Prohibitive Edict (26)
“W7 upper phase. Switch trajectory to 2 directions. Cycle from G1 to 7 in order and occupy.”
Tap!
As the black stone was placed on the board, the white stones flipped over in succession into black, filling the board.
“My 49th victory.”
“Uaaaagh!!”
As Lennok withdrew his hand from the board set overlooking the training ground, Velber screamed.
“As promised, the 200,000 cel wager on Obaekro—I’m taking it.”
“No. Don’t do this!”
Velber hurriedly grabbed Lennok’s sleeve and clung to it.
“You scumbag. You’ve got so much money already, and you’re going to take even a mercenary’s allowance…!!”
“You’re the one who suggested betting money first.”
Lennok shook off Velber’s hand firmly and picked up two bills, smiling.
“I’ve been short on cash lately. I’ll put it to good use.”
“Don’t lie!!”
At Velber’s desperate cry, the others watching also made awkward expressions.
Mila, who was chewing on a chicken skewer with her hands in her jumper pockets, grumbled.
“You should tone down the act. Who’s going to believe a Mage Tower Lord has no money?”
“Business doesn’t always generate profit.”
Lennok replied calmly as he tucked the bills into his shirt pocket.
“Of course, all profits from the Tower are reinvested to build a stable environment.”
“Hah, who’d believe such an obvious excuse?”
“Right. It’s a lie.”
Lennok admitted it coolly and put on a solemn expression.
“So let’s end the quarterly salary renegotiations for the Antares office today.”
“I’m sorry, boss!!”
“We’ll make sure this pathetic stock gambler never talks nonsense again!”
Jenny, who had been watching, shook her head with a dumbfounded expression.
“You guys are perfectly in sync. Did you rehearse this or something?”
“Words that come from the heart don’t need rehearsal.”
“If only you didn’t speak at all…”
Sighing deeply, Jenny filled in the blank on an approval document and asked,
“So why did you suddenly gather people and make them play board games?”
District 49 of the megacity Vulcan. Training hall located behind the Mage Tower of Bolt.
Originally an empty lot used as a company training ground, it was now used together after the expansion of the Mage Tower.
Sunlight poured down through the transparent dome, and shouts echoed from the training ground.
A rare holiday when even the Tower’s work paused.
Lennok had gathered familiar mercenaries and freelancers and was suddenly teaching them Obaekro.
[Arururung~]
The cry of a white baby dragon lying on the platform while scratching its belly.
As they listened to the guardian spirit beast’s lazy babbling, many people focused on Obaekro.
Boards and stones were placed on the platform set up for shade, and people sat around each board.
Tap!
“Weian, did I win this?”
“No. We need to look more. Wait.”
“There are no more stones to flip though…”
A conversation between Weian and Dylan O’Casey, who seemed questionable in their understanding of the game.
[Homa. Gongbak. Gakgung. Though the terms differ, it is a rule governing the purity and reversal of stones.]
“What Manson said is correct. The rules differ by district, but depending on placement, they can always be reversed—”
Suryeon explained the rules while playing, as Manson quickly grasped and applied them.
Mila and Velita also began playing Obaekro after hovering around the boards.
Perhaps because it was Lennok’s order, everyone was far more engaged than expected.
Jenny, still looking around skeptically, asked,
“I get that it’s training, but does this actually help?”
“Obaekro is a strategic board game created by Jindun, and its foundation is closely tied to barrier techniques.”
Lennok said.
“In other words, learning Obaekro itself is the fastest way to grasp spell formations.”
“……”
“The basics of the Ouroboros magic system I taught you can also be mastered quickly through Obaekro.”
Lennok nodded toward Jenny.
“As I said, you don’t have to do it, Jenny. This is special training for those slower at mastering the system.”
“…No. If others are doing it, I can’t just not.”
Jenny shook her head and glanced aside.
“I had something to discuss with Jordan though…”
“……”
Behind Lennok, Tatiana and Jordan sat across a board.
“D83 reversal. L11 purity. Sanctification complete from R4 to 19.”
“J99 reserve. B4 life and death. Reoccupy sector c103 combining center and gate.”
Without making eye contact, both stared at the board with intense focus.
They only spoke to exchange moves and explain changes.
“Something strange is happening…”
“This is Obaekro? Then what have I been playing all this time?”
Tatiana, a war mage from the central front and top disciple of the Tower, being skilled wasn’t surprising.
But Jordan, not even a high-tier superhuman, playing this well—Lennok hadn’t expected it.
Not just continuing the match, but matching a level 7 mage like Tatiana.
Mila exclaimed in surprise.
“I didn’t expect the bartender old man to be this good.”
“H33 to 44 in reverse order, Gakgung.”
“From F19 to I19 vertically, Pyeongcheon.”
Tap! Tap!
As they placed stones, the right corner flipped repeatedly between black and white.
Both focused obsessively on one sector.
“Why aren’t they placing stones elsewhere?”
“Because the bridgehead stones are concentrated on the right sector.”
Suryeon answered Velita’s question.
“Once they occupy that, advantage will naturally spread. No need to divide resources.”
“…So like fighting over a strategic point on a battlefield?”
“Exactly. But since placement is limited—”
Tap!!
As Tatiana placed a white stone, the right corner flipped white.
But at the same time, the left corner turned entirely black.
Their eyes met.
“Old man, you’re pretty good.”
Tatiana smiled.
“This isn’t just ‘knowing how to play.’ You weren’t some high-level caster in the past, were you?”
“You’re quite skilled yourself, Miss Chiglet.”
Jordan smiled gently.
“With this level, you wouldn’t be embarrassed in any match.”
“Well, yeah. Among my peers at the Tower, I was the best.”
Tatiana nodded and lifted a stone.
“I’ll win this one. Let’s play again next time.”
“I’d like to yield a move this time, but…”
Jordan smiled.
“With Van watching, I can’t play carelessly.”
“What?”
Tap!
As Jordan placed a black stone, all the white stones along the edge flipped to black.
Tatiana paused.
“If we tally, I’ll probably have just one more point than half.”
“……”
“It wasn’t your mistake. It’s because I had black stones, so don’t be discouraged.”
“I see. My mistake was taking second move without knowing your skill?”
Tatiana nodded.
“This is fun. Nice provocation. It’s getting me fired up.”
“That wasn’t my intention…”
“Let’s play again.”
“I need to talk to Van—”
Jordan glanced this way but was dragged back by Tatiana.
“……”
Jenny stared, dumbfounded, as Velber sat before Lennok again, breathing heavily.
“Van. Raise the stakes. This time starting from 400,000 cel.”
As Velber pulled out four bills, others scolded him.
“Are you crazy? That’s a Grand Mage.”
“Why are you trying to beat Van?”
“But he’s giving me 20 moves!”
Velber argued.
“He’s giving me 20 moves—how can I not challenge? Are you all cowards?”
“……”
Even Mila and others couldn’t completely disagree.
“Taking risks is natural in investment. 20 moves is huge!!”
Velber proudly pushed forward the money.
“If I fought him with weapons and he gave me 20 moves, I’d have a chance—”
“Want to die?”
“You’re crossing the line.”
“……”
At Velita and Mila’s cold responses, Velber shut his mouth.
“I’d like to stay and help training, but I have work.”
Lennok smiled.
“So I prepared a tool.”
“A tool?”
Boom!!
A large tablet dropped onto the platform.
“Tablet…?”
“This helps with Obaekro?”
“It’s a search AI I recently created. I run a site on the deep web.”
Lennok said.
“I thought it would spread naturally, but underground networks aren’t easy.”
“……”
“It’s the age of self-promotion.”
Jenny and Mila looked stunned.
“You just made something like this and didn’t even tell anyone?”
“Want viral marketing? I can help.”
“I hired a heavy uploader…”
Lennok coughed.
“They overdid it, and it got dismissed as bait.”
“……”
[…]
Davi’s tail twitched guiltily.
Lennok pinched it lightly.
“The promise remains. Beat the AI in Obaekro, and it counts as beating me.”
“…Fight a search AI?”
“You can use it for search too.”
Lennok looked around.
“I’ll give Velber 20 moves. And if you win—”
“I’ll grant any wish.”
“……”
No one laughed.
An 8th-level Grand Mage, owner of the only Mage Tower.
They all knew it was possible.
“A wish…”
“Anything?”
“As long as it’s within my ability.”
Lennok nodded.
“I’ve granted Felix a similar request. Ask him later.”
“Oh, I have one.”
Velita raised her hand.
“That random box before—can we use it again?”
“Random box?”
“Ah, the temporary Ascension Gate. Of course.”
“Really?”
“If you win, I’ll give you unlimited access.”
“……!!”
The atmosphere turned serious.
Lennok nodded in satisfaction.
“Even if not a wish, I’ll reward progress.”
He had learned from Heiberk that Obaekro aids learning.
‘Still lots to do…’
Lennok headed underground.
Clank!!
In the training room, shelves and lab equipment stood.
A grotesque cursed toad croaked as Felix stood before it.
“Haah…!”
Magic flowed into its mouth—then spat out.
Feysha Grisburn collected it.
“Disgusting…”
Felix noticed Lennok.
“You’ve gotten close.”
“It’s not mindless.”
Felix stroked it.
“It likes this.”
[Keaeek.]
“….”
Feysha spoke.
“Want to test now?”
“No. First something else.”
Lennok raised a ring.
“The secret of Kabahim.”
Feysha scoffed.
“You’re really digging deep.”
“Leave if you’ll distract me.”
They left.
Saaak…!!
Cold spread as he wore the ring.
Click!!
It transformed into a seal.
Lennok pressed it to his wrist.
Whoooosh!!
A blizzard mountain.
At the peak, an ice monument.
Beneath it, a kneeling ice knight.
“….”
Blue eyes flared.
[This is not a sanctuary for outsiders.]
Boom!!
The storm cleared.
[Yet you came by your own will.]
[O fate’s end. And end of fate.]
The knight looked at Lennok.
[What do you seek here?]
“…You’re no ordinary spirit.”
Lennok’s expression hardened.
“Could it be… the Kabahim dynasty… made a contract with an Outer God?”