Chapter 1037: Milestone (24)
Thorben, the Celestial Palace Floating War-Engine Magic Tower, tore through the sky above District 49 and revealed itself.
Their expertise lay in specifically identifying Lennok’s Guardian Spirit Beast, forcibly involving it in the ritual, and thereby drawing in its master, Lennok.
True to the reputation of a War-Mage renowned across the continent, their every action and judgment was as swift as lightning.
From the moment they entered the mega-city’s airspace until now, every move by the Thorben side had been incomparably swift and clean—yet.
“……”
The Lightning Lion and the Young Dragon. The Sanctuary of Lightning, where the two Magic Towers’ Guardian Spirit Beasts faced each other, had fallen into a deathly silence.
[Woooong.]
The Young Dragon cried out with a strange sound, and before it appeared an elderly man with a robust, distinctive appearance.
This was because everyone present knew the old wizard, who was looking around with a sullen expression, far too well.
“Magic Tower Lord……!!
“Have you been well!”
From all sides of the Sanctuary of Lightning, the wizards who had been looking down at the Guardian Spirit Beast collectively knelt.
Their sharply swirling will-thought and mana instantly dissipated as they bowed their heads.
The awe and respect the Tower’s wizards offered to Thorben’s master and Grand Master.
Lennok’s gaze, turning to look at the Tower’s high-ranking wizards a moment late, deepened.
‘It seems the rumors of them conducting war business across the continent weren’t false……’
Just from what he could feel, there were nine Saint-Wizard level practitioners, and two dangerous presences almost on par with Level 8.
It was not only an unparalleled scale among all the Magic Towers Lennok had encountered so far, but also comparable to the major central powers.
He had expected them to possess formidable power, given they had brought their War Magic Tower itself, but this was a force truly befitting the title of ‘War Industrialist’.
However, even as the Magic Tower Lord watched his high-ranking wizards pay their respects, he turned his back sharply, a bored expression on his face.
The Young Dragon, meeting the Magic Tower Lord’s gaze, raised its front paw with a triumphant look.
[Bow!]
An excited gesture, as if telling them to sweep away those wizards immediately.
But Thorben ignored the gesture and grabbed the Young Dragon’s cheeks firmly with both hands.
“You rascal.”
The old man, pulling the Guardian Spirit Beast’s cheek, said with an annoyed expression,
“You ignore this old man’s words every day, but only seek me out when you need me? How exceptionally clever of you.”
[Uuuggghhh]
“You’ve been sleeping all day, but when did you learn a technique like Shikigami Summoning? You truly take after your master in all the useless ways.”
“……”
The Young Dragon struggled and cried out with its front and back paws, while the Magic Tower Lord poked the Guardian Spirit Beast’s belly fat.
Avoiding the Magic Tower Lord’s fingers, the plump Young Dragon’s body rolled around on the Sanctuary floor.
Some of Thorben’s high-ranking wizards even snickered at the sight.
The situation had changed so bizarrely that the serious atmosphere from moments ago felt like a lie.
A woman standing on the altar, holding a long staff, asked with a bewildered expression,
“Magic Tower Lord. Shikigami Summoning, you say…… What on earth are you doing in this city?”
“Lyraiel.”
Thorben, looking around with a disgruntled air, soon let out a deep sigh.
“I told you not to intervene, no matter what happened. You didn’t listen to this old man.”
“Magic Tower Lord. The Order Alliance’s Conjunction Spell Master died at the first Gateway.”
A man wearing a blue mask beside the woman spoke.
A powerful individual with a chillingly cold presence and an extraordinary demeanor.
The man, glancing at Lennok from behind his blue mask, explained.
“The Order Alliance has withdrawn from the Gateway, and the Blaiver Magic Tower Lord is missing. A hellscape will unfold, starting from Paradise Lost.”
“……”
“For the first time in years, the central power structure has entered a period of great upheaval. Your approval is needed for us to return to the center.”
“Do as you please regarding moving the War Magic Tower. I believe I already transferred that authority to you, didn’t I?”
The Magic Tower Lord said with an indifferent expression.
“This old man has urgent matters to attend to in this city. Do not interfere.”
“It seems you still don’t understand.”
The woman called Lyraiel sighed.
“The Tower’s War Domain prioritizes the Magic Tower Lord’s safety above all else. As long as you, Grandfather, are here, our hands are tied as well.”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you helping Adamant Thunder’s Guardian Spirit Beast, not ours, in the first place?”
“……”
“I could at least understand if you were cooperating with Adamant Thunder, but that young Guardian Spirit Beast……”
Thorben sealed his lips at Lyraiel’s bewildered words.
The very process of the Magic Tower Lord becoming a Shikigami to a Guardian Spirit Beast was something that happened due to Ouroboros, so it wouldn’t have been easy to reveal the true circumstances.
Or perhaps, he simply didn’t want to reveal the fact that his own internal organs had been completely devoured by the spirit beast.
“Ugh, this old man has his reasons, so just figure it out yourselves!”
Thorben, who had been gaping speechlessly, instead raised his voice.
“There was a secret involved in the process of conveying enlightenment to my junior disciple. That much cannot be revealed!”
“Junior disciple, you say? In the first place, no disciple with a similar standing to the Magic Tower Lord—”
As Thorben’s wizards looked at Lennok with bewildered expressions, the Magic Tower Lord took a strong step forward.
That alone sent out intense ripples of lightning, shaking the Sanctuary of Lightning violently.
CRASH!!
The Magic Tower Lord, having quieted his surroundings with a single stomp, said.
“I will explain the detailed circumstances later, so prepare to open the Hall of the Thunder God immediately.”
“……”
“This old man has urgent matters to attend to with my junior disciple, for the transmission and research of Apex Thunder.”
The Magic Tower Lord’s voice, as he looked down at his surroundings with a solemn expression, became heavy.
“If you do not uphold this old man’s dignity here, I will have no choice but to quickly end this farce.”
“But, Grandfather……”
Lyraiel let out a small sigh and narrowed her eyes.
“That would mean, Grandfather, that you intend to fight Leovolt, whom you cherish, instead.”
“……”
[Grooowl.]
The Lightning Lion, which had been letting out fierce roars, now looked down at the Magic Tower Lord with a dejected expression.
From its entire body, a flashing blue mane, claws sharp enough to tear space apart, and even terrifyingly gleaming teeth.
If one were to mold living lightning into the form of a beast, would it look like this?
The Lightning Lion possessed a magnificent appearance, incomparable even to Lennok’s Young Dragon.
Such a Lightning Lion, however, was now deeply bowing its head before the Magic Tower Lord, making cat-like sounds.
“The Imperial Duel Ritual was a reinterpretation of the Central Imperial Palace Tournament, created to resolve conflicts between Magic Towers through their Guardian Spirit Beasts.”
Lyraiel said, looking at Lennok’s Guardian Spirit Beast with a calm gaze.
“If the Magic Tower Lord were to participate in this ritual directly, would that mean you would fight Leovolt in place of that crouching dragon?”
“Hmph……”
[Grooowl.]
A quiet figure, as if it had lost its will to fight the moment the Magic Tower Lord appeared.
Its front paw extended, it quietly bowed its head towards the Magic Tower Lord.
It seemed that even the Magic Tower Lord could not completely ignore such a sight from his Guardian Spirit Beast.
Sighing, he stroked the mane of the Lightning Lion, which was pushing its head forward.
“My apologies.”
[Grrr]
The Lightning Radiance flashing from the Magic Tower Lord’s hand, and the Lightning Lion closing its eyes as if in compliance with that decision.
CRACKLE!!!
“It’ll be over by the time you wake up.”
The Magic Tower Lord, stroking the lion with a stern expression, was about to place the raised Lightning Radiance on its forehead when, at that very moment.
The Magic Tower Lord’s form vanished from the spot like smoke.
WHOOSH!!
“……!!!”
The Magic Tower Lord’s form vanished as if by magic.
Realizing that even the Young Dragon had vanished, Lyraiel, who had been watching the situation with a stern expression, turned her gaze towards Lennok.
“……You.”
“I sent them back.”
Lennok replied, looking at Lyraiel.
“You forcibly canceled the Imperial Duel Ritual?”
“Since things have come to this, I didn’t see any reason to continue the ritual.”
Lennok said, waving his hand with a nonchalant expression.
“It’s interesting that you reinterpreted Ars Nova’s etiquette to create this ritual, but after observing it this much, intervening in the ritual process isn’t difficult.”
RUMBLE…!!!
With those words, the Sanctuary of Lightning where Lennok stood began to shake and collapse.
The sanctuary itself collapsed, as the participants vanished from the place created for the Guardian Spirit Beasts’ duel.
However, none of Thorben’s wizards present in the sanctuary were agitated by the tremor.
Rather, they simply watched Lennok closely with calm, steady eyes, even in the face of the increasingly turbulent situation.
“It seems you know quite a lot about these kinds of rituals.”
Lyraiel narrowed her eyes and asked.
“Did you bind my grandfather to your Magic Tower in such a way?”
“No, regarding that……”
Lennok gave a wry smile and raised his gaze, saying.
Because from the moment he returned Thorben and the Young Dragon, he had decided how to handle this matter.
“I will act to uphold Akendrias El Thorben’s dignity.”
“……Dignity, you say.”
The man wearing the blue mask, who stood beside Lyraiel, spoke.
He looked down at Lennok, with loud sparks of lightning crackling from around his eyes, and said.
“Though the connections between our Magic Tower branches have weakened due to our concurrent war business, the fact that he is our Magic Tower Lord remains unchanged.”
“……”
“Now, when we don’t know for what reason the Magic Tower Lord became subservient to your Magic Tower, do you think we can accept your words and retreat?”
“You’re not wrong.”
Lennok gave a wry smile.
“But I also received help from the Magic Tower Lord regarding my Guardian Spirit Beast. If it weren’t for his consideration, the situation wouldn’t have even come to this.”
Akendrias El Thorben accepted the status of a Shikigami because he was considerate of Lennok’s Guardian Spirit Beast.
It was so that Lennok’s Guardian Spirit Beast could devour Thorben’s lightning and have time to complete its growth.
If the Magic Tower Lord, who had been considerate of Lennok’s spirit beast while thinking of his own, now had to harm his own spirit beast because of it…
Lennok did not want to stand by and watch that situation as if he were an unrelated outsider.
“I have no intention of harming the Magic Tower Lord. His process of becoming a Shikigami was, after all, close to accidental.”
“……”
“Once the situation is resolved, I will return the Magic Tower Lord. I will take responsibility for his safety.”
“Adamant Thunder. I’ll ask you in return.”
Lyraiel asked with a calm expression.
“What if we were to directly interfere with your Guardian Spirit Beast and nullify my grandfather’s Shikigami contract?”
“……”
“If we promised that no harm would come to it in that process, would you be able to believe those words?”
A promise not guaranteed by mutual trust holds no meaning.
Though they practiced the same school of magic, Lennok and the Thorben Magic Tower had met face-to-face for the very first time just today.
The only information they had about each other in that process was the ominous reputation that both sides were belligerent and dangerous.
GRRROOOOWLLL…!!
The Guardian Spirit Beast with the vivid blue mane bared its teeth, and the wizards silently watched Lennok.
In the tense air, as Lennok slowly exhaled and was about to raise his mana, at that very moment.
“But I understand. It can’t be helped.”
Lyraiel, lowering the staff she had raised, gave a gentle smile.
“Here, I will believe your words.”
“……What?”
“It seems you still don’t know him very well, but Grandfather never gets involved in anything he doesn’t want to do.”
Lyraiel replied leisurely.
“If he didn’t like his current situation, he wouldn’t be bound by a mere superficial excuse like being a Shikigami.”
“……”
“Furthermore, your Guardian Spirit Beast. Its plump, protruding belly is quite adorable.”
As Lennok remained silent at the completely unexpected answer, Lyraiel chuckled.
“If we were to bully such a young spirit beast to get our Magic Tower Lord back, wouldn’t it diminish the glory of Thorben’s great lightning?”
“……Your words… they sound remarkably like the Magic Tower Lord’s.”
Intense pride in lightning magic. A tendency to reach unusual conclusions with incomprehensible sentiments and logic.
Lennok, feeling an indescribable sense of déjà vu from Lyraiel, asked.
“And the way the honorifics shift… are you related by blood?”
“I am his great-granddaughter.”
“……”
The tension that had been maintained since the War Magic Tower tore through the sky and appeared seemed to dissipate.
Lennok, rubbing his face with one hand, let out a soft sigh.
“Alright, fine… I understand that you trust the Magic Tower Lord that much.”
Lyraiel had metaphorically expressed enough distrust to indirectly criticize Lennok’s explanation, yet she still believed his words.
This wasn’t because she trusted Lennok as a wizard, but because she trusted her own Magic Tower Lord more than the current situation itself.
If Akendrias El Thorben was safe, they didn’t care where his status lay.
Absolute trust and faith, directed towards their Magic Tower Lord, transcending fragmentary situations and phases.
It wasn’t strange if this was the conclusion reached by high-ranking War-Mages who had reached the pinnacle of their craft, but—
“So what do you plan to do now? Will you leave Vulcan and return to the center?”
“Ah, regarding that.”
Lyraiel said with a smile.
“For us, having come all the way to Vulcan, we cannot withdraw without any gain. We would like to request your cooperation.”
“Cooperation, you say?”
“Our Magic Tower has currently arrived in Vulcan, having given up on over a dozen civil wars raging across the continent.”
Lyraiel said, glancing back at the collapsing scenery of the sanctuary.
“If we return like this, without any justification, the investors cooperating with our business will surely raise objections.”
“So you’re saying the Thorben Magic Tower needs a pretext for visiting Vulcan.”
“Originally, we intended to recover the Magic Tower Lord’s person, but since that matter has been postponed, your cooperation is needed.”
Simply informing the Vulcan City Council about the Thorben Magic Tower’s appearance and whereabouts wouldn’t be difficult, of course.
But it seemed what Lyraiel wanted was not such a formal procedure.
“What do you want?”
“It’s simple.”
Lyraiel smiled and pointed her staff at Lennok.
“You just need to fight our Thorben Magic Tower, just once.”
“……”
For a moment, Lennok blinked, not understanding Lyraiel’s words.
“I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. What do you want?”
“There are two reasons.”
Lyraiel looked at Lennok and spread her fingers.
“The first is that to open the Hall of the Thunder God, as Grandfather mentioned, an ‘equivalent to war’ causality is literally required.”
“……”
“The Hall of the Thunder God is a secret sanctuary responsible for powering our War Magic Tower, a place where even successive Magic Tower Lords cannot enter through normal means.”
Lyraiel explained.
“To forcibly open the Hall of the Thunder God, we must overload the Tower’s War Domain, and there is only one way to do that.”
“……And the second reason?”
“Adamant Thunder. It’s your very existence.”
Lyraiel’s eyes, looking at Lennok, deepened.
“Though this is the first time we’ve met, I’ve heard stories about you for a very long time.”
“……”
“A Level 8 Arch-Wizard who transcended the hierarchy without following the Tower’s precepts. A divine being who massacred superhumans and monsters, earning the epithet ‘Apostle-Slayer’.”
RUMBLE…!!!
The shaking of the sanctuary grew more intense, and cracks began to appear in space.
The phenomenon of the sanctuary, arbitrarily constructed by the Thorben Magic Tower, unable to withstand and collapsing.
But Lyraiel asked, unperturbed even amidst the collapsing space of the sanctuary.
“To contend with spells against a prodigious Arch-Wizard renowned across the continent. Especially if they’re a spellcaster of the same lineage, wouldn’t that be an experience unobtainable even with a treasure of a thousand gold?”
“I see. So, battle experience with a strong wizard is the greatest value for Thorben?”
Lennok gave a wry smile.
“They say you have a uniquely belligerent nature among all Magic Towers on the continent, and it seems that wasn’t a lie.”
“It’s not a difficult proposition. We simply seek enlightenment in a more fundamental aspect, beyond mere profit and loss.”
Lyraiel replied.
“Enlightenment that cannot be gained through theory and research is found in practical combat. That is the very origin of our Magic Tower’s transmission of lightning power.”
“……”
Instead of entrusting Akendrias El Thorben’s whereabouts to Lennok’s Magic Tower, the Thorben Magic Tower sought to gain justification from this incident.
The Thorben Magic Tower’s inclination to acknowledge experience itself as significant value and accept it as compensation was surprising, but.
It was no coincidence that their words and judgments felt remarkably similar to their Magic Tower Lord’s.
“……Fine.”
Lennok, who had turned around while rubbing his wrist, looked at the cracks in the sanctuary floor beneath his feet and asked.
“Can we start right here, right now?”
“The experience of a War-Mage is a value built up through life-or-death engagements.”
Lyraiel shook her head and replied.
“If it isn’t a situation literally equivalent to actual combat, it would be meaningless.”
“……”
“We have no intention of taking it easy against the most outstanding combat wizard in Vulcan.”
Lyraiel’s eyes, looking at Lennok, gleamed coldly.
“Let’s start by pitting our jurisdictions against each other, first.”
“……Pitting our jurisdictions against each other?”
CRACKLE…!!!
At that moment, the cracks that had spread through the sanctuary finally split the floor apart.
BOOOOM!!
Amidst the exploding fragments of the sanctuary, Lennok’s figure fell from the cloudy sky.
Had they, perhaps, arbitrarily created a space for the Guardian Spirit Beasts’ duel at a third coordinate, rather than within their respective Magic Towers?
WHOOOSH!!
Beyond the fiercely whipping wind, something descended from afar with tremendous speed.
Thorben, the Celestial Palace Floating War-Engine Magic Tower, a gigantic steel fortress wrapped in heavy lightning.
The weapon of war, violently pulsating like a living engine, was falling directly onto Lennok’s jurisdiction.