Ch. 173 - The 7th Tower (5)

Chapter 173: The 7th Tower (5)

Jeremy didn’t engage in activities which resulted in loss.

In other words, he didn’t do things for others.

To elaborate further, one could interpret it as he was acting solely for himself.

He had never sacrificed himself for someone else throughout his life. He hadn’t done it in the past, and he wouldn’t do it in the future.

Even if the stakes were high, the fact wouldn’t change.

‘Sacrifice for a beloved woman?’

‘What's the point of that?’

‘It's all pointless if I don't get what I want.’

Surrounded by ghosts and shadows, Jeremy closed his eyes and immersed in his own world.

Ghosts didn’t exert direct physical force.

The reason they were frightening was that they shattered the mental power of the opponents.

By stimulating negative emotions like despair, chaos, fear, and sadness, they turned people into complete wrecks.

That is the true power of these ghosts.

However... None of those things meant anything to Jeremy. He had a firm mental strength; while he couldn’t prevent invasion, it couldn't shake his emotions.

It felt like floating undisturbed on a still lake.

Being surrounded by ghosts wasn't a bad feeling at all.

"This should suffice. I may not have done such foolish things as sacrificing myself for Flame, but... I believe I've adequately achieved the goal of helping her. I'll take a rest until this situation is over,"

Jeremy thought and closed his eyes.

Gradually, he sank into the swamp of his own consciousness.

—

"Principal!"

Bang!

Ineptly, the door to the principal's office swung open, and several staff members rushed in.

However, the principal's office was already crowded with staff who had come to see Elthman Elwin.

"This is serious! Students who were wandering around the tower are missing!"

Continuously, mysterious disappearances had been occurring, prompting clear warnings to the students.

They were told not to wander alone inside the tower and to always be accompanied by staff or seek permission.

But such precautions were futile.

The faculty couldn't protect all the students, and now, even groups of students were disappearing all at once.

"This is... truly serious."

It was an unprecedented crisis for Stella.

Students were disappearing one by one into unknown spaces, and the academy authorities couldn't even identify the cause, let alone respond.

Elthman lifted his face which was obscured by the shadows.

Everyone, including the faculty involuntarily tensed up under the immense pressure.

However, amidst it all, something needed to be said.

"Principal... They’re deliberately taking only students, avoiding the faculty. We need to find a way to stop them quickly..."

A way to stop them.

If such a thing existed, it would have been done long ago.

After all, their goal was obvious.

Half a century ago… Stella’s student prayed for Abeline Starberg’s skill called [Magic Devour].

It was a unique skill, which allowed one to possess the magic owned by the opponent, but severe penalties restricted its usage.

But what if one could fully harness that skill?

… What if a successor absorbed the magic of all twelve disciples, inheriting a fragment of each mage’s magic?

What would happen then?

Perhaps a power strong enough to stand against the mages could emerge.

The student had dreamed and yearned for it since childhood.

Elthman had tried to correct Abeline’s dangerous behavior and imposed countless sanctions, but the incidents persisted until the inevitable conclusion, and he dropped out.

On the day of withdrawal, Abeline said, ‘Principal, you won't be able to stop me. You will be betrayed by everything you believe in.’

And now, fifty years later, he tormented him with the legacy he left behind.

‘Want to devour the magic of the twelve descendants, huh.’

Currently, Stella had admitted as many as two of the twelve descendants.

Hong Bi-Yeon Adolevit.

Eisel Morph.

While their magic might seem like ordinary elemental magic of fire and ice at first glance, as it was left by the mage, it harbored very special potential.

However, considering Abeline himself couldn't properly handle the skill [Magic Devour], could it even be feasible that a clone, who couldn't even handle splitting the soul, properly absorb magic?

Absolutely impossible.

‘He must have a different goal. Yes. Surely, he might succeed in absorbing magic. But if that happens, 'the crippled soul will likely be completely extinguished.’

However, in exchange, if the twelve descendants lose their magic entirely, it would be quite a gain for Abeline from his perspective.

He despised the Progenitor Mage more than anyone else.

‘The Progenitor Mage was wrong. His created world, society, system, laws, along with the past and even the future.’

Elthman stood up and snapped his fingers.

Immediately, the robe hanging on the coat rack flew over and draped over his shoulders.

"Principal, are you finally taking action?"

"I'm going to do what I must."

"As expected!"

Whether they knew what to expect or not, he wasn't going to the 7th Tower to stop the situation.

Instead, he intended to address what was happening outside.

The rats hiding in the shadows after causing such incidents.

He would deal with them.

——-

The rooftop of the 7th Tower.

With open sides and a dome supported by twelve pillars, the space was once called the ‘Stella Balcony.’

Traces of astronomical instruments and constellation maps remained as evidence.

Professor Raiden observed the sky of the 7th Tower through a mirror.

Though he didn't cross over to the other world, he continued to observe everything happening there.

"Are you anxious?"

The mirror spoke.

Raiden didn't respond.

"You're afraid."

"... Yes."

This time, he responded.

He wasn't anxious.

Everything would proceed as planned.

In the other world.

The two descendants and Flame would be completely plundered by Abeline’s crippled soul.

The girls who dreamed of a bright future and would live a life more shining and beautiful than anyone else... would be devoured here.

Abeline’s crippled soul said.

"But it's just sacrificing cattle for the sake of the herd."

Can those sacrificed girls truly be called ‘cattle’?

"..."

As a dark mage, one must hate and restrain all magic.

Magic was the decisive cause that led the world on the path to destruction.

All of this for the future.

For the world.

Wasn't that the reason Professor Raiden pledged allegiance to the cost?

"You seem overly thoughtful."

"Not really."

"You need to meet me."

"... May I ask why?"

"Because you resemble me."

He paused for a moment.

"We need not hesitate. Are you feeling pitiful because they're young girls? If you think so, drop everything immediately and leave this place."

"We must uproot them all so the weeds no longer grow. Those kids are nothing more than weeds devouring the world."

"Yes, I understand."

"Then do your job. By now, Elthman Elwin must have caught on. It's best to hurry."

"... Understood."

Professor Raiden turned his back and left the hall.

The crippled soul of Abeline watched his retreating figure, and once again looked at his own world.

"Haha! Hehe, heehee!"

The dark mage, which was like a wretched creature, was bursting with excitement for some reason.

To be able to absorb Morph’s power along with Adolevit’s, he felt an uncontrollable joy.

"You foolish girls! Come quickly. Come quickly!"

The Child of the Stars was heading this way, leading the other descendant of the Twelve Disciples, completely unaware of the situation.

They would face numerous curses and obstacles along the way, but as expected of the Child of the Stars, they would overcome all hardships and eventually reach this place.

However, at the end of the journey, there was no hope of rescuing everyone, but endless despair.

"... Blame your past lives. It was the harsh fate of your previous life that brought you to such a cruel destiny. "

"This miserable, beggar-like life ends today! Haha!"

Chekeren laughed while imagining his future.

It included Eisel and Flame. If he could absorb all the potential of the numerous students coming to the 7th Tower at that moment, he could truly wield the strongest power.

… Or so he thought.

It was a blatant lie.

Professor Chekeren was nothing more than a puppet of Abeline. He was unable to act on his own.

The moment he absorbed the magic of another twelve descendants and the Child of Constellation, his body would not withstand the threshold and collapse.

With their demise, he too would disappear from this world forever.

But if that brings him one step closer to the true goal...

"Hmm?"

However.

Something strange was detected.

What... It was an alien aura difficult to describe in human words.

It felt as if it didn't belong to this world.

Such an absurd presence.

It entered the 7th Tower.

"This aura is. As if...!"

Clearly, it existed in this world, yet simultaneously did not.

What nonsense explanation was this?

Was human language so inadequate and worthless?

'Something's wrong.'

Although the thought crossed the mind, it was already too late.

The presence had already set foot in the 7th Tower.

It traversed space very quickly as if it had already been to this world. It even used hidden paths like Abeline, who was practically the owner of the 7th Tower, and utilised some unknown magic.

Rapidly, at high speed, it approached this place.

'No, there's no need to panic. Destiny is already set.'

Thump!

"Oh. You’ve finally come!"

As the door to Stella's Balcony opened, the girls Professor Chekeren had been waiting for finally revealed themselves.

With their disheveled uniforms and sweaty appearance, they looked exhausted, but their eyes shone brightly as if they had no intention of giving up here.

Flame staggered, approached Chekeren, and stood opposite him.

With Eisel and Anella confidently by her side, her ambition was as evident as ever.

"Hmm! I really like your eyes! I almost want to pluck them out and put them on display. But... "

Chekeren, who was speaking with a satisfied expression, frowned when he saw Anella standing behind.

“Aren’t you one of us? Why are you over there? No matter... Actually, this works out well. You can take care of them. I’ll share my power with you in exchange for sparing me the trouble.”

Flinch.

Anella trembled at Professor Chekeren’s words.

Strength.

That was the problem. Her strength.

In the society of dark mages, where everything was determined by power, Anella had only one special attribute, which had been treated worse than trash.

If she had power... She would be able to live without any worries from now on.

‘What if I suppress Flame and Eisel here, gain power, and then eliminate Baek Yu-Seol as well?’

More undoubtedly, a bright future as a dark mage would be guaranteed.

“... I refuse."

However, Anella said firmly, her eyes shining.

“I choose to live as a human, even if I am lowly.”

Then, Chekeren fell silent.

He had a bewildered expression as if he had misheard something.

"Hahaha!"

He burst into laughter.

"Human? Hu~man? Living as a human? Giving up being a dark mage and returning to being a human? Do you think it's possible to return to being human? You ridiculous woman!"

Well, it was impossible.

There had never been a precedent for a dark mage returning to being human.

However, Anella firmly believed.

"No. It's possible."

These were the words spoken directly by Baek Yu-Seol himself.

Although there was no evidence, his words carried power, and Anella trusted them completely.

Stepping forward, she stood in front of Flame and Eisel with the intention to protect the girls.

"I will prove my sincerity."

As Anella traversed from the 7th Tower, she realized that she had an otherwise talent.

The destructive power contained in those trivial punches and kicks.

But...

'It's not enough.'

She would definitely lose.

While infinite power could be felt from the opponent, and although she was somewhat strong, she was no match with feeble punches and kicks.

Nevertheless, she believed.

Even if she died there, if she did what was right to repent and atone for her mistakes... someday, she would surely see the light.

With a determined expression, Anella extended her fist and confidently addressed the superior dark mage in whose presence she would have had to kneel and bow otherwise.

"So come on, dark mage."

Even if she failed today, she would never give up.

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