Chapter 193: Wizard of Wizards (13)

Chapter 193: Wizard of Wizards (13)

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Crack!

"Hmm. It has improved quite a lot. Shall we conclude the training here and move on to the main topic?"

"Ye-yes, I understand...."

Rustle, rustle,

His pronunciation was badly slurred due to his shattered teeth piercing his tongue.

As he lifted his head embedded in the thick wooden floor, he saw his crumbled teeth falling out from where his cheek was torn. The sensation of firmness tingled up from the roots of the teeth pouring out.

‘Ugh, I'm not even a shark.'

Even from my perspective, the scene was grotesque, let alone for someone watching it from the front.

My crushed eye regrew, and after rubbing it for a while, the Great Mother was inspecting my tattered body with her one remaining eye up close.

"Although I heard the explanation..... It's a rare scene even for someone like me who could be considered long-lived."

"Ye-yes. It's kind of gross. I mean, I'm not a shark or anything."

"That's not what I'm saying. The limbs torn apart by my hands, the crushed flesh. There's nothing particularly abominable about it."

It was a boast, this human.

"What I am talking about is the style of your combat. It's an interesting combination, capable of withstanding some damage, swift and aggressive like the Haram monks. It even gave me the chills."

"Ah, yes...."

"Hmm? Aren't you pleased? Almost no one has received praise from me for their physical prowess in over 70 years."

Well, it's a bit complicated. Because even I don't understand how it's all happening.

In the morning too, and even after being dragged out again after eating.

After exerting myself until I was utterly drained, I definitely felt it.

My movements were following some memory without my knowledge.

‘The skill book given by the Archbishop.... Was it called the Radiant Fist? It seemed to end with just an assist effect typical of swordsmanship or martial arts systems.'

Typically, the effect of a skill book in swordsmanship or martial arts is to guide the body along the path of the technique with a sensation like being pushed by a magnet and to apply various enhancement effects.

Now that I think about it calmly, all that had come into my mind. Not like a memory of ‘Oh, I should do this here!' but more like dragging and dropping a compressed file all at once. Although I have no memory of learning it, it definitely had a place in the back of my unconscious. So deeply ingrained that my hand naturally followed that trajectory even when I desperately reached out.

‘It's probably related to being halfway to an NPC. I started living the way the inhabitants of this world do.’

It wasn't hard to guess why this phenomenon occurred.

If we assume that all the vibrant NPCs in this GG world were created based on the data of users who passed through here,

The data of Mr. A, who lived his life as a salaryman and then worked only in Dome's production line until his death after the apocalypse,

Was transformed into something like,

‘A sensitive and fastidious innkeeper who turns out to be a retired sword master with a lot of affection.'

It was a technique of naturally injecting memories, like the skill that had entered his mind now. Editing human memories to store them wholesale was simply another step.

‘Hmm, manipulating a person's only memories. It's quite scary... But honestly, a bit exciting?’

No wonder I was keeping up so well in a fight against a top-tier hero unit. Even if the Great Mother had manipulated the odds in my favor, such a high-class combat would have been impossible without this upgrade. I was moving my body and thinking, ‘Me? Did I do that?'

But will these inserted memories come with me when I go outside?

If, having lived my life as a gunman and only learned fighting and grappling as a hobby, I acquire close combat skills strong enough to withstand a 300-year-old elven monster?

Whiff, whoof!

I swung my fist while lying on the wooden floor. The description of ‘speed of light or something' didn't seem to be a lie as my fist moved swiftly and sharply.

‘I don't know what this Radiant thing is, but it feels like a mix of Krav Maga and Jeet Kune Do...’

Imagine taking this with me. Well, my body might be a bit of an issue, so let's say I go back to my original form, almost like mounting a robot.

In a large laboratory that seems cramped just by its presence, a monster whose sheer dying form can only suggest the powerful strength it once held, is not moving haphazardly but displaying precise movements with its strong physique.

Dodging tank shells with weaving, breaking orbits with low kicks, and popping tank turrets off with uppercuts...

‘Wow, that's insane.’

Crazy. The romance boils over. If I get out, maybe it would be nice to live a few months in that monstrous body I saw in videos, like the robot cartoons I watched as a kid.

Honestly, Vex, with just a knife, crawling in and coming out bloody soon after was kind of cool with that [Clear] signal. I wanted to try something like that too.

‘I want to go out. I want to go out and check!'

Of course, right now, it's a far-fetched dream. I need to somehow clear this World 3 to find a solution.

Crack, creak! Creak!

"Ugh, oh my back."

"One of them, too. Even I am getting old, yet I stay put, but why do you do the same, young one?"

"Age doesn't matter when you're kicked hard enough to bend your back like a bow. Ah, or isn't that so? Usually, you'd die from such a kick."

Having confirmed that his severed spine was slowly getting back in place, Professor rose to his feet and spoke to the Great Mother.

"Ugh. I'm recovered enough to discuss things, so let's get to this ‘main point' you mentioned. You surely didn't call me here just to beat me up, did you?"

It seemed like going down with the Great Mother wasn't going to work out.

Having rested enough, and the group having regained most of their spent energy by now, it was time to get to work. In Roderick, they must still be holding back Mute who keeps charging at them relentlessly.

At my words, the Great Mother gave a knowing smile and casually sat down beside me sprawled on the ground.

"Ugh. A conversation with the emperor... The forest elves know all too well that being at odds with the emperor does no good, so if it’s successful, it would certainly allow us to cross the boundaries of the forest. But the problem is time, isn’t it?"

"It's time."

Although there was reluctance, the main issue at this hour was the nobility of the empire, who aren't simply available for meetings. If one isn’t known by a particularly distinguished name, one must build a reputation and go through a series of related quests to catch the eye of the nobility for a mere five minutes of their time. Even pushing through to meet them based on a champion’s name value, getting them on board with my plan would take forever. In the meantime, Roderick would be completely ruined and turned into a house of mourning.

In other words, regardless of difficulty, this method was simply not feasible.

“I also have some connections with the empire as a mage of the Reedflow School, but... it seems difficult to proceed quickly. So, what’s this worse second option?”

"..."

Puhaaaa...

Professor exhaled a deep sigh as if wishing the ground would swallow him.

"Damn it, Captain. What’s with the suspense?"

"Damn it. It's something I hate even to mention."

I wished it was a joke, the kind I hoped for.

"Now, go and find the only people who trade with the elves and seek their help. At least the forest elves show up to exchange goods, so meet and talk to them there."

"....Hmm?"

The relaxed demeanor of my companions upon hearing my suggestion made me wonder why I had been so dramatically apprehensive.

"That's.... not a bad proposal, is it?"

The werewolf's expression seemed to question why I had made such a fuss.

Certainly, when viewed ordinarily, one side was the emperor of the empire and the other side was merchants trading with elves. The difficulty of persuading them was clearly skewed towards one being significantly easier than the other.

The problem was that this was not an ordinary situation at all.

As everyone was filled with hope, Lucilla alone turned pale and spoke with a trembling voice. Apparently, being a merchant, she knew who those involved in bringing in elven-made goods were.

"Yo-you mean trading with the forest elves... you're talking about ‘those’ people?"

"Yes. ‘Those’ people."

"No way. I'm out. I don't want to take such a risk...."

"Who are they that you make such a fuss? Are they barbaric nomads who kill people and scalp them?"

"Ha, that’s not even a fair comparison. Comparing barbarians on horseback to those people?"

"Enough, I can't stand it. Who are they? These elf traders you speak of!"

....Gulp.

That name, so burdensome to even mention, had been danced around. I hated it, but it was the only viable option left.

"The Wind Mages."

"....What?"

"Mages, I'm talking about mages. Wind Mages. It’s said that merchants use Wind Mages to smuggle goods across the Blue Line, lifting trade items over the mountains in the same way, trading with the elves. We’re supposed to meet these mages and get into their trading apparatus to meet the elves."

The mention of mages restored some vitality to the faces of my companions, which then quickly faded.

Glancing sideways, my companions alternated looks between Aldrich, me, and Ottman.

"Hmm, adding more mages here...."

"Considering the antics a single average mage gets up to in a month, if you gather this many mages and add another...."

"Yes, yes. Probably the concerns you all have will come to pass."

What will happen? No one knows. The truly frightening thing is that no one can predict what will happen the moment you're together with those mages.

Wind Mages, also known as Air Realm Mages, were notoriously unpredictable in character.

What if a Water Mage or a Fire Mage vanished before your eyes?

Ah, you could guess, "This one must be in the water," or "That one must be starting a fire somewhere."

Wind mages, however, were not such easily predictable beings. They were the kind who, just a second ago, might say, "I'm feeling like tomato soup today because my stomach's upset," only to demand, "Bring me lamb steak and whole wheat bread, two servings of Paul Deneuve," as soon as the menu arrives.

Mages harboring wind attribute mana were the epitome of the capricious nature often attributed to magicians. Like most mages, driven by the desire to become one with the element of the mana they wield, they were wanderers of the world, never staying in one place, embodying the spirit of roaming mages.

The Wind Mages, a sect without a magic tower, among the rarest of the four elemental mages—water, fire, wind, earth—were central to what the Great Mother had called the ‘easier' method.

"Let's go with persuading the emperor."

"I think the emperor sounds better, Captain."

"What?"

"Let's just get safely back to the caravan, please...."

When it was time to declare the emperor's method as virtually impossible, everyone unanimously recommended it.

"....I'm sorry it has come to this."

"Aaaaah! Cursed be the guidance of mana! O currents of fate!"

"Grrr! It wasn't meant to be! If not for those slavers, we wouldn't have to endure such tragedy!"

"Sniff, sniff.... After all my efforts to save up money, to go like this without even getting to spend it...."

"....What?"

Regrettably, as I announced that we had no other choice, the group erupted in lamentations, all except Notum, who still hadn't fully grasped the spicy nature of mages, just cocking her head in confusion.

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