Tower of Covenant

The mages following Kasha fell one by one, becoming corpses buried in the sand.

Now alone, she still clung to our trail tenaciously, covered in blood. The burning desire for life in her eyes flashed so intensely it sent chills down my spine even from a distance.

After a long chase, we finally reached the demon’s relic site behind the sand mountain.

Rumble!

“What an incredible… barrage of lightning. Each bolt isn’t that powerful, but there are simply too many.”

Right at the entrance to the relic site, we were once again blocked by a calamity. A waterfall of lightning refusing entry to intruders. Last time, this had forced us to turn back.

But this time, I had something prepared.

<Transportation.>

I recited the primordial incantation through my Circle. I retrieved just one item from my subspace storage.

It was a wooden figurine meticulously carved in the form of a grieving person. Earlier, when I summoned the 29 Mobility discs, I had deliberately stashed just one idol in my subspace storage.

“Huff, huff…”

I looked back at Kasha in the distance, stubbornly pursuing us without dying, and the lich chasing after her.

‘I need to hurry.’

My shoulders tensed with anxiety. The distance between them and us was about 7 minutes. Within that time, I needed to make the Lightning Calamity descend upon the idol.

Time was critically short, and I had only one idol to use.

‘Can I do this?’

Though doubt crept in, I forced myself to steady my resolve.

I didn’t have the luxury to run a [Simulation]. The condition burden would be too great, and my remaining magical power was minimal. There was no other option now anyway. I just had to trust myself.

Because I’m a mage. One who walks the path of achieving what I declare, without fear or doubt.

“Mage Baek Jun-woo.”

Suddenly Fel called out to me. I turned to him with irritated eyes as I was trying to concentrate, but then startled. Fel’s eyes were burning with determination.

“Teach me the secret technique you used for the descent ceremony. If we know the method, we can help.”

I didn’t answer immediately.

To be honest, I was quite surprised.

‘Help me?’

Using just one idol to make the Lightning Calamity descend within 7 minutes.

Attempting such an unprecedented feat, it had never occurred to me that I could receive help from others.

Why?

Obviously because this was something only I could do. Others are all blind despite having eyes, aren’t they? If they can’t understand what’s right in front of them, what can they do? I have to do it. At least I have to do it.

But…

‘Was there really no way for others to help?’

It felt like my mind was suddenly clearing.

Fel’s blazing eyes awakened me.

I had been thinking too narrowly.

There was no need for me to accomplish this alone. Using whatever means available to succeed—isn’t that what magic truly is?

Since I had nothing to lose, I quickly opened my mouth.

“Think of the descent ceremony as a puppet show. The scene being portrayed is a funeral. You need to manipulate the magical power in the idol to make it appear as mournful and grief-stricken as possible. That’s the key. I’ll make the magical power around the idol’s mouth vibrate to create something like crying sounds. What can you and your companions do?”

I looked Fel straight in the eyes.

Would he believe my words?

Could he really offer helpful suggestions? Hope and worry mingled inside me.

After our gazes locked for several seconds, Fel finally spoke.

“A funeral. Making it appear sorrowful… Good. Aron! Fidel! Hyunsoo!”

At Fel’s call, three mages stepped forward. Aron was a 2nd Circle mage, while the other two were 1st Circle mages.

“Fidel and Hyunsoo, manipulate the magical power in the idol’s limbs. Make it appear as if it’s beating its chest and wailing. Aron, use plant magic to move the idol according to how Hyunsoo and Fidel manipulate the magical power.”

“Understood!”

The three responded confidently.

Next, Fel turned to the others and said:

“Everyone with magical instruments, step forward! Play a mournful melody suitable for a funeral.”

Five people stepped forward.

Three had kept the drums used earlier, and two others pulled out flutes they had been carrying.

Satisfied with what he saw, Fel nodded and turned back to me.

“I will reinforce the entire magical crafting of the idol. All effects will be amplified.”

For a moment, I was speechless.

‘To this extent?’

His command was so organized and efficient that I felt foolish for thinking I could have done this alone. With a surge of emotion, I nodded vigorously.

“Then let’s begin.”

And so began the performance conducted by one wooden idol, five puppet masters, and five musicians.

Waaaaaah! Screech! Huuu…

Following my movements, the magical power in the idol undulated and emitted crying sounds.

The idol walked forward heavily, then collapsed to its knees.

It reached out as if touching something, then grabbed its head and fell forward.

Fidel, Hyunsoo, and Aron’s rhythm matched perfectly, making the magical power and wooden idol move as one body.

Boom boom!

The drums being played by just three people resonated more majestically than before,

Piriririri-

The mournful flute sound evoked the image of a funeral procession.

‘Is there a response?’

‘Is there any reaction?’

After manipulating the idol for several minutes while battling endless doubts and worries,

Crack! Crack!

Rumble!

Lightning and magical power singularities poured down from the sky.

The magical power singularities descended upon the idol and gathered around it like mourners. We had succeeded in recreating a mythological scene in just 5 minutes.

“We did it!”

Fel shouted.

“Impossible… completing the descent ceremony in less than 5 minutes? With just one idol?”

The caravan people murmured in amazement.

A thrilling sense of triumph rose in my chest.

We did it. We really did it!

And I hadn’t done it alone—we had accomplished it together. It felt even more magnificent than achieving it by myself.

“It’s like a moment in history…”

Someone muttered.

Those words struck my heart. Whatever I accomplish alone, no matter how remarkable, remains just my personal achievement. But if I can accomplish something with others, and achieve even greater things… perhaps that becomes history.

It was a novel feeling. The possibility of working together. The infinite potential that transcends my physical limitations. The sense of elevation.

Good! Let’s continue like this.

“Now! This is our chance! Break through!”

I shouted as I jumped onto the Mobility disc. Our current goal wasn’t to fight the calamity.

We just needed to divert the calamity’s attention long enough to enter the relic site.

I shot forward on the Mobility disc.

Rumble!

Occasionally, lightning bolts shot out from around the idol, but they showed no intention of stopping us. The lightning struck empty air and disappeared.

“Scan!”

While racing between lightning bolts, I took out the <Eye of the Observer> from my chest and activated it.

Whoosh!

The <Eye of the Observer> scanned a 300-meter radius and destroyed any detection magic in the area. It was a powerful magical device.

All concealment magic in the area was nullified, and finally, the demon’s relic site revealed itself.

Like a mirage, the relic site appeared in the middle of the desert.

Brick walls covered with ivy.

Neat tile roofs and tidy window frames.

‘This is… a demon’s relic site?’

I doubted whether this was correct—it was such an elegant and warm-looking building.

We dismounted from our Mobility discs almost tumbling off. We stood in front of the demon’s relic site, blankly admiring its refined appearance.

“…Let’s get inside quickly.”

Fel seemed surprised too, but he knew we had no time to waste. He drew his spear and led the way, pushing open the building’s door. We entered one by one.

“Take me with you!!”

Kasha, who had caught up to us, desperately shouted at our backs.

Looking back, I saw she was missing an arm and her face was covered in blood.

As expected of a 4th Circle mage, she had stubbornly survived despite her terrible condition.

‘Yeah, good luck trying to survive.’

With this thought,

Creeeak! Slam!

I closed the relic site’s door.

Closing the door wouldn’t stop her from entering, but… I hoped she would suffer just a little bit more before dying.

“You bastard!!”

Her scream sounded like music to my ears.

+ – + – +

“No time. Find the passage to the Tower of Covenant as quickly as possible!”

Tap. Tap. Tap tap.

Our footsteps echoed urgently on the wooden floor. On the left were windows with peaceful sunlight streaming in, and on the right was a corridor lined with classrooms.

This demon’s relic site was a school building.

The memories of magical powers unfolded like a fantasy.

‘Did you succeed?’

‘Yeah, barely.’

‘How did you do it? Teach me.’

Magical powers chattering peacefully in the corridors and classrooms.

‘The war is intensifying. You all must work harder to protect your freedom.’

‘Today we’ll learn about techniques for rewriting the Akashic Record that can be used in actual combat.’

Perhaps memories from different eras were mixed together, as some carried the urgent atmosphere from after the war began.

Tantalizing knowledge brushed past my ears, but we couldn’t stop.

Ah, if I could have explored this place calmly, how much knowledge could I have gained?

Through the windows, I glimpsed the classroom scenery.

Perhaps another form of spatial magic, the classrooms were much larger inside than they appeared. In the center of classroom areas as vast as sports fields, glass tubes about 2 to 5 meters tall were arranged, containing all sorts of monsters either floating inside or engulfed in lightning and flames.

‘Are those… calamities?’

Seeing this made me fully realize that this warm-looking school was indeed a demon’s relic site.

Even in school, they created and experimented with calamities, learning how to handle them. Discussing in innocent voices the number of humans needed as sacrifices.

The preserved calamities inside the beautiful, serene classrooms created a chilling contrast, and at the same time, they were excellently preserved teaching materials that made me want to learn even those evil methods.

Crash! Bang!

But this precious relic site was being destroyed in real-time by Kasha and the lich pursuing us.

It felt like I should be crying tears of blood.

Wait, lich. Someday I’ll use you as research material.

“Oh no! Which way should we go?”

After running down the corridor for a while, we reached a fork. Fel’s voice sounded confused. I jumped forward.

“This way!”

As far as I knew, the Tower of Covenant was a place of gray mana storms. I ran toward the fork where more mana was flowing.

“You’re spot on!”

Fel exclaimed in admiration. As we chose paths according to my guidance, the scenery outside the windows gradually changed. The endless sand and grasslands of the Sand Plateau disappeared, replaced by a land of white skies, then followed by a deep blue sea with surging waves.

The Tower of Covenant was a mysterious passage that crossed the torn continent, connecting all continents.

The continuously changing landscapes outside the windows were the strongest evidence that we were approaching the Tower of Covenant.

Bang! Crash!

With the gradually intensifying explosions behind us, we finally escaped through the school’s back door.

“We’ve arrived! Take cover and hide immediately! Even the lich won’t be able to find us here!”

Fel shouted.

We had finally reached the Tower of Covenant. The place all mages dream of.

My first impression upon setting foot in this legendary place was:

‘Is there a good sniping point?’

Regrettably, I had no leisure to explore this place I had always dreamed of.

Right behind us was the tenacious Kasha who had survived, and the lich pursuing her.

And I… still had some final magical power I had saved until the very end for this moment.

Conveniently, there was a pile of collapsed stones in front of us. We ran there to hide ourselves, and I took out a sacred rope and threw it to Fel.

“Fel! Please take measures to prevent aggro from leaking.”

“Huh? But the sacred rope is more for combat concealment than for hiding…”

“Exactly!”

At my answer, Fel’s face hardened.

“Don’t tell me. Are you planning to fight the lich?”

“I’m going to kill Kasha. We can’t keep such a dangerous mage on our tail.”

From the beginning, I never had any intention of letting Kasha live.

“It’s too dangerous.”

Fel grabbed my shoulder. But on this point, I wasn’t willing to compromise.

“We need to take her out now to prevent future trouble.”

“What if you attract the lich’s aggro?”

“I promise you on my name. Even the lich… won’t be able to block this move without taking damage.”

As I answered, I muttered internally.

‘I told you, didn’t I? That I wasn’t running away.’

At that moment, the magical powers that had been regarding me with suspicion gathered densely around me, showing curiosity.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath.

I had only one chance.

I couldn’t use it in the chaotic mess of Kasha and her companions mixed with the lich. I wasn’t confident in my aim, and even if I hit my target, it might not be enough to finish the job in one strike.

But now… it was possible.

Beyond the stone pile was the quaint brick building we had just exited from. A single relic site connecting the Sand Plateau and the Tower of Covenant.

I reached my hand toward its back door.

I moved my two Circles to recite the primordial incantation and withstood its recoil with my 3-star blood channel.

A magic I was using for the first time in reality.

“Saíl.”

[S-aah-ee-l!]

Tremble-

My two Circles shook as if they might shatter.