The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 287

The Rebirth of the Mythical Archmage-288

Korea successfully thwarted the Anti-Magia’s terrorist attack.

The news spread across the globe in an instant.

[How did Korea neutralize the Anti-Magia?]

[Is the annihilation of the Anti-Magia possible?]

[Was it an 18-year-old student who single-handedly neutralized the Anti-Magia?]

[Shin Hayul. Single-handedly subdued the Anti-Magia. Zero casualties during the operation.]

It was, in a word, chaos.

The fact that they had stopped the Anti-Magia, an unmanageable terrorist group.

The fact that they no longer had to succumb to the threat of the Anti-Magia.

The whole world cheered.

However, the cheers of the world were nothing compared to the cheers of Korea.

[The hero born from Korea. Shin Hayul!]

[How did Shin Hayul become the Shin Hayul of today?]

It was already something to celebrate that they had stopped the horrific crimes of the Anti-Magia without major damage.

And the fact that it was Shin Hayul, known as the most promising talent in Korea, who stopped them.

It was too much to ask Koreans, who love promising talents and national prestige more than anyone else, not to get excited.

[How is this 18 years old? How is this 18 years old? How is this 18 years old?]

[Shin Hayul is a god. Shin Hayul is a god. Shin Hayul is a god.]

[Putting aside the national pride, he’s really insane. I thought he was just a promising talent. Isn’t this beyond active duty level?]

All sorts of Korean online communities were currently ablaze with talk about Shin Hayul and the Anti-Magia.

Everyone was caught up in the so-called ‘national pride’ and furiously posting.

[Official announcement! Method to neutralize the Anti-Magia discovered!]

[That’s insane.]

[Wow, looking at it, the Mado Shin family has the patent? It seems like this is really information that Shin Hayul analyzed?]

[Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not that Shin Hayul isn’t amazing. But that’s going too far. It’s just a lucky coincidence.]

[No. It’s not getting ahead of myself, think about it. The Mado Shin family doesn’t even touch research on mana stones or anything like that. But how could they be analyzing the Anti-Magia?]

[That’s true.]

[I looked it up. None of the Mado Shin family’s affiliates analyze mana stones or anything like that.]

[Wow. Then did Shin Hayul really solve everything?]

As always, all sorts of wild speculations that started with an official announcement filled the internet.

The strange thing was that you couldn’t find any posts that insulted or belittled Shin Hayul.

Of course, if you searched thoroughly, there would be some, but they were so few compared to the flood of posts that it was meaningless to even look for them.

[I just finished reading Namu Wiki [Korean version of Wikipedia]. His life scenario is crazy. Shin Hayul’s life is like a movie?]

[Lol, perfect. The resurrection of a genius who had fallen into the abyss.]

[It’s a bit much to say this, but if he had been a genius from the beginning to the end, he wouldn’t have such a favorable image?]

[I agree. I have a really bad personality, but if I like him, that says it all.]

[2222. My hipster sensibility is drawn to the only magician without AI.]

[Ah lol, Shin Hayul doesn’t have AI. I keep forgetting lol]

[Thinking about it again, it’s really crazy. Before I got my AI implant, I was just a mana-sensing poop machine.]

[Frfr [For real]. How could he use magic like that in that crappy state. Is that why he’s a genius?]

If Shin Hayul was just a simple genius, he wouldn’t have received such a favorable response.

The ups and downs of Shin Hayul’s life, the days he fell into the pit of despair, the heroic narrative of standing tall again after experiencing that despair.

All of it is drawing a favorable response from everyone.

[Phew. Now, he just needs to avoid getting injured. Please, just keep growing like this.]

[I believe there won’t be anyone calling Shin Hayul a bubble anymore.]

[Ah lol, he’s already world-class lol]

With the addition of the title of the first gold medalist and MVP winner at the Olympiad, and the title of hero who saved 7,000 citizens.

He had become a figure that no one could dislike.

[Let’s inject ourselves with a lethal dose of national pride today. I’ll bring all the overseas reactions. I’m not sleeping tonight.]

[Oh. Good. I’ll wait.]

After the end of the Olympiad.

The Shin Hayul syndrome, which had been slowly dying down, was reignited.

“What a fuss. Just for stopping one terrorist attack.”

In a Japanese house.

A man who had been looking through the reactions of Korean online communities shook his head as if there was no answer.

“Ah. It’s boring.”

As if he was tired of it, he tossed his phone onto the bed.

He lay down on the bed with his hands clasped behind his neck.

“What do you think?”

Then he looked at the man standing next to him and asked.

“I think it’s a shame.”

A tall height and broad shoulders.

A handsome face that 10 out of 10 people would say was handsome.

Black hair and black eyes.

The handsome man, who was all decked out in black, answered indifferently.

“What’s a shame?”

“I heard that you invested quite a lot to get the Anti-Magia into Korea this time. It’s all gone to waste……”

“So, it’s a shame?”

“Yes. Considering the amount of money and manpower invested, and Levi-nim’s wasted time… it’s a shame in many ways.”

Levi.

The man who was called that chuckled.

“Why? Do you think things would have been different if you were there?”

“Yes. At least, I don’t think it would have failed so miserably.”

“I like your confidence. That’s why I chose you.”

Levi crossed his legs with his hands clasped behind his neck.

He looked very relaxed.

“……Levi-nim, aren’t you disappointed?”

“Me? Well, not really?”

Levi shook the leg he had raised up, showing off his relaxed demeanor even more.

“Money, well, I can get as much as I want from Hermes. Manpower, I can get it if I want to. I don’t think it’s a loss. My time, well, I’m not exactly living a busy life every day, am I? This much is not a loss.”

Levi chuckled.

Even though he had failed in a mission he had been preparing for quite a while, he didn’t seem upset at all.

“I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

Even if he didn’t think it was a loss, failure is still unpleasant.

It’s impossible to look so calm and collected after experiencing failure.

There’s something else.

“What is it? It’s only been three days. Have you already figured out my personality?”

Levi laughed out loud as if he was very amused.

“That’s right. Actually, I gained something from the failure of this mission. So, I guess that’s why. I don’t feel so bad.”

“It seems there’s something I don’t know.”

“Yeah.”

Levi’s eyes were filled with murderous intent.

“Sato. You’ve only been a member of the Magic Tower for three days, so you wouldn’t know, but I had a very close friend. A friend named Doctor……”

“It seems something happened to him.”

“Yeah. He died.”

Levi lifted his upper body and sat on the edge of the bed.

“And he didn’t just die, he was betrayed and killed by a fellow executive.”

“……Betrayal. Did that happen before I joined?”

“Yeah. Ugh. As a fellow executive, I’m ashamed.”

Levi’s face flushed as if he was truly ashamed.

“The code name of the executive who betrayed him is Shadow. He’s a special ability user who manipulates shadows……”

Levi’s expression twisted fiercely.

“I found traces of shadow magic being used at Incheon International Airport this time.”

“……”

Sato’s brow twitched at Levi’s words.

‘Shadow magic was used?’

He was surprised by the unexpected answer.

“That means that the damn traitor is hiding in Korea right now, right?”

“That’s what it means.”

“And the fact that the guy who’s running away from us, went out of his way to reveal his power to stop a terrorist attack……”

Levi slowly raised the corners of his mouth and trailed off.

“There’s a high probability that he’s related to Shin Hayul, who stopped this incident…… is that it?”

“Exactly!”

Exactly!

Levi snapped his fingers and shouted.

“So, how can I not be happy? I’ve seized the perfect opportunity to avenge my friend!”

“I understand. There’s no reason to be disappointed at all.”

“Right?”

Levi lay back down on the bed, taking the same position as before.

“Then the reason you haven’t left Japan yet is……”

“That’s right. I’m going to go to Korea.”

He would first capture Shin Hayul, who seemed to be related to Shadow.

It wasn’t too late to think about it after that.

“I understand. Then I’ll prepare to go to Korea.”

“That’s why I like you, Sato. You’re quick to understand.”

Levi chuckled.

“I was worried until the end. I think I made the right choice in choosing you.”

“I am very grateful for your words. But may I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“I heard that there were people among the candidates who were far superior to me in many ways. I’m curious why you chose me over them.”

“Ah, that? It’s nothing.”

Levi’s eyes shone fiercely.

“That guy had a bit of a childish physique.”

“Is having a small build…… a reason?”

“Of course, it is.”

Levi answered with an expression that asked what was so obvious.

“Shadow. Many executives don’t know because he always hides his body with shadows. That guy. He has the physique of an elementary school student.”

“So, the reason you excluded the other candidates was……”

“That’s right. He might have been trying to pull a trick, right? I heard from Hermes. Shadow can change his face to some extent with shadow magic, but he can’t change his physique. That’s why I cut him and chose you.”

Levi smiled brightly.

“I can rest easy with your physique.”

Sato, a man with a sturdy build over 190cm [approximately 6’3″].

He could entrust the work to him with peace of mind.

“To be chosen because of my physique. I don’t feel so good.”

“Ahaha! Does it hurt your pride?”

“Yes. A little.”

Levi burst out laughing.

“You’re funny. Other secretaries were too scared to make such jokes to me.”

“If I was rude, I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine. Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Levi closed his eyes.

“Then I’m going to sleep now. Tell me when you’re done preparing to go to Korea.”

“Yes. I will prepare as quickly as possible.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll be waiting.”

Levi waved his hand casually with his eyes closed.

Sato bowed to Levi, then turned around and slowly left the room.

“……”

Sato’s eyes, completely turned away from Levi, shone fiercely.

* * *

The incident ended safely.

Two days had passed.

It had been quite a terrible two days.

I still couldn’t get used to being harassed by reporters.

I thought I had done an incredible number of interviews with reporters.

It was shocking that even that was only because the family had cut them off.

“Are you, by any chance, afflicted with a disease that prevents you from having a single quiet day?”

Commander Charles shook his head as he looked at me.

“Weren’t you busy?”

“I’m busy. Insanely busy.”

Commander Charles sighed deeply.

“But what can I do? Madam told me to go see you first. Sigh.”

Commander Charles scanned my whole body with only one eye open.

“I told her that you were obviously fine, but she insisted on me going to check on you…… Our Madam’s overprotectiveness is something else.”

“……Haha.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just laughed it off.

“Ah, right. While I’m here, let me ask you. How did you neutralize the Anti-Magia?”

The thesis on the Anti-Magia sealing method had not yet been released.

It was still being refined, so it would probably be released in a week.

That’s why he was asking such a question.

……But Commander Charles isn’t the type of person who would be interested in such things.

Why is he asking this?

“Um. Well, it’s like……”

I slowly began to explain the analysis of the Anti-Magia and the countermeasures that followed.

In the process, I also explained that I had followed Shadow’s magic in a superficial way, and also explained about Adela’s performance.

“Wow~ Adela Steart. That crybaby did such a big thing.”

Adela was still a crybaby in Commander Charles’ mind.

It seemed that he couldn’t forget Adela crying during the previous Shinbiwi incident.

“But. I’m sorry to you for explaining it in such detail. But honestly, I didn’t understand half of it.”

“……I kind of thought that might be the case.”

He had been making an expression that said, ‘What the heck is he talking about?’ the whole time, so there was no way he wouldn’t know.

“But why did you ask? You’re not usually curious about this kind of thing.”

Commander Charles wasn’t very interested in these theoretical parts.

Well, I thought there must be a reason, so I answered diligently.

But I was curious about the reason.

“Um. To be honest, it’s not that I was curious.”

“Then?”

Commander Charles placed his phone on the table.

He was on a call with someone.

Looking closely at the screen, there was a familiar name.

[Terun Sitrea]

“She said she was curious if you really found a way to seal the Anti-Magia yourself.”

Commander Charles stuck out his tongue slightly and smiled.

“Ah, don’t worry, I muted the personal stuff we talked about before. Only the stuff about the Anti-Magia was transmitted.”

Commander Charles pointed to the microphone mute button and said.

He muted the microphone when we were talking about personal things.

That’s what he meant.

“Anyway, Terun. I did as you asked. Now it’s your turn to fulfill your promise. When do you want to meet? The sooner the better for us.”

―…….

There was no answer.

“Terun?”

―…….

I couldn’t hear a voice, but I could hear other sounds.

Was that the sound of a keyboard being tapped?

“Hey. Terun! Terun Sitrea!”

Just as Commander Charles shouted into the phone, it happened.

―Eureka!!

“Whoa, you scared me!”

A voice much louder than Commander Charles’ voice echoed from the speaker.

It was a woman’s voice.

―This is revolutionary! This discovery has clearly advanced humanity’s science and technology by about 13 years! If I apply this technology to my research…… Charles. I’ll call you back later!

With those words, the call ended.

It seemed like she had hung up on her end.

“……”

“……”

Commander Charles and I stared blankly at each other.

“Um. How should I put it. She’s, quite something.”

It seemed that she wasn’t as normal as I thought.

“……I didn’t say she wasn’t a weirdo. I said she was less of a weirdo than I thought.”

Commander Charles looked away, embarrassed.