Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 262

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 262

169. The Sorcerer of the Jungle (3)

A suitable candidate.

At those words, the world becomes quiet as if it had stopped.

The only sound heard is the fierce burning of the Tree Castle.

That’s why this jungle feels even more silent.

“…A, a suitable candidate?”

The bewildered voice came out much later, when the Tree Castle was about half burned.

To that phlegm-filled voice, I answered simply.

“Would this prove it?”

I drew up my mana and radiated it in all directions.

Then the mana of the sorcerer and his apostles began to fluctuate in response to my mana.

“Wh, what is this all of a sudden!”

“Is… is this Mother’s sorcery?”

“My, my power!”

This must be their first time experiencing this.

Their mana fluctuating regardless of their will.

But still, such a powerful attraction.

This Ancient Magic Power fellow seems quite greedy.

Just like me.

“Stop! Stop it!”

The Man, that is, the sorcerer’s urgent cry was heard.

His mana was fluctuating just the same.

He must have become desperate.

Since he’s not absorbing an Ancient Mana Concentrator somewhere but merely using the power that flows out.

If he makes a mistake, everything could be taken away and he’d fall to being nothing.

I chuckled and withdrew my mana.

Then the clamor subsided, but this time agitation spread in all directions.

“Really… is that person the suitable candidate?”

“That terror just now…”

And ‘Mother’ seemed very flustered.

If I had to guess the reason, it’s probably because my existence is greatly affecting her authority right now.

As evidence, the apostles were now looking at me, not Mother.

Well, that’s not what’s important.

I spoke toward ‘Mother’.

“The ‘suitable candidate’ you were looking for has appeared, so I’d appreciate it if you could guide me to where that power is.”

“…”

No words at all.

Right, she wouldn’t have expected me to appear like this.

Originally, she would have wanted one of the children to become the suitable candidate, and she would have enjoyed that power herself by putting that child forward.

“…You are a foreigner. No matter what, I cannot let a foreigner in any further!”

That’s the answer that came out for that reason.

I shrugged my shoulders at those words.

“Really? Then you can just keep living like that forever.”

If there’s no justification, I just need to create one.

“But do you know this? It seems like you won’t be receiving any more ‘offerings’ in the future.”

“…What did you say?”

This society is maintained by ‘offerings’.

With the hope that a suitable candidate will appear someday.

But what if those ‘offerings’ are cut off?

They would have to live like this for the rest of their lives.

I’ve just touched on their fundamental fear.

Well, actually telling the Imperial Palace or the nobles who rule this place to stop offering tributes is a matter for later.

Once I make the Ancient Mana Concentrator mine, this society will collapse anyway.

“What do you want…!”

“It’s simple. Since I’m the suitable candidate. I want to try having that power.”

“I cannot hand it over! This… this… is the power I’ve searched for my entire life! The power that will restore me…”

The one called Mother shut her mouth with a “hup” after saying that much.

Restore.

Is there a separate purpose there?

“Well, shouldn’t we stop separating innocent children from their parents and making them like this?”

I didn’t reveal it in front of Reutake and my friends, but I don’t like this itself.

Parents lose their children, and children are separated from their parents.

Moreover, the children grow up in a completely different way than their parents thought.

What could be more terrible than this?

I myself was a war orphan in my previous life.

That’s why I so desperately wanted to form a family.

“So either quietly hand it over and disappear quietly, or resist and disappear miserably in screams.”

I need to shake them once more here.

I drew up my mana again and radiated it.

“Anyway, if I just put a little force here, I can blow away your level of mana in an instant.”

The sound of dry swallowing from all directions.

Their agitated states are clearly revealed.

Including the two apostle fellows in front of me.

“What the hell are you…?”

They can’t attack.

Including that one called ‘Mother’.

By the way, this is the first time I’m seeing so many mages at once.

If ‘Mother’ gives up her power, what happens to them?

Do they return to the village?

Well, that’s not something to worry about, and even if I should worry about it, it’s for later.

“I told you. I’m the suitable candidate.”

“…”

Finally, ‘Mother’ seemed to have made a choice.

“My children, open the path.”

The sorcerer spread both arms and declared in a solemn voice as if he had become a god.

“We can finally achieve our long-cherished wish.”

Even greater agitation than before arose.

“Mother, but! That person is a foreigner!”

“How can a foreigner establish our kingdom!”

“Then is that person going to play king in our kingdom?”

All sorts of objections followed, but when she raised her hand, it became quiet for a moment, and in that gap, a solemn voice continued.

“Don’t worry. The kingdom’s construction will proceed as planned.”

I chuckled inwardly.

She has something to rely on.

“Dane, it seems like there’s something.”

“It seems so.”

“Going inside there, is it the right choice?”

“The best choice.”

“…The best choice?”

I chuckled at Altur’s worried expression.

“It’s much more peaceful than destroying everything to get what we want, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true… Of course it’s you. So, we’re going with you too, right?”

“Of course. We came this far together.”

I casually told Altur and Jenna.

“If you sense anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to do whatever it takes.”

Right now, those fellows called ‘Apostles’ are borrowing the power of an ancient magic concentrate. More precisely, through Mother, in a roundabout way.

But fundamentally, they’re mages.

Even without the ancient magic concentrate, since they’re basically trained mages, no one knows how they might act.

I’m here, but these two seem restless, wanting to do something.

“You’ll get a chance to shine.”

“A chance to shine… Good.”

“Am I built for real combat? Why is my heart pounding like this?”

I chuckled watching the excited pair.

Anyone looking would think they’re fellows dying to fight.

“Follow me, you who are both a foreigner and a suitable one.”

A voice echoed amidst all this.

Good. Let’s see how this plays out.

The sorcerer, called ‘Mother’ who had commanded the jungle village to sacrifice children for the past 10 years, thought.

‘I must stay calm. I don’t know how this guy appeared, but… this is a golden opportunity.’

It was bewildering.

A suitable one, when none had emerged despite examining all those many children gifted in magic.

Moreover, a suitable one from the distant Empire’s capital.

But this was an opportunity.

Since a suitable one had come, this was a golden chance to subdue this fellow and find a way to fully utilize that power.

‘I must continue this research.’

A lifelong study and life’s work.

Currently, her own life didn’t have much time left.

For that reason alone, she had a duty to make this amazing power her own, extend her lifespan, and continue her research.

‘Master… it seems light is finally visible to me.’

With such thoughts, she was heading to the place where she kept the power she treasured like a sacred object, never revealing it to any of her ‘sons and daughters.’

Deep in the jungle.

Perfect.

In that place, it wouldn’t be strange if anything happened.

“How much further do we have to walk?”

When she heard the question, she answered.

“Almost… there.”

Power.

The power she had discovered by chance in this place she came to complete her research.

That power was exactly…

“There, inside the tree.”

Deep in the jungle.

It was inside an ancient tree so massive its age was impossible to estimate.

“Whoa…”

“Wow…”

It was such an enormously large tree that Altur and Jenna exclaimed in admiration, forgetting the situation.

Even by rough estimate, it had such tremendous thickness that it would take about a hundred people to encircle it.

A height whose end couldn’t be gauged.

“What a luxurious storage location.”

“To control and contain that power, it was an unavoidable choice, suitable one…”

Her words were correct.

Inside the ancient tree she guided them to, various magic circles and devices were installed in abundance.

“…My goodness. What is all this? How did you… make all of this?”

And Altur was left speechless facing that scene.

A single mage accomplished all of this? This was an environment that should be created at the Magic Tower level.

“What’s wrong, Altur?”

“Just… thinking the world is vast.”

Altur’s admiration in response to Jenna’s question was genuine.

But that was only momentary.

Anger surged at the fact that this was done by separating children from their parents for life.

“Dane. What do you think?”

“Well, it’s worth seeing.”

“…That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

On the other hand, Dane frequently visited Big Sister’s research lab and had some related knowledge, so he didn’t show any particular impression.

The important thing was-

That metallic sphere in the center over there.

The ancient magic concentrate was inside that.

Though its power was felt faintly due to whatever devices and magic were placed on it, he could definitely tell.

This made it the fourth one.

However, he had been guided here quite obediently.

Even to a place visible right before his eyes.

That meant…

Clang!

“As expected.”

There was a trap.

Dane turned his head and confirmed that the entrance to the ancient tree they had just entered was closed.

At the same time, a physical wall rose in front of the metal sphere containing the concentrate.

“D-Dane?”

“Are we… trapped?”

At their panicked voices, Dane shrugged his shoulders.

“As you can see.”

“…”

“…Is it okay to be this carefree?”

The two hadn’t been part of this club for very long.

So they showed reactions that Leila, Ernest, and Priscilla wouldn’t have shown, making Dane smile.

-Suitable one… that place is now under my control…

Then a voice filled with magic echoed in the space where the three, or four including Karnas, were trapped.

-If you want to leave alive, cooperate… Otherwise, you and your friends will all die…

She probably made these devices in preparation for someone’s intrusion.

“So she says.”

When Dane spoke so casually, the two seemed completely at a loss for words.

That was understandable, since the trapped space was so narrow it would be suffocating even for one person.

‘What exactly is she trying to do?’

Altur was amazed by Dane’s composed appearance while trying his best to calm his anxiety.

If someone like Dane just ‘let himself be trapped,’ there must be a reason for it.

Jenna had moved beyond this to completely trust Dane.

‘There must be a reason.’

Then Dane asked.

“What do you want?”

-You’re pretending to be calm… but you’ll soon be consumed by terror.

“So I’m asking what you mean by cooperate.”

Meanwhile, she who was watching this situation from outside curled up her wrinkled lips.

As expected, he’s just a young fellow.

I was tense because he was called a ‘Suitable Candidate’, but to think he’d fall for it this easily.

Well, come to think of it, how many would not fall for that trap?

He couldn’t have known that such devices to block intruders were installed inside this ancient tree.

‘Now all that’s left is to absorb that fellow’s power.’

This place, the ancient tree, has a device that can absorb and convert even the energy leaking from the ‘power’ inside that steel sphere.

This is the key.

I didn’t know it would be used like this, but the moment that fellow uses his power in there, it will be completely absorbed.

Also, there’s a device that intentionally restricts the arrangement of mana.

In other words, mages absolutely cannot use their power.

After subduing the fellow whose power has been drained, if I can just find out about the ‘Suitable Candidate’…

‘I can complete Master’s, my research.’

Her master, whose face has now become blurry.

To think I can finish that research which has now become my own desire.

My body trembles with excitement.

She immediately stated her demands.

“Generate your mana… continuously…”

-You want me to generate mana?

“Yes. In any way… it would be best not to have foolish thoughts… *cough*. If you try to use magic, your mana will be twisted instead…”

-No, that’s not it. You, you were indeed a mage. You weren’t from this place. You just used the words ‘magic’ and ‘mana’ instead of the word ‘sorcery’, didn’t you?

“…”

Honestly, I was flustered.

To think he’d notice so quickly.

But at this point, there was no problem whatsoever.

“Just worry about getting out alive, Suitable Candidate.”

She dismissed the question and gave her order.

“Now… generate your mana.”

-Very well.

She had no doubt that Dane would soon collapse, and the friends beside him would collapse too.

The more he used mana, the more exhausted he would become.

But she didn’t know well.

That the power Dane possessed was at a level that exceeded her expectations.

“Wh-what is this…”

The ancient tree began to shake.

It was right after Dane generated his mana.

Rumble…

Tremendous vibrations.

From what I observed, Dane didn’t particularly use any magic.

This is simply…

Something happening just from the ‘generation’ of mana.

“H-how?”

The question didn’t last long.

No, it couldn’t last long.

Rumble!

“Ugh!”

An even greater tremendous vibration occurred, and while she collapsed-

Bang, boom!

Following the vibrations, the high-precision mana devices inside the ancient tree began malfunctioning one by one.

“N-no!”

Finally, even the device that converted mana burst apart, and her plan became nothing but bubbles in an instant.

It was the result of Dane generating mana while ignoring the interference with mana rearrangement.

Also, as a result of that…

Clank!

The door of the ancient tree opened, and the wall that had blocked the path to the sphere also crumbled to pieces.

-Thank you, sorcerer.

With those words, Dane instantly withdrew the mana he had been generating and approached the sphere.

Then he lifted the sphere quite easily and opened the lid.

Hum hum hum!

As if it had finally met its owner, a green sphere vibrated from inside and finally revealed itself.

It was the fourth Mana Concentrator.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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