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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 18: Wait, is this for real?
Tap-tap-tap
[Stardust: If you're scared, I'll send a launcher too, lol]
[FrozenIcicle: ?You’re getting cocky, huh? kek]
In this world, there are groups bound together by their circumstances.
To climb higher, to survive.
Even the most intelligent and extensively trained mages can't escape the laws of unity and division.
They pull each other up, sometimes drag each other down, or even grow envious of one another—but still, they stick together.
The magical society was largely divided into two major factions:
The prestigious families, famed for their arcane magic, and the Magic Towers, which developed over time through a master-apprentice system.
The prestigious families passed down magic through bloodlines, while the Magic Towers accepted anyone with the talent, regardless of their origins.
The masters of the Red Tower taught fire and destructive magic, while the Green Tower focused on plant and wind magic.
Similarly, the Blue Tower specialized in water and ice magic, while the Black Tower took in those adept in dark magic.
If the prestigious families were clans, the Magic Towers were sects.
Even though the towers seemed similar from the outside, there was a subtle hierarchy between them.
[Aren’t ice spells ridiculously inefficient?]
— Wait, I’ve got more water affinity than fire, so I’m learning it now, but why does ice drain so much mana? It guzzles all my energy and still hits like a wet noodle, wtf.
ㄴ Lmao, fire burns you instantly, but ice? You gonna freeze me sometime next century or what?
ㄴ For real? lol
While every magic type had its pros and cons, the Blue Tower was undeniably less popular than the Red Tower.
When people had a similar affinity, they usually chose the Red Tower because destructive magic offered greater advantages in combat.
To take down a monster with water magic, you’d need to summon a massive tidal wave.
But creating ice required even more mana.
Thus, Red Tower mages, with their lower mana consumption and straightforward lethality, consistently achieved better results over the centuries.
‘Ah, here to get wrecked again, huh?’
‘Goddamn it.’
No wonder Red Tower mages would smugly chuckle and look down their noses whenever they saw their Blue Tower counterparts.
For ages, the Blue Tower had endured their mockery.
But then, in recent years, they recruited a genius.
And suddenly, the tables turned.
After all, magic battles were contests of individuals.
No matter the difference in magical efficiency, a genius with overwhelming talent could bridge any gap.
Tap-tap-tap-tap
[FrozenIcicle: You better not run, punk]
The Blue Tower had a prodigy.
Not just any prodigy—the kind that people might genuinely believe had been chosen by the god of ice magic.
She was born with a frozen heart, her blood running cold, and her life as still and frigid as frost.
In the martial world, they compared her condition to the mythical Nine Yin Extreme Veins—an incurable affliction.
She survived it but never fully overcame it.
It became a part of her, something she couldn’t rid herself of.
Haa—Hooouu—
When she lost control for even a moment, her breath would freeze into mist, and her hands were always icy.
Other mages admired and envied her talent, but she found it bothersome.
Outside of her magical training, she rarely left her house.
When she had free time, she holed up in her room watching dramas, movies, reading comics, or gaming.
[FrozenIcicle: Where are you? lol]
Her brilliant mind also made her a skilled gamer.
But since the online world was her main connection to society,
"God, he plays like such a damn gremlin."
The Blue Tower’s genius, Seol Yeonhwa, became elegantly twisted.
In person, she was calm and composed—almost cold.
But most of her interactions with people were through the internet and gaming.
Thus, she picked up some of their, uh… colorful language.
Her chat messages were a bit rough around the edges.
Not that her opponent was any more civilized.
[Stardust: In your heart, lol]
"I should just kill them."
The more she read, the more annoyed she became.
Seol Yeonhwa narrowed her eyes and prepared to head out.
She usually never left the house on her days off.
But today, her pride in the virtual world was at stake.
[FrozenIcicle: I’m gonna wreck you, no joke lol]
Clenching her icy fists, the cold-eyed mage stormed outside.
* * *
[The goddess gazes at the hero with a mix of interest and concern.]
"Do not worry, Goddess. I will be victorious."
[The goddess sighs deeply, as if that wasn’t the problem.]
Normally, I wouldn’t go out on the weekend.
But this was a special event.
After all, my first-ever IRL PvP opponent turned out to be my neighbor from the apartment complex next door.
I had slaughtered demons, sliced through constellations, and even role-played as a hero.
But I had never intended to actually punch a person.
‘Well… maybe I’ll just scare them a little.’
Sure, I was annoyed.
But judging by their chat messages, they were the kind of person who could easily get into serious trouble if they mouthed off to the wrong person.
Before they got caught by a muscle-bound ham, wouldn’t it be better for them to get a preventive shot from a nice guy like me?
Thinking that sincerely, I headed toward the park inside the apartment complex.
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HELHEIM SCANS
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“Why~ don’t you know~ my heart~”
Humming a tune, I threw on a cardigan and set out to hunt for my target.
As expected of an ultra-luxury apartment complex that had everything from convenience stores and restaurants to a gym and bowling alley, the park and walking trails were also well-maintained, giving me a nice, leisurely outing vibe.
Even if the target was most likely a pimply teenage troublemaker.
‘No, wait, this is a reversed world, so wouldn’t it be more likely to be a girl?’
Since even the genders of game characters had been flipped, wouldn’t the ratio of actual players have been reversed too?
‘Yeah, it wouldn’t be strange if it’s a girl. In fact, I should assume it is.’
Then, I should be looking for an angry teenage girl.
I casually strolled around the park, scouting for my opponent.
—One lap.
—Two laps.
I kept circling the park, but…
No sign of an enraged opponent huffing and puffing with a furious expression.
“Wait, what the hell? Did this bastard not show up?”
I could feel my own temper rising.
They made a shut-in like me go outside, and now they’re not even showing up on time?
I mean, the meeting place is literally right in front of their house, and they’re still flaking?
Is this for real?
I suddenly started feeling a strong urge for a real-life fight.
[The goddess covers her amused smile as she comforts the abandoned hero.]
Yeah, even the goddess didn’t seem to be on my side.
So, I didn’t bother asking for divine guidance on how to deal with this situation.
I just tapped my chin, wondering how best to screw them over if they really weren’t coming.
I mean, they were the one who told me to meet them here, so why aren’t they showing up?
“Did they get scared because I agreed too easily?”
I mean, to live here, either their parents must be rich, or they must be insanely capable themselves.
Maybe my confident attitude made them nervous?
Or maybe they were just one of those internet warriors who are bold online but bluffed by throwing out a fancy apartment name?
Like, “I live in this super high-end place!” just to flex—only for me to actually show up without hesitation?
I had assumed they were a fellow resident, but now that I thought about it, the bluff theory seemed more likely.
“Tch, I thought they were a hero, but turns out they were just a coward, huh…”
Losing interest instantly, I clicked my tongue and started trudging back home.
I hadn’t bothered to gather their personal info or even exchange numbers, so…
If I didn’t want to get ghosted again, I should probably just avoid real-life fights from now on.
It was a realization that came a little too late.
“Man, if they weren’t a fellow resident, I wouldn’t have even considered meeting them. Now I just feel stupid.”
Frustration welled up inside me, but what could I do against someone who didn’t even show up?
I’d just go home, report them on chat, and enjoy the rest of my weekend.
“Sigh.”
“Huuuuu.”
With that in mind, I left the park—only to see someone else sighing heavily at the exact same time at the opposite exit.
Huh?
What’s this?
It wasn’t planned, but now I felt an odd sense of connection.
Judging by the way they glanced at me, they might have felt the same.
And when our eyes met…
It was the same person who had been walking around the park earlier.
If my opponent had actually shown up, this person would have been the last one I’d suspect.
Even with their lower face covered by a mask, they looked strangely familiar, like I had seen them somewhere before…
Huh?
“……”
“……Huh?”
Wait, is this real?
For real?!
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HELHEIM SCANS
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