Chapter 185: Kergel (12)

The floors right up to the previous one had been crawling with mages. They were all top-tier talents, each one proving their worth as guardians of the Magic Tower’s heart.

Their misfortune was that their opponent was Lee Taebaek.

In the early days, he’d somehow scraped by to become one of the Ten Wings.

Just one.

But as the saying goes, position makes the man.

Separate from his personal efforts, Lee Taebaek had grown stronger. Stronger than when he’d crushed the Sword Master to claim his spot among the Ten Wings. Stronger than when the Staff Master had bestowed the elixir upon him. Even stronger than the day the Art Master had shared her teachings.

Right in the heart of enemy territory—no matter that it was the Kergel Magic Tower—it barely stirred his nerves. Until just moments ago.

“…Right Guardian.”

A middle-aged man waiting alone. Even isolated as he was, his presence weighed far heavier than the hordes of mages who’d swarmed him earlier.

And while his official title was Right Luminary, he’d introduced himself as Mad Demon Right Hand.

Most madmen don’t realize they’re mad, but this one was different. Lee Taebaek could vouch for it—he’d created the guy as a mid-boss, after all. The moniker Mad Demon Right Hand fit him to a T.

‘The design intent was pure psycho.’

As Lee Taebaek muttered his own insult under his breath, the Mad Demon Right Hand burst into booming laughter.

“What an honor! For the Supreme of the Ten Wings to take an interest even in a third-rate martial riffraff like me!”

“……”

Coming from anyone else, it would’ve been blatant mockery.

‘But this guy’s dead serious.’

Madmen spout nonsense, but they don’t lie.

“Was that welcome a bit too enthusiastic?”

Instead of replying, Lee Taebaek glanced at Kang Hyeonseong. The man had collapsed, tongue lolling out, foam dribbling from his mouth. It felt wrong to say it to someone down, but his back was nicely charred to a crisp.

At least he was still alive.

To survive a bolt of lightning like that…

It was a miracle his specialty wasn’t [Strength] or [Faith].

Whatever the case, save first, ask questions later.

Lee Taebaek dropped to one knee and placed a hand on Kang Hyeonseong. Pale green specks of light gathered around him like fireflies. Buffing Kang Hyeonseong’s Faith. Enhancing his natural regeneration.

“*Kuuh…*”

Kang Hyeonseong’s tense facial muscles relaxed. He coughed raggedly a few times, steadying his breathing.

He’d passed the crisis. Whether to return to the front lines was up to him. No point trying to stop the guy—he never listened anyway.

“Supreme, you…”

Ignored again, the madman’s eyebrows arched gracefully.

“Are you ignoring me?”

“Why ask when you know the answer, you psycho? If this isn’t ignoring you, then what is? Every third-rate villain’s got that trait—asking the obvious, over and over.”

“Third-rate… villain?”

A crack split across the madman’s face.

That last jab had hit his reverse scale.

Normally, he played the part of a carefree, boisterous lunatic.

But in truth, it was the opposite.

This psycho was the epitome of pettiness.

There was even a perfect idiom for him.

The weak bully the weak, the strong bully the strong.

“Judge someone weaker and you puff up. Feel weak? You puff up harder. That’s third-rate villain shit.”

“……”

Rooooar…

Black flames ignited in the madman’s eyes. His fighting spirit scattered in all directions, stinging the skin.

“How about now.”

The madman glared wildly.

“Still think I’m third-rate villain material?”

“Yep.”

Lee Taebaek nodded immediately.

“Weight class alone doesn’t make you legit, old man. You’ve gotta have convictions, presence. Look at you. Got any?”

“…Don’t act like you know me—!”

The madman lunged. His movement was lightning incarnate.

Lightning magic. A specialist in thunder arts, rare even within the tower.

His petty personality didn’t extend to his magic—he was sharp there.

For movement, he slapped on a ‘drastically reduce power’ restriction to boost speed. For attacks, ‘drastically reduce speed’ to amp damage. No one else exploited restrictions across multiple angles like this guy.

Thud.

His fist met the umbrella. Too fast for a nerf. Lee Taebaek buffed the Para Blade a beat quicker and thrust. Before the madman could trigger his ‘attack restriction.’

“…!”

The madman blinked in surprise, then ground his teeth.

Lee Taebaek smirked.

“Even back when Illusion Master was alive, you were full of gripes.”

Crackle, crackle.

Electricity raced along the veins bulging from his forearm to shoulder.

“But in front of Heavenly Demon? You shut up and obeyed, right?”

“Shut—up!”

The arm holding the umbrella ached. The Mad Demon cranked his strength with a second restriction. The umbrella’s core bent like a bow under the strain.

‘This fucker’s abilities are way too broken for his character!’

What if a gag character snuck into an otherwise dead-serious Magic Tower arc?

That idle thought birthed this psycho.

But facing him in reality? Agony.

Physically and mentally. Getting tangled with him drained body and soul alike.

Flash!

Lee Taebaek folded the umbrella and swung the blade in his other hand. The madman leaned back, letting it slide past, then snapped his torso forward with elastic force. As expected of a jianghu heavyweight—his body control was no joke.

Then came the thunder punch. Impact first, sonic boom second. He unleashed a frenzy of blows with madman’s fury, all while flapping his gums.

“Me! Me! And I’m still third-rate?!”

“Thought you were third-rate, but correction: you’re tenth-rate. Can’t even fill a single digit.”

“You little—!”

The onslaught intensified. Faster than seemed possible, yet he pulled it off.

Ting.

Lee Taebaek flicked his blade short. Even with Bullet Time active, he could only parry desperately.

Thrusts left afterimages pierced by his own blade. Clang! Sword and lightning sparked again.

Power was middling, but the speed was monstrous—tricky as hell. No good.

All other stats nerfed as restriction.

Tss, tzzzzz—!

Lee Taebaek’s form stretched. His outline dissolved into data particles, tracing lines of light.

“Claiming Ten Wings status at that speed? Aren’t you ashamed of the title?!”

The madman accelerated too. Instantly, they became twin streaks of light, clashing wildly.

■■■■■■■■■■!

Like serpents coiling in pursuit, they danced the spiral waltz. Their trajectories wove spirals across the chamber like genetic helices, flickering in and out of existence.

“Speed…”

Kang Hyeonseong watched from a prone position.

“…I really can’t see it anymore.”

He’d always seen himself as Lee Taebaek’s sole confidant. He’d pulled the guy from rotting in Brain Prison, awakened his potential, led by example. And Taebaek always exceeded expectations.

Sure, his methods were extreme and headache-inducing sometimes. But God always smiled on him in the end.

Yeah. Taebaek was his pride.

His one true understanding soul. Comrade. Friend.

“…Damn it.”

Kang Hyeonseong punched the floor.

While he’d indulged in bromance delusions, Taebaek had surged far ahead. Fighting now in a realm invisible to the naked eye. Against the tower’s number two.

Clang!

The blade arced wide and rebounded. Lee Taebaek released it instantly. Snapped his fingers with a ‘click’ and spun in midair like a swallow.

Auspicious star patterns bloomed in his hand and eyes. A piercing blue glow.

Krrrk.

Ice Spears.

Condensing atmospheric moisture into frozen lances. He raised them high near the ceiling, then launched.

Whiiish!

Thud…!

The floor quaked heavily.

But the spears missed the madman.

“Hahaha! Supreme, they called you Supreme, but you’re nothing special! More like Su—”

Whiiish!

Sizzle—!

His cheek burned.

His ear scorched.

As the jeering madman reflexively raised his right hand—

Plop.

A bloody chunk hit his instep. An ear. His own ear.

“Wh-what?!”

Lee Taebaek gave him no time to scream.

Whiiish! Whiiish! Whiiish!

Ice Spears rained relentlessly.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

They hammered down without cease, encircling the madman.

The Right Guardian’s eyes darted wildly, then he jerked into motion.

Kang Hyeonseong crawled to cover. Fewer spears there—Lee Taebaek’s consideration, no doubt.

“*Haa, haa*”

Leaning against the wall, Kang Hyeonseong exhaled.

“Sudden ice spear baptism…”

He muttered, then an exclamation mark popped over his head.

Ice Spears were stakes.

Meant to restrict the Right Guardian’s movement range.

Speedsters like these seemed flawless at a glance, over-relying on their velocity.

‘Almost unbeatable.’

Assuming no obstacles blocked their path.

“Fuck, you barber—!”

The Right Guardian spat curses while slinking rat-like through the spears. But he knew his luck was running out.

Finally, he leaped skyward. To fight at eye level with Lee Taebaek—for that’s where victory lay.

‘That’s what he hates.’

Because even he was scared. Up close, he’d gauged Lee Taebaek’s measure. The guy held a clear edge.

“…Those sneaky glances earlier? Scouting escape routes.”

Ready to bolt if needed.

‘No wonder Left Guardian took the Ten Wings spot over him.’

Right Guardian outclassed Left Guardian.

Everyone in the know acknowledged it.

But Left Guardian had ascended because of the Right Guardian’s pathetic antics. A Ten Wings had standards. How could such a sniveling worm claim top dog?

“Goddamn it!”

The momentum had fully shifted to Lee Taebaek. Ice Spears blanketed the area. No paths left for the Right Guardian.

And Lee Taebaek wasn’t even going all-out. He knew this wasn’t the final game. He’d stormed the tower. He had to end it here. With Heavenly Demon looming at the end. Conserve strength max.

‘Instant-kill this fucker ASAP.’

Lee Taebaek buffed his Magic Power. A serene convection stirred. Mana-laced winds swirled.

Seizing the moment, the Right Guardian exploded upward. Ear half-gone, but he bellowed.

“Draw!”

“…What?”

“Let’s call it a draw!”

Kang Hyeonseong’s jaw went slack. What the hell was this psycho saying?

No way Taebaek accepts that, right? Nah, no shot. Hehe, draw? No benefits? For real?

But.

Lee Taebaek’s mana-gathering fist slowly unclenched. Relief flickered across the Right Guardian’s face—

“Draw sounds good.”

Veins bulged angrily on Lee Taebaek’s arm.

“For you.”

The compressed Ice Spear shot out in a blink.

“Guh, ugh, ack!”

A frozen spike erupted from the Right Guardian’s nape. His fingers twitched spider-like at his mouth. He plummeted, impaled on the upright spears littering the floor.