Chapter 1438: A New Phase (3)
The group, having emerged from the Cradle, left Paradise Lost without any further delay.
The violet-hued plains cracked, and the Spell-Word Stones broke, their fragments burying themselves and disappearing.
The entire distant horizon seemed to tremble and collapse in real time, a dizzying sight.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Beneath the splitting ground, the Fallen Ones, who had fallen asleep again as soon as they were free from Jinwa’s control, sank.
As if waiting for a day to reawaken, the menacing Transcendent beings sank deep beneath the earth in a profound slumber.
After watching the collapsing Paradise Lost with complex expressions, the members began to leave one by one.
“…I can already feel hundreds of presences approaching Paradise Lost.”
With a bitter smile, Hylaea gestured.
“Let’s move immediately. I’ve prepared a means of transportation.”
“Is this it?”
WHIRRRR…!!
A smooth, crystalline aircraft was hovering low over the ground.
It was a flying machine of unknown origin, slightly larger and wider than a large truck.
It was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate not only the group here but Croken as well.
“It’s an airship from the central city, stolen from Kabahim’s royal palace.”
Soryu explained calmly.
“My father has been stealing Ars Nova’s knowledge and technology through illicit means for a long time. Some of the results remained in the palace, it seems.”
“Oh… so when you said you regretted not looting the palace more earlier, this is what you meant?”
Ermont stroked the crystal with a greedy expression.
“Do you have any more of these? Go on, bring one out. As an expert in regret, I’ll determine if it’s worth it.”
“Why are you saying that like it’s something to be proud of?”
After Freya kicked Ermont’s butt and boarded, the airship accelerated.
The massive crystal form elegantly slid across the trembling plains in an instant, picking up speed.
As Lennok recalled that the Reconnaissance Agency’s mothership had a similar shape, the other members began their discussion.
“What’s the Conjunction Spell Master’s condition?”
“About the same as before. He’s not dead, but he’s not exactly alive either.”
Sarin, who was checking the Spell Master’s condition with blood magic in Maiya’s stead, replied.
“He’s already past the point where he can be revived with drugs or spellcraft. It might be better for him not to wake from this comatose state.”
“…”
“To buy time in Yeongheo Palace, the Spell Master used a technique that surpassed his limits.”
Lennok said.
“A practitioner of his caliber would have been aware of the side effects of using such a spell. It’s highly likely that even this state is the result of his best judgment.”
The Conjunction Spell Master’s secret art of forcibly constructing an Ideological Domain by conjoining a domain and an authority was a technique of such an extremely high level that even Lennok was impressed.
Lennok had even imitated the technique to settle the decisive battle against Jinwa, so the backlash the Spell Master received must have been immense.
If anything, it was a testament to how incredible the Spell Master’s talent was that he had managed to cling to life without the power of Demigod Transformation.
“…He’s not dead yet, so why does it feel like a memorial service already?”
Unable to bear the subtly heavy atmosphere, Freya deftly changed the subject.
“Explain what you were talking about earlier in more detail. Tower Lord, are you sure the Black Edict’s ancestral home is really not far from here?”
“Probably. From what I remember, that seems to be the reason Yeongheo Palace was built near here in the first place.”
That moment, in hell, when Lennok last met Myeong’s soul.
Myeong had shown Lennok a memory of the past when the Black Edict clan had met Ban-gung.
Naturally, he had vaguely learned where the Black Edict clan was located at the time.
He already knew that it was not far from Yeongheo Palace.
“The rumors about the Emperor having an unusually cruel personality must have been true.”
Freya muttered with a grim expression.
“To build a detached palace near the grounds of the ancestral home after annihilating the Black Edict… that’s beyond just having a bad personality.”
“To put it another way, it’s because he was that kind of person that he could pacify the continent and stabilize the central city during a chaotic era.”
Hylaea replied.
“Ars Nova was a city that handled wealth and resources equivalent to a third of the continent. Since it monopolized the continent’s largest breadbasket, it would have been stranger if it wasn’t targeted from all sides.”
“…”
“It must have been even more so in an era with many powerful nations comparable to the Empire, not an era centered on city-states like today. To pacify the continent and receive the loyalty of Ascendants in such a time, he would have needed overwhelming authority.”
“Freya, it’s more surprising that you don’t know much about the Emperor.”
Maiya took over from Hylaea, glancing over.
“You should have had a few chances to hear anecdotes about his character or disposition.”
“Ugh, I don’t know… I never studied history much in school.”
“That’s not what I mean. While associating with the bloodline of Myriad Shifts, have you never—”
“Kukukuk…”
At that moment, Maiya’s words were cut short by Croken’s sneer from the side.
The alligator-giant, standing with his arms crossed against the airship wall, was staring intently at the Enforcer.
“You seem to know some rather dangerous things, likely from participating in the Ascension Gate project.”
“…Asylus.”
“I thought that frivolous illusionist had blocked all information from your side. Was it Artemeyer’s doing?”
“…”
Maiya remained silent, but Croken didn’t care.
He just snorted and nonchalantly turned his body toward the outside of the airship.
“If you don’t want to answer, so be it. From here on, it’s none of my business anyway.”
“Surely, you’re not planning to leave now?”
“I only lent a hand because of Myeong’s request. Now that Paradise Lost has fallen, is there any reason for me to stay?”
Croken’s pupils flashed.
“It seems that fellow intends to wrap up Myeong’s business himself, so there’s no need for me to watch any longer. I’ll be taking my leave.”
“…”
Croken’s lip curled up at Lennok, who was silently looking back at him.
“If I get entangled in the affairs of an old family, it will become troublesome in many ways, so I’ll do you a favor here. And this…”
Snatching a sack of treasure piled on one side of the airship, Croken walked past Lennok.
“Is my labor fee.”
“Wait, hold on—!!”
WHOOSH!!
Before the words were even finished, Croken leaped from the airship, stomping on the air and kicking off lightly.
As a powerful shockwave erupted, the alligator-giant’s form vanished from the spot.
BAAAANG!!!
“Tch…!!”
The impact was so strong that the airship momentarily shook violently, tilting to the opposite side.
Those who had been watching where Croken had departed with dumbfounded expressions soon shook their heads.
“How absurd. I knew he was selfish, but…”
“Consider it a cheap price for hiring Croken. Don’t worry about it.”
Lennok said, glancing over.
“It seems we’ve arrived as well.”
“Wait, we’re already here?”
The members, who had inadvertently turned their gazes, were all rendered speechless by the scenery unfolding far away.
“Is that… a tree?”
RUMBLE…!!!!
A bizarrely withered, massive black tree, broken and bent, its head buried in the ground in a devastating spectacle.
A grand palace had been erected among the brutally gouged earth and the tree’s fully exposed roots.
The ancient structures, adorned with jet-black tiles, harmonized with the broken black tree, creating a mystical landscape.
However, the interior exuded an atmosphere of emptiness, as if it hadn’t been inhabited for a long time.
“Croken getting entangled in the family’s affairs would be troublesome, he said…”
Lennok muttered.
“I think I have a rough idea of why he said that.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Someone arrived here before us.”
Stepping off the airship, Lennok stared at the tree with a cold gaze.
“It seems… they were waiting.”
“…”
Naturally disembarking from the airship, the group followed behind Lennok.
The entrance to the magnificent palace built among the broken tree roots.
At the entrance of the path where house-sized black tree roots extended in all directions like pillars.
“Welcome.”
A man wearing a mask of cold glass stood before the gate.
No, it wasn’t even clear if one could accurately call him a man.
He wasn’t wearing a mask; his entire face was like transparent glass, and so was his body.
Though empty enough for everything to be seen through it, nothing was actually visible inside.
Dozens of similar mirror-like beings stood in formation before the gate.
“Who are you?”
“I extend my respects to the hero who vanquished the fallen Ascendant and brought down Paradise Lost.”
Placing a hand on his chest, he offered a greeting in a polite tone.
“I am Atera of the Empty Mirror (空鏡). Please forgive me for greeting you in this manner.”
“Empty Mirror…?”
Recognizing a word from his memory in the other’s introduction, Lennok’s eyebrow twitched.
Black Edict, Twilight Veil, Empty Mirror, Honheo…
One of the five oldest families that had passed down magic through their bloodline for generations.
The family of the Empty Mirror, which had never once stepped into the forefront, had now revealed itself before Lennok.
“Throughout her long history, Jinwa was a villain who devoured innocent humans and plunged the continent into misery.”
Atera bowed his head.
“Despite being designated a public enemy even before the fall of the Empire, none could defy her divine authority. The feat you have accomplished today is something that even the innumerable heroes of the past Empire could not dream of.”
“…”
“You have given solace to the long-suffering people of the continent and cleared away the chaos. How can one not praise this heroic achievement with a loud voice?”
The members’ expressions changed strangely at Atera’s words, which felt not just polite but almost deferential.
“For someone blocking our path, he’s quite polite… Is he just well-mannered?”
“It wouldn’t be strange if what happened in Paradise Lost had reached his family.”
“That guy is just pretending to be polite on the surface. Inside, they’re very sinister fellows.”
Ermont grumbled.
“They came because they want to meet Adamant Thunder, but who knows what they’re thinking behind our backs. Don’t let your guard down.”
“What, why are you so prickly? Isn’t it your specialty to be grinning foolishly in situations like this?”
“I may have been exiled, but I’m still of the Black Edict’s bloodline. Do you know how annoying those bastards who carried the name of the Empty Mirror were in the past?”
Ermont’s face soured as Freya asked.
“Just because their family produced the Grand Chancellor of the era, they openly tried to control the other families. There were even times when wars broke out between families because they coveted the ‘theme’ each family was researching.”
“Theme?”
“Since the elder of the Black Edict has brought it up, allow me to continue the explanation.”
Atera said, unconcerned by Ermont’s openly disparaging remarks.
“Our family is a clan that has long explored the proof of absence, and over a long period, we have produced many talented individuals. Among them were those who contributed to the Empire or ascended to a great throne.”
“Your introduction is long.”
Lennok raised his gaze.
“That doesn’t seem to be a reason to appear before me at this time. What is your business?”
“As I’ve said, our family is genuinely in awe of the great deed you have accomplished today.”
Atera replied in a polite tone.
“The dream Jinwa dreamt in Paradise Lost was an unacceptable deviation for a member of this world… it was nothing short of a tragedy that hastened the end for her sake alone. Your achievement in stopping this and saving the world is a heroic tale that should be praised for generations to come.”
“Isn’t this guy choosing only the most cringe-worthy words since a moment ago?”
Ermont mumbled.
“The more polite these guys are, the more serious they are about backstabbing you. We must be vigilant and not let our guard down—”
“Therefore, the five families, in awe of the feat you have accomplished, have decided to grant you all the inheritance left in the Black Edict’s ancestral home.”
“…What did you say?”
As Ermont’s mouth fell slightly open, Atera said with a smile.
“After His Majesty annihilated the Black Edict, this place was designated a forbidden zone, and no one has been able to enter. Having been neglected for so long, this place has transformed into an extremely dangerous contaminated area as the power of the Extinct Wood that the Black Edict was researching has flowed back.”
“…”
“If you stay inside for even a short while, your body and soul will be eroded by the power of the Extinct Wood, transforming you in a way different from existing life forms. However, with the abilities our family possesses, we can nullify this, if only for a moment.”
The dozens of men, their entire bodies as transparent as mirrors, all stepped aside and began to walk.
“Please follow us. We will guide you to the place you desire.”
“…”
Empty Mirror (空鏡). A vacant mirror.
It reflects its target transparently like a mirror, yet conversely, nothing is contained within it.
Is it because their very existence is like an empty mirror that they are unaffected by the power of the Extinct Wood inside?
“Does this mean they were waiting here from the beginning to guide us to the ancestral home…?”
Soryu glanced over.
“Somehow, they seem excessively cooperative. Don’t they appear to want something?”
“Perhaps… but if they intended to harm us, they probably wouldn’t have approached us like this.”
Hylaea was lost in thought.
“If they were trying to lead us into a trap, they would have appeared and attacked after we entered the ancestral home. It seems there’s some other reason…”
Lennok did not answer.
Instead, he simply walked towards the largest and grandest hall located deep within this vast network of roots.
WHOOOSH…!!!
The interior of the hall was incredibly spacious and empty, so much so that with every step, a dry wind seemed to sting the cheek.
The furniture and facilities that must have once decorated this place were completely absent, making everything feel desolate.
“It’s good that we’ve found the Black Edict’s ancestral home, but I don’t see how you intend to revive the Nether King here.”
Soryu gazed at the halls built among the tree roots with a cold expression.
“All that’s left here are the remnants of a family executed for treason. If anything useful had remained, the Imperial Palace would have already confiscated it.”
“I am not looking for a treasure to revive the dead. I never expected such an item to be left here in the first place.”
Lennok replied.
“However, the Black Edict family I saw was not entirely virtuous or righteous seekers. I am simply placing my hopes in their dark side.”
“The dark side of the Black Edict… what do you mean by that?”
During their short conversation, the group followed Lennok and arrived at a hall located in the most secluded area.
The place where the research lab, where the Black Edict family had studied the power of the Extinct Wood with ‘him’ in past memories, was located.
Following Lennok inside and looking around the lab, the members frowned.
“The entire interior facility is damaged beyond recognition…”
“There’s no way the Imperial Palace would have missed a place like this at the time. They would have already taken all the research data.”
Not a single sheet of paper remained on the densely packed bookshelves, and cameras and wires had all been ripped out.
Various research equipment, including data storage and computing devices, were damaged beyond repair.
Even the test tubes and tanks used for storing specimens were all shattered, their contents empty.
“As Soryu guessed, it seems there are no salvageable items or data left here…”
“Can you really find a way to save the Nether King here?”
“From the beginning, what I was looking for was never an artifact or a tool.”
Lennok said this as he walked towards one side of the lab.
“All I needed… was a vessel.”
“A vessel?”
“After banishing Ermont, the Black Edict family designated the Will-thought Transfer Spellcraft as a forbidden art and stored it away for a long time.”
Lennok said.
“But the very fact that they stored the spellcraft instead of destroying it was proof that they had attempted to study Ermont’s spellcraft.”
“…”
“If the Black Edict family researched the Will-thought Transfer Spellcraft and attempted to transfer another’s soul into a new body…”
Slowly approaching the black coffins lining the inner wall of the lab, Lennok said.
“Wouldn’t they have also created ‘spare bodies’ for the experiment?”
CLANK!!
As the black coffin was opened, the form of a small spirit-body, deeply asleep within, was revealed.
Curled up with its tail and its eyes closed, its unmoving form was as small and neat as a young black dragon.
“An artificial spirit…”
“An artificial spirit-body to which life has not been granted. It’s more like an artificially created vessel…”
“Did the Imperial Palace not take it because it had no value…?”
At the same time, the members, understanding the intention behind Lennok’s answer, their eyes gleamed.
“Surely, you intend to place Myeong’s soul inside this spirit-body?”
“It is highly likely to be the most suitable vessel for a soul of the Black Edict.”
Lennok replied as such and slowly raised his hand.
“Placing Myeong’s damaged soul into another’s body, and forcibly reviving Myeong’s already dead body, are both close to forbidden arts. But…”
The Demonic Giant that appeared from the shadows carefully folded its muscular arms.
From within its talon-like cupped hands, a fragment of a soul shimmered with a faint light.
FSHAAAA…!!!
The form of a soul already shattered to pieces, worn down and broken.
Realizing that it was Myeong’s soul, the members’ complexions turned pale and hardened.
“His soul is already damaged beyond repair…”
“It’s merely a fragment that should have shattered long ago, forcibly held together.”
“No way. What do we do…”
It was just a fragment of a broken soul, barely retaining its light.
It was nothing more than debris that could never regain its original form.
If this soul were to be infused into the spare body as it is, the one who awakens in that body would not be the Myeong they remembered.
But Lennok, knowing this, did not hesitate and drew up his mana.
“You are all correct.”
“…Adamant Thunder.”
CRACKLE, CRACKLE…!!!
The overflowing mana compressed at Lennok’s fingertips, turning into the shape of a dark blue line.
Bringing the Black Line in his hand to Myeong’s soul and joining it as if sewing, Lennok spoke.
“Myeong has already accepted his end, and perhaps this is not what Myeong truly wishes for.”
“…”
“But in the end, I got his soul back, and I don’t think I can just leave it broken like this.”
FSHAAAA…!!!
As Myeong’s soul began to inhabit the spare spirit-body, he unhesitatingly activated the Heavenly Abasement Spellcraft.
The power that defies fate connected and joined Myeong’s soul and the new body, merging causalities that were not meant to be combined.
“I am not a god, so I do not know what a fitting end for Myeong should be.”
“…”
“Therefore, all I can do is give him another chance to choose.”
Lennok, shrouded in a halo of light, said softly.
“Whether it’s atonement for what he’s done, or forging a completely different future… I believe it must be a different ending than the one now.”
“…A chance to choose, huh.”
Soryu, who had been watching with his arms crossed, closed his eyes.
“I think I vaguely understand why you were able to defeat the master of Paradise Lost.”
“…”
Freya fell silent with a complex expression, Ermont shrugged his shoulders, and Sarin gave a bitter smile.
It was likely because, during this not-so-short journey, the others had also felt a similar sentiment from Lennok.
Lennok, with the members behind him, silently focused on the task of settling Myeong’s soul.
Borrowing the principles of Manipulation Spellcraft, he sewed Myeong’s soul with mana threads and joined its spirituality with the spirit-body.
As the soul settled into the body, the spirit, which had been motionless as if dead, began to awaken.
Its wings twitched slowly, its tail, dyed in a dark light, writhed.
“It has only just begun to live. It will take a considerable amount of time for it to regain consciousness and awaken.”
Maiya, who had been watching from the side, said.
“Even after it awakens, there’s still no guarantee that it will be the Nether King you remember.”
“It’s fine… that’s enough.”
Slowly rising to his feet, Lennok replied.
“From there, he’ll have to decide for himself.”
“…”
Maiya did not reply further.
Instead, as if sensing something in Lennok’s answer, she quietly sank into thought.
“It seems you have achieved your desired goal. Congratulations.”
Atera, who had been silently watching Lennok, opened his mouth.
“You have changed fate, and the last head of the Black Edict has been given a new opportunity.”
“…Yes. You all must have been waiting all this time to confirm that fact for yourselves.”
Slowly turning around, Lennok said.
“I know you didn’t volunteer to be our guide without a reason. If you heard about what happened in Paradise Lost, you must have guessed what I did.”
“…”
“A matter… or a problem that can only be solved by contacting me here. I have a good idea of what that is.”
Towards the silent Atera, Lennok asked.
“Is there something you want from me regarding the power of the Extinct Wood?”
“Huhu…”
Atera bowed his head with a soft laugh.
“You are truly an outstanding individual. To be frank, you seem far better than any of the past heads of the Black Edict I have seen.”
“…”
“It is a pity. If you had been a member of the family, something like this would not have happened… so I will be frank with you.”
Atera spoke without losing his polite demeanor.
“We would like you to take one item that is stored here in our stead.”
“One item…?”
“The disaster created at the end of the Black Edict family’s research into the power of the Extinct Wood.”
Atera said.
“A plant weapon that can control the power of the Extinct Wood lies dormant here. It was made using the sapling of the World Tree as a material… an item that would more than suffice to turn the continent into hell the moment it awakens.”