Chapter 162: The Start of the War
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 162: The Start of the War
“There’s no point in denying it now, is there?”
The Chihuahua calmly accepted the situation.
“Professor Meldini. Before I came into this body, I was a civil servant. I had a job similar to the people who handle public complaints at the Sohen City Hall.”
“…”
“The world I came from didn’t have things like labyrinths or magic, but it was a peaceful place. I lived my whole life being good and quiet, always enduring whatever happened.”
The biggest fight she had ever been in was giving a three-year-old boy in her kindergarten’s Spring Water Class a nosebleed.
“Even when difficult complainants came to scream, curse, and cause a scene, I couldn’t do anything. Even when my section chief chewed me out for ridiculous things every single day.”
She used to endure those moments by trying to think of her favorite male idols.
Looking back now, it was all pointless.
“I should’ve just decked one of them.”
“…”
“I thought that every day after coming here. That I should’ve landed a punch on those difficult people and my boss. Especially if I’d known things would turn out like this.”
The Chihuahua said, “If I ever go back, I’m quitting on the spot.”
She was no longer the quiet, timid low-level official from the community center.
“I can barely even remember how to do that job anymore.”
She had spent more time as a professor at the magic university than she had as a civil servant.
“Sixteen long years.”
“…”
“I’ve endured all this time here, holding on to nothing but the dream of going home. Professor, I’m telling you this out of respect for the time we’ve known each other.”
The Chihuahua said, “Don’t go against the Labyrinth.”
The Labyrinth always gets what it wants. Look at the Labyrinth Eruption twelve years ago. Its overwhelming power was more than enough to break the Possessors’ will to fight, and the Labyrinth got the Assembly it wanted.
Look at the recent Labyrinth Eruption. It was so much more moderate compared to twelve years ago, but the Labyrinth still got what it wanted and murdered the Archmage.
It’s the same this time.
The Labyrinth will get what it wants. It will take the White Lion. No matter how much the adventurers of Sohen resist.
“You’d be better off escaping Sohen and going far away.”
Fwip!
Meldini’s wand shot up from under the table.
The Chihuahua also drew something from inside her coat, like a gunslinger from the Old West drawing a pistol.
“Soul Bind!”
But Meldini’s incantation was faster.
Even if the Chihuahua had managed to draw her wand, Meldini would have won.
But what she pulled out wasn’t a wand.
Riiip!
It was the sound of a scroll being torn.
[Designated Coordinate Transfer Scroll: West Tower, 1st Floor]
Meldini’s magic shot through the empty air and hit the wall. Only the torn scroll fluttered to the ground.
Clang!
Meldini threw the window open with all his might. He aimed his wand toward the open space of the university garden, where rain was pouring down.
“Bell of Vigilance.”
The Tier 8 magic, the culmination of the old professor’s lifelong research, activated.
[Book of the Bell Toll]
-Grants the buff ‘Vigilance’ to all friendly units within a one million square meter area.
Of course, Meldini couldn’t see a game message like that, but he, more than anyone, knew the power of his magic.
*
Dong—
The sound of the bell, ringing through the night sky amidst the rain, traveled beyond the university grounds all the way to the Berten estate.
It was likely outside the buff’s range, but if you stuck your head out the window, you could still see it.
A giant bell was floating above the university’s faculty building. It was so massive it almost looked like a celestial body, like the moon. Even more so because a brilliant blue light shimmered from it, illuminating the buildings and the ground below.
‘It’s started.’
Meldini’s bell toll signaled the start of the war. The ‘Vigilance’ buff, as expected of Tier 8 magic, possessed an insane amount of power.
Every target of the buff would randomly gain one detection ability.
Things like arcane sight, life detection, or darkvision.
If they already had a detection ability, its power would be amplified several times over.
“This is a little faster than I expected.”
Isel stepped forward, wand in hand.
“Are you okay? It looks like your rash is still there.”
“It will subside soon.”
She pointed the wand at her own face.
“Disguise.”
As if covering up blemishes with makeup, Isel concealed the rash. It was a perfect cover-up.
“Huiryu!”
Isel’s party members were waiting in the estate’s lobby.
For reference, Huiryu was the name of the Spirit Race Taoist.
“I have to go out and fight! I’m counting on you!”
Isel ran clattering down the hall’s spiral staircase.
“Isel!”
Edward shouted from the third floor.
“Where are you going!”
The university’s professor-level mages already had designated combat positions. Both the Public Security Headquarters and the magic university had predicted that the Assembly would attempt an all-out war to rescue the White Lion.
“I’m sorry!”
But Isel was currently deserting her post, leaving her party members behind in her place.
“I’ll explain when I get back!”
“Sister!”
“Noona!” [Older sister]
“Isel!”
Clorence, Avison, and Madam Marisa, who were coming from the direction of the first-floor kitchen, all stared with wide eyes.
“…”
Isel’s expression turned slightly sorrowful.
“I’ll explain everything!”
She was going to fight the secret she had kept her entire life.
“Let’s get going, too.”
I stood up, taking Yernil with me.
*
What if we had raided the Assembly’s meeting place this time?
What if I had learned the time and location from Isel beforehand, informed the Public Security Headquarters and the magic university, and had high-level adventurers gather to launch a simultaneous attack?
Could we have captured them easily?
Probably not. For the following reasons.
First, the White Lion must have left behind more scrolls. Especially ‘Designated Coordinate Scrolls’.
During the last Labyrinth Eruption, the Chihuahua and other Assembly members came out to provide supporting fire for the White Lion, then used those scrolls to escape at the end.
They probably have more in stock.
In my opinion, they likely have a mountain of powerful, high-tier magic scrolls that are far more dangerous than Designated Coordinate Transfer Scrolls.
If I were the White Lion, having ruled the university for twelve long years, I’d have been churning them out as easily as trimming my hair.
Raiding the Assembly wouldn’t be enough to catch them.
They would use scrolls to escape and scatter.
And the second reason.
This one is really important.
‘The Dagger Raptor’s location is unknown.’
Isel said she had never seen anyone in an eagle mascot costume among the Assembly members.
This was cross-verified by the statement Rococo extracted from the White Lion. He had listed ten mages’ codenames, and none of them was the Dagger Raptor.
That monster doesn’t attend when the Assembly is convened.
But he can convene the Assembly.
How do I know?
He said so himself.
When he came to murder Dalstream. The Dagger Raptor had said:
‘Things seemed to be going badly, so I convened the Assembly and came to help. Where’s the White Lion?’
So how can he convene the Assembly?
Through Message Transmission.
During the recent Labyrinth Eruption and the ensuing battle, Isel received a message from the Chihuahua.
She said she replied to it as-is to confirm it was really the Chihuahua.
How could Isel send a message when she didn't know the Chihuahua's face or name?
The Assembly has a special method.
Message Transmission can be sent to people, but it can also be sent to specially enchanted objects.
For example, when we played the message game in the Berten estate’s labyrinth, we sent messages to the judgment box.
‘They have something like a mailbox for sending messages.’
To send a message to an object, you need to know the mailbox’s exact address. It’s kind of like a password.
The Assembly sends messages to the mailbox using that address information, and the person managing the mailbox redistributes the messages.
‘The Message Master.’
That’s what he’s known as in the Assembly. None of the members know his identity, but it’s probably the Dagger Raptor.
It can’t be anyone else.
The most powerful guardian, someone the White Lion could trust, someone who could never be caught even if the mailbox was targeted.
And at the same time, someone who could send out a Message Transmission to the Assembly members for an emergency summons to back up the White Lion.
‘Where are the Dagger Raptor and the mailbox?’
Since his location is unknown, we can’t catch him even if we raid the Assembly’s meeting.
And the Raptor would just send out another message to gather the scattered members.
Dong—
The bell tolled again.
Blackdog had asked if I was prepared to kill the Possessors in this fight.
Was it because he still suspected I might be a Possessor?
Maybe.
On the other hand, it might be because the Assembly members aren’t plunderers.
I think Blackdog was being completely and brutally honest.
To be frank, I’m not even sure if killing people like the Chihuahua is the right thing to do.
For one, that’s definitely ‘murder’.
Of course, I’ve never thought of the people I’ve met since possessing Caleb’s body as inhuman or like NPCs.
But those people over there are modern people who genuinely shared the same history and worldview as me.
Is it really right for me to protect Sohen, even if it means killing them?
And one more thing.
If I look at it from a brutally selfish perspective…
‘Isn’t joining the Assembly the right move for me?’
Blackdog rejected the Chihuahua’s recruitment offer, saying the Labyrinth couldn’t be trusted.
But what if I listened to the Chihuahua, and cooperating with the Labyrinth to destroy the Ethereal Galaxy was truly the most rational way to return home—
‘Isn’t that the right choice, even if it’s evil?’
Ever since I was possessed by the Labyrinth’s Abyss, I’ve struggled to survive, to return to the modern world. Now it feels like I’m fighting from the complete opposite position.
Is this really right?
“Caleb!”
Aimus and Back Attack appeared.
In front of the university’s main gate, they joined Yernil and me to form a four-person party.
“Let’s go!”
I don’t know. I don’t know if this is the right thing to do.
But one thing is certain.
‘Dagger Raptor.’
I can never forgive him.
Emotionally and rationally, I am certain of this judgment.
I will hunt you down for brutally murdering Dalstream.
Where could he be?
You’re probably hiding in some secret space, like an unused lecture hall or a locked basement somewhere in the university.
And you’ve probably set up odor-blocking and sound-suppressing magic there.
Even with the bell tolling, finding you from the outside is next to impossible.
However.
“Stenographer.”
This kind of practical magic is common in bookstores.
“Transcribe. ‘This is Caleb. Dagger Raptor, you motherfucker. I’m waiting for you on the first floor of the West Tower.’”
I touched my wand to the note the magic pen had scribbled on.
“Message Transmission.”
I send the message to the Dagger Raptor’s mailbox address, which I got from Isel.
Then, I hand another blank note to the still-floating Stenographer.
A simple provocation like this won’t be enough to draw the Dagger Raptor out to get me.
That bastard is the control tower for the Assembly, which is now in chaos like a poked beehive. He’ll be commanding the whole operation from there.
I’m going to screw that all up.
“Transcribe.”
This is Growling Chihuahua. I’m being chased by Professor Isilof. I’m in the open area behind the dorms right now. Help!
Message Transmission.
“Transcribe.”
This is Eyelash Frog. I’m near the main gate of the Public Security Headquarters. I’m with Molar and Bitten Apple.
Message Transmission.
“Transcribe.”
This is Broccoli Dipped in Red Chili Paste. Why is everyone so slow? Are you guys even Korean? We need to hit and run, now. Let’s gather at the university gate and charge in together.
Message Transmission.
“Transcribe.”
Message Master, please send people to the first floor of the university’s main building, quickly. The assistant instructors are gathering around Professor Meldini.
Message Transmission.
“Transcribe.”
This is Koi Carp. Caleb ran into the university. He went toward the West Tower. That’s where our Assembly used to meet, so he might have figured something out. He’s not a major threat, but please be cautious.
Message Transmission.
“Transcribe.”
“Caleb!”
Yernil suddenly jumped.
He’s here!
“I’m on the first floor, you birdbrain!”
The moment I sent the scribbled message.
Pop—
The sound of a message arriving came from the stairs above. Before, only Yernil might have heard it, but now I could hear it too. He was that close. Moreover…
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
I could hear footsteps pounding down the metal stairs.
In this critical moment at the start of the battle, his mailbox address had been compromised and his command system thrown into chaos.
And so, the Dagger Raptor, furious beyond belief, was storming down the stairs.