The meeting room was cloaked in silence.
“….”
Even Seina, the young elder of the Blue Tower, remained silent.
‘Teddy’s subordinates had way too many souls.’
They even performed a cooperative attack, so Seina couldn’t guarantee an easy victory. It must have been a battle where she had to risk her life.
However, the inspector of the Imperial Tower grasped victory too easily. Like swatting away a pesky fly.
It didn’t even feel real.
This shouldn’t have happened. Losing a sense of reality in a moment where the lives of several mages depended on it was dangerous.
But what unfolded in front of Seina felt unreal. She convinced herself over and over that he was truly worth being her master.
“Ice Ghost….”
Seina muttered absentmindedly, then quickly shut her lips as she realized the surrounding silence.
Ezekiel was the one who matched the meaning of the Ice Ghost better than any freezing sorcerer Seina had seen.
On the other hand, the Red Tower Master wasn’t much different in thought.
‘…Indeed.’
An incomprehensible event occurred, but there are moments in life when one must quickly accept what is incomprehensible, and this was one of them.
That was definitely no ordinary inspector.
More like a judge.
Before even discussing the realm of magic, it was evident that this kind of presence was very familiar to him, proving he had countless experiences punishing others.
‘His skills don’t suggest he’s done punishment just a couple of times.’
The Red Tower Master quietly narrowed his eyes.
‘The Imperial Tower has been sharpening its blades secretly for ten years.’
Thinking that behind a seemingly pitiful appearance, such depth was being developed gave him chills. The Red Tower Master quickly made a decision.
“Everyone, let’s step back.”
“Hmm?”
“What do you mean, step back?”
The representatives of the other Magic Towers stared wide-eyed, their faces utterly shocked.
“Yeah, I’m saying let’s step back.”
“Move to the spectators’ seats?”
“This is an exchange meeting we’ve spent 10 years preparing…!”
For the representatives to move to the spectators’ seats didn’t simply mean to step back.
It meant that they would yield so the Imperial Tower could focus solely on the punishment. In other words, they were cleanly acknowledging the superiority of the Imperial Tower.
It was only natural for the purple and green factions to be flustered.
Though they didn’t resort to blatant methods like the Black Tower, everyone had worked hard to grab the best spot.
Among them, the fervent Red Tower chimed in first about stepping back, so it couldn’t be helped.
Meanwhile, the Red Tower Master was calm.
“It doesn’t matter how many years we prepared. What matters is whether we can continue to stay in the magical realm. And currently, the inspector of the Imperial Tower is…”
The Red Tower Master couldn’t finish his explanation.
…What should he even say to describe the inspector?
There wasn’t a word that could accurately capture him. He had never encountered such an inspector until now.
“Anyway, it would be best to leave the situation to the Imperial Tower and observe from the sidelines. Any Magic Tower that foolishly intervenes will surely suffer.”
That was a rare and surprising statement.
However, the representatives of the other Magic Towers knew well that the Red Tower Master’s words were not entirely absurd.
Everyone had a deep understanding of magic, and thus could qualify as representatives. So, even after witnessing what had just occurred, they couldn’t fail to surmise the immensity of the inspector’s might.
‘It was only a single attack.’
There had only been one attack, and even while facing a cooperative attack from the enemies, he didn’t allow a single blow in return.
This meant there was a tremendous skill gap between the two.
While everyone was in a state of confusion, there was one fact on which there was no disagreement.
“…He’s a rare mage.”
“The Imperial Tower had been secretly sharpening its sword behind the scenes.”
In the end, even the usually composed Green Tower Master spoke up.
“Alright. Let’s step back.”
“….”
She was known for never reversing decisions once she made them with her eyes closed. Everyone fell into silence at the Green Tower Master’s words.
“Competitions of goodwill can only happen if you’re involved in the magical realm. It’s clear which side holds the advantage right now.”
Just because Teddy Divine died didn’t mean the exchange meeting would immediately conclude.
In other words, it also meant they had to face that inspector later on, right?
Reaching a conclusion wasn’t hard at all.
The representatives withdrew to the spectators’ seats, leaving the center of the meeting room completely empty. They had decided to entrust themselves to the flow of the Imperial Tower.
Ezekiel observed those representatives quietly.
Did their changing attitudes like reeds irritate him?
Not at all.
Since they were choosing the favorable side, it worked to Ezekiel’s advantage instead.
Having gained this position through the upper hand, he was confident he would never relinquish it.
The reason he had scattered the scrolls was simple.
The reason Teddy waited for his masterpieces to be summoned and directed by her was also simple.
‘First, I needed to let them know the situation.’
There’s a need for learning for many to accept strength. That was the reason.
Ezekiel reflected upon his past life.
Every time he received an assassination mission, he’d complete it by killing the target without exception, yet despite that, Ezekiel’s infamy didn’t spread widely at all.
It wasn’t just because he hid his identity.
──Could it be they were caught off guard?
──They must have fallen for some underhanded trick.
──Still such ridiculous rumors…
People don’t believe unless they see it for themselves.
Even if they see it, they don’t believe if they can’t understand it.
It takes time to accept it.
Since he had struggled to hide his identity, Ezekiel understood well how he ought to reveal himself. Just do the exact opposite.
He had to slowly, and with effort, perform punishments.
So that all could confirm Ezekiel’s accomplishments properly, so that those who were listening wouldn’t think of it as mere rumors, and that everyone acknowledges the authority of the Imperial Tower.
Swish!
Ezekiel retrieved the ice spear.
Now, only Teddy remained.
Tap, tap—
He closed the distance toward the Black Tower Master, Teddy Divine.
“You had a whole decade.”
He said quietly.
“So… is this all you’ve prepared?”
“Ah~ well, I can’t help it. The incompetent previous Black Tower Master messed things up quite nicely.”
Come to think of it, that was true.
Teddy Divine was originally not the Black Tower Master, was she?
“…Where’s the original Black Tower Master?”
This was a rather important issue for Ezekiel.
He needed to investigate the deals with the Emperor and the vision techniques of each Magic Tower in detail. The former Black Tower Master was essential.
“Why are you asking me? I’m a traitor who irresponsibly abandoned the will of the Black Tower, should I take care of such trash’s whereabouts?”
Teddy grinned while sweating cold droplets.
She seemed to want to remark something additionally, but—
Whumph!
Suddenly, a long ice spike pierced Teddy’s body, right near her plump thigh.
“…!”
Teddy’s eyes went wide instantly.
The spikes didn’t stop there.
Whoosh!
The spikes branched off like a tree, spreading out like a wedge, a chain reaction.
“Kugh! Gyaaaaaah!”
Teddy couldn’t endure the pain and fell to the ground.
“Kugh, kuh! Kghhhhhh—!”
“Since it’s a fact that didn’t need warning, don’t respond so arrogantly. I’m not very patient.”
“Gggh…!”
The pain was unbearable without the ability to hold it back.
Teddy lifted her trembling head to look at him.
Ezekiel’s confidence didn’t make any sense to her.
‘Why, why?’
Forget the strength; hadn’t he warned that the spire itself, it’s just like a time bomb? Yet, how can he be so confident?
“Imperial Tower Inspector, you…!”
Teddy trembled in pain as she spoke.
“You’re saying it’s okay for all the mages here to die? That it’s fine if it blows bang!?”
Ezekiel didn’t offer any response.
“Hah… hah… hahahaha!”
Teddy suddenly burst into laughter. Had her brain fried from pain, she no longer felt it.
“Hahaha—! Hahahahahahaha—!”
Teddy suddenly pointed her index finger.
“You…! Because of you, everyone will die. No one but you! Because you stepped in, everything will explode!”
At the same time, with all her might she summoned her power.
Teddy unleashed a dark energy wave.
Bang!
However.
One second.
Ten seconds.
Thirty seconds…
Boom!
There was no explosion; nothing happened at all.
“Ugh, huh?”
Bang!
Teddy released her energy wave again, but the spire remained silent. A face filled with utter bewilderment appeared on the Red Tower Master, who had just unleashed a blast.
“Why, why is this… why is it so quiet….”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
She kept unleashing her energy waves.
At long last, when cracks began to form on the wall,
Thud—!
A corpse fell through the shattered wall.
“Why, why isn’t it exploding…?”
Teddy desperately crawled. She clawed at the corpse, wildly trying to find out why it wouldn’t blow up.
“Mana Core, Mana Core…”
The moment she found the Mana Core in the corpse and pulled it out.
Teddy felt it.
The chilling sensation on her palm, at the same time, the Mana Core was completely frozen without a single flaw.
“It’s… frozen…? The Mana Core is frozen…?”
Teddy’s face was filled with shock.
Her head slowly turned.
“Y-You mean… all the Mana Cores of these corpses…?”
Ezekiel didn’t provide any explanations.
He merely tossed the ice spear.
Thud—!
In front of the kneeling Teddy, the blade dropped.
“Teddy Divine, commit suicide.”
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