primodialtranslation.site

Author: Renegade

  • The Incompetent Mage’s Infinite Regression Chapter 6

    <Ethan had been taken aback when he heard that the merchant wasn’t selling swordsmanship skills.>

    Ethan wanted a skill that, while not resembling magic, could still stand against the puppet automaton. However, according to Demi, swordsmanship in Terra seemed to be something only a selected few practiced, and obtaining it through the lottery was highly unlikely. Left with no choice, he opted for the “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu” that the merchant recommended. And as it turned out, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was a better choice than he had expected.

    <If I can somehow force the fight into a hand-to-hand struggle, I can win.>

    The “takedown” technique was similar to the wrestling techniques knights learned for war, but the “ground techniques” that followed were different. These techniques, which controlled and broke the opponent’s joints, were advantageous when both fighters were unarmed.

    From what Ethan knew, once an opponent was taken down, people would typically try to stab them with a blade or at least find a rock to smash them with—grappling like intertwined snakes was rarely considered an option.

    <The problem is how to bring them down.>

    If he could make an armed opponent drop their weapon, he could level the playing field even without Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. But if that were easy, soldiers wielding swords wouldn’t be so fearsome on the battlefield. Ethan had no choice but to get creative.

    <Well, I managed somehow.>

    Ethan drew his dagger and stabbed the automaton in the ribs and neck as it struggled to push him away. With each stab, its movements slowed until it stopped entirely.

    Ethan retrieved his dagger, dusted himself off, and stood up.

    Linav clapped his hands in appreciation.

    “Impressive, kid.”

    “Thank you.”

    “But I’m afraid joining the Combat Magic Society is going to be difficult.”

    Ethan frowned at him.

    “Excuse me?”

    Linav, looking troubled, avoided meeting Ethan’s gaze.

    “Well, it’s just… no student has ever joined after defeating an automaton with their bare hands. At least, not in the history of the Combat Magic Society as I know it. I don’t think there’s instance for it in any other magic society either.”

    “Then why did you make me fight?”

    “Because we can’t outright refuse an application. And besides, you’re Bohn’s friend, aren’t you? I had to help out my adorable junior.”

    Bohn gave Linav a slightly irritated look.

    “Don’t drag me into this. You should have explained things to me first.”

    “Well, you see, there aren’t any strict regulations. But even if you join the Combat Magic Society, there won’t be much you can do here. Your alchemy was impressive, sure. But unless you have a famous alchemical lineage or a hand cannon, little tricks like that won’t cut it…”

    “Fine. I prefer it this way.” Bohn retorted

    “Hey, don’t you think that’s a bit shameless ?”

    As Ethan muttered this and approached Bohn, a round of applause echoed from the second-floor railing of the Combat Magic Society’s workshop.

    “Well done, Ethan.”

    All three of them turned their gazes toward the source of the voice. Standing there was a large man with a gray beard—Professor Ribbelton Favier, who taught Practical Magic Basics.

    Ethan looked flustered.

    “Professor?”

    With one hand, Ribbelton jumped over the railing and landed lightly from a three-meter drop without so much as a stumble.

    Linav turned to Ethan.

    “Professor Ribbelton is the faculty advisor for the Combat Magic Society. He specializes in combat magic.”

    Ribbelton  pointed at the edge of Ethan’s coat, where a cut from the automaton’s blade remained.

    “Where did you learn to fight with your coat?”

    “…It’s not really something to brag about, but I used to roam the back alleys of Charasen when I was young. I’d carry a dueling sword in one hand and usually hold a coat, a shield, or a scabbard in the other. That’s how I picked it up.”

    “Really? So you know how to use a dueling sword?”

    “Yes. A little.”

    Dueling swords, also called rapiers, were thinner and lighter than traditional longswords, making them easy to wield with one hand. They were ideal for thrusting attacks, which made them effective even in narrow alleyways.

    “Your use of magic was impressive—very practical.”

    “Ah, thank you.”

    “But what I’m most curious about is your unarmed combat. Where did you learn it?”

    Ethan gave a vague answer.

    “From the thugs in Charasen.”

    “Hmm. Gang fighting techniques? I’ve heard Charasen’s inner city is ruled by gangs.”

    Gangs were organizations that made money through various illegal activities. Some took in orphans and street kids, training them in begging or pickpocketing—just like the thieves’ guilds in Yurmuth.

    “Something like that.”

    Ribbelton nodded at Ethan’s reply.

    “Linav.”

    “Yes, Professor?”

    “Approve Ethan’s membership.”

    “Ah, but… there’s no precedent for this. As you know, the main activities of the Combat Magic Society revolves around learning combat techniques, which require fundamental combat magic skills. Some students with alchemy backgrounds have joined, but only because their families had already trained them in combat techniques…”

    “I will personally mentor Ethan. No need to worry.”

    “Ah… I see. Understood.”

    Linav nodded and fetched the membership application papers, handing them to Ethan.

    As Ethan signed the form, he glanced at Ribbelton.

    “But Professor, if what Linav says is true, wouldn’t my membership be a problem?”

    “So what? Do you not want to join?”

    “No, that’s not it. I just wondered if you had a reason for this.”

    “I have my plans. I’ll tell you later.”

    Ribbelton simply smiled warmly, offering no further explanation.

    Meanwhile, beside them, Bohn watched Ethan with a somewhat displeased expression.

    As Ethan finished signing, a realization dawned on him.

    <Wait a minute, this…>

    That evening, Ethan stood in the dormitory courtyard, facing Bohn.

    “Why did you call me out?”

    Bohn adjusted his glasses and spoke “I think I underestimated you.”

    “Is that a compliment?”

    “In some ways, yes. Though it’s also my mistake.”

    “Then our conversation is over, isn’t it?”

    As Ethan turned to leave, a sharp hum echoed. Three crystals floated above Bohn’s head. It seemed to be his magic. Ethan had seen Bohn attempt to use magic before, just before he almost killed him, but this was his first time witnessing it in action. Each crystal was an elongated dice shaped, unpolished and murky, resembling raw gemstones. However, their sharpened tips hinted at their intended use.

    “Are you trying to kill me?”

    “What you saw isn’t something trivial. My life is at stake. That means, Ethan, your life was at stake the moment you saw it too.”

    “If I die, the information I saw will be passed on to someone else.”

    “I’ve already confirmed that you don’t have any close associates. You don’t seem particularly close to your sister either. And most importantly, the evidence is no longer there. You don’t actually believe that just seeing it would be enough to make you a threat, do you?”

    Ethan smirked.

    “But a witness can be a liability, right?”

    “There’s no guarantee you won’t go around talking. Even being a suspect is a hassle.”

    Ethan pointed out, “Then there must be more evidence. Am I right? If someone starts digging, there’s no avoiding it.”

    Bohn, expressionless, replied, “Think whatever you want.”

    “And maybe more people are involved, too.”

    “Are you done talking?”

    Ethan shrugged. “I know you won’t kill me. There’s still something you want to hear from me. That’s why I’m still alive. So let me turn the question around—what do you want?”

    From the shadows of the forest, a mage stepped forward, dressed in a white coat and holding a white staff at waist height.

    “A sharp student indeed, Ethan Dora Charasen.”

    Ethan responded in kind, calling out his name.

    “Vine Wiz Decarun.”

    “You should add ‘Professor’ to that. Hmph, Dora brats.” Vine clicked his tongue.

    “It’s not Bohn who has business with you. It’s me.”

    “Is that so?”

    “And I’m not here to ask questions. I know how to get answers without them.”

    Vine’s specialty was mental magic. He wasn’t bluffing. He stretched his hand toward Ethan.

    “Come here, Ethan. If you don’t resist, it won’t hurt.”

    Ethan asked, “Are you also part of the Inquisition?”

    “What if I am?”

    “Then why are you working as an agent for the Empire?”

    “That’s not something you need to know.”

    But then, Vine added with amusement, “Technically speaking, I’m not an inquisitor. The Inquisition, the Imperial Army, the Demon King’s Castle—it doesn’t matter. Even if I serve the Empire, I’m still just a hound of the Emperor. We simply have mutual interests for now and are cooperating. But not everyone can embrace the grand cause.”

    As Ethan reached into his coat, one of Bohn’s floating crystals shot toward his feet.

    —Thunk!

    Bohn warned, “Don’t do anything foolish.”

    Ethan had expected this when he joined the Combat Magic Society.

    <I had a quest to deepen my relationship with Bohn.>

    <But I failed that quest.>

    <A quest isn’t only valuable when completed. Even failure gives you information.>

    Ethan said, “Well, is this really foolish?”

    He rolled to the side as he pulled something from his coat. The first crystal missed, but the second one flew straight for his head.

    However, it never struck him.

    —Clang!

    A towering figure appeared out of nowhere, striking down the crystal with a sword.

    Vine called out his name.

    “…Ribbelton!”

    Ribbelton raised his sword with both hands.

    “That’s enough, Vine.”

    “Ribbelton… How did you—? No, never mind.”

    At the tip of Vine’s staff, a translucent blue blade extended, matching the length of the staff itself.

    Ribbelton asked, “Are you going to fight?”

    “I have no interest in combat magic, but a half-baked mage like you is no match for me. …Bohn, get ready.”

    At his words, Bon withdrew his hand from Ethan. The crystals embedded in the ground lifted and floated back above his head.

    “You don’t actually think you can block magic like this with just a longsword, do you?”

    Ribbelton shook his head.

    “Vine, do you really think I came alone? …Ethan.”

    As Ethan pulled something from his coat, Vine and Bohn tensed.

    But what Ethan revealed was nothing more than a firecracker—practically a parlor trick.

    Bohn, having seen it before, and Vine, who had likely heard about it, simply watched as Ethan lit the fuse.

    —Bang!

    Vine scoffed. “As expected, just a petty trick.”

    But Ribbelton disagreed. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”

    Vine slowly shifted his gaze to the rooftops of the dormitory and academy buildings. Under the two moons, shadowy figures stood, their presence noticeable even in the darkness.

    They were the professors of Yurmuth Magic Academy.

    TL : I will use Yurmus instead of Yurmuth going forth. so don’t get confused

  • I Am the Only Tower Master Chapter 8

    The Next Morning.

    As soon as I opened my eyes, an involuntary groan escaped my lips. The exhaustion from nearly dying in the trial had settled deep into my body.

    Attempting the trial again in this state would be reckless. So, to recuperate, I decided to take on a new task instead.

    I opened a book about potions that I had taken from the bookshelf on the ninth floor.

    “Because It’s Difficult, It’s a Potion.”

    …The title was a bit odd, but the book contained a list of basic potions and their recipes. It also provided manufacturing processes based on the facilities available in the magic tower, which was convenient.

    The potion I decided to test out was the following:

    [Lesser Red Elixir]

    • Effect: 50 regeneration. Effect increases with repeated use.
    • Ingredients: Black Mountain (1), Hosong (1), Hally (2).

    Black Mountain, Hosong, and Hally were all byproducts of plant-type monsters and could be easily obtained in Korea.

    While monster hides and bones were often used for crafting equipment, plant-based remnants had little demand, making them relatively cheap. In particular, Black Mountain cost around 200 won per unit.

    Being able to create a potion with such inexpensive ingredients was, to exaggerate a little, like turning random stones into gold.

    “Alright. Let’s get started.”

    First, I headed to the first-floor storage to look for ingredients.

    Unfortunately, the potion ingredients were either in short supply or had rotted over time, so I would need to restock locally.

    Still, after some persistent searching, I managed to gather enough to make a few bottles.

    Carrying the ingredients, I returned to the book.

    “Looks like I’ll need a cauldron for this.”

    The various tubes scattered across the table seemed to be for crafting more advanced potions.

    I walked over to the large cauldron tucked away in a corner on the first floor.

    The surface of the cauldron was engraved with multiple magic circles—almost like control buttons on an electronic device.

    After familiarizing myself with the instructions, I got to work.

    First, I placed my hand on the magic circle labeled Water Rune and channeled mana into it.

    The magic circle activated, and water gushed into the cauldron.

    “…Ohhh!”

    This was fascinating. I wasn’t fetching water from a well or using a faucet—it was filling up purely through magic.

    I had always imagined mages to be quiet and old-fashioned, but with things like the magic circle elevator, their world was surprisingly high-tech.

    Once the cauldron was filled with enough water, I activated the magic circle at the bottom to ignite a fire.

    As the water began to bubble, I followed the book’s instructions, adding ingredients and stirring with a large ladle.

    Potion crafting often required magical assistance. Black Mountain had to be ground into powder using an alchemical spell before being sprinkled in, while Hally needed to be coated with mana as it floated to the surface like deep-fried food.

    After an hour of work around the cauldron, the liquid thickened into a deep red color.

    “It’s done!”

    Tilting the cauldron, I carefully poured the finished potion into empty bottles.

    Honestly, bottling was more tedious than making the potion itself.

    I then used Sage’s Eye to check the final product’s details.

    [Lesser Red Elixir]

    • Type: Potion
    • Effects:
      • [40 regeneration]
      • [Effect increases with repeated use]

    Somewhere in the process, I must have made a mistake—compared to the book’s description, the regeneration effect had decreased by 10 points, leaving me with 40 instead of 50.

    It seemed potion-making required more precision than I had anticipated.

    Still, for a first attempt, I was satisfied.

    Now that I had successfully crafted a potion, there was nothing holding me back. I picked up my phone and made a call.

    I had already thought of the perfect person for potion distribution.

    “Hey, it’s me. Got some time tonight?”

    Hearing the question on the other end, I grinned.

    “Nothing too serious—just wondering if you’d be interested in a little business venture.”

    * * *

    That night.

    I was waiting for my guest near Sanggye Station.

    ‘There he is.’

    Click, clack.

    With composed footsteps, a familiar face approached me.

    He wore a well-fitted casual suit and stylish horn-rimmed glasses, giving off the vibe of a young, trendy English gentleman.

    “It’s been a while, Yushin-hyung.”

    His name was Jung Seo-jin. Two years younger than me at twenty-one, he had been my junior in middle school.

    Despite his age, everything about him—his appearance, demeanor, and speech—exuded the air of a seasoned businessman.

    “Yeah, it’s been a while, Seo-jin.”

    “So, you’re starting a business?”

    …We hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and he was already getting straight to the point. His blunt and no-nonsense nature hadn’t changed.

    “That’s right. I need your help.”

    “What kind of business?”

    “Let’s talk inside.”

    I gestured toward a dimly lit alleyway.

    Seojin adjusted his glasses with an unreadable expression.

    “I can’t help but be concerned that our meeting place is near a restricted zone. May I ask if the location is related to the business?”

    “It is. In fact, it’s not near the restricted zone—it’s inside it.”

    “……”

    His expression stiffened, followed by a quiet sigh.

    “I assume this isn’t exactly a legal business?”

    His skepticism was understandable.

    The restricted zone was a dangerous area where monsters roamed.

    Because it was off-limits, various criminal organizations used it as a hideout for drug production, illegal weapons manufacturing, and other shady dealings.

    I needed to clear up his doubts.

    “Let me be clear—it’s nothing like what you’re thinking.”

    “Then explain your business proposal here and now.”

    “Even if I explain, you won’t fully grasp it. You need to see it yourself—”

    “Yushin-hyung.”

    Click.

    Seo-jin pressed a button on his briefcase and let it fall to the ground.

    Clack.

    The case split open, revealing stacks of cash.

    “This should be enough for startup capital.”

    “……?”

    “I’ll be taking my leave now.”

    …This brat. What did he think I was?

    Well, to be fair, his reaction was understandable.

    How many people had tried to take advantage of his background, deceiving him under the guise of business, only to demand money in the end?

    To Seo-jin, this was just another case of that same old scam.

    And by offering this money upfront, he was essentially paying off any debt he felt he owed me—ensuring that I wouldn’t trouble him again.

    If I accepted it, he would never show up in front of me again.

    I stared at the briefcase for a moment before speaking.

    “I don’t need it.”

    “…What?”

    “I’m not looking for money—I need you.”

    Seo-jin’s expression subtly shifted.

    “I can see why you’d misunderstand since I called you out of the blue. But here, let me give you a little preview—”

    I raised my right hand.

    Seo-jin watched, confused—until a blue light radiated from my palm, forming a glowing magic circle.

    His eyes widened in shock.

    “What… What is this? Your innate ability is supposed to be—”

    “It’s not an innate ability.”

    Whoosh!

    A mana arrow shot out from the magic circle and crashed into a nearby stone wall with a loud bang!

    “It’s magic.”

    “…….”

    Jung Seo-jin adjusted his glasses with trembling hands.

    “Magic, huh? Do you think I would believe such an unscientific claim?”

    He ran a hand through his hair with a self-deprecating expression.

    “……That kind of talk is outdated now.”

    “Heh, you get it. We live in an era where monsters appear and hunters thrive.”

    Jung Seo-jin was a player himself. There was no way he could deny the scene unfolding before his eyes.

    Having finally made up his mind, he grabbed his briefcase and spoke.

    “I apologize. Where do we need to go?”

    I led Jung Seo-jin past the restricted zone and all the way to the tower.

    “It’s been a while since I’ve done something this reckless.”

    Jung Seo-jin muttered as he looked around the forest shrouded in darkness, as if reminiscing.

    “Back in middle school, we used to get into trouble all the time.”

    “Those were good times.”

    “How was it in the States?”

    “It was alright, I guess. Honestly, I just studied like crazy.”

    I nodded and stopped in front of the door.

    “Give me your hand for a sec.”

    “My hand?”

    “Ah, I forgot to explain. You need a mark to enter the tower.”

    For an outsider to enter, they had to bear the symbol of the Sun Tower on their body.

    According to Eia, this mark not only granted access but was also linked to a powerful restriction spell.

    The current restriction trigger was ‘leaking information about the tower.’

    If broken in any way, the tower’s tracking magic would activate immediately, causing mana reflux in the offender.

    “It’s a type of security magic.”

    “Hmm, that sounds a bit scary.”

    “I’m not forcing you. If you don’t want to, that’s fine too.”

    Jung Seo-jin willingly extended his hand.

    “You could’ve just stamped it without explaining, but I’ll trust you this time.”

    I guess he felt a little guilty about doubting me earlier.

    I gathered mana at my fingertip and pressed it against the back of his hand. A blue mark appeared, like a seal.

    “Alright. Let’s go in.”

    I went first, pressing my palm against the door. In an instant, I was sucked inside.

    I stepped aside just in time for Jung Seo-jin to tumble out of the doorway, completely losing his balance.

    “Haha! You okay? I was like that my first time too.”

    “……Yes. I’m fine.”

    Brushing off his clothes, Jung Seo-jin stood up and looked around with wide eyes.

    “This is incredible. I had no idea there was a space like this inside the tower……”

    “Master, is this a guest?”

    A cluster of light gathered in midair, forming into Eia.

    Jung Seo-jin flinched and took a step back.

    “Wh-who?”

    “I am Eia, the tower’s administrator.”

    She bowed politely.

    “…….”

    Why is he standing there, completely dazed?

    “Ah, um. I’m Jung Seo-jin.”

    The two shook hands briefly.

    “Eia, do we have anything to serve our guest?”

    “There are a few packs of coffee mix left from what the master bought at the convenience store.”

    “Tch, well, I guess that’ll do. Please bring some.”

    Eia nodded and vanished. I snapped my fingers in front of Jung Seo-jin’s face.

    “Hey!”

    “Huh?!”

    “Why are you spacing out? That’s not like you.”

    “Ah, my apologies.”

    We settled onto the sofas in the center of the lobby. Jung Seo-jin couldn’t take his eyes off the golden walls and the various magical instruments.

    “I heard this place was considered an eyesore in Seoul, but I never imagined it would be this beautiful.”

    “Heh, right?”

    “If I hadn’t come today, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life.”

    ……For the rest of his life? Why is he suddenly being so dramatic?

    At that moment, Eia returned and placed paper cups filled with coffee in front of us.

    “Sorry for the humble hospitality. Might not be up to your high-class tastes.”

    Slurp. Jung Seo-jin took a sip and gave a faint smile.

    “It’s sweet. I like it.”

    Say that to my face, will you?

    “Shall we get down to business now?”

    “Yes, let’s begin.”

    I started by explaining the basics of the tower. Jung Seo-jin listened intently, nodding along.

    “So, the first floor is dedicated to potion brewing. I’ve already made one in advance.”

    I placed a glass bottle filled with a potion on the table.

    “Does this really heal wounds?”

    “Go ahead and test it.”

    “……Alright, excuse me for a moment.”

    Jung Seo-jin rolled up his pant leg, revealing a scrape from his earlier fall.

    When he poured a bit of the potion on it, the wound vanished without a trace.

    His shocked expression was priceless.

    “Aside from healing potions, we can also make potions that restore mana, cure poison, or counteract status effects like freezing.”

    “……Impressive.”

    Jung Seo-jin inspected the potion from different angles before setting it back down. Then, he adjusted his glasses and spoke with a serious expression.

    “But are you sure this is okay?”

  • The Regressed Extra Becomes a Genius Chapter 35

    Late in the evening.

    Having finished all my training, I lay on my dormitory bed, pondering how to spend my remaining time.

    Just then, a message appeared before my eyes.

    [A character you have yet to encounter has taken a strong interest in you.]

    [You have earned 500 points as a reward.]

    “……What’s this?”

    A character I haven’t met yet?

    Who could it be?

    As I was mulling over the thought, my smart student notebook suddenly chimed with a message alert.

    [Senior, is the rumor true?]

    It was Choi Seo-yoon.

    Out of nowhere, she was asking if the rumor was true.

    “What the heck.”

    She wouldn’t have sent this message without a reason.

    I stared at it in confusion before realization struck me.

    “……Shin Young-joon.”

    It had to be Shin Young-joon.

    That bastard must be going around spreading stories about me getting rejected by Jang Ye.

    “Ha……”

    To think someone would broadcast another’s pain(?) like this.

    There wasn’t a shred of mercy or loyalty in him.

    I briefly debated how to respond but quickly brushed the thought away.

    Why should I care about what others think of me?

    My reputation had already hit rock bottom on the first day of school.

    Trying to salvage it now would just be pathetic.

    ‘Yeah, what does it even matter?’

    If their attention was on me, that just meant more points to earn.

    “Pfft.”

    Maybe I should just spend my time surfing the internet.

    As I grabbed my smart student notebook to browse, I suddenly felt discomfort.

    The screen was too small, making my eyes and hands ache.

    “A laptop would be so much more convenient right now.”

    Oh, right.

    There was a perfect way to solve this inconvenience.

    Without hesitation, I accessed the point shop.

    [Activating Unique Trait: ‘Outsider’s Privilege.’]

    [Entering the Point Shop.]

    [Would you like to check this week’s special discounts?]

    “Oh?”

    Special discounts?

    Oh, yeah. This was a thing.

    “Hmm……”

    But I wasn’t expecting much.

    I had already experienced these discounts a few times in my previous life, and they were usually useless.

    For example, a trait that let you dream of whatever you wanted, or one that made you read books faster…… Completely pointless stuff.

    ‘I’ll check the special discounts later.’

    For now, I needed to search first.

    [Using the search function.]

    [Search results for ‘internet.’]

    ━━
    ▶ [Special] Outsider’s Privilege: Smart Device Synchronization (???)]
    ━━

    Oh? This wasn’t what I was expecting.

    Should I check it out?

    ━━
    [Outsider’s Privilege: Smart Device Synchronization (???)]
    Category: Special
    Description: Allows synchronization between the Outsider’s Privilege and a smart device. When used, a synchronized smart device screen will appear in your view. Enables external connection even in areas with no signal.
    Price: 8,000 points
    ━━

    “Oh.”

    This was actually pretty useful.

    It wasn’t just about accessing the internet.

    I could sync all my smart devices into one system.

    And the ability to stay connected even in places without a signal?

    Normally, you couldn’t communicate with the outside world inside towers or dungeons.

    But if I bought this, I’d still be able to stay connected.

    “This is way better than I expected.”

    There was no reason not to buy it.

    [You have purchased ‘Outsider’s Privilege: Smart Device Synchronization (???).’]

    [Smart features are now active.]

    “Nice.”

    Time to test it out.

    [Activating Unique Trait: ‘Outsider’s Privilege.’]

    [Using the synchronized smart device.]

    As soon as I activated it, a large screen appeared before my eyes.

    It seemed to be around the size of a 21-inch monitor.

    [Synchronizing smart devices.]

    [Searching for devices……]

    [Search complete.]

    [Smart Student Notebook and Smartphone detected. Would you like to synchronize?]

    ‘Synchronize.’

    Ding!

    [Synchronization successful.]

    “Oooh.”

    Along with the alert, a blank screen emerged.

    It looked like a merged version of my smart student notebook and smartphone backgrounds.

    Roughly the size of a 21-inch monitor.

    I tapped on the internet icon on the screen.

    Instantly, a browser popped up.

    Unlike when I used the student notebook, there wasn’t even a second of loading time.

    “This is nice. The big screen makes everything so much easier.”

    Grinning, I opened the search engine.

    ━━
    [Trending Searches]

    1. Terror attack at the U.S. Relic Museum
    2. Sacred relic theft
    3. Terrorists
      ……
      ━━

    The headlines were chaotic.

    A terror attack at an American museum.

    A sacred relic with mysterious powers had been stolen.

    [This marks the fourth terror incident this year. With the recent surge in attacks, public anxiety is growing. Some speculate that ‘Jaun,’ the terrorist group disbanded 13 years ago, may be resurfacing.]

    Jaun.

    A terrorist organization that suddenly appeared 23 years ago and wreaked havoc for a decade until its disbandment 13 years ago.

    According to the original story, Jaun’s members were all ranked A or S, making them so powerful that even the World Mage Association struggled to subdue them.

    But after a long war with the Association, they lost their leader, and most of their members were wiped out, leading to their collapse.

    “Looks like it’s starting.”

    To put it simply, the ones responsible for the U.S. museum attack were Jaun.

    After hiding for 13 years, Jaun was preparing to reclaim their former glory under a new guise.

    Of course, their full-scale terrorist activities wouldn’t begin for another two years. Right now, they were just laying the groundwork.

    Stealing sacred relics like this, recruiting underground fight club champions like Liang Liang in the near future—things like that.

    [Exiting Smart Device Mode.]

    But right now, there was nothing I could do to stop them.

    A group made up of A-rank and S-rank monsters?

    There was nothing I could do against them at my current level.

    The good news was that they wouldn’t be making any moves in Korea anytime soon.

    After all, the world’s strongest mage, Chairman Kim Jin-cheol, was here protecting the country.

    Even Jaun feared him.

    “…That’s not what I should be focusing on right now.”

    Starting tomorrow, exams would begin, along with several major incidents.

    In particular, two weeks from now, a terror attack would take place right in the middle of Seoul, throwing the city into chaos.

    Would things follow the original storyline?

    I wasn’t sure, but I needed to keep a close watch.

    The early-stage villains were relatively weak, making them the perfect targets to rack up causality points.

    “Crazy…”

    I cursed under my breath as I looked at the special discount in the point shop that I hadn’t noticed yesterday.

    [Special Discount!]
    [Intermediate Subspace Pocket (A) is available at a 50% discount.]
    [Remaining Discount Period: 5 days]

    ━━
    [Intermediate Subspace Pocket (A)]
    Category: Special
    Description: Allows you to store items in a subspace. Can hold up to 30kg.
    Price: 20,000 (50% discounted price)
    ━━

    “…Damn.”

    They were selling a subspace pocket at a 50% discount.

    The price was a whopping 20,000 points.

    Given how useful a subspace pocket was, this price was practically a steal.

    “If I had known this, I wouldn’t have bought the device synchronization yesterday!”

    Regret hit me hard.

    Right now, I had exactly 8,500 points left.

    I was short by a whole 11,500 points.

    “Three days…”

    Could I really gather that much in time?

    If I played the fool and acted like a clown a few times…

    “Sigh.”

    No, that wasn’t it.

    There was a limit to how much I could act like a clown for attention.

    If I overdid it now, it might not work as well when I really needed it later. I had to save it for the right moment.

    The only saving grace was that the midterm exams started today and lasted for five days, meaning there was a chance to earn a lot of points.

    If I used that well, maybe I could make it work.

    Midterm exams were simply meant to assess students’ progress.

    The scores didn’t have a huge impact, so rankings didn’t fluctuate as much compared to the final exams.

    No matter how well I did, breaking into the top 60 was impossible.

    Even so, students took these midterms as if their lives depended on them.

    The reason was simple.

    Starting today, numerous guilds were observing the exams.

    Even if midterms didn’t affect overall rankings much, failing to impress guild scouts could put students at a disadvantage when job-hunting after graduation.

    [Now, we will begin the second-year basic magic proficiency test.]

    The grand auditorium.

    It was my first time back here since the public ranking evaluation test on the first day of school.

    Standing here brought back fresh memories of when my mana had run out, leaving me humiliated in front of the entire school.

    Back then, I had wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear, but now, it was just another memory.

    “Hm.”

    I glanced around the auditorium.

    The audience seats were packed with scouts from various guilds.

    I even spotted a few familiar faces.

    There were executives from major guilds as well as villains disguised as regular guild scouts.

    Just then, the announcer called a name from the podium.

    [Second-year Class A, Lee Seo-jun.]

    The audience stirred with excitement.

    More than half of them were probably here just to see Lee Seo-jun, the so-called prodigy of the century.

    “So that’s Lee Seo-jun.”

    “Wow, he’s even better-looking in person.”

    “They say he’s Chairman Kim Jin-cheol’s disciple. I wonder how strong he is.”

    “Hey, don’t even bother recording his score. He’s never gonna join our guild anyway.”

    Despite having all these high-profile figures’ attention on him, Lee Seo-jun showed no signs of nervousness as he stepped onto the test stage.

    The midterm’s basic magic proficiency test was different from the public ranking evaluation test.

    Back then, students simply aimed at a target, and their rankings were determined by their scores.

    But starting from the midterms, students had to defeat a mannequin-like monster as quickly as possible.

    [Second-year Class A, Lee Seo-jun, begin.]

    In front of Lee Seo-jun, a two legged monster known as a “Green Giant” was summoned.

    Lee Seo-jun drew his sword from his waist.

    At the same time, his blade emitted a bright light.

    “…A light attribute?”

    “Wait, is that synergy? A high school student using synergy?”

    Synergy—the highest-tier technique that allowed a person to use both enhancement and manifestation magic simultaneously.

    As soon as Lee Seo-jun’s sword began radiating light-based magic, astonished gasps erupted from the audience.

    “They weren’t kidding about him being a prodigy.”

    “This is insane. That’s not something a student should be capable of.”

    Lee Seo-jun adjusted his grip on the sword and took his stance.

    Then, he charged at the monster.

    True to his role as the protagonist of this world, Lee Seo-jun’s skills were overwhelming.

    With a single strike, he cut down the monster.

    The sheer precision and dominance of his technique drew a standing ovation from the audience.

    The same happened when it was Yoo Ara’s turn.

    The moment she launched a massive fireball at the monster, the guild representatives erupted in astonished cheers.

    Time passed, and finally, it was the last turn for the second-years—my turn.

    [Second-year Class A, Kim Sun-woo.]

    As I stepped onto the test stage, murmurs filled the auditorium once more.

    But unlike the reactions to Lee Seo-jun and Yoo Ara, which had been filled with admiration and anticipation, the response to me was mockery and ridicule.

    “That’s the guy, right? From the public ranking test.”

    “Oh, yeah. The one people accused of getting in through corruption.”

    “Pfft. I bet he’ll run out of mana again.”

    [254 people feel anticipation toward you.]

    [You have received 1,000 points as a reward.]

    Already, so many people had expectations of me.

    Of course, their “expectations” were probably just them hoping I’d embarrass myself again, like in the public ranking test video.

    But this time, things were different.

    With my place in the special class, my reputation, and my achievements at stake, I had no intention of playing the clown for their amusement.

    [Second-year Class A, Kim Sun-woo, begin.]

    Like the others before me, a Green Giant was summoned in front of me.

    I gathered mana in my hand.

    A glowing magic sphere formed above my palm.

    I didn’t bother compressing my mana.

    If I used the Heart of the Great Nature, I could easily take it down, but I couldn’t afford to waste it recklessly. Who knew what kind of emergency might arise during the exam period?

    For now, I would simply allocate my mana wisely and aim only for the monster’s weak points—points that no one else knew.

    I already knew the Green Giant’s weak spots.

    Thanks to the Outsider’s Privilege, they were glowing brightly in my vision.

  • A doomsday-level returnee devours calamities Chapter 35

    Yato’s expression twisted, contorting into something almost demonic. She was beyond disbelief—rage was boiling up inside her.

    There was a limit to how ignorant one could be of their place.

    She had been trying to sweep everything under the rug, only for it to be undone in an instant.

    With just one careless mouthful of words.

    ‘Now that Xiao Yun has shown this much interest, there’s no turning back…’

    Unlike Yato, who stood in stunned despair, Xiao Yun burst into loud laughter. He laughed so hard that he let out strangled gasps, tears welling in his eyes like a person driven to hysteria.

    “…Hahahaha! Puhahaha! This is truly hilarious. Taeseong, what are we going to do?”

    Everyone else remained silent, as if they had taken a vow of silence.

    Only Xiao Yun continued to laugh loudly.

    “Isn’t anyone else finding this funny? Is it just me?”

    At that, the others forced out awkward laughter, like new employees humoring their bald manager’s terrible dad jokes.

    “Hahaha! Hahahaha!”

    “Haha… haha…”

    “Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!”

    Looking closely, Ito was genuinely laughing. That is, until Yato shot him a murderous glare, at which point he hurriedly covered his mouth.

    Just then, the duelists who had finished receiving treatment entered the room.

    “Deputy Manager! We’re back! The healing staff at the Japan branch are really kind—”

    Oh Haeyoung, as lively as ever, cluelessly asked,

    “Is something funny going on?”

    Miyuki, who had already spotted Xiao Yun, quickly whispered to Haeyoung. The two had grown considerably close, perhaps forming a bond through their earlier fight.

    “Haeyoung, it’s best if you stop talking now.”

    “Ah… okay!”

    The relatively quick-witted Gi-jun and Hitoshi scanned the situation. They didn’t need to look far—the expressions on their respective team leaders’ faces gave them all the answers they needed.

    ‘The captain must’ve gotten into trouble again.’

    ‘The vice leader must’ve caused trouble again.’

    Xiao Yun, who had been clutching his stomach in exaggerated laughter, finally calmed himself and spoke.

    “Team Leader Yato.”

    “Yes, Xiao Yun.”

    “You’re still refusing?”

    “Taeseong is still a Delta-rank—”

    Before she could finish, Xiao Yun interrupted, his snake-like eyes narrowing to slits. It was impossible to tell whether they were open or closed.

    “Is rank really that important? I was still an Epsilon-rank when I took off a Gamma-rank administrator’s head.”

    “……”

    Yato silently screamed inside.

    ‘You crazy monster, that was before you even got ranked.’

    Taking a deep breath, she continued carefully,

    “That incident was certainly… memorable. But I doubt headquarters saw it in a positive light.”

    “What, you think they’d make a fuss over a little duel? What’s wrong with a senior administrator teaching a junior administrator a lesson? Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll take full responsibility.”

    Where did everything go so wrong?

    Of course, after everything that had happened, it was true that Yato held some resentment toward Taeseong as an administrator.

    But that was a personal feeling, nothing more.

    After returning to headquarters and reviewing the events involving Taeseong, she had taken the time to reflect on her own attitude.

    She hadn’t realized it in the heat of the moment, but with a clear mind, she could now see things more objectively.

    Taeseong’s provocations had indeed crossed the line, but she had reacted too emotionally as well.

    ‘I’m not Ito, for god’s sake…’

    As someone responsible for keeping Ito in check, she had ended up being the one who lost control. The thought embarrassed her.

    At the end of the day, Taeseong was a fellow administrator, dispatched from another country to assist them.

    For the sake of efficiency in the upcoming missions, maintaining a good relationship with everyone was the ideal approach.

    But still…

    ‘Why does this damned bastard keep digging his own grave? What the hell is he relying on?’

    With Xiao Yun pushing this hard, there was no way Yato could cover for him any longer.

    “If he’s this confident, he must have a reason. Isn’t that right, Taeseong?”

    Taeseong nodded without hesitation.

    “That’s right.”

    Watching this unfold, Lee Eunha could only let out a hollow chuckle, having already resigned herself to whatever was coming.

    ‘What am I supposed to do with this reckless brat?’

    Xiao Yun smirked.

    “The Japan branch has some pretty reputable administrators. You’re not just going to take this kind of disrespect lying down, are you?”

    In the end, Yato surrendered.

    “…Fine. Let’s do this.”

    She had done her best.

    She had given him plenty of chances.

    Taeseong had been the one to dig his own grave.

    At this point, all her logical reasoning had been thrown out the window—she just wanted to beat this reckless bastard until the words “please spare me” came out of his mouth.

    Taeseong turned to Ito.

    “You haven’t forgotten our bet, have you?”

    Both Yato and Xiao Yun asked at the same time.

    “A bet? Ito, what the hell did you do this time…?”

    “Did you two make some fun wager?”

    Ito grinned brightly and replied,

    “Of course not! I remember it clearly! The loser becomes the winner’s subordinate!”

    Xiao Yun chuckled.

    “A subordinate? Pfft! Sounds good. You two better keep your promise, my friends.”

    Standing up, Taeseong walked toward the exit.

    He turned back and spoke to Lee Eunha.

    “Deputy Manager, you remember my request?”

    “…It’s almost done. It’ll be ready before the match starts.”

    “Thank you.”

    With a nod, Taeseong left the room.

    Taeseong, who had entered the training hall, began warming up slowly.

    He had analyzed the terrain by watching the previous matches, but seeing it in person was different.

    A habit engraved in his body.

    One never knows when, where, or how a battle might unfold.

    For that reason, he always memorized the geography and objects around him as if drawing a map in his mind.

    ‘I almost messed things up.’

    His duel with Ito was a crucial part of his plan.

    It wasn’t that he was a battle-crazed maniac doing this for fun.

    Of course, to others, he might seem like nothing more than a lunatic.

    ‘Lee Sooah. My sister.’

    The moment he arrived at the Japan branch, Taeseong realized that his position was even weaker than expected.

    A Delta-grade administrator from another country had no influence here.

    He knew that a Korean administrator named Go Young hee had been dispatched here before him, but judging by how they were being treated, he assumed her situation wasn’t much different.

    The only blood relative he had left.

    He had come to Japan solely to find her. And to do that, he needed the help of the administrators here.

    If he could gain control over at least a Gamma-grade administrator, finding his sister, Lee Sooah, would no longer be difficult.

    —Marriage? No way! Oppa, you’re going to marry me! Right?

    —Oppa! Where are you going? Off to protect the country again? You’re lying! Again! You promised to play with me today!

    Her face still wouldn’t come to him clearly.

    Only the faint image of a girl playfully laughing would briefly flicker through his mind.

    ‘I was smiling too, huh.’

    For some reason, the one thing he could recall vividly was himself smiling.

    Lost in thought, time passed, and before he knew it, Yato and Ito entered the training hall.

    “Do you need time to prepare?”

    Yato, having neatly folded her black coat and set it aside, spoke with an air of disdain.

    “I just can’t understand it. Where does your confidence come from? Do you seriously think you can take on two Gamma-grade administrators at once?”

    “Of course. It’s possible.”

    “You crazy bastard. There are plenty of people who lose their minds in this job, but you’re the most idiotically insane of them all. I was willing to let this slide for the sake of your team leader’s efforts. But no more. I won’t hold back. Today, I’ll grind your arrogant nose into the dirt and make you beg for mercy.”

    “For the first time, we see eye to eye.”

    “……”

    Yato was left speechless.

    Watching from the side, Ito realized that his sister was truly furious.

    “Hey, Joseon bastard. You’re in big trouble.”

    “Why the hell can’t you understand words, you dumbass? It’s not Joseon, it’s the Republic of Korea. How many times do I have to say it for you to get it through your thick skull?”

    Normally, it was Yato who kept Ito in check, but when truly enraged, she was even more hot-tempered than he was.

    Inside the room, observing through the glass wall, the group watched in silence until curiosity got the better of Oh Haeyoung.

    “Deputy Lee Eunha, why does that administrator, Ito, keep calling Taeseong a ‘Joseon person’?”

    “……”

    Naturally, the question was directed at Eunha, as she was the smartest person they knew.

    But, of course, she had no way of knowing the answer.

    Instead, it was Xiao Yun who responded.

    “I can tell you that.”

    “Oh, thank you! But… who are you?”

    “I’m Xiao Yun.”

    Being polite, Haeyoung bowed slightly.

    “Nice to meet you. I’m Oh Haeyoung.”

    “You’re a polite one.”

    “Thank you.”

    “So, you were wondering why Ito keeps calling Korea ‘Joseon’?”

    “Yes!”

    “That’s because he’s from that era.”

    “Huh?”

    The Japanese administrators showed no reaction—they already knew.

    Xiao Yun smirked playfully, like an uncle about to spin a tale for his young nieces and nephews.

    “Hmm… where should I start?”

    Eyes shining with curiosity, Haeyoung urged him eagerly.

    “I’m dying to know. Please tell me quickly!”

    “What’s your rank again?”

    “I’m Epsilon! Haha!”

    “Epsilon… Then what rank do you think I am?”

    Haeyoung’s gaze scanned Xiao Yun’s entire figure before she made her judgment.

    “Hmm… I’d say Gamma-grade!”

    The Japanese administrators, already aware of his rank, instantly turned pale.

    Rumors abounded that Xiao Yun had once ripped off the head of an administrator who had offended him.

    Xiao Yun reached out toward Haeyoung’s head.

    Alarmed, Eunha tried to intervene, but of course, she was far too slow.

    “You remind me of my little sister.”

    Xiao Yun didn’t tear Haeyoung’s head off.
    Instead, he simply patted it gently.

    “Hehe. Your hand is warm.”

    “Really? That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Oh, right—I forgot to tell you my rank. I’m Beta-grade.”

    “Oh, I see. Beta-grade…”

    Enjoying the head pats like a golden retriever basking in affection, Haeyoung’s face slowly turned pale.

    Then, with wide, rabbit-like eyes, she stared at Xiao Yun.

    “Be… Beta…?”

    Xiao Yun simply smiled and nodded.

    “You’re really… a Beta-grade?”

    “Yep.”

    Silence fell.

    【B-Grade Entity Management Report】

    No. 0124.
    Entity Name: Xiao Yun.
    Grade: Beta.
    Threat Level: ■■
    Information:
    Data Removed.

    [Observation Record #023]
    This document is accessible only to personnel with ■■ clearance or higher.

    [Observation Record #052]
    This document is accessible only to personnel with ■■ clearance or higher.

  • About a Dating Sim Where Dating Is Impossible Chapter 93

    After the battle ended, Murad’s expression remained grim as he assessed the casualties caused by the ambush.

    And the more unsettled Murad became, the more anxious his retainers grew. The success of the ambush was, after all, proof of their failure to maintain vigilance. Though the Sultan’s elite troops had managed to rally and repel the enemy despite being caught off guard, Murad found no comfort in that fact. The only reason the Morean army’s ambush had failed was a lack of soldiers. And yet, look at the losses they had suffered.

    Unable to contain himself any longer, Murad slammed his fist against the table and rose from his seat.

    “No less than three thousand have died.”

    His retainers bowed their heads, as if afraid to meet his gaze. Even though they had successfully repelled the ambush, three thousand casualties had been sustained. If not for his leadership, the chaos might have been even greater. That thought made it impossible for Murad to suppress his anger. No—he should not suppress it, even if the target of his fury was himself.

    “This was my failure. I entered the battlefield without properly assessing the situation, and in doing so, I made the grave mistake of dividing my forces. Worse still, I failed to realize where the enemy’s true main force was during the ambush.”

    And the prince had masterfully led him to that conclusion, even going so far as to feign his own death. Only now, after time had passed, did Murad truly understand the prince’s resolve and how meticulously he had prepared.

    Closing his eyes for a moment, Murad retraced the battle from the prince’s perspective.

    Even the defectors they had encountered earlier had been a deliberate ploy to deceive him. The first ambush had been deliberately sloppy, soothing them into a false sense of security, while the delayed encirclement of the flanks had been designed to prevent movement from the Sipahi. And finally, pretending to encircle the enemy while secretly holding back the right wing as a reserve force to check the newly arriving Christian reinforcements—

    The prince had surely been lurking nearby, waiting for the moment Murad divided his forces to hunt down the scattered remnants.

    Enduring humiliation and disgrace without hesitation, solely driven by his unwavering desire to save his homeland.

    “But now, the Morean army will unite once again.”

    Murad opened his eyes with certainty. Dragases scattered forces would regroup somewhere and resume their resistance. And he had a strong suspicion where that would be.

    It was Paliotes, the leader of the Christian forces who had arrived late but earned recognition for helping drive back the Morean army, who finally put Murad’s thoughts into words.

    “You believe they will head to Athens?”

    Just as Paliotes suspected, Murad had identified Athens as the Morean army’s likely destination. It was a city where the prince still held strong influence in central Greece. Thebes had been another possibility, but remembering that the city harboured little goodwill toward the prince, Murad ruled it out.

    Athens. A city of long-standing prosperity, with a significant port and infrastructure. The prince would use it to buy time.

    However, before addressing these matters, Murad first needed to rebuke his vassal’s arrogance.

    “I do not recall giving you permission to speak.”

    “…My apologies…”

    “Do my words as Sultan amuse you?”

    “….”

    Murad had acknowledged Paliotes contributions only to prevent lingering resentment over their setback. But with his sharp gaze, he had closely observed the man’s every action. Anyone harbouring ulterior motives would eventually face punishment—but for now, he delayed his judgment. The losses from the ambush were too severe.

    Sensing the Sultan’s displeasure, Paliotes wisely held his tongue, barely managing to avoid overstepping his bounds.

    But Murad’s decision remained unchanged.

    “Wicked Christians, you will surely pay for the lives of those three thousand.”

    Murad clenched his right fist tightly, hidden from the eyes of others. However, a more pressing matter had just presented itself, demanding his attention. Constantine Dragases.

    Through this ambush, Murad had come to a bitter realization—only Dragases could truly oppose the might of the Ottomans. He wondered if it was mere coincidence that he recalled the words spoken about Dragases by the soldier he’d encountered in Nemeapatre.

    This too may be a trial from God; we will prove to the heavens that we are worthy of His choice through our own efforts.

    “A trial bestowed by God…”

    Under normal circumstances, he would have laughed at the absurdity. How ridiculous, for one who rejects the will of God to speak of divine trials. But Murad could no longer dismiss it so easily. Those who fail to overcome their trials are unworthy of fulfilling prophecy’s promise. As the heat of his anger slowly began to cool, a cold and ruthless instinct whispered within him.

    Dragases, are you the trial that God has sent me?

    He had vowed long ago to crush Dragases, to topple the final hope of the millennium-old empire. And the more he pursued that goal, the more he understood why Dragases was called the last hope. A knight and a king, a figure who could unite people on the battlefield and in spirit. A miraculous last hope for those resigned to ruin.

    Thus, he would let him go.

    He would allow the prince to lead his followers into Athens.

    “We will advance slowly, mending the losses from the ambush at our own pace—slow enough to give the prince ample time to enter Athens.”

    Everyone present signaled their agreement, except for Paliotes, who looked bewildered, unable to comprehend the Sultan’s reasoning. Was he planning a siege? Paliotes confusion was justified—this was different from the usual course of action. Yet Murad showed no sign of hesitation.

    With a devout silence, his eyes alight with a cold, burning flame, Murad calmly took his seat.

    Go on, retreat into your fortress.

    No matter how high your walls may be, they cannot protect you from the Sultan’s wrath.

  • About a Dating Sim Where Dating Is Impossible Chapter 92

    The development was nothing short of perfect.

    Even Murad, who possessed keen insight and tenacity, had ultimately been deceived.

    How many sacrifices had been made to achieve this? Of course, it was gratifying. The surge of triumph was undeniable. At last, as the battlefield unfolded according to his will, the prince nearly lost even his greatest weapon—his negative judgment. He even entertained the thought that perhaps now was the time to put an end to this battle.

    To reach this point, he had concealed his very survival, even from his own soldiers. He had deliberately discouraged his people, sending them into Murad’s hands to preserve his remaining strength. Not only that, but to divert Murad’s attention in a direction far from the main force, he had sacrificed hundreds of soldiers as mere pawns.

    Even that had not been enough. To exploit Murad’s suspicion of feints, he had deliberately initiated the first attack with a feeble arrow volley. He had even delayed the encirclement of the Sipahis on purpose, drawing them into the fight.

    He had fought so hard for victory.

    Just once—just this once—could he not claim a great triumph?

    But excessive greed only invited disaster.

    Tearing himself away from the lingering temptation, the prince turned his gaze to the battlefield—a place where life after life was coming to an end. Only then did he steady himself, calmly resuming his command.

    “Relay to Ivania to push the troops forward. We must not give them a chance to rescue the Sipahis.”

    The infantry under Ivania’s command served as the anvil to pin down the enemy’s main force. Now was the moment when the ferocious assault on the extracted Sipahis was taking place. They could not afford to allow the enemy to regroup and withdraw without gain.

    And now, the immense resources poured into equipping his troops were paying off. How could he not feel proud to see his soldiers standing their ground against the mighty Ottoman army, an accomplishment no one in Europe had easily achieved?

    A formation of pikes, reinforced by heavy infantry guarding its vulnerable flanks—a simple, steadfast strategy. Yet, the stronger the soldiers’ training and the higher the quality of their equipment, the more formidable this formation became.

    The Ottomans, mostly light infantry, had been caught off guard by the ambush and were unable to fully leverage their numerical advantage. This was a historic day—the first time the Morean army had gained the upper hand in open battle after enduring nothing but retreats and defeats.

    Yet, despite the infantry’s success, the most crucial role in this battle still belonged to the knights.

    The Sipahis had been created precisely to counter Western Europe’s powerful knights. Even the mighty Ottomans had been forced to acknowledge the martial prowess of these warriors. It was only fitting to use the knights against them. And now, with the Sipahis entangled, soldiers wielding massive, scythe-like weapons closed in, accelerating their attrition.

    Ordinarily, the prince himself would have clashed with the Sipahis. But this time, another figure had taken his place.

    “I told you to bow your heads, you infidel scum!”

    A bold knight, tossing aside his broken lance and drawing his sword. A man with an easy confidence, one who called the prince his cousin without hesitation, now demonstrated his courage on the battlefield. Just before speed clashed against speed, he twisted his blade with skillful precision, beheading his enemy with effortless ease—his wealth of experience evident in every motion.

    Just keep going.

    A rare smile crossed the prince’s lips, unable to suppress his satisfaction. If things continued as they were, crushing the mighty Ottoman army in a decisive victory would no longer seem impossible. Even the prince himself briefly allowed such a thought to take root—let alone the others.

    However, ever aligned to danger, the prince swiftly noticed the subtle shifts in the battlefield.

    Ivania’s advance had slowed compared to the initial ambush. The Ottomans, who had previously been in complete disarray, were now forming ranks. Their movements were becoming precise, like interlocking gears turning in perfect coordination. The prince trembled, his shoulders quivering as he gazed up at the moonless night sky.

    “Even a single victory, gained by a mere stroke of luck, is not permitted…”

    A commander forced to retreat from a battle that seemed all but won—what greater disgrace was there? Cursing himself, the prince clenched his reins. Not yet. But once the Ottomans had fully regained control, even the opportunity for retreat would be lost. Now, while they still held the advantage, while they could still be sure the enemy would not give chase—this was the perfect moment to withdraw.

    One final strike—then a swift retreat.

    Unlike before, the prince donned his bloodstained helmet, raising his lance high as he bellowed from the depths of his chest:

    “We launch our final assault now. We will drive them back in one decisive strike and then withdraw! Adriano on the right flank must remain alert for any possible ambush!”

    His teeth ground together in frustration, the sound grating in his ears. Though his helmet concealed his expression, everyone understood his feelings.

    Even so, his voice remained firm.

    “And I shall lead the final charge.”

    A roar erupted in response, and with that, the prince spurred his horse forward. Having kept himself in reserve precisely for such a moment, there was no allied force blocking his path. Like a force drawn irresistibly into the enemy’s flank, the prince and his knights surged forward. He caught a glimpse of their shocked expressions, but he did not hesitate. His lance was already leveled at them.

    —BOOM!

    Piercing through multiple bodies, the prince cast aside his broken lance and drew his sword. With a single swing, another head was sent flying.

    The imperial banner had long since been raised high. The twin-headed eagle, symbolizing both the empire and his lineage, now fluttered in the midst of battle—a message in itself. The same message Murad had once sent when he deceived them by concealing his elite guard and his banner.

    If you can do it, so can I.

    The battlefield resounded with cries of panic. The return of the supposedly dead prince shattered the enemy’s morale. The Ottomans, who had barely managed to restore their ranks, faltered once more. Seeking to deepen their disarray, the prince scanned the battlefield for the enemy commander’s banner.

    And at that moment, his gaze locked onto a man exuding an undeniable presence.

    A figure clad in garments adorned with disciplined luxury, radiating the confidence of a true warrior. Even in this dire situation, he remained calm, surveying the battlefield with keen eyes, adapting and commanding with unwavering composure.

    Among all the men the prince had ever known, only one could display such unshakable resolve.

    And the prince immediately recognized him.

    “Murad…!”

    The prince found himself in a dilemma.

    Should he charge at Murad now, gambling everything on a decisive strike? Or should he retreat as planned, waiting for his trap to tighten further?

    The answer was already decided.

    The prince stared at Murad for a while before finally turning his horse around and withdrawing. At the same time, shouts carrying his intent echoed across the battlefield.

    —”Retreat! Retreat!”

    It was around this moment that another presence emerged beneath the dark night sky. Knowing exactly who they were, the prince felt a bitter taste in his mouth. Even as he oversaw the rear guard of his retreating army, ensuring they wouldn’t be pursued, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

    “So this is the limit after all.”

    —”Retreat! Retreat!”

    The call repeated over and over, urging those reluctant to abandon their victory to withdraw. The prince watched for a long time as the new forces in the distance approached before finally raising his voice himself.

    “The battle is over! Retreat! I command all of you—retreat!”

    —”Retreat! Retreat!”

    Like an echo bouncing off unseen walls, the order eventually moved the soldiers. Setting aside their lingering regrets and unfulfilled hopes, the Morean army slowly began its withdrawal. Though the surprised Ottoman forces hurriedly reorganized and attempted pursuit, their shattered Sipahi and scattered infantry were insufficient for the task. Even Murad seemed to recognize this and refrained from sending the Sipahi after them.

    Fortunately, the newly arrived forces did not recklessly close in. Realizing that the right wing, led by Adrianos, remained intact, the  Greeks merely kept their distance and steadily moved to join the Sultan’s camp. Watching them, the prince muttered to himself in a low voice.

    “One day…”

    One day, I will return before you all as a brilliant hope—one that no one will ever doubt.

    —”Retreat! Retreat!”

    The final cries rang out for the last of the lingering soldiers. Only then did the Morean army fully let go of their longing for victory.

    Only one man, the prince himself, still held onto the embers of his burning passion despite the grim battlefield.

    The battle was over.

    But the war was not.

    With that thought repeating in his mind, the prince finally turned his back on the battlefield.

  • About a Dating Sim Where Dating Is Impossible Chapter 91

    At the time when Murad’s forces clashed with the prince’s army…

    Not far from the battlefield where the fate of the nation was being decided, three thousand soldiers stood atop a hill, unnoticed by either side. The Greek officers leading them had come to a realization—their intervention, at the right time and place, could change the tide of battle entirely. In short, they were observing the situation, waiting to see which side would gain the upper hand.

    Under the pretense of hunting down scattered remnants, they had distanced themselves from the main battlefield, securing an opportunity to tip the scales. There were few as relaxed as they were at this moment. With blood being spilled and cries of agony echoing through the air, they savoured the scene like fine wine, contemplating their next move—a luxury afforded by their years of experience.

    It had always been this way.

    They were the ones who had to welcome new conquerors in place of fallen governments. Those who, amidst shifting tides, had to decide where to point their blades to protect their lives, wealth, and families.

    They were the true power behind the city-states of central Greece, the very reason they had maintained independence between the empire and the Ottomans. These were men who had long grown accustomed to watching blood pour from headless bodies and ever ready to throw themselves into danger when needed.

    And now, even these men had gathered under a single leader—a middle-aged man who hid an unrecognized passion within his calculating gaze: Paliotes. Each of the city-state rulers smiled at him with gratitude.

    “Paliotes, thanks to your timely counsel, we were able to pull back from that hellish battlefield. I don’t even know how to begin expressing my gratitude.”

    “It was only natural. Are we not bound together by fate?”

    “Indeed, we share a common destiny.”

    Amidst their satisfied laughter, Paliotes and his allies never took their eyes off the battlefield. Missing even the smallest clue could mean failing to discern which way the battle was turning. Normally, their influence would have been too insignificant to even consider swaying the battle. But a single unforeseen variable had changed the equation. And only Paliotes had been granted the knowledge to see through the veil concealing the truth.

    Distant clashes of steel and shouts of war echoed across the land. The air was thick with the fear of death and the frenzy of slaughter, all justified in the name of honor and conviction. With every breath of this battlefield’s intoxicating air, Paliotes felt his heart race. Like the others, he closed his eyes, as if savouring the ominous heat of battle.

    But what filled his mind was not the battlefield.

    It was a single man.

    Each time he closed his eyes, the memory surfaced vividly.

    The night after the battle began, when everything under the sky had vanished into shadow, one figure alone had emerged from the darkness. When Paliotes first heard that this man had summoned him, his reaction had been pure disdain.

    “Dragaš… dares to summon me?”

    He had agreed to the meeting for one reason alone. As soon as he learned of the Janissaries’ annihilation, he had moved swiftly to stabilize the shaken Ottoman command. The most crucial task was to delay the Morean army’s retreat for as long as possible.

    Rather than engage in a hopeless fight with their diminished forces, stalling through negotiations was the wiser choice. But for that to work, the other side had to show interest in talks as well.

    Fortunately, with the prince’s fall, that condition had been met.

    Thus, Paliotes assumed that the prince, now cornered, had hastily sent envoys seeking peace.

    But peace had never been an option.

    Not even if they all perished here.

    The massacre at Nemeapatre had already spread throughout Greece. How could they possibly make peace with a man who had thrown thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, into the flames just to halt Murad’s advance? His burning resentment had turned to confusion in an instant.

    The shadowed figure approached, limping, without even a single attendant to support him. He had received no proper medical treatment, his body wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, his armor stained and dirty under the faint moonlight.

    At that moment, Paliotes knew exactly who stood before him.

    “Dragaš.”

    Who in the Balkans did not know that name?

    The final hope of a dying land.

    The last defender.

    The lone lighthouse standing against the stormy sea.

    But Paliotes refused to accept such sentiments.

    How could a man who used innocent lives as bait for fire attacks be called hope?

    If that was truly the case, then perhaps it would have been better if hope had never existed at all.

    Yet even as these scornful thoughts filled his mind, he found himself unable to voice them.

    Before him stood a man utterly wrecked by war.

    His complexion was drained of life, his eyelids heavy as if they might close at any moment. His lips, slightly parted, struggled to draw breath. His armor was drenched in blood, its source unknown.

    Could this wretched figure truly be the prince Dragaš?

    No noble figure Paliotes had ever seen had come to a negotiation in such a state. It was not only a matter of respect for the other party but also an opportunity to present themselves in a manner befitting their honor and glory. But Dragaš was different. He had arrived just as he had emerged from the battlefield, still bearing the marks of brutal struggle, standing before Paliotes without pretension.

    After exhaling a breath laced with pain, Dragaš finally lifted his head and spoke.

    “Are you the commander?”

    “And you must be Dragaš.”

    “I won’t waste words. Deliver this message to the Sultan—tell him we have been defeated.”

    “There’s no need for that. If I capture you here, it’s over. No, in the first place, there was no need to burn Nemeapatre.”

    Paliotes did not trust the empire. Given its history, his skepticism was entirely justified. And because of that, his loathing for Dragaš—the so-called last hope of the empire—was all the greater.

    “Why did you burn Nemeapatre to the ground? Was your country truly worth such a sacrifice? Were you so desperate for the throne? Was Rome’s so-called glory so precious that the lives of thousands meant nothing to you?”

    The questions Paliotes threw at him were the same questions everyone had for Dragaš. Some accepted his decisions as necessary; others could never forgive them.

    “Is the empire truly so important? Do the rulers not see the fallen beneath their feet, blinded by their supposed glory? If that is what an emperor is—someone who drinks the blood of innocents for his own greed—then you are no different. A demon who would cast others into the fires of hell for power!”

    At last, the prince answered.

    “The power of man was far too insignificant.”

    “What nonsense are you spouting?”

    “A man’s hands are too small to hold onto everything. No matter how tightly one grasps, everything slips away like grains of sand.”

    Dragaš clenched his right hand into a fist. Slowly, but firmly.

    “So I had to let go of some things, one by one. So that even if some slipped through, I wouldn’t lose my grip entirely.”

    At that moment, Paliotes saw something different in the battered prince. He understood why people called him the last hope.

    “The old glory that was lost—”

    The prince no longer cared about the honor once associated with the name of Rome.

    “I will not loosen this grip as long as it is to protect the sovereignty and freedom of those who follow me.”

    “…”

    “Even if I must burn cities, even if I must set the world itself ablaze… even if tens of thousands of lives stain the cross I bear—if, at the end of it all, peace remains for those who follow me, then I will do so without hesitation. That is my answer to you.”

    —Unconsciously, Paliotes’ hand, gripping his horse’s reins, trembled.

    Lost in deep reminiscence, Paliotes opened his eyes once more. Now, he understood why the prince was considered the last hope. He now knew that Dragaš was a man willing to give everything for the empire.

    And yet—

    “It’s time. Time to serve the Sultan.”

    —Once distrust takes root, it does not fades so easily.

  • I Am the Only Tower Master Chapter 7

    [The Trial Begins.]

    I remained vigilant, not letting my guard down.

    “…….”

    For now, everything was still, but I knew this silence was just the calm before the storm. I kept scanning my surroundings, staying tense.

    Vwoom.

    A sound echoed.

    Quickly turning around, I noticed a green light flicker once on a tile several hundred meters away.

    Then, from that tile, a glowing blue arrow was fired with a thunk!

    ‘That’s a Mana Arrow!’

    I hurriedly conjured a shield in front of me.

    Thud!

    The Mana Arrow struck my shield and scattered into the air. My shield also dissipated after absorbing the impact.

    Vwoom. Vwoom.

    This time, the sound came from both the front and the back.

    ‘Aha, I see what kind of trial this is.’

    I raised a shield in front of me to block one attack and dodged the other by bending backward.

    The Mana Arrow narrowly grazed past my collar, sending a cold sweat down my back.

    This is… thrilling.

    Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

    Three Mana Arrows now.

    The difficulty just skyrocketed.

    I only had one shield—how was I supposed to block all of them?

    Instead of trying, I rolled to the side, dodging them outright.

    Mana Arrows embedded themselves into the floor. But evasion alone wasn’t the solution.

    The hasty roll left a sharp pain in my shoulder.

    And before I could even get up—

    Vwoom. Vwoom.

    Mana Arrows flew toward me from the front and back while I was still off-balance.

    ‘Yeah, relying on large evasive movements has its limits.’

    This cubic space was too confined—if I rolled toward a corner, I’d get trapped.

    That would make blocking the next attack much harder.

    ‘Focus. Stay focused.’

    I widened my eyes and spread my arms.

    I didn’t know if this would work, but I had no time to hesitate.

    I had to cast two spells at once.

    I recalled the magic circle’s structure, which I had memorized in three stages.

    First, the field.

    Second, the rune.

    Third, the formula.

    I then spread my palms and calmly began drawing the magic circles.

    No need to overthink it.

    Like holding a pen in each hand and sketching simultaneously.

    Fortunately, my training paid off.

    As soon as I began tracing the runes, my mana flowed naturally, accelerating the completion.

    I didn’t resist—I let myself be carried by the current.

    The key wasn’t that I was drawing the magic circle.

    It was guiding the mana to complete it for me.

    Swish. Swish.

    The magic circles were completed. Just before the arrows pierced me, I activated the magic in both hands.

    ‘Shield!’

    Thud! Thud!

    When I opened my eyes, I saw the Mana Arrows bouncing off my shields.

    ‘Success!’

    [You have acquired the Multi-Casting trait.]

    “……!”

    My jaw dropped.

    For two years, I had struggled to obtain just one trait.

    Yet, a single moment of realization had unlocked this one.

    I barely had time to celebrate before green lights flickered from three different directions.

    I checked their positions and cast shield magic circles with both arms.

    Two attacks blocked by shields. The third, aimed at my head, I dodged by tilting my head back.

    After surviving that wave, I quickly dashed away from the cube’s edges toward the open center. Staying near the corners was too dangerous.

    ‘Alright, let’s see who wins.’

    I was fired up now.

    Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

    This time, the sounds came in sequence.

    Not simultaneous, but a staggered attack from all directions was just as threatening.

    After roughly identifying the angles, I cast two shields in the front and back using multi-casting, then immediately prepared the next spell.

    This time, not a shield.

    A gauntlet.

    By the time the gauntlet magic circle reached 70% completion, the Mana Arrows arrived.

    Thud! Thud!

    The two shields I had cast absorbed two shots, and I lifted my leg to dodge the third.

    As soon as I successfully evaded, I slipped my hand into the newly completed gauntlet magic circle.

    Swish.

    The magic circle transformed into a glove of energy, enveloping my right hand.

    At that moment, two arrows came at me from both sides, aiming for my chest and head.

    I sprinted to the right, swinging my gauntlet-clad hand to deflect one arrow.

    “Kh…!”

    Then, spinning on my heel, I extended my arm toward the last incoming shot.

    Recently, I had discovered a new trick with the gauntlet.

    ‘Activate!’

    Boom!

    The mana condensed in my gauntlet erupted, creating a shockwave that deflected the arrow.

    [Your proficiency in Gauntlet Magic Circle has reached 80%.]
    [Your Mana has increased by 1.]
    [Your Agility has increased by 1.]

    “Ooh…”

    A shiver ran down my spine.

    I wasn’t fighting a monster, yet the thrill of controlling the battlefield to my advantage was exhilarating.

    Adrenaline surged wildly, and every cell in my body sang with life.

    Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

    My eyes moved frantically, fully immersed.

    ‘Two from the left and right. Two from the front and back. Then back to the sides.’

    A mix of simultaneous and staggered attacks.

    The difficulty was reaching insane levels, but it didn’t matter.

    Bring it on.

    I spread my arms and conjured shields.

    Thud! Thud!

    As the arrows struck the barriers, I threw myself to the side.

    I thought I had dodged perfectly, but while I avoided one, another struck my shoulder.

    “……Kgh!”

    My first hit.

    And the pain was very real.

    For a moment, my vision flashed white from the sheer agony, but I forced myself to focus.

    Without even looking at the incoming arrows, I thrust my arm forward.

    ‘Shield!’

    A vivid image of the shield forming in an instant flashed through my mind.

    And then—

    Thud! Thud!

    The shield manifested just as the arrows struck.

    [You have acquired the Quick-Casting trait.]
    [Special Attribute – Willpower has been unlocked.]
    [Your Willpower has increased by 1.]
    [Your Mana has increased by 1.]

    “Heh… Ha… Hahaha!”

    My body ached from rolling on the ground.

    Blood poured from the wound where the arrow had hit.

    But for some reason, I couldn’t stop laughing.

    I was ecstatic.

    It felt insanely good.

    Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom. Vwoom.

    Green lights flashed in rapid succession from all sides.

    Of course, I had no intention of backing down.

    As I extended my arms, my shields formed even faster than before.

    [Shield Magic Circle proficiency has reached 100%.]

    ‘The Sage’s Eye‘ perfectly calculated the trajectories of the incoming magic projectiles.

    I tilted my head, twisted my limbs unnaturally, dodging like a master acrobat.

    [Your Agility has increased by 1.]

    Despite my efforts, one arrow still lodged itself into my back.

    Clenching my teeth, I conjured two gauntlets and thrust my hands into them.

    [Gauntlet Magic Circle proficiency has reached 90%.]

    I deflected an arrow with my left gauntlet and blocked another with my right arm.

    Rolling backward, I activated my left gauntlet mid-motion, detonating an arrow with a blast of force.

    Then, as I stood, I simultaneously cast shields to my left and right, blocking the next attack.

    “One last shot, front and back!”

    It was too late to put up a shield.

    Instinctively, I leaped upward, thrusting out my right hand, which bore the final gauntlet, without any precise aim.

    “Activate!”

    Boom!

    The gauntlet’s blast propelled me like a booster, and by a hair’s breadth, the arrows grazed past my body.

    My reckless evasion led me to crash into the blue barrier, but the pain from the impact was nothing compared to what could have happened.

    Springing back to my feet, I felt a surge of exhilaration course through my entire body, and I let out a roar.

    [Your mastery of mana has ascended to a new level.]
    [The trait Child of Mana has reached LV2.]
    [The trait Multi-Casting has reached LV2.]
    [The trait Accelerated Casting has reached LV2.]
    [Magic Power +5]
    [Concentration +1]
    [Willpower +1]

    Wow!

    I felt completely refreshed.

    All my past struggles flashed through my mind for a moment. I had spent months undergoing player-exclusive training just to increase my strength stat, yet it barely rose by a single point.

    I had tried archery to boost Agility.

    I had memorized arcane languages to improve Concentration.

    There was nothing I hadn’t attempted.

    But the efficiency was very poor.

    Earth’s training methods had clear limitations. Meanwhile, my combat-specialized peers were leveling up rapidly by clearing dungeons and slaying monsters.

    I would be lying if I said I wasn’t envious.

    I had hit a wall. I had been stuck in place.

    But now—

    I was the one growing faster than anyone else.

    Vrrrm—

    “…!”

    The sound suddenly changed.

    When I turned my head, I saw an unfamiliar red light flickering across the tiles to the side.

    ‘Red? What does that mean?’

    This was different from the usual patterns.

    Feeling uneasy, I preemptively put up a shield.

    The red light took longer to charge than the green one.

    While four mana arrows had already been fired, the red light continued to flicker without launching anything yet.

    ‘What the hell is this?’

    As my attention momentarily shifted to the mana arrows flying toward me from behind—

    Boom!

    A crimson bolt of lightning erupted from the wall.

    It pierced straight through my preemptively raised shield and struck me directly.

    “Urgh!”

    I collapsed on the spot, my knees giving way.

    The pain was excruciating, but worse, my body was paralyzed and refused to move.

    And the mana arrows weren’t about to wait for me to recover.

    Thud!

    An arrow embedded itself into my left shoulder.

    Thunk! Thwack!

    Another pierced my thigh, then my waist.

    “Grgh…!”

    It hurt.

    It hurt like hell!

    Blood streamed freely from my wounds, and my vision blurred.

    For the first time, fear crept in.

    Trial or not, I might actually die here.

    I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood and forced strength into my limbs.

    Finally, I managed to move my right arm—

    Only for another arrow to pierce straight through my shoulder.

    The pain sapped my strength instantly, leaving my arm dangling uselessly.

    “Damn it!”

    My eyes darted toward the exit magic circle.

    With every ounce of willpower left, I began to crawl.

    Mana arrows continued to lodge into my limp left leg.

    Using my right leg and injured shoulder, I dragged myself forward like an insect.

    “…Huff! Huff!”

    At some point, the pain had dulled.

    My vision was fading, the world turning into a hazy black-and-white blur.

    I can’t die.

    I refuse to die like this.

    Mustering every last shred of my consciousness, I kept crawling.

    Arrows kept sinking into my back.

    If someone were watching from above, I must have looked like a grotesque pin cushion.

    “Argh…!”

    With my trembling left arm, I reached for the exit magic circle.

    Crunch!

    A mana arrow tore through my elbow, but in that final moment—

    My fingertips barely brushed against the magic circle’s edge.

    [You have abandoned the trial. Transferring you outside.]

    With that message, my consciousness was severed.

    “…Huff!”

    I jolted awake, gasping for air.

    I was lying in front of the second-floor portal.

    Am I… still alive?

    Frantically, I checked my body.

    All the arrow wounds had completely healed.

    For a second, I wondered if it had all been an illusion.

    But my shirt and pants were drenched in blood, riddled with holes.

    More than anything, I could feel it—

    The sheer, overwhelming mana flowing through me, stronger than ever before.

    “…Shield.”

    I activated the spell.

    Effortlessly, without even needing to think, my mind calculated the formulas and runes to form the shield.

    It was the effect of having 100% mastery over the Shield Magic Circle.

    Overcome with excitement, I quickly opened my status window.

    Name: Kim Yushin
    Innate Ability: Sage’s Eye
    Personal Traits:
    [Child of Mana LV2]
    [Master of the Mage Tower LV10]
    [Magical Engineering LV10]
    [Spell Lord LV10]
    [Obsessive Focus LV6]
    [Potion Crafting LV5]
    [Analysis LV1]
    Base Stats:
    [Magic Power: 67]
    [Agility: 9]
    [Strength: 6]
    [Stamina: 5]
    Special Stats:
    [Concentration: 5]
    [Intelligence: 3]
    [Endurance: 2]
    New! [Willpower: 2]

    Total Stats: [99]

    New Traits Acquired!
    [Multi-Casting LV2]
    [Accelerated Casting LV2]

    “…Ha, haha! This is insane!”

    The growth I achieved in the trial had stuck.

    In that short span of time, my stats had skyrocketed, and I had gained two brand-new traits.

    Most hunters only had three or four personal traits on average—

    This was beyond ridiculous.

    I burst into laughter like a madman before collapsing onto the stairs, drained.

    “Hahhh…”

    So many thoughts flooded my mind.

    It was said that overcoming the trials placed by the previous generation was a tradition for the Tower’s master.

    The pain had been unbearable, but it wasn’t designed to kill me outright.

    At the very least, the trial ensured growth.

    Perhaps some kind of amplification magic had been placed over the entire ordeal.

    I wanted to challenge it again immediately.

    But my body was utterly exhausted, and I needed time to analyze that strange red lightning.

    For now, I would rest.

    Tomorrow, I would unlock the second floor.

    With that decision made, I sprawled onto the ground.

    ‘Let’s see who wins this.’

    The thrill of growth had overshadowed the fear of death.

    I was truly enjoying this trial.

  • The Regressed Extra Becomes a Genius Chapter 34

    “Student Kim Sun-woo, Student Yoon Hayoung. That was a very high-level duel.”

    Jang Ancheol spoke while looking back and forth between me and Yoon Hayoung with a satisfied expression.

    At the unexpected praise, Yoon Hayoung smiled brightly and bowed her head.

    “Thank you.”

    “Student Yoon Hayoung, your skills have improved tremendously in just a few days. Seeing how the manifestation of your magic has become more distinct, it looks like you started training from the basics again.”

    “Yes, I refocused on elemental and form training as Sun-woo advised.”

    At Yoon Hayoung’s words, Jang Ancheol gave me a curious look.

    “Elemental and form training. That’s an accurate piece of advice.”

    Saying that, Jang Ancheol then turned to me.

    “By the way, Student Kim Sun-woo, I noticed that you mainly used reinforcement magic in today’s duel. Is there a particular reason for that?”

    The reason I focused on reinforcement magic…

    I thought about how to answer but decided to just be honest.

    “It’s to compensate for my lack of mana.”

    “…Is that so? If that’s the case, why not just switch your specialty to reinforcement magic? From what I saw in your movements, you’re quite skilled.”

    Jang Ancheol made the suggestion with a serious expression.

    I didn’t expect to hear someone tell me to change my specialty again after previously being advised to move away from support magic.

    “I belong to manifestation magic.”

    At my response, Jang Ancheol chuckled as if he found it amusing.

    “Is that so? With physical abilities like yours, it seems a shame to stay in manifestation magic.”

    He muttered to himself as if deep in thought before continuing.

    “Hmm. What a waste. I think I understand how Teacher Kim Yunjin must have felt. Well, it’s your choice. Do your best.”

    The next day.

    After lunch, there was an hour of free time. Students either ran around the field or spent time on their own.

    I sat on a bench and used my smart student notebook to access the internet, checking on international affairs whenever I had the chance.

    What should I look at first?

    I entered the news tab and clicked on a headline.

    [The blatant murders by demonic beings have begun. Four murder cases have been discovered just this week. The Mage Association has announced that they are putting all efforts into tracking them down.]

    It was an article about Jang Ye.

    I wanted to report her immediately, but even if I did, there was no proof that the human-disguised Jang Ye was actually a demonic being.

    The only ways to distinguish between a demonic being and a human were to catch them in a rampage or use a special tool called the “Mirror of Truth.”

    However, that Mirror of Truth had yet to appear in the world—it was a reward item from the 25th floor of the Tower of  Survival.

    ‘Still, she must be feeling the pressure.’

    She had been actively committing murders for the past few days, but nothing had happened yesterday or today.

    It seemed she was being cautious due to the Mage Association’s heightened surveillance.

    She would probably be even more careful with her actions moving forward.

    “Hmm…”

    As I scrolled through the articles, another one caught my eye.

    [Hanseong Pharmaceuticals discovers a special medicinal ingredient. All drug effects expected to increase by up to 20%…]

    Just as Han Se-yeon had predicted, the article had been published today.

    In the accompanying photo, Han Se-yeon was elegantly dressed, looking quite impressive.

    The comments were overwhelmingly positive.

    Since she was both the daughter of a conglomerate family and highly competent—not to mention her striking appearance—she had built a likable public image.

    Thanks to that, Hanseong Pharmaceuticals’ stock price was skyrocketing.

    The value of the 2 billion won I invested yesterday had already surpassed 2.5 billion.

    By next week, it would likely exceed 3.5 billion.

    “Heh.”

    A memory from my past life surfaced.

    I had spent three years diligently saving money just to buy an apartment in Seoul.

    Every morning, I commuted to the guild, risked my life clearing dungeons and towers, and worked tirelessly.

    The earnings I made were then split among guild members.

    Being a mage was a dangerous profession, but it was also one of the most lucrative.

    Still, as a C-rank mage back then, I would have needed at least three years of effort and time to earn a few billion won.

    Yet now, by simply utilizing my knowledge of the future, I had made this kind of money in just three weeks.

    What kind of life had I even been living before my regression?

    “The world is truly unfair.”

    Time passed quickly.

    To prepare for the midterms next week, I trained on my own every day after school.

    And before I knew it, it was Sunday.

    As usual, I was at the physical training room, building up my strength through exercise.

    By increasing my food intake over the past few days and gradually raising my workout intensity, I had gained some muscle.

    Of course, the biggest credit went to the “Returner’s Wristwatch,” which had a stamina recovery effect.

    “Huff! Huff!”

    Panting, I momentarily stopped running and sat on a bench, drinking water in large gulps.

    “Every time I see that guy, I’m amazed by his endurance.”

    “Yeah, he always looks like he’s about to drop dead, but he never stops running.”

    “It’s sheer determination.”

    I heard murmurs around me, people speaking as they watched me in disbelief.

    Ignoring them, I stood up after a five-minute break.

    It was time for weight training.

    I added 80kg plates to each side of the bar and lifted it.

    “Urgh!”

    Thanks to reinforcing my muscles with mana, I was able to bench press over 180kg with ease.

    “Wait, isn’t he a manifestation mage?”

    “Yeah, I think so. I heard he originally specialized in reinforcement magic but switched to manifestation.”

    “Seeing how well he handles strength enhancement, he seems wasted in manifestation magic.”

    “I don’t get it either. Why switch and end up ranking last in the school? Haha.”

    Did these guys come here to work out or to gossip?

    “Phew.”

    I wiped my sweat and added more weights.

    With this, including the bar, the total was now 200kg.

    “Huff.”

    Taking a deep breath, I lifted it up.

    “Ugh!”

    Got it!

    [‘800 Mana-Weighted Total’ achievement unlocked.]
    [1,000 points have been awarded as a reward.]

    “Whew.”

    I did it.

    Safely placing the bar back on the rack, I closed my eyes and lay back on the bench.

    Another new record achieved today.

    Considering my body weight, this was an absurd figure, but it was possible because I strengthened my muscles with mana.

    Unlike mana training, physical conditioning showed immediate results, which I found satisfying.

    As I enjoyed that feeling of accomplishment, a female voice spoke from beside me.

    “Hello.”

    I lifted my head to see a strikingly beautiful woman smiling at me.

    It was Jang Ye.

    “Hello.”

    I greeted her with a calm nod. I didn’t know why she was approaching me, but it was important to act naturally.

    She nodded back and said,

    “We’ve met before, haven’t we? You’re Seo-Jun’s friend, right?”

    “Yes, that’s correct. But why do you ask?”

    “I was just curious about something.”

    “Curious?”

    “Do you have any siblings?”

    Siblings?

    “There isn’t.”

    “What about other family members?”

    I grasped the intent behind the question.

    She must be suspecting whether I had any connection to the one who killed her father, Jang Han.

    Still, why is the pattern always the same?

    Do you have siblings…? Do you have family…?

    “No. I don’t have any family. I’ve been alone since I was a child.”

    In reality, I did have family, but at least in this world, I was set up to be without one.

    “Oh, I’m sorry.”

    Jang Ye put on a slightly flustered expression. As expected of a demon whose daily life was an act, her acting skills were excellent.

    “It’s fine.”

    “Your name is Kim Sun-woo, right?”

    “Yes.”

    “This might sound rude, but I found out your name from a MeTube video.”

    “Oh, that’s fine. I’m used to it.”

    At my words, Jang Ye smiled.

    “I see. You just reminded me of someone I know, so I asked. Since it’s not the case, I have nothing more to say. Sorry for taking your time.”

    She was about to leave when a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

    The one and only way to quickly eliminate her with my own hands.

    A way to be alone with her.

    “Senior!”

    At my call, Jang Ye halted her steps and turned around.

    “Yes?”

    “I’d like to get to know you better. Can I contact you?”

    I said with the brightest smile in the world.

    [Character ‘Jang Ye’ feels discomfort toward you.]
    [You have received 500 points as a reward.]
    [You have achieved the ‘First Rejection’ milestone.]
    [You have received 1,000 points as a reward.]

    “…Ah, damn.”

    I got rejected.

    I had asked if I could contact her with my best killer smile(?), but she completely shut me down.

    —Sorry. You’re just not my type… I’m okay with us being good seniors and juniors, but personal contact is a bit much. Sorry.

    “…Ha.”

    Since she was a demon, I hadn’t actually meant what I said, but still, being turned down like this made me feel really awful.

    Demons do have romantic feelings.

    Some demons even hide their identities and date humans.

    I hadn’t seriously intended to get involved with Jang Ye, but now that it had happened, I couldn’t help but feel bad.

    “This is so demoralizing…”

    If she was going to reject me, she should’ve just done it cleanly.

    Why the unnecessary excuse about ‘not my type’?

    And more than anything—‘discomfort’?

    I approached her politely, didn’t I? What’s the issue? My face?

    Just as I covered my face with my palm and wallowed in self-doubt—

    “Kim Sun-woo, stay strong.”

    A voice of consolation came from behind me.

    When I turned around, Shin Young joon was looking at me with a subtle expression.

    “What?”

    “I saw it all.”

    “…Saw what?”

    “Tsk. You sure have high standards.”

    [Character ‘Shin Young joon’ pities you.]
    [You have received 500 points as a reward.]

    “…”

    Shin Young joon patted my shoulder.

    I had no idea where to even begin refuting him.

    But no matter what I said, he wouldn’t listen.

    I let out a sigh of resignation.

    “Think whatever you want.”

    “Hey, what the hell is this?”

    “Crazy, right?”

    A small café in Seoul.

    Jung Yoon-seul was staring at the screen of a smart pad in shock.

    On the screen, a male student was rapidly dispelling a barrier set up inside a dungeon. His skills were so astonishing that it was hard to believe even after watching it.

    “Is this even possible?”

    “I know, right? It’s absolutely insane.”

    When the video ended, Jung Yoon-seul replayed it again. Even on a second viewing, it didn’t make sense.

    Support-type magic was composed of complex magic formulas.

    To dispel it, one had to analyze and interpret the formula from scratch, which wasn’t an easy task even for veteran support mages.

    Yet this student had done it in just one minute.

    It wasn’t just talent—it was something beyond exceptional.

    “What’s this guy’s name?”

    “Kim Sun-woo.”

    “This guy’s the real deal. Back in the day, I used to be called a prodigy, but he’s on another level.”

    At Jung Yoon-seul’s muttering, Kim Yunjin spoke.

    “The problem is, Sun-woo has no intention of specializing in support magic.”

    “What? He’s not a support mage?!”

    Jung Yoon-seul shouted in disbelief.

    The people in the café turned to look at them.

    Feeling embarrassed, Kim Yunjin lowered her voice and whispered.

    “…No.”

    “Wait, he has this level of formula analysis ability, and he’s not even using support magic as his main specialty?”

    “Not even as a secondary specialty.”

    Jung Yoon-seul blinked in shock at Kim Yunjin’s response.

    “Are you serious?”

    “Yes. I tried really hard to convince him to switch to support magic, but he refused. He was so firm about it that I gave up. Listening to him, it felt like he had some kind of reason.”

    “A reason? What kind of reason would make him give up on this talent? Hah, this guy’s interesting.”

    Jung Yoon-seul scrolled through other videos.

    Week 1, Week 2… and now Week 3.

    Since he had achieved this speed three weeks in a row, it was proof of true skill rather than coincidence.

    Was something like this even possible?

    “This is fun. Really fun.”

    “I figured you’d react this way, Master.”

    “If it’s me, sure, but any support mage would react the same way.”

    At that, Kim Yunjin chuckled softly.

    “That’s true.”

    “What could it be? Maybe he unlocked some kind of special trait?”

    “A trait? Hmm… But is there a trait that perfectly deciphers magic formulas? That’d be way too overpowered.”

    “You’ve got a point. Traits usually just assist the user’s abilities, not outright do the work for them.”

    Jung Yoon-seul finished the remaining coffee in her cup.

    “Anyway, I have to meet this guy.”

    TL : This is what the main character looks like, so you can’t blame the girl, to be honest.

    Description of Image

  • A doomsday-level returnee devours calamities Chapter 34

    Even while running his mouth, Gi-jun’s mind was working quickly.

    ‘There’s no way he can’t use it forever. He probably just needs a certain amount of time before he can cast the same spell again.’

    “……”

    “Right? Gotcha, didn’t I? Huh? You think keeping quiet will fool me? I can see right through you trying to act calm and composed.”

    “……Even so, nothing changes.”

    Hitoshi admitted it without resistance.

    The restriction of his sorcery was simple: Once used, the same spell could not be cast again until a full day had passed.

    Originally, Hitoshi had been nothing more than an ordinary office worker who liked video games.

    Wake up in the morning, go to work, clock out in the evening, and spend the night playing mobile games—his one and only joy in life.

    He was a cog in the machine, living mechanically, but he had no particular complaints about it.

    But anomalies always strike without warning.

    One night, after falling asleep as usual, he opened his eyes to find himself inside the world of Jujutsu Malevolent Shrine (呪術伏魔殿), the indie mobile game he had been playing most passionately.

    A cliché straight out of web novels and anime.

    If he had been the protagonist of a story, he would have stumbled upon miraculous encounters and legendary artifacts, effortlessly rising to prominence.

    But unfortunately, he was just another nameless NPC.

    His only asset was his shallow knowledge of the game.

    And it wasn’t even like he was particularly good at it.

    He wasn’t a high-ranking player.

    He wasn’t a veteran.

    He was just your average casual gamer.

    At most, he had spent about 300,000 won on the game.  *205 USD

    That was it.

    So he crawled through hell.

    Struggled. Fought. Survived.

    The world itself was built on despair, meaning every single day was a battle to stay alive.

    When he was younger, he had daydreamed about being transported into another world, embarking on grand adventures alongside beautiful companions.

    But dreams were just that—dreams.

    When his favourite mobile game became his reality, he quickly realized how foolish that fantasy had been.

    Reality was cruel.

    That was all there was to it.

    Hitoshi’s story wasn’t anything special.

    He endured for twenty years just to stay alive, and then one day, he was suddenly back in reality. And somehow, he ended up as a Tree administrator.

    If a teenager suffering from middle school second year syndrome had made up a half-baked backstory on the spot, it wouldn’t sound any different.

    But this was the life Hitoshi had actually lived.

    He was simply grateful he had managed to return from that hell alive.

    Looking back, it was thanks to all that suffering that he had even been able to join Tree in the first place.

    It had also led him to meet good people.

    “What? You got trapped in a game world? Damn, that’s one of the worst ones. Must’ve been rough. But in the end, you survived—that’s all that matters.”

    When he first heard those words, Hitoshi felt genuinely glad to have joined Tree.

    He had started at the lowly Epsilon rank, but through sheer grit, he clawed his way up to Delta.

    Because he wanted to grow stronger.

    Because he wanted to protect his comrades.

    Though his recollection had only lasted about two seconds, it had been more than enough for Gi-jun to focus his mind.

    “You done meditating?”

    As Gi-jun moved his hand, the debris on the ground simultaneously rose into the air.

    Whooosh!

    The jagged fragments shot toward Hitoshi’s chest like a storm of shrapnel.

    “Summon of the War God.”

    A crimson aura enveloped Hitoshi’s body.

    Every time his dual blades moved, the incoming projectiles fell harmlessly to the ground.

    ‘Fucking hell. This is a pain in the ass.’

    Gi-jun had already figured out there were limitations to his sorcery, but his abilities showed no signs of stopping.

    ‘Another enhancement-type spell?’

    Before Gi-jun could even process his thoughts, Hitoshi charged in like a hurricane.

    His twin swords danced with ruthless speed.

    “There’s nowhere left to run.”

    “I wasn’t planning to run.”

    Gi-jun, who had been stepping back, suddenly stopped.

    He grabbed the dagger tucked inside his sleeve, deflected Hitoshi’s blade, and closed the distance in an instant.

    “!”

    His movements were completely different from before.

    Hitoshi reacted slow, barely managing to parry the dagger, but then—

    BAM!

    Gi-jun’s fist, reinforced with telekinetic force, slammed into Hitoshi’s abdomen.

    “The warm-up’s over, bastard.”

    BOOM!

    A thunderous impact echoed as Hitoshi’s body was hurled backward.

    ‘…Isn’t he supposed to be specialized in ranged combat?!’

    The sheer power was far beyond his expectations.

    Flustered, Hitoshi struggled to regain his balance, but Gi-jun was already on him, launching a relentless follow-up attack.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Dagger strikes and fists rained down without pause.

    Hitoshi fought desperately to defend himself, but he could only manage to block the deadliest blows—he was losing control of the fight.

    ‘This is his real strength?!’

    He had been confident in his close-combat skills, yet now he was barely keeping up with Gi-jun’s movements.

    “See? That’s what happens when you keep running your mouth.”

    Gi-jun’s telekinesis, combined with the martial arts he had honed during his military days, formed a deadly combination.

    His self-developed combat style—a hybrid of close-quarters dagger techniques and telekinetic reinforcement—was unleashed in full force.

    As blood seeped from multiple wounds on Hitoshi’s body, Gi-jun intensified his assault.

    But despite everything, none of his attacks had landed a decisive blow.

    On the surface, Gi-jun maintained a relaxed, poker-faced demeanor, but inwardly, he was starting to feel impatient.

    ‘There’s no time. I need to finish this quickly.’

    The prolonged use of his telekinesis was starting to take its toll—his head was beginning to throb.

    ‘If I show any signs of strain now, everything I’ve built up will crumble. I have to endure.’

    But Gi-jun wasn’t the only one feeling the pressure.

    Hitoshi, too, sensed the urgency of the situation.

    Miyuki had already lost her match.

    If he fell here as well, he wouldn’t be able to face his teammates.

    ‘I didn’t want to use this… but there’s no way I’m losing to some damn Koreans.’

    The reason for his intense hostility—

    Part of it was due to his attachment to his team.

    But at the root of it all, Hitoshi despised South Korea.

    Because in the past, a Korean administrator named Taesan had utterly crushed the mentor he had once revered.

    “Never look down on South Korea again.”

    He still couldn’t forget the sight of the senior he had so admired foaming at the mouth and wetting his pants.

    Because of that—He absolutely could not lose.

    “Deal with the Evil God.”

    Mustering the last of his strength to create distance from Gi-jun, Hitoshi plunged one of his swords into the ground. Then, with the other, he slashed his own hand, letting his blood drip down.

    “The price is…”

    Hitoshi activated the most powerful sorcery he had—Deal with the Evil God.

    Its ability was simple.

    Just as the name suggested, it was a transaction with an evil god, where the user could offer something in exchange for an equivalent reward.

    The offering could be anything related to the user.

    It didn’t have to be physical—he could sacrifice his lifespan, his memories, or even a part of his body.

    “My lif—”

    But just as he was about to name the price, Hitoshi abruptly fell silent.

    His body froze at the sight unfolding before him.

    The air was filled with weapons of all shapes and sizes.

    “Are you done with your little performance?”

    Every blade Gi-jun had on him, from the daggers in his coat to the various training weapons prepared for sparring—

    Even the shattered fragments created by their battle—

    Every single one floated in perfect formation, densely packed, as if forming a storm of blades ready to be unleashed.

    A smirk crept across Gi-jun’s face as blood trickled from his nose.

    He ignored it and continued.

    “You dumbass. That sorcery of yours obviously looks dangerous as hell—who the hell would just stand there and let you use it?”

    “……”

    “Goodbye.”

    Just as Hitoshi resigned himself to his fate and whispered the final price, the weapons rained down.

    KWAGAGAGANG!

    A deafening roar filled the space. The relentless downpour of blades lasted about a full minute before finally coming to a stop.

    When the dust settled, Hitoshi’s figure emerged from the wreckage.

    His body was filled with different weapons, though miraculously, his head remained intact.

    “Tch. Ungrateful bastard. I even let you keep your damn life.”

    Slumping onto the ground, Gi-jun wiped the blood from his face before glancing toward the transparent barrier where Taeseong’s group was watching.

    Then, just like Oh Haeyoung had done earlier, he casually flashed a peace sign.

    “Haah… Seriously, that was a pain in the ass.”

    Collapsing onto his back, Gi-jun tasted the metallic tang of blood in his mouth.

    With a final thought—that he really needed to train his psychokinesis to avoid nosebleeds next time—he lost consciousness.

    The first to speak was Xiao Yun.

    Clapping his hands in approval, he remarked,

    “Wow. He’s got a more interesting way of using psychokinesis than I expected. That kid might actually be worth training.”

    When Ito remained silent, Xiao Yun turned to him.

    “Ito. You should respond.”

    “Y-yeah.”

    This time, Xiao Yun turned his gaze to Taeseong.

    “Hmm. What did you think, Taeseong?”

    “I found it entertaining.”

    “Right? What’s that kid’s name?”

    “Yu Gi-jun.”

    “Yu Gi-jun… Did you expected him to win?”

    Taeseong nodded without hesitation.

    Not just expected—he had been certain.

    “Yes.”

    And then—

    The door burst open.

    Yato, her face twisted in fury, strode in and roared,

    “Ito! How many times have I told you not to cause trouble?! I was gone for just a moment to make my report, and you couldn’t even wait that long before stirring up another mess? That’s it. This time, I’m really going to—”

    Then, belatedly noticing Xiao Yun, Yato’s face stiffened in shock.

    “Xiao Yun… Administrator?”

    “Hey there, Yato. Still as pretty as ever.”

    Her demeanor shifted in an instant.

    From a woman fuming with rage to someone treading carefully, as if walking on thin ice.

    “T-thank you… But why are you here?”

    “Me? I came to see cute little Ito. What, am I not allowed?”

    Yato’s face darkened visibly.

    “…No, of course not.”

    “Don’t look so grim. I really did just come to watch.”

    “…Understood.”

    Internally, though, Yato was screaming.

    She had already been at her wit’s end dealing with her brother’s reckless actions, and now, of all things, there was a monster here whom she couldn’t afford to offend.

    ‘There’s nothing to gain from provoking this guy. I need to get out of here.’

    Making up her mind, Yato turned to Ito and ordered,

    “Ito. We’ll talk about this later. For now… just end this ridiculous match, gather the team, and clean up the mess. Understood?”

    “……”

    “Answer me.”

    “…Understood.”

    Just as the situation seemed to be settling, Xiao Yun cut in.

    “Wait a second. Ito.”

    “Uh… yeah?”

    “Who’s up next?”

    “Me… and that Joseon bastard.”

    Hearing that, Xiao Yun’s lips curled into a smirk.

    “You and Lee Taeseong, huh?”

    Ito nodded hesitantly.

    Xiao Yun’s eyes flicked to Yato.

    “Yato.”

    “Yes, Administrator Xiao Yun?”

    “Sorry, but I have to stay and watch this one.”

    “……”

    A heavy silence filled the room.

    In that moment—one second stretching into eternity—Yato’s mind raced frantically.

    After a long pause, she carefully chose her words, speaking as politely as possible.

    “Administrator Xiao Yun… Lee Taeseong is still only at the Delta rank. If he were to get seriously injured in this match, we’d have no face to show the Korean branch. Wouldn’t it be better if we…”

    But before she could finish, Taeseong interrupted.

    “I don’t mind. This works out well. Both of you—come at me together.”