Novel Will Be Taken Down on 17 May or Earlier Chapter 97 - An Eye for an Eye (2)

Float–

 

Fluctuating mana.

 

Jang Hyundo’s body floated in the air like a feather.

 

“Cough.”

 

The space had less oxygen due to a high concentration of mana.

 

Jang Hyundo gasped, but Karimjeva didn’t budge.

 

He just searched for Jang Hyundo’s body.

 

‘I don’t feel any magic mark.’

 

Marcelo’s thorough handle.

 

It was the basic rule not to leave any magic marks that could serve as a clue.

 

No matter how great he was, Karimjeva didn’t have the talent to track down the remaining magic marks.

 

Snap–

 

Karimzeba’s brow furrowed mercilessly.

 

“How dare you deceive me, Akampatham.”

 

Akampatham had run away.

 

Karimjeva couldn’t help but think so.

 

Crash!

 

“Worthless human bastard.”

 

Jang Hyundo fell from the air.

 

“Ugh…”

 

Jang Hyundo, who fainted, was thrown to the floor.

 

Considering that he dared to speak informally.

 

It seemed he couldn’t remember anything properly.

 

“Did you plan to do this from the beginning?”

 

Why.

 

Why did Akampatham suddenly disappear?

 

Karimjeva calmed down the rage that seethed like lava.

 

In the end, there was only one thing he knew.

 

‘Does it mean that a demon is still a demon after all?’

 

Demons were deceitful creatures.

 

Even their king.

 

Even the demon kings couldn’t abandon their true nature.

 

He just didn’t want to care about the demon of true name.

 

Akampatham knew too much.

 

‘Is this why he brought up a specific plan?’

 

Not only that.

 

When it came to dealing with things.

 

Akampatham had asked him to stay away.

 

Karimjeva was just waiting.

 

“It was stupid of me to believe in the demon.”

 

And now he knew.

 

The fact that Akampatam didn’t exist in Jang Hyundo’s body.

 

“It is an outright mistake.”

 

It was his mistake to trust the demon.

 

Karimjeva acknowledged it.

 

However, the self-reproach didn’t last long.

 

‘I realized it for sure during the time I spent in vain.’

 

The fact that he no longer had a companion.

 

Now that Akampatham was gone.

 

There was no way to obtain information about the Mage Tower.

 

“I am deeply sorry.”

 

The telepathy was still unknown.

 

Thanks to this, he could be sure.

 

Whether it was out of their own will or not.

 

The two elder mages.

 

He would no longer be able to be with them.

 

Swoop–

 

Karimjeva wiped his face once with his hand.

 

Then he opened his mouth in a low voice.

 

“This has greatly reduced the possibility of success.”

 

Enough to make him want to give up.

 

Flash–

 

But Karimjeva’s eyes were still burning clearly.

 

Like a burning flame.

 

Yeah, it was definitely the eyes of a mage.

 

“But, if it worked out easily, it would be strange.”

 

It was the eyes of a mage longing for truth.

 

“How easy it must be to overlook the true truth?”

 

The road to ‘true truth’.

 

Even if there had been a setback in the plan.

 

Even if Akampatham knew all his plans.

 

Even if this action hastened his own end.

 

“Good. There could be no funeral more splendid than this.”

 

The mage, Karimjeva, had no intention of giving up.

 

For the sake of true truth.

 

“I can burn this body many times.”

 

That’s what it meant to be a mage.

 

So Karimjeva warned.

 

“A fire, once ignited, cannot be easily controlled.”

 

The Mage Tower?

 

The demons?

 

The adventurer?

 

It didn’t matter who it was.

 

The road to the true truth.

 

He could burn anything that got in the way.

 

*

The Fire Dragon, Karimjeva.

 

He was a great mage befitting of that grandiose modifier.

 

Well, I didn’t even have to look at the magic books.

 

Senior Mage of Fire Magic, Bensch William.

 

I could tell just by listening to his fuss.

 

“To be honest, I want to be out.”

 

Crystal Hall.

 

Me and Marcelo.

 

In a place where all the senior mages gathered.

 

Bensch declared out of the blue.

 

“Karimjeva-nim. No, he’s the criminal of high treason of the Mage Tower now. Karimjeva, he wasn’t called the Fire Dragon for no reason! His achievements in fire magic are truly beyond imagination. That strength is something that even Bensch William can never keep up with…!”

 

I knew that.

 

I had devoured all kinds of magic books to dig various wells.

 

Naturally, I’d also gained some knowledge of fire magic.

 

‘The name Karimjeva was mentioned a lot.’

 

It wasn’t a lie.

 

At least once in each paragraph, his name popped up.

 

Bensch seemed frustrated, too, and said, hitting his chest.

 

Hit.

 

“Of course, it’s impossible for me to be the only one missing out. However, I told you at a meeting like this, please consider the characteristics of fire magic.”

 

The nature of fire magic.

 

As expected, reading was my strength.

 

I also knew without hearing it from him.

 

‘It’s magic with a certain hierarchy.’

 

A fire was swallowed by a bigger fire.

 

The same was true of fire magic.

 

If Karimjeva and Bensch’s fire magic hit each other?

 

‘It will become a bigger flame and attack us.’

 

A combination between a senior mage and an elder mage.

 

Just imagining it made my mouth dry already.

 

In that sense, Bensch’s words were reasonable enough.

 

“Even so, I’ve taken that into account in the formation.”

 

Sksk–

 

Marcelo was busy moving his feather pen.

 

As the term ‘formation’ suggested, it was about how we tied up the senior mages together.

 

He seemed to be pondering.

 

Even if they were the best mages in their respective fields.

 

There must be strengths and weaknesses in each field.

 

‘Think like a player.’

 

Prior to the rupture entry.

 

It felt like organizing a party by class.

 

Of course, it wasn’t a very important arrangement.

 

The purpose of the Mage Tower was to stop Karimjeva, a criminal of high treason, not to attack the rupture.

 

‘The moment Karimjeva’s location is confirmed.’

 

All the senior mages would gather there.

 

The distance between the ruptures?

 

Like the portal magic.

 

It wouldn’t be a concern for senior mages who use their magic like water.

 

‘Of course, it’s a bit of a burden with my poor mana…’

 

Anyway, let’s try to make up for it with bi-herb as much as possible.

 

In the moment of determination, Marcelo continued.

 

“As expected, the only way we can respond to the risk variable is by appointing Matis Dean Carl.”

 

Senior Mage of Black Magic, Matis Dean Carl.

 

In the past, Matis was a mage who competed with Marcelo for the chief position.

 

Matis nodded as if he respected Marcelo’s decision.

 

“…Yes? Senior Matis with me?”

 

Of course, Bensch seemed to feel burdened.

 

“No, actually, it’s not that serious, is it? I don’t think it’s enough to bother Chief Matis… Besides, wouldn’t Chief Matis feel a little burdened because of me?”

 

Matis’ influence among the senior mages was considerable.

 

‘Well, even in the demonstration quest.’

 

As soon as Matis voted yes, the rest of the senior mages followed him.

 

Bensch must be feeling uncomfortable acting alone with Matis.

 

Of course, there was no way I could just sit back and watch.

 

‘Fight fire with fire!’

 

Good luck, Bensch William.

 

Disposing of the criminal of high treason was an important mission that had the Mage Tower’s pride at stake.

 

Small emotions such as discomfort couldn’t be prioritized.

 

I opened my mouth right away.

 

I looked at Matis.

 

“Do you feel burdened by this decision, Matis?”

 

“No, sir.”

 

“That’s what he said. Senior Bensch William.”

 

I thought about it seriously.

 

…How does it feel to deal with a boss like me?

 

One thing was certain.

 

‘It must be more tiring than dealing with our manager.’

 

Unlike the general manager who could be sucked up to.

 

No flattery, not even a bribe, could work on me.

 

Bensch’s reaction left no further explanation.

 

“But you didn’t ask me.…!!”

 

I accept the arrangement…

 

Bensch shut his mouth after those crawling words.

 

Of course, there were also senior mages who weren’t far behind Bensch, who were making unusual expressions.

 

Maybe it was because of my address for Matis. It was only natural that they would misunderstand.

 

‘The great Matis Dean Carl.’

 

I called him by his name as if it was natural.

 

Of course, there was a complicated story there, too.

 

“I can’t guess. Seriously.”

 

Someone murmured.

 

Yeah, they must be curious about the story.

 

Of course, toward me and Matis.

 

They wouldn’t dare to ask.

 

‘I have no intention of telling you either.’

 

To explain the whole story, I had to go back to my first meeting with Matis.

 

Of course, I would also have to mention my aptitude for black magic.

 

The source of black magic.

 

My past as the source of the right mana.

 

I couldn’t tell them my dark history.

 

Sksk–

 

In the midst of the small commotion.

 

Marcelo didn’t stop his pen.

 

As a result, the formation seemed to be over.

 

“I am going to monitor the situation inside the rupture and move towards the side that needs support. Therefore… Now, all that remains is Chief Lee Hoyeol’s decision.”

 

Naturally.

 

With the gazes directed to me.

 

I thought honestly.

 

‘…To be honest.’

 

I wanted to tour all the ruptures, one by one.

 

I wanted to pick up all the unexpected profit that the senior mages would drop.

 

But there wouldn’t be room for that. Because there was no way to know what kind of ruptures Karimjeva was lurking in and what kind of demons there were.

 

So I declared as I made up my mind.

 

“I will accompany Senios.”

 

Silence–

 

As if my words poured ice water.

 

“…?”

 

The Crystal Hole fell into silence.

 

Then someone managed to speak out.

 

“…Senios? Don’t tell me?”

 

Yeah, that guess was right.

 

The Senios I mentioned was the Elder Mage of the Mage Tower, Senios.

 

Marcelo, who was speechless, came to his senses and asked.

 

“Sir Hoyeol, what you mean by Senios…?”

 

“Yes. The Elder Mage, Senios.”

 

“Accompanying him means that Senios-nim will also exit the tower. So you’re saying he will go to the rupture?”

 

Head of the Mage Tower.

 

Even if he had frequent exchanges with the elder mages.

 

Marcelo seemed to have difficulty understanding that decision.

 

I thought so too.

 

If he could step up like this.

 

He should have done better in advance.

 

– “You may not know. The mages are a selfish and arrogant race. It’s a nature that doesn’t change even when you get older or reach this level.”

 

But Senios’ response was unexpected.

 

He cooly admitted that he took things too easily.

 

It was followed by a detailed story.

 

‘To talk about someone else’s personal history in a public place like this.’

 

That would be a breach of formality.

 

So I had no choice but to tell the truth.

 

All I had to do was connect the words calmly.

 

“Senios also asked me for permission to exit the tower. His purpose in exiting the tower is to dispose of Karimjeva, the high-ranking criminal, with his own hands. I have judged the purpose without considering the position of Senios, and granted his exit.”

 

My words caused a commotion in the Crystal Hall.

 

“Senios-nim got permission from Chief Lee Hoyeol?”

 

“Although Chief Lee Hoyeol holds the full authority of the tower’s exit…”

 

“Even if he doesn’t consider positions. This is…”

 

They never thought I’d put so much emphasis on procedures.

 

Everyone must be so shocked.

 

Of course, I also had nothing to say if I got fired.

 

Because I wanted to tie down this impolite tongue.

 

The buzz of these senior mages.

 

I could understand generously.

 

“Surprising, but good news.”

 

Sure enough, Marcelo seemed to have finished his judgment quickly.

 

Then he continued to talk to me.

 

“However, if it weren’t for Sir Hoyeol, it would have been impossible.”

 

I don’t think so?

 

‘Senios is different from what he looks like.’

 

But regardless of what I thought.

 

Marcelo seemed to sincerely think so.

 

Marcelo must be overestimating me.

 

But I didn’t bother to deny it.

 

『For Grandfel, the feeling of humility doesn’t exist. If he’s underestimated, he can prove himself to them. Because he’s the one who ends up making the overestimation a reality.』

 

I, too.

 

I was a human being that was born this way.

 

Of course, that alone couldn’t replace the explanation.

 

The moment the astonishment was slowly going away.

 

Someone came up with a fundamental question.

 

“Yes. It’s the procedure, so I can understand it. However, Chief Lee Hoyeol must have known the Elder Mage, Senios-nim… Did you just call him Senios?”

 

My pride couldn’t acknowledge Senios.

 

To explain the complicated story.

 

Just like Matis.

 

I had no choice but to go back in time.

 

In the end, I would have no choice but to bring up the unfortunate fact.

 

I got up from my seat.

 

I spoke brazenly.

 

“Positions are not considered when I supervise the tower’s exit.”

 

I realized it once again.

 

If I am going to go crazy.

 

It’s better to do it properly.

 

So that no one can touch me.

 

“If you have a complaint, file it according to the procedure.”

 

Tap tap–

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

A new article had been posted on Arcana’s official website.

 

Wednesday.

 

Today was not Thursday.

 

In other words, it was an emergency update, not a new one scheduled.

 

What those words meant.

 

I knew better than anyone else.

 

So I didn’t hesitate.

 

The aligned angle of the brooch.

 

The tidied-up clothes.

 

The teacup that I put down calmly.

 

I scribbled on the parchment with a feather pen.

 

──────

 

From this time on, we will begin the disposal of the criminal of high treasonl, Karimjeva.

 

──────

 

Elder Mage, Senios. Chief Mage, Marcelo. All senior mages.

 

──────

 

Gather.

 

──────