Sitting in the train compartment, I reviewed everything I had gained over winter break.
[New Skills/Traits]
▷ Move Command
▷ Sailboat
▷ Diamond Freeze
▷ Invitation
▷ Celestial Shift
Strictly speaking, [Sailboat] and [Celestial Shift] were copied, but it wouldn’t be wrong to say I had acquired them.
I was even planning to use a Locked Pin on Celestial Shift.
[Rank Up]
▷ Twister (B+ → A+)
▷ Blink (B → A)
▷ Sylphid (B+ → A+)
▷ Move Command (F → C)
▷ Feather Step (B+ → A+)
▷ Destructive Gale (C+ → B+)
▷ Spatial Fold (D → B)
Skills like [Feather Step] and [Spatial Fold] were simply updated versions of abilities Seo Ye-in had already developed.
At the moment, [Celestial Shift] had even taken the slot that used to belong to [Destructive Gale], but—
If I copy it again, it’s mine anyway.
It’s not like we’re strangers.
I decided to shamelessly think of it that way.
[Items]
▷ Spirit-Summoning Bell (A+)
▷ Greedy Material Selection Ticket (C → A)
▷ Meteoric Iron (??)
On top of that, I had absorbed a huge amount of the Yin-Yang Blood Jiangshi’s poisonous energy, gaining an effect similar to consuming a large number of spiritual elixirs.
In other words, I had significantly shortened the time needed to reach an S-Rank Core.
Taking everything together—
I can safely say I’ve raised my overall rank quite a bit.
Several of my skills and traits had reached A-Rank, and most of the rest were sitting somewhere in the B range.
Even so, it still felt inappropriate to call myself an “A-Rank.”
Because my build is still incomplete.
Whether it was wind magic or ice magic, there were still too many gaps in the build for them to create proper synergy.
Compared to people like the Dang Twins, An Jeong-mi, or the Blood Cult Elders, I was lacking.
Honestly, I was still behind even Dang Gyu-young and Jegal So-so, who had only just entered A-Rank.
If I had to fight any one of them to the death, my chances of winning probably wouldn’t be very high.
Of course, that also meant this:
Once the build is complete, I’ll be A-Rank.
If I learned four or five more core skills and traits and raised their ranks, I figured the framework would at least be complete.
As I was thinking that, my gaze drifted outside the train window.
In the distance, a tower stood out prominently.
Bathed in a faint crimson glow.
It looked like we were almost at the Ruby Magic Tower.
It’s better to keep my goals modest.
Just making up for the Hong Yeon-hwa training I hadn’t been able to do would be enough to accomplish what I came here for.
And if possible, maybe one or two copies while I’m at it.
Father-in-law? Future father-in-law? Number Three? was none other than the Master of the Ruby Magic Tower.
Most of his skills and traits were fire-based, so they didn’t fit my build, but their ranks were high enough to be worth taking.
Even [Chain Explosion], which I copied during the Fixed Zone Tournament, had proven surprisingly useful.
As for any hidden pieces, I decided I would grab them if the conditions lined up and give up without regret if they didn’t.
Some more time passed, and the Ruby Magic Tower, which had once been small and hazy in the distance, gradually came into clear view.
The train began slowing down and eventually came to a stop.
After stepping onto the platform and casually looking around, two redheads immediately caught my eye.
The Hong sisters had come to meet me.
“……!”
Hong Yeon-hwa anxiously scanned her surroundings.
She couldn’t keep her gaze fixed on one place for more than two seconds.
It was as if she believed that if she looked away for even a moment, she might never see me again.
Then, as though drawn by something, she suddenly turned her head in my direction.
“……!”
Her face lit up.
She started running toward me, then abruptly stopped and pulled out a small wand.
After concentrating for a brief moment—
Whoosh.
She appeared right in front of me.
Seeing that, I nodded in satisfaction.
“You’ve improved a lot. Blink.”
“I practiced like crazy.”
The distance, which had once been limited to barely a step or two, had increased dramatically, and the casting time seemed much shorter as well.
With a little more practice, she would probably be able to use it effectively in actual combat.
The gap between her and that noob Song Cheon-hye has widened even further.
Song Cheon-hye was probably practicing in her own way too, but I was somewhat skeptical about how much she had actually improved.
In any case, I offered a belated greeting.
“It’s good to see you again.”
“M-Me too! …I missed you!”
Hong Yeon-hwa replied with an even brighter smile.
It felt as though an invisible tail was wagging furiously behind her.
Next, Hong Ye-hwa and I exchanged the usual formal greetings before setting off together.
Before long, the Ruby Magic Tower which had already seemed enormous from afar completely filled my field of vision.
It really is huge.
Its width was comparable to bundling together a dozen or more skyscrapers.
Its height was impossible to judge with the naked eye.
No matter how far I tilted my head back, I still couldn’t see the top.
And embedded throughout the colossal structure were countless ruby gemstones the size of boulders, while intricate magic circles were densely engraved across its surface.
In wartime, it would probably function as both a huge fortress and a giant artillery platform.
While I was silently admiring the sight, Hong Ye-hwa appeared to contact a few people before turning toward her younger sister.
“…Dad and Mom went somewhere for a bit.”
“When are they coming back?”
“Later. We’ll have dinner together. You keep him company until then. Show him around.”
“Okay!”
Hong Yeon-hwa accepted immediately.
She looked genuinely delighted at the prospect of spending time alone with me without her sister tagging along.
For a moment, a vein bulged on Hong Ye-hwa’s forehead, but she soon shook her head and looked at me.
“Then I’ll see you this evening.”
“Yes, Senior.”
With that, every restraint on Hong Yeon-hwa had effectively disappeared.
Several times more excited than usual, she immediately began firing off questions.
“Where do you want to go first? Our research lab is really nice, and the library is huge! There are lots of places to hang out too!”
“We can take our time sightseeing later. Let’s head somewhere we can train first.”
I wanted to see how much her skills had improved and also get the cooldowns on things like [Hardship] rolling as soon as possible.
Hong Yeon-hwa nodded enthusiastically.
“Okay! I was planning to show you anyway! I kept researching while doing Hardship! And I’ll show you Blink again!”
“I’m looking forward to it. Let’s go right away.”
Hong Yeon-hwa immediately took the lead and began guiding me around.
Unable to contain her excitement, she would dash ahead, then realize she had gotten too far away from me and come scurrying back.
Then she would dash off again, only to run back once more.
After repeating that a few times, we entered a vast open space that resembled an arena.
Standing across from me, Hong Yeon-hwa pulled out her wand.
Then she asked cautiously,
“What do you… want to see first?”
“Let’s do this first.”
As soon as I activated the skill, Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened.
She stared at something that had appeared in midair and slowly read it aloud.
“Invi… tation?”
“I learned a few new skills too.”
[An Invitation from the Monarch has arrived.]
[Will you accept the invitation?]
[Accept / Decline]
“If I accept… what happens?”
“You’ll go somewhere else for a little while. You’ll come back soon, of course.”
“And… what do I do there?”
“I know someone there. They’ll treat you well. They might even evaluate your skills for you.”
They might even be better at it than I am.
After all, I had a pretty good idea of who was likely to show up.
“……?”
Hong Yeon-hwa still looked completely confused.
Being suddenly told to go somewhere and meet someone was understandably strange.
Still, since it didn’t sound particularly dangerous based on my explanation, she eventually selected “Accept”.
***
“……?”
Hong Yeon-hwa froze in confusion.
The moment she accepted the invitation, she found herself standing in a completely different place.
Judging by the materials of the walls and floor, it looked like the corridor of some royal palace.
Directly ahead stood an enormous door, exactly as one would expect in such a place.
Rumble!
“!?!”
The sudden thunderous noise made Hong Yeon-hwa flinch and shrink back.
The enormous doors were opening on their own.
Rumble…
Beyond them was an equally enormous audience hall.
And inside stood countless silhouettes arranged in formation.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes darted around.
Acquaintances…?
She had expected one or two people…
Wasn’t this way too many…?
What was more, every single one of these “acquaintances” radiated an overwhelming presence.
They seemed friendly enough toward her, yet she still felt pressured just standing there.
After nervously looking around for a while, Hong Yeon-hwa slowly tried to back away.
I-I’ll just leave…
She had no idea where she was supposed to go, but anywhere other than this hall seemed preferable.
As if they had read her thoughts, the “acquaintances” reacted immediately.
Step, step, step!
They all moved aside at once, creating a wide path through the hall.
At the same time, a few standing near the entrance subtly positioned themselves to block any possible escape route.
With a tearful expression, Hong Yeon-hwa thought,
Why is this only happening to me…?
Everything had been going so well just a moment ago…
In any case, she had no choice.
Clutching her wand tightly, shrinking into herself as much as possible, she awkwardly began walking forward.
Before she had gone very far, someone stepped out from among the crowd.
A woman wearing robes and carrying a staff.
Realizing something instinctively, Hong Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened.
The Ruby Magic Tower…?
Whoosh!
As if to confirm her suspicion, flames erupted beneath the woman’s feet before vanishing.
There were many forms of fire magic known throughout the world, but the technique she had just displayed was unique to the Ruby Magic Tower.
Perhaps she had even served as the Tower Master in some distant age.
Then the acquaintance means…
So this was the person he wanted her to meet.
And it was immediately obvious what she was supposed to do once they met.
The words Kim Ho had said earlier came back to her.
– They’ll treat you well. They might even evaluate your skills for you.
Just as she had guessed, the woman who appeared to be the Ruby Magic Tower Master from many generations ago beckoned with her hand.
As if inviting her to come forward.
In response, Hong Yeon-hwa spoke in a cautious yet respectful tone.
– I look forward to learning from you…!
Then, after taking a deep breath to steady herself, she began chanting a spell.
In the blink of an eye, a crimson magic circle appeared and a pillar of fire erupted skyward.
Whoooosh—!
The blazing pillar then compressed into a single point, forming something the size of a small quail egg.
It trembled for a moment before cracking open, and a tiny hatchling emerged.
Hong Yeon-hwa waved her wand again.
Whoooosh—!
Several more pillars of fire erupted, and the hatchling began growing at an astonishing speed.
It grew from the size of a quail to a chick, then to the size of a chicken, and finally transformed into a huge phoenix.
Wrapped in flames from head to toe, the creature soared through the air and charged toward its target.
Screeeech—!
Meanwhile, the response of the woman who seemed to be the Ruby Magic Tower Master from even further back in history was remarkably simple.
Just before impact, she surrounded herself with a spherical barrier of flame.
The next moment, the phoenix was completely absorbed and vanished.
A quiet sigh escaped Hong Yeon-hwa’s lips.
“Ah…”
It was a spell she had refined through countless hours of research and training, so seeing it neutralized without dealing any damage felt inevitably deflating.
Yet her opponent somehow seemed pleased.
It even looked as though she was praising her.
Hong Yeon-hwa’s darkening expression brightened slightly.
A moment later, the ancient Ruby Magic Tower Master stepped forward.
Then she raised her staff and began casting a spell.
Fwoooosh—
Magic circles instantly filled the surrounding area.
Countless flames of every conceivable shape sprang to life and then poured down toward Hong Yeon-hwa alone.
“…….!”
But there was not the slightest trace of grievance or dejection on Hong Yeon-hwa’s face.
As though entranced, she carefully watched every single fire spell rushing toward her.
Fwoooooosh!
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