Chapter 245: Volcanic Zone (2)
Ignoring the surprised gazes around him, Lennok took the first step.
‘This method of ice magic isn’t bad. Though its efficiency is somewhat lower…’
The ice magic within the common magic system Lennok had used so far was fundamentally premised on use in environments with water sources.
Naturally, it consumed less mana and could cover a wide area, so Lennok had also utilized it by first dousing an area with water and then forcibly creating ice formations.
However, conversely, that meant it was difficult to use in dry environments.
That was why Lennok had visited the executive vault: to learn the methods of ice-elemental mages, specifically those who used unique magic systems specialized in that attribute.
Acquiring Parden McQueen’s Release Taoist Arts and the Principle Gate Diagram there was a separate gain.
Lennok’s true purpose lay in simultaneously training fire-elemental and ice-elemental magic.
“Wait a moment.”
Turning to his companions, he said that, then once again drew up his mana.
Ice-elemental Creation Magic.
[Circle of Frost]
As he took a light step, mana violently rotated within Lennok’s body.
The completion of hierarchy. Within Lennok’s magic system, which had begun to integrate into a single order, newly added knowledge transformed into power.
Crackkkk…!!!
In an environment completely devoid of moisture, ice shards erupted as if by magic, covering the ground in a forest of frigid cold,
and neutralizing the increasing heat as they ascended the mountain.
It was only then that the agents, realizing how Lennok could use ice magic of such scale, slightly gaped.
“He froze mana itself, not water, and solidified it…!!”
“That’s impossible… Unless he’s manipulating mana at an atomic level, he couldn’t possibly…!!”
While the materialization of mana is natural for a wizard, replacing water with mana is an art that cannot even be attempted without perfectly replicating the properties of water and ice.
It’s impossible unless one is born with unique inherent traits or possesses a deep understanding of ice-elemental magic.
The agents quickly turned their heads towards Evelyn.
“I wondered why you called the external advisor for this… ”
“Team Leader, you knew Van-nim had such a deep understanding of ice magic!”
“Huh? Well… yeah, something like that.”
Behind Evelyn’s awkward voice, Lennok subtly pulled out a book from his pocket again.
‘What do I do next?’
If there’s no water, he just needs to select the particles to use in place of moisture.
His mana manipulation abilities are already more than sufficient.
All that remained was to quickly learn the techniques other unique ice-elemental magic users employed to manipulate and apply the ice formations they created.
A single book’s worth of knowledge was enough for that.
“…Hmm.”
As Lennok flipped a page with one hand and twitched his fingers, the frigid cold that had spread in all directions split wide to either side, creating a massive path.
The ice shards were sharp and powerful enough that the lava monsters, sensing the anomaly and rushing out, could not approach rashly.
However, the ice path, extending according to Lennok’s gestures, suddenly stopped at a certain point and began to melt away instantly.
Only then did Evelyn, who had been leisurely following Lennok from behind, her eyes gleam.
“This is…”
She picked up a small pebble nearby and threw it towards the point where the ice path ended.
Sizzzzzzle!!
As soon as the pebble passed a certain point in the air, it instantly caught fire and vanished as if melting away.
This was clearly different from any natural phenomenon they had encountered so far.
A barrier that incinerated all external matter that crossed a certain boundary. It was the power of the Magic Tower.
Lennok, watching the stones burn up and disappear in mid-air, spoke.
“It’s unrealistic for all guests visiting the Magic Tower to experience this inconvenience.”
“…”
“This situation itself is evidence that they consider our visit an inconvenience.”
Lennok turned his head towards Evelyn.
“What should we do?”
After a moment of contemplation, she hardened her expression and said,
“We sent word that we’d arrived just before ascending the volcanic zone. The fact that this level of security is still maintained means… they expect us to break through it ourselves, doesn’t it?”
“…”
“Van, can you do it?”
Instead of answering, Lennok pondered for a moment, then extended his hand.
At his utterly defenseless gesture, the other agents’ faces turned slightly pale, but Lennok’s hand calmly moved past the point where the ice path ended.
Whoosh!!
It instantly caught fire and began to burn.
“…Van-nim!!”
“Wait.”
Protecting his hand with a shield, he slowly checked the mana flow inside the barrier.
Its goal was to occupy a specific area, detect objects entering from outside, and automatically cast ignition spells from a distance to burn them.
Rather than the barrier being filled with indescribable heat, it was a spell closer to a radar-like method of detecting and intercepting enemies.
‘Surprisingly, the principle is quite simple. In that case…’
“How is it?”
“I was planning to shatter the entire barrier if necessary… but there’s no need for that.”
Lennok withdrew his hand, then lightly shook his left sleeve, causing dozens of magazines to pour out from inside it.
Countless rounds of ammunition, stored by applying Weight Reduction and Shrinking magic.
Bang!!
Smashing the magazine case and gripping hundreds of bullets inside with mana threads, Lennok levitated them into the air, then threw them straight beyond the barrier.
Dududududududu!!!!
The bullets, instantly bursting into flames as soon as they entered the barrier.
Lennok immediately drew up mana and waved his hand.
Manipulation-type Creation Magic
[Mana Thread Injection]
[Multiple Resonance: Emission]
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!!!
Hundreds of bullets, under Lennok’s control, erupted on the spot, emitting intense mana.
Beyond the barrier, brilliant blue flashes successively sparkled, exploding with a time difference.
An unexpected fireworks display unfolded in the ash and dust-filled sky.
Only then did Lennok withdraw his hand and casually step beyond the broken ice path.
“Let’s go.”
“…It’s over?”
“I merely temporarily confused the barrier’s detection method. If it’s a security barrier that detects and intercepts enemies, then disrupting the detection itself can prevent follow-up attacks.”
Only then did the other agents, understanding Lennok’s words, utter exclamations of admiration.
“You mean you’re disrupting the barrier’s detection by deploying flares. To be able to do this on the fly without any equipment…”
“No, this would be impossible without completely analyzing the barrier’s detection pattern and precisely controlling the deployment timing. How…?”
“It won’t last long. Let’s move quickly.”
At Lennok’s words, the group stopped chatting and moved quickly.
As they ascended the volcano, the surrounding environment drastically changed.
Beyond simply being so hot that breathing was difficult, their vision was obstructed by the acrid smoke rising from below.
However, Lennok couldn’t help but be slightly impressed by the view from the center of the volcano’s crater.
“Even for a fire-elemental Magic Tower, to establish itself in such an extreme location… I’ll give them credit for their audacity.”
At the heart of the mountain, a colossal lake of boiling lava.
Five colossal structures stood tall, encircling the superheated, orange-glowing lake.
Lava, drawn from below, flowed languidly between the twisted curves of the five spiraling towers.
Rock bridges connected each structure, supporting and linking them.
Around the drab stone Magic Tower, lava flowed along the spiral grooves, glowing softly.
A unique appearance, as if light emitted from between the threads of a screw.
Blaiver Tower had not merely established itself in the volcanic zone; it was using the volcano’s lava as its power source.
As they headed towards the center of the crater, the group finally saw a person who had come to greet them on the ground level of the colossal tower.
It was a benevolent-looking old man, draped in a slightly dark red robe.
He looked at their group, wearing a pleasant expression and a cheerful smile.
The old man waved his hand, calling out like a child.
“Evelyn!!”
Evelyn, too, finally adjusted her collar and walked towards the old man.
“Master Ainz, it’s been a long time.”
The man called Ainz immediately clasped hands with Evelyn, then lightly embraced her and held her shoulders.
“It’s truly been a long time! How has life in the city been?”
“Thanks to your concern.”
“The Marcia family barely maintains its lineage because of you. My foolish younger brother couldn’t look after his goddaughter, so I’m ashamed to face my older brother.”
Instead of saying anything specific, Evelyn smiled faintly.
Ainz turned back to the rest of the group with a serious expression and slightly bowed his head.
“I am Ainz, from Blaiver Tower’s Experimental Theory Research Section 3.”
A polite demeanor, unlike what one might expect from an arrogant Magic Tower wizard.
While the others instinctively bowed their heads, Ainz pulled something from his pocket and immediately began to hand them out.
“Everyone, please take one.”
Red paper bracelets. But Lennok didn’t miss the fact that some kind of magic was inscribed within them.
Ainz pointed to an identical item subtly hidden on his own wrist and smiled.
“These are items given to guests invited by the Magic Tower. Essentially, they prove your status as an outsider, and they are consumables made for honored guests.”
“Consumables mean…”
“If you tear the bracelet length-wise, you will be reverse-summoned outside the Magic Tower’s barrier. If you feel something is going wrong inside the tower, please don’t hesitate to use it.”
For a moment, silence hung among the group, who didn’t understand what those words meant.
Instead, Lennok spoke first.
“You’re also wearing such a bracelet, Master Ainz.”
Ainz, looking back at Lennok with a slightly surprised expression, smiled gently.
“You’re a wizard too. And quite… no, an amazing level.”
“…”
“Precisely. At this point, I’m also no different from an outsider in this Magic Tower. Shall we go inside for now?”
Saying that, Ainz naturally led the group inside the Magic Tower.
The rooftop of the Magic Tower, which resembled the head of a screw. Following the single narrow staircase descending from its gap, a clean corridor, instantly cool and airy, came into view.
Despite prohibiting outside access, the interior of the Magic Tower didn’t seem idle.
Rooms were brightly lit, and through the windows lining the corridor, people in various robes and attire could be seen moving about.
Not only the other agents, but Lennok himself couldn’t quite hide his interest, turning his gaze around.
He hadn’t expected this to be the first Magic Tower he visited, but it was true that he had always been curious about how wizards like himself gathered to conduct research.
Ainz walked with his hands behind his back at the front of the group, merely smiling brightly without uttering a single word.
“…”
To others, it might have seemed like leisure, but to Lennok, it was different.
A transparent expression, as if feigning composure with great effort.
For Lennok, who had lived behind a mask since his first day in the megacity, it wasn’t difficult to discern.
This person wasn’t very accustomed to deceiving others.
Evelyn, too, seemed to sense that the atmosphere of the Magic Tower was worse than she expected, her face slightly hardened.
The group quickly passed through the Magic Tower’s corridor and stood before a massive iron door.
A wide corridor entrance, notable for its colossal chandelier.
Ainz turned at the door to the high-class meeting room located on the Magic Tower’s top floor.
“If you go in here, the Elder Council will be waiting for you.”
His face was still calm, but his mouth had become uncharacteristically stiff.
“Evelyn, I wish you good luck.”
The iron door opened, and Ainz stepped back.
As the group stepped inside, the thick door closed firmly, and only then did lights slowly begin to illuminate the dark meeting room.
“…But there’s no one here.”
Just as Mauser muttered, there was no one on the long, antique-designed table nor on the neatly arranged chairs.
However, instead of saying anything, Evelyn took a seat on one of the temporary chairs placed in front.
Fwoosh!
At the same time, different flames began to flicker on each of the seats at the table.
“…!!!”
[There should have been a barrier deployed, hindering ascent to the volcanic zone.]
As the other agents were startled, a deep bass voice resonated from among the flames.
[That was a remarkably high-level jamming. Did your side do that?]
“…”
The group’s gaze uniformly turned to Lennok.
The naturally flickering flames also illuminated Lennok’s face.
Only after a brief silence did a calm voice emerge from beyond the flames.
[We forgot that guests were arriving and neglected to deactivate the barrier. Our apologies.]
A calm apology, seemingly with no intention of resolving the situation.
Evelyn, without any hint of surprise, opened her mouth with a calm expression.
“It seems the elders have no intention of personally welcoming us.”
[…]
“We are officially here with the authorization of two cities, yet do you intend to say nothing about this matter?”
Only then did the flame that had appeared furthest to the right flicker, emitting a slow voice.
[Missile… We are well aware of that name.]
“…”
[The archer who most fully inherited the Marcia family’s secrets, was it? It is welcome that a warrior of your caliber visits the Magic Tower, but regrettably, the situation is not entirely opportune.]
The flame danced and burned in the air, changing its visible face as if turning its head.
[And even Workshop Master Mauser… I apologize for not personally greeting you. It would be most appreciated if Machina would kindly overlook this matter.]
A different, more respectful tone than when addressing Evelyn.
It was clear how highly they regarded this burly blacksmith.
However, despite those words, Mauser shook his head.
“I did not travel all this way merely to hear such courtesies.”
[…]
“Everyone is concerned about why Blaiver Tower locked its gates after its conflict with the dark wizards. As you know, the Magic Tower you established in the Claronis volcanic zone is akin to one of the continent’s foremost colossal furnaces. If you, who were a core part of the Western Continent’s steel industry, are reluctant to disclose what has transpired, who would wish to work with you?”
The somewhat bumbling appearance from their first meeting was gone, replaced by sharp eyes and a solemn voice.
There was no hesitation whatsoever in his appearance as he reprimanded the Elder Council, who stood at the apex of the arrogant Magic Tower wizards.
Lennok then somewhat understood why Evelyn had endured various inconveniences and waited for the delegation from the Machine City.
Essentially, it would have been difficult to justify inspecting the Magic Tower without the involvement of a representative from the steel industry, which should be the most sensitive to this matter.
“I am not telling you to resolve the problems and open the Magic Tower immediately.”
Mauser said, his voice slightly softened.
“But at the very least, you must allow us to confirm that the Magic Tower’s operations are proceeding smoothly and without issue.”
[That… what does that mean?]
“We need proof that the Magic Tower won the conflict with the dark wizards and is merely recovering from its aftermath.”
Mauser’s eyes deepened.
“At the very least, I accepted this meeting today on the premise that you had agreed to this.”
[…]
A low silence fell.
As if they were people painstakingly choosing their words.
[Very well.]
The answer came a long time later, from the flame located furthest to the left, opposite to where the previous voice had come from.
A voice colder than any burning flame. Its tone was polite, but as frigid as rolling ice.
“Starting today, for three days, we will open all of the Magic Tower’s facilities to your side.”