The Path Forward, Elder Mage
Senior Mage Senios of Eternal Snow. He perished during the disposal of the great criminal, Karimjeba. His memorial was conducted in secrecy.
“……Damn it.”
Someone muttered through gritted teeth. A senior mage of the Mage Tower had fallen in battle. A grand funeral would have been the least he deserved. Yet only about twenty people gathered to mourn him.
The internal affairs of the Mage Tower. Only senior mages and above knew the truth. Only they knew of Senios's death.
They understood it was unavoidable……
“……My apologies, Senior Senios.”
Amid the mourning laced with complex emotions, Marcelo gazed at the frozen Senios.
He's smiling.
Within the eternal snow that would never melt. Senios smiled. As if he had lived a life without regrets.
But those left behind can't smile like that.
Yet Marcelo remembered well. Senios had closed his eyes because of demons. And demon worshippers.
So the moment the mourning for Senios ended, Marcelo spoke.
“With this, the Mage Tower has suffered irreparable damage.”
Senios's death. Now only one senior mage remained in the tower.
But Senios's sacrifice was not in vain.
“However, we now know for certain.”
Emotion colored Marcelo's voice.
“Who the enemies of our Mage Tower are.”
That emotion was unmistakable rage.
The Mage Tower, finally breaking free from the chains of contradiction and beginning to move. Senios's sacrifice had pointed the way forward, as if charting a course.
The calm before the storm. A quiet stillness flowed.
The senior mages knew without words. Hadn't they witnessed it in the first rift they entered? The demons pouring out.
Thanks to that, they learned demons had extended their claws not just to the Arcana Continent, but to this world as well.
It was natural their hearts would change. With demons as a clear target. They couldn't hesitate.
……Me.
Banggrit Tom couldn't easily look at Senios. He felt like a fool for clinging to trivialities. Worse, he'd been deceived by a demon worshipper.
If only I'd noticed sooner……
If I'd informed the tower without falling for it……
Senior Senios wouldn't have ended like this……
Banggrit bowed his head. For a long time.
What roused Banggrit, who had kept his head lowered, was a noble voice.
“Raise your head, Senior Mage Banggrit Tom.”
“……!”
“Excessive silence in mourning is also a breach of decorum.”
It was Hoyeol's voice.
“……C-Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol.”
Banggrit raised his head and looked at Hoyeol. All eyes focused on him.
Hoyeol had endured the harshest trials here, more than any mage. Not content with facing Karimjeba. The demons called legion commanders had all poured into the rift where Hoyeol and Senios entered.
Moreover, Hoyeol had witnessed Senios's final moments.
He must be under greater mental strain than anyone.
Facing demons alone would wear anyone down.
I couldn't even stand properly in his shoes……
It was natural to worry for Hoyeol. Yet such worries proved unfounded.
Hoyeol was the same as always. Standing ramrod straight, gazing at Senios. His mourning showed no flaw. In accordance with decorum and procedure.
Hoyeol concluded his mourning for Senios without faltering.
The onlookers thought,
He's desperately holding back his emotions.
Hoyeol was forever the chief mage of the Mage Tower. With a vacancy now in the tower. He knew he couldn't waver.
Yes, just as Marcelo had presented the tower's path forward without succumbing to grief.
Seeing such a Hoyeol, Banggrit pulled himself together.
If even Chief Mage Lee Hoyeol endures……
How could someone like me whine? Banggrit hurried forward to Senios and mourned him according to procedure, lips firmly shut.
“…….”
The man himself said nothing. Yet after Hoyeol's appearance, the senior mages of the Mage Tower felt a heavy sense of responsibility.
……
I couldn't grieve.
Not because of how long I'd known Senios or our friendship. Or any human sentiment.
I had witnessed his end.
My damnable pride. Declared there was no reason to grieve.
Senios had ultimately proven his pride and fallen in battle.
I remembered Senios's expression. A face with not a shred of regret.
A final moment contrasting Karimjeba's grotesque frozen form.
I looked at Senios again. His last words came to mind.
—“My final lecture of this life was unparalleled.”
I didn't think that regret-free expression was thanks to me. I knew better.
Senios, that old coot of a mage.
Considering his personality……
In his final moments. He was probably most delighted at having defeated Karimjeba with ice magic.
But my mourning for him was utterly sincere. I couldn't bear insincere actions. Even in death.
I was a damnable fool too.
“I apologize for intruding when you scarcely have time to compose yourself, sir.”
Marcelo bowed to me. No need for such formal apology.
Didn't I just say? I'm the type who can't do what doesn't sit right.
So I replied calmly.
“Think nothing of it.”
Clack—
I moved immediately. My destination was simple: the Mage Tower lobby.
I'd checked the internet briefly, and public interest in this incident was no joke.
Of course. It defied common sense.
They'd all guessed the name, right? Appropriate level 900, [Crack in Shattered Dimensions] rift.
A situation where eleven rifts with the same name appeared.
Yet cleared in less than a few hours.
Players couldn't even step in.
Why couldn't players intervene? Simple.
I'd halted the Mage Tower portals.
This [Crack in Shattered Dimensions] rift was tied to internal Mage Tower affairs. No benefit in players investigating.
So in the end.
They had no choice but to misunderstand.
Senior mages of the Mage Tower. No, even they weren't enough.
They couldn't imagine senior mages entering the rifts.
Naturally, attention turned to me.
Thinking I cleared all the rifts.
What an overestimation……!
No, does that even make sense? Clearing eleven rifts alone in that short time?
If it weren't for the Mage Tower's internal issues……!
But I knew this pride.
『Grandfell harbored no such thing as humility. Underestimation demanded proof. Overestimation? He made it reality.』
So I could spout it without changing expression.
But weary pride forbade fabricating words.
Before the crowd gathered at the Mage Tower. Amid flashing cameras.
I had no choice but to speak.
“I will answer only what I can.”
Even I thought it brazen beyond measure.
“If dissatisfied, refrain from asking.”
[Breaking] Lee Hoyeol: “I halted the Mage Tower portals.”
[Breaking] Lee Hoyeol: “I cleared the rifts.”
Lee Hoyeol giving an interview! Reporters struck gold they hadn't even hoped for.
Today's Lee Hoyeol was different from usual. Answering every question?
Emboldened, a reporter asked a sensitive one.
“May I ask what happened inside the rifts?”
The reply was icy, of course.
Perhaps because expectations were low? Hoyeol's attitude caused no issue.
Public reaction watching the scene was similar.
A rare chance. Reporters persisted.
Among their questions, some piqued public curiosity.
“How was the rift clearing difficulty?”
If they couldn't know what happened inside. They'd ask indirectly.
That was the intent.
The same attitude in any rift. Before any demon.
That was the meaning. But listeners couldn't know Hoyeol's inner thoughts.
It came off as supreme confidence. Real-time comments updated.
Leoni muttered softly while watching.
“……So why'd you stop the portals?”
Other players might not know. But for Leoni, Nam Taemin, Hisagi Kazuma, and Jessie here, it was crucial.
Yes, as comments said, Hoyeol showed through actions over words.
……Am I useless to him now?
Why? Jessie didn't want to hear Hoyeol's answer.
She'd pondered deeply during this incident. Perhaps her help meant nothing to Hoyeol anymore.
Otherwise, why stop the portals?
Actions over words. As if no need to chase him. The portals had halted.
Jessie could guess. If Hoyeol meant that……
He'd answer without hesitation……?
A line drawn between her and Hoyeol.
She'd be no help, only hindrance.
Not just Jessie's thought. Everyone present shared it.
In tension, the question came.
—“Was there a specific reason for halting the portals?”
And the unhesitating reply.
—“No comment.”
“……!!!”
Hoyeol's non-answer left the reason unknown. But for those resigned, it sufficed.
On hold for now.
Hoyeol's watching us.
……I'll catch up soon.
No line drawn yet. Depending on their actions. They could advance with Hoyeol, or not.
Realizing that, it started making sense.
Nam Taemin, Leoni, Hisagi exchanged glances.
“……Did you gather us for this?”
“Jeez.”
“No, we can't just gloss over it.”
……Even so, isn't that overinterpreting?
Leoni thought so. But couldn't shake the possibility.
Why? Hoyeol showed through actions, not words.
So Jessie didn't stay idle. Short-range teleport.
She lifted the brim of her pointed hat. Then declared to her master. Not the hat.
Quest goals be damned.
“I'll work hard!”
To stand with Hoyeol. As her class quest said. She needed to become a Grand Archmage at least.
Thanks to Hoyeol too? Like the Mage Tower.
They set new goals.
And waiting for such players: Thursday. Arcana's regular update.
……
A new region arrives by your side. The new region, 'Holy Site of the Goddess Church, Muon', has been added.
Goddess Church. The most influential religion on the Arcana Continent.
The empire even had the saying: “Of any three gathered, one is surely a boring fellow.”
Boring fellow. Meaning a Goddess Church believer.
Their doctrines were notoriously strict. Yet one in three. Indicating the massive number of followers.
Now, their holy site, Muon, manifested in reality!
Before Hoyeol's feats cooled. The community reignited with successive updates.
Back when it was just a game. Religions played a big role on Arcana Continent.
Players especially benefited: basic buffs, status cures, healer class changes.
No wonder the hype.
“Feels like we're checking all the boxes, right?”
“Yeah. Mage Tower. Yusra Kingdom. Frost. Now Muon.”
“Small elite group, but got the essentials!”
Oddly. Someone unfazed by the updates.
For example.
Clack—
Hoyeol leisurely set down his teacup.
……
I checked the update details.
Goddess Church holy site, Muon……
Even after a decade-plus gap, I couldn't forget the Goddess Church. Biggest faction since Arcana's launch.
But strange.
Why.
I stared at the blinking message. Precisely, the quest window.
Annihilation of Akshan
📍 The Annihilation of Akshan and Demon Hunters.
Last Demon Hunter.
Uncover the truth tied to the Holy War.
◈ Train your weakened body. (Repeat)
◈ Grasp the factions in the Holy War. (In Progress)
● Meet the Saint of the Goddess Church. (In Progress)
Tied to the [Annihilation of Akshan] quest?
As said. Over ten years' gap for me.
I didn't know what the Holy War was. Or the truth behind it. Or why the Goddess Church appeared as a goal.
But no issue.
Clack—
I set down my teacup.
“Solve according to procedure.”
Yes, with the class quest up. I'd learn step by step.
Just follow where the goals lead.
Well, perhaps along the way. I might need to dig into the Goddess Church.
That'd be straight-up blasphemy.
But no matter.
One of the few common points between me and Grandfell.
“I believe in no gods.”
Of course, levels I trust even without gods.
I checked my status window. Plenty of points to distribute this time.