Chapter 1264: Post-War Processing (17)

“Apostle Transformation, you say…?”

A new form of the Ouroboros magic system.

Felix’s expression subtly stiffened for a moment as he heard the name from Lennok.

Felix also knew that only the Apostles of the Guido Cult were called by that name.

The devils of the cult, reborn as avatars of demise in exchange for offering their souls and Mind Imprints to the Sea Gods.

Each an individual Transcendent with monstrous combat power, a monster that cannot be killed even when slain, free from the overload of Will-thought and Mind Imprints.

Corrupt beings whose inevitable end is worse than that of mere beasts, in exchange for borrowing the Authority of Demise and its Mind Imprints.

Was he planning to use Ouroboros to turn the Tower’s mercenaries into beings like them?

“While I’ve named it Apostle Transformation, to be precise, it’s not truly an ability to create actual Apostles.”

Lennok smiled, watching Felix’s serious face.

“It would be better to call it a higher-dimensional augmentation, temporarily granting a status and abilities similar to an Apostle.”

“No, Van. I…”

Felix, who had been pondering, spoke with a determined look.

“I wouldn’t care even if it meant becoming a true Apostle. At this point, it would be absurd to shy away from it.”

“…”

“As long as my existence doesn’t negatively affect your magic system or become treated as an impurity, I would even now— Oh, oh!”

Whoosh!

Lennok casually tossed a distorted halo onto Felix’s head, making him yelp in surprise and shut his mouth.

The bird-headed giant stared at the halo resting on his beak, unable to move, his eyes darting back and forth.

“Listen to me till the end. I’m not trying to trick you by beating around the bush.”

Lennok looked down at Felix and chuckled.

“It was originally an ability I designed for myself, but after making improvements, I realized it might be suitable for you all to use, so I’m explaining it in advance.”

“…”

“Since the people of the Tower found it difficult to learn Ouroboros, I tried experimenting with it to see if I could transform it into something similar to an innate ability. This is part of that research.”

“…May I start by refuting how absurd it is to modify a magic system into an innate ability?”

“I’d been thinking about it for a while, but seeing the Operation System used by The Legion helped me find a direction. I mimicked the system’s manifestation method and modified the mechanism based on Ouroboros, and it actually worked in the form of an innate ability.”

Lennok completely ignored Felix’s words and gazed at the halo.

“When you use the Apostle Transformation ability, your potential skyrockets, but you temporarily become an Apostle subservient to me. As a side effect, you gain several characteristics possessed by the cult’s Apostles simultaneously.”

“Characteristics or talents granted to an Apostle, you mean…”

“Aren’t there many that come to mind immediately?”

Lennok leaned back in the chair opposite Felix’s bed and raised a finger.

“Mana saturation. Mental resistance. Spellcraft resistance. Curse immunity. Authority manifestation. Amplification of Will-thought and Mind Imprint… As a result of my experiments, I found that most of the abilities possessed by the cult’s Apostles could be reproduced.”

“…”

Felix was well aware of what kind of monsters the cult’s Apostles were.

Avatars of Demise that brought the holy war against the continent to the brink of success.

Among the Transcendent beings in this world, Apostles were counted among the few monsters specialized in combat.

If they could become beings of similar status, even for a moment, the power they could obtain would be immeasurable.

“There are various side effects that can manifest through Apostle Transformation, but among them, the manifestation I’m focusing on is the nullification of recoil observed in most Apostles.”

“Nullification of recoil?”

“Even if they unleash powerful Authority or Mind Imprint techniques, the recoil is minimal, and they recover instantly even from an overload. This is fundamentally possible because the cult’s Apostles offer their souls to Outer Gods and borrow their power.”

Lennok folded his fingers as he spoke.

“This was also why I used the Ouroboros magic system as the base for the Apostle Transformation ability. Without Ouroboros’s Circulation, I couldn’t devise a way to nullify the recoil and burden applied during the Apostle Transformation process.”

“Even after hearing your explanation, I can’t even begin to guess how such a thing is possible…”

“Well, although I called it a type of innate ability, it won’t be something you can comfortably switch on and off like a button. As an ability created by improving Ouroboros, it will require practice, and you’ll have to learn the sensation of maintaining the Apostle Transformation from scratch.”

Lennok, leaning on his staff, stood up from his seat.

“But even so, if you properly master it, it will undoubtedly bring you considerable advantages in combat. Even if it’s only a temporary augmentation, becoming my Apostle without any cost would mean precisely that.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“Because the Apostle Transformation ability is ultimately based on my Mind Imprint and Spiritual Presence, which sustain the Ouroboros magic system.”

Lennok said nonchalantly.

“Becoming my Apostle, in other words, is akin to being able to borrow a part of my intuition or Spiritual Presence.”

“Th-that…!!!!”

Suddenly, Felix’s massive body trembled violently as if struck by lightning.

Crash!

As he shook off the electrodes stuck in his arm and turned, the bed and IV stand crashed down.

Various medicines and supplies scattered everywhere, creating a mess, but Felix’s face was filled with too much astonishment to care.

“That’s impossible…!! Why did you explain such a crucial mechanism only at the very end?!!!”

“Don’t get too excited. It’s only if the ideal results occur. After all, you won’t become a real Apostle; it’s more like a temporary side effect you gain when using the ability.”

“No, that’s not something you can just gloss over like that!! How could such a miracle…!!”

Felix was a superhuman who had observed Lennok’s abilities and intuition from close by for a long time.

He was one of those who knew better than anyone how absurdly talented Lennok was.

To be able to borrow a part of the intuition of perhaps the most outstanding genius across the entire Eastern Continent, just by mastering an ability.

Felix, with his mouth agape and a bewildered expression, mulled over that fact, then suddenly realized something and turned his gaze.

“I see. I wondered why the others weren’t leaving the ward and were instead engrossed in untimely training…”

“Now that I’ve explained it to Dylan, I think I can roughly wrap things up.”

Lennok said, casually changing the subject.

“How’s your body? There must have been some recoil from using Ouroboros in the Labyrinth, right?”

“…I’m fine. It doesn’t seem like the collapse of District 49 had any negative impact on my mind or body, as you feared.”

Felix looked down at his thick hands and said.

“Rather, I was constantly gauging my limits while fighting in the Labyrinth. It was the result of trying to glimpse and master a fragment of the miracle of Ouroboros you bestowed upon me… the power I might someday obtain.”

“…”

“I can’t be sure, but I imagine others feel the same. It’s because they understand the meaning of this war that they’re all following your suggestions without complaint, isn’t it?”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Lennok turned towards the hospital room door, leaning on his staff as he walked.

“You’ll probably need that halo to practice the ability and get a feel for it. Based on observing a few practice sessions, aligning your gaze seemed important, so keep that in mind and try your best.”

“I’ll begin training as soon as my examination is complete. I will heed your advice.”

Felix, holding the distorted halo that blinked like an eye, suddenly spoke as if remembering something.

“Van. But now that I think about it, you said the Apostle Transformation ability was… originally an ability you created for your own use, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

“Then whose power or Mind Imprint were you planning to share by using Apostle Transformation?”

“…Who knows?”

Lennok smiled.

“I imagine he’s probably sound asleep by now.”

“…?”

Leaving Felix, who tilted his head in confusion, behind, Lennok left the hospital room.

He walked away from the corridor, where Dylan’s screams echoed like a wailing ghost, towards the backyard garden behind the ward.

It was an artificial garden created for patients visiting the hospital to rest or take a stroll.

Mercenaries and superhumans were engrossed in training throughout the vast lawn.

Ka-aaang!!!

Weian, wielding twin swords, and Mila, with a dagger, clashed fiercely.

Mila’s body, releasing a shockwave, skimmed low across the ground, and Weian, leaning forward as if about to fall, crossed his arms.

The two, lowering their centers of gravity as if crawling, swung their arms almost simultaneously, their hazy golden eyes flashing.

The moment the mana they unleashed intertwined with the faint golden halos, accelerating and entering a state of ecstasy.

Over fifty times, three intertwining sword-lights collided in mid-air at immense speed, scattering golden flames.

Pa-aaang!!!

Ka-ga-ga-gak!!!

A fierce exchange that was difficult to gauge with the naked eye.

But it was clear that the pupils of the two, glaring at each other, were tinged with a faint golden light.

At this moment, the two superhumans, who had particularly excellent senses among those who received the Apostle Transformation ability from Lennok, were fully immersed in their training.

Golden afterimages mingled with every Will-thought Weian and Mila swung, and with each instance, their presence swelled frantically.

Kwoo-oh-oh-oh!!!!

Two shadows, glimpsed through the fluttering grass, distorted from human form into colossal, aberrant figures, casting wide shadows on the ground.

And at that moment, when even the onlookers subtly stiffened their expressions at the unusual change and entered a state of alert.

With a sharp shockwave, Mila and Weian’s figures were simultaneously pushed back in opposite directions.

Kwa-aaang!!!

“Ugh…!!”

“Phew-eeek.”

Weian, shaking off his twin swords and exhaling the breath he’d been holding, and Mila, tossing her dagger to the ground and sticking out her tongue.

But a subtle dissatisfaction lingered on the faces of both as they simultaneously retreated.

“Huh, it doesn’t feel quite like this…”

“It feels like I’m almost grasping something, but it just slips away.”

Both remained lost in thought, facing each other, as if something unresolved remained.

As Lennok walked towards Weian and Mila, who were mumbling to themselves, both of them sharply turned their heads.

“Van!!”

“It seems your condition is fine.”

“Uh, that vampire said I’m perfectly fine. He told me to get out of his ward quickly since I was alright.”

Mila grumbled as she picked up her dagger and tucked it into her waistband.

“Well, I only killed Legion Commanders in the Labyrinth, so that makes sense. I should have been assigned to guard the gate like Felix.”

“There’s no need to volunteer for dangerous tasks. Besides, this examination wasn’t just to check for injuries.”

Lennok said, glancing over.

“Even Weian here had to suffer quite a bit in the Labyrinth. It would have been dangerous if our preparations had been even a little slower.”

“Van. That Apostle Transformation ability you explained earlier, it’s really hard to use.”

Weian scratched his cheek as he spoke, listening to Lennok.

Next to him, a distorted halo, identical to the one given to Felix, floated and rotated.

“It feels like I’ve gained another sensory organ that I’ve never used before. How should I put it, if I don’t consciously focus on activating the ability, I can’t even find the button?”

Weian tapped the halo, which blinked like an eye, with his finger and shook his head.

“Once I manage to activate it, I can feel the effects, but maintaining that state is incredibly difficult. Mila and I have been practicing, but we can’t sustain it for more than 15 seconds.”

“Exactly. It feels like I get a little smarter, but I haven’t felt like I’ve become ‘your Apostle’ even once.”

Mila quickly agreed with Weian, flailing her arms excitedly.

“I mean, shouldn’t there be a clear feeling of becoming a genius? Shouldn’t my talent and inspiration just explode uncontrollably even if I just stand still?”

“I clearly understand how you’ve thought of me all this time.”

Lennok shook his head.

“Even if it’s for a short time, you’re becoming a state similar to an Apostle, beyond human. If you don’t get used to that change, it will be difficult to find the boundary for controlling the ability.”

“Well, it’s not just ‘a little’ difficult…”

“From my perspective, you seem to be doing quite well. Don’t you actually feel a change in your senses and cognitive abilities?”

“…”

Indeed, Weian’s and Mila’s presences began to take on a different form and flow than before.

Evidence that they were perceiving higher concepts and realms during their Apostle Transformation practice, and their status was changing accordingly.

Lennok smiled, watching the two scratch their cheeks awkwardly.

“It’s good that you’re training, but try not to be too noisy. Murphy was already quite annoyed and wanted to kick you out. He agreed to handle your examinations for a while, so it’d be good to keep him in a decent mood.”

“It’s because there aren’t any proper training grounds… No, wait, did we have to keep getting examinations from now on?”

“A single examination might not reveal all the side effects. I intend to approach this matter cautiously.”

Lennok said, looking down at Weian and Mila.

“Especially since the Ouroboros you used in the war was an unrefined power, unlike the Apostle Transformation ability.”

“…That’s…”

“You went into battle, receiving power from me without having mastered the Ouroboros magic system. It wouldn’t be strange if there were some recoil, would it?”

Only Jenny had successfully formally learned the Ouroboros magic system within Lennok’s Magic Tower.

However, Lennok had temporarily bestowed the power of Ouroboros upon all associates of the Tower before the subjugation campaign.

This was to prevent casualties within the domain through the Circulation of life and death, but it also included the purpose of temporarily boosting the Tower’s combat power using Ouroboros.

Bestowing the Apostle Transformation ability upon his Tower colleagues and encouraging them to practice was also to resolve issues related to this aspect.

“The possibility I granted by using Ouroboros in the war is a miracle that forcibly pulls your future achievements into the present moment.”

Lennok said, walking past the two.

“It’s my first time using it in a way that bestows it upon others, not myself, so I don’t know what side effects there might be. It’s not a method I prefer in the first place.”

“…”

What Lennok mimicked using Ouroboros’s Circulation was the miracle of temporarily bringing future achievements into the present moment.

If anything, it was an ability that mimicked and copied the Director’s ‘Inevitability,’ which wasn’t a method Lennok himself particularly favored.

Nevertheless, Lennok used this method in the subjugation campaign because he believed the well-being of his colleagues was more important than his own preferences.

“Although the Apostle Transformation ability is based on the Ouroboros magic system, it is ultimately a power that manifests centered on the user, not me.”

Lennok smiled, looking back at the two.

“In terms of fundamentally boosting your skills and potential, practicing Apostle Transformation will be much more helpful than learning an unmastered magic system.”

“…”

“So, if you desire more than that, work hard and try to learn Ouroboros like Jenny. Or become strong enough that you don’t need my help.”

“If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be like this…”

Mila grumbled, looking a little disheartened.

“Anyway, Jenny is the only one among us who received your magic. Most of us couldn’t even grasp what Ouroboros was. I bet the others feel similarly.”

“It’s not a bad thing if the atmosphere has shifted towards self-improvement.”

Lennok smiled and continued walking.

“Keep striving forward. What happens from now on… might not be confined to Vulcan alone.”

Lennok did not involve his Tower colleagues in the war and conducted the subjugation campaign because his power was insufficient.

It was because he anticipated that after the war, Lennok’s Magic Tower would possess influence extending beyond the mega-city.

Because he thought he might have to go beyond Vulcan, towards the Central, he had sought to gauge the Tower’s combat power.

If heading to Ars Nova was unavoidable. If Lennok’s Magic Tower could not escape that flow.

Then, just as in the subjugation campaign, preparations must be made from now on, even for that day.

Woo-woo-woo-ung!!!

Dray and Soo-ryun exchanged blows with wooden staffs, and Belber and Manson sparred, clashing heavy blunt weapons.

Tatiana and Priscilla exchanged mana with serious expressions, discussing the Apostle Transformation ability.

Just like Weian and Mila, his colleagues had received explanations from Lennok in advance and were diligently training to maintain the Apostle Transformation.

If this atmosphere could be maintained going forward, Lennok wouldn’t have to worry too much about the Tower’s combat power.

Therefore, watching his colleagues engrossed in training, Lennok was soon lost in other thoughts.

‘Olivera called the Imperial Privilege a mission, but the meaning of that privilege can’t be all there is to it…’

Through the exchange between Ezekiel and Olivera, Lennok had come to understand the Imperial Privilege and the Emperor’s demise.

However, contrary to Olivera’s explanation, Lennok suspected there was more to consider regarding the [Privilege].

If the Imperial Privilege was a power closer to a mission, role, or fatalism, there would be no reason for Ezekiel to sacrifice True Blood to confirm it with Lennok.

In the first place, an Authority powerful enough to establish The Prohibition couldn’t possibly be limited to such a shallow meaning.

Of course, it was unlikely that Olivera would try to deceive Lennok now, but it was also true that their interests didn’t perfectly align.

Perhaps there was a difference in perception between Lennok and her, leaving some parts unexplained.

Even if it was a message from Ars Nova’s Imperial Family, he had no intention of blindly trusting its contents or following them.

Lennok would need to conduct separate investigations into Targeted Resistance and the value of the Privilege.

And conveniently, there were a few Central Nobles Lennok knew at the Magic Tower anyway…

Next to Lennok, who was lost in thought, a tired voice spoke.

“Van, you’re late. I just finished my examination too.”

“…Jenny.”

Jenny stood there, a gauze pad on her arm, her complexion pale.

She walked towards Lennok, staggering with a dazed expression.

“You don’t look so good. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine… just a little dizzy from having a lot of blood drawn.”

Jenny pressed a hand to her forehead.

“They said they needed a blood sample from the Labyrinth Manager for research on domain-wide enhancement effects. I figured it’d be best to get all the troublesome tasks done at once, so I let them draw as much as they needed.”

“Domain-related research wasn’t an immediate priority, was it? If it’s affecting your condition—”

“I’m fine, really. More importantly, since you’re here, there’s something I want to discuss in advance. Could you come for a moment?”

“What is it?”

Seeing Jenny secretly beckon, it seemed she had something to say away from prying eyes.

Following Jenny quietly, they arrived at a small alley next to the hospital ward’s backyard garden.

Jenny sat on a neatly arranged park bench, gazing at the mercenaries chatting in the distance.

“Before we get seriously started, I want to briefly go over the schedule ahead.”

“What schedule are you talking about?”

“Brigadier General Raphael contacted me. Professor Vylun has finished preparing to announce his fourth paper.”

Jenny raised a finger.

“Considering our existing relationship, the Magic Tower should participate. I’m planning to decide who to send soon, but the Thorben Tower Lord is so insistent on going himself…”

“…So he’d been badgering them about that, seeing as he hasn’t been around much?”

“It’s not just the paper; he’s practically desperate to meet you. He seems to be going crazy, saying he has something to discuss about your lightning.”

“…”

“The site selection for the new Magic Tower’s construction in District 49 is also complete. Construction will begin immediately, but things are a bit chaotic right now. I’ll show you once it’s organized.”

They sat in the quiet garden, leisurely exchanging conversations about future plans.

The atmosphere was somewhat languid and relaxed, as if taking a break from strenuous work.

“So, what’s the main point?”

But Lennok knew Jenny hadn’t called him aside for this kind of talk.

“You weren’t going to talk about the pre-scheduled events, were you?”

“…That’s right.”

Jenny slowly turned her gaze and replied.

“I had something to tell you about a more important matter.”

“…”

“The Central Council sent an official invitation, directly inviting you.”

Jenny glanced over, her expression serious.

“They say they want to hold a triumph ceremony to commemorate the victory of this war and announce commendations and rewards for your achievements.”