Talent-Swallowing Magician - Chapter 4

Episode 4

The Mervinger Family’s Shame

Of course, Elric’s exploration party had already taken care of it.

“Do you mean to say that if you wait just a little longer, the legacy of the Demonic Inscription will fall into the hands of this Verex? Hehehehe!”

For the first time in a long time, Professor Verrux was able to calm his anger and burst into laughter.

* * *

Elric and Sean had to frown as soon as they arrived at their destination, Karagul Cave.

“Why are you guys here?”

There were already passengers.

And that’s not just one or two people, but more than twenty people.

“Why is it there? Of course, since two of my classmates said they were having a hard time, everyone stepped forward as one.”

Then the leader of the group adjusted his glasses and stepped forward, grinning.

Long red hair and mean-spirited green eyes. It was a face Elric knew well.

Livon.

Even though it was only for a short time, I was still close to Elixian when I entered school. However, when he found out that Elric was suffering from arrhythmia, he openly turned his back on him… He

was now the chief researcher at the ‘Magical Astronomy Research Institute’ led by Professor Verlux.

And so did the other three people around.

They were fellow students at the school and are currently researchers working under Professor Verrux.

They didn’t seem to have the courage to make eye contact with Elric, so they turned their heads to look away or said ‘Hello?’ with a very shy look.

Unless you were an idiot, you could easily guess why they were here.

“you…!”

Sean glared at them with an annoyed face.

Riven flinched for a moment. Although he may appear confident to Elric, Sean was someone he was reluctant to confront.

The background was different, but first of all, there was a difference in rank.

Still, this mission was a special order from Professor Verlux.

He had to complete it.

‘Anyway, I’m the same guy who followed Professor Verlux’s line, right? The only thing I trample on now is the shame of the Mervinger family. ‘Let’s not worry about Sean.’

Revan tightened his eyes and twisted one corner of his lip.

“As you can see, they even invited experts other than us to help with the exploration? “It means that the dean trusts you and pushes you, so please accept it gladly.”

Elric looked at the guys that Revan had brought in as experts.

The tools he possessed were clearly those necessary for exploration.

Binoculars that detect infrared rays, a pickaxe equipped with various functions, a compass that notifies the appearance of monsters and guides the way, etc.

However, Elric did not miss the unusual look in their eyes.

‘Are they mercenaries who specialize in this kind of work? It’s faint, but it seems like there’s a little bit of magical energy… If anything really comes out of the cave, I think they’re just going to intercept it.’

Elric narrowed his eyes.

‘If the Dean says it’s going to be like this until the end, there’s nothing I can do about it.’

He had planned to just end it to the point of ruining the presidential election, but… he had no intention of just sitting still when it came out so blatantly.

‘But for now, let’s just focus on exploration.’

It won’t be too late to think about how to deal with them later.

‘Still, we can’t just ignore it…’

At that moment, Elric curled up one side of his lip.

“surely. I never thought the dean would support me this much. In addition, please select me as a special motivation and send it to me.”

“yes? So, now let’s all go up to the cave together…”

“So, Riven.”

Elric smiled cynically and pointed at the surrounding area with his chin.

“I thought it would be necessary to investigate the ecosystem around the cave before starting the exploration. “Can you help me organize the herbs within 1 kilometer?”

“All of that…?”

“huh. All. On your own. “Is it possible?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Riven’s complexion became pale.

It goes without saying.

Before exploring Mana Spot, it was most important to explore and investigate the surrounding area in advance.

It usually takes place over a period of several weeks or up to several months and requires approximately dozens of people.

But do it by yourself?

If you did that in such a steep mountainous area, you were bound to get a bone disease.

As Riven, I had no choice but to argue.

“I’m the leader of the expedition here… If you don’t want to hear anything, you can go back.”

“….”

Elric’s casual words made Revan keep his mouth shut.

The exploration leader’s words were absolute, so if you didn’t listen, you had no choice but to be kicked out.

‘As expected, I’m not turning this guy into an enemy.’

Sean felt sympathy for Riven, even if only for a brief moment.

Somehow, it felt like Elric’s personality had improved significantly since coming here.

* * *

“【Sinawi of Mana】.”

As Sean chanted, a bright cluster of light burst out from the crystal ball he held in his hand and scattered across the entire mountainside.

‘I never thought I’d end up using a magic search tool in something like this…’

Sean laughed bitterly.

A magic search tool is a very expensive tactical magic tool originally used to detect hidden wizards during war.

I felt like Elric had been very diligent in ripping off Professor Verlux.

‘You must be very angry right now.’

That was when a bitter smile grew on Sean’s lips.

Duuuung!

For a moment, Sean received such a shock that it felt like his head was breaking.

Far away.

Near the halfway point of the mountain, a golden pillar of enormous size was seen rising high.

“Sean!”

“Could this be…?”

“Ah, a magic field of enormous size! Ah, no barrier…!”

Astonishment spread across the eyes of Revan and others who were watching Sean.

The color of magic search changes depending on the level of mana. Among them, golden color represents the highest level of great mage.

And if it’s that size and size…!

“Is there really a dragon’s nest over there…?”

“Everyone be quiet! “Let’s go now.”

Sean shouted, gritting his teeth with a pale complexion.

Elric noticed that he had suffered quite a few internal injuries, but he immediately moved the exploration team.

“We will move to our destination before the exploration team’s pillar of light goes out.”

Even though I wanted to check on Sean’s condition, it was clear that if I waited here, I would be nagged later.

Pot-

Elric was able to reach his destination while riding on the back of one of the exploration team members.

However, the place where the pillar of light formed was a flat plateau.

Unlike the dense forest surrounding it, it is a wasteland where not even a single tree or grass grows.

There weren’t even common rocks.

“What is this…?”

The members of the exploration team looked puzzled for a moment when they could not see the cracks or caves they had expected to be there.

“Here.”

Elric quickly scanned the area and pointed to a spot.

“【flare】.”

When Sean exploded a fireball exactly on top of it, the ground caved in with a huge explosion, as if a landslide had occurred.

Then a large blood vessel is revealed.

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

It was so big and deep that dozens of people could fit in at once.

And at the same time, the enormous amount of magic scent wafting out was enough to make the wizards dizzy for a moment.

While they barely managed to keep their balance, they had no choice but to look at Elric in astonishment.

‘How can you pinpoint the location so accurately with just one look?’

‘Are you really the same failing student I knew…?’

What the magic search sphere detects is only an approximate location and cannot pinpoint the exact point.

This was no different for general professors and teaching assistants.

That’s why preliminary field trips and help from other experts are needed… but that’s all useless.

Even though Elric was good at studying, his classmates, who thought he was a disgrace to the magic clan, had to feel their hearts pounding.

Sean held his nose high as if it were his job, as if to say to his classmates, ‘Do you understand that now?’

“Entering.”

Elric didn’t think it was a big deal and walked inside the cave.

* * *

“Here… dragons came and went in ancient times, right?”

“deep. very.”

“uh. It’s so depressing. “Even if I turn on my magic, the cold doesn’t go away.”

The cave boasted a very large size.

Much more than it looks from the outside.

The exploration team was completely overwhelmed by the majestic scale of the cave throughout the trip.

Even though it has already been more than a thousand years since the ancient dragon completely disappeared, the scent of magical power permeating deep throughout the cave took the wizards’ breath away.

I had a strong feeling that a dragon might have been coming and going here just yesterday.

‘Everyone already has no doubt that this is the dragon’s nest.’

Sean walked along the path, claiming to be the leader, following Elric, and laughed as he watched the reactions of the exploration team.

Although he had clearly received orders from Professor Verlux to interfere with Elric, he was already on the verge of losing it.

Sean thought there was nothing he could do.

‘Anyway, they are wizards too.’

Pioneers who delve into the unknown, explore knowledge, and pursue the truth.

A wizard could not help but be fascinated by the mystery of the existence of a dragon. In front of that, political positions become useless.

‘Anyway, it’s too cold. Can the magic barrier spread throughout the nest be this strong? ‘What kind of species is this being that lives here?’

Sean repeatedly rubbed his forearms with both hands, but he could not get rid of the cold. Every time I took a breath, a lot of breath came out.

Other wizards also tried to spin the circle fiercely or use fire-attribute magic, but the cold that seeped into their bones did not go away.

Diamond Dragon.

Jewelry Dragon.

Even in academia, there were doubts about its existence for a very long time, and only recently has its classification been completed.

It was clear that he possessed tremendous magical power during his lifetime.

‘Perhaps we can compare it to Gold, which is said to control light, or Red, which is the largest.’

Sean planned to take a close look at the visible things first.

Then.

‘What is he doing again?’

I looked belatedly at Elric busily scribbling something in his notebook and made a bewildered expression.

The contents were all made up of runes.

An old language that even magicians are reluctant to use because it is complex and difficult.

It looks like some kind of structural formula…

“What is that?”

“Understanding the magic trick. “I was looking for the sun.”

Sean asked, lowering his voice as a flash of thought occurred to him.

“Are you really looking for the structural formula of the barrier?”

“uh.”

“…!”

The answer is so simple.

But Sean trembled.

Analyzing the magic embodied by the dragon?

I felt like I wanted to scream.

In fact, what Elric was seeing was a world much bigger and more expansive than that.

‘This place… It’s a bonanza.’

I had been thinking that way from the moment I entered the nest.

Simply being here was eye-opening.

A fractal structure that constitutes a barrier.

An elemental magic that circulates the air.

Jewelry magic that is embedded in stone walls and manifesting various magic.

Various traps to block intruders, and all kinds of bizarre shapes and letters that contain mysterious magic.

Even the connection model that allows these various magics to move organically with each other…

Elric was able to see, feel, and smell all of those things thanks to his family’s unique keen senses.

Magic with different origins and methods interlock with each other like cogwheels in a huge system.

It was enough to make him as intoxicated as when he first found out what the universe was made of.

‘This is the dragon magic I’ve only heard about.’

Everything I had studied and learned so far seemed to be dismantled one by one and reassembled into a new form in front of the vast world view provided by Yongeon Magic.

Ecstasy.

Or drive (沒我).

Without even realizing it, an unexpected moment that no magician could hope for had arrived.

Wizard who swallowed talent