episode_0171

171. Administrator.

The strength in my whole body drains away. The Bandage Mummy had experienced a similar sensation before.

The memory of when his power was first sealed by the Bandage Artifact bloomed vividly.

“This is quite surprising. What on earth did you do?”

“I seized ownership of the barrier.”

“……That’s possible?”

“It’s difficult, though.”

Yohan said nonchalantly, raising his fan and striking. The Bandage Mummy was pushed back powerlessly. The Bandage Mummy staggered for a moment before barely regaining his balance.

The sudden decrease in physical ability was uncontrollable. The Bandage Mummy let out a hollow laugh. Seizing ownership, how could that make sense.

“……I should suggest creating a grade above Special. If I survive this, that is.”

“I’ll try to keep you alive.”

“Thank you.”

Whoo-oong-

Immediately afterward, Yohan’s energy changed drastically. The amount of magic he possessed rose endlessly.

Yohan summoned all the magic he had converted into physical ability.

Swish-

The Bandage Mummy didn’t stay still either. He unwound his bandages at a speed that was incomparable to anything before.

Then, grayish skin that seemed to have been deprived of sunlight for a long time was revealed.

Yohan narrowed his eyes. He was a human who looked like he would break if you poked him.

The grayish skin was full of wrinkles, and his white, dry hair was on the verge of breaking.

‘Truly a mummy.’

But Yohan didn’t ignore him. The power felt within that pathetic body was overwhelmingly strong.

“Fire Harpoon.”

Whoosh-!

Yohan gathered ambient magic and internal magic at one point to create a flame. The size was no different from the spells he usually formed. However, the magnitude of the inherent power was different.

“Ssssuuuuup.”

The Bandage Mummy slowly pulled his right hand behind his back. The bandages spewing out of his body wriggled and created a large pair of wings.

It was like watching a giant cabbage white butterfly.

Soon, the butterfly flew.

Whoooo-oong-

The Bandage Mummy’s figure rapidly approached. In a world slowed down by [Thought Acceleration], Yohan forcefully rotated his shoulder.

The heat felt at his fingertips heightened Yohan’s senses. Yohan felt it. He would surely hit the mark.

Subsequently, a white line and a red line intersected in the air.

Kwaaaaaaang!

A large cloud of flame billowed up. Yohan was caught in the cloud and flew backward. He was too exhausted from the duel with Sara.

“Huu, huff. I’m going to die……”

Yohan barely managed to stand up on his trembling legs. He frowned and swung Bloodhoof. Then, a cool breeze cleared away the flame cloud.

“Hmm?”

Yohan narrowed his brow. Inside the barrier where only faint embers remained, something with a messy mixture of gray and black had collapsed.

Yohan quickly approached him.

“……He really lived. I was going to kill him.”

His chest was slightly heaving. Yohan looked around him with a slightly surprised expression. He saw the bandage wings, which were maintaining their shape quite well.

Yohan placed his hand on the wings and let magic flow through them.

“Hmm!”

Clang, a small repulsion occurred. Yohan rubbed his tingling hand.

“Yeah, I didn’t think it would be easy.”

Yohan didn’t give up. He continued to push in magic.

Eventually, the Bandage Artifact raised the white flag. Sreung, a sound like a lock opening was heard.

‘I succeeded.’

Yohan reached out his hand.

Chwarururuk-

Then, the bandages surrounding him came to Yohan like a dog meeting its owner. The bandage wings and the bandage barrier too. Everything was dismantled piece by piece.

Yohan focused all the approaching bandages on Sara. Soon, Sara’s shield evolved into ‘Sara Cocoon Shield’.

Suddenly, Yohan imagined Sara tearing out of the cocoon.

‘Horrifying.’

Yohan shuddered.

In the meantime, a voice that seemed embarrassed was heard from afar.

“N, no way! The leader lost?!”

“Damn it…… Is he dead? No, he’s still alive.”

Yohan stared blankly at them. And said.

“Will you continue?”

“……”

They couldn’t answer. A monster who defeated the leader. They couldn’t possibly handle him.

But.

“Huu…… I’m sure they’ll give me a generous severance package, right?”

“You idiot. What’s the point of a severance package if you die.”

“I have a family. A family.”

“Aren’t you an orphan?”

“I have a dog.”

“Isn’t it an old dog?”

They picked up their weapons while chatting nonsense. Yohan tilted his head. A fire harpoon sprouted like thorns behind his back.

“Do you think you have a chance of winning?”

“Either way, we’ll be executed if we don’t catch you, right? It’s all the same whether we die here or there.”

“Executed for not catching me? What’s the reason?”

“Well, we’re in the middle of repentance.”

Repentance……

At that moment, a woman with a greatsword rushed towards Yohan at a rapid pace. Yohan muttered, looking at the falling greatsword.

“I guess you were a monster. Not anymore though.”

“……!”

Paaaaaak!

The crimson fan struck the woman’s temple. The woman lost her balance in the air and staggered. Immediately afterward, a harpoon stretched out toward the woman.

“Keuheuk!”

The fire harpoon pierced the woman. That was the beginning. The Bandage Mummy’s remaining colleagues rushed at Yohan all at once.

Yohan sighed softly.

‘Persistent guys.’

Red lines were drawn in different directions in the air.

***

Tatat-

Yohan entered the Colosseum after numerous adversities. He scanned his surroundings as if deeply moved.

That was only for a moment, Yohan looked at the shaded area in the corner of the Colosseum and muttered.

“It’s a little late, but is the opportunity to challenge the administrator still valid?”

Then, a blue window appeared in front of him.

[Yes. It is possible.]

Swish-

A woman with rainbow-colored hair emerged from the shadows. She mumbled.

[One year is not a long time. Because you are facing the Administrator.]

One year. Yohan rolled the word around in his mouth. How surprised he was when he first saw the date on the city’s electronic display.

Maybe the drug Sara gave him had a strong anesthetic effect as well.

“Could you take care of this woman? You must never let her wake up.”

[I don’t think that’s a matter for me to decide.]

The rainbow woman continued.

[I am merely a faithful servant of the Administrator.]

Immediately afterward, Yohan turned around.

‘Already!’

A young man with white hair and white eyes was looking at Yohan. Right in front of his nose.

Yohan reflexively fired dozens of Magic Missiles.

Towering-

“What……!”

The Magic Missiles that were flying stopped in mid-air as if caught by something.

The young man with white hair and white eyes grinned. He had a tower-shaped necklace around his neck.

“The reaction is good. Rain. Grant this guy’s request. Take care of that woman.”

[Yes.]

“There must be a reason why she’s wrapped up so tightly. Keep a close watch.”

[Yes.]

Yohan looked at the young man, or rather, the ‘Administrator,’ who was talking with a nonchalant attitude.

And asked with a curious attitude.

“What on earth did you do? I don’t feel any magic at all.”

“Can’t you do it too? Why are you acting like it’s a big deal.”

“……No way.”

To interfere with the opponent’s spells with just willpower? Is that really possible?

“There is no such thing as impossible in the Tower. You should know that?”

“……Yeah. That’s right. But……”

Whoo-oong, Yohan’s Bloodhoof rushes towards the Administrator’s temple.

Yohan realized. The ‘challenge’ had already begun.

Then he had to win. In case Sara might wake up, as quickly as possible!

“You’re impatient. Is someone chasing you?”

The Administrator catches Bloodhoof while smiling smoothly.

He said.

“Be careful. Don’t forget to do your best. This is the final test.”

“I…… know that!”

Yohan ignited the Flame Harpoon. This time, even the Administrator couldn’t do anything about it, and quickly took a step back to create distance.

Yohan’s left shoulder became blurred. Subsequently, a red line split the world.

Whooooosh!

“Seeing it in person, it’s beyond imagination! To improve spells to this extent!”

A white sphere was created between the Administrator’s fingers. The Administrator flicked his fingers lightly.

The white sphere was fired at Yohan at a rapid pace.

Soon, the moment when the sphere and the harpoon met in the air.

Swish-

“……!”

The white sphere seemed to seep into the harpoon, and the harpoon literally disappeared.

Whoosh, only faint embers remained in the air.

Yohan opened his eyes wide with his left hand outstretched. The Administrator pointed at Yohan with his finger upon seeing this.

“Oh, you didn’t get rid of everything after all. I was trying to not leave a single ember behind.”

Piiiiiiing-

A white line split the world.

The white ray pierced Yohan’s ear. Yohan rolled roughly on the ground. He barely managed to avoid it, or he would have died instantly.

“Keueueuk!”

Yohan raised his magic power again. Hundreds of Magic Missiles flew towards the Administrator.

If dozens of shots weren’t enough, then he just had to increase the quantity!

The Administrator seemed to sense this as well, and let out a faint groan.

“Hmm…… That’s a lot.”

Some of the Magic Missiles that were flying stopped. But there were still many left.

The Administrator lightly stamped his foot. A wall made of light rose from the ground.

Tatatatatang!

A noisy sound rang out. But the wall didn’t have a single scratch.

It’s okay. The Magic Missiles were bait.

Dig.

Swoooooosh-

“Oh!”

The ground suddenly caved in and revealed a gaping maw to the Administrator.

It was quite an unexpected move. The Administrator admired quietly.

The Administrator’s vision went down for a moment before stopping abruptly. It was because he had created a foothold of light under his feet.

“Is this all you have……”

Flame Seed.

The Administrator couldn’t continue his words. It was because he felt a huge surge of magic power from below.

The Administrator’s expression stiffened. He urgently created a shield of light and crouched down.

Kwaaaaaaaaang!

At the same time, a large pillar of fire enveloped the Administrator.

‘When on earth!’

Tatat, the Administrator jumped out of the pillar of fire with his body more blackened than before.

He emitted a brilliant light from his whole body. Wherever the light touched, the opponent could not avoid the Administrator’s eyes.

‘Above!’

The Administrator raised his head. A white sphere, larger than before, was writhing above his palm.

“Tsk, you’re faster than I thought.”

Yohan muttered that and clasped his hands together. At the same time, a huge wave fell to the ground.

The Administrator’s figure was buried in a vast shadow.

It was a chain of spells that was precise to the point of giving goosebumps.

‘I created a masterpiece.’

He was satisfied. The Administrator raised the corners of his mouth and stretched out the white sphere.

Then, the pouring wave was sucked into the white sphere as if drawn by something.

The Administrator frowned. The amount of magic left in the wave was less than he had expected.

‘Leaving some power in reserve means……’

He was preparing a hidden move. Eventually, all the waves were absorbed into the white sphere.

Thanks to this, the clear sky was visible above the glass ceiling of the Colosseum.

Was it an illusion, but something small was twinkling in the sky.

The Administrator lowered his gaze slightly and looked at Yohan. Yohan was floating, almost touching the ceiling of the Colosseum.

He said.

“It’s ridiculous. Not only stopping spells with willpower, but also the power to annihilate spells.”

“Don’t praise me too much. You, who achieved your current state in just a few years, are also a formidable monster.”

“Well, aren’t you not even using your full power in the first place?”

The Administrator nodded. He didn’t seem very surprised.

“You’re quick to notice.”

“I’ve been researching that field recently.”

The Administrator laughed lightly. He tapped his necklace lightly.

“It’s not easy to ‘manage’ the Tower. It’s something that always requires a lot of mental energy.”

It was a strange statement. It sounded as if he was managing the Tower even at this moment.

‘It’s not a delusion, is it.’

Yohan’s eyes lit up as he looked at the Administrator’s necklace. The aura emanating from the necklace was enveloping the Administrator’s whole body.

It wasn’t a good influence. Rather, it was closer to being restrictive.

That’s when it happened. The Administrator looked at Yohan’s back and said.

“Haven’t you stalled enough time now.”