Chapter 13: Turtle’s March

Five people gathered at the intersection.

At that moment, the surroundings suddenly brightened, and an unfamiliar landscape unfolded before our eyes.

We were standing in a wide open space.

The air was thick with a heavy pressure.

It felt like the magical energy was twice as dense and sticky compared to the outside.

‘Could this be the so-called magical zone I had only heard rumors about?’

The magic seemed to grip my body, almost as if it were holding me back.

The open space was surrounded by dense forest.

Gigantic trees towered above us, their trunks stretching high enough to block out the sky.

And beyond them, a mountain rose so high that it was visible between the trees.

The mountain seemed intent on not hiding its presence, as a massive flag made of pure magical energy was hoisted at its peak.

It was as if it were advertising, “This is the destination.”

“Let’s move immediately.”

A young man with a refined air spoke.

Though his face was smiling, the magical energy he exuded fiercely surrounded us.

The energy, sharp as a blade, carried a murderous intent.

It felt sharper than any blade.

He was clearly a powerful individual—someone whose magical energy was beyond what someone like me, a mere sapling, could comprehend.

“Alright, let’s go quickly!”

The muscular man laughed as he slapped his belly.

He seemed more ordinary than the young man, but there was still a strong aura of magic emanating from his entire body.

I nodded.

As the young man said, we didn’t have much time.

Whatever we were going to do, it was best to think about it while moving.

I quietly took the spatial pouch from my waist and hid it inside my clothing.

I couldn’t take it out in front of them.

‘What would happen if they tried to steal it from me?’

There were people who seemed stronger than me, so I had to be cautious.

I planned to take the turtle out only after everyone else had left.

The young man at the front mounted a wind-based water spirit.

The fish spirit soared into the sky in an instant, cutting through the wind as it flew forward.

The others began heading toward the mountain in their own ways, starting with the young man.

They disappeared into the distance.

It was only then that I took out the spatial pouch.

I opened it and attempted to make contact with the turtle inside.

The turtle awoke as it received the signal.

The small opening of the pouch widened, and the turtle’s enormous form began to emerge.

First, the turtle’s head appeared.

Its golden eyes flickered with magical energy, like flames.

Around its eyes were thick, scaly folds, showing the turtle’s majesty and strength.

Its large jaw appeared heavy and firm, its mouth filled with sharp teeth.

Next, the two front legs appeared.

Thick and solid like pillars, the legs were covered in steel-like scales.

They looked like they could crush anything in their path.

When the turtle placed its legs on the ground, the earth trembled with a heavy vibration.

The shell followed, revealing itself like a massive shield, with several rough protrusions, giving it the appearance of carrying a mountain on its back.

There were huge spiky ridges on both sides of the shell, and I stood beneath them, surrounded by their shadow.

Finally, the turtle’s hind legs and tail appeared.

It filled the entire open space with its enormous presence.

This was a giant fortress.

The turtle exuded an immense vitality, and even my sapling-like spirit stirred in excitement in response to its power.

I climbed onto the turtle’s back.

As I did, part of the shell slowly sank, guiding me deep into the turtle’s body.

Soon, a vast space opened up before me.

It was my own small workshop, nestled deep inside the turtle’s belly.

I settled down there and instructed one of my puppets to bring me tea.

The puppet brought the tea, and I took a sip.

The warm aroma enveloped my nose, and the beautiful taste flowed smoothly down my throat.

‘Hmm, should I move now?’

I gave an order to the turtle via the magical circuit connected to my breath.

My will was transferred to the turtle’s movements, and its massive body began to move forward.

The giant creature trudged forward, heading toward the forest.

For the past 10 months, I had been gradually modifying this turtle using every bit of magic I had learned.

Even the professor had acknowledged that it was quite useful.

Through these modifications, I had turned the turtle into an invincible fortress.

Of course, there were still regrets.

The limitations of the materials were the biggest issue.

Most of the turtle’s body was made of wood, and aside from the shell, the rest of the body had relatively weak defense.

Especially its four legs.

If I had a bigger budget, I could have used sturdier wood.

That was the only thing I regretted.

I looked around from the turtle’s perspective.

The trees, which had seemed so tall before, couldn’t even reach the turtle’s head.

The others had already gone far ahead.

The turtle’s legs moved.

A heavy thud reverberated beneath me.

The trees in front were crushed beneath the turtle’s feet, falling without a trace.

It was a satisfying sight.

The turtle swallowed the fallen trees whole.

The trees, grown in this massive magical energy, would make excellent material for my puppets.

Soon, the trees made their way down to my workshop.

I had no idea what obstacles we would encounter on the way, so I decided it would be better to make more puppets.

After all, I had left most of my puppets at the workshop when I brought the turtle out.

It was always better to have more means at your disposal.

I started making puppets right then and there.

***

The turtle continued to trample the trees and swallow them as it walked forward.

Its immense stride brought it closer to the other members of the group.

The ones who had been far ahead were now within sight.

“Excuse me, may I ride on this as well?”

One of them had somehow already climbed onto the turtle’s back.

I hadn’t even noticed her approach.

She had been flying far away just moments ago, but now she was already sitting on the turtle.

The woman exuded a captivating aura.

Her dark, almost black eyes flashed with dangerous light.

Her lips curled into a subtle smile, filled with intrigue.

She was the one I had been most cautious about among the group.

Though the others seemed stronger than me, it was this woman who gave off the most dangerous scent.

And now, she had climbed onto my turtle.

My heart skipped a beat.

She casually surveyed the turtle, but there was an unmistakable bloodlust in the air, even though she was inside the turtle.

“Of course, I’ll make a place for you.”

One of the protrusions on the turtle’s shell trembled and gradually flattened.

I sent a puppet up to arrange a chair and a table on top of it.

She smiled and sat down in the seat.

Her posture was relaxed and light.

The puppet naturally approached and offered her a cup of tea.

This perfect black tea spell was cast, and flowers rose from the cup, adding to the tea’s fragrance.

She gazed at it with interest before taking a sip.

Her eyes widened, and she slowly took several more sips.

She nodded in approval.

“Interesting. I like it.”

‘Good, I had made a good impression.’

I sighed inwardly and calmed my nerves.

Her attention seemed to be flowing in a positive direction.

***

The turtle continued its steady march forward.

Without hesitation, it crushed trees beneath it, catching up to the other members of the group.

“The sun is strong. I will create a shade and a wall for you.”

I spoke through the puppet.

The terrain shifted, and walls and a roof were formed.

However, after doing so, the space felt a bit stuffy.

The enclosed space seemed to take away the sense of freedom.

“Would you like to enjoy the view? In that case, I will make a window for you.”

“Heh heh, yes.”

She laughed and nodded.

I partially tore down the wall and created a rectangular window.

Through it, I could see the others.

The one furthest behind was a woman on a broomstick.

She wore a witch’s hat and, peering through thick glasses, observed me with a timid look, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“Um, excuse me, may I ride too?”

“Of course, I’ll make a place for you.”

Another protrusion trembled as I made room for her.

I sent a puppet up and asked her what kind of space she wanted, then made sure to create a seat that was comfortable for her.

I didn’t want to make anyone feel slighted, especially since we were all working together.

However, the witch was not as much of a priority as the other woman.

I decided to place her seat a little farther away, slightly lower, to avoid making the other woman uncomfortable.

I subtly created a hierarchy among the seating arrangements.

The witch seemed unbothered, however.

She looked like someone with a cautious personality, and despite the clear differences in seating, she wore an innocent expression.

For a magician, her attire was rather plain.

She wore a black dress that didn’t have the usual grandeur that came with most spellcasters.

Her expression was always earnest, and she seemed unaware of how much she stood out with her wild hair.

I hoped she wouldn’t notice the difference between her position and the other woman’s.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want her here, but the competition in our group was fierce.

I didn’t want to give any of them an advantage.

I told my teammates as I served tea through the dolls attached to each of them.

The team members tasted it and made various expressions.

The witch puckered her lips and frowned slightly.

Hmm, it seems that this tea is a bit bitter for her.

I’ll add a bit of sweetness to the next cup.

The muscular man seemed to like it.

The young man kept smiling, so it was hard to tell what he thought.

The woman seemed to feel the same.

***

The turtle continued to move forward.

With its massive body, it pushed through the trees, charging straight toward the mountain without hesitation.

Despite its fast speed, the mountain never seemed to get any closer.

It must be farther away than it looks.

But at this speed, we’ll arrive within ten hours.

However, this was just talking about distance.

This meant there was surely something in the middle.

The task couldn’t be this easy.

As I sipped my tea and glanced at the turtle, my teammates nodded and settled into their seats.

“Shall we introduce ourselves?”

The young man spoke.

“I am Hong Ryeong, from the Zhu family of Taepyeongnyeong.”

‘The Zhu family?’ I vaguely remembered hearing that name somewhere.

‘Where was it…?’

I quickly searched through my memory.

“A person from a great family!”

The muscular man exclaimed.

I remembered now.

As he had said, the Zhu family ruled over one of the 108 regions of the Empire, Taepyeongnyeong.

I mentally raised his priority.

He was sure to pass, so I should do my best to assist him.

The others also looked somewhat surprised at Hong Ryeong’s status.

As soon as I heard his name, I quietly slipped out of the common area and climbed up to a nearby peak.

It was better to be cautious and avoid causing discomfort by hiding my presence.

“I am Sigyeo. I serve as a White General on the central front of the Empire.”

The muscular man spoke.

‘Is he a soldier?’ But he wasn’t someone easily overlooked.

To become a White General, one had to be highly capable.

Still, his importance was relatively low.

A soldier had no clear talents or background, after all.

“I… I am… the trembling rope from the Eastern Witchcraft Association.”

The witch spoke.

She was indeed a witch.

But the Eastern Witchcraft Association, although not as influential as a great family, was still a significant power.

I had once met a witch who used all sorts of curses, and it had been a rather unpleasant experience.

I almost believed her timid appearance was sincere.

It would be better to treat her with a bit more respect.

***

Next, I continued.

Since Hong Ryeong, the young man, spoke first, it seemed only natural to leave the last introduction for the blood-scented woman.

“I am Evron, the owner of a doll workshop near the university city.

Those close to me call me Ron. Please feel free to address me comfortably!”

I spoke cheerfully.

I had originally considered hiding my status, but after seeing a member from a great family, I decided against it.

Hiding it could lead to unforeseen consequences.

It was better to reveal everything and be open.

“Aileen, a wanderer.”

The woman said.

“Let’s try to get through this exam without any issues. Let’s be careful not to kill each other.”

She smiled coldly.

For a moment, the scent of blood seemed to intensify.

“Of course, we are now comrades, aren’t we?”

I replied with a smile.

But inwardly, I thought differently.

‘Comrades?’ It was just a word.

This was more like a competition than cooperation.

I thought of the fifth task.

The fifth contributor would be penalized.

Hong Ryeong would never be the fifth contributor.

‘Who would dare to write the name of someone from a great family?’

If anyone did, it would mean we were at odds with that great family.

‘What about the others?’

We were currently sizing each other up.

We were trying to figure out whether we were worth engaging with or not.

If I was seen as weak, my name would certainly end up on the list.

Regardless of how much I contributed.

I couldn’t afford to be underestimated.

Once you were underestimated, you were doomed.

After everyone introduced themselves, we all settled down in silence and rested.

None of us discussed how we would cooperate in the upcoming exam.

Wizards were not accustomed to collaborating with others.

Everyone had lived through their own abilities and pride, so sudden cooperation wasn’t an easy task.

Moreover, this was our first time meeting each other.

It would be more surprising to coordinate with someone we didn’t know.

It was simpler to just act on our own.

The space on the turtle’s back was quiet.

Everyone was maintaining their tension in their own way.

We silently observed each other, and no one spoke first.

When the time came, we would simply perform the roles we needed to.

That was the most natural way for wizards to operate.

I too quietly went back down to the workshop, focusing all my attention on making dolls.

‘How much time had passed?’

The farther we went toward the mountain, the stronger the magical energy became.

Eventually, it turned into a sort of fog, enveloping everything around us.

This magical fog made it impossible to detect anything with magic, so we had no idea where we were or what was around us.

“Are we really going the right way?”

Sigyeo shouted nervously.

“Yes, just trust me. We’re heading straight for the mountain.”

For others, it would be difficult to find their way in this fog, but for me, the path was clearer.

The magical flow I always thought about when making dolls was now visibly present in the fog.

This wasn’t magic but a kind of technique, so nothing was hindering me.

I just had to follow this flow and head toward where the magic was strongest—the mountain.

***

The turtle moved smoothly along this path.

The fog grew thicker as we continued, and eventually, it became so dense that we couldn’t see a step ahead.

But oddly enough, the path became clearer.

As we continued, something suddenly charged at the turtle’s side.

‘An enemy?’

A mysterious object with spikes pierced the turtle’s side.

But there was no need to worry.

The unknown object bounced off, and the turtle’s shell was unharmed.

‘How could the shell be pierced so easily, after all the effort I had put into strengthening it with defensive magic and materials?’

The shell could even withstand some of the professor’s magic.

As the object bounced off, Hong Ryeong cast a spell.

Sharp winds swept over the mysterious attacker, and the turtle’s spines reshaped, catching it.

The body of the attacker fell onto the turtle’s shell.

The team gathered around to inspect the body.

It was a monkey, covered in light gray fur.

From the wounds, mist, not blood, was leaking out.

Its dull, reddish eyes glowed faintly.

The mist that leaked from the corpse grew thicker, and eventually, the body turned to dust and disappeared.

“It’s a fog monkey.”

Hong Ryeong said, his eyes glowing with magic as he scanned the surroundings.

“It seems they don’t plan on letting us pass easily.”

Beyond the dense fog, countless red lights began to appear.