Magic Academy's Genius Blinker Chapter 547: The Five Prestigious Schools (3)

The downfall of High Priest Malcan was witnessed by all the members of the Narang Tribe, as well as the assembled dark mage forces within the city. Initially, disbelief was the prevailing reaction; the impossible had transpired before their very eyes, a scenario far beyond their wildest imaginings. The dark mage contingent, grounded in pragmatism, found it exceedingly difficult to accept the reality of such an unprecedented event. The Narang Tribe, however, reacted differently. Despite the perceived impossibility, this was the very scene they had perpetually yearned to behold!

As Baek Yu-Seol exhaled deeply, lowering his sword subsequent to Malcan's defeat, the intricate sequence of events he had meticulously orchestrated began to unfold seamlessly. Thus began the narrative of his grand design. Suddenly, a young warrior from the Narang Tribe sprang to his feet, plunging a spear crackling with lightning into the neck of a dark mage soldier. Gripping the severed head aloft, the warrior proclaimed with triumphant fervor, "The moment has arrived! Avenge the Narang Tribe! Unleash your pride and demonstrate your formidable strength!"

The battle rapidly escalated as the young Narang warriors rose as a unified force, their blades descending upon the dark mage forces that had subjugated them. Although a significant portion of the Narang Tribe recognized that Baek Yu-Seol was not one of their own, this realization became inconsequential. Regardless of his true identity, Baek Yu-Seol had vanquished Malcan, and in that crucial instant, he was undeniably the Narang Tribe's genuine hero.

While Baek Yu-Seol possessed unwavering confidence in one-on-one confrontations against formidable adversaries, he felt considerably less assured when facing a multitude of lesser dark mage forces. This strategy represented the optimal plan he could conceive. His original intention was to keep Malcan alive, thereby facilitating the extraction of the Green Core's location. However, that particular objective had now been rendered obsolete.

Baek Yu-Seol's gaze ascended towards the imposing bell tower. Perched atop its summit, a young boy observed the unfolding chaos with a visage etched with bewilderment. "Now that an even more significant figure has made their appearance, I ought to secure a more exact answer," Baek Yu-Seol mused. A smirk played on his lips as he regarded the dark mage cult leader, Hui-Ryeon, and with a swift series of 'Flash' abilities, he materialized atop the bell tower.

As Baek Yu-Seol leveled his sword at Hui-Ryeon, the cult leader's countenance stiffened, and he instinctively took a step backward. Witnessing this reaction, Baek Yu-Seol let out a sigh, his expression relaxing as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "This must be my initial encounter with you, dark mage cult leader?" he inquired.

"...Baek Yu-Seol. So, you have finally appeared before me," Hui-Ryeon responded, his voice carefully measured.

"Indeed. To be perfectly honest, I had envisioned you as... how shall I put it, more of a final boss. Perhaps a tad more intelligent, a touch more powerful, you understand? But observing you now, it's rather underwhelming," Baek Yu-Seol admitted, his tone laced with a hint of disappointment.

Hui-Ryeon's stoic expression remained largely unchanged, yet the corners of his mouth turned upward slightly. "I regret failing to meet your expectations. Did you ascend here with the sole intention of decapitating me? I am unaware of how my movements were compromised, but... regrettably for you, my demise would serve no beneficial purpose."

'What utter nonsense is he spouting?' Baek Yu-Seol thought, incredulous. His pursuit of Hui-Ryeon was not part of any grand scheme. It was a mere happenstance that the dark mage enclave he stumbled upon was under the jurisdiction of the cult, and that Hui-Ryeon, by sheer coincidence, was present at that precise moment.

"Furthermore, I shall not perish here today," Hui-Ryeon declared. He took a deliberate step closer to Baek Yu-Seol. Despite Hui-Ryeon's considerably smaller stature compared to the now fully grown Baek Yu-Seol, he lifted his chin with an air of resolute confidence, as if such physical disparities were utterly irrelevant. "I cannot fathom the motivations that compelled you to confront me, but your reasons are immaterial. Ultimately... our convergence was an inevitable occurrence."

"Your inevitability concerns me little. You are not my objective," Baek Yu-Seol stated plainly. He tilted his head slightly, prompting a quiet chuckle from Hui-Ryeon.

"Then, pray tell, what is your objective?" Hui-Ryeon inquired.

"The Green Core," Baek Yu-Seol replied directly.

"...What?" Hui-Ryeon's laughter abruptly ceased, unable to process Baek Yu-Seol's declaration. "How could you possibly know the Green Core is located here...?"

Hui-Ryeon could comprehend the possibility of his movements being divulged, but the knowledge of the Green Core's whereabouts was a secret of an entirely different magnitude. Its location was safeguarded by a formidable triple-layered security system. The only individuals privy to this information were held within Hui-Ryeon's mind, a select few subjected to rigorous brainwashing, whose very utterance of the details would result in immediate demise. The Green Core represented an indispensable component of the grand strategy Hui-Ryeon was assiduously executing.

"...?" Baek Yu-Seol's own surprise was palpable at Hui-Ryeon's reaction. This was an entirely unanticipated development. He mused that if he had brought Leafanel or Florin along, their acute sensitivity to natural energy might have quickly pinpointed its presence. Unfortunately, Baek Yu-Seol himself lacked the refined perception to detect ambient natural energy amidst the overwhelming saturation of dark magic pervading the vicinity. His sole purpose in visiting this city had been for interrogation, hoping to glean any potential leads regarding the Green Core; nothing more, nothing less.

Yet, the intended target was far closer than one might have expected. As a result, Baek Yu-Seol found himself even more astonished than Hui-Ryeon.

"This is impossible..."

The Green Core had been secured with a level of perfection that far exceeded contemporary magical advancements. Its intended destination was the Persona Gate, an entity poised to engulf the entire city. A considerable amount of time remained before this cataclysmic event, yet Baek Yu-Seol had somehow detected its presence and made a demand for the Green Core.

This preposterous turn of events caused Hui-Ryeon to clutch his head in sheer exasperation.

Every individual entrusted with the Green Core was among Hui-Ryeon’s most loyal dark mage subordinates—devoted souls who would offer their very lives for his cause.

And yet—

One among them had committed an act of betrayal.

To make matters worse, this traitor possessed the formidable skill to breach Hui-Ryeon’s intricate sealing and mind-control enchantments.

No, that was not the most pressing concern.

The more critical issue was the betrayal by someone as close as his right-hand man, who had now aligned himself with Baek Yu-Seol.

"Who... is it?"

"Who’s what?"

"Who provided you with this information?"

"About the Green Core?"

Baek Yu-Seol casually scratched his cheek, a slight grin playing on his lips. The truth was, he hadn't received any information from anyone. It was then that a peculiar notion entered his mind.

Who had originally commissioned this particular task?

The Green Tower Master, Toa Legron. However, the New Moon Tower Master harbored suspicions that Toa Legron was colluding with dark mages. Although Toa Legron’s true allegiances remained shrouded in mystery, the New Moon Tower Master was prepared to sacrifice the Green Core itself to expose him. Now, Baek Yu-Seol felt a dawning realization that he might be able to ascertain the truth right here and now.

"I received the commission from the Green Tower Master, Toa Legron."

Hui-Ryeon’s expression contorted instantly. Clenching his fists and grinding his teeth, he uttered a low growl.

"So, in the end, he pretended to be neutral while secretly aligning himself with them..."

Under normal circumstances, Hui-Ryeon would not have placed complete trust in Baek Yu-Seol’s assertion. However, given the current circumstances, Baek Yu-Seol appeared to possess an uncanny amount of knowledge. For such high-level intelligence to be leaked, the source had to be someone of considerable standing, such as the Green Tower Master.

"The Green Tower Master... A double-dealing parasite who masquerades as neutral while latching onto whichever side appears most advantageous..."

Despite referring to him as a parasite, Hui-Ryeon harbored a secret desire for the Green Tower Master to eventually side with him, considering the immense power the man wielded. Nevertheless, the present situation painted a different picture. The tide of power had already begun to shift in favor of the Dark Mage King.

This was evidently a pivotal moment for the previously neutral Green Tower Master to finally declare his allegiance. This, of course, was not the actual truth. Baek Yu-Seol had merely disseminated some fabricated information amongst the dark mage ranks to provoke the Dark Knight. Yet, somehow, this false rumor had found its way to Hui-Ryeon. Over time, the rumor had accumulated enough substance and context to form what appeared to be a flawless narrative.

Hui-Ryeon's mind began to spin, attempting to unravel the potential reasons behind Baek Yu-Seol's alliance with the Dark Knight. He pondered the motivations that would drive the Dark Knight to join forces with Baek Yu-Seol. What shared objective could these two possibly have? What sort of clandestine agreement could have been forged between them, compelling them to risk exposure before numerous dark mage factions?

Such a partnership would undoubtedly inflict a devastating blow to both their reputations, potentially branding each as a traitor within their respective circles. Countless hypothetical scenarios of Baek Yu-Seol’s potential objectives flashed through Hui-Ryeon’s mind, only to dissipate as swiftly as they appeared. Some were utterly outlandish, while others did not align with the typical aspirations of someone like Baek Yu-Seol.

As he meticulously considered and discarded various possibilities, Hui-Ryeon finally managed to piece together a fragment of Baek Yu-Seol’s grand strategy.

"I comprehend now, Baek Yu-Seol. You, too, harbor a significant ambition, no less grand than my own..."

"...?"

It wasn't as though Baek Yu-Seol lacked ambitions. If anything, his primary aspiration was to find a beautiful woman, marry her, and live a life filled with sweet, loving moments. As for his ultimate objective, he supposed preventing the utter destruction of the Aether World could be considered a plan. However, whatever grand scheme Hui-Ryeon was envisioning, Baek Yu-Seol had no inkling of its nature.

Baek Yu-Seol was not the sort of individual who meticulously crafted and executed intricate strategies. He preferred to navigate life by going with the flow, and remarkably, things often seemed to fall into place. To Hui-Ryeon, however, Baek Yu-Seol’s seemingly spontaneous actions were perceived in an entirely different light.

"Very well, have it your way. I concede. I have been thoroughly outplayed in this battle of information. It stings... but I shall withdraw for the time being."

Hui-Ryeon recognized that he could not emerge victorious against Baek Yu-Seol in this confrontation. While the dark mage forces under his command were indeed formidable, he suspected that Baek Yu-Seol had yet to reveal his true capabilities. Engaging in a battle now seemed like a futile expenditure of energy.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Baek Yu-Seol, without a doubt, had no intention of allowing Hui-Ryeon to slip away. However, Hui-Ryeon, whose physique was inherently fragile, had always come equipped with an impeccable plan for evasion.

Woom...!

A gray aura began to warp the very fabric of the space surrounding Hui-Ryeon, quickly engulfing his form.

Baek Yu-Seol belatedly unleashed his sword, yet his strike was rendered useless, unable to pierce the distorted space.

"We shall meet again, Baek Yu-Seol."

Hui-Ryeon appended, his visage etched with the lines of defeat.

"I will present you with the Green Core."

With a furious glare, he vanished into the shimmering gray expanse, his presence completely extinguished.

"...Lost him right before my eyes."

Slaying him then and there would have simplified matters considerably, but as anticipated, an individual blessed by the Fawn Prevernal Moon would not relinquish their life so readily.

Whoosh!

A gust of frigid wind swept past.

Beneath the bell tower, the clash between the Narang Tribe and the forces of dark magic persisted fiercely. Up here, however, the area was now utterly deserted.

This indicated that the crucial query at hand was...

"So, where is this Green Core?"

In the narratives of films and comic books, when villains utter enigmatic pronouncements before making a dramatic exit, the protagonist is typically depicted holding the coveted treasure in the subsequent scene.

And invariably, Baek Yu-Seol found himself pondering.

How was it achieved?

From what location was it retrieved?

The antagonist never furnished any hints, so by what means did they ascertain its whereabouts?

Now, that very same question surfaced in Baek Yu-Seol's mind with renewed intensity.

Clang! Clang!

Flash!

Amidst the inferno of raging flames, crackling lightning, spilled blood, and torn flesh characterizing the brutal combat unfolding below, Baek Yu-Seol remained perched atop the tower. A profound sense of futility washed over him as he gazed blankly towards the distant heavens.

The overwhelming realization caused his chest to constrict with burgeoning frustration.