Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: The Path of the Magic Swordsman (3)
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Pour water on fire and it's over, right?
Is this even a fight???
'What insane value for the price.'
I let out a hollow laugh at how perfectly they'd taken the bait.
Works like a charm. The ultimate trigger word, as expected.
I don't particularly like using it myself, but when I do, it's different, right?
Of course, I had no intention of stopping there.
Drawing from my memory of getting banned last time, I walked the razor's edge, throwing in some support for the other side too.
To get the gallery users—who usually saw it as just another WWE brawl—to bite the bait and join in.
Slowly, without being too provocative, I added posts one by one.
Not just my posts—the gallery users were starting to chime in too.
They were sharing opinions they'd normally keep hidden, just to kill time.
'Whoa, this is getting pretty epic.'
Both the fire mage and water mage were spamming comments on every post.
More precisely, they ignored posts that favored them but went berserk on any that praised the opponent or dissed themselves.
There had to be more mages handling fire or water in the gallery, but these two hated each other with a passion.
'Come to think of it... I saw something on the main feed when I first joined.'
It was dozens of days ago, so the memory was fuzzy, but I recalled seeing match results or something.
I searched for their nicknames with that in mind—but
'...Can't find it.'
No luck at all.
The titles didn't ring a bell anyway.
How do they even come up with dozens, hundreds of these posts?
I knew they fought daily, but at this point, aren't they in love?
'Not that I want to be treated like ping-pong fodder...'
Time to get some actual help this time.
(Title not clickbait)
So which one's stronger, teachers?
Saw some match post on main before, can't find the results
If they compete every time, shouldn't we know who's better??
They're legit impressive, they'll bring the links soon
'I'm dead serious.'
Why can't non-mages use magic?
I said that because engraving circles one by one was a far cry from traditional mages.
Though if they treated me like a mage anyway, I wouldn't mind.
'This guy would be hilarious if he never wins cola in his life.'
I chuckled at the balding mage's reply.
Even if he wins someday, I'd send something other than cola.
Can't wait to see the reaction.
gall.inifinity/view/34567245 This is the latest one lol
How desperate do you have to be to link old results?
I clicked the fire mage's link with a hollow laugh and checked the contents.
(Photo of 549th round timer floating in midair)
(Screenshot of Water >> Fire's post)
548th Round
Tower of Trials
Fire: 75 days
Water: 73 days
Tower of Wisdom
Fire: 88 days
Water: 80 days
Tower of Mind
Fire: 84 days
Water: 82 days
Tower of Fate
Fire: 99 days
Water: 113 days
548th Round Total
Fire: 346 days
Water: 348 days
3 years straight win lol caught up now lol
All-time record
Fire 274 : Water 274
No badmouthing like "got wrecked everywhere except luck tower win" no no no
3 years straight wins and still tied...
"...More serious than I thought?"
I hadn't expected them to compete over who regresses first.
The replies reacted like it was an annual event, each basking in victory.
Scrolling further, they were back to trading hundreds of comments.
'Still a tie in the end.'
Didn't matter which I picked anyway.
If one side was clearly winning, I'd go with that, but a tie? Damn.
Wanna learn some magic, convince me which is better.
Those two are idiots but legit skilled mages you can't ignore...
I'll teach for one cola
"What the...?"
These guys were trying to pawn me off earlier, calling each other trash fire/water mages.
Now they're fighting over who gets to teach me to pinnacle for free and take me as disciple.
It didn't take long for simple disciple talk to escalate into full brawl.
'They probably don't care about Irregulars either?'
Even if one appeared, they'd ignore it to beat the other.
Yet they want boogers and cola—such ridiculous desires.
"Oh."
Judging by the nick, the balding mage seemed like the strongest in the gallery.
How obsessed with magic do you have to be to go bald?
"Crazy."
What secret is he hiding to refuse even cola?
This guy who prays for cola wins daily?
'Check first.'
Cola was the most I could invest right now.
Didn't know his skill level yet.
"Hmm."
I jotted down every detail he shared so generously.
Was he babying a mage newbie, or subtly craving cola? Who knows.
"Combos?"
Mixing two elements or using simultaneously?
"..."
That's it. Why didn't I think of that?
Just toss mana stones and any magic activates simultaneously.
Impossible for others, but possible for me.
Even without simultaneous cast, synergy between spells—
'Lightning magic + water magic.'
Perfect for mass slaughter.
Spray wide area with water, chain lightning on top—electrocution city.
If I had wind magic, fire would work too, but I don't.
'Great mages are great mages, huh?'
Lightning synergy screams water.
Lightning bind + fire attack not bad, but...
'Water's the pick no question.'
My gamer instincts screamed it.
Water's solid lol think versatile use Now send the cola?
No shame at all.
A few words and he wants cola.
He said he doesn't need it, so no cola for him.
Not even if tariffs vanish.
'If he accepts me as disciple later, then maybe.'
Over sketchy fire/water types, better learn from a proper archmage.
Using mana stones like now isn't bad, but I wanted to feel mana and cast properly.
I chuckled at the two mages, who'd ignored me before, now brawling again.
So pathetic right newbie? Want me to teach you?
Obvious. Get tangled with either and it's lifetime headache.
Hundreds of years of unwanted league cup guaranteed.
After some casual replies, I headed straight to Star Bang.
Water magic was pricey like lightning, but I trusted it'd be worth it.
"...Dual attribute magic swordsman Han Seol."
So damn cool.
Clicking mana stones was all I'd done, but I felt proud anyway.
Grinning at the thought of adding more down the line.
"...Busted after all?"
I swallowed hard at the mod's timely alert.
New account if banned, no biggie—but still tense.
... Be careful. (Con of creepy creature bulging eyes)
'Safe.'
Slid by this time.
Or maybe the double booger set paid off.
"Tch... why won't it work."
Tower of Trials, floor 26.
Activated two spells with the new skillbook, but the last one wouldn't budge.
No matter how many mana stones I tossed, no cast.
Like a failed spell, just duds.
Swoosh—
"How many times do I have to pick these up..."
Was there another condition? Nothing worked.
Nearly ten full-power tosses and pickups already.
It's in the skillbook, so what's missing?
Always worked with stones before—failure left me clueless.
Sat on the tower floor, eyes shut tight.
What's the issue, how to fix?
Rolling the mana stone in my hand, pondering—
"...Low-grade mana stone?"
Realized the one in my hand was 'low-grade'.
Star Bang had mid, high, top-grade.
Water Rain sounded like raining water everywhere.
Hard to call that low-grade easy magic.
'Mid-grade's stupid expensive...?'
1,000 TP if memory served.
About 1,500 TP left.
Buying it left no room for tests.
"..."
Still gotta?
Later skillbooks cost hundreds of thousands TP, needing pricier stones.
Hesitate now, and I'd never afford later.
'It'll work out.'
Must have effect worth mid-grade.
As long as it doesn't need high-grade.
"Hoo..."
Three days passed since learning water magic.
Royal Knights basic swordsmanship form 1 mastered perfectly.
No skill judgment sadly, didn't activate.
Still, learned swings and stances solid.
'Nearly died on 20.'
Much stronger now.
Over 10,000 TP invested.
Felt stamina gains, built strength for repeated practice sword swings.
20th floor Han Seol vs 30th challenger: huge gap.
Rumble rumble rumble...!!
'Where?'
Door shut, teleported to small room...? Small space.
Glanced beyond hole: massive area.
'Underground? Cave?'
Stalactites, faint moonlight seeping in cave-like spot.
Vast compared to 20th colosseum.
Bumpy ground, damp, unpleasant smell vibe.
Grip!
Gripped sword tight in right hand.
What'd pop out, what to fight.
Left arm shield, pocket stones.
Wiki guide in left hand: prepped.
Thump! Thump!
Heart pounding anyway.
Crackle...!
Blue hologram over cave, goblin half my height appeared.
One, two.
Ten... twenty...
Goblins multiplied endlessly, soon uncountable.
"...Ha."
Hollow laugh at tower text right after copy bug thought.
Kee-gik, disgusting voices, scanning surroundings tensely.
Weapons in hand, clueless where they were, on edge.
'...Obvious, right?'
Hollow laugh at wiki: don't rush out and get surrounded, fight smart here.
Without wiki, I'd have charged mindlessly.
Felt like waiting area.
Helpful: chief info.
The one with bone necklace probably chief.
Center, shouting orders—gulp.
"Kee-ge-ge-gek!!"
"...Uh."
Club pounding ground for orders, then slowly stepped forward.
Step.
Step...
Approaching—did it spot me? Backed up carefully.
Not looking my way specifically, but why here? Gripped sword—
Swoosh.
"..."
"Kee-gik..."
Eyes shut tight as it plopped at hole entrance.
So, can't kill this guy first?
...Even if it turns around, screwed?