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TL: ALT
Chapter 187 – Day 18 of Management Life
Last night, the master turtle—or rather, the island itself—was moving, so I could hardly leave the tower. I never knew when I might be flung into the sea, and I might land in rough waters. I could easily be swept away by the currents and end up as ocean debris.
Drip, drip, drip…
Apparently, there’s a reservoir beneath the tower. When it rains, water pours in from the walls on all sides like waterfalls, then flows down to the next level.
“Just imagine the same tower you see above ground is thrust deep into the earth below.”
The old man who was the Minotaur explained this to me from the center of a large room called the Martial Arts Hall.
Only the old man and I were sitting on the floor of the room. There was no furniture, just a pot filled with hot water and tea leaves on a tray against the wall.
I asked the old man how the Sealing Clan had managed to survive atop the great turtle, and he inquired about my life.
The Minotaur, an old man, was the previous chief of the tower. The Minotaur we met before was the current chief.
The current chief likely arranged for me to meet the old man to align our perspectives on the current state of the world.
“I see. You’ve changed in just half a year. In addition, you’re a reincarnator who has nearly died multiple times…”
“I see. Even within the Sealing Clan, there were factions. Some chose to remain in Midgard, while others raised volunteer armies and escaped with some royal families. But the technical group was locked away deep inside. There was no place for them to evacuate to…”
We both nodded.
“Records show that the largest clan arrived on the island before the dungeon conflicts began. There are many accounts of ground tremors and failed plant cultivation from that time, so it must have been difficult. The shifting of the earth veins westward and the massive outbreak of sea monsters also seem to have been factors in the island’s growth.”
So, the earth veins were indeed moving westward.
“Now then, might we finally learn about the magic power operation that Makyo-dono mentioned?”
“Certainly, but how should I demonstrate it? Earlier, the goblins were saying numbers…”
As soon as I woke up early in the morning, I was immediately surrounded by goblins wearing glasses. After a brief greeting, they bombarded me with questions like, “Is this normal?” The goblins diligently scribbled my answers into notebooks made from leaves. They had devices resembling measuring instruments attached to their bodies, apparently recording numerical values of some kind.
“Those numbers are only useful for those who perceive strength through synesthesia. Don’t worry about them.”
Synesthesia is the condition where you see numbers as colors, right?
“More importantly, could you hit this?”
The old man slowly touched the floor and pulled out a square rock as tall as he was. It looked like the rock was stuck to his hand. He hadn’t used the magic cube, but he’d pulled off something similar.
“If it’s like just now, is it something like this?”
I used the magic cube to pull a small cube out of the square rock.
“Huh! How did you do that?”
“I deployed six defensive spells to create a three-dimensional structure and pulled it out.”
“I see! Anything else?”
“Otherwise, rotation, I suppose.”
I circled around to the side of the rock with the hole and channeled magic from my lower abdomen into my arm. I slowly swung my arm down. The top of the rock spun as it shattered into splinters.
“Now that packs quite a punch!”
The Minotaur old man’s eyes widened excitedly.
“There wasn’t much speed behind that punch, but you can generate speed if you want.”
“Yes, usually I practice like this—running while deflecting obstacles in front of me.”
I lightly infused magic and demonstrated by running around the room.
“Hah… Looks like you could run straight to the horizon.”
He leaned forward in surprise.
“By the way, are there other ways you use magic power?”
“Well, since I couldn’t enter the Sealing Clan’s dungeon, I also learned how to release magic power…”
I released the magic power from my body and spread it throughout the room. My magic power filled the entire floor of the tower. The floor and walls appeared to be rigged with various traps, including spears and pots of water.
“Is it okay to discard it?”
“It recovers when I sleep.”
“I see. What happens to the discarded magic power?”
“For a while, the sensation of the discarded magic power returns to me. That’s why I could see things like the spears under the floorboards and the puddles of water.”
“Ah, I see. No, I don’t intend to use traps. Because of the nature of the martial arts arena, I try to store weapons under the floorboards as much as possible.”
“I see.”
“But did that allow you to enter the Sealing Clan’s dungeon?”
“Yes, we borrowed the power of the dwarves who came to the demonic land. We made it all the way to the inner chamber, There were no survivors.”
“I see. Any signs of a struggle?”
“There were many traps, but I didn’t see any signs of a fight. Weren’t the ones left behind mostly criminals?”
“Yes, it was said that only illegal researchers and criminals who had altered themselves with magic remained. But it seems the end was peaceful.”
The old man seemed lost in deep reflection about the past.
To give him time to savor the history, I poured and drank the offered tea. It was refreshing and invigorating.
“Ah, my apologies. I’ve been doing all the talking. Is there anything you’d like to ask?”
The old man turned back around to ask.
“Then, what principle allowed you to lift that rock earlier?”
“I grabbed it with my skin. If you shift the center of gravity, it lifts slightly. Then, I used a little magic to…”
Honestly, I had no idea what he was talking about, so I was glad he noticed.
“So it’s lost on the continent, too. Ancient people could move their bodies much more skillfully. Apparently, there were girls in villages who could lift and carry horses in labor. If that was possible in rural areas, then martial artists must have used their bodies in even more extraordinary ways.”
“Lifting a horse was definitely unusual outside the demonic land…”
I’m starting to forget things from before I came to the demonic land, but common sense was different back then.
“What about now?”
“Nowadays, I lift crocodiles about the size of horses. I kick them away, too. Though I do use magic.”
“Is that something you do consciously?”
“No, just enough to find the crocodiles’ weak points. As for my own body, I don’t use anything besides magic.”
“I figured. You should be able to move more easily if you use your body’s structure a bit more. Even now, by the standards of the Turtle Archipelago, you’re quite abnormal. However, continuing like this will likely lead to strain.”
This sea area, home to a massive swarm of turtles, is apparently called the Turtle Archipelago.
I had been so focused on magical power that I knew nothing about physical techniques.
“Would you please teach me?”
“Of course. You showed me the potential of magic power. I can’t just leave without teaching you something. Besides, I’ve retired from managing the tower. I’ve thrown myself into the hobby of seeing just how much I can enhance my body’s performance. How could I not be excited to see someone who embodies principles completely different from everything I’ve built up until now?”
Up until now, my fighting style had been somewhat self-taught and based on the magic Chel had taught me. This was the first time I’d been properly taught how to fight since I first knocked on the door of the Adventurers’ Guild.
“First, we need to realign your bones. The tips of your larger bones are rounded, right? They should have a wider range of motion. You might want to take off your shoes. You’ve cut with your initial footwork before, right?”
After that, he taught me some of the martial arts techniques that the Sealing Clan has passed down for over a thousand years. Apparently, the Sealing Clan developed martial arts as a way to keep fighting even after magic and stamina were depleted in war. They were both a killing art and a life-saving art, passed down only among practitioners.
“Our ancestors possessed neither flood control nor construction techniques. Nor could they forge orichalcum. With only meager farmland, they couldn’t produce vast quantities of grain. They had no choice but to rely on magic circles and martial arts. During the migration to Midgard a thousand years ago, they happened to possess a little power. However, culturally, they weren’t mature enough; they even brought their deities from elsewhere.”
“Ow, that hurts! Guh!”
I listened while my leg was kneaded and twisted, and my arm was pulled hard.
The pain of setting bones is so intense that you think you might die, but once it’s over, your body feels abnormally light.
“Now, stand up.”
As instructed, I stood, and suddenly the world seemed brighter. I could make out sounds and smells, and I could tell what was happening on the upper floor. My hands felt hot, perhaps due to improved blood circulation. The magic that had previously felt vague was now clearly discernible. I could sense myself riding atop a great current of magical power.
“How is it?”
“I feel like my capabilities have increased.”
“I figured. Now, I’ll teach you how to use your body. You don’t need to tense your arms to unleash power. Sometimes your fingertips will guide it; other times, you can release it from your hips. Either way, focusing and releasing power is key.”
As he spoke, the old man-Minotaur lifted a rock from the floor and shattered it without using magic. I took a few of the old man’s punches, and each time, I felt the impact explode within my body. Without recovery magic, it would have been dangerous.
“All right, try it yourself. Makyo-dono’s striking techniques are powerful, so it’s best not to use them on people if possible.”
The old man lifted another stone slab from the floor.
What I hadn’t understood at first became clear as I practiced.
I felt ashamed, realizing how much of what I had done before was just brute force. I learned firsthand that the ancients had a deep understanding of the body—something lost as technology advanced and life became more convenient.
“Know your body, know the land, know the form. A magic circle is merely a reproduction of that. If you’re going to learn, start by knowing yourself.”
“Yes.”
Just as the stone slab embedded in the floor shattered halfway through, the smell of burning flesh wafted down from above.
“Let’s call it a day here.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve completely torn a hole in the floor.”
“No, stone slabs can be replaced quickly. But what concerns me is if Makyo-dono were to use magic in that state, this tower would be reduced to dust, wouldn’t it?”
“That couldn’t be—”
Even though it was about me, I couldn’t say no. Honestly, I thought I could destroy a castle, but not with a single blow. Now that I knew martial arts, however, I felt that possibility had emerged.
“Don’t anger the gods of architecture. Let’s eat.”
The old Minotaur man chuckled as he climbed the stairs. I wiped sweat from my brow and ascended barefoot, carrying my shoes.
“Finally, you’ve come.”
Recalling the old man’s words, I pondered shifting my center of gravity when Hel’s voice drifted down.
Her face glowed with vitality. Though faint, I could sense magic coursing through her.
“Was the curse lifted?”
“Only part of it. They removed the curse that was deeply embedded.”
Saying this, Hel showed me her shoulder. A hole was visible in her tattooed skin.
“The hole will close eventually. It doesn’t hurt anymore when I release magic.”
“Is magic still forbidden?”
“That’s still forbidden because it interferes with making magic tools. To the Sealing Clan, it’s just a minor restriction.”
“That’s good news.”
“Makyo, you did something too…”
Reaching the top of the stairs, Hel stared at me, wide-eyed.
“You got stronger again, didn’t you!?”
“I just learned an easier way to move my body. I’ll be living barefoot for a while.”
“How long is ‘a while’?”
“Until I understand everything. Smells good. Let’s eat.”
The minotaur and the goblins eating at the table looked at me, somehow surprised. The only visible change was my bare feet, yet something seemed different.
“Oh! I also got a magic gauge to measure underground magic power. This will show us the earth veins!”
Hel excitedly showed me a magic tool about the size of a human head. It looked similar to one I’d seen at the Adventurers’ Guild reception.
“Well, we’ve achieved our immediate goal.”
I nodded in agreement. However, with my newly refined skeletal structure and heightened senses, I could faintly sense the immense magical power of the giant eternal turtle beneath my feet, as well as the subtle magical power flowing even deeper beneath the ocean floor. So, I might not need the magic power gauge after all.
“All that’s left is to safely reunite with Sylvia and Kahiman. Are those two okay? I hear there’s a warlike faction on the Turtle Archipelago. If push comes to shove, we’ll have to rescue them…”
“They’ll be fine. They’ll fly to this island by midnight.”
I could vaguely sense their magic. It was easy to tell because Kahiman, still as shy as ever, was hiding to avoid giving any of it off.
“You can sense them?”
“Yeah, my senses are just extra sharp right now.”
“But still, distance-wise…”
“More importantly, dinner is field boar steak. The Sealing Clan sure eats well.”
While we ate dinner, I distracted the goblins with talk of magical power and tools.
Around the time the full moon reached its zenith on the tenth night, Sylvia and Kahiman flew in on a large owl and landed near the tower.
I waved a torch on the tower roof to guide them. I directed the giant owl to land on the floor they were using as a wyvern’s nest.
“H-how did you know we were coming?”
“Yeah, I think I found another technique that needs digging up, so the sensitivity’s increased.”
“Another…?”
Sylvia and Kahiman tilted their heads.
“Don’t worry about it. He probably just thought of something weird again.”
Hel covered for me, but I was distracted all day.
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