◈ Episode 107. Ego (2)
The hazy scenery of the “realm” that still lingered in my mind.
Recalling that sensation, I manifested Senios’s freezing magic. Compared to the original, it was nothing more than a drop in the bucket, but I was still capable of imitating it to some extent.
Craaaack—!!
Its power was tremendous.[Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit: Lv.560][“Stiffness” occurs on the Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit.][“Stiffness” occurs on the Mospike Mercenary’s Vengeful Spirit.]……
To think a monster at a whopping level 560 would freeze solid without being able to do a thing.
Suddenly, I remembered the desperate struggle in the [Predator’s Swamp] rift. Yes, back then, how miserable had it been?‘Not just magic, but even swordsmanship…….’Sword Aura (劍氣)
It hadn’t even been for the sake of releasing it.
It had been solely to protect my feeble body.
I had copied Harkon’s stance.
Compared to that time, this was truly a great leap forward. At least, now.‘Of course.’It wasn’t merely high-level magic.
It was the manifestation of realm-level magic.
Unlike when facing Karimzeva, I hadn’t made exhaustive preparations, nor had I excessively doped myself with elixirs. The consumption of mana was extreme. My eyelids trembled, but I showed none of it.
“To cast freezing magic of this scale in a single breath……!”
I spoke to Klee, who was exhaling white mist into the cold air.
“It is not only the living who covet Ghost Life Herb.”
“Ah, I see!”
“Keep that in mind. I shall leave their disposal to you.”
This was the authority of the chief.
Shamelessly, I ordered her to take care of the leftovers.
They were, quite literally, monsters I had already all but caught.
It wasn’t as though I had any particular desire to share the experience points, but.‘I need to conserve my mana.’Ghost Iron.
Now that I had learned Ghost Iron was buried in the Mantra Mine……!
“Y-yes!”
Klee seemed a little surprised at my words.
But she soon dealt with the frozen vengeful spirits.
Yes, this was what an organization was like.
When you were told to do something, you had no choice but to do it.
I really did know how to make good use of my rank.‘Still, as expected of the Magic Tower.’Klee Odia.
She was, strictly speaking, a skilled mage of the healing school.
But did that mean knowledge of her school wasn’t necessary to hunt monsters of this level? She manifested basic magic and finished off the vengeful spirits in an instant.‘Jesse Heinness isn’t treated as an apprentice for nothing.’I flinched for a moment, but.[You have leveled up.][You have leveled up.]……
Even so, it was only natural that my contribution was greater.
There could be no backing more reliable than the Magic Tower.
It wouldn’t happen, but just in case.
I had been careful, lest my pitch-black ulterior motives show through.
“Wow, so this is Ghost Life Herb.”
Klee’s mind was completely occupied by the Ghost Life Herb.
Yes, I should stop feeling pleased with myself and gather the elixir herbs too.
Considering its effect, it wouldn’t be useful right away, but.
If you stockpile anything, the day will eventually come when you need it.
“If you require my blessing, please tell me.”
The nymph, who had been silent, spoke up.
Wasn’t she the nymph who had helped the four-season mistletoe grow?
It must have been her field of expertise.
But as I said, the effect of Ghost Life Herb was of no immediate use.
On top of that, the nymph’s blessing, the {Nature} ability, consumed my mana.
At least until I acquired the Ghost Iron. The blessing was sealed.
After gathering the elixir herbs, I checked my inventory.
As expected, I could feel the reward of having dug several wells.[Predator’s Swamp]
An item I had obtained there.[Shabby Storage Belt].
I had extracted the inventory expansion effect attached to that item.
And bestowed it upon my clothing.
Thanks to that,
I had considerable room in my inventory.
What that meant was simple.
Whether it was Ghost Life Herb.
Whether it was Ghost Iron.
Whether it was experience points.‘I can pack it in as tightly as possible before leaving.’It might look like greed, but it was not greed.
What place did desire have in the incarnation of incorruptible integrity?
Yes.
This was merely,
in order to become a big shot,
the desperate struggle of someone who had gained a goal,
saying he could not afford to miss a single thing.*Peek—Klee looked at Hoyeol from beneath the robe pulled over her head.‘……
Why did he do that?’To think he would leave the incapacitated vengeful spirits to her.
To Klee, Hoyeol’s actions were incomprehensible.
After all, Klee was a skilled mage of the Magic Tower.‘It felt incredibly unfamiliar.’It was because Hoyeol’s actions were different from those of the Magic Tower mages she had commonly seen.
Klee knew very well what mages were like.
For mages, if it wasn’t magic,
other people were not, by nature, objects of great interest.‘To begin with, I’m the same way too…….’Because she knew that fact,
she had firmly prepared herself before leaving the tower.
Even if Hoyeol accompanied her as the person in charge,
she would protect her own safety herself.
But this was something she had never expected.‘Yes.’If she thought generously,
—“Klee Odia.”
—“There is procedure even in gathering elixir herbs.”
—“Examine your surroundings.”
She could understand Hoyeol warning her and stopping the vengeful spirits with freezing magic.
He was the person in charge, after all. He probably hadn’t wanted any problems to arise while they were outside the tower.‘But why leave the finishing blow to me……?’Even as Klee disposed of the vengeful spirits, her head was filled with question marks.
Was it because she was only a skilled mage that she couldn’t fathom the chief’s thoughts?
If it had been Senior Mage Velliere, would she have understood right away?‘Hmm…….’She couldn’t get a feel for it at all.
And so, Klee had been glancing at Hoyeol since earlier.
Wondering if there might be even a clue in his complexion.‘I don’t know, Lady Velliere!’His usual posture.
His expressionless face, as always.
Of course, there was no way such a thing would be possible, but.
A voice reached the screaming Klee.
“Are you wondering why?”……
Gasp.
Klee covered her mouth once again.
Was he now using magic that could see through one’s inner thoughts?
As Klee felt guilty for no reason, Hoyeol’s words continued.
“I am speaking of Ghost Life Herb.”……
Thank goodness, that was what he meant.
“Yes. I’m not quite sure how Ghost Life Herb and the mine are related…….”
But she still trailed off at the end.
There were hundreds of thousands of elixir herbs that grew on the Arcana Continent alone.
It was only natural that memorizing each of their effects and characteristics would be impossible……
“Ghost Iron.”
“……
Pardon?”
“Ghost Life Herb is an elixir herb that grows only where Ghost Iron is buried.”
“!”……
And yet she should have known?‘Just how does Chief Lee Hoyeol possess such extensive knowledge about elixir herbs? This is information I couldn’t even find in the Magic Tower’s books……?’And why such precious information?‘Why is he telling me so casually?’No matter how she thought about it, Hoyeol was not like a mage.……
No, could it be that he really wasn’t a mage?
To the point that such a ridiculous thought crossed her mind.
But Hoyeol’s words did not end there.
“Information such as the environment in which an elixir herb grows may be useless if one merely uses it. However, I, too, have been thinking about your research—the cultivation method of elixir herbs—which is why I told you.”
“……!”
He had been thinking about my research?
How long had it been since the regular conference ended?
Even now?‘……
Why?’Though she couldn’t understand the reason, he truly was the chief after all.
From the time of the conference until now.
To think he had not stopped thinking about work.
Klee couldn’t help but be impressed once again.‘Even if someone ordered me to, I don’t think I could ever do that, Chief!’*The mine had become even more complicated as it tangled with the forest of buildings.
The one who became our guide was none other than the nymph.
“This way.”
The nymph could converse with plants, including trees.
She had listened to the Ghost Life Herb,
asking where the Ghost Iron was buried,
and thus determined its location.‘This is a complete shortcut.’[Mantra Mine - Mining District 1].
The shortest route leading to [Nobleman of Iron],
which could be called the boss monster of the rift. I had also checked the information about [Nobleman of Iron] in the update details.[Nobleman of Iron: Lv.650]
So it was just a level 650 monster.
It would be quite tough.
I should be careful.
Back then, I had thought that and moved on.
But after learning it was related to Ghost Iron,
it had an extremely fitting name.
And above all, it was fortunate.‘This huge mine wasn’t simply closed for no reason.’Knowledge of all minerals.
If I hadn’t had prior knowledge of Ghost Iron,
I would have struggled quite a bit in the battle against [Nobleman of Iron].
Soon, the wings of the nymph flying ahead fluttered to a stop.
“This is the place.”
I spoke to Klee.
“Klee Odia, wait here.”
It would have been one thing if I hadn’t known.
But now that I did know,
I didn’t need Klee’s support.
Click—What greeted me was a huge iron giant.
It stood easily three meters tall, and its body was completely encased in armor without a single gap. Considering that its level was 650, its appearance alone was enough to overwhelm one with intimidation.
However.
“That figure is unmistakably that of a warrior.”
I could not shrink back.
Leaving Grandfell’s personality aside, I knew.
That enormous body was nothing more than an illusion.
Yes, because [Nobleman of Iron]
was an illusion created by Ghost Iron.
“But you cannot deceive my eyes.”
Ghost Iron.
That thing, just like its name—haunted iron—was underhanded, wasn’t it?[Nobleman of Iron]
was a warrior no matter how anyone looked at it.
It looked like something you would want to cross swords with.
But as I said, that was a fake created by Ghost Iron.
Just like the vengeful spirits.
In other words, it was a ghost that physical attacks wouldn’t work on.
“Such tricks do not work on me.”
So what I needed at this moment
was not a sword, but mana.
Yes, the mana I had preserved in order to acquire Ghost Iron.
Gooooo—I immediately drew up my mana.[Natural Enemy Relationship]
had not activated. Yet had my mana increased as much as my level had risen? Even I could feel the changed flow of mana.
“To see through me at once. You are no dull fool.”
A voice like scraping metal came from [Nobleman of Iron].
It must have been the voice of Ghost Iron.
Iron, speaking.
If it had been the me of the past, I would have made a fuss,
but wasn’t I the one who knew everything about Ghost Iron?‘Of course it can speak.’That was right.
There was a reason Ghost Iron was treated similarly to minerals called legendary ores. Yes, Ghost Iron was the material for an Ego Sword.
Ego Sword.
A sword with a self.
A precious existence that had been nothing but foreshadowing since the days when Arcana was merely a game. Yet not only among players, but even among the people of Arcana, no one was known to possess an Ego Sword.
That was how precious it was.
I could guess the reason.‘First of all, finding Ghost Iron itself is the problem.’Ghost Iron was, by nature, a rare mineral.
And as if that weren’t enough, as you could see, it had a will.
No, rather than will, it was closer to stubbornness. That thing was.
The sibilant voice rang out once again.
“Mage. Do you think I will submit to you?”
In simple terms, it meant it would not fall into my hands so easily. It must have created an illusion for that very reason. I recalled the method for mining Ghost Iron.‘Either gain its recognition, or force it to submit. One of the two.’Whichever it was, it wouldn’t be easy.
Wasn’t that why the mercenaries who had somehow heard rumors about Ghost Iron and come here had ended up as vengeful spirits?
But you see.‘I’m pretty stubborn myself.’No, I had something even greater than stubbornness: pride.
I manifested magic at the charging [Nobleman of Iron].
The armor was only its outward appearance.
Because I knew its true nature was that of a ghost,
what I chose was pure magic.
Whoosh—!
Senior Mage of Pure Mana Studies, Bangrit Tom.
I manifested an inferior version of the mana rays he mainly used.
Let’s somehow make up for the difference in power caused by the mana gap by adding the [Aesthetic] stat……!
Fwoooosh—!
I didn’t know how effective that effort was.
But for now, when it came to being flashy,
that alone was enough to work in my favor.
“……
You are no ordinary mage.”
Zigzag.
The extending rays of mana bent dazzlingly for a brief moment.
Swish—!
Fwoosh—![Nobleman of Iron]
began to be pierced here and there. Seeing that sight, I felt it once again.
I wasn’t just spouting nonsense when I said [『Oddity』]
was on a similar level to the “realm,” you know?
“However, you still cannot make me submit.”
But the guy’s main body was, after all, Ghost Iron.[Nobleman of Iron]
rose once again.
This must be why it was so troublesome.‘If I can’t break Ghost Iron’s stubbornness.’In the end, it meant I would have to destroy the Ghost Iron
to escape from the endlessly resurrecting [Nobleman of Iron].
I checked the amount of mana I had left.
About seventy percent remained.‘Can I break Ghost Iron’s stubbornness before my mana gives out?’No, not “can I.”‘I must break it.’From struggling merely to avoid sinking,
I had resolved to struggle in order to move forward.
To me, Ghost Iron was an opportunity I could not let slip.
There was a saying: if you don’t have teeth, use your gums.
Yes, if I didn’t have mana,
I just had to drag in something else.
I had wells I had dug for precisely that purpose.
The exchange with [Nobleman of Iron] continued.
The compatibility between a mage and a ghost.
Thanks to that, I was overwhelming the guy, but the mana consumption was also extreme.
Of course, true to its precious status, Ghost Iron’s stubbornness did not break either.‘In the end, I have no choice but to bring out the next move.’After magic comes black magic.
Even if I had no mana, I was brimming with “suitable mana.”
However.
“I will never submit……. Mage……!!”
At the voice of Ghost Iron that continued like a scream, I flinched.
“I would rather be destroyed by my own will than submit. The only one who can make me submit is a swordsman with the skill worthy of my service……!”
You were no ordinary stubborn thing either.
That was the level of pride beyond stubbornness.
Naturally, they were words I could not ignore.
After all, I was not a mage.
Clack—I calmly raised my sword.
And steadied my breathing.
Sword Aura (劍氣) rippled along the blade.
My once insignificant level.
—“On a battlefield where life and death hang in the balance, Sword Aura becomes denser and takes on its own unique color.”
Thanks to that,
every battle in every rift had always been treated by me
as a crossroads between life and death.
My Sword Aura had grown incomparably denser than before.
Without the slightest tremor,
it emitted a unique, “lofty” light.
Suddenly, Ghost Iron’s voice, filled with emotion, reached me.
“Sword Aura……! You are the very one I have been waiting for!”