Training-Addicted Mage In A Progression Fantasy-Chapter 55: Merchant Convoy Escort (6)

During the ongoing battle, Kito communicated through consciousness.

-It seems this isn't over yet.

-How are things on your end?

-I've dealt with all of them. Do you need assistance?

-No, I'm managing fine.

Leon had considered asking if she could capture one, but upon hearing that she had already dealt with all of them, he abandoned the idea.

I wanted to capture one for information.

Since Kito couldn’t do it, he’d have to handle it himself.After gathering his thoughts, Leon shot the Wooden Sword back at Ullrich.

Aware of the Wooden Sword’s strange ability, Ullrich chose to dodge rather than defend.

Leon immediately rushed towards Ullrich, as if he’d been waiting for this opportunity.

“Thunderlight.”

Nine small orbs materialized above Leon’s hand.The orbs, charged with lightning energy, instantly flew towards Ullrich.However, a strong wind arose around Ullrich, weakly pushing back the orbs before they could get close.

Immediately after, an invisible powerful force struck Leon.Leon charged forward without defending.

The Guardian Robe enveloping his body glowed, deflecting the invisible force.Leon had been deliberately concealing this Robe’s ability until now, but there was no need to hide it anymore.

Getting close doesn’t guarantee I can kill him, but......

Ullrich was momentarily flustered, not expecting Leon to charge in physically.Leon approached Ullrich without hesitation and swiftly shackled his ankle with lightning cuffs.

The moment Ullrich was caught in the shackles, a strong current electrocuted him, causing him to fall to the ground.This occurred because he had been drawing Magic Power.

Leon grabbed Ullrich by the scruff of his neck.

“Fall.”

After neutralizing Ullrich, Leon extended his hand towards the Intermediate Arcane Mage who was battling the Gargoyle Golem.

Nine lightning bolts struck down from above his head, slicing through the air.Kwagwang-A thunderous roar echoed.

***

Leon landed on the ground with Ullrich.

Leon questioned Ullrich, who lay helplessly on the ground in shackles.

“You’re a Mage belonging to the Imperial Court, aren’t you?”

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A brief sneer flashed across Ullrich’s lips.

“...You think we’re all there is? You’re too complacent. While you’re doing this......”

Before he could finish, the sky suddenly darkened.A huge shadow loomed over Leon and Ullrich.Both looked up simultaneously.

A giant monster landed beside Leon.And something horrific fell from its mouth.

It was the corpse of a Mage.Moreover, it was a half-melted, unbearable sight.

“The rest had no form left, so I couldn’t bring them.”“......”

The color drained from Ullrich’s face.Before his eyes lay the gruesome remains of the highest-ranking member.He was speechless, staring blankly.

Leon was also momentarily shocked but soon regained his composure.He turned his gaze back to Ullrich.

“Now do you feel like talking?”

Ullrich snorted at those words, coming to his senses.

“Unlike your Magic skills, you still show your youth naivety. No matter what you ask, I won’t answer.”

Leon sighed.

“...Bring Erika.”

Kito, who had transformed into Human form at some point, nodded and flew towards the Chariot’s location.

A moment later, she returned with Erika.Erika was visibly shocked at the sight of the corpses strewn on the ground.

“Do you recognize this person?”

Leon asked, and she looked closely at Ullrich’s face before shaking her head.

“Kuk......”

Ullrich laughed softly.

“What’s so amusing?”

When Leon asked, he shook his head.

“Kill him.”

Since they had decided to kill Leon, he had no intention of letting them live.He had only kept them alive momentarily because he wanted information.

I didn’t expect them to be this stubborn.

For Leon, who valued life greatly, it was hard to understand why they would risk their lives to hide information.

Leon turned his gaze to Erika.

“It seems they are indeed Mages from the Imperial Court, so if you have any questions, go ahead.”

Erika nodded.

“Do you know about the current state of the Sigrinel School?”“......”“The Second Prince......”

Erika asked a few more questions after that, but Ullrich completely sealed his lips.

-Are you going to torture him for information?

At Kito’s question, Leon hesitated for a moment.A flicker of conflict passed through his eyes.It was merely due to psychological resistance.

-Tsk.

Kito raised her tiny palm.A Magic Circle began to glow faintly in her hand, and Ullrich’s body started to rot from the toes up.

“Aaaaargh!”

An agonized scream burst from Ullrich’s mouth.The pain of his body slowly rotting was beyond description.

His screams persisted for a while.

However, Kito merely looked down at him with cold eyes, not even offering the chance to beg for information or mercy.

Ullrich’s life ebbed away slowly in agony, without being granted any final words.

“Well, there’s no need to dirty our hands. It wouldn’t make much difference even if we got the information. You weren’t planning to get involved anyway, right?”

Kito said matter-of-factly.

“...That’s right.”

But in the ruthless world of Magic, wouldn’t this hesitation prove detrimental at crucial moments?

Leon turned his head towards Erika, composing himself.There was determination in his eyes.

“I don’t have the ability to grant your request.”

Leon calmly but firmly explained the situation.He fully understood her circumstances and feelings, but Leon himself was also being pursued.He had no capacity to look after anyone else.

If he were to get unnecessarily entangled with the Imperial Court here, it could bring unwarranted danger to Arpina, whom he would meet later.

“Until the Trading Company reaches its destination, I’ll do my best to prevent similar situations if they arise, but I’m afraid I can’t accommodate any requests beyond that. Once we arrive in the Empire, it would be better for you to explore other options.”

Leon tried to fulfill his responsibility for the task he had taken on.Although this escort mission was merely a means to cross into the Empire, it was right to complete the job he had accepted to the end.

Moreover, the merchants of the Trading Company had treated Leon fairly.In fact, they had been quite favorable, and Leon had grown to like them as a result.

After much deliberation, Erika glanced at the corpse of the dead Mage and carefully asked.

“Would it be possible for me to hire you separately?”

Although her eyes were full of regret, Leon firmly shook his head.

His mind, having already made a decision, remained unwavering.

“...I understand.”

Erika lowered her head in disappointment and answered with a gloomy expression.No more words came from her mouth.

In the silence, her disappointment and frustration seemed to be palpable.

Leon sent Erika away first, then used the Mana Trace Remover.After retrieving all the corpses and storing them in the Magic Orb, Leon returned to the Chariot.

As soon as Tris spotted Leon, he approached with urgent steps.He spoke with a voice tinged with curiosity and anxiety.

“Can you explain what happened?”“They were the ones driving the monsters our way.”“...Was it resolved?”“Yes, for now. Could you tell the other adventurers that it was nothing serious?”

He pondered Leon’s request for a moment, then nodded as if he understood.

“Alright.”

Leon felt inwardly relieved.Although these people wouldn’t directly get involved with the Mages, it was better to keep things under wraps if possible to reduce any potential risks.

Soon, the Chariot started moving again.An atmosphere filled with a strange tension persisted.Like the calm before a storm, they were all bracing for dangers that might arise at any moment.

During this time, Leon had several conversations with Erika.She seemed to have become more at ease after sorting out her thoughts, and voluntarily initiated conversations.

“The Empire has 20 Transcendence Mages. Our master was one of them, but... he passed away.”“So are there nineteen Transcendence Mages left now?”“That’s likely not the case. The number of Transcendence Mages always remains at 20.”“What do you mean it doesn’t change?”

Leon tilted his head, puzzled by this unfamiliar information.

“Indeed. When one disappears, another soon rises to take their place. It’s as if there’s a fixed quota.”“...It sounds like a rule set by someone.”“I don’t know the intricate details of such high-level Mages, but the number of 20 Transcendence Mages has never changed. There might be brief periods with vacancies, though.”

Leon pondered this information.

Transcendence Mages are limited to 20... And that number stays constant. So if 20 Transcendence Mages already exist, it means that no matter how much enlightenment other late Insight Mages gain, they can’t ascend to Transcendence.

This implied that one couldn’t reach Transcendence Mage status just by raising their Realm.

A profound understanding and structural knowledge of the Magic System itself was necessary.

Leon painfully realized his lack of Magical knowledge.He hadn’t fully grasped the knowledge accumulated by Ancient Mages over millennia.

It’s understandable, given I’ve only been studying Magic for 3 years.

In this world, it took decades to grow into a high-level Mage.Compared to such a long time, Leon’s 3 years of study were truly just the beginning.

He realized he had been neglecting other aspects of Magic while focusing solely on raising his Realm.It now became clear how crucial understanding Magic theory, history, and systems was, not just the Realm itself.Erika continued her explanation.

“There are 20 Schools, each led by one of the 20 Transcendence Mages. These Schools are the most powerful groups in the Empire. Most maintain friendly relations with the Imperial Court. Even the Imperial Court itself is independently nurturing its own Mage forces.”

The once-powerful Sigrinel School had now declined, and in a situation where most were friendly with the Imperial Court, they found themselves in a position of disfavor.

It was indeed too complex a situation for Leon to handle out of mere goodwill.

I’ve just escaped being chased by Tenelon, I can’t afford to get involved in another complicated situation.

Although he still knew little about the Asteria School that Arpina had mentioned, Leon was reluctant to take on any more uncertain risks.

This was especially true now that he had recognized his need for deeper Magic knowledge.Leon required a stable environment to expand his understanding.

I’m grateful to Erika for sharing so much information objectively, but I can’t take that risk right now. If fate allows, we might cross paths again someday....

As they neared the Empire’s border, a dry wind swept over them.Fortunately, they passed through the border without incident.

A month and a half after the Chariot’s departure, a massive Imperial city appeared on the horizon.Bright smiles spread across the faces of the adventurers who had been living in constant tension.They were relieved that the mission had concluded without major issues.

The Imperial city bustled with vitality.It dwarfed the free city of Crest in scale, with far more people crowding its streets.The voices of merchants and the rumble of Chariot wheels blended throughout the city, creating a lively atmosphere.

Upon reaching the city, the Trading Company leader handed over the remaining payment.

As Leon received the money, Dave approached him.

“Thank you for everything. Haha.”“It was nothing.”

Dave lightly patted his pocket with a gentle laugh.

“Thanks to you, it seems we had a comfortable journey. Almost to the point where I feel I shouldn’t accept payment.”

Then, pausing for a moment and glancing around as if searching for Erika, Dave asked.

“Erika......”

Leon shook his head and replied.

“It seems she’s already left.”

Erika had vanished as soon as they arrived in the city, without even collecting her payment.It was natural for her to conceal herself, given that the Trading Company’s Chariot’s location had been discovered.

Dave nodded and smiled faintly.

“She did mention having some business to attend to when we reached the Empire and that she’d be away for a while. I had no idea she was a Mage though.”

He seemed to have realized there was no reason to dwell on her after learning of Erika’s true nature.He wore an awkward smile, as if trying to shake off some lingering regret.

“We plan to register as adventurers here and gain some experience. What about you, Theo? What are your plans now?”

Leon pondered for a moment.He had no intention of staying here.

He needed to leave to find the Asteria School.However, he wasn’t certain if there was a city named after the School in the Empire, as there had been in the Basprion Kingdom.

“I’ll have to wander around for a bit.”

It seemed he wouldn’t be able to escape the life of a wandering Mage for a while longer.