Chapter 2377 – 2377. Modern Magic War
Luminous’s executives continued their meeting via video conference.
Ongoing fundraising, the slightly more difficult recruitment of members, and the new leader of the Order Bureau, Seong Yujin.
“……”
“……”
As soon as Seong Yujin’s name came up on the agenda, the executives fell silent as if they were ghosts.
Even though it hadn’t been long, Seong Yujin’s name had become incredibly heavy. News and media were praising her achievement of killing the Sage of Remegeton every single day. Seeing how the media, which had initially slandered Seong Yujin, had changed its attitude, it was clear that the state had applied pressure.
“Jeon Sehun, who went to persuade Seong Yujin, has gone missing. He probably died fighting Seong Yujin. According to the information we’ve received, Seong Yujin fought and won against the commander of the 3rd Division.”
The expressions of the executives listening to Bright, the head of Luminous, were not good. Rumors were circulating that Seong Yujin’s power was on par with the director of the Order Bureau. And since the attempt to persuade Seong Yujin had failed, that Seong Yujin was now a definite enemy of Luminous.
“We’ll postpone any methods of retaliation against Seong Yujin.”
“Even an executive like Jeon Sehun was defeated. If we do nothing and just move on, the morale of our members will drop. There will be those who try to leave the organization. And yet, you’re saying we should do nothing?”
“Seong Yujin appeared suddenly. Before we make a plan to deal with him, it’s right to execute the plans we’ve already prepared. Seong Yujin? Even if he’s strong, nothing will change. We will break through the Order Bureau’s suppression and turn this Republic of Korea into a Magic Korea.”
Bright spoke without wavering. The executives nodded at his steadfast appearance.
Bright continued.
“The Sage was an executive of Remegeton who had been active for a long time. He was a kind of spiritual pillar, and a symbol of Remegeton itself. Since that symbol has been damaged, they won’t stay still. Remegeton will move in some way. We will focus on our plans and remain silent for the time being. We’ll check Remegeton’s reaction, and if there are no problems, we’ll execute our plans.”
“Isn’t it possible that Remegeton might become hostile to us?”
“That’s the worst-case scenario. We and Remegeton have a common enemy, the Order Bureau. If we don’t provoke Remegeton first… they won’t provoke us either. Now, move for the greater cause. If the plans we’ve been preparing for years succeed… we’ll be the ones laughing in the end.”
• • •
People gathered in an abandoned building.
They were homeless people of various ages. From teenagers to the elderly with canes. They were not the ordinary homeless people commonly known.
Illegal magic users.
They were people who had become magic criminals, Harriers, just because they had somehow obtained a grimoire and awakened to use magic.
They sighed at their miserable, impoverished lives and lamented their own fate.
“I heard there’s a facility for homeless mages. If you go there, you won’t have to worry about food at least.”
“That’s a story for ordinary mages. You burned down your house with magic when you awakened, didn’t you? You’re already a Harrier. As soon as you go there, you’ll be caught by the Anti-Magic Unit and dragged off to prison.”
“Damn it. It’s not like I wanted to become a mage, but I’m being treated like a criminal….”
They swallowed their resentment.
Even if they had the power of magic, it was nothing compared to the Anti-Magic Unit, a specialized combat unit.
Bang!
The entrance of the abandoned building opened with a rough sound, and a group of people entered. They were members of Luminous who had been helping them for several months.
At their center was a man with dyed yellow hair and squinted eyes. The men around him were also wearing matching suits, which made the homeless people feel intimidated.
Won Bihyun. He introduced himself to the homeless people as a member of a magic organization called Luminous and drew their attention with a clap.
“Well, today we’ve gone a little overboard for you all. We have bulgogi lunch boxes. Of course, we’ll be giving them out to you for free. Ah, is there anyone here who’s considering relying on the government?”
Won Bihyun’s tongue was smooth. As his voice continued, the people stared at him with blank eyes.
“The government is just spitting out sweet lies to deceive you. If you were ordinary mages, you would be treated well enough. But you are magic criminals, Harriers, who have committed minor and major crimes. The government does not show leniency to Harriers. If you rely on the government? The government will throw you in jail without a second thought.”
The homeless people nodded as if they were bewitched. No, they were actually being bewitched. The magic of the man on Won Bihyun’s right was brainwashing. Brainwashing magic worked well on inexperienced mages who couldn’t even handle their magic properly yet.
Gu Seohwa, wearing a baggy black coat, a black baseball cap, and a mask to cover her face, covered the ears of her younger brother, Gu Seojun, who was 10 years younger than her.
She had sensed the brainwashing magic in his words.
Won Bihyun approached Gu Seohwa. He gave the siblings two lunch boxes with a fake smile.
“Gu Seohwa. I’ve been keeping an eye on your talent. Stop being stubborn and join Luminous. You can’t keep living as homeless forever.”
“…I have no intention of joining a terrorist group.”
“Then go to the government. Ah, but the government will send murderers to prison. Haha. The siblings will be separated? That’s a shame. Poor Seojun, who will be separated from his sister.”
“……”
Gu Seohwa’s eyes twitched.
Half a year ago, her house was broken into by a robber, and her parents were murdered by the robber. Gu Seohwa and Gu Seojun returned home late and discovered their parents right after they had been murdered by the robber. At that time, a grimoire appeared, and Gu Seohwa awakened as a mage. She killed the robber with magic and fled with her younger brother.
Self-defense?
She had heard that in Korea, the self-defense law was as good as non-existent. Moreover, she was a mage. In Korea, mages were subject to stricter legal standards than ordinary people.
Now just 20 years old, she didn’t want to be separated from her 10-year-old brother, so she ran away. The place she arrived at was this abandoned building. The brainwashing site of Luminous, where the police couldn’t reach.
When she realized it, it was already too late to escape. Luminous members were quietly monitoring the area around the abandoned building, managing those who entered and exited.
“Here, take it. The bulgogi lunch boxes are delicious. You aside, you have to feed your brother, right?”
Won Bihyun said with a sly smile. Gu Seohwa clenched her teeth and endured the humiliation as she received the lunch box. She couldn’t let her brother starve because of her pride.
“Gu Seohwa. Luminous highly values your magic. If you put your mind to it, you could even rise to an executive position. Think about your brother’s future.”
“……”
“The situation has changed a lot since the commander of the 8th Division appeared in the Order Bureau. We don’t have much time left. I hope to hear an answer that benefits us all next time.”
Won Bihyun turned his body. It was the moment Gu Seohwa was about to open the lunch box with a sigh.
The wind blew. The wind was strange. Instead of escaping through the open window, the wind was swirling inside the building as if checking the interior.
Gu Seohwa, a wind mage, felt the will and magic imbued in the wind. Her gaze turned to the entrance where the wind had started.
There was a man.
It was the uniform of the Anti-Magic Unit of the National Order Bureau. She had heard that the uniform was made with magic and had a defensive power greater than most bulletproof vests.
On his left arm, which seemed ordinary and out of place in such a setting, was a red armband. A red armband that only the commanders of the Anti-Magic Unit wore. There was a clear black number 8 on it.
Its meaning was simple. He was Seong Yujin, the commander of the 8th Division, who had been making headlines in the news and on the internet lately.
“So the riffraff were gathered here. I’ll show you special mercy. Bow your heads.”
People were at a loss at Seong Yujin’s declaration. Won Bihyun’s face was visibly distorted.
“I never thought a commander-level would come to a place like this himself. The other members… you didn’t bring them. I guess you didn’t know we were here?”
“You Harrier bastard talks too much. Didn’t you hear me say bow your heads?”
Seong Yujin flicked his fingers. An invisible blade of wind aimed for Won Bihyun’s neck. Won Bihyun sensed the magic and quickly ducked his head to avoid the attack.
Gu Seohwa, who was watching the scene from behind, opened her mouth. As a wind mage, she could tell. How cleanly Seong Yujin was handling the wind right now.
“Damn it! Kill him! You are still ordinary people who haven’t been put on the wanted list! You might be subdued, but you won’t die! Attack him quickly!”
Won Bihyun’s subordinate imbued his voice with brainwashing magic. The homeless people, who had been continuously subjected to brainwashing magic, charged at Seong Yujin with dazed eyes.
And Seong Yujin killed everyone who attacked him equally.
Whether they were children, young people, or the elderly, if they attacked with hostility, they were cut down with Wind Cutters.
It was an overwhelming scene of slaughter. Even when mages tried to attack with magic, they were cut down before their magic could be completed. The wind was invisible and fast, making it difficult to avoid.
In less than a minute, the space was filled with the smell of blood. The floor had become grotesque with entrails and flesh. Seong Yujin was floating in the air. He had lifted his body with the wind.
“This is insane…. Is it okay for the Anti-Magic Unit, which protects justice in Korea, to massacre people? They are mages, but most of them are ordinary people who haven’t been put on the wanted list. They’re not Harriers! You’re a mass murderer who has massacred ordinary people! If this fact becomes known to society, some very interesting things will happen!”
“Huh? What nonsense are you talking about? You’re the one who killed those poor ordinary people.”
“……What?”
“The Harrier group Luminous committed terrorism as usual and massacred innocent citizens. And the commander of the 8th Division punished the evil of Luminous, upholding the justice of the Republic of Korea. Sounds plausible, right?”
“A-are you saying… you’re going to distort the truth and put all the blame on Luminous?!”
“You understood correctly.”
“Can you still call yourself a champion of justice after doing that?!”
“Since I’m strong, am I not justice?”
“You crazy bastard!! Luminous is the new system that will rule Korea in the future! I won’t let the likes of you throw dirt on it!”
Won Bihyun grabbed his grimoire, his tie.
“Ars Magna, Blood Chase!”
All the blood in the abandoned building rose into the air and gathered around Won Bihyun. The large amount of blood transformed into dozens of weapons such as swords, spears, and axes, aiming at Seong Yujin.
“Die here!!”
Dozens of weapons rushed towards Seong Yujin.
