Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 45

Episode 45: The Ark

Verden said very simply.

I'll give you money instead of Mort, so just stay still. When I lightly threatened him with telekinesis, Bedin and Nice shook their heads as if they were going to fall off.

The private loan problem ends here.

When I went back to the workshop, I saw Mort cleaning the workshop.

“Ah! You’re here! Wizard! Come on in!”

Mort brought a chair and sat Verden down.

I hastily made some tea, but the condition of the dishes was not very good, so I didn't put it in my mouth. Mort coughed and opened his mouth.

“Ahem, Condor sent someone. A wizard named Asher is coming, so please take good care of him. Haha, you should have told me earlier…….”

The Corn Company was a great brokerage for Mort.

Thanks to this, I was able to live a simple life where I could make money by making things I wanted, without having to worry about friction when talking to people.

Without him, Mort would have been out on the streets, unable to do business properly due to his personality.

That person told me to serve him with utmost care, so I can't help it. It's also a bit of a problem that he's a magician.

Verden frowned as he looked at Mort, who was smiling in an unnatural way.

“Are you taking orders now?”

“Of course! Just tell me what magic item you want.”

What Verden wants is staff and robes.

The staff had to be sturdy enough to be used as a bludgeon, and it had to be able to hold more magical power. The magical items that could be made within the current budget were not of much help to Verden in terms of other abilities.

Because his skills far surpassed the effects of magical items.

“A staff that can be used as a weapon. Okay. Then what kind of robe should I use…?”

“I would like something that can maintain body temperature. If it’s durable, that would be even better.”

“Then I guess I’ll need some of the demon’s hide. I’ll also give it some effects… Okay. Then how much will it cost in total….”

Mort put on his glasses and tapped away at his calculator.

“Material cost 31.2 million elk, labor cost 13.3 million elk…….”

"personnel expenses?"

“But! You paid my debt for me and saved me from getting beaten up so I’ll just get paid for it.”

Mort glanced at him.

The total was roughly within the expected amount. Mort exhaled as Verden nodded. He paid the balance and left the workshop.

They said it would take about 3 weeks, so I guess I'll just have to wait patiently.

There was still a mountain of work to do. After purchasing tools at a nearby blacksmith shop, Verden headed to the inn.

* * *

Time passed.

Meanwhile, Berden studied Harkan's magic and disassembled and interpreted the compass he had taken from Black Hour.

They were all difficult, so it wasn't easy from the start. But I was able to figure it out by staying in my room and concentrating.

The gray magic resonated, leaving an afterimage.

The light flashed briefly and then disappeared without a sound.

“The 871st pattern also failed. Then the next one is… … .”

The gray magical power that Harkan created and Berden named the constellation attribute showed different reactions depending on the pattern left behind by the afterimage.

I tried analyzing the pattern based on Harkan's memories, but it wasn't of much help because the magical circuits that were the main subjects were different.

So I randomly tested the patterns.

Since even a slight difference in position is recognized as a different pattern, the number of cases is nearly infinite. I have already tried it nearly 1,000 times, but I have not yet obtained any meaningful results.

'At least I finished the other one.'

Compass analysis is complete.

The complex mechanical structure was a structure to connect the magic circle and magic stone contained within it. Of these, the structure of the magic circle was particularly important.

'Using magic amplification here is quite ingenious.'

The magical power possessed by living creatures may seem similar, but they have completely different structures, and they have the basic characteristic of wanting to return to their master. The greater the amount, the more.

After using Magic Detection, the magic power is recovered without much effort, which is also the principle behind it.

This compass used that.

By inserting a magic stone and trapping magic power inside, the magic circle amplifies it. The magic power trapped inside naturally takes on a characteristic, and the compass needle connected to it points in that direction.

At first glance, it seems like a simple principle, but the structure to achieve it was quite complex.

Now that we have copied the magic circle exactly, we need to analyze it again.

As soon as I finished one assignment, another one appeared.

'But when will you finish assembling it?'

There are hundreds of parts alone.

I put them in order so that I wouldn't forget, but I still felt lost. Still, there was no way out. I sighed, picked up my tools, and started reassembling them.

After a while, I put in a magic stone with my own magic power and started it, and fortunately, it started working normally.

Suddenly I looked outside and the sun was bright.

The sun was clearly high in the sky before we even started. When I looked in the mirror, I could clearly see that he was tired.

“……I guess I should go and rest for a bit.”

I need some outside air.

After leaving the inn, Verden went into a quiet café and cooled his head by drinking tea on the terrace. With the magical items gradually being completed, the day of his departure from Brienthe was not far off.

While I was organizing my thoughts, someone next to me spoke.

“You’re here. I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”

When I turned my head, a black-haired man wearing a suit was standing there.

It was my first time seeing you. I thought I was mistaken, but there was no one else around Verden.

“……Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m late in greeting you. My name is Listener.”

The man smiled.

“I came from the ark.”

* * *

Ark. A group that is hostile to Gluttony.

The name made me feel tired.

Verden, who was on edge, activated his magic circuit while looking at the listener. The listener waved his hand at the magic power in his eyes.

“You don’t have to be so vigilant, Asher. I’m not here to harm you. Rather, since you killed Dr. Gluttony, we’re in the same boat. There’s a saying that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

“Why did you come to me?”

“I’ll tell you as we talk. Can I join you?”

When Verden remained silent, the listener seemed to interpret it as affirmation and sat down across from him.

He looked at Verden as he ordered drinks in a relaxed manner.

“Okay, so where should we start talking?”

“Tell me why you approached me.”

The magical power in his hand created sparks.

The listener knew it wasn't just a threat.

“We’ve been chasing the doctor for years, but we couldn’t find him because he was so well hidden. He was a radical and self-righteous figure even within Gluttony, so it was nearly impossible to get information about him. Then, a while ago, we suddenly found out that the doctor had been killed by an unknown wizard. Even his research journals were burned.”

Verden did what the ark was supposed to do.

In return for that small reward, he made sure that his information reached Gluttony as late as possible.

Verden opened his eyes narrowly.

“What does that mean?”

“That is exactly what I said. I eliminated everyone belonging to Gluttony, including Martes and the surrounding cities. So that no harm would come to Asher. Gluttony went into hiding even deeper because of that, but it was a minor thing compared to the death of the Doctor.”

After that, the Ark watched Verden from afar.

I didn't directly watch it, but moved behind it. There were so many unexpected parts that I missed some of them, but I finally found it.

“…….”

Verden's expression distorted when he heard those words.

Having your movements tracked without you knowing. In Pale's case, I understood because he was an informant. He was also a person who could be of help to you.

But the ark is different.

Verden was extremely offended by the listener's attitude of being followed by an organization whose true identity he didn't even know, and of him being able to brag about it in front of him and act so relaxed.

Even if it is true that he stopped Gluttony for Verden's sake.

“Lord Asher……?”

"quietly."

Hwaaak! Magical power rose from Verden's body.

Magic power of such high density that invisible magic power becomes tangible. Magic power that has acquired actual physical force affects its surroundings.

Damn.

The glass in the café cracked and the ground shook slightly. The vast magical power was focused solely on the listener.

The smile on the listener's face disappeared for a moment at the overwhelming magic that he had never expected.

Verden's blue eyes looked coldly at the listener.

“I don’t know how you followed me, but I’ll tell you this for the first and last time. From now on, you’d better not follow me.”

Because it's quite unpleasant.

Verden's voice pierced my ears.

Then the listener nodded seriously.

"……All right."

After hearing the answer, Verden gathered his magic power.

The pressure of the magic had disappeared, but the atmosphere was still heavy. The listener's stiff face relaxed and he smiled again.

“First of all, I apologize if you were offended. I promise that something like this will not happen again.”

The listener bowed his head deeply.

There was no basis for believing his words, but even if he had written something like a memorandum telling me not to follow him, it wouldn't have had any real effect.

'But it's not like I can just use magic all of a sudden.'

Since I gave you a warning, we have no choice but to let it go for now.

Of course, if it crossed the line later, he planned to deal with it in his own way.

The listener asked quietly.

“Then……can we continue the conversation?”

"as you please."

"thank you."

match!

The listeners clapped their hands to liven up the atmosphere.

“So, to sum it up, there are many people inside the Ark who are favorable to Asher. Not only because of the doctor’s removal, but especially because of his actions.”

The listener continued speaking.

“Asher, you are getting stronger.”

“What does that have to do with the ark?”

“Gluttony is advocating the old-fashioned idea that humans can evolve further through eating, but our Ark is different. The Ark’s ideology is closer to the roots.”

Humans are adaptable creatures.

A being that changes according to the given environment.

“Humans become stronger through trials. This is the unchanging ideology of the Ark. From that perspective, Asher is a person who fits the ideology. If possible, I would recommend him to enter the Ark right away.”

“I refuse.”

I haven't even joined the Adventurer's Guild, so there's no reason to step foot into a group whose identity is unclear.

Despite Verden's firm rejection, the listener did not lose his smile.

“So. Is this why you came to me because I’m a person who fits your ideology?”

“Yes. I also work in the Ark recruiting candidates. I can’t just pass up a suitable candidate. Anyway, I knew that Asher had no intention of joining the Ark right away. And I came here because I have something to tell you.”

The listener put aside his drink and took out a small accessory box.

Inside was a silver bracelet with a blue gem set into it.

“This is a high-end item from the ‘Recovery’ series. It speeds up the regeneration of magic power, as well as the recovery of health and wounds. Although it is weak, it is a reward for taking care of the doctor on our behalf.”

Verden looked at the bracelet.

If it's a high-quality item among the Rekiverries, it will cost at least 70 million Elk. Since there are very limited means of recovering wounds and health by consuming magic power, the price is quite high. Even if the effect is minimal compared to divine power.

Instead of accepting it without thinking, Verden asked the listener.

“I think you’re being too kind. Is it really that important to Ark to have someone who fits your ideology?”

“That’s true, but more than anything, I want to maintain a good relationship with Asher. He’s someone who rarely confronts Gluttony. Maybe that’s the case in the future.”

The listener stood up.

“Then I will be on my way now that the goods have been delivered. But if! If you wish to speak with our Ark! Come to the city in the northwest, Lorien, within a month at the latest.”

“Lorien?”

“Yes, Lorien. It’s the city where the Demon Forest is. I’ll wait there, so please come and see me. Oh, and if you have any other questions, I’ll answer them now.”

It's a question.

Verden thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“Why are the Ark and Gluttony enemies? Is it simply an ideological difference?”

“Because the destinations pointed to by the ideologies are different.”

Gluttony's goal is to create a new race of humans that is superior to any other race and wipe out the old race.

But the ark never abandons humanity. It seeks out and trains the people who will become the captains who will lead humanity through countless trials.

“That is our ideology.”

With those words, the listener left.

That was the end of Verden and the Ark's sudden encounter.