Chapter 684 – Crossing Paths, Interlocking (1) #PART1

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Senior Enchanter Kiko Armin.

“What do you mean… the seal on Mugan has been broken?!”

Startled.

Leaping to her feet, Kiko immediately began pulling out usable magic tools from the Garnet Hall. The seal on Mugan had been broken. Unsettling thoughts surged through her mind.

First possibility:

If those imprisoned within Mugan had managed to escape?

Mugan had been used to imprison violators of the Magic Tower’s laws, dating back to generations before she had even become a senior mage.

‘If I recall correctly, those names were infamous for a reason…’

In the book 『The History of the Magic Tower』 housed in Emerald Hall, the grim ends of mages who broke the Tower’s regulations were documented. Though she had read it long ago, the horrifying deeds had etched themselves into her memory.

That book was how she first learned about Mugan’s existence—a space where even time could be restrained. Shuddering, Kiko instinctively trembled and muttered,

“…Impossible.”

To escape from a place like Mugan?

“If escape were possible, they would’ve done it long ago.”

Granted, the elder mages—well, the demon-worshipping ones who had once been called elders—had been imprisoned in Void, but in the long history of the Tower, they weren’t exactly the most formidable prisoners to be locked away.

Then…

Second possibility:

Someone had broken the seal of Mugan from the outside. Just as hard to believe as the first.

Let’s assume—somehow—they did manage to break the seal.

Kiko added a condition to make it easier to accept.

“The Magic Tower’s seals aren’t just any old locks that anyone can break…! But for argument’s sake, let’s say someone, by any means necessary, succeeded in breaking it.”

The adept mages assisting her responded:

“Yes, let’s assume that, Senior Kiko!”
“What would happen next?”
“…Next?”

Pause.

Her hands, which had been quickly sorting through magic tools, froze. Kiko couldn’t quite understand what answer they were looking for. After all, they were the ones taking action at this very moment.

“Isn’t it obvious…?”

Kiko nodded.

“Exactly. Tampering with Mugan and breaking its seal is nothing short of a declaration of war—against us, against the entire Magic Tower. And anyone who knows about Mugan’s existence would never let that slide.”

The meaning was clear.

“Whoever broke the seal on Mugan has made the Mugan Tower their enemy. In other words, they must be confident they can survive even after turning us into one.”

“…!”

Someone who could dare make an enemy of the Magic Tower—it was unimaginable. But the adept mages quickly understood the implication.

“We’ll pick up the pace!”
“Good.”

Kiko diligently resumed preparing the magic tools. They couldn’t enter Mugan, so they mustn’t miss the moment the intruder exits from it. Kiko silently vowed to herself:

“So that the absence of the Chief doesn’t become apparent.”

The Magic Tower must not waver—not this time.

But her resolve didn’t last long.

In the underground of the Magic Tower, Kiko finally reached the entrance of Mugan.

“Apologies for being la—”

A familiar voice reached her ears.

“You’re late, Kiko Armin.”

Chief Lee. No—he had relinquished that title. Now, he was technically an outsider to the Magic Tower.

“This time too…”

Hoyeol stood in opposition to the Magic Tower’s leadership

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