[End of the match]
[Score tally ends at this time]
“Ugh, why is it already over!”
Hong Yeon-hwa exclaimed in frustration at the booming voice from the sky.
In the end, she couldn’t catch Lee Ha-yul before the match ended. If she had to pinpoint her mistake, it was that she couldn’t break through the fortifications quickly.
A mage fighting with fortifications was annoyingly threatening.
It was relatively easy to break through the isolated barriers, but since Lee Ha-yul fought alongside the fortifications, it was tough to bring down the stronghold.
Even though Lee Ha-yul was playing defensively, blocking movements, it still turned out that way.
Eventually, time dragged on, and the match ended.
“And what about you from earlier!”
Hong Yeon-hwa pointed at Elia after carelessly sticking her sword into the ground.
With a confused tilt of her head, Elia was the one being pointed at.
“You’re in the Red faction! So why are you helping Ha-yul?”
During the battle, Elia had taken the time to cast recovery spells inside the fortification and threw out supportive magic. After the fortifications fell, she had devoted herself to helping Lee Ha-yul under his protection.
Elia was part of the Red faction, while Lee Ha-yul belonged to the White faction.
“That’s betrayal! Why are you helping the enemy?!”
“Yeon-hwa, you attacked me too, right? Even if we’re in the same faction, if it looks like I’m going to die, I need to stay by someone who can protect me.”
“… You’re going to resurrect anyway. Just take care of it here, and when you’re revived back at the base, it would be more efficient.”
“Since this is the Tower of Growth, we should practice like it’s the real thing. There’s no resurrection in reality, you know?”
Hong Yeon-hwa’s mouth closed firmly as she was shouting.
To be honest, it felt a bit deliberate that she was targeting Elia. It was infuriating to see her smiling cheerfully while being protected by Lee Ha-yul after she had already made her blood boil based on what happened inside the fortifications.
So she had decided to pour her Gop-hwa towards that side a little bit.
Then, seeing Lee Ha-yul frantically protecting Elia made her frustrated even more, and she poured Gop-hwa again…
“… Ahem. Anyway, that’s what I meant.”
“What a shame; we could have caught him if things went well.”
Baek Ahrin, who was catching her breath, clicked her tongue. If things had gone a bit differently, they could have restrained Lee Ha-yul with a freezing spell.
“……”
Choi Ji-yeon, who was also trying to restrain him using earth manipulation from the side, didn’t show it, but her longing was evident.
[?]
Meanwhile, Lee Ha-yul felt a chill. It felt like a warning sign, but somehow it didn’t seem dangerous.
As he rolled his eyes, he stealthily approached Hong Yeon-hwa.
“I’m going to—”
“Eeek.”
Like waiting for it, he grabbed her cheek. Hong Yeon-hwa squished her soft, plump cheeks.
“Now you’re even abducting girls? You didn’t do anything weird, did you?”
For a brief moment, Lee Ha-yul rolled his eyes at Hong Yeon-hwa’s question.
Weird things. Even with a distorted sense of ownership and obsession, it wasn’t normal to grab butts tightly like that.
He could still vividly remember the soft sensation overflowing in his grasp.
“… No.”
“Why are you rolling your eyes…? Seriously, did something happen?”
“Mmm-hmm…”
Half playfully, Hong Yeon-hwa tugged his cheek, and Lee Ha-yul sheepishly offered his cheek again.
“Phew…”
After a while, while enjoying the feel of his cheek, Hong Yeon-hwa sighed.
It was absurd how her irritation seemed to dissipate just from touching his cheek.
‘……’
Hong Yeon-hwa gazed at Lee Ha-yul’s face with a strange expression.
In the dim lighting, his face shone. Staring at his cheeks that were pushed out by her fingers, they ignited various ugly and twisted desires.
‘Just a little more…’
She suppressed those desires calmly. If it were an endless wait, she might explode at any moment, but there were only one or two days left.
Not years, not months, definitely not weeks.
Just one or two days. She just needed to endure that time…
– Kiss
“Muah… Hehe.”
Thus, Hong Yeon-hwa leaned down and gave him a quick peck. With a kiss mixed with affection and desire, Lee Ha-yul chuckled as if he’d just noticed something.
“Hey, isn’t there a camera? Aren’t we supposed to be careful about our actions?”
“Humph, what’s wrong with this?”
Ignoring Baek Ahrin’s remark, Hong Yeon-hwa dismissed it with a snort.
[Next schedule: Event match starting now]
[Gimmick activation]
“They’re starting amazingly fast.”
Just then, the announcement from the sky burst forth. Simultaneously, light poured down from afar, as if to signal that there was no time to waste.
All eyes turned to the bright white light pouring down from the night sky. It was bright enough to illuminate even this remote place…
“Huh?”
Hong Yeon-hwa blinked. Others reacted similarly. That bright, white light seemed familiar.
‘My magic?’
Lee Ha-yul felt it even more strongly. Out of nowhere, a pillar of light shot down, illuminating the night as it landed on a flag. It was likely a harbinger of the start of the event.
That pillar of light was composed of Lee Ha-yul’s magic.
‘Why is that there…?’
He was executing magic without knowing it. Lee Ha-yul quickly deduced that it was the magic he had been handed in bulk on the day of the opening ceremony.
However, he couldn’t understand why it was being unleashed over there.
[Shock]
A moment later, he comprehended as he observed a figure emerging from the pillar of light. It was a person formed by the magic he had infused.
[… Why here…?]
That thing…
The question repeated again. Lee Ha-yul lightly rubbed his forehead.
*
“Eh?”
Baige raised his gaze to the man in a daze.
The man’s appearance wasn’t particularly eye-catching.
Even through his baggy robe, one could catch a glimpse of a strong physique. His sturdy arms poking out of the black robe looked like reinforced steel, and his thick fingers seemed like they wouldn’t end well if gripped too tightly.
That’s about it for the visible body. The top and bottom were mostly hollow, and he wore a rough helmet on his head.
‘Human…?’
It was suspicious. Baige doubted if the man standing before him was even human.
He looked like a regular dude, but the magic detected from him was far from human-like.
A tangled mess of countless threads. That’s how his magic appeared. How much more tangled it could be inside was impossible to estimate.
“■■, ■ ■■■ ■… ■, ■■ ■■■(What’s up, why no response… Ah, there’s a restriction).”
The man raised his hand to scratch his head, only to realize, too late, that his helmet was blocking him.
‘Well, having a real body here, a similar face might be annoying too.’
The man nodded in understanding, then looked down at Baige with complex eyes.
‘……’
He could probably be called a friend.
They were aware of each other’s situations and had built familiarity. Baige contributed to the man’s strength, and the man helped Baige secure his position in the Magic Association.
Whenever they had the spare time, they would share a meal and lament their respective plights.
“■■(Hmph…).”
This Baige was not a friend. Clearly a first meeting. Neither Baige knew the man, nor did the man know ‘this Baige.’
‘……’
For a moment, the man looking down at Baige pulled back his legs.
“… Wait, wait a sec!”
With a confused blink, Baige panicked and stuttered. His mind framed the next move in his head based on that position.
The man didn’t stop. He kicked Baige’s leg, which was pulled back, as if it were a soccer ball.
– Wham!
“Gaaah!”
Baige emitted a sound like a pig being slaughtered as he soared into the air. He drifted momentarily before crashing to the ground, landing atop some cadets.
“■■, ■■■■ ■■■(Hmph, the impact’s weak).”
The man who had kicked his leg withdrew it and nodded. Perhaps because Baige hadn’t grown yet, the impact felt somewhat lackluster.
[Event entity summoning completed]
[Defeat the entity]
“■■ ■■■(Introducing the mess).”
The man looked up at the sky and clicked his tongue. He was not impressed with the introductory phrase.
As he lowered his gaze, he started to notice cadets gradually surrounding him.
The man’s eyes narrowed. Some faces were familiar, while others were strangers.
Among the familiar ones were the ones he’d seen die in battle. The familiar faces… had either died before meeting him or weren’t present on the battlefield…
“■■, ■■■ ■ ■■(Sigh, what’s the point of analyzing).”
Observing the vigilant faces around him, the man sighed heavily.
While his feelings were complex about the unfamiliar friend’s face, it was clear what the man had to do.
“■■(Sigh).”
He breathed in. Creak! The spell was unleashed. Circuits illuminated on the man’s body like a tattoo from his neck downwards.
Physical enhancement, strength enhancement, durability enhancement, visual correction, sensory amplification, cognitive acceleration, sensory system complex connection…
Magical energy surged through the previously formed circuits of the spell.
Inhale at seventeen. Exhale at twenty-six. In a blink, all sorts of enhancement and correction magic filled the man’s body.
“Magic reaction! Number… over thirty?”
“Activate defensive magic! Prepare for interception!”
The cadets weren’t idle in response to the man’s actions. Given that it had already been announced as an event entity, they had accepted the notion of it being a humanoid monster.
They formed formations like how they would normally tackle high-ranked monsters, keeping their distance.
The vanguard established a defensive line, while ranged attackers moved back to prepare their own attacks.
Those adept in support magic positioned themselves even further back, pouring out various support magic.
Immediately, the assaults began.
Many spells, curses stealthily creeping in, arrows and thrown weapons infused with force… attacks of all kinds surged in.
“■(Hmph).”
The man simply stood still, observing. Hundreds of cadets quickly formed a line and reacted; he was quite accustomed to it.
Despite the cadets being leaps and bounds ahead of ordinary students, it was understandable since they were in the Tower of Harmony.
The man nodded as the circuits opened, activating the spells. Countless hexagonal shields surrounded him densely.
Kaboom! The attacks collided against the barriers, creating explosions. As dust settled, the shields revealed themselves, untouched.
The cadets didn’t panic and prepared their next assault. Since the entity was summoned directly by their commander, no one expected this to end with just that level of attack.
Creepy! Various support magic engulfing the man’s shoulder from neck to elbow surged through.
Hit correction, trajectory prediction and guidance, output enhancement.
Afterward, he simply wiggled his pinky.
The classifications of magic aren’t complicated.
Typically, they are divided into low, mid, and high levels. The criteria are generally based not on the usefulness or output but on how difficult the spell is to perform.
Commonly, low-level spells can be easily cast with mid-level proficiency using silent incantations, while mid-level spells require short incantations or simple gestures.
High-level spells require a bit of preparation.
Among those, intricate types might need extensive magical configurations or even the procedure using materials and catalysts.
The quantity of spells is tremendous, making the concept of essence nearly impossible.
High-Level Spell: Dark Spear of Catastrophe.
A dark spear coalesced above the man’s head. A siege magic commonly used to pierce and explode walls. It was registered at the Magic Association.
Some of the mage cadets who recognized it turned pale.
Droplets of darkness dripped from the tip of the spear. The man carelessly flicked his fingers, and the enormous black spear began to spin violently.
Rumble! The winds swirled, shaking the air. Even those who didn’t quite understand magic turned pale at the sight.
Launch.
The dark spear tore through the air. With panic, the cadets raised their shields and summoned barriers using their unique abilities as the black spear plunged into one of them.
Boom! A short vibration echoed. The spear shattered a portion of their ranks, embedding itself into the ground at an angle. The traces of cadets in its pathway scattered like light.
Boom! A massive tremor shook the ground. The gigantic spear exploded, scattering thousands of small spears in all directions, intended to fully dismantle the internal defenses.
Screams erupted. Cadets hit by the debris writhed in pain, losing a limb or two. Few managed to fend it off. Conventional defenses couldn’t hold against the spear, turning their bodies into pin cushions.
‘Hmm.’
They had done better than expected. The man tilted his head.
No matter how much they were from the Tower of Harmony, it was surprising that many survived a frontal onslaught of siege magic.
In truth, he wasn’t sure of the cadets’ abilities at this stage. The man himself had also been rather poor during this period.
He waved his hand again. Five identical dark spears gathered above his head.
“Ah.”
One mage cadet gasped in awe. Despite their best efforts to layer defensive magic all around themselves, they couldn’t hide their sighs between the incantations.
Just a moment ago, they’d been taken aback by Lee Ha-yul’s combat strategies, and now they found themselves witnessing a monster freely casting high-level spells without incantations.
Had a magic user really been like that? From the man’s memories, he certainly didn’t think so…
Rumble! Spears pierced here and there, exploding. The temporary formation collapsed.
‘They said they would come back upon revival, so they’ll probably return after some time.’
Not all cadets had gathered in this place. The man glanced at the pillar of light shooting up towards the sky, still looming above.
‘Chariot tournament… they called it an event, right? I doubt it’ll last long anyway.’
As he took a brief moment to organize his thoughts, he sensed an unmistakable presence.
The dark night sky was brightened by an unusually bright white light contrasting with the scattered starlight and the relatively large moonlight.
Three pairs of wings, wrapped in that light, flapped, proudly showcasing their owner.
As the man identified Lee Ha-yul’s face, his brows furrowed.
“■■, ■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■■(Damn, I’m not that bad-looking myself).”
Compared to the real one, he looked like a squid. While clicking his tongue, Lee Ha-yul shook his hands.
From the purifying crystal swirling in the air, magic flowed out, igniting spells. He was casting spells himself.
As the white starlight twinkled in the night sky, the man blinked, and starlight began to pour down. Hexagonal shields rose around him again.
– Rumble!
A different sound reverberated. Crack! The defenses crackled loudly as the man blinked.
‘… That’s a bit potent, isn’t it?’
He identified the magic. It was mid-level attack magic. But the output was incredibly strong. The man frowned as he scowled at the cracking barrier.
– Thud.
As Lee Ha-yul landed, flapping his wings, he stood at a distance. Although it was quite a distance, it wouldn’t be an issue for either a mage or a martial artist.
The two recognized each other.
“■(Hmph).”
The man awkwardly mumbled. His eyes were closed. He had heard the briefing, but being face-to-face felt awkward.
“……”
Lee Ha-yul felt the same awkwardness. Despite having shot off magic confidently moments ago, facing each other made things strangely awkward.
During their previous two encounters, the man had been taciturn and expressionless, like a dead body with no emotion.
This fifth-round one… had spoken. Although the face was hidden by the helmet, the clumsy and awkward feeling resonated.
“…■■? ■■ ■■ ■■■■ ■ ■■?(…Hello? You’re free from the restrictions, right?)”
“What the hell are you babbling about?”
Hong Yeon-hwa, who had just landed beside Lee Ha-yul, frowned. The noise she heard was messing with her mind like static.
[Yes, I can hear you]
“Oh, that’s a relief. I was worried those losers might do something weird after hearing the explanation.”
The man nodded, satisfied. Then, he stroked his chin, rolling his eyes.
“Um… So, um, should I say nice to meet you… or something?”
“[… Hello?]”
Both awkwardly responded, slightly bowing their heads to each other.
As Hong Yeon-hwa blinked and turned to Lee Ha-yul, she asked.
“Can you actually communicate with that thing?”
“Yes, for the time being…”
Soon, Baek Ahrin and Choi Ji-yeon landed nearby. The man glanced at them and scrutinized Lee Ha-yul.
Feeling the gaze, Lee Ha-yul gulped.
“Your magic… You’re a first-year, yet you’re already above standard. Guess that bastard from the Tower of Knowledge still treats the real ones well?”
After the awkward standoff, the man mumbled grumpily. Lee Ha-yul’s mouth shut tight.
“That bitch didn’t even open the door when I eagerly sought her out and just sent a golem instead… But I’m relieved she treated the real one well. But honestly, that just feels like crap.”
The man scratched the back of his head irritably.
He understood that it hadn’t been intentional, and it couldn’t be helped. But knowing the situation didn’t erase the negative emotions he felt back then.
Logic and feelings seldom aligned.
“Damn, what a petty woman—”
Bam! The man was sent flying backward. The fragments from the automatic shields he had fired off fell down in a flurry.
With a dumbfounded look, the man blinked. Suddenly, a red hue tinted the corner of his vision. Goosebumps crawled on his revealed skin.
As he raised his head in confusion, he saw Lee Ha-yul’s cold face.
A wave of hostility emanated from Lee Ha-yul.
[Don’t insult Lady Ariel, you bastard.]
A torrent of magic flooded towards the man.
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