Chapter 266

Chapter 266. Promised Counterattack (3)

There were fewer mages inside the tower than I had initially thought.

Compared to the throngs of tens of thousands of mages crowded in the closest third tower, the number was indeed small.

‘Is it because there’s no need to be here unless you’re researching?’

As I ascended from the lower floors, I had managed to kill quite a few who were heading to the top.

By the time I reached the summit of the tallest tower, around a hundred were gathered there.

“Whew.”

I felt a bit tense when I saw more than a hundred blue dots on the map.

It was my first time fighting so many mages at once.

Of course, my tension was ultimately meaningless.

I hadn’t even been on the top floor for long before I nullified the last one’s magic and pierced his heart.

If I had to compare the difficulty, facing Irel alone was more pressing.

Her interlinked magic wasn’t a joke, and she possessed mana equivalent to mine.

The mages I had dealt with just now had a fast implementation speed too.

‘They weren’t impossible to handle.’

With the increased expertise in Mana Domination while being at the Platinum rank, the battles felt more relaxed.

Thanks to repeated training, breaking through them became noticeably easier.

This allowed me to try out new magic while scouring the Alder Momen forest.

‘Its visible power isn’t as impressive as Flame Strike.’

But I liked its special effect, paralysis.

Originally, I used mana by spreading it through the ground, but it felt significantly lacking compared to complete magic.

‘I especially realized this when I faced a nemesis-rank that came over to Seoul.’

Despite my high-rank mana, it didn’t inflict significant damage on it.

Thus, I searched for magic with a similar form or an effect that could restrain it.

Finding the array for the “Lightning Prison” in an advanced magic book, I picked it up.

“Indeed, it’s more potent when cast as magic rather than raw mana.”

I collected the attribute mana stones left by the mages with a light heart.

Then I approached the part of the outer wall where the mages had been lined up before my arrival.

The top floor was not completely sealed off; rather, it had openings at intervals, resembling an observation deck.

“It would be better like this if they intended to unleash magic outward.”

There was even an expanded vision magic circle laid out.

“This is… a modification of water mirror magic.”

The more I knew, the more I could see.

I manipulated the magic circle that acted like a telescope to magnify distant objects.

As a result, I could vividly observe the scene outside the magic tower.

‘The players led by Lily are at 10 o’clock.’

In the 7 o’clock direction, players from the Asian region, and at 3 o’clock, players from the European and African regions led by Ethan, had gathered.

All three forces were in a situation where they were blocking the deluge of magic using the traits of tanks affiliated with Temoria.

At this moment, it seemed there was no problem, but the traits had a time limit.

Its duration only increased with each promotion to Bronze rank, silver rank, and Gold rank.

“It’s not like real authority with infinite usage.”

They had to break free from their defensive stance before their trait’s duration ran out.

“Hmm…”

How should I assist them?

Pondering deeply, I turned to look inside the magic tower.

Not only attack magic of all sorts, but even support magic for supporting mages who bombarded from here.

The top floor of the magic tower was lavishly decorated with various magic circles.

The proof was the message I received the moment I set foot on this top floor.

「The effect of the Mana Amplification Circle is applied.」

It seemed to nearly double the mana in effect.

Thanks to this, I had no worry when using Lightning Prison and Flame Strike.

‘Although it has now fallen into my hands.’

Originally, a magic tower could be considered the safest cradle and most perfect support for those who wield magic.

‘And I know how to use magic.’

The fact didn’t change just because of overexertion from a knockoff.

Thus, I decided to make the most of it.

***

Ethan’s brow furrowed as he took in the situation.

After the first bombardment, the magic raining down became immensely powerful as they approached near the magic tower.

For now, players affiliated with Temoria were holding them off.

“We can’t just keep holding out like this.”

He had to find a breakthrough.

But how on earth could they overcome this situation?

No matter how much magic the players unleashed, it couldn’t reach the tower.

The defensive magic surrounding the tower was too robust.

The mages who were their target remained safely within, not stepping out even a single step.

If their numbers couldn’t be reduced, coming this far held no meaning.

How could he break through this clogged situation?

He spent quite some time racking his brains before finally receiving a timely message.

-K: Move a little away from the nearby third tower. Or enhance the tank line.

It was a message from K, who had entered the second tower.

‘He must be up to something.’

Though the explanation wasn’t detailed, K was not someone who acted without thought.

Surely, he had figured out a way to break through this predicament and was ready to carry it out.

The prior notice was likely given because he worried others might be harmed by his method.

‘Though his actions often seem rough and strong, he’s a kind-hearted person inside.’

Ethan trusted K’s path, which always pointed the way for players to follow.

Reflecting on his past actions, it was always a series of choices aimed at saving more people.

Thus, he decided to follow along quietly with no questions or doubts.

-Ethan Rembrandt: I’ll get there personally.

-K: You haven’t used your trait yet?

-Ethan Rembrandt: No, there hasn’t been much cause to lead the charge while commanding.

-K: Great, there might be a situation where you’ll have to use your authority, so be prepared.

-Ethan Rembrandt: Yes!

As Ethan swiftly changed positions and joined the tank line, the message continued.

-K: Oh, I can see you.

-K: I’m not sure about the effects, but hold on tight just in case.

Although he was curious about where K was watching from and what he was planning, Ethan focused on holding steady as instructed.

He figured K would explain once it was all over.

It was right after he used his trait.

Flash.

Something sparkled from the second tower where K was supposed to be.

The mysterious light shot towards the third tower, stopping abruptly as though blocked by something invisible.

It resembled a white beam sword or perhaps it was more apt to compare it to the light of a lighthouse at night.

As the light continued, a translucent blue barrier near the third tower started shimmering.

This shimmering intensified over time.

‘What is that?’

Had K learned some new magic?

Just as a question mark formed in Ethan’s mind, there was another flash.

A vortex formed in the area where the light touched.

The blue barrier began to be sucked rapidly towards it.

Ethan didn’t fully grasp the situation, but what he saw was quite straightforward.

“The defensive magic on the third tower…”

Was disappearing.

The movements of the mages conducting bombardments from the upper levels of the third tower became frantic, confirming it wasn’t an illusion.

“——!”

“—! —- –!”

The mages at the top seemed to be shouting something desperately.

At that point, the vortex growing strong enough to absorb most of the blue barrier began to suck in with even more force.

“Eek, what’s this?! It’s pushing us!”

“Damn it! It’s too heavy!”

“Hold on! Don’t let the frontline collapse!”

From the third tower, a massive shockwave erupted.

The instant Ethan saw the tank line being pushed as one, he used the authority he received as a main scenario reward.

Even though a more sturdy and perfect barrier formed, it couldn’t completely block the shock.

Many among the Bronze and Silver ranks were unable to withstand the shock and fell back.

Fortunately, it wasn’t serious damage.

Even if severe damage had occurred, there wouldn’t have been time to look back.

By then, the defensive magic forming a vortex in the third tower had completely disappeared.

The magic from the second tower, which had abruptly stopped, began flying towards the third tower.

Originally, nothing should have affected the defensive magic set up in the magic tower.

However, the story changed because the mysterious light had erased the defensive magic.

Boom! Boom!

The massive explosion and flame engulfed the third tower as the side of the tower burst, debris flowing down.

Yet the magic pouring from the second tower did not diminish even a bit.

As a result,

“Oh, oooh!”

“It’s toppling!”

“Brace for the impact!”

The third tower began to tilt and collapse to one side.

To witness the spectacle of the tower, which had remained impenetrable to the players’ magic, collapsing entirely.

Even the mages, who hadn’t thought to leave the magic tower, leapt out from the top floor in a panic.

Ethan stood with his lips half open, staring at the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Haha…”

Truly, it was hard to suppress a dry laugh.

“He really is something.”

As Ethan recovered from the shock, Hyunwoo sent the same light shooting toward the fourth tower.

A few minutes later, the same method began attacking the second tower from the first tower.

It seemed that they judged that it was better to destroy it since it had fallen into enemy hands.

By then, the mages who survived the collapse of the third tower and the players led by Ethan were in a close fight.

“They’re gathering!”

“Scatter them before they can team up!”

The mages emerging from the debris, perhaps sensing urgency, began to gather in one place.

It was their bravest decision to respond to the crisis in their own way.

But unfortunately, the timing wasn’t good for them.

-K: One big shot?

“Yes!”

Only after answering did Ethan realize he had responded in haste with his voice.

He quickly typed a reply and pulled the players back.

Moments later, a gigantic meteor about 5 meters in diameter descended from the sky.

It was the appearance of a 5th-rank wide-area attack magic that required tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of units of mana for implementation.

-K: Don’t let the small fry escape.

It certainly was a scorching hunt.

***

A magic circle is a technology that completes the array automatically when mana is injected.

To actually make it possible, various materials and preparations are needed, but once it’s made, even non-mages can activate it through a Mana Accumulation Tool.

“In other words, automatic magic?”

This could be seen as the civilization of Biharin that advanced exponentially in pursuit of the popularization and convenience of magic in the past.

In fact, the magic circle was fairly simplified to allow even low-level mages to use it.

“The basic principle is simple.”

Usually, it’s arranged in a letter form to substitute the array of mana.

If one knows the arrangement of the letters, deciphering the magic that can be implemented with magic circles isn’t difficult.

And I have been steadily studying those letters for the past year.

“Though I’m not capable of making them myself.”

Deciphering already existing ones is within my capacity.

Thanks to that, I could find a suitable magic.

“It twists and breaks the barrier… “

With this, it should be possible to impact the defensive magic protecting the magic tower.

Fortunately, there is plenty of 6-star Mana Accumulation Tool containing Space attribute mana.

“The mana amplification effect applies to Mana Accumulation Tools as well.”

Thus, I gave it a try.

“Whew.”

The result, needless to say, was a resounding success.

A magic tower without its defensive magic is nothing more than a heap of bricks.

Though a few dangerous weapons like a Flame Thrower are attached.

“At least the unbreakable option is shattered, isn’t it?”

By consecutively triggering the magic circle requiring flame attribute mana, the structure quickly crumbled.

Just as I destroyed the third tower and turned my eyes toward the fourth, several minutes went by.

“Damn.”

The first tower began using the same tactic to assault the second tower.

“Just a bit slower than I thought.”

They were slightly late.

When I reached the top floor, some mages had already fled outside.

Given that I had plainly attacked the third tower earlier, realizing that the second tower had fallen into our hands wasn’t difficult.

Even still, why they acted only after the third tower collapsed is clear.

Damned System