Duel
Duel
"This is surprising."
Lee Sol said as she stared intently at the potion.
"To think it really doesn't consume Capacity."
"Then did you call me to your house when you weren't even sure?"
Doyoon asked, flabbergasted.
"I thought there was a 1% chance it was real."
"So you basically thought I was a scammer. What were you planning to do with me if that was the case?"
At those words, when Lee Sol raised one hand, ice crystals floated up.
"I was going to freeze you and report you to the Management Bureau."
Doyoon was rendered speechless.
Lee Sol is an ice-attribute magician.
Her proficiency level was extremely high, making it possible to freeze someone without killing them.
He had heard rumors that she would freeze criminals alive and turn them over to the Management Bureau, but to think he almost ended up like that himself.
As expected, no matter how much of a slacker she seemed, a ranker was still a ranker.
Even earlier, though she seemed to be sleeping defenselessly, if Doyoon had harbored even the slightest intention of attacking, Lee Sol would have frozen Doyoon in an instant.
"Then what were you planning to do if I wasn't a scammer?"
"I told you earlier."
Lee Sol continued.
"That I need mana potions. That wasn't a lie."
"Low-grade mana potions?"
"Yeah."
Lee Sol nodded her head.
Doyoon thought for a moment.
It was said that Lee Sol mainly used magic so powerful that even intermediate-grade mana potions struggled to replenish her mana.
Yet what she actually needed was low-grade mana potions.
What was the reason for that?
After pondering, Doyoon found the answer and spoke.
"Are you planning to consume the potions repeatedly?"
"Yeah."
Unlike most awakeners who had small Capacity, rankers sometimes drank potions twice to get the effect.
By drinking low-grade recovery potions twice to produce an effect greater than an intermediate-grade recovery potion, for instance.
It wasn't that difficult of a concept.
In that case, Lee Sol's intention behind purchasing low-grade mana potions while using powerful magic that even intermediate-grade mana potions could barely sustain made sense.
"Zero-Calorie. In other words, by drinking low-grade mana potions that consume zero Capacity twice, you're aiming for an effect much greater than an intermediate-grade mana potion."
"That's right."
It was certainly a viable method if the potion consumed zero Capacity.
But was that really an efficient method?
"Lee Sol-ssi. That might work after a battle, but would it be possible during battle?"
One of the properties of a potion is its immediate effect.
Even a wound just sustained would quickly vanish upon drinking a potion.
In the heat of battle, a potion that instantly heals wounds could easily be called a joker card that decides the tide of battle.
And this characteristic was even more crucial on the higher floors of the tower than on the lower floors.
On the higher floors, enemies had so much health that one often had to hold down a single enemy for hours.
And in the middle of battle, most situations did not offer enough leeway to drink a potion twice.
That was why rankers preferred intermediate-grade recovery potions, even though drinking low-grade recovery potions twice yielded a higher recovery amount than drinking an intermediate-grade recovery potion once.
On top of that, there was also the practical advantage of reducing weight.
He didn't know how many potions Lee Sol would need, but considering she said even intermediate-grade mana potions were insufficient, she would have to carry at least four low-grade mana potions.
However, even a little research into the tower would reveal that the tower was not lenient enough to allow someone to drink potions four times during combat.
Though he pointed this out, Lee Sol shook her head.
"I'm not using it to clear the tower."
"Then?"
"It's for a duel."
Doyoon let out an "Ah."
A duel.
Most floors of the tower could only be entered alone.
Even if they were in the same space, the layer levels were different, so they couldn't meet each other.
It was just like entering the same dungeon in a game but being unable to meet each other.
However, on certain floors, it was possible to meet one another.
The 50th floor was one such floor.
The Floor of Duels.
To climb above this, one must obtain the qualifications of a ranker.
And the only way to do that is by defeating an existing ranker in a duel.
"Rankers basically have no right of refusal. They must participate in a duel at least once a year."
Lee Sol said calmly.
"I'll use the potions then. Unless it's a mindless magic beast, humans have fixed mindsets. They won't even imagine that a potion that doesn't consume Capacity exists."
Was she saying she would wage a psychological war?
Indeed, unlike magic beasts that charged recklessly, opponents in a duel wouldn't attack carelessly even if one drank a potion.
This was because displaying a seemingly careless opening could be used to land a counterattack instead.
"Four by next week."
"Pardon?"
"Just make four low-grade mana potions for me."
Lee Sol looked at Doyoon with her still-sluggish gaze.
"I'll compensate you generously."
Doyoon closed his eyes and pondered.
An order from ranker Lee Sol.
He could just sell the low-grade mana potions on the exchange.
Since it was a potion that consumed zero Capacity, it would command a high price.
However, networking with a ranker was important.
He could only sell potions; he possessed no actual combat power.
It might be overthinking it, but he couldn't guarantee that no one would target his ability in the future.
If he put Lee Sol in his debt, it would pay off someday.
Doyoon opened his eyes and looked straight at Lee Sol.
"Alright. I'll make them for you."
At those words, Lee Sol smiled.
"Deal made, then."
In the center of the Floor of Duels was an arena shaped like a colosseum.
Outside, NPCs and awakeners who failed to become rankers formed long lines.
Huge screens were attached to the outer walls, allowing awakeners who couldn't enter inside to watch the duel from there.
Even in the inner spectator seats, NPCs were moving busily, selling snacks.
Despite it being a massive arena, the stands were packed full.
And in the center of the spectator seats, at the spot with the best view of the duel, Seah was looking down at the arena with a pouty expression.
"What are you so unhappy about?"
A voice came from beside her.
Seah glanced sideways.
The man with dark skin, wearing a suit that looked ready to burst due to his bulging muscles, was James, a fellow ranker like Seah.
"It's nothing."
Seah answered shortly and looked back at the arena.
Unbothered by her blunt reaction, James spoke.
"It's just a bad matchup. Even if she goes down this time, she'll climb back up again, so what's the problem?"
Seah did not answer.
Today's duel was a showdown between ranker Lee Sol and challenger Jack.
A fight between Lee Sol, who belonged to the top tier among rankers, and a challenger who had just climbed to the 50th floor seemed like it wouldn't even be a contest.
However, a strange excitement was settling among the crowd.
Having watched duels for a long time, Seah knew what that excitement was.
It was the excitement right before a new ranker was born.
Today's challenger, Jack, wasn't even a ranker yet, but he was already a highly anticipated rookie causing a stir on Nertube.
A fire-attribute magician who could freely manipulate fire.
He wasn't the only fire-attribute magician, but Jack drew attention because the power of his magic was exceptionally strong.
He had probably awakened an S-rank class.
In truth, judging purely by power, Lee Sol was no pushover either.
No, rather, Lee Sol's magic power would be even stronger.
After all, Lee Sol wasn't a top-tier ranker for nothing.
However, the matchup was unfavorable today.
Because ice-attribute magic was at a disadvantage against fire-attribute magic in terms of attribute compatibility, Lee Sol had to prioritize defense.
An unfavorable matchup forced a greater consumption of mana, making it highly probable that Lee Sol's mana would run out faster than Jack's.
This was especially true since Lee Sol also mainly used powerful magic.
"Well, it's not like she's lost yet. Even if she's still at a disadvantage, if she mainly uses magic with low mana consumption, she has a chance."
James said from beside her.
He was right.
Now, for Lee Sol to win, her only option was to abandon her primary skill and use magic with low mana consumption trickily.
In fact, that was why she had called Lee Sol yesterday as well, but...
'Lee Sol. Give up on your primary skill. You have to use magic with low mana consumption to have a chance of winning.'
"Mm."
'Got it? You have to conserve your mana as much as possible.'
"Mmm-ya."
...Whether she had answered the phone while sleeping, Lee Sol fell asleep before the phone call with Seah even ended.
After that, even when she tried calling, Lee Sol didn't pick up.
Seah bit her lip.
It couldn't be helped.
All she could do was hope that Lee Sol had understood her words, even if half-asleep.
Just then, the cheers from the crowd grew louder.
Two people, a man and a woman, walked into the center of the arena.
Jack, with red hair and a face that looked ferocious at a glance.
From the opposite side came Lee Sol, walking with black hair and a languid expression.
With about 50 meters between them, the two stopped.
The crowd's cheers subsided.
Not a single sound of applause could be heard from the stands.
The spectators also knew.
That the fight was about to begin.
The whistle blowing to announce the start of the duel rang out.
With that, Jack exhaled a long breath toward Lee Sol.
A pillar of fire poured out at Lee Sol along with his breath.
Jack had used a relatively weak spell at first, perhaps to probe her.
Then, Lee Sol reached out her hand toward the pillar of fire.
At that sight, Seah unwittingly clasped her two hands together and prayed.
Please let Lee Sol use magic with low mana consumption.
Please let her have properly understood her words, even if half-asleep.
Right then, the pillar of fire suddenly vanished.
"Huh?"
James muttered beside her.
When Seah looked, something was stuck on the bridge of James's nose.
"Snow?"
Seah muttered involuntarily.
The stands stirred with murmurs.
The hot sunlight pouring down until a moment ago vanished without a trace, and snow was falling from the sky.
At first it fell sparsely, but the amount falling gradually increased.
Snow began to accumulate on the floor of the arena as well.
Just as a faint wind seemed to pass through the confused crowd, a fierce wind fluttered their clothes.
The wind became a blizzard, growing so intense that it even obscured the crowd's vision.
Blizzard.
Lee Sol's most powerful magic and primary signature skill had unfolded.
Seah clenched her teeth.
...And the fact that it was her most powerful magic also meant it was the magic with the most extreme mana consumption.