Chapter 107 – Rift

[Controversy Over Human Transmutation Research… Magic Tower Academy Professor Subject to Ethics Committee Review -Sky Island Newspaper-]

[Transmutation Using Humans as Ingredients? Controversy Over Magic Tower Academy Professor’s ‘Humanity Equivalent Exchange Plan’ -Capital Dispatch-]

[Defined as ‘Blasphemy’… Order Publicly Denounces Human Transmutation Research -Order Daily-]

Just a day after his laboratory and workshop were raided, a notice to appear arrived from the Ethics Committee.

The content stated that they would strictly deliberate on his research and the plan he had been secretly pursuing.

Rumors were rampant that the Ethics Committee would not just let this matter slide.

There was also talk that he would be bound in restraints and sentenced to a heavy penalty of at least several decades.

Despite this, Kane did not run away and stood silently in the middle of his empty laboratory.

‘They boldly broke through right from the front.’

The outer wall of the Magic Tower Academy was protected by a special barrier.

It was designed so that even if some points were breached, the entire defense system would be maintained as much as possible; thanks to this, the culprit created a gap by focusing their strike on the floor where he was located.

With this, one fact became clear.

‘It is someone from within the Magic Tower. A fellow who knows the defense system here to some extent.’

The installed CCTVs, like all the other devices, were completely burned and rendered useless, and the barrier embedded in the outer wall was also in a state where most of its circuits were misaligned due to external impact, losing its function.

Although some barriers operated despite that, they failed to stop the intruder.

This was surely.

‘It is the work of at least a Dharma Officer or a witch. That has to be the minimum, otherwise it cannot be explained.’

According to the words of his teaching assistant, who happened to catch a glimpse of the intruder at the last moment.

The culprit was said to be a woman.

Although she could not distinguish who it was since the person was buried in the darkness.

She had given a clue that the person wielded fire.

‘It wouldn’t be the Dharma Mage Division seized by Zodiac. If so, that means the remaining option is a witch…’

If it was a witch who wielded fire, he could narrow down the culprit to a few candidates.

However, since the possibility of using fire intentionally could not be ruled out, he could not conclude who the culprit was simply based on the attribute used.

‘What was used overall was common magic. I won’t be able to specify the culprit by the magic itself.’

Thus.

It was difficult to specify who the culprit was, but what needed to be done in the future was clearer than expected.

‘If it was simply the data on gold transmutation that was stolen, there would be no need to care. For that alone, the Ethics Committee would have only issued a moderate warning.’

The real problem was the Humanity Equivalent Exchange Plan, which he had kept inside the desk in his laboratory.

This was something even the Ethics Committee would not take lightly.

Because the targets included the entire personnel of the Magic Tower.

‘I won’t be able to avoid a heavy sentence. They won’t leave me alone.’

The conclusion had already been made that even he could not escape the blade of the Ethics Committee.

‘In that case…’

He did not seem worried.

Rather, his eyes showed a firm resolve.

‘I didn’t want to go that far. But there is no choice. I must take over the Magic Tower.’

This was a countermeasure that was a Plan B rather than the main one.

It was a safeguard prepared in anticipation of such a time, in case his plan was exposed and he was stopped by the Ethics Committee or within the Magic Tower.

“Professor…”

Inside the empty laboratory.

There was the voice of a certain teaching assistant calling out to him, who was standing alone.

Kane turned his gaze toward that direction.

Standing there was the teaching assistant, her face tangled with various complex emotions.

“It is all… a lie, right?”

That humans were used as materials for gold transmutation and some other transmutations was a fact she already knew.

However, this was the first time she had learned of the Humanity Equivalent Exchange Plan that affected the entirety of humanity.

She had learned about it through the reported newspaper articles.

“Please tell me it is a lie… For you, Professor… to use all of humanity… It’s not, right? Please tell me it is not.”

Among the people to be swept up in that plan, she herself would surely be included.

Thus she wanted to ask the truth, but.

Kane, perversely placing the blame on her, began to scold her instead.

“Luna. You said you saw the culprit back then, right? Then why did you not stop them? With your talent, you could have certainly held them back.”

“Excuse me?”

To think that he would blame her in this situation.

Luna was shocked.

On the other hand, Kane looked extremely disappointed in her.

“I know of your potential. That is also the reason why I kept you here. If it were you, you could have surely held the culprit until the barrier supervisors arrived. Then the barrier supervisors would have identified the culprit, and I would have gone to find them.”

Because he did not make a contract with a demon, he could not open a portal.

Thus, being at home when the culprit invaded the laboratory, it was difficult for him to respond immediately.

“That I failed to do so is all thanks to you, Luna.”

“That is not true! I also tried to stop them, but…”

“Enough. Since it is already over.”

A large commotion arose outside the laboratory.

It seemed that those sent by the Ethics Committee had arrived here.

According to the notice, the Ethics Committee was to be held on the top floor of the Magic Tower Academy today.

‘It seems they are coming to capture me.’

Before being captured by them and dragged to the Ethics Committee.

Kane spoke to Luna.

It was practically no different from a farewell.

“An existence like you only brings disappointment to the very end.”

Before Luna could even say anything.

There was a group of mages barging into the laboratory.

They were all combat mages sent by the Ethics Committee.

“Professor Kane. This is a summons from the Ethics Committee.”

“We will guide you to the top floor of the Magic Tower where the committee is being held.”

Since their opponent was Kane.

There were as many as seven combat mages who had come.

Soon, Kane, bound in restraints, walked out of the laboratory surrounded by them.

Outside, a crowd of people from the academy who had gathered upon hearing the commotion was waiting.

“I heard it’s the Ethics Committee.”

“Already?”

“Is it the Humanity Equivalent Exchange Plan? Haven’t you even read the article? It’s chaos right now.”

“Isn’t he a complete madman? How on earth… trying to perform an equivalent exchange on people of the entire world.”

Kane completely ignored their buzz.

In his original plan, they were nothing but useless trash to be exchanged for scraps of knowledge.

What would it matter if the trash gathered to blame him?

It did not even enter his ears.

Ding!

The elevator stopped.

Kane and the seven combat mages boarded.

The Ethics Committee was scheduled to be held on the top floor of the Magic Tower Academy, and the elevator soon soared upward.

Although the combat mages breathed a sigh of relief because they had placed restraints on Kane.

That was a mistake.

The highest authority in Source Alchemy.

Kane, through the transmutation circle engraved near his wrist, changed the properties of the restraints bound to his wrists.

The restraints lost their function and could no longer drain his mana.

Kane, who had been standing still with his eyes closed, opened them wide.

Divine Flow, Qilin’s Ultimate Secret!

Before the combat mages could even respond.

Kane, relying on close combat, subdued them in an instant.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened.

Standing in front of it were two Dharma Officers.

The two Dharma Officers showed a momentarily bewildered expression upon seeing Kane standing alone in the elevator, but it was only for a moment.

The two Dharma Officers bowed their heads toward Kane.

“Did Zodiac send you?”

When Kane asked as he lightly adjusted his clothes, the two Dharma Officers replied.

“Yes, there was an order to protect you. Thus, we plan to take over the Ethics Committee as we are.”

“What about the rest of the Dharma Mage Division?”

“We have completed all deployments.”

The reason he could take over the Magic Tower.

It was possible because the Dharma Mage Division, evaluated as the most powerful within the Magic Tower, was on his side.

“Do not just take it over, wipe them all out.”

The words that followed were significant.

“Because ethics will be an unnecessary element from now on.”

* * *

Everyone who attended the Ethics Committee was subdued by the Dharma Mage Division.

Those who resisted were all torn apart by magic, while those who did not resist could not escape being bound in restraints.

On the top floor of the Magic Tower where all the cleanup was finished.

Kane faced the man who was called the board chairman of the academy.

“Professor Kane, what is the meaning of this? Do you think you will be safe after committing such an act?”

He was truly furious, but.

To Kane, it was merely laughable.

“For a long time, I really disliked you for occupying that position despite having no real ability.”

Kane placed his hand on the man’s chest.

Soon, a transmutation circle fashioned from mana was engraved.

“W-What are you doing!”

“Please return to the dust.”

Coinciding with the academy chairman crumbling into dust, the Dharma mages watching nearby let out soft gasps.

To turn a human into dust in an instant and send them away.

It was indeed a power worthy of the highest authority in Source Alchemy.

“Is there anyone else who wants to become dust?”

Those who were captured alive spared their words.

It was an atmosphere where they were cautious about even making eye contact with him.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and two High Dharma Officers wearing splendid robes embroidered with golden patterns on a pure white background made their appearance.

High Dharma Officer of the Right, Karian.

High Dharma Officer of the Left, Yanar.

They, the masters of the Dharma Mage Division, walked forward and eventually stood as if lining up on both sides.

And the one taking the very last steps came into Kane’s sight.

The practical master of the Dharma Mage Division.

‘So you’ve come.’

A wide-brimmed bamboo hat and a long robe the color of ink.

A black veil attached to the bamboo hat covered her face and upper body, but the silhouette reflecting inside was definitely that of a woman.

However, the voice Kane remembered was clearly male, and Zodiac was presenting themselves as the Dragon Lord or the Cult Leader without any mention of gender.

[Kane, it seems the plan went awry?]

When Zodiac’s telepathy flew in,

Kane reacted.

“Nothing has gone awry. Rather, it is a good thing. Because we no longer need to worry about the inside of the Magic Tower.”

[Is that so?]

“However…”

The disadvantage of having become vulnerable to external attacks remained.

“It will be a problem if the Order takes action.”

* * *

[Dharma Mage Division Takes Control of Magic Tower Academy, Including Ethics Committee… Professor Kane Released -Sky Island Newspaper-]

[Professor Kane Released as Ethics Committee’s Restraints are Lifted… Confusion within Magic Tower Deepens -Capital Dispatch-]

[Empire-Allied Kingdom, Border Tensions Peak… War Imminent -Imperial Daily-]

A languid and peaceful morning.

Rashid unfolded the newspapers published as of today and scanned only the headlines.

‘Everything turned out just as I thought.’

If he had simply released the data on human alchemy.

It was a progression that could never have been expected.

‘A hook from the start. The progression is not bad.’

What he had originally thought of was to cause a crack between Kane and the Magic Tower with a light attack.

And the purpose was to widen that gap and ultimately alienate him from the entire Magic Tower, but.

Thanks to Veronica, he could attack with a hook rather than a jab from the start, and the result could be said to be very excellent.

‘If this is the case, even if I touch him, the entire Magic Tower won’t respond jointly. At this rate, it’s safe to assume they’ve already fallen apart.’

Since even the Dharma Mage Division intervened with force, the antipathy toward Kane would worsen inside the Magic Tower.

If they were lucky.

The possibility of the Magic Tower asking the Order for help in dealing with Kane, who had become difficult to handle, could not be ruled out either.

Just like the Director of Palace Affairs did in the past.

‘I might return as an inquisitor soon. If the Magic Tower asks for help, I will gladly go and help.’

Written as help and read as making a mess.

Just as he was thinking so.

The caretaker came by and informed him of a contact from someone.

It was Kaiser.

When they made contact through the magic communication orb, he delivered unexpected news.

“It seems a war will break out soon.”

This content was also what he had read in the morning newspaper articles.

“Already?”

The timing was much earlier than expected.

He had expected it at least a few months later, but war already.

It seemed that a butterfly effect he was unaware of had taken place.

“It is a bit early. I was also half-believing and half-doubting when I first heard it. The timing is quite early.”

“It is fast. When exactly do you think it will be? I need to know.”

“I don’t know when, but it is soon. That is why the military is also redeploying forces to the border area. And…”

Kaiser asked about her.

“Did Varasha go to the Inquisition Bureau? She wasn’t at the Inspection Bureau.”

“That’s right. It seems the military wants to plant her as a spy.”

“Haha… Back to the Inquisition Bureau. It is a progression that was unknown until now.”

“Indeed. Thanks to that, I’m having some fun. I plan to catch Kane using her.”

“Hmm… She will probably be pulled back to the battlefield. In fact, she absolutely must go.”

Catching Kane was important, but.

For Kaiser, it was also important for the Empire to win the war.

“Originally, the default values for the Twilight War are Commander Leon, Ryden, and Varasha. The reason we know we win is also due to those three being active again.”

“That is true.”

“I don’t think we would lose just because she is absent… but it will still be a variable. And if the Empire loses this war… that would be a disaster in its own right.”

Rashid could understand what he was saying.

“I’m not holding onto that woman. She is only moving according to military orders. But come to think of it, she will probably go to the battlefield soon. Even her trying to come to the Inquisition Bureau was due to the military, after all.”

“The military will probably summon her back to the battlefield. They have no choice if they want to win the war.”

Rashid wore a displeased expression.

‘It doesn’t allow things to go easily. Just when I was planning to use that woman…’

Just as he said, the Empire winning the war was also important.

Otherwise, everything he had thought of would go wrong.

“More than that, there is something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“That little witch. Kane’s teaching assistant, I mean.”