Magic Tower (1)

“….”

I just realized it with Blink.

This woman is hiding her power. It’s not easy to weave such precise spell formulas without any preliminary movements. If I disregard the power and only look at the precision and speed of the spell formulas, she was no different from my usual self. Did she want me to let my guard down by showing me these kinds of spell formulas? Or was she even trying to hide her power in the first place?

-Kung!

Just as I was revising my assessment, she stamped the floor with her heel. The tower shook. I listened to the sound of the gears turning and lowered my gaze. The circular floor began to spin. Soon, the outer and inner circles intersected, and the distance between me and the Vice Tower Master increased. I quietly stared at the Vice Tower Master from atop the rotating circle.

The Vice Tower Master smiled brightly, her heterochromatic eyes of red and blue shining. Even in the backlight, her eyes shone vividly. I felt madness in her eyes. The mad passion of someone pursuing magic burned fiercely. She leisurely snapped her fingers and said,

“The Red Magic Tower claims to deal with dissatisfaction, but in reality, we’re simply pursuing more intense magic. More violent, more flamboyant, and more powerful magic! It just so happens that fire is the element that suits this the best.”

-Ttak. Her middle finger struck her palm, making a clear sound. But the result was not clear at all. Hot air filled the hall. I wiped the sweat flowing down my neck and continued to figure out how the situation was unfolding.

This wasn’t good. I was getting caught up in the Vice Tower Master’s pace. How could I turn this around to my turn? I couldn’t think of a good move right now. It seemed best to keep listening to what the Vice Tower Master had to say.

She seemed hot too, as she rolled up her sleeves and unbuttoned a couple of buttons on her shirt. Her ample cleavage was revealed. She tied her long, straight hair back into a ponytail. A sudden change in impression. Her tone became as intense as her more casual appearance. The Vice Tower Master said,

“Quiet magic, like swimming on the sea, doesn’t catch my eye. The only thing that matters in battle is firepower. A huge fireball that overwhelms the enemy, an explosion that tears the ears! Just imagining it makes my body burn. Red Witch, do you agree?”

“….”

Firepower is important, indeed. It was always the magicians who signaled the start and end of large-scale wars. But magic that only pursues destruction cannot be called magic. I’d rather call magical engineering magic. I created a chill, calming the heat pressure floating around me, and said,

“…The essence of magic is creation. I cannot agree with magic that is only destruction.”

At that moment. The Vice Tower Master’s face turned cold. But the heat surrounding us intensified, becoming so hot that it was difficult to breathe without ice magic. I also loosened my clothes in the intense heat. We’re both the same gender anyway, and there’s no one watching, so I just loosened everything.

I tied the shirt I had taken off around my waist like a belt. Only my underwear remained on my upper body, covering my bare skin. The Vice Tower Master squinted at the bold exposure, then smirked and took off her clothes as well. She threw her clothes far away and twisted her lips.

“Heu… You’re saying the same things as those Blue Magic Tower bastards. But why did you come here? Because the Red Magic Tower is the closest? Or because it’s easy?”

“Climbing. There’s nothing else.”

“Climbing! The very essence of the tower and the goal of all magicians! Alright, I understand. Then, Red Witch, how many floors do you plan to climb?”

The Vice Tower Master’s hands turned red. At the same time, bright red magic circles formed lines, wrapping around her wrists. She laughed and clenched her fists. At that moment, the magic circles expanded. The magic circles, which were as small as bracelets, quickly grew in size, spreading out like large plates.

I lowered my stance and exhaled. Hot air pierced my lungs. In this stuffy air, I spread my fingers towards the sky with a provocative expression.

“One hundred floors.”

A place reached only by a very few magicians, including the Tower Master.

This wasn’t a place that could be reached simply with skill. You had to cross the ‘wall’. You had to go beyond your own limits, beyond the magic you pursued. Perhaps Pekapolis, who only pursues destruction, will never reach it.

“Did you read some cheap fairy tale somewhere? One hundred floors? Haha! One hundred floors?”

“It might be a cheap fairy tale to someone.”

“What did you say?”

“But not to me. Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean I can’t.”

For magicians climbing the Magic Tower, the floors were sensitive information. It was considered a kind of taboo for a magician on a higher floor to advise a magician on a lower floor. The opposite was also true. It was like giving advice next to someone playing Go.

Therefore, what I just said was close to a high-level mockery. Ppadeuk. The sound of teeth grinding. The Vice Tower Master had a hotter temper than she looked. She didn’t hide the fact that she was angry. Pekapolis increased the size of the magic circles around her wrists and said,

“You said you were applying for a practical exam, right?”

Exploding heat.

The magic circles didn’t stop at her wrists but crept down to her ankles, weaving spell formulas. Quadruple casting. All of them were intense fire magic. Pekapolis, who was covered in fire like that, had become fire itself. The floor tiles began to melt. Her hair was standing on end.

“Ahaha… You don’t have to go anywhere.”

“….”

“Don’t you wonder why a Vice Tower Master would be stuck on the first floor, working as a receptionist?”

Flames soared.

“The first floor, the place where magic begins.”

Number 1. The Magician.

“I am the starting point for the magicians who want to climb this place.”

The first number with substance and the beginning of everything.

“I usually deal with people according to their level… but it doesn’t seem like I need to do that with you.”

In an instant, the heat surrounding us gathered in one place. Pekapolis’s hands and feet. The four magic circles surrounding them. All the heat gathered there, flashing like a booster exploding.

She shouted with a spirited expression.

“ ― ― ― Start the exam!!”

-Kwaaaang!!!

Scattered fragments. Charging forward, smashing the floor. Pekapolis, covered in flames, flew towards me like a giant meteor shower.

A sudden indoor battle.

Pekapolis kicked off the ground, not even knowing that the first floor was being blown to smithereens. Could it be restored quickly? It seemed like the tower wouldn’t collapse even if she made such a fuss.

Then, I don’t need to control my power either. I really like countering with the same thing.

I put flames on my hands. I will prepare magic that is more intense, more flamboyant, and more powerful, just like Pekapolis said. I took a deep breath, inhaling the hot air. Lava-like flames wrapped around my arms. The flames that gathered in that way became a single will and stretched out towards Pekapolis.

Flame Dragon Fist.

As if a dragon were opening its jaws.

“――?!”

I swung it hard.

-Kuuuung!!!

Pekapolis, who was swallowed by the dragon, momentarily caused a large explosion and retreated. She was able to barely escape just before touching the lava-like hot teeth. She was dripping with cold sweat and preparing her next spell.

This time, the magic circles engraved on her ankles shone.

“Heueup――!!!”

After creating an explosion behind her to gain propulsion, she covered her feet in flames and swung them. Roundhouse kick. As big as the movement was, there were many gaps, but the flames filled those gaps. It was impossible to break through unless you swallowed it with an even bigger fire.

I immediately created an earth wall to block her kick. Kuung! The wall shattered into pieces. The collapsed dust immediately melted and became gooey.

‘…It’s stuffy because it’s narrow.’

Pekapolis made good use of the advantages of indoor combat.

Even if she used a slightly weaker technique, approaching first and disrupting concentration could give her an advantage in a battle between great magicians. Because there was nowhere for each other to retreat. You can’t escape and plan a counterattack. Escape is tantamount to admitting defeat.

Her fighting style was that of a battle mage.

“Isn’t it hot――?!”

Having been hit by the Flame Dragon Fist once, she didn’t try to approach me recklessly. Using her long legs, she slowly cornered me against the wall.

Downward kicks, roundhouse kicks, sweeps. Even if her feet didn’t touch me, the flames spewing out flew towards me. In addition, all of her techniques were accompanied by large explosions, and a murderous wind pressure swept around. But Pekapolis didn’t seem to be affected by the explosions she caused and didn’t get pushed back.

‘Annoying.’

It was annoying. The heat that was cooking my brain wasn’t allowing my thought acceleration to work properly. I had to weave spell formulas with a clear mind, but then I wasn’t confident that I could control my power.

‘If I kill her.’

This isn’t a battle to win.

‘No.’

It’s a battle to be recognized.

“Can you go to the hundredth floor by just blocking――?!”

Kwang! When she stamped the floor, a pillar of fire soared. I retreated and scattered ice bullets in all directions. But they quickly melted and disappeared, becoming steam and enveloping Pekapolis’s body.

Murderous high-pressure steam. Pekapolis paused. But she lightly broke through, as if she were immune to anything hot, and swung her foot.

‘Ice and earth melt…’

I’m worried about controlling my power if I try to swallow her with wind and fire.

Think of a way to subdue her without causing any damage. I can’t kill her. What way is there to bind her in this intense heat?

I just need to touch her.

If I can just touch her body, I can shake her Mana and subdue her. But the hot flames were preventing me from approaching.

……….

…….

…That’s right.

I had my specialty.

This is an exam. A duel in which each other’s life is guaranteed. It was too insignificant a battle for death to intervene. But not for me. I was willing to put my life on the line to fight.

“It’s over――!!!”

Pekapolis, who had finally cornered me against the wall, gathered all her heat and prepared a downward kick. There was no murderous intent in it. It was powerful enough to break through the barrier and knock me unconscious with heat.

“….”

I.

Released the barrier that was blocking the heat.

“――?!”

My flesh was burning. The hot air that even melted earth went down my throat and cooked my organs. I barely held on to my fading consciousness and dove into Pekapolis’s body.

“―Are you crazy?!”

―Chiijijik!!!! A terrible smell of burning flesh filled the area. In my fading senses, I desperately reached out my hand. She couldn’t avoid me rushing at her after releasing the barrier, and with a Kung! sound, she fell backward.

I put my hand on her chest as she fell.

“Uh, uh?!”

Pekapolis seemed to realize what I was trying to do. But it was already too late. As my hand touched her soft chest, the Mana that remained in me entered her body.

“Ah, w-wait! Ban-chiijijik――!! Hick, eugeugeut, eugeuk?!”

High-level magicians who have reached the extreme of Mana control can control the opponent’s Mana just by touching them. Of course, it wouldn’t work if there was strong resistance, and even if magicians could do it, they wouldn’t use it because approaching was no different from suicide.

“Ah, hick, euk.”

I was different.

“Eu, euuu…….”

At the same time that Pekapolis fainted, all the fire that had been engulfing the first floor went out. The melted outer walls and the ruined floor. The once clean first floor had become a scene of hell.

I quickly reconstructed her body while on top of her.

I had protected her brain from being cooked, but all her organs, including her heart, were fucked up. The only reason she didn’t go into shock was because of her fraudulent amount of Mana. A technique that could not even be attempted without the body of an Arch Mage, a technique that was no different from cheating, as she said.

‘Well… it’s enough if I won.’

I vomited blood and buried my face in her chest.