◈ Episode 219. A Happening……?
AAU.
The branch heads turned the report over.──────Official homepage.
After the emergency update details were uploaded. 01 hours : 14 minutes : 58 seconds elapsed.──────Srrk───────Player, Lee Hoyeol.
First sighted in the state of Utah, United States of America.
A cluster of asteroids that had entered the atmosphere (estimated to be the unimplemented skill, Meteor Strike)
was sent back into space. Afterward, he left behind the words, “Such modest wishes.”
and manifested a portal.
Witness testimonies attached below.──────“It was like someone had pressed the rewind button.”
“It looked like fireworks……? Well, I suppose it could look that way to a child. But Meteor Strike? Isn’t that the one?”
“That’s right. Back when Arcana was nothing more than a game, it was the ultimate skill of the mage-type classes that only reached the concept stage. Good grief, the fact that the skill actually existed is shocking enough…….”
“And then he went one step further and sent it right back.”
“It’s too early to be surprised. Let’s move on to the next page.”
Srrk───────Easter Island, South Pacific.
An abnormal phenomenon detected over the western sea.
Estimated to be the mana cloud manifested by the Tower Master.
Afterward, an intense mana collision phenomenon occurred for approximately one hour.──────“From the moment the mana began colliding, Chief Administrator Lee Hoyeol of Yusra was probably in combat with the Tower Master. What on earth happened inside that fog…….”
“There is observational data that was detected from the outside.”
“The surrounding sea evaporated and then froze over again……? Wait a moment. You’re saying that effect was produced through a mana cloud that thick? Then what in the world was happening inside?”
“They must have gone back and forth between a hell of fire and a hell of ice.”
“Ha.”
The branch heads clicked their tongues and turned the page.
“The mana cloud gradually dispersed, and the situation came to an end. After that, it was just as in the interview we watched together. As always, Chief Administrator Lee Hoyeol of Yusra revealed the full story behind the incident.”
The interview video appeared on the monitor.
-“The Tower Master had lost consciousness and awakened.”
“To think the Tower Master was in such a state.”
“More than that, I never imagined he would reveal the specific circumstances. If it were me, I would have glossed over it. Surely this must have been an internal matter of the Magic Tower as well…….”
“It must mean he intends to take responsibility for the incident. As the Chief.”
“People like us can’t hope to fathom him in the first place.”
Yes, how could anyone follow that confidence?
On the screen.
Hoyeol declared without the slightest wavering.
-“However, there is no longer anything to worry about.”
“Truly, there are no words more reassuring than those.”
“We must not be complacent. We should be alarmed that we were of no help.”
“But did everyone understand what he said after that?”
“What he said after?”
“Listen.”
-“For the lesson has now come to an end.”
Out of nowhere, the lesson had come to an end.
What lesson was he talking about?
The single line Hoyeol left at the end.
Thanks to that, the world’s attention had no choice but to turn toward Hoyeol once again.*
-What else would it be? He taught him a proper lesson, lololololol
-Lee Hoyeol taught the Tower Master a lesson???
-Obviously, what else could it be??
-Fr, the only thing that was properly revealed was what those two were up to
Taught him a lesson, they say.
You really are nothing but a hype machine, Grandfell……!
Of course, I’ll acknowledge what should be acknowledged. As I formed a Circle, the power of Oddity had also risen sharply. Thanks to that, it was true that I had been able to overwhelm the Tower Master.
However.
-The Sword Saint wasn’t enough, and now even the Tower Master???
-If this isn’t mastery of both pen and sword, then what is? lololol
-At this rate, isn’t he going to teach a dragon a lesson next? ㄷㄷ
Even simply laying out the facts plainly.
Already brought in more expectations than I deserved.
But no matter how you look at it, this was seriously overblown……!
Especially that last comment.
What, they think I’m going to teach a dragon a lesson?! ‘Just recently, even.’
On the day blessed by Siren’s fortune.
I had seen it on the Arcana Continent through the [Demon Eye’s Telescope].
The terror of the Elder Dragon, Yunaxus! Dragons, those things are simply in a different weight class, I’m telling you.
Dragons tear through dimensions.
Maybe if I completed [Incomplete Quick Swordsmanship] and reached the realm of a transcendent in swordsmanship too……. But at this point in time, I didn’t have even the slightest intention of exchanging blows with a dragon.
While I was being this serious.
“The world is noisy.”
Click─he even tilted his teacup.
You really do talk like it’s someone else’s business, Grandfell.
However, Grandfell’s attitude wasn’t actually wrong.
Because the world being noisy wasn’t my fault.
It was entirely the Tower Master’s fault.
I emptied the teacup cleanly and rose from my seat. ‘I’m not planning to be the only one suffering anymore.’
Now, it was time to pay back the lingering grudge.
...
The top floor of the Magic Tower.
“…….”
I couldn’t see my own face, but I could imagine it.
Right now, wasn’t I wearing an incredibly cold expression?
It couldn’t be helped.
Because what entered my sight was a single cat.
Shak, shak─it stuck out its tongue and diligently licked the fluffy ball of its forepaw.
Had it only now noticed my cold gaze?
It looked at me and opened its mouth.
What came out was not a meow─but human speech.
“Thanks to someone, my body was smashed to pieces, you see. I briefly changed into the form most suitable for recovery. There is no form better suited for lying around all day.”
Neither I nor Grandfell answered.
I feel like I’ve said this before.
The cuteness of cats does not work on me, nor on Grandfell.
Thanks to that, my attitude did not soften in the slightest.
“Tower Master, there is an answer I must hear from you.”
As expected, honorifics were boldly omitted.
Fortunately, the Tower Master did not nitpick over every little thing.
At any rate, thank goodness he wasn’t an old fossil like someone else.
“An answer, is it? Naturally, I must give you one. In that sense, even if my mouth has become a cat’s, I have nothing to say. As you have likely guessed, my plan failed spectacularly.”
Shouldn’t you have nothing to say even if you had ten mouths?
Indeed, he was just as Marcelo had described.
His words and actions were completely arbitrary.
Of course, this side wasn’t exactly behind him when it came to being arbitrary either.
“It was an excessive process of interference.”
See?
Pointing out what was wrong right from the start.
As if conducting a prior verification on the Tower Master, I continued.
“If you wished to get even a little closer to successful manifestation, you needed a broader understanding of the target of exploration. However, above all, the greatest mistake must have been overlooking the unconsciousness left within the body.”
The Tower Master’s cat ears sharpened.
“……
You are terribly persistent. To the point that I regret ever feeling curiosity toward you, however briefly. Will you only be satisfied once you have thoroughly dug up all my shame?”
Of course, I paid no heed and continued speaking.
I told you, didn’t I?
I didn’t bring a storm of tears to the Magic Tower for no reason.
“……
Damned nagging.”
Pababak─only after the Tower Master shook out his fully perked ears with his forepaws did my lecture come to an end. Of course, I hadn’t only spat venom. It was my pride to be generous with praise where praise was due.
“Nevertheless, Meteor Strike was impressive.”
Thanks to that, I had properly learned by watching over his shoulder.
The highest-level spells manifested by the Tower Master’s body!
I couldn’t say I could put them to full use at the present moment.
I could tell without even manifesting them.
That their mana consumption was extreme.
Even the Tower Master had coughed up blood from the backlash, after all. ‘Still, the important thing is that I’ve engraved them in my head.’
Even if not right away, the day would come when I would use them.
I guarantee it.
Among the spells I can manifest.
Meteor Strike’s destructive power was unquestionably the strongest. ‘And if I added Oddity to that?’
Wouldn’t that destructive power truly surpass imagination?
The Tower Master’s cat tail swayed lightly.
“What truly comforting praise, Chief Lee Hoyeol. Looking back on the memories left in my body, I do not think a single spell worked effectively on you. As if your scathing remarks weren’t enough, now you humiliate me to my face.”
Then he went limp like a real cat.
“Thanks to that, my already devastated consciousness has grown even more withered.”
Devastated consciousness, huh.
I had been meaning to ask about that anyway.
Paying no heed to the Tower Master’s exaggeration, I opened my mouth.
“What happened in the space of consciousness?”
The Tower Master was also a transcendent. There was no need to explain what the 『space of consciousness』 meant.
A space of consciousness similar to the social hall of time and space must certainly exist in the pointed hat as well.
The Tower Master slowly opened his half-closed eyes.
“I was paying the price.”
“If you mean a price.”
“It must have been the punishment for breaking the laws of the great mages, laws passed down for who knows how many generations, not even I can count them. If trying to stop an ugly plan is a sin, then I suppose that was my sin. Yes.”
An ugly plan.
Was he talking about the conspiracy of the great mages.
The one written in the Magic Tower quest?
There was no need to ask.
Because the Tower Master continued on his own.
“I had been driven into a crisis where I could not even send telepathy to my disciple……. But as you can see, Chief Lee Hoyeol, thanks to you. I was able to survive, even if only in the form of a cat. Allow me to formally express my gratitude.”
If someone heard that, they’d think I had returned his consciousness into a cat’s body.
I wanted to retort.
But there was something I had to ask first.
So what exactly was this conspiracy of the great mages?
“Even you, Chief Lee Hoyeol, who managed to grasp not only my shame but even the structure of magic you had never seen before in your life. Even you could not possibly have anticipated their ugly plan.”
The Tower Master drew it out as much as he could.
“Please do not be surprised. The great mages, they…….”
Even the tongue licking his soft paw stopped as he continued seriously.
“Share the same objective as the demons.”
Demons, huh.
Honestly.
I was not surprised in the slightest.
“They truly desired the destruction of the Arcana Continent. For that one single purpose alone. They inherited the knowledge of the great mages and brainwashed new vessels.”
Why did the great mages desire the destruction of the Arcana Continent?
Even if I did not know the reason, I had suspected as much.
There was always a reason the Arcana Continent ended up in such a state.
Because powerful beings like you, great mages, wished for its destruction.
The continent must have collapsed without offering any resistance to the demons.
“I suspected as much.”
At my calm reply, the Tower Master’s fur stood on end.
“……
You suspected as much?”
Sniff, sniff─he wrinkled his nose and let out an exclamation of admiration.
“Indeed, it does not smell like you are lying. In that case, there was no point in drawing it out, Chief Lee Hoyeol. I wanted to be of some help, at least once, to you, my benefactor. What a pity.”
If he wanted to be of help.
He didn’t need to worry about that.
Now that the Tower Master had returned to the Magic Tower. ‘You’d better brace yourself.’
I was planning to dump quite a lot of work on him.
Because from now on, I would have to struggle desperately while being extremely busy.
Of course, I wasn’t saying I would dump work on him right away. ‘It wouldn’t be good to bother someone recuperating too much.’
Shall I head back now?
I turned to leave, then stopped.
No, no matter what, I had to ask one more thing.
Thanks to my reversal magic.
The Tower Master’s consciousness had returned from the pointed hat to his original body.
Then what would happen to Jesse’s class?
Before that, was it even all right for her to continue wearing that ominous pointed hat?
The Tower Master yawned leisurely.
“I wondered what you were worrying about.”
Then he licked his soft paw again.
“What a truly useless worry, Chief Lee Hoyeol.”
He spoke words whose meaning I could not grasp.
“Is it not only natural that those old men will not be speaking to my disciple for a while? Including me, everyone sensed your presence, Chief Lee Hoyeol. What madman could face you and still harbor wicked intentions?”
……
Wait, that means.
Are you saying the great mages got scared of me?
What is this? At this point, it’s starting to frighten me.
Could it be.
Could I have become.
Far stronger than I thought?
...
If being needlessly diligent was a sin, then it was indeed a sin.
Before even a full day had passed.
I returned to my daily life.
In other words.
To handle the piled-up paperwork, I visited the Yusra Kingdom.
The office.
In the process, I encountered an unexpected person.
Rank 1 on Arcana’s official rankings.
The Dragon Knight, Skal.
Entering the office, he opened his mouth.
“It is an honor to meet you for the first time, Sir Lee Hoyeol.”
……
Hey, Mr. Skal.
Why is your manner of speech like that from the very first meeting?!
What on earth is with that formal greeting, so proper that it wouldn’t be strange to say you’d just popped out of the medieval era? Honestly, Grandfell really has ruined all sorts of people.
For a moment, I swallowed a sigh inwardly.
Then I checked the quest window.
[World Quest: Evil Dragon Hunter]
O one who has hunted the kin of an evil dragon.
The legend of the mountain range calls to you.─Reach the summit of the Zero Mountains. (In Progress)
If it was the Dragon Knight, Skal.
He must know information related to the world quest.
That was what I had thought. ‘Well, even if not.’
Now that the Zero Mountains had appeared.
And dragons had begun to move in earnest.
It would be necessary to compare the puzzle pieces of the quest with Skal.
“Take a seat.”
At my invitation, Skal immediately sat down.
But somehow, he had looked restless since earlier.
I had been thinking of sharing a cup of tea as a gesture of getting along from now on.
But if he was that urgent, it couldn’t be helped.
“I have heard the story.”
Enoch had conveyed it.
Saying there was something he absolutely had to tell me.
Skal had been waiting for me in front of the Golden Palace since yesterday. ‘This really wasn’t because I meant to stand him up.’
I had been planning to speak with him anyway.
From Skal’s perspective, one might say the timing was cruel.
Feeling needlessly apologetic, I spoke more generously than usual.
“You may state your business.”
Then, as if he had been waiting, Skal poured out his story.
As I had guessed.
It was indeed a story related to dragons.……
But.
What did you just say, Skal?
Who returned to the Arcana Continent?
The Greeeeat Family? ‘That can’t be.’
No way.
……
For real?!