The Great Cataclysm

The Great Cataclysm

The atmosphere in the hall heated up.

“Shouldn’t we be doing something too?”

“What about offering unlimited food and drinks for a week, like those Society bastards?”

“Are you crazy? We don’t have that many resources! Even if we did, we should be saving them to prepare for the great cataclysm!”

“If we waste time partying around… the Knight Order might launch a surprise attack right away!”

Three hundred years ago, the food situation in the Tower was much worse than it is now.

Yet Society had provided unlimited food and drink for an entire week. Even today, when people in the Tower see wild festivities, they say, “They’re celebrating like it’s an Independence Festival,” referring to how grand the banquet was. Society was that wealthy… and they had established such a solid power base that no other force dared to interfere despite their extravagant partying.

“Then what if we follow Magic Tower’s example… ah, that wouldn’t work.”

“Those crazy bastards are out of the question.”

“What did they do that was so bad?”

“Don’t you know the saying? What do they say when a young mage disappears without a trace?”

“Um, don’t they say ‘The Night of Madness took them’?”

“That’s what happened on the day Magic Tower declared independence. They simultaneously kidnapped promising mages and stole research materials from each faction.”

“What? What happened to the kidnapped mages?”

“They forced them to make loyalty pledges… and those who refused were classified as experimental subjects and auctioned off along with the stolen research materials.”

“That’s insane… Did other organizations just stand by and watch this happen?”

“Well, Magic Tower was powerful enough back then.”

“Ahem… ahem… That’s just their organizational culture. It’s all in the past anyway. Let’s respect their ways.”

The person defending Magic Tower at the end was, of course, originally from Magic Tower.

How shocking…

It seems these Magic Tower bastards have been consistent in their actions from then until now.

Come to think of it, what each organization did at the moment of their independence declaration precisely reflected their character.

Ah, so that’s why the Mage of Refinement asked me that question?

“So… what should we do? We’re not as strong as Society or Magic Tower was back then, right?”

A young mage asked innocently.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the hall.

It was supposed to be the first independence declaration in 300 years, and the formation of the seventh mage organization excluding the Knight Order… yet we hadn’t demonstrated overwhelming power. Of course, we had proven our strength by capturing both Ragnarok and the heir of the Knight Order in a single battle… but that still fell far short of the power that Magic Tower or Society had demonstrated.

“Ahem… perhaps we could just let it pass quietly?”

“Nonsense! Everyone would look down on us!”

Frustrated voices erupted from around the hall. But Pan-Dalus, who was presiding over the meeting, didn’t intervene and simply observed the exchanging opinions.

Oh, my heart is pounding.

I wonder how people would react if the Mage of Refinement Oh Si-jin brought up that idea here?

“There’s something we could try.”

At last, the Mage of Refinement raised his hand.

“What if we hack every staircase and city in the world?”

Rumble!

Chairs toppled and papers flew into the air. People’s necks snapped toward the Mage of Refinement as if they might break. But Mage of Refinement himself remained calm. He even wore a faint sneer on his lips.

All the magical powers focused their attention on Mage of Refinement.

And rightfully so. Even I thought it was impressive. This Oh Si-jin was truly like a protagonist.

But…

You can’t monopolize all the magical powers’ attention.

Now that the celebrity has laid the groundwork, it’s my turn to step up.

Ahem.

I cleared my throat and proclaimed in a clear, resonant voice that pierced through the hall,

“That’s entirely possible. I, the Divine Mage, will hack every staircase and city. All factions will be astonished by our level of magical scholarship, and mages will flock from the top and bottom of the Tower seeking to learn from us.”

The magical powers that had been focused on Refinement began buzzing and gathering around me.

<That’s right! Of course he should be able to do at least that much!>

<Is it really possible? They’re all far from capable enough.>

<If he’s the real deal, this is exactly what he should do.>

The Mage of Refinement gave a bitter smile.

Should I call it experience?

The Mage of Refinement didn’t complain about me stealing his critical statement, but instead brought up practical matters.

“With the Divine Mage and myself working together, it’s certainly possible. However…”

His thumb and index finger formed a circle.

“We’ll need some resources and manpower.”

The magical powers that had gathered around me glanced back at Refinement.

<I prefer him, but this one is good too.>

<That’s true. I’ve never been disappointed by him.>

<He seems a bit weaker… but he always makes me expect great things.>

Though I’d stolen some of the magical powers’ attention, it was still enough for Refinement.

Once we succeed in this endeavor, he would become a Mage.

Even Academy, said to be the weakest faction, had 13 Mages. No, with Pan-Dalus gone, they would now have 12 Mages. Still, our faction officially had only two Mages.

But starting with Oh Si-jin, the number of Mages would gradually increase.

These were chaotic times,

And we were the group receiving more attention from magical powers than anyone else.

***

That night. In a narrow, dark room under Azure Magic School.

On a small desk sat a black box emitting a dim light, with a single candle burning beside it.

Gathered around were a boy, a young man, a little girl, a beautiful woman, and an old man.

This feels like quite an atmosphere.

I tapped the desk with my finger and asked.

“Age.”

“Hmph. For someone like you to ask the age of the destroyer who will complete the imperfect extinction…”

“Age-.”

“Before a sacred soul that has returned after ten thousand years, age is nothing but…”

“Want me to hit you?”

“…Twelve.”

The candle didn’t flicker.

Hmm. Twelve years old? That’s about a year older than I expected.

Okay. Beatrice, twelve years old.

Next, I tapped the desk with my left hand and asked.

“Age.”

“…”

“Age.”

“…I don’t remember clearly. I counted to a thousand and stopped counting after that. And… I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep.”

The candle didn’t flicker.

“Good. Kaisel. A thousand plus.”

The next person answered curtly before I could even ask.

“Twenty-seven.”

The candle… okay, that’s fine.

“See, Beatrice? Wouldn’t it be better if you answered obediently like Evan?”

Evan’s composed face suddenly crumpled.

“Kuk. I suddenly feel so humiliated.”

“Feeling humiliated at this point? Didn’t you say you didn’t want to get hurt because you have a precious body? If you keep answering obediently like this, I won’t torture you.”

Evan bit his lip hard and turned his head away.

Seeing that made me want to tease him.

“Now then, obedient Mr. Evan. Answer me. Where are the hideouts of the knights who followed you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Come on, how could you not know?”

“Hmph. Your eyes must be in your ass. Didn’t you light the candle of truth? We never share any critical information with each other. Not even with me, their lord.”

That statement was true. What Evan knew was only what the mages had already figured out. For instance, that the knights’ main headquarters was in Georgius City.

“If you’re so impatient, why not raid Georgius? The splendid knights there will welcome you.”

Evan sneered. I noticed Beatrice unconsciously shaking her head. Her expression suggested it would be terrible.

A city that even makes the Saint of Ragnarok instinctively show concern… Well, there must be a reason why the Knight Order, the arch-enemy of all mages, has never fallen.

I wonder what kind of preparations they have?

That’s something else I’ll need to look into eventually.

Now then.

Shall we get to the main point?

“Seventy-eight.”

Huh?

“My age. I’m currently seventy-eight, and my target lifespan is 100 years.”

I didn’t ask…

“You didn’t ask me, so I felt left out and answered anyway.”

Pan-Dalus smiled playfully.

Is it because things are going well? Pan-Dalus was showing a more lively personality than before.

I quietly sighed inside and tapped the black box in front of me. It was a recording device.

“Um… since you brought it up, for the record… could you explain what capacity you’re here in today, Master Pan-Dalus?”

“In two capacities. First, as the chairman of the ‘Great Cataclysm Emergency Committee,’ and second, as someone who has had deep conversations with the Magic Emperor of Truth Tower, representing Truth Tower’s perspective.”

“Hmm… now that you mention it, something just occurred to me. Before we start the formal discussion, may I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“What about this Magic Emperor? Is he strong?”

I couldn’t help being curious about this person whom someone like Hwi Someong worshipped without question.

“…He is strong. If you asked me to name the single strongest person in the Tower, I would unhesitatingly choose the Magic Emperor.”

What was surprising was that neither Evan nor Beatrice strongly objected to this opinion.

“…We can kill the Magic Emperor.”

That’s what Evan said, and

“That disgusting traitor… just wait. I’ll destroy him myself.”

Beatrice showed an especially sharp reaction.

Interesting.

It seems no one could kill him one-on-one right now.

But…

“Why is she acting like this?”

When I pointed at Beatrice, Pan-Dalus burst into laughter.

“Hoho, I’ve heard rumors that Truth Tower and Ragnarok originally had the same roots… I guess that must be true.”

“Same roots? They’re nothing but usurpers!”

Beatrice continued to spew incoherent curses about Truth Tower and the Magic Emperor.

Hmm… interesting. I should ask about this story later. But not now.

Once Beatrice had somewhat calmed down, I tapped the desk again. Everyone’s attention focused on me.

Now then.

That should be enough preliminary information recorded, let’s get to the real main topic.

“Ahem. Ahem. Anyway. Good to meet you all. Although we’re in a victor-prisoner relationship, I’d like to discuss today’s topics in a not-too-formal atmosphere. That’s why I’ve prepared some refreshments. We have a lot to talk about, so please speak comfortably and honestly.”

Plates of cookies and cool drinks appeared before us.

“Hmph!”

Evan turned his head away as if disgusted,

“…No fresh blood?”

Kaisel asked indifferently.

Crunch.

After a moment of silence, Beatrice looked around nervously and bit into a cookie.

Evan looked at her with contempt.

“Ah… th-that… just so you know! Drugs and mind magic won’t work on me, the destined destroyer!”

Yes, yes. I’m sure.

Beatrice avoided Evan’s gaze with a reddened face.

Crunch.

Ah, she took another bite.

Good. The atmosphere seems to have softened a bit.

Thump!

I opened a book and placed it on the desk.

It was a thick, high-quality book bound in meteor-leather, said to be harvested from meteorites.

<Baek Jun-woo’s Magic Book>

It contained records of all the secrets of the world I had discovered.

“Now then, shall we start with… extinction?”

I held a pen and made eye contact with each of the four.

“Why do you think the world is facing extinction? Ah, Master Pan-Dalus, please answer first, focusing on what you’ve heard from Truth Tower.”

“I will.”

Pan-Dalus nodded quietly, and

“…The world is going to be destroyed?”

Kaisel asked with a blank expression.

Grind!

“Ha…!”

Evan ground his teeth and Beatrice snorted, sparks flying from their eyes.

“Isn’t it because of you filthy mages…!”

Evan growled, and

“The world absolutely must be destroyed once!”

Beatrice shouted sharply.

Hmm-

These are some interesting perspectives.