I Am A Wizard Who Can Travel Between Earth And The Other World

"Are you the mage we've been hearing about?" one of them asked.

"Yes," Gin replied simply.

"We're grateful for your help," the leader continued, bowing slightly. "Thanks to you, we survived."

Gin knew they likely would have survived regardless, though with far greater difficulty. Nonetheless, the reverence in their eyes was unmistakable.

Mages were rare in these parts, and for many, this was their first time witnessing such power firsthand—especially the French team, whose awe was palpable.

These men knew the value of forging connections. The French team leader, Miles, was particularly eager, aware of the prestige and opportunities that came with associating with a powerful mage.

Rumors from other teams spoke of lucrative deals with influential figures, granting access to high-tier magical tools and rare knowledge.

"I'm Miles, leader of Team Épée," he introduced himself. "If there's anything you need from us, don't hesitate to ask."

The other team leaders echoed his sentiments, vying for Gin's favor. Gin listened with half-interest; his primary focus was on Miles and his Earth-based team.

He subtly released threads of mana, embedding them into Miles's body to scan for traces of Earth's mana.

He needed to confirm if it remained distinguishable despite the mingling of this world's magical energy.

As he conducted his analysis, Miles and the others continued their efforts to impress him with polite conversation and subtle flattery. Gin's attention remained divided, but he noted their persistence.

As the battle cleanup reached its conclusion, reinforcements from the city government arrived. Officers in uniforms worked efficiently, loading captured enemies into vehicles. Without a surplus of high-tier anti-magic devices, the authorities resorted to reinforced restraints designed to withstand most spellcasters' strength.

While the officers managed the prisoners, Gin sensed someone approaching from a distance. It was Jay, hurrying over with a smug expression.

"This side's all wrapped up, huh?" Jay called out. "The others are still mopping up the scattered groups."

He quickened his pace, falling into step beside Gin.

"By the way, we secured Freddy and Richard. They're alive, and the city government's taking care of the interrogation."

"Is that wise?" Gin asked.

Jay grinned confidently. "Of course. They've been surprisingly cooperative. The deal's simple—they interrogate the prisoners, locate the workshop's hidden assets, and we get a share of the haul."

Gin raised an eyebrow. Jay seemed unusually pleased with himself. The government officials had treated him with a level of deference that had clearly boosted his ego.

"Feels like someone high up put in a good word for us," Jay added, lowering his voice. "But honestly, I'd rather not dig too deep into it. Makes me nervous just thinking about it."

Noticing the three team leaders nearby, Jay addressed them with a broad smile.

"Everyone safe? No casualties?"

"None," Miles answered.

The other leaders nodded in agreement. Though there had been minor injuries, the shields had prevented any serious harm.

"Good to hear. Now, let's finalize things.

Please return the shields."

Reluctantly, the team leaders gave the order. The ability users who had relied on the shields handed them over, their expressions filled with regret.

They knew how valuable those magical tools had been and how unlikely they were to use them again.

The battle was over, but the relationships forged here would shape future opportunities. For now, Gin focused on his next steps—solidifying alliances and uncovering the deeper mysteries of this interconnected world.

Jay glanced at the three team leaders. "You two received your upfront payment already, right?" he asked, his eyes shifting to the other two team leaders.

"Yes, we did," they confirmed with a nod.

Turning to Miles, leader of Team Épée, Jay continued, "Your team, however, preferred goods instead of cash?"

"That's correct," Miles replied.

Jay pulled out a disc-shaped object about the size of two hands pressed together, made from dense, heavy metal.

At its core, hidden from view, was an embedded mana stone. Gin immediately analyzed it with his eyes. Although it had security enchantments, they were rudimentary—nothing he couldn't instantly bypass.

Within moments, he completed the spell analysis.

"It's a magic tool capable of generating three shields," Gin explained. "One shield recharges every eight hours after a spell is cast."

Miles's eyes widened in astonishment.

He hadn't expected such a powerful artifact.

He had only requested a magic tool as payment on a whim, not truly believing he would receive anything so exceptional.

Most missions typically paid out in potions, and artifacts like this were often out of reach.

"You realize how rare an item like this is, don't you?" Jay remarked, letting his pride show as Miles repeatedly bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you! Truly, this means a great deal. I hope we can work together again," Miles said enthusiastically.

Jay chuckled. "Well, don't get your hopes up too high. Items like this won't always be available."

"Of course, I understand. Still, I hope we can maintain a good relationship. Our team is more capable than you might expect."

"Team Épée is already well-known. You've been around for a while," Jay replied smoothly.

Their conversation stretched on, with Jay subtly encouraging Mael's hopes for future collaborations. Meanwhile, Jay continued his work in the background, using the mana threads he had embedded in Miles's body to distinguish Earth's mana from that of the hidden world.

'It's almost there… but still out of reach,' Gin thought, frustrated.

Earth's mana had a static nature, while the mana of this world was highly active and fluid. The challenge lay in how the two energies intermingled, making it difficult to separate them clearly. He felt on the cusp of a breakthrough but couldn't quite grasp it.

Eventually, Jay wrapped up his discussion, and the government agents completed their cleanup operations.

The three hired teams left, satisfied with their accomplishments and the new connections they had formed with the city government. It was a small but crucial step toward establishing a stronger foothold in the hidden world.

As Team Épée departed, Gin watched them go, murmuring to himself, "It's a shame..."

Jay raised an eyebrow. "Why? You interested in that team?"

"Not really," Gin replied absently.

"Want me to call them back sometime under some pretense?"

"No, that won't be necessary."

Jay crossed his arms, perplexed. "Then what's the deal? It's getting late. We should head back."

"You go ahead. I've got some things to take care of," Gin said, his tone nonchalant.

Jay narrowed his eyes. "You're not following them, are you? What's so important about those guys?"

"It's not that," Gin answered firmly. "Just go home."

Without waiting for a response, Gin strode off, leaving Jay scratching his head in confusion. "He says it's not about them, but it's obvious it is... Why does he always make things more complicated than they need to be?"

Sighing, Jay turned toward the government officials to finalize their arrangements.

Gin cloaked himself in distortion magic and discreetly followed Team Épée. He extended a mana thread toward Miles once more, intending to continue his analysis.

While he was at it, he figured he might as well learn the location of their portal. If it led to France, it was likely connected to Paris.

Team Épée traversed a series of deserted alleyways, their spirits high as they conversed in French.

Gin didn't need to understand their words to see their elation—acquiring such a valuable artifact meant they would return to Earth with significant rewards.

Despite his continued efforts, Gin struggled to refine his analysis. Suddenly, figures appeared at both ends of the alley, blocking the team's path. The attackers wore masks and brandished knives.

Judging by their coordinated movements and mana signatures, they were seasoned ability users.

Gin silently leapt onto a nearby wall, ensuring his mana threads remained intact as he observed the situation from above.

"Who the hell are you?" Miles growled, his eyes narrowing.

The leader of the masked group chuckled darkly. "We heard you picked up something nice today. Care to share?"

Miles clenched his fists in silent fury. Ambushes like this weren't common but not unheard of, especially when returning from a successful mission.

He and his team had once narrowly escaped a similar situation, learning the hard way that survival often depended on swift and ruthless action.

The mana around Team Épée surged, signaling their readiness to fight. At that moment, Tae-soo's eyes widened in revelation.

As their mana flared, he could distinctly discern the difference between Earth's mana and this world's energy. They were inherently similar yet undeniably different.

'Finally,' Gin thought, a surge of inspiration flooding his mind. His mental blueprint rapidly formed, solidifying the spell formula he needed.

However, Team Épée's situation grew dire. The enemy's abilities were formidable, and the team members began to suffer injuries. Gin decided it was time to intervene.

He wove reinforcement magic around the entire team, fortifying their endurance, while simultaneously weakening their attackers.

The tide of battle shifted immediately. The enemy's strikes lost their impact, failing to penetrate even the surface of the team's skin. Conversely, Team Épée's retaliatory blows sent their foes sprawling with crushing force.

The fight ended swiftly. Team Épée didn't bother unmasking their attackers; instead, they finished them off with cold efficiency.

In the hidden world's outskirts, mercy was a luxury few could afford. Sparing an enemy often meant inviting future retaliation.

After disposing of their adversaries, the team quickly departed. Gin followed, watching as they made their way toward a portal hidden nearby. Once he memorized its location, he turned and headed home.

It was time to refine his newfound spell and, at last, begin analyzing the dimensional storage artifact he had received. The gears of discovery turned ever faster in Gin's mind.