《The Catastrophic Crazy Magician Reincarnated into a Fallen Noble Family》 The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 0 – Prologue [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 0 ¨C Prologue I never knew the world was filled with so many crazy bastards. There were even more of them around me. Almost everyone was insane. In other words, everyone was fucking crazy. The one hailed as a great knight was swinging his sword in a frenzy with his eyes rolled back, and the supposedly cold and rational mage would lose his grip on reality, chanting spells that often blew up the heads of unfortunate allies. S?a??h th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Of course, I was no different. Going mad wasn¡¯t as big a deal as you might think. When faced with a situation where staying sane wasn¡¯t an option, anyone would go mad. When madness takes hold, the first thing that happens is your field of vision narrows. Every nerve focuses solely on one goal How can you think when you¡¯re crazy, you ask? Just because you¡¯re mad doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t think. In fact, your thoughts become deeper, just narrower in scope. Like, the bastards I see in front of me right now¡­ Spewing black blood from his wound-covered body, that son of a bitch still acted cocky. He pretended to fight, then ran away like a rat. The rotten bastard even kept a solemn expression throughout. Now that I look closer, I see the eunuch doesn¡¯t even have a dick. I¡¯m going to kill that damn Demon King bastard, who keeps disappearing and reappearing in the air every second, dodging spatial explosions. That¡¯s the one thought I¡¯m focusing all my nerves on. Wheeeing¡ª I suppressed the eight rampaging Mana Circles and rotated them in reverse. The Yin dimension Mana exerts unimaginable power when resonated in reverse. ¡°Die, Verkes, you bastard!¡± It was the moment I gathered all my strength and extended my right hand, which only had three fingers left. With a faint shimmer of light, the bastard disappeared from my sight again. It was the same vanishing act he¡¯d repeated over and over. Soon, Verkes reappeared in front of me with a relaxed victor¡¯s smile. [You are a human incapable of learning.] ¡°¡­Bullshit.¡± [You cannot deceive my eyes. You are no longer¡­?] For the first time, an expression of shock appeared on his face, which had been solemn until now. The bastard hurriedly tried to teleport, but this time it was too late. Delayed Spatial Explosion. Faaaaaaaaang¡ª Along with black sparks, a part of the space where the bastard was standing exploded. Through my increasingly blurry vision, I saw Verkes¡¯ face with a hole in his heart as he fell. ¡­Did I succeed? My vision blurred and sharpened, repeating multiple times. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 1 – Who Am I [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 1 ¨C Who Am I + ?For Press Reference Only ¨C Classified? Regarding the Formation of the Expedition. ¡õ (Destination) The Land of Death ¡õ (Key Points) All four Divine Clans will participate. The expedition will be led by Pelleer Samael himself. ¡õ (Duration) Up to 6 months ¡õ (Expedition Name) Undecided Distribution Date: Immediately upon approval by the Samael Clan. Responsible Party: 13th Floor Master of the White Tower, Lyle Sirius (Signature) + Through the hazy fog that clouded my vision, I saw a few men. ¡ªAttention Everyone. I will now announce the expedition roster. All regular members of the Crazy Mage Squad, and among the trainee members, Gollin, Hanai, Mirko¡­ Arjeta, Ruin. That is all. ¡®What the hell? Why is my name on the list?¡¯ ¡ª Captain, there must be a mistake. I¡¯m only a second-circle mage. ¡ª ¡­Ruin. The head of the house specifically ordered your inclusion. ¡ª What? Why would the head choose me? ¡ª No questions allowed. Everyone, prepare to depart immediately. Ruin, you come with me. A familiar face grabbed my hand and pulled me along. ¡®No, I can¡¯t go. Let go of me.¡¯ Contrary to my will, I can¡¯t resist. ¡®Let go.¡¯ ¡°Let go, damn it!¡± Suddenly, the fog that had been covering my mind disappeared all at once, and my eyes shot open. ¡°Ugh!¡± Blood spurted from my mouth. I took a deep breath, feeling the harsh air fill my lungs and the metallic taste of blood. Soon, my blurry vision focused, and I slowly sensed my surroundings. ¡°¡­Ha, shit.¡± It was a sign that I was being freed from madness. Whenever my crazed mind returned to normal, my hearing always came back first, followed by smell, then sight. Everywhere I looked was hell. The gruesome corpses of my comrades were scattered all over, covered by the bodies of countless grotesque demons. ¡®What am I doing here?¡¯ After regaining consciousness, I should have started to recall my memories. Demons, humans¡­ and battle. ¡°Right. The damn expedition!¡± The ¡®Final Expedition¡¯ that claimed to end the demons in six months. I was a member of that damn expedition. And those six months were all lies and bullshit. I didn¡¯t know who first uttered that crap, but I would have smashed their head in if I had known. 12 years? 13 years? I didn¡¯t know. In any case, it had definitely been over 10 years. That damn expedition to exterminate the demons had been dragging on for over 10 years. The expedition, which started with over a thousand members, had now dwindled to five. Everyone died fighting those damn demons. The only consolation was that we wiped out the demons before we all died. We even discovered the reason they appeared here. It was because of the dimensional rift over there. The Archmage, Pelleer Samael. Sword Saint, Magnus Balthar. Dragon Knight, Iris Seren. Guardian Saint, Galtan Arihama. And me. The Crazy Mage, Ruin. Crazy Mage. That¡¯s what people called me. It was a bit tacky compared to the others, but what did it matter? I couldn¡¯t have imagined being among them ten years ago. Anyway, the five of us tried to seal that dimensional rift. And after that, we planned to cleanly and painlessly kill each other, reveling in the joy of our miserable victory. There was no way to return anyway. If there had been, we would have gone back a long time ago. Just as we were about to seal the rift, that bastard appeared. Demon King Verkes. He looked almost human but was insanely strong. As soon as he appeared, he not only shattered Galtan¡¯s shield but also dispelled Pelleer¡¯s incantation and blew away his lower body. That was all I could remember before I went berserk. * * * When I woke up, everyone was dead. The Sword Saint¡¯s divine sword was broken, and Galtan was cut in half along with his shield. Iris was nowhere to be seen, as if she had been completely obliterated. How am I still alive? And how did I regain my sanity? I clearly remembered going into mana overload after seeing Pelleer get attacked. It was so overwhelming that it consumed all my reason. That¡¯s how I was able to kill that Demon King bastard. But how¡­ How did I come to my senses again? The answer was right in front of me. I finally noticed a human lying there. Even in death, he was clutching an empty bottle tightly. It seemed he had poured an elixir into my pierced heart. ¡°¡­Master.¡± Pelleer Samael. The head of House Samael, the family I belonged to, and the man who was called the greatest Archmage. Even with his lower half obliterated, he crawled to me and poured the elixir into my heart. This foolish master took his last breath only after pouring the elixir into my heart. ¡°You were annoying to the very end.¡± An elixir can¡¯t heal a pierced heart. At most, it can bring back consciousness for a while. The master knew that. He did it anyway. He was always like that. ¡ª Crazy Mage Squad Commander, Ruin. You need to be there to see the end of this journey. Only you can do it. So you must survive. ¡°Fuck. What¡¯s the point of it all now?¡± It was all for nothing. Everyone was dead. Who would ever know what happened here? They¡¯d probably call it a noble sacrifice and a great journey, then have a moment of silence once a year. Would that be enough? Would the Head of the House be satisfied with that kind of remembrance? Would all those who died here find solace in that fact? Suddenly, I turned my head and saw the corpses of a few mages under my command. They all had peaceful expressions on their faces. ¡°Idiots. All of them, just like their master. What¡¯s there to be happy about?¡± The honor of House Samael. The burden of House Samael. It was the most unfortunate thing to bear. [¡­Human.] A voice like chains scraping reached my ears. Verkes was staring at me. Wasn¡¯t that bastard dead yet? His face was embedded with a sword and a broken spearhead, one of his legs was severed and burning, and most importantly, there was a watermelon-sized hole in his heart. Yet, he kept talking. [An unexpected variable. I must admit, I¡¯m impressed. Where did you learn the magic of our kind? No, it¡¯s similar, yet subtly different.] He kept talking even with black blood streaming from his gaping chest wound. Dying just like a human. [It¡¯s astonishing that human magic can be this powerful.] ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re about to die.¡± [It doesn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t think this is the end. No one can stop us.] ¡°What?¡± [Strongest human. You¡¯re regretting it. You can¡¯t fool this King. It seems you¡¯re not that righteous after all¡­] ¡°Shut up!¡± With the last bit of my strength, I cast a spatial explosion at his face. With a loud bang, his head exploded like a watermelon. Dragging my remaining leg, I started moving towards the rift. Knowing no one was watching, I crawled towards it. ¡°Damn Samael.¡± I really didn¡¯t want to end my life like this. I wanted to become stronger and live a prosperous life. But there was nothing more I could do. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m cursed with bad luck to the very end.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if I could seal it alone. But I had to try. I was going to die anyway, so I might as well do something before I went. ¡°Damn it.¡± Suddenly, my life flashed before my eyes. An orphan, a street thug roaming the back alleys, that was me. Rolling around in the harsh underbelly of life, my heart was twisted, and I could hardly see straight. How desperate was I to even plan to kidnap the young master of House Samael for a quick score? Of course, the plan failed. I thought I would die, but the Head of the House saved me. He said I had a talent for magic and should become a mage. Talent, my ass. Even after years of effort, I couldn¡¯t break past the 2nd Circle. Then one day, I was suddenly dragged into the expedition on the Head¡¯s orders. The result was what it was now. So, did I regret being dragged into this? Of course, I regretted¡­ Hmm¡­ Shit. Was it only when I was about to die that my true feelings came out? Actually, it wasn¡¯t all bad in this crazy expedition. I awakened to magic through relentless training, fought alongside famous mages I wouldn¡¯t have dared to look at before, and everyone cheered my name. ¡°Damn it. It would have been perfect if I could have lived and thrived.¡± Ah, damn life. Before I could hesitate any longer, I threw myself into the rift and released the rest of my mana. * * * The world spun. My body alternated between cold and hot. My consciousness gradually faded. Was this the end? S~?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Wait for me in the afterlife, master. I¡¯ll grab you by the collar and give you hell. How much time passed? Just as my consciousness was about to fade completely. ¡°¡­!¡± My mind suddenly became clear, as if I had just woken up from a deep sleep. ¡®Why am I not dead?¡¯ In the darkness, a pair of glowing yellow eyes appeared. They waved a hand in front of me, then extended a fist. I just watched, not understanding. Smack¡ª A sharp pain flared on my forehead as stars exploded in my vision. ¡®Ugh, is this the afterlife? Do you feel pain in the afterlife?¡¯ ¡°Get your shit together, kid.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah, you. I thought you were dead, you little shit.¡± Suddenly, I felt a surge of anger. ¡°I¡¯m already dead. You look like you died before me, so if you try to boss me around here¡­¡± I stopped mid-sentence, feeling something was off. Talking left me breathless. Why did my voice sound different? ¡°Ruin Samael, this guy has completely lost it. He drank everything himself and passed out, and now he¡¯s totally gone bonkers.¡± This was weird. I was a member of House Samael, but I didn¡¯t have a surname. I was an orphan. But they were calling me Ruin Samael? ¡°This bastard, words won¡¯t work on him.¡± What the hell was going on? [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 2 – The Crazy Mage’s Return [Translator -Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 2 ¨C The Crazy Mage¡¯s Return A sense of unease washed over me, and I looked around. A dark and gloomy room. Hazy smoke and a pungent smell stung my nose, and loud shouts filled the air. The people around me were either staggering or sitting down with strange grins, or lying on the ground rolling around like idiots. ¡®Even in death, I¡¯m surrounded by lunatics. Could this be¡­?¡¯ At that moment, a man with hollow eyes approached, glaring at me. I swallowed dryly and asked, ¡°Hey. Is this hell?¡± ¡°Cut the crap. Look at how expensive this is, why did you drink it all yourself?¡± Suddenly, I felt a moist, bitter taste on my lips. I licked them without realizing it. The dizziness and the feeling of my body going limp were all too familiar. It was a taste from the distant corners of my memory. ¡®Hallucinogenic herbs?¡¯ Just in case, I looked down, and my unbelievable suspicion was confirmed. The bubbling yellow bottle in front of me contained psychotropic drugs. Next to it were half-burnt, cheap hallucinogenic herbs. ¡®This is what I used to see when I was a thug, right?¡¯ Even in the most chaotic hell, this shouldn¡¯t exist. Could I still be alive? ¡°Ruin still hasn¡¯t come to his senses. It¡¯s been a while since you got a beating, hasn¡¯t it?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but those hollow eyes were staring at me with murderous intent. Two burly men surrounded me. They looked like third-rate thugs. A hollow laugh escaped my lips. ¡°Ha.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re laughing? Are you really crazy? Are you?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right. I¡¯m the Crazy Mage.¡± I glared at the man with hollow eyes and said, ¡°Now that you know who I am, stop this. The Crazy Mage doesn¡¯t go easy on anyone, even kids.¡± The man cracked his neck and looked at the burly guy next to him. ¡°Krak.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°Bring that crazy bastard over here. I need to teach him a lesson today.¡± The burly man called Krak approached me with a grotesque grin. ¡°Hehehe.¡± A good beating is the best medicine for kids who don¡¯t understand words. I immediately kicked off the ground, aiming a punch at Krak¡¯s face, but¡­ As soon as I took a step, I realized something was wrong. My body felt heavy, as if filled with a thousand pounds of iron. At the same time, dizziness washed over me. Instead of panicking, I focused on the situation in front of me. I tried to draw mana from the air as much as I could. Even with my mana circles damaged, I could still cast 1st Circle magic without much difficulty. ¡®Huh?¡¯ As I chanted the incantation for ¡®Wind,¡¯ I felt something was wrong. The wind that manifested in my hand was much weaker than expected. Meanwhile, Krak¡¯s heavy fist was approaching my face. I condensed the wind in my hand into a gust and threw a punch. Our fists collided. Wham!¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± Krak grimaced, clutching his hand. A look of surprise flickered across the eyes of the other men watching. I took a moment to assess my condition. I definitely heard a cracking sound from my right arm. ¡®Damn it, did I dislocate my elbow?¡¯ The pain intensified as I rotated my elbow. This didn¡¯t make sense. No matter how much I thought about it¡­ this wasn¡¯t my body. ¡°Hold on.¡± First, I needed to understand the situation. I spoke to the men who were still looking bewildered. ¡°I¡¯m Ruin of Samael. Identify yourselves first.¡± The man with hollow eyes narrowed his eyes and replied, ¡°Ruin Samael? Are you really out of your mind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a surname. I¡¯m just Ruin.¡± ¡°Right, you ungrateful bastard.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t respond, the man with hollow eyes said, ¡°You really are out of your mind. I am Blok of House Bayern.¡± ¡°Never heard of that House. I¡¯m Ruin, the Crazy Mage, the last survivor of the Final Expedition. Where the hell is this? It doesn¡¯t seem like hell.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man with hollow eyes paused for a moment, then burst into laughter. ¡°Hahahaha! This crazy bastard. The Final Expedition? You¡¯re completely delusional. Are you a dragon? An elf? Have you been alive for 300 years? It seems like I need to beat you 300 times for you to come to your senses.¡± I stared intently at the man with hollow eyes. I could tell whether he was lying or telling the truth by looking into his eyes. That¡¯s when something incomprehensible happened. * ¨C ¡ºThe ability ?Mind¡¯s Eye? is activated¡» ¨C ¡ºYou gaze at the target with your mind¡¯s eye¡» ¨C ¡ºIf the opponent is of a similar level, you can ascertain information about them¡» * ======= ? Blok Bayern ¡ª Corpse Eyes ? Talents: Weapon Skill [Swordsmanship (D)], Elemental Affinity [Water (C)] ? Traits: Stamina [C], Mental Strength [D], Mana Resonance [F] ? Tendencies: [Exploiting the Weak], [Despicable], [Observant], [Extravagant], [Pleasure-Seeking] ? Overall Grade: Magic (D) ====== Information about the man flooded into my mind. I wasn¡¯t surprised. I had seen many illusions while fighting demons. The only thing I believed now was that the murderous intent in Blok¡¯s eyes was growing stronger. ¡°Hey, Hollow Eyes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°On second thought, Corpse Eyes is a more fitting name for you.¡± Blok shouted, ¡°Get that bastard over here, now!¡± Krak charged at me again. In my current state, even moving was a struggle. But who was I? I wrapped my left fist with ¡®Wind¡¯ and threw a punch. As soon as our fists met, I heard another cracking sound, and my left elbow felt dislocated. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Suppressing the pain, I lunged at Krak¡¯s face and headbutted his jaw. *Wham!* ¡°Cough!¡± Krak¡¯s eyes rolled back as he fell backward. Damn it, I was already out of breath after just a couple of moves. My vision started to blur. The other burly man, who had been watching silently, cursed and drew his sword. ¡°This bastard is asking for it!¡± A sudden surge of anger overwhelmed me. I grabbed a nearby bottle and focused on the flow of mana around me. My broken body was already at its limit. The cold sensation of the blade approaching my face grew stronger. I had to wait. There weren¡¯t many opportunities. I needed to aim for one perfect moment. ¡°I¡¯ll blow a hole in your head, you bastard!¡± Just as the thug¡¯s sword, accompanied by a stream of curses, was about to pierce my forehead¡­ I gathered all my strength and chanted a low incantation. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± *Fwoosh* A small flame appeared in front of me. At the same time, I quickly dodged the thug¡¯s sword strike. The cold touch of the blade grazed an inch above my forehead. Taking advantage of the thug¡¯s off-balance stance, I slammed the bottle in my right hand onto his head. *Crack* ¡°Cough!¡± Shattered glass fragments flew through the air, and liquor spilled over the thug¡¯s head. The flame ignited the liquor. *Whoosh* ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°What the hell! Water! Pour water!¡± ¡°What happened!¡± Voices clamored. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. In the chaos, I approached the thug who was rolling on the floor with burns. I grabbed a shard of broken glass and stabbed it into his neck. ¡°You son of a¡­ Cough!¡± Blood flowed down my hand, following the thug¡¯s twitching Adam¡¯s apple. Meanwhile, Krak, who had regained consciousness, saw me and drew his sword. ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯ll kill you, you bastard!¡± I met his gaze and replied, ¡°¡­Think carefully, thug. If you swing that, you¡¯ll die too.¡± The moment our eyes met, Krak flinched and lowered his hand. I felt blood dripping from my forehead onto my lips, so I licked it with my tongue. ¡°Keuk.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The smell of blood confirmed that I was indeed alive. I turned my head again, and Blok¡¯s eyes were shaking uncontrollably. ¡°You, you little¡­¡± It was clear that he had never experienced anything like this before, as he was visibly terrified. His body was even trembling. It was then that someone¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Hey, stop it, both of you. You know you can¡¯t hold each other accountable for this, right? It seems you¡¯ve forgotten where you are.¡± As if waiting for those words, Blok slowly backed away and said, ¡°Ruin, you son of a bitch, I¡¯ll kill you next time I see you.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you finish it now? What, are you scared?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I glared at Blok, he blushed and quickly looked away. Blok hastily turned and walked out, then suddenly glared at the thug lying on the ground with a glass shard in his neck and kicked him hard. ¡°You useless piece of shit.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± The thug¡¯s face twitched, so he wasn¡¯t dead yet. Krak dragged the fallen thug and followed Blok. I watched the three of them disappear and cursed inwardly. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t feel any strength in my body. I was trembling as if I had a severe cold. My vision blurred. But I couldn¡¯t show weakness here. ¡®The Crazy Mage looks pathetic.¡¯ Step by step. I pushed through the crowd of lunatics and finally made it outside the building. Then, my body gave out, and I collapsed on the ground. * * * ¡°Oh, Young Master!¡± About an hour after I collapsed, a slender young man cried and carried me on his back. For some reason, even though I was unconscious, my mind was clear. The young man ran somewhere while crying. I turned my head and memorized the location of the building I had been in. I would definitely come back and kill that Corpse Eyes bastard. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Suddenly, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over me. The surrounding scenery was strangely familiar. The streets were unfamiliar, but the distant mountain peaks and the unique scent were similar to a place in my memory. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ The feeling became more certain as time passed. ¡®No matter how I look at it¡­ this seems like Samael territory.¡¯ The only strange thing was that the surroundings were too gloomy. It was just like the back alleys where I lived when I was young. The young man carried me for a long time, running towards the mountains where there were fewer people. Then, passing through the gate of a clearly run-down family estate, he shouted, ¡°The Young Master is injured! Healer! Call the healer!¡± Thwack¡ª A wooden plank from the gate¡¯s ceiling broke and hit the top of my head. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ I had a bad feeling about this. * * * Incomprehensible things continued to happen. ¡°What in the world is going on, Ruin?! Oh dear, oh dear¡­¡± A middle-aged woman burst into tears upon seeing me, and an elderly healer next to her started poking and prodding my body. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate, ma¡¯am. The Young Master¡¯s internal injuries aren¡¯t too severe.¡± The woman let out a sigh of relief and pleaded with the healer. ¡°Please, I beg you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Hmm. He seemed like a quack to me. A madman knows another madman well. This healer was definitely a quack. And as expected¡­ Because of all the strange things he did to my body, I was bedridden for over a week, when I should have recovered in three days. I couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. Damn quack. The only strange thing was that my mind remained clear throughout my illness. I had a lot of time to think during that week. At first, all I could think about was getting revenge on Corpse Eyes, but as time passed, more fundamental questions arose. How did I, who was dying in the Land of Death, end up here? ¡­To cut to the chase, I survived. To be precise, the past ¡®Ruin¡¯ died, but I gained a new life. Based on the conversations I overheard, it was clear. Ruin Samael. The current eldest son and sole heir of House Samael. I was reborn as an 18-year-old kid. ¡®And 300 years later, as a descendant of House Samael, no less.¡¯ S?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. I was told that 300 years had passed since my death. I was unsure when I heard Corpse Eyes say it, but after seeing the calendar on the wall, I was certain. Moreover, the young man who carried me was named Lihan Perer. The surname ¡®Perer¡¯ had been passed down through generations of stewards serving the Samael bloodline, so this was indeed House Samael. ¡®But why does he have to be named Ruin too?¡¯ Unluckily, we shared the same name. The previous owner of this body was also named Ruin. That¡¯s why Corpse Eyes called me ¡®Ruin Samael.¡¯ And the moment I accepted all these facts¡­ Pfft, I actually laughed at first. Samael was unlucky, that was true, but that was back in the expedition. What was my original dream? Wasn¡¯t it to live a prosperous life with power and a good background? House Samael was the most prestigious family on the continent, so there couldn¡¯t be a better background than this. Even if the family rules were a bit strict, sneaking out was a piece of cake for me. In the past, I was too weak to enjoy that background, but now it was different. But something was strange. ¡®Why is this Samael body in such a state? There are no mana circles even at eighteen?¡¯ If he was a descendant of Samael, he should have at least reached the 3rd Circle by eighteen, even if he was the worst. But this body had no trace of ever forming a circle. Moreover, it was so emaciated that it was a wonder he was still alive. My mind was hazy, as if filled with fog, and I was incredibly thirsty. These symptoms were clear. It was evidence of addiction to hallucinogenic herbs. ¡®How could this be?¡¯ The descendants of House Samael underwent rigorous physical and mental training from the age of eight, so it was impossible for them to have a body like this. ¡­Ah. Suddenly, the insults that Corpse Eyes hurled at me echoed in my mind. I also remembered the dilapidated scenery of the estate I saw when Lihan carried me through the gate. A sense of unease crept over me, as if this wasn¡¯t the House Samael I knew¡­ No, that couldn¡¯t be. The greatest House on the continent couldn¡¯t have just disappeared. ¡°Ahem.¡± I tried to suppress my anxiety with a cough, and Lihan Perer, who had been waiting outside, rushed in. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re awake! Oh my, I thought you were going to die this time.¡± I immediately launched my secret weapon. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s my name?¡± The classic ¡®I¡¯ve lost my memory¡¯ act. Lihan didn¡¯t believe me at first, but when he realized I really couldn¡¯t remember anything, he sighed. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It seems you really have lost your memory. Well, it¡¯s understandable, considering how bad your condition was when you fainted.¡± Lihan started to ramble, and I listened quietly before getting to the point. ¡°So, what kind of family is our House Samael?¡± ¡°A great family, of course!¡± Lihan¡¯s confident answer, with his chest puffed out, eased my anxiety a little. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then why the hell is this idiot¡­ no, I mean, what have I been doing to end up like this? These are symptoms of severe hallucinogenic herb addiction.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lihan glanced at me awkwardly, hesitating to answer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just tell me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide. It¡¯s because you¡¯re such a troublemaker, Young Master. Ah, I misspoke. Anyway, you like to go to those places, don¡¯t you? And there¡¯s no one to stop you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? What about the Head of House? The elders? And before that, it doesn¡¯t make sense for the White Knights, who uphold the family rules, to just let it slide. They wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch, even if you are a bloodline member, would they?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± A sudden headache hit me, and I waved Lihan away. Come to think of it, this room was too small and cramped for a bloodline member¡¯s quarters. There wasn¡¯t even a single artifact in sight, as if everything had been sold off. ¡®This won¡¯t do. I need to meet the current Head of House. What the hell happened to Samael?¡¯ Ah, wait. There was something I had to do first. Since I was reborn, there was no need to remain weak like I was in the back alleys. The mere thought of the humiliations I suffered back then made my blood boil. ¡®First, the mana circles.¡¯ Even if my current body was trash¡­ The brilliant talent flowing through the Samael bloodline couldn¡¯t have disappeared. I knew that for sure. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 3 – Have They All Gone Mad? [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 3 ¨C Have They All Gone Mad? ======= ? Ruin Samael ¨C Trash of the Trash ? Talents: Weapon Skill [Swordsmanship (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [F], Mental Strength [F], Mana Resonance [SS] ? Tendencies: [Weak-Willed], [Troublemaker], [Cowardly], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Drug Addict], [Sickly] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ====== I kept tilting my head in front of the mirror. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not an illusion.¡± Was it called [Mind¡¯s Eye]? The strange phenomenon that manifested during the staring contest with Blok. I thought it was an illusion, but it was strange that it hadn¡¯t disappeared yet. Well, even that wasn¡¯t as strange as the fact that I had been reincarnated. But what really pissed me off was¡­ ¡°Damn it.¡± The information revealed through [Mind¡¯s Eye] was quite accurate. Trash was trash, and a wreck was a wreck, but what the hell did ¡°Trash of the Trash¡± mean? How much more trash could I be? But I couldn¡¯t deny it. My skinny body was no better than garbage, and the pathetic tendencies like [Weak-Willed] and [Drug Addict] couldn¡¯t be more accurate. However, what I really focused on was something else. ¡®Mana Resonance and Elemental Affinity. Especially Fire and Wind.¡¯ The Samael House was the best magic family, and their mastery of Fire and Wind elemental magic was unmatched. As soon as I expelled some of the impurities from my body, I could feel the mana wriggling around me. It wasn¡¯t just a faint sensation; it was thick and almost tangible. Despair came before joy. What I couldn¡¯t achieve even with desperate effort in the past was happening naturally because I was born with Samael¡¯s blood. In my past life, even after five years of struggling as a member of the Crazy Mage Squad from the age of twenty, I could only feel a thread of mana. The level I reached by clinging to that thread of mana was 2nd Circle. If I hadn¡¯t accidentally awakened to the mana of the Yin dimension during that hellish expedition, I would have ended my life as an insignificant 2nd Circle mage. Of course, mana from the Yin dimension couldn¡¯t be learned under normal circumstances, so that was beside the point. ¡®This idiot wasted such talent?¡¯ I immersed myself in the dense mana I felt around me. When creating a circle, the natural harmony between mana and the body was crucial. The key was to guide the mana to rotate naturally as it passed through my body. Whir¡ª In less than five minutes, a small circle formed in my heart. It was truly a talent of insane proportions. Then, let¡¯s move on to the next step. Now that I had created the circle, I had to test elemental conversion by resonating with the mana in the air. Only then would I become a complete 1st Circle mage. ¡°Young Master!¡± Just as I was about to attempt resonance, Lihan entered with an urgent expression. ¡°The Head of House is looking for you. He wants you to come to his office as soon as you regain consciousness.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± I guess I¡¯ll have to meet the Head of House first and then take care of the rest. I had been wanting to see him anyway. ¡°This way. He seems to be very angry this time. Don¡¯t say anything strange when you get there, just apologize sincerely, Young Master.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I seem to be having a headache. * * * I slowly observed my surroundings as I walked towards the Head of House¡¯s office. Simple arch-shaped buildings caught my eye throughout the estate. They were the symbol of House Samael, which valued harmony and balance. ¡­They looked pretty worn out, but that was understandable after so much time had passed. ¡°Phew.¡± I took a deep breath, and the refreshing scent of the mountains filled my nose. In the past, the heart of Samael was located halfway up the secluded Mount Khaoto, and it seemed that hadn¡¯t changed. But why was it so deserted? ¡­Could this be all that was left? Where was the magnificent magical barrier that used to cover the skies of the estate? And why had the land shrunk so much? Where were all the mages who should have been filling the air with their incantations? Aside from five or six servants and a few elders, there were only one or two people who looked like mages, no matter where I looked. ¡°Lihan. Is there another Samael somewhere else? Like a branch family or something?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? This is the only Samael.¡± ¡°This is all that¡¯s left?¡± ¡°This is plenty.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Where is it ¡®plenty¡¯?¡± ¡°Our House.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it.¡± This servant was impossible to communicate with. As my anxiety grew, something else started to bother me. ¡°Hey, you, there¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master? Are you feeling unwell?¡± I stared intently at Lihan and asked, ¡°How many years have you worked here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here since I was born, so 20 years.¡± ¡°Then haven¡¯t you seen a temple or something like that around here?¡± The temple that stood at the very center of House Samael. ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯ve heard of it. It was If¡­ something¡­¡± ¡°The Ifrit Temple.¡± ¡°They demolished it, I think?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but shout. ¡°What? When?¡± ¡°Oh my, you startled me. Why are you shouting? It must have been quite a while ago. I heard from my father that it was old and dilapidated, just taking up space. Something about blocking the mountain¡¯s energy. But they found some useful grimoires and artifacts when they tore it down, which helped us with our finances. Thanks to that, we were able to build a couple more buildings over¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Cra¡­ Crazy. These lunatics. What kind of temple was that? The temple of Ifrit, the God of Fire and Wind. The most sacred place for the mages of Samael, and the source of their brilliant talent. It was the only place that even the past, reckless me refrained from cursing. But they demolished it? And even with their own hands? This was insane. If Pelleer were to be reincarnated, he would kill himself again after seeing this. ¡°Have they all gone mad?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down. ¡°¡­Never mind. What would be the point of telling you? Just lead the way.¡± * * * As I entered the Head of House¡¯s office, I saw two middle-aged men. The one on the left had thick, tiger-like eyebrows and looked quite strong. The one on the right had kind eyes and looked ordinary. It was clear who the current Head of House was. Without a doubt, it was the ordinary-looking man on the right. Those kind eyes were exactly like Pelleer¡¯s. ¡®Except for the fact that he looks ordinary.¡¯ No matter how I looked at him, I couldn¡¯t sense any magical aura from the current Head. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard you lost your memory.¡± Kazen Samael. The current Head of House Samael furrowed his kind eyebrows and glared at me. I played dumb and pretended not to know anything. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you really lost your memory, it doesn¡¯t change what happened. You¡¯ve brought great shame to the family. How old are you this year?¡± ¡°Eighteen.¡± It hurt my pride to speak formally to Pelleer¡¯s descendant, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. I had to accept that much since I had been given a new life. ¡°Eighteen¡­ I¡¯ve never scolded you before. I knew it would only make you more rebellious. But that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t have faith in you. I thought you would grow into a fine pillar of the family in due time. However, I was wrong.¡± As expected, his gaze was filled with contempt. Feeling a frustrating lump in my throat, I replied immediately, ¡°It will be different from now on.¡± ¡°Silence! Hanging out with the Bayern House¡¯s troublemaker, indulging in hallucinogenic herbs and drugs. How can you call yourself a Samael with such behavior?¡± I had nothing to say. I was the one who should be dumbfounded. But I couldn¡¯t exactly tell him that I had been on an expedition with his ancestor 300 years ago. ¡°You fool. Do you really not know that everyone in the family is laughing at you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even expect you to walk the path of magic anymore. Reflect on your actions and stay confined for the next three months. You won¡¯t be allowed to step outside the estate. Do you understand?¡± ¡­Words I wanted to say welled up in my throat, but I swallowed them back down. It was more important to grasp the current situation. ¡°I have one question.¡± Kazen met my eyes, about to scold me again, but then he hesitated. He must have read something in my expression. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Why has Samael become like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Where are all the White Horse Knights? I didn¡¯t see them in the training grounds. What about the Crazy Mage Squad?¡± Kazen clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk, it seems you really have lost your memory.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve suddenly developed an interest in magic? The White Horse Knights are at the Tower for training. The apprentice mages are being educated in the training hall. And the Crazy Mage Squad? There¡¯s no such thing.¡± I swallowed a groan. ¡®The Crazy Mage Squad is gone? And by the Tower, does he mean the White Tower? Why would the White Horse Knights go to those old geezers for training?¡¯ Judging by Kazen¡¯s expression, it seemed unlikely that I would get any further explanation. Instead, I asked something else. ¡°Why was the Ifrit Temple destroyed?¡± Kazen looked at me with an even stranger expression. ¡°Ifrit¡­ That¡¯s not something you should concern yourself with. We simply demolished something useless.¡± I was so dumbfounded that I spoke informally without realizing it. ¡°Useless?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Contempt crept back into Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I see your intentions now. No matter what nonsense you spout, I won¡¯t lift your confinement. Get out.¡± S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. I was about to retort but swallowed my words. As I stared into Kazen¡¯s unwavering eyes, a forgotten fact came to mind. The Crazy Mage Squad and White Horse Knights mages who died as cold corpses in the Land of Death. They were practically all of Samael¡¯s strongest forces at the time. ¡®Kazen is speaking the truth. Could it be that 300 years¡­¡¯ Did the disappearance of those who were called the essence of the family lead to this absurd situation? I took a deep breath. To calm myself, I deliberately looked away and slowly examined the head¡¯s office. Right, even in my past life, I thought the head¡¯s office was surprisingly small and modest. But at least the grimoires on one wall, shimmering with colorful lights, looked impressive. But even those, when I looked again¡­ they were gone? ¡°Even those are gone?¡± ¡­Seriously? ¡°Why are you still here? Get out!¡± ¡°Where did all the grimoires that were here go?¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense and leave!¡± Ah¡­ I stumbled out of the Head of House¡¯s office. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to ask where the Magic sword Ingrid, the Divine relic of the Head of House, had gone. It was a relic that Pelleer cherished so much that he left it behind even when he went on the expedition. If even that was gone, I felt like I would curse out the current Head of House, no matter who he was. Damn it. Pelleer promised to give that to me if he came back alive from the expedition. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 5 – Shall We Make a Bet? (2) [Translator -Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 5 ¨C Shall We Make a Bet? (2) The conclusion was clear: The Samael I once knew was gone. If I were to recall their past glory, the word ¡°decline¡± wouldn¡¯t even begin to describe their fall from grace. I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down. I needed to grasp the situation. Just how much had changed between 300 years ago and now? ¡°Have you ever heard of the Four Great Houses?¡± Three hundred years ago, four families held sway over the entire Central Continent. Samael, the origin of incantation magic. Balthar, of the Void Heart Swordsmanship. Arihama, the shield of Heavenly Pressure. Seren, the half-human, half-dragon. People called them Great Houses. Of course, Samael held an unparalleled position among them. ¡°Of course. But it¡¯s not the Four Great Houses anymore, it¡¯s the Three.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°The Balthar, Seren, and Arihama Houses.¡± I thought of the comrades who had remained in the expedition until the very end. The Archmage, Pelleer Samael. The Sword Saint, Magnus Balthar. The Dragon Knight, Iris Seren. The Guardian Saint, Galtan Arihama. ¡°So the other houses are still thriving.¡± Except for Samael, the other Great Houses were still influential. Only Samael¡¯s name was missing. ¡°Then do you know about the Six Noble Houses?¡± Six families who assisted the Four Great Houses and boasted considerable influence on the continent. They were called the Six Noble Houses. ¡°You¡¯ve really become a different person,young master. Have you suddenly taken an interest in politics?¡± ¡°Just tell me if you know or not.¡± ¡°I know to some extent.¡± Indeed, as befitting someone with the surname Perer, who had served as Samael¡¯s steward for a long time, Lihan knew a lot. All the families Lihan mentioned were in my memory. Three hundred years ago, those who participated and made their mark in the Land of Death expedition. Although the great knights and mages of that time had met their deaths as cold corpses, the potential of their families had been passed down through the generations. The ominous premonition I had hoped was wrong was gradually becoming a reality. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Three hundred years ago, the otherworldly beings descended upon the ¡°Land of Death¡± in the northernmost part of the continent. The demons, who in just a week trampled the territory of the demihumans and brought humanity to the brink of extinction. On the northern frontlines, it was Samael who shed the most blood, facing the relentless onslaught of those abhorrent demons head-on. Even after the demon invasion was repelled. Only Samael. Committed all the family¡¯s resources to the ¡°Land of Death¡± expedition to eradicate the demons. Unlike the other Great or Noble Houses. Ignoring the family¡¯s restoration and the continent¡¯s political landscape. For the sole reason that they posed a threat to humanity. Foolishly. Leading the entire family¡¯s forces into battle. I forced down the bile rising in my throat and asked Lihan. ¡°Have you, by any chance, heard of the Final Expedition?¡± Lihan shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of it. By the way, young master, you don¡¯t look well. Shouldn¡¯t you rest?¡± ¡°¡­¡± So, the outcome of that grand humanitarian effort was the current state of Samael. It seemed that the brutal expedition had become a forgotten tale, unrecognized and unacknowledged by anyone. With no survivors, there would be no one to tell the tale. ¡°¡­I understand. I want to rest, so you may leave.¡± ¡°Young Master.¡± Lihan paused as he was about to leave, tilting his head. ¡°I think I might have heard of the Final Expedition or something. Was it in the Land of Death folktales? I think I saw it there.¡± I straightened my posture and asked. ¡°Folktales? Tell me more. What was mentioned about Samael?¡± ¡°Hmm, I read it in a picture book when I was young, so I don¡¯t remember it clearly. But I¡¯m sure there wasn¡¯t a single mention of our family, right? I think I heard that the Balthar family brought peace.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s right.¡± Balthar brought peace? Out of nowhere? I remembered the end of Sword Saint Magnus Balthar. I had clearly seen him, in his last moments, struck down by Verkes and turned into a cold corpse. Suddenly, I was wide awake. ¡®No one survived.¡¯ Everyone had died. I was the last survivor of the expedition. If what Lihan said was true¡­ Could it be that the story had been distorted by outsiders? As soon as the question arose, the inconsistencies I had overlooked came flooding in. There was a sense of dissonance that couldn¡¯t be explained simply by Samael¡¯s decline. Even if Samael had committed all their resources, the legacy of their ancestors should have remained. But¡­ ¡®I destroyed the Ifrit Temple with my own hands. There were no grimoires.¡¯ The more I pondered the words of the head of the family at the time. It felt as if they were denying Samael¡¯s magic itself. * * * I read the picture book Lihan brought me over and over again. It was a simple story. Balthar defeated ¡®scary beings¡¯ and brought peace to the world. There was no mention of Samael. I sat there in a daze for a long time before finally coming to my senses and stepping outside. The cold mountain wind whipped at my cheeks. ¡°Damn it.¡± Ten years of expedition. With the grand notion of protecting humanity, we marched on, trampling over the corpses of our comrades, drenched in blood, until we all went mad to the point of becoming numb to death. The ending of that cruel and desperate expedition had been completely distorted. I don¡¯t know. What happened after that? If the Balthar family had twisted the story to their liking, I would hold them accountable. But what infuriated me even more was¡­ ¡°Unlucky Pelleer. You fools of Samael. See, I was right. No one remembers now.¡± The anger towards my past comrades surged within me. If even one or two high-ranking mages had remained, Samael wouldn¡¯t have fallen this far. The conviction to protect humanity? What did it leave behind? The result of sacrificing lives for such a belief was a family so utterly ruined that no one even remembers it. It¡¯s their own fault. Serves them right¡­ Damn it. * * * Lost in thought, I found myself halfway up Mount Khaoto. The flat training ground came into view. It was in the same spot as before. However, the ornate decorations and mana refineries that once surrounded it were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Should I just turn a blind eye and run away?¡± Far from basking in the family¡¯s glory, it seems I¡¯m the one who needs to save Samael. Let¡¯s think about this rationally. What was my original dream? I wanted to live a prosperous life, not take responsibility for a fallen family. I detest such things. ¡°Seriously, I¡¯d be better off working as a mercenary.¡± Why should I, who¡¯s been reincarnated, have to bear the burden of Samael? ¡®Yes, that would be better.¡¯ As I descended from the training ground, I felt as if someone was grabbing my ankles and pulling me back. Hallucinations started echoing in my head. ¡°Shut up!¡± The voices grew louder even as I covered my ears. ¡ª Pull yourself together, Crazy Mage Squad Commander. If you lose consciousness now, it¡¯s death. Go get a healer. We need to save Ruin¡­ We need to save Ruin, I say! In my fading consciousness, the memory of Pelleer¡¯s shouting overlapped with¡­ ¡ª Commander, what do you want to do when we return alive? I¡¯m going to retire and just live a quiet life researching mental magic. Haha. The faces of those unlucky Crazy Mage Squad bastards flickered before my eyes. Why did the faces of my subordinates, who even in death wore peaceful expressions, suddenly come to mind? ¡°Damn it, really.¡± Perhaps the target of my simmering rage¡­ Was not my past comrades. ¡°Those idiots are clinging even in death. Fine, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll just help a little. Just a little.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Just enough to help Samael stand on its own two feet, and then I¡¯ll run away. And to do that, I need to get stronger first. I need to be strong enough to help or run away. The training ground was right in front of me. I started running without hesitation. What¡¯s the most basic foundation of magic? Mental Fortitude? A genius brain? No. The answer is physical strength. Enemies won¡¯t wait patiently while you chant your spells. Those who leave the frontlines to the knights and comfortably cast spells from behind cannot be called true mages. To maintain focus and complete spells even in extreme situations, strong physical stamina is essential. ¡®It should be the time when the apprentices are filling the training ground¡­¡¯ I cursed as I ran aimlessly around the empty training ground. I pushed my physical limits. I expelled the stagnant energy, but my body was so weak that sweat poured down like rain even after a short run. As my breath hitched in my throat, I rotated the circle of my heart. The mana of nature resonated within me, swirling in harmony. In that state, I envisioned flames in my mind. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± Fwoosh¡ª A flame the size of my palm flickered into existence at my fingertips, then faded away. Not bad for a first attempt with this pathetic body. ¡°Phew.¡± I collapsed onto the training ground, sprawled out like a starfish, gasping for air. As the world spun around me from dizziness, I heard footsteps approaching from afar. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ I sat up and looked ahead to see a sturdy man approaching. A familiar face. Tiger eyebrows. The one who used to glare at me with disdain beside the head of the family. Even now, he doesn¡¯t seem to have any fondness for me. Instinctively, I got up. Sometimes, negative premonitions consume my body, and this was one of those times. My instincts, honed from ten years of fighting demons, were sounding the alarm. Run away, they urged. ¡°Ruin.¡± I tried to ignore the voice and flee, but my body wouldn¡¯t budge. An invisible, sticky force held me firmly in place. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking all over for you, and here you are.¡± His tone was cold, devoid of any emotion. I turned my head to face him. Up close, he was even more intimidating than I had imagined. ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t quite remember.¡± ¡°Hector Kart.¡± ¡°Kart?¡± I knew the surname Kart. High-ranking mages who had served as protectors of the Samael bloodline for generations. ¡°What business does a protector have with me?¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having withdrawal symptoms. Sweating profusely like that is quite unsightly.¡± The disdainful look in the protector¡¯s eyes as he stared at me started to get on my nerves. ¡°Your gaze is quite hostile, Ruin.¡± ¡°I think I should be the one saying that to you.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± With a click of his tongue, the invisible force constricting my body tightened. It was a familiar sensation. Fourth-circle wind magic, Binder. To cast fourth-circle magic without chanting requires at least sixth-circle mastery. The fact that Samael still had a capable mage was surprising, but it wasn¡¯t important right now. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hector replied quietly, ¡°This is to fix your rotten mindset. From now on, I will control all your actions. Questions are not allowed.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone mad.¡± Hector¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Even the family rules have gone to hell. Who are you to dictate? By what authority does a protector of Samael control the eldest son?¡± ¡°¡­Interesting words. It seems your head has grown in my absence. Now I understand why you¡¯re acting so insolent.¡± Hector stared into my eyes for a moment before saying, ¡°Insolent fool. Let¡¯s see if you even understand the meaning of your words. Let¡¯s see if you can avoid bowing your head.¡± ¡°I said, cut the crap.¡± A chilling smirk slowly crept across Hector¡¯s face. ¡°Kneel.¡± An immense pressure, like a wave, crashed over me. The sticky, invisible force intensified its grip. Gravity magic. It felt like a massive boulder was crushing my body, pressing me down. ¡®Damn it. This bastard, really.¡¯ Crack¡ª The sound of my footsteps digging deep into the ground. I wanted to collapse and bury my knees in the earth. If I forced myself to resist, my knees would surely give out. ¡°Bow your head.¡± My vision blurred. I bit my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. The smell of blood helped me cling to consciousness. My eyes felt bloodshot, my vision turning red. Yes, this crimson world. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Laughter escaped my lips. It was a familiar sight, a situation I had experienced countless times until recently. No one else might remember that hellish expedition, but I do. My body remembers. I am Ruin, the Crazy Mage. Through my crimson vision, I glared at Hector with a smile. Hector¡¯s expression was slowly changing. * * * Hector Kart, the vice-tower master of the Red Magic Tower, frowned as he looked at the young man before him. It was clear that the situation was unfolding quite differently from what he had anticipated. ¡®He¡¯s resisting?¡¯ The combination of [Binder] and [Point Gravity]. Even as low-level spells, they were not something an ordinary person could withstand. Exposure to either one alone would be unbearable for most. Yet, both spells were being cast simultaneously. The pressure the young man was feeling must be unimaginable. Hector had expected him to submit within seconds¡­ But hadn¡¯t it already been over a minute? ¡®There¡¯s no sign of him forming a Core.¡¯ Hector slowly examined Ruin. Bloodshot eyes, knee joints that looked ready to buckle. ¡®Is it purely willpower?¡¯ The determination to endure even if his body were to break. It was impossible for the Ruin he knew, no, even for a highly trained Red Tower member, it would be impossible with willpower alone. ¡®¡­Strange.¡¯ Regardless of the reason. Seeing Ruin laughing like a madman, Hector had to revise his assessment. ¡°Fine.¡± With a wave of his hand, the pressure on Ruin vanished. Hector tore a healing parchment and used it on Ruin. The wounds healed instantly. Ruin coughed up blood-tinged saliva, then took a breath and glared at Hector. Hector spoke with an indifferent expression. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. It was the Head¡¯s order.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ruin, I was ordered to make you worthy of Samael. To remove your apprentice status.¡± After a moment of thought, Ruin coughed up blood and let out a hollow laugh. ¡°It seems even you find it funny. Or have you finally become scared?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruin glared at Hector. ¡°You were told to make me worthy of Samael?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And that means merely removing my apprentice status?¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it alone. It¡¯s better than learning from you.¡± Hector leaned in close to Ruin¡¯s face. Then, with a tiger-like intimidating aura, he growled, ¡°Weakling. Don¡¯t expect me to show mercy again. Do you even know who I am?¡± A suffocating pressure emanated from him once more. But again, Ruin didn¡¯t flinch from Hector¡¯s aura. ¡°Shall we make a bet?¡± ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°Where are the apprentices? I¡¯ll surpass them within a week.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Hector threw back his head and roared with laughter. As if the sight of someone who didn¡¯t even know the basics of magic spouting such nonsense was unbearably funny. ¡°You¡¯re amusing. And if you fail?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Juvenile bravado is enough once. Follow me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± A frog in a well. Hector dismissed Ruin¡¯s words as the bravado of a young man ignorant of the world. And he wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so. ¡®He knows nothing.¡¯ Ruin watched Hector¡¯s retreating figure, lost in thought. What it means to be worthy of Samael. What Samael truly represents. That man had no clue. [Translator -Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 6 – Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (1) [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 6: Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (1) The easternmost part of the central continent, Mount Khaoto, was known for its harsh terrain. Beyond its base, the mountain became increasingly treacherous, with sharp cliffs, deep ravines, and a narrowing path. As a result, outsiders rarely ventured there. For ages, this imposing mountain had been the home of the Samael family. I was currently making my way up its steep slope. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± The cliffside path was perilous, and I had already nearly lost my footing several times. My cursed body was struggling, and I was gasping for air. ¡°Already tired?¡± ¡°Just hurry up.¡± Hector, walking ahead of me with ease, looked incredibly smug. Soon, the cliffside path ended, revealing a flat basin and an old building. Hector turned around with an indifferent expression. S?a?ch* Th? ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°You managed to survive the climb.¡± ¡®What an annoying face.¡¯ Instead of replying, I looked around. There were damp clothes in the front yard and the faint sound of hammering in the distance. It seemed this was the training area for the apprentices. Creak¡ª I passed through the worn-out back door into the training grounds and encountered a group of people. ¡°Huh?¡± There was a mage-like instructor and ten grubby-looking boys. They all looked startled and gave me strange looks upon seeing me. What a bunch of brats. They should be greeting the eldest son of Samael first¡­ ¡°Greetings!¡± Good. My heart softened a little as I saw the boys hastily bowing at a 90-degree angle. They finally recognized me¡­ Wait, what? ¡°We greet the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°It is an honor to meet the Vice Tower Master!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. What was this Red Magic Tower? There was only one magic tower, the White Magic Tower, full of old fogeys. I realized what was happening when I saw Hector nodding as if this were natural. ¡®¡­There¡¯s another magic tower.¡¯ Now I understood why Hector was acting so disrespectfully towards me. How lowly must he think of Samael to be working as a Vice Tower Master instead of a Guardian? I felt irritated. It seemed he was quite famous outside. Everyone was looking at Hector like he was some kind of hero. ¡°Instructor Dyke. This is the new recruit who will be joining us from today, Ruin Samael.¡± Hector introduced me as if I were a piece of discarded luggage. The instructor, Dyke, asked cautiously, ¡°Vice Tower Master, what do you mean by a new recruit?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± The instructor slowly scanned me from head to toe. ¡°¡­Are you saying we should teach him magic?¡± He asked as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°There¡¯s no need to teach him anything. He claims he can surpass all the kids here in a week.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­? Ha.¡± The instructor let out a hollow laugh, and snickers erupted from the surrounding boys. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a month, specifically. A week is too short to feel ashamed. Let¡¯s see you struggle.¡± Hector left without looking back, leaving those sarcastic words behind. * * * ¡°Ruin Samael?¡± ¡°He¡¯s as skinny as I heard.¡± ¡°Are you the loser they were talking about? What are you doing here?¡± Seven or eight grubby boys surrounded me. I briefly looked at each of them, making eye contact. Three of them stood out. ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing here. Aren¡¯t you going to answer?¡± The last one I made eye contact with growled quietly. ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing here, you little shit.¡± ¡°Little shit?¡± Cursing at me right off the bat? This kid has a great mentality. There¡¯s always one troublemaker, no matter where you go. Instead of answering, I picked up a small pebble from the ground and held it between my thumb and index finger. At the same time, I rotated the circle in my heart and chanted the incantation. Wind compressed between my thumb and index finger. Whoosh¡ªBam! ¡°Ouch!¡± The boy who got hit in the forehead with the pebble, which shot out like an arrow, clutched his face. There were murmurs. When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with venom. ¡°¡­You little shit, are you trying to pick a fight with me?¡± ¡°Everyone quiet!¡± Instructor Dyke¡¯s shout from afar silenced the commotion. Dyke, having seen Hector off, slowly approached and looked down at me with a high-handed air. ¡°Ruin Samael.¡± I briefly met Dyke¡¯s eyes. With his square jaw, he looked quite stubborn. ¡°I am Dyke Dallen of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Yes, I figured as much. You¡¯re from the Red Magic Tower, not Samael.¡± ¡°If you understand, then discard your disrespectful attitude.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was just as I expected. If he were a mage from Samael, he wouldn¡¯t dare speak to me like this, even if I looked like a loser. There were no mages left in Samael to even train apprentices. If Hector was the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower, then this guy must be one of his subordinates. No wonder the apprentices didn¡¯t react to the name Samael. Damn it. The family is really going downhill. ¡°Ruin, was it? I have no interest in your trashy behavior. Whether you feel mana or not, whether you follow the training or not, it¡¯s all up to you. Got it?¡± His voice was full of annoyance. ¡°I understand. Then let¡¯s finish what we were doing. Everyone, activate your mana¡± ¡°Activating Mana!¡± With the chant, mana waves rippled around the apprentices. ¡°Release!¡± The apprentices moved their hands busily, and soon 1st Circle magic spells started shooting out from their hands. ¡°¡­Wh-what.¡± I was so shocked that I was speechless. I stared blankly at the scene, wondering if I was seeing things. It wasn¡¯t just that the apprentices¡¯ level was lower than I expected, nor that they were all snickering at me with arrogant expressions, nor even that the kid with the red forehead was flipping me off. Hand Sign Magic. ¡®Hand signs? These crazy bastards.¡¯ That was the source of the shock that felt like a blow to the head. It was because the apprentices were casting magic with hand signs instead of incantations. And in the heart of Samael, the origin of incantation magic, no less. ¡°Activate your mana, then release again!¡± ¡°Release!¡± I wasn¡¯t seeing things. The apprentices were once again waving their hands awkwardly, manifesting magic. ¡°¡­¡± Hand sign magic was an obsolete system. At best, it was a shortcut, nothing more. No normal mage would ever cast magic with hand signs. Although the activation method was simpler than incantations, the drawbacks were clear enough to outweigh any benefits. I immediately glared at Dyke and said, ¡°Instructor Dyke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is this? Why are you teaching apprentices hand sign magic?¡± Only then did Dyke slowly turn his head towards me. ¡°Teaching the basics, you say? Hand signs?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Why are you teaching them hand signs? You know they¡¯ll have trouble walking the right path if they get used to shortcuts.¡± Dyke¡¯s eyes hardened with displeasure. ¡°A brat who can¡¯t even walk is spouting nonsense on his first day. The basics of magic are hand signs.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I stared intently at the stubborn instructor¡¯s eyes and realized that there was sincerity in them. ¡®Could it be that the drawbacks of hand signs have been mitigated?¡¯ No. The limitations of hand signs are clear. They¡¯re not the kind of drawbacks that can be mitigated. The apprentices were proof of that. The power of hand sign magic was ridiculously weak compared to incantations. Even for the same level of magic, the power difference between hand signs and incantations was like night and day. You could even block hand sign magic with a lower-level incantation spell. The 1st Circle magic the apprentices were casting was a clear example. It was far weaker than its normal power. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. The drawbacks of hand sign magic are obvious.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Explain it to me then. Why aren¡¯t you using incantations?¡± ¡°You idiot. If you disrupt the class one more time, I¡¯ll kick you out.¡± Dyke turned his head away with those words. His expression showed clear disdain. An attitude that suggested he didn¡¯t even want to talk to me. ¡°Everyone, prepare your hand signs again.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Anger boiled inside me as I watched the apprentices waving their hands around. What the hell was going on here? I closed my eyes and slowly began to raise my senses. Whirr¡ª I rotated the mana circle in my heart, resonating with the mana of nature and drawing it in. The mana, rotating along the circle, was converted into an element. Then, I envisioned the image and chanted, ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± Fwoosh¡ª A fireball, twice the size of the ones the apprentices had conjured and in the most orthodox form, appeared. The fireball left my fingertips and landed precisely in the center of the training ground. Boom! All eyes turned towards the source of the explosion. I fixed my gaze solely on the instructor. Let¡¯s see if he can still ignore me after seeing this. Finally, the instructor¡¯s gaze returned to me. ¡°¡­Ruin Samael.¡± Something felt strange. The instructor¡¯s expression was completely different from what I had expected. He wasn¡¯t surprised by my magic, nor did he even frown. ¡°Did you really just use an incantation?¡± He looked down at me with an incredulous expression, as if I had done something bizarre. ¡°Tsk, like father, like son.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you want to tell me that you have to chant magic with your mouth instead of your hands? You must have read some outdated grimoire.¡± Laughter erupted around us along with the instructor¡¯s sigh. I couldn¡¯t hide my bewilderment. I wondered if they were all messing with me, but it didn¡¯t seem like it. ¡°Looks like you even drew in the surrounding mana. You were saying you¡¯d surpass the apprentices with that method.¡± ¡°Incantations are the standard of magic. How can you say that after seeing it with your own eyes? Hand signs can¡¯t surpass incantations.¡± ¡°You idiot. Nobody does such inefficient things. I can¡¯t help but call you pathetic.¡± With his eyes full of conviction, I couldn¡¯t continue speaking. That level of belief was insane. It takes one to know one. There¡¯s no one harder to reason with than a madman with unwavering conviction. To solidify my inner belief in myself, I used my ultimate move. ¡°So what circle are you, then?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about circles? You really must have learned from an outdated grimoire.¡± ¡°So what circle are you? Above 8th Circle?¡± ¡°You brat!¡± Dyke, who had been staring at me for a while, said, ¡°This is your last warning. I won¡¯t tolerate such arrogance again. Listen carefully.¡± Dyke looked down at me, his angular jaw raised high. ¡°I am a 4-star mage of the Red Magic Tower, Dyke Dallen.¡± ¡°I win. A 4th Circle mage like you¡­ Wait a minute.¡± ¡­Did I hear wrong? 4-star, not 4th Circle? Was this stupid mage talking about star ranks like some ignorant knight? No, I must have misheard. I must have. ¡°You seem to be deaf. Let me say it again. I am a 4-star mage.¡± My ultimate move had failed. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 7 – Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (2) [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 7: Hand Sign Magic, You Say? (2) I¡¯ve never been fond of knights. When asked why, I¡¯d say it¡¯s because they¡¯re ignorant, but that was just an excuse. The real reason was different. I¡¯d never uttered that reason aloud. It was a rather old story. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to admit that during my time living in the back alleys, I had messed with the wrong bumpkin at the ¡°Red Moon Tavern¡± and got the beating of my life. Turns out that bumpkin was a 3-star knight. The practical martial arts I had learned through self-study while ruling the back alleys, unfortunately, didn¡¯t work on him. I was knocked out in one hit. His punch was so strong that the sensation lingered on my jaw for a while. I later learned that it was something called a Mana core. After that day, I searched for that bumpkin knight, seeking revenge, but I never saw him again. Anyway, mages have Mana Circles, and knights have Mana cores. This was common knowledge and an unchanging truth. Knights crudely accumulate mana in their lower abdomen. They called it a Mana core to sound impressive. To me, it looked more like a Mana Belly. ¡°Hey, another drink here!¡± ¡°I need to fill up my Mana core today!¡± I¡¯d seen countless potbellied drunks stroking their bellies and bragging about their Mana cores. The important thing is that knights ¡°accumulate¡± mana within their bodies. If I remember correctly, the Swordmaster had a hundred years¡¯ worth of mana condensed in his Mana core. Accumulating mana is a very unrefined and ignorant thing to do. We mages don¡¯t have a single speck of mana in our bodies. S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. We only have pathways for mana to circulate. These pathways for mana are called Mana Circles. Mages resonate with the mana in the atmosphere through their Mana Circles to instantaneously manifest magic. It¡¯s like breathing oxygen through our respiratory system. Why do it in such a complicated way? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just store mana in the body? That¡¯s because the pure mana in the atmosphere contains high-quality elements. If you accumulate mana in your body, impurities mix in, and the elements within it gradually break down. Since converting mana into elements is essential for manifesting magic, it¡¯s naturally impossible to store it within the body. Of course, those stupid knights didn¡¯t care if the elements in their mana disappeared. Ignorance is bliss, so they could mindlessly accumulate mana in their bodies without any problems. They called the mana accumulated in their lower abdomen ¡°Qi,¡± and from 4-star knights onward, they could release Qi outside their bodies. If they released Qi through a sword, it would become Sword Qi. * * * I had seen countless madmen in the expedition. The Glutton who stabbed his own temple with a knife to break the ¡°Curse of Circulation,¡± the White Dragon who replaced his damaged heart with that of a demonic peacock, and Azeta who swallowed three of his fingers to make his Mana Circle go haywire. There are countless others I can think of right now. But I never thought I¡¯d see someone say something as crazy as¡­ 4-star mage. How could this be? It was no different from denying that he was a mage. ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s training. Go and tidy up.¡± I approached Dyke, who was wrapping up the apprentices¡¯ training. I needed to confirm something. ¡°Hey, I have a question.¡± Dyke replied without turning his head. ¡°You still haven¡¯t come to your senses, have you?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ you accumulate mana in your core?¡± The answer came from an unexpected source. ¡°That guy is really stupid. Where else would you accumulate it if not in the core?¡± It was the kid who got hit by the pebble earlier. I ignored him and continued to stare at Dyke. ¡°You must know that the efficiency of elemental conversion is terrible with the dirty mana accumulated in the body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°You are truly impertinent.¡± Dyke¡¯s eyes changed for the first time. If his expression before was that of looking at a bothersome flea, now there was an inexplicable anger in them. ¡°It seems you have no intention of answering.¡± ¡°Ruin Samael. I clearly warned you. This is your last chance.¡± Dyke faced me directly. Mana fluctuations slowly emanated from him. ¡°Alright, that works too.¡± ¡°You brat!¡± As I leaped backward, Dyke waved his hand. A Fireball manifested with a simplified hand sign. He probably thought he was using just enough magic to subdue me, but he was wrong. As soon as I landed, I firmly planted my foot on the ground. ¡°Blowing wind, Wind Blow.¡± I let myself be carried by the wind and shot forward. A wind path supported my back. I gathered wind pressure in my fist with the acceleration and punched forward. The Fireball shattered upon contact with my wind-infused fist. Dyke¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Whirr¡ª Atmospheric mana gathered through the Mana Circle formed near my heart. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± We were only a few steps apart. The Fireball manifested from my fingertips and shot towards Dyke. Dyke frowned and quickly formed a hand sign. ¡°Fire Spear.¡± The moment the Fireball and Fire Spear collided, I felt myself lifted into the air as heat washed over me. I was the one who got hit. Boom¡ª I crashed to the ground, my insides churning and blood spilling out. 2nd Circle magic, Fire Spear. Dyke looked down at me with a disdainful expression. ¡°You idiot. Do you understand now? I don¡¯t know where you learned such magic, but¡­¡± Dyke shook his head, cutting himself off. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no point in telling you. I¡¯ve just wasted my time.¡± ¡°Ugh, ptui.¡± I spat out blood and then provoked Dyke. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the stupid one here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dyke¡¯s face once again showed that familiar look of annoyance. It was an indifferent expression, as if he didn¡¯t even care to be angry. I finally understood how he felt about his role as an instructor. ¡°Don¡¯t bother coming to class. I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± With those words, Dyke disappeared over the ridge. ¡°Ha.¡± Dyke might not know¡­ But I had already confirmed everything I needed to. Dyke was no different from the apprentices. The power of his magic was pathetic. A Fire Spear cast by a normal 4th Circle mage wouldn¡¯t have ended like that. And he didn¡¯t even realize it. * * * Drip¡ª Drip drip¡ª It was late at night, and raindrops were starting to fall. I was alone in the training grounds, lost in thought for a while. Pitter-patter¡ª Pitter-patter¡ª The sound of the raindrops grew stronger. I snapped out of my thoughts when I felt a heavy touch on my shoulder. ¡°Yo!¡± The chubby kid with glasses had his hand on my shoulder. He was one of the three I had noticed earlier. But I couldn¡¯t figure out what this eerie feeling was. ¡­What¡¯s with this fatty? Suddenly, I felt something heavy in my front pocket. It was a piece of dried jerky. I looked at the chubby kid, wondering what this was about, and he shushed me, placing his thick index finger on my lips. It was salty. The corner of the chubby kid¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. It was a fleeting smile. ¡°You did well today.¡± When the chubby kid looked up at the rain falling from the sky, his face seemed to blur. Swooosh¡ª The rain intensified. The chubby kid, who had been patting my shoulder affectionately, slowly walked past me. I watched his plump back through the pouring rain. I suddenly noticed that his shoes were pink. By the time I realized it, his left hand was raised next to the back of his head. It looked like he was waving goodbye. Exactly three fingers were extended. Thumb, index, and pinky. For some reason, I felt really pissed off. * * * I entered the dormitory to escape the rain. A musty smell hit my nose as soon as I opened the old door. The noisy chatter upstairs indicated that the training was over and they were having fun. There was no one on the first floor. I started looking around for something. ¡®There should be at least some basic books in the apprentices¡¯ dormitory.¡¯ After wandering around for a while, I found a pile of old books in a secluded room. ¡®There it is.¡¯ I picked up the most worn-out book. ¡ºTheory and Practice of Hand Sign Magic ¨C Basic¡» Author: Gaysek Parkunon Background: First Tower Master of the Yellow Magic Tower, Former Vice Chairman of the Magic Tower Federation. Published by: Magic Tower Federation ===== [Chapter 1. History of Mana core and Basics of Hand Sign Magic] ¡ª The importance of Mana core to mages has only been emphasized for a few decades. ¡ª Mages of the past did not accumulate mana in their bodies. They used Mana Circles to manifest magic as follows: ¡ª [Mana Circle] ¨C [Mana Sensing] ¨C [Mana Resonance] ¨C [Elemental Conversion] ¨C [Incantation] ¨C [Magic Manifestation] ¡ª Incantation using Mana Circles requires extreme concentration. Although powerful, it is structurally vulnerable in actual combat. ¡ª The development of Hand Signs changed the foundation of magic. By simply performing pre-calculated Hand Signs, one can easily cast magic using the mana within their body. ¡ª [Mana core] ¨C [Hand Sign] ¨C [Magic Manifestation] ¡ª Hand Signs have enabled mages to engage in close combat and have led them to play an excellent supporting role for knights. ¡­¡­(Omitted)¡­¡­ ======= ¡°Just as expected.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Instructor Dyke. The discomfort I felt couldn¡¯t be dismissed as simply Samael¡¯s downfall. The source of that discomfort was in this book. The feeling that the current head of the family was denying Samael¡¯s magic was not a mistake. In a world where Mana core and Hand Sign Magic had become the norm, magic had regressed over 300 years. [Gaysek Parkunon] The author of the book suddenly caught my eye. ¡®The Parkunon family.¡¯ I knew of them. They were the only magic family that hadn¡¯t sent a single direct descendant to the expedition. ¡®What a load of nonsense.¡¯ The more I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Mages playing a supporting role for knights? If the members of the Crazy Mage Squad had heard this, they would have probably foamed at the mouth and beaten the author to death. The values that mages had built up over thousands of years¡­ Shattered in just 300 years. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to save the idiotic mages of the present. I already knew that such a sense of justice was useless. But what made me angry¡­ Was that the apprentices using hand signs kept reminding me of the Crazy Mage Squad from the past. ¡°Idiots.¡± I slowly rotated my circle, checking my condition. It seemed I needed to create another circle quickly. * * * The next day. I attended Instructor Dyke¡¯s class again. Dyke glared at me for a moment with a dumbfounded look, but when I remained silent and just observed the class, he continued without any further interference. Of course, I had a plan. It just wasn¡¯t aimed at Dyke. That stubborn instructor was not someone I could reason with. ¡®There¡¯s a better way.¡¯ Instead, I stared at the apprentices throughout the class. I focused my gaze on one of them, constantly smirking. ¡°Hey.¡± During break time, As expected, the kid with the red forehead approached me. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look away? You think you¡¯re invincible because the instructor is going easy on you, huh?¡± I knew it. This kid didn¡¯t grasp the power of the magic I displayed when I attacked the instructor. I raised my middle finger and wagged it. ¡°You crazy bastard. Do you really want to die? You stay behind after class.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I cheered inwardly. As they say, teaching is most effective when it¡¯s tailored to the student¡¯s level. Come to think of it, I think I made subordinates around this age in my past life too. [Translator -Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 8 – 2-Circle Archmage (1) [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 8: 2-Circle Archmage (1) Late afternoon after class. I approached Dyke, who was just about to leave, for the first time. ¡°Instructor Dyke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Dyke didn¡¯t even acknowledge me. He ignored me as if I were invisible and walked on. I watched his back and asked sarcastically, ¡°What star-rank mage is Hector?¡± Pause¡ª Dyke stopped involuntarily. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± Dyke turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°I thought you¡¯d finally quieted down, but your insolence knows no bounds. He¡¯s not someone you should even mention.¡± ¡°So how strong is he?¡± ¡°You brat!¡± I shrugged and said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a difficult question. I¡¯m sure the Vice Tower Master isn¡¯t a secret position. If it¡¯s hard to answer, he must not be very skilled.¡± It was an obvious provocation, but Dyke¡¯s eyes blazed. His pride was hurt. ¡°The Mage of Crimson Flame.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Vice Tower Master¡¯s epithet. Since you seem to have asked out of ignorance, I¡¯ll tell you this once. He¡¯s a 7-star mage, and one of the top five mages in the entire world.¡± 7-star mage. In the past, this would probably be equivalent to a 6-circle mage. As expected, he¡¯s a high-ranking mage. But for him to be one of the top five with just that level of power means that the current generation of mages must be quite weak. I suddenly remembered something I had discovered while flipping through books last night. Four magic towers exist besides the White Magic Tower. The Red Magic Tower, specializing in fire and wind attributes. The Blue Magic Tower, specializing in water attributes. The Yellow Magic Tower, specializing in earth attributes. The Black Magic Tower, shrouded in mystery. If Hector is one of the top five mages in the world, the Red Magic Tower must also have a high standing. ¡°Now that you know, abandon your disrespectful attitude.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Unable to hold back, Dyke added, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Vice Tower Master¡¯s generosity, do you think a backwater family like yours would have the opportunity to learn Red Magic Tower magic?¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you taught us half-heartedly.¡± ¡°What?¡± I looked at Dyke and replied, ¡°You. The reason you teach the apprentices half-heartedly is because of that.¡± From what I observed in a day, Dyke was only providing nominal education. There was no genuine care for the apprentices. Dyke didn¡¯t deny my words. ¡°There are plenty of families who would be grateful for even that much.¡± I said casually, ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind if I do whatever I want outside of training hours.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably thinking of foolishly reciting incantations again. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have time for that.¡± With that, Dyke turned to leave. After a few steps, he abruptly turned and waved his hand. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind rushed towards me, ruffling my hair. It was a familiar spell. [4-star, Wind Press.] I watched the incoming magic without flinching. Bang¡ª The compressed wind struck the ground just a hair¡¯s breadth away, kicking up a cloud of dust. In the distance, Dyke looked at me with his chin held high. ¡°I think I¡¯ve given you more than enough chances. If you intend to stay here, I won¡¯t tolerate any more disrespect. Address me with honorifics.¡± I laughed inwardly. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep that up. * * * *Thud¡ª* As soon as I entered the dormitory, a rag came flying at my head. I dodged it with a slight tilt of my head and looked up. The guy who had cursed at me this morning was snickering upstairs. I think his name was Zion. ¡°Hey, you moron. Did the instructor leave?¡± ¡°He¡¯s outside. He said he¡¯s going to spank that Zion kid. Who¡¯s Zion?¡± The guy was startled and asked me, ¡°What did you say?¡± I grinned and said, ¡°You must be Zion.¡± Only then did Zion realize he was being teased. He flared his nostrils and retorted, ¡°You bastard, I told you you¡¯re dead. Come outside.¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± I followed Zion out of the dormitory. We passed the training grounds and went deeper into the mountains. Zion stopped abruptly at one spot. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ A big guy with a bare chest was waiting for us. His name was Makan, and he was one of the three I had initially taken note of. ¡°You brought him.¡± ¡°Yeah, heh.¡± Zion cracked his neck and glared at me. ¡°Do what you did earlier.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Zion raised his middle finger and waved it. ¡°Don¡¯t remember? Huh? You fucking bastard?¡± ¡°Such foul language for a young one. Be careful, it¡¯s a bad habit.¡± ¡°You crazy bastard. Are you trying to act tough because this is Samael? You¡¯re really dead.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± I turned my head and looked at Makan. This guy¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look that malicious, so I didn¡¯t understand why he was here. ¡°Do you feel the same way as Zion?¡± ¡°Newbie, I heard you insulted me.¡± As if it were obvious, Zion nodded. ¡°Yeah, Makan. I heard this guy cursing you out with my own ears.¡± ¡°Now the little brat¡¯s lying, too.¡± Zion glared at me. ¡°Little brat, my ass. You were grumbling about Makan earlier. You said he looked like an uneducated idiot.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I instantly revised my assessment of Zion. As they say, you can tell a lot about a person by one action. This guy is quite cunning. Because Makan actually did seem like an uneducated idiot. ¡°Hey, newbie. You need to be taught a lesson.¡± Sure enough, Makan¡¯s face reddened with anger. With Zion mixing truth into his words, Makan had no choice but to believe him. Zion grinned and said, ¡°Heh, some guys only learn after getting beaten up. You teach him a lesson first, Makan.¡± ¡°Alright. Newbie, you brought this on yourself.¡± The more I looked at Makan, the more foolish he seemed. The kid was talking like an uneducated knight. ¡°This is why the dumb ones always get hit first.¡± Seeing Makan approaching me with a glare, I felt a thrill I hadn¡¯t experienced in a while. I looked back and forth between the two of them and then raised my hand. ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°What is it, newbie? If you want to apologize, go ahead. I¡¯ll only hit you once.¡± ¡°You two, let¡¯s make a bet.¡± Zion, who was watching from a distance, scoffed and replied, ¡°You¡¯re crazy. What kind of bet?¡± ¡°The loser of the fight becomes the other¡¯s servant. How about it?¡± ¡°Servent? How?¡± ¡°Like fetching water if asked, getting hit if told to, running if ordered, and even chanting spells.¡± Suddenly, Zion¡¯s lips curled up into a smirk, and then he burst out laughing. ¡°Hahaha. You dream big, kid. It would be fun, though.¡± I asked Makan, ¡°What about you? Do you agree?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it, newbie. But there¡¯s no need to fetch water. Instead, if you lose, I want you to do my laundry every morning.¡± ¡°Of course. But there¡¯s no way that¡¯s going to¡­¡± I trailed off and crouched down, secretly grabbing a stone and rotating my mana circle. I resonated with the mana in the air and guided it to my feet. Whir¡ª An intense wave of mana gathered at my feet. By the time Makan sensed something strange, I had already finished my preparations. ¡°Pushing wind, Wind Push.¡± I kicked off the ground hard, gaining momentum, and headbutted Makan right in the chin. Crack¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± Blood spurted from Makan¡¯s mouth. When Makan¡¯s eyes rolled back in his head, I used the stone in my hand to strike his chin again. Crack¡ª ¡°Argh!¡± The impact was electrifying. It was a satisfying feeling I hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time. This is it. This is what being a mage is all about. With a thud, Makan was knocked unconscious. This is what they call a swift victory. Zion stared at me, dumbfounded. His eyes said he never expected me to attack first. ¡°You bastard, you dared to ambush me? How cowardly!¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment.¡± ¡°This bastard, seriously!¡± Zion was definitely quick-witted. He backed away a few steps and started forming hand signs. But no matter how clever he was, he had chosen the wrong opponent. ¡°Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± Seeing the incoming spear of flames, I scoffed. A 2-circle chant producing something so weak was pathetic. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± The fireball I conjured swallowed Zion¡¯s spell. ¡°What? How can you block a Fire Spear with a Fireball?¡± Panicked, Zion turned to run, but it was a futile attempt. ¡°You idiot.¡± My chant was a few seconds faster. I launched another fireball, hitting Zion squarely in the butt. *Bang¡ª!* The seat of Zion¡¯s pants caught fire and ripped apart. He screamed and rolled on the ground. ¡°Argh! It¡¯s hot!¡± Seeing the young boy, who had just barely shed his childish looks, scream in pain, I suddenly felt a pang of pity. ¡°Tsk, tsk, how pathetic.¡± ¡°S-Stop it!¡± ¡°Blowing wind, Wind Blow.¡± *Slap, slap¡ª* ¡°Aagh! You bastard! You said you pitied me!¡± ¡°I pity myself.¡± *Slap, slap¡ª* Seeing Zion¡¯s buttocks turn bright red from the wind slaps, I finally felt somewhat satisfied. ¡°Ugh, stop it. I¡¯ll be your servant,so stop!¡± *Slap, slap¡ª* ¡°Ugggh¡­¡± I silently looked down at the two unconscious boys. * * * ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Makan woke up. Next to him, Zion was squatting, clutching his reddened buttocks with both hands. I immediately leaned over Makan¡¯s head. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Wh-What?¡± ¡°You were sleeping so soundly, I waited for you. That¡¯s how considerate I am of my servants.¡± Makan, who had been dazed for a while, seemed to finally remember what had happened. He grabbed his chin with a pained expression and looked at me with a slightly resentful gaze. ¡°Why that look? Do you feel wronged? Want to go again?¡± ¡°Ugh. No, a loss is a loss.¡± ¡°Good. Now get up, my servants.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°If you lost, you become servants. Get up.¡± Makan and Zion rose from their spots, bewildered. ¡°From now on, address me with respect. Have you ever seen a servant speak informally to their master?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°N-No, sir.¡± ¡°Run.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I said run, you bastards!¡± Seeing me pretend to cast a spell, the two boys jumped up in surprise and instinctively ran forward. The reason for running was simple. The foundation of magic is physical strength. This was the first step in raising Samael¡¯s apprentices my way. * * * Zion collapsed onto the ground, his legs trembling uncontrollably. ¡°¡­That bastard.¡± s?a??h th? n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. His body wouldn¡¯t obey him. He had run like crazy all night and only returned to the dormitory at dawn, so it was understandable. What rotten luck. After catching his breath for a while, Zion glanced at Makan next to him. ¡°¡­Makan, does this make any sense?¡± ¡°It¡¯s frustrating, but there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°You idiot. Are we going to run like this every day?¡± Makan flexed his chest and replied, ¡°The air was surprisingly good, though.¡± Surprisingly, Makan seemed relatively fine despite running through the mountains for hours. Zion shook his head and said, ¡°That¡¯s not the issue right now. Are you going to fetch water for that Ruin bastard every day, Makan? Did you come here for that?¡± ¡°But a loss is a loss.¡± ¡°That guy was the one who acted cowardly first. Who attacks in the middle of a conversation?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, that¡¯s true.¡± A smile finally returned to Zion¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s join forces. If we bring in the others, we can easily take down that sneaky bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not keen on it. Then what?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make him our servant. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Only then did Zion yawn widely. ¡°Haahm. Damn, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± ¡°I feel a bit tired, too.¡± It was already six in the morning. Zion and Makan fell asleep immediately. And a few hours later. Instructor Dyke returned, and training began. Ruin didn¡¯t show up. Zion searched for him with burning eyes, but he was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where did that bastard go in the meantime?¡± * * * ¡°You eat so well, our Ruin.¡± I came down from the training grounds and went straight to the dining hall, hurriedly eating first. I was so hungry. I had been surviving on the dried jerky the fat boy gave me, and my teeth ached. ¡°Hoho. If you need more, I¡¯ll give you more, so eat a lot.¡± A few loaves of rye bread, tomato soup, tough meat stew, and vegetables. It was a meager meal for someone telling me to eat a lot, but it was still a hundred times better than jerky. Even after the middle-aged woman left the dining hall, I continued eating for a long time until I felt full. ¡°¡­Phew, I feel alive now.¡± I looked down at my body. My body was skinny, with only a protruding belly. It was better than a week ago, but still unsightly. ¡®Truly a worm-like body.¡¯ I immediately left the dining hall and headed to the manor¡¯s spacious central training ground. I had no intention of delaying. It was time to improve my physical condition. I started running around the training ground. I focused endlessly as I ran. To naturally resonate with the surrounding mana without conscious effort. *Thud, thud¡ª* Even when my body reached its limit, I continued to focus all my nerves on making the process automatic. I repeated this until the sun reached its peak and then set again. The servants started coming out to watch¡­ and in the distance, one or two old men I had never seen before also appeared. A day passed. And another day passed. I felt like a monkey, but it didn¡¯t matter. Even if I was the only one doing what everyone used to do in the past. Because this was something that naturally had to be done. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± On the third day, I heard a voice in my head. ¨C ¡ºAbility ?Mind Eye? is activated¡» ¨C ¡ºSome tendencies are changed¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Sickly] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Cowardly] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Drug Addict] disappears¡» ¨C ¡ºTendency [Weak-willed] changes to [Steadfast Will]¡» ¡­ ¨C ¡ºTitle [Trash of the Trash] changes to [Skinny Shrimp]¡» The surrounding mana started to feel denser¡­ And the mana rotating in my heart¡¯s circle reached saturation. A smile unconsciously spread across my face. I knew what this phenomenon meant. It was time to create another circle. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 9 – 2-Circle Archmage (2) [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 9: 2-Circle Archmage (2) ======= ? Ruin Samael ¨C Skinny Shrimp ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)], ? Traits: Stamina [D], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [SSS] ? Tendencies: [Steadfast Will], [Wild], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Madness], [Venomous] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ====== I washed up with cold water and looked in the mirror. I looked somewhat human now. Of course, I was still much thinner than the average person. ¡°Skinny is one thing, but skinny shrimp?¡± I tried using the [Inner Eye] or whatever it was called, but again, there was something annoying. The words ¡®Skinny Shrimp¡¯ clearly displayed next to my name. Still, it was better than being called a good-for-nothing or a loser, so I had to bear with it. I closed my eyes and immediately expanded my senses. I clearly felt two rings in my heart. The 2nd circle I had just completed. Whir¡ª The surrounding mana entered my body and began to rotate powerfully. It was incomparably richer than when I had only one ring. ¡°Huh.¡± Suddenly, my meager talent in my past life felt insignificant, but it was okay. It wasn¡¯t all bad experiences. In my past life, I did my best within the 2nd circle. I had a determination that those born with talent could never understand. The arrangement, utilization, and flexibility of magic. For five years, I tried everything to become stronger. Surprisingly, there were times when I even defeated one or two 3-circle mages. I could confidently say that I was the strongest among the 2-circle mages back then. And it was the same now, as I retained all the memories from that time. I put on my pants and called for Rihan, who was outside. Rihan came in and widened his eyes. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this, Young Master? Did you really come to your senses? Your body looks quite different.¡± I finished putting on my top and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be spending time at the training grounds from today, so if anyone is looking for me, let them know.¡± ¡°The training grounds?¡± ¡°Yes. The one where the apprentices gather.¡± ¡°Why there? Are you going to learn magic or something?¡± ¡°As a Samael, I have to learn magic. To be precise, I¡¯m not going to learn magic, but to teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡± ¡°Just know that I am.¡± I changed my expression to a serious one and looked at Rihan. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Rihan also straightened his posture. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the Red Magic Tower and our family? It seems like everyone I see is from the Red Magic Tower. Why are outsiders interfering so much?¡± The White Horse Unit was out training at the Red Magic Tower. The family¡¯s pillar, the Guardian, was the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower. Moreover, it didn¡¯t make sense that even the apprentices were being taught by a Red Magic Tower mage. Was this Samael or a branch family of the Red Magic Tower? ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good thing to have many people from the Red Magic Tower? It raises the family¡¯s status.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about it? Do you want to go around bragging about being a weak family?¡± Rihan thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact reason. Maybe the Head asked for it?¡± What nonsense was this? Was he saying that Kazen had asked the Red Magic Tower to teach them magic? ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Thinking about it carefully, it made sense. Outsiders couldn¡¯t just meddle with Samael without the Head¡¯s permission. Rihan looked at my expression and said, ¡°My father probably knows.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Wright Ferrer, the head butler. I vaguely heard that our Samael family almost went bankrupt in the past. It was thanks to the Red Magic Tower¡¯s help that we became as prosperous as we are now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Who had the most pride in the current Samael? Rihan was probably one of them, if not the most. For him to say that the family almost went bankrupt meant that they were completely ruined. ¡°So how much money do we have?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly speaking so scary? I don¡¯t have any money.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about our family. I saw that the training grounds are completely worn out. Let¡¯s renovate them.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be tight?¡± ¡°¡­Why again?¡± I was getting anxious about hearing the answer again. I thought there would be some money rotting away in the house since he was always using hallucinogenic herbs. The training hall was dilapidated, and the only meals served were simple things like rye bread, which was a bit strange¡­ ¡°I heard from my father that we¡¯re quite in debt. I heard the loan we borrowed from the Magic Tower is running out soon. Because of that¡­¡± ¡°We borrowed money? What about the businesses we own?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have any businesses?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it.¡± It seemed this crazy bastard was using borrowed money for drugs. ¡®Maybe I should have just run away.¡¯ There were more problems than I thought. * * * It seemed that Hector was at the center of the strange relationship between Samael and the Red Magic Tower. He probably had some connection to the Head. That much was obvious. My experience wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Thud¡ªRumble¡ª Suddenly, my foot slipped, and a pile of rocks tumbled down the steep mountainside. ¡°Whoa.¡± Ah, shit. This was a cliff. Lost in thought, I had misstepped. I almost fell off the cliff with the rocks. ¡°Why would they build a training ground in such a dangerous place? It¡¯s a perfect spot to die.¡± As I grumbled and walked along, I saw the dilapidated training hall in the middle. I kicked the rickety door hard. The doorframe shattered, and a loud noise echoed. Crash¡ª! ¡°Hey, servants!¡± The apprentices rushed out, all with bewildered expressions. I grinned, looking at two of them. ¡°Ah, yes. My proud servants. Get ready.¡± Zion scowled and shouted, ¡°You bastard! You ran away like a coward?¡± ¡°I just went to nourish my body. And you seem to have forgotten to use honorifics. I¡¯ll let it slide this once, so hurry up and get ready.¡± ¡°Get ready for what, you bastard?¡± ¡°To run.¡± Zion¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°You come with me. I was caught off guard last time, but this time I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m made of.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As expected of someone who uses their head. I had anticipated him reacting this way. He wasn¡¯t the type to submit easily and would always try to climb back up. That kind of attitude needed to be firmly put down. Zion started to climb the back mountain, just like last time. This time, quite a few of the guys surrounded me and went up together. My unpleasant mood from the whole day instantly lifted. Let¡¯s see how many of them there are. ¡®One, two, three, four¡­ Wow, there are a lot.¡¯ At that moment, Zion turned around and shouted, ¡°Kill that bastard!¡± What a foul-mouthed kid. * * * ¡®You¡¯re really dead today.¡¯ Zion walked with that thought in mind. He was still furious when he remembered being humiliated by Ruin. He was even more irritated because the guy had suddenly disappeared, but then¡­ ¡®He crawled back on his own?¡¯ What an idiot. A wicked smile spread across Zion¡¯s face. As he walked, he arrived at the pre-arranged location. This time would be different. ¡°Kill that bastard!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a lesson, newbie.¡± At Zion¡¯s signal, Makan formed hand signs and gathered wind around his fist. Then, he threw a punch at Ruin¡¯s forehead with all his might. Basic Red Magic Tower martial art. ¡°Huh?¡± Ruin dodged Makan¡¯s attack with a simple head movement. Then, a low-voiced chant began. ¡°Hardened¡­¡± Makan threw another punch at Ruin¡¯s face, but this time it didn¡¯t even graze him. ¡°¡­Hardened wind, Wind Barrier.¡± Swoosh¡ª A transparent wind barrier shimmered on Ruin¡¯s right arm. He swung his arm and struck Makan¡¯s nose with his elbow. Crack¡ª! ¡°Ugh!¡± Makan¡¯s jaw twisted violently. ¡°Wh-What? Makan was hit? Wasn¡¯t that a 2-star spell?¡± Surprised cries erupted from all around. None of them had dreamed that Ruin was hiding his 2-star level skills. Zion¡¯s expression hardened the most. But the reason for Zion¡¯s shock was slightly different from the other apprentices. ¡°He¡¯s using incantation while fighting?¡± Zion, who had been focusing all his attention on Ruin, didn¡¯t miss it this time. He saw Ruin perfectly complete his chants while continuously deflecting Makan¡¯s attacks. ¡°No way!¡± What was the biggest weakness of incantation? Its vulnerability in close combat. That¡¯s what he had been taught. Incantation using the mana circle would fail if one¡¯s concentration wavered even slightly. That was the common knowledge Zion knew. Thud¡ª Thud, thud¡ª ¡°Ugh!¡± But this guy was completely ignoring common sense. Ruin followed Makan as he was pushed back, continuously striking his face with his elbow. It was a brutal sight, with the well-built Makan unable to even counterattack. ¡°¡­!¡± The moment Makan¡¯s waist bent forward after being punched in the stomach. Ruin forcefully struck Makan¡¯s jawbone with his elbow. Crack¡ª A nosebleed burst forth. ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± Bright red blood splattered in the air. The apprentices, who had never witnessed such a brutal scene, froze in place. ¡°S-Snap out of it! Everyone, shoot Fireballs! Let¡¯s teach that bastard a lesson!¡± At Zion¡¯s cry, the apprentices who had barely held onto their senses began forming hand signs. Rumble¡ª The ground trembled slightly as Ruin stomped his foot. The apprentices¡¯ hand signs were disrupted by the momentary tremor. S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Only three of them managed to complete their signs properly. Two Fireballs and one Fire Spear hurtled towards Ruin in an arc. A Fireball also bloomed from Ruin¡¯s hand. A total of four fire spells collided, and a loud noise echoed. Boom¡ª! ¡°Keke.¡± Hearing the strange laughter, Zion instinctively turned his head. Ruin was smiling with one corner of his mouth stretched wide. ¡°Gasp!¡± It was chilling. It was a creepy expression that would haunt his dreams. A chill ran down Zion¡¯s spine. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t see it. Ruin¡¯s Fireball piercing through all the other spells and flying towards him. ¡°¡­¡± When he finally looked up, Zion could only watch. He couldn¡¯t fathom how a single Fireball could break through the magic of three people. Or why the tip of the Fireball flying towards him had suddenly sharpened like a Fire Spear. Boom¡ª! Zion¡¯s vision went black for a moment. He came to his senses with a slap on his cheek, only to find that dawn had broken. He had been unconscious for hours. ¡°¡­What?¡± Looking around, he saw everyone crying with dejected faces. He tilted his head in confusion when someone tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°Eek!¡± Ruin was grinning at him. Zion involuntarily flinched and jumped up, and Ruin burst into a satisfied laugh. ¡°You¡¯re quick to prepare.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Run.¡± It sounded like the devil himself was speaking. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 10 – 2-Circle Archmage (3) [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 10: 2-Circle Archmage (3) The moonlight slowly faded as the dawn breeze swept through the dimness of Mount Khaoto, filled with the unexpected sound of spirited shouts. ¡°One! Two!¡± ¡°Louder!¡± ¡°One! Two!¡± ¡°Good.¡± The apprentices, in a crooked formation, ran while panting. This was what training should feel like. After all, running was best enjoyed together. Old memories surfaced. In the past, Mount Khaoto would echo with the sound of hundreds of apprentices running. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Let¡¯s get into the mood a bit more. ¡°Count off!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± ¡°Stop.¡± I halted the formation and glared at the apprentices. They all looked at me with a somewhat weary expression. ¡°When counting off, it¡¯s ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I kicked the shins of the most clueless-looking one. ¡°Use honorifics.¡± It was Iron. Rolling around while clutching his leg, Iron looked at me with a resentful gaze. ¡°Why should we use honorifics?! ¡­¡­sir.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t subordinates use honorifics?¡± ¡°Why am I a subordinate? ¡­¡­sir.¡± Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t made a bet with anyone except Zion and Makan. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It was a shame, but it was my mistake, so I should give them a chance. ¡°How about whoever loses in a fight against me uses honorifics?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use honorifics, sir.¡± ¡°Good.¡± I was such a reasonable person. I reminded the apprentices about numbers once again and started running. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯ Don¡¯t ask why. It just is. Count off again!¡± ¡°One! Two! Sam! Net!¡± (Sam and Net are the Korean words for three and four, respectively) Counting off was done with ¡®sam,¡¯ not ¡®set.¡¯ It was a long-standing tradition and custom of Samael. Even while beheading demons during expeditions, we always counted this way. I didn¡¯t know the reason. Maybe it was to avoid confusing ¡®set¡¯ with ¡®net,¡¯ or something like that. Running mindlessly, we soon circled the mountainside and arrived back at the training grounds. The morning sun was gradually rising. ¡°Huff, huff. Oh, I¡¯m exhausted.¡± ¡°Gasp, gasp. I feel like I¡¯m dying, seriously.¡± The apprentices, collapsing in exhaustion, took deep breaths. ¡°Your stamina is all pathetic. We¡¯ll end the morning training here, so go inside and get ready, my subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The apprentices, seemingly too exhausted to respond, trudged back to their quarters one by one. Meanwhile, two figures, Zion and Makan, remained on the training grounds, their eyes fixed on me. Zion¡¯s weary gaze held a hint of doubt. Makan¡¯s eyes, on the other hand, seemed strangely satisfied. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Suddenly, I used [Mind¡¯s Eye] to observe Zion. ======= ? Zion ¨C Paranoid Patient ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Dagger (A)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (A), Wind (B)] ? Traits: Stamina [B], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [B], Mana Core [2 Stars] ? Dispositions: [Vengeance], [Competitiveness], [Suspicion], [Perceptiveness], [Knight Contempt], [Pride], [Inferiority Complex] ? Overall Rating: Magic [B] ======= ¡°Wow.¡± No wonder the kid was foul-mouthed; there was a reason. He was a collection of unsavory dispositions, practically a mental patient. ¡®I like it.¡¯ If I could firmly put him in his place, he wouldn¡¯t be a bad subordinate. A bit of venom was essential for navigating this harsh world. Next up, Makan. ======= ? Makan Tycoon ¨C Charge! Charge! Charge! ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (A), Spear Skills (SS)], Elemental Affinity [Earth (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [SS], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [S], Mana Core [2 Stars] ? Dispositions: [Tenacity], [Steadfastness], [Aspiration], [Simple-mindedness], [Exercise Addiction], [Musclehead] ? Overall Rating: Spear Skills [SS] ======= This one was even more peculiar. Forget his simple-mindedness; his stamina was extraordinary. He possessed a physique perfectly suited for spearmanship. Spear-wielding families would be drooling over him. Wait a minute¡­ ¡®Tycoon? Could he be related to the 8-star mercenary, Gento Tycoon?¡¯ The name of a mercenary who dominated battlefields with his unique spearmanship suddenly came to mind. He was someone who survived for quite a while in the expedition. ¡®Is this kid Gento Tycoon¡¯s descendant?¡¯ My instincts told me it was likely. His simple-minded nature and overwhelming talent for spearmanship were strikingly similar to Gento Tycoon. ¡®I think Gento was from Leon, near Khaoto.¡¯ What a coincidence. Gento¡¯s descendant learning magic in Samael. ¡®But there¡¯s no rule that he has to master spearmanship first.¡¯ Every apprentice in Samael was precious. I didn¡¯t have the generosity to simply tell him to leave Samael because he had a talent for spearmanship. And most importantly, I knew how to make Makan stronger. The memory of Gento Tycoon incorporating seismic waves into his spearmanship was vividly etched in my mind. ¡®Back then, I just thought it was strange. Now I understand why.¡¯ * * * After all the apprentices had gone back to the dormitory, I sat in meditation at one side of the training grounds and focused on the flow of mana around me. Wiiing¡ª The mana of the atmosphere resonated intensely through my two circles. ¡®It¡¯s definitely different.¡¯ Even though it was the same Second Circle, the feeling was completely different from the past. In my previous life, it felt like pouring water into a narrow hose; there was a limit to the flow of mana resonating through the circles. That must have been the reason why I couldn¡¯t surpass the Second Circle even after years of hard work. Now, the mana of the atmosphere flowed into the circles without any restrictions, like a waterfall cascading down. It was as if a blocked vein had been opened. ¡®I¡¯ll surpass the Second Circle soon.¡¯ Around the time the sun rose brightly, I sensed someone approaching from afar. I squinted and saw Instructor Dyke appearing in the training grounds. Dyke glanced at me, clicked his tongue with a ¡°Tsk,¡± and blew his whistle. Peeeiiiik¡ª Soon after, the apprentices rushed out of the dormitory and lined up in front of Dyke. ¡°We¡¯ll start the training¡­ Did everyone eat something wrong? Why do you all look so pale?¡± Dyke looked at the apprentices with a puzzled expression. Unlike usual, the children looked exceptionally haggard today. They started glancing at me. ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ I glared at them, and they quickly looked away in surprise. The instructor looked at the apprentices with a questioning gaze for a moment but didn¡¯t inquire further. As expected, he didn¡¯t care about it much huh!! ¡°We¡¯ll start the training. Everyone, Activate your mana!¡± ¡°¡­Activate our mana!¡± Even as the training progressed, I could still feel the apprentices¡¯ furtive glances. ¡°Where are you all looking! Focus on the hand signs.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± I didn¡¯t even glance at Dyke, focusing solely on my own training. ¡°Alright, stop!¡± At Dyke¡¯s shout, the apprentices, who had been waving their hands around awkwardly, stopped. ¡°Everyone, listen up. From now on, we¡¯ll practice the hand signs for the 2-Star Fire Spear. As I¡¯ve emphasized numerous times, incantations become increasingly difficult as the star level increases. You need to be able to draw the correct hand sign even in extreme situations to use it in actual combat.¡± ¡°Instructor! I have a question. Is that impossible with incantation?¡± Dyke glared at Zion and said, ¡°What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a question.¡± ¡°Have you been drinking strange water or something, Zion? The foundation of magic is the mana core and hand signs. All great mages say the same thing. Mana circles and incantation cannot be used in actual combat. So focus on the hand sign. Understand?¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s that?¡± Following Zion¡¯s finger, Dyke¡¯s gaze slowly turned towards me. Thud, thud¡ª I had already wrapped Wind Barriers around both arms and was pummeling the face of a scarecrow placed in the corner. ¡°Hmm?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the subtle shift in Dyke¡¯s expression. What clearly surfaced was a sense of doubt. He must have noticed the simplification of the Second Circle Wind Barrier and the mana waves converging precisely on one point. ¡°Ahem.¡± Clearing his throat, Dyke looked at Zion once again. ¡°Stop paying attention to useless things and focus on my teachings. I¡¯ll say it again, incantation has no practical use. It has clear limitations.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s truly impossible?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s impossible.¡± The quick-witted Zion understood that this was the limit of what Dyke could tolerate. So he didn¡¯t ask any further questions. He just tilted his head with a puzzled expression. * * * Late afternoon. ¡°Hey!¡± As soon as the training ended and the instructor left, the chubby guy approached me. I felt a heavy sensation in my front pocket. ¡°You worked hard today!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I suddenly noticed that the chubby guy¡¯s shoes were yellow. He made a strange gesture and quickly disappeared somewhere. I checked my front pocket. Half-eaten jerky. It wasn¡¯t really a problem¡­ But why did I feel so annoyed? It was a strange feeling I had never experienced before, both in my past and present life. Come to think of it, this chubby guy was the only one who wasn¡¯t part of the group I beat up yesterday. He didn¡¯t seem particularly impressed when he saw my incantations today either. I took a bite of the half-eaten jerky, and a salty sweetness spread in my mouth. I hadn¡¯t eaten anything since morning, so I immediately felt hungry. The chubby guy was kind enough to give me jerky, but I didn¡¯t understand why I felt so annoyed. Ah, wait a minute¡­ ¡°Hey, subordinates!¡± I shouted, and the apprentices rushed out of the dormitory. ¡°How do you guys eat?¡± ¡°Eat?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing here, right? You haven¡¯t been eating only jerky, have you? How do you get your meals?¡± The apprentices asked back with puzzled expressions. ¡°We go down to eat¡­ sir?¡± ¡°You climb down the cliff every time? That¡¯s a bit horrifying.¡± ¡°What cliff, sir?¡± The apprentices looked even more confused. Then they started to go down, saying they needed to eat. They went in the opposite direction from the cliff I had climbed up. ¡°What? Is there another way down there?¡± My anxiety became a reality. After only about 30 minutes of descent, the mountainside ended. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡­How did I not know about this place until now? Thinking back, it made sense that I wouldn¡¯t have known. Mount Khaoto¡¯s terrain was so rugged that I had never ventured in this direction before. After a while, I noticed local residents coming and going along the mountainside. The outskirts of Khaoto. As soon as the smell of steaming soup and savory stew filled my nostrils, rage surged within me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me there was another way? I even climbed the cliff!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, sir.¡± My subordinates stopped in front of a shabby restaurant. As I squeezed through the narrow door¡­ I was once again taken aback. The plump figure sitting there, wolfing down stew with bread in both hands¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± The chubby guy turned around and slowly waved. The last shred of gratitude I had in my heart vanished. So¡­ The reason the chubby guy gave me jerky was¡­ ¡®This cheeky bastard was getting rid of leftovers?¡¯ No wonder he always gave it to me right around mealtime. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 11 – Bring it on [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 11: Bring It On As soon as I returned to the training grounds, I immediately started running up the mountain. The humiliation of being toyed with by that fatso fueled my determination, pushing me to run even harder. *Thud, thud, thud* ¡°Gasp, gasp. I¡¯m dying!¡± ¡°Please, just slow down a bit!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± If Pelleer had seen this scene, he probably would have said: ¡ª Crazy Mage Commander, you need to control your anger. ¡®As if.¡¯ This isn¡¯t anger. This is strictly physical training. Physical training. ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± I heard groans and turned to see the youngsters struggling with pained expressions on their faces. I made eye contact with each of them and said. ¡°Those who fall behind will get special training. Special training.¡± Feeling a sense of unease, my subordinates gritted their teeth and pushed themselves. When we reached the halfway point of the mountain and returned to the training grounds, everyone collapsed like limp squid. Honestly, these little guys are already complaining. Of course, I secretly used wind magic to run comfortably without anyone noticing. After all, when training subordinates, it¡¯s important to conserve one¡¯s own stamina. ¡°Get up, my subordinates.¡± ¡°¡­Ugh. It¡¯s not over yet?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing the horse stance now. Anyone who has a problem with it can fight me and win, and I¡¯ll forget about it.¡± My kind smile sent them into a frenzy, and they all jumped to their feet. It seems like their respect for me has been deeply ingrained in just one day. *Whoosh* I lit a pile of firewood and placed it around the training grounds. I carefully observed the trainees¡¯ postures, checking for any slackers. Everyone was desperately holding the horse stance, but after 30 minutes, they started collapsing one by one. Only two remained. Makan and Zion. ¡®Unexpected.¡¯ Makan was expected, but Zion¡¯s endurance was surprising. His face was trembling, and he was clenching his teeth, clearly determined not to lose to Makan. ¡°Stop. 30 minutes of rest, then we¡¯ll resume the horse stance. Got it, subordinates?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡± ¡°Fuck this, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t!¡± I heard swearing and looked at Zion, but his mouth was shut. ¡°Fuck this, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m going to tell the instructor everything, you bastard!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It turned out that the one cursing with his eyes rolled back was Iron. I had a feeling he had been dissatisfied since the beginning. As I walked towards him with a direct gaze, Iron unconsciously took a step back. His eyes slowly returned to normal. ¡°¡­¡± I met his gaze right in front of him. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m doing this?¡± Iron squeezed his eyes shut and shouted. ¡°You¡¯re just doing this to torment us!¡± ¡°Open your eyes, you little shit. If that were the case, I would¡¯ve just blasted you with magic. Why would I bother with all this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iron hesitated, then cautiously spoke, ¡°Are you, by any chance, crazy?¡± ¡°Yes. But you¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Your reasoning is wrong.¡± ¡°Then why are you making us do this crap!¡± I grabbed Iron¡¯s head and stared into his eyes. Suddenly, there was something I wanted to tell him. ¡°Why did you join Samael?¡± Fear began to swirl in Iron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wh-what are you talking about? Of course, I joined to learn magic¡­¡± ¡°Tell me the truth. Do you think I don¡¯t know your circumstances? Learning magic without paying? Or because we feed and house you? Or maybe you¡¯re hoping to catch the eye of a Red Magic Tower mage and become their disciple?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It costs a fortune to join other magic families, but you can¡¯t afford that. So you joined Samael, which is on the verge of collapse. Because it¡¯s free.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Iron¡¯s hands trembled, but he couldn¡¯t say a word. I looked around and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care why you joined. But once you¡¯re in, you¡¯re part of Samael. You learn magic the Samael way, and you fight the Samael way.¡± The trainees all looked bewildered. They had never heard such words before. Something heavy pressed down on their chests. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll give you a solution.¡± I looked at Iron, Zion, Makan, and the other trainees one by one. ¡°Use the beast magic you learned from Dyke to defeat me. Then I won¡¯t care what you do. However¡­¡± I immediately kicked off the ground and started running across the training field at full speed. ¡°Iron, you asked why I¡¯m doing this?¡± While running, I chanted a spell, aiming at a specific spot. *Boom* My spells repeatedly hit the scarecrow¡¯s head, setting it ablaze. *Bang, boom, boom* The flames continued to strike the same spot. A single flame soared beautifully into the dark night sky. ¡°The foundation of magic is physical strength. The stamina to maintain extreme concentration while chanting spells. You need even more stamina than a knight.¡± I looked at one of the trainees who was staring at me with burning eyes. Zion was looking at me with an expression I had never seen before. ¡°¡­Can you even beat a knight?¡± His gaze, filled with anger and hatred, made me unconsciously smirk. ¡°With my methods, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°No one has mastered the Mana Circle. How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°How long have you been studying magic?¡± ¡°One year.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been studying for less than a month. But I beat you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­shit.¡± *** ¡°Well, I¡¯ve lit the fire.¡± The bewildered faces of my subordinates came to mind. Showing them the spell at the right moment had its effect. The trainees¡¯ eyes sparkled as they gazed at the soaring flames in the sky. They all seemed to have some hidden scars in their hearts. ¡®Their aptitude isn¡¯t bad.¡¯ At least none of them seemed to have rotten talent like I did in the past. That was enough. I could take care of the rest. Ten apprentice mages. These guys would be the future of Samael. *Thump* I put my thoughts aside and picked up an old book from the shelf. Late at night. For a while, only the sound of pages turning could be heard¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t it either.¡± I had already devoured most of the books in my quarters over the past few days. I needed to find out exactly what had happened to Samael and how incantation magic had been lost. But¡­ ¡®There¡¯s nothing about Samael anywhere.¡¯ I did find a few decent grimoires that covered basic incantation magic. But there was no mention of the origin of incantation magic, Samael. What was even stranger was¡­ ¡®The demons are gone.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single book that directly mentioned demons. Even if we assumed that the last expedition was unknown, the previous demon invasion was something that all of humanity had witnessed firsthand. There were even books that mentioned the conquest of the Black Clan and the Demonic Dragon, which happened more than 300 years ago, but there was nothing about the demons. There were only a few books that vaguely mentioned them as ¡°fearsome beings.¡± ¡®This is beyond comprehension.¡¯ *** Morning came. I stepped outside and took in the fresh air, and the thoughts that had been weighing on my mind gradually faded away. I took a deep breath of the clear air and shouted, ¡°Subordinates! Let¡¯s go for a run. If you¡¯re not out here by the time I count to thirty, I¡¯ll assume you want thirty lashes. One, two, three¡­ twenty-nine, thirty!¡± ¡°Waaaaaaaah!¡± The trainees all gathered in front of me. It seemed like my authority had grown quite a bit. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to be more respectful of my subordinates¡¯ opinions from now on. We¡¯re going to run now, so anyone who has a complaint can speak up.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Great! Then let¡¯s number off!¡± ¡°¡­One! Two!¡± Time flew by as I led them in a cheerful chant while circling the mountainside. We immediately moved on to horse stance training¡­ And as always, Dyke appeared on the ridge at the appointed time. After staring blankly at us for a while, Dyke ran towards us, shouting. ¡°What kind of barbaric nonsense is this!¡± ¡°Instructor¡­ Ugh.¡± Two of the trainees exchanged pitiful glances and collapsed to the ground. I didn¡¯t miss that moment. Those guys, it seemed like they were doing it on purpose. ¡®It seems their mental training is lacking.¡¯ You two will get an extra hour of horse stance training after this. ¡°Why are you doing things I didn¡¯t even order!¡± Dyke¡¯s bewildered gaze swept over the area, then slowly settled on me. I was the only one not doing the horse stance. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, Ruin, you ordered this?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t answer and started meditating, Dyke¡¯s eyes blazed with fury. ¡°Answer me. Did you order this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to burst my eardrums.¡± Finally, I looked at Dyke with a smirk. My expression was completely different from a few days ago. ¡°Should I thank you? It¡¯s a surprise you¡¯re not treating me like an invisible man today.¡± ¡°You intended to disrupt training with this pathetic act?¡± ¡°Does it matter if I ordered it or not?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not training time yet, is it? You said you wouldn¡¯t care what I did. It seems the mages of the Red Magic Tower have the memory of goldfish.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to engage in wordplay with you. Get out of my sight immediately.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± I smirked and said. ¡°I¡¯m in Samael, and I¡¯ll do as I please. Who are you to tell me to leave?¡± Dyke¡¯s voice suddenly lowered. ¡°I heard you were a scoundrel, but I pity the head of Samael. I clearly told you to use honorifics.¡± I didn¡¯t avoid Dyke¡¯s fiery gaze. ¡°Damn elitism.¡± Meeting my burning eyes, Dyke flinched and took a step back. ¡°Is this Samael or the Red Magic Tower? Did I ask you to teach me magic? If you want respect, show it first.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Refrain from overstepping your bounds outside of training hours? I¡¯m the eldest son of Samael, and these are Samael¡¯s mages.¡± ¡°You ungrateful brat¡­¡± ¡°And one more thing.¡± I interrupted Dyke. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯re doing that? Why are they following my orders?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. They all lost to me in a duel.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Dyke¡¯s gaze, as he looked at the trainees, wavered slightly. He had realized that my words were true. ¡°Nothing you say seems to be right. Where did you get the idea that incantations can¡¯t be used in actual combat?¡± I smirked at the speechless Dyke. ¡°Why don¡¯t you teach them Beast Magic better and have them beat me?¡± *Fwoosh* A surge of mana. Dyke¡¯s body trembled, his face turning pale. I could feel how angry he was. But he wouldn¡¯t have a reason to get angry. Most of what I said was just throwing his own words back at him. ¡°¡­Fine. Arguing with a child is pointless. Everyone, pay attention. We¡¯re starting training.¡± I smiled and stepped aside. Dyke might not know it, but this wasn¡¯t the end. As expected, less than an hour later, I heard the instructor¡¯s booming voice. ¡°Zion, why do you keep saying that!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he used incantations in actual combat!¡± It seemed Zion had decided to cross the line. ¡°Incantations have clear limitations.¡± ¡°He was faster than Beast Magic. Why don¡¯t you test Ruin yourself, Instructor!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that. If you say that one more time¡­¡± At that moment, the fatso, who had been quiet, raised his hand and continued the instructor¡¯s sentence. ¡°Yo! I can answer that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Incantations, or Circle Magic, have clear limitations as you go to higher circles.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to use them in actual combat from the 3rd Circle and above.¡± An unexpected situation had occurred. And why was that fatso talking like that? It was getting on my nerves. I barely managed to restrain myself from throwing a punch. What made it even more infuriating was that the instructor was looking at the fatso with a satisfied expression. *** I learned the fatso¡¯s name during lunch. His name was Palge. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing sparring in the afternoon. Pair up and practice your magic.¡± As I watched the trainees pair up in the corner of the training grounds, someone walked towards me. ¡°Yo, don¡¯t just watch. Let¡¯s spar.¡± Palge approached me with a grin. Instantly, everyone¡¯s attention focused on us. Even the instructor was looking at the fatso with an expectant expression. ¡®What¡¯s so special about this fatso?¡¯ Looking closely, I could feel a stronger mana wave emanating from him than from Makan. Was it hidden by his giant belly all this time? ¡°There¡¯s a saying that we should respect the old ways. I respect your choice to learn Circle Magic.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t move forward by only clinging to the old. The weaknesses of Circle Magic become clear from the 3rd Circle onwards. And I¡¯m an elite among elites, having studied magic for three years. My brilliant brain has grasped the strengths and weaknesses of all magic and found the perfect path. In other words, I¡¯ve already stepped into 3-star magic.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a 3-star mage?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll kindly point out your shortcomings. You can learn your weaknesses through me.¡± A shiver ran down my spine. Palge¡¯s speech, expression, face. Everything about him grated on my nerves. Ah¡­ Palge. 3-star meant he was on the verge of graduating from being a trainee. Come to think of it, the month I promised Hector was almost over. S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Then bring it on!¡± A 3-star mana wave started emanating from Palge¡¯s belly. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 12 – It was definitely a Mana Circle. [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 12: It was definitely a Mana Circle. The fatty opened his mouth with a smug expression. ¡°A flame spell that blooms through the mediation of my and Sarins¡¯ souls!¡± At first, I was surprised, thinking he was chanting a spell¡­. But soon I realized that I had no memory of such a spell. That¡¯s right. It¡¯s just meaningless showmanship. ¡°Haaaah!¡± The fatty crossed his hands so fast they were invisible, while making strange noises with his mouth. ¡°Chachachach!¡± Finally, when the guy let out a strange yell, clasped his hands together, and even drew a triangle¡­ I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s get this over with. I wrapped ¡®Wind Barrier¡¯ around my entire body, jumped towards the fatty, and chanted a spell. ¡°Slippery Earth, Grease.¡± ¡°What the, ugh!¡± The moment the fatty slipped and fell on his butt¡­ I jumped diagonally, overlapping the Wind Barrier on my right foot, and stomped down towards the fatty¡¯s face. The so-called ¡®Fly Like the Wind and Stomp¡¯. Meanwhile, a Fire Sphere shot out from the guy¡¯s hands, but it didn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s only as powerful as a Fireball. I split the Fire Spear with my foot in the same flying stomp motion, landing a kick right on the fatty¡¯s face. Wham¡ª ¡°Guuueeeek!¡± S?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Situation over. From then on, I just let my instincts take over, diligently stomping on the fatty¡¯s entire body with both feet. Thud¡ª Thudthudthud¡ª! ¡°Guuueeeeeaaaak!¡± When I came to my senses again, the fatty was unconscious with bruises all over his body, and everyone around me was staring at me in shock. ¡°¡­You, you.¡± The one whose expression changed the most was Instructor Dyke. His jaw was practically on the floor as he stared at me blankly. ¡°What is this¡­ How did you do that with a chant¡­¡± After a long silence, the instructor suddenly blurted out these words. ¡°Where did you learn Earth magic?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have connections with the Yellow Tower?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Grease is a Specialized Spell with an undisclosed manifestation method. How did you learn Grease?¡± An undisclosed spell? Grease is a basic spell. It¡¯s quite useful among lower-circle spells. I briefly met Dyke¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. The Yellow Tower is specialized in Earth magic, so are they trying to monopolize it? Does that mean other Towers have undisclosed spells too? ¡®What a stupid thing to do.¡¯ When I didn¡¯t answer, Dyke¡¯s expression hardened, and he left even though the training time wasn¡¯t over yet. * * * I quickly grabbed a bite to eat and gathered my subordinates. Most of them were frowning, and some even looked completely despondent. The instructor had backed down from me without a word, so it must have felt like the sky was falling. I know a great way to cheer them up in times like this. ¡°Those with frowns on their faces, step forward.¡± The trainees¡¯ faces instantly brightened. That¡¯s how much I care about my subordinates. ¡°Alright, then run!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± By the time we finished a lap around the mountainside, the sun was setting. The trainees each let out a sigh and started doing squats without being told. Having done it a few times, they all held up pretty well today. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll let them off easy. We have a long way to go, so it¡¯s time for the next step. ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll combine magic. Maintain the squat position and manifest a 1st Circle Fireball.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Among the trainees who were frowning, two guys had a gleam in their eyes. Zion and Makan. The two of them seemed to have been inspired by what they saw from me in the morning. They were running around the training ground, drawing Fireball sigils as if they had been waiting for this. It was quite gratifying to see that they understood my intentions. Since they¡¯re so eager, I should reward them. I joined them, running around the training ground while chanting the Fireball spell. Faster than them, with several times the power. It was quite a sight to see Zion¡¯s face contort in frustration. Yes, practice like your life depends on it with that anger. You¡¯ll soon realize that you can never achieve this with sigils. Just then¡­ ¡°Hey!¡± A familiar voice sent chills down my spine. The fatty, with bruises all over his face, was walking towards the training ground. ¡°Can I join you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Only my subordinates can participate.¡± ¡°Then can I practice with you if I become your subordinate?¡± The fatty¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at me, and I couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. ¡°I can¡¯t accept you as a subordinate.¡± ¡°Then how can I become your subordinate? I really want to learn Ruin¡¯s magic. It¡¯s a type I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Just shut up!¡± Listening to the fatty¡¯s tone of voice made my nerves tingle. I even felt uncomfortable hitting this fatty. When I hit him earlier, it didn¡¯t feel good even then. ¡°Create a Mana Circle. If you can¡¯t, don¡¯t ever talk to me again.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It seemed to work, thankfully, as he quickly came up with an excuse. The fatty lingered for a while, then turned away with a dejected look. I found myself staring at the fatty¡¯s back, and in the meantime, his right hand rose into the air again. Only three fingers were extended. Thumb, index, and pinky. * * * I barely managed to get rid of the fatty and looked around, only to see that the trainees had already gone into their quarters. Only Zion and Makan remained, still training. I was about to grab the deserters and break their legs, but Zion¡¯s face caught my eye. He was limping on one leg, his body clearly at its limit, but he was still forcing himself to run alongside Makan, shooting Fireballs. Hmm¡­ Suddenly curious, I stopped them. ¡°That¡¯s enough training for today.¡± Zion crouched down on the spot, letting out a deep sigh. I approached him and sat down in the same position. The sunlight had completely disappeared, but the training ground still held some warmth. The head of the straw dummy I had hit with Fireballs was burning like a campfire. We both stared at the crackling flames for a moment. Zion slowly turned his head. ¡°Ruin Samael.¡± Zion said, meeting my eyes. ¡°Does this really have any meaning?¡± ¡°Of course. The foundation of magic is physical strength.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who says that. I need to be able to trust it.¡± ¡°Why are you following along if you don¡¯t trust it?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re stronger than me.¡± ¡°Dyke is stronger than me, though?¡± ¡°The instructor doesn¡¯t teach us sincerely. But you¡¯re sincere. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re crazy or what, but you believe that the foundation of magic is physical strength. I can tell. You¡¯re doing the same training as us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re perceptive. Then why don¡¯t you learn Mana Circle as well?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± I smacked him on the back of the head. The kid talks too much without even making a Mana Circle. But Zion didn¡¯t cower after getting hit. Instead¡­ ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± Zion¡¯s face was burning red like the campfire. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ I was curious. Why was this guy, barely twenty years old, acting like this? ¡°Zion, where are you from?¡± ¡°Kaoto.¡± ¡°Family?¡± ¡°None, anymore.¡± ¡°Is that related to why you despise knights?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zion suddenly clenched his lips. I could feel Makan looking at Zion with a puzzled expression. After a moment of silence, Zion spoke again. ¡°My father was a merchant. Well, not your typical merchant, but¡­¡± As the campfire burned on, Zion¡¯s story continued for a long time. By the time he finished, the surroundings were completely dark. I shot a Fireball to rekindle the flames on the straw dummy. Fwoosh¡ª ¡®Tsk, they say everyone has a story.¡¯ Zion was the son of a shady merchant who mainly dealt in stolen goods. One day, his father bought a strange sword at Kaoto¡¯s underground auction, and that was the beginning of their downfall. ¡°A sword?¡± ¡°It was an ornate sword engraved with Rune letters.¡± ¡°Did it emit light from the Runes?¡± ¡°It was red. I remember it clearly.¡± ¡°Red light means it¡¯s either a 5th Circle or higher Flame spell, or a holy relic. It must have been a high-level item. It¡¯s strange that something like that ended up in an underground auction. Where was the auction house?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I know a lot about Kaoto¡¯s commercial district, but I never went to pick up goods myself. My father didn¡¯t take me because it was dangerous. Besides, he never told me the location of the underground auction house.¡± ¡°You should have handled it with care.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not new to this business, we know that much. The problem was that it didn¡¯t even take a day.¡± On the very evening they bought the item, unknown knights raided their home, seized the sword, and slaughtered his entire family in front of him. Zion sensed something was wrong and hid in a secret attic, luckily avoiding detection. ¡°Those damn bastards¡­¡± Seeing Zion¡¯s expression as he spat out those words, I was reminded of my own childhood. ¡°¡­¡± As I listened to his story, I learned that Makan¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much different from Zion¡¯s. Makan was a slave from Leon, a city near Kaoto. Unable to endure the brutal abuse, he secretly escaped to Kaoto and eventually ended up in Samael. I asked about the other subordinates¡¯ situations, and they were all roughly similar. Orphans, slaves, beggars. None of them were without a story. ¡°¡­¡± The three of us stared at the crackling flames in silence for a while. As the fire gradually died down, I spoke to them. ¡°Go inside and rest for now. Oh, and tell Iron and Ain to come out here.¡± ¡°Why those two?¡± ¡°They have to do squats for another hour.¡± I remembered clearly. This morning, when the instructor came while they were doing squats, the two of them exchanged glances and collapsed. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Okay, then go in¡­ Wait a minute.¡± The moment I saw Zion¡¯s subtly twitching lips, I felt a sudden chill down my spine. ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± As Zion backed away, I kindly approached him and smacked him on the back of the head again. Wham¡ª ¡°Ouch! Damn it, really.¡± ¡°Use honorifics, kid.¡± * * * A few days passed. The instructor no longer cared what I did. No, it felt like he was desperately trying to ignore me. His attitude towards the trainees was the same. It was obvious to anyone that he was forcing himself to conduct the lessons. Zion told me that the instructor would be returning to the Tower soon. Once the useless instructor¡¯s lessons were over, it would be my time again. Today, as usual, I returned to the training ground after physical training, and someone unwelcome was waiting for me. ¡°Hey.¡± It was the fatty. I don¡¯t know why he keeps hanging around me. I have a feeling he has some sort of affection for me¡­ which is even more disgusting. Whenever I see the fatty, something inexplicable wells up from deep inside me. Thinking about it carefully, it¡¯s because I¡¯ve never seen anyone like him, neither in my past life nor in this one. The moment I saw the fatty, I clenched my fists and warned him. ¡°I clearly told you not to show up. Go away.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± But he puffed out his chest and smiled broadly, as if to show off. That confident expression sent a wave of unease through me. It was ominous. Something was very ominous. It felt like something huge was coming. Alarms blared in the Crazy Mage¡¯s mind. I unconsciously tried to cover the fatty¡¯s mouth, but his mouth opened first. ¡°Burning flame, Fireball.¡± The mana in the air around the fatty fluctuated, and a small fireball ignited. Fwoosh¡ª! It was definitely a Mana Circle. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 13 – Hector Kart (1) [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 13: Hector Kart (1) ¡°Can I be your subordinate now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± I was momentarily speechless as I looked at Palge, who was proudly puffing out his chest. The mana fluctuations, the shape, the incantation¡­ It was undoubtedly a Mana Circle. How in the world did he¡­? No, more importantly, why, why in the world¡­? ¡°Why did you create it, fatty? You said you¡¯ve been accumulating Mana Cores for 3 years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any prejudices, you know. You seem touched. And don¡¯t call me fatty.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m your subordinate, let me formally introduce myself.¡± Fatty extended his hand and, with a solemn expression, revealed his name. ¡°Palge Jugmund.¡± ¡®This damn bastard.¡¯ Even his name is displeasing. I feel my mind growing increasingly hazy. Barely holding onto my fading consciousness, I glared at Fatty. ==================== ? Palge Jugmund ¨C Fatty ? Talents: Weapon Skills [F], Elemental Affinity [Light (S), Fire (A)] ? Traits: Stamina [S], Mental Strength [A], Mana Resonance [S], Mana Core [3rd Stage] ? Disposition: [Gullible], [Golem Enthusiast], [Magic Addict], [Genius], [Curious], [Pushover], [Possessive], [Loyal] ? Overall Rating: Magic [A] ==================== ¡°This is crazy¡­¡± Even if he¡¯s gullible, to create a Mana Circle just from a few words? Suddenly, while checking Palge¡¯s information, I was once again startled. ¡®Light attribute Elemental Affinity?¡¯ This was definitely Pelleier¡¯s curse on me. He must have been pissed off that only I was reincarnated, so he played dirty tricks from the afterlife. The light attribute was a rare one, with very few mages in the past possessing a good affinity for it. The image of Palge chanting a light attribute incantation flashed through my mind, sending chills down my spine. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Are you touched?¡± I slapped the back of Palge¡¯s head and asked, ¡°¡­What¡¯s ¡®Golem Enthusiast¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh? Are you interested in golems too, Ruin?¡± Seeing Palge¡¯s eyes light up as if he had met a dear friend, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°How did you create the Mana Circle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a genius. One day was enough!¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re a genius or not, how did you know how to create a Mana Circle?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Fatty suddenly started to stutter, his eyes darting left and right. It was the expression of someone who had been caught hiding something. ¡°No answer?¡± After hesitating for a while, Palge went into the dormitory and came out with a book. It was a book titled [The Basics of Mana Circles]. After receiving it and reading through, I found that the basics of circles and incantations were explained in great detail. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve never seen this before. Where did you get it?¡± It was a type of book I hadn¡¯t seen even after rummaging through the dormitory for days. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± Seeing my expression, Palge waved his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s my personal possession. I¡¯m also interested in old books, so I brought it with me when I came here. I¡¯ll lend it to you if you want.¡± Suddenly, I tilted my head and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you a beggar?¡± ¡°A beggar? What a hurtful thing to say!¡± Palge¡¯s face flushed red as he said, ¡°Our family is one of the most prominent merchant families in the West. Something like this is nothing. And the reason I came here in the first place was because I got information that the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower was coming. Otherwise, why would I be in such a filthy place¡­ Ah, I misspoke, quack! Sorry, sorry!¡± Thwack¡ª Thwack¡ª! ¡°¡­Quack! W-wait a minute. I just want to ask one thing!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why is my incantation worse than Ruin¡¯s? It¡¯s not much different from a beastman¡¯s.¡± I could sense the apprentices eavesdropping, their ears perked up. I looked around and said, ¡°Of course it is.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Mana Circles and Mana Cores don¡¯t have good compatibility. The more impure mana you accumulate in your body, the harder it becomes to sense the pure mana in the atmosphere. Simply put, the Mana Core inside you hinders incantations using the Mana Circle.¡± It might have been a difficult concept, but Fatty nodded as if he understood immediately. ¡°Is there no way?¡± ¡°There is. You have to destroy your Mana Core.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± Instead of explaining, I channeled 2nd Circle mana and shot a Fireball. It was several times larger and more powerful than Fatty¡¯s. The eyes of the watching apprentices grew wider and wider, their jaws dropping in amazement. It was no wonder. The ¡®Fireball¡¯, which initially manifested as a sphere, gradually sharpened into the shape of a ¡®Fire Spear¡¯. It was a transformation of shape using atmospheric mana. ¡°This is something only possible with a Mana Circle.¡± The sight was imprinted in everyone¡¯s eyes. * * * ¡°Haaaaah!¡± The sound of shouting from outside woke me up. A ray of sunlight streaming through the open window was refreshing. When I went out to the yard, the apprentices were already drenched in sweat. Without being told, Zion, Makan, and a few other apprentices were all training together. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball!¡± The sound of an incantation made me turn my head. Someone was chanting in the corner. It wasn¡¯t Palge, Makan, or Zion. ¡®Ain?¡¯ The smallest apprentice among them. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to him before. ¡°¡­Haah, haah.¡± Seeing him panting with a proud expression, I felt proud of him, my ass. Suddenly, the memory of my past life, struggling to create a Mana Circle, flashed through my mind, and I felt irritated again. What kind of apprentices can create Mana Circles in a day like it¡¯s nothing? As I approached Ain with a glare, he unconsciously took a step back. I leaned in close to his face and asked, ¡°And how did you create your Mana Circle?¡± ¡°I, I already had it?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense¡­ Wait a minute.¡± Suddenly, looking at Ain¡¯s eyes, I remembered someone unpleasant. Looking closer, the unpleasant scent became even stronger. ¡°What¡¯s your last name?¡± ¡°¡­Ain Samael.¡± So it was a bastard from the Samael bloodline. In the past, the powerful Samael family had numerous branch families besides the direct line, and they supported the family as members of the White Horse Order or as elders. This kid seemed to be a descendant of one of them. I heard that he had learned Circle magic as a child, but after starting to learn magic from the Red Magic Tower, he had been accumulating Mana Cores. ¡°So you had it from the beginning.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How long did it take you to create your first Mana Circle?¡± ¡°¡­About 10 months.¡± ¡°Excellent. Keep up the good work.¡± 10 months meant he was among the least talented of the branch family members. He wasn¡¯t that much different from my past self, so I was pleased. A few hours passed as we resumed training. The sun was slowly rising to its zenith. As usual, the instructor appeared from below the ridge, but today there was one more person beside him. ¡®He¡¯s here.¡¯ It was a familiar face. Tiger eyebrows, Hector Kart. He had returned from his outing. The promised month had passed. * * * I physically blocked the apprentices who were rushing to greet him. I couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch them act like that in front of me. ¡°Where¡¯s your focus during training? Start the routine!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The apprentices instinctively followed the routine they had ingrained in their bodies and started running around the training ground. It was a training routine where they ran around the training ground in sync with the count, shooting Fireballs on the count of ¡®three¡¯. Hector¡¯s eyes twitched slightly as he watched the apprentices perfectly following my commands. I slowly approached Hector, crossed my arms, and stopped. I spoke with my eyes. ¡®You can see how things are going here, right?¡¯ Hector¡¯s pupils dilated slightly as he scanned my body with a disbelieving expression. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Ruin.¡± When his frown relaxed, the first emotion he showed was surprise. His eyes were even trembling slightly, as if he hadn¡¯t expected this at all. ¡°You really did create Mana Circles, just like Dyke said. Two of them, no less.¡± The next emotion he showed was admiration. It was no wonder, considering I had created two circles in less than a month. I savored Hector¡¯s changing expressions with glee. Needless to say, the bet was mine. I was curious to hear what would come out of his mouth next. However. ¡°So the Samael bloodline is indeed something special.¡± After a while of admiration, a hint of pity appeared on his face. It was clearly pity directed at me. Seeing that expression, my elation instantly subsided. ¡°Abandon your Mana Circles right now. I¡¯ll teach you myself.¡± Whoosh¡ª! His aura flared up like a flame, and I unconsciously took a step back. His presence was more threatening than I had imagined. After creating the circles, I could vaguely sense Hector¡¯s skill. Was it because he was the Crimson Mage? Was he truly one of the most skilled mages of the current era? I resisted the growing pressure, my eyes wide open. It felt like my knees would buckle at any moment, but I endured, tensing my entire body. It was much more bearable than last time. ¡°Stop blabbering. I won the bet.¡± ¡°I admit it, you did.¡± ¡°Then stop interfering. And don¡¯t worry about the apprentices¡¯ training. A Samael mage will teach in the Samael way.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± I sneered. ¡°Are you saying you can¡¯t accept the bet now? Is the great Crimson Mage going back on his word?¡± Hector¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°This is a separate matter from the bet. I can¡¯t just watch you walk down the wrong path. That¡¯s also the Head¡¯s order.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You seem to think you¡¯re something special. Mana Circles have clear limitations.¡± ¡°Limitations¡­ You seem to know a lot about Mana Circles.¡± ¡°Of course. More than you could imagine. Do you think you¡¯re the only one who has researched Mana Circles? I¡¯ve watched countless Samael mages fail because of them.¡± Before I could respond, Hector continued with conviction. ¡°Resonance, elemental conversion, incantation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You can never surpass the beastmen with such inefficient methods.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± I immediately chanted Fireball, aiming at a distant tree. At the same time, I manipulated the mana in the atmosphere, transforming the Fireball into a sharp shape. The Fireball, launched from my fingertips, sharpened and pierced a clean hole in the tree. I raised my chin and looked at Hector. See? This is impossible for beastmen. But Hector¡¯s expression remained unchanged. In fact, the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. ¡°That¡¯s just a trick.¡± As Hector declared this, a Fireball flickered at his fingertips. A deafening roar echoed as the Fireball launched from his fingertips collided with the tree. FWOOSH¡ª! Its power was several times greater than the Fireball I had created through incantation. Hector¡¯s gaze slowly returned to me. With the same expression I had given him, his chin raised high. As if looking at a mere puppy. Seeing his unwavering demeanor, a chuckle escaped my lips. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°The power of beastmen magic is not inferior to incantation magic. That alone should be enough explanation.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°No matter how much you deny it, there¡¯s an unchanging truth. Incantation through Mana Circles is cumbersome, complex, and inefficient.¡± ¡°Indeed. You¡¯ve really changed.¡± No matter how many times I checked, the conclusion was the same. The moment even the slightest possibility was eliminated. Looking at Hector¡¯s expression, I could be certain. The mages of this world didn¡¯t deserve the radiant pride that the mages of the past held dear. The glory of magic, so radiant, built up by the Samael, had completely vanished. ¡°I see you¡¯ve resigned yourself. Do you understand now?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I raised my head again, facing Hector, who was looking down at me with an imposing expression. ¡°You said you knew a lot about Mana Circles?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Resonance, elemental conversion, and whatnot? He¡¯s just spewing fancy words without knowing anything. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 14 – Hector Kart (2) [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 14: Hector Kart (2) Hector Kart frowned deeply. A 7-star mage. Since stepping into the realm of the superhuman, no one had dared to openly defy him like this. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Wrong¡­ No matter how ignorant of the world one might be, who would dare to say ¡°you¡¯re wrong¡± to his face? However, Hector felt more pity than anger. Compassion surged within him before rage. The Samael bloodline. Those born with both a blessed, brilliant talent and a cursed, foolish stubbornness. That unique trait had been passed down even to this ruffian, who was no better than a wastrel. ¡®Strange.¡¯ No one would have taught him, so why did he awaken that cursed trait on his own? Could it be true that all those with the Samael bloodline are destined for this? He sighed. What had become of all the Samael stubborn mages who clung only to Mana Circles? Why had the Samael fallen so far? Their brilliant talent had gradually faded under the shadow of foolish arrogance, and Samael failed to adapt to the changing times. If not for the Head¡¯s decision, the family would have long since vanished into the annals of history. That¡¯s why he wanted to enlighten the boy. To tell him to abandon Mana Circles immediately. That if he taught him personally, he too had the potential to become a high-ranking mage. But the moment he met Ruin¡¯s blazing eyes, Hector had to swallow his words. Where did that confidence come from? ¡°No matter how talented you are, you cannot surpass Mana Cores with Mana Circles.¡± He saw Ruin sneer at his declaration. It was probably born from the arrogant talent of someone ignorant of the world, just like countless Samael mages before him. ¡°Foolish boy. Are you saying you¡¯re different from the others?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m different. It¡¯s that you¡¯re all fools.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know about Ifrit.¡± Hector let out an involuntary sigh. ¡°¡­Do you really believe in such superstitions?¡± ¡°You truly know nothing.¡± Realizing that further lecturing was pointless, Hector glared at Ruin. ¡°If you¡¯re so confident, prove it.¡± The corners of Ruin¡¯s mouth lifted. ¡°How should I prove it?¡± ¡°Regular mages. If you can defeat a 4-star mage in actual combat, I¡¯ll respect your foolish choice. Since you call all other mages fools, half a year should be enough. Don¡¯t you think?¡± No matter how brilliant the Samael talent, defeating a 4-star mage in six months was impossible. Especially with Circle magic. Nevertheless, he made this proposal to break the boy¡¯s stubbornness. And as expected. Hector thought Ruin would refuse. If that were the case, he had planned to force Ruin onto the path of Mana Cores, even if it meant canceling the bet. It wasn¡¯t just to repay the debt owed to Kart and Samael. It was out of a lingering compassion for Samael. Even if it was barely holding on, he didn¡¯t want to see the Samael completely fall. ¡°No. That proposal is absurd.¡± At Ruin¡¯s answer, Hector nodded as if he had expected it. ¡°As expected. It was just talk after all. Sophistry without the backing of skill is not worth listening to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need six months.¡± Ruin sneered, holding up one finger. ¡°I¡¯ll surpass them within a month.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hector stared at Ruin for a moment without saying a word. Ruin¡¯s still youthful face came into focus¡­ ¡®Tsk.¡¯ Hector realized then that he had been getting genuinely worked up over a kid who hadn¡¯t even shed his apprentice status. ¡®Just a fledgling.¡¯ A month¡­ Did the boy even know how absurd his words were? Hector didn¡¯t feel the need to explain. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± A month wasn¡¯t a long time. That stubborn boy would soon realize the weight of his own foolish words. * * * ¡°Did you see that earlier?¡± ¡°¡­I did.¡± ¡°What was that about Ruin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Frustration welled up inside Zion, and he stamped his feet. He prided himself on being quick-witted and having good judgment, but even he couldn¡¯t understand what had happened that morning. The Crimson Mage. The aura Hector intentionally unleashed made his knees tremble just watching from the sidelines. No matter how much guts someone had, it wasn¡¯t an aura anyone could withstand. He wondered if this was truly the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower. The level he had achieved filled him with awe. But. Ruin had faced it head-on. The oppressive aura that felt like it would sear his flesh just by watching. It didn¡¯t seem easy for him to endure. His legs trembled as he planted them on the ground. Blood even trickled from his lips. But he straightened his body and preached his beliefs. Why? How? A ripple of emotion stirred within his small chest. Ruin was just stubbornly insisting like a madman, but for some reason, Zion started to feel a sense of exhilaration. ¡®Where did this crazy bastard come from?¡¯ Zion found himself rooting for Ruin. It wasn¡¯t because he agreed with what Ruin was saying. Zion had clearly seen Ruin¡¯s eyes. Conviction. The conviction to tell the Crimson Mage that he was wrong. The star-like conviction filling Ruin¡¯s eyes made Zion¡¯s heart pound. ¡®He said you can beat a knight if you create a Mana Circle?¡¯ Ruin¡¯s words suddenly came to mind, and Zion¡¯s heart sank. It was a heavy feeling, like a lead weight settling in his chest, but it also felt like a strange excitement. He never thought he would seriously consider such an absurd statement. ¡°¡­Sigh. What do you think, Makan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s definitely impressive.¡± ¡°But even so, the Mana Circle thing sounds a bit crazy¡­ Are you listening to me, Makan? What are you doing?¡± Zion¡¯s eyes filled with questions. Makan was closing his eyes and muttering something continuously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to create a Mana Circle.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not actually believing that Ruin guy, are you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zion looked at Makan with a puzzled expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, why are you doing it?¡± ¡°Zion, your problem is that you think too much. Too much thinking is poison.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just do what your heart tells you.¡± Makan replied, flexing his chest. A satisfied smile appeared on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s time to run.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± Zion stared blankly at Makan as he ran off, shouting at the top of his lungs. ¡°¡­I think the crazy is contagious. By the way, where did that Ruin guy go?¡± * * * The summit of Mount Khaoto. It was a peak that could only be reached after hours of climbing the sharp cliffs halfway up the mountain and scaling a narrow rock face barely wide enough for a child to pass through. A place where the eastern continent¡¯s coast and the vast ocean could be seen at a glance. Red Summit. That was the nickname given to the peak of Mount Khaoto. True to its name, the rocky terrain of the summit was covered in a deep red color, as if blood had been splattered across it. The blue sky and sea, contrasted with the red rocky ground, held a natural mystique that might be quite attractive to middle-aged people, but the summit was desolate. It seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time. Probably due to the rugged terrain, making it quite difficult to climb. ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± At the edge of the Red Summit. I gathered all my strength into my hands, gripping the rock face, and leaped onto the summit. Then, I immediately sprawled out in a large ¡®X¡¯ shape, gasping for breath. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± The mountain terrain was frustrating. It took me more than half a day to get here from the middle of the mountain. And that was even with using Wind Step intermittently. There wasn¡¯t a single area that wasn¡¯t dangerous. ¡°¡­.¡± I turned my gaze to the Red Summit. The summit was dotted with rocks that emitted a mysterious red light. In the past, there was an altar here to honor the ancestors of Samael, the great heroes. ¡­Yeah. I knew this would be gone too. But I knew. That the red rocky ground was not a natural wonder or a mysterious phenomenon. It was a trace. A trace of the heroes who fought the Dragon King on the summit of Mount Khaoto hundreds of years ago, shedding countless blood. The traces of the fierce battle between the Dragon King and humans, which lasted for a month, had seeped into the rocks and remained red to this day. Suddenly, I turned my gaze to the distant sea, and the vast blue, unchanged from the past, came into view. For a moment, my chest felt clear. Then, the words of the instructor and Hector came to mind. ¡ª Just like a Samael. ¡ª Ha, the Samael bloodline is indeed something special. ¡°Bullshit.¡± The Samael were the only mages who clung to Mana Circles until the end, and the result was the decline of the family. The current Samael, barely holding on thanks to Kazen accepting new magic through the Red Magic Tower. How did it come to this? How? Not only has the orthodoxy of magic been compromised, but they¡¯re also receiving pity. These people know nothing about the gods, the demons, the Dragon King, the Ancient Dragons, or the Crazy Mage. They don¡¯t even know what their ancestors accomplished. ¡°Damn it, you idiots¡­ Huh?¡± Suddenly, my heart started to pound. Thump. Thump-thump. The Mana Circle in my heart was contracting and expanding frantically. I knew this phenomenon. I immediately clutched my heart with both hands and collapsed. Mana from the Yin dimension. I could feel the foreign mana mana from the Yin dimension in my senses. I quickly relaxed my entire body. If I lost control, it was clear that all the circles in my body would be destroyed. ¡°Not yet. Not yet.¡± With such a faint amount of mana from the Yin dimension, it was difficult to rotate the circles. If I failed to achieve resonance, a runaway would surely occur. I needed a richer, more powerful stimulus. Moreover, this body wasn¡¯t yet suitable for reacting to Yin mana. ¡°Phew. Phew.¡± After taking a few deep breaths, a wave of energy passed through me. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Immediately, I felt the Mana Circle in my heart reach its saturation point. It seemed the Mana Circle had fluctuated, pulling in the surrounding mana beyond its limit. Fortunately, this time it was a good sign. Whirr¡ª A thin ring formed next to my heart, and the saturated mana flowed into it. It seemed like I would be able to complete the 3rd Circle soon. ¡°Lucky me.¡± One circle for a bit of annoyance was a good deal. ¡°Good thing I came up here. Now, let¡¯s go have a talk with the Head.¡± As I hummed a tune and descended the mountain, I saw an old man slowly climbing up from the opposite side. A gentle impression. Long white hair reaching his waist. He definitely seemed like one of the old men who watched me from afar while I was running in the training grounds¡­ ¡®A master? Are there still masters left in Samael?¡¯ An emptiness that seemed to feel nothing. A faint mana fluctuation flowing out subtly. He definitely had the same features as the high-circle elders I had seen in my past life. Oh ho. I was slightly excited. ¡°Huh huh. I thought it was someone, but it¡¯s Ruin.¡± But the moment the old man spoke, I knew. This old man was a 1st Circle mage. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 15 – Magnus’s Illusion [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 15: Magnus¡¯ Illusion I almost fell for it. His face and attire were exactly like the elders of Samael from the past. Just looking at him made me recall my first days in Samael in my past life. The elders who would constantly send me on errands under the pretext of basic training. If I tried to resist, they would spout nonsense like ¡°Huh huh, the leaves are falling today¡± right in front of me, then create some kind of typhoon and blow me away. ¡®Damn old geezers.¡¯ Without realizing it, I ended up slapping the old man on the head, thinking to myself. Thwack¡ª ¡°Oof!¡± I didn¡¯t panic and quickly pretended to stumble and slip. Fortunately, the old man didn¡¯t notice anything strange. ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. It happens. It¡¯s been a while, Ruin.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Well, I¡¯ll be going then¡­¡± ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The old man grabbed my sleeve and started talking about this and that. S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Does this guy not have a wife or something? He¡¯s quite talkative. ¡°Perhaps your wife passed away¡­¡± ¡°Eh? Why would I kill my beautiful wife who¡¯s alive and well?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Ahem. What kind of talk is that?¡± I didn¡¯t miss the old man¡¯s eyebrows twitching when he said ¡®beautiful wife¡¯. That¡¯s what I thought. He¡¯s definitely the type who can¡¯t say a word at home. Even the talkative guys from my thug days were all whipped by their girlfriends. I was still envious, though. Anyway, the gist of it was that he was proud of me. He was glad I had stopped acting like a wreck and come to my senses. And most importantly, he was grateful that I had created Mana Circles. He must have been watching when I was training in the central training ground. ¡°Follow me, Ruin.¡± After chatting for a while, the old man took me somewhere, saying he had someone to introduce me to. * * * A deep cave with a cool breeze blowing through it. In the center, several elders were sitting cross-legged, seemingly taking their time. ¡°Greet them.¡± I hid my true feelings and politely bowed. ¡°Greetings. It¡¯s an honor to meet the esteemed elders.¡± I¡¯m not foolish enough to miss a good opportunity because of old emotions. As the saying goes, to extort money from parents, butter up their children, and to ruin a family, butter up the parents¡¯ parents. What does that mean? It means there¡¯s nothing wrong with getting on the good side of the elders here. ¡°Such polite manners. It seems you¡¯ve truly come to your senses.¡± The elders¡¯ expressions softened. However, the elder sitting on the highest rock continued to scrutinize me from head to toe with a stern look. He was the head elder, Noman Samael. I bowed even deeper to the head elder and then quietly sat down in a corner. ¡°¡­.¡± With a slight nod, Head Elder Noman looked around and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s continue our discussion. My theory is flawless, Isaac. The higher the circle, the more simplified the incantation becomes. Moreover, once you reach the 5th Circle, you should be able to cast lower-level magic with abbreviated chants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only possible in theory. Haven¡¯t we all experienced it already? Circle magic is too impractical in actual combat. It¡¯s time for us to admit it.¡± ¡°I agree with Isaac, Head Elder.¡± Surprisingly, the elders were engaged in a debate. Listening in, the level of their discussion was quite decent. In particular, the Head Elder was advocating for Mana Circles, and I was glad to see someone with a sane mind for the first time in this life. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ It seemed that all the elders had created circles in their hearts. Except for the Head Elder, most of them seemed to be regretting it. ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t anger me any further, Isaac.¡± ¡°Are you conceding, Head Elder?¡± ¡°Conceding? Are you defying me now, Isaac?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be clear. You always say ¡®enough¡¯ when you have nothing else to say.¡± ¡°I say that because you don¡¯t understand my theory anymore. If I say ¡®enough¡¯, then enough.¡± ¡°I refuse. If you¡¯re so confident, show us yourself. You can do it, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You young whippersnapper!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixty-five.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll shut that brat¡¯s mouth right now!¡± ¡°Oh my, where¡¯s that stench coming from?¡± Oh¡­ This was interesting. The elders¡¯ quarrel was as entertaining as a children¡¯s fight. As time passed, the elder named Isaac began to push Head Elder Noman. Cornered, Head Elder Noman started to huff and puff openly, but no one sided with him. Then, as if to drive the final nail in the coffin, Elder Isaac suddenly turned his head towards me. ¡°Ruin, young man, answer this. I heard you created circles. You must have already felt their limitations firsthand. So, whose side do you think is right?¡± ¡°Of course, Elder Isaac¡­¡± ¡°Right?¡± Elder Isaac smiled, as if to say ¡°See?¡±, and the Head Elder¡¯s eyes flared up. ¡°¡­Rather, Head Elder Noman is absolutely right. A mage must master Mana Circles. Your words are as true as the sky.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± As if I had been waiting for this moment, I sided with the Head Elder. Having tasted a fragment of my vast knowledge, the Head Elder, with a revitalized expression as if he had consumed an elixir of immortality, began to suppress Elder Isaac. ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about?¡± Of course, Elder Isaac and the other elders still thought it was crazy talk, but Head Elder Noman himself seemed extremely satisfied. And there was a reason why I sided with the Head Elder. Of course, it wasn¡¯t for the noble reason of enlightening him about the greatness of Mana Circles. I didn¡¯t have the time for that. I was already busy enough teaching the apprentices. The reason I sided with the Head Elder. It was to¡­ Squeeze him dry. Who in the past Samael had as much influence as the Lord? It was the Head Elder. Why? Because the Head Elder was strong? No. At the time, there were at least five mages in the family stronger than the Head Elder. The real reason was that the Head Elder was in charge of Samael¡¯s treasury. S-grade artifacts, sacred relics that could turn the world upside down just by their names. The Head Elder had the authority to manage and be responsible for all of them, so naturally, he had a lot of influence. Even if the Lord didn¡¯t know about some artifacts, the Head Elder knew about them all. ¡°Huh huh. You¡¯ve been very well educated, Ruin.¡± Seeing the Head Elder laughing heartily, I felt good. Those sharp eyes. That stubborn gaze. Truly befitting of the Head Elder. He had a face that seemed to be hiding something. This was an opportunity. A very good opportunity, at that. The Head Elder would definitely have stashed away a few artifacts in case of emergency. Now, all I had to do was coax him and find out their location. I didn¡¯t get proper compensation from Pelleier, so I had to get it in this life. * * * About four days had passed since I started following the Head Elder around. With my help, the Head Elder, having perfected his crazy logic, finally silenced Elder Isaac. ¡°This is a blessing, a blessing. Ruin, you are a blessing to our Samael, a blessing!¡± Judging that the time was right, I cautiously brought up the topic. ¡°I have a question, Head Elder.¡± ¡°Huh huh, ask me anything. I¡¯ll answer anything you ask, Ruin.¡± I started by asking about Samael¡¯s supplies. With a solemn expression, emphasizing the responsibility that the eldest son of Samael should bear. ¡°Hmm. Supplies. You¡¯re bringing up a sad story.¡± Head Elder Noman¡¯s detailed explanation of the pitiful situation was so irritating that I immediately got to the point. ¡°Then, are there any sacred relics or artifacts left in the family¡­?¡± ¡°We sold them all. It¡¯s a pity. It¡¯s truly a pity.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± In the end, it was a wasted effort. As I was about to turn away before I got even more irritated, I noticed Head Elder Noman¡¯s tightly closed lips. ¡®This old man?¡¯ Looking closely, Noman¡¯s stubborn eyes were trembling slightly. This sly old man was definitely hiding something. I looked directly into Noman¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°¡­Are you sure there¡¯s nothing left?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry I can only say such disappointing things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame, really. If there were even amplification artifacts or usable magic stones left, I could demonstrate shape transformation or spell guidance for you. As you know, Head Elder, those are only possible with Circle magic. Oh well, it can¡¯t be helped. I With a dumbfounded look on Head Elder Noman¡¯s face, I took a few steps away when I heard a booming voice from behind. ¡°Wait, Ruin!¡± Wow, someone¡¯s got a loud voice. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be going now. I have urgent matters to attend to.¡± ¡°I said come here!¡± Pretending to give in, I approached him, and Noman, after looking around, whispered in a low voice, ¡°Actually, there are some magic stones left. The ones remaining shouldn¡¯t be taken out unless the family¡¯s survival is at stake¡­ Only I know about this, not even the Lord.¡± I hid my true feelings and raised my eyebrows with an indifferent expression. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Did you hear me correctly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Head Elder Noman, his stubbornness completely broken, shouted urgently, ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll show you myself!¡± He should have done that from the start. After leaving the cave, Head Elder Noman followed the ridge for a while, then suddenly threw himself towards a dead-end cliff. His body flickered and disappeared before my eyes. A magic circle. Following Head Elder Noman, I threw myself into it, and a small cavity appeared. Inside, there were piles of magic stones. ¡°Here it is. I¡¯ve only kept the high-grade magic stones, so it should be enough. Now, show me what you were talking about.¡± I looked to the side and saw Head Elder Noman staring at me with an expectant expression. I couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Why? Because it was all a lie. Magic stones have nothing to do with spell guidance. I ignored Noman and looked around at the magic stones. If there were a few A-grade or higher magic stones, I could sell them for a good price. Most of them were faded and scratched F-grade magic stones, but there had to be some decent ones in here¡­ What the hell? ¡®None?¡¯ I frantically rummaged through the magic stones. And then I was sure. ¡­There were none. All the magic stones here were trash. Meanwhile, I heard Noman¡¯s angry shout. ¡°What are you doing? Show me now!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you. Of course, I¡¯ll show you¡­ Fireball.¡± From the 3rd Circle onwards, two levels of lower magic can be cast with just a trigger word. With three circles already faintly engraved in my heart, simply manifesting 1st Circle magic wasn¡¯t difficult for me. Fwoosh¡ª As expected, a fireball appeared instantly. The Fireball, flying straight towards the sky, slowly changed its course in mid-air, following my hand gesture. Noman¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Incredible. It¡¯s really guiding the spell with the magic stones! Hahaha!¡± Noman threw back his head and burst into laughter, not even realizing that the Fireball¡¯s trajectory was changing towards him. Boom¡ª ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Water Bomb. Wind Blow¡± While Noman was out of it, I immediately drenched him with a water bomb and then struck him relentlessly with Wind Blow. This was my preferred method when I didn¡¯t want to leave external injuries. Thwack¡ª Thwack, thwack¡ª! ¡­Is he unconscious? Good. ¡°You damn old man. These aren¡¯t high-grade magic stones! You senile old fool.¡± Clank¡ª After bombarding Noman with magic for a while, I turned my head at the strange sound. It sounded like the friction of metal against metal. A sound that could never come from magic stones. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Among the faded magic stones, there was an even more faded black ore. As I approached and dusted it off, a dark pendant with the ore embedded in it was revealed. The pendant was so old that even the dust wouldn¡¯t come off easily. But the blue hexagonal pattern faintly visible on the ore at the center was resisting the ravages of time. It felt familiar. My heart instinctively pounded. As I slowly rubbed the pendant, a deep blue haze shimmered and gradually enveloped my body. Huh? Could this be¡­? As far as I know, there¡¯s only one artifact like this. ¡ºMagnus¡¯ Illusion¡» I couldn¡¯t help but gasp. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 16 – The Other One, I Haven’t Used It Yet [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 16: The Other One, I Haven¡¯t Used It Yet My head throbbed as if I had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer. It couldn¡¯t be helped. No matter how I looked at it, the artifact was too familiar. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the one the Sword Saint carried around?¡¯ Magnus Balthar. I remembered it clearly. The way he always wore a blue pendant on his chest. Even back then, I often teased him for carrying around a magic tool, which didn¡¯t seem to suit a knight. I heard it was a gift he received for helping the elves defeat the ¡®One-Horn Tribe¡¯ or something like that. Just in case, I used [Mind¡¯s Eye] to look at it, and limited information about the artifact appeared. It seemed that the effect of [Mind¡¯s Eye] also extended to objects. ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» ¡ª Type: Growth ¡ª Effect: Creates an illusion field centered on the user ¡ª Grade: A ~ SSS ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» was different from typical artifacts in that its effect varied depending on the user¡¯s ability. If the owner was weak, it was just an ordinary artifact, but the stronger the owner¡¯s ability, the artifact¡¯s potential was limitless. In the past, when the Sword Saint used it, there was a time when all the demons gathered within a few hundred meters were frozen in place, trapped in confusion. The Sword Saint then cut them all down with a single swing of his sword. But is this the real one? Why is it here? Why is an artifact that was buried with the Sword Saint in the Land of Death stuck in Samael¡¯s treasury? As I pondered, I suddenly remembered what Lihan had told me. ¡ª I read it in a picture book when I was young, so I don¡¯t remember the details. I think I heard that the Balthar family brought peace. A strange sense of dissonance. It didn¡¯t feel like it was just a distorted version from the outside. An ominous feeling flowed through my body, making it hard to dismiss as mere coincidence. ¡®Could Magnus have been alive?¡¯ No. That couldn¡¯t be. The Sword Saint was dead. I still vividly remember his broken body, lying next to his broken sword. The only one who survived until the end of the expedition was the Crazy Mage, me. ¡®Then what in the world¡­?¡¯ No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn¡¯t figure out why it was here. It felt like a disruption in causality, a conclusion without a cause. Since I couldn¡¯t find an answer, I had no choice. I had to use the last resort. ¡°What a coincidence. There are two of the same artifacts.¡± The Crazy Mage is a man who knows when to give up. Anyway, the important thing now was that a pretty useful artifact had fallen into my hands. It was worth following Head Elder Noman. I turned my head and saw the Head Elder, drooling and unconscious. ¡°What¡¯s that smell?¡± I wondered where the musty smell was coming from, and it turned out to be the Head Elder¡¯s drool. Elder Isaac was right. ¡°Wake up, Head Elder.¡± Suddenly, Head Elder Noman woke up with a start, as if he had been having a nightmare. ¡°What in the world is going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive. You suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed on the floor.¡± I covered my nose and diligently massaged Head Elder Noman¡¯s body. After staring blankly for a while, lost in thought, Head Elder Noman suddenly whipped his head around and looked at me. ¡°Spell guidance! Ruin, you altered the Fireball¡¯s trajectory. Didn¡¯t you?¡± I continued massaging Noman¡¯s body and replied, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You clearly showed me. By the way, why does my body ache so much? It feels like I¡¯ve been beaten¡­ I think I even heard you call me a damn old fool¡­¡± ¡°You must have had a nightmare.¡± Noman replied, bewildered. ¡°Hmm¡­ Strange.¡± ¡°I think you should get some rest, Head Elder.¡± ¡°Show me again, Ruin! I need to be sure.¡± ¡°I think you really need to rest. These trash magic stones here are not nearly enough.¡± ¡°What?¡± I feigned ignorance and looked at Noman. ¡°Anyway, since you¡¯re awake, I¡¯ll be going now. I wasted my time for nothing.¡± As I started to walk away, Noman shouted urgently from behind. ¡°Wait, Ruin! What did you just say? The magic stones are trash?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I said say it again!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I ignored the nagging voice ringing in my ears and left the treasury. The weight of the artifact in my arms felt pleasantly heavy. * * * I immediately headed towards the Samael estate along the ridge. Lihan, who was lingering near the Head¡¯s residence, spotted me and hurriedly ran over, waving his hand. ¡°Young Master! Where have you been? You weren¡¯t at the training hall, I¡¯ve been looking for you¡­ Huh!¡± Lihan examined my body and clapped his hands in amazement. ¡°What happened to you in the past month? I can¡¯t even recognize you!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± What does he mean he can¡¯t recognize me? From the outside, my body hadn¡¯t changed much. I was still the same ¡®skinny shrimp¡¯. ¡°Next time, try to be more discreet.¡± ¡°Hehe. You¡¯ve become much more perceptive. Anyway, hurry to the Head¡¯s residence, Young Master. The Head has been looking for you.¡± Suddenly, I noticed a group of men gathered at the central training ground. ¡°Who are those guys? They¡¯re too noisy.¡± Men in red clothes, whom I had never seen before, were chatting and training. ¡°Ah, those people? They came with Sir Hector when he returned from the Magic Tower.¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower is here again?¡± Lihan lowered his voice and replied, ¡°Sir Dyke returned to the Magic Tower, and these people came instead. They said they¡¯re Sir Hector¡¯s disciples. Anyway, since our Mount Khaoto has good air and clean water, they said they¡¯ll train here and teach the apprentice mages, so it¡¯s all good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s become a tourist attraction. What¡¯s so good about the mountain and the water?¡± I felt the same way about Dyke, but these guys had a bad attitude from the start. How dare they make such a racket in the middle of the estate as if it were their own living room. They had no respect for Samael whatsoever. I was irritated that no one was stopping them, and everyone was just watching them cautiously. I immediately ran down to the training ground. As I got closer, the guys from the Red Magic Tower looked at me with strange expressions. ¡°Hey, you there. Stop.¡± I briefly examined the people around me. They all looked much younger than Dyke. The youngest one still looked like a boy who hadn¡¯t fully matured. ¡°What? Who are you?¡± The youngest-looking one asked me, as if trying to assert dominance. His eyes were full of bravado. Seeing him speak so rudely right from the start, I felt a strong need to teach him a lesson. I immediately returned his question with the same one. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Lokan, a trainee Red Mage of the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°I am the Crazy Mage.¡± The guy named Lokan briefly exchanged glances with the others, then waved his hand dismissively. ¡°What a weirdo. Get out of the way. Watch from afar. We¡¯re in the middle of training.¡± ¡°Get my permission before you train.¡± Only then did Lokan turn around with a glare. ¡°Sister Rina, Brother Doke. There¡¯s some crazy guy here. Why won¡¯t he leave?¡± I didn¡¯t answer and ran across the training ground, passing through them. The young guy, who I expected to cause a scene, was surprisingly quiet. Looking again, I saw the tallest guy signaling him to stay quiet. ¡®That must be the leader.¡¯ While figuring out the leader¡¯s intentions, I suddenly turned my gaze towards the main gate. I could hear a commotion. ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± A few soldiers were arguing with someone at the main gate. Lihan frowned and cautiously approached me. ¡°Sigh. They¡¯re here again.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s here again?¡± ¡°Beggars sometimes come here. Or thugs who leech off of Khaoto. There are so many of those guys that they sometimes come here without knowing their place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a popular spot, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Young Master, please hurry to the Head¡¯s residence.¡± Lihan glared and went down towards the main gate. Watching Lihan¡¯s back as he stomped away, I thought there was no need for me to get involved. Lihan probably needed a place to vent his anger too. * * * ¡°You called for me.¡± As soon as I entered the Head¡¯s residence, I saw Kazen. His strong physique and benevolent face¡­ damn, he looked just like that bastard Pelleer. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± Kazen looked me up and down, and a puzzled look gradually appeared on his face. ¡°Ruin.¡± ¡°Yes, Head.¡± I addressed Kazen as Head, not father. This was to show that I was facing him as a proud member of Samael, not a spoiled child. ¡°¡­Amazing. I can¡¯t believe Hector¡¯s words were true. It seems you¡¯ve really pulled yourself together.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But I heard you created Mana Circles instead of a Mana Core.¡± I inwardly sighed. I felt a tightness in my chest, as if I had indigestion, thinking that another pointless scolding was coming. But Kazen¡¯s next words were far from what I expected. ¡°Relax your face. I am not here to scold you. There¡¯s no need to explain if it¡¯s difficult to do. Anyway, it must be your first step taken on your own will.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You said you would prove it to Hector. That you would defeat a 4-star mage.¡± Suddenly, Kazen Samael burst into hearty laughter. Then, for the first time, he looked at me with a proud expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the first thing you¡¯ve said that befits a Samael. My son should have that kind of boldness. Yes, absolutely.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Kazen stopped laughing and looked at me. ¡°¡­For now, that¡¯s enough. Thank you.¡± His sincerity caught me off guard. I shook my head and looked directly into Kazen¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°The price we agreed to pay the Red Magic Tower in exchange for learning magic. What is it?¡± Kazen¡¯s eyes, which had been looking at me kindly, suddenly sharpened. ¡°What did you just say, Ruin?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way those calculating mages from the Tower would offer their goodwill for free. What did you give them in return? And while we¡¯re on the subject, the Kart family is clearly Samael¡¯s guardian, so how is the Vice Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower involved?¡± ¡°What? How do you¡­¡± Kazen couldn¡¯t continue his words for a while. A heavy silence fell over the Head¡¯s residence. ¡°¡­Where did you hear that, Ruin?¡± ¡°Please tell me. I am also of the Samael bloodline.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Kazen only spoke again after a long time had passed. ¡°Repaying the debt to the Kart family.¡± Kazen looked at me with heavy eyes. ¡°The Karts, they are originally outsiders. They simply owe a debt to Samael. That debt can be repaid with three orders that transcend family rules. One debt was cleared hundreds of years ago, and I cleared another by agreeing to learn magic from the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And the remaining one¡­ I haven¡¯t used it yet.¡± Just then, an old servant rudely rushed into the room. He looked so urgent that his hands and feet were trembling. ¡°Head, something terrible has happened. You need to come outside!¡± [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 17 – I’m Going to Beat Them Up [Translator ¨C Pr?ks][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 17: I¡¯m Going to Beat Them Up The old servant who had just entered was named Wright Perer, Lihan¡¯s father and Samael¡¯s chief attendant. Kazen stood up from the head seat with a hardened face. ¡°Lead the way.¡± As we followed the chief attendant outside, dozens of people were clamoring. A few elders were also present, having come down at some point, and someone was lying near the main gate, bleeding. ¡®That bastard¡­?¡¯ As soon as I saw a large man standing in front of the main gate with a wicked grin, my blood began to boil. Because I knew him. He was one of the guys who got beaten up by me next to the corpse¡¯s eye on the day I was first reincarnated. Was his name Krak? As I got closer, I could see the face of the fallen man more clearly. ¡°¡­What happened, Lihan?¡± ¡°Ugh. Young Master.¡± ¡°Who did this? Was it him?¡± There was no answer. The soldiers guarding the main gate were soldiers in name only, acting like idiots. They just stared at Krak with uneasy eyes. ¡°¡­¡­¡± I met Krak¡¯s gaze. Krak smirked, staring right back at me as if he had something to rely on. ¡°You need to get beaten up more to come to your senses¡­¡± At that moment, Kazen cut me off and stepped forward. His gaze was directed towards the very back of the group. As if on cue, a man in blue robes slowly stepped forward from the back. The man with snake-like eyes nodded at Kazen. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°¡­I think an explanation is needed, Lord Snake. Are you picking a fight with Samael?¡± The snake-eyed man sneered in response. ¡°Well, would we do that? We¡¯re here on behalf of Bayern. Rather, Samael should educate their servants properly. It was an official visit, but your servant was the first to use vulgar language towards us. He¡¯s a hot-tempered fellow, so he acted before I could stop him. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry about what happened to your servant. Apologize.¡± Krak smirked and nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d go down with just one hit. Well, anyway, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you saying that now!¡± Fwoosh¡ª An immense aura erupted from Kazen, and the large man immediately slammed his knees and face into the ground. ¡°Ugh!¡± The aura was so strong that even I, standing next to him, got goosebumps. However. The aura lasted only a few seconds. Kazen clutched his chest and grimaced, and the mana waves around him dissipated. ¡®Wait a minute. Was his mana circle broken?¡¯ There¡¯s only one reason for mana to disperse so quickly. It¡¯s evidence that the heart¡¯s circle has been destroyed. ¡®Did he experience mana runaway? No. He doesn¡¯t even know mana resonance properly, so runaway couldn¡¯t have happened. Then did he fight with an enemy?¡¯ As I continued my thoughts, Snake smirked and said, ¡°Calm down, Lord Kazen. Acting like that won¡¯t do Samael any good.¡± Kazen glared at Snake once again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect such blatant rudeness. I¡¯ll let this slide once, so leave immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that free. I told you I came for an official matter.¡± Snake¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile. ¡°I think you need to pay back some money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going too far, Lord Snake.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I¡¯m not free enough to joke around.¡± I¡¯m starting to feel disgusted. The way this snake-eyed bastard is grinning, it¡¯s like¡­ ¡°I understand Samael borrowed a large sum of money from the Hamad Merchant Guild?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°And you put up Khaoto Mountain as collateral.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The expressions of a few elders changed drastically, but Kazen responded calmly, not revealing his inner feelings. ¡°That has nothing to do with Bayern.¡± Snake stared directly at Kazen and laughed. ¡°Urgon acquired the Hamad Merchant Guild.¡± Gasps could be heard from all around. The elders¡¯ faces turned pale. Kazen barely managed to maintain his composure, but he was just as shocked as the elders. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me they¡­¡¯ Reverse Scale. The reason Samael had to admit its own downfall was because of the Urgon family. ¡°It seems you finally understand what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only been paying interest so far. You¡¯ve long passed the due date for the principal. If you borrow money, you have to pay it back.¡± Snake Eyes grinned and held out a document with Urgon¡¯s seal. A document authorizing Bayern to collect the debt. ¡°You can pay us back.¡± One of the elders couldn¡¯t hold back and shouted. ¡°Shut up! The Hamad Merchant Guild went bankrupt? You think we¡¯ll believe such nonsense?¡± ¡°Hahaha. Alright. I understand your anger, so I¡¯ll shut up.¡± ¡°Fuck off, you bastard.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll fuck off too¡­ What did you say?¡± I immediately stepped forward in front of Snake Eyes and said it again. ¡°You look just like a snake. Of course, I mean you look like you should be drowned in poison. Watch your tongue, you snake bastard. Where did you learn to talk like that?¡± A chilling silence fell over the surroundings. The Lord, the elders, and even the Bayern guys all looked at me with dumbfounded expressions. Snake Eyes, having been cursed at, stuttered in shock, and Krak whispered something in his ear. Snake Eyes then said to me with a bewildered expression. ¡°So you¡¯re Samael¡¯s sore thumb. Just as I heard.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t learned what happens when you run your mouth off¡­¡± Snake Eyes and his group suddenly bowed their heads. I thought they might have come to their senses, but that couldn¡¯t be it. ¡°Greetings, Crimson Mage!¡± ¡°Greetings, Vice-Tower Master of the Red Tower.¡± Hector was approaching from afar. The guys who had been acting cocky towards Kazen immediately straightened up and greeted Hector respectfully. Snake Eyes whispered to Kazen, just loud enough for him to hear. ¡°You¡¯ll find out the truth soon enough if you check. I¡¯ll give you exactly three months. If you can¡¯t pay, you¡¯ll have to vacate Khaoto Mountain. Or¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You could come under us. Our Lord is generous, he won¡¯t turn you away. Haha.¡± With that, Snake Eyes bowed only to Hector and left immediately. Seeing Kazen and the elders staring blankly, I wanted to possess Perer and smack them upside the head. Sigh¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like Snake Eyes was making things up. He wouldn¡¯t tell a lie that would be easily exposed. Of course, what pissed me off the most was something else. Forget about borrowing the money. How can they just stand there and take that bullshit? * * * ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The sound of shouting filled the air halfway up Khaoto Mountain. Young mages were running and sweating profusely as the sun began to set. ¡°Huff huff. Guys, isn¡¯t it too hard? Should we stop for today?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s rest today!¡± ¡°Whoever said let¡¯s rest today, step forward.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°I knew it was you, Iron.¡± I had secretly followed the apprentices from behind. Contrary to my expectations, seeing them train so hard made me a little disappointed, so I tried to provoke them, and someone took the bait. ¡°Where did you go, Captain?¡± ¡°Why am I the Captain?¡± Just as I was about to scold Iron, Zion spoke to me first. ¡°You¡¯re the Captain because you¡¯re the Captain. Where have you been? We haven¡¯t seen you for a while.¡± It was the first time I¡¯d been called Captain, and it felt oddly satisfying. ¡°I had somewhere to go. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ve been training well.¡± ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Everyone, attention.¡± The ten apprentices simultaneously took the attention stance. Ain, you¡¯ve gained some muscle. Pass. Iron, not bad for a slacker. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Makan, this guy is a real monster. Zion, the venom in your eyes has grown, not bad. . . . Palge, still fat. ¡°Pig, you¡¯re hopeless.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, I worked the hardest!¡± ¡°Then why do you look like that? How much do you eat normally?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been like this since I was born!¡± ¡°Shut up. Everyone, continue what you were doing. Zion, follow me.¡± I took Zion down to an open space near the training hall. We sat side by side on a long rock, and Zion asked me, ¡°Why are you suddenly acting all serious? Do you have something to say, Captain?¡± I responded seriously. ¡°Your father was a successful black market merchant, right? From Khaoto.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Then you know a lot about Khaoto?¡± Merchants, by nature, need to be well-informed to survive. Especially black market merchants dealing with dangerous goods, they need to know everything that happens in the city, day and night. It could be a matter of life and death. Zion answered as if I was asking the obvious. ¡°Of course. Until a year ago, I even knew how many times the manager of the Night Dew Pub peed in a day. No one knows it better than me.¡± ¡°Good. Then tell me about Bayern.¡± On the day I was first reincarnated into this body, Corpse Eyes clearly stated that his family was Bayern. I didn¡¯t pay much attention at the time, but it seems his mockery of Samael wasn¡¯t just empty words. ¡°Bayern? Those thugs?¡± ¡°You know them. Tell me everything, without leaving anything out.¡± ¡°It must be because of Samael.¡± Zion was certainly quick-witted. By the time his long explanation ended, the sun had completely set in the west. And my conclusion was: ¡°They¡¯re no different from third-rate gangsters.¡± ¡°Third-rate assholes, that¡¯s what they are.¡± The current Khaoto was different from the past. In my past life, it was a dazzling magical city, but now it¡¯s a lawless wasteland. It¡¯s just like the back alleys I used to live in. Knife fights break out several times a day, and security is terrible. Among them, the Bayern are the thugs who extort protection money from merchants and small shops, and if they don¡¯t like something, they¡¯ll resort to violence and even take over businesses. ¡°They haven¡¯t been rooted in Khaoto for long. Originally, the Dark Soul gang controlled Khaoto.¡± Until a few years ago, the Dark Soul gang dominated Khaoto. As Bayern gained power in Khaoto, the Dark Soul¡¯s influence gradually diminished¡­ Currently, the Dark Soul gang controls the western part of Khaoto. Bayern controls the eastern part. ¡°Are there any notable figures in Bayern?¡± ¡°The bigger problem is that they¡¯re connected to Urgon.¡± ¡°Well said. What are these Urgon guys all about?¡± Zion asked back with a puzzled expression. ¡°What? Are you stupid, Captain? You don¡¯t even know that?¡± I smacked the back of Zion¡¯s head and replied, ¡°Just answer the question.¡± ¡°Geez. Seriously? Urgon is the most famous in Quebec. They have deep ties with the Blue Tower. If we¡¯re talking about magic families, they¡¯re among the top in the east. And that¡¯s not all¡­¡± As I listened to Zion¡¯s explanation, I understood why Kazen and the elders¡¯ faces had hardened. ¡°So, the Bayern guys are nothing special.¡± ¡°What did you hear? I clearly said they¡¯re dangerous. Urgon is backing them.¡± ¡°Alright. Go get me a mask.¡± Zion tilted his head. ¡°What mask? We don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°A black market merchant doesn¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°I told you, we¡¯re bankrupt. Damn it, Captain.¡± ¡°On second thought, we don¡¯t need one. There¡¯s something better.¡± I gave Zion¡¯s head a good whack and started walking down past the training hall. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± ¡°To beat them up.¡± Anyone who dares to harm my servant deserves to be trampled tenfold. Whir¡ª I must have been overcome with anger. I could feel the three circles in my heart spinning vividly. [Translator ¨C Pr?ks] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 18 – Gangsters [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 18: Gangsters No matter how grand the plan, I was always quick-witted. Even Pelleer had to admit that. I knew how to beat someone down efficiently and relentlessly. Of course, this was just the tip of the iceberg. I was already a notorious gangster at eighteen, and by twenty, I had become the king of the back alleys after taking down the two gang leaders who ruled them. How was that possible? I wasn¡¯t that strong back then. The method was simple. ¡°This punk dared to call me impotent? You¡¯re dead meat today, you bastard.¡± ¡°Bring it on, you impotent bastard. Today¡¯s the day your gang gets wiped out.¡± While the two gang leaders were busy trying to kill each other, I pretended to intervene and easily took their heads. In short, I was a master of dirty tricks. * * * As I circled the back mountain and entered the outskirts of Khaoto, the savory smell of soup tickled my nose. And just then, I saw Palge sneaking into a restaurant. He definitely said he wouldn¡¯t eat much, but I caught him red-handed. ¡®See you later, fatty.¡¯ As I followed the outskirts of Khaoto and entered the main street to the east, the brightly lit buildings illuminated the street. The street was strangely chilly and exciting, with a mix of orange and red lights. I slowly looked around the street and stopped in front of a shabby blacksmith shop. ¡°Is the owner here?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see a spear. A thin one with a sharp blade.¡± A man with an impressive beard came out from inside, grumbling. His face was flushed, perhaps due to the heat from the forge. ¡°Are you going to use it yourself? A thick glaive with strong swinging power would be better for you.¡± ¡°I need a thin one, no matter what.¡± ¡°I see. You¡¯re going to use it as a secondary weapon, huh?¡± The bearded man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at me, then suddenly widened again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Krak? What brings you here? It¡¯s not time for your tribute yet.¡± It wasn¡¯t my name, but I nodded immediately. It meant my plan was working. The reason the bearded man called me Krak was simple. ¡ºMagnus¡¯s Illusion¡» An artifact that creates an illusionary field around the user. The blue light that started from my chest was enveloping my entire body. At my current level, it was impossible to create a field, but at least I could make myself look different to ordinary people. ¡®This is quite useful.¡¯ If I were to create an illusion with magic, I would need at least 5th circle illusion magic. Moreover, unlike illusion magic, there was no trace of mana fluctuation, so even a skilled mage would have a hard time doubting it. Currently, the bearded man saw me as ¡®Krak¡¯. There¡¯s an old saying that to enter a tiger¡¯s den, you must become a tiger. In other words, I was currently disguised as Krak, the one who took down Lihan this morning. ¡°Strange. You seem a bit different somehow.¡± ¡°You must be getting old, owner. I¡¯m the same as always.¡± ¡°Whatever. Anyway, I didn¡¯t know you were interested in spears.¡± ¡°What was I interested in again?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I just want a recommendation for a weapon that suits me.¡± ¡°Your way of speaking is a bit strange too.¡± ¡°How did I usually speak?¡± While the bearded man gave me a puzzled look, I pretended not to notice. Even if he found me a bit strange, he wouldn¡¯t be able to question me. ¡°It¡¯s just weird that someone who always asks for swords suddenly wants a spear. Anyway, choose one from over here.¡± I picked up a thin spear that was lying on one side. The blade was sharp, and for a shabby blacksmith shop, it was in pretty good condition. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not.¡± I looked at the bearded man again, and I could see gray beads of sweat mixed with iron dust and heat on his face. I liked it. That¡¯s the attitude a blacksmith should have. I picked up the thin spear, swung it around a few times, and said to the bearded man, ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± ¡°1 gold.¡± ¡°Is it possible to deduct it from this month¡¯s tribute?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s deduct 1 gold from the tribute.¡± ¡°Alright. Oh, and the glove that Blok left with me last time is done. Do you want to take it now?¡± ¡°Blok? That corpse eyeball?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I¡¯m sure of it. If it¡¯s Blok, it¡¯s that corpse eye bastard. The bearded man went inside and came back with a blue glove. There was a fingernail-sized magic stone embedded in the center. ¡°Take it. This is the gold left after deducting the magic stone cost for the crafting.¡± ¡°Why is there so much?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t cost much. I went all the way to San Chris to get it crafted. Do you know how much it costs to use the crafting tools and the forge? You¡¯ll know when you check it out.¡± The bearded man must have misunderstood me. I said that because the 30 gold he handed me seemed like a lot of money. I turned away before the bearded man could say anything else and put on the blue glove. The fingernail-sized magic stone in the center was B-grade. When I wrapped wind around my hand, I could feel a slight mana amplification effect. For a back alley blacksmith, he was quite skilled. Even in the past, blacksmiths with crafting skills weren¡¯t that common. Clang¡ª The sound of the gold coins in my hand made me smile. I¡¯ll have to help the bearded man later. I¡¯m a person who values loyalty and gratitude. * * * I slung the spear over my back and turned west. After walking for a while, the streetlights gradually faded, and a familiar building came into view. This was the building where I fought the corpse eyeball and his gang on the day I was reincarnated. According to Zion, Bayern¡¯s territory ended at this point. In other words, this was the start of Khaoto¡¯s west side, Dark Soul¡¯s territory. Soon, the main street of the west side appeared. The atmosphere was a bit different from the east side. While the eastern district had a strong red-light district feel, this place felt a bit run down. However, everyone I saw was carrying at least one weapon. Sharp gazes scanned me once each, but soon they dismissed their suspicions after seeing my demeanor and spear. As I reached the center of the street, a large four-story building caught my eye. [Red Sunset Tavern] The most famous tavern in the west, and the place where the Dark Soul gang appears the most. This was the reason I came here. As soon as I opened the door and entered, dim lights shone eerily. For a tavern, it wasn¡¯t very noisy. A gruff-looking employee approached me and asked, ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to share life with my brothers.¡± ¡°What kind of drink are you looking for?¡± ¡°Red Dawn, 18 years old.¡± ¡°Please go to the fourth floor.¡± As I spoke the secret code Zion had told me, the employee bowed politely and guided me. As I went up to the fourth floor, the eerie atmosphere grew even stronger. Looking straight ahead, there were rooms with partitions on both sides of the central corridor. I pushed open the door of the largest room. Creak¡ª Three sharp-looking men in black martial arts uniforms stopped drinking and glared at me with murderous eyes. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to share life with my brothers. I¡¯ll buy you a drink. Hey, waiter. What¡¯s the most expensive drink here?¡± As I spoke, I glanced at them from the corner of my eye. If anyone recognized Krak¡¯s face, I was ready to act immediately. Fortunately, they all seemed unfamiliar. ¡°Burning Dawn, 24 years old.¡± ¡°Three bottles should be enough.¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Three bottles, sir? The price is¡­.¡± ¡°What, do I look like a pauper to you? I hate repeating myself. Bring it now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As I chuckled and took a seat with a friendly demeanor, puzzled looks from everyone in the room gathered on me. ¡°Hmm. A brother? I haven¡¯t seen your face before.¡± ¡°I serve Master Shepiro.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± While the two men immediately dismissed their suspicions, the man sitting at the head of the table continued to stare at me. He was an old gangster who looked quite old. I instinctively sensed that he had a high position. The old gangster pointed at me with his glass. ¡°Name.¡± ¡°Well.¡± The old gangster¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Affiliation?¡± ¡°Is that important?¡± Suddenly, the two guys next to me cursed and pointed their spears at me. ¡°This son of a bitch!¡± Third-rate gangsters are always hot-headed, no matter the time or place. Not to be outdone, I immediately took out the spear from my back, swung it around, and pointed it at them. Just as the atmosphere was about to turn ugly, the old gangster waved his hand. ¡°Enough. Now I see you were pretending not to know on purpose. You can¡¯t fool me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Garlic, Grid. Lower your spears. This person is from headquarters. He must be on an inspection. Judging by his spear skills, there¡¯s no need for further doubt.¡± I nodded, not knowing what nonsense he was talking about. ¡°You¡¯re perceptive, senior. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could pretend not to know.¡± ¡°Just with words?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ll buy you a drink today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± When the drinks and snacks arrived, the guys¡¯ eyes lit up with greed, and they started pouring drinks as if they had hit the jackpot. I took a sip and found it to be quite a decent liquor. Yes, let¡¯s drink a lot. A glass of liquor before you die isn¡¯t so bad, right? * * * The old gangster¡¯s name was Bravo Khan. He said he was in charge of Dark Soul¡¯s military. Of course, he didn¡¯t seem that smart. Gangsters always loved creating pointless titles. As the expensive liquor went down, the old gangster started to open up. I gave him appropriate responses, finding some parts of his story quite interesting. ¡°¡­It seems like you¡¯re quite frustrated.¡± ¡°You have no idea. Our Dark Soul¡¯s reputation in Khaoto has been completely ruined. Bayern keeps crossing the line without knowing their place.¡± A young gangster named Garlic emptied his glass and replied, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just wipe them out? They¡¯re nothing but a few mages. I don¡¯t understand why we keep dragging our feet.¡± ¡°You idiot.¡± Bravo Khan threw an empty glass at him. With a smack, Garlic¡¯s forehead was cut, and blood trickled down. ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Think, Garlic. With such a reckless thought, you¡¯ll never be anything but third-rate. If we mess with those sly mages, we¡¯ll be the ones who suffer. Besides, if we attack Bayern, what then? Urgon is behind them.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± ¡°Our Khaoto branch alone is not enough. But we can¡¯t just keep getting beaten up. At this point, we have no choice but to expand the game. We need to bring in the headquarters and quickly take them down.¡± ¡®He¡¯s talking nonsense.¡¯ I listened to Bravo Khan¡¯s words and cursed inwardly. I hated seeing a gangster acting like a real military strategist. I was about to put my plan into action, but the young gangsters¡¯ eyes were sparkling too brightly, so I decided to wait a bit longer. As expected, Grid praised Bravo Khan. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re amazing. So, are we going to have an all-out war with Urgon?¡± ¡°You idiot!¡± Smack¡ª Grid¡¯s forehead was also cut. ¡°You two are especially stupid today. If we fight Urgon, you two better bite your tongues and kill yourselves.¡± The old gangster clicked his tongue, looking at Garlic and Grid with disdain. ¡°There¡¯s only one way. The best thing is to surprise attack Bayern and wipe them out before Urgon can intervene.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said? Even if we wipe them out, Urgon will retaliate.¡± A strange smile appeared on the old gangster¡¯s lips. ¡°The probability of that is actually low. From Urgon¡¯s perspective, Khaoto is just a nuisance. They just need someone to manage it for them, and it doesn¡¯t have to be Bayern. If we play our cards right, there¡¯s no reason why we can¡¯t get Urgon as our backing.¡± Garlic and Grid clapped simultaneously. The old gangster smiled proudly as he tilted his glass. ¡°Haha, a true man should be able to envision the future from where he sits. So, what do you think?¡± Bravo Khan looked at me, who had been quietly listening until now. It was finally my turn. I slowly savored the alcohol and opened my mouth. ¡°It¡¯s a great plan. You¡¯re very smart. Absolutely brilliant. It¡¯s like seeing a military strategist from a renowned family. But your plan is missing one thing.¡± Bravo Khan frowned. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Your plan is missing your own life.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°No matter how grand the plan, life is such that you could get stabbed by a random robber and die.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good point. But why are you suddenly talking about that?¡± I swirled my glass for a moment before asking Bravo Khan, ¡°Have you ever taken over Samael¡¯s business?¡± Bravo Khan tilted his head for a moment before replying, ¡°Samael? That¡¯s a stupid name I haven¡¯t heard in a while.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to take over. A bunch of losers like them wouldn¡¯t have a business, would they?¡± I emptied my glass and stood up. I slowly glared at them, twirling my wrist with the blue glove. Garlic and Grid, sensing something strange, exchanged glances and gripped their spears. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll give you a punch instead of a stab.¡± [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 19 – The King of Instigation [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 19: The King of Instigation Three drunken, third-rate thugs exchanged bewildered glances. I seized the moment, activating two of my circles. Whir¡ª ¡°Emerging ice, Chilling Thorns.¡± Sharp ice crystals sprouted like thorns from my blue gloves. With a swing, I landed an ice-cold punch on the face of the thug named Garlic. Crack¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± Garlic¡¯s left cheek was torn open, his head snapping back. I kicked Grid, who was rolling on the floor, sending him flying into the groin of another thug. ¡°Urgh!¡± Grid clutched his crotch, writhing in pain. Finally grasping the situation, the old thug lunged at me with a spear. ¡°You bastard! You¡¯re Bayern¡¯s dog!¡± I flicked a glass from the table, striking the old thug¡¯s forehead. Crack¡ª His head jerked back. I seized the opportunity, chanting another water spell. ¡°Pouring waves, Water Shower.¡± Swoosh¡ª A torrent of water cascaded down, washing over the old thug¡¯s face. He looked dazed, as if slapped awake from years of drunkenness. ¡°Ugh, are you alright, boss?¡± Garlic and Grid, having regained their senses, thrust their spears at my face. I was suddenly reminded of a subordinate from my past life, a demon who loved to show off. I never understood why he acted so foolishly, but now I felt an urge to imitate his mannerisms. ¡°Too slow.¡± I parried Grid¡¯s spear and dodged Garlic¡¯s. With an ice-infused fist, I uppercut Grid while slamming the spearhead in my other hand onto Garlic¡¯s foot. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Blood erupted from his foot. The old thug, having finally come to his senses, shouted at me. ¡°How dare Bayern set foot here! Are you declaring war?¡± As expected, they mistook me for Bayern. After all, Bayern¡¯s signature magic was water-based. What more proof did they need? I grinned. ¡°You got it.¡± ¡°You snake!¡± The three thugs raised their spears in unison. As they leaped, I activated all three of my circles. What was the flashiest 3-circle water spell again? ¡°Condensed¡­ Exploding Water Pressure, Water Bomb.¡± Fizzle. ¡­Wasn¡¯t it something like that? I thought it was simpler. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the formal incantations of water magic. The thugs were already upon me. ¡°Exploding¡­¡± ¡°Die, you bastard!¡± ¡°¡­Water Pressure, Water Bomb.¡± Fwoosh¡ª! The 3-circle water spell, Water Bomb. Immense water pressure engulfed the three thugs, blasting them in all directions. The door exploded instantly, the torrent of water ripping through the hallway. Gush¡ª In the chaos, I discreetly picked up a black spear lying at my feet and hid it behind my back. It was Bravo Khan¡¯s spear. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s causing this ruckus?¡± Men in black uniforms appeared from all sides. They saw a flooded hallway, three unconscious brothers with broken limbs¡­ and me. ¡°Hey, was this you?¡± Before their expressions could turn any uglier, I flashed a grin. I smiled even wider, making sure they¡¯d remember my face. Now for the grand finale. . . . Run. I smashed the opposite window and jumped out, sprinting eastwards. * * * My rigorous physical training paid off. After 30 minutes of non-stop running, my pursuers were nowhere to be seen. As expected, the thugs at the tavern were small-fries. Real gangsters wouldn¡¯t be hanging around a place like that at this hour. If I were the boss of Dark Soul, I would have knocked those guys out with a mace. As my adrenaline subsided, the main street to the east came into view. A red-light district, flickering with crimson and orange lights. The air was thick with a pungent aroma. It was a far cry from Dark Soul¡¯s territory. To think that the Khaoto I knew had changed so much¡­ Life is full of surprises. I saw drunken men stumbling around, a young punk flirting with two scantily clad women, a man passed out in a corner while a large figure picked his pockets. The men were all dressed in expensive clothes, likely wealthy out-of-towners. Those were the easiest targets. I could smell their gullibility. Especially that chubby guy with flushed cheeks, clinging to a hostess¡­ Was he trying to sell something? The idiot. ¡®Ah, no.¡¯ He was just fat. It was a typical red-light district scene, but the closer I got to the center, the more my mood soured. Even during my gangster days, I despised those who operated in red-light districts. There were levels to the underworld. A true gangster looked out for his own. Third-rate thugs disguised it as loyalty or brotherhood, but it was all nonsense. The real reason was survival. The lower you were on the ladder, the more you needed to stick together to stay alive. And the gangsters in the red-light district, blinded by money, don¡¯t care about their own. They treat women and children as mere tools. I was born in the red-light district, abandoned in the red-light district, and beaten like a dog every day in the red-light district. As if to prove my point, as soon as I turned the corner, I saw a child being beaten like a dog. A large man was slapping a snot-nosed kid. I saw my past self in him. ¡°Please¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t make the same mistake again!¡± S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°This little brat, how many times do I have to¡­ Cough!¡± I crept up behind the man and slit his throat with the spear. Blood spurted into the air, mingling strangely with the streetlights. Life is indeed unpredictable. Did this gangster know he was going to die today? Thud¡ª The thug¡¯s eyes looked resentful as he fell, but not as resentful as the snot-nosed kid. I returned to the main street and walked until I reached my destination. [Night Dew Pub] A three-story pub radiating colorful lights. It was one of Bayern¡¯s main businesses. As soon as I entered, loud music assaulted my ears. Several men were posturing at the bar with hostesses. It was a stark contrast to the quiet atmosphere of the [Red Sunset Tavern]. As I slowly looked around, one of the bouncers at the door spoke to me. ¡°Why are you back, Krak? You just left.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°The fuck do you mean by ¡®me¡¯? You were just fooling around like an idiot when the shift ended. By the way, when did you change clothes again? What¡¯s with those ragged clothes?¡± ¡°You wanna die, you son of a bitch?¡± ¡°Khahaha. That¡¯s some colorful language.¡± The bouncer suddenly chuckled. It seemed he liked the way I used the typical slang of third-rate gangsters. ¡°Where did you say I went?¡± ¡°You got a hole in your head? Where else would you go, you hallucination-weed addict?¡± ¡°I see.¡± I had a rough idea of where he might have gone. I considered going after Krak right away but changed my mind. I started climbing the stairs next to me to the second floor. ¡°Where are you going, Krak?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have a drink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a first. You usually hate plain alcohol, saying it¡¯s bland. Anyway, do whatever you want. But don¡¯t go to the third floor, there¡¯s a VIP there.¡± ¡°A VIP?¡± ¡°I just got orders from upstairs not to let anyone in.¡± ¡°Thanks. As a token of my gratitude, let me tell you something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The sun always rises in the east, you idiot.¡± ¡°Damn you, you son of a bitch. Hahaha.¡± * * * Slam¡ª I emptied a glass of strong rum in one gulp. ¡°The alcohol tastes good today.¡± ¡°You seem to be in a good mood.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. Their expressions must have been priceless, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Indeed. They were completely dumbfounded. It¡¯s a shame the Patriarch couldn¡¯t have seen it himself.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fitting for me to go there myself. But I can imagine their faces. They never would have dreamed we¡¯d bring up Hamad.¡± ¡°And when we mentioned Urgon, even the old men were shocked.¡± Bayern¡¯s captain of the guard, Snake, gave a sly grin. The middle-aged man sitting across from him wore the same grin. Glug glug¡ª A glass was filled with rum and emptied in one gulp. ¡°Ah, this is finally clearing my head.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Red Magic Tower, we would have finished this long ago. Why were they protecting Samael anyway?¡± The middle-aged man frowned slightly. The Red Magic Tower had been secretly backing Samael, which had been a hindrance. ¡°But that only served to provoke Urgon even more. Even the Red Magic Tower can¡¯t do anything now. They can¡¯t intervene without a good reason.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious, though, Patriarch.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Why go to such lengths? Why does the great Urgon care so much about a declining family in the backwaters?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A mysterious smile appeared on the middle-aged man¡¯s face. ¡°The reason doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that this has given us an opportunity. If this goes well, Urgon will spare no expense in supporting us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Khaoto will fall completely into our hands.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s not all. If we play our cards right, we might even be able to connect with the Blue Magic Tower. We¡¯ll have a chance to become a proper magic family.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The middle-aged man smiled and emptied another glass of rum. Both of their faces were flushed with alcohol. ¡®It¡¯s about time to come out of the shadows¡­ Hm?¡¯ ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Suddenly, the middle-aged man threw his glass at the door with lightning speed. With a crash, the doorknob broke off, revealing the scene outside. A tray of food was placed in front of the door, and at the same time, the sound of footsteps running downstairs could be heard. ¡°I must be drunk.¡± ¡°It seems they sent up food because they knew we were running low. They left the food even though they were told not to let anyone in.¡± Snake said as he brought the food inside. ¡°Please eat, Patriarch. I was getting hungry anyway.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The middle-aged man picked up a lamb chop dripping with red juice and started gnawing on the bone. Snake followed suit. Blood stained their mouths, creating a chilling sight. ¡°¡­¡± A moment later. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Ptoo!¡± Both men spat out the meat they were chewing. ¡°Damn it. This meat tastes like shit.¡± ¡°Damn. Mine too.¡± * * * I must have gotten too close to the door while eavesdropping on their conversation. I never expected Bayern¡¯s Head to be here. But I¡¯m not just anyone. I¡¯ve calculated everything and prepared for this. The moment they noticed my presence, I moved on to the next phase of my plan. The veal soaked in kitchen waste came in handy. ¡°¡­¡± The memory of their conversation made my teeth clench. Even to these guys, Samael was nothing more than a punching bag. I slowly descended the stairs, taking out the thinner of the two spears I had hidden behind my back. Then I touched the artifact in my pocket. A moment later. ¡°Hey, who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember sending an old man like you upstairs.¡± The bouncer I saw earlier looked at me suspiciously as I descended the second-floor stairs. I mimicked Bravo Khan¡¯s tone and glared at him. ¡°Who do you think I am, you idiot?¡± ¡°Are you messing with me? Who let you in here?¡± ¡°Hey, what do you think life is?¡± ¡°Is this old man crazy?¡± ¡°You catch on quick.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time. Where are you from?¡± ¡°¡­Since you don¡¯t seem to know, I guess I¡¯ll have to tell you. Life, you see, is not knowing when you¡¯ll kick the bucket while acting cocky like you. But I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± The bouncer pulled out a blue knife from his pocket and approached me menacingly. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense. How dare you say that in front of me? You must be itching to die. I may not know when I¡¯ll die, but you¡¯re dying today. I¡¯ll cut your face open.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re dying, you son of a bitch.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s some colorful¡­ This bastard!¡± I suddenly swung my black spear. As the bouncer quickly backed away, I held the spear horizontally, infused it with wind, and threw it like a javelin. Whoosh¡ª ¡°Gah!¡± The sharp spearhead pierced deep into the bouncer¡¯s right shoulder, blood gushing out. Thud¡ª Humans experience a wide range of emotions in a split second. In less than a second, the bouncer went from chuckling to cursing, backing away, and then fainting as his arm was skewered. I thought he¡¯d scream, but he was weaker than I expected. A brief silence followed¡­ Then the screams of the onlookers and hostesses erupted. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± ¡°H-he cut off Gerk¡¯s arm, his arm!¡± . . . Time to run. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 20 – How many hits do you want? [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 20: How many hits do you want? Hiding in the back alleys of the red light district, I began to count silently. After 30 seconds, I faintly heard a commotion in the distance. It took them this long? As expected, these guys are third-rate. Now, the fuse has been lit. I quietly headed west again. There was one more place to stop by. After walking for a while, I came across a building with no windows, all sides blocked by black walls. It brought back memories. ¡°¡­¡± This was the place where I was first reborn in this body. [Vanilla Sky] I recalled what Zion had told me. ¡ª There¡¯s one place in Khao Tao that¡¯s not influenced by either Dark Soul or Bayern. It¡¯s called ¡®Vanilla Sky.¡¯ It¡¯s the dividing line between the west, which is Dark Soul¡¯s territory, and the east, which is Bayern¡¯s. ¡ª Not influenced? But Blok seemed to go in and out of that place like it was his own home. ¡ª Just think of it as a neutral zone. It¡¯s also where the most money is made in Khao Tao. I don¡¯t know for sure, but it probably makes more than the combined tributes of Dark Soul and Bayern. ¡ª Does it have a separate line of business or something? ¡ª I don¡¯t know that much. What¡¯s certain is that whatever happens inside Vanilla Sky, Dark Soul and Bayern can¡¯t interfere. As I opened the door and entered, yellow light enveloped me in the pitch-black interior. The parts not touched by the light were all in darkness. A young man in white, sitting under the light, waved at me. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. How long has it been?¡± A cheerful voice that didn¡¯t match the gloomy atmosphere. It felt strangely artificial. ¡°Are you here to enjoy the night¡¯s dream, or to pick a rare star?¡± I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but I chose one. ¡°I¡¯ll go with the night¡¯s dream.¡± The young man in white asked with an exaggerated laugh. ¡°Really? That¡¯s unexpected. I thought a guest like you would definitely come to pick a star.¡± ¡°I¡¯m old, so I just want to dream a little. Guide me quickly.¡± ¡°An excellent idea. Follow the light upstairs.¡± As I slowly followed the light, I thought. Night¡¯s dream. Rare star. Zion didn¡¯t tell me about this, but I could guess. ¡®Night¡¯s dream¡¯ must mean hallucinogenic drugs. We used to call it that when I was a gangster. ¡®Rare star¡¯ probably refers to high-class prostitutes. I reached the end of the hallway and found a huge circular hall. The hazy smoke of hallucinogens obscured my vision, and the disgusting smell stung my nose. Looking around, most of the people were staggering around with glazed eyes or drooling, amidst the noisy clamor. I slowly scanned the area and headed inside. ¡®He should be around here somewhere.¡¯ The smoke from the hallucinogens was like fog, making it hard to distinguish people. The deeper I went, the more winding paths appeared like a maze. There were individual rooms scattered on both sides. As I checked each room, I suddenly felt like I was reliving my childhood. With the heart of a child playing hide-and-seek, I cheerfully searched for Krak. Creak¡ª ¡®Jackpot.¡¯ I found Krak in a corner room. Not only Krak, but Blok and another big guy were there too, all gathered together and smoking hallucinogens. ¡°Hey.¡± I walked slowly towards them. Their dull, lifeless eyes slowly turned towards me. ¡°What?¡± I shouted at Blok without warning. ¡°You punk!¡± Blok looked at me, dumbfounded. ¡°Are you crazy? Who are you?¡± I puffed out my chest and said proudly, ¡°Norman Bayern.¡± ¡°What?¡± As soon as Blok frowned, I slapped his forehead with my palm. ¡°You don¡¯t even recognize your own grandfather? You rotten kid.¡± Blok immediately straightened up from his half-lying position. He rubbed his eyes, examined my face closely, and then tilted his head. ¡°¡­Grandfather? I had a grandfather?¡± ¡°You ungrateful brat!¡± I slapped Blok¡¯s forehead again, harder this time. With a loud smack, Blok¡¯s head jerked back and then returned, his eyes now glaring at me. ¡°You crazy¡­¡± I didn¡¯t back down and met Blok¡¯s gaze. The other two big guys had already regained their senses, but they were frozen in place, unsure of what to do. This was because I was staring at Blok with such a stern look. They were probably afraid of the consequences if I really turned out to be Blok¡¯s grandfather. Krak cautiously asked, S?a?ch* Th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­Excuse me, old man. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone named Norman. Could you perhaps be mistaken?¡± ¡°You rascal!¡± I slapped Krak across the face and continued in a stern voice, ¡°Do you think I feed you guys for this?! I put you by Blok¡¯s side to assist him, and look at this mess. You bunch of idiots, getting high on hallucinogens together. Get on your knees and repent. I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson today.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡± As soon as Krak and the other big guy awkwardly knelt, I slapped Blok¡¯s forehead once more with all my might. Seeing his nose bleed, I continued in a rapid-fire voice, ¡°You ungrateful brat. Ungrateful bastard. Unfilial bastard who doesn¡¯t even recognize his own grandfather. Where do you get off looking down on me? I might just gouge your eyes out.¡± While I was talking, Krak and the other guy stood up simultaneously. It seemed they finally realized I wasn¡¯t their grandfather. Krak shouted, ¡°This crazy old man is asking for it, really. Who the hell are you? How did you even find this place?¡± ¡°Krak, you punk! You don¡¯t even recognize your own grandfather!¡± I tried to slap Krak¡¯s forehead with the same tactic, but I failed. It seemed he wasn¡¯t completely stupid after all. Blok, who had finally regained his senses, was leaning back, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. He took a deep drag from the half-burnt hallucinogen and exhaled the smoke with a whoosh, before speaking. ¡°Rip that old man¡¯s mouth apart.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Krak and the other big guy charged at me simultaneously. I swiftly unsheathed the black spear from my back and swung it horizontally. Caught off guard by the old man¡¯s spear skills, their clothes were ripped open, revealing their flesh. A large black dragon tattoo was emblazoned on their chests. Typical third-rate thugs and their tacky tattoos. ¡°¡­That spear.¡± Krak retreated and widened his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re with Dark Soul. You damn old man, ambushing us here!¡± ¡°¡­¡± When I didn¡¯t answer, Krak drew a knife from his waist and charged at me, cursing. His momentum was good, but he was still third-rate. I swung my spear, its blade glowing red with Fireball, like a bolt of lightning. Their gloved wrists were cleanly severed. Fwoosh¡ª Blood splattered in all directions in the smoke-filled room¡­ Before they could even scream, I thrust my spear downwards again. As I saw the big guy¡¯s chest split open, I kicked off the ground and grabbed Krak¡¯s hair with my other hand. ¡°Ugh.¡± Pulling his head towards me, I whispered in his ear, ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°Ugh. Let go, you old bastard.¡± ¡°I told you you¡¯d be dead if I drew my sword.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Want me to set your head on fire like your friend?¡± Krak¡¯s eyes widened in shock as if he suddenly remembered something. ¡°You, you¡¯re that bastard from back then!¡± ¡°Shh.¡± I roughly pushed his head down and swung my spear like lightning. ¡°Gah!¡± A final scream. A streak of blood splattered on the table in a long arc. ¡°¡­¡± Was I too good with the spear, or were these guys just too weak? It suddenly occurred to me that there¡¯s no knowledge that¡¯s useless. I never thought that imitating knights¡¯ spearmanship out of boredom while slaying demons in my past life would come in handy like this. Of course, it wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°H-hey. Who are you? Why are you doing this?¡± Blok looked like he was about to faint. His face was pale with fear. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this out.¡± Something about his posture seemed odd, so I took a closer look¡­ He was trembling and secretly drawing a magic seal, which made me chuckle. He had plenty of time, but he still hadn¡¯t completed it. This guy was really something else. ¡°You¡¯re quite the idiot too. Should I wait for you?¡± ¡°¡­Sh-shit.¡± ¡°Call me grandpa.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Alright. You unfilial brat.¡± I poured myself a drink in an empty glass and watched the Corpse Eyes¡¯ antics. ¡°It¡¯s taking you a while. What are you doing?¡± After emptying three glasses, Corpse Eyes finally stopped struggling. A look of relief appeared on his face. ¡°You¡¯re dead, you son of a bitch. Water Spear!¡± Fwaaaang¡ª! ¡°¡­¡± Blok¡¯s smile vanished in an instant. With a wave of my hand, the ¡®Water Spear¡¯ dissipated without a trace. ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ I moved like the wind, grabbed two of Corpse Eyes¡¯ fingers, and bent them back. ¡°Aaack!¡± ¡°Nice show, grandson. Now it¡¯s time to get hit. How many hits do you want?¡± ¡°¡­U-ughhh!¡± ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t want to answer. Actually, the answer is already decided.¡± I started slapping Corpse Eyes¡¯ forehead slowly. ¡°One. Two. Three, four, five¡­¡± Smack¡ª Ah, what a satisfying sound. Blok kept moaning strangely as I continued to hit him without pause. ¡°Uggghhh¡­¡± I kept hitting him because I didn¡¯t want to hear it. After over 100 hits, I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. I got thirsty from hitting him, so I emptied a glass of poison liquor that was nearby. ¡°Ugh.¡± I hit him again. And again. With my left hand, then my right. I even hit him with liquor on my hands. Smack¡ª Smack¡ª Smack¡ª I stopped after exactly two hundred and ninety-seven hits. I approached Blok, who had passed out with his eyes rolled back, and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t think this is the end.¡± * * * I finished up and left the room. The hallway was still filled with hazy smoke. Whoever designed this place did a good job. It was moderately private and moderately open, the perfect structure for suckers to lose track of time and spend money. Lost in thought, I ended up getting lost. I thought I was going back the way I came, but I found myself wandering in an unfamiliar place. I walked towards an area where the smoke was thinner, and suddenly a narrow passageway appeared, with stairs leading down. ¡°Hmm.¡± Since it was too much trouble to go back, I started down the stairs as if in a trance. As I stepped off the last stair, I saw a large stage-like structure. ¡®What is this?¡¯ The central stage, hidden by curtains, was lit by spotlights, and the audience seats surrounded it. People wearing masks were looking down at the stage from the seats. I was looking for an exit, thinking this wasn¡¯t the place for me, when someone approached with a chilling aura. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± A man with a white mask covering his face spoke. ¡°We¡¯ve told you repeatedly to follow the rules.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about to start. Why would someone here to pick a star¡­¡± Suddenly, I realized something from the white mask¡¯s words. ¡®Could this place be¡­?¡¯ The underground auction house. It seemed this was the underground auction house Zion had mentioned, where shady merchants gathered. It was a place where many items of unknown origin were dealt with, and the participants concealed their identities. ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy today.¡± ¡°Even so, you must follow the rules.¡± I tested the waters, and as expected, my guess was right. The ¡®rare star¡¯ referred to the auction. ¡°I was planning to leave before it started. Could you guide me to the exit?¡± I tried to make an excuse and leave, but the white mask grabbed my wrist. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The white mask¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°May I see your entry pass?¡± I realized that the ¡®entry pass¡¯ meant the ¡®mask¡¯ and tried to say I lost it, but it didn¡¯t work. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± As the white mask raised his hand, others wearing the same mask gathered around. ¡°Once you enter to pick a star, you can¡¯t leave until it¡¯s over. You must know that.¡± I was about to say something, but then I had a sudden idea. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not here to pick a star, but to sell one.¡± I immediately pulled out the B-grade mana stone from my pocket and held it out. I didn¡¯t mind since I was planning to sell it anyway. However, it didn¡¯t work this time either. ¡°You¡¯re lying to the end. You must know what happens when you break the rules.¡± The white masks gathered around me, all staring at me. I sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be honest. I got lost. I was playing upstairs, and I must have gone senile. I saw a passage and came down here, and then¡­¡± I pointed towards the passage but gasped. ¡­What? The passage I came down from was gone. I definitely came down the stairs, but now it was blocked by a wall. I looked around, but there was no sign of a passage, only white walls. ¡°Hahahaha.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Had I finally gone completely mad? Was I going back to my past life? Just then, a low voice came from somewhere, preventing me from returning to my past life. ¡°Everyone, step back.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The white masks parted like the tide, and a black mask walked out. ¡°You said you want to sell something.¡± I held out the mana stone and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The black mask examined the mana stone and said, ¡°B-grade. Not bad quality. Let¡¯s do it.¡± The white masks murmured in surprise. ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s against the rules. We need to verify this person¡¯s identity.¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯ll handle it. Go back to your seats and prepare without any issues.¡± The black mask cut them off and said to me, ¡°Follow me.¡± I followed the black mask backstage, and there was a staircase leading outside. ¡°Go that way. You¡¯ll find the exit.¡± ¡°Thank you, young man.¡± I nodded silently. As he said, when I reached the top of the stairs, I saw the door I had entered through. At the counter, the same young man in white was dozing off. He saw me and smiled brightly. ¡°Did you enjoy the night¡¯s dream?¡± ¡°Indeed. I even sold a star today.¡± ¡°Haha, I know. I¡¯ll issue you a certificate, so come back later to receive your payment.¡± I felt a sense of unease and stared at the young man before answering, ¡°¡­Alright.¡± ¡°Yes. Then, farewell, Young Master.¡± For some reason, the young man¡¯s voice continued to feel artificial. * * * On a dark night filled only with moonlight. As I returned to my family¡¯s estate, having crossed the eastern part of Khao Tao, I suddenly chuckled. The last words of the phony kept echoing in my ears. ¡ª Then, farewell, Young Master. I was clearly disguised as Bravo Khan. But what? Farewell, Young Master? ¡®What a cheeky fellow.¡¯ I think I know why I kept feeling uneasy. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 21 – The Time to Advance [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 21: The Time to Advance There are few men in the world who are good with money. Even among famous merchants, not many are truly skilled in the art of finance. Most of them were born into wealth. Surprisingly, there are quite a few nouveaux riches who are good with money. I respect those guys. To succeed in finance from nothing, one must understand the ways of the world and know how to manipulate people¡¯s psychology. We call all of that, in a word, ¡°sangjae¡± (business acumen). Of all the guys I know, the one with the sharpest business acumen was ¡®Garibong.¡¯ He was one of my subordinates in my past life. Garibong had an uncanny knack for smelling money and was excellent at execution. He was the one who first tried to distribute hallucinogens before I took over the back alleys. I took Garibong under my wing and banned the distribution of hallucinogens. Garibong was so resourceful that he made up for the losses with other businesses in just three months. The only pity is that he died young because he was too good at smelling money. He didn¡¯t die in some grand way. He just got stabbed to death while trying to make a deal with a famous thieves¡¯ guild. He died suddenly before I could even try to stop him. Of course, I avenged him, but it was still a shame. If he were still alive, we might have made a fortune together. * * * As soon as I returned to the training hall, I sat down in a chair and lost myself in thought. The more I thought about it, the more I sensed Garibong¡¯s scent at [Vanilla Sky]. They knew how to smell money, luring suckers with hallucinogens and secretly running an underground auction house. They used hallucinogens as a front, while the real money was made through auction commissions. ¡®They¡¯re not third-rate.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know about the white masks, but the black mask¡¯s energy felt quite heavy. Of course, that wasn¡¯t all. The real reason I felt uneasy was something else. ¡®Is the underground auction house really the end?¡¯ The more I thought about the structure of [Vanilla Sky], the more uneasy I felt. If my guess was right¡­ The underground auction house was likely just a front. If they were as clever as Garibong, their true purpose would be something else. The fact that they noticed I was using an illusion and even said something like ¡°Farewell, Young Master¡± was clearly intentional. It was a warning of sorts. A warning that I was in their grasp and should be careful. ¡®Interesting fellows.¡¯ I thought Khaoto was just an ordinary back alley, but it seemed there was more to it than met the eye. I didn¡¯t know what the phony or the black mask were up to, but I wasn¡¯t going to just sit back and let them play me. I had a hunch. I glanced at the window and saw that dawn was breaking. Suddenly, I felt a wave of fatigue and drowsiness. ¡°Hmm?¡± When I opened my eyes, I was curled up like a shrimp on a wooden bed. ¡°Damn. I must have dozed off.¡± The sunlight was gradually filling the room, so I must have fallen asleep for a while without realizing it. After stretching, I went to the bookshelf in a corner of the training hall and started organizing the old books. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Most of them were trash like [Basics of Seal Magic], [Interpretation of Applied Seal Magic], and [Practical Examples of Seal Magic], but there were a few useful spell books. I organized the books I had been eyeing and started jotting down notes in my own way. I needed to create a way for the trainees to continue learning magic even when I was away. Sigh. I wonder if these trainees even realize my painstaking efforts. As I was organizing the books, the morning sunlight brightened. I heard the trainees moving around, so I stepped outside the dormitory. ¡°Everyone, gather!¡± ¡°Huh? Captain? When did you get here?¡± They looked like they had seen a ghost, so I shouted, ¡°You know what happens if you don¡¯t come within ten seconds, right? One, two, three, four¡­¡± ¡°Aaaah, I¡¯m coming!¡± The trainees rushed to gather like their butts were on fire. While everyone¡¯s faces were stiff, some seemed genuinely happy to see me. ¡°Have you all been training hard?¡± ¡°Of course, Captain. We¡¯ve been running every single day.¡± Makan puffed out his chest with a confident face. I looked at the other trainees¡¯ physiques, and it seemed he wasn¡¯t lying. They had all improved their basic stamina considerably. I looked at Zion and asked, ¡°I heard Dyke went back to the Magic Tower.¡± Zion nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. But other instructors came from the Red Magic Tower instead. They all looked young. They said training will start next month.¡± Palge chimed in. ¡°One of them is the Vice-Tower Master¡¯s disciple. He¡¯s quite a big shot in the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°So, there are no immediate obstacles. Everyone, sit down.¡± As soon as the trainees sat down, I said, ¡°Raise your hand if you¡¯ve created a mana circle.¡± ¡°Me!¡± I instantly smacked Palge on the back of the head out of annoyance. ¡°Do you have to make that hand gesture, pig?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sign of respect!¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± I shook my head and looked around. Two other trainees had raised their hands. Ain, and Makan. ¡°Including Palge, that¡¯s three. Now, raise your hand if you¡¯re in the process of creating a mana circle.¡± This time, most of the trainees raised their hands. Everyone except Zion had either created a mana circle or was in the process of doing so. Normally, I would have thought this was enough¡­ But that feeling had vanished yesterday. There was no time to leisurely train the trainees in Samael anymore. Bayern and Dark Soul. The situation outside was more serious than I thought. Khaoto had already become a haven for gangsters, and a full-scale war could break out at any moment. I didn¡¯t know what decision the house leaders and elders would make, but it was best not to have any expectations. The best outcome would be the destruction of both Dark Soul and Bayern¡­ ¡®But that¡¯s unlikely.¡¯ There was even a chance that those Urgon guys would get involved. We had to move before that happened. Sitting around and hoping for the best didn¡¯t suit my personality. I had to raise the trainees to a certain level before things got out of hand. I pointed at Palge and said, ¡°Palge. Use Fire Spear with your hand seals.¡± ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Just do it.¡± Swoosh! Palge drew his usual flashy hand seals and shot a Fire Spear at a large tree. The base of the tree was half-hollowed out. ¡°Watch closely.¡± I immediately focused on another large tree and rotated two mana circles. Resonating with the mana in the atmosphere, I envisioned a long spear of flames in my mind. Remembering the days when Samael¡¯s sorcerers used to chant ¡°Ifrit.¡± ¡°Piercing flames, Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± A spear of flames manifested, twice as long as Palge¡¯s. Fwaaaang¡ª! The spear of flames left my fingertips, piercing through the first tree and completely through the tree behind it. ¡°¡­Wow!¡± As the trainees¡¯ eyes widened in amazement, I shook my head and said, ¡°Watch until the end.¡± The heart circle rotated as if it were burning. I grasped the atmospheric mana contained in the spear of flames and pulled it back in the opposite direction. ¡°W-what is that?!¡± The spear of flames changed its trajectory, drawing a curve. It completely reversed direction and started flying back towards us. Fwaaaaaang¡ª! It pierced through the base of the tree it had previously pierced, scattering sparks. ¡°¡­¡± 3-circle magic spell guidance. A far more intuitive shock than what I had shown Hector. ¡°This is a true incantation manifested through mana circles. The higher the circle, the greater the difference.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°From now on, I¡¯m going to teach you magic properly. Of course, you have a choice. Learn like your life depends on it, or die right now. And¡­¡± I paused for a moment. There was no need to hide in this remote place and train anymore. It seemed that I had been keeping the trainees cooped up in this secluded place out of consideration for the Red Magic Tower guys¡­ But weren¡¯t these the ones who would become the future of Samael? There was no need to worry about what others thought. Samael belonged to Samael. ¡°From today, we¡¯ll train in the central training ground. Follow me, everyone.¡± ¡°B-but aren¡¯t the Red Magic Tower people training there?¡± ¡°Shut up and follow me.¡± While the trainees looked at me with uneasy eyes, I could also sense a glimmer of anticipation. They didn¡¯t show it, but it seemed they had a hard time staying in the shabby dormitory. * * * As expected, when we arrived at the central training ground, the Red Magic Tower guys were gathered there. A group of three men and one woman were meditating in a corner. They frowned in displeasure as I entered the training ground with my subordinates. Ignoring their gaze, I had the trainees sit in a circle in the center of the training ground. ¡°Everyone, close your eyes. Straighten your backs so that your tailbone and head are aligned.¡± One by one, the trainees straightened their backs. ¡°Focus. Those who let their minds wander¡­ you know what happens.¡± What I was doing was the most efficient mana sensitivity posture that Samael¡¯s mages learned as novices. The correct sitting posture (zhengzuo) to best harmonize with the mana in the atmosphere. ¡°Relax your bodies and expand your senses. Feel the mana in the atmosphere. And imagine circulating the mana in its purest form within your heart. Do not use your mana core.¡± Whirrr¡ª Mana fluctuations rippled around some of the trainees. ¡°Next is elemental conversion. Visualize and chant.¡± ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball!¡± ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball!¡± Magic bloomed from Ain and Palge¡¯s mouths simultaneously. Makan instinctively visualized the earth element, and the ground beneath his feet began to crack. ¡°Those who can, chant while running!¡± The gazes of the Red Magic Tower trainees grew increasingly unpleasant. Especially that young guy named Lohan, whom I had seen before, was openly glaring at me. The tallest man put a hand on Lohan¡¯s shoulder and said quietly, ¡°Don¡¯t mind them, Lokan.¡± ¡°But brother Doke, those guys¡­¡± ¡°Maintain the dignity of the Magic Tower. There¡¯s no need to respond to every petty action. They¡¯ll quiet down once I start training them.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It seemed like the leader was holding him back again, but¡­ Upon closer inspection, the leader¡¯s eyebrows were twitching slightly. I grinned and met his gaze, then cleared my throat. ¡°From now on, even those who can¡¯t chant will run. Everyone, count off!¡± ¡°One! Two! Three! Four!¡± The loud counting echoed through the training ground¡­ And the leader¡¯s frown deepened. [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 22 – Hector’s Disciple [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 22: Hector¡¯s Disciple The Samael House Hall was filled with sighs. Senior elders, including Kazen and Head Elder Norman, were gathered around a table, their faces pale and filled with deep worry. ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± S~?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Hamad Merchant Guild really collapsed¡­¡± What they had feared had finally become a reality. Urgon had taken over the Hamad Merchant Guild, and Bayern had been entrusted with debt collection. This was a bolt from the blue for Samael. A massive reef they had encountered while trying to rebuild the foundation of their house. Why? The meeting had been going on for a week, but they hadn¡¯t reached any conclusions. However, everyone here had a hunch. Urgon wouldn¡¯t have taken over the Hamad Merchant Guild for no reason. It was clear that they had been targeting Samael from the start. ¡°¡­No matter how I think about it, the only option seems to be asking the Red Magic Tower for help.¡± Elder Isaac¡¯s words broke the silence, but Head Elder Norman shook his head firmly. ¡°That won¡¯t do, Isaac. The Red Magic Tower can¡¯t intervene. Urgon deliberately used Hamad to trap us.¡± ¡°I know that, Head Elder. But what other choice do we have?¡± ¡°We need to find a way to raise money from somewhere else.¡± Elder Isaac bit his lip for a moment, then changed his tone as if he had made up his mind. ¡°No nearby company will lend money to Samael. The rumor that Urgon has taken over Hamad has already spread throughout the Merchant Alliance. A stable company disappeared overnight without a trace, so everyone is on edge. They probably already know about the relationship between Hamad and Samael.¡± Head Elder Norman, who had been listening, sighed. ¡°¡­Even so, isn¡¯t it worth trying?¡± ¡°You need to face reality. No one will lend such a large sum to Samael, risking retaliation from Urgon.¡± ¡°The Red Magic Tower is no different. They won¡¯t intervene.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you know there is one way.¡± All eyes turned to Kazen, who was sitting at the head of the table. Head Elder Norman shook his head again. ¡°That¡¯s out of the question. We need to prepare for the future.¡± ¡°There is no future if we can¡¯t overcome the present. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten what Urgon did to us.¡± ¡°Enough! Isaac. Don¡¯t cross the line.¡± With Head Elder Norman¡¯s cold response, A chilling silence fell upon the House Hall. Samael¡¯s sore spot. About 20 years ago, Samael had suffered near destruction from Urgon¡¯s attack. Why they were invaded, the reason behind it¡­ It was still unclear. The official reason was that Samael had tarnished Urgon¡¯s honor, but that was obviously nonsense. Urgon might be powerful now, but back then, they were just another insignificant house in the east. Of course, the reason didn¡¯t matter anymore. Most of the remaining Samael mages had died in the war with Urgon. The Samael that had been rebuilt since then was barely holding on to a thread. Urgon was a dagger lodged deep in the hearts of everyone here, a source of immense pain. ¡°¡­¡± After a long silence, Isaac spoke again. ¡°You must make a decision, House Head. Bring in Hector.¡± Norman glared at Isaac with wide eyes. ¡°Isaac!¡± At that moment, Kazen Samael, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°Both of you elders, please stop.¡± Kazen met the eyes of the elders, his gaze weary. ¡®This is difficult.¡¯ He knew it all too well. Head Elder Norman and Isaac might be constantly at odds, but they both genuinely cared for Samael. Who among the remaining members of Samael didn¡¯t? But this time, even Kazen found it hard to make a decision. Ordering Hector wasn¡¯t ideal. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of borrowing money from the Red Magic Tower. Their safety had to be guaranteed afterward. There might even be humiliating situations. ¡®It would be fortunate if we could resolve it even then¡­¡¯ He couldn¡¯t be sure. But there wasn¡¯t enough time to find another solution. Even though they had promised a three-month deadline, there was no telling when they might change their minds. ¡®Is there no other choice?¡¯ Strangely, at this moment, Kazen suddenly thought of Ruin. Ruin had mastered the mana circle on his own, making Kazen¡¯s last order to Hector somewhat ambiguous. ¡®Is this an opportunity created by Ruin¡­? Huh, indeed.¡¯ Kazen felt a pang of sorrow in his chest. * * * ==================== ? Ruin Samael ¨C Captain Anchovy ? Talents: Weapon Skills [Swordsmanship (S), Archery (S), Spearmanship (S)], Elemental Affinity [Fire (SSS), Wind (SSS), Water (SS), Others (S)] ? Traits: Stamina [A], Mental Strength [S], Mana Resonance [SSS] ? Tendancies: [Strong Will], [Pleasure-Seeking], [Madness], [Venom], [Mad Dog], [Decisiveness] ? Overall Grade: Magic [SS] ==================== I finished my bath and looked at myself in the full-length mirror for the first time in a while. Thanks to repeated training, I finally had a somewhat human-like body. My face had filled out a bit, making me look somewhat presentable. ¡®Still, I haven¡¯t escaped the anchovy look yet.¡¯ I stretched and went outside, where I found more than ten loaves of rye bread, a pile of chicken breast patties, and various vegetables carelessly placed on the table. As usual, I cleaned up the food and went outside, where I heard the trainees training. ¡°Haaaaaaaah!¡± Leaning on the railing and looking down at the training ground, all ten of them were voluntarily training early in the morning. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Of course, I had threatened them with hell if they came out later than me, but what did that matter? The important thing was that they were doing it. On the other side of the training ground were the Red Magic Tower mages. My eyes naturally drifted towards their leader. ¡®His name was Doke, right?¡¯ I thought he would pick a fight within a day or two, but it had been more than ten days with no sign of him. He was unexpectedly patient. But his expression grew sterner with each passing day, as if he was about to explode. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ He didn¡¯t have a great personality. People who suppress their anger like that tend to unleash everything when they finally explode. I immediately jumped into the middle of the trainees and started running with them. ¡°I¡¯m here, my subordinates!¡± As I ran, I closely observed the trainees¡¯ bodies. Thanks to the intense training, their bodies were quickly becoming balanced. Even Iron, the weakest of them, was now in good enough shape to cast spells while running. ¡°Shaking earth, Earth Shock.¡± A 2-circle earth attribute spell. I felt a slight tremor beneath my feet. The spell cast by Makan, who was far away, was reaching me. As expected of a descendant of the Gento Tycoon. Makan was clearly more attuned to the earth element than fire or wind, even with spells of the same level. ¡®Yes, keep going like that.¡¯ Then you¡¯ll discover the essence of circle magic on your own. I slowly warmed up and started training as well. Whirrr¡ª Three circles were now firmly established in my heart. Even when I circulated an abundance of atmospheric mana in the three circles, I didn¡¯t feel any instability. * * * As I continued training tirelessly until the sun reached its peak, I suddenly felt an unfamiliar gaze. Kazen and Hector were standing in front of the house hall, looking down at the training ground. As I thought it was an unpleasant gaze, one of the trainees nudged me. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look over there.¡± The Red Magic Tower mages were slowly approaching us. The eyes of everyone training turned to me at once. ¡®They planned this.¡¯ They must have deliberately waited for Hector to appear. Doke, who had stopped right in front of me, finally spoke. ¡°I am Doke, a member of the Red Magic Order and a disciple of Hector.¡± It sounded like he was saying, ¡°Know your place and step aside,¡± but it wouldn¡¯t work on me. I met Doke¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°So?¡± ¡°Ruin, was it? I¡¯d like you to step aside with your trainees.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I clearly told you. If you want to train, you need permission. This is Samael¡¯s training ground.¡± Doke¡¯s brow twitched intensely. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the situation. I was trying to be patient, but you¡¯re interfering too much with our training. I¡¯ll be teaching the trainees myself from next month, so please refrain from doing anything unnecessary until then.¡± I tilted my head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Who are you to say that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I asked what gives you the right to tell me what to do in my own home. Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re the type who doesn¡¯t understand when I¡¯m being nice.¡± Doke¡¯s forehead veins bulged as his face contorted. It was the expression of someone whose kindness had been rudely rejected. At that moment, Lokan, who was standing next to him, shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this. Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± I didn¡¯t respond for a moment because he was right, but Lokan seemed to think I was scared. ¡°Hey, why are you acting so tough? Just shut up and stay still. Do you even know who Doke is?¡± I nodded and replied, ¡°I heard he¡¯s quite the big shot in the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re talking like that knowing that?¡± ¡°So what?¡± The atmosphere quickly turned cold. I stared directly at Doke and said, ¡°Being a big shot, are you confident enough to put your neck on the line for Samael? If you are, then step aside.¡± I then glared at Hector in the distance. ¡°The elitist attitude, really. The great mage of the Red Magic Tower will personally teach you, so bow down and worship him, is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching, and the Red Magic Tower is very fair and neutral. It¡¯s quite impressive how they just watch silently even when Samael gets into trouble with insignificant houses.¡± I looked around and said, ¡°Listen carefully. If you¡¯re not confident enough to face the enemies on behalf of Samael, mind your own business. Don¡¯t pretend to be doing us a favor.¡± Lokan¡¯s eyes changed completely, and he started drawing a magic seal towards me. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to being clueless. Doke, don¡¯t stop me!¡± I laughed and beckoned Lokan with my hand. ¡°Come at me, then.¡± At that moment, Zion quickly stepped out from behind and flipped Lokan off. ¡°You disrespectful little shit, acting all high and mighty. Do you want to die?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What was this now? [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 23 – Decision [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 23: Decision ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Lokan stammered, unable to respond for a moment, and Zion smirked and said again, ¡°Are your ears blocked? I said stop barking, you milk-smelling brat.¡± Lokan¡¯s eyes finally lit up with fury. ¡°Wow, these crazy bastards are in pairs, really!¡± With a Thud, Lokan kicked off the ground and aimed his elbow at Zion¡¯s chin. It was a decent stance. Zion easily dodged it with a nod, and Lokan quickly closed the distance and drew a hand seal. A 2-star Fire Spear hand seal. At the same time, I could feel mana fluctuations around Zion. ¡°Blazing flames, Fireball.¡± For a moment, I doubted my eyes. ¡®Zion, this kid, made a mana circle?¡¯ I thought it would take him a little longer because he was so suspicious, but I was wrong. I knew he would rebel if I forced him, so I left him alone, and it seemed like he had figured something out on his own. Boom! Zion and Lokan¡¯s magic collided, scattering sparks. Zion had the upper hand. While Lokan was caught off guard, Zion rushed towards him. I couldn¡¯t help but smile as I watched Zion push Lokan back, imitating the moves I had shown him. The young mages from the Red Magic Tower widened their eyes in surprise. ¡°What? Lokan is being pushed back?¡± Of course. Lokan was just a 2-star mage. The moment Zion created a mana circle, there was no way he could lose to Lokan. ¡°Ah, this is so embarrassing.¡± One of the girls next to Lokan blushed and stepped forward. ¡°Makan.¡± At my signal, Makan blocked the girl¡¯s path. It felt like the Red Magic Tower and Samael were having a proxy battle. However, the problem was that Makan wasn¡¯t strong enough to completely defeat the girl. She seemed to be a 3-star mage. But I wasn¡¯t going to let him lose easily. ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you if you surrender. Understand?¡± I secretly placed a Wind Spear behind Makan as he charged towards the girl. The moment Makan and the girl clashed, I aimed the hidden Wind Spear at the girl¡¯s chest. Boom! With this, our victory¡­ Huh? Contrary to my expectations, Makan was pushed back three steps. A barrier had suddenly appeared in front of the girl, and Doke was glaring from behind it. ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± Doke glared at me with a completely flushed face. ¡°Enough. I¡¯ve been patient enough. I don¡¯t want to disobey my master¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Are you talking about Hector?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re incredibly rude. Or have you truly lost your mind?¡± ¡°You guessed it.¡± ¡°Then a beating will be your medicine.¡± As I smirked, Doke took a step closer. As his hand slowly formed a hand seal, I opened my circles. Whirrr¡ª Me and Hector¡¯s disciple. Hector¡¯s disciple and me. Who would win? ¡°Thump-thump-thump-thump.¡± My heart pounded to the beat of the drum sound I made with my mouth, and the trainees¡¯ eyes burned like a bonfire. Just then, ¡°Stop.¡± Fwaaaaaaaang¡ª! A powerful wind like a typhoon swept through the training ground. I quickly retreated and glared towards the house hall. ¡°Stop it, Ruin.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. Did I say anything wrong? In Samael, this kind of¡­ huh?¡± For a moment, I was so surprised that I was speechless. My excitement vanished instantly. It wasn¡¯t Hector who told me to stop, but Kazen. ¡°Don¡¯t be disrespectful to the people of the Magic Tower any longer. Don¡¯t you realize that your actions are tarnishing Samael¡¯s reputation?¡± I could feel Doke shrugging next to me, but my bewilderment was far greater at that moment. Were those really the words of the current head of Samael? I asked, wondering if I had heard wrong, ¡°What are you¡­ saying?¡± ¡°I clearly said stop. Disband the trainees, and you, Ruin, come inside.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing! Disband immediately!¡± * * * Kazen entered the house hall, holding his throbbing forehead and resting his chin on the table. The old steward, Wright Perer, stood behind him. I stared at Kazen without saying a word. A sense of emptiness washed over me, but I wondered if there might be another reason. After a long silence, Kazen finally spoke. ¡°My son.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I respect you, Ruin. I¡¯m not looking down on you because you¡¯re young. No matter what path you take or what magic you learn, even if it differs from my thoughts, I will respect it. Because the fact that you¡¯re showing me this much in front of me is admirable enough. But in return.¡± Kazen¡¯s voice was filled with quiet strength. ¡°As the head of Samael, I ask you one thing. Don¡¯t provoke the Red Magic Tower.¡± Anger welled up inside me. ¡°Samael must not be looked down upon. By anyone.¡± ¡°Looked down upon¡­¡± ¡°Are you trying to say they¡¯re not?¡± After a brief pause, Kazen replied, ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t matter. Right now, Samael needs the Red Magic Tower.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± In the end. Is that what you wanted to say? ¡°Samael must protect itself.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. But sometimes, we need to know when to bow our heads. We don¡¯t yet have the strength to protect ourselves. If only we had a few more years¡­¡± Anger welled up at the sight of him looking at me with pity, as if I were a naive child. This foolish House Head didn¡¯t even know what he was forgetting. ¡°So you¡¯re saying we should cling to Hector¡¯s coattails?¡± I couldn¡¯t bring myself to speak formally anymore. ¡°Do you think that will protect Samael?¡± ¡°Ruin!¡± I stared directly into Kazen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Did your mana circle get destroyed while fighting Urgon? Are you scared? You¡¯ve forgotten Samael¡¯s pride and dignity. You say if only we had a few more years? It wouldn¡¯t matter. It would be the same as now. There¡¯s no future for a place that has forgotten its identity.¡± Suddenly, Old Steward Wright shouted at me with bloodshot eyes, ¡°Young Master! What are you saying?! Show some respect!¡± He was so shocked that his jaw was trembling. I ignored him and kept my gaze fixed on Kazen. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d throw away Samael¡¯s pride. That you¡¯d forget even that. I hope you¡¯ll think carefully about how long we can rely on them.¡± ¡°Stop it, Ruin!¡± Kazen looked at me with a stern gaze. ¡°No matter what you say, you can¡¯t change my decision. This is an order from the House Head. If you disobey my orders again and act recklessly towards the Red Magic Tower¡­¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Suddenly, laughter burst out of me, turning into maniacal laughter. After a while, I finally came to my senses. ¡°The Samael I knew is completely gone.¡± Bang¡ª Ignoring Kazen¡¯s shouting, I left the room. * * * I felt drained. I understood why Kazen said those things. The responsibility of protecting the house must be weighing heavily on him. But this was Samael. The damn Samael I knew shouldn¡¯t be like this. It absolutely shouldn¡¯t. ¡°These idiots.¡± I slammed my fist down on the table in the room without realizing it. With a loud bang, the table split in two, and fragments scattered everywhere. All the other elders must be thinking the same thing. Kazen couldn¡¯t have made that decision alone. These people didn¡¯t even have the will to protect their own house. No, they thought it was impossible. The Samael family members. The spirit of those who charged towards their enemies, embracing their impending deaths and holding onto their crumbling bodies, was gone. This wasn¡¯t Samael. Bang¡ª ¡°Young Master!¡± Lihan, hearing the sound of the table breaking, rushed into the room. ¡°What are you doing? Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°What? Where are you going?¡± ¡°Farewell.¡± This was the right choice from the beginning. I couldn¡¯t help those who lacked the will. In hindsight, it was strange that I hadn¡¯t realized it sooner. When they destroyed the Ifrit temple, when they sent the White Horse Unit to the Red Magic Tower, when they abandoned the trainees in a remote mountain without a second thought, I should have known then. No, perhaps from the very beginning. Maybe it was a bond that only I wanted to hold onto. ¡°¡­Young Master?¡± I turned my head at the sudden presence, and the Old Steward was standing in front of me, bowing deeply. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I think there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± S?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Please, Young Master Ruin. Hear me out. It seems you¡¯ve misunderstood something.¡± ¡°Step aside.¡± As I tried to pass Wright and leave the room, he grabbed my sleeve. His wrinkled hand was trembling slightly. ¡°The House Head¡¯s mana circle¡­ it wasn¡¯t destroyed by Urgon.¡± I stopped for a moment. ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, A chilling sensation washed over my body. It started the moment I looked into Wright¡¯s eyes. His gaze, as if strongly rebuking me, made me feel uneasy. ¡°The House Head¡¯s mana circle was destroyed while saving you, Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± * * * I could only listen in silence as Wright sighed and lamented in a heavy tone. Kazen was a 6-circle mage. And his circles were already destroyed when Urgon attacked. ¡°You were sickly as a child, Ruin.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You probably don¡¯t know the reason. You were born with a congenital disease. Seven of your body¡¯s meridians were blocked by Yin energy. Sadly, it was clear you wouldn¡¯t live past a year.¡± ¡®You¡¯re saying I had blocked meridians? But how could I be alive¡­ Wait a minute.¡¯ Wright nodded, watching my expression. ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to the House Head. He searched high and low and obtained the Sun Herb, and he performed the procedure himself. In the process, his mana circle was accidentally destroyed.¡± ¡°¡­You expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the absolute truth.¡± No, it¡¯s a lie. I knew. Having seven meridians blocked was an incurable disease, so rare that it might only occur once in a hundred years. And the Sun Herb was indeed a spiritual herb that could effectively treat blocked meridians. But only if there was a practitioner who could withstand its Yang energy. There was no way Kazen wouldn¡¯t have known this when he obtained the Sun Herb. To withstand the Sun Herb¡¯s heat and open up seven blocked meridians, one would need at least seven heart circles. A 6-circle mage could never fully withstand the Sun Herb¡¯s Yang energy. Kazen knew this, and yet he did it. Knowing that his mana circles would be completely destroyed. Knowing that he would suffer the agonizing pain of his heart shattering. He did it to save his son. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, an uncontrollable emotion welled up inside me. Why? Why did I have to feel this wretched emotion again, even in this life? Even though the object of my affection was different, it was ultimately me who was saved. Kazen had saved me. The memory of Pelleer¡¯s unlucky actions came to mind. The last moments of the expedition. Pelleer, with his lower body blown off, crawling towards me and pouring the elixir into my heart. Why did his actions come to mind? Truly, that foolish nature of his hasn¡¯t changed, even after 300 years. ¡­Could it be that I was wrong? That even after all this time, the nature of Samael hadn¡¯t changed? That they simply didn¡¯t know yet? ¡°Damn it.¡± Frustration surged through me, making my hair stand on end. At this moment, I had to make a decision. And that decision¡­ Perhaps it was something I wanted to do from the beginning, from the moment I saw the crumbling Samael. ¡ª I knew you could do it, Crazy Mage Commander. In the end, it was you, Ruin, who believed in my words the most. Thanks to you, I can see hope. ¡ª Ugh, you sure picked the right side. Aren¡¯t you the strongest now, Commander? I¡¯m the vice-captain, so I guess that makes me second in command. House Head, don¡¯t be upset. Isn¡¯t it about time you cut us some slack, since we¡¯re all dying together? Hahaha! The faces of Pelleer, Azeta, and the Crazy Mage Squad members, whom I could no longer see, flashed before my eyes. My decision turned into conviction. I would raise Samael. With my own hands. Until I restored the glory of the Four Great Houses, the ones no one dared to challenge 300 years ago, and especially the Gongshin House, the first among them. In my own way. It would be different from the Samael of the past, the one I disliked. There would be no righteous Samael led by Pelleer. I wouldn¡¯t create a foolish Samael that sacrifices its own interests for some grand cause. I would make it so that no one would dare to underestimate or exploit Samael. ¡°I¡¯ll collect the price tenfold in the afterlife, House Head.¡± Bang¡ª I opened the door and went outside. In the distance, I saw the trainees walking dejectedly. Only the Red Magic Tower mages remained in the training ground. Whirrr¡ª I opened all three circles in my heart. I could feel Hector¡¯s gaze from afar. I stared at the center of the training ground and chanted without hesitation, ¡°Piercing flames, Fire Spear.¡± As the spear of flames flew in a straight line, I chanted again. ¡°Raging ice, Ice Wave.¡± [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 24 – Samael Was the Strongest (1) [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 24: Samael Was the Strongest (1) Sparks flew into the air with sand as the spear of flames pierced the center of the training ground. Crackle¡ª A cold ice fog rolled in, covering the sparks and creating a cloud of steam. Dozens of stone fragments froze in midair. ¡°W-what?¡± As the frozen sand shards rained down like needles, ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle!¡± Doke¡¯s urgent cry rang out. He had created a wind barrier above his head to block the shards and was now looking at me with a hardened expression. I met his gaze and slowly walked forward. Meanwhile, my subordinates began to appear one by one from afar, with the sound of their footsteps. ¡°¡­Captain?¡± ¡°Is the Captain really capable of that?¡± The subordinates¡¯ expressions, as they looked back and forth between Doke and me, gradually turned to shock. They looked like they couldn¡¯t believe I would do something so crazy. ¡°Wow¡­ I knew the Captain was crazy, but I didn¡¯t know he was that crazy.¡± ¡®Well, now you know.¡¯ I stood in front of Doke, listening to Zion¡¯s praise. Doke glared at me with an incredulous look. ¡°You¡¯re capable of that?¡± I scoffed and replied, ¡°If a mage can¡¯t believe his own eyes, it means he needs to relearn the basics.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Doke¡¯s eyes filled with rage. I glanced to the side, and the others were just as dumbfounded. ¡°Do you even realize what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°Of course. As the rightful heir of Samael, I was simply conducting proper magic training in Samael¡¯s training ground.¡± Doke gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You¡¯re even defying the House Head¡¯s orders. There¡¯s a limit to irresponsible behavior. You intentionally attacked us. It¡¯s a clear violation.¡± ¡°It seems that¡¯s what happens when you guys are in the way of my training. I didn¡¯t expect such great mages to complain about being attacked by something like this. Why don¡¯t you just step aside? I need to continue my training.¡± As soon as I finished speaking, I immediately conjured Fireballs in both hands and fired them. One towards Doke, the other towards Lokan. Doke easily dispelled it, while Lokan stumbled back ten steps, frowning. ¡°At least try to be a decent target.¡± Doke took out a pair of red gloves from his pocket and put them on, pointing a finger at me. ¡°This is a clear act of hostility towards the Magic Tower. From now on, I consider you an enemy.¡± Seeing Doke acting all high and mighty, as if he were a god passing judgment, made me angry. He was full of arrogance. I wanted to be like that too. ¡°This is an act of hostility towards Samael. From now on, I also consider you guys enemies.¡± At that moment, I heard the sound of someone kicking off the ground. Lokan, who had been hit by the Fireball, was charging at me while drawing a hand seal. ¡°This bastard, really!¡± I easily deflected Lokan¡¯s attack and wrapped my elbow in a Wind Barrier. I immediately struck Lokan¡¯s chin, and a sharp impact like shattering glass resonated. At the same time, I hit his face with a Wind Blow with my other hand. ¡°Cough!¡± Lokan¡¯s face was smashed as he sprawled backward. Doke instantly blocked his path and asked, ¡°Demonic magic¡­? Where did you learn demonic magic?¡± It seemed he was referring to the demonic magic that modern mages learned for close combat. ¡°This is the Samael-style crazy demonic magic.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± Finally, Doke stepped forward. Powerful flames flickered from the weapon in his hand. ¡°You brought this upon yourself!¡± A 4-star Fire Arm hand seal. I scoffed as I saw him approaching, twisting his right arm like a pretzel. Wasn¡¯t it pathetic, like a miniature version of Fire Arm? I blocked all of his attacks with a 2-circle Wind Barrier and pushed forward. As Doke aimed for my face again with his hand seal, I ducked and reached for his stomach. ¡°Piercing wind, Wind Bomb.¡± Boom! ¡°Ugh!¡± Doke twisted his body reflexively but couldn¡¯t avoid it completely. Since I had struck his internal organs, the momentary pain must have been immense. I crossed my arms in front of Doke, who was sprawled on the floor. ¡°Is this the legendary demonic magic of the Red Magic Tower? Impressive. I¡¯m honored that you¡¯re showing off with such mediocre skills. Attack me all at once before I get even more impressed. I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± A moment later, Doke, who had regained his senses, and three others lunged at me simultaneously. Seeing them rush towards me with murderous intent, I felt a bitterness in my heart. They must have thought they could easily deal with the consequences even if they killed me. This was why one needed power. They desperately needed a lesson. I looked at them and thought of the highest-level 3-circle magic. ¡°Wind blades that cut through the air, Wind Cutter.¡± A 3-circle wind attribute highest-level spell, Wind Cutter. Swoosh! Faint blade-like shapes flickered above my hands, about a meter long. If you didn¡¯t look closely, it seemed like there was nothing there, but their sharpness was enough to cut through rock. I danced with the blades, like a knight. Slice¡ª Clang¡ª Slice¡ª The Red Magic Tower mages didn¡¯t even know what was hitting them as they were being cut. ¡°Cough!¡± ¡°Argh!¡± The magic they cast was completely shredded by my Wind Cutter. Sharp blood splattered into the air. ¡°W-what is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that before!¡± As the murmurs of the trainees reached my ears, Suddenly, an unimaginably powerful mana wave surged from the opposite side. Fwaaaaaaaaaang¡ª! ¡°Ugh.¡± An immense recoil pressed down on my body. It felt like my entire body was being crushed by a giant rock, making it hard to breathe. My head involuntarily jerked back, and my whole body trembled. I forced myself to tense up and raise my head, and Hector was standing in front of me. ¡°Tsk, you fool. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ugh. Feels like the real deal.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you forget about the bet? I defeated a 4-star mage in actual combat. You¡¯re not going to argue that this wasn¡¯t real combat, are you?¡± A look of embarrassment flashed across Hector¡¯s face. I casually wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and glared at him. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re quite sneaky yourself.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You were clearly watching from a while ago. If you were going to say that, you should have stopped it from the beginning. Why, because it didn¡¯t go the way you expected? Can¡¯t you accept your own disciple being defeated?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hector¡¯s expression gradually hardened, and then he muttered out of the blue, ¡°I can¡¯t understand. How can you use circle magic to this extent¡­? More importantly, where did you learn Wind Cutter? You need to answer truthfully.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wind Cutter is a specialized magic that can only be learned by official members of the Red Magic Order. Where did you learn it?¡± I suddenly remembered what the square-jawed instructor had said. He had mentioned something about Grease being a confidential magic and the Yellow Magic Tower when I used it. ¡°I learned it on my own. You don¡¯t think I stole it, do you?¡± ¡°Wind Cutter can only be cast by members of the Red Magic Order. Tell me how you did it.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re this worked up over a mere Wind Cutter, you¡¯ll probably faint later. Incantations and hand seals are completely different methods of casting magic. Stop talking nonsense and admit it.¡± Hector¡¯s expression hardened completely. It was an expression I had never seen before, but I could sense how he was feeling. Hector was¡­ Truly angry. ¡°I can¡¯t understand this at all.¡± ¡°Are you saying you won¡¯t acknowledge the bet?¡± ¡°I need to confirm it myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of your arrogance again. The arrogant notion that circles are weaker than cores.¡± Hector frowned and asked, ¡°Arrogant?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hector stared at me intently and then spoke quietly, ¡°I am Hector Kart. The Crimson Flame who rode the Orc King, a 7-star mage, the Vice-Tower Master of the Red Magic Tower, and one who has ascended to the ranks of the superhuman. I am qualified to test you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mentioning being Samael¡¯s guardian. Are you embarrassed about that?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Hector glared at me and took a step back. But his aura grew stronger. ¡°Prove it to me. But only use up to 3-star magic.¡± I smirked and looked at Hector. ¡°Alright. But let¡¯s make another bet. I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡± * * * Kazen Samael was taking a nap in the depths of the House Hall. His head was pounding from thinking too much. Boom! A loud noise pierced Kazen¡¯s ears. It was the umpteenth time he had heard it. Kazen didn¡¯t open his eyes. He assumed it was the Red Magic Tower mages training in the training grounds. However. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky!¡± The moment Kazen heard Hector¡¯s disciple, Doke, shout, He couldn¡¯t stay still any longer. ¡­Could it be that Ruin had disobeyed his orders? Not now. No matter how much he was his son, this time, he couldn¡¯t tolerate it. It wouldn¡¯t be good for their relationship with the Red Magic Tower to be strained at this moment. ¡®I told him clearly, yet he caused trouble in the meantime?¡¯ As he hurriedly went outside, he saw Ruin. The best course of action was to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, but Kazen stopped in his tracks as if he had suddenly lost his words. Thud¡ª Ruin was casting a spell. Even Kazen, who had once achieved the 6-circle realm, couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. In an instant, all the Red Magic Tower mages were sprawled on the training ground floor. ¡®¡­Is this circle magic?¡¯ Kazen glanced at the other side of the training ground and saw the elders. Seeing them all tilting their heads with blank expressions, Kazen thought, His own expression must be the same as theirs. S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. When Hector pressured Ruin, When Ruin withstood that pressure and retorted to Hector¡¯s face. Kazen had simply watched. His son¡¯s actions were stirring something deep within Kazen¡¯s heart like a blazing fire. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s make another bet. I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡± His son, who was talking to Hector, suddenly looked this way. As if telling him to listen carefully. ¡°A bet? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll clear all of Kart and Samael¡¯s remaining debts.¡± ¡°What?¡± Hector¡¯s eyes blazed with anger. It was as if he was asking how dare Ruin say such a thing without any authority. Hector¡¯s gaze slowly shifted towards Kazen. Kazen should have shaken his head. That was the natural thing to do. He should have immediately stopped it, asking what nonsense Ruin was spouting, but for some reason, Kazen couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ His heart pounded. A whirlwind of emotions strong enough to overwhelm his usually calm rationality in an instant. Perhaps it was because his son¡¯s bold actions were the image of Samael that Kazen had always dreamed of. His son¡¯s voice slowly reached his ears and pierced through him. ¡°But if I win.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You, Hector, will clearly acknowledge that you are the guardian of Samael.¡± [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] The Crazy Mage Reincarnated into a Fallen Family Chapter 25 – Samael Was the Strongest (2) [Translator ¨C Hestia][Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks] Chapter 25: Samael Was the Strongest (2) Hector didn¡¯t answer. He simply scoffed and put his hands behind his back. It wasn¡¯t a sign of refusal. His eyes, burning with intensity, held a mixture of contempt for a young pup who didn¡¯t know his place and anger that showed he was genuinely furious. As proof, With just a change in his posture, An oppressive pressure weighed down on my heart. ¡°You have an interesting way with words. Alright. Come at me.¡± His hands clasped behind his back, he exuded a relaxed demeanor as if he were on a leisurely stroll, without a single opening. A difference in class. I suddenly chuckled. It had been a while since I felt this kind of pressure. Just as I had despaired when I saw Pelleer back then, it was clear that I couldn¡¯t surpass Hector, no matter what I did. Both I and Hector knew this. ¡°Where did your earlier bravado go? It seems you¡¯re scared now.¡± No way. I was the Crazy Mage. And Hector didn¡¯t know that. Whirrr¡ª I opened all three circles at once. As soon as I burned through all the mana flowing through the three rings, I attempted another resonance. ¡°Piercing flames, Fire Spear.¡± ¡®Hardened wind, Wind Barrier.¡¯ ¡®Fireball.¡¯ The Fire Spear flew in a straight line. The Fireball curved. I charged towards Hector with the Wind Barrier wrapped around my body. ¡°Showing off your little tricks again, huh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± I was repelled as soon as I charged. I didn¡¯t even see Hector move. I could only guess what had happened from the bitter pain in my solar plexus. When I came to my senses and looked at Hector, the spell I had cast had vanished without a trace. ¡°Exploding water pressure, Water Bomb.¡± ¡®Slippery ground, Grease.¡¯ ¡®Wind Step.¡¯ It was a smooth combination of magic, but it made no difference. It felt like I was casting magic at a giant iron wall. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± ¡°For all your big talk, you¡¯re nothing special. Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just getting started.¡± I charged at Hector again. Even if I was repelled, I kept charging without rest. Fwaaaaaaaang¡ª! Sweat poured down like rain. After repeating it ten times, my legs started to tremble. The physical strain of simply confronting a powerful opponent was beyond imagination. Hector was still in his initial stance. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡± ¡°Were you trying to show some age-appropriate spirit? But that won¡¯t change what you¡¯ve said. Even if you are a Samael¡­¡± Suddenly, he trailed off and looked at me with pity. I couldn¡¯t help but let out a hollow laugh again. ¡°You find this situation funny?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°What is?¡± I slowly shook my head and spoke, ¡°Mages of the past all created circles. Knights all built cores. That was a fact that didn¡¯t change for countless years. But in just 300 years, why, how did mages alone sell out their identity?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re trying to talk your way out because you lack the skills.¡± ¡°I was curious. What was the reason? Why did circle magic suddenly become so disregarded?¡± ¡°Because magic has evolved. The limitations of old magic have been proven countless times.¡± ¡°No.¡± I glared at Hector and said, ¡°It¡¯s because they forgot.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Knights value fighting amongst themselves. But mages didn¡¯t.¡± Mages are different from knights. Mages don¡¯t value fighting amongst themselves. Instead, ¡°They proved their worth by fighting against the countless races that threatened humanity.¡± They drove out the giants who ruled the forests, threw themselves into the ogre hordes, defended against the endless waves of monsters, and erased the cunning ¡°Black Clan¡± from this land. [TL/N: ¡®Black Clan¡¯ name is not final] That¡¯s not all. They marched with dragons and slew dragonkin, and in the end¡­ they even fought and won against demons. Each and every one of those battles was a struggle that threatened the survival of the human race, and it was the mages¡¯ unique value that they constantly questioned themselves and evolved in the process. Just like the damn Samael did. That¡¯s why, in those glorious days, there were many great mages who could rival even the dragons, the agents of God and the origin of magic. ¡°Monsters still exist today.¡± I shook my head at Hector¡¯s indifferent answer. ¡°But they don¡¯t feel threatened. That¡¯s why they forgot. You say circles have clear limits? No, circles are just difficult. Modern mages no longer needed to evolve. That¡¯s why they chose the easy path and envied others. They admired knights and started creating things like cores.¡± ¡°You talk too much. Why are all Samael bloodlines so delusional?¡± ¡°Really?¡± I opened all the circles in my heart once again. ¡°Piercing flames, Fire Spear.¡± ¡°Piercing flames, Fire Spear.¡± I manifested two spears of flames, overlapping them, and focused solely on the path of mana extending from my fingertips. Extreme concentration to not lose track of the mana¡¯s path, which stretched out like threads. ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s pointless.¡± As Hector shook his head and tried to dispel the spell, I raised my fingertips upwards like lightning. Whoosh¡ª! Two spears of flames shot up vertically right in front of Hector. ¡°¡­What?¡± As Hector¡¯s pupils dilated slightly, I rotated my heart¡¯s rings once more. ¡°Wind blades that cut through the air, Wind Cutter.¡± A meter-long wind blade sliced through the air, and I pulled the vertically soaring spears of flames back down. There was only one target. Whirrr¡ª The circles spun wildly, and I felt intense pressure in my heart. As the Fire Spear plunged vertically towards Hector from the sky, The Wind Cutter pierced through the Fire Spear, creating an explosion. Kwaaang¡ª! A makeshift Fire Explosion using three 3-circle spells. ¡°Huh.¡± For the first time, a surprised voice escaped Hector¡¯s lips. A Wind Barrier had formed in front of him. It was the first time he had used magic in front of me. ¡°300 years ago, there were fools who marched towards the Land of Death. The final expedition where countless idiotic knights and mages risked their lives to protect humanity.¡± Hector looked at me with increasingly annoyed eyes. ¡°Are you going to bring up legends now?¡± ¡°Yes. They may be just legends now, but it¡¯s a fact that they existed.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this anymore.¡± He pointed his finger at me, without even forming a hand seal. ¡°Ugh.¡± Just one gesture. Blood spurted from my mouth the moment I realized it. Only then did I realize it was a ¡®Fireball.¡¯ Even though it was just a 1-circle spell, the magic cast by a 7-star mage was on a different level. As soon as I sensed the anomaly, I put up three layers of barriers, but my insides were still shaken, and it felt like my organs were about to burst. ¡°See? No matter how much you rant, this is the unchanging truth. Let¡¯s end this.¡± ¡°Ugh, they were all crazy and strong. The 10-year expedition turned everyone into crazed superhumans. Swordsmen, dragon knights, guardians, spearmen, martial artists, mages, everyone. And do you know who was the strongest among them?¡± The 10-year expedition. The two men who remained until the very last moment. ¡°It was the mage.¡± ¡°Stop your nonsense.¡± I stood up. Ruin, the Crazy Mage, who endured for 10 years. Pelleer, the Archmage, who endured for 10 years. I couldn¡¯t stand to see their value dismissed as mere nonsense. ¡°Magic must contain will. Hand seals cannot do that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re becoming more and more insolent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± I closed my eyes. I opened all my senses and focused on the mana in the atmosphere. The fluctuating waves of mana felt particularly dense. SSS-rank, was it? My ¡®Elemental Affinity¡¯ talent for fire and wind. My ¡®Mana Resonance¡¯ talent. The talent to perfectly sense pure mana and draw out the elements within it. In other words, It meant that I was blessed by Ifrit, just like the mages of Samael in the old days. I chanted Wind Barrier in that state. The atmospheric mana gathered by the three circles transformed into wind. At that moment, the Fireball that Hector had shot collided with the Wind Barrier. Boom! ¡°Ugh.¡± The Wind Barrier shattered, and I was pushed back. But this time, it was different from before. The Wind Barrier I had cast had neutralized more than half of Hector¡¯s magic. Blood welled up in my mouth, but it was bearable. ¡°¡­What kind of trick are you using?¡± ¡°A trick, you say?¡± Bang¡ª Boom¡ª Boooom¡ª! Hector fired three spells in a row. I was pushed back, but I held my ground. As soon as the impact threatened to shake my insides, I converted the mana into wind attribute to absorb the shock. Yes, this is Samael. ¡°And among all those mages,¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Samael was the strongest.¡± My voice, declaring as if in a challenge, overlapped with Hector¡¯s hand seals. The 3-star spell he deliberately fired was difficult to dispel even with my blessed talent. I was pushed back 10 meters and slammed my head on the training ground floor. Crack¡ª My skull throbbed, and the bitter smell of blood filled my nostrils. It seemed like my forehead was cracked. But who am I? ¡®I am the Crazy Mage.¡¯ I gritted my teeth and raised my head. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know Ifrit?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still spouting superstition. I really need to end this now.¡± Hector looked at me with a tired expression and slowly turned his head towards Kazen, as if to confirm the outcome of this bet. Yes. S?a??h the Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. You bastard. I¡¯ll show you. What the true nature of Ifrit is, the one you call superstition. That dragons weren¡¯t the only ones granted the status of agent by Ifrit. ¡ª Samael Langrish Ifrit. ¡°Langrish Ifrit, source of blazing rage and cold wind.¡± The name that the high-ranking sorcerers of Samael used to call upon. The blessing of God that they always included in their incantations when casting high-circle spells. It felt strange. The blessing that I had only watched and mocked back then was now flowing from my mouth. And then, Resonance. All the sorcerers of Samael resonated with Ifrit through their own ¡°status.¡± Then. This is my status, Ifrit. ¡°I show the qualification of one who faced the end of the Land of Death. Grant your status, dwelling in this world, to the one who remembers your name. Bring a fleeting flame here.¡± The mana in the atmosphere fluctuated and flowed into the Fireball in my hand. At that moment, my head buzzed, and I heard a hallucination in my ears. * ¡ºIfrit confirms the agent¡¯s qualifications.¡» ¡ºThe agent¡¯s qualifications are met.¡» ¡ºCommencing resonance with Ifrit.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is¡­ equal.¡» ¡ºUnable to contain equal resonance at the current level.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is decreasing.¡» ¡ºThe level of resonance is decreasing.¡» ¡ºA very small portion of the resonance is contained in the heart.¡» . . . . ¡¾Eternity in a fleeting flame.¡¿ * [Translator ¨C Hestia] [Proofreader ¨C Pr?ks]