Enjoying a Fun Black History Spectacle
I was out enjoying a delightful round of black history viewing. Meat, vegetables, eggs, ham, sausage, fish cakes, snacks, and every kind of seasoning you could imagine. After paying up, I shoved every last ingredient into my spatial expansion bag.
While imagining what Soyeon might cook for me, I’d grabbed everything that caught my eye without thinking. The result was a rather impressive haul. What surprised me most was that even after cramming in over three hundred thousand won worth of groceries, the bag still felt comfortably roomy.
My steps out of the mart were impossibly light. A cheerful little hum slipped from my lips.
“Mmm, mm-mmm~.”
Just thinking about Kim Soyeon made another chuckle escape me.
“Well, grocery shopping’s done.”
Truthfully, I wanted to head straight home, fill the fridge, and spend the rest of the day rolling around with Soyeon. I wanted to stand behind her while she cooked, savoring every second of it. But instead, I adjusted my route and deliberately turned toward the tower.
A colossal obsidian structure piercing the sky. The sacred ground of hunters and the ultimate gathering place of human desire—the Tower.
“Whoa, it’s absolute chaos.”
Normally the entrance should have been bustling with hunters waiting to enter, merchants, and guild staff. Instead, it was drenched in suffocating tension and raw fear. No one dared step within dozens of meters of the entrance. They simply stood at a distance, hundreds of hunters and association employees alike, faces pale as they shuffled nervously in place.
The cause was obvious. One single person had completely taken over the wide plaza right at the tower’s main gate.
“Hmm, so that’s the Magic Tower’s successor, huh.”
I blended into the crowd of spectators beyond the barricades and stared. The next master of the Magic Tower, Ri-en. The future Archmage.
Even from afar, her appearance was impossible to miss. Brilliant silver hair that fell all the way to her waist. Beneath it, a pair of proud, glowing crimson eyes. Yet in complete contrast to that doll-like beauty, the mana radiating from her entire body was violently wild.
“That much mana at her age…”
A genius was a genius. I couldn’t help but admire her.
As I continued watching, my eyes suddenly locked onto her outfit.
“…Wow.”
What century was that fashion from?
I let out an involuntary dry cough and bit my lip hard to keep from laughing.
A dazzling white frilled blouse. A black belt corset cinching her waist so tightly it looked painful. Black shorts so short they made me question whether she was actually wearing bottoms at all. Thigh-high black stockings that climbed seductively up her legs, and black leather knee-high boots that covered her knees.
That alone was enough to leave me speechless, but then…
“…No way.”
A massive black cape fluttered behind her. It had a distinctly European feel, yet the overall gothic fantasy concept looked like it had jumped straight out of an anime.
“What an interesting girl.”
With that thought, I quietly slipped out of the crowd of spectators and settled onto a quiet bench with a clear view of the plaza. I set my bag down beside me and summoned the system window into the air.
Heroine Gallery — Live Chat Activated
This time I didn’t hesitate. I immediately activated the Live Chat button. This entertaining spectacle, this glorious piece of black history—it would be far too wasteful to enjoy it all by myself. After all, someone’s black history only truly shines when you share it and tease them together.
“Ah, I’m right in front of the tower entrance.”
“Alright everyone, let’s watch the show.”
The heroines began laughing their hearts out. The chat window overflowed with shock and explosive laughter. And among them, one person was reacting more violently than anyone else.
None other than the Archmage herself. She was spamming the chat like she was having a seizure, screaming the whole time.
“Wow, her fashion sense is truly unforgettable.”
Her own past. Especially the cringiest black history from her most childish days, broadcast live like this. The shame had to be unbearable.
Ah, this was truly the wise way to enjoy the gallery. I kept swallowing down the laughter that kept trying to burst out and leaned comfortably against the bench.
“What’s wrong with it? I think it’s cute.”
Whether the Archmage was throwing a fit and suffering over her black history or not didn’t really matter to me. It was just too entertaining.
I sat there with my arms crossed, watching leisurely, when it happened.
“How dare you.”
A cute voice left Ri-en’s lips, yet it carried an icy tone. Though it wasn’t loud, the mana woven into it made every word crystal clear across the entire plaza. She nervously swept her silver hair back and glared at the plaza with burning red eyes.
Whiiiir. Whir.
“Oh.”
Five massive spheres of mana floated up around her. Ice, flame, lightning, earth, and storm. With the five elemental orbs hovering in the air, she lifted her chin and declared.
“How dare you make the successor of the Magic Tower—me—personally come all the way to this filthy place and wait for you!”
Crack. Craaaack!
“You were so busy bragging about your power and setting records earlier—where did all that confidence go? You’ve hidden away in fear, White! Show yourself before my eyes this instant!!”
Crack!
With her shout, the ice sphere spun and began freezing the tower entrance’s floor solid.
“If you make me waste any more of my precious time, I’ll turn this pathetic tower entrance into a frozen hell!!”
Her cape fluttered dramatically as she declared it like a ruler of the world.
‘…Wow.’
I was genuinely impressed. That arrogance. That absolute confidence that didn’t know the meaning of shame. And the overwhelming mana that backed it all up. They say if you push cringe far enough, it becomes art. I decided that exact combination was true art.
The gallery had already been completely destroyed by laughter.
“Hey, be honest. You practiced those lines in front of a mirror, didn’t you?”
“Pffft.”
In the end I couldn’t hold it back anymore and burst out laughing. That arrogant girl standing in the middle of the plaza, making everyone tremble in terror—did she have any idea? Probably not. That another version of herself from a different world was currently watching her and sobbing in despair. The thought was simply too ridiculous.
“Well, you were right.”
Going to meet Ri-en in her current state? She’d obviously pick a fight the second she saw me.
“U-um, excuse me…”
Just then, I spotted a familiar face beyond the barricade, sweating profusely as they approached Ri-en.
‘Lee Chaeyeon?’
Lee Chaeyeon was cautiously making her way toward Ri-en with a team of association staff, clearly trying to resolve the situation.
“Th-this is problematic, ma’am. Blocking the tower entrance violates the International Hunter Treaty…”
“Shut up! Do you even know who I am…!”
Ri-en didn’t even turn her head. She simply snapped her fingers.
Bang—
“Kyaa!”
A chilling gust of wind erupted beneath Lee Chaeyeon and the staff, blasting them backward. Ri-en’s red eyes flashed as she spoke coldly.
“Are you saying some treaty is more important than my mood? Until you hand over White, I will not retreat a single step!”
In other words, if you have a problem with it, try solving it with force. But after seeing that much mana, how many hunters in South Korea would actually have the guts to charge in? At least none here. Lee Chaeyeon bit her lip with a deathly pale face while the surrounding hunters held their breath, only watching Ri-en nervously.
“Wow, I can hear Manager Chaeyeon’s lifespan draining from all the way over here.”
“…Sigh. Fine. I’ll go. I’ll go.”
If I tormented her any longer it looked like the Archmage might actually break, so I stood up from the bench. I picked up the bag I’d set down and slung it over my shoulder.
Watching the heroines’ frantic messages, I turned my back to the tower and began walking away slowly. From behind me, Ri-en’s shout still echoed.
“White!! How long do you plan to keep hiding like a coward!!”
‘Well, she’ll get tired eventually.’
That was when it happened.
“So you intend to deceive me until the very end.”
A chilling murmur came from behind. No way. I instinctively sensed danger and turned around. Ri-en’s eyes were filled with irritation and fury.
“You insolent…!”
She began fusing the mana spheres floating around her into one. Then she hurled it randomly into the air.
KWAAAAAAAAANG!!!
“Kyaaaaaaaaah!” “Crazy! Get down!!”
The mana sphere detonated, sending a tremendous shockwave ripping through the area.
“Wow…”
She really was a complete maniac. She didn’t care one bit if people got hurt. The gale was rushing toward me too, but I could easily neutralize it with Quake. The real problem was the bag over my shoulder and all the ingredients inside. No matter how advanced the spatial expansion bag was, a shock like that would definitely transfer straight to its contents.
‘…Sigh.’
In the end, I turned around and naturally circulated my mana core.
“Quake.”
I snapped my fingers and recited the activation word. Everyone around me was tumbling through the fierce wind and screaming, but the area immediately around me remained perfectly calm.
“Whew.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to start walking again. But—
“…….”
It was cold. Goosebumps rose all over my body. It felt like tens of thousands of projectiles were aimed at the back of my neck.
‘…Damn it.’
I cursed inwardly and very slowly turned my head toward the plaza. There, the arrogant beauty was staring straight at me with a hardened expression.
“…Ah, ahaha.”