Chapter 30: The Mad Magician

Rumors spread fast.

When the figure in the rumor is someone like the Imperial Sword Saint or a Cardinal of the Holy Nation, the spread is even faster.

Moreover, it happened at a banquet full of people.

The rumor that started in the southern city of Sauer spread to every nearby city and village within a few days.

“Have you heard? The Imperial Sword Saint appeared in the city of Sauer.”

“That’s not all. I heard someone actually fought against that great Sword Saint. They say… it was a magician.”

A magician who fought against the Sword Saint.

One who commanded the sun and was recognized as strong even by the Sword Saint.

And the reactions to such rumors were unanimous.

“Pfft! What nonsense is that!”

“Right? I thought so too.”

“I’ve met a few self-proclaimed magicians before, and they were all lunatics.”

They dismissed it as nonsense.

A strong magician—just that alone was hard to believe. But to say such a magician stood toe-to-toe with the Sword Saint?

Only a truly naive person would believe such a thing.

And the reason no one cared much about that was the next development.

[The Holy Maiden appeared!]

The appearance of the Holy Maiden.

Many had witnessed the Holy Nation’s White Carriage procession heading one after another toward the city of Sauer.

The rumors about the Holy Maiden spread firmly.

Thanks to that, the rumor about the great magician who faced the Sword Saint…

Was simply summarized as the arrival of a mad magician.

[Rumors about the ‘Mad Magician’ are spreading]

[Reputation increased by 2 Points]

[Rumors about the ‘Mad Magician’ are spreading]

[Reputation increased by 1 Point]

“All well and good, but…”

Hio mumbled to himself, distracted by the continuous stream of messages.

“Why does it have to be ‘mad magician’?”

‘How could the rumor possibly have been distorted like that?’

It was a mystery, but at least reputation points kept coming in periodically.

Of course, since it was just a simple rumor without any real effect, it wasn’t a lot of points.

‘Still, it’s better than nothing.’

This was just the first step taken in earnest.

Though he started as the Mad Magician, eventually everyone would remember him as the Great Magician.

“Sigh.”

He let out a long, slow breath.

[Stat ‘Mana’ +1 increased]

His mana stat had risen again.

Breathing mana occasionally since the Tower of Mages had become a habit, and now he did it daily.

‘I should be able to attempt the 2nd Circle Engraving soon.’

If he gathered just a little more mana, he could challenge the 2nd Circle.

So if he spent his reputation points on mana now, he could attempt the 2nd Circle sooner…

‘No rush.’

He decisively made his choice.

[Purchasing ‘Stamina’ with 10 Points]

[Stat ‘Stamina’ +1 increased]

[Purchasing ‘Strength’ with 10 Points]

[Stat ‘Strength’ +1 increased]

[Purchasing ‘Agility’ with 10 Points]

[Stat ‘Agility’ +1 increased]

[Remaining Points: 8]

Even if he got the engraving, he’d have to return to the Tower of Mages to learn the 2nd Circle spells anyway.

So rather than rushing to increase mana, it was more important to balance the other stats.

After all, to reach the ranks of the strongest, all stats had to be maxed out.

***

After finishing the stat distribution, the door suddenly swung open, and someone strode into Hio’s room.

Hio was currently being treated almost like a Cardinal at the castle.

Protector of the future Holy Maiden and a strongman acknowledged by the Sword Saint.

The counts and dukes who once directed tearful clown shows had no choice but to sweat nervously, unaware of this fact.

Few could open the door to Hio’s sparsely treated room so boldly and enter like that.

No, only one person could.

“Magician.”

The Sword Saint, Vitalianus.

“Let’s spar.”

A brutal duel maniac.

Hio knew the Sword Saint’s personality well.

Even back in the game, his fierce competitiveness was famous.

But the situation now was vastly different.

Back then, Hio was equipped with flashy specs that wouldn’t lose to the Sword Saint.

So just one duel was enough, and after all, it was just a game.

Now it wasn’t a game.

If the Sword Saint swung his sword, Hio’s head would be sliced off in brutal reality.

The duel with the Sword Saint was something he had to avoid at all costs.

“I’m not feeling well today, so let’s do it another time.”

“You said you weren’t feeling well yesterday too.”

“Magicians tend to be sick often.”

“You’re avoiding it too much. I can start anytime; I have no problem.”

“Are you okay fighting when I’m not at my best? I only want to fight when I’m at my peak.”

This was it.

The reason Hio managed to endure the past few days.

“…Take care of yourself. I’ll tell the Cardinal to take special care of you.”

“Maybe my body just doesn’t respond well to Holy Power.”

“…I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Saying he wants to spar when at his best was a perfect excuse for a maniac with a fetish for strong opponents.

But this was almost at its limit.

So far, the Sword Saint had been busy and accepted this excuse.

Now that the investigation was wrapping up, they needed to find a solution soon.

Me.

‘Solution…’

In truth, there was hardly any.

‘Run away secretly?’

There was no way to escape the eyes of that monster.

‘Settle things amicably through conversation?’

If that were possible, it would’ve been done already.

That duel maniac who went crazy at the sight of a strong opponent would never back down until satisfied.

‘Looks like I just have to bite the bullet and have that duel.’

It would be obvious that he was just a weakling with two top-grade skills, but what could he do?

The world always forces the weak to make choices.

With his worries and complaints, the night deepened.

The next day.

“The Sword Saint… left?”

Without leaving a word, the Sword Saint abruptly departed.

“Nothing unexpected.”

***

The three boys who nearly became Heuka.

Despite investigating them, nothing was found.

They were originally discarded puppets.

“Flyweight pests.”

To Vitalianus, the Heuka were like pesky flies.

No matter how many he caught, they endlessly crawled out from somewhere.

Catching them all was a hassle; eradicating them entirely was a huge task.

Well, this was purely Vitalianus’s view, and the Heuka led by Atawolf was definitely one of the large factions.

There was no way such a minor incident could reach the major Heuka players.

Vitalianus knew this and didn’t expect much.

“I have to settle this tomorrow.”

So his mind had already wandered far away.

The duel with the magician.

His heart still pounded thinking of the incident a few days ago.

The Flame of Wrath that dominated the sky.

‘What would have happened if that sacred light hadn’t stopped the two of them that day?’

Even the great Sword Saint had rarely experienced something so overwhelmingly powerful hovering above his head.

No matter how many times he closed his eyes and replayed that day’s events, he couldn’t predict the outcome.

The blue flames that could fall at any time.

A power filled with anger that must never be underestimated.

Of course, the Sword Saint’s aura could even cleave through that mighty flame… but they never decided the outcome.

Before the true victory was decided, it was nothing but a delusion.

So the Sword Saint firmly vowed.

“Tomorrow, no excuses about not feeling well will work, magician.”

Tomorrow, he would make sure the duel happened.

According to Vitalianus, the magician’s nature wasn’t very aggressive.

From the day they first met, hiding his true power and showing false flames proved that.

He was someone who didn’t intend to harm others.

Of course, as soon as he realized the Sword Saint’s presence, he replaced those false flames with real ones… a truly magical feat.

Having witnessed that, the Sword Saint couldn’t hold back.

A magician who avoided fights and shunned attention.

Well, sorry, magician, but this boiling competitiveness can no longer be suppressed.

So the duel would definitely happen tomorrow.

With that vow, Vitalianus headed back to his room.

…He noticed something strange as soon as he entered.

A very faint but unfamiliar presence.

Something had snuck into his room.

How dare they.

Fearlessly.

Vitalianus approached the window.

Though it was a high floor of the castle, for a skilled intruder, this height was no problem.

Sure enough, there were signs of entry through the window.

The marks were blatant.

There was even a note slipped into the windowsill.

Vitalianus’s expression darkened as he picked up the note.

He vaguely knew who had left it.

Reading the short words written on the paper.

“(Collapse)”

Upon seeing that, the Sword Saint immediately slammed the door and left.

He rushed out of the castle, slicing through the night air at full speed.

The content of the note was nothing ordinary, and he intended to run to the imperial palace at full force right away.

‘So… it has come to this.’

The paper crumpled mercilessly in Vitalianus’s hand.

Despite all his worries and preparations, the feared event had finally happened.

He looked down at the note again as if unable to believe it.

A very short, hastily written word.

[Collapse]

The old emperor who ruled the empire had passed away.

The Sword Saint who suddenly left.

‘…Why?’

‘Just because he got fed up all of a sudden?’

***

Hio knew best that this wasn’t the case.

The Sword Saint was a duel maniac through and through.

Few things could make someone like him break his will and leave.

So Hio immediately thought of it.

‘Wasn’t it around this time?’

The emperor’s death.

Though the main story had already diverged, there was likely no Bingija in a position to influence the emperor yet.

So the emperor’s death was proceeding as expected.

Sudden, but expected.

The emperor was dead, and civil war was inevitable.

Formally, the Crown Prince was the current first prince.

The problem was the second prince’s faction rivaled the Crown Prince’s, and his ambition was terrifying.

The old emperor had foreseen this and taken no special measures, which only strengthened the second prince’s power.

Aside from these two princes, there was the third princess.

Almost nothing was known about her.

In the game, she was removed almost immediately after the civil war began.

Though the two princes had solidified a duopoly, it was unknown why the princess was so feared that she was immediately removed…

‘There will be war.’

War was inevitable.

The emperor’s funeral would become a stage for unseen power struggles, and war would break out before the Crown Prince officially became the new emperor.

‘War.’

‘What better environment to raise honor and reputation?’

Bingija from all over would smell it and flock to the opportunity.

The Heuka would expand their operations everywhere.

Big players hiding across the land would emerge, and the longer the war dragged on, the worse the damage.

Eventually, the empire’s strength would weaken and the Heuka’s power would grow.

If that happened, the future would grow even bleaker.

‘How tiresome.’

Tens, hundreds, maybe thousands would die.

The only way to stop the disaster was to end the war quickly.

‘…First, I have to do my part.’

Anyway, he had escaped from the Sword Saint’s grasp.

It was time to move.

The reason Hio chose Fire among the various 1st Circle spells.

The reason he needed the Blue Flame that could burn anything.

Because it was absolutely necessary for his next destination.

A hidden piece only Jijoncheonma, who once possessed the Flame Master trait, could have.

Now it was time to properly grow that power.