Chapter 276: Episode 276

“Tower Master, the Cataclysm has begun.”

“Yeah, I’ve arrived.”

I was in Sanggye-dong. To stop the disaster, there was something I had to reclaim first. I hadn’t expected to visit the Magic Tower so soon, but given the circumstances, I had no choice. I raised a hand to my earpiece.

“Seojin, what’s Na Daeyong’s location?”

“He’s moved to handle the Cataclysm that appeared in Incheon.”

“Okay.”

I started walking. The Sanggye-dong of today was a world away from the desolate ghost town it had been five years ago. The entire area had been redeveloped, attracting research complexes and magic-related facilities, with new buildings lining the streets. The city of Seoul had even designated it a “Magic Research District.” And at the forefront of it all was the restricted area.

’Wow.’

It wasn’t the half-assed barbed wire fence from before. An imposing, high white wall now surrounded it, complete with a ceiling. I never imagined they would enclose the entire restricted zone. I approached the main gate, which was guarded by security.

“Please present your identification.”

I held out the card Jeong Seojin had given me—an access permit that only administrator-level staff of the Magic Tower could issue. The guards glanced at the card and stepped aside without a word.

With a soft sound, the gate slid open. My heart pounded as I stepped inside.

’Whoa.’

It was hard to believe this was the same restricted area. It felt more like I had just walked into a large shopping mall. The interior was heated, and though empty now because of the disaster, rows of restaurants and shops stretched out before me. I stepped onto a moving walkway, the kind you see at airports, and it carried me swiftly toward my destination. It was hard to find any trace of the old restricted zone, but when I activated Deva’s Eye and looked past the walls, I understood.

’…Aha.’

Beyond the walls lay a dense forest teeming with monsters. The areas behind the pillars and partitions were the original restricted zone. A facility map on the wall showed that Field Magic had been used to minimize the monster territory and greatly expand the human-accessible areas.

’A brilliant idea. Is this Seojin’s work too?’

A moment later, the walkway stopped. A transparent door marked the exit. As it slid open, a gust of cold wind and mist flowed in. This was the edge of the Mist Barrier. The facility extended from the entrance of the restricted zone right up to this point. I stepped out and strode through the fog. After a few minutes, an open space unfolded before me.

’It’s as beautiful as ever.’

The sight of the majestic Magic Tower, standing tall and proud, stirred something in my chest. It was exactly as I remembered. There were no guards here. They were either all dispatched to deal with the disaster, or perhaps none were needed. Only those with the Tower’s crest could enter, so there was no fear of intruders. With a flutter of excitement, I placed my palm on the main gate.

Fwoosh!

With a familiar pulling sensation, I was inside the Tower. It had been so long that I nearly stumbled.

“Who goes there?”

The mages resting in the Golden Lobby shot to their feet. I smiled nonchalantly. “I’m here on Manager Jeong Seojin’s orders. I have something to pick up on the second floor.”

I took out the official document Seojin had given me and handed it to the mage who appeared to be in charge. He read it and nodded.

“Very well.”

Then he tore the document in half. He tore it into smaller and smaller pieces right in front of me, letting them flutter to the floor. His voice was laced with hostility.

“All units, prepare to attack.”

Click! Clack!

The dim lobby was suddenly illuminated, not by lights but by the glow of magic circles from the mages surrounding me. It had been a trap from the start.

“What is the meaning of this?” I asked.

“It is the Tower Master’s command. Apprehend anyone who enters the Magic Tower from this moment on. Even if that person is…” The mage’s eyes turned icy. “… an administrator.”

I remained silent.

“Someone sent by an administrator? Of course they’re a target for arrest.”

On the day Ha Yerin was nearly kidnapped, Seojin had sent a warning to Jin Bora. Although she had replied, Seojin found it strange.

“Jin Bora usually just leaves my messages on read.”

It was a pathetic reason to feel suspicious, but it was enough… In any case, it raised the possibility that Jin Bora was in danger. And indeed, she hadn’t been seen at the Magic Tower since that day.

“Where’s Bora?”

At the mention of her name, a few of the mages scowled. The one in front of me answered with a blank face. “She’s taking some time to recover.”

“That’s a calm way of saying you’ve imprisoned her,” I retorted, my eyes scanning the magic circles of the surrounding mages. There were various attributes, but as Yerin had said, the five major ones were the most common. “Since I’m back, how about I offer a special consultation service? Free of charge.”

“…What?”

I placed my hand on the magic circle cast by the mage directly in front of me. He flinched and tried to fire the spell, but of course, nothing happened.

“I see a few unnecessary formulas here.” I channeled my mana, interfering with his magic circle. The mana, which had been crackling in resistance to an external force, suddenly surged as if welcoming mine, assimilating with it.

“H-How is this possible?!”

The mage’s jaw dropped. Magic circles inherently contained resistance and security formulas, yet I had neutralized them with a single touch. Now, I began to rewrite the formulas to my liking, erasing the unnecessary parts, simplifying the structure, and adding new formulas to amplify its power. Then, I stepped aside and tapped the edge of the circle with my finger.

<Ice Javelin>

A spear of frost shot forward and slammed into the wall with a loud crash. The mage’s eyes widened. The javelin was far larger and faster than the one he could create. I walked past the dumbfounded mage and looked up at the ceiling.

“Time to wake up, Ea.”

Fwoooosh!

A brilliant light poured down from above. The mages flinched, shielding their eyes. A silver-haired woman in a pure white dress descended from the sky like a goddess.

“A homunculus…!”

“How? She was supposed to be dormant!”

I gently took her hand as she descended. Her feet landed softly on the floor, and she graced me with a radiant smile.

“Hello, Ea.”

She knelt on one knee and bowed her head respectfully. “I greet the 14th Tower Master.”

Everyone stared in shock. Na Daeyong called himself the 15th Tower Master. So what did the number 14 signify?

“I-It doesn’t matter!” a mage in the back shouted, clutching a radio. “It’s the Tower Master’s order! Fire!”

The well-trained mages moved instinctively. Light flared from their magic circles as they unleashed their spells. But Ea’s eyes narrowed.

Vwmmm!

The incoming spells froze mid-air as if time had stopped.

“What is the meaning of this?” Her eyes blazed. I felt her will connect with my mind, drawing on my mana. At the same time, countless golden arrows materialized around me. —To attack the Master inside the Tower is unforgivable.

The golden arrows shot forward, intercepting and destroying the frozen spells. It had been a long time since I’d felt Ea use my power.

“Th-That’s Rapid Arrow!”

“Then he really is…”

I brought a hand to my face. The Water Veil dissolved, revealing my true features. A blue haze shimmered from my right eye.

“Ah…”

Gasps echoed through the lobby. I then unleashed the pure mana within me. A colossal wave of power filled the Magic Tower, pressing down on every mage present. Sometimes, a demonstration of power is more effective than a thousand explanations, especially when dealing with mages.

“Attack! Keep attacking!” the mage with the radio yelled.

“Submit to the Tower Master,” Ea commanded.

The mages, their fighting spirit completely shattered by my display, began to kneel one by one, just as Ea had.

“We greet the Tower Master!”

As they all bowed their heads, only one man remained standing, glaring at me while clutching his radio.

“What do you all think you’re doing?” he roared. “Even if this man really is Kim Yusin, it was Tower Master Na Daeyong who took us in! Are you going to betray his kindness?”

“Well, he’s not wrong,” I said, smiling as I wrapped an arm around Ea’s waist. “I only came here to get Ea and Bora back. I don’t care whether you serve me or not.”

The mages were silent.

“It’s the truth, isn’t it? This is the era of the 15th Tower Master. I was gone for five years, so it’s natural that the throne changed hands. I accept that. However…” I slowly placed my hand on one of the Tower’s pillars. Blue, vein-like lines of light spread from my palm, connecting with the entire structure. Everyone’s eyes widened. They could all feel the Tower’s mana synchronizing with mine. “What I am asserting is my ownership of this Tower. If you want to serve the 15th Tower Master, go ahead. But let me make one thing clear: you are all illegal tenants, and I am the landlord.”

“Yes, that is correct,” Ea affirmed. “I am the proof. The Tower has only ever chosen the 14th Tower Master, in the past and in the present.”

“If the monk dislikes the temple, the monk should leave. Isn’t that right?”

The mages remained silent.

Finally, the last remaining mage knelt.

“I like your quick judgment,” I said, a wide grin spreading across my face as I looked them over. “From now on, what happened here is a secret.”

I summoned an incantation window in the air and cast a few magic circles, immediately altering the Restriction spell on them.

“If you leak this information through any means or route, you will die.”

They all looked at the newly engraved Restriction on their bodies, likely feeling a stinging sensation as it was modified. I wanted to add more conditions, but the space for the spell’s effect was limited, so I settled for a simple vow of secrecy. Just like that, I had seized control of the Magic Tower. No, I had taken it back.

“I have missed you, Tower Master.”

And at last, I was reunited with my partner. Now, there was nothing to fear.

* * *

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