Chapter 64
Chapter 64
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 64
"What? Calculation?"
"That's right, dragon scales alone aren't enough."
When Seo-jin smiled cunningly, So-yul's face crumpled.
"What do you mean! Do you know how precious dragon scales are?"
"Of course I know. I know they're rare materials that can't be bought with money, and I know they're items the Association President donated to the Mage Tower for her sister. But that's not important."
Seo-jin pointed alternately between himself and So-yul as he continued leisurely.
"What's important right now is... I'm not in a hurry, but you are."
It didn't matter if robe crafting was delayed a bit.
He had been conquering the tower just fine wearing these rags.
But for So-yul, who had the leash of research achievements and funding around her neck, this expedition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
She was in such a desperate situation that she'd want to borrow even a cat's paws, so Seo-jin's cooperation was absolutely essential.
That's probably why she came to the Mage Tower early to wait for Seo-jin.
Seo-jin added:
"I won't ask for anything more. I do have a conscience."
"You already don't have one."
"Instead, give me permission to enter the underground ruins located in the Mage Tower."
Seo-jin's voice resonated through the tense air of the office.
Seo-jin's expression, deeply leaning back on the sofa, was completely nonchalant.
But So-yul couldn't help but doubt her own ears for a moment.
"What, what did you say? Do you even know what kind of place those underground ruins are?"
The ancient ruins beneath the Mage Tower.
Those ancient ruins extending below the coastal cliff were shelters created by the natives who once lived on the 11th floor to escape the battle between Circe and the demon in the past.
After the battle ended, they were used as a kind of seal to control the ferocious mana flowing from the demon's corpse.
However, the natives gradually decreased in number due to exposure to Reverse Heaven's mana, and now only the ruins remained with the natives gone.
Afterward, tower climbers who reached the 11th floor realized the danger of the ruins and seal, prohibiting exploration and research, and built Mage Towers on top of those coastal cliffs to control outsider access.
If something went wrong with the seal, not only would The Great Cavity exploration be ruined, but the very existence of the 11th floor and the Mage Towers could become uncertain.
"No! Absolutely not!"
So-yul, who knew the danger well, opposed with disgust, but Seo-jin calmly persuaded her.
"To achieve solid results in this expedition, we need a move that will overwhelm foreign competitors. Even I can't handle all of them. I plan to find artifacts that will give us an advantage in The Great Cavity exploration through ancient ruins exploration."
Seo-jin's purpose was the fragment of time distortion magic book hidden deep in the ruins.
This was not only material for the Stone of Return but also an artifact with tremendous power in itself.
If he could get his hands on this, he could easily gain the upper hand in The Great Cavity exploration.
"No matter how desperate I am, I don't want to succeed in the expedition by going that far."
"How naive."
Seo-jin interrupted So-yul's words and pressed his persuasion harder.
"You must know that foreign Mage Towers are secretly investigating the ancient ruins. Nothing will be solved just because we alone maintain propriety. It would be safer to leave it to me rather than let amateurs mess around."
"......"
Seo-jin's words were right.
Foreign Mage Towers were already secretly sending investigation teams to explore the ancient ruins.
Perhaps the fact that Taebaek's situation was difficult due to talent drain, and that research achievements lagged behind other Mage Towers, was also because of this.
Also, as Seo-jin said, it might be safer to allow him to proceed with ruins exploration rather than watching incompetent foreign mages run wild.
But So-yul couldn't bring herself to give permission.
Was this a mage's pride? Or the minimum ethics that the tower's founding nation should have?
Or perhaps...
The feeling of not wanting to tarnish the name of her father who had always lived righteously?
All of these were complexly intertwined, shaking her mind.
She was swayed by Seo-jin's proposal, but she couldn't permit the investigation.
Even if it meant stepping down from the guild leader position as a result.
Finally, So-yul let out a deep sigh and made her decision.
"I'll refuse. Please consider this proposal as if it never happened."
"I see."
Seo-jin quietly looked at So-yul's resolute eyes and nodded.
After all, like father, like daughter.
She had inherited her father's admirable qualities well.
'Then it can't be helped.'
[Are you going to sneak in and steal it?]
At Hyeon-wol's question, Seo-jin nodded slightly.
'You know me well.'
If she wouldn't give permission, he had no choice but to sneak in.
Seo-jin sighed and said to So-yul:
"Understood. Let's consider the underground ruins exploration matter as if it never happened. I'll accept the proposal to borrow the dragon scales."
"Then..."
"Instead, let me borrow your workshop. And I need to get some information about this investigation team."
***
At the same time, in another section of the 11th floor.
In the suite room of a luxury hotel used as a temporary base by the Chinese investigation team.
Zhang Wei-an was savoring tea with his back to the night view of the Mage Tower visible through the window.
Across from him, a sharp-featured middle-aged man, Kang Jin-tae, was analyzing hologram data.
The screen showed Taebaek Mage Tower's structural diagrams, security facilities, and formulas representing the flow of protective barriers.
Zhang Wei-an asked quietly:
"Mr. Kang, are the preparations going smoothly?"
"No problems. Taebaek's old barrier system is in the palm of my hand. Especially the passages leading underground... there are many interesting corners."
Kang Jin-tae smiled with a twisted corner of his mouth.
In his eyes was a mixture of contempt for the organization he once belonged to and confidence.
Taebaek's Mage Tower was a place directly connected to the 11th floor's underground ruins.
If this could be utilized well, they could instantly surpass other foreign Mage Towers and stand tall as the world's greatest mage guild.
Being close to unknown magical paths was truly an enormous advantage.
But.
'That stubborn woman won't listen to reason.'
Kang Jin-tae gritted his teeth.
Due to Guild Leader Han So-yul, who strictly prohibited ruins exploration under the pretext of safety, the Republic of Korea's Mage Tower lost its supreme position.
As a result, foreign tower climbers snatched away the title of Grand Mage, and there was no other way to explain this resentful feeling.
This wasn't just the guild leader's problem.
The rigid bureaucracy, corporations demanding only immediate results using sponsorship as leverage.
Those who pretended to be noble scholars on the surface but only revealed dark desires behind the scenes.
There was no longer any loyalty left to remain in such a country with no future.
Therefore, Kang Jin-tae and his team naturalized to China, and not long after, established themselves as the top research team of the Yellow Dragon Mage Tower.
China's system, which not only tolerated but actively encouraged and supported ignoring existing ethics and taboos at the national level, perfectly matched Kang Jin-tae's research policy.
"We've already obtained everything we need."
Kang Jin-tae's team had penetrated deep into the ruins through passages connected beneath Taebaek and obtained an 'S-rank artifact' containing powerful mana there.
This was strictly forbidden by international law.
Not only exploring forbidden ruins but also taking the highest-grade artifacts from there - it wouldn't be strange to be referred to the International Tower Climber Association's tribunal.
But it didn't matter.
There would be no problem if they weren't caught. And.
'Anyway, Taebaek will take the blame for this incident.'
"Taking the initiative in this Great Cavity exploration is just a matter of time."
***
So-yul's office.
She was briefing Seo-jin about the competitors' information through a high-security information terminal.
The screen showed profiles and expected capabilities of each country's representatives in turn.
So-yul began her explanation, pointing at the screen with her staff.
"Japan's Tsuchimikado Gu-ren. He's a genius who holds the Grand Mage title as the youngest among mages. He belongs to Yamato, Japan's psychic guild, and specializes in precise and destructive elemental magic. His weakness is his fiery personality and lack of patience, but his attendant Rei controls him from the side."
'I know that already.'
Rei was always having a hard time assisting that immature brat.
From Seo-jin's perspective, Guild Leader Kusanagi from Yamato was more threatening than that guy.
Moving to the next screen, the figure of Fernando, the representative of the Central and South American Union, appeared.
A pleasant man with mixed-race skin tone and a sleazy appearance.
He was a druid with a mysterious atmosphere as if he had become one with nature.
"Fernando Roane. A druid skilled in spirit magic and transformation techniques. Since he's actually from a third-world country, there isn't much information available. As a side note, there are rumors that he has a preference for men."
"Don't tell me such things."
"Ah, yes."
After that, explanations of the European Union's investigation team and America's investigation team followed.
Finally, information about the Chinese investigation team filled the screen.
Photos of Zhang Wei-an and Kang Jin-tae were close-upped.
And simultaneously, So-yul's expression hardened coldly.
"First, Zhang Wei-an. He's the vice guild leader of Yellow Dragon Mage Tower, a subordinate organization of Guai Li Luan Shen (怪力亂神), which is the Chinese government's guild, and he's a famous immortal technique user. He's not included in the top-floor conquest team but is considered a secret weapon with power equivalent to it. He's said to use immortal techniques utilizing the Eight Trigrams, but his detailed abilities haven't been revealed."
"Hmm."
Immortal techniques were abilities deeply related to the upper dantian.
The structure was similar to black magic but the classification was closer to divine power, so compatibility with black magic wasn't good.
It wouldn't be good to face him head-on.
Han So-yul's gaze moved to the adjacent photo.
"Kang Jin-tae. He was once Taebaek's promising barrier magic specialist. But he betrayed his country and guild for his own ambition and went over to China. He knows Taebaek's internal affairs, especially the Mage Tower's structure and defense systems, better than anyone. He has the highest possibility of becoming the biggest obstacle to Seo-jin's activities, so you must be especially careful."
Her voice contained suppressed anger.
Seo-jin also knew about Kang Jin-tae's naturalization to China incident.
He didn't bother to stir up trouble unnecessarily.
So-yul finished her explanation by going through the American and European Union profiles as well.
"...Is there anything else you're curious about?"
"That's sufficient."
The information he had forgotten was accurately organized through So-yul's explanation.
"Good. Then I'll guide you to my workshop."
After finishing the briefing, So-yul guided Seo-jin to the depths of the Mage Tower.
After passing through several layers of security barriers and magical barriers, an alchemy workshop filled with state-of-the-art facilities revealed itself.
A space perfectly isolated from the outside.
Here, any work could be done while maintaining secrecy.
"This is my personal research lab and workshop. Security is perfect, so use it freely. The materials... I've prepared everything."
So-yul tremblingly offered the dragon scales.
The dragon scales reflected mysterious light on their jet-black surface.
"I'll use them well."
Seo-jin nodded satisfactorily and stood in front of the work table in the center of the workshop.
On the work table, materials So-yul had prepared were waiting for him.
An Antique Golem's core emitting blue light with subtle vibrations.
Arachne's thread that was thin but tougher than steel, and Star Dust that was deep and brilliant like containing the night sky.
Each was such a rare material that it would be hard to touch even once in a lifetime.
Seo-jin threw the dragon scales into the furnace with a smile.
"Good, shall we begin?"