Withdraw Your Gaze
Enoch finished his preparations and stepped out of the pub. His expression was calm now, a stark contrast to earlier.
'This is a good chance to give them a heads-up in advance.'
When he'd first received the letter, his head had boiled with rage. Two precious days of freedom had been stolen for no reason. But after mulling it over, he realized it wasn't entirely a bad thing.
'The title of guild master carries real weight. And yet, they've gone out of their way to send an invitation first.'
The position of guild master was something even Enoch found difficult to approach—not because of raw power, but due to prestige and status. Originally, he'd lacked the justification to meet them. Now, however, things were different. In essence, the busy guild master had personally summoned him through official correspondence. That meant he now had a legitimate reason to visit.
Enoch set aside his irritation at losing his holiday and resolved to make the most of this opportunity.
"I'm heading to the capital for a bit. Get along with Master while I'm gone. Don't skip your training."
"Huh? I'm not going with you?"
Lakrina asked as she tucked away the wallet containing the 153,000 kros she'd received as pocket money. Her face was filled with obvious confusion—she'd naturally assumed she'd be accompanying him to the capital. Enoch shook his head firmly, as if it were unnecessary.
"This is grown-up business. No need for you to get involved."
"B-but still..."
Lakrina timidly grabbed the hem of his coat—a quiet act of rebellion, pleading for him not to leave her behind.
'She's already grown quite attached.'
Enoch looked at her with interest. In just two days, she'd built up a surprising amount of trust. Sometimes, the intensity of shared time mattered more than its duration. Lakrina was exactly that case. Over the past two days, she'd experienced so much that she'd unconsciously come to see Enoch as a reliable adult she could trust.
'Still, not today.'
Enoch didn't waver. He didn't know how long he'd be in the capital or how active he'd need to be. Bringing her along wasn't an option. It might sound harsh, but right now, Lakrina was honestly nothing more than dead weight.
"That's unfortunate."
He gently pried her fingers from his coat. Lakrina's eyes welled up like an abandoned puppy. Even so, Enoch remained resolute.
"I'll be back soon. Don't cause any trouble, and focus on your training."
"Okay..."
"Cheer up. I'll bring back some gifts when I return."
Enoch smiled as he added that, then turned and walked away with steady, unhurried steps.
"..."
Lakrina stood quietly at the pub entrance, watching her teacher fade into the distance. Eventually, his figure shrank to a dot and vanished completely. At that moment, she found herself unconsciously reaching for her sword. Her feelings were complicated. For some reason, she felt like training.
@
Enoch bought his ticket and boarded the airship. It was a product made by Karadron, a dwarven company from another nation, not the Empire. Its design blended magic and science in an arcane-punk or steampunk style. For reference, the airship's price was around 250 billion kros. If he wanted one, money alone wouldn't stop him.
'I'd like to buy one if possible... but the problem is I have nowhere to put it. I don't even know how often I'd use it.'
Enoch figured he'd look through some airship catalogs later. After all, the power of his skill varied wildly depending on the materials used as catalysts. Even with something worth only 300,000 kros, he could handle a Scroll-rank mage without much trouble. So what would happen if he poured the full 250 billion into it? Enoch found himself genuinely curious.
'Time to depart.'
While he was thinking, the airship slowly began to lift off. The bow turned to set its course, and the engines rumbled as they expelled heat. Enoch closed his eyes, feeling the vibrations. When he opened them again, he was already in the sky.
@
Age of Invasion featured numerous nations. The elven territories, the dwarven kingdom, the city-state alliance founded by the Ein, and finally, the human Empire. The Empire's name was Balderich. Its capital, Akroteon, meant "high peak."
'It's been a while since I've been to the capital.'
Enoch stepped off the airship and took in the view of the capital. A massive city with a population of 16 million. The buildings stacked layer upon layer like terraced rice fields left a strong impression.
"Are you Mr. Enoch?"
Someone approached and spoke to him. Upon checking, he saw a group of mages in modern robes.
"I'm Enoch. What do you want?"
"We heard you have a letter. Could you show it to us?"
"Here it is."
Enoch pulled out the letter and handed it over. The lead mage hesitated briefly at the creases but soon accepted it in silence.
"Confirmed. You are indeed the intended recipient."
"So now you'll take me there?"
"We weren't given any specific instructions beyond escorting you."
The mages bowed their heads slightly and looked at him as if asking whether he was ready to go. Since there was no reason to refuse, Enoch nodded. They walked together for a short while. Then, whether through some magic or not, a massive guild building appeared before Enoch's eyes despite having walked only a short distance.
'A compression spell. So they belong to the Earth Tower.'
"This way, please. The guild master is waiting."
The guiding mage gestured for him to follow. Enoch sighed as he looked at him.
"You need to work on your hospitality."
"Pardon?"
"Next time you use magic, at least inform the guest of your intentions first. That's basic courtesy."
As Enoch spoke, he stepped forward. A blue lightning bolt had already manifested in the monocle over his left eye.
-Thud
The moment Enoch stepped down, the surrounding air trembled all at once. It was the compression spell that folded the ground to allow rapid travel. The execution was decent, but still lacking. Enoch had simply pierced through the subtle gaps in the magic stretched between the ground and stepped through them.
-Ssshhh
Magic was built through calculation, talent, and design. Once a flaw appeared in that solid fortress, it was only natural for it to collapse. Following that natural order, the compression spell crumbled away in an instant.
"This is..."
"...Did he use a dispelling spell?"
"No way."
The mages were visibly shaken at seeing their magic undone so quickly. Blocking magic was easy. Interfering with it was difficult. But analyzing its design and completely dispelling it was nearly impossible. At minimum, one had to peer into the very essence of the magic and fully understand it. In other words, it was a feat possible only for someone who had reached the Essence rank in the earth attribute.
"...Could he be a senior from our tower?"
The Earth Tower mage looked up at Enoch with a flustered expression. The man in question didn't even glance back as he walked into the building.
"......"
The mages left behind watched him in silence. Then, one by one, they bowed their heads. It was their own form of respect toward a mage who had transcended Clown, Scroll, and Domination to reach Essence.
@
Enoch walked through the guild building without hesitation. For a first-time visitor, his steps showed no uncertainty. It wasn't that he knew the way. There simply wasn't anything that could be called a "path" here in the first place.
'This is it.'
His footsteps stopped. A massive door now stood before him.
'No matter where you walk, you arrive at the destination you picture in your mind. The towers work similarly. Knowing the original setting really does help.'
The entire Magic Guild building was enchanted with a guidance spell. It was cast indiscriminately on everyone who entered. Those affected would reach their desired destination no matter which way they walked, as long as they pictured it clearly in their mind. It was a spell the tower mages had devised to use the vast space efficiently.
'Of course, it still requires the master's permission.'
Enoch casually checked the guild master's letter in his hand. A blue light was emanating from it—the same one he'd received back earlier. In short, the letter itself was a key. A letter bearing the guild master's handwriting signified an invitation. Without it, no one could reach this place no matter what they tried.
'Hard to tell if I'm being treated as a guest or a criminal.'
-Creaaak
Enoch opened the door and stepped inside. A vast space with a giant round table appeared before him.
"Oh, you've finally arrived."
At one side of the round table sat a familiar face—Nordila, the Boundary-level mage and Ice Tower Lord he'd met recently.
"Welcome, Enoch. I never expected to see you again so soon."
"Neither did I. I figured it'd be at least a few months."
Nordila greeted him with a bright expression. As Enoch approached, he continued.
"By the way, where are the others? And where's the guild master?"
"Wait a moment. They'll be here shortly."
Nordila picked his ear, then blew on his finger.
"They probably detected your arrival from above the Empire. As you know, people like us aren't particularly bound by space. ...Hah! Speak of the tiger and it appears. Looks like another one's coming."
Nordila chuckled and pointed. There was nothing at the tip of his finger. But Enoch already knew better than to blindly trust what he could see when dealing with magic.
-Ssshhh
In that instant, the moisture in the air condensed into tiny droplets. The droplets that fell to the ground instantly transformed into a human shape.
"Am I second? Thanks, Nordila. That was convenient."
"If you're grateful, buy me a meal or something."
"Let's go with something other than food. Unnecessary consumption just weighs the body down."
It was a woman with blue hair. Enoch immediately recognized her—Jane Alura, the Boundary-level Water Tower Lord.
"Is that Enoch?"
"Yes."
"Really? Nice to meet you. Anyway, looks like everyone's arriving now."
Jane Alura put a water pipe in her mouth. Beyond the bubbling sound, other mages began arriving one after another.
-Bzzzt
A sudden ringing echoed in his ears.
-BOOM!
"Sorry for being late. I had some business to take care of."
Vergo Tessa, the Lightning Tower Lord, appeared with a crack of thunder.
"Hey... I told you to tone down the cleaning."
Dirt fell from the ceiling. Raselin Iskuta, the Earth Tower Lord, slowly raised her head.
-Creaaak
Finally, the door at the entrance opened. Sebek, the Wind Tower Lord, and Logita Mantera, the Magic Guild Master, appeared.
"Hah."
Logita let out a short sigh. He glanced at the others—excluding Enoch—then spoke sharply.
"Six Boundary-level mages. Quite the gathering. Were you all that free? You never show up no matter how much I call, but now you're all here."
The Tower Lords reacted in their own ways to the criticism.
"We can't help it... It's not like we can wander around freely either."
"This matter is different from the start. It's too big to take lightly."
Raselin of Earth and Vergo of Lightning spoke in turn. Raselin was a quiet-looking woman with green hair. Vergo, in contrast, was a muscular blond man with dark skin.
"Is there ever a good reason for us to gather in one place? Just from me and old man Nordila being here, the water level in the central imperial canal is probably rising in real time."
"Count me out. I mastered power control back when I was still nursing."
"Let's just finish this quickly. Sitting still is making me restless."
At Jane's words, Nordila immediately retorted. Sebek had already taken a seat and was resting his chin on his hand with a weary expression. Enoch quietly observed the entire scene. He'd expected something like a hearing at best, but seeing the people gathered here made that possibility vanish entirely.
"So you're Enoch."
Meanwhile, Logita approached him from the entrance. Enoch greeted him politely with a short bow.
"It's an honor to meet you, Guild Master. I came after receiving the 'invitation' you personally wrote."
"Yes, that was the case. Thank you. Unlike those damned fools, you actually understood my words properly."
Logita gave a bitter smile, as if grateful. Then, rubbing his eyes as if tired, he took a seat. Enoch followed and sat next to Nordila. Once he was seated, the guild master spoke again.
"Five elemental Tower Lords and the guild master. This should be more than enough to call it a proper discussion."
"......"
"From this moment, we begin Pankrotos, where everyone's voice will be heard."
With the declaration, lights illuminated the round table. The entire space transformed in an instant. The new space resembled a colosseum. Numerous people appeared and took their seats in the newly manifested empty chairs.
'Now it finally feels like an interrogation or hearing.'
At least several hundred people were gathered. That number was extraordinary for mere background. Enoch could feel countless gazes from beyond the transformed space focusing on him. As he silently endured those stares, Guild Master Logita spoke once more.
"The topic of Pankrotos is simple. It concerns the mage named Enoch sitting right there."
"..."
"Today, we will discuss his situation. We may question him, and he may question us in return. I hope this conversation ends with a mutually satisfactory agreement."
-Thud thud
Logita struck the gavel on the round table. It was a crude bell signaling the start. He set the gavel aside and turned to Enoch, who had remained silent.
"If it's alright, why don't you begin? I'm sure you have quite a few questions as well."
"Very well. I appreciate the courtesy."
Enoch didn't bother refusing. He cleared his throat and stood up.
"Ahem..."
-......
"First, I'd like to say one thing to everyone gathered here."
Enoch slowly scanned the Tower Lords, the guild master, and the other mages seated beyond them, then spoke as if making a declaration.
"You bunch of idiots."
"...?"
"Stop looking at me like I'm some kind of criminal. Before I come over there and gouge those eyes out myself."
It was a rather long single line. The conference hall froze over in an instant.