“Master, does His Majesty really want to start a war?” Hyeonu asked Lebron when they left the castle.

LeBron raised his right hand and waved it helplessly. “He has a personality where he can’t help doing what he wants to do. It’s good that he has sat on the emperor’s throne so far.”

To this day, he thought it was amazing that the emperor had yet to descend from the throne. The peaceful and uneventful life of only touching documents wasn’t a good fit with the emperor.

“Then I will lead the war to my advantage as much as possible,” Hyeonu said.

He was planning to bet a lot on this war. Above all, he would use it as an opportunity to grow.

‘It isn’t because I got a quest.’

[Negotiations with Baler]

[The emperor Alexander wants to start a war. Talk to Baler according to his order and launch a war in the demon world.

Rating: MS

Conditions: Successful negotiations with Baler 0/1, report to Alexander 0/1.

Rewards: Experience, imperial contributions, the emperor’s trust.]

The rewards for the quest weren’t that great. However, the quest itself wasn’t difficult, so Hyeonu had no complaints. In any case, it wasn’t important. The real battle was the one that would come after this quest. A war would officially take place in the demon world. As a result, numerous benefits would fall onto Hyeonu. This was what Hyeonu was aiming for.

“It is good to be motivated... but don’t force it. The war won’t happen straight away. Start in a relaxed and careful manner. This way, we can achieve the desired goal.” Lebron sent a worried glance toward the motivated Hyeonu. After all, Lebron knew how strong Baler was.

‘It will be hard to hold on,’ Lebron thought. He knew Hyeonu was an adventurer who couldn’t die, but he was still worried for his disciple.

“I will be fine, Master. Don’t I use my mouth as well as my sword?” Hyeonu smiled brightly, regardless of whether he knew what Lebron felt.

“Oh, right. It seems like the results have emerged from Suped’s research, so you should stop by. It might be helpful for this,” Lebron said.

Hyeonu’s eyes widened when he heard that. He didn’t know what Suped’s research was about, but he was sure it would be something unusual.

‘I’ll stop by,’ Hyeonu decided.

It was as Lebron said. They didn’t need to start a war right now. Starting it after making proper preparations would be good enough. It would not be too late.

“Thank you, Master. I will definitely go to Suped.” Hyeonu lowered his head toward Lebron.

***

‘What research has Suped succeeded in?’

Hyeonu thought about it as he walked toward the building where Suped set up his laboratory. However, Hyeonu couldn’t think of anything. Nothing came to mind at all.

‘Whatever it is, it must be great.’

Only one thing was certain—Suped’s research achievement must be quite unusual. This was for certain. The research of the empire’s only great magician could never be ordinary.

‘This is precisely what I need to see for myself.’

“Suped... are you here?” Hyeonu knocked on the door of a huge brick house. The feeling he got from his fingers was that this door was very thick.

‘Can he hear me?’

Hyeonu’s worry was useless. A gorgeous black magic circle appeared on the surface of the thick door.

-Open the door and come in. If you walk inside, you will be able to come to where I am, Suped’s voice rang out from the magic circle.

It was like an intercom in real life.

‘Oh, this is amazing.’

People like Hyeonu flew around while shooting ice and fire in virtual reality games, but what he found really magical was to see something similar to real life. Hyeonu pulled the handle of the door with an admiring expression. The door opened gently with a creaking sound. Generally, doors only made such a sound when they were very old. Yet, despite making a sound like the friction of a rusty door, the door opened really gently.

‘It’s a bad hobby.’

If something happened that shouldn’t have happened, it was clear that someone had made it so. The master of this place was Suped. It was obvious that he had installed a magic device.

‘Why is it so big?’

The size of the building on the outside looked like an ordinary house. However, the space beyond the door was the size of a small gymnasium. It was dozens of times wider than an ordinary house.

‘Walk all the way... Here?’

He didn’t have to put in any effort to find Suped. In the space that had suddenly opened up, Hyeonu saw a huge bookshelf and tables gathered together.

“Suped!” Hyeonu shouted like he was having a happy meeting with a friend and approached Suped.

“I don’t think there is anything between us for you to be happy like this? Anyone who saw it would think you were Mason,” Suped greeted Hyeonu with a frown.

He didn’t welcome Hyeonu’s visit. There was nothing good about Hyeonu coming. After all, Hyeonu wasn’t Suped’s cherished disciple, Mason. Hyeonu was a human being with no value to Suped.

Regardless of Suped’s attitude, Hyeonu accepted it in a leisurely manner: “Hey, why are you saying that? I don’t know what to do if you welcome me like this.”

“Tell me why you came. My research is in progress,” Suped said.

“Progress? I heard from Master that it’s already over. Did you go straight into your next research project? As expected of the empire’s only great magician...” Hyeonu kept beating at Suped’s iron wall in a slick manner.

Suped frowned like he hated that Hyeonu’s attack worked well. “Lebron, that guy... He sold out his friend?”

“He didn’t sell you out. He’s just caring for his disciple. Isn’t the love of a disciple the truth of a master?”

Suped sighed and asked Hyeonu for the true purpose of his visit: “Then why have you come here today?”

“I was curious about the research result. What is the result of the first research project that a great magician of the empire has conducted in the demon world? It is something that any person of the empire will be curious about.” Hyeonu revealed his purpose in finding Suped without hesitation.

There was no need to hide it since he wasn’t here to do bad things.

“The result of the research... The research isn’t over yet. It is true that I made something, but I don’t know what the effect is,” Suped spoke with a complicated expression.

What had been gained through the research? He had studied the environment of the demon world and succeeded in implementing it as a magic circle. However… no matter what he used, he couldn’t confirm the effect of the magic circle in the demon world. It was the same no matter what changes he made.

“How long have you been at a standstill?”

“It has already been a week. My other studies are ongoing, but... Unfortunately, there is no solution,” Suped explained. Upon hearing that, Hyeonu thought about it carefully. Why didn’t the magic circle make any changes?

‘The effect of the magic circle is to create the environment of the demon world.’

Etono was part of the demon world, so the environment would naturally be the same.

“So why don’t you check it in the middle world? If it’s there, won’t you know the effect of the magic circle?” Hyeonu advised earnestly.

Suped’s expression stiffened. In an instant, he closed his eyes and sank into his thoughts. He was listening to Hyeonu’s advice and reflecting on his research again. After a while, Suped opened his eyes and said, “I didn’t think about that. I just wondered if the magic circle was wrong. Thank you.”

“Then you should go and test the magic circle right away. I would also like to see it. I wonder what effect it will have on the middle world.”

“Right now? Good, I was curious anyway.”

Suped quickly began to clear his desk. He reached over it and waved toward his bookshelf. Then the mess on the desk started to fly toward the bookshelf.

‘He can move anything.’ Hyeonu marveled at the sight unfolding before his eyes. The scene of flying books, paper, and various writing instruments was obviously a rare sight.

Once there was nothing flying anymore, Hyeonu spoke to Suped, “Now let’s go, Suped.”

***

Hyeonu and Suped were seen in Phinis a short time later.

‘Suped can also use the magic circle alone.’

In the process of using the magic circle to head to Phinis, Suped showed why he had the title of great magician for a reason. His expression wasn’t even tired as he filled up all the magic power at once to activate the magic circle.

“What is the size of the magic circle? What is the range around it?” Hyeonu asked as he walked toward the lord’s castle of Phinis.

“The size can be adjusted. It can be big if I want it big and small if I want it small,” Suped replied.

Hyeonu nodded when he heard that.

‘I am a fool for asking.’

Suped had obviously already said it in Etono. To be exact, it had been a few minutes ago. He didn’t know what effect the magic circle had, which meant he didn’t know what was the right size for something to take effect.

“So why not make it small first to check the effect?” Hyeonu suggested.

This time, it was Suped who nodded. The beginning always had to start small. He didn’t know what would happen. If there were to be a result he couldn’t handle… it would be the worst.

“Why are you talking about the obvious? That is how simple tests are done.”

Suped gave Hyeonu a hard time, but Hyeonu didn’t mind such words. He was already preoccupied with the magic circle demonstration that would soon take place.

‘If it has a decent effect... and if the magic circle can be engraved somewhere...’

It was likely to be a secret weapon for Arena Week.

In that case, the only thing to be done now was to curry favor with Suped. If Hyeonu became angry because he was in a bad mood right now, he was likely to miss the sweet fruit in his hand. In the meantime, Hyeonu and Suped arrived at their destination—a secluded training ground in the castle.

“Here it is, Suped. As you said, this is a place where no one but me can enter. It is completely isolated,” Hyeonu stated.

Suped turned his body and looked around. The training field, which was covered with dust, was truly a place that wasn’t touched by people.

“Okay, I’ll make the magic circle right away.” Suped tapped the ground with a cane he had pulled out of nowhere.

Thump!

The ground rang and vibrated. Simultaneously, a slightly colorful magic circle appeared in the air and poured toward the ground once it was complete.

“The magic circle is ready now. You just need to confirm it,” Suped said.

In accordance with Suped’s words, Hyeonu walked toward the magic circle. It was efficient for him to do this as he had a system to tell what the effect of the magic circle was. The moment Hyeonu strode into the magic circle, it glowed, and a black energy rushed over him.