◈ Episode 387. Flowers and Weeds (2)

Senior Flame Mage, Bensch William.

“Haa.”

Bensch sighed as the soil disappeared from the sky.

This was his chance to show off the power of arcane magic.

But he was too stupid to do it in front of Chief Lee.

‘Why are you doing this to me, Chief Lee……!’

Technically, Bensch was in charge.

In charge of dealing with the monsters pouring out of the collapsed rift!

But Bensch had guessed.

Hundreds of rifts had been created, but none of them would collapse.

“Vangrit, how can you not leave one behind……?”

It’s about trust, whether it’s toward a coworker or Magic Tower.

Most of all, they were the ones who couldn’t cross the fence.

Would they be able to compete with the senior mages of Magic Tower at that level?

Bensch licked his lips in anticipation.

“……But who knows?”

How has the Arcana Continent changed?

Bensch had never set foot on the Arcana continent, so he didn’t know much about it. However, the monsters had maintained their power even after being trampled by the demons.

‘They must be strong in their own way.’

Shush.

Bensch nervously rolled the tool in his palm, examining the dynamics of the rift. Let’s see, maybe there was no reason to be discouraged after all.

‘Why, even Senior Kiko appointment…….’

Kiko Armin, a senior in the Enchantment Department.

She spent every day in Garnet Hall studying Enchantment. Her achievements in Enchantment cannot be ignored, but she is clearly not skilled in actual combat.

Flick.

Suddenly, Bensch’s gaze turned toward the center of the city.

He focuses his magic on his ears.

He listens to the conversation.

“What’s going on?”

“Why did a rift suddenly appear, and the senior mages of the Magic Tower moved in to clear it? Suddenly? Why?”

“Anyway, it’s a good thing for us, isn’t it? Crazy, the required level is at least 400! Now that the Rankers have entered the Arcana Continent, the only players who can clear this in reality are……!”

The adventurers stared nervously at the rift.

Behind them, anti-monster weapons were lined up.

Bensch snorted.

“There’s no point in pretending now.”

America.

He’d seen enough of this country’s animosity toward him.

The old Magic Tower.

It wouldn’t have been strange to blow up the entire country.

Bensch muttered.

“As if I wasn’t grateful enough for Chief Lee.”

What?

Do you have any doubt that he’s a Demon King?

Even if Chief Lee’s big picture and meaning were distorted, it was still a good idea.

Bensch cleared his throat.

“Don’t you need to make sure you understand the topic?”

With the arcane magic of the Flame Mage Family, House William.

“Hmph, this is also thanks to you, Chief.”

Application to leave the Tower rejected.

Request to enter the Arcana Continent denied.

Also denied the request to borrow the Decisive Battle Magic Tool…….

Bensch had time to study.

Thanks to him, Bensh had mastered the arcane magic manifestations. He was even able to manifest arcane magic that only the first Patriarch had succeeded in manifesting.

“So please, tell me how to open a single rift……!”

If only to discipline those fools.

But Bensch’s wish was not to be granted.

One by one, the rifts began to close.

From within the rifts, the senior mages of the Magic Tower emerged.

Bensch’s brow furrows in frustration.

“We’re really going to end up sucking our fingers……!”

“What is the matter, Senior Bensch?”

“Yes? Senior Matisse? No, no, no, what’s the matter?”

Matisse Dean Karl, Black Mage Senior.

It was not strange for Matisse to be called a senior based on his skills.

He, who had already closed several rifts, was standing next to Bensch.

“Good work, everyone!”

“Hard work.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to circulate some magic power.”

Then the senior mages gathered around, led by Vangrit. Bensch held out hope until the very end. Even Kiko, whom she’d dotted, emerged from the rift unharmed, but…….

“Senior Bellier is……?”

Senior Healing Mage Bellier Yusia.

She hadn’t shown herself yet.

Healing magic was the most researched of the schools. This was evidenced by the fact that the vast majority of healing mages were not skilled in magic other than healing.

Even Senior Bellier.

‘You were busy with research even before leaving the tower, I guess?’

A dragon that mistakenly swallowed the fruits of the World Tree.

It was said that she was working on a way to purify them.

Bensch opened his mouth cautiously.

“How, shouldn’t I go to help?”

In front of Matisse.

Bensch tried not to show his true colors.

But the act fell flat.

“I’m sorry, sir. I’m a little late, I was venting my research stress.”

“…….”

Even Bellier.

It emerged from the rift with a meaningful word.

Vangrit patted the dejected Bensch on the shoulder.

“You’ve had a hard time, senior Bensch.”

“What do you mean, hardship……!”

He was going to use his arcane magic to force these arrogant people to come to terms with the subject! He was never given the chance. Seeing through Bensch, Matisse finally spoke up.

“The look on their faces tells me it’s necessary, Bensch.”

“……?”

Bensch looked at the adventurers, at the faces of those lined up with them. Matisse was right. Everyone seemed to sense the gap already, and he could hear their conversations.

“All those rifts in just a few tens of minutes……!”

“Wow, is this the power of Magic Tower?”

“It was just officially announced by the AAU that Lee Hoyeol didn’t create the rifts, he was just suppressing the rifts that would have been created in the first place, but you’re thinking of bombing him?!”

After all, there was no need for him to come forward.

“Ehemm.”

Bensch cleared his throat in disbelief.

Instead of showing his displeasure, he straightened his posture.

Yes, he looked up to him now.

He had to show the proper posture.

A good reference for such a posture is…….

Seug

“Ehemm.”

Bensch slipped his arms out of his jacket and slung it over his shoulders.

Vangrit spat out a laugh in spite of himself.

‘Well, that’s only fitting for you, Chief.’

Whether he realized he was laughing at himself or not.

Bensch asked coyly.

“By the way, where are the Tower Master and Chief, if you entered the rift, you should have closed it and returned long ago. How come you’re nowhere to be seen…….”

Matisse answered for him.

“The two of them have gone to finish the job.”

*

I see, I’m not the only one with a sneaking suspicion.

“I don’t ask for forgiveness, Mr. Yusra.”

Eugene McCain, head of the Eastern United States.

I confronted Eugene, but [Natural Enemy] was not triggered.

As expected, this incident.

This is pure human malice.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised to be cut down in a field of flowers, right?’

Now that I know Grandfell isn’t just singing a human hymn.

I couldn’t help but be genuinely concerned for the safety of America.

You’ve done a terrible thing, haven’t you?

“Magic Tower will be dealt with according to procedure.”

I never thought I’d see Marcelo with such a stern look on his face.

But in this moment, I was the same as always.

Without showing any unnecessary emotion, I said.

“Let me guide you.”

” ……What do you mean, guide?”

“To the source of this mess.”

The truth is, it’s complicated and never-ending.

The President of the United States is involved.

Politically, it’s not easy, and it’s not something he wants to get involved in because it’s too complicated for his common sense. But like I said, it’s time for me.

Grandfell had a good reason not to step down.

‘For the love of that damn family……!’

Because I know the circumstances of the Claudi family, I am under their influence, really.

Eugene quickly grabbed his phone and dialed somewhere.

“……Unfortunately, we are still out of contact.”

Eugene said.

He hadn’t expected the United States to attack Magic Tower first.

Eugene said bitterly.

“Perhaps I was mistaken. As a non-developer AAU branch leader, I thought my perspective would be more like the White House than the AAU…….”

After the cataclysm.

No matter how many years have passed.

No matter how many crises.

Some things never seemed to change.

Of course, now is not the time to blame the difference in perspective.

I opened my mouth.

“Recall the coordinates.”

So, I was destined to come face to face with the President of the United States.

That’s a lot of liver, Lee Hoyeol.

The thought of coming face to face with the President of the United States after the President of Korea.

‘Still, I have to face him.’

In a way, Eugene was a chess piece.

The plan was made by the higher-ups.

Eugene was just part of the plan.

‘If there’s a possibility that the demon is involved in the higher-ups.’

The president, the vice president, whoever.

There were too many things about this situation that could not be explained by human malice alone. Even if I could understand him baring his teeth at me.

‘Turning Magic Tower into an enemy?’

After the Cataclysm, given the influence of Magic Tower…….

It was safe to say that turning against the game would be internationally suicidal. Imagine if players in the U.S. couldn’t access the game’s portals.

They might flee to the Yusra Kingdom like Hisagi.

With that, I summoned my magic power.

“Sir.”

Marcelo looks at me with half expectation and half question. When I asked for coordinates, he must have thought I was going to manifest a portal.

“……I don’t know the exact location, because in this situation, the president would have evacuated to a safe place, certainly not the White House.”

But those were not the coordinates I was talking about.

“Recall, the face of the culprit.”

Thanks to my ‘heightened’ magic power.

It was safe to say that all of my magical manifestations were at the next level.

Even more so than when I formed the circle.

I can replace concrete coordinates with imagined objects.

Marcelo blurted out in admiration.

“I wonder how many high-level magics are involved……!”

Of course, it was Grandfell’s immense talent that made it possible, but I have no time or inclination for self-praise. I immediately manifested the magic.

Gooooooo.

“……!”

But alas, I failed to open the portal.

Of course, it wasn’t for lack of ability.

There was no mistake in my manifestation.

Eugene McCain, then.

Did he fail to remember the coordinates and the face of the target?

No, that wasn’t it either.

ziiiing.

A ringing vibration.

Eugene’s smartphone.

And my smartphone.

Suddenly, I realized.

The reason the magic failed was simple.

Yes, the coordinates didn’t exist.

Not in this world, not anymore.

“What, what……?”

Eugene’s face colored with horror.

[BREAKING: President of the United States found dead].

.

.

.

“General Manager…….”

I took the note handed to me by Joshua, the head of the Western Branch of the United States of America. The paper was written in blood. One word, repeated over and over, without even a space.

──────

RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean.RaymonSean…….

──────

The culprit was Raymon Sean.

No, it wasn’t.

Grandfell corrects.

“It was a demon.”