Chapter 74: Vanguard Battle 4
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
Illustrations: Posted in discord.
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Antenor, the high mage of the tower, is known to the viewers as 5 'Truth Seeker' Antenor.
This man, with his striking white beard, stands out in several ways.
Sure, all mages are unique in their own way, but even compared to them he is different.
His choice to lock himself away at the top floors of the tower for his research says it all.
While he is a good man, his intense curiosity and obsession, borderline madness, can be quite scary.
Usually, he seems like a kind grandfather, but when something catches his interest, he transforms into a different person.
"Roland! Tell me what you've found!"
Just as the rich and guilds of the free city don't bend to nobles or temples and speak their mind, the high mages of the magic tower have similar power to nobility.
Yet, Antenor doesn't care about such dignities.
His messy clothes make him look entirely different from when he was at the adventurer's guild.
There's no trace of the impressive high mage, just an old man who looks like he should be sitting on a park bench, rushing toward me.
"What did you bring this time? A new monster inside the tower? Why do they drop things like magic bracelets when they die? Shouldn't they leave a body part like a horned wolf and vanish? And the Orc shaman, did it know how to build? Fences and huts?"
"Ah, damn it.... I'm not going anywhere, so let go."
Han Se-ah backs away slowly, wary of his eager eyes.
She remembers the hassle she faced the last time she rode with the mages.
The viewers too start complaining about Antenors non-stop talking, saying "Such a 5 is a bit...
The message is clear: even the excited viewers, who were busy making recruitment predictions while watching the talented people at the guild table before, are getting tired of Antenor.
-Get rid of the old man with the beard
-Please move the camera away
-Is there another 5 this annoying?
-What did he do to upset the chat so much? LOL
-Thank God Han Se-ah chose to be a mage
Han Se-ah, was quietly filming the safe zone behind me.
But when our gazes locked, she shook her head.
Gamer Han Se-ah senses something ominous.
"You can hear the explanation from our party leader and mage. I need to go and talk with the Adventurer's Guild."
"Ro, Roland?!"
"Ah, it's the talented mage Hanna who discovered the Full Moon Wolf, right? The other high mages seemed to like you since you brought a fresh view on magic. I guess the rumors were right. How do you feel about finding an orc warrior and a shaman? Do you want to come into the tower and do some research?"
-A mage should deal with a mage LOL
-Keep the camera on Roland
-Should I mute and take a break?
-When I get back from the gym, they should be done talking, right?
-A 5 that even a 6 can't stand, lolol
Han Se-ah's mouth drops open, and she stumbles back, feeling betrayed, but there's nothing she can do.
Once the old man catches you, he doesn't let go until his curiosity is quenched.
He doesn't stop until he has all the answers.
Before, he'd stuck to Rebecca, claiming he had questions for the mercenaries.
He was so persistent that when short-tempered Rebecca swung at him, he just cast a shield and kept following them regardless.
He took down the monsters the mercenaries were dealing with, sped up their travel with his magic, and took care of their small chores as a high mage.
Simply because he wanted someone to stay with him and explain some things.
It was only after Rebecca handed off one of her team members to Antenor that she could escape.
"...Has Antenor left?"
"He's with the party leader, hurry up."
As the senior adventurer and the party's guide, I had to regretfully offer up a sacrifice.
The mage controlling the crystal ball, who seems to have personally experienced Antenor's obsession in this safe zone, suddenly brightens up.
He has reached out to the Adventurer's Guild via the crystal ball, but the Adventurer's Guild isn't a modern army with a quick-response unit.
After connecting and waiting, the mage sees Han Se-ah getting dragged away by Antenor to his lab.
Swallowing hard, he grabs the crystal ball and tries again.
As a high mage, he is humble enough to listen to simple country folk, but the problem is that he takes it too far, trying to 'listen' to every single detail.
If he catches us here, the crystal ball mage would have to explain everything from what he had for breakfast to how he uses the crystal ball.
"Roland? Is there news from the safe zone"
"Yes, it's me, Ellis. We have a bit of a situation."
"What is it that makes you say that?"
The crystal ball flashes, and Ellis's voice replaces the communication officer's.
She seems to have taken a seat next to the guild's crystal ball handler.
As the conversation continues, the hut door opens, and Kaiden slips in quietly.
As silent as an assassin, Kaiden quietly closes the door and retreats to a corner.
Seeing this, the crystal ball mage carefully moves to lock the wooden latch on the door.
"A new monster has begun to emerge on the 20th floor. Orc shamans and orc warriors. The issue is that these orcs have started constructing fences and bases in the forest and are patrolling the area."
"They've established bases? To what scale?"
"As large as a goblin group. Almost dozens have been spotted."
"Are you serious?!"
"Really?!"
The mage alongside Ellis is taken aback by the news of such a large gathering, interrupting the conversation.
Adventuring parties usually consist of 4 to 5 individuals.
This is because dealing with a single mid-sized monster like a helmeted deer or an orc hunter, or at most around ten small creatures like goblins or kobolds, 4 to 5 is most efficient.
If the party consists of fewer than four, they're disadvantaged in melee combat.
But if there are more than five, they may have idle hands when dealing with one mid-sized beast, and the profits would also be split further.
Facing dozens of orcs, classified as mid-sized creatures, in a tribal group is a daunting prospect for such small adventuring parties.
The moment they unintentionally cross paths, the roles of hunter and prey swiftly switch.
I glance at Kaiden.
"...Where are the others?"
"Antenor invited them to his laboratory for tea, and they followed."
"And why are you here?"
"...I've had my share of tea when I was with the mercenary group last time."
Had Kaiden encountered Antenor inside the tower when she was with Rebecca?
After a slight nod in affirmation, I turn on Han Se-ah's live stream.
Not wanting to be the only one to go down, she did not send the camera drone here with me.
Three beautiful women were arranged side by side at a table in Antenor's lab, which looks like something out of a fairy tale.
A large wooden table with steam rising from teacups, walls filled with books, documents, and experimental magical tools, and a kindly elderly mage with a white beard providing a warm smile.
The stream observed through the camera emanates a cozy and soft ambiance.
"Right, it appears you've already encountered orc hunters. Were you able to sense the magical differences between the hunters, warriors, and shamans? It's said that a shaman leads the warriors. Have you seen a hunter taking orders? Roland destroyed their fences Hmmm, you didn't see them making the fences? Whether they used basic tools, erected them with ropes, or stabilized them using their bodies...? Ah, don't fret. Even if you didn't, your contribution has been immensely helpful."
Of course, as soon as the audio is included, the atmosphere turns so warm it feels like it could set your eardrum ablaze.
The kind-hearted Irene answers the old man's questions gently like usual, but Han Se-ah and Grace seem to have their expressions frozen in place.
Despite the overwhelming tide of words, the tenacious camera skillfully alternates between the three beauties and the old man.
Of course, every time he speaks, the camera focuses on him, so he occupies 80% of the screen time.
-Kindly switch off the camera, would you...
[Chat deleted by the mod]
-Did the mage come from LA in '94 by any chance?
-It's strange, I've muted it, but it still seems loud
-Is this some kind of sound wave magic?
[EatOut donated 10,000 won!]
Don't unleash your frustration on us just because Roland abandoned you
[GalbijjimRecipe donated 5,000 won!]
Please slice the short ribs into approximately 5cm pieces and soak in cold water to drain the blood
[EatOut donated 10,000 won!]
We kindly ask you to turn the camera away, you are losing viewers
Even though the chat and donations batter Han Se-ah like a furious storm, the persistent girl clenches her teeth and continues to film Antenor.
Feeling a bit sorry for her, I've decided it was time to rescue our party leader.
As I quietly get up and head towards the door, the mage looks at me like I was a cow being led to a slaughterhouse.
I spoke to him as I unlock and step out of the hut.
"Where's the lab?"
"You're really going there?"
Damn, it's not like he's a peasant disclosing the location of the Demon Lord's castle.
...Of course, I wasn't intending to go in.
My plan was merely to toss this mage in instead and shift the focus of the conversation.
Highlight his minor negligence, like failing to wait by the crystal ball and opting to read a book while sipping on some honey.
Use him as a diversion.
For a talkative old man, aren't the most compelling conversation topics 'these young ones nowadays' and 'back in my day'?
Unaware of his horrifying future, the mage shares with me the location of the lab.
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