184 - The Floating City (1)

184 - The Floating City (1)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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On the rooftop terrace of Chimseong Palace, Zion gazed up at the pitch-black night sky and the stars twinkling faintly within it.

Slowly, his hand reached toward the stars. Following its movement, a darkness deeper than the night began spreading across the sky. When this spreading darkness reached its peak, crunch! Zion's outstretched hand clenched into a tight fist.

In that moment, the darkness radiating from his hand instantly condensed. From below, it looked as if Zion's darkness had completely devoured one of the stars in the sky.

Along with this, black stars began rising in the surrounding night sky. These black stars stopped increasing after going from five to six.

"Still can't reach six stars, huh," Zion muttered with slight disappointment in his eyes.

The Black Star Force grew faster the more battles he fought and the stronger his opponents were. That's why Zion thought he would surely reach the next level after fighting the Remnant of the Frost Queen Tainted by Evil, who was stronger than him, and the Six Claws, who possessed similar power.

However, Zion's level remained at the edge of five black stars. While this alone would be beyond belief to others, it fell short of his expectations.

'Probably because I relied more on divine artifacts than the Black Star Force in both battles.'

He would need to refrain from overusing divine artifacts' power.

'Though it's not like I could overuse them anyway.'

The power consumption was truly beyond imagination.

Finishing his thoughts about the Black Star Force and divine artifacts, Zion's mind turned to the hero's party who had departed days ago.

'They should have reached the demon realm's border by now.'

They would have been inside already if not for the condition Claire Frosimar, the hero, had set before heading to the demon realm.

That condition was simple: help her gather all her companions from before her regression to enter the demon realm together.

This wasn't particularly difficult for Zion, so he immediately contacted Tirian and Elysis to join the hero's party.

While it might seem like he was sending away two people he had just recruited, Zion didn't see it that way.

'They'll all end up under me anyway after returning from the demon realm.'

In fact, they were already halfway there.

Moreover, at this point in time, being by the hero's side would be far more beneficial for their growth than staying with Zion.

The hero's destiny of salvation would help elevate them to even greater heights.

'This should be enough to delay the great war, so now what needs to be dealt with is...'

As his thoughts reached this point while gazing at the night sky, a strange light suddenly entered Zion's eyes.

"Right on time."

What appeared in his vision was a massive city.

A city floating in the sky rather than on the ground, gradually approaching the capital while partially obscuring the moon.

The floating city of Adegrifa.

The world's only aerial city and Zion's next destination.

---

Where in the world was magic most advanced?

When asked this question, people named two places.

First was the Magic Society of Lebrion, located in Hubris, the empire's capital. This place contained the essence of all knowledge from every magic tower in the empire and was considered a holy land among magicians.

The second was the floating city of Adegrifa.

Created about two hundred years ago by several dragons, this city was different in nature from Lebrion.

While Lebrion was a holy land exclusively for human magicians, Adegrifa was where the highest-ranking magicians of all races gathered.

In some ways, it could be considered superior to Lebrion.

Moreover, though called a city, with 99% of its residents being magicians, it might as well have been called a magic tower.

And currently, at the gate of this floating city...

"They should be arriving soon..."

A magician with dragon-like features stood waiting with numerous attendants.

His name was Ackendelt.

He was the vice-mayor of the floating city and ranked ninth in magical hierarchy among the city's highest-ranking magicians.

The reason Ackendelt was standing at the gate connecting to the outside world with his magicians was due to the triennial exchange with the empire's Magic Society.

Even with only the finest magicians gathered, stagnant water eventually goes bad.

That's why the floating city placed great importance on and encouraged such exchanges.

This was why Adegrifa, which normally drifted across the world's skies without staying in one place, came to the empire's capital and remained for several days.

"Is it true that Ahmad Ozlima is included in this imperial delegation?"

"Indeed. That's why even I came out to greet the delegation."

Ackendelt nodded in response to the dog-headed attendant magician's question.

While he didn't know what had prompted someone who had stayed locked away in the Grand Magic Tower to suddenly emerge, it was good news from their perspective.

"I'm looking forward to it. I hope both sides gain much from this... But is he really coming up too? That..."

"You mean Prince Zion Agnes?"

Though his appearance was the same, he could have passed for a completely different person.

"..."

Zion, who had approached Ackendelt without him noticing, stared at him intently.

"G-Greetings to His Highness Prince Zion Agnes!"

The vice-mayor, finally coming to his senses, hastily bowed to Zion.

As if his cry was a signal,

"Greetings to His Highness Prince Zion Agnes!"

Ackendelt's attendant magicians also bowed their heads to Zion.

Zion slowly surveyed the crowd as if looking for someone.

Then, in a voice so languid it bordered on lethargic,

"Let's start with a tour of the city."

---

"This is the district where manipulation-type magicians' research laboratories are gathered, and its name is..."

While Vice-Mayor Ackendelt of the floating city had somehow ended up volunteering as guide and accompanying the delegation,

"Isn't it amazing, Your Highness? How a city can function so well despite having only magicians."

Zion let Ahmad's words from beside him go in one ear and out the other as he recalled what he needed to do here.

Two events would occur in this floating city.

First was the city's fall.

Second was the assassination of a certain individual.

'Though the second event is more important for the future...'

The more urgent matter was clearly the first event - the floating city's fall.

The city would plummet onto the capital Hubris exactly three days from now.

It would be a catastrophe comparable to the 'Frozen Night'.

Of course, Zion had already figured out how to prevent it.

'I should at least scout the location first.'

As he carefully observed one of the places they had been shown while thinking this,

"Today's schedule ends with the city tour, and the official exchange conference begins tomorrow."

Ackendelt, who had been occasionally glancing at Zion with disbelieving eyes, spoke up.

"Additionally, we'll hold the 'Magic Proxy Battle', considered the highlight of the exchange. I'm sure Your Highness would find it quite interesting. Would you like to observe?"

"I'm afraid I can't observe."

Zion smiled slightly as he replied.

"Do you have other plans?"

"I need to participate rather than observe."

The first step in preventing Adegrifa's fall.

"What? What do you mean..."

"Um... Vice-Mayor."

As Ackendelt expressed confusion at Zion's words, one of his attendants approached with a strange expression, holding out a specially magic-coated paper.

"What's this?"

"It's the list of magicians from the empire and floating city participating in tomorrow's 'Magic Proxy Battle'."

"Why suddenly...!"

The vice-mayor's eyes began to widen as he scanned the list he had received with questioning eyes.

Zion Agnes.

The name was written at the very end of the empire's list of magicians.

"Your Highness is participating in the proxy battle?"

"Is there some law against it?"

"No, but..."

Despite his words, Ackendelt's eyes were filled with disbelief and questions.

Regardless of his power level, Prince Zion wasn't even a magician to begin with.

'What is he thinking? He'll just lose without even putting up a proper fight. And why did the empire's side even approve this?'

His questions grew endlessly, multiplying one after another.

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