◈ Episode 528. Hypocrisy (2)
The founder of Theoretical Magic.
—"Are you aware of the limits of Reversal Magic, my Lord?"
Marcelo had asked me.
—"I do not doubt your Reversal Magic. It is simply my duty……. Most magic can be discerned merely by observing its structure, but Reversal Magic is beyond my understanding entirely……."
Even for Marcelo, who had systemized all magic into theory, Reversal Magic must have been difficult to comprehend. Back then, I had simply wondered why he found it so hard when you just had to reverse the interference process……. ‘I was only brave because I didn't know.’ Now that I have accumulated knowledge of magic.
Reversal Magic viewed through the eyes of a founder?
Even as I manifested it.
There were times I wondered if there was even such a thing as this magic in the world.
Attack, transformation, healing…….
Truly.
Ever-changing.
Reversal Magic could not even be categorized in the grand scheme of things.
Because the manifestation value completely flipped depending on the target of its exploration.
Of course, even then my own big mouth had spoken with confidence.
—"Unfortunately, I do not see any limits yet."
But now I finally understand, Marcelo.
By my side.
I spoke to Marcelo, who was looking at Jeju Island.
"So this was the limit of Reversal Magic, Marcelo."
"……What do you mean?"
"Even if it is Reversal Magic, it cannot reverse life."
Burning in the flames of the demon world, crushed by fitting mana. The vibrant nature of Jeju Island could not be revived even by the Reversal Magic manifested with my overwhelming mana.
Kugugung…….
That's right.
All I could do was rebuild collapsed buildings, restore split earth, and return flooded streams to their original state. Marcelo, who had been silent, opened his mouth.
"You have done, and are doing, your utmost, my Lord."
Perhaps thanks to his exploration of Gi. ‘You've come to understand this reality quite well, Marcelo.’ He must be trying to comfort me.
Even back when not a single flaw was visible, I always had doubts. But at this moment, it was no different from a first and fatal flaw appearing in me.
Articles were being published without rest.
-[What happened to I Hoyeol? Mysterious movements!]
-[Anonymous Player says, "I Hoyeol was clearly different from usual. It was like he was a different person……."]
-[A victory followed by question marks? I Hoyeol's position?]
Normally I would have brushed it off saying the media will be the media……. But this time, I had a guilty conscience. Instead of answering Marcelo, I asked back.
"What do you think of the future of Reversal Magic, Marcelo."
"What do you mean?"
"As you know, attribute magic has overcome its limits."
Like rock-paper-scissors biting each other.
Attribute magic with clearer limits than anything.
But now that 'Gi' has been discovered.
It would be no exaggeration to say the affinity relationships of attribute magic have collapsed.
"That is correct. Thanks to the Gi discovered by my Lord, attribute magic has surpassed its limits and reached a new realm. To reach that realm of Gi, senior mages and numerous trained mages are burning with academic passion day and night."
In that sense, I.
The father of Theoretical Magic.
Was asking Marcelo.
"Then my Reversal Magic too."
"……?"
"Do you think it can overcome its innate limits."
Marcelo's pupils trembled. ‘……What on earth is he talking about, he must be thinking?’ As I said, the limit of Reversal Magic is that it cannot reverse life. Overcoming such a limit was, in short, the same as performing the miracle of 'resurrection'. ‘Shall I flip the perspective?’ Imagine.
What if some mage came to the Topaz Hall for pre-verification before a regular academic conference, and their research was the manifestation of resurrection? There was no need to even pass it to the Granfell line. ‘I myself wouldn't have believed it and would have failed them.’ But.
"……I believe it is possible."
Marcelo opened his trembling eyes wide.
And said so.
He added, looking at me as I stared intently, wondering if I had misheard.
"If it is my Lord, I believe you will surely overcome the limits."
I fell silent.
If it had been a short while ago, I might have complained why he went silent at a time like this, that silence is not affirmation, and resented his selective lip service. But I wanted to believe.
Because it wasn't only Paimon who turned Jeju Island into such a state.
Because this too was a weight I had to bear.
And so I opened my mouth with my own, I Hoyeol's, will.
"I shall answer that faith, Marcelo."
Overcoming the limits of Reversal Magic.
Honestly, with my own, I Hoyeol's head, I can't even begin to fathom what or how to do anything. But isn't our Lord Granfell here, one who always makes spoken words come true? ‘Cooperate quietly, Granfell.’ Why, surely you haven't forgotten our promise? The one about buying premium Jeju Island green tea at a thousand won each and me granting you a wish! ‘You'd prefer the green tea side too, wouldn't you? So reverse it, the green tea fields.’ Seriously, what wish would you even beg of me?
Even now I can run my mouth however I want, act however formally I want, and even act proud……! I arbitrarily concluded the agreement with Granfell and looked at Jeju Island once more. ‘Let's do the best I can do for now.’ In that sense.
I could not help but mention the legend.
"Haiel."
At my call, Haiel appeared and bowed his head.
To Haiel.
I spoke with utmost shamelessness.
"As the 'Spirit Emperor', I command."
……It's a good thing the only one listening is Marcelo!!
[The legend, 'First Spirit Emperor,' manifests.]
That's right. 'First Spirit Emperor' was a legend I had obtained while acquiring command over the Spirit Kings.
Why, now that Seoul had become the land of Gi and the spirits in their natural state, which were said to be visible only to the chosen, had become visible even to ordinary people beyond players' sight.
The environment for the legend to spread was as good as perfectly laid out. ‘Not just the internet, but even the spirits were chattering.’ Spirits adept at rumors and fond of chattering.
Moreover, were these ordinary spirits?
The Spirit Kings themselves had stepped forward and called me Emperor.
Soon, the Spirit Kings revealed themselves behind Haiel.
The Earth Spirit King, Oried's seat was still empty.
But architectural magic had taken its place, so it should be fine.
I opened my mouth.
"This land needs your blessings."
At my words, the Spirit Kings bowed their heads.
"We shall obey your command."
I don't know who they learned it from.
What a formality that leaves you speechless.
It's as burdensome as can be. ‘Well, thanks to that.’
Somehow, I think I can manage the time.
The remaining time is merely two days.
Until I go to hell.
It meant I could more or less finish the cleanup.
Of course, there was still a much bigger problem for me.
[Missed Call: Big Sister]……
How can I face my sister after causing such a mess?
*AAU Branch Director-level Meeting.
"Then, I shall begin the meeting with a moment of silence."
They bowed their heads for a moment before everyone took their seats.
"First, please look at the materials."
The appearance of the Ninth Throne's Demon Lord, Paimon.
The first encounter with a high-ranking Demon Lord raid was truly shocking. Above all, the emergence of a new system rather than a rift held great significance.
"The restrictions present in rifts did not exist. The biggest difference is that unlike rifts where monsters reverse-flow only when the collapse rate reaches 100 percent, curses do not have a collapse rate."
"But wasn't it established theory that a system similar to collapse rate exists? If not, there's no reason for the Legion Commanders to appear in order. If they appeared all at once with Paimon……"
Bak Minjae opened his mouth.
"I believe it is an arbitrarily adjustable collapse rate."
"……An arbitrarily adjustable collapse rate?"
"Video around the 72 percent mark, can we play it again?"
At Bak Minjae's request, they nodded and replayed the video.
"It is the scene of Paimon's appearance. Unlike the Legion Commanders, it appeared in a translucent form. That's right. It was an incomplete manifestation. Paimon adjusted the curse's collapse rate on its own and revealed itself on Jeju Island much faster."
A sigh burst out at the sharp speculation.
"Such……!! A monster that can adjust its own collapse rate to appear whenever it wants to appear. Can we even call such beings monsters anymore?"
"Correct. You must all accept this."
"……?"
Bak Minjae clenched his fist.
"We must face not monsters, but the 'Ten Thrones'."
Bam.
Bak Minjae lightly struck the table.
Even as he did so, he swallowed a sigh inwardly.
He had never done such things even when called the mad dog of Cosmo. ‘It can't be helped.’ The gazes had changed. ‘They have every reason to be.’ He saw the branch directors being unusually sparing with their words.
Their inner thoughts?
He hadn't heard them, but he could guess. They would be asking the Korean branch director about the Korean player I Hoyeol. Bak Minjae inwardly scoffed. ‘They'll all think it's an opportunity.’ The land of Gi.
Seoul.
Its value was beyond words.
The most dangerous region, and therefore the safest region.
A land that was neither the Arcana Continent nor reality.
Where living spirits laughed and chattered…….
Just those descriptors alone were no longer an exaggeration.
Because of that, opinions had begun to emerge that Seoul should be managed by the UN, no, on a global scale.
In the past, he might have thought it quite reasonable. After all, he had been nothing more than the GM of the Arcana Continent Chronicle, not a complicated real-world politician.
But. ‘Nonsense.’
Seoul was already overlaid with the colors of Arcana.
And in the Arcana Continent Chronicles he knew, there had never been a territory jointly ruled by hundreds of nations. ‘Because the Arcana system would not permit it.’ At this very moment, guild siege warfare was occurring in Seoul without rest. They were at peace now, having signed peace treaties to avoid sieges, but Bak Minjae could guarantee it. ‘It is but a precarious peace.’ The Arcana Continent Chronicle system that he knew.
Because the creator of that system, Raymon Shion, would not leave such a development alone.
Of course, everyone in this seat likely knew that fact.
Was this not a branch directors' meeting?
They were all people who had eaten their share of Cosmo's rice, just as he had. ‘Moving as quickly as possible would have been the best move.’ But the reason they could not carry out that best move was simple.
That's right.
It was the presence of Director I Hoyeol of the Yusra Branch.
Does the tiger appear when you speak of it?
In the still-replaying video, the figure of the Director appeared.
A figure of the Director that had never been witnessed until now.
And that was the reason Bak Minjae did something he didn't usually do. ‘They'll definitely pounce.’ In this incident, the appearance shown by the Field Marshal. They would downplay achievements until now, exaggerate changes into crises, and slowly reveal the true colors they had been hiding. If so, what he had to do was simple.
Bak Minjae struck the core.
"Do you believe humanity, ordinary players, can stand against the Ten Thrones? No. The Ten Thrones are existences beyond our knowledge and understanding."
"……."
"The Ten Thrones can only be opposed by the Ten Thrones."
"……!!!"
Since it was the Director who had slain a Ten Thrones and ascended to the Ten Thrones.
Although Bak Minjae had made a neat preemptive strike, there were those who did not give up easily.
A sneering voice.
"Certainly, a Ten Thrones is a Ten Thrones."
"What did you just say?"
"The meaning is that the appearance was no different from Paimon's. Of course, he is taking responsibility for his actions, albeit belatedly……. But didn't the Director himself admit it?"
Soon, a replaying voice.
—"I showed an unsightly display unintentionally."
At that voice, Bak Minjae gritted his teeth. ‘……Damn it.’ If the Director had not admitted it.
No one could have refuted his opinion.
If the Director had not stepped forward, not just Paimon. ‘Even the hand that annihilated Paimon.’ Humanity would have had no way to stop it.
But there was a statement from the Director who hid nothing. In fact, that statement was clear evidence that the Director was no different from usual.
A detestable voice continued.
"I am not denying it. Simply acknowledging it."
"……."
"The imperfection of the Director."
They were cunningly digging into that point.
Bak Minjae inwardly repeated. ‘I humbly believe it will not be easy, Director.’ It was then.
"Excuse me during the meeting!"
"What is it?"
"A reply has arrived from Director I Hoyeol of the Yusra Branch……!!"
That a reply had arrived from I Hoyeol.
"He says he will convene a roundtable conference at the Magic Tower?! Right now?!"
*Magic Tower.
Crystal Hall.
Before everyone, I Hoyeol declared.
"I shall take responsibility for my actions."
In a way beyond everyone's expectations.
"That's right."
At those words, the faces in the assembly turned pale.
"I shall soon fall into hell."
"?!?!!!"