[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower":3,"chapter-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-169":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Problematic Child of the Magic Tower",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1334865,1778,"Chapter 169","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-169",169,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 169: Each One’s Dawn (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been two days since Veronica was taught the concept of Overcraft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar sat in a corner of the training room, eyes closed, examining his mana circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm, not bad. I’ve unlocked all twelve of my bound physical circuits. Maybe it’s time for me to move on to the next stage.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him, levels didn’t hold much meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as a Level 4, he could already use most intermediate spells with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he pushed himself, he could even cast high-level magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘After all, I used those spells as casually as breathing in my past life.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, high-level magic required at least seven mana circuits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forcing it with only four would undoubtedly destroy his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, despite his capabilities, he had no intention of using high-level magic anytime soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar turned his gaze to Veronica, who was struggling in the center of the training room with her eyes tightly shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…The direction of effort, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had given her advice with an air of superiority, it was a question he, too, had to consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of mage would Oscar Crucian become?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was entirely up to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Umm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t an easy problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was only one reason for his hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At first, I was just going to follow the same path as in my past life…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t bragging to say that he had been perfect in his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mastery of magic had been so absolute that he was practically a textbook for other mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a reason why one of his many titles had been The Perfect Mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, I intended to walk that path again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had done it before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that road better than anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, a problem arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘An unforeseen power has come into my hands.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this life, he had been able to take as a master a legendary figure whom he had once only admired from history books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he had the ability to manipulate space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike before, he could also wield the Cold Wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he chose to follow the same path as before, he would once again become the strongest mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His supremacy would be unshakable, and the White Tower would reach its golden age once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to walk that road, he would have to give up these newfound powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was already perfect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfection is perfection because there is no room for further improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His system had been so meticulously refined that it left no space for additional elements—no matter how powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘From spell formations to body movements, from the structure to the composition of magic—everything was set.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His magic operated like a machine with thousands of gears, all meshing flawlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Introducing a new power meant tearing it all down and reconstructing it from the ground up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That would take an enormous amount of effort.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was no guarantee of success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much of a genius he was, mastering spatial magic was no simple feat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would likely fail and fall countless times, just as he had in his past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And each time, he would have to pick himself up and continue practicing, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ugh, I really didn’t want to go through all that again…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar let out a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his two masters had heard him say that, they would have blown up in anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was even more frustrating was that he could clearly see the reward waiting at the end of this new path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If I only look at potential, forging a new path is undoubtedly better.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As someone who had once been an Archmage, he was certain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he weren’t, any practitioner of magic would say the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one were to fully master either space or cold wind, they would have no equal in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a deep sigh did nothing to ease the pressure weighing on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Oscar made up his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, no choice then. I’ll do it. Let’s do this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winds that merely circle in place eventually fade, but the winds that flutter freely carve out new paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he decided, a sense of relief washed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This should be good enough, right?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His masters would surely be satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they always found great joy in watching him struggle through his training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oscar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, a Wind Cutter spell flew toward him from Veronica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stopped abruptly right in front of his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar studied the Wind Cutter from different angles before shaking his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fail. Try again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Why?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her shriek echoed through the training room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For one, the thickness is off by 2mm. The blade edge isn’t sharp enough. And the angle needs to be more refined.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Ugh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she was glaring daggers at him, Veronica silently dispelled her magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her, Oscar presented the next challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, try making this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a snap of his fingers, he sent an image directly into her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vision Link.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A magic that allowed one to share mental images or memories with another person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Alright, I’ll try.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Veronica furrowed her brow and began concentrating again, Oscar chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This training might be difficult, since he was walking an entirely new path—but at least it wouldn’t be boring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deserted factory in a southern city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a man and a woman entered the abandoned structure, countless eyes turned toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Senior, why did we have to come to a place like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a job the boss wants done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as those words were spoken, a group of vagrants huddled around a bonfire for warmth began approaching them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What brings you here? Not a place for young folks to be wandering around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, especially not someone as pretty as you. Nighttime can be dangerous, you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were more than ten of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was clear from their looks that they didn’t have good intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stood there, blankly staring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man, arms crossed, murmured softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, what should we do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kill them all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Are you serious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why, do you want a demonstration?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truthfully, he wanted to say yes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn’t confident he could handle the aftermath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a deep sigh, the man stepped forward and muttered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, nothing we can do. Just think of it as bad luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? What the hell are you—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burning wooden club came crashing down onto the speaking vagrant’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the one who swung it wasn’t the well-dressed man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of his fellow vagrants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eight! What the hell are you doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N-No, it wasn’t me, I didn’t—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who swung the club denied his own actions, but his body still moved on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack! Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, he had slaughtered his companions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes trembled in horror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"M-My body... It's moving on its own—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another vagrant twisted the neck of the man holding the club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, the others’ eyes began to glow red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…These guys didn’t just get lost and stumble here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They definitely have a purpose for being here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kill them all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vagrants, their eyes blood-red, drew their weapons and charged like beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their speed was far beyond that of an ordinary human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm? What’s this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man instinctively tilted his head, dodging an attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the force behind their weapons was abnormal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So they aren’t normal humans either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, the man smiled silently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should have told me sooner. I almost walked away for nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the vagrants lunged, the man spoke lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, stop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence filled the abandoned construction site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other than the crackling of the campfire, only the sound of the wind could be heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man looked at the more than ten vagrants before slowly parting his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strangle yourselves until you stop breathing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a lie made real, the vagrants began to strangle themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud. Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, they collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them, the man asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, what were these guys? They didn’t seem like normal people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Experimental subjects from NewTech.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"NewTech? The company that was just dismantled?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman, Kaya Lockwood, gazed up at the abandoned factory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They had a secret base here. The imperial family doesn’t even know about this place yet. Some of NewTech’s executives who fled are hiding inside. Clean them up and bring me the safe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow, the boss really dug up some big intel this time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man grinned, looking pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright then, I’ll be back soon. I can kill everyone up there, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not a single one left alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she sent her subordinate inside, Kaya pulled out a cigarette and lit it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only sounds left were the campfire and the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She exhaled a long stream of smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time she had finished smoking and tossed the butt aside, her subordinate had returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried a heavy safe under his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Witnesses?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come on, what do you take me for? None.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man dropped the safe onto the ground with a smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This thing is heavy. I have a good feeling about this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The passcode?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Oh, right. I forgot to ask before I killed them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face paled immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Riiiiip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a sound like tearing paper, the safe was split in half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya dusted off her hands and tilted her chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Check the contents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Yes, ma’am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Determined never to oppose her, the man peeked inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside were some gold bars and a map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Not as much as I expected.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya’s eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boss had never been wrong before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He said this was something big.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A handful of gold bars couldn’t possibly be what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, was it the map?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She unfolded it and focused on the marked location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her subordinate peeked over her shoulder and let out a small exclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? This is a map of the Red Mountain Range.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have eyes. The problem is, what the hell is in this location?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe there’s some info on the back?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you kidding? No idiot would write that—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the back of the map, written in elegant cursive, were the words Green Lair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Green Lair…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man tilted his head in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Kaya was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had once heard her father describe the color of the last dragon in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A dragon’s lair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, there were adventurers searching for lairs abandoned after the war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information about dragons was strictly censored by the empire, but their lairs were another story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was common knowledge that dragons hoarded immense treasures in their dens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this is real, then it makes sense why no one has ever found it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the war ended, no human had set foot beyond the Red Mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…This is interesting. Looks like we’re going mountain climbing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? You’re joking, right? There are still demons roaming the Red Mountains. Not to mention the imperial army is all over the place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We just need a good guide to avoid them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And where the hell do we find someone like that? You can’t go because of your condition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only an extraordinary magic tracker could accomplish such a feat—someone capable of detecting even the most well-hidden traces of mana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I know someone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaya chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recalled the face of an arrogant brat she had met in Baran City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1945,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","ebd6feb9664908d03b2cf4b3ffe907c19c16a3b9b74ed54dfb181b39020eaf38","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-170","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-168",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]