Sun Mage Tower — Part 1
“This is it, Superhuman.”
At Choi Sunsoo’s Labor Office.
With the doors locked and hired mercenaries guarding the waiting room, Manager Choi opened a large box.
A glow of mana shimmered like a mirage.
Gradually, the armor came into full view.
No, it was more of a protective suit.
“Wow!”
A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop myself.
The design looked straight out of an SF movie.
In stark contrast, intricate magic circles were meticulously engraved on the armor plates.
A soft aura radiated around it.
The three elements combined—design, engravings, and aura—left a powerful impression.
“This looks fantastic. How’s the performance?”
“It’s top-tier. According to Master Jo Chul, it should withstand sniper rounds and grenade shrapnel. Although it might struggle against anti-materiel sniper rifles.”
“It can handle that much?”
“Yes. Master Jo Chul described it as armor fit for a Paladin commander. While it’s a protective suit, so it can’t be compared to full plate armor, the defense is remarkable.”
I voiced a small concern.
“Jo Chul wouldn’t have played any tricks on this suit, would he? He didn’t seem particularly fond of me the last time we met.”
“Well, I actually used an emotion-detecting spellbook on it, just to be safe, and found no issues. The suit’s performance and the abilities granted—[Giant’s Strength] and [Endurance]—were both flawless. Besides, Jo Chul may belong to the Old Father’s Cult, but he’s a renowned craftsman. His pride wouldn’t let him tamper with his own work.”
“That’s true.”
I looked at the protective suit, feeling exhilarated.
Manager Choi grinned and urged me.
“Try it on. I’ve prepared a little gift for you as well.”
“A gift?”
“It wouldn’t be any fun if I told you now. Go put it on and you’ll see.”
I went into the adjacent room to put on the protective suit.
The suit I wore today could be discarded.
It was the one I’d taken from the Human Hunter’s house.
After the battle with Oh Dusik, it was all beat up, torn, and practically falling apart.
“You look splendid, Superhuman!”
Manager Choi clapped as he saw me emerge in the new protective suit.
Then he took out a luxurious-looking box and handed it to me.
“Go ahead, open it.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to…”
“Hehe. It’s a congratulatory gift for your victory. Thanks to how well you performed, my business has been booming. I’ve upgraded my car, hired private mercenaries and a secretary, and I even bought the building right across the street!”
“Wait, really? You’re a building owner now?”
“Hehe, yes. I’m even planning to move the office soon. It’s a ten-story building on the main road.”
“You’ve really made it. Congratulations.”
“That’s why I’m giving this to you. Consider it a bribe.”
Seems like he managed to secure plenty of new contracts by dropping my name.
I opened the box.
Inside, under the dim glow of mana, was a set of clothes.
A tracksuit.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary black tracksuit.
Manager Choi proudly explained.
“This is a handmade, luxury item crafted stitch by stitch by a Superhuman artisan and high-level mage. It won’t stop rifle rounds, but it can block pistol bullets easily. Plus, it has self-repair and cleaning enchantments. You can wear it carelessly, and even if it gets torn, it’ll fully restore itself within a day.”
“Two enchantments? That must’ve been pricey.”
“It was, but I’m not so impoverished that I can’t afford this for you. It’s much cheaper than magical armor anyway. Besides, I’ve been dropping your name left and right, so I owed you at least this much.”
I gratefully accepted Manager Choi’s gift.
I layered the tracksuit over the protective suit.
Manager Choi clicked his tongue in admiration.
“The top-of-the-line ones come with additional enchantments for environmental adaptation and even more durability, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get my hands on something like that.”
“This is more than enough. Honestly, I’m just relieved I won’t have to keep buying new clothes every time my gear gets shredded in a fight.”
“Haha. I figured you’d say that. Superhuman Kim, you do hate hassle, don’t you?”
“It’s the worst.”
“Hahaha.”
Manager Choi chuckled heartily.
Then he gestured for me to sit and brought over a cup of coffee.
He even poured one for himself, though this time, unlike before, he didn’t add his usual pink milk and blue sugar cubes.
“Not adding the extras today?”
I noticed and asked, making him flinch slightly.
“Truth is, I quit. I realized after all that trouble with the meds and alcohol that I couldn’t keep going down that path. I’ve stopped both. I’m even going to a support center now.”
“That’s a good decision.”
“Every now and then, when it’s really hard to bear, I’ll put a splash of brandy in my coffee. You know how it is—living in this damned world sober isn’t easy.”
“I understand.”
We paused, enjoying the silence.
I savored the aroma of the coffee, with nothing added—just its pure, nutty, slightly burnt fragrance tickling my nose.
“Superhuman Kim.”
“Yes?”
“There’s actually something I’d like to ask of you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Well, although we signed a contract, you haven’t actually taken many requests through me, have you? Aside from Seo’s Awakening Commission, that is.”
Oh… was that true?
Looking back, he was right.
I’d been running around, fighting left and right, but I hadn’t accepted any formal commissions through Manager Choi.
“Really? I’d completely forgotten about it.”
“Well, you’ve been busy, and there have been bigger things going on.”
“Would it help if I took on a commission now?”
“That would be wonderful. Although, honestly, you don’t have to. Just having you on contract has already boosted my business immensely. The only problem is that some people are starting to doubt whether we’re actually in contract together…”
“That makes sense.”
Given all the support I’d received from him, and all the favors I’d pulled, I figured it was time to return the favor.
After taking a sip of coffee, I nodded.
“All right. I’ll take on a reasonable commission.”
“Really? Thank you so much!”
“Is there any commission you’d recommend?”
“Hmm, maybe something simple? I’ve shortlisted a few…”
“It doesn’t have to be easy. I’d rather take on an official commission. Even if it’s a bit challenging, I’d prefer it as long as the reward is good. Just nothing that’ll drag on for too long. I’d prefer something quick.”
“Uh… just a moment. A well-paid, short-term commission…”
Manager Choi turned one of his monitors to face me so I could see.
His inbox was overflowing with emails.
No wonder he was able to buy a car and a building after just a few months.
He scrolled through the commissions, carefully selecting a few.
[Western Army Liaison Office]
[Geumo Information]
[Sun Mage Tower Research Department]
[Gaia Cult, Incheon Branch]
“Even the Four Major Powers are sending commissions?”
“Yes. Ever since the recent duel, they’ve shown sudden interest.”
“Even though it was a secret duel, it seems everyone knows the outcome.”
“Of course. There were plenty of observers. And the notary lawyers likely leaked information for a profit.”
Manager Choi filtered down the Four Major Powers’ commissions.
There were quite a few.
Combining offers from the army, corporations, the Mage Tower, and the cult, there were over ten options.
“Hmm… the conditions are all reasonable. The Western Army is offering ten billion won just for a few sparring sessions?”
“That’s not bad, but I’d prefer magical equipment over cash.”
“That makes sense. You’ve made plenty of money already.”
There was a time when I’d struggled with hospital bills in the millions.
Not anymore.
Just the loot Manager Choi sold on my behalf was enormous, not to mention the ten billion won in compensation I received from Lee Jaeyeol.
“Magical equipment, magical equipment… Ah, how about the commission from the Gaia Cult’s Incheon Branch? They recently discovered a coastal cave where traces of a demon were found. They want to explore and purify it, but they’re short on Paladins, so they can’t enter. They’re offering a holy relic as a reward, plus first pick of any loot found.”
Ah, I think I know what that is.
It’s the coastal cave dungeon that appears in the game.
The place where you can get a pretty good magic sword in the early-to-mid stages.
I stroked the holy sword at my waist and shook my head.
“It doesn’t sound bad, but I’m not particularly interested. What other options are there? I’d prefer something quick with magical equipment or some unique perks. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take the Gaia Cult commission, and I don’t mind if it’s dangerous.”
“Hmm, there’s a commission from Geumo Information, but the reward is cash, and Shinwha Security’s offer is also just cash… Many are just offering money as compensation. Ah, here’s something different. How about this? It’s a commission from the Sun Mage Tower’s Research Department.”
“What’s the reward?”
“A membership. They’re offering unrestricted access to the Sun Mage Tower for you and one designated representative.”
Is that any good?
Seeing my doubtful expression, Manager Choi added some explanation.
“Only invited guests or members can enter the Four Great Mage Towers. You need at least an invitation or a membership card. And only by entering the tower can you access the tower’s shop or participate in the tower-sponsored auction house.”
“A shop and an auction house?”
“Yes. And as you know, the Four Great Towers jointly operate a financial institution. Their auction house is a part of that. For premium equipment, the Legion’s auction house is the best, and for holy relics, the cult’s auction house is the place to go. But for general artifacts, consumables, and magical materials, the mage tower auction house is the top choice. I even got the Danger Sense ring I found for you through the mage tower auction. Since I didn’t have direct access, I had to pay a hefty brokerage fee.”
Manager Choi clicked his tongue, clearly wanting access to the tower himself.
I chuckled but seriously considered it.
Gaining access to the mage tower?
‘Not a bad deal.’
There are limits to what I can obtain through the Shinwon Market.
That’s the so-called dark route.
Light and dark paths are different.
It might be a good opportunity to open a path in the “light.”
The Sun Mage Tower.
It’s also where I can find that tutorial character I haven’t met yet—Mage Kim.
“What do you think, Manager Choi? Do you think I should take this one?”
“Ahem, ahem, well…”
Manager Choi looked at me and then spoke honestly.
“If you’re not particularly drawn to any other commission, I’d recommend getting the tower membership.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Once you have access, it’ll be incredibly convenient. You could even get memberships to other towers by putting down a small deposit. Normally, even paying billions won’t get you a membership.”
“True, it would be convenient. So, what’s the commission?”
“It’s a magic research project. Specifically… they’re trying to achieve ‘Supreme Flame.’”
Supreme Flame?
I know what that is.
It’s the unique trait of an SSR mage character from the Sun Mage Tower.
“Trying to implement Supreme Flame? That sounds good, but aren’t they asking the wrong person? I’m a warrior.”
“They’re interested because of your Black Flame. There are plenty of Paladins with Sacred Flame, but hardly any superhumans possess Black Flame. As far as I know, you’re the only one.”
“Ah, Black Flame.”
Would Black Flame be part of Supreme Flame?
No, it shouldn’t be.
To create Supreme Flame, you need a combination of Hellfire, Sunfire, Sacred Flame, Demonic Flame, Spirit Flame, and Dragon’s Flame.
I thought back to when the SSR character was released.
That character was introduced in Episode 5, “Gates of Hell.”
Considering their age in the game lore, they’d probably be in elementary school right now.
“I can contribute my Black Flame, but I can’t guarantee it will complete the Supreme Flame.”
“Yes, the Sun Mage Tower is mainly interested in having you participate. This is just the initial stage of research, so they’re gathering various flame attributes.”
Could Black Flame become a component of Supreme Flame?
In the game, it couldn’t.
But in this world?
‘It’s unlikely. It’s a different type of flame trait.’
For me, just getting the membership would be enough of a win.
Still, I should verify.
“If I contribute to the creation of Supreme Flame, what would I get?”
“They said that if significant progress is made, they’ll renegotiate. The tower doesn’t seem to think it’s very likely, though.”
“Understandable.”
After all, I wouldn’t be able to use Supreme Flame anyway.
It’s a unique trait restricted to mages.
But as for Absolute Flame?
It’s a trait designed for mages and priests.
There are no class restrictions, but it doesn’t suit warriors or Reinforced types, since it consumes an enormous amount of mana.
Not that it matters for me.
I can just swap traits to use it.
‘Is that overkill?’
Honestly, I don’t use Black Flame much, so I don’t know if I really need Absolute Flame.
But there’s a difference between being unable to do something and choosing not to.
If I collect it now, it might come in handy someday.
Just like how I pulled out my Domain Shield in the duel with Oh Dusik to create a triple-layered defense for the first time in a while.
“I’ll take the Sun Mage Tower commission.”
“A wise choice! I’ll contact them right away!”
Manager Choi, thrilled, made the call.
By the next day, arrangements had been made for me to go to the Sun Mage Tower.
The objective: Supreme Flame.
Or rather, its component traits.
More specifically, the Sunfire that can only be found in the Sun Mage Tower.
–TL Notes–
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