The Rebirth Of The Hero’S Party’S Archmage [EN]: Chapter 29

29.

The man settled at a table outside a humble street shop. As the clerk approached, he said politely, “Two chicken skewers and a milk coffee, please.”

“Just get to the point. Why are you wasting my time?”

“My explanation was insufficient, I see. There’s no need to be so wary, Scion [a term for a young noble heir]. I’m not here to question why you’re going to the black market.”

Heirs of noble families who haven’t yet inherited their territories are called Scions.

However, most people simply call them young masters or young ladies. This man was strangely formal in every word he spoke.

He kept smiling, making it difficult to read his expression, but I could sense that his magical power was considerable.

“So, get to the point.”

“Let me introduce myself first. I’m Doran Slade, working for the Magic Guild’s Special Task Force.”

Doran took out a steel pocket watch from his pocket and placed it on the table, as if to prove his words.

The rune of the Guild (盟), symbolizing the Magic Guild, was embossed in gold, and below it, the ancient word Dirutus, meaning Special Task, was engraved.

“To give you some background, I was the freshman secretary when Count Kevan Ludwig was the student council president. Ah, those were truly enjoyable times.”

“So?”

“I’m just saying there’s no need to be so wary. I’m on the Scion’s side. I just have a few things to confirm.”

Doran picked up the watch, blew the dust off it, and continued.

“The magic that defeated the Variant Queen that appeared in the Red Mountains—was that Scion Ludwig’s doing?”

Rain raised his eyebrows slightly.

*This guy’s skill in casually digging for information is impressive.*

“The Bart Party hasn’t visited a magic shop recently. Even if we assume they bought it before, there’s no record of a seller. No Glados [a mage ranking, likely 4-star] mage has created a fire magic scroll with that much power in the last 10 years.”

“……!”

“So I asked Count Scalzi Ludwig if he had made it for his grandson for self-defense, but that wasn’t the case either. So there’s only one conclusion.”

Doran rested his chin on his clasped hands and stared at Rain, the smile disappearing from his eyes, revealing cold, snake-like pupils. It was as if he already knew everything.

“It’s not like you were hiding it. There was just one thing I was worried about. If you were trying to threaten me with that, you’re completely out of luck.”

“A concerning element? Ah, are you perhaps referring to black magic?”

Rain inhaled sharply.

*Does this guy know that the Queen is being controlled by black magic? Or is he simply probing?*

How long did that suffocating silence last? Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching.

“Chicken skewers are here!”

Doran’s face broke into a smile again, and he smacked his lips.

“Ah, there’s no need to divide them into two plates. Just give them all to me. I’ll eat them all myself.”

The clerk seemed flustered, and Rain opened his eyes wide in disbelief. *Seriously, don’t people usually share?*

“I’m dumbfounded… You’re just beating around the bush. I’m leaving now.”

As Rain got up from his chair, Doran wiped the juice dripping from the bitten chicken skewer and said,

“Let’s finish the introduction and get to the main point. I want to scout the Scion into the Magic Guild’s Special Task Force.”

“I’m still a student.”

“Of course, I’m talking about after graduation. Senior Kevan is still healthy, so it will take some time to inherit the family anyway, won’t it?”

The Magic Guild’s Special Task Force was a combat organization that punished mages who committed magical crimes and independently investigated matters related to black magic.

It was composed only of excellent and young battle mages, so being selected for the Special Task Force was like building an amazing career as a mage.

However, Rain, who had little interest in social prestige and was fed up with fighting black magic, turned away without hesitation.

“I’m not interested in the Special Task Force. Goodbye.”

Then Doran said a profound fact in a playful voice, stopping Rain in his tracks.

“The Black Church’s activities are becoming more active.”

“……!”

“Of course, the Magic Guild’s upper echelons are complacent and deny it, but something big is coming. We should prepare now before it’s too late.”

*It’s serious, probably.*

*But I don’t feel particularly obligated to fight the Black Church. If I had to choose, I’d rather avoid being attacked first.*

*I’ve already fought enough in my past life. Fighting those extremely fanatical bastards still makes me shudder.*

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ll think about it.”

*Now, you guys take care of it.*

*I, your senior, want to rest a bit.*

If it’s really unavoidable, I’ll help then… Just as he was about to end the conversation, Doran grabbed his ankle one last time.

“If there’s something you absolutely need to get from the black market, look for the ‘VIP Escort’ mission from the association when the midterms are over and the holidays begin.”

“……?”

“Most of them will be attending the black market held in [location unspecified], after all.”

Rain glanced back. Doran, with a smiling face, was tilting his teacup.

“This is information I’m giving you in exchange for your precious time. Of course, if you promise to come to the Special Task Force, I’ll tell you an easier way.”

Rain sighed and shook his head as he moved his feet.

*Scary.*

*He’s the type of person I really don’t want to get involved with.*

* * *

How long had it been since Rain left? Four people, each doing their own thing in various parts of the street—eating, performing magic tricks—gathered around Doran one by one.

Their attire was varied and even shabby, making it hard to believe they were all excellent mages from the Special Task Force.

But it wasn’t surprising. The commoner-like attire to conceal their identities as mages was a characteristic of the Special Task Force.

“How was it?”

“He said he’ll think about it.”

“Isn’t that a no?”

The mustached man performing magic tricks chuckled, and the woman who had been napping on the roof of the pub yawned and jumped down.

“Why do you always pick prodigies who are disasters when you’re trying to scout someone, you childless bastard? There’s the so-called golden generation of freshmen in this year’s [academy name], you could just pick one of them and it would be better than that.”

Then Doran Slade smiled as he put on his old fedora.

“Certainly, Scion Rain doesn’t seem to belong to that golden generation.”

“But why!”

“I had something to confirm. It doesn’t seem like he’s been in contact with Toureina, so let’s look for the next suspect.”

“But do you really think there’s a kid among the [academy name] students who has been in contact with Toureina?”

“This is just my intuition, but I think there probably is. Maybe they had a connection even before entering the academy.”

As he said that, Doran glanced at the place where Rain had left, the smile gone from his eyes.

*Yes, how dare he belong to the golden generation.*

*To put him in the same group as the freshmen called the golden generation… the difference in level is just too overwhelming.*

Soon, his eyes curved into crescents again.

*Senior Kevan, Senior Brim. You two have created a terrifying monster. He’s the first existence whose future I fear so much.*

* * *

The librarian Karen gave a bitter smile after hearing that she wouldn’t be able to get the book.

“It’s alright, Young Master. I’m already in your debt quite a bit. I’m more worried that something might happen to you while you’re trying to get the book.”

“There’s no need to worry. Everything’s going well. But did you happen to talk to a man dressed like a beggar about me and the black market?”

Then Karen tilted her head.

“Dressed like a beggar? Come to think of it, someone from the Magic Guild’s Special Task Force did visit the library for a while… but he didn’t talk to me, a low-ranking librarian.”

“Then who did he talk to when he came?”

“The first-class librarians. It seemed like they were just reminiscing about old acquaintances.”

*So he did come. But he didn’t even talk to Karen… Then how did he find out?*

Although doubt remained, he had things to do, so he quickly returned to his dorm.

The thing to do was nothing grand, it was about the mental image barrier he had acquired this time. He couldn’t wait until he had 20,000 mana.

“Ah, you’re here just in time.”

In front of the dorm door, two glass spheres with a diameter of 86cm, which he had bought for one gold coin at a magic tool shop on the way, had been delivered.

The name of these spheres was Spirit Orbs (靈珠).

They were used for mana reaction experiments or to teach six-year-old children how to use mana, and could store mana in the sphere for up to 24 hours.

*I bought the biggest, most expensive, and best ones, so I should be able to pour about 4,000 into each, right?*

*If I combine the stored mana with my current mana, I should barely be able to exceed 20,000. If my calculations are correct, I should be able to test the mental image barrier.*

“Here I go.”

He placed his hand on the Spirit Orb and concentrated, and the sphere began to emit an intense blue light (淸光) as the pressure of squeezing the magic core surged.

As cold sweat flowed all over his body, mana was swirling in a strange wave inside the dazzling glass bead.

“This should complete it…….”

He took a breath and immediately sat in a lotus position and entered meditation.

He organized the scattered flow of mana and stabilized the magic core so that it could create new mana.

By the time all the mana was restored, the twilight of the next day was shining through the window. At the same time as he opened his eyes, he formed a hand seal (手印) with both hands.

Ra (羅).

Endowing form by enveloping and unfolding.

The hand seal symbolizing this rune is to create two triangles and circles with both hands.

“Mental Image Construction, Yuryang Sejon (流量世尊).”

At that moment, a fierce storm of mana raged, and suddenly, the glass bead where the mana had been raging cracked, and then shattered.

At the same time, blood gushed out along with the pain of something scraping the magic core with a chisel.

*Is it a failure after all……?*

It was then, just as he was about to let out a sigh of failure. The § pattern engraved on the palm of his left hand emitted a heat that seemed to burn the skin, creating a new world of light (新世界).

O

A mysterious magic circle spreading out largely centered on Rain.

There were a total of five circles in the magic circle, and the runes of Yuryang Sejon were engraved one by one on the four circles in the east, west, south, and north, except for the circle where Rain was sitting, and they shone brilliantly.

Yu (流): The nature of ‘flow’.

Ryong (量): The nature of ‘measurement’.

Se (世): The nature of ‘world’.

Jon (尊): The nature of ‘augmentation’.

And what was even more surprising was the mana circuit connecting the central circle and the corresponding runes.

Yun (蝡), Ro (癆), Eun (齦), Lynn’s infinite functions, variable waves, etc…….

Were Lynn’s incomplete runes and mathematical theories that she had devised so far densely packed together to form the shape of a line?

As the name mental image barrier suggests, it seemed as if the thoughts in his head had been constructed into a barrier.

“Could it be…….”

Let’s try using the fire magic I experimented with at the Electric Dragon Arena before.

Booom!

Then, the rune of Yun (蝡) and the matrix mechanics theory required to activate the magic seemed to light up and float, but the stroke of Yun (蝡) was modified to Yun (蜳), and several other formulas were added to the matrix mechanics theory.

*No way.*

He doubted his eyes. *Is it providing the best options for using the magic I thought of in this way? Is it compensating for my shortcomings like this?*

*This is ridiculous…….*

It was a truly ridiculous ability.

There is no one who can teach magic above 5 stars. It is an area of self-study that must be solved alone, but can I learn it like this?

“This is totally awesome!”

That was as far as he could laugh.

A stabbing pain occurred in the magic core, and soon, the magic circle that had completely covered the room disappeared into particles of light.

It must mean that the mana is exhausted.

“Hoo, hoo, hooheeheehee……!”

Rain fell backward and laughed like a child. He didn’t even care about the chills from his body, which was coldly wet with sweat.

「A mental image barrier is like a mirror that reflects the caster’s mind.」

The 2nd Sage Riot Warden said so. Referring to that, you can immediately understand the uniqueness of Rain’s Yuryang Sejon.

A mental image barrier is a mirror that reflects the mind, and what is in the boy’s mind is only a straightforward, infinite, yet innocent pursuit of truth.

The mental image of that ‘desire for truth’ is what Yuryang Sejon is.