Chapter 85

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Chapter 85: The Wind Tribe (1)

Returning to the special operations office, Oscar shared the events at the Mosque with Killian and Veronica.

“It’s about unleashing a burst of power instantaneously. From the description, it’s quite similar to the activation of ancient tattoos used by our tribe.”

“But it’s fundamentally different. This is a one-time use ability.”

In reality, Moira, who had temporarily turned into a Demonic Human, had all her mana circuits burned out afterward.

Even if she had survived, she wouldn’t have been able to use magic ever again.

Listening quietly with her arms crossed, Veronica asked in a serious tone.

“So, this is also the work of those guys who attacked us in Vince, right?”

“Highly likely. When I had a conversation with someone from the Imperial Family before, I heard a bit about the connection between the Black Fingers and the Demonic Humans.”

“...No matter how I look at it, this feels like a scheme targeting you.”

Oscar nodded in agreement.

“What happened in Vince was probably a coincidence. We accidentally disrupted their plan back then. But this time, they blatantly aimed at the White Tower from the start.”

“They must have predicted that you, as the chief responsible for the potion controversy, would step in.”

And that prediction was spot on.

The incident was resolved well, but the fact remained that they had played into the enemy’s hands.

“In my opinion, they had two major objectives for this operation.”

“Two? What are they?”

“The first is obvious—to kill me.”

At his calm declaration, the two flinched.

“What’s with the surprise? If I hadn’t defeated that Demonic Human, I would’ve died right there.”

“...That means these guys have no qualms about killing mages of the White Tower.”

“These are lunatics who tried to erase an entire city. Expecting sanity from them is pointless.”

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.

Oscar was the only one unfazed by the discussion.

Feeling a strange sense of dissonance, Veronica frowned and asked,

“...You. I’ve always wondered, aren’t you afraid of dying?”

“Hmm.”

Mages of the White Tower, as a rule, were far removed from death.

Due to their high social status, unless they took on dangerous missions, no one dared harm them.

“Death, huh.”

Caught off guard by the question, Oscar gave it serious thought.

Of course, no one welcomes death.

Naturally, he was no different.

‘But…’

He had overcome the despair and fear death brought.

To be more precise, he had to overcome it.

It wasn’t because he was extraordinary; it was simply a matter of survival at the time.

‘For those who couldn’t conquer their fear of death, only ruin awaited.’

Either they went mad, or they froze in terror on the battlefield and actually died.

To survive, one had to overcome fear in some way or another.

Everyone who lived through the era of war with the demons was like that.

“I’d say it’s less about being scared and more about hating the idea? No one likes dying.”

“...”

For someone speaking so casually about it, he seemed far too composed.

Swallowing the words she wanted to say, Veronica nodded.

“Fine, I get it. What’s the second objective?”

“I think they were testing the performance of the Demonic Humans.”

Oscar recalled his battle with Moira.

“Although she temporarily turned into a Demonic Human after taking that strange drug, it didn’t feel like a finished product.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Well…”

Of course, he could tell because he had faced countless demons in person.

But he couldn’t say that outright.

Oscar shrugged.

“Just a hunch. And she broke down as soon as she was attacked, didn’t she? No matter how you look at it, it’s hard to believe that’s the Black Fingers’ idea of a completed Demonic Human.”

“In other words, their second goal was to test the drug’s performance on a high-level mage like a Level 5.”

Killian summarized neatly.

“Exactly. But no mage of that level would voluntarily take such a suspicious drug. That’s why they used someone like Moira Main, who had a grudge against me.”

“So, in short, the Black Fingers didn’t suffer any losses from this incident.”

“On the contrary, they gained something.”

It was a plan designed so they’d gain at least one thing, no matter who won.

Utterly despicable yet brilliantly calculated.

“Oscar. If they do complete this drug to create Demonic Humans, how powerful do you think it would be?”

“Well… that depends on how you define completion.”

If the ultimate goal of the Demonic Human experiment was to turn humans into complete demons, humanity would have to stop it at all costs.

‘But that won’t happen.’

He had already experienced it, even if only once.

From what he observed, a Demonic Human merely converted a human’s mana into demonic energy.

While it temporarily boosted destructive power, in other aspects, they were still human.

‘Whether the Black Fingers realize this or not, even a perfected Demonic Human…’

Would never surpass a demon.

Not ever.

The limits of a Demonic Human, as far as he saw it, were clear.

“Even if completed, the limit would be raising a mage’s level by two at most. And that, only for lower-level mages.”

“Hmm. What if a high-level mage took it?”

“A high-level mage?”

Oscar paused.

To be honest, he would bet his entire fortune that no high-level mage would willingly consume such a thing.

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‘But hypothetically, if they did…’

If forced by circumstances, what would happen?

After pondering, Oscar shook his head.

“I can’t say for sure, but I’d call it a catastrophe.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But it’s a meaningless hypothesis, so let’s drop it.”

“Understood.”

Concluding the conversation, Oscar addressed them firmly.

“In any case, I called you here today to warn you to stay alert.”

The two’s expressions turned serious.

"Black Fingers. That insane group worshipping the demons might target the White Tower again. Stay vigilant in everything you do from now on. If you sense anything strange, share the information immediately."

"Understood."

"Alright."

As the meeting ended, the two left the room.

Then, as if waiting for the opportunity, another figure entered.

"Is the discussion over?"

"...Hagor?"

"The atmosphere seemed quite serious, so I didn't step in."

"Thanks for the consideration. Do you have some business? Oh, now that I think about it—"

Oscar belatedly checked the calendar on the desk.

Seeing this, Hagor smirked and nodded.

"Yes. The modifications are complete."

* * *

13th Floor, the Dwarves’ Workshop.

Even Oscar himself had never entered this place before.

"Oh..."

Oscar let out a small exclamation as the elevator doors opened, and the intense heat hit his face.

The entire floor was an open workshop with a massive furnace reaching up to the ceiling in the center.

"It might be a bit hot for a human. Will you be alright?"

"Yes, I can endure it."

Truthfully, it wasn’t just “hot” — it was scorching.

The heat from the giant furnace made the environment feel more fiery than warm.

Oscar had already been using magic to wrap his body in air to regulate his temperature.

"Good to hear. This way."

Hagor led him to a bike parked nearby, which looked vastly different from before.

As Oscar admired the sleek, aerodynamic cowling, he spoke up.

"A lot has changed. But... didn’t you put too much effort into the exterior?"

"Hmph, I couldn't bring myself to release junk just because time was tight. Besides, didn’t you say you wanted it to look impressive enough to catch anyone’s eye?"

"Well, I did say that."

But he didn’t expect it to be this extravagant.

Upon closer inspection, the bike looked like a master sculptor had poured their soul into crafting it.

"No need to worry, though. I paid even more attention to the bike's performance than its appearance."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Oscar greeted the dwarves gathering around him with nods before continuing.

"If you don’t mind, could you explain the added features and what’s been removed? I’m curious."

"Not a problem."

Standing in front of the bike, Hagor began pointing out various parts as he explained.

"First off, I removed the front and rear wheels. Since it’ll be flying, they’re unnecessary. This also helped reduce weight."

"Likewise, I got rid of the suspension. A flying bike isn’t going to get into traffic accidents."

"Uh... but wouldn’t that make it unsafe?"

At this, Hagor chuckled softly.

"You think we wouldn’t consider that? We’ve already worked with the White Tower’s mages to enchant the bike’s underside. It’s equipped with magic to cushion impact upon landing, as well as an omni-directional safety spell that activates under heavy pressure. It’s similar to that airbag thing I’ve heard about in cars."

"I see."

In short, basic safety measures were in place.

Relieved, Oscar continued listening.

"Additionally, I installed a flight control system in the handle’s gear section with button-based operations. Ascending and descending are so intuitive that even a child could master it with just 10 minutes of practice."

"Naturally, we implemented dual security to prevent unauthorized use: a magic code and biometric recognition. Plus, the White Tower embedded a tracking spell that can be activated at any time, so you won’t have to worry about theft."

"As for this sleek cowling you’re admiring—it’s not just for looks. It’s a product of cutting-edge aerodynamics, reducing air resistance as the bike flies."

"Once airborne, a HUD (Head-Up Display) will appear at the front, showing wind speed, bike velocity, navigation, and all the critical information a pilot might need."

Clap, clap, clap.

Oscar, jaw agape, burst into applause.

The result exceeded even his wildest expectations.

"The craftsmanship of dwarf artisans is truly remarkable. No, it feels like the rumors don’t do justice to your skills."

His genuine admiration made the dwarves blush and rub their noses in embarrassment.

"Ahem. It’s been a while since we’ve heard such praise."

"This is it—the feeling of having one’s labor truly appreciated."

Oscar’s standing ovation continued for a full five minutes.

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