The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 63

Ley Core.

A high-concentration mana energy source found in areas with high mana density, such as Baekryeong Island. [Mana is a form of magical energy.]

Usually located deep underground, it releases mana into the atmosphere through ley lines. [Ley lines are pathways of energy connecting sacred sites.]

The mana outlets created by these ley cores are called ley veins, and the mana concentration in areas where many of these ley veins are formed increases to an unparalleled degree.

“To think they were excavating and researching a ley core… The researchers at Baekryeong Island have truly gone mad.”

“…Yes.”

The study of ley cores is taboo.

There are several reasons for this, the biggest being that it’s simply dangerous.

Think about it. A ley core is a tremendous energy source that can increase the mana concentration of a region by up to double.

How could researching something like that be safe?

In fact, there was a country that ignored the danger and researched a ley core, only to have half of it destroyed when they mishandled it.

Tinkering with a ley core is that dangerous.

“More importantly, how did they even find this?”

“I wonder.”

Of course, danger isn’t the only reason.

Would researchers give up on studying such a natural mana tank just because it’s dangerous?

The main reason why researchers have no choice but to give up on studying ley cores is that finding them is nearly impossible.

Many ley cores are embedded in locations close to the outer core, beyond the mantle. [The mantle is the layer of the earth between the crust and the core.]

Even if one is buried nearby, it’s nearly impossible to pinpoint its location because it emits mana so extensively.

“This is the second time a ley core hasn’t stopped functioning even after being extracted, right?”

“Yes. The first one is no longer in this world, so this is the only one left.”

And the final reason.

Ley cores usually lose their power upon excavation.

Research has shown that the structure of the ground surrounding a ley core changes, causing it to lose its function.

In other words, even if you manage to find one, you can’t study it.

For these reasons, it has become an established theory in academia that studying ley cores is impossible.

It’s dangerous, hard to find, and loses its function when found, so how can you study it?

‘I really didn’t think it would be this.’

That’s why I didn’t think the anomaly on Baekryeong Island was due to ley core research.

“Then the recent increase in mana concentration is…”

“Yes. It must be since the research institute started studying the ley core.”

The ley core is still going berserk. Just by looking at it, the amount of mana it’s emitting is extraordinary.

“Then the institute director and researchers leaving the island…”

“They couldn’t control it anymore, so they quietly slipped away before it exploded. They bailed.”

“Leaving the ley core like this?”

“Yes. If it gets out that they were researching a ley core, they’ll all go down together. So they just left it, letting it explode. They’ll say the destruction of Baekryeong Island was due to an unknown mana explosion. That way, they can survive. Something like that.”

I made up a plausible explanation for Min Jang-hyun.

I couldn’t reveal that the Black Magic Tower was behind this, so this was the best I could do.

“Those trashy bastards…”

Min Jang-hyun gritted his teeth.

“Hoo…”

Min Jang-hyun took a deep breath and vented his anger.

“So, what should we do?”

“There are two options. We can either make this ley core issue public and evacuate everyone.”

Bad weather, no spare mana lines, none of that matters.

In this kind of emergency, they’ll send a ship, a helicopter, or a high-ranking mage who can use flight magic.

“Or we can calm the ley core’s rampage and prevent the explosion.”

Alternatively, we could try to stabilize the ley core.

“Realistically, evacuation is the only option.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It’s difficult to stabilize a ley core that has already started to go berserk. The only real option is evacuation.

“The problem is time…”

I opened my Mystic Eye again. [Mystic Eye is a magical ability to perceive mana.]

“…Ugh!”

At the same time, my head spun.

I grabbed my eyes and collapsed to the floor.

I was overwhelmed by the mana emitted by the ley core. The Mystic Eye couldn’t process the sheer volume of mana information.

“Young Master!?”

“I-I’m fine. I just got a little dizzy from receiving too much mana.”

I desperately opened my eyes again. I could see the mana emitted by the ley core. My head still hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable.

“…I see. There’s less than an hour left.”

“Less than an hour left?”

“The time left until this ley core explodes.”

“Y-You mean it’s going to explode within an hour? That means…”

“Yes.”

I deactivated the Mystic Eye and stood up.

“It seems evacuation is impossible. There isn’t enough time.”

There’s simply not enough time to evacuate.

“If evacuation is impossible, then the only remaining option is…”

“Yes. We have no choice but to stabilize the ley core.”

“Stabilizing a ley vein… Is that even possible?”

“…We have to try somehow.”

I pressed my throbbing temples and accelerated my thoughts.

Fortunately, it’s not a situation where I’m completely helpless.

With my knowledge, the information I’ve gathered, and the Mystic Eye, it should be possible.

‘The method to stabilize this ley core is…’

I’ll combine the information I have about ley cores, the current state of the ley core as seen by the Mystic Eye, and the information I’ve recently obtained to find a solution. It shouldn’t be impossible for me right now.

“Min Jang-hyun, could you call the Shadow Squad and have them search the research institute thoroughly? Anything is fine. I need information about this ley core.”

Information is always good to have.

I need as much information as possible to find a more reliable way to stabilize the ley core.

“Yes, I understand!”

Min Jang-hyun quickly ran to the first floor, muttering.

“This is A1. Emergency situation. Everyone gather. I repeat, emergency situation. Everyone gather…”

Min Jang-hyun’s voice quickly faded away.

* * *

“…What?”

Meanwhile, at that time, in the president’s office of a subsidiary building of the Seoul Magic God Group.

Shin In-hyuk was in disbelief after hearing Kim Seok-hyun’s report.

“The ley core on Baekryeong Island… is about to explode?”

“Yes. It’s a message from Jang-hyun. Here, this is also a picture Jang-hyun sent.”

Shin In-hyuk quickly scanned the picture he received.

It was definitely a ley core.

“It’s a picture taken in the basement of the central research institute on Baekryeong Island.”

“How… did they find this?”

It was a question with dual meanings.

How did the researchers discover this ley core?

And how did Shin Ha-yul find the ley core that the researchers had abandoned in a runaway state?

“That…”

Kim Seok-hyun glanced at the subsidiary president who was quietly listening beside him.

“Ahem. I’ll step out for a moment.”

The subsidiary president coughed and left the room.

After the president left, Kim Seok-hyun even deployed a sound-blocking barrier around them.

“I don’t know how the researchers found the ley core, but it was Ha-yul Young Master who found the ley core that was left in a runaway state.”

“Ha-yul did? How?”

“Given the situation, I couldn’t ask him about that.”

“Is the situation serious?”

“Yes. This is also what Ha-yul Young Master said… The ley core on Baekryeong Island has less than an hour left before it explodes.”

“…An hour?”

Shin In-hyuk’s expression became even more serious.

“What about evacuation?”

“It’s impossible on their own. The weather is bad, so ships can’t sail, and the only mana line is broken.”

“What about sending a rescue ship?”

“Impossible. There isn’t enough time. Helicopters are also impossible.”

“Are there any mages who can use flight magic?”

“There are no mages above 6th Circle on Baekryeong Island right now.”

Shin In-hyuk frowned.

“Then the only remaining option is to dispatch a mage who can use flight magic…”

“Unfortunately, that’s also impossible. There isn’t enough time. Given the distance, even the most skilled mages won’t be able to reach Baekryeong Island within an hour.”

“It would be possible if mages above 7th Circle moved.”

“It would have been possible under normal circumstances, but it’s impossible now.”

Kim Seok-hyun’s face darkened.

“We’ve confirmed that the storm surrounding Baekryeong Island is destabilizing the mana in the vicinity of Baekryeong Island.”

“Is that… because of the mana emitted by the ley core?”

“Yes. It seems likely.”

“That means…”

“…Yes. Even if the Head of the Family were to head to Baekryeong Island himself, it would be impossible to arrive in time.”

There is no way to evacuate Ha-yul Young Master and his party who are currently on Baekryeong Island.

* * *

“Yes, I understand. We’ll manage somehow on our end.”

Min Jang-hyun finished a short phone call and approached me.

“What did Seok-hyun say?”

“…He says there’s no way to send a rescue ship within the remaining time.”

“I figured as much.”

I was hoping that Seok-hyun and my father might have a solution.

But it seems that what can’t be done, can’t be done.

“Did he say that the mana around Baekryeong Island is causing a distortion?”

“…Yes. It seems to have spread quite widely with the storm. The range is so wide that even Head of the Family Shin In-hyuk can’t reach Baekryeong Island in time.”

“…”

My eyes widened.

“…Even if Father comes?”

“Yes. Head of the Family Shin In-hyuk, who is an 8th Circle mage, can’t possibly…”

“No, it’s not that an 8th Circle mage is the problem. You mean Father was thinking of coming here himself?”

“Yes? Yes. If possible, he was thinking of doing so.”

“…”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing…”

I was genuinely surprised.

That my father would think of flying all the way here from Seoul to save me.

That must mean he has high expectations of me.

It feels strange.

“Young Master?”

“It’s nothing.”

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

“More importantly, how is Adela doing?”

“Ah, she said she’s almost here.”

“Tell her to come here as soon as she arrives.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I’ve informed Adela, my seniors, and the instructors about the current situation.

I didn’t tell them to make them anxious.

I only told them because I need everyone’s help to resolve this situation.

“Have you found anything else since then?”

“Yes. We’ve searched the inside of the research institute thoroughly, but there was nothing else. The research log I gave you earlier is the last one.”

“I see.”

“…Is something missing?”

“No, it’s not missing. The plan to stop the ley core’s rampage is already complete.”

The plan is already complete.

No matter how much I think about it, there’s no better plan than this.

The rest is just putting it into action and hoping for the best.

“Then why were you asking about other logs…?”

“Just… I was curious about something besides the research results.”

“Curious?”

“Yes. I guess you could say it’s information about the research institute itself, not about the ley core.”

I need evidence that can link this research institute to the Black Magic Tower.

If there’s such evidence, I can tie up Shin Ji-han.

“Ah! It’s to bring down the escaped researchers with the hammer of justice. You’re truly the Young Master.”

“…Yes. Well, something like that.”

Min Jang-hyun seems to be misunderstanding something, but I didn’t have anything to deny it, so I decided to leave it at that.

“I understand. Then I’ll thoroughly search for any remaining information about this research institute in the remaining time.”

“Yes, please.”

With those words, Min Jang-hyun went back up to the first floor.

I was left alone again with the ley core.

The ley core, which seemed like it could explode at any moment.

I took a deep breath as I looked at it.

‘Shin Ji-han. You’re really crossing the line.’

A hot breath filled with a large amount of anger.

It was a sigh filled with anger towards my brother, Shin Ji-han, who commissioned the Black Magic Tower to detonate the ley core.

‘Are you trying to erase an entire island just to kill me?’

The mastermind behind this is Shin Ji-han.

There’s no evidence, but I’m sure of it.

Would the Black Magic Tower be crazy enough to try to detonate a ley core without a commission?

He must have commissioned Shin Ji-han and plotted this to kill me in a disguised accident.

Especially since a ‘high-ranking member’ of the Black Magic Tower is involved.

I’m 100% sure.

‘…I need to bring Shin Ji-han down as soon as possible.’

If Shin Ji-han remains in that position, there’s no telling what will happen to the Magic God Group. I need to bring Shin Ji-han down as soon as possible.

And to do that, I need to get through this crisis first.

“Hoo.”

I forgot my anger for now and calmed my mind.

‘…I hope it goes well.’

I touched the four bottles of the elixir, ‘Mana’s Blessing,’ the key to solving this incident, which were in my side bag.