Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 102 - Cold Victory

The ice caps were melting.

 

Cold chill.

 

He gradually felt an acute pain.

 

Senios had a hunch.

 

‘In the end, I can’t overcome him.’

 

What was the purpose of his life?

 

If anyone asked.

 

Senios could answer that it was to prove his strength.

 

Even when he looked back at himself, it was truly a simple and ignorant life.

 

Until he became an old man.

 

He never thought he would end up like this without being able to let go of his regrets.

 

‘But it wasn’t so bad. Yes.’

 

Compatibility.

 

The relationship between the Fire Dragon, Karimjeva, and his own ice magic was extremely terrible.

 

At this moment, as you could see.

 

Crack–!

 

Senios’ vision magic manifested.

 

Countless icicles fall from the sky.

 

Everything that touched each icicle froze in an instant.

 

Out of all the magic that Senios could manifest.

 

It was the most lethal magic.

 

“Useless.”

 

Rumble–!

 

However, the icicles didn’t reach Karimjeva.

 

Even if it were an ice cap, it wouldn’t be able to freeze his flames.

 

The icicles touching Karimjeva’s flame scattered into the air, spraying mana.

 

“Hahaha…”

 

Suddenly, Senios burst out laughing.

 

Karimjeva became puzzled.

 

His magic, which had been overflowing uncontrollably, also calmed down.

 

Senios must have noticed that he had no chance of winning.

 

“Have you finally come to your senses, Senios?”

 

Why was he laughing?

 

“Still, wasn’t it pretty good for the worst compatibility?”

 

“What?”

 

“I never thought about beating you in the first place. Karimjeva.”

 

Senios suddenly recalled the past.

 

Before his awakening.

 

After entering the tower.

 

Up until he became the elder mage.

 

– “My goal? To freeze the flames.”

 

Senios believed in ice magic and didn’t doubt it.

 

Like the current senior mages, he thought his magic was the best. But over the years. He opened his eyes. When he could see the world of magic.

 

– “Limitations are inevitable.”

 

Senios admitted.

 

There was a limit to every magic.

 

His own ice magic was no exception.

 

However.

 

“Isn’t overcoming those limitations also a purpose of life?”

 

Knowing his limits.

 

He didn’t think he could beat Karimjeva in the first place.

 

He even thought of dying with that guy.

 

Senios grunted.

 

“Fire and ice. If I overcome the worst odds and achieve a draw. Wouldn’t future generations have a higher opinion of me, Karimjeva? What do you think? Don’t you think so?”

 

A draw.

 

“You’ve lost your mind.”

 

Karimjeva sensed madness in Senios.

 

And he clicked his tongue.

 

“What can you do when even your heart is stopping?”

 

“Hahaha. My heart is not stopping. I’m controlling the speed at which my heart beats. You don’t even know that? The quest for magic is an important one, Karimjeva. You must have been so absorbed in the truth that you neglected it.”

 

“…!”

 

His heart wasn’t stopping.

 

He was controlling its running speed?

 

At his meaningful words, Karimjeva looked around.

 

…No, he didn’t see anything strange.

 

Drip–

 

The ice wings that surrounded Senios had long since melted.

 

The stream of water that was gushing out of the ground was being converted into steam through his own destructive fire. Yeah, if he had to pick one thing strange, he felt a bit cold….

 

‘Wait, I feel cold?’

 

It didn’t make sense.

 

Didn’t he, too, surround himself with flames?

 

Was it a physical illusion?

 

He thought so.

 

“!”

 

It wasn’t.

 

Huft–!

 

White breath was really coming out of his mouth.

 

Karimjeva frowned.

 

“You’re bullshitting until the end. Senios.”

 

It was a bit disappointing.

 

Senios laughed.

 

Huft–

 

As he laughed, white breath came out from the corners of his mouth.

 

“You’re so merciless. What do you mean I am bullshitting? This one and only Senios of Eternal Snow, for the Fire Dragon Karimjeva. This magic is created just for you. Can’t you consider my sincerity?”

 

Reaching the peak.

 

When he came up with this magic.

 

– “I’ve really taken it all.”

 

Senios thought so and clicked his tongue.

 

– “Will there ever come the day when I can use this?”

 

He entered the Mage Tower after Karimjeva.

 

However, before he knew it, he had risen to the position of an elder mage like Karimjeva.

 

Even though he knew they couldn’t settle the matter with each other. He didn’t expect to create this meaningless magic.

 

“But who knew? I didn’t know this day would come.”

 

So he didn’t even name the magic.

 

“If I knew this would happen, I would’ve given it a plausible name.”

 

Karimjeva.

 

You, me.

 

The Mage Tower.

 

He found out that he was deceiving the Tower Master.

 

So without hesitation.

 

Senios manifested his last magic.

 

“What do you think is the essence of ice-cold magic?”

 

Huft–!

 

The chill didn’t go away.

 

Out of frustration, Karimjeva didn’t reply.

 

But Senios immediately continued.

 

“Some people say it’s beauty. The shape of ice that reflects light is as gorgeous as a jewel. But you’re wrong. The essence of ice magic lies in coldness.”

 

Huft–!

 

Huuft–!

 

Karimzeba clenched and unclenched his stiffening hands.

 

It became increasingly difficult to move and breathe.

 

‘I won’t hear it anymore.’

 

Karimjeva no longer stood still.

 

He couldn’t tell what kind of magic Senios was using.

 

He couldn’t keep up with his rhythm.

 

Crackle–!

 

Karimzeva showed fire.

 

He flapped the wings of fire at Senios.

 

And he witnessed it.

 

‘…What?!’

 

An incredible sight.

 

His spreading flame looked so slow.

 

“What? Did time slow down?”

 

No, it didn’t.

 

Because Senios’s mouth was still laughing.

 

“How about the chillness that freezes even your senses, Karimjeva? The moment you notice, your body and internal organs are already half frozen.”

 

Karimjeva didn’t believe it.

 

There had been no opportunity to manifest that level of magic.

 

Huuuft–!

 

But as if his words weren’t a lie.

 

Neither his body nor his flame listened.

 

Karimjeva thought hard.

 

‘Where did this kind of magic happen?’

 

He hadn’t even noticed…?

 

And soon, when he saw Senios breathing white steam like he was.

 

He realized it.

 

‘…It’s breath!’

 

The magic cooled the air he inhaled.

 

Because the air in the area was cooled indiscriminately.

 

His body was freezing, too.

 

But why could he talk at a normal speed?

 

“Did I tell you? It’s not stopping, it’s just being controlled.”

 

A chill that even froze his senses.

 

Thump—thump—thump…

 

Senios’ heart was beating in tune with that frozen sensation.

 

Senios counted as he looked at Karimjeva, who couldn’t even answer.

 

‘Even 1 second.’

 

If he could last longer than Karimjeva.

 

The Fire Dragon could be put to sleep under the eternal snowfield.

 

‘Of course, regardless of the outcome, I’ll be frozen in the cold.’

 

Yeah, as expected.

 

At best, it would be a draw.

 

‘Well, if it’s a draw by sacrificing the life of a spoiled old man.’

 

That’s not too bad of a deal, is it?

 

And that was his atonement for the Mage Tower.

 

Senios smiled.

 

‘Even if I took a lot of things, it was a very good life. Yeah.’

 

But the Fire Dragon was not easy.

 

“I never thought you would risk your life. That’s surprising.”

 

“…!”

 

Karimjeva was speaking just fine.

 

More than half of his body should have been frozen already.

 

Senios was shocked and looked at Karimjeva.

 

Flames gushed out of Karimjeva’s mouth.

 

“However, I am risking my life too.”

 

…He swallowed the flames.

 

In other words, he was melting his frozen body, the organs.

 

Senios spat out a laugh.

 

“That’s the worst.”

 

He wasn’t called the Fire Dragon for no reason.

 

He swallowed fire to melt the frozen organs.

 

It was amazing that he made such a decision.

 

To think he could spit out words even after doing that.

 

‘Are you saying you won’t even allow a draw?’

 

Did this mean that limitations couldn’t be overcome no matter what?

 

‘Damn it.’

 

His eyes were slowly closing.

 

His senses become dull.

 

The moment Senios clenched his teeth.

 

Tap tap–

 

He heard the sound of shoes stepping into the frozen ground.

 

“Senios, your magic was excellent.”

 

A voice called to him.

 

“But the interference process is disappointing.”

 

And that voice was criticizing him.

 

Senios managed to answer.

 

“…Is that so?”

 

He knew who it was without even having to check.

 

Because Senios knew the protagonist of this bold voice.

 

Yes, Chief Lee Hoyeol.

 

“You need a new concept to overcome the limitations.”

 

Seniors saw him confidently stepping forward to Karimjeva.

 

Yeah, he remembered seeing that back, too.

 

At the regular conference, when Hoyeol criticized the presentation of the senior mage, Banglet Tom.

 

His back was as upright as it was then.

 

“The exploration that the essence of ice magic lies in cooling was excellent. However, there is some disappointment in the interference process. If an object is to be cooled, how far should it be cooled? Unrestricted abstract interference only leads to inefficient manifestations.”

 

Karimjeva’s flame swayed.

 

‘How dare you brat?’

 

Wasn’t the same as giving a lecture in front of him?

 

He wanted to burn that cheeky guy right away.

 

The senses of his body were not yet intact.

 

There was no way the body that repeatedly got frozen and burned could be fine.

 

However.

 

‘It’s practically over for Senios.’

 

He just had to deal with the adventurer brat.

 

He could do it even with an unhealthy body.

 

Karimjeva opened his mouth thinking so.

 

“I will surely kill you.”

 

But Hoyeol’s lecture continued.

 

It continued regardless of Karimjeva’s words.

 

Senios could understand why.

 

‘You’re being considerate of the old man. Yes.’

 

He knew that Senios didn’t have much time left to breathe.

 

That’s why he hurriedly tried to finish his sentence.

 

Senios concentrated on Hoyeol’s words.

 

“If the goal had been specifically set during the interference process, more effective manifestation would have been possible. But even so. It wouldn’t have been possible to overcome the magic compatibility. However, if it is [『oddity』] rather than magic, it would be a different story.”

 

[『Oddity』]…?

 

Understanding the concept right away.

 

It was impossible even for the two elder mages.

 

Therefore, a revelation was needed.

 

Of course, Karimjeva was not one to quietly sit back and watch.

 

‘…It’s over.’

 

His senses were back.

 

He would take the brat immediately…

 

“In the interference process, you need to add a [concept] that is completely different from [magic].”

 

Crack–!

 

“?!”

 

For a moment, Karimjeva’s body stopped.

 

Karimjeva could feel it.

 

It was different from Senios’ magic.

 

‘I can’t resist it…?!’

 

If Senios’ magic had merely caused his body’s senses to malfunction, this truly felt as if it stopped his body. Even the flow of his magic power…!

 

“What have you done to me…!”

 

It was incomprehensible.

 

A magic that even stopped the flow of magical power.

 

Karimjeva also thought hard about it.

 

‘There must be a clue in his words to overcome this magic.’

 

Just like how he had seen through Senios’ magic.

 

But no matter how much he reflected on Hoyeol’s words.

 

There was only one conclusion.

 

“Yeah, this is [『oddity』].”

 

It wasn’t magic. It was called  [『oddity』].

 

“Its specific goal, a manifestation of oddity that cools the object of interference to absolute zero.”

 

Absolute zero.

 

He didn’t know what that meant, but.

 

One thing was certain.

 

Senios opened his mouth quietly.

 

“Absolute zero, let’s name it that. It sounds good.”

 

Through his cloudy vision.

 

Senios raised his head.

 

‘I shouldn’t have been worried. Yeah.’

 

Chief Lee Hoyeol.

 

Wasn’t he the man Marcelo acknowledged?

 

Senios understood how Marcelo felt when he recommended Hoyeol.

 

So he had no more regrets.

 

‘It wasn’t the ice magic that was lacking, it was me.’

 

As you could see, wasn’t Karimjeva helpless against the oddity that Hoyeol had manifested?

 

The Fire Dragon was frozen because his flames weren’t enough.

 

Senios continued.

 

“You will do better than I do.”

 

That was the old-fashioned elder’s first and last regret.

 

“Nevertheless, please take good care of the Mage Tower. Chief Lee Hoyeol.”

 

He added a word with a smile.

 

“The last lecture of my life was absolutely wonderful.”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Senios was dead.

 

Karimjeva looked at Hoyeol.

 

‘…How?’

 

He still didn’t understand.

 

The magic power he felt was terrible, not only compared to himself but also to Senios.

 

His doubts didn’t go away. Thinking about it, he didn’t understand it from the beginning.

 

‘He was unharmed even by my flames.’

 

No, not only that, Hoyeol had definitely dealt with the demons. Karimjeva knew very well what kind of race the demons were.

 

Those who came into contact with the demons, no matter how strong they were, were deprived of their mental strength.

 

‘It shouldn’t be completely impossible.’

 

Even the elder mages had been swayed by them.

 

However, Hoyeol was fine.

 

No, beyond that, he was calm.

 

To the point that he could incessantly chatter about the structure of magic.

 

‘Wait a minute.’

 

At that moment, Karimjeva felt a sense of distortion.

 

‘How did he recognize Akampatham’s possession?’

 

Unless Hoyeol was a demon worshiper like he was.

 

It was almost impossible to notice a demon possessing someone.

 

And for a mage, his magic power was absurdly low… A thought passed through his mind.

 

“…Are you, by any chance, a demon hunter?”

 

Tap tap–

 

At those words, Hoyeol turned his back and looked at him.

 

Karimjeva was convinced.

 

Yes, this guy was a demon hunter.

 

Karimjeva rolled his brain.

 

“Maybe…’

 

He might be able to get away from it.

 

This damn magic. No, this oddity.

 

Karimjeva opened his mouth.

 

“Demon hunter. All I want to do is witness the true truth. The demons are just a means. Don’t you know that? What the Arcana continent needs is the true truth!”

 

Yeah, if he was none other than a demon hunter.

 

He would have no choice but to understand the true truth.

 

Karimjeva thought so and said that.

 

However.

 

‘…Why?’

 

There was no change in Hoyeol’s expression.

 

There was a chill in his cold gaze.

 

If he was a demon hunter.

 

Thinking of the end of Akshan.

 

He could never react like that.

 

Karimjeva opened his mouth in wonder.

 

“…Perhaps, do you not know the truth of the ‘Holy War’?”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Holy War.

 

What is that?

 

Did it happen when Arcana was a game?

 

Whatever had happened, of course, I wouldn’t know.

 

Because for me, I had a ten-year gap.

 

Karimjeva mumbled.

 

“If you let me go, I’ll tell you everything. About the Holy War, about the true truth! If you’re a demon hunter, I’m sure you’ll understand what I mean. I swear on the name of the Fire Dragon, Karimjeva!”

 

I could feel it in my head.

 

Holy War, demon hunter.

 

It might have something to do with Akshan.

 

But I didn’t answer.

 

At this moment, for me.

 

For Grandfel, Karimjeva was no different from the demons.

 

I told you.

 

I didn’t talk to prey.

 

The true truth was bullshit. Not only it messed up the world, it even resurrected the demon king, how could you call it the truth? Of course, there was no reason for me to pause for such things as Holy War.

 

Holy War.

 

The moment Karimjeva took that word out of his mouth.

 

A message appeared.

 

[Class quest: Akshan’s Annihilation]

 

Yeah.

 

Therefore I manifested my magic right away.

 

No, I manifested [『oddity』].

 

Absolute zero.

 

An extreme temperature at which even molecules stopped moving.

 

“I…!!”

 

Soon, Karimjeva’s pride was nowhere to be found.

 

He froze with an ugly look.

 

At the same time, a message appeared.

 

[You’ve cleared the rupture Cracked Dimension Gap: ה.]

 

– Dispose of the runaway demon worshiper. (Successful)

 

• Stop the resurrection of the high-ranking demon king. (Successful)