Chapter 1064: Shadow of the Star (10)

Crash…!!

The Dragon Palace, located within the Deep Sea Domain, rotated as fierce ocean currents raged.

In the center of the vast audience chamber, two figures stood facing each other across a board game.

Throughout the Dragon Palace, fish-men with gills prostrated themselves, their expressions grim as they watched.

They, too, must have known about the game that was about to unfold.

“You know how to play Obaekro too, it seems.” Hooosh! Alohan, one of the Eight Great Dragon Kings, settled on the opposite side of the board and scoffed down at Lennok.

“Of course, a spellcaster who has transcended hierarchies couldn’t possibly be ignorant of this game, created by Jindun.”

“…”

“But you, too, have never wagered your short, mortal lifespan on a game. Yet you act like a fearless child.”

“=My apologies for interrupting, but is this truly alright?” A starfish, swimming through the water, landed on Lennok’s shoulder and asked.

“=I did ask about other methods first, but Obaekro is no ordinary board game,” the starfish said, a worried tone in its voice. “=They say many of Kundara’s Long-lived Beings are terrifyingly deeply immersed in this game. At a casual level, you might not even be able to make a move before being defeated.”

“Didn’t you say that with all paths to the Outer Tribulation City blocked, Obaekro was the only exception?” Lennok retorted, his expression calm.

“If this ‘Fearsome Blood King’ holds such sway in Kundara, then there truly are no other options.”

“=…”

“Judging by your tone, you seem quite confident.” Alohan bared a fierce smile. “Very well. If you are ready, let us begin immediately.”

Clatter! Standing before the board, Alohan, clutching a white stone, tossed a black stone to Lennok. The black stone, thrown within the turbulent water, slowly drifted before Lennok’s eyes.

Holding the white stone, Alohan beckoned to Lennok and said boastfully, “I shall personally teach you about the Long-lived Beings’ game, where we wager your finite time.”

“It doesn’t particularly matter to me, but I’d like a little more explanation about the game’s rules,” Lennok said, catching the black stone drifting in the water. “A wager of lifespan based on the outcome of Obaekro. How exactly does one participate?”

It was a game of Obaekro, challenged by Alohan, one of the Eight Great Dragon Kings who guarded Kundara’s seas. But the stakes of this game were their very lifespans. As Alohan claimed, was ‘lifespan’ itself used as currency in the Outer Tribulation City, Kundara? It was a notion typical of Long-lived Beings, who lived for immeasurable eons, considering even their own lifespans a part of their wealth. Yet, this was precisely why Lennok had halted his battle and accepted Alohan’s proposal. Lennok absolutely needed an explanation of how these stakes would be exchanged.

“I shall explain.” Rumble!! The moment Alohan raised his hand, the surrounding water compressed within his palm, transforming into a blue sphere. A spherical form, boasting a beautiful radiance like a blue sapphire. “What is that?”

“It’s called a Ruyi Orb. It’s a type of precious orb that Long-lived Beings use to complete their hierarchies,” Alohan said, tossing the blue glowing orb, which he called a Ruyi Orb, to Lennok. “Its owner can completely contain any power the master possesses. Mana, will-thought, mental image…”

Alohan’s gaze, fixed on Lennok, turned cold. “Even the life force granted to you. Anything is possible.”

“…”

“Before playing Obaekro, determine the lifespan you wish to wager and place it into the Ruyi Orb. When the game’s victor is decided, one side will take all the stakes.”

“For an 8-level Grand Spellcaster who established the Deep Sea Domain, human lifespans wouldn’t amount to a handful,” Lennok asked with a laugh. “Are you, unbefitting a Long-lived Being, coveting even the short time of humans?”

“How could that be, you mayfly-like creature?” Alohan’s mouth split into a fierce, bestial grin. His eyes instantly narrowed into vertical slits like a reptile’s pupils, exuding a chilling killing intent.

“The essence of a wager, after all, is to make the opponent stake that which they value most.”

“…”

“The most valuable concept to a short-lived being. The moment you lose that lifespan is when you mayflies are most fitting. Other than that, your lifespans hold no value.”

Was this the reason why lifespans, typically wagered only among Long-lived Beings, were made the stakes for Obaekro? But Lennok ignored Alohan’s ominous threat and examined the Ruyi Orb in his hand.

‘The Ruyi Orb itself has no abilities. Is it merely an orb designed to contain something within?’ He had suspected as much since Alohan readily offered the Ruyi Orb, but Lennok’s Ruyi Orb was empty. It merely gleamed like a transparent glass bead, faintly reflecting Lennok’s face. While the Ruyi Orb contained nothing and possessed no abilities on its own, it was precisely for this reason that it was an orb capable of containing any concept. What would be placed and accumulated within was entirely up to the owner. Depending on what was contained, it could become a mighty treasured artifact or a potent elixir.

‘It’s like a more refined version of the Inner Core held by Spiritual Beasts.’

“There’s no need to be stingy with our time from the start,” Alohan said, crossing his arms. “Ten years of lifespan. Extract it from your body and infuse it into the Ruyi Orb.”

“Ten years?”

“Hold the Ruyi Orb, and directly infuse your life force into it.” Alohan bared a fierce grin. “You’ll know just by seeing the energy fill the Ruyi Orb, so don’t even think about any tricks. Begin.”

“…”

Instead of replying, Lennok silently looked down at the Ruyi Orb in his hand. ‘Ten years.’ For Lennok, burdened by the ‘Talent’s Bane’ penalty, how much time truly remained? Could it even be quantified and measured as a distinct number? If Lennok had less than ten years of life left, would he simply die after pouring all his life force into this Ruyi Orb? The Dragon King before him might even find immense joy in such a death. ‘I’ll have to infuse it slowly and check my condition.’ As it was impossible to quantify his remaining time, Lennok couldn’t gauge how much life force he truly had to pour into the Ruyi Orb. For now, he could only experiment to see if his life force would actually be contained within. The moment Lennok thought this, closing his eyes and focusing his mind on the Ruyi Orb.

‘…Wait.’ Rustle…!! The World Tree’s Leaf, hanging around his neck, began to subtly vibrate. From the World Tree’s Leaf, shaped into a pendant, an enormous surge of life force instantly overflowed and poured into the Ruyi Orb.

Fwoosh!! At that moment, a clear green energy rapidly filled the Ruyi Orb, which had been glowing with a blue light, and began to swirl.

“…!!” “Hoh, you’ve already filled the Ruyi Orb with so much life force?” Lennok flinched, his expression hardening, while Alohan’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Even for a short-lived being, you are an 8-level Grand Spellcaster. It seems you possess a rather considerable lifespan, quite unlike a human.”

“…”

“Even better. I’ll be able to enjoy your reactions for much longer as we play this game.” Alohan seemed to be under the mistaken impression that Lennok had filled the Ruyi Orb with his own life force, but Lennok couldn’t even react to that assumption. He simply hadn’t imagined that the World Tree’s Leaf would fill the Ruyi Orb on his behalf at this juncture.

‘Though it’s a similar form of life force, I never expected it could be used like this.’ The life force contained within the World Tree’s Leaf was not, by its very nature, a concept that could be converted into human lifespan. If it were, Lennok would have long since tried consuming the World Tree’s Leaf to extend his life. That was why he had merely been content to use it for boosting his vitality and enhancing his condition. However, by using the Ruyi Orb as a medium, the life force of the World Tree’s Leaf could indeed be used as a substitute for lifespan. This must be because the Ruyi Orb didn’t particularly discriminate whose life force was used to fill it.

Lennok, his expression grim, stared at the Ruyi Orb, then slowly placed it on a shelf beside the board. In any case, he had successfully procured the stakes without having to gamble with his own lifespan. All that remained was to compete against the Eight Great Dragon Kings who ruled this Deep Sea Domain and determine victory or defeat in Obaekro.

“From this moment on, I shall slowly strip away your time and enjoy the sight of your face,” Alohan said, grinning ferociously as he looked at Lennok. “Once I see you begging for your life after your remaining lifespan runs out, I believe this boredom will be alleviated—”

“I believe you’re mistaken.” Clack!! At that instant, Lennok boldly placed a black stone on the board. Just as Alohan frowned at the sudden start of the game, Lennok spoke. “You can say that after you’ve actually won a single game against me.”

“…”

It was a game of Long-lived Beings, where lifespans were used as stakes. But from the moment Lennok sat down at the board, accepting Alohan’s challenge, he had no intention of losing even a single round.

“Let’s begin.” Lennok nodded, looking at Alohan who held the white stone. “I’ll teach you that playing this game for a long time doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good at it.”

Clack!! Each time a black and white stone was placed on the board, the water rippled, forming small eddies.

As one opponent placed a stone, the other immediately picked up a stone on the opposite side to respond. The match progressed at such a furious pace that one might wonder if they even had time to think.

“Gakgung from B04 to B24 in reverse.” “Pyeongcheon from W42 to W42 vertically.” The two attendants standing beside the board merely recited the coordinates on behalf of Lennok and Alohan, their voices tense.

“Playing Obaekro for a long time has no bearing on skill, you say?” Clack! Alohan slammed a white stone onto the board as if throwing it, and asked. “That’s merely a crude notion from short-lived beings who can’t even dedicate a few decades to a single pursuit.”

“…”

“The other side of the veil is a spacetime that flows along a completely different timeline than the world outside.” Alohan exhaled with a growl. “Here, one can forget the passage of time and immerse themselves in games for as long as their lifespan permits.”

The moment he withdrew his hand from the board, one corner of it was already completely covered in Alohan’s white stones. Even while fiercely continuing the match with Lennok, Alohan had, without them noticing, turned one side of the board into his own territory. Seeing Lennok look down at this, Alohan declared, “You still haven’t realized that this place was never meant to be a paradise for short-lived beings like you.”

“Quiet.” Lennok retorted. “Can Long-lived Beings not move their hands unless they’re flapping their mouths?”

“Ha!! What nonsense are you spouting in a match of this caliber—” Ignoring Alohan, who was shouting something in front of the board, Lennok focused on reading the game.

‘He’s certainly very different from any opponent I’ve played against so far.’ Alohan didn’t meticulously calculate each move like the opponents or AI Lennok had faced. He simply moved across the board as his hand willed, ignoring advantages and disadvantages. Yet, despite Lennok never being pushed back in individual situations, the match was gradually tilting in Alohan’s favor. The powerful current created by Alohan’s white stones consumed Lennok’s moves, steadily encroaching upon the board.

‘Incomprehensibly slow, yet drawing an unmeasurably vast picture, and still so strong. This is…’ Lennok’s eyes instantly narrowed. ‘He’s integrated the profound principles of Water Minister Spellcraft. Has he truly made the insights of his core spellcraft into his Obaekro playing style?’

Obaekro, founded by the Ascendant Jindun and Jaegis Eternor, was a board game designed for learning spell formations. The complex arrangements of black and white stones moving across the board, the ever-changing environment where arrangements flipped in real-time, focusing on points of collision between black and white stones while maintaining a macroscopic view of the entire board’s balance. It was an indicator itself, able to meaningfully assess a spellcaster’s spellcraft aptitude and compatibility in the most diverse ways. The saying that a more skilled spellcaster played Obaekro better meant that they could freely express the unique characteristics of their spellcraft on the board.

An overbearing style that unilaterally shifted between offense and defense, disregarding the opponent. Macroscopically, it was the pinnacle of Water God Spellcraft, dominating the entire board and overwhelming with sheer numbers to claim victory.

Lennok was now directly confronting the essence of the Water God Spellcraft displayed by Alohan.

“The Ascendant Jindun created Obaekro to spread his Barrier Spellcraft more widely,” Alohan said, laughing, perhaps sensing something from Lennok’s reaction. “But as the value of this game was illuminated in the Central, Obaekro was elevated into a means of discerning a spellcaster’s spellcraft aptitude and compatibility.”

“…”

“In matches between high-level spellcasters, what’s important isn’t clinging to each individual stone, but literally focusing on the essence of Obaekro,” Alohan said, placing a white stone without hesitation. “Since it’s a game where one can fully unfurl the profound principles of their spellcraft onto the board, competing with the essence of each other’s spellcraft is the closest path to victory.”

Alohan looked at Lennok with glittering eyes and said, “A spellcaster who hasn’t played many matches against skilled Grand Spellcasters couldn’t possibly know this fact.”

“…”

“This is the true greatness of time, something short-lived beings can’t even fully grasp.”

Before long, the board was densely covered with Alohan’s white stones, consuming the black ones. At a glance, it was clear the game was on the verge of ending. Because their match had proceeded so rapidly, the outcome also arrived just as quickly.

“Clear the stones and tidy the board.” Alohan sneered, looking at the silent Lennok. “That is the proper role of the loser in this game.”

“Loser?” Lennok retorted, placing a black stone, and at that instant, the white stones Alohan had occupied flipped and reversed. Some of the white stones Alohan had built turned black, but it wasn’t enough to overturn the tilted balance of the board.

Alohan, who had been sneering at the board, suddenly froze. “…!!!”

There was nowhere to place a stone. With Lennok’s single, recent move, both sides’ stones blocked each other, creating a situation where neither could score. If things continued like this, the match would immediately have to stop, forcing a score tally. It would be impossible unless Lennok himself stopped the match with this move and forced the tally. Only then did Alohan realize this fact, raising his gaze to glare at Lennok with a chilling expression.

“…You.”

“Your Water Minister Spellcraft has a smooth and solid grand flow, but ultimately, it tends to disregard detailed manipulation,” Lennok said, crossing his arms beside the attendant who had belatedly begun the tally. “Because you draw on sheer volume, it’s easy to be overwhelmed, but eventually, if you poke at those subtle gaps, this side can still gain something.”

“…”

Lennok smiled, looking at Alohan who glared at him. “That’s why it took me a little time to grasp the knack of your Water Minister Spellcraft.”

The attendant standing beside Lennok finished the board’s tally and said in a trembling voice, “B-by a half-point, black wins…!!”

“…”

Had he sacrificed the grand strategic picture, amassed points in the detailed skirmishes, and then, the moment he barely gained the upper hand, forcibly ended the match?

Groooowl!!! The moment Lennok’s victory was confirmed, Alohan’s will-thought burst forth from his body, explosively pushing back the surroundings. As the stones on the board were swept away by the pressure, Lennok leisurely raised his hand.

Kiii-iiing…!!! With a sharp screech of rotating mana, the white and black stones, drifting in the water, froze in place. The moment he understood that this was the knack of Water Minister Spellcraft that Alohan himself used – manipulating ocean currents to stop falling stones – Alohan’s face twisted into a fierce, bestial snarl as he realized how Lennok had won this match.

“How dare you, a mere short-lived being, dabble in Water Minister Spellcraft…!!!!”

Lennok pointed to the Ruyi Orb on the shelf and smiled. “If you add the ten years of lifespan you’re supposed to provide, this Ruyi Orb will hold a total of twenty years of lifespan.”

“…”

Lennok gave a cold smile, looking at the silent Alohan. “Shall we find out now how many matches it will take to turn a Long-lived Being into a short-lived one?”