[{"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-330":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},1334726,1778,"Chapter 330","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-330",330,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 330: The Violet Brigade (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom—KWAANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time the Mad Fiend stomped on the ground, the stone pavement shattered with explosive thunder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aftershock launched the two figures high into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having escaped the airport district through a crude but fast method, the captain barely moved his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough! Th-… stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the command that was closer to a plea, the Mad Fiend landed on the ground, and the captain looked back in the direction they had fled from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What entered his sight was an endless wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had run so far that not only the city center but even the airport was nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone were to sneer and say he had panicked too much, the captain was confident he could sneer right back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If you knew nothing, you could say something like that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha Maestro.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, he raised his evaluation of her by one—no, two whole tiers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he hadn’t expected her to be that strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they had proceeded with the operation under the judgment that he alone could handle marking her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking only at the result, it had been reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I knew she had reached Level 8, but to this extent…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Level 8 is stronger than Level 7.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no intention of denying that premise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, most mages and knights become less active right after reaching Level 8.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They need time to organize the enlightenment gained from breaking out of their shell and to adapt to their changed bodies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It varies by person, but that period lasts from a minimum of one year to as long as ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…And yet she’s already reached the stabilization phase.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain narrowed his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind simply could not comprehend it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless someone had guided her, that speed made no sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be that she trained together with Lloyd Schultz, who also reached Level 8 around the same time…? No.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made even less sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would only cause adverse effects instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their realizations and insights would be different; putting their heads together would only lead to an endless parallel line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But in the White Tower, aside from those two, there aren’t any mages above Level 8.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then how had Sasha Maestro stabilized so quickly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Oscar Sage had taken a full year to sort out his enlightenment after reaching Level 8.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did that mean she was a greater genius than Oscar Sage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain shook his head firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was someone who had faced Oscar Sage in his prime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without exaggeration, the white mage possessed overwhelmingly unparalleled talent among all the humans he had ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Though she is his disciple, Sasha Maestro isn’t that kind of material.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the end of that rather cold assessment, one faint possibility crossed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Edna Sol Laplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were the dragon who recorded the history of this world, she might have offered some help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it happened, she resided in the White Tower, so the possibility wasn’t nonexistent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…But even she couldn’t have given that much help.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Level 8 was a summit everyone dreamed of, but not one anyone could simply climb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had never planted their own flag at the peak could never truly teach it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing this, the captain could not help but question Sasha Maestro’s ability all the more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just whose help she received… I’ll have to investigate that separately.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking his tongue briefly, the captain belatedly checked the Mad Fiend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Part of the mask was cracked, and an eye was visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…At this point, he must have noticed.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things had become thoroughly tangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mad Fiend’s identity should not be revealed this easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking his tongue again, the captain slowly removed his own mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tzzzt, tzzzt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the noise-filled mask, a single strand of thread embedded between the cracks became visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sasha Maestro…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This must certainly be a thread she had attached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain tried to raise his mana and remove the thread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging only by the result, it was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the probability of damaging the artifact’s function in the process was far too high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it’s thread, there is one expert.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oran Quil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was that fellow who used thread as his main weapon, he should be able to remove only the thread without harming the artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sasha Maestro…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, it didn’t feel good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like dancing on the palm of her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably what made him feel worse was the fact that he had no real alternatives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t give up the artifact.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His own card must not yet be revealed to the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a faint sigh, the captain put the mask—no different from a tracking device—back on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he stared at the ring on his ring finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If possible, I didn’t want to call them…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he pressed the large violet gem embedded in the ring,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a streak of mana shot into the sky and then scattered in over a dozen directions before vanishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We should get moving too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the fading light, the captain placed his hand on the Mad Fiend’s shoulder again and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been a while since everyone gathered in one place. We can’t be late.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Grrr.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWAANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two shot once more toward the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re moving faster than I thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sasha said in a relaxed voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The single strand of mana thread connected to her was relaying the captain’s location in real time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the distance limit for tracking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm… probably up to Silvarin Lake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s move immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Oscar’s hurried tone—made anxious by the shorter-than-expected range—Sasha broke into a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After circling the continent once~ and up to Silvarin Lake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, unless the thread was cut, she could track him anywhere in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve grown a lot. Now you even tease your master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe, it’s all thanks to you teaching me well, Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that, she lightly pushed the top of her head toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What, you want me to flick your forehead?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that question, her crown shook left and right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tilting his head for a moment, he cautiously patted her head instead, and the tips of her ears relaxed like a puppy’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuing to stroke Sasha’s hair, Oscar asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The opponent will probably try to rendezvous with Oran, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, with high probability. Cutting the thread comes first for them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then, apparently satisfied, Sasha lifted her head and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the same time, they’ll prepare so the Mad Fiend—no, the Second Senior Brother—doesn’t get taken away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm, prepare, huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’ll call in a few more members of the Violet Brigade, or in the worst case…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Violet mana embroidered the night sky, scattering in different directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…They’ll issue a full mobilization order like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A full mobilization…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Oran and Kaya didn’t know the total number of Violet Brigade members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But judging by the number of lights scattering now, there were at least more than ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not a pleasant thought.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t have that much available manpower right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lloyd was probably still in the Yan Kingdom, and bringing other elders from the White Tower was too risky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew better than Oscar the danger of leaving the home base empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, by the way, Master, can you locate Captain Chester?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar looked around and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s quite a lot of his mana trace left. This should be possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately back-tracking the mana through the Wind Archive, a single location was pinpointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar visualized and showed the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know where it is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. But I can tell it’s the factory district at Luang Harbor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we’ll secure Captain Chester first…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would make one Level 8 mage and two Level 7 mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A force that wouldn’t be lacking anywhere they went.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But if we’re considering a full-scale battle with the Violet Brigade…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it was a bit intimidating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sasha, is there anyone else we can call as an ally?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I’ve been going around only taking commissions, so I don’t really have close ties with strong people… I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. That’s not your fault.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were to blame anyone, it would be himself for putting her in such a situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the mood grew gloomy, Sasha cautiously glanced at him and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t you have anyone, Master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me? Well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it happened, someone had just come to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar thrust his arm into his subspace and rummaged around as he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know the type, right? Artifacts with limited uses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are quite a few, right? Since the number of uses is limited, their effects are far superior to other artifacts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Among adventurers, there are quite a few who die without ever using such great treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all because of attachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you use it, it disappears, so next time—next time when a bigger crisis comes, I’ll use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that attachment, many end up dying without ever using it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watching people like that, I always made a vow. I shouldn’t be like that. When a crisis comes, I’ll just use it right away… ‘If you hoard it, it turns to crap’ isn’t a saying for nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the hand that emerged from subspace held a single sheet of paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s just use this decisively this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what kind of artifact is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Sasha’s wide eyes, Oscar smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“World’s Greatest Swordsman—Free Usage Coupon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the paper, in rather splendid calligraphy, was written a single character: .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Captain Chester was bound inside a container at a dockside factory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, aside from having gone hungry for a few days, he wasn’t injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…My apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. I’m just glad you’re safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After staggering briefly from poor blood circulation, Chester quickly regained his balance and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Violet Brigade’s captain used a very troublesome ability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We fought him too. Basically an ability that deletes magic, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Oscar’s words, Chester added one more sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be precise, it seemed to delete all energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He couldn’t delete attacks launched with tangible objects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Sasha who nodded at those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She recalled the captain dodging the steel beams falling from the ceiling and agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that I think about it, it was like that when he fought me too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we should view it as an ability that deletes magic and mana.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, and it didn’t seem bound by properties either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain had erased not only Chester and Sasha’s wind but also Isel Marcos’s lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant that as long as it was composed of mana, attributes hardly mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve never heard of such a school existing. It’s probably safest to consider it a unique magic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, every unique magic of irregular-type ability users required a certain “condition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Lloyd’s Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom could only bloom flowers he had seen once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A condition…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The captain must also have a condition that allowed him to use that ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In battles against irregular mages who wield unique magic, once you figure out the condition, the win rate shoots up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, wait a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Sasha frowned as if sensing something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The captain and the Mad Fiend… they’ve stopped moving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had been fleeing with their tails between their legs suddenly stopping?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Usually, that only happened when they gained something to rely on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar slowly nodded and muttered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like they’ve roughly gathered too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening a portal, Oscar turned to the two and spoke in a grave voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The final objective of this operation is only one. Codename Mad Fiend. No—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden eyes hidden behind a mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those eyes, identical to childhood, flashed through his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…to take Gilli back. Questions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“None.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment those satisfying answers were heard,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oscar stepped through the portal first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2001,"2026-06-05T20:00:10.790Z",1,"novelbin.me","18e758ee0f31f648fde32f499acd7da38e3d63052cf96b00971d9887820abc65","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-331","the-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-chapter-329",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-problematic-child-of-the-magic-tower-cover.jpg"]