Chapter 33
Magic is inherently a task that requires a lot of preparation.
With circulating mana as the starting point, chanting a spell is just the basics.
In that state, one must also distinguish which Magic to use and what formula to apply.
Furthermore, when finally using Magic, the intent must be clear.
Since Magic was no different from a miracle that manifested the impossible.
The desire for a miracle to happen is no different from a prayer.
And a prayer must always have a purpose.
Therefore, if there are a hundred Wizards, there are a hundred types of Magic.
Even if they use the exact same Magic, their individual intentions and experiences differ.
The result might be the same, but the process itself could be said to vary wildly.
Because Wizards require a tremendous amount of preparation even when chanting a single spell.
They usually produce below-average firepower in unfamiliar environments.
This is because their mindset changes due to the difference in the environment.
Then what if it were their most familiar space?
Is it the place where they were born and raised, where they always practiced Magic?
What about the Magic used in the location they always stayed in for Magic research?
“An unbelievable amount of firepower comes out!”
Pababababak!
Colorful Magic circles were drawn in the air, and at the same time, a wide variety of Magic was fired at the Crown Prince.
The severed legs were reattached as if they had never been cut.
The Magic Tower Lord, Archbold, who had been moving like a turtle, had also shifted his position at some point.
He was recovering his body near the wizards.
“No matter how mighty you are, the Magic Tower is the Territory and workshop of wizards. Do you intend to face wizards in their most prepared space!”
Archbold thought that anyone could see he had the advantage.
And his calculations had already concluded that it was actually true.
“I was surprised that the Barrier was breached, and that the Protective Spell was destroyed… A dragon! If it is the work of a dragon that has reached the Pinnacle of Magic, then everything makes sense!”
Dragons were certainly a great Race.
The Pinnacle of Magic, beings capable of completing Magic without a formula simply by spitting it out.
Dragon words and a Dragon Heart exist.
And the pressure that any Race of a lower status than a dragon would naturally receive is Dragon Fear.
Everything.
“I can finally reach a dragon! A Dragon Heart! I can get my hands on something that only exists in legends!”
It fell perfectly into place to fulfill his long-cherished desire.
The Crown Prince was not.
He knew the Empire was strong.
But even so, he felt it had made far too arrogant a choice.
“No matter how strong you are, you cannot cover the sky alone, so how could you come alone? No, just the two of you with a dragon!”
Right now, the number of wizards might only be a few dozen.
But if the surrounding Magic Towers moved immediately upon hearing the news of the attack.
Assuming they all truly gathered, it would be a four-digit number.
Could he handle a thousand wizards alone?
And none of them were mere riffraff.
They were all individuals who had drawn at least five circles in their hearts.
If those who had just entered the path of Magic were included, the number would be a staggering several thousand.
“Because it’s called a Magic Tower, did you think there were only a few towers? You’re wrong! This is the Nation of Mages!”
Even now, wizards were gathering one after another.
They didn’t particularly need an explanation of the situation.
There was an enemy before their eyes.
It didn’t matter if it was the Crown Prince.
Because the Magic Tower was a Noble place,
Even if the Crown Prince had come, they would not forgive him if he were insolent.
Pajijijijik, bang!
Countless spells gathered and mixed together, flying toward the Crown Prince.
Not only did he fearlessly invade the Magic Tower, but he also wanted to turn them all into slaves?
It was an incredibly arrogant statement.
“You can’t even properly withstand this Magic Bombardment right now! How do you plan to turn us into Staff-wielders?”
Archbold laughed.
And at the same time, he moved to show why he was called an Archmage.
The nine rings situated in his heart rotated fiercely.
Nine signified imperfection.
Imperfection was the final stage before perfection.
The Inner World meant to approach perfection was manifested outward.
“Magic Garden! Altus Orchard!”
The world changed in an instant.
It was originally a technique with a very long casting time, but because he was in the Magic Tower, he had a perfect advantage.
It was a familiar environment, a space he had practiced in countless times, and the sky where his own magical power overflowed everywhere.
The conclusion that it was impossible to lose lodged itself firmly in his mind.
In reality.
It was only a little over five minutes, but firepower capable of easily wiping out dozens of territories struck the Crown Prince and the dragon.
Of course, they wouldn’t die from this. He had no intention of killing them either, because there were still things left to extort from the Empire.
“I will make known the greatness of the Magic Tower, the power of Magic, and my authority… and roll the Empire under my feet.”
Seueueueu.
The vision of where the Crown Prince and the dragon were blurred due to the mana released from the clashing Magic.
“Enough! Halt!”
Archbold issued an order to the wizards to cease fire, who were still gathering even at this moment.
Because he thought they might actually die if they fired any more.
“Haha, no matter how mighty Sol Bellos is… it is ultimately Human power! As long as you are bound by Human power, you cannot overcome a numerical disadvantage!”
This was also true for the dragon, known as the Pinnacle of Magic.
The Magic Tower hadn’t just played around for a long time above the Empire.
During that time, they had focused solely on Magic research.
They had created various artifacts, and after much research, they were able to create a Magic System completely different from that of dragons.
“Humans no longer use Dragon Magic. The fact that dragons taught Magic is a thing of the past! Humans! We will now reign proudly with Human Magic!”
It felt so good to be able to make this declaration to a dragon.
Seueueueuk.
While Archbold was blabbering on all by himself.
The mana slowly cleared, revealing the figures of the Crown Prince and the dragon.
However, their appearance was completely different from what Archbold had expected.
“Was this the principle?”
“Yes, Your Highness. As expected, you learn incredibly fast.”
The first thing that caught his eye was the fireball above the Crown Prince’s hand.
Whether it was right to call it a fireball, or if it was right to call it a Little Sun.
That thing, whose very name was ambiguous, was burning fiercely within the Crown Prince’s grasp.
“Magic-Devouring Magic, it certainly is useful.”
“Because Your Highness learned from your Servant, it is on a different level from ordinary Magic. You are walking a Unique Magic Path.”
“I like it.”
Leaving the Little Sun aside, the conversation he heard was even more ridiculous.
Judging solely by the atmosphere of the conversation, it seemed like the two were having a lesson leisurely.
In this situation where hundreds of wizards had gathered and were pouring out Magic.
They were leisurely having a Magic lesson, and in the process, created Magic-Devouring Magic?
And it wasn’t just Magic, but walking a Unique Magic Path?
Because he clearly knew what that meant.
Archbold glared with wide eyes.
This was an insult to his lifelong dedication to Magic.
He had devoted everything to walk a Unique Magic Path, to escape the category of Dragon Magic.
But now, the Crown Prince, who hadn’t even shed the appearance of a youth, was doing it?
He absolutely could not tolerate it.
“You baaaaaastaaaaard!”
Therefore, Archbold was enraged.
The feeling of having everything denied, a talent that mocked the time he had dedicated to Magic, was right before his eyes.
He had to crush him.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Archbold ordered them to pour out Magic once again.
At that very moment.
“Since I’ve taken all the Magic lessons, Arveda, I will now teach you.”
“What will you teach me?”
“The Staff Crafting Method.”
The Crown Prince lightly tossed the Little Sun in his hand into the air, as if bouncing a ball.
It was once again amidst hundreds of spells pouring down.
Seueueueuk.
The Crown Prince’s gaze turned to the Little Sun.
“Explosion.”
That was the moment he lightly opened his mouth.
Hwaaaaaak!
Overwhelming Firepower burned everything.
+++++
“Ha.”
I let out a hollow laugh as I looked around the surroundings that had been devastated in an instant.
It was because I had discovered one more terrifying thing about the Crown Prince.
“It wasn”t a completed strength?'
The Crown Prince possessed a talent that allowed him to become endlessly stronger.
The most terrifying aspect of this body wasn’t its inherent strength.
It lay in a learning ability that mocked that strength.
If he wanted to learn, he could learn.
The Crown Prince made this nonsensical thing possible.
The result is right now.
He wanted to swallow Magic with the power of Sol Bellos.
Arveda helped him from the side.
And so, he created a fire that swallowed Magic.
No effort was required in this process.
He understood the moment he heard it, and applied it the moment he understood.
This was an insane talent that eliminated the intermediate process called practice.
With that single talent, the Magic Tower was devastated.
“The subtlety of Dispel is truly exquisite.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Unlike the devastated Magic Towers.
None of the wizards died.
It would be accurate to say they were brought to the exact state right before death.
I wanted to claim they were perfectly roasted.
Medium well-done.
Even while feeling burning agony, even if the severe pain of their nerves burning and their eyeballs boiling pierced their brains,
No one died, and they had no choice but to taste the shock of their flesh burning slowly.
Because that was the kind of Magic I wanted to use.
“Still, Archbold, thanks to you, I wasn’t bored. Practical application is important for Magic, and thanks to you, I clearly learned the use of my Magic.”
“Heuk, heueueueueu…”
Even as he collapsed, Archbold kept his gaze fixed on one spot.
No, to the point where it was hard to speak.
I knew his vocal cords had already melted together, making it structurally difficult to produce sound.
Still, the fact that he was looking somewhere else right now instead of at me was somewhat hard to understand.
“I destroyed only the outer walls of the Magic Tower precisely and left the research materials inside intact… but what you’re looking at is on a completely different level from that.”
I could read the emotion contained in Archbold’s eyes.
This was clearly the look of someone worrying that something precious might get hurt.
It was much like that of a parent.
“Could it be?”
Right before the Staff Crafting Method stage.
Seogeok.
Leaving behind Archbold, who had become a roasted turtle on firewood, I moved following his gaze.
“Could it be he”s looking at the wall?'
As I swiftly cut down the wall.
The space where the wall should have been collapsed like fabric being cut.
And a small boy revealed himself there.
“Heuk, heueueueuk… heueuk…!”
He was desperately holding back his tears, struggling not to be caught.
But he only looked short; he didn’t give off the feeling of being young in age.
So, if I had to pinpoint his keywords,
[ Keywords Revealed for “Genius Magic Tower Lord”: #Growth #Brilliance #BoyishCharm #TenderHeart ]
“Ha, how kind of it to let me know this.”
Reading the System Message, I was certain that the boy in front of me was the Male Lead of 'Jupeobae'.
A certified Check had flown right in front of my eyes, so it would be ridiculous to think of anything else.
I could have killed him right away.
But when I saw him so terrified, a thought crossed my mind: 'Perhaps?'
“Do you know a woman named Mirne?”
“Th-that older sister… I like her; she’s kind…”
So I attempted a conversation.
“How much do you like her? Enough to die for her?”
“Y-yes? Ah, no… Even so, dying is a bit… I-I have sworn loyalty to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so if I were to die, I think it would be right to die fulfilling my loyalty to His Royal Highness!”
I realized it as soon as we exchanged a few words.
“This guy”s tact is absolutely incredible.'
It even seemed like he hadn’t formed a deep relationship with Mirne yet.
What if this was a lie? Then I could just kill him.
The Male Lead would just keep spawning somewhere else even if he died anyway.
What difference would it make if this one died?
“Arveda, can you place something like a Restriction? I need something where his head immediately explodes if he has any foolish thoughts.”
“Your Servant is always prepared. Shall I apply all of them?”
“Yeah, apply all of them… What’s your name?”
Therefore,
“Y-Your Highness! I am Te, Teo!”
“Alright Teo, I will use you specially as my Custom Staff.”
If it didn’t matter whether I killed him anyway, I decided to try using him usefully.
There was no need to even think about things like the Chance of Annihilation.
Because.
[ You have completely conquered the Magic Tower. ]
[ The Empire’s Probability of Destruction decreases. ]
[ Current Empire’s Probability of Destruction: 70% ]
[ As the Magic Tower has been completely conquered, the National Treasury will recover at a rapid pace. ]
[ The Empire’s Probability of Destruction decreases. ]
[ Empire’s Current Probability of Destruction: 60% ]
[ Status Summary: The possibility of the Empire being destroyed within 5 years has become ambiguous. ]
Because turning the Magic Tower Lord into a roasted turtle on firewood had lowered it by 20%.
Then there was only one thing left to do.
“Teo.”
“Y-yes! Your Highness!”
To these arrogant things that had been looking down on the Empire from the sky all this time.
“Begin the work of making Staff-wielders.”
I would clearly engrave into them what they were born for.