Chapter 102: A Chilling Victory - The Eternal Snow Melts Away

Cooling chill. The gradually intensifying agony seeping in. Senios could sense it instinctively.

'In the end, I couldn't overcome it.'

What was the purpose of life? If someone asked, Senios ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could answer: the proof of strength.

Even looking back at himself, it was a truly simple, brute-force existence. Right up until he became an old man.

To cling to regrets until the end and meet such a fate.

'But it wasn't so bad. No.'

Extreme incompatibility. His freezing magic and the Fire Dragon, Karimjeba, were in the worst possible relationship. Just like this moment.

Crack—!

The ultimate secret magic manifesting from Senios. Countless icicles rained down from the sky.

Everything they touched froze in an instant.

Among the magics Senios could cast, it was the one with the highest lethality.

"Pointless."

Roar—!

However, the icicles never reached Karimjeba. Even eternal snow couldn't freeze flames, after all.

The icicles clashing against Karimjeba's blaze scattered their mana into the air.

"Hahaha…."

Suddenly, Senios let out a laugh. Karimjeba found it baffling. The overflowing mana that had been beyond control had quieted down. He must have realized he held no advantage.

"Have you finally lost your mind, Senios?"

Why are you laughing?

"Still, for the worst matchup, it wasn't so bad, was it?"

"What?"

"I never intended to defeat you from the start, Karimjeba."

Senios suddenly recalled the past. Before his enlightenment. Back when he'd just entered the Mage Tower and was still working as a senior mage.

—"My goal? To freeze flames."

Senios had unwavering faith in freezing magic. Like the current senior mages, he believed his own magic was the pinnacle.

But as time passed. And he finally opened his eyes. And gazed upon the true realm of magic.

—"Limits are inevitable."

Senios had to admit it. Every magic had its limits. And his freezing magic was no exception.

However.

"Overcoming those limits—isn't that life's task as well?"

Precisely because he knew the limits, he never thought he could defeat Karimjeba. Though he had planned to die alongside him.

Senios sneered.

"Flame and freeze. If we overcome the worst matchup and end in a draw, won't posterity judge me higher, Karimjeba? What do you think—doesn't it seem that way to you?"

A draw? Ridiculous.

"You've gone mad."

Karimjeba sensed madness in Senios. And he clicked his tongue.

"What can you do when even your heart is stopping?"

"Hahaha. My heart isn't stopping. I'm controlling its beating speed. Didn't you know? Exploration of magic is crucial, Karimjeba. You must have neglected it, lost in your delusions of truth."

"……!"

Not stopping—but controlling the speed?

At those meaningful words, Karimjeba scanned his surroundings.

……No, nothing seemed off. The icy wings enveloping Senios had melted long ago. The water jets rising from the ground had turned to vapor under his scorching flames.

Yes, if he had to pick one thing.

A faint chill in the air….

'Wait, a chill?'

It made no sense. He was wrapping his body in flames, wasn't he? A bodily illusion? That's what he thought.

"!"

No. It wasn't.

Whoosh—!

White breath was truly billowing from his mouth.

Karimjeba furrowed his brow.

"Tricks to the end, Senios."

That stung a bit. Senios chuckled slyly.

Exhale— White breath puffed from his smiling lips as well.

"How ruthless. Tricks? This is the magic manifested solely for you, Fire Dragon Karimjeba, by the eternal snow Senios. Can't you appreciate my sincerity?"

When he reached that realm and devised this magic.

—"I'm truly doomed."

Senios had thought that and clicked his tongue.

—"Will there ever come a day to use this?"

He'd entered the Mage Tower chasing Karimjeba. Yet before he knew it, he'd risen to the same elder mage position.

Even knowing they could never settle things, he'd waste time creating such meaningless magic.

"Who could've known? That this day would come."

So he hadn't even named it.

"If I'd known, I would've given it a grand name."

Karimjeba. Because he learned you'd deceived me. The Mage Tower. The Tower Master.

There was no hesitation. Senios could manifest his final magic.

"What do you think is the essence of freezing magic?"

Whoosh—!

The invisible chill. Irritated, Karimjeba didn't respond. But Senios continued.

"Some say beauty. The ice reflecting light can be as dazzling as jewels. But that's wrong. The essence of freezing magic lies in coldness."

Whoosh—! Exhale—!

Karimjeba clenched and unclenched his stiffening hand. His movements and breaths grew increasingly labored.

'Enough of this.'

Karimjeba no longer stayed still. He didn't know what magic Senios had cast, but he couldn't play along.

Roar—!

Karimjeba manifested flames. He flapped fiery wings toward Senios.

And witnessed it.

'……What?!'

An unbelievable sight. The extending flames looked impossibly slow.

'What's this? Has time slowed?'

No, it hadn't. Senios's sneering mouth was unchanged.

"How about a chill that freezes even your senses, Karimjeba? By the time you notice, your body and organs will already be half-frozen."

Karimjeba refused to believe it. He hadn't given him the chance for such magic.

Exhale—!

Yet it wasn't a lie. His body and flames wouldn't obey.

Karimjeba racked his brain.

'When the hell did he cast this?'

Without me noticing…?

And soon, seeing Senios exhale white breath just like him, he realized.

'……Breath!'

He'd cooled the air I inhaled. Cooling the surrounding air indiscriminately. That's why his own body was freezing too.

But how could he speak at normal speed?

"I told you. It's not stopping—I'm controlling it."

The chill that freezes even senses. Thump—thump….

Senios's heart beat in sync with that frozen sensation.

Senios counted silently as Karimjeba failed to even respond.

'Even one second longer.'

If he could endure longer than Karimjeba, he could bury the Fire Dragon beneath unmelting eternal snow.

'Of course, regardless of the outcome, I'll freeze solid in the cold.'

Yes, just as expected. A draw at best.

'Well, for a doomed old man's life in exchange for a draw.'

Isn't that a fine trade? And it would be his atonement to the Mage Tower.

Senios smiled faintly.

'Doomed or not, it was a pretty good life. Yes.'

But the Fire Dragon wasn't so easy.

"To think you'd stake your life. Unexpected."

"……!"

Karimjeba was speaking normally. Even though his body should be more than half-frozen?

Startled, Senios looked at him. Flames burst from his mouth.

"But I'm staking my life too."

……He swallowed the flames. Melting his frozen body and organs.

Senios let out a hearty ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠laugh.

"Damn it."

Not called Fire Dragon for nothing. Swallowing fire to melt frozen organs. The judgment alone was astonishing. And he spoke calmly after such a feat.

'He won't even allow a draw.'

Some limits just can't be overcome.

'Damn it all.'

His eyes grew heavy. Senses dulled. As Senios gritted his teeth.

Click—

A shoe heel struck the frozen ground.

"Senios. Your magic was excellent."

A voice called his name.

"But the interference process leaves something to be desired."

And a voice critiquing him.

Senios barely replied.

"……Is that so?"

He knew who it was without checking. Senios knew the owner of that bold voice.

Yes, Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol.

"To overcome limits, a new concept is needed."

His figure striding confidently before Karimjeba. Yes, Senios remembered that back too. Pointing out Senior Mage Banggrit Tom's presentation at the regular conference. The same unwavering posture as then.

"Your exploration of freezing magic's essence as cooling was superb. But the interference process has flaws. If you're cooling a target, how far exactly? Unrestricted, abstract interference like now leads only to inefficient manifestation."

Karimjeba's flames flickered.

'How dare this brat lecture me.'

Wasn't it like lecturing with him right there?

He wanted to incinerate the insolent fool immediately, but his body's senses weren't fully restored. A body repeatedly frozen and burned couldn't be intact.

However.

'Senios is done for.'

Dealing with the lone novice adventurer? Even in this state, it was feasible.

Karimjeba opened his mouth, thinking that.

"I will definitely kill you."

But Hoyeol's lecture continued. Unfazed by Karimjeba's shout.

Senios knew why.

'He's being considerate of this old man.'

He knew Senios's time was short. So he hurried to finish speaking.

Senios focused on Hoyeol's words.

"Setting a specific target in the interference process would enable more effective manifestation. But even then, it wouldn't overcome magic's incompatibility. However, if it's not magic but [『Peculiarity』], the story changes."

[『Peculiarity』]…?

Even the two elder mages couldn't grasp the concept immediately. That's why a demonstration was needed.

Of course, Karimjeba wouldn't watch quietly.

'……Now.'

Senses returned. Time to deal with the brat….

"In the interference process, add a [concept] entirely different from 『magic』."

Crack—!

"?!"

In that instant, Karimjeba's body froze solid.

Karimjeba sensed it instinctively. This was on another level from Senios's magic.

'I can't resist……?!'

If Senios's magic merely disrupted bodily senses, this felt like his body had truly stopped. Even his mana flow…!

"What have you done to me……!"

Incomprehensible. Magic that halts even mana flow?

Karimjeba racked his brain again.

'There must be a clue to overcome this in his words.'

Like how he saw through Senios's magic. But no matter how he reviewed Hoyeol's words.

The conclusion was one.

"Yes. That is precisely [『Peculiarity』]."

This wasn't magic—it was [『Peculiarity』].

"The manifestation of a peculiarity that cools the interference target to absolute zero."

Absolute zero. He didn't know what it meant exactly. But one thing was clear.

Senios murmured softly.

"Absolute zero. Let's name the magic that. It has a nice ring."

In his blurring vision, Senios lifted his head.

'I worried needlessly.'

Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol. Wasn't he the man Marcelo acknowledged?

Senios knew Marcelo's feelings when recommending him.

So no more regrets.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'It wasn't freezing magic that was lacking—it was me.'

As evident, Hoyeol's peculiarity left him defenseless. Freezing not just flames, but the Fire Dragon itself.

Senios continued.

"You'll do better than I ever could."

A doomed elder's first and last grandmotherly worry.

"Still, take good care of the Mage Tower, Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol."

He added with a smile.

"My life's final lecture was impeccable."

…

Senios died.

Karimjeba stared at Hoyeol.

'……How did he do this to me?'

He still couldn't comprehend. The mana he sensed was pitiful compared to his own or Senios's.

Doubts lingered.

Thinking back, nothing made sense from the start.

'He endured my flames unscathed.'

No, more than that—he'd clearly been fighting demons.

Karimjeba knew demons well. Beyond strength, contact with them eroded the mind.

'He shouldn't be sane.'

Just like the elder mages he'd toyed with.

Yet Hoyeol was fine. No, more than fine—composed. Lecturing endlessly on magic structure.

'Wait.'

Then, Karimjeba felt unease.

'How did he recognize the possessed Akkshan fanatic?'

Unless a fellow demon worshiper like himself, detecting a possessed demon was near impossible. And his mana was absurdly low for a mage….

A suspicion flashed through his mind.

"……Could you be a demon hunter?"

Click—

At those words, Hoyeol turned to face him.

Karimjeba was certain. Yes, this man was a demon ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hunter.

Karimjeba racked his brain.

'Perhaps…….'

I might escape. This damned magic. No, peculiarity.

Karimjeba spoke.

"Demon hunter. What I seek is witnessing true truth. Demons are merely a means. You must know, don't you? That the Arcana Continent needs true truth!"

Yes, a demon hunter of all people would understand true truth.

So Karimjeba thought and said.

But.

'……Why?'

Hoyeol's expression showed no change. His cold gaze seemed laced with chill.

A demon hunter should react differently. Thinking of Akkshan's end.

Karimjeba ventured.

"……Do you not know the truth of the Holy War?"

…

Holy War.

What the hell is that?

Something from when Arcana was still a game?

Whatever it was, of course I didn't know. There's a decade-plus gap in my memory.

Karimjeba blabbered on.

"Free me, and I'll tell you everything. About the Holy War, about true truth! As a demon hunter, you'll surely understand my intent. I swear on the name of Fire Dragon Karimjeba!"

I sensed it instinctively.

Holy War. It must relate to demon hunters. And Akkshan.

But I didn't respond.

At this moment, to me. To Grandfell. Karimjeba was no different from a demon.

I told you. I don't converse with prey.

True truth my ass. What kind of truth turns the world upside down and revives demon kings on top of that?

Of course, no reason to hesitate over Holy War bait.

Holy War. The moment Karimjeba uttered the word.

Yes. So I immediately manifested the magic.

No, the [『Peculiarity』].

Absolute zero. The extreme temperature halting even molecular motion.

"Naaauuugh……!!"

Soon, Karimjeba froze with an ugly expression devoid of pride.

And simultaneously, a message appeared.