Trap (1)
Jung Ha-yeon’s explanation didn’t disappoint anyone’s expectations.
In the control room, there were a few users with only a basic understanding of magic, particularly those related to close-range spells. Perhaps with them in mind, her interpretation was refreshingly straightforward, devoid of the usual complexity associated with wizards. Her explanation was simple and concise, free of any technical jargon.
Yet, she managed to convey the precise facts and key points, so by the time she finished, everyone in the control room was nodding in agreement.
In essence, according to Jung Ha-yeon, the protective magic barrier had four main characteristics:
Instead of following the body’s internal circuits, the magic is activated and maintained through a unique process inscribed in the magic circle.
While the barrier is active, any external magic cannot affect the inside.
The magic within the barrier is frozen while it is active.
The size and scale of the barrier can be adjusted at will by the caster.
Of course, these conditions only describe the inherent properties of the magic circle and do not escape the relativity of magic. For instance, if I were to use the power of fire, I was confident it could affect the inside, even if it was generated externally.
The heated atmosphere in the control room gradually cooled, and everyone seemed lost in thought.
The interpretation was over. Now it was time to uncover why this particular magic circle had been set up.
“Blue Moon Mage, I have a question.”
A familiar voice resonated softly in the control room. Turning slightly, I saw Seon-yul, the tarot card magician, raising her hand.
“You mentioned that the magic inside the barrier is frozen. Could you elaborate on that?”
“I’m not entirely sure, but I can answer to the best of my knowledge. What exactly are you curious about?”
“I’m curious about the exact difference between completely blocking external magic and freezing the internal magic.”
“Now that you mention it, I’m curious too. Why would they set up a barrier that restricts not only us but themselves as well?”
Seon-yul’s question seemed to resonate with a few users, who nodded in agreement.
“Well… it’s essentially a matter of preservation. Inside the barrier, magic that has already been activated can be preserved.”
Jung Ha-yeon answered with a slightly troubled expression, as if the question wasn’t easy to address. Seon-yul’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“Are you saying that magic activated before the barrier was created can be preserved while the barrier is active? Is that why you used the term ‘frozen’?”
“That’s correct. But this only applies within the confines of the barrier and doesn’t escape the relativity of magic. The protective magic barrier is an ancient magic circle with over 80% unique interpretation. It’s quite different from modern magic. So, magic that doesn’t match the barrier’s wavelength can’t benefit from the preservation effect.”
“Phew. That’s somewhat reassuring, though it’s still a bit unsettling.”
“Ancient magic circles aren’t common, unlike modern ones. Moreover, as the official name suggests, the magic barrier is designed for support. A barrier with opposing properties, even if it’s an ancient one, is unlikely to match the wavelength.”
Jung Ha-yeon ended her explanation with a question, indicating her uncertainty about the matter. But no one would blame her for that. The fact that she could interpret it to this extent was impressive enough.
“Warp Gate.”
It was then that Jo Seong-ho, a diplomatic officer from the Goryeo Clan, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up as if something had occurred to him.
“If there’s an auxiliary ancient magic circle in Barbara, wouldn’t it be the Warp Gate?”
At that moment, those quick on the uptake, particularly those knowledgeable about magic, let out small exclamations.
Jo Seong-ho’s suggestion made sense. Assuming the wavelengths matched, activating the Warp Gate while the magic barrier was in place could preserve its function. In other words, they intended to use the Warp Gate as safely as possible while the barrier blocked external attacks.
“Even if they left some behind in other cities, there must be at least ten thousand people in Barbara. They can’t all use the Warp Gate at once, so they must have devised a method.”
“Oh, so the enemy doesn’t know about the New World operation!”
Of course, Jo Seong-ho’s words were just a hypothesis. However, seeing Jung Ha-yeon and Seon-yul nodding, it seemed they thought this theory was the most plausible.
The previously quiet control room began to buzz with activity again. The thought that the enemy was considering escape before the battle restored some of the confidence that had been slightly eroded by tension.
Finally, the Goryeo Lord let out a long sigh and stood up resolutely.
“What’s the status of the northern and southern operations?”
“We’re moving swiftly with the goal of reclaiming all cities simultaneously. They plan to commence operations as soon as they arrive, so we should have results in three or four days.”
“Three or four days…”
The Goryeo Lord paused in the center, surveying the surroundings before speaking in a low voice.
“I’m curious how they’ll react when the Warp Gate is cut off.”
The dawn on the Barbara plains was cold and silent. Not a sound could be heard, except for the footsteps of thousands marching forward, trampling the grass.
Barbara gradually came into view. Despite the plan to rest well tonight, there was a noticeable presence on the city walls.
This morning marked the first real clash between the Eastern and Western continents and the vagabonds. The Eastern forces, not in a hurry, planned to exchange firepower, according to the Goryeo Lord. But considering that most battles in the Hall Plain were decided by magic, today’s battle would undoubtedly be a key indicator of future victories or defeats.
“Hold.”
The Goryeo Lord’s low command. Yet, due to the silence and the voice amplification magic, the users’ steps halted in unison.
“Establish positions.”
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th divisions began to move busily.
The 1st division, close-range users, would defend against arrows at the front.
The 2nd division, archers, prepared their arrows for sniping.
The 3rd division, wizards, readied their attack spells to unleash firepower.
The 4th division, priests, prepared large-scale defensive holy spells.
The 5th division, assassins, stood by.
The formation was quickly established about 250 meters from Barbara. Each division began their preparations under the command of their respective leaders.
”───. ───. ───.”
”───. ───. ───.”
”───. ───. ───.”
”───. ───. ───.”
The most impressive sight was the 3rd and 4th divisions, where the wizards and priests were.
The Western Gate unit consisted of about 5,000 members. Though each spell was different, the sound of nearly a thousand users chanting simultaneously was grand and majestic.
Soon, a tremendous flow of magic crossed between the city walls and the plains.
Wooong! Wooooooong!
The plains were no longer dark. Each hand or staff was enveloped in a dazzling array of colors, illuminating the surroundings.
Thanks to the many users skilled in rapid casting, it didn’t take long to complete the spells for the first attack.
Having finished her own spell, Seon-yul, in charge of the 2nd division, raised her arm high. In her hand was a blazing card.
It was time to begin.
Seon-yul released the card with a chant.
“Amplification!”
With a flash!
The card, which had been floating in the air, briefly gained dimension, and a light green barrier unfolded in the air along its edges.
“Fire!”
And at the sound of “Fire.”
”!”
With a deafening roar, the magic imbued in the users’ weapons erupted. Hundreds of spells soared into the sky, the sound so intense it reverberated through the eardrums, sending a thrilling sensation through the body.
Suddenly, I felt my lips trembling slightly. Even though it was just the beginning of the battle, there was an inexplicable rush of excitement.
The spells, tracing thin arcs, converged on the barrier Seon-yul had set up.
Then it happened.
“Acceleration!”
Seon-yul’s voice rang out once more.
Swoosh!
The spells, which had been tracing gentle arcs before the barrier, changed trajectory as they passed through it. The magic, momentarily lingering at the barrier, accelerated rapidly toward the city walls as if an accelerator had been pressed.
It was a perfect right angle.
Hundreds of spells drew clean, straight lines as they surged toward the base of the city walls. Like a torrential downpour or a fierce shower, countless magical raindrops fell toward the walls like shooting stars.
Of course, the enemy wasn’t idle. The flow of magic that had been felt earlier suddenly stopped. I was curious to see how they would respond to the thousands of spells pouring in from four directions. I focused my gaze on the city walls.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
And at that moment, their counterattack began. From the western gate’s walls, hundreds of spells were launched in a dazzling display of explosions.
But the target of those spells wasn’t us—it was the empty sky.
“Are they acknowledging the difference in firepower from the start?”
It was clear they had priests on their side, yet they aimed their spells at the sky instead of us. This could only mean they didn’t trust their priests to block our attacks, so they were trying to reduce our firepower with magic.
The clash of spells happened in an instant. In the now-empty sky, the magic from both sides collided. The real battle of firepower had begun.
Flash!
Once again, brilliant flames and a deafening roar harmonized. It was like a grand fireworks display, with beams of light bursting forth from the impact, and stray sparks shooting up like fountains before falling back down.
The result of the first exchange was immediately clear.
Whoooosh….
A massive mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke painted the sky. As the smoke spread, a noticeably reduced number of spells became visible, cutting through the haze.
And the spells that hadn’t lost their power struck the walls directly.
Boom! Boom boom!
Rumble, rumble!
Crackle! Crackle!
Then it happened. The sound of the defensive magic on the walls being battered was followed by ten streaks of lightning striking down unimpeded.
“Is that… lightning?”
Given the nature of magic that can manipulate clouds, it seemed they had been waiting for the smoke to clear. They hadn’t expected the lightning to follow with such a delay. The subsequent lightning strikes certainly bolstered the initial magic.
As time passed, the thick smoke thinned. From what could be seen, their barrier seemed to have withstood the initial barrage of spells.
However, the target wasn’t the barrier. The greatest strength of my brother wasn’t just his overwhelming power, but his precise control over magic.
Crack! Crackle!
With the sound of a crack forming in one part of the wall, black smoke began to rise from various spots. The wall seemed to hold for a moment, but then a section on the right crumbled with a harsh noise.
Crash!
In that fleeting moment, my brother had pinpointed a spot beyond the barrier’s reach and struck it with lightning.
“……”
Whoooosh. Whoooosh.
The true siege had begun.
And the first day’s battle of firepower started with the eastern forces holding the advantage.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Oh dear, it’s quite late today. Still, I’m glad I managed to keep up with the daily updates. Haha. The war segment won’t drag on for too long. Probably. I’ll be skipping over the stalemate parts and heading straight for a decisive showdown. :)
『 Reader Comments 』
Deshkar: Congrats on being first! Haha. Yes, the first spot is yours, Deshkar. (?)
DarkSeol: Gasp. No way. A wig for personal use? ㅜ.ㅠ
dbss: No, Hyun isn’t the leader of the vagrants. Think of him as one of the top brass. :)
CheonyeonCheonyeon: Hahaha. Stay tuned. It’ll be fun. It won’t be a one-sided flow. It’s a twist in perspective. Hehe.
Amish: I’m so sorry, but I love you, all lies. ㅜ.ㅠ My apologies!
DontWantToJoin: Yes, the unicorn is a divine beast. When I say dance, just imagine it flailing its legs wildly. Hahaha!
Melis: Corrections made. Thank you!
NewbieForever: Yes, it’s mentioned in the content. The field effect is currently deactivated. :D
Gyarurururu: It’s not a death flag. That wasn’t the intention. :)
Sensitive: ! Wow, for that reason? Impressive.
Thank you all for reading. I hope you always enjoy the story with a relaxed mind.