Chapter 217 – Class (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Marcelo Simuard.

The possessor of a talent that even the Demon King parasitizing the Simuard family coveted. As there was nothing to block the path ahead for his innate talent. Such stories would also circulate among the continent’s magic families.

“To think he is considered one of the top geniuses even within the Simuard family…”

“As expected, it’s not a talent to be limited to a family!”

“It’s a talent worth aiming for a Senior position in the Mage Tower.”

Since they were from magic families, they knew better than anyone what kind of place the Mage Tower was. Yet to evaluate him as capable of taking a Senior position, rather than merely entering the Mage Tower.

At least one person could have retorted that it was an exaggeration, but.

No follow-up remarks came out.

It couldn’t be helped.

“For such a young boy to master the magic of all mainstream branches!”

Around his early teens.

Marcelo was able to freely manifest the magic of the twenty branches that supported the Mage Tower.

He could freely manifest mainstream magic up to the intermediate level.

Such Marcelo couldn’t possibly be held back from entering the Mage Tower.

“Is that slender boy the child of Simuard?”

“Oho.”

“To have a chat over an Adept, these are quite unfamiliar reactions.”

In the Mage Tower, Adept Mages are treated as fledglings.

Because they couldn’t belong to a branch nor did they possess the ability to prove themselves. However, Marcelo was an exception. Even as an Adept Mage, he drew the glances of numerous Seniors.

‘An incomparable talent.’

‘Covetable but dangerous.’

‘…To the extent it might actually threaten my position.’

A mere Adept Mage being kept in check by Senior Mages?

An unimaginable thing both in the past and present.

No, it was an unprecedented event in the Mage Tower’s history.

Some even let out sighs of relief.

“We should be thankful we are not of the same generation as him.”

No matter how outstanding of a talent owner he was.

The Mage Tower was not a pushover space.

Even if Marcelo could threaten their positions.

It would require a considerable amount of time.

Of course, such complacency.

“…Simuard passed the preliminary verification?”

“He hasn’t even chosen a branch yet, right?”

“Don’t tell me, does this mean he finished his research while he was an Adept!”

From Adept to Skilled.

As if he only waited for the promotion.

Disappeared thanks to Marcelo passing the preliminary verification and standing at the regular academic conference.

From that point on, Marcelo became a competitor to the Seniors.

“It depends on which branch he chooses.”

“One of our positions will be in jeopardy.”

“My, what a ridiculous thing…”

However.

Marcelo exceeded predictions once again.

He created one instead of choosing.

『Theoretical Magic』.

Evaluated to have changed the history of magic.

A completely new branch.

What happened after that was exactly as known.

Theoretical Magic advanced all magic by one step, and Marcelo’s contributions were recognized, becoming a Senior Mage. And he stood in the position of Chief Mage, beating out the strong candidate Matis.

It was the birth of the youngest Chief Mage who established the greatest achievement.

That day, Marcelo participated in the round table conference with the qualifications of a Chief Mage.

He encountered the Tower Master for the first time.

And faced him.

“Hmm, you look like a limitlessly sickly little kid to bear the weight of a Chief. It is not too late even now. How about going back to the Senior seat and taking care of that body of yours first?”

“…!”

The ‘wall’ that blocked his path for the first time since he was born.

The wall, the Tower Master, was harsh only to Marcelo.

His attitude was consistent even in front of Theoretical Magic.

“Magic is not something that can be unraveled with lines of text, kid.”

“What makes that possible is Theoretical Magic. And I would appreciate it if you refrain from using the title ‘kid’ for me, who is well past coming of age.”

“Is that so. Understood, Marcelo kid Chief.”

“…”

The Tower Master found fault with Marcelo over every little thing.

It was fortunate that everyone in the Mage Tower, excluding the Tower Master, knew of Marcelo’s talent. If not, it was an insult to the extent of making one step down from the Chief seat and leave.

Yugweed had swallowed a laugh at that sight.

“To think the Tower Master had such a twisted side as well.”

Including herself.

All mages deviated from the boundaries of normalcy.

As was said, that applied to Marcelo as well.

To put it simply…

The Tower Master and Marcelo were twisted only towards each other.

“Did you know? That is called nitpicking.”

“How rude, kid Chief.”

“Changing the word order does not change the meaning it contains.”

“Understood, Chief kid.”

“…”

No one could have imagined.

The great Mage Tower.

That the Tower Master and the Chief Mage were having such a childish conversation on the top floor.

However, the parallel lines of the two people, which seemed terribly unlikely to ever meet, were unilaterally cut off suddenly one day.

“…Tower Master?”

Much like a larva crouched inside a pupa.

Because the Tower Master ended up trapped in a magic power sphere.

It was no one else’s doing.

“It is definitely the Tower Master’s magic trace.”

The Tower Master had done it himself.

Marcelo could not understand.

He could not accept it.

The only wall that blocked his path, the Tower Master.

Because it became a situation where he could not tear down that wall with his own strength.

However, is it said that time is a medicine?

As years passed, Marcelo finally admitted.

“I was ignorant.”

The fact that the Tower Master had accurately recognized the shortcomings of himself and Theoretical Magic.

Marcelo further developed Theoretical Magic while recalling his conversations with the Tower Master. Waiting for the day he would reunite with the Tower Master, the day he would prove himself to the Tower Master…

.

.

.

I realize it once again.

‘All mages have loose screws, firmly loose screws!’

Marcelo didn’t simply respect the Tower Master.

To put it simply.

The twisted sentiment of breaking the Tower Master with his own hands, if the Tower Master were to be broken.

If one could shorten even that into a single word, it would be ‘love-hate’…!

“I apologize for secretly tailing you without telling you, Sir.”

There is nothing to be sorry about, Marcelo.

Like I always say, the more allies, the better.

It’s just that there aren’t many allies I could bring along in good conscience. Am I not the one getting swept up in terrible difficulties due to the bubbles that piled up heavily while kicking and struggling?

‘Honestly, if I could have it my way, I’d want to issue an all-out mobilization order.’

From the Giant Alliance to the Lionheart Knights.

I wanted to benefit from reliable allies.

However, even now, with the exception of a few, one wouldn’t be able to stay safe facing the Tower Master.

Especially the player side, it would be total annihilation.

‘Of course, Jesse is an exception, but.’

Jesse, who is the Tower Master’s disciple and receives favoritism, is treated as an extra, so she’s excluded.

Marcelo had joined in there, but.

I wouldn’t need to worry about Marcelo.

Setting his abilities aside, I saw it for the first time.

“Regarding accountability, I will take responsibility through procedures after returning. However, I have my reasons for not being able to step back. The circumstances I just mentioned.”

The sight of Marcelo looking so motivated.

Would his emotions have been felt even through telepathy if it wasn’t so much?

I nodded my head.

“I understand, Marcelo.”

Since Marcelo had even joined.

This was no longer a class meant solely for Jesse.

Me, who would learn the Archmage’s magic over the shoulder, of course.

Up to Marcelo, who is intending to prove his growth to the Tower Master.

It’s a battlefield intertwined with each individual’s circumstances.

“Adept Mage Jesse Heinness.”

“Yes! I am listening, Chief Marcelo!”

“I will ask for your understanding as well.”

“Ah, yes! That’s fine! Although I’m not really sure what it’s about!”

I did not accurately reveal the Archmage’s true identity.

Is that why.

Jesse seemed to only be guessing that Marcelo had ties with the Archmage.

Of course, Marcelo was in the same situation.

‘He still hasn’t noticed that the Tower Master is in an unconscious state.’

…No, did he even know the fact that the Tower Master was an Archmage in the first place? Looking at how the identities of the former Archmages before the Tower Master were not widely known, the possibility was low.

Since she was an adventurer, Jesse being an Archmage was known, which was a peculiar case.

‘It is tangled, firmly tangled.’

For now, I swallowed a sigh.

‘This, my heart is the only one acting heavy again.’

The saying “ignorance is bliss” couldn’t resonate stronger than this…!

“Wow, to think all of this was Illusion Magic!”

Jesse genuinely thought it was a class.

“It is a reunion after a long time, yet you do not even answer.”

Marcelo was talking to the Tower Master’s shell.

The one knowing all the tangled up circumstances.

Was only me, in a very serious situation.

However, I could not let it show.

Leaving Granfel’s pride aside.

Because not even the margin to do so was given in the first place.

[The Tower Master’s Body appears.]

“!”

The appearance message.

What it meant was simple.

That everything up until now was merely a preview.

The scenery manifested by the Illusion Magic slowly began to lift.

Soon, it transformed into pure magic power.

And ignited straight from that state.

Marcelo ground his teeth.

“You genuinely cannot grasp the situation, can you.”

The creator of Theoretical Magic.

It was Marcelo who established all mainstream magic as theories.

Naturally, the magical affinities of consuming and being consumed.

It meant he saw through it more accurately than anyone else.

Marcelo straightaway unfolded a water barrier.

“Water against fire…!”

Jesse spoke like that, but.

That’s not such a simple magic.

Considering the effort that went into the interference process.

It was no different from manifesting three high-level magic at the same time.

Sizzle-!

Even so, it was not enough.

Water holding superiority over fire was a story for when their levels somewhat matched. Because the rampant flames that devoured everything would vaporize even water.

“Tch.”

To think such a word would come out of Marcelo’s mouth.

It really is not a common sight.

Anyway, I could not keep my arms crossed and observe indefinitely.

With this, I definitively realized it.

The fact that the Tower Master’s body was blatantly running wild.

“He’s going too far.”

It must be a gap coming from his separated consciousness and body.

‘Because that interference process cannot even be guessed.’

Even the Tower Master probably couldn’t manifest it perfectly.

Regardless of how his consciousness left an arrangement behind.

It means the body is just rampaging.

So from now on, it couldn’t be called a class anymore.

The words I would spit out were set.

“It is a class I cannot approve as the Chief Mage.”

…I spoke full of spirit, but.

Even Marcelo’s magic utilizing an elemental advantage was crushed. Even if I used [Blessing of the First World Tree], it might not be possible to match it with just magic.

That side also has a Circle just like me.

Ultimately, I have no choice but to go seriously from the start.

I immediately prepared to manifest Anomaly.

As expected, the most efficient one would be Reversal Magic.

However, if I reversed elemental magic, it would merely return to pure magic power.

‘The Tower Master would just interfere with that magic power again.’

No matter how much he was the Tower Master, his magic power wasn’t infinite.

If he had consumed this much magic power, a burden would surely fall on his body.

Illusion followed by Fire Magic.

Since they were magics that scrambled for the top in terms of magic power consumption amount.

‘Do you think I’ll do something good for you?’

To defeat an Archmage, one must be meticulous. It’s safe to say my magic power regeneration capacity running with [Blessing of the First World Tree] is at its maximum. I plan to put forth the superiority in magic power.

However.

“…!”

“…Eh?”

Marcelo and Jesse flinched.

Because an anomaly was caught from the Tower Master’s body, which didn’t show any emotional change or sense of consciousness. A streak of bloody water was flowing down from the corner of the Tower Master’s mouth.

Did she notice because she experienced it.

Jesse looked at me and spoke.

“That must be magic power exhaustion, right…?”

Meteor Strike, Illusion, and even Fire Magic.

To manifest them consecutively.

It would be lacking a conscience to think his body would be perfectly fine.

At this point, I will declare coldly.

Tower Master, it seems your plan.

Has terribly failed.

“I cannot understand.”

Twisted admiration.

However, Marcelo surely respected the Tower Master.

Since the Tower Master was the only one who saw through his shortcomings.

“For what reason…?”

Marcelo’s pupils shook.

He thought he could finally receive acknowledgment from such Tower Master.

Since the Tower Master would no longer be the Tower Master he knew.

I opened my mouth.

“Jesse Heinness.”

“Yes, I am listening!”

“I must deliver regrettable news.”

“…Ah, on that note, I was going to tell you too!”

No voice could be heard from the pointed hat.

Jesse conveyed her words.

I could intuit it.

That something was going on inside the pointed hat as well.

However, it’s fine.

Because the class that only leaves scars for everyone ends here.

I continued my words.

“I shall conclude your class around here.”

“Yes! I will accept it!”

“However, concentrate until the end.”

“…Pardon?”

“Because I, the Chief Mage, will take responsibility and finish this class.”

Meteor Strike.

Illusion Magic.

And the current Fire Magic as well.

Watching the highest-grade magics manifested by the Tower Master, I realized it.

It seems that, just as I prattled on with my own mouth.

Capable of daringly looking down on the ‘realm of Transcender’.

I have stepped into the ‘realm of Anomaly’.

That is to say.

“There was nothing to learn from your manifestations.”

“…”

“Did I not say so. Everything has changed.”

This kind of Fire Magic.

With the reverse-affinity ice anomaly.

Can be countered even with [『Absolute Zero』].

Craaaack!

An instant.

The area cooled to the point where frosty breath poured out.

I looked at the Tower Master and spoke.

“From this moment on, I shall begin my class.”

“I will not take any questions during the class.”

“Because the one answering is not me, but you, Tower Master.”

Wow, his bitterness sure lasts long, Granfel.

In that sense, brace yourself, Tower Master.

I was the one who drenched the Mage Tower in tears with merely the preliminary verification.

So my first class will absolutely not be easy!

.

.

.

A fluctuating magic power vortex.

The sequentially arriving Elder, Yugweed.

And all twenty Senior Mages witnessed it.

“Truly, you, Chief Lee…!!”