Chapter 104: The Meeting (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 104: The Meeting (4)
I had stolen and mimicked the forms of magic, their standardized patterns built up over ages.
Looking at the mana alone, a thought occurred to me.
The iron-clad security of colorful mana surrounding the chairs… couldn't I, of all people, break through it?
When the man in the tuxedo made his dramatic entrance.
Even when we 504 participants finally learned what our goal was.
Seventy percent of my focus was on those chairs.
The flows and patterns, woven from what must have been hundreds of millions, even billions of mana particles, numbered in the thousands.
If I had to process this as memory, my head would have exploded, but this wasn't memory.
They were layered, one by one, onto my mana, which was like a blank white canvas capable of becoming anything.
And I realized one thing.
Each color had a unique property, and it was impossible to manifest all of them.
This wasn't a matter of talent, but of compatibility between me and each color.
The first and second chairs on the left, red and blue, were especially polar opposites to me.
The moment I tried to manifest their unique properties, I felt like I would break out in hives and start gagging.
The pink one… unlike the first two, it suited me well.
It felt like buying and wearing clothes that fit my body perfectly.
Just as I was feeling quite comfortable and deciding to seize the sixth chair, the deep pink one…
The seventh and final one hit the jackpot.
If the sixth was a well-chosen off-the-rack suit, this one felt like a custom-tailored suit made just for me.
Even manifesting its unique property was far easier than with the other chairs.
It was to the point where I wondered if this was a destiny chosen by the gods, as if they were saying, "This one is yours."
When our wavelengths matched this perfectly, there was no reason to choose anything else.
So I sat here.
The flow of black mana seemed to resist me for a moment, but in the end, it accepted me.
At the same time, a message appeared before my eyes.
[Absorbing the ‘Mana of ○○’.]
[Your unique ability ‘Mana Absorption’ is influenced by the ‘Mana of ○○’ and evolves into ‘○○’.]
[Failed to fully bloom due to insufficient conditions.]
[‘○○’ will be sealed until the special conditions are met.]
“……”
Mana Absorption was such a sweet ability that had aided my rapid growth, and now it was sealed.
Of course, the word "evolves" suggested it likely changed into something better, but the fact that I can't use it right now is a painful blow.
…What can I do?
My growth might slow down a bit, but I'll have to endure it, thinking of it as an investment in the distant future.
After collecting my thoughts, I lifted my head and looked around.
The sight before me was quite captivating.
The distinct difference in eye level between me and the 503 others, created by the raised platform.
Five hundred and three pairs of eyes looking up, and a single pair of eyes looking down.
“A shame…”
I felt a deep sense of regret.
I was so curious what expressions and gazes lay hidden behind those white masks.
Chaos instantly erupted in the calm atmosphere.
“What happens now?”
“…Don't tell me we have to lose a chair before we even start?”
“What in the world…”
There were only seven chairs.
To put it brutally, it meant 497 people had to die, and only seven would survive.
But now that one seat was already taken, the ensuing chaos was only natural.
[Now, now, everyone, please calm down.]
The tuxedoed man calmed the slowly stirring crowd.
I wanted to watch a little longer. Too bad.
[Didn't I tell you? The game is just beginning.]
[I didn't mention it because I didn't think it was necessary, but…]
The man's cane pointed at me, sitting in a crooked posture.
[The chair you are looking at right now is a fake.]
I added to his words.
“To be precise, it's not a fake.”
The tuxedoed man's gaze fell upon me.
I could tell even without seeing his face.
He was dying to know how I knew that.
[…That is correct. 'Fake' is a bit of a crude term. To be more precise, shall we call it a 'replica'?]
If a fake was a shoddy imitation of only the outward appearance, this was a replica that had even managed to similarly manifest the mana surrounding it.
“Ah, what a shame.”
I muttered to myself, my tone laced with deep regret.
“I thought I'd secured a spot just like that.”
I had only realized it was a replica a moment ago.
The moment I finally grasped the flow of mana and broke through the barrier around the chair, I got a feeling.
'Ah, this is a fake.'
I was happy for a moment, thinking I'd gotten an easy score for once, so it's a little disappointing.
Still, it wasn't like I gained nothing.
The countless mana patterns and flows I obtained from the replica chair, and even the evolution of Mana Absorption, '○○'.
Unlike the 503 others who had just learned their objective, I had managed to pick apart quite a few things, so it was a pretty big gain.
As I sat on the chair, tapping my leg, someone raised their voice at me.
“It seems the young man can't control his youthful vigor and is running wild.”
It seemed my attitude had rubbed him the wrong way.
The speaker was a man standing closest to the platform.
'Young man'... I like the sound of that.
Since I received a compliment, I should return the favor.
“And I suppose you're just a decrepit old geezer. Your stubborn tone is classic geezer material.”
A classic trait of old people: they hate being called a geezer.
“You look old enough to be retired. What's with all the greed, coming out here like this?”
I couldn't see his face, but I could tell the old man was furious.
The mana flowing around him was changing rapidly.
The amount of mana was immense.
At this level, he had to be at least A-rank. Considering this wasn't his full power, he could easily be S-rank.
This was both good information and a huge mistake on the old man's part.
Because among all the Hunters in the world, the number of S-ranks is extremely small.
[Now, now, calm down. You can't fight in here anyway, you know?]
“Hmph.”
Thanks to the tuxedoed man's timely intervention, the old man's mana slowly returned to its normal flow.
Still, he seemed displeased and added one more thing to me.
“You should be glad you met me here, you reckless brat.”
There are people like that.
The type who absolutely hates letting the other person get the last word.
Yep, that's me.
“You should count your lucky stars too, old man. If we'd met outside, you'd be in a shroud and a coffin by now.”
“You, you brat…!”
My final attack landed cleanly.
He looked like he was about to unleash a torrent of curses, so I used the tuxedoed man to change the subject.
“So, is that it for the face-to-face meeting?”
[Haha… thanks to Participant 504, it's become a bit of a mess, but I believe I've said everything I wanted to say.]
The tuxedoed man looked around and waved his cane.
[Does anyone have any questions?]
Among the 503 people, excluding myself, no one raised their hand.
I wonder if they were eager to go home, or if all their questions had been answered.
[Hmm, it seems there are none.]
[In that case… we will now conclude the 1st Face-to-face Meeting.]
His words caused a slight stir in the surroundings.
The 1st? Does that mean… this meeting might happen again?
Noticing the crowd's curiosity, the tuxedoed man added an appropriate explanation.
[These meetings will be held as many times as necessary until all the chairs have found their owners.]
[Well then, I hope to see all of you at the next meeting.]
I don't know when the next meeting will be, but I doubt it'll be possible to see everyone here again.
The tuxedoed man bowed politely to the participants.
At the same time, his form began to slowly fade away.
From his toes to his head.
After he had completely vanished, a message appeared before my eyes.
[The Face-to-face Meeting has ended.]
[Returning to your original location in 3 seconds.]
[3…]
It was then.
“You reckless brat! I will find you, no matter what. You'd better take good care of that neck of yours until then!”
[2…]
That old geezer managed to shove in some damage while I let my guard down.
I couldn't lose, either.
“You just worry about staying healthy so you don't die before you see me again, old man.”
And at the perfect moment, I raised my middle finger.
[1.]
Before the old man could say anything else, each of our bodies was enveloped in a ray of light.
This damage trade ended in my overwhelming victory.
* * *
Immediately after the meeting ended.
A being sleeping deep within the abyss awakened.
There was only one reason for its awakening, a being that seemed like it would never stir.
It had caught a scent.
A very nostalgic scent it hadn't smelled in hundreds of years.
A colossal body stirred in the darkness.
But only for a moment.
Tough, heavy chains were wrapped tightly around it, binding it completely.
The abyssal being pondered for a moment, then cleanly abandoned its body.
The immeasurably vast body fell away, leaving only a tiny form behind.
Despite casting aside the power it had accumulated over long ages, the being paid it no mind.
As if even the time to feel regret was a waste, it simply closed the distance in silence.
Its steps were slow, but resolute.
The time of their meeting was drawing near.