“hat’simpossible.urdimensionisvast,andthenumberofmagesisendless.owcouldwepossiblytrackdownsomeonelikethat?”

Cattenshotbackasiftheveryideawereridiculous.

Apparently,hehadneverevenconsideredthattheculpritmightbestandingamongthejuniorsbehindhim.

DespiteCatten’sinsolentattitude,theFrostiantdidnotimmediatelyreachforhisweapon.

xceptionalwarriorsdeservedrespect.

“oonesaidtosearchtheentiredimension.Surelythatmageisstillsomewherehere.Comparedtootherdimensions,thisoneisrelativelysmall.tshouldbepossibletofindhim.”

“don’tunderstand.owdoyouknowthatmageisstillinthisdimension?”

Cattenquestionedhimagain.

ftheFrostiantsalreadyknewthemage’slocation,theywouldhavemoveddirectlyinsteadofissuingorderslikethis.

Whichmeanttheystillhadn’tfoundtheirtarget.

Yetsomehow,theywereabsolutelyconvincedhewasstillhere.

“Warrior.hinkcarefully.Whywouldachallengeracknowledgedbythekingenteradimensionlikethis?”

Frombehind,isellemutteredquietly,

“BecausetheProfessororderedhimto.”

“Shh.Quiet.”

Fortunately,neithersideheard.

heFrostiantcontinuedconfidently.

“hatchallengermustalsobeaftertherelicweseek.Andsincehestillhasn’tobtainedit,hemustremaininsidethisdimension.canfeelit.hatbastardishidingsomewhereinthisplace,waitingforus!”

“...”

eeanbrieflyconsideredrecommendingahealingmage.

Whatexactlywasthisgiantsensingfromanenemywhodidn’tevenexist?

Butunlikehim,Cattenseemedpersuaded.

“ndeed...fwarriorsofyourcalibersayso,thenitmakessense.”

‘o,itreallydoesn’t.’

“xactly.t’snotjustme.heothergiantssenseitaswell.hepresenceofthatbastardlurkingsomewhereinthedimension.”

‘hesepeopleneedgroupcounseling.’

Unlikethetwojuniorssilentlydespairingbehindhim,Cattenappearedtohavereachedadecision.

“Understood.’llsearchforhimpersonally.Butrememberthis.fthatpersonseekstherelicforselfishandevilpurposes,’llrevealhislocation.Butifhisreasonsarejust,’llremainsilent.”

“a!rulythewordsofawarrior.”

“’mamage.”

“...What?Youwereamage!?”

“Didn’talreadysaythat?hreemages.”

“thoughtyoumeanttherewasanothermagebehindyou.”

heFrostiantlookedgenuinelyconfused.

Anyonewouldhavemistakenhimforawarrior.

hetwobehindhimwereunmistakablymages.venwithdisciplinedposture,theystillcarriedthedistinctairofspellcasters.

ButCattenradiatedabsolutelynotraceofmagic.

isbearingwasthatofapurewarrior.

Cattenrebukedthegiantsternly.

“othinkaraceasmightyasyourscouldfallpreytoprejudice.Reflectonyourignorance!”

“But...butyoureallyareamage?Wasactuallywrong?”

eavingtheFrostiantmutteringinshock,Cattenwalkedawaywithhisjuniors.

“heFrostiantsarepowerful,butarroganceblindsthem.Juniors,ifyoueverfightthem,exploitthatweakness.”

‘Prettysurethiswasn’tarrogance.’

Asthetwojuniorsexchangedsubtleglances,Cattencontinuedspeaking.

“First,weneedtofindthatmageandearntheFrostiants’recognition.mm...wonderwhatkindofmageheis.Someoneacknowledgedbytheirkingandchasingafterrelics...’mconcernedhemightbeanevilmage.”

Catten’sconcernwasreasonable.

heFrostiantKingwas,fundamentally,aviolentandterrifyingbeing.

Adecentmagewouldhavelittlereasontochallengesuchanexistence.

AndifthatsamemagewasalsotryingtoobtainaFrostiantrelic...

“...Senior.hat’sme.”

“?”

Catten’searstwitchedupright.

Foramoment,hisjunior’swordsfailedtoregister,asiftheywerecursed.

“Junior.believemisheardyou.Whatexactlydidyousay?”

“hepersontheFrostiantsaresearchingforisme...”

eeanexplainedinadejectedvoice.

astyear,throughaseriesofspectacularlyunluckyevents,hehadcrossedpathswiththeFrostiantKing.

versincethen,theFrostiantshadcontinuedmakinghislifemiserable.

elookedsopitifulthatisellefinallysteppedforwardtodefendhim.

“t’snotWardanaz’sfault,Senior.heFrostiantsaretheoneschasingafterhimunilaterally...”

“’mnotsayinghedidanythingwrong.Junior.henwhatabouttherelic?”

“BecausetherelicwasstolenbytheFrostiantsinthefirstplace.”

eeanexplainedthemissiongiventohimbyArsil,hisfamilysenior.

herelictheFrostiantssoughthadneveroriginallybelongedtothem.

Sincetheyhadstolenit,amageofouseWardanazhadeveryright—andobligation—toreclaimit.

‘...hiskindofsoundslikebullshit.’

venwhilespeaking,eeanremainedcautious.

Arsilcouldconfidentlyspoutnonsensewhilethesurroundingspiritsnoddedalonglikeloyalfollowers.

eean,unfortunately,didnotpossessthatkindofauthority.

fhestartedtalkingnonsense,therewasaveryrealpossibilityhe’dgetpunched.

WhatifCattenaskedwhyaWardanazmagehadtherighttointerferejustbecausetheFrostiantsstoleit?

“ndeed.henyouhavelegitimategrounds,Junior.”

“...Senior!”

eeanwasgenuinelymoved.

Perhapsbecausetheywerebothfrominroguard,Catteninstinctivelysidedwithhim.

“henonlyonethingremains.Juniors.”

“Whatisit?”

“WecutdowntheFrostiantsandresolveeverythingthroughforce—”

“Beforethat,letmereporttomymaster.”

eeanhurriedlyinterruptedhim.

Catten’sappearancemadeiteasytoforget,buttherewasareasontheBeast-FolkPersonality-CutenessnverseProportionypothesisexisted.

hisseniorwasalsooneofinroguard’scertifiedlunaticswhowouldimmediatelydrawaswordifthingsescalated.

***

“heFrostiantsdroveyouaway?”

hensaneDoppelgangerreactedfarmoreintenselythaneeanhadexpected.

eeanhadanticipatedindifferenceorperhapscynicalamusement.

nstead,theArchmagelookedopenlyfurious.

“owdaretheyrejectanenvoybearingtheauthorityofroyalty.hoseoversizedbastardshaveclearlygrowndrunkonthepassageoftime.’llremindthemexactlywhoholdstheirleash.Prepareyourself.”

Attheseverecommand,eeanansweredawkwardly,

“Master...neveractuallyrevealedyouridentity.”

“...?”

hensaneDoppelgangerpaused.

isdisciplehadnegotiatedwiththeFrostiantswithoutinvokinghismaster’sname?

“henonwhatbasiswereyouspeakingwiththem?”

“Well...encounteredtheFrostiantKingoncebefore...”

“...”

houghbaffledbytheabruptchangeintopic,thensaneDoppelgangerpatientlywaitedfortheexplanation.

venhehadgraduallydevelopedpatiencethankstohisrelationshipwithhisdisciple.

“...endedupbeingsemi-forcedintochallenginghim,andapparentlyrumorsaboutitspreadamongtheFrostiants...”

“see.”

hensaneDoppelgangerslowlynodded.

“Sotheyrecognizedyouasachallengerbeforeyourroyalidentitywaseverrevealed.hatexplainseverything.”

iventheFrostiants’violentandwarlikeculture,itmadeperfectsense.

AsachallengeracknowledgedbytheFrostiantKing,eeanwouldnaturallyreceivespecialtreatmentbeforeanyoneevenlearnedwhohismasterwas.

“hidit,though...”

“What?”

“thoughtanexcellentmageshouldn’tcasuallyrevealhisidentity...”

hensaneDoppelgangerimmediatelyraisedahand,cuttingoffhisdisciple’snonsensebeforeitcouldcontinue.

isteninganyfurtherwouldonlywastetime.

“o.Revealyouridentityandwinthroughhonorablecombat.Donotreturnuntilyoudo.”

heArchmagetrulywaswise.

Asthoughanticipatingcomplaintsorexcuses,heimmediatelywavedhishandanddistortedspacebeneatheean’sfeet.

Bythetimeeeantriedtoprotest,hehadalreadybeensentdowntothecliffsbelow.

“hisiswaytooharsh!”

isdistantshoutechoedupward,butthensaneDoppelgangerignoreditcompletely.

***

“Doyouthinkhe’llreallyfindthechallenger?Aweakmortallikethat?”

“trustthatwarrior.houghbornfromaweakrace,hiseyescarriedthesoulofagiant.”

“You’dpraisehimthathighly?ow’mcurious.”

heFrostiantschattedamongthemselveswhilediscussingthebeastmanwarriorwhohadvisitedearlier.

Atthatmoment,anotherfigureapproachedfromthedistance.

Amagecarryingastafftippedwiththestonegrantedbytheking—asymboleveryFrostiantwouldrecognizeinstantly.

“!!”

“oway!”

“heardyouwerelookingforme...”

eeanspokeasconfidentlyaspossible.

herewasnobenefitinadmittinghehadbeenhidingandavoidingthemtheentiretime.

eneededtoappeardignified.ikeatruechallengerwhohadwalkedhereunderhisownpower.

UD!

neFrostiantimmediatelypunchedthegiantbesidehimdirectlyintheface.

heothergiantreachedfortheclubleaningagainstthewall,buthereactedafractiontooslowly.

hattinydelaycosthimeverything,andhecrashedbackwardontotheground.

“??!”

Startled,iselleturnedtowardCatten.

“Whyaretheydoingthat?”

“inroguardstudentsdothatsortofthingallthetimetoo.”

“Whatareyoutalkingabout—”

henisellerealized.

heFrostiantwhohadknockeddownhiscompanionwascheeringtriumphantly.

“Withthis,thechallenger’shonorbelongstomealone!”

“...”

ehadtakenouthiscompanionfirstbecausehewantedthehonoroffacingeeanhimself.

hesighthorrifiediselle,butatthesametime,itfeltstrangelyfamiliar.

treallywasexactlythekindofthinginroguardstudentswoulddo.

“Youfinallyappeared,Challenger!’vebeensearchingforyou!”

“hereseemstohave✧оvеight✧(riginalsource)beenamisunderstanding.wasn’thidingwhiletargetingtheartifact.wasmerelytrainingalonetofurtherrefinemymagic.”

“sthatso?thardlymatters.”

‘hesebastards.’

eeanstaredindisbelief.

hesewerethesamegiantswhohadconfidentlyinsistedhewashidingsomewhereinsidethedimension,plottingagainstthem.

owtheywerecasuallyclaimingitdidn’tmatter?

Asexpectedofgiants,theirshamelessnesswasonanotherlevel.

“Challenger.seekthehonorofdefeatingachallengerpersonallyacknowledgedbytheking!”

“...wantrecognitioninreturn.fwin,youwillstopdemandingduelsfromme.Youwillalsostakeyournameonguaranteeingmyhonortotheothergiants.”

“ood!”

heFrostiantacceptedimmediately.

WhetherotherFrostiantslosttheiropportunitytoduelwasnoneofhisconcern.

onorlikethisbelongedtowhoeverclaimeditfirst.

ftheotherswantedthechallenger’shonor,theyshouldhavearrivedearlier.

Frombehindhim,Cattenquietlyasked,

“Whenexactlyshouldintervene,Junior?”

“thinkweshouldheartheconditionsfirst.fitstartslookingimpossibleforWardanaztohandle...”

omatterwhatordersthensaneDoppelgangerhadgivenhim,eeanwasstillfundamentallyamage—notenoughofagianttochargeintodangerblindly.

aturally,hehadpreparedbasicsafetymeasures.

hosesafetymeasureswerethetwopeoplestandingbehindhim.

Dependingonthetypeofduel,ifthingsbecameimpossible,theywouldinterveneandcreatechaos.

“Challenger.’llpresentseveralcontests.Choosewhicheveryouprefer.First,lookatthatglacier!”

eeanturnedtowardit.

heglacierbesidetheFrostiants’valleywassaturatedwithdimensionalmana,preventingitfrommeltingnaturally.

celikethatcouldonlybedissolvedwithmagicorshatteredbyoverwhelmingmanadisruptingitsinternalstructure.

“here’sawhiteflowertrappedinsidetheglacier.hecontestissimple.Whoeverretrievestheflowerfirstwins.”

“shouldintervene.”

Concludingimmediatelythatthiswasimpossible,Cattenreachedforhissword.

Butiselle’sreactionwasunexpectedlyuncertain.

“...Actually,thatonemightbemanageable.”

“?!”