Chapter 274: Kingmaker (1)

There are now five days left until the Proxy Battle to decide the Fortress Head.

Lennok was walking through the bustling streets.

The street, which was almost a madhouse with a cacophony of voices, fell silent for a moment each time Lennok passed.

Lennok was well aware of the strange glances that followed that brief silence.

Ever since he became the Oryun Family’s proxy and began to interfere with other families, people within Palgung Fortress were starting to recognize him.

In this closed society, information and rumors naturally spread quickly, and there was no way to stop it unless the leadership forcefully intervened.

An outsider who united three families at once and defied the existing order.

It was certainly a perfect topic for public discussion.

“I heard he completely crushed one family… Is that really okay?”

“What were those Oryun guys thinking, picking that wizard as their proxy…?”

“Not much time left until the Proxy Battle. Do they really think he can change the tide alone?”

Unwelcome gazes. Lennok understood their feelings.

It was obvious that he wouldn’t receive a warm welcome once the confrontation between the nobles who governed the fortress and an outsider was established.

It was a special zone built within the megacity, easy to misunderstand due to its unique landscape, but they too were members of Palgung Fortress.

They were members of The Triad, ruling over Vulcan’s underworld.

Thump!!

And Lennok had arrived before the family that formed a powerful pillar of strength, making Palgung Fortress part of The Triad.

A noble’s estate, occupying a quiet outer region even within the densely packed fortress.

A massive wooden palace, lacquered in dark brown, was visible beyond a great gate adorned with raven illustrations.

A member of the Eight Families, tasked with guarding the outer regions of the fortress: the Samyeong Family.

A great family, known as the fortress’s shadow and possessing military power strong enough to rank among the top three of the Eight Families.

Unlike the Paldun Family and Oryun Family, who were excluded from the alliance due to their relatively weaker influence, the Samyeong Family was the complete opposite.

Because the family’s own military might and standing were too strong, the Ilwon Family and Ibon Family could not easily bring the Samyeong Family into their fold.

The three families that received exceptional treatment among the Eight Families.

The Samyeong Family was one of the powerhouses, occupying the last seat among those three families.

Lennok stood at the entrance to the wooden palace, lost in thought.

The wide gate, large enough for ten people to pass through at once, was firmly closed.

…

He had no intention of being courteous.

The proposal Lennok had to make to the Samyeong Family today was not one to be offered deferentially.

But resorting to violence, as he had with the Paldun Family, bothered him.

Most importantly, Lennok had no intention of stripping the Samyeong Family of their proxy status.

However, Lennok’s hesitation did not last long.

Boom!!

As if waiting for Lennok, the grand gate swung wide open, and someone walked out from within.

“We were waiting for you.”

An elderly man with a few gray hairs. Dressed in formal attire, he bowed respectfully upon seeing Lennok.

“You are Van, aren’t you? The Fortress Head instructed us to bring you without delay. Please follow me.”

“…Did you know I would come?”

“Well,”

The old man smiled cryptically.

“We simply wish to avoid the oldest gate in this fortress being damaged.”

…

Given what he’d done immediately after becoming a proxy, Lennok found it hard to retort.

“I will guide you.”

The old man turned his back, observing Lennok’s expression with composure.

The thick wooden gates opened, revealing the grand avenue leading to the palace.

Creak…!!

A wide, open avenue following the shadows cast by the enormous wooden palace.

Along the spacious path, hundreds of warriors stood in formation with expressionless faces, clearing a path for Lennok.

Their aura proved that all these troops were mana users and skilled warriors.

Lennok himself had rarely witnessed such a large-scale superhuman unit.

The Cartel’s execution squad that Lennok had faced before. The power of these mana users far exceeded what he had felt then.

The fact that these elite forces, who would normally be patrolling and guarding the fortress’s outskirts, were gathered here as if by prior arrangement.

He surmised the reason but wasn’t particularly surprised.

It was natural for the Samyeong Family to be watching his movements closely, especially since he had gathered proxies from three families in one place.

That they had reason to observe the situation in line with his movements, rather than focusing on their immediate duties.

If anything, it was a boon for Lennok.

If the Samyeong Family truly had no interest in the internal affairs of the fortress, they wouldn’t have treated Lennok this way.

Realizing that, his mind paradoxically felt at ease.

…

The brows of the soldiers twitched as they watched Lennok walk leisurely down the avenue.

The wizard’s demeanor, utterly unfazed by the intense mana and aura emanating from both sides, seemed too relaxed to be feigned.

And as if to represent that atmosphere, an exceptionally sharp aura began to press down heavily on Lennok from one side of the avenue.

Whoooom…!!

In front of the main entrance leading into the palace.

A thick-browed man, clad in a full black robe, was glaring intensely at Lennok.

Among the high-level Samyeong warriors, his mana density was on a different level.

If judged solely by the sharpness of his aura, he was incomparable to anyone Lennok had met in the Paldun Family.

Even among the Eight Families, was there such a difference in power?

Considering the man’s composed glare as he stood with his arms crossed, he was probably the war chief leading this family’s warriors.

The old man, who had been calmly walking down the avenue, paused and turned his head towards the man.

“Hyun. What discourtesy is this towards a guest visiting our family?”

…

“Withdraw your aura at once.”

At the old man’s harsh reprimand, the man called Hyun replied in a gloomy voice.

“To me, the very presence of that guest seems a discourtesy to the Fortress Head.”

“…What did you say?”

“Hasn’t the Fortress Head already decided not to intervene in this Proxy Battle?”

Lennok quietly shifted his gaze to Hyun’s feet, which were murmuring.

Beneath Hyun’s crossed arms, shadows writhed as if boiling.

“If so, there’s no reason to listen to an outsider either, is there?”

As Hyun spoke and raised his hand, the shadows stretched long and coalesced, forming a sharp spear.

Hyun lightly gripped the spear, aimed it at Lennok’s throat, and asked,

“If you understand, turn around and leave.”

…

“I don’t want you to meet the Fortress Head.”

Lennok quietly stared at the shadow blade aimed at his throat, then casually looked away.

And as if he hadn’t seen the spear blade, he calmly began to walk.

The moment the old man and Hyun simultaneously frowned at his completely unexpected action.

Thump-thump-thump!!

The shadow writhing beneath Hyun’s feet struck his instep directly.

“Ugh…!!”

Due to the unexpected pain, Hyun’s one leg gave way, and the spear blade wavered.

Lennok calmly walked past him and said,

“Manipulating shadows seems a bit much for you.

“You…!!”

“You seem tired. Wouldn’t it be better to go in and rest?”

…

It was no coincidence that the word ‘shadow’ escaped Lennok’s lips.

Only then did Hyun realize that he had lost control of his shadows to this unfamiliar wizard, and he gritted his teeth.

“…I’ll be careful.”

But instead of exerting more power there, he quietly stepped back and cleared the way.

A warrior who uses shadow magic. To be able to steal even a portion of the shadows from the user himself, how much mana manipulation ability would be required?

He knew very well that causing any more disturbance here would truly go against the Samyeong Fortress Head’s will.

“Haa… Hyun. You and I will talk again later.”

The old man sighed softly and resumed walking.

Unlike the Paldun Family who greeted Lennok in their mansion’s courtyard, the old man guided Lennok deep inside the wooden palace.

“We have arrived. I shall then…”

The old man said that and disappeared silently into some corridor of the palace.

Lennok watched his retreating figure, then turned his head.

The audience chamber, located at the center of the palace.

On a comfortable armchair carved from a live tree, painted black and brought directly into the room.

A middle-aged man with a curious mix of white and black hair was leaning askew, waiting for Lennok.

His eyes were not just sharp, but fiercely piercing. His face, arrogantly beyond measure, suited them perfectly.

But the density of mana emanating from his body was so intense that even Lennok could not ignore it.

The Fortress Head of Samyeong, Oren.

A shadow sorcerer regarded as a primary power, contrasting with the Cartel executives, and an Archmage who has completed the Hierarchy.

Among the fortress’s reclusive leadership, he was relatively well-known to the outside world, and his skill was equally famous.

Despite his inscrutable and stubborn nature, his reputation within the fortress was quite good because he never abandoned his duties.

It was also why the alliance of five families couldn’t carelessly deal with him, even though he refused to bow to them.

Lennok’s and Oren’s gazes simultaneously met.

Two superhumans, both having reached the Archmage stage, began to gauge each other’s level.

If they fought head-on, could he win?

‘It won’t be easy…’

Considering the precision of the mana flowing through his body, his flawless aura, and his keenly sharpened killing intent, his opponent was undoubtedly a warrior who had gone through countless battles.

Furthermore, considering the level of the warriors under his command, it was clear that he himself was a formidable warrior, beyond merely practicing shadow magic.

A strong opponent, whose chances Lennok could only gauge by engaging with full power.

Compared even to Virgil, who was considered the foremost among the Cartel’s executives, he was flawless.

With such a man guarding the heart of the family, it was natural that there were no particular complaints about the chaotic situation within the fortress.

Conversely, it meant that if Lennok could secure the cooperation of the Samyeong Family, he could easily win this endeavor.

Oren, who had been leaning askew and looking down at Lennok, opened his mouth.

“What an insolent fellow.”

…

“How dare you try to gauge me?”

Oren, too, seemed to have noticed what Lennok was thinking while staring at him for so long, and he spat out sharp words.

But instead of answering, Lennok merely looked up at him with a faint smile.

“It’s a bit different from the reception I received at the Paldun Family, you see. I apologize for my rudeness.”

“…Hmph, the young brat is utterly audacious.”

Because a similar smile to Lennok’s also played on Oren’s lips as he said that.

“But I think I understand why those fools gave up their proxy status so easily. Those dullards couldn’t possibly have recognized your power.”

…

“Adamant Thunder, was it? I thought it was an unnecessarily grand moniker, but it seems not all that glitters is worthless.”

Beyond merely assessing his skill as an Archmage, Oren was looking further.

That was likely the manifestation of senses honed through truly experiencing slaughter and violence on the front lines.

The intuition of a warrior who trusted his own strength and judgment.

Such people, without a single exception, either regarded Lennok with caution or with goodwill.

‘If the heads of the other families are like this too, it’s going to be tricky.’

Even if the lower families weren’t particularly powerful, the Ilwon Family and Ibon Family were evaluated as possessing power and influence comparable to the Samyeong Family.

The heads of these two families rarely appeared publicly, making it difficult to gauge their strength and wisdom.

But if they possessed an aura comparable to Oren’s, it was highly likely that the Proxy Battle wouldn’t proceed as Lennok intended.

While Lennok was lost in thought, Oren continued to unleash sharp words.

“If you have something to say, spit it out quickly and leave. What you’ve done so far was so audacious that I granted this meeting, but if you fail to interest me, this will be the end.”

Oren’s eyes, as he spoke, still looked down at Lennok with what seemed to be interest.

“I need to confirm for myself how much you know about this matter, and how much you wish to know.”

He was an old man whose words and actions didn’t align at all.

Lennok chuckled softly, looked around, and said,

“With so many ears listening, will that be possible?”

“That, too, will be your ability.”

Oren replied leisurely.

“Let me tell you, I have nothing to lose in this matter. As long as the fortress’s safety is assured, I don’t care who becomes the Fortress Head.”

“That’s a lie.”

As soon as Oren finished speaking, Lennok retorted sharply.

“…What did you say?”

“You must be very interested in this matter.”

A crooked smile played on Lennok’s lips.

Oren flinched at the sharp retort, and some of the warriors arrayed on either side of the audience chamber drew their weapons as if they had been waiting.

“You bastard!!”

“What blasphemy is that to the Fortress Head!!”

“Outsider, mind your manners!”

The Samyeong warriors exuded sharp auras, pressuring him from all sides, but Lennok paid them no mind and continued.

“You knew there was something suspicious about the Proxy Battle and were observing the situation, weren’t you?”

…

“You’ve been stalling instead of rashly taking sides, because you realized something was behind the alliance of five families, haven’t you?”

“Nonsense…!!”

“What do you think of Palgung Fortress’s traditions?!”

The enraged warriors simultaneously raised their voices, but with a raise of Oren’s hand, all that noise vanished as if by magic.

Whoosh!!

A shadow curtain, drawn from the floor, instantly enveloped the audience chamber, turning it into a soundless space.

“Continue speaking. I’m curious to see how far this nonsense goes.”

He declared this with a chillingly calm gaze, but if he truly thought it was nonsense, would he have blocked out the eyes and ears around them just to let Lennok speak?

Lennok had a rough idea of the Samyeong Fortress Head’s personality now.

Lennok smiled.

“Information on the ruins where time flows slowly. And the Samyeong Family’s vault access rights.”

“…What?”

“If you’re willing to pay this much as an advance, I’ll find the bastard behind the alliance. There’s only one thing you need to do.”

“…I don’t know what nonsense you’re spouting.”

“Oryun, Yukryeong, Paldun. Lead the other three families and participate in the Proxy Battle. You don’t even need to transfer your family’s proxy status.”

Soo-ryun and Chen, burdened by their family responsibilities, were out of the question from the start. And it wasn’t desirable for Lennok to be tied to the fortress either.

The most suitable candidate to shift the responsibility to, with the clearest justification.

Now that he had a rough idea of Oren’s character, this was the best choice Lennok could make.

Crackle…!!

Thick currents incessantly sparked between Lennok’s fingers as he massaged his wrist.

“Then I’ll make you the Fortress Head myself.”