Chapter 381 - New Generation (2)
The woman spoke triumphantly.
"Hm, for something that's called 'Shinseong', it doesn't look like much?"
A sudden criticism.
It was closer to a forced provocation rather than simple quarreling.
Judging from the excited voice and the curious gleam in her enthusiastic gaze.
Verden, without being provoked, quietly operated his magic power with
'At least a 6th-tier Magus or higher.'
The precise realm was unclear.
Now that he had reached the Quasi-Transcendent stage, he could only discern up to the 5th-tier using magic power.
It was still impossible to grasp clearly the abilities of a 6th-tier Mage or Magus.
Anyway.
'Impressive, indeed.'
Judging by tone and appearance, they looked at most his age, yet one of them was a Reacher of Mado.
Purely in terms of realm, they were in no way lacking compared to the three Sages present in the conference hall.
'When it comes to magical talent alone, they may surpass anyone I've met until now.'
A true, blessed Genius.
Despite their youth, reaching a realm that most Mages could never touch in a lifetime carried such meaning.
Different from Verden, who had reconstructed his body using the magic circle of Defying the Heavens.
At that moment, the man beside her tapped the woman's arm, restraining her.
"Unia… I'm pretty sure you promised not to fool around with the guest."
"What did I──"
"My apologies, senior. As you can see, she's someone without much discipline."
Senior?
Verden tilted his head inwardly at the unfamiliar address.
The man, Cain, who apologized politely in Unia's stead, revealed their identities.
"My name is Cain, this one is Unia, we belong to the Society. And we are the martial siblings, or superiors, of Ethan and Rebecca, whom you are acquainted with."
A brief introduction.
That alone was enough for Verden to gauge their positions within the Society.
Verden spoke.
"Asher. But what business do the disciples of the Sages have with me?"
"Yes, we merely wished to see with our own eyes the senior whose fame echoes throughout the continent───"
"Let's fight!"
Unia shouted sharply.
Cain tried to stop her, but it was useless. She shook off her twin's arm and strode forward, facing Verden.
"Tyrant of the underworld, Shinseong, dragonslayer, Reacher of Mado… I've heard all sorts of stories. I even heard directly from Ethan and Rebecca. They said you're ridiculously strong?"
Unia raised her chin.
Her silver hair tinged with violet shimmered as it swayed. Blue eyes stared at Verden.
"But we're incredibly strong too. The only reason you don't know us is because we haven't stepped onto the continent yet. Honestly, I think we could take on the Central Continent's Four Powers with ease. Same for any other continent."
She shrugged her shoulders.
"But, due to circumstances, we're not allowed external activity yet. Meaning, we don't know exactly how our strength measures up in the world."
She wanted to test her honed ability.
Revealing her true intent, Unia grinned as she stretched out both hands.
"But now the continent's rising power comes to the Society? It'd be stupid to waste such a golden opportunity, don't you think?"
"Didn't you just say I didn't look like much?"
"That was just to provoke you. I didn't expect it to work, and it really didn't anyway. So, I'll go the straightforward way."
Unia pointed at Verden.
"I don't know why you came to this island. It doesn't look like you want to join the Society, so you must want to form an alliance, right? Then before that, shouldn't we test each other's strength? For both our sakes."
"..."
"Have a duel with me, with Mado fully opened, seriously. Ah, if you're afraid you might lose, you can refuse. It'd be a shame, but I won't force you."
Overflowing confidence.
Her gaze was full of fighting spirit, anticipation, and curiosity.
There was even a certainty that she would never lose.
'Quite reckless.'
Such a Magus was a first.
Verden glanced at Unia, then Cain, feeling intrigued.
There were many reasons, but he was especially curious about the Genius these two embodied, aside from the Society's strength.
His hesitation lasted but a moment.
Verden accepted lightly.
"Very well, I'll accept."
"Really?"
"Of course, provided the Sages grant their permission."
This was the headquarters of the Society.
The authority to decide whether or not to duel rested not with Unia or Cain, but with the three Sages.
Verden had no intention of causing a scene on his own. Especially not before securing their agreement to cooperate.
Unia's eyes gleamed.
"That's only natural. I'll go get permission right now, no backing out, okay?"
"Wait, Unia. Even so, if you act that arbitrarily──!"
Cain tried to restrain her, but it was, of course, useless.
Enhancement of physical ability through imbued magic.
With that, and with fluid movement, Unia bypassed Cain who stood in her way and dashed toward the conference hall.
***
"...What is with that amount of magic power?"
Osgar, Sage of Power, stared at where Verden had been.
Now it was only an empty space, but the overwhelming presence that had pressed down on them moments before was not easily forgotten.
That impression was like a vast sea.
The Sage of Guardianship, who had remained silent all along, let out a deep sigh.
"Hah, no matter how I look at it, that's not magic power any normal 6th-tier could possibly hold. Is it some kind of special trait? Like Unia's?"
Melard, Sage of Wisdom, shook her head.
"There may be similarities, but it's definitely different. Even if we say it's a special trait, what Shinseong possesses defies acceptance."
"Yes, it felt as if something had surpassed a critical threshold…"
A power beyond human, transcendence.
None here were ignorant of its meaning.
As silence fell, Osgar chuckled incredulously.
"He said he himself is power. Now I see he had reason to say that."
Now, the claim that he would face Transcendents began to make sense.
Each of them chewed over the meeting they had just held. After finishing his own thoughts, the Sage of Guardianship asked.
"The usurpation of Black Hour, and then the collapse of Bohemirn's magic tower… no problem in terms of justification. But how feasible is it?"
"Taking down two forces, each led by a Transcendent, in one stroke."
Osgar slowly stroked his beard, then shook his head firmly.
"Impossible. Even if the magic world has suffered unprecedented fractures, accomplishing that goal is unimaginable. Even if Shinseong awakens as a Transcendent."
"That's true. Dahit and Balrog became Transcendents decades ago. For someone newly ascended, those monsters are too much to handle. Let alone now, when he isn't even a Transcendent."
At that moment, Melard, who had been listening quietly, spoke.
"But he could certainly deal a blow to the current magic tower system, one it may never recover from."
The power source of the Bohemirn magic tower had already been destroyed.
Though tower master Balrog Bessias was devoting all his strength to restoration, if another strike was dealt now, reconstruction would be delayed far longer.
And a weakened magic tower would become prey.
The system of ten magic towers might not just shake, but collapse like dominoes.
Moreover, Black Hour had already suffered devastating losses in the two years of war, enough to leave an irreparable scar.
The Sage of Guardianship stroked his chin.
"Society staying in the background, while cooperating around Asher. The terms are good. Honestly, it's hard to refuse."
"Well of course, Shinseong is putting his life on the line."
Become the leader of Black Hour, and go to war against Bohemirn's magic tower?
It was akin to suicide.
Yet he not only spoke of such resolve, but sought to put it into action… regardless of age, it inspired reverence.
"Then why does Shinseong hate the Bohemirn magic tower so much? From what I can tell, there seems to be a deeper story behind it."
"How many people out there hold grudges against the magic towers? Bohemirn is no exception. When Balrog was expanding his influence, quite a few deaths occurred in disputes with the tower… He must be related to one of those."
"Hm, revenge as a motive. Not bad. Since Shinseong desires the Society's cooperation, it should be fine to judge him from up close."
"I agree. Whatever the relationship may become later, watching him nearby is more rational than keeping our distance without cause."
Melard spoke.
"And Shinseong's existence may become a great stimulus for Unia and Cain as well."
"Talent, youth, strength. In many ways, their situations are similar. Indeed, from that view, the two have much to learn from Shinseong."
"It's about time the 'new generation' experiences the world anyway…"
The benefits of cooperation were many.
In fact, it was harder to find a reason to refuse. But that didn't mean they could make a hasty decision.
Osgar and the Sage of Guardianship turned their gaze to Melard.
"Melard, it seems right that you decide this matter."
"Eh?"
"At the very least, when it comes to Black Hour, it isn't for us to speak too freely."
The moment they accepted cooperation, reclaiming Black Hour would rise as one of the objectives.
Not just in thought, but in action.
The Society had planned for it from the start, but now it meant moving far earlier than scheduled.
"..."
Melard fell into deep thought.
Whether by will or circumstance, the long-cherished wish of many years was drawing near.
Should they move forward now, or wait for the time originally planned? Naturally, hesitation arose.
What was the right choice?
"I will───"
It was then.
Kwaaang!
The conference hall door burst open without warning.
***
Here, the Silver Citadel was magically constructed, such that nothing could move unless permitted by the Society's upper echelon.
The three Sages all turned their eyes at once.
Unia stood there proudly.
Behind her in the corridor were Cain and Verden.
Osgar blinked.
"Unia, what is this all of a sudden?"
"I'm going to fight this guest here, please grant permission!"
She had challenged Shinseong to a duel, and he accepted.
But since they told her to get permission first, she barged in like this.
Unia condensed the situation and delivered it.
Absurd as it was, the Sages were seasoned high-tier Magi, supremely rational.
A duel between Shinseong and Unia.
Truthfully speaking, it was welcome.
There was no better opponent to show the Society's new generation the world.
'And they'll be able to see Shinseong's ability beyond his magic power.'
There was no reason to oppose.
Exchanging silent consensus with their eyes, the Sages spoke.
"Mm, granting permission is not difficult. Of course, only if Shinseong himself is fine with it."
"I have already accepted."
"Ahaha! Then let's head out right awa───"
"But on one condition."
A condition?
Puzzlement flickered in everyone's eyes.
With a blank face, Verden gestured lightly at Cain and Unia.
"One alone will not be enough. I will face both of them."
Not one-on-one, but one against two.
As always, many against one was the stance of strong versus weak.
Unia snorted.
"As expected of someone famous, so full of confidence. But I'll give you a warning, you won't be able to handle it. It's not too late to take those words back, you know."
"You overestimate yourselves. Like goblins in a cave."
Flinch.
Unia froze.
Even Cain, who had been quiet, couldn't let it pass and twitched at the eyes.
Tense silence spread.
Soon, Unia pointed outside and bared her fangs at Verden.
"Come out right now, bastard."
That hit home.
This was how you provoked.
***
All who left the Silver Citadel arrived at the boundary between island and sea.
No matter how large the island, it couldn't fully contain a battle of 6th-tier Magi. Nor was there need.
For before them stretched a vast open sea, a stage that would not break or be damaged no matter what chaos was wrought.
The duel's rules were threefold.
First, no killing.
Second, if one lost consciousness or was seriously injured, immediate defeat.
Third, if more than half of the body fell into the sea, defeat.
Other than that, freedom.
As long as one didn't go too far in power to cause excessive harm, even unleashing high-tier magic in volleys, or opening Mado, was allowed.
"Wow, a duel between Sir Asher, Sir Cain, and Lady Unia. What an unexpected spectacle."
"Mm-hm! I'm really excited!"
Ethan and Rebecca joined as spectators.
Somehow, they had a bowl heaped with fried corn, crunching away as they munched.
The three Sages also sat beside them, snacks at hand.
"Sss, hoo."
Cain regulated his breathing, steadying his mind.
Unia, arms crossed and standing with one hip cocked, narrowed her eyes.
"Hey, you. Soon, before everyone's eyes, you won't even be able to lift a finger. Be ready. It'll be a shock, inside and out."
She had been like this since earlier.
Clearly, being compared to goblins gnawed at her pride.
Just as they admitted, it was lack of experience.
'Still, it seems they're not completely controlled by emotion.'
Verden brushed it off lightly and lifted Orient in his left hand.
He took in the sparkling sea with his eyes.
"Let's move the location properly now."
"Hmph."
"But before that."
Verden turned back.
He raised his right arm, pointing at the two who tilted their heads curiously.
"First, let's see if you're even at the level for a duel."
Magic power spread instantly.
Verden dropped his index finger vertically, like a guillotine.
Fusion of attribute and magic power.
A weight of gravity, strengthened by magic, pressed down precisely upon the challengers.
At a heightened potency.
Kwaaang!
Caught off guard, Cain and Unia's faces were slammed into the ground.
Unprepared, they couldn't react in time.
This too was the fruit of inexperience.
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