Chapter 96

The middle region of the 2nd floor of the Tower of Covenant. A flock of more than ten glowing birds gathered atop an unusually large tree. They made no chirping sounds, just tilted their heads as they looked at one another.

In the silence, magical conversation flowed between the birds.

-Lanciel City has sent a distress call.

-Hmm… so it’s come to that after all? I warned them to be careful…

-Even with caution, there’s no stopping a determined invasion. But Lanciel City isn’t such a strategic location… I didn’t expect such a bold move. This will cause major diplomatic friction, no matter who the perpetrator is.

-Perhaps they’re confident they won’t be identified?

-Even so, who would do this, and why…

Many exchanges passed between them, but among all the voices, none suggested going to Lanciel City’s rescue. Finally, one bird that had maintained silence throughout tilted its head and sent a message.

-My current position is close to Lanciel City’s gate. I will go provide support.

Immediate objections erupted.

-Hey now! Is it that no one else wants to go? Do you not understand the gravity of the situation? This could be a diversionary tactic. Now is the time to join Master Pan-Dalus as quickly as possible!

-Yes, yes, I understand. That’s why I’m not urging others to go. Just me, myself alone, will go.

-Do you know what kind of place you’re heading to? We don’t even know the enemy’s strength.

-Don’t you know? If it’s just about keeping myself safe, I’m confident I can escape even if caught by mages. I should go see, and help where I can.

-I’m saying this because I know your abilities. That’s precisely why I’m stopping you. You’re an irreplaceable talent. We can’t send you to what might be a trap.

-I never intended to ask for permission. Nor is this something that requires it. Don’t you know? Lord Earn Jack is… my benefactor. I can’t simply ignore it when he’s in danger.

-I understand your position… but be patient. Patience is also a form of fighting. Now is not the time to act on impulse.

The fourteen birds stared intently at the lone bird. That bird nonchalantly preened its feathers.

-I’m thirty-nine this year. Not an age to act on impulse, but an age to act on loyalty and principle. Well, I’ve reported in, so I’ll be off now.

Flap!

One glowing bird shook its wings and took flight. The rest merely tilted their heads, watching as the bird grew distant.

+ – + – +

I don’t know what to make of my feelings.

I’ve seen my fill of people dying.

I was about eleven, I think? That’s when my nomad was wiped out too. After that, I endured so many hardships trying to survive alone in the wilderness. Then Teacher Sena took me in… well, that’s how it went.

Yes.

So many people I loved have died, so whether strangers live or die… I thought I wouldn’t care… but…

Aaaagh!

Another scream.

At first, I just ran away. Since he had wings, our mobility difference was stark, so I deliberately ran through buildings. To restrict his wings.

Then the citizens of Lanciel City became my shields.

“Arrrgh!”

“Kyaaah!”

The screams wouldn’t stop. He could have simply chased me, but instead, he fired beams wildly that wouldn’t even hit me, killing people en masse.

People screaming, hiding their heads under desks.

People wearing long robes of black, white, soft, and thin materials. They had been diligently working in offices, handling documents and magical items, but now they were charred black or torn bloody red.

Boom!

When he launched area attacks, entire buildings would shake.

Why? Is it because I was born and raised in the wilderness? The ordinary daily lives of these city people… these peaceful scenes seemed not just mysterious but sacred to me. Seeing such incredible things thoroughly destroyed with each of my steps felt as horrific as having my limbs severed.

“Damn it… I can’t do this anymore.”

So I stopped and decided to fight.

When the silver arrow distorted the sky as it flew,

I was standing amid shattered glass fragments. I had tried to fight somewhere without people, but while battling him, I’d been thrown here and there, ultimately crashing into another high-rise building.

Kyaaah!

Huhuhuk!

The citizens working in the office screamed and hid their heads under desks. Then suddenly,

they looked up at the sky. Me, them, and that bastard too.

“What… is that…?”

That bastard stared intently at the long tail of the silver arrow, forgetting we were even fighting. Well, anyone seeing Jun-woo’s <Saíl> for the first time would react that way.

Fel did too.

He said his life as a mage was divided into before and after seeing <Saíl>.

Though it sounded cheesy and somewhat frustrating, I had to agree.

Bitter.

Jun-woo is so exceptional…

And here I am, struggling against some winged knight?

So,

‘An opening.’

First, I threw a knife heavily infused with ki into the air. Naturally. In a high arc.

Then I drew my bow. My [Magic Eye] naturally activated, finding his weak points.

Creeeak-

Three targets: thigh, stomach, neck. For speed and stealth, I used no Circle magic, relying solely on Ki-blood power to launch the arrows.

Swoosh!

Jun-woo said he solidified magical power in his arms and shoulders to create a crossbow structure. A technique called <Bolt>.

But instead of a crossbow, I created a bow. An elastic rod extending from my waist up through both arms.

I named it <Bullet>.

My entire body possesses the elasticity of a bow.

When I draw the bow, my whole body contracts, and when I release it, my body springs forward. Adding the elasticity of my left arm springing forward to the returning bowstring, I “threw” the arrow.

The arrow shot several times faster than its normal speed. Of course, this method might throw off my aim, but

the targeting correction of [Magic Eye] is absolute.

Papat-pang!

Three arrows flew simultaneously. Faster, stealthier, and more precise than any 2nd Circle magic.

“Urgh!”

The knight noticed too late and twisted his body. A line was drawn across his neck, the arrow that hit his shin broke in two, and the arrowhead that penetrated his side made a thunk! sound before bouncing back out.

The knight winced as if in pain. But that was all.

“Hmph! You think you can pierce a knight’s armor with this?!”

Around 8th class equipment, I suppose?

A leather-like suit clinging tightly to his body. It didn’t look like much, but with that level of protection, it could probably withstand even 3rd Circle magic solidly.

But that wasn’t the end.

Clank!

The sound of a knife embedding in the wing device on his back.

The knight jumped in surprise and reflexively looked back.

This is what I’d been waiting for.

Your feet left the ground, right?

Your line of sight turned, right?

“Stop disturbing people who are trying to work and get lost!”

<Bullet>

I charged with all my might and pushed him.

Bang!

The elasticity connecting my waist to my arms! The satisfying impact in my palm!

“Whoa!”

Losing his balance, he had no chance to resist and was sent flying through the building’s glass window.

This was one of Lanciel City’s towering high-rises. The knight’s wing device, with the knife embedded in it, was temporarily disabled. All that remained was his fall.

“Let’s not meet again.”

As I waved my hand,

Rattle!

A hook attached to a line flew at an impossible speed and embedded itself in the wall behind me. Though I saw it with my eyes, I couldn’t deflect it.

“Is-is this magic?”

A hook gun. Equipment I’d also used at Arsenal #7. But such speed was impossible for this device. Must be magic.

What are these bastards, really?

But I had no time to wonder. I raised my arm to cover my face.

Crunch!

Ominous sounds came from my arm and waist. With a bang! I was sent flying, bounced, and crashed. Through my blurry vision, I saw desks and chair fragments falling with thump! thump! sounds. Among them were pieces of civilian corpses falling together.

‘Damn it…’

Honestly, I wanted to protect them. Lanciel City. The mysterious and peaceful daily life of this city. But in the end, all I get to see is flesh. Just pieces of flesh.

‘Damn it all…’

My whole body creaked. Even with level 3 physical enhancement, the impact was this severe…?

I think I took more damage because I never expected him to use magic.

‘Wasn’t ancient warrior equipment supposed to repel magical power? How is he using magic…?’

I had no time to think further.

“You bastard… I won’t let you off anymore…!”

Crash!

When he stomped his foot, the building shook. A power of an entirely different dimension from before. It felt like the entire building might collapse.

Whirr-whirr-

The protective talisman attached to my waist vibrated faintly.

As I thought… definitely magic.

Skillful with ancient warrior equipment, yet also using magic?

There’s no way to win in a straight fight.

‘Should I try it…? But…’

There was a momentary gap. But I hesitated briefly. With that, I might have missed an opportunity that would never come again.

Clang!

I hurriedly raised my short sword to block. His beam sword shattered my ki-enhanced short sword into pieces.

Flying metal fragments.

‘Seriously… is this kind of strength even possible?’

I desperately rolled to the side.

Slash!

His sword strike hit the floor. The floor undulated once, then,

Aaaaah!

It collapsed with a rumble. People on the lower floors who hadn’t yet evacuated died, crushed under falling debris.

‘Why do I have to feel guilty!’

As I frantically tried to get up, he clung to me again.

He had gotten faster, while I had slowed down from the impact. I couldn’t shake him off. My [Magic Eye] clearly read his movements, but my body couldn’t keep up with that speed.

Crisis.

I’ve faced countless crises, but none like this one.

I couldn’t see a way to survive.

“What are you hesitating for!”

Just then, someone darted out swiftly.

A petite frame, copper-colored short hair fluttering in the wind. She looked about my age.

She swung her red spear and pushed back the charging knight.

“Is this the time to assess the situation? You have a hidden technique, don’t you? Then use it!”

Though she stood between me and the knight, she was clearly outmatched.

Clang!

“Ugh!”

When the beam sword and spear clashed, blood spurted from her hand. It was impressive she didn’t drop the spear.

Thud!

A fist immediately followed, striking her in the stomach.

“Can’t… breathe…”

She staggered, unable to breathe. Yet she still kept her spear aimed.

“Die!!”

The knight swung his yellow beam sword with killing intent. Her body froze.

There was no time to hesitate.

<Connection-[Magic Eye]!>

I connected to the Akashic Record. Accessing the true records related to [Magic Eye].

Seeing.

Obtaining information that appears on the surface without touching the subject.

That’s how it’s commonly understood, but…

In an essential sense, seeing is an act of intervening with the subject and disturbing it.

That was the realization I gained through <Connection>.

Click!

“Huh!”

The knight, who was about to split the small copper-colored head with terrifying momentum, froze as if caught by something. He trembled all over trying to move, but his body wouldn’t budge an inch.

“What… what is this?”

She turned her head to look at me. Her gray eyes asked, ‘Did you do this?’ Ah… yes. Gray eyes. Now I understand. Ann Jack, wasn’t it?

Ping-

Dizziness washed over me, and my stomach churned.

Using <Connection> to unleash the hidden potential of [Magic Eye]. I’m still not used to it. It consumes a lot of magical power and physical strength, but…

‘I can’t let someone who rushed to save me die…!’

I raised my bow and aimed at him. His armor was abnormally sturdy, impenetrable by ordinary magic. The only attack I had that could eliminate him before his paralysis wore off was… just one. For some reason, even Lytol had failed at it. The only one in the Baek Jun-woo Research Nomad who had succeeded was me.

But should I really use that magic? Even if mine is pathetically weak, it’s still…

“It’s fine, shoot! I’ve already evacuated everyone in the area!”

Ann shouted.

But my [Magic Eye] clearly showed people in the opposite building who hadn’t yet escaped.

“There’s no choice! The city is the last fortress fighting against extinction! Citizens aren’t just those who receive protection! They are sworn warriors! You can’t avoid warriors’ deaths on the battlefield! Shoot! Annihilate the enemy! I, Ann Jack, the highest authority in Lanciel City, authorize this!”

Is that so? In the end, even this overwhelmingly peaceful place… was still part of the Star Continent, a shattered world?

In the end, it was like that… why did I hesitate only now?

With a bitter feeling,

Creeeak-

I drew the bowstring.

Lytol had said:

‘The rain that fell on the 3rd floor of the Tower of Covenant… means that the name Divine Mage has been inscribed in the Tower of Covenant.’

‘Is that a big deal?’

‘Are you stupid? Having your name inscribed in the tower is like the aspiration of all mages. Usually only legendary mages have their names inscribed. And here a 15-year-old achieved this… isn’t that amazing?’

‘So what’s good about it?’

‘When a name is inscribed… magical power dwells in the name itself. If the owner of the name permits, those who qualify can access that power. So… having your name inscribed in the Tower of Covenant means fulfilling the condition to create a spell with your own name in it.’

Yes. Just as mages throughout the Saharan Plains recite spells containing the name of the ancient mage Trimacos.

“I am Yuria Lin. By the authority granted to me by the Divine Mage, I command.”

Whoom-

Somehow, things seemed to get noisy around me. Jun-woo always said magical powers seemed alive… is this what he meant?

“I wish for the one arrow that can defeat an insurmountable enemy. Though it falls far short of the miracle of ancient times… still, to put it in metaphor, <I shall shoot the sun.>”

A soft light flowed from the bow,

And the arrow was tinged with a faint silver.