Chapter 750: One-Man Show (2)
Hundreds of cameras froze with a low whisper that emanated from beyond the airship.
“Wh-what’s going on? Why are the cameras…!”
“Change lenses! Get other recording devices!”
Panicked reporters quickly grabbed spare equipment, but none of the cameras worked properly.
It felt as if someone was cutting off the video transmission mid-stream.
“It’s not working. They’re all dead!”
“Could it be…!”
“No way. Just with a single word?”
Only then did those present realize that the voice they had just heard had rendered hundreds of cameras useless, and their expressions hardened.
Even though there were mana users among the reporters, no manifestation of mana had been felt at all until that moment.
Could something so absurd be possible without using any mana, simply through the pure manifestation of will?
As the flustered people fussed over their cameras, a commotion erupted.
Just then, someone slowly walked out of the airship.
Thump!
A black-haired young man in a jet-black coat.
Holding a flowing silver staff in one hand, he walked silently, without a sound.
A cold, indifferent expression, not even glancing at the throngs of people all around him.
His mere appearance instantly silenced the noisy lecture hall.
Only the sound of a single person walking down the quiet corridor in front of the lecture hall echoed.
Everyone kept their eyes glued to the young man walking with an expressionless face.
Two or three people belatedly followed him out of the airship, but no one could even pay attention to their presence.
“That’s Adamant Thunder…”
“He’s an 8-level Archwizard.”
“He’s much younger than I imagined.”
“To think Vulcan’s first Magic Tower Lord looks like that…”
His steps were static. The way he walked, leaning on his staff, seemed so slow it was almost languid.
His demeanor was so calm and composed, it was hard to believe he was a major figure who shook all of Vulcan.
Even without feeling any pressure or threat, people found themselves staring at him, unable to think of anything else.
A strange feeling, as if something held their gaze, refusing to let go.
Most of those gathered did not understand why, but the Dean was different.
The moment he saw the young man descend from the airship, he finally understood all the rumors and bizarre tales surrounding Adamant Thunder.
“Huh…”
He could only faintly stroke his beard with trembling hands.
He now understood why so many feared and revered that wizard. Why his exaggerated achievements and records were acknowledged without regard for jealousy or rivals.
He understood why power brokers in the Central Council, criminal overlords, old noble families, and outstanding martial artists all paid attention to that infamous name.
Existing at the same time, standing in the same space, yet they were already not the same.
An Archwizard who transcended the bounds of living beings, becoming the very direction his will pointed. An incarnation of intent that surpassed Hierarchy, building his own Domain.
He had a human form, but this man was no longer a mere human.
Could it even be possible to attempt a normal conversation with such a being?
As the Dean shook his head with a dejected expression, having realized this, Evan slowly rose from behind the flags that had concealed his face.
Unlike when they conversed in the Dean’s office earlier, his expression seemed somewhat inorganic.
Yet, Evan, whose outward appearance hadn’t changed, rose from his seat and walked towards Adamant Thunder, who was approaching from afar.
“…”
Evan, in his pure white gown, and Adamant Thunder, in his black coat, faced each other.
This was the first meeting between Vulcan’s most promising researcher and its most dangerous wizard.
As everyone held their breath and quietly watched the moment, Evan spoke first.
“Welcome to Rebatenon University of Magic, Tower Lord. I am Evan Vylun, senior researcher of the Elemental Department.”
“…”
“We’ve prepared a small event to reciprocate your difficult decision, would that be acceptable?”
Adamant Thunder did not reply to Evan’s words.
Instead, he merely gazed at Evan with an unreadable, languid expression.
Evan, too, said nothing further, waiting for a response.
The Elemental Department lecture hall fell silent in an instant.
As he leaned slightly on his staff, gazing at Evan, the air around them gradually grew rigid.
“Hey, this is…”
“Security team, move. Prepare for the worst-case scenario.”
A high-level superhuman. Moreover, an Archwizard who had established his own magical system, never acted without reason.
Even a meaningless reaction or gesture could determine the lives and deaths of everyone gathered here.
Just as the superhumans positioned all around were about to move, holding their breath,
“I didn’t come here to receive useless greetings.”
Adamant Thunder spoke.
“If possible, let’s postpone that.”
“…”
Evan gestured to the Dean, received his affirmation, and nodded naturally.
“Understood. Then we will proceed immediately with confirming the terms of the agreement.”
Though he said that, such a gathering would likely not happen twice. But everyone knew and assented.
Adamant Thunder followed Evan and took the vacant main seat, and the three or four superhumans who followed him sat in the adjacent seats.
Each individual was a superhuman with considerable mana. Their appearances and characteristics were quite distinctive, but no one had the luxury to pay attention to that.
As all eyes focused on Adamant Thunder, quietly seated, the Dean slowly opened his mouth.
“I have a personal question, if I may ask just one?”
“…”
While others quietly exchanged glances, Adamant Thunder, resting his chin on one hand, spoke.
“If it’s related to the agreement.”
“Why did you choose to sign an agreement with Rebatenon first, leaving aside other research institutes or Magic Towers? An Archwizard of your caliber surely wouldn’t be desperate.”
The Dean asked quietly.
“Is it, perhaps, to have Assistant Professor Vylun admitted into your Magic Tower?”
“Dean…!”
A question that cut directly to the core of the agreement without any preamble.
Other professors and escorts turned, startled, but the Dean paid them no mind and continued.
“Since this matter proceeded so abruptly, I must hear an answer to this question here.”
The Dean said, meeting Adamant Thunder’s indifferent gaze directly.
“As Dean, I have a duty to protect Rebatenon’s students and researchers. Even if this matter proceeded through Assistant Professor Vylun, whether there was any coercion involved is a very important issue.”
“…”
Adamant Thunder, as expected, did not respond immediately to the Dean’s words.
He merely tilted his head slightly, chin resting on his hand, as if contemplating what to say.
Other researchers cautiously watched him with nervous expressions.
It was needless to say how much Rebatenon’s standing would rise, and how much the position of the faculty under him would strengthen, due to this agreement.
They were extremely anxious that the agreement might break due to the Dean’s rash statement.
However, the Dean seemed determined to confirm Evan Vylun’s situation, even knowing that fact.
This was likely because, given that Evan had arranged this, he suspected there might be external pressure involved in the negotiation process.
His resolute demeanor was completely different from when he had confided his worries to Evan.
Perhaps even while engaging in idle conversation in the Dean’s office, he had been considering the worst possibilities in his mind.
The air around them instantly sharpened, and the superhumans seated next to Adamant Thunder wore uncomfortable expressions.
At that moment, Adamant Thunder, who had been staring at the Dean, spoke.
“I was merely postponing it until now. It was something that had to be done eventually.”
“What do you mean—”
As the Dean faltered at the incomprehensible reply,
“You can rest assured, there will be nothing to worry about.”
Adamant Thunder closed his eyes and replied.
“If I thought I couldn’t keep even that much within my grasp, I wouldn’t have started.”
“…”
Did he mean he was confident he could lead the situation as he wished, even while leaving Rebatenon and Evan Vylun free?
The Dean, momentarily overwhelmed by the composure and confidence emanating from that calm reply, closed his mouth.
“If he desires my research achievements, then he would naturally wish to preserve my mind in a relatively intact state.”
Evan, seated beside him, smiled faintly and answered on his behalf.
“Adamant Thunder is not a wizard skilled in mental manipulation from the start. You can rest assured on that front.”
“Ass-Assistant Professor Vylun…!”
Others trembled as if having a seizure at Evan’s unhesitant declaration about Adamant Thunder’s abilities, but surprisingly, the wizard did not react much to his words.
Instead, he merely smiled faintly and shook his head.
“There are ways to make someone listen that don’t necessarily involve tampering with their mind.”
As he removed his hand from his chin, immense mana swirled between his fingers.
Koooooong…!!
The air grew heavy with that simple rotation of mana, and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.
It felt like an illusion that the Archwizard’s mana, projecting a powerful will, was gradually distorting the entire space-time.
The entire conference room seemed to be transforming into a domain alienated from the outside.
“Gasp…!!”
The faces of the people seated in the conference room instantly turned pale, and their lips turned purplish as if their breath was caught in their throats.
This was because everyone directly and fully encountered the chilling killing intent that trembled beneath the will contained within the mana Adamant Thunder had just unleashed.
“How can mana be so sinister…!!”
“This isn’t a human’s mindset…”
With that single gesture, everyone instantly understood why this cold-faced wizard carried such a mad reputation.
Even by merely drawing up mana without any incantation or prelude, the sense of uncanny discomfort was this overwhelming.
If he were to wield a spell imbued with his intent, every living creature seated here would surely turn into a handful of ashes.
No one present was unaware of the fact that countless power brokers and monsters had already met their end at his hands.
The moment people, who realized their lives could hinge on a single gesture from the expressionless wizard, couldn’t bear it and began to raise their own mana to resist.
Saaak!
Adamant Thunder’s surging intent vanished without a trace, as if it were a lie.
“Ha, haa…”
“Hoo, hoo…!!”
Cold sweat dripped from everyone, and rough breaths were drawn in gasps from various places, despite having done nothing.
Adamant Thunder ignored the reactions around him, simply clenching his own mana into nothingness with one hand, and spoke.
“I have met your conditions, but you will surely pay the price for entrusting me with bothersome tasks. Do you understand?”
“It was not a contract that forced unilateral loss on one side, however.”
Evan replied with a calm smile.
He seemed unusually unaffected by the Archwizard’s strong pressure that had weighed down the surroundings.
On the table in front of Evan, a blue-glowing fox spirit had appeared.
“If we’ve joined hands for a necessary part, then anything beyond that will require further discussion, I believe.”
“…”
“If you wish, we can add that part to this agreement as well.”
Adamant Thunder did not answer immediately.
He merely continued to gaze at Evan with an unreadable, languid expression.
Evan also met his gaze, maintaining his smiling expression.
Everyone else quietly watched the two figures, seated at either side of the main table in the conference room, staring at each other.
Evan’s composure, discussing only the main points despite the Archwizard’s chilling warning, and Adamant Thunder’s reaction of merely gazing at Evan without taking any particular action.
Everyone realized that the decisive reason this agreement could be forged lay with these two, and that only Evan could directly communicate with Adamant Thunder.
Perhaps, as the Dean had suggested, the fundamental reason and justification for the agreement was due to that researcher in the pure white gown.
“…Yes, from that point on, it likely doesn’t matter.”
Adamant Thunder rested his chin on his hand again, closed his eyes, and nodded slowly.
“Bring the contract. I’m tired and wish to finish quickly…”
“…”
Contrary to the chilling intent that seemed to consume the entire space, he unexpectedly seemed to be in poor condition.
It was rumored that he had suffered several major injuries and his health had deteriorated from various activities; the rumors seemed to be true after all.
Perhaps his appearance with the staff was also part of that.
As the professors and researchers recalled the rumors about Adamant Thunder, an attendant immediately brought the agreement.
Its basic format was no different from the agreements Rebatenon University made with other research institutes.
It stipulated sending a fixed number of researchers periodically to exchange results and allowing the university to propose desired projects commercially.
All related notarization would be directly handled by the City Government’s Central Council, explicitly stating that it was for public benefit.
As the attendant carefully placed the agreement in front of Adamant Thunder, the wizard raised a finger.
Kiiiiing…!!
The silver mana flowing from his slender finger transformed into the shape of a seal.
“…!!”
“M-mana Shaping!!”
“A technique belonging to Casting Alchemy, performed by a human body…!!”
A transcendent level of Mana Shaping that converted mana itself into tangible mass.
As some of the professors, recognizing that unreal magical manipulation, made choked sounds, Adamant Thunder immediately picked up the seal and was about to press it onto the agreement.
“Tower Lord, I believe there’s one procedure left before confirmation.”
The woman sitting next to Adamant Thunder spoke.
“Since our Magic Tower is affiliating with Rebatenon, shouldn’t an internal facility inspection and review of the educational institution precede?”
“…Who are you?”
“Pleased to meet you, Dean Garteanon.”
Brushing back her fiery red hair, she naturally extended a hand.
“I am Tatiana Chiglet, the Elemental Archwizard of the Tower.”
“The Witch of Conflagration?”
At that moment, someone among the professors who recognized the woman muttered in disbelief.
Turning her red eyes, she smiled calmly and shook her head.
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“Why is a warmage who made a name for herself on the Central Front…”
“If you’re talking about my old job, I’ve changed employers. It’s not so strange, is it?”
“…”
“From now on, all matters related to the agreement will be discussed through me.”
“So you were a Flame Wizard from Blaiver Tower.”
The Dean also seemed to immediately recognize Tatiana just from her name and alias.
If he was receiving news from the Central Front via a secret line, he would certainly be familiar with the renowned experts on the front lines.
However, instead of asking why Tatiana was affiliated with Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower, the Dean nodded with a benevolent smile.
“If you’re from another Magic Tower, you must have ample experience in such matters.”
The Dean said, turning his gaze towards Adamant Thunder.
“As you say, an internal inspection is certainly a necessary procedure for this agreement. However, I thought it was a matter for the Tower Lord to decide directly.”
“…”
“If you wish, an internal facility inspection and performance review of the educational institution can be done immediately. Assistant Professor Vylun and I will personally guide you.”
Naturally, the Dean had not been idle after hearing about the agreement from Evan.
From the moment he gathered the faculty and researchers and arranged the meeting, he had already assigned tasks such as a welcoming ceremony, facility tours, and project demonstrations.
However, he had simply thought that if Adamant Thunder, the main party to the agreement, did not wish for it, there was no reason for them to insist.
Essentially, it was Adamant Thunder’s Magic Tower making the choice, and Rebatenon was purely in the position of accepting the proposal.
But Adamant Thunder, after hearing that, seemed to ponder for a moment, then put down the seal and slowly nodded.
“If it’s just looking around the Elemental Department and a couple of other places.”
“…You seem tired, is that alright?”
“As Tatiana said, I intend to entrust her with related tasks from now on.”
Adamant Thunder replied with a languid expression.
“If she requested it, I should grant it.”
“…Understood. We’ll prepare immediately.”
Even though he looked to be in very poor condition, he intended to grant Tatiana’s request?
Though he was said to be mad, perhaps his nature wasn’t entirely cruel to his subordinates.
Regardless of that impression, the professors’ expressions changed dramatically upon realizing that Adamant Thunder intended to inspect Rebatenon’s interior.
They frantically turned their heads and contacted their subordinate researchers and graduate students.
“It’s me. Prepare the project demonstration I mentioned immediately.”
“After the Elemental Department, it might be our turn. Call all researchers!”
The professors rushed out of the conference room and disappeared somewhere.
They must have intended to finalize preparations for the project demonstration and inspection starting now.
Perhaps they hadn’t expected Adamant Thunder to personally tour the university’s interior at all.
A bloodthirsty wizard. A battle-hardened combat wizard wouldn’t be interested in university research and projects, they might have thought.
However, Lennok had intended to continue this charade of inspecting the university’s internal facilities from the very beginning.
‘Since I’m entrusting the agreement-related tasks to Tatiana, it’s appropriate to elevate Evan and Tatiana’s positions here.’
Lennok knew the university’s internal facilities and affiliated departments inside and out, but Tatiana, being from an external Magic Tower, did not.
If he could use this opportunity to imprint upon everyone that Adamant Thunder had entrusted Tatiana with the agreement tasks, and to elevate Evan’s position within the university, there was no reason to hesitate.
The mere fact that Adamant Thunder accepted her request, despite being in poor condition, would likely be perceived as significant by others.
As the Dean rose from his seat, Evan and the other professors naturally followed suit.
Evan naturally took the lead, and as Adamant Thunder slowly rose, leaning on his staff.
Hop.
The spirit, which had been coiled on the table, suddenly leaped into Adamant Thunder’s arms.
“…”
Both fell silent at the same time.
Others’ eyes widened as they watched the sudden, bizarre behavior.
The fox spirit’s body, belatedly realizing it had misjudged its landing, slid down his coat.
The young man stared blankly at the spirit clinging to his coat, while the spirit, sweating profusely, cautiously observed him.
[…]
Anyone could tell from its reaction that it had clearly made a mistake inadvertently.
Adamant Thunder looked at the spirit with an unreadable expression.
Davi, wagging its tail under the gaze of dozens of people, struggled to speak.
[…Poo, pooh.]
“…”
“…”
[Pooh, pooh, poooooh~!!]
Only a quiet silence filled the corridor in front of the lecture hall, where everyone was speechless.