◈ Episode 489. The Foundation (5)

Flame Emperor.

I know this man, Bensch William, better than anyone else in the Magic Tower.

As a fellow Senior Mage.

Vangrit, a Senior in Pure Magic, who had watched him with an equal eye.

But even Vangrit was troubled.

“Senior Bensch, how far should I trust you?”

A sigh escaped him.

Vangrit had been tormented by Bensch as much as he had been favored.

He’d gained a newfound appreciation for him.

That can’t be possible.

At that moment, the door to his office swings open.

Bensch bursts in, parchment fluttering.

-“Senior Vangrit, are you available to ghostwrite today?”

……Head spinning again.

There’s Chief Lee, who sees through everything, and I’m supposed to ghostwrite? I didn’t want to start a firestorm. Thankfully, Vangrit never picked up a quill for Bensch.

In that sense.

“Seriously, senior Bensch is the temporary acting chief……?”

Of course, he knew the truth of the matter. Among the twenty Magic Tower Seniors, it was Senior Bensch who stood out alongside Senior Black Magic Matisse.

Considering that Senior Matisse was a mage of the previous generation…….

Bensch’s potential.

It was like saying that it was more than that.

Just.

Sneakily.

His own office.

Vangrit’s eyes follow Bensch’s traces all over the place.

As none other than Chief Lee had once said…….

“A man of formality should have formality where he stays.”

Senior Bensch William plucks at his hair and plucks the feathers from his quill pen. Senior Bensch William dripped ink all over the place. Last but not least, he threw the parchment on the floor……!

As I looked at the mess he had made, I thought to myself.

“……Is this why you entrusted it to me?”

Maybe through the hard work of being a senior.

Maybe he was trying to teach Bensch a lesson.

Of course, Vangrit shook his head.

“Oh, no, he wouldn’t do that.”

He’s not the one to judge a little guy like me.

Vangrit shook the thought off.

Maybe it was just the dizziness of the office that was making me think too much.

Vangrit shrugged.

“I’ll just finish organizing.”

And with that, Vangrit continued to erase all traces of Bensch.

Well, that was a particularly nasty one.

Why, there were more feathers and parchments scattered about than usual…….

“You must be more eager than ever to go out the tower…….”

Vangrit thought nothing of it.

“……!”

Halt.

Suddenly, his hand twitched. A thought flashed through his mind. Bensch Senior, when he had submitted an unusually high number of applications to leave the tower. What was going on outside the tower.

‘Wasn’t there always something big happening at times like this……?

Yes.

There was always something big enough to bring the senior mages to the tower. Of course, someone had to guard the tower, so Senior Bensch was usually unable to accompany them.

Still, Vangrit didn’t overlook it.

“No way, Senior Bensch, are you……?”

Did you instinctively know what was coming, and fill out this many applications every time? If so, Vangrit was concerned.

To an unprecedented degree.

His own office, was trashed by Bensch’s hand.

Gulp, Vangrit swallowed dryly.

“What the hell happened……?”

*

Even great magical talent can only lead in different directions.

Marcelo, the founder of Theoretical Magic, specialized in observational powers that allowed him to rationally and objectively judge all things, including magical particles.

As for Bensch William, the senior fire mage.

“……Whatever, I will take responsibility!”

He relied on intuition over logic and reason.

“The use of magic tools for decisive battles is permitted even to adept mages, not even senior ones. You’re not going to be held accountable, and depending on the circumstances, you could be imprisoned in Mugan for days.”

Kiko Armin, Senior Enchantment.

She strode up the stairs of the tower with Bensch, her wand ready for battle. Her hands were sweaty as she gripped her magic tools. It wasn’t from the mysterious golem blocking the sunlight from the tower.

“They don’t call it the Decisive Battle for nothing!”

It was because she knew better than anyone else the power contained within the Decisive Battle Magic Tools.

And that included Bensch.

Bensch spoke up in defense.

“Now, look. I don’t know what that thing is, but it’s like our Magic Tower is under siege, and with neither Master Marcelo nor Chief Lee here, we have no time to spare, which means we have to take control from the beginning.”

“…… You’re good with words.”

“What?”

“I don’t know, just make sure you dispose of it properly.”

Disposition, the word made Bensch wince.

“Ahem. Even so, as far as disposal ……..”

No matter how he felt.

Was it too much to ask for permission to use the entirety of the Decisive Battle Magic Tools……?

In hindsight, Bensch looked back at his choice.

But Bensch’s reflection didn’t last long.

“You, what did you say?”

The Apprentice Mage players were chatting.

He could hear it in their conversation.

The former Elder Mage of the Magic Tower.

“The golem besieging this Magic Tower is……. Elder Yugweed?”

Yugweed Lupeng’s name.

That was it.

Bensch’s spirits began to rise.

“Yugweed Lupeng, the Fused Intelligence…….”

To Yugweed, who left the Magic Tower.

What could have happened to you to cause this situation…….

Kiko was concerned, but in hindsight, she realized that Bensch was right.

‘If that is indeed Yugweed’s golem.’

If it’s Yugweed-nim’s summoner running amok for some reason.

Authorizing the use of the Decisive Battle Magic Tools was not an overreaction.

Especially now that the core power of the Magic Tower was gone.

Kiko’s judgment could not have been more correct.

.

.

.

An urgent call rang out.

“Senior Kiko!”

A member of the Enchantment School who is unaccustomed to actual combat.

On this battlefield, I must be worried.

But Kiko was doing her part on the battlefield.

A magic tool for decisive battle that emits light, [Pendant of Interference].

Kiko.

Utilizing a magic tool that could store and manifest the “interference” process of the magic she witnessed, Kiko was doing her part.

As the pendant shines, the collapsing building begins to recover once again.

“Reversal Magic.”

Even though she was manifesting with the power of the decisive battle magic tool……. Even as she manifested, she didn’t understand. How could Chief Lee be able to freely manifest such ridiculous magic?

Seuseuseuseu.

The process of interference was so complicated and arcane that the pendant vibrated with overload, not to mention the amount of magic power it consumed. She was already showing signs of exhaustion.

Of course.

“You’re overdoing it, Kiko.”

“Ouch. Senior Bellier……!”

“It’s okay, just take a deep breath.”

Likewise, utilizing the decisive battle magic tool, [Branch of Rest].

Bellier quickly recovered Kiko from her magic exhaustion.

She looked at the battlefield.

“Still, this is a passing grade, isn’t it?”

The Magic Tower was responding to the Fused Intelligence with minimal damage. It was all thanks to the Acting Chief, Bensch William, who had not overlooked the threat and had responded aggressively, even authorizing the use of the decisive battle magic tool.

Kiko spoke reflectively.

“……I honestly doubted Senior Bensch’s judgment, but I don’t think it had to be him, because no other senior would have made such a bold move.”

Bellier nodded.

“I guess he saw it coming.”

It seemed that Chief Lee had seen the potential in Bensch that even they had overlooked, for at this moment, Bensch’s performance was more than enough to justify his name, Flame Emperor.

If only.

“It’s strange, Senior Bensch!”

There was even a hint of respect in Vangrit’s eyes.

Bensch William had a highly developed intuition.

He had always craved the use of a decisive battle magic tool.

As if it were a legitimate need.

hwaleuleuleug.

Bensch’s firepower with [Anatosh’s Flame] was beyond imagination. Naslow, a senior in Illusion Magic, called out urgently to Vangrit.

“Vangrit, the aftermath is coming!”

“Yes!”

“I never thought I’d live to see the day I had to clean up after Senior Bensch.”

The Fusion Intelligence’s fingers burned red and then melted away in frustration. Bensch took on the Fused Intelligence alone, while the rest of the senior and adept mages focused on minimizing the damage it caused.

Of course.

“Huu.”

The presence of the players was not to be overlooked.

Technically, we should call them the Great Alliance.

The most influential guild in Korea without Gaon?

It was definitely Sinhwa Guild.

Led by guild master, Baek Yiseol.

The Sinhwa Guild focused on rescuing citizens.

Baek cleared her throat and surveyed the situation.

‘Phase 1 is finally over.’

It was then.

Mages flying through the air landed around Baek Yiseol.

Unlike their usual plain robes.

They were equipped with proper items.

‘I see, the Magic Tower has never shown its full power.’

Surely you have to be at that level to be able to move forward along the same lines as Hoyeol. In comparison, I……. Baek Yiseol bit her lip at her own inadequacy.

Nod.

A bowed greeting followed by a self-introduction.

“My name is Cleodia, an adept mage of the Healing School! If you don’t mind, I have a favor to ask of the adventurer.”

“A favor?”

“Yes, please lend it to us!”

All of a sudden? Lend you what?

Aside from Jesse Heinness, none of the high-flying rankers were Adept Mages of the Magic Tower. It’s surprising that an Adept would ask her to borrow something, let alone lend it to her.

“…….”

A major conglomerate.

Sinhwa Guild, part of the Sinhwa Group.

I wonder if they have any information on the financial world.

“How much do you need? Ten billion? One hundred billion?”

Baek Yiseol asked, and Klee shook her head.

“No, not that, the eyes.”

“If it’s snow, then……. ski resort owned by the Sinhwa Group?”

“The ski resort? I don’t know what it is, but no, the eyes!”

Chuck.

Klee pointed her finger at her own eyeballs, and Baek Yiseol understood. She need the player’s vision, a system message.

Baek Yiseol nodded.

“Of course, I will.”

The evacuation of the citizens was almost over.

I’m sure they’ll be able to wrap things up without me.

Klee was surprised by my immediate response.

“I appreciate your cooperation, but……. To be honest, I can’t guarantee your safety, and as you can see, we’re not exactly confident.”

“If you’re determined, I’ll be fine.”

“……!”

Baek Yiseol spoke with all her heart.

“If I’m going to die, I should have died at least twice, anyway.”

I wonder if I’m the only human in this world who has been possessed by a demon twice? Maybe it was because of this, but Baek wasn’t particularly afraid of death.

On the contrary, she welcomed the opportunity.

‘If it’s to help the mages of the Magic Tower, then…….’

At least I’ll be repaying a small debt, right?

Baek Yiseol ran through the forest of buildings, chasing after Klee.

At the same time, she relayed the information from the system message to Klee.

“It looks like it’s a finger, then an arm.”

“An arm?”

“Yes, the left arm, according to the message.”

At that point, Baek Yiseol had joined the mages of the Magic Tower.

Her words had reached the ears of the senior mages.

Perhaps that’s why.

“Wait, what is that light?”

The mages of the Magic Tower were able to recognize a phenomenon that hadn’t occurred on the Arcana continent. A glow emanating from the left hand of the Fused IntelligenceYugweed.

“Left arm……. Left-handed……!”

Bellier exclaimed.

“It’s a manifestation of magic!”

It was.

When Yugweed was alive, she was left-handed and used only her left hand to perform magic. Unlike the right hand of the Arcana Continent, which was simply struggling.

In the real world, her left hand could manifest magic.

The Magic Tower.

All of them immediately reacted.

“Do you have a rough idea of the amount of power in that thing, Vangrit?”

“I don’t know, it’s so massive……!”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to try and hit it.”

“Is it difficult to manifest reversal magic with the pendant, Kiko?”

“For me, the limit is a collapsing building……!”

But in the heat of the moment.

“……Don’t be crazy.”

Baek Yiseol’s pupils were shaking dangerously.

Through AAU.

No, not exactly.

It was due to the confidential information that had come through the Sinhwa Group’s sources.

“Who, who, who, who……!!”

Of course.

“He died on the Arcana continent……?”

Although that was just an ‘obvious’ illusion that would turn the world upside down.

ttogag─

“????!!!!”

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tl/n: eyes and snow in Korea have the same word