Chapter 1269: The Fourth Thesis (2)
Boom!!
The massive stone gate leading to the Council Main Hall opened wide, and Lennok stepped forward.
Behind Lennok, who leaned on his staff and looked up at the lobby hall, dozens of Transcendent lined up on both sides, following him.
It was a rare sight: Level 8 superhumans, who had transcended hierarchy, walking through the Central Council Main Hall, following a single wizard.
Whoooooosh-
The aerial fortress and airships hovering above the Main Hall building rotated in unison, moving with Lennok.
The stone statues lined up on both sides of the lobby hall slowly moved, laying down their weapons, and opening the way.
Grandiose trumpet sounds echoed like a symphony, and insignias bearing the emblems of noble families and the Council fluttered gently from all directions.
[The authority to freely access and operate all facilities managed by the Central Council throughout Vulcan.]
Kiiiiing!!
Olinic extended his hand towards a stone statue blocking a path on one side of the building.
The moment his hand touched the statue, which knelt and offered its hand, a small light descended into his palm, taking form.
[Originally, it was one of the privileges only allowed to Transcendent of the Known World, bound by the Prohibition Edict.]
Olinic, holding the condensed will-thought like a sphere of light, offered it to Lennok.
[This is yours.]
“……”
[Access to the Central Armory, managed by the City Council since the civil war. Authority to view the Relic Vault, where top-tier artifacts and armaments are stored. This is also yours.]
“……”
[Diplomatic immunity granted in Vulcan’s name across the continent. Authority to declare extraterritoriality. This, too, is now yours.]
Click!
Grrrrumble!!!
The walls of the Main Hall building opened and closed in various places, alternately revealing dazzling relics, artifacts, grimoires, and sarcophagi.
It was the process of the Known World Transcendent, led by Olinic, materializing formless authority and transferring it to Lennok.
A succession ceremony, where they handed over the privileges they held, having accepted the Prohibition Edict, entirely to Lennok.
Literally, an immense flurry of flashes erupted from all directions to capture the scene of Lennok being treated as the owner of this city.
Flash flash flash!!!
Click, click!!
“This is Markton, a Central Council-affiliated media outlet. Please turn your head this way just once!!”
“We are from Teramike Public Broadcasting. If you grant us about three minutes for an interview, we will……”
“Could you possibly release the spellcraft for a moment so we can take photos?!!”
Harsher shouts from reporters and media outlets echoed from all sides.
People pushed forward, trying to get closer to Lennok and the surrounding dignitaries to take pictures.
“D-don’t push!”
“Uwaaaagh!!”
Thump thump thump!!!
Reporters, who had ignored the guards’ warnings and thrust their cameras forward, became entangled and tumbled over the barricade.
Dozens of people surged into the Main Hall, blocking the path Lennok was walking.
[Hmph.]
Olinic, walking beside Lennok, let out a telepathic message, sounding troubled.
He rotated the metal sphere in place and raised his hand.
[Guards. From here to the very end there.]
Olinic pointed to the reporters and broadcasting personnel standing on the media line.
[Expel everyone standing there outside. They are only causing unnecessary disruption.]
“M-Master of the Machine Core Palace. But……”
The guard hesitated and said.
“All the reporters gathered here are Central Council press corps. If we expel them without the Council’s authorization—”
[The world has become much better since the Prohibition Edict was established. Don’t you think so?]
Olinic spoke leisurely.
[Decades ago, you wouldn’t even have been able to talk back to me like this.]
“……”
Olinic turned his gaze away, unconcerned by the guard’s face turning pale.
[But today is too good a day to shed unnecessary blood. So, I will tell you one more time.]
“Th-that……”
“Captain Kudus.”
Behind the frozen guard, a deep, elderly voice echoed.
It was Meyer, who had come to greet them in front of the Main Hall lobby with dozens of attendants.
The stooped, white-haired Senator looked at him with an expressionless face, his hands behind his back.
“It seems you didn’t hear the Master of the Machine Core Palace’s message. Expel the reporters outside immediately.”
“S-Senator Meyer……!!”
“I don’t know which broadcasting station bribed you, but you should know your place. Don’t you value your life?”
Meyer spoke somewhat contemptuously.
“You should consider yourself lucky that I don’t wish to see your head torn off in the Main Hall building.”
“A-understood!!! Everyone, move!”
Only then did the guard frantically pull the fallen reporters outside with his subordinates.
The guards swiftly dragged the screaming and resisting reporters out of the Main Hall and disappeared.
“Such negative consequences sometimes occur after Transcendent were bound by the Prohibition Edict.”
Only then, in front of the now quiet Main Hall lobby, Meyer looked at Olinic and shrugged.
“Master of the Machine Core Palace, as you said, I stepped in because I didn’t want to see blood shed in a good place, so please understand with a generous heart.”
[It doesn’t matter. Senator Meyer. While I did threaten, it wasn’t my place to decide on the execution.]
Olinic smiled leisurely and looked at Lennok.
[If the one who released the Prohibition Edict has no interest in it, then there’s no reason for me to take issue either.]
“I’m glad we seem to agree on that point.”
Meyer nodded, following Olinic, and turned his gaze to Lennok.
“Van. It’s truly good to see you again. I apologize for the late congratulations on your victory.”
“Senator Meyer.”
“As you know, today’s event will be a Victory Ceremony to celebrate and commemorate the victory you achieved.”
Meyer looked up at Lennok with clear eyes.
“I am currently acting on behalf of the Senate’s authority, centered around the Countermeasures Committee. Therefore, for this Victory Ceremony, I can offer you many conveniences.”
“……”
“If you wish, I can have all the broadcasting stations and press corps in the Council Main Hall and Annex removed right now. What do you say?”
“As I told Olinic, it doesn’t matter.”
Lennok turned his gaze with an expressionless face.
“Considering today’s schedule, there will need to be people observing. I won’t mind if they don’t bother me.”
“Understood.”
At that moment, the reactions of the Transcendent watching from behind subtly changed.
They must have felt that Lennok’s attitude towards Meyer was a little different from how he treated others.
But Meyer showed no sign of this and quickly gave instructions to his attendants.
“Let that answer be today’s policy for the City Council and deliver it throughout the central district. Then……”
Meyer, who bowed to the Transcendent he had been with just moments ago, walked away with Lennok towards the far end of the lobby.
The Transcendent, who had accompanied Lennok to transfer the authority belonging to the Central Council, quietly watched their retreating figures.
“Considering the massacre he committed during the Subjugation Operation, that’s a surprisingly normal answer……”
Kiriya muttered, caressing the hilt of her sword.
Her expression, usually as cold and rigid as ice, uncharacteristically showed a faint hint of interest.
“Does he not show even a shred of madness except when using magic? Compared to other peak-level ability users, he is quite composed.”
[It seems that Adamant Thunder’s own humanity was somewhat known among his peers. Though his self-control has been highlighted in a different sense through this war.]
“If he hadn’t, why would so many people have flocked like clouds just to see this one wizard?”
Habaek replied quietly.
His blurred, sightless eyes vaguely followed Lennok.
“But it truly is an unbelievably powerful will-thought. When I saw him at the last summit, it was certainly not this strong……”
“……”
In the quiet silence, Habaek murmured softly.
“I couldn’t believe it even after hearing that he defeated both Ethan and Song-ha…… but now I have no choice but to acknowledge that it was not a lie.”
Habaek, the Head of the Sword Sect of Demise, was acquainted with Ethan and Song-ha, having taken them as disciples long ago.
Knowing what geniuses those two were, it was difficult for him to readily believe the results of the Subjugation Operation.
However, even Habaek vaguely accepted the outcome the moment he sensed Lennok’s presence.
A chilling aura, as if he had become an entirely different being despite being at the same hierarchy.
Everyone could feel, without needing to be told, that the wizard before them had gained incomprehensible transcendence through the Subjugation Operation.
That the gathering of Transcendent from all over Vulcan at this place today was not a coincidence from the start, but—
“It’s time. Let’s move.”
Slain, the black-haired man checking the time with an expressionless face, spoke.
“We also need to prepare to begin the promotion process.”
Lennok, guided by Meyer, walked directly towards the innermost part of the Central Council.
He passed between colossal stone pillars that soared to the sky, crossing the lobby of the Council Main Hall.
The honor guard and soldiers saluted from all sides, with insignias and banners hanging on the walls behind them.
Beside them, hundreds of attendants and Council members moved, following procedures to guide Lennok into the building.
The myriad administrative procedures, restrictions, regulations, barriers, and authorities that had to be lifted in advance to permit entry to outsiders not affiliated with the Council.
“Since your victory in the war, the Central Council has also been dedicated to post-war processing.”
In the midst of that commotion, Meyer walked beside Lennok and spoke.
“In that process, we were able to address various internal and external issues that had accumulated in the Council, using the war as justification.”
“……”
“Simultaneously with finalizing the administrative procedures, the internal cleanup is also nearing completion. It is now organized enough to show you.”
Thump!
The moment the marble doors at the end of the lobby opened, a platform overlooking the streets outside the Council was revealed.
The towering platform, where tens of thousands of citizens collectively looked up at the Council Main Hall building.
On it, the Council spokesperson calmly delivered a keynote speech to the citizens.
[Citizens. The recent war in Vulcan was not merely a localized conflict instigated by puppet warlords.]
[It was an unauthorized intervention by the Central authority, ignoring Vulcan’s security, and furthermore, part of a destructive plot that threatened the city’s existence……]
[The victory in this war, while protecting the city, also served as an opportunity to seriously re-examine and confirm Vulcan’s policies and direction……]
[In that process, we recognized the significant contributions of the Tower Lord and prepared this event to commemorate them.]
[To the citizens who suffered during this war, we promise compensation in the name of the city government, and we will uniformly reorganize welfare pledges that were divided by district, granting tax reduction benefits……]
Wooooah!!!
Each time the speech celebrating the war’s victory mentioned various benefits promised to the citizens, the people gathered in front of the building responded with cheers and shouts.
As Lennok silently watched the scene from behind, Meyer spoke.
“Through this keynote speech, people will learn whose side the Council is on. They will also clearly understand what justifications and benefits were put forth for it.”
“……”
“The citizens will not refuse. They already know who the owner of this city is.”
Meyer said softly.
“This is a process to clarify what everyone already knows and to solidify it so it doesn’t change.”
“……Meyer. I have no interest in owning this city.”
Lennok, listening to the spokesperson’s speech with an expressionless face, replied.
“Regardless of the benefits, that responsibility is not what I want. You know that, don’t you?”
“Indeed. But that is precisely why it is a position and status granted only to you.”
Meyer spoke in a gentle tone.
“Because we know you are not a Transcendent obsessed with power or status, conversely, many people accept you standing at the top.”
“……”
“This city is vast. It is too immense to be dominated by force, and too distant to be governed by regulations. A point of agreement, which cannot be established by military power or law, exists somewhere on that subtle boundary line.”
Meyer turned his gaze away from the silent Lennok.
“That is why only you can truly place the opinions of all Vulcan under your own standards. Others know this too.”
“……”
“Whether you want it or not, the City Council has already accepted you. It has promised to treat a Transcendent unbound by the Prohibition Edict as an equal to the Council.”
Having said that, Meyer slowly stepped forward.
“We plan to show proof of that to everyone living in Vulcan today.”
[Finally, at this gathering today, we will show all citizens proof that the painful war has completely ended!!!]
Whoosh!!!
The moment the speaker shouted, the thick curtain behind the platform was drawn back, revealing the people who had been confined.
Dozens of people, bound hand and foot, kneeling, with their eyes covered and heads bowed.
But most of those faces were of influential figures well-known to Vulcan citizens.
[Citizens. These individuals are traitors within the City Council who conspired with The Legion.]
The spokesperson walked in front of the restrained Council members, holding the microphone, and said.
[They are Council members who shared Vulcan’s internal information prior to the upcoming war, collaborating with The Legion to secure a favorable position outside Vulcan.]
Wooah!!!
Lennok turned his gaze, listening to the echoing cheers.
“So, this is what you meant by dealing with troublesome internal and external Council issues. You purged the Legion-aligned faction within the City Council, using the war as justification?”
“If I couldn’t do anything even with such a strong justification, I would be disqualified as a politician.”
Meyer smiled coldly at Lennok’s words.
“It’s the fate of a powerful figure who lost a power struggle, so there’s no need for sympathy. They too will humbly accept the fate they chose.”
“They don’t quite seem to be doing that from what I see……”
[Let me go right now?!!]
[Senator Meyer!! I was wrong. Please, even now……!!!]
The Council members thrashed violently as they were dragged into the courthouse.
Judging by their screams, pleas, and veins bulging in anger, they apparently hadn’t prepared for such an outcome.
Leaving behind the cheers that echoed after the departing Council members, Meyer guided Lennok back the way they came.
“As you’ve seen up to this point, the City Council intends to publicly disclose the war’s outcome and post-war processing through this Victory Ceremony. Many other external events related to this are planned afterwards.”
“……”
“Of course, it would be wonderful if you could personally attend and grace the occasion, but there will be plenty of opportunities before the Victory Ceremony ends.”
Meyer, letting out a laugh as if he had guessed Lennok’s thoughts, leaned on his staff and walked on.
“So, from now on, let’s first take care of the most important task within the City Council. This way.”
The vast assembly hall located on the topmost floor of the Main Hall building.
A place where Senators and Representatives gathered to draft Vulcan’s policies and determine the city’s direction.
The seats, which would normally be occupied by Council members, were already filled by the Known World Transcendent.
Slain, Olinic, Kiriya, and Mistra. Other Transcendent unknown to Lennok, who had participated in the Victory Ceremony, sat on the tiered seats arranged on both sides, looking at Lennok.
However, instead of looking at them, Lennok looked up at the colossal object hovering over the ceiling of the hall, which soared high into the sky.
Something Lennok had sensed and continuously ‘looked up’ at the moment he entered the Main Hall building.
Whoooooooong!!!!
A colossal blue eye, dozens of meters in diameter, slowly swirled on the ceiling of the assembly hall.
Gathering and absorbing countless wills and mental images existing throughout Vulcan, it slowly moved its focus, like blinking an eyelid, meeting Lennok’s gaze.
The moment that gigantic eye blurred, blinked, and shed a single tear, letting it fall towards the ground.
Whoosh!!!
The blue tear stretched out, then stopped in front of Lennok and slowly began to swirl.
The moment he realized its shape resembled the staff Lennok was holding.
“[The Eye of Promise] was activated, and I briefly thought about what kind of gift would be best.”
A young boy’s voice echoed from beside him.
“I thought that, perhaps, a staff-like object would still be useful to you.”
“……”
“Long time no see, Adamant Thunder.”
Arjis Ormeon, the Mayor of Vulcan, who walked out from beside the assembly hall, greeted Lennok with a smile.
“I was waiting for Meyer’s guidance to finish. Seeing you arrived quicker than expected, you didn’t watch until the very end, did you?”
“You must have wanted me to watch the Council members’ trial until the end.”
“That’s right. Because this only has meaning if you, Van, are here.”
The boy replied with a swirling smile.
“Purging the opposition for a Transcendent who won a decisive battle that determined the city’s fate. What better way to show how the balance has shifted?”
“……”
“You don’t seem to be particularly moved, as they weren’t Council members you had personal acquaintance with. It would have been a more interesting reaction if I had explained in advance what those people had done to obstruct you, wouldn’t it?”
The Mayor, arms crossed, tilted his head, then turned with a leisurely voice.
“Well, anyway, don’t worry about how they’re handled now that I’m back. I will certainly pay the price for you lifting the Prohibition Edict.”
“Pay the price?”
“As you might have seen, guided by Senator Meyer, we plan to transfer all the assets and land of the Council members whose trials ended today to you.”
The boy tilted his head, looking at Meyer, in response to Lennok’s question.
“Among the properties owned by the Senators, there are many prime plots in Vulcan’s central district, so it will be a great help in expanding your Magic Tower’s business, won’t it?”
“……”
The Mayor swung his small arm above his head, speaking excitedly.
“I’ll lift the building height restrictions specifically for your Magic Tower, so how about building a super-large artifact auction house? It would activate the central district’s floating population and simultaneously make an enormous amount of money.”
“You should discuss business matters with my partner. I didn’t come to the Central Council to talk about that.”
Lennok shook his head.
“You must have come to discuss the City Council’s treatment of me and my Magic Tower. And the direction Vulcan will take after recovering its Mayor after the war?”
“……”
Lennok’s acceptance of the Central Council’s invitation today was not solely for the presentation of his fourth thesis.
Nor was it to enjoy the spectacle of Council members on the Legion’s side being tried as a form of entertainment, or to discuss the various privileges and benefits he would receive afterwards.
Lennok had only come here because he knew the Mayor of Vulcan, whom he had encountered in District 19, would be here today.
Aside from that, everything else was merely a secondary issue for Lennok.
“Alright. Indeed, there are several important schedules today, even if not for that.”
The Mayor, as if he wasn’t unaware of Lennok’s answer, rearranged his posture with a smiling face.
“Let’s finish the promotion process first. We are talking about the staff you received.”
“What is it?”
“With the unanimous agreement of the Central Council’s Senate and House of Representatives, the promotion of Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower to Vulcan’s highest executive agency has been confirmed.”
The boy, with his hands placed together, spoke with a cheerful smile.
“This will be Vulcan’s first-ever supreme magic management institution, endowed with all intellectual property rights, ownership, and business authority over all spellcraft existing in the city.”
“……”
“That staff is proof that ‘authority’ was transferred through the agreement of both the Central Council and the Transcendent bound by the Prohibition Edict…… It is a symbol that your Magic Tower has become a management institution with status equal to the Central Council.”
The Mayor smiled.
“I considered various methods, but I thought you would much prefer empowering the Magic Tower over handing over the City Council.”
“Magic Tower, huh……”
The granting of all management authority over magic and spellcraft effectively meant being treated as equal to the legislative, judicial, and executive branches within Vulcan.
Did this mean promoting Lennok’s Magic Tower, originally established with Council approval, to an executive agency with a status equal to the Council?
To achieve this, they had summoned not only the Senate and House of Representatives of the City Council but also the Transcendent bound by the Prohibition Edict to adjust the authority through [The Eye of Promise].
The statement that he was summoned to be treated with a status equal to the city’s owner was not an empty boast from the beginning.
“Now, shall we talk about something a little different? There’s something I can only say now that the Magic Tower has been granted authority equal to the City Council.”
The boy snapped his fingers, and The Eye of Promise flashed, revealing images of vast mountain ranges and plains.
Watching the image floating above the assembly hall like a hologram, the Mayor began to speak.
“It’s about the ownership of the Forbidden Zone in the central part of the Eastern Continent, where Deadrise Legion’s 2nd Command was stationed.”
“……”
“The Legion Parade was held there with the Marshal’s return just before the Subjugation Operation began, but the Legion’s main forces were annihilated, leaving the place empty.”
It was a story about the 2nd Command, which had led the Legion Parade, becoming empty and ownerless after the defeat of the Subjugation Operation. He had seen related topics on the Deepweb.
“In that sense, I have a proposal.”
The boy asked with a smile.
“If you’re alright with it, why don’t you establish a new branch of your Magic Tower in the Forbidden Zone where the 2nd Command was located?”
“A branch of my Magic Tower?”
“Although it’s surrounded by rough terrain and the land is highly toxic, there’s a reason why The Legion stationed its 2nd Command here.”
The Mayor snapped his fingers, and the holographic map expanded, broadly displaying the terrain of the Eastern Continent.
“It’s rich in iron, making metal production easy, and due to its toxicity, many medicinal herbs and catalysts grow only here. If you establish a Magic Tower branch here, it will be easier to handle various items and elixirs.”
“……”
“Furthermore, this place is located in the central part of the Eastern Continent, occupying the fastest route to the Central Front. It’s a strategic stronghold, significant enough for The Legion to place its 2nd Command there.”
“You weren’t making this proposal solely for the prosperity of my Magic Tower.”
Lennok asked with an expressionless face.
“Surely that is your true objective?”
“Yes.”
The Mayor nodded with a smile.
“Vulcan intends to make a full-scale advance into the Central Front from now on.”