Chapter 97

◈ Chapter 97. An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth (2)

Plop─

Surging magic.

Jang Hyundo's body floated in the air like a feather.

“Choke.”

In the space where the oxygen had become thin due to the dense concentration of magic.

Jang Hyundo panted, but Karimzeva remained motionless.

He merely examined Jang Hyundo's body.

‘I can’t sense any traces of magic.’

Marcello’s thorough handling.

It was standard not to leave any traces of magic that could serve as clues.

No matter how skilled Karimzeva was, he couldn’t track down non-existent magic traces.

Crack─

Karimzeva’s brow furrowed mercilessly.

“Did you dare to deceive me, Akampa-tam?”

Akampa-tam had fled.

Karimzeva had no choice but to think so.

Bang!

“Wretched human brat.”

Jang Hyundo, who had fainted, was thrown to the ground from the air.

“Grrr……”

Judging by his audacity to speak so informally to him.

It must mean he doesn’t remember anything properly.

“Was this your plan from the beginning?”

Why.

Why did Akampa-tam suddenly disappear?

Karimzeva suppressed his boiling anger, which was like molten lava.

In the end, there was only one thing he could conclude.

‘Is a demon nothing more than a demon?’

A demon is an entity that deceives everything.

Even if it’s their king, the Demon King, they can’t abandon their nature.

Although he didn’t want to waste his time on a mere demon of Jinmyeong.

Akampa-tam knew too much.

‘Was it because of this that he mentioned specific plans?’

Moreover.

Regarding the handling of the matter.

Akampa-tam had asked him to stay out of it.

Karimzeva had just been waiting.

“To trust a demon, how foolish.”

And now he realized.

The fact that Akampa-tam did not exist in Jang Hyundo’s body.

“It was a clear mistake.”

Trusting a demon was my mistake.

Karimzeva admitted it.

But his self-reproach didn’t last long.

‘During the wasted time, I realized something clearly.’

That he no longer had any comrades.

With Akampa-tam gone.

There was no way to obtain information about the magic tower.

“I am deeply regretful.”

Telepathy was still silent.

Thanks to this, he could be certain.

Whether by their own will or by force.

The two elder mages.

He would no longer be able to work with them.

Swoosh─

Karimzeva wiped his face with his hand.

And spoke in a low voice.

“This greatly reduces the chances of success.”

To the point where he wanted to give up.

Flash─

But Karimzeva’s eyes still burned brightly.

Like a blazing flame.

Yes, it was unmistakably the gaze of a mage.

“But if it were easy, it would be strange, wouldn’t it?”

The gaze of a mage who yearns for the truth.

“Is it an easy task to seek the true truth?”

The path to the ‘true truth.’

Even if there were setbacks in the plan.

Even if Akampa-tam knew all the plans.

Even if this action hastened his end.

“Fine. There can be no more splendid funeral than this.”

For the mage, Karimzeva, there was no thought of retreating.

For the true truth.

“This body can be burned as many times as needed.”

Because that’s what a mage is, a stubborn bunch.

So Karimzeva warned.

“Once a fire starts, it’s not easily controlled.”

Magic tower?

Demon?

Adventurer?

It didn’t matter who it was.

The path to the true truth.

Anything that obstructed it would be burned away.

*

Karimzeva, the Fire Dragon.

As befitting his grand title, he was a great mage.

Well, there was no need to flip through magic books.

Benshi William, the senior mage of Flame Magic.

His fuss made it clear.

“To be honest, I want to sit this one out.”

Crystal Hall.

Me and Marcello.

In a room where all the senior mages were gathered.

Benshi declared right away.

“Sir Karimzeva. No, now he’s a heretic of the magic tower. Karimzeva, that guy! He’s not called a Fire Dragon for nothing! His achievements in Flame Magic are beyond imagination. His strength is something even I, Benshi William, can never match...!”

I know that.

I had read all kinds of magic books to dig into various fields.

Naturally, I had also accumulated a certain level of knowledge about Flame Magic.

‘The name Karimzeva came up a lot.’

To be honest.

His name would pop up in every paragraph.

Frustrated, Benshi pounded his chest.

Thump thump.

“Of course, I can’t be the only one to sit this out. But I’m asking you to consider the characteristics of Flame Magic in this situation.”

The characteristics of Flame Magic.

Reading was my strength.

I already knew this without being told.

‘It’s a magic with a clear hierarchy.’

Flame is consumed by a larger flame.

The same goes for Flame Magic.

If Karimzeva’s and Benshi’s Flame Magic were to clash.

‘It would undoubtedly become a larger flame and engulf us.’

A combined attack by an elder mage and a senior mage.

Just imagining it made my mouth dry.

In that sense, Benshi’s words were quite reasonable.

“I was already considering that point in your assignment.”

Rustle rustle─

Marcello was busily moving his quill.

By the word ‘assignment,’ he was thinking about how to group the senior mages.

Even the best mages in their respective fields.

Each field has its strengths and weaknesses.

‘If I think like a player.’

Before entering the rift.

It’s similar to forming a party based on class.

Of course, it wasn’t that important an assignment.

After all, the magic tower’s goal was to stop the heretic Karimzeva, not to conquer the rift.

‘The moment Karimzeva’s location is confirmed.’

All senior mages would gather there.

The distance between rifts?

A portal-level magic.

It wouldn’t be a concern for senior mages who could use magic as freely as water.

‘Of course, with my meager magic power, it’s a bit burdensome...’

Anyway, I’ll try to compensate as much as possible with potions.

Just as I was making this resolve, Marcello continued.

“Indeed, the only one who can handle that dangerous variable is Senior Matis Din Car.”

The senior mage of the Black Magic School, Matis Din Car.

In the past, Matis was a mage who competed with Marcello for the position of chief.

Matis nodded as if respecting Marcello’s decision.

“...What? Senior Matis will be with me?”

Of course, Benshi looked visibly uncomfortable.

“No, it’s not that serious. It’s not like we need to trouble Chief Matis to that extent... Besides, wouldn’t Chief Matis also feel a bit uncomfortable because of me?”

Matis had considerable influence among the senior mages.

‘Even in the ability proof quest, for example.’

When Matis cast a vote in favor, the other senior mages followed suit.

Benshi was uncomfortable working with Matis alone.

Of course, I couldn’t just stand by and watch.

‘What a lucky guy, Benshi William.’

This is a crucial mission that concerns the pride of the magic tower in dealing with a heretic.

Trivial feelings like discomfort can’t take precedence.

I spoke up immediately.

Looking at Matis.

“Is this decision burdensome, Matis?”

“No.”

“Is that so. Senior Benshi William.”

I thought seriously.

...What would it feel like to deal with a superior like me?

One thing was certain.

‘More tiring than my department head.’

Unlike my department head, who could be flattered.

Flattery and even bribes didn’t work on me.

Benshi’s reaction was self-explanatory.

“You don’t have to ask me that...!!”

I’ll accept the assignment...

With that muttered statement, Benshi fell silent.

Of course, other senior mages also showed uneasy expressions, not faring better than Benshi.

Probably because of how I addressed Matis. It could be misunderstood.

‘That great Matis Din Car.’

I naturally called him by his name.

Of course, there’s a complicated story behind it.

“I can’t figure it out. Really.”

Someone muttered.

Yes, it must be maddeningly curious.

But of course, I wouldn’t tell.

To explain the whole story, I’d have to go back to my first meeting with Matis.

Naturally, I’d have to mention my affinity for black magic.

The source of black magic.

My past, which was a suitable source of magic power.

I couldn’t reveal my dark history, even if it meant death.

Swoosh─

Even in the small commotion.

Marcello didn’t stop his pen.

It seemed the assignment was complete.

“I will observe the situation inside the rift and move to where support is needed. So... Now, it’s up to Chief Ihoyeol’s decision.”

Naturally.

In the gaze directed at me.

I thought honestly.

‘...If it were up to me.’

I wanted to tour each rift.

I wanted to collect all the leftovers the senior mages would drop.

But I wouldn’t have the luxury. Who knows what demons or Karimzeva might be lurking in which rift.

So I declared as I had decided.

“I will accompany Senios.”

Silence─

At my words, it was as if cold water had been poured over everyone.

“...?”

The Crystal Hall fell into silence.

Then someone finally managed to speak.

“...Senios? You can’t mean...?”

Yes, that’s probably what you mean.

The Senios I mentioned was the elder mage of the magic tower, Senios.

Marcello, who had also lost his words, regained his composure and asked.

“Sir, do you mean Senios...?”

“Yes. The elder mage, Senios.”

“By ‘accompany,’ do you mean Senios will also leave the tower? That he will go to the rift?”

Given his frequent interactions with the tower’s leadership, including the elder mages.

Marcello found it hard to understand this decision.

I thought the same.

If he could have stepped forward like this.

He should have done a better job in advance.

-“You may not know, but mages are a selfish and arrogant bunch. It’s a nature that doesn’t change even with age or reaching such a level.”

However, Senios’ reaction was unexpected.

He simply admitted that it was his own fault.

There was a specific story behind it, but.

‘Talking about someone’s personal story in such a public setting.’

It would be against etiquette.

So I could only state the facts.

Continuing calmly was all I could do.

“Senios also requested permission to leave the tower. The purpose of his departure is to deal with the heretic, Karimzeva, with his own hands. I judged his purpose without considering his position and granted him permission to leave.”

My words caused a stir in the Crystal Hall.

“Senios requested permission from Chief Ihoyeol?”

“While Chief Ihoyeol has the authority to grant departures...”

“Even if you say you don’t consider positions, this is...”

To follow such strict procedures.

Everyone must be shocked.

Of course, I would have no complaints if I were fired.

I was amazed at my own boldness.

This level of murmuring among the senior mages.

I could understand it generously.

“It’s surprising, but it’s good news.”

Indeed, Marcello seemed to have quickly made a judgment.

Then he continued to me.

“However, if it weren’t for you, it would have been impossible.”

That might not be the case?

‘Senios, that guy, is different from his appearance.’

But regardless of my thoughts.

Marcello seemed to genuinely believe it.

It’s clear that Marcello overestimates me.

But I don’t deny it.

『Grangfell had no sense of humility. He would prove underestimations and make overestimations a reality.』

I am the same.

That’s the kind of person I am.

Of course, that alone couldn’t explain everything.

Just as the shock was slowly fading.

Someone recalled a fundamental question.

“Yes, I can understand the procedure. But didn’t Chief Ihoyeol call Elder Mage Senios... Just Senios?”

Pride can’t accept Senios.

To explain the complicated story.

Like Matis.

I would have to go back to the past.

In the end, I could only bring up the facts again.

I stood up.

Spoke boldly.

“In a mission I supervise, positions are not considered.”

I realize again.

If I’m going to go crazy.

It’s better to go completely crazy.

So no one can touch me.

“If you have any complaints, raise them through the proper procedure.”

Click─

.

.

.

A new post appeared on the Arcana official website.

-Wednesday.

Today was not Thursday.

It meant an emergency update, not a scheduled new update.

I knew what it meant better than anyone.

So there was no hesitation.

Adjusting the angle of the brooch.

Straightening my clothes.

Placing the teacup calmly.

I scribbled on the parchment with a quill.

──────

I will begin the execution of the heretic, Karimzeva, from this moment.

──────

Elder, Senios. Chief, Marcello. All senior mages.

──────

Gather.

──────