◈ Episode 528. Hypocrisy (2)

Founder of Theoretical Magic.

-“Are you aware of the limitations of Reversal Magic?”

Marcelo asked me.

-“I don’t doubt your ability to reverse magic, sir, it’s just that it’s my job……. While most magic can be deduced by simply observing it, reversal magic is beyond my knowledge…….”

Even for Marcelo, who theorized all magic, reversal magic was not easily understood. At that time, I wondered why it was so difficult to simply reverse the interference process…….

‘I was bold because I didn’t know.’

Now that knowledge about magic has accumulated.

How do I view reversal magic as a founder?

Even as I manifest.

There were times when I wondered if there was such magic in the world.

Attack, transform, heal…….

Simply.

Ever-changing.

Reversal magic couldn’t even be categorized in the grand scheme of things.

Its manifestations were completely reversed depending on what it explored.

Of course, even then, the snout had spoken with confidence.

-“Unfortunately, I don’t see the limit yet.”

But I see it now, Marcelo.

I’m by my side.

I said to Marcelo as we looked out over Jeju Island.

“So this is the limit of Reversal Magic, Marcelo.”

“……What do you mean?”

“Even Reversal Magic can’t reverse life.”

Burned by demonic flames, crushed by black magic. The vibrant nature of Jeju Island could not be revived by the Reversal Magic manifested by my different levels of magic power.

Kugugung…….

That’s right.

All I could do was rebuild the collapsed buildings, repair the cracked earth, and turn back the overflowing streams. Marcelo, who had been silent, spoke up.

“Sir, you did your best, and you are doing your best.”

Thanks to the Anomaly’s quest.

‘You’ve gotten to know this reality quite well, Marcelo.’

He’s trying to comfort me.

Even when I was flawless, I always had my doubts. But at this moment, I had my first and biggest flaw.

In fact, there were articles coming out nonstop.

-[What happened to Lee Hoyeol? His behavior is questionable!]

-[Anonymous player says, “Lee Hoyeol, he was clearly different from his usual self. It was like he was a different person…….”]

-[Victory followed by a question mark? Where does Lee Hoyeol stand?]

Normally, I would have just let the press get away with it……. Instead of answering Marcelo, I asked him a question.

“What do you think the future of Reversal Magic is, Marcelo?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, as you know, attribute magic has overcome its limitations.”

Like rock-paper-scissors with a bite.

Attribute magic with clear limits.

But now that ‘anomalies’ have been discovered.

It was no exaggeration to say that the symbiotic relationship of attribute magic had been broken.

“That’s right. With the discovery of anomaly, attribute magic has surpassed its limits and reached a new realm, and in order to reach that realm of anomaly, senior mages, and countless adept mages are studying day and night.”

In that sense, I.

The father of theoretical magic.

Marcelo was asking.

“And my Reversal Magic, then.”

“……?”

“Do you think it can overcome its inherent limitations?”

Marcelo’s pupils dilated.

‘……What on earth are you talking about, sir?’

As I said, the limitation of reversal magic is that it cannot reverse life. To try to overcome that limitation would be equivalent to performing the miracle of resurrection.

‘Let’s put it this way, shall we?’

Imagine this.

A mage came to Topaz Hall for a preliminary examination ahead of a regular conference, and what if his work was a manifestation of resurrection? There is no need to cross the Grandfell line.

‘I’d be the first to disbelieve and reject it.’

But.

“……I think it’s possible.”

Marcelo opened his shaking pupils clearly.

That’s what he said.

When I stared at him, wondering if I’d misheard, he added.

“I’m sure you’ll overcome your limitations.”

I fell silent.

A moment ago, I might have wondered why I was silent at a time like this, wondered if silence is not an affirmation, or resented his selective silence, but I wanted to believe.

Paimon wasn’t the only one who made Jeju Island look like this.

This was a weight I had to carry, too.

So I opened my mouth with the will of me, Lee Hoyeol.

“I will repay your trust, Marcelo.”

Overcoming the limits of Reversal Magic.

To be honest, I, Lee Hoyeol, have no idea what to do or how to do it. But isn’t there our Grandfell, who always realizes what he says?

‘Be a good boy and cooperate, Grandfell.’

Why, you haven’t forgotten our agreement: I’ll grant you one wish if you buy me premium Jeju green tea at a thousand won a piece!

‘I’m sure you’d prefer green tea, so turn the tables, green tea field.’

What kind of wish could you possibly have for me?

I can still be a big mouth, I can still be formal, and I can still practice pride……! I finished my agreement with Grandfell and looked at Jeju Island once more.

‘Let’s do the best we can for now.’

In that sense.

I couldn’t help but mention the legend.

“Hiel.”

At my call, Hiel appears and bows her head.

To Hiel.

I said it with the utmost shamelessness.

“I command you as the 『Spirit Emperor』.”

……Good thing Marcelo is the only one who can hear!!!

[The legend, ‘The First Spirit Emperor’ comes to life].

That’s right.

The ‘First Spirit Emperor’ was a legend that I gained when I acquired the command of the Spirit Kings.

Why, now that Seoul has become a land of anomalies, and the spirits in their natural state, which were only visible to the Chosen, have surpassed the player’s vision and become visible to the common people?

The environment was perfect for the legend to spread.

‘As if the internet wasn’t enough, the spirits were gossiping.’

Spirits are good at rumors and love to talk.

Besides, what kind of spirits are these?

The Spirit Kings have come out and called me emperor.

Then, the Spirit Kings appear behind Hiel.

Though the seat of the Spirit King of the Earth, Oried, was still vacant.

Architectural magic had filled the role.

I opened my mouth.

“This land needs your blessing.”

The Spirit Kings bowed their heads at my words.

“I will follow your orders.”

I don’t know who taught them that.

It’s a formalism that leaves me speechless.

It’s overwhelming.

‘Well, thanks.’

Somehow, it looked like we could make it in time.

Only two days left.

Before I go to hell.

That meant I could at least get some of the cleanup done.

Of course, I still had a lot of work to do.

[Missed call: Oldest Sister]

…… How can I see her face after this mess?

*

AAU Branch Manager’s meeting.
tl/n: branch leader -> branch manager

“Okay, let’s start the meeting with our condolences.”

A moment of silence, and everyone takes their seats.

“Let’s start with the materials.”

The appearance of the Ninth Throne Demon King, Paimon.

Our first encounter with a high-ranking demon king raid was quite a shock. Most importantly, it meant that a new type of system had appeared that wasn’t a rift.

“The limitations that existed in Rifts didn’t exist, and the biggest difference is that unlike Rifts, where monsters can only regurgitate when the collapse level reaches 100 percent, there is no collapse level in Curse.”

“Still, isn’t it correct that a similar system exists for collapse? If not, there’s no reason for the Legion Commanders to appear one after the other, is there? For God’s sake, if they appear at once with Paimon…….”

Park Minjae spoke up.

“I think it’s an arbitrarily adjustable collapse.”

“……Can be adjusted arbitrarily?”

“Around 72 percent of the video, can we play it again?”

Nodding, the screen replayed at Park Minjae’s request.

“This is the scene where Paimon appears. Unlike the Legion Commanders, he emerged in a translucent form. Yes, it was an incomplete emergence. Paimon himself adjusted the collapse of the Curse to appear on Jeju Island more quickly.”

A gasp escapes from the sharp speculation.

“Such thing……!! A monster that can control the collapse level of its own Curse and appear when it wants to appear. Can’t we call them monsters anymore if they have that kind of power?”

“That’s right. You all have to accept it.”

“……?”

Park Minjae clenched his fist.

“It’s not monsters we have to deal with, it’s the ‘Ten Thrones’.”

Bang.

Park slammed his fist down on the table.

Even as he did so, he swallowed a sigh.

This was something he didn’t do when he was called Cosmo’s mad dog.

‘I can’t help it.’

Their eyes changed.

‘I suppose he deserves it.’

The branch managers were unusually reticent.

What were they thinking?

I couldn’t hear them, but I could guess. As the Korean Branch Manager, I’m sure they’re asking questions about Korean player Lee Hoyeol. Park scoffed to himself.

‘They’ll think it’s a chance.’

The land of anomalies.

Seoul.

Its value was indescribable.

The most dangerous place in the world, and therefore the safest.

A land that was neither the Arcana continent nor reality.

A place where living spirits laugh and talk…….

It is no exaggeration to say that there are over 50,000 different modifiers. That must be the fault. The idea that Seoul should be managed by the United Nations, or even the world, is something that has started to emerge.

In the past, it might have made sense. After all, he was a GM of the Arcana Continent VR, not a politician in the complex realm of reality.

But.

‘Bullshit.’

This was Seoul, already tinted with Arcana’s colors, and in the version of Arcana’s Continent Biography he knew, there were no fiefdoms ruled by hundreds of nations.

‘The Arcana system would not allow it.’

At this moment, Seoul was under siege from the guild after guild. For now, they were avoiding sieges by signing peace agreements with each other, but Park Minjae was certain.

‘It is nothing but a precarious peace.’

I know of a system of Arcana Continent Biography.

The creator of that system, Raymon Sean.

Would not allow this to happen.

Of course, everyone in this room knew that.

Wasn’t this a branch meeting?

They’d all eaten Cosmo’s lunch just like he had.

‘It would have been in their best interest to move as quickly as possible.’

But the reason they weren’t doing it was simple.

It was.

It was because of the presence of Yusra General Manager Lee Hoyeol.

Does this mean that even tigers appear when you say the word?

I can still see the general manager’s face in the video that is still playing.

A side of the general manager that I have never seen before.

And that’s why Park Minjae did what he never did.

‘I will definitely be caught.’

What the commander-in-chief showed in this situation. Past achievements will be downplayed, changes will be exaggerated as crises, and hidden true colors will be revealed. So what I had to do was simple.

Park Minjae cut to the chase.

“Do you think mankind, the average player, can stand against the Ten Thrones? No. The Ten Thrones are beyond our knowledge and understanding.”

“…….”

“The Ten Thrones can only be defeated by the Ten Thrones.”

“……!!!”

You were the general manager who defeated the Ten Thrones and became the Ten Thrones.

Park Minjae played well, but there were some people who didn’t give up easily.

A sarcastic voice.

“The Ten Thrones is definitely the Ten Thrones.”

“What did you say now?”

“I’m saying that he was just like Paimon. Of course, he’s fulfilling his responsibilities in hindsight, but……. Didn’t the General Manager himself admit that?”

Soon, a voice plays.

-“You unintentionally showed ugly behavior.”

The voice made Park Minjae grit his teeth.

‘…… Damn it.’

If the general manager did not acknowledge it.

No one could argue against his opinion.

If the general manager didn’t step up, then Paimon would have to.

‘And the hand that exploded Paimon.’

Humanity would have been powerless to stop it.

However, the General Manager never hides anything from us. In fact, it was the first clear indication that he was no different than usual.

The abominable voice continued.

“I’m not denying it, I’m just admitting it.”

“…….”

“The general manager’s imperfections.”

It was insidiously poking at that point.

Park Minjae repeated to himself.

‘I’m sorry, but it won’t be easy, Mr. General Manager.’

It was then.

“I apologize for interrupting the meeting!”

“For what?”

“The general manager of the Yusra branch, Lee Hoyeol, responded ……!!”

The reply from Hoyeol was.

“Ma, you’re going to hold a roundtable at the Magic Tower, right now?!”

*

The Magic Tower.

Crystal Hall.

In front of everyone, Hoyeol declared.

“I will take responsibility for my actions.”

In a way that surpassed everyone’s expectations.

“Yes.”

At those words, the faces of the audience turned pale.

“Soon I will fall into Hell.”

“?!?!!!!”