Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: A Magician's Ultimatum
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“What’s wrong? Why don’t you run your mouth again? Why don’t you cry for ‘Lee Si-woo!’ like a little baby crying for its mommy? Huh?”
Along with the low voice, the sickening crack of breaking bone echoed through the area.
*Crack.*
Ewin, his right leg bent at a right angle, clutched his mouth and rolled on the ground.
Was he afraid of getting on his opponent’s bad side?
A silent scream sealed his usually restless lips.
Rei rushed over in a flash and wrapped an arm around Ewin’s shoulder.
“Damn it! What is the meaning of this! Your boss, Jeoji, said it himself! He said not to touch us until the week was over!”
The minotaur flexed his massive, muscular torso and bared his fangs.
“The boss has lost his touch. Why else would he protect humans, unless he took a knife to the head? Seriously… the more I see you, the more annoying you get. A bunch of bugs who do nothing but whine when you have nothing to your names…”
“That’s enough. Any more and I won’t hold back.”
When Rei drew her dagger, the minotaur burst out laughing. A nose ring the size of a child’s fist swayed, letting out a grating metallic clang.
“And what will you do if you don’t hold back? Now that you don’t have the numbers like before, and Martin’s been killed?”
As soon as the minotaur finished speaking, several other beastmen approached from the surroundings.
A cat-like beastman with perked ears and a dog-like one with a wagging tail silently positioned themselves behind the minotaur, the pressure weighing down on her shoulders.
“…There’s still one day left until the magician is supposed to arrive. Lee Si-woo will be back.”
*Thwack!*
The minotaur kicked Ewin in the stomach.
A torn scream burst from Ewin’s lips as he struggled to stifle his groans.
The minotaur ground the sole of his foot into the face of the writhing Ewin and spoke with a blank expression.
“You utterly pathetic humans… So disgusting. Right, that’s what you are. Useless fools who know nothing but how to cling to the strong and beg. What? You think we can’t touch you just because Lee Si-woo is behind you? You think having a magician will change anything? Bullshit.”
The minotaur growled with a rough snort.
“We at least know what pride is. We’d rather choose death than live like cowards! At least we’d never beg for our lives like you.”
Just then, a voice, so relaxed it sounded gentle, cut the minotaur off.
“How amusing. Shall we test that, then? See if you truly don’t beg?”
Recognizing the owner of the voice, Rei couldn’t hide her relief and shouted.
“Lee Si-woo! You… you’re back!”
Lee Si-woo, who had appeared silently with a handsome, white-haired young man, gave Rei a slight nod before his impassive eyes swept over Ewin and the minotaur.
“It seems my warning was insufficient. I believe I made myself clear before I left. I said not to lay a single finger on the survivors of my tribe until I returned…”
Si-woo raised his index finger and pointed it at the minotaur.
*Woooong.*
A translucent energy gathered at the tip of his finger, forming the shape of an arrow.
It was a basic spell that any magician who had formed a Circle could cast.
Magic Arrow.
*CRACK!*
The arrow of translucent energy shot from Si-woo’s fingertip and tore through the minotaur’s thigh.
The minotaur shrieked and thrashed about, reeling from the pain and the loss of his leg.
As if snipping off an ant’s leg with a toothpick, Si-woo, who had severed the minotaur’s leg without a hint of emotion, asked the surrounding beastmen.
“Where is Jeoji?”
The only response to his question was a silence born of panic.
Struck dumb by the sudden appearance of Si-woo as a magician, the beastmen could only stare blankly at the screaming minotaur, who had lost one of his legs.
When no one answered his question, Si-woo frowned and this time asked the minotaur thrashing at his feet.
“Do you also not know where your boss is? If you answer, I’ll heal your wound.”
The minotaur, desperately trying to stanch the flood of blood from his thigh with both hands, glared at Si-woo with bloodshot eyes and roared.
“I am of the Ox Tribe’s bloodline! I would rather die than beg for my life like you humans…”
*CRACK!*
The translucent arrow pierced through the bull’s head. As the minotaur’s massive body collapsed, Si-woo watched it fall and spoke.
“So you truly don’t beg… Unlike us lowly humans, the beastmen are overflowing with pride. Ah, so? Does anyone else not know where Jeoji is?”
Despite having just taken a life, Si-woo showed no emotional turmoil.
No, he even looked indifferent.
It was to be expected. This was the same Si-woo who hadn’t hesitated to kill Kyle and Martin.
So, was he to feel guilt for killing a minotaur of a different species now?
Unfortunately, Si-woo was not that sentimental of a person.
When there was still no answer, Si-woo smiled brightly and said.
“Very well. Then shall we test the pride of the beastmen until someone who knows speaks up?”
As Si-woo’s finger pointed to another beastman, Lala, the elven boss, approached with light, almost floating steps.
“Wait, stop right there. I know where Jeoji is.”
At Lala’s appearance, Si-woo lowered his finger and replied.
“Lady Lala, you’re here as well. Good. I had much to discuss and wanted to see you all in one place anyway.”
***
After managing to shake off a clingy Jin who insisted on following him, Si-woo met Lala and Jeoji, who were waiting for him around a stone table.
As Si-woo arrived, Lala furrowed her fine brows and spoke.
“Do you have any idea how many elves and beastmen died because of you?”
“I suppose so.”
“What were you thinking, burning the World Tree?”
“Well now. Why would I have done that?”
At Si-woo’s utter lack of remorse, Lala ground her teeth.
“You! What is this attitude? I told you. Do you know how many elves died!”
Beside the flabbergasted Lala, Jeoji glared.
“Lee Si-woo, too many have died because of what you’ve done. Over ten of our beastmen were killed, and the elves had to sacrifice more than five of their own to restore the World Tree. How exactly do you plan to compensate for this?”
Si-woo let out a soft chuckle.
“It seems you’re both under some sort of misunderstanding.”
As Si-woo lightly tapped the table with his index finger, the mana flowing from his fingertip split the stone table in two.
The faces of the two froze at the unusual aura of mana emanating from Si-woo.
In a gentle tone, Si-woo said.
“Whatever I did a few days ago, or whatever sins I committed, none of that matters anymore. So let’s skip the useless chatter and get to the point.”
When Si-woo lightly rubbed his thumb and index finger together, a thread-like stream of mana flowed from his fingertips and enveloped the stone table.
The mana, acting like telekinesis, lifted the broken pieces of the table, which then flew and crashed into a corner.
At the phenomenon that screamed ‘magic,’ Lala gasped, and Jeoji let out a low growl like a wounded beast.
Having re-established their respective positions with a single gesture, Si-woo crossed his legs and said.
“As you can see, I’ve become a magician.”
Lala asked in a tone mixed with disbelief and fear.
“How is that possible? A magician… no, a Circle isn’t something just anyone can form…”
Si-woo tilted his head slightly and murmured.
“Just anyone?”
Seeing the corners of Si-woo’s lips twist, Lala’s heart involuntarily sank.
Lala flinched and corrected herself.
“…That was a slip of the tongue. Those with the aptitude to become magicians are extremely rare, so please forgive my poor choice of words. Besides… you became a magician in less than a week, didn’t you? This… it’s just too strange.”
Even as she continued to speak, Lala kept stealing glances at Si-woo with eyes full of disbelief.
It seemed she couldn’t believe the fact that Si-woo, an outworlder, was such a peerless genius that he could form a Circle in just a week.
However, contrary to her thoughts, Si-woo’s ability to form a Circle was purely thanks to the Circle Potion, not his own aptitude.
In truth, there was no way to gauge Si-woo’s aptitude in detail until he underwent a ‘scan’ at a magic tower.
Si-woo tapped his knee with his index finger and said.
“The Elder Tribe, ten branches of the World Tree.”
Lala’s eyes wavered.
To bring ten branches of the World Tree was no different from being told to offer the lives of ten elves.
“The Wild Tribe, fifty beastmen fangs and fifty claws each. This should be a sufficient price for guiding both tribes to the surface.”
Jeoji, too, was at a loss for words and couldn’t easily open his mouth.
To offer fifty fangs and fifty claws?
This was no different from being told to pull out the teeth and claws of half the surviving members of the Wild Tribe.
Finally regaining his senses, Jeoji couldn’t hide his anger and shouted.
“If we agree to that demand, we’ll lose a third of our combat power until our fangs and claws grow back! In that state, we won’t be able to find a way to survive even after we get to the surface! Are you trying to kill us or save us?”
At Jeoji’s vehement reaction, Si-woo smiled brightly and said.
“Your tone is a bit informal.”
*CRACK!*
A Magic Arrow shot from the tip of Si-woo’s finger and mercilessly pierced Jeoji’s shoulder.
As Jeoji clutched his blood-soaked left shoulder and fell backward with a groan, Si-woo spoke in a flat voice.
“Are you too much of a dog’s head to grasp your situation? Or are you too stupid to understand? I’m not here to negotiate. I’m giving you a notice. Yes, a notice that if you want to live, you pay the price. If you don’t like it, you can shut up and stay buried in this pit forever.”
Trembling with humiliation, Jeoji clenched his jaw and said nothing.
In the few days since he’d last seen him, Si-woo had become a completely different person.
His demeanor, his personality—it was all a 180-degree turn from before, leaving Jeoji utterly bewildered.
‘He’s become a complete lunatic after becoming a magician. Or… who knows. Maybe… this is his true self.’
Amidst the pain that felt like a hot poker twisting in his wound, Jeoji reassessed the situation.
‘Magicians are terrifying because of all the artifacts, spells, and secret arts they possess. On the other hand… Si-woo is a fledgling who has just formed his first Circle. If all of our Wild Tribe risked their lives and attacked, even he…’
Jeoji’s judgment had some merit.
In fact, the reason the current Si-woo, despite having become a magician, couldn’t resort to extreme measures like annihilating them was because there was a fairly high chance that he himself would have to bear some risk.
The only part where Jeoji’s calculation was wrong was that the Wild Tribe alone was nowhere near enough; they would only have a chance if the Elder Tribe joined them.
In reality, Si-woo was deliberately giving them some breathing room out of concern that the Elder Tribe and the Wild Tribe might join forces.
“The white-haired man who came with me is the master of this labyrinth.”
At Si-woo’s sudden remark, Jeoji, who had been deep in thought, snapped his head up.
Before his anger could flare up at that detestable face, Si-woo continued.
“I’m telling you not to get any funny ideas.”
Just then, Lala sent a signal to Jeoji with her eyes.
At her gesture to accept the offer, Jeoji clenched his fists tightly and squeezed out his voice.
“I accept.”
“Good. Then I will go and catch up with the people of the Pure Tribe. In the meantime, prepare the items and bring them to me. We’ll leave the pit as soon as things are sorted out.”
With those words, as if his business was concluded, Si-woo left. Jeoji staunched the bleeding from his shoulder, which had been pierced by the Magic Arrow, and said.
“Lala, although Si-woo has formed a Circle, he still lacks much to be considered a complete magician. If we join forces and push him with sheer numbers to exhaust his mana, we have a chance.”
Lala shot Jeoji a look as if he were pathetic.
“Are you still after Si-woo’s precious item? Well, seeing as he formed a Circle, I am curious as to what kind of amazing item he possesses. Forget it. Let’s just accept all of Si-woo’s conditions. It’s the only way.”
“You’re going to accept even though you know the conditions are excessive?”
“Even if we join forces, there’s no guarantee we can do anything to Si-woo. Besides, considering the kin who would die in the process, it might be better to just settle for ten branches of the World Tree. Above all… if the master of the labyrinth is with him as Si-woo said, we have no chance. Don’t you agree?”
Finding merit in Lala’s words, Jeoji let out a low growl. His temper made him want to overturn everything, but he had once again realized it was hopeless.
“…Damn it, are we really going to be played by a mere human like this?”
“For now, we have to be played. But Jeoji, I have no intention of letting this end with me just taking it. Asking for ten branches of the World Tree is no different from telling me to offer the lives of ten of my kin. Surely you don’t think I’d let this go after being humiliated by a disgusting human?”
“Is there… a way?”
“There may not be a way, but at the very least, revenge is possible. For now, let’s give him everything he asks for. Let’s survive first. Then, once we get to the surface… what do you think will happen if we spread rumors about everything that happened in the pit?”
Lala’s words meant revealing to the whole world that Si-woo possessed a treasure that had allowed him to become a magician in just a week.
“…He’ll be hunted.”
“Hunted? No. He’ll be killed, one hundred percent. I don’t know how great the magician backing Si-woo is… but there’s no shortage of magicians blinded by greed in the free cities on the surface.”
As if the mere thought of it relieved some of his anger, Jeoji nodded his head vigorously.
“That’s good.”
Lala spoke with a chilling smile.
“For now… let’s just get out of here. After that, all we have to do is watch the fireworks.”
***
When Si-woo returned after his conversation, Jin, who had been waiting, asked.
“What’s up, hyung? Are you going to save those trash in addition to the vermin?”
“I wonder… what should I do?”
“Hyung, there’s no point in saving that kind of waste; they won’t even know gratitude. So let’s just get rid of them now. What’s the point of leaving future trouble?”
When Si-woo just smiled without a word, Jin shrugged as if it didn’t matter and grinned foolishly.
“Well, you’re you, so you’ll handle it well. Oh, and I found the stairs like you asked. Everything’s ready, so we can all leave that way right now.”
“Good, you did well. Thanks.”
“Hehe, I like praise. Give me more. I won’t get tired of it.”
With a wry smile as if he couldn’t be helped, Si-woo glanced around.
His dark eyes, revealed between his eyelids, quietly watched the busy elves and beastmen.