The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 131

“So, does that mean we don’t necessarily have to pass the fifth trial page?”

“That’s right.”

“Then, instead of saying we’d find out when we become a 5th circle master, shouldn’t you have said we’d find out when we reach the 5th circle?”

In the past, Mimir had said that all my questions would be answered once I became a ‘5th circle master.’

I had believed that implicitly, but now it turns out I don’t even need to become a 5th circle master.

I feel a bit cheated.

“I didn’t exactly lie. My restrictions are lifted after the successor passes the fifth trial page. And…”

Mimir narrowed his eyes and smiled meaningfully.

“It’s true that the vassal waiting on the fifth trial page has no restrictions. But it’ll be a bit difficult to get any answers to the questions the successor has.”

“Why?”

“He’s a bit of a fussy character. Even if you ask him, he’ll probably just say things like, ‘Don’t order me around,’ or ‘Only the master can ask me for something.’ That kind of thing.”

“Ah, I see.”

I could roughly guess what kind of personality the vassal waiting on the fifth trial page had.

“Is he the type of knight with strong loyalty and pride?”

“It’s a little different, but it’s kind of like that. He’s not a bad person, but he’s a pain in many ways.”

Mimir pouted with a sulky expression.

It seemed like Mimir didn’t like that vassal either.

“Anyway, he’s a bit of a tiresome type. You’ll understand when you experience it yourself.”

Mimir shuddered as if he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

It was clear that the two of them didn’t get along.

“Okay. Then I should try to get to the fifth trial page as soon as possible.”

The condition to enter the fifth trial page is ‘to successfully complete the incantation.’

Having succeeded in the incantation of the Absolute Zero, I should be able to activate the magic circle leading to the fifth trial page now.

“Ah, don’t go now, go when you have some time. Once you enter the fifth trial page, you can’t leave whenever you want.”

“Oh, really?”

I hadn’t expected that.

“How much time should I set aside?”

“Hmm. At least 10 hours? It’s better to have about 15 hours to be safe.”

“Then I can’t go in now.”

The current time is 1 AM.

I have to head to the stadium at 7 AM tomorrow, so I only have 6 hours left.

That’s not enough time.

“For tomorrow’s final match, you said your team is the first seed, so you’ll be playing first, right?”

“Yeah.”

For the grand finale of the Olympiad, the preliminary rounds of the open raid are determined by each team’s ranking.

We, as the 1st place team, are in Group 1, the 2nd place team, the USA, is in Group 2, and the 3rd place team, the UK, is in Group 3.

They are arranged in order like this, dividing the 64 teams into 8 groups.

The preliminary rounds take up the entire day, and the matches start with Group 1, of course.

In other words, Korea is the first to play.

“Then I can go in right after the preliminary round ends.”

“Yeah. I was thinking of doing that anyway.”

If we go back right after the first match, we’ll have about 16 hours of free time before the main rounds start the next day.

That’s the perfect time to enter the fifth trial page.

* * *

The next morning.

We arrived at the stadium at 8:20 AM.

There was about 30 minutes left until the preliminary rounds started.

It was a time when everyone should have been stiff with tension.

But in the Korean team’s waiting room, there was no sign of tension at all.

“Yaaawn.”

“Senior, your hair is sticking up here.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Some were yawning, some were chatting, and some were joking around.

It was like they were going out for a stroll, not a match.

“They’re all being too careless.”

The only person who seemed to be maintaining any tension was Senior Kang Shin-woo.

Senior Kang Shin-woo was frowning, seemingly displeased with the team members’ nonchalant attitude.

“I know, right? They’re a bit too distracted today.”

Of course, I understand why they’re like this.

Korea’s current power is overwhelming.

There’s no way they’d feel any sense of crisis.

Besides, today’s match is just the preliminary round.

It’s not like we’re facing the USA or the UK, so it’s natural for them to be relaxed.

‘But this is a bit too relaxed. We might make a mistake like this.’

Tension is bad if you have too much, but it’s also bad if you have too little.

The chances of something happening in today’s preliminary round are low, but if this atmosphere continues, there might be problems in tomorrow’s main rounds.

It’s better to cut off this kind of atmosphere beforehand.

“Senior, could I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure. Leave it to me.”

Senior Kang Shin-woo, who had been looking utterly dissatisfied, stepped forward with an expression that said he was about to give them a stern talking-to.

—The players from the teams in Group 1 of the preliminary rounds, please move to the stadium in 10 minutes.

At that moment, the match announcement came over the speakers.

“……”

At the same time, Senior Kang Shin-woo’s steps stopped.

For the record, it’s not like he was particularly focused on the announcement.

He had known for a long time that they had to move to the stadium in 10 minutes.

It wasn’t something he needed to focus on now.

“It seems like they weren’t all that relaxed after all.”

“……It seems so.”

The reason Shin-woo stopped was because the team members’ atmosphere had changed instantly with the announcement.

As if they had never been relaxed, their expressions and attitudes became sharp.

Tension that was just right, not too much.

And yet, their eyes were indifferent.

It was a perfect battle stance.

“Hoo. Now there are only two matches left.”

Senior Hee-yoon, who had been chatting and giggling with Soon-chan, approached us with a serious expression.

“Let’s burn everything we have today and tomorrow.”

Senior Jin-seok followed behind him.

He cracked his knuckles and smiled heartily.

“Hyungnim [older brother/senior], it seems like you have a lot of energy left over from playing around in the dungeon… Ugh!”

“What did you say? Junior.”

Senior Ma Jin-seok put Soon-chan in a headlock and squeezed.

“Hyungnim! I’m sorry! I won’t be cheeky! Ugh!”

“Huh? Is it because you rested well after being excluded from the dungeon exploration team? I can’t hear you well. What did you say?”

The bulging veins on his arm seemed to show the power of the headlock.

“It hurts! It hurts!”

“Really? I’m just squeezing lightly. Is it because our junior rested so well? You have a lot of energy left over?”

“Ugh!”

It seemed like he was still secretly holding a grudge about Soon-chan going in his place for the dungeon exploration match.

“Stop it, you idiot. What are you doing before the match starts?”

Senior Jin Hee-yoon stepped in and separated the two.

“I, I’m alive.”

Soon-chan, who had escaped from Senior Ma Jin-seok’s grasp, pressed his temples and sighed in relief.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes? Yes.”

Soon-chan answered with a very subtle expression.

“Tsk. That petty guy. He’s tormenting a kid like that over something so small. Are you okay? Did it hurt a lot?”

“……”

Soon-chan’s expression turned sour.

It was clear that he was thinking, ‘Is the most petty person really the one to say that?’

“Soon-chan, your emotions are showing on your face?”

Senior Hee-yoon put his arm around Soon-chan’s shoulder. Then, he rubbed his back.

“Does your back feel itchy?”

“No, it doesn’t!”

Soon-chan screamed in horror.

It seemed like Senior Hee-yoon’s hands were really something. Seeing Soon-chan react so violently.

“I’m just kidding. Just kidding. You’re so sensitive.”

Senior Hee-yoon laughed heartily and ruffled Soon-chan’s hair.

It seemed like the two of them had gotten closer in the meantime.

Or maybe Senior Hee-yoon had opened up to Soon-chan a little more.

“It’s almost time to go.”

Adela approached us.

As usual, she calmly announced that it was time to leave with a nonchalant expression.

At that moment, the atmosphere, which had become a little playful, instantly became heavy.

Expressions that seemed to erase all emotions and think only about the match ahead.

They were perfect, almost to the point where I didn’t need to say anything more.

“Let’s go.”

That was all I had to say.

“Yeah. Let’s go and take care of it quickly.”

“Let’s go.”

And so, we all left the waiting room together and headed to the stadium.

There was no chance, even if it was just a one in a million chance, that we would lose in the preliminary round.

I had that conviction.

* * *

—There were no upsets! The Korean team has broken through the preliminary rounds with an overwhelming victory! From Zone 1 to Zone 4. They have completely dominated all zones, taking first place with an overwhelming victory!

As everyone expected, the first match of the preliminary rounds ended with Korea’s overwhelming victory.

—We could see Germany’s strategy. It was a strategy that completely read the Korean team’s strategy and aimed for second place.

—Yes. They showed a remarkable ability to not lose the small things while trying to gain the big things.

The German team was the one that advanced to the main rounds with us in Group 1.

They read that the Korean team was planning to attack all zones, and instead, they took second place by defeating the smaller monsters.

It was a victory of strategy.

—Ah, it’s really nerve-wracking. Now, everything will be decided in tomorrow’s final match, the main rounds.

—That’s right. I’m also looking forward to seeing if Korea will be able to set a new record or not.

—Oh. While we were talking, the second match of the preliminary rounds is about to begin.

—We should introduce the players who will be participating in the second match!

The commentators naturally began to explain the second match.

It was a formal commentary, so there was nothing to pay particular attention to.

“Tsk.”

Tkisch clicked his tongue and turned off the TV.

The voices of the commentators and casters that had filled the room disappeared, and only silence remained in the room.

“Shin Ha-yul.”

Tkisch’s eyes gleamed fiercely.

Just thinking about Shin Ha-yul made his anger surge.

‘That rat bastard.’

At first, he was just an assassination target, but now he had a personal grudge against him.

Shin Ha-yul had foiled Tkisch three times.

Even if one of them was excluded because Leng Smith, who Tkisch was managing, had failed, the remaining two were completely Tkisch’s failures.

‘Shin Ji-han. I did hold back to some extent to avoid suspicion, but….’

Whatever the reason, failure is failure.

It had created a major blemish on Tkisch’s record.

It was natural for him to hold a grudge.

‘Hoo. I want to kill him right now, regardless of the request, but….’

That wouldn’t do.

Ignoring a request once it’s been accepted and acting on his own accord goes against Tkisch’s policy.

Eliminating Shin Ha-yul must be done strictly under the request.

‘I want to kill him.’

But the emotional outburst was more intense than he thought. He tried to calm himself down, but it wouldn’t work.

‘Calm down. Hoo. Calm down.’

Tkisch took a deep breath, his breath hot with anger.

‘In the first place, the current Shin Ha-yul is not someone I can eliminate even if I try.’

It would be a problem even if he moved to eliminate Shin Ha-yul without caring about Shin Ji-han’s safety.

The current Shin Ha-yul is under the world’s attention.

As such, there is an enormous amount of security personnel on standby around him at all times. There is no way to eliminate Shin Ha-yul while breaking through that level of security.

At least, it’s impossible for Tkisch alone.

‘I might be able to if I mobilize additional personnel, but it’s difficult to expect additional support unless it’s a request.’

Therefore, it is impossible for Tkisch to eliminate Shin Ha-yul even if he acts personally now.

Tkisch took another deep breath.

It was a cold breath that was much more stable than before.

As he organized the situation, his head had cooled down to some extent.

‘And right now, eliminating the Fist at the transfer ceremony in three days is the priority.’

Finally, he put aside his personal feelings and recalled his mission, shaking off all his anger.

Tkisch, who had returned to his usual expressionless and cold face, calmly took out his phone.

‘…By the way.’

There was just one thing that bothered him.

‘Shin Ji-han. Why hasn’t this guy contacted me since then?’

After the Fist failed to assassinate Shin Ha-yul. He had expected a storm of calls from Shin Ji-han, but surprisingly, there hadn’t been a single call so far.

It was as if he had completely cut off contact, as if he had no intention of contacting the Black Tower anymore.

‘Surely he’s not thinking of moving on his own.’

Tkisch’s eyes narrowed sharply.

It would be a problem if Shin Ji-han moved on his own.

Shin Ji-han is a person who will be a great force in dominating Korea in the future.

It would be an immeasurable loss for the Black Tower if such a person were eliminated now.

‘I don’t think he’s that stupid, but….’

Given the current situation, it wouldn’t be strange if he tried to act rashly.

He was an annoying guy, but as a VVIP customer, he couldn’t just let him die.

Tkisch clicked his tongue softly and made a call somewhere.

[Code name: Hermes]

The call was connected before the ringing tone could even be heard twice.

“Hermes. Provide the latest information on VVIP customer number 41.”

—I will send it as soon as I confirm it.

“Okay. I’m counting on you.”

That was it.

The call ended there.

As if no further conversation was needed, the two hung up at the same time.

This was all the conversation needed when talking to a high-ranking member like Hermes.

[Code name: Hermes]

The text came immediately.

It was indeed the speed of Hermes, the best informant of the Black Tower.

The text contained all sorts of information about Shin Ji-han.

Most of it was information he already knew.

But the last item was enough to make Tkisch frown.

[41st VVIP customer, Shin Ji-han. Current location: Incheon International Airport.]

[Destination confirmed to be the United States.]

“……He’s coming to the US?”

Shin Ji-han was trying to go to the US where Shin Ha-yul was.

Tkisch frowned at Shin Ji-han’s obvious intentions.