Genius Prismatic Mage Chapter 112

#112. Flowers blooming in the mud (1)

The supporters’ hideout, the operations room.

Colin looked puzzled after hearing Ray’s story.

“… So, are you saying that we should lure all the enemies to one place and annihilate them in one blow?”

A table with a sector map spread out.

On the other side sat Ray and Veronica.

A mouse was climbing onto Ray’s hand, holding a piece of chocolate in its hand and eating its cheek full of it.

“To be exact, the ones who will be annihilated are the wizards, and Brook and his loyalists. They will also lure out those who were neutral, though.”

A murmur spread among the squad leaders standing behind Colin.

“Isn’t it a bit unrealistic to think that we can destroy them all at once? Even if we somehow lure the enemy.”

“You’re a wizard, so you probably wouldn’t have just blurted that out….”

“… … .”

In the midst of the confusion, 1st Platoon Leader McCully recalled the events of an hour ago.

The 1st and 2nd squads, who had returned to the hideout, were anxiously waiting for Ray.

─Don’t you have to apply again?

─Looking at it, the number of people has not increased much. There is no room to withdraw troops from other places.

─I’ll radio the other squads. When they’ll be back. If they can provide support.

It was an unexpected person who put a stop to the commotion and anxiety.

─There’s no need for that.

It was Veronica.

─Because Ray told me to go back and wait.

A face filled with worry.

But it is a sentence that is filled with infinite trust in the boy.

─We just have to wait.

In that voice full of confidence, the 1st and 2nd squads had no choice but to accept Veronica’s opinion.

So I waited for Ray.

Meanwhile, the squad members moved the captured food to the warehouse, and Veronica used her magic to care for the wounded from other squads who had begun to return from the fighting.

Nearly an hour had passed.

─The wizard should have been forced to wear the receiver… .

─Shouldn’t you go right now?

As the suppressed anxiety began to increase.

A radio message came down from the watchman on the roof.

“The wizard is returning!”

Veronica threw away the arm of the injured man she was treating and strode briskly toward the entrance of the building.

The injured person, whose arm was thrown and hit the bed frame, screamed, “Ah! My arm!” but was not heard.

The 1st and 2nd squads also gathered at the entrance to the building.

Squeak───

The door opened and a boy appeared.

─Why are you all gathered here?

Why are we all gathered here?

It was a question asked with genuine curiosity.

McCully and the rest of the squad were momentarily taken aback and speechless.

Meanwhile, the girl who had been hovering around the boy looked satisfied after confirming that there were no major injuries.

There were bloodstains on the dusty clothes, but they did not appear to belong to the boy.

Bloodstains.

Whose is it?

There was only one possible outcome within a given situation.

Gulp.

McCully swallowed and asked.

─Those two wizards… .

─I took care of it.

Process. No one did not know what that meant.

My heart pounded.

A huge cheer echoed from the entrance.

The excitement died down, Ray said.

─Is Mr. Colin back?

─Yes. My brother just returned from his reconnaissance of Route 37. Several other squads also returned after securing supplies.

However, they returned with multiple serious injuries.

─I think it would be good if you could gather Colin and the other squad leaders together.

─Do you have anything to say? First, report to Brother Colin and then take a rest… .

McCully couldn’t finish his speech.

─I thought of a way to end the war.

Because of the boy’s words that came out right after.

“… … .”

McCully snapped out of his reverie.

That was why everyone was gathered in the operation room at the moment.

The boy’s call.

But who would have thought that the only way to end the war would be to lure the enemy and then destroy them?

“The lure operation has come up in our meetings as well.”

“But that meant forcing them into an alley, not a building. And that wasn’t the entire enemy force, just the few that were engaged in combat.”

“A bit absurd….”

The commotion grew louder.

McCully thought as he looked at the other squad leaders who were reacting negatively.

‘I don’t know these guys because we haven’t gone on operations together.’

How strong a wizard the boy is.

And how quick your judgment and action are.

There must be a part of him that subconsciously looks down on him because he is a young boy.

That kind of perception is inevitable, and in some ways it’s natural, but McCully now knows.

‘He may be young, but he’s a veteran. I don’t know if he’s capable of planning a strategy, but at least he’s good at fighting.’

I’m sure what I just said wasn’t just empty words.

I took a deep breath and opened my lips.

“I think it would be best to listen to what the wizard has to say first.

“Everyone, be quiet. Ray’s story isn’t over yet.”

McCully met Colin’s gaze as he turned his head back.

The two people who spoke almost simultaneously exchanged glances of ‘knowing’ people with faint smiles.

Ray continued the story.

“With this rat, I used my ministry magic to scout out the enemy territory.”

At that moment, Nero, who had been wandering around the hideout, jumped up onto the table.

He sat down in the middle of the table and stared at the mouse on Ray’s palm.

The moment when the eyes of two animals met.

… … .

… … .

The black tail twitched interestingly.

The pointed mouth that had been twitching stopped.

The mouse ran into Ray’s coat pocket with a piece of chocolate in its mouth, and the cat climbed onto Ray’s lap and tried to touch him.

“No. It’s not for eating.”

While Ray put Nero on the ground and gave him a warning, Veronica finished explaining the ministry magic to the people.

“So, are you saying that you have seen in detail what the enemy is doing inside?”

“yes that’s right.”

Ray described what he saw.

“There were five people in a group, digging the floor of the building. In various places. Using drills and magic.”

Everyone’s thoughts stopped for a moment at the unexpected content.

“Are you saying that you were… digging the floor?”

“Judging from the conversation, it seemed like you were looking for something.”

Four members of the opposition organization.

1 wizard from Murcred.

Each group was structured like this.

In addition to helping dig the floor, the wizard also appeared to be acting as a watchdog for the workers.

I wondered if he might be a supervisor trying to prevent members of the opposition organization from stealing the dug-up items.

“So you’re saying that you’re not digging the floor under Brook’s orders?”

“So you’re saying that you’re digging the floor under the orders of those Murkred wizards?”

“That would be highly probable.”

“No way… Is that why you’re dragging out the war? So that you can work comfortably in the places where the residents have evacuated?”

A murmur spread again among the squad leaders.

Ray tied up the argument.

“It was right to dig the floor under Murcred’s instructions. Brook was also part of the work crew and was under surveillance.”

Ray recalled what he had seen and heard through the mouse’s eyes and ears.

Street near the border.

It was the first floor of a general store that had closed for a while.

Brooke and his men were digging the ground with drills and pickaxes.

“fu*k! fu*k! fu*k! Why am I doing this!?”

“Huh, brother. Lower your voice a little… The wizard will hear you when he gets back.”

“fu*k! If you want to listen, listen! We’re the employers! We’re the ones who paid to bring you here!”

Brooke dug a haystack in anger.

Bang!

“Colin the little ones, hurry up!”

Jjaeng!

“I can just push it away!”

Jeaaang!

“Why are you wasting your time like an idiot!”

Brook threw down the pickaxe.

The pickaxe bounced off the wall and struck Brook in the forehead with the back of the handle.

Boom! Boom!

Brooke, struck by an unexpected blow, falls backwards.

Whirlwind! Crunch!

The pickaxe slammed into the dirt floor where the tiles had peeled away, right next to Brooke’s fallen face.

「… … .」

「… … .」

The pickaxe stopped digging and silence fell.

“Hyung, brother, are you okay?”

“Kukkeuk… Kukkeukkeuk… … .”

Brooke let out a laugh.

His body shook.

“fu*k! I feel like I’m going to die! I came all the way here! Do you think I’ll die that easily?!”

The subordinates were silent as they watched Brook screaming as if he was having a seizure.

“Do you think I’m going to die? I put in so much effort to beat that bastard Niles! You’re killing a retard who can’t even use all the stuff you’ve piled up!”

It was really strange.

The boy, who was at least several hundred meters away from the mouse that was serving him, suddenly felt angry.

I already knew that Brooke betrayed Niles.

I wasn’t in a state where I was concentrating on raising my emotions.

But why am I angry?

The exact reason was unknown, but it was clear that what the boy felt at that moment was true.

Click!

Between the shelves of the general store, a mouse that had been watching Brook and his men opened its mouth fiercely.

The small, white front teeth, each the size of a fingernail, were ferocious and threatening.

But unfortunately, the terrifying weapon never entered the nape of the human’s neck before his eyes.

This was because Ray immediately calmed down and calmed down his anger.

After that, Brooke openly expressed her inferiority complex towards Niles.

“What was I worse than that kid? What was I worse than that tight-fisted kid!?”

“Yes, that may be possible at first. But as the organization grows, the tax rate must also increase. How many members are there in the organization? Who will receive that tiny income?”

“Everyone thought the amount of money they were receiving was too little. Right? But why can’t everyone forget that bastard!”

Through the mouse’s eyes, the emotions contained in Brook’s bowl could not be seen.

However, just from the content of the sentence and the excitement in his voice, it was clear how much venomous emotion he was exuding.

“Of course, you’re better than that bastard Niles, right?”

“I also didn’t like the way Niles ran the organization.”

The subordinates seemed very nervous, but they comforted Brooke’s emotions in a familiar manner.

As he began to calm down, one of his subordinates quickly changed the subject.

“But, would something like that really be buried in a place like this?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it irresponsible to say that it’s buried somewhere in this sector?”

“At this rate, I’m really going to turn all the land in the sector upside down.”

Brooke stood up from her seat.

He bent down and picked up the pickaxe that had fallen on the ground, saying:

“Wizards are a very mysterious people. But the story about it being buried must be true. The description was so detailed. That must mean it’s really the item you’re looking for.”

Brooke seemed to recall her memories for a moment, then opened her mouth again.

“A jewel that emits a yellow light as bright as the dazzling sunlight. I told you to be careful when you find it because electricity can flow around it.”

Crackle! Crackle!

“… … .”

The lights in the war room flickered and then came back on.

Ray, who had come out of his thoughts, opened his lips.

“The object I was looking for appeared to be a jewel. A jewel that glowed yellow.”

The commotion died down.

Everyone listened to the boy’s story.

“If I pretend to have that jewel, I can easily lure the enemy. Here’s where to lure them.”

A small ball of light bloomed from the boy’s fingertip and moved across the map.

“This is it.”

The place where the ball of light stopped was the outskirts of 38th Street, which was part of the border area.

To be precise, it was a basin surrounded by a desolate rocky hill, inside of which were several abandoned buildings.

Also, although it was not revealed, it was a place that was at the edge of the enemy’s observation range.

“I went and saw it myself, and the space was quite large. They were all four or five-story buildings. If you lure them, there will be enough space for all the enemies to enter.”

Colin and the squad leaders had a lot of questions they wanted to ask right away.

It was a little difficult to follow the boy’s thoughts.

But I kept silent because I thought that if I waited, everything would be revealed.

“I plan to destroy all enemy magicians and make all neutral members change their minds and surrender to the supporters. To do that.”

Ray took a breath.

“I plan to pick a building and draw a magic circle over the entire area.”

“A magic circle… you mean?”

“Yes. It’s a method of drawing a magic activation circle in a predetermined location to amplify its power.”

A statement that sounds spontaneous at first glance.

However, all the statements Ray is making now were made after his own analysis of the situation and consideration.

‘The longer the war drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for the supporters.’

The enemy is waging a fierce war of attrition, wiping out his supporters.

A human weapon called a wizard.

And by taking advantage of the vast field of vision.

‘If I participate, it may increase my chances of winning the battle.’

The problem was that fighting was happening simultaneously, every day, all over the streets.

The enemy has about 30 magicians.

On the other hand, this side is just one person.

‘… It would still be difficult for Veronica to fight alone.’

After all, the ranges that enemies and allies can cover in combat are different.

Additionally, through today’s engagement, we were able to confirm that there may be a large number of 2nd circle users among the enemy magicians.

… no, it is almost certain that the majority.

Before returning.

Other engagements confirmed by sending mice.

Because some of the wizards I saw there clearly showed considerable skill.

‘If you are surrounded by a large number of 2nd circles while continuing the guerrilla campaign.’

At that time, even he himself would not be able to easily guarantee victory.

In the end, the conditions that were input into the boy’s mind were like this.

It will end the war in a short time.

Also, let’s assume a situation where you are dealing with multiple 2-circles at the same time.

While returning to the hideout, I continued to have deep concerns─

“Of course, drawing a magic circle is by no means an easy task. Rather, it is a task that is extremely difficult.”

─The boy recalled the method he had used when dealing with Walter.

That was a magic circle.

“But don’t worry, we have experts in magic circles.”

Ray turned his head.

Veronica, whose eyes met mine, made a ‘Me?’ face.

Her cheeks turn red as she realizes that everyone is looking at her.

But without me knowing, my shoulders rose three centimeters without any hesitation.

Veronica said, humming in embarrassment.

“It’s not hard to draw. Just tell me what kind of magic circle to draw, where and how much to draw, and things like that. And I’m not the only one drawing it. Right, Raya?”

“… … .”

“Lay…?”

“… … .”

“I’m not the only one drawing this, right…?”

The girl’s eyes caused an earthquake.