Chapter 73
Chapter 73
Mad Black Mage's Tower Strategy
Chapter 73
Even as chaos and fear spread like a plague, only one person, Kang Jin-tae, had a satisfied smile blooming on his face.
He stroked his chin with trembling hands and muttered lowly.
'Kehehehe, as expected, my research was accurate.'
The Spatial Coordination Scroll had activated as scheduled, and everything flowed according to his expectations.
No, the situation was actually better than he had anticipated.
The Gamma route that the Taebaek investigation team had taken happened to be the most unstable mana flow path within the Great Cavity.
It was the perfect justification for fanning the flames of suspicion, so that woman had dug her own grave.
Now all that remained was to persuade the research teams from other countries with appropriate rhetoric and fan the flames of suspicion.
"Dr. Kang, what do you think about this incident?"
Kang Jin-tae desperately suppressed the wild laughter erupting inside him and responded to Zhang Wei-an's call.
Then he answered in a low voice, but loud enough for everyone around to hear.
"Yes, Team Leader Zhang. It's certain that the source of this vibration and mana shock is clearly from the Alpha route side. However, the pattern of its occurrence is very unnatural."
Zhang Wei-an asked back with a gentle smile.
"Unnatural? Don't unpredictable things often happen in the Great Cavity?"
"Of course they do, but this mana wave pattern is too much to dismiss as simply naturally occurring runaway or ground instability. It's closer to a man-made disaster."
"A man-made disaster."
Kang Jin-tae nodded and continued speaking.
"Yes, it's a typical pattern that appears when external energy flows into the Great Cavity, or when someone makes contact with specific mana structures inside."
He sighed as if feeling sorry and looked around.
Then, confirming that the gazes of other countries' investigation teams were focused on him, he continued speaking.
"As you know, the Great Cavity has an extremely sensitive and unstable mana ecosystem. A single small shock could cause an unexpected chain reaction leading to such a large-scale disaster. For instance... cases where someone recklessly explores the most chaotic and dangerous mana paths and messes them up."
His gaze naturally turned toward Taebaek's investigation team.
Kang Jin-tae tried to erase the smile from his lips and instead spoke as if worried, holding back his words.
"Of course, hasty speculation would be forbidden. But if, just if, this incident occurred due to someone's inexperienced judgment or carelessness, this would be a serious matter threatening all our survival, beyond just one guild's problem."
At his indirect but sufficient opinion to amplify suspicion, the murmuring grew louder.
When faced with crisis situations, people instinctively look for scapegoats.
The few suspicions Kang Jin-tae threw naturally made them think of Han So-yul and Taebaek's investigation team.
Before the atmosphere could flow in a strange direction, Han So-yul, who couldn't stand it anymore, stepped forward.
"Dr. Kang, can you take responsibility for that statement just now?"
"Responsibility? What kind?"
"Aren't you trying to shift the blame for this abnormal phenomenon onto our Taebaek Guild? If it's not true, how will you take responsibility?"
At So-yul's angry voice, he replied with a sly smile.
"Hehe, why are you getting so excited? If it's not true, then it's not. I merely presented possibilities based on objective analysis results. And isn't now the time we should join forces to overcome this crisis rather than fight?"
Then he casually changed the subject as if nothing had happened.
"If the Taebaek Guild is truly innocent, they just need to prove it themselves. For example, by actively cooperating in the investigation to clarify the truth behind this incident."
"I'll do that a hundred times over. As long as you take responsibility for that reckless statement."
At So-yul's response, Kang Jin-tae clenched his fist inwardly.
'Perfect.'
With this, he had obtained justification to form an investigation team and explore Taebaek's underground ruins.
At the same time, Zhang Wei-an, who had been stepping back and maintaining silence, came forward.
His appearance was like a well-scripted scenario.
"Fortunately, our Yellow Dragon Mage Tower has the most advanced mana analysis equipment and skilled investigation specialists. We will spare no support for this investigation and do our best to clarify the truth. Of course."
His gaze turned to So-yul.
"I trust that the Taebaek Guild will also actively cooperate in the investigation for the fairness and transparency of the investigation. Only then can we dispel unnecessary misunderstandings and speculation."
It was a proposal that drove in the final nail.
Refusing this would make it seem like admitting guilt.
The investigation teams from other countries also seemed to agree with Zhang Wei-an's proposal.
Had they been won over by the Chinese team in advance? Or had the Chinese team gained favor due to the recent incident?
Perhaps...
'I might have fallen into a trap.'
So-yul bit her lips secretly.
The abnormal mana incident in the Great Cavity, Kang Jin-tae's continuous provocations, and the series of flows leading to a truth-clarifying investigation.
She thought it might all be a scheme he had orchestrated.
But it was too late to back out now.
So-yul had no choice but to make a realistic decision.
"Understood. The Taebaek Guild will cooperate with the formation and activities of the joint investigation team."
At her answer, Kang Jin-tae tried to hide his triumphant smile, and Zhang Wei-an nodded satisfactorily.
***
SWISH-.
Seo-jin's figure, pushing Shadowless Steps to the extreme, passed by the crystal cave walls like a faint afterimage.
Leaving behind the corpse of Yaogou Xuanchong and the Yamato Guild, Seo-jin continued toward the center of the Great Cavity.
He rushed toward the depths of the Great Cavity without a moment's hesitation.
'Those other bastards will also be rushing this way due to that commotion just now.'
The battle with Yaogou Xuanchong and the duel with Kusanagi had taken more time than expected.
'But thanks to that, some things became certain too.'
Yaogou Xuanchong was not a simple parasite.
It was an ancient being that had adapted to the ecosystem inside the demon's corpse and mutated by absorbing its power.
That massive body served as both a kind of moving passage and a mana refining organ.
And the fact that it existed meant that at the center of the Great Cavity, there was undoubtedly sleeping the demon's core, the [Energy Core] that was the source of all mana.
Just as his Master had told him.
Investigation teams from various countries observing the mana phenomenon would come rushing, so he needed to handle things more quickly.
Therefore, Seo-jin was moving to the center of the Great Cavity while supplementing his insufficient mana with Circe's secret elixirs.
CRASH-!
GRROWL-!
CLATTER CLATTER-.
Seo-jin's familiars moved ahead of him and cleared the path.
When Glize identified the positions of enemies at the front in spirit form, Baduki would advance first to eliminate elite enemies, followed by the Lich King's skeletons handling the remaining small fry.
The Minotaur's Scout acted as a tank during this process, reducing losses among other familiars.
As Seo-jin broke through the Great Cavity with such overwhelming force, a report came back from Glize who had gone ahead.
[Discovery. Massive cavity. Heart-shaped mana crystal in center. Surrounding mana is extremely unstable, dangerous upon approach.]
'Found it.'
As he headed in Glize's direction, increasingly powerful and dense mana could be felt.
Even Seo-jin, who couldn't sense mana flows, could feel the sticky pressure of mana.
An ordinary climber would have lost consciousness from this pressure alone.
TINGLE-.
Of course, Seo-jin wasn't free within that pressure either.
The Reverse Heaven's mana settled in his upper dantian began to boil as it resonated with the mana pulsations echoing from those depths.
CRACK-.
Before something dangerous could happen, Seo-jin generously took out secret elixir crystals from his chest and chewed them down.
As cold energy spread in his mouth, his mind cleared for a moment.
Then he immediately focused on suppressing the mana resonance by operating the Primordial Unity Technique to its limits.
How much further had he walked while doing so?
The endlessly continuing cave finally ended, and a vast cavity spread before his eyes.
THUMP-. THUMP-. THUMP-.
A loud pulsing sound, as if a massive heart was beating, shook the entire space.
It wasn't just the sound.
The entire cavity was eerily writhing and glowing like the organ of some massive living creature.
And at the center of all that pulsation. A massive red crystal floating in the middle of the huge cavity.
"......"
Seo-jin fixed his gaze on that crystal.
It seemed to greedily suck in all the surrounding mana before spitting it out as refined power of the abyss.
A deep, transparent blood color as if eons of time had been condensed.
Inside it, countless dark red thread-like things were writhing, making the whole thing look like a complete heart.
It evoked a sense of awe along with primitive fear and fascination simultaneously.
Then, a blue notification window appeared in the corner of Seo-jin's vision.
TING-.
[You have achieved an accomplishment.]
[You are the first climber to witness part of a Demon Lord's true body.]
[Be in awe. You stand before a fragment of ■■■■, the remnant of a great being that once shook the world.]
[Demon Lord's Corrupted Heart]
Type: Divine Object
Grade: EX
A fragment of a certain Demon Lord who was born in primordial chaos and led countless worlds to destruction. Though defeated by another great being leaving only fragments, even this small fragment grants infinite power to mortals.
***
The mysterious mana disaster that shook the Great Cavity.
Most investigation teams returned to the surface for safety.
However, a joint investigation team was hastily formed, centered on China's Yellow Dragon Guild and including Team Leader Jung Hee-won from Taebaek Guild and several members, along with representatives from other guilds.
Kang Jin-tae naturally exercised command authority as an expert.
"After investigating the Great Cavity, we plan to dispatch an investigation team to the Taebaek Mage Tower as well. So each country should......"
Kang Jin-tae explaining future policies to leaders from various countries including Shelly from the European Union and Fernando from the South American Union.
So-yul followed behind them with complicated feelings.
Eventually, the joint investigation team arrived at the Alpha route entrance.
They soon lost their words at the horrific scene spread before their eyes.
"Wh-what is this..."
The massive crystal cave was destroyed as if bombed, and at its center lay the corpse of a massive crystal centipede that seemed to exist only in imagination, split in two.
"Yaogou Xuanchong? A legendary monster actually......"
While they were investigating the monster's remains and surroundings, a researcher discovered other traces in one corner of the cave and shouted.
"Please come here! Traces of the Yamato investigation team that went ahead have been discovered!"
Fragments of Japanese-style armor, bloodstains, and objects presumed to be talismans used by onmyoji were scattered everywhere.
It was an uncomfortable scene for those who had become part of the same investigation team, but this was also evidence that could prove Taebaek's innocence.
So-yul said quietly.
"That shock just now seems to have been due to the battle between the Yamato Guild and this creature. Then the suspicions about our Taebaek are cleared, right?"
"Well, that would be a hasty judgment."
"Pardon?"
Kang Jin-tae hardened his expression.
"The appearance of such a creature on the Alpha route, which had been stable until now, might itself be because of you people."
Logic similar to "if you hang it on your nose, it's a nose ring; if you hang it on your ear, it's an earring."
With such logic being presented, there was no way for the Taebaek Guild to prove their innocence.
But this was also something Kang Jin-tae was saying to himself.
"......"
There was no way to distinguish whether this giant creature's appearance was due to the power of the 'Spatial Coordination Scroll' or just coincidence.
'It's a bit dangerous, but I should test it once more.'
He infused mana into the Spatial Coordination Scroll in his chest once again.
WOOOOM-.
At the same time.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE-.
"......!"
Massive vibrations began shaking the Great Cavity once again.