The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 135: Artificial Island, Ivemir (12)
His body felt heavy.
Oscar lightly shook his hands as he felt the crushing weight of mana on his shoulders.
‘About halfway, huh.’
It wasn’t just a sensation—his actual speed had slowed down.
It felt like he was submerged in a dense, heavy liquid.
Each movement was unnatural, hindered, and sluggish.
‘What should I do?’
Two choices clashed in his mind.
One was to go all out while he was still in peak condition and confront the enemy head-on.
‘If things go well, that would be ideal. But if I fail to end this quickly, I’ll be doomed.’
On top of that, he was already burdened by this weight.
In other words, this option was all-or-nothing.
‘And the other option...’
Trusting in Fran, Veronica, and Kilian.
If they could just shut down the mana plant, then the enemy wouldn’t be able to maintain this overwhelming pressure for long.
After a brief deliberation, Oscar made his decision.
‘They should start earning their keep.’
Considering how much he had invested in them, it would be disappointing if they couldn’t handle this much.
Having reached his conclusion, he relaxed his body, deciding to minimize stamina and mana loss.
The homunculus watching him chuckled.
“You’re acting composed. Do you really think I can’t maintain this state for long?”
“To some extent.”
“Unfortunate for you, but I could sustain this for over ten years if I wanted.”
Of course.
The power generated by the waterfall provided an endless supply of mana.
Oscar replied indifferently.
“You talk as if you’re something special, even though you’re just leeching off the mana plant.”
“That, too, is my power.”
“Then all we have to do is get rid of that power.”
A smug laugh echoed.
“You trust your allies quite a bit. But dream on. They will never achieve their goal.”
“Geez, you sure talk a lot for something without a mouth. Where’s the sound even coming from?”
“...Insolent.”
As a faint killing intent laced the homunculus’s voice, a dozen mages simultaneously sprang into action.
‘Here they come.’
Oscar’s eyes darted in all directions.
The incoming magic attacks registered instantly in his brain.
‘I’ll evade what I can.’
His body spun lightly like the wind, narrowly avoiding four spells.
‘I’ll cut down what I can.’
The moment his gentle evasions ended, his demeanor shifted.
His two Wind Blades carved through the air, slicing through incoming spells.
‘And as for the ones I can neither dodge nor cut...’
There was only one answer.
‘I’ll block them.’
The Wind Shield he deployed in front absorbed the barrage of incoming magic.
BOOM!
As the dust settled, Oscar emerged unscathed, without a single scratch.
“...Impressive.”
The homunculus muttered in admiration.
Anyone witnessing this would have doubted whether this was truly a battle.
The entire sequence had been executed so seamlessly that it resembled a well-rehearsed circus performance.
One man had handled thirteen spells without a single wasted movement.
“......”
But Oscar didn’t seem pleased.
The relentless mana weighing down on him was becoming increasingly burdensome.
‘Even though I’ve been conserving stamina and mana, I’m already short of breath.’
He would be the first to collapse if he had to endure just two or three more exchanges like that.
‘...Should I reconsider my approach?’
Just as doubt began creeping in about Fran and the others—
The air changed.
“Huh?”
At the same time, the overwhelming mana pressing on his shoulders began to fade.
Feeling his movements becoming freer, Oscar smirked and looked toward the homunculus in the glass chamber.
“The ten years I know seem a bit longer than this.”
“This is impossible....”
The homunculus, visibly shaken, muttered incoherently, seemingly unaware of its own disbelief.
“...Defeated? No, that’s not possible. The entity I sent there contained the fusion of thirteen souls.”
“You thought you could stop them with just thirteen? No wonder you lost.”
As Oscar added another remark, the surrounding mages glared at him murderously.
“You don’t know anything. Merging souls means combining different thoughts and wills into a single entity.”
In other words, it created a temporary unified being with a single mind.
“With thirteen souls fused, its power should be equivalent to a 7th-level mage.”
“A 7th-level mage, huh.”
Oscar shrugged.
If the opponent had truly been at that level, Fran and the others would never have stood a chance.
‘But if this creature is talking about a 7th-level mage by standards from 200 years ago, that’s a different story.’
The concept of magic levels hadn’t changed over time.
A 7th-level mage meant someone with seven magic circuits, whether now or 200 years ago.
‘But that doesn’t mean their abilities are the same.’
Magic evolved.
It was the duty of each generation to study, analyze, and improve upon the spells passed down by their predecessors.
With 200 years of progress, modern mages were naturally stronger on average.
“A 7th-level mage from 200 years ago would be around a 5th-level mage today—maybe a 6th if we’re being generous.”
“What?”
The homunculus’s voice sharpened.
“Are you claiming modern mages are superior to those of the past?”
“It’s not a claim. It’s a fact.”
Of course, not all mages followed this pattern.
Take Ado Vail, Oscar’s second mentor—he was still a nearly unmatched existence.
‘But true geniuses have existed in every era.’
What mattered wasn’t the peak, but the average.
Unlike knights, mages grew stronger as time passed and knowledge accumulated.
“Well, you don’t have to accept it if you don’t want to.”
“......”
The homunculus fell silent.
Then, as if talking to itself, it muttered:
“I see... That explains the sense of incongruity I felt.”
“Incongruity?”
“Your magic control, your understanding of spells, the perfection of your techniques... You’re nothing like the 4th-level mages I knew.”
“No, that’s just because...”
In truth, he wasn’t actually at the 4th level.
But once a misunderstanding began, it was hard to stop.
“Hm. You, and the mana plant as well... I suppose my standards are outdated.”
The homunculus coolly admitted.
At the same time, the dozen mages around him dissolved into mist.
Oscar’s gaze narrowed.
“What’s the meaning of this?”
“I’ve decided to change my plans.”
“Plans?”
“Yes.”
The homunculus pressed itself against the glass and asked:
“Oscar Crucian, what do you think our goal is?”
“...Revenge against the empire that deceived you?”
“Oh, you know well. Then what’s the first step toward achieving that revenge?”
“Well, first, you’d need to crawl out of that glass chamber.”
“Exactly. If we want revenge, we must escape this prison first.”
Thud, thud!
The homunculus inside the glass chamber banged its body against the wall.
“But that’s impossible. We are beings that can only breathe, think, and live within this special liquid inside the glass chamber.”
“...Ah, really?”
Oscar’s eyes gleamed at the unexpected information, but the homunculus scoffed.
“If you’re thinking of doing anything foolish, I suggest you stop. This reinforced glass chamber boasts durability strong enough to withstand sword energy.”
“Go on.”
“We need a body. Not a fake illusion like this, but a real body of flesh and blood, one that can live outside this glass chamber.”
“......”
Oscar’s eyes narrowed.
He had realized what they wanted.
“Possession... no, in this case, should I call it parasitism? You need a body to inhabit?”
“You can call it whatever you want. That’s the correct answer.”
The homunculus pressed against the glass and whispered in a sweet voice.
“Oscar Crucian. Join hands with me.”
“I refuse.”
“...Without even hearing the conditions? There’s no harm in listening.”
“I don’t need to hear them to know.”
It was obvious.
Fran, Veronica, Killian.
They wanted one of their bodies for themselves.
And in return, they’d probably offer the knowledge they had accumulated over 200 years.
“Give me the body of one of your companions. In return, I will teach you all the knowledge we have amassed over more than two centuries.”
“Wow.”
How could it be so perfectly word-for-word what he expected?
Oscar let out a small exclamation before replying.
“You already heard my answer earlier, didn’t you?”
“...Hmm. So I can take this to mean there’s no peaceful resolution?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
They had already been fighting to the death for hours.
“We need a living body, and you refuse to give us one. That leaves us with only one option—to take it by force.”
“Go ahead and try. If you can.”
No matter what they did, Oscar was confident he wouldn’t lose in a fight.
‘Especially now that they’ve lost their near-infinite mana.’
As he pondered strategies in his mind against this centuries-old relic, the homunculus muttered quietly.
“I should have kept those thirteen souls instead of sending them out.”
Then, a figure appeared in front of the glass chamber.
A seemingly ordinary old man with no particularly distinct features.
“......”
Yet the moment Oscar faced him, he swallowed hard.
The mana emanating from within the old man was anything but ordinary.
‘This... this might really be close to Level 7.’
As if reading his thoughts, the old man slowly opened his eyes and asked,
“Oscar Crucian. What level would you say this form is at in modern standards?”
“......”
Oscar couldn’t answer immediately, and the old man smirked.
“From your reaction, I take it you’ve realized that I am at least on par with a Level 7 mage.”
“So this is what you meant by merging souls?”
“Indeed.”
The old man nodded readily.
“This time, I merged all the remaining souls—forty in total.”
That merging souls wasn’t just a simple matter of 1+1 was obvious.
‘They said it unifies thinking and judgment.’
If that were the only advantage, there’d be no reason to merge.
The previous strength—casting multiple spells simultaneously—likely remained intact.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
‘Basically, I should assume I’m fighting forty mages in one body.’
Oscar’s gaze flicked toward the glass chamber behind the old man’s illusion.
Inside, the homunculus remained completely motionless.
‘If I get the chance, I’ll strike the main body.’
After all, this old man was just an illusion.
A very special illusion infused with forty souls—but an illusion nonetheless.
‘That might actually work to my advantage.’
Destroying the illusion would undoubtedly shock the real body.
Of course, considering the enemy’s power level was near Level 7, that was easier said than done.
“I can see what you’re thinking.”
The old man spoke in a relaxed tone.
“You want to break free of my line of sight and attack the real body. Your intentions are crystal clear.”
He raised one hand lightly, and an immense surge of magic energy condensed, pressing down on the entire space.
“Oscar Crucian. The offer we—I—gave you was a gesture of goodwill. But since you refused it, don’t regret what happens next.”
“......!”
Oscar’s eyes widened.
Behind and above the old man, nearly a hundred magic circles appeared in an instant.
“Holy shit...”
He cursed and hurriedly drew upon his own mana.
The old man smirked, his lips curving slightly.
“Don’t worry too much. After all, I need your body to remain functional. I won’t break it too badly.”
Magic poured forth from the hundred circles.
Every single one of them was an offensive spell.
A chaotic mix of random attributes, making it nearly impossible to counter.
“......”
But Oscar didn’t give up.
Giving up now would mean surrendering his body to them.
‘That’s not an option.’
Right now, this was the body of the little Oscar.
He had promised to fulfill that boy’s dreams and revenge—he wouldn’t let anyone take it until that mission was complete.
‘Think.’
The barrage of attacks.
Reading and interpreting their countless trajectories while simultaneously strategizing.
‘I can’t dodge or block all of them anyway.’
A plan to overturn the situation.
A flood of thoughts raced through his mind, calculating feasibility and success rates.
And through it all, his body never stopped moving.
“Hup!”
Oscar twisted mid-air, dodging the incoming spells.
Naturally, he couldn’t avoid everything.
Slice! Tear!
His skin was gashed in multiple places, and blood splattered from wounds both shallow and deep.
Before he could even register the pain, his mind burned with intensity.
‘A frontal assault is impossible. Escape is impossible.’
From countless considerations, only one strategy emerged.
‘I’ll deceive him.’
The moment that thought solidified, Oscar cast 『Wind Shield』.
A massive barrier large enough to cover his entire body.
“How foolish. You should know that such a shield won’t stop these attacks.”
“......”
Of course, he knew that.
He never intended to block the barrage with just Wind Shield.
The only reason he cast it...
‘Let your guard down.’
Even for just a second, he needed the old man to lower his vigilance.
Though Oscar crouched beneath the shield, his eyes never lost their fire.
Boom! Crack!
The shield shattered in moments, and the old man’s magic bombarded the spot where Oscar had been.
“It’s over.”
The old man, watching with his hands behind his back, took slow steps forward.
As the dust settled, he saw Oscar’s bloodied body lying there and reached out his hand.
Only for Oscar’s figure to dissipate into smoke.
“...An illusion?!”
Realizing his mistake, the old man’s head snapped around.
By then, Oscar had already used Blink, pulling the thread of space to arrive inside the glass chamber.
'Got it.'
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The first and last chance that would never come again.
He drew his Wind Blade inside the chamber, ready to slice the brain in half.
...Or so he thought.
"You nearly ruined everything."
His body—he couldn't move a single finger.
An immense magical force bound him, preventing even the slightest movement.
The old man approached the glass chamber, his face twisted in displeasure.
"I must admit, your resolve is admirable."
To think that in such a grim situation, he had come up with such an elaborate plan.
But in the end, the outcome had already been decided.
'This doesn't feel right.'
A bad premonition.
He couldn't afford to give his opponent any more time.
The old man, sensing urgency, quickly waved his hand.
At the same time, Oscar's body slowly lifted inside the glass chamber.
'...This guy really has nothing left to lose, huh?'
Right now, the mana generator had been shut down by Fran.
Which meant—his opponent was using magic recklessly, without any thought for what came next.
"Accept me. Accept us."
The moment their eyes met, blood spurted from Oscar's mouth.
"Kh-hak!"
He felt something unknown creeping into him, and his vision turned inside out.
His entire bloodstream began to boil as heat surged through his body, accompanied by unbearable pain.
It felt as if something had been forcefully stuffed into his body—something that didn’t quite fit.
"Arghhhhhh!"
Bubbles rose, bursting at the surface of the liquid-filled chamber.
He couldn't breathe.
But worse than the physical pain was the mental agony.
It was as if his brain was being contaminated.
'Accept us. Accept us quietly.'
It became difficult to tell whether these thoughts were his own—or theirs.
Summoning superhuman willpower, Oscar barely clung to consciousness.
And then—
A voice, smooth and pleased, echoed in his head.
-Oh? You’re holding up quite well. Your mental fortitude is far greater than we expected.
The voice whispered softly.
-But give up. Let go, and drift into a deep sleep. Then, you’ll be free from all this pain... Hm?
The Homunculus' voice suddenly shifted.
-...What is this?
It was unmistakable.
A feeling of bewilderment.
The Homunculus strode into Oscar’s mental world with confidence.
Of course, he did.
Here, there was no one to stop him.
'Oscar Crucian. There’s no need to fight this one with magic.'
Losing wasn’t something they even considered.
But still—there was never a 0% chance of failure.
And now, stripped of infinite mana, they had no reason to take unnecessary risks.
'Here, I am guaranteed to win.'
Right now, he possessed the power of forty merged souls.
Forcibly overpowering the target’s soul and seizing control of the body should be simple.
"Yet..."
The Homunculus frowned.
He had seen many mental worlds before.
But even considering that—this place was strange.
'...Books?'
An endless expanse of books, stacked high upon each other.
If a mental world was a representation of its owner's inner universe, then this one was far too barren.
Among the 53 minds he had consumed, not a single one had been this desolate.
'Where is the room?'
The deepest chamber of a person’s mental world.
Whoever occupied that room would become the true owner of the body.
Knowing this, the Homunculus pressed forward.
'...Found it.'
Finally, nestled among the towering stacks of books, he spotted the door.
He reached for the doorknob—
And then—
His face froze.
Something was wrong.
Slowly, he turned his head to the side.
If Oscar’s soul was supposed to be inside that room...
Then who was the shadowy figure standing among the books, back turned towards him?
A chilling realization struck.
The moment the Homunculus opened his mouth—
"Leave."
A command was issued.
"U-UUUEEEEGH!"
Inside the glass chamber, the small brain convulsed violently.
The forceful ejection had caused severe backlash.
The old man’s composed figure was now completely gone.
Barely regaining his senses, the Homunculus shuddered in pure terror.
"Wh-Who... What are you?!"
“...Cough.”
A massive foreign soul had tried to enter his body—only to be violently expelled.
Oscar, in no better condition, struggled to keep his eyes open and glared at his opponent.
“An-Answer me! Wh-Who is inside that body?! What are you?!”
“......”
Oscar didn’t know exactly what the Homunculus was saying.
But one thing was clear.
Right now, his opponent was completely defenseless.
He would not miss this chance.
『Wind Blade.』
And this time, he didn’t make a mistake.
With a swift, precise strike—
The Homunculus was cleaved in two.
“Wh-Why...!?”
A final, desperate cry.
CRASH!
The glass chamber shattered, and its liquid spilled out onto the floor.
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]

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