Chapter 544 - Deception (2)
Ranked 4th overall, and 2nd in martial power, the reverse side of the Bohemirn Magic Tower is filled with sacrifice. A tower built with blood, flesh, and experiments.
It doesn't matter.
For the insiders of the Bohemirn Magic Tower───those who participate in unofficial experiments marked with the forced magic circle, Coercion, human experimentation is the most important daily task.
Perhaps once, they might have felt some knot of guilt, but now such sentiments are gone. In their place remain only curiosity and anticipation.
Some of them, against their will, were forced by Balrog's orders to take part in horrific, unofficial experiments, and truly did suffer... but the pain was only fleeting.
It couldn't be helped.
The magical horizon that lay beyond ethics was that mysterious, that captivating! If one truly pursues magic, it is impossible to refuse.
Guilt?
Some trifling moral awareness does nothing to raise one's magical level. It only fills the self with hollow vanity, while one consoles themselves with self-righteousness.
It is inefficient, meaningless.
It has no substance.
As befits a true Mage, one must turn away. For it has always been reason, not sentiment, that elevates the world, the collective, and the self.
Anyway.
For any serious, dangerous magical experiment, good quality materials are indispensable. Test subjects that don't die easily, for example.
With proper management, they can be used for a very long time.
Thanks to the complex processes set in place to supply such test subjects safely, the Mages responsible for providing them found their workload reduced, and rejoiced.
"Hohohot, so Lord Rayshen has finally returned from his outing, has he?"
Omar Boldrak, of the Bohemirn Tower's council of elders, the Itium, clapped softly with a benevolent expression.
Narrowing his eyes in a smile, he fixed his gaze on the Mage reporting news received from one of the Bohemirn branches on the Central Continent.
"Was it because he was taking his time, or because he found something interesting outside? Even though the tower master granted him the means to track Coercion, it still took so long. That won't do. We have a mountain of experiments waiting ahead, don't we?"
"That is correct."
"Hohoh, yes, yes. So hurry and prepare the spatial leap. We must go fetch him... Ah, but I am curious. Just how far can that test subject Isabella endure the drugs Lord Rayshen and I have prepared?"
Beside the screaming, thrashing test subject, he relished each result, again and again, his anticipation mounting. The thought alone filled him with such joy that it was hard to hide his excitement.
"They say she was once the one Lord Crodon failed to capture, so I suppose it is worth the expectation. Hopefully the tower master, upon returning from the Magocracy, will be pleased. Hohohot."
Adjusting his hair and beard in the mirror, Omar walked with brisk steps. His unpleasant laughter trailed as he left the tower, heading for the Central Continent.
***
Through a long sewer, bypassing the city gates, Squad One had secretly assembled in the Underground District of Virente.
Their gathering place was a sinister building in the gloomy backstreets below.
Grave, drawing on his mercenary days, had personally paid extra to rent the entire structure.
In a magic city, such secretive meetings were frequent by nature, and so businesses offering secure venues thrived.
They were not easy to obtain.
The risk was high, and thus the rental fees exorbitant, while uninformed clients could easily be swindled blind.
Since money was an indispensable tool for Mages, it was only natural that the ethos of the magic city reflected this.
Adrian stood with arms crossed, leaning against the wall beside the window, his sky-colored eyes fixed on the distant ceiling outside.
In the center of the room, Grave and the twenty-four members of the Black Hour's select unit gathered, running through their plan one last time.
"...Our targets are three. The Bohemirn Tower's ambassador, Gotric, the tower's third disciple, Lucard Maniacs, and Lucard's chief guard, Maron."
Grave tapped the map of the magic city, which was neatly divided into distinct districts, pointing one after the other at two notable locations.
"If today's afternoon schedule is unchanged, Gotric will be attending a meeting at the Mage Association, Lucard will be giving a lecture in the High District where the upper class reside, and Maron will be at Lucard's side."
"A lecture... I want to kill him."
Adrian exuded displeasure, his killing intent rising thick.
His rage was justified.
He knew that it was Lucard who had stolen Verden's Multi-dimensional Continuity Theory, and Lucard who had set in motion the human experimentation Verden endured.
The Mages of Black Hour, who did not know the hidden history between Verden and the Bohemirn Tower, faltered, lowering their eyes.
A former member of the Central Continent's top four.
One of the three leaders of Black Hour, the right hand of Shinseong.
The swordsman who, alone, had purged the very first two members of Black Hour.
Even if he wasn't a Mage, it was only natural that the current members of Black Hour tread cautiously around Isabella.
Grave cleared his throat.
"...Of course, I know you won't actually do it, but I'll say it just in case. Do not kill them. Anyway. Unlike the High District, slipping into the Mage Association quietly is impossible. Nor are there any bypass routes, as with entering the magic city. The only method is a frontal assault."
His finger slid down the map, pointing to the city's core.
Strictly speaking, to the area surrounding it.
Encircling and protecting the Mage Association headquarters were ten pillars, marked by symbols.
"We destroy part of these Security Towers, breach inside, kill Gotric in the conference hall, and escape swiftly."
Simple in words, but assaulting the Mage Association headquarters was no easy matter.
Especially since Squad One's magical firepower, tailored for anti-personnel combat, could not break through the shields of the Security Towers.
That was why an 'insider' had already acted, making preparations so that the squad outside could smash the towers and storm in.
There was no possibility of betrayal, nor even of a careless mistake. Their collaborator was both capable and trustworthy.
"And while we handle Gotric, Adrian will take down Maron and secure Lucard. Then, escaping Virente through the pre-arranged route, the plan will succeed. During this operation, no killings beyond the plan are permitted. Understood?"
"Yes, understood."
They all nodded in unison.
There were no objections. Within Black Hour, the hierarchy was strict, determined by rank.
Adrian spoke.
"Now we need only wait."
The signal for the raid would be fired by Squad Two, stationed on the Tower Alliance's front line.
***
"…Squad One has arrived in the magic city, Virente, and is standing by."
Revana, a senior executive of Black Hour, shook her wrist clad with a silver bracelet─a communication device─then turned around.
In the depths of a winter forest.
Dozens of Mages cloaked in black robes, each bearing the insignia of Black Hour, stood in their positions, sending their gazes toward her.
Among them were several lower executives of Black Hour, those who, like Revana herself, had survived the purges unscathed.
"You've heard the plan over and over again from the Grand Hall to here, so I'll skip the details. I'll just deliver, once more, the specific cautions handed down directly from the Holy One."
Revana raised three fingers.
"First, focus as much as possible on destroying only the bases of the Western Continent's Magic Tower Alliance. Second, killing is forbidden unless absolutely unavoidable. Third, if unforeseen variables arise, prioritize your life above all else. Remember, our objective is disruption, not annihilation."
Instructions hardly befitting Black Hour, a group often called Mages of Death. Even if it was just a disruption role, to be told not to shed blood in war was unusual.
But still, they would obey gladly.
"Yes, we will keep that in mind."
"Good. Then, I trust everyone is ready..."
Revana manipulated the communication device. Through the central signal transmitter, a unique magic force flowed, immune to external interference.
Once she confirmed the connection, she asked respectfully,
"Squads One and Two are standing by in the magic city, Virente, and at the Western Continent Tower Alliance front line. No variables so far. May we proceed with the plan?"
Silence descended.
The mere wait for a reply exuded heavy tension.
At last, a low voice resounded.
───Proceed.
Revana bowed her head.
"I shall obey."
Squad Two, the vanguard of the plan, began to move.
***
The frontline of the Mage War, abandoned by Black Hour, had grown exceedingly quiet and idle. Peace had lasted for months.
Though the war had not ended in a decisive conclusion, most in the magical world agreed that it was, for all intents and purposes, over.
No one doubted that after more than two years of conflict between the transcendental forces of the magical world, the towers had emerged victorious.
And yet, the Hierarchy Breakthrough Incident... the chaos wrought by Amwol, Dahit Wethroel, had once again stirred the front lines.
It was not only that the magical world itself had shaken, but that Mages─especially those of the lower hierarchies─had suffered a direct impact far too great.
As with any battlefield, where there are more soldiers than officers, in the war against Black Hour too, the majority were low-tier Mages rather than high-ranking ones.
Chaos was inevitable.
So then, should the frontlines be withdrawn, or should they remain?
After long and grueling meetings, the command of the Tower Alliance came to a conclusion.
Status quo.
If they vacated the front to quell the unrest, and Black Hour re-entered the war, the damage would be immense.
Yet, unlike the leadership's decision, the Mages forcibly stationed at the Alliance's forward bases were full of dissatisfaction.
"To think we're rotting away here, when even staying in the lab isn't enough time for research...!"
"He's right, this is a waste of time!"
It was the competitors, who studied and adapted to the changes brought by the Hierarchy Breakthrough, who were the greater threat, not the still-silent Black Hour.
Such opinions were widespread.
In the end, the increasingly restless Mages at the front agreed among themselves to devote all their effort to researching the incident.
They resolved at least to take turns patrolling the base's perimeter, but in practice, this was never kept, and, as if by unspoken agreement, none ever pointed it out.
For it would only be their own loss.
Then came one day.
"Haaaahm..."
A Mage of the Helion Tower, who had spent the night and morning immersed in magic, stepped out of his tent, yawning long and stretching lightly.
Lighting a cigarette procured from the front, he sought a moment of peace.
"Fuu, just when will I be able to return to the tower?"
Studying magic at the base without wasting time had been a wise choice, but still, it was hard to endure the discomfort.
To those accustomed to the tower's luxurious laboratories, this place was no different than exile. They resented the command for worrying about a war already ended.
Sssk.
He ground the cigarette underfoot, snuffing the ember. Just as he turned to head back to the base building, something caught his eye.
Something sparkled in the sky.
"Hm?"
He turned again, lifting his gaze, frowning deeply. Without his glasses, he couldn't see far clearly.
Then, a violent surge of magic made his senses tremble reflexively.
"Magical... bombardment?"
While he muttered vacantly, multiple elemental spells struck the ground. The protective magic circle around the base activated reflexively.
Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwaaaang!
The shield shattered.
Beyond the fragments of the magical barrier exploded a deafening roar. The base's buildings took direct hits, collapsing in places.
The forest, so quiet moments ago, was drowned in clamor.
One Mage, blood streaming down his forehead from a shard, staggered out of the building and shouted.
"E-Everyone, run...!!! Someone, anyone, get to headquarters and report this!!"
On the wind of waiting magic, the shocking news spread through the entire base.
"It's a Black Hour ambush!!!!"
Once more, the whole front erupted in turmoil.