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#039. Old stories and links (1)
Life was advancing towards death at a rapid pace.
The whirlwind of death would swallow up his life completely at any moment, leaving no trace behind.
That’s why.
The reason the old man thought his meeting with the boy was fate.
‘It’s fortunate. A person who can properly pass on the magic I’ve accumulated has appeared. Even though he may not be the official successor.’
The goal I wanted to achieve before I died was clear.
Finishing the research I have been doing and turning it into a book.
Passing on the magic and knowledge accumulated throughout one’s life to one’s successor.
But nothing was accomplished.
The research was not even halfway done, and the magic and knowledge could not be said to have been fully transmitted.
‘The research was something that could never be completed anyway. And the knowledge could be taught to Veronica without any obstacles…’
Veronica was a bright child.
He had an excellent ability to understand abstract concepts.
He had the ability to imagine and visualize worlds he had never experienced just by looking at the text of a book.
In addition to his knowledge of magic, he also studied various fields of study, including mathematics and languages.
He also had an excellent memory, and rarely forgot anything he saw or heard once.
“Grandpa! You said you’d quit smoking! You were already in bad health! And you smoked again in secret!”
“When did I say I was going to quit?”
“Exactly 82 days, 4 hours, 31 minutes ago! Oh, how annoying! I left the peppers today and put the laundry in the same bin again!”
Sometimes, I remember things I wish I could forget, and lately, it seems like puberty has hit me hard.
‘At first, that quiet and well-behaved child… .’
The old man wiped away his tears for a moment.
Anyway. Hmm.
Back to the story, Veronica didn’t perform as well as expected when it came to magic.
It’s been about half a year since I started learning magic in earnest.
Meanwhile, Veronica has not been able to build a circle.
‘It’s not that I don’t have talent.’
The ability to sense and manipulate mana itself was proof that he was a special child chosen by mana.
However, every time I tried to create a circle, I failed.
It was speculated that psychological factors were probably a major factor.
It was clear that success would come someday.
However, he did not have much time left as he had to leave behind knowledge in a hurry.
Because once you build a circle, you can move on to the next step and proceed with the map accordingly.
‘Malta and Yulpin can feel mana, but they are not yet able to handle it.’
Both were brought in because they saw potential in the future.
But before those little ones could sprout, he would first return to the dust.
In that situation, a boy appeared.
He also possesses overwhelming talent that has never been seen before, and is thirsty for magic and knowledge.
That is why the old man’s heart could not help but beat so hard that it was in such excruciating pain that he could be called the most intense throughout his life.
“I don’t have much time to teach you magic. That’s why I’m going to start the lessons today.”
The old man parted his lips.
Thinking that I would do anything to teach this boy magic.
“Okay. But before that, I’d like you to answer one question I have.”
“Curious? Yeah. Feel free to ask.”
“I want to know exactly what this thing is.”
Ray took the ring out of his bosom.
Learning magic was certainly something to be welcomed with open arms, and it was something that needed to be started as soon as possible.
I was also keenly aware of the fact that older people do not have much time.
‘But there’s something I have to do first.’
That was the task of preparing for the man in the basement who would soon visit the hideout.
The boy was also pressed for time.
The old man accepted the ring, looked at it carefully, and said:
“This… I can feel mana inside. Is it an element from the amplification series? There’s also a bit of a strengthening series element mixed in. It’s a type of charging stone.”
“I know what the charging stone is from Veronica. Is there anything special about it other than its ability to store mana?”
There was a strange light in the old man’s eyes.
“Ahem… Oho. There’s magic. The formula used is… Yes. If it’s activated under certain conditions, your strength and reflexes will be enhanced. And the other magic that’s been cast is… .”
For a moment, the old man’s eyes narrowed.
“… This is an exploitative type of magic.”
“What kind of magic is it?”
“Usually, the durability of a charging stone wears out with repeated use, and it becomes an empty shell.”
“… … .”
“But this ring can be used forever as long as it doesn’t break. No, it might even enhance its performance.”
Ray tilted his head.
“Why?”
“Because the ring is designed to absorb the wearer’s energy and repair itself.”
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“…Is that possible?”
“There’s no reason why it wouldn’t work. The energy that makes the ring function is mana, and the life force of humans can also be considered a type of mana in another form.”
The old man added that he would explain in more detail later if he had the chance.
Ray agreed for now.
And I thought I knew.
Cedric, wearing the ring, displayed incredible strength, but his eyes were very dim and hazy.
It felt as if I was being consumed by the power of the ring.
If what the old man said was true, then the feelings I had at the time were not so wrong.
“It’s not the kind of magic that just anyone can engrave. Where did such a dangerous object come from?”
Ray thought about it for a moment.
I have learned from many experiences that the act of carelessly revealing information can sometimes lead to unexpected anger later on.
‘Can I trust this person?’
Adults were fundamentally much more difficult to deal with than children.
There were many times when I had unclear and ambiguous feelings, and there were also many times when I acted in a way that was contrary to my feelings.
‘…all the adults I’ve met have been like that. Except for Niles.’
Old people were adults too.
It is especially difficult to read the exact psychology due to the numerous traces of emotion engraved on the bowl.
But given the circumstances, it was also true that I didn’t think the old man would do any harm.
The old man readily offered to teach him magic, and in the short time he did so, he was able to infer the character’s true nature through other small actions.
… he is a very knowledgeable person, so if you tell him about your situation, he may be of great help.
“Is there something wrong? You can’t get help without telling anyone. That’s the way of the world.”
Ray felt a sting at the old man’s words, which seemed to read his mind.
I thought about it a little more and decided to reveal the truth, but only give enough information to explain the situation.
“I became the leader of a group of kids on the street. This is the ring that the original leader had. I heard that a strange man gave it to me.”
“You’ve become a captain. It seems like you’re running the streets with that sharp personality. But the man gave you a ring. What’s the reason?”
Ray was silent for a moment, then added an explanation.
“He said that he was an executive of an organization called Murcred. He said that he would form a group of strong children and accept them as members if they met a certain number.”
A ripple spread across the old man’s bowl.
It was impossible to identify exactly, but it was clear that there was some emotional turmoil.
“It’s called Murkred….”
“Have you ever heard of it?”
“There’s no way you haven’t heard of it. Huh… Right. Red Blood Stone. How could you not recognize it right away?”
The old man took a deep breath and continued his story.
“Do you know that there are more criminal groups around us than meets the eye?”
“Yes, I know.”
Ray answered right away.
In just sector 50, there were more than a dozen large and small gangs combined.
The old man nodded at Ray’s immediate answer.
“You said you lived on the streets, so in some ways you might know more than I do. Yes. After all, crimes are bound to happen in places where people gather.”
The old man added that humans are creatures who cannot help but collide with each other to survive.
In the process, they inevitably end up spewing ill will towards each other.
The more underdeveloped a region is, the more likely it is that ill will will remain unresolved and stagnate.
“Malice that has hardened and solidified eventually turns into crime. Like rotten cheese, it gives off a terrible stench.”
Once a crime occurs, it expands and reproduces, and sometimes becomes entangled with others and grows in size into a group.
“I’ve moved to many places in my life. However, there is no sector where there are no criminal groups. Rather, the more prosperous and developed a sector is, the more gangs tend to be swarming in it.”
The old man said he went up to Sector 30 along the Elton River.
As the number went down, the landscape of the sector gradually improved, but there was no dramatic change in security.
“I also naturally came across stories about the criminal organizations that dominate each sector. In some cases, I got involved in incidents and had to confront members of those organizations.”
“Have you ever actually met a member of the Murkred organization?”
The old man shook his head.
“That’s not true. Murkred has far fewer members than other large organizations. Its operations are secretive compared to the many areas it touches. That’s why I’ve only heard of it through rumors. However, even if half of what I hear is true, Murkred is the most influential and dangerous group in the shadows that I know of.”
“… … .”
“They say there is no field they don’t touch, from gun and drug sales to human and organ trafficking. But that’s not the only reason they are so dangerous. Do you know why?”
Ray asked, recalling the madness he had seen in the basement.
“Is it related to the tendencies of the organization members?”
“Tendency… I guess that’s not entirely wrong. All members being wizards can be considered a type of tendency.”
All members are wizards.
Since a wizard is capable of dealing with tens or even hundreds of ordinary people on his own depending on the situation, the meaning behind the old man’s words was truly enormous.
“Are wizards common?”
“How could that be?”
The old man let out a hollow laugh.
The reason why wizards are looked up to and treated with respect wherever they go is because their very existence is rare.
“Do you know how many people are in Murcred?”
“Some say it’s in the tens, others say it’s in the hundreds. But if you look at the scope of activity, I think the latter is a bit more convincing.”
Hundreds of units.
Hundreds of wizards.
Considering the rarity of wizards, it was clear that they were a truly absurd group.
“And there are many stories about Murkred being a violent and radical group. They worship power to the extreme and will do anything to become stronger.”
The old man continued his story, recalling old memories piled up in his head.
The easiest way to identify a Murkred member was by the red gem.
The charging stones they always carried with them were a sign of the organization’s members’ disposition not to fear mana addiction.
The information the old man revealed piled up in the boy’s head.
‘Have you ever done any research yourself?’
Ray asked quietly.
“You know a lot about this in great detail.”
“Keep on going. It can’t be helped. Do you remember? I once invested my youth in finding a rainbow.”
“Yes, you have said so.”
The old man who had been laughing soon returned to his calm face and spoke with his eyes looking into the distance.
The swollen lips are separated.
An old, faded voice flowed out.
“That’s a famous story known to those who know. It’s said that Murkred owns a part of the rainbow.”