Episode 353
It wasn’t just Elder Cairn.
With overwhelming skill, Chris forced every white mage present in the Mage Tower to their knees.
Later, a group of white mages, filled with fury, charged at him together—but the outcome didn’t change.
It wasn’t even that difficult.
‘Trying to face me at the level of mere elders is hopeless.’
The elders of the Mage Tower weren’t weak.
On the contrary, they were strong.
At least rank 6 stars.
There were quite a few rank 7 stars as well.
In an alliance where rank 7 stars and above were extremely rare, this was an incredible force.
It was simply that Chris had grown that powerful.
Now, unless someone was a renowned powerhouse across the entire continent, they couldn’t stand against Chris.
‘Of course, if the Mage Tower’s Sovereign appeared, that would be a different story—but there’s no way they’d participate in a competition like this.’
Besides, Chris knew the Sovereign was currently unable to act.
Watching the Mage Tower mages’ expressions of disbelief, Chris shrugged.
“Pathetic.”
“!!”
“At this rate, I’m starting to worry about how we’ll handle Mahwi when he arrives.”
The mages bit their lips hard, unable to respond.
“As I promised at the start, I’ll tell you what I want. When it comes to capturing Mahwi, cooperate fully with me, the hero. I can’t just leave this to you.”
The Mage Tower elders reluctantly nodded.
‘Good. I’ve got them on a leash, more or less.’
Of course, there was no way these stubborn mages would follow him willingly just because of a bet.
That was fine.
Chris had a way to make them submit completely.
“Before we come up with a plan, we’ll root out the traitor first.”
“…Traitor? What do you mean?”
“Do you think Mahwi would make such a reckless threat alone? There’s definitely a traitor inside.”
Of course, there was no traitor.
It was all a setup.
But that didn’t matter.
They just needed someone to pin it on.
“If we find evidence of demon worship, we’ll know who the traitor is.”
“!!”
Naturally, there were demon worshippers even in the Mage Tower.
They existed in every group.
And Chris already knew who among the Mage Tower worshipped demons.
“Anyone who obstructs the investigation will be considered an accomplice of Mahwi.”
Normally, they wouldn’t have accepted such an investigation so easily, but the timing was perfect.
No one in the Mage Tower dared to oppose it, and Chris swept through the tower, searching for evidence of demon worship.
He investigated thoroughly, as if determined to dust off every speck of dirt from the mages.
‘Honestly, if it was just about gathering evidence, there was no need to go this far.’
The investigation was just an excuse.
It was groundwork for what was to come.
Finally, everything was ready.
“Arrest them.”
“No, wait!”
“Graaah! Let me go!!!”
Evidence of demon worship was found on several mages.
The number was far from small, and the Mage Tower was shaken.
Mages were the kind of people who would sacrifice everything for magic, so it was easy for them to fall to the demon’s temptation.
“Is this the Alliance or the Mage Empire? This isn’t a Mage Tower—it’s a Tower of Demons.”
The mages blushed, unable to say a word.
“There are still many traitors yet to be uncovered. From now on, I, the hero, will lead the fight against Mahwi.”
“That can’t be—!!”
“Or is there someone more qualified than me, the hero? If you try to sabotage me like that, I don’t know who would be happy about it.”
The protesting mages fell silent.
It was a warning.
If they said the wrong thing here, they could be accused of conspiring with Mahwi.
Just then, an urgent voice rang out.
“Breaking news!! A message from Mahwi has arrived!!”
“!!”
—On the full moon, I will punish the sins of the Mage Tower.
Everyone’s faces hardened.
The full moon was tomorrow.
Mahwi even specified his targets in detail.
—The following shall await death: Chief Elder Cairn, Fourth Elder Moron, Executive Committee member Lysak…
There were many.
More than ten names, all key figures in the Mage Tower.
Those named turned pale.
“W-why me?”
“Why am I the target?”
Once they became Mahwi’s targets, their overflowing confidence vanished, replaced by sheer terror.
“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”
“…Your Highness, the hero.”
A voice full of trust.
Chris smiled faintly.
“If you trust me, no one will die.”
And so, everyone in the Mage Tower fell for the ruse.
Chris’s plan was simple.
The members of the Round Table and the Mage Tower mages would gather in one place to form a defensive formation.
When Mahwi descended, Chris, the hero, would step forward with Evan to repel him.
“Isn’t that too dangerous for the hero?”
“But if we don’t do this, there will be heavy casualties. Once chaos breaks out, Mahwi will achieve his goal.”
The mages, especially those named, turned pale.
They were right.
Mahwi alone couldn’t defeat everyone gathered here, but if his goal was assassination amid the chaos, it was a different story.
Considering the skills of the continent’s most notorious monster, the lives of those targeted were at great risk.
The best option was to repel him before that happened.
The problem was the risk the hero would have to bear fighting Mahwi directly.
“I’m the chosen hero. I can handle this risk. Trust me. I’ll make sure no one dies.”
At those words, the mages’ eyes wavered.
No matter how much they disliked the hero, they couldn’t help but admire him after hearing that.
‘Thought he was just a pain, but he really is a hero.’
‘We were wrong to think badly of him.’
Just then, a loud rumble echoed!
Someone had breached the floating island’s barrier.
“Is that… Mahwi? Let’s confirm with remote magic!”
“It’s dark mana! Presumed to be Mahwi! We can’t see clearly because of the dark mana spreading around!”
“Such powerful dark mana? Is Mahwi’s strength really this great?”
Everyone swallowed hard, and even Chris looked slightly unsettled.
‘…Why is the dark mana so strong?’
Chris had summoned someone from the Dark Mages to act as his double, but the level of dark mana was beyond imagination.
‘…Could it be?’
Chris shook his head, swallowing his suspicion, then said,
“It’s our turn. Let’s go, Evan.”
Before leaving, he gave a warning.
“Everyone, no matter what commotion happens outside, do not leave this formation. You’ll only become Mahwi’s prey.”
Everyone nodded.
Even without Chris’s warning, no one would volunteer to become bait.
They arrived at the destination swiftly, surrounded by thick dark mana.
A familiar aura.
Chris smiled with relief.
“Long time no see.”
The owner of the dark mana looked up at him.
A cute little kid with a sullen expression.
“Grandfather.”
It was Nordion.
“Grandfather, you came in person? What’s going on?”
Originally, Chris had considered Count Kazar or Duke Shupen, the Dark Mage’s second-in-command, as actors for the ruse.
They were just the right level.
But unexpectedly, Nordion volunteered to come himself.
“Because of you, you worthless brat.”
Nordion frowned.
In the past, he would have radiated overwhelming authority, but thanks to the anti-reincarnation magic, he felt no such presence.
“Even so, to pull such a crazy stunt right in the heart of the Alliance… reckless to the extreme.”
He came personally because he was worried Chris might be in danger.
‘It’s fine. You worried for nothing.’
Anyway, with Nordion here, the act felt more authentic.
No one could portray Mahwi’s power better than Nordion.
“Have you heard the plan?”
“I have. You want me to pretend to be you and have a fight with that guy over there, right?”
Nordion pointed at Evan.
Evan possessed the same radiant mana as Chris and fought with a similar sword style.
He was perfect as Chris’s double.
‘With the dark mana obscuring vision, no one will know who’s really fighting.’
While the two caused a ruckus, Chris planned to slip away and accomplish his goal.
“Hmm, since it’s come to this, why not bring down the Mage Tower? If you and I join forces, it might be possible.”
“…That’s a bit much.”
Chris looked awkward.
As expected, Nordion was a notorious troublemaker.
Being in the heart of the Alliance seemed to stir his pride.
‘If grandfather came out himself, he could probably take down Sovereign Hepfelman, but that would mean all-out war with the Alliance.’
Of course, Chris planned to capture Sovereign Hepfelman this time—but only as the hero.
“Anyway, I’m counting on you. Evan, do your best.”
Evan nodded and stepped forward.
“I greet the head of the Dark Mages.”
A polite greeting.
Nordion looked surprised.
“You’re the son of that swordmaster, huh? I thought you’d be arrogant, but you show some manners.”
“Only because I’m related to Christian.”
As you could tell by now, Evan wasn’t particularly polite by nature.
But Nordion was the bloodline that made it possible for Christian, the one who would save the world, to exist.
That alone was worthy of respect.
“Haha, you think you know something, do you? I like that. Very well. Since it’s come to this, I’ll teach you properly.”
Clang.
A sword appeared out of thin air right before Nordian’s eyes.
Because of his shrunken form, it was a short sword, about half the length of a normal blade.
Pointing the sword at Evan, Nordian let out a cold, bitter smile.
“I’ll make sure you become someone worthy of standing by my grandson’s side—even if just a little.”
Crash!!
Amid the deafening noise, Chris moved forward.
He thought to himself with some reluctance,
“Hmm, that’s a bit intense. Surely they’re not trying to kill Evan, are they?”
Either way, everything was going according to plan.
As Nordian and Evan caused a commotion, all Chris had to do was secure the target.
“Everyone’s gathered inside the defensive formation, so there’s no one to interfere.”
But that wasn’t all.
Not long ago, while scouring the floating island for evidence of demon worship, Chris had thoroughly mapped out the magical defensive barriers.
That was why he’d been able to reach this place so easily.
Bingo.
Chris curled his lips into a small smile.
This was the sanctum of the Mage Tower.
It wasn’t a holy site imbued with any special energy, but it held importance in another way.
It was where the Sage’s Tome was kept.
“The beginning and the end of white magic.”
Chris muttered as he gazed at the worn book resting at the center of the sanctum.
As the legend went, the Sage’s Tome contained the true essence of all white magic.
Exactly what Christian needed right now.