Chapter 46
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Accepting the Challenge
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[I accept the challenge.]
By the time Gerwin accepted the duel, the incident from half a year ago had spread so widely that hardly anyone was unaware of it.
Back then, it had ended as just another happening, but upon closer inspection now, there were far too many suspicious points for it to be dismissed.
"Wasn't it just a coincidence that it overlapped with the special admissions tournament?"
"If not for that, Louise would've been the one to take it, right? And the one who made the exploding weapon was Pierre Valmut. Everyone knows the Krugers are in a partnership with them..."
"The Krugers or the Valmuts... from the rumors, who knows."
What started as a minor suspicion grew larger as it passed from mouth to mouth. Eventually, it spilled out beyond Babel.
-Tch. Pathetic fool.
Even at Gerwin's home base, the UD Group, the rumors had reached them.
-Can't even handle one worthless punk properly and stir up scandals? There's a limit to dragging the family name through the mud.
Gerwin bit his lip hard at the irritated voice of Daniel Kruger, the third son, coming through the phone.
"I'm sorry... Brother."
-No point in us getting involved; it'll just make things worse. Handle it yourself. Got it?
"...Understood."
-You idiot...
Click─
The line went dead coldly, and Gerwin's hand clenched around the phone tightened fiercely.
Crack!
The phone shattered in his grip in an instant. His rage unquelled, Gerwin bowed his head and muttered in a low, guttural voice.
"Damn old bastard..."
Daniel Kruger, third son of Jürgen, was 73 this year.
Their relationship was practically grandfather and grandson, but there was no familial warmth between them.
Regardless of age, they were rivals vying over the UD Group's numerous subsidiaries. To Daniel, this incident was nothing more than a prime opportunity to cut Gerwin down.
'If Father helped, it could be resolved in a flash...'
The head of the UD Group and one of the world's few Summit Climbers, Jürgen Kruger. If he moved personally, such a trivial matter would be swept away effortlessly—but that's precisely why he wouldn't.
On the contrary, failing to handle even this alone and begging for help would lower his evaluation, leading to a retraction of assets and authority.
"Damn it..."
How had something that should've been neatly resolved turned into this mess?
As Gerwin clenched his fist and spat curses, the door opened without a knock, and a young man entered.
"Gerwin."
A youth with neatly slicked-back blond hair and a heavy, imposing presence unfit for a cadet. Gerwin twisted his lips at the sight.
"Well, if it isn't my dear friend, Pierre Valmut."
"..."
"So, what's up? Here to spread the word that we took care of that worm half a year ago? Huh?"
Pierre Valmut stared silently at Gerwin's sarcasm.
Gerwin's smile warped further until his eyes blazed with fury.
"Say something, you dumb bastard. You were the one who changed the plan to throw him in prison and expel him cleanly. Or should I say, it was Professor Charles's idea?"
Originally, Gerwin had planned to completely erase Louise from Babel without loose ends.
But Pierre had withdrawn the complaint after receiving a proposal from Professor Charles, twisting the situation into this.
He'd accepted it thinking it beneficial at the time, but now it was different.
Pierre sighed under Gerwin's sharp glare.
"I have nothing to say about this one. My mistake."
"I'm not asking for useless excuses."
Gerwin stepped forward, his eyes rippling with black mana as he glared.
"Come up with a solution now. Unless you want to be dragged out of the succession race too."
The Valmut family's succession struggle was no less fierce than the Krugers', if not more.
Pierre gazed silently at Gerwin's words before slowly speaking.
"There'll be a simple check in the Martial Hall's power room on duel day. Nothing should go wrong, but if an issue arises midway, the barrier's response might lag a bit."
"..."
"Wouldn't that be dangerous if it happens 'coincidentally' during the duel? Better warn the staff to prevent accidents."
Gerwin eyed Pierre suspiciously.
"That's it? Disappointing."
"...I have something that can wreck that side's condition. If it goes well, she'll collapse; if not, she won't fight properly."
"Hm. Good enough."
Last time was a bit sloppy, but no one was as meticulous as the Valmuts. If he stated it so confidently, it should wrap up cleanly this time.
"Get out."
"...Good luck."
Bang─
The door slammed shut. Gerwin smirked at the sound.
'Arrogant fool...'
He'd grown cocky lately from expanding his influence, but the leash was still in Gerwin's hands.
Recalling Pierre's stiffened face, Gerwin glanced at the sub-space pocket on his desk.
'I could beat that guy easily now, but...'
No harm in preparing for the worst. With that thought, Gerwin opened the pocket and drew his weapon.
Whoosh─
Black mist filled the room instantly. As mana surged through his body, Gerwin's eyes gleamed black.
As Erika and Louise eyed each other sidelong glares, Lee Se-hun withdrew his hand after the inspection.
"That should do it."
"My jaw's killing me... So we're done?"
Lee Se-hun nodded at Louise's question.
"Just need one more material. Both of you, step out for a bit."
"Okay."
"Prepare these things ahead of time..."
Erika nodded and left first, followed by Louise grumbling.
Pretending to push Louise's back, Lee Se-hun naturally extracted her bond.
Extracting bond from target 'Louise Valente'.
Bond with creator 'Lee Se-hun' is Lv.1.
The bond seeped in through his hand. Checking the amount, Lee Se-hun looked mildly surprised.
'More than expected.'
He'd taught her about mana erosion on her throat and even Word Magic, so some mental image had built up, but apparently more positively than thought.
"Hey, don't push."
"Then hurry up and go."
After shooing the grumbling Louise out, Lee Se-hun glanced at the two standing side by side before closing the door.
"No fighting. Behave."
"..."
"..."
Erika, usually sharp-tongued, shut her mouth, and Louise averted her gaze. Seeing them already like sworn enemies, Lee Se-hun sighed.
"Fine, just beat each other up."
Better a straight fight than mind games. Ignoring outside noises after closing the door, he steadied his breath slowly.
'Louise's bond stone...'
One who'd reached Lv.5 before regression, so it could've manifested easily, but he built it carefully from scratch.
'Unyielding will that doesn't break in any situation. Appeals strongly without deceiving her emotions.'
Some called it emotional, hot-tempered, rude—but Lee Se-hun just thought it dumb.
The naive belief that sincere effort would be reciprocated. That foolishness was the core of Louise Valente.
'But Violent Dog denied it.'
Whether she clung to that foolish faith or not.
That was the difference between Violent Dog and Louise—and the bond stone he was crafting now.
Bzzz!
A form like filling a transparent balloon with water.
The texture felt rubbery, sloshing at slight shakes—more slime than ore.
Staring at the squishy bond stone in surprise, Lee Se-hun murmured.
'This... is way different.'
Violent Dog's had been inky black like spilled ink, sprouting thorns on contact to erode mana—a terrifying thing.
But Louise's was the opposite in every way except texture. Intrigued, Lee Se-hun checked its info.
'Specialization's the same, but the method differs.'
Pre-regression, it said "Dominates" for specialization; now it's "Reflects."
To confirm the difference, Lee Se-hun carefully picked up the Tintaquastone.
Squish─
'So soft. Durability must be...'
Examining it, he pulled both ends lightly.
Boing─
It split into two blobs effortlessly. Quality unchanged, and pressing back together merged seamlessly.
'Strength down, but restoration improved.'
Fully assessed, he infused his mana next.
Swish─
Mana seeped in, tinting it murky. Once fully saturated inside, a small tremor brought change.
Vrrr─
Tangled colors sorted by brightness. Seeing this, Lee Se-hun grasped the shifted effect.
'More cooperative now.'
Pre-regression, it forced others to itself; now, it adapted to others.
Simply: selfish before, generous now.
'Hmm... Not bad?'
This could yield better gear than planned. Revising designs mentally, he withdrew the mana.
Whoosh─
Back to transparent. Confirmed no material change, he called the two back in.
"..."
"..."
Erika and Louise no longer glaring—but seeming worse somehow. Lee Se-hun decided not to care.
'They might fight.'
He'd clashed madly with the Three Dogs too, yet cooperated later. Good or bad relations, necessity forces teamwork.
"Starting now. Erika, watch from there. Louise, sit here."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah. Hurry."
Seating Louise, he had her cup her hands, placing the Tintaquastone atop.
"Infuse mana till the color stops changing. No need to refine; don't hold back."
"Got it."
"No tension needed. Like fingerprint registration."
Louise nodded, cautiously flowing her mana in.
Swish─
Slowly tinting milky white.
Unlike his messy mix, hers stayed clean—fitting for her own bond stone.
"Good. Keep it steady."
As she infused, Lee Se-hun sat opposite, gripping the Projection Alloy on the desk.
'Compared to Violent Dog's, teeth barely damaged, mana circuits intact.'
Pre-regression focused on repair due to poor state; now, with good condition and materials, emphasize power output.
Vrrr─
Mana seeped; central flame melted, reshaping like fresh-molten metal.
Spreading into a square sheet, thinning evenly as it grew. Erika watched intrigued.
'That thin, yet uniform thickness.'
Projection Alloy reflects subconscious, easily swayed by stray thoughts.
Precision work demands unwavering focus; he'd maintained it through this thin plate.
'But how to process it...?'
Other metals aside, reprocessing drops durability sharply—must perfect first form.
Usually shaped directly into gear, yet he'd made a rework-needing plate.
'No idea.'
As Erika pondered the odd approach, expansion halted, change ensuing.
Grrr─
Intricate mana circuits etched across the plate.
Overwhelmingly complex weave widened Erika's eyes.
'Perfectly cognizing such complexity...?'
Recalling knowledge piecemeal vs. fully "cognizing" from start to end—similar yet distinct.
Like puzzle-solving scattered vs. instant flawless assembly.
A feat of innate talent over skill.
'...Might need to revise my assessment.'
As her eyes deepened at the surpassing display, Lee Se-hun confirmed circuits and spoke.
"Louise. Done?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Seems so."
Now fully silvered Tintaquastone. He slid the plate beneath her hands.
"Set it down carefully here."
"Okay."
Squish─
Released, it burrowed into the circuits, filling eagerly.
"Whoa..."
"..."
The two watched the lifelike motion in awe. Meanwhile, Lee Se-hun rolled mana in his mouth for Word Imprint.
"<Mana Amplification>"
Szzzt─
Word Magic etched over filled circuits.
Like soldering, he imprinted fitting Words per circuit.
"<Formula Correction>, <Voice Amplification>, <Pain Relief>..."
The new skill 'Word: Imprint's' edge over precise Enchant: simple effect granting.
Weak, short-lasting—not permanent. But with Louise's Tintaquastone, it changes.
Swish─
Reflecting its traits boosts effects, duration—covering flaws.
After imprinting 73 Words, Lee Se-hun licked dry lips, scanning overall.
Vrrr─
Multicolored hues interlocked perfectly in the finished plate.
More painting than gear. Louise stared blankly.
"...Pretty."
Phenomenon from color-shifting per Word.
Unseen with Violent Dog's stone. Lee Se-hun smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
Prep for completion done.
Gazing at the plate, he assembled along pre-divided sections.
Clink─ Screech!
Like folding blueprint paper, it bent, twisted, interlocked. At last piece joining:
Click─
Gear for Louise alone completed.
Gear 'Vargr' completed!
A master blacksmith transcends norms in crafting gear!
Imagination drawing out full potential into new forms surpasses first-rate.
Judgment: 'Vargr' grade is 'Rare'.
"Whew..."
Relief at the settlement window.
Materials sparse; feared lower grade, but hit Rare—fortunate.
'Violent Dog's gear ate fortunes.'
Pre-regression trial losses could buy a small city.
'Let's see effects...'
'Hm. Decent.'
Slightly better materials might've scraped Heroic. Satisfied moderately, then:
"...That's my gear?"
Louise eyed the finished product dubiously. No wonder—it didn't look like gear.
"Uh... Can I try it?"
Half-suspicious glance. Grinning, Lee Se-hun handed Vargr over.
"Sure, but use weak magic."
"Why?"
"Won't control it otherwise."
At his confident assurance, Louise puzzled over Vargr in hand.
'...Weak wind should be fine?'
"Haa..."
Professor An Jeong-wan sighed deeply walking the ward corridor.
"Seemed obedient, yet up to such antics..."
The cadet shaking Babel was his patient. Recalling last night's flood of calls, his head throbbed.
'Never pegged Lee Se-hun for that... Tch.'
Hearing of her odd training with Louise, he'd left them be.
Not dangerous; Louise more lively, less reckless rehab attempts.
'But correcting mana crystallization? Nonsense.'
Fine if just hanging out, but health risks change that.
Worried, he quickened to her room—then:
KABOOOM────!!!
Monstrous blast from inside. Startled, Professor An flung open the door.
"...Insane."
In the typhoon-wrecked room center, Louise muttered blankly.