Chapter 1366: Variation (5)

In the spacious communal dining hall located on the lower levels of the Magic Tower.

In a corner of the table, where meals were served 24 hours a day for tower personnel.

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master was tearfully stuffing down tear-soaked bread, whimpering.

“Sob, sob.”

“Hey, come on, cheer up already. It’s been over three days since the banquet ended.”

Mila, who was sitting opposite with her chin propped in her hand, said with an exasperated expression.

“We didn’t torment you, so how long are you going to stay so depressed?”

“B-but I was t-taken h-hostage, how am I s-supposed to c-cheer up…”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master stammered in a dejected voice.

“A-abandoned in the t-tower… I might have to r-rot here f-forever… sob, sob.”

“…”

“Sob, sob… S-so delicious…”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master, even with red eyes, continued to munch on the cheese-topped bread.

“C-can I have j-just one more of th-this…?”

“This guy is really something. You can still eat bread at a time like this?”

Mila shook her head in disbelief, stood up, and brought back a tray piled high with bread.

“Alright, I’ll bring you enough until you burst, so eat to your heart’s content. Don’t worry about the food expenses.”

“B-but I’m a h-hostage… not p-paying for food is o-only n-natural, isn’t it…?”

“Are you talking back?”

“H-eep…!!”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master hunched his shoulders and looked around nervously, but didn’t let go of the bread in his hand.

“I’ve watched him for three days, and it seems he has a very high calorie-burning metabolism.”

Evelyn, sitting next to Mila and watching the two, tilted her head.

“Despite his considerable food intake, there’s hardly any change in his physique or weight. Is it related to his spellcraft?”

“Th-that’s… one of the f-few a-advantages of my sp-spellcraft…”

As if taking Evelyn’s words as a compliment, the Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who had been constantly cowering, straightened his back slightly.

Munching on his bread, the Corpse Ghost Spell Master feigned a cough and spoke in a subtly boastful tone.

“I, I don’t gain weight easily… Ahem.”

“Interesting. What part of Corpse Ghost Spellcraft is related to that? I’m curious, could you tell me?”

“It-it’s not a v-very difficult method… it’s j-just that my constitution… d-during the process of c-creating Corpse Ghosts…”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who had been boasting a little proudly, suddenly snapped back to reality with a “Hah!” expression.

“I, I almost s-said something just n-now… You’re t-trying to interrogate me…!!!”

“Oh, did I get caught already?”

“Th-the Outer Lei Clan wouldn’t h-have trouble with w-weight management in the f-first place. Not like th-this cr-cranky woman…!!”

“What was that, punk? Want me to show you what really cranky looks like?”

“H-eep…!!!”

As Mila growled with crossed arms, and the Corpse Ghost Spell Master cowered as if to hide under the table.

The entire dining hall of the tower where the three were seated faintly shook, and a muffled roar echoed.

Rumble rumble!!!!!

“I, I made a mistake!!”

This time, completely terrified, the Corpse Ghost Spell Master crawled under the chair, and Mila looked up with a dazed expression.

“What is this? An earthquake? Or proof of shoddy construction?”

“Van built this Magic Tower himself. That can’t be it.”

Evelyn gave a wry smile.

“Unless it was the one who built the Magic Tower, how could this structure shake?”

“…Ah.”

“He seems to be deep in experimentation in the Magic Tower’s lab. Looks like he’s achieved something. The mana bursting from the upper levels can be felt even here.”

Mila made a reluctant expression as if she understood, and Evelyn tilted her head.

“But it subtly doesn’t feel like Van’s mana. Should I say it’s alien… as if the mana itself has been inverted?”

Mana particles flow along the fabric of will-thought and consciousness, so each spellcaster has a unique individuality and pattern.

However, the mana pattern felt from the upper levels now didn’t feel like human mana at all.

It was unfathomably transcendent, as if perfectly surpassing humanity, yet conversely, it was also base, almost animalistic.

While Evelyn, who had been an Agent for a long time, felt confusion at this contradiction, harboring both transcendence and primitivism, something she had never felt before.

The answer came from a completely different place.

“Th-this mana is…”

“What?”

The Corpse Ghost Spell Master, who had been huddled under the dining chair, now raised his gaze with a vacant expression.

“It’s a lot like the Alliance Leader’s…”

Hisshhhhh!!!!!!

The vast laboratory located on the topmost floor of the Magic Tower in District 49.

Thick barrier walls descended from the ceiling and all four walls, emitting thick steam.

In the center of the laboratory, which instantly became a sealed space, Lennok closed his eyes with one hand outstretched.

“…Summon.”

Flash!!

A grimoire of mystical appearance tore through space and emerged, following Lennok’s gesture.

On the ancient-looking book, seemingly bound from several old manuscript pages, unknown ancient characters were densely inscribed.

Flap, flap…!!

Whoosh!!!

Each time the pages of the grimoire, manifested in the air, rapidly turned, different mana continuously surged out, engulfing the air.

It was the form of a relic, brimming with unique and powerful changes that even Lennok, who had perfectly mastered Property Transformation magic, found difficult to handle.

But Lennok observed it with calm eyes, even as he felt the lingering presence of the grimoire fluttering in the air.

Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Fifth Law.

It was a legendary esoteric grimoire that existed in WORLD 1.0, known as a top-tier magic textbook said to contain the ultimate secrets of five different lineages.

Lennok had obtained this grimoire during a past mid-term assessment of Pandemonium and, through long research, had acquired the five Property Transformations written within it.

However, the true value of the Extreme Art, Fifth Law grimoire was not just that.

The Extreme Art, Fifth Law was an item created by imitating the World’s Ten Laws, which existed only in the lore of WORLD’s cosmology.

In other words, it was one of the very few grimoires and relics that held a significant connection to the World’s Ten Laws.

Therefore, perfectly understanding the Extreme Art, Fifth Law was a prerequisite for studying the World’s Ten Laws.

“The grimoire Extreme Art, Fifth Law from the First World was an item that recorded the ultimate secrets of five Property Transformations that an ordinary spellcaster couldn’t handle.”

Lennok said, flipping through the grimoire’s pages.

“If Extreme Art, Fifth Law was indeed created by imitating the World’s Ten Laws, then their basic composition and form must be similar.”

“[What can we infer from the similar composition of Extreme Art, Fifth Law and the World’s Ten Laws?]”

“There’s something we need to consider first. Let’s look at Extreme Art, Fifth Law more closely.”

Lennok said, grabbing the grimoire floating in the air and slowly examining it.

Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Fifth Law contains five Extreme Arts.

1st Law. Rampage (暴走), which makes spellcraft or mana burst beyond its limits.

2nd Law. Descent (降臨), which manifests spells into reality, skipping processes.

3rd Law. Hell (地獄), which forcibly corrupts completed spellcraft.

4th Law. Synthesis (合成), which forcibly combines incompatible properties.

5th Law. Degradation (劣化), which forcibly lowers the rank or hierarchy of spellcraft by one stage.

“Well, you can tell just by looking, right?”

“[…No?]”

Davi looked up at Lennok, shaking her tail in exasperation.

“[Master. I’m not a brilliant wizard like you. That kind of speech is difficult even for a genius Cybernetic Spirit.]”

“…My apologies. My explanation was insufficient. What’s important isn’t the Extreme Art itself, but its difficulty and intended use.”

The five Extreme Arts that constitute Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Fifth Law: Rampage, Descent, Hell, Synthesis, Degradation.

All five Extreme Arts are either difficult to handle or extremely tricky to use properly.

“I could use Rampage as soon as I obtained the Extreme Art, Fifth Law. Descent and Hell only reached a level where they could be applied in practice right before the subjugation battle…”

Lennok muttered, flipping through the pages and examining each Extreme Art written in the grimoire.

“Synthesis and Degradation were acquired after the subjugation battle, but I haven’t used them in actual combat. I’ve researched them, but they are difficult techniques to use.”

Rampage, which greatly increases the power of spellcraft at the cost of side effects.

Descent, which dramatically speeds up incantation, or Hell, which distorts properties themselves, can somehow be used in practice.

However, for Synthesis and Degradation, even Lennok didn’t have many opportunities to properly use them in actual combat.

That was because Extreme Art, Fifth Law was originally closer to a power that entirely altered Lennok’s own spellcraft or magic.

“If I forcibly combine my magic using Synthesis, the outcome is hard to predict. It’s a power that merges the un-mergeable, so there would be significant side effects no matter what.”

Lennok said, flipping the page.

“Degradation is even more severe. It’s a technique that deliberately degrades my spellcraft, reducing its performance. There’s hardly any way to use it in actual combat.”

“[Perhaps these Extreme Arts weren’t meant for practical use or combat in the first place?]”

“Yes… that might be it.”

Lennok’s eyes gleamed meaningfully.

“Perhaps the key to understanding the World’s Ten Laws lies in that very aspect.”

“[Huh?]”

“Let’s get back to the main point. What’s important is that exactly five Extreme Arts were written in the grimoire Extreme Art, Fifth Law.”

Lennok said, stroking Davi who was perched on his shoulder.

“And Extreme Art, Fifth Law was created by imitating the World’s Ten Laws. What fact can we infer from this?”

“[That the creator of the Extreme Art, Fifth Law grimoire was an organic being who couldn’t count properly?]”

“…Are you going to keep joking around?”

“[Heeeep-]”

Lennok said, pulling Davi’s cheek.

“Just as Extreme Art, Fifth Law is composed of five Extreme Arts, the World’s Ten Laws might also be a magic system made up of ten different spells.”

“[Oh ho?]”

“I’ve thought about it continuously, but it seems the World’s Ten Laws isn’t a magic system composed of a single law. Perhaps various laws are combined in diverse ways, functioning as magic in themselves, which is why it’s given such a grand name as ‘World’.”

Lennok muttered, stroking the black ring on his finger.

“In that case, it somewhat explains why the World’s Ten Laws I’ve acquired are entirely riddled with Noise.”

“[…Because individual fragments alone cannot be called proper World’s Ten Laws?]”

“Exactly.”

Lennok clenched his ring-adorned hand into a fist, drawing up mana.

“That is… my conclusion on understanding the World’s Ten Laws.”

Rwooohhhhhh…!!!

The black ring melted and flowed, unleashing endless darkness within the laboratory.

Ban-gung’s Prestige Domain Mandala, obtained in Kabahim. A transcendent vessel capable of preserving any concept or law in its complete form.

And as the darkness of the Mandala opened, intense Noise began to ripple within the darkness that engulfed the laboratory.

Crackle, sizzle-sizzle-crackle-

■■■, ■■■-

A gloomy, luminous darkness filled and spread throughout the wide hollow of the laboratory.

An alien form of Noise that, in turn, crushed and overwrote even that vast darkness, polluting spacetime.

Snap, crackle-crackle-crackle-snap-

If one stared at it, their vision would warp, eyesight would diminish, and senses would begin to go awry.

One could only perceive that it was something covered in incomprehensible Noise; all other cognitive abilities twisted and plummeted.

Even the current Lennok, standing before it having surpassed hierarchies, couldn’t properly understand it, or even know if it was a comprehensible concept in the first place.

The greatest fruit obtained in Kabahim, and the most dangerous and incomprehensible essence of power.

For some reason, he knew the reason.

Originally, the World’s Ten Laws was a concept that did not actually exist in the WORLD Lennok knew.

Across all three worlds, it was a unique magic of the Transcendent lineage that existed only in lore.

Not only in this third world rushing towards its end, but an impurity that didn’t exist anywhere in the First World or Second World.

That’s why even the fragment of the World’s Ten Laws Lennok obtained was covered in such powerful and dangerous Noise, polluting its surroundings.

However, Lennok felt an even greater need to research and delve deeply into this magic system precisely for that reason.

If the answer to creating a Fourth World required surpassing the rules and standards of this world.

Then this Transcendent Magic, which didn’t belong to this world, might be the key to approaching it.

Sizzzzzzzzzzle!!!!

“C-c-cgh…!!!”

“[Master!]”

The Noise, engulfing and overflowing from the laboratory, invaded Lennok’s cognitive abilities, affecting even his mind.

Instantly, his left eye went blind, his sense of smell was paralyzed, and the sensation in his leg joints completely cut off.

The Noise present in this spacetime was of a different caliber than that of the Director or the Pontiff.

Unlike the Answerers of the Upper Heavens who consciously perceived themselves as impurities, what stood before him was merely a rampant fragment of power, completely uncontrolled.

If left outside the Mandala like this, over time it would become a catastrophic disaster, like a radioactive bomb, twisting and polluting everything around it.

If so-

Crackle!!

He plunged his hand beyond the pulsating waves of Noise in the center of the laboratory.

He instantly felt the sensation in his fingertips detach and dull, but he ignored it and drew up mana.

“[Master, it’s too dangerous!!!]”

“No, I absolutely have to confirm it here.”

Lennok bit his lip amidst the tearing noise, like the shriek of a chirping bird.

With one hand, he grasped the Noise of the World’s Ten Laws, and with the other, he clutched the grimoire of Extreme Art, Fifth Law.

Amidst the utterly horrifying foreign sensation of his entire body’s senses twisting, he manipulated mana purely by intuition to cast Extreme Art, Fifth Law.

Flllllaaaaaapp!!!!

The old pages of the grimoire flipped rapidly, emitting an intense light in Lennok’s hand.

The remaining techniques of Extreme Art, Fifth Law that were considered extremely difficult to use in practice, beyond Rampage, Descent, and Hell.

Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Fifth Law

Property Transformation: Synthesis Manifestation

Sizzzzzzzzzzle!!!!!!

The power of the World’s Ten Laws contained within the Ascension Relic mirror and the fragment of the World’s Ten Laws acquired in Kabahim began to combine.

As two different properties, indiscriminately separated and preserved within the Mandala, merged, the Noise intensified.

Before Lennok’s eyes, it transformed into a massive, incomprehensible ‘undulation,’ completely devouring his very existence.

Whoosh!!!!!

“—!!!!!”

The sensation of being submerged deep beneath the sea, his entire body crushed.

Even though Davi was screaming something right next to him, he couldn’t hear.

A profound sense of unease, as if Lennok’s soul, consciousness, mindscape, and spirit were being entirely encroached upon by Noise, detaching and fragmenting.

The power that had merely encroached upon the laboratory’s spacetime until now seemed to be raging, trying to devour Lennok himself.

He could understand why this was happening.

Jura’s Libra’s Fourth Extreme Art. Synthesis is an Extreme Art that forcibly combines concepts or properties that are inherently incompatible.

Because it combines the un-combinable, the outcome cannot be carelessly predicted even by the caster himself.

The moment Lennok combined the World’s Ten Laws he obtained through this work, the power of Transcendent Magic intensified, and the entire world must be trying to exclude this space.

Consciousness, swept away and fading into a distant blur. A soul, abraded and worn down like by sharp sand, eroding away.

Yet, even amidst all this, Lennok’s hand clutched the grimoire of Extreme Art, Fifth Law, slowly fumbling through the pages.

“[…Master.]”

Davi’s conjecture was not wrong.

The fourth and fifth Extreme Arts, unlike Rampage, Descent, and Hell, were considered difficult to use in practice.

The very fact that they were spellcraft difficult to use in combat was proof that they weren’t techniques designed for battle.

The fourth and fifth techniques of Extreme Art, Fifth Law were not originally designed for combat or spellcraft enhancement.

Their true meaning was, in fact-

Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Fifth Law

Property Transformation: Degradation Manifestation

The Extreme Art of Degradation, which forcibly lowers the rank or hierarchy of spellcraft itself.

A foolish technique that, if used on one’s own magic or spellcraft, would only serve to diminish one’s own power.

Without hesitation, he forcefully slammed it into the rampaging World’s Ten Laws before him, degrading its power.

Screeeeeeeeeeek-?!!!!

A shattering sound like a scream.

Convulsing ripples and tremors.

But because of that, he was certain he had reached it.

An incomprehensible power that had surpassed Level 9 and reached beyond.

He slammed the Extreme Art of Degradation into it, forcibly drawing it down into a form Lennok could understand.

At that moment, the Noise that had been consuming, twisting, and shattering the laboratory’s spacetime gradually peeled away, revealing its true form.

With an unfathomably distant light, it horizontally pierced the upper hollow of the Magic Tower and brightly colored the entire sky.

Kwooooooshhhhhh-!!!!!!!!!

Lennok’s body was thrown backward amidst the shattered fragments of the laboratory, tumbling to the ground.

Shouts and screams echoed from the lower levels of the violently shaking colossal Magic Tower.

“‘Van?!!!’”

“‘An explosion in the upper laboratory!!’”

“‘That’s where the Tower Lord resides. We need to go now!!!’”

“‘The sky’s color has changed. What in the world…!!’”

“‘I swear, I can’t live like this. How long has it been since the Magic Tower was rebuilt, and now he’s broken it again with his experiments…!!!!’”

Whooooshhhhh!!!!!

Dust rose thickly, and fragments of the laboratory’s barrier walls and debris rolled down from the collapsed ceiling.

Lennok, fallen before the hollow that had instantly turned into ruins, heard the voices from below and gave a bitter smile.

Although the barrier walls were damaged and the impact burst outward, his colleagues would likely have sensed Lennok’s presence.

Though the commotion grew, they would already know that Lennok wasn’t seriously injured.

But there was something he had to deal with before explaining the situation to his other colleagues.

Transcendent Magic, World’s Ten Laws.

A new fruit obtained by synthesizing and degrading its power and fragments, drawing it down to a level Lennok could understand.

Because in the center of the half-destroyed, collapsed, and crushed ruins, the result lay conspicuously, its pages slowly fluttering.

“…The true value of the Extreme Art of Degradation wasn’t in combat or battle.”

Lennok slowly rose to his feet, staggering as he walked.

Lennok confirmed the form of the grimoire lying in the center of the ruins and gave a wry smile.

“To degrade power that I currently can’t understand into an understandable form and transmit it… This spellcraft was always meant to exist solely as a stepping stone for growth.”

“[…Master.]”

“But even if it’s become a result I can understand, it’s quite an ironic appearance.”

Lennok slowly knelt and picked up the grimoire, muttering.

“No, perhaps this was the inevitable outcome?”

The result of degrading the World’s Ten Laws, which originally didn’t exist, into an understandable form and pulling it into reality.

He couldn’t claim to have properly mastered it. Yet, there was clear evidence of his achievement here.

The first fruit of degraded Transcendent Magic he obtained, something Lennok himself, despite forcing the research, had never imagined.

The name of the grimoire, written in ancient characters, had changed as follows.

Crackle, sizzle-crackle…!!!

[Jura’s Libra: Extreme Art, Sixth Law]

[Sixth Extreme Art: ■■■]

A newly added number and the form of spellcraft, in addition to the existing grimoire.

But before it could be fixed by Lennok’s observation, the grimoire’s name, enveloped in Noise, rippled and changed its name again.

Sizzzzle…!!!!

[■■■■■ : ■■ ■ Law]

[■■■■■ : ■■■]

As if the technique Lennok had obtained through Degradation was a power that couldn’t be included in the existing Extreme Art, Fifth Law.

It refused to be contained within it, completely overwriting the grimoire’s origin and name itself.

Sizzzzzzzzzzle!!!!!!

“This is…”

The name of the grimoire, covered in Noise, changed.

World Alteration, completely overwriting the very existence of the grimoire that originally existed in this spacetime.

Lennok, seeing the grimoire’s name slowly reveal itself, was speechless.

[Jura’s Libra: Outer Heaven First Law]

[First Outer Heaven: 1st Law, Demigod Transformation]

A dark garden reflecting the beautiful night sky.

She walked through a garden where glass-like, beaded flower buds bloomed.

A spacetime of contradiction that ceaselessly retraced the boundary between the sea and the world.

The true nature of a discontinuous plane where all concepts and laws became ambiguous, losing their reference points.

There was a being who sat in the shadows, constantly watching every moment.

A repeating scene of transparent flower buds blooming, withering, and growing upon the Glass Garden.

The being sitting in the shadows of the garden’s far side spoke without looking at her.

“Even among the Answerers who succeeded in ascension, the One Who Walks Backward is quite a contradictory being.”

“…”

“He sets the outcome and moves towards the process, yet doesn’t prioritize the outcome itself. Despite possessing the most inhuman authority, he himself is not so.”

“…”

“Even though he is a being who walks without looking back, he doesn’t take in those who disregard themselves.”

From the shadows, he turned to look at her.

“That’s why even your failure might have been inevitable.”

“…”

“Feel free to stay comfortably. It’s been a very long time since an Ascendant visited my garden.”

The Order Alliance Leader asked.

“What business does the Ruler of the Noble Forest have with me?”

“If I have business with you, there can only be one.”

Dadam closed her eyes.

“I wish to borrow a spell. Let’s make a deal.”