Chapter 33: The Conference (4)
The venue fell silent as if washed clean by cold water, and some attendees began murmuring in confusion.
"Hm... Professor Jeong's intentions are plain as day, but it's still a point worth addressing."
"Maybe it's better to clear it up here and now."
The atmosphere generally acknowledged the validity of raising the suspicion.
Han Tae-gang asked a guild member sitting nearby.
"Is there any credibility to that claim?"
The guild member replied in an ambiguous tone.
"It depends on the perspective. Some might dismiss it as baseless slander, but plenty of others would see it as a legitimate question."
"Why the split in opinions?"
"It's the nature of magical mechanics research. Lee Dojin clearly understands it well, but given enough time, most of the members here could give answers not far off from his. And in magical mechanics, handling mana sensitivity matters more than raw knowledge or intellect—"
"Whether he actually came up with the idea or just contributed to gathering experimental data... you can't tell just from listening to hot air. Is that it?"
"Exactly. It's not a common quarrel, and especially for research of this caliber, there's no reason to give anyone special treatment..."
"Karma, then."
Han Tae-gang summed it up in one word.
If it had been Seo Sang-wook's solo research or a large-scale effort under his lead, no one would have batted an eye. But this was a joint project with Lee Dojin, who had shown no prominence in magical mechanics until now. Moreover, the claim that Lee Dojin handled the core while Seo Sang-wook focused on auxiliary tasks lacked convincing power.
Everyone knew how much time Lee Dojin had wasted so far. He'd only been appointed as a faculty member at National Academy 1 in early March. Less than a month had passed since starting research with Seo Sang-wook, yet achieving this feat? It was hard to swallow.
The hypothesis that he'd merely added a spoon to Seo Sang-wook's long-term efforts was far more persuasive.
The guild member responded hesitantly to Han Tae-gang's words.
"You're not wrong. But seeing that... I'm leaning toward believing the research team is innocent."
Seo Sang-wook, his normally sallow face flushed beet red, was pointing accusingly from below the podium and shouting.
"What? Hey, Jeong Seong-min! Take that back right now and apologize to Dojin! I didn't utter a single lie in that presentation. Dojin—Professor Lee Dojin—did the same! What gives you the right to spout such groundless nonsense and insult us—"
"If you're so confident, prove it outright. Isn't that simple enough?"
"Wh-what? You're really going to play it like that!?"
Jeong Seong-min, the middle-aged man called out, shot back nonchalantly, and Seo Sang-wook's face boiled with rage as if it might explode. Lee Dojin calmly raised a hand to restrain him.
"Professor, please wait a moment."
"Listen to me, Dojin. If we let this slide now, it'll be harder to fix later. We need to nail it down so he never spouts crap like that again."
"I know. I just think I can handle it myself."
"Hm... alright?"
Seo Sang-wook pondered briefly before stepping back, his expression tinged with anticipation.
Lee Dojin gripped the microphone and fixed Jeong Seong-min with a resolute gaze.
"Thank you for your question. You're Professor Jeong Seong-min from the university division of National Academy 2, correct?"
"Ahem, yes."
"From what I heard, you're asking not so much about the paper's conclusions, but who conducted the research and how. Did I get that right? Any corrections?"
"No, spot on. Any scholar worth their salt should care about that."
"Well said."
Lee Dojin replied calmly, flashing a faint smile. Then he made an unexpected proposal.
"If it's not too much trouble... would you come up to the podium?"
"Hm?"
Not just Jeong Seong-min, but most of the hundred attendees were stunned. Suspicion rippled through the room as Jeong Seong-min approached, prompting Han Tae-gang to ask his guild member.
"What’s he planning? Does he have a way to prove it?"
"Hard to say... Even if he demonstrates the construct perfectly, it's barely breaking even. The research is already presented, and quashing the doubts completely will be tough. He might prove his learning aptitude, but it's essentially a checkmate situation."
"Hm..."
Han Tae-gang let out an inscrutable grunt and looked up at the podium.
By then, Jeong Seong-min had reached it, and Lee Dojin made a request. Jeong Seong-min looked visibly flustered. Han Tae-gang, overhearing their clear conversation, grasped Lee Dojin's intent instantly.
'He's going to prove it.'
Lee Dojin and Jeong Seong-min stepped apart, facing each other. Jeong Seong-min spread his hands. Mana flowed from his palms, taking form... and then—
Boom!
It shot toward Lee Dojin at high speed. Gasps erupted from witnesses.
"Isn't that B-rank?"
"How's he going to handle that?!"
Silence born of shock gripped the entire hall from that moment.
"Hah..."
"What did I just see..."
The scene was this: Jeong Seong-min's mana hit the barrier Lee Dojin deployed and was absorbed instantly. Like a repulsion-type defense construct, it didn't just block—it reflected the mana back under Lee Dojin's control, dispersing into the air amid a spray of beautiful rainbow hues.
Everyone present must have remembered one person.
The great archmage, Jeong Se-bin. The genius among geniuses who wielded every attribute of mana. Her mana had shimmered in rainbow colors too.
Just like her son, Lee Dojin, in this moment.
His clear voice rang out.
"I just asked you to fire any general B-rank or higher spell at me, without limits on type or attribute."
"B-rank or higher..."
"But according to the paper..."
Whispers at nearby tables echoed Han Tae-gang's own curiosity. The content was hard to follow, but he knew part of the paper's conclusion.
The defense construct devised by Lee Dojin and Seo Sang-wook was effective only against C-rank or lower magic—at least for now.
Lee Dojin stared straight at the stirred attendees and continued.
"Please recall the paper's title: Research on Universal Defense Constructs. It refers to the defense construct for composite types, but also implies practicality for commercialization and awakener training in the near future. As the researcher, I can currently defend against far more—specifically, B-rank equivalent spells."
"To add a bit: Right now, it's only possible with Professor Lee Dojin's unique mana wavelength. Didn't I say it? He led the ideas and experimental data analysis. I contributed to refining it for universality... but to be blunt, only Professor Lee Dojin can create a defense construct for B-rank or higher."
No further explanation was needed. The defense construct set to revolutionize magical mechanics was merely a downgraded version of Lee Dojin's personal magic.
Seo Sang-wook smiled like a victor and landed the final blow.
"Anyone with discernment won't doubt it further. Professor Lee Dojin has something to say, so I'll hand over the mic."
Sincere applause erupted, transcending age and reputation.
Gazing at Lee Dojin center stage, Han Tae-gang saw echoes of two people in him again.
Lee Si-hyeok and Jeong Se-bin. Si-hyeok seemed cold at first glance but was warm-hearted underneath. Even toward rivals, he'd show magnanimous forgiveness once matters settled. Se-bin appeared cheerful and straightforward, but she never hesitated on decisions—ruthlessly eliminating loose ends, some might say too coldly.
They complemented each other's flaws, falling deeply for one another. Han Tae-gang took pride in such juniors.
And now... he couldn't deny seeing both traits in Lee Dojin simultaneously.
Lee Dojin spoke in a wistful tone, as if reminiscing.
"It's been a little over ten years. Honorary Professor Jeong Se-bin once told me this: Barriers are the foundation of all defense magic. This research started from there. I wanted to prove my mother right. I've achieved modest results. My goal ahead is clear: A-rank and beyond. I'll work to universalize these defense constructs. And when the time comes, at the top of that paper, I want to write this."
Somehow, it grew hard for Han Tae-gang to listen further. He blocked his hearing with mana. Thunderous applause suggested fine words, but... he wasn't sure he deserved to hear them.
Then he turned to his guild members, who were cheering and applauding with pure, heartfelt emotion.
"You all can skip dinner and head home."
"Just you, Master?"
"That's the plan. Propose the others as instructed."
The conference's core was Lee Dojin's research anyway. Securing that made the rest irrelevant.
At the dinner in the building's first floor, Han Tae-gang held a wine glass, watching from afar.
Top domestic guilds, elite foreign ones. Mid-tier leaders he knew—all surrounded Lee Dojin, chatting.
Courteous yet tense pleasantries would soon give way to real offers.
Draining his glass, Han Tae-gang approached. Lee Dojin greeted him politely.
"Ah, Guild Master."
Not "uncle," but "Guild Master." Accepting the title silently, Han Tae-gang said,
"Give me a chance to support your research at Eternal."
Some might call it brazen or coercive, but for him, even saying it was tough.
The son of cherished juniors. The bastard who'd scarred his daughter's heart—and still did, just by existing.
Yet as guild leader, he was someone they must recruit. For Eternal Guild's future.
The paper and results would soon go public. Awakener training on defense magic? Free rein.
But patents—like gear production—belonged to Lee Dojin and Seo Sang-wook.
Elites like Eternal dabbled in such business too. Han Tae-gang resolved to offer a blank check.
Whatever terms he could meet, no price too high.
And to that proposal, laced with complex emotions and sounding curt...
Lee Dojin replied simply.
"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline."