Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Macho Man
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Choi Jin Ah got off the bus, stopped by a nearby restaurant for a bite, and was on her way home.
"Mana fluctuation?"
She sensed a familiar mana signature. Normally, she would have just let it pass, but the situation was different this time.
'The wave is trembling irregularly...'
Mana fluctuations appear when casting spells or under magical effects, disrupting the normal state.
And such irregular trembling only happens when a mage's life is in peril.
Choi Jin Ah quickly turned into an alley.
'What the hell?'
The color of this mana belonged to a B-rank colleague from Wolverine Guild. She had no idea why their life was in danger now, of all times, with the tower under maintenance.
'It was around here.'
The mana fluctuation hit again.
'Underground!'
Judging by the terrain and buildings, it didn't seem to be a building basement.
She headed to the nearest sewer grate. Using her staff as a lever, she shoved the cover aside.
"Lightning Trans." A spell that altered her body's properties to mimic electricity. Without using the ladder, she dropped straight down.
It was dark, but the electric glow lit her way just fine.
'Why would a mage be in a place like this?'
She held her breath against the stench and moved slowly. A bad feeling kept her from calling out.
What peril could a lone mage face in some underground sewer, away from the tower?
As she crept toward the source of the fluctuation, she heard muffled voices.
Just in case, she messaged Leader Kim Seung Cheol, then released her skills and moved silently.
Reaching a wide cavern-like space, she pinpointed the voices.
'A chant?'
To her ears, it sounded like some incantation. Peeking around the corner against the wall, she saw people dressed in tower-style robes.
Lighting candles in the sewers and chanting spells? It screamed danger.
'Some trend-chasing scam targeting Awakeners?'
Then another mana fluctuation pulsed from ahead—so faint it might cut off any second.
It came from beyond the chanters.
Looking closer, she spotted a vaguely familiar B-rank mage lying on the floor.
'Crazy psychopath bastards?'
She was certain now. Crime or not, they weren't chanting for any good reason.
"Grant us new birth with your great power."
They even sounded like cultists.
The problem? She had no clue how strong they were.
If they'd taken down a B-rank mage, they weren't ordinary people.
'Hold back? What if they're fine after that?'
She hesitated, then gripped her staff and unleashed a spell at full power.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Lightning Chain Before they could turn at the sound, a high-density lightning spell engulfed them.
Krzzzzzt.
They weren't instantly barbecued, so luckily, they weren't civilians.
She kept the output steady until they dropped one by one.
Finally, the evenly roasted psycho cultists all collapsed.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
Confirming they were out cold, Choi Jin Ah rushed to check her B-rank colleague.
"Ah... no."
The one who'd been pulsing mana moments ago lay cold, soul seemingly fled.
No pulse. Pupils unresponsive. No breathing.
The odd part: a small book on his chest. Probably those cultists' doing.
The purple-tinged tome was unusual—the cover seemed to shimmer faintly.
As she reached for it, someone hidden in the shadows lunged from behind, throttling her neck.
One of the cultists' buddies, no doubt.
"That grimoire is ours! We made it! How dare you, how dare you, how dare you!"
"Guhk... kkh."
Even an A-rank mage like her boasted strength superior to a civilian's.
Yet she couldn't shake him off easily. Her throat tightened; breathing grew harder.
Choi Jin Ah rolled backward, soaking in filthy water, but he didn't care.
"Outsider mage, we'll turn you into a grimoire too!"
"Wha... t does that... mean."
Ranting nonsense, he kept squeezing. Before her strength failed completely, she cast a spell.
"Tra... ns Lance!" The same spell from entry. Her body electrified, and the drenched cultist got zapped on contact.
Zzzzzzt.
His grip loosened slightly; she slipped free, amped the output, and finished him.
"Cough, hack... haah, haah."
She'd nearly died. Catching her breath, she calmed her racing heart.
"Grimoire, huh?"
She'd heard it clearly while choked: our grimoire, we made it.
She gathered the barbecued bodies, bound them with lightning whips.
Then reached for the book by the dead mage.
'!'
The instant she touched it, she knew. This was a grimoire.
"What the... how?"
An exotic grimoire, its unstable, wavering cover unlike any she'd heard of.
Choi Jin Ah slowly opened it. She couldn't read it, but she sensed the mana circuits and inscribed spells.
She'd acquired a grimoire.
"A grimoire! I got a grimoire! I have a grimoire now!"
That's when Leader Kim Seung Cheol's voice echoed from afar—he'd rushed over after her message.
She hurriedly stashed the grimoire in her bag.
"Leader! Over here!"
Choi Jin Ah called out loudly.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Huh? Why?"
So Seori sighed after taking the call.
"He's here again? This is obsession... Got it."
She hung up and massaged her temples.
"Does this guy have no job?"
This was Wolverine Guild's lobby.
White Tiger Guild's master, Iron Fist Lee Baek Ho, had been visiting for three days straight.
"Isn't this too much?"
Today, unlike others, she was a bit pissed.
"Even Zhuge Liang met visitors after three tries. Isn't refusing today too harsh?"
He sought Wolverine Guild's mage who woke his brother Lee Baek Seon from endless sleep.
"Is that climber Moon Byul some Zhuge Liang reincarnate?"
"Sorry. He doesn't seem to be an official climber..."
The lobby staff barely knew of Moon Byul. So Seori had just instructed them to notify her if anyone asked about him.
"Even so, doesn't a guild knowing a member's number make sense? If he refuses, I'd back off, but this feels off."
She got his frustration—no phones in the 21st century? Unthinkable.
"Sorry, White Tiger Guild Master. We can't arrange a meeting with Moon Byul today."
"Is he not coming in? Classified? Give me some plausible excuse."
"......"
The lobby staff stuck to their orders.
But she was just as stumped.
'What am I supposed to say when I don't know!'
The guild master gave no info, just told her to send him away.
She wished they'd allow a white lie for cover, but So Seori forbade even that.
'Ah...'
Lee Baek Ho's hair whitened slightly in frustration—unintentional, but scary enough for the staff.
'Guild Master! Help me out!'
Sensing her fear, Lee Baek Ho calmed himself.
"Sigh. I just wanted to say thanks..."
"You causing a scene, White Tiger Guild Master?"
So Seori appeared with clicking heels from afar.
Until now, he'd come when she was out on business, but today she was in her office—good timing.
"Wolverine Guild Master! This is too much!"
Spotting her, Lee Baek Ho complained gladly. Finally, he could plead directly.
"Three times! I've come three times, and you just say come back later? At least give a reason."
"Didn't expect daily visits... I got the reports. It's complicated; even I don't know when he'll show."
Moon Byul hadn't emerged from the grimoire since his outing.
He'd said he needed to enter periodically but gave no schedule.
Knocking on the book for emergencies? But his reasons felt flimsy.
"Does White Tiger have nothing better? Coming every day?"
"Tower's down for maintenance—what work is there?"
"......"
Fair point.
Even So Seori had little pressing to do.
"Who smashed the tower for repairs anyway?"
"Haha..."
Touchy subject.
"Anyway, if he's skipping work, at least give his number."
"He is skipping... and no phone. Doesn't use one."
"In the 21st century? How does he stay in touch? Wolverine doesn't issue phones?"
"......"
You can't reach him even if we did, dude.
"Look, no, no, go home. Not swapping. Confidential. Come back later."
"When?!"
"...No clue."
"Really, Wolverine Guild Master?"
Frustrated, Lee Baek Ho's hair whitened more, his feral aura thickening the air uncontrollably.
"Argh, I got no way either!"
As So Seori turned away, he grabbed her wrist.
"Wait, Wolverine Guild Master!"
Unintended, but his whitened state crushed with pressure.
"Lee Baek Ho... calm down a sec."
From the lobby, it looked like a heated argument.
Tension gripped the room—would they clash?
Thud.
"What's going on?"
"!!"
Moon Byul appeared suddenly, gripping Lee Baek Ho's hand on So Seori's wrist.
"...Moon Byul?"
Stunned, So Seori called out. No presence detected. Same for Lee Baek Ho.
"Moon Byul? So this guy's the Zhuge Liang?"
Wasn't he a mage?
He looked no climber—zero mana, perfect civilian.
And...
'He snuck up without me noticing?'
First time since awakening. His feral senses outstripped humans'; stealth approaches were near impossible.
Speechless in shock, the man spoke.
"Not Zhuge Liang, just Moon Byul. Mind letting go?"
Realizing, Lee Baek Ho carefully released her hand.
Before things soured, So Seori introduced him.
"Moon Byul, this is White Tiger Guild Master Lee Baek Ho. He wants to meet you."
Lee Baek Ho was surprised. She rarely used honorifics outside official spots—maybe just for the Association Chairman.
What kind of guy is he?
"My mistake. Thought the vibe was rough, got rude. I'm Moon Byul. Pleased to meet you."
He exuded elder statesman poise, like a century-old sage. Max mid-20s looks—fascinating.
"Greetings. I'm White Tiger Guild Master Lee Baek Ho."
"Far as I know, White Tiger has no reason to seek me... What brings you?"
Lee Baek Ho stepped back, then knelt and bowed deeply.
The lobby froze at his abrupt move.
His booming voice rang out.
"I came to thank my benefactor! For healing my brother—truly, from the heart, thank you!"
His shout echoed through the lobby.
"......"
'Why do guild masters all have such strong personalities? Tough business?'
Moon Byul felt oddly uneasy around such intense types.