The Vanished Phoenix – Part 1
The Tower Master greeted me with a bright smile.
“It’s been a while! Warrior Kim, or should I call you the Black Tiger Swordmaster? You’ve truly become a remarkable person since I last saw you!”
“It just turned out that way.”
“Well, you were never ordinary to begin with. Who else but a mere Level 3 Warrior would dare block the Sunfire? Hah. But anyway, it’s only been a few months, and you’re already Level 5? Are you even human?”
It really was an extraordinary pace.
As I merely smiled, Kim Mabeob interjected from the side.
“Grandfather, shouldn’t we get to business?”
“Listen to this impudent brat. Black Tiger Swordmaster, this is how I’m living these days. Once you get old, you might as well die—getting nagged by your only grandson while wasting away your meals. This rascal here, I worked hard to get him to Level 5, and now he acts like some kind of heavenly dragon!”
“You’re the real heavenly dragon, Grandfather. I’m just an average mage at best.”
“An average mage? Coming from a Pyromancer? Don’t make me laugh. You’re a hundred years too early for that!”
“Grandfather! Seriously!”
We eventually sat around the table.
Just like in the past, the Tower Master personally brewed coffee and served it to us.
“You’ve heard the situation, haven’t you?”
“Yes. The Phoenixes have disappeared, you said.”
“Exactly. It’s something we never anticipated. At the Magic Tower, we’ve been capturing Phoenixes, but only in numbers small enough not to alert them. Yet, one day, they all suddenly vanished without a trace.”
“Could it be that the Divine Beast Phoenix showed up?”
“That’s correct. It’s certain that the Divine Beast took its offspring away. The problem is how the Divine Beast sensed the danger. We made sure only to capture Phoenixes when the Divine Beast wasn’t around.”
So, it wasn’t overhunting?
I had my doubts about the opposite situation.
“Is it possible that there was unauthorized overhunting?”
“Unauthorized? Hmm…”
“Even if you were careful and the Tower managed it closely, isn’t it still a human endeavor? If someone had secretly been hunting Phoenixes indiscriminately, the Phoenixes would have surely caught on to the situation.”
“Poaching, you’re saying? Hmm…”
That would be a tough one.
The Sun Mage Tower strictly emphasizes discipline, and once something is under their management, it’s nearly impossible to bypass their magical surveillance.
Even so, the Tower Master seemed to think there was merit to my suggestion. Judging by his contemplative expression.
Meanwhile, Kim Mabeob shook his head.
“Wouldn’t that be difficult? I participated in the Phoenix Valley patrol, and the surveillance system was no joke. Not even a single bird or rat could sneak through unnoticed.”
“You never know. No human endeavor is ever perfect. If someone deeply familiar with the surveillance system at Phoenix Valley knew even a small gap, they could infiltrate it.”
“Well, that’s…”
“Hm, it’s plausible.”
The Tower Master nodded in agreement.
“But for that to happen, it would require someone high up in the Magic Tower—someone at the Elder level at least.”
“Grandfather. An Elder?”
“Yes… How did I not think of this? It’s certain now. One or two Elders—maybe even several—must’ve gotten greedy, and that’s why things have come to this. Those greedy bastards!”
Whoosh!
Magical energy flared up, roaring like fire.
As it began to spread like crimson flames, Kim Mabeob shouted in panic.
“Grandfather! Calm down! You’ll set the place on fire again!”
“There won’t be a fire.”
“Come on! I’ll end up hospitalized again!”
“You weakling. You call yourself a Pyromancer, yet your resistance is so pitiful?”
Indeed, if it had been anyone else, they’d already have been rushed to the hospital with third-degree burns all over their body.
Kim Mabeob had conjured a flame barrier and was sweating profusely within it.
And me?
I was just watching from the side, enjoying the spectacle with my Fire Resistance and Magic Resistance, enhanced further by my Black Flame.
The Tower Master eventually calmed down and looked at me.
“Indeed, a Warrior’s perspective is different from a Mage’s. I’m glad I sought your advice.”
“You would have figured it out on your own, regardless.”
“No, my mind doesn’t work as sharply as it used to. Getting old does that. Bah, this kid here should be assisting me, but he can’t even brew coffee properly… Anyway, I’d like to continue relying on your help. Do you have the time?”
“I do. I don’t have any pressing matters at the moment.”
“Thank you. Once this is resolved, I’ll give you a magnificent magical artifact. One that you’ll surely find to your liking.”
The Tower Master’s gaze was fixed on the ring I wore.
The mana storage ring on my right index finger.
I’d received it from Charon and made good use of it for a while, but lately, I hadn’t used it much. Even the mana gun I used to pair it with was now hanging in my house as a decoration.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“Of course, of course. You won’t be disappointed. Now then, let’s get started immediately.”
“Understood. I’ll begin at Phoenix Valley.”
“There’s nothing there now, but… well, that’s the only choice. I’ll send my grandson along to assist you. Oh, do you have a vehicle?”
“I do.”
“I don’t mean an ordinary car. I’m talking about a flying vehicle. You’re planning to take a car over that rough terrain?”
The last time, I’d taken a car, so why now?
When I gave him a questioning look, the Tower Master chuckled, pulled a thin magical chip from his desk, and tossed it toward Kim Mabeob.
“Here, take this! Make sure you escort the Black Tiger Swordmaster properly. Think of yourself as his chauffeur for the day.”
“Ah!”
Kim Mabeob’s eyes lit up as he caught the magical chip.
“This is the Red Cougar, isn’t it?”
“That’s right, the Red Cougar.”
“Grandfather! You didn’t give it to me when I kept asking for it!”
“It’s not yours to keep. I’m only lending it to you so you can take care of our Black Tiger Swordmaster. Once the task is done and he’s back, you’ll return it.”
“When did he become ‘our’ Black Tiger Swordmaster? We’re both Level 5, but the favoritism is strong.” (TL Note: In Korea, you refer to someone as “Our” as a term of familiarity. Like if they were a part of your family/group)
Even as Kim Mabeob grumbled, he was practically beaming with excitement.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster! Let’s go already!”
“Red Cougar? It’s a flying car, right?”
“Of course! It’s super famous! It’s one of my grandfather’s most prized collectibles!”
We moved to the private parking lot that only the Tower Master used.
Dozens of flying cars were lined up in neat rows.
Among them, three vehicles stood out the most.
A bright red sports car.
A boxy white SUV.
And a grand black sedan.
They were all eye-catching at a glance.
Even the texture was different, and faint magical glyphs floated across their surfaces.
And the mana waves…
I didn’t know which magitech engine they used, but the mana waves radiating from them exceeded even a Level 3 Superhuman’s capabilities. They pulsed like ripples in a vast ocean.
“Impressive, right?”
Kim Mabeob practically drooled as he stared at the sports car in awe.
“I didn’t get it before I became a Superhuman. Why are these three so ridiculously expensive? But after I awakened, I finally understood.”
“The key is the magitech engine.”
“Do you know? These cars have magical spirits embedded in them, so they can cast magic themselves!”
“A car that casts magic…”
“It’s better than some clumsy Level 3 Mage, I’ll tell you that.”
Kim Mabeob raised his right hand.
The magical chip he had received from the Tower Master sparkled on the back of his hand.
As his hand touched the sports car, the mana waves rippled dramatically.
Whirrrrr.
The engine started up automatically, and the door swung open.
Scissor doors—sharp, angular, and slicing upwards like a blade.
At the same time, the robotic head mounted on the console of the passenger seat lit up.
[Welcome aboard, Kim Mabeob.]
“Hey, Red.”
[It has been 181 days, 7 hours, 31 minutes, and 3 seconds since your last boarding. Is the Tower Master not accompanying you today?]
“Nope. My grandfather told me to escort the Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
The robotic head tilted precisely 11 degrees and turned to me.
[Black Tiger Swordmaster… Black Tiger Swordmaster… Identity confirmed. Warrior Kim, welcome to the Sun Mage Tower and the Red Cougar. Driver Kim Mabeob, please take the driver’s seat, and passenger Warrior Kim, please take the passenger seat.]
Kim Mabeob grabbed the steering wheel.
Whirrr.
With a mechanical hum, the roof slid open halfway.
It was like watching a giant observatory dome open.
Or perhaps, like something from an old anime where the protagonists dramatically launch from a secret base.
The Red Cougar floated gently into the air.
Kim Mabeob gripped the yoke-style control stick, which resembled a bull’s horns, and, without hesitation, yanked it back. The car shot forward like a bullet.
Whoosh!
The immense G-forces pressed down on my body.
As a Warrior, it didn’t faze me at all, but Kim Mabeob’s face scrunched up like a crumpled piece of paper—even as he wore an expression of sheer exhilaration.
“Let’s go, Red!”
He gestured with his right hand, the one holding the magic chip, then pushed the throttle all the way forward, tapping on the floating particles in the air as he did so.
BOOM!
The flying car accelerated sharply.
Calling it a “car” felt misleading—it was closer to an aircraft.
The robotic head turned toward Kim Mabeob, its mechanical voice calm yet pointed.
[Kim Mabeob, you are exceeding the recommended flight speed. Would you like to switch to automatic mode?]
“Are you insane? Manual! Always manual! No matter what!”
[Calculations of your piloting patterns indicate a high probability of an accident.]
“I don’t care! There are safety measures! Manual or nothing!”
Watching this from the side, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.
If he wanted to die, couldn’t he at least do it alone? Why drag me into it?
“Yahoo!”
Kim Mabeob pulled the control stick back and then slammed it forward in one motion.
The Red Cougar nosedived sharply.
In the blink of an eye, it broke past 800 kilometers per hour.
This wasn’t a supersonic jet—it was a flying car. Reaching 800 kilometers per hour meant the air resistance was monstrous.
The overwhelming pressure caused Kim Mabeob’s eyes to roll back.
Foam bubbled from his mouth.
He had passed out, unable to withstand the G-forces from the rapid acceleration.
“Seriously?”
A fragile Mage—no, Pyromancer—trying to pull off extreme maneuvers like this?
The Tower Master also had a tendency for sudden bursts of speed, so I guess that bloodline hadn’t gone anywhere.
Being young probably made it worse.
[Switching to automatic mode.]
The Red Cougar smoothly transitioned to autopilot as if it were used to this.
The flight became slow and steady.
As it turned out, Kim Mabeob had been flying in the wrong direction.
If I left things to the magical spirit, we wouldn’t reach Phoenix Valley until sunset.
The trip should only take 30 minutes if we kept a reasonable pace.
Sigh.
With no other choice, I took matters into my own hands.
In the cramped interior of the sports car, I shuffled Kim Mabeob into the passenger seat and slid into the driver’s seat myself.
The robotic head silently observed as I peeled the magical chip off Kim Mabeob’s hand and attached it to mine.
It had probably already received remote authorization from the Tower Master to grant me driving privileges.
[Driver Warrior Kim identified. Would you like to switch to manual mode?]
“Yes. Display the shortest route to the destination.”
[Displaying via augmented reality.]
A blue line appeared on the windshield.
I followed it diligently.
At maximum speed, of course.
The car’s body rattled aggressively, but the flying car itself maintained a smooth, stable flight.
“Gaaaaah!”
Kim Mabeob let out a bizarre screech from the passenger seat, but I ignored him.
Eventually, he started vomiting, but the magical barrier between the driver’s seat and the passenger seat ensured I remained unaffected.
The robotic head spoke in its usual monotone voice.
[Foreign substances detected inside the vehicle. Initiating self-cleaning, purification, and disinfection.]
Purification magic evaporated the vomit.
A magical beam swept over Kim Mabeob, automatically cleaning his soiled clothes and body.
Disinfectant gas was then sprayed over him.
I gave a small nod of approval.
“This car is worth every won.”
[Thank you.]
…Oh. That wasn’t a compliment—it was just me talking to myself.
Well, if the car was happy, I suppose that’s fine too.
It took less than 15 minutes to arrive at Phoenix Valley.
Though I’d never received any formal flying car training, driving it was easy.
After all, I have the [Driving] and [Riding] traits.
I parked the car in a suitable spot and dragged the still-unconscious Kim Mabeob out. As I did, the robotic head turned toward me and spoke.
[It’s been a long time since I experienced such a smooth and enjoyable flight, Warrior Kim. I hope you’ll also be the one driving on the return trip.]
“Sure. Kim Mabeob seems less interested in driving and more in treating it like extreme sports.”
[It runs in the family.]
Ah, so he picked it up from the Tower Master?
This is why “knee education” is so frightening.
The things children pick up while sitting on their grandparents’ laps can leave a lasting impact.
“Ugh… Where are we?”
As soon as his feet touched the ground, Kim Mabeob began to come to his senses.
“This is Phoenix Valley.”
“Already? Oh, I guess Red did the driving?”
I silently raised my right hand, showing him the magical chip faintly glowing on the back of my hand.
“You drove, Black Tiger Swordmaster?”
“Yes. It was simple enough. I just followed the navigation.”
“My grandfather usually never hands over full permissions, so I guess he really likes you.”
“Well… I think it’s just that I’m better than you at driving. You were a little too extreme back there.”
“Hehehe. When else will I get the chance to push it like that? My grandfather might lend out his other cars, but he never lets anyone touch Red, White, or Black.”
He was referring to that SUV and sedan from earlier, I assumed.
The Tower Master must really like cars. I’d heard he often drives himself around without relying on a chauffeur.
Kim Mabeob leaned in and whispered to me.
“Once this job’s done, you should ask him to give you the Red Cougar.”
“What? The Red Cougar? Didn’t you say it’s one of his favorites? Would he really give it to me?”
“He would if you asked. Just try it. There’s no harm in asking, right?”
No harm?
I’d call it a debt, not a favor.
When I showed up wielding the Back Tiger Sword, the Tower Master’s eyes were already glimmering with greed. I didn’t want to give him any more leverage over me.
Still, if he insisted on giving it to me, I wouldn’t refuse.
“Has Mr. Phoenix arrived yet?”
“Hahaha. Please don’t call it that.”
“What else should I call a Phoenix but Mr. Phoenix?”
The mages who had been guarding Phoenix Valley approached us.
I glanced into the valley.
It had completely transformed in just a few months.
The enchanting, otherworldly scenery was gone, replaced by something akin to a barren desert.
Nothing but sand dunes and rocky mounds remained.
The mana that had once made the environment rich and vibrant, thanks to the Phoenixes’ presence, had completely vanished.
“It’s desolate.”
“Right? Even the Phoenix Barrier has disappeared. Just a few days ago, a district office inspector came by, and we were scrambling to come up with excuses.”
“You’ve already conducted a full magic scan, haven’t you?”
“Yes, the Tower Master himself inspected it. He said the Divine Beast Phoenix had done such a thorough cleanup that there was nothing left to recover.”
So magical tracking was impossible.
Even with all my traits equipped, I wouldn’t have any luck finding anything this way.
That meant I’d need to use a different method.
Fortunately, I had a plan in mind before I’d even left home.
I lowered the golf bag I had been carrying on my back onto the ground.
Zzzzip!
I opened the zipper and began pulling out the items I’d packed inside.
A folding low table.
A miniature magical stove.
A specialized cauldron for medicinal herbs.
Crystal beakers and flasks.
Heat-resistant spoons and stirrers.
And, of course, various ingredients and syringes.
All of these were tools for alchemy.
But this wasn’t enough.
I also took out a portable magic cooling unit.
Then came the materials: worldsteel, pure silver, and solar copper.
Finally, I pulled out a small anvil for quenching.
With all the items set, I activated the traits needed for the job: [Crafting], [Potion Making], and [Modification]. With those, my preparations were complete.
Kim Mabeob stared at me with wide eyes as I worked.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster. You know how to craft things? That’s unexpected. But what are you making?”
“I’m preparing to make something.”
Every Phoenix has an instinct to return to its parent.
Just like homing pigeons have a natural instinct to return home.
Using a live Phoenix as a key ingredient would have been ideal, but I could make do with substitutes.
Even a deceased Phoenix could work as a replacement.
Snap!
I pulled out a medical-grade rubber strap and stretched it taut.
“Kim Mabeob.”
“Yes?”
“I need a little of your blood.”
–TL Notes–
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Nice
What are the odds that the car gets totaled in this arc?