The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 144: The Inflection Point of Pure White (5)

“Hoo.”

Verdi Nakwind took a deep breath.

At that moment, the spectators watching them disappeared, and towering walls rose around them.

Was it because those gazes had vanished?

Verdi actually felt more at ease.

“I still can’t get used to this, no matter how many times I see it.”

“Exactly. To think this is all an illusion…”

“I thought the Violet Tower only dealt with illusions and mirages, so I didn’t expect much. But my opinion has completely changed.”

His companions voiced their shared impressions, one after another.

But before long, their gazes all turned toward him.

“Verdi, are you really okay?”

“Normally, I’d think you were just putting on a brave face to boost morale…”

“But your opponent is Oscar, of all people.”

Oscar Crucian.

That unpredictable genius had healed Verdi the night before.

And it wasn’t just a rumor—this was something the Tower Master himself had confirmed.

There was no reason to doubt it.

Verdi slowly nodded.

“Yeah, probably.”

“If you’re healed, you’re healed. What’s with that ‘probably’?”

“So far, in the past sixteen hours since the treatment, I haven’t had a single incident of mana backlash.”

“How often did you experience it before?”

Before, huh?

It had only been a day, yet it already felt like a distant past.

Maybe because he desperately wanted to forget that hellish, agonizing time as quickly as possible.

Verdi slowly opened his eyes and answered.

“…Too many times to count.”

“Got it.”

His companions’ expressions hardened.

Their team’s combat power had increased.

And the one who had grown stronger was none other than Verdi—who was already considered one of the strongest among them.

They couldn’t help but feel reassured.

[The official match will begin in 10 seconds.]

As the announcement echoed throughout the labyrinthine dungeon—

Tap. Tap.

One by one, his comrades patted him on the shoulder as they passed by.

“Go wild. We’ll take care of finding the key.”

“Make sure those arrogant Tower mages see for themselves.”

“Show them who you really are. Show them what you can do—what you could have done if not for that damned illness.”

“……”

Verdi quietly looked at his shoulder.

Normally, expectations like these would have felt heavy.

He would have struggled to bear their weight, feeling suffocated by the pressure.

‘But now…’

Not this time.

His steps felt light, and his body was brimming with energy.

He had never felt such confidence in his entire life.

“Leave it to me.”

At his unwavering voice, his comrades grinned.

[3.]

[2.]

[1.]

[The match begins.]

At that moment, the nine mages scattered in different directions.

Each became a scout, setting off to find the golden key.

Meanwhile, Verdi sprinted toward the path his comrades had avoided.

‘I need to get there as quickly as possible.’@@novelbin@@

His target was the boss monster guarding the exit.

It would start moving five minutes after the match began.

‘I have to keep it occupied…’

His job was to hold it off alone so the others could focus on finding the key.

That was the strategy of the White Tower.

‘It’s the most efficient plan—but also the most dangerous.’

The other Towers weren’t fools.

The only reason they had never attempted this strategy was that it was practically impossible.

“Hoo.”

In this randomly generated dungeon, the only fixed location was the boss room.

Verdi arrived at the massive stone gate and pushed with all his strength.

Creak, creak.

“……”

The moment he stepped across the threshold, the air changed.

The colors around him shifted.

As he entered the vast chamber of bluish-gray stone—

Whoosh, whoosh!

Ghostly blue flames erupted in various places, evoking the presence of death.

Verdi gazed at the figure reflected in the flickering flames.

At the center of the room sat a massive stone statue, wings folded and horns protruding from its head.

‘A gargoyle.’

Even while crouched, it was over two meters tall.

It had already eliminated more than ten mages and was the undisputed master of this dungeon.

Verdi glanced at the time.

4 minutes, 12 seconds.

Three seconds faster than his estimated arrival time.

Without wasting a single second, he began casting his spells.

‘A mage must always be prepared.’

And in that aspect, no one surpassed him.

Of that, he was certain.

‘I was never good at dealing with sudden changes.’

Because he was a patient afflicted with mana backlash.

That was why he was always cautious—always careful.

Even a slight rush in drawing out mana would trigger the symptoms nearly every time.

‘That fear controlled me.’

He had developed a habit of using his magic slowly, steadily, safely.

But now, the chains of magical backlash that had bound him were gone.

‘It’s time to find out.’

What he was capable of now.

How much he had changed.

Verdi carefully but flawlessly set up his magic circles.

His actions were smooth, precise—like a machine programmed for spellcasting.

“……”

After setting up thirty-seven magic circles, he took a brief moment to catch his breath.

Then—

Crack. Crackle.

Small pieces of stone began falling from the gargoyle’s body.

[Five minutes have passed since the match began.]

[The slumbering presence in the deepest part of the dungeon awakens.]

As the system announcement echoed—

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

The gargoyle slowly unfolded its legs and stretched its back upright.

In an instant, its head rose to a height of six meters—so tall that one could no longer look at it without tilting their head back.

“……Hoo.”

At the same moment Verdi let out a deep breath—

BOOOOM!

The gargoyle’s massive fist crashed down onto the spot where he had been standing.

* * *

The main screen in the arena was entirely focused on Verdi and the gargoyle.

[It looks like things are about to begin. Baron Bellowin, what’s your take on this?]

[To be honest, I think it's reckless.]

Bellowin took a sip of her whiskey before continuing.

[It’s not that other magic towers didn’t know about this method. But why do you think they didn’t use it?]

[Because they didn’t believe it was feasible.]

[Exactly. In fact, according to the official setting book created by the Violet Moon……]

She opened the book on the table and read the entry on the gargoyle.

[That boss monster is set at level 6.]

[Level 6, huh.]

[It was absurd that four mages from the Red Tower almost managed to take it down.]

[Then that means he must have some kind of plan prepared… Ah, he’s setting up a magic circle now.]

Tesila let out a small exclamation as she watched the screen.

[It’s like watching a machine. Since I’m not there in person, I can’t be sure, but I doubt even a single speck of mana is being wasted in his spell formations. What do you think, Master Andre?]

[Hmm, his skill is nearly flawless. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever heard the name Verdi, but now I find it shocking that I didn’t know him sooner.]

A level 8 royal court mage had just described his abilities as "nearly flawless."

At those words, the watching mages whispered among themselves.

“Hmph. Is it really that impressive?”

“Doesn’t seem much different from what I do.”

BOOOOOM!

At that moment, the gargoyle’s preemptive strike shook the screen with a deafening roar.

[Ah! The battle has begun! It’s been five minutes now!]

[Honestly, I’m a little worried. The gargoyle’s skin is as strong as steel.]

[That’s true. We’ll have to see what kind of wind magic he plans to use to restrain that monster.]

A gargoyle could withstand most attacks without taking any damage.

Worse yet, if it determined that an attack posed no threat to it, it would simply ignore its opponent and leave.

That was the fundamental reason why it took at least four mages to pin down a gargoyle.

[And right now, Verdi is activating his first magic circle!]

[The first spell he’s using is…? Hmm?]

[Huh?]

[Hm?]

The three commentators all voiced their confusion at the same time.

And for good reason—because the spell emerging from the magic circle did not seem powerful at all.

Bellowin tilted his head.

[It looks like a Wind Blade spell. Master Andre, what do you think?]

[That is indeed Wind Blade.]

[……Excuse me? If that’s true, then this doesn’t seem like the right spell to use against a gargoyle.]

[It would be quite difficult indeed.]

Using a blade of wind to cut a gargoyle?

That was not just difficult—it was nearly impossible.

If Verdi had been a high-ranking mage, he might have been able to compress an enormous amount of mana to make it work.

But that kind of feat was not something a mere level 5 intermediate mage could achieve.

[Ah, Verdi Nakwind is flicking his fingers, sending a blade at his opponent! And—it lands!]

The blade of wind slashed through the air and struck the gargoyle’s neck.

SCREEEECH!

A violent burst of sparks erupted from the point of impact—but the gargoyle showed no reaction.

[Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have had any effect on the gargoyle.]

[I agree, it looks that way to me as well.]

[I don’t understand what he’s trying to accomplish with this attack…]

But Verdi was undeterred and conjured another blade from the magic circle.

[He’s trying the same attack again even though it didn’t work! Could it be that all thirty-seven of his magic circles are Wind Blades?]

[Hmm. If that’s the case, I’d say his chances of winning aren’t very high.]

As the commentators tilted their heads in doubt, they suddenly shouted in alarm.

[Ah! The gargoyle seems to be getting annoyed with Verdi, like he’s some bothersome fly! It’s firing lasers from its eyes!]

[It looks like it wants to deal with him quickly and move on to another prey.]

[How will Verdi respond… Ah! He’s activating his third magic circle!]

The third magic circle produced a Wind Shield.

ZZZZZIIIING!

The descending laser beams hit the shield at a precise angle, scattering in all directions.

[Hmm?]

Among the commentators, only Andre noticed something strange.

Bellowin looked at him curiously.

[What is it?]

[The Wind Shield he just summoned—it didn’t move or change angles at all.]

[Yes, that’s right. Is there something wrong with that?]

[No. Quite the opposite.]

Not only had Verdi predicted the gargoyle’s attack, but he had also calculated the exact angle at which it would fire.

Realizing this, a chill ran down Andre’s spine.

[He entered the boss room, set up thirty-seven magic circles, and then rested.]

[Yes, that’s right.]

[At first, I thought he was just taking a break because he was exhausted. But now, I have a different suspicion.]

[What do you mean…?]

[A great architect, when designing a new building, plans out every last detail—including the exact number of screws that will be used. If Verdi decided that thirty-seven magic circles were enough to defeat the gargoyle… don’t you think that means he calculated it all in advance?]

At those words, Bellowin and Tesila fell silent.

Their expressions showed their skepticism, but at the same time…

Verdi activated his third magic circle.

Once again, a Wind Blade appeared.

SWOOSH!

The blade sliced through the air and scraped against the gargoyle’s ‘neck.’

[……!]

[……!]

The commentators' eyes widened in shock.

Because the attack landed at exactly the same spot as the first one—without a single millimeter of deviation.

[Hmm, it seems I made a major misjudgment.]

Andre watched the scene and admitted his mistake.

[Verdi never intended to restrain the gargoyle in the first place.]

[Then… what was his plan?]

[Hunting.]

The gargoyle, having just realized that a tiny piece of its tough skin had been shaved off, fixed its gaze on its opponent.

[From the very start… he planned to hunt that gargoyle down.]

[Translator - Night]

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