Chapter 253 - Open World (2)

Fierce flames rising around the magical barrier. Screams and cries of anguish. The grief of those who had lost everything.

Staring blankly at it all, Nevarche Greenhop wondered,

'Where... did it all go wrong?'

He needed to look no further. It had begun with the Dragonslayer, Ligar Vagos.

Despite Noark's efforts to dissuade him, he had kidnapped a high priest and treated him like a slave. When those atrocities finally came to light, they had driven the royal family to draw its sword.

But...

'... Was it me?'

Nevarche accepted the responsibility rather than shifting it elsewhere. What good would reaching into the past do, if it was only to escape responsibility for today? In the end, he would have to hold even Noark's previous lord accountable for accepting Orculus.

So...

"Well? Has it turned out the way you wanted?"

He had to accept it. The fact that he was the one who had brought about this outcome today.

"Stay close."

Nevarche kept walking so he wouldn't fall behind and end up outside the magical field. Ahead of him was an old man using levitation magic as effortlessly as breathing.

'Velvev Luingenes.'

An old man who had earned the epithet "Scholar of Destruction" in his later years. A mage who had thirsted for knowledge all his life—and used that precious knowledge to bring countless people to ruin.

It was Nevarche himself who had sought him out, frustrated after Amelia told him there was nothing they could do.

Back then, he had possessed an unshakable conviction.

'The greater cause.'

The royal family was in the wrong. Their power had to be toppled, and a new world opened where the surface and the underground were united.

That was the right thing to do.

Surely... it should have been.

"H-hot..."

"Please, spare me. I'll pay you anything..."

People collapsed, burning alive. Each time, the convictions that had made him who he was crumbled a little more.

Was this truly right? To trample people who lacked even the strength to defend themselves, all in the name of a greater cause?

Was this truly the path to a new world?

"Stop..."

Unable to bear it any longer, Nevarche finally spoke.

Only then did the old man stop and turn around, looking as though he'd heard something strange.

"Stop? I came here because I, too, have no wish to see the balance of power collapse just yet, but weren't you the one who asked for my help? If we stop now, the army sent to Noark will never turn back."

That was true. But...

"That doesn't mean I wanted this."

"Really? Then what did you want?"

He was struck speechless.

What had he expected when he sought out one of the age's great villains, a man known as the Scholar of Destruction?

"This is a golden opportunity we'll never have again. Even I didn't expect that man to appear. I truly don't see the problem. As long as he keeps their attention on the royal palace, we won't be in any danger."

"Do you think I'm saying this because I fear for my life? I just... I just...!"

Nevarche couldn't finish.

The old man coldly turned his back and started forward, as though this conversation was a waste of time.

"You seem to be struggling."

Even then, hundreds of flames formed in his hand and flew out indiscriminately, bent on destruction alone, staining the city red.

"Set your feelings aside and think only of your goal."

"..."

"Surely that's better than losing both."

A calculating remark, utterly typical of a mage.

WHOOOOSH!

As the magical field moved away with the old man, searing heat washed over Nevarche's skin. He resumed walking, not having realized he'd stopped.

His steps were filled with nothing but questions.

"M-Mom... I c-can't... b-breathe..."

"It's all right, sweetheart... Mommy's here. I'll stay with you until the end."

What awaited at the end of this road?

* * *

Rain falls in the night. The work of the Magic Tower's mages.

SPLAAAAASH!

The guards sent as reinforcements from across the city aren't resting, either. A long line stretches from the well, passing buckets without pause and throwing the water onto the flames.

No, it's not just the guards.

"If you're worn out, don't try to tough it out! Step aside! Being stubborn will only make things worse!"

There are explorers who live nearby, and citizens who rolled up their sleeves after hearing the news, determined to help however they could.

People gathered to overcome the disaster before them.

"Oh, damn it, at this rate my house will burn down too!"

"Hey, buddy! Is that really what you should be saying right now? Some people still have family in there!"

"If you've got the energy to argue, carry some buckets!"

Of course, not everyone is helping out of noble intentions. That includes me, standing here right now.

'Raven.'

Now that I'm actually in Carnon, I feel overwhelmed. This fire is on an entirely different scale from a few factories burning down in the modern world.

Is Raven really holding out all right?

Or maybe...

'Enough with the maybes.'

I punch myself in the jaw to snap out of it.

THWACK!

A sound mind resides in a well-punched body.

There's no time to stand around worrying.

First of all, Raven is a mage, isn't she? Knowing her, she'll be holding out just fine, looking after everyone around her too. Yeah, she might even have gotten lucky and avoided all this by stopping by the Magic Tower.

"You there, mage."

I approach a mage busy fighting the fire and identify myself. Despite my interrupting his work, he regards me warmly.

"'You there, mage,' is it? It's been quite a while since anyone addressed me like that. Hahaha!"

Apparently, I have a good reputation apart from my noble title.

"So, what does the famed Bjorn Jandel want with this mage?"

"Can you cast Ice Blood?"

"Are there mages who can't?"

Chuckling at my request, the mage casts the spell on me.

「The character's Fire Tolerance increases significantly.」

Whew. That's a little less hot.

"Are you planning to go in there?"

"My companion's inside."

"I see." The mage who cast the spell nods, then gives a little laugh.

"But will that alone really be enough?"

Huh? What's this? Is he making fun of me?

The thought crosses my mind for a moment, but what happens next leaves me rather embarrassed.

CLICK.

The mage takes out a message stone.

Then...

"Ah, can everyone hear me? Sorry to bother you when you're busy, but I have a favor to ask. Bjorn Jandel—you all know him—says he needs to head into those flames to rescue his companions."

He contacts someone and asks for help.

"If you have any artifacts or drugs that help with Fire Tolerance, please send them to the designated coordinates in my private laboratory. I'll summon them over here myself."

What, is this some kind of mage group chat?

This is an unexpected stroke of luck, so I shut my mouth and wait.

Before long, replies start coming in.

["If it's Bjorn Jandel, his new noble title should make him creditworthy enough. Still, be aware that I'll bill you for any damage."]

The voice of a fussy-sounding old man.

["All right. Most of my apprentices are away helping in Carnon, but I'll ask the ones still here and send everything we have."]

A young woman's voice.

["A dear apprentice of mine returned alive thanks to him recently. I'll send some scrolls. Tell him there's no need to pay."]

A man's voice with a kindly ring to it.

["Bjorn Jandel, eh? It wouldn't hurt to put him in our debt while we have the chance. If he isn't listening beside you, pass this along: remember that it was our Ioni School that sent the Fire Dragon's Ring."]

A voice that betrays a calculating nature.

And...

["Allu? Is she the companion he's talking about?"]

Even a familiar voice.

'That voice... the old geezer?'

If memory serves, that's the man known as the old geezer—the master of the great Altemion School, and Raven's teacher.

"Hmm, it seems so. He's nodding."

["I'll send everything I have right now."]

That ends the conversation.

Honestly, I'm stunned.

'What the hell is going on?'

I'd only approached the most approachable-looking mage to get an Ice Blood spell. But now I can see there's nothing ordinary about this.

Everyone in the group chat sounds like the head of a school, and the old geezer, master of Altemion, is actually one of the members.

Which means...

'This guy can't be an ordinary mage either.'

Out of pure curiosity, I ask,

"Who are you?"

Apparently never intending to hide it, he smiles and introduces himself.

"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Leben Arpheon."

I've never heard the name before. But I recognize the school he names next. It's a middle-ranking school in the Magic Tower.

Still, who would have thought its master would be this young?

"I'll repay this debt someday."

"If that puts your mind at ease."

A few minutes later, messages arrive one after another through the message stone, confirming that the supplies have been delivered. Leben Arpheon uses magic to summon everything at the coordinates here.

'It really is the Fire Dragon's Ring.'

There's an assortment of rare items, including high-tier Numbered items. I feel distinctly strange as I examine them one by one.

"Luck was on my side."

Actually, calling it lucky hardly does it justice. What are the odds that a mage I happened to approach would be the head of a school, and think well enough of me to use his private group chat to help—

"Luck? What an odd thing to say."

Huh?

"I've never seen those people go this far out of their way to help a complete stranger. Do you think this could happen through luck alone?"

When I tilt my head, Leben smiles and continues.

"I don't know what they saw in you that made them so willing to help when you said you wanted to rescue your companions. But..."

"..."

"All of this is something you've earned."

It's long-winded, as you'd expect from a mage, but I think I understand what he's trying to say. It's embarrassing hearing it to my face, though.

I wipe the ash off my nose to hide my embarrassment. Leben smiles and pats my shoulder with his scrawny arm.

"So stop calling it luck and do what you must. Don't you have a companion to rescue?"

Right. This isn't the time to get sentimental.

"Thank you."

After expressing my sincere gratitude, I start equipping or consuming the summoned supplies.

「The character has consumed Lye of Eternity.」

「Fire Tolerance temporarily increases by +50.」

「The character has consumed Spirit's Tears.」

「All Elemental Resistance stats temporarily increase by +15.」

「The character has consumed Pure Flame.」

「Fire damage taken is temporarily reduced by 10%, and Fire Affinity increases by +15...」

「...」

「...」

First, I drink the enhancement potions.

RRRIP.

Then I tear the scrolls.

And...

「The character has equipped No. 4819 Lava Shield.」

「Total Item Level increases by 985.」

「The character has equipped No. 760 Fire Dragon's Ring.」

「Total Item Level...」

「...」

「...」

I equip a variety of fire-specialized artifacts, including three-digit Numbered items.

WHOOOSH!

The air no longer even feels hot. I reach a hand toward the flames to test them, but it's the same.

"Refreshing."

The word slips out without my realizing it. Of course, Leben, who isn't Korean, has no way of understanding the sentiment.

"Hmm, no matter how high your tolerance rises, it shouldn't give you that sensation..."

"That's just how it felt."

Brushing it off, I stare into the flames, which still show no sign of dying down. Then I ask Leben a question.

"What did you see in me?"

A little earlier, Leben said that although he didn't know what it was, everyone must have seen something in me to offer their help so readily.

Then what exactly had he seen?

"The rumors."

That isn't an answer I expected at all.

"Rumors?"

"All the rumors I've heard about you. Today was our first meeting, but the moment our eyes met, I knew they were all true."

An ambiguous statement, open to any number of interpretations.

Just as I'm about to ask him to elaborate, Leben pushes my back with his stick-thin arms.

"... What kind of person has a body like an iron beam?"

When I don't budge, Leben gives an awkward smile, then makes a request.

"Ah, come to think of it, I haven't mentioned this. If you still have strength left after rescuing your companion, please rescue the others too."

It's not as if that's difficult.

Okay, got it.

"I'll do everything I can."

"That's very reassuring, coming from you. Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Off you go."

I finish my preparations by activating the Orb of Fire I acquired a while ago.

「Orb of Fire has been activated.」

「All fire-type damage over time originating within a 15m radius is reduced by 50%.」

I call it Barbarian Firefighter Mode.

"VEHELLLAAAAAA!!"

Time to deploy.