Chapter 997: The First Gateway (7)
Kugugugu…!!
The secret room on the top floor of the Blazing Crimson Tower, growing intensely hot.
The mere presence of the Magic Tower Lord caused the air temperature to rapidly soar.
Bernard and Angel profusely sweated, as the Magic Tower Lord leisurely observed them.
“A Seeker from Pioneer and an ice-attribute innate ability user, I see. In either case, they are merely innate ability users bound to base talents.”
Chiii-ik!!
As the Magic Tower Lord dipped a finger into a teacup, the tea in his hand instantly grew scalding hot.
Steam billowed, the tea boiling furiously, yet the Magic Tower Lord calmly took a long sip and then asked Lennok, “Do you understand why high-ranking wizards disdain innate abilities?”
“…”
“Unidentified powers and laws hold no meaning. There’s a clear difference between relying on innate talent and being forced to rely on it.”
Whooosh…!!
The air in the room continued to heat up, and parts of Angel’s body slowly melted like water.
A sadistic glint flickered in the Magic Tower Lord’s eyes as he watched Angel.
“There’s no lower limit to those wretches’ talents. They are destined failures, bound to plunge through the bottom and crash at any moment.”
“Well, there are also innate abilities that more easily approach essences difficult to grasp through theory.”
Lennok set down his teacup and said, “You must also know that innate abilities exist in this world that achieve transcendence through means other than spellcraft.”
If spellcraft were inherently superior to innate abilities, Olivera Ron Maize would never have abandoned magic for a mystic eye.
It was an undeniable truth that innate abilities held potential comparable to spellcraft.
Furthermore, Lennok, who personally used a mystic eye, did not agree with the Magic Tower Lord’s words.
Angel’s departure from the Demon Warband to work under Olivera was likely also because she agreed with the answer Olivera had chosen.
The Magic Tower Lord scoffed, as if remembering someone in response to Lennok’s words.
“I have no intention of arguing over a mere handful of exceptions. Such a discussion would be meaningless in this setting.”
“…”
“However, the fact that the Conjunction Spell Master shares a similar view with this Tower Lord serves as good evidence.”
The smile on the Magic Tower Lord’s lips seemed to twist grotesquely for a moment.
“That madman, isn’t he the very anomaly that represents the power of the Order Alliance?”
“The Conjunction Spell Master, you say. Shall we discuss that a bit?”
Lennok adjusted his posture.
“If the Demon Warband made no mistake, then the Watcher of the Eyes of Blue was indeed scheduled to come to the Blazing Crimson Tower today. But isn’t it strange that you are here instead?”
“…”
“I think you need to explain first why you replaced the Watcher, or if there was some kind of deal with the Eyes of Blue.”
Lennok’s gaze, fixed on the Magic Tower Lord, sank deeply.
It was clear that the plan discussed with Bernard had gone awry the moment they failed to meet the Watcher.
But to understand where the plan went wrong, Lennok needed to hear the Magic Tower Lord’s answer.
How he came to be here in place of the Watcher. Why he knew Lennok would come.
“You seem quite urgent. And understandably so.”
But the Magic Tower Lord merely scoffed at Lennok, a mocking smile on his face, not answering rashly.
“If one could feel at ease in the presence of the Conjunction Spell Master’s Domain, then that person would not be qualified as a wizard.”
“…”
“Though a wizard of the Alliance, this Tower Lord also keenly realizes just how extraordinary his talent is…”
A faint hint of vexation mingled in the Magic Tower Lord’s solitary murmur.
Could even the master of one of the continent’s foremost Magic Towers feel such a sense of defeat against the Conjunction Spell Master?
This was a fact hard for Lennok to believe, knowing that the Magic Tower Lord also wielded the combustion magic of the Old World.
However, Lennok showed no emotion, slowly gathering his mana.
“Magic Tower Lord. I know you have business with me.”
Fwoosh…!!
Flames quietly sparked in Lennok’s clenched fist.
“Since we both wield flame magic of the same origin, it’s natural for you to be curious.”
“…”
Lennok spoke softly to the Magic Tower Lord, who silently watched his flames.
“However, I have work to do at the Gateway. If you have a request, shouldn’t we discuss it and come to a conclusion now?”
“Hahaha…”
The Magic Tower Lord let out a wry laugh, set down his teacup, and slowly rose.
With his hands clasped behind his back, the Magic Tower Lord walked to the top-floor balcony, looked down at the stage set on the lower levels, and said, “As I thought, you are no mere former Magic Tower Lord of this tower. If you had allegiance to this tower, you wouldn’t speak like that.”
“…”
“Could it be that the master I personally sent off has returned? This Tower Lord feels foolish for having yearned for it…”
Did he come to confirm Lennok’s identity, wondering if he was one of the former Magic Tower Lords?
To obsess over the traces of a master he himself had killed in the process. This man was certainly no benevolent figure.
Lennok, who had been listening to the Magic Tower Lord with an impassive face, subtly gestured to Angel and Bernard.
“…”
Understanding the gesture, Bernard and Angel quietly began to move towards the exit.
The Magic Tower Lord, who had been lost in thought with his eyes closed, gripped the balcony with both hands and spoke.
“This Tower Lord came here because the Watcher of the Eyes of Blue entered the operating room earlier than scheduled.”
“What?”
“As a result, this Tower Lord was handling the schedule left vacant by the Watcher’s departure. In the process, I simply learned that a flame wizard who had left the Eyes of Blue had arrived at the Gateway City.”
The Magic Tower Lord, looking at the rigid Lennok as if to tease him, said, “What do you think this Tower Lord should do, upon learning this?”
“…”
The news that the high-ranking Watcher of the Eyes of Blue, scheduled for hospitalization, had entered the operating room earlier than planned.
And that the Magic Tower Lord had been handling the Watcher’s appointments in his stead – what could be the reason for that?
The answer was missing the crucial reason why the Magic Tower Lord was doing such a thing.
“You want something from me.”
Lennok rose from his seat and met the Magic Tower Lord’s gaze.
“What answer do you want to hear?”
“Indeed. What do I want, you ask…”
The Magic Tower Lord chuckled lightly and slowly walked.
“Do you know why the Flame Pillars of Blaiver Tower remain at Level 7?”
“…”
“The seventh is completion. The eighth is called transcendence. But transcending the hierarchy doesn’t always lead to good results.”
The Magic Tower Lord spoke softly towards Lennok.
“The eighth Transcendent Rank is a state reached by breaking through an already completed hierarchy. Its instability is beyond comparison to other ranks.”
“It seems you wish to inform me now what a grand wizard is.”
“What this Tower Lord wishes to convey is that on the journey to the Central City, the difference between a Saint Wizard and a Transcendent Rank is not that great.”
Turning his body, the Magic Tower Lord perched on the main seat, resting his chin on his hand.
“A Domain is a difficult power to use on a rapidly changing battlefield. And transcending a hierarchy doesn’t necessarily mean spellcraft advances. Sometimes, a thoroughly trained and perfected Level 7 wizard is more useful than a broken Level 8 wizard.”
The Magic Tower Lord’s crimson eyes focused precisely on Lennok.
“Just as you bypassed other Level 8 superhumans in the Hanghasa Labyrinth and met Adamant Thunder.”
“…”
“Therefore, I’ve taken care to prevent the Flame Pillars from taking unnecessary risks… but your existence has forced this Tower Lord to admit an exception.”
“An exception?”
“Your flame has touched my heart more than dozens of disciples I’ve personally taught. Perhaps no wizard will ever satisfy my eyes as much as you.”
The Magic Tower Lord looked down at Lennok with a haughty expression and said, “Therefore, I swear by my rank here and now. If you join this Magic Tower, the ninth Magic Tower Lord position is yours.”
“…!!!”
Bernard and Angel, who had been quietly listening from a corner of the room, unconsciously gasped.
Even veterans who had survived decades rolling with the Ability Awakening Warband couldn’t hide their agitation.
Just how extraordinary the proposal the Magic Tower Lord had just made to Lennok was.
They knew all too well that the Blaiver Tower Lord was not one to make such an offer to another.
“It is a noble task to inherit the history of a great Magic Tower, but you have already proven your qualification through your results.”
Taking a step closer, the Magic Tower Lord opened his other hand before Lennok’s eyes and tilted his fingers.
“The task of succeeding a ‘spark’ that has not extinguished for hundreds of years. The brilliant and great inspirations one can obtain in that process…”
Between the Magic Tower Lord’s fingers, flames of different colors and forms glowed, floating.
Paruru-reuk…!!!
A warm, pale green flame. A flame as hard as stone. A sky-blue flame emitting sharpness.
Rare-shaped flames Lennok had never once seen in his life as a flame wizard.
“If you have established a family with flame magic, you must know how valuable such a [spark] is.”
The Magic Tower Lord said, naturally placing a hand on Lennok’s shoulder, as if knowing he would be interested in the sparks.
“It is a power you can easily obtain if you become the Magic Tower Lord. All that’s required is a simple verification to confirm if you are truly worthy of the tower.”
“What kind of verification are you talking about?”
“First, perhaps leading the Superheated Unit on the Central Front and achieving military merits? It won’t be a burden. Just burning everything that stands in your way, as you do now, will suffice.”
The Magic Tower Lord quietly tilted his head, as if coaxing, and whispered, “Only this time, it will be the tower’s name, not the Eyes of Blue’s, that you bear before it.”
Had the Blaiver Tower Lord, who lost his position as Gateway administrator due to the Conjunction Spell Master, appeared here to recruit Lennok into the Magic Tower?
Evan Martinez was officially an 8-level flame grand wizard.
It wouldn’t be strange for the Magic Tower Lord to move personally to scout such a high-ranking spellcaster.
It would certainly be a gamble worth taking, even risking offending the Conjunction Spell Master.
“My apologies, but I’ve had more than my fill of similar recruitment offers.”
Lennok turned away, rubbing his neck, and chuckled.
“Even if you offered me the Magic Tower Lord position right now, I wouldn’t be inclined. Such vague words are hard to satisfy.”
“Are you refusing the honor of leading the tower’s name on the battlefield?”
“The tower’s name, you say.”
But Lennok smiled bitterly at the Magic Tower Lord’s words and looked up.
Meeting the burning crimson eyes, Lennok asked, “Isn’t that just you wanting to pass on the tasks you used to have the Flame Pillars do, to me?”
“…”
“You’ve come up with all sorts of pretexts, but the truth is, you’re just short on combat power to work for the tower.”
“Hmph…”
The Magic Tower Lord sighed.
“I was relieved to hear you had a major clash with Chiglet in Vulcan, but it seems that child passed on some strange things to you.”
“…”
“How disappointing. Even after becoming an 8-level grand wizard, can you not properly discern such lies?”
“Lies? Are you referring to why you’re offering me the next Magic Tower Lord position?”
Lennok’s eyes shone coldly as he looked at the silent Magic Tower Lord.
“You explained it grandly, but it’s probably because I’m a wizard who survived fighting Adamant Thunder.”
“…That is.”
“Is there any other reason you, who suffered humiliation from Adamant Thunder and had your Gateway administrator position stolen, would make this offer to me now?”
Lennok’s direct hit to the core of the matter plunged the room into a quiet silence.
“Hmm, it seems you can’t understand even when I speak kindly.”
The Magic Tower Lord delivered a chilling reply with a smiling expression.
“You should have known that my designation of you as the next Magic Tower Lord, without questioning your origin and background, carried such an implication as a gesture of consideration.”
“…”
“If we were to follow every procedure, shouldn’t I first inquire where you learned the tower’s flame magic?”
The Magic Tower Lord’s eyes, now fixed on Lennok, were no longer smiling.
“How dare a thief who stole the tower’s magic… challenge this Tower Lord’s decision?”
“And you made a promise to designate such a thief as the next Magic Tower Lord.”
Lennok smirked and shook his head.
“I know what trick you were trying to pull. You’d designate me as the next Magic Tower Lord but wouldn’t confirm ‘when’ you’d hand over the position, right?”
“…”
“You never even intended to step down from the Magic Tower Lord position in the first place. You just planned to tie me down to a suitable spot and use me.”
Lennok slowly stepped back, rubbing both wrists, and said, “Just like you used and discarded other Flame Pillars like consumables.”
“Hahaha. Now I see. It seems you didn’t just steal the tower’s magic.”
The Magic Tower Lord burst into boisterous laughter.
“Knowing that much about the tower’s secrets… does that mean you also know about the Solar System?”
“…”
“Indeed. So that was it… The reason your flames couldn’t be contained in the Flame-Lock Orb, after all.”
[Vestment of Calamity]
The moment he stepped forward, forlorn flames sparked at his feet.
Fwa-ra-ra-ruk!!
Instantly wrapping his entire body in a mantle of flames, the Magic Tower Lord slowly pushed back his robes and murmured, “You were a heretic who received magic directly from one of the former Magic Tower Lords.”
Kuo-oh-oh…!!
A ring of flames engulfed the room, burning intensely.
Bernard and Angel, their faces pale from the heat, were pushed out of the room as if fleeing.
Gasping for breath, Angel stumbled backward and hastily pulled out a terminal from her pocket.
“Cra… crazy!! No way, here and now…!!”
“Angel, move!!”
Kwah-aak!!
Surging flames rose as if to seize Angel’s hair, and Lennok reacted simultaneously.
Pure white flames, erupting from behind Lennok, blocked and suppressed the Magic Tower Lord’s inferno.
Kwaa-aaang!!
Red and white flames intertwined, spewing forth beyond the Blazing Crimson Tower’s windows. The night sky of the black market glowed brightly.
“Wh-what’s going on?!”
“It’s a fight! At the Blazing Crimson Tower…!!”
Merchants and pedestrians in the black market stiffened, identifying the source of the flames.
A disturbance at the Blazing Crimson Tower, a frequent meeting place for major powers.
Everyone realized that this situation was a disaster caused by the clash of high-level superhumans.
“Everyone in the black market, run!!”
“Save yourselves before the search party arrives!!”
Pwah-aaaak!!
At that moment, flames burst forth from both sides of the pyramid, rising into the night sky and rotating like small suns.
It was as if someone intended to clear the darkness of this battlefield beforehand.
Terrified people instantly dropped their belongings and food, scattering in all directions.
“War has broken out in Gateway City!!”
“No, no…!!”
“The Conjunction Spell Master is coming…!!!”
“Unexpected.”
Lennok said, looking at the chaotic black market below the window.
“Considering you used to be the Gateway administrator, one might expect you to restrain your power to avoid drawing the Conjunction Spell Master’s attention.”
“It’s night, heretic. This is a time when the Veil’s power strengthens, and the environment rapidly transforms.”
The Magic Tower Lord pointed to the black market sky with a cold smile.
“Mana fluctuations beneath the Veil cannot be observed from outside. So, there’s nothing to hold back in capturing a heretic who violated the tower’s rules and making them spill their secrets.”
“The Conjunction Spell Master possessed greater sensory abilities than any wizard I’ve ever seen. Can the Veil truly block what’s happening here?”
“It’s fine. He’s currently busy handling a patient in the operating room.”
The Magic Tower Lord smiled leisurely, slowly changing the color of the flames he was conjuring, and said, “Cutting open and extracting a high-level superhuman’s body requires immense concentration. No matter how powerful the Conjunction Spell Master is, there’s no way he could pay attention here.”
“I see. The Conjunction Spell Master doesn’t have the luxury of focusing his attention here…”
Lennok slowly turned to face the Magic Tower Lord, his eyes chillingly calm.
“How did you know, you, that the Conjunction Spell Master is operating on a patient right now?”
“…”
The operation was scheduled for 24 hours.
But no one knew exactly when the Conjunction Spell Master began the operation after bringing the patient into the operating room.
Even Bernard had advised trying to enter the operating room with the Watcher, rather than just guessing the time, hadn’t he?
If the Magic Tower Lord was confident he could avoid the Conjunction Spell Master’s notice despite this, it must be because he possessed some connection that allowed him to monitor the Conjunction Spell Master’s movements.
Was this possible because the Magic Tower Lord had previously managed the Gateway as the Conjunction Spell Master’s predecessor?
With the plan to contact the Watcher now derailed, Lennok instinctively realized he had to unearth this very point here and now.
“Well, that’s not an answer I can give to a heretic.”
The Magic Tower Lord did not reply. Instead, he simply raised his hand with a strange smile, swirling mana around it.
Whoosh!!
Donning a fiery mantle, he combined two streams of fire that extended from him, conjuring a blazing sphere.
It was a strange form, as if receiving an unending supply of flames directly from the sun itself.
The Magic Tower Lord, instantly ready for battle, looked down at Lennok as if to belittle him and asked, “Is that all you have to say?”
“…Dealing with the Magic Tower Lord wasn’t part of the plan, but if it must be done, then so be it.”
Lennok gave a wry smile and slowly gathered his mana.
“All the secrets you know about the Conjunction Spell Master. And even the [sparks] you hold.”
The forms of the two wizards, silhouetted against the night sky, ignited in flames.
“I will take everything here.”