Chapter 583: Supplementary Class (1)

Dawn approached, light breaking and darkness receding from the streets.

But unlike the brightening sky, no lights illuminated the windows reflecting the rising sun.

This was the backlash from a single wizard who had drained all the reserve power of the entire district to cast a large-scale spatial spell.

Behind the people milling about in the powerless streets, several jeeps with heavily tinted windows sped across the road.

These were vehicles rapidly deployed by the Aegis headquarters to retrieve agents involved in the operation.

Should one be thankful that no ambulances were among them?

But Greta, leaning back in the jeep’s rear seat and looking out at the street, had a face as rigid as stone, the opposite of when she walked out of the CEO’s office.

“…Hina.”

Hiss!!

Greta took the cigarette from Hina, who had silently offered it, and let out a puff of smoke. She muttered, “Did the negotiations go well?”

Greta chuckled and shook her head at Hina’s question.

“The worst.”

“…”

“He knows exactly how to narrow down our options. If he had tried to kill me, it would have been easier to deal with, but he was astonishingly calm.”

At Greta’s bleak answer, the other agents also fell silent.

“The staggered payment schedules between corporations, stemming from the city government’s lax administrative processing. Other underworld organizations must have spotted the loophole, so they won’t fall for it. We squandered an opportunity that could only be used once…”

“B-but didn’t we achieve a positive outcome regarding the weaponization of the anti-gravity engine?”

The agent in the passenger seat spoke, trying to lighten the mood.

“If we’ve succeeded in activating the anti-matter particle cannon, which has failed repeatedly until now, then surely in the future…”

“That’s wrong too. We didn’t succeed in weaponizing the anti-gravity engine here. It succeeded because it was here.”

Greta shook her head.

“The moment we entered the airspace above the Cartel headquarters, the engine’s output limit surged dramatically. Enough to enable anti-matter generation, which had failed until now.”

Hina, understanding the implications, sighed with a troubled expression.

“I suspected as much, but there was another reason you personally got involved, contrary to the original plan.”

“While the circumstances aligned perfectly and I used it to shake things up, I needed to personally intervene to confirm the anti-matter generation process.”

Greta had recognized the value of the anti-gravity engine and had long tried to weaponize the technology, but had met with repeated failures. This was because, beyond its ability to create pathways in the sky, the engine couldn’t produce enough output to be weaponized. This was possible because Lennok had deliberately excised any room for misuse of the technology during the commercialization process of the anti-gravity engine.

However, during Lennok’s high-output activation of spatial magic, the anti-gravity engine, resonating with that magical power, became overloaded beyond its normal capacity.

“Something exists in the Cartel’s underground vault that unlocks the anti-gravity engine’s output limit.”

She had intended to identify its true nature, overturn the operation’s trajectory, and wring success from a derailed plan, but the outcome was a spectacular failure. Greta herself hadn’t even considered that the cause was a single wizard who had halted the operation midway.

Moreover, given that Greta herself had pledged not to interfere with the Cartel’s business district for five years, it would now be difficult to even set foot in this area.

“We failed even though the executive board wasn’t fully assembled and the directors were practically absent. If this isn’t just a raid, but devolves into an inter-organizational conflict…”

As she spoke, Greta suddenly lifted her gaze upward.

Following her, the agents looked out past the street and fell silent. Because on the rooftop of a blacked-out skyscraper, an armored giant sat cross-legged, quietly glaring at them.

And opposite him, the figure of a house-sized bear sharpening its fangs.

The moment they met the gaze of the two giants and the beast, an incredibly intense pressure choked them. Yet, there was a chilling stealth that made their presence entirely imperceptible until sensed directly.

They were likely members of the Cartel’s executive board or directors who hadn’t participated in this operation. Only then did everyone truly grasp the implications of having such an executive board and directors.

“We intended to shake the Cartel and shift the underworld’s entire dynamic in our favor, but it went wrong right from the start.”

Greta clicked her tongue, then exhaled smoke out the window and shook her head.

“Well, we’re not fully prepared either, so I suppose I’ll be satisfied with having directly witnessed Adamant Thunder’s power today…”

“I didn’t know Van could even wield spatial magic.”

Hina said, a hint of admiration in her tone.

“He’d shown some inclination towards it before, but to be applying it at such a high level…”

“It’s presumed he fully mastered the feel of it after acquiring Gileon’s artifact.”

Another agent, analyzing combat logs beside them, replied. Comparing hourly impact force and mana concentration rates recorded through the Aegis suits to extract data, this was one of the analysts Greta had permanently assigned to the field upon her appointment as Director.

“Rumor has it that decades ago, it was an artifact with exceptional spatial interference abilities. I don’t know the exact circumstances, but it’s highly likely that Adamant Thunder acquiring those wings is deeply connected to his spatial magic application abilities.”

The analyst visualized the laptop data as a graph and showed it to Hina, saying, “If Adamant Thunder continues to work with us as an external consultant, it won’t matter, but if not, it might be best to formulate a counter-manual focused on exploiting the wings.”

“Although the timing of this clash was unfortunate, I believe we absolutely must continue to retain Van as an external consultant. He’s also close with Team Leader Marcia, and making an enemy of a wizard of his caliber would truly be…”

But unlike Hina, who was focused on Lennok’s treatment, Greta tilted her head.

“An external consultant position is one thing, but a manual for exploiting the wings… I doubt it.”

“Pardon…?”

“When he stopped the anti-matter particle weapon at the end, he didn’t seem to rely heavily on that artifact after all…”

Silence fell among the group as they understood the meaning of Greta’s words. Spatial manipulation ability that doesn’t rely on artifacts or specific forms. In other words, it meant the emergence of a unique magical system, one unseen anywhere on the continent for decades.

“Are you saying Adamant Thunder has acquired a unique spatial magic system…?”

“No, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have bothered to show a combat style relying on the wings… I don’t know either.”

Greta chuckled, refuting her own conjecture.

“Let’s think about it after we get some rest.”

Greta leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and lay down, muttering as if an afterthought.

“We’re short-staffed, so short… Anyway, why is Divine Bow ignoring my calls?”

Rebatenon University of Magic.

He walked down a quiet, deserted corridor.

Though he had heard information about Madam’s past from Virgil, he had several urgent matters to handle first. Kaiser’s corpse and his burial site. Obtaining that information was one thing, but it wasn’t something he could manage while simultaneously dealing with multiple other schedules.

He had contacted Madam to set up an appointment, but the exact date hadn’t been fixed. For now, he had to handle the anti-gravity technology thesis and its subsequent processing under his identity as Evan Vylun.

He carried a box full of various experimental tools in both hands, while holding his phone to one ear with his shoulder, continuing the call.

“So, you’re still not taking Greta Wilderhild’s calls?”

-…Yes.

Evelyn’s faint sigh could be heard from the other end of the line.

-She’s certainly capable. Raising Aegis’s combat strength wouldn’t be difficult for her. So for now, I’m focusing on the Eyes of Blue.

“The Eyes of Blue…”

-Lapis seems surprisingly troubled about advancing into the Central Front. Securing a bridgehead is one thing, but the question is whether the timing is right.

“The construction of the third Lighthouse must be finished by now.”

Hadn’t they said they would build the third Lighthouse on the island that moves across the sea, after acquiring the Far Eastern branch of the Guido Cult? That matter had concluded with Lennok annihilating the 10th Apostle, Amrita Fraubel, but he hadn’t seen the end of it, having been occupied with the mid-term settlement of the Pandemonium.

-She asked me to help with sparring sessions for retired agents to regain their touch, if I wasn’t going to be active in the field. I refused for now, but…

Evelyn, muttering to herself, then asked Lennok as if remembering something.

-Oh, speaking of which, I heard you’ve learned a new spatial spell system? It seems the rumors from this operation have spread widely.

“That story’s already made its way there?”

-You showcased it to both the Cartel and Aegis simultaneously, so it’s only natural. Is that the power of the new magic system you mentioned?

Lennok shook his head at Evelyn’s question.

“Strictly speaking, it’s thanks to an artifact I recently acquired. I’ll tell you about it when we meet in person.”

Gileon’s Iron-Plated Wings, which possess spatial interference support functions. However, Lennok already has a grasp on the concept of manipulating space even without the power of the wings.

Yet, the reason he extensively showcased his spatial manipulation abilities as Van only after acquiring Gileon’s wings was partly to create a convenient excuse that Adamant Thunder’s spatial magic, unlike Victor’s, relied on the power of the Iron-Plated Wings. But it was also because he intentionally wanted to show a weakness: that Van’s spatial manipulation spell system depended on the power of the Iron-Plated Wings.

After going into hiding under the guise of an injury, Lennok realized that deliberately creating weaknesses was more useful than he thought. If an enemy facing Van were to approach by targeting the Iron-Plated Wings, it would conversely make them easier to deal with. It’s just like when he preyed on those who sought to exploit Adamant Thunder’s injury by luring him into close combat. For Lennok, it was not difficult to present an unrelated trait or ability as an easily exploitable weakness to his opponents.

-Alright, I understand. It wasn’t something that needed an immediate explanation anyway. More importantly, I’ve heard some bad news from Aegis recently.

Evelyn’s voice hardened over the line.

-Did you know that an apartment complex in District 34 exploded, killing over two thousand civilians?

“…A terrorist attack?”

In this city of outlaws, home to tens of millions, incidents including large-scale casualties are ceaseless. Areas considered ‘above ground’ are merely safer than the ‘underworld’; they are still exposed to danger. But it seemed Evelyn wanted to talk about what happened after the incident.

-The problem is that there will be no official response from special agencies and government sub-departments.

“Why not?”

-There are rumors that some executives of the criminal organization that committed the terror attack have hidden deeper within District 34.

“…”

-Rather than rashly provoking them and causing additional crimes, the intention is to tighten the encirclement and capture them decisively.

“So, that’s the official pretext, then.”

Lennok cut Evelyn off abruptly and asked again, “The real reason?”

-…It seems some city council members have sided with them.

Evelyn hesitated for a moment before adding, -Rumors are circulating that the Senate deliberately instigated the terror attack to strengthen the power of the above-ground government’s armed forces.

“Hmm…”

Lennok, still holding the box, paused in place, pondering, then summarized the situation simply.

“This is the worst.”

At this point, with the Prohibition Edict lifted, the boundary between the above-ground and the underworld has crumbled. However, it’s also true that, contrary to previous concerns, no excessive incidents or clashes have occurred.

Is the city government planning to break this state of limbo and significantly increase the standing and authority of the above-ground by exploiting the threat from the underworld? Either way, it will ultimately be the ordinary citizens living in Vulcan who suffer.

Lennok, hearing this, was not particularly pleased either. As he too lived in this city with a foot in both the above-ground and the underworld, he hoped that the balance wouldn’t easily collapse.

While listening to Evelyn’s explanation, Davi squirmed out from his pocket and crawled into the box Lennok was carrying. The cybernetic spirit, holding a pen in its mouth, rapidly bobbed its head up and down, scribbling a message on a piece of scrap paper inside the box.

[Jenny]: The criminal organization that committed the terror attack in District 34 is a shamanistic group named Ghost God Palace [괴신궁].

Was it perhaps providing Jenny’s message in real-time, making it easier to confirm during the call? The emergence of a criminal organization proclaiming themselves the new Triad seemed to be a groundbreaking event even in the underworld.

└It is believed to be a force that previously operated in the outskirts of the South Continent’s jungles, but has recently relocated to the undeveloped swamp lands of Vulcan over the past few months.

└The organization currently consists of around 100 members. All of them are skilled shamans, resilient individuals who have endured the harsh environment of the southern Great Jungle for a long time.

└The executives who recently infiltrated District 34 possess excellent disguise abilities and are adept at stealing others’ spiritual essence to fake identities.

Lennok, looking at the memo rapidly scrawled by Davi, then rubbed his fingers together to conjure a small flame. Lennok, who instantly incinerated the paper, quietly muttered, “Ghost God Palace…”

-You’ve already found information on them?

Evelyn asked, then gave a bitter chuckle.

-No, it must be the work of that finicky broker you work with.

“There’s no reason to only get information from one source.”

He received general information about Ghost God Palace from Jenny and understood the city government’s interests from Evelyn, discerning why this situation had erupted. The two people who could best understand the interests of both sides – the above-ground and the underworld. It was clear that when such a crossing-the-line situation suddenly erupted, they were the ones closest to the ground, able to provide immediate information.

-Anyway, I didn’t contact you to talk about Aegis’s internal power struggles… I wanted to warn you to be careful of Ghost God Palace too.

“Why?”

-District 34, where they’ve hidden. That district has one of Vulcan’s top five high-speed terminals, doesn’t it?

Evelyn said, -One of them is directly connected to the railway leading into Rebatenon University of Magic. I heard undergraduates frequently use it, isn’t that right?

Lennok, who had been silent, spoke. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never paid attention to the commuting routes of undergraduates.”

-…Anyway, the subway line in District 34 apparently passes directly through Rebatenon University of Magic’s internal facilities.

Evelyn’s voice grew slightly serious.

-It’s unlikely they don’t know about your heightened status at the university, especially given the current situation. Be prepared for the worst. Understood?

“I see…”

Lennok nodded.

“I understand what you mean. I’ll be careful.”

Of course, Evelyn, knowing what kind of wizard Lennok is, wouldn’t think he’d be defeated by Ghost God Palace. Rather, she was worried about a situation where Lennok might not be able to maintain his identities as Van and Evan. Officially, Evan Vylun is merely a brilliant researcher with no strong combat power or ability to defend himself.

If he were to be attacked by Ghost God Palace in such a situation, it might become difficult to maintain his disguised identity. Evelyn was warning Lennok that he might need to prepare in advance to avoid such a situation.

The moment Lennok replied and was about to kick open the classroom door…

[Boooo, booooo~]

Suddenly, Evelyn let out a strange bleating sound.

A strange silence hung between them.

Lennok, unable to speak for a long moment, quietly asked, “…Evelyn?”

-N-not me! Why are you suddenly suspecting me?

Evelyn’s voice, quickening in panic.

Meanwhile, that strange bleating continued.

[Boooo, boo boo~]

As Lennok tilted his head, Davi, looking up at Lennok from inside the box, sullenly thumped her tail downwards. At that motion, Lennok inadvertently looked down at his feet and stopped, discovering a fluffy ball of fur clinging to his pant leg.

[Boooooo~ booo~]

A goat-like spirit, bleating a strange cry. The spirit, which had been crouching and waiting in front of the classroom door, was diligently bleating and tugging at Lennok’s pant leg.

Lennok, having finished his call with Evelyn, muttered with a bewildered expression.

“…What is this thing doing?”

[What I worried about has finally happened.]

Davi climbed onto Lennok’s head, stiffening her tail as she muttered, [Has it finally decided to serve the Master instead of that old organic being…!!]

“…”

Was it his imagination, or did Davi, spouting wild conjectures as if certain, seem a little off herself?

[I won’t give up Master’s head-nest!!]

[Baa?]

“So, that’s what you’ve thought of my hair all this time?”

Lennok sighed after saying that, lifted the goat spirit, and flung open the classroom door. Students’ eyes widened at the sight of their assistant professor, with a small fox on his head and a furball clinging to him.

Lennok, with two spirits dangling from him, stood at the podium and awkwardly smiled at the students.

“I’ll explain later. For now, can we proceed with the lecture?”