Ch. 97.2

Amidst the incoming overwhelming rewards, he couldn't contain his excitement.

[To the one who has unveiled a perfect story, the 'Constellation Project' promises a special additional reward.]**

Something else popped up with a message promising to give him more.

He felt as if all accumulated dust was pushed away all at once, leaving a refreshing sensation.

Baek Yu-Seol's heart seemed to melt with joy.

And then, he faced a dilemma.

"What should I choose?"

This time, there was an additional special reward.

While he couldn't ask for equipment he had used in the game, maybe he could aim for something quite valuable this time.

He tried to avoid items that could be crafted, considering that now he could create almost anything with Alterisha's help.

"Hmm, how about something like the White Dragon Armor?"

[You cannot receive a unique item that is one-of-a-kind in the world.]

"Darn it."

The White Dragon Armor, an item with a story that claimed there was only one in the entire setting.

He wondered if he could have brought such a unique item and doubled its existence in the world, but as expected, it was not possible.

"If that's the case, then most of my items will have to be forfeited as rewards..."

Just before the ending, the equipment worn by his character, Baek Yu-Seol, was mostly unique items that had no duplicates in the game world.

"Well then..."

He pondered on what to choose, but once again, he realized that it was skills rather than items.

Until now, he had relied on items to compensate for his insufficient attack power, but that wouldn't be possible in the future.

Thanks to the special item he obtained, he was able to defeat Maizen Tyren.

Therefore, the most crucial stat for him, which was attack power, could only be enhanced through skill development.

However, it was a problem that he couldn't predict when the circulation rate of magical power would increase enough to penetrate a mage's shield.

So, unsure of whether it would work or not, he decided to request a special skill as a reward.

"I want the derivative skill 'Mana Concentration' added to the Mana Accumulation Retardation skill."

After that, the system message fell silent for a moment.

[Upon checking, it is possible.]

[The derived skill 'Mana Concentration' has been activated for the trait Mana Accumulation Retardation.]

Excellent.

Baek Yu-Seol couldn't help but let out a sigh of excitement as he tightly clenched his fist.

Mana Concentration.

It might be difficult to grasp the significance of this skill in a world where mana didn't exist.

But, his body naturally breathed mana, but it couldn't be contained within; it dissipated into the external environment.

As a result, his physical abilities were elevated to superhuman levels, but he remained unable to wield magic.

Mana Concentration, on the other hand, allowed him to focus the mana that escaped through his entire body into a specific area.

Originally, it was limited to the fist, but he had the ability to control its release from various parts such as the head, shoulders, knees, and feet.

What would happen then?

Naturally, with all the mana converging into his fist, its power and intensity would amplify, wouldn't they?

While Mana Accumulation Retardation was supposed to evolve into "Natural Mana Manipulation" in the future, accompanied by skills like Mana Coating, he couldn't afford to wait that long.

"Well then..."

He couldn't contain his desire to test this skill.

Although it was the weekend and he had just been discharged from the hospital, he couldn't afford to rest.

He was eager to hand over the heart to Celestia and learn the art of controlling Mana Accumulation Retardation from her.

From this moment on, through the practice of Mana Concentration, he could finally possess the attack power that had eluded him before.

The thought sent his heart racing, and he couldn't suppress his exhilaration.

————

Meanwhile, Kaen, the leader of the 13th Division, made a long-awaited return to the main tower of Manwol, and confronted the Tower Lord.

Although it appeared as an ordinary cabin on a hill, this place was an integral part of the formidable Manwol Tower.

Interweaving numerous dimensions and spaces, it stood as the embodiment of the tower's power.

"Kaen, I heard you reported the successful completion of your mission in the Skyflower Haven."

"Yes, as instructed by the Tower Lord. Although a dark mage had emerged, it turned out to be a mere student of Stella, not Maizen Tyren."

"I see. And instead of eliminating them, you allowed Stella's students to purify them."

"... Yes."

"You've done something quite unexpected. I never thought you were capable of such actions.

Rudrick remarked, disguising himself as an old man. He frequently changed his appearance, attributing it to having forgotten his true age.

"I apologize, but... I saw potential in that."

The possibility of restoring a dark magic-infused mage back to their original state.

However, even as Kaen spoke these words, he doubted that this stubborn Tower Lord would trust him.

'Every dark mage must be eradicated.'

It was Rudrick, the Lord of Manwol Tower, who instilled this belief in him.

"Is that so..."

Surprisingly, Rudrick responded nonchalantly.

"You don't plan on interrogating?"

"What good would it do to interrogate? Time keeps flowing, eras constantly change, and the world evolves. My words can't always be right."

"I thought you wouldn't believe me..."

"I don't."

Taken aback, Kaen looked up.

Rudrick remained composed, stroking his beard with a resolute determination.

"But I sensed a shift in the times. Even if I couldn't do it, and even if you couldn't do it... there's no law saying that the younger generation can't."

Kaen fell silent at his words.

He still struggled to fully accept the younger generation.

The magic of a girl named Edna and the abilities of a boy named Baek Yu-Seol were remarkable enough to make a slight crack in his unwavering convictions.

"Oh, by the way... I heard that despite your successful mission in Skyflower Haven, Maizen Tyren succumbed to dark magic and made an appearance."

"... Is that so?"

That was completely unexpected, leaving Kaen greatly bewildered as his pupils trembled in surprise.

So this meant it was a failure, not a successful mission.

He had never anticipated the emergence of another Dark Mage.

"No need to blame yourself. It was my mistake for not providing information about another second Dark Mage."

Rudrick spoke, his gaze fixed into the distance.

"At some point, I became unable to foresee the future." Rudrick continued. "No, to be more precise... it became as hazy as mist."

"Isn't that a serious problem?"

Rudrick simply chuckled.

"Not at all. In fact, not being able to foresee the future makes it all the more interesting. It allows human beings to think more flexibly. Humans who only distrust what they see are unable to look in other directions. I used to be like that. That's why I feel relieved now."

Why was the future closed off?

Why was Rudrick's 'Future Sight' losing its power?

The cause remained unknown, but Rudrick himself appeared content.

"Don't worry about the Skyflower Haven. Ah, the boy you encountered... yes, Baek Yu-Seol, was it? I can envision a scene where that child defeats Maizen Tyren."

"Is that so..."

Baek Yu-Seol.

The name resurfaced once again, becoming quite frequent in Kaen's recent encounters.

Maizen Tyren was estimated to possess Level 6 Danger power as a Dark Mage.

Judging by Kaen's abilities, he could easily eliminate him with a few strikes.

However, the fact that a single student managed to defeat a Level 6 Danger Dark Mage...

It simply defied logic.

"As I suspected, there's something more to it."

"Do you truly believe so?"

Rudrick's words caught Kaen off guard, prompting him to raise his head.

Rudrick nonchalantly shrugged and spoke, "You're mistaken. That child is indeed a seventeen-year-old student. He simply has many things hidden within him."

"That can't be... it's impossible."

"A mere seventeen-year-old student cannot possess such power. There are truly unimaginable things happening in the world. But don't try to understand. We are too exhausted to comprehend such things. We can only accept them."

Rudrick remarked. He appeared unusually fatigued and worn out, yet there was a glimmer of fulfillment in his expression, as if he had finally unearthed something he had been tirelessly searching for.

"The future will change rapidly from now on, beyond what you can handle. So, prepare your mind and brace it."

Rudrik faded away along with the surroundings, leaving the final sentence.

Left alone in the serene meadow, Kaen silently gazed at the sky.

The clouds drifted lazily towards the distant horizon, their movements seeming preoccupied with important matters.

Meanwhile, he remained rooted in his place…