Chapter 162: Yellow Magic Tower (2)

“…”

Gael’s expression hardened as he stared at the Beggar Old Man.

It couldn’t be helped.

He had thought the old man was just an ordinary beggar hanging around the mercenaries associated with Harang.

To think that such an old man was hiding such tremendous power.

‘Even I couldn’t gauge his strength…’

Of course, he knew there were countless strong individuals in the outside world.

He was strong for his age, but he had long accepted—albeit reluctantly—that there were many seasoned swordsmen far stronger than him.

But what were the odds that such a high-caliber swordsman would come to Nadan Kingdom, to the remote city of Marzen, and offer him advice?

‘Could he be from the village?’

For a moment, Gael eyed the Beggar Old Man suspiciously but soon shook his head.

No way. If he were connected to the village, he wouldn’t have hidden his identity for so long. Maybe from Harang or the other Peers, but there was no need to hide from him.

‘Then… who is he?’

Confusion swirled within him.

No matter how he pieced together the clues, he couldn’t figure out the old man’s identity.

The tension grew, and his grip on his sword tightened. If the old man took even one step closer, he’d strike. With that resolve, Gael unleashed an even stronger Aura, causing the surroundings to tremble as if an earthquake had struck.

Yet the Beggar Old Man had no intention of fighting.

Nor did he intend to provoke Gael.

With an utterly serene face and a warm voice, he merely repeated the same question.

“I’ll ask again. Don’t you want to defeat Harang?”

“…”

“Hoho, this guy. So full of suspicion. Are you still wondering who I am? Give it up. If you don’t know now, thinking harder won’t give you answers.”

“Then… what’s your purpose…?”

“To help you, of course.”

“…”

“I enjoy solving the troubles of wandering youths. It’s like seeing my younger self.”

“Nonsense…”

“Here’s the thing. I’ll just say it, whether you want to hear it or not. As I said, following this method doesn’t guarantee you’ll beat Harang, but… I can assure you it’s a far better path than what you’ve been doing.”

“…”

“Hoho, looks like you’re finally ready to listen.”

Gael’s face twisted in frustration, a rare reaction for someone usually so composed.

He couldn’t help it.

With so little information, strength, or leeway, being swayed by the old man’s words irritated him… but, honestly, he was curious.

A way to defeat Harang?

Did such a thing really exist?

But moments later, the method the old man proposed… was so absurd it made Gael’s expression crumple even more.

“Eat well, rest well. And sometimes, have fun.”

“…Is that all?”

“That’s all.”

“…”

“Why, disappointed because it’s too simple?”

“Is this old man mocking me?”

Wooooong-!

A more intense Aura erupted from Gael’s sword.

It wasn’t unreasonable. He had been listening intently, only to receive such a lackluster answer. It felt like he’d been toyed with, souring his mood.

But the old man was serious.

Shedding his carefree demeanor, he hardened his expression, exuded Presence, and spoke.

Wooooooong-!

“I’m not joking. I’m serious.”

“…”

“I’m sincerely telling you that you need rest.”

Fwoooosh-

As soon as he finished speaking, his presence vanished.

Yet Gael couldn’t easily dismiss him.

It was incomprehensible.

For a brief moment, the Presence the old man emitted was beyond reason.

It felt like facing the Village’s General Manager!

Gael, who knew better than the other Godok how absurd that was, was utterly shocked.

But the Beggar Old Man showed no concern for his mental state.

With another carefree smile, he continued in a leisurely tone.

“You must know by now, but at the Graduate level and beyond, fleeting moments of enlightenment are as crucial as repetitive training. A master’s realm allows one to advance by watching dew fall from a leaf or a bird soar freely in the sky. But you don’t seem ready for that.”

“…”

“Broaden your perspective. To do that, you need mental leeway, and to gain that, you need to break free from a monotonous, rigid routine. You need time to eat, drink, rest, and play. Look at Harang. Does that young man spend his days training 24 hours?”

“…”

“Hm, no need to say more. I trust you’ll understand, so I’ll be off, heh heh.”

Paat-!

With those final words, the Beggar Old Man vanished.

His movement was so swift it left no afterimage, reminiscent of a seasoned assassin.

Gael wasn’t surprised.

He already knew the old man was a formidable figure.

But more than that, it was the old man’s parting words.

‘Even Harang doesn’t spend every day training 24 hours…’

It was true.

He hadn’t observed Harang’s every move, but he had a rough sense of how he spent his time.

Sometimes, he’d coach someone’s swordsmanship.

Sometimes, he’d laugh and drink with others.

Sometimes, he’d lie on a hammock in a clearing, lost in pointless daydreams.

Gael had seen it once—Harang confiding useless thoughts to a kid named Glen.

‘Yet the gap between us hasn’t narrowed… That’s definitely strange. The old man’s words make sense.’

Of course, the biggest factor could be the difference in ‘talent.’

But Gael didn’t believe the gap in potential between him and Harang was that vast.

With that thought, he sheathed his Aura, put his sword away, and slowly walked through the ruined clearing toward Marzen’s Outer District.

Step, step.

He kept thinking.

About eating well.

About resting well.

And about having fun.

The first was easy. He already prioritized nutrition and maintained a satisfying diet. Adding a few curious dishes would suffice to follow the old man’s advice.

But the second and third were problematic.

Gael had never rested.

From age five to his current age of 22, he’d lived thinking only of the sword, swinging it endlessly.

It was for survival. To stand as the last Godok, he believed he couldn’t afford a moment’s rest.

Having fun?

The thought had never crossed his mind.

Because of that, even if he wanted to change his daily routine as the old man suggested, he couldn’t think of anything.

‘What do I do… Just sit still?’

‘No, that doesn’t seem right.’

‘But I can’t think of anything else.’

‘Should I lie down? Sleep more?’

‘But that’s too boring…’

Lost in such thoughts, Gael wandered Marzen’s streets.

Then, he spotted a member of the Eddy Mercenary Corps.

After a moment, he recalled the name. It was probably Daereon.

‘Quite a lively guy.’

His skill… was barely enough to survive in the village, but by outside standards, he wasn’t bad. He was settled at the upper Expert level.

But that wasn’t important.

What mattered now was finding someone to teach him how to ‘rest’ and ‘have fun.’

And that person…

Gael’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Daereon.

‘What the hell?’

Feeling the gaze, Daereon looked flustered.

Naturally, he knew how terrifyingly monstrous Gael was.

The crazy guy who could even give ‘Boss Harang’ a hard time. Considering his age, his strength was utterly absurd.

And now, that monster was staring at him differently than usual.

Wondering if he was looking at something behind him, Daereon shifted left and right…

‘Damn it, he’s definitely looking at me!’

The eyes following him confirmed it.

The monster was interested in him.

‘…Why?’

Cold sweat dripped from Daereon’s forehead.

It had been a while since he felt such a crisis.

But it was fine.

Living comfortably under Harang and the Eddy Mercenary Corps, his flattery skills had soared to the point of felling birds mid-flight.

Now was the time.

No one would harm someone offering kind words.

Resolved, Daereon put on a wide grin and approached Gael.

He planned to start with compliments on his appearance, then smoothly transition to praising his swordsmanship, maybe even saying he could pose a threat to Boss Harang.

As he quickly formed this elaborate plan…

“Daereon.”

“Aigoo, Gael! Good to see you! Yes, I’m Daereon, but what brings you to me…?”

“I want to properly have fun, eat, drink, and rest tonight. I don’t know how.”

“…What?”

Daereon was bewildered.

It couldn’t be helped.

A young man who seemed to live like a monk, devoted solely to training, suddenly wanted to have fun? To eat and drink?

‘Is this a dream?’

It wasn’t.

It was reality.

As proof, Gael’s clear voice continued.

“Tonight, I want to have fun like you guys do.”

“…”

“Is that not possible?”

“…N-No, of course it’s possible! Hahaha! Let’s do it! Tonight, this Daereon will take Gael out for a proper, unforgettable time, haha, hahaha!”

Thus, the Gael & Daereon duo was formed.

Two seemingly mismatched individuals roamed Marzen’s vibrant nightlife, and as shocked Eddy Mercenary Corps members joined one by one, the group grew larger.

Of course, Harang, oblivious to this, was busy urging his horse forward.

“…So this is the Yellow Magic Tower’s autonomous territory.”

Some time later, he arrived at the autonomous territory of the Yellow Magic Tower, one of the Five Major Magic Towers.

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