Chapter 78 – Dignity of the Chief (2)

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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……Let’s think again.

Was there something among the lines I spouted?

“I understand your difficulty.”

That was just an empty formality.

Right, to think the Mage Tower’s higher-ups might be involved in this matter.

Moreover, to think he had no choice but to know about such a tremendous matter all by himself.

Every day must have been agony, a continuation of stress.

There was a reason Marcelo was getting gaunt.

“I finally realize the weight of the Chief.”

As expected, not just anyone can be the Chief.

The next line was also words spat out with that meaning.

But.

“It has been a while since going out.”

Marcelo followed me.

The mages of the Mage Tower who absolutely do not move.

Among them, the Chief Mage Marcelo.

Was accompanying me……!

Is this for real.

It was a problem on a different level than during the Lionheart Knights and the Shadow Mercenaries.

Because unlike them, the mages of the Mage Tower were existences who had no particular activities even back when Arcana was a game.

Even the Emperor of the Empire was satisfied with maintaining a friendly relationship with the Mage Tower, you see.

‘……Isn’t this the first in history, not just the first Player, this thing?’

While my inner thoughts were briefly excited by such a thought.

I realized the seriousness of the situation.

‘Right, there must be a reason Marcelo moved.’

Put differently.

[Quest : Truth of the Mage Tower]

A contradiction exists within the Tower of Magic.

Uncover the contradiction.

Set the Mage Tower and the truth right.

─Secure Bangrit Tom, who is entangled with the higher-ups of the Mage Tower. (Ongoing)

It means this quest is absolutely not easy.

It looked exactly like that just by looking at it.

Because the quest objective was to secure Bangrit Tom.

Who is Bangrit Tom?

A senior mage of the Mage Tower.

Let’s suppose Bangrit comes out with an uncooperative attitude.

‘It’s absolutely impossible for me alone.’

Leaving aside talent and knowledge regarding magic.

My level is merely level 296.

Thanks to that, my absolute amount of mana was poor.

There wouldn’t be a chance for [Natural Enemy] to activate either.

I would be crushed by Bangrit due to the difference in mana weight class.

As I realized my place like that, the past that flashed like a kaleidoscope.

The sight of me turning Bangrit away at the door bringing up etiquette……!

Even if the crime of being” were added, it was to the point I couldn’t feel it was unfair. That’s what it was.

In that sense, it was a relief.

Marcelo, to me there was no sturdier reinforcement than him.

“The audience is still remaining.”

As we came down to the lobby, Players were seen.

Seeing them whispering something, it’s certain they are surprised.

It couldn’t be helped.

Because I was also astonished.

Of course, I couldn’t show it outwardly like now but.

“Is it okay?”

It didn’t matter to me who considers the gazes and evaluations of others as trivial but.

It might not be the case for Marcelo.

But it seems it was a needless worry?

“The moment I came down to this place, it was an expected occurrence.”

I guess so.

Right now Marcelo is colliding head-on with the Mage Tower’s higher-ups.

It’s no different than that.

There’s no way he would care about the gazes of Players.

‘Well, I’m no different either.’

I didn’t know there was such a complicated circumstance like this.

The Mage Tower’s higher-ups and Marcelo.

Between them, I ended up riding on Marcelo’s line.

……Damn hard. Society, no, Mage Tower life!

Moreover.

Isn’t it a matter of pride as the host of the regular academic conference?

Even if Marcelo hadn’t stepped forward.

This damn pride of mine would have only been satisfied after forcibly standing Bangrit on the podium.

While I was having such thoughts.

Marcelo added words.

“Also, I cannot keep owing a debt to you.”

Debt?

Owed a debt to me?

Well, I wondered if he had put it on a tab at the Floating Garden secretly behind my back but.

It’s free from the start. For senior mages and above.

Besides, considering how much I will leach off the Mage Tower in the future…….

A debt that even I don’t know about didn’t matter.

Only then could I also use whatever I need without haggling over integrity and innocence.

“Do not mind it.”

“……?”

“Since it is a rule that there is a reasonable logic to all things.”

That reasonable logic is naturally that there is a give and take in everything.

It means it’s a kind of declaration of war that I will pull out the pillars of the Mage Tower.

Did he perhaps realize my meaning.

Marcelo flinched and then said.

“……I will keep it in mind.”

Arriving at the portal.

The idle chat ended naturally.

From now on, the securing of Bangrit.

I should only think about that one goal.

‘So where did he jump off to, Bangrit Tom?’

Marcelo provided the answer to that.

At that moment, mana swaying from Marcelo’s body.

……A manifestation of a scale so extensive that gives goosebumps!

An enormous amount of mana was spreading out in an instant.

It wasn’t even a magic to attack someone but.

It was enough to give me goosebumps.

In that sense, I realized it again.

It’s a relief. That Marcelo is on my side.

At least my luck with people isn’t bad.

For a moment as I realized it anew.

Marcelo withdrew his mana.

“Bangrit does not exist in this world.”

The moment I witnessed it.

Granfel’s talent to grasp the structure of magic.

Thanks to that, I also figured out what kind of magic the magic just now was.

Right, in that split second.

Marcelo tracked Bangrit’s location in this world, Earth.

To be precise, exploring Bangrit’s mana.

Interfering with a broad area called worldwide.

He manifested tracing magic.

……Truly beyond imagination.

I knew he was a monster, but to think it was to this extent.

Interfering worldwide.

Just how much is his total mana amount.

Of course, I answered without a hint of surprise.

“Then the answer has come out.”

That he doesn’t exist in reality.

“……The answer has come out? What does he mean. Again.”

“I think our efforts were in vain? That’s not some code either!”

“If he’s not in this world, where is he?”

Unlike the Players, I know that meaning very well.

Bangrit is neither in this world, nor in the Arcana continent.

In the space of [『Phenomenon』].

The fact that he is inside a rift.

*

A voice rang in Marcelo’s head.

-“Do not mind it. Since it is a rule that there is a reasonable logic to all things.”

That was Ho-yeol’s voice.

No matter how much he repeated it, Marcelo couldn’t understand.

‘How can I not mind it?’

The Mage Tower owed an unpayable debt to the Demon Hunters, to Akshan.

However, far from telling him to repay that debt, Ho-yeol said it was reasonable logic.

‘……I dare not fathom.’

Just how far ahead is Ho-yeol looking.

For him to be able to consider such a past as reasonable logic.

Marcelo couldn’t help but purely admire him.

At the same time, greed arose.

‘I too wish to witness that future.’

Whether that would be possible was unknown but…….

That is why he had to hurry.

That was the reason Marcelo accompanied Ho-yeol.

‘This move was clearly a bad move.’

That was a murmur directed toward the Elder Mages.

He couldn’t know the purpose but.

The Elder Mages pushed Bangrit Tom out of the Mage Tower.

It couldn’t be Bangrit’s will.

Because without the higher-ups’ approval, a mage of the Mage Tower couldn’t leave the Mage Tower.

‘The Bangrit I know is not such a man.’

Right, that was confidence in a colleague.

That man whose self-esteem is extremely low compared to his abilities violating the rules of the Mage Tower?

Because it was something unimaginable.

So he could guarantee it.

‘This bad move will rather come to strangle your necks.’

To do that, securing Bangrit’s custody was the priority.

Above all, because the testimony of the person involved, Bangrit, was needed.

However, Marcelo knew the Elder Mages well.

‘They definitely will not let him live.’

Marcelo did not delay.

Manifesting tracing magic.

He located Bangrit.

However, as expected.

‘It is premeditated.’

In Seoul, no, the world of adventurers called Earth.

Bangrit’s mana wasn’t felt.

Moreover, the Senior Mage of Pure Magic.

Isn’t Bangrit famous for handling mana delicately?

He didn’t leave even a trace of mana that could become a clue.

If that’s so, there was only one answer.

Bangrit is inside a rift.

“Then the answer has come out.”

As expected, explanation wasn’t needed for Ho-yeol.

But quite apart from that.

‘If he is inside a rift, time has no choice but to be delayed.’

Rift.

Because that place was the space of [『Phenomenon』] that even Marcelo had only just now taken his first step into.

To find Bangrit who is inside such a rift?

It’s something impossible even with magic…….

“He was in such a place. Bangrit Tom.”

……Wait?

No way, did Sir Ho-yeol find his location!

Like I said, even if it’s Ho-yeol, sensing Bangrit inside a rift with magic should be impossible.

Just how in the world did he find out Bangrit’s location?

The astonished Marcelo.

To such Marcelo, Ho-yeol’s nonchalant voice was heard.

“One must fight a phenomenon with a phenomenon.”

.

.

.

Without stopping we entered a portal.

The changing scenery.

I held back a sigh.

……Really, I am very good at talking. And fully bluffing at that.

‘Even though receiving a text was everything.’

The reason I could find out Bangrit’s location?

It was simple.

Because I received it from Nam Tae-min.

To be exact, the AAU’s information was delivered to me through Nam Tae-min. Attached to that message were the new update details and the location of the rift.

‘If you don’t know anything else, that one thing is speedy.’

After the Cataclysm.

It was humanity that suffered from rifts.

Thanks to that, finding out the location of a rift?

It’s natural that that one thing is faster than magic.

Why, they say artificial satellites these days can capture even people’s faces. Finding a rift is not a difficult task.

‘In short, it’s the power of science.’

Fighting a phenomenon with a phenomenon…….

So looking at it another way, it’s not a wrong statement, is it. This?

Of course, perhaps thanks to saying the same words with a lot of force.

“Another manifestation different from when you mentioned it last time……!”

Marcelo showed a strong reaction.

“It is truly amazing. As expected, I was a frog in a well.”

Here, last time would be when we had tea time.

With just a flick of a finger.

Necessary items arrive right in front of the Mage Tower.

I was preaching the greatness of Rocket Delivery.

I merely ran a different app but.

To Marcelo, it seems to look like a new manifestation.

I spoke shamelessly.

“If you have queries, you can ask anytime.”

It’s a relief there’s no one hearing this.

Even if I teach him, it’s just about how to use a smartphone.

I’m acting incredibly patronizing. Really.

Of course, this wasn’t the situation to be chatting amicably.

The changed vision.

Soon, the rift that revealed its appearance.

Marcelo opened his mouth in a low voice.

“That is the space of phenomenon, a rift.”

Right, inside that rift is Marcelo.

The reason I can be certain is simple.

The new update details.

And the moment we approached the rift.

The message that popped up.

Any Player would have been able to guess, right?

*

Excluding Ho-yeol.

The only Player who realized the seriousness of the situation was Jesica Highness.

The quest wasn’t important.

The Mage Tower’s Senior Mage, Bangrit Tom.

If by chance he starts running wild……!

“No one will be able to handle it.”

She couldn’t let Players provoke Bangrit.

Jesica was planning to relay the situation through Shining.

However, there was no need to do so.

“A new update? What, it’s not even Thursday today?”

Because unexpected update details popped up.

Maybe because it wasn’t a scheduled new update.

The details were simple and clear.

“……This crazy. What the hell is this?!”

But its ripple effect exceeded imagination.

──────

A new rift, ‘Crack of Broken Dimension’ is added.

Recommended Level : Lv.900

──────

“……The recommended level is level 900?”

“Isn’t it an error? A typo or something?”

“Th-That’s right! They could have written 9 and 6 upside down, right?”

Players who hadn’t yet grasped the seriousness of the situation thought so.

But for those who knew the incident that erupted in the Mage Tower, the update details couldn’t be ignored.

“Wait, the thing I imagined didn’t become reality, right?”

“The Senior Mage of the Mage Tower. That monster is inside that rift?”

“Then it makes sense that the recommended level is 900……?”

Level 900.

A truly overwhelming figure.

That was enough to make even the Players who pledged their lives on quests give up.

No, it wasn’t just Players.

Even guilds couldn’t afford to take such a big risk.

If that’s the case, the thoughts that naturally had to follow.

“……Then what should we do about that rift?”

Furthermore, if such a rift collapses.

What kind of thing would happen?

It was then that the news was delivered.

“Ho-yeol-ssi?”

Lee Ho-yeol.

That he was with the Chief Mage of the Mage Tower.

The news that he revealed his appearance with Marcelo.

Nam Tae-min could intuitively tell.

That Ho-yeol was planning to enter that rift.

So he sent a text message.

“I don’t know if I’ll be of help there though.”

That he would cooperate right away.

Nam Tae-min clenched his fists.

Do you not value your life?

If it weren’t for Ho-yeol anyway, he would have died in Frost, or had to live in a state worse than dying. No, going back further, if Ho-yeol hadn’t saved his hyung…….

He wouldn’t have been able to live an ordinary life in his right mind.

“Still, I’ll try to do as much as I can.”

The moment such Nam Tae-min stood up with grim resolve.

Bzzzz

A vibration rang.

“?!”

……A reply that somehow reminded him of the old days arrived.

Troublesome.

It had exactly two more syllables than the reply he received back then but.

The meaning contained in it was not much different from back then.

-It is an internal matter.

“……Internal matter?”

Question marks floated on Nam Tae-min’s face.

.

.

.

This is the internal circumstances of the Mage Tower.

In a way, it’s a family feud.

Of course, the more reinforcements the better.

But at least in the current situation, it didn’t apply.

So what if the recommended level is level 900?

The Mage Tower’s senior mage is inside that rift?

So what?

By my side is the Chief Mage, Marcelo.

Right, this is confidence overflowing with grounds.

Expressed elegantly, it’s called using another’s authority(Hogahowi).

[Crack of Broken Dimension]

[Recommended Level : Lv.900]

[Rift Collapse Rate : 4.8%]

I adjusted my attire and opened my mouth.

With an incomparably shameless voice.

“I shall finish this swiftly.”