Chapter 100

Assassination of the Tower Master (2)

As I got closer to the scene, what came into view was a sight that seemed like the battle had already concluded.

A fallen woman, a man standing in front of her, people standing around, and dead bodies.

I narrowed my brows after confirming the man's level.

【Lv. 90】

Level 90.

At first glance, I could immediately guess who the man was.

'...Flaverus, the Tower Master?'

Given his level and the fact that he was near the city where the tower is located, it was only natural for him to come to mind. His appearance also matched the known characteristics.

Is he really the Tower Master of Flaverus? What is he doing there right now?

Although I wasn't certain, I increased my flying speed.

If he really is the Tower Master, I can't just let him go.

"I'm going down there."

Soon, I reached the airspace directly above where they were.

Without hesitation, I stood up from the saddle and kicked Tyongi's back.

I thought that if I jumped and landed while riding Tyongi, he might get hurt if an attack came.

"Wha...?"

Azel's voice, filled with surprise, was heard just before I fell.

Whoosh!

I used spatial leap as I got close to the ground, landing softly on the ground.

Lifting my gaze, I saw the woman and the man looking at me in shock.

"7... Overlord?"

The man, presumed to be the Tower Master, muttered.

I alternated my gaze between him and the unknown woman, then looked up.

Roar!

A huge roar echoed as Tyongi changed direction.

Then, a dot quickly approached and landed on the ground with a loud noise. It was Azel.

She calmly stood beside me, and Tyongi landed nearby.

I turned my gaze back to the Tower Master and the woman. A moment of silence ensued.

"Flaverus's Tower Master."

As I spoke, the man's eyes widened and his expression twisted.

His reaction confirmed that he was indeed the Tower Master.

'What a coincidence?'

I had just encountered him before even entering the city, while I was still wondering how to deal with him.

I felt puzzled and absurd as I tried to guess the situation.

Judging from the scene, it seemed the woman had been chased by the Tower Master and was finally caught.

"You are indeed the 7th Overlord of Caldric."

The Tower Master spoke again, seemingly certain of my identity.

I asked the fallen woman.

"Who are you?"

The woman, who had been in a daze, suddenly came to her senses and seemed to want to say something, but couldn't produce a sound.

The Tower Master, frowning in confusion, muttered.

"...A stranger? But why...?"

Hearing his mutter, something clicked in my mind.

I asked her, half in disbelief.

"Are you an informant in the tower?"

The woman immediately nodded.

As I had guessed, she was an informant sent by the Grand Overlord.

Then, what is happening here... Did she fail to hide her identity and get caught? That's why she was being pursued by the tower's forces?

'It seems so.'

Only then did I understand the situation.

At the same time, I felt a sense of triumph.

By sheer coincidence, the situation had set up a perfect opportunity to quietly deal with the Tower Master, just as I had intended.

I surveyed the surroundings. The only people in the nearby forest were the Tower Master and a few subordinates.

'I'll deal with him here.'

It was a perfect opportunity. There was no reason to hesitate.

Sensing the situation, the Tower Master, who had been confused, now twisted his face in a menacing manner and emitted a sharp killing intent.

"Did you come to kill me?"

"..."

"Why? Because of the experiments? Is this also the will of the Grand Overlord?"

The man seemed to have many questions, but there was no need to answer them.

I said to Azel.

"Azel."

"Yes."

"Would you like to face him?"

Azel looked at me and nodded calmly.

"Yes, of course."

It wasn't just to give her a chance to test her grown strength.

I looked at the Tower Master.

A faint, translucent green barrier was shimmering around the Tower Master's body. It was a defensive magic he had already cast.

'Mages are indeed troublesome.'

A defensive barrier is almost the only counter to instant-kill abilities.

With such a barrier, it would be impossible for me to deal with him alone, whether using blood magic or spatial leap.

So, I would intervene at the right moment while Azel was fighting him.

Or, if Azel could handle it alone, I wouldn't need to intervene. In that case, I would just prevent his escape.

"There's no need to subdue him. Kill him with all your strength."

Swish.

Azel, drawing her sword, stepped forward.

The Tower Master glared at me with evident displeasure.

"You must think I'm a joke, 7th Overlord. What are you up to, not facing me directly?"

Whoosh.

Azel immediately used her racial trait, her entire body turning white.

The Tower Master's eyes widened in recognition.

"...You're the White Moon Clan who fought in the Earthhill negotiations!"

Azel's existence had already spread to some extent in Sentea.

The Tower Master immediately summoned his mana.

A blue spark crackled from his hand, which was reaching out to the fallen informant.

He seemed intent on dealing with her first before engaging in battle.

I used spatial leap.

The fierce lightning bolt was blocked by the immobile barrier and dissipated.

"..."

The Tower Master, unable to focus on me, had to retreat hastily.

At that moment, Azel leaped and unleashed a wave of sword energy at him.

Boom!

I watched the battle begin, then turned to check on the fallen informant.

She looked quite seriously injured, so I took out a healing potion from my pocket and handed it to her.

"Take this to heal yourself."

"Y-Yes, thank you, 7th Overlord."

She took the potion with a look of deep gratitude and applied it to her severe wounds.

On one side, the Tower Master's subordinates were in a state of panic, unsure of what to do.

"If you want to throw away your lives, run."

They froze, unable to move even after my warning.

I turned my gaze away from them.

The battle between Azel and the Tower Master was intensifying, turning the surroundings into ruins.

Whoosh!

The Tower Master's mana surged, and spells were cast. Several massive pillars of fire rose like whirlwinds.

The power was so immense that it could turn a small village into ashes in an instant.

Azel swiftly escaped the catastrophic fire pillars and unleashed sword energy. The Tower Master fired green beams of mana. The two massive energies collided in the air, causing an explosion.

The shockwave reached where I was standing, so I cast a barrier to block it.

'...Is Azel in the upper hand?'

I had expected the Tower Master, with his experience, to have the upper hand over Azel, who had only recently reached level 90.

However, the battle seemed to be more one-sided, with Azel pushing the Tower Master.

Even at the same level, there can be slight differences in strength. Perhaps Azel had reached a higher realm than the Tower Master?

Or maybe she was simply more skilled in combat. Or perhaps the matchup was just more favorable for her.

"Grgh...!"

The Tower Master, flying through the air, couldn't shake off the persistent Azel. The distance between them fluctuated, sometimes closing and sometimes widening.

Azel's and the Tower Master's mana intertwined and clashed, casting a rainbow of light in the dark night sky.

The Tower Master's spells were varied. He spread mana vines like a net, unleashed delayed attacks by spreading runes in the air, and condensed them into barriers.

Azel broke through the relentless magical attacks and continued to strike the Tower Master's defensive barrier.

While the Tower Master cast spells busily and maintained his barrier, if it were broken in one go, that would be his end.

Of course, Azel had some close calls, but she still seemed to have the upper hand over the Tower Master.

'Should I not intervene?'

Since the barrier would break and Azel could finish him off, there seemed to be no need for me to intervene immediately.

However, I kept watching the battle, not letting my guard down.

I couldn't predict what hidden trump card the man, who had even studied demons, might have.

And at that very moment, I thought it.

Swoosh!

Finally, Azel's sword strike shattered the Tower Master's barrier.

The man, startled, tried to regain his composure, but Azel didn't give him the chance. His eyes widened in shock.

"..."

Azel's sword, glowing with pure white light, sliced through the Tower Master's neck like a flash.

That was the end.

Azel landed on the ground, and the decapitated body fell from the air.

She took a moment to steady her rough breathing, then wiped the blood from her sword and sheathed it.

"Ah..."

The informant, who had been sitting and watching the battle, let out a small gasp in a daze.

I nodded at Azel, who turned to look at me.

'...It ended more easily than I thought.'

I had expected her to have a tougher time, but the duel ended quickly and cleanly, without a single injury. It was a perfect victory.

A sense of pride and satisfaction welled up at her growth, which exceeded my expectations.

"Good job."

I praised her as she approached, then checked the Tower Master's body.

There was no need to examine it further; his head was severed, and he had died instantly. As a corpse, his level was no longer visible.

Confirming that he was definitely dead, I relaxed.

'Is it still too early at this point?'

In the future, Flaverus's Tower Master not only conducted research on demons but also made a contract with one, a villain in the story.

Not just any demon, but one of the highest-ranking leaders of the demon faction, a 'Prime Demon.'

'So, he must have been using the demon's power until the end before dying.'

But since he didn't, it seemed he hadn't made a contract with a demon yet at this point.

In any case, with the Tower Master dead, the task given by the Grand Overlord was complete.

It was much easier and safer than I had expected, so I felt a sense of relief as I turned my gaze.

I was about to think about how to deal with the remaining mages when I heard a sound.

Whoosh.

"..."

I was startled and turned my gaze back.

A dark, black aura suddenly rose from the Tower Master's body and gathered in the air.