"The Magic Tower?"
The Magic Tower…
It was an organization he had never heard about, yet it felt familiar for some unknown reason.
It felt that they had appeared out of nowhere, just like how an organization called 'The Magic Tower' appeared in some novels because what would a fantasy novel be without such an organization?
"They said it's called 'The Tower of Truth,' to be more precise."
"The Tower of Truth…"
He scratched his chin.
It didn't matter if the name was ‘Tower of Magic’ or ‘Tower of Truth’.
"What country is this guild from?"
"They're a large-scale guild located in Europe. They’re a bit unique… It seems like they have a long history."
"A long history?"
It had only been six years since players appeared on Earth. How long of a history could they have?
‘Wait…’
He narrowed his eyes.
He recalled Cheon MooJin and Zhuge Xuan.
'They said they'd been using martial arts before players appeared.'
In the case of Cheon MooJin, although most of it had been lost or modified, he even knew the martial art techniques of Martial God Cheon TaeHwang.
'Then…'
That meant the Tower of Truth had existed before the Cataclysmic Day.
Just like Cheon MooJin used martial arts before that day, there was a chance they were also using techniques that couldn't be explained with science since before the Cataclysmic Day.
'It doesn't sound impossible.'
The Demon Cult was an organization with thousands of years of history, after all.
Magic, incantations, martial arts…
Those things that spread after the Cataclysmic Day had existed since before it as well.
“Where is he?"
"We've locked him in the Hall of Protection with Ms. Gaia's permission. Mr. ShiHoon is guarding him."
He nodded.
It didn't matter what organization he was from—they couldn't immediately believe his words that he wasn't a Demon Cult member.
There probably weren’t any idiots who, while asking for refuge from Guardian, would confidently say he was a Demon Cult member.
He stood up.
"Are you going to go?"
"There's no better way than talking directly, after all."
"Fufu, I’ll guide you there."
"If it's the Hall of Protection, I've been there too many times already.'
KangWoo smirked and opened a gate that led there.
'Now that I think about it, it's quite comfortable.'
He could go there from anywhere around the world. Not only that, but it could take him to any Guardian base worldwide, so in terms of comfort, it was top-notch.
As he walked through the gate, he saw a familiar, white passageway.
"Hyeongnim."
Kim ShiHoon, who was protecting the entrance, greeted him.
He nodded and entered the room.
There, he saw an old man with white hair and a beard who had been locked away by a magic power restraining device.
He looked like an old magician from a certain fantasy movie where they go on a journey to find a ring.
He sat in front of him.
"Nice to meet you."
"You…"
"I'm Oh KangWoo from Guardian. There were a few things I wanted to ask."
"Ugh."
The old man twisted his body as if the magic power restraining device were uncomfortable.
KangWoo opened his mouth while smiling.
"I hope you can understand, even if the restraining device is a bit uncomfortable."
"Ah, yes…! O-of course."
The old man was surprised and bowed his head.
He carefully opened his mouth.
"My name is Kadga. I'm a Magician from the Tower of Truth."
"I've never heard of it."
"The existence of the Magic Tower isn't publicly known,” he said with pride.
* * *
KangWoo narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth.
"I heard you were kidnapped by the Demon Cult… Tell me specifically what happened."
"It's just as you heard. Those dirty demons kidnapped us and treated us like slaves…! Ugh."
It seemed like he was overflowing with emotions. He frowned and bit his lip.
KangWoo felt a desperate emotion flowing in him, and his eyes shone.
'He doesn’t seem to be lying.'
He hadn't talked while crying as a victim usually did, but he didn't seem to be acting.
"Haa. Haa."
Kadga calmed down and kept talking.
"We, the magicians of the Magic Tower, have been investigating magic for a very long time in order to study the truth."
"I heard you've been using magic since before players appeared…"
"Yes, that's right," he said confidently.
"I guess you could say it's a small reward for researching the truth. We were able to do some miracles."
"I see."
"While we were researching, we were ambushed by the Demon Cult. They robbed our magic and kidnapped us to make us work like slaves."
"When was that?"
"Hmm… about a year ago."
His eyes became teary as if he was remembering a terrible nightmare.
'A year ago…"
KangWoo's eyes narrowed after hearing that.
"Don't magicians of the Magic Tower have magic useful in battle?"
"No. That's not the case. We have strong magics that have been taught from generation to generation, but…"
Kadga lowered his eyes.
"We weren't able to beat the demons."
'Well, I guess that makes sense.'
Demons and humans… There was a clear difference in strength between the two races.
Of course, some humans could cut and slay most demons, for example, Kim ShiHoon, but that was an exception.
"You said your magic was robbed… What did they rob exactly?"
"We were forced to create a magic item they required. They were very small, black jewels… They were used to create very weird-looking stakes."
"I see."
KangWoo's eyes shone.
Demonic Energy Stones and Fissure Fragments…
He understood how they were able to mass-produce those things.
"We were also forced to enchant numerous equipment and weapons and were basically forced to work as factory workers."
He clenched his fists in anger.
"Those damn demons! Magic isn't supposed to be used for meaningless things like that!!"
"Calm down… How did you free yourself?"
"Some unknown demons attacked the factory that we were in. It seemed like there was some kind of internal conflict… We took that opportunity to escape."
He'd taken advantage of the fight between the Demon Cult and Lucifer's underlings and escaped.
Kadga bowed to KangWoo.
"Please! There are more of us who are still being held by the Demon Cult! Even now, they're being tortured by those evil demons. Please… Please, save them!"
"Of course," KangWoo answered without hesitation and smiled.
'The Magic Tower…'
The Magic Tower, an organization of magicians that had been searching for the truth for a very long time.
'Well, they don't seem to be quite worthy of pity.'
He almost felt pity after hearing the circumstances they were forced into, but when he thought about it, there didn't seem to be the need for that.
'If they were ambushed a year ago…'
That meant that, before that, the Magic Tower had remained peaceful.
'And the fact that no one knew about their existence… Well, it probably means that…'
They hadn't done anything on the Cataclysmic Day despite humanity’s struggle.
They had the power to fight monsters since before players had appeared, yet they hadn't done that.
They hadn't protected or saved anyone.
The only thing that mattered to them was 'investigating the truth.'
'It's not like you have to use your strength for the benefit of others just because you have more strength.'
Still, at least it wasn't that good, innocent people had been kidnapped and forced to work.
People who were silent and hadn't done anything while others were suffering in pain were asking for help.
It was fun seeing people who were not willing to save anyone desperately asking for help.
'Well, I guess it doesn't matter.'
He didn't have to care about whether they were good or not.
What mattered was their worth—whether they were useful or not.
'They said they can also enchant equipment.'
They could fortify all sorts of equipment, and not only that, but they could also create all sorts of magic weapons and make scrolls.
'Not bad.'
He was starting to feel disappointed by the average level of players.
If they could increase their specs thanks to equipment, they were worthy of being saved.
'I could use them.'
A smile appeared on his face.
* * *
'Good!'
Kadga exclaimed in excitement.
He thought he had finally grabbed a line of hope.
'As expected, it was worth coming here.'
An organization made of idiots who did their best to save humanity, Guardian…
He'd heard about their existence, but he’d never imagined things would get solved so easily.
'To think that there really are people like this.'
He couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
He couldn't understand it. He'd never cared about monsters ambushing others after crossing the gates or warring against the Demon Cult.
'Tsk, how lame.'
They didn't understand what was important and didn't understand the real meaning that the 'Cataclysmic Day' had.
The Earth, the world the current humanity was living on, wasn't able to reach the core of the truth.
In fact, they didn't even try to reach it.
They weren't trying to understand why gates had opened all around the world and why players had appeared.
'They are probably never going to understand why Earth is special.'
Earth was different from other planets.
‘This world…’
"Do you know where your partners are being held?"
"Ah…! O-of course!" Kadga quickly answered.
He knew where his partners were being held.
No, to be more precise, he knew where the Tower of Truth’s research materials were being guarded.
'Partners…'
The magician couldn't help but laugh at that word.
What mattered weren't his partners.
He didn't care if they lived as slaves under the Demon Cult.
'The research material…'
That's what he needed.
'There isn't much left before we can piece together Hecate's teachings…'
The God of Magic, Hecate, one of the titans that appeared in mythology.
They were ambushed by the Demon Cult when they were on the cusp of understanding some of his teachings.
'Haa. If I think about everything I suffered because of those bastards…'
He remembered the days he'd spent as a slave.
'Magic isn't supposed to be used for something as trivial as that!'
Magic was a sacred knowledge that was supposed to be used to research the truth.
It wasn't supposed to be used to create magic equipment or enchantment.
'It’s over now.'
Kadga's eyes shone.
He'd heard rumors about Guardian.
Guardian was so strong that they'd won a battle against a giant branch of the Demon Cult in Tibet.
They were an organization that could be called the last bastion of humanity.
'Finally… The day when we're free from the demons will come!!'
He clenched both fists.
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