Chapter 211
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 211
Chapter Title: Conference (6)
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Unlike Hegar, who sensed something off, Jun leisurely prepared his next spell.
'Should I take it a bit slower.'
Honestly, he was already going easy on him plenty.
If this weren't a spar but real combat, Hegar would be flat on the ground like a squashed frog by now.
'Tempting, though.'
Of course, he couldn't do that.
What Jun aimed for was to showcase overwhelming skill in front of all these mages here.
One might think just dropping the opponent in an instant would do it.
'But they're frogs in a well. When something beyond their common sense happens, they deny it first.'
That wasn't what Jun wanted.
'I need to make them logically chew over why they lost, from start to finish, until they understand.'
Fortunately, a few young mages seemed to have caught on to some of Jun's magic.
'Shall I show you brain-attribute magic that's easy for you to compare.'
So, a bit of mercy like this was fine.
Lightning Whip
With a crackling zap, a whip of lightning was summoned.
But unlike a standard Lightning Whip, its color was far deeper and thicker.
"Ngh!"
Thanks to Jun's consideration that others might not notice, Hegar responded immediately.
Earth Wall
Hegar knew lightning was Jun's specialty.
To counter it, he hurriedly cast a persistent earth spell, the natural counter to lightning magic.
At Hegar's gesture, the ground surged up, blocking the fierce lightning whip.
Kwarrr!
But the earthen wall crumbled astonishingly fast.
Magic of an attribute that wasn't his specialty scattered away so futilely.
The lightning whip, swung once more, halted right before Hegar's nose.
"One point."
A show of confidence that he didn't need to strike. Also a declaration that he had no intention of ending the spar in one blow.
"Grgh...!"
Hegar, no fool, ground his teeth and prepared his next spell.
But no matter how many times he cast his strongest spells, Jun's Shield showed no sign of breaking.
Shield
Naturally, it didn't take long for Hegar's fighting spirit to plummet.
And then...
"Yes, that's it! You bastard! You're using ancient magic!"
After a dozen exchanges, he finally grasped part of Jun's magic through sheer spite.
And the score was already an overwhelming 15:0.
Thus, the result Jun desired emerged.
"A-Ancient magic?"
"What's that?"
"Ah... I've heard of it. A long time ago, there was a paper presented at the conference."
"Aaaah. I remember. What was it called? Wasn't it from a mage from a now-defunct Mage Tower?"
"Was there such a thing?"
"Yeah. Back then, Mage Hegar attacked it relentlessly. Said it was a useless paper with no practicality..."
The heavy silence that had settled during Hegar's struggle began to stir again, led by the young mages.
"But what's ancient magic got to do with that result?"
"Don't even ask. It's no ordinary mana hog..."
"Hah. Do you know about that spell?"
"Too complicated to explain here... But I think I get why Hegar's magic fell apart so easily."
"Well, ancient magic excels in stability, at least."
"True, but... even so, that level of performance? Never heard of it."
"Probably not the full extent. Looks like there's more to it."
At first, the gazes toward Jun were pure antipathy and anger.
Now, the mood had shifted slightly.
The resentment, discomfort, and hostility remained, of course.
But beneath it, a foothold of 'curiosity' had formed.
Even this small change among some young mages was monumental.
For mages, once curiosity sparked, they clung to it relentlessly unless deterred.
It was also the attitude Hegar feared most.
Leaving Hegar in his dismay, Jun turned to the audience and spoke.
"This is the weakness of modern magic I mentioned. Intricate patterns like a craftsman's touch. Excellent, of course. But we must consider the fatal flaws hidden beneath that precision."
"O-One question! So, what you showed was purely the result of ancient magic?"
A young mage mustered courage to ask.
He was the one who presented a fire suppression spell earlier and got roasted soul and all by Hegar.
"Not at all. In my case, it's the result of various fortunes intertwined."
"What does that mean! Then it's impossible to generalize—just a special case!"
"Right! That's it!"
"If we can't learn it, what's the point? Huh?"
Grumbles erupted here and there.
Some rode the wave just to bash Jun.
From the other young mages, a hint of despair seeped.
As the mood heated up again, Ranes stepped in once more.
"Let's hear him out first."
"Grrgh...!"
With Ranes weighing in, they couldn't ignore her. The mages waited for Jun's presentation again.
Still wearing a relaxed smile, Jun spoke in a gentler tone.
"You're all misunderstanding one thing. What was the title of my paper?"
"Uh..."
Why is Modern Magic So Unstable?
"Yes, that was the title. I chose it to show you one example. Not everyone can follow my path. Nor can I tread another's."
"But remember this, everyone. We are scholars. Mages. We observe phenomena, question them, pursue change."
"Aren't we just speeding down a smooth road without doubt? Know that beyond it lies a wider world."
Jun took a deep breath and continued.
"Setting your own limits, living in a confined world. Stable, yes. But stagnant. The graph I showed proves it."
"...Then, can we pursue such change too?"
Another mage asked—none other than Belles.
Not pre-coordinated with Jun.
But like the others, zeal burned in her eyes.
"Yes. Possible. And what enables it? Mages who walk the unknown path."
With that, Jun scanned the room again.
The atmosphere was shifting.
Not just young mages—some middle-aged ones softened too.
A tiny number, but...
'That's what matters.'
Perhaps just a fleeting spark now.
A match flame that could gutter out anytime.
But that's exactly what Jun wanted.
The rest would be nurtured by an 8th-circle mage awaiting this change.
"That concludes the presentation from Jun of the White Whale Mercenary Corps. Thank you."
Late night.
To celebrate the successful presentation, Jun, Ranes, and Belles gathered in Jun's room, lightly toasting with wine.
"Still, Jun. Wasn't this presentation... a bit too aggressive?"
Jun nodded honestly at Belles' worried opinion, ever mindful of her Ranes Mage Tower affiliation.
As he opened his mouth—
"That's about the imperial matter you mentioned last time, right?"
Ranes cut in first. Jun met her gaze steadily.
Belles startled, looking at Jun.
Even if Ranes Mage Tower distanced from the Imperial Family...
If something happened there, the fallout would be unimaginable.
"High chance of war breaking out."
"...!!"
Belles' prediction hit true.
"You see that war as no easy fight."
"Yes."
"Ah, no, what do you...?"
Ridiculous. The empire that unified all humanity.
A war led by it, easy? No.
'Human wave tactics. Overwhelming tech. Not every war is won that way.'
Rooting out groups like the Heavenly Creed entrenched in Blackout for centuries? No easy task.
If it were, the game story wouldn't unfold that way.
"May I ask why?"
"Same reason you feel about the Mage Association, Lady Ranes."
"Haha... I see. Hard to argue."
Belles, lost, tilted her head repeatedly.
"What do you mean, Master?"
"I'm worried if the Mage Association keeps its stance, magic as a discipline will decline. You know that?"
"Yes."
"But the Association mages don't realize. Or think it's no big deal."
"Ah... So."
"Yes. Same with the empire. Even if the Imperial Family fixates on 'war,' the empire at large won't feel its gravity."
Civilians, clueless, might buzz about the empire's first war in centuries.
But how long?
War wouldn't drastically change their lives. Would those tied to routines care?
Too much to expect.
The empire was vast—too vast.
Problem was, civilians weren't the only ones thinking that.
"Countless nobles. Or powerhouses on the surface. They'll see it as unrelated."
Force them in?
Regrettably, the empire lacked such coercion.
If it had, rebellions would have erupted hundreds of times.
"No... It can't be..."
As Belles reeled, Ranes smiled softly at Jun.
"The war will be here in Blackout."
"Yes."
"So you actively supported my plan to change the mages."
"Yes. Did it offend you?"
"Haha... Of course not. I'm not that narrow-minded."
Truly remarkable.
An 8th-circle woman deemed transcendent, yet so profoundly human.
And one doomed to die for it.
"I must ride that change. A true mage uses everything at hand."
Jun nodded quietly at the words of the woman who loved mages more than any.