Seventh Level, Moltan’s Mining Zone.
Covered head to toe in dust, a group emerged from the mine.
At the very front stood a woman around whom an extraordinary magical power swirled. She was the kind that was wild and rough, as if she’d just come out of a battle.
“How’s Velles doing? I heard he headed to the fourth level.”
In response to her question, the mage standing right beside her answered.
“He hasn’t been there long. The banquet should just be starting around now.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
“He’s known to be the most proper one among us, so there shouldn’t be any issues.”
“Glad he made it in time. It’s good that Velles has a bit of breathing room.”
The middle-aged woman murmured as she ran her fingers through her hair and let out a deep sigh.
“Is it really that important of an event? I did hear that imperial members would be attending.”
“Imperial members? That’s none of my concern. I heard there’s an interesting mage among them.”
“Ah…”
Knowing her complete disinterest in politics, the mage listening simply nodded as if used to it.
“I heard he made it to the fifth level field in just one year.”
“That’s right… That’s quite unusual. A rare talent.”
“I figured someone like the Tower Master would be interested.”
Of course. Would the Tower Master of the Lannes Magic Tower, known as a battle-crazed mage, care about the imperial family? If anything, she’d be intrigued by a fellow mage.
“They said he went from Third Circle to Fifth Circle in just a year, right? That’s impressive. How could that even be possible?”
“It’s not impossible if one is gifted…”
“There’s one thing you can’t overlook. He’s from outside the tower.”
The word “outside the tower” was a term most mages detest.
Yet there was not even a hint of disdain in the atmosphere surrounding Lannes.
If anything, there was a trace of curiosity. Even a bit of respect.
“You’re absolutely right. It’s not like there haven’t been mages who advanced two levels in a year before, but they only managed that with enough support to build dozens of castles.”
With access to all sorts of grimoires and skill books, not to mention massive financial backing….comparing those mages with someone who started as a third circle mage from the ground up would be ridiculous.
“And what’s the common trait among those who grow like that with full support?”
“…They’re terrible at handling crises.”
He might be incredibly talented, but channeling that into actual combat is a completely different matter.
Even so, that mage named Jun, the one leading the White Whale Mercenary Corps, was said to have fended off Dimension Reversal not once, but twice.
“But all the news about the White Whale Mercenary Corps is just rumors, isn’t it? We don’t actually know how things really are.”
“That’s why we sent Velles.”
“Huh? Well, Velles is definitely one of the more talented mages in our tower, but… even so, he’s not at the level where he can fully assess someone else’s capabilities.”
“Yeah. But you know how he treats mages like they’re some kind of noble bloodline.”
Realizing what she meant, the mage looked at Lannes in horror.
“…Don’t tell me….you sent him to start a fight?!”
“Exactly.”
“What?! That mercenary corps is directly affiliated with the imperial family! If he stirs up trouble with them for no reason…!”
“Do we really have time to worry about that?”
“……”
Come to think of it, they didn’t.
Everyone there operated on the seventh level, and Lannes herself was active even on the eighth.
Even if the imperial family was involved, it wouldn’t be easy to punish anyone from a Magic Tower of that caliber.
“Well, still… there’s the funding they provide and all that…”
“Ha! Foolish child. The pitiful scraps they send our way and the money I earn personally when I act myself. Just how big do you think the gap is?”
“…It’s overwhelmingly in your favor.”
“Exactly. So it’ll be fine. And besides, those people might end up working with us someday. No harm in getting to know them early.”
Is that really what you’d call “getting to know” someone? Wouldn’t “getting on bad terms” be more accurate?
The mage hesitated for a moment, lost in thought.
I give up… I’ll never understand the Tower Master…
The only possibility he could think of was—
Since his opponent was a mage too, Jun could only hope he’d at least heard some of the rumors about the Lannes Magic Tower and wouldn’t come to resent them too much.
***
Velles of the Lannes Magic Tower stood facing the mercenary mage on a beach of pure white sand.
“No need to concede the first move, right?”
Though he lacked a bit of dignity for a proper mage, he didn’t doubt the ability of the mage standing before him.
Even if it was just a rumor, anything associated with the imperial family wasn’t to be taken lightly.
Without even waiting for Jun to nod, Velles began chanting a spell.
Shhhhh…
“Oh.”
Watching from the other side, Jun looked genuinely surprised.
It was [Icicle Spear], a fourth-circle spell known for its high difficulty, even among ice-elemental magic.
Unlike the more common [Ice Spear], this version carried a persistence effect, making it significantly tougher and resistant even to fire-element attacks.
Casting an ice-type spell of that caliber in an environment like this?
More than anything, the casting speed was insane.
This guy has actual combat experience.
Drawing on the ambient sand-filled terrain, he first summoned the persistence effect, then layered the ice element between gaps in the chant, compressing the manifestation time to a ridiculous degree.
Even if you understood the theory, pulling that off was another story.
The caster had to fully comprehend the mechanics behind their spell to execute it at that level.
Not all mages truly understand magical theory. But to cast that fast means he’s been properly trained.
Having come to that conclusion, Jun moved to respond.
Clatter!
[Shield]
[Transformation – Focused Point Defense]
[Element Transformation – Fire]
The [Icicle Spear], now in the form of a jagged ice lance, came flying in.
Judging by its aura, it carried considerable intent. It was far from a simple test shot. But it was stopped cold by Jun’s [Shield].
“…! Enchantment magic?!”
Velles recognized Jun’s spell in an instant and cried out in shocked disbelief.
He couldn’t analyze it as thoroughly as Jun could, but just from the pattern alone, he grasped the basic workings.
I do feel a little guilty about this.
Jun muttered inwardly. He was relying on the power of [Illusia] to handle some of the calculations.
But what can you do? Blackout’s always been about gear as much as skill.
A true master never blames their tools?
As far as Jun was concerned, that was complete bullshit.
Tools exist to let a skilled person fully unleash their abilities.
Instead, Jun only deployed [Shield] and didn’t counterattack.
This is pretty fun.
Perhaps because of his past experiences, Jun generally saw mages from the Tower as hostile.
And their skills hadn’t exactly been enough to inspire anything new in him.
But the mage in front of him was different.
This is actually pretty practical.
This wasn’t just theoretical magic. It was full of real combat utility.
Jun’s eyes lit up at that, and Velles followed up with another spell.
***
Even among the geniuses of the Magic Tower, Velles was considered exceptionally gifted.
He was full of pride in his abilities, but he also deeply loved the Tower he belonged to.
I’m the most promising mage in the Lannes Magic Tower.
But despite his pride, other Towers were quick to belittle Lannes.
In most Towers, magic was treated as both an academic discipline and a form of art.
However, the Lannes Tower had always treated magic purely as a tool.
So it wasn’t exactly surprising that traditionalist mages looked down on them as “crude”.
But for Velles, who loved his Tower, that was a hard pill to swallow.
Just being treated like a lesser mage simply because he used magic as a tool?
It was something he couldn’t accept.
So Velles worked hard to embody what he believed to be the dignity of a true mage.
And that’s why he was even more furious now.
A mage from outside the Towers, rumored to have stopped Dimension Reversal not once but twice—
Yet this same mage approached in a way that lacked even a shred of dignity.
Not every mage needs to be dignified. But a mage with real skill must carry themselves with dignity.
That was Velles’s belief.
Jun would have laughed it off as nonsense if he’d heard it, but it was simply proof of how much Velles cared for his Tower.
True dignity. No one could tarnish it.
And if he became the face of Lannes Tower, then his dignity would reflect the Tower’s own honor.
But…
Is that really true?
Being a mage isn’t just about being good at magic.
What matters is how you use it and what results you create through this infinite discipline called magic.
Am I… really someone who can represent the Tower?
It felt like a crack had formed in the pride that had always been rooted deep inside him.
Creaaaaaak—!
Fwoooooosh—!
Boooooooooom—!
Dignity mattered for a mage who would represent the Tower.
But it felt like that common belief was starting to crumble.
The moment a mage is most noble is…
The summoned ice melted away.
The method to dominate the space with ice magic had been seen through.
The ice element that had filled the ground crumbled in an instant.
No matter what means he tried, he couldn’t make that man move a single step.
Without even chanting a spell, with just a wave of his hand, all the mana responded to him—
Wasn’t it like… a conductor leading an orchestra?
This beach, filled with sand, felt as though the entire landscape shifted with just a flick of that man’s hand.
The dignity… of magic…
An overwhelming difference in skill.
To be honest, Velles had experienced that kind of gap more than a few times.
Lannes Tower was a school of practical combat, and he had fought in countless magic duels like this one.
Even just looking at his own record, he had far more losses than wins.
That’s how seriously the seniors had taken Velles.
He had even been acknowledged for his genius and effort, and had once….just once received a lesson from the Tower Master herself.
This feels… just like sparring with Lady Lannes.
Back then too he was the only one casting spells, while Lannes simply defended and pointed out his flaws.
Even then, he had felt awe and deep respect.
But this is… different. Something feels different…
That man’s magic, to be honest, seemed rough. Even to the eyes of another mage.
It lacked refinement, and in terms of raw power, it didn’t come close to that of the Tower Master Lannes.
And yet, Velles’s heart pounded in his chest.
It’s beautiful…
At a glance, that mage’s spells seemed unpolished but when observed more closely, they resembled a precise mechanical device.
Like a watch crafted by the careful hands of a master craftsman.
A blueprint drawn with absolute precision and the ability to execute it without the slightest deviation.
All of it, working in harmony.
“Keugh…”
Drunk on the brilliance before him, Velles poured out his magic recklessly, like a moth drawn to a flame.
And for a mage, failing to regulate one’s mana was directly connected to the onset of mana depletion.
Thud.
“What the—”
As Velles collapsed with a choked cry, Jun who had been facing him couldn’t help but be caught off guard.
…Is the Lannes Magic Tower’s skill level lower than I thought?
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