I Gave Up Being Stronger

Chapter 432

“Could it be?” Dakan’s eyes widened. “Are you Sir Jenald, our ancestor?”

Dakan was a Mage belonging to the Jenald School, one of the best schools that taught mental magic. The Jenald School had one peculiarity that set it apart from other schools. Their teachings always included the notion that someday, the founder of the school, Jenald, would return. In modern times, hardly anyone believed this, but it was a teaching that had been passed down for ages.

-Yes, you thick-headed fool. I see you’re one of my school’s disciples guarding this place.

Dakan bowed. He could not believe that Jenald had returned, wondering if the other Mages of the school would believe him.

‘No! I don’t even need to make them believe me,’ Dakan thought.

Kim Chul-Soo would eventually reveal it to the world. Although Dakan did not watch Chul-Soo’s livestreams, he knew of the Streamer’s significant influence. Once this information was livestreamed, the scattered Mages of the Jenald School across the continent could unite.

“What do you want me to do, Sir Jenald?”

-Guide th—

“Who are you?” Jin-Hyeok interrupted them.

“I’m the head butler of this mansion, the guardian Mage of the Kyen Family, the one with the fearsome name Sir Dakan.”

For someone described as having a fearsome name, the penguin Beastkin had quite a cute appearance. Jin-Hyeok thought viewers would probably like him quite a bit.

“But how dare you interrupt Sir Jenald?!” Dakan trembled.

Seeing the penguin looking even cuter in his anger, Jin-Hyeok politely asked, “Will the great Mage Sir Dakan listen to everything Sir Jenald has to say?”

“Of course. Sir Jenald is the spiritual pillar of our school.”

“I see...”

Dakan was the head butler of one of the legendary Seven Great Families. Jin-Hyeok had thought he could have a thrilling adventure in the Kyen Family mansion, but even that could not happen. So, he decided to completely give up on the tense atmosphere for this content. He would likely break through the universe-level Scenario too easily. Instead, with such a cute penguin Beastkin, he could at least make a cuteness-themed video.

“As luck would have it, I have become friends with Sir Jenald,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“What...? Is that true, Sir?”

Gogeom, who was more like a servant to Jin-Hyeok, barely managed to reply.

-Y-Yes... We have become friends.

“Sir Jenald, Sir Dakan, could we go inside and have a chat?”

Jin-Hyeok was going to gather some content before clearing the Scenario.

***

Since he had given up on a thrilling adventure, Jin-Hyeok decided to focus more on this cute penguin Beastkin and the mysterious Kyen Family. He sat in the reception room, conversing with Dakan.

“I gave Sir Jenald the name Gogeom. I only learned the name Jenald today,” Jin-Hyeok said.

‘How disrespectful!’ Dakan thought. ‘How dare you give a name that means “old sword” to Sir Jenald, the founding Mage of the Jenald School!’

It was a tremendous insult to the bloodthirsty Archmage Jenald. Dakan was displeased but did not dare to curse at Jenald’s friend.

“Jenald, you do know a lot. Who would have thought the universe-level Scenario could have progressed this easily?” Jin-Hyeok said.

-I-I suppose so. Haha...!

“Thank you, Jenald. You’re amazing.”

Gogeom felt inexplicably afraid. Jin-Hyeok’s voice was calm, but there seemed to be a subtle anger underlying it.

Oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, Dakan made a fuss. “Then were you the one who blocked my Mind Control magic for Chul-Soo, Sir Jenald?”

-What are you talking about?

“I used the Mind Control magic on them, but it didn’t work.

-Why would I block that?

“But surely...”

Gogeom sighed deeply.

-Only fools would build dams to block a small, insignificant stream.

“Pardon?”

-Your magic was merely a stream. No, not even that—just droplets of water. How could droplets of water cause a flood?

Jin-Hyeok was a little disappointed. He had wanted to experience Dakan’s Mind Control. But his poison resistance was so strong that it had unconsciously deflected the Mind Control.

“Wait..., did you say you deflected my attack because of strong poison resistance?” Dakan asked, confused. There was no research data suggesting that excellent poison resistance could deflect Mind Control. ‘Then isn’t it just strong resistance in general?’

Although Dakan had reasonable doubts, he did not express them. In fact, he was interested in Jenald, not Jin-Hyeok.

“Sir Jenald,” Dakan said.

-Call me Gogeom.

“Pardon...?”

-It is the name Mas... I mean, my friend gave me. I want to cherish it.

“I understand, Sir Gogeom.”

Gogeom glanced at Jin-Hyeok. Fortunately, Jin-Hyeok appeared satisfied. Being mentally connected to Jin-Hyeok, Gogeom quickly understood his needs. Jin-Hyeok was thinking that unifying their forms of address would avoid confusing viewers and that they should engage more actively in conversation to create good content. Gogeom acted enthusiastically.

-Ask me anything. Since this is a fateful meeting, I will answer all your questions.

Dakan’s expression showed great emotion. According to records, Jenald was a bloodthirsty Archmage, a single-minded magic obsessive and socially inept Mage. However, those rumors appeared to be false!

“Setting aside Sir Chul-Soo... You did protect the other two, didn’t you, Sir Gogeom?”

It was hard for Dakan to understand. At first, the Mind Control had worked. He was sure the other two were babbling about Mole’s Nest and Unicorn Meadows.

-You’re wrong!

“What? I’m wrong?” Dakan said. ‘Then how did they get free of the magic?’

-Mind Control controls the target’s mind through mana. Naturally, your mana is connected to the target when you use that spell.

“That’s right. That connection was severed midway.”

-It was my friend who cut off that connection.

Dakan’s expression became a bit serious. Even though the one saying that statement was Jenald, the founder of the school that Dakan attended, this had to be a lie. Severing such a connection required incredibly precise calculations. One needed to accurately gauge the nature, quantity, and density of their opponent’s mana, then calculate the exact amount and nature of mana needed to cut the connection off and cast a severing spell.

This act required intense concentration, and even the most skilled Mages could not accomplish it in one try. Magic was inherently much harder to defend against than to attack.

“I think you’re underestimating me too much, Sir. I prepared my magic over fourteen long hours in anticipation of their arrival. As you surely know, it wasn’t just calculations; numerous magical materials and magic circles were used...”

While the process of casting a spell could be instantaneous, its preparation was incredibly long. The longer and more precise the preparation was, the more complete the magic would become. Dakan’s magic was of this nature.

“Therefore... only a highly perfected technique could deflect my Mind Control.”

-You fool!

“Pardon...?”

-Extremely advanced physical abilities are indistinguishable from extremely precise magic.

“What do you mean?”

In truth, even Gogeom would not have believed this story if it had not seen this scene. Jin-Hyeok had simply crushed the magic with sheer force, without any calculations. He had sensed an external force acting on Sae-Rin and Terse and summoned mana to destroy that force. Since the mana was transmitted through a connection, it meant there was a channel of mana, and Jin-Hyeok had essentially destroyed that channel.

-Do not despair. There are always opponents against whom techniques and magic do not work.

“What should I do if magic doesn’t work?

-What else? You just stay still.

The penguin Beastkin, who had hoped to receive great advice from the school’s founding Mage, became dejected.

***

‘Hmm... It doesn’t seem like there is much content worth salvaging,’ Jin-Hyeok thought.

Dakan’s tension had dropped too low during the conversation. Gogeom was growing tired of Dakan. With such poor chemistry between the participants, it would be difficult to make an entertaining video.

‘I need to wrap this up quickly.’ Jin-Hyeok stood up. “Sir Dakan. You know why I came here, right?”

“You came looking for the Herb of Immortality,” Dakan replied with a half-dazed expression. “But you have come to the wrong place. There is no such thing as Herb of Immortality in the Kyen Family.”

-Foolish one! Do you think a mere head butler would know about the existence of such a treasure as the Herb of Immortality?

Dakan flinched. “But there is nothing in this mansion that I do not know about.”

-The existence of the Herb of Immortality is unknown even to the head of the Kyen Family. The information has been dispersed and thoroughly hidden!

Jin-Hyeok decided to let Gogeom carry on. After all, he had given up on the thrilling adventure content, so it would be best to proceed quickly.

‘Next time, I should just leave Gogeom at home,’ Jin-Hyeok thought. With the sword, it felt like he were playing a game with cheat codes.

-Guide them to the family head’s study. There is a sealed magic circle there.

“There is no such thing in the family head’s study,” Dakan said.

However, to Dakan’s surprise, there was one. The magic circle was drawn inside the drawer of the family head’s desk. Incidentally, the drawer was secured with a sturdy lock, which Jin-Hyeok, having received Sara’s permission, smashed with the hammer.

‘That lock was made of adamantium alloy,’ Dakan thought.

Though it appeared to be just a small lock on the outside, it was not ordinary. It was the world’s strongest lock made of adamantium alloy; yet, it had been shattered with just a few hammer blows. The thought crossed Dakan’s mind that maybe it was indeed true that extremely developed physical abilities were indistinguishable from precise magic.

A faint magic circle was carved inside the desk drawer.

-There should be a sword-shaped slot in the center of the magic circle! Insert me there!

Without hesitation, Jin-Hyeok immediately inserted Gogeom into the center of the magic circle. In that instant, dozens of beams of light burst forth, and the world began to change.