Return as a Mythical Archmage Chapter 33 – Is That Really a Mage? #1
After a wild rampage, his body felt utterly refreshed. He'd swung the club more to conserve the artifact's capacity as much as possible. Tch, still not as satisfying as wielding a tomahawk.
"The hand-feel just isn't—"
He'd slaughtered over thirty kobolds. A faint sting here and there—probably needles lodged in his forearm or calf. But with his power, he could ignore even that.
Negative Energy
Absorbing negative energy.
Even here, the artifact functioned perfectly. Maybe because they were the same artifact lineage—it meshed seamlessly. And the benefits didn't stop there.
Negative energy aids physical growth.
Dragon Body grows.
Hatchling: 48%
"Oh ho?"
So he could grind experience here too? Since he couldn't actually die, it was basically a bonus dungeon. Lawrence let out a low huhu chuckle. He didn't know about the others, but he could reap benefits even in a place like this.
Couldn't pass that up. He'd scour every corner of the dungeon, hunt down even the tiniest monster, and kill them all.
Lawrence's body sprang into action.
"Kek-!?"
"Oh, there you are!"
Dungeons and monsters. To someone facing them for the first time, they were pure terror, embodiments of fear. But to Lawrence, they were just walking experience chunks.
Diligently moving his body, steadily stacking negative energy. For Lawrence, who'd been cooped up in his room, this was pure fun.
Boom-!
Explosions echoed wherever he went, mingled with the undead's screams.
"Hahaha! Where do you think you're running?!"
"Kek-! Kieeeek!"
Only the undead kobolds' shrieks and Lawrence's laughter reverberated through the dungeon.
Meanwhile, the tower masters watching via the scrying orbs gaped in awe, exclaiming nonstop.
"Now I see why the Northern Duke favors young Lord Lawrence."
"Indeed. Honestly, he's not a fit for the Blue Tower."
"Is that so?"
The Blue Tower master smacked his lips regretfully but soon shook his head. Their tower specialized in lightning magic, prizing purity, neatness, and precision as their aesthetic. A maniacally laughing Lawrence didn't match their vibe.
"If personality's the issue, it can be fixed. But..."
"Why the hesitation? If none of you want him, I'll take him."
As everyone wavered due to deals with Media, Iron Hanma stepped up. Perfect. Lawrence already embodied the ideal battle mage. He had to bring the boy to the Iron Tower!
Just then, the exam chamber door opened, and Media entered. She'd come because the selection exam was delayed.
"Is the selection exam proceeding well?"
"Lady Media, welcome. It's been slightly delayed, but everything's going smoothly."
"I see. Mind if I watch for a bit?"
"Of course not."
Media glanced around, her eyes stopping on Lawrence's scrying orb. There he was, strolling leisurely without even light magic, like it was a walk in the park. Her face twisted in an instant.
A boy without mana roads, rampaging like that... Something was seriously wrong.
She subtly eyed the tower masters; they met her gaze and nodded. They hadn't forgotten their prior promise.
Still, you won't see the light of day.
Tied to this family or shipped off to the boonies forever. As long as she was Montemer's matriarch, Lawrence's fate was sealed.
Media saw his display as desperate thrashing. But why? A flicker of unease stirred in her—a vague chill that passed quickly. She shook it off.
"Does the Iron Tower master have his eye on someone?"
"Young Lord Lawrence possesses all virtues of talent and character. I'd love to take him, but the competition will be fierce."
"I see. Thank you for thinking well of a Montemer child."
"Hoho, what of it? Isn't it merit he grew strong on his own?"
Iron Hanma chuckled. Media smiled too, but her lips twitched faintly. He'd implied pointedly: The child you neglected and treated as trash grew this strong alone.
Insulting to her pride, but raising a fuss here would only make her look ugly. Instead, she changed the subject.
"Would adding one more retainer be alright?"
"If it's a maid, we're fine with it."
"Good. I was thinking of decommissioning that annex anyway..."
Media planned to send brainwashed Rachel along. Iron Hanma nodded readily, and she smiled. But did she know? Rachel was perfectly fine, and Eckel was feeding false reports.
Brainwashing doesn't show outwardly—that's why it's called brainwashing. Without special commands or the caster's mana exposure, it's hard to detect.
Perfect anyway. Wipe out his traces and hurry preparations.
The Iron Tower was remote even among backwaters. Their magic was the pinnacle of inefficiency too. No way he'd overcome Montemer's next trials from there.
Media consoled herself and turned.
"I've taken enough of your time. Please handle the rest well. I'll be at the training grounds."
"As you wish."
Media headed outside, where the relics were. The next test: magic duels against tower mages. They could heal as long as no one died, but accidents happened.
"No harm in trying."
As the queen of connections and matriarch of a famed house, a word and a few coins could make men grovel.
But someone braked her resolve.
"Mother."
"Didn't I tell you to go to the training grounds, Loras?"
"I'll fight Lawrence."
"What?"
Loras Montemer. The youngest of Media's children, just hitting puberty. He wanted to beat Lawrence?
Media shook her head.
"Don't. It's not time yet. Hone your skills at a tower first, then crush him. By then... killing one person will be nothing."
"Do you know your nerves have been all on him lately?"
"What?"
She dropped her cold facade, meeting her son's eyes. Born in a cold magic house, but he was still her pain-in-the-eye baby. She overlooked his pathetic moments because he was her son.
Suddenly, he looked like any teen throwing a tantrum. Her heart softened. As Loras said, her focus had been all on Lawrence lately.
"Why not ignore that reject and pay more attention to us brothers, Mother?"
"..."
Media fell silent at the dagger-like words. Yes, I want cozy time with you all. Good food, reading you fine books. But what came out was different. They didn't grasp how precarious their positions were.
"Nonsense. Pay more attention to you? Lawrence grew that strong alone in the trash warehouse. What, want to end up humiliated like Arthur Goldvein again?"
"Mother..."
"Handle things properly and train right. Who do you think I'm suffering for?!"
Loras shut up before her glaring eyes. One more word, and he'd freeze solid.
He stared after Media as she brushed past, chill wind trailing. Something new sprouted in his eyes.
#2
"Seriously, is that a mage?"
"More like a berserker."
Boom-!
Exam's endgame. The tower masters watching Lawrence's orb wore incredulous expressions. Some kids had already failed and headed to the training grounds. Three remained: Lawrence, Arthur Goldvein, and Piaje Bricksir.
The Bricksir family had long handled two elements at once. Their unique ability earned high praise among mages.
Those two are excellent, but still green. Textbook stuff, of course...
Humans adapt, get thresholds. After Lawrence's hyper-stimulation, luring monsters with distance via basics and slow casting barely registered.
Still, they tried fair evaluations. They aimed to recruit solid talent, after all.
Other families' kids now watched the trio from afar. Arthur's powerful, wide-range magic. Piaje's gem-like heterochromatic eyes flashed as she wielded water and fire freely.
"Whoa..."
"Amazing."
Montemers aside, they hailed from esteemed houses and showed fine mage potential. Especially Piaje, battle-tested in subjugations—her magic neat, clean, flashy.
Yet the kids couldn't look away from the next orb.
"That's a mage?"
"What the hell is that overwhelming speed?"
⟨ Fireball ⟩
Especially chantless massive fireballs—it was nauseatingly impressive. If no-chanting was his unique ability...?
The kids shivered. A monster. Not just of this era, but one to etch history.
Lots of eyes on him, for sure.
Iron Hanma thought so. Some would polish the big, beautiful gem. Others would smash it.
People feared different things, he figured. Simple answer.
Raise him tall where no one can touch. Heh.
Meat and iron. Brutal training, magic theory. Stack it safely, and trash wouldn't dare.
Best to crush sprouts, but grown monsters demand coexistence. Or domestication. Just raise him till then...
"Fun."
His smile deepened.
Kaboom-!
Meanwhile, the virtual dungeon test neared its close. Lawrence approached the boss room at the end.