The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 102

That night.

Kim Kangin, having returned to his lodgings, was catching up on his pending work.

“Here, this is the last one.”

Jeong Sua handed over the final document.

“Is it already over?”

“Yes. It’s finished.”

Since most of the important tasks had been handled, it didn’t take too long. In the first place, given Kim Kangin’s meticulous nature, work rarely piled up.

Although she had been working as his secretary since the launch of the Blue Magic Tower, she had never seen the Blue Magic Tower’s work backlog.

There were occasional late nights, but those were only due to unexpected situations.

Kim Kangin was the type who wouldn’t create additional work if he thought things were about to pile up.

It was an environment where work couldn’t possibly accumulate.

“Here you go.”

Kim Kangin handed the document he had just finished reviewing to Jeong Sua.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Jeong Sua took the document and bowed her head.

“You’ve worked harder. I’m sorry for making you work until this hour.”

The current time was 12:22 AM.

It was well past the time she should have gone to rest.

“It’s alright. I rested comfortably during the day.”

During these long-term business trips, changes in working hours were inevitable.

“That’s a relief then.”

“……Usually, wouldn’t you scold me for saying I rested during the day?”

“Why would I scold you? I think you rested well.”

“Usually, they do scold.”

Usually, a boss at a company would react displeased to a subordinate saying they rested during the day.

It was natural. Overtime was overtime, and work was work. Even if you worked overtime, it was natural to work during the day.

“Really? Hmm.”

Kim Kangin stroked his chin with a look of genuine incomprehension.

Having spent his time abroad since graduating from the academy, Korean corporate culture was something he couldn’t understand at all.

“I don’t get it.”

Kim Kangin, having given up on thinking about it, got up from his seat and stretched. After working for about four hours, his body felt a bit stiff.

“Shall I make you some tea?”

“No. It’s okay. I’ll make it myself. It’s late, so go in and rest.”

Kim Kangin got up from his seat.

Then, he headed towards the kitchen area of the hotel room.

“Please, just sit down. I’ll make it for you.”

Jeong Sua stopped Kim Kangin.

“It’s like throwing away those expensive tea leaves. I can’t bear to see that.”

“……Is it like throwing them away if I touch them?”

“Yes. You’re disastrously inept at everything except magic.”

“……”

Even when grilling pork belly, it was Jeong Sua who held the tongs.

Kim Kangin’s competence was only displayed in professional matters like company work and magic. In other aspects of daily life, he was truly disastrous.

“Even if I’m like that, I can at least boil tea leaves…”

“Just sit down, please.”

Jeong Sua forced Kim Kangin to sit down and took out the teacups and tea leaves she had prepared in advance in the corner of the hotel room.

“Serving tea to my teacher doesn’t even count as work.”

Not Tower Lord, but teacher.

That was the title Jeong Sua used to call Kim Kangin in private.

“……Okay.”

Kim Kangin sat back down and chuckled. Then, he looked at Jeong Sua’s back as she brewed the tea with a warm smile.

“Do you act like that with the other guys at the company too?”

“Please add an object.”

“No. I was wondering if you act this cute with the other guys too.”

Kim Kangin grinned mischievously.

Jeong Sua slightly turned her head and looked at Kim Kangin.

“……If you say one more word, I’m going back right now.”

Her gaze was fierce. She exuded a strong older sister aura that made it seem like you wouldn’t be able to recover your bones if you joked around carelessly.

Of course, Kim Kangin wasn’t one to back down from that level of intimidation.

“Oops. That won’t do.”

It would be a shame not to drink Jeong Sua’s tea. Kim Kangin suppressed his playfulness with a look of resignation.

Then, as he was quietly watching Jeong Sua’s back.

Whoooom-!

The sensation of mana fluctuating spread in all directions.

A rough flow of mana.

A warning bell rang in Kim Kangin’s head.

And immediately after that.

Clang!

The sound of the barrier surrounding the hotel shattering was heard.

Kim Kangin quickly got up from his seat and went out onto the terrace.

“This is…”

Outside the terrace.

Fragments of the barrier. The remnants of mana were falling freely like broken pieces of glass.

Kyahhhhh-!

Amidst the fragments of mana, a bird with a heavy build flapped its massive wings.

“……Black Bell Wyvern.”

An individual known as the strongest among the wyverns, called the kings of the sky.

An S-rank Tier 2 monster belonging to the dragon wyvern family.

Black Bell Wyvern.

It stared intently at Kim Kangin.

And then.

Kooohhhhh!

It suddenly fired a breath attack.

A finishing move of monsters belonging to the dragon family. Breath.

The power of a breath emitted by a monster like the Black Bell Wyvern was beyond imagination.

If that attack hit directly, not only Kim Kangin but also this hotel would turn to ashes.

Not even remains would be left.

He had to stop it.

‘Water Flow.’

At the same time as the breath was released, Kim Kangin’s mana surged.

Kim Kangin’s mana, which had circulated through his eight circles, quickly merged with the surrounding mana and became water droplets.

And soon.

‘Still Water.’

It became a lake.

A vast amount of water that covered the entire 30-story hotel.

“Wow!”

Someone exclaimed in surprise at the overwhelming power, their voice echoing in the air.

And immediately after that.

Kwaaaang-!

A deafening explosion rang out.

A roar as if a bomb had fallen into the sea.

The water flow trying to block and the black breath trying to penetrate.

Between them, black and blue mana polygons scattered.

The impact was so intense that the atmosphere and even the ground shook.

The entire building trembled, and screams erupted from all over.

After about three seconds.

Kuuuuhhh……

The sound faded away.

The Black Bell Wyvern’s breath lost its momentum and began to dissipate.

And just as all the breath had disappeared.

Clap clap clap-!

The sound of applause was heard.

“Impressive, aren’t you? I’m falling for you.”

Applause echoed from behind the Black Bell Wyvern.

The owner of the exclamation from earlier.

“We haven’t met before, right? Nice to meet you, Blue Magic Tower Lord.”

A short-haired East Asian man with a rugged and fierce impression.

Parade, a cadre of the Black Magic Tower.

“I’ve come to eliminate you.”

A monster tamer.

He wore a monstrous smile, befitting his title.

* * *

—Today at 12:34 PM, a monster attack occurred at the Park Inn Belanti Hotel in the United States.

A news anchor was reporting the news with a serious expression on TV.

—And it wasn’t just an ordinary monster attack. It was an attack by a swarm of over 50 wyverns, including a Black Bell Wyvern.

Footage of the incident.

Video footage of the scene, taken by surrounding CCTVs and surveillance cameras inside the hotel, was being broadcast.

A variety of A to B-grade wyverns filling the sky, and at their center, the S-rank Black Bell Wyvern standing tall.

A powerful force that could potentially destroy an entire small country.

The sight of such a force flying around the hotel was truly breathtaking.

Even watching it on the screen, one couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.

—It was the Blue Magic Tower Lord, Kim Kangin, who was staying at the hotel at the time, who stopped these monsters’ attack.

But what was truly breathtaking was something else.

The vast amount of water blocking the swarm of monsters.

The amount of water was so vast that it even gave the illusion that the sky had turned into an ocean.

—Should we say that he is indeed one of the top 50 strongest individuals in the world? The Blue Magic Tower Lord’s battle was truly spectacular.

The sky ocean perfectly blocking the attack of dozens of wyverns.

Kim Kangin’s secret magic, Water Flow, did not allow any attack to pass.

—Thanks to the Blue Magic Tower Lord’s efforts, there were zero casualties. He prevented a terrible tragedy that could have killed tens of thousands of people without any loss of life.

It was as if the water had a will of its own.

It not only responded to the wyverns moving separately but also blocked the debris of the damaged hotel and perfectly protected the citizens who could have been buried under the debris.

At the same time, it was firmly binding the Black Bell Wyvern’s feet.

It was truly miraculous.

It was the skill of a god.

—This battle of the Blue Magic Tower Lord lasted exactly 7 minutes and 23 seconds, until the Red Magic Tower Lord’s support arrived.

Flames flickered through the ocean that filled the sky on the screen.

The blue flames, the symbol of the Red Magic Tower.

The flames spewed out by the inferno filled the space above Kim Kangin’s Water Flow.

An overwhelming firepower and size that could not be compared to Dahlia Salentia’s blue flames.

It began to burn the wyverns one by one.

—Thus, with the Red Magic Tower Lord’s joining, the incident was resolved without any casualties.

The video ended here.

—As citizens of the United States, we express our infinite gratitude to the Blue Magic Tower Lord, who perfectly prevented an incident that could have been a terrible tragedy with zero deaths, and to the Red Magic Tower Lord, who quickly came to support us. Thank you so much.

The anchor bowed her head with an emotional expression.

And at that moment.

Ziiing-!

The sound of an automatic door opening was heard.

And from within, Jeong Sua and James Filler appeared.

I immediately turned off the news and got up from my seat.

“How is Kim Kangin’s condition?”

In response to my question, Jeong Sua answered with a somewhat relieved expression.

“……He’s out of danger for now.”

Although it wasn’t revealed in the news, Kim Kangin had suffered a major injury during the Black Bell Wyvern attack today.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t defeat the Black Bell Wyvern.

Even if it was an S-class Tier 2 monster, it was no match for an 8-circle mage [A mage who has reached the eighth level of magical power].

If Kim Kangin had been alone, he would have easily subdued the Black Bell Wyvern and the wyvern swarm.

“He’s not even in his own country, yet he overdoes it… What a fool. He should take care of himself…”

The reason Kim Kangin was injured was because he prioritized the safety of the citizens.

He focused on defense, protection, and safety to protect the 523 guests staying at the hotel.

As a result, he had no choice but to neglect his own defense, which ultimately led to his injury.

“Red Magic Tower Lord, thank you once again. If you hadn’t come right away…”

If the Red Magic Tower Lord had arrived just 10 seconds later, Kim Kangin would have lost his life.

The situation was that serious.

“……Enough with the thanks. I’m not in a position to receive thanks.”

James replied with a still furious expression. Blood was dripping from his tightly clenched fists.

He was extremely enraged by the injury of his close friend, Kim Kangin.

“Then, I’ll go for now.”

“Are you going to the conference room?”

“Yes.”

James, as well as most of the high-ranking officials, knew that the culprit behind today’s attack was the Black Magic Tower.

That’s why a response meeting was currently being held.

James seemed to be planning to attend the meeting, albeit late.

“I’ll show those impudent bastards who dared to challenge the 12 Towers what’s what…”

For reference, the fact that the Black Magic Tower was the culprit behind today’s attack was not revealed in the news. Not only could they not reveal that a mere criminal organization could control that level of monsters.

They also couldn’t reveal that a terrorist attack had occurred in the center of the city.

“Please take good care of Kangin.”

“Yes. Please leave my teacher to me.”

Jeong Sua bowed her head once again, and James immediately turned around.

And just as he was about to step out of the hospital.

“Red Magic Tower Lord. There’s something I need to tell you.”

At my words, his steps stopped.

James turned back towards me.

“You have something to say?”

The Red Magic Tower Lord stared directly into my eyes. He had an expression that showed he didn’t like me at all.

It was a natural reaction, as he didn’t like the fact that I had used the inferno.

“There’s no time. If it’s not important…”

“It’s important.”

I made eye contact with him with a sincere expression.

“I’ve figured out what the Black Magic Tower’s real goal is.”

This attack made it clear.

“……”

James’s eyes narrowed.