Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 159 (Part 2)

Aside from the time he had to push through the crowd near the Giant Minotaur, Rodin had never once invoked the name of the Landes Magic Tower. On the contrary, having his name registered with Landes had caused him to take on the task of destroying the medium of a curse in someone else’s stead.

Since they had each given and received something, there was no debt between them. Francis, the Tower Master, likely thought the same.

—

“Do you think the name of a Magic Tower is something to be taken lightly? Do you think this is some neighborhood tavern you can come and go from as you please?”

“I have never considered it a neighborhood tavern. And my choice is something that Tower Master Francis understood. An old man like you has no business ordering me around.”

“What? Old man? You must have a death wish, boy.”

As Rodin looked at Bison, the Tower Master, he recalled something he had heard from Francis.

It was said that a mage’s personality was decided by their actions immediately after reaching the 7th Circle.

If that was true, then this old man must have spent his time picking fights everywhere as soon as he became a 7th Circle mage.

Of course, Rodin didn’t entirely believe Francis’ words.

While it was possible that one’s actions immediately after reaching the 7th Circle could influence their personality to some extent, Rodin believed that such a personality was still rooted in their true nature.

Bison’s unruly behavior wasn’t because of something he had experienced right after reaching the 7th Circle—it was simply how he had always been.

If the 8th Circle mage that Rodin had seen in the past were to appear here, would Bison still act like this?

‘He’d become a very polite 7th Circle mage with excellent anger management.’

Rodin didn’t even need to see it to know. Bison was the classic type who was strong against the weak and weak against the strong—a petty man to the core.

—

“Old man, I am holding back quite a lot right now. If you truly see me as a fellow 7th Circle mage, then show some respect.”

“A fellow 7th Circle? Hah! Just because we have the same number of Circles, you think we are the same? Arrogant brat, your impudence knows no bounds!”

“Would you like to confirm for yourself whether I’m just an arrogant brat?”

“Fine. I should see for myself whether you have the skills to back up that insolent attitude.”

Whoosh!

A massive flame erupted from Bison’s hand. At a glance, it looked as if he had just created the spell in an instant.

But Rodin knew better.

Bison had secretly been chanting the spell for some time, leaving only the final activation. From the start, he had intended to use magic as a means of intimidation.

Of course, having noticed it early on, Rodin had also prepared his own magic.

Swish…

A stream of light, resembling the Milky Way, shimmered around Rodin. The particles of light swirled leisurely, pushing back the approaching heat.

After reaching the 7th Circle, Rodin had created two defensive spells. The magic he had just used was one specialized in elemental defense.

He had never needed to use it before, so he hadn’t even named it yet. But he was confident that its defensive capabilities were unmatched.

This defensive magic was rooted in the illusion techniques he had learned from Frouval’s lessons. He had also incorporated the knowledge of the Magic Empire into it.

It was a unique form of magic, activated with mana and sustained by magic power. Thanks to this, once it was created, it required only minimal magic power to maintain for a significant duration.

—

“You’re quite the impatient old man.”

“Is that the magic you prepared?”

“Yes. What do you think?”

“Hmph. I had planned to give you a light scolding and be done with it, but I’ve changed my mind. A brat who reached the 7th Circle without even coming from a proper Magic Tower? I must discipline you properly.”

Bison increased the intensity of his magic. The overwhelming heat engulfed the surroundings.

Even the mages who had accompanied Bison from the Herius Magic Tower couldn’t withstand the heat and stumbled backward. Some hastily cast defensive spells, but they were useless.

And yet, Rodin remained utterly unfazed. His expression was as if he were simply enjoying a peaceful rest in a scenic spot.

The flowing, Milky Way-like defensive magic blocked every elemental attack that approached. Not even a wisp of heat reached Rodin’s clothes.

“Hm?”

Rodin’s gaze shifted to the right. A presence was rapidly approaching from a distance.

‘Another 7th Circle mage?’

The approaching mage soon positioned himself between Rodin and Bison. It was a familiar face to Rodin.

“Huff, huff… haah… phew, that was tiring.”

“It has been a while, Tower Master Francis.”

The newcomer was none other than Francis, the Tower Master of Landes Magic Tower.

Though he was panting heavily, not a single bead of sweat could be seen on his body. He was perfectly dry—clearly just pretending to be exhausted.

—

“Haha, indeed, it has been a while. Have you been well?”

“I tried to be, but not everything goes the way I want it to.”

Rodin’s words were a clear reference to the current situation. Anyone could see that things were far from peaceful.

Francis clicked his tongue as he observed the tense standoff.

“Tsk, tsk. I knew something like this would happen. Tower Master Bison, just what do you think you’re doing?”

“And what business do you have here?”

“I’m here to stop this fight.”

“And by what authority do you think you can stop me? As a senior mage, it is both my right and duty to discipline an insolent junior. You have no right to interfere.”

Hearing Bison’s absurd argument, Francis shook his head.

Francis knew Bison better than most. He had experienced many things with him firsthand and had also heard much about him from his own master.

Bison had been born a mere seven years before Francis. Their time reaching the level of Grand Mage had only differed by a single year.

And yet, every time Bison saw Francis, he would go on about being a senior and treating Francis like a junior. He acted as though he had been born seventy years earlier, not just seven.

To make it worse, Bison had reached the 7th Circle just ten months before Francis. And yet, he always looked down on him as if the gap were far greater.

—

“And why exactly do you think you’re the one who should discipline him? Rodin isn’t even from Herius Magic Tower.”

“Hmph. He was disrespectful in front of me, so of course, I must discipline him. Who else would do it?”

“Was he really disrespectful? Are you sure about that? Should I recite every single word exchanged since you arrived?”

Rodin remembered every detail of their conversation.

No matter how he recalled it, he had done nothing wrong. It was clear as day that Bison had been the one to pick a fight first.

“What? Are you looking down on me, brat?”

“I’m not looking down on you. I’m just pointing out that you’re the one who started this. How exactly was I disrespectful? When we first met, you greeted me with, ‘You, huh?’”

“Silence! When an elder speaks, you should listen, not talk back—!”

“Enough, Tower Master Bison. I don’t even need to hear the full story to understand what’s going on here.”

Since Bison abruptly cut off Rodin’s words, that action alone made it abundantly clear who had been in the wrong first.

Hyung_Otaku2

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