Magic Monopoly: Reborn as the Sole Magic Tower Master-Chapter 271: Episode

Ha Yerin’s chest swelled with emotion.

Her training hadn’t been for nothing. She was overwhelmed by the realization that she could now fight a Rank 5 monster. More than anything, the fact that she could now stand her ground and protect people instead of running away sent a shiver of joy through her.

’What if I end up in an academic journal or something?’

She indulged in a brief fantasy, but a sudden chill ran down her spine.

Something was pushing through the bushes, coming her way.

That one Wood Troll might not have been the end of it. She needed to get up, but—

’M-My body’s so heavy!’

It was like sleep paralysis; she couldn’t put any strength into her limbs. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move a single finger, and the circles that had been roaring like an over-revved engine had gone quiet.

’Ugh! A spell that risks a heart attack leaves me completely drained after one use? This is useless in a real fight!’

Frustrated, she turned her eyes toward the source of the sound.

A snake-like monster was slithering out of the bushes, flicking its tongue. The slimy, reptilian sight made goosebumps race across her skin.

She had always hated her monster-attracting trait, but never had she resented it as much as she did right now.

’Please...!’

All she could do was pray.

’I don’t care who it is, just someone, please!’

The snake approached, its jaws gaping wide.

Boom!

A blast of heat washed over her, making her flinch. A bolt of flame had shot past her and slammed into the snake’s body.

Hsssss!

As the burning snake thrashed in agony, more fireballs flew in rapid succession, reducing the monster to a pile of ash.

’...Mister?’

She turned her tear-filled eyes toward the source of the attack, but her expression immediately darkened.

It wasn’t Yusin. Men in black suits and sunglasses were approaching.

One of them, a particularly lanky man, took off his sunglasses and studied her face.

“Ha Yerin, right?”

Her whole body began to tremble. They were from the Tower.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re from the Tower.”

“D-Don’t come any closer!”

They weren’t here to rescue her; that much was obvious. She had to get away.

She pushed with all her might and managed to move one arm. Grabbing a nearby rock, she tried to drag her body away, but all she managed was to put a few more centimeters between them.

“You’re a pitiful sight. We’ll take you to the car.”

“D-Don’t come any closer!” she shouted. “I told you I’m not interested in the Tower! Why are you doing this to me?!”

“You can hear it directly from him. The Tower Master wishes to speak with you.”

A mage grabbed her wrist and yanked. As she felt her body being forced upright, she shut her eyes in resignation.

And then—

Crack!

“Gah! Aaaargh!”

The grip on her wrist vanished.

She collapsed back onto the grass and looked up. A man had appeared as if from nowhere, his hand clamped around the mage’s wrist.

“She said she doesn’t want to go.”

Crunch! The mage’s wrist bent the wrong way. He screamed, clutching his twisted hand as he writhed on the ground.

“Yerin, you okay?”

At that gentle voice, Ha Yerin burst into tears again.

“Mister!”

“And who the hell are you supposed to be?” one of the other mages demanded, stepping forward threateningly.

“You should learn to pick your fights more carefully.”

“We’re with the Tower. You look like a hunter yourself—are you planning to make an enemy of us?”

Yusin let out a sharp laugh. “I’ll throw that right back at you.”

Blue smoke began to curl from his right eye.

“Are you planning to make an enemy of me, newbies?”

The mages flinched instinctively. The man calling them newbies looked like the youngest one there, but for some reason, they all had the same feeling: if they tangled with him, things were going to get very, very messy.

“Don’t chicken out, you idiots.”

One of the mages stepped forward and spread his arms. Magic circles formed on his palms, crackling with electricity.

“I’ll roast you alive! Lightning—!”

Thwack!

Before he could cast, his head snapped to the side as if he’d been slapped. His focus shattered, and the magic circles vanished.

“W-What the hell was that...?!”

Smack!

This time, his other cheek.

Crunch!

Then his leg. He dropped to his knees with a thud.

Whump!

The final blow slammed into his gut. The mage gagged, then collapsed in a heap.

“...What just happened? Did he get hit?”

His colleague stared at Yusin in horror, but Yusin was just standing there with his arms crossed. There was no sign he had used any magic or Unique Ability.

“What are you staring at?”

Whack!

A sudden blow exploded against the back of the mage’s head, and he pitched forward, face-first into the dirt.

No one watching had the slightest clue that this was the legendary sixth-order magic, a style only Kim Yusin had ever mastered.

At that moment, reinforcements arrived. Having received the call, more Tower mages were pouring in.

Ha Yerin shuddered in despair. There were too many of them.

“Sir! We have to run!”

Yusin’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Why would I?”

The mages, seeing several of their comrades on the ground, stopped and raised their mana.

“He’s not normal!”

“Hit him all at once!”

As they spread their palms, spells of every element—lightning, water, poison, light—began to form. Yusin just stood there with his arms folded, smiling.

But he wasn’t doing nothing. While their eyes were locked on him, magic circles bloomed in their blind spots.

Thud!

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

More than twenty mages were pummeled by an unseen force and launched into the air. Their bodies twisted midair, convulsing. Screaming and writhing in pain, they came crashing down like rain.

“Ah...”

And that was it.

Ha Yerin covered her mouth, trembling. Not a single mage on the ground so much as twitched.

“That’s enough. Let’s go home,” Yusin said, turning his back.

“...Not yet!”

“?”

Yusin glanced back. A large magic circle had formed around the left hand of the mage whose wrist he had broken.

“It’s not over yet!”

<Prometheus>

Whoosh!

From the magic circle, a blazing giant of flame rose up and threw back its massive head in a roar.

“Oh.”

This time, even Yusin’s eyes lit up with interest.

“Fourth-order. No, a 4th-circle mage, huh. First time I’ve seen one.”

“I don’t know who you are, but this is your last warning!” the mage gasped, dark circles from excessive mana use ringing his eyes. “Hand over the Child of Mana!”

“Hm.” Yusin scratched his eyebrow and chuckled. “Want me to teach you something?”

<Prometheus>

A matching, massive magic circle flared to life on Yusin’s left hand.

The ground shook violently. The mage’s eyes went wide. His head, which had been facing forward, slowly tilted up, then back, and back some more.

A Prometheus several times larger than his own was rising behind Yusin. In terms of size, it was like comparing a newborn baby to a grown adult.

“This is Prometheus,” Yusin said, flicking his hand. The giant reached out, grabbed the smaller Prometheus by the leg, lifted it upside down, and shoved it into its mouth.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

With every greedy chomp of the fire giant’s jaws, the mage’s Prometheus broke apart and vanished.

The mage could only stare, dumbstruck. His pride, his strongest spell, was being devoured as if it were nothing.

“How...” His whole body trembled. “How can power like this even exist?”

Once the smaller Prometheus was completely eaten, Yusin’s swelled even larger.

Crushed by the sheer, indescribable difference in power, the mage felt utterly helpless. His own existence seemed as insignificant as a speck of dust.

“I like you,” Yusin grinned. “You’ve got talent. When I’m back in business, come see me sometime.”

He flicked his fingers as if giving a light forehead flick, and a Sagittarius spell detonated on the mage’s forehead. The man’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.

“Ah, that was fun.”

The man who had appeared out of nowhere and single-handedly defeated all the mages from the Magic Tower looked as satisfied as a child who had just finished playing with his toys.

“...Mister,” Ha Yerin asked, her voice trembling. “Who... who are you?”

Yusin turned to face her. The overwhelming presence and intimidating aura that had seemed to command the world just moments ago vanished as if it were a lie, and he returned to his usual demeanor.

“What do you mean? I’m your tutor.”

Yusin extended his arm. Yerin took his hand to stand, then threw herself into his arms.

“There, there. You were scared, weren’t you?”

“Sob! Sniffle! I really thought I was going to die!”

Yusin gently patted her back. After sobbing in his arms for a while, Yerin suddenly lifted her head.

“Ah! That girl!”

“Hm?”

"There was a girl who saved me! She’s probably fighting the Tower Master right now!"

Yusin’s eyes narrowed. "The Tower Master? What are you talking about?"

"We have to go! Hurry!" Yerin started running, and Yusin ran alongside her.

"The Tower Master tried to kidnap me! I only got away because she helped me!"

"He tried to kidnap you? Na Daeyong did?"

"Yes!"

Yusin’s expression turned grim. For something like this to happen right before a major disaster...

"Just give me a general location. I’ll go on ahead."

* * *

Acrid smoke billowed across the entire schoolyard. The ground was littered with blackened, mangled robots, reminiscent of a scrapyard. It was easy to guess how fierce the battle had been.

VROOOM!

A sleek, white golem weaved through the wreckage, swinging its sword blade. Na Daeyong stepped back to dodge the attack and extended his right arm.

CRACKLE!

A torrent of electricity slammed into the robot. Pushed past its limit, the machine smoked as its movements ceased. The back panel opened, and the girl inside somersaulted out. A moment later, the robot exploded with a deafening roar.

"Hah... haah!" The girl, her face smudged with black grease, gasped for breath.

Na Daeyong walked toward her with a shrug. "Shouldn’t we stop now? You don’t have any more golems or robots to summon."

The girl remained silent.

"It’s been four years since you left the Magic Tower, Sol. A 3rd-floor administrator who can’t build golems is bound to get weaker."

She glared at him, her eyes filled with defiance. "Shut up!"

"It’s not too late, Sol. I’ll consider it a phase of teenage rebellion. Come back to the Magic Tower. Come home." He continued in a soft, placating tone, as if soothing a child. "Let’s join forces again. If the administrators work together, the Magic Tower can be revived. We can return to those days when the whole world was captivated by our every move."

Staggering, she straightened up and raised her middle finger. "The bottom line is you want me locked up in a workshop, being your puppet, right? Fuck you."

Na Daeyong’s expression twisted. "...Why?" His voice was hollow. "...Why won’t any of you acknowledge me?"

RUMBLE!

Thunderclouds began to gather over Seoul.

"I tried to do well. I worked harder than anyone and always did my best. So why...!"

CRACK!

Lightning split the dry sky, turning it white.

"Why am I the only one who can’t succeed?!"

As Na Daeyong violently swung his arm down, the largest bolt of lightning she had ever seen descended from the sky. Eunsol covered her head with her arms and squeezed her eyes shut.

With the roar of electricity, she fell to the ground.

She was confused.

But there was no pain. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was someone’s back. A man who looked like an ordinary college student in his twenties. But Na Daeyong’s lightning couldn’t touch him; it was scattering in all directions.

"Just in time," the man said, turning to her with a grin.

The girl didn’t recognize his face, but he felt strangely familiar.

"...And who are you?" Na Daeyong demanded.

At his question, Yusin laughed as if it were absurd. "Daeyong, you’ve grown up, haven’t you?"

* * *