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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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Chapter 181: The Myriad Demon Assembly (1)
Leaving the office, I slowly made my way to the private room, replaying my conversation with the Alliance Head in my mind.
‘You seem troubled.’
I could sense the anguish of a man carrying a heavy burden.
It wasn't simply old age; his face was etched with deep worry.
Many of the clan Heads, like those from the Vassal and Divine Clans, often wore similar expressions.
He seemed to carry the weight of responsibility, not just as the Tower Head of the White Magic Tower, but as the Head of the entire alliance.
It seemed he had already noticed something amiss.
Demons.
That word wouldn't have just slipped out casually.
It was highly likely he had been deducing and harboring suspicions for a while.
Perhaps his previous meeting with Bellusia's direct descendants was also to confirm his doubts.
Maybe he was already anticipating a traitor within the alliance... No, that's going too far.
‘Could the Alliance Head be a Half-Mask?’
I shook my head as soon as the thought surfaced.
While it was clear the Alliance Head was holding something back, the probability of him being a Half-Mask was almost zero.
People in his position usually had things they couldn't easily speak about.
As soon as I opened the door to the annex, all eyes turned to me.
“Commander!”
“Crazy Mage Squad Commander.”
Fichte, Karios, Hector, were all gathered there.
The Yellow Magic Tower Head was nowhere to be seen.
Judging by the loud voices still echoing from the next room, the elders' quarrel hadn't ended yet.
Karios approached me first.
“Did your talk with the Alliance Head go well?”
“More or less.”
“How long do you plan to stay in Keplan?”
“Nothing's set in stone yet. Unless something urgent comes up, I think I'll stay until my questions are answered.”
Karios nodded and held out his fist.
“Take this.”
Not one to refuse a gift, I accepted it.
It was a small, transparent crystal ball, about two finger joints in size, with a small ring attached so it could be hung on clothing.
“If something urgent comes up, I’ll contact you with this. It might be something too urgent for a letter. If the crystal glows blue…”
Karios met my eyes with a stoic expression.
“Consider it a summons related to our earlier conversation.”
This man was certainly cautious.
His reluctance to speak openly in front of others was proof enough.
As Karios finished his sentence and headed out, I attached the crystal ball's ring to the front of my clothes.
Fichte, who had been observing the surroundings, spoke up.
“I'll be waiting in the room, Commander. Please, talk amongst yourselves first.”
As Fichte entered a room in the corner, Taylor approached me with an awkward look on his face.
“Um… Ruin…”
“What’s with that look on your face?”
Why had the look in his eyes changed so much?
I almost preferred his usual glare.
In short, it was like the look of a puppy that desperately needed to poop.
"... Young Master Ruin. Um."
“Taylor, you know what they say—if a person changes suddenly, they’re bound to drop dead.”
"..."
“Just act like you usually do, you fool.”
Finally, with the relieved expression of a puppy that had just finished its business, Taylor replied.
"I'm going back to Samael."
"Huh?"
"This whole ordeal has given me a lot to think about. About you, Ruin. About myself. And about Samael. You and I walk different paths, but ultimately, we're headed in the same direction. I'm going back to take care of my family and improve my skills. I need to lay the groundwork for the Young Master's return."
While Taylor met my eyes, I didn't say a word.
Thump—
My heart pounded.
It wasn't because Taylor's words were touching, nor because they sounded like dog crap, nor because Taylor was giving me an uncharacteristically strange smile.
"You've reached 6-star. Though it's not perfect."
"...You're right, Ruin."
I could sense it instinctively.
Without opening my Qi channels, without rotating my mana circle.
The moment I looked at Taylor, I just knew.
This had happened before.
'When One-Eyed switched his sword to his left hand.'
I definitely felt this way back then.
Without even examining One-Eyed's body, I just knew it instinctively.
It was the same when One-Eyed picked up a dagger instead of a sword.
This phenomenon was beyond my understanding.
Perhaps...
'No way?'
A possibility suddenly crossed my mind.
I abruptly sat down and started meditating.
'Could it be that I've reached the level of a sage? Myself?'
Suddenly, I heard voices from the side.
"What are you doing all of a sudden?"
"Shh. Don't talk to the Commander when he's meditating."
"He starts meditating in the middle of a conversation?"
"He's always been like that."
"Really? Has he always meditated in such a punchable way?"
'Levitation.'
Maintaining my meditative posture, I flew over and flicked Zion on the head.
Flick—
"This fucking, Commander."
"You said you wanted to hit me?"
"So?"
"So I hit you."
"What kind of dog shit logic is that!"
Whew.
There's a guy here who can flick someone while meditating.
That's me.
Anyway, judging by the sudden surge of anger, it seems I haven't become a sage.
Looking around, I suddenly pointed at the others and said,
"Just meditate for now."
The atmosphere immediately turned serious.
As the others retreated to one side, Hector slowly approached me.
"It's been a while, Ruin."
As expected, this guy hasn't changed a bit.
"You should fix your tone first, Vice Tower Head."
Taylor looked at me with a surprised expression.
But Hector simply stared at me for a moment and then nodded.
"Alright. Let's talk for a bit, Commander of the Crazy Mage Squad."
"Make it quick."
Hector glanced around and then gestured to me.
"Follow me."
"That unpleasant way of speaking is still the same."
"I have something to say."
Hector abruptly headed out the door and entered another nearby room.
Ha.
Despite feeling irritated, I was concerned by the serious look on Hector's face. It didn't seem like he was just making small talk, so I followed him.
***
"What do you have to say?"
I asked Hector as soon as we entered the small, soundproof room.
While Hector hesitated for a moment, Taylor entered the room and stood beside him.
"I've already heard everything. The 8th Elder died in the Demon Realm. Many members of the Red Magic Tower died too. If it weren't for you, the damage would have been much greater. I'm grateful for that. And Crazy Mage Squad Commander, I heard from Taylor about the results of the incantation you and your squad cast. It was hard to believe."
He seemed to be beating around the bush.
"What do you really want to say?"
Hector stared intently at me and slowly began to speak.
"Are you satisfied with your magic?"
"...What?"
"Incantation magic. I'm asking if you're satisfied with it."
"Master!"
Taylor looked at Hector as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Do you really think you can surpass knights with that?"
"So that's what you wanted to say. You're overstepping your bounds, Hector."
To think I'd have to listen to such idiotic questions even here.
I thought he might have something important to say about the monsters, but this guy was still stuck in the past.
"Do you really believe you can surpass even the knights of the Divine Clan with magic?"
Suddenly, an aura emanated from Hector, and I involuntarily met his gaze.
'...So that's what you were really curious about.'
He was strong.
It was a different feeling from when I saw Karios.
He definitely felt different from the last time I saw him.
I understood why Hector brought this up.
"You want me to reassure you, Hector. I know you forced open the Demon Realm."
Right after I plunged the Fire Sword into the demon's heart.
The sun that rose, dyeing the splitting sky of the Demon Realm red.
It was clearly an artificial phenomenon.
Fire magic, at least 7-star level or higher.
Among those outside the barrier, there was only one person who could unleash such magic.
Even if I hadn't killed the demon, the Demon Realm would have been forcibly opened soon after.
"I see you poured all your strength into protecting your disciple."
I now understood who Taylor's stubborn gaze resembled.
"Incantation magic is inherently powerful. If you properly manifest your imagination, it's not impossible to defeat even a knight of the Divine Clan. But that's not what you're really curious about, is it?"
I stared directly at Hector.
"What you're really curious about is the limit of your magic."
Hand Sign magic cannot contain the high-quality elements present in the mana of the atmosphere, and crucially, it cannot contain imagination.
I was about to give him the answer, but I paused. I suddenly remembered Taylor using 'Reflection Shield'.
Looking at the two of them, I said,
"Don't seek answers from me. Figure it out yourself."
***
"Master Ruin, you don't look well. Is something troubling you?"
This was the question I heard as soon as I returned to the room and faced Fichte.
My irritation from the conversation with Hector refused to subside.
It seemed like every encounter with that guy left me in a bad mood.
"Shall we talk again later?"
I shook my head and cleared my thoughts.
"It's alright. Let's talk now."
Fichte observed me for a moment and then replied,
"Alright. Where shall we start?"
"Let's get straight to the point. I saw Black Star in the Demon Realm."
Fichte tilted her head in confusion.
"Are you referring to Black Star of the Baltahar clan?"
[TL/N: From this chap onwards Balthar→Baltahar (Correct Spell)]
"It seems so. Do you happen to know his position within the Baltahar clan?"
"That's strange. Black Star is the first son of the Clan head."
"The eldest son?"
"He is the eldest son, but it's a bit complicated. He's not the heir apparent."
"What do you mean?"
"He was eliminated from the competition for clan headship early on. Voluntarily, in fact."
Fichte tilted his head again and continued,
"The anecdote about him declaring he would not inherit the position of clan head because he was only interested in the sword is quite famous."
"He has an unusual personality."
"He is considered a once-in-a-millennium genius within the Balthahar clan. I know he rarely stays within the clan estate, but... was Black Star really in the Demon Realm?"
"Yes. Although he disappeared without a trace. I can somewhat understand why that guy was so obsessed with Black Star."
I summarized what had happened in the Demon Realm.
About meeting the man with the Half-Mask.
About how he was behind the Demon Realm incident, and how his main goal was to turn Black Star into a monster.
Fichte sighed.
"He was confident that he could subdue Black Star... In the end, the clown you mentioned in your last letter is likely referring to the mask."
"I think so too."
"Is there a possibility that the clown is the one with the Half-Mask?"
"Rather than a clown, hmm... it was like a mask a thief would wear. Besides, that guy said the clown betrayed him, so it can't be."
I asked Fichte,
"Do you have any guesses?"
"There are a few things I'd like to mention."
Fichte began speaking, as if carefully organizing his thoughts.
"Excluding assumptions, I'll only tell you definite facts or near-certain estimations. As I continued to investigate Parin's background based on the information I received from Master Karios and you, Master Ruin, I found some things. First, I'd like to ask you something. How much do you know about Magic Towers?"
"That's a broad question."
"Besides the four major Magic Towers – White, Red, Blue, and Yellow – there's one more."
I suddenly recalled something Dyke had said.
"Are you talking about the Black Magic Tower?"
"You know about it?"
"I've only heard the name; I don't know anything else. It doesn't seem to be in Keplan. Where is it located?"
Fichte nodded matter-of-factly.
"It has no fixed location. It's a veiled Magic Tower. Neither the Tower Head nor its members have been identified. I assume a small number of people move between various locations."
"How did you learn about this Magic Tower?"
"There are traces left behind. Although they are records from a long time ago. They are individuals who operate under different names, like mercenaries. Their last appearance was 20 years ago."
"That's strange. What kind of magic do they use?"
"Similarly, that hasn't been revealed. However, according to the records left in the clan, there's a common characteristic: the land in the areas where they participated in battles was stained black. There are also records of soldiers experiencing mental disturbances."
I immediately asked the main point,
"What does this have to do with Parin?"
"That's the crucial part."
Fichte nodded and continued,
"Surprisingly, the last time the Black Magic Tower appeared, the name they used publicly was 'Clown Troupe'."
"Are you joking?"
"No. I'm telling you this after investigating all the rumors related to clowns."
"You're serious."
Fichte's eyes gleamed as she replied,
"I focused on finding common ground between the clown and Parin. As a result, while investigating Parin's whereabouts, I discovered a rocky mountain presumed to be a dwelling place of the Black Magic Tower. It's located in an area called Lile, not too far north of Keplan."
"Lile? I've never heard of it."
"The locals call that rocky mountain 'Black Mountain'. The surrounding rocks were stained black."
"What did you find out?"
"That's what I intend to find out now."
Fichte pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. It was scorched black, partially burned, and pieced together from small, torn fragments.
"There were traces of Parin moving quite hastily. I found this nearby."
I looked at Fichte and then took out the dagger from my pocket, imbuing it with mana.
The moment I brought it close to the torn paper, the letters gradually appeared, stained in black.
[Notification of attendance at the Myriad Demon Assembly. Urgent.]
"Myriad Demon Assembly?"
Fichte's face fell noticeably.
"It seems... there's no doubt about it now."
After a moment of silent eye contact, Fichte murmured,
"The demons have colluded with humans."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Prøks]
[Proofreader - Prøks]
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