Chapter 78

◈ Chapter 78. The Dignity of the Chief (2)

...Let's think about it again.

Was there something in the lines I spouted?

"I understand your troubles."

That was just a formality.

Yes, the possibility that the tower's leadership might be involved in this matter.

Moreover, the fact that you had to keep such a huge secret to yourself.

Every day must have been a torment, a continuous stress.

There was a reason why Marcello was losing weight.

"I finally feel the weight of being the chief."

Indeed, being the chief is not something just anyone can do.

The next line I said also carried that meaning.

However.

"It's been a while since you've gone out."

Marcello was following me.

The wizards of the tower, who never move.

Among them, the Chief Wizard Marcello.

Was accompanying me...!

Is this for real?

This was on a different level from the Ryan Heart Knights and the Shadow Mercenary Corps.

Unlike them, the wizards of the tower were beings who had little activity even when Arcana was a game.

Even the emperor of the empire was satisfied with maintaining a friendly relationship with the tower.

'...Could this be the first in history, not just the first for a player?'

Such thoughts made my heart race for a moment.

But then I realized the gravity of the situation.

'Yes, there must be a reason for Marcello to move.'

In other words.

[Quest: The Truth of the Tower]

There is a contradiction in the Tower of Wizards.

Reveal the contradiction.

And set the tower and the truth straight.

─Secure Bangrit Tom, who is involved with the tower's leadership. (In progress)

This quest is not going to be easy.

It was obvious just by looking at it.

The quest objective was to secure Bangrit Tom.

Who is Bangrit Tom?

He is none other than a senior wizard of the tower.

If, for example, Bangrit were to take an uncooperative attitude.

'I can't do it alone.'

Apart from talent and knowledge in magic.

My level is only 296.

As a result, my absolute magic power was poor.

There would be no chance of the [Predator-Prey Relationship] activating.

I would be crushed by the difference in magic power with Bangrit.

As I grasped the situation, memories of the past flashed before my eyes.

The way I had turned Bangrit away with a pretense of manners...!

I couldn't complain even if I were charged with an additional offense. That was.

In that sense, it was fortunate.

Marcello was the best support I could have.

"There are still spectators left."

When we descended to the lobby, I saw players.

They were whispering, clearly surprised.

It couldn't be helped.

I was shocked too.

Of course, I didn't show it on my face.

"Are you okay?"

I didn't care about other people's gazes or evaluations.

But Marcello might.

But it seemed to be an unnecessary worry?

"The moment I came down here, I expected this."

That's right.

Marcello is now part of the tower's leadership.

It was as good as confronting them head-on.

He wouldn't care about the players' gazes.

'Well, I'm no different.'

I didn't know about these complicated circumstances.

Marcello and the tower's leadership.

I had taken Marcello's side in between them.

...Damn, it's hard. Social life, no, tower life!

Moreover.

It was a matter of pride as the organizer of the regular conference.

Even if Marcello didn't step in.

This pride of mine.

Would have insisted on putting Bangrit on the podium.

While I was thinking about this.

Marcello added.

"I can't owe you forever."

Debt?

He owes me a debt?

Well, I thought he might have run up a tab in the floating garden without telling me.

But it's free for senior wizards and above.

Besides, how much more can I take from the tower in the future...

I didn't care about a debt I didn't know about.

That way, I could use whatever I needed without worrying about integrity.

"Don't worry about it."

"..."

"Everything has its order."

That order, of course, means that everything involves give and take.

It's a kind of declaration of war, saying I'm going to pull out the tower's pillar.

Did he understand my meaning?

Marcello flinched and said.

"...I will keep it in mind."

We reached the portal.

The casual conversation naturally ended.

Now, the only goal is to secure Bangrit.

I have to focus on that.

'So where did you go, Bangrit Tom?'

Marcello provided the answer.

Suddenly, a surge of magic power from Marcello's body.

...It was a manifestation on a scale that sent shivers down my spine!

A vast amount of magic power was spreading out in an instant.

It wasn't even a spell to attack someone.

It was enough to make my skin crawl.

In that sense, I realized again.

Lucky me. Marcello is on my side.

At least I have some good fortune.

Just as I was thinking this.

Marcello reined in his magic power.

"Bangrit does not exist in this world."

The moment I saw it.

The talent of Grandfel to understand the structure of magic.

Thanks to this, I understood what kind of magic it was just now.

Yes, in that instant.

Marcello tracked Bangrit's location in this world, Earth.

Specifically, he searched for Bangrit's magic power.

Interfering with a vast area, the entire world.

He manifested a tracking spell.

...It's really beyond imagination.

I knew he was a monster, but to this extent.

Interfering with the entire world.

How much magic power does he have?

Of course, I answered without showing any surprise.

"If that's the case, then the answer is clear."

Not existing in reality.

"...The answer is clear? What are you talking about? Again."

"Did we just waste our time? That's not some kind of code!"

"If he's not in this world, where is he?"

Unlike the players, I understand the meaning very well.

Bangrit is not in this world, not in the Arcana continent.

He is in the space of the [Oddity].

Inside a rift.

*

A voice echoed in Marcello's mind.

-"Don't worry about it. Everything has its order."

It was the voice of Ho Yeol.

No matter how many times he repeated it, Marcello couldn't understand.

'How can I not worry?'

The tower owes an unpayable debt to the demon hunter, Akshan.

But Ho Yeol didn't even ask to repay the debt, calling it an order.

'...I cannot fathom it.'

To what extent is Ho Yeol seeing ahead?

How can he consider such a past as an order?

Marcello could only admire him purely.

At the same time, a desire arose.

'I want to witness that future.'

Whether it's possible or not is another matter...

That's why he had to hurry.

This was the reason Marcello was accompanying Ho Yeol.

'This move was clearly a mistake.'

It was a mutter directed at the elder wizards.

The purpose was unknown.

The elder wizards had pushed Bangrit Tom out of the tower.

It couldn't have been Bangrit's will.

A wizard of the tower cannot leave without the approval of the leadership.

'The Bangrit I know is not that kind of man.'

Yes, it was a confidence in his colleague.

A man with extremely low self-esteem compared to his abilities, breaking the tower's rules?

It was unimaginable.

So I could confidently say.

'This mistake will strangle you.'

To do that, securing Bangrit's custody was the priority.

Most importantly, Bangrit's testimony as the party involved was necessary.

But Marcello knew the elder wizards well.

'They will never let him live.'

Marcello wasted no time.

He manifested a tracking spell.

He pinpointed Bangrit's location.

But as expected.

'It's planned.'

In the world of adventurers, Seoul, or Earth.

Bangrit's magic power was not felt.

Moreover, Bangrit, a senior wizard in pure magic, was known for his delicate handling of magic.

He didn't leave any traces of magic that could be a clue.

So there was only one answer.

Bangrit is inside a rift.

"If that's the case, then the answer is clear."

As expected, no explanation was needed for Ho Yeol.

But separately.

'If he's inside a rift, it will take time.'

A rift.

It was a space of the [Oddity] that Marcello had only just stepped into.

Finding Bangrit inside such a rift?

It was impossible even with magic...

"Is that where you were, Bangrit Tom?"

...What?

Could it be that Sir Ho Yeol found his location!

As I said, even Ho Yeol couldn't detect Bangrit inside a rift with magic.

How did he find Bangrit's location?

Marcello was shocked.

To such a Marcello, Ho Yeol's calm voice came.

"An oddity must be countered with an oddity."

.

.

.

We entered the portal.

The scenery changed.

I sighed.

...He really talks well. And with such arrogance.

'It's just because I received a message.'

Why could I find Bangrit's location?

It was simple.

I received it from Nam Taemin.

Specifically, the information from AAU delivered to me through Nam Taemin. The message included the details of the new update and the location of the rift.

'At least in this one aspect, they are prompt.'

After the Great Cataclysm.

Humans had been plagued by rifts.

Thanks to this, finding the location of a rift?

In this one aspect, it was faster than magic.

Why, these days, satellites can even photograph a person's face. Finding a rift is not a difficult task.

'In short, it's the power of science.'

An oddity must be countered with an oddity...

So, in a way, it's not a wrong statement, is it?

Of course, the same words, but with a lot of emphasis.

"The manifestation is different from the last time you mentioned it...!"

Marcello reacted intensely.

"You are truly amazing. I am just a frog in a well."

The last time refers to when we had tea.

Just by snapping my fingers.

The necessary items would arrive in front of the tower.

I was praising the greatness of rocket delivery.

I just ran another app.

But to Marcello, it looked like a new manifestation.

I said boldly.

"If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

It's a good thing no one is listening to this.

I'm just telling him how to use a smartphone.

He's really putting on a show.

Of course, now is not the time for friendly chatter.

The changed view.

Soon, the rift appeared.

Marcello spoke softly.

"That is the space of the Oddity, the rift."

Yes, Marcello is inside that rift.

The reason I can be confident is simple.

The details of the new update.

And the moment we approached the rift.

A message popped up.

Any player could have guessed, right?

*

Except for Ho Yeol.

The only player who realized the gravity of the situation was Jesse Haines.

The quest was not the important part.

The senior wizard of the tower, Bangrit Tom.

If he were to go berserk...

"No one can handle it."

Players couldn't be allowed to provoke Bangrit.

Jesse intended to inform Shining of the situation.

But it wasn't necessary.

"New update? What is it, it's not Thursday today?"

An unexpected update notice appeared.

Perhaps because it wasn't a scheduled new update.

The details were simple and straightforward.

"......What the hell is this?!"

But its impact was beyond imagination.

──────

A new rift, 'The Broken Dimensional Rift,' has been added.

Recommended Level: Lv.900

──────

"......The recommended level is 900?"

"Is this a bug? A typo?"

"Y-Yeah! Maybe they mixed up 9 and 6?"

Players who hadn't grasped the severity of the situation thought so.

But for those who knew about the incident at the tower, the update details were impossible to ignore.

"Wait, is this what I imagined becoming reality?"

"The senior wizard of the tower. Is that monster inside that rift?"

"I can understand why the recommended level is 900..."

Level 900.

A truly overwhelming number.

It was enough to make players who had pledged their lives to the quest give up.

Not just players.

Guilds would also find it difficult to take such a huge risk.

So, the natural question that followed.

"......Then what are we supposed to do about that rift?"

Furthermore, if such a rift were to collapse.

What would happen?

The news came at that moment.

"Mr. Ho Yeol?"

Lee Ho Yeol.

He, the Chief Wizard of the tower.

Was seen appearing with Marcello.

Nam Taemin could sense it.

Ho Yeol was planning to enter the rift.

So he sent a message.

"I don't know if I can be of any help there."

Immediately offering to cooperate.

Nam Taemin clenched his fist.

Is your life not precious?

If not for Ho Yeol, he would have died in Frost, or lived in a state worse than death. Or, going further back, if Ho Yeol hadn't saved his brother...

He wouldn't have been able to live a normal life.

"I'll do what I can."

Just as Nam Taemin stood up resolutely.

Zzzz─

A vibration sounded.

"?! "

...Why does this reply bring back old memories?

It was just two more characters than the reply I received back then.

But the meaning was not much different.

-It's an internal matter.

"......An internal matter?"

A question mark appeared on Nam Taemin's face.

.

.

.

This is an internal matter of the tower.

In a way, it's like a family dispute.

Of course, more support is better.

But at least in the current situation, it doesn't apply.

What's the big deal about the recommended level being 900?

The senior wizard of the tower is inside that rift?

So what are you saying?

I have the Chief Wizard Marcello by my side.

Yes, this is confidence backed by solid evidence.

In a more refined expression, it's a mutual support.

[The Broken Dimensional Rift]

[Recommended Level: Lv.900]

[Rift Collapse Rate: 4.8%]

I straightened my clothes and spoke.

In an incredibly bold voice.

"Let's finish this quickly."