Iolde Tower (2)
After touring the entire mage tower, we headed to the last stop: the tower lord's office.
"Whoa, this mage tower is way bigger than I thought."
"It's basically shuttered and abandoned anyway."
"Yeah... true."
I shrugged, glancing at the empty rooms and labs scattered everywhere.
"Well, there are only four people affiliated with the tower right now, including me."
"Then why not recruit more? You'd get a ton of applicants right away."
"I don't want just anyone... plus," I said with a wry smile, thinking of Monica.
"Monica's away. She's the core of this tower, so I don't want to let people in recklessly."
Besides, my plan wasn't an academy for newbies—it was a rehab center for retired mages. We weren't ready yet.
When Spectrum's Orbis starts showing up in force, we'll need a lot more mages...
To time it right, bringing back retired mages would be faster than training new ones.
I felt the weight in my head as I pushed open the tower lord's office door.
Bread bags, chocolate wrappers, and cake boxes littered everywhere.
"......"
I slammed the door shut.
"Uh... shall we check out the training hall next?"
"Huh? Isn't this the tower lord's office?"
Ha Ji-eun blankly pointed at the sign on the door. I shook my head.
"Ah, w-well, it's... classified stuff..."
MawangArmyPrivate donated 100,000 won!
"Th-that's not it! I only ate half of that! Shasha was supposed to clean up..."
"Uh...?"
"Forget it! I don't know anymore! That girl's getting lazier by the day."
I grumbled and called the elevator.
"Let's head down. The training hall's last."
"Ah, okay. So we're skipping the tower lord's office...?"
My face flushed as I flung open the door again. Empty bookshelves strewn with cake boxes, desk cluttered with trash.
"......"
Ha Ji-eun panicked and blurted out,
"Ah! Y-you made the tower lord's office super casual for everyone to use..."
"Enough! To the training hall!"
Checking the chat via Ha Ji-eun's app, excited messages flooded in.
I bit my lip, shut the door, and stepped into the elevator.
"Huh? Basement's only B1?"
"You'll see why."
"...Huh?"
As we descended, Ha Ji-eun stared out the elevator window at the training hall, awestruck.
"Whoa... hold on..."
The basement unfolded into a massive training hall.
"W-wait, is this size even possible?!"
Ha Ji-eun gawked around. It spanned the height of a 22-story apartment and the area of five soccer fields—an enormous space built underground in Iolde Tower, capable of full-scale war simulations.
"Th-this is bigger than Ilsan Stadium? And those pricey white coats..."
Ha Ji-eun's jaw hung open as she stared at the colossal training hall.
"Not bad, right?"
Ha Ji-eun nodded blankly at my words.
"Not bad?! This is on another level! Isn't this unprecedented worldwide?!"
I nodded at Ha Ji-eun's exclamation.
"All the prize money, ads, photoshoots—everything went here. And I racked up a ton of debt."
"No way!"
As Ha Ji-eun marveled, Eun-byeol entered the training hall.
"Ah, Master? Ready to start training?"
I nodded.
"Master? Eunha's your master?"
"Her basics are solid now, so I brought the kid I had my eye on."
I quickly added, not wanting to steal credit—I wasn't that shameless.
"Of course, Park Seong-ung from the North Sea still handles her basic magic..."
I cloaked myself in ether and grinned.
"I'm more like the combat instructor."
As Eun-byeol headed to the center, I turned to the camera.
"So, the finale of the Iolde Tower tour: a duel with Mage Eun-byeol."
I glanced at the chat and smirked. Eun-byeol had lost to Hong Ji-yeon in the ranking war and was now learning a new magic style from me.
The old Eun-byeol would've been shocking.
Her talent's better than expected—it's almost unsettling.
I stood before Eun-byeol in the center and bowed slightly.
In just two weeks, the world would see a changed Eun-byeol.
Eun-byeol remembered the day she lost to Hong Ji-yeon. After leaving the hospital, she'd visited the tower feeling dejected. Yoo Eunha had met her in the training hall and offered to teach a new technique.
'My father devised something called Reverse Flow. The fastest way to climb the highest.'
'Exorcist's technique for me?'
'Yeah, you looked ready.'
'But isn't the exorcist's style more martial arts than magic?'
'Mages use martial arts too.'
'Ah...'
'Think about it: weak mental core means low ether total, but superior control lets you push magic to extremes.'
'......'
'Perfect raw gem for a battle mage.'
Seduced by those sweet words, Yoo Eunha had trained her to near-death for two weeks. Eun-byeol shuddered recalling it. Yoo Eunha had dismantled her brain, obsessively drilling ether control. Her already sensitive ether sense sharpened painfully, making spellcasting hurt.
'My father achieved that without magic—just Reverse Flow. You can go further.'
Eun-byeol closed her eyes, remembering.
Eun-byeol exhaled.
"Ready?"
"Yes, Master."
Yoo Eunha vanished instantly.
Left.
Eun-byeol cast hold while dodging right-back. Yoo Eunha's kick slammed where she'd stood—a sonic boom meant her toe broke sound barrier.
"......"
Eun-byeol gritted her teeth, infusing ether mid-air.
Counter or get combo'd...
Before she could, distance closed—but she'd prepared.
2nd Level Projection Series
Volley Fire
Responding to close-range magic, Eun-byeol thrust her hand out. Eyes stung, brain burned, but she managed.
Eun-byeol Style Special Series
Reverse Flow!
Blue sparks flew; she read the will on the incoming ether mass.
Steal and redirect!
One massive blob ricocheted back whence it came.
"Good! Handling 2nd-level spells in two weeks!"
"Yes!"
Dodging the incoming fist, she pulled more ether. 3rd-level hold began; heart pounded like bursting.
She does this casually every time?
With more ether than her, her holds were harder, unstable.
Monster. Real monster.
Eun-byeol hurled her spell inwardly exhausted.
3rd Level Control Series
Ether Drain
Threads lashed out, coiling Yoo Eunha's arm. Influx strengthened her hold.
"Good! Tricky—I like it."
Excited, Yoo Eunha unleashed her power. Dozens of clashes flew by; mind nearing limit, magic incoming.
1st Level Control Series
Wave of Stars Unda Stellae
Can bounce it.
Hand out, wave reversed toward Yoo Eunha. Hit point-blank, she got drenched.
"Ah!"
Stunned by the hit, Yoo Eunha chuckled, soaked.
"Good. That's enough for today."
"Pass?"
"Yeah."
As Eun-byeol clenched her fist, Ha Ji-eun blurted in shock.
"W-wait. What...? That magic just now? Huh? Eunha, did you just... lose...?"