◈ Episode 105. Tower – The Mantra Mine

The Magic Tower..

The Floating Garden, the only place to socialize.

The adept mages chatted.

“Has everyone filled out their applications?”

The desire to explore the unknown.

The outside of the tower, to the mages of the tower.

Reality was an object of curiosity.

In the meantime, I didn’t even see the possibility of the tower, so I was turning away.

“Ah! Of course, I’m talking about the application form.”

It is possible.

I finally understood why the senior mages had been away so much lately.

They must have had a meeting about it. The questions poured in.

“Of course I wrote it, it was just a matter of setting a deadline…….”

“How about we share the deadline a little bit, just between us?”

” ……Can I do that?”

“Well, why not, at least not between us!”

“Sure. I guess we should, to improve our odds a little?”

The problem was that I didn’t like filling out the application form, but it wasn’t hard to fill out the reason for the tower.

I’ve written about it countless times in the Tower.

The problem was the deadline.

“We reject all applications that don’t meet the deadline.”

That’s right.

You have to meet the deadline of the representative’s schedule.

The problem is that the person in charge did not inform them of the schedule.

“It’s not like we’re taking a test.”

We looked at each other’s applications.

Someone sighed.

“Sometimes I wonder if I should actually go to …….”

“Is that because of the person in charge?”

“We all think the same thing, don’t we?”

And who was the person in charge of the tower?

It was Ho Yeol, the co-chief mage.

As if on cue, the Adept Mage spoke up.

“Of course, I think you’re amazing. How many mages would have filled out the application for this tower? You must have gone to a lot of trouble just to look around. But……. Even so, entering the rift alone with Chief Lee Ho-Yeol would be…….”

It was a lot of pressure.

He had heard the rumors.

Ho Yeol’s reputation.

His gaze fell on Klee.

“That’s right. You have experience, don’t you?”

” ……? Experience?”

“What are you so surprised about? Why, you had a private conversation with Lee Ho-Yeol at the pre-conference verification, and I heard that there were more than a few mages who ran out of Topaz Hall crying……. How was Klee?”

……How was she?

Whimper.

Klee stirred her teacup with a teaspoon.

Then, with difficulty, she opened her mouth.

“……I was fine.”

“What?!!”

“Of course, better than I was worried about!”

Klee vowed to herself.

Even if the other adept mages shied away from Ho-Yeol, even if the mere mention of his name made them cringe! At least she shouldn’t have that attitude.

Yes, she hadn’t forgotten what Ho-Yeol had said.

-“That’s quite an interesting approach.”

-“There seems to be no leaps or bumps in the logic and process, so what we need is results.”

-“Be confident in your research.”

How to nurture an elixir.

It was Ho Yeol who recognized the potential of the research.

The adept mages nodded at Klee’s ambiguous response.

They exchanged meaningful glances.

“Ah, so…….”

I pointed to the deadline on Klee’s application.

“That’s a pretty tight date, isn’t it, Klee?”

“What? It’s just that I thought it would be better to sell first…….”

“I see, Klee, you’re more about face than character, huh?”

“……What does that mean, you?!”

“Ah! Klee, are you side-pinching?!”

Klee, whose reactions were both happy and sad, was fun to tease.

If only for the fun of it.

Hopefully, Klee’s application would be granted.

“Even so, the seniors have priority over us, right?”

It wasn’t just the junior mages who thought that.

The senior mages were secretly thinking the same thing.

Bensh William, Senior Mage of Fire Magic.

“Good. There are no overlapping seniors in the schedule. Perfect.”

Bensh thought back to the application he’d submitted.

The purpose was simple.

The deadline was the tightest.

Because there was a real purpose.

“How did you subdue that monster, that fire dragon?”

What Bensh wanted to know was what happened inside the rift.

Even if Senios had made the sacrifice.

Ice magic and fire magic were supreme.

‘Surely, Chief Lee must have done something.’

Bensh wanted to hear Ho Yeol’s story of the day.

‘Isn’t it awkward to enter the rift alone with him?’

After all, he had Matisse with him, what else could he do?

“……I’m worried, of course.”

The memory of accompanying Matisse flashes through my mind.

He didn’t say a word, Senior Matisse…….

But.

I’ll have to wait to hear the rest of the story.

Of course, Bensh’s worries were unfounded.

Sigh.

A scrawl on the parchment.

Bensh’s eyes widened as he recognized it.

“… … Ba, say goodbye? I?!”

The application he’d submitted had come back.

Same time.

Velier stuck out his tongue again.

“Senior Mage Velier, My Application has been accepted!”

Klee must have filled out his application on the same day as Bensh William, because he was able to get his application approved at……. His application aside, Klee’s application was approved.

Velier remembered Marcelo’s words.

-“…… He also added that the position of the candidate would not be considered in the judgment.”

I can’t believe he meant it.

Well, the elder mage, Senios, also formally requested permission to leave the tower from Chief Lee Ho-yeol.

You said you were granted permission.

Velier smiled.

“Well, that’s good timing, Klee.”

By the way…….

So this means that from now on, the competition for places in the pagoda will be even more intense, whether you’re a senior, junior, or adept mage, and in that sense, I guess I should prepare myself ahead of time.

Velier spoke softly.

“How do you think I’m going to pass those high standards……. Wait a minute, Klee, do you think you could give me a sneak peek at how you filled out your application?”

*

Realizing the weight of seniority.

What a lot of work this guy has.

But I can’t complain.

‘It’s all self-inflicted.’

Every trip to the tower is on my schedule.

To be responsible for what I spit out.

I have taken on the increased duties of the chief.

Of course, I didn’t get the job for nothing.

Why, there’s give and take in everything.

I recalled the update.

‘A whopping level 550.’

New rifts updated with the Muon.

Those rifts had a level requirement on par with [Predator Swamp].

Thinking back to what happened in the Predator Swamp…….

‘If not for the help of the three guilds at the end.

I couldn’t even sprout the seed of the World Tree.

I would have been trampled by monsters.

I’m only level 377.

”A level 550 Rift Solo without [Natural Enemy] is still too much…….”

It was still a reasonable level of pressure.

But I was no longer alone.

Yes, I had the full power of the Tower.

‘I couldn’t be more confident……!’

This meant I could enter the Rift with the Mage of the Tower.

Yes, ever since I first entered the Tower.

I’ve been dreaming of this day, haven’t I?

But there’s always a gap between dreams and reality.

I was greedy.

I passed every application I could get my hands on.

I wanted to clear the rift with countless mages.

I followed strict procedures.

I rejected many applications.

I put down one unusually strong application.

“You still haven’t come to your senses. Senior Mage Bensh William.”

If you write ‘promoting friendship’ in the purpose, I’ll pass it just fine, I! Yes, there was only one application for the tower that I approved according to the procedure.

[Cleodia].

The purpose of the trip was to gather herbs for research.

Just as I gathered mistletoe.

I was able to gather medicinal herbs in the rift.

It was an understandable purpose.

Besides, I was familiar with Klee’s ‘Cultivation of Medicinal Herbs’.

I had high hopes for his research.

‘Actually, even a skilled mage is a reliable ally.’

Now that I think about it.

It’s almost a relief, isn’t it?

Why, imagine if Bensh had accompanied me to the Rift.

“……I wonder if there will be any monsters left.

The senior mages cleared a dozen rifts in no time.

Wasn’t I an indirect witness to their power?

It’s definitely a relief.

You could have burned even the beanstalks with this, right?

This is why it’s important for people to follow procedures and live fairly.

A moment of self-congratulation.

I wasn’t entering the rift until tomorrow.

I opened the book.

‘For witnessing a transcendence.’

For me, for Grandfell.

It was like having a new goal.

Of course, always.

Sigh.

I read magical texts as a matter of routine.

Aah!

I consumed herbs brewed into tea.

But the meaning behind those actions is different.

At least I, myself, know that.

Until now, it’s been nothing more than a struggle to keep from sinking.

[Intelligence increases by 1 point due to the effect of the elixir, ‘Red Moon Flower’].

From now on, it’s a struggle to move forward.

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[Mantra Mine – 1 Ore Pit]

[Recommended Level : Lv.550]

[Collapse Progress : 1.8%]

“Wow. That’s a rift.”

Klee pressed her robes together and spat out her admiration.

In fact, she had been marveling ever since.

The big buildings, the strange clothing, everything is new to her.

And she’s already freaking out.

‘Because inside the rift, there’s more.’

Reality blends with the continent of Arcana.

As soon as they entered the rift, Klee was overwhelmed.

” ……This is something.”

A landscape of buildings, forests, and mines.

There was no way the landscape was intact.

Buildings sprouted up like stalactites in a giant cave.

I’ve never seen such a strange rift before……?

I’m not even triggering [Natural Enemy].

Even the demons doesn’t want to touch it.

Of course, I can’t let it out.

I said nonchalantly.

“Mantra Mines. Are you aware of the threat they pose?”

“Oh, I’ve heard of the Mantra Mine. I thought it was a normal mine at first, until I realized it wasn’t, so I’m not familiar with the threats…….”

“Familiarize yourself.”

I read the threats.

I recited the list of monsters that appeared in the [Mantra Mine – Pit 1]. It was all thanks to the information I’d learned from the update history.

Klee, unaware of the fact, nodded gravely.

“……… All tricky threats, huh?”

That was a reasonable response.

The monsters in Mantra Mine were all of the [Ghost] type, which was why it was abandoned in the first place.

That’s because physical attacks don’t work against [Ghost] monsters.

They need magic or buffs to kill them.

But it wasn’t worth the trouble to mine this mine, but that’s not the point. As I said, magic was more than enough to counter it.

‘More than that.’

I summoned the nymph with a purpose.

The summoning process was familiar to me from the contract.

Soon, the nymph appeared out of thin air.

“I have answered your call, as per our agreement.”

…… inhaled.

I heard myself clamping my mouth shut.

The fact that I had a contract with a spirit was something only Marcelo knew about. It might come as a surprise to Klee, but why should it be?

‘In the first place, spiritism exists in the Tower.’

But that’s not what I thought.

I was left scratching my head.

……What?

The nymph’s appearance had somehow become more colorful. No, it’s not just the appearance that has become colorful……. The aura of {Nature} that it emits is definitely different than before.

Indeed, it was influenced by my pride.

The nymph hid nothing.

The nymph then spoke politely.

“The influence of the World Tree has changed me a bit.”

……World Tree!

Yes, I had grown the World Tree with the Nymph’s power.

I was rewarded for sprouting a World Tree, and it’s only natural that the nymphs involved should be rewarded as well. I was a little surprised, but I didn’t hold back.

“I suppose that’s a change, too.”

“Indeed, I thought you would have guessed.”

No, I hadn’t guessed until I saw it.

Of course, I can’t resist an overestimation.

I asked the nymph.

“Did you witness my arrangement?”

“Of course, and I have many stories to tell about it.”

“Very well, let’s start with those stories.”

The Goddess Church’s exploits on the continent of Arcana.

I wanted to ask.

There is a procedure for everything.

I was given the Nymph’s report first.

And I was impressed.

……Something so big is happening on the continent of Arcana?

.

. https://pindangscans.com

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I had no idea Chief Lee had made a pact with the spirits.

I didn’t realize that spirits could be summoned from the Rift.

I didn’t think you knew that beforehand.

I hadn’t even imagined it.

Spirits were something that only a few mages could witness and contract with, so it was no surprise that the adventurer, Chief Lee, had summoned one.

“……breathe!”

But the words were muffled.

Klee was surprised for a different reason.

Yes, Klee was also an adept mage in the Magic Tower.

‘Even if it’s a contract spirit…….’

Of course she had seen spirits before.

Spirits of adept mages of the Elemental School, of course.

Even the senior mage, Feiyan Lot’s Fire Drake.

But what is this spirit?

‘I can feel it!’

She wasn’t talking about big or small energy.

Klee is a mage of the Healing School.

She wasn’t skilled in spirits, so she couldn’t say much.

‘What can I say, these spirits are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before……?’

Yes, it felt noble and ancient.

It’s as if its class is reflected in its appearance.

It was flawless.

It was even more shocking than the first time he’d seen the Fire Drake.

Klee cautiously speculated.

‘A Higher Spirit, perhaps, or something more?’

Doridori─

No matter what, it can’t be higher than a Higher Elemental, right?

Ms. Feiyan’s Fire Drake is a High Spirit.

However, Klee’s expectations were soon shattered.

Thanks to the conversation between Ho Yeol and the Nymph.

“…… is the world tree?

‘What’s the arrangement…?’

“Oh, no, that’s not enough, a dwarf?!

I don’t know how you can tell such great stories.

Can you share such great stories without changing a single expression?

Clearly, you’re both much more amazing than I thought!