Tolstone's True Strength
"Tower Master, calm down first. Take a deep breath."
"Shut up! You're the one keepin' me on edge! Just stay quiet! Don't touch a damn thing!"
"Got it."
Yoahim nodded obediently, figuring one more word and Vincent might hurl a spell his way. In the meantime, Vincent rummaged through his desk drawer, pulled out a pair of glasses, and perched them on his nose. With those small lenses, he looked like a stern school principal. But saying that out loud would probably set him off again, so Yoahim kept his mouth shut.
"Where's the letter?"
"Right here."
"Hold on."
Vincent took the letter and read it quietly. He hummed now and then, furrowed his brow, carefully poring over every line. After a long moment, he looked up.
"Is this for real? Everything written here actually happened?"
"Yes. I experienced it firsthand."
"I wondered what Kalsara Tower's letter was about... Makes sense now. If Haellagos is scheming something shady, the towers need to band together."
"With the great mages of Kalsara Tower and Tolstone Tower uniting, Haellagos won't be anything to worry about."
Yoahim was just buttering him up, but Vincent scowled and snapped back.
"Don't talk nonsense. Two towers alone can't stop Haellagos. We'll need to send letters to the other towers too."
Yoahim felt a twinge of confusion. Haellagos was strong, sure—a Lv.150 demon lord. But Kalsara had Lilith at Lv.200. And Vincent's level was unknown, but no way he was weaker. Perpetual runner-up meant second strongest among all the towers. Yet even first and second combined weren't enough? Hard to buy.
"Is Haellagos really that powerful?"
"Of course not. Lilith could handle that sly demon bastard solo. But that's not the issue. He's called the Lord of the Bottomless Pit. What do you think that means? It means that fucker has hordes of minions behind him. If he unleashes his pent-up army all at once, what happens then?"
Yoahim pictured a full reservoir. The shaky dam bursts, floods ravaging the village below. Haellagos's forces would be the same. A tower might block him, but not his entire army. Compared to that horde, the mages of Kalsara and Tolstone were a drop in the bucket.
"We need messengers to more than just the towers—other cities too. The whole southern kingdom has to unite."
Yoahim nodded, then a thought struck him. No way he's gonna make me the messenger, right?
"Just so we're clear, I'm not taking any messenger quests."
"What? I wasn't gonna ask you anyway, you idiot! I've got Tolstone knights for that—why use you?"
Come to think of it, Vincent was Tolstone Tower Master and the city's lord. Plenty of his own knights. No reason to drag Yoahim into it.
Yoahim chuckled awkwardly. "Then we're done here. We'll head out."
"Where to?"
"Where else? The inn to rest. Wiped out from Barakan to here."
"Fine. Be at the restaurant in Fountain Square at 6 p.m."
Yoahim raised an eyebrow at the sudden invite.
"Why there all of a sudden?"
"Why? To treat you to dinner, dumbass! Just show up!"
"Hold up, dinner out of nowhere?"
"You're Kalsara Tower's errand boy, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Then you're guests from Kalsara! Skimp on hospitality, and those Kalsara snobs'll laugh at us. Got it? Don't be late!"
Vincent huffed and turned away. Yoahim blinked, thinking, This old guy's got a soft side after all...
"Understood. See you then."
Yoahim's group bowed and left Vincent's room. They rode the inter-floor lift to the first floor, greeted receptionist Rami, and stepped out of the tower.
"Inn first, then."
They picked one near Fountain Square—handy for the dinner meetup. This time, two rooms. No more awkward bed-sharing debates with Sasha. Plus, Lilith's gold made the splurge fine.
Yoahim crashed onto the bed he shared with Leon. Exhausted from the trek to Tolstone, he was out cold fast.
......
They woke with little time before the appointment. Shaking off sleep, they headed to Fountain Square.
"That the restaurant...?"
Only one spot in the square fit the bill.
"Heard they got a dress code—turn you away if you don't fit."
"Don't sweat it, Sasha. If they refuse, we kill 'em and walk in."
"......"
The three waited quietly for Vincent. Soon, he approached from the tower— not alone, with three robed mages.
"Right on time. These are my tower mages. Skipped lunch for research, so treating 'em to dinner. No complaints, right?"
"Why would we? We're the ones freeloading. Let's head in."
Yoahim opened the restaurant door. Vincent led the mages inside; Yoahim's group followed.
"This way, my lord."
A sharply dressed waiter guided them. Vincent was Tower Master inside, lord outside.
"Today's course menu."
The waiter bustled with dishes and explanations, but Yoahim barely followed. Appetizer, fish, meat, dessert... Didn't matter—the food was insanely good.
"Man, this is killer. Thanks for the meal and invite, Tower Master."
"Hmph! Had to, to save face as Tolstone's Tower Master!"
Stepping out post-meal, night had fallen. Yoahim could've gone straight to the inn but sent Sasha and Leon ahead, opting to chat with Vincent en route to the tower.
"This way. Shortcut."
Vincent's path led through a dim alley. Sketchy vibe—like thugs might jump out for coin.
"What could go wrong?"
With the Tower Master-slash-lord leading? Nothing.
But five minutes later, Yoahim knew he was wrong.
"Hm?"
The omen hit first: sinister aura from the alley depths. Yoahim scanned around, chilled by the murderous intent that made his skin crawl. Vincent frowned, glancing side to side.
He growled, "Who’s pulling this petty stunt?"
Figures emerged from the shadows—faces masked, blades gleaming. Up to no good, plain as day.
"Heh, unbelievable. You know who you're messing with?"
Vincent scoffed as mana gathered at his fingertips.
Then Yoahim felt the ground shift—or so he thought. No, shadows writhed, shadows born of moonlight solidifying. They rose into humanoid forms. Mouthless, yet a clear voice rang out.
"Know who you are? 'Course. Tolstone Tower Master. Draggin' around half-assed mages who can barely channel mana, playin' wizard."
The voice sounded familiar. Yoahim narrowed his eyes.
"Know why Tolstone always loses to Kalsara? You waste on trash. Tiny-mana losers propped up as 'mages.' Elite focus, like Kalsara. Selective investment—ever hear of it?"
The mages flinched. Yoahim clocked it now: Alkados of Wichikill. He'd sworn to hunt them down—and kept it, via minions and clone.
"Hah, ridiculous."
Vincent's voice turned icy. "Mage talent ain't about mana pool. It's passion for magic."
"Hahaha, rich. Heard your Tolstone mages can't cast solo—need artifacts? That's a mage? Just mana batteries for tools."
Mages' faces hardened at the sneer. Yoahim stepped forward. "Step back, Tower Master. They're after us."
"Us? Who the hell's this punk?"
"Alkados. Wichikill's Alkados."
Yoahim knew the name's weight. Expected Vincent to jump. But he was nonchalant.
"What'd you do to get chased by that loser?"
"......Self-defense. They attacked first."
"Tch, you lot got shit luck. Move. You're still tower guests. Can't let guests get hurt."
The shadow chuckled darkly. "Storm Mage Vincent Tolstone. Heard the name. Not that scary, though. Shame I didn't go myself—would've ripped you apart."
"Wichikill's Alkados. Heard of you too. Why not come in person, coward? Could've shown you why they call me Storm Mage."
"Oho, cocky. Figures for a Tower Master."
Vincent's face stayed cold. "Alkados, apologize for insulting my tower. Now."
"Apologize? For truth? Gotta say sorry for facts now?"
"My mages are better than you think."
"Kalsara chants in 10 seconds, Tolstone 30? Still 'great'? Three times slower—not one or two seconds."
"Alkados, you call yourself magic swordsman yet know jack about magic. You're the failed mage."
Vincent spun away. The shadow laughed. "Hahaha! All show, no fight? No counter, huh—"
Boom!
Flames erupted—not natural, pure magic.
Incredible speed. Yoahim broke a sweat. Precise, lightning-fast cast. Proof of a top-tier mage.
But not Vincent. His Tolstone mages.
"......What? How're you so fast?"
The dispersed shadow reformed, Alkados's clone genuinely rattled. Vincent smirked.
"You idiot? One alone takes 30 seconds. Three split it—10 seconds flat."