TRPM 335

chapter 335

I created a barrier to keep people away and stepped back slightly from the Grand Sorcerer, observing the magic he was performing.

If I were to approach him in my current state…

“Even for me, I’d have to be prepared for my skin to burn a little.”

Even when struck head-on by the magic of Shin Han-ji, the Archmage and chairman, my skin would only scorch slightly.

The energy concentrated around him was that potent.

I had thought the strongest energy I’d encountered so far was the magical aura of Yeon Mirae, but the world is truly vast.

“And this isn’t even energy collected to curse someone…”

How could this possibly be magic meant to identify Awakening Discriminators?

“Ki-geek…! My comrades! People who’ve shed blood and tears!”

Whether aware of my thoughts or not, the Grand Sorcerer shouted into the void.

“I aim to overturn the nation! I will burn every mosquito that fed on your blood!”

The energy surrounding him reacted to his words, as if in agreement.

“But I cannot do this alone!”

As the energies—more precisely, the spirits corresponding to vengeful ghosts—reacted to his proclamation, the Grand Sorcerer began the main ritual.

“Therefore, I seek comrades! I need comrades who share my vision! Help them reach me!”

After saying this, he began muttering in a mix of languages, many of which I couldn’t understand, despite my own studies in various magical languages.

“…The energy is dispersing.”

Watching him mutter, most of the energy that had wrapped around him gradually vanished. There was still some left, but…

“Heh heh… Opportunities to collect purely potent energy like this don’t come often. Artist, would you like some?”

He casually gathered the energy and placed it into what I assumed was an extradimensional artifact. Judging by his tone, it seemed the ritual had ended.

“Just a little.”

I accepted a portion of the potent energy and placed it into the artifact. Such energy is far more effective than most enchantments, though only a sorcerer can handle it safely. If another Awakener tried, it could lead to catastrophe.

“So? The list?”
“Heh heh… Impatient, aren’t you? Just a moment.”

The Grand Sorcerer pulled out a smartphone and handed it to me.

“?”
“Soon, a list will appear on this phone.”

Almost immediately, the phone began vibrating non-stop.

Vrrrr… Vrrrr… Vrrrr…

Several people were sending messages to the smartphone.

“Could it be that everyone sending a message right now…?”
“Heh heh… Need me to explain?”
“I have a rough idea, but just in case, go ahead.”

The Grand Sorcerer looked at me like a proud teacher and began explaining. Essentially, the spirits released by his magic had latched onto the Awakening Discriminators and were sending their personal information through the phone. Presumably, the Discriminators perceive him as a revolutionary representative of their cause.

“Not exactly malicious spirits, but effective nonetheless.”

The sheer volume of messages confirmed that.

“Names, resident registration numbers, current addresses… every Awakening Discriminator has sent their personal information.”

This was more than enough to compile a list. Yet…

“I still don’t understand how this process serves your objective.”

The Grand Sorcerer’s goal wasn’t to help us but to use our cooperation to naturally recruit a necromancer from the police.

“Heh heh… Artist, you can probably guess, but the one I aim to recruit is a necromancer who will make a name for themselves in the future.”

Originally, the necromancer would have revived Woo Ji-min.

“And necromancers are… sensitive to magic involving spirits like these.”
“!”

Could it be that the reason he chose this particular ritual among countless others…

“It’s to show him. To demonstrate that if he follows me, he too could wield necromantic power of this magnitude.”

I cautiously turned to look. Several Awakeners had forced their way through the barrier I had erected.

Naturally. A barrier blocking people in a crowded tourist area would attract curious Awakeners.

“Surely… some police are among them.”

Few of the police had actually forced their way through; likely just those on nearby patrol. But among them, I recognized a familiar face.

He looked captivated. Perhaps he hadn’t seen the ritual directly, but he surely felt the energy radiating from it. That subtle energy was enough to stir the instincts of a necromancer.

As I pondered this, an Awakener cautiously approached and asked,

“Excuse me, Artist, may I ask what happened here? And…”

Who is this person? I glanced at the Grand Sorcerer. He had altered his face using reverse magic.

“…The Grand Sorcerer.”

I could have concealed his identity but decided honesty was better.

“The Grand Sorcerer? Why is he in Korea…? Also, his face is different.”
“He learned face-changing magic in China and seems to have used it to enter illegally.”

Given our adversarial relationship…

“…Grand Sorcerer, could you revert your face? And you’ll need to come with us for questioning at the police station.”

One officer nervously addressed the Grand Sorcerer. To speak so boldly to such a figure was impressive.

“Heh heh… As you wish.”

The Grand Sorcerer, apparently not wishing to escalate things, followed the officers obediently.

“Artist, the barrier was yours, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Sorry, but you’ll need to go to the police station too.”

I complied. After all, I had broken the law.

The police station commotion was minor thanks to the Grand Sorcerer and me being taken there.

“…Minor commotion? The police almost disappeared from Korea and you call that minor?”

Ji-hyung scolded me. Apparently, Yeon Mirae, upon hearing I was taken, tried to alert acquaintances while holding a sword. Those acquaintances included Archmage Lee Ha-eun, Arthur in the UK, and Shin Han-ji, chairman of the academy.

Thanks to clarifying that I had erected the barrier to prevent civilian harm, no major issue arose.

The problem was the Grand Sorcerer. Even if the ritual was for compiling a list of Discriminators, doing it at Gyeongbokgung without warning landed him in a holding cell.

“Could have at least informed me through Sophia.”
“I had no choice. As soon as I met him, he started the ritual.”

I should have anticipated it when he suddenly started talking about the history of Gyeongbokgung.

“No use regretting the past….”

I glanced toward the holding cell. While I couldn’t see inside, I sensed that the Grand Sorcerer and the necromancer officer were conversing.

“I can’t stop him… can I?”

There’s no justification to prevent a necromancer from following the Grand Sorcerer. He’s already captivated by the ritual and will willingly go to China.

(Heh… recruiting the necromancer seems successful.)

In China, at the White Lotus Sect, Oracle muttered this to herself while being treated as a distinguished guest. She foresaw a future where the Grand Sorcerer brings the necromancer to China.

One of the other guests, Cheonma, asked,

(Does he really need another necromancer if the old man is bringing one?))

Even an exceptional necromancer might not surpass the Grand Sorcerer, so Cheonma saw no need for him to come to Korea personally.

(That necromancer has talent surpassing the Grand Sorcerer in a specialized field.)
(Oh? Which field?)

Cheonma perked up; he had never imagined someone could surpass the Grand Sorcerer in magical skill. Oracle lightly explained,

(Reviving the dead.)
(Ah… so that’s why he sent the Grand Sorcerer to Korea.)

Cheonma understood why Oracle aimed to recruit the necromancer.

(After all, the person was technically dead.)

Cheonma pointed to a corpse in the room—a once-zombie that had nearly overpowered Cheonma with technique alone.

(Reviving the pre-regression Artist… That will be interesting. Hopefully, they won’t tell me not to fight the revived one, hmm?)
(Ha… Still mad about that?))

Cheonma remembered Oracle interfering during a past fight.

(Even if revived, it’s a corpse with no lingering consciousness, so it wouldn’t be in a state to fight.)
(Tsk… that’s unfortunate.)
(But…)

Oracle quietly smiled at the corpse.

(After reviving this corpse, extracting its genetic material should be possible.)
(Heh… that was the plan.)

From the start, the plan was to enhance a doppelgänger. Cheonma commented.

(Of course. It’s a pity we can’t get the regressed Artist’s genes, but the pre-regression Artist was strong enough. Imagine how strong a doppelgänger would be with their genes.)

Perhaps… stronger than you, Cheonma?

(…!)

The White Lotus Sect leader, peeling fruit for them, reacted. Even as a guest, Oracle’s words were hard to ignore.

(Yes, that will be interesting.)

Cheonma laughed, blocking the leader. That had been the reason Cheonma allied with Oracle from the start.

[(With your help, we could create a doppelgänger skilled in martial arts even earlier than planned.)]

Facing a doppelgänger stronger than oneself in martial arts, engaging in life-risking combat… whether dying or defeating it to reach a higher level, the outcome was inevitable.