I Became the Patron of Villains

Chapter 50

50. Magic Conference (3)

Labyrinth City Lartania.

At the pinnacle of that city, where countless mercenaries and explorers stay, and where more treasures and artifacts emerge the deeper you go underground, there are five major guilds.

Bloody Iron.

Terranomad.

Arcadia.

Ancient Tracker.

Kalimadra.

These five major guilds, called by such names, are groups with stronger forces than any other mercenary or explorer guild, and the difference in power was vast compared to the mediocre guilds.

The guild leaders of these five major guilds were strong enough to be called superhumans rather than humans.

Among them, Aldric, the guild leader of Bloody Iron, who earned the nickname “Butcher” for slaughtering over a thousand monsters alone on the 10th floor in the past, was currently descending the labyrinth.

However, the reason he came down here today was not to reach the lowest floor, but because of a large commission that came to Bloody Iron.

“Capture a monster on the 20th floor alive… huh.”

Aldric, with an axe as big as his body slung over his shoulder, made a peculiar expression.

It was because the content of the commission was somewhat strange.

In the Lartania Labyrinth, every five floors, there is a space without monsters, which does not fit the name of a labyrinth.

Of course, as you go further down, the scenery of these safety floors, called so by mercenaries, changes to unknown terrains or buildings, but fundamentally, there were no monsters.

However, this large commission was talking about a monster on the 20th floor, one of those safety floors, so it was naturally strange.

Nevertheless, the reason he led his subordinates down to the 20th floor was because the advance payment was enormous.

Most importantly, the client himself said so.

Even if the mission fails, the deposit will not be refunded.

That was why Aldric was currently descending to the 20th floor.

“It could be a trap.”

Of course, he was thinking that, but he wasn’t particularly afraid even if it was a trap.

For someone like him, who always played on the 50th floor, known as the lowest floor of the labyrinth, he was confident he could return immediately even if something happened on the 20th floor.

Thus, Aldric, descending into the labyrinth with his subordinates.

“It’s the 20th floor.”

Soon, as the client had said, they arrived at the 20th floor.

The subordinates, gazing at the large ruins visible on the 20th floor, said,

“……What is that?”

“A monster?”

“……Boss, there’s really a monster here?”

Surprisingly, as the client had said, they could see a monster there.

“But……”

“Isn’t that a goblin?”

“Really?”

And it was a goblin, known as the weakest of monsters.

“There’s really a monster on the 20th floor?”

“Wow, so if we just catch that thing and go back up, we get more money than the advance payment?”

“This is a complete golden goblin.”

“It’s even wearing clothes like a golden goblin should?”

“What are those clothes? Are they from the East?”

Aldric’s subordinates, having confirmed the monster, pointed at it and chuckled.

As mercenaries exploring the lowest levels, they had already exterminated thousands of goblins.

Just as everyone was chuckling,

“Ha-“

The goblin, which had been staring blankly at the ruins until a moment ago, let out a low sigh and turned around.

“Bugs, you’re noisy.”

With a voice so clear it was hard to believe it was a goblin, and with eyes lazier than anything, it muttered and flicked its finger.

From left to right.

And then.

“Ah-?”

The upper and lower bodies of the mercenaries, who had been laughing at the goblin just a moment ago, were cleanly separated.

That was the end.

Thud.

With a vile noise, the five mercenaries who had been with Aldric for years were killed in an instant.

As soon as Aldric, sensing an instinctive threat, raised his axe, he saw it.

The eyes of the goblin staring at him.

In the eyes, which were too intelligent to be called a goblin’s, only two emotions were visible.

Arrogance (傲慢) and-

Thud.

-Contempt (蔑視).

……The last thing Aldric could see was that it was the end.

Next, there was nothing.

His mind went dark amidst the terrible screams of the mercenaries.

Not long after, he- no, the king of all ghouls (餓鬼) who had dealt with all the mercenaries that had descended to the 20th floor.

Started moving towards the surface.

In the case of the friendly match that starts after the discussion at the academy, it is usually the wizard who is scheduled to play the friendly match that day who comes out and names the opponent.

In other words, it meant that the wizard could challenge any of the wizards gathered to watch this duel.

Of course, even so, the wizard with the right to name the friendly match did not challenge just anyone.

If they challenged a wizard of too low a rank, they could be criticized for bullying a wizard of a lower rank.

Conversely, if they named a wizard of too high a rank, they could not only be embarrassed but also upset the opponent.

Wizards, by nature, have strong pride.

Therefore, most wizards with the right to name the match chose a wizard of a similar rank. Alon knew at least that much.

‘……Wasn’t Baruch’s rank around the 4th rank?’

Feeling the curious gazes, Alon recalled Lian, who had frowned at Baruch yesterday.

‘One rank higher than me.’

In the world of wizards, rank makes a huge difference.

Especially as the rank gets higher, the difference becomes even greater. In fact, the 7th and 8th ranks, which can only be seen later, have an enormous difference in power even though they are only one rank apart.

‘……At that age, being in the 4th rank, even if not as much as Fenia, clearly falls within the category of genius.’

While thinking this, looking at Baruch, who did not seem that old despite his appearance.

“Could it be that the wizard who greatly helped capture that great foreign god is scared?”

Suddenly, Baruch opened his mouth.

A provocation that even the wizard, who had been watching the situation with interest, couldn’t help but flinch at for a moment.

Just a moment ago, Baruch’s words implied to anyone that Alon’s rumors were not baseless, and Alon himself could roughly grasp Baruch’s intentions.

‘He’s trying to mess with me.’

Of course, it was impossible to know exactly what Baruch’s intentions were.

But, at least for the current Alon, it was enough if that much meaning resonated.

‘If someone tries to mess with you for no reason, give them a reason.’

Alon was not kind enough to overlook an opponent who tried to disgrace him for no reason, especially one who didn’t seem difficult to defeat.

‘I can use it in practice sooner than I thought.’

Alon quietly slipped the gauntlet from his pocket onto his index finger and opened his mouth.

“I accept.”

And so, the duel was established.

‘It went as expected.’

Baruch, the son of the Purple Tower Lord and like Riyan, who had risen to the 4th rank, smiled as he felt the gazes of the wizards pouring over him and Alon, who was staring at him expressionlessly from afar.

Naturally, provoking Alon and dragging him into the arena was all part of Baruch’s plan.

To be more precise, it was a plan for Baruch himself to receive a little more spotlight.

Of course, the title of the son of the Purple Tower Lord was enough to exert considerable influence within the academy.

But he needed a little more power to exert more influence, so he decided to use Count Palatio, who he heard had come to the academy yesterday.

Count Palatio, who carried quite a few rumors.

“……”

Baruch looked at Alon with a sly smile.

He knew well what kind of rumors Alon carried.

He had made a significant contribution to dealing with the foreign press that appeared in the north.

Recently, he had also greatly helped in dealing with the two Babayagas who had ambushed the desert city of Colony with a golden flash.

In addition, since yesterday, the most unbelievable rumor that he had made the notorious Fenia as meek as a lamb was spreading.

As a result, Alon’s magic was highly regarded among the academy’s wizards based on rumors.

In other words, if the rumors were true, Baruch had essentially done something stupid by trying to raise his own name value, but he hadn’t set up this game without any thought.

Baruch subtly raised his right hand towards Alon and infused magic into the plain ring on his hand.

Wooong-

With a very slight magic movement that the wizards couldn’t notice, the ring emitted a weak resonant sound, and soon numbers began to be engraved on it.

The number 3.

Heh.

Baruch twisted his lips into a grin as he looked at the number 3 engraved on the ring.

The ring he wore was an artifact that could project a very weak magical power to roughly gauge the opponent’s hierarchy and amount of magic.

‘Still weak.’

Just like yesterday.

And just like when he checked it one last time before provoking earlier, he confirmed once again that the ring’s hierarchy was displayed as 3 and laughed.

What Baruch trusted was this ring.

Even if it wasn’t of a high hierarchy, this artifact, which could confirm the opponent’s hierarchy with just a small projection of magic, was originally not very useful, but within the academy, it had many uses.

Thanks to this ring, Baruch could find wizards who deliberately lied for their pride within the academy and use them as stepping stones.

‘Thanks to it, I even caught a big fish like this.’

The reason Baruch could provoke Alon without hesitation was also because he trusted this ring.

“Are both sides ready?”

“Ready.”

“Yes.”

Baruch, who was lost in thought, answered the question he heard and lightly drew up his magic.

‘…Although the rumor that the brat followed like a meek lamb is a bit concerning, the ring is certain. It’s probably not because of his magical skills.’

Baruch thought about how to deal with Alon.

‘Should I end it right away? No. If I end it too quickly, it might lack impact, so should I play with him slowly?’

‘But I shouldn’t drag it out too long either. If it’s revealed that the count’s skills are just rumors, my reputation, which should rise, might unnecessarily decrease… Yeah, it might be better to end it a bit early.’

He already imagined how he would finish Alon as he gripped his staff.

“As both sides know, magic that can threaten the opponent’s life is subject to sanctions, so please adjust the power accordingly. Then-“

Thud-!

“Begin.”

As the staff of the wizard acting as the judge lightly struck the ground to start the match, Baruch, who was about to move with a confident smile,

“?”

realized that white steam was coming out of his mouth.

Baruch, bewildered by the sudden event that he couldn’t even properly perceive, soon realized that the air reaching his lungs was cold.

Just as he was about to question it,

“What?”

Crunch-!

He belatedly realized that his calves were freezing.