I looked at Taylor and Arin, then at ir, who was standing nonchntly. ¡°You paid, didn¡¯t you?¡± ir pointed a finger at himself. ¡°Me?¡± ir, tilting his head with a puzzled expression, suddenly rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a money pouch. He checked inside and then started to panic with a flustered look on his face. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s gone?¡± Taylor looked at ir with a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, ir?¡± ¡°¡­ My money¡¯s gone, Senior Brother.¡± I replied nonchntly, ¡°You seemed drunk, so I took it and paid for the meal. You were short on cash, so I covered my own room. Next time, carry more money with you. You¡¯re not beggars. Oh, wait, you are now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You stole my money?¡± ¡°Stole? I bought the steamed carp, so why should I pay for your room too?¡± ¡°Even so, how could you just pay with someone else¡¯s money?¡± ¡°Then you should¡¯ve stayed on the streets instead of following us into the inn. Of course, you have to pay for your own rooms. What nonsense are you talking about? You¡¯re like a bunch of freeloaders.¡± My words were so undeniably true that everyone was speechless. Seizing the opportunity, I put on a stern face again and pointed at ir. ¡°Bring me some water. I¡¯m parched after drinking too much.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m thirsty¡­ me.¡± While ir was still processing the situation, Taylor quickly went into the inn and came back with a water bottle. ¡°Quick on the uptake, aren¡¯t you.¡± Money talks, indeed. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to beg on the streets, figure it out yourselves.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The White Horse members, suddenly penniless, looked at each other in dismay. I strolled leisurely, then turned back. The beggars were shuffling along. ¡°What are you doing? Come on.¡± The beggars quickly caught up. * * * As soon as we entered the bustling downtown area, people started ncing at us. There was no time to enjoy the scenery. Everywhere we went, eyes followed us. At first, I tried to maintain aposed expression with a mncholic gaze, but upon closer inspection, I realized they weren¡¯t looking at me. ¡®This won¡¯t do.¡¯ I immediately entered a nearby clothing store. A woman who appeared to be the clerk approached and asked, ¡°Wee. Are you looking for something specific?¡± ¡°Do you have anything to cover the face? Like a mask.¡± ¡°For yourself, sir?¡± ¡°Not me, them.¡± I gestured towards the people behind me. The clerk¡¯s eyes widened when she saw Arin, then she nodded in understanding. ¡°A veil would be better. Masks aren¡¯tmonly worn here. Would you like to see them over here?¡± Various colorful veils were neatly disyed on one side. I casually picked up a red one and handed it to Arin. ¡°Wear this for now. The men are staring too much.¡± ¡°Okay. But I don¡¯t like red.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a color I like.¡± Arin picked up a ck veil next to it and skillfully wrapped it around her face. She had strong preferences for a beggar. Meanwhile, feeling awkward like a guy who got rejected after giving a gift, I tried on the red veil. ¡°How¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I was going to wear this veil myself. I needed one too.¡± While everyone remained silent, the clerk let out a strangeugh andplimented me. ¡°It does suit you. But veils are usually worn by women. Are you sure you¡¯re okay with that?¡± I quickly ripped off the veil. ¡°Is that so?¡± Honestly, I knew my behavior was quite pathetic. But sometimes, you have to pretend you don¡¯t know, even when you do. And this was one of those times. Maybe the clerk thought I was some kind of cute, clueless guy. Anyway, looking at Arin in the veil, I wasn¡¯t quite satisfied. The veil was thin, and her features were still clearly visible. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything in a different material?¡± ¡°No, this is what¡¯s in fashion these days.¡± The clerk looked at me with that same doe-eyed expression. ¡°Do you need anything else? Maybe a new outfit? I can give you a good deal.¡± ¡°Show me one. In red.¡± I deliberately emphasized the word ¡°red.¡± It didn¡¯t really matter if it wasn¡¯t red, but I just felt like it. It was a statement that I wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone questioning my decisions from now on. The clerk brought out a red outfit with matching top and bottom. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too in?¡± ¡°This is the trend these days.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°The cold, aloof vibe is what¡¯s considered cool.¡± Although I didn¡¯t understand what she was talking about, I didn¡¯t want to be a man out of touch with trends. ¡°Now that I look again, it¡¯s not bad.¡± I grabbed the outfit and then, feeling generous. ¡°Get one for each of these beggars too. In red.¡± Taylor and ir were about to voice their opinions but silently epted the red outfits. * * * Dressed to impress, I stepped back onto the street. It seemed the veils were working because the stares had significantly decreased. Finally, we could enjoy the downtown area in peace. As we explored, I stopped abruptly at a spot where a crowd had gathered. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s huge.¡± ng¡ªng¡ªThe sound of hammering echoed through the ground, and the whirr of crafting tools filled the air. It was a massive cksmith¡¯s workshop. Pushing through the crowd, I got closer and saw countless weapons on disy. There were even magic weapons on one side. Beard had praised Shan Kris¡¯s cksmiths so highly, and now I could see why. ir was staring intently at something, so I asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing Vancle here.¡± Following his gaze, I saw gloves embedded with magic stones on disy. ir¡¯s eyes were fixed on a particrly ornate pair showcased separately. ¡°What¡¯s Vancle?¡± ¡°Specialized equipment used by high-ranking War Mages. I never thought I¡¯d see something like this outside the Magic Tower.¡± So, in other words, it was specialized equipment for those foolish mages who used Mana Cores. The size of the magic stone embedded in the center of the glove indicated it was at least A-rank. Now that I looked, Taylor couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the Vancle either. I looked at the two of them with a disapproving gaze, their expressions practically drooling. ¡°Get a grip. You¡¯re not improving because you¡¯re distracted by such things. Wasting magic stones on making useless stuff like that.¡± At that moment, a man who was admiring the Vancle next to me chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite the funny young man. Calling Vancle useless. You¡¯re not a mage by any chance, are you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± His eyes reminded me of Snake Eyes from the past. He had a serpentine look about him, and it didn¡¯t seem like we¡¯d have a productive conversation. Not wanting to engage, I slipped away from the crowd and continued on my way. * * * After exploring the downtown area for a while, I grabbed a meal at the tavern we visited yesterday and returned to thekeside inn for the night. From the next day, I simply lingered by thekeside, observing people. asionally, I would close my eyes and carefully sense the auras of the men passing by. Stronger individuals were gradually appearing. In fact, some must have already entered Urgon territory. It was customary for the host of a banquet to start receiving guests a few days in advance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be heading there soon?¡± I shook my head at Taylor¡¯s question. ¡°Going early won¡¯t do us any good. Besides, the main characters always make their entrancest.¡± On the day of the banquet. I deliberately dawdled, and only after lunch did I leisurely stroll towards the west side of Eastern Lake. The crowd gradually thinned, and theke narrowed. At some point, the path abruptly ended, and what appeared to be a patrol unit blocked the way. ¡°This is Urgon territory. State your business.¡± I silently handed over the invitation, and the patrol leader politely stepped aside. The path widened again, and the surrounding scenery suddenly changed. A vast, open field stretched out before me, with a massive wall extending on both sides. Beyond that, I could sense a mana barrier. A gatekeeper in a blue uniform emerged from the main gate, bowed deeply, and shouted, ¡°Wee to Urgon! Please state your name!¡± I opened my Circle and observed the gatekeeper. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Seeing the gatekeeper¡¯s tense expression, I knew my n had worked. He assumed I was someone of high status. After all, theter one arrives, the stronger they tend to be. ¡°I already showed the invitation at the entrance. To check again is quite disappointing for Urgon¡¯s hospitality. What¡¯s your affiliation, gatekeeper? I need to speak to the n head directly.¡± The gatekeeper, looking flustered, urgently gestured inside. ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°I asked for your affiliation.¡± The gatekeeper, with a disciplined expression, replied crisply, ¡°I am an apprentice of the Azure Dragon Magic Squad. I have caused you inconvenience.¡± ¡®Apprentice?¡¯ I had thought his aura was strong for a gatekeeper, but to think he was a mage¡­ He seemed far weaker than the Azure Dragon Magic Squad members I sawst time, but having mages as gatekeepers meant they were taking this banquet seriously. At that moment, the mana barrier at the main gate disappeared, and a graceful attendant appeared from inside. ¡°Wee. Please allow me to escort you.¡± As soon as we entered the gate, a breathtaking view of the turquoiseke unfolded before us. The Western Lake of Shan Kris. I followed the attendant, taking in the surrounding scenery. It was ake as vast and romantic as the Eastern Lake. It was a testament to the might of Urgon. I slowly absorbed the sights: the spacious buildings upying the vastnd, the mana fluctuations subtly enveloping the estate and training grounds, and the Skull Marks and mages stationed throughout. ¡®This is Urgon.¡¯ The attendant led us to a grand banquet hall by theke. Many people were already gathered inside, engaged in conversations. Suddenly, my heart started pounding. It seemed the banquet was about to begin. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 95 Chapter 95: The Eldest Son of Urgon (1) I stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, observing the scene inside. It was much like how I had vaguely imagined a banquet hall to be. It felt like a gathering of monkeys in masks, gleefully observing each other¡¯s disguises. On the surface, they seemed to be engaged in formal conversations, but in reality, the content of their discussions held little significance for either the speaker or the listener. Based on my long-held conjecture, their words probably sounded like meaningless chatter to each other. The important thing was to smile and nod along, regardless of the nonsense the other person was spouting. Heartyughter echoed throughout the hall, but I wondered how many of them were genuinely amused. It was quite an entertaining spectacle. As I was observing the ¡°monkeys,¡± ir whispered in a strained voice from behind, ¡°They said only the younger generation was invited, but something¡¯s not right, Senior Brother. This is different from what the External Affairs Manager told us.¡± Taylor also nodded with a frown. ¡°This is unsettling.¡± While there were indeed many young people present, there were also quite a few older men scattered throughout the hall. They seemed to be high-ranking members of various ns apanying the younger generation. It was strange, but it didn¡¯t matter to me. After all, no one here could outdo me in terms of age. I looked at Taylor and ir, who were consumed by worry, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter how old they are, they¡¯re no match for me.¡± Taylor and ir remained silent. Then, ir, unable to maintain hisposure, suddenly let out a chuckle. ¡°Heh.¡± Seeing himugh, it seemed his worries had dissipated. That was enough for me. I resumed observing the banquet hall. I noticed several familiar faces. They were the guys I had seen at Kris Beer. When I made eye contact and nodded, they desperately pretended not to know me. ¡°Rude bastards. They¡¯re ignoring me.¡± Looking around, I also spotted the merchant from the Valpong Merchant Group who had visited our n before. Was his name Alvin? But why was he ignoring me, even though the others were doing the same? Well, our encounter had been brief, so he might have forgotten my face. ¡®I don¡¯t see that woman.¡¯ No matter how hard I looked, I couldn¡¯t find Celestine. Even the Urgon people hadn¡¯t appeared in the banquet hall yet. As I continued to stand at the entrance, more and more people nced in my direction. A well-dressed man approached with a leisurely gait and politely offered his hand for a handshake. ¡°Greetings. I am Pretel of the Leverin n.¡± I shook his hand and said, ¡°Pleasure to meet you. Do you know how a monkey chatters?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite the humorous one. Haha, if you don¡¯t mind, may I ask for your name?¡± ¡°As expected.¡± My prediction was spot on. The content of my words didn¡¯t matter. Pretel didn¡¯t lose his smile even at my nonsense. He was a well-trained monkey. As I smiled contentedly, Taylor stepped in front of me and spoke. ¡°I am Taylor of Samael.¡± Pretel tilted his head and asked, ¡°I apologize. Could you please repeat that?¡± ¡°Taylor of the Samael n.¡± ¡°¡­Samael?¡± A flicker of disappointment crossed Pretel¡¯s face but quickly vanished. ¡°¡­I see. It is an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise.¡± After shaking Taylor¡¯s hand, Pretel¡¯s expression changed as if he suddenly remembered something important. ¡°Come to think of it, Ipletely forgot about an important matter I need to attend to. Let¡¯s chat againter.¡± After a brief farewell, Pretel returned to his original spot. The young men nearby asked in unison, ¡°Which n¡¯s young masters did you say they were?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them. They said they¡¯re from Samael.¡± Collective confusion spread across the young men¡¯s faces. ¡°Samael?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that n either. If they were significant enough to be invited to the banquet, there¡¯s no way we wouldn¡¯t know them.¡± In the eastern part of the continent, the Quebek region, there were only five or six well-known ns at most. Even including the merchant groups, the number wouldn¡¯t exceed ten. Everyone gathered here belonged to one of those. However, no one had ever heard of Samael. Unable to contain their curiosity, the young men inquired with those around them, but no one seemed to know. Of course, some might have been feigning ignorance, but most genuinely didn¡¯t know. In no time, the Samael n became the hot topic of the banquet hall. In such gatherings, it wasmon for interesting topics to capture everyone¡¯s attention. A man who enjoyed being in the spotlight looked around and said, ¡°I know about Samael.¡± ¡°You do, Walter? Even though I know most of the prominent ns in Quebek, I¡¯ve never heard of them. Could you enlighten us?¡± The Quebek region was one of the three major divisions of the eastern continent. Walter, the man who spoke, smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s natural that you wouldn¡¯t know. Have you heard of Uta?¡± ¡°Uta? Isn¡¯t that the abandoned city at the southern tip?¡± The man who answered frowned as if he was disgusted. It was understandable, as all the famous ns in Quebek were located in the northern regions. The southern regions were rtively underdeveloped, with no cities worthy of being called major. Walter, enjoying the attention, continued, ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable to know about Uta. But you probably wouldn¡¯t know that there¡¯s a small vige called Khaoto even further south than Uta. Samael is a n based there. But why are you suddenly asking about Samael?¡± Pretel, with a displeased expression, pointed towards the entrance of the banquet hall. ¡°It seems they¡¯ve also been invited to the banquet.¡± The people gathered in the hall frowned and whispered amongst themselves. ¡°A n from the backwaters was invited?¡± ¡°I thought only prestigious families were invited. What was Urgon thinking, inviting such people?¡± Walter nced at the entrance, then smiled meaningfully and added, ¡°I think I know why. Urgon and Samael have had exchanges in the past. Of course, not in a positive sense. It¡¯s not really a secret. You might not know, but it¡¯s a well-known story in the southern regions.¡± As Walter continued his story, smiles gradually appeared on the faces of those listening. ¡°It seems some newbies got excited about being invited to the banquet and rushed over. They¡¯re beneath us, so let¡¯s not pay them any attention.¡± ¡°Newbies. That¡¯s the perfect word for them.¡± The people in the banquet hall chuckled and looked at the Samael newbies. * * * Observing the rapidly changing atmosphere, I nodded repeatedly. This was it. The monkeys who initially showed interest were now openly ignoring us. They treated us as if we didn¡¯t exist, chatting amongst themselves. This was the true essence of a banquet. The essence of a banquet was monkeys gathering around a piece of gossip like a dried persimmon, chewing, tasting, and enjoying it. And right now, that gossip was Samael. But these guys weren¡¯t my concern. I was more interested in the banquet food. I started roaming the hall, sampling the appetizers. As I was munching on a snack from a mobile table, someone said, ¡°How unsightly.¡± I continued chewing and gave my assessment of the taste. Somehow, everything was nd and tasteless. ¡°Not impressed. As they say, you can tell a lot from a little. The main course probably won¡¯t be anything special either.¡± Then, the voice from across the room grew louder. ¡°Their ss is so low. How can they be so uncouth?¡± I looked over and saw Pretel, the man who had politely offered me a handshake earlier. He made eye contact with me and said in a disapproving tone, ¡°You should stay quietly in a corner if you don¡¯t want to get beaten. If it were my n, I would have kicked you out immediately. Urgon must be very generous to even ept beggars.¡± A forcedugh erupted from those around him. It was tant mockery. I nodded once again. This was also the essence and true vor of a banquet, its core and its disgusting nature. Those who held even a shred of power often used such asions to belittle others and solidify their own positions. Perhaps fueled by the attention, Pretel suddenly approached me and gestured with a stern voice. ¡°Stay quiet in that corner if you don¡¯t want to get punished.¡± I looked in the direction Pretel pointed. The White Horse members were standing awkwardly in a corner, like outcasts. ¡°Don¡¯t muddy the waters and get lost.¡± I looked at Pretel and asked, ¡°Did you perhaps rent out the entire banquet hall?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who are you to order us around?¡± The surrounding eyes focused on us, and Pretel¡¯s face flushed red. Such men valued the attention of others, so being defied by someone they looked down upon enraged them to no end. As I smirked, an older man who had been standing solemnly across the room spoke. ¡°Come here, Pretel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you countless times? You must maintain decorum. Don¡¯t you understand that paying attention to every action of those beneath you lowers your own standing?¡± ¡°I was short-sighted, n Head.¡± I looked at the older man and suddenly found myselfughing. It was absurd how he had been watching silently until the situation seemed unfavorable, and then decided to intervene. ¡®Is he his precious youngest son or something?¡¯ The way he swiftly defused the situation while making me look foolish showed he was a cunning old man with a devious mind. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now I see that it¡¯s your fault that your kid grew up to be an idiot.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± ¡°You sly old snake. Who are you looking at? I¡¯m talking to you.¡± The old man, who had been ignoring me, clicked his tongue and replied, ¡°You¡¯re asking for a beating.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see about that.¡± As I stood up and started walking towards the old man, the closed door at the upper end of the banquet hall suddenly burst open. The External Affairs Manager of Urgon appeared from within. ¡°Thank you for waiting.¡± His timing was impable, so I quickly shifted my focus from the old man to the manager. The other monkeys who were chatting simultaneously fell silent. The expectant gazes of the crowd turned towards the upper tform, and the manager smiled and began to speak. ¡°Greetings. I am Bata, the External Affairs Manager of Urgon. It is an honor to meet the esteemed ns of the eastern continent. On behalf of the n Head, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you for epting our invitation.¡± Apuse erupted throughout the banquet hall. ¡°This banquet is a gathering to strengthen the unity of the eastern continent, particrly the Quebek region. It is an honor for me to introduce such a meaningful event. Before we begin the banquet, there are some special individuals I would like to introduce.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you all know, our Eldest Son, along with the Red Phoenix Magic Division, sessfully cleared a 2nd-level Demon Realm. This is a rare feat even on a continental scale, and it is the first time such an aplishment has been achieved in our Quebek region.¡± The excitement in the hall was building. I looked at the White Horse members with an amused expression. ¡°The manager¡¯s got quite the silver tongue. What do you think?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an unpleasant fellow.¡± ¡°That he is.¡± The manager raised his hand high. ¡°Let me introduce the key figures of Urgon!¡± Amidst thunderous apuse, a group of people marched into the banquet hall in an orderly fashion. The grandmasters of the Azure Dragon Magic Division, dressed in blue uniforms, led the way, followed by the grandmasters of the Red Phoenix Magic Division, adorned in floral patterned attire. The auras emanating from the men in floral patterns were impressive. Especially the middle-aged man who appeared to be the leader of the Red Phoenix Magic Division possessed a considerable level of power. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ However, I couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued for a different reason. The most striking figure among them was the Azure Dragon Magic Division¡¯s grandmaster. As I tilted my head in curiosity, Moose also walked onto the tform. Moose, who was looking around the crowd with an arrogant gaze, made eye contact with me and then desperately pretended not to know me. It seemed he was too embarrassed about being beaten by me to tell anyone. I gave Moose a thumbs-up, then suddenly changed my expression and looked in a different direction. ¡°¡­¡± A chilling aura washed over me. With the sound of footsteps, a young man dressed in white slowly walked onto the tform. Blue hair, blue eyes. A paleplexion that seemed to embody ice itself. Although no one spoke, I instinctively knew. ¡®That¡¯s him.¡¯ It seemed not all of Urgon¡¯s direct descendants were idiots like Moose. The man raised his head. His icy blue eyes slowly scanned the crowd. Everyone who met his gaze averted their eyes. The man, seemingly satisfied, formed a gentle smile on his lips. It was a bright smile, like ice melting away. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 96 Chapter 96: The Eldest Son of Urgon (2) ¡°The official sessor to lead the Urgon n¡¯s traditions, the Eldest Son, Libre!¡± Even after the External Affairs Manager¡¯s grand introduction, there was no apuse. Instead, the monkeys in the banquet hall, as if on cue, stared at the Eldest Son in a trance. The Eldest Son¡¯s performance, creating tension with his cold gaze and then melting it away with a bright smile, was enough to captivate the monkeys. He knew how to put on a show. As I observed the situation, I noticed Arin¡¯s veil fluttering slightly. Her breathing was uneven. Her pupils, visible through the veil, were trembling slightly. ¡®Is she agitated?¡¯ I looked back and forth between the Eldest Son and Arin, and then I finally noticed something strange. Upon closer inspection, Arin wasn¡¯t looking at the Eldest Son. She was looking at the person next to him. A woman dressed in a floral-patterned robe. She seemed to be from the Red Phoenix Magic Division, and her face looked familiar. She was the woman who had visited Samael with the External Affairs Manager before. ¡®Was her name La?¡¯ Finally, the situation made sense. She was the woman who had abandoned Samael and joined Urgon. The reason the three of them looked tense was definitely because of her. Seeing La smiling and responding to the crowd¡¯s cheers, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a chuckle. ¡°Now, let¡¯s enjoy the banquet to the fullest.¡± At the manager¡¯s signal, the musicians began to y. The doors of the banquet hall opened, and attendants entered carrying various dishes. The atmosphere quickly ripened like a monkey¡¯s backside. And the sight of it ripening was quite amusing. The men of Urgon were slowly making their rounds in the banquet hall, and others were surrounding them in circles. In my eyes, they looked like monkeys fawning over a trainer holding delicious bananas. ¡°Congrattions, Young Master Libre. I never imagined you would conquer a 2nd-level Demon Realm, a feat that even mages from the Magic Tower find daunting. And to achieve this at your age is unheard of. This is not only a joyous asion for Urgon but also for the entire Quebek region, and even the entire eastern continent. Hahaha.¡± ¡°Indeed. Rumors say that Young Master Libre is a once-in-a-decade talent.¡± ¡°My name is Gaby, Young Master. I believe we met briefly when you were young. Do you remember? Hoho.¡± ¡°I am Pretel of the Leverin n. It is an honor to finally meet you in person after only hearing about your name.¡± Libre responded with a polite smile. La remained by his side, and the distance between them was quite close. ¡°I had no idea there was such a beautiful woman in the Red Phoenix Magic Division. I thought only cold and fearsome individuals resided there. This is a pleasant surprise. My eyes feel purified.¡± ¡°You two look quite well together. If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask for your name?¡± As expected, the perceptive monkeys were trying to curry favor with La as well. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m La.¡± Normally, members of a n¡¯s magic squads would be offended by such remarks, but La responded with a slight blush, as if she and Libre were lovers. This sight made the people around them even more excited. ¡®What amotion.¡¯ I tore into a chunk of tough meat, observing the banquet with satisfaction. Seeing these people, who were initially so formal, now fawning over others was truly befitting of a proper banquet. The sight of them scrambling to get closer to the ropes of power was another delightful aspect of the banquet. It seemed I was getting to experience all the true vors of a banquet this time. Finally, the Urgon group, who had been making their rounds, approached our table. The Red Phoenix Division member at the front gave a haughty look, as if challenging them to speak up if they had anything to say. While we engaged in a silent staring contest, the man let out a scoff and turned away, seemingly amused by my silence. The Urgon group turned around together, then suddenly parted to the left and right with a swish. Libre emerged from between them, smiling. All eyes in the banquet hall turned to Libre. ¡°I almost missed you. It¡¯s been a while, Taylor.¡± A murmur swept through the banquet hall. It was the first time Libre had initiated a conversation with someone. I tore into a piece of meat, ncing back and forth between Libre and Taylor. Taylor¡¯s expression remained unchanged. But watching closely from beside him, I noticed a subtle shift in his aura. Tension. It was slightly different from when he faced Moose. ¡°It has been a while, Libre.¡± His low, steady voice drew criticism from various corners of the hall. ¡°Such disrespectful tone towards the Eldest Son.¡± ¡°Even if they¡¯re from a backwater n, haven¡¯t they been taught any manners?¡± ¡°Their ss is trulycking.¡± Surprisingly, Libre turned his head and red at the crowd with icy eyes. ¡°I am deeply disappointed in all of you today.¡± His unexpected rebuke silenced the monkeys. ¡°Even if this is our first meeting, you should at least know who you¡¯re speaking to before making such remarks. Does anyone here know who Taylor is?¡± Libre red at the man who had been most vocal in mocking Taylor. Pretel, flustered, quickly replied, ¡°I thought he was being disrespectful to the Eldest Son¡­¡± Libre¡¯s blue eyes grew even colder, and the older man beside him spoke up. ¡°I apologize, Young Master Libre. My son is still immature and seems to have misunderstood your intentions.¡± Surprisingly, in a situation no one could have anticipated, I quickly interjected. ¡°Clear water flows from a clean source. If a child grows up to be an idiot, it¡¯s because their parents raised them that way. Who else is there to me?¡± Silence fell upon the hall. Everyone, including the old man and Libre, looked at me with stunned expressions. Pretel and the old man¡¯s faces turned beet red. However, caught off guard, no one could immediately think of a proper retort. Libre stared at me for a moment, then turned his gaze away and swept the crowd with his icy re. ¡°How can you speak so rudely? You are aware that I cleared both a 2nd-level and a 3rd-level Demon Realm, aren¡¯t you? Young Master Taylor here made significant contributions in conquering the 3rd-level Demon Realm. I was merely expressing my gratitude, yet you all dare to criticize him over a mere tone of voice. I apologize on their behalf, Taylor.¡± On the surface, it was a polite and formal apology. It also seemed to reveal Libre¡¯s values. Apuse and exmations erupted from the crowd. p p p¡ª ¡°As expected of the Eldest Son, Libre.¡± ¡°He¡¯s different. Truly different. Not only his skills but also his character! I¡¯ve gained a great insight today.¡± The crowd chanted Libre¡¯s name. With a smile returning to his face, Libre looked at Taylor. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Taylor. I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you, and this seems like a perfect opportunity.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to see you.¡± ¡°¡­ You say it¡¯s good to see me?¡± Libre furrowed his brow slightly, repeating Taylor¡¯s words. He seemed displeased with something. Quicklyposing himself, Libre looked behind him. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t La greet them as well?¡± La stepped forward gracefully and looked around. ¡°Greetings. Taylor, and ir.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sensing ir and Taylor¡¯s expressions hardening, Libre smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s bury the past. La will serve as a good bridge between us from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then, La looked behind them and greeted, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too, Arin.¡± Arin¡¯s veil started shaking violently. * * * I tore into the meat with my right hand while scratching my ear with my left. Arin¡¯s breathing, audible through the veil, tickled my ear. La looked at Arin and said, ¡°The veil suits you well, Arin. You should keep wearing it.¡± Arin¡¯s breathing grew heavier with each word La spoke. Something must have happened between them. It didn¡¯t seem to be simply because La had left Samael. Anyway, it was an interesting situation. Libre was interesting, and so was La. Especially La. She was so shameless that I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The way she acted like aplete stranger while subtly sneering was remarkable. After La returned to her spot, Libre stared intently at Arin for a moment. Being so close, he must have been able to see Arin¡¯s features through the veil to some extent. ¡°You¡¯re Arin, right?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Hearing Arin¡¯s voice, Libre smiled. ¡°The veil must be ufortable. You can take it off.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Her cold response made the atmosphere awkward, but Libre just smiled brightly as if it didn¡¯t bother him. However, I didn¡¯t miss the subtle change in his expression. ¡®Look at this guy.¡¯ Turning his attention away, Libre offered his hand to Taylor for a handshake. ¡°It was nice to see you. This isn¡¯t the Demon Realm, so please rx a bit. A tense atmosphere isn¡¯t good for fostering unity.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m not in the mood to rx. I¡¯d be happy if we could just leavefortably.¡± While Libre and Taylor exchanged sharp words and stared at each other, I grabbed Libre¡¯s hand with my greasy meat-covered hand. ¡°Pleasure to meet you.¡± Libre slowly turned to me and frowned slightly. ¡°You were the one who said something about clear water¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m the clear water and the Eldest Son of Samael. Handshakes should be between eldest sons.¡± Sticky meat sauce seeped from our sped hands. Everyone around us looked bewildered by the unexpected situation. I continued to shake his hand vigorously, unfazed. ¡°¡­The Eldest Son of Samael?¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re in the same position, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. Let¡¯s be friends.¡± As I met Libre¡¯s eyes, I observed his face closely. A glint in his cold pupils. My guess was right. He hid his true intentions so well that no one else here could notice, but he couldn¡¯t fool my eyes, born and bred in the pleasure district. ¡®He has quite the perverted tendencies.¡¯ In my view, this man was definitely lustful. I was certain. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but I think we¡¯ve shaken hands enough.¡± ¡°I made a mistake, thinking you were more informal. It¡¯s apliment, of course.¡± The monkeys around us were looking at me with disapproval, but they didn¡¯t dare to mock me openly. They were afraid of being scolded by Libre, like before, if they badmouthed me. I looked at Libre and spoke politely. ¡°I was deeply impressed by your words, Young Master. As you said, conquering a Demon Realm isn¡¯t something achieved by one person¡¯s talent alone. Even though Taylor made significant contributions, it wasn¡¯t aplished by any one individual. It was possible because everyone worked together.¡± Understanding my meaning, Libre¡¯s eyes gradually turned cold. The Red Phoenix Magic Division and La also realized I was subtly undermining Libre and started ring at me. Undeterred, Iughed heartily, taking control of the atmosphere. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Afterughing for a while, I suddenly stopped, sensing a change in the mood. Everyone was looking towards the upper tform of the banquet hall. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The musicians¡¯ performance grew louder and reached a crescendo. At the perfect moment, the External Affairs Manager raised his hand. ¡°n Head Balkan is entering!¡± With a swish¡ª, men who were clearly part of a special task force opened a path. A middle-aged man with a well-built physique and imposing presence slowly walked through. I stoppedughing and looked at the man. There were times when seriousness was necessary, and this was one of them. Balkan, the n Head of Urgon. Standing in the center of the tform, Balkan surveyed his surroundings with an overwhelming gaze. ¡°It¡¯s heartwarming to see so many of you gathered here.¡± Balkan deliberately used a condescending tone, but no one found it strange. ¡°Thank you all for epting the invitation. As you know, we have had a joyous asion in Urgon recently.¡± As the crowd apuded enthusiastically, Balkan waved his hand. ¡°I didn¡¯t arrange this gathering simply to receive congrattions. Let¡¯s get straight to the point. I hope this banquet will serve as an opportunity to strengthen the unity of the eastern continent, especially our Quebek region. However, unity in words alone is not strong. True unityes from continuous exchange. With that in mind, I would like to make a proposal.¡± Balkan looked around the crowd and continued slowly. ¡°How about we create an arena for friendlypetition among the younger generation who will lead the eastern continent in the future?¡± I looked around to gauge the situation and suddenly made eye contact with Taylor. For some reason, we both nodded at the same time. ¡®He has an ulterior motive.¡¯ My bad feeling was never wrong. This wasn¡¯t just a banquet. Then, a fundamental question naturally arose in my mind. The starting point of all these schemes. Why did Urgon attack Samael? Kant didn¡¯t know, Kazen didn¡¯t know, and the Azure Dragon squad leader didn¡¯t know either. But at least one person¡­ The n Head of Urgon must know. I looked at Balkan, exuding an aura of intimidation from the tform, and smiled. ¡®Crushing schemes is also one of my hobbies.¡¯ ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 97 Chapter 97: The First Elder of the Blue Magic Tower ¡°As you all know, the eastern continent is quite underdeveloped. It pales inparison to the north and west, and even falls behind the south.¡± As Balkan continued his tedious speech with a stern and solemn expression, I was reminded of my past life. From my days as a lowly member of the expedition team, I had witnessed the true nature of humanity. Although only the genuine ones remained in the end, it wasn¡¯t always that way. When you¡¯re constantly surrounded by the smell of blood, people¡¯s true colors inevitably emerge. ¡°Even within the eastern continent, the Quebek region, apart from our Urgon n,cks any ns worthy of recognition on the continental stage. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way. Acknowledging reality is the first step towards progress.¡± I had seen an old mage, hailed as a sage outside, throw a tantrum because he missed the scent of a woman. I had also been brutally beaten by a serious man, praised as a great knight, in secret. Apparently, he was annoyed that my stream was longer than his when we were peeing side-by-side. It was a trivial reason, to say the least. ¡°I¡¯ve pondered over this. Why is it so? The conclusion I reached was theck of exchange between ns. While ns in other regions continuously interact, growing stronger and developing together, such exchanges have been absent in our Quebek region. It¡¯s Urgon¡¯s responsibility. I deeply regret this.¡± The point was, you shouldn¡¯t judge a man solely by his stern, solemn, and serious appearance. There¡¯s no such thing as an evil-looking person being kind. But there are plenty of kind-looking people who are evil. That¡¯s how the world works. Someone harboring ill intentions will always try to sweet-talk their way out of it. In my view, Balkan was one of those people. ¡°From now on, I hope there will be more exchanges between us. Urgon will take the lead. We will facilitate exchanges and sparring sessions between our Magic Divisions and share our know-how. We will also provide as much assistance as possible in other areas. I, Balkan, sincerely wish for all the ns in our Quebek region to grow stronger. And that, in turn, will make Urgon stronger.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t be easy at first. But starting with this banquet, we will progress. In the future, I hope we can all make a name for ourselves not only in Quebek but throughout the continent.¡± Cheers erupted. ¡°A-Are you serious, n Head Balkan?¡± ¡°Woooah!¡± The weak believe what they want to believe. There were several points in his speech that could raise questions, but no one seemed to notice. Everyone was too caught up in the excitement. Balkan¡¯s words essentially meant that the ns gathered here had been ¡°chosen¡± by Urgon. Finally, Balkan clenched his fist with a serious expression. The crowd followed suit, raising their fists in unison. ¡®Things are heating up.¡¯ I had wondered where the External Affairs Manager learned his eloquence, but it seemed Balkan himself had taught him. It was a persuasive speech, with the perfect blend of sternness, solemnity, and seriousness. But I wasn¡¯t fooled. Beyond the rhetoric, nothing had actually changed. The reason why Urgon attacked Samael remained unresolved. It made no sense for them to suddenly want to exchange with Samael now. It was more likely that they had some ulterior motive. This wasn¡¯t a baseless assumption. They were the same people who had taken over the Hamad Merchant Group and even brought in Bayern. Meanwhile, Balkan suddenly raised a finger and smiled. ¡°There¡¯s someone I¡¯d like to introduce to you all. We¡¯ve invited a special guest to make this a meaningful gathering.¡± I was curious to see who it was that he was building up so much anticipation for. As Balkan politely stepped aside from the center, confused gazes gathered. For someone of Balkan¡¯s stature to show such deference, there must be something special about this guest. Footsteps¡ª The moment I heard the faint footsteps, I couldn¡¯t help but tense up and look towards the tform. ¡®Strong.¡¯ I naturally sensed an aura emanating from beyond the tform. After a few more footsteps, a middle-aged man with white hair appeared on the stage. Blue robes. A robe that trailed to the floor. Long white hair tied back and a monocle. Overall, he gave the impression of a meticulous schr. Silence fell among the people who couldn¡¯t recognize the middle-aged man. Walter, the most knowledgeable among them, was the first to recognize him and muttered in surprise. ¡°The Blue Magic Tower?¡± Walter¡¯s gaze briefly shifted from the man to his monocle. ¡°¡­Could it be, Elder Parin?¡± * * * The First Elder of the Blue Magic Tower. Third in the hierarchy of the Blue Magic Tower. There were many titles used to describe Elder Parin, but the mostmon one was this: Blue me. He was known for his meticulous nature, often called the epitome of a mage. Like the magic schrs of the White Magic Tower, he spent a lot of time studying magic. However, the nickname ¡°Blue me¡± came from his reputation for being fearsome when truly angered. He was also a War Mage who had reached the 6-star level a long time ago. If n Head Balkan¡¯s prestige came from his position as the head of a n¡­ Elder Parin¡¯s fame stemmed from his personal aplishments. In fact, the simplified water attribute Beast Soul Transformation he developed had a significant impact on the magic world. Parin¡¯s reputation was known throughout the continent. And as such, the chances of encountering him in person were extremely rare. I sat on a plush chair outside the banquet hall, enjoying a moment of quiet tranquility. The night sky was dim. The hall was still bustling inside, but I had no intention of going back in. While chewing on some dried meat, I looked around and suddenly remembered the middle-aged man I had seen earlier. ¡°His nickname is Blue me?¡± ir, sitting across from me, replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. I never thought I¡¯d see Elder Parin here. I heard he rarely leaves the Blue Magic Tower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite an arrogant nickname. Blue me, huh.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a renowned figure. He¡¯s also the hardest Elder to see in the Blue Magic Tower.¡± ¡°How do you know that? Are you a spy for the Blue Magic Tower?¡± ir, now used to my personality, replied casually, ¡°It¡¯smon knowledge. There are countless instances where he enters seclusion for months. It¡¯s a famous anecdote that Elder Parin didn¡¯t step outside the Blue Magic Tower for two years when he was reaching the 6-star level.¡± Judging by how he only briefly showed his face and then disappeared earlier, he didn¡¯t seem to enjoy such gatherings. I suddenly remembered Kant exining the rtionship between Urgon and the Blue Magic Tower. ¡°I guess the Blue Magic Tower has received a lot of benefits from Urgon. To think they¡¯d even send someone to an event like this.¡± ir pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Technically, it¡¯s appropriate to send an Elder. It would be strange for the Tower Master or the Vice-Tower Master toe. Still, it¡¯s definitely surprising that Elder Parin came. Unless there¡¯s a reason why the other Elders couldn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I was once again impressed by ir¡¯s political acumen. Individuals capable of making political judgments were rare in Samael. ¡°Did Libre also learn magic at the Blue Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Probably. It¡¯smon for magic ns to send their children there for training.¡± ¡°Is he a direct disciple of the Blue Magic Tower? Did he learn all those secret techniques or whatever they¡¯re called?¡± Taylor, understanding the intent behind my questions, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°Does Elder Parin even have any disciples?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°He¡¯s known for being very strict, so he probably doesn¡¯t have any direct disciples yet. I heard even people in the Blue Magic Tower are afraid of him.¡± I nodded. ¡°It seems n Head Balkan has a n. He probably wants Libre to make a good impression. Interesting.¡± It looked like Balkan was trying to catch a lot of fish at this banquet. ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t Celestinee?¡± ¡°Celestine?¡± Taylor, who had been lost in thought, finally responded. ¡°Are you talking about the woman we saw at Kris Beer?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So you felt something strange about her too, Ruin. What¡¯s her identity? Any guesses?¡± It seemed like none of them knew who she was. I was more interested in that woman than in some mage called Blue me or whatever. But since no one knew anything, I decided not to pursue it further. I turned my head and looked in the opposite direction. The tranquil night scenery of Western Lake filled my vision. Drinking outdoors was the best after all. I spotted an attendant who had been wandering around and beckoned him over. ¡°Hey.¡± The attendant rushed over as if he had been waiting for my call. ¡°Why do you keep lingering around here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only ones dining outside. I was waiting in case you needed anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an excellent attendant. Do you have any moonshine here?¡± The attendant replied with a troubled expression, ¡°We don¡¯t have any moonshine prepared.¡± ¡°The attendant is great, but the food and drinks arecking.¡± The attendant suddenly spoke in a familiar tone, ¡°Moonshine is tasty, but the esteemed guests don¡¯t prefer it. However, our view is the best apaniment to any drink.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the scenery here the perfect appetizer?¡± It was a bold answer for an attendant, but I liked it, so Iughed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Bring me any drink you have. Something cold.¡± The attendant smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you the most expensive one.¡± A momentter, the attendant brought a few bottles of chilled liquor. I poured some into a cup, sniffed its aroma, and then took a sip, enjoying the night view of theke as my appetizer. ¡°Not bad.¡± I poured drinks for Taylor and ir, and also for Arin, who was quietly observing. We all took a sip at the same time, then refilled our cups. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The liquor had a pleasant warmth to it. The cups kept getting refilled, and even Arin, after pushing her veil halfway up, joined in the drinking. After a few rounds, I asked, ¡°What happened with La?¡± Taylor silently swirled his cup, and ir, his face flushed with alcohol, answered, ¡°Something happened in the Demon Realm. Truthfully, even without Urgon¡¯s help, we could have cleared the 3rd-level Demon Realm with the initial team. Urgon, observing from outside, got greedy. They forcefully reopened the Demon Realm midway.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°Normally, once a Demon Realm is closed, it can¡¯t be reopened. But Urgon, from the outside, somehow managed to reopen it. It was the first time such a thing had happened. The damage inside was beyond imagination.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Half of the initial team was wiped out instantly. And with the forced reopening, mutated monsters appeared as well. I¡¯ve never seen Senior Brother go berserk like that before. If it weren¡¯t for him, we might have all been annihted. Perhaps Urgon was aiming for that.¡± I looked at Taylor. He was silently swirling his cup with his eyes closed. I suddenly remembered how Moose involuntarily tensed up when he saw Taylor, and how the former boss, gued by his habit of holding back, reacted. ¡°And La¡­ she disappeared from the Demon Realm with Urgon. I had a strange feeling about her even before we entered. Whether she had nned it all along or when she made up her mind, I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying she might have yed a part in the Demon Realm being forcefully reopened.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Anyway, to sum it up, she¡¯s an ungrateful wretch.¡± She must have been nning to betray us from the start. The fact that she disappeared with Urgon as soon as they appeared meant they had already made arrangements beforehand. I turned my head and looked at Arin, who was quietly sipping her drink. ¡°Arin, what¡¯s the deal with you and La? There¡¯s more to it than just her leaving, isn¡¯t there?¡± All three of them looked at me at the same time. Taylor and ir seemed unaware. ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s definitely something.¡± Arin¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Your veil was trembling.¡± ¡°What was¡­?¡± ¡°When you were looking at La.¡± ¡°I said there¡¯s nothing.¡± It¡¯s human nature to be more curious when someone denies something, so I teased her, saying whatever came to mind. ¡°Why? Was there some kind of secret between you two that men wouldn¡¯t understand? You trained together at the Magic Tower, right? Did you trust and rely on La, only to be betrayed? I wonder why she betrayed you. Usually, betrayal stemming from jealousy happens when someone realizes they¡¯re the less attractive one in the rtionship. In such cases, it¡¯s usually one of two things. Either you confided in her about something personal, and she spread it behind your back, or she exploited your weaknesses.¡± As I rambled on, Arin¡¯s breathing became ragged, just like before. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. Could this reaction mean¡­? ¡°Mind your own business.¡± Arin pulled down her veil and walked into the banquet hall. Taylor and ir looked at me with puzzled expressions and asked, ¡°What was that? Did you investigate Arin or something?¡± I said to the clueless men, ¡°Investigate? How would I know something you don¡¯t?¡± ¡°What don¡¯t we know?¡± ¡°A woman¡¯s heart.¡± Truthfully, I didn¡¯t know what was going on either. But pretending to know was also important. ¡°Anyway, it seems my guess was right.¡± I said, looking at Taylor and ir, who had somewhat troubled expressions on their faces. ¡°Let¡¯s just drink.¡± ¡°The duels start tomorrow. Let¡¯s get some rest early.¡± ¡°Alright, onest drink then.¡± As thest sip went down my throat, I looked up at the sky. It was a delightful sight. The night sky over enemy territory had its own charm. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 98 Chapter 98: Three Victories Urgon must be quite wealthy. I drifted off to sleep on the plush, luxurious bedding, and when I came to my senses, the cool morning sunlight was streaming in. After lounging around for a while, I went outside to find a crowd already gathered near theke. ¡°Wow.¡± As I took in the cool breeze from theke, I saw that the arena was quite a spectacle. In the middle of the blueke, a marble arena floated, surrounded by spectator seats. It was a refreshing sight. Suddenly, I spotted the White Horse members milling about and approached them. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± ¡°We were just looking around.¡± ir had such a curious expression that I looked back at theke. The arena, floating on the water with no visible support, held up purely by a magical barrier, was indeed novel. ¡°Enough sightseeing, let¡¯s go up. We need to get there early to get good seats.¡± We climbed the railing connected to the ground and entered the spectator area, where I saw empty seats in the front row. Just as Pretel and his group were heading towards those seats, I drew the Red Dagger from my waist and threw it in one swift motion. Whoosh¡ª Thud! Red Dagger embedded itself in the seat, quivering. ¡°What the¡­?¡± While Pretel¡¯s group looked bewildered, I walked over slowly and said, ¡°These are my seats. I just went to relieve myself.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re that guy fromst time.¡± Pretel red at me, so I pulled out the Red Dagger and showed it to him. ¡°I reserved the seats.¡± With everyone¡¯s attention on us, Pretel cursed silently and said, ¡°Just you wait,¡± before disappearing. I felt judgmental stares from behind, but I didn¡¯t care. I had secured good seats, after all. There¡¯s a man here who endured embarrassment and threw a sword to get these good seats. That man was me. ¡°This is it.¡± Embarrassment is fleeting. The cool, moist breeze from theke brushed against my face. Looking down from the front row, I saw theke like a steep cliff below, and the arena floating a little further away. Five seats were prepared in the highest section. As the seats filled up, n Head Balkan and Elder Parin appeared in the VIP section, as expected. Behind Elder Parin stood a young man from the Blue Magic Tower, likely his apprentice. The external affairs manager appeared in the center of the spectator area and cleared his throat, looking around. ¡°Ahem.¡± His voice boomed as if amplified by magic. Everyone¡¯s attention was instantly captured. ¡°Thank you for your patience. We will now begin the sparring matches. As this is for the purpose of exchange, there are no restrictions on participation. One person at a time cane forward and choose their opponent.¡± In short, it meant you could pick someone and beat them up. ¡°Surrendering or being pushed out of bounds will result in a loss. To prevent any idents, explicitly lethal techniques are prohibited.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Also, to ensure fair opportunities for everyone, those who achieve three victories will be prohibited from further sparring.¡± ¡®Prohibited from further sparring?¡¯ I didn¡¯t understand what it meant to be banned after three wins. Why would they do that? It seemed I wasn¡¯t the only one who found this strange. As murmurs rose from the audience, n Head Balkan stood up from his seat as if on cue. ¡°Even among those of simr age, the difference in skill is clear. It would be better for those who stand out to have separate, formal matches.¡± I nodded in agreement. In essence, he was saying, ¡®Those who win three times, fight amongst yourselves.¡¯ ¡°To the victor of these formal matches, I will open Urgon¡¯s Secret Vault. Additionally, even for those who don¡¯t win but disy exceptional skill, we will arrange gatherings and provide full support. So, I urge you all to give it your all.¡± Excitement instantly swept through the audience. While everyone assumed the overall winner was already decided, their eyes gleamed at the prospect of receiving Urgon¡¯s support if they performed well enough. n Head Balkan nced at Elder Parin¡¯s expression, then sat down with a satisfied look. The external affairs manager raised his hand and shouted, ¡°Let the matches begin!¡± The Azure Dragon Grandmaster, acting as the referee, took his position above the arena with a flourish of levitation magic. * * * While everyone was sizing each other up, Walter was the first to leap into the arena. Launching himself from the stands, he crossed theke in a single bound andnded smoothly on the tform. Having intimate knowledge of all the ns in Quebek, Walter naturally called out a specific opponent. ¡°I challenge Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group to a spar.¡± While one couldn¡¯t dismiss the skill of a merchant¡¯s son, Walter knew well that Alvin was below his level. Alvin, who was in the audience, frowned and flew into the arena. Thud¡ª Unlike Walter, Alvin barely managed tond on the edge of the tform, his toes clinging to the edge. The difference in skill was starkly apparent. ¡°Let the spar begin!¡± The Azure Dragon Grandmaster¡¯s whistle blew with a sharp peep¡ª ¡°Haaaaah!¡± In a matter of minutes, the oue was decided. Walter was victorious. * * * I suddenly felt like I was falling off a cliff and jolted awake. ¡®Oh, that startled me.¡¯ I opened my eyes slightly and looked around to find everyone staring at me. I had been caught napping. ¡°Ahem. Meditation suits me well.¡± As I bluffed confidently, a servant approached me from somewhere. ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the servant from yesterday?¡± ¡°Indeed. You remember me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored to death. Do you have any moonshine?¡± ¡°We have no moonshine or any other alcohol today.¡± ¡°This is the worst.¡± As I sighed with a world-weary expression, the servant hesitated for a moment before whispering in my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some. Drink it in secret.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± While the servant went to fetch the alcohol, I looked back and asked, ¡°How long was I meditating for?¡± Taylor replied, ¡°Two hours.¡± ¡°No wonder I felt so stiff.¡± I stretched, ncing at the VIP seats in the distance. n Head Balkan remained upright, his gaze fixed on the arena. Elder Parin, on the other hand, was rxed, engaged in conversation with his apprentice. It almost seemed as if Balkan was wary of the elder. The Magic Tower clearlymanded significant respect. ¡°Young Master.¡± A servant approached with a whisper, his eyes darting around before he discreetly pulled a sk from his pocket and handed it to me. ¡°Drink it secretly. You mustn¡¯t be seen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I uncorked the sk, and a cool fragrance filled the air. It was the same potent liquor from the night before. Having just woken up, I was parched. ¡®Smells fantastic.¡¯ As I slowly raised the sk to my lips¡­ As if on cue, every eye in the audience turned towards me. Bewildered, I scanned the crowd for an exnation¡­ Someone in the arena was pointing directly at me. ¡°I challenge Ruin of Samael to a spar!¡± That son of a bitch? I haven¡¯t even had a single sip! Cursing under my breath, I started to rise, then paused, a look of confusion on my face. ¡°You are no longer eligible for sparring. You have already achieved three victories. Please return to your seat.¡± ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± The challenger retreated, and the referee¡¯s voice boomed across the arena. ¡°Will the next participant please step forward?¡± If someone unbiased saw me at this moment, they might think I was about to relieve myself. My posture was that awkward ¨C neither fully standing nor sitting. I felt the weight of everyone¡¯s attention. A wave of embarrassment washed over me, fueling my irritation. Woken up from my nap, denied my drink, and now on the verge of beingbeled the ¡®pooper¡¯¡­ Damn it all. ¡°My name is Pretel. I would like to be the next to spar¡­¡± The moment Pretel raised his hand and spoke, I flung Red Dagger at him. While Pretel was distracted, dodging the sword, I seized the opportunity. ¡°I¡¯ll be the next to spar!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I spoke first, so it¡¯s my turn.¡± I retrieved Red Dagger, tucked the sk into my pocket, and made my way towards the arena, circling the audience. As I walked towards the bridge connecting the stands to the arena, boos erupted from the crowd. ¡°Boo! Why is he using the bridge!¡± ¡°He¡¯s scared of falling in, isn¡¯t he? If you¡¯re that weak, just give up!¡± It seemed everyone else had been leaping directly from the stands, soaring over theke tond on the tform. My temper red, and I stopped, turning to face the crowd. ¡°Everyone.¡± I looked at the jeering spectators and said, ¡°Is Urgon a fool?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell. The audience gaped at me, followed by the disapproving stares of the Blue Spirit and Red Phoenix members. Even n Head Balkan, from his elevated position, was watching me intently. I continued without a care. ¡°Urgon isn¡¯t an idiot. They built the bridge for crossing, not for show. What¡¯s the problem with using a bridge that¡¯s meant to be used? I¡¯m so irritated. You, answer me. Am I wrong?¡± I pointed directly at the person who had been booing the loudest. There was no response. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Are you saying Urgon is an idiot?¡± Flustered by my boldness, the man waved his hands in denial. I pointed at other people, but no one dared to respond. Finally, some peace and quiet. * * * Arriving at the arena, I looked across to the spectator seats, taking in the whole view. The piercing res of Urgon¡¯s mages felt like ps to my face. I could also sense the gazes of n Head Balkan and Elder Parin. Whether it¡¯s through notoriety or something else, building a reputation is crucial to avoid being wronged in the future. ¡°Choose your opponent!¡± Everyone was anticipating my choice. Pretel, the one I had a verbal spat with at the banquet. Pretel himself seemed to expect me to choose him, as he was warming up while chatting with his old man. This is where my contrarian nature kicked in. I had no intention of engaging in a predictable match. Even less so, I had no desire to give that guy what he wanted. I briefly mulled over my options. My first opponent would be¡­ ¡°Pretel¡­¡± Pretel nodded and was about to leap from the stands when¡­ ¡°¡­Not him. Argain of the Heinz Family,e forward.¡± Pretel stumbled forward, losing his bnce as if tripping over a rock, andnded awkwardly in front of the stands. To make matters worse, he fell on top of a woman, and everyone stared at him as if he were a pervert. ¡°Tsk tsk, what a pervert.¡± Pretel¡¯s face flushed red as he apologized to the woman and sat back down. It¡¯s odd for a trained warrior to fall over something so minor, but¡­ The important thing is that I created a situation no one expected. There was one other person who hadn¡¯t seen iting. Argain, who had been rxing in the stands, jumped up in surprise. Those around him cheered him on, urging him to teach me a lesson, but Argain¡¯s heart was filled with dread. After a brief moment of hesitation, Argain sighed and crossed the bridge to the arena. I nodded in satisfaction. Argain hadn¡¯t tried to show off and had crossed the bridge just like me. We faced each other, a few paces apart. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­Why did you choose me?¡± ¡°There will be other opportunities. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Argain looked at hisrades cheering from the stands, then hardened his resolve and met my gaze. ¡°You have a determined look. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to fight?¡± I looked at Argain and touched the Red Dagger at my waist. The memory of being struck by me shed across Argain¡¯s face, and he involuntarily shuddered. ¡°Let the spar begin!¡± Just as I drew Red Dagger, facing Argain who still couldn¡¯t speak¡­ ¡°I, I surrender!¡± Argain¡¯s voice cracked as he dered his surrender. The Referee stared at him in disbelief. Argain, his face buried in his hands, fled the arena without a backward nce. An effortless victory¡­ Sess. I turned to the Azure Dragon Grandmaster and spoke politely. ¡°May I choose my next opponent, referee?¡± When the captain didn¡¯t respond, I addressed the audience respectfully. ¡°I challenge Lady Gaby to a spar.¡± As if expecting it, a woman rose gracefully from the stands. Gaby descended into the arena with light steps and bowed slightly to me. ¡°We meet again, Ruin.¡± ¡°You had a tough time that day.¡± We exchanged a brief, silent conversation with our eyes. ¡®Thank you for your helpst time.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re wee.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no reason for me to spar with you.¡¯ ¡®Likewise.¡¯ Of course, this conversation didn¡¯t actually happen; it was just my imagination. But Gaby was a woman who understood men¡¯s hearts well, so she probably read my gaze. The Azure Dragon Grandmaster shouted, ¡°Let the spar begin!¡± Gaby walked to the opposite side of the arena and stopped at the edge. She looked at me with a wistful expression and said, ¡°I forfeit the match.¡± Gaby covered her nose and jumped out of the arena. Ssh¡ª A spray of water erupted from theke. Another effortless victory¡­ Sess. ¡°¡­¡± The audience grew increasingly restless with each bizarre turn of events. Argain and Gaby were both from well-known families, so their actions were baffling. I closed my eyes for a moment and focused on the conversations in the stands. The wind carried snippets of their words. ¡°Ruin, was it? He¡¯s so arrogant. I can¡¯t understand what Argain and Gaby were thinking.¡± ¡°I wish Urgon would teach that disrespectful brat a lesson.¡± ¡°As if that crazy guy would challenge someone from Urgon. I wish he¡¯d pick me instead.¡± Listening to their disgruntled voices, I searched for my final opponent. I slowly scanned the audience. Most of the men red back at me without flinching. But then, someone met my eyes and desperately shook their head. In truth, I had already made up my mind. My next opponent. It¡¯s you. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 99 Chapter 99: Arin¡¯s Problem Moose stepped onto the tform, his face a mask of conflicting emotions as he looked at me. From the stands, cheers erupted for Moose: ¡°He¡¯s got him now!¡±, ¡°Teach him a lesson!¡± Moose muttered under his breath, ¡°Damn it.¡± A closer look at his expression revealed aplex mix of fear of me, dread of the ridicule he¡¯d face if he surrendered, pride, and concern for his reputation. He nced at the VIP seats, then turned back with a grimace, fixing his stance as he red at me. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡± His expression said he¡¯d rather die than surrender. I respect that. The moment the referee¡¯s whistle blew, Moose began forming hand signs. I lunged towards him and said, ¡°Moose.¡± His eyes snapped to mine, and his pupils dted in shock. I had taken out the precious bottle of liquor I¡¯d been keeping safe in my pocket. Bad memories resurfaced, and Moose frantically shook his head, forgetting his hand signs. But once started, there was no stopping. I opened my Circle, converting mana into fire elemental energy, and channeled heat into the bottle. The liquor warmed up, and the bottle glowed red. Moose froze in ce. ¡°Taaah!¡± I leaped into the air, raising the heated bottle high. Moose¡¯s head tilted back, our eyes meeting for a fleeting moment. Foreseeing a future where he¡¯d be roasted once again, his legs gave way, and he copsed. ¡°S-save me¡­ No, I surrender!¡± Did Moose realize? That this time, his predicted future would be reality. I plummeted from the air, smashing the bottle directly onto his head. Crash¡ª The bottle shattered, and the hot liquid ignited. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± His head aze, Moose instinctively jumped off the tform. He plunged into theke, and the fire was extinguished with a sizzle. An effortless victory¡­ Failed. I couldn¡¯t call it a true victory since I¡¯d wasted the liquor. In many ways, this spar was a loss for me. Suddenly worried that the referee might find fault, I muttered, ¡°Did I go too far? I thought Urgon would stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps he had no intention of nitpicking, as the referee dered my victory without any objections. Even after I returned to my seat, having secured all three victories, silence hung over the audience. This silence was different from before. More and more eyes were now studying me with curiosity. This, too, was part of my n. I could have stopped when Moose surrendered, but I didn¡¯t. I deliberately struck his head hard. Because¡­ I wanted to gauge the reactions of the Urgon people. But so far, there hasn¡¯t been any significant response. * * * After thest spar, those with three victories were filtered out. The External Affairs Manger, having organized the situation, looked towards the VIP seats, and n Head Balkan rose. ¡°It seems everyone has been sorted out. The formal matches were supposed to start tomorrow, but it didn¡¯t take as long as expected.¡± Balkan nced at the bright, sunny sky and said, ¡°It¡¯s still too early for a banquet, so we might as well have a few formal matches today.¡± As Balkan sat back down, the external affairs manager immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The qualification for the formal matches will be given only to those who have achieved three victories and those who have not been challenged by anyone. The match procedure will be the same as before. It will proceed in the form of designating an opponent. Of course, those who have lost can continue to challenge. And¡­¡± The external affairs manager paused for a moment and continued, ¡°The match format is a duel. I believe you all understand the meaning. Once again, I ask you to refrain from any explicit killing intent, as this is for the purpose of exchange. Of course, those who wish to give up do not have to participate.¡± Generally, there are three types of matches: Sparring, duel, and decisive battle. A duel means that some degree of head-bashing is allowed. Looking around, I could feel a solemn tension in the air from the audience. It seems everyone thinks this is where the real action begins. The external affairs manager raised his hand high. ¡°We will now begin the duels!¡± Because the duels started so abruptly, no one stepped forward at first. At that moment, with a fluttering sound, someone soared high into the air from the Urgon group. The man leaped over the audience in a single bound, drawing an incredible arc in the air that no one had shown before, andnded on the tform. It was Libre. Everyone¡¯s gaze towards him was simr. Rather than seeing him as an opponent, they looked at him with admiration. As if aware of this, Libre looked at the audience from the arena and said, ¡°First, I would like to express my gratitude to the esteemed n Head, Elder Parin, and all the distinguished guests who have joined us for this banquet. It seems everyone is feeling a bit too much pressure about the matches, so I¡¯ve decided to step forward first. The opponent I choose is¡­¡± Libre trailed off, slowly turning his gaze towards one spot. ¡°I challenge Lady Arin of the Samael n to a duel.¡± A collective gasp of ¡°Oh my¡± erupted from the women in the audience. Arin stood up without a word and walked towards the arena, followed by the envious gazes of the women. * * * I closely observed Libre¡¯s expression and nodded inwardly. ¡®As expected, I was right.¡¯ Once again, I was confident in my judgment. He definitely had a lecherous nature. ¡°I will yield the first move.¡± All eyes were on them, and Taylor and ir were staring intently at the arena. I was also curious about Arin¡¯sbat skills, so I focused for the first time in a while. Arin¡¯s Qi was the strongest among the White Horse members. Fighting isn¡¯t always about shing physically. The natural flow of mana, gaze, and energybine to form one¡¯s Qi. However, it was surprising that Taylor and ir didn¡¯t seem to know this. With a whoosh, Arin shot forward like the wind, and I was slightly taken aback. She was better than I expected. Thepleteness of the ¡®Wind Push¡¯ she formed with her hand signs was almost at the level of incantation. Libre, looking slightly surprised, stepped back and formed his own hand signs. ¡°Water Shield.¡± A wall of water slowed Arin¡¯s advance, and in that moment, Libre unleashed a torrent of water from his fingertips, showering Arin. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Observing the ensuing exchange, it was clear that Libre had also trained extensively in hand sign magic. They weren¡¯t wrong to call him Urgon¡¯s top talent. A powerful surge of mana emanated from Libre¡¯s body. He retreated, crossing his arms, and shouted, ¡°Frost Ring.¡± A 4-star hand sign, Frost Ring. With a whoosh, a ring of white ice expanded from Libre¡¯s fist. Arin¡¯s hands moved swiftly, crossing each other, and Taylor and ir shouted in unison, ¡°Dodge it, Arin!¡± I looked at them as if they were barking dogs. Couldn¡¯t they see? There¡¯s no way Arin couldn¡¯t block something like that. Those idiots didn¡¯t even understand Arin¡¯s true strength. As expected, Arin¡¯s mana surged, and shepleted a 4-star hand sign. At that moment. I was so bewildered that I stood up involuntarily and said, ¡°What is that?¡± The power of the hand sign was absurdly weak. I frowned, staring at Arin. Meanwhile, Libre¡¯s fist stopped right in front of Arin¡¯s nose, and her veil fluttered dramatically. Libre¡¯s eyes widened as he saw Arin¡¯s face¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Libre shook his head and raised his hand, a smile ying on his lips as if he had achieved his goal. ¡°You¡¯re impressive, Lady Arin. Thank you for holding back.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think this is a good start for the first duel. I¡¯ll stop here. I forfeit.¡± Cheers erupted from the audience, particrly loud from the women. Everyone knew Libre had intentionally stopped his attack. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. It wasn¡¯t because of Libre¡¯s antics. Setting everything else aside¡­ The mana fluctuation when Arin activated the 4-star hand sign was incredibly unstable. It waspletely different from when she used Wind Push. Lost in thought, I heard Arin¡¯s ufortable voice. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll choose La as my next opponent.¡± La smiled and descended into the arena. She whispered something to Arin, and Arin¡¯s body trembled. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s a tremble filled with rage. * * * I watched La and Arin¡¯s fight intently. As expected, the moment Arin activated a 4-star hand sign, her mana fluctuation changedpletely. How could this be possible? It felt like someone who was a once-in-a-millennium genius up to 3-star hand signs suddenly became a dull mediocrity at 4-star. Perhaps it was because the surroundings were so quiet. Suddenly, someone¡¯s muttering voice from the VIP seats pierced through the wind and reached my ears. ¡°That woman, Arin, has clear limitations.¡± I shook my head. ¡®No.¡¯ Those symptoms couldn¡¯t simply be defined as having clear limitations. At least I, if no one else, knew for sure. It wasn¡¯t a limit, but instability. To confirm my intuition, I continued to observe their fight. Whoosh¡ª A strong wind swept through the arena. The hand signs for Wind Press bloomed from La¡¯s hands. 4-star mana fluctuations rippled around Arin. As Taylor and ir jumped to their feet, I also rose almost simultaneously. ¡°No, dodge it, Arin¡­ Urk!¡± I smacked the two men on the back of their heads and then widened my eyes, focusing on the arena. A brief silence, followed by a tremendous roar. Boom¡ª Caught in the st, Arin was pushed to the edge of the arena. A trickle of blood flowed from behind her veil. ¡°¡­¡± La, her head held high, returned to her seat amidst cheers from the audience. Taylor and irforted Arin as she returned, her aura cold and sharp, and she said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± Her tone was somewhat subdued. ¡°¡­Arin.¡± The two men looked at her with pity. I watched the scene and smiled inwardly. Everyone here, even Arin herself¡­ They were all misjudging her. It wasn¡¯t their fault. Even the most skilled mages would make the same mistake. Because from the start, they were bound to see it wrong. ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ * * * After a few more duels, as the day drew to a close, the external affairs manager addressed the audience. ¡°Today¡¯s duels will conclude here.¡± The crowd poured out of the stands and headed towards the banquet hall, where the evening feast began. The banquet would continue for some time. Duels in the arena, and outside, free interaction and socializing. I sat in a corner of the banquet hall, gnawing on a few pieces of meat and observing the people. Everyone seemed to have be quite friendly in just one day. People were enjoying the feast and chatting about today¡¯s matches. Even among them, there was a division. Those who passed the sparring matches and those who didn¡¯t. Perhaps because of this, some people showed interest in Taylor and ir. Surprisingly, the two of them blended in well with the others. Arin had retired to her quarters early, leaving me alone in the corner. No one approached me. Was it because I had been too assertive today? asionally, I only caught curious nces, as if I were a strange monkey. I found it strange too. At least a few hot-headed guys from Urgon should havee over. To warn me to watch my mouth. Or to tell me to know my ce. That would be the normal reaction, but there was surprisingly none. Perhaps¡­ This was also connected to Urgon¡¯s scheme. But I wasn¡¯t worried. If they ignored me, I could just do whatever I pleased. That¡¯s the true fear of the Crazy Mage. I left the banquet hall and started walking. Since I was alone anyway, no one cared whether I left or not. I strolled along thekeside, enjoying the fresh air. The estate was so vast that I hardly encountered anyone. As I walked, the bushes on both sides grew thicker. As the signs of people dwindled, I suddenly turned my head to the right. With a rustling sound from the bushes, a figure emerged. ¡°Hello there.¡± A woman appeared out of nowhere, smiling as she approached me. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± I let out a chuckle as I recognized her face. What a sly woman. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 100 Chapter 100: You Cunning Bitch ¡°Fancy meeting you here while I was out for a walk.¡± I briefly nced around. The edge of thekeside. A dirt road filled only with lush greenery. Perhaps it was because the family¡¯s estate was so vast. Not a single soul was in sight nearby. ¡°You were taking a walk here?¡± La responded with a bright smile. ¡°Of course.¡± I scoffed inwardly at her shameless reply. I knew she had been following me since I left the banquet hall. She waited until I deliberately entered the deserted forest path before appearing. La looked around and took a step closer. ¡°Ruin.¡± La¡¯s voice became subtly sweet, and her tone changed. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only acknowledging me now.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much that I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± What a cunning woman. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a while, La.¡± But when ites to cunningness, the Crazy Mage, yours truly, is second to none. I also smiled and extended my hand to La. You wouldn¡¯t have known that I¡¯m this cunning, no matter how cunning you are. La took my hand andughed. ¡°You¡¯ve really changed a lot. You used to have trouble even making eye contact.¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, La¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d be so bold. Honestly, I was a bit surprised during your spar with Moose. What happened to you?¡± ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. You were extraordinary in the arena earlier. You must have trained a lot?¡± While speaking, La examined me closely from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. Did you receive training from the Red Magic Tower? Did Hector help you or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I deliberately continued not to answer. For now, La thinks I¡¯m the Ruin of the past. And since this is the first time I¡¯ve seen La, she doesn¡¯t know our rtionship. There¡¯s no need to utter unnecessary words. Perhaps my expression was too serious, La suddenly muttered. ¡°You used to try so hard to get my attention, but now you don¡¯t even answer. Yeah, you probably don¡¯t want to talk about it. I understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you upset that I left Samael, Ruin?¡± Her tone was somewhat strange. I made eye contact with La and realized the rtionship between her and me. ¡®Bullshit.¡¯ Iughed inwardly. I knew how La had seduced and used this body in the past. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering? Do you not want to talk to me?¡± La¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. She¡¯s a cunning woman with sharp instincts. If I dragged this on any longer, she might get suspicious. I decided to y along, channeling the persona of a heartbroken Crazy Mage. ¡°Yes, you ungrateful bitch. I told you to wait. That I would change. Do you think I trained like crazy to see myself like this? I fed you and gave you a ce to sleep, and you betrayed me and joined Urgon? Did you think you¡¯d be safe after that? Let¡¯s settle this here, you cunning woman.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Suddenly, La widened her eyes and burst intoughter. ¡°That¡¯s our Ruin.¡± The tension in La¡¯s eyes as she looked at me dissipated. Laughed heartily for a while, as if she was pleased, then looked at me with a hint of disdain. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance, Ruin. You can join us too.¡± ¡°Join what?¡± ¡°You can join me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Do you think I joined Urgon for no reason? You know, nothing ever works out in Samael.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that I join Urgon?¡± ¡°Why not, Ruin? Did you suddenly develop some affection for Samael? That¡¯s disappointing. Have you forgotten how you used to curse them, saying we¡¯re in the same boat?¡± So, this woman was casually suggesting that the eldest son of Samael, me, leave the family. I wasn¡¯t sure who was the bigger fool, me or La, but she clearly saw me, the Crazy Mage, the leader of the Crazy Mage Squad, as a pushover. I pretended not to know and tested La. I was curious to see how much she knew. ¡°The Red Magic Tower has decided to support Samael.¡± La let out a chuckle. ¡°You believe that? I heard Hector returned to the main tower. They¡¯re probably trying to back out. Do you think Urgon will leave Samael alone? You¡¯re so naive.¡± I responded with a seemingly urgent expression. ¡°Are you saying Urgon will ept me? How can I believe that?¡± La turned around, then looked back at me with a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re sincere, why wouldn¡¯t they ept you? They¡¯ll wee you since you know Red Magic Tower magic. Urgon has never had any connection with the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll need my help. Since you¡¯re of Samael bloodline, it¡¯ll be a bit tricky. Urgon won¡¯t easily trust you.¡± ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± The cunning woman¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Are you saying you want my help?¡± The cunning man responded. ¡°If it means I can be with you.¡± The cunning woman revealed her true colors. ¡°Then I have a condition. There will be a day during the banquet when you can go outside. At that time, feed this to Arin.¡± I looked at the small pill, about the size of a fingernail, that La handed me and asked. ¡°What is this?¡± La¡¯s eyes momentarily turned vicious. ¡°It¡¯s the key to you joining me. I¡¯ll see your sincerity.¡± La disappeared into the bushes, speaking sweetly. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it, Ruin.¡± I stood still until the rustling bushes fellpletely silent. Only the sound of the waves of the Western Lakepping in the night breeze could be heard. * * * Back in my room, I sat at the table and examined the pill La had given me. When I applied heat with my fingertips, a small amount of powder came off. It had no smell. I spilled some water onto the table and brushed off the powder from my hand. The powder dissolved instantly upon contact with the water. Colorless and odorless. The water remained unchanged. I lightly touched the water with the tip of my tongue, tasted it, and swallowed. The water had a subtle, unpleasant taste. I opened my Circle and used mana to move the impurities within my body to my fingertip. ¡°Water Drop.¡± Yellowish droplets fell from my fingertip. I looked at the discolored water droplets, smelled them, and suddenly let out a hollowugh. ¡°She is one cunning bitch.¡± There was no lethal toxicity. It wasn¡¯t a poison that would harm the body, but rather a crude concoction that would, at most, cause discoloration, blisters, or a rash. I had a rough idea. The use of such a concoction was limited. The most likely ce for a reaction would be¡­ ¡®The face, of course.¡¯ So this was just La acting out of jealousy. Urgon or not, she clearly approached me with whatever nonsense came to mind. No wonder it felt so flimsy. Iy down on the bedding for a moment, pondering. Was there another motive? For something La did, it seemed too straightforward. Then I shook my head. ¡®There¡¯s no other intention.¡¯ No matter how much I thought about it, there wasn¡¯t. I was just being yed for a fool. It was a night where even the moonlight shining through the window felt cunning. * * * The same routine repeated for several days: duels during the day and socializing in the evenings. The outline of the duels was gradually bing clear. At first, everyone participated enthusiastically, but as the skill differences became apparent, fewer and fewer people joined. Eventually, only a small number of people remained, repeatedly engaging in duels. Moreover, most of them were Urgon magicians. It was mainly a show of duels between the members of the Red Phoenix Division, especially the young mages who participated in the Demon Realm expedition. There was no one particrly outstanding, but everyone had a decent grasp of the basics. Meanwhile, Taylor and ir diligently participated in the duels. While they were dueling, I focused solely on observing Urgon¡¯s movements. There was nothing particrly suspicious. The duels were conducted fairly, and everyone was busy socializing during the banquets. Then one evening, during the banquet¡­ The external affairs manager appeared in the banquet hall, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, which was unusual. ¡°Distinguished guests. The banquet will be temporarily suspended for one day tomorrow. There will be an important meeting within the family, so we ask for your understanding. You may either stay in the annex under our supervision or spend the day in Shan Kris.¡± Someone asked. ¡°Does that mean there will be no duels?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Please consider it a day of rest. Those who wish to rest in the annex may do so, and those who wish to go to Shan Kris must return by tomorrow morning.¡± I originally intended to stay, curious about what tricks the Urgon people might be up to, but the next day, seeing soldiers swarming around the annex, I changed my mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some fresh air.¡± Taylor and ir followed. I nced at Arin, who was squatting in a corner. ¡°You¡¯reing too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to have braised carp.¡± As we left the annex, Arin also trailed along, matching our pace. I deliberately walked along thekeside of Shan Kris¡¯ Eastern Lake untilte in the evening, heading towards a familiar tavern as the moonlight filled the sky. The cheerful owner greeted us. ¡°A party of four? Ah, it¡¯s you folks from before. Did you enjoy the banquet?¡± ¡°You were right, owner.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°The food at Urgon couldn¡¯tpare to your braised carp.¡± The owner burst into heartyughter. ¡°Hahahaha. That¡¯s music to my ears. What did I tell you? Nothing beats our braised carp.¡± ¡°Make it spicy today too, please. And a ss of moonshine as well.¡± ¡°Of course. Just wait a moment.¡± I was about to take a seat at a small table when I suddenly nced to the right. In the empty tavern, there was just one other customer. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ A middle-aged man with white hair was sitting alone, sipping moonshine. His back looked somewhat familiar. I tilted my head for a moment, surprised to see him drinking in such a ce. Not wanting to get involved with the middle-aged man, I said while looking at the kitchen. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s better if wee backter.¡± The owner smiled and replied. ¡°Just take a seat. I¡¯ll even give you a few bottles of moonshine for free today.¡± ¡°We¡¯lle back another time.¡± As I turned to leave, a voice came from the side. ¡°Stay and sit down. There¡¯s no need to feel ufortable because of me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The middle-aged man with white hair slowly turned his gaze towards me. His blue eyes sparkled behind his monocle. ¡°Ruin, was it?¡± I stopped and met Elder Parin¡¯s gaze. I had revealed my name at the duel, but I didn¡¯t expect him to remember. Elder Parin poured some moonshine into a cup and offered it to me. ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 101 Chapter 101: Elder Parin I downed a ss of moonshine and sat next to Elder Parin. There was a steaming dish of braised carp on the table, so I quickly grabbed a piece and ate it. ¡°What a bold young man.¡± I looked at Elder Parin¡¯s profile and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you enjoyed this kind of thing either.¡± Elder Parin poured himself a ss of moonshine and turned his head to look at the Eastern Lake. ¡°¡­When you¡¯re cooped up in the magic tower, you sometimes long for this kind of atmosphere.¡± It was an unexpected remark. It didn¡¯t seem to fit the personality I had heard about. Elder Parin took a sip of the moonshine, nodded, and murmured, ¡°Good liquor.¡± As if he needed someone to talk to, Elder Parin asked, ¡°Do you know why moonshine is good liquor?¡± I also took a sip of moonshine. ¡°There¡¯s no better drink for clearing your mind.¡± Elder Parin suddenly turned his head and met my eyes. He generally had a fastidious impression, but he also seemed like someone who enjoyed a quiet, leisurely atmosphere. There was also a yful look in his eyes. Elder Parin looked at me with a surprised expression and then smiled. ¡°That¡¯s an interesting thing for a young man to say. You¡¯re right. There¡¯s no better drink than moonshine for clearing your mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You guys, have a seat. I¡¯ll be getting up soon.¡± The three people who were watching from behind awkwardly sat down. They had all heard about Elder Parin¡¯s strict personality, so they seemed to be having trouble adjusting to the current situation. Elder Parin poured each of the three a ss of liquor and then looked at me. ¡°I was just thinking about having a chat with you, and here we have this opportunity.¡± I poured myself a ss of liquor. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew me. You wouldn¡¯t happen to remember the names of everyone who attended the banquet, would you?¡± It might have seemed like a disrespectful question, but I¡¯m not the type to worry about such things. Elder Parin smiled yfully. ¡°How could I not know you after you made such a scene in the duel?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d care about something like that.¡± Elder Parin let out a cheerfulugh. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°But the way you manifested your magic was quite intriguing.¡± I momentarily stopped the ss I was bringing to my mouth. ¡°The manifestation method?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen use a circle besides Baekga.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I casually emptied the ss into my mouth. ¡®He¡¯s sharp.¡¯ It¡¯s unlikely anyone told him. He must have sensed the mana fluctuations when I briefly opened up against Moose. It¡¯s not surprising that he noticed the mana fluctuations themselves, but it¡¯s another matter to be certain it was a mana circle from that distance. Parin¡¯s knowledge of magic is quite impressive. I suddenly remembered where I had heard the word ¡°Baekga¡± before and asked, ¡°What is Baekga?¡± Elder Parin, tilting his head, looked at me with an amused expression ¡°Do you really not know, or are you pretending? I¡¯m referring to the Upper Tower of the White Magic Tower.¡± [TL/N: Upper Tower is not the final name, I will decide the final name after I get more context.] ¡°White Magic Tower?¡± Come to think of it, Hector had also mentioned the White Magic Tower right after our fight. I had many questions, but since I didn¡¯t know much about Elder Parin yet, I decided to keep my mouth shut. There was no need to reveal information unnecessarily. During the ensuing silence, I carefully examined Parin¡¯s ¡®Qi¡¯. ¡®6-star mage.¡¯ His ¡®Qi¡¯ was well-contained. At a nce, I could tell how he had trained. He seemed to have honed himself considerably. Even when our eyes met continuously through his monocle, it was difficult to read his inner thoughts, as if there was an invisible barrier. He was the first mage like this besides Hector. Seeing my continued vignce, Elder Parin waved his hand. ¡°I seem to have touched a sensitive spot unintentionally. It was just simple curiosity, so there¡¯s no need to be on guard. I was studying a recently acquired magic book and found something interesting.¡± Parin finished hisst ss of liquor and continued. ¡°Even after studying magic for a long time, there¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know. Anyway, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up.¡± Seeing him like this, he strongly exuded the air of a schr. For some reason, I felt that this encounter was not a coincidence. ¡°We¡¯ll have a chance to talk againter, right?¡± The owner brought out another spicy braised carp and a bottle of moonshine. The sses naturally made another round. This time, Parin looked towards the White Horse Knights and asked, ¡°Did you all go into the Demon Realm as well?¡± Taylor answered. ¡°Yes.¡± Parin looked at the three of them in turn. ¡°And you received instruction at the Red Magic Tower.¡± For a moment, Taylor unconsciously tensed up. He was worried because of the bad blood between the towers. However, Parin simply looked at the three with the eyes of a mentor looking at his students. ¡°Not bad. You seem to be progressing well. And you should be careful about your body stiffening. There¡¯s something unnatural about the connection between your core and your beast form.¡± ir, looking surprised, as if he hadn¡¯t expected to receive such guidance, replied, ¡°Ah, yes.¡± An awkward silence fell again. Perhaps ufortable with the atmosphere, the three kept their mouths shut, and I had no intention of stepping in either. We just stared at theke as the night deepened. ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re suffering because of the stubbornness of the old folks. It would be nice if we could openly exchange with each other. The problem with the magic towers is that they are too closed off. Even with the Magic Tower Alliance, it¡¯s just a shell. They¡¯re so busy keeping their high-level magic and theories to themselves that progress is bound to be slow.¡± I looked at Parin and said. ¡°You seem to regret it.¡± Parin nodded. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. The White Magic Tower is different from us. And it¡¯s not easy for us to take the initiative and open up. There are too many obstacles.¡± At this point, I asked what I was curious about, ¡°What is your rtionship with Urgon?¡± When Parin turned to me with a puzzled look, I brought up the main topic. ¡°I know the Blue Magic Tower has a close rtionship with the Urgon n. Is that the case with you as well, Elder?¡± ¡°My presence here represents our tower¡¯s intentions, so what difference does it make?¡± ¡°It seems the head of the Urgon n wants to send a disciple to study under you.¡± Parin said with an amused expression, ¡°Are you referring to the head¡¯s eldest son?¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± ¡°I can barely manage myself, let alone take on a disciple.¡± Parin, who had been looking at us in turn, asked with a knowing look, ¡°What n did you say you were from?¡± ¡°Samael.¡± ¡°Samael, is it?¡± I felt Parin¡¯s reaction was strange, but I didn¡¯t press further. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re worried about, but let it go. All matches will be conducted fairly.¡± ¡°What if Urgon has other motives?¡± ¡°Motives?¡± ¡°For example, trying to crush a promising young talent from another n they dislike.¡± ¡°The young man¡¯s imaginations are running wild.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s true?¡± Parin¡¯s tone suddenly became firm. ¡°As long as I¡¯m here, that won¡¯t happen.¡± Then, Parin rose from his seat and said, ¡°I should be going now. I enjoyed our conversation.¡± ¡°I did as well.¡± After Parin left, ir took a sip of moonshine and sighed. ¡°He¡¯s very different from what I¡¯ve heard. I heard he was strict, but he¡¯s surprisingly easygoing.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a bit strange. He doesn¡¯t seem to know much about Urgon¡­ Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t seem interested at all.¡± ¡°Exactly. What do you think, Ruin?¡± I looked at ir with a surprised expression. ¡°You¡¯re asking for my opinion?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I looked at Parin¡¯s receding figure and replied, ¡°Well¡­¡± * * * As the drinks flowed, we brought up the main topic we hadn¡¯t finished discussing. ir¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°There was nothing strange. When I fought against the Red Phoenix Division, I even felt like they were holding back to avoid hurting me. I didn¡¯t sense any killing intent at all.¡± ¡°Taylor?¡± ¡°Same here.¡± I asked the two of them, ¡°What about during the evening?¡± ¡°I deliberately approached ns with questionable reputations, but it was the same. I didn¡¯t sense anything strange. They seemed like they were just here to enjoy the banquet.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Just in case, I kept an eye on those who left the banquet hall, but no one was leaving periodically. There were a few people who left their seats for a long time, but I didn¡¯t notice anything particrly strange.¡± Taylor shook his head at ir¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s what makes it strange. It¡¯s apletely superficial banquet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Why did they bother inviting us? I don¡¯t understand the reason. In any case, we need to be prepared when we return. We should also request to be dispatched to the Red Magic Tower again.¡± Seeing him go off about the Red Magic Tower again made me sigh. This guy still has a long way to go. ¡°If you mention the Red Magic Tower one more time, I¡¯ll smash your head in.¡± ¡°I have to protect Samael.¡± ¡°You disgrace the name of Samael.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with building a rtionship with the Red Magic Tower.¡± Whack¡ª As soon as Taylor, who had been hit on the head, mmed his head on the table, he got up and red at me. ¡°Think rationally, Ruin. We¡¯re still not strong enough.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Today is not the day to educate Taylor. It was a bit dyed because of Elder Parin, but I had other ns for today anyway. I looked at Arin and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Arin, who was sipping moonshine, replied with a cold expression, ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Didn¡¯t you sense anything strange from Urgon?¡± ¡°No.¡± Still a cold reply. I chuckled and responded, ¡°Cut it out now. If you¡¯ve had a good meal, you have to pay for it. Are you just going to freeload?¡± Arin hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°There¡¯s really nothing. I spent most of my time alone.¡± ¡°You fought against Libre and La, didn¡¯t you? Didn¡¯t you sense anything strange then?¡± Arin flinched and a chill emanated from her body. ¡°What did you sense?¡± ¡°I said there¡¯s nothing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Taylor and ir, thinking I was being harsher than usual towards Arin, intervened in a firm tone. ¡°Take it easy, Ruin. You should know Arin¡¯s personality by now.¡± I slowly reached out my hand towards Arin. ¡°Do you want me to tell you what you felt?¡± Like lightning, I lifted Arin¡¯s veil and met her eyes. Her pupils were filled with coldness. ¡°You must have felt a sense of shame. Your mana control must have been unstable.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The three flinched simultaneously, and Taylor and ir let out sighs of dismay. ¡°Ruin.¡± Arin¡¯s cold gaze intensified, and she looked at me as if I were a bug. ¡°I told you to leave me alone.¡± ¡°You looked like you were about to hit me just now.¡± I drank the rest of my liquor in one gulp, walked a few steps away, and then turned around. ¡°Follow me.¡± Arin just red at me without answering. I pulled out the Red Dagger from my waist and threw it in one swift motion. Swoosh¡ª The Red Dagger, engulfed in mes, flew and pierced the center of the table. I smiled as I met Arin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Or do you want to get hit here?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 102 Chapter 102: The sunset was crimson red. I was weaving through the alleyways when I stopped at a secluded empty lot where I had once stepped on Taylor. As I was enjoying the moonlight at dawn for a while, Arin, who had followed me, red at me from a few steps away. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± I abruptly beckoned with my finger. ¡°Come at me.¡± Arin scoffed, thinking I was up to some strange trick. ¡°This is noughing matter.¡± ¡°What are you trying to do now?¡± ¡°I said,e at me.¡± ¡°Stop messing around.¡± When I opened my circle without a word, Taylor and ir, who were watching from the side, sensed the unusual atmosphere and intervened. ¡°Exin what happened from the beginning.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s some misunderstanding, exin first. Arin is usually quiet.¡± The two of them realized I was serious. I didn¡¯t think they would understand even if I exined, but it made sense, so I nodded. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯m going to tell you your problem, soe at me. You¡¯ll know if you do.¡± ¡°Why would I? I said stop messing around. You¡¯ve been trying to get my attention with strange words, and it¡¯s disgusting, so stop it.¡± For a moment, I seriously thought about my image. What in the world does she think of me? I took a deep breath and said, ¡°There¡¯s a problem with your mana control.¡± Arin red at me. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°We can¡¯tmunicate. You¡¯re the type who will chase after La¡¯s tail all your life and eventually die without catching up.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Arin suddenly lost her temper and trembled. Her eyes rolled back as if she were having a seizure, and the waves of mana in her body fluctuated. ¡®It works well.¡¯ Arin red at me and moved her hand. ¡°You¡­ bad bastard.¡± With a whooshing sound, the distance between us instantly narrowed. It was the mark of Wind Push. I also threw myself back with only one circle open. The distance did not widen, maintaining the same gap. ¡®As expected.¡¯ As soon as I lowered my head, a hot fireball passed over my head. Arin had instantly conjured a fireball and thrown it at me. When I raised my head, I saw a spark ignite once again at Arin¡¯s fingertips. I also roughly created a fireball with one circle and threw it back at her. When the two fireballs collided, there was a loud bang, and sparks flew into the air. I grasped what had happened in that split second. Arin¡¯s fireball and my fireball had disappeared simultaneously. With that one collision, I confirmed that my intuition was not wrong. Arin was a woman of outstanding talent. As soon as a lull ensued, I opened one more circle. I conjured a me spear in my right hand and threw it at Arin. A me spear also emerged from Arin¡¯s hand. With another bang, sparks erupted in the air again. ¡®One more.¡¯ When I opened up to three circles, Arin¡¯s expression suddenly hardened. As I threw a Wind Cutter as if I were throwing it, Arin hurriedly unfolded an ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯. This time, cracks appeared in the shield. Following that, I opened up to four circles in my heart. Feeling the surge of mana, Arin made apletely different expression than before. ¡®Compression, Wind Press.¡¯ ¡°I said stop messing around!¡± Arin bit her lip in the middle of drawing a 4-star spell and hurriedly threw herself away. As ifpressed air were exploding, it swept past the spot where Arin had been standing. I nodded and looked at Arin. Definitely different. Arin¡¯s spells weakened as the star rating increased, and when they reached 4 stars, their power dropped to a mediocre level. Arin herself knew that, so she chose to evade. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can avoid this one too.¡± I chanted a short incantation once again and spoke to Arin. ¡°La¡¯s tail.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Chasing after it.¡± Anger filled Arin¡¯s eyes as she was about to dodge, and she started drawing a spell. The distance between the two of us was quite close. ir urgently tried to intervene, but Taylor grabbed him. Taylor quietly shook his head. Meanwhile, Arin¡¯s spell waspleted. 4-star, Fire Burst. The moment the mes exploded from Arin¡¯s front. I, with Wind Barrier d around my body, performed a headbutt. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a crashing sound, Arin, who had rolled three times in the air, copsed onto the ground. The 4-star explosion Arin had set off disappeared without a trace the moment it collided with me. It was a level inferior to Taylor, the Azure Dragon¡¯s Members, or even Bayern¡¯s Cyan. With this collision, I confirmed it for real. I thought it couldn¡¯t be, but the conclusion was there. The source of that strange feeling I had whenever I saw Arin¡­. ¡®It¡¯s the same.¡¯ An overwhelming talent for mana resonance. Despite this, the reason for this phenomenon was simple. She was walking the wrong path, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. At that moment, Taylor, who had been looking back and forth between Arin and me, approached with a hardened face. ¡°What did you confirm, Ruin?¡± I approached Arin, who was gasping for breath on the ground. ¡°Discard your Mana Core.¡± I spoke to Arin, who was ring at me with venomous eyes. ¡°Use Circles.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Arin spat out the blood in her mouth and gave a hollowugh. Taylor and ir¡¯s expressions also hardened coldly. * * * ¡°Get lost.¡± Arin, spitting out the blood that had pooled in her mouth, slowly raised herself. Taylor blocked Arin¡¯s path. ¡°Sit down, Arin.¡± Taylor slowly turned his head and looked across. ¡°What are you doing, Ruin?¡± ¡°Exactly as you see.¡± ¡°I misjudged you. You caused thismotion just to tell her to use Circles?¡± ¡°It¡¯s wrong to say ¡®just¡¯, fool.¡± ¡°If you act like this, how can we trust and follow you?¡± Taylor felt something hot boiling up inside him. ¡°You selfish bastard. Do you think everyone else is the same just because you are different? We told you we tried making Circles.¡± ¡°So?¡± Taylor slowly started walking. ¡°Don¡¯t mock Arin. Even if you noticed Arin¡¯s problem, nothing will change. Abandoning the right path and using Circles won¡¯t create talent that wasn¡¯t there.¡± Arin¡¯s expression, who had been listening, grew colder by the moment. Taylor muttered in a low voice. ¡°Answer me, Ruin.¡± ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Ruin, who had slowly walked over from the other side, looked down at Arin, ignoring Taylor. ¡°Open your Circles. Right now.¡± Arin let out a hollowugh. ¡°¡­.What do you know?¡± ¡°I know better than you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Arin¡¯s eyes were iparably cold, but anger was seething inside her. It was the first time in years that she had faced such intense emotions. A w she had hidden for so long. It was disgusting how he casually exposed it like a joke. ¡°Still messing around till the end.¡± Circles? She had already used them countless times long ago. Something like that couldn¡¯t solve her problems. ¡°Get up instead of sitting there like an idiot. Open your Circles.¡± ¡°I said shut up!¡± ¡°Then get hit more.¡± Suddenly, mana waves surged from Ruin¡¯s body. Arin hurriedly rolled on the ground. Bang¡ª mes swept past where she had been just a moment ago. The mana waves fluctuated more intensely. Arin hurriedly drew a spell. That bastard was serious. He was serious about doing this. It was at that moment that Taylor jumped in. ¡°I said stop it, Ruin!¡± With an enormous surge of mana, Taylor was thrown back. Arin suddenly felt goosebumps all over her body. ¡®What¡­¡¯ It was different from before. Arin definitely felt it. A strong mana wave that made all her nerves stand on end. ¡®At least 5-star level, no. Could it be 6-star¡­?¡¯ Taylor and ir were equally surprised. However, anger soon began to ze in Taylor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ugh!¡± The moment Taylor, spitting out a mouthful of blood, started drawing a spell, Ruin stopped walking and looked at her. Taylor red at Ruin and said, ¡°Stop now if you don¡¯t want to die together. Don¡¯t tarnish Samael¡¯s name. Don¡¯t force your uniqueness on us.¡± Suddenly, Ruin turned his head and looked at Taylor. ¡°You know Samael?¡± ¡°Th¡­¡± At that moment, Taylor¡¯s anger subsided involuntarily. He didn¡¯t know why. The moment he met Ruin¡¯s gaze, his anger was forcibly extinguished as if cold water had been poured over his head. Or to be a little more precise. He felt a chill. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to know with your shallow sense of justice, you brat. I know better than anyone what Samael was like. Don¡¯t force my uniqueness on you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can force it. Because you guys are also the damn Samael.¡± While Taylor stood frozen, Ruin approached Arin. ¡°Open it. I¡¯ll show you your talent.¡± As Ruin continued to press without stopping, Arin¡¯s suppressed emotions finally erupted. ¡°Fine, you bastard.¡± Wheeing¡ª Arin opened the Circles of her heart that she had created long ago. Like oiling rusty wheels, the Circles opened one by one, two, and then three, imbued with mana. ¡°Come at me, now.¡± Arin chanted and fired me Spears in session. It was at a level simr to when she drew them as spells. Fwoosh¡ª As Ruin stood still and only defended, Arin attacked him, firing a 3-Circle incantation. This time, it was even worse than a spell. Arin, catching her breath, scoffed and red at Ruin. ¡°What¡¯s different? What¡¯s my talent? Are Circles my talent? Is this what you meant by talent?¡± ¡°Yes. You have talent.¡± ¡°You know nothing and yet you keep¡­¡± ¡°I know. I know you better than you know yourself. Better than anyone else.¡± Arin was speechless. She felt the same. Suddenly, the moment she saw Ruin¡¯s expression, her heart sank. An inexplicable feeling of dejection. ¡°¡­.What?¡± ¡°You were born with it. You must have felt it yourself. But you must have been frustrated as you learned magic, right? Because mana wouldn¡¯t move as you wanted. That¡¯s not because you can¡¯t control mana. Everyone just misunderstood. You simply¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°ck the ability to sense elements.¡± Arin shuddered. He was right. Arin had guessed it too. Because the perfectly condensed mana only scattered at the moment it was converted into a spell. But what was she supposed to do about it? ¡°Attack again.¡± Arin shook her head and gritted her teeth again. Ruin only defended against Arin¡¯s attacks. The firmly condensed Wind Barrier did not allow a single attack to prate. Through it, Ruin¡¯s voice reached her. ¡°There was a guy like that in the past. He had no talent for all four elements, just like you. What do you think happened to him? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Arin met Ruin¡¯s eyes. An irresistible voice came. ¡°Open them all. I know you have one more.¡± ¡°You¡­ bastard!¡± Arin¡¯s eyes rolled back as she opened thest Circle. In that moment, she wasn¡¯t thinking about incantations or spells. All she could think about was shutting that mouth. That was the only thought in her mind¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± Suddenly, Arin felt an intense pain in her lower abdomen as her Mana core twisted. The mana that escaped her body mixed with the mana in the atmosphere and returned to the Circles of her heart, as if guided by someone. Moonlight reflected in Arin¡¯s chilling eyes, and madness swept over her. Arin threw a punch. Crack¡ª Bang¡ª For the first time, Ruin was pushed back a few steps. The center of his Wind barrier was caved in, and bright white sparks flickered around it. Taylor and ir stared at Arin with dumbfounded faces¡­ Suddenly, Ruin threw his head back and burst intoughter like a madman. ¡°As expected, it was lightning.¡± . . . ¡°Commander.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the kids.¡± ¡°They must be with the Patriarch.¡± While I was sitting cross-legged on a damp rock, I heard a voice again. ¡°We¡¯re left behind again. I think I blew off 30 heads this time.¡± Looking over, I saw Azeta stretching out his right hand, which had only two fingers left. It looked so pathetic that I couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You only have three even when you spread out all your fingers?¡± ¡°Cut the crap and tell me how many.¡± ¡°I think I crushed about 40.¡± I also stretched out my left hand, which only had four fingers left. At some point, we had started a bet on crushing demon heads, and usually, I would blow off 40 demon heads in one battle. My left hand with only four fingers left couldn¡¯t have been more efficient. Azeta said with augh. ¡°I lost again, damn it.¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you arguing for once?¡± ¡°You can tell just by looking. The traces of death are different.¡± I looked around and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s fill our stomachs first. We need to eat quickly and join the others.¡± ¡°Perfect for two.¡± Azeta licked his lips and picked up the wild boar lying below. It had been months since we had seen an uncontaminated one, so I was also looking forward to it. The surrounding scenery was enhanced by the corpses of demons with their heads blown off. This damn appetizing scenery made my mouth water. ¡®Good.¡¯ At the crackling sound, I hurriedly turned my head to see that one of the boar¡¯s hind legs was already ckened. ¡°Ah, that idiot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take it easy. You can¡¯t even handle fire. Are you trying to burn it all?¡± As if he had been waiting, Azeta tossed the boar to me. ¡°You do it then, Commander.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I felt really annoyed. I was momentarily pissed off, so I grabbed the boar¡¯s front leg and injected it with dark lightning. In an instant, with a whooshing sound, Azeta snatched the boar away. The front leg had already disappeared without a trace. ¡°Ah, this Crazy Commander really¡­¡± ¡°So I said take it easy, you fool.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± I nodded as I watched Azeta carefully handling the boar with his fingertips. ¡°Still, electric barbecue is better.¡± I continued to watch Azeta and suddenly let out a chuckle. It was quite funny to see the guy who used to shoot dozens of lightning bolts concentrating on a single boar. In the meantime, he kept burning the meat. ¡°Heh.¡± Once again, we were fools who couldn¡¯t do anything properly. The Commander didn¡¯t know how to handle mana properly, and the Vice-Commander only knew how to use lightning. Mages who couldn¡¯t even grill a boar properly¡­ Tsk. As I giggled while looking at the boar that was being ckened, Azeta also suddenly pointed at me and giggled. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Weughed like fools and then looked up at the sky at the same time. After a long time, the sunset was painted crimson red. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 103 Chapter 103: A Noble n (1) As soon as I returned to Urgon, I stopped in front of the main gate. Skeleton horses with zing blue eyes were lined up on both sides of the wide-open gate, and the Azure Dragon Magic Division and Red Phoenix Magic Division were arrayed to the left and right. Unlike usual, they were all dressed in formal attire. ¡®Who¡¯sing?¡¯ Beyond the gate, in the manor¡¯s courtyard, the n Head Balkan stood with his hands behind his back, and elderly men who appeared to be Urgon¡¯s elders upied the spaces beside him. The special forces were also clinging to Balkan¡¯s back like shadows. It was a formation as if they were weing someone with all the etiquette due to the n. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Seeing them gathered like this, Urgon looked different. It felt like the n¡¯s power was on disy. There weren¡¯t any particrly noteworthy individuals, but there weren¡¯t any who looked third-rate either. Indeed, gathering mediocre individuals together does increase their presence. No matter what it is, I¡¯m someone who wees gathering things together. It¡¯s more satisfying to crush them when they¡¯re all in one ce. I walked a few steps along the guideline to the right of the main gate and suddenly turned around, feeling a sense of emptiness. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°How long are you going to space out?¡± Only then did the three of them awkwardly start walking. ¡°Get a grip.¡± They¡¯d been like this sincest night. Whether they didn¡¯t sleep a wink or what, their faces had turned gray in a single day. Unexpectedly, Arin was rtively calm. Her gait was stable, and her breathing was even. The icy gaze she used to give me had also mostly disappeared. Arriving at the entrance of the annex, I turned and spoke to the three of them. ¡°Pull yourselves together, now.¡± As we stepped inside, there were quite a few people on the first floor. As we took a seat at a table, a familiar attendant approached. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Young Master.¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°We see each other often. Bring me something to drink.¡± Looking around, the atmosphere here was a bit strange too. The monkeys were all excitedly chatting amongst themselves. The attendant, who had been busily moving around, finally approached us again after a long while. ¡°It¡¯s absolute chaos today.¡± ¡°Why is the atmosphere like this?¡± ¡°I heard that some high-ranking people areing.¡± ¡°Who are these high-ranking people?¡± The attendant shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m curious too. Yesterday, they were cleaning and organizing the manor all day. It¡¯s never been like this before.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be going now. I have a lot to do.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± I suddenly looked at therge container the attendant had left behind andughed. ¡°I asked for something to drink, and he brought alcohol again.¡± Inside the iron container, filled with ice, was a bottle of alcohol. The same cold, strong liquor he always brought. ¡°Does he think I¡¯m a drunkard?¡± I opened the stopper, and a fruity aroma wafted up. At that moment, a familiar man from a group standing a little distance away approached and acknowledged us. ¡°So, Taylor and ir have returned as well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I red at the two of them. Their pupils seemed a bit unfocused, so I blew on my middle finger and flicked it towards them. ¡°Haah!¡± Suddenly, Taylor hurriedly gulped down the liquor and then, grabbing ir¡¯s chin, poured some into his mouth. Gradually, their eyes regained focus. ¡°Taylor? ir?¡± ¡°Ah, greetings. We were lost in thought for a moment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Alvin, isn¡¯t it?¡± The unremarkable man responded with a smile. ¡°You¡¯rete. We thought you weren¡¯ting.¡± ¡°Of course we woulde. The atmosphere seems a bit strange. What¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing ir respond so casually, it seemed like he hade to his senses. Meanwhile, as I carefully observed Alvin, he gave an awkwardugh. ¡°Ah, Ruin is here as well. I apologize for thest time. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to greet you because I was conscious of Urgon¡¯s presence.¡± As if my inner thoughts had been exposed, I waved my hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m not so narrow-minded. Go on with your conversation.¡± Alvin spoke with a serious expression. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t heard. Today, a VIP is scheduled to visit Urgon.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t know who it is?¡± Elvin shook his head. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t tell us. From the afternoon onwards, ess to the main gate will be restricted.¡± ¡°So, in short, they¡¯re telling us to stay cooped up here.¡± Perhaps my voice was a bit too loud. The surrounding gazes gathered on me. A man suddenly stepped forward into the center and spoke. ¡°Frankly, I think this is a bit much. Just how important are these visitors that they would neglect us like this? Even if it is Urgon, this is too much.¡± I quickly looked around. Many people seemed to agree. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That makes sense. He has a point.¡± As if waiting for this moment, Walter stepped forward. ¡°I have a hunch about this.¡± All eyes immediately focused on Walter. ¡°If it¡¯s Walter¡¯s opinion, it must be reliable. Tell us quickly.¡± I also looked at Walter. This was the man who knew about Samael. After savoring the attention and building suspense, Walter began to speak. ¡°Firstly, it won¡¯t be a n from the Quebec region. It¡¯s also not a ce we haven¡¯t heard of, right? For Urgon to be this cautious, it must be a n at least on par with them. I¡¯m sure you all have guessed this much.¡± Heads nodded here and there. ¡°¡­It¡¯s likely a ce that has had little interaction with Urgon before. Usually, during a first visit, it¡¯smon to disy the n¡¯s power. Almost all of Urgon¡¯s mages are stationed at the main gate. Controlling us is probably to avoid unnecessary conflict. I have a feeling it might be a somewhat dangerous group.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°Considering the purpose of this gathering, it must be one of the groups from the eastern part of the continent. And among them, there¡¯s one that recently visited Shan Kris. I¡¯m almost certain.¡± At that moment, the faces of some who seemed to have realized something turned pale. Walter nced at Argain and Gaby and then, with a meaningful smile, said, ¡°The Death Sword Guild.¡± Gasps erupted from all around, followed by a flurry of questions. ¡°Are you referring to the Death Sword Guild, the one where all those fearsome swordsmen gather?¡± ¡°I heard they¡¯re so secretive that hardly anything is known about them.¡± As people flocked towards Walter, I inwardly chuckled. Seeing how their naming conventions remained so consistent, past and present, confirmed my suspicions. ¡®So, the Life Sword Guild has be the Death Sword Guild.¡¯ I picked up the bottle and rose from the table. Taylor and ir looked at me simultaneously. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To meditate. You guys enjoy yourselves and then go upstairs to rest. I don¡¯t think anything useful wille from staying here.¡± Entering my room, Iy down on the soft bedding and took a nap. Then, after a sip of the strong liquor, I began to meditate. This was my first attempt at meditating while under the influence of alcohol, and it wasn¡¯t bad. While focusing on sensing mana, asionally my mind would wander due to the alcohol, but it was alright. Rather, it was good. The ultimate goal of meditation is to achieve a state of ¡°Emptiness,¡± a state of no-thought. A state where you forget yourself, forget the rat, forget everything, and naturally be one with mana. It¡¯s not for nothing that sages seeking enlightenment favor meditation. I have no intention of bing a sage, but I do intend to be a madman. Extremes meet, so they say. If I diligently meditate, I¡¯ll be a splendidly mad mage. After meditating for a while, I opened my circle and fully extended my senses. Someone was loitering near my room. Judging by their qi, it was Arin. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Arin hesitated like a puppy needing to poop and then¡­ returned to her room. I gradually expanded the range of my senses. I could feel Taylor and ir¡¯s qi, and even the faint traces of those unremarkable monkeys gathered on the first floor. Beyond that, I felt nothing. That was currently the limit of my sensory range. Then, at a certain moment¡­ I felt a faint vibration. An energy pushing in from outside. ¡°They¡¯ve arrived.¡± Thebined force emitted by Urgon¡¯s mages at the main gate was affecting even this distant location. I stopped meditating and picked up the half-empty bottle. Looking out the window, the sky was already dark. Lost in old memories, I drank alone, and when I came to my senses, there was amotion outside. Just as I was about to teach a lesson to whoever was causing such a ruckus in the middle of the night, the sun shone brightly. ¡°Time flies.¡± I had meditated until nightfall, and in the blink of an eye, morning had arrived. There¡¯s a man here who has discarded the concept of time and entertains himself well alone. That¡¯s me. Knock, knock¡ª At the sound of knocking, I went outside to find Taylor and ir standing there. ¡°The chief steward told us to gather at the training grounds.¡± I looked from side to side and replied, ¡°Where¡¯s Arin?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen her. It¡¯s strange; she never wakes upte. Could she still be in her room?¡± I knocked on Arin¡¯s door across from mine, but there was no response. I could sense her qi, so she seemed to be inside¡­ ¡°Is she still asleep?¡± Bang, bang¡ª Suddenly, a whimpering sound came from within the room, and Taylor and ir exchanged nces. ¡°Open it.¡± As ir was forcibly turning the doorknob, the door burst open. Arin appeared, her eyes narrowed. ¡°What is it?¡± ir responded, flustered, ¡°Ah, sorry. We thought something might have happened. We should probably head out.¡± ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll follow.¡± Arin walked back into her room with awkward steps and mmed the door shut. I carefully observed Arin¡¯s behavior and then let out a chuckle. ¡°Looks like she had a leg cramp.¡± *** The attendant guided us to the spectator seats in the arena. Arin, who had followed us, sat down next to me, and soon the seats were packed with people. ¡°The atmosphere is tense.¡± No one wasughing or chatting. Urgon¡¯s mage corps emanated a sharp aura in front of the head table, and behind it, swordsmen I¡¯d never seen before were lined up. Finally, n Head Balkan and Elder Parin appeared at the head table. Balkan, with everyone¡¯s attention on him, began to speak. ¡°There are some people I¡¯d like to introduce to you. They¡¯vee from afar to celebrate this gathering. Please excuse me for not informing you beforehand. I received confirmation ratherte.¡± Balkan nced around the quiet audience and then nodded with a pleased expression. ¡°Personally, I¡¯m deeply moved that they were able to join us, even if it¡¯s a bitte. I hope you all share my sentiment. Let me introduce them. They are from the Death Sword Guild.¡± ¡°As expected!¡± At that, exmations erupted simultaneously from the audience, and everyone looked towards the head table with a mix of excitement and tension. Two women dressed in ck martial attire slowly ascended to the head table. Both wore scabbards at their waists, and one of them looked familiar. ¡°There she is.¡± The woman I had seen at Kris Beer. Celestine took her seat at the end of the head table, followed by a slightly older woman who sat in the second seat. The murmuring in the audience grew louder. ¡°As expected, their aura is chilling. I¡¯ve heard that the swordswomen of the Death Sword Guild are incredibly cold-hearted.¡± ¡°But is the Death Sword Guild really that significant?¡± ¡°For n Head Balkan to show them such respect?¡± While n Head Balkan was nervously facing the woman from the Death Sword Guild, the women appeared rxed. Elder Parin also rose from his seat and greeted them. ¡°Even if the Death Sword Guild is doing well, this is strange.¡± ¡°Perhaps those two are simply being given special treatment?¡± ¡°Idiots.¡± I identally spoke my thoughts aloud. As people around me stared, I quickly looked to the right and said, ¡°Someone called them idiots. I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Seeing my expression, everyone seemed to let it slide. As expected, my acting is top-notch. Anyway, whether it¡¯s the Death Sword Guild, the Life Sword Guild, or even a ¡°raw fish guild,¡± that¡¯s not important. Judging from their reactions, Balkan and Parin already seem to be aware. The name changes every time, but the essence remains the same. The Death Sword Guild is merely one of the many organizations within the n, meant to conceal the identities of their disciples and allow them to gain experience. Come to think of it, is this the first time in this life that I¡¯m encountering a n I know? ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯ One of the Six Noble ns that have supported the continent for ages. The ck Lotus. The House of Ardehain. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 104 Chapter 104: A Noble n (2) East, West, South, North, and above and below. The title bestowed upon the ns that have protected the six directions of the continent for ages: the Noble ns. A woman who had shown interest in me in the past once said this: ¡°Protecting the six directions, isn¡¯t that so cool?¡± She might have thought so, but I didn¡¯t. ¡°What¡¯s so cool about it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re socking in sentimentality, Oppa.¡± ¡°You¡¯re disappointed by just that?¡± ¡°Oppa, are you fucking kidding me?¡± Embarrassed at having her disappointment exposed, the woman left as she was. But it was fine. I had no intention of changing my mind. As is often the case with those who love to give names, the idea of protecting the six directions was just childish nonsense. The Noble ns were simply six ns geographically located in the east, west, south, north, and center of the continent. Of course, the influence of the Noble ns was immense. Among them, the Ardehain n, located in the eastern part of the continent. With their reclusive nature and limited interaction with the outside world except forbat, they were a n not well known to the general public, even among the Noble ns. However, the power they possessed rivaled the strongest among the Noble ns. I was certain the moment I saw Celestine¡¯s swordsmanship. Setting aside the rarity of seeing someone use a flexible sword, my body was reacting to her unrefined swordsmanship. *** I fell into deep thought as I looked at the women at the head table. All daughters of the Ardehain n undergo a process of concealing their n¡¯s name and engaging in external activities. The Death Sword Guild was one of the secret organizations for such individuals. Considering her age, Celestine¡¯s presence made sense. ¡®But what about that woman?¡¯ The problem was that I couldn¡¯t figure out the identity of the woman next to her. She appeared to be at least thirty years old. At that age, she should have graduated from the Death Sword Guild long ago. Furthermore, the Ardehain n was a n where women held the real power. If she was over thirty, she should have been assigned to a formal organization within the n¡­ I carefully observed Balkan¡¯s every action towards the woman for a moment and came to a conclusion. ¡®She¡¯s likely a mid-rankingmander of an external organization or a low-rankingmander of an internal organization.¡¯ Why did the Ardehain n appear here? They wouldn¡¯t move just because Urgon invited them. The pride of the Noble ns was beyond imagination. It was only natural. They were ns in such a position. A tingling excitement ran through me as I realized how much I didn¡¯t know. *** Time passed, and the excitement in the audience subsided somewhat. The chief steward, who had appeared at some point, casually drew attention to himself. ¡°Thank you for waiting. We shall resume thepetition. It¡¯s nearing its end, so I¡¯m quite excited myself. Without further ado, let¡¯s begin. As I mentioned, thepetition format is a duel.¡± I felt a strange chill when the chief steward said ¡°duel.¡± Taylor and ir must have felt the same way, as they looked at the chief steward. ¡°Something feels off.¡± Several people in the audience, sensing an opportunity, eagerly leaped forward. They likely saw this as a good chance to make a name for themselves, given the attention focused on the arena. The first to set foot in the arena was Pretel. The head of the Azure Dragon Magic Division, who was acting as the referee, dered, ¡°The rest of you, return to your seats. Pretel, choose your opponent.¡± I instinctively nced towards the area where Pretel had been seated. Pretel¡¯s father was pping with a proud expression. ¡®What remarkable parental love.¡¯ Pretel gave a thumbs-up to his father, then looked around the audience and shouted, ¡°The one I dare to challenge to a duel today is the eldest son of Urgon, Libre!¡± Gasps arose from the audience, and with a pping sound, Libre, who had been near the head table, soared into the air. Landing in the arena with an even more impressive posture than before, Libre faced his opponent. Pretel looked around the audience and proimed, ¡°Respected Head of the Urgon n, Elder Parin, and esteemed guests, including those from the Death Sword Guild, I am Pretel of the Leverin n. I consider it an honor to cross swords with Young Master Libre at this meaningful event.¡± His voice sounded as if he were reciting a prepared speech. Libre replied with a faint smile, ¡°Thank you for your kind words. Shall we begin then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Beep¡ª At the referee¡¯s whistle, Libre dashed towards Pretel. Before Pretel could even draw his sword, Libre thrust out a fist enveloped in ice. ¡°Ugh!¡± Pushed back, Pretel hurriedly opened his mana core. His face was filled with panic. Pretel leaped high into the air. Merciless ice des swept through the space where he had been. ¡°Y-Young Master?¡± The duels until now hadn¡¯t deviated much from sparring matches. However, this time was different. Pretel, who nearly had his ankle sliced, felt a chill run down his spine. At that moment, a powerful mana wave surged through the arena. ¡°Frost Arm!¡± The ice concentrated in Libre¡¯s right arm pierced a hole through Pretel¡¯s abdomen like an icicle and soared upwards. Thud¡ª ¡°Agh!¡± Pretel copsed on the ground, vomiting blood. A deep wound gaped in his abdomen, and ck blood trickled from his mouth. It was clear at a nce that his internal injuries were severe. ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell over the audience. This was the first time such a brutal match had urred. The duel waspletely different from the rxed matches that had taken ce so far. I nced at the head table and then back at the arena. Urgon¡¯s response had changed as soon as the Ardehain n appeared. Could this be a coincidence? ¡°It seems things are about to get interesting. Everyone, pay close attention from now on.¡± Taylor and ir replied in low voices. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°The atmosphere has changed.¡± Someone in the audience abruptly stood up. ¡°¡­W-What is the meaning of this!¡± It was Pretel¡¯s father. He red at Libre with a mixture of bewilderment and rage. The head of the Azure Dragon Magic Division met his gaze with an indifferent expression. ¡°The duel was conducted fairly. Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°How can this be a fair duel! Wasn¡¯t it clearly stated that this was apetition for exchange and harmony? Young Master Libre, exin yourself! What is the meaning of this!¡± The chief steward intervened. ¡°I clearly stated that it was a duel. Such situations aremonce in duels. Moreover, Pretel was the one who challenged Young Master Libre first.¡± ¡°Are you joking! Even so, there¡¯s a limit! It¡¯s not like they didn¡¯t know the difference in their abilities. Why did he have to injure my son to such an extent?¡± Pretel¡¯s father, trembling with rage, looked towards the head table and shouted, ¡°n Head Balkan! Exin yourself!¡± In an instant, the gazes of Urgon¡¯s magic divisions focused on him, and Pretel¡¯s father, finally realizing his situation, shuddered. Balkan let out a hollowugh. ¡°How unsightly, Head of the Leverin n. What do you expect me to say? Do you want me to say that your son shouldn¡¯t have been injured?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Pretel¡¯s father, unable to utter another word, sank back into his seat. His lips trembled with unspoken words. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ I suddenly felt a sense of unease. Seeing the consequences of excessive parental love left me feeling ufortable. The head of the Urgon n nced at both sides of the head table and then addressed the audience again. ¡°Out of concern, let me remind you once more of the meaning of a duel. Such incidents aremonce in duels. They are also part of the growing process. I hope there will be no moreints like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His words were vague, making it difficult to argue against them. Some harbored resentment, but no one dared to defy the head of the Urgon n. Taking advantage of the chaotic atmosphere, Libre nominated his next opponent. ¡°I choose ir of Samael.¡± Before I could say anything, Taylor spoke first. ¡°ir.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s something going on. Don¡¯t try to finish it quickly; just drag out the duel as long as possible. If anything happens, I¡¯ll step in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ir¡¯s words were urate. ir exchanged blows with Libre for a while, and as soon as the atmosphere seemed to turn serious, he immediately dered his surrender. His timing was so exquisite that neither Libre nor Urgon could object. However, I couldn¡¯t shake off a certain suspicion. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It seems like Libre held back first.¡± I nodded at Taylor¡¯s words. ¡°You have a keen eye. You¡¯re right.¡± Just as ir hadn¡¯t intended to fight seriously from the beginning¡­ It was clear that Taylor had also nned to hold back from the start. Before ir dered his surrender, Libre¡¯s mana fluctuations had already subsided. Hardly anyone noticed this. As proof, unexpected murmurs rippled through the audience once again. Unlike with Pretel, the duel hadsted a long time, so ir¡¯s evaluation soared. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the head table. The Ardehain n and Elder Parin seemed uninterested in the duel. I carefully observed the head of the Urgon n. He showed no change in expression. ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ The duels that followed unfolded in a peculiar manner. When a clueless monkey challenged a member of the Red Phoenix Magic Division to a duel and was carried out on a stretcher with a broken leg, no one else dared to step forward. Only Taylor, Arin, and ir each had one more duel against Urgon¡¯s mages. I closely observed the matches, and amusingly enough, all three of them emerged victorious. The reason I use the word ¡°amusingly¡± is that their opponents surrendered first at odd moments. It was quiteical. Those who had been attacking as if they were trying to kill their opponents suddenly went easy on us when it was our turn. Even amidst all this, no one challenged me. I don¡¯t know if they were deliberately avoiding me or if they deemed me unworthy, but I haven¡¯t been chosen once. It was probably thetter. As I reviewed the duels from today and the past, I became certain. The oue of all these duels was ultimately¡­ ¡­to elevate Samael. ¡°This is truly amazing. Even though the Red Phoenix Magic Division is fighting seriously, they¡¯re not losing.¡± ¡°It seems Young Master Libre wasn¡¯t exaggerating when he praised Taylor.¡± ¡°Young Master ir is also quite formidable.¡± It was clear that Urgon had orchestrated this entire situation. Suddenly, I felt another burning gaze and looked towards the opposite side of the audience. La had been ring at me countless times, and each time, I responded with a bright smile and a nod. ¡®That seductive woman.¡¯ As the sun began to set, the chief steward climbed onto the tform and announced, ¡°What a feast for the eyes today has been. Such a day cannot beplete without a feast. Tonight, a grand banquet has been prepared in the banquet hall. Everyone, please proceed to the banquet hall.¡± I looked back and said quietly, ¡°You guys go ahead.¡± Taylor lowered his voice and asked, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to start my n in earnest.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°They¡¯re hiding their true intentions, so I need to uncover them. How dare they deceive me?¡± ¡°Tell me what you¡¯ve noticed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to find out now. I don¡¯t think the Ardehain n came here for no reason either.¡± ¡°The Arde¡­ what?¡± When Taylor and ir¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, I put my index finger to my lips. ¡°I¡¯ll exinter, so just do as I say for now. You guys try to sense anything unusual at the banquet hall.¡± Since everyone had felt a sense of unease today, they nodded without a word. ¡°Be careful, Ruin.¡± I pretended to leave the spectator stands with the others and then slipped into the passageway. After a long time, I touched the artifact hidden in my chest. I circled back through the passage and exited on the other side of the stands. Urgon¡¯s mage corps was just leaving the arena. I looked around and naturally joined the end of the crowd. *** I blended into the crowd and headed in the opposite direction of the annex. This was a restricted area, essible only to family members. It was where Urgon¡¯s main building was located. Lingering at the edge of the crowd, I cleared my throat at an opportune moment. ¡°Ahem!¡± The low-ranking man walking ahead turned around and his eyes widened. I beckoned him closer and prepared myself for any unexpected situation. One of the principles of a mad mage is to quickly prepare the next move if discovered. ¡°Did you call for me, Leader Bakken?¡± [TL/N: I am not sure if he is in the same ranks like Cliff (Azure Dragon Magic Squad Leader) The rank of this person is not clear, so it could change in the future as i get more context (n if it does change i¡¯ll add a tl/n)] I put away the forehead slingshot I had been preparing. Fortunately, ¡°Magnus¡¯ Illusion¡± seemed to be working well. I asked as concisely as possible, ¡°Where did the members of the Death Sword Guild go?¡± The man replied without suspicion, ¡°They entered the main building with the n Head.¡± ¡°Be more specific.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± When I raised an eyebrow and questioned him, the man hurriedly corrected his posture. Even while facing me so closely, he didn¡¯t notice anything strange. It seemed the artifact¡¯s effectiveness had improved along with my own strength. ¡°Ah, I apologize. Three members of the Death Sword Guild ¡°You may go.¡± As the man left, I paused and pondered. I didn¡¯t ask any further questions, just in case my tone betrayed me. I was currently disguised as Bakken, Squad leader of the Red Phoenix Magic Division. It would have been cleaner to disguise myself as the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, whom I had already spoken with, but I couldn¡¯t do that now. For some reason, the Azure Dragon Squad Leader hadn¡¯t shown himself throughout the entirepetition. It was best to avoid any unnecessary suspicion. I started walking naturally, reying the conversation in my mind. ¡®Three members of the Death Sword Guild?¡¯ I had only seen two. First, Celestine. Second, the mysterious woman. Of course, there were a few other swordsmen who came with them, but judging from the circumstances, it didn¡¯t seem like he was referring to them. ¡®There¡¯s one more.¡¯ There was one more member of the Ardehain n who hadn¡¯t shown themselves in the arena. ¡­Who could it be? I couldn¡¯t help but be intrigued. Urgon, the Blue Magic Tower, and the Ardehain n. I was curious what kind of conversation this unexpectedbination was having. I lingered near the main building for a moment, but since I couldn¡¯t make a quick decision, I just went inside. Hesitating would only be detrimental in this situation. As soon as I passed through the main entrance, I felt a strange sensation sweeping over me. A magic barrier that detected illusion magic. A man who appeared to be in charge of administration checked my face and bowed his head. It probably meant I had passed. I nodded naturally and went inside. To begin with, unless it was a sacred object like ¡°Luminous,¡± ordinary detection magic couldn¡¯t detect Magnus¡¯ Illusion. I took the stairs, choosing a route as far away from others as possible. If someone wasing down from the upper floor, I would momentarily hide behind a pir. When I encountered someone, I walked with my chest puffed out. As I stealthily ascended, there were fewer and fewer people. The tension gradually mounted. The reason I was climbing the stairs was simple. Generally, the n Head resided on the top floor. When I reached the final floor, special forces members in ck uniforms were stationed throughout the hallway. I momentarily opened another circle and then immediately closed it. They might notice it from inside. ¡®Three on the ceiling, and there¡¯s also a swordsman.¡¯ Urgon¡¯s special forces and an Ardehain swordsman were guarding a single room. All the key figures were gathered inside. ¡°¡­Are they still in a meeting? It might be better toe backter.¡± I turned around, muttering to myself naturally. This wasn¡¯t a situation where I could eavesdrop on their conversation. For now, what I had confirmed was enough. But as I turned the corner of the hallway, I made eye contact with someone. ¡°Leader Bakken?¡± ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The moment our eyes met, I instinctively knew. This was the head of the special forces. I pressed myself against the wall and met his gaze. ¡°What brings you here, Leader Bakken?¡± In that split second, I observed his indifferent eyes, expression, and posture, and decided how to respond. ¡°I came here because the n Head gave me a separate order. I¡¯lle backter.¡± The special forces head tilted his head. ¡°What order?¡± I was about to reply, but after seeing his gaze, I changed my words. ¡°I apologize. I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± From his unchanging, indifferent expression, I realized that my answer didn¡¯t seem strange to him. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going then.¡± As I turned and slipped past him, the man called out from behind, ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your voice sounds a bit strange.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come closer.¡± ¡°Why are you asking me toe closer¡­ Never mind.¡± The man approached me. He was a strange man who told me toe closer but then approached me himself. I was about to point that out, but I stopped myself. I quickly stepped back, but the man eventually grabbed my cor. My heart pounded. My heart thumped. Suddenly, I felt like eating some chewy meat, and my mouth watered. As I gulped, the man suddenly smiled. ¡®I¡¯ve been caught.¡¯ Now that things hade to this, there was nothing I could do. The man¡¯s hand reached inside my cor. I prepared to open the circle in my heart and red at him. I nned to kill him in an instant and run before my identity was revealed. ¡®3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second.¡¯ That was the moment. ¡°Why are you so tense?¡± Suddenly, the man started adjusting my clothes and then nodded in satisfaction. ¡°There are outsiders here. This isn¡¯t like you. No matter how insignificant they are, appearances are important, aren¡¯t they? You may go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I slid down the stairs. I felt a strange gaze from behind, but fortunately, I wasn¡¯t caught. *** After exiting the main building, I wandered around the inner courtyard and hid in the corner of a secluded building. At first, I was tense, but gradually boredom set in. I waited a long time, but there was no sign of activity. ¡°This is boring.¡± Suddenly, I smelled something delicious and looked around the corner. A few small white dogs had unexpectedly appeared. ¡®Where the hell did these dogse from?¡¯ Looking closely, they were cute females. As I was waving them away, a ck dog emerged from behind. A proud, ck dog. Therge ck dog naturally pushed its way between the white females and then suddenly red at me. From its eyes, it looked like a fighting dog. ¡°Woof!¡± Not wanting to cause amotion, I quickly ran in the opposite direction. After running for a while, I looked back and saw the ck dog, surrounded by the females, with its shoulders raised high, looking at me with disdain. It felt like the gaze of a male who had won a matingpetition, which made me feel extremely annoyed. I¡¯ll remember you, you ck dog. Even in the midst of enemy territory, there¡¯s a man burning with a desire for revenge against a dog. That¡¯s me. Suddenly, sensing amotion from the main gate, I ducked down. ¡®They¡¯reing out.¡¯ I hid behind some nearbyndscaping and focused my attention. Two women walked out and headed left. Shortly after, someone who appeared to be Elder Parin and the n Head walked out and headed right. Following them¡­ A thin man came outst and joined the group on the right. That was him. He was from the Ardehain n. ¡®But a man?¡¯ It was rare for a man to hold an important position in the Ardehain n. This was natural, as most of their swordsmen were women. I put aside my thoughts for now and focused on the man¡¯s movements. Elder Parin and the mysterious man walked side by side, and the n Head followed behind them. I could see the man¡¯s face clearly. He didn¡¯t look very old. I stared at the man a bit more closely and then suddenly came to my senses. The direction the three of them were approaching¡­ ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It was exactly where I was hiding. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 105 Chapter 105: Urgon¡¯s Scheme For a fleeting moment, I contemted my options a hundred times over. Should I pretend I didn¡¯t see them and run? Run fast? Run slow? On two legs? On all fours? But would feigning ignorance even work? It seems toote to escape now. Should I just casually greet them? Nod my head? Salute? But what if they see through my act while I¡¯m greeting them? Should I just stay still and do nothing? Pretend to be sick? Sit in meditation? Or should I just reveal my identity and see what happens? It felt like all these thoughts raced through my mind in less than a second. See? This is the brainpower of a crazy mage. But even with this incredible mental agility, I couldn¡¯t find an answer. In times like these, the best course of action is to follow your gut. Just as I was about to feign unconsciousness and copse on the ground, the three people approaching me abruptly changed direction. I peeked at them and saw they were slowly moving towards theke, following a path to the right. ¡®Huh.¡¯ As expected, a way out always appears when you ponder your options. Watching the three figures walk away in a line sparked my curiosity. If I left them alone, I knew I¡¯d be tossing and turning all night, wondering what they were up to. Like a spy on the battlefield, I swiftly surveyed my surroundings, assessing the situation. The three individuals strolled towards theke, while a few members of the special forces trailed behind them, seemingly acting as escorts. Scanning the area, my eyes settled on a thicket near the right side of theke. I deliberately stood up, acting as if lost in thought, and walked towards theke. After loitering around and observing the situation, I dashed into the thicket. Thud¡ª Fortunately, no one noticed. The problem was¡­ ¡®Ugh, the fishy smell.¡¯ An unexpected, overpowering fishy odor emanating from the thicket made it hard to bear. It almost smelled like urine. I suddenly felt a newfound respect for La. Pinching my nose, I skirted around the bushes, moving forward. After trailing them for a while, I nced to the left and spotted the special forces¡¯ profiles through the foliage. A little ahead of them walked the three figures. Elder Parin likely possessed the sharpest senses among them. He ranked higher than Balkan, and the person from Ardehain probably didn¡¯t have any mana. I crept closer, step by step, stopping just before I could sense Elder Parin¡¯s presence. ¡°¡­¡± No voices could be heard, so I focused on their actions. Elder Parin and the mysterious man walked side by side, while Lord Balkan followed a few steps behind. ¡®Is Elder Parin close with the Ardehain guy?¡¯ There seemed to be no awkwardness between them. Considering Elder Parin¡¯s high standing, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he was acquainted with someone from a vassal family. He seemed to know a fair bit about the man, even from our brief encounter over the braised carp. However, the seriousness of their expressions bothered me. ¡®This is strange.¡¯ I wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation, but getting any closer might alert Elder Parin or Lord Balkan. Maintaining a thrillingly precarious distance, I slowly followed them. After a while, the mysterious man turned back, leaving only Lord Balkan and Elder Parin. As Balkan and Parin walked side by side, the wind over theke grew stronger. Faint voices drifted towards me, carried by the wind. ¡°¡­Are you alright¡­?¡± ¡°That cannot be.¡± I couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying. Iy t on my stomach and began to crawl forward. Whoosh¡ª A sharp leaf grazed my cheek. ¡°¡­Still¡­¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Ipletely shut my nose and mouth, focusing all my attention on their conversation. Sometimes, my intuition res up sharply. While I was peering through the thick bushes, Elder Parin¡¯s voice suddenly grew louder. ¡°Lord Balkan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you even understand what you¡¯re saying right now?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Balkan stopped mid-sentence and abruptly turned his gaze towards me. Simultaneously, I sensed someone approaching from close range. Balkan spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I sensed a presence, so I¡¯ll investigate, my lord.¡± I had been so focused on the two of them that I lost track of the special forces. The presence gradually drew nearer. In that split second, my mind raced frantically. A voice belonging to one of the special forces members came from right behind me. ¡°It seems to be around here.¡± ¡°Check it out.¡± Having made up my mind, I rubbed my chest once and ced both hands on the ground. It was a bit embarrassing, but I believed in the crazy mage. If I don¡¯t believe in myself, who will? The best course of action was¡­ This. *** ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± The subordinate, who had been searching the area where the presence was felt, looked at his superior with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°A dog?¡± The captain of the special forces let out an emptyugh. ¡°Looks like Aufen came all the way here to mark his territory.¡± One of the subordinates, watching the canine tear through the bushes at incredible speed, replied, ¡°It¡¯s a fighting dog, so it must have a wide territory.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Lord¡¯s beloved dog. Although, it has a problem with peeing everywhere. It smells strongly here, too.¡± Lord Balkan, observing from a distance, asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The captain responded, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, my lord. It was just Aufen.¡± ¡°Aufen came all the way here?¡± Just then, a loud bark echoed from afar. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The captain turned to walk back towards the Lord, then suddenly tilted his head. ¡°That bark sounds a bit strange.¡± One of the sharp-eared subordinates agreed. ¡°It almost sounds like a person imitating a dog¡¯s bark.¡± Another subordinate chimed in, ¡°It¡¯s like a person imitating a dog, and then a dog imitating that person.¡± ¡°Quiet. Let¡¯s go.¡± * * * Having sprinted back to the main building in one breath, I panted like a dog, gasping for air. I had just realized a crucial fact. Humans are faster on all fours than on two legs. Today, I broke free from my preconceptions. If it weren¡¯t for this urgent situation, I wouldn¡¯t have thought of disguising myself as a dog. A man capable of transcending species and assuming the form of a canine¡­ This was the true value of ¡°Magnus¡¯ Illusion.¡± Even the Sword Saint wouldn¡¯t have thought of this. It was embarrassing, but it didn¡¯t matter. The important thing was that I wasn¡¯t caught. As a practical man, I felt a sense of aplishment. Anyway, I was currently a dog. Since I was near the main building, there were people around. I couldn¡¯t undo the illusion here. I had to find a deserted ce first. As I was heading towards a secluded spot, just like before, to revert back to my human form, a group of female white dogs appeared from around the corner. ¡°Woof?¡± Following them, a majestic ck dog emerged and, upon seeing me, widened its eyes. As our eyes met, we exchanged a fierce aura. ¡°Woof!¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Without hesitation, both the ck dog and I barked and lunged at each other. I opened my circle, circting mana and channeling it towards my mouth. A dog must fight like a dog. With mes gathering around my mouth, I bit down on the ck dog¡¯s neck. Crunch¡ª Sparks flew, and the ck dog, its neck now burned, yelped and ran away. Victory was mine. Feeling a sense of aplishment, I was about to transform back into Baekun, the captain, when I sensed another presence nearby. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ I quickly dashed away on all fours and hid around the opposite corner. A woman appeared, and upon seeing the female white dogs, stopped to observe them. ¡®Celestine?¡¯ She even sat down and started ying with the white dogs. Since I was trapped in a dead end, I had no choice but to wait for Celestine to leave. After watching her for a long time with no sign of her leaving, I felt like I was wasting time. ¡®Let¡¯s meditate.¡¯ Regardless of the situation, there was a man who could meditate even as a dog. And that man was me. Just as I was about to assume the position and close my eyes¡­ Through my blurring vision, I saw a lotus flower drawn on the scabbard of Celestine¡¯s sword. As if struck by a thunderbolt, my eyes flew open. The lotus was red. ¡®A direct descendant of Ardehain?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes. If the old traditions hadn¡¯t changed, this was undoubtedly a symbol proving her direct lineage to the Ardehain n. Among the countless swordsmen of Ardehain, it was bestowed only upon the bloodline of the lord. The red lotus, signifying the talent to lead Ardehain, inherited through the blood of the lord. Forgetting about meditation, I stared at Celestine. Looking at her now, she did resemble him a bit. ¡°¡­¡± It was only after a considerable time had passed that Celestine finally left to walk the white dog. I also returned to my human form and quietly slipped out of the manor. *** It had been an entertaining and informative time in many ways. As I headed towards the banquet hall, I organized the questions that arose from my little adventure. First question. Who was the man from Ardehain? Ardehain was a family of women. Their swordsmanship, the ck Swordsmanship, was specifically tailored to women¡¯s bodies, so it was only natural. Men rarely held important positions within the family. [TL/N: ck Swordsmanship isn¡¯t the final name] Moreover, he didn¡¯t seem to be acquainted with Balkan, and the fact that he had a conversation with Elder Parin was puzzling. Second question. What was the rtionship between Elder Parin and Lord Balkan? What kind of request did Balkan make that caused Parin to be so angry? I vaguely remember hearing something about the Red Magic Tower. It couldn¡¯t be ignored, as it might be rted to Samael. Furthermore, Balkan was a rather seasoned man. He wasn¡¯t unaware of Elder Parin¡¯s personality, so it was highly unlikely that he would spout nonsense without reason. What dirty secret did he reveal to make Elder Parin react that way? Third question. This was the most intriguing one. Did Urgon know Celestine¡¯s true identity? This was a far more critical issue than the mere fact that someone from Ardehain visited Urgon. If Urgon had invited someone from Ardehain, and Ardehain responded by sending a direct descendant¡­ Then I would have to reassess Urgon. However, that couldn¡¯t be true. If Urgon knew Celestine¡¯s identity, he would never act this way. All the servants and executives of the n would be fawning over her, and it still wouldn¡¯t be enough. Just as I finished organizing my thoughts, a boisterous noise reached my ears. The banquet was in full swing, both inside and outside the hall. ¡°What a spectacle. No, what a farce?¡± They said a grand feast would be held, but this was chaos. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to describe it as a spectacle or a farce. It felt like thest supper was taking ce. Drunken monkeys were running around with bottles in their hands, and a dance floor had even formed in one corner. Meanwhile, at a slightly secluded table sat those who had distinguished themselves in thepetition. There were young men from Urgon, as well as Taylor, ir, and Arin. Taylor and ir were surrounded by a few people, and Libre was clinging to Arin, who was wearing a veil, and chatting her up. Diagonally across from them, La was forcing a smile while ring at the two. ¡®It is indeed a farce.¡¯ I abruptly wedged myself between Libre and Arin. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The eldest son of Samael.¡± Libre replied, looking me up and down. ¡°How rude. I¡¯m in the middle of a conversation.¡± Looking closer, I noticed his face was slightly flushed, probably from drinking too much. ¡°We have urgent matters to discuss amongst our Samael n, so would you please excuse us?¡± Uncharacteristically, Libre¡¯s eyes were zing with fury. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I was talking to her first?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I took a few steps back and then pped my hands. ¡°Samael, gather!¡± Taylor and ir approached, and Arin immediately rose from her seat and joined them. I grinned at Libre and mouthed the words, ¡®I win.¡¯ At this moment, I felt like¡­ The ck dog who had won the hierarchy struggle. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 106 Chapter 106: You¡¯re the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, right? Libre, who had lost in the rankingpetition, couldn¡¯t ept his defeat and kept ring at me. I stared back with an expression that embodied the sentiment, ¡°What are you going to do if I stare back?¡± Libre¡¯splexion changed from moment to moment, a clear indication that my tactic was working. While I was winning the staring contest, three people approached. ¡°Did you find out anything?¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± I responded afterpletely winning the staring contest. ¡°Let¡¯s move somewhere else first.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no suitable ce right now.¡± Looking around, monkeys were scattered throughout the banquet hall and outside. ¡°Gather closer.¡± I whispered softly enough for only the three of them to hear. ¡°Listen carefully, I¡¯ll get straight to the point. The women who came to the Death Sword Guild are actually daughters of the Ardehain family.¡± ir¡¯s shoulders twitched, so I continued immediately. ¡°It¡¯s the Ardehain. The Death Sword Guild is Ardehain¡¯s private organization. It¡¯s also certain that Balkan has other intentions.¡± ¡°¡­Certain?¡± I nced around before speaking. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the restter.¡± The two nodded simultaneously. I suddenly looked at Arin¡¯s face, covered with a veil, and asked, ¡°Was the veil always this opaque?¡± ¡°I added anotheryer inside.¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Meanwhile, the attention of those around us was increasingly focused on us. The monkeys were staring at us with great interest. They were full of eagerness to somehow strike up a conversation if given the chance. I said to Taylor and ir, ¡°Their gazes are too burdensome. You guys deal with them.¡± Meanwhile, La and Libre also continued to nce at us. For some reason, even the External Affairs Officer was upying a spot. Suddenly, I felt that there was no need for me to stay here like this. Seeing the External Affairs Officer gave me a good idea. ¡°Look who it is.¡± I deliberately sat across from the External Affairs Officer, took a sip of alcohol, and then said, ¡°Ah, what brings the External Affairs Officer here?¡± The External Affairs Officer, who was conversing with several people, looked at me. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Crazy Mage Squad Commander.¡± The External Affairs Officer narrowed his eyes and then smiled faintly. It was impossible to tell if his expression was genuine or an act. ¡°So it¡¯s Sir Ruin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to see your face. You should attend the banquet sometimes. Where have you been every evening?¡± ¡°Unlike some, I have a busy schedule. If I had known you would be so eager to see me, I would have made an appearance.¡± Indeed, he was a man of considerable eloquence. Undeterred, I said, ¡°It¡¯smon courtesy to show your face if you¡¯re invited to a banquet. I had some questions I wanted to ask, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± As I continued to speak informally, the expressions of the Urgon mages gradually hardened. However, the External Affairs Officer respondedfortably, as if he was well aware of my personality. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m curious to know what you¡¯re wondering about.¡± I downed three sses of alcohol in a row and then asked, ¡°Am I really that famous?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you invited me to the banquet because of my widespread reputation?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± ¡°Do I really have to reiterate that I drove out Bayern with my own mouth?¡± The External Affairs Officer responded with a dumbfounded look. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re bringing up such a trivial matter again.¡± ¡°You must have heard about my skills, haven¡¯t you?¡± The External Affairs Officer, lost in thought for a moment, let out a chuckle. ¡°Are you perhaps upset that we haven¡¯t treated you with sufficient respect?¡± ¡°Do I look like such a petty person?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so, but others might misunderstand you that way.¡± ¡°I am petty. Just like how Urgon is full of cowards.¡± Suddenly, the attention of those around us was focused on us. At this point, I brazenly put my feet up on the table. ¡°I wonder why no one chooses me in the arena. Am I that scary? Why do they only pick Taylor and ir?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Silence followed. Just as the Urgon mages at the table were about to rise involuntarily, the External Affairs Officer waved his hand andughed. ¡°It seems our Crazy Mage Squad Commander wants to have a duel. If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to worry. You¡¯ll have your chance.¡± ¡°So I am scary. The banquet is almost over, and the chance is as good as frozen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± The External Affairs Officer was tilting his head more and more. His face showed that he couldn¡¯t understand my behavior no matter how much he thought about it. ¡°Where¡¯s Moose?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re drunk, Sir Ruin.¡± I guzzled down alcohol straight from the bottle and shouted, ¡°Am I a joke to you?¡± All the monkeys around were startled and stared at me. ir, with a flustered face, tried to stop me, but Taylor held him back. ¡°Bring Moose here, now!¡± It was then that a murderous mana wave erupted. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Libre, who had been talking to Arin, was now ring at me. This was the moment my n worked perfectly. ¡°Oh, are you going to attack me?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°The Grand Prince of Urgon is all talk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll face you formally in the arena tomorrow.¡± At this moment, I took in the expressions, gestures, and subtle behavioral changes of Libre, the External Affairs Officer, and the Urgon mages all at once. Their faces showed that they wanted to kill me right there and then for my arrogant behavior, but they were holding back. The External Affairs Officer even looked around with an urgent expression, as if worried that someone might make a mistake. ¡®As expected.¡¯ This is interesting. This confirmed Urgon¡¯s ulterior motives once again. When I gestured, ir rushed over in a hurry. After briefly pretending to struggle with ir, I shook my head and said to those around me, ¡°I must have been a little drunk.¡± I smiled faintly and raised my ss. ¡°It was a joke, a joke. Why is the atmosphere so tense?¡± While the Urgon guys were still ring at me, the External Affairs Officer smiled faintly and showcased his eloquence. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re as entertaining as I¡¯ve heard. Thanks to you, I had a good time. Now, now, let¡¯s all enjoy the banquet again.¡± As time passed, the atmosphere became lively again. My capricious behavior ended as a brief happening. As the number of empty bottles increased, a perverted voice was heard from the side. ¡°How about you take off your veil now, Miss Arin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡± ¡°Haha. Don¡¯t be like that.¡± Libre was talking to Arin again. This guy was really something else. Suddenly, the side of my face felt so prickly that I turned my head. La was staring at me with fire in her eyes. When I nodded with a confident look¡­ As if she had been waiting for this moment, La spoke up confidently. ¡°Miss Arin. Excuse me, but I would appreciate it if you would take off your veil. I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯ve been holding it in. It¡¯s ufortable to look at.¡± Arin¡¯s veil fluttered for a moment and then settled down. There was still a tremor as if she was excited, but she seemed more stable than a few days ago. ¡°Why are you ufortable?¡± ¡°You? You cra¡ª¡­¡± La almost blurted out ¡°crazy woman¡± but swallowed it back down. La looked around and raised her voice. ¡°A banquet is a ce to foster harmony. Wearing a veil alone in such a setting is disrespectful to others. If you¡¯re going to do that, you shouldn¡¯t have attended. You¡¯ve been doing that the whole time the banquet was going on.¡± Once again, attention was focused on them. The men who were curious about Arin¡¯s true appearance chimed in. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit the banquet. It would be better to take off the veil.¡± Then Libre generously shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t force her. Everyone has their own circumstances.¡± Indeed, Libre was a pervert who knew how to win a woman¡¯s favor. La forced a smile. ¡°But it¡¯s true that it¡¯s ruining the atmosphere, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I quite like this atmosphere.¡± La bit her lip slightly and red at Arin. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you take it off yourself by now? Don¡¯t you see that the atmosphere is getting worse because of you?¡± Libre, his face flushed red, mmed his ss down on the table. ¡°You¡¯re being presumptuous, La. Who are you to tell the guest what to do?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overstep your bounds.¡± La red at Libre with a shocked expression, then bit her lip and said, ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t forgotten our promise, have you?¡± Libre waved his hand dismissively. ¡°¡­¡± La was speechless. Her pupils shook violently like a tragic woman who had been betrayed. In a situation no one expected, Arin suddenly looked at La and said, ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Arin slowly lifted her veil¡­ Gasps were heard from all over the ce, and the men¡¯s eyes were focused on her at once. A full-fledged smile was drawn on Libre¡¯s lips. . . . ¡®The Theory of Rtive Squid proves itself once again.¡¯ What a great theory. La, who had rtively cold features, had turned into a frozen squid in an instant. She looked even more like an ugly squid because she was ring at me as if she wanted to kill me. Just what did this bewitching woman think of me? ¡°¡­See? It¡¯s better to take it off.¡± Seeing La somehow managing her expression and continuing to speak, I was struck by the thought that she was a truly tenacious woman. But that was only for a moment. People gathered around Arin, and La was instantly left out in the cold. La looked at Libre, who didn¡¯t even nce at her, and then, emanating a chill, she walked towards her dwelling. Seeing her shoulders shaking, it seemed like she was trying hard to hold back tears. ¡®Wow¡­¡¯ Suddenly, it felt like watching a melodrama. But this too was clearly a tactic of the bewitching woman. A tenacious woman like her doesn¡¯t give up so easily. Anyway, Arin¡¯s expression was unusual. ¡°You¡¯re truly beautiful.¡± ¡°Seeing you like this, you really suit Prince Libre.¡± She had an indifferent expression, not reacting at all, as if suchpliments were a matter of course. It was her usual aloof demeanor, no different than usual. But now I know. That¡¯s ¡®deficiency.¡¯ I wondered why everyone in Samael was socking. I looked at Taylor and ir, who were drinking at the side, and shook my head. There was no one normal. ¡®Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to take care of them.¡¯ Before I knew it, the feast, which had been a spectacle of dogs, monkeys, and melodrama, was slowlying to an end. The External Affairs Officer left first, and Urgon¡¯s forces, led by Libre, also departed for their quarters. The drunken monkeys also went to bed one by one. As I was walking to the annex with the three, Taylor whispered quietly, ¡°What do you mean the Ardehain n came?¡± ¡°The Death Sword Guild are the Ardehains.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Suddenly feeling parched, I said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk over a drink. Go to the room.¡± I turned back towards the banquet hall. I was thinking of bringing back a few remaining bottles of liquor. When I returned to the banquet hall, there were no monkeys, and the servants were busy cleaning up. ¡°You¡¯re working hard at dawn.¡± I was about to go back with two bottles of liquor when I paused to watch the servants cleaning. The chaotic banquet hall was being quickly organized. The skill of the person in charge of cleaning was extraordinary. ¡®Wow. That¡¯s fast.¡¯ As I watched, the side profile of the person in charge looked familiar. Just then, the person in charge turned his head, and our eyes met. ¡°Azure Dragon Squad Leader?¡± The man avoided my gaze and suddenly walked to the other side. I followed him and asked, ¡°You¡¯re the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, right?¡± The man, who had been walking faster and faster, suddenly started running towards theke. ¡°Are you running away?¡± I don¡¯t know why he was pretending not to know me, but he couldn¡¯t fool my eyes. I didn¡¯t know why he was running away, but I wanted to catch him, so I started running too. I had a lot of questions for him anyway. ¡°You¡¯re a fast runner, Azure Dragon Squad Leader.¡± When the man sped up, I sped up as well. ¡°Let¡¯s talk. The moment I start running on all fours, you¡¯ll be caught. Don¡¯t even dream of escaping.¡± The Azure Dragon Squad Leader, who had been running for a long time, suddenly stopped and turned around. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Crazy Mage Squad Commander.¡± I was speechless for a moment. This was because the Azure Dragon Squad Leader¡¯s appearance up close was too appalling. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 107 Chapter 107: Celestine Ardehain ¡°That¡¯s quite a sudden change in attitude. Is running at night your hobby? And why do you look like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Azure Dragon Squad Leader didn¡¯t answer with an embarrassed look, so I spoke while imagining whatever came to mind. ¡°You didn¡¯t show your face at the banquet, so were you training even at that time? What passion. And the Squad Leader himself is cleaning up too. Quite an exemry attitude.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the Squad Leader.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Azure Dragon Squad Leader pointed to his attire. ¡°As you can see.¡± I examined the Azure Dragon Squad Leader¡¯s appearance closely and asked, ¡°¡­Were you demoted?¡± It wasn¡¯t the uniform worn by a Squad Leader. It wasn¡¯t even the uniform of an Azure Dragon squad member, but the same uniform worn by ordinary soldiers. ¡°Were you put under disciplinary action?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± ¡°Tsk. What a waste of talent.¡± He was quite a spirited man for someone from Urgon, so I felt a sense of regret. ¡°So you were cleaning up. What kind of trouble did you cause?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t like that, why were you disciplined? Is Urgon crazy?¡± Looking into the man¡¯s eyes, I instantly grasped the whole situation. ¡°Was it because of me?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± That¡¯s what it sounded like. I red at the man and said, ¡°Hey, Azure Dragon Squad Leader.¡± ¡°Just call me Cliff.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯ve met, let me ask. Did you urately report what happened that day?¡± Cliff, who was looking around, met my eyes and said abruptly, ¡°Let me ask you first.¡± As we looked at each other, I finally realized why Cliff had run away. ¡°You deliberately came this way. You weren¡¯t running away.¡± He had lured me to a secluded ce where no one could eavesdrop. Perhaps he had been waiting for me for days. ¡°What exactly is the rtionship between Samael and Urgon?¡± I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a very important question. Is that rted to why you were demoted?¡± ¡°Probably. I didn¡¯t know the higher-ups would reprimand me to that extent. It was the first time I saw them so angry. I clearly reported everything as it happened, but for some reason, they didn¡¯t believe me. Even now.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t believe in my skills?¡± ¡°That Samael secured a loan, and everything. They kept asking if the Red Magic Tower was behind it.¡± ¡°I guess they thought it was impossible with just our strength.¡± Indeed, from the perspective of someone who doesn¡¯t know the Crazy Mage, it would be strange to think otherwise. It seemed that Urgon was still concerned about the Red Magic Tower. ¡°I kept telling them. I said many times that the Azure Dragon Squad couldn¡¯t handle you. But in the end, they doubted me. They thought there was a traitor among us. It seemed like it was because I returned unharmed. Anyway, I disobeyed the order to support Bayern.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t alone, and your subordinates saw it too. They still didn¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the Azure Dragon Squad is treated. It¡¯s because they have the wrong Squad Leader.¡± I suddenly remembered Kant saying that Cliff had a bad reputation. ¡°It seems your social skills are quiteckingpared to your abilities.¡± ¡°Even so, I don¡¯t understand why the higher-ups are so sensitive about such a trivial matter. I was even imprisoned in an underground cell. At first, I tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but as I thought about it, it wasn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t a trivial matter from the beginning.¡± Cliff unconsciously clenched his fist. ¡°They only released me after sending someone to Khaoto and confirming it. Even then, the reprimand continued¡­¡± I suddenly interrupted Cliff. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They sent someone to Khaoto?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I didn¡¯t remember seeing any strange guy in Khaoto. If there was someone snooping around Samael, I couldn¡¯t have missed them. Even if I did, the patrol or guards would have caught them. ¡°Are you sure? Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who it was. But it¡¯s certain. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been released. If I hadn¡¯t been released, maybe¡­¡± Cliff grimaced and swallowed the rest of his words. ¡°Anyway, it seems you were waiting for me.¡± ¡°I have a personality that needs confirmation to be satisfied.¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you juste to me?¡± ¡°I might have been suspected.¡± I looked at Cliff and shook my head. ¡°You have great loyalty. To still be attached to Urgon after being treated like that with your abilities.¡± ¡°Just answer me.¡± Contrary to his words, Cliff seemed somewhat oppressed. I thought about it and said, ¡°Do you know that Urgon attacked Samael?¡± ¡°I know that it happened in the past.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I heard it was a thing of the past. I know there were a lot of power struggles back then. I don¡¯t know the details.¡± ¡°What do you mean a thing of the past? They subtly targeted Samael using the Hamad Merchant Group and even Bayern.¡± Cliff looked at me. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. I¡¯m sorry to say, but honestly, until recently, I didn¡¯t even know about Samael. The higher-ups didn¡¯t tell me anything in detail. But what is the rtionship that makes the higher-ups so sensitive? What kind of bad blood is there? I need to know that.¡± ¡°So even you can smell something fishy.¡± A foul smell permeated the air. It felt like being inside the mouth of a wicked snake hiding its true intentions. I looked into Cliff¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Looking into his eyes, I said once more, ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know, and Samael doesn¡¯t know either. No one on our side knows.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about the reason too.¡± As we looked at each other, Cliff let out a low, hollow sigh. ¡°I see.¡± Cliff turned around dejectedly. ¡°I think I should go now. I¡¯ve been away for too long.¡± I nodded and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink together next time.¡± Cliff, who had walked a few steps away, turned his head and said, ¡°Be careful, Crazy Mage Squad Commander. There was an order not to touch Samael until the banquet was over. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s meant in a good way.¡± ¡°I already know.¡± After a moment of silence, Cliff said, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s dinner will be thest.¡± ¡°That sounds like they¡¯re going to reveal their true colors soon. Thank you.¡± Cliff disappeared in an instant without a word. Since it waste at night, I turned back and headed to the annex. As soon as I arrived and opened the door, Taylor, ir, and Arin were staring at me with serious faces. ¡°Whoa, shit. You scared me. What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°What are you doing in someone else¡¯s room? I¡¯m tired, so go away.¡± The three of them red at me. I could understand Taylor and ir, but it was strange to see Arin ring at me too. ¡°You told me to wait.¡± I looked back and forth between the two and Arin and pped my hands. ¡°Ah, right.¡± ¡°Hurry up and exin.¡± I briefly summarized what I had learned from infiltrating the Ardehains and my meeting with the Azure Dragon Squad Leader a while ago. The three seemed somewhat surprised, but since they had all anticipated Urgon¡¯s ulterior motives to some extent, they weren¡¯t afraid. * * * The next day, the sun was shining brightly. As expected, the atmosphere in the arena waspletely different. Everyone seemed to sense that the duel wasing to an end. Most people were looking back and forth between the Urgon side of the audience and ours. Today, instead of the External Affairs Officer, Patriarch Balkan himself stood up from the head seat and drew attention. Elder Parin, Celestine, and the mysterious woman all focused on Balkan. ¡®That man didn¡¯te today either.¡¯ The Ardehain man I saw when I infiltrated the main building was nowhere to be seen. As everyone¡¯s eyes gathered, Balkan opened his mouth with a smile. ¡°I wonder if you all enjoyed the banquet. I think we achieved meaningful harmony for a first banquet. It seems the duel has reached its final stage.¡± Nods of agreement followed here and there. ¡°But we must decorate the finale. We must decide the final victor, mustn¡¯t we? After watching the duel all this time, one family stands out. Considering the meaning of harmony¡­¡± Balkan slowly turned his gaze towards us. ¡°I wonder how it would be if one person from our Urgon n and one person from the Samael n came out topete as representatives.¡± I met Balkan¡¯s eyes with a glint in mine. Meanwhile, expectant murmurs naturally arose from the audience. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Young Master Libre wille out from Urgon. Who shoulde out from Samael?¡± ¡°It must be Sir Taylor. Miss Arin and Sir ir have already lost to Young Master Libre.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t there one more person?¡± ¡°Ah, that crazy person? He has no chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir Taylor should go out. It would certainly be a sight to see Sir Taylor and Prince Libre duel. If it¡¯s Sir Taylor, Prince Libre might actually get serious.¡± Balkan, who had been watching silently, nodded with a pleased smile. ¡°If there are no objections, let¡¯s hold the final match tomorrow. How about having a friendly duel today? It would be good for those who have regrets about the previous duels. Or, even if you¡¯re not a junior, anyone who wants to duel, regardless of their status, cane forwardfortably.¡± ¡°¡­¡± No one stepped forward. For a moment, I considered going out and challenging Balkan, but I held back, thinking it wasn¡¯t the right time yet. At that moment, Libre once again flew into the arena. Seeing him step forward at every opportunity, I realized this guy was also quite the attention seeker. Libre, having arrived at the arena, looked this way. I could now tell who he was going to challenge just by the expression on his perverted face. Judging by his vengeful, puppy-like expression¡­ ¡°I request a duel with Ruin of Samael. I heard you were disappointed that you were never challenged, so I¡¯ll give you a chance today. If you¡¯re not a coward,e out boldly.¡± As soon as Libre finished speaking, I replied, ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°What? But yesterday you¡­¡± I interrupted Libre and replied, ¡°Shut up. I¡¯ll see you at the finals.¡± There was a brief silence at my confident answer, and thenughter erupted from the audience. ¡°Hahahahaha.¡± Everyone expected Taylor to be my opponent in the finals, so they thought I was scared and making excuses. Libre, who instantly changed his expression to a polite one, now looked at the head seat. ¡°I request a duel with Sir Goisen, a formal disciple of the Blue Magic Tower.¡± Theughter from the audience stopped, and everyone¡¯s attention focused on the head seat. Elder Parin nodded once without any particr restriction, and the mage who had been lined up in the back flew into the arena. ¡®So this is why Balkan was going on about a friendly duel.¡¯ * * * A sharp exchange followed. Facing a formal disciple of the Blue Magic Tower, Libre showed his skills as if he had made up his mind. It was a different situation from the previous matches. When the 5-star beast magic collided head-on, arge ssh of water erupted continuously in the arena. Saaaa¡ª Perhaps the position of a formal disciple in the Blue Magic Tower was significant, as everyone was surprised once again that Libre wasn¡¯t being pushed back. Elder Parin showed interest in Libre for the first time, and Balkan looked at Elder Parin with a satisfied gaze. Meanwhile, I continued to analyze Balkan¡¯s energy flow. From the beginning, all this nonsense about friendly duels and finals was just a secondary issue. After analyzing countless possibilities, it was highly likely that the core issue would be whether or not I couldfortably handle Patriarch Balkan. Faaang¡ª A loud roar rang out while I was deep in thought. Snapping out of my thoughts and looking at the arena, Libre and Goisen hadnded at either end and were facing each other. ¡°I think this is enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot, Sir Goisen.¡± Apuse erupted from the audience. Balkan also got up and apuded with a smile. ¡°It was a splendid duel befitting a friendly match. Is there anyone else? Anyone will do.¡± No one spoke. Then, as if he had a n prepared in advance, Balkan opened his mouth. ¡°If there¡¯s no one else, it would be nice to see a demonstration of some of the magic from our Urgon¡¯s Red Phoenix Division and Azure Dragon Division.¡± ¡®What a load of bullshit.¡¯ Balkan stopped speaking mid-sentence. I wondered for a moment if I had voiced my inner thoughts again, but this time it wasn¡¯t me. Balkan was looking to the right with an ufortable expression. ¡°¡­Do you have something to say?¡± The woman sitting at the right end of the head seat spoke. ¡°I want to duel too.¡± Celestine looked at me. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 108 Chapter 108: The Flower of the 5th Circle While Libre and Goisen were having a duel in the arena, Celestine, the third sessor of the Ardehain n, was staring intently at one side of the audience. ¡°Is that him?¡± Celestine answered in a low voice, ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± To Celestine¡¯s left, a woman too young to be called a mother smiled yfully. ¡°So this is the man who caught our Celine¡¯s attention for the first time. He¡¯s not bad looking.¡± ¡°¡­Mother!¡± ¡°Oh my, it was a joke. Why are you so flustered?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± Celestine was showing an unusual demeanor. She was not used to her mother making such jokes. The woman, as if finding her reaction amusing, spoke again. ¡°I think the man in the back row looks a little better.¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°Ho ho.¡± The woman stifled herughter and looked back at the man in the audience. ¡°Interesting. He looks quite young. Are you sure he¡¯s the one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He seems frivolous, but he has confidence. Indeed, confidence is important for a man.¡± Celestine suddenly felt that her mother¡¯s reaction was different from what she had expected, so she said, ¡°¡­He¡¯s different from his appearance.¡± The woman replied with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s why your mother took the time out of her busy schedule toe here. I couldn¡¯t help but be curious about the man who flustered our Celine so much.¡± Celestine nodded inwardly. If she hadn¡¯t said anything, her mother wouldn¡¯t have visited this ce. Of course, the same went for Celestine. The shock she felt from the man a while ago kepting back to her. Celestine shook her head and whispered softly, ¡°I¡¯m curious too. Back then, it felt a bit excessive¡­ but now that I think about it, maybe not.¡± The woman¡¯s expression turned a bit serious. ¡°Intuition is like that, Celine. You said you felt intimidated? That¡¯s different from simple strength. My intuition reacts to the presence of others. Let¡¯s see how much our Celine¡¯s eye has grown.¡± The woman, rxing her expression again, looked at the audience. Her eyes held a hint of expectation, even though she thought it was an exaggeration. ¡°The timing seems appropriate, so now would be good.¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± The woman turned her head. Libre and Goisen¡¯s friendly duel had ended, and Balkan was standing up and talking about something. As soon as the woman tapped the table, Balkan stopped talking and looked this way. ¡°¡­Do you have something to say?¡± As if waiting for this, Celestine raised her hand. ¡°I want to duel too.¡± Balkan looked at Celestine with a slightly flustered expression. ¡°Are you talking about a friendly duel?¡± ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± Balkan, who was momentarily flustered, soon changed his expression and replied, ¡°Of course not. I was just surprised. Do you have an opponent in mind?¡± Balkan looked in one direction with an expectant gaze. He probably thought Celestine was interested in Libre¡¯s skills. The audience was also filled with anticipation, wondering if they would get to see the skills of the Death Sword Guild¡¯s swordswoman. However, Celestine only stared intently at a single man on the other side of the audience, who was rubbing his sleepy eyes. ¡°I want to duel with that person.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Celestine mentioned the man¡¯s name. ¡°Sir Ruin of Samael.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A brief silence fell over the audience at the unexpected challenge. The man, who had been making eye contact with Celestine for a while, grinned. * * * ¡®This is interesting.¡¯ I changed my mind. Originally, I had no intention of facing any of Urgon¡¯s youngsters today, no matter what kind of provocation they made¡­ But with the Ardehain n, it was a different story. There was no reason not to face them. In a way, it was an opportunity. An opportunity to offset whatever scheme Balkan had in mind. I happened to nce at Balkan, and his expression was quite unpleasant, as if he had bitten into an unripe persimmon. ¡®This is worth watching.¡¯ If things went well, I could create a situation where Balkan himself would be desperate. That¡¯s what it meant for me to receive the attention of a vassal n. Moreover, if the opponent was truly a direct descendant of the Ardehains. If they were true to their nature, priding themselves to the point ofparing themselves to a noble lotus flower. At the very least, it would be difficult to find any connection to Urgon¡¯s dirty intentions. Therefore, I¡­ ¡­was going to face Celestine properly. There was nothing to hold back. Moreover, the reason Celestine challenged me was clear. ¡®It must be because of what happened back then.¡¯ I stood in the arena and faced Celestine. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Indeed. You don¡¯t seem very surprised.¡± ¡°I had a feeling we would meet again.¡± Celestine stared into my eyes and said, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to me you for what happened that day, so I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand. I just wanted to confirm something.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Celestine narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a little surprised. Anyway, I intend to do my best this time, so surrender if you feel it¡¯s dangerous. You must have heard who I am.¡± I replied with a meaningful smile, ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Death Sword Guild or something even greater, it doesn¡¯t matter. Do you think I¡¯ll be afraid of a noble n?¡± As I rxed my posture, Celestine said with a look of wounded pride, ¡°You¡¯re incredibly arrogant. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Peeeeeek¡ª With the sound of the whistle, Celestine drew the flexible sword from her waist without a moment¡¯s hesitation. However, she didn¡¯t immediatelyunch an attack, but carefully examined me. She was trying to see if I was deliberately revealing a weakness. I carefully observed the handle at the end of the flexible sword that Celestine had drawn. The pattern of the handle, revealed between her fingers, looked familiar. ¡®I was right.¡¯ Celestine¡¯s figure blurred for a moment. At the same time, I felt a chilling presence close by. As soon as I turned my body to the left, a thin de grazed past my waist. Wheeeeeng¡ª As I turned around with my mana circle open, Celestine opened her mana core at the same moment and faced me. A thread-like heat haze emerged from the tip of her flexible sword. It was the same form as the one I saw at Kris Beer. ¡°How chilling.¡± ¡°Give it your all.¡± With a whooshing sound, Celestine sprang towards me. It looked as if the tip of her sword was stretching out in a straight line. I cast ¡°Wind Barrier¡± and then charged head-on, but at thest moment, I soared high into the sky. Crack¡ª Something like a white ray of light pierced through the Wind Armor and swept past under my feet. ¡°¡­¡± Celestine tilted her head with a somewhat disappointed look. It was as if I had fallen short of her expectations. ¡°Was I mistaken?¡± I once again checked the energy surrounding the tip of her flexible sword. White sword energy enveloped the tip of the de. ¡®She said she would do it properly, and she meant it.¡¯ Showing even partially materialized sword energy meant that the mana in her core was concentrated at the tip of the sword without a single gap. Indeed, she was worthy of being an Ardehain swordswoman. It was the typical form of a well-trained 4-star knight. I said with a smile, ¡°Try attacking again, then.¡± Celestine leaped diagonally, and the white sword energy on her flexible sword surged. ¡°Armor that confines the wind, Wind Armor.¡± I manifested a powerful Wind Armor through a formal incantation and concentrated it entirely on my right hand. Feeling the wind armor fully enveloping my right hand¡­ I struck the flexible sword that was plunging down from the air with my right hand. ng¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± Celestine was pushed back all the way to the end of the arena. I instinctively looked at her and parted my lips. There was something I had to say at a time like this. ¡°This is the Crazy Mage.¡± Celestine, whose mana was scattered by a single blow, looked down at her flexible sword with a dumbfounded expression. The mana inside was shaken, causing nausea, and her wrist holding the flexible sword trembled. As a brief lull ensued¡­ I looked around the audience and checked people¡¯s expressions. The monkeys were staring at me with nk faces, and the expressions on the Urgon side were no different. Libre also jumped to his feet and stared at me, and Balkan¡¯s eyes were quite wrinkled. They didn¡¯t seem surprised just because I used an incantation. Cliff must have already told them about it. Perhaps the reason they were making such dumbfounded expressions now was¡­ ¡­because the magic I manifested had neutralized the sword energy. It must have been something they couldn¡¯t understand with theirmon sense. I nced at Elder Parin, who had a particrly intrigued look in his eyes, and then fixed my gaze on the woman slightly to his left. Now that I saw her, she was unusual. She was just staring at me, but I felt a greater presence from her than from Elder Parin. ¡®Who is she?¡¯ Just then, I heard a buzzing sound and looked at Celestine to see the tip of her sword trembling subtly. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t mistaken.¡± I looked at the vibration of the de and suddenly let out a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll be serious, so surrender if you feel it¡¯s dangerous.¡± As expected of a daughter of the Ardehain n. Thatpetitive spirit was also a characteristic of the Ardehains. As the vibration of the sword tip towards me intensified, with a whooshing sound, the tip of the sword approached as if it were alive. I kicked off the ground and leaped away, concentrating ¡°Wind Armor¡± in my right hand and striking the de once again. ng¡ª It was different from before. Celestine¡¯s eyes narrowed as if she had anticipated it. The de bentpletely, and then the sticity of the sword tip, springing back up with the recoil, fluctuated ominously. But it wasn¡¯t only Celestine who had anticipated this situation. As I immediately lowered my waist and deflected the sword strike, the white sword energy extended backwards, taking over the space. Celestine and I, who had shed as if crossing each other, faced each other again from the opposite side. ¡°This is fun.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± Celestine had an iprehensible expression, as if I had read her swordsmanship in advance. But I couldn¡¯t help but know. The vibrating sword tip, like a snake¡¯s tongue. The white sword energy fluctuated along the vibrating sword tip. Although it was clumsy¡­ I couldn¡¯t mistake the origin of the move that Celestine had just performed. The essence of Ardehain swordsmanship, which utilizes the opponent¡¯s strength against them. The Ardehain Flexible Sword Style. Since Celestine had revealed herself to be a direct descendant, I should show her some respect. ¡°I told you to give it your all.¡± Celestine, biting her lip tightly, poured all her mana into the flexible sword. The white sword energy became even denser. It was clear that she was exerting all her strength. I recalled the Ardehain swordswomen of the past. Compared to them¡­ ¡°Definitely clumsy.¡± Wheeeeng¡ª I opened all five circles and faced Celestine. I extended my middle finger towards Celestine, who was running towards me with a heavy posture. ¡®Pration, Piercing Wind.¡¯ As soon as the wind bullet collided with the sword energy, Celestine¡¯s eyes lit up. She gripped the flexible sword with both hands, then split the wind bulletpletely and rushed towards me. Celestine¡¯s pupils were filled with joy, then in a split second, filled with bewilderment. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Faaang¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± A hidden wind bullet split the sword energy and struck Celestine near her chest. Celestine, who hadn¡¯t felt any mana fluctuations, was hit directly in the chest while defenseless and went flying to the end of the arena, crashing down. With a loud boom, debris from the tform flew into the air. ¡°¡­¡± Silence fell once again. As I closed my circles and slowly approached, Celestine looked up at me with a pained expression. ¡°How¡­ I didn¡¯t feel any mana fluctuations.¡± ¡°Because there were two.¡± ¡°I only felt one, when¡­¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There were two from the beginning.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t cast the spells consecutively, but simultaneously. No wonder Celestine didn¡¯t notice. The flower of the 5th circle. Multiple magic manifestation. Every time a circle increases, mana resonance doubles. No one here expected me to cast two 4th circle spells at the same time. Celestine looked at me with an uprehending expression, then lowered her head. ¡°¡­I lost.¡± Since she had such a dumbfounded expression, I kindly pointed out the problem. ¡°You should still learn something from this. You were quite clumsy at the end.¡± Celestine, raising her head again, narrowed her eyes and replied, ¡°What was clumsy about it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t swing a flexible sword like a heavy sword.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­¡± Celestine made eye contact with me for a long time with a strange expression, then suddenly, as if something had urred to her, she flinched and averted her gaze. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 109 Chapter 109: Did you say his name was Ruin? ir, who was watching the arena with wide eyes, muttered to himself without realizing it, ¡°He blocked the sword energy?¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± Arin also let out a short exmation without realizing it. Taylor was equally surprised. He also picked up the water bottle next to him and gulped it down in one go. But the burning thirst still wouldn¡¯t subside. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ How many times had it been now? It was the same when he fought against him, and it was the same when Arin¡¯s incident happened. Yet, the current spectacle was once again shattering Taylor¡¯smon sense. Trying to calm his mind, Taylor corrected his thoughts once more. Blocking sword energy? With just 4-star magic? [TL/N: This Moron will never learn -_-] ¡°Amazing¡­ Senior Brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just amazing.¡± It wasn¡¯t something that could be described with just the word ¡°amazing.¡± Taylor had heard of that type of sword energy. Not the hazy, mirage-like sword energy, but thepletely materialized form of sword energy. There was a reason why knights were considered a rank above mages. Unless they were truly high-ranking war mages, it was impossible to neutralize such materialized sword energy with mere 4-star magic. Although he hadn¡¯t grasped every detail of the duel that had just taken ce, Taylor had noticed the form of the Wind Armor changing faintly. ¡®Is he really a genius?¡¯ At this moment, for some reason, Taylor recalled Ruin¡¯s words, spoken in anger. ¡ª Don¡¯t force my specialness on you? I can force it. Because you¡¯re all damn Samael too. Suddenly, Taylor unconsciously brought his hand to his heart, then stopped and looked at the arena. ir also looked at the arena, and Arin, taking off her veil, stared intently at the arena. Amidst the silence, explosive cheers erupted from the audience. p p p¡ª ¡°Waaaaaaaaaah!¡± People started standing up here and there and apuding towards the arena. Their faces were filled with excitement, a stark contrast to the expressions they had while watching Ruin until now. ¡°Insane. What did I just see?¡± ¡°Waaaaah! That was really awesome.¡± ¡°My blood is boiling, boiling! He defeated a swordswoman with his bare hands!¡± The young men, who had been maintaining some decorum, threw off theirposure. They were openly cheering directly. If Libre and Goisen¡¯s duel had evoked admiration, now everyone¡¯s faces were flushed and their eyes filled with passion, as if they had fought themselves. This was especially true for the men. The sight of Ruin, with his bare hands, vigorously shing with the swordswoman and even achieving victory, was enough to excite the audience. ¡°Waaaaaaaaaah!¡± Meanwhile, Libre, who had been listening to the cheers from the audience for minutes, scowled. ¡®How did that guy¡­¡¯ Libre couldn¡¯t understand. Looking around, his subordinates¡¯ expressions were no different from those of the lowly creatures in the audience. Even the Red Phoenix Division, called the elite, and even the Squad Leaders, couldn¡¯t hide their bewildered expressions. [TL/N: I feel like it should have been grandmaster here but i digress and went with the literal tl of the raw which is squad leader (It mainly trantes to Leader/Grand Leader/Head/Commander etc ¡ª this makes it hard for me to understand the ranks of the people so just fyi if any rank which i gave in the previous chaps to end up being wrong contextually further down the chaps, I would give a TL/N in the said chap.)] ¡®Damn it.¡¯ This made him look like a fool. It was like making porridge and giving it to a dog. It was a terrible feeling, as if the protagonist of this banquet had suddenly changed. Libre happened to nce to the left and made eye contact with La. Suddenly feeling even more annoyed, he fixed his gaze on the opposite side of the audience. Arin, the woman who had caught his new interest, was also staring intently at the arena. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ He felt a sense of humiliation for some reason. This was especially so because he had never felt this way before in his life. Libre wanted to jump out and strike Ruin¡¯s neck right there and then, but he forcibly suppressed his feelings. ¡®¡­Father must have a n.¡¯ It was his father, Balkan, who had invited Samael in the first ce. There was an order not to touch them privately under any circumstances. At first, he didn¡¯t care whether they invited this lowly n or not, but now that this had happened, he felt resentment for no reason. Libre forcibly shook his head. ¡®He told me to attend tonight¡¯s dinner.¡¯ Surely, he had a n. Libre looked at Celestine, who was returning from the arena, then turned his head to look at the head seat. He saw Elder Parin with a very intrigued look on his face. The Ardehains, and Elder Parin of the Blue Magic Tower. The most important people Libre had tried to impress were showing interest in someone else. Libre, furious, barely managed to turn his gaze to the side. Balkan was lost in thought with a somewhat subdued look in his eyes. ¡®¡­You must have a n, Father.¡¯ * * * The woman at the head seat looked down at the arena with a somewhat ambiguous expression. It was an expression that was difficult to read. She seemed to be intrigued, but in a way, she also seemed disappointed. ¡°I¡¯m back, Mother.¡± As Celestine returned to her seat, the woman rxed her expression. ¡°How was it, Celine?¡± Celestine tried to say something, but then shook her head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen sword energy being blocked like that. There¡¯s definitely something about him. What did you think, Mother?¡± The woman asked back, ¡°Did you miss it at the end?¡± Celestine replied with an ufortable expression, ¡°¡­I missed one. He said he manifested two spells at the same time.¡± ¡°At the same time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± The woman looked at Celine with a gentle expression. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t notice, Celine. You were caught up in his moves.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a cunning child. Experienced beyond his age. He¡¯s a little different from the mages I know.¡± Celestine asked back in surprise, ¡°Is he that good, Mother?¡± The woman smiled and shook her head. ¡°It means his manifestation method is unique. Quite unorthodox for a mage. It shows that he¡¯s been through a lot of actualbat. His movements are closer to a swordsman¡¯s than a mage¡¯s. It¡¯s no wonder our Celine was flustered, ho ho.¡± ¡°It was a form I¡¯ve never seen before either.¡± ¡°However, that¡¯s why it¡¯s a shame. He has excellent talent, but he¡¯s too instinctive. If you focus on unorthodox methods rather than the fundamentals, you¡¯ll eventually reach your limit. If you guys fight again, Celine probably won¡¯t lose easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s fortunate that he was a man with something to learn from. It was worth taking time out of my busy schedule. Take it as a good experience.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps the reason Celine felt intimidated before wasrgely due to the bewilderment of a first-time experience. But why the long face, Celine?¡± Celestine, who had been lost in thought for a while, pondered and replied, ¡°It felt like my swordsmanship was being read.¡± The woman suddenly looked at Celestine with a benevolent expression. ¡°That¡¯s why experience is important. If you get caught up in your opponent¡¯s moves, you might feel that way. But Celine, believe in yourself. You know who you are, don¡¯t you?¡± Despite this, Celestine¡¯s expression didn¡¯t rx. The woman asked again, ¡°What¡¯s troubling our Celine so much that she¡¯s not her usual self?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something on my mind.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He told me not to swing a flexible sword like a heavy sword.¡± Suddenly, the woman stopped smiling and narrowed her eyes. After a moment of silence, she murmured in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t swing it like a heavy sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure he said that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have said that for no reason.¡± ¡°Abandon the principle of the heavy sword. It reminded me of what you said, Mother.¡± The woman nodded as if it were a matter of course. ¡°You must abandon the principle of the heavy sword.¡± The principle of the heavy sword is the logic of swordsmanship that puts all your strength into every single strike. General swordsmanship often embodies the principle of the heavy sword, but unlike other swordsmanship, the Ardehain n¡¯s swordsmanship originates from the flexible sword, which lies in gentleness. Due to the nature of the Ardehain Flexible Sword Style, which utilizes the opponent¡¯s strength against them, it¡¯s important to withdraw strength in any situation, and this bes even more crucial when the opponent¡¯s skill is equal to yours. However, this is difficult. The more intense the duel, the more strength is put into the sword strike; it¡¯s close to a swordsman¡¯s instinct. That¡¯s what it means to abandon the heavy sword. The principle of the heavy sword is the most important thing to avoid in flexible swordsmanship, and it¡¯s also an important core that prates the Flexible Sword Style. ¡°He grasped the core in an instant?¡± The woman turned her head towards the opposite side of the audience. She stared for a long time at the man sitting in meditation on the audience stand with a sleepy expression. ¡°¡­Did he just say that casually? Or did he say it knowing something?¡± Suddenly, the woman burst intoughter as if she was amused, and Balkan, who was giving a speech to the audience a little distance away to the right, stopped talking and turned his head. It was a situation that could have been considered rude, but the woman didn¡¯t mind at all. The woman, stifling herughter, murmured with a slightly chilly smile, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear such words from an outsider. Especially not from a mage, not a knight. Ho ho, how interesting. I can¡¯t just let it slide. If he was just being arrogant, he should be taught a lesson. If he truly has the eye¡­ that would be interesting in its own way.¡± Celestine shuddered slightly without realizing it. This was because she knew the woman¡¯s true nature well. ¡°Did you say his name was Ruin?¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± ¡°I need to have a word with him.¡± The woman leaned back deeply in her chair as if she had said all she wanted to say. Balkan, who had been watching the situation without knowing what was going on, finally cleared his throat again and looked around the audience. ¡°¡­So, I hope you all enjoy yourselves freely until this evening. Also, tomemorate the finals tomorrow, a small, unofficial dinner will be held, so the members of the Samael n should wait in the annex for a while.¡± The man who had been meditating in the audience suddenly raised his hand. ¡°What¡¯s a small dinner?¡± It was quite rude behavior, but no one med the man. Rather, everyone was looking at him with eyes full of affection. When Balkan gestured with a gentle smile, the External Affairs Officer, who was in the audience, stood up and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s a ce for harmony. You can think of it as a dinner for closer exchanges and harmony between Urgon and Samael, who will lead the eastern part of the continent in the future.¡± Envious exmations erupted here and there in the audience. The fact that an exclusive, private dinner was being held meant that the exchanges between the participants would be closer. ¡°The biggest beneficiary of this banquet will be Samael.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t be envious. They showed enough skill to deserve it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Did they say they were from a town called Khaoto? After the banquet, I¡¯ll have to visit Khaoto often.¡± When the man who first asked the question sat down with an understanding expression, Balkan stood up again and concluded the situation. ¡°Then let¡¯s end today¡¯s matches here. I wish you all afortable evening.¡± Balkan bowed once towards the left side of the head seat and then left the audience first as if he had something urgent to attend to. Following him, the spectators left the audience like an ebbing tide¡­ The woman at the head seat, who was leisurely heading outside, stopped in a secluded ce and naturally raised her right hand. Wheeeeng¡ª With the sound of wind, a swordsman in ck uniform appeared and lined up behind the woman in an immobile posture. ¡°You called.¡± The woman asked, ¡°Did you say the Third Military Commander had an appointment this evening?¡± [TL/n: The Rank is not confirmed.] ¡°He will be attending the Urgon n¡¯s dinner.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°Tell them that Celine and I will be attending as well.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The swordsman, having shown the utmost courtesy, disappeared like the wind again. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 110 Chapter 110: Responding in My Own Way (1) Emerging from the arena, I wandered around with a consistently mncholic gaze, responding to the monkeys¡¯ cheers. I couldn¡¯t just ignore the monkeys who had recognized the true value of the Crazy Mage. Moreover, having deeply realized the true taste of the banquet, I wanted to check if my enlightenment was correct. Treat a monkey like a monkey. ¡®Enlightenment¡­ sessful.¡¯ Feeling like the Monkey King, I entered the annex. Opening the door, the three people gathered inside looked at the Monkey King with disdain. Feeling embarrassed, I said whatever came to mind. ¡°Such unsociable guys.¡± ir replied, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°This is when you manage your reputation. You guys don¡¯t know the true taste of a banquet.¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear you say that.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± Taylor suddenly asked, ¡°Was it circle magic again this time?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Taylor seemed to have a lot of questions for me, but he didn¡¯t voice them. Instead, he asked something else with a hardened expression. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± I dropped the Monkey King act and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll participate in the finals.¡± ¡°More than that, I¡¯m worried about the private dinner.¡± ¡°It smells fishy, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°It feels like it was nned in advance. The excuse for the dinner is so usible that it¡¯s even more unsettling.¡± I replied with a smile, ¡°I agree.¡± After a moment of consideration, Taylor said, ¡°How about refusing?¡± ¡°You naive guy. There you go again.¡± ir carefully intervened. ¡°I agree with Senior Brother. I don¡¯t think we need to attend such an unsettling event.¡± ¡°Both of you are naive.¡± I pointed to Arin and asked, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to attend. It doesn¡¯t seem like anything will change if we refuse.¡± I nodded and pointed at Taylor and ir in turn. ¡°You guys worry too much. Even if you¡¯re smart, it¡¯s meaningless if you don¡¯t act. This is a crisis, but it¡¯s also an opportunity. The stage is set, and you won¡¯t attend?¡± Taylor replied with a serious look, ¡°Do you have a n?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out when we get there. That¡¯s my way. Even if we refuse, Urgon must have already thought of their next move.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As I said, this is an opportunity for us too. It¡¯s also a chance to properly experience Urgon¡¯s culinary skills. Anyway, what they can do at the dinner is limited. Whatever it is, we¡¯ll know their intentions if we go. Let¡¯s see what kind of tricks they¡¯re trying to pull.¡± I looked at ir and Arin and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for all of us to go. You two stay here and be prepared.¡± ¡°Prepared for what?¡± ¡°Today is thest day, so if there¡¯s anyone suspicious, they¡¯ll definitely stand out. Look for the one who doesn¡¯t act like a monkey. I think that¡¯s the spy.¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden? A spy?¡± Recalling the conversation with the Azure Dragon Squad Leader, I said, ¡°I think there might have been someone watching us.¡± ir, who usually considered various possibilities, pondered to himself and nodded. ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s possible. If there¡¯s a spy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s likely someone familiar.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As I went down to the first floor with the three, the attention of the crowd gathered at once. A drinking party was already in full swing among the monkeys. I went around again like the Monkey King and responded to them, but I didn¡¯t even touch a drop of alcohol. There was nothing worth drinking. ¡°I don¡¯t see that guy.¡± Suddenly, I missed the cold liquor that the attentive servant brought me. It wasn¡¯t as good as moonshine, but it was a decent drink. While I was walking around, licking my lips, the main gate of the annex flung open. Thud¡ª! The External Affairs Officer, who entered with a few members of the special forces, looked around and called out to me with a weing voice. ¡°Sir Ruin!¡± ¡°The External Affairs Officer has arrived.¡± ¡°I¡¯vee to escort you.¡± The External Affairs Officer approached and said, ¡°I apologize for the other day. I made a slip of the tongue because I didn¡¯t know your skills, Sir Ruin.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Of course. This is why you have to experience someone to know them.¡± It seemed like the External Affairs Officer was about to start his eloquent speech, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to y along. I started walking and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Lead the way.¡± ¡°Yes. But what about the others?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡± The External Affairs Officer stopped walking. ¡°That¡¯s difficult.¡± ¡°What¡¯s difficult about it? It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°The Patriarch ordered me to bring everyone.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and exin it to the Patriarch.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We prepared the seats assuming all four of you would attend.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s feeling a bit under the weather, so I¡¯ll attend alone today.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s difficult.¡± I turned my head and red at the External Affairs Officer. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re being coercive when it¡¯s supposed to be a gathering for harmony.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± ¡°Did the Patriarch order you to bring us by force?¡± ¡°He wants everyone to interact together.¡± ¡°I appreciate the Patriarch¡¯s intention. As the eldest son of Samael, I can interact sufficiently on my own.¡± The External Affairs Officer looked momentarily flustered. ¡°Why that look? Is there another reason?¡± The External Affairs Officer suddenly sighed and replied, ¡°You can¡¯t go alone. It¡¯s a meeting with both the Patriarch and the Eldest Son.¡± ¡°How unreasonable.¡± As I approached the entrance of the annex again and beckoned, Taylor, who was waiting inside, followed. ¡°The two of us. That¡¯s my final offer. If you try to coerce us one more time, I¡¯ll refuse the dinner and everything.¡± The External Affairs Officer shook his head. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± It was my victory. There was no problem since I intended to have two people attend from the beginning. I followed the External Affairs Officer, traversing the outskirts of the Western Lake for a long time, then headed to the main building of Urgon, passing by the familiar manor. * * * ¡°Wow, is this a magic barrier?¡± As soon as I entered the main gate, I let out an exmation of admiration, pretending to be unaware. ¡°This is really splendid.¡± I continued to exim as I walked, as if I were visiting the main building for the first time. Upon reaching the top floor, the special forces were stationed throughout the hallway, just likest time. The External Affairs Officer left a message asking me to wait for a moment, then opened the door to a room and went inside. Feeling bored, I tried to strike up a conversation with the Special Forces Commander standing guard at the door. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Special Forces Commander didn¡¯t answer and only nced at me with his eyes, so I expressed my admiration innocently. ¡°What a great motionless stance. Did the Patriarch tell you to do that?¡± There was no reaction, so I suddenly feltpetitive. ¡°Tsk, what¡¯s with your attire?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Woof woof?¡± The Special Forces Commander involuntarily widened his eyes and red at me. As I grinned and pretended to be oblivious, the door burst open, and the External Affairs Officer reappeared. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± I made eye contact with Taylor, then collected myself and stepped inside. I immediately rolled my eyes and scanned the room. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ It was more spacious than I expected, but somehow it felt suffocating. It was like stepping into a secret chamber. Arge round table was ced in the center, and four people were gathered around it in a circle. Urgon¡¯s elite mages were stationed around the perimeter. ¡®What kind ofbination is this?¡¯ I was a little surprised as I examined the faces. I had expected Balkan, Libre, and Elder Parin, but there was one more person I hadn¡¯t anticipated. The Ardehain man I sawst time was also there. Hiding my unease, I approached the table, and Balkan rose from his seat and extended his hand. ¡°Wee, Ruin Samael.¡± Since I was curious about Balkan¡¯s intentions, I hid my identity and said politely, ¡°It is an honor to be invited, sir.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As soon as Balkan and Libre gave me a strange look, I realized my mistake. It had been a while since I spoke politely, so both the formal ¡°sir¡± and the informal ¡°yo¡± came out at the same time. It seemed servile, but it was alright. I could just correct it. ¡°It is an honor.¡± As I shook hands with Balkan, I observed his mannerisms. As a man, he should be able to guess the opponent¡¯s nature through a handshake. As expected, I felt the strict, stern, and serious strength of his grip. However, it made me feel quite ufortable that his palm was sticky. ¡®Is he sweating?¡¯ After the handshake, I quickly assessed the atmosphere. In these situations, you have to grasp everything quickly. First, Libre. Nothing out of the ordinary. Judging by his perverted frown, he seemed quite upset that Arin didn¡¯te. This guy still has a long way to go. Next, Elder Parin. Besides seeming quite interested in me, there was nothing particrly unusual about Elder Parin either. Then, the mysterious man. I couldn¡¯t figure out this guy¡¯s identity at all. He didn¡¯t even show up at the arena, so why was he suddenly taking a seat at the dinner table? I abruptly offered the man a handshake and asked, ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ruin Samael. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Nice to meet you.¡± This guy had zero social skills. It¡¯smon sense to introduce yourself after I¡¯ve given my name, but it was so obvious that he was preupied with other thoughts. He seemedpletely uninterested in us. As I tilted my head in confusion, Balkan spoke. ¡°Have a seat.¡± After Taylor and I sat in the empty seats, Balkan began, ¡°Thank you foring. What happened to the other two?¡± ¡°They seem to have upset stomachs, perhaps from eating something that didn¡¯t agree with them. We ask for your understanding.¡± Balkan nodded. ¡°I see. It¡¯s understandable that food might not suit your taste in a foreignnd. It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± Balkan sipped the teacup on the table and then changed the subject. ¡°By the way, that was truly amazing. I didn¡¯t know Samael had such talented individuals. I was truly impressed by both of you, Taylor and Ruin, especially you, Ruin. To think that someone who could defeat a swordswoman from the Death Sword Guild would emerge.¡± While Balkan was giving his customarypliments, I tilted my head inwardly. ¡®This is the dinner?¡¯ It was too simple. It felt more like a ce to have a private conversation than a dinner. There were no servants, no food, no music, no alcohol, and the atmosphere was gloomy. The guards standing around the perimeter made me feel like they were there to prevent me from escaping this secret chamber. As if reading my mind, Balkan suddenly burst into heartyughter. ¡°Haha, there¡¯s no need to be so wary.¡± I looked around the empty table and said, ¡°It seems the preparations for the dinner aren¡¯tplete yet, Patriarch.¡± ¡°Of course not. You can be a little more honest.¡± When I didn¡¯t say anything, Balkan continued, ¡°Then let me speak first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You must have sensed it. You must think this situation is strange. It¡¯s not just now. The banquet, the duel, there must have been more than a few strange things.¡± Taylor and I made eye contact. We hadn¡¯t expected Balkan to bring it up first. I gestured to Taylor to remain silent and then looked at Balkan. ¡°It would be a lie to say I didn¡¯t feel anything strange.¡± Balkan nodded with a serious expression. ¡°Actually, this banquet didn¡¯t have any grand meaning. Of course, I¡¯ve already exined this to Elder Parin here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Exchange? Harmony? As you¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s difficult to expect anything from the neighboring ns. If it were possible, I would have pursued it long ago. In the end, it was all just an excuse.¡± ¡°It sounds like you have other intentions.¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Balkan smiled faintly. ¡°This banquet¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­was for you.¡± Libre and Taylor tensed up, each with different implications. I slowly met Balkan¡¯s eyes and thought, ¡®He¡¯s revealing his intentions just like that?¡¯ When I didn¡¯t react and just stared into Balkan¡¯s eyes, he dered, ¡°Let me be blunt.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I want our Urgon and Samael to form a secret alliance.¡± As we made eye contact, I forced myself to suppress augh that was about to burst out. I tried to be polite, but since the opponent was treating me like a fool, I had no choice. I had to respond in my own way. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 111 Chapter 111: Responding in My Own Way (2) There¡¯s an old saying: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a fool for a fool, nonsense for nonsense. If someone treats you like a fool and spouts nonsense, you have to respond appropriately. If you stay silent, you¡¯ll really be a fool. There are many ways to respond, but saying something like, ¡°How dare you talk nonsense to me?¡± is the way of an amateur. A true professional responds to nonsense with the same nonsense. ¡°Did you say a secret alliance between Samael and Urgon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t be surprised. To further exin¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a really good idea. Just thinking about a secret alliance makes my heart race. What¡¯s the purpose of this alliance?¡± Balkan looked at me with surprise, then nodded to himself, recalling my actions in the arena. ¡°Khaoto is a good city to expand into the south. We will support you, so Samael can open the southern trade routes. We want to expand Urgon¡¯s influence to the south. I¡¯m confident that we can trust Samael. In return, we promise a lot of support.¡± It was an answer he seemed to have prepared in advance, so I spoke as if I had also prepared in advance. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I also have something I want to ask.¡± ¡°Feel free to speak.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten about Bayern?¡± ¡°Of course. Bayern is nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe. You even took over the Hamad Merchant Group?¡± Balkan nced at Elder Parin and then replied. ¡°From your perspective, you might think so. But from our perspective, it was just a passing event. Originally, we nned to establish a base in the south through Bayern. The acquisition of the Hamad Merchant Group was also intended to strengthen Bayern. I didn¡¯t expect Samael to defeat Bayern. If I had known this would happen, I would have contacted Samael from the beginning.¡± ¡°Your foresight wascking.¡± I could feel the Urgon subordinates on the outskirts collectively bristling, but Balkan¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Haha, you are wise young men, so you will understand what I mean. This offer is not bad for Samael at all. You can¡¯t move forward if you¡¯re stuck in the past.¡± Taylor, who had been listening silently, sharply interjected. ¡°Lord Balkan. I don¡¯t think this is something we should be answering. It would have been nice if you had invited our Lord together.¡± Balkan¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment, as if he hadn¡¯t expected this remark. ¡°Actually, I also intended to test you. I didn¡¯t expect you to show such outstanding abilities. I will formally invite Lord Kazen next time, so please convey my intentions.¡± As soon as Balkan showed a weakness, I seized the opportunity. ¡°Lord. Bayern and all that is fine, but there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Speak freely.¡± ¡°Urgon attacked Samael in the past.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°About 20 years ago. You wouldn¡¯t say you don¡¯t remember.¡± I looked Balkan straight in the eye and hit the core issue. ¡°What was the reason?¡± I focused all my attention on every single change in Balkan¡¯s expression, gestures, and gaze. A brief silence followed, and then Balkan burst into a heartyugh. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Afterughing for a while, Balkan shook his head and said. ¡°How bold. Now I see that Samael has umted a lot over the years. I had forgotten about it because it was so long ago. The reason¡­ that¡¯s a difficult question.¡± Balkan continued, as if reminiscing. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any particr reason. I just needed a pretext. It was a time when we were expanding our influence. It wasn¡¯t unusual for us to wage war with neighboring ns. It wasn¡¯t just Samael.¡± Balkan looked around. ¡°It was just a natural thing. I don¡¯t think you want to hear an apology now. If you think we have any ill feelings towards Samael, I want to tell you that you are mistaken. We are Urgon.¡± At first nce, it seemed like he was looking at the world from the perspective of a powerful person, but I noticed something unnatural. ¡®Is Balkan watching Parin¡¯s expression?¡¯ Even while Balkan was speaking, he was constantly paying attention to Elder Parin. It felt like he was checking Elder Parin¡¯s reaction with every word he uttered. Why? ¡°Think carefully. This could be an opportunity for Samael to soar.¡± As soon as Balkan closed his mouth, Elder Parin stepped forward as if he had been waiting. ¡°If the Lord¡¯s business is over, would it be alright if I spoke with Ruin for a moment?¡± ¡°Of course, Elder.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Suddenly, the man from Ardehain showed difort for the first time. Until now, he hadn¡¯t shown any interest and hadn¡¯t even pretended to listen, but suddenly he had this unexpected reaction. Elder Parin said to the man, ¡°Please wait a moment. It won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± They had a private conversationst time as well, so it seems like there¡¯s something going on between them. It didn¡¯t seem to be rted to Urgon, so I wasn¡¯t very interested. Elder Parin said, ¡°I¡¯ve been dying to ask you this. I¡¯m really curious about you, Ruin.¡± ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯re going to ask me something difficult.¡± Without even listening to me, Elder Parin abruptly asked, ¡°How is it possible for someone to have a duel of your level with chanting?¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere felt strange. ¡°It was far beyond my expectations.¡± ¡°As expected, you¡¯re asking a difficult question. It¡¯s just, that¡¯s a difficult thing to exin in words.¡± The blue eyes behind the monocle twinkled with unconcealed curiosity. ¡°This is a very important matter, Ruin. I¡¯ve never seen a mage like you before. It was considered difficult both in theory and in practice.¡± I suddenly looked around and let out a chuckle. ¡°Elder. Shouldn¡¯t you buy me a drink or something?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elder Parin suddenly felt awkward and coughed slightly. ¡°I guess I was too preupied with my own thoughts. But just know that it¡¯s that important. If you¡¯re okay with it, why don¡¯t youe back to the Magic Tower with me? There might be something I can help you with.¡± Libre, who had been sending burning gazes since earlier, finally couldn¡¯t stand it and intervened. ¡°Elder, would it be possible for me too?¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to go to the Magic Tower with you, Elder.¡± Elder Parin nced at Balkan and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about youter.¡± Elder Parin, adjusting his monocle, met my eyes and asked, ¡°How about we go together?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re already receiving instruction from the Red Magic Tower?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why? This is a good opportunity for you.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t given it any thought.¡± Elder Parin sighed at my firm tone. ¡°It¡¯s always open, so tell me if you change your mind. Or could you perhaps tell me your origin? No matter how talented you are, you couldn¡¯t have learned it alone at your age. If not the Red Magic Tower¡­ perhaps Samael?¡± ¡°Well, I can¡¯t really say I have an origin¡­¡± I was about to vaguely gloss over it when I felt a strange sense of difort and looked at Elder Parin. ¡®Did he ask if my origin is Samael?¡¯ It¡¯s a bit strange for him to say that casually. Someone who doesn¡¯t know the Samael of the past couldn¡¯t say that. Moreover, the fact that it was Elder Parin who brought it up made it hard to ignore. Does he know something? I said to Elder Parin, ¡°I¡¯ll visit you sometime soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± The uneasy feeling wouldn¡¯t go away. If you were to ask me if it was a good or bad feeling, it was a bad one. This is something close to instinct, and I felt like I was missing something. I looked at Balkan, then at Parin, then turned my head to look at the Urgon subordinates standing on the outskirts. ¡®Gloomy.¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem like this meeting would end like this. At that moment, the door burst open and the chief steward entered, followed by Celestine and a mysterious woman. The man from Ardehain jumped to his feet and bowed respectfully. Balkan, Parin, and Libre all rose from their seats at once. Her mere appearancepletely changed the atmosphere of the room. ¡°Hoho, am I toote?¡± Balkan replied, ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I intentionally camete because I was worried it might be inconvenient.¡± ¡°It would have been nice if you had told us earlier. We didn¡¯t prepare a separate banquet because it was originally intended to be a simple conversation.¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it at all. So, have you finished what you were going to say?¡± ¡°Of course. Feel free to speak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The woman turned her head and looked at me. ¡°Hoho, you¡¯re Ruin, right?¡± I was speechless as soon as I met the woman¡¯s eyes. * * * I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve felt this way. ¡®A mid-ranking Commander of an external organization or a low-ranking Commander of an internal organization.¡¯ No. That¡¯s not right. At first nce, I couldn¡¯t feel any energy, but I couldn¡¯t help but know. I didn¡¯t understand why I hadn¡¯t realized it sooner. The final part of that bloody expedition. There, where many had fallen and only a few remained who were called knights. The swordsman of Ardehain also remained. ¡®¡­She looks exactly the same.¡¯ She looked remarkably like the woman who led the Ardehain n, standing at its peak. It was a memory and a mark that anyone who had experienced that time together could not forget. As I stared, mesmerized, the woman smiled. ¡°Oh my, is there something on my face? It¡¯s embarrassing if you stare at me like that.¡± ¡®¡­Her way of speaking is simr too.¡¯ Only then did I slightly lower my head. The woman must be much older than she appears. ¡°I am Ruin.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± For some reason, I wanted to offer a greeting to a former colleague. Before the woman could say anything else, I ced my left hand on my heart and said, ¡°Like a noble lotus.¡± Celestine¡¯s eyes widened, and the woman looked around. Seeing everyone¡¯s bewildered expressions¡­ the woman suddenly burst intoughter and pointed at me. ¡°You already noticed?¡± I looked at Celestine and said, ¡°It¡¯s notmon to handle a Lotus Sword.¡± ¡°Just from that? How did you know the etiquette?¡± ¡°I read a lot of books in preparation for a time like this.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± The woman¡¯s lips curled up. She realized I was tantly lying, but her expression wasn¡¯t unpleasant. Rather, she seemed satisfied. The woman looked at Balkan and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with Ruin privately.¡± Balkan had his subordinates bring in a few more tables and chairs. In an instant, the atmosphere shifted to one of separate conversations. I don¡¯t know why this is happening all of a sudden when I came to figure out Balkan¡¯s intentions, but the situation itself isn¡¯t bad for me at all. I faced Celestine and the woman at a table in the corner. ¡°You said you wanted to talk to me.¡± ¡°You told Celine an interesting story.¡± I had an idea of what the woman was about to say. ¡°Before that. Now that we¡¯ve even exchanged greetings, it¡¯s only right that we introduce ourselves. You¡¯re acquainted with Celine. Have you greeted the Third Military Commander?¡± ¡°The Third Military Commander?¡± As if she had expected this, the woman gestured. ¡°Third Military Commander?¡± The man from Ardehain, who had been talking with Elder Parin, hurriedly rushed over and stood in front of the woman. ¡°You called?¡± ¡°I think it would be good to make an introduction.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No matter how busy you are with official duties, you should say hello. Now that you¡¯ve revealed the name of your n, you should act ordingly.¡± ¡°Ah, I was preupied¡­¡± Flustered, the man politely extended his hand to me. ¡°I am Fichte.¡± ¡°I am Ruin.¡± As we shook hands, I suddenly noticed that the man¡¯s hand was cold. It wasn¡¯t just cold, but rather had a chilling feeling. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Only then did I raise my head and look closely at the man¡¯s face. There was nothing particrly unusual, but¡­ Hisplexion was somewhat dark. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 112 Chapter 112: Three Lotuses? Watching Fichte¡¯s retreating figure after the handshake, I tilted my head. ¡®Was hisplexion always like that?¡¯ He looked different from when I was observing him from hiding. I remember him having a paleplexion, but now it was ashen, as if he had been exposed to the sun for a long time. As I continued to stare strangely at Fichte, the womanughed and said, ¡°Smart men usuallyck social skills, so just let it be. Besides, the Third Military Commander is quite the mole.¡± Her answer felt somewhat distant, so I asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t the three of youe together?¡± The woman pointed a finger at herself. ¡°Me? I came here purely because of Celine. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen the Third Military Commander myself.¡± Suddenly, the woman stoppedughing, crossed her legs, and faced me. The atmosphere changed. I also put aside my thoughts about Fichte and met the woman¡¯s gaze. ¡°I am Loren. I hold a suitable executive position.¡± ¡°Tell me, Lady Loren.¡± The woman looked at me intently. ¡°I heard you said something interesting. You talked about Celine¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it was interesting.¡± ¡°You told her not to swing it like a heavy sword, right?¡± ¡°I certainly said that.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°What did you mean by that?¡± I knew she would ask this. Of course, I also said it with some intention. I didn¡¯t expect such an immediate reaction, though. It felt like an unexpected big fish had taken the bait. Observing Loren¡¯s reaction, I said politely, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything bad by it. The sword felt heavy.¡± ¡°Exin in detail.¡± ¡°She puts too much power into the sword. It inevitably leaves openings.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°The Lotus Sword is a light sword, so it doesn¡¯t suit that style.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unnatural. Putting all her power into it prevents her from utilizing the advantages of the Lotus Sword.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, the hint of fondness in Loren¡¯s eyes disappeared in an instant. ¡°I had a feeling, but you don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about. For a man who¡¯s never held a sword, that¡¯s quite an arrogant thing to say.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hoho, I dislike men with loose tongues. It¡¯s quite unpleasant to impose your shallow standards of judgement.¡± Loren had an expression that said she hadpletely figured me out. However, I was also figuring her out. Even while speaking, I was constantly thinking about Loren¡¯s identity. ¡®Celine.¡¯ Calling Celestine by her childhood name suggests a high probability of a mother-daughter rtionship. Loren introduced herself as an executive, but it¡¯s unlikely that her position ends there. ¡®I¡¯d like to see her waist.¡¯ If there¡¯s one red lotus engraved on her scabbard, it simply signifies a direct descendant of Erdehain. If there are two, it means she holds a special position even among the direct descendants. A high-ranking executive of the inner organization, or perhaps even a member of the Lotus Blossom Unit. ¡°Remember that words carry consequences, Ruin. I¡¯ll let it slide today considering you showed respect. Be careful with your words next time. Hoho. Shall we go, Celine?¡± Loren looked at Celestine with a bored expression. I watched her quietly and then chuckled. ¡°Your words are a bit harsh for a first meeting. I haven¡¯t said anything wrong.¡± Celestine¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and she fidgeted. Loren, who was about to get up, turned her head to look at me. ¡°It¡¯s good to have pride, but you should also know who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Celestine, watching Loren¡¯s expression, quickly intervened. ¡°Ruin, apologize¡­ Quickly!¡± Loren shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You must be confident since you¡¯ve spoken your mind twice. If you¡¯re not saying you¡¯re wrong, are you implying that I am?¡± It felt chilling, but this was also part of my n. I had already grasped Loren¡¯s temperament. Even her personality was surprisingly simr to the woman who led Erdehain in the past. Looking at Loren, I said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m right. Your swordsmanship assessment is sharp. However, no matter how good the swordsmanship is, it¡¯s meaningless if the body can¡¯t keep up. You should know that. Or are you pretending not to?¡± Celestine looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. The yful look in Loren¡¯s eyespletely disappeared. ¡°Good swordsmanship? That sounds like you¡¯re evaluating Ardehain¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± Fwoosh¡ª Suddenly, energy spread out from Loren, encircling the spot where we were sitting. Qi Curtain. A barrier that blocks sound from the outside by emitting Qi from the body. It¡¯s a technique many times more difficult than casting it with magic. It suddenly urred to me that this woman was indeed a knight. It was an extremely foolish move. Loren looked at me with cold eyes. ¡°There are words you can¡¯t take back even if you utter them by mistake.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way it was a mistake when I¡¯m stating what I see.¡± ¡°Tell me before I cut your tongue out. My patience is not long.¡± No matter how skilled Loren is, she can¡¯tpare to me, the master of push and pull. ¡°The Lotus Sword is a highly stic sword. Although its strength is weak, it is flexible, and the swordsmanship must be performed ordingly. Seeing Celestine¡¯s swordsmanship, I understood for sure. It¡¯s a swordsmanship specialized in turning an opponent¡¯s strength against them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to turn an opponent¡¯s strength against them. The mana within the body must be fully exerted as sword Qi, but the body must be rxed. The more you suppress your strength, the more the advantages of the Lotus Sword disappear. The swordsmanship performed with the Lotus Sword must not be heavy, nor should it be fast, it aims solely for softness itself, the Flexible Sword. That¡¯s just what I feel, anyway.¡± While I was speaking, Celestine¡¯s expression, which had been restless for fear that my tongue would be cut out, gradually turned to astonishment. ¡°Is that a satisfactory answer?¡± Loren, who had not expected such an answer from a man she considered a mere boy, looked at me speechlessly. A brief silence followed, and then Loren muttered, ¡°You grasped all that just by watching Celine¡¯s swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Loren¡¯s eyes, which had been piercing me, once again lit up with interest. ¡°There¡¯s no need to cut your tongue out. You have the eye of a knight rather than a mage.¡± There was no need to provoke Loren further, but my pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°A crazy mage is better than an ignorant knight. That¡¯s exactly who I am.¡± Loren looked at me with a dumbfounded expression and then chuckled. ¡°Hoho, I¡¯ll let that slide as well today.¡± With this, I¡¯ve achieved my initial goal. As Loren lifted the Qi Curtain, Elder Parin, who had been watching us with Fichte from the other side, asked with a curious expression, ¡°What did you talk about that you even used a Qi Curtain?¡± Lorenughed and got up from her seat. ¡°Hoho, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Balkan said, ¡°If you¡¯ve finished your conversation, would you like to enjoy some refreshments?¡± Loren nced at me for a moment and then nodded. ¡°Shall we?¡± I happened to notice Loren¡¯s waist fluttering as she walked past me, so I watched carefully. And once again, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. The pattern engraved on Loren¡¯s scabbard. ¡®Three¡­ red lotuses?¡¯ * * * When Balkan pped his hands, the mages guarding the perimeter rushed out, and soon servants entered, cing simple refreshments on the round table before withdrawing. Now there was no one left in the room but us. As we gathered around the round table again, Balkan was the first to speak. ¡°I hope we can end this meeting on a good note.¡± Balkan looked at me and Taylor in turn. ¡°Think carefully about the offer. It will be a good opportunity for Samael.¡± Loren interjected with an intrigued look. ¡°What kind of good opportunity?¡± ¡°Haha, if Samael agrees, we intend to provide generous support.¡± Loren replied with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re saying you want to secure a promising n. Hoho, Urgon¡¯s eye for talent is not bad.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I carefully examined Loren¡¯s expression, wondering if she knew anything about Samael, but it didn¡¯t seem like she did. This time, Parin spoke to me. ¡°I feel the same, Ruin. I would like you to visit the Magic Tower in the near future. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± ¡°Even the Blue Magic Tower? You seem to be quite the popr man. Hoho, Celine has a lot ofpetitors.¡± Celestine, her face flushed red, cried out softly, ¡°Mother!¡± Regardless, I nodded at Parin. ¡°Alright.¡± I was curious if he knew anything about the Samael of the past, so I did intend to visit. After that, the conversation continued with trivial matters. Mainly, Balkan and Parin led the conversation, with Loren asionally interjecting. Fichte remained huddled like a mole, asionally ncing at Elder Parin. Libre was crouched down, unable to dare join the conversation. Meanwhile, Taylor and I continued to share the same thoughts. This conversation was unexpected, but there wasn¡¯t anything particrly suspicious about it. They were hiding something, but they didn¡¯t reveal any malicious intent. ¡®Is it because of Elder Parin?¡¯ Just then, Elder Parin¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Ahem, I wonder if anyone is feeling parched. I wish we had some liquor.¡± As soon as I heard the word ¡®liquor,¡¯ I felt my mouth water. Come to think of it, there was nothing to drink on the table except tea. Balkan cleared his throat with an embarrassed expression. ¡°My apologies. I didn¡¯t expect the meeting tost this long either. Please wait a moment.¡± While Balkan was pping his hands, Loren got up and said, ¡°I think we¡¯ve talked enough. Celine and I will be going now.¡± Balkan looked at Parin and replied, ¡°Then it would be best to conclude the meeting here. Please wait a moment.¡± Parin nodded. ¡°Very well, Lord.¡± A momentter, a servant, following Balkan¡¯s instructions, brought in an ice bucket containing various kinds of alcohol. I suddenly tried to acknowledge the servant, but he disappeared too quickly, and I missed the opportunity to greet him. ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink each to signify unity and conclude the meeting. It would be good for the two young masters of Samael to choose the drinks they want.¡± Instinctively, I looked into the ice bucket and saw the chilled hard liquor I had been searching for earlier. Taylor, who had the same thought as me, also picked up the hard liquor and ced it on the table. ¡°It¡¯s good alcohol. Have a drink.¡± Balkan uncorked the hard liquor, poured a ss each for Taylor and me, and then put it back down. A refreshing fruity scent wafted up. ¡°Hmm?¡± A brief silence fell as Balkan stared intently at me. Wondering if he suddenly wanted to have a staring contest, I red back at him, while Taylor picked up the hard liquor and started filling the sses of the others. ¡®Damn manners.¡¯ Now that I think about it, he probably wanted us to fill the sses. As Taylor was about to fill Balkan¡¯s ss, Balkan raised his hand to stop him. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m abstaining from alcohol.¡± Suddenly, his words felt too artificial, and I tilted my head. Anyway, once everyone else¡¯s sses were filled with alcohol, Balkan raised his empty ss and eximed, ¡°To good alcohol, goodpany, and good friends!¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was a moment where I suddenly understood who Moose had learned toasts from. With Balkan¡¯s clich¨¦ toast, the dinner meeting concluded. * * * Returning to the annex, the monkeys were still having a drinking party. I looked around, but ir and Arin were nowhere to be seen. I asked Taylor to find them and went upstairs. Lying on the bed, I quietly pondered. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything, but I wasn¡¯t particrly hungry. Suddenly, I heard loud noises from downstairs, so I immediately assumed a meditative posture. Like a man who has practiced meditation anytime and anywhere, I quickly focused my mind. ¡®Everything was nonsense.¡¯ Everything Balkan said today was nonsense and gibberish. None of his words revealed his true intentions. However, the reason I continued to feel uneasy was¡­ Balkan¡¯s effort to make his words sound usible even while spouting nonsense. Why? Was it really to keep an eye on Elder Parin? As I was about to start my brain working in earnest, the door burst open, and for the first time in a while, I got a cramp in my leg. ¡°Ouch, shit.¡± Arin, ir, and Taylor barged into the room all at once, pushing each other. ¡°Knock, you dimwits.¡± ir pushed his face towards me. ¡°You were right, Ruin.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ir replied in a serious tone, ¡°I think there¡¯s a spy.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 113 Chapter 113: Finding the Spy ¡°There¡¯s a spy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone suspicious.¡± After confirming ir¡¯s expression, I opened my circle and looked around. Most of the men were gathered downstairs, and no one was approaching. Closing the door, I sat down on the bed and asked quietly, ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°After you and Taylor left, I observed the people. Until now, I checked if anyone was leaving the banquet hall, but not today. We narrowed down the people who were friendly to us and checked what each of them was doing. Because of what you said.¡± ¡°So you narrowed down the targets and checked them carefully.¡± ¡°Right. Arin and I split the task in half. There was nothing unusual. No one left the banquet hall, and no one was acting suspiciously. But after watching for a while, something strange happened.¡± I frowned and replied, ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°Someone who wasn¡¯t there before appeared.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The banquet hall door didn¡¯t open, and he didn¡¯te down from upstairs. It was as if he had been there from the beginning, very natural. If we hadn¡¯t narrowed down the targets at first, we wouldn¡¯t have noticed. Because it was a familiar face.¡± I wasn¡¯t expecting much, but I suddenly became interested. ¡°That¡¯s suspicious. He suddenly appeared?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t even know when he appeared. After that, we only focused on that man. But then he disappeared at some point. Again, the banquet hall door didn¡¯t open, and he didn¡¯t go upstairs. We even searched the banquet hall thoroughly, just in case, but couldn¡¯t find him anywhere.¡± Taylor, who had been listening quietly, intervened. ¡°It sounds like there¡¯s another entrance.¡± ir nodded. ¡°I thought the same thing. I don¡¯t know his exact identity, but I¡¯m suspicious. It seemed certain that he was connected to Urgon. If he¡¯s going in and out using a hidden passage, it¡¯s like he¡¯s been given some kind of orders.¡± I asked, ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°Alvin.¡± ¡°Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group?¡± ¡°Yes, the one who always talked to us.¡± I¡¯ve known Alvin for a long time. He once helped Samael by providing funds. But Alvin has a close rtionship with Urgon? Cliff¡¯s words suddenly came to mind, and I started to imagine. ¡®He said Urgon sent people to Khaoto.¡¯ It was strange that I didn¡¯t remember seeing any suspicious people in Khaoto¡­ If it¡¯s Alvin, it makes sense. He visited Samael once before. Actually, the Valpong Merchant Group providing funds to Samael was just for show. It wasn¡¯t actually helpful when needed. If it was all a scheme to gain Samael¡¯s favor¡­ ¡°Interesting. Get out for now. I need to organize my thoughts.¡± Taylor narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°It might be better to stay together. I have a bad feeling.¡± I pointed to the door. ¡°Then the three of you stay together.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go to Arin¡¯s room.¡± The three of them entered Arin¡¯s room across the hall. I closed the door again and fell into thought. ording to the Crazy Mage¡¯s intuition, Urgon is definitely targeting Samael. Moreover, if Alvin is really a spy, then they¡¯ve been closely monitoring us from the beginning. In the end, the purpose of the banquet that Balkan revealed was all¡­ ¡®A lie.¡¯ A trap to bind Samael. It could be a needless worry, but when assuming a situation, it¡¯s best to consider the worst-case scenario. Besides, I could somewhat guess why Urgon was going through all this trouble. ¡®It¡¯s because of the Red Magic Tower.¡¯ I don¡¯t know why, but Urgon is still concerned about the Red Magic Tower. There were constant hints that they believed there was some kind of connection between Samael and the Red Magic Tower. Then what is Urgon trying to use to bind Samael? No matter how much I think about it, there¡¯s nothing. The banquet ends tomorrow, and I don¡¯t see any scheme that Urgon could employ. Perhaps Urgon¡¯s aim in this banquet has already failed. However, what continues to bother me is¡­ There was no reason for Balkan to spout nonsense. Why did he bring up that nonsense about a secret alliance that wouldn¡¯t be believable at all? Why did he say such a thing? It was also strange that Balkan was conscious of Elder Parin the whole time he was speaking. No matter how high Elder Parin¡¯s position in the Blue Magic Tower is, there¡¯s no reason for the Lord of Urgon to be so wary of him. Was Balkan really afraid of Elder Parin and therefore couldn¡¯t reveal his true intentions? ¡®Hmm.¡¯ In the end, I¡¯m back to square one. I don¡¯t know why Balkan is wary of Parin, and I still don¡¯t know why Urgon is hostile towards Samael. ¡®Ugh¡­¡¯ I¡¯m suddenly getting angry. Anyway, if things continue like this, there¡¯s a high probability that this banquet will end without incident. That¡¯s not an interesting situation. What is that idiotic Lord Balkan¡¯s true intention that he¡¯s hiding it so well? This damn¡­ Should I just p him and ask? Or should I fly like a butterfly and, ah, that¡¯s not it. Wait a minute. Suddenly, as I was imagining myself bing a butterfly, I noticed something strange. No matter how I thought about it, the current situation wouldn¡¯t be beneficial to Lord Balkan himself either. What if all the assumptions I¡¯ve made so far are wrong¡­ and it¡¯s the opposite? ¡°¡­No way?¡± It was an absurd thought, but somehow the uneasy feeling subsided. It¡¯s a very unpleasant feeling. Sometimes, intuition bes sharp with absurd thoughts, and that¡¯s how it was now. * * * I spent the time meditating until dawn passed. As morning came, I gradually heard the monkeys moving around one by one, and then suddenly the door opened. Thud¡ª ¡°Ugh, I told you to knock.¡± Taylor, ir, and Arin barged into the room again all at once. These guys, I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ve sold their manners or what. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you manners. Come closer. Haa¡ª.¡± I was about to give them forehead flicks, but I stopped when I saw their faces. Their eyes were all dark and sunken. ¡°Did you stay up all night?¡± ir replied with a tired face, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep at all.¡± ¡°There are days like that.¡± I asked Taylor, ¡°So what¡¯s the conclusion after staying up all night?¡± Taylor replied with a tired face, ¡°The conclusion is that nothing will probably happen.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like he was just saying that, so I nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the conclusion, huh.¡± ¡°He definitely has something up his sleeve. Maybe it¡¯ll be revealed after this banquet is over. We need to be prepared.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have anything up his sleeve?¡± ¡°No.¡± I looked at the three and said, ¡°It will be revealed before the banquet ends. Be prepared, everyone.¡± Taylor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Did you figure out Balkan¡¯s scheme?¡± ¡°Almost. I¡¯m sure of his intention, but I don¡¯t know how he¡¯ll do it.¡± It was at that moment that we heard an ominous sound from downstairs. Thud¡ª We exchanged nces and immediately went downstairs. The monkeys were gathered together, the main gate was wide open, and Urgon¡¯s magic divisions were pushing their way in with a ferocious aura. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± While the monkeys were in a state of confusion, Urgon¡¯s mages, led by the Red Phoenix Grandmaster, spread out widely, surrounding me, Taylor, ir, and Arin in the center with a ferocious aura. Then, the external affairs manager walked out from among the Urgon group. His expression was cold, unlike his usual talkative self. ¡°Please remain where you are.¡± One man asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I will exin the detailster. Please cooperate with the control for now.¡± ¡°Even so, you should at least give us an exnation.¡± ¡°Please wait for now.¡± The man who asked the question stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth. The energy emanating from the Red Phoenix Division silenced him. The Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster gestured once, and some of the members rushed upstairs. Meanwhile, I felt a burning gaze and looked to see Taylor ring at me. I nodded and spoke with my eyes. ¡®This was it.¡¯ I watched what they were doing with renewed interest. To try and bind us in a ce with so many people, they would need a justification, but what could they have prepared? A momentter, the Red Phoenix Division, who had gone upstairs, came rushing back down and started reporting to the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster and the external affairs manager. The external affairs manager, after conversing with the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster, looked around and said, ¡°There will be no matches today. Please wait in the annex for now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The external affairs manager and the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster walked outside with hurried steps¡­ Sensing the gravity of the situation, the monkeys also went upstairs without a word. I also went upstairs without any resistance and quietly said to Taylor, ¡°You guys go in first.¡± While climbing the stairs, I secretly followed the familiar figure of a man mixed in with the crowd. The farthest room on the top floor. After confirming the location of the room the man entered, I rubbed my chest and immediately followed him, knocking on the door. Knock knock¡ª ¡°¡­¡± There was no response, so I knocked as if to break the door, and only then did I hear cautious movements from inside. He seemed to be watching me through the small hole in the middle of the door. With a creak¡ª, the man who came out looked at me and widened his eyes. ¡°External Affairs Manager. What¡¯s this all of a sudden?¡± I asked bluntly, ¡°You were going to handle things like this?¡± ¡°Pardon? There¡¯s still nothing¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± Reading the bewildered look in the man¡¯s eyes, I quietly closed the door and stepped inside. Thud¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± After striking Alvin¡¯s throat with a hand-de strike, I grabbed him by the hair and mmed him onto the table. I put mana into my grip and pressed down on the struggling man¡¯s head. ¡°Alvin of the Valpong Merchant Group.¡± As soon as he heard my voice, Alvin asked in surprise, ¡°Ruin?¡± ¡°You recognized my voice like a ghost.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°A spy for Urgon, an agent for Urgon, a man pretending to be an eunuch of the Valpong Merchant Group, a man watching Samael, Alvin. Tell me what you¡¯re up to. I know everything, so excuses won¡¯t work.¡± I said, pressing down on Alvin¡¯s head. ¡°Time is short. If you scream, I¡¯ll set your mouth on fire, and if you pretend not to know, I¡¯ll blow your head off.¡± Alvin, feeling the pressure as if his head was about to explode, let out a suppressed groan. ¡°¡­¡­How.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s skip the formalities. I said time is short.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°No answer.¡± I bent down and met Alvin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Shall I kill you?¡± As our eyes met, Alvin¡¯s pupils shook ceaselessly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 114 Chapter 114: So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ (1) I immediately realized this guy wasn¡¯t one to stand his ground. ¡°I¡¯ll ask one by one. Time is short, so answer quickly. Tell me who you are.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Without hesitation, I applied pressure to the fingers gripping his head. Crack¡ª ¡°Kugh.¡± I smiled, meeting the writhing Alvin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Answer my questions immediately. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll blow your head off. I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± Feeling the sincerity in my smile, Alvin shuddered. He had never encountered a man like me before, so he waspletely flustered. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t expected his identity to be exposed, leaving him no time topose himself. ¡°Your identity.¡± ¡°Kugh¡­ I¡¯m¡­ the vice-leader of the Valpong Merchant Group¡­ and Urgon¡¯s eunuch.¡± So, he wasn¡¯t just a member of the Valpong Merchant Group, but Urgon¡¯s personal eunuch. I had many questions, but I kept it brief and to the point. ¡°What is the External Affairs Manager doing right now? What¡¯s his scheme?¡± As I released my grip, Alvin let out a sigh and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t¡­ Gah!¡± I mmed my fist into Alvin¡¯s mouth with my other hand. With my mana open to the Yin dimension, I channeled dark lightning into my right hand and gently touched his head. Bzzzzt¡ª ¡°Ugggghhh!¡± Alvin foamed at the mouth and his eyes rolled back as he felt the agonizing pain of his brain being wrung like a wet rag. Just before he passed out, I withdrew the dark lightning and met his eyes again. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Alvin stared nkly at my mud-colored pupils and started to whimper. A few more seconds, and his head would have been nothing but an empty shell, so it was understandable. He was out of his mind, his eyes filled with utter terror. Seeing him like that reminded me of a troll-like demon from my past life who died before me. ¡°Kugh¡­ I really don¡¯t know.¡± His eyes told me he was sincere. ¡°What were you doingst night?¡± ¡°I was just¡­ following orders¡­ in Tyil¡¯s¡­ room¡­ Kugh.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. So, you were doing something.¡± Suddenly, I rummaged through my inner pocket and pulled out a damp pill. I didn¡¯t have time to wait for this incoherent fool. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± I held Alvin upright, struck his chin to open his mouth, and shoved the pill in. ¡°Herees the medicine, you bastard.¡± I pretended to p his mouth shut, and Alvin instinctively swallowed¡ªgulp. I pointed at Alvin¡¯s face and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t get the antidote within a day, you¡¯ll die. It¡¯s a poison that makes your face explode. I can already see the bubbles starting to form.¡± Alvin¡¯s face turned purple. He was already out of his mind, unable to discern the truth of my words. Moreover, it was difficult to easily grasp the side effects of the pill La had given me. ¡°Kugh¡­¡± ¡°Find out what the External Affairs Manager is plotting. Feel free to betray me. It¡¯s a poison made by a cunning woman, so even if you beg Urgon, you won¡¯t be able to get the antidote in a day. You¡¯ll regret it when your face explodes.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Answer me. Val. Pong. Mer. chant. Group¡¯s Alvin?¡± As if possessed, Alvin replied, ¡°Y-yes, sir.¡± When I gazed intently into Alvin¡¯s eyes, he flinched and looked away. It seemed this guy didn¡¯t hold a crucial position in Urgon. He was a coward, so it didn¡¯t seem like he would immediately b to Urgon. I briefly opened my mana circle and checked if there was anyone around. Seizing the opportunity while no one was around, I quietly opened the door and slipped out. *** It was a shame that Alvin didn¡¯t know much, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. It wasn¡¯t a crucial matter anyway. The important thing was confirming that he was a spy. Now that Urgon had made their move, I had to act as well if I didn¡¯t want to be a fool. As I opened the door to my room and stepped inside, the three people who had been engaged in a serious conversation stopped and looked at me. ir spoke with a sense of urgency, ¡°Where have you been? The atmosphere isn¡¯t looking good.¡± I nodded and went straight to the point. ¡°Alvin is indeed a spy.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°I just met him. He confessed to being a spy himself.¡± ¡°Did you kill him?¡± ¡°What do you take me for? What¡¯s with those looks?¡± ir was about to say, ¡°You¡¯re definitely capable of that,¡± but shook his head. ¡°Never mind. So?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t seem to know much. For now, I told him to find out what the External Affairs Manager is up to. Of course, it¡¯s best not to get our hopes up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Taylor frowned and said, ¡°That¡¯s foolish. If he tells Urgon about this, we¡¯ll be in danger.¡± Before I could reply, ir interjected. ¡°¡­It probably won¡¯t be a big problem, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Alvin publicly represents the Valpong Merchant Group. If Ruin retaliates, it will be against Valpong, not Urgon, so there won¡¯t be any immediate problems. In fact, it¡¯s more likely that he¡¯ll be reprimanded by his superiors for being caught.¡± I nodded. ¡°The spy knows that too. Besides, whether he actually snitches or not isn¡¯t important. Urgon has already made their move. Even if they find out we suspect them, it won¡¯t change anything. The important thing is that we¡¯ve confirmed Alvin is a spy.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°In the end, it¡¯s be clear that Urgon is targeting Samael. What the External Affairs Manager is doing right now is because of us.¡± I looked at each of their faces in turn and murmured, ¡°Rx your faces. When you have a lot on your mind¡­¡± The three stopped thinking and looked at me. ¡°¡­find peace of mind. Only with a calm mind can you avoid getting caught up in mind games with your opponent. If you¡¯re really curious about their moves, you can askter.¡± These words were also for myself. After saying whatever came to mind, I immediately sat down in a meditative posture. Like a man who meditates anytime, anywhere, I immediately began to find inner peace. I had reached the point where simply meditating automatically calmed my mind and body. Suddenly, I noticed the silence around me and opened my eyes to find, surprisingly, all three of them sitting in a row, meditating. ¡®Funny guys.¡¯ I chuckled to myself and closed my eyes again. ¡®Peace of mind¡­¡¯ Actually, the current situation wasn¡¯t that ufortable. In fact, I was rather pleased that the enemies were showing their teeth. I was a man who, if the enemy bared their teeth, would dly pull out their gums as well. With peace of mind, I forgot about distracting thoughts, about anger, and gradually, I even began to forget about myself¡­ sh¡ª I opened my eyes first, followed by Arin, Taylor, and ir, who all opened their eyes wide almost simultaneously. The four of us exchanged nces and nodded. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± With a crash¡ª, the main door downstairs burst open, and an overbearing voice filled with mana boomed throughout the building. ¡°Everyonee down!¡± I smiled at the three of them and said, ¡°Time to satisfy our curiosity.¡± When we went down to the first floor, the Red Phoenix Division had surrounded the annex. They were dressed in martial attire and deliberately radiating a murderous aura. Amidst them, La stood out, sending a subtle smile our way. The External Affairs Manager and the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster were at the front, apanied by an elder-looking man. ¡®Quite a crowd they¡¯ve brought.¡¯ We pushed our way through the monkeys gathered in the center. The surrounding men stiffened, unsure of what to do. No one dared to speak carelessly under the pressure exerted by the Red Phoenix Division. The External Affairs Manager raised his hand and said in a low voice, ¡°This is a serious matter, so we ask for your cooperation.¡± Once everyone had gathered, the elder-looking man nodded once. The Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster, along with a few of his ferocious-looking subordinates, approached us. The monkeys parted like the tide to the left and right. Step by step, the Urgon men closed in, stopping right in front of me. Thud¡ª! The Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster red at Taylor and me with a mixture of anger and contempt. ¡°Ruin Samael, Taylor Samael.¡± As I met the Grandmaster¡¯s gaze, I knew the moment I had been anticipating had finally arrived. ¡°Why are you looking at us so menacingly?¡± ¡°Come with us.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± The Grandmaster looked at his subordinates and shouted with murderous intent, ¡°Bind them!¡± Before the Red Phoenix Division could rush us, I quickly raised my hand. ¡°Hold on!¡± With my mind already at ease, the Grandmaster looked like a harmless rabbit. I deliberately looked towards the External Affairs Manager and asked sincerely, for I was truly curious. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you like a good little rabbit, but first, tell me why you¡¯re doing this. Do you have a justification? What¡¯s going on all of a sudden? I can¡¯t bear the curiosity any longer.¡± As expected, the External Affairs Manager stepped forward. It seemed he had nned to reveal the reason publicly once he had gathered all the monkeys. I wondered what words woulde out of his mouth. What had he prepared? My response would depend on what he said. The External Affairs Manager looked around and then spoke in a low voice. ¡°The Lord was nearly assassinated.¡± ¡°As expected.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp of admiration. I knew it. The ¡°assassination attempt on Lord Balkan¡± was one of the roughly one hundred and ny-one scenarios I had anticipated. Gasps of ¡°Huh?!¡± erupted from the monkeys around us. After a brief pause, the External Affairs Manager looked at Taylor and me with an expression as grave as if he were delivering a death sentence. ¡°Evidence has surfaced suggesting that you two dared to attempt to assassinate the Lord of Urgon.¡± The monkeys, who had initially exchanged disbelieving nces, quickly covered their mouths as they realized the gravity of the situation. Taylor red at the External Affairs Manager and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± A flicker of disdain crossed the External Affairs Manager¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you denying it?¡± ¡°This is preposterous.¡± ¡°Thene with us. If you¡¯re innocent, it will be revealed.¡± I exchanged nces with Taylor and nodded. There was no point in arguing here; they surely had prepared their excuses. The Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster let out a strange, excited cry, and his subordinates grabbed Taylor and me by the arms. Taylor was taken first¡­ I pretended to be dragged along, then turned my head and asked, ¡°But why are only Taylor and I going? What about ir and Arin? Samael is one body.¡± I felt betrayed as I looked at ir and Arin, who were staring at me in disbelief. As Taylor and I exited the annex, the External Affairs Manager looked around and said, ¡°Apologies, everyone. Due to the nature of this matter, we had to be forceful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. An assassination threat? Is Lord Balkan alright?¡± ¡°Fortunately, he is safe. We will inform you of the details as soon as they are organized, but until then¡­¡± I chuckled softly as the External Affairs Manager¡¯s voice faded away. used of attempting to assassinate Lord Balkan¡­ It was surprising. This meant Urgon was truly determined. Since they revealed the reason in front of everyone, they must be confident. But there was one thing they didn¡¯t know. That I was the Crazy Mage. What an exciting, heart-pounding situation this was! I was quite fond of seeing things through to the end. ¡°Are youughing?¡± ¡°¡­Ah, my apologies.¡± I must have let out augh unconsciously. The Red Phoenix Division member holding my arm red at me with fury. ¡°Walk properly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so uptight. Give me a break with the walking lessons.¡± Here I was, being dragged away under false usations, yet I couldn¡¯t help but smile and skip along. That¡¯s just how I am. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 115 Chapter 115: So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­ (2) I deliberately yed along and followed them obediently. After walking for quite a while, we passed the main building and entered a deep forest path behind the inner garden. ¡°This is quite a distance. Where are we going?¡± No one answered. ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed the Red Phoenix Division members had decided topletely ignore me. But I was still willing to y along, so it was fine. At some point, I suppressed my excitement and began observing my surroundings. I noticed that the Urgon men were acting strangely. It wasn¡¯t just the Red Phoenix Division members. ¡®This is odd.¡¯ Ever since we entered the estate, the servants had been bustling about, and for some reason, Ardehain¡¯s guards were stationed everywhere. It felt different from yesterday. The entire estate felt restless. Thud¡ª! Deep in the forest path, the Red Phoenix Division Grandmaster stopped and turned to re at Taylor and me. A building, surrounded by thick bushes, came into view. A magic barrier enveloped the structure. It reeked of shady business at first nce. ¡°Drag them in!¡± The Red Phoenix Division members roughly dragged Taylor and me inside, shoved us into arge room near the entrance, and then vanished in an instant. Suddenly, Taylor and I were left alone. As Taylor remained silent, lost in thought, I took a moment to look around the room. ¡°It¡¯s like a prison, but not quite.¡± The open doorway had multiple iron bars, reminiscent of a prison, but the interior wasn¡¯t much different from a regr room. There was arge table, chairs, and even refreshments. I looked at the faintly glowing iron bars and chuckled. ¡®ck iron.¡® These guys must be rolling in money. To use ck iron, which most des couldn¡¯t even scratch, so casually¡­ It seemed like a ce to detain criminals, but something felt off. Just then, shadows fell across the iron bars, and with a creak¡ª, two men entered. One old, one young. The young one was the External Affairs Manager, and the old one was the elder who had apanied him earlier. The External Affairs Manager stood with his hands behind his back while the elder slowly walked towards us. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The elder sat at the table opposite us and met my gaze. Up close, he had a square face and stern eyes. He seemed like the elder responsible for interrogation. I spoke confidently, as if I were the master of this room. ¡°Wee. I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± When dealing with an elder like this, it was important not to lose the battle of nerves. It was also a way to gauge their intentions. The elder sneered and said, ¡°You have some nerve.¡± ¡°Thank you. First, please exin what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Insolent fool. You¡¯re really going through with this, aren¡¯t you?¡± The elder red at Taylor and me in turn. ¡°Have you given up on life and decided to go wild? Or did you think you wouldn¡¯t get caught?¡± I carefully observed the elder¡¯s reaction and yed along. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about what you did to the Patriarch.¡± At this point, I made my pupils tremble slightly. It was crucial to put on a convincing act of innocence. ¡°What do you mean we did something? I¡¯d like to know why you think that.¡± Taylor, having calmly gathered his thoughts, interjected. ¡°There seems to be some misunderstanding. We haven¡¯t even touched a hair on his head. If you would exin the situation, we¡¯ll rify everything.¡± The elder scoffed and replied, ¡°rify? You¡¯re sorely mistaken.¡± I asked pointedly, ¡°Do you have any evidence? Why are you doing this to innocent people?¡± The elder leaned closer and gazed intently into my eyes. ¡°You have quite cunning eyes. It seems you truly believed you wouldn¡¯t be found out. And those eyes¡­ they seempletely oblivious to the consequences your actions will bring. Do you really think this will end with just the two of you losing your heads?¡± The elder¡¯s posture turned threatening. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have nned this alone. Perhaps if your entire n was involved¡­ We showed you kindness, but you, forgetting your ce, dare to bite the hand that feeds you.¡± It sounded like they had everything prepared to incriminate Samael. While I deduced several things from the elder¡¯s reaction, Taylor calmly stated, ¡°Again, this is a misunderstanding. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re saying these things, but please give us a chance to exin. Urgon will surely regret this. We have no connection to Lord Balkan, nor any reason to harm him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide.¡± The External Affairs Manager, who had been standing silently, finally spoke. ¡°There¡¯s ample reason. Samael should know better than anyone why they are hostile towards Urgon, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± I looked at the elder and the External Affairs Manager and said, ¡°So you¡¯re finally bringing that up. Let¡¯s be honest with each other.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why go through all this trouble to concoct such a scheme? I could just cause a scene right now, but I¡¯m too curious. Just tell me if you know or not.¡± The External Affairs Manager stared at me for a moment and then let out a chuckle. The elder abruptly stood up, looked at me, and said, ¡°It seems you have no intention of confessing.¡± ¡°I do intend to hear a confession though.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± I watched the External Affairs Manager and the elder as they headed for the iron bars and said, ¡°Where are you going? You should at least answer me before you leave.¡± Without turning back, the elder replied, ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can keep up this arrogant act.¡± *** ¡°How anticlimactic.¡± The conversation was rather underwhelming for an interrogation. As we were once again left alone in the room, Taylor muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯s because ofst night¡¯s dinner.¡± I looked closely at Taylor¡¯s expression and let out a chuckle. A person¡¯s true nature is often revealed in times of crisis, and in that sense, Taylor wasn¡¯t bad. His meticulous questioning of the elder wasrgely aimed at understanding the situation he was in. Taylor spoke again, ¡°The fact that they only brought you and me here means they¡¯re definitely nning to use the dinner fromst night against us.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that could be considered an assassination threat.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± It seemed Taylor was thinking the same thing as me. ¡°Poisoning.¡± ¡°The chilled strong liquor, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°They knew I would choose the strong liquor.¡± Taylor¡¯s act of picking up the strong liquor and pouring it¡­ Was it a coincidence that Balkan had asked Taylor and me to choose the drinks? Was it a coincidence that Taylor had chosen the chilled strong liquor? No. It was only natural for Taylor to choose the strong liquor. I would have done the same. It was a familiar drink. ¡°That servant bastard did it on purpose. Urgon is full of nasty people.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe that the servant who had acted so friendly from the first day of the banquet could be so malicious. Everything was intentional. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Even so, they can¡¯t just use us based on strong liquor alone. I didn¡¯t pour the drink only for Lord Balkan.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be naive. They could have tampered with the ss, or added a substance or reagent to the liquor and the ss that would react with each other. There are many ways. But as you said, there¡¯s definitely a weakness in this n.¡± Taylor¡¯s eyes gleamed as he looked at me. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that theyck solid evidence.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°If they had evidence, they wouldn¡¯t be acting like this.¡± If they had evidence, they would have used direct force to subdue us and would be preparing to attack Samael right now. ¡°I think they¡¯re trying to buy time. I could tell just from the reactions of the elder and the External Affairs Manager. They¡¯re just waiting for the time to pass.¡± ¡°Why?¡± I paused and looked outside the iron bars. Taylor also fell silent, following my gaze. A momentter, a shadow fell across the bars, and a familiar face appeared. ¡°How are you feeling, you Samael scum?¡± Libre was observing us with a look of disdain, as if we were monkeys in a zoo. ¡°It¡¯s quite amusing to see you sitting there dejectedly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so bad.¡± ¡°Such bravado from those about to die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re finally showing your true colors. What do you think?¡± Libre¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, like a pervert, and he replied, ¡°You seem to be desperately searching for a way out. Unfortunately, it will be difficult. Of course, we won¡¯t kill all of you. We need to im our spoils of war.¡± I stared at Libre for a moment and thenughed. ¡°You know nothing. You¡¯re just a jealous pervert.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It seems your father hasn¡¯t told you his true intentions.¡± As soon as Libre¡¯s eyes red with anger, I said, ¡°You have quite an ugly look in your eyes. Come in. Shall we have a go?¡± ¡°You scum¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re noting in, get lost.¡± Libre, who hade to provoke us, was unable to contain his anger. He clenched his fists, trembled with rage, and then turned away. ¡°As expected, he can¡¯t just barge in.¡± I activated my senses and surveyed the surroundings. After confirming that no one was nearby, I spoke to Taylor again. ¡°This was a trap to frame Samael from the beginning. They¡¯re waiting for the perfect moment. This isn¡¯t a situation that will end with simply clearing up a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± ¡°Yesterday¡¯s dinner was the key. It was the decisive moment to frame us.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®buying time¡¯?¡± ¡°It means they¡¯re waiting until they have irrefutable evidence. If they¡¯re going to use us of poisoning, there¡¯s only one possibility.¡± Taylor pondered for a moment, then his eyes widened. ¡°Someone was poisoned instead of Balkan.¡± ¡°Exactly. They¡¯re waiting for something to happen on that front.¡± ¡°If someone was poisoned¡­ it could only be Elder Parin or someone from Ardehain, right? Balkan poisoning them? Does that even make sense?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Taylor frowned. I understood Taylor¡¯s confusion. I had been puzzled by that part as well. I tapped my head and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Balkan. It¡¯s the opposite.¡± ¡°Not Balkan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the key.¡± Taylor, with a grimace, said, ¡°Exin it clearly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still a fool, I see. At the banquet yesterday, Balkan kept looking at Elder Parin.¡± ¡°I did notice that.¡± ¡°Elder Parin is a schr-like mage. As I¡¯ve heard, he has a strict personality. If Balkan had dirty intentions, he would have to be cautious of Parin.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with what you¡¯re saying?¡± I exined my thoughts. ¡°Balkan couldn¡¯t have been unaware of Elder Parin¡¯s personality. Yet, Balkan invited Elder Parin to the dinner meant to frame us. And in that situation, he¡¯s cautious of Parin? Isn¡¯t that strange? If Balkan was truly wary of Parin, he would have tried to meet with us separately, without Parin present.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a weak basis for such a im.¡± ¡°Everything was nned. If all of this was truly a trap to frame us, the answer is clear.¡± Taylor, who was about to retort, suddenly had a look of realization in his eyes. ¡°¡­So what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± Taylor¡¯s voice wavered slightly. ¡°Are you suggesting Elder Parin is an aplice?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 116: Towards Midnight [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 116: Towards Midnight ¡°Are you serious?¡± I stared directly into Taylor''s wavering eyes. ¡°It''s highly likely.¡± ¡°What evidence do you have that Elder Parin is involved?¡± ¡°If not, it''s all too sloppy.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Taylor shook his head. ¡°That''s a leap in logic. Even if the Blue Magic Tower is close to Urgon, this is going too far. Elder Parin has no reason to antagonize us.¡± ¡°Think carefully.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The facts don''t lie. Unless those two are in cahoots, there''s no exnation for why Balkan invited Parin. If you remove Parin from the equation, Urgon''s actions be amateurish, something he wouldn''t even consider. Stupid. Does that sound right to you?¡± Taylor couldn''t answer. Because even he thought it was too sloppy. ¡°Last night''s gathering was orchestrated from start to finish.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Taylor closed his mouth and furrowed his brow. I also sat in meditation for a moment, organizing my thoughts. Cunning. It''s likely that Elder Parin was targeting Samael from the beginning. But why? I hadn''t even grasped Urgon''s intentions, and now there was Parin as well. It''s like being stuck in a snake''s mouth, wandering in pitch-ck darkness. Suddenly, Taylor looked at me and said, ¡°It''s too early to jump to conclusions. Even if Elder Parin is an aplice, there''s something that doesn''t add up.¡± ¡°No.¡± I couldn''t be wrong. There was evidence of Parin''s involvement. ¡°Fichte must have been targeted.¡± ¡°You mean poisoned with the Toxic Liquor?¡± ¡°The Toxic Liquor was just a smokescreen.¡± I spoke about what I had been suspecting. ¡°They must have been targeting him from the start.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Taylor looked at me with an inquisitive gaze, but I didn''t say anything more. This was something I couldn''t exin. Even if I did, Taylor wouldn''t understand. Fichte''s darkenedplexion that had changed in just a few days. The icy chill I felt when we shook hands. If my memory serves me right... This damn symptom clearly points to one thing. ¡®Kill Fichte and frame Samael?¡¯ The deeper I delved, the more I felt like I''m falling into an endless abyss. It''s as if I went to the banquet with the mindset of a hunter stalking a lynx, only to be suddenly confronted by a horde of monstrous beasts. Taylor, who had been observing my changing expression, said, ¡°Control yourself, Ruin.¡± In a fit of rage, I pped Taylor. "Telling me to control myself when I haven''t done anything. You idiot." Taylor red at me. "You''re so unpredictable." "Get rid of that damn annoying look. I''ve yed along with Urgon''s tune enough." I suddenly turned my head and looked around the cramped room with no windows. "I can''t tell how much time has passed." No light could enter from anywhere. It felt like hours had passed, but I couldn''t be sure. It could be day or night. "Tick-tock." "...You''re starting your crazy antics again." "I have to set my internal clock somehow. Tick-tock." Others might think it''s crazy, but this was actually a magnificent kind of crazy. I can feel it. That thrilling excitement from holding my breath for a long time, waiting to crush the heads of the demons swarming beyond the ridge. That annoying Pelleer described that period of patient waiting like this: ¡ª Towards midnight. Endurance for one perfect moment. Of course, Pelleer didn''t count the time with his mouth. But that''s not important. It''s actually far from my usual style, but this time I''m going to try imitating Pelleer. "They''re here." ng! The iron bars opened at once, and the Red Phoenix Division, led by their grandmaster, poured in. "Drag him out." I pointed at the Red Phoenix Grandmaster. "Any changes outside?" The Red Phoenix Grandmaster grinned. "Resist, and I might tell you." "Not yet." The guys who roughly grabbed my arms dragged me down the hallway to the basement. The woman who grabbed my right arm happened to be that seductive one, so I looked at her. "Your allure is endless." La smiled as she held my right arm under her armpit. The moment we entered the basement, darkness and the stench of blood filled the air. As I was dragged through the narrow corridor lined with imposing iron bars on both sides, my gaze fixed on one spot. ''Cliff?'' His face was half-hidden by blood-matted hair, but I was sure. Torn clothes revealed flesh and dried blood clinging to it. The seductive woman whispered softly. "Scared now, are you?" "Move your armpit. It stinks." "Moron." La snorted and, along with the other members of the Red Phoenix Division, threw us into a small room at the very end of the basement and mmed the door shut. When the Red Phoenix Division disappeared, I looked around the small, pigsty-like room and touched the iron bars again. A bone-chilling coldness emanated from them. "This time it''s Cold Iron." Cold Iron is a metal far stronger than even ck iron. This is basically treating me like a prisoner outright. I turned my head and asked Taylor, "What do you think?" "I''m thinking." "Remember Moose?" Taylor looked at me with a questioning gaze. "I told you. If you keep enduring, you''ll be a sucker. Look at the situation now. What is this if not being a sucker?" Just as Taylor was about to reply, footsteps approached. Of all the Red Phoenix Division members who had disappeared upstairs, La was the one walking back towards us. "How are you feeling?" The seductive woman smirked from behind the bars. "Why are you the only one back?" "We have some history, and I volunteered for guard duty. I was curious how you were feeling, so I came to ask." "You''re incredibly seductive." La''s face hardened for a moment, then softened into an expression of pity. "Still acting nonchnt? Even though today''s yourst day." I deliberately widened my eyes and asked, "...What?" La''s expression turned cold, then she burst intoughter. "Today''s yourst day. You should have taken my offer when you had the chance. Did you think I was joking?" Taylor quietly called out to La. "...La." La shot Taylor a venomous look. "Serves you right. Don''t expect any sympathy from me now." Curious after hearing all this, I asked, "Who do you think you are?" "What?" "Who do you think you are, you seductive woman? Spouting nonsense about ''opportunities'' when you''re about to be dumped by Libre? You chose the wrong man. You shouldn''t trust a guy with such perverted eyes so easily. Of course, that''s especially true considering you''re just an average squid in the ''Rtive Squid Theory''." La, who had been acting all rxed, suddenly lost herposure and flew into a rage. "What the hell did this bastard just say?" "Listen, you''re about to be dumped. Don''t get so angry and just tell me what''s going on outside. I feel like my internal clock is about to go off." "This fucking bastard." Just then, as if on cue, footsteps sounded from outside. A servant carrying a tray of food approached with his head bowed. "Tick-tock. Looks like they''re at least giving us a meal." A small rectangr section on the right end of the iron bars nged open. The servant pushed the tray through the opening and raised his head. I suddenly made eye contact with the ugly servant. As I received the tray, a small piece of paper was slipped into my hand. I nced at it discreetly, keeping an eye on La... ¡ª Sword Guild deres Ardehain, Ardehain youth unconscious, Samael in danger. I nodded and muttered, "It''s confirmed." Sensing something unsettling in my tone, Taylor said, "Control yourself." "The time hase." "I said control yourself." "You want me to stay put?" "Once everything is certain, it won''t be toote to act. Making a move now is suicide." "Nothing is 100 percent certain." "There is an optimal moment." "That''s how you be a sucker, idiot. Coward." To be honest, even if I stay put, the chances of the worst happening aren''t high. Parin and Balkan don''t know Loren''s identity. As long as Loren is there, Samael won''t be falsely used. But that''s not my style, and... "That wasn''t Samael." The seductive woman appeared again and nced at the tray in front of me. "Not going to eat?" Only then did I notice the pale, watery gruel on the tray. "Eat, asshole. It''s yourst supper." Suddenly, I thought of ckie, but I shook my head and grabbed the iron bars. The chilling coldness of the Cold Iron seeped into my palm. La met my eyes from outside the bars. "Pissed off? So what? What can you do about it?" I turned my head to look at Taylor. Seeing him about to get angry at me, I spoke first. "I lost, idiot. Let''s prepare for the worst, like you said. You take care of the aftermath. I''ll draw their attention, and you use that opportunity to escape with Arin and ir." I reversed the circle in my heart. "I''ll do things my way. No matter who the enemy is. I''ll make sure they never think of me as a sucker again." "..." "I have to show them clearly. That''s Samael." While resonating with the mana of the Yin dimension, I infused the iron bars with Dark Lightning. La watched what I was doing, then burst intoughter. "You fool. What do you think you''re doing with that idiotic... huh?" Saaa¡ª The center of the iron bars suddenly vanished, and La''s eyes widened in disbelief. I easily tore out the remaining bars and stepped outside. I was about to throw the iron bar aside, but it fit nicely in my hand, so I changed my mind. ''It''s like an iron bar made of Cold Iron.'' "You, you bastard, what are you...? How...?" As La abruptly turned to run, I raised the iron bar high. "It''s midnight." Whack¡ª "Crack!" I swung the Cold Iron Bar and struck the back of the fleeing woman''s head. A clear sound, as if I had struck her skull directly, echoed like the chime of a clock: Deeeng¡ª Caughtpletely off guard, La fell face-first to the ground, unconscious. Blood gushed from her head. "This is useful." As I quickly made my way through the narrow passage, I locked eyes with the ugly servant waiting at the entrance. "P-please give me the antidote." "Sleep tight. Sleep is the antidote." I quickly ran to the first floor, where I spotted two members of the Red Phoenix Division from behind. As I slipped between them like the wind, I made eye contact with one. His eyes were filled with a million question marks. I broke through the two men and dashed across the hallway. Only then did bewildered shouts erupt from behind. "What? ...Catch him!" "The prisoner has escaped!" Sensing the iing waves of mana, I swiftly dodged left and right. Ice spheres grazed past me. Pava¡ªbat! In that instant, the distance between me and the two men widened slightly. As I sprinted, I opened my circle and expanded my senses. I could feel Urgon''sckeys stationed outside the building and the magic barrier surrounding them. "Catch that bastard!" As I approached the entrance, arge number of Urgon''sckeys appeared. I charged straight through the barrage of magicing from both sides, then abruptly changed direction. ''Wind Armor.'' With a resounding boom, I mmed my body into the ck iron bars, breaking through them and entering the room to the left. It was a sealed room with no windows. If there''s no path, then make one. I focused on the wall and charged. ''Haste.'' ''Levitation.'' Multiple spell activation. 4-circle Haste and Levitation activated simultaneously. My body lifted from the ground, and with elerated speed, I smashed through the wall. Fwoooosh¡ª! Crash! I burst through the wall, soaring high above the roof, and took a deep breath. "Ah, how refreshing!" Gaining momentum and shooting upwards, I saw a shimmering barrier in the air. A massive magic barrier formed a defensive wall, tightly sealing the sky. I rotated my four circles once more and chanted the formal incantation. "Chilling Hand of Pure White" 4-circle water attribute, The incantation containing the most potent chill. Chilling Hand. I concentrated the cold energy flowing through my right hand into the Cold Iron Bar. The surface of the Cold Iron turnedpletely white, imbued with pure white coldness. I was now right in front of the magic barrier. Focusing on a single point in the shimmering barrier, I drew back the pure white Cold Iron Bar and thrust it forward like a javelin. Simultaneously, I focused the Wind Armor surrounding my body entirely on my right hand, bracing for the impact. Creeeak¡ª With a grating sound, a tiny crack appeared in the magic barrier and instantly spread throughout the entire structure. Like shattering ss. The crack that started from a single point extended throughout the barrier, shattering itpletely. Kwajijijijik¡ª Finally, I raised my head in mid-air and admired the scenery of the sky. "So many stars." It was a quiet night. The stars were twinkling. The forest-scented path, bathed in the starlight pouring from the sky... truly, this is what peace of mind and the romance of magic are all about. Suddenly, I looked down and snapped back to reality. Fifteen members of the Red Phoenix Division were staring up at me, their faces a mixture of shock and awe. Their faces were a mix of disbelief that I would even attempt an escape, anger at my audacity, and astonishment at my ability to break the magic barrier. It was a cocktail of emotions. The Red Phoenix Grandmaster was nowhere to be seen. Only the underlings remained. I hovered in the air and warned them, "Don''t attack. If you don''t get in my way, I won''t kill you." As soon as I spoke, theckeys collectively began drawing hand signs. I expected as much. Urgon''s men had stronger unity than I thought. But that was all. By my standards, Urgon had fewpetent men. Red Phoenix Division, Azure Dragon Division, whatever¡ªthey were all just a bunch of insignificant underlings. Moreover, I was confident in my ability to handle a crowd. Saaa¡ª Countless ice shards and needle-sharp ice arrows arced through the air, raining down on me. Being airborne, my movements were restricted. I couldn''t maneuver freely in the air at my current level. After a moment of consideration, I had no choice but to let the wind take over and started spinning. It was the first time I tried this. But the arrow had already left the bow, and there was no turning back. Enveloped in Wind Armor, I kept spinning like a top. Faster. Faster. The Wind Armor around me fluctuated, generating a powerful wind pressure. Fwaaaang¡ª The magic attacksunched by theckeys couldn''t prate the wind pressure and were reflected back towards them. It was like a localized 6-circle Reflection Shield. For the first time, I felt a step ahead of the Mad Sorcerer from my past life. Laughter burst out of me without me realizing it. "Hahahaha!" As the barrage of magic subsided, I stopped spinning. I swung the Cold Iron Bar, sending the chill it held swirling towards the ground. As I watched the blizzard spread, I took in the surrounding scenery. The members of the Red Phoenix Division scattered in panic. The icy onught that had been directed at me moments ago now plunged towards the ground. A blizzard swept over it all. The forest path was instantly covered in pure white snow. The sight was so beautiful that I burst intoughter again. "Hahahahaha." The starlight was pouring down as well. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 117: Fire Show! [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 117: Fire Show! Speaking of which, maybe it was from spinning so much. My head was reeling, but like the Crazy Mage I am, I quickly regained my bnce. A madman''s head spins well, after all. Gentlynding on the ground, I red menacingly at the bewildered Red Phoenix Division members. Pointing at the cowering underlings one by one, I dered, "Follow me, and you die." I immediately turned and sprinted down the snow-covered forest path, repeating to myself, ''This is not a retreat.'' This was the direction I originally intended to go. Perhaps because the night was so deep, it was hard to see clearly. Even after running for a long time, the manor was still out of sight. Then, from behind, I heard a whistle twice. Tweet¡ª Tweet¡ª ''Sneaky bastards.'' I could sense the Red Phoenix Division members following me from a distance, maintaining a safe gap. It felt ominous. Why bother whistling twice instead of once? I picked up the pace, then abruptly stopped. Kwooong¡ª Something was approaching rapidly from the opposite direction, splitting the earth. ''The Red Phoenix Grandmaster?'' As soon as the thought crossed my mind, the bushes rustled violently in the wind. "Fast" was an understatement. This was insane speed. I stared straight ahead, then quickly shifted my gaze upwards. This was... "Heeheehee!" A green sh illuminated the dark path, and a massive form leaped over the bushes. A Skeletal Horse. Emitting a chilling blue light from its eyes, the Skeletal Horsended gracefully, blocking the path. The Red Phoenix Grandmaster, mounted on its back, looked at me with an incredulous smirk. Suddenly, his face became incredibly irritating. He pointed a finger at me. "You madman. How did you escape from prison?" "It wasn''t that difficult." The Red Phoenix Grandmaster, pondering my abilities, tilted his head. "Even so, this is beyond expectation." The Division members who had followed the Grandmaster appeared one by one, lining up behind him. Soon, the underlings who had been trailing me from afar also arrived and shouted towards the Grandmaster. "Grandmaster! He broke through the magic barrier!" The Red Phoenix Grandmaster''s eyes widened in surprise. After a brief silence, he pulled out a pair of red gloves from his pocket and put them on. "It doesn''t matter. It seems you were trying to escape. Imend you for that." "This isn''t escape. This is the way I was going anyway." Ignoring my words, the Red Phoenix Grandmaster, full of arrogance, beckoned me with a crooked finger. Seeing him act so condescendingly towards me, I suddenly felt enraged. He muttered, "Let''s go back quietly, young man." It seemed he wanted to take credit for capturing me. The underlings crowding the path ahead and behind watched us with gleaming eyes. The Grandmaster then stylishly pped the Skeletal Horse''s nk. This guy was an idiot huh!! Why you ask? Skeletal Horses were Familiars specialized for transportation. They weren''t much help in closebat. He would be better off fighting on foot. The fact that a mage, not a knight with ance, was showing off on horseback was ridiculous. The Grandmaster seemed somewhat skilled, but his arrogance made it meaningless. "Heeheehee!" The Skeletal Horse charged towards me, its eyes glowing with a chilling blue light. As the Red Phoenix Grandmaster drew a 5-star hand sign from atop his saddle, I crouched low and leaped into his blind spot. Crossing paths with the Skeletal Horse, I swung the Cold Iron Bar with my right hand. Thwang¡ª The Skeletal Horse''s hind leg, struck by the bar, froze instantly and shattered with a sickening crack, sending the creature stumbling. Naturally, the Red Phoenix Grandmaster lost his bnce¡­ I stretched out my left hand towards his falling figure. ''Piercing Wind.'' "No way!" The Grandmaster twisted his body, desperately trying to regain his bnce, but it was toote. Whack¡ª Deeeng¡ª "Gah!" Struck in the head by the pure white Cold Iron Bar, the Red Phoenix Grandmaster crashed to the ground with a resounding ng. I struck his head once more with the bar and immediately leaped into the air. The Red Phoenix Division members, witnessing their leader''s pathetic defeat, could only blink in astonishment. With a single leap, I soared over the underlings, then nced back at them. "Follow me, and you die. I''ll say it again, this isn''t running away." After delivering my message, I sprinted down the forest path. *** As I neared the end of the forest path, I heard the whistle again. Tweet¡ª Tweet¡ª Tweet¡ª Three times? These damn sneaky bastards. Sensing that things were about to get annoying, I quickly entered the manor grounds and surveyed my surroundings. Something was different. As if to confirm the gravity of the situation, the dim lights illuminating the manor now emitted a chilling glow. ncing up, I saw a gaping hole in the magic barrier that had enveloped the manor. "Who''s there!" Iunched fire spears at the two men who rushed towards me, then increased my speed. They had blown the whistle three times, so reinforcements would be swarming soon. Every second counted. With each step, Ipressed the air beneath my feet, exploding forward. The lightness granted by Haste amplified the force of each push. My destination was set. That gaping hole in the magic barrier above the manor. If Fichte was unconscious, then Ardehain''s main family must have taken some action. Perhaps the "Flower Sword Ship" had arrived. Either way, Fichte was likely there. "..." Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks and abruptly changed direction. I sensed a faint mana fluctuation to my left. It seemed insignificant at first, but an unfamiliar energy mixed within it set my nerves on edge. My decision was made in a split second. I retreated sharply and thrust my hand towards the main building. ''Fire Burst.'' I unleashed a massive fireball, using its recoil to propel myself backward. At that moment, a wave of blue light erupted from the main building, engulfing the mes. KwaaAAAAaaang! A shockwave surged towards me in a semicircle. But I was already retreating, so it didn''t reach me. "Truly... an astonishing insect." Meanwhile, the Special Task Force emerged from the main building. The Task Force Commander held arge rectangr object in his hand. I recognized it immediately. ''A Mana Distortion Device.'' An artifact that distorts the flow of mana. Moreover, the barrier surrounding the main entrance made it difficult to detect. The Commander and a few of his subordinates must have activated a spell simultaneously. Underlings began to swarm from all corners of the manor. Members of the Red Phoenix Division and Azure Dragon Division appeared from everywhere, forming a wide circle around me. Further back, three or four elders stood with their arms crossed. Balkan was probably watching me from somewhere nearby as well. The dim lights illuminating the manor felt even more chilling now. The Task Force Commander stepped forward and sneered. "Quite the audacity for an insect." "Watch your tongue. I''m already furious about being falsely used." "Trying to escape?" "As I''ve said repeatedly, this isn''t an escape." The Commander chuckled. "It will be difficult." "Bullshit." A foul stench wafted from somewhere, and then, to my delight, ckie emerged from around a corner. True to his battle-loving nature, he charged towards me, barking ferociously. I barked back with equal enthusiasm. "Woof!" ckie instinctively yelped and swerved. He wasn''t the only one surprised. The entire Task Force stared at me with wide eyes. I was not one to miss an opportunity. Taking advantage of the confusion in their encirclement, I kicked off the ground and leaped. With a thwang, I burst through the gap in their ranks. Landing on my feet, I began to run through the manor. "Follow me, and you die!" Fighting them all at once would be foolish. The underlings were one thing, but the Special Task Force wasn''t a group I could easily dispose of. And then there were the elders, lurking like sneaky rats, waiting for an opening. There was a better strategy. They didn''t know my objective. Seeing them cautiously pursue me, it seemed they were afraid of damaging Balkan''s precious manor. What is the enemy''s weakness? I wreaked havoc,unching fireballs left and right. "Fire show!" I even took the time to castrate the peeing cherub statue in the manor''s central pond with a swing of my Cold Iron Bar. I pretended to escape, only to circle back and set fire to the manor. I hurled fireballs whenever I passed the main building. Fwaaaang¡ª! Urgon had never experienced anything like this. My unhinged, reckless behavior clearly rattled them. It was toote for them to regret not taking me down decisively from the start. As I circled the manor, I blended in with Urgon''s men, making it hard to distinguish friend from foe. "You bastard!" Still, someone was persistently chasing me. My anger red again. I abruptly turned and locked eyes with a member of the Task Force. "Do you think I''m joking when I say I''ll kill you?" I swung the Cold Iron Bar at the forehead of the Task Force member who had been hot on my heels, then kicked off the ground again. I shot forward like a projectile. Urgon''s men regained their senses and gave chase, but I had already gained enough distance. Having shaken off my pursuers with a brilliant psychological maneuver, I sprinted until I came to an abrupt halt in front of an ornate annex. Looking up, I saw the sky through a gaping hole in the shimmering barrier. "..." I sensed the lingering traces of a massive magical surge in the air. Ardehain''s swordsmen stood guard at the annex entrance. "I''ve found the right ce." Suddenly sensing a murderous intent, I turned to see Urgon''s men, who had caught up, spread out and ring at me. Momentster, they parted like the tide, and a familiar middle-aged man stepped forward. "It was you." Balkan met my gaze with aplex expression. "Are you confessing to your crime?" "Don''t be ridiculous." "Why did you do such a thing? Was Samael''s resentment towards us that great?" Seeing Balkan feigning ignorance, I realized further exnation would be a waste of breath. I looked at the swordsmen guarding the annex entrance. "Please summon Lady Loren." The swordsmen showed no reaction to the conflict between me and Urgon''s forces. "I have urgent matters to discuss with Lady Loren. Please summon her." "..." Were these the aloof swordsmen of a noble family? Their faces were utterly indifferent. I took a step back from the entrance and shouted, "Come out, Loren!" Balkan, who had been observing my actions, let out an amused chuckle. Undeterred, I shouted again. "Do you intend to kill the Third Military Commander?" The swordsmen''s eyes twitched. Balkan''s expression also shifted subtly, and he nodded towards his subordinates. The encirclement tightened. "If she won''te out, I''ll go in." As I strode towards the entrance, the swordsmen blocked my path. I started to activate my circles, and the swordswoman who seemed to be their leader narrowed her eyes and ced her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Stop." "I have urgent matters to discuss with Lady Loren." "Denied." "And if I refuse?" As the swordswoman drew her flexible sword, I fully activated my mana circles. The moment I extended my hands towards the trajectory of the iing sword, Pabat¡ª! Chuck¡ª The swordswoman abruptly sheathed her weapon and froze. I withdrew my hands and fixed my gaze on the entrance. From the depths of the annex, A petite woman slowly emerged. Saaa¡ª Her presence alone seemed to consume the surrounding space. Even Urgon''s subordinates, who had been tightening the encirclement, sensed something and halted their advance. Loren, standing at the entrance, met my eyes. Her gaze was cold and indifferent. Just as I expected. There was no suspicion in her eyes. Loren had no interest in the fight between me and Urgon''s forces. Only... Fury at the fact that someone had dared to harm a member of the main family within her domain. Loren wouldn''t take any action until Fichte recovered. She would make her move after that. Urgon had tried to frame me, but it wouldn''t influence Loren in the slightest. After all, it wasn''t Urgon''s decision to make. However... "I warned you." Loren, her eyes fixed on me, tilted her chin slightly. "What did you say about the Third Military Commander?" [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 118: The Crazy Mage Squad Commander [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 118: The Crazy Mage Squad Commander. Loren let out a derisive snort and stepped forward. "Did I mishear you?" "That''s impossible." Already exasperated, I retorted in my own way. "If we dy any further, the Third Military Commander will be in dire peril." "So you''re confirming what I already know." A chill gradually crept into Loren''s eyes, which had been indifferent just moments before. "I gave you a clear warning. Weigh your words before you speak." "But these aren''t empty threats." Fearful of losing my tongue, I quickly got to the point. "If the Third Military Commander is experiencing fluctuatingplexions, shifting between a deathly pallor and an unnatural flush, then you have every reason to hear me out." Loren involuntarily questioned, "What?" The coldness in her eyes softened slightly, reced by a flicker of curiosity. Seeing Loren''s reaction, I felt my own anger subside a little. If my suspicions were correct... This was a problem far greater than just Ardehain. "As I sensed before, you possess an uncanny ability," Loren said, her gaze filled with intrigue. "Tell me more." I briefly surveyed our surroundings. Urgon''sckeys had us surrounded, awaiting their leader''smand, while Balkan wore a look of unease. A bit further away, Elder Parin, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, was observing us. "We have an audience. Let''s discuss this inside." Following my gaze, Loren let out a smallugh. "You want a private audience? It seems you truly have something important to say." As I moved to follow Loren inside, Balkan''s voice rang out from behind. "Loren!" Loren slowly turned. Balkan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There''s no reason to entertain this deceitful scoundrel." "Don''t concern yourself with him." "He''s not worth your time." The swordsmen around us red, and Loren, after fixing her gaze on Balkan, smirked. "My my. It seems we have another one who needs to learn some respect." With that, Loren spun around and entered the building, leaving Balkan with a hardened expression. I wagged my index finger at Balkan a couple of times before hurrying after Loren. * * * Inside, it was silent. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Loren led me to a secluded room, where she sat down at a table, crossing her legs and looking at me expectantly. "Now, I''m listening. How did youe to know about the Third Military Commander''s condition?" I sat opposite Loren and answered earnestly. "If I''m right, we''ll miss our chance to help him if we wait even a day." "Miss our chance?" "He may never awaken." "..." Loren tilted her head. "That''s quite different from what our chief healer reported." "It never hurts to be cautious." Loren stared at me intently, then abruptly asked, "What''s your basis for this?" "First, I need to examine the Third Military Commander''s condition." Loren let out an iprehensible sigh, then said, "Don''t try to test me. Be grateful that you''ve been given a chance to speak. Don''t mistake kindness for entitlement. Just answer my questions." I shook my head. "I''m not just saying this for no reason. I need to see his condition to be certain." The corners of Loren''s lips curled up into a sneer. "You''re not understanding, Ruin Samael." "It doesn''t seem like I''ve made a difficult request." Loren''s tone changed. "Didn''t I warn youst time? Choose your words carefully depending on who you''re speaking to." As expected, Loren''s reaction was consistent no matter what I said. It wasn''t her fault. She was that kind of woman. I changed my tone and replied, "It seems Ardehain doesn''t value the lives of its people." A brief silence followed, and then the corners of Loren''s lips curled uppletely as she burst intoughter. Afterughing for a while, Loren pointed a finger at me. "You''re out of your mind. Do you have any idea who you''re speaking to like that?" Despite the smile on her face, her eyes held a look of contempt I had never seen before. Yes, this was also as I expected. Loren didn''t know me... but I knew her. "Of course I know." I grinned and met Loren''s eyes directly. "I know very well." The Ardehain n. Among countless swordsmen, a single red lotus signified direct lineage from the n head. When one''s talent blossomed and another lotus was added, only then was the opportunity given to lead Ardehain. There were various positions within the n, but among those, what I knew was this: Only a handful of women, who had proven themselves countless times with their swordsmanship, symbolized Ardehain itself. "Lotus Swordsman." "What?" Loren''s indifferent eyes widened in surprise. I smiled and shook my head. "More precisely..." Beyond two lotuses. Among those elegant Lotus Swordsmen, one who had fully bloomed their swordsmanship talent and earned another lotus. Three lotuses. "Swordmaster General." "...!" Loren''s eyes narrowed, and an overwhelming presence erupted from her. Fwhooooosh¡ª It was different from mana, an aura emanating from Loren herself. It had no physical form, yet its presence was undeniable. Thud-thud-thud¡ª The sound of running feet echoed from all directions. Celestine from upstairs and the swordsmen guarding the entrance rushed in at once. "...!" "...!" The swordsmen lined up in front of the room trembled at the force Loren exuded. Loren, with an unchanged expression, stared at me and uttered a single word. "Who are you?" The suffocating pressure that constricted my heart surged once again. But this time, I didn''t avoid it. Instead, the more intense the pressure became, the more I couldn''t help but let out a hollowugh. ''Once is enough.'' This much was enough courtesy for a formerrade from my memories. The Bongshin n, the Ardehain n. Certainly, they were ns that left meaningful milestones in that hellish journey. ''...Howughable.'' How dare they. How could they evenpare to Samael? As I unleashed my aura, a look of bewilderment briefly flickered in Loren''s eyes. With each step I took towards Loren, her pupils dted, and an expression of disbelief blossomed in them. Stopping a step away from Loren, I looked down at her. "I am..." From now on, Loren would remember too. "The Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael." * * * Thud¡ª Only after the cold sweat dripping from her forehead hit the ground did Celestine realize she had been holding her breath. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two figures, her pupils shaking uncontrobly. ''...How?'' It was hard to believe that he had figured out her mother''s identity. But even more unbelievable was witnessing him directly withstand the force her mother deliberately unleashed. Iprehensible. ''...He didn''t even flinch.'' Who was Loren Ardehain? The owner of three lotuses, a title granted to only two among the countless swordsmen of the main n. Even without crossing swords... She was an awe-inspiring figure who could break one''s will with a single nce. And yet... Not only did this man endure the force she intentionally unleashed... but he also exuded an aura that seemed to push back against it. How was she supposed to make sense of this situation? Celestine forced her trembling legs to stay still. She couldn''t calm down. Even she, with the blood of Ardehain flowing through her veins, was overwhelmed. How could this man...? "..." Celestine suddenly turned her head and looked around. The swordsmen guarding the room, their faces pale, were all drenched in cold sweat as they stared into the room. ''It''s the same as that time.'' It wasn''t just a matter of strength. It was the overwhelming pressure. The suffocating presence she felt when she saw Ruin at Chris Beer. ''Just who...?'' At that moment, breaking the suffocating silence, Loren spoke. "How did you know?" Ruin''s gaze fell to a specific point as he replied, "It''s written on your scabbard." Loren briefly checked her scabbard, then asked incredulously, "You even know the meaning of the lotuses?" "I do know about the Lotus Swordsmen." Celestine, who had been listening to their conversation, looked at Ruin with renewed surprise. The fame of the Lotus Swordsmen was widespread across the continent, but their true nature had never been revealed publicly. While other noble ns with whom they interacted regrly might know the truth, this man shouldn''t. Moreover, the fact that he had confidently identified her mother''s status just from the lotus pattern meant it couldn''t be a mere guess. Loren furrowed her brow and muttered to herself, "I thought it was a bit strange that he knew the proper etiquette... But he doesn''t seem to have any other hidden identity. How is this possible? Crazy Mage Squad Commander... Samael... That name sounds familiar..." After muttering to herself for a while, Loren stared intently at Ruin again. "That''s not really important. This is more interesting." The corners of Loren''s lips curled upwards. "You acted that way despite knowing who I am?" Ruin nodded and replied, "Because it''s true that the Third Military Commander is in danger." "Oh my. You truly have no fear." Suddenly, sensing danger, Celestine instinctively rushed into the room. "Mother!" Celestine knew. If Loren were to disy even a fraction of her true strength here, not only this man but also the n members upstairs could be in danger. However... The moment she met Loren''s gaze, Celestine couldn''t help but stop herself. "What is it, Celine?" Her eyes softened, and a natural smile graced her lips. Though a rare urrence... Celestine had seen her mother wear that expression before. It was the same expression she had worn when Celestine sessfully manifested her sword aura for the first time after thousands of attempts. Loren was now... genuinely delighted. "My, my, our Celine''s judgment wasn''t wrong. He has the spirit to back up his words." This time, it was the guards'' turn to widen their eyes. Even after witnessing Ruin''s presence firsthand, they couldn''t help but be taken aback by Loren''s assessment of him. Her words were practically the highest praise. No longerughing, Loren looked at Celestine with a serious expression. "Celine, is the Chief Healer upstairs?" Celestine nodded. "She should still be in the infirmary." Loren briefly met Ruin''s gaze, then said to Celestine, "Let''s go see the Third Military Commander." "Yes, Mother." Celestine led the way upstairs without a word. Just then, a white-haired healer emerged from a room. "Chief Rachel." Spotting Loren, the Chief Healer hurriedly bowed. Loren waved her hand dismissively. "How is the Third Military Commander?" Rachel replied respectfully, "There seem to be no significant issues." "Have you found the cause?" "Not yet. We''re being cautious as he''s still unconscious... However, there are no signs of internal injuries, his breathing is stable, and hisplexion is returning to normal, so he should regain consciousness soon. I will inform you of the cause after that." Loren nced back as if to ask for his opinion, but Ruin stepped forward and spoke abruptly. "What did you just say? That hisplexion is returning to normal?" "Yes, but..." Rachel looked back and forth between Ruin and Loren with a bewildered expression. Loren responded, "There''s no need for rm. It''s only right that we introduce ourselves first. This is our Chief Healer, Rachel, and this is..." Ruin immediately cut in. "Ruin of Samael." "Indeed," Loren confirmed. Ruin pressed further. "Answer me. Are you saying the Third Military Commander''splexion has returned?" Sensing from Loren''s demeanor that this man was no ordinary person, Rachel answered honestly, "Yes. Hisplexion is returning to its normal state." "...Strange, that shouldn''t be possible." Ruin furrowed his brow for the first time, a look of confusion on his face. Loren let out a scoff of disbelief. "Why, did you miscalcte or something?" "..." Ruin didn''t answer, only repeating, "That shouldn''t be possible," as he lost himself in thought. Then, he looked directly at Rachel. "What about the cold energy? Has the chill in his palms disappeared? Wasn''t it spreading from his shoulders throughout his upper body?" "The cold energy isn''t really a cause for concern..." Suddenly, Rachel took a step back, her eyes widening. "How did you know that?" It perfectly matched the symptoms Rachel had just discovered while examining the Third Military Commander. She hadn''t mentioned it because she thought it was a temporary symptom, but it was a different story entirely that he had pinpointed it. With a grave expression, Ruin dered, "I need to see for myself. Lead the way." "..." Observing Rachel''s reaction, Lorenmanded in a low voice, "Open the door." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 119: Land of Death, Demonic Bloom [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 119: Land of Death, Demonic Bloom The moment I saw Fichte lying unconscious, my heart sank. "Step aside." Observing him closely, his breathing was normal, and hisplexion was almost back to its usual state. However, the chill emanating from his skin was more severe than before. Rachel, closely observing my reaction, asked, "Is there something you''re concerned about? If you have any insights, please share your expertise." Loren added, "It seems even the Chief Healer has something weighing on her mind." "Though it''s embarrassing to admit, I don''t know every ailment. asionally, there are concoctions or rare poisonous herbs in the world that defymon sense. In such cases, it''s best to treat the patient based on the typical symptoms they exhibit." "Are you saying there''s a possibility of that now?" Rachel shook her head. "The chill isn''t a fatal precursory symptom that would threaten his life..." I tore Fichte''s shirt open with urgency, cutting Rachel off mid-sentence. Staring at the ck spots that had partially appeared on Fichte''s upper body, I asked directly, "...Have you ever heard of the Demonic Bloom?" "Demonic Bloom...?" Loren, who had been tilting her head in thought, suddenly raised her eyebrows and stood up. "Are you referring to the Demonic Bloom from Land of Death?" I cursed inwardly. If Loren knew about it, it meant those damned things still existed even after 300 years. The Demonic Bloom wasn''t a specific poisonous herb. It referred to any nt that grew in ''Land of Death,'' absorbing the demonic energy that emanated from deep within the earth. It could be a flower, grass, or even an unknown weed. When consumed, there were no immediate symptoms, but after a certain period, a chill would umte within the body, leading to unconsciousness. And if another period passed, the umted toxicity would make it impossible to regain consciousness. The most troublesome aspect of the Demonic Bloom was that it was impossible to distinguish by appearance or taste. Unless one was a highly skilled expert, it was difficult even to detect the Demonic Bloom''s toxicity once it entered the body. "If it''s the Demonic Bloom... I know about it as well." Suddenly, Rachel looked at me with a relieved expression. "I understand why you were so worried. There are simr symptoms. However, this isn''t the Demonic Bloom. There are clear differences from its effects." "Do you have any potions?" Rachel tilted her head and replied, "I have some that I brought from the main house." "I need something above the highest grade. Special grade would be ideal." "I have some. But why are you suddenly asking for this?" "Give it to him." Rachel shook her head. "Even if we use a potion, it won''t make a significant difference. He''ll recover on his own with time..." "Just shut up and..." I red at her, cutting her off. "Give him the potion. It''s urgent." As Rachel hesitated with a dubious expression, Loren spoke. "Do as he says, Chief Healer." "Yes." Rachel went to a corner, rummaged through a box, took out a special-grade potion, and carefully poured it into Fichte''s mouth. A momentter, ck spots gradually appeared on Fichte''s previously unchangedplexion, slowly turning his skin an inky ck. "...!" Rachel stared at Fichte with a shocked expression. Sensing the ominous signs, Loren stepped forward and asked, "What''s happening, Chief Healer?" "What is this...?" Just then, ck blood started flowing from Fichte''s mouth, and his limbs began to tremble. Shudder¡ª "Damn it." I shouted towards the guards, "Hold him down!" The swordsmen rushed forward and seized Fichte''s arms and legs. I immediately pressed my hands against Fichte''s sternum with bone-crushing force and opened my circles. Whirr¡ª Three circles spun in reverse. Without dy, I manifested dark lightning and channeled it into Fichte''s body. With a crack, his sternum caved in. Strange sounds escaped Fichte''s mouth, and his limbs thrashed even more violently. As the swordsmen moved to stop me, Loren shook her head. Guiding the dark lightning towards Fichte''s heart, Imanded, "Hold him tight, make sure he can''t move!" This wasn''t the time to be distracted. Fichte''splexion grew darker and darker, finally turning a deathly ashen gray. ''It is the Demonic Bloom.'' There was no doubt. The Demonic Bloom''s toxicity, umted within his body, had reacted to the potion''s potent effects, causing this violent reaction. However, something didn''t feel quite right. Such a severe reaction shouldn''t be possible from the Demonic Bloom''s toxicity alone. I spread the dark lightning throughout his upper body, eradicating the toxins. Any further dy, and the poison would have spread throughout his entire body, bing untreatable. "..." After a while, only the source of the toxins near his heart remained. I detonated the dark lightning at the opportune moment, obliterating the poison and guiding the residual traces to Fichte''s fingertips. "Whew." A drop of sweat trickled down my forehead. "Damn those bastards." ckish-red blood oozed from Fichte''s fingertips and dripped to the ground. With a sizzling sound, it ignited, releasing a horrific stench. "..." Sensing the shocked gazes of everyone present, I sneered inwardly. ''Those bastards really...'' They hadn''t just used the Demonic Bloom. This was a move intended to kill Fichte without fail. The thought of the culprit lurking in the shadows, probably still gloating, made me scoff. ''I''ll drag you out, just you wait.'' Looking at Fichte with his caved-in chest, I said, "Let''s get him treated first." * * * After leaving the aftermath to Rachel, I sat facing Loren and Celestine in the next room. Loren, who had been silently observing me, spoke without any preamble, "This is quite embarrassing." Surprised by her words, I replied, "It''s fortunate we weren''t toote." Loren shook her head. "This isn''t something I can simply overlook. A debt is a debt. If you have any requests, feel free to ask." The moment Loren finished speaking, I asked, "Do you have any illicit liquor?" "Illicit liquor?" Loren chuckled and shook her head. "I''m afraid we don''t have any illicit liquor." "Then any alcohol will do." Loren gave an order to someone behind her, and a servant who appeared to be from Ardehain brought various kinds of alcohol. Loren opened one of the bottles and poured me a drink. I downed it in one gulp, the fiery sensation of the strong liquor rising in my throat. "How is it?" "Not as good as illicit liquor, but it''s decent." "I''ll keep that in mind," Loren said with a chuckle. For some reason, Loren''s gaze seemed rather friendly. I poured drinks for Loren and Celestine, then refilled my own ss. We drank in silence for a while. Perhaps it was because Loren acknowledged me. Even though she must have been curious, she didn''t ask any questions. After a few rounds of drinks, the door burst open, and Rachel entered. Loren turned her head slightly and asked, "How is the Third Military Commander?" "He''s safe. He should regain consciousness within a day or two. And..." Rachel bowed deeply. "This was clearly my oversight. I apologize." "It wasn''t your fault, Chief Healer. Don''t worry about it. Go and get some rest." Rachel left, and we resumed drinking. When I was moderately tipsy, I asked Loren, "I have a question." "Go ahead." "What is the Third Military Commander''s rtionship with Urgon? And what about his rtionship with Elder Parin?" Loren''s eyes narrowed. "I''m curious about that as well. The Third Military Commander is a very private man, even within the n, so there''s little interaction." "Is the Third Military Commander an important position?" "Depending on the circumstances. He''s one of the few who can operate independently." "Hmm." It seemed she truly had no knowledge of his connections. It was disappointing, but I had expected as much. Lotus Swordsmen generally weren''t interested in anything other than swordsmanship, so it wasn''t surprising. Suddenly, a chill crept into Loren''s eyes. "My, my. This is quite audacious. The Demonic Bloom, you say? It means they were openly targeting the Third Military Commander from the beginning." "I agree." Traces of the Demonic Bloom were already present in the Third Military Commander before the banquet even started. ''Nothing is a coincidence.'' This was a tant attack on Ardehain. A scheme specifically prepared for the Third Military Commander, whocked mana, from the very start. Emptying her ss, Loren dered, "I never thought I''d witness someone daring to deceive Ardehain right in front of me." Lost in thought, Celestine suddenly spoke, "The more I think about it, the more cunning it seems." "It''s not thatplicated," Loren said, looking at Celestine. "Celestine Ardehain, listen carefully. In times like these, there''s no need for excessive thought. Just investigate everything suspicious. Uproot thempletely. That is the way of Ardehain. Whoever it may be, we must clearly show them the consequences of daring to touch Ardehain." Suddenly, a murderous aura filled the room. I knew how Loren intended to respond. "I''d appreciate it if you could wait a little." "Wait?" "There''s something I need to confirm." Just how deeply was Elder Parin involved in this incident? "What are you nning to do?" "I''m thinking of deceiving those bastards myself. This was also an attack on our Samael. I can''t just sit back and do nothing. Besides, deception is my specialty." Loren gazed intently at me before replying, "My patience isn''t unlimited." "One day will be enough." "It seems you have something in mind." "I''d like to make a proposition." "A proposition?" Loren chuckled. "A proposition, you say? I think you''ve chosen the wrong word. I might listen if you called it a request." "It''s a proposition. It won''t be disadvantageous for Ardehain either." Loren narrowed her eyes, displeased with my words. "Ruin, you need to choose your words carefully. I''m holding back because I owe you one, and I''d appreciate it if you kept that in mind. Ardehain has nothing to gain from this." "Of course. Ardehain can do whatever it pleases." "You understand that well. Then why..." "The reason I''m making this proposition is that it won''t be detrimental to Ardehain. Following my suggestion would also be a more entertaining approach than simply stirring things up. For instance, it''s the difference between hitting someone on the back of the head and pping them with style." As I spoke, Loren initially shook her head in disbelief, but eventually, she burst intoughter. "My, my. You''re quite the unpredictable man." With a smile, Loren rose from her seat. * * * Celestine, alone in the room, sipped her drink. She didn''t usually enjoy strong liquor, but now, the burning sensation as it flowed down her throat seemed to calm her startled heart. ''Ruin Samael...'' Every action that man had taken today was iprehensible. ''How is that even possible?'' Lost in thought, she heard the door open. Loren, who had left with Ruin, returned. "You''re back." "You''re still awake? It''s quitete." Loren nced at the drink in front of Celestine and smiled. "It seems our Celine has a lot on her mind." "I can''t seem to fall asleep." Celestine asked cautiously, "Are you alright, Mother? You seem to be troubled by the Third Military Commander incident." Loren sat across from Celestine, took a sip of her drink, and shook her head. "Don''t worry. I''ll handle it. It''s not something to be overly concerned about. Rather than that..." Loren let out augh she had been suppressing. "My, my. This is truly intriguing. It was a good decision toe here." Celestine understood what Loren meant. Afterughing for a while, Loren''s eyes suddenly gleamed as she asked, "What did you think of Ruin, Celine?" "Hmm..." "Tell me honestly, without holding back." Celestine carefully considered her words, then spoke frankly. "There are many things that don''t add up. What I can say for sure is that I wasn''t mistaken back then. It''s hard toprehend, but... I felt that overwhelming pressure from him once again. When he confronted you, Mother, I even felt suffocated. However..." "However?" Celestine bit her lip slightly. "His confidence seemed a bit excessive, almost reckless. He made many remarks that crossed the line. And even though he knew your identity, he didn''t hold back his words... It made me anxious." "Oh my." Loren nodded and poured more wine into her ss. "Everything you said is correct, except for one thing." "Which part?" "You said he seemed reckless?" Loren emptied her ss in one gulp before answering. "He has earned the right to be." Celestine, who knew her mother''s temperament well, widened her eyes. "What?" "He did it on purpose. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael. From the moment he revealed his identity, he deliberately changed his tone. It wasn''t arrogance, but pride. It was entirely intentional. Of course, if it were anyone else, I would have cut out their tongue..." "..." "But he''s earned it." Loren looked at Celestine and continued, "There are many talented individuals in the world. Even you, Celine, were born with talent not inferior to your mother. Velusia''s third child is also quite remarkable. But you see, men with that kind of spirit are truly rare. Especially at his age, it''s almost impossible. That''s not merely talent, but..." Loren''s eyes shone as she looked at Celestine. "The aura of the man himself. It''s like discovering a slumbering dragon." Celestine stared at her mother with trembling eyes. She had never heard her speak of anyone in such a way. Not even the talented swordsmen of Ardehain, or the children of other noble ns, had ever been called a slumbering dragon. "He''s that impressive?" "Of course, his current skills may becking." "Then..." Loren nodded. "He''s a man to watch in the future. It''s worth maintaining a connection with him. He''ll be a good rival for our Celine. If Celine is interested in Ruin, hmm, his n background is a bit of an issue, but I suppose we could overlook that..." "Mother!" "I''m just joking, joking. Well, not entirely a joke, but..." "No, really!" Loren looked at Celestine''s flushed face with amusement and said, "It''ste. Go to bed." "...Yes." After Celestine closed the door and left, Loren, with a smile, swirled her drink. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and her expression hardened slightly. Shiver¡ª She looked down at her arm; goosebumps had appeared. ''What was that?'' It was a faint sensation, yet Loren felt an indescribable sense of tension. It was enough to trigger an instinctive rm in her superhuman body. An ominous feeling even she, with her vast experience, couldn''t identify. "Samael... I''m truly curious." With a delighted smile returning to her face, Loren continued to sip her drink for a long time. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 120: And Thats Why Its Madness [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 120: And That''s Why It''s Madness It was a sleepless night. I sat quietly in the guest room Loren had provided, meditating. asionally, I could hear the footsteps of maids passing by. Overall, it was a tranquil night. But my mind was anything but. Suppressing the rage that constantly surged within me was no easy task. I briefly opened my eyes, only to see the world tinged with red, and quickly closed them again. Madness always strikes at unexpected moments. That''s what makes it madness. Every time I sensed the presence of Urgon''s men surrounding the building, images of Balkan, Libre, Samael, that frustrating Taylor, Kazen, and that damned Pelleer shed through my mind, stirring up a sudden surge of anger. I forcibly cleared my mind of those distracting thoughts. There was no need to kill every single one of those Urgon underlings. After wrestling with the maddening rage for a while, I felt a sense of calm descend upon me and opened my eyes. ''Peace of mind.'' I washed up, changed into clean clothes, and stepped outside. The female swordsmen guarding the entrance greeted me with a nod. Their gazes were quite different from yesterday. I returned their greeting with a mncholic look, reminiscing about the back alleys of Donkey''s. "You''re working hard." As if waiting for my cue, unpleasant stares from Urgon''s men across the way converged on me. There were at least a hundred of them. I spotted a familiar face among them and greeted him. "Not cold?" It was quite chilly. Looking up at the sky, the sun repeatedly disappeared and reappeared behind the clouds. The female swordsmen straightened their posture and saluted sharply. "Oh my, you''re up early." Loren and Celestine emerged from the building and stood beside me, gazing towards the front. In anguid voice, Loren asked, "Are you ready?" "Of course." "Let''s go." "Right now?" "Is there any reason to hesitate?" "How straightforward." As I walked alongside Loren, I checked her waist. Today, her scabbard was worn on the outside of her clothes, in in sight. About half of the female swordsmen who served as her guard followed behind us. We strolled leisurely as if on a walk, but the atmosphere was heavy. Perhaps it was because I had set the manor aze yesterday. The hostility emanating from Urgon''s subordinates was palpable. But strangely, the leader of the enemy forces, the External Affairs Manager, who stood at the forefront to greet us, didn''t seem particrly tense. I asked the External Affairs Manager, "Where''s Balkan?" Instantly, a wave of curses and murderous intent from his subordinates surged towards me. As I felt my vision turning red, I quickly said, "Let''s do this the easy way. Hey, External Affairs Manager. Even if your underlings are clueless, you should understand the situation. I didn''te alone. If you don''t want to fight our swordsmen, lead me to Balkan." I looked around, but Balkan was nowhere to be seen, nor was the Special Task Force. Their core fighting force waspletely absent. The External Affairs Manager tilted his head and mumbled, "This is strange. He still has a sharp tongue." "Still?" Completely ignoring me, the External Affairs Manager turned to Loren and said respectfully, "As you wish, Madame Loren." With those few words, I grasped the situation. It seemed Balkan had already given instructions to the External Affairs Manager. "Balkan must be quite confident." Finally, the External Affairs Manager looked at me and smiled. "Feel free to speak your mind. It won''t change anything." "Hey, External Affairs Manager. What did Balkan tell you?" "That your insolence won''tst long." "I asked what Balkan told you." Suddenly, the smile vanished from the External Affairs Manager''s face, and he barked, "You insolent fool!" "Don''t call me ''fool.'' Hey, why are you so damn calm? You''re not even fazed by our swordsmen mobilizing. Did Balkan tell you? That the Death Sword Guild would show up around this time? That you should appease Madame Loren and treat her with respect?" "..." "But you didn''t expect me to be running around like this, did you? You''re a perceptive man, External Affairs Manager. Think carefully. What kind of situation is this?" Indeed, the External Affairs Manager''s eyes were twitching. Even if others didn''t notice, I could tell he was slightly flustered. Having Loren by my side as if guarding me, and me being the only one running my mouth, was not something he had anticipated. "Crazy Mage Squad Commander, you seem to be misunderstanding the situation. I don''t know what you discussed with Madame Loren, but you''re currently used of attempting to poison the head of Urgon." p¡ª I struck the External Affairs Manager across the face. "This isn''t the time for that. Our External Affairs Manager is a bit slow today." "What are you..." "This isn''t the time for an exchange of words." I pped him again. As Urgon''s subordinates started radiating killing intent, I red at the External Affairs Manager. The moment he straightened his posture and red back, Iunched the forehead slingshot I had prepared. Thwack¡ª The External Affairs Manager fell backward, unconscious. While he was out cold, Urgon''s subordinates prepared to attack me. That was when the female swordsmen of Ardehain unleashed their auras. "...!" "...!" The difference was overwhelming. A wave of confusion spread among the hundred-plus Urgon subordinates. Some even copsed to the ground. The External Affairs Manager, having regained consciousness, seemed to grasp the situation. With a slightly strained voice, he asked Loren, "Why are you protecting him?" His question was loaded with implications. I pped the External Affairs Manager again. "I told you not to call me ''him.''" Looking at the External Affairs Manager, whose face was now swollen and bruised, I ordered, "Escort us." "..." As I raised my hand, the perceptive External Affairs Manager''s expression shifted, and he reluctantly lowered his head. "Yes." The External Affairs Manager began to lead the way. * * * Realizing that verbal sparring with me was futile, the External Affairs Manager led us to Balkan without another word. Surprisingly, Balkan was in the annex where the monkeys gathered. It seemed he intended to deceive the monkeys with lies and quickly resolve the situation. This was a move that would only be possible if he waspletely convinced that he could frame us. I knew the source of Balkan''s confidence. As we arrived at the annex, the Special Task Force Commander spotted Loren and bowed respectfully. "Wee." Hisposure indicated that this was also within his expectations. The Special Task Force Commander entered the annex to report, and soon the main gate opened. Creak¡ª All the monkeys were gathered, their eyes fixed on the tform at the front. I quickly scanned their faces, but ir and Arin were nowhere to be seen. It seemed Taylor had taken them and escaped while everyone''s attention was on mest night. At least he wasn''t stubborn to the very end, I thought. From his position on the tform, Balkan looked at us. "Wee, Madame Loren. I was deeply worried. Have you seen any improvement?" ''Oh?'' I almost fell for it. He looked years older, with wrinkles etched around his eyes as if he had aged overnight. His tone was filled with concern. When Loren shook her head, murmurs erupted from the audience. Balkan sighed and said, "...So it hase to this. I offer my sincerest apologies. This is all my fault." As if reciting a prepared script, Balkan, with a reddened face, delivered the final blow. "I, Balkan, will never forgive Samael for daring to deceive Urgon and the Death Sword Guild." I stepped towards Balkan and addressed him. "Patriarch Balkan." Only then did Balkan seem to notice me. He tilted his head as if he had seen something unbelievable. "It seems Madame Loren has brought the culprit herself." As I approached, the Special Task Force blocked my path. Balkan waved his hand, and they stepped aside in unison. I stood right in front of Balkan, meeting his gaze. "Do you have something to say?" "Samael is the culprit?" "Mind your tongue. Are you still denying it?" Balkan red at me with a stern and solemn expression, as if he intended to dere my guilt before all the monkeys. "No matter how much you deny it, you can''t undo what you''ve done. I will hold you ountable for the crime of insulting Urgon." "What evidence do you have?" "It''s crystal clear. External Affairs Manager!" The External Affairs Manager, who had been standing in a corner with his head bowed, approached Balkan. "Dere Samael''s crimes once again." When the External Affairs Manager hesitated, Balkan looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What are you doing?" The External Affairs Manager raised his head... Balkan''s eyes widened as he saw the External Affairs Manager''s face, red and swollen. "What happened to your face?" Surprisingly, the External Affairs Managerunched into another verbal assault. "I apologize, Patriarch. Samael has now resorted to openly attacking Urgon. Not only did he insult you, Patriarch, but he alsoid hands on me, the External Affairs Manager of Urgon." The External Affairs Manager was a master of verbalbat, but he had terrible judgement when it came to people. Sometimes, those who rise by their words fall by them as well. I gauged the distance between us, then lunged at him with lightning speed, pping him across the face. My hand was enveloped in mes. "Shut up!" Whoosh¡ªp¡ª Caughtpletely off guard, the External Affairs Manager was sent crashing to the ground by the fiery p. Instead of being angered, Balkan smirked faintly. "Trying to humiliate us openly?" "I''m the one who was humiliated." "There''s no need to dere your crimes. You dared to try and poison the head of Urgon, and as a result, a soldier of the Four Swords Assembly was harmed in his ce. I will hold you ountable for this heinous crime." "You''re too certain of yourself." "Seize the criminal!" The moment Balkan gave the signal, I responded with my own. As the Special Task Force stepped forward, a powerful aura erupted explosively from behind me. "Patriarch Balkan." It was at that very moment that every single member of the Special Task Force froze in their tracks. Overwhelmed by the immense pressure, they looked at Loren with shock. Smiling, Loren approached Balkan. "I appreciate your concern, but..." "Of course, it''s only natural." "...it''s also quite presumptuous." "...What do you mean?" Balkan, who had been looking at Loren with a puzzled expression, flinched involuntarily. "Our soldier is safe and sound." "What?" I had never seen Balkan make such an expression before. It was as if he was dumbfounded by apletely unexpected turn of events. "Is there a problem?" "Are you saying he''s unharmed?" "Indeed." "That''s impossible." "My, what an interesting reaction." "...I was merely speaking out of concern." Suddenly, I felt a chill and looked up at the second floor. It was a fleeting moment, but I wasn''t mistaken. Loren also subtly shifted her gaze towards the same spot. Balkan asked cautiously, "Are you certain?" "Our Patriarch Balkan seems quite worried." I addressed Balkan again. "See, Patriarch Balkan? Poisoning, you say? No one was harmed, so I don''t know what delusions you''re having. Are you delusional? Who''s insulting whom?" Balkan, his face contorted, red at me. "Nothing has been revealed yet. Why did the others run away?" "Cornered, you resort to such nonsense." Just as I was about to offer a kind exnation, the annex door opened, and Taylor, ir, and Arin entered all at once. Taylor was still ring at me as he walked in. He looked around and dered, "We didn''t run away. We were merely lying low to avoid false usations." I thought to myself, ''Oh, that idiot.'' I had told them to escape to Samael with ir and Arin, but they apparently just hid nearby. Judging by his eyes, it seemed like it was because of me. I hadn''t seen anyone this frustrating, even in the expedition. However, I was a bit surprised when I looked around... All the monkeys were looking at Taylor, ir, and Arin with sighs of relief. They were ncing at Balkan and remaining silent, but their faces showed concern for their friends. This was a situation I hadn''t anticipated. ''Did they form some kind of bond in that short time?'' Balkan was now speechless. I approached him and continued my deception. "So, what''s your next excuse? I''m on the edge of my seat." "..." "What? Nothing? Is that it?" Balkan, forcing himself to maintain hisposure, looked around. "Honored guests, please wait a moment. I will exin everything once the situation is resolved." Loren cut him off with a smile. "Before that..." "Yes?" "Now that there''s no problem, we should finish what we started. I''d like to see that." "If you''re referring to what we started..." "The banquet isn''t over yet, is it?" "...What do you mean?" After a moment of contemtion, Patriarch Balkan seemed to realize something and muttered, "Are you suggesting a duel?" Observing Loren''s reaction, Patriarch Balkan nodded with an expression that suggested this was even better than he had hoped. "...Ah, of course. The banquet isn''t over yet." Suddenly, the monkeys were filled with excitement, as if the heavy atmosphere had never existed. They truly were an impressive bunch. As I looked at the monkeys, I felt an unpleasant gaze and turned around. Libre, who had appeared out of nowhere, was smiling at me. I smiled back at him. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 121: Does this look like a joke to you? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 121: Does this look like a joke to you? With the Head Butler position vacant, the most trusted person by Lord Balkan in the Urgon family was undoubtedly the External Affairs Manager. As he often urately grasped Lord Balkan''s intentions, the External Affairs Manager was the first person Balkan consulted whenever an important matter arose in the family. The External Affairs Manager himself was confident in his judgement, second to none. However, today, nothing was going as he had anticipated. ''I had a bad dream yesterday.'' He couldn''t even remember thest time he had been so humiliated. It was the first time this had happened since he assumed the position of Manager. His cheek was swollen, and blood was already oozing from his forehead, where he had received first aid, soaking the bandage. "External Affairs Manager. You need to rest." "This is not the time." The External Affairs Manager brushed off the physician''s hand and hurried his steps with an urgent look. It had not been long since he regained consciousness, but now was not the time to worry about such things. rm bells rang in his head. In External Affairs Manager''s judgement, everyone was being fooled by his act. Even the External Affairs Manager himself was no exception. At first, he had also thought that he was just a young kid with guts. But he was wrong. The more he thought about it, the more everything was going ording to that man''s will. Escaping from prison. Bringing Loren to his side. Even having a duel. To the extent that even the External Affairs Manager waspletely fooled. The depths of Samael, the Crazy Mage Squad Commander''s mind, were terrifying. Above all, what made the External Affairs Manager most anxious was... He still couldn''t figure out what Samael was thinking. "We have to stop him. I need to see the Lord." Managing to pull himself together and arrive at the audience seats, the External Affairs Manager was left in a state of despair. The Eldest Young Master and the Crazy Mage Squad Commander were already facing each other in the arena, and the audience seats were packed with people. Even the high-ranking seats were fully upied. "Ah..." A sigh mixed with his breath became a cold wind that grazed the External Affairs Manager''s cheek. It was toote to turn back. The External Affairs Manager had no choice but to suppress his inexplicable anxiety and look at the arena. Hoping that his worries were unfounded. * * * I looked at the waves of the Western Lake, swaying in the cold wind, and then looked around the arena''s audience seats again. It was full. Even the External Affairs Manager, who should have been lying in bed, was present. My match was so popr. It meant that even sick people came because they wanted to see me. I felt pretty good. Sometimes, human emotions change in an instant. Looking at Libre in front of me, my joy subsided and anger instantly surged. Thinking that I needed to find peace of mind, I spoke first. "Aren''t you cold?" It was getting colder and colder. Even though the sun was rising high, the weather was getting colder. The wind was blowing fiercely. "Ugh, it''s cold. It''s chilly, should we put something on before we fight?" "You''repletely insane." I asked if he was cold, and he called me insane. As they say, a soft answer turns away wrath. Suddenly, Libre muttered, "Three members of the Red Phoenix Division Are dead." I replied, "That''s what happens when they keep following me even though I told them not to. Did you take care of the prison aftermath?" "You''re too confident." "What happened to that seductive woman?" "Who are you talking about?" "La." "I don''t know." "She was in the basement, wasn''t she?" Libre smirked and replied, "I don''t know what you''re talking about." It sounded like he was implying he''d buried her. "Tsk, what a pathetic end for the seductive woman. To think she met such a despicable guy. A lecherous pervert who''s also despicable, I can''t stand it." Now Libre didn''t answer. He just slowly took his stance. I red at Libre in response. Wheeing¡ª A cold wind split between us with a whistling sound. As expected, there was no referee. Their intention was obvious. The fact that there was no referee was known to me, to Libre, and to everyone in the audience. It''s just that no one was saying it out loud. Because... It would be more entertaining that way. Everyone was just holding their breath and observing our every move. "Honestly, I didn''t know." Out of the blue, Libre began a monologue. "It was unexpected. I knew you were crazy, but I didn''t know you had some tricks up your sleeve. However..." "Hurry up and say it. I''m cold." "A guy who doesn''t know his ce with his meager skills should be beaten to death." Then Libre looked around the audience and started to say something. I didn''t listen to what he was saying. What an attention-seeker says is usually obvious. Ladies and gentlemen, today, this Libre will show you a wonderful match in front of you, h h h... Now''s the time. The moment Libre''s gaze, looking towards Arin, shed involuntarily... I hurled a fireball at Libre. Fwoom¡ª With a scornful look, Libre easily dispelled it and looked at me. "I knew it. Such paltry magic won''t work on me." Before he could finish speaking, I threw another fireball. Libre''s eyes changed as he easily dispelled it again. "You have no manners." With his arms crossed, Libre charged. Mana surged explosively in an instant. Along with the cold wind blowing around, the waves of theke around the arena surged, creating sshes. Libre''s fingertips pointed between my eyebrows. A 4-star magic, Water Stream. A stream of blue water shot out from his fingertips, aimed directly at my forehead. I threw another fireball and chanted a short incantation. ''Prate, Piercing Wind.'' A fight must be strategic. It was a fleeting moment, but Libre''s smirk faltered when he saw the fireball. He only missed the wind de that flew through the center of the water stream for a split second. But a split second is all it takes to decide victory or defeat. Libre hurriedly drew upon the magic of the barrier, but it was toote. ''Wind Armor.'' I closed the distance between Libre, whom the wind de had pierced through, and myself. I concentrated the hard wind armor around my head. Thud¡ª! With a powerful leap, I drove my hardened crown, amplified by wind pressure, straight into Libre''s sr plexus. "Cough!" Libre vomited blood as he flew backward. I grabbed him by the neck, mmed him to the ground, then grabbed his neck with my right hand and brought our eyes level. As we had a brief staring contest, Libre spoke. "You lowly insect..." "Don''t you understand the situation?" When Libre red at me and tried to invoke his magic, I pped him across the face with a fiery hand. p¡ª! p¡ª! After a few disorienting ps, Libre''s fingertips went limp. This is why humility is important. If Libre hadn''t been careless and had remained vignt, he wouldn''t have been defeated so easily. But Libre didn''t. Even though he must have known my skills to some extent, he underestimated me. He was a pathetic fool who, after two weak fireballs, thought he could take me lightly and show off his own grandstanding. Urgon''s subordinates collectively emitted hostility from the audience, and murmurs grew louder in the stands. I looked up at the high-ranking seats while still holding Libre''s neck. None of them changed their expressions. It was impressive that even Balkan was looking at me with a rather calm face. Like father, like son. Seeing how both father and son were so concerned with their own prestige, I suddenly got angry. "Hey, son." I looked at Libre from the perspective of a father looking at his good-for-nothing son. Libre, who had regained consciousness in the meantime, red at me. "Why are you ring at me like that?" "......." "Damn it, why are you ring at me like that?" This guy was hopeless. I opened my mana circle and punched him in the face. The sound was loud enough for the entire audience to hear. Thwack¡ª! Libre''s pupils dted as his nose caved in. When Balkan raised his hand, the Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster, who was in the audience, immediately shouted, "Stop! The winner is Ruin!" I shouted louder than the Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster. "Shut up!" Libre, his nose crushed, trembled and said... "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" I didn''t answer and continued to punch Libre in the face. Thwack¡ª! "Cough, don''t touch my face..." Thwack¡ª! "Gah!" Every time Inded a punch, I could hear the bones in Libre''s face copsing. When I hit him for the third time, Balkan jumped up from his seat and yelled, "What the hell are you doing!" The moment Urgon''s subordinates stood up in unison, I grabbed the bloodied Libre by the neck and shook him like a hostage. "That''s what I want to ask." I shouted back at Balkan. "What the hell is this? Shouldn''t you apologize for falsely using us first?" As I spoke, Urgon''s subordinates flew into the arena. Someone''s voice came from behind. "You stubborn bastard." Wondering who dared to speak to me so rudely, I turned around to see Taylor, ir, and Arin already down there. Taylor red at me and said, "Don''t get distracted, just look ahead." I nodded. The situation instantly became tense. The Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster said from the front, "Release the Young Master immediately." "Does this look like a joke to you?" I conjured a fireball and burned Libre''s clothes, leaving him only in his underwear. "Say another word and I''ll burn these too." "You bastard..." Ignoring the Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster, I looked at Balkan. "What kind of bullshit is this, Balkan? Exin yourself. You nearly killed Samael with false usations, and now you want a duel? Do you think we''re that easy to mess with?" When I pped Libre, the hostility of the Urgon men intensified all at once. "Do you think we''re easy to mess with! Why don''t you answer? We were almost killed because of your false usation. Our n was almost destroyed. Huh?" I pped Libre again. Balkan raised his hand to stop me. "If you stop now, I''ll only cut off your hand and end this. But if you touch even a hair on Libre from now on, not only you, but the entire Samael n will suffer the consequences." Balkan had regained hisposure as if he had never shouted at all. But he messed with the wrong person. I grinned, baring my teeth. When I raised my hand towards Libre again, Balkan, seeing my expression, raised his hand again. "Stop. It seems you want something. Speak." Still holding Libre by the neck, I looked around the audience and said, "We want our false usation cleared." Balkan replied with a look of someone watching a monkey going crazy. "If it wasn''t poisoning, it would have been cleared naturally. Misunderstandings always arise and are resolved. Did you really intend to take your anger out on Urgon?" Murmurs grew louder in the audience. Even in their eyes, my actions were clearly giving Urgon justification to make an enemy of Samael. I said to Balkan, "It wasn''t a false usation." "Are you trying to confess?" "There''s a victim, but no perpetrator has been identified." While everyone was bewildered, not understanding what I meant, a few perceptive ones gasped. I pointed to the high-ranking seats and said, "Just because themander is safe doesn''t mean he wasn''t attacked." It wasn''t poison, but Fichte was definitely attacked by someone. "I wonder who it could be. Which bastard dared to frame our Samael? It''s so unfair." Murmurs of agreement spread through the audience. The External Affairs Manager''s voice was heard from somewhere. "We, Urgon, will thoroughly investigate this." "I think I know who it is." "What?" "There are only a limited number of people who could have framed us." I threw Libre down and slowly approached the high-ranking seats. The weather was still chilly. A cold air enveloped the arena and the audience seats. Even though I was approaching the high-ranking seats, no one stopped me. That''s how the atmosphere was. "It''s one of the three who were at the dinner." I slowly passed through the audience and climbed up to the high-ranking seats. All eyes in the arena were focused on me. "It''s not Libre. I just confirmed it while beating him half to death. He''s not capable of it." Lord Balkan''s face was now close by. I pointed at Loren. "It''s not her either. She wouldn''t poison her own subordinate.¡± Loren was looking at me with a slightly bored expression. When I took a step closer to the high-ranking seats, the special task force finally blocked my way. "That leaves only one person, then." Balkan''s expression, seen up close, was still unchanged. Balkan said to the special task forcemander, "Let him through. He has no intention of attacking." When the special task force cleared the way, Balkan gestured to me. "Come closer." We stood face to face. "Listen, young man. Words must carry weight. Your words cannot carry weight. Words without weight cannot be taken back." Balkan said in a coercive tone, "Are you perhaps suspecting this Balkan? Do you want to say those words out loud?" His eyes were surprisingly calm. But he can''t fool me. I can see the ugly desire for victory wriggling beneath those calm eyes. The lustful joy of watching prey walk into his mouth. I turned my head. I saw another face, watching us with unwavering eyes. I looked back at Balkan and smiled. Balkan looked back at me and smiled. We smiled with different thoughts in mind. I spoke first. "Elder Parin. I suspect you." At that moment, I didn''t miss the flicker in Balkan''s eyes. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 122: A duel between you and me? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 122: A duel between you and me? His lips were smiling, but his eyes weren''t. A bizarre expression, a mixture ofughter and sorrow. Within that bizarre expression, there was also fear. To put it in a nutshell: "He has the expression of a dog waiting for its grumpy owner toe home." Balkan tried to regain hisposure, but it was toote. Considering Balkan''s usual demeanor, his change in expression was enough to gauge how surprised he was. "Ruin Samael." It was then that a voice came from the side. "You''re going too far." Elder Parin shook his head slightly and looked at me. "I''ve been watching you with interest, but this is too much. I understand your frustration, but I''ll overlook it this once as a slip of the tongue from a junior." I looked at Elder Parin and asked, "Does this seem like a slip of the tongue to you?" "You...?" "I suspect you." "You''re speaking out of line." "I''m bing more and more suspicious." "Do you truly mean that?" I met Elder Parin''s gaze. Behind his monocle, I could see displeasure. "Of course I mean it." "I''ll ask you this. Do you believe the Blue Magic Tower has any reason to do such a thing?" "I don''t know. I''m trying to find out." "I was trying not to interfere, as it seemed like a matter between families." The corner of Elder Parin''s eye twitched. "Only Samael had the opportunity to act at the dinner. If it wasn''t them, I would have intervened and mediated with Urgon." "Showing your true colors now, are you? You pretended to be so easygoing when we were eating the braised carp. You have quite the acting skills." "What?" "It didn''t happen at the dinner in the first ce." Despite my provocation, Parin remained calm. "That doesn''t make sense, Ruin. Themander was perfectly fine until the dinner. It''s not like only one or two people witnessed this." I looked around for a moment. As Parin coldlyid out the situation, the tide turned against me. I pointed at Parin and said, "Themander is still safe. It was never poisoning in the first ce." "Safe?" "Lord Loren confirmed it herself." "So you''re saying he wasn''t attacked before the dinner, nor during the dinner? Then where was themander attacked? Are you saying he was faking it?" Indeed, a schr-like mage. He has perfectly honed his inner self, just like a schr. This is a reaction that couldn''t be shown without the confidence of being in the right. But this reaction is also the moment I''ve been waiting for. I quietly waited for Parin''s next words. "How do you intend to prove that themander is safe?" I grinned and looked at Loren. Loren, who had been looking bored until now, subtly raised her eyebrows for the first time. "I asked you how you were going to prove it. Why aren''t you answering?" Parin was speaking to me, but he was also asking Loren. Why are you protecting him? The reason for asking that was simple. "Elder Parin, you think Lord Loren is lying." Fichte couldn''t possibly be safe. Because that was what Parin believed. "It doesn''t make sense, so I''m just saying. Everyone is gathered here, so wouldn''t it be better to be sure?" "...." When I continued to remain silent, Parin said quietly, "He must not be safe after all." It was then that someone appeared in the high-ranking seats. Elder Parin adjusted his monocle as if he had seen something he shouldn''t have. "...!" His pupils dted. Lord Balkan, who was watching, also looked back and forth between the two with an expression of disbelief. "Excuse me." Fichte, supported by the inspectors, appeared. Loren winked at me. Her role was over, now it was my turn to show them. Fichte looked around and said, "I apologize for the trouble. I''m perfectly fine, so you don''t have to worry." ''Huh?'' I just witnessed something interesting. Elder Parin red at Fichte almost instinctively. It was clear killing intent. There was definitely something between the two of them. Elder Parin muttered, his face full of disbelief, "How..." I finished Parin''s sentence for him. "How is he alive?" "...." "It sounds like you''re asking how he can be alive when he should be dead. Is that what you mean, Elder Parin?" Elder Parin turned his head and red at me. He could no longer control his expression. "Ruin Samael..." "We''re back to square one. I suspect you. How do you intend to exin yourself?" I persistently pressed Parin for his guilt. Actually, I couldn''t prove whether Elder Parin was truly the culprit. It was impossible to prove. I was just suspicious. But sometimes the atmosphere pushes things in a certain direction. Elder Parin, while arguing with me, had fallen into his own trap. Murmurs grew louder in the audience. The atmosphere made it seem like he was truly guilty. But Parin wasn''t an easy opponent. "I am Parin of the Blue Magic Tower. What do you want me to exin?" "There''s a way to find out." Parin''s eyes shed behind his monocle. "How dare you." "I have my suspicions. I intend to confirm them myself." Lord Balkan, who had been watching Parin''s expression change, quickly intervened. "Elder Parin, I will imprison this man for the crime of insult and send a messenger to Samael. Honored guests in the audience, please return to the annex and wait." "Stop!" Elder Parin interrupted Balkan and asked in a low voice, "Let''s hear it then. How do you intend to confirm it?" I said with a smile, "You''ll find out now." I made eye contact with Elder Parin and suddenly dered, "I challenge you to a duel." "What?" Elder Parin frowned and looked around before pointing to himself. "With me?" "Yes." Loren, seemingly not expecting this situation, looked at me with a strange expression before letting out a chuckle. Celestine was looking at me with a worried face. "You want to have a duel with me?" "Correct." "What kind of sparring is this in this situation..." "You''re not getting it, Parin. Sparring? Since when did a duel with a cause take into ount the opponent''s circumstances? Mages have their own way. I''m asking for a duel where blood will be spilled and flesh will be ripped apart. I''ll confirm whether you''re the culprit while we fight." Suddenly, I heard someone behind me say, "Hey, you crazy bastard," so I turned to see the three of them. Judging from the shape of his mouth, it seemed like ir was the one who cursed. Strangely, Taylor just red at me and didn''t do anything else. Arin''s eyes seemed to hold a sense of anticipation. A burst ofughter erupted a momentter. Elder Parin''sughter seemed to go on forever. Looking up at the cloudy sky, Elder Parin''sughter turned into a chilling deration. "Very well." * * * "That guy doesn''t know how to hold back. What in the world..." "He''s definitely crazy." "That''s why he''s a mad dog." The audience was in chaos. Everyone was whispering with suppressed voices, but the shock they received was beyond imagination. "Oh dear, this person has copsed as well." A man called for the medical team after seeing a woman copse, foaming at the mouth. This wasn''t the first time someone had fainted. That''s how overwhelming the series of shocking events was. No one here expected the Mad Dog of Samael to subdue Young Master Libre so severely. The fact that Young Master Libre lost was shocking enough, but... The scene of the Mad Dog punching the Young Master in the face¡ª Thwack¡ª! Thwack¡ª! was so brutal it would give them nightmares. Every time the Young Master''s face caved in, women foamed at the mouth and copsed. But that wasn''t the end of it. Taking the Young Master hostage and directly confronting Lord Balkan? And as if that wasn''t enough, provoking Elder Parin of the Blue Magic Tower and even challenging him to a duel? Actions that couldn''t be simply exined by calling him a mad dog. At this point, a few more people with weak minds foamed at the mouth and copsed. "Huh, really..." But in the expressions of the audience watching the Mad Dog of Samael... There was definitely an undeniable excitement. It was quite aplex feeling. It wasn''t just because of the favors that the other young masters of Samael had bestowed upon them. The weak always live with a sense of injustice. The people here had a certain standing within the Quebec region, but they knew they were just frogs in a well. They could only survive by bowing down to powerful families like Urgon. But doesn''t everyone dream? Of a moment in their imagination where they can finally speak their mind to the powerful. And they were witnessing that moment. The imaginary moment where someone tells the powerful that they are wrong. And it was Samael, whom they themselves had disregarded as the weakest. "...Amazing." Garheim, Pretel''s father, was truly impressed. He thought of Pretel, who was lying in bed. This young man was doing what he himself was too afraid of Urgon to do. To describe the emotion filling Garheim''s eyes in one word: It was exhration. "Tsk." Of course, not everyone felt the same way. There were also those who were simply observing the situation. "How reckless." A man who had been watching the situation with cold eyes shook his head. "With this incident, Samael won''t escape destruction. To make an enemy of Elder Parin on top of Urgon..." The woman beside him agreed. "Indeed. What is he thinking?" "You can never know the thoughts of a mad dog. A moment of anger ruined everything." "If he had stayed quiet, the situation wouldn''t have been so bad. It''s unfortunate for Master Taylor and Master ir." "I agree." The woman turned her head and looked at another man. He was a man who hadn''t said a word until now. "What do you think, Mr. Walter?" "...Well." "Come on, tell us. You''re the most knowledgeable among us, aren''t you? I''m curious to hear your opinion, Mr. Walter." The man called Walter shook his head and replied, "It''s hard to predict. Staying quiet doesn''t necessarily make things better." "So you have a different opinion?" "It''s unexpected." "Are you surprised?" The surrounding eyes gathered on Walter. Although everyone had met Walter for the first time at this banquet, his insights were enough to captivate them all. So when Walter expressed his surprise, they couldn''t contain their curiosity. Walter murmured, "Yes, to think he would target Elder Parin." "Target him, you say?" "It''s probably not a thoughtless action." The woman looked directly at Walter. "Do you think what he did was right?" "That''s not what I meant." "Right?" When Walter didn''t answer, the woman took it as a sign of agreement and turned her head back to the arena. One by one, the others also looked away from Walter. Walter also looked at the arena. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael and the First Elder of the Blue Magic Tower were facing each other. "It was refreshing, though." Walter muttered in a voice so low that no one could hear him. It wasn''t a thoughtless action. There was definitely a clear purpose for the Crazy Mage Squad Commander to duel with Elder Parin. If he really did expose Elder Parin as the culprit, the situation would change. "But it''s impossible." No matter how talented the Crazy Mage Squad Commander was for his age, it was impossible to defeat Elder Parin. The First Elder of the Blue Magic Tower was on a different level. Of course, the Crazy Mage Squad Commander wouldn''t be unaware of that fact. That''s why it was even more impossible. Because he could guess what the Crazy Mage Squad Commander was aiming for. "This is it for you, Crazy Mage Squad Commander." Walter, who had been watching the Crazy Mage Squad Commander with a loss of interest, swallowed his next words. ''Ardehain won''t intervene. It''ll be a suicidal move.'' [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 123: 5-Circle Incantation [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 123: 5-Circle Incantation Elder Parin didn''t show a hint of agitation. His long white hair tied back and his neat blue robe brought to mind an elegant crane. "To think something like this would happen." Elder Parin spoke as if reminiscing. "If word spreads that Iid a hand on a junior, regardless of the reason, there will be those who point fingers at me, but it can''t be helped." Elder Parin pointed at me. "It''s just as well. I was curious about your magic." "Truly a schr-like mage." "This way, I can confirm it more urately." Parin''s tone sounded somewhat cruel. "Do you know why my title is Blue me?" "My title is Crazy Mage." "...." Parin''s robe fluttered wildly in the cold wind. I pointed at Parin and asked, "Aren''t you cold?" "It is chilly." For the first time, I received an answer. I had asked three people, but only one answered. This also meant that Parin was at ease. "The weather is getting colder." The sun had disappeared, though it wasn''t sunset yet. Only ash-gray clouds filled the sky. The waves of theke continued to surge in the cold wind. Standing like this felt like being on a raft tossed about on the sea. "Ugh, I feel seasick." Parin pointed at me and said, "I''ll yield the first move." I looked at Parin''s stance and nodded. He stoodnguidly, but his posture was not one of carelessness. His senses were sharply focused on me. With a Wheeing¡ª sound, I opened four circles and immediately chanted a short incantation, extending my finger. ''Prate, Piercing Wind.'' As soon as the wind de shot out from my fingertip, I chanted the full incantation. "Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Wind." Against an opponent like Parin, there was no need for probing attacks. The wind de, conjured with a short incantation, shot straight towards Parin''s forehead, its speed instantly doubling due to the immense wind pressure following it. Fwoosh¡ª The wind pressure seemed to tear through the air. But Parin''s eyes remained unwavering. He stared intently at my posture, energy flow, incantation, and the path of mana, and only at thest moment did he draw his magic. It was a short moment, less than 0.5 seconds. But remarkablyposed. "Frost Barrier." A 4-star magic, Frost Barrier. A water-attribute, freezing barrier materialized solidly in front of Parin''s chest, predicting the path of my attack. When the wind de collided with the barrier... KwaKwaKang¡ª! With a shattering sound, the barrier broke, scattering ice fragments across the arena. The wind de, having pierced through the barrier, grazed the spot where Parin had been standing. But Parin had already leaped into the air. "Quite unique." Parin''s eyes, from mid-air, gleamed with interest. "Powerful and flexible. I wonder what it''s weakness could be." As Parin drew magic with both hands, the ice fragments that had scattered outside the arena gathered back into the air. The ice fragments, concentrated in front of Parin''s forehead, formed a massive icicle. I recognized this magic. 5-star magic, Icicle. An icicle almost twice the size of a person flew towards me. I couldn''t help but exim, "Wow. An icicle in this freezing weather? That''s too much." With an Wind Barrier deployed in front of me, I chanted, "Hand of purifying melt, Fire Hand." A 4-circle fire attribute incantation, The magic containing the most intense heat gathered in my right hand. The house-sized icicle tore through the Wind Barrier, shattering the air barrier. Tsssss¡ª The audience covered their ears at the intense explosive sound and pressure created by the impact. I extended my right hand, engulfed in mes, and brought it behind me. Crimson mes, like moltenva, erupted from my fingertips. Crackle¡ª The front of the icicle, where it touched my ming hand, melted away, followed by the entire rear section. While I was inwardly pleased by the spectacr sight... Something shot towards me at incredible speed. ''Wind Armor.'' I felt a slight impact as I instantly elerated and leaped back. It wasn''t enough to pierce the Wind Armor, so I endured it and swung my Red Dagger with my left hand. ng¡ª The small, cold hidden weapon flew backward. Parin, catching the weapon in mid-air, had an even more intrigued look on his face. "You can improvise? While chanting?" Before he could finish speaking, Parinunched himself. Not one to stay idle, I flew towards him as well. We shed several times in the air in an instant. Closebat. Elder Parin lowered his stance and threw an ice-covered fist at me. I countered with a me-covered fist of my own. Kwaaaaaang¡ª! Our palms collided, and the shockwave rippled out, creating a massive wave in theke. The overflowing water surged into the arena. Parin''s blue robe billowed. Even as we exchanged blows, we kept a close eye on each other. My gaze was fixed on Parin''s left hand, and Parin was also watching my right hand. The moment Parin swung his left hand... I swung my right foot like lightning, aiming to strike his left hand. At that moment, Parin swiftly withdrew his left hand, deflecting my attack, and then drew another magic. The first one was a feint, a deceptive move. Fwaaaang¡ª! A powerful roar echoed through the air. Wended back on the arena, facing each other. Parin''s eyes had be even more intrigued, like a predator locking onto its prey. "It''s not demonic magic, but it''s strange." Of course, seeing through feints was one of my specialties. I had neutralized Parin''s attack by shooting my Red Dagger with my remaining right hand. There was a brief lull. Parin was swaying like a squid. Iughed at how pathetic he looked, but then I realized I was also swaying like a squid. The waves were too strong. The arena we were standing on was being tossed by the waves. "What the hell is with this ssh..." Suddenly, noticing that the sshing showed no signs of stopping, I looked up at the sky to see that it was raining. "No wonder the weather was so damn crazy." Shwaaaaa¡ª I looked at Parin again, the rain soaking me. My face was wet. Parin was still looking at me with those intrigued eyes. It was absurd. What kind of ridiculous behavior was this? He wasn''t grasping the situation he was in at all. "Elder Parin." Parin replied yfully, "Speak." "You''re too confident." "What do you mean by that?" I mouthed the words, ''Demonic Bloom.'' When Parin, unable to understand, tilted his head, I said it again, with more force. "Demonic Bloom. It was you, wasn''t it?" Parin''s expression hardened instantly, and he nced around. The audience was far away, and with the wind and rain raging, they couldn''t hear what we were talking about. "Where are you looking, Parin!" I looked at Parin''s expression andughed. "Yes, that''s the expression. It was you. The culprit always reveals himself." "Demonic Bloom? Where did you hear that word?" "It seems like you didn''t just use Demonic Bloom." "...What?" It''s hard to maintainposure when your confidence is shattered. Parin was no exception. A burning killing intent poured out from behind his monocle, directed at me. "...." There were no more words required. But I could feel what Parin was thinking just from his eyes. Creak¡ª. The moment Parin moved his right heel... An overwhelming pressure, iparable to anything I had felt before, surged towards me. Fwaaaaang¡ª! There was no visible drawing of magic. Or rather, it seemed like there wasn''t. As soon as he stamped his foot, a chilling coldness rushed in from close range. I elerated with Haste, leaping backward while chanting, "Splitting the earth..." The coldness closed in faster. "...Spear, Dividing." Just before impact, I thrust my hand into the ground like a spear, using the rebound tounch myself into the air. 4-circle earth attribute, Dividing. Kwaaaaaang¡ª! A shockwave erupted from where I had stepped, shattering the circr arena. Looking down from the rainy sky... It looked like fragmented rafts were floating on surging waves. Come to think of it, it had been a while since I had seen the sea. ''Who was it again?'' One of my subordinates said it before he died. That he wanted to see the sea. It''s been so long now that I can''t remember who it was. He was a stubborn bastard, that''s for sure. Anyway, Parin was nowhere to be seen. But I could tell what he was up to. Faaaaaa¡ª Bubbles rose and boiled on the surface of theke, then erupted like a water spout. Certainly, in this kind of weather, water attribute magic had an advantage. I also opened my circles again and chanted, "Raging ice barrier, Frost Barrier." 4-circle water attribute, Frost Barrier. It was the same magic Parin had just used, but mine was on a higher level. The ice barrier that spread out from my hand in a semi-circr shape collided with the water spout. With a Fwaaaaa¡ª sound, the ice barrier instantly froze the water spout solid. From below, Parin looked up at me with a slightly bewildered expression. I added, "Your magic is awesome." Parin''s bewildered eyes turned to shock in an instant. Wind des shot out, slicing the ice pir in two. This was a move Parin hadn''t anticipated. Parin quickly leaped away, but the hem of his blue robe was partially torn. "...!" Wended again on the debris floating on theke and looked at each other. Parin pointed at me and asked, "...I can''t believe it. Memorize? At your age? ...No." Parin muttered to himself, lost in thought. His neatly tied white hair was now disheveled. "No. That can''t be. If that were the case, I wouldn''t have missed it." Parin, after pondering, red at me. "Don''t tell me, you cast magic simultaneously? Is that even possible? Answer me." Of course, I didn''t answer. Parin, however, seemed convinced. "I need to confirm it myself. Child,e with me." "Your tone has changed, Parin. I''ve heard that tone somewhere before. It sounds like you''re saying you''ll make me your ve." "...." "Do you raise ves, Elder Parin?" Parin stared at me for a moment, then turned his head to look at the high-ranking seats. Shwaaaa¡ª The rain was pouring heavily. The raindrops sshing on theke created a curtain of water spray. When Parin looked back at me... The rain was now so heavy that I could barely see his expression. Parin''s voice reached me through the downpour. "Child, are you doing this because you trust Ardehain?" I scoffed and replied, "No way. I trust myself." The rain was so heavy that I could barely see in front of me. Only Parin''s voice pierced through the downpour. "Do you know why I''m called Blue me?" "From the beginning..." "...." "It''s quite an arrogant title. Blue me." For a moment, there was no sound. No movement. Only the pouring rain could be heard. Thump-thump, thump-thump. My heart pounded. This was the Crazy Mage''s instinct and intuition. This atmosphere. This feeling. Parin was about to do something. Saaaaaaaa¡ª Oppressive pressure closed in from all directions. It was a mana fluctuation I had felt once before in this life. 6-star mana fluctuation. The fluctuation I first felt from Hector, the one that nearly shattered my skull. "Haa..." My breath quickened. This wasn''t a natural phenomenon. A single raindrop that fell on my palm felt particrly cold. The raindrops falling in front of me stretched out¡ªelongated. The rain fell slowly. The atmosphere was freezing. The breath of death slowly closed in from all directions. "Death of Ice." 6-star magic, Death of Ice. I knew this magic. Among water attribute, freezing magic, it was the most despicable. This was the moment Parin''s true nature was revealed. Magic that freezes all the air around a single target, leaving them neither dead nor alive. Iughed. 6-star magic, huh? I couldn''t block it back then, but now it''s different. Wheeing¡ª I opened all the circles in my heart. Five rings, rotating as if burning, resonated with mana, melting the surrounding atmosphere. 5-circle incantation. What made it different from lower-circle incantations was... "Embracing the spark that ignites aspiration..." It couldn''t be properly contained with a simple noun-form incantation. It embodied the powerful will that emerged in my mind. Whoosh¡ª The spark that bloomed from my fingertips became aspiration and moved forward. The small spark touched the frozen air. I watched the small spark burning through the frozen air, and at thest moment, I chanted once more, "...An exploding me at its end." Thus, the incantation was finallyplete. 5-circle fire attribute, Fire Explosion. mes shed throughout the frozen space. Thud¡ª Thud¡ª Raindrops began to fall one by one, and time, which had seemed to stop, resumed its flow. Thud¡ª Thud-thud-thud¡ª! The dyed explosion tore through the air, erupting in all directions. Kwaaaaaaaaaang¡ª! The mes spread towards the audience, momentarily making the space between Parin and me clear and bright. The exploding mes illuminated us both like the sun. "It''s warm now." Now I could clearly see Parin''s expression. Beyond his broken monocle, his eyes spoke of shock. "Blue me is too arrogant." The mes exploded, engulfing Elder Parin. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 124 The Culprit Is... [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 124 The Culprit Is... Fireworks erupted as the frozen air shed white. In that instant, everything changed. "..." The expression on the External Affairs Manager''s face, standing amidst the shattered audience seats, was beyond dumbfounded. Debris was scattered everywhere, and mes flickered here and there. Wheeing¡ª An earsplitting rm rang out. The magic barrier around the arena flickered precariously red. A red magic barrier meant it had reached its limit. A littleter, and the entire audience would have been annihted. Even though the External Affairs Manager was ayman in magic, he knew that something had gone terribly wrong. "Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster, what just happened?" "..." "Special Task Force Commander." "...I''m looking into it." What the External Affairs Manager failed to grasp was that the actual mages were far more shocked than he could have imagined. The Special Task Force Commander widened his eyes, trying to understand the situation, but even he couldn''t fullyprehend what had transpired. All he knew was that an immense mana fluctuation had emanated from Elder Parin, followed by a sh of light, and then the current situation unfolded. ''What in the...'' Circumstantially, it was highly likely that the Samael brat was responsible. Elder Parin wouldn''t have withdrawn his magic himself. But how? The Special Task Force Commander couldn''t believe it. This was a shock iparable to when Young Master Libre was defeated. Elder Parin was a 6-star mage. Excluding the Tower Heads and Vice Tower Heads of each Magic Tower, he was one of the strongest mages around. For that Samael brat to block a magic attack that a high-ranking mage like him had unleashed with all his might? ''Impossible.'' Meanwhile, the External Affairs Manager, watching the scene, couldn''t shake off the growing anxiety. No one around him seemed to grasp the situation properly. Not even the Special Task Force Commander. A strange fervor was rising among the audience. A quiet but shocking atmosphere, filled with burgeoning aspiration. There was no need to say who was at the center of this atmosphere. It was obvious. "No." The External Affairs Manager unconsciously revealed his true feelings. He was anxious. The anxiety tightening around his heart was growing. ''This is a nightmare. A nightmare.'' The n he thought was perfect was falling apart. Everything was going beyond his expectations. Even though the External Affairs Manager didn''t know everything, he knew how much effort the Lord had put into this matter. "Lord..." Balkan''s hand trembled as he clenched his fist. "Lord..." "..." This wasn''t the usual dignified Balkan. He was far too agitated to be simply described as having lost hisposure. "Lord!" "Ahem." "Many eyes are watching." Only then did Balkan clear his throat and calm his expression. However, his pounding heart refused to settle down. Others may not have known, but Balkan did. Only Balkan clearly recognized the true nature of the magic Elder Parin had unleashed. 6-star. Death of Ice. That magic which invoked the fear of death with its mere presence. How was he supposed to ept the fact that the Samael kid had blocked it? ''So it hase to this.'' After observing the arena for a long time, Balkan made up his mind. Whatever the reason... He couldn''t let things proceed as they were. The n couldn''t possibly fail, but unexpected situations had unfolded one after another. "Lord, you must take control of the situation. Pull yourself together." "Yes, I must pull myself together." Balkan nodded at the External Affairs Manager''s advice. He had to pull himself together. Even if there were casualties, he had to see this through to the end here. He couldn''t afford to provoke any more anger. * * * "Pull myself together?" Seeing that Parin was still out of sorts, I asked, "How long are you going to stay like that?" "..." "Answer me." Since he didn''t answer, I looked up at the sky for a moment. The weather had suddenly cleared up, so I felt pretty good. The magic barrier was blocking the wind and rain pouring from the sky. Why couldn''t it have been like this from the start? "...No. This can''t be happening." I looked straight ahead at the sudden sound of Parin''s voice. Parin was shaking his head and muttering something. "...It was an incantation I''ve never heard before." "He''s still out of it." His flowing white hair was now scorched ck and disheveled, and his neat robe waspletely torn and tattered. His monocle was cracked and on the verge of shattering. But the ugliest thing by far was his expression. "How is that even possible?" Elder Parin, recalling what had just happened, continued to frown. He seemed unable toprehend it. "What incantation was that just now?" "Fireworks." "I''ve never heard of it." I pped at Parin. "As expected of your title, you''re truly arrogant. Is it a problem if you haven''t heard of it?" Despite my mockery, Parin replied seriously without changing his expression. "I''ve read more magic books than anyone. However, that incantation wasn''t in any of the ancient texts I''ve seen." "Actually, I made it up." Parin suddenly asked, "How old are you this year?" "I''m over three hundred years old." "Amazing." "Oh, you believe me?" "It was an amazing incantation. It was truly dangerous." I watched Parin''s behavior for a while, amused. From the beginning until now, he hadn''t lost hisposure. I asked Parin, "Dangerous?" "Of course. I almost suffered serious internal injuries." "You seem quite rxed for someone who almost got seriously hurt." "That''s what happens when you reach this age. More importantly, you didn''t intend to see it through to the end, did you? I know you held back your power at thest moment." Elder Parin looked at the audience. In the silent audience, the monkeys were all staring intently at me. Parin gave a hollowugh and said, "Further fighting would be meaningless. If you wish, I will mediate between Urgon and Samael. Truly impressive. Let''s end it here." Like a carp biting a bait, I said to Parin, "So who won?" "Let''s call it a draw. It won''t be bad for you. The fame of having fought an equal match with this Blue me is not easily earned." "I see." Parin asked me, "Do you have anything more to say?" I casually threw out a question, "You could have blocked it, couldn''t you?" It was a simple question, but Parin suddenly stared intently at me. Life returned to Parin''s eyes. "What do you mean by that, Ruin Samael?" "What would have happened if I had gone all out?" "Didn''t I say? I would have been injured." This time, Parin casually threw out a question, "So, have you confirmed it?" "Of course." "And?" "It was chilling." The waves on theke were calm now. We looked at each other like anglers casting bait and waiting. In this case, the one who hides their hand and catches the opponent''s is usually the winner. In my view, Elder Parin was indeed a skilled angler. But no matter how clever Parin was, he couldn''t know my hand. I was the winner of this fight. "Old man." "..." "You''re the culprit." I turned my head and looked at the audience. The audience was still silent. Everyone was staring, waiting for my words. I said to the audience in a loud voice, "People of our Quebek region." As if waiting for this moment, all eyes focused on me. "I have just confirmed one fact. I had my suspicions, but it has be clear that someone deliberately targeted our Samael at this Urgon banquet." Perceptive people would have noticed, but I was actually saying the same thing as before. But that wasn''t important. What was important was that everyone was listening to my words as if they were hearing them for the first time. The same words carry different weight depending on who speaks them. My words now had power. "This was also an attack on the Death Sword Guild. They tried to kill the Guild''s soldier and frame our Samael for the crime." "..." "Hmm, no questions?" ir shouted from the audience as if he were a stranger. "How is that even possible!" I nodded and said, "Poison." "Poison?" "That''s right. It was a scheme using poison." Surprisingly, this time Arin chimed in. "That''s ridiculous. You said it wasn''t poisoning. Don''t you remember what you said?" It was a slightly strange interjection, but I nodded. "It''s not an ordinary poison. At first, it only causes mild cold symptoms with chills, but in reality, it leads to death within three days. There''s only one poison that causes these symptoms." "How do you know that?" "That''s how I was able to treat the soldier." "..." "It''s a poison called Demonic Bloom. You probably haven''t heard of it." Then I looked at Elder Parin. "Another characteristic of Demonic Bloom is that it inevitably leaves traces on the user. That''s what I meant when I said I confirmed it." The audience murmured as they grasped my meaning, and Elder Parin shook his head and looked at me. "Think carefully. You''re making a grave misunderstanding." "Amazing expression management. You''re really something, old man." "You will be held ountable for your words." I pointed at Elder Parin, then looked around the audience and then at the high-ranking seats. "There''s only one conclusion." Even now, Parin was suppressing his expression like a restrained angler. But I already knew that this was the expression of someone on the verge of victory. "The culprit behind all this is..." And as I said. I had no intention of losing this fight. "Lord Balkan, it was you." I met Elder Parin''s eyes. I didn''t take the bait, but Parin did. I was the victor. * * * "Silence!" The Special Task Force Commander and the Azure Dragon Division Grandmaster, who had jumped up from the high-ranking seats, tried to control the atmosphere by emanating their energy. "How dare you utter such nonsense to the Lord!" Then Balkan pointed at me. "So you want to see this through to the end, Ruin Samael." With a single leap, Inded in front of the high-ranking seats. The surrounding spectators retreated like an ebb tide, and I approached Balkan, saying, "Whether this goes to the end or not isn''t my decision. It''s simple. If you''re innocent, just clear your name. Let me check your wrist. I can tell in 10 seconds. How about it? I''m giving you a chance to prove your innocence." Balkan rebuked me with a stern face. "Nonsense. You''re really pushing this to the end, aren''t you? All mages of Urgon, listen!" "You seem quite anxious." "What?" "Your eyes are anxious. Different from usual. Why are you in such a hurry, Balkan? You seem like a man being chased. Who made you so hasty? Who is it? Elder Parin?" "You bastard! Silence!" Balkan shouted as he looked around. "All mages of Urgon, listen! From now on, Samael is our enemy! Seize them!" The mages in the high-ranking seats descended all at once and surrounded me in a fan shape. At some point, ir and Arin were blocking my back. I said to them, "It seems Taylor has gone to n for the future." "No." "Then?" At that moment, with a Whoosh¡ª sound, a group of mages descended into the audience seats. They were Urgon''s subordinates who had been outside the arena. Now that I looked, there were quite a few of them. "Quite a crowd." The mages swiftly equipped their weapons. With their formation in ce, the Special Task Force Commander stepped forward and said, "Are you confident in facing all of us?" "To be honest, no." "So you finally confess your true feelings." I extended my palm and aimed it at the Special Task Force Commander''s head. "Bang!" "What?" "Whether I''m confident or not, you''re going to die. You must have seen me fight Elder Parin just now. I can take at least half of you bastards to your deaths. You''ll be the first." As soon as I opened my mana circles and raised my energy, the mages scattered and took their positions. "What a bunch of idiots." What made them truly idiotic was that they had positioned themselves among the spectators. It was clearly intentional. Their n was to use the coteral damage from my magic on the audience as an excuse to drive me out. The Special Task Force Commander shouted with a stern face, "From now on, we, Urgon, will take control of the situation. Everyone, stay where you..." Suddenly, I rubbed my eyes, and blood appeared on my fingers. I must have gotten a cut on my eye. My vision was slightly red-tinted. I couldn''t tell at that moment whether this was due to madness or not. I raised my finger and pointed it at the Special Task Force Commander. The Special Task Force Commander cunningly pushed a spectator''s shoulder, using them as a shield. I grinned, baring my teeth. "You''re worse than a third-rate thug, Special Task Force Commander." "Don''t move." "I told you, you''re first." "Shut up! Urgon will control the..." The moment I snapped my fingers, the Special Task Force Commander ducked with lightning speed. At the same time, something shot out from somewhere like a ray of light, piercing through the Special Task Force Commander''s left shoulder. "Ugh!" Fwoosh¡ª The sound of something tearing through the air reached us btedly. I slowly turned my head and looked towards the source of the sound. Someone''s energy was slowly rising. "That''s going to be a bit of a problem." The Special Task Force Commander shouted with bloodshot eyes, "What is the meaning of this! Is the Death Sword Guild making an enemy of Urgon...? Ugh!" Once again, something like a ray of light pierced through the Special Task Force Commander''s right shoulder. He couldn''t even react. Astonished gazes converged on a single point. Balkan, who was in the high-ranking seats, looked at the forgotten figure with trembling eyes. "The Death Sword Guild has no ce to interfere here." "The Death Sword Guild?" Loren smiled sweetly and trailed off, and Balkan looked at her once again with a surprised expression. "Do you intend to reveal it? You have no authority to..." "You overstep your bounds, Balkan." Loren dered, "From now on, Ardehain will control this ce." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 125 Chapter 125: Agent of the ck Lotus Celestine Ardehain, who had undergone harsh training since childhood, was a talent expected to be the youngest Lotus Swordsman in the n. Even among the direct descendants, her talent for swordsmanship was exceptional, and she put in the effort to match it. She had excellent skills, capable of performing the first half of the Ardehain Lotus Sword Style almost perfectly. However, the high-ranking swordsmen of the n who taught Celestine swordsmanship valued her mental strength even more. Innateposure. Swordsmanship can be taught, but temperament cannot. Her calm disposition was the strongest foundation for her to wield flexible swordsmanship even in critical situations. Therefore, Celestine¡¯s recent emotional changes were hard to believe. ¡°¡­!¡± It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. If the n¡¯s swordsmen saw Celestine now, they would all be astonished. Celestine¡¯s pupils were constantly shaking as she watched the duel between the Crazy Mage and Elder Parin. It was the first time Celestine had witnessed a duel between mages, but even in her eyes, Elder Parin¡¯s skill was extraordinary. Especially the magic that Elder Parin disyed at the end was threatening even to Celestine. And the Crazy Mage¡­ ¡®It¡¯s not just the pressure.¡¯ The skill the Crazy Mage showed during their duel was only a fraction of his true ability. The way he broke through Parin¡¯s magic. It felt like watching an extremely destructive sword style, crouching and then exploding,pletely breaking through the opponent¡¯s sword path. It far surpassed her expectations of the Crazy Mage. ¡°Are you feelingpetitive, Celine?¡± Celestine was once again shocked. Why? She had never been intimidated by any of the other talented individuals from the vassal families. Not even when she dueled with the heir of the Hyak n, known as the pir of the Six Noble ns, nor when she faced the gloomy third son of the Velusia n¡¯s onught. But for some reason, she didn¡¯t feel anypetitive spirit towards the Crazy Mage. ¡°It seems it¡¯s not time yet. What did you feel, Celine?¡± ¡°¡­As expected, the world is vast, Mother. I was a frog in a well.¡± ¡°Hoho.¡± Loren looked at her with warm eyes. ¡°You¡¯re half right and half wrong.¡± ¡°Wrong, Mother?¡± ¡°The world is vast, but men like him are extremely rare.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it too.¡± At some point, the Crazy Mage was protesting in front of the high-ranking seats. He was an unpredictable man in many ways. Loren turned her gaze to the high-ranking seats, and Celestine looked at Loren¡¯s face. It was an expression she had never seen before. What was that pleased expression? ¡°¡­He was confident from the beginning.¡± Loren muttered something cryptic. ¡°Amazing. It¡¯s a shame it¡¯s magic, but it¡¯s also refreshing.¡± Loren looked at the Crazy Mage. ¡°Your suggestion was right, Ruin.¡± Celestine¡¯s gaze followed Loren¡¯s. The audience seats had be a chaotic scene. The moment Celestine frowned upon seeing a man taking a hostage in a vulgar manner, Loren waved her hand. Fwoom¡ª The barrier surrounding Celestine and Loren dissipated, and a deafening noise from the audience poured in. Loren¡¯s sword energy, like a ray of light, pierced through the shoulder of the man holding the hostage. Crack¡ª Then, Lord Balkan¡¯s low voice was heard. ¡°¡­The Death Sword Guild has no ce to interfere here.¡± ¡°The Death Sword Guild?¡± Celestine straightened her posture instantly. It was because she saw Loren¡¯s expression. A cynical smile. It was a clear smile of contempt. And Celestine knew the meaning of that smile. ¡°From now on, Ardehain will control this ce.¡± * * * Not many understood the sudden deration. The strongest reaction came from Urgon. The subordinates who were about to avenge the Special Task Force Commander were the first to notice something was amiss. ¡°¡­Lord?¡± Balkan remained silent. He simply stared at the woman from the Death Sword Guild without giving any attack orders or even the slightest reaction. Only then did the subordinates ponder the meaning of the deration. A momentter, exmations erupted simultaneously. ¡°¡­That Ardehain of the noble ns?¡± [TL/N: I misunderstood the significance of the n n thought of them as a divine n but as I got more context it seemed they aren¡¯t supposed to be a divine n but a noble n ?? ] ¡°N-no way?¡± ¡°The Death Sword Guild¡­ is Ardehain?¡± A chilling air spread like an ebb tide, enveloping the audience. Cognitive dissonance. A natural reaction when faced with something unimaginable. A suppressed voice escaped Balkan¡¯s lips. ¡°This is Urgon¡¯s affair. Urgon will handle it.¡± Groans arose from the Urgon faction simultaneously. Balkan¡¯s reaction confirmed that the woman¡¯s words were true. ¡°This happened in Urgon. We will take responsibility and¡­¡± ¡°Amazing, Lord Balkan. Are you saying you will interfere with Ardehain¡¯s business?¡± ¡°No.¡± Balkan¡¯s expression hardened noticeably. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± ¡°Gather all Urgon executives at the main building. The magic unit will stand by at the main building. Of course, you, Lord Balkan, are no exception. From this moment on, any unauthorized action by any member of Urgon will be considered defiance.¡± Suddenly, Balkan¡¯s expression changed drastically, and he shouted, ¡°What do you mean, Lord Loren!¡± ¡°Do you have anything more to say?¡± ¡°Are you suspecting Urgon? A gathering? Defiance? Do you believe the nonsense that brat is spouting?¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± ¡°Why do you believe that child?¡± ¡°Your tongue is too long, Balkan.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A brief silence fell. It was after making eye contact with Elder Parin that Balkan¡¯s eyes changed, as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Lord Loren, I apologize, but I cannotply.¡± Balkan said bluntly, gritting his teeth. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s do this by the book. The honor of our entire n is at stake. Even if you are affiliated with Ardehain, you cannot exercise such authority as a mere Commander.¡± Elder Parin intervened appropriately. ¡°I also think this is excessive. The more important the matter, the more we must follow procedures. Doesn¡¯t the noble n have rules?¡± ¡°You two share the same sentiment.¡± Balkan raised his hand. At that, the Urgon mages gathered around Loren. ¡°I want you to know that we don¡¯t want to make an enemy of Ardehain. We simply want to protect our rights. Lord Loren.¡± The Urgon mages collectively exerted their power. It was confidence stemming from their overwhelming numerical superiority. Arrogant confidence. The intense pressure from the prestigious name of a noble n was, at least to those gathered here, a tale from another world they had never experienced. ¡°Indeed, you don¡¯t know.¡± That¡¯s why they didn¡¯t know. Even Balkan didn¡¯t fully grasp the extent of it. ¡°Ardehain sets the rules.¡± Everyone stopped in their tracks at the naturally emanating pressure. Fwoom¡ª Then, at the materialized mana fluctuation that followed, the Special Task Force at the forefront copsed and knelt. ¡°Don¡¯t think, don¡¯t ask. If I decide, you follow.¡± Another powerful mana fluctuation caused several people to groan and copse. Parin, his face stiffening, said, ¡°¡­Lord Loren, why are you doing this?¡± Loren looked at Parin. ¡°This time, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means I¡¯ll listen to you. ording to the rules.¡± Loren pped her hands, and the space behind her rippled. As the wind blew, a female swordsman dressed in ck lined up behind Loren. Seeing the lotus flower drawn on her robe, Parin¡¯s face hardened, and he unconsciously muttered, ¡°No way¡­ a Lotus Swordsman? A Lotus Swordsman has been dispatched?¡± The symbol of Ardehain, the Lotus Swordsman. Things were different with them involved. Each and every one of them held authority iparable to a mere Commander. ¡°Why? Why is a Lotus Swordsman here¡­?¡± But what was even more surprising happened next. The Lotus Swordsman, taking a step towards Loren, took out a small g from her bosom and handed it to Loren. Then, she showed the utmost respect. ¡°Like a noble lotus.¡± Elder Parin¡¯s eyes shook incessantly as he looked at Loren. The ck lotus fluttered towards the sky. Simultaneously, an oppressive weight pressed down on everyone, as if the space itself was being crushed. Finally, the woman holding the g dered, ¡°In the name of Loren Ardehain, Agent of the ck Lotus, Imand thee kneel¡­¡± Loren slowly approached Balkan. ¡°All members of Urgon will kneel and show respect.¡± With a thud, Balkan¡¯s knees buckled, and his forehead mmed against the ground. * * * Somehow, I was led to the top floor of the annex, a special room that had been empty. It happened because people insisted that I should use it. ¡°Haha, well then.¡± I pretended to be persuaded and looked around the room. It was several timesrger than the room I had been using. It was an entire suite prepared for VIP guests. This is why people need recognition. When you are recognized, you feel good, and when you feel good, your shoulders rise, and then your personality bes arrogant, and you change, and you be self-centered¡­ But I won¡¯t change. As soon as I sat down at the entrance to the room, I began to meditate. I am a man who meditates anytime, anywhere. I meditatedst night in the midst of the storm, and I meditate now that the storm has passed. I am a man who is the same from beginning to end. Shwaaaa¡ª The sound of rain could be heard from the open window. As the magic barrier was lifted, the rain began to pour again. The sound of raindrops hitting the ground mingled with the scent of grass. I could faintly hear the chatter of the monkeys, gathered in threes and fives, gossiping about today¡¯s battle as if it were a side dish. Even if distracting thoughts came to mind now, I intended to let them pass. Suddenly, Loren¡¯s actions came to mind. I had expected Loren to step forward when she realized that Balkan and Parin were aplices, but I didn¡¯t expect her to reveal her identity while utilizing a Lotus Swordsman. It was clearly an impromptu action. Iughed, remembering my oldrades who used to act on a whim. There were many crazy people in the expedition. ¡°This will end in a boring way.¡± Now that Loren has revealed her true colors, they won¡¯t be able to resist. Balkan won¡¯tst long. After Balkan, it¡¯s Parin¡¯s turn. Then, I¡¯ll find out the long-awaited reason. I still didn¡¯t know why they targeted Samael. ¡°Are you there?¡± Knock knock¡ª At that moment, I heard a knock on the door. Without much thought, I was about to open it when I suddenly realized that no one would be looking for me at this hour. It wasn¡¯t the voices of the Three Musketeers. ¡°Are you there?¡± It was quitete. Everyone seemed to be asleep, as the chattering of the monkeys was no longer heard. Only the sound of raindrops and insects could be heard. ¡°¡­It¡¯s urgent. Young Master Ruin, are you in there?¡± The whispering voice outside the door sounded somewhat familiar. I took out my Red Dagger and hid it behind my back. I was going to throw the dagger if anything happened as I turned the doorknob. But what I expected didn¡¯t happen. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± It was a familiar face. Alvin, his face pale, whispered with a mixture of anxiety and unease, ¡°Young Master, please save me.¡± ¡°I gave you the antidote. You should be getting some sleep.¡± Alvin looked around and then abruptly entered the room, taking a deep breath. Now that I looked, he was drenched from the rain. ¡°It¡¯s a disaster.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to be a spy again, stop it. You could really die this time.¡± Alvin shook his head urgently. ¡°The External Affairs Manager already suspected that I had betrayed him. You¡¯re the only one I can tell.¡± I looked at Alvin¡¯s dripping clothes and said, ¡°You look terrible.¡± ¡°I apologize for the intrusion.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Alvin gulped and said, ¡°The Lord is dead.¡± [TL/N: Twist after Twist!! Fucking Hell??] ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 126 Chapter 126: There You Are, Old Man ¡°Balkan is dead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alvin looked nk for a moment before answering. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t expect you to believe me so easily. Thank you.¡± ¡°We should trust each other in this harsh world.¡± Actually, in a harsh world, one should be more suspicious of others. But every action has a reason. There must be a reason why this guy is here with me. It didn¡¯t seem like a lie that Balkan was dead. It was my intuition. I could tell by looking into his eyes. Sometimes unexpected situations ur. ¡°Who killed Balkan? Did Loren do it? Did Balkan offend her? He doesn¡¯t seem like the type to have the guts to do that.¡± ¡°No.¡± Alvin took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point. The Lord was waiting alone in his room. The External Affairs Manager¡­¡± ¡°Balkan was waiting?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. Perhaps he was taking a break from being interrogated. Anyway, there was no one else in the Lord¡¯s room except for him. The External Affairs Manager said the Lord was looking for me, so I knocked¡­but there was no answer, no matter how much I called. It didn¡¯t seem like he was asleep. Somehow, when I opened the door¡­¡± ¡°And he was dead?¡± ¡°I was the first one to find him. There were no servants.¡± ¡°Any external injuries?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see clearly. There were no visible wounds.¡± ¡°What a futile death.¡± I looked at Alvin and something suddenly hit a nerve. ¡°Why did youe to me?¡± ¡°I thought it was the way to save my life.¡± Water was still dripping from Alvin¡¯s clothes. ¡°You¡¯re looking for a way to survive?¡± ¡°No one knows that the Lord is dead yet. I might be suspected. The family won¡¯t protect me. After much deliberation, I came to you, Young Master.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ying both sides with me. Whoever taught you, you¡¯re quite the smooth talker.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Knowing how to y both sides is a skill. Let¡¯s see if your actions are just as smooth. So, what do you think I should do?¡± Alvin wrung his clothes like a rag and answered, ¡°I think it would be best if you saw it for yourself. Pleasee with me to the Lord¡¯s room, Young Master. We need to check if it was suicide or murder.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± I said as I walked towards the window, ¡°It¡¯s best if we go quietly.¡± The rain was heavy. Looking out the window, the ground was quite far below. I pointed out the window and said, ¡°Are you alright with this?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Alvin, who hade closer, threw himself out the window without hesitation. A momentter, as soon as I heard a ssh, I threw myself out the window, using levitation magic. Shwaaaaaaaaa¡ª ¡°It¡¯s reallying down.¡± As soon as Inded on the muddy ground, the rain drenched me. I looked to the side and saw Alvin squatting and dusting off his backside. ¡°Are you okay? I heard a cracking sound.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just mud. Let¡¯s go.¡± It was an eerie night. It was raining so heavily that it was hard to see. Alvin walked without hesitation. ¡°Slow down. It¡¯ll be a pain if we get lost.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± We didn¡¯t run into anyone. At some point, Alvin¡¯s steps became unnatural. It felt like he was putting too much effort into walking. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°Rx.¡± Alvin¡¯s body stiffened even more, so I deliberately spoke to him. ¡°You said you weren¡¯t sure if Balkan¡¯s death was suicide or murder, right?¡± ¡°There were no peculiarities in his appearance.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t suicide.¡± Alvin stopped walking for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know Balkan. He¡¯s not the type tomit suicide. He¡¯s a typical example of someone who bullies the weak and fears the strong. He¡¯s the type who would dly endure today¡¯s humiliation if it meant gaining power. To put it nicely, he¡¯s patient, and to put it badly, he¡¯s an idiot without conviction. He¡¯s the type who would grovel for his life. But this is strange.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± I looked straight at Alvin and replied, ¡°Alvin, our Urgonis spy. Isn¡¯t a spy supposed to know his Lord¡¯s temperament? It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to figure out.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t understand you. When you were pretending to be a spy, you were an idiot, but earlier you were quite smart. You yed both sides well. But now you¡¯re incredibly stupid again. Just pick one, Alvin.¡± Suddenly, Alvin¡¯s pace quickened. ¡°I told you to walk slowly. See, you¡¯ve taken the wrong path.¡± ¡°This is the right way.¡± ¡°It smells strongly of urine here.¡± This ce, filled with the smell of theke and urine, was where I had once disguised myself as a ck dog to eavesdrop on Elder Parin¡¯s conversation. ¡°Why are you going in the opposite direction, Alvin?¡± A brief silence fell. Only the sound of raindrops hitting the mud could be heard. ¡°I apologize. I think I was mistaken because it¡¯s too dark.¡± ¡°I keep telling you, rx.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Pretending to walk, I instantly grabbed Alvin by the neck as he walked ahead. Alvin quickly tried to turn his back, but I was faster. Grab¡ª I squeezed his neck, turning him around to face me. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Ugh, why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°The noble n isn¡¯t careless. Now that Loren has dered control over Urgon, all of Urgon¡¯s members are under Ardehain¡¯s watch. You can¡¯t just scurry back and forth to me like a rat.¡± I tightened my grip on his neck, stopping Alvin from replying. ¡°You¡¯re not from Urgon, are you, Alvin?¡± Alvin¡¯s pupils shook incessantly. ¡°You were a double agent from the start. Who are you? Parin?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Alvin¡¯s shaking pupils stopped. His rapid breathing calmed down, and the corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk. As soon as I loosened my grip on his neck, Alvinughed out loud. ¡°Don¡¯tugh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote, Ruin Samael.¡± Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar sound. The rustling of leaves shaking in the wind pierced through the rain and reached my ears. Someone was there. As soon as I realized it, I leaped into the air from the muddy ground. Thud thud thud¡ª! Needle-like objects flew from all directions and pierced the spot where I had been standing. I ignited a me in mid-air to find the target. The pouring rain quickly extinguished the me, but it didn¡¯t matter. I had already spotted my target. ¡°Who are you! Reveal yourselves!¡± I shouted the most typical line in this situation, but it was all a bluff. ¡®Who are you!¡¯ was a bluff, and ¡®Reveal yourselves!¡¯ was also a bluff. My real target was different. How dare they misunderstand me? I couldn¡¯t let those who misunderstood me go unpunished. I ran straight towards the target I had just identified. ¡®Wind Armor.¡¯ The wind and rain condensed around me, forming a hard shell around my body. I swooped down from the air at an incredible speed towards the fleeing target. Fwaaaang¡ª! With a powerful impact, I headbutted the back of Alvin¡¯s head as hey sprawled on the ground. Crack¡ª! At the same time, more needle-like objects flew from behind and pierced my back. Alvin, turning his head, said with a dumbfounded look, ¡°¡­The madman isn¡¯t even trying to run away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not assessing the situation.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± With a ng¡ª sound, the hidden weapons that failed to pierce the Wind Armor bounced off and fell to the ground. As soon as Alvin looked at me with a bewildered expression, I grabbed his neck again. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t from Urgon the moment you came to me today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important. There¡¯s something I want to tell you. I hate being misunderstood.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Try smiling like you did before.¡± The moment Alvin boldly raised the corners of his mouth, I snapped his neck. Alvin¡¯s neck twisted 90 degrees, and he blinked for a few seconds. It seemed his nerves weren¡¯t dead yet. He seemed to want to say something, but couldn¡¯t. I also twisted my neck 90 degrees, briefly met Alvin¡¯s eyes, and moved my lips. ¡®Didn¡¯t I say you would really die this time?¡¯ Our strange eye contact ended. The look in Alvin¡¯s eyes at thest moment was one of emptiness. Thud¡ª Alvin¡¯spletely twisted head separated from his neck and fell to the ground. As soon as I dodged the needles flying towards me again, I felt a presence to my right. ¡°Tsk, toote. He was a promising talent.¡± At the same time, a regretful voice came from the bushes to my left. I ignited a me on my hand and covered it with a wind barrier. Whoosh¡ª! This allowed me to secure some visibility even in the pouring rain. I immediately illuminated the source of the voice, but the owner of the voice had disappeared without a trace. But I could make a deduction. ¡°That gloomy old man is quite energetic. Is he openly targeting me like this?¡± Instead of an answer, five or six figures appeared from the right. They were all wearing masks. ¡°And who are you?¡± They weren¡¯t from Urgon. Urgon¡¯s subordinates were all under Loren¡¯s surveince. Even if they weren¡¯t, their eyes held too much killing intent for Urgon. These weren¡¯t guys who had killed just once or twice. ¡°Are you Parin¡¯s subordinates? How did you get in here?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± As soon as the masked figure at the front gestured, the two standing in front leaped towards me. At the same time, the masked figures in the rear unleashed a barrage of hidden weapons. Fwoosh¡ª ¡°Attacking without a word. These kids have no manners. Haa¡­¡± I cloaked myself in the wind and performed the Rotating Divine Art I had recently developed. As the barrage of hidden weapons bounced off with the sound of wind, a sudden realization struck me, and I immediately chanted, ¡°Wind Cutter.¡± Rotating wind des tore through the air with a tearing sound. It was like a small-scale whirlwind. Thus, the Rotating Divine Art I developed evolved once again. I couldn¡¯t keep this evolved Rotating Divine Art hidden any longer, so I shouted, ¡°Rotating Whirlwind de!¡± Some might find it ridiculous to shout out techniques or magic names during battle, but that¡¯s only seeing half the picture. There was a clear reason why I named the Rotating Divine Art I just created. To be famous. You need a name to be famous. Just as the charging masked figures were about to be torn apart by the Rotating Whirlwind de¡­ Fwoom¡ª A powerful surge, impossible to ignore, came from the opposite direction. At least a 5-star mana fluctuation. I had no choice but to change course and sh with the surge. ¡°Rotating Whirlwind de!¡± Kwaaaaaang¡ª! I tore the surge to shreds, and the shockwave scattered the heavy rain in all directions. As I stopped rotating, a brief lull ensued. ¡°That old man is sneaky. Attacking from hiding?¡± A voice came from somewhere. ¡°Keep that bastard alive.¡± ¡°Finally revealing your true colors, huh? Why were you pretending to be so refined while eating the braised carp¡­?¡± I spouted random nonsense while aiming at Parin¡¯s location, but he had already disappeared. ¡°That nimble old man. Let me give you some advice. Hiding like that will hurt your back. It¡¯s hard to heal a back injury at your age.¡± I looked at the masked figures who remained motionless. ¡°Hey guys, tell the old man toe out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you mute?¡± I sighed. There was no fear in their eyes. Even when they were almost torn apart by me, they didn¡¯t show any fear. What kind of people were they? Parin had these guys under hismand? As soon as the masked figure at the front signaled with his eyes, they all charged again with a fearless look. I defended myself, blocking their attacks while observing my surroundings. The rain showed no signs of stopping. The sounds of rain and mud mixed together from all directions. Every time the drenched masked figures stepped on the muddy puddles, I could hear the squelching sound of their footsteps. Squish! Squish! Squish! A rhythmic pattern. The moment the masked figure at the front stepped on the ground, Iunched a wind de, and another powerful surge flew at me from the side. ¡°Oh,e on.¡± Parin was once again aiming for an opportune moment to attack me. He was waiting for me to get agitated. What was Parin thinking? No matter how many questions he had for me, this method wouldn¡¯t do him any good. He was openly trying to kidnap me, which was simply idiotic. It wasn¡¯t about sess or failure. Now that Ardehain was involved, Parin would never be able to handle the consequences. The problem was that Parin couldn¡¯t be unaware of this¡­ Thud¡ª I pressed my heel into the ground. I bent my knees until my feet were submerged in the mud, then explosively leaped towards the sky. High in the air, I created arge fireball. Whoosh¡ª! The area was briefly illuminated as if a small re had beenunched. Although the fireball was quickly extinguished by the wind and rain, I was able to capture an unnatural point in a split second. At this moment. Five masked figures charging at me from the right. And an artificial movement disappearing to the left, all captured in my eyes. I chose thetter of the two. I threw the fireball towards the artificial point on the left and immediately chanted a short incantation. ¡®Prate, Piercing Wind.¡¯ The wind de pierced through the mes, igniting like the tail of a meteor. When the ming wind de reached its target. Fwaang¡ª! A powerful movement was detected. ¡°There you are, old man.¡± sh¡ª The moment I felt a stinging sensation on my shoulder, a burning sensation spread through my body. The instant I attacked Parin, one of the masked figures broke through my defenses andnded a sessful attack. Blood sttered before my eyes, and my vision turned red. ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t learned to control your excitement.¡± Finally, Parin revealed himself. Parin¡¯s satisfied voice reached my ears. I smiled at Parin, whose figure shimmered beyond the rain. ¡°Nice to meet you, Parin. We finally meet face to face.¡± ¡°You can stillugh?¡± ¡°Well done.¡± Parin tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean, well done?¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Whatever it was, it was a good thing. I felt good. I also had a lot of questions for Parin. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 127 Chapter 127: Dark Explosion Parin gave a hollowugh. ¡°You¡¯re spirited for your young age.¡± ¡°You¡¯re energetic for your old age.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Parin smiled with a benevolent face, but to me, it looked like a salivating grin. Thinking I was injured, Parin no longer hid his true intentions. His eyes, approaching through the heavy rain, gleamed with a predatory killing intent. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯ll be hard to deal with the aftermath if you kill me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of killing you.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be just as hard to deal with the aftermath if you kidnap me. Surely you¡¯re not underestimating Ardehain, old man. What are you thinking? Are you out of your mind? Do you have dementia?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll just ask you a few questions quietly.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± This old man was serious. His smile wasn¡¯t a bluff. He wasn¡¯t intimidated at all, even after I mentioned Ardehain. I nodded and said, ¡°Well, I guess you wouldn¡¯t have started this in the first ce if you were worried about the consequences. Shall we have a chat?¡± ¡°You talk too much.¡± The situation wasn¡¯t good. Parin was in front of me, and the masked figures were surrounding me from behind. Suddenly, Parin nodded once. What did that mean? It could be a meaningless gesture, but in moments like this, every action had meaning. Sure enough, as if waiting for a signal, the masked figures behind me threw hidden weapons and charged. ng¡ª When fighting multiple opponents like this, escaping the encirclement was the top priority. I kicked off the ground with all my might and used levitation magic. The masked figures also kicked off the ground, following me. ¡°Point Gravity.¡± ¡°Memorize, Gravity Bind.¡± The magic Parin cast focused on me. 4-star, Point Gravity. 5-star, Gravity Bind. The two magic spells reached me with a split second¡¯s difference. One of them was a 5-star magic that Parin had prepared in advance using Memorize. I felt as if someone was pulling my feet, and at the same time, whip-like vines sprouted from the ground and flew towards me. Rumble¡ª It was clear that if I stayed like this, the masked figures would catch up to me. Instead of dodging, I chanted a short incantation towards myself. ¡®Weight, Point Gravity.¡¯ Parin¡¯s magic and mine ovepped, elerating gravity several times over. The moment I felt my body stretching downwards, I surrendered to the eleration. At a moment the opponent didn¡¯t expect, Inded hard on the ground. Thud¡ª I rolled on the muddy ground to absorb the impact, then immediately ran in the opposite direction. ¡°Catch him!¡± The wind and rain blowing fiercely in the opposite direction stung my eyes. Wheeing¡ª I stopped running and looked back. The masked figures, having justnded, were charging towards me. I focused on their faces. I red at their eyes through the masks. They were all squinting because of the strong wind. Every fight is about timing. Four circles rotating as if burning. Wind Spear. Three wind spears, cast without incantation, shot towards the enemies simultaneously. Wheeing¡ª Normally, it wouldn¡¯t be such a threatening attack, but¡­ Due to the strong wind, the power of the wind spears was amplified. The moment I saw one of the masked figures in the front close his eyes, I threw the Red Dagger in my hand. Whoosh¡ª Thud! The dagger lodged itself between his eyebrows, killing him instantly. ¡°¡­!¡± They had no camaraderie. The rest of them didn¡¯t care if theirrade died or not, and continued to charge at me. Shwaaaaa¡ª The heavy rain continued to pour. I repeatedly stopped and moved, looking for an opening, but it wasn¡¯t easy to find one anymore. Parin was keeping a close eye on me, and the masked figures were more skilled than I thought. Above all, these guys had no fear. Even if it meant their death, they charged at me, taking the hits. I deflected the masked figures¡¯ attacks and said, ¡°Am I your sworn enemy?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Still no answer. Thud¡ª I blew another one¡¯s head off, and at the same time, blood spurted from my shoulder. The attack of the masked figure, who didn¡¯t fear death, finally reached me. A throbbing pain shot up my nerves to my brain. Blood flowed back, and a bloody smell rose. I felt thirsty and stuck out my tongue to lick it. The taste of rain felt like the taste of blood. ¡°You leeches.¡± As time passed, the tide of the battle gradually turned against me. I couldn¡¯t attack properly because I was wary of Parin. I looked around, but there was still no sign of any allies. They probably didn¡¯t anticipate this situation. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± The moment I heard Parin¡¯sughter, I changed my mind. I lured the masked figures away, creating distance, and then immediately flew towards Parin at full speed. I opened four of the circles in my heart andunched wind spears. Fwoom¡ª At the same time, I opened thest circle and was about to continue the incantation¡­ A tremendous tearing sound came from the left. Drowned out by the rain, I realized it toote. I forcefully twisted my waist to avoid the path of the attack, but I couldn¡¯tpletely evade it. Fwoosh¡ª A barrage of hidden weapons grazed my waist, and pain surged once again. A paralysis poison-coated weapon. As soon as I saw the thick smoke rising from my waist, I reached out and tore off the flesh. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen for it.¡± It was then that more masked figures appeared from the left. ¡°¡­Just how many people did you bring, Parin?¡± This time, I detected another movement from the right. Someone was watching me. It seemed Parin hade prepared. ¡°This is really annoying.¡± Iughed. This wasn¡¯t a situation that would end easily. The world doesn¡¯t always go as nned. There¡¯s nothing easy in this world. The allies I called for didn¡¯t appear, and there were only enemies all around. Was it because of all the distracting thoughts? I couldn¡¯t hear the rain anymore. Maybe it was because I had lost too much blood. It was then, as I reached out towards Parin through my reddened vision¡­ Crackle¡ª Suddenly, there was a sh of light and sparks in front of me. A bolt of lightning, shot from the fingertips of a figure who appeared from the right, blocked the enemies from the left who were charging at me. ¡°What are you doing there all alone? You¡¯re such a stubborn fool.¡± The voice was familiar. Where had I seen that lightning before? A woman and two men. Looking closely, it was the Three Musketeers. The movement detected from the right wasn¡¯t an enemy after all. ¡°Ah, when did you get here?¡± ¡°We came to see what kind of pathetic act you were putting on alone.¡± I nodded and looked at Taylor. ¡°You came at the right time. And rx your eyes. I almost mistook you for an enemy.¡± Shwaaa¡ª The heavy rain started pouring down again. ¡°This damn rain keeps stopping and starting. What crazy weather.¡± ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense again.¡± Taylor red at me with a dumbfounded look, then turned to face the enemies. ¡°I¡¯ll hear the detailster. We¡¯ll take care of those guys, you take care of Parin.¡± ir and Arin also opened their energy channels and positioned themselves on either side of Taylor. I advised the Three Musketeers, ¡°They¡¯re like moths drawn to a me, charging without any regard for their lives. Only strike when you¡¯re absolutely sure.¡± The three nodded in unison. As soon as the masked figure at the front signaled with his eyes, they all charged, and the Three Musketeers also ran towards the enemies. Arin disrupted the enemy ranks at the forefront, and Taylor calmly aimed for the weaknesses of the scattered enemies. ir supported the two by deploying defensive magic. They worked well together. They weren¡¯t at a level to be easily defeated by the masked figures. Finally, I faced Parin, who was left alone. ¡°One-on-one now, huh?¡± ¡°Child of Samael, how about you follow me now?¡± Parin was stillposed. Suddenly, Parin assumed a stance as if to attack me, then abruptly looked up at the sky. His expression was so strange that I followed his gaze, and saw that the night sky was turning red. The night sky turning red? That didn¡¯t make sense. The moment Parin turned his back and started running with a whoosh¡ª sound¡­ * * * Running is important. It¡¯s one of the most crucial elements in a fight. Knights who realized this early on honed techniques specifically for running. Techniques known as footwork. We mages didn¡¯t practice footwork separately. Because it wasn¡¯t necessary. By appropriatelybining eleration spells like Haste, we could boast speeds iparable to footwork. Although it wasn¡¯t easy magic, any proper mage should steadily practice it. Of course, even among proper mages, I was considered quite fast. Even though I was running at a considerable speed, I couldn¡¯t catch up to Parin. It seemed like he was using an artifact. The back of Parin¡¯s head looked somewhat urgent. He didn¡¯t look back even once while running. He truly ran without rest. Why was he suddenly running away? Was this another trick? Actually, there was also the option of not chasing the old man and going to Lauren instead. But that wasn¡¯t my style. If that old man had used this method anticipating my personality, he had read me well. ¡°Old man, why did you try to kill the Third Military Commander?¡± I asked what I wanted to know while chasing him. Actually, that was partly why I was keeping a certain distance. ¡°Do you have a grudge against Ardehain?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Why did you try to frame us?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have some resentment towards Samael, old man?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I bombarded him with questions like a rapid-fire cannon. There was no answer, but asking what I wanted to ask cleared my mind a little. Some things started to fall into ce. It urred to me that there might be someone behind Urgon, who had attacked Samael in the past. If there was someone behind Urgon¡­ A strange intuition ran down my spine. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± I asked as I increased my speed. ¡°What did you do to the Third Military Commander? Even if Balkan was in charge of the Demonic Bloom, that¡¯s not the end of it, is it?¡± Parin, who was running away, looked up at the sky. ¡°Old man, Demonic Bloom can¡¯t do that much.¡± Suddenly, Parin stopped in his tracks. Turning to face me, Parin narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Do you really know what you¡¯re talking about?¡± I threw out a bait that Parin couldn¡¯t help but bite at this point. ¡°Demonic Bloom can¡¯t cause that much coldness.¡± Parin¡¯s pupils dted. It was a tremor stemming from his inability toprehend the current situation. ¡°Child of Samael.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It seems we have a lot to talk about.¡± ¡°Good. Shall we take it one question at a time?¡± Parin shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You just need to surrender yourself to me.¡± ¡°I have no interest in being held by an old man.¡± Instead of answering, Parin drew his magic. A chill began to swirl. The same fluctuation I felt during the duel. 6-star magic. Death of Ice. As the pouring rain slowed and the surrounding atmosphere froze, I also opened five circles and chanted the incantation of fire explosion. Fwooom¡ª A small spark exploded, shattering the frozen atmosphere. I slipped through the gap and leaped towards Parin. The difference from the duel was¡­ Neither Parin nor I had any intention of stopping. We both had our trump cards prepared. Parin, visible through the pouring rain, was smiling as if he had anticipated this situation. I also smiled and charged towards Parin. I thrust my fist towards the barrier that appeared in front of Parin. ¡°Unwavering determination towards the unbreakable rock wall¡­¡± 5-circle earth attribute, shock-type incantation. ¡°Shock Wave.¡± The intense wave condensed in my fist struck Parin¡¯s barrier, sending a shockwave through it. Fwaaaang¡ª! Even as I extended my fist, I didn¡¯t take my eyes off Parin¡¯s movements. Parin continued to grin, baring his teeth. It was at that moment. Parin¡¯s teeth turned ck, and with a chilling feeling, a powerful surge erupted from his front. ¡°This is the end, child.¡± A sharp awl suddenly appeared in Parin¡¯s right hand. The wave emanating from that intense awl pushed against the shockwave as if to break it. I immediately reversed the rotation of the circles in my heart and released mana. Dark lightning was added to the shockwave surrounding my fist. Dark Thunder. ¡°¡­This is?¡± Parin¡¯s eyes were filled with shock. At the same time, I felt an unpleasant energy from the weapon Parin was holding. ¡°¡­!¡± That feeling I could never forget. Instinctively, I reversed the rotation of all possible circles. The moment four circles rotated in reverse, I spread my fist wide near Parin¡¯s chest. Darkness erupted. Mana from the Yin dimension. 4-circle Reverse Incantation. Dark Explosion. The entire area was dyed inplete darkness. Raindrops, wind, waves, everything disappeared without a trace. ¡°Cough¡­¡± As if everything had returned to nothingness. Parin¡¯s mana core vanished without a trace. ng¡ª Parin¡¯s entire body, flung back, was melting away from the aftermath of the Dark Explosion. I approached Parin, suppressing my pounding heart, and asked, ¡°What are you?¡± Parin, having lost his reason, chattered his teeth in fear. ¡°¡­W-what¡­¡± ¡°What are you, you bastard?¡± I grabbed him by the cor and lifted him up, meeting his eyes. ¡°You bastard, where did you get this? How did you release demonic energy?¡± ¡°H-how is this possible?¡± ¡°Who gave this to you?¡± ¡°H-how¡­¡± ¡°Is there someone else behind this? Tell me.¡± ¡°¡­This can¡¯t be. The Demon Realm hasn¡¯t opened yet, so how¡­ Oh no. The call. Why here¡­¡± Parin was dying, having lost his mind. His pupils were dted, and he kept repeating strange words. Damn it. He didn¡¯t have much time left, exposed to the Dark Explosion. ¡°This damn bastard.¡± I frantically searched Parin¡¯s chest. This was beyond my expectations. I knew there would be direct evidence, worse than the Demonic Bloom, but I didn¡¯t expect him to release demonic energy directly. I instinctively ended up using Dark Explosion. I had no choice. This was apletely different issue than the mere remnants of Demonic Bloom in the Land of Death. ¡°¡­¡± Vivid memories, as if branded into my bones. Soon, I found the worst possible evidence I had been fearing. Their evidence. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 128 Chapter 128: Damn Samael Am I dreaming? It¡¯s too vivid for a dream. Am I delirious? I pped my cheek hard with my left hand, and sparks flew. Rainwater seeped into the torn skin. It hurts. It hurts. It stings. It¡¯s too real. I rubbed my cheek with my index finger and brought it in front of my eyes. A drop of blood from my index finger fell with a plop¡ª. This wasn¡¯t delirium. I wasn¡¯t having an old dream either. My whole body was drenched. I lifted my head while sitting, and rainwater poured into my eyes and nose like a waterfall. The downpour continued endlessly, as if the sky had opened up. The moment I thought I might suffocate, I came to my senses. ¡°Puah¡ª¡± I spat out the rainwater that filled my mouth. I brushed back the wet hair clinging to my forehead and got up. ¡°¡­White Horse Unit.¡± It was dangerous. I couldn¡¯t leave the guys who came to help me to die. I tore off the hidden weapon lying on Parin¡¯s chest, elerated my body, and started running. Fwoosh¡ª Even when I focused on the surrounding noises, all I could hear was the sound of rain. It was hard to see because it was so dark. My sight and hearing were limited. I opened all the circles in my heart and expanded my senses. If my hunch was correct¡­ They couldn¡¯t handle the masked figures yet. Those guys were the kind that could kill even experts in an instant if you didn¡¯t know how to deal with them. Ominous premonitions are rarely wrong. It was the same now. Because everything was falling into ce. The masked figures who appeared out of nowhere. How they could hide without being detected. How Parin controlled the masked figures. Why was there no fear in their eyes? Vivid memories of struggling through a hellish pandemonium set off rm bells in my mind. ¡­It wasn¡¯t that they weren¡¯t afraid. They were beings incapable of feeling emotions in the first ce. Demonic Soul Humans. ng¡ª A noise came from afar, piercing through the rain. I turned left and threw myself towards the bushes. Thick leaves pped my face, and a strong smell of urine filled the air. Shwaaaaa¡ª As the noise grew louder and I finally felt a presence close by¡­ I leaped high into the sky and scattered mes widely towards the ground. The scene of the entangled fight amidst the flickering mes came into view. ¡°Dodge, ir!¡± I shifted my position in mid-air and raised my right hand towards the enemy. All the mana flowing through my heart was concentrated in my right hand. My eyes widened, fixated on the two figures entangled below. As the stinging rainwater streamed down my face, ir suddenly sank to the muddy ground with a thud¡ª. It was a signal for me. I didn¡¯t miss the moment when the masked figure tried to grab ir. I swung my right arm, which was pulled back like a bowstring, from mid-air. A deafening sound tore through the air. Fweeeng¡ª When the sound hit the ground, the masked figure¡¯s head was already bent backward, his body copsing to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t get closer!¡± ir, who was about to check on the masked figure, quickly backed away at my voice. At the same time, a massive amount of demonic energy flowed from where the masked figure had fallen. ¡®Prate, Piercing Wind.¡¯ The wind de cut through the air and struck the masked figure¡¯s forehead. Crack¡ª! The Red Dagger, which had been half-embedded in the masked figure¡¯s forehead, was driven in all the way. It was then that the demonic energy, about to explode, harmlessly dispersed into the atmosphere. ir murmured with a surprised expression, ¡°¡­What was that?¡± Only then did I check on ir. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t been directly exposed to the demonic energy. The barrier around his body was broken, and he had wounds here and there, but he hadn¡¯t suffered any fatal injuries. I approached ir and said, ¡°That was close. They don¡¯t hesitate to self-destruct.¡± ¡°Self-destruct?¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, they¡¯re not human. Their forehead is their weak point.¡± I looked around, but no other sounds could be heard. ¡°Where are Taylor and Arin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been a while since we broke formation. What was that sound just now, by the way? Self-destruct¡­¡± Suddenly, ir gasped and said, ¡°Taylor and Arin are in danger!¡± At that moment, an explosion was heard nearby. Kwaaang¡ª Damn it. As soon as I pushed through the bushes and headed towards the source of the explosion, the aftereffects of the explosion tingled through my senses. Traces of self-destruction. Was I toote? My heart pounded. With a sh, sparks flew from the right. I created a gust of wind and arrived in a single breath. There, I saw the body of a masked figure exploding, and a woman pushing back another masked figure. The woman, covered in blood, was emitting shes of light. It was Arin. ¡°Arin!¡± There was no answer. Her eyes and ears were filled with blood. It seemed she had been directly hit by the self-destruction. Even so, she didn¡¯t copse. She was frantically striking the masked figure¡¯s head with lightning, emanating from both hands. Blinding shes continued to erupt. She achieved this with pure electric shocks, without any incantations. ¡°Aim for the forehead, Arin!¡± I shouted as I rushed towards the masked figure. As expected, Arin couldn¡¯t hear me. The moment I reached Arin and the moment Arin blew the masked figure¡¯s head off with electricity happened simultaneously. As the demonic energy exploded, I embraced Arin and deployed both wind and ice barriers at the same time. Multi-casting. 4-circle, Frost Barrier. 4-circle, Wind Armor. Crackle! The ice barrier shattered from the explosion, followed by the wind barrier. It all happened in less than a second. In that short time, I chanted short incantations andyered barriers one after another. Only after fouryers of barriers shattered did the aftermath of the self-destruction subside. I finally looked down at Arin, who had fainted in my arms, exhausted. A thought crossed my mind. ¡®¡­Azeta would have liked this.¡¯ ir, who had followed me, shouted and approached us. I handed Arin over to ir. ¡°She¡¯s safe. Just unconscious. Take care of Arin. I¡¯ll find Taylor. If you encounter any masked figures, remember their forehead is their weak point. Only defend unless you¡¯re absolutely sure if your attack willnd.¡± My body was getting heavy, but there was no time to rest. There were more than five Demonic Soul Humans. There could be more. These beings couldn¡¯t be considered human in the first ce. Demonic Soul Humans were beings whose human souls had been consumed by demonic energy, causing them to lose their minds. They could hold their breath for days and still be alive. They could dig into the ground and hide, or even burrow into trees. Now that Parin, who controlled them, was dead¡­ The Demonic Soul Humans, having lost control, would start running rampant. The night was still dark. It felt like half a day had passed, but in reality, it couldn¡¯t have been that long. I opened my senses wide and went searching for Taylor¡¯s presence again. Taylor was in the most danger at this moment. He was surely facing multiple masked figures alone. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find traces. Signs of battle were appearing one after another nearby. Remnants of mana, and traces of bushes being torn apart. At some point, the smell of urine lessened. As I lit a bright me again, a familiar path appeared. It was the path I had taken from the annex with Alvin. At the same time, mes flickered not far away. The fluctuation of fire attribute magic. Whoosh¡ª Following the mes, I saw Taylor wielding fire amidst the rain, fighting against the masked figures. I was about to shout something, but I paused. ¡°Wow, how many are you fighting?¡± Taylor, in the midst of the fight, turned his head and red at me. ¡°Where¡¯s Parin?¡± ¡°Dead.¡± ¡°¡­What about Arin and ir?¡± ¡°They¡¯re safe.¡± At that moment, Taylor¡¯s waist was cut by the masked figures¡¯ attacks. I looked at Taylor and said, ¡°Wow, 17 against 1? That¡¯s brutal.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re just going to watch, get lost.¡± ¡°17 against 2 doesn¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Just kidding.¡± As expected, there were more Demonic Soul Humans. It looked like there were about 10 of them. Of course, I said 17 for the sake of future rumors. Appropriate exaggeration is essential in times like this. Anyway, it seemed that all the Demonic Soul Humans had poured out at once when Parin died. I stood still and watched Taylor fight. I spoke to Taylor first because I had the leisure to do so. Taylor wasn¡¯t attacking at all. He looked precarious, but he didn¡¯t have any fatal wounds yet. He was focusing solely on dodging and defending. Had this guy noticed something about the Demonic Soul Humans? ¡°Yes, just keep defending. Their weak point is their forehead. Don¡¯t attack unless you¡¯re absolutely sure.¡± Taylor¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded. I was right. He had instinctively sensed something ominous about the Demonic Soul Humans. Taylor said, ¡°Let¡¯s split up. You take the other side.¡± I was about to say there was no need for that, but I suddenly felt a strange surge within me. ¡®This guy, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ He had apparently told ir and Arin to split up as well. Was he trying to face the Demonic Soul Humans alone? To shoulder the danger by himself? ¡°You¡¯re such a stubborn fool. You can¡¯t do this alone. Move aside.¡± I joined the fight in earnest. Actually, the situation wouldn¡¯t change drastically even if I joined. It was impossible to destroy the foreheads of ten of them at once. I didn¡¯t know what kind of orders were imnted in them, but Demonic Soul Humans had themon characteristic of self-destructing when exposed to danger. If two or three of them self-destructed at the same time, Taylor could be in danger. ¡°Run away immediately if you sense anything strange, Taylor.¡± I weaved through the Demonic Soul Humans like I was dancing. In this kind of situation, meticulous concentration was required. The kind of detailed and precise concentration that allowed me to hold back for two days and then unleash a torrent in the bathroom without getting a single drop on my underwear. I danced, scattering raindrops like I was spraying urine, and plunged the Red Dagger into the foreheads of the masked figures one by one. Thud¡ª! Thud¡ª! When two figures fell in this borate and beautiful dance¡­ Suddenly, some of them started to leave the dance floor. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Five Demonic Soul Humans stopped fighting and started running somewhere. These guys had no rationality to make judgments. This was a pre-ntedmand by Parin. I was thinking of taking care of the rest of them first and then chasing after the five when Taylor, his face pale, shouted, ¡°Ruin, it¡¯s the annex!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trap.¡± It was unfortunate. The ce where we were fighting and the annex were quite close. I couldn¡¯t tell at that moment whether this was a coincidence or not. With a whoosh¡ª sound, Taylor dashed off. ¡°Damn it, that stubborn bastard.¡± I plunged the Red Dagger into the foreheads of the remaining three and chased after Taylor. When I arrived at the annex, the five Demonic Soul Humans were already lined up in a row, facing the front of the building. It was obvious what was about to happen. Most of the lights in the annex windows were off. The monkeys, sensing something strange, started poking their heads out of the windows one by one. Taylor shouted, ¡°No!¡± I ran towards the Demonic Soul Humans with the Red Dagger. I had to pierce at least two of their foreheads before they self-destructed. At the same time, I saw Taylor running beside me. The direction he was heading¡­ ¡°Damn it, that idiotic bastard.¡± I tried to throw the Red Dagger at Taylor¡¯s back to trip him. Whoosh¡ª Thud¡ª! But even with the Red Dagger lodged in his back, Taylor didn¡¯t stop running, blood gushing out. ¡°Are you trying to die with the monkeys?¡± Taylor shouted as if possessed. ¡°Ugh. Don¡¯t stop me, Ruin, you son of a bitch!¡± Taylor, standing at the main entrance of the annex, red at me with his arms wide open. ¡°You said it yourself, Ruin. You¡¯re Samael too.¡± Taylor yelled with bloodshot eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re Samael, then I¡¯m Samael too!¡± Taylor unleashed all his mana and spread a barrier over the entire annex. Ah¡­ Damn bastard. Damn Samael. I also didn¡¯t stop and charged towards the Demonic Soul Humans. The damned one chose defense. The crazy one chose offense. With a beep¡ª sound, my vision turned red. I plunged the Red Dagger in my right hand into the forehead of the first one. At the same time, without stopping, I thrust my left index finger into the forehead of another. ck paint started to fill my reddened vision. Simultaneously, a powerful storm of demonic energy erupted from the front. Fwooom¡ª In the end, I couldn¡¯t stop all of them from self-destructing. An intense wave that seemed to blow away the entire annex. I ran towards Taylor, who was facing the oing wave with his arms wide open. My feet moved on their own. This goddamn bastard. Damn Samael. It was at that moment. Another wave erupted, engulfing my vision. ¡°¡­¡± sh¡ª A sword sound pierced through the ringing in my ears. The sound of cutting through the air. I briefly closed and opened my eyes. The aftermath of the self-destruction had disappeared without a trace. Instead, what appeared before my eyes was arge lotus flower, seemingly splitting the night sky. ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯rete.¡± It was a long night. Dawn was breaking. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 129: Have You Heard of the Demon Tribe? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 129: Have You Heard of the Demon Tribe? It was the same again. I didn''t know why this was happening. I didn''t know what was going on. The moment I heard the explosion, my legs moved first. All I could think about was running away. After days of fighting, the n mages were nowhere to be seen. Fountains of blood and screams erupted from all directions. Oh, shit, fuck. I just made eye contact with one of them. I had to hide. I couldn''t die a dog''s death like this. "Here, you stubborn fool!" Someone called me from between the protruding rocks. "Senior Noh!" "Shh, you fool. They''ll hear us." Senior Noh pulled mepletely into the pile of rocks. I looked at Senior Noh''s profile as he held his breath and observed the situation through the cracks in the rocks. "..." This old geezer from the Crazy Mage Squad had no talent for magic. He was about on par with me. But it wasn''t a mere coincidence that this old man had survived until now. In my view, Senior Noh had an instinct for survival that was second to none. I didn''t know his name. Whenever I asked, he told me to call him Old Soldier, Old Man, or Old Noh. He was a strange person. He never called me by my name either. "You stubborn brat." I owed much of my survival to this Senior Noh. Recently, I had saved Senior Noh''s life as well. Both of us had survived longer than our skills would suggest. If someone asked why we looked out for each other like this, I wouldn''t have a clear answer. Perhaps it was a feeling of shared suffering. "It seems like things are almost settled. I see the ck Scale g over there." "...Damn it. What took them so long? How many people died today?" "It''s enough that we survived." A clinging to life. Senior Noh''s eyes, between his wrinkled eyelids, were always alive. I didn''t know what made this old soldier cling to life so much. I never asked. "Let''s join them." I went outside the rocks first, and Senior Noh was about to follow when... I stopped. "You fool, move aside. Let me out too. My back hurts." "..." "Is this kid trying to be a real pain in the ass? Why is this young man so slow? ...Is there something there?" It was almost an instinctive intuition. To the right, diagonally, in a blind spot I hadn''t noticed, someone remained. It was a familiar face. The mercenary who had gone missing three days ago waspletely dyed ck. "Demonic Soul Human, damn it! Get away, Senior Noh!" We both ran with the pile of rocks at our backs. I counted the seconds in my mind. One second... two seconds... Fwaaaang¡ª Three seconds until the explosion. The heat hit first. The moment I felt my body float forward, a tearing pain surged through my back. "Gah!" Thud¡ª I crashed to the ground. A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. It took a long time just to move my fingers. As soon as I regained consciousness, for some reason, Senior Noh came to mind. Senior Noh was nearby. He was looking at me, his left arm gone. We looked at each other andughed. Because we both looked pathetic. "Are you okay, you stubborn fool?" "Okay, my ass." "It''s enough that we''re alive." We forced ourselves to get up. I couldn''t feel my left leg properly. But there was no time to hesitate. It was obvious what would happen if we didn''t join the main force now. "I''ll lead the way." "With one arm?" "Better than a cripple with a leg injury." "No, Senior Noh. I''ll lead the way." "Shut up. I can''t entrust my life to a cripple with a leg injury. Follow me. Let''s take a detour. The appearance of a Demonic Soul Human means there are more of them nearby." Corpses were strewn about. The main force''s g was farther away than I thought. The high altitude made it hard to breathe. I felt my left leg dragging. The distance between Senior Noh and me gradually widened. As we passed another pile of rocks and the path narrowed, Senior Noh, who was walking ahead, stopped. "What''s wrong? Is there something there?" Senior Noh didn''t move. He just silently raised his remaining right arm above his head. By the time I hurriedly lowered my stance and looked ahead again, Senior Noh''s head was already gone. That was the end. There wasn''t even a bang¡ª sound. Senior Noh, who I thought would survive till the end, died just like that. Just like the others, Senior Noh died. ck smoke billowed. The situation was clear. It was them. I saw a figure approaching, stepping over Senior Noh''s corpse. Humanoid, no, they resembled humans more than any monster I had ever seen. A higher species of monster. "...Ha." It was looking directly at my hiding spot. When I closed my eyes and opened them again, it was right in front of me, grinning, baring its teeth. Its mud-stained fangs glistened. I wanted to p it before I died, but my hand wouldn''t move. Crackle¡ª With a sh of lightning, the monster''s head was separated from its body. White sparks flew. Then, with a surge of mana, a man flew in andnded awkwardly in front of me. Lightning crackled around his right hand. I knew this man. "There was another demon." "Damn it, you''rete." The man, with an expressionless face, looked around and then suddenly focused on one spot, his expression subtly changing. "...Gazillion is dead." The man''s lips moved, but he didn''t say anything and closed his eyes for a moment. It felt like he was suppressing something. After a while, the man opened his eyes and finally looked at me. I had never seen this man''s face so close before. He was a member of the Crazy Mage Squad like me, but he had never spoken a word to me. "Did you see it?" "I saw it." "How was it?" "He raised his right hand." "I see." The man looked at me and Senior Noh alternately, then said, "You were lucky. Join us. Youngest." The man disappeared first, and I briefly approached Senior Noh. I searched his pockets and found a crumpled piece of paper. Thinking it was a memento, I put it in my pocket. And when I looked back... "...What?" Surprisingly, the demon whose head had just been severed wasughing in front of me. Its fangs glistened as it grinned from ear to ear. So surprised, I tried to p it, and this time, my hand moved. p¡ª The demon''s head turned. Only then did I feel a sense of incongruity. "It''s a fake." I kept pping the demon. Even as its cheek exploded, it continued tough. Only after I tore out its fangs did it scream. Now I pped my own cheek. p¡ª p¡ª There was something I wanted to tell myself. *** "You stubborn little shit." When I opened my eyes wide, ir, who was watching me, was startled and fell backward. "What?" "...Ah, it''s nothing. I was worried because you were out of it." A middle-aged woman urgently approached from the side. "Are you feeling better?" "Who are you?" "I''m Rachel, the healer." I remembered. She was the chief healer of Ardehain. "May I check your pulse for a moment?" I nodded, and Rachel ced her hand on my wrist. Meanwhile, I looked around. Soft bedding. The sunlight streaming through the window felt refreshing. "How long have I been out?" "You''ve been lying down for about half a day." "...Is that so? That''s strange." It was a nightmare I hadn''t had in a long time, but it was a familiar one. I used to have this dream quite often. Whenever I woke up from it, at least three days would have passed. But half a day? This was a first for me. Suddenly, the old man from the Crazy Mage Squad came to mind. Although it had been a long time since I lost him, I still remembered him vividly. He was the one who was in the most simr situation to mine. Senior Noh, who raised his right hand just before he died. What was he trying to tell me? Even now, I don''t know why he acted that way at the end. However, I could somewhat guess his thoughts. It was a few years after he died that I took out his belongings again. When I unfolded the crumpled piece of paper, it was written at the end of the sentence: ¡ª To my beloved son, Mollilion. I didn''t bother reading the whole thing. Confirming the end was enough. I felt that thest sentence of the letter he sent at the end of his life was also a message to me. It was then that the door opened with a tter¡ª and several women entered. "You''re awake, Ruin. How are you feeling?" Chief Rachel, after checking my pulse, nodded. "There''s nothing unusual. He''ll be fine soon." "Oh, that''s a relief." Loren nodded, and Celestine, who was next to her, eximed, "That''s really a relief." I looked at Loren and smiled. "Appearing at the perfect time. As expected of Ardehain." It was a loaded statement. Loren didn''t make any excuses and simply bowed to me. "I''m sorry, Ruin. You did your part, but Ardehain failed to do ours." Celestine and the swordsmen also bowed to me along with Loren. It was significant that the prideful Loren would speak this way. Actually, it wasn''t something to me Ardehain for. Even I didn''t anticipate this. Being caught off guard and something happening that''s beyondmon sense are two different things. They probably only noticed the aftermath when Parin activated his magic. Considering the time it took to check Parin''s body, sense the self-destruction of the Demonic Soul Humans, and arrive here, they weren''t exactlyte. I asked Rachel, "How are Taylor and Arin?" "Taylor is resting. It seems he pushed his mana core beyond its limits trying to activate defensive magic at thest moment. His body is under a lot of strain. Arin has severe external injuries, but nothing too serious. She''ll recover soon." Just then, the door burst open, and Taylor and Arin appeared. Arin, wrapped in bandages, looked fine, while Taylor looked pale as if he were about to die. Chief Rachel looked at them with a surprised expression. "I told you not to move. Especially you, Taylor, you need absolute rest!" I looked at Taylor and said, "You''re alive? Why didn''t you just die?" Taylor, ring at me while checking my condition, let out an iprehensible sigh and suddenly copsed to the floor. Chief Rachel hurriedly helped Taylor up and said, "We need to move him to bed immediately." As ir moved Taylor to the bed, Rachel moistened Taylor''s lips with a special potion from the shelf. "You damn fool. You really do everything." Arin sat next to ir and looked at me. "I''m d you''re alright." "You seem fine." "Yes." "Sigh." I shook my head and looked at the two of them. The stubborn fool acted like a stubborn fool. However, it was unexpected that Arin was doing better than I thought. She was directly affected by the self-destruction, but she only had external injuries? "What a strange body." As the situation seemed to be settling down, Loren spoke, "Ruin, I have some questions." I met her eyes. It was a loaded question. I also had a lot of questions for her. "Let''s dismiss everyone first." At Loren''s gesture, the servants and the chief healer left in an orderly fashion. Only Loren, Celestine, a few escort swordsmen, and me and the Three Musketeers remained in the room. Once again, mana fluctuations spread widely. A barrier was deployed, and Loren, sitting facing me, said, "Balkan is dead." "I know." Loren nodded. "I thought so. Was it Parin''s doing?" "Most likely." "What are your thoughts?" "There''s a high chance he was forced tomit suicide." Loren''s voice grew a bit lower. "That''s what I thought. I detected a wavepletely different from ordinary mana in Parin''s body. What''s interesting is that the self-destructing guys emitted the same energy." "They''re not human. They''re called Demonic Soul Humans." "Demonic Soul Humans?" "Humans without souls. They''re practically dead. Parin''s puppets." Loren stood up. "It sounds like you have an idea of their identity." "Before that, there''s something I want to ask first." "Go ahead, Ruin." "Have you ever heard of the Demon Tribe?" Loren tilted her head and said, "I remember seeing it in the n''s ancient texts." I also stood up and asked, "What did it say?" "Well, it was a story about fighting against enemies that threatened the n. It wasn''t very credible. ns with long histories have many such legends. Are you trying to say this incident is rted to them, Ruin?" This was the first time in this life that I had heard the Demon Tribe mentioned by someone else. But even a n like a noble n only considered the Demon Tribe a legend. Instead of answering, I took something out of my pocket. "...A hidden weapon?" "It''s what Parin was using. Take a look." I handed the evidence to Loren. "It''s a strangely shaped hidden weapon. The material doesn''t seem to be metal, hmm?" Loren''s face hardened slightly as she sensed something. As she injected energy into the hidden weapon, it turned from white to ck. Thick demonic energy oozed from the tip of the weapon. "...What is this?" As Loren tried to block the demonic energy, it spread even more intensely. "It''s resisting?" Fwaang¡ª Loren''s energy red up intensely. With a twitch of her eyebrow, Loren tightly gripped the weapon and injected more energy, and only then did the demonic energy disperse. "...This is an unpleasant energy. It has the property of destroying mana. You''re saying this is the hidden weapon Parin was using?" "To be precise, it''s not a hidden weapon, but a part of the body." I said as I retrieved the fallen evidence. "A demon''s tooth, a fang to be exact." "..." Loren looked at me without answering, then closed her eyes. She didn''t open them for a while, as if a candle had burned down. I waited for her without saying a word. She would need time to make a judgement. After a while, Loren, releasing the barrier, said to the outside, "Bring in Fichte." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 130 Chapter 130: Third Military Commander, Fichte While Chief Rachel went to check on the Third Military Commander¡¯s condition, we were each lost in our thoughts. The sunlight streaming through the window calmed our minds. There were many people, but the atmosphere was serene. Taylor kept his ears open, and Celestine and Arin waited for the next conversation in silence. ir was writing something down, and Loren quietly closed her eyes. I also closed my eyes and recalled that day. The Archmage, Pelleer Samael. The Sword Saint, Magnus Balthar. The Dragon Knight, Iris Seren. The Guardian Saint, Galtan Arihama. And me. At the final moment, I killed the Demon King Verkes myself. All the demons were annihted. There was no denying that fact. Then what was the demonic evidence that appeared before my eyes? Recalling those hellish times, I couldn¡¯t help but think: Did this mean that after 300 years, other demons had appeared? ¡°Uwaaaaaaaaaaa!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ruin!¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a pushover.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You stubborn little shit.¡± ir suddenly jumped up from his seat, so I said, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m talking to myself.¡± Everyone looked at me strangely, and I suddenly felt sad. Who would understand my feelings? Me, feeling so damn frustrated. I thought I would live a carefree life, but what was this? The more I thought about it, the more this situation felt like a goddamn demon. It was cunning. The questions I had put off resurfaced. The missing records from 300 years ago. The missing evidence of the demons. The distorted records of the expedition. Something didn¡¯t feel right. * * * ¡°I¡¯ve brought Fichte.¡± Chief Rachel returned after the evening. ¡°He was weak, so I had to administer a stimnt. That¡¯s why I waste.¡± Fichte, who followed her in, bowed to Loren and Celestine. ¡°I apologize for beingte, Swordsmanship Master. Lady Celestine.¡± ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Thanks to your concern, I¡¯ve recovered a lot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Then Fichte looked at me and bowed his head. ¡°I am Fichte, the Third Military Commander of Ardehain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ruin, the Crazy Mage Commander of Samael. And these are¡­ the White Horse Unit fools.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t greet you properlyst time because of the circumstances. Thanks to you, I¡¯m safe. I¡¯ll never forget your great kindness.¡± ¡°Be sure to remember it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll engrave it in my heart.¡± Unlike at the dinner, Fichte¡¯splexion was good. His eyes were also bright. He looked like a typical genius soldier. ¡°Ah, and this.¡± Fichte took out a bottle of alcohol from his pocket. As soon as he opened the cap, a familiar scent wafted out. ¡°I brought this because I heard you like it.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± I poured it into a ss and drank it. A sweet first taste was followed by a burning sensation in my throat. ¡°This is proper moonshine. The taste of home.¡± I poured a ss for each person on the Ardehain side. Most of them frowned, and Loren said, ¡°So this is your taste.¡± ¡°It seems like it¡¯s your first time drinking moonshine. How is it?¡± Loren poured another drink into her empty ss and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit my taste.¡± ¡°Good medicine tastes bitter. It¡¯s a drink that suits wartime, so to speak. What about you,mander?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always liked it. Could I have a ss?¡± Fichte insisted on having a ss even though the Chief Healer tried to stop him. ¡°One ss is fine.¡± I also poured him a ss. After a round of drinks, everyone filled their empty sses with their own preferred drinks. Just as people have different thoughts, they also have different tastes. While the drinks were being passed around, we casually chatted. This was a way to lighten the mood. Loren and Fichte did most of the talking, and we listened. It seemed like it was the first time the swordsmen were in this kind of setting, as they listened intently. During the conversation, I realized that Ardehain hadn¡¯t changed from the past. They were still a noble n. Once the mood had warmed up, I said, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the main topic.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Commander, why don¡¯t you speak first?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get straight to the point.¡± Fichte seemed to have already organized his thoughts, as he spoke without hesitation. ¡°Half a year ago, an apprentice swordsman entered the Demon Realm incognito and failed to return.¡± Loren nodded. ¡°I was informed that an apprentice died. Was it a child from the Third Military?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Entering the Demon Realm unnecessarily. Tsk. Was it the 1st-level?¡± ¡°3rd-level.¡± Disappointment appeared in Loren¡¯s eyes. ¡°He died in the 3rd-level?¡± ¡°To be precise, he didn¡¯t die, but went missing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°ording to the Magic Tower Alliance¡¯s letter, they couldn¡¯t find the body even after the Demon Realm closed.¡± ¡°Is there a possibility that a variant appeared?¡± ¡°No.¡± Loren¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a bit strange.¡± ¡°I also found that point hard to understand.¡± I asked the two of them, ¡°What do you mean they couldn¡¯t find the body?¡± Fichte answered, ¡°When the Demon Realm closes, the Alliance dispatches an investigation team. To assess the traces of monsters and casualties. If there are any variant monsters or anomalies, they update the records and inform those who will enter the next Demon Realm. And the fact that the investigation team couldn¡¯t find the body means that a monster strong enough to obliterate a human in one blow appeared.¡± Feeling hungry as I listened, I asked, ¡°What about eating?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Does it have to be obliteration? Even if a monster ate a human, there wouldn¡¯t be a body left, would there?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s a sharp question. But monsters don¡¯t consider humans as food. It¡¯s never been reported before.¡± Only then did I nod. ¡°In any case, you¡¯re saying there are no such monsters in the 3rd-level Demon Realm. The fact that no variants appeared means the probability is zero percent.¡± Fichte replied, ¡°That¡¯s why I was suspicious. It wasn¡¯t a major incident, but¡­ I have a bad habit of digging to the end once I get hooked on something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad habit. Now that I see it, you have the potential to be a crazy guy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± Loren said, ¡°It is apliment. Our Third Military is usually hidden away like a mole, but it¡¯s thanks to that personality that he became the youngest Military Commander, isn¡¯t it?¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Anyway, what does that have to do with Parin?¡± Fichte straightened his posture and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. What¡¯s truly strange is what happened afterward. It wasn¡¯t just the apprentice swordsman who went missing. Everyone who entered the Demon Realm with the apprentice at that time disappeared simultaneously.¡± Just then, ir, who had been listening quietly, interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s strange. If it was half a year ago, we were in Ken at the time. If it was that big of a deal, there would have been rumors.¡± ¡°Yes, you wouldn¡¯t have heard about it. Because it wasn¡¯t made public. The person in charge who closed the case at the Alliance at that time was Elder Parin of the Blue Magic Tower.¡± Fichte looked around and drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I was suspicious. When I sent a letter to Elder Parin to ask him about it, he just said it wasn¡¯t an important incident and closed it. It wasn¡¯t really a major issue, so I couldn¡¯t ask any further.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I dug around the periphery. I tracked down andpiled information on the colleagues of other missing people, the time the Demon Realm opened and closed, and those who were nearby at the time. And as a result, I was able to confirm one surprising fact.¡± Loren looked at Fichte. ¡°What is that surprising conclusion?¡± Fichte¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Elder Parin also entered that 3rd-level Demon Realm.¡± Suddenly, I remembered Parin mentioning the Demon Realm just before he died. A brief silence fell. The strange difort caused by Fichte¡¯s conclusion gave everyone goosebumps. ¡°Furthermore, Iter found out that usually, the person in charge of lower-grade Demon Realms is the working-level staff of each Magic Tower. It¡¯s rare for an elder to directly close a lower-grade Demon Realm.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but p. ¡°What a crazy obsession. You¡¯re almost there. Now that I see it, you don¡¯t just have the potential to be a crazy guy. You¡¯re already half crazy.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Fichte took a sip of moonshine and said, ¡°In the end, all the circumstances pointed to one fact. There was only one way to resolve the contradiction of the missing bodies.¡± Loren continued, ¡°Instead of monsters, there was Parin?¡± ¡°Yes. The only person physically capable was Elder Parin.¡± ¡°Did you report this to Lady Loren?¡± Fichte shook his head. ¡°I only had circumstantial evidence. And it wasn¡¯t a serious matter either. In the end, it was just the death of an apprentice swordsman, not even a formal one.¡± ¡°So you were investigating alone.¡± ¡°Yes. Since there was no evidence, I had no choice but to find out the reason directly from Elder Parin. I sent him a letter, subtly hinting at what I had found. That was three months ago. There was no reply until he asked to meet at this Urgon banquet.¡± Fichte continued with a bitter expression, ¡°But even I didn¡¯t expect him to do this.¡± I replied, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Things always happen beyond our imagination.¡± ¡°This incident confirmed it. Elder Parin was hiding something. Enough to try to eliminate a noble n¡¯smander just because he was suspicious.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I raised my ss, Loren also raised hers. We made eye contact for a moment as we emptied our sses in one gulp. Meanwhile, Fichte, focused on his train of thought, continued, ¡°No matter how I think about it, I don¡¯t understand the reason. Why would someone like Elder Parin do that? Although public reputations are often different from reality, why would he do such a thing in a 3rd-level Demon Realm? There would be no benefit to it. Why?¡± At this point, Loren and I made eye contact again. The answer was already decided. ¡°The Demonic Soul Humans. That must have been his goal.¡± Loren, recalling yesterday and today¡¯s events, nodded. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, but it¡¯s a possibility.¡± Fichte, who was looking at Loren and me, tilted his head. His pupils gradually dted. ¡°Do you two know the reason?¡± I nodded and said, ¡°Parin was trying to create ves. ves who only obey his orders. That¡¯s what the Demonic Soul Humans are. Usually, low-ranking mercenaries or insignificant martial artists be targets. In fact, warriors above a certain level aren¡¯t suitable. Parin was trying to create those Demonic Soul Humans.¡± Fichte, after thinking for a moment, said, ¡°¡­Is there a reason why you think so?¡± ¡°You said you know the missing people from the 3rd-level Demon Realm, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°There should be bodies left of the Demonic Soul Humans who self-destructedst night. Compare them. If there¡¯s a match, it¡¯ll be certain.¡± Fichte closed his mouth and fell into thought. The others, who had been listening with bated breath, also closed their eyes and became lost in their thoughts. I was the only one with my eyes open. Since it seemed like their contemtion would take a while, I started drinking the moonshine again. When I had emptied the whole bottle, Fichte opened his eyes and said, ¡°If what Ruin said is true, Elder Parin is not the end.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°It seems like this is no small matter.¡± Thismander indeed had excellent judgment. He was the type of man who could infer three things from one. I suddenly thought about the connection between the mole-like man¡¯s personality and madness, then said, ¡°I have a question for you.¡± ¡°Please, speak. As long as it¡¯s not a family secret, I¡¯ll answer to the best of my ability.¡± ¡°Have you heard of the Demon Tribe?¡± ¡°The Demon Tribe¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s just a legend or a myth, there¡¯s no need to say anything. What I want to ask is if you know anything about the Demon Tribe that actually existed in this world, the real ones.¡± Fichte answered in a few seconds, ¡°I do.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 131 Chapter 131: Comrade ¡°300 years ago, an expedition was formed, mainly led by the three divine ns.¡± The moment I heard those words, my ears perked up. ¡°The expedition to the Land of Death?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a legend that everyone has heard of at least once. The one about forming an expedition to defeat a ¡®terrible being.''¡± ¡°A terrible being.¡± Loren asked, ¡°Does that mean a demon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I quietly looked at Fichte and said, ¡°I told you not to mention absurd stories like legends.¡± Fichte¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I believe it was a real event.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost certain of it in my heart.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Fichte said, ¡°There are indications that our n participated in the expedition. The time when demons are mentioned in our n¡¯s ancient texts almost coincides with the time when the legend of the Land of Death is set.¡± ¡°You say there are indications that we participated?¡± ¡°Yes, Swordmaster.¡± ¡°In which document is such a record?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Fichte was about to speak, but then looked around. ¡°It¡¯s alright, go ahead. We need your cooperation in this matter.¡± ¡°Yes, then.¡± Fichte continued, ¡°There is no specific record. Rather, the problem is that the records are empty.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The expedition legend is set about 300 years ago. Strangely, there are no external records of our n during that period. In all documents, the records of the Lotus Swordmasters arepletely nk. Not just for a few months, but for nearly 10 years. Such a thing has never happened in the history of Ardehain.¡± ¡°As if someone erased it?¡± Fichte looked at me with a slightly surprised face. ¡°That¡¯s right. It feels like someone deliberately cut it out. It happened 300 years ago, so I was just wondering, but I didn¡¯t expect you, Ruin, to mention the demon tribe.¡± At this point, I supported Fichte¡¯s opinion. ¡°It¡¯s the same with Samael.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Our n also has indications of participating in the expedition. The expedition was indeed a real event.¡± Fichte¡¯s eyes sparkled as he quickly grasped the situation. ¡°So that¡¯s why you asked. You think this incident is really the work of demons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because there¡¯s evidence.¡± I showed Fichte the demon¡¯s fang. ¡°It¡¯s a demon¡¯s tooth. It matches the evidence of the demon that appeared through the records. Moreover, even demonic soul humans appeared.¡± ir, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, intervened. ¡°There was such a record in our n?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret passed down only to the eldest son.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t seen it.¡± Arin asked, ¡°That dog-like thing back then was a demon, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a metaphor.¡± ¡°Mine is a metaphor too.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡± Loren suddenly smiled as she watched Fichte, who was lost in thought. ¡°¡­So this is the true nature of the Third Military Corps. To think they¡¯d be looking into documents from 300 years ago. Besides, it¡¯s not something you can figure out just by reading the documents.¡± I agreed inwardly. Fichte was looking at the evidence with childlike curiosity. ¡®He¡¯s an interesting guy.¡¯ As Loren said, it¡¯s not something you can understand just by looking. Doubt about the records in the documents, the flexibility of thinking to connect it to the expedition legend, and tenacity. Suddenly, ir muttered, ¡°Assuming everything is true, then Urgon was just a shell. Elder Parin was after our Samael. In the end, a demon or whatever is after the Samael n. If we also participated in the expedition¡­ Something feels strange.¡± ¡®Look at this guy?¡¯ I looked at ir, who was deep in thought, with renewed eyes. Was he influenced by Fichte? ir also grasped the core of the problem at once. Loren brought everyone¡¯s attention back. ¡°It¡¯s not good to make hasty judgments. Nothing is certain yet. But.¡± Loren¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°We need to look into it. Military Commander?¡± Fichte immediately straightened his posture and replied, ¡°Speak, Swordmaster.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the Military Headquarters. From now on, the Third Military Corps will track down everything rted to Elder Parin. Also, find out more about that expedition. If you need anything, request it directly from me. We need to prepare for any contingency.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°If you need cooperation, contact Samael. Would that be alright, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Suddenly, I said to Fichte, ¡°Was there no mention of Samael in the legend that the Military Officer read?¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What was the content of the legend?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. The heroes of the continent went on an expedition to the Land of Death, and the three divine ns, especially the Balthar, defeated the terrible being and brought peace. That was the content.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same.¡± Fichte, who had been observing my reaction, eximed, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something strange about the legend too?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s just a guess. It¡¯s not the right time now. There will be a chance to talkter.¡± Nothing has been revealed yet. There¡¯s no evidence either. I had no intention of recklessly exposing information at this point, when everything was full of questions. I said to Fichte, ¡°I have one question.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of a ¡®Calling¡¯?¡± ¡°A Calling?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a word that came out of Parin¡¯s mouth. It seems to be rted to the Demon Realm.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm, well.¡± ¡°It seems like it¡¯s the first time the Military Commander has heard of it too.¡± Seeing that it waspletely unfamiliar to him, I asked something else. ¡°Do you have to get permission from the Magic Tower Alliance to enter the Demon Realm?¡± ¡°Yes. For lower-level Demon Realms, it¡¯s enough to register in the registry. But for higher-level ones, thepetition is fierce.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s an opportunity to obtain rare weapons or build a reputation. Usually, thepetition is cut off based on merit points. If you show excellent results in lower-level Demon Realms and increase your merit points, or if you have a high reputation, you can get special permission.¡± Fichte looked at me. ¡°You¡¯re thinking of going there yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± Loren said, ¡°Shall I send a letter? Special permission should be easy to obtain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll let you know if I need itter. From what level are the Demon Realms considered higher-level?¡± Fichte replied, ¡°Generally, they are ssified as higher-level from 2nd level.¡± ¡°Is Ardehain interested as well?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not because of the demons, no. You¡¯ll probably find outter when you see the merit points, but Ardehain has already obtained everything it could from the Demon Realm. Now, it would have to be a special level for them to be interested.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I looked around, made eye contact with each person one by one, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s drink now. I¡¯ve been talking a lot, and my mouth is dry.¡± As I raised my ss first, everyone else picked up their sses one by one. Everyone seemed to have more to say, but they didn¡¯t bring it up. I also had things left unsaid. But every word has its time to ripen. This is enough for today. There was no conversation while the sses were exchanged several times. I also organized my thoughts for a moment. An ufortable tension and a strange excitement were swirling in the ss at the same time. We continued to drink. It was that kind of night. When the liquor ran out, the servants brought other alcohol along with snacks. People started to get drunk one by one. Only then did I start asking Loren about the situation on the continent. Loren spoke more candidly than I expected. As expected of a Swordmaster, she had a lot of information. Loren also asked me about Samael. But I didn¡¯t say much about Samael. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Loren, but it¡¯s a story I still have to keep to myself. I don¡¯t know if there will evere a day when I can open up my heart to someone. ir, whose face was flushed, went into the room, andter only Fichte, Loren, Celestine, Arin, and I were left exchanging drinks. At some point, Loren suddenly said, ¡°When are you thinking of returning?¡± ¡°As soon as possible.¡± Loren nodded. ¡°I think that would be good. I¡¯m sure you have a lot to do, Ruin. Ardehain will take care of the remaining matters.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Samael¡¯s contributions will be properly recognized.¡± I nodded and continued drinking. Once again, after a period of silence with only the sses clinking, Loren spoke. ¡°I¡¯m indebted to Samael.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard quite a bit about that already. That¡¯s more than enough.¡± A subtle smile yed on Loren¡¯s lips. ¡°He¡¯s an intriguing person. Both Ruin and Samael.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve heard that.¡± ¡°Well, a debt incurred should be repaid. Consider this a promise: I, Loren Ardehain, will regard Ruin Samael as an ally from this day forward.¡± Celestine and Fichte, who had been silent until now, exchanged surprised nces. Loren¡¯s deration hung in the air, leaving a strange taste in my mouth. ¡°¡­An ally,¡± I echoed, the word feeling heavy. ¡°Did you expect something different?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± I replied, though I wasn¡¯t sure if that was entirely true. Loren¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Of course, actions speak louder than words. Expect a token of my goodwill soon.¡± I smiled too. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡± ¡°I should get going now. It¡¯ste.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink a little more and then go to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay. Then, Celine, will you stay?¡± Celestine, who had been listening quietly, shouted for the first time. ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Oh my, look at her. Can¡¯t you even take a joke?¡± For some reason, I suddenly felt even more depressed. Loren looked at me again. ¡°Ruin, I know you¡¯re busy, but please spare a moment. The other n members who attended the banquet are all waiting. Let¡¯s say hello before we leave. Finishing things properly is important.¡± Loren winked and left the room. Celestine hurriedly followed her, and Fichte quietly left the room as well. Loren, who left the private room and walked down the quiet hallway, looked back for a moment. ¡°Why are you following me like you¡¯vemitted a crime?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed.¡± ¡°Oh, Military Commander. Want another drink?¡± Fichte bowed his head without a word. ¡°Celine,e along too.¡± *** In arge private room next to the courtyard, the three of them exchanged drinks and conversation for a while. Fichte bowed his head with sincerity. ¡°I apologize for causing trouble, Swordmaster.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that way, Military Commander.¡± ¡°It was my negligence. I¡¯ve caused trouble for the n. Because of me, you had to lower yourself and ask for a favor.¡± ¡°Ask for a favor?¡± ¡°¡­The part where you said you acknowledge Ruin as an ally.¡± Fichte knew the weight of those words. Loren suddenly stopped drinking and smiled. ¡°You misunderstand, Military Commander.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°That was entirely my own will. How did you see the Crazy Mage Squad Commander?¡± ¡°There are many unclear aspects. And some¡­ unsettling ones.¡± ¡°Did you see it that way too?¡± ¡°Yes, but I cannot deny that he is a remarkable man.¡± Loren looked at Celestine, who had been listening quietly. ¡°Celine?¡± ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bepetitive with Ruin for the time being.¡± Celestine looked at her mother with a puzzled expression. She didn¡¯t understand what it meant. ¡°You¡¯re not at that level. Rather, I¡¯m the one feelingpetitive.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Hoho, just a joke.¡± Loren didn¡¯t offer any further exnation to Celestine, who was looking at her in disbelief. It was something difficult to exin. Even for Loren herself. Although she hadn¡¯t told anyone, Loren felt it. Another presence left on Parin¡¯s corpse. Loren felt the same chilling sensation she had felt when Ruin healed Fichte. ¡®He¡¯s definitely hiding something.¡¯ ¡°Military Commander, investigate Samael as well.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Do it personally. Don¡¯t show it outwardly.¡± ¡°Should we look into Ruin as well?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. As you said, there are unsettling aspects to him. But it¡¯s not a bad feeling. It seems we¡¯ll need to maintain a strategically good rtionship with Ruin Samael in the future.¡± Fichte smiled and bowed his head. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Military Commander, first return to the n and convey my words to the Military Headquarters. Tell them I want to retrieve the item I entrusted to them a long time ago.¡± Loren briefly beckoned Fichte closer. She whispered softly, and Fichte¡¯s pupils suddenly dted. ¡°¡­That thing? Even if it¡¯s a strategic rtionship, isn¡¯t that excessive?¡± Loren cut Fichte off with a gesture. Her eyes twinkled yfully. ¡°Even if it weren¡¯t a strategic rtionship.¡± Loren chuckled, thinking of the Crazy Mage Squad Commander who remained confident even in front of her. ¡°He¡¯s a man I like.¡± * * * I spent two days recuperating in the private room. I didn¡¯t bother going outside. Staying in the room, feeling the moderately cool breeze, eating the delicious food the servant brought me, with one foot propped up on the bedding and patting my full belly, isn¡¯t this a small happiness, a small piece of heaven? This is what recuperation is all about. It took a full two days for the damn stubborn thing to recover. Even that was only possible because it consumed three of those expensive special-grade potions. Chief Healer Rachel and Loren said they wouldn¡¯t ept payment, but I had no intention of forgiving Taylor. ¡°I paid for the special-grade potion you used. Pay your debt.¡± Even that stubborn brat, who usually red at me, lowered his head in front of money. Money was that scary. ¡°Stopzing around and let¡¯s go.¡± I prepared to return to the n estate with the Three Musketeers of the White Horse Unit. I¡¯d love to enjoy recuperating more, but I couldn¡¯t. As I stepped out of the private room, I saw women busily moving around. Each and every one of them had an extraordinary aura. They seemed to be personnel dispatched from the Ardehain main n. With this many people, Urgon¡¯s matters would be settled within a few days at thetest. After exchanging final farewells with Loren, Fichte, and Celestine, I was about to return to the n estate, but¡­ ¡°Waaaaaaaaaah!¡± ¡°Whoa, what the heck is that?¡± I almost instinctively threw a fireball at the approaching monkeys. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The monkeys, who had spotted us from the annex, poured out and cheered. ¡°Thank you for your hard work!¡± ¡°Samael! Samael!¡± ¡°Mad Dog! Mad Dog!¡± ¡°Extraordinary Genius! Extraordinary Genius!¡± Looking at their faces, it seemed most of those who attended the banquet had stayed behind. I didn¡¯t think it was pure cheering. With Urgon copsing, they were all looking for a new power to cling to. Not that it¡¯s a bad thing. I don¡¯t know if Taylor is pure or justcking, but in the midst of all this, he was shaking hands with each and every one of them in response. Anyway, we couldn¡¯t just ignore them, so we were inevitably stuck there until evening. Suddenly, while enjoying the evening feast, I asked a man next to me something I was curious about. ¡°By the way, what does ¡®Extraordinary Genius¡¯ mean?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It sounded like they were talking about me.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s your nickname, Ruin. It means Samael¡¯s ¡®extraordinary genius mad dog¡¯.¡± ¡°Extraordinary genius, that¡¯s right. But what¡¯s with the ¡®dog¡¯? Monster?¡± ¡°What else could ¡®dog¡¯ be but ¡®dog¡¯?¡± ¡°¡®Dog?¡± ¡°¡®Dog.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything more. After that, I focused my attention on one ce throughout the dinner banquet. Looking at it this way, you never know what will happen in life. Suddenly, I thought it was a good thing I stayed. Late at night, when the monkeys started to disappear from the banquet hall one by one, I spoke to the Three Musketeers of the White Horse Unit outside the annex. ¡°Let¡¯s wrap things up. Return to the n estate first.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± I nonchntly nced at the main gate. Just now, I saw a man quietly slipping out the main gate. ¡°I¡¯ll follow soon. I have somewhere to stop by.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 132 Chapter 132: The Tavern Famous for Bad Taste The Eastern Lake of Lake Kris boasts a splendid nightscape. On moonlit nights, sightseers would gather in groups of three or five by thekeside to admire the scenery. The sight of the turquoiseke, shimmering softly in the moonlight, was enough to stir the hearts of many onlookers. However, there were those who had no interest in the beauty of theke. A man and a woman, sitting close together on a dark bench, paid no attention to theke, focusing only on each other. Only the sound of smacking lips echoed around them. ¡°Excuse me.¡± A man in extravagant clothes turned around abruptly and responded with an irritated expression. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you know where the tavern with the worst food is?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked if you know where the tavern with the worst food is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different every time.¡± ¡°Today?¡± The man¡¯s irritated expression instantly softened, and his tone changed. ¡°The unmarked inn northwest, the third tavern on the right.¡± ¡°Not the second?¡± ¡°The third.¡± ¡°Alright. Tell him I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Is the job done?¡± ¡°Just answer.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The questioner left first. The man in extravagant clothes looked around and stroked his lover¡¯s hair. Pop¡ª A sound like a balloon bursting rang out, and the woman vanished without a trace. As if nothing had happened, the man disappeared into the darkness. No, he was about to disappear. ¡°Gah!¡± Suddenly, an arm shot out from the darkness and grabbed the man by the hair. It happened without a sound. With a suppressed groan, the man¡¯s head was yanked back. Thud¡ª A figure appeared in front of the man, who was sprawled on the ground in pain. ¡°I¡¯d also like to know the tavern famous for its bad taste.¡± * * * The burly owner bustled between the customers. Even though beads of sweat formed on his forehead and trickled down his rough skin, he barely had time to wipe them away. It would be urate to say he was as busy as a bee. ¡°One more drink here.¡± ¡°Give me another order of braised carp, owner.¡± The burly owner let out a heartyugh. ¡°See, what did I tell you? Braised carp is our specialty.¡± ¡°Hey, stopughing and hire some help. It¡¯s ridiculous that you¡¯re working alone with so many customers. You have a big build, but your heart is the size of a pea. So greedy for money.¡± ¡°Greedy for money? Oh, that¡¯s hurtful. Did I know I¡¯d end up like this?¡± The owner shook his hand with a wronged expression. It was true. Until recently, the tavern was far from full, with few customers even during peak dinner hours. But then, suddenly, word of mouth spread among the sightseers, and within a few days, the tavern was packed with out-of-towners, leaving no room to set foot. ¡°I really need to hire some staff, this is no good. I¡¯m going to throw out my back at this rate.¡± Contrary to his words, a proud smile hung on the owner¡¯s lips. It was then that a slender man with a deeply pulled-down hat entered the tavern. Spotting the man looking around inside, the owner said, ¡°Sorry, customer, but we¡¯re full. You can either wait outside ore back early tomorrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. How can you be full?¡± Perhaps annoyed by the remark, the owner asked, ¡°Have you been to our tavern before?¡± ¡°This is my first time.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I was told about it. It¡¯s famous for bad food.¡± The owner clicked his tongue disapprovingly. ¡°Where did you hear such a thing? If you try our braised carp, you wouldn¡¯t say that. Even Urgon¡¯s chef can¡¯t match my braised carp. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Voices of agreement erupted from all over. ¡°The owner¡¯s attitude towards customers might be a bit harsh, but his skills are undeniable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hahaha.¡± The man with the deeply pulled-down cloak approached the owner and whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the ce? The third tavern on the right from the unmarked inn. Seems right.¡± The owner¡¯s eyes twitched subtly. His eyelids drooped, and his lips pursed oddly. It was a seemingly insignificant change in expression, but the truly surprising thing was something else entirely. That slight change in expression had transformed the owner¡¯s entire impression. How could this change be exined? ¡°Hahahaha.¡± If one had to put it into words, it was as if he had changed from a jovial owner to a nervous new chef. The ownerughed heartily, but there was something awkward about hisughter. Between hisughter, the owner spoke as if he were ventriloquizing. ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t heard anything about that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Haven¡¯t you been resting for too long?¡± After a moment of contemtion, the owner said, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯vee to the wrong ce. If you open the back door, you¡¯ll see stairs.¡± The cloaked man passed through the kitchen and headed for the unused back door. Only then did the owner sigh and let out another heartyugh as he bustled between the customers. He had transformed back into the jovial owner in an instant. As if nothing had happened, the owner had perfectly regained his original self. He hummed a tune as he carried the liquor and cooked the braised carp. ¡°What is this ce?¡± A voice came from outside while he was busy chopping in the kitchen. ¡°Strange. It¡¯s full.¡± The owner, who had stopped chopping for a moment, subtly changed his expression. For some reason, those words pierced through the noisy chatter outside and reached the owner¡¯s ears with pinpoint uracy. ¡°This ce is full? This ce? Huh? How?¡± The owner increased his chopping speed. Unlike before, he tried to ignore the voice, but his attempt failed. This was because the owner of the voice was gradually approaching the kitchen. The owner, who had peered out of the kitchen with a tense face, suddenly brightened. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my friend from the other day.¡± ¡°Why the long face, owner?¡± The owner let out a heartyugh and replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was mistaken for a moment. By the way, you came alone today. Have some liquor while you wait. I¡¯ll bring out the braised carp soon.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Make it taste bad.¡± ¡°Taste bad, you say¡­ you devoured itst time¡­¡± The owner¡¯s expression changed subtly as he spoke. ¡°What did you just say?¡± The customer met the owner¡¯s eyes. ¡°I said I came for the bad-tasting braised carp.¡± The owner¡¯s expression changed drastically as he met the customer¡¯s eyes. His eyebrows rose subtly. The one difference from before was perhaps the several times more nervous look on his face. ¡°Why the long face? Is there a different bad-tasting braised carp?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s already a customer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°No need for that.¡± The customer slowly approached the owner. The owner backed away and grabbed a kitchen knife. ¡°Why are you doing this? It¡¯s one person a day. What¡¯s with this sudden¡­¡± ¡°Hey, owner.¡± The customer grinned. The owner, somehow finding the sight terrifying, involuntarily took a step back. ¡°You know the rules, why are you doing this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I came. If you don¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll start by breaking down the back door. I don¡¯t have much time.¡± * * * A single table and two chairs. A small makeshift bed and a stove, a room bathed in the warm glow of yellow lighting. At first nce, it felt as cozy as amoner¡¯s bedroom, but in reality, it was not. With acrid and foul air seeping through the cracks in the iron door, this was a long-abandoned house near the Eastern Lake of Shan Kris, a secret room five floors underground. The room was quiet, but the atmosphere was tense. The presence of a man in a ck mask upying one of the chairs added to the tense atmosphere. The man, wearing a ck mask that fit snugly over his face without a single gap, had his head lowered, focused on the steamed fish on the table. Every time the man moved his gloved hand, fish bones were picked clean. Then came the sound of knocking on the door. Knock¡ª Knock¡ª Knock, knock¡ª As soon as the rhythm of the knocking changed on the third knock, the man in the ck mask raised his head. The man who had been standing in front of the door without making a sound unlocked the iron door. Creak¡ª Along with the foul air, a man with a deeply pulled-down cloak entered. ¡°You¡¯re a littlete this time, Walter.¡± ¡°There were some unexpected events.¡± ¡°That sounds promising. Have a seat.¡± The cloaked man sat down on the chair and quietly removed his cloak. A friendly-looking young man was revealed. The young man took out a report, a few sheets of paper bound together, from his pocket and handed it over. ¡°I summarized only the most important points.¡± The man in the ck mask, who had pushed the report aside, casually continued deboning the fish as he spoke. ¡°If it¡¯s something unexpected, it would be fun to guess. Could it be that Ardehain intervened?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± The ck-masked man¡¯s hand movements slightly slowed as he deboned the fish. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. But not entirely unexpected.¡± The young man asked back, ¡°You mean you anticipated it?¡± ¡°I have some information about that person. It¡¯s best to keep the possibilities open.¡± ¡°It seems you hold him in high regard.¡± ¡°I am curious how he managed to involve Ardehain.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to find out that far.¡± The ck-masked man nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a difficult task.¡± The ck-masked man, who had been moving his hands non-stop, finally stopped. The shape of the carp was perfectly reconstructed with only the fish bones. It was like a fossil, preserving the carp¡¯s form while only the flesh had been removed. The ck-masked man offered it to the young man. ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat it slowly. I¡¯m a bit flustered.¡± The ck-masked man took a big bite of the deboned braised carp. He nodded in satisfaction. As he slowly savored the braised carp, the ck-masked man suddenly asked, ¡°What happened to Balkan?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The young man let out an exmation of admiration at the question that went straight to the core and answered, ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°It seems Ardehain intervened properly.¡± The ck-masked man let out a chuckle for the first time. ¡°Parin must be quite frustrated. That old paper died in vain. Has Parin returned to the Blue Magic Tower?¡± ¡°Well, about that¡­¡± ¡°He still hasn¡¯t returned?¡± ¡°Parin is also dead.¡± At that moment, the ck-masked man looked up from the braised carp. Only then did he look directly at the young man for the first time. ¡°Parin is dead?¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°¡­Cause of death?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to determine it.¡± ¡°Could this also be Ardehain¡¯s intervention?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re assuming.¡± ¡°This is truly unexpected.¡± The man in the ck mask fell into deep thought. ¡°Well, this is¡­ ambiguous. Parin is different from Balkan. There¡¯s no way Parin would have provoked Ardehain to that extent. What was he trying to do?¡± The ck-masked man unfolded the report the young man had brought and began reading it through. Having quickly finished reading it, the ck-masked man said, ¡°Now that I see it, Balkan wasn¡¯t killed by Ardehain.¡± ¡°Huh? Then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more likely that Parin killed Balkan.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Parin was being chased. He wasn¡¯t being chased by Ardehain. Considering the circumstances, there¡¯s only one person who could do that¡­¡± The ck-masked man suddenly stopped speaking and looked at the iron door. There was a noiseing from outside. A thud¡ª thud¡ª sound echoed through the iron door, and a foul smell wafted in. When the gatekeeper, who was standing in front of the iron door, operated a device, a tiny hole appeared in the gap of the iron door. The gatekeeper¡¯s eyes narrowed as he peered through the hole. The ck-masked man said to the young man, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve been found.¡± The noise was getting louder and louder. Thud¡ªthud¡ª footsteps and the sound of bones colliding could be heard. Grasping the situation, the young man bowed his head. ¡°I apologize. I was as careful as I could be.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± The ck-masked man smiled and said to the gatekeeper, ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Please evacuate first. I¡¯ll handle things outside.¡± The ck-masked man pointed to the iron door, which was gradually turning red hot. ¡°Open it now.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, so open it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was the moment the gatekeeper was about to unlock the iron door. Kwaaaaaang¡ª The iron door shattered before he could open it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 133 Chapter 133: A Sudden Three-Question Exchange The red-hot iron door, unable to withstand the heat, burst open with a bang¡ª and flew off its hinges. I stepped inside and took a deep breath. ¡°Haa. What kind of air is this, really? I almost suffocated. It¡¯s a bit refreshing in here.¡± After casually throwing the mustached man I had dragged along onto the floor, I nudged therge figure lying crushed under the iron door with my foot. ¡°What¡¯s with this guy? Is he unconscious?¡± Looking closely, it seemed he had been crushed when the iron door flew off. I greeted the familiar man sitting at the table. ¡°So you were here, Mr. Walter.¡± Suddenly, the man sitting opposite him looked at the mustached man I had brought and said, ¡°Hmm, his mustache is all burnt.¡± ¡°Yeah. This happens every time. It wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± I pped my hands as I recognized the ck mask the man was wearing. ¡°As expected, my guess was right. I know that mask well. So this was the Information Guild after all. No wonder I thought Mr. Walter seemed unusual from the moment I saw him.¡± ¡°Was it that obvious?¡± ¡°You definitely weren¡¯t acting like a monkey.¡± ¡°Did youe to capture me?¡± I picked up a stone ornament from the wall and sat on it like a chair as I spoke. ¡°That¡¯s hurtful, Mr. Walter. ¡®Capture¡¯ is a bit harsh. I was just curious where you were going. And since I¡¯m here, I might as well buy some information.¡± This was half true. At first, I was mostly annoyed, but after following him, I became curious about where he was going. ¡°Then it seems there was no need to choose this method. You could have just given me a hint.¡± I pointed at Walter. ¡°That¡¯s a bit rich,ing from you. Are you taking advantage of my politeness?¡± Suddenly, as I looked at Walter¡¯s expression, I felt annoyed again. ¡°Mr. Walter, let¡¯s be clear: informationes at a price. Nobody enjoys being spied on, especially someone like you who¡¯s made a career out of prying into other people¡¯s lives. It seems a bit hypocritical to react so poorly when the tables are turned, wouldn¡¯t you say? If you¡¯re going to follow someone, you have to ept the consequences. If that bothers you, then perhaps you should reconsider your methods. Instead, all I see is that sour look on your face. What¡¯s the matter?¡± The ck-masked man, who had been listening, nodded. ¡°He has a point.¡± I looked at the ck-masked man and said, ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I took one piece of information for free, would you?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely easier to talk to a superior. Are you a high-ranking member?¡± While the ck-masked man remained silent, I continued, ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a difficult question to answer. You must be higher than the Khaoto branch manager, at the very least.¡± ¡°That much is true.¡± ¡°Do you know the branch manager there?¡± ¡°If I know them, I know them, and if I don¡¯t, I don¡¯t. That¡¯s how the Information Guild works.¡± ¡°In any case, you must know more than the branch manager there.¡± The ck-masked man changed his tone and said, ¡°You want to buy information?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t do business with just anyone.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± The ck-masked man replied with a smile. ¡°I meant that there¡¯s no need for a mary transaction. Wee, Ruin. I also happen to have some questions. How about we exchange three pieces of information each?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting a sudden three-question exchange?¡± ¡°Rather than questions, I¡¯m suggesting an exchange of information.¡± ¡°Either way, that sounds reasonable.¡± ¡°Would you like to ask first?¡± I gestured towards the ck-masked man with the edge of my hand. ¡°I¡¯ll yield the first move.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± To think that a conversation would be established so quickly¡­ An ordinary person might think this was a y. It hadn¡¯t even been a few minutes since the iron door was ripped off, the musty underground air filled the room, and several men were sprawled on the floor. Of course, I¡¯m not the type to be bothered by such things. However, seeing that the masked man also didn¡¯t seem to mind was a bit unexpected. ¡°Who killed Parin?¡± ¡°I did.¡± There was no need to lie. I gauged his level from his first attack. It was highly likely that he already had some expectations when he asked the question. Just how far has he deduced? ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s surprising.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± I chose to go second to formte the optimal response after hearing the opponent¡¯s question. This is the advantage of going second. ¡°Do you know Parin¡¯s true identity?¡± I posed an implicit question. A question that hits the core without revealing my own hand. In this kind of verbal sparring, it¡¯s important not to lose ground. The ck-masked man asked back, ¡°He¡¯s the First Elder of the Blue Magic Tower, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°Is this how the Information Guild usually treats its guests?¡± ¡°Do you have any expectations?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who asked the question.¡± ¡°You must have really faced Parin yourself. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have asked such a question.¡± ¡°Trust is essential in any transaction.¡± The ck-masked man rested his chin on his hand and pondered for a moment before nodding. ¡°It¡¯s ambiguous.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, you don¡¯t know, and if you know, you know. What¡¯s with the ambiguity?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the process of figuring out Parin¡¯s true identity.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s part of another secret organization besides the Blue Horse Tower. But we haven¡¯t been able to grasp it properly yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°We keep hitting dead ends at crucial points. We¡¯re only skirting around the edges.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± ¡°The Information Guild does not lie.¡± I pointed at the braised carp and said, ¡°May I eat this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I took a big bite of the braised carp. The flesh, free of bones and packed with vor, filled my mouth. ¡°This is quite skillfully prepared. Do you happen to have any moonshine as well?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any alcohol.¡± I nodded and said, ¡°I still don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard an answer to my question.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an organization that reveals itself openly. It¡¯s an extremely secretive organization. We haven¡¯t even figured out their purpose yet. What¡¯s certain is that there are definitely others like Elder Parin in other Magic Towers. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way they could block information so thoroughly.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s a secret organization.¡± ¡°However, now that Parin is dead, there might be a chance to exploit a weakness.¡± The ck-masked man looked at me. ¡°That sufficiently answers my question. This kind of information is valuable. Now, I¡¯ll ask my question.¡± I casually answered while eating the braised carp. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why did Ardehain intervene?¡± ¡°Because the Third Military Commander was attacked.¡± ¡°That¡¯s information I already know.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking how you got Loren Ardehain involved.¡± ¡°Are you aware of ¡®Demonic Bloom¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable. Balkan used it on the Third Military Commander.¡± ¡°I¡¯m also aware that you imed that. I¡¯m asking how you made Ardehain believe it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hitting the nail on the head.¡± I answered honestly. ¡°I treated the Third militarymander, so they had no choice but to believe it.¡± Even if I revealed this information, it wouldn¡¯t harm me or Ardehain. Rather, there was a high chance they would naturally find out as time passed. Timing is everything when ites to information. Walter, who had been listening, let out a gasp, and the masked man, after a moment of thought, said, ¡°So it really was Demonic Bloom. Somehow, I feel like there¡¯s more to it, but I¡¯ll ept your answer. Could you perhaps also tell me how you treated them?¡± ¡°Is that a question?¡± The ck-masked man shook his head. ¡°No.¡± The level of conversation was high. This wasn¡¯t what I originally intended, but I was gradually getting drawn in. My curiosity about this organization called the Information Guild was piqued. At first, I thought it was just another organization, but now I see that it doesn¡¯t seem like a gathering of random individuals. I took my hand off the braised carp and looked directly at the ck-masked man for the first time. I couldn¡¯t read his eyes. This was because the maskpletely covered even his eyeholes. How could he see with his eye holes covered like that? Did it have some special artifact? ¡°Ask your question.¡± Suddenly, I became curious. ¡°Is there a lot of infighting within the Information Guild?¡± ¡°That question is beyond the scope of my answers.¡± ¡°I have a feeling that someone within the Information Guild might be part of that secret organization.¡± ¡°Please rify your question.¡± ¡°That secret organization Parin was part of. Do you think someone from it is also within the Information Guild?¡± A chilling silence fell. An unintentional chuckle escaped the ck-masked man. ¡°What is the basis for your spection?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to make me reveal my hand again. I¡¯ll take that as an answer.¡± I thought to myself, if the secret organization Parin belonged to had infiltrated the Information Guild, it would be incredibly difficult to uncover. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask my final question.¡± The ck-masked man asked casually, ¡°Ruin, does your incantation magic originate from Samael?¡± I sighed in frustration as soon as I heard the question. Shaking my head, I asked back, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you understood my question.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crossing the line here.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a sensitive question, I can ask something else.¡± I shook my head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. We were having a lively exchange, and you just crossed the line.¡± I looked at the ck masked man and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work. Let¡¯s stop here.¡± ¡°Are you saying you want to stop the questioning?¡± Suddenly, I burst into heartyughter. Iughed while looking at the ck-masked man,ughed while looking at Walter, andughed while looking at therge man who was just regaining consciousness. Afterughing for a while, I suddenly engulfed my hand in mes and threw a punch. ¡°Let¡¯s stop ying games. The y is over.¡± As soon as I saw the ck-masked man smoothly slide back with a whoosh¡ª I channeled lightning into my hand. Just before I unleashed it, the man took off his ck mask and faced me. I looked at the corner of the man¡¯s exposed mouth and said, ¡°I told you to stop smiling so artificially, Mr. Kant.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I could smell it.¡± Was that surprised expression genuine or not? I asked Kant, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°I heard that something interesting was happening. I ended uping here myself.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Shan Kris have another branch?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in charge now.¡± ¡°A promotion?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite capable. I can¡¯t predict you at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to say to you, Ruin.¡± I couldn¡¯t tell if he was being sincere or not. Kant looked at Walter and said, ¡°Haha, we werepletely defeated today. To think we¡¯d bepletely exposed.¡± I said to Kant, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe your promise to help me in every way now.¡± ¡°I apologize. I missed the timing to tell you.¡± I replied indifferently, ¡°It was entertaining, though.¡± ¡°I mean it. Once again, I apologize.¡± Suddenly, Kant¡¯s eyes gleamed as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a proper answer. Parin belongs to another secret organization. It¡¯s almost certain. There have been several terrible incidents in the Demon Realm, and we¡¯ve confirmed that Parin is behind them.¡± ¡°Like people disappearing?¡± Kant met my eyes and slowly nodded. ¡°It seems it hasn¡¯t happened just once or twice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely not a normal organization. That¡¯s why I became interested. Parin couldn¡¯t have done those things alone. However, it¡¯s difficult to know who else is involved and how far it reaches.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I tried to investigate starting with the Magic Tower Alliance, but it¡¯s not easy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there an Information Guild there?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a branch in Ken. It¡¯s one of the top five Information Guild branches. That¡¯s precisely why it¡¯s even harder for me to investigate.¡± ¡°You could ask for cooperation, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an official investigation.¡± I said with a smile, ¡°It seems you¡¯re not on good terms.¡± ¡°You can think that.¡± ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You know quite a lot for a branch manager in the backwoods.¡± Despite my pointed remark, Kant only smiled. I said to Kant, ¡°I n to go to Ken.¡± ¡°¡­Are you thinking of entering the Demon Realm?¡± ¡°It seems that¡¯s how it¡¯ll be.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll gather any helpful information and pass it on to you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me some moonshine first?¡± Kant ced his hand on the wall, and soon the burly owner appeared. ¡°Owner, you¡¯re here. Would you like to sit down?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The owner, looking at the chaotic surroundings, said nothing, simply ced three bottles of moonshine down, and hurriedly left. ¡°He looks like a bull, but he¡¯s a timid owner.¡± I sat down, uncorked a bottle of moonshine, and looked from side to side. ¡°Kant doesn¡¯t drink. I sawst time that Mr. Walter seems to drink a bit. Would you like some?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink while on duty.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be helped then.¡± I poured myself a ss of moonshine and drank it alone. I emptied a bottle on the spot while gathering my thoughts, then spoke, ¡°Do you know any old stories?¡± Kant replied seriously, ¡°I know quite a few.¡± ¡°The legend of the Land of Death.¡± After a moment of consideration, Kant nodded. ¡°I know it.¡± ¡°Do you know its origin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old legend, so I don¡¯t know where it originated from.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like you to look into that. As specifically as possible.¡± It must have been an unexpected request, but Kant nodded without any further questions. ¡°Understood.¡± I poured myself another drink. As I drank, I reorganized my thoughts. When I finished thest ss and stood up, Kant spoke as if he had been waiting. ¡°Ruin, I have a favor to ask of you as well.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 134: Hes a Fake Woodcutter [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 134: He''s a Fake Woodcutter After leaving Shan Kris, I deliberately took a deserted forest path on my way back to Khaoto. The weather was pleasant. I walked along the forest path, enjoying the earthy scent, and asionally sat in meditation by the stream. My troubled thoughts gradually subsided. Listening to the sounds of birds, water, and wind, I recalled my previous conversation. I didn''t directly mention the demons to Kant. Somehow, I didn''t feel like it. He''s a suspicious person. I still have many reservations about revealing my hand to him. It''s a matter of needing a strategic approach. Moreover, Kant seemed quite curious about me. ¡ªDoes your incantation magic originate from Samael? He asked the question as if it were nothing special, but in reality, it wasn''t. The atmosphere, tone, and behavior were all deliberate acts. Kant had asked a simr question before. He asked where the origin of my magic was. At that time, I also answered Samael. To think he would ask the same question again at this point in time... Did he find out something in the meantime? Perhaps Kant was investigating the Samael of the past. And he might have be suspicious. I was also curious how much Kant knew, but it wasn''t the right time yet. Because I didn''t know Kant''s purpose. In any case, the more Kant digs, the more the initiative will shift to me. No matter how clever he is, he can''t possibly find out that there''s a mage who reincarnated from Samael 300 years ago, as fresh as a live fish. ¡ªI have a favor to ask. If the Information Guild contacts you in Ken, please don''t give them any information. ¡ªWhy? ¡ªThey might be approaching you with ill intentions. ¡ªA whistleblower? ¡ªThat''s right. ¡ªI''ll keep that in mind. ¡ªBe careful of the branch manager. He''s a strange one. I couldn''t tell if his words were genuine advice or if he had another motive. I''ll decide after meeting the Ken branch manager. The person I really needed to be wary of was Kant himself. Perhaps it wasn''t a coincidence that he was in Khaoto. After walking through the forest all day, reviewing my conversation with Kant and letting my thoughts wander, I suddenly had an amusing thought. If Fichte and Kant fought verbally, who would win? *** When I was thirsty, I drank water from the stream, and when I was hungry, I went down to a nearby vige for a meal before returning. On my way back, I visited awless zone called Uta, where a blood-red g hung in the middle of the vige. In the center, it read: [Fulkhao Brotherhood] To think they''d use a g like a band of thieves... Their naming sense... Did they change the name of the patrol unit without my permission? Quite impressive. In any case, seeing merchants roaming the vige and residents leisurely napping, it seemed the patrol unit was doing its job properly. Around the time the Mt Khaoto range came into view, I deliberately detoured. Instead of entering Mt Khaoto through the city, I circled around the outskirts towards the cliffs. In other words, ''secretly infiltrating my own home.'' Since Mt Khaoto was so vast and rugged, it was impossible to guard every spot. As I stealthily climbed the cliffs and gradually went deeper into the mountain... Beeeeeeep¡ª "Whoa, what''s that?" Startled by the sudden noise, I quickly retreated and scanned my surroundings. There was nothing visibly out of the ordinary. Only when I opened my circle and expanded my senses did I notice a faint magical barrier shimmering among the thickyer of leaves on the ground. If I had been even a littlete, the noise would have spread throughout the entire mountain. "Wow." It seemed they had deployed magical barriers here and there to prepare for outside intrusion. It acted as a kind of rm. ''So they weren''t just ying around?'' I suddenly remembered Urgon''s minions, who used to freely enter and exit Samael as if it were their own backyard. It was a new feeling. Samael was changing too. Focusing wind pressure on the tips of my toes, I dashed across the leaves, smoothly passing through the barrier. It was simr to the footwork of knights. I deliberately didn''t use levitation magic. The mana fluctuations could have triggered the barrier. Once I fully entered Mt Khaoto, there were no more magical barriers in sight. As I was heading towards the summit, I changed direction and moved towards the opposite side. Besides Red Summit, Mt Khaoto had many other peaks, some of which were virtually untouched by humans. Even in the past, only a few high-ranking mages in Samael could freely roam Mt Khaoto. I wandered around like a hermit, and as the evening sun began to set, I stopped on top of arge rock. It was a spacious rock,rge enough tofortably seat four or five people. Below, a gorge stretched out, offering quite a scenic view. "Haa..." The mountain breeze blowing. The setting sun pouring down. It felt like I could even smell the ocean from the vast sea beyond the mountain. I immediately sat down on the rock and began to meditate. After taking a deep breath, I rotated my heart''s circle in reverse. Wheeeee¡ª One, two, three, four. The pressure on my heart intensified as the rings rotated against their natural flow. A twisting, squeezing pain. I opened my eyes wide. Suppressing a groan, I continued to elerate the circles. More, more, more, more. Gradually, my heart felt like it was burning, and when it reached its saturation point, I stretched out my hand towards the sky. Darkness erupted from my fingertips like fireworks, momentarily dyeing my vision ck. Dark Explosion. "..." The limit I could control. The results weren''t bad, but I wasn''t satisfied. Fighting Parin made me realize something. This wasn''t enough. Now that I''ve even encountered a fragment of a demon, there''s no guarantee that a greater threat won''t appear. It''s not that I''ve been cking off in my training, but I need to step it up. That''s why I''m here right now, putting everything else aside. Yin dimension mana. I need to reach at least the 5th circle of the Yin. Of course, it''s not easy. This inevitably involves madness. In a way, madness might be the driving force behind Yin dimension mana. The reason I was able to umte Yin dimension magic so quickly in my previous life was because of the expedition, a perfect situation to go crazy. I wasn''t called the Crazy Mage for nothing. Of course, I won''t be like my past self. One fortunate thing is that I now have Samael''s blood flowing through me. I began my training, selecting 5th circle spells andbining them with Dark Lightning and Dark Explosion. They generally worked well with impact spells, but thebination with fire attribute spells wasn''t bad either. If I reach the 6th circle, I''ll be able to achieve even more powerful magicbinations. The 6th circle is the realm of a true high-ranking mage. Spells created with six circles are different in their power. Not only area-of-effect magic capable of taking on a hundred enemies at once, but also anti-personnel magic surpassing knights, and even the famous incantation songs. One high-ranking mage can change the tide of battle. In the past, the prestige of a n was often determined by the number of high-ranking mages above the 6th circle. What I need to reach the 6th circle right now is simpler than I thought. I suddenly remembered those guys from the past who boasted while peddling their mystical insights. They said you need to attain enlightenment to reach the high-ranking level. I cursed them under my breath when I heard that. ''What a load of nonsense.'' What enlightenment are they even talking about? The answer is training. There''s no need for abstract nonsense like enlightenment. The only thing you can achieve by just sitting around and waiting for enlightenment is mental illness. One thing I respected about Samael was that all the mages trained like their lives depended on it. You have to train your body to the point where you can engrave six rings. Ultimately, all that talk about enlightenmentes from desperately training, mentally arming yourself, and transforming your body. Once you''ve built up your body, you start meditating. You just need to keep rotating the circles until your mana reaches its saturation point. If you''re lucky enough to get a few elixirs, you''ll ascend more easily than you think. *** Pitch-ck night. How much time had passed? I was repeating my training and meditation when I suddenly opened my eyes and looked straight ahead. It was suddenly difficult to concentrate. I kept hearing rustling noises from somewhere. Rustle¡ª rustle¡ª At first, I thought it was the sound of wild animals, but it wasn''t. I manifested a fireball and scattered it widely forward. Something that looked like a person was swiftly moving through the gorge, scattering lights in the air. "Someone''s out here at this hour?" No matter how I looked at it, it was shaped like a human. It was too far away to see what they were doing. They would stay in one ce for a long time, then slowly weave through the trees as if searching for something. ''A woodcutter?'' Seeing them move around so openly, it seemed likely they had permission. But toe to such a rugged ce at thiste hour, were they looking for wild ginseng or something? I sent a stronger light into the air to get a better look at the woodcutter''s face. Suddenly, the woodcutter turned their head and looked in my direction. "Huh?" It felt like our eyes met. With a whooshing sound¡ª something flew towards me at high speed. At the same time, my body reacted first to a sense of foreboding. A hidden weapon? As soon as I deflected the weapon by gathering mana in my hand, fireworks exploded in the air. Booom¡ª I immediately elerated and leaped diagonally upwards, escaping the explosion''s range. My eyes remained fixed on the figure below in the gorge. "A fake woodcutter. A spy!" While still in the air, I released wind pressure with my body facing the sky. A movement to gain momentum. ''Overload, Point Gravity.'' With the elerating gravity, I twisted my body and plunged straight down towards the gorge. The distance between me and the fake woodcutter rapidly closed. As soon as I saw another hidden weapon flying towards me from the front, I leaped once more, using the wind gathered in mid-air as a stepping stone. I narrowly dodged the weapon, and a huge explosion sounded from behind me as it grazed past. Booom¡ª Landing on the ground, I dashed towards the fake woodcutter to see their face, moving several times faster than those knightly footwork techniques. Only then could I see the fake woodcutter''s movements clearly. Their arm was bent like a bow. It seemed they had been throwing those hidden weapons like javelins. When the distance between us closed to within ten paces... The fake woodcutter released a third hidden weapon from their hand. "...!" An intense heat washed over me. This one felt different. Wheeeee¡ª I opened all the circles in my heart and stretched out my hand forward. A chilling coldness concentrated at my fingertips. I couldn''t let that thing explode. It could devastate the gorge. Fwoosh¡ª An icy stream shot out from my hand,pletely encasing the hidden weapon. The moment the weapon was enveloped in ice, I simultaneously grabbed the fake woodcutter''s face in my hand. Pressing down hard on their face, I demanded, "Reveal your identity, fake woodcutter! Are you a spy?" "...How dare you enter Samael! Ugh!" The woodcutter, their face crushed in my grip, struggled and grabbed my hand. I tightened my grip to prevent them from resisting. It would be troublesome if they released another hidden weapon. "Ugh! Ugh!" "Quiet! How dare you infiltrate Samael with hidden weapons?" At some point, the struggling woodcutter fell silent. Did they faint? Suddenly, something felt strange. Looking closely, I saw wrinkles around their eyes and a gaunt body. How could they throw those weapons with such force with those skinny arms? I shifted my gaze to the weapon frozen in ice. It looked familiar. "Magic Stone? The weapon was a Magic Stone?" Only then did I sense the incongruity. I released my grip on the fake woodcutter''s face and looked at them. "..." The old woodcutter''s eyes were closed, and they were unconscious. "..." Before the old geezer could open their eyes, I quickly grabbed their face again. What should I do with this? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 135: Where Did the Crazy Mage Squad Go? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 135: Where Did the Crazy Mage Squad Go? "Really?" "Yes." "Truly?" "...It''s true." "He really threw Magic Stones?" "Apparently so." "Like this?" As I mimicked throwing a weapon, the elders gathered in the cave nodded. "Huh." I looked at Elder Isaac, who was seated in the highest seat. Elder Isaac was ring at Elder Norman, who was lying unconscious beside him, looking as good as dead. "Oh, you scoundrel. That wretched elder. Sigh..." A drop of sweat trickled down Elder Isaac''s forehead, who had been checking on Elder Norman''s condition since dawn. Elder Isaac asked, "Where did you find him?" "I found him by a deep mountain spring." "There''s a ce like that?" "It''s a mystical ce. I don''t really know where it is. I wouldn''t be able to find it again. I just returned to Mt Khaoto after a long time and went deep into the mountains to meditate when I heard an explosion." I observed Elder Isaac''s expression as I delivered my prepared answer. Fortunately, Elder Isaac didn''t seem to have any suspicions. Rather, he said he should have expected it and red at Elder Norman even more intensely. "That senile elder. I knew it when he started wandering around at night. He should age gracefully, gracefully. I knew he would cause an ident." Despite his words, Elder Isaac''splexion was also somewhat dark. His eyes looked hollow, as if he hadn''t slept in days. Looking around, I saw that the other elders were in a simr state. "...Are youpeting for Magic Stones or something?" The elders exchanged nces, then coughed awkwardly and turned their heads with embarrassed faces. Just then... Elder Norman, who had been lying in bed, suddenly opened his eyes and sat up. "Where am I?" Elder Isaac, uncharacteristically, yelled at Elder Norman. "Elder!" "Oh my, you surprised me." Elder Norman looked around with a bewildered expression. "Why am I here...?" "This elder must have gone truly senile. This is what happens when you wander around alone at night. A Magic Stone exploded, you know!" "Why is this guy suddenly yelling without any respect..." Just as Elder Norman was about to retort angrily, he suddenly frowned and tilted his head. "Wait. An explosion?" "You almost went to the underworld, but Ruin barely managed to find you and bring you back." "Ruin came? Our Ruin?" I greeted him brightly, pretending to be nonchnt. "Elder, hello." Elder Norman, finally noticing me, smiled brightly. "Oh, Ruin. You''ve returned? I''ve heard a lot. By the way, it''s strange. The Magic Stone couldn''t have exploded. I didn''t engrave the spell so carelessly." I felt a strange sensation. To think Elder Norman would smile so brightly at me... Didn''t he despise me? "Ahem!" Suddenly, Norman coughed and yelled, "An intruder! There was an intruder. Yes, someone attacked me!" The elders reacted simultaneously, their eyes widening. "An intruder?" "I threw the Magic Stone at him. That''s why the explosion happened." Elder Isaac let out a hollowugh and said, "Where was this intruder?" "Well, that''s..." Elder Norman started to speak but then shook his head as if hiding something. "I can''t say...that..." "Why not?" "Anyway, I can''t tell you the location!" Elder Isaac retorted, "Elder, are you truly senile? Or are you doing this on purpose? What intruder?" "It''s not a lie!" "The rm didn''t even go off, so where would an intrudere from? Tell us what happened." "...It didn''t go off?" Elder Norman, lost in thought, looked at me. "Ah, Ruin would know. Ruin, didn''t you notice anything strange?" "No. You were copsed there alone, Elder. There was no trace of anyone else." Elder Norman dejectedly shook his head. "Really not...? My Magic Stone exploded?" This was, so to speak, brainwashing. It''s like if everyone says you''re strange, you start to feel strange yourself. Suddenly, Elder Norman looked at me. I looked back at Elder Norman...and we exchanged nces for a moment. Did he suddenly sense something? Elder Norman''s pupils dted widely. "Gah!" With a short scream, the elder fainted. [TL/N: I genuinely feel bad for the elder, bro has been torturing him from the start ????] *** "There shouldn''t be any major problems." The physician said after examining Elder Norman. Having climbed all the way to the deep cave where the elders were gathered without rest, the physician also looked tired. "It seems to have been a temporary shock. He''s sleeping now. He should be fine soon." "That''s a relief. Thank you for your efforts." Elder Isaac clicked his tongue while looking at Elder Norman. "Why does he be more childish with age? Honestly." While the physician was checking on Elder Norman, I had a long conversation with Elder Isaac. Throwing Magic Stones... It was a surprising idea. The principle, as I understand it, was this: It''s a simple structure: imbue a magic stone with a spell, throw the magic stone, and the spell activates when it shatters. It requires a high level of concentration, but it''s not impossible. Essentially, the simpler the structure, the more effective it is. Perhaps high-level spells would be difficult, but even this much can be quite effective in battle. It made me realize anew how amazing the elders of our Samael are to havee up with such an idea. Perhaps they devised this escape route because they don''t have the physical strength to train like young mages. Even 300 years ago, no one in Samael had this kind of idea. Only then did I understand why Elder Norman was wandering around such a remote cete at night. I put my hand in my pocket and felt the cold touch of the magic stone. The A-grade magic stone that Elder Norman tried to throw at me at thest moment. ¡­No wonder there were so many magic stones around there. Perhaps that ce was Elder Norman''s hidden treasure trove. I said to Elder Isaac, "I roughly understand the situation. Still, please don''tpete too much, Elders." Elder Isaac nodded. "Don''t worry too much. We''re doing our best." "I understand." Suddenly, Elder Isaac took my hand and mumbled something for a long time. "What''s wrong, Elder?" The elder looked at me without saying a word. His expression was so profound that I, too, remained silent. After a moment, Elder Isaac said, "I heard you''ve been through a lot." "...." "Rumors are spreading. That Urgon has fallen. That things would turn out this way." "Word about me has already reached here?" "I heard that even the noble ns joined the battle. And that you, Ruin, yed the biggest role." "Ah." It seems Loren worked quickly. Perhaps the rumors were likely spread directly from Ardehain. Elder Isaac, looking at the lying Elder Norman, said, "The childish Elder liked you the most. You fulfilled his long-cherished wish, Ruin." Suddenly, the memory of Elder Norman weing me a while ago came to mind. No wonder he was smiling so brightly. "He also worried about you a lot." "Is that so?" "It must have been very dangerous. If such a thing happened, why didn''t you ask for help?" "Things happened so suddenly that it wasn''t the right situation." "Do you not trust us?" "That''s not it." Elder Isaac looked straight at me and said, "Don''t try to carry all the burdens alone. You are not Samael alone." I was speechless for a moment. Because I felt his sincerity. This kind of emotion is unfamiliar. It''s not an emotion I like either. I felt it in my past life too, but this is a damn feeling. "It''s okay. You don''t have to worry about me too much." Surprisingly, upon hearing my words, Elder Isaac gave an enigmatic smile. "You sound just like the n head." Just as I was about to ask what he meant, a strange groaning sound suddenly came from the side. ¡°Ugh! Ugh! How dare¡­ Samael!¡± Elder Norman was talking in his sleep. As he showed signs of slowly opening his eyes, I hurriedly bid farewell to Elder Isaac. "I''ll head down first. Then please rest, Elder." "Go and rest, Ruin. Let''s talk againter." * * * Receiving the dawn sunlight rising along the ridgeline, I headed towards the n estate. In the distance, I could see the form of Ifrit being built. They had already secured thend and were erecting the temple, and it was enormous at a nce. ¡°Haaaaaaaaap!¡± A momentter, shouts were heard. Following the sound, I arrived at the central training ground. At a nce, there were at least a hundred apprentices doing physical training with shouts from the crack of dawn. I sat down on the ridge for a moment and watched them. The morning sunlight illuminated the training ground. "This is it." On one side of the training ground, I saw a small mana refinery, built sometime recently. With that, they could quickly recover their stamina even when exhausted. I reminisced about the past for a moment. The dawn of Samael, filled with the shouts of hundreds of apprentice mages. I suppose this means we''re somewhat properly equipped now. At that moment, a familiar young elder leading the chants at the front caught my eye. "Elder Falcon is working hard." At some point, Elder Falcon seemed to have noticed me too, as he widened his eyes in my direction. I bowed my head, and Elder Falcon waved. No words were needed. We simply exchanged greetings with smiles and went about our own business. After watching the training from the ridge for a while, I returned to the manor. As always, Lihan, who was wandering around the manor, was the first to spot me and came running over. ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Young Master, you''re safe!¡± ¡°What''s with that expression?¡± Lihan''s expression was quite peculiar. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were tearing up. ¡°I''ve been waiting for you, Young Master!¡± ¡°Wow, your expression right now is like¡­ Never mind.¡± I''ve seen this expression before. A long time ago, that is, when I was young and acting like a hoodlum. It was quite simr to the expression of the dog owned by the wife,monly known as ''Madam'', of the boss of my second gang, when it greeted its owner. But I didn''t say anything because I couldn''t say that to Lihan. "Wow." I marveled at the procession pouring in through the main gate and the manor. Boxes full of goods were flooding in on carriages. ¡°What are all those?¡± "Many ns from the Quebek region are sending gifts now. Yesterday, it was the Heintz n and... where else was it? Lord Garheim came in person. And today, we''ve already received gifts from two ces." "Excellent." "I told you, didn''t I? Our n is an excellent one." "Make a list ranking who sent how much. After all, these things need to be done with certainty." "I''m already doing that." "You''re excellent too." At that moment, a few servants I had never seen before approached and said, "A box of gold bullion has arrived. Where should we put it?" Lihan said, "Have them wait in front of the gold bullion warehouse." "Understood." Lihan suddenly shouted in an uncharacteristic manner, "You fools! Why haven''t you greeted the Young Master! This is the eldest son of our Samael, Ruin Samael!" The servants were startled and bowed their heads to me at a 90-degree angle. "Ah, greetings, Young Master." "That''s right. Greet him like that from now on." I shook my head. "Take it easy, take it easy." Lihan ryed it to the servants as it was. "Did you hear? Take it easy, take it easy." "Yes!" "Go and wait then." The servants withdrew, and I stared at Lihan for a moment, dumbfounded. "What was that?" "They''re newly hired servants. We''re short-staffed now." "No, I mean what''s with you?" "I''m the Assistant-Butler." "You got promoted?" "Yes." "Congrattions." Iughed out loud because Lihan''s proud look as he puffed out his chest was funny. When Iughed, Lihanughed along. Afterughing for a while, we stopped at the same time. I said to Lihan, "Let''s go see the n head first." "Ah." Lihan replied, "The patriarch is away." "Since when?" "It''s been a while. It''s about time for him to return. He''ll probably be back within three days." "Hmm." As I looked around the estate, I suddenly felt strange and asked, "By the way, where are all the Crazy mage squad?" No matter how much I looked around, I couldn''t see a single one of them. "They''ve been doing individual trainingtely, so they''re not easily seen. They sometimes appear suddenly after being in the mountains." "The Commander, but they''re nowhere to be seen. Those crazy guys." "They might not know you''re here." "This won''t do." I''ll have to find them myself. After giving Lihan various instructions, I headed back to the mountain ridge. As I went deeper into the mountains, I started to hear the sound of running. ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± Some of the apprentices I had seen at the training ground at dawn were jogging in formation. I joined the back of the line and started running with them. The strong smell of sweat made me feel good. ¡°Number off!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± How long did we run? From an unknown cliff, with a whooshing sound, a pebble flew over. ¡°Ugh!¡± One of the apprentices who was hit by the pebble staggered. The squad leader, who was running in the first row, turned around and warned, ¡°The devil''s attack has begun. Everyone, stay alert!¡± Hmm? Then, a series of pebble attacks followed. As dozens of pebbles flew in session, the apprentices who were jogging started to copse one by one. Finally, the attack stopped when the squad leader copsed. ¡°Keke!¡± With a familiarugh, someone jumped down from the cliff. The man, looking over the copsed apprentices, said menacingly, ¡°This is all you''ve got? You weaklings. In my day, I was fine even after being hit by a slingshot. I think I''ll give you all a p on the butt.¡± The man, who was casually spitting out gruff words, was wearing something like a hat pulled down low. His eyes were not visible. The apprentices all looked at the devilish man with fearful eyes. Suddenly, the man looked at me, standing perfectly fine, and said, ¡°Oh. There was someone who dodged?¡± I didn''t say anything and slowly approached the man. ¡°Well, well?¡± I lightly dodged the man''s fist with a nod and then snatched his hat. Only then did the man see my face. ¡°...The fuck?¡± ¡°Ha¡ªah.¡± I shot my forehead slingshot at the dumbfounded man''s forehead. Whack¡ª With a tremendous impact, the man sprawled backward, and for a moment, it seemed like he had fainted. But surprisingly, he quickly recovered with a breakfall. ¡°What''s our business manager doing here?¡± The man, his forehead red, looked around for a moment. The apprentices were all staring at him with nk expressions. Zion, staggering to his feet, looked at the apprentices again with a menacing gaze. ¡°Did you all see that? I wasn''t kidding. I can withstand a slingshot.¡± [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 136: Heading to Keplan [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 136: Heading to Ken Zion, who had maintained an intimidating posture until the end, only copsed into his seat after the trainees disappeared. "Ugh!" Zion continued to rub his flushed forehead with a leaf. "What are you doing?" "When did you get here, Commander?" "Yesterday. Instead of training like you''re supposed to, you''re just showing off in front of the trainees." "What are you talking about? I learned it all from you." Instead of answering, I wrapped fire spears around both hands andunched them at Zion. As soon as the startled Zion rolled on the ground to dodge, I opened four circles of my heart. Wheeeng¡ª "Ouch!" I wrapped my whole body in wind armor and charged into Zion''s chest with a body m. Thud¡ª With the sound, Zion bounced off, rolled in the air, and opened his mana. "This damn Commander, really!" "Watch yournguage." I raised my index finger and pointed at Zion. Wind pressure wrapped around my fingertip, forming a wind de. As soon as he saw my move, Zion pointed at me with both index fingers in the same position. Following that, a chant erupted from Zion''s mouth. "Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Air." The wind des collided. With the sound of air exploding in the air, the surrounding leaves were torn to shreds. Crackle¡ª I kicked the ground hard with my heels and leaped into the air. As soon as I looked down from the sky, burning stones suddenly filled my vision. Zion had thrown them in the meantime. The moment I wrapped my hand in coldness and deflected them, Zion''s face appeared right in front of me. A powerful heat swirled around his right arm. "mes that wrap around the skin, Fire Arm." I immediately formed an ice barrier. Frost Barrier. Zion struck the ice barrier with his ming arm. Crash¡ª His arm was embedded in the ice, and smoke billowed up. Hiss¡ª I instantly gathered wind in my other hand and struck Zion''s face. Zion, who dodged with a nod in the air, was about to chant again when... "Shoot!" Suddenly, a look of dismay spread across Zion''s face as his pants slid down. I didn''t miss the opportunity and chanted the Forehead Slingshot spell in the air. "Haa¡ª" Thwack¡ª Zion crashed to the ground. The gravity magic I had secretly cast on Zion''s pants worked perfectly. Zion grabbed his forehead and rolled on the ground. "Come on! Why''d you hit the same spot?" I closed my circles and pointed at Zion. "You''ve reached 4 circles." "Of course." I couldn''t help butugh seeing Zion trying to maintain hisposure. Looking at my expression, Zion burst intoughter as well. We stared at each other''s faces andughed for a while before stopping simultaneously. Zion spoke. "You''rete, damn Commander." "Things came up." "I heard you were living the good life. Take me with you next time." "Where are the others?" Zion replied, holding his forehead. "Makan is almost always meditating in the upper basin, and the others are nearby. I haven''t seen Pig around though." "Gather them." "Here?" I thought for a moment and said, "To our old training grounds." *** After a long time, I climbed the cliff and headed to the old training grounds. The old training hall where the Crazy Mage Squad used to live remained the same. Going inside, it was cleaner than I expected, with less dust. Who''s been maintaining this ce? When I entered the room I used to use, there was a chair I had never seen before. It was a wide chair that lookedfortable at a nce. I wondered who had brought such a thing here. I sat down on the chair for a moment and leaned back. It was morefortable than I expected. The gentle rocking motion made it perfect for taking a short nap. ...But why is the chair pink? ''Hmm?'' I must have dozed off. I woke up to the noiseing from outside. I removed the nket covering my knees and went out to the training grounds to find familiar faces gathered. "Is everyone here?" I didn''t bother with greetings. That''s not the Crazy Mage Squad''s way. After exchanging nces, I shouted without further ado, "Prepare!" Everyone, with determined expressions, simultaneously rotated their circles. Fwoosh¡ª As expected, the first one to catch my eye was Makan. He was already rotating four circles, and another strong energy emanated around him. It seemed he had alreadypleted his Manacore to 4 stars. It seemed the cultivation technique I gave him was quite effective. Everyone else was also rotating four circles. "Looks like you haven''t been cking off." I looked at Zion and said, "Where''s Palge?" "I looked for him, but I couldn''t find him." "Did he go out to eat?" At that moment, Zion pointed behind me and said, "Oh, there he is." I turned around to see a bulky figure walking out of the training hall where I had been. His arms were raised high in the air, doing a "banzai" pose. His fingers were spread out identically on each hand: three fingers extended on each. Thumb, index, and pinky. I was about to curse involuntarily, but Zion spoke first. "I told you not to do that, Pig." "It''s an expression of respect." "Shut up." Zion hurled fireballs at Palge with both hands. Surprisingly, a white aura flickered in front of Palge, and the fireballs Zion shot disappeared in an instant. Palge smiled contentedly. I shook my head and said, "Enough. Why are youing out of there?" "How is it?" "How is what?" "The chair. I made it myself. I had a feeling you woulde." Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. "Have you reached peakfort?" "Shut up!" "I even put a nket on you." My body reacted first. The circles of my heart rotated automatically. I kicked off the ground and flew towards Palge in an instant, throwing a punch. Swift and decisive. As soon as I saw the aura burst in front of him, I forcibly broke through it and punched him in the forehead. "Oof!" "Get up, Pig." Palge got up with a mournful look and chanted a spell. Surprisingly, with a sh of light, Palge''s wound healed instantly. Palge, who had suddenly be quiet, joined the Crazy Mage Squad''s ranks without a word. I looked at the members and said, "How long has it been since you guysst fought?" As soon as I said that, they paired up, facing each other. Perhaps they had reached the point where they could understand with just a few words. I nodded and shouted, "Let the duels begin!" *** Even among mages of the same circle, skills vary greatly. This is even more true for higher circles. The level of understanding ofbat directly affects one''s capabilities in actual battles. That''s why a solid foundation is essential. Without a foundation, even a high-ranking mage is only half-baked. To put it bluntly, they be weaklings who hide behind knights and cast spells. I watched the duels until dawn and evaluated the fools. Now everyone had a solid understanding of the basics ofbat. Zion especially caught my eye. This guy resembled my past self. Objectively, his abilities were among the lowest, along with Ain''s, but he overcame that with his instincts. When at a disadvantage, he would somehow look for an opportunity to turn the tables, and once he gained the upper hand, he would attack like a madman. But as expected, Zion was simr to me. Just by looking at his expression, I could tell he wasn''t satisfied. It was because of those guys. Makan and Palge, who were continuously engaged in a duel on one side. Makan was as expected. He was using both his circles and core simultaneously. As expected of Tycoon''s descendant, he disyed decent spear skills with the spear in his hand. The earth magic swirling around him added to the force of his spear techniques. However, what I didn''t expect was Palge. "Oof!" What kind of training had this pig been doing? He was constantly being pushed back by Makan, yet he stubbornly held on. The way he endured was quite chilling. Whenever he got hurt, he would chant a light attribute spell to heal his wounds while fighting. Moreover, his chanting was incredibly fast, sending shivers down my spine. Oof! Oof! Oof! Oof! Every time a scream erupted, a white aura enveloped Palge''s body. Should I say he has good endurance? Or should I say he''s good at fighting? Either way, it was a frustrating tactic for the opponent. It was astonishing. "Stop!" After observing the duel for a while, I gathered the members in one ce once I had grasped everything. "Is it over already? Are we done?" "You fools have trained hard." Everyone was drenched in sweat. Unlike in the past, no one was cking off. Only after my permission did the members finally copse to the ground, catching their breath. I looked up at the sky for a moment. The sunset had passed, and it was getting dark. Whoosh¡ª Just like old times, we set the surrounding scarecrows aze like a bonfire and sat in a circle on the ground. Only the crackling sound of the fire could be heard. Meanwhile, Palge, who had disappeared for a while, brought ice water from somewhere and distributed it to the fools. "Where did you get that?" Palge pointed at the training hall and grinned. "It''s my secret hideout. There''s a room for the Commander too." "Not interested." The sweat-soaked fools gulped down the ice water, and I also had a cup. It was refreshing down to my core. "Ah." The wind was cool, and the fire was warm. I looked at each member, making eye contact. Their personalities were clearly revealed in their eyes. No matter how much you train, your nature doesn''t change easily. Makan was dull-witted, Zion was full of malice, Iron was cowardly, Ain had low self-esteem, and Palge was a pig. However, what was different from before was that they all had experienced oveing their nature, even for a moment. Because they had experienced going crazy. "Everyone, get ready to move out." At my words, everyone''s eyes changed, and their attention focused on me. "It''s realbat now." The members didn''t ask any questions. Instead, the first emotions that spread among them were excitement and anticipation. I quite liked their reactions. After all, this was the attitude the Crazy Mage Squad should have. It was also proof that they had been training well. If you train like crazy for a long time, you''re bound to get eager to go out into the field. "Where are we going?" "We''re going to Ken." Zion eximed, "That far? Are there guys there we need to punish?" "Not guys, exactly." "Don''t tell me you''re trying to enter the Demon Realm?" "My business manager is quick-witted." "Whoa." Zion''s eyes sparkled. "Time to make a name for ourselves. I heard Ken is fantastic." Palge couldn''t hide his excitement either. "The Demon Realm is an opportunity. If we do well there, we can make our name known throughout the continent." I looked around and said, "Don''t get too carried away. We''re not going on vacation." Iron asked, "When are we leaving?" "In three days. Once the Lord returns, I''ll meet him and we''ll leave immediately. Everyone be prepared." After that, I exined to the members what had happened in Urgon and what I had learned about the Demon Realm. I omitted some details, but I didn''t leave out the important parts. "You fought 17 against 1, Commander?" "It was nothing." "Wow, it was even more dangerous than the rumors we heard outside." Everyone seemed to believe me. Only Zion seemed to be looking at me with suspicion, but I pretended not to notice. I also briefly mentioned the demons. Since we didn''t know what would happen in the Demon Realm, I needed to inform the members in advance. Suddenly, Ain murmured, "You really went through a lot. No wonder Arin noona seems to have changed a bit." Only then did I remember the three people I had forgotten about. "Come to think of it, I haven''t seen the Three Musketeers." "Who are the Three Musketeers?" "Taylor, ir, and Arin." "Ah." "They must have returned before me. Has anyone seen them?" Ain replied, "Arin noona is training. It was a magic I''ve never seen before, a bit eerie. It was all sparkly." Iron chimed in, "I saw it too. Her atmosphere has changed a bit. It''s hard to exin, but she seems a bit more approachable than before." Zion added, "Like a madwoman, you could say." I nodded, recalling Arin, who had endured the demonic soul human''s self-destruction and electrocuted them. "Arin is definitely on our side." Makan said, "I know about ir. For the past few days, he''s been meditating with me on the rock every evening. I think he''s trying to create a circle." Zion chimed in, "Yesterday, I saw himing out of the private room with Bravo Khan during the day." "With the officer?" "Yeah." "Did they be close?" Thinking about ir''s personality, I thought they would get along quite well. "What about Taylor?" This time, no one spoke. "Has anyone seen him?" "I haven''t." "Me neither." What was this guy doing, and where? I sighed, feeling like he was probably up to something foolish again. Suddenly, I felt something strange and turned my gaze sharply to the left. The fools followed my lead. Someone was approaching stealthily. I immediately shot mes into the air, illuminating the surroundings. The face of the figure in the darkness was revealed. Judging by his appearance... Wart? "Boss!" "Ah, you surprised me. It''s our old officer, Bravo Khan." Bravo Khan, who had rushed over, bowed deeply. "You''ve returned safely, Boss." "Look at the state of you, officer." "I didn''t know the way here would be so rough." "The path is a bit of a mess, that''s for sure. By the way, how did you know toe here?" "I just met with ir. I heard the news that the Boss has returned. He said you would be here." I asked back, "He said I would be here?" "Yes. Even though it''ste, I wanted to see you as soon as possible." "He''s a strange one. How did he know that?" I tilted my head and made eye contact with Bravo Khan. "I heard the news. They say you even took care of things in Urgon. As expected of the Boss." "As expected, the officer believed in me. Was everything alright?" "I''ll give you a report first. We''ve taken care of all the troublesome forces near Khaoto. The foundation has beenid for opening the trade route between the southern and northern continents." Suddenly, the g hanging in Uta came to mind. "I saw it on my way here. Is everyone doing well?" "Of course. They''ve been diligently patrolling and training." "By the way, who changed the name of the Fulkhao Patrol Unit to ''Brotherhood''?" "Vice Commander Daisy." "And who decided on the g color?" "Vice Commander Daisy." "I thought so. Is Daisy doing well?" Suddenly, Bravo Khan''s expression turned strange, so I asked again, "Why?" "Well, that is... Vice Commander Daisy has been secluding herselftely." "That''s not like Daisy, is it?" "That''s true. Until recently, she would go out almost every day to capture nearby mercenary groups or ouw forces." I recalled Daisy''s talent and personality and nodded. "Must have been brutal." "Yes." "Then why is she secluding herself? Is she training?" Bravo Khan shook his head and hesitated. "Speak up." "There''s been a bit of a problem." Bravo Khan sighed and said, "She went out for a duel some time ago and suffered a major defeat." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 137: You’re not alone [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 137: You¡¯re not alone "Daisy lost?" "That''s right." "To whom? Is there someone capable of that around here?" I knew Daisy''s talent and tenacity better than anyone. In a real fight, she was at a level where she could easily defeat a typical 4-star knight. She was already at that level when Ist saw her, so her skills must have improved even further by now. Even among those I saw at the banquet in Urgon, there were few who could match Daisy. "Did she go on an expedition to a noble n''s territory or a regr mercenary group''s base? Did she get into a fight with someone?" "She didn''t get into a fight with any faction, and she didn''t go on an expedition either. It happened in Kaoto." Zion, who had been listening quietly, spoke up politely. "Why didn''t you tell us, officer? You should have asked for our cooperation." "It wasn''t something that required assistance, investor." I looked at Bravo Khan and said, "Tell me more." Bravo Khan replied with a bitter smile. "It''s actually quite embarrassing to exin. The executives were all having a meal together at Donkey''s ce when a middle-aged man we''d never seen before came in and asked to join us. It wasn''t that strange. As you know, the restaurant is always full during dinner time. The middle-aged man ordered chicken stew, and we had stir-fried chicken." "I can''t even begin to imagine how this unfolds." "While eating the stew, the middle-aged man let out an exmation of admiration. Then he looked at us and asked..." "What did he ask?" "If he could try a piece of our stir-fried chicken." "Aplete stranger?" "That''s right." Palge suddenly became indignant. "He made such an unreasonable request?" "Vice Commander Daisy refused, of course. But the middle-aged man persistently asked to try just one piece. Suddenly, Vice Commander Daisy and the middle-aged man started a staring contest. After a while, they both went outside. Naturally, we thought the middle-aged man woulde back beaten to a pulp." "But the result was the opposite?" Bravo Khan nodded. "We thought it was strange that there was no news for a while, and then suddenly the middle-aged man walked back into the restaurant perfectly fine. Then he took out a pouch from his pocket, paid for the stir-fried chicken we ate, and left." "He had money but begged for food?" "Thinking about it now, I find it strange too." "What about Daisy?" "We found her in the empty lot. She had copsed,pletely battered. Fortunately, there were no fatal injuries. She was bruised all over and exhausted, but there were no internal injuries." I understood what had happened. "The middle-aged man went easy on her." "That was the end of it. The middle-aged man didn''t appear again. We don''t know his identity either. Even when I asked Vice Commander Daisy who he was, she wouldn''t answer. Since then, she''s been holed up in the main building and barelyes out." As I listened to the exnation, someone suddenly came to mind. "By any chance, was that middle-aged man bald with only three strands of hair?" "He had a sword at his waist and long hair." "Then it wasn''t him. Seems like some wandering knight." Bravo Khan asked, "Wouldn''t it be best if you talked to Vice Commander Daisy, Boss?" I nodded as if it were a matter of course. "Of course. What good is it if the Brotherhood''s deputy is like that?" "Thank you." "Let''s meet tomorrow." *** The next day, I left the main house early in the morning with Bravo Khan. "Attention!" With Garlic''s loudmand, the guards lined up in unison. "Salute!" "Chwoooong!" Along with the thudding sound of stamping feet, a powerful shout resonated. "Your saluting skills have improved." "Thank you!" "Good work." "Sir!" Stepping outside, I took a moment to look around the eastern district of Kaoto. As if a blocked blood vessel had opened, many merchants wereing and going along the street. "I''ll go and gather the executives." "Let''s meet at Donkey''s ce." After parting ways with Bravo Khan, I stopped by the ce where the apothecary used to be. The spot was empty and clean. Did Baldy leave Kaoto? I had some questions for him. With a sigh, I turned around and headed towards Donkey''s ce. As soon as I entered, a familiar smell stimted my sense of smell. "Well, well, look who it is." "Still the same, Brother Donkey." From early in the morning, Donkey was busy cleaning the restaurant. His habit of cleaning first thing hasn''t changed. I also picked up a broom ced in a corner of the restaurant and started cleaning. Donkey chuckled. "Reminds me of the old days." Once we finished cleaning up, Donkey said, "Want a bowl of stew?" "Sure." "Mild for breakfast?" "Make it spicy. That''s what I''ve been missing." Donkey went into the kitchen and quickly came out with a bowl of stew. "Damn. That smells amazing." I took a spoonful and, ha. This is it. This is the taste of home. This stimting spiciness. This crazy deliciousness. The tender, boiled chicken tore apart along the grain, adding to the texture as it melted in my mouth. "I was wrong. That was an insult." I was definitely wrong. The owner of the braised carp ce can''t even hold a candle to Donkey. That was an insult to Donkey. No matter how perfect the owner''s skills be, at best, he''ll only be able to kiss Donkey''s feet. Suddenly, a ss was ced in front of me, and Donkey poured a ss of moonshine. With the savory taste of the stew lingering on my tongue, I took a sip of the moonshine. "Haaa..." "Why are you crying? Is it too spicy?" "Haaa..." I was overwhelmed with emotion. Suddenly, I heard footsteps from the entrance, so I quickly wiped my eyes and turned my gaze. "Boss!" I was momentarily speechless when I saw who came in. One-Eye, Ponytail, Carrot... Every single one of them had changed in physique. "We have been waiting for you, Boss!" "What happened to your bodies?" "We trained hard." "Who told you to bulk up like that?" It was excessively bulky to simply be called the result of hard training. It felt like I was looking at the bull-like Bulrai from the past. "We ate a lot of chicken." "How much did you eat?" At that moment, Donkey came out of the kitchen carrying a basket piled high with chicken. I tasted it, and it was boiled chicken stir-fry without any seasoning. "We eat this all day long." "Why?" "It''s easy on the stomach, and it tastes good. We ate this and trained, and that''s how our bodies became like this." Ponytail added from the side, "It''s actually better this way. When we go out on patrol, the number of people surrendering without a fight has increased." "Instead of Patrol Unit, ''Muscleheads'' would be a more fitting name, you rotten bastards." I abruptly threw Red Dagger at One-Eye. Surprisingly, One-Eye deflected the attack with an agile move that didn''t match his bulky body. "...That''s a surprising move." It was strange because usually, when muscles are that bulky, movements be sluggish. Suddenly, as I was looking at One-Eye, I said without realizing it, "So your left hand has be your dominant hand now." "That''s right." "Are you using a dagger instead of a sword?" "How did you know?" Well... It was hard for me to answer. I didn''t figure it out by looking at his physique or posture. It was purely because I had a feeling that it would be the case. This had happened once before. Instead, I asked One-Eye, "Why did you switch to a dagger? A sword would be better." "I have only one eye, don''t I?" "So?" "I heard that daggers suit one-eyed people, and it made sense, so I''m using a dagger now. Swift and silent." Ponytail chimed in, "He goes around spreading the nickname ''One-Eyed Assassin'' himself." "Turning a weakness into a strength. That''s an excellent attitude." After chatting with the other executives, I suddenly looked towards the entrance again. Bravo Khan entered, followed awkwardly by Daisy. "You''re here?" Her voice was somewhat gloomy. I gestured to the seat in front of me. "Sit down, Vice Commander Daisy." As Daisy sat across from me, the members all looked at her with worried expressions. After observing herplexion for a moment, I looked around and said, "Everyone except Daisy, please leave. Brother Donkey, bring us some moonshine." *** The preliminary symptoms of a Heart Demon. Daisy''splexion was pale, as if she hadn''t slept in days. I poured moonshine into two sses and handed one to Daisy. "Tell me. I''ve heard everything." "Brother..." "How did the fight go?" If it had been a duel where they exchanged blows, Daisy''s personality wouldn''t have led to these symptoms. The implication of this Heart Demon was clear. Daisy emptied the ss in one gulp and said, "At first, he seemed like nothing special. I just thought he was a weird guy. But once the duel started, it was different. He had many openings, but no matter how much I attacked, he blocked everything." "Did he only defend?" "That''s right. It felt like he was reading all my attacks. He kept doing that, so I got angry and put mana into my attacks, fighting seriously." "And that didn''t work either?" "He deflected everything. In the end, that bastard knocked me unconscious by hitting me only with his scabbard, without even using mana." "I thought so." Now I understood. "That''s why you''ve been withdrawn." "I kept training alone, thinking about how to defeat him, but no matter what I did, I couldn''te up with a way." Knowing Daisy''s personality, she must have been working on it day and night. Even after all that research, she couldn''t find an answer, leading to a Heart Demon. Looking at Daisy''s pale face, I shared my own experience. "I''ve been there too." "You have, Brother?" "It was before I knew magic. There was this ce called the Red Moon Tavern. A drunkard picked a fight with me, and I was badly defeated in a duel. Turned out he was a 5-star knight." "You lost?" "But I didn''t give up. I worked my ass off, became a mage, and finally seeded in getting my revenge on him." "As expected of you, Brother." Strictly speaking, there were some inuracies in my story, but that wasn''t important. "There are many strong people in the world. The important thing is to keep trying without giving up." Looking at Daisy, whose expression was still dark, I said, "Do you know the identity of that man?" "I don''t know. His attire was a bit unusual for a swordsman." "How so?" "I noticed it during the fight, but he had a butterfly pattern drawn on his arm." "Go and get the officer." A momentter, Bravo Khan, who had been waiting outside, entered. "You called?" "Officer, I heard that the man who fought Daisy had a butterfly pattern on his arm. Do you know anything about that?" "A butterfly pattern... Do you happen to remember the color as well?" Daisy answered, "Blue." I asked Bravo Khan, "Is it a n crest?" "As far as I know, there''s no n that uses that kind of crest. If it''s a blue butterfly pattern, there is one ce thates to mind." "Where?" "The Fenrir Mercenary Groupes to mind. They''re not a regr mercenary group, but I remember them because they''ve been quite active recently, mainly in the southern part of the continent." Bravo Khan recalled his memories and said, "If you go west from Leon, you''lle across a base called Poeta, and they''re active around there." "Poeta?" "Yes." Poeta was a region I knew as well. It was one of the bases where a public magic circle was installed. "I''m not sure though. I heard that the mercenary captain there is young. There would be quite an age difference between him and the middle-aged man who fought Vice Commander Daisy." "What''s their reputation like?" "Not very good. They don''t seem to be picky about the jobs they take. Their area of activity doesn''t extend beyond Poeta, and they haven''t really shed with us, so I haven''t looked into them in detail." "How long does it take to get to Poeta?" "About three days by carriage." Three days by carriage wasn''t that far. If I went alone, it would only take a few hours. There was still some time left before the Lord returned. "Daisy." "Yes, Brother." "Pack your things." "Huh?" "I can''t just let go of the guy who dared to steal our stir-fried chicken and make a fool out of Vice Commander Daisy in our territory. Revenge isn''t always something you do alone." Bravo Khan said, "It might not be the Fenrir Mercenary Group." "We''ll find out when we get there. I have a bad feeling about this." "Excuse my boldness... but aren''t you deciding this too hastily?" "It''s fine. Officer, go and tell the Crazy Mage Squad." Bravo Khan asked back, "What should I tell them?" "Tell them to finish all their preparations by the time I get back." "Understood." I just felt that way. I had always regretted not getting revenge on that pot-bellied drunkard knight, but there was no need for Daisy to carry that same regret. I was alone, but the Brotherhood wasn''t. I didn''t want my subordinates to feel the same emotions I had experienced. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 138: Please Leave, Customer [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 138: Please Leave, Customer Prestigious ns and renowned factions across the continent tend to possess unique flying vehicles that represent them. The Arihama n''s Guardian Ship and the White Magic Tower''s Sky Sphere are prime examples. Of course, considering the entire continent, these are extremely rare. This is because the technology and cost involved are substantial, and the efficiency is low. Especially for merchants who frequently travel across the continent, even if they have flying vehicles, they often choose to travel bynd due to cost concerns. *** It''s quite difficult to urately grasp the size of the continent. This is because even excluding the Demon Realm, the Hwarin Mountains, and the Land of Death beyond the borders, the central continent alone is unimaginably vast. Even traveling on a fine steed, it would likely take several years to traverse from the eastern end to the western end. That''s why the public magic circles were created. Erected at several key points in the east, west, south, and north of the continent, public magic circles allow even ordinary people to drastically reduce travel distances. By using a public magic circle, one can instantly travel vast distances. Poeta is one such base with a public magic circle. It was a ce I knew as well. Considering that there was no base in the Quebek region, it was one of the closest bases to Khaoto. However, the difference from the past was in the managing entity. In the past, the White Magic Tower managed the public magic circles, but now, I heard that the Magic Tower Alliance was in charge. *** There are various ways to move quickly. While there are many factors to consider in detail, I broadly categorized them into three: * Covering short distances with explosive eleration. * Covering long distances with moderate eleration. * Quickly dodging an opponent''s attacks duringbat. I wanted to be fast in every aspect. There was a reason for my obsession with speed. It was a matter of survival. When fighting demons, unexpected situations often arose. I didn''t always have the upper hand in battles against demons. There were times when I had to flee. To survive and avoid death, how fast I could run was a crucial matter. Knights'' footwork is slow. However, obsessed with speed, I recently discovered a possibility in footwork while traversing Mount Khaoto. From Khaoto to Poeta, I intentionally imitated knights'' footwork while running. Running with wind pressure concentrated on the tips of my toes, barely touching the ground. It minimized sound, improved efficiency, and even looked stylish. It was a way to approach an opponent quickly without being noticed. During my journey to Poeta, I more or less perfected the Crazy Mage style of footwork. "It feels really good running like you, Brother." One surprising thing was that Daisy, who was desperately trying to keep up, was also imitating my running form at some point. As expected, Daisy had a natural talent. "I''m not even out of breath, and the feeling of stepping on the ground is great. Lightly treading on the grass. You know how much I love grass." "You''ve got a good eye." My first impression of Poeta was moreplicated than I expected. Centered around the central za with the magic circle, people from all over the continent were bustling about with their own purposes. Overall, rather than feeling like a developed city, it seemed like Poeta was only being used as a base. I roamed Poeta tirelessly, gathering information. Time was of the essence. First, I visited local merchants and mercenary brokerage offices to gather information about the Fenrir Mercenary Group. They seemed to be quite well-known, as I didn''t have much trouble gathering information. To summarize: First, they were a small mercenary group that had be active rtively recently. Second, they had attacked another mercenary group that used to dominate Poeta and killed every single one of them. Third, they epted any job as long as the pay was right. However, their range of activity wasn''t very wide. "I don''t think it''s them." Daisy and I gathered information in our respective areas and then met up again. Daisy, who had brought a physical description of the Fenrir Mercenary Group''s leader, shook her head. "Just like the soldier said. The leader seems too young. And his personality doesn''t seem to match either." "I have a feeling it''s them. We''ll know once we go." "If you say so, Brother." We set off together. The Fenrir Mercenary Group''s headquarters was located on the outskirts of Poeta, a little distance from the center. Strangely, as we headed towards the headquarters, the Heart Demon that had been embedded in Daisy''s face slowly disappeared. I asked Daisy, "What are you thinking?" Suddenly, Daisy burst intoughter. "I was just reminded of the old days. This feels like when you and I went to find that Shepiro bastard. Back then, I was so scared of you." "You went through a lot, Vice Commander Daisy." "Compared to you, Brother, that guy is nothing." I suddenly looked ahead and said, "I think we''re here." At the end of the path, we saw a shabby building. The main gate was open, and there was no signboard or any inscription, only a g fluttering alone on the wall. Looking at the butterfly pattern on the g, I said, "Is that the right symbol?" "Yes, it is." "We''vee to the right ce." "Should I stay out of it like before? I want to go with you." "Of course. You weren''t my subordinate back then, but you are now." "I''ll keep that in mind, Brother." As we got closer, we realized that the main gate wasn''t just open, it had no doors at all. "Their headquarters is shabby." There was no obstruction as we passed through the entrance. Not even a single gatekeeper. Looking inside, we saw a young man sitting in the main hall, but he didn''t react even when we made our presence known. Wondering what was going on, we went inside, and only then did the young man look at us. "Do you have an appointment?" "No, we don''t." "We don''t ept requests without an appointment." I looked at the young man and asked, "I heard you ept any request?" "That was before. Now, you can only make a reservation by note." "What do you mean by ''directly by note''?" "Oh,e on." Suddenly, the young man let out a deep sigh as if he was looking down on me. "The customer has to deliver the note to us themselves. If you want to make a reservation, write down where you''re staying and leave a note. We''ll contact you if we''re interested." "And if you''re not interested?" "You won''t hear back from us." I looked around and said, "This doesn''t seem like a proper mercenary group. Why are you being so difficult?" The young man''s eyes turned cold. "You''re not qualified, customer. To not understand this sensibility. You''ve just been added to our mercenary group''s block list. We won''t ept your reservation." I looked at Daisy and said, "What do you think?" "He''s rude." The young man said with his hands sped together, "I apologize, but please leave, customer." "He certainly is rude." Daisy looked at me. "What should we do, Brother?" "What can we do when he''s asking us to leave?" "Should we kill him?" "That''s a bit much." I slowly approached the young man. "I said leave. Are you deaf?" "...What a clueless customer, seriously. Hey, while I''m being nice, just leave. If you make me call my brother, you''ll be dragged out with a broken leg." I pointed at the young man from just a few steps away. "Since you seem like an ordinary guy, I''ll give you a choice. Take the reservation, or get beaten up. Choose." "I¡¯ve got a crazy one. Brother!" As soon as the young man shouted, I heard footsteps from inside. "Hmm?" A well-built man with his shirt off came out to the main hall and looked at the young man and me alternately. He didn''t seem that old. At most, he looked a year or two older than the young man. His hands were particrly thickpared to his physique. It was as if his hands had be thick withyers of scars and calluses on each knuckle. Recalling the physical description I had seen earlier, I said, "You''re Fenrir." The man nodded and looked at me and Daisy alternately. "I''m the mercenary captain. What brings you here?" "Your member is rude. He told me to get lost right off the bat because I didn''t have a reservation. I gave him a chance, but he didn''te to his senses, so I was debating whether to flick his forehead." I was curious about his reaction, but Fenrir nodded as if it were natural. Suddenly, Fenrir went into the bathroom, brought a bucket of water, and poured it on the young man. "No, brother! Those bastards..." Fenrir hit the young man''s head with the bucket he had brought and said, "How many times have I told you, you idiot? Treat people ordingly. Go inside." With a tearful face, the young man disappeared inside. I said to Fenrir, "Blood rtive?" "My younger brother." "Your personalities are quite different." "I keep telling him, but he doesn''t listen. As a gesture of apology, I''ll hear you out, so tell me what you need." "Why do you keep speaking informally?" "Then you speak informally too." "Actually, I don''t have a request." Suddenly, Fenrir looked closely at me and Daisy, then said, "A grudge?" "Something like that." Fenrir, still rxed, asked, "Who is it? It''s not me, that''s for sure. The Yumta brothers? Doc?" "I don''t know his name." "Appearance?" "Long hair, swordsman." For the first time, Fenrir showed a hint of surprise and said, "You don''t mean Uncle Wolf, do you?" "I think that''s right." "That''s strange. You have a grudge against Uncle Wolf?" "Is he a blood rtive?" "No. We just call him uncle." Fenrir wandered around the hall as if intrigued, then said, "He''s not here right now. You can wait inside. He''ll be back soon." "If you''re going to gang up on us, there''s no need to beat around the bush." Fenrir suddenly burst into heartyughter. "We don''t do that kind of thing. We''re all gathered here because we''re sick of those idiotic mercenary groups with their rules and whatnot. Personal grudges should be settled personally. But if you ask for help, we''ll move too, so keep that in mind. Though I don''t think Uncle Wolf would do that." As if he had said all he wanted to say, Fenrir yawned and disappeared inside. I sat in the hall with Daisy for a while. Mercenaries came and went, but most of them didn''t pay any attention to us. "This is different from what I''ve heard." "Indeed." It didn''t seem like a typical mercenary group. The members had unique personalities, and the structure of the mercenary group was unusual as well. At least they didn''t seem as vicious as I had heard. After a while, I suddenly looked towards the entrance, and Daisy followed my gaze. "He''s here." A middle-aged man with long hair that reached his waist slowly walked through the entrance. I could immediately understand what Daisy had said. Apart from his long hair, he had an ordinary appearance with nothing particrly remarkable. Fenrir, who hade out to the hall, said to the middle-aged man, "Uncle Wolf, we have guests." "Guests?" The middle-aged man looked around and then turned his gaze towards us. "Ah." The middle-aged man let out a sigh after recognizing Daisy''s face. I approached him directly and said, "You''re finally here. We''ve been waiting for you." The middle-aged man looked at me and Daisy in turn. "...What''s your rtionship?" "I''m the leader of the Full Khao Patrol Unit. Daisy is my subordinate." From behind, Daisy shouted, "It''s been changed to the Fulkhao Brotherhood!" My mind went nk for a moment, and I blurted out whatever came to mind. "Anyway, I''m the leader of the Brotherhood. While I was away, youmitted a terrible act in Khaoto. Are you the one who tried to steal our stir-fried chicken?" "I didn''t steal it. I paid for it." "So you did nothing wrong?" The middle-aged man sighed. "I understand." I briefly made eye contact with the middle-aged man. Looking closely, his eyes were blue. There was no sign of agitation in his somewhatnguid gaze. Perhaps it was his nature, or maybe he had experienced a lot in life. "To make an excuse, I was very unlucky that day. The food at the first restaurant I went to was just too delicious. I wanted to try other things, but I was full. That''s why I asked for just one piece of stir-fried chicken. I had no intention of picking a fight." The middle-aged man pointed at Daisy. "I was going to go easy, but she was too skilled. Talented would be a more urate description. That was also unfortunate. I didn''t mean to knock her unconscious. But I did take the circumstances into ount, so don''t misunderstand too much. I think you were also unlucky that day." I said with a smile, "Now that I see it, you''re quite self-centered." "I think I handled it as well as I could. If you have any questions, ask." I immediately understood his personality. "From what I see, you grew up in a very messed up environment. Where did youe from? Not only did you steal food fromplete strangers, but you also beat them up and said what? That we should consider ourselves unlucky?" The middle-aged man nodded. "That makes sense. What do you want me to do?" I clenched my fist towards the middle-aged man. "Pay the price again. Let''s fight." "That''s not a good idea." Fenrir''s voice came from behind. "Hey. That''s not a good idea. Just give him the money." Other mercenaries came out from somewhere and chimed in. "Uncle Wolf has a lot of money." Daisy turned around and swore at them. "Shut up, you bastards!" I nodded and said to the middle-aged man, "I can''t just stand by when my subordinate gets beat up. That''s not what a leader does." "I understand how you feel, but you''re going to regret this." "Let''s test our luck today." The middle-aged man sighed and took out his scabbard. "Follow me." *** Facing me in the overgrown backyard, the middle-aged man sighed once again. "Make a different request now." I pointed at Daisy. "Alright, if Daisy hits you with the scabbard until you faint, just like you did to her, we''ll let it slide." "...That would be a bit difficult." "Then why do you keep asking for a different request?" Shaking his head, the middle-aged man finally raised his scabbard. "Have you learned magic?" "You have a good eye." "If you want to stop at any time, just say so. I don''t want to make the same mistake twice." Languid eyes and anguid posture. Should I call it arrogance or overflowing confidence? Probably neither. This man didn''t show even a hint of interest in the situation he was facing. Sometimes, when one has umted a lot of experience, one can fall into such a misconception. I said to the middle-aged man, "Hey, Mr. Beggar." "What?" "Let''s see what you''ve got." I opened four circles of my heart and stomped my foot hard. The moment the weeds were crushed and the ground caved in, I shot forward with a thud. My whole body was enveloped in wind armor. Simultaneously, I created fire spears with both hands andunched them at the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man raised his scabbard andnguidly swung it horizontally. With a single, simple horizontal sh, the fire spears were effortlessly dispersed. Next, the middle-aged man swung his scabbard again in reverse, concisely countering my body m. Fwoosh¡ª The middle-aged man''s eyes flickered. The destructive power of the body m was stronger than he expected. However, in the midst of it all, he instantly twisted his sword path diagonally and deflected the wind pressure. His swordsmanship was also incredibly concise. "...A mage with such skills?" The middle-aged man''s voice held a hint of surprise. From behind, I heard Fenrir shouting excitedly. "Oh, was that martial arts just now? It''s simr to mine. I want to fight too!" I kept my eyes fixed on the middle-aged man and said, "Are you getting interested now? Or not yet?" Without waiting for an answer, Iunched Red Dagger with my right hand. The target was the middle-aged man''s right shoulder. When the middle-aged man raised his scabbard to block the trajectory of the iing Red Dagger, I pointed my index finger and aimed at Red Dagger. ''Pration, Piercing WInd.'' Whoosh¡ª The wind de grazed Red Dagger, instantly altering its trajectory. In a split second, the path of Red Dagger, which was aimed at the middle-aged man''s shoulder, changed and headed towards his waist. Simultaneously, I aimed at the middle-aged man''s footing and chanted another spell. ''Restraint, Binder.'' 4th Circle Earth attribute magic, Binder. The weeds wrapped around the middle-aged man''s footing, binding him tightly. But the middle-aged man''s eyes remained calm. One breath. Leaning his upper body diagonally as if about to copse, the middle-aged man used the momentum to swing his scabbard downwards. sh¡ª Even in his copsing posture, the trajectory of his scabbard remained unwavering. A truly textbook stance. With a clink, Red Dagger was deflected, and the weeds binding his feet were torn apart with a single swing. Thud¡ª Simultaneously, I felt the middle-aged man''s presence right next to me. He had seamlessly transitioned from defense to offense, his movements flowing like water. But was he impressed or something? In the midst of his attack, he said, "You''ve done your research. Your adaptability with magic is excellent. But your weakness is clear." "Giving advice in the middle of a fight? You''re quite rxed." "I''ll end this quickly as a sign of respect." The scabbard flew towards my head. He seemed to think closebat was my weakness. The moment I wrapped mes around my arm to deflect the scabbard, his sword path changed and aimed for my neck. As I twisted my arm to follow his sword path, the middle-aged man''s leg movement changed in a strange way. Curious, I watched as he disappeared as if sinking into the ground, then reappeared behind me. ''Footwork.'' There was an excellent counter for situations like this when caught from behind. I rotated my body powerfully and cleared my throat dramatically. "Ahem, Rotating Whirlwind de!" Just before the scabbard, swung concisely by the middle-aged man, could strike my back... The middle-aged man''s eyes showed surprise for the first time as a whirlwind of wind des surged towards him. Thud¡ª In a split second, the scabbard was deflected into the air as his wrist twisted from the sudden impact of wind pressure. The middle-aged man leaped up, caught the scabbard,nded back on the ground, and looked at me. "...So it wasn''t just improvisation. Is that magic too?" I didn''t answer and just stared at the middle-aged man. I was starting to get an idea of where this guy came from. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 139: This Footwork Is... [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 139: This Footwork Is... The middle-aged man muttered with a puzzled expression, "...Strange. How can a mage..." A brief silence fell. The mercenaries, focused on our fight, also remained silent. Only Daisy''s cheers could be heard. "This is my brother! How do you like the taste of him!" Only then did the middle-aged man nod. "Indeed, concise movements. I''ve never seen a mage like you." I pointed at the middle-aged man and said, "Are you from a knight n?" His swordsmanship suggested it. A clean stance with no unnecessary movements, efficient sword path, and smooth footwork. It was no wonder that Daisy, who stillcked experience, had a hard time winning against him. "Did youmit a crime and run away from a knight n? Did youmit treason or something?" "You have eyes, so you must have seen. I haven''t even drawn my sword yet. How about we stop this?" "I haven''t even started yet." I opened five circles of my heart. As my energy changed, the middle-aged man''s eyes also changed. With a clink, the de drawn from the scabbard was a blue color, like the middle-aged man''s eyes. The watching mercenaries murmured. "Uncle Wolf drew his sword?" "I''ve never seen that before." The moment the middle-aged man pointed his sword at me with his right hand... I immediately kicked off the ground and leaped high into the air. Levitation magic. From the sky, I showered him with a barrage of mes, obscuring his vision, then spun my body towards the ground and shot down like a ray of light. Fwoosh¡ª The middle-aged man chose to attack instead of dodging. He aimed at me with his sword, its de imbued with sword Qi. My fist and his sword shed several times, sparks flying. ng! ng! ng! While fighting, I nced at the middle-aged man''s left arm. Was it because he was wearing clothes that were too big for him? The middle-aged man''s left hand was hidden in his sleeve. Throughout the fight, he had been wielding his sword with only his right hand. Was he hiding a hidden weapon in his sleeve? "Let me see your left hand, Mr. Beggar." "I would appreciate it if you showed some respect for your opponent." "Show me." "No." "Are you kidding me? I''ll smash you with a sledgehammer." Despite the chilling threat, the middle-aged man didn''t show his left hand. How dare he mock me? As my fist and his sword continued to sh, I chanted a spell. "Wind Cutter." It seemed like one chant, but it was actually two. Multi-casting. Two wind des enveloped us, targeting the middle-aged man. As he engaged in closebat while also dealing with the wind des, cuts began to appear on his body. I had identified his weakness. "Mr. Beggar wasn''t spouting nonsense." I looked at the middle-aged man''s fluttering sleeve and said, "You really don''t have a left hand." A slight opening. As the situation became urgent, the middle-aged man''s center of gravity was subtly copsing. I persistently aimed for that opening. He fended off my attacks with his amazing footwork, but I wasn''t going to let go of the advantage I had gained. Fwoosh¡ª Suddenly, an intense mana wave emanated from the middle-aged man. It was at least a 5-star level wave. Sword Qi materialized on the de, and his sword path twisted in reverse. A knight using such unorthodox swordsmanship? "Huh?" But what really surprised me was something else. I had clearly seen it just now. An intense malice surged in the middle-aged man''s eyes. That was definitely not intentional. Eyes filled with rage. Not the eyes of a knight. It was clear that his instinctive senses, honed over a long period, had instinctively surfaced. I instantly created distance between us. "Now I see that Mr. Beggar isn''t from a knight n." The middle-aged man''s eyes were now calm. Was this his true self? I looked at the middle-aged man and said, "You were a mercenary. Seems like you''ve been through a lot." "How did you know?" "You can''t fool my eyes." He was definitely not an ordinary mercenary. He hadn''t learned swordsmanship from a knight n either. Rather, he was a mercenary who had honed his practical swordsmanship through extreme battles, reaching a high level of skill. I reevaluated the middle-aged man. "You must have gone through a lot. What did you say your name was?" "Wolf." "Which mercenary group were you with?" "...I''ve already retired." "You don''t seem old enough to retire. Were you forced to retire?" Wolf didn''t answer. Instead, he slowly caught his breath and pointed his sword at me. From the moment his true nature, which had been submerged beneath the surface, awakened, Wolf had no intention of stopping. I nodded and said, "Good attitude. Once you''ve started, you have to see it through to the end." Wolf calmly regted his breathing. Now that his weakness had been exposed, he intended to finish this in one go. I had no reason to drag this out either. With a thud, Wolf charged at me with his sword. Rushing towards me with a speed that seemed to cut through the air, Wolf suddenly started circling me, moving like a dancer. Unpredictable and unorthodox movements. Truly fascinating footwork. Watching Wolf''s dance-like movements, I decided on my counter strategy. Footwork against footwork, dance against dance. I moved forward, improvising a dog-legged gait. Wolf''s eyes narrowed as if he had never seen a dog-legged dance before, and he unleashed an explosive flurry of sword techniques. Horizontal and vertical shes mixed together, flying towards me from all directions. This was it. I chanted "Shock Wave" in front of me while simultaneously lowering my body. Fwoosh¡ª! As the sound of tearing air resonated... I concentrated wind pressure on the tips of my toes and executed the Crazy Mage style footwork. It was a silent footwork that glided over the weeds as if floating. Wolf, having finished his attack, momentarily lost track of my position. Using my silent footwork, I instantly got behind Wolf and thrust my fist imbued with the Shock Wave chant. Bam¡ª! Wolf, his body flung into the air, crashed onto the ground. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Wolf looked at me with disbelief. I pointed at Wolf and said, "Seems like you''ve gotten quite dull, Mr. Beggar. You need to train more." "What was thatst move? Could it be a movement technique?" "This footwork is..." I was about to say "Crazy Mage style footwork," but Wolf''s eyes were so serious that I changed my mind. I improvised and said, "Grass Serpent." "A fitting name." With that, the middle-aged man, his breathing ragged, slumped down. Daisy, who had been watching, rushed over. "As expected of you, Brother! You did well. But, um, did you knock him unconscious?" "I think so." Suddenly, Daisy pulled out a dagger scabbard from her waist and started hitting Wolf''s head with it. Thwack¡ª! Thwack¡ª! After two strikes, I grabbed Daisy''s scabbard. "Stop it, Daisy. He''s not a man to be trifled with." "Yes, Brother." I looked back and saw the mercenaries all staring at us with admiration. Fenrir also said with admiration, "...Wow, you defeated Uncle Wolf? That''s amazing, truly." I said to Fenrir, "Do you have any moonshine by any chance?" *** A drinking party ensued. We sat in a circle on the wooden floor of the main hall and started sharing moonshine. The mercenaries of the Fenrir Mercenary Group were allid-back. Mercenaries were generally rough and full of personality, but this felt different. It started with them casually sharing drinks with me, the one who had defeated Wolf. It felt like they were, how should I put it, the mavericks of the mercenary world. As I drank, I suddenly became curious and looked at Fenrir. "I heard you killed an entire mercenary group that used to be in Poeta." "Ah, that?" Fenrir replied nonchntly, "They backstabbed us. They sent a spy to ce a request, and while we were away, they attacked us all at once." The twin mercenary brothers, who were drinking, added, "Three of our guys who were waiting at the headquarters were killed. Because of that, our number decreased from thirteen to ten." I nodded. "Good job." So that''s what happened. As we continued to drink and chat, Wolf, who had regained consciousness, joined us. Wolf offered Daisy a drink, and Daisy epted. I offered Wolf a drink, and Wolf epted. The three of us drank at the same time. "Ah, this tastes good." After three rounds of drinks, I asked Wolf, "Why did youe to Kaoto?" "Just to look around." Somehow, I felt that wasn''t the whole story, but I didn''t press further. This time, Wolf asked me, "Are you the Crazy Mage?" "You have a good eye." Fenrir and the other mercenaries, who were listening, eximed in surprise. "Oh." "No wonder." Fenrir nodded and said, "I had a feeling it was you. Your reputation doesn''t match your skills." This time, I asked Wolf, "How long has it been since you retired from your previous mercenary group?" "About a year." No matter how I looked at it, his skills didn''t seem like they belonged to an ordinary mercenary group. Wolf didn''t seem willing to tell me, but I had a few guesses. "Your left arm seems to have a story behind it." "...It''s something I''ve already forgotten." Considering the personalities of the Fenrir mercenaries, I said, "That''s why you''re here like this. To find peace of mind. Do you have any dreams, by any chance?" Fenrir looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. I took a sip of alcohol and shared my thoughts. "There are many things that aren''t easily forgotten, even if you try to forget them." I didn''t know what Fenrir''s story was. But there were things in the world that couldn''t be easily forgotten. I knew that firsthand. The more I tried to forget, the more the faces of those who tormented me in my dreams every night wouldn''t disappear. I decided to get to the main point. "How long have you been working here?" "About three months." "What''s the pay?" "There isn''t any. I''m here purely out of my own will. I already have enough money." "Then that''s fine." I poured more alcohol into Wolf''s empty ss and said, "Come with me." Daisy was surprised and asked, "Brother?" I continued, looking at Wolf, "You don''t seem to have any reason to stay here anyway. Come to our Patrol and teach the kids." Wolf replied, "You want me to be a swordsmanship instructor?" "That''s exactly what I mean. It would be wonderful for you to teach our Vice Commander Daisy." Wolf looked at Daisy and said, "I admit she''s talented. But I can''t do that." "It''s not often that I make this kind of offer." "I''m not interested." "You''re deceiving yourself." I smiled at Wolf. "By the way, you''re refusing without even hearing about thepensation?" "As I said, I don''t needpensation. I''ve already earned enough money." "I don''t think so." "What do you mean?" I stopped smiling and looked at Wolf. "Let me make you an offer. I''ll help you get revenge." Wolf looked at me intently. Beyond his blue eyes, the hidden emotion of malice was stirring. I looked straight at that emotion. "Choose. Will you live your life pretending to be okay while suppressing your pain? Or will you draw a future with me?" After a moment of staring contest, Wolf suddenly sighed and said, "It''s impossible." "Nothing is impossible for me." "I''m talking about reality. I admit Samael''s reputation has grown recently. But that''s not enough." "Reputation doesn''t always represent skill." "I''m saying this with all that in mind." I pped my hands and said, "Then it''s decided. You''ll believe me if I raise my reputation. How high do you want me to raise it?" "I''m not joking." "Neither am I." I tossed Red Dagger into the air. With a thud, Red Daggernded in front of Wolf''s empty ss. "Decide carefully, Wolf. That''s not what''s important. Your heart is what matters." Wolf looked down at the empty ss without saying a word. After a while, Wolf pulled out Red Dagger and handed it to me. I lifted the moonshine bottle and poured it into his empty ss. Wolf rolled up his left sleeve. He lifted the ss with the prosthetic hand revealed on his severed left arm. "Good thinking." When I held out my ss, Wolf clinked his against mine. Strangely, Daisy and the other mercenaries also raised their sses and clinked them together. After emptying his ss, Wolf suddenly said to Fenrir, "Will it be alright?" Fenrir replied with a smile, "Well, it''s Uncle Wolf''s decision. What''s it to us?" Then Fenrir looked at me. "Somehow, it seems like he''d fit in better over there." I smiled back at Fenrir. "You''re very straightforward." "Honestly, it''s a bit of a shame. He was an important asset. But in return, spar with me sometime when I visit." "Sure." "Take good care of Uncle Wolf." Suddenly, I became curious and asked, "By the way, how old is he that you call him uncle?" "I don''t know. He looks old enough, doesn''t he?" Only then did I take a closer look at Wolf''s face. "Hmm." "What is it?" "I''ll call you uncle from now on too." Uncle Wolf nodded with a solemn expression. "That would be good. Then I''ll speakfortably too." "Is that so?" "...Didn''t you say you''d call me uncle?" "I did, didn''t I?" "Didn''t you mean you''d speak respectfully?" "What are you talking about? Get up now, Uncle Wolf." "...?" "Stop drinking and let''s go." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 140: A Different Mindset [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 140: A Different Mindset Returning to Khaoto, we entered Donkey''s restaurant and started round two. It''smon sense to treat a skilled recruit to a good meal. "Uncle Wolf, is it that delicious?" "I''m surprised even as I eat." Wolf had already finished two tes of spicy stir-fried chicken by himself. As if that wasn''t enough, he ordered another te and was devouring it in the blink of an eye. "Eatfortably, Uncle Wolf. This is also one of the perks of our Fulkhao Brotherhood." We heard Donkey chuckling from the kitchen. A momentter, Donkey came out with moonshine and chicken stew and sat down in an empty seat. "You''ll get indigestion if you only eat stir-fried chicken. Have some soup too." Wolf took a bite of the stew and let out an exmation. Donkey looked at Daisy and Wolf in turn and asked, "By the way, what happened between you two?" I said to Donkey, "He''s the Patrol''s swordsmanship instructor starting today. He''s Uncle Wolf." "Is that how it happened? Come to think of it, everyone seems to be close after fighting. Maybe I should learn some swordsmanship too?" I replied with a surprised expression, "Swordsmanship?" "For self-defense." "Are you giving up on your dream of bing the continent''s best chef?" "Ah, right." "Let''s stick to one thing." Donkey chuckled and passed around the sses. Daisy offered Wolf a ss and said, "Don''t just eat the snacks, have some moonshine too, Uncle Wolf." Suddenly, Wolf''s expression contorted as he was eating the stew, and he looked at me. "It might be better if you don''t speak informally." I replied, "Why?" "It makes me feel bad for some reason." "No way. We can''t go back on it now." Daisy repeated my words. "That''s right. We can''t go back on it. Ah, damn it. I said drink some moonshine too, Uncle Wolf. Don''t just stuff your face with snacks." Wolf shook his head and replied, "Then at least show some respect." I nodded and pointed at Daisy. "Since you''re here as a swordsmanship instructor, don''t curse at them like they''re kids, Daisy. Be respectful." "Yes, Brother." Daisy immediately corrected herself. "I said drink some moonshine too, Uncle Wolf. Don''t just stuff your face with snacks." Suddenly, there was somemotion outside, and One-Eye entered the restaurant, followed by the other executives. The subordinates, seeing Wolf, looked at Daisy with surprise. But when they saw Daisy and me casually sharing drinks with Wolf, they all joined us without a word and picked up their sses. As always, they were good at adapting to the atmosphere. I looked around at my subordinates and said, "He''s our Patrol''s swordsmanship instructor from today. His name is Uncle Wolf." "Suddenly?" "That''s how it happened. All things happen suddenly." "You''re absolutely right." "I''ve confirmed his skills myself, so anyone who hasints can spar with him directly." "..." Since everyone knew what had happened to Daisy, no one raised their hand. "If there are noints, then greet each other." One-Eye raised his empty ss and said, "Nice to meet you, Uncle Wolf. You have quite a unique name." "It''s just Wolf, not Uncle Wolf." "Anyway, nice to meet you." "You all have strong personalities." Suddenly, Wolf got up from his seat, picked up a piece of stir-fried chicken, and said, "I never thought a piece of stir-fried chicken would create such a connection. I thought it would be a bad fate, but it turned out to be a good one. I''ll think of you all as training partners rather than a swordsmanship instructor. I look forward to working with you." I nodded in agreement. "Well said. You never know what will happen in life. Turning a bad fate into a good one is meaningful." One-Eye poured moonshine for Wolf and said, "Nice to meet you. I''m the One-Eyed Assassin. You can just call me One-Eyed, Uncle Wolf." Daisy chimed in, "One-Eye, speakfortably to Uncle Wolf." "Is that alright?" "Yeah, befortable." One-Eyeughed loudly and drank the moonshine. "Oh! Uncle Wolf, you''re refreshingly straightforward for your age. Nice to meet you, dammit! Hahaha." Daisy pulled One-Eye''s eyepatch and let go. Snap¡ª "Hey, you! Don''t curse. How dare you speak like that to the swordsmanship instructor!" One-Eye replied with a mournful look, "I apologize, Vice Commander Daisy." I shrugged at Wolf. "As you can see, this is the kind of ce it is. Full of fools." Wolf had a very strange expression on his face. He frowned more and more, then lowered his head without saying a word. His shoulders shook a few times, and then he suddenly burst intoughter. Afterughing for a while as if he hadn''tughed in years, Wolf said, "This is an interesting ce." For some reason, Wolf''splexion seemed much more rxed. *** Empty moonshine bottles continued to pile up. Deciding that it was time, I headed to the Patrol''s headquarters with the executives. The moon was rising in the dark night sky. As soon as we arrived at the headquarters, Wolf eximed, "It''s better than I expected." "I agree." I was surprised as well. In addition to the main building that the Bayern bastards used, several more buildings had been constructed, and a fairlyrge training ground had been prepared. Well-maintained trees were also nted along the walls. "Daisy is certainly good at this kind of thing." "Thank you, Brother." One-Eye and Ponytail, who were arm in arm, chimed in. "It''s much better than before." "The executives each have their own room. There''s a room for the Boss too." Bravo Khan, who came out after hearing themotion, was about to greet me when he spotted Wolf and his eyes widened. I pointed at Wolf and said, "He''s the swordsmanship instructor." Bravo Khan quickly grasped the situation from the atmosphere and nodded. "Ah, I see." I said to the executives, "Gather at the training ground." Daisy asked, "Are we sparring?" "The moonlight is nice, and we''ve had some moonshine. It''s the perfect time to fight." The executives'' eyes changed, and they lined up at the training ground in unison. Watching them, Wolf nodded with a satisfied expression. As I stepped onto the tform overlooking the training ground, Bravo Khan asked, "Should I call the lower-ranking members too? They''re sleeping in the annex." "Leave them be for today. Let''s just have the executives." "Yes." "Officer, stay here and listen with us. I have something to tell you." "Understood." With everyone''s attention focused on me, I got to the main point. "Listen carefully, everyone. I''m going to the Demon Realm." Daisy immediately asked, "When, Brother?" "It could be as early as tomorrow. I''ll go within a few days at thetest." "I want to go too." The other executives also raised their hands. "We want to go too!" I shook my head and said, "Then who will protect Khaoto? Huh? Will our old officer here protect it alone?" Daisy replied with a disappointed expression, "But still... How can you leave as soon as you arrive, Brother?" "I''m not going there to y. You guys stay here and protect Khaoto." "You should protect Khaoto too, Brother." "Going to the Demon Realm is also a way to protect Khaoto." "..." "You must have heard the news. We got rid of the Bayern bastards, and then Urgon appeared. Now that Urgon has fallen, we don''t know who will appear next. So..." I made eye contact with each of the executives. "Get your act together and be stronger. You guys are stillcking. You don''t want to go back to being third-rate thugs, do you?" Suddenly, silence fell. It was Bravo Khan''s firm voice that broke the long silence. "I understand what you mean. We have dreams too. Everyone has their role to y. Even if we''re apart, we are one with you, Boss." "The officer understands me perfectly." Suddenly, Daisy drew both daggers from her waist and walked to the center of the training ground. Holding the daggers in a reverse grip, Daisy looked at me. "I understand too, Brother." I met Wolf''s gaze and nodded once. Wolf stepped into the center of the training ground and exchanged nces with Daisy. A 4-star mana wave emanated from Daisy''s body... And then she lunged towards Wolf with lightning speed. ng¡ª Wolf effortlessly deflected Daisy''s attack with his scabbard. Even with dozens of attacks raining down like lightning, Wolf''s expression remained unchanged. He didn''t retreat a single step. Not a single strand of his long hair fluttered. Calmly, as if he had already read all of Daisy''s attacks, he blocked them one step ahead. The other executives watched Daisy and Wolf in turn with dumbfounded expressions. But this wasn''t because Daisy wascking in skill. Even a 5-star knight, or higher, wouldn''t be able to block Daisy''s attacks so effortlessly. In fact, Daisy''s dagger skills had grown even further. If you excluded mana, she might even be able to force a 6-star knight to take a step back. That was the reason I brought Wolf to the Patrol as a swordsmanship instructor. A former mercenary who had reached a high level of skill through countless experiences. Someone who had already walked the path that Daisy needed to take. Wolf had the qualities to lead Daisy and the others. ng¡ª! ng¡ª! ng¡ª! The sound of shing swords and Daisy''s ragged breathing echoed for a long time. After almost three hours, Daisy copsed onto the training ground, exhausted. As if they had been waiting, the executives started stepping forward one by one. I watched the executives'' sparring, then went to the wall at the end of the training ground and sat down to meditate. I closed my eyes and rotated the circles of my heart in reverse. One, two, three... four. Suppressing the tearing pain, I knocked on the door of thest remaining circle. As the extreme pain continued, at some point, the pain dulled, and my mind became hazy. Suddenly, I heard voices. "Pant... pant... I can''t win, Uncle Wolf." "A sword suits you better than daggers." "Pant... that''s not possible." "Why are you so obsessed with daggers?" "Because ''One-Eyed Assassin'' sounds cool." It seemed to be the voices of One-Eye and Wolf. "Using a sword doesn''t mean you can''t assassinate. But your mindset needs to change. Instead of pursuing swordsmanship that kills, pursue swordsmanship that saves." "What do you mean?" "Use your sword to save your allies." "I''ve never heard that before. You''re the first one to say that to me, Uncle Wolf." "..." "I need to change my title. Call me ''One-Eyed Savior'' from now on." I opened my eyes for a moment, feeling like I was about to lose consciousness. Moonlight was shining on the spot where I was sitting. Thinking of blocking the moonlight, I continued to rotate thest circle. *** When I opened my eyes again, morning had arrived. Looking around, I saw my subordinates sprawled out on the training ground, fast asleep. Daisy was tossing and turning as if she were having a dream, and One-Eye was snoring loudly. Ponytail was drooling with his eyes wide open, and the others were all sleeping in ridiculous positions. Wolf was nowhere to be seen. ''Where did he go?'' I got up and headed towards the main hall, and only then did I see Wolf sitting quietly. He was perched on the wooden floor, gazing at the training ground. His expression was hidden behind his long hair. I sat down next to Wolf for a moment. We looked down at the training ground without saying a word. Suddenly, Wolf muttered without turning his head, "...It reminded me of the old days." "I thought you seemed lost in thought." "I had those days too." I looked at my subordinates sprawled out on the training ground and said, "How were they?" "They were all useful. Especially Daisy, she''s at an amazing level. I knew she was talented, but she exceeded my expectations. She has a lot of areas that are still rough, but with some polishing, she''ll quickly catch up to my level." "Don''t talk like an old man. You''re still in your prime, Uncle." I looked at Wolf''s fluttering left sleeve and said, "I know you didn''t show your full strength when you fought me. You need to regain your senses and be stronger, right?" Wolf shook his head. "That''s not an easy task." "Nothing in the world is easy. There are plenty of shitty things though." "That''s a harsh expression." "But even if it''s a shitty thing, it''s better than something you''ll regret." "What''s the difference?" "Mindset." I looked at Wolf and shared my thoughts. "Even if it''s shitty, just do it. If you don''t do it because your spirit is broken, that''s what you''ll regret the most." Wolf looked at me. His blue eyes were visible between his long hair. After exchanging nces for a while, I said, "Whenever you''re ready, let me know. I''ll listen to your story." Suddenly, Wolf asked, "Why are you going to the Demon Realm?" "To raise Samael." "To make a name for yourself?" "Well, that''s one of the reasons. Reputation often ys an important role." I didn''t give Wolf any further exnation. Wolf nodded. "Considering the Urgon incident, it doesn''t seem like you''re just saying things for no reason. I also heard rumors that you''re connected to Ardehain." "There''s no reason for me to lie to you, Uncle." Suddenly, Wolf asked curiously, "What''s the goal you''re trying to achieve by doing all this?" "The best n on the continent." Wolf let out a chuckle without realizing it, but then he saw my eyes and his expression subtly changed. "I can''t tell if you''re serious or not." "..." "Are you really serious?" For the first time, I revealed my goal in this life to someone else. "I''m serious. I''m going to create a n that even the divine ns wouldn''t dare to challenge. And..." Suddenly, I heard amotion and looked towards the training ground. I saw One-Eye snoring louder and louder, and Daisy sleep-talking and hitting One-Eye''s head. I met Wolf''s eyes again. "The Fulkhao Brotherhood will be the best mercenary group on the continent." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 141: Records of the Predecessor [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 141: Records of the Predecessor When Wolf remained silent, I rose from my seat and prepared to return to my n estate. After cleansing myself with a thorough bath, I found Bravo Khan waiting for me at the main gate. ¡°You¡¯re up early, officer.¡± Bravo Khan bowed his head and said, "Have a safe trip, Boss. How long do you think you''ll be gone?" ¡°I can''t say for sure. I have a lot to do there.¡± ¡°What should we do if somethinges up that needs to be reported to you?¡± ¡°You have to report it.¡± ¡°I''ll find a way to get you the information.¡± ¡°Don''t overwork yourself. If anything happens, consult with the n head or the elders. You can also ask Uncle Wolf for help.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As if suddenly remembering something, Bravo Khan said, ¡°Ah, among those who returned this time, there is someone with exceptional insight.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I had a brief conversation with ir. I was amazed. He has truly remarkable insight.¡± I nodded, recalling ir''s disposition. ¡°Consult with ir too, then.¡± Bravo Khan asked with a puzzled look, ¡°Weren''t you going to the demon realm with him?¡± ¡°Only the Crazy Mage Squad is going to the demon realm.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Seeing Bravo Khan tilt his head in confusion, I asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°When I spoke with ir, I got the feeling that he would be leaving soon. I thought he was going to Ken with you. Well, it''s not important. Don''t worry about it.¡± ¡°How strange. Take good care of those fools.¡± Bravo Khan bowed his head and saw me off. I walked a few steps out of the main gate and then briefly looked back. My subordinates were still sprawled out asleep in the training ground. Wolf was still sitting in the main hall, lost in thought. Wolf didn''t say anything until I left. But I waved to Wolf anyway. It was partly to ask him to take care of my subordinates, but more than that, it was to express my hope that he wouldn''t do anything he would regret. As I continued to wave, Wolf awkwardly waved back at me. I turned around again and moved on. I don''t know what will happen to Wolf in the future. However, if he ever asks me for help, I will dly help him. * * * The closer I got to the main n estate, the more crowded it became. By the time the main gate came into view, there was a long line of people and baggage carts. As I approached the main gate, usations erupted from all directions. ¡°Excuse me. Don''t cut in line.¡± ¡°Which n are you from? Please wait your turn!¡± Hearing themotion, the captain of the guard appeared and shouted, looking around with an authoritative gaze. ¡°Why all themotion! Anyone who causes trouble will be sent to the back of the line!¡± The captain''s words instantly calmed the agitated crowd. A man raised his hand and said, ¡°Shouldn''t you be cracking down on line-cutters?¡± The captain of the guard red around. ¡°Who cut in line?¡± ¡°That man over there.¡± The captain followed the man''s finger and our eyes met. For a moment, the captain''s body stiffened, then his eyes widened and he saluted. "Chuuuuuuung!" Kaboom¡ª As soon as the sound of stomping feet was heard, the guards poured out and saluted me in unison. I nodded and said, ¡°Well done, Grid.¡± A brief silence fell, then suddenly a cacophony of voices erupted. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad Commander?¡± ¡°Is that the Crazy Mage?¡± At first, I responded with a mncholic gaze, but the onlookers began to cross the line and approach me. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad Commander, can I shake your hand?¡± ¡°I''m from the Naive Merchant Group! Crazy Mage Squad Commander!¡± Moderation is key in all things. I gave Grid a look. Grid nodded once and shouted to those around, ¡°Please follow the procedures!¡± The guards surrounded me as if to escort me. I could still hear the onlookers shouting, but I didn''t respond. As I entered the n estate, as expected, Lihan was the first to spot me and came running. ¡°Young Master, you''re here?¡± ¡°How do you always show up at the perfect time? Did you know I wasing?¡± ¡°It''s a feeling, I guess. I''ve been keeping an eye out whenever I''m wandering around. To see if you''reing or not.¡± I looked towards the n head''s quarters and asked, ¡°Where''s the n head?¡± ¡°He returned yesterday.¡± ¡°That''s good. Let''s go.¡± ¡°He''s talking with the elders right now. I''ll let him know when hees out.¡± ¡°Come to my room when he''s finished.¡± I entered my room after a long time andy down on the bed for a moment. Not even a few minutes passed before I heard footsteps outside. ¡°Is he done already?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Why aren''t you answering, Lihan?¡± I stepped outside with a strange feeling and found an unexpected man standing there. ¡°Whoa, shit. You scared me.¡± Just how long does this guy intend to re at me? ¡°Where have you been hiding all this time?¡± ¡°I came here because I have something to say.¡± I looked him up and down. His physical condition seemed alright. The problem was that the more I looked at his face, the angrier I got. The sight of him desperately trying to protect the monkeys at thest moment kept shing through my mind. ring back at Taylor, I said, ¡°I have nothing to say to you.¡± ¡°It''ll only take a moment.¡± I was about tounch a forehead flick when I suddenly sighed and changed my mind. ¡°Make it quick, then.¡± Taylor said, ¡°ir and Arin have started using incantations. Can you take responsibility for that?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°It''s practically the same as you teaching them incantations.¡± ¡°How dare you.¡± I told Taylor, ¡°Everyone is responsible for their own actions. If you''ve said all you wanted to say, then go.¡± Taylor stared at me and then suddenly said, ¡°Please. You must have seen their potential.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Suddenly, Taylor''s gaze was so serious that I gave him a proper answer. ¡°Don''t worry. Whatever they do with incantations, it''ll be better than bing beastmen.¡± Taylor''s lips twitched. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he tried to speak but couldn''t for a while. After staring at me for a long time, Taylor finally spat out, ¡°You go your way. I''ll go mine.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Whack¡ª I was about to step on Taylor after he was hit on the forehead and fell backwards, but I hesitated. He was unconscious, but his eyes were still open and ring. ¡°Sigh.¡± * * * I deliberately went outside and walked around, trying to distract myself. I felt like I would continue to beat up Taylor if I stayed there. Leaning on the railing and looking at the manor after a long time, I tilted my head for a moment and then widened my eyes. ¡°Azure Dragon Squad Leader?¡± Recognizing the man approaching, I said in a weing tone, ¡°You escaped from prison safely?¡± ¡°Thanks to you. I received good treatment too.¡± I looked Cliff up and down. Unlike when I saw him in prison, his body had recovered and hisplexion was good. ¡°Ipletely forgot about you, but I''m d you''re alright. By the way, how did you get here?¡± Cliff shrugged and said, ¡°My n was ruined overnight, so I had to find a way to survive.¡± ¡°Seeing you joke around like that, it seems you''ve definitely gained someposure.¡± Cliff replied with a smile, ¡°I wanted toe to the Samael n. You wouldn''t oppose that, would you?¡± I''ve always liked Cliff''s personality, so I naturally nodded. ¡°Of course not.¡± Cliff suddenly bowed his head and said, ¡°Then, as I will be your subordinate from now on, please take good care of me.¡± ¡°You certainly have a great personality.¡± ¡°How may I address you? Young Master?¡± ¡°Crazy Mage Squad Commander is fine. Call me that.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Have you greeted the n head?¡± Cliff nodded. ¡°Taylor introduced me yesterday.¡± Confused, I asked, ¡°Taylor did? Did you two be close?¡± ¡°Ah, you didn''t know? It was thanks to Taylor that I was able to escape from prison. Even though he was being pursued, he came back to find and rescue me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡­¡± While I was lost in thought for a moment, Lihan came running from afar. ¡°Young Master! The n head summons you.¡± I bid farewell to Cliff. ¡°Let''s talk moreter.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± As I entered the n head''s quarters following Lihan, the head butler, Wright, bowed his head in greeting. ¡°I''m d you returned safely.¡± ¡°It''s been a while, Wright. Is the n head inside?¡± ¡°I''ll inform him.¡± Wright went inside to announce my arrival and then opened the door. Deep inside the n head''s quarters, the n head sat alone in the seat of honor. ¡°Come in.¡± Why is it? As soon as I heard the n head''s voice, I suddenly felt at ease. I quietly stepped forward and knelt on one knee, recalling memories of the past. ¡°Crazy Mage Squad Commander Ruin Samael. I have returned safely after destroying the Urgon n, the sworn enemy of our n.¡± ¡°Well done, Crazy Mage Squad Commander.¡± Only then did I rx my posture and look at the n head. He was looking down at me with a benevolent smile. ¡°Sit down, Ruin.¡± I sat facing the n head at the table in the center of the room. The n head took a sip of the tea that Wright had brought in and then spoke. ¡°I''ve heard the story.¡± It was just a calm voice like a stillke. But somehow, I had the illusion that the n head''s voice was trembling. I also spoke to the n head. ¡°The Samael n seems to have developed a lot in the meantime.¡± The n head replied, ¡°We must move forward.¡± Neither I nor the n head expressed our feelings for each other out loud. The n head brought up a different topic. ¡°...The Urgons weren''t the end of it. I can''t believe Elder Parin was involved as well.¡± ¡°Has the rumor already spread that far?¡± The n head shook his head. ¡°I received a letter from Ardehain. It contained many unbelievable things.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Do you think the Blue Magic Tower will also be involved?¡± ¡°I think we need to investigate. I''m sure Parin isn''t the end of it either. There''s someone backing them. It must have been the same when the Urgons attacked us in the past.¡± ¡°Are you talking about 20 years ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The n head suddenly fell into deep thought and muttered to himself. ¡°That''s right. It has to be. But even that¡­¡­¡± The n head stopped mumbling and looked at me. ¡°It''s difficult. Anyway, I''m d you''re safe. You handled things wisely. It was a good move to build a connection with Ardehain.¡± ¡°It was necessary.¡± Suddenly, the n head asked curiously, ¡°Was the magic you used to subdue Parin also incantation magic?¡± I answered with a slightly strange feeling, ¡°Yes.¡± I had the feeling that the n head''s aura had changed a little. No matter how much I looked, there was no change, but I just felt that way. The n head said to me, ¡°Ruin. Are you hiding anything from me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you think there is a secret in our Samael n?¡± I met the n head''s eyes and nodded. ¡°There are some questionable points. However, there are not many records of the past left in the n, so it''s difficult to know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I couldn''t tell the n head everything yet. ¡°There are certainly some questionable points. Many of the records of the previous generation were lost during the Urgon invasion in the past. Even the remaining records have inconsistencies. I''ve been suspicious as well. Do you have any guesses about the reason?¡± ¡°I''m thinking about it.¡± ¡°I had a thought while looking at you, Ruin. I think the reason might be rted to incantation magic.¡± Incantation magic¡­¡­ Is he saying that the reason they targeted the Samael n was because of incantation magic? ¡°Ruin, there''s something I want to tell you.¡± At his serious tone, I stopped my thoughts and looked at the n head. ¡°Do you know where I went while I was away?¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°Ken.¡± It was so unexpected that I asked the n head again, ¡°Why Ken¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I was on my way to the White Magic Tower.¡± Suddenly, I realized why the n head was telling me all this. ¡°Did you perhaps visit the library of the White Magic Tower?¡± The n head nodded. ¡°The library of the White Magic Tower. There I found the records of our predecessors.¡± [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 142: 127th Day of the Expedition [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 142: 127th Day of the Expedition "Records of the predecessors, you say?" The n head muttered a single word. "Expedition." "Pardon?" I never expected to hear this word from the n head first. I couldn''t manage my expression and stared at him. Expedition. It was all too clear what kind of expedition he meant. "My son, I remember the words you spoke when you fought Hector." Suddenly, the words I had uttered in excitement during the fight with Hector shed through my mind. Only then did I understand why the n head had asked me if I was hiding anything. He must have been curious about how I knew about the expedition. But the n head didn''t ask for the reason anymore. He just continued speaking as if to himself. ¡°At first, I didn''t think much of it. But as time passed, I grew more and more suspicious. So I decided to visit the White Mage Tower.¡± I quietly waited for the n head''s next words. ¡°As you know, Ruin, the library of the White Mage Tower is where the most books on the continent are kept. Unfortunately, however, I couldn''t find any direct records about our n. Perhaps they might be on the upper floors, but only up to the third floor was open to the public, so it couldn''t be helped.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If it weren''t for what you said, that would probably have been the end of it. But I then focused on finding books about the expedition. Of course, most of them were popr tales. In the midst of it all, I was able to find one peculiar record. Aren''t you curious?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The n head looked straight at me. ¡°''127th day of the expedition, the first of those creatures we encountered spoke humannguage. They were clearly different from monsters. The 1stpany was annihted. If we hadn''t arrived in time, the damage wouldn''t have ended there.''" ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°It seemed like a record written as a journal entry.¡± At this moment, I couldn''t even think of calming my wildly pounding heart. That''s how much what Kazen was saying waspletely beyond my expectations. I knew. That content wasn''t false. The superior species of monsters. The situation at the time when demons were first discovered on the expedition. ¡°¡­¡­What was the next part?¡± The n head shook his head. ¡°That was it. It was a short record, just one page tucked between the pages of a book.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± I asked the n head again, ¡°Which book was it tucked into?¡± ¡°I knew you would ask that. It was a general book rted to the history of the Divine ns. Just in case, I looked through all the books of a simr kind, but there was nothing more.¡± I suddenly realized that there was a missing link in the n head''s words. ¡°Do you¡­ believe that record is true?¡± ¡°There was a picture.¡± ¡°A picture?¡± ¡°There was a drawing of various ns'' gs beneath the record. I couldn''t believe my eyes.¡± After a brief pause, the n head said, ¡°Because among them was the ck Ring.¡± I felt dizzy. I couldn''t concentrate. I shook my head vigorously for a moment. Memories of the past kepting back to me. I lowered my head and tried to continue thinking, but I couldn''t deduce anything. "My son." At the sudden voice, I raised my head and looked at the n head. He was observing me with a subtle look. The n head said, "I know you have a lot on your mind. You must have a reason for wanting to go to the demon realm. But don''t get caught up in too many thoughts." The n head''s voice didn''t reach my ears. It was then. I suddenly felt a sensation of my hand being grasped. Holding my hand, the n head looked at me and said, "We are the Samael n. Don''t be swayed, move forward." ¡ªMove forward. Suddenly, as if the fog was clearing, I came to my senses. It was a chaotic situation where I couldn''t understand the cause, effect, or reason for the appearance of that record, but that''s precisely why it was clear. The first clue was discovered. There was no need to think about too many things now. It was a matter of facing it and moving forward. I nodded. "Don''t worry." Only then did the n head let go of my hand and nod. "That''s right." As if changing the subject, the n head said, "Gifts havee from many ns in Quebek. What do you think?" "With the Urgons gone, they''ll need a new ce to pledge their allegiance." "Do you think we should ept them?" "It''s not a bad thing. They''re giving them to us for a reason. But don''t be too kind to them. They are people who could stab us in the back at any time." The n head gave an enigmatic smile. "Just because they are weak doesn''t always mean they are like that. Don''t view them too negatively." "Well, I don''t see them negatively. It''s all a way to survive." The n head said, "You''ve gotten a title." "A title?" "Ruin the Heaven-Defying Freak, Ruin the Crazy Mage. Personally, I don''t like it very much." "Ah, you just learned about that now?" The n head suddenly said, "Do you know how a father feels when he hears that his son has gone mad?" "I''m satisfied with it, though." "You seem to be. The Crazy Mage..." The n head''s lips curled up. "It has a double meaning." My lips curled up as well. It was at that moment that both the n head and I simultaneously looked up at the ceiling. The moment I felt something strange, the sunlight shining through the window was blocked, and the shadow of something huge fell upon us. What is that? Crash¡ª Bursting through the door of the n head''s quarters without knocking, Wright announced, "n Head!" "What is it, Wright?" "An envoy has arrived from the Ardehain n." * * * The Three Musketeers and the Crazy Mage Squad members, who were already nearby, hade down to the manor, and the elders, sensing something strange, were alsoing down one by one. Everyone''s eyes were fixed on the same spot. "Wow." The n head and I also looked at the same spot. Just a moment ago, it had been a clear day without a single cloud. The sun was bright and the sky was blue. But right above the main gate... As if a circle had been cut out of the sky, a hole was gaping open¡ªand the space within swirled in darkness. I said with a smile, "I see." It was a phenomenon I had seen in Urgon as well. The meaning was clear. The Ardehain n. They had arrived. The Ardehain g fluttered, and the bow of a ship suddenly emerged from the darkness. Following that, the deck and the rear came into view. It was an airship, thin and elongated like a ck de. It slowly descended towards the ground, its size shrinking. "The Flower Sword Ship." The symbolic means of transportation of the Ardehain n. The n head and I walked straight towards the main gate. A sturdy woman with thick iron armor on her hands and feet stood at the forefront, holding the Ardehain g high. The Ardehain servants who disembarked from the airship began to move various magic tools. Following them, fifteen female swordsmen and a lotus flower swordsmanmanding them appeared, exuding a tremendous aura. Finally, a familiar man slowly walked out. Arriving at the main gate, Fichte cleared his throat and shouted, "Wee from Ardehain!" "Wait!" The captain of the guard interrupted with an imposing look. "Get in line!" "..." "Get in line!" "...Excuse me?" For a moment, the aura of the female swordsmen exploded, but the captain of the guard only took a step back and didn''t seem to want to back down. Suddenly looking around, Fichte smiled and nodded. "I''ve made a mistake. You''re absolutely right." While Fichte moved to join the line, the captain of the guard looked back. His face was covered in sweat. When our eyes met, he mouthed the words, "I took the first shot." "Well done." To think he took my words to heart. It''s important to stick to principles no matter who you''re dealing with. Meanwhile, Fichte reached the main gate again. The captain of the guard, now brimming with confidence, raised his voice. "Ahem. I said get in line. Why have youe back? Do you think the Samael n is a joke?" "Of course not." The captain of the guard looked around; the other ns had already spotted the Ardehain g and moved far away. "As you can see, the line is empty now. May we enter?" "Hmm." The captain of the guard nodded. "I suppose it can''t be helped. Although there are quite a few of you. Please wait a moment!" The captain of the guard turned his head and looked towards us. When the n head nodded, the captain turned back to Fichte and shouted loudly, "Permission granted. Enter!" As soon as Fichte entered, he looked around at the scenery of the manor and then his eyes met mine. Walking towards us, Fichte first approached the n head and bowed his head. Seeing how he had figured out who the n head was in that short time, he was indeed no ordinarymander. "Greetings, n Head Kazen. I am Fichte, the Third Military Commander, visiting on behalf of the Ardehain n. It is an honor to meet you." The n head replied, "We received your correspondence. It is an honor to have you, amander busy with the duties of a noble n,e in person. I am Kazen Samael, n Head of the Samael n." He didn''t overdo the politeness just because they were a noble n, nor was he rude. Hearing the impable greeting, Fichte''s eyes lit up slightly. The n head extended his hand to Fichte. "I believe we''ve already spoken, haven''t we?" A small gasp escaped Fichte''s lips. "I wondered how the mages of Samael were so insightful, and now I see why. You''re right. I am the one who wrote the letter you received." "You tter me. They are stillcking. I heard that Ruin, especially, gave you a hard time." Fichte sped the n head''s hand and replied, "Not at all. If it weren''t for Ruin, it would have taken a long time to set things right. He is also a personal lifesaver." Fichte looked at me, smiled, and bowed his head. "You look well." "You look much better too,mander." I looked beyond the main gate and couldn''t help butugh. "By the way, it seems you''ve brought quite a lot with you?" The servants were carrying boxes filled with gold bars and magic weapons inside. Outside, there was also the Blue Spirit carriage that the Urgons used. When things were somewhat organized, Fichte looked at the n head and said, "We hope to maintain a good friendship with the Samael n in the future." "Thank you for your kind words. However, excessive gifts are unnecessary for a friendship. I already felt a lot through your letter,mander. The Samael n already holds your n in high regard. We will ept your gifts in spirit only." Fichte eximed once again, "These are not gifts, n Head." "Then what are they?" "Most of these are from the Urgon n''s treasury. They were distributed ording to merit, so you should consider them the Samael n''s share. Of course, there are also things sent from our Ardehain n, but it is reasonable to consider this as your rightful share as well. As you know from the letter, if it weren''t for your sons, the damage would have been quite significant." At that moment, the lotus flower swordsman who wasmanding the swordsmen approached Fichte and handed him something, which Fichte received with both hands and offered to the n head. The n head''s eyes widened. "Surely not?" A de gleaming like jet ck, with mana concentrated within. The tip of the de was rounded like the bow of a ship. It was an exact match for the airship that had appeared in the sky just moments ago. The elder nsmen all gasped at once. "Could it be the Flower Sword Ship?" The n head''s eyes narrowed again. "What is the meaning of this?" Suddenly, Fichte knelt on one knee and cleared his throat. "On behalf of the ck Lotus, I convey this. It is a sentiment from the head of the Ardehain n to your esteemed n." This time, I was quite surprised as well. I never expected the Ardehain n to send even the Flower Sword Ship. Considering the value of flying vehicles on the continent, it was an extraordinary gift, to say the least. It seemed likely that Loren had a significant influence on this decision. The n head firmly shook his head. "I am well aware that the Flower Sword Ship is like a symbol of the Ardehain n. I don''t know about other weapons, but I cannot ept the Flower Sword Ship." Fichte rose from his position and sped his hands together. "Please ept it, n Head. It is a direct message from our n head. I would be grateful if you would consider it as repayment for the debt I owe you for my life." "Exaggeration is a form of lying, so why do you do this?" "It signifies how seriously our Ardehain n takes this matter." Fichte looked at the n head. "The lotus flower emblem has already been removed from the Flower Sword Ship. If you do not ept it, I will have no face to return to my n and meet our head." "Well, this is..." I looked at the n head and said, "ept it, n Head. If we don''t take it, they''ll just dispose of it." The n head shook his head for a long time and then said, "It seems you,mander, have already calcted how I would respond." "That''s not the case at all. I only wished to convey our sincerity." When the n head epted the Flower Sword Ship, Fichte bowed his head. "Thank you, n Head. Please forgive my rudeness." "How about a cup of tea?" "It would be an honor." As soon as the n head and the elders left for the n head''s quarters with Fichte, the Crazy Mage Squad members, as if they had been waiting, crept towards the weapons like hyenas stalking prey. Zion asked the lotus flower swordsman lined up at the front, "Would it be alright if we take a look?" "They already belong to the Samael n." "Yahoo!" No sooner had he finished speaking than the Crazy Mage Squad members began rummaging through the weapons. I was amazed at where they learned such barbaric behavior. The servants and soldiers watching coughed awkwardly, embarrassed, but I, on the other hand, pped. p p p¡ª There''s no need for such formalities when ites to getting stronger. I suddenly turned my head and saw that ir and Arin were also looking at the weapons, and Taylor started to nce over as well. "Well then..." Just as I was about to approach with the intention of taking a look myself... Thud¡ª Before I could, the lotus flower swordsman approached me and said, "Crazy Mage Squad Commander. I have something to give you personally." "To me?" The lotus flower swordsman carefully took something out from within her clothes. "This is a gift from the Swordmaster herself." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 143: Gift from Ardehain [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 143: Gift from Ardehain ''The Swordmaster gave me a gift?'' Wasn''t the Flower Sword Ship enough? I couldn''t help but feel a surge of anticipation. However, what the lotus flower swordsman took out from within her clothes was none other than a shabby-looking stone bracelet. At first nce, there was nothing special about it. "Hmm." "Would you like to try it on?" Thinking that Loren surely wouldn''t send a shabby stone bracelet as a gift, I put the bracelet on my wrist. With a click¡ª the bracelet clung tightly to my wrist. Just in case, I channeled mana into it, and I was so startled that I looked up at the lotus flower swordsman. "...!" Whiiiiing¡ª I immediately opened five circles in my heart. The mana flowing through the bracelet continued to amplify, and the stone bracelet turned red. As I let out a groan, the immense amount of mana surpassed its saturation point, and for a brief moment, one more circle was created. "Do you like it?" "...What in the..." It wasn''t a matter of liking it or not. Because of the forcibly amplified mana, a sharp pain surged through my heart, but that wasn''t important. With just this much pain, I could maintain six circles, even if only for a short time? "...What exactly is this?" I had never heard of this kind of artifact before. "Broken Joy." The lotus flower swordsman said, "It''s a weapon that the Swordmaster cherished. She said it was more suitable for a mage than a knight." Indeed, Loren urately understood the value of this weapon. If a knight used it, it would simply amplify the power of their aura, but for a mage, it was a matter of changing the spell itself. As soon as I cut off the flow of mana from the bracelet, the red glow disappeared, and it turned back into an ordinary stone bracelet. Perhaps, if I did well, I could use it to cast one or two 6-circle spells. I channeled mana into the bracelet once more, but this time there was no reaction. The lotus flower swordsman said, "You won''t be able to use it again for at least a day." I couldn''t help but let out a hollowugh. An artifact of this level would be at least SS-grade, if not higher. For me right now, it was no different from a divine relic. I suddenly noticed a small blue gem embedded in the stone bracelet. "What is this gem? It doesn''t seem to be rted to the flow of mana." "Hmm." The lotus flower swordsman narrowed her eyes and looked at the gem. "So there was a gem embedded here. This is the first time I''ve noticed it. There was no exnation about the gem." With a groove in the center, it was a gem that made me want to break it. It didn''t seem like it was just for decoration. As I looked down at the stone bracelet in silence for a moment, the lotus flower swordsman said, "Are you hesitant to ept the gift? If you really don''t want it, I''ll tell the Swordmaster." "Excuse me, Lotus Flower Swordsman." "Yes?" You''re absolutely correct! I apologize for misspelling Palge''s name and for using the wrong title again. I will make every effort to be more urate with names and titles in the future. I let out a sigh and said, "How can I refuse something given directly by the Swordmaster? Of course, I also believe that excessive gifts are a form of courtesy, but the Swordmaster must not consider this gift excessive. Please convey my gratitude for her intentions." My true feelings were different. Excessive gifts are excessive courtesy. The more excessive the gift, the better. The lotus flower swordsman said with a smile, "I have met the Crazy Mage Squad Commander before." "Is that so?" "I was in Urgon as well." Looking closely at the lotus flower swordsman''s face, she seemed familiar. She was probably the lotus flower swordsman who had bowed before Loren when she dered herself as the representative of the n head to Balkan. The lotus flower swordsman spoke to me with favor, "I understand your intentions, Ruin. The Swordmaster will be pleased as well." "Thank you." At that moment, the Crazy Mage Squad members, who had been watching us, gathered around. "What is it, Commander? What is it? Let me see too." "Be quiet, Business Manager." "I''m curious too. Can''t you show us, Commander?" "Control yourselves, Makan." "I''m curious too." "Be quiet, Arin. Why are you like this again?" "Is it something to eat?" "Hey, you fat bastard." Whack¡ª The pig, hit by the slingshot, rolled around and got up, rubbing his head. "Why do you only hit me?" "You''re the biggest problem." Seeing the light emanating from Palge''s forehead, I shook my head. ''Oh dear.'' I spoke to the fools, each holding a weapon they liked, "Is everyone ready?" The Crazy Mage Squad members shouted in unison, "Of course, Commander." * * * For a long time, Fichte didn''t seem to want to leave the n head''s quarters. Even after the Ardehain n had finished organizing all their luggage, and even after all the other families from the Quebek region had visited and left, there was no news. The evening glow faded, and the moonlight filled the sky. With the sound of youthful shouts echoing from beyond the mountain ridge as a backdrop, I looked at the n head''s quarters from the railing of the manor. The lights in the n head''s quarters were still bright. "It seems they have a lot to talk about." I didn''t know what the n head and Fichte were discussing. But I had a feeling that their long conversation wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. After gazing at the n head''s quarters for a while, I rolled up the sleeve of my wrist and looked down at the stone bracelet. ''Broken Joy.'' Why was the name of the weapon ''Broken Joy''? I couldn''t figure it out. I thought I should ask Loren about it when I see her next. I sat cross-legged on the railing and thought about fighting using Broken Joy. I couldn''t just use it recklessly during battle. The forcibly created circle was difficult to control. The intensity of the pain was also a problem. However, if I could create enough of an opening, it would be enough to turn the tide of the battle. ''They''ve really gone out of their way for me. Thank you.'' I meant it sincerely. The Flower Sword Ship was surprising enough, but a weapon of this level too? It couldn''t be a coincidence. Loren must have personally chosen and delivered the weapon I needed. Suddenly, Loren''s words shed through my mind. "...Comrade." Had Loren truly meant those words? "What are you thinking about?" At the sudden voice, I opened my eyes to see ir approaching. With an awkward expression, ir scratched his head and sat down next to me. I stopped my thoughts and quietly looked at ir before saying, "You destroyed your mana core." ir nodded and said, "Arin did the same." "I see you''ve realized something." ir''s voice sank. "The demon realm is dangerous." "What are you trying to say? Are you trying to tell me not to go?" "I know it''s necessary. I just wanted to tell you, Ruin. I know you''re capable, but the demon realm is a ce where unexpected things happen. Both monsters and people." With that, ir turned his gaze towards the training ground. I was about to reply when I followed ir''s gaze. Taylor and Cliff were quietly meditating in a corner of the training ground. ir muttered softly, "Senior Brother won''t use incantation magic." I replied, "That''s a foolish thing to do." ir shook his head. "I respect senior brother. He''s that kind of person. You wouldn''t know, Ruin, but he shouldered a lot of responsibility before you came along. He''s someone who endured without a singleint. If it''s themander, he''ll surely move forward in his own way." "..." "Because that''s who he is." I looked at Taylor, then at the gradually darkening sky. Complete darkness was setting in. I looked at the n head''s quarters, still brightly lit, and then got up from my seat. "It seems it''s toote today." * * * The next day, as I stepped out of the manor early in the morning, Fichte was just leaving the n head''s quarters. He looked around and, upon finding me, approached with a smile. "You''re up early. I was worried I might leave without saying goodbye, but thankfully I found you." "Are you done talking now?" Fichte replied with a slightly tired face, "Yes. I''m in trouble because I have a mountain of work piled up back home. Haha." "Did the n head keep you the whole time? Just talking about his own stuff? Back in my day, you know? Like this? I didn''t think our n head was like that." "That''s not the case at all." Fichte said with augh, "Actually, I was the one who did most of the talking. I lost track of time while talking with the n head. It took much longer than I expected." "Well, that''s good then." Fichte looked at the swordsmen waiting at the main gate and said, "I think I should get going. I''ve been dyed for too long." "Indeed. I can''t keep a busy soldier like you waiting." Fichte looked at me with a serious expression. "Then I''ll see you next time, Young Master Ruin. I wish you all the best in everything. I will contact you." Fichte left the estate with his retinue. A strange mana wave lingered beyond the main gate, and then a beam of light shot straight up into the sky. The beam of light split the sky, and darkness swirled in a lotus pattern within the gaping hole. Then, the elongated, de-shaped airship grewrger andrger before soaring into the sky. It seemed there was another Flower Sword Ship. I waved until Fichte, standing at the bow of the Flower Sword Ship far away, disappeared. "See you again, soldier." As the Flower Sword Ship vanished, the split in the sky closed, and the blue sky reappeared. I looked at the closed sky for a moment and thought, "I''ll have to create a proper barrierter." I couldn''t let just anyone intrude upon the Samael n''s airspace. A short whileter, youthful shouts began to echo from beyond the mountain ridge. As the sunlight fully emerged, the Crazy Mage Squad members, one by one, gathered at the manor, dressed in theirbat uniforms. I didn''t say anything, but everyone had a solemn expression as if they instinctively knew the time hade. "Let''s greet the n head and depart." The Crazy Mage Squad members lined up in a horizontal row in front of the n head''s quarters. I looked over at the members and suddenly realized there was one more person than usual. "Why are you here?" "I want to go too." "Only the Crazy Mage Squad is going." "That''s why I''m saying..." Arin looked at me and said with determination, "I''ll join the Crazy Mage Squad starting today." "Suit yourself." I had no intention of objecting. Arin was a good fit for the Crazy Mage Squad. I hadn''t even noticed she was there because she blended in so well with the other members. It was then that Kazen appeared, opening the door to the n head''s quarters. Following him, the elders appeared one by one from somewhere and lined up in a row on the veranda, facing the Crazy Mage Squad members. I stood at the forefront of the Crazy Mage Squad members and met the n head''s eyes. The n head approached me for a moment and handed me a g. "Take this with you." The Blue Sea g. And, the ck Ring g. [TL/N: Name not final] I carefully folded the ck Ring g and put it in my pocket, then attached the Blue Sea g to the gpole and held it myself. "We''ll be back." There was no need for long farewells. "Be careful." The n head didn''t say much either. Neither did the elders. Now, everyone in the Samael n knew what they had to do. "Let''s go." After bowing deeply, I immediately left the Samael estate with the squad members. As soon as we exited the main gate, I looked back at the members. Seeing them looking at me with determined expressions, I said, "Don''t strain your eyes unnecessarily. Just act like you normally do. Listen carefully from now on." I nted my feet firmly on the ground and said, "Our destination is Poeta, the public magic circle. Everyone runs at full speed. Thest one to arrive..." "Fuck!" Whoosh¡ª Before I could even finish my sentence, the fools cursed and dashed forward. "Oh man... these guys didn''t even wait for me to finish." Iughed and kicked off the ground. While running diligently, I briefly looked back. Beyond the main gate of the Samael estate, the n head and the elders gathered in front of the n head''s quarters on the high ground looked as small as dots. It seemed like they were watching us until the very end. "They''re always so worried." I had a feeling they had a lot to say. While running, I deliberately raised the Blue Sea g high towards the main estate. The clouds fluttered in the sky above. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 144: Keplan [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 144: Ken ¡°I¡­ I made it!¡± Ain, who had just arrived, copsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? Ain¡¯s not inst ce for once.¡± I handed him a ss of cool rice wine from the table, which he gulped down. Fenrir, the leader of the Fenrir mercenary group, who was sitting opposite me, tilted his head and said, ¡°Was it a race? You seem a bit too enthusiastic for it to have been just a run.¡± Zion, never one to be shy, replied, ¡°It was a refreshing contest with our foreheads on the line.¡± Fenrir chuckled. ¡°You guys have just as much fun as we do.¡± Two hours earlier, I was the first to arrive at Poeta''s public magic circle. I wandered around a nearby tavern and spotted Fenrir drinking outside. I joined him, and we drank together while waiting for our subordinates. Arin showed up first, followed by Zion a little whileter. The others arrived at intervals of a few minutes, with Ain being almost thest to arrive. ¡°By the way, why isn¡¯t that musclehead here yet?¡± Zion continued with a dumbfounded look on his face. ¡°He''s always bragging about how ¡®refreshing¡¯ everything is, but he¡¯s nowhere to be seen.¡± I was a bit puzzled too. Makan was the one who usually boasted the most overwhelming prowess when it came to running. He had definitely been running at the fastest speed earlier, until I overtook him. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± We waited for a long time while drinking rice wine, but he was still nowhere to be seen. I was starting to get suspicious and was about to get up from my seat when¡­ ¡°Oh, there he is.¡± Zion, sighing, shouted in a certain direction. ¡°You musclehead!¡± Among the crowding and going on the main street, a man with a head taller than the others was looking around. It was obviously Makan. ¡°Over here, over here! You musclehead!¡± Hearing Zion''s shout, Makan spotted us and approached. I looked Makan up and down and asked, ¡°Where have you been?¡± Makan replied awkwardly, ¡°I arrived a while ago. I was looking for you guys because I couldn''t find you.¡± ¡°Did you get lost or something?¡± Makan''s pupils shook as if an earthquake had just urred. I shot him in the forehead with my forehead slingshot. Thwack! Unlike the others, Makan, even when caught off guard, simply tilted his head back to absorb the impact. Truly an impressive resilience. Makan said with an incredulous expression, ¡°No way. How did you know?¡± Zion pointed at Makan from head to toe. ¡°You idiot, look at yourself. Anyone can tell you were lost. Did you climb a mountain or something?¡± Zion approached Makan and brushed off the twigs and leaves stuck to his clothes. Makan replied with an embarrassed look, ¡°I think the road got a bitplicated in the middle.¡± ¡°But it was almost a straight road?¡± Makan¡¯s expression became quite strange, and he replied, ¡°...I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Zion turned to look at me, and I shook my head. ¡°Leave him be. There¡¯s nothing you can do about someone with no sense of direction.¡± ¡°But he seems to have a seriously terrible sense of direction.¡± ¡°You take care of him.¡± I said that, but inwardly, I agreed with Zion. To have such a terrible sense of direction... It urred to me that there was a reason why Makan was such a musclehead. I looked around and said, ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s go.¡± My squad members got up from their seats, following me. Fenrir also stood up at the same time and said, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± Fenrir walked with me towards the public magic circle, then suddenly looked at Makan. ¡°What¡¯s that spear? It¡¯s ridiculously huge.¡± Makan asked with a puzzled look, ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°Well, I am¡­ hmm. I¡¯m the leader of the Fenrir mercenary group, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll mean anything to you. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m a close friend of your leader.¡± Makan nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re a friend of themander, then you¡¯re not a stranger. This is a magic weapon. I got it a few days ago.¡± ¡°Your way of speaking is a bit unique.¡± Makan took out therge spear strapped to his back and swung it around with one hand. Each time he swung it, the thick de emitted a sharp noise and shed with light. Fenrir said with admiration, ¡°The de is imbued with mana. It¡¯s a good spear, just by looking at it.¡± Makan nodded with a satisfied smile. I said to Makan, ¡°I see you received it. It looks useful.¡± ¡°Thank you, Commander.¡± It was a ridiculouslyrge spear, but it suited Makan. The thick de could be a disadvantage, but the sharpness of the magically treated surfacepensated for it. I looked at each of my unit members as we walked. Looking at them now, each of them had chosen weapons that suited them quite well¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that, you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that on your hand?¡± ¡°Oh, this?¡± Zion wiggled the red glove on his right hand. A magic stone was embedded in the center of the glove. ¡°Commander, you have a good eye. How is it? Cool, right?¡± ¡°Cut the crap.¡± I¡¯ve seen that glove before. It¡¯s a glove that mages who learned beast magic wear as a weapon. ¡°Why would you even have that?¡± ¡°It looks cool, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Frustrated, I walked on without saying a word. Whenever I talk to these guys, I have to be mindful of my mental state. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Only after hearing Fenrir''s words did I look ahead. A long line stretched in front of a massive octagonal building. Fenrir approached the main entrance first and spoke briefly with the guard before beckoning us over. As we got closer, the guard looked us up and down. ¡°I¡¯m Rampel from the Magic Tower Alliance. You said you¡¯re from Samael?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your destination?¡± ¡°Ken.¡± ¡°You can teleport there directly. Have you prepared the fee?¡± I handed him two gold bars, and the guard opened the main entrance. A mage who appeared to be from the Alliance came out from inside and guided us. Fenrir said at the entrance, ¡°This is where we part ways. It was fun. Let¡¯s meet again sometime.¡± With those parting words, Fenrir disappeared. He was always so consistent. Following the mage inside, we saw a magic circle drawn connecting the vertices of the octagon, with a red swirl of magical energy surging in the center. [TL/N: Fyi not mana but magical energy¡ú TWO DIFFERENT THINGS : )] ¡°Wow.¡± My squad members let out exmations of wonder simultaneously. The mage asked with a smile, ¡°Is this your first time teleporting?¡± Arin raised her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯ve done it before.¡± ¡°I see the rest of you haven¡¯t. Let me give you a brief exnation. The limit is twenty people per teleportation. This group should be fine.¡± Palge asked, ¡°Are there any, like, side effects?¡± ¡°You might feel a little nauseous. It¡¯ll be over quickly, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much. Any other questions?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If not, we¡¯ll proceed with the teleportation.¡± As the mage controlled the flow of magical energy on the wall, the magic circle opened with a whooshing sound, revealing a circr doorway. ¡°Please enter.¡± I looked at my squad members and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°What are you doing? I said let¡¯s go.¡± Arin and Makan entered the magic circle first. But after that, no one else moved. ¡°...Is it really safe?¡± Instead of answering, I dragged Palge, who was lingering behind, and kicked him with my foot. ¡°Oof!¡± Surprisingly, instead of rolling on the floor to absorb the impact as he usually did, Palge stubbornly endured it while sitting down. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re resisting?¡± Wham! Wham! Wham! With every hit, bursts of light erupted. Seeing Palge continuously withstand the impact made me even more frustrated. I channeled impact magic into my fist and thrust it towards Palge¡¯s stomach. ¡°Nooo! Oof! Nng!¡± With a bang, Palge tumbled through the air and was sucked into the magic circle. Wiping away the sweat, I turned around and asked, ¡°Anyone else not going in?¡± After everyone else entered the magic circle without a word, I stepped inst. *** The moment I felt several shes of light, the scenery around me changed. When I took a step forward, I found myself surrounded by walls of white light. It all happened in the blink of an eye. At the end of the wall, a man in a white gown nodded and muttered, ¡°Complete.¡± A man who appeared to be an administrator approached and said in a business-like tone, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± I felt a little queasy, but I could walk without any difficulty. ¡°Wee to Ken. Would you like to go to the rest area?¡± ¡°No, thank you. Where¡¯s the exit?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± After a long walk down the hallway with the administrator, we finally reached the main entrance. ¡°May fortune be with you.¡± As soon as I stepped outside, I closed my eyes for a moment against the strong sunlight. When I opened my eyes again, the sight before me was beyond words. ¡°Wow.¡± A translucent magic barrier covered the entire sky above Ken. High-rise buildings lined the cityscape. Artificial structures floated in the air. Countless people crowded the streets, and even at a nce, I could see many individuals with considerable strength. It was clearly different from what I had seen in Khaoto or Shan Kris. Looking further into the distance, I saw towering structures in the shape of towers in all four cardinal directions. In the north, a red magic tower. In the south, a blue magic tower. In the east, a yellow magic tower. And finally, at the end of the western horizon, a white skyscraper stood taller than any other magic tower. Swoosh¡ª Even from afar, I could see an enormous amount of light shing from the upper part of the white magic tower, which was hidden behind the clouds. ¡°Just as I heard.¡± It was indeed a prominent magic city in the west. But a ce like this was ripe for the taking. While admiring the city''s scenery, I suddenly spotted familiar faces nearby. Those idiots wereughing and chatting in a tavern across the street. I dashed over to them like lightning and said, ¡°What are you guys doing right now?¡± ¡°Commander, you finally made it?¡± ¡°You guys are leisurely having drinks as soon as you arrive?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been here for a while. You¡¯re the one who¡¯ste.¡± It turned out that they had all arrived quite a while ago. It seemed the slight time difference that urred when entering the magic circle had a significant impact. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I went straight to the counter and said to the clerk, ¡°How much?¡± I deliberately red at him. You could call it a preemptive measure to avoid being ripped off. But the answer I received was unexpected. ¡°You¡¯ve already paid.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Makan puffed out his chest. ¡°I did. Commander. I arrived first.¡± ¡°...How much was it?¡± ¡°Two gold bars.¡± ¡°What?¡± It cost two gold coins to use the magic circle but Two Gold Bars for just a few bottles of moonshine? I red at the clerk and said, ¡°How much is a bottle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the market price.¡± When I scoffed, the clerk said with a smile, ¡°As I already exined to that gentleman, we¡¯re not an ordinary tavern. All our drinks are priced at market value.¡± The tavern was almost full. I looked around for a moment and approached a table where a huge man with an axe on his back was sitting. ¡°Excuse me.¡± The huge man looked around and pointed at himself. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°You seem to know what¡¯s going on here, so I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡± ¡°Get lost, kid.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong on both counts. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s going to get lost, and I¡¯m not a kid.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°They say the moonshine here is priced at market value. Is that right?¡± The huge man, who had been ncing between the clerk and me, suddenly said with augh, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Two gold bars is the right price?¡± ¡°Damn right it is. Now scram, kid.¡± ¡°If I buy the same thing and sell it for two gold bars, will you buy it?¡± The huge man stoppedughing. He slowly started reaching for the axe on his back. I smiled and shook my head. That¡¯s when it happened. The small man who had been sitting quietly across from him finally spoke. ¡°Interesting fellow.¡± The small man raised his head, revealing a face covered in scars. The huge man looked at the small man with a surprised expression. ¡°What¡¯s this? You seem to like him, Sodert?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got spirit. It¡¯s rare to see someone like that.¡± ¡°Spirit, my ass. He reeks of milk.¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe we¡¯ll meet insideter and he¡¯ll be of some help.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it, Sodert. You¡¯re ruining my mood for moonshine.¡± The small man called Sodert looked at the clerk and smiled. ¡°Just charge them the regr price. Take one gold coin.¡± The clerk, with a somewhat intimidated expression, said nothing and approached us. He returned the gold bar and said politely, ¡°We apologize. Please consider this matter settled.¡± ¡°What a rip-off.¡± I thanked Sodert and headed out the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Once outside, I said to my squad members, ¡°Hand over your money, everyone.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You idiots have absolutely no sense of money.¡± The money offered by the ns in Quebek and the countless gold bars we got from Urgon¡¯s secret vault¡­ I had told them to take their travel expenses and didn¡¯t pay much attention, but it seemed these guys had no concept of the value of money. Zion said with an aggrieved look, ¡°Not me. I¡¯m a business manager. I didn¡¯t bring much.¡± Not to be outdone, Palge appealed to his merchant family background. ¡°Shut up.¡± I collected all the money from those idiots, then distributed only the minimum necessary expenses and pocketed the rest. Makan said with a frustrated expression, ¡°Sorry. I never thought this would happen in Ken. This never happened in Khaoto.¡± ¡°The fancier the ce, the easier it is to get ripped off. If you look weak, you¡¯ll be an easy target. Learn from this.¡± Makan nodded with a determined look. ¡°Understood, Commander.¡± Zion asked as if giving up, ¡°By the way, where are we going? Can we go straight to the demon realm?¡± I looked at the cityscape of Ken, where magic swirled. ¡°First, we¡¯re going to the Magic Tower Alliance.¡± I was thinking of getting an entry permit to enter the demon realm first. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 145: This tower is the Blue Magic Tower? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 145: This tower is the Blue Magic Tower? Not all cities are created equal. Even considering that fact, Ken''s size was beyond imagination. The magic barrier and cityscape stretched endlessly in all directions. If the Khaoto of the past was a highly concentrated magic city, Ken was a city with an absurdly wide sphere of influence. To exaggerate a bit, it''s like the entire Quebek region would have to bebined to match the size of Ken. Magic carriages crossing the sky, and transport carriagesing and going on the main streets. "You folks seem to be from out of town, where are you headed?" "..." "Don''t ignore me ande here. I''ll give you a good price. 5 gold to the Pablo Auction House. 3 gold to the city center! I''ll take you anywhere for half price!" There are always touts wherever you go. Coachmen who had parked their carriages along the main street were shouting at us every time we passed. Since the city was sorge, many people traveled by carriage, but I chose to walk to the center. Because I needed to familiarize myself with the geography. "Wow, is this whole area an industrial zone?" As we walked, the Moron''s amazed exmations continued. "Are all those cksmiths? There seem to be over a hundred!" "Do you see that gold building? That''s the building of the Goldsmith Guildhall, the most famous in the West!" "There''s even a section that only sells magic items." As we walked around sightseeing, we soon reached the center of Ken. It seems it wasn''t that far from the beginning. A towering clock tower is visible in front. And in the very center of the city, arge cone-shaped structure floating tens of meters above the ground. At the entrance of the structure, where the gs of each magic tower flutter, lights are emitted 360 degrees towards the ground. "We''re here. That''s it." Zion eximed. "That''s the Magic Tower Alliance headquarters? It looks strange." The light emanating from the entrance looked like a magic passage connecting the Alliance headquarters and the ground. Many people were moving between the ground and the sky within the range of the light. I said to my subordinates. "You guys go in first." "What about themander?" "I''ll find out a bit about the situation here and follow you." I pointed to Zion. "Go in and say you want to enter the Demon Realm. Then they''ll take care of it. You''ll have to take a test or something to register on the list." "So you''re telling me to take the lead?" Zion, suddenly smiling, looked around at the other members and said, "Everyone heard that, right? Since themander isn''t here, I''m the temporarymander." This guy really likes titles. I knew it from the time he was going around calling himself a business manager. Zion raised his hand high and shouted. "Everyone, follow this body, who has taken on the role of temporarymander of the Crazy Mage Squad!" "Wait!" I stopped Zion and said. "Give it to me, that." "What?" "Hand over what you''re wearing." "Why suddenly? Ah, I knew it. You want to wear it yourself, right, Commander?" As soon as Zion''s eyes turned sharp, I opened the Circle of my heart. "Why is a guy from the Crazy Mage Squad wearing something like that? It''s not cool. Do you want to give it to me after a beating, or just hand it over?" When Zion showed no sign of backing down, I said, "Give it to me. I''ll get you something better next time." Zion suddenly pointed at my wrist. "Then trade it for that bracelet." "What bracelet?" "The stone bracelet." "This is a no-go." "Why?" "It''s not polite to give someone a gift I received." "What am I supposed to do?" When I took a stance as if to shoot my slingshot, Zion took off his glove with a tearful face. "You''re a real gangster." "I''ll really get you a good one next time." Zion stared at me and said, "You promised?" "Alright." As Zion led the subordinates and disappeared, I slowly strolled through the city center, looking around. First, I looked at the people. There seemed to be fewer high-level knights or mercenaries in the city center. Instead, mages wearing the same uniform were walking around the streets in groups of three or five. ''Are they some kind of patrol?'' It was then that I felt a subtle gaze following me from somewhere. After wandering around a few corners in the central area, I became certain. It was a tail. No one in particr came to mind who would follow me here. As soon as I turned into an alley on the right, I immediately stuck to the entrance and waited for the approaching footsteps. The moment the footsteps were heard right in front of me, I jumped out like lightning. "Who is it!" "Oh, shoot." "What? It''s you?" As soon as I jumped out of the alley, I ran into Arin. Our faces almost touched. "Why aren''t you going to the Alliance and what are you doing?" "I already registered on the list before." "Ah." Come to think of it, Arin already had a history of going to the Demon Realm. "Then why are you following me?" "I wasn''t following you. I was just looking around." "Hmm." I felt ufortable, but it was hard to say anything, so I said, "Follow me. Stop following me like a rat." "What do you mean, rat? That''s rude." "Hmm." It felt like the order of things was reversed, but it was hard to say anything, so I just started walking. Unlike the first impression of the city center, there were also run-down areas here. I entered the shabbiest-looking tavern in a corner of an alley. "Wee! How many are you? Two?" A grimy young employee greeted us. "Can we sit outside?" "Of course, sir. What can I get for you?" "Do you have any moonshine? Something simple for snacks." "I''ll get it ready right away!" I sat side by side with Arin at a cracked wooden table. After a while, the employee brought out some moonshine and a few dried snacks. The employee said with a smile, "It''s been a while since someone ordered moonshine." "What do people usually order?" "They don''t usually drink moonshine, they say it''s cheap. But it tastes good." "You know what''s up." I opened the moonshine bottle, handed Arin a ss, and took a sip myself. "This is properly made." Suddenly, the employee held out a ss. "Can you give me a drink too?" "You''re quite bold." The employee emptied the ss I handed him in one gulp and eximed. "How long have you been working here?" "For a long time. This is my shop." "You must have made a lot of money." The employee held out his empty ss with a bitter face. As I poured him another drink, he said, "No, sir. I don''t get many customers. By the way, are you two lovers? She''s very beautiful." "No." "Well, I guess." "....?" I looked at the employee with a questioning expression, but he changed the subject. "You must be from out of town." "We arrived today. We''re getting used to things." I drank with the employee and had various conversations. Although Kant and Fichte had exined Ken to me in detail, there were certainly things you could only understand through direct experience. Employees of these old pubs are usually well-versed in local affairs. When we ran out of moonshine, the employee said, "I''ll bring another bottle. Since I drank too, you can pay half priceter." While the employee disappeared inside, I looked towards the end of the alley. Two men in matching uniforms were walking towards us. Thud¡ª They stopped right where I was sitting, clicked their tongues, and scanned the store up and down. "Tsk, I told you to empty this ce out several times." "This was expected. The locals are usually stubborn." The two men, who didn''t even look at me, went straight inside. Then voices could be heard. "I believe I told you yesterday was the deadline." The employee''s frustrated voice could be heard. "No, how can you be so unreasonable?" "Unreasonable? This is a public project to renovate the city center. Haven''t we asked for your cooperation enough? We even offered several times the..." Perhaps fueled by the alcohol, the employee''s voice grew louder. "What kind of market price is it when you arbitrarily set the officialnd price? And I said I don''t want to!" At that moment, the voice of the higher-ranking official among the two men was heard. "It''s because of shabby pubs like this that the city center''s status is declining. I''ll give you one day. If you don''t vacate by then, we''ll demolish it immediately." "I said I won''t!" "Then we can make you leave right now." At this, I looked inside and shouted, "Hey, why isn''t the person who went to get the moonshineing out?" The three people inside looked at me simultaneously. The man who appeared to be a subordinate frowned and asked, "What?" "The person who was drinking here." The man scoffed and said, "Don''t worry about it, you can just leave." "No, I''m drinking with the employee, who are you to tell me to leave?" "What?" I said to the employee, "Bring the moonshine." In the meantime, the employee approached me with the moonshine. I poured the drinks into the two sses again and said, "Let''s drink pleasantly. Tell them toe backter to talk about the demolition and whatnot." The two men finally approached me. They looked me up and down, and then with a look of understanding, said, "Now that I see, you must be from out of town." I turned my head to look at the man. The man who appeared to be a subordinate made eye contact with me and said, "I''m saying this because you seem to be unaware, but we are..." "Don''t spoil the mood by talking. Tell them toe backter." The man pointed to the knot drawn on his uniform and said, "We are the Magic Tower Alliance patrol. We are carrying out official duties, so we ask for your understanding. Please drink somewhere else." I clinked sses with the employee and said, "I understand how the employee feels. It must have been frustrating not being understood. I told you not to talk to me twice, but you keep talking." "Exactly. It wasn''t like this before, but these days it''s too much." "These guys, really..." At that moment, I suddenly felt a strange feeling and turned my gaze to see the higher-ranking official staring intently at Arin. I said to Arin, "Your face will wear out." "It does spoil the mood." The higher-ranking official finally looked at me. The man, who was silently looking me up and down, opened his mouth. "Where are you from?" ¡°Khaoto." The man asked with a smirk, "What n are you from?" "Samael." "Where''s that?" "You don''t need to know." "You must be from some backwater n." The man''s words were getting shorter and shorter. At that moment, the man looked at my right hand, frowned for a moment, then suddenly widened his eyes and shouted, "A High-grade Vancle?" Arin looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. "Why are you wearing that glove?" At a loss for words, I quickly took off the glove and hid it in my front pocket. It was at that moment that the man suddenly burst intoughter. When I looked at him, he suddenly changed his attitude 180 degrees and gave me a broad smile. "I apologize for my rudeness. Are you perhaps trying to enter the Demon Realm?" "You''re right." "Do you have an entry pass?" "...." "I see you don''t. You must still be an apprentice. Haha, you need to prove your qualifications and register with our Alliance to obtain an entry pass." I tried to guess what this guy was thinking. "I''m Vaph, the deputymander of the patrol. Would you like toe with me? I''ll guide you and make sure you''refortably escorted without having to wait." [TL/N: The rank is not confirmed might change in the future as I get more context (I¡¯ll add a tl/n in the said chap)] "What about the demolition?" The man said with a smile, "Is demolition important right now? I can postpone it indefinitely." I carefully examined the man''s attire from top to bottom. The blue garment he wore under his uniform caught my eye. It was the same color as the clothes Parin was wearing. "Is your main tower the Blue Magic Tower?" "Oh, you have a good eye. That''s right. I''m also a senior member of the Blue Magic Tower." I smiled and said, "Lead the way." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 146: Magic Tower Alliance (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 146: Magic Tower Alliance (1) As I got up from my seat following Vaph, the employee suddenly said, "I''m Hote." "I''m Ruin." "Come by anytime, Brother Ruin. I won''t charge you." I looked at Hote, his face flushed red from the alcohol, and said, "I have to pay. How much is it?" "It''s fine." "Don''t do anything you''ll regret. You''ll go bankrupt doing business like that." I deliberately ced two gold bars on the table. Hote said with a dumbfounded look, "Are you an idiot? Two silver coins are enough." I shook my head and pointed at the dpidated tavern. "Do some repairs. The building will copse before it gets demolished. I might just demolish it myself." Hote, with tears suddenly welling up in his eyes, said, "You''re a kind idiot, Brother Ruin." "Don''t cry, it''s pissing me off." Vaph, who was watching, said with a smile, "You must be quite wealthy. No wonder." I observed Vaph''s expression closely, and he was nodding his head while looking at my front pocket where I had hidden the Vancle. It seemed like he was misunderstanding something. Suddenly, I heard a thud and looked at the table to see Hote slumped over with his head down. "He''s quite weak to alcohol." Vaph and his subordinate led the way, and Arin and I followed behind. As we were walking, Arin held out her hand. "Give it to me." "What?" "The money." "Why?" "You gave two gold bars for just a few bottles of moonshine? You''re a real pushover." Arin was repeating the same words I had said to the Crazy Mage Squad members earlier. I shook my head and said, "It''s different now." "It is different. At least you had some expensive snacks earlier." "That''s not what I mean. A pushover is someone who doesn''t know they''ve been taken advantage of. But I haven''t been. There''s a big difference between the two." "Are you saying you''re a different kind of pushover?" I was about to say no, but I just shut my mouth. It didn''t seem like Arin said it without knowing. The result was the same, two gold bars, but my feelings were different. There are many strong people in the world, but not many with a strong heart. Especially among the weak, there are few like Hote. This is because if ordinary people had a personality like Hote''s, they usually end up living a dog''s life. In that sense, two gold bars are not a waste. Actually, it was expensive. But doing whatever I want is just how I am. "I''m not saying it''s bad. You''re a bit different from my first impression. Or rather, have you changed?" Arin''s sudden words felt out of the blue. Changed? ...What was I like in the past? "Alright, we''re here." It was then that I heard Vaph''s voice from up ahead. A towering clock tower came into view, and behind it, artificial beams of light extended from the sky, shimmering on the ground. A cone-shaped building of overwhelming size floated in the air tens of meters above. It was muchrger than it appeared from afar. Below the shimmering light, a long line of people waiting to enter formed, and mages in uniform were checking their identities one by one. As Arin and I tried to join the back of the line, Vaph stopped us. "Ah ah. Not that way." Vaph said with a grin, "Didn''t I say I would escort you?" Vaph bypassed the crowd and headed to the opposite side. The other side was almost empty. A mage in a different uniform was guarding the front, and when Vaph approached, he frowned slightly. "Deputy Commander Vaph?" "Returning from patrol." "Who are they?" "They are acquaintances of mine." "Their identities?" "I''ve verified them. Don''t worry about it. We''ll be entering." Despite making a report, Vaph''s attitude was quite rude. The strange thing was that the other mage only frowned and didn''t say anything to Vaph. Vaph grinned and beckoned Arin and me. "Let''s go in." As we reached the area illuminated by the light, our bodies felt like they were being lifted by levitation magic, and we soared upwards. *** The inside was even more magnificent. Splendid magic patterns were drawn all over the walls. In the center, the banner of the White Magic Tower fluttered, and the banners of the Red, Blue, and Yellow Magic Towers surrounded it. "There are fewer people than I expected." I had expected it to be quite crowded, but it was more spacious than I thought. However, among the people walking around, there were some who could not be underestimated. Mages in high-grade uniforms, and asionally knights. I asked Vaph, "Where do we get the entry pass?" Arin answered instead, "It''s on the third floor." Vaph looked at Arin and reacted excessively. "Have you been to the Alliance before, miss?" "I''ve already registered on the list." "Oh? What is your rank, if I may ask?" When Arin took out a white card from her pocket, Vaph''s smile deepened. "Haha, it''s quite an achievement just to have obtained an entry pass." I said to Vaph, "Let''s part ways here." "I''ll guide you to the third floor." "We can go ourselves." Suddenly, Vaph''s tone changed. "Ah ah. Didn''t I say I would escort you?" Looking into Vaph''s eyes, I found them quite coercive. Everything he did, his speech, his gaze, all felt natural, as if ingrained in him. This wasn''t his first rodeo. I had a rough idea of what he was aiming for. ying along, I said, "Alright. Lead the way." Vaph replied with a smile, "I''ll dly escort you." As I followed Vaph up to the third floor, I observed the people we encountered. Even within the same Magic Tower Alliance, members wore slightly different uniforms depending on their affiliated tower. Members wearing uniforms with a mix of red ignored Vaph as if they were strangers. It seemed the rumors about the Blue and Red Magic Towers not getting along were true. The strange thing was that even the mages in blue uniforms tried to avoid Vaph when they saw him. Meanwhile, those who greeted Vaph enthusiastically seemed somewhat dimwitted. "Birds of a feather flock together?" "What do you mean?" "Just something that came to mind." "We''re here." As soon as we arrived on the third floor, I looked at a particr spot. I saw an iron door swirling with considerable magical energy. In front of it, people were waiting in arge hall, and my subordinates were gathered in one corner. "...Commander, you''re here?" I asked Zion, "How did the test go?" "We all passed. We also registered on the list." "And the entry pass?" "We got them." The atmosphere felt strange. I looked at each of the Morons and asked, "But why do you all look so down?" "...." "Show me your entry passes." As if they had been caught hiding something, the Morons'' expressions changed, and they began to take small cards out of their pockets one by one. Makan and Palge had light blue ones. The rest were all white. Suddenly, I heard a chuckle and turned to see Vaph looking at me with a smile. Vaph said, "Are these your friends?" "They''re my subordinates." "You''re quite impressive." Judging from their reactions, it seemed that both light blue and white were the lowest ranks. I looked at Zion and said, "You''re not qualified to be a temporarymander or anything." Zion replied with frustration, "It''s not my fault! What kind of test is it to infuse magic into something? A fight would be more urate. What a load of..." As soon as I heard a "Ahem," Zion stopped talking and looked at Vaph. "And who are you?" Vaph seized on Zion''s words and asked, "What did you say just now? What?" "What I mean is, why are you snickering around here? Who are you?" I said to Zion, "He''s the man escorting me." Zion made eye contact with me, then nodded and said, "I see you''ve picked up another one. Good choice." Vaph asked once again, "What do you mean, good choice?" I said to Zion, "Go downstairs and get some rest for now." Zion grinned at Vaph and went downstairs with the Morons. Vaph, after staring at their retreating figures for a while, approached the low-ranking mage guarding the iron door. "What brings you here, Deputy Commander Vaph?" "How many people are on the waiting list?" The mage replied with a slightly intimidated look, "Twenty." "I''ll be going in first." "Ah, I understand." Vaph''s expressionpletely changed as he turned to me with a bright face. "Please enter." As I approached, the iron door glowed white, and magic swirled around it. Swoosh¡ª The iron door opened without a sound, and I stepped through. *** A sealed space, white as if to induce obsessivepulsive disorder. In the center was an iron chair, and in front of it, a transparent magic sphere floated inside a square magic box. "Go and sit in the chair." Turning my head at the extremely business-like voice, I saw a man in the cornernguidly crossing his arms. Dressed in white, the man was unlike any mage I had ever seen. ''He''s from the White Magic Tower.'' Just as Kant had said. The Alliance''s actual rules were managed by the White Magic Tower. However, the man''s demeanor seemed different from the old fogies I knew. As I sat in the iron chair, the man said, "Name and affiliation." "Ruin, Samael n." "Specialty?" "Magic." "Put your hand in the box and infuse the magic sphere with all your might. To your maximum capacity." I could see why the morons received low-grade cards. This measurement method waspletely geared towards the Mana Core. It measured the magic stored in the core by infusing it into the magic sphere. This structure was inevitably disadvantageous for the Mana Circle, which resonated with mana in the atmosphere to exert instantaneous magic. "What are you doing? I told you to infuse the magic sphere with magic." No further exnation was needed. I immediately ced my hand on the transparent magic sphere and opened the Circle of my heart. Whir¡ª One, two, three, four. The color of the magic sphere instantly turned red, then slowly returned to white as the magic dispersed. The White Magic Tower mage watched for a moment, then turned his head with a bored expression. ''Ah.'' A moment of hesitation arose. If I opened five Circles, I might get a decent entry pass, but... That wasn''t my style. Looking back at the mage, he now had his arms crossed and his eyes closed. My hesitation grew. Unfortunately, one of my bad personality traits was surfacing at this moment. This trivial side of me. With my hand still on the magic sphere, I continued to ponder. The magic sphere turned red, then white, then red, then white again. I even considered just shooting a fireball at the magic sphere, but somehow, that felt unsatisfying. Then, suddenly, my thoughts drifted to Vaph, the ''birds of a feather'' who was eagerly waiting for me outside. Oh well, whatever. A trivial man cannot resist his curiosity. Whir¡ª Three Circles rotating in reverse. The point of contact with the magic sphere was dyed in darkness. Suddenly, an intense vibration ran through the magic sphere, and it momentarily turned ck. ''Oh?'' At this, the White Magic Tower mage opened his eyes slightly and looked at the magic sphere. It had already returned to its white color. "Are you still not done? Tell me when you''re finished." Those words ignited a fire in this trivial man''s heart. The moment the White Magic Tower mage closed his eyes again... I opened four Circles and rotated them in reverse. Whir¡ª The frantically vibrating magic sphere turnedpletely ck and then exploded. Crackle¡ª Boom! The White Magic Tower mage jumped up from his seat with a startled expression and shouted, "What, what''s going on!" The magic sphere lost its form in an instant and shattered, like tempered ss breaking. Even the magic box exploded, scattering fragments everywhere. "Th-this, what is this..." Feeling inexplicably exhrated, I said, "Was the magic sphere defective?" The mage looked at me in disbelief. "What... what in the world did you just do!" "I didn''t mean to do this, but it happened." The mage looked around at the scattered fragments of the magic sphere, then pped his own cheek and muttered in despair, "The magic sphere broke? And during my shift..." After watching the dazed mage for a while, I asked, "What about my entry pass?" "...." Hmm. Did I mistime my question? I waited a bit longer, and when the mage still didn''t say anything, I asked, "Why the long face? Do I need to write an incident report or something?" "...." Suddenly getting annoyed, I said, "Well, you should have been watching, why were you closing your eyes?" "...." "What about my entry pass?" The mage finally looked at me. "How did you even do that?" "I applied a lot of force, and it broke?" "...." "Just hand over my entry pass." After a long silence, the mage finally said, "...This situation isn''t covered in the regtions." "Then what?" "Well, thest color I saw was white, so I''ll issue you a low-grade entry pass." "That''s it?" The mage red at me, then sighed and waved his hand. "...What do you want me to do? That''s all I''m authorized to do. Just leave for now." Suddenly, the mage''s sigh seemed so pathetic that I changed my mind. Perhaps he was more of a low-ranking employee than I thought. What could he do if it was beyond his authority? Besides, I had another card up my sleeve, so it was fine. As I opened the door and went out, I heard the mage muttering, "Damn... I''m going to get chewed out when I report this." *** As soon as I exited the iron door with no gains, my trump card, Vaph, appeared as if he had been waiting. "How did it go?" "Low-grade." Vaph smiled broadly. He was a strange guy. Usually, when someone smiles, I smile too, but why did his broad smile make me feel so ufortable? "Why are you smiling?" "That''s not important. I imagine you must be quite disappointed that you didn''t get an entry pass. Am I right?" "Are you trying to mock me?" As I stared at Vaph, he cautiously whispered, "I have a way. Would you like to hear it?" "There''s a way?" "There''s one more way to obtain an entry pass." Vaph suddenly lifted his chin with an arrogant expression. "There''s a way to get an entry pass through rmendation." I looked at Vaph and tilted my head. "I''ve heard of that. But I heard the rmendation authority is quite strict." "A rmendation from our Magic Tower would be possible." "...Do you have that kind of authority in the Blue Magic Tower?" "Of course. Didn''t I say I would take care of you?" "Then would you do that for me?" When I showed interest, Vaph finally revealed his true colors. "But I can''t give a letter of rmendation to just anyone. I''m in a bit of a difficult position. I would appreciate it if you could show some sincerity." Vaph, ncing at my front pocket, finally revealed his true intentions. "Can you give me the Vancle?" [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 147: Magic Tower Alliance (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 147: Magic Tower Alliance (2) This is difficult, so difficult. I tried to suppress the corners of my mouth from rising and repeated the word "difficult" in my mind as much as possible. Expression management is crucial in times like this. Clutching my front pocket, I said, "I can''t give you the Vancle." Vaph frowned and asked, "Don''t you want to get an entry pass?" "Well, yes, but..." "But what? Don''t tell me you thought you could get a rmendation from the Blue Magic Tower for free? You have no shame." "It''s a family heirloom. I can''t give this away." "Huh." Vaph scoffed and said, "Heirlooms are important. But what meaning does an heirloom have for a declining n? It seems like you''re trying to enter the Demon Realm for your family, aren''t you?" I replied in a deliberately dejected voice, "...That''s true." "Think carefully about what''s important. If you umte enough achievements in the Demon Realm, you can raise your family''s name and acquire things far better than that Vancle." When I hesitated and couldn''t make up my mind, Vaph raised his voice. "Now I see you''re just a petty man! I misjudged you. I thought you were a man of strong character and tried to be nice." "...." "Forget it. Do you think it''s easy to give out a rmendation? People would give their liver and galldder for a rmendation here. Let''s pretend this never happened." The moment Vaph turned around and took a few steps, I shouted urgently, "W-wait!" As if he had been waiting, Vaph turned around with an expressionless face. "What? Do you have more to say?" "C-can you really give me a rmendation from the Blue Magic Tower?" Vaph, approaching again, smiled and began to condescend to me. "Of course. Moreover, our Magic Tower''s rmendation is ssified as high-grade. It''s different from a low-grade entry pass, even in appearance. You''ll be treated well wherever you go." I marveled at my own acting skills. Vaph was looking at me as if I were prey. Judging that this was the right moment, I responded like a typical petty man making a resolution. "Alright. But give me the rmendation first." "Give it to you first?" "That''s right." Vaph replied with a smile, "That''s not a problem. Follow me. Let''s go to my office." As I followed Vaph, I looked down at the lower floor. Zion was stopping passersby and talking to them. *** From the fourth floor onwards, ess for outsiders was strictly controlled. The mages guarding the entrance were of a different caliber, giving the impression that this was the Alliance''s true headquarters. Carefree guys like Vaph were rare to find. ''Does he have some backing?'' Vaph''s office was at the end of the fourth-floor corridor. While Vaph went to get the rmendation, I sat in his office and briefly looked around. Even for a deputymander of the patrol unit, the office was too spacious. I suddenly recalled Vaph''s disrespectful attitude towards his superior at the Alliance entrance. A momentter, Vaph opened the door and entered. "You''re here already?" "Heh." Vaph smiled and took out a pink card from his pocket. "Is this the rmendation?" I received the entry pass and examined it closely. The back was clearly stamped with the Blue Magic Tower''s insignia. "Are you satisfied?" "The rmendation came out awfully quickly." "I prepared it in advance, just in case I met someone worthy." "What grade is this? I don''t think there''s a pink grade." White and light blue were low-grade. Blue was mid-grade. Red was high-grade. ck was special grade. Vaph said with a smile, "All rmendation passes are pink. Our Blue Magic Tower''s rmendation is equivalent to a high-grade." As I nodded, Vaph said with a smile, "Now then, give me the Vancle." "Hmm." I paced around as if in thought, moving closer to the door. As I continued to hesitate, Vaph offered another carrot. "Now, now, even a Vancle depends on the user. It''s useless in the hands of an apprentice mage. Come back to me when you be a full-fledged mage. I''ll give you a nice gift then." I suddenly asked Vaph, "A full-fledged mage?" "Of course." "You said you were a senior member of the Blue Magic Tower." "Naturally." "Can a mere senior member issue a rmendation from the Blue Magic Tower?" Vaph shook his head and said, "That''s none of your concern." I immediately asked something else. "Then have you by any chance heard of Samael?" "You''re spouting nonsense again." "Think carefully. You really haven''t?" "I won''t take any more questions. Hand over the Vancle quickly. I don''t have time." "Hmm..." Vaph yelled, "Hey!" I held out my hand as if I had made up my mind. "Alright. Give it to me." Vaph asked back, "Give you what?" "I''ll give you the Vancle, so give me money." "What?" "I can''t be a pushover." Vaph''s eyes widened, and he let out a dumbfounded gasp. "Ha." "I said I''d give you the Vancle, but I didn''t say I''d give it for free. 1,000 gold bars." Vaph red at me, his eyes burning with fury. "Do you think this is a joke?" "I''m not joking either." "I''ve never seen such a crazy bastard." I clung to the door like a frightened man and said, "Why are you ring at me like that? I''m so scared I''m sweating." I cautiously took out the rmendation and showed it to Vaph. "But even if I''m scared, I have to say what needs to be said. This looks fake no matter how I look at it." "This bastard dares to try to trick me..." Vaph trailed off and pointed a finger at me. "I''m going to confiscate both the entry pass and the Vancle. You will be punished for daring to deceive the patrol." "You''re saying such scary things, I can''t stand it." I pointed to the back of Vaph with a helpless expression. "Actually, I already put the Vancle over there." The moment Vaph instinctively turned his head, his t back of the head was temptingly exposed. Like lightning, I shot my forehead slingshot at the back of his head. "Ha¡ªah." Thwack¡ª! With a cheerful sound, Vaph copsed onto the desk, his head mming against it with a bang. Somehow, the back of his head seemed hard, so I hit him again with the rmendation. Crack¡ª! "Ugh!" At the same time, I turned the doorknob and dashed out like lightning, shouting towards the back, "I lied!" Whoosh¡ª Only after a few seconds did I hear footsteps apanied by shouts from behind. But I didn''t look back. In times like this, you have to run forward without looking back. "You goddamn bastard!" I heard an incredulous yell from behind, but I continued to run forward. Even Vaph wouldn''t dare to use magic here. The fourth-floor corridor wasplicated. But I had already memorized the way in anticipation of this situation, so I ran towards the center without hesitation. A thief won''t get caught if they don''t act like a thief. The Alliance mages I encountered along the way gave me strange looks, but no one suspected I was a thief. Whoosh¡ª The distance between Vaph and me was gradually widening. At this rate, I could pass through the fourth floor... ''Huh?'' I had to stop abruptly due to an unexpected situation. Halt¡ª At the entrance of the fourth floor, right in front. Middle-aged men, each wearing the robes of different Magic Towers, were standing there, emanating an unusual aura. However, what really caught my eye were the two men beyond them. A young man in yellow robes. An old man with white hair in white robes. The Alliance mages guarding the entrance were lined up in a rigid formation. The old man went up to the next floor first, and just when the young man in yellow robes was about to follow him... "You goddamn bastard!" Vaph, who had been chasing me from afar while yelling curses, also stopped abruptly beside me. Hearing themotion, the middle-aged men from the Magic Towers looked over first, and then the young man in yellow robes, who was about to go upstairs after the old man, nced back. "...Vaph?" The middle-aged man from the Blue Magic Tower frowned and approached. Surprisingly, Vaph, who had been acting so arrogant, turned pale and immediately lowered his head. Until then, I couldn''t take my eyes off the young man in yellow robes. The young man in yellow robes, who briefly made eye contact with me, immediately went upstairs, but I didn''t miss the skull tattoo engraved on his forehead. To see that troublesome tattoo here... A Noble n. The tattoo of the Bellusia n. At that moment, the middle-aged man from the Blue Magic Tower, who had approached, asked Vaph, "What''s all themotion, Vaph?" "...Second Elder." After confirming that everyone had gone upstairs, the middle-aged man yelled at Vaph, "Are you saying you''re causing trouble even after being dispatched to the Alliance!" "That''s not it. This guy here dared to..." Vaph, who was about to protest, could only open and close his mouth a few times without speaking. He knew that if he exined the situation, he would ultimately be reprimanded. However, unable to suppress my curiosity, I deliberately spoke to the middle-aged man. "Is this fake?" Only then did the middle-aged man look at me. I met his gaze without concealing my energy. The Second Elder of the Blue Magic Tower... Was he also rted to Elder Parin? The middle-aged man briefly examined the card in my hand, then looked at Vaph with a dumbfounded expression. "Are you saying you gave this guy a rmendation? Who is this guy? Why?" "That is..." Vaph couldn''t answer. When I took out the Vancle and shook it, the Second Elder, who roughly grasped the situation, suddenly started shouting at Vaph. "You haven''te to your senses yet! What do you think your father would say if he knew you were behaving like this? I sent you to the Alliance, and you''re still acting like this here?" I nodded in agreement. "As expected, he had backing. He was so arrogant. You need to discipline him better." As soon as Vaph red at me, I took the stance for my forehead slingshot. "You son of a... Ack!" p¡ª Vaph, who was spewing curses as if he wanted to eat me alive, had his head turned to the left with a sharp sound. The Second Elder, who had pped Vaph, looked at him with sharp eyes. Hmm. I passed the two without saying a word, then briefly turned around and expressed my gratitude to Vaph with my eyes. I can''t believe it wasn''t fake... Vaph red at me, his head down, only his eyes moving. His eyes were zing likeva, but that wasn''t my concern. I was more preupied with the man I had just encountered. ''The Bellusia n.'' I had thought I might run into some strong individuals here, but I never expected to see a Bellusia first. Moreover, the white-haired old man who was with the Bellusia man was definitely not ordinary. Because I couldn''t read his energy. I paused on the fourth floor and looked up. Beyond the fifth floor''s barrier, where magic was swirling, I could sense unusual energy. I looked at the middle-aged man from the Blue Magic Tower, then at Vaph, and then at the Alliance mages lined up in formation. Looking down at the open floors below, I saw countless people in various clothes walking around. Surely, among them, there would be those connected to Parin. *** "Commander, you''re here?" As I came down to the first floor, Zion approached me first. "Did you get the entry pass?" "Of course. What were you doing earlier? You were wandering around like a peddler." "Just doing this and that. Selling stuff, too. I''m the temporarymander of the Crazy Mage Squad and the business manager of Samael, you know." Noticing that Zion''s expression seemed stiff, I asked, "Why the long face?" Zion replied with a serious expression, "There were some unusual people here earlier." "Were they an old man in white and a middle-aged man in yellow robes?" "Did you see them too, Commander? They seemed like big shots. They had escorts and other magesing to greet them." Makan said with a serious face, "They didn''t look ordinary." I nodded and said, "One of them is from the Bellusia family." "What? The Noble n?" When the squad members gasped, I said, "Why? Are you scared?" Zion replied, "Scared? No way. Just surprised, that''s all." I looked at the expressions of my subordinates and said, "You''ll be seeing a lot of those guys from now on. Keep your wits about you." Palge came closer and asked, "By the way, Commander, what grade is yours?" As I cautiously took out my entry pass, the squad''s eyes were all drawn to it. "P-pink?!" I smiled with satisfaction. "Palge recognizes a high-grade entry pass, I see." "Oooooh, is that a high-grade entry pass?" "If you didn''t know, why were you so impressed?" "Pink is my favorite color! As expected of the Commander!" When I sighed, Arin, who was watching, asked, "A rmendation from the Blue Magic Tower? Don''t tell me that guy gave it to you? How did you even...?" Zion said with an impressed look, "Commander, you''re really amazing." Makan asked, as if his body was itching to move, "Are we going to the Demon Realm now?" I looked around and said, "Let''s stop by the Administration Office first. There''s something I need to check." As we approached therge magic circle on the east end wall of the first floor, a man lined up there asked, "Can I help you?" I held out my entry pass and replied, "I''d like to check the achievement point rankings." The man checked the entry pass and nodded. "I''ll guide you to the hall. Please enter." As soon as I stepped into the magic circle, I felt my body float, and apletely different space unfolded before me. A single-story space with a ceiling that seemed to be at least tens of meters high. On one side, Alliance members dressed in white were working, and on the opposite wall, arge number of people were gathered, watching something and chatting. "Damn it, there''s no change in the rankings this time." "That''s because it takes too much time." "At this rate, when will we ever exceed 10,000 points?" I also approached the wall. On the entire translucent wall, where magic swirled, numbers were being written in real-time. It was the Demon Realm ranking board, with achievement points and rankings listed. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 148: Demon Realm Rankings [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 148: Demon Realm Rankings [10th ce: Gaion n, 1,001,534 points] [9th ce: Cecilia Mercenary Corps, 1,193,420 points] [8th ce: Bellusia n, Contribution Points: Private] [7th ce: Private] [6th ce: Private] [5th ce: Ardehain n, Contribution Points: Private] [4th ce: Hyark n, Contribution Points: Private] [3rd ce: Private] [2nd ce: Private] [1st ce: Private] . . . I looked at the top of the rankings and tilted my head in confusion. "What''s with all the ''Private'' entries?" A short, stocky man who had been loudly chattering away beside me for a while now looked me up and down before speaking. "Is this your first time in the Demon Realm?" "It is." "Where are you from? Judging by your group, are you mercenaries? Or from a n?" "I''m from a n. The Samael n." The stocky manughed loudly. "I see. You can set your ranking to private. You can hide everything, or just your contribution points. But for people like us, it doesn''t really matter." "Why not?" "Look at the ranking board. It''s only the top ranks that can hide their information." Kant had given me detailed information about the Demon Realm, but it wasn''t everything. He must have omitted information he deemed unimportant. As the stocky man said, from a certain rank onwards, all rankings and contribution points were public. "Thank you." The stocky manughed heartily and said, "Don''t mention it. We gotta help each other out. The name''s Chano. I''m with the Life Mercenary Corps. What about you?" "Ruin Samael. Commander of the Samael''s Crazy Mage Squad." Just then, someone called out to the stocky man. "Chano!" "Well, well, look who it is!" Chano approached someone with exaggerated gestures and winked at me. "Seems I''m a popr man. Let''s meet again sometime." After Chano left, I looked at the ranking board again. Even though the top ranks were private, I could pretty much guess who they were. Ranks 1 to 3 would be the Divine ns, and below them would be the Vassal ns. [TL/N: A Major change¡ª Noble ns¡úVassal ns (Fits the Context more urately as ns who serve the Divine ns)] However, one peculiar thing was that there was an unfamiliar mercenary corps among the Vassal ns. "Anyone know anything about the Cecilia Mercenary Corps?" I asked in a low voice, and Palge answered in a simrly hushed tone. "They''re a regr mercenary corps based in the north. They''re small, but they have a fearsome reputation. Whenever they participate in a war, all hell breaks loose." Arin added, "Themander of the Cecilia Mercenary Corps is known as the Mercenary King." I replied, "That''s quite the title. What''s their background?" "They''re not a knight." "What weapon do they use?" "A spear." I noticed Makan, who had been listening quietly, suddenly shrug his shoulders. Mercenary King who uses a spear, huh? It reminded me of Gento Tycoon. Zion, who had been scrutinizing the ranking board, muttered, "The rankings at the bottom are constantly changing." Indeed, from the three-digit rankings downwards, the positions were fluctuating. The rankings were constantly shifting ording to changes in contribution points. "...It''s getting tougher. It used to be easy to enter the higher-level Demon Realms with just over 7,000 points." "You''re telling me. Now you need over 10,000." "Still, Chano, your mercenary corps is almost at 10,000 points. I envy you." Listening to their conversation, I looked at the very bottom of the ranking board. The lowest rank listed was 1,000th. Most of the rankings were recorded by groups like ns, mercenary corps, societies, and factions, but not all of them. There were also rankings registered by individuals. After checking the ranking board to a certain extent, I went to an administrator in charge and gathered more information. Then, I said to my subordinates, "Let''s go." My subordinates all looked at me at the same time. "To the Demon Realm." * * * Agouro Mahonguro, a 4th-grade clerk belonging to the Magic Tower Alliance Administration, was writing a report with weary eyes. He didn''t even have time to organize the mountain of documents piled on the table. He had been losing sleep for three days, and even after drinking three bottles of Awakening Potion, his mind wouldn''t clear. Knock, knock¡ª Agouro looked at the door with a tired face. "Come in." The door carefully opened, revealing a young man he had never seen before. Judging by his clothes, he seemed to belong to the Administration... No. Looking closely, he was vaguely familiar. He was probably one of the low-ranking administrative staff. "What is it?" "I-I have something to report." Agouro, feeling a surge of irritation, pointed at the young man. "Where do you belong?" "I''m in charge of mana measurement in the Administration Department." "And?" "Huh?" "Is this the right procedure? Who''s your superior?" The young man''s face turned pale and he replied, "I-I apologize. He''s away on a business trip... I thought I should report it... I''ll be going now." Watching the young man''s retreating figure, Agouro sighed and said, "Hold on." The young man turned around with a look of near fainting. "Forget it. I won''t scold you, just tell me. What''s your report?" "Well..." "Is there someone who needs a Special Entry Pass?" "Not that..." Agouro, feeling another surge of irritation, picked up an empty bottle, then forced himself to calm down and said, "Just tell me already." "A Magic Sphere broke." "...What?" The young man hurriedly waved his hands and continued, "I''ve already taken care of it. Fortunately, there was a spare Magic Sphere..." Agouro interrupted him, "This is a new one. Why did the Magic Sphere break? What was the color?" "Ah, it was for a Low-Grade Entry Pass. There were no peculiarities. It was white. Really." Agouro looked into the young man''s eyes for a moment. The young man''s eyes darted around with an anxious expression. Something felt off, but Agouro was too tired to press a low-ranking employee. "It seems the Magic Sphere was defective. As I said, I''ve already taken measures. Fortunately, there was a spare. I''ve also informed the Asset Team. You don''t have to worry about it." Agouro waved his hand dismissively. "You can go." "Huh?" "I said you can go." The young man hurriedly bowed his head and replied, "Thank you for your time!" Agouro started looking at the report he was writing again. Recently, the Administration had been under increasing pressure from the Magic Schrs of the Main Tower. For some reason, their interest in the Demon Realm was growing. "Damn it. They should at least send more staff." After working on the report for a long time, Agouro''s brow suddenly furrowed. He took another bottle of Awakening Potion and forced himself to focus on the report again. A few minutester. "Oh, dear." Unable to concentrate any longer, Agouro pushed the report aside and crossed his arms. Leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes, he suddenly muttered, "...A Magic Sphere broke?" Agouro tilted his head. "That''s strange. Did that really happen?" Shaking his head as if he couldn''t understand it, Agouro suddenly opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "Even with a Special Entry Pass holder, that shouldn''t happen. Even if a superhuman pours mana beyond the critical point, a Magic Sphere can''t break." Agouro searched his memories. "That''s never happened in the 10 years I''ve been in the Administration. Did it happen before that?" It was such an unusual case that Agouro couldn''t recall anything immediately. "I seem to remember hearing that something like that happened with a Divine n before. Who told me about it...?" It was a long time before Agouro started muttering to himself again. "...But that can''t be the case this time. The color of the Magic Sphere was white, wasn''t it? Was it really defective? That doesn''t make sense either." Agouro''s eyebrows twisted in an inverted figure-eight, a habit he had when deep in thought. While pondering the unsolved riddle, Agouro suddenly turned his head to the left. "Huh?" Light was emanating from a small magic circle on the wall. Then, an rm sounded. Weeeeeeng¡ª Agouro jumped to his feet and hurriedly approached the magic circle. After adjusting his posture, he spoke to it. "Ah! Yes, Floor Lord. This is Clerk Agouro Mahonguro. Yes, yes. I''m fine. Please speak." "..." A momentter, Agouro''s expression slightly distorted as he replied, "Yes, yes. I will finish it and submit it by today. Please, go ahead!" The magic circle faded back to its original state. Agouro sat down and started frantically writing his report again. "Damn it." * * * Westernmost edge of the Central Continent. At the very western border of Ken, a majestic magic barrier of tremendous height stretches across the horizon. "...Even though it''s the same Ken, it feels very different." The squad members sitting in the front of the transport carriage looked out with curious faces. A few hours after departing from the city, the vibrant scenery of Ken disappeared, and a deste atmosphere gradually took over. "We''ve arrived." We got off the transport carriage and looked around. Nearby, a magic barrier emitting a dazzling array of colors was visible. It was clearly no ordinary barrier. The barrier became denser towards the western end of the horizon, and at its very end stood a white skyscraper. "Wow, is that the White Magic Tower?" "It looks incredibly tall. I''d love to run up to the top of the tower. I have a feeling it would be exhrating." "Oh, you ignorant fools." "Don''t call me ignorant, Zion." "And don''t call me a pig!" "I didn''t, pig!" "You just did!" I smacked each of the three idiots on the head. Whack¡ª! Whack¡ª! Whack¡ª! Once my subordinates quieted down, I looked alternately at the top of the White Magic Tower, shrouded in clouds, and the barrier. It seemed that the White Magic Tower served as the central axis of the barrier that spanned the entirety of Ken. Arin pointed to a spot. "It''s over there." A fairlyrge town had formed near the barrier. Many people were milling about, all either waiting to enter the border or enjoying themselves after leaving it. As we passed through the town and approached the barrier, we saw arge, official Magic Tower Alliance branch building in the center, with temporary branches at regr intervals to the left and right. Knights and mercenaries, boasting their well-honed skills, were broadly positioned in rows. They were dispatched from the Alliance. I stared at the barrier right in front of me and rotated the circles in my heart up to four. Wheeeeeng¡ª "What are you doing, Commander?" Chanting a short incantation, I immediately shot a wind de at the barrier. Taaang¡ª I felt a tremendous rebound at the same time. Immediately, those guarding the barrier approached and shouted, "What do you think you''re doing!" "Just testing the barrier." "What?" "Is there a problem?" I asked back as if it were natural. Because, well, I''m a man who can''t suppress his curiosity. "Since it seems like your first time, we''ll let it slide. Be careful." After ring at me for a moment, they turned away. I, too, looked left and right from the center. There were hardly any people to the west where the barrier grew thicker. This was the path to the higher-level Demon Realms. On the other hand, a considerable crowd had gathered in the east where the barrier was weaker. The east led to the lower-level Demon Realms. Recalling Kant''s words, I entered the official branch building. Unlike the headquarters in the city center, the interior wasn''t extravagant, but a faint tension permeated the entire building. I approached someone who appeared to be a guard and said, "I want to enter the Demon Realm." The guard replied, "Go to the second floor." When I went up to the second floor, there was arge space dedicated to Demon Realm-rted affairs. A staff member who looked like a newbie approached and asked, "How can I help you?" "I want to enter the Demon Realm." "Please show me your Entry Pass." When my squad members and I showed our passes, the staff member checked the register, nodded, and asked, "Would you like to register as individuals or as a group?" "Can we do both?" "Yes, you can." "For now, we''ll register as a group." "What is the name of your group?" I thought for a moment and replied, "Samael n, Crazy Mage Squad." "Alright. The contribution points will be added together. Which Demon Realm do you want to enter?" "The quickest one avable." I was itching to get going. The staff member checked something for a moment and said, "Go to Section 37 of the eastern barrier." "When can we enter?" "It''s already activated. If you''re deemed to have no issues, you can enter immediately. Please arrive within three hours." I went outside and headed straight for the section the staff member had indicated, looking around as I went. "Wow." Quite an interesting sight unfolded before me. It almost felt like awless zone. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 149: Benevolent Meddling [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 149: Benevolent Meddling + ¡õ First Discovery: Unknown (estimated to be at least several hundred years ago) ¡õ In the past, prestigious families asionally entered for exploration purposes, but now, with the existence of magic weapons and Demon Realm Cores widely known, many people reside in Ken for entry. ¡õ ording to the Alliance''s monster ssification, those ranking level 2 and above are ssified as High-Ranking Demon Realms. ¡õ (Important) Recently, the frequency of Demon Realm appearances has increased exponentially. + I walked, recalling some of the records about the Demon Realm that Kant had told me. Section 37 was located quite a distance to the east. "35, 36... There it is." After moving a considerable distance from the central area, a section marked with "37" finally appeared in front of the barrier. Alliance mages were busy working beyond the barrier. A man who appeared to be the person in charge looked over at us. "Are you here to enter?" "That''s right." "Your affiliation?" "Samael n, Crazy Mage Squad." "Please wait a moment." The person in charge went inside the temporary branch office and came back out, nodding. "Stand by. It will open soon." I looked around for a moment and then plopped down on the dirt floor. My subordinates also sat on the ground and scanned their surroundings. There was no one else around. "Commander. There''s no one here at all? Are we the only ones?" Zion tilted his head and continued, "It was so chaotic earlier, but it''s quiet here. What a shame." I looked at Zion and said, "If you''re so disappointed, have a duel with Palge." "I need to conserve my energy. But it really is quiet here." I nodded in agreement with Zion. It certainly wasn''t like this just a while ago. At its worst, it was like awless zone; at best, a chaotic marketce. There were squabbles between those waiting to enter, and in some extreme cases, there were even those trying to start duels. Some people were giving up their entry in exchange for money. This problem arose due to the restrictions on the number of people allowed in. Since entry into the Low-Rank Demon Realm was on a firste, first-served basis, popr areas were experiencing this kind of trouble. "Perhaps... is this a trash-rank Demon Realm?" I shook my head at Palge''s question. "Level 4 isn''t trash. I checked." Among those aiming to enter, Demon Realms ranking level 5 or lower were ssified as trash. This was because they offered almost no contribution points and had virtually no chance of yielding decent weapons, making the cost-benefit ratio unfavorable. The Demon Realm we were about to enter was ssified as level 4, so it wasn''t that bad. "Then why is no one here?" Suddenly, I turned my gaze to the left. A group of people carrying various equipment was walking to the right. The stocky man, sweating profusely as he walked, looked over at us and suddenly shouted, "Oh? Is that you?" "Mr. Chano?" Chano approached with a heartyugh. "Haha! Mr. Chano? We''ve met twice now, that''s fate! Just call me ''hyung''. What are you all doing here?" I was seriously debating whether I should continue conversing with this nosy man, but someone beat me to the punch. "Ooh! Nice to see you, Chano-hyung. What brings you here? Are those yourpanions?" The business manager''s move was quite swift. Chano responded with a heartyugh, "These are my mercenary corps members. We''re on our way to the Demon Realm." "We''re also about to enter the Demon Realm." "I heard you haven''t been in Ken long, but you''re quick to act. Which section are you entering?" Zion pointed across with his finger. Chano asked, puzzled, "Here?" Zion nodded. "Could we ask you something, Chano-hyung?" "Go ahead." "Why is it so deserted here? Earlier, other ces were so crowded that fights were breaking out, but I''m wondering why there''s not a single ant here." Chano furrowed his brow slightly, examining the barrier carefully before saying, "Section 37, huh? If this is the Demon Realm that opens here... Hmm." Suddenly, Chano approached the barrier, peering inside and exchanging a few words with the person in charge. Returning to us, he said, "Do you have any particr reason for choosing this ce?" I replied, "We were looking for the Demon Realm with the fastest entry." Chano pped his knee and eximed, "I knew it! I knew it!" "Is there a problem?" "The Demon Realms in the 30s section rarely offer good quality. Of course, it''s not always the case, but it''s almost a pattern. It''s been like this for the past six months without fail." Zion interjected, "What rank Demon Realm are you entering, Chano-hyung?" "Level 4." "This one''s Level 4 too, isn''t it? It''s the same!" Chano pointed his index finger at Zion''s eye. "That''s exactly it. That''s the problem." "Hey, why are you pointing at me, Chano-hyung?" "Listen carefully. Even within the same level, the difficulty can vary greatly. Look inside the barrier. Doesn''t the Demon Realm look like a tomb? The entrance is eerie." Indeed, as Chano said, the Demon Realm visible inside the barrier had a bulging top, like a tomb. "Popr level 4 Demon Realms are usually swarming with the lowest-grade monsters. It''s easy to rack up contribution points there. But in ces like this, there are hardly any low-grade monsters. Instead, there''s a high chance of encountering a small number of troublesome, higher-ranking monsters." Now I understood. I said to Chano, "So you prefer Demon Realms with arge number of weak monsters." "Exactly. There''s no appeal in entering a ce like this." "How did you learn about all this?" "Experience, experience. Veteran mercenaries like me know these things." Suddenly, Zion started pping. "Indeed. Amazing. As the Samael n''s Business Manager, I''m truly impressed. Chano-hyung''s insight is remarkable. If it weren''t for you, we would have beenpletely unaware of such crucial information." "Now that you know, aim for a different Demon Realm. Personally, I think the 50s section is manageable." This time, I shook my head. "We can''t do that." Just then, we heard a shimmering sound and looked up to see the survey team emerging from the barrier afterpleting their inspection. A momentter, the man who appeared to be in charge approached and said in a business-like tone, "All clear. Enter when you''re ready." I nodded, and as if waiting for that signal, my subordinates, led by Arin and Makan, rose from their spots. Chano raised his voice. "Didn''t you hear me? It''s dangerous! Wait and aim for a different Demon Realm." I looked at the meddling Chano and said, "Thank you, Chano-hyung. Your intentions are good. You remind me of Deputy Commander Daisy from our Khaoto branch. I''ll say hello if I see you next time." I entered the barrier with my subordinates. I didn''t feel any resistance while passing through. While casting magic caused a strong rebound, it seemed to be designed not to affect people passing through. However... As soon as we passed through the barrier, andscapepletely different from what we saw outside unfolded before us. Saaaa¡ª The sky was an ashen gray without a single cloud. It felt like we had arrived at the end of the world. Arin walked at the front as if she were used to this. Directly ahead, the tomb-shaped Demon Realm was visible. Reaching the entrance of the Demon Realm, I sharpened my senses and scanned the surroundings. No matter how much I looked, I couldn''t sense any demonic energy. "Shall we enter right away?" Arin looked back at me just in front of the dark entrance. "Once we enter, we can''t leave until we obtain the Demon Realm Core or defeat the highest-ranking monster." "I know. Let''s go in." I made eye contact with each of my subordinates, my gaze finallynding on Palge. After a brief staring contest with Palge, I said, "Go in first. I''ll enterst." The entrance to the dark tomb loomed before us. As each of my subordinates stepped into the entrance, they disappeared as if being sucked in. "Is that really safe?... Gah!" I kicked Palge in, sending him inst, and was about to enter myself when... "Wait! Stop! Stop!" Chano came running madly from behind with his short legs. He stared at the entrance for a moment and muttered in a dejected tone, "Did they all go in already?" "Is there a problem, Chano-hyung?" "I was a bitte because I had to talk to the main unit, and now this..." Chano suddenly said with a serious face, "This won''t do. I have to go with you. You,e in with me." "What?" "If you go in alone and encounter monsters that are too much for you to handle, you''ll all be wiped out. I couldn''t just stand by and watch after seeing this. Hurry!" Mana swirled around Chano''s body. I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, examining him closely. His main weapon was an axe. A crude 4-star Mana Core. He wasn''tpletely ipetent, but he wasn''t skilled enough to be swaggering around either. "What are you doing! Didn''t you say you were themander? Let''s go in together. If you don''t go in, I''ll go in first." Chano had crossed the line. Normally, I would have told him to get lost for such presumptuous behavior. He wouldn''t be of any help even if he came along. But for some reason, I didn''t want to do that now. As I''ve said many times, I do whatever I feel like doing. I followed Chano into the entrance. * * * The first thing I saw was pitch-ck darkness. I immediately conjured a fireball to illuminate my surroundings. Footprints were imprinted on the ground. "Oh, I see you''re a mage." Chano muttered with a slightly impressed look. "You don''t seem to be from the Magic Tower, though." "You''re right." "If you manage to get out of here alive, don''t wander around alone. Find somerades. There are many ces that wee mages. At least if you travel with knights, you won''t be in danger. You''re wee to join our mercenary corps, too." While talking to himself, Chano looked around, sniffing the air and carefully examining the footprints on the ground. "Fortunately, it doesn''t seem to be a veryplex Demon Realm." I set off with Chano, following the footprints. It was an environment where monsters could jump out at any moment, but unexpectedly, there was no sign of any attack. "Hmm." Chano, who was walking ahead, stopped. "How long has it been since your subordinates entered?" "Not more than a few minutes." "This isn''t good. I''ve never seen a Demon Realm without a single monster. I have a bad feeling about this. Let''s head to the center." Chano immediately changed direction and started walking elsewhere. I couldn''t hide my growing boredom because, as he said, there wasn''t a single monster in sight. I was itching for action. Chano suddenly stopped, raising his right hand. "Hmm..." Following Chano''s gaze, I saw huge footprints, several timesrger than a human''s. They looked like bear paws. Examining the flow of mana, Chano lowered his voice and said, "It''s not a low-grade monster. With footprints this size, it''s likely a mid-grade monster." Chano took the axe off his back and gripped it with both hands. He moved slowly, step by step. Strange footprints were scattered around us. "Be careful, Ruin. It seems like we''ve been in here for about five minutes. Now''s the crucial time. Stay alert. First, we need to find your subordinates. After that, I''ll lead the way. We should be able to reach the center in about an hour." I noticed Chano''s voice trembling slightly and asked, "Is something worrying you, Chano-hyung?" "It might not end with mid-grade monsters. If there''s a mid-grade monster right at the entrance, the one in the center could be a high-grade monster, or even a mutated one if we''re unlucky. Even I can''t underestimate a mutated high-grade monster..." Just then, the ceiling of the Demon Realm suddenly split open like it was cut by a knife, and a gray light burst out from the sky. My vision suddenly brightened. "Wh-what''s this?" My subordinates appeared as if they were falling from the sky. Zion was clutching something in his hand. "Commander? What are you doing here? Why didn''t youe in?" I looked around in bewilderment. The scene before my eyes... It was exactly the same as before we entered the Demon Realm. Behind us, I could see the multicolored barrier and the Alliance''s temporary barracks. I was trying to grasp what was happening when I closed my mouth. There was a man even more surprised than I was. Chano''s jaw dropped as he looked around, his expression like... ...someone who had been hit in the back of the head with an axe handle, lost his memory, and be a three-year-old child. "Section 37, Demon Realm closed." As the Demon Realm Core was destroyed, a voice imbued with mana automatically echoed throughout the area. Then, Chano muttered in a low voice, "...It hasn''t even been 10 minutes since we entered?" Then, Chano saw the color of the magic core in Zion''s hand and started drooling. "Mutated? There really was a mutated mid-grade monster?" Suddenly, Chano looked around and shouted, "Who the hell are you people?!" Before I could say anything, Zion stepped forward. "Remember this clearly from now on, Chano-hyung." Zion sped Chano''s hand. "I am the Business Manager of the Samael n." [TL/N: For People Confused about the demon realm, here''s some basic idea about how everything works¡ª 1. The Demon Realm is apparently not just a ce but are dungeons (figuratively) 2. The higher the level of a said demon realm the lower in rank it is, essentially it''s like 1>10 (random no but you get the picture) If guys have any doubts or it seems like I am wrong somewhere, feel free to ask me about them in thements or in discord :)] [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 150: Already Finished? (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 150: Already Finished? (1) "Cut it out, Zion." I took Zion, who was trying to strike up a conversation with Chano, and exited the barrier. Immediately, we ran into the person in charge of Section 37, who was loitering in front of the temporary branch office. He looked at us with a puzzled expression and asked, "Didn''t you hear a noise from inside just now? No, wait. Why didn''t you enter the Demon Realm? Did you give up?" I wordlessly pointed inside the barrier. Following my finger, the person in charge gasped. "Huh?!" He looked at us, then back at the barrier, then frowned at his watch, and finally stared at the dumbfounded Chano with wide eyes. "A-already finished?" He then shouted and dashed into the branch office. "Survey team!" Chano still hadn''te to his senses. "Y-you guys..." "Haha, Chano-hyung. As the Business Manager, I''d like to make you a good offer." Zion grinned and tried to approach Chano, but I stopped him again. Leaving the dazed Chano behind, I led my subordinates back to the official Magic Tower Alliance branch. "What the heck, Commander? Why did you stop me? You just kicked away a golden opportunity." Zion grumbled with a frustrated expression as we walked. "I missed the chance to show the true face of the Business Manager." "Just drop it." Suddenly, Zion looked at me and said, "As the Business Manager, there''s something I don''t understand. Why did you stop me from talking to Chano? It was a perfect opportunity to expand our Samael n''s business." "It was obvious he was trying to scam us." "Ugh, seriously?" Zion, shedding his Business Manager persona, red at me. "Are we really going to do this to each other? Have you forgotten that we used to sell our precious ''assets'' together?" I nced towards the source of amotion. As we entered Section 10, a scene no different from awless zone unfolded once again. It seemed a Demon Realm had just opened. In the crowd gathered on one side, people were shouting and pointing fingers, and there were traces of a scuffle. Ignoring them, I looked at Zion. "Chano risked his neck trying to help us." Zion replied with an incredulous look. "It was just pointless meddling. He was acting like a fool." "You''re right." "Then why did you stop me?" "Just because." "This damnmander." Anticipating a forehead flick, Zion shielded his forehead. "..." "What? Why aren''t you hitting me?" I didn''t feel like hitting him. Because I also thought Zion was right. I simply said what I had to say. "It was foolish, but well-intentioned. It doesn''t really mean anything, so just let it go." Even though I thought my words sounded strange, I didn''t bother correcting myself. Zion looked at me with a bewildered expression. "Commander, did you eat something weird?" "Why?" "You''re saying such strange things." I couldn''t think of anything to say in response. As the official branch building came into view, I said to my subordinates, "Wait here." I entered the building and headed straight to the second floor. I looked around for the staff member who had guided me earlier, but he had disappeared. As I wandered around, observing the workspace, I noticed that this ce was also quite crowded. "There he is." The newbie staff member, who was working at his desk, spotted me and tilted his head. "Huh?" As I approached, he asked, "Why are you back?" "I want to enter the Demon Realm." "Ah, I see you didn''t go to Section 37. Well, that section is a bit iffy." "I already cleared it." "Excuse me?" "I cleared it." The staff member tilted his head, momentarily confused. "What do you mean you cleared it?" "Exactly that. It was too easy. I didn''t even get to see a single monster." "There were no monsters?" "Don''t ask me, go and check for yourself." "Um... just a moment." The newbie staff member returned to his seat and went through some verification procedures, then suddenly jumped to his feet. "You finished it in 7 minutes?" His loud voice drew the attention of the surrounding crowd. I said to the staff member, "Is it confirmed?" "Ah, yes." "Good. Which Demon Realm is opening next? I''d prefer something a little less boring." The staff member gulped and replied, "You can go to Section 25 of the eastern barrier. However, it''s already full..." "That''s fine. How long is the wait there?" "Three hours should be enough." I was about to get up when I said, "Oh, where can I see the contribution points?" "You can check them on the third floor." "Thank you." I went up to the third floor, and arge circr space appeared. In the center, just like in the Administration office, arge magical ranking board disyed the rankings. Several figures, exuding a sharp aura, were closely watching the board. After observing their actions for a moment, I wrote my name on an empty space on the ranking board with my finger. The board glowed with mana, and the following text appeared. [Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad, 225 points, No Ranking] I let out a hollowugh when I saw the contribution points. 225 points... Hmm... It seems I''ll have to put the Crazy Mage Squad to work. * * * "Bao!" Startled by the deep voice, Bao looked to his right. His superior, the mid-level manager Porter, was beckoning him from his office. "You called for me, Mr. Porter?" "Do you remember what I said during the orientation?" Bao froze. He was surely about to be reprimanded for raising his voice earlier. "I apologize." "Tell me what you did wrong." "...I raised my voice. I apologize." "Be careful. There won''t be a second time." Bao breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. In front of Porter, it was always better to admit fault than to make excuses, no matter what. Bao had learned this well, even though he hadn''t been with the Alliance for long. "But why did you raise your voice?" Bao froze again. Wasn''t the scolding over yet? He gauged his superior''s mood and said, "A Demon Realm was cleared in 7 minutes." "Oh? What level?" "Level 4." Porter, who had momentarily raised his eyebrows, muttered with a disinterested look, "That''s to be expected for Level 4." "It''s the fastest time, though." "That''s meaningless. Anyone with decent skills wouldn''t even bother with Level 4." Sensing a reprimand in his voice, Bao quickly added, "The contribution points are 225." "225 points?" Porter''s eyes narrowed again as he pondered something. "That''s unusually high for Level 4." "Yes. It''s high even considering the time. We''ll know for sure once the investigation results are out, but there''s a high possibility that a mutated monster appeared." "Which group was it?" "A group called the Samael Crazy Mage Squad. They registered today." "Are they here now?" "They left. They immediately went to find the next Demon Realm." Porter suddenly frowned. "Sometimes there are those who deliberately target upetitive Demon Realms to monopolize the contribution points. Those who resort to such tricks appear periodically. Where did you send them?" "Section 25." "Section 25..." Porter trailed off, then smiled at Bao for the first time. "That''s a ce with somepetition. Good work." "Thank you." "You can go." Bao left the office and finally breathed a sigh of relief as the tension left his shoulders. He hadn''t intentionally sent them to Section 25, but at least he had avoided getting on his superior''s bad side. Bao knew very well why his superior had been demoted to this ce. What was the point of volunteering for a hardship post for a promotion if he ended up getting on Porter''s bad side? "Whew." If he could umte enough achievements to get promoted twice... Even if he couldn''t be a mage, it would open the path for him to pursue a schrly career at the White Magic Tower. It was the greatest dream that Bao, who had no talent for mana, could chase. * * * "I was wondering where you all had gone, and here you are, unable to wait." I found my subordinates sitting in a tavern near the market town. Palge, who was about to order food, asked with an incredulous look, "How did you find us so quickly?" "It was obvious where you''d go." Zion asked, "Did you check the contribution points, Commander?" I nodded and said, "Let''s go." "Where to?" "The Demon Realm." "...Right now? Let''s eat something first." I looked at my subordinates and said, "I heard it takes about 10,000 points to enter the High-Rank Demon Realm." "So?" "We have 225 points." "What?" "We just need to enter 500 more times." Understanding what I meant, Zion immediately mmed his hand on the table. "They''re giving us measly scraps! Let''s just use the boss''s pass." "My pass?" "You know, the pink one. Can''t we use that to enter the High-Rank Demon Realm?" I shook my head. "We can''t do that. If we want to be famous, we have to build a foundation step by step. Do you understand? No one will acknowledge us if we enter with a rmendation." "You''re only picky at times like this." "Get up now. Let''s go." As I led my subordinates out of the market town, I confirmed a few facts. First, most people traveled in groups. Second, there was an overall atmosphere of tension. There were many instances where groups seemed to be at odds with each other. asionally, there were individuals or pairs traveling alone, and every one of them exuded an extraordinary aura. After leaving the market town, I headed towards Section 25 of the eastern barrier with my subordinates. When we arrived nearby, unlike before, there was quite a crowd gathered. "Isn''t this a Level 4 Demon Realm too?" "It is." Zion had a deted look on his face. "They''ll probably give us another measly amount of contribution points." "Still, with so muchpetition, it should be a better Demon Realm than thest one." Makan, looking at the gathered crowd, said, "We might not even have a spot." Sure enough, we saw people trading entry spots for money and others getting into heated arguments. As I walked towards the temporary branch office for Section 25, someone cautiously approached me. "Excuse me." I looked him up and down. He was a slender man with a gloomy aura. The gloomy man asked, "Are you nning to enter?" "Indeed." "You''rete. It''s already full. If you want, I can give you my spot." It seemed there were scalpers after all. I observed the man''s behavior, his gaze, and the group he was with, and immediately grasped his intentions. "How much?" "Three silver coins." "That''s too expensive." The man shook his head. "Trying to haggle won''t work. I''ve been waiting here for 12 hours to get this spot. It''s not expensive." "Do you only have one spot?" The man replied, "How many do you need? I can get you more if you want." "Five spots should be enough." "Oh." The gloomy man smirked and said, "Wait here for a moment." As soon as the man disappeared around the corner, Zion asked, "Are you really going to pay him?" "I hate scalpers." "Then why...?" "Just wait." A momentter, the man reappeared and beckoned to me. "I''ll give you five spots. You all have Entry Passes, right?" "Of course." "Give me the money, and I''ll give you the tickets." "Tickets?" "If there''s a waiting list because the entry limit has been exceeded, you need an entry ticket to get in." "I see. Let''s go to the temporary branch office first." I confirmed at the office that the entry limit had indeed been exceeded, then handed the man two gold coins. Although there were Magic Tower Alliance officials and patrol officers dispatched to the area, they didn''t intervene. It was clear that the Alliance only managed the Demon Realms themselves and didn''t care about private transactions like this. The gloomy man exited the office, gave me a strange smile, and said, "Heh heh, thank you for this. If you need anything next time, look for the ck Otter in the market town." As soon as the man left, Zion shook his head. "That guy''s an idiot." Arin agreed. "He is. He''s throwing away a good opportunity." I looked at a group approaching from across the street and replied, "He wouldn''t be an idiot if he stopped here, but I doubt he will." The group, exuding a ferocious aura, passed by us, then abruptly changed direction and stopped in front of me. A bulky man with an axe scar on his neck grinned at me. "Do you have any spare spots?" It was the same guy who had exchanged nces with the gloomy man earlier. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 151: Already Finished? (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 151: Already Finished? (2) I asked therge man, "Spare spots?" The man nodded, mimicking my words. "Spare spots." "What spare spots?" The man smirked. "You don''t look like an idiot. Are you ying dumb?" The man''s group surrounded us, emanating a murderous aura. I looked at my subordinates and asked, "Do we have any spare spots?" "Nope." I shrugged at the man. He questioned usingly, "I just saw you!" I feigned surprise and replied, "You saw me buy tickets? Well then, there''s nothing I can do. How many spots do you need?" "Five." "Oh dear. We only have five. Can''t we share?" The man red at me threateningly. "No." "Do you really need to take them all?" "Of course." "Fine. We''re in a hurry too, but you seem to be in a bigger rush." The man finally rxed his expression and replied, "You''re more reasonable than I thought." "I''m incredibly reasonable. Three gold coins per spot." "What?" "Is there a problem? We paid a high price for them too." Suddenly, one of the men surrounding us let out a chuckle, and it spread like a contagious disease. Theughter grew louder and echoed through the street. "Hahahaha!" No one around us seemed to care. Not a single person in thisrge crowd tried to intervene. People were even gathering in groups to watch with amusement. Finding the situation amusing, I startedughing too. Therge man wasughing, I wasughing at him, and the idiots around us burst intoughter as well. "Hahahaha!" As theughter grew louder, therge man reached for the sword at his waist. I carefully observed the mana fluctuations emanating from him. At best, he had a crude 2-star Mana Core. Amused by his disy, I burst intoughter once more. Laughter ovepped withughter, escting into roaringughter. Laughter, after all, is contagious. But surprisingly, there was one woman who wasn''tughing at all... "Stopughing." "What? Hahaha... Stop! Attack!" Just as therge man, with an idiotic battle cry, signaled his subordinates to attack... Arin, who hadn''t shown a hint of amusement, pointed her finger at him. An electric current surged from her slender fingertip. Bzzzt¡ª The current struck therge man''s stomach in a straight line as he charged towards me with his sword. "Gah!" Thud¡ª Therge man took one step, then his whole body stiffened, and he crashed to the ground. He convulsed, his entire body trembling. "Uh, uh, uh..." Strange sounds came from his mouth. Veins bulged on his forehead, and he strained his entire body, but all he could do was twitch. His body wouldn''t obey him. "...!" Therge man''s subordinates, who were about to attack, froze in their tracks. The onlookers stared at us in surprise. Arin looked down at the man and said, "I really can''t stand this." I had a feeling Arin was about to shock him again, so I said, "Move aside." I crouched down and started searching the trembling man''s body. "If you don''t have any money, you get another shock." "Uh, uh, uh..." The man continued to convulse, drool dripping from his mouth. He seemed to be trying to say something, but his tongue was frozen, and he couldn''t speak. I found a wad of bills in his inner pocket. It was worth at least thirty gold coins. I tapped the man''s cheek and said, "You''re lucky." I turned to look at the man''s subordinates. They were bewildered and didn''t know what to do. They still couldn''t gauge our strength. "W-we have the Lion Fang n behind us!" I approached the one who had just spoken and pped him across the face. p¡ª "Are you the leader?" The man, his cheek red and swollen, replied, "Ugh, no." "Then who is?" As soon as he pointed at the fallenrge man, I pped him again. p¡ª "Then why are you the one running your mouth? Hand over all your money and leave. You have topensate for the trouble. If you don''t like it, you can all attack us together." The subordinates exchanged nces, then each took out bills from their pockets. "This is all we have." "Check one of them." At my signal, Makan frisked one of the men and nodded. "That''s all they have, Commander." The man I had pped asked cautiously, "Can we go now?" "Be careful. Watch your surroundings." The men, still wary of me, slung the convulsingrge man over their shoulders and disappeared. Suddenly, Zion approached from afar and said, "Ah, damn it. I lost him, Commander." "You lost him?" "He was quick. Disappeared in an instant." I had told Zion to follow the gloomy man, but it seemed he was more alert than I thought. Well, it was tricky to use levitation magic abruptly in this ce. "It seems I''ll have to teach you the Crazy Mage''s Movement Technique." "What''s that?" "Let''s go for now." "It''s not another weird running technique, is it?" "We''ll talkter." My subordinates followed me with uneasy expressions. As we approached the barrier, the number of people tantly staring at us increased. It felt like they were scrutinizing us like snakes. Some even met my gaze with defiant res. Zionmented, "These guys are weird. Why are they all looking at us like..." "They probably see us aspetition." When we arrived at the barrier, no one else was there yet. "Commander, aren''t we too early? I think there''s still some time left." "That''s the important part. We have to be the first ones in. Everyone, gather around." As my subordinates gathered, I began exining my n. "First, Arin, Zion, Makan, Iron, and I will take the entry tickets." "What about the rest?" "I have a n. Listen carefully." As I exined my grand n to my subordinates, their expressions gradually shifted with interest. A short whileter, the survey team emerged from the barrier, and soon after, the person in charge of Section 25 appeared. A loud noise echoed near the barrier. Whiiing¡ª The person in charge''s voice boomed through Section 25 via a loudspeaker. "Those who wish to enter, please gather!" * * * The entry limit for a Level 4 Demon Realm was 30 people. We stood at the very front, and behind us, a group of thirty people with entry qualifications gathered. Among them were some of the men who had red at us earlier. They were simr to the group with the convulsingrge man. Once all thirty entry tickets were confirmed, the person in charge shouted, "Entering!" Arin, Zion, Makan, and Iron, who were at the front, dashed into the barrier. Whoosh¡ª I ran from the rear, keeping my eyes on the Demon Realm ahead. The entrance was narrow, barely enough for one or two people to enter at a time. After confirming that the four, led by Arin, had disappeared into the entrance, I blocked it and abruptly turned around. In the distance, Palge was waving his arms at the barrier, preventing others from entering. I could faintly hear his shout. "Neung!" Suddenly, the crowd began to surround Palge. Just as expected. Hardly anyone who saw Palge for the first time could ignore him. A momentter, a burst of light erupted. Saaaaaaa¡ª Palge was unharmed. None of those gathered there could even scratch him. In the end, the crowd, overwhelmed by Palge''s resilience, ignored him and bypassed him to enter the barrier. With the first line of defense breached, it was my turn to step up. I stood at the entrance and raised my hand towards the approaching crowd. "Hold on!" "What now?" I blocked the entrance and looked at the crowd with an urgent expression. "S-something terrible has happened." "What''s wrong?" "I''m actually a member of the survey team. I just learned that there''s a great danger lurking in this ce." The crowd exchanged nces, and then the man who seemed to be their leader spoke up. He was the one who had red at me the most intensely earlier. "What nonsense is this?" "It''s not nonsense. I may not always tell the truth, but this time, I''m being serious." Someone from the back shouted, "Don''t try to trick us. Didn''t the guys with you already enter?" I nodded. "You''re quite perceptive. But I''ll say it again, I''m telling the truth." The leader smirked. "Now I see what you''re up to. No wonder I haven''t seen you before. You want to monopolize the Demon Realm for yourself. But it''s no use. We can always take the contribution points from you inside." "Are you nning to kill us inside?" The leader grinned. "Anything can happen inside the Demon Realm. Now get out of the way." I asked the leader, "Do you know how much time has passed?" "What?" "I think it''s been about five minutes." The leader didn''t answer and turned around. "Let''s go in!" The moment the leader stepped forward, I leaped like a butterfly and aimed my slingshot at his forehead like lightning. "Haa¡ª!" I didn''t need a preparatory stance anymore. My forehead flick was at the level of mastery. Thwack¡ª! The leader, hit by the forehead flick, tumbled to the ground. "Didn''t I tell you? There''s a great danger lurking in this ce. And that danger is me." "..." "Tick-tock, these guys arete." A brief silence fell. The leader, getting up unsteadily, red at me with murderous intent and said, "You''re making a mistake for a first-time encounter." As if on cue, the crowd began to surround me. I nced at the entrance to the Demon Realm, then kicked off the ground and leaped into the air. ''Levitation.'' High in the sky, I looked down and shouted, "Everyone, be careful!" At that moment, the entrance to the Demon Realm split open vertically with a sh, and a burst of light erupted. "Wh-what?!" Saaaaaaa¡ª As the crowd stared at the Demon Realm in bewilderment, Arin, Makan, Zion, and Iron slowly walked out. The crowd, speechless and dazed, stared at each other, then at the Demon Realm Core in Makan''s hand. They all took a step back in unison. "...A-already?" Then, a voice echoed throughout the barrier. "Section 25, Demon Realm closed." A momentter, the person in charge of Section 25 entered with wide eyes, and onlookers, sensing something strange, began to gather from outside. Zion, who had been observing the situation with a peculiar glint in his eyes, approached the leader. "Seems like you got hit by a forehead flick." The leader stared at Zion as if in a trance, and Zion nodded in satisfaction. "Remember this clearly from now on." Zion sped the man''s hand. "I am the Merchant of the Samael n." I dashed towards Zion like lightning and struck him on the back of the head. "Ow! Why again?! Let me do business!" "Let''s go." "Where to?" "The Demon Realm." "Already?" "When will we reach 10,000 points?" "..." "Let''s go." I was about to exit the barrier when a thought urred to me. "Do we really need to go back to the official branch office?" It was quite a distance to the official branch office. There was no need to go all the way there just to ask when the next Demon Realm would open. "We don''t need to register, either. All we need is to get the entry tickets." Arin agreed. "I suppose so." I immediately approached the person in charge. "Excuse me, do you know where the next Demon Realm will open the soonest?" The person in charge, momentarily flustered, replied, "You can ask at the official branch office." "Hmm. That''s too inefficient." I thought for a moment, then approached the leader. "Hey, where''s the next Demon Realm opening the soonest? I have a feeling you might know." * * * Second floor of the westernmost official branch office of the Magic Tower Alliance. Bao, with some free time on his hands, slumped back in his chair. As the frequency of Demon Realm appearances increased, Bao''s workload had be heavier. Especially since the people he encountered here all exuded a sharp aura, he was bing increasingly exhausted. While taking a break, Bao straightened up as something came to mind. "It''s about time for Section 25 to open, isn''t it?" He checked the Demon Realm record device in front of him and tilted his head. "It''s definitely past the opening time." He waited for a long time, but there was no change in Section 25. "Wait a minute." Bao''s expression suddenly shifted. He ced his hand on the Demon Realm record device, and the record was updated. A gasp escaped his lips. "It didn''t just not open... it already ended? In 7 minutes?" Bao couldn''tprehend this situation. It was a highlypetitive section, so no tricks should have worked. "That''s impossible!" Despite his shock, Bao''s fingers continued to update the Demon Realm record device as if possessed. He was so surprised that he couldn''t even think of stopping. And then, at some point, there was a change in the management record of the Demon Realm in Section 27. "..." He continued to press the device as if in a trance for a few minutes. Finallying to his senses and stopping, Bao''s gaze shifted to Section 27. "Section 27 also... ended?" [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 152: The Mid-Level Manager, Porter [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 152: The Mid-Level Manager, Porter Porter''s office, 2nd floor of the regr branch. Porter, who had been secretly receiving guests since morning, suddenly frowned and looked at the door. Knock, knock¡ª ¡°Manager, it¡¯s Bao.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I need to report.¡± ¡°Don''t you know I told you not to disturb me when I''m working?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I apologize.¡± ¡°Come backter.¡± A frightened reply was heard from the other side of the door. ¡°Understood. I apologize.¡± Porter looked at the sharp-faced man sitting opposite him. ¡°Sorry about that. He¡¯s a newbie. I need to retrain him.¡± ¡°It''s alright.¡± When the man smiled, the torn scar at the corner of his mouth stood out. The man stuck out his tongue and licked his lips before speaking. ¡°Shall we continue our conversation then?¡± ¡°Yes, you were asking to increase the ratio, right?¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± After a few hours of serious discussion, a smile appeared on both Porter and the man''s faces simultaneously. ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°With such good results, there''s nothing to understand. It''s a win-win situation, isn''t it?¡± ¡°I''ll see you on the next scheduled date.¡± As soon as the man left, Porter''s expression changed. Wiping the smile off his face, he muttered in a strange voice. ¡°It was too big.¡± Just then, another knock on the door made Porter look straight ahead. ¡°Manager, it¡¯s Bao.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Bao entered, Porter looked at him with an indifferent expression. "Did you not hear a word I said?" ¡°Ah, no, sir.¡± ¡°Don''t do what I tell you not to do. I hate repeating myself. You must have heard the rumors about me.¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± ¡°No?¡± Porter took a step toward Bao and grinned. ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡± As soon as Porter activated his Manacore in an intimidating manner, cold sweat ran down Bao''s face. ¡°You really don''t know? Everyone knows I was kicked out of headquarters, but you don''t?¡± ¡°Ah, I know, sir.¡± Bao hurriedly held out the documents in his hand. ¡°I apologize. It was an unusual matter, so I thought I should report it to you urgently.¡± ¡°Oh? Now you''re talking back to me?¡± Porter snatched the documents from Bao''s hand and then said in a coercive tone. ¡°Let''s see just how unusual this matter is that you dared to ignore me.¡± Porter''s eyes, which had been scanning the documents, suddenly turned serious, and he sat down and began to read them carefully. "What is this?" Porter muttered, pointing at the letters written on the document one by one. "Section 25, Section 27, Section 23, Section 42, Section 40, Section 22, Section 31... even Section 17? Are these times correct?" "They were allpleted within 10 minutes." Bao continued his report. "Just in case, I observed for a week. There were no errors." "Even Section 17?" "I confirmed it directly with the managers of each section." "They finished as soon as they entered? What kind of nonsense is that!" Porter yelled, furrowing his brow. "...Is someone from a vassal n ying tricks? No. There''s no reason for them toe to a low-level demon realm. Or could it be that those good-for-nothing scoundrels are colluding instead ofpeting?" Porter, who was scanning the document again, stopped his gaze at one point. "The Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad?" "Yes. They''re the ones I reported to you about a while ago." "Who?" "The ones I reported about because of Section 37." "Those guys fromst time?" "That''s right." Porter suddenly jumped up from his seat and manipted the magic recording device ced on one side of the office. "...Look at these guys. They swept all the contribution points from every demon realm they entered?" Porter looked back at Bao. "What about the guys who entered with them? Are they all dead?" "There were no deaths." "So they just monopolized everything first? Where did these bastards roll in from... No, wait." Suddenly, Porter''s expression changed subtly, and a smile appeared on his face. "It''s not necessarily a bad thing. It''s about time the Cleaners got somepetition. If I y this right..." As the smile on his face grew thicker, Porter turned his gaze to Bao. "Where are these guys now?" "There''s been no news of them since they finished Section 17." "Find them and bring them to me." "Yes. Then by today..." Porter flicked his fingers. "Right now." *** At a makeshift table outside a shabby tavern in the city, I sat surrounded by my subordinates, enjoying a long-awaited feast. "Why the long faces, everyone?" "..." Who was it that said life is lonely? Looking around, I was the only one enjoying the feast. No one answered. Ah, how lonely. "Doesn''t the food suit your taste?" "..." "How lonely." I tried talking to them again because I was so lonely, but all that came back was silence. "...Damn it, at least buy something delicious. I''ve been eating jerky for two days straight, I feel like I''m going to puke." "Thanks, Zion." "For what?" "Thanks to you, the loneliness is gone. I''m fine now." "You''re saying you''re fine?" "I''m fine." "You''re saying that because you haven''t entered the demon realm, Commander! It''s always been us going in!" "I hunted too." "What kind of bullshit is that?" "Auto-hunting is still hunting." Zion muttered a curse under his breath and started chugging the cheap liquor in front of him. I drank some too. Sometimes, alcohol tastes good even early in the morning. After downing three sses of liquor in a row, Zion red at me. "How long are we going to keep doing this?" "Hmm." That was something I was pondering as well. Except for Makan, all my subordinates looked haggard. It was the result of running around demon realms like crazy for a week. And we didn''t even umte that many contribution points. [1850 points] We monopolized every demon realm we entered, but the points umted slowly. Except for the first demon realm we entered, Section 37, most of them only yielded two-digit contribution points. It seemed to be the difference depending on whether or not variant species appeared. "It''s time for a change." Moreover, we haven''t found any evidence about the demons. In any case, it was a waste of time to invest any more time in Level 4 demon realms. If there was any small achievement, it was that the way people looked at us had changed. Wherever we went, people started to recognize us. Even in this tavern, there were people sneaking nces at us. "Here''s the beef stew you ordered." As soon as Makan and Zion took a bite of the stew, they put down their spoons. Even Palge took a few bites and then put his spoon down. "...The food here is terrible. Can''t we go somewhere else?" "Taverns that serve cheap liquor aren''tmon." My philosophy is that alcohol is more important than food. But the alcohol wasn''t the only reason I chose this tavern. It was located in a ce where I could see the back alleys of the city at a nce. "I don''t see that ck Otter guy." For a week, every time we entered a demon realm, I looked for that gloomy man nearby, but I never saw him once. I scanned the peopleing and going while drinking at the tavern, but there was no one suspicious. The two gold coins were quite a waste. But I don''t forget my enemies. I''ll find him somehow and rip him off three times over. "Well, well, well! Look who it is!" As soon as I drank a ss of cheap liquor, a familiar voice came from outside. "You guys were here?" "Chano Hyung?" Zion''s gloomy eyes suddenly brightened, and he raised his hand towards Chano. "Chano Hyung! What brings you here?" "What brings me here? Just here for a drink," Chano said casually as he entered and sat at our table. "Mind if I join you?" "Of course, Chano Hyung. Have a drink." "Oh, you guys drink this too?" "Nothing beats cheap liquor." "You know what''s good. This ce has terrible food, but the alcohol is decent." Chano chuckled, took a sip of the liquor, and looked at me. "I''m sorry aboutst time." I studied Chano''s expression. "What are you sorry for?" "I didn''t get a chance to properly greet you, things were a bit hectic." "That''s true. Are you feeling better now?" Chano coughed awkwardly. "Forget about that day. I made a fool of myself. Skilled individuals can appear at any time. I was acting like a naive kid." "It happens." "I heard the rumors. Samael''s Crazy Mage Squad. You''ve been wiping out every Level 4 demon realm you enter. Impressive, very impressive. Section 17 must have been especiallypetitive." "It was nothing special, Chano Hyung." Chano narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Zion. "What was your name again...?" "You still don''t know my name?" Zion said with a solemn face as he poured cheap liquor into an empty ss. "Remember it clearly from now on." ncing at me, Zion offered the filled ss to Chano. "I am Samael''s business ma... Ah, Ow!" Bzzzt The electric current released by Arin struck Zion''s palm directly. Zion had been watching me but failed to notice Arin''s movements. "Stop repeating the same thing, Zion." "Why are you being such a bitch!" Arin pped Zion on the cheek. "How dare you? A bitch? You have no filter." "Ugh, damn it." I looked at Chano. "By the way, where have you been? I haven''t seen you around." Chano''s expression suddenly turned serious. "We entered a Level 3 demon realm." "A Level 3?" "We suffered quite a bit of loss. Despite our thorough preparations, we didn''t gain many contribution points. But there were no casualties." "I guess that wound is from this time then." Chano touched the deep cut on his right arm. "A badge of honor." Makan, who had been listening quietly, asked, "Is Level 3 different?" "There are a lot of variables, but with your skills, you''re unlikely to die. There''s another one scheduled to open in two days, so if you''re interested, think about it." "Is thepetition fierce in Level 3 too?" "No. On the contrary, there aren''t any ipetent fools, so there''s hardly anypetition. But there are some guys you need to watch out for." "Where are the other members who entered with you?" Actually, we just got out of the demon realm not too long ago. The others went to bed because they were tired. They have no sense of romance. They don''t even know that drinking at a time like this is the real deal." "You were the leader of the Life Mercenary Corps?" "That''s right. I''m the leader. By the way, you guys are truly amazing. Even though Level 4 demon realms are easy, they''re swarming with small fry, which is quite annoying. Besides, the clear times are unbelievable. Let me tell you a story. Based on my experience from when I was in the LA Mercenary Corps..." The nosy Chano continued talking. At first, my subordinates listened politely, but as Chano showed no signs of finishing, their expressions gradually began to change. The surprising thing was that I didn''t know where to interrupt him. It felt like there was no breathing room between sentences. I felt like my ears were about to bleed. Arin and Zion looked at me simultaneously. ''Should I knock him unconscious?'' ''How about a p?'' Just as electricity started crackling from Arin''s hand, and mes began to engulf Zion''s hand... "Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" At that perfect moment, I heard a voice calling me from the street on the right. Chano, whose breath had hitched, let out a "Gah!" and looked outside. I tilted my head, looking at the young man approaching us. "Are you here for a drink too?" "I''m here to see the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad." "Me?" The official approached and asked in a polite voice, "Would you have some time to spare? Our mid-level manager would like to see you." "What''s a mid-level manager?" "He''s in charge of the low-level demon realms." "Why does the manager want to see me?" The official hesitated slightly before replying, "He''s curious about you." "How did he know I was here?" "Many people already recognize you. It was easy to find you." "Alright. I''ll visit himter." After finishing my sentence, I started drinking again. While I was emptying a whole bottle, the official kept lingering in the same spot, so I asked, "Why haven''t you left yet? Would you like a drink?" The official politely sped his hands together. "Would it be possible for you toe with me now?" Chano whispered from the side, "He''s not someone you want to get involved with. It''s best to avoid him if possible." Suddenly, I became interested. Not someone I want to get involved with? Looking closely, the official''s expression also seemed somewhat unnatural. I looked at my subordinates and said, "Rest here and drink." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 153: I Want to Hire You as a Cleaner [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 153: I Want to Hire You as a Cleaner Leaving the tavern, I headed to the branch office with the staff member. Though I felt a bit annoyed at Zion''s carefree expression as he guzzled down the moonshine the moment I left, I had thestugh. Because I walked out without paying. "Thank you for responding to my urgent request." The staff member, who had been silent the entire walk, finally greeted me as we entered the office. I carefully observed his expression. "You look tired." "I''m alright." "Your superior is giving you a hard time, huh?" The staff member didn''t answer, but I understood. Sometimes, silence speaks louder than words. As we were going up to the second floor, the staff member suddenly turned to me. "If you don''t mind me asking..." "Go ahead." "How were you able to clear the Demon Realm so quickly? Do you have some kind of secret method?" "Secret method?" "Like a shortcut, for example... or a way to easily obtain the Demon Realm''s core... Ah, I''m not asking you to tell me how." "It sounds like you''re asking if I cheated." The staff member waved his hands. "Ah, that''s a misunderstanding. I didn''t mean it that way." I had noticed it before, but this staff member showed no signs of having cultivated Mana. This meant one of two things: He was either an ordinary person, or his level was far superior to mine. Thetter couldn''t be true, so the answer was obvious. "So the Alliance assigns ordinary people to ces like this? You must have had a hard time, seeing as there are a lot of dangerous individuals around." "I volunteered, actually..." "That''s unexpected. Why?" "It''s hard to exin in detail. It''s part of my effort to learn magic." I had originally intended to ignore the staff member''s question, but I changed my mind. "To answer your question, I don''t actually know. Only my subordinates entered the Demon Realm. But that''s not important." "Huh?" "There''s no such thing as a cheat. Whether it''s a trick or not, it''s best not to think that way. Those who try to belittle others tend to think like that. Because it''s easier on their minds. But it''s just a narrow-minded way of thinking that doesn''t benefit anyone." "I understand." When we arrived on the second floor, the staff member suddenly spoke again. "Are you, by any chance, a mage?" "Indeed. If you''re trying to learn magic, you''d be better off somewhere else." The staff member smiled bitterly as he looked at me. "I don''t have the talent. Instead, I''ll be a schr. It''s what I''ve always wanted to do." I didn''t understand what being a schr had to do with working here, but I didn''t bother asking. Because when he said that, his eyes were sparkling with life. "A man with a dream, I see. Where''s the manager?" "You''ll find him in the office at the end of the hallway on the right." The second floor was even more crowded than thest time I was here. Most of them seemed like drifters, grumbling about this and that. Some of them recognized me and flinched, quickly averting their gaze. I was heading to the office at the far right when I paused. The staff member, who hade closer, looked around and spoke in a low voice. "Be careful. The manager was demoted from headquarters for embezzlement." I nodded. "Embezzlement is a serious crime." "He''s also quite different from the typical Alliance managers." "This is getting more and more interesting." I patted the staff member''s shoulder, and he bowed his head. "I won''t forget the advice you gave me earlier. There are no shortcuts." * * * I opened the office door. The man with his legs crossed on the chair spoke in a low voice without even looking this way. "Who entered without knocking?" "Me. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander." "What?" "Didn''t you just ask who entered without knocking?" "..." "It''s me." The man, uncrossing his legs, suddenly scanned me from head to toe and began to stare intently. I, in turn, observed the man. A portly figure. He didn''t seem that old. He seemed to have cultivated a Mana Core, but it didn''t look like he trained diligently. "Are you themander of that Crazy Mage Squad or whatever it''s called? Samael?" "That''s me." "Did you hear that I asked to see you?" "I wouldn''t be here if I hadn''t. You''re wasting your breath." I''m a man with very few preconceptions. Everyone said the manager was a terrible guy, but I intended to see, hear, speak, and experience him for myself before making a judgement. Usually, a person''s true nature reveals itself through conversation. Moreover, I often found myself wanting to engage with those who were deemed undesirable by others. "Strange. Are you perhaps a former mercenary? Why are you so disrespectful?" I plopped down on the seat opposite him and pointed at the man. "Disrespectful? That''s rich. I dropped everything, including my drink, and came all the way here because you summoned me. Is this how you normally treat your guests?" "...Haven''t you heard of who I am?" "Who are you? Now that I think about it, I don''t even know your name." The man crossed his arms and lifted his chin. "Porter." "What a name. Sounds like a baggage cart." "What?" "Just talking to myself." "I''m the manager who oversees the low-level Demon Realms that the likes of you enter." It sounded like he expected me to be intimidated. At this point, I had finished my assessment of Porter. Everyone else was right about him. Of course, from my perspective, he was bing more and more intriguing. I pointed at Porter and said, "Why did you ask to see me?" As if he had also finished his assessment of me, Porter nodded. "I haven''t dealt with just one or two people here. I know your type well. Let''s get straight to the point. I want to hire you as a cleaner." "A cleaner?" "You''ve seen how things work around here for the past few days. I''ll give you the information on the opening of the Level 4 Demon Realm first. I won''t hold you responsible for anything that happens inside." I met Porter''s eyes. "And in return, you want money?" Porter suddenly burst intoughter. "Indeed. My eye for people is never wrong. You catch on quick. I don''t need much. Just a certain percentage of the money you collect." "Don''t you already have cleaners?" "Don''t worry about that. Even cleaners need to prove their worth to be treated well." No wonder things seemed so chaotic, even for a Level 4 Demon Realm. So this was the reason. "What''s the percentage?" "50% of the collection rate. If you''re thinking of lying, I advise against it. If I catch youter, I''ll restrict your entry into the Demon Realms." "You''re no different from a robber." "The benefits are substantial, so you won''t feel shortchanged." Just as I expected. Porter was such an interesting character. I couldn''t understand why everyone was so averse to interacting with someone I found so engaging. Shaking my head, I said, "50% is too much. And I''m not nning on entering any more Level 4 Demon Realms." "What?" "I said I''m not entering any Level 4 ones." Porter burst intoughter once again. "So you''re aiming for Level 3? Don''t underestimate the Demon Realms, my friend. No matter how quickly you monopolize the Level 4 Demon Realms, that''s all it is. A lynx, no matter how good a hunter, can''t hunt a tiger." "I prefer automated hunting. But this time, I''ll have to step up myself. I''m too riled up to sit back." I gestured towards Porter. "Increase the percentage. Do you have cleaners for Level 3 too?" Porter''s eyes narrowed slightly. "The current Level 3 cleaners are very capable. It''s unlikely, but if you''re truly that skilled, I might consider backing you. I''ve been dissatisfied with the current cleanerstely. If they''re cleaners, they should just stick to cleaning, why do they keep poking their noses into everything?" At this point, I suddenly asked Porter, "Do people ever die in the Level 3 Demon Realms?" "All the time." "Has there ever been aplete wipeout?" Porter replied casually, "Of course." "What about cases where a whole group is wiped out, leaving no bodies behind?" "No bodies?" Porter tilted his head, then responded as if he finally understood my intentions. "Well, that can happen if a high-ranking monster appears. There have been a few instances recently. I see you''re worried, but you have to ept that level of risk." "What about cases where there are no bodies, even though no high-ranking monster appeared?" Porter tilted his head again and asked, with a puzzled expression on his face. "What are you talking about?" "There weren''t any? That''s different from what I heard. Didn''t you say you manage all the low-level Demon Realms?" Irritation began to rise on Porter''s face. "Of course I manage them all. Lately, low-level Demon Realms have been opening like crazy, but I still receive reports on everything." "..." "Well, there are asional cases where headquarters directly intervenes in post-incident investigations, but that rarely happens in low-level Demon Realms." At this point, I felt further questioning was pointless. If Parin from headquarters had intervened directly, it was natural for Porter to be unaware. "Alright, alright, enough with the nonsensical talk. So, are you going to take the cleaner job or not?" I asked in return, "You said I needed to show you my abilities to increase the percentage?" Porter smiled wickedly. "If you have the skills, of course I''ll treat you well. The current cleaners have gotten too big for their britches. I need a change." "I''ll take care of it for you. It''s a deal." Porter waved his hand dismissively, still smiling. "Alright, alright. You can leave now." As I was leaving the office, curiosity got the better of me, and I turned around. "By the way, which tower are you affiliated with?" Porter arrogantly lifted his chin. "I have connections with the Red Magic Tower." "Oh?" "Finally realizing my prestige, are you?" "I''ll be going then." Suppressing augh, I exited the office. There was no way Porter was affiliated with the Red Magic Tower. Even though those guys were arrogant, they at least had some basic standards. A member of the Red Magic Tower wouldn''t have such a corpulent physique. ''So he''s not a dispatched member.'' I had a feeling he was probably kicked out of the tower. * * * "You''re really going alone, Commander?" I looked at the faces of my subordinates, their expressions filled with worry. How many of them were being sincere? "...Commander, I''m really against you going alone. Honestly, the actingmander position is a bit of a burden." I was certain of one person''s sincerity. As soon as I struck the back of his head with a thwack¡ª, Zion dropped his head and blurted out his true feelings. "Ah, you damnmander!" "Try expressing yourself with a bit more sincerity." Then, Palge spoke up. "I''m being totally sincere, meow..." "Just shut up." This time, Chano started to meddle from the side. "I''d love to go with you... but our mercenary group needs to prepare for the Demon Realm opening in Section 1 next week, so I can''t." "That''s a very good idea." "If you just remember what I told you, there shouldn''t be any problems. The Demon Realm opening today is rtively safe. Just in case, I''ll remind you again. This time, I''ll share a different experience. Based on this experience... It was back when I was with the LA mercenary group..." ''Should I knock him out?'' ''How about a p across the face?'' Just as they were about tounch into another endless chatter, Arin, with electricity crackling around the edge of her hand, struck Chano''s throat from behind. "Oof!" I waved my hand and said, "Enough with the mushy farewells, just go. Go drink some moonshine." While Chano was still bewildered, Zion said, "So you''re really going to rest? You sure you can handle it yourself?" I looked around and said, "I do prefer auto hunting, but I''m more confident in manual hunting. And don''t just rest, try to find that ck otter or whatever it''s called." "That guy from before?" "The one who stole the two gold coins hasn''t turned himself in." Once the group left, I approached the barrier where the Demon Realm was opening. People waiting to enter were gathered in small groups, but there was hardly anypetitionpared to the Level 4 Demon Realm. ording to Chano, the reason was that from Level 3 onwards, the difficulty level increased sharply, so amateurs avoided entering altogether. He said that sometimes, they didn''t even reach the maximum number of entrants. Even now, there weren''t that many people gathered. Until the Demon Realm opened, I leaned against a nk of wood on the side of the street and observed the passing crowd. ''There they are.'' There were two groups of cleaners for the Level 3 Demon Realm. The Kalma Group and the Sahwa Party. The Kalma Group, dressed in matching ck clothes and carryingrge swords, were positioned closest to the barrier. Across from them were two individuals presumed to be from the Sahwa Party. Despite being outnumbered, the Kalma Group seemed more wary of those two. However, no matter how closely I looked, I couldn''t see anyone as suspicious as Parin. A momentter, the person in charge of Section 9 appeared with a few knights and announced themencement of entry. Whiiirrr¡ª A noise resonated throughout the entire area. "Let''s go!" The Kalma Group members were the first to jump into the barrier, followed by the two from the Sahwa Party and the rest of the crowd. I entered the barrierst, taking my time leisurely. As expected, the sky was ash-gray. The Demon Realm in front of me was shaped like a tomb, simr to the one I saw in Section 37. The only difference was that it seemed about three timesrger. ''I don''t sense any demonic energy.'' It was no different from a Level 4 Demon Realm. Even after examining the entrance thoroughly, there was no trace of demonic energy. As soon as I stepped inside, the surrounding scenery instantly transformed. * * * A circr cavity. Small torches dimly illuminated the pitch-ck darkness. People were forming a long line in front of me, and a voice echoed from the front. "Two gold coins. Pass." The Kalma Group and the Sahwa Party were blocking the entrance to the path and collecting money. Just as I expected. Since these guys were quiet outside the barrier, it was only natural to assume they''d be collecting fees inside. "Excuse me." I whispered to the man preparing his gold coins right in front of me. "Did youe in alone?" The man turned to me and raised his eyebrows slightly. "Ah, you''re that guy. You''re quite famous these days. Crazy Mage Squad, was it?" "That''s right. I''m themander. Why are you paying? It''s a waste." "It can''t be helped. It''s more costly to have a bloodbath." "Isn''t the cost too high?" "Think of it as an entrance fee." "Why is it so noisy back there!" At the shout from up ahead, the man shook his head and closed his mouth. It seemed to me that this wasn''t a one-time urrence. Both those paying and those collecting the money couldn''t have been more nonchnt. I waited quietly at the back of the line, observing the situation. "Next!" Finally, it was my turn. A Kalma Group member, brandishing his sword, scanned me menacingly from head to toe before saying, "You look familiar." Someone whispered in his ear from behind. "...Is that so?" "Yes, that''s him." "I''ve heard of him too." The man with the sword looked at me and changed his tone. "Just give us one gold coin and go on in." "Why only one for me?" "Skilled individuals deserve special treatment." "Oh, thank you." As I ced a gold coin and tried to enter the passage, one of the Sahwa Party members approached and blocked my way. "Stop." "I just paid." "You didn''t pay us. Two gold coins." I looked back and forth between the two groups with surprise. "Wow, I have to pay both sides?" The Sahwa Party member simply nodded without a word. "Can''t you give me a discount?" "Not us." "Oh well, it can''t be helped." I handed two gold coins to the Sahwa Party and entered the passage. Now, the cavity was empty except for the cleaners. The Sahwa Party and the Kalma Group, as always, were counting their gold coins when their faces fell. "This is too little this time." "Section 1 is opening soon. Not many people came here because they''re preparing for that." "Tsk." The Kalma Group, having finished counting first, left the cavity and entered the narrow passage. The two remaining Sahwa Party members were just about to follow when¡ª Thud¡ª "What''s this?" Suddenly, they felt a presence, and the passage was blocked. The Kalma Group was blocking the way and refusing to move. The two Sahwa Party members exchanged nces for a moment before shouting, "What do you think you''re doing? Do you dare challenge our Sahwa Party¡ª Wait a minute." Looking closer, they realized that the Kalma Group wasn''t intentionally blocking the path. It seemed like they wanted to move forward but couldn''t. The passage was so narrow that it was difficult to see what was happening at the front. It was then that they heard a voice from afar. "Three gold coins. Of course, three per head." Then, they heard the Kalma Group leader yelling. "What?" "We don''t have time. Pay up quickly. We only have 3 seconds left. 3, 2..." "What kind of crazy talk is that!" p¡ª! Thud! Suddenly, the sound of something exploding. The two Sahwa Party members exchanged nces once again. "What''s going on..." They couldn''t finish their sentence. Fwoosh¡ª! Sparks suddenly flew in the air, illuminating their vision. Then, the ceiling of the Demon Realm began to shake violently. Rumble rumble rumble¡ª! [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 154: Monster [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 154: Monster Rumble rumble rumble¡ª The ceiling shook violently as if it was about to copse. "What the...?" Suppressing my surprise, I instinctivelyunched a kick at the sr plexus of the guy in front of me. Thwack¡ª! With a series of thud thud thud¡ª sounds in the narrow passage, the guys copsed like dominoes. They scrambled back up in confusion and started running back towards the entrance. I also ran out, striking the back of the head of the guy in front of me. Thwack¡ª! Thwack¡ª! "Move it, faster!" I couldn''t get crushed to death here. As I ran, hitting the back of the head of those in front of me, I soon arrived back at the entrance. Fortunately, the tremors in the ceiling gradually subsided and then stopped. I took a deep breath and reyed the events in my mind. First, I hadunched a fireball high into the sky to show off my skills. Then, I activated the incantation for Wind Expansion to spread the fires. Up to this point, everything had gone ording to n. The problem was... The ceiling suddenly started shaking as if it was about to copse, something I hadn''t anticipated. ''What happened?'' Even the cleaners looked dumbfounded and disoriented. No one knew what was going on. Some of them even seemed to think I was responsible for this. Observing their reactions, I quickly changed my approach and red at them. "See? You should have paid up when you had the chance. I''ll give you 10 seconds. If you don''t bring the money, I''ll bring the whole ceiling down." I''m the type of person who can turn even unexpected situations to my advantage. As expected, starting with the Kalma Group leader who had been running away while getting hit by me, everyone quickly ran back and offered three gold coins each. My threat had worked perfectly. Meanwhile, I looked at the two guys standing nkly on the other side and said, "Do you want to be crushed to death?" The two Sahwa Party members stared at me intently. "You did this?" They were a suspicious bunch. "Yes, I did. I''ll give you just 5 more seconds. 5, 4, 3..." One of the Sahwa Party members shouted towards the Kalma Group, "You believe this guy? You pathetic fools are truly low-level." "2, 1..." The Kalma Group leader hurriedly looked at me. "Stop! If you copse the ceiling, we''ll all die! We haven''t paid!" I nodded and replied, "You have a point." The two Sahwa Party members looked at me in disbelief. "Do you think the Sahwa Party is a joke?" "Of course not. I respect the Sahwa Party. That''s why you need to bring six gold coins." "What?" "And the 5 seconds are up." I propelled myself forward with a burst of wind pressure, gliding like a phantom with my enhanced movement technique. At the same time, I manifested a Fire Spear in each hand and hurled them at the two. "...A mage? You dare!" The moment I sensed Mana fluctuations from their bodies and the Fire Spears dissipated, I flew at them like lightning and shot my slingshot at the left guy''s temple. Thwack¡ª! Thud¡ª! The guy on the left copsed. As the remaining one abruptly turned his head to look at his fallenrade, I gathered wind pressure in my fist and mmed it into his jaw. Crack¡ª! Thud¡ª! "You guysck basic skills." I started rummaging through the pockets of the two unconscious men. By the time I had emptied their pockets of gold coins and stashed them in my own, I felt eyes on me. I looked around for a moment and said, "You guys stay here." The Kalma Group leader nodded and gathered his subordinates, settling them in a corner of the cavity. "We won''t move an inch. We promise." "I believe you. Stay right there." Even though I was speaking informally, no one objected. They truly believed I could bring this ce down. "See youter then. I''m going ahead." I entered the passage and slowly made my way forward. The deeper I went, the darker it became, and after a few minutes, I was enveloped in pitch-ck darkness. I couldn''t see an inch in front of me. Normally, I would have manifested a fireball to illuminate my surroundings, but not this time. Sometimes, you have to adapt to situations like this. Peace of mind. I walked slowly through the darkness, cultivating my senses as I searched for traces of demonic energy. I never intended to clear the Level 3 Demon Realm quickly. I had already experienced the thrill of automated hunting. When hunting manually, you have to seek a different kind of enjoyment. It was then. Brrr¡ª I felt a faint vibration from up ahead. The moment I heard a strange sound, I ducked like lightning. "What the...?" Whoosh¡ª Something brushed past my head, and I immediately sensed a murderous intent nearby. It was fast. "Kyaaaaaak!" I still couldn''t see a thing. Whiiiing¡ª I instantly opened all the circles of my heart. In this state, I relied solely on my senses to detect the approaching presence. As soon as I sensed the sharp metal, I twisted my body and grabbed the attacker. Crack¡ª "Kyaaaaaaaak!" The texture was strange. It wasn''t human. It felt rough and hard. "Leather?" Whoosh¡ª As I manifested fires in my left hand, the identity of what I was holding was finally revealed. Slightlyrger than a lynx. It thrashed around, baring two sharp, metal-like front teeth. "Oh, you''re a monster?" I was delighted to see one in person for the first time. A mustelid monster. I didn''t know its exact name or rank. However, judging from its shape and appearance, which resembled the disaster-ss Northern Garriot, it was undoubtedly a mustelid monster. "Kyahahaha!" "There, there, good boy." I stroked its head and instantly broke its two sharp front teeth. Snap¡ª Snap¡ª The monster convulsed violently and then died. ''Kant was right.'' The weakness of mustelid monsters was their two front teeth. If those two teeth were broken, the nerves connected to their brain were immediately severed. I cremated the monster and leisurely continued on my way. The inside was more spacious than it appeared from the outside. Looking at the traces along the way, I noticed the footprints were clustered together. It seemed those who entered before me were moving together in a group. After walking for a while, I heard voices and saw flickering lights ahead. "This Demon Realm has some rather troublesome monsters." "They''re cautious. It probably won''t be easy to find the one with the core." "Damn it, if we''rete, it''ll disrupt our ns to enter Section 1 next week." "Don''t worry." "The one with the core must be at least mid-level, right?" "Probably. We won''t be at a loss." I turned back. I had no intention of joining them. As I walked for a long time, I gradually adapted to the darkness. With my vision limited, my other senses seemed to heighten. I encountered more mustelid monsters along the way and learned their habits. Right before they attacked, there was a faint vibration. Brrr¡ª Just like now. This vibration felt a bit stronger, so it was probably a bigger one. "Kyaaaaaa!" Crack¡ª As expected, it was arger one. I broke its two front teeth and continued on my way, when suddenly a memory shed through my mind. "Huh?" Wait a minute. ...This wasn''t a coincidence. Come to think of it, there was no way it could have been a coincidence in the first ce. After organizing my thoughts for a moment, I started to retrace my steps. Whoosh¡ª This time, I lit a fire and followed the footprints, moving as quickly as possible. When I reached the narrow passage at the entrance, I paused to examine the walls on either side and frowned. A strong smell of blood wafted from within. "...They''re dead." The corpses of what appeared to be the Kalma Group were strewn across the floor. Traces of a fierce battle. Torn fragments of flesh and two holes pierced through the heart area. Bite marks. Each hole was the size of a woman''s wrist. This meant the creature was at least three timesrger than the monsters I had encountered so far. Something felt off. Weren''t they all rxed when they entered? Meanwhile, the bodies of the Sahwa Party members were nowhere to be seen. "Expanding wind, Wind Expansion." I chanted the full incantation, manifesting a burst of wind pressure upwards. I didn''t sense any presence. If that moment when the ceiling shook violently, if that was the vibration caused by the mustelid monster... I turned back. As I ignited a fire and scattered it widely, I saw footprints with only the front part of the sole imprinted. Evidence of a full sprint. It was highly likely these were the footprints of the Sahwa Party members. I immediately followed the trail. Strangely, as I followed the footprints, I was gradually moving towards the group that had gone ahead. This wasn''t a coincidence either. The Sahwa Party members must have intentionally led them in that direction. "Shit, fuck!" From somewhere, I faintly heard curses and death throes. "Gah!" A momentter, I saw a group of people running frantically towards me, apanied by the sound of pounding footsteps. Tatatatatatata¡ª Two guys were running at the front. They were the Sahwa Party members I had knocked unconscious earlier. They hurled curses at me as they passed by, running towards the other side. A short distance behind them, the group I had seen earlier came running. Their faces were pale with fear. The man at the front, running with a broken de, shouted at me as he saw me standing in the passage. "Don''t just stand there, run!" I looked behind the group. Rumble rumble rumble¡ª The ceiling shook violently, and a deafening roar echoed. "Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" Not three timesrger. This one was at least five timesrger than the monsters I had seen before, with two front teeth as sharp as a saber-toothed tiger''s. des were embedded in its hide, and blood was flowing out, but its ferocity only seemed to intensify. Behind it, dozens of smaller monsters followed. Rumble rumble rumble¡ª The intensity of the tremors was unusual, suggesting they had been clustered together. I stepped forward. As I watched the ferocious monster charging towards me, I couldn''t help butugh. "Are you crazy? That''s a red variant! Run!" The man with the broken de grabbed me a few times and shouted, "Damn it, I said run! I''m not responsible for you anymore!" The entire group quickly passed me. Even then, I stood alone, facing the monster andughing. How could I notugh? "Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" When I felt the chilling breath of countless monsters up close. Whiiiing¡ª I opened four circles of my heart. "Melting Purification Water." 4th Circle, Fire Hand. With fires zing around both hands, I looked into the eyes of the approaching monster. "Found you." Its sharp front teeth flew towards my neck. Crack¡ª I instantly grabbed its front teeth with my ming hands. Sizzle¡ª I felt its breath and its gaze right in front of me. "You, you''re the one, aren''t you?" "Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" Thick smoke billowed from its ck eyes. "Nice to meet you, monster." Multiple magic manifestations. 4th Circle Wind Attribute Magic, Wide Barrier. 4th Circle Wind Attribute Magic, Wind Press. The monster faltered. A vast, wide barrier formed in the air, circr in shape. It wasrge enough to cover the entire visible ceiling. As soon as I touched the ming hand to the barrier, the fires instantly spread. Whoosh¡ª The entire ceiling was engulfed in fires. Then, the air in the upper levelpressed, bing suffocating. Fwooosh¡ª With a roaring sound, the zing barrier in the airpressed and crashed down to the ground. "Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" "Kyaaaaa!" The entire horde of monsters, crushed beneath the burning barrier, was engulfed in fires and burned. The tremendous light generated by the aftermath caused the fleeing men to stop and look back. "...!" [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 155: The Demon Realm of Section 1 (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 155: The Demon Realm of Section 1 (1) Porter, sitting with his legs crossed in his office, had been staring intently at the same spot for a while now. "...Over 3,000 points in a single day?" It was utterly unbelievable. But no matter how hard he stared, nothing changed. [Samael and the Crazy Mage Squad, 5,950 points] The total contribution points for a typical Level 3 Demon Realm were a little over 1,000. Even with monopolization, 3,000 points was an impossible number. However, it was even more unlikely that the Demon Realm management device was malfunctioning. Knock knock¡ª "Manager, it''s Bao." "Come in." As soon as Bao entered, Porter asked, "What about the investigation results? Did you find out?" "It''s the appearance of a red variant." Porter''s eyes lit up. "Indeed. That''s the only exnation. Which one?" "It has been confirmed as a mid-level variant, the mustelid Northern Garriot. The Demon Realm record device will be updated soon." "Northern Garriot?" "Yes." Red variant. Among the variants that could appear in each Demon Realm, particrly dangerous ones were ssified as red. There had been no record of a red variant appearing in the Demon Realms of Section 9 in recent years. Even so, considering the achievement score of over 3,000 points in a Level 3 Demon Realm, the appearance of a red variant was somewhat expected. However, the Northern Garriot was not a creature Porter was familiar with. "Was there a red variant among the mustelids? What kind of creature was the Northern Garriot?" The lower-level Demon Realms had already been thoroughly analyzed through numerous empirical data. There were roughly four types of red variants that could appear in Level 3 Demon Realms. Among them, the Northern Garriot had not appeared in recent years. Bao replied, "In terms of individual characteristics, it''s not significantly different from ordinary variants. However, it has a unique characteristic of forming groups." Porter uncrossed his legs and fiddled with the Demon Realm management device a few times before letting out a dumbfounded chuckle. "There are no other special traits. It''s ssified as red solely because of its group behavior. I see." Porter recalled the two cleaners he had met in the morning. He had wondered what they meant by monsters attacking in droves, but now he understood the situation. "The Kalma Group was annihted... It''s unclear whether to call this luck or skill. How did he manage that?" Just then, the door burst open with a bang. "Who enters without knocking?" "Me. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander." Porter red at the door, but upon seeing who it was, he put on an exaggerated smile. "If it isn''t the Crazy Mage Squad Commander." "I heard you wanted to see me. What do you have to say?" Porter cracked his neck from side to side. ''What a rude bastard.'' Swallowing his curses, Porter pointed at Bao. "Wait outside." "Yes." After Bao left, Porter looked at the Crazy Mage Squad Commander. "I''ve heard the rumors. They say you made quite a scene in the Level 3 Demon Realm?" "Word travels that fast?" "It''s impressive enough to be acknowledged. Can you tell me more? How did you catch the red variant? I heard the other side suffered considerable damage." "That''s a trade secret." Porter replied with an exaggeratedugh. "You''re more cautious than you look. Have you given any more thought to bing a cleaner?" The Crazy Mage Squad Commander suddenly smiled and asked in return, "I think I''ve shown you my skills. Can you increase the percentage?" "Tell me your offer." "I''ll take 90%." Porter wagged his finger. "You''re still naive about the ways of the world. Even the existing cleaners only get 70%." "The existing cleaners were utterly ipetent." "Is that so? The Sahwa Party will be different." The Crazy Mage Squad Commander said with a smile, "Actually, 90% was a joke." "Then?" "100%. In return, if any equipment drops, I''ll give you one or two pieces. Of course, this is on the condition that you provide me with all information in advance and with the highest priority." The corners of Porter''s mouth stiffened. "I acknowledge that you handled the red variant. But it wasn''t that difficult. Don''t overstep your bounds, Crazy Mage Squad Commander." The Crazy Mage Squad Commander suddenly pointed his index finger at Porter. "So, are you in or out?" "You''re quite greedy." "So you''re saying no." "Do you know what happens to those who overstep their bounds?" The Crazy Mage Squad Commander replied with a smile, "I know very well what happens to those who overstep their bounds. But why do you keep speaking informally?" "What?" "I''m asking why you keep speaking informally, as if you have no manners." Before Porter could answer, the Crazy Mage Squad Commander stood up. "The negotiation is over." m¡ª Porter watched the Crazy Mage Squad Commander leave, mming the door behind him, and shook his head. "This guy is incredibly rude." Porter muttered in disbelief, "Why are all the cleaners so arrogant? I''ll have to call the Sahwa Party. They''re better than this." * * * After the unproductive conversation with Porter, I headed to the tavern at the back of the city. ''The more I see him, the more I want to mess with him.'' Porter was a scheming man. This situation wouldn''t end here. How could such a person be the manager of a regr branch office? This was a clear example of the Alliance''s shorings. Due to the personnel being drawn from various ces, proper management was not being implemented. "Excuse me, are you Ruin Samael, the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" I instantly changed my expression and looked towards the source of the voice. A small boy was approaching with a smile. "If you don''t mind, can I shake your hand?" "..." What was the appropriate response in this situation? As I looked at him with an uncertain expression, the boy suddenly shook my hand and left. "Sigh." This wasn''t the first time someone I didn''t know had suddenly greeted me. It had happened several times since I left the Level 3 Demon Realm. At first, I thought they might have ulterior motives, but that didn''t seem to be the case. "Oh, isn''t that Ruin Samael, the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" Once again, I looked at the source of the voice with a perplexed expression, and this time, it was Zion standing in front of the tavern, mimicking the boy''s tone while chuckling. "Oh, Commander! Can I shake your hand? Just once?" "Sure, a handshake." I flew at him like lightning and aimed my slingshot at his forehead, but Zion, who was already prepared, easily dodged it with a nod. Zion chuckled again. "Why that expression, Commander? You look like a lost puppy." "Shut up." Just then, I heard another exmation from across the street. "Oh, isn''t that the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" I turned around to see who was ying this prank, and once again, I couldn''t help but wear a perplexed expression. It was someone I knew. "Thank you for saving us, Commander. I heard you frequent this ce, so I was waiting for you. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Evan Gariso of the Gariso Merchant Group." It was the man with the broken de. The one who shouted at me to run even while being chased by the monster. Chano, who was drinking nearby, chimed in with a smile. "Don''t just talk, show some sincerity, Evan." "Of course, brother Chano." Evan looked around at the crowd gathered in the tavern and said, "As you all may have heard, the Commander here risked his own life to save us,plete strangers. He threw himself into the mes to stop the monsters. No one was watching, but he was willing to sacrifice himself. I, Evan, witnessed this scene with my own eyes. I''ve never seen such heroism in my entire life." A mixture of doubtful nces and exmations erupted from the crowd. "Even though we are a calcting merchant group, we do not disregard a life debt. From now on, our Gariso Merchant Group will support the Crazy Mage Squad for life. Of course, I, Evan will be paying for everyone''s drinks today." Another round of cheers erupted. Chano burst into heartyughter and patted Evan''s shoulder. "That''s my brother. Hahaha." Zion whispered to me, "How did you do it?" "Do what?" "How did you do it? What did you do to make everyone see you as a hero? Tell me." I replied cynically, "I don''t know." I didn''t know what Evan saw or misunderstood. This wasn''t a situation I had orchestrated. Normally, I would have dly yed along, but seeing Evan''s expression, I didn''t feel like it. It actually dampened my mood. Zion looked around and said, "What do you guys think of this situation?" "I''m touched, meow." [TL/N: It¡¯s Not a mistake Palge just meowed here for some reason] "I don''t have many thoughts. It''s not good to overthink things. The Commander must have taken care of it." "Oh dear." As soon as Zion shook his head, I struck the back of his head. "Why are you so suspicious? Look at the contribution points. It seems like one manual hunt is better than dozens of automated hunts. What do you think about that?" Zion was about to retort but closed his mouth. Chano, who was drinking nearby, eximed in admiration, "It''s amazing, even after seeing it again. Even in my memory, excluding the famous noble ns, I''ve never seen contribution points rise this quickly. I have a good eye for people." I looked at Chano and shook my head. "Brother Chano, how long are you nning to stick around here? You said you haverades?" "Ehahaha. Didn''t I tell you? Those nd guys don''t like alcohol. They''re all busy preparing for the opening of the Demon Realm in Section 1 soon. It''s been a while since the Demon Realm in Section 1 opened. This time, many experienced guys will probably gather. Actually, when I was with the LA mercenary group, I entered the Demon Realm in Section 1, and..." Thud! Chano slumped over the table, still holding his drink. Arin removed her hand from the back of Chano''s neck and said, "He talks too much." Suddenly, the tavern fell silent. Only then did I pick up my ss of moonshine and start drinking. After a few rounds of drinks, the other patrons in the tavern started leaving one by one. Even as they left, they greeted me. As the tavern became empty, Arin suddenly said, "You saw a demon, right?" Instantly, the gazes of my subordinates focused on me. "It was a low-level creature, but I''m sure of it. Those ck eyes that emit that kind of smoke are unique to demons." Perhaps it was because I spoke with such a serious expression. Everyone''s expressions became serious as well. Zion asked, "Are you anticipating that those demons or whatever will also appear?" "Probably." There was no way the appearance of a monster in the Level 3 Demon Realm was a natural phenomenon. There was no guarantee that demons wouldn''t appear in the higher-level Demon Realms. And there was definitely someone behind it. This waspletely different from the demon invasion 300 years ago. It was secretive and insidious. The organization Parin belonged to. I had to dig them out. "Let''s crush those demons or whatever they are." I turned my head at the sudden voice and saw my subordinates, their eyes gleaming. I smiled. They were right. I just had to crush everything, from start to finish. "What did you guys just say? What are you going to crush?" Suddenly, Chano, who had been lying face down, lifted his head while drooling and shaking it. "Oh dear, it seems like my alcohol tolerance has gotten weaker these days. I must have dozed off for a bit. Where did everyone go?" I looked at Chano. "When did you say Section 1 would open?" "Oh, are you nning to enter too? It''s next week. Then you¡¯re more than wee to join us. Actually, Section 1 is generally considered one of the most difficult among the Level 3 Demon Realms." "Compared to Section 9?" "It''s iparable. It would be reassuring if you guys came along. Ah, of course, I''m not saying we should move together. That could be disrespectful to each other. Don''t misunderstand me. If you really want, I can act as a guide. Actually, finding a guide isn''t easy either. When I was with the LA mercenary group...¡± Thud! [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 156: The Demon Realm of Section 1 (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 156: The Demon Realm of Section 1 (2) It seemed Chano wasn''t exaggerating. On the day the Demon Realm of Section 1 opened, the atmosphere waspletely different. From early morning, a considerable number of spectators had gathered on both sides of the main street near Section 1, not far from the regr branch office. Alliance members were widely deployed in front of the barrier. The number of investigators examining the inside of the barrier seemed muchrger than usual. "Oh, you''ve arrived." As we approached the barrier, Chano, who was talking with people, came over to us. The surrounding mercenary group members also approached and greeted us. "We''ve heard a lot about you. We are the Life Mercenary Group, following Captain Chano. We look forward to working with you inside." "We are the Crazy Mage Squad of Samael." Chano''s expression was a bit different than usual. He seemed slightly nervous. Zion looked around and said, "The atmosphere is quite different. They say this is the most difficult among the low-level Demon Realms."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om It felt like only skilled individuals had gathered. Unlike other Demon Realm openings, there was nopetition. Instead, people seemed to be exchanging greetings and conversations. At that moment, a man who was at the center of the crowd nced at us and approached. "Chano Hyung, introduce us." Chano smiled and looked back and forth between me and the man. "Of course. This is Urek, the young master of the Northern Pasirek n. We''re like brothers. And this is the Crazy Mage Squad of the Samael family, who recently made a name for themselves. Say hello to each other." The man called Urek said, "Nice to meet you. I''m Urek Pasirek. I''ve heard a lot about you." "I''m the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad of Samael." Urek nced at Makan and asked, "I heard you''re from a magic family. Is that right?" While Makan met Urek''s gaze, I said, "That''s correct. You seem to use a spear." A spear, almost the same size as Makan''s, was strapped to Urek''s back. Without taking his eyes off Makan, Urek said, "You have a good physique. But it would be better to focus on either the spear or magic." Makan retorted, "I''ll decide that for myself." I said to Urek, "You''re quite interested in others'' affairs for a first meeting. Are you always this nosy?" Urek shook his head and replied, "It''s up to them to ept advice or not. I''ll be going now. See you inside." After saying his piece, Urek returned to his group. Chano cleared his throat and said, "They''re a family famous for spearmanship. Especially that young master, he''s quite skilled. He even survived a Level 1 Demon Realm recently. People outside say that in 30 years, he''ll be able to rank among the renowned ns. Anyway, don''t take it the wrong way. He''s stubborn, but not a bad person. It''ll be helpful to be acquainted with him." I watched Urek''s retreating figure for a moment. Then, Chano started pointing out other groups and telling me about them. Excluding all the unnecessary details, there were roughly four groups: 1. The group of ns led by Urek. 2. The group of small mercenary groups like Chano''s. 3. The group of unaffiliated wanderers. Among the wanderers, the one-eyed swordsman seemed to be the de facto leader. 4. Sahwa Party The ones I was most interested in were the Sahwa Party. There were about ten of them. While the other groups exchanged greetings with each other to some extent, the Sahwa Party remained isted, keeping to themselves. However, they seemed even more suspicious than the two Sahwa Party members I had seen before. "What''s with those guys wearing masks? Aren''t they hot?" As Zion said, there were two people wearing strange lion masks. One with a blue lion mask. One with a red lion mask. ''Hmm.'' I looked closely to see if they might be demonic soul humans, but they didn''t seem to be. "The one with the red lion mask is the leader." Chano continued, with a dubious expression, "I''ve never seen his face. They''re not the kind of people you want to get involved with, so it''s best to avoid them from the start." As I was observing the Sahwa Party members, the one with the red lion mask suddenly turned his head towards me. Our eyes met for a moment. I felt a red glow from between the eyeholes of the lion mask. Just as I tried to get a closer look, the masked figure turned away again. I looked at Arin and asked, "Have you seen those guys before when you were in the Demon Realm?" Arin shook her head. "No, I haven''t. We left from the entrance of the Demon Realm back then, so we didn''t stay long." Chano looked towards the barrier. "It''s about to start." The investigation team wasing out of the barrier. Those waiting to enter also checked their equipment and gathered towards the barrier. A momentter, arge number of Alliance members, led by Porter, appeared from the direction of the branch office. Porter, standing at attention in the center, shouted, "Entry to the Level 3 Demon Realm of Section 1 is now permitted." Whiiiirrr¡ª A loud noise reverberated throughout Section 1. As if waiting for this moment, Urek led his subordinates and entered the barrier first, followed by the group of wanderers and the mercenary groups. It was an orderly movement, as if there was a predetermined sequence. There were hardly any instances of people presenting entry passes; it seemed those gathered here were already being managed by the regr branch office. As I observed the scene from behind, Chano patted my shoulder. "Don''t be too nervous. We''ll go in first, so follow us." Chano led his team members inside, and now only our group and the Sahwa Party remained outside the barrier. The Sahwa Party members looked at us, and we red back at them. "..." Suddenly, it felt like a battle of pride. Let''s see who enters the barrierst. But in my opinion, there was a reason why the Sahwa Party members were enteringte. I caught the lion mask and Porter secretly exchanging nces. Not to be outdone, I stared intently at Porter. Then, when Porter happened to look at me, I nodded with a solemn expression for no particr reason. The lion mask immediately looked back and forth between Porter and me with a strange look. I had sessfully sown confusion. "Guys, this isn''t working. Lie down." My quick-witted subordinates started lying down on the street. I also sprawled out on the ground, face up, and looked towards the Sahwa Party with only my head raised. Only then did the Sahwa Party members swallow their pride and start entering the barrier. I was satisfied. Indeed. How dare they have a pride contest with the Crazy Mage Squad? "Let''s go too." As we entered the barrierst, the surrounding scenery rapidly changed. Once again, the ash-gray sky unfolded. I looked at the entrance to the Demon Realm in front of me. "I''ve never seen that kind of shape before." "It''s the same as the one I entered before." Suddenly, Arin''s voice became slightly subdued. "It was like this back then too." The Demon Realm was shaped like arge cave. It felt like a cave from a mountain had been plucked and ced on t ground. The inside of the entrance was pitch ck, like an abyss. I briefly opened my circles and looked around, but I still couldn''t sense any demonic energy. "Let''s go." This time, I entered the cave first. Swoosh¡ª As soon as I stepped inside, a white fog filled my vision. * * * "The Crazy Mage Squad has entered too. It seems everyone is in now." The entrance of the Demon Realm. The groups that entered before us hadn''t proceeded further in and were gathered in the cavity at the entrance. Urek Pasirek was in the center, checking the number of people, while the other groups were exploring the surroundings. I also looked around for a moment. ''Strange.'' I had clearly entered a cave, but strangely, the ceiling was wide open. The dark night sky stretched above. The surroundings of the entrance were filled with thick fog in all directions. Zion, who had been wandering around with an intrigued expression as soon as we entered, approached me and said, "This ce looks interesting. I have a feeling." "It''s not really my style, meow." Then, Zion nced at the group gathered at the entrance. "Why are they all dawdling? Should we go first?" Makan shook his head. "That''s not a good idea. The fog is too thick. It''s better to observe for now." Zion looked at Makan with a strange look and then suddenly smiled. "Are you afraid of getting lost?" "No." "I think you are." "...No, I''m not afraid of getting lost." I pointed at the two of them in turn. "Be quiet." Just then, Chano approached us, leading his mercenaries. They were all heavily armed with various weapons and equipment. "You''ve arrived." Chano opened his mouth with a more rxed expression than before. "I''m relieved. I was worried that this might be apletely new type of Demon Realm, but fortunately, it doesn''t seem to be. It''s a type that has often appeared in Section 1. This isn''t bad." "Do you know anything about it?" "Two groups of high-ranking monsters will likely appear. Usually, bat-type monsters and another type appear together. It''s not that difficult, but the rewards are good. Even if a variant appears, we should be able to catch it without significant casualties. Many skilled people have entered this time." A momentter, Urek, after receiving a report from his subordinates, drew everyone''s attention. "I''d like to give you some advice." Urek looked around. "As some of you may have noticed, this is a type of Demon Realm that has appeared many times. We''ve thoroughly searched the entrance, but no noteworthy peculiarities have been found. However, unforeseen circumstances can always ur, so please don''t let your guard down." Then, a strong Mana fluctuation emanated from Urek''s body, and he scanned the surroundings with a forceful gaze. "I hope you won''t cause any unnecessary trouble. Cooperation is important. The rewards will be sufficient. We''ll move together. If anyone disagrees, please leave now." "We''ll go separately." The Sahwa Party members scoffed and quickly disappeared into the fog one by one. The knights following Urek looked at them with displeasure, but Urek shook his head. "It''s fine. It''s better to filter out troublemakers early on." But there was someone who wasn''t fine with it. That was me. Feeling dumbfounded, I quickly approached the Sahwa Party members and asked one of them, "You''re just going to leave like this? Why aren''t you collecting money this time?" The lion mask turned his head sharply and met my eyes for a moment before disappearing into the fog. "...Who am I talking to? These guys are discriminating when collecting money." Meanwhile, Urek started leading his group eastward. I quickly joined the rear with my subordinates. Swoosh¡ª The moment we left the entrance area, a thick fog enveloped us, clinging to our bodies. After walking for a while, Zion asked, "...Are we just going to follow them like this, Commander? What about the contribution points?" I shook my head and replied, "Let''s just go. Contribution points aren''t important right now." The priority was the monster. If there was a demon here too, staying with this group would increase our chances of encountering it. As I walked along at the rear, I continued to observe the surroundings. The fog still showed no signs of clearing. We were clearly walking straight in the same direction, but it felt like we were going in circles. ''Hmm.'' It felt like being trapped in a magic circle. An unsettling sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu had been growing within me. I suddenly stopped and looked ahead. My subordinates also looked into the fog. Flutter¡ª A strange sound came from ahead. Suddenly, something flew towards us in a swarm, obscuring the sky. My subordinates and I chanted simultaneously. Whoosh¡ª "Screech¡ª" The swarm of ck creatures that flew towards us were hit by the fireballs and crashed to the ground. Thud¡ª After thest one was pierced through the body by Makan''s spear, we looked down at the ground. Bats. Their bodies were ck, but their eyes were all red. Footsteps approached from ahead, and Chano appeared with his subordinates, pping. "As expected, you guys are amazing. You perfectly handled the group we missed." Chano smiled and looked at me. "As expected, it''s bat-type monsters. We should be able to clear this without much trouble." I met Chano''s eyes. "By any chance, Chano-hyung, is there anything else that seems off?" Chanoughed heartily. "You''re nervous. Don''t worry too much. At most, another group of monsters will appear. If they swarm us, even if a variant appears, there won''t be much damage." An unsettling sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, simr to something I had felt before, was growing stronger. What was this familiar feeling? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 157: The Bard’s Song (1/3) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 157: The Bard¡¯s Song (1/3) After encountering several swarms of bats, different kinds of monsters began to appear. ¡°Grrrr!¡± A giant grizzly bear roared ferociously. The Life Mercenary Group fanned out and surrounded the bear. Chano, who had infiltrated from a blind spot, struck the bear''s neck with his blue-tinged axe de.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Crack¡ª! ¡°Grrrr!¡± The grizzly roared even more ferociously. Despite its crude appearance, the bear''s hide was incredibly tough, withstanding the axe imbued with 4-star Qi and only allowing the de to sink in halfway. Just as the bear was about to swing its forepaw at Chano, who was momentarily caught off guard¡ª Bzzt¡ª The bear''s foreleg stiffened as Arin shot a bolt of electricity. Following that, the bear''s upper body tilted after being hit by Zion''s wind de. Crack¡ª Finally, Makan''s spear pierced through the bear''s thick neck, and it copsed. ¡°Whew, thanks.¡± A bear-type intermediate monster. Official name: Crispy Bear. Clumsy, but with a defenseparable to a high-ranking monster. ¡°Looks like we''re starting to encounter some tougher ones. It''s reassuring to have you guys backing me up. I''ll buy you all a drink when we get out of here.¡± Chano let out a heartyugh and stepped forward again. Zion muttered with a dumbfounded look. ¡°Bats, bears¡­ What is this, a zoo? It''s chaos.¡± Simr situations continued. They pushed forward, eliminating monsters at the forefront. If the vanguard struggled or monsters appeared from blind spots, the rearguard joined forces to deal with them. Usually, the monsters rarely reached us at the back. However, after the bear-type monsters appeared, we had more frequent encounters with the monsters breaking through the front lines. ¡°How long do we have to keep doing this, Commander? This is so boring.¡± The fog was still thick. One strange thing was that it felt like they were walking uphill. Although their visible surroundings appeared t, it felt like they were walking on an incline. ¡°Grrrr!¡± ¡°Here we go again.¡± It was the moment when the sounds of the Life Mercenary Group''s battle echoed from the front again. ¡°Gah!¡± A scream pierced their ears. *** They quickly joined the vanguard and struck down the grizzly bear. There were no casualties among the Life Mercenary Group. ¡°Who was that screaming just now?¡± Chano shook his head with an urgent look. ¡°I heard it too. It came from the front. That''s strange. Let''s go together.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The truly strange thing happened next. The group that was moving at the front vanished in an instant. ¡°What the¡­?¡± It happened in an instant. The other mercenary groups, the rogue warriors, even Urek, who was leading the way at the front ¨C all of them had vanished. Just then, another scream echoed from close range. ¡°Gah!¡± I stopped Zion and Makan as they tried to dash forward. ¡°Hold on.¡± I looked at Chano. ¡°Has this ever happened before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± Chano''s face was a mixture of bewilderment and astonishment. ¡°Let''s move together for now.¡± Even when they reached the spot where the scream had been heard, they couldn''t find anything unusual. ¡°Any ideas?¡± ¡°¡­¡­This is a first.¡± The expressions of the other mercenaries were no different. They all looked at each other with puzzled faces. Meanwhile, the fog only grew thicker. They continued to encounter bats and grizzly bears, and screams echoed intermittently. ''Only the sound, without any visible source?'' Each time a scream rang out, I inwardly estimated its distance. The screams were getting closer and closer. ¡°Something''s not right. I''ll take the lead.¡± As if he had made up his mind, Chano stepped forward with a determined look. ¡°Gah!¡± As soon as another scream echoed, I swiftly reached out my hand towards a certain spot. Simultaneously, Arin unleashed a lightning strike, and my subordinates cast their incantations, nketing the area. Bzzzt¡ª But my hand grasped nothing. ¡°¡­¡­Toote.¡± Chano''s eyes widened as he looked around, then suddenly shouted. Two mercenaries vanished from sight in a split second. ¡°Beth? Andes? What''s going on¡­ Gah!¡± His words trailed off as Chano, too, disappeared from view. Before they could even process their astonishment, screams erupted in session. ¡°Gah! Gah! Gah! Gah!¡± The mercenaries disappeared first, followed by the rogue warriors, one by one. When I opened my eyes, I was alone, and the surroundings were still shrouded in thick fog. I walked on with a heavy heart. It was clearly t ground, yet it felt like I was continuously walking uphill. This sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Wasn''t it all too familiar? ¡°Remember the crimson rain.¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°Gah!¡± The screams were an illusion. Whiiiing¡ª I reversed the rotation of the circle in my heart. As soon as another scream came from the right, I unleashed Dark Lightning into the empty space on the left. 3rd Circle Reverse Incantation, Dark Lightning. Booom¡ª! As the fog cleared on the left with the explosion, Zion, who had disappeared, reappeared. As soon as our eyes met, Zionunched a wind de towards the right. My Dark Lightning engulfed it. ¡°Screeeech!¡± A chilling scream, unlike any before, erupted. Simultaneously, the fog dissipated, and my subordinates began to appear one by one. They had been right beside us, yetpletely undetectable. ¡°Seems like bats and bears weren''t the end of it.¡± That''s when it happened. ¡°Grrrr!¡± A ferocious roar echoed from afar. A thick murderous aura emanated from it. As I dashed forward, I saw rogue warriors and mercenaries engaged in a chaotic battle with a horde of monsters. The stench of blood hung heavy in the air. At a nce, it was clear these were no ordinary creatures. The one-eyed swordsman who led the rogue warriors already had his neck brutally ripped out. Chano, his axe broken in two, was slumped on the ground, gasping for breath with a dazed look in his eyes. ¡°Grrrr!¡± Giant grizzly bears charged towards Chano and the mercenaries, as if to tear them apart. Thud¡ª The earth trembled as Makan stomped his foot, momentarily halting the bears. My subordinates rushed towards the monsters. ¡°Let''s have some fun too!¡± Meanwhile, I approached Chano. The gruesome corpses of several men who appeared to be his subordinatesy scattered around. ¡°...This can''t be. Are they all variants?¡± I pped Chano, who was muttering with unfocused eyes. His eyes snapped back into focus. ¡°Get a grip. There''s one more type.¡± Just as the grizzly bears were about to be subdued, another scream rang out from the front right. As if I had been waiting for this moment, I thrust the Dark Lightning I had gathered in my left hand towards the left. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The scream stretched out¡ª At the same time, the fog that had enveloped them clearedpletely. I felt my upper body tilting diagonally. I firmly nted my feet on the ground. Thud¡ª ¡°So it wasn''t t ground after all.¡± I looked around. The ce where I stood was a sloping surface of a hill-shaped teau. ¡°¡­¡­Ugh!¡±¡± As soon as the disorienting fog cleared, the sound of retching could be heard from all directions. An acrid smell of blood assaulted our nostrils. The missing peopley dead across the slope, their bodies covered by a swarm of bats with glowing red eyes, tearing away at their flesh. ¡°Urek Parisik!¡± Someone shouted. Below the teau, Urek and his knights, who had disappeared earlier, were surrounded by a horde of monsters, covered in blood. Urek was wildly swinging his spear, his core unleashed. It looked like he could break through without much difficulty, but that wasn''t the case. It was because of apletely different entity mixed in with the horde. An emaciated human-like form. A grotesque figure with its entire body covered in ck from head to toe, except for its red eyes. ¡°A humanoid monster.¡± Chano, slumped on the slope, muttered in disbelief. ¡°Why is an Earth-rank monster¡­ here? They should only be in high-level demon realms.¡± That''s when the humanoid monster spread its arms and let out a cry towards the sky. As soon as the strange cry echoed once more, the eyes of the surrounding monsters turned red, and a ferocious murderous aura erupted from them. ¡°Commander.¡± Zion looked at me, his face filled with excitement. As soon as I nodded, my subordinates began to run down the slope simultaneously. Makan charged forward, thrusting the tip of his spear into the ground and then lifting it upwards. ¡°Earth Splitter!¡± A straight crack appeared, reaching the center of the monster horde, and the earth overturned. The earth buckled and split, throwing monsters into the air as a chasm ripped through their ranks. Following that, a gust of wind and fireballs engulfed the monsters. The tide of the battle turned in an instant. Seizing the opportunity, Urek grabbed his spear and charged towards the humanoid monster. Mana surged around him. However, perhaps due to exhaustion, Urek''s movements were sluggish. He aimed for the monster''s head with his spear, but the monster easily dodged with a slight movement. As the monster bared its teeth and was about to cry out again¡ª ¡°Striking Sword of Lightning,¡± With a sh¡ªa bolt of lightning materialized in the air in the form of a longsword, directly striking the monster''s head. Arin''s incantation. 4th Circle, Sword Strike. Bzzzt¡ª The monster''s head, struck by the lightning sword, was brutally crushed. Its body, engulfed in electricity, momentarily stiffened. Urek seized this opportunity and decapitated the monster with his spear. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Urek, who had been observing the situation for a moment, finally copsed on the ground with an exhausted look. Thud¡ª As I approached him, a foul stench of sweat and blood filled the air. ¡°Huff¡­ Huff¡­¡± Urek looked at me, his face drenched in sweat like rain. ¡°How can a mage do this¡­ No, that''s not the issue. I misjudged¡­ Damn it, I realized it toote.¡± ¡°It''s not your fault.¡± ¡°I don''t understand. Why is an Earth-rank monster here¡­?¡± If Urek had confronted the enemy head-on with all his subordinates from the beginning, the damage wouldn''t have been so great, but the circumstances hadn''t allowed for that. Meanwhile, my subordinates, having driven back the monsters, approached us. ¡°We''ve mostly finished cleaning up, Commander.¡± The survivors, exhausted, gathered one by one. Urek got up and looked at me. ¡°...Thank you, truly. If it weren''t for you, the damage would have been immense. I''ll express my gratitude properly once we''re out of here. For now, we need to escape this ce.¡± Urek, having regained hisposure, started giving orders to those around him, and the wounded were gathered and supported one by one. I looked around for a moment and frowned. The stench of blood wouldn''t stop. Usually, one''s sense of smell would be numb after a while, but the stench of blood only grew stronger. It felt like it was getting more and more intense. There were too many corpses of monsters and humans mixed together around us. ¡°What the hell is with this blood smell?¡± Zion, who was next to me, responded. ¡°What blood smell?¡± ¡°The stench of blood. It''s getting worse.¡± ¡°Does the Commander have a dog''s nose? My sense of smell is already numb. I can''t smell anything.¡± Looking around, the other members nodded in agreement. Even so, the stench of blood grew so strong that it made me want to vomit. A momentter, Urek approached. ¡°It would be best if we all moved together now.¡± Palge looked at me. ¡°But Commander, you''ve had a strange expression on your face for a while now. What''s wrong?¡± Makan and Iron also tilted their heads. ¡°I''ve never seen that expression on your face before.¡± Only Zion was looking at me with a serious expression. ¡°Say something, Commander. What''s with the smell and everything? Why are you acting so weird?¡± I shook my head. ¡°It''s not over yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The one with the demon realm''s core hasn''t appeared yet.¡± My words caught everyone''s attention. Suddenly, I turned my head to the left. ¡°Are you¡­ really alright?¡± The moment Chano approached me with a worried look, I shot forward like lightning and grabbed him by the cor. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 158: The Bard’s Song (2/3) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 158: The Bard¡¯s Song (2/3) ¡°Ruin! What¡¯s gotten into you?!¡± I yelled at Chano, who instinctively grabbed my hand and resisted. ¡°Get down!¡± I grabbed him by the cor and pulled him down towards me. The moment Chano lost his bnce and stumbled forward, a de shot out from where he had been standing, grazing his back. A sharp de appeared out of thin air without any warning. Swish¡ª The de tore through the outeryer of Chano''s armor as it grazed his back. ¡°Wh-what was that?¡± Chano wasn''t the only one who was bewildered. As everyone''s attention focused on us, an ear-splitting scream erupted from the opposite direction. Saaaa¡ª A thick fog gathered in front of us. And beyond the fog, a human figure slowly emerged. Silence fell. Not even a breath could be heard. Everyone stared intently at the human figure emerging from the fog, their eyes fixed. Red eyes, a body d in ck. The red eyes indicated it wasn''t a monster, but the aura it exuded was ominous. A humanoid monster. Unlike the one we encountered earlier, this one was female, with long, flowing hair. ¡°A variant¡­?¡± Chano, who had been staring at the monster as if possessed, suddenly covered his mouth and shouted. ¡°N-no. That''s not a variant!¡± I looked at Urek. His pupils were shaking incessantly. The emotion reflected in his eyes was clear terror. Urek also knew the identity of that creature. ¡°A Fear Subus. A Heaven-rank monster¡­.¡± Urek''s eyes, which had been holding on to sanity until now, crumbled. The monster shrieked. A maddening sound. Suddenly, a lone swordsman''s eyes turned crimson, and he shed the neck of the injured person next to him with his sword. It was at that very moment that a pack of grizzly bears began to rush out from beyond the fog. ¡°Run!¡± Urek shouted through gritted teeth. ¡°Everyone, get as far away from each other as possible!¡± Chano copsed to the ground, rolled, and then started to flee in the opposite direction, stumbling. ¡°W-we have to run. We can''t win.¡± The subordinates who had been observing the situation frowned and gathered in front of me. ¡°Are we going to stop that?¡± Zion looked at me. ¡°No, Commander. Answer me. This is strange. Why are you just standing there?¡± I pointed to the monster standing beyond the fog. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°What about us?¡± ¡°Take care of the rest of them.¡± Zion, who was about toin, looked into my eyes and closed his mouth. After exchanging nces with each other, my subordinates ran towards Urek. The pungent, repulsive smell surged in once again. ¡°What the hell is that smell?¡± I knew exactly what was causing this sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. This thick, bloody stench was an echo of the past. I looked up at the night sky for a moment. It was still dark. But the crimsonndscape around me, created by the bodies mixed with sweat and blood, was no different from back then. Those bastards who fought beneath the blood-soaked teau. ¡°Remember the crimson rain.¡± I pushed off the ground with force. Gathering wind pressure at my feet, I flew straight towards the monster. That infernal, dog-like song that pounded my eardrums. ¡°Even if I fall today, upon the mountain of the blood sea.¡± The funeral song that those pathetic fools used tofort themselves. I immediately chanted the levitation spell and soared high into the sky. At the same time, I opened all the circles of my heart. Whiiiiing¡ª The female monster, sensing the surge of power, looked at me, and then I heard Urek¡¯s shout. ¡°¡­Magic won¡¯t work! It¡¯s not enough. Don¡¯t do it!¡± Fwhoosh¡ª I shot down towards the fog-shrouded ground. Sensing the danger, the subus sharpened her ck ws and shrieked again. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The horde of monsters surged towards me from all directions. I raised my right arm at a right angle. I visualized the image and chanted the incantation. There was no need to choose such an inefficient method, but¡­ ¡°The burning rage contained within the cold me.¡± I deliberately chanted those words. 5th Circle, Fire Sword. mes swirled around my right arm, transforming into a sharp sword of fire. The difference between then and now was¡­ The enemies in front of me now were iparably weaker than those from back then. Fwoosh¡ª Without stopping the momentum of my descent, I swung the fire sword that enveloped my right arm. Maximum speed. Crack¡ª The sword pierced through the necks of the grizzly bears that surrounded me inyers, in a straight line. There was nothing to obstruct it. In that fleeting moment, I faced the subus screeching within the fog. Her red eyes seemed insignificant. ¡°¡­¡± I passed by her as if brushing past. It wasn''t until I had taken a few more steps that I realized the subus had stopped screaming. I looked back and saw that the necks of the grizzly bears and the subus had been pierced in the same trajectory. Fire flickered through the pierced holes. The embers that lingered where the fire sword had passed exploded. BOOOOM¡ª!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°¡­¡± The fog cleared as if it had been washed away. I slowly walked towards the subus''s corpse. A Red Demon Realm Core floated near its heart. ¡°Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad!¡± I looked back to see Urek, the knights, the mercenaries, and the swordsmen all staring at me. Urek, who had checked the subus¡¯s corpse, widened his eyes in disbelief. I also looked at them for a moment. There didn''t seem to be any further casualties. My squad members slowly approached me. Zion, who let out an iprehensible sigh of relief while looking at my face, said, ¡°You had all the fun by yourself again.¡± I looked around at the squad members who hade closer. ¡°¡­¡± I didn''t recite thest verse of the funeral song. I''ll save that forter, to be sung to those who have gone ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, you fools.¡± As I picked up the Red Demon Realm Core, the night sky split in two. Then, a voice echoed. [Section 1, demon realm conquest ended.] *** The survivors simultaneously exited the incursion. The Alliance members who had been waiting outside sensed that something was wrong and came running. ¡°Wh-what happened?¡± ¡°Why are there so many injured¡­?¡± ¡°Just help us for now!¡± The injured were carried outside, one after another. Meanwhile, people who had heard the news about Section 1 also gathered. ¡°What happened?!¡± ¡°This many people were injured?¡± ¡°It looks like only half of the people who went in made it out¡­?¡± Section 1 was dangerous, but that was already a known fact. Since skilled individuals had entered fully prepared, this number of casualties was extremely unusual. However, everyone just watched from afar; no one came closer to ask what had happened. This was because the expressions of those who had exited the incursion seemed so grave. They watched as only I and the Crazy Mage Squad returned unscathed. When the task of transporting the injured was nearingpletion, a crowd surged from the regr branch office. ¡°What happened?!¡± Porter, having heard the news, was approaching with his subordinates. Porter, who was scanning the surroundings with narrowed eyes, approached Urek. ¡°What happened here, Sir Urek?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talkter. We suffered heavy losses.¡± ¡°Tell me what happened. Did a variant appear or something?¡± Urek sighed and replied, ¡°A variant wasn''t the problem. A Heaven-rank monster appeared.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Exactly as I said.¡± Porter burst intoughter. ¡°A Heaven-rank monster? Come on, Sir Urek. What¡¯s with this ridiculous joke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Wait, are you serious?¡± Suddenly, Urek opened his core and red directly at Porter. ¡°Half of the subordinates who went in with me are dead. A Fear Subus. A monster you¡¯d only see in a Level 1 Demon Realm appeared here!¡± Murmurs erupted simultaneously from the crowd gathered on the main street. ¡°Not Earth-rank, but Heaven-rank? That kind of monster appeared here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Urek growled in a low voice, ¡°How exactly is the Alliance managing the investigation team? You should have told us if there was anything unusual!¡± Porterughed again. ¡°There was nothing unusual. Fear Subi are rare even in Level 1 incursions. If, as Sir Urek says, a Heaven-rank monster appeared...¡± Porter looked around. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be this many injured. Almost everyone would be dead.¡± Urek nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then exin it to me properly again.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to exin.¡± Urek pointed at me. ¡°Well you¡¯re right. If it weren¡¯t for the Samael n, the damage wouldn¡¯t have ended here.¡± Only then did Porter turn his gaze towards me. The moment my eyes met Porter''s, I nodded once more for no particr reason. I whispered softly, mouthing the words, ¡®Why are you speaking informally to me?¡¯ Porter, unable to interpret my lip movements, tilted his head and then looked back at Urek. ¡°Are you telling me that those guys killed a Heaven-rank monster?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Ha, that¡¯s ridiculous.¡± It was then. A questioning voice emerged from among the crowd that had been watching. ¡°What¡¯s that Demon Realm Core?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never seen that color before.¡± Porter frowned and looked at me again. He nced at the Demon Realm Core in my hand and then his eyes widened. ¡°Red?¡± A momentter, shouts erupted from the crowd. ¡°Level 1. It¡¯s a Level 1 Demon Realm Core!¡± ¡°It was real. A Heaven-rank monster really did appear!¡± Urek slowly walked towards me. No one said anything, but¡­ As if it were natural, Urek¡¯s subordinates followed behind him, and the mercenaries and swordsmen walked towards me. That kind of atmosphere formed naturally. Urek looked at me and bowed. ¡°Originally, I was nning to formally greet you after the situation was sorted out, but I will speak now.¡± Urek, holding his spear high, looked around at the crowd and shouted, ¡°I have something to say. If it weren¡¯t for the Samael n members here, this Urek might not be standing before you all in one piece today.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± I interrupted Urek. I don¡¯t know what this strange, unfamiliar feeling is that I keep experiencing, but I don¡¯t like it. However, Urek didn''t seem to have any intention of stopping. ¡°Thank you for your courage in not backing down, for the opportunity to broaden our understanding of magic, and finally, thank you for saving us. Our Parisik n will not forget this debt!¡± ¡°We feel the same.¡± ¡°We, the Helm Mercenary Corps, will not forget this either!¡± Suddenly, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on me. ¡°¡­¡± It felt like I was expected to say something. Arin and Iron nudged me simultaneously from both sides. But I had nothing to say. Because I really had nothing to say. ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, like a well-trained pickpocket, a figure swiftly moved in front of me with a swish¡ª and stopped. It was Zion. I looked at him in surprise, and the Demon Realm Core I had been holding was gone. Wow¡­ Just how long had he been nning that? Zion raised his right hand, holding the Demon Realm Core high. ¡°Who is that?¡± The crowd¡¯s attention instantly shifted to Zion. Zion, enjoying the attention, opened his mouth. ¡°Everyone. Remember this clearly from now on. I am¡­¡± Bzzt¡ª As soon as Arin¡¯s hand crackled with electricity, Zion was startled and looked back. Then, he made eye contact with each of us and cursed under his breath. ¡®Ah, shit.¡¯ Zion turned his head again, looked at the crowd, and after a moment of hesitation, said, ¡°Ahem. Let me rephrase that. Remember this clearly from now on. We are¡­¡± Zion grinned. ¡°The Crazy Mage Squad of Samael.¡± [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 159: Are you going to take care of those guys alone? [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 159: Are you going to take care of those guys alone? Before the cheers of the onlookers could even die down, I slipped away from the crowd with my squad. As we headed towards the regr branch office, Zion looked at me. ¡°Commander.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm. Never mind.¡± He had a strange expression on his face. A somewhatplicated emotion, perhaps. I didn''t press him further. When we arrived at the branch office, the guards approached us first. ¡°Oh, it''s the Samael n, isn''t it?¡± The guards, who used to be intimidating, now greeted us with smiles and utmost respect. ¡°Is there anything we can help you with?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± We went straight up to the third floor and checked the ranking board. I entered the three characters ¡®Crazy Mage Squad¡¯ in the empty space, and the letters appeared, surrounded by a halo of light. [Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad, Contribution Points: Undetermined] ¡°Undetermined?¡± ¡°It looks like it''ll take some time this time.¡± Arin''s words made sense. I didn''t know how the contribution points were calcted, but at least based on my experience so far, the situation inside the demon realm was reflected quite urately. It was probably the work of the old fogies from the White Magic Tower. However, since this was an exceptional situation, it seemed like it would take some time for the contribution points to be calcted. I looked at the bottom of the ranking board. [1000th. Gurun Mercenary Corps, 6,043 points] [999th. Kashit n, 6,044 points] . . I continued to scan upwards, looking for the section where the leading digit of the scores changed. [217th, Inca n, 9,757 points] [218th, Hasan Powell, 10,248 points] The scores were clustered closely together at the lower ranks, while the score differences becamerger as you went up. Perhaps once this ranking calction wasplete, we would not only have our name on the leaderboard but also gain enough contribution points to qualify for higher-level demon realms. It was a bit of a shame that the Heaven-rank monster I killed wasn''t a demon, but since contribution points had considerable uses, it wasn''t a bad thing either. ¡°Huh?¡± Zion, who was scanning the leaderboard, frowned and pointed at a spot. ¡°What? The Jugmund Merchant Guild?¡± I checked the ranking that Zion''s finger was pointing at. [37th, Jugmund Merchant Guild, 223,737 points] [36th, tinum Pce, 231,358 points] ¡°220,000 points?¡± I suddenly remembered the first time I saw Palge. He had clearly said that his family was one of the top merchant guilds in the West. ¡°Was that not a lie? Was he really telling the truth about being well-off?¡± The others all looked at Palge with betrayed expressions. There was no way the son of a wealthy merchant family would join a crumbling, rural magic n as a trainee. 37th wasn''t a low rank. The ranking board listed individuals and groups alike. It was actually quite a high rank. Palge responded dismissively, "I told you, nyaa. Why didn''t you believe me, nyaa?" Zion stared at Palge in disbelief. "We needed proof before we can believe you." "Hmph." "Perfect. Let''s get some sponsorship from your family then." "That won''t do, nyaa. I want to show them I can do well on my own, nyaa." At that moment, some of us noticed that Palge''s behavior was unnatural. His gestures were somewhat exaggerated. Sensing the strange atmosphere, Palge abruptly changed the subject, looking at the ranking board. "Wait a minute. What''s that, nyaa?" "Don''t change the subject, fatty." "It''s true, nyaa." I nced at the ranking board and frowned slightly. "Arin." "I''m looking at it too." "What was their score originally?" "I don''t remember exactly. But I''m sure they weren''t on the leaderboard." "Hmm." [258th, White Horse Knights (Samael n), 8,265 points] Zion tilted his head and muttered, "Did they enter a demon realm in the meantime? Are they in Ken now, then?" I suddenly remembered the conversation I had with Bravo Khan. ir was also preparing to go to Ken. ¡°¡­Nevermind. We''ve checked everything we need to, so let''s go.¡± It wasn''t something to worry about. As we went down to the second floor, I checked the office, but the lights were off. Porter hadn''t returned yet. Bao appeared out of nowhere and greeted us, so we exchanged a few words. After asking about the contribution points, we left the regr branch office. Fortunately, the crowd that had gathered in the street had dispersed. Our next destination was a tavern in a corner of the city that we frequented, known for its illicit liquor. As soon as we sat down in a corner and ordered drinks and snacks, Zion asked, "What are we going to do now, Commander? The official said it would take a while for the rankings toe out. He said this had never happened before.¡± It was something I was also pondering. Once the contribution points were calcted, we would easily surpass 10,000. We would qualify to enter higher-level demon realms. I had no intention of entering low-level demon realms anymore. We had confirmed that demons appeared in low-level demon realms, but we couldn''t obtain any more information than that. We couldn''t wait indefinitely for guys like Parin to reappear in low-level demon realms. It seemed we needed to explore other options. "Let''s go back to the City." "Are you going to the Alliance Headquarters?" "I need to check if there''s anyone suspicious there." In any case, we had confirmed the appearance of demons. I was certain that Kant''s mention of Parin''s secret organization was behind it. It seemed we needed to move up our visit to the Blue Mage Tower. "Alright. Are we going with you?" ¡°You guys, look into some rumors. See if there¡¯s been anything strange happening in the higher-level demon realms. It¡¯ll be easier to gather those rumors in the City than here. Zion, you¡¯re in charge of that.¡± ¡°Strange things?¡± ¡°Like people going missing, or something like that.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°And Arin, you and Palge find a suitable house somewhere. A good ce for training.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Training was essential, anytime, anywhere. Especially for these guys. This wasn¡¯t like Khaoto. You never knew when or where a dangerous situation might arise. ¡°Here¡¯s the stew you ordered.¡± As soon as I took a spoonful of the stew the owner brought, I spat it out. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? If it tastes bad, why do you order it every time?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± With the bitter taste lingering in my mouth, I took a gulp of the illicit liquor. ¡°This makes the liquor taste even better.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Perhaps it was because they heard that. A rough-looking group who had just entered the tavern looked at us sitting in the corner and widened their eyes. ¡°The Crazy Mage Squad?¡± They whispered amongst themselves excitedly, and then one of them, a man in loose-fitting clothes, approached. ¡°Are you the Crazy Mage Squad?¡± ¡°No.¡± What a strangebination: a rough demeanor with such polite speech. The man, who had spotted the demonic core casually ced on the table, suddenly bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Thank you.¡± I looked at the man and tilted my head. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met?¡± ¡°Thanks to you, my sworn brother returned safely.¡± ¡°Sworn brother?¡± ¡°Small build, uses a mace. He¡¯s badly injured, but his life is not in danger. Thank you very much.¡± I had no idea who he was talking about. I wondered why he was making such a fuss, but his sworn brother must have been in Section 1''s demon realm. Probably one of the swordsmen. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± As the man bowed his head again, the group at the entrance bowed their heads simultaneously. ¡°We apologize for disturbing you. Please enjoy your meal.¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere became subdued. I picked up my drink again. For a while, there was no sound except for the clinking of sses. ¡°Commander.¡± After a few rounds of drinks, Zion looked at me. ¡°Speak.¡± Zion hesitated for a long time before speaking. ¡°¡­Weren¡¯t you an attention seeker? It¡¯s strange. Back then with Urek, and even now, why were you suddenly pretending to dislike it?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It was a rather rude question, but I remained silent. Because he had hit the nail on the head. The reason for this ufortable feeling, like someone was constantly scratching the back of my head... I thought for a moment and replied, "I had no intention of saving those guys." I simply defeated the monsters. ''Thank you for saving us.'' Such words were unnecessary. I didn''t want to hear them. During the hellish expedition, I had saved others countless times while frantically fighting demons, but that was simply a matter of course among us. I was a man who did what he wanted. I was also a man who was good at ignoring others. But why was it that the words of Urek and that swordsman felt like they were piercing my eardrums directly, making them hard to ignore? It was difficult to exin this to Zion. "Hmm, I think I understand." Zion''s answer was unexpected again. I looked at Zion with surprise. Now that I looked closely, he had the same expression as before. A somewhatplex and subtle expression. I poured liquor into my ss and offered Zion a drink as well. "I have a question too." This time, Arin narrowed her eyes and looked at me. "What was that from earlier?" "Earlier?" "''Remember the crimson rain.''" I took a sip of the illicit liquor and replied bitterly, "It''s not ''blood rain,'' it''s ''rain.''" Suddenly, all eyes were on me. Even Makan, who rarely showed any emotional changes, had his eyes sparkling. "I was curious too. The Commander''s voice changed a bit. It didn''t seem like a meaningless phrase." Zion, whose expression had returned to normal, said, "I''ll tell you. It''s just showing off. You know, when you try to say cool things to boast while fighting? It''s simr to that. But you have to do it well. If you do it wrong, it''s cringey." Makan tilted his head and asked, "Cool things?" "Think about it." Makan recited a line he had heard somewhere. "Kneel. This is the difference between us." "That''s too obvious. It needs some tweaking." "How?" After a moment of consideration, Zion replied, "Crawl. This is the difference between your crotch and mine. How''s that?" "Not bad." Palge asked, "Is it like the third form of the fire spell, ''Blooming me Technique, Mediated by the Souls of Myself and Sarins,'' nyaa?" "Shut up, pig." I looked around at the fools. These guys were the Crazy Mage Squad, but they didn''t know the Crazy Mage Squad yet. The chants of the Crazy Mage Squad, imbued with the same image. The song of Samael. The funeral song for themselves. But I had no intention of lecturing them. In the past, I had only watched those moments pass by. "Commander, by the way, can''t I have that?" Zion pointed at the red demon realm core with a yful expression. "Why would you need that?" "You took my gloves, Commander. You said you''d give me something good. Let''s call it even with that." "No way." The demon realm core had a clear purpose. If we processed that demon realm core, we could get at least twenty S-rank magic stones out of it. "Why not? Are you going to sell it secretly?" "I have a specific use for it. I''ll get you something elseter." As Zion grumbled, the streetlights began to dim and darkness fell. When we were almost out of the illicit liquor we had ordered, Arin asked, "Shall we get going?" "You guys head to the City first. Go and do what I told you." "Are you going to take care of those guys alone?" Everyone knew who Arin meant by "those guys." I nced around the darkened street. "There''s no need for several people to go. Let''s each do our own thing. Now''s the time. Let''s get going." I was a man who never forgot revenge, a man who repaid what was done to him. I had been keeping an eye on the peopleing and going in the tavern. I had deliberately pretended not to notice a few guys from the Sahwa Party loitering at the end of the street. It was clear who was behind those guys. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 160: SLAP! [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 160: SLAP! "Seriously, Commander? Are you going to hog all the fun for yourself?" "If you''re upset about it, get stronger. You''re alwaysining." As I prepared to flick his forehead, Zion grumbled with a dissatisfied voice. "Then let us have a taste too. Just a little chase, like flushing out a rabbit." "Shut up." "You shut up, Commander!" "Want to fight about it?" "Bring it on, you bastard!" "How dare you curse at your Commander?!" "You shut up, you fatso!" "I told you not to call me fat!" "You said not to call you a pig, not fat, you idiot." "Zion''s like a sneaky little rabbit." "What? A rabbit?" "I feel like running." Fwoosh¡ª ''Let''s run, then.'' At Makan''s signal, the squad members bolted out of the tavern all at once. "Number them as they go!" "One, two, three, four!" Suddenly, an organized chase erupted in the back alleys of the city. Amidst the chaos, a man peeked out from an alley to see what all themotion was about. Our eyes met. "Care to join us? Running together is even more fun." The man, locking eyes with me, muttered "Damn it!" under his breath before darting off to the left at full speed. I admired his swift retreat. "...He''s quick on his feet." My subordinates immediately took off after him, disappearing into the alley. I sat down cross-legged, closed my eyes, and began meditating. As I opened my circle and expanded my senses, various sounds filled my ears. Thud. Crash. Boom. Huff¡ªah. Smack. Crackle. p. ''Hmm...'' I wondered if his quick thinking would ultimately be a blessing or a curse for him. Momentster, I opened my eyes and looked toward the end of the alley. A man I''d never seen before approached and knelt in front of me. "Who are you?" "...P-please, spare me." "Wow, I almost didn''t recognize you." I stared at him and asked, "Have you seen my subordinates by any chance?" "They''re gone. They said if I didn''te back here, they''d kill me..." I nodded, satisfied. It seemed my relentless squad had finished their game of "rabbit hunting" and already left for the city center. The man''s appearance was strikingly bizarre. His forehead was swollen from countless flicks, his cheeks covered in red handprints, and his hair was sticking out wildly, like a mess of spikes. His face was so puffed up it resembled a steamed bun. "You steamed-bun-faced fool. Lead the way." "...Where to, exactly?" "Ha¡ªah." WHACK¡ª! With a resounding p, the steamed bun man tumbled backward, rolled once, and passed out. Only then did I notice the state of his back. The seat of his pants was torn, exposing his right buttock, which was swollen and bright red. I channeled water energy into my hands and began striking his left buttock with sharp ps. SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! "Aughh!" Sensing mortal danger, the man shot up and began walking somewhere, his steps unsteady. In that fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of his face¡ªhis eyes were unfocused. Sometimes, instinct overpowers reason. I followed him at a leisurely pace. *** The man eventually stopped in an alley packed with rows of identical houses, crammed tightly together. He knocked on the gate of one, and a small rectangr slot opened in the center, revealing a pair of eyes from within. "Who¡¯s there?" "It¡¯s me, Brick." "What?" A momentter, the gate creaked open, and a man, who appeared to be from the Sahwa Party, stepped out. "Brick? What happened to your face?" As I stepped out from behind him, the man flinched and stared at me intently. "Who are you?" "It¡¯s been a while." Looking closer, I recognized him. He was one of the two Sahwa Party members who had escaped from the weasel gang. As our eyes locked, the man suddenly turned and shouted toward the interior of the house. "Emergency!" With a flurry of footsteps, three Sahwa Party members dashed out. "Crazy Mage Squad Commander? What business do you have with the Sahwa Party?" "Plenty. Revenge, finding the ck Otter, collecting what I¡¯m owed¡­ Oh, and¡ª" "Wait a moment!" Before I could finish speaking, the men retreated inside and mmed the gate shut with a loud bang. "Such impolite bastards." I opened the mana circle of my heart and summoned wind energy to my right hand. Pointing my fingers at the gate, I fired a flurry of sharp wind des. Drrrrrrr¡ª! Boom! The gate, riddled with holes, became ragged and tattered. With one kick, I burst through and stepped inside, eximing in amazement. "Wow, nicely done." From the outside, the building had appeared shabby, but the interior was surprisingly spacious andfortable, like the secret vi of a nouveau riche. Oddly, there wasn¡¯t a single Sahwa Party member in sight. I nced at the staircase in front of me, then shifted my gaze upward toward the ceiling. Extending my sensory field, I caught faint voicesing from above. "¡­What should we do?" "Wait." "Should we ambush him?" "Don''t make a fuss. He''s here to negotiate anyway. What he wants is money. If he has any sense, he won''t do anything reckless." I raised both hands above my head. Multiple magic manifestation, Wind Spear. After spreading about twenty wind spears wide, Iunched them simultaneously overhead. Tatatatatatang¡ª! Holes were riddled in the ceiling, and screams erupted from above. "Wh-what the...? Gah!" "It''s him!" "Crazy!" Suddenly enraged, I sped my hands together and aimed at the ceiling again. ''Pration, Piercing Wind.'' With tremendous speed, it pierced through the ceiling, creating arge hole in the center, and the building began to shake. Doodoodoodoo¡ª! ''Crack, Earth Break.'' The ground vibrated intensely, and cracks spread throughout the entire building. "E-earthquake!" The ceiling copsed, and a crowd of people from the upper floor fell straight down to the first floor. With my barrier in ce, I watched for a moment as they rained down like falling leaves. Timber, furniture, humans, toilets, weapons¡ªeverything fell, turning the ce into chaos in an instant. After a moment of pandemonium, the Sahwa Party members who had regained their senses formed ranks and red at me. "What is the meaning of this madness?!" Fifteen Sahwa Party members. The one at the front was wearing a red lion mask. I pointed at the lion mask and said, "Do you know how an ant feels when its house copses?" "...What?" "What." "What is the meaning of this, Crazy Mage Squad Commander! We have done nothing wrong to you. Why are you doing this?" The lion mask, surprisingly, had strong self-control. He felt different from yesterday. But this wasn''t just simple self-control. It was a typical example of the strong preying on the weak. This was the kind of person who could be endlessly cruel to the weak and endlessly rational to the strong. "Fine. If you want to talk, I''ll ask first." "...Speak." "Bring me my money." "Money?" The lion mask suddenly groaned and looked around without a word. He sighed at the sight of the copsed debris and said, "You caused all this destruction over a few gold coins?" "If you have any other wrongdoings, confess them now." When there was no answer, I asked again, "Who ordered you to kill me?" The lion mask sighed once more and shook his head. "...Now I see you had no intention of talking from the beginning." Simultaneously, the fifteen Sahwa Party members drew their des and began to surround me. Crude 3rd and 4th-grade mana cores surged forth all at once. "Tsk." I also picked up a broken piece of wooden frame that was rolling around on the floor and snapped it in two. A wooden stick with a sharp end and nails sticking out. At a signal from the lion mask, the party members all rushed at me at once. Just before one of their des could reach me... ...the one who had swung it was flung backward, spewing a fountain of blood as the wooden stick pierced his chest. Fwhoooosh¡ª! "Aaaargh!" In that split second, as everyone''s eyes were fixed on the gruesome sight... ...I, having already manifested multiple magic spells to match their numbers, scattered fire spears in all directions. Whoosh¡ª! Boom! There was no way their crude mana cores could block my fire spears. In an instant, most of the Sahwa Party members were sprawled on the floor. I charged toward the two who had managed to block the fire spears rtively unscathed. I grabbed one''s right hand as if shaking it and, with a surge of wind pressure, flung him towards the opposite side. With a crack, his shoulder dislocated, and he flew through a first-floor window and out onto the street. Crash¡ª! Immediately, I ducked, dodging a de that grazed my throat. I grabbed the lion mask by the neck, looked him in the eye, and said, "Bring me the ledger." "...Ugh!" I increased the pressure on his neck. "Ugh... Ledger? There''s no such thing." I looked around at the fallen men. Some unlucky ones had been impaled by the copsed metal debris and were screaming in agony. "Hey guys. No ledger?" "..." I turned back to the lion mask, and with lightning speed, I lifted his mask to see his face. Gloomy eyes. The ck Otter. "Holy shit, it was you?" "...Ugh." It wasn''t him. The skill with which someone had hidden a de behind Chano''s back to assassinate me in the demon realm wasn''t this clumsy. I searched the Otter''s body and pulled out a bundle of bills, asking, "Where''s the real Red Lion Mask?" "..." "I know everything. Where is he? Did he run away?" "..." "Otter. I''ll only ask three times. Where''s the ledger?" "...What ledger? It''s not toote... Cough!" I tightened my grip on the Otter''s neck and twisted it to the right. Crack¡ª I let go of the limp Otter and looked around. The fallen men suddenly jumped up and frantically began searching through the debris. After a while of searching, one of them cautiously raised his hand. "Um, excuse me, but we don''t know what ledger you''re talking about." As I slowly approached him, he suddenly pointed his finger at a spot. A small safe, unscathed amidst the pile of copsed debris. I had a feeling, instinctively. "Open it." The guy with the greatsword struck the lock hard, but the teeth of the de bounced off. The other party members gathered, opened their cores, and started hitting the lock with their weapons, but still, there wasn''t a single scratch on it. "Move aside." After checking the material of the safe and the lock, I pulled out the Red Dagger from my waist. I opened my circle, channeled yin dimension mana into it, and swung hard at the lock of the safe. ng¡ª The lock shattered... ...and I took out the piece of paper inside and nced at it. Then I looked around. I bid farewell to the underlings who were staring at me with fearful eyes. "Reform yourselves." As I went out through the copsed debris, I saw the Sahwa Party executive I had thrown out the window lying sprawled on the ground with a broken neck. After taking a few steps, I turned around and looked at the building I had juste out of. I hurled a Fireball at the copsed building. Whoosh¡ª The building went up in mes, and screams came from inside. I said goodbye once again. "Reform yourselves."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om *** Dark night. I arrived in front of the regr branch office and looked up. Seeing light spilling from a corner on the second floor, I went straight in. "It''s past curfew... Oh? Crazy Mage Squad Commander?" The guard at the entrance recognized me and widened his eyes. "What brings you here at this hour?" "I have an appointment with the manager." "Which manager...?" "Porter." The guard tilted his head slightly, then seemed to realize something and nodded. "Ah, I see. So that''s why Manager Porter hasn''t left work yet. It makes sense if he has an appointment with the Crazy Mage Squad Commander. Haha." "Can I go up?" "Please, go ahead. He''ll be waiting." When I went up to the second floor, I saw light leaking from inside the office. I walked straight over and opened the door. "Who dares enter without knocking at this hour... Crazy Mage Squad Commander?" I said nothing, locked thetch on the door, and looked at Porter. Porter, who had been busy working on something, looked me up and down with a dumbfounded expression. "What''s going on? What brings you here at this hour?" I responded informally, "I came because I had something to do." Porter tilted his head for a moment, then nodded with a relieved expression. "Actually, I was about to ask to meet you. Sigh, the new branch manager is driving me crazy. What in the world happened in the demon realm? I can''t figure it out no matter how much I look into it." Porter no longer spoke to me informally. Instead, he started using an ambiguous tone that was neither fully respectful nor disrespectful. I pointed at Porter and slowly approached him. "Why did the cleaner...?" Porter cut me off with a heartyugh. "Ah, yes, yes. The cleaner. You came because of that, right? Of course. The Crazy Mage Squad should be the cleaners, indeed. I''ll have those Sahwa Party bastards all reced and the work entrusted to the Crazy Mage Squad. Of course, I''ll adjust the shares ordingly." I pped the smiling Porter across the face. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 161: Two entry permits [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 161: Two entry permits Smack¡ª Porter, unexpectedly pped, let out a deted sound. ¡°Huh, huh.¡± His head turned, he caressed his cheek for a long time. He kept moving his lips, trying to make sense of the situation. Then he looked at me with a face that couldn''t understand. ¡°You crazy bastard, what are you doing...¡± As I tried to p him again with my right hand, Porter grabbed my wrist. ¡°You crazy bastard, how dare youy a hand on an Alliance manager?¡± ¡°Well, why did you interrupt me?¡± Porter let go of my wrist and immediately opened his mana core. 5-star mana core. Porter threw the ss on the table at me and drew a hand sign. The moment I dodged the ss with a nod, mes condensed in Porter''s right hand. Porter''s right hand and my left hand shed. Fwhoosh¡ª! Just before the exploding shockwave hit the office wall, I waved my right hand and dispersed it. The moment Porter, sprawled on the floor along with his chair, tried to get up...N?v(el)B\\jnn ...I wrapped mes around my entire left hand and struck Porter''s face. Porter hurriedly rolled on the floor to dodge, but the office itself was too small. Within seconds, I grabbed Porter''s thick nape and pped his face again with a ming hand. Smack¡ª! ¡°Ugh! You son of a bitch, how dare you!¡± Porter, with a bright red burn mark on his face, yelled. His hands were already restrained, making it difficult for him to draw hand signs anymore, but... ...the barrier embedded in the office ceiling detected Porter''s voice and vibrated. Wiiiiiiiing¡ª Following that, an rm went off along with the vibration throughout the second floor. ¡°You bastard, you made a mistake. The rm just went off throughout the entire branch.¡± Even then, I didn''t stop pping Porter''s cheeks. Smack¡ª! Smack¡ª! Smack¡ª! ¡°I told you not to interrupt. Why did you order the cleaner to kill me?¡± ¡°Ugh! You crazy bastard, what nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°Answer me. There shouldn''t have been a reason.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Why did you tell the Sahwa Party to assassinate me?¡± ¡°Stop with the bullshit!¡± After about twenty ps, fear appeared in Porter''s eyes, and at the same time, noises came from outside. Bang¡ª Bang¡ª! The sound of the locked doortch rattling. Sensing the presence outside, Porter screamed with all his might, and the murmuring outside grew louder. Fwhooosh¡ª The door shattered, and guards and dispatched warriors stormed into the office. ¡°Seize the intruder!¡± Just as the captain of the guards, who had assessed the chaotic scene and Porter''s condition, was about to give a hasty order, I quickly raised my hand and looked around. "Wait!" The captain of the guards, recognizing my face, hesitated for a moment. "...But, Crazy Mage Squad Commander?" I briefly looked around. The guards and the dispatched warriors seemed to have stronger energy than Porter. Porter yelled at the captain of the guards. "He''s an intruder. This bastard dared to attack an Alliance manager. Arrest him now!" I pped Porter again and looked around. "This man is unfit to be an manager. You all know his reputation, right? Not only did he privately hire a cleaner, but he even requested my assassination." "How dare you make false usations!" Of course, I had expected the guards to attack. I had already nned to subdue them all before I started this. But why were they hesitating now? I said to the captain of the guards, "Bring your superior." Porter shouted, "What superior? I am the manager. Arrest this man now!" As the guards reluctantly approached me, the lights on the entire second floor suddenly brightened. I suddenly fixed my gaze beyond the office. Thud¡ª At the same time, the guards stopped in their tracks. The captain of the guards, recognizing someone approaching from outside the office, stiffened and stood at attention. "What''s going on?" "Well, that is..." I also stepped out of the office. I faced the man slowly approaching. A middle-aged man with a red beard. The energy I felt from him was simr to Parin''s level. A seasoned mage. "I asked what''s going on." Porter, who had gotten up, stumbled out and bowed to the middle-aged man. "...An intruder, sir. Branch manager." "Intruder?" The branch manager, seeing Porter''s condition, frowned. I spoke to the branch manager. "You need to manage your subordinates properly. Did you know that this man created the ''cleaner'' position and extorted money from those entering the demon realm?" The branch manager finally looked at me directly. "Not only did he extort money, but he also tried to have me killed. Does such a man deserve to be an manager?" Porter shouted, "nder! He''s spouting nonsense without any evidence." I immediately presented the ledger I had found in the Sahwa Party''s safe. The captain of the guards received the ledger and handed it to the branch manager. In the meantime, Porter''s eyes trembled slightly with anxiety. The branch manager looked at the ledger for a moment and said in a low voice, "Kalma Group, Sahwa Party. 30% tribute? ...You." The branch manager looked at Porter. "You were disrupting the order." Porter suddenly began to tremble like an aspen leaf. "...Matis-nim, it''s..." "How dare you address me by name?" "I-I apologize." "Don''t try to hold onto a broken connection. No matter how recently I was appointed, this is serious. I was nning to focus on the lower levelter, but..." Porter''s face turned pale as if he had received a death sentence. Then, the branch manager gestured to the captain of the guards and pointed at me. "Detain him." "Pardon?" "No matter how clear the evidence is, the procedure was wrong. Laying hands on an Alliance manager is a serious offense." As if the judgment was final, the branch manager turned around and walked away. Unlike the captain of the guards, who hesitated for a moment, the dispatched warriors simultaneously surrounded me. I watched the branch manager''s retreating figure. "The judgment is wrong." "..." "I corrected the mistake of your ipetent subordinate. I deserve to be praised." I continued to stare at the branch manager''s back as he remained silent, and suddenly opened the circle of my heart. Wiiiiing¡ª One, two, three, four. The surging waves of mana swirled around me, pulsating through the circle of my heart and flowing back out. Just before the fifth and final circle opened... Thud¡ª The branch manager abruptly stopped and turned around. I kept rotating the circles and said, "If you''ve changed your mind, say it now." The branch manager, sensing the fluctuating flow of mana, tilted his head. He slowly scanned me from head to toe. "Who are you?" The captain of the guards, who had been watching, quickly answered, "He''s Samael''s Crazy Mage Squad Commander. He''s not someone who would act rashly. He saved many people in the lower demon realm this time. He has a very good reputation..." "Stop." The branch manager''s eyes changed. The corners of his tightly closed lips rose slightly, and then he nodded as if he finally understood. "You''re Ruin." "..." I had never revealed my name. But the expression on the branch manager''s face as he stroked his red beard suggested he knew me somehow. I also scanned the branch manager''s appearance from head to toe. Unlike Porter, I could see red patterns here and there between the Alliance''s standard uniform. "I see. That''s enough. You may go back now, Crazy Mage Squad Commander." With those words, the branch manager turned around again and disappeared into the darkness. *** As I came out of the regr branch office, I turned my head to the left. Someone''s shadow, reflected in the moonlight, briefly stretched and then disappeared. I leaned against the corner of the main street for a moment, organizing my thoughts. ''It''s not Porter.'' I was wrong. As I pped Porter, I became certain. It couldn''t have been Porter who ordered my assassination in Section 1 demon realm. He was nothing more than a guy who hired a cleaner and extorted money. The one who tried to kill me had disappeared, and the one who ordered it was nowhere to be found. Aplete mystery. But I had a strong suspicion. The de that appeared behind Chano''s back was aimed at me from the start. When I sensed the presence, the attacker deliberately pretended to target Chano and hid himself. Definitely one of the Sahwa Party members. Most likely the Red Lion Mask I first made eye contact with. I entered a nearby inn and settled on the top floor. By the window, I had a clear view of the regr branch office. From dawn till dusk, I kept an eye on thoseing and going from the office. I ate my meals at the inn and only closed my eyes for a short time at dawn. On the evening of the third day, I went out and positioned myself in an alley where I could see the main gate of the regr branch office. As the night deepened, the number of passersby dwindled, and the lights in the regr branch office began to go out one by one. I stared intently at the main gate in the darkness. In thete hours of the night, someone emerged from the entrance of the regr branch office, looked around, and started walking towards me. I also slipped out of the alley and approached the man. As we passed each other in the darkness, the man nced at me, and I looked at him. When I took a few steps and looked back, the man had also stopped and was staring at me. The man asked, "How did you know?" The corners of the man''s mouth were stretched in a smile. Before I could answer, with a whoosh¡ª the man disappeared to the end of the alley. His steps were so silent that I couldn''t even hear his footsteps. I also propelled myself with wind pressure at my feet and chased after him. After turning two corners in the alley, the man''s presence suddenly disappeared. As I ran with my senses open, a de shed out from the right like lightning. Aimed precisely at my neck, the de came hurtling towards me. The moment I dodged it with a nod, the opponent''s presence vanished. No doubt about it. A professional assassin trained in stealth techniques. His swordsmanship itself wasn''t anything special. He specialized in enduring until the very end, taking his opponent''s life with a single thrust. ''Hmm.'' I fell into thought for a moment. As soon as I thought about how to deal with this kind of opponent, dozens of methods came to mind. I chose the one I liked the most. Fwoosh¡ª I kicked off the ground and started running recklessly as if fleeing. This, in turn, revealed the presence of my pursuer behind me. "Running away is useless!" I turned two corners, then instantly used the Grass Serpent footwork to silence my steps. Hiding in a gap between buildings and opening my energy flow, I sensed the opponent''s confusion in the path. It seemed he couldn''t figure out where I had disappeared to. I held my breath and waited for him. Peering only through the small gap between the buildings, I waited for the opponent to appear. Step¡ª Step¡ª The footsteps gradually grew closer. 3 seconds. 2 seconds. 1 second. Step¡ª! The moment the side of his face came into view, I shot out like lightning and pierced his waist with the Red Dagger. The man twisted his waist, but the sensation of the de piercing his flesh came first. Fwoooosh¡ª! A fountain of blood erupted. I threw the Red Dagger again at the man who was clutching his waist and trying to flee. Thud¡ª! "Gah!" The man, his thigh pierced, copsed and turned his head to re at me. "Ugh, you were an assassin too?" An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, an assassination for an assassination. This was amon weakness of those trained in assassination. They only knew how to assassinate, not how to defend against it. I approached the man who hadn''t expected to fall victim to the same tactic. As I pulled out the Red Dagger embedded in his thigh, another fountain of blood gushed out. "Hey." I looked at the man. Red light emanated from his bloodshot eyes. "Who ordered you to kill me?" "...Keuk." The man smirked, and a grotesque, torn scar was revealed around his mouth. Letting out a hollowugh, the man muttered self-deprecatingly, "Damn it, this is too big of a loss." "You find this funny?" "Keuk, keuk." "Who ordered it? Tell me." "Porter." The man looked at me,ughing. I looked back at him andughed too. In the midst of ourughter, I suddenly traced the man''s lips with the Red Dagger. "Aaaargh!" "I''m asking onest time. Who ordered it?" When the man with the torn lipsughed again, I struck the back of his neck. With a thwack¡ª, the man''s forehead mmed against the stone floor, and he fainted. I started searching the man''s pockets. And the moment I saw the entry permit I pulled out from his breast pocket... ...I couldn''t help but let out a hollowugh in disbelief. "This guy had two entry permits." One was a regr entry permit. And the other was a pink rmendation permit. On the back was clearly stamped the seal of the Blue Magic Tower. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 162: Kill Yourself [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 162: Kill Yourself I dragged the unconscious man onto one of the transport carriages gathered at the edge of the city. The driver''s eyes widened slightly as he saw us, but he quicklyposed himself, as if he were used to such sights. "Where to, sir?" "Downtown. I''ll pay double the fare." "Understood. Thank you." There were two types of transport carriages: ground carriages and magic carriages that traversed the sky. I purposely paid extra and chose a magic carriage. Not long after the carriage departed, the unconscious man suddenly opened his eyes. He checked that his hands and feet were tied, calmly looked around, and then stared intently at me. He hadn''t even let out a groan, despite the considerable pain from the puncture wound that had only been roughly treated to stop the bleeding. "...Kill me now. I won''t say a word no matter what you do." When I didn''t answer, a look of bewilderment filled the man''s eyes. After a while, as the cityscape came into view outside the window, I instructed the driver to slow down and carefully examined the area below. After circling in the air for a while, I pointed to a spot. "Stop there." The ce where I got off the carriage was a residential area in the northeast of the city center, a little distance from the heart of downtown. I gagged the man in the alley and headed towards a deserted street, knocking on the door of a two-story house with a quiet garden. I sensed someone looking out through the small hole in the door, and then Iron opened it. "Commander? How did you know this ce?" "There are ways to know everything. I thought we needed some cover." From the magic carriage, I had clearly seen the brutes meditating in the garden. "Tell everyone to gather." I passed through the garden and sat down at the round table in the center of the main hall. I roughly sat the man next to me, and the brutes began to gather one by one. Perhaps because it waste at night, no one was missing. I looked at Arin and Palge and said, "You found a good house." "We put some effort into it." "It''s quiet and nice." Perhaps because it was a rtively run-down area in the residential district, there weren''t many peopleing and going. The building itself was old, but it was a good ce for training. "I also stopped by the Gold Exchange. It''s a hassle to carry gold bars around, so I exchanged them for Gold Exchange notes." "Excellent work, fatty." Zion, who had been away for a while, came in with alcohol and snacks and sat down at the table. He opened a bottle, and a strong, unfamiliar scent wafted up. "Hmm." "Ah, it''s not easy to get moonshine, Commander. Just drink this." I poured myself a ss, took a sip, and immediately shook my head. "It''s no match for moonshine." Suddenly, Zion pped the man sitting next to me. Smack¡ª "Why are you staring like that?" "..." Zion looked at me. "Who''s this?" "The guy who tried to assassinate me." "He''s got guts. What does he do?" "Leader of the Sahwa Party." "Ah, so this is him?" Zion pped the man again. Arin asked me, "Who''s behind it?" I untied the rope that was gagging the man and asked, "Who''s behind it?" "Shut up. I won''t say a word no matter what you do." I looked around and said, "The Blue Magic Tower is behind it. You all must have seen him. That patrol guy or whatever. His name is Vaph or something. He''s the culprit." The man''s eyes widened. Zion eximed, "Wow, Commander, you really pick the best ones. How do you always manage to pick guys like this?" I looked at the man. "Go to the Alliance and turn yourself in, Sahwa Party Leader." "Shut up! Don''t humiliate me, just kill me now." I looked around and said, "See? This is the kind of guy he is." Zion looked at me. "Should we give it a try?" "Sure." The brutes quickly and efficiently moved as one, dragging the man away. I went into an empty room in the corner and sat down with my eyes closed to meditate. In my judgment, this man wasn''t the tight-lipped type. Sometimes there were those who wouldn''t reveal the identity of their client or would keep their mouths shut out of loyalty, but this guy wasn''t one of them. I could tell by his eyes. A desperate look in his eyes. That kind of look often came with a story. Screams and the chanting of my subordinates could be heard from afar. *** Early in the morning, I went out to the main hall and saw my subordinates gathered in a circle. The man was sprawled on the floor, exhausted, but strangely, there were no external injuries. "What happened?" Palge looked at me with a proud face. "Oh, Commander, you''re here? I kept healing him." "Don''t tell me... You healed him every time he broke a bone, every time he fainted? So you could keep hitting him?" "Exactly." "That''s even more terrifying." Zion shook his head and looked at me. "This guy is stubborn. He won''t open his mouth. He hasn''t said anything except that his name is Haengsu."N?v(el)B\\jnn The man, who had finally managed to get up, smirked with his torn lips. "Keuk, I told you. Just kill me." I pulled the Red Dagger from my waist and tossed it to Haengsu. "Kill yourself then." "...What?" "There''s no special reason why I''ve kept you alive until now." "..." "You''re just evidence to be used against Vaph. I only spared you because it would have been a pain to drag your corpse back from the city streets. I never intended to let someone who tried to assassinate me live. So kill yourself now." Haengsu hesitated as he looked at the Red Dagger lying at his feet. "Why? Can''t bring yourself to do it now that you''re actually about to die?" At my taunt, Haengsu, with his lips tightly shut, picked up the Red Dagger. "Good thinking. Hurry up and kill yourself. You have to pay for what you''ve done. How many people who entered the demon realm safely died because of you and your idiotic subordinates'' des? End your pathetic life as a third-rate gangster, now." Perhaps it was because death was imminent. Haengsu''s expression suddenly changed, and he looked at me with a face full of resentment. "...There weren''t any." "What?" "I never intended to kill you. I''ve only killed one person in my entire life doing this. He deserved to die. Other than him, I just collected money. I needed the money. Don''t talk like that when you don''t know anything." "Did Vaph make you do that too?" I looked at Haengsu''s silent expression and nodded. "Now I see. You weren''t hired for the job; you were a hunting dog. Were you being threatened? What is it? Your family?" Haengsu brought the Red Dagger close to his neck, hesitated for a few moments as if contemting stabbing himself, and then sighed. "Sigh." Looking at Haengsu''splicated expression, I confirmed that my deduction was correct. This man''s will was too strong for a typical third-rate gangster who was only after money. "You idiot. Do you think your weakness will disappear if you die?" Haengsu spat blood-tinged saliva from between his torn lips. "Damn it. What am I supposed to do?" Looking at him, I thought of the rigged gambling. Gambling that started with a simple debt. But by the time one realized they had been scammed, they were already trapped in a pit of despair, unable to escape. "This is the path you chose. Whatever the reason, you lived like a parasite. I don''t think you''ll ever reform. Even if it wasn''t me, you were destined to live like a pathetic hunting dog and eventually die at someone''s hands. Your subordinates are all dead too." "..." "Whatever it is, you''re going to die anyway. If you''re going to die, I rmend turning yourself in and then dying." "Nothing will change even if I turn myself in. You don''t know him." Iughed and shook my head. "It doesn''t matter if you pretend to turn yourself in and side with Vaph, kill yourself, or actually turn yourself in. You''re going to die anyway. But there is one thing that will change." "What will change?" "At least someone will know that the Sahwa Party Leader wasn''t a scumbag until the very end." I picked up the Red Dagger and went outside. "The deadline is today." My subordinates followed me out and asked, "Where are you going, Commander?" "To the Alliance." Zion said, "We don''t have any evidence, do we? I don''t think he''ll turn himself in." "It doesn''t matter." "Then are you just going to cause trouble?" "What trouble? I have a n. Just do what I told you to do." The n was me. *** As soon as I arrived at the Alliance headquarters, I went to the Inspectorate. I entered the Inspectorate headquarters through the magic circle on the second floor, and five offices appeared. As I entered the 5th office, which was in charge of external affairs, a man approached. "What brings you here?" "I''vee to expose the corruption of the patrol unit." "Please identify yourself." "Crazy Mage Commander of Samael, Ruin Samael." "Please wait a moment." The man disappeared, and a momentter, a mage wearing an inspector''s badge appeared. "You said you have corruption to expose? What are the details?" "Assassination." In an instant, the mages of the Inspectorate, who were attending to their duties nearby, all looked at me at once. "Did you just say assassination?" "That''s right. A deputymander of the Alliance patrol unit tried to have me assassinated. His name is Vaph." "Vaph?" As soon as the name "Vaph" was mentioned, I felt someone staring at me from the head seat. He immediately approached, dismissed the person in charge, and looked directly at me. Looking closely at his clothes, I saw that he belonged to the same Blue Magic Tower as Vaph. "Are you referring to Deputy Commander Vaph of the patrol unit?" "Are you the Inspector General?" "I''m the 5th Deputy Commander of the Inspectorate. External affairs are under my jurisdiction. Exin in detail." "There''s nothing much to exin. Vaph ordered the Sahwa Party to assassinate me. The location was the Level 3 demon realm." The 5th Deputy Commander stared intently at me and suddenly asked, "Do you have any evidence?" I took out the entry permit with the Blue Magic Tower''s seal from my pocket. "Isn''t this a rmendation permit?" "Vaph gave it to the Sahwa Party Leader. You''ll see if you check." The 5th Deputy Commander looked at the rmendation permit for a moment, let out a hollowugh, and shook his head. "This is not evidence." "You''re saying it''s not evidence even though the circumstances are clear?" "Even if it''s true that the entry permit was issued, it can''t be linked to assassination. Surely this isn''t all the evidence you have?" "This is all." "Tsk." The 5th Deputy Commander dismissed me. "Go back." "Don''t you think you''re judging too quickly?" "That''s enough. If you continue to make baseless ims privately, I''ll charge you with contempt of the Alliance." At that moment, there was a slightmotion outside, and Haengsu appeared with his lips stretched wide. Haengsu sat down heavily next to me and looked at the 5th Deputy Commander. "Keuk, I''vee to confess. I am Haengsu, the leader of the Sahwa Party. Vaph ordered this man''s assassination. I can prove it." Instantly, everyone''s attention was focused on us. "You can prove it?" "Of course." Haengsu held out a few sheets of paper he had written himself. "Target of assassination, time, ce, requirements, meeting ce. I can prove everything. If youpare the dates written here with Deputy Commander Vaph''s leave records, they''ll match." The 5th Deputy Commander quickly snatched the papers, his eyes narrowing. "One moment, please. I''ll need to verify this." The 5th Deputy Commander disappeared, and Haengsu and I sat facing each other in the waiting room. "This is unexpected. You made your decision quickly." Haengsu smirked and let out a self-deprecatingugh. "I never thought you had the courage to reform." "...Before I die, do me one favor." "You''re crossing the line." "I''m not asking you to save me." "What is it?" "I''ll tell you after this is over." There was no further conversation. I kept looking outside the waiting room, but the 5th Deputy Commander was nowhere to be seen for a long time. Usually, when something like this happened, it took time to process. The standard procedure was to send the person back and then call them in separately once the matter was confirmed. There was no reason to keep us stuck in the waiting room like this. I went out into the hallway and wandered around, and I happened to catch the 5th Deputy Commander and Vaph talking in another office. My funny feeling was never wrong. I returned to the waiting room and sat down for a while, and then a man came out of the office and called us. "Crazy Mage Commander, pleasee into the office." The scene that greeted me as I entered the office was quite amusing. Vaph was leaning back in the head seat where the 5th Deputy Commander should have been, staring at us. He gave Haengsu and me a dumbfounded look and then stretched his lips into a wide grin. The 5th Deputy Commander, on the other side, gestured to us. "Come this way." "The Inspectorate works fast. Are the results already out?" The 5th Deputy Commander shook his head. "This is not a matter for the Alliance to intervene in." "What?" Haengsu red at the 5th Deputy Commander. "Not a matter to intervene in? You can easily verify it if you just investigate. Did you even look at the documents I gave you?" The 5th Deputy Commander shook his head again. "I said it''s not a matter for the Alliance to intervene in. It wasn''t something that happened in the course of the patrol unit''s official duties. Regardless of whether it''s true or not, this is a personal matter. There''s no reason for the Inspectorate to get involved." At the 5th Deputy Commander''s firm answer, Haengsu let out a self-deprecatingugh. "...Damn it. I knew this would happen. Are you from the Blue Magic Tower too?" The 5th Deputy Commander''s expression hardened, and a strong energy emanated from him. "How dare you insult the Alliance? If you want to argue, go to the Blue Magic Tower and argue. Who are you shouting at?" I stopped Haengsu as he was about to jump up from his seat. "So, you''re saying this is a personal matter, 5th Deputy Commander?" "Of course. It has nothing to do with the Alliance." "That''s good." Vaph was looking at us with a smile. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 163: Call the Magic Tower Head (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 163: Call the Magic Tower Head (1) I asked the 5th Deputy Commander onest time, "Is there any way I can meet the Inspector General?" "He''s not someone you can just meet." "I guess my reputation hasn''t spread this far yet. At least tell him that I want to see him. Before he regrets it." The 5th Deputy Commander changed his tone. "Get out before I throw you out." "Well, then there''s nothing I can do. See you again." I stepped out of the office and paused for a moment, looking at Haengsu. There was no response. "..." Even as we passed through the magic circle and returned to the headquarters, and then walked out the main gate, he just kept walking without saying a word. As soon as we came down to the ground, I heard rapid footsteps behind us. "Hey." Vaph, who had followed us out of the Alliance building, was calling out to us. "You two, stop right there." "Were you following us?" "I said stop." Vaph approached, looked at Haengsu with a dumbfounded expression, and then tapped his chin. "Haengsu. Why are you rebelling? Did I do something wrong?" "..." "This is disappointing. After how well I treated you, this is uneptable. I took good care of your family, didn''t I?" Haengsu suddenly lifted his head and red at Vaph with resentment. "Look at that re. You''vepletely lost it. Should I tear your left lip too?" Vaph let out a hollowugh and whispered in a low voice, "Haengsu. Did you think anything would change because of this? You were even more clueless than I thought. I''ll show you what happens to a dog that bites its master, soon. This won''t end with just you." Seeing Haengsu''s contorted expression, Vaph finally gave a satisfied smile. I pped my hands and looked at Vaph. "Wow. That''s some impressive threatening, even for a third-rate gangster. Are all Blue Magic Tower guys like this? No. If they were, the organization should have been destroyed long ago. Were you just not raised properly? That''s more usible. Who''s your father?" Vaph''s expression hardened, and he looked at me. "You insolent bastard." Vaph''s lips curled into a sneer as he brushed past me. "You can look forward to it too. Let''s see if you can still say those things in front of me." I watched Vaph disappear in a trail of light with a dumbfounded feeling. "He just heard me say it to his face. What is he talking about? What do you think?" "..." "Who am I talking to?" I changed my mind. I turned around and headed back to the Alliance headquarters. Originally, I was nning to have some moonshine before making my move, but the n had changed. I entered the first floor of the headquarters and looked around, but Vaph was already gone. I sat down on a makeshift chair in a corner and watched the peopleing and going. Perhaps because it was around lunchtime, the crowd gradually grew. Alliance mages, knights dispatched from all over the continent, guards, and other mercenaries or outsiders with business to attend to were all moving busily. "Hmm." Suddenly, I turned my gaze towards the entrance. Haengsu was walking towards me with a determined gait. "Why are you following me? You don''t have toe. Go. I''ll decide what to do with you after this is over." Haengsu stopped in front of me and looked at me directly. "I have a favor to ask." "Have you suddenly developed a lingering attachment to life?" Haengsu shook his head. "There''s a small vige called Tesit in the northern Hail region. There''s a small group called the Gart Gate there. There should be a blind old man there. Tell him that the Tesit''s scoundrel has be a famous mercenary." "You want a lot." "If I fail, you can forget about it. Please." Only then did I look straight into Haengsu''s eyes. Could a person''s eyes change so much in just a few hours? As I tilted my head in wonder, Haengsu disappeared. "That guy is quite the drama queen." I closed my eyes and began to meditate. I felt strange gazes, but it was fine. I was a man who could maintain meditation anytime, anywhere. "Excuse me." I lifted my eyelids and looked straight ahead. A guard in high-grade armor was ring at me. "Vagrants are not allowed here. Get out." "..." What did I look like, that he would say such a thing? I couldn''t let this guy who dared to ignore the great Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael get away with it, so I said, "Listen carefully. I am not a vagrant. I am the... White Horse Knight Commander of Samael." "If you don''t leave immediately, I''ll drag you out." "I''ll leave." I was about to get up anyway. I purposely mingled with the crowd and gradually moved to the right. Walking casually, I red at one person. Vaph, who had juste down the stairs, was heading out of the headquarters with the patrol unit. I blended into the crowd and waited for the optimal moment. As the distance closed and I could see Vaph''s profile at close range... ...a sharp sound of a de suddenly rang out from the opposite direction. Swish¡ª Before Vaph could even notice, a de suddenly appeared and was about to pierce his chest... ...when sword energies emitted from all directions simultaneously pierced through the de in Haengsu''s hand. Bang¡ª! A look of dismay appeared on Haengsu''s face as he charged. Although his movements were stealthy, there were bound to be skilled individuals among the defense forces stationed at the headquarters. "Who the hell?!" Vaph, startled, took a step back. He had never dreamed that he would be threatened with assassination in the middle of the Alliance headquarters, so all the patrol members momentarily froze. Wiiiiing¡ª Only then did the defensive magic circle surrounding the first floor activate, and as guards rushed in from all directions to subdue Haengsu... ...I, who had been hiding stealthily, stepped forward. Hidden within the magic wavelength of the magic circle, I opened all the circles of my heart and rotated them. I had already identified the positions of all those I needed to be wary of. What I needed now was a single, decisive move. While everyone''s attention was focused on Haengsu, I gathered wind pressure at my feet and leaped towards Vaph like a spring. Fwoosh¡ª In that instant, sword energy surged towards my waist, but I had alreadypleted the incantation. ''Rupture, Fire Burst.'' I struck down the sword energy and simultaneously reached for Vaph''s neck. The waves of the defensive magic circle, which interfered with the flow of mana in the body''s core, tightened around my lower abdomen, but... ...my mana circles were unaffected. "What?" The moment Vaph, sensing something amiss, immediately opened his mana core and tried to soar into the sky... ...he felt a searing pain as his neck was snapped, and he copsed to the floor. Crack¡ª "Gah!" All eyes were on us. Holding Vaph''s neck and lifting him up, I looked at the guards who were subduing Haengsu. "Release him." The captain of the guards, who had quickly surrounded me, asked with a puzzled expression, "Who are you, and why are you causing such reckless trouble in the Alliance?" The knight who had threatened me with sword energy. The captain''s stern eyebrows showed his determination not to tolerate anything out of line. "This is a personal matter, so the Alliance has no need to worry. First, release him." Every time Vaph struggled and tried to activate his mana core, I wrapped and released mes around the hand gripping his neck. "Ugh, you trash..." The crowd grewrger. Mid-level Alliance members began to appear from the upper floors. Among them, those who seemed to belong to the Blue Magic Tower, upon seeing Vaph''s face, were startled and disappeared somewhere. A momentter, a middle-aged woman, escorted by them, shouted, "Vaph!" Judging that the time was right, I deeply stabbed Vaph''s waist with the Red Dagger and threw him towards the guards. "Aaaargh!" As Vaph writhed in pain with a hole in his waist, the medical team quickly approached, stopping the bleeding and pouring medicine on him. The defense forces gradually surrounded me. With the circles of my heart open, I said, "Don''t interfere, Alliance. This is a personal matter." The captain of the guards momentarily halted his troops. He couldn''t understand why I had suddenly released Vaph after attacking him. Moreover, the captain, who was well aware of Vaph''s usual behavior, hesitated on purpose. "I have a personal grudge against him. Again, I have no hostility towards the Alliance." "Why did you do this?" "As I said, it''s a personal grudge. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. I wouldn''t be satisfied until I stabbed his waist at least once." At that moment, the middle-aged woman who had been checking on Vaph stepped forward. "You bastard!" The captain of the guards blocked the woman, who seemed about to lose her temper, from approaching. "Please wait a moment, Madam Mcine." "Are you kidding me, Powell!" "This is under the jurisdiction of the guards." "You haven''t even properly secured the area, and now you''re talking about jurisdiction?!" "...Sigh." The captain of the guards, called Powell, let out a sigh and looked at me. "Regardless of the reason, this happened within the Alliance. I''m going to arrest you. You can exin the specific details to the Inspectorate during the investigation." I shook my head. "I already did." "What?" "The Inspectorate already deemed this a personal matter." The captain, who had been staring intently at me, suddenly turned his head. At the end of his gaze stood the Inspectorate mages. "Is what he''s saying true?" "..." The eyes of the Inspectorate mages all turned in one direction. The 5th Deputy Commander, meeting the captain''s gaze, looked away with a flustered expression. That''s when it happened. "It''s fine." Vaph, who had received treatment from the medical team, struggled to his feet and looked around. The wound on his waist was already slowly healing. "Sigh, he''s right. You don''t have to worry about it. The Alliance has nothing to do with this." Vaph looked at me with murderous eyes and then smirked. "We''ll handle the Blue Magic Tower''s affairs within the Blue Magic Tower." I certainly had a good eye for people. As expected, his answer was within my anticipated range. Simultaneously, the guards who had been subduing Haengsu let go and stepped back. As I helped Haengsu up, he raised his head with a self-deprecating look. "Since I failed, you can forget about my request." "Stop being so dramatic." I suddenly looked ahead. The crowd that had gathered parted like the tide to the left and right, and several men in white robes walked out from between them. "..." The middle-aged woman who had been shouting vehemently, Vaph, and the captain of the guards all stopped what they were doing. ''White Magic Tower, Administration Bureau.'' The actual governing body of the Magic Tower Alliance. I couldn''t feel any magical energy from the men in white robes, but everyone here was watching them cautiously. "This is strange. The magic circle definitely activated." The man in white at the front tilted his head. "It activated, but it didn''t bind him?" Muttering something I couldn''t understand, the man in white looked around. "What happened here?" "I''ll exin." While the captain of the guards exined the situation, I closely observed the man in white. I couldn''t feel the typical energy of a mage, but I sensed a subtle flow of mana. "Assassination? That''s fine. You can stop there. It doesn''t seem relevant. We left the magic circle unattended for too long. It''s time for maintenance." The man in white turned away as if he had lost interest. Only after the Administration Bureau had left did Vaph look at me. "Let''s settle this personally, as you wished." "Good idea." The crowd wasn''t stupid. Members of other Magic Towers who knew of Vaphh''s usual behavior were looking at him with disgust. The middle-aged woman, noticing the negative gazes around her, pointed at me and shouted, "How dare you nder the Blue Magic Tower?!" "You''re quite the schemer. A personal grudge turns into nder against the Blue Magic Tower?" "Shut up, you bastard!" "Are you his mother by any chance? If so, then I understand." "What?!" The captain of the guards, pointing at the middle-aged woman, said, "Madam Mcine, please refrain from further disturbances. There are many eyes watching." Mcine, forcing herself topose her expression, looked at me.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Let''s settle this at our main tower. If you''re so confident, follow me." "That''s a good idea too." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 164: Call the Magic Tower Head (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 164: Call the Magic Tower Head (2) The captain of the guards, who had been looking back and forth between Mcine and Vaph, frowned and approached me. "Surrender peacefully and be interrogated at the Alliance." "That conversation is over." "It would be better for you." "It''s fine." "You''re not understanding." Mcine said in a firm tone, "Captain Powell, please do not interfere any further. This is a Blue Magic Tower matter." Vaph, touching his healing waist wound, supported Mcine. "As you''ve heard, the Inspectorate has already concluded this matter. We will resolve this amongst ourselves. We apologize for causing unnecessary disruption to the Alliance." "Hmm." Powell let out a low sigh and shook his head at me. He couldn''t understand my actions. However, there was no longer any justification for him to intervene. "I''ll go prepare for our departure, so wait here. Keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn''t escape. How dare he..." Mcine, spitting out her words as if chewing me up, disappeared upstairs, and the Blue Magic Tower''s dispatched mages surrounded me. Vaph whispered to me in a low voice, "...You crazy bastard. I admire your courage. Let''s go and settle this." "Alright. Is your neck okay? You were screaming pretty loudly." "...Insolent." Meanwhile, the crowd''s interest quickly waned. They all disappeared to attend to their duties, and the guards reluctantly began to return to their posts. A short whileter, Mcine, now changed into luxurious clothes with a blue hue, came down from the upper floor with an adjutant. "Let''s go to the main tower." Swoosh¡ª The Alliance''s main gate opened wide. At the adjutant''smand, some of the Blue Magic Tower''s dispatched mages returned to their duties, while others lined up in front of the main gate. Mcine brushed past me, emanating an icy aura. "Follow me." At that moment, Haengsu hurriedly grabbed me and said, "You''ll die if you follow them." "You go back to the hideout and wait. I''ll see you when I get back." "Until the end..." Mcine looked back at me from the front of the gate. "What are you dawdling for? Bring him along." "Don''t worry, I''ll go on my own two feet. Here Ie." I purposely hopped towards Mcine like a rabbit. As soon as we stepped out of the main gate, three magic carriages enveloped in blue light were lined up in the air. Mcine, Vaph, the adjutant, and I boarded the most luxuriously decorated magic carriage. Mcine and Vaph sat side by side, and the adjutant and I sat together. The carriage took off, soaring through the air. "...How dare you." Mcine continued to re at me in the carriage. She kept clenching and unclenching her hands as if about to strike me. "Why? Are you going to hit me?" "Do you know whose body you dared to touch?" "I touched the body of a good-for-nothing bastard. Did you hear the whole story?" "You bastard!" As Mcine''s eyes widened in fury, the adjutant next to her immediately looked out the window and said, "Madam Mcine, let''s go to the main tower and decide what to do there. There might be eyes watching, just in case." Vaph looked at me. "That''s right. Just leave him alone. It''ll all be over once we get him there anyway." Vaph''s eyes were filled with murderous intent.N?v(el)B\\jnn A cruel smile lingered on his lips, hinting at his thoughts. Mcine looked at the adjutant. "As soon as we arrive, summon the Blue Magic Squad Commander immediately." I also looked at the three of them in turn. At first nce, the adjutant''s skills seemed decent. The strange one was Mcine. No matter how I looked at her, this woman wasn''t a mage. Nor did she seem like a schr. It felt like she was a typical woman with nothing but shit in her head. However, judging from the way those around her treated her, she seemed to hold a considerable position in the Magic Tower. I could roughly guess what kind of person she was. Whoosh¡ª At some point, a chill swept in through the carriage window. "We have arrived." The carriage immediatelynded on the ground. The Blue Magic Tower, located at the southern end of Ken, was quite far from the city, but the travel time was very short, thanks to the excellent performance of the magic carriage. As soon as I stepped out of the carriage, I was greeted by a vast empty lot,pletely different from the scenery of Ken I had seen before. Whoosh¡ª It even felt deste. Only an incredibly tall blue Magic Tower stood majestically in ce. Mcine walked ahead, and the adjutant and Vaph kept pace with me, keeping watch. Fifteen Blue Magic Tower mages who had gotten off the other carriages surrounded us and walked alongside. Although the weather was still warm, a sharp chill gradually intensified as we approached the Magic Tower. Whiiiiing¡ª As we got closer, I could see the pure white ice fragments swirling around the exterior of the Magic Tower. The Ice Magic Tower, the Blue Magic Tower. ''So this is what it looks like.'' I had originally nned to visit the Blue Magic Tower earlier, but I didn''t expect toe here like this. Anyway, it was a sess since I arrived earlier than nned. As we entered the Magic Tower, I asked, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, "Are you really Vaph''s mother?" Mcine stopped in her tracks, her shoulders trembling. "Come on. Answer me. Who am I talking to?" Vaph said with a smile, "Mother, please bear with it. I''ll take care of him inside." Why did these guys keep telling each other to bear with it? What difference did it make whether they took action now or inside? Creak¡ª When we reached the entrance, the Blue Magic Tower mages, who had been notified in advance, opened the main gate wide. *** The first thing I felt upon entering the Blue Magic Tower was, surprisingly, tranquility. Mages were moving freely about, but there was an air of orderliness to the ce. After seeing Parin and Vaph, I had thought that the Blue Magic Tower was full of ipetent fools, but it seemed that the proportion of normal mages was much higher. However, most of the mages who spotted Mcine and Vaph seemed ufortable and often slipped out of sight. "Open the 3rd Magic Ward. And tell the Blue Magic Squad Commander toe there." At Mcine''smand, the adjutant replied, "Understood." "Inform him quickly." As the adjutant disappeared, Vaph pointed at me. "Follow me. You and I will go in together." I shook my head. "Go where?" "To settle this." I looked at Vaph with a dumbfounded expression. "Settle this with who?" Vaph smirked. "You crazy bastard. You were acting all high and mighty at the Alliance. Are you scared now?" I looked at Mcine. "Answer me. Who''s going to settle this?" Mcine replied, "We will clearly determine your wrongdoing here in the main tower." "This is ridiculous. Hey, Vaph''s mother. Are you an idiot? Your son tried to kill me, so why are you the ones determining wrongdoing? I won''t move an inch from here." Mcine''s eyes suddenly changedpletely, and she raised her hand. At the same time, the Blue Magic Tower mages following her surrounded me. Vaph smirked again and approached me. "It''s toote now." I looked at Vaph as he came closer and said, "Why are youing so close?" "You''d better not think about running away. You should have done that earlier... Keuk!" As expected, this guy was third-rate. The moment Vaph finished his grandstanding... ...I noticed he had let his guard down, and I immediately took out the Red Dagger and stabbed his waist. With a fwooosh¡ª, Vaph, caught off guard, screamed and copsed to the floor. "Aaaargh!" It happened so suddenly. No one watching could react in time. They hadn''t expected me to do something so crazy even within the Blue Magic Tower. Tsk. This was why these guys couldn''t break free from being third-rate. First-rate people prepare for the worst even in advantageous situations, while third-rate people let their guard down in advantageous situations. "Youuuuu bastard!" As soon as Mcine shrieked, I thrust the Red Dagger deeper into Vaph''s writhing waist. "Aaaargh!" I turned my head and looked at Mcine. "If you shriek one more time, I''ll pierce right through his waist. If his organs are damaged, he won''t be able to be healed." As murmurs rippled through the surroundings, mages on the first floor, drawn by Vaph''s screams, began to gather. I spoke to Mcine, whose eyes were bulging and her body trembling, "Who''s this guy''s father?" "..." Thud¡ª "Aaaargh!" Mcine hurriedly replied, "The Blue Magic Tower Head. Take your hands off Vaph this instant. Did you really think you could get away with this?" I didn''t miss the flicker of unease that crossed Mcine''s eyes. "Don''t tell me you''re his concubine? That''s strange. It wasn''t like this in my time. Is itmon these days for Magic Tower Heads to keep concubines?" "You bastard!" "Go get your husband." "What?" "Call the Magic Tower Head. I want to see his face." I started dragging Vaph towards the center of the first floor. More and more mages gathered. That''s when a strong energy flowed from the left, catching my attention. Mcine shouted towards the left, "Blue Magic Tower Head!" "Madam Mcine." The man at the head of the group, all wearing matching uniforms, stopped abruptly and assessed the situation. He looked directly at me and asked, "Who are you?" "Wow, finally someone asks. I''m the Crazy Mage Commander of Samael." "Sama... what?" "What, you punk." Mcine shouted at the Blue Magic Squad Commander, "Help me, Blue Magic Squad Commander! This guy dared to..." Huh? I just witnessed a bizarre situation. Mcine''s eyes as she looked at the Blue Magic Squad Commander were strange. As I looked back and forth between the two, I suddenly felt an ominous feeling. Don''t tell me it wasn''t the Magic Tower Head who kept a concubine... "Whoa, this is crazy. Don''t tell me it''s an affair? Who''s Vaph''s real father?" At that moment, the Blue Magic Squad Commander hurriedly raised his hand and pointed at Vaph. "Take your hands off Senior Vaph this instant!" "Just go get the Tower Head. I want to see his face." "This is yourst chance." Suddenly enraged, I stabbed Vaph deeply in the waist. At the same time, I ced my hand on his lower abdomen and unleashed a shockwave. Fwhoosh¡ª Vaph''s insides were shaken, and his mana core took a hit. He let out a deted sound and started coughing violently. Simultaneously, Mcine''s ear-splitting scream echoed through the hall. "Noooooooo!" For a moment, I looked at Mcine... ...and as if waiting for that exact moment, the Blue Magic Squad Commander leaped towards me. A 5-star wave of energy erupted, and a blue chill enveloped the Blue Magic Squad Commander''s left hand. I immediately chanted a short incantation. ''Pure White, Chilling Hand.'' A pure white chill enveloped my right hand. I thrust my fist forward, shing with the Blue Magic Squad Commander''s right hand. Fwhoooosh¡ª! The chill in the Blue Magic Squad Commander''s hand shattered, and he was flung backward. Some of the mages watching shouted in unison, "White chill? Specialized magic!" The Blue Magic Squad Commander, getting up and dusting himself off, looked at me in disbelief. "You... Who are you? How can you use specialized magic?" Instead of answering, I tightened my grip on Vaph''s neck again, and the Blue Magic Squad Commander''s eyes changed. "All Blue Magic Squad members, prepare yourselves." I suddenly turned my head and looked straight ahead. An energy signature was approaching from afar. Someone was rapidly approaching from the upper floors. "What''s all thismotion?!" A familiar, sturdy, middle-aged man. The 2nd Elder of the Blue Magic Tower, whom I had met at the Alliance headquarters before. The stern man who had severely reprimanded Vaph. The 2nd Elder approached with an indifferent gait, his eyes widening as he looked back and forth between Vaph and me. "What is the meaning of this?!" It was clear that the 2nd Elder and Mcine weren''t on good terms. Mcine bit her lip and shouted at the 2nd Elder, "Help me, 2nd Elder! Can''t you see what''s happening?" The 2nd Elder finally looked at me directly. "That guy from back then... Tsk." At the same time, an intense energy emanated from the 2nd Elder. "I don''t know the circumstances, but you''ve underestimated the Blue Magic Tower. If you''re thinking of taking him hostage, give it up." "Alright." At that moment, I stabbed Vaph directly in the lower abdomen with the Red Dagger. "Aaaargh!" Vaph screamed as he felt the agonizing pain of his mana core beingpletely destroyed. At the same time, Mcine, her eyes rolling back, pointed at me. "Kill him now! Vaaaaaaaaaph!" Led by the Blue Magic Squad Commander, the Blue Magic Squad members charged towards me simultaneously. Wiiiiing¡ª I immediately opened all the circles of my heart. For the first time, the 2nd Elder''s eyes twitched. Just before I could chant a spell towards the Blue Magic Squad members... ...the 2nd Elder''s hand sign magic struck between them and me. "Stop!" A look of bewilderment crossed his stern face. "Where are you from?" The Blue Magic Squad Commander, lined up behind him, answered on my behalf, "He''s the Crazy Mage Commander of Samael, but he can also use specialized magic. We need to confine him to the 3rd Magic Ward and investigate, Elder. 5-star, highest-grade specialized magic..." "Enough." "Pardon?" At a moment no one expected, the 2nd Elder approached me. "...Crazy Mage Commander of the Samael family. I see." The 2nd Elder bowed his head. "Please forgive the Blue Magic Tower''s discourtesy." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 165: The Blue Magic Tower Head, Karios [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 165: The Blue Magic Tower Head, Karios Suddenly, all the mages gathered at the Blue Magic Tower widened their eyes. The Blue Magic Squad Commander, who knew the Second Elder''s usual upright character well, also looked this way with disbelief. Amidst Vaph''s screams echoing from his destroyed Mana Core, Mcine, instinctively driven by maternal love, waved both hands and embraced Vaph. "Medical team! Medical team!!" With a groan, Vaph fainted. Mages specializing in healing were already pouring potions into him, but there was no way to regenerate apletely pierced Mana Core. Mcine, having lost her reason, screamed while tearing at her hair. "Bring that bastard here! Now!" As the Blue Magic Squad members took a step forward at her shrill voice, the Second Elder raised his hand. "Do not act rashly." "Are you crazy, Second Elder! What are you doing right now!" The Second Elder turned around and red at Mcine. "Be quiet!" "You''re telling me to be quiet... cough." Exposed to the abruptly emanating mana wave, Mcine clutched her neck and gasped for breath. Only then did the Second Elder turn around again and meet my eyes. "I never expected you toe first. We should have visited Samael first, but we had so much to sort out internally that it was dyed. Please understand." I met the Second Elder''s gaze. I realized there was no falsehood in his words. "You''re sincere. Did you deliberately hide the rumors?" "I didn''t hide them. We were still investigating internally." The Second Elder nced at the unconscious Vaph. "Is this a just consequence for what the First Elder did?" "It has nothing to do with that. This bastard put a hit out on me in the Demon Realm." "Huh." The Second Elder, who never expected to hear such a thing, let out a sigh of disbelief. "So, was your visit today purely because of Vaph?" At that moment, feeling another strong presence, I stared intently beyond the crowd. The Second Elder immediately stepped back and looked in the same direction as me. "Why has the Tower Heade out?" The Blue Magic Tower mages parted like the tide to the left and right, bowing to a man descending from the upper floors. Step by step. The closer the man got, the more a chilling coldness seemed to flutter around. Saaa¡ª Blue clothes and ck hair. An impression that seemed even younger than Parin or the Second Elder. Mcine started shouting as if she had met reinforcements. "Tower Head! Our Vaph is hurt. Vaph is... sob. It''s his doing. That guy! The Second Elder did something terrible to me too..." "Silence." "Mmm!" With a simple gesture from the Tower Head, Mcine''s mouth was sealed shut. "6-star master? No. 7-star." The mana wave that bloomed momentarily was extraordinary. To manifest a 6-star level spell this easily means he''s at least two steps ahead of Parin as a mage. As expected of the Tower Head. "Thank you for preventing an ident, Second Elder." "You''re wee." The Tower Head finally looked straight at me. "I''ve been wanting to meet you. I am the Blue Magic Tower Head, Karios Blemantarn." "I''m Ruin Samael." Karios''s eyes flickered with interest. "The person himself hase directly. As it happens, I was just talking with Ardehain a few days ago." I pointed at Vaph first. "You need to discipline your child properly." Karios, with a chilling aura swirling around him, replied. "He''s a child without talent. I didn''t know he would throw away even his discernment." "He''s worse than a third-rate gangster." "Did he harm the Crazy Mage Squad Commander?" "He tried to assassinate me." I took out Vancle from my pocket. "Seems like he was quite greedy for this." Karios nced at Vaph''s condition. "You''ve shown mercy." "I''m still thinking about it." I suddenly felt that Karios''s answer was a bit strange for a Tower Head. Looking back and forth between Mcine and Karios, I thought to myself. ''It seems Karios isn''t his father.'' Karios seemed to know that but wasn''t showing it. I didn''t really want to pry into other people''s family affairs, so I dropped the thought. "If you''d like, would you care for some tea upstairs? It seems we have things to discuss."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I do have some questions." While we were talking, the mages watching couldn''t hide their surprise. It was because the Second Elder and the Tower Head were treating me unusually. Moreover, even though I was speaking informally, they remained consistently polite. Mcine also seemed to sense that something was wrong, her eyes widening as she looked back and forth between Karios and me. Karios said, "I will deal with Vaph ording to the rules of the Blue Magic Tower." With his Mana Core destroyed, it was practically a death sentence. When Karios gave a few orders, the Blue Magic Squad took Vaph away, and the other mages also disappeared to attend to their duties. The atmosphere instantly turned quiet again. "Let''s go." As I followed Karios to the upper floors of the Magic Tower, the crowds we encountered thinned out. Above the 7th floor, it waspletely empty. However, the magical energies asionally felt from the closed rooms were not to be ignored. It seemed like the true power of the Blue Magic Towery elsewhere. *** 10th floor of the Blue Magic Tower. The Tower Head''s room, upying the entire top floor, was filled with pure white furniture. In one corner of the spotless room, snowkes were fluttering against an artificially created ss wall, with a few pure white branches ced underneath. "White Flower Tree?" "You know about it?" Karios''s voice, which had been calm while preparing the tea, rose slightly for the first time. "You have quite the discerning eye. Very few recognize this tree." "It must have been difficult to obtain." The White Flower Tree, imbued with the energy of extreme yin, has considerable value. It''s called a divine elixir for those suffering from blocked meridians due to an excess of yang energy. Even for those without meridian issues, it''s valuable for purifying impurities in the body and can even rece several ingredients needed to restore damaged mana circles. Karios changed the subject. "What kind of tea would you like?" "I''d prefer some alcohol. Do you have any moonshine by any chance?" "I do." "Oh?" A short whileter, I sat facing Karios, who had brought out a bottle of moonshine and a luxurious ss. Somehow, the moonshine didn''t seem to fit the atmosphere, but I drank it anyway. "It tastes good." Seeing Karios up close, he had an even colder impression than I initially thought. As we briefly made eye contact, Karios spoke first. "I sincerely apologize for Elder Parin''s actions." "What did Ardehain tell you?" "I heard everything from Ardehain''s Third Military Commander. That Parin tried to poison Ardehain''s Third Military Commander, and that Samael saved him. I also heard that Parin has someone backing him." As expected. Seeing as he didn''t pass on the information about the demon, it seems Fichte didn''t trust Karios either. It was only natural. "Let me ask you directly." I stared straight into Karios''s cold eyes. "How could you not know what Parin was up to?" Karios shook his head. "I already told Ardehain this. The Magic Tower guarantees freedom to high-ranking mages. Especially elders, who frequently enter seclusion. It''s not umon for them to be out of contact for over a year." "So you''re saying you don''t know what the other elders are doing either." "I never imagined the First Elder would do such a thing. I deeply regret my ethical responsibility." "Shall I be honest?" I took a sip of moonshine and continued. "I''m suspicious. There''s no guarantee that there aren''t others in the Blue Magic Tower connected to Parin. Of course, that includes you." "That''s why you''ve been cynical from the beginning. To be honest, I..." Suddenly, a chill emanated from Karios''s cold eyes. "I was careless. This is beyond ridiculous. That the First Elder, not even a Squad Commander, was doing such things behind everyone''s backs." The more I talked to Karios, the more I felt that this wasn''t simply a problem caused by the Blue Magic Tower''s free atmosphere. For a Tower Head, he seemed to know surprisingly little about the internal affairs of the Tower. I looked around once more. The wall was filled with grimoires. Traces of diligent magic practice everywhere. And the aura I felt from Karios himself. It didn''t seem to lose out to Hector''s at all. ''Was hepletely uninterested in anything other than magic?'' Strangely, the fact that Vaph and Mcine were able to act as they did now made more sense. Shaking my head, I asked, "How far have you investigated?" "First, I investigated the offices and whereabouts of all the elders and above, along with Ardehain. But we found nothing." I felt like I had a grasp of what kind of person Karios was, but I couldn''t let my guard down. He could be deceiving me. A Tower Head would be capable of fabricating such a situation. There was nothing dubious about his answers, but they were also vague and unhelpful. "The matter of the First Elder will soon leak out. There''s no way to stop it forever. I''ll investigate as much as possible before then." Karios suddenly muttered, "I know the First Elder''s skills well." "..." "I heard that the Crazy Mage Squad Commander uses incantation magic. Is that true?" "You should already know that." "I wanted to ask you directly. It''s hard to believe that someone your age subdued Elder Parin, and even used incantation magic." "What do you really want to say?" Karios showed a faint smile for the first time. "You''re not the only one who uses incantation magic." "Hmm." "Those residing in the Upper Tower of the White Magic Tower are also very interested in incantation magic. If you have the chance, please visit them. It will be very helpful." This was the umpteenth time I''d heard this. The Upper Tower of the White Magic Tower... That wasn''t important right now. "Let''s finish what we were talking about. Is there anything else you found about Parin''s activities?" "Nothing noteworthy." "Where is Parin''s office?" "On the 9th floor. I¡¯ve already searched it thoroughly with Ardehain. Likewise, there was nothing noteworthy." "I''ll go see for myself." Karios nodded as if it were natural. "The Crazy Mage Squad Commander is more than qualified to do so." Karios beckoned with his hand, and a clear sound echoed through the room. An adjutant waiting outside entered. "Guide Ruin to the restricted area on the 9th floor." "Yes, Tower Head." *** As soon as I went down a floor, I saw a door on the left, blocked by a red cordon. Originally, the 9th floor was where the First and Second Elders resided, but with the First Elder''s position currently vacant, the Second Elder was using the entire floor alone. "This is the office the First Elder used. I''ll be waiting outside, so please let me know when you''re finished." As soon as I opened the door and entered, I saw a well-organized interior. It was about half the size of Karios''s office, but still quite spacious. "Hmm." The bookshelf that filled one wall was crammed with countless papers and books, and I could see small desks and drawers ced in between. Overall, it was clean, almost devoid of any human touch. I started to slowly scan the office from right to left. If Ardehain had investigated with him, they would have surely examined everything in the room. Nevertheless, I chose to check everything with my own eyes. Loren and Fichte were trustworthy, but they could have missed something. Besides, I was the type of person who needed to see things for myself. Furthermore, in the worst-case scenario, if Karios was in league with Parin, he could have tampered with things before Ardehain arrived. I was going to check for that. Parin definitely had someone backing him. Whatever it was, if there were any artificial traces, I would tenaciously pursue them. That''s what the Mad Dog, no, the Heaven-Defying Dog, no, the Heaven-Defying Monster? What was it? I couldn''t remember exactly, but in the end, I was the Crazy Mage. That was the tenacity of a Crazy Mage. As day turned to night, I continued to scour the office. My nerves were getting increasingly on edge. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 166: Parins Backer [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 166: Parin''s Backer Red. The world is red. A maddening phenomenon where everything reflected in my eyes appears crimson, as if drenched in red paint. It''s also the second harbinger of madness. The world before my eyes was just like that. I pped my hands. p¡ª Since I can hear the sound, it''s not happening right now. "My eyes feel like they''re going to pop out, seriously." It was just bloodshot eyes. After spending hours rummaging through the books in the closet and on the desk, my eyes felt like they were going to burst. As Karios said, there was nothing particrly noteworthy. Most of them were just magic-rted books. Seeing all sorts of academic books, including those on incantation magic, it seems Parin really had quite an interest in magic. Just in case, I flipped through each and every book, but there was nothing strange. Well, if there was something strange, Ardehain would have already found it. But the important thing is the mindset. Who am I? I''m the man who remembers Parin''s end. Possessed by the spirit of a mournful hound, determined to uncover Parin''s legacy, I scurried around and finally caught a glimpse of something suspicious. This is it. "Strange." Leaning back in the armchair, I picked up a few nk sheets of paper. Clean sheets found throughout Parin''s office, with nothing written on them. Actually, it''s not that strange to find a few sheets of paper in an office, but at times like this, I need to pull myself together and remind myself. "It''s strange." As I kept repeating that it was strange, I really did spot something odd. There are many pens in the office, but no handwritten text. All the paper is new. ''Hmm.'' If Parin had a secret organization, how did he contact them? He must have exchanged secret correspondence. There are many ways to leave no trace, but the mostmonly used method is a specially treated solution. Sometimes, magical methods or special solutions are used to prevent writing from appearing on the surface. But if that were the case, Ardehain would have already discovered it. The Bongshin n is not that careless. A new method. A safe way to freely exchange correspondence without getting caught. Lost in my imagination, I suddenly took out Parin''s keepsake, which I had cherished in my bosom. The Fang of the Demon Tribe. I infused it with mana and started to bring it close to each of the nk pieces of paper. Amidst the pile of paper that showed no change, a faint noise could be heard. Saaaaa¡ª I took out the detected sheet of paper and brought the fang close to it again. Like a drop of ck ink falling onto white paper, the color subtly changes. When I removed the fang, the color returned to its original state. As I repeatedly brought the fang close to and away from the paper dozens of times, letters began to appear one by one, forming a sentence. [No. 7, meet with the Clown at the Tower.] "He did have a backer." I immediately focused on the meaning of the unknown words. No. 7, Tower, Clown. Judging from the circumstances, Parin is either ''No. 7'' or the ''Clown.'' It''s highly likely that ''Clown'' is a higher rank than ''No. 7.'' What I can immediately guess is that these guys are pathologically cautious. ''No. 7'' is also a code name, and so is ''Clown.'' Moreover, seeing how the code names include numbers, they might not even know each other''s true identities. ''Where is the Tower?'' One of the Magic Towers? It''s highly probable, but I can''t be sure. This could also be a figurative expression. Anyway, now that Parin is dead, this meeting is void. The organization would naturally know that Parin is dead. I need to find these guys. They are the key to what''s happening now. As I subtly withdrew the mana, the letters disappeared as if nothing had happened. After tidying up the room, I stepped out the door. When I went up to the upper floor with the adjutant who was waiting, Karios just nced back. "Did you check everything properly?"N?v(el)B\\jnn I sat down on a chair ced to one side and replied. "More or less. You seem busy." "Indeed. I''ve been swamped with Alliance matters recently." "The Blue Magic Tower Head takes care of Alliance matters too? You seemed like you didn''t care about anything other than magic." Karios clicked his tongue and nodded. "It''s because of Elder Parin. He was originally in charge of a high-ranking position in the Alliance. There''s no one else to handle the work, so I''m temporarily taking over." "What position was Parin in charge of?" "Nothing directly rted to practical work. Each Magic Tower has an elder-level mage appointed to an honorary position in the Alliance for the sake of harmony. Well, that doesn''t mean there''s no work at all." Karios got up from his seat, made a cup of tea, and sat down opposite me. "So, did you find anything strange?" "...." I stared intently at Karios. As long as the evidence remains, the possibility of Karios being connected to Parin significantly decreases. If they were in cahoots, Karios would have likely gotten rid of the correspondence long ago. No, in the first ce, there''s no way such a secret correspondence would have been delivered to Parin. Considering all possibilities, including any potential double deception, I shook my head. It''s not that there''s no possibility, but none of them are without leaps in logic. I came to a conclusion. It''s not Karios. "I see you haven''t found anything strange. That''s what I don''t understand. It''s clear that Elder Parin wasn''t alone in this, but there''s no evidence." I said to Karios, "Have you ever heard of someone called Clown?" "Clown?" "Or guys with numbers as their names, simr to No. 7?" "What are you talking about..." "I guess not." Karios, who had coldly assessed the situation in a split second, immediately asked in return. "Are you talking about Parin''s backer?" "Probably." "Do you have any evidence?" I shook my head. "I''ll tell youter." Karios pondered in silence for a moment, then nodded. "You''re saying you can''t tell me everything. I understand. Since it''s the Crazy Mage Squad Commander speaking, I''ll believe you." "You can trust me." Karios looked at me. "I feel a heavy sense of moral responsibility. I was too focused on my own cultivation. I''ll thoroughly investigate the matter you mentioned. I''ll share my findings with you as soon as I can." "It''s best not to openly dig into it. They''re more cautious than anyone. It''s best not to trust anyone until their tail is revealed." "I''ll make sure nothing leaks out." For a while, Karios and I were lost in thought, each of us silent. Then, out of the blue, Karios asked, as if something had just urred to him, "By any chance, what is your rtionship with Crimson me (³àÑ×)?" "Crimson me?" "The Vice Tower Head of the Red Magic Tower." As soon as I heard that title after a long time, I couldn''t help but frown. "Hector Kart? Why are you suddenly asking about him? I have no rtionship with that unpleasant fellow." "Unpleasant fellow?" For the first time, a change came over Karios''s face, which had maintained a cold expression until now. His facial muscles twitched, and then he suddenly formed an awkward smile, like a manughing for the first time in his life. "An unpleasant fellow, you say. I wonder who would say such a thing. I''d love to see Crimson me''s expression if I told him that." While I was getting annoyed, I suddenly felt suspicious because Karios''s tone seemed too excited. Karios, who was making eye contact with me, continued, "Crimson me is someone I admire as well. Although the Blue Magic Tower and the Red Magic Tower have had a bad rtionship since the time of the first Tower Head, there''s no need to maintain that bad blood forever." Just then, I noticed lights flickering in the night sky. The Blue Magic Tower Head got up from his seat and headed towards the window. After looking out the window, Karios turned to me. "It seems people havee to escort the Crazy Mage Squad Commander. Let''s meet again next time." *** As soon as I came down to the first floor, I sensed something strange. The main gate of the Magic Tower was open, and beyond it, I could see the backs of the Blue Magic Squad lined up in a row. Even from just looking at the backs of their heads, I could sense their bewilderment. "Bring the Commander immediately!" "I''ll count down thest 10 seconds. If you don''t get out of the way in 10 seconds, we''ll attack. Do you understand? 10, 9, 8..." "What are you doing, Makan? Why are you counting? I''m the actingmander, so I should be the one counting. I''ll give you 5 seconds. 5, 4, 3..." As soon as I heard their loud shouts, I felt my blood pressure rising and pressed my hand to my forehead. ''Oh dear, these fools.'' As soon as I pushed my way through the Blue Magic Squad and stepped forward, I heard Zion''s incantation. "3, 2, 1, End. Wind that pierces a single point, Piercing Wind." I made eye contact with Zion, who had just unleashed his incantation from the front. Zion''s eyes widened... I dispelled the approaching wind de and walked forward. "What are you doing, you fool?" "You''re alright, Commander?" "How did you even know I was here?" "We heard the Commander was captured? We came to rescue you." Haengsu, appearing from out of nowhere, scanned me from head to toe. "I thought you''d be severely tortured, but you look fine." Bang¡ª I heard a sound and turned around. The Blue Magic Squad Commander, along with the rest of the squad, had entered the Magic Tower and closed the main gate behind them. Zion red. "Oh man. Those rude bastards. They didn''t answer when we asked earlier, and now they''repletely ignoring us. This won''t do, Commander. Let''s go in and teach them a lesson." "You fools." I looked at my subordinates, about to flick each of them on the forehead, when I suddenly noticed the hem of Makan''s clothes. "Did you run here?" "We were going to take a carriage, but we didn''t have enough money. But we ran as fast as we could. I''m d we weren''tte." As if they had fallen into muddy water somewhere along the way, the hems of everyone''s pants were covered in mud and ripped. I couldn''t help but sigh. "Let''s go back. I have something to tell you." *** Late at night, bathed in moonlight. Aguro Mahonguro, the official of the Administrative Office, who had finally finished writing the flood of reports for the day, was taking a short nap in his office. [TL/N: Aguro¡¯s Rank isn''t clear enough so I¡¯ll use Official until I get more context] He was already exhausted. Recently, the higher-ups'' interest in the demon realm had been steadily increasing. Because of this, Aguro, who was in charge, was constantly being overworked. However, Aguro also felt that something was strange. Recently, the frequency of variant appearances had increased exponentially. Moreover, even the appearance frequency of the red variants, which rarely appeared, had increased. Something was definitely happening. Aguro got up from his seat and headed towards the bathroom on one side of the room, when he suddenly looked at the window on the left and widened his eyes. "What''s this?" As soon as he opened the window, a red letter fluttered down. Aguro''s eyes calmly narrowed. The fact that it was delivered by carrier pigeon meant that the matter was urgent and required secrecy. Moreover, if it''s red, it''s top priority. Aguro carefully unfolded the letter, his brow furrowing slightly. It was a letter from the regr branch office. [Eastern Section 1, Level 3 Demon Realm Report] "It''s a low-level Demon Realm? Why is this..." The Demon Realms directly managed by the Administrative Office start from at least level 1, which are high-level Demon Realms. However, Aguro''s pupils dted as he continued reading. [Heaven rank monster (Fear Subus) confirmed, Demon Realm closed. Post-investigation by the investigation teampleted.] "...Heaven rank monster?" Aguro let out an involuntary sigh. A Heaven rank monster, which only appears in Level 1 Demon Realms, appeared in a low-level Demon Realm? However, the statement that the investigation team''s confirmation wasplete meant that all evidence had been secured. "It hasn''t been long since a disaster-ss variant appeared in a Level 1 Demon Realm... And now a Heaven rank monster in a Level 3, not even a Level 2?" At this rate, the ssification of Demon Realms needs to be revised. The news would have already spread widely around the regr branch office. Aside from the issue of the Alliance''s prestige, if this is left unattended, it could cause great confusion among the mages and knights from all over the continent who enter the Demon Realms. Suddenly, Aguro''s eyebrows furrowed deeply again as he looked at the letter. "Wait a minute. It says the Demon Realm is closed." The Demon Realm is closed despite the appearance of a Heaven rank monster? "Was there someone capable enough to do that?" The skills of those who enter low-level Demon Realms are all quite average. Of course, there were cases where superhumans from prestigious families entered low-level Demon Realms for the purpose of training their juniors, but such cases were rare. Aguro''s expression changed rapidly as he began to operate the Demon Realm record device ced on one side. "This is strange." Even after looking through the list of those who entered the low-level Demon Realm in Section 1, there were no notable names. The only thing that stood out was the Level 1 Demon Realm experience of someone named Urek Parisik, but even he barely made it out alive. A short sigh escaped Aguro''s lips as he carefully examined each name on the list andpared it with the device. [Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad, Contribution Points: Undetermined] "It''s them. They''re the ones who caught the Heaven rank monster." The fact that the contribution points had not yet been calcted was clear in its meaning. Aguro immediately rummaged through the list of high-level entry permits issued, muttering in disbelief. "...They''re not high-level?" None of the Samael n members were listed on the high-level entry permit list. Just in case, he also checked the list of special-grade entry permits issued, but they weren''t there either. Then, as Aguro looked through the list of intermediate-level entry permits, he checked the list several times and frowned deeply. "They''re not intermediate-level either? What the... Are they all low-level entry permits? What''s going on?" [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 167: You Decide for Yourself [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 167: You Decide for Yourself Aguro immediately pressed a small bell ced on one side of his office. Soon, one of his subordinates, who had been on night duty, entered. "You called, sir?" "Is the head of the administrative department in his seat?" "I''ll check." Aguro hesitated for a moment before asking, "How many employees are in charge of issuing entry permits in the administrative department?" "Including contract workers, I believe there are three." "There''s a Crazy Mage Squad from the Samael n on the low-level entry permit list. Find out who issued their entry permits and bring them here. Tell the head of the administrative department that I ordered it." The subordinate nced out the window before replying, "Understood. I''ll bring them as soon as they arrive tomorrow..." "Now." "Now, sir?" "This is an urgent matter. Bring them here now." "Yes, sir." His face pale at the mention of an urgent matter, the subordinate immediately bowed his head and went outside. Left alone, Aguro continued his paperwork for a while longer, then leaned back in his chair and looked out the window. He wore a thoughtful expression. It was at that moment that he heard footsteps outside the door. Knock, knock¡ª "Sir, I''ve brought the person in charge." "Come in." The door opened, and the subordinate entered, followed by a young man with a fearful face. "Y-you called for me, sir? You said it was an urgent matter..." "Did you hear what happened?" "Yes, yes, sir. You said you had questions about issuing entry permits..." Aguro looked out the window again and replied, "The Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad. I heard they were all issued low-level entry permits." "Yes, yes, sir. I always keep records." "And there was nothing unusual?" "May I ask what this is about?" His words strangely irritated Aguro. "Just answer my questions." "Oh, yes, sir. There were no major problems. However... that is..." Suddenly, Aguro turned his head again and looked directly at the young man. Aguro''s eyebrows twitched as he realized that the young man''s face was familiar. "Aren''t you the one who...?" The young man who hade to Aguro with a strange report some time ago. Aguro remembered him clearly because he had heard the absurd story about a magic orb being broken. Suddenly, the young man started speaking rapidly. "The entry permits were issued ording to regtions. I didn''t do anything wrong. It''s all urate. However... there¡¯s what I told you before..." "Stop beating around the bush and tell me clearly." "One of them... is the person whose magic orb was broken..." "What?" Aguro''s heart sank. "So the magic orb breaking wasn''t a coincidence?" "Oh, no, sir. It was a coincidence. There was nothing strange about it at all." "I wasn''t talking to you. Bring me the records." One coincidence can happen, but if coincidences ovep, it''s highly likely to be inevitable. The young man took out the record file he had brought and handed it to Aguro with trembling hands. ''Crazy Mage Squad Commander, Ruin Samael.'' Even a superhuman can''t easily break a magic orb. Thest color recorded when the magic orb broke was white. In other words, it was someone who should have been issued a low-level entry permit. Therefore, it''s not right to me the person in charge for simply dismissing it as a defect or coincidence. Even Aguro himself thought so. But the fact that someone who was issued a low-level entry permit defeated a Rank 10 monster and obtained the Demon Realm''s core... ''He''s hiding something.'' He didn''t think that Ruin had broken the magic orb with his own strength, but there was something suspicious about it. Aguro gestured to the young man. "You can leave." "I apologize. If there''s anything I did wrong..." "I said you can leave." "Yes, sir!" After the young man left, Aguro looked out the window for a moment, lost in thought, then made a decision. "I think I need to check this myself." Aguro pointed to his subordinate. "Go to the Asset Team. They should have the fragments of the broken magic orb. I need to see them myself." "Understood." "If this Ruin Samael enters headquarters or any branch office, report it to me. I need to meet him." "Should I track him down?" "No, there''s no need for that." "Understood." "You can leave." Finally left alone, Aguro sat back in his chair and leaned back. His gaze turned to the magic circle drawn on one side of the wall. Aguro got up from his seat and approached the magic circle, pacing back and forth before shaking his head and returning to his seat. "I don''t need to report this to the Floor Master yet, do I?" Aguro already had a mountain of work to do. "Sigh." With a sigh as he looked at the pile of documents in front of him, Aguro closed his eyes for a moment. *** Returning to the temporary residence in the northeast of Ken, I took a quick bath and sat around the circr table with my subordinates. "Did you sort things out properly, Commander?" "That''s not important." Suddenly, I looked at Haengsu, who was sitting in one of the seats. He stared intently at me and asked, "Did you kill Vaph?" I shook my head. "He''s as good as dead. His Mana Core was destroyed. He won''t being back to the Alliance." "I see." Haengsu nodded and looked at me with an indifferent gaze before suddenly closing his eyes. "What are you doing?" "If you''re going to kill me, kill me quickly. I don''t want to drag this out. You can forget about my request." The atmosphere suddenly turned heavy. Looking around, I noticed my subordinates were all exchanging uneasy nces between Haengsu and me. "Get up." Haengsu opened his eyes. "Follow me." I walked to the front door of the residence without saying a word, opened it, and said, "Go." Haengsu looked at me. "Are you saying you''ll let me live?" "I''m saying I won''t kill you right now." "Damn it." I met Haengsu''s eyes. As I saw it, he was indeed uniquely insane. He wasn''t afraid of death, but he wouldn''t beg for his life, and he never spoke respectfully. A madman with conviction usually has that kind of look in their eyes. I don''t believe that people change, but this guy was a leashed hunting dog from the start. Originally, I really intended to kill him, but now I''ve changed my mind. Past misdeeds aren''t absolved just because someone repents. However, I didn''t want to be the one to make that judgment. "You decide for yourself." "What?" "Whether you kill yourself or go back to your hometown, it''s up to you. Get out of here before I change my mind. Of course, if I hear any shitty news about youter, I might hunt you down and kill you." "...Damn it. Alright." I silently watched Haengsu''s retreating figure. I didn''t bother asking what his story was or what he did. Suddenly, Haengsu, who had been walking for a while, turned around. "Can I take care of the guys below? There are some survivors." When I didn''t answer, Haengsu took it as a yes and disappeared back into the darkness. I couldn''t immediately judge how he would live his life from now on. However, I hoped that I would never hear any news about him again. As soon as I returned to the main hall, Arin asked, "Did you kill him?" "I let him go." "...Is that so?" Arin looked at me with a relieved expression. The expressions of the gathered subordinates were no different. "Gather around." I began to briefly exin to my subordinates about the evidence of Parin that I found at the Blue Magic Tower and the few facts I had deduced. Throughout the exnation, Zion''s expression grew serious, and he said, "So it''s confirmed that there are others. There might be someone stronger than Parin." "They could be in other ns, or even among the mercenaries. There''s nothing we can be sure of yet." The size, identity, and members of Parin''s secret organization. Nothing has been revealed. Only two things are certain. That they are rted to the Demon Tribe. And that the Samael n is also one of their targets. "What should we do, Commander?" "First, stop everything I told you to do before. It''s pointless. Focus on training as much as possible until we enter the Demon Realm." Understanding what I meant, my subordinates nodded. If we go around poking our noses into things carelessly, we might give those guys a reason to be suspicious. Just as they are veiled in secrecy, they also don''t know that I have information. ''Clown'' and ''No. 7.'' First, we need to enter a high-level Demon Realm. If the Demon Tribe really does appear, there''s a high chance that direct evidence wille from there. *** Starting the next day, I began to wander around Ken alone. First, I went to the Kenmercial district and sent a secret telegram to Ardehain. The recipient was Fichte. I needed to let him know about the evidence I found at the Blue Magic Tower. Next, I stopped by the Exchange Center and exchanged gold bars for bundles of bills. After that, I spent time exploring the various districts and alleys of Ken. "Oh! Ruin!" "Wow, you''ve changed a lot." "Thanks to you, hyung. Would you like a ss of moonshine?" Hote''s store, which I visited for the first time in a while, was iparably cleaner than before. Although small in scale, the exterior and interior were quite well-organized. "Was the demolition resolved smoothly?" "It ended well. There was a patrolman who always used to cause trouble, but he doesn''te around anymore." "That''s good." While drinking the moonshine Hote brought me, I listened to various stories. Unlike the market streets, in the pubs in the city center, I asionally saw skilled people who seemed to be from prestigious families. I drank moonshine at Hote''s pub and deliberately spent a few days drinking near those who seemed to be skilled individuals in pubs throughout Ken. As a result, I found one piece of information. A high-level Demon Realm will open soon. It''s Level 1. After gathering various pieces of information, Ipletely cleared my schedule for a specific day and visited the Pablo Auction House located in eastern Ken. Pablo Auction House. Andmark of Ken and the most famous auction house on the continent. The huge two-story auction house, which upies an entire section of themercial district, is so splendid from the entrance that it''s breathtaking. I entered the auction house and looked around the first floor. Although it''s called an auction house, most items at Pablo Auction House have a fixed price. This is because there are over a hundred professional appraisers who reside in the auction house to assess and sell items. Of course, since the items that Pablo Auction House selects and purchases are so rare, the prices of the items sold at fixed prices are at a level that most mercenaries cannot easily afford. "As expected." I nodded as I checked the purchase prices of the items. While some items only had prices attached, others that looked valuable at first nce had one more restriction attached. Contribution points. Just having money isn''t enough to buy things at Pablo Auction House. Just as a merchant is selective about who they sell to, Pablo Auction House is selective based on contribution points. This is because they believe that while selling items is important, who they sell to also has a significant impact on the auction house''s prestige.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But this is just the tip of the iceberg. I looked at the restricted second-floor area for a moment. The real reason Pablo Auction House is so famous is because of the special auction held on the second floor on thest day of the second week of every month. Every month, expensive weapons and cores from Demon Realms, artifacts purchased from all over the continent, and sometimes even sacred objects appear. Today was that day. However, I soon couldn''t help but feel disappointed. "You''re saying I can''t enter?" "There''s a contribution point restriction. Only those who have received permission in advance can enter." This was because there was a contribution point restriction on entering the auction house itself. Thinking about it, it was only natural, so it was my fault. I had no choice but to look at the items that were always on sale on the first floor and then try to leave, but I suddenly stopped and looked at one spot. A few guys in yellow clothes wereing down from the second floor. They all had the same yellow skull tattoo on their foreheads. They were from the Bellusia n. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 168: The Young Lord of the Bellusia Clan [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 168: The Young Lord of the Bellusia n The Bellusia n members descended the stairs with expressionless faces. Murmurs rippled through the crowd as they recognized the vassal n. A middle-aged man, presumably a high-ranking official of the auction house, led the group with a bright smile, though his body was visibly tense despite the cheerful facade. I, too, watched the man approaching at the head of the group. ''That''s him.'' The man in yellow I had briefly encountered at the Alliance. He still looked quite young. The crowd surged as rumors of the vassal n''s arrival spread, but upon realizing it was the Bellusias, they kept a safe distance. If they happened to make eye contact, they quickly averted their gaze. The atmosphere dampened my mood, and I turned to leave the auction house. Thud¡ª A Bellusia guard, seemingly materialized from thin air, blocked my path at the entrance. "Wait." The low-ranking guard abruptly stopped me with a disrespectful tone. When I stared at him in disbelief, his eyes shed with anger. "How dare you look at me directly? This is the Bellusia n. Stay put until they leave." "Sigh." I just wanted to leave quickly to avoid unnecessary thoughts. But the forced suppression of old memories began to unravel. It seemed like these guys never changed. Ignoring the guard, I reached for the door handle. "I''m busy, so move aside. I''m leaving on my own." "One more step and I''ll consider you a threat." He was adding fuel to the fire burning within me. As I was about to respond in my own way, I suddenly made eye contact with a young child reflected in the ss of the main entrance. My heart sank. ... Damn it. I didn''t know why I felt this way. But somehow, I didn''t want to see madness unfold haphazardly right now. Click¡ª I twisted the doorknob. As I tried to squeeze through the opening, a hand grabbed my wrist tightly. "I told you not to move, you deaf bastard." The guard, gripping my wrist, swiftly drew something from his waist with his other hand. Whizz¡ª A long whip, embedded with sharp barbs, was pulled out, drawing an arc in the air. Just before the whip, apanied by a sharp cracking sound, could wrap around my waist... The guard felt a pain as if his hand was being crushed, and he lost his grip on the whip. Simultaneously, the auction house''s main entrance burst open. Crash¡ª The low-ranking guard was flung outside. "Ugh!" The guard rolled on the ground, clutching his stomach. The impact of the fist,ced with wind pressure, directly to his abdomen made it impossible for him to breathe properly. I nced down at the whip sprawled on the floor, then back at the guard. Sigh. I closed my eyes for a moment. "Hey." I ignored the voice behind me and kept walking, but a sudden wave of killing intent washed over me. As I nodded, a controlled burst of energy zipped past my ear. "When someone calls you, you should answer." I immediately activated my Circle. Winding wind des around both hands, I simultaneouslyunched them towards the source of the voice. Wheeew¡ª "Oh?" Turning around, I saw Bellusia''s guards at the front, deflecting my wind des. Through the gap, the man in yellow slowly walked out, looking back and forth between me and the low-ranking guard with an amused expression. The crowd watched the unfolding scene with their mouths agape. The man in yellow asked, "Who are you?" A typical Bellusia question. I looked at the man in yellow and replied, "It doesn''t matter who I am. I''m on my way, so don''t block me." "What?" Suddenly, one of the men next to the man in yellow shouted, "How dare you speak like that! Do you have any idea who you''re talking to?!" I shook my head, looking at the man in yellow. "I''m not in the mood today. I''m warning you once. Stop it." The man in yellow slowly walked towards me. A thick, suffocating killing intent emanated from him. The faces of the crowd, exposed to his Qi, turned pale. I also activated my Qi, and the man in yellow''s eyes twitched. "Ooh. Not bad." Looking at the skull tattoo engraved on the forehead of the man in yellow up close, I immediately recognized his high rank within the n. "You look somewhat familiar. Who are you?" I didn''t answer and continued walking. Behind me, I heard the voices of the Bellusia men and theughter of the man in yellow. "We''ll bring him back, Young Lord." "Leave him." "Huh?" "He''s interesting. I have a feeling we''ll meet again." "Are you serious?" "That aside, we can''t just let him go after he dared to disrespect our n." Following that, the sound of a whip cracking and the screams of the low-ranking guard reached my ears. *** The Yellow Snake, the Bellusia n. One of the six vassal ns, located in the rarely-visited wild jungle at the southernmost tip of the continent. This is how I remember them: Unreadable. Not normal. Their very nature was far from the righteous path. They were the kind of people who would capture all sorts of poisonous insects from the jungle, study them, and even experiment on humans without hesitation. I know this because they were doing the same within the expedition. The only reason they were once part of the six vassal n was that there was some twisted justification for the evil deeds theymitted. Even when they engaged in merciless killings, there was always some sort of twisted justification if you dug deep enough. The weapons they used were also bizarre. Poisons and hidden weapons weremon, but some of the direct descendants used hand axes. In addition, many used a variety of weapons such as whips, staffs, and maces. I respected most of those who participated in the expedition. I remember those pathetic eyes that had gone through that damn hell. But I didn''t respect everyone.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The Bellusias were those I never trusted my back to until the very end. I still remember the disheartened words the Bellusia n head uttered as he died in the final stages of the expedition. ¡ªHuh, to die with the Divine n just within reach. I don''t know what they were scheming within the expedition. What''s certain is that they were definitely hiding something. If the demons weren''t such a threat to humanity''s existence, the Bellusias would have definitely betrayed the other ns within the expedition. Walking along, I recalled the man in yellow I had just met. ''He is a direct descendant.'' The skull tattoo engraved on his forehead. Unlike the others, the yellow snake pattern was engraved once more within the skull tattoo. A direct descendant of the Bellusia n. And it was the tattoo of the one recognized as the next n head. I had a feeling that this encounter wouldn''t be the end. Because ill fate never ends with just one encounter. Suddenly, I remembered the young child whose eyes I had met through the window. I don''t know why I felt reluctant. Anyway, the low-ranking guard who picked a fight with me lived as a result. Was this really a good thing? I was confused because I had never experienced this in my previous life. I couldn''t organize my thoughts right away. While walking and pondering these things, I left the section where the auction house was located and stopped by a famous apothecary to buy the elixir I had pre-ordered. "Is what I orderedst time ready?" "Fifteen pills of the Ascending Dragon Elixir. Is that correct?" "That''s right." "It was hard to obtain. You paid half the price upfront, so you only need to pay the other half. How will you be paying?" As soon as I handed over the bundle of ten-thousand gold bills, the apothecary nodded with a satisfied look. "That''s correct. Thank you, customer. This was the biggest deal I''ve had recently. Please feel free to stop by anytime you need anything else. I''ll always give you a 10% discount." The Ascending Dragon Elixir is an elixir that has an excellent effect on the cirction of the mana circle. I had inquired about it a few times in Khaoto and Leon, but it was impossible to obtain. However, there was a ce to get it in Ken. It was quite expensive, but I didn''t regret it. If it were a time like in the past when mana circles were mainstream, I would have had to pay several times more than now. After returning to my temporary residence, I took two pills, put aside a few as a reserve, and distributed the rest to the Crazy Mage Squad members. "Eat this." "What is this, Commander?" "Shut up and eat it. It''s good for you." "If you''re not going to eat it, give it to me." The fools took the Ascending Dragon Elixir and began meditating. The consensus was that one pill of the Ascending Dragon Elixir was just the right amount. I took two pills because I felt like it. After meditating intermittently for a few days, I was able to confirm one fact. "Money wasted." There was a reason why one pill was considered the right amount. There was no difference between taking one pill and taking two. My subordinates continued their training day and night, and I spent several more days wandering around the city center, gathering information here and there. When I judged that the time was right, I headed to the headquarters of the Magic Tower Alliance. *** [99th ce. Samael n''s Crazy Mage Squad. 75,917 points] The score disyed on the ranking board exceeded my expectations. 75,917 points? It was definitely less than 5,000 contribution points before entering the Section 1''s demon realm. In the end, it meant that I earned over 70,000 contribution points at once... It seemed that the achievement of catching a heaven rank monster yed a significant role. I was able to quickly grasp the structure of how contribution points were umted. If it was like this, killing high-ranking monsters or mutated species would definitely be advantageous. "Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" When I turned to the right at someone''s call, Urek, whom I had met in the demon realm, was greeting me with a happy face. As I was about to nod in response... Suddenly, a buzz of murmurs erupted from the surroundings. "The Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" "This person?" Those who were looking at the ranking board surrounded me and greeted me as if they had promised to do so. "Are you really the one who achieved a two-digit ranking at once?" "I heard the rumors. You''re amazing!" Is this what it feels like to be a monkey in a zoo? Urek, seeing my expression, approached me with an awkward cough. "Ah, I didn''t mean to cause this." I looked Urek up and down. "You seem to be doing well." "It''s all thanks to Ruin and the Samael members. I received good treatment. The injured have almost all recovered." "That''s a relief. What brings you here?" "Haha, I have to prepare to enter the demon realm again." Urek''s expression as he spoke was serious without a hint of wavering. This must be how he lives. Nodding, I quickly slipped through the crowd. I continued to hear voices around me, but I didn''t answer them. For now, I had achieved my goal. There was about a week left until the higher-level demon realm opened. With my current contribution points, I would be able to enter without any problems. As I was leaving the headquarters, I happened to look to the left. A man, neatly dressed in a pure white robe, was approaching me. "Hello. Are you, by any chance, the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad?" He seemed to have business with me. "I am the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad." "I am Assistant Manager Peheln from the Alliance Administrative Office. Could you spare me a moment?" I looked the man up and down once again. A staff member from the White Magic Tower. "What business do you have with me?" "My superior would like to have an urgent conversation with you." "Who is your superior?" "Official Agouro from the Administrative Office''s Policy Department. He is also in charge of managing the demon realms at the headquarters." An official was the highest-ranking official among the staff at the Alliance headquarters. I could roughly guess why he wanted to see me. Meeting him wouldn''t be bad. "Let''s go." "I''ll escort you to the 6th floor." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 169: The Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 169: The Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower (1) I followed the man who introduced himself as Peheln to the upper floors. As expected, the atmosphere changed as soon as we entered the 4th floor. I felt itst time, but the true face of the Alliance starts from the 4th floor. In the midst of the silence, I felt gazes scanning me from head to toe. From the 5th floor onwards, a subtle sensation tickled my lower abdomen. A magic circle that disrupts the flow of the mana core. It was highly likely the work of the old geezers from the White Magic Tower, but it didn''t matter to me since I use Circles anyway. And then, the 6th floor. At the entrance to the floor, on a chair so extravagant it could be called a throne, sat a knight with a giant scabbard pointing towards the ground. ''Hmm.'' He was no ordinary knight at first nce. The lion emblem drawn on his upper chest hinted at his lineage. The Hyark n. The n of knights who pursue the Dominion Sword. ''They''re all over the ce.'' It seemed like he was dispatched to the Alliance. Our eyes met briefly as I entered. The knight stared at me intensely. "Hold on a moment." At the knight''s low voice, Peheln, who was walking ahead, flinched and turned around. "Did you call, Sir Altair?" "Who is this?" He looked me up and down with a dubious gaze. Before Peheln could answer, I waved my hand dismissively and stepped forward. "Why are so many people asking who I am these days? I am the Commander of the Samael''s Crazy Mage Squad. Who are you?" Peheln, encountering my casual speech for the first time, widened his eyes as the knight named Altair rose from his seat. Altair slowly walked towards me. The moment I spoke, I had already anticipated how he would react. Putting aside everything else, a fight with a Hyark wouldn''t be bad. But his following response was unexpected. "The Samael n? Could you be the Crazy Mage?" "What? You know me?" Altair''s expression changed strangely. "Interesting. Indeed, you don''t seem like a typical mage. No wonder I felt something was off." "Answer me. Don''t change the subject." The dubious gaze disappeared. Instead, Altair''s eyes were filled with interest. "Of course I know you. We are also very interested in the news of Ardehain. I am Altair of the Hyark n, one of the Six Dominion Swords." I was reminded of the memory of Ardehain and the Hyark n head sparring whenever they had the chance. At that moment, Peheln, who had been observing the situation, quickly spoke. "Sir Altair, the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad is a guest of Official Agouro." "I have no intention of interfering." Altair looked at me. "I hope your skills are as interesting as your personality. Let''s meet againter." Not many knights in the Hyark n are granted the title of Dominion Sword. ''Someone higher than I expected is here.'' As I followed behind Peheln, I looked around and saw that everyone passing by was dressed in white. High-ranking officials of the Alliance, belonging to the White Magic Tower. None of them exuded the aura of a mage. Peheln, who had stopped walking at some point, knocked on a wooden door. *** "Nice to meet you. I am Agouro Mahonguro, 4th-level Official of the Administration Office." [TL/N: Got 0 clue about this will confirm after I get more context] The man greeted me in an office that was more modest than I expected. Likewise, I couldn''t sense any magical aura from him. His first impression was that of a typical, old-fashioned, and rigid man. "I''m Ruin Samael. I heard you wanted to see me." "Shall we have a seat first?" Sometimes you just get a feeling. Agouro''s behavior and speech. It revealed the typical characteristics of an official wielding power. "You must be curious as to why I asked to see you today, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad." "I have a rough idea." "May I hear what that idea is?" To think he would initiate a battle of wits from our first meeting. As expected, my prediction was right. Usually, this kind of person tries to take control of the conversation. This is also part of a battle of wits. Intentionally making me slowly ascend to the 6th floor to impress upon me the authority of the Magic Tower Alliance, creating a moderately tense environment to make the other party feel intimidated, it was all deliberate. The way to gain control in this situation is simple. "But what is that?" Agouro, who turned his head following my gesture, replied, "Ah. Don''t mind that." "It looks like a magic circle. I''m quite interested in magic circles." "It''s an internalmunication tool within the Administration Office. Has your curiosity been satisfied?" "Not really, but let''s say it has." Agouro''s eyes subtly filled with bewilderment and displeasure. It was because I wasn''t intimidated at all, contrary to his intentions. This was also part of my own battle of wits. "Do you have any other questions?" "Your expression seems rather unpleasant. Why? Is nothing going ording to n? But that''s only natural. That''s why first encounters are difficult." Agouro''s eyes twitched more and more as he looked at me. "Is this your first time experiencing this?" "...I do feel that you are a unique individual." "No, not that." "Yes?" "Is this the first time a heaven rank monster has appeared in a low-level demon realm?" That was the moment. Agouro''s expression, which had been unpleasant, changedpletely. He coughed awkwardly with an embarrassed face and then changed his posture to a serious one. "Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad. It seems my words and actions have offended you. I apologize." "A swift acknowledgment is always wee." "Thank you. It''s actually be morefortable to converse. Let''s get straight to the point." This kind of behavior was unexpectedly refreshing. Even in my past life, I rarely encountered someone who epted the failure of their battle of wits so quickly. He didn''t seem narrow-minded for a high-ranking official. "Please ask first." "I''ll ask directly. Did you know in advance that a heaven rank monster would appear?" I shook my head. "No. It was my first time entering Section 1¡¯s demon realm." "Were there any unusual signs within the demon realm?" "No. There was a fog that nullified senses, but that was a characteristic of the heaven rank monster, so it''s hard to consider it a premonition. I didn''t find anything strange with the demon realm itself." At my answer, Agouro chewed his lip. "I''ll ask you this. What is the extent of your role in the Administration Office?" "I am in charge of overseeing the demon realms." "Is there no one above you?" "There is, but I am practically responsible for all the actual work." "Good. Then it will be easy to talk. Has something like this ever happened in the demon realms before?" "Please be precise." "I''m asking if a monster or mutated species that shouldn''t appear in a demon realm of that level has ever appeared." "...Yes, there has." Agouro answered with a frown. "Not long ago, a disaster-rank monster appeared in a Level 1 demon realm." "A disaster-rank, as in a monster that appears in a special-grade demon realm?" "That''s correct." "I don''t understand. Shouldn''t the ssification system be revised at this point?" Agouro bit his lip again. "This is the first time this has happened. In fact, not only are there more general monsters, but also more mutated species, and even closed demon realms have reopened. The higher-ups are also paying attention to this issue." "Were there any signs that a disaster-rank monster would appear in that Level 1 demon realm?" "Simrly, no." A single coincidence can happen, but when coincidences ovep, they be inevitable.N?v(el)B\\jnn Suddenly, I remembered the demon realm where I had discovered the monster and asked, "Is there anything noteworthy about the red mutated species?" "The frequency of red mutated species appearances is also increasing." "Any reports of a different type of red mutated species being discovered?" "Well, there haven''t been any reports yet..." Agouro stopped mid-sentence and looked at me. "Do you have anything you can tell me? I''ll take it to heart." "Hmm." I thought for a moment. What I felt while talking with Agouro was that there was nothing suspicious about him. Moreover, I was the one obtaining more information. However, Agouro was different from Karios. If I told him too much, word could spread to others in the Alliance. After contemting, I said, "I found a red mutated species in the lower-level demon realm I entered recently. It was a mustelid monster. But somehow, it felt different from what I had heard. You can confirm this with the regr branch." Even if I only said this much, they would be cautious. I had a few more conversations with Agouro about the demon realm, and then we said goodbye, promising to meet again. As I was about to leave, a question suddenly came to mind, and I turned around. "Ah, about the Level 1 demon realm where the disaster-rank monster appeared." Agouro, who was organizing documents, looked up at me. "Were those who entered annihted?" "Fortunately, most of them were safe." "There must have been a strong person." "The Bellusia n was there." "Bellusia?" "Yes." It was an understandable answer, but it made me feel somewhat uneasy. At that moment, the magic circle engraved on the left wall emitted a red light. Saaa¡ª Agouro, who had begun working on the documents with a tired face, widened his eyes and rushed to the magic circle, bringing his face close to it. "Yes, Tower Head. This is Official Agouro Mahonguro." "..." "I will report it by today... Yes? You''re here now?" Agouro''s expression suddenly filled with dismay. As Agouro looked at me with a tense face... Knock, knock¡ª A knock came from the door. As I stepped aside, the door slowly opened, and a man with long hair entered. "How have you been, Official Agouro?" Agouro''s face, now in front of me, was frozen stiff, beyond just looking stiff. "Tower Head. If you had given me a heads up, I would have visited you." "It''s fine. I came here for an appointment. It''s just a brief visit." "I was going to finish the report and submit it by today..." "I''m not here to scold you. That''s not why I came." As I made my presence known, the gray-haired man slowly turned his head towards me. Thump¡ª For some reason, my heart sank. A wrinkled face. Gray hair from his eyebrows to the top of his head. He had an ordinary impression, but I could tell at first nce. A Magic Schr. "You''re the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad, aren''t you?" "You know me?" "Of course. It''s only natural that I know you. I came here because I wanted to see you after hearing that the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad was here." "Why me? How did you know I was here?" As I looked at Agouro, the old man smiled. "Agouro didn''t tell me. The Alliance has many eyes and ears." The old man smiled like a child and observed me. "But who is this old man?" The old man,ughing, stopped Agouro from hurriedly saying something. "I am Mahon Sirius. I conduct various research at the White Magic Tower." "Are you, by any chance, the Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower?" "Oh. That''s right. I am in charge of one of the floors of the Upper Tower." "Which floor?" The old man replied with a yful face. "That''s a secret." I couldn''t sense anything from him. It was hard to tell if that yful face was truly yful or just a facade. He seemed like an ordinary old man, but also like a cunning master. "Do you also want to ask me about the demon realm, old man?" "Please stop calling me old man. No, wait. Now that I hear it, it''s quite a friendly expression, I like it. But why would I ask you about the demon realm?" "Then what?" "I heard there''s a traditional mage who uses incantations these days. I was so curious that I came here. You have quite an intense presence." Suddenly, memories of Hector and Parin shed through my mind. They had definitely said that the White Magic Tower was very interested in incantations. "Please visit the White Magic Tower sometime." I asked the old man who was staring at me intently, "If I go, can you open the restricted sections of the library for me?" The old man shook his head with a smile. "Even I can''t do that. The rule is that the library is open to everyone fairly. umte contribution points. 500,000 points for the 4th floor, 1 million points for the 5th floor." "Then there''s no need for us to have a conversation." "Still, please visit sometime." "Why?" The old man nodded. "I''d like to talk about incantation magic." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 170: The Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 170: The Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower (2) After the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad left, Agouro cautiously gauged Mahon Sirius''s mood, feeling as if he were walking on thin ice. Despite his usual boldness in speaking his mind even to his superiors, Agouro couldn''t afford to do so now. Who was the person before him? A Magic Schr leading the world of magic, one of the three Floor Guardians residing in the highest tower of the White Magic Tower, the pinnacle of all Magic Towers. Mahon Sirius, the man standing before him, had likely never in his life encountered such disrespectful remarks as those uttered by the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad. "..." The silence stretched on. Though Mahon maintained a yful smile amidst the quiet atmosphere, Agouro couldn''t rx his tense shoulders. Mahon slowly met Agouro''s gaze. "Official Agouro." His voice was devoid of any emotional inflection. Agouro gulped and replied, "Yes, Tower Head." "I heard the magic sphere broke?" "Yes. Yes?" Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Agouro reflexively echoed the words. However, he quickly realized his blunder and continued, "Ah, that''s right. Ruin Samael, who just left..." Mahon lightly patted Agouro''s shoulder and said, "Are you nervous, by any chance?" "...No, sir." A yful smile bloomed on Mahon''s face once more. "Then why are you so flustered? Just be yourself. I already know that the Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad broke the magic sphere. Did you check it?" "Yes. I personally visited the property team a few days ago." Agouro briefly wondered how Mahon knew about the broken magic sphere, but then he thought it was natural for a Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower to be aware of such things. "It''s very rare for a magic sphere to break. Were there any unusual findings?" Agouro shook his head. "There were no signs of exceeding the threshold." "Did you use a detection device?" "Yes. I also found that part questionable, so I used a detection device. Strangely, only low-grade mana, the kind found in those eligible for low-level entry permits, was detected. It seems likely that the magic sphere was faulty..." Mahon interrupted Agouro. "You might not know because you''ve only been in the Administrative Office, but it couldn''t have been faulty." "Would you like to check it yourself?" "No need. If you''ve used a detection device, then it''s certain." Thud¡ª As Mahon headed out the door, his enigmatic murmur barely reached Agouro''s ears. "This is interesting... Could it be that the lineage of Mages has reappeared after all this time?" *** After leaving the Alliance headquarters, I contemted returning to my temporary lodging but decided to stop by Hote''s tavern. "Brother Ruin, would you like a bottle of moonshine?" "Thank you." I poured the moonshine Hote gave me into a ss and reflected on the events that had just transpired. ''Mahon Sirius...'' He was an elusive old man. Usually, after exchanging a few words, you get a feel for someone, but this old man was different. I couldn''t grasp his true intentions at all. No matter how much I looked, there was no trace of him having formed a Circle or a Core. However, something felt subtly off. A Floor Guardian of the Upper Tower. A Magic Schr of the White Magic Tower. First, Hector mentioned him, and then I heard about him from Parin.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As I reminisced, I suddenly remembered what that crazy bald guy from Khaoto had said. What was it again? He definitely mentioned something about the Baekga''s mental barrier and showed hostility towards the White Magic Tower. What was certain was that the old man named Mahon seemed to know something. ¡ªI''d like to talk about incantation magic. His tone, his manner of speaking, his gaze. He wasn''t speaking carelessly. The White Magic Tower existed 300 years ago and is the only Magic Tower that still stands today. There had to be a reason why he said such a thing to me. "Brother Ruin, try some of this." "Huh?" Hote suddenly appeared with a te piled high with something deep-fried. I picked one up with my hand and took a bite. With a crunch, a savory, juicy vor filled my mouth. "Is this fried chicken?" "That''s right. How is it?" "Delicious." I immediately took a swig of moonshine and said, "It would be amazing if you teamed up with Brother Donkey." "Who''s that?" "A man who dreams of bing the best chef on the continent." Hote''s eyes widened as he asked, "Oh, there''s someone like that?" "There is. From what I''ve seen, it''s definitely possible. He''s just not well-known yet." "I''d love to meet him, too." I shook my head. "He''s in Khaoto, in the eastern part of the continent. It''ll be difficult to meet him." "Is that your hometown, Brother Ruin?" "It is." "Then let''s go on a trip there sometime. I''m also very interested in cooking." After finishing myst drink, I casually replied, "If you two opened a restaurant together, you''d do well." "Would you like another bottle of moonshine?" "No. I''m going." I left the tavern and headed to my temporary lodging. As I walked, I organized my thoughts about the old man from the White Magic Tower. Mahon Sirius. I was willing to meet him again, but I had no intention of being submissive. As soon as I returned to my temporary lodging, my subordinates, who were meditating in the courtyard, opened their eyes wide and looked at me. Perhaps due to the effects of the Ascending Dragon Elixir, the flow of mana blooming around them was noticeably denser. I said to my subordinates, "Time to go hunting, you fools." *** The day before the high-level demon realm opened. After arriving at the regr branch andpleting the simple registration process for the Level 1 demon realm, I gathered with my subordinates at avish inn in the heart of the city. "High contribution points are really something." Zion gave a satisfied smile from the spacious room''s bedding, which could easily amodate fifteen people without feeling cramped. Indeed, achieving a two-digit ranking made a difference in how we were treated. Not only was the senior administrator of the regr branch exceptionally courteous, but the registration process was alsopleted in mere seconds. The inn we were staying at was also provided free of charge by the regr branch. Although we had more time than expected, I didn''t n to do anything else today. I ordered my fools to rest for once, instead of training. The next day, after a good night''s sleep, I woke up early and headed to the regr branch. The senior administrator was already there to greet me. "Head straight towards the barrier with the White Magic Tower in view." I nced at someone who greeted me and saw it was the rookie administrator, Bao. It seemed he had been transferred after Porter was dismissed, and his expression was quite bright. "Be careful, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad. No tricks this time!" I responded briefly and slowly headed towards the western barrier, noticing the sky gradually darkening. "It''s a bit gloomy." "It''s getting darker." I thought it might be because of the barrier. Unlike the translucent barrier of the eastern district, the color of the barrier became more pronounced as we moved westward. As we walked for a while, we started encountering other figures, and at some point, we came across an area with a considerable crowd. "We''re here." Arge branch of the Alliance was established at the entrance of the barrier. In front of it were various groups waiting to enter the demon realm. Throughout the vast open space, temporary barracks with the gs of various families and mercenary groups were set up. Among them were emblems I recognized. On one side, I also saw mages from the Red Magic Tower. "Amazing. It seems like everyone has been training here. It looks like a good ce for running as well." Makan said, examining the traces of battles left in various ces. "It does seem like a good ce to eat, sleep, and train." Zion responded. "Why the hell are they training here? Is it for show?" Arin replied, "People often prepare for high-level demon realms well in advance." I also looked around and nodded. "They set up their base in front of the barrier, train, and wait for the demon realm to appear. It''s a good way to prepare in advance." There were quite a few people, but not all of them seemed to be waiting to enter. It was as if spectators had flocked to the news of the high-level demon realm opening. At that moment, Zion narrowed his eyes and looked at a certain spot. "There''s another guy with a mask." "What?" I wondered if that punk Haengsu hade, but there were people wearingpletely different kinds of masks. "Why are there masked guys everywhere we go?" It was closer to a face covering than a mask. It seemed like they were wearing it to hide their origins. After observing the surroundings and assessing the number of people for a while, I happened to look towards the White Magic Tower. A white skyscraper soaring through the clouds and reaching the end of the sky. And the barrier extending from the skyscraper. Within the barrier, which was almost the color of dirt, I could see a small, shimmering gap. ''That''s it.'' The demon realm mentioned in Kant''s report. "Ahem. It''s a restricted demon realm." Turning my head at the sound of the voice, I saw an unexpected person standing there. "Chano?" Why was he suddenly here? Chano, who kept clearing his throat with an embarrassed face, finally spoke, "I apologize." "Where were you? I couldn''t find you." Chano replied with a flushed face, "After that day, I was too ashamed to hold my head up high. I''m the leader of a mercenary group, but I apologize for showing such a pathetic side." Zion looked at Chano with disapproval. "Hmm." Chano met Zion''s eyes. "I''m sorry. Samael''s investor." Zion''s expression suddenly softened as he looked at Chano. "That''s right, I''m the investor. It''s okay, Brother Chano. It''s alright to run away. It''s actually the right thing to do when things aren''t going your way." "..." "I mean it." Makan patted his chest and looked at Chano. "That''s right. No need to hang your head. It''smendable that you came back. The courage to be ashamed is also a great courage." Chano replied with a touched expression, "Thank you all." As I silently looked back towards the barrier of the White Magic Tower, Chano spoke as if he had been waiting for this moment. "...It''s a demon realm more dangerous than a special-grade one. It''s a demon realm that the White Magic Tower officially dered off-limits. It''s been open for a while. After the dispatched investigation team waspletely wiped out, the White Magic Tower blocked it off with a barrier. I heard it''s an incredibly powerful barrier, on par with the one in the northernmost part of the continent. Where did I hear this, you ask? Well, I heard it when I was with the LA mercenary group, and..." A group from the Alliance was walking towards us from the direction of the regr branch. The man at the forefront was the head of the regr branch, the red-bearded mage from the Red Magic Tower I had seen before. At the same time, the Ki of the groups waiting in twos and threes in the open space changed. "It seems like it''s about to start." The head of the regr branch stopped in front of the demon realm. Meanwhile, the groups about to enter gathered in the center with solemn expressions. After receiving the final report from the investigation team leader and checking the barrier, the branch head nodded and raised his hand high. "Entry is permitted. Those registered on the list, pleasee forward one by one." This time, I was the first to pass through the barrier. After the identity verification process and presenting my entry permit, I stepped inside. Once again, I was greeted by an ash-gray sky. At the entrance of the tomb in front of me, a dark ck crack swirled. At first nce, it didn''t seem much different from a low-level demon realm. "Commander, why the long face?" But as we got closer, I could instinctively feel it. A burning sensation as if a mark was being etched onto my heart. Here, it was clear. The presence of demonic energy could be felt. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 171: Hexens Tomb [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 171: Hexen''s Tomb I''m certain. Even without examining it closely, my body is reacting instinctively at this very moment. The memory, vividly imprinted in my mind as if branded there, is unmistakable. Observing my expression, Zion''s lips curled into a smile. "I have a feeling something interesting is about to happen. Could it be what we''re thinking?" When I nodded in affirmation, my subordinates erupted in simultaneous exmations. "Finally, we get to see a monster or something like that!" One wasughing, another was excited, one seemed frightened, another appeared indifferent, and yet another looked hungry. Their expressions were diverse, but their eyes held a simr gleam. "Let''s go in." Swoosh¡ª As we entered the demon realm, the familiar sight of a dark cavity at the entrance greeted us. Three diverging paths extended from this cavity. While I was assessing the demonic energy, the other groups had already made their way inside. Some were still gathered in the cavity, while others seemed to have already ventured into the branching paths. A quick nce gave me a rough estimate of the situation. Confident ns had entered alone, while the rest, seemingly evenly matched, nned to move together in groups. "Have you arrived?" Chano, the leader of the Life Mercenary Group, who was mingling with other mercenary groups, approached us. "We''re nning to move together. What are your intentions?" "We''ll go separately." At that moment, a man I hadn''t seen before, standing amidst a group of mercenaries, shouted in our direction. "It would be wise for the Crazy Mage Squad to join us!" "We''re fine." "You never know what variables might arise. Traveling together could be mutually beneficial. For your information, the contribution points for Heaven-rank monsters are insane. Even if we cooperate to take down just one, the allocated contribution points will be substantial." Zion responded on my behalf. "Are you hard of hearing?" As soon as the man''s grumbling reached our ears, Chano shouted. "Enough, Fulham. That''s a shameless request." Chano looked at me again, as if in understanding. "I had a feeling you''d say that. With your skills, you''re certainly capable of it. Even based on contribution points alone, everyone remaining here is in the 10,000 to 20,000 range." While I was surveying the diverging paths, Chano''s nosiness kicked in. "The Parmaus n has taken the left path, the Yellow Magic Tower and the Sansul Mercenary Corps are in the middle, and the Dior n and the mages from the Red Magic Tower have entered the right path. We n to slowly enter the left path with our vanguard first. If there are any monsters left behind by the Parmaus n, our vanguard will assess them first, and if they seem manageable, we''ll join forces to take them down." "...." "Personally, even if you don''t join us, I rmend the left path. This Level 1 demon realm is ''Hexen''s Tomb.'' I heard from El... Where are you going? Listen to what I have to say!" *** As soon as we entered the right path, a repulsive stench washed over us. I lit a fire in the pitch-ck darkness. A slimy green fluid was smeared across the walls, enclosing us on both sides. My subordinates grimaced simultaneously. "What is that smell?" "It''s the stench of orcs." I knew a lot about high-level demon realms. Most of the reports Kant had given me were dedicated to them. So far, five main types of Level 1 demon realms have been discovered. The one that has appeared now is one of them. ''Hexen''s Tomb.'' This type of demon realm was named after the knight ''Hexen'' who killed the demi-human monster possessing a core when this form of demon realm was first discovered. "So, demi-human monsters will appear then?" It seems Zion has also done some research in Ken. I replied to him, "There''s a high probability it will be orcs."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Among the demi-human monsters, only orcs have green bodily fluids and a disgusting fleshy smell. As we proceeded with the fire lit, the stench gradually intensified. Arin, covering her nose, remarked, "I don''t think ordinary orcs will appear." Zion responded, "Maybe those Orc Warriors will show up." I shook my head and replied, "Something even stronger than that will appear." Ordinary orcs don''t even qualify as high-ranking monsters, but it''s a different story when ites to the warrior ss. Orc Warrior is a low-ranking monster. Orc Great Warrior is a Heaven-rank monster. Since it''s a Level 1 demon realm, at the very least, Heaven-rank monsters will appear. "I''m starting to get a sense of them." The disgusting bodily fluids were gradually mixed with a faint smell of blood. Simultaneously, the sound of weapons shing came from ahead. sh¡ª Exchanging nces with my sharp subordinates, we immediately kicked off the ground. A horde of green monsters came into view. Two men with swords were struggling to fend off the orc horde''s attacks. Among them, one orc, wielding an axe in each hand, dripping with blood, was particrlyrge. He was a head taller than Makan. "It''s an Orc Warrior." Crackle¡ª As soon as an ordinary orc, directly hit by Arin''s released electric current, copsed with a thud, the horde, led by the Orc Warrior, turned to look at us. "Growl!" At the same time, with a Thud¡ª, Makan leaped. With a single stride, Makan reached the Orc Warrior and thrust his spear. The moment the Orc Warrior crossed his axes to defend, Makan''s arm swelled as if it were about to burst with surging mana. ng¡ª! Thud¡ª! The Orc Warrior was pierced, along with his axes. Makan''s spear thrust had prated both the Orc Warrior''s axes and his head at once. As if that wasn''t enough, the spearhead, still overflowing with power, was vibrating with a Brrr¡ª. Instant death. This was achieved without even him opening his mana circle, solely relying on his physical strength utilizing his mana core. ''This guy is growing like a monster.'' While the orcs, having lost their leader, were in disarray, They were swept away in an instant, unable to offer any resistance to the magic unleashed by my subordinates. "... What?" The two men, who had been struggling with the fight, stared at each other in bewilderment at the sudden turn of events and finally let out a sigh of relief. "...Phew." Finally regaining theirposure, the men looked towards us. "Thank you. Are you the Crazy Mage Squad?" Zion replied, "That''s right. Where are the others?" "The Red Magic Tower and the Dior n passed by earlier. We were following behind them, but we were suddenly ambushed..." "Where do you belong?" "Ah, we don''t have an affiliation." From a rough observation, they seemed like those who follow behind, aiming to pick up scraps. They were trying to increase their contribution points by being opportunistic. "Tsk." Zion, also noticing this fact, turned his attention away from the men. We picked up our pace, leaving the men behind. As the slimy bodily fluids grew thicker in front of us, Zion muttered, "Maybe we should have split up at the crossroads from the beginning. We could have just swept all three paths ourselves." Zion suddenly looked at me. "What do you think?" "Excellent. Even now, you can go back and take another path." "Damn it. So that''s a no, huh." It''s not that I hadn''t considered that. However, there''s no guarantee that only Heaven-rank monsters will appear. Mutated species could emerge, or even a disaster-rank monster like the ''Orc King'' could appear. That''s also the reason why I didn''t divide the Crazy Mage Squad at the crossroads. Two 5-star knights of vassal n level are needed to handle a Heaven-rank monster. Two 6-star knights of vassal n level are needed to handle a disaster-level monster. In my judgement, each member of the Crazy Mage Squad can handle Heaven-rank monsters without any problems on their own, but it would be dangerous if a disaster-rank monster were to appear. Furthermore, now that we''ve discovered traces of demonic energy, another variable, like that weasel-like monster, could suddenly pop out. "Hmm." Since Zion seemed dissatisfied, I added a word. "We''re all going to meet anyway. Wait." Hexen''s Tomb. The structure is simple. The three diverging paths eventually lead to one ce, the heart of the tomb. Unless a variable appears, the monster with the demon realm''s core will be there. The right path I chose has many high-ranking monsters, but it''s the shortest route to the heart of the tomb. "Let''s increase our speed." I focused wind pressure on the tips of my toes and kicked off the ground. Now, I barely feel like I''m touching the ground even when I kick off it. It''s like I''m subtly floating in the air. My transcendent movement technique, grass serpent, has advanced to another level. But with good things, bad things alsoe. "This is strange." Could it be that Kant deceived me? Even after proceeding for a long time, there''s no trace of the others. "Captain. There''s nothing here at all, is there?" Zion is right. ording to Kant''s report, high-ranking monsters appear on average in the right path. If those who entered before us had encountered even a few Orc Warriors, we should have caught up with them by now. "Stop for a moment." I asked my subordinates, "Anyone feeling anything strange?" I asked just in case, but no one answered. Helplessly, we continued in the same direction for a long time, but there was still no change. ''We''ve almost reached the center, and we haven''t encountered a single monster so far?'' There''s no way we wouldn''t have caught up with them otherwise. While I was feeling uneasy, I suddenly stared straight ahead. Whoosh¡ª Sparks flew in the distance, and my vision shed. A momentter, a disgusting stench and the smell of blood, strong enough to numb my nose, surged in like a wave. As if on cue, my subordinates and I ran forward simultaneously. Thud¡ª At the end of the diverging path, the heart of the tomb appeared. The mages of the Red Magic Tower and the knights of the Dior n were scattered about. However, what really caught my eye was... "Huh? What are you doing here?" I haven''t seen Arin''s emotions so openly disyed recently. Arin''s eyes were wide as she stared at the two men. Taylor, ir, and Cliff next to them. The three men, their faces pale,y on the ground, gasping for breath. Meanwhile, ir looked at Arin and with difficulty, spoke. "...Damn it, we''ve been had." Why the three of them are here is a question forter. I quickly assessed the situation. The mages and knights were covered in blood. Traces of explosions and ''barriers'' breaking were evident. I looked at Taylor, ir, and Cliff in turn. It seemed that the three of them had pushed their mana to the limit and deployed a barrier to protect the others. "Captain." "This is strange-nya." "I don''t see any monsters." It was at that moment that Taylor, raising his head, red at me. He strained to lift his finger, even in his exhausted state. "Over there, you idiot!" Taylor''s finger pointed towards a spot. An artificial crack ran squarely across the blocked wall. I immediately opened all the circles of my heart and started an incantation as I ran. Fwoosh¡ª! The crack waspletely torn inward, revealing another space. In the center of it, a giant orc was staring at me. "A Great Warrior?" A Heaven-rank monster. An Orc Great Warrior. "...." I immediately sensed something was wrong. The Great Warrior''s heart was pierced, and only the whites of his eyes remained. And a little further behind him. "Hey." "...." "Who are you?" A man who was slowly exiting from the other side stopped walking. He slowly turned around to face me. He was wearing a mask, so I couldn''t recognize him. It was the masked man I had seen before entering the barrier. My heart pounded. The demon realm''s core was in the man''s grasp. The energy of the demon realm was clearly writhing within it. "Let''s talk, after you put that down." At that moment, I decided to unmask any masked individuals I encounter in the future. The masked man suddenly started running away in the opposite direction. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 172: Special Grade Demon Realm (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 172: Special Grade Demon Realm (1) A man was fleeing without hesitation toward a narrow passage. He moved as if he knew every nook and cranny of the demon realm. I kicked off the ground and shouted, ¡°Hey, stop!¡± The eyes that peered through the mask he wore a moment ago seemed familiar. He wasn''t some young punk from the Socialist Party. The fleeing man''s footwork was quite bizarre, too. A boisterous movement that made it seem like he had two bodies. ''Quickness, Haste.'' I focused wind pressure on the tips of my feet to increase my speed. The low ceiling made it awkward to use levitation magic. An extreme eleration was added to my body as I ran with superhuman speed. At the same time, incantations manifested by my subordinates grazed my head, aiming for the man''s back. Fwhooooosh¡ª! Earth, fire, wind, light, lightning. The man''s movement momentarily faltered at the attack where the five childish magic spells gathered into one, emitting a colorful light. It was at that moment, without missing the gap, that I tried to grab the back of the man''s neck. Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation around my waist. Ominous. As soon as I wrapped my body with wind des and spun, a ting¡ª sound resonated as the hidden weapon released by the man bounced off. Just before the startled man regained his posture and ran away again, faster than him, I swept the man''s chest with my right hand and created some distance. An ominous demonic energy wriggled from the core of the demon realm he grasped in his hand. Thud¡ª Finally, the man stopped and looked back at me. ¡°Finally stopped, huh. Take off your mask.¡± ¡°...Insolent.¡± There was no sign of bewilderment in the man''s voice. After ncing at me and my fools, the man suddenly looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Looking away during battle? You''re third-rate.¡± Only then did the man look at my hand and reply, ¡°If you bring it now, I won''t kill you.¡± I asked the man, ¡°What were you going to do with this?¡± The man muttered as if annoyed, ¡°Should have just killed you back then.¡± As his voice trailed off, the man''s body blurred. The moment the man disappeared with an afterimage, a volley of hidden weapons poured down from close range. As soon as my subordinates and I stepped back simultaneously, the volley of hidden weapons stuck to the floor, and a sticky yellow smoke billowed out. Fwoosh¡ª! Then, as the acrid smoke obscured my vision, the man, appearing in mid-air once again with an afterimage, leaped towards me, holding something. A strange hand axe flew towards me as if to split my forehead, along with a surging mana wave. This guy. I know who he is. The only ones who use poison techniques and such bizarre cavalry techniques together are¡­ ¡°Are you one of Bellusia¡¯s?¡± ng¡ª! Makan¡¯s spear strike deflected the hand axe. Simultaneously, I opened my Circles and chanted a lightning-type incantation. Fwhooooosh¡ª! Surprised by the unexpected attack, the man hurriedly retreated and looked at me. I asked during the brief lull, ¡°What is your rtionship with Parin?¡± For a fleeting moment, bewildered emotions flickered in the man¡¯s eyes. I kicked off the ground and leaped towards him. Whiiiiing¡ª Three Circles rotating in reverse. Swift and decisive. I deliberately aimed for the man¡¯s legs with my right hand, which was dyed in darkness. It was then. Rumble¡ª! Suddenly, the ceiling vibrated crazily. ¡°What is it?¡± Cracks appeared on the ceiling with a crack¡ª sound. For a moment, I thought the demon realm had ended, but the ensuing copsing sounds indicated otherwise. My concentration wavered, and the dark lightning missed the man¡¯s legs by a slight margin. Swoooosh¡ª The man looked down at the ground beneath his feet, which had been directly hit by the dark lightning, and let out a gasp. At the same time, a roaring sound was heard. Crash¡ª! The ceiling copsed, and all sorts of debris began to pour down to the ground. The man, as if he had decided something, jumped into the air, stepping on the copsing debris. Magic manifested by my subordinates once again enveloped the man. ¡°Watch your heads, you fools!¡± While warning my subordinates, I also leaped into the air. It was strange. The ceiling was only five to six meters high. But even after soaring high into the air, the debris continued to pour down. It felt as if the sky itself was copsing. I looked at the back of the man who continued to leap higher into the sky, stepping on the debris without a moment''s hesitation. That guy knows the cause of this situation. ¡°Number 7? Number 6? Number 5?¡± The moment the man¡¯s back, which had been leaping, faltered slightly, I realized this guy was one of the guys I was looking for. ¡°What number are you?¡± The distance between us quickly closed as the man¡¯s stride slowed. Once again, I aimed the dark lightning at the man¡¯s left leg and unleashed it. Bang¡ª! A direct hit. The leg was cleanly severed, drawing a clear arc, and disappearedpletely below the thigh. I grabbed the neck of the man who was staggering with a painful groan. As soon as I took off his mask in mid-air, a familiar face was revealed. ¡°It was you.¡± A direct descendant of Bellusia. The one recognized as the next head of the n. It was him. ¡°...Ugh, what are you?¡± Even in the midst of all this, I felt the man¡¯s arm I was holding go limp¡­ I immediately turned my head to the left. Whoosh¡ª A whistling sound grazed my ear. As soon as the yellow smoke billowed out, I held my breath for a moment. A hidden weapon coated with deadly poison. Crash¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± Suddenly, with a scream, the weight of the man I was holding felt heavy. In that very moment when I turned my head to the left, a stone fragment the size of my forearm fell from the sky and struck the man¡¯s neck directly. With a snap¡ª as his neck broke, the man went limp. ¡°Damn it.¡± I quickly grabbed the man and descended to the ground. Meanwhile, my subordinates surrounded me and the man, defending against the falling debris. Makan thrust his spear into the ground, sending the resulting pile of rocks flying into the air, and Arin directly struck the falling debris with bolts of electricity. Zion stirred up wind pressure, while Ain and Iron unfolded barriers. In the meantime, I checked the man¡¯s condition by cing my hand on his neck. Dead. Damn it, his neck bone waspletely broken. There¡¯s no way to save him. For now, I focused on what was happening. As the debris continued to pour down, Arin calmly said, ¡°It seems like a forced opening.¡± I¡¯ve heard of it before. However, it didn¡¯t seem like a forced opening. There¡¯s no way the debris would pour down like this for so long, as if a hole had been punched in the sky. Zion, who was blocking the debris with wind pressure, cursed and asked, ¡°What should we do, Commander?¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I looked up at the sky for a moment. The falling debris was gradually decreasing. Just as I felt the ashen sky, visible through the gaping hole in the ceiling, was gradually being dyed with an earthy color¡­ I suddenly burst outughing. A chilling sensation swept over my entire body. ¡°Everyone, gather around.¡± It was at that moment that the entire surrounding scenery changed. The walls, the ground, the path ¨C all the structures that made up the ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb¡¯ demon realm disappeared, revealing the scenery outside. The spectators who were outside the barrier, and the members of the regr branch, were shouting something and running towards us. The regr branch manager clearly had a look of shock on his face. ¡°Commander?¡± ¡°Has the demon realm ended?¡± I shook my head at my subordinates¡¯ questions. That can¡¯t be. I can¡¯t hear their shouts. It feels like we¡¯re looking outside from within. Suddenly, all directions were dyed ck, swallowing some of the running spectators. Boooom¡ª! With a roar, the scenery changed once again. ***N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Wh-What?!¡± ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± The ce was packed with people covered in blood. It was a scene of utter chaos. I looked around with a calm gaze. What appeared as the scenery shifted was a circr cavity. It wasn¡¯t just a change of scenery; it was as if we had been moved to apletely different ce. ¡®A magic circle?¡¯ The figures around me were all those who had entered the ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb¡¯ with me. Many were severely injured, their body parts crushed or severed by the endlessly falling debris. Everyone had a certain level of mana core, but the problem was that many were already exhausted from the depths of Hexen¡¯s Tomb. Because of that, many couldn¡¯t react properly. Zion whispered softly, ¡°Commander, do you know what this is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m figuring it out.¡± I looked down at the ck mask in my hand. Did this guy know something? ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like a forced opening.¡± I put the mask in my pocket and looked around again. Palge was moving around, manifesting light attribute magic, but there was a limit to what he could do. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± ¡°S-Save me! What¡¯s going on?!¡± Everyone was looking at each other with a mixture of confusion and fear in their eyes. Looking around, I saw that Chano was there, along with the families who had entered earlier, members of the Red Magic Tower, and Taylor, ir, and Cliff. As the chaotic situation continued, Taylor gritted his teeth and shouted with a pale face, ¡°...It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s going to copse any further. For now, let¡¯s gather the injured in one ce. Those who can¡¯t move, please speak up. Those who are fine, let¡¯s help them.¡± At Taylor¡¯s words, those who had regained theirposure began to help the injured. Once the situation calmed down a bit, Taylor looked around and shouted, ¡°Does anyone know what¡¯s going on right now?¡± While no one answered, Chano replied, breathing heavily. His right arm was mangled. ¡°...I don¡¯t know what happened, but I think I know where we are. It seems like we¡¯ve returned to the entrance of Hexen¡¯s Tomb. It¡¯s simr to the cavity at the entrance.¡± As the others looked around, they began to agree with Chano, one by one, with sighs of relief. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s simr.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Hexen¡¯s Tomb, then at least that¡¯s a relief. We can breathe a sigh of relief for now.¡± Taylor shook his head. ¡°It might not be. We need to keep the possibility open. We don¡¯t know when the ceiling might copse again or something strange might happen. Rather than just waiting blindly, it would be better to organize a vanguard and go explore¡­¡± Suddenly, a knight with a greatsword strapped to his side interrupted Taylor. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea. It¡¯s better to wait for now. I¡¯ve been to many Level 1 demon realms, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this. The Alliance is probably aware of it.¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about this. We need to figure out where we are first.¡± The knight looked at Taylor¡¯s attire and asked, ¡°Are you a mage? You seem to be from the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the Samael n.¡± ¡°How many times have you been in a Level 1 demon realm?¡± ¡°...This is my first time.¡± The knight snorted and said, ¡°I am the heir of the Parmaus n. This is already my fourth time in a Level 1 realm. I will take control, so please wait for now.¡± Taylor looked around with an anxious gaze. He had a lingering feeling of uneasiness. ¡°No, this doesn¡¯t feel right. For now, let¡¯s do as I say.¡± The knight suddenly raised his voice as if to reprimand him. ¡°Do you know how many lives are at stake here?! A mage¡¯s intuition is hard to trust. Don¡¯t cause confusion and let everyone rest.¡± *** ¡°Did that idiot just insult mages?¡± I stopped my fools from stepping forward for a moment. Until then, I continued to stare at the walls of the circr cavity. Faint traces of mana flickered on the ck walls. Moreover, the circr staircase leading to the upper level through a passage on one side indicated that this ce waspletely different from ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb.¡¯ ¡°Hey! Are you trying to pick a fight?!¡± Suddenly, a growing shout pierced my ears, and I looked straight ahead. Taylor and the knight with the greatsword were confronting each other. Chano was in the middle, waving his hands repeatedly. ¡°Stop it, stop it. Just let it go. You should be patient. Why is the Parmaus heir so agitated? What this side is saying makes sense.¡± ¡°You need to know when to step up and when not to. Especially as a mage.¡± At that moment, at my gesture, my fools all stepped forward together. ¡°Hey, knight.¡± At Zion¡¯s voice, the eyes of all the knights gathered in the cavity focused on him. "You, you punk." The heir of Parmaus, who was being pointed at, asked with a dumbfounded expression, "Are you talking to me?" ¡°Why are you insulting mages? You arrogant fool.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± I stepped forward. ¡°This is getting out of hand. Stop it and gather around, everyone.¡± Zion grumbled and stood behind me. The heir of Parmaus pointed at me this time. ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°I am the Crazy Mage Squad Commander of Samael. They are the Crazy Mage Squad. But that''s not important. Gather around. I have a bad feeling about this.¡± ¡°You''re from Samael too? Why do all you mages keep saying you have a bad feeling¡­ How dare you!¡± Zion sent a wind de flying at the heir of Parmaus, who tried to defend himself with his sword. However, he lost his grip on the sword due to the unexpectedly strong wind pressure. ¡°...What?¡± The moment the heir looked at Zion with a bewildered face, I approached from his blind spot, shot him in the forehead with a slingshot. Thwack¡ª! ¡°Ugh!¡± The heir of Parmaus copsed to the floor. As the other knights of the Parmaus n, who were watching, jumped to their feet, I shook my head. ¡°Don¡¯t mess around and just gather around. And don¡¯t stick to the walls.¡± Suddenly, I turned my head and looked around. A circr wall blocked the view at 180 degrees. ¡­Where is it? Thud¡ª The sound of someone copsing. As soon as I turned my head to the left, screams erupted from where the injured were gathered. ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± At the same time, an ominous feeling spread to everyone. ng¡ª Something round bounced into the air and fell to the ground with a thud. The cleanly severed upper part of a neck. Chano, recognizing the face, grabbed his own face and shouted, ¡°A-Andersen? What happened?!¡± Someone who was the first to recognize the giant figure appearing from the left wall shouted as if possessed, ¡°A Great Warrior?¡± Simultaneously, giant figures of monsters flickered from all directions ¨C left, right, and front. The heir of Parmaus, with a suffocating look on his face, unconsciously muttered, ¡°...Sp-Special grade demon realm.¡± [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 173: Special Grade Demon Realm (2) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 173: Special Grade Demon Realm (2) Dark figures flickered from all the walls ¨C left, right, front, back, without distinction. I first red at the left side where the screams hade from. A blood-stained, fiercely sharp axe de slowly emerged from beyond the wall. It appeared as if it were crossing over from apletely different subspace. A calf as thick as an adult¡¯s torso. Then, a monster, easily twice the size of Makan, revealed its massive form and roared. ¡°Krrr¡­¡­!¡± Just before the monster¡¯s blood-stained axe de swung down to split the head of another injured man¡­ A slight sense of doubt filled the monster¡¯s eyes as it felt the sudden emptiness in its wrist. sh¡ª Only when a fountain of green blood gushed from its severed forearm did the monster scream. ¡°Kraaaaagh¡­¡­!¡± The scream stopped. I had severed the monster¡¯s arm with a wind de and then smashed its head with a shock-type incantation. All the Circles in my heart were already rotating. Thud¡ª The massive body fell diagonally, raising a huge cloud of dust.N?v(el)B\\jnn Simultaneously, monsters began to appear from all directions at once. ¡°Sp-Special grade demon realm¡­¡­!¡± None of the orcs appearing from all directions were ordinary. They were the same size as the one we had seen in the depths of ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb¡¯ before. Great Warriors, high-ranking monsters. ¡°Great Warriors! R-Run!¡± Chaos. Hardly anyone could keep theirposure. None of the people here had ever been in a special-grade demon realm, but everyone knew that what was happening now couldn¡¯t ur in a Level 1 demon realm. If high-ranking monsters appeared in such numbers from the very beginning¡­ There could only be one exnation. A special-grade demon realm. The pressure of the fear of annihtion caused everyone, mages and knights alike, to freeze. The heir of the Parmaus n also managed to raise his sword, but his body kept trembling. A typical reaction of those who had never experienced a life-or-death battle. Observing the situation, I said, ¡°Scatter.¡± My subordinates nodded simultaneously and dispersed in all directions. I also ran towards the two Great Warriors appearing from the front. Efficiency-wise, it would be more effective to gather them and deal with them all at once, but¡­ ¡®That¡¯s not possible.¡¯ There were too many people to manifest wide-range offensive magic. It was also burdensome to use dark lightning or dark explosions. People could get caught in the crossfire. In the end, there was no choice but to deal with them one by one. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Screams continued to ring out amidst the chaos. Several knights of the Parmaus n barely managed to defend against one Great Warrior, and the situation on the other side was simr. A Great Warrior required at least two 5-star knights from a vassal n to handle. If it were a Divine n level, one knight from Balthar or a mage from Samael who had reached the 4-Circle extreme could handle it. But, except for the Crazy Mage Squad, there''s no one like that here. "Kraaaaagh!" Utter chaos. Thanks to the Crazy Mage Squad'' efforts, the number of Great Warriors was decreasing, but the screams continued. The cavity was too narrow, and the people and monsters were too entangled. Only after a few more minutes did the screams slowly die down. Just as I felt the situation wasing under control¡­ After smashing the head of one Great Warrior, I suddenly turned my head to the right. Right behind where the knights of the Parmaus n were tangled with a Great Warrior. A dark axe shimmered on the wall. Following that, a Great Warrior with ck eyes appeared, breaking through the wall. ''A demonic creature.'' Crash¡ª "Gah!" "Young Master!" The heir of Parmaus quickly raised his sword and struck, but¡­ Both his sword and neck were cut simultaneously by the dark axe swung down by the demonic creature. "No! Young Master!" "...A mutant?" I kicked off the ground and flew towards the demonic creature, chanting the Shock Wave incantation at its head. Crack¡ª The moment the dark axe shattered and I grabbed the demonic creature''s head¡­ I had no choice but to look at the other side once again. Where the injured were gathered. Another monstrous figure shimmered from behind them. Another demonic creature had appeared. Damn it, the distance was too far. "Crazy Mage Squad!" Unfortunately, all my subordinates were each engaged with a Great Warrior, so there was no time. It was the moment when the demonic creature that had appeared through the wall swung its giant axe towards the injured. Fwhoosh¡ª! ir and Cliff, despite being exhausted, forcibly raised their mana and blocked the attack once. But they couldn''t do more than that. "Kraaaaagh!" As the roaring demonic creature''s axe shimmered with ck demonic energy and was about to strike again¡­ Fwhooooosh¡ª! A burst of light erupted. As soon as the light shed, the demonic creature that was swinging the axe was thrown back and rolled across the floor. A translucent barrier surrounded the injured. "..." I smashed the head of the monster I was holding and slowly headed towards the injured. The barrier disappeared in an instant, but I saw it clearly. Clumsy, but definite. "...Huff, huff." Taylor copsed with a pale face. ck blood continuously flowed from his mouth. That''s right. He was the one who manifested it. 6-star, Reflection Shield. While I was looking down at Taylor, Crazy Mage Squad members, who had beheaded thest remaining demonic creature, approached. There were no more signs of Great Warriors appearing. *** Light shimmered continuously around the unconscious Taylor. Palge, who had cast several incantations in session, let out a sigh with an exhausted face. A momentter, Taylor, who had opened his eyes with a pale face, uttered his first words. ¡°...The people?¡± Taylor looked around urgently and then staggered, clutching his head. ¡°Formation!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Taylor, who had shaken off ir¡¯s hasty support, breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming that all the monsters had disappeared. Then, after ncing at each of the Crazy Mage Squad and checking the traces left on the corpses of the exploded monsters, he met my eyes and asked, ¡°R Ruin, is that you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You foolish bastard.¡± I looked down at him for a moment with mixed feelings. It was evident that core magicgged behind incantations, but Taylor¡¯s talent, which had taken a step forward in the meantime, was still surprising to see. Althoughcking, he had definitely taken a step into the 6-star mana core. But what was even more absurd was his stubbornness. Was he trying to prove his words that he would walk his own path? He used the most un-Samael-like magic, but perhaps he was the most Samael-like of all. I looked around and said, ¡°For now, there are no signs of the monsters reappearing.¡± The initial ominous feeling had disappeared. Those who had potions were treating the injured, and the Crazy Mage Squad members were gathering the dead and wounded in one ce. The situation was calming down, but my heart was not. There were too many casualties. Screams and cries were heard from everywhere. ¡°Ander¡­!!!¡± Chano was crying out, holding someone¡¯s body in his arms. I calmed my heart and observed the situation. The circr cavity was still dark. This couldn¡¯t be the end. I looked at Taylor. ¡°You take care of this ce. You¡¯re the only one who can.¡± Taylor looked back at me. Our eyes met for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m going to try and figure out what the hell is going on here. You guard this ce.¡± I needed someone to stay with the injured. Taylor looked at me with a surprised expression for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Be careful, Ruin.¡± Taylor got up and walked among the people, quickly taking control of the situation. ir and Cliff assisted him. Meanwhile, I gathered Crazy Mage Squad. ¡°We need to move.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Commander.¡± ¡°But where do we go, nya?¡± A dark passage on one side, and a circr staircase beyond it. That was the only way. ¡°Follow me.¡± As soon as we entered the passage, we stopped in front of the circr staircase that nted upwards. Thud¡ª It was too narrow to pass through all at once. ¡°Zion, you have good intuition, so take the lead. I¡¯ll take the rear.¡± We lined up and slowly climbed the stairs. Nothing could be heard except our breathing and footsteps. ¡°If you feel anything strange, tell me immediately.¡± It was dark all around, but¡­ There was still no ominous feeling. What in the world was going on? We cleared a Level 1 demon realm, and another one appeared. A double demon realm? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing. High-ranking monsters and demonic creatures attacking from the entrance. Could this simply be considered a special-grade demon realm? Screech¡ª The moment we stopped at the sudden noise, Zion whispered from above, ¡°Damn it, why is it so slippery?¡± Ssh¡ª Ssh¡ª The stairs gradually became slippery, as if filled with water. Drip¡ª Drip¡ª Water drops were falling from the ceiling one by one. It was still dark all around. It was quiet as a mouse, but we couldn¡¯t let our guard down. This wasn¡¯t a natural phenomenon. I put my hand in my pocket and briefly grasped the ck mask. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The direct descendant of the Bellusia n, the one who died in the depths of ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb,¡¯ definitely knew something about what was happening now. Even after climbing the circr staircase for a long time, there was still no end in sight. As we continued to move vertically, I suddenly stopped and looked at one spot. The wall diagonally to the left. A fine crack running vertically in the darkness. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The moment I focused my eyes¡­ I felt the depth of the crack be more pronounced than before. At the same time, Zion shouted from above, ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°Jump!¡± With a crack¡ª sound, the wall was torn vertically, and a giant axe de appeared, grazing past us like a pendulum. Crash¡ª! The stairs, directly hit by the axe de, were half destroyed and began to crumble. ¡°Jump!¡± I elerated and leaped upwards with superhuman speed. As soon as I looked back, the axe de disappeared into the wall. Crack¡ª! Simultaneously, an axe de appearing from the opposite wall grazed past Zion, who was at the front, shattering the stairs above. ¡°Step on it and climb!¡± Crash¡ª! Using levitation magic and the fragments of the floating stairs as footholds, we quickly ascended. Looking up, I could see the end of the stairs not far away. Makan, who was the first to climb up, was flung backward with a thud¡ª sound. ¡°What?¡± ¡®Expansion, Wind Expansion.¡¯ I wrapped Makan in wind pressure and sent him back up. At the same time, the moment I reached the next floor, bouncing off the fragmented debris as footholds¡­ Two axe des flew at me as if to crush my body. Whiiiiing¡ª 3-Circle, Reverse Rotation. Dark Lightning. I concentrated dark lightning in my right hand and thrust it forward. Swoooosh¡ª ¡°Commander.¡± The Crazy Mage Squad, whonded beside me one by one, looked straight ahead with serious expressions. The monster reacted at the very moment the dark lightning exploded. A disgusting smell wafted towards us. The axe de in its hand was a massive size, easily over two meters long, but¡­ The monster itself was no different in size from an adult male. The orc¡¯s right hand, grazed by the dark lightning, was still moving. An Orc King. A disaster-rank monster. Apletely different opponent from ordinary orcs. The Orc King, directly hit by the dark lightning, looked at us with wary eyes. ¡°¡­¡± But what caught my attention more than that was¡­ Behind the Orc King, another circr staircase spiraling upwards. Zion¡¯s voice, who was thest to climb up beside me, reached my ears. ¡°What the hell is that guy? He smells awful. And¡­ Damn it, it¡¯s not even a tower, why is there another staircase?¡± I was about to tell him to shut up, but I nodded, realizing his expression was urate. The endlessly rising circr staircase looked as if it were inside an old tower structure. ¡®Wait a minute. Tower?¡¯ Suddenly, an ominous feeling washed over me, and a memory shed through my mind like lightning. [Number 7, meet the Clown at the tower.] [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 174: Special Grade Demon Realm (3) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 174: Special Grade Demon Realm (3) Lost in thought for a moment, a faint sound of footsteps subtly tickled my ears. Thud¡ª Straight ahead, about 30 meters away. The ground deeply caved in, and the Orc King was flung back at a merciless speed. With a thud¡ª sound, a massive pile of rocks and dust erupted from behind the Orc King. Before I could even register it, a merciless double-edged axe descended like a judgment upon Makan¡¯s head. However, spear energy materialized on the tip of Makan¡¯s spear. Simultaneously, the spear de was dyed gold and its strength increased by Makan¡¯s incantation with an open Circle. ng¡ª! A deafening roar erupted as the axe and spear shed. The Orc King¡¯s axe, which was cleaving down from the air, gradually pushed back Makan¡¯s spear de. Creak¡ª Makan was pushed back three steps, his arm muscles bulging as if about to burst. Just as the Crazy Mage Squad were gathering towards Makan¡­ The Orc King suddenly leaped into the air,pletely defying inertia. It was a feint from the start. ¡°Iron, to your right!¡± The moment Iron heard my shout from the opposite side of Makan, he quickly chanted without any hesitation. 4-Circle, Point Barrier. As soon as a minimized, high-strength barrier formed on the right side of Iron¡¯s face¡­ Crackle¡ª! The giant axe de tore through the barrier like paper and struck down towards Iron¡¯s face. That split second was enough. Dark lightning exploded on the Orc King¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Krrr¡­¡­!¡± The Orc King, hastily retreating, looked down at his axe de, which was half gone. In the meantime, it had switched to a defensive stance and blocked the exploding dark lightning on its face with its wrist and axe de. I also looked at the Orc King. Both wrists, directly hit by the dark lightning, were ckened and tattered, but still moving. ¡°¡­!¡± A brief lull ensued. Zion looked at the Orc King with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°That¡¯s an Orc King? What a crazy bastard.¡± It wasn¡¯t a demonic creature. A pure disaster-rank monster. As I had heard, it was iparable to a high-ranking monster. This was the first time in my life I had seen a monster withstand two direct hits from dark lightning. It was burning with fighting spirit, its face ferocious. It was said that two 6-star knights from a vassal n were needed to handle it. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Moreover, unlike ordinary orcs, this one wasn¡¯t just physically strong. It had focused our attention on Makan and targeted Iron, who had the slowest reaction time, trying to weaken our forces. It was a cunning creature. A tricky opponent even among disaster-rank monsters. It was clear that if we fought this creature head-on, it would be difficult for anyone except Makan, Arin, and Palge tost even a few minutes. ¡°Krrr¡­¡­!¡± Makan burned with fighting spirit as the Orc King ferociously roared and scanned its surroundings. ¡°A strong opponent. I will also give it my all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time for that.¡± I blocked Makan¡¯s path. ¡°Save your fighting spirit forter. Let¡¯s finish this guy quickly.¡± The circr staircase behind the Orc King kept catching my eye. There''s no telling what might be beyond it. The tower, Parin¡¯s secret letter, the direct descendant of the Bellusia n. It could be true, or it could be false. Whatever it was, one thing was certain: this demon realm was not normal. ¡°Everyone attack together and draw its attention. I¡¯ll finish it in one blow.¡± At my signal, the Crazy Mage Squad all charged at the Orc King simultaneously. Whoosh¡ª! Fire and wind surged, distracting the Orc King. Palge¡¯s incantation shed with light, limiting its vision. Crackle¡ª! In the meantime, a powerful electric current struck down on the Orc King¡¯s head. Makan¡¯s spear de, appearing through the light, aimed straight for its heart. ng¡ª At the same time, the Crazy Mage Squad¡¯ attacks were deflected. ¡°Sigh. Everyone get out of the way.¡± The Orc King only took a defensive stance with its axe de, focusing all its attention on me. In this case, diversions were useless. Whiiiiing¡ª While the Crazy Mage Squad retreated, I opened all the Circles in my heart and gathered wind pressure in my fist. The Orc King, as if sensing that the situation would only end if it killed me, pointed its half-broken axe de straight at me. Thud¡ª! I dug my toes deep into the ground. A crouch for a single leap. ¡°Towards the unbroken cliff face¡­¡± In line with my chant, a powerful energy began to swirl around the Orc King¡¯s axe de. ¡°An unwavering fighting spirit.¡± 5-Circle shock type, Shock Wave. Thud¡ª! The Orc King and I charged towards each other simultaneously. My fist glowed yellow as the materialized earth attribute mana condensed. I thrust my fist straight towards the Orc King¡¯s axe de. Fwhooooosh¡ª! Indeed, a monstrous creature. The Orc King¡¯s axe de gradually pierced through the shock wave surrounding my fist and dug into my skin. ¡°You idiot Commander!¡± Zion was the first to rush towards me, shouting urgently. The difference between the past me and the current me¡­ Was that I wasn¡¯t limited to using magic from just one dimension. I had already practiced countless times for this kind of moment. It was just a matter of making it look natural. Just before a cruel delight appeared in the Orc King¡¯s eyes¡­ ck lightning erupted within the fading Shock Wave. The dark lightning that I had kept within the shock-type incantation revealed itself. Noticing this, the Orc King hurriedly withdrew its axe and retreated, but it was already toote. A shock-type incantation that strikes the opponent''s body to inflict internal shock. The moment the shock wave of the Shock Wave grazed the Orc King''s upper body, the dark lightning contained within it struck the Orc King''s heart through its body. There was no sound of impact. Thud¡ª! Only the sound of the Orc King copsing could be heard. Zion, who had stopped running, shouted in surprise, ¡°Wh-what?¡± It happened in an instant, so none of the Crazy Mage Squad could grasp what had urred. Arin, looking down at the fallen Orc King, muttered, ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°It died from one punch?¡± Zion looked at me as if demanding an exnation. "It''s a new technique." "And that is...?" Since it was an important question, I decided I owed him an answer. I had a few names prepared for situations like this. First option: a name reflecting how only I could use it. "How about The Crazy Mage''s Secret Punch?" "...." Judging from their expressions, that wasn''t it. Next idea: something to represent the fusion of yin dimensional mana and natural mana. The harmony of yin and yang. "How about Yin-Yang Strike?" "...." That wasn''t it either. ¡°Actually, it has a different real name.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Hidden Strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very good.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else. Let¡¯s go with Hidden Strength.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Somehow annoyed, I flicked Zion¡¯s forehead with the slingshot and looked at the circr staircase at the end of the passage. ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Take this.¡± Arin, who was searching the body, found the dark double-edged axe stuck behind the Orc King¡¯s back and handed it to me. As soon as I scratched the surface with a red dagger, sparks flew. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon.¡± Its strength wasparable to Hundred-Year Cold Iron. It was smaller than I thought. Small enough to be worn on my waist. *** Leaving the Orc King¡¯s corpse behind, we entered the circr staircase. This time, I led the way to the upper level. The passage was narrow, and it was still dark all around. As we climbed the spiral staircase that stretched vertically upwards, doubts grew stronger in my mind. ¡®The more I look at it, the more it really seems like a tower.¡¯ Ssh¡ª The floor became muddy as we climbed the stairs. Raindrops began to fall again, one or two at a time. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re almost there.¡± Drip¡ª Drip¡ª The intervals between the sounds of water drops falling from the ceiling were getting shorter and shorter. It meant that we were not far from the top. I continued to climb the stairs while examining the walls, but there were still no signs of anything unusual. My vision grew darker and darker. I refrained from using any magic to keep my senses as sharp as possible, but it was a different story when my vision waspletely obscured. Whoosh¡ª As soon as I lit a fire, I sensed something strange. ¡°Huh?¡± The Crazy Mage Squad also each cast fireballs, and let out exmations of surprise. There was no wind, and no water had been sshed on them. Whoosh¡ª The same thing happened. As soon as they lit up, they went out. ¡°Stop.¡± The Crazy Mage Squad at the rear stopped simultaneously. Looking left and right, I could no longer see even an inch ahead. My entire vision was engulfed in darkness. I was a man who could adapt even to darkness, but now even that didn¡¯t work in thisplete darkness. Even when I turned around, I could only sense the presence of the Crazy Mage Squad; I couldn¡¯t see them with my eyes. It was then. Whoosh¡ª As soon as I nodded, a sharp sensation grazed my ear.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Ugh!¡± At the same time, Ain¡¯s scream was heard. ¡°Fatty!¡± ¡°The brilliance that covers the waves, Light Area.¡± 4-Circle light attribute Magic, Light Area. The moment the light burst forth and my vision briefly cleared¡­ A figure, its entire body dyed in darkness, brushed past Ain and disappeared into the wall. Zion muttered with a bewildered face, ¡°A monster?¡± No. That wasn¡¯t a monster. A figure of darkness that thrived in the realm of darkness. I knew exactly what that figure was. ¡®The ck-d Tribe.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a Dark Elf. We have to deal with them using our senses.¡± ¡°What?¡± A threatparable to giants as a single species. Aside from demons, they were the ones who posed the greatest threat to humanity. Could it be that even the cunning ck-d Tribe had been turned into demonic creatures? Palge¡¯s light quickly faded away. At the same time, darkness enveloped everything. Strictly speaking, they wereparable to high-ranking monsters, but in the darkness, their threat was multiplied several times over. However¡­ In fact, this situation wasn¡¯t bad for me either. ¡°Everyone, get down.¡± Whiiiiing¡ª Four Circles rotating in reverse. I could sense the bloodlust moving swiftly from all directions. Originally, the ck-d Tribe relied on their senses to fight, but I had no intention of doing that. 4-Circle Reverse Rotation. Multiple Dark Lightning. Swoooosh¡ª! A wave of dark lightning fired indiscriminately towards the front. I couldn¡¯t even tell where I was shooting, blinded by theplete darkness. If you don¡¯t know where something is, you just have to shoot everywhere, right? A scream stretched out from somewhere, and then suddenly the darkness lifted. ¡°¡­¡± There was no sign of the Dark Elf¡¯s body. It seemed it had been directly hit by the dark lightning and didn¡¯t even leave a corpse behind. The moment the stairs ended and the top floor came into view, I suddenly stared intently at the wall to the left. A strange sensation as if my vision was being distorted. As soon as I reached out my hand towards the wall¡­ My body was sucked into the wall as if someone was pulling me from inside. ¡°Commmaanderrrr!¡± The Crazy Mage Squad¡¯ shouts stretched out and then faded away. Even when I knocked on the wall again, the same phenomenon didn¡¯t ur. It was as if I was trapped in apletely different space once again. I was about to cast dark lightning, but then I brought my ear close to the wall. The voices, presence, and senses of the Crazy Mage Squad. I couldn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°¡­¡± Drip¡ª Drip¡ª Raindrops fell one by one. It didn¡¯t seem like I had moved to apletely different ce. Looking to the left, I saw a sloped passageway, justrge enough for one person to pass through. Perhaps, another passage inside the tower. I wasn¡¯t surprised. Ever since we were transported here from ¡®Hexen¡¯s Tomb,¡¯ there had been many strange things happening. I was worried about the Crazy Mage Squad, but there was no other way. I had to press forward. As I continued to climb the passage, the slope became steeper. There was no ominous feeling. There were no signs of monsters, the ck-d Tribe, or anything else strange. Finally, reaching the end of the almost 90-degree slope, I arrived at the top of the tower. And there was a small door. ¡°¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but sometimes I had a hunch. I couldn¡¯t exin it, but there were times when I just knew something in my heart. I rummaged through my pocket and put on the mask that the direct descendant of Bellusia had been wearing, then opened the door. I deliberately didn¡¯t use Magnus¡¯ illusion. I didn¡¯t know what was inside. If it was a high-level opponent, I might be caught as soon as I entered. Creak¡ª Gray smoke billowed out like fog. The interior was quite dark and spacious, with arge window on one side. A figure with a cigarette in its mouth was looking out the window, exhaling gray smoke. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 175: The Frenzy of Orcus [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 175: The Frenzy of Orcus It''s the author. I felt it instinctively. The culprit who created this messed up situation was right there. The smoke was too thick.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om I couldn''t tell if it was a man or a woman. A figure, gazing out the window while inhaling from a long pipe, exhaled ash-gray smoke. "You''rete." Just one sentence, but I''ve never heard such a bizarre voice in my entire life. It sounded like a man''s voice, but also like a woman''s. If I had to pinpoint it, it was like a man''s voice that hadn''t gone through puberty. However, there was a turbidity mixed in, making it difficult to guess their age. A raspy voice, like scraping metal. Somehow, it also had a yful tone to it. "I''m not ming you. It''s understandable, considering you managed to lure in the ck Star. It must be on the lowest floor, right?" "..." The more I listened, the more I wanted to scratch my ears; it was that irritating. By the way, does this bastard think I''m scared shitless and that''s why I''m not answering? The figure took another deep drag from the pipe and exhaled the smoke. "...The item?" As if it were the most natural thing to do, I took out the Core from my pocket and ced it on the table beside the man. The figure, who had been looking out the window, slowly turned around and looked down at the core on the table. Only then did I get my first proper look at the figure''s face. They were wearing a white half-mask that covered everything above their jawline. I realized instinctively. ''It''s not a clown.'' If the code name ''Clown'' referred to the type of mask... That mask wasn''t a clown mask. While the figure was preupied with the demonic energy emanating from the core, I quickly surveyed the room. It was dark outside the window. A mana sphere ced on one side of the table, a mirror hanging on the wall, other masks scattered on the floor. The figure nodded with a satisfied look. "Good. If we draw in the ck Star, the Divine n will be in turmoil too. Huhu. The Gathering will be more interesting. All that painstaking preparation was worth it." Still chuckling to themselves and muttering cryptic words, the figure suddenly looked at me. "I need to give you a push too. A low-ranking seat wouldn''t be fitting, would it?" Looking at them head-on, the figure''s lower face seemed strangely unnatural. "Don''t you think so?" I couldn''t avoid answering anymore. I had to respond to this question. But what should I say? I haven''t been in this kind of situation before. How did that Bellusia bastard''s voice sound? I answered in the lowest voice I could manage. "Yes. Thank you." "..." Was that wrong? Bizarre. Why was the figure''s mouth so unnaturally twisted? I felt like I needed to say something else, so I tried this: "I apologize." The figure turned their head back to the window. Without a word, they inhaled from the long pipe and exhaled the smoke. Their back looked strangely lonely, and I suddenly started to feel irritated. Sigh¡ª I apologized, but theypletely ignored me... "This disrespectful bastard." "Hmm?" "Eh?" Something felt off, so I tilted my head in confusion, then realized my mistake. Lost in thought, I had unknowingly spoken my mind out loud. "..." The figure looked at me through the mirror on the wall. Our eyes met in the mirror. The figure unnaturally twitched their lower face and asked, "Who are you?" "I''m 5001." "What?" "Who are you?" Drip¡ª Drip¡ª Suddenly, water droplets started falling from the ceiling. There was no turning back now. I seized the opportunity and asked what I was curious about. "So the leak wasing from here. What''s the ck Star? And is the Gathering referring to the Information Gathering?" The figure, still looking in the mirror, asked back, "How did you find this ce?" "Number 7 told me." "That''s impossible." To confuse them, I added another line. "I heard the ''Summoning'' will begin soon." At my casual remark, the figure faltered. Tilting their head, the figure grotesquely lifted the corners of their mouth and said, "...The Clown has betrayed me." They seemed to be misunderstanding something, so I feigned surprise and replied, "...How did you know?" "Ha." While the figure sighed, I gathered wind pressure at the tips of my toes. With the Silent Steps technique muffling my footsteps, I slid towards the mirror. Finally noticing my intention, the figure raised their voice for the first time. "You?" Simultaneously, the Dark Lightning I manifested struck the mirror. Surprisingly, the mirror rippled with a soft impact and then instantly melted. The transparent liquid soaked the floor and disappeared without a trace. Just as I expected. Rojekko, the Divine Relic of the ''ck n''. The Divine Relic of the ck n, annihted by Samael in the past, had reappeared here. I immediately lunged at the figure and grabbed their neck. Crack¡ª Their neck snapped with no resistance, like grabbing at straws. "As expected, a fake." Damn it, no wonder their movements were unnatural. As soon as I tore off the half-mask covering the upper part of their face, a doll-like human face carved out of wood was revealed. In an instant, the corners of the mouth of the puppet with the ripped-out neck rose unnaturally, and a grotesqueugh erupted. "Kheheheheehehe." p¡ª I pped it. The life drained from its eyes, as if its soul had escaped. "Fuckingughing at me." This bastard''s main body is somewhere else. Rojekko. A Divine Relic consisting of five mirrors. A Divine Relic simr to, yet different from, the Luminous of the Shadow n. The main body must be watching me through Rojekko from apletely different space. Drip¡ª Drip, drip¡ª Suddenly, the water droplets falling from the ceiling started falling faster. Shwaaaaa¡ª! As soon as I looked up, raindrops started to fall like a drizzle. I picked up the Demon Realm''s Core left on the table, and suddenly, I felt my body shake. The ground shook as if there was an earthquake, and at the same time, the ceiling of the tower copsed, and rain poured down like a waterfall. Creeeak¡ª! The moment I felt cracks appearing in the ground. Arge fissure appeared even faster, and my body sank downwards. Crack¡ª! The tower was copsing. KwaKwaKwaKwaKwaKwaKwaKwa¡ª! The passage I hade through, the spiral staircase, all copsed at once, and I fell into the dark abyss, mixed with debris. ''Overload, Point Gravity.'' I immediately used gravity magic on my body, and at the same time, I stepped on the falling debris and deliberately jumped harder downwards. "...That Half-masked bastard." It was designed to copse from the beginning. The intention was to kill everyone who entered this ce after taking the ck Star. There was no time to continue thinking. Crack¡ª All the structures of the tower, which had been divided into disconnected spaces, were destroyed at once. The surrounding scenery changed rapidly. I saw the passage where I had killed the former king. I saw the broken ax of the former king spinning and falling. KwaKwaKwaKwaKwaKwaKwa¡ª! Then, the moment the entrance cavity came into view. "What the?" Taylor and the rest of the people I had left at the entrance were nowhere to be seen. Even the ground at the entrance was shattered and open. Only severed limbs and blood sttered on the walls remained. It was ominous. Faaaat¡ª The moment I quickly crossed the ground of the entrance and went underground. With a feeling of the field of vision widening, the scenerypletely changed. "..." Thud¡ª A vast wastnd. As soon as Inded on the ground, I looked up at the sky. There was no trace of the copsing tower. Instead, what was revealed were ash-gray storm cloudspletely covering the open sky. "..." I hadn''t moved to a different space. A magic circle. It was the same location from the beginning. Only the environment had changed. Shwaaaaaaa¡ª As soon as I felt the raindrops pouring from the sky soaking my skin, screams came from all directions. "Kyaaaaaaaaaaaak!" "S-Save me!" The people who were left at the entrance were here. Suddenly, I pulled out the Red Dagger from my waist and swung it to the left. With a Boo-waaaak¡ª sound, an Orc warrior''s head was separated from its body. I looked ahead. The Crazy Mage Squad was confronting the warriors who were constantly pushing in from one side. Behind them, Taylor, with a pale face, was casting a barrier around the injured, and the mages and knights who were still able to fight joined forces. But there were too many monsters. The disgusting smell and stench of blood permeated the air, and the limbs of the wounded flew through the air, severed by axes. Shwaaaaa¡ª! The pouring raindrops soaked the bloodstains, and pools of blood began to form. "Crazy Mage Squad!" I shouted as I ran towards the idiots, but none of them looked back. Among the warriors, I saw one particrly small individual. The Orc King. There was another disaster-rank monster. Kwaaaaaaaaaang¡ª! The de of Makan''s spear waspletely chipped. From time to time, the idiots were casting magic on the Orc King, but it wasn''t working. Their bodies were already covered in blood. Wheeeeeng¡ª As soon as I rotated the circle in the reverse direction and gathered my fist, the Orc King, who had been pushing Makan, turned its head and looked at me. Thud¡ª! The Orc King copsed in an instant. I removed my hand from the Orc King''s body, and looked at the squad members. No words were needed. As soon as the Orc King, which had been restricting their movements, disappeared, the squad members mercilessly crushed the heads of the warriors, turning the tide of the battle. Shwaaaaaaaaa¡ª! I looked up at the rainy sky. Aguro had definitely said it. Strange phenomena were appearing in the Demon Realm. Monsters that shouldn''t appear were appearing. The frequency of mutated species was increasing. I''ve already seen it several times myself. This couldn''t be a coincidence. It was artificial intervention from the beginning. A magic circle installed in this Demon Realm, for annihtion. There''s only one way to break it by force. Whoosh¡ª! I also wrapped mes and wind around both hands and started crushing the monsters'' heads. As the number of monsters gradually decreased and the screams of people subsided, I suddenly kicked off the ground and charged towards Zion. "Crouch!" I blocked Zion''s front and unleashed Dark Lightning forward. Paaaaaaaaaang¡ª! A tremendous pressure from the front disrupted the Dark Lightning and lifted me up. Booong¡ª! I flew through the air for a long time and then crashed to the ground. "Kugh!" I felt like all the blood in my body was flowing backward, and my insides were churning. The earthen-colored spear de, embedded upside down in the ground in front of me, was vibrating with a burr¡ª sound. "Ruin!" Taylor, who had been maintaining the barrier, rushed over, and almost simultaneously, Palge arrived, roaring and starting to chant a light attribute spell. I raised my hand to stop them both. "Don''te!" I stared intently at one spot. An Orc King emerged from among the warriors. And right behind it, a massive presence emerged. An Orc twice the size of the Orc Warriors,parable to a giant. That''s the one. Holding a jet-ck spear of the same size as the one embedded in front of me in its right hand, it surveyed the crowd. "Orcus of Frenzy." Someone muttered in a trembling voice. "A Unique Monster..." A monster with a unique name, only three of which have been discovered across all the Demon Realms. The moment of hope that had briefly bloomed turned back into the fear of despair for everyone. I opened all the circles in my heart in reverse. I met its eyes. Wheeeeeng¡ª! I leaped the moment the raindrops grazing my eyes touched the ground. A twisting, squeezing pain. Was it because I pushed myself too hard in a short period? A bloody smell rose. Suppressing the suffocating pressure, I unleashed the concentrated darkness that bloomed from my fingertips. 4th Circle, Reverse Incantation (Ò×…â). Dark Explosion. The moment the front waspletely dyed in darkness, The monster''s spear strike cut across the center of the Dark Explosion. Paaaaaaaaaang¡ª! The shockwave shook my chest, and I was pushed back. An overwhelmingly powerful shock. Just as I was about to crash into the ground, Taylor activated his shield and caught me. "Kugh." "Ruin!" Orcus, frowning for a moment, looked at me with a curious expression. Following that, in Orcus''s eyes, fixed on his spear with its frontpletely ckened, there was only a slight admiration. "Ruin! Don''t move!" Meanwhile, the idiots, covered in blood, continued their attacks, desperately trying to crush the heads of the Orc Warriors and the Orc King. Taylor, who had caught me with his shield, also joined the Crazy Mage Squad, drawing a hand sign. "We have to kill that bastard!" ir and Cliff also ran out, shouting. Watching them, the Red Magic Tower, the Yellow Magic Tower, and other injured knights also ran out. Chano, who had been holding someone''s corpse and crying, also got up. And Orcus, the Unique Monster, watching all this, raised his jet-ck spear high in the sky. A massive amount of energy began to gather at the tip of the spear. "Don''t do it." My voice didn''te out well. "Ah, fuck. Don''t do it." Shwaaa¡ª Beeeee¡ª The sound of the rain started to sound like tinnitus. The smell of blood rose. Rainwater kept getting in my eyes, and every time I blinked, my vision shed red. An energy of the same type as the knights¡¯ Qi surged from the monster''s spear de. Thump¡ª. Once again, I rotated the circle in my heart in reverse. One, two, three, four.... Wheeeeeng¡ª. Five. I no longer felt any pain. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 176: Dark Heavenly Thunder [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 176: Dark Heavenly Thunder I reached out towards the rain-soaked sky. The location was directly above Orcus''s head. Focusing on that single point, I concentrated mana. Yin dimensional mana from the five circles gathered, threatening to burst. A small ck spot suddenly appeared in the sky. Countless Dark Lightning strikes, concentrated andyered upon a single point. Orcus, who was about to strike the Crazy Mage Squad and the White Horse Knight with his spear, paused. He lifted his head towards the rainy sky. Spear Qi soared high above his spear. The same Spear Qi as that of knights who had reached 7 stars. With a single spear strike, he couldpletely turn the tide of the battle, but Orcus did not swing his spear. Instead, he began to stare intently at the single point in the sky. A sense of confusion filled his eyes. Saaaaaa¡ª! His growing bewilderment slowly shifted towards its source. Finally, when his eyes met mine, Orcus''s red pupils suddenly widened. The direction of the Spear Qi soaring above his spear shifted towards his head. The Spear Qi surged vertically towards the ck spot in the sky. Simultaneously, I unleashed thepleted spell. This was magic solely for killing.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Yin dimensional mana. 5th Circle Reverse Incantation, Dark Heavenly Thunder. The fully concentrated ck spot exploded in a momentary upheaval. Paaaang¡ª! The waves of Dark Lightning, woven from countless strands, converged into a single ck thunderbolt and struck down on Orcus''s head. A tremendous roar echoed as the Spear Qi and the thunderbolt shed in an instant. KukuKukuKuKung¡ª! A shockwave erupted, scattering raindrops like a waterfall in all directions. Monsters, knights, and mages alike were thrown back. Pzzzt¡ª! A momentary sh, and then shock filled Orcus''s eyes. But that emotion was fleeting. The ck thunderboltpletely split the center of the Spear Qi and struck his head directly, as if to cleave it in two. Crack¡ª! The ck thunderbolt split Orcus vertically from head to toe in an instant, and then burrowed deep into the ground. "..." Magic Tower Alliance ssification: Unssified species. A higher entity that cannot be ssified as a disaster-rank monster. One of the monsters with a unique name that has appeared only three times in the history of the Demon Realm. Orcus of Frenzy. Countermeasures: Undetermined. An entity requiring a knight who has reached at least the superhuman level. The Unique Monster, Orcus, was dead. "Kugh." ck blood trickled from my mouth. Only then did I feel the pain in my heart. A pain as if someone was tightly gripping my heart with their hand. I couldn''t breathe properly. Beeeee¡ª! The sound of the rain still rang in my ears like tinnitus. "Ruin!" Taylor, ir, and Cliff ran towards me simultaneously. Palge cast a light attribute spell and poured it into my heart. "Not yet." The eyes of the Crazy Mage Squad, who had crushed the Orc King''s head, were still filled with madness. They knew it too. That it wasn''t over yet. I looked up at the sky. Rainwater poured down like a waterfall. The Demon Realm''s Core hadn''t appeared. There was still no sign of the magic circle breaking. "...!" Suddenly, I felt a subtle tremor. The ground started to shake. Beeeeeeeee¡ª! The rain began to pour down like a waterfall, so much so that I couldn''t even see Taylor''s face in front of me. And then, as if an earthquake had struck, the groundpletely split open and copsed. * * * The surrounding scenery changed once again. There were more people here. The scene I had briefly witnessed when the ''Hexen''s Tomb'' copsed. The spectators and members of the Alliance who were entering from outside the barrier. Those who had been swept away by the Demon Realm were now here. Beeeeee¡ª! The sloping surface of a vast teau with rain pouring down like a waterfall. I knew instinctively. This was it. This was the lowest floor that the Half-masked bastard had mentioned. Perhaps this was what the hellish realm looked like. The thick smell of blood emanating from countless corpses. The ''ck n'' pouring down from the teau like a flood. Each one of themparable to a heaven-rank monster or higher. The Alliance mages and a few dispatched knights were struggling to hold on, but they were clearly outmatched. There was no fear in the eyes of the monsters. ...No, these weren''t the ck n I knew. The eyes of all of them werepletely ck. They had all been turned into demonic beings. As if it were the most natural thing to do, the idiots charged forward. They should have copsed long ago after the sh with the Orc King, but the instincts ingrained in their bodies drove them on. There was no hesitation in their eyes. The Crazy Mage Squad. 5th Circle mana began to bloom from the tip of Makan''s spear first. I also ran out. I felt someone grab my wrist, but I forcibly shook them off. I moved in a straight line, driven by instinct, breaking through everything that obstructed my path. Beeeeee¡ª! The ringing in my ears continued. Suddenly, my eyes fell on a corpse lying to my left. A man copsed with a hole in his chest. A red beard, and a glimpse of a crimson pattern on his clothes. It was a familiar face. I lifted my head and looked up the slope of the teau. At the very top of the teau, A figure stood with arms crossed,ughing. A human with their face concealed by a gray mask. ...No, it had a human-like form, but it wasn''t human. My heart boiled with rage. I grabbed my ears with both hands and ripped at them. Although the rain was pouring down, soaking my face, I could no longer hear the ringing. ck fangs were revealed between my lips. A demon. I rotated all the circles in my heart in reverse. Wheeeeeeng¡ª ck lightning concentrated into a single point above the demon''s head. Yin dimensional mana. Just before I unleashed the lightning concentrated in the ck spot in the sky, A sudden, explosive pain surged through my heart. "Keugh!" I covered my mouth with both hands. ck blood poured out, flowing over my palms. My body couldn''t hold on any longer. At that moment, three humans sprang out from beneath the ground where I was standing. Demonic Soul Humans exploding forth. With a feeling of my body floating up into the air¡ª Booong¡ª I was flung backward. "..." I crashed onto the ground where the groaning injured and the most corpses were gathered. Kwaang¡ª! As soon as I tried to rotate the circles in my heart in reverse, ck blood gushed out once more. "Kugh!" I had reached my limit. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t get up. I tried to exhale, but I couldn''t. All I could see was the rainy sky. I turned my head. My eyes met with the man lying next to me. Why the hell was this idiot lying here like this? Suddenly, one of the approaching ''ck n'' thrust a ck dagger towards Haengsu'' neck. I reached out instinctively. Crack¡ª! The dagger pierced through my wrist instead of Haengsu'' neck. The ''ck n'' member turned their head and thrust the dagger towards my neck. Crack¡ª! The dagger plunged into Chano''s chest instead, as he threw himself on top of me. Chano screamed, but I could only see his mouth move. I couldn''t hear his voice at all. Just as the ck n member was about to thrust the dagger again, Their head exploded. It was Taylor. "..." I managed to turn my head and look around. The squad members were nearby. They were lying on the slope of the teau, those who had advanced to the front lines, swept away by the explosion just like me. Some of them were severely injured by the Demonic Soul Human''s self-destruction. Every one of them was covered in blood. Those crouching, those copsed, those vomiting blood. All of them were dying in their own way, muttering something with their mouths and reaching out with their clenched fists towards the sky. I looked at Chano again. Why did he do this? Was this another act of his misced goodwill? Chano, impaled through the chest, was trying to say something. I still couldn''t hear his voice. I pped my ear. I wanted to hear him. I really wanted to hear him. Shwaaaaaaa¡ª! The pouring rain reached my ears. Chano coughed up blood and continued speaking. "...Thank you for helping me. Andersen died in my ce. I didn''t want to hide anymore. I have a confession to make. You see... I was never actually in the LA mercenary group." "..." As I pushed myself up from the ground, Taylor grabbed my wrist. "Let go." I met Taylor''s eyes as he stubbornly held onto my wrist. Taylor shook his head. "Don''t go." "Bullshit." Suddenly, Taylor looked at Haengsu. Then his gaze fell on my wrist, pierced by the dagger, and then back to me. "...You stay here. You need to stay here more than me." Taylor''s eyes held a different expression than before. After a long moment of eye contact, Taylor suddenly bowed his head. "Please. Just this once, yield." "..." "Young Master." Taylor looked at ir and Cliff, then pointed at me. "Escort the Young Master." Taylor immediately turned his back and started walking towards the higher ground of the teau. This too was Samael''s will. Countless demonic beings were still pouring down the slope. In the meantime, the number of Alliance members and dispatched knights had noticeably decreased once again. I saw a man. Closest to the demon. Perhaps it was because the rain was pouring down so heavily. It was only now, with my limited vision, that I noticed him. A man wielding a sword, surrounded by countless demonic beings. He wasn''t able to advance forward, but he wasn''t being pushed back either against the overwhelming number of enemies. The dark longsword he wielded seemed familiar. "Haa¡ª!" I exhaled the rough breath that had built up in my lungs. I looked up at the pouring sky. Once again, I couldn''t hear the sound of the rain. The blood flowing from Chano''s chest mixed with sweat, staining my hand crimson. The red blood flowing from the countless injured and dead bodies mixed with the rainwater. My vision was dyed red. This moment, this crimsonndscape surrounding me, created by the corpses drenched in sweat and blood, wasn''t the past, but the present. The Crazy Mage Squad and the White Horse Knight were engaged in a desperate struggle beneath the teau. "Remember the crimson rain." Wheeeeng¡ª I opened the circle. The powerful image engraved in my mind rotated the circle in my heart in the forward direction. I no longer felt any pain. Looking beyond the teau, I rose to my feet. The fallen Crazy Mage Squad members looked at me simultaneously, as did ir and Cliff. I started walking. I passed Taylor, who was walking ahead. He hurriedly grabbed my wrist and was about to shout something, but then he suddenly started staring at me intently. I continued to look beyond the teau. The countless corpses covering the teau, the sea of blood created by the rainwater flowing over them. "Even if I perish today, atop this mountain of blood." I remember that day. This wasn''t a funeral march mourning the past. It was a marching song advancing towards the present. Wheeeeeng¡ª One, two, three, four,... five.... The mana in the atmosphere, spread widely all around, condensed richly around me. A circle formed as the mana flowing through my heart reached saturation. ...Six. Remembering their backs, I recited thest verse. "I shall advance without fail." 6th Circle, Bard''s Song. The Song of Samael. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 177: The Bard’s Song (3/3) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 177: The Bard¡¯s Song (3/3) [TL/N: Peak Chap] The pungent scent of blood. The first thing that caught my eye was the ck Scales g, nted upside down on the slope of the teau. As soon as I tried to get up, a sharp pain pierced through my heart. Lying on the ground, I spat out the rainwater that kept flowing into my mouth. "Cough." ¡­What am I doing here right now? The first thought that alwayses to mind when I''m freed from madness. What day is it? I can''t remember anymore. "Rest, Ruin." This is¡­ the voice of the Vice-Commander, Azeta. I instinctively looked at his right hand. Another finger was gone. Only three fingers remained. Azeta had also pushed his mana circle to its limits. Suddenly, I remembered what had just happened. A fork in the road. The heads of the Divine n and their elites, who were chasing after the demon Marquess Vassago and the high-ranking demons, entered the left path. The Crazy Mage Squad I belonged to, a small number of the White Horse Knight, and some knights from the Arihama n entered the right path to deal with the remaining demons. And then, a short whileter, we arrived at the top of a vast teau. Marquess Vassago was there. The Heavenly Pressure shields erected by the guardian knights of the Arihama n exploded along with their bodies. Then, the moment I saw themander''s body flung into the air after taking Vassago''s attack, my madness took over. "¡­Commander?" I turned my head towards where Azeta was looking. The top of the teau. "Damn it." Vassago was still alive. He was still rampaging, despite the ck blood gushing from his body pierced by the dark sword. And the one man blocking him. ''He''s not dead.'' Thank goodness. Our idiotic Crazy Mage Squad Commander, Azka. But looking closely, his right arm was gone. Swooooooosh¡ª! The rain poured down like crazy. The corpses of the knights and mages we had fought with earlier dyed the entire teau red. The surviving members of the White Horse Knight were working together to spread a wide barrier on the slope ahead. 7th Circle, Grand Protection. Every time the demons'' attacks shook the barrier, blood spurted from the mouths of the White Horse Knight members. In the midst of all this, they all muttered the same words. And a little further up, I could see the Crazy Mage Squad frantically smashing the heads of the demons pushing down from the slope above. None of them were sane. Everyone had reached their limit. They had lost too much blood. We were outnumbered from the start. Meanwhile, the Crazy Mage Squad was also muttering the same words as the White Horse Knight. "Damn song." Are they trying to findfort in their impending deaths? Fwooosh¡ª It was then that a shock wave erupted from the top of the teau. An ear-splitting sound pressure. The Crazy Mage Squad Commander, Azka, who was fighting Vassago, was blown away and flew towards us. Crack¡ª! The White Horse Knight''s barely maintained Protection shattered from the shock wave. "Stay put, Ruin." Bzzzt¡ª Azeta, who had released an electric shock to disperse the iing shock wave, immediately leaped into the air and caught Azka. Azka,nding on the slope, looked at Azeta and said quietly, "¡­The youngest?" "Your right arm is gone, Commander." "I still have my left. The youngest?" "Ruin is alive." "Good." Only then did Azka look this way. His entire face was covered in blood. Azka, whose eyes were bloodshot, stared into mine and nodded once. Then I understood. Themander''s mana circle was on the verge of copsing. In that state, he couldn''t cast a proper spell. Even the slightest shock would cause it to explode. I said to Azka, "Stay here, Commander. I''ll go." Azka ignored me. Damn Commander. With themander like that, no wonder the squad members are all over the ce. Trying to force myself up wasn''t easy. Every time I moved, the pain in my heart intensified, as if it had been pierced.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°¡­¡± As if they had promised, the other squad members began to gather around Azka. They knew it was no use maintaining the barrier any longer. The White Horse Knight gathered around Azka first, followed by the Crazy Mage Squad. Stumbling, dragging their feet, crawling. One guy came hopping on his left leg, his right leg gone. It was a diverse sight. Swooooooosh¡ª! The rain was still pouring down like a waterfall. Yet, the atmosphere was strangely quiet. Did they know the end was near? The demons, led by the Marquess, also gathered on the slope of the teau, looking down at us. "Hold the line here. I''ll go." The Samael bastards ignored me. They all lined up in front of me, facing the top of the teau. I stood up, suppressing the agonizing pain in my heart. "Are you all nning to die? I said I''ll go." "Don''t be rash, youngest." "You bastards!" Wheeeeng¡ª As soon as I reversed all my circles, my mind went nk as if six holes had been drilled into my heart, and I copsed. "Cough!" Meanwhile, Samael had formed ranks. Facing the demons who were looking down at us from the slope of the teau, Samael stood their ground. Azka turned around and looked at me. "The heads of the ns will be here soon. Let''s hold out until then." "...Don''t be ridiculous, Commander." As if it were thest time, Azka red at me. "Live. If I die, you''re the Crazy Mage Squad Commander." Suddenly, Azeta, who was standing next to me, added, "Oh, what a super express promotion. From the youngest to Commander in one go?" A collective chuckle erupted at his joke. One guyughed, then the guy next to himughed, and then the next guyughed. Damn bastards. Everyone''s faces and bodies were covered in blood. Even with the heavy rain, the blood wouldn''t wash away. Everyone was in such bad shape that as soon as the blood washed away, more would gush out. Theughter stopped simultaneously. Wheeeeng¡ª I felt it. The surge of mana as Azka opened his circles. The mana in the atmosphere was concentrating here, where everything was bathed in a crimson light from the mixture of sweat and blood. "Remember the crimson rain." Color momentarily returned to the faces of the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knight members. Looking beyond the mountain of blood piled up on the teau, each of them painted a picture in their minds. "Even if I perish today, atop this mountain of blood..." "Even if I perish..." Voices followed Azeta''s lead. Everyone opened all their circles. The abundant surge of mana in the atmosphere raised the limits of the squad members. Suddenly, sensing something amiss, the Marquess gestured towards us from the top of the teau¡­ And then the demons began to surge down like a tidal wave. Watching them, Azka took a step forward. Thud¡ª "I shall advance." 6th Circle, Bard¡¯s Song. The song of Samael. Behind Azka, Azeta, with lightning crackling in both hands, also took a step forward. Thud¡ª "I shall advance." One by one, the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knight members started to step forward. "Advance." "Advance." "Advance!" Thud¡ª Samael marched forward. I just watched their backs. Walking steadily through the pouring rain, stumbling, hopping, crawling. The back of everyone''s head held the same determination. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, my blood-red vision gradually turned to the color of dirt. The pain subsided, and the circle in my heart began to rotate in reverse. I followed in the footsteps of those stubborn bastards. I didn''t utter the foolish incantation. ''I shall advance.'' * * * "I shall advance." Was it a hallucination? Zion walked beside me, on my right. "I shall advance." Another hallucination? Makan walked beside me, on my left. Swooooooosh¡ª! Suddenly, the sound of the pouring rain returned. My blood-red vision also returned to normal. "I shall advance." "I shall advance." "Advance!" Arin, Palge, Iron, Ain, Taylor, ir, Cliff. They walked in line behind me, keeping pace. As I walked, I looked around for a moment. Everyone who had copsed around me was looking at me at the same time. Haengsu, whose legs were mangled, looked at me. Chano, desperately trying to stem the flow of blood from his chest with his hand, also stared at me with wide eyes. Urek, whom I had met in the Section 1¡¯s demon realm, was there too. The giant and the dwarf I first saw at the tavern in Ken were also there. "Remember the crimson rain. Even if I perish today, atop this mountain of blood..." This was Samael''s song. Not a dirge to reminisce about the past, but a marching song to advance into the present. "...I shall advance." The phrase I had only uttered inwardly while watching the backs of the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knights in the past... Now, the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knights were chanting it out loud as they watched my back. Samael was the same now as it was in the past. Each of them envisioned their own image. The moment the surging monsters came within reach... The surging mana in the atmosphere gathered at the tip of Makan''s spear. Like a me that explodes after burning its fuse. Triggered by the Song, the mana circle in my already saturated heart broke through its limits. "The intense fighting spirit that overturns deeply rooted fear, Reverse Break." The incantation erupted from Makan''s mouth first. 5th Circle Gravity Magic, Reverse Break. Cracks appeared along the path of the spear thrust. With a cracking sound, the cracked earth split open and flipped over. At the same time, Makan''s spear, infused with the concentrated mana of a 5-star Mana core, shot up towards the sky, and qi surged from its tip. Makan charged, drawing a semicircle with his spear. "Seismic Wave!" Fwooosh¡ª! The pouring rain was pierced by the shock wave, and fragments and spear qi mixed together and extended up the slope. Boom¡ª! Then, as if on cue, the others unleashed their 5th Circle spells. The mes Zion conjured exploded, incinerating the monsters. Ten streaks of lightning struck down from the sky, hitting the ground. A sh of light erupted in the midst of the densely packed monsters, melting them in an instant. A tremendous gust of wind followed, blowing the monsters away. Meanwhile, other monsters flying in from all directions were repelled the moment they touched the barrier Taylor had spread wide. Fwooosh¡ª! Even the self-destruction of the demonic soul human that sprang from the ground had no effect. A perfect Reflection Shield. Through it, I advanced. Over the slope of the teau. Towards the demons standing at the top. The demons, witnessing the now-reversed tide of battle, were clearly enraged. Their expressions were hidden by the torrential rain, but their trembling bodies alone showed how furious they were. However, they couldn''t move easily. Because of one man. At the highest point of the teau. Surrounded by countless monsters, a man frantically swung a dark longsword. He fought against both demons and monsters, yet he didn''t falter. I saw Azka in him. The man''s face, momentarily visible through the pouring rain. ck hair and ck eyes. A face I''d never seen before, yet somehow familiar. That was him. He was the ck Star. While the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knight dealt with the monsters... I continued to walk forward. The demon finally noticed me. A gray mask covering the lower half of his face. ck fangs visible between his teeth. Wheeeeng¡ª Six circles rotated as if burning. With Azka''s incantation in my mind, I advanced towards the demon. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 178: Reach [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 178: Reach [TL/N: One of the best chaps of Crazy Mage till date¡­] Samael''s song bloomed from six circles. Like pouring oil onto a zing fire, the rich waves of mana intensified, invigorating the bodies of both the ck Magic and White Magic factions. A wind of change blew. It was also a wind of determination blooming within their hearts. Fwwoooosh¡ª! I, too, moved forward. The higher I climbed, the stronger the gale became. Raindropsshed against my face. I trudged on, trampling over the blood-soaked corpses of monsters. Past a man wielding a worn sword, surrounded by monsters, I finally reached the top of the teau. When the torrential rainpletely drenched my face, blurring my vision, I brushed back my wet hair. Through the pouring rain, I saw him staring at me. A gray mask concealed the upper half of his face. A demon, identical to a human except for the emanating demonic energy and ckened fangs. I briefly closed and opened my eyes. Whiiir¡ª The sound resonated from within. My body was reaching its limit from constantly maintaining the six unstable circles and manifesting the incantation. But I couldn''t stop here. "I shall Advance!" "Advance!" Voices of encouragement continued to rise from below. The demon pointed a finger at me. The moment our eyes met, I charged towards him. As I tried to reverse the direction of the rotating circles, ck blood spurted from my mouth again. Perhaps I had pushed myself too hard while manifesting the Dark Heavenly Thunder. But there was no time for despair. Whiiir¡ª! Maintaining the incantation, I conjured another image in my mind. "Ugh." My heart felt as if it would burst. As I felt the mana rapidly draining away, I instinctively clutched the bracelet on my wrist. ''Broken Joy.'' Like pouring ice water over a body about to melt under the scorching sun, abundant mana surged in like a waterfall, if only for a moment. I focused on the image of Azka''s incantation, the one that ignited mes on his missing right arm. "The burning rage contained within the cold me." mes blossomed on my right arm, forming a fire sword. I aimed the zing de at the demon''s heart. Samael''s song, enveloping the teau, supported me from behind. Fwooosh¡ª! The demon charged towards me. The moment we crossed paths, I thrust the fire sword towards his heart. Simultaneously, demonic energy exploded outwards. Boooom¡ª! At an unexpected moment, a powerful demonic storm erupted from the ground. The fire sword dissipated. With a floating sensation, the demon''s figure receded into the distance. His words pierced through the air and lodged themselves in my ears. "How bothersome." Even as I was being flung backward, a strange thought urred to me. There was no incongruity in his voice. There were cases where demons used humannguage, but... Was there ever a demon who sounded so perfectly human? Bang¡ª! "Ugh." A shockwave jolted my insides. After flying a considerable distance and crashing into the slope, an agonizing pain surged through my body. The rotation of the circles stopped... and so did the incantation. No matter how hard I tried to forcibly open the circle in my heart, it wouldn''t budge. Nothing was going my way. Even moving a finger was difficult. Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Boom¡ª! Suddenly, a series of powerful explosions echoed from various parts of the teau. Demonic storms erupted from all directions. Screams, which had been subsiding, now resonated in unison. Ah. "Advance!" "Fuck. Advance!" The incantation had clearly ended. Yet, the voices of those fools continued. I wanted to re at them and hurl insults, but even lifting my head was a struggle. Sigh. I simplyy there, staring at the rain-soaked sky. Fwwoooosh¡ª! The pouring rain gushed into my eyes, nose, and mouth, threatening to suffocate me. A metallic scent filled the air. Water gradually rose over my face. The frenzied downpourpletely submerged me. I closed my eyes. Perhaps it was because I was underwater. The sound of the pouring rain, the screams, the shouts of those fools ¨C all faded away. Blink. The moment I opened my eyes, the rainwater suddenly looked like blood. Fwoosh¡ª I lifted my face from the water and exhaled. I looked around. Still, no sound reached me. Looking up, I saw a rain of blood. My vision, once tinged with red, instantly turned ck. Simultaneously, the ground exploded right before my eyes, and a demonic storm surged forward. * * * Crazy Mage. I didn¡¯t like that nickname from the start. I wasn¡¯t insane enough to take pride in some wretched craziness. Perhaps it all began that day. The day my vision was stained red for the first time during the expedition. The day I opened the 4th Circle of Reversal and unleashed my dark amplification. "You¡¯re starting to lose it, Ruin." I remember what Pelleer said to me. At the time, I didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant. The day Azeta bit into his lightning-wreathed ring finger and forced his mana circles into overdrive. The day he saved me. The first day my blood-red vision turned ck. The day I reached the 6th Circle of Reversal. "You¡¯re going insane, Ruin. Honestly, the ck Magic faction suits you better." That was the first time I stood against Pelleer. I thought he was insulting me¡ªa deliberate slight from someone who rarely spoke carelessly. The mana of yin dimension inevitably brought madness with it. The stronger I became, the narrower my focus grew when the madness red. As the episodes of insanity grew shorter in interval and my memorypses worsened, people started calling me the ¡°Crazy Mage.¡± I thought it was a disgusting moniker. It wasn¡¯t just because itcked the strength or grandeur of names like Sword Saint, Guardian Saint, Archmage, or Dragon Knight. Nor was it because I denied my craziness. What bothered me most was that those words were spoken so casually by people who knew nothing. None of them understood the wretched madness. And that was the most disgusting part of all. It took me a long time to change how I felt. Pelleer may have been the one who gave me that nickname, but it was Azka who first exined its meaning. In the depths of a canyon. The day we wiped out a wave of demons after being trapped in a deadly ambush. I was perched on a boulder, gasping for air, the aftereffects of my madness taking their toll. Azka approached me, bloodied and battered, and sat beside me. "You really are the Crazy Mage, kid." "I told you to stop calling me that." "If I can be honest, I kind of wish I could go crazy too." For a moment, anger surged within me. "Don¡¯t spout nonsense, you bastard of amander." Then, suddenly, Azka let out augh. "You still don¡¯t get it, do you, Ruin?" "Get what?" "Going crazy doesn¡¯t only mean losing your mind." "If you¡¯re going to spout cryptic nonsense, save it for someone else. I¡¯m not in the mood." "You have to go crazy to achieve the impossible." "What?" Azka¡¯s gaze turned serious as he looked me in the eye. "To go crazy means to transcend. You must go crazy to reach new heights, go crazy to break through, go crazy to touch the untouchable. Only craziness allows you to achieve craziness." "¡­¡­" "Ruin, you¡¯ve already reached your own heights." Azka smiled at me as he spoke. "That''s why you''re the Crazy Mage, and that''s why we''re the Crazy Mage Squad." "..." "A gathering of men who want to go mad." I couldn''t say anything. Even then, I didn''t quite understand what he meant. It was onlyter, after seeing Azka, that I understood. Azka fought like a madman to achieve madness. I had never seen him hesitate. I never knew what he wanted to be mad about. Perhaps he wanted to reach the 8th Circle, beyond the 7th. Perhaps he yearned for the belief that he could return. What was certain was that he was a man worthy of madness. That day was the same. Azka''s footsteps towards the Demon Marquess, Vassago, were unwavering. Footsteps advancing while chanting the incantation. Only when the whole world in my vision was painted in earthy hues could I follow in his footsteps. I saw Azka kneeling on the top of the teau. Recing his missing right arm was a fire sword. It seemed he managed to manifest the incantation despite his circles being deciphered. I crushed the Demon Marquess''s head right after Azka copsed. Even in death, Azka''s eyes were wide open. I realized what incantation Azka had originally intended to manifest. His incantation didn''t reach the Demon Marquess, but... His incantation has now reached me. "..." My body moved on its own. I didn''t know why I was back here. What was certain was that this wasn''t a dream. I could tell without needing to p myself. It was agonizingly vivid. There was no need to hesitate. My vision narrowed. I looked up at a single point. Immediately, a concentrated spot in the air exploded, and ck lightning struck down. Dark Heavenly Thunder. I ran towards a single target. The distance closed rapidly. I bestowed Dark Explosion upon the heads of all the monsters that blocked my path. My vision darkened even further. Not even high-ranking demons, but mere lowly monsters. Suddenly, something obstructed my vision. As soon as I extended my fingertip to unleash Dark Explosion, it was split in half with a single blow. Blocking Dark Explosion? ...It''s not a monster. It''s someone I seem to remember. Was it the Sword Saint? Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I passed the Sword Saint and stood before Vassago. At that moment, a pathetic demonic storm erupted from the ground. Just as I was about to wrap my hand in Dark Explosion and strike down the storm... Sword Saint approached and swung his sword first. The demonic storm,yered dozens of times over, was sliced through with a single stroke. I looked back at Vassago. His face was trembling. I rubbed my eyes. For some reason¡­ Azka, who I was sure was dead, was standing next to Vassago, staring intently at me. I raised my right hand. "The rage that blooms in frozen mes. Imbued with a burning will..." I recited the incantation that Azka had tried to manifest. "The blue de blooms here..." 6th Circle, Frozen ze. A blue me bloomed like a teardrop in my vision, filled only with ck and white. Blue mes engulfed and zed on my right arm. I pierced Vassago''s heart with the fire sword, aze with deep blue mes on my right arm. Thud¡ª Thump¡ª At the same time, I started to hear the sound of raindrops. Suddenly, as if my eyes were opening, multiple colors began to ovep in my vision. I stood there for a moment, nkly looking around. Sword Saint, who had approached at some point, looked at me and asked, "Who are you?" "..." Looking closely, it wasn''t Sword Saint. He looked simr, but younger. It was the very man who had been wielding a dark sword, surrounded by monsters. Only then did a sense of incongruity wash over me. "..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om I turned my head again and looked down at the corpse of the demon, its heart pierced with arge hole, burning in blue mes. "...This isn''t Vassago." Fwwoooosh¡ª Thump¡ª Thump¡ª Thump. The sound of rain gradually subsided. "Commander!" I heard the Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knights running towards me. I looked up at the sky. Arge red sun rose, and with a cracking sound, the sky split in half. Revealed through the gap was another ash-gray sky. The outside of the demon realm. "Ha." Simultaneously, numerous voices reached my ears. White Magic Tower''s magic schrs, vassal n knights, and numerous mages from the Magic Tower Alliance had entered the barrier and surrounded the demon realm. Hector was there too. "..." Amidst the scenery of the demon realm, gradually fading into an illusion... I turned my head again and looked down at a single spot. Azka. Azka, who had been staring at me with wide eyes until just a moment ago, was also disappearing. Before the illusionpletely vanished, I approached him and closed his eyelids. ¡ªJust like the Crazy Mage. Youngest. I smiled at Azka, too. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 179: A New Title [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 179: A New Title In a tavern district near the northwestern part of Ken''s bustling city center, a light drizzle fell. A young man sat alone in a sparsely popted, shabby tavern, sipping from his ss. He gazed at the rain-streaked street, then took another sip, repeating this action for a while. His expression gradually grew displeased. "Dante!" A small, mace-wielding man entered from outside and called out to the young man. "It''s been a while, Dante." "Kurian. You''re still aste as ever." "Ahem." Kurian coughed awkwardly, sat next to the young man, and set down his mace. "I could have been here earlier, but something came up." "Same excuse as always." Kurian pounded his chest with an aggrieved look. "It''s true! You know who I saw on my way here?" Dante finally smirked and replied, "Don''t make a fuss. It''s not like Ken is short of celebrities these days." "You''ll be surprised when you hear this." Dante beckoned him to continue, and Kurian spoke in a confident tone. "Alshura." "Who?" "Alshura Belussia." Dante, who was about to take a sip from his ss, paused. "The Blood King Serpent, Alshura?" His voice was slightly raised, and everyone in the tavern nced towards them as if on cue. Kurian nodded, as if to say ''See?'' "What did I tell you? You''d be surprised, right? The head of a Vassal n came in person." Dante chuckled and replied, "At least make your lies believable. There''s no way that Blood King Serpent from the southern jungle woulde all the way here." "Oh,e on. I saw the Emperor''s carriage entering the Alliance with my own eyes. Do I look like someone who would lie about something like that?" "Really?" "Of course. Come to think of it, it''s not that strange. A few days ago, all the Tower Heads gathered at the Alliance, didn''t they? This is no ordinary matter." Dante, making eye contact with Kurian, replied with an incredulous look, "Ken really is in chaos. The Alliance has restricted entry to even the low-level Demon realms, which has been a headache. It seems like it''ll take longer than expected to return to normal." "You''re saying that because you don''t know. Even if the entry restrictions are lifted, I''m not going anywhere near the Demon realms for a while." Kurian shuddered, and Dante''s lips curled into a smile. "Seeing you exaggerate like that, your body seems fine?" "Fine? My whole body still aches. It''s only because it''s me that I''m like this. The others are probably still lying down, unable toe to their senses." Kurian, deliberately exaggerating his movements, patted his body and met Dante''s eyes. Both of them burst intoughter. "I''m d you''re alright. Tell me what''s going on. Are the rumors true? It''s hard to believe any of it." "Ahem. With an empty mouth?" Kurian looked around the tavern and clicked his tongue. "We''re meeting after so long, and you had to choose this shabby tavern? There are so many nice ces nearby." "You know how it is, right? Since nobody can enter the Demon realms these days, everyone''s stuck in taverns. All the other ces are already packed." "Ugh." Kurian grumbled, brought the ss in front of him to his lips, and then grimaced. "You still haven''t broken the habit of filling your ss with water, Dante." "Why are you making a fuss about it now?" "A wanderer like you doesn''t understand romance. Drink some alcohol, wear some bold clothes. That''s why you have no friends besides me." Kurian shook his head, clearly disapproving of the neat white clothes Dante was wearing. "Enough with the pointless chatter. I brought you some snacks you''ll like." Dante took a white bag out of his pocket, and the savory smell of oil filled the air. Kurian sniffed and checked the contents. "Fried food? It smells amazing." "Try it first." Kurian took a bite of the fried food and his eyes widened. "Huh, this is like fried chicken. They sell this kind of thing in Ken?" Kurian took a sip of the alcohol the waiter brought and picked up another piece of fried chicken, sucking the oil off his fingers. "This is amazing, really. Where did you get this?" "I''ll tell you after you hear my story." "For some fried chicken?" "Suit yourself." "Stingy, stingy." Kurian red at Dante and chuckled, then his expression suddenly turned serious. "Don''t believe any of the rumors circting in Ken right now." "As expected. Right?" Kurian shook his head. "The rumors can''t keep up with the truth. Especially about the Samael n, they''re not even half true. Probably when the survivors recover from their injuries and start moving around, the rumors will be corrected." "You''re saying it wasn''t an exaggeration?" "It''s not an exaggeration, it''s not even half the story." Dante''s pupils dted. "If it wasn''t for Samael, everyone would have died. The fact that I can have this conversation with you here is all thanks to Samael." Dante asked with a solemn face, "The Orcus too? Are you saying the Samael n yed the biggest role?" "Biggest role? What biggest role..." Kurian immediately corrected him. "The Crazy Mage Squad''smander did it all by himself. He killed Orcus alone." "...What?" "Yeah, I understand your reaction. It''s hard to believe. But what can you do when it''s the truth?" Dante met Kurian''s eyes and swallowed hard. "I can''t believe it. Is he some kind of superhuman or something?" "I''m being serious, Dante." Silence fell between them for a moment. As Dante sipped his drink, he overheard the conversations of the people around them. It was all about Samael. "And everyone is focused on Orcus, but that''s not really the important part." Kurian lowered his voice and continued, "Everyone who was there knows. There were things worse than Orcus. I''ve never seen such monsters before." "There were things worse than Orcus?" "Yeah. Samael killed them all. I still get chills thinking about what I saw. The mages from the Magic Towers couldn''t do anything, and the famous knights, except for one, were all knocked out. Only Samael was different." "..." Kurian murmured in an even lower voice, "If word of this spreads properly, the power dynamics across the continent will flip. Those up-anding noble ns that have been getting attention¡ªsecond only to the Vassal n¡ªwill all end up beneath Samael¡¯s feet. For drifters like us, keeping up with rumors like this is how we survive." Dante suddenly muttered, "Darklight, they say..." "Darklight?" "The Crazy Mage''s title. They call him Darklight." "Ah." Kurian nodded in understanding. "Dark light. An urate expression." Kurian shuddered again and murmured, "It was dark, but to us, it was no different from light." Kurian, picking up thest piece of fried chicken, suddenly said as if he just remembered something, "So, where exactly do they sell this fried chicken?" * * * 7th floor private room of the Magic Tower Alliance. I was meditating in a corner, and I briefly opened my eyes to check my condition. ''It''s been a week already, huh?'' A week had already passed since I left the Demon realm. I was staying in a spacious room with so many adjoining rooms that it was more like a detached house than a private room. The other members of the Crazy Mage Squad were also each upying a room and meditating. I had considered staying at the temporary residence in the northeast, but I didn''t refuse this offer since being in the Alliance would be better for grasping the overall situation. While high-ranking meetings continued for a week at the Alliance, I checked my condition every day. Thanks to all the elixirs they provided, I was overflowing with vitality. I had reached the 6th Circle, and the fools had all reached the 5th Circle. However, I couldn''t shake off an unsettling feeling. ''There are no aftereffects.'' The mana of the Yin dimension inevitably brings madness. The biggest aftereffect of madness is memorypses. It starts to appear seriously from the 5th Circle of Reversal, when manifesting Dark Heavenly Thunder. But no matter how much I try to recall... There are no gaps in my memory, from the moment the madness manifested, to splitting Orcus''s head, to plunging the fire sword into the demon''s heart. ''This is strange.'' Knock, knock¡ª At that moment, I heard a knock on the door, and Agouro appeared. Following him were Fichte, who had sent the messenger bird, Karios, the Blue Magic Tower Head, a man presumed to be the Yellow Magic Tower Head, and others who seemed to be high-ranking officials of the Alliance, all entering in line. "The meeting is finally over?" "It''s been a while, Crazy Mage Commander." The people around us slightly raised their eyebrows as they saw Fichte and me greet each other. "Crazy Mage Commander, this is the second time. On behalf of the Blue Magic Tower, I thank you." "I am Owen, the Yellow Magic Tower Head." The Yellow Magic Tower Head, who only nodded his head, seemed quite rude. Meanwhile, Hector, who enteredst, leaned against the door with a cold expression without saying a word. Taylor, ir, and Cliff, who were resting in the Red Magic Tower, also followed Hector inside. As soon as the door closed, Agouro said to me, "Crazy Mage Commander. The Alliance Head wishes to see you." "Hold on a moment." Suddenly, I started to hear strange footsteps outside. They were strangely irritating. It was like hearing the busy footsteps of people bustling about in a marketce. Then, all the Tower Heads turned their attention outside at the same time. Following the footsteps, the mor of voices grew louder. "I''ll go check it out." Seeing no sign of themotion dying down, Hector, who had been leaning against the door with a cold expression, went outside. "Where are you all from? We''re in a meeting, so if you could just..." "Crimson me!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "What are you doing here?!" "This is too much! You should have contacted us first if something like this happened. Have you forgotten about Samael?" "Where are the children! Tell us now! Are they here?" "..." m¡ª Hector returned, closing the door behind him, his expressionpletely different from before. His nostrils red, and his eyes were filled with panic. Agouro also stared at Hector in surprise. "What''s wrong, Vice Tower Head? Who were they to make you react like that...?" Suddenly, a sense of unease washed over me. The voices I had just heard were definitely familiar. Crash¡ª The door burst open with a loud bang, and I made eye contact with the elders who had stormed in. "Oh my, you''re all safe!" "...Elders?" Led by Norman, the head elder, they started grabbing our faces, one by one, and embracing us. Completely dumbfounded, I asked Norman, "What are you all doing here?" "What do you mean ''what are we doing here?'' We heard all the rumors! Do you know how worried we''ve been since that incident in Urgon? Thankfully, you''re all safe. Thank goodness, thank goodness. Oh, Ifrit..." "How did you even get up to the 7th floor?" "How did we get up here? Who would dare stop the elders and the head elder of the great Samael!" "Indeed! When we said we were elders of Samael, everyone stepped aside! Just in case, we brought a lot of magic stones, but..." "..." As far as I knew, our elders weren''t crazy. But what was with the madness in their eyes now? It suddenly felt like chaos had erupted. There was no sign of the situation calming down. "Elders!" "Oh my! Thank goodness, thank goodness!" "Elders!" "Oh dear, oh dear!" Wow... As I struggled to find a solution, a possibility shed through my mind. I walked over to the table in the corner, picked up the Demon realm core that I had left there, and hurled it across the room. "Hmm?" It was like an instinctive, animalistic reaction. All the elders simultaneously turned their heads towards the core that had fallen in the corner. Then, as if on cue, they started rushing towards it. [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 180: The Alliance Head of the Magic Tower Alliance [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 180: The Alliance Head of the Magic Tower Alliance "... ..." "... Huh." Miscalction. I had underestimated our elders. While I seeded in diverting their attention with the Demon realm core, it only fueled their fire. To think they''d be this passionate... A squabble ensued, led by Head Elder Norman and Elder Isaac, followed by a seemingly endless debate. The situation only calmed down after Agouro provided them with another private room. "Why won''t you divide this, Head Elder!" "It''s more efficient to use it in one room! If we divide it, the effect of the magic stones will decrease." "Your wicked greed is acting up again." "What was that?" Strictly speaking, it wasn''tpletely resolved. Shouts could still be heard intermittently from the private room. What could I do? It was my karma. To think that the few magic stones I had given them before would lead to this. "... Haha, the elders are all so passionate." I nodded inwardly at Fichte''s words, meant to lighten the mood. ''Indeed they are.'' It was a bit chaotic, but this was also Samael''s strength. Somehow, the elders'' faces seemed a bit younger too. Anyway, I didn''t expect them toe all the way from Khaoto. They must have been quite worried since the incident in Urgon. They must have been keeping an ear out for what was happening in Ken from that distance. Feeling a strange sense of unease, I looked around and said to Agouro, "You said the Alliance Head was looking for me." Agouro replied, "Yes. Are you ready now?" "Let''s go right away. You can wait here. Let''s talk separately when I get back. If it getste, you can reserve a separate ce to stay." Fichte nodded. "We''ll be waiting." I followed Agouro out the door and headed to the top floor of the Alliance. As soon as Agouro activated the magic circle at the end of the 7th-floor corridor, the scenery changed, and a narrow passageway appeared. Portraits of someone were lined up in a row on both walls. Agouro cautiously approached the Alliance Head''s office, visible at the end of the passage, and then turned around. "Please wait here. I''ll inform him of your arrival." I nodded, and Agouro carefully opened the door and went inside. ''Hmm.'' I was wondering why there was no guard. Now that I looked closely, it seemed like a magic circle was installed on the door. The flow of mana that leaked out when Agouro opened the door was unusual. As I looked at the portraits on the wall, I suddenly felt strange. All the portraits depicted the same man''s face. ''What a peculiar taste.'' By the way, Agouro clearly said he would only inform the Alliance Head... Several minutes passed, then a long while, but there was no news at all. There was no sign of himing out. Usually, in cases like this, it''s one of two things: The Alliance Head has changed his mind. Or there''s an unexpected guest. Given the circumstances, thetter was more likely. Suddenly, as I felt the flow of mana leaking from inside, I stared intently at the door. Swoosh¡ª! The door opened by itself, and a man suddenly appeared. ''This is interesting.'' I recognized him the moment our eyes met. Dozens of strands of blond hair, braided and tied back, wriggled like living creatures, with snake mouths at the ends. Snakes for hair. The man walked towards me. I also slowly approached him. The passage was narrow. The moment we crossed paths, "Hey." The man looked at me. "Are you Ruin Samael, by any chance?" I looked at the man. "How did you know?" "I had a feeling." I was more focused on his hair than his face. It felt like dozens of pairs of yellow snake eyes were staring at me. "You''re quite famous. You look younger than I expected." "I don''t know what you mean by ''younger than expected.''" "I have a question for you." "I have a question for you too. But I have a prior engagement." As I walked past him, an invisible, sticky force pressed against me. "Is this a threat?" "You''ll have enough time to answer one question." "How bothersome." As I turned my back, the man asked, "Do you know who I am?" "The head of the Bellusia n." The man smirked, and the snake mouths on his hair stretched wide, mimicking his smile. "If you knew that, you''d know how to behave in front of me." The man asked, "Did you see my son in the Demon realm?" "What''s your question?" "My son went missing in the Demon realm. Did you see him?" "I did." "Tell me." "He disappeared somewhere." "In detail." "He went off alone to some strange rat hole." I stared intently into the man''s eyes and said, "You must have heard about the general situation, so I''ll get straight to the point. There was artificial intervention in this Demon realm incident. I believe the mastermind was also present within the Demon realm." "What do you mean?" "I suspect your son." "An interesting statement." One of the snake mouths on the man''s head widened its eyes vertically. Hiss¡ª! The invisible force pressing against my body suddenly doubled in intensity. A sticky serpentine aura enveloped me. It was an aura I hadn''t felt in a long time. The moment I opened my circles and broke free from the pressure, a subtle glint shed in the man''s eyes, but it was fleeting. "How dare you." Just then, I sensed a flow of mana from behind, and the door opened, revealing Agouro''s voice. "Crazy Mage Commander. Pleasee in."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Agouro''s eyes darted between me and the Bellusia family head, his expression quickly filling with panic. The Bellusia n head, who had been staring at me with an unreadable expression, finally spoke. "We''ll meet again." "Indeed, we shall." I watched the retreating figure of the Bellusia family head, then followed Agouro into the office. * * * The Alliance Head''s office was surprisingly modest. A small window frame and a small wooden table. It felt like looking at a single room upied by some rural handyman. A white-haired old man sitting across the table gestured to me. "Wee. Please have a seat, Crazy Mage Commander." I recognized his face. The white-haired old man who was with the Bellusia n head when I first saw him at the Alliance. I had only seen his back then, but seeing him like this felt a bit different. I sat down on the small wooden chair and asked, "Are you the Alliance Head?" There was a reason for my blunt tone. It was the same tone I used with Porter, with the Bellusia n head, and now with this man. Despite my direct question, the old man replied without a change in his expression. "Indeed. I am Agriche. I also oversee the upper floor of the White Magic Tower." "You''re one of the Upper Tower Heads?" "That''s right." "Who is higher, you or Mahon?" A subtle look of curiosity appeared on the Alliance Head''s face. "Have you met the 13th Floor Head?" "The 13th Floor, was it? I met him recently, within the Alliance." The Alliance Head tilted his head slightly and replied, "Our status is the same. There is no higher or lower." I nodded inwardly. He gave off a simr feeling to Mahon. I couldn''t sense any magical aura from him, but there was something ambiguous about him. However, unlike Mahon, he didn''t give off an irritating feeling. "You''ve done well, Crazy Mage Commander. Thanks to you, we were able to prevent significant damage." No. He''s different from Mahon. As the Alliance Head showed signs of getting to the main point, I felt the aura of someone responsible for a massive organization. It wasn''t a matter of strength. It was a simr atmosphere to when I spoke with the heads of the Vassal n or the Divine n. I also got straight to the point. "Have you found anything?" "It''s indeed a double Demon realm. There was a special-grade Demon realm beneath ''Hexen''s Tomb.'' They concealed the special-grade Demon realm with a magic circle." "Is that naturally possible?" The Alliance Head shook his head. "It was artificial intervention. Quite sophisticated. Chronologically, the special-grade Demon realm was open first. They waited until a Level 1 Demon realm opened nearby and then connected the two." "I don''t understand the specifics, but it soundsplicated. Did you find out who''s behind it?" The Alliance Head sighed. "All our investigation teams have been deployed, but there''s no concrete evidence. It was meticulously nned to avoid the headquarters'' eyes. However, one thing is certain." The Alliance Head looked straight at me. "There''s a traitor within the Alliance. We believe there might be more than one. There are traces of interference in the barrier as well." "What about Bellusia?" The Alliance Head suddenly asked me, "Did you happen to meet the Blood King Serpent just now?" "I saw the Bellusia n head." "Then you might have the same suspicion." The Alliance Head continued, "It''s unlikely that the entire Bellusia n is involved. There''s no connection between the Bellusia young master and the Blood King Serpent. There were no signs in the southern jungle. Moreover, it was confirmed that the Blood King Serpent was visiting the Zick n at that time." [TL/N: Zick is not the confirmed spell :)] How much of the Alliance Head''s words could I trust? Of course, I also got the same feeling as the Alliance Head when I saw the Bellusia family head just now. At first, I suspected that the Bellusia family head might be a Half-Mask, but it didn''t seem like it. He didn''t seem to know anything. Just pure rage stemming from the death of his heir. But I couldn''t jump to conclusions. "Demon." I couldn''t help but look straight at the Alliance Head when I suddenly heard his voice. "What did you just say?" "Amazing, Crazy Mage Commander. Seeing your reaction, you must have suspected it too." "... ..." "Those monsters that came out of the Demon realm this time. Strictly speaking, they''re not monsters. They''re a race of demi-humans called the ''ck n'' that was eradicated in the past." "... ..." "The real problem is that they''re not ordinary ck n members. No matter how I look at it, it''s strange. Some of their characteristics match those of the monsters described in ancient texts." I looked at the Alliance Head and asked, "By ancient texts, do you mean legends?" "Legends are often based on truth. And if those were truly monsters, there''s a high probability that demons, their superior species, also exist. But how do you know about this?" When I didn''t answer, the Alliance Head continued, "Well, it''s even more unbelievable that you came back alive from there. Anyway, it''s not a simple matter. It''s difficult to judge based on the revealed information alone. I thought the recent events in the Demon realms were unusual, but perhaps the Vassal n, or maybe even someone higher, is involved." If the Alliance Head was an Upper Tower Head of the White Magic Tower, it wasn''t surprising that he knew this information. But in the end, there was no concrete information. The mastermind remained unknown. If there was any constion, it was that this incident had brought those who had been hiding in the shadows to the surface. I didn''t know their purpose, but whoever orchestrated all this was extremely reluctant to reveal their identity. They were concealing their collusion with demons and moving in secrecy. It was the same with the Half-Mask. At least it was revealed that the next head of the Bellusia n had tried to massacre people in the joint Demon realm. Everyone had witnessed it, so there was no room for him to escape. Information about the monsters would also spread soon. That alone would severely restrict their movements. I said to the Alliance Head, "Oh, by the way, have you seen ck Star?" "ck Star? Are you talking about Balthar''s ck Star?" "You haven''t seen him?" "Why bring up ck Star all of a sudden?" The Alliance Head tilted his head and looked at me. "This matter will be reported to the Divine n as soon as it''s settled. Now that the issue has surfaced, we need to be fully prepared. But I don''t think you brought up ck Star because of that. Do you have any other suspicions?" "... No. I was just curious. If you happen to see ck Star, please let me know." It was strange. He had vanished without a trace after we left the Demon realm. Neither Agouro, nor the fools, nor the Alliance Head here had seen ck Star since we returned. ''Hmm.'' For now, I had heard all the information I could get from the Alliance Head. I couldn''t be sure if he had told me everything or if he was hiding something. I also deliberately didn''t mention the Half-Mask or ck Star. As I was about to leave, I suddenly became curious and looked at the Alliance Head. "Mahon said he wanted to talk to me about incantations. What do you think?" "Mahon said that?" "He did." "That''s unusual." The Alliance Head nodded. "It wouldn''t be bad to have a conversation with him. You might learn a lot." "I see. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way." "I''ll let you know if there''s any news." As I closed the door and left, I turned around onest time. "When will the contribution points be calcted?" "It will take some time." "Please do it as soon as possible. There are some ces I need to go." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 181: The Myriad Demon Assembly (1) [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] Chapter 181: The Myriad Demon Assembly (1) Leaving the office, I slowly made my way to the private room, reying my conversation with the Alliance Head in my mind. ¡®You seem troubled.¡¯ I could sense the anguish of a man carrying a heavy burden. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It wasn''t simply old age; his face was etched with deep worry. Many of the n Heads, like those from the Vassal and Divine ns, often wore simr expressions. He seemed to carry the weight of responsibility, not just as the Tower Head of the White Magic Tower, but as the Head of the entire alliance. It seemed he had already noticed something amiss. Demons. That word wouldn''t have just slipped out casually. It was highly likely he had been deducing and harboring suspicions for a while. Perhaps his previous meeting with Bellusia''s direct descendants was also to confirm his doubts. Maybe he was already anticipating a traitor within the alliance... No, that''s going too far. ¡®Could the Alliance Head be a Half-Mask?¡¯ I shook my head as soon as the thought surfaced. While it was clear the Alliance Head was holding something back, the probability of him being a Half-Mask was almost zero. People in his position usually had things they couldn''t easily speak about. As soon as I opened the door to the annex, all eyes turned to me. ¡°Commander!¡± ¡°Crazy Mage Squad Commander.¡± Fichte, Karios, Hector, were all gathered there. The Yellow Magic Tower Head was nowhere to be seen. Judging by the loud voices still echoing from the next room, the elders'' quarrel hadn''t ended yet. Karios approached me first. ¡°Did your talk with the Alliance Head go well?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± ¡°How long do you n to stay in Ken?¡± ¡°Nothing''s set in stone yet. Unless something urgentes up, I think I''ll stay until my questions are answered.¡± Karios nodded and held out his fist. ¡°Take this.¡± Not one to refuse a gift, I epted it. It was a small, transparent crystal ball, about two finger joints in size, with a small ring attached so it could be hung on clothing. ¡°If something urgentes up, I¡¯ll contact you with this. It might be something too urgent for a letter. If the crystal glows blue¡­¡± Karios met my eyes with a stoic expression. ¡°Consider it a summons rted to our earlier conversation.¡± This man was certainly cautious. His reluctance to speak openly in front of others was proof enough. As Karios finished his sentence and headed out, I attached the crystal ball''s ring to the front of my clothes. Fichte, who had been observing the surroundings, spoke up. ¡°I''ll be waiting in the room, Commander. Please, talk amongst yourselves first.¡± As Fichte entered a room in the corner, Taylor approached me with an awkward look on his face. ¡°Um¡­ Ruin¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± Why had the look in his eyes changed so much? I almost preferred his usual re. In short, it was like the look of a puppy that desperately needed to poop. "... Young Master Ruin. Um." ¡°Taylor, you know what they say¡ªif a person changes suddenly, they¡¯re bound to drop dead.¡± "..." ¡°Just act like you usually do, you fool.¡± Finally, with the relieved expression of a puppy that had just finished its business, Taylor replied. "I''m going back to Samael." "Huh?" "This whole ordeal has given me a lot to think about. About you, Ruin. About myself. And about Samael. You and I walk different paths, but ultimately, we''re headed in the same direction. I''m going back to take care of my family and improve my skills. I need toy the groundwork for the Young Master''s return." While Taylor met my eyes, I didn''t say a word. Thump¡ª My heart pounded. It wasn''t because Taylor''s words were touching, nor because they sounded like dog crap, nor because Taylor was giving me an uncharacteristically strange smile. "You''ve reached 6-star. Though it''s not perfect." "...You''re right, Ruin." I could sense it instinctively. Without opening my Qi channels, without rotating my mana circle. The moment I looked at Taylor, I just knew. This had happened before. ''When One-Eyed switched his sword to his left hand.'' I definitely felt this way back then. Without even examining One-Eyed''s body, I just knew it instinctively. It was the same when One-Eyed picked up a dagger instead of a sword. This phenomenon was beyond my understanding. Perhaps... ''No way?'' A possibility suddenly crossed my mind. I abruptly sat down and started meditating. ''Could it be that I''ve reached the level of a sage? Myself?'' Suddenly, I heard voices from the side. "What are you doing all of a sudden?" "Shh. Don''t talk to the Commander when he''s meditating." "He starts meditating in the middle of a conversation?" "He''s always been like that." "Really? Has he always meditated in such a punchable way?" ''Levitation.'' Maintaining my meditative posture, I flew over and flicked Zion on the head. Flick¡ª "This fucking, Commander." "You said you wanted to hit me?" "So?" "So I hit you." "What kind of dog shit logic is that!" Whew. There''s a guy here who can flick someone while meditating. That''s me. Anyway, judging by the sudden surge of anger, it seems I haven''t be a sage. Looking around, I suddenly pointed at the others and said, "Just meditate for now." The atmosphere immediately turned serious. As the others retreated to one side, Hector slowly approached me. "It''s been a while, Ruin." As expected, this guy hasn''t changed a bit. "You should fix your tone first, Vice Tower Head." Taylor looked at me with a surprised expression. But Hector simply stared at me for a moment and then nodded. "Alright. Let''s talk for a bit, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad." "Make it quick." Hector nced around and then gestured to me. "Follow me." "That unpleasant way of speaking is still the same." "I have something to say." Hector abruptly headed out the door and entered another nearby room. Ha. Despite feeling irritated, I was concerned by the serious look on Hector''s face. It didn''t seem like he was just making small talk, so I followed him. *** "What do you have to say?" I asked Hector as soon as we entered the small, soundproof room. While Hector hesitated for a moment, Taylor entered the room and stood beside him. "I''ve already heard everything. The 8th Elder died in the Demon Realm. Many members of the Red Magic Tower died too. If it weren''t for you, the damage would have been much greater. I''m grateful for that. And Crazy Mage Squad Commander, I heard from Taylor about the results of the incantation you and your squad cast. It was hard to believe." He seemed to be beating around the bush. "What do you really want to say?" Hector stared intently at me and slowly began to speak. "Are you satisfied with your magic?" "...What?" "Incantation magic. I''m asking if you''re satisfied with it." "Master!" Taylor looked at Hector as if he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "Do you really think you can surpass knights with that?" "So that''s what you wanted to say. You''re overstepping your bounds, Hector." To think I''d have to listen to such idiotic questions even here. I thought he might have something important to say about the monsters, but this guy was still stuck in the past. "Do you really believe you can surpass even the knights of the Divine n with magic?" Suddenly, an aura emanated from Hector, and I involuntarily met his gaze. ''...So that''s what you were really curious about.'' He was strong. It was a different feeling from when I saw Karios. He definitely felt different from thest time I saw him. I understood why Hector brought this up. "You want me to reassure you, Hector. I know you forced open the Demon Realm." Right after I plunged the Fire Sword into the demon''s heart. The sun that rose, dyeing the splitting sky of the Demon Realm red. It was clearly an artificial phenomenon. Fire magic, at least 7-star level or higher. Among those outside the barrier, there was only one person who could unleash such magic. Even if I hadn''t killed the demon, the Demon Realm would have been forcibly opened soon after. "I see you poured all your strength into protecting your disciple." I now understood who Taylor''s stubborn gaze resembled. "Incantation magic is inherently powerful. If you properly manifest your imagination, it''s not impossible to defeat even a knight of the Divine n. But that''s not what you''re really curious about, is it?" I stared directly at Hector. "What you''re really curious about is the limit of your magic." Hand Sign magic cannot contain the high-quality elements present in the mana of the atmosphere, and crucially, it cannot contain imagination. I was about to give him the answer, but I paused. I suddenly remembered Taylor using ''Reflection Shield''. Looking at the two of them, I said, "Don''t seek answers from me. Figure it out yourself." *** "Master Ruin, you don''t look well. Is something troubling you?" This was the question I heard as soon as I returned to the room and faced Fichte. My irritation from the conversation with Hector refused to subside. It seemed like every encounter with that guy left me in a bad mood. "Shall we talk againter?" I shook my head and cleared my thoughts. "It''s alright. Let''s talk now." Fichte observed me for a moment and then replied, "Alright. Where shall we start?" "Let''s get straight to the point. I saw ck Star in the Demon Realm." Fichte tilted her head in confusion. "Are you referring to ck Star of the Baltahar n?" [TL/N: From this chap onwards Balthar¡úBaltahar (Correct Spell)] "It seems so. Do you happen to know his position within the Baltahar n?" "That''s strange. ck Star is the first son of the n head." "The eldest son?" "He is the eldest son, but it''s a bitplicated. He''s not the heir apparent." "What do you mean?" "He was eliminated from thepetition for n headship early on. Voluntarily, in fact." Fichte tilted his head again and continued, "The anecdote about him dering he would not inherit the position of n head because he was only interested in the sword is quite famous." "He has an unusual personality." "He is considered a once-in-a-millennium genius within the Balthahar n. I know he rarely stays within the n estate, but... was ck Star really in the Demon Realm?" "Yes. Although he disappeared without a trace. I can somewhat understand why that guy was so obsessed with ck Star." I summarized what had happened in the Demon Realm. About meeting the man with the Half-Mask. About how he was behind the Demon Realm incident, and how his main goal was to turn ck Star into a monster. Fichte sighed. "He was confident that he could subdue ck Star... In the end, the clown you mentioned in yourst letter is likely referring to the mask." "I think so too." "Is there a possibility that the clown is the one with the Half-Mask?" "Rather than a clown, hmm... it was like a mask a thief would wear. Besides, that guy said the clown betrayed him, so it can''t be." I asked Fichte, "Do you have any guesses?" "There are a few things I''d like to mention." Fichte began speaking, as if carefully organizing his thoughts. "Excluding assumptions, I''ll only tell you definite facts or near-certain estimations. As I continued to investigate Parin''s background based on the information I received from Master Karios and you, Master Ruin, I found some things. First, I''d like to ask you something. How much do you know about Magic Towers?" "That''s a broad question." "Besides the four major Magic Towers ¨C White, Red, Blue, and Yellow ¨C there''s one more." I suddenly recalled something Dyke had said. "Are you talking about the ck Magic Tower?" "You know about it?" "I''ve only heard the name; I don''t know anything else. It doesn''t seem to be in Ken. Where is it located?" Fichte nodded matter-of-factly. "It has no fixed location. It''s a veiled Magic Tower. Neither the Tower Head nor its members have been identified. I assume a small number of people move between various locations." "How did you learn about this Magic Tower?" "There are traces left behind. Although they are records from a long time ago. They are individuals who operate under different names, like mercenaries. Theirst appearance was 20 years ago." "That''s strange. What kind of magic do they use?" "Simrly, that hasn''t been revealed. However, ording to the records left in the n, there''s amon characteristic: thend in the areas where they participated in battles was stained ck. There are also records of soldiers experiencing mental disturbances." I immediately asked the main point, "What does this have to do with Parin?" "That''s the crucial part." Fichte nodded and continued, "Surprisingly, thest time the ck Magic Tower appeared, the name they used publicly was ''Clown Troupe''." "Are you joking?" "No. I''m telling you this after investigating all the rumors rted to clowns." "You''re serious." Fichte''s eyes gleamed as she replied, "I focused on findingmon ground between the clown and Parin. As a result, while investigating Parin''s whereabouts, I discovered a rocky mountain presumed to be a dwelling ce of the ck Magic Tower. It''s located in an area called Lile, not too far north of Ken." "Lile? I''ve never heard of it." "The locals call that rocky mountain ''ck Mountain''. The surrounding rocks were stained ck." "What did you find out?" "That''s what I intend to find out now." Fichte pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. It was scorched ck, partially burned, and pieced together from small, torn fragments. "There were traces of Parin moving quite hastily. I found this nearby." I looked at Fichte and then took out the dagger from my pocket, imbuing it with mana. The moment I brought it close to the torn paper, the letters gradually appeared, stained in ck. [Notification of attendance at the Myriad Demon Assembly. Urgent.] "Myriad Demon Assembly?" Fichte''s face fell noticeably. "It seems... there''s no doubt about it now." After a moment of silent eye contact, Fichte murmured, "The demons have colluded with humans." [Trantor - Pr?ks] [Proofreader - Pr?ks] The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!