The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 89

The final 8th match of the first round of the Territory Scramble was underway, a rather acrobatic display befitting a group that included the American team.

“Even though they’re my kids, they’re so perfect.”

In the VVIP room,

James Filler, the Red Magic Tower Lord, who had just finished his work, stroked his chin and laughed heartily.

Not only Dahlia, but also Sarah and Maylee were members of the Red Magic Tower.

It was only natural for the Magic Tower Lord to be happy that those three were standing out in the match.

“Hmm. I thought it would be a 1:7 situation, but it seems Sarah made some negotiations beforehand?”

“Of course.”

Due to the nature of the Territory Scramble, where 8 teams participate in the battle simultaneously, the strongest team is usually the target of concentrated attacks.

How to deflect this concentrated attack is an essential victory condition for a strong team.

“Just by looking at their movements, I can tell. Sarah has really shaken up the other 7 teams.”

Kim Kang-in smiled meaningfully and stared at Sarah Ceylon, the de facto brain of the American team.

“I wonder what kind of trick she used to scatter the 7 teams like that.”

Even though they should be sticking together to have a chance of winning, all 7 teams were not cooperating with anyone.

Thanks to that, the US was currently seizing territories without any interference.

With this, the US owned 54 territories. A whopping 1/4 of the 225 territories were owned by the US.

“She must have negotiated with the other teams, creating discord. Making them suspicious, breaking their trust, and encouraging betrayal. That’s how she naturally led them into a free-for-all.”

Min Ga-yeon said with an ‘I see it, I see it’ expression.

“Whatever it is, it’s over. There’s no need to watch anymore.”

Min Ga-yeon sat down in her seat with a bored look.

She leaned back in her chair and lay down with her hands clasped behind her neck.

“Well, I still think there’s a chance for the other teams. Teams are starting to cooperate.”

Kim Kang-in offered a hopeful opinion.

“Ha. You’re talking like a sports commentator.”

Min Ga-yeon chuckled.

Standing on the side of the weak and spouting hopeful words was just like a sports commentator.

“Of course, there’s a chance for the other teams. But the probability of them seizing that chance is less than 1%.”

Less than 1% hope.

In other words, it’s a miracle.

That is, unless a miracle happens, there is no way the US will lose.

“With more than 50 territories, they’ve concentrated them into one. No team can break through that.”

There are 225 territories in the Territory Scramble. It is impossible for just 24 people to conquer and defend such a vast area.

That’s why there is a rule called ‘Territory Consolidation’ in the Territory Scramble.

A rule that allows you to combine territories in units of 10.

By doing this, it becomes much easier to protect the ‘altar,’ the center of the territory.

Of course, it’s not all good to consolidate.

Making 10 territories into one means that if you lose it to another team, you lose 10 territories at once.

Considering the risk of losing them all at once, consolidating territories can be said to have more penalties.

The probability of multiple teams attacking at once also increases.

Of course, there are not only penalties.

To mitigate this penalty, there is another rule called ‘Territory Buff’ in the Territory Scramble.

A rule that allows you to receive a ‘buff’ [a temporary increase in power or abilities] when fighting in your own territory.

When there is only one territory, it is only a minor buff of about a 3% increase in damage and reduction in damage taken.

However, if you combine 10 territories through territory consolidation, the effect of the buff increases significantly.

The damage dealt to the opponent increases by 15%, and the damage you receive decreases by 15%.

This 15% is unexpectedly balanced, so the penalties and merits of consolidating 10 territories are roughly balanced.

And this territory consolidation can be done not only in units of 10, but also in units of 50.

The buff you get when you combine 50 territories is a 40% increase in damage and a 40% reduction in damage.

As you can lose 50 territories if you are captured, it gives a huge buff.

The US was exactly in this situation right now.

The US had combined 50 territories into one.

Thanks to that, the combat power of the already strong US team had increased significantly.

“Even if all 7 teams gather now, they can’t beat even one Dahlia.”

No team could stop Dahlia, who was wearing such a powerful buff.

“Well, maybe if our Kyle and Shin Ha-yul join hands and attack.”

And as Min Ga-yeon predicted, the match ended with an overwhelming victory for the US.

* * *

The 8th match of the first round of the Territory Scramble, the 9th day of the Olympiad, was over.

“Here. Please check the artifacts.”

I went to the workshop where the engineers from the Blue Magic Tower were waiting and handed over the artifacts that I, Ma Jin-seok, and Kang Shin-woo used today.

“Hmm. The axis is quite twisted.”

“Yes. Because of the ‘buff system’ of the Territory Scramble, in many ways…”

“Tsk. It’s for the excitement of the match, but I don’t like overworking the artifacts too much.”

The territory buff of the Territory Scramble is a system that is implemented with ‘barriers’ and ‘match artifacts’ that are laid out throughout the territory.

As such, it is natural that the artifacts would be damaged.

“Anyway, I’ll have them perfectly tuned by tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I left the three rings and returned to the bus where everyone was waiting.

“I’m here.”

After that, I lightly told everyone about the artifact situation, and the bus departed.

“Shin Leader. You were like a devil today, weren’t you?”

Jin Hee-yoon, who was sitting in front of me, turned her body 180 degrees and looked at me while leaning on the back of her chair.

“Me? I didn’t even use a 5th circle magic once today?”

“No. Not magic. I’m saying your skill in shaking people with words was like a devil.”

Hee-yoon made a sly expression as if imitating a devil and wiggled her fingers.

It felt more like a mischievous little devil than a devil.

“Ugh.”

Ma Jin-seok, who was sitting next to me, pretended to throw up.

“That’s so cringe.”

It seems that he took Jin Hee-yoon’s acting as being cute.

“Yeah. Jin-seok, who quietly hitched a ride today, shut up.”

“Yeah. Hee-yoon, who sat on the bench for 8 hours today, shut up too.”

“Wanna die?”

“Wanna croak?”

Electricity sparked between their eyes. It was as if they were having a competition to see who could make the most menacing face. Their faces were intense.

After that, the two seniors started their usual bickering.

Well, it’s a common occurrence, so I don’t even care anymore.

“Were you kind of cool today?”

Soon-chan, who was sitting next to Hee-yoon, turned his body and turned his head towards me.

“What?”

“The way you manipulated the other teams with words was art. Wow. Who would have known that Germany would be eliminated in the first round like this.”

“Well, it’s their own fault.”

Germany, currently ranked 4th, was eliminated in the first round.

Their failure to take my hand because of their pride was Germany’s downfall.

“Anyway, I have to acknowledge your devilish way of speaking. Lightly dodging the opponent’s attacks, immediately seizing the atmosphere, and then making a mouth-watering offer!”

Soon-chan exclaimed with a ‘wow’ sound.

“Honestly, the opponents were clumsy in this first round. Trying to tie up all 7 teams in the first round, where only 4 people can pass, is why it turned out like that.”

In a match where only 4 people can pass, what kind of trust would be created if all 7 teams formed an alliance?

“Yeah. If it were me, I would have immediately joined Korea. Like Italy did in the 4th match.”

In the 4th match of the first round.

The Italian team cooperated with the British team and advanced to the second round very comfortably. They were smart in many ways.

“At this rate, we’ll be able to breeze through the second round too?”

“No. The second round won’t be as easy as today.”

The winners of the second round are 2 teams per group.

As it is a fierce match where a whopping 6 teams are eliminated, a completely different aspect will unfold than in the first round.

There will be many more variables, and the opponents will not move as I think.

“You rascal. What do you mean breeze through?”

“Ah, noona. Why are you hitting me?”

As if they had finished their argument, Jin Hee-yoon slapped Soon-chan on the back of the head.

“If we’re in the same group as Britain or the US tomorrow, it’s all your fault, you know.”

“Why is it my fault again?”

“You just set a flag. A flag of defeat.”

“No, what flag…”

This time, Jin Hee-yoon and Soon-chan started bickering.

It’s proof that they’ve become that close, but really…

“Is he a fighting dog? He starts fighting with anyone he talks to.”

My shoulders flinched at Ma Jin-seok’s words. For a moment, I thought he had read my mind.

“Sister. Could you please be a little quieter?”

At that time, Adela, who was sitting in the next seat and reading a book, said a word.

“Ah, our Jisu was reading a book. Sorry. I’ll lower the volume.”

Jin Hee-yoon smiled with the most gentle expression as if she had never fought.

“Adela is a beast tamer.”

“What, you little…”

This time, Jin Hee-yoon’s eyes shone again, as if she had heard it properly.

“Sister?”

“Ah, sorry.”

However, she quickly calmed down at Adela’s words.

Just like Ma Jin-seok said, it’s like a real beast and a beast tamer.

“Hmm. I should pray that we don’t end up in the same group as Britain and the US in the second round tomorrow.”

Kang Shin-woo, who had been quietly maintaining his composure, said a word.

“It would be better if we were in a different group.”

They are opponents we can win anyway, but there is no need to fight from the second round.

It’s best to be in different groups from Britain and the US in the second round and then face them in the finals in the third round.

“Don’t worry. If we end up in the same group as Britain and the US tomorrow, I’ll kill Soon-chan first.”

Jin Hee-yoon smiled brightly.

* * *

And the next day.

“Noona! Noona! I’m going to die! I’m dying!”

“You little bastard! Isn’t it because you said that yesterday that it turned out like this!”

Jin Hee-yoon was putting Soon-chan in a headlock with a menacing expression.

“No! Is it even possible that it turned out like this because I said that yesterday?”

Soon-chan shouted with a very unfair expression.

“Because of guys like you, my rank is…”

Rank? What are they talking about?

“She’s talking about the rank points in the game Hee-yoon plays. There, even if she’s about to win, if someone on her team says something like ‘Did we win?’ in the chat, she loses like a lightning bolt. It’s a kind of jinx.”

“Ah, I see.”

So that’s why she was saying something about setting a flag to Soon-chan yesterday.

“Hmm. Britain, huh…”

Kang Shin-woo said meaningfully while looking at the match schedule that had just come out today.

[Territory Scramble 2nd Round 1st Match]

[Korea, Britain, Japan, China, India, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia]

Unfortunately, we ended up in the same group as Britain in the second round.

“Ah, really. You’re being too much! Just because I made a joke, you’re treating me like a criminal… Ugh! It hurts! It hurts!”

In my opinion, Soon-chan is 0.1% at fault, but let’s just leave the unfair Soon-chan to be unfair for a while.

“Hmm. Then what should we do? First of all, I have about 3 strategies in mind.”

Ma Jin-seok approached me and Kang Shin-woo with a thoughtful expression.

The eyes of the two were focused on me.

It’s a look that asks how we should play the second round match.

“Um… In my opinion…”

Just as I was about to present my opinion.

“Hi! Korean bro!”

A refreshing mid-bass tone was heard along with the sound of the Korean team’s waiting room door opening.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a direct conversation, hasn’t it?”

A British handsome man with moderately grown blonde hair, which is his charm.

Kyle Bentia.

He stood in front of me with a bright smile. Then, looking straight into my eyes, he said this.

“I came to make a proposal. Do you have time right now?”