Chapter 345: Two People, One Team (1)
“……”
Rapperd glanced around before silently closing his mouth.
He understood how absurd the scene before his eyes was.
Scores of magic users. And professional soldiers, at that.
Despite fighting such superhumans, there was no trace of violent explosions or impacts remaining in the vicinity.
Proof that as soon as the battle began, all dozens of superhumans had been killed.
Yet, was it truly possible for the magic flowing from their bodies to remain completely undiminished?
A wizard who transcended common sense. Lapis had talked about it ad nauseam, but he hadn’t imagined it would be to this extent.
“The nuisances are taken care of, so let’s finish our conversation.”
Rapperd cleared his throat, subtly changing the subject.
“You said you’d give me information on Croken if I told you the secret of my Mind Imprint, correct?”
“……”
“As you know, I already deployed my Miniature Universe once during the battle. It’s an essential process for any summoning above a certain level, according to the doctrine of the god I serve.”
“I know.”
Lennok replied, propping his chin on his hand as he looked down at Rapperd.
“The Miniature Universe itself probably has a short activation time and low magic consumption, and the summoning you use immediately after deployment is likely the essence of your power.”
“……If you know that much, there’s nothing more to tell. Should I show you properly one more time right here?”
Rapperd asked.
Ever since he realized how much faster Lennok had dealt with the Baraceda Liberation Front soldiers than he expected, his attitude had become strangely cooperative.
Perhaps because he had a dog’s head, even his way of establishing hierarchy resembled a dog’s.
Instead of outwardly expressing such thoughts, Lennok shook his head.
“No, it’s fine.”
Lennok nodded.
“That much is enough.”
At that moment, something hazy began to appear behind Lennok.
Whoosh!
A whitish spirit-body, completely different from the form of the tree giant Rapperd had summoned above his head.
The spirit’s appearance was much sharper and more delicate. But undeniably, its nature possessed power similar to what Rapperd had used.
Rapperd’s mouth dropped open as he confirmed the spirit-body floating above Lennok’s head.
“N-no…… By the grace of the Ancestor God, how could you……”
“I have some understanding of summoning magic itself. I’ve seen similar things a few times.”
Lennok replied, getting to his feet.
He wasn’t wrong. He had encountered warriors who received aid from spirit-bodies in a similar way to Rapperd, and had even unintentionally dabbled in summoning rituals during the Craig incident.
Moreover, having recently started researching summoning magic with Aris, Lennok was now very familiar with the concept of conjuring something.
The power used by the dog-headed giant was far from a spell, closer to a ritual based on faith and mental strength.
But imitating the flow of power Rapperd showed during battle was not difficult.
Indeed, wasn’t this why he had borrowed Davi’s power to quickly deal with the Liberation Front soldiers, and created a high vantage point to observe Rapperd?
The moment he deployed his Miniature Universe, he had imprinted and observed every violent change in magic, guessing how it would be used.
This wasn’t merely due to Lennok’s magical sensitivity, but an acquired result from observing and remembering thousands of magical flows over countless battles.
The culmination of experience accumulated by facing countless strong opponents of his own level.
It had been quite some time since this had become possible, but there was a separate reason for reconfirming it now.
“Ultimately, the form and abilities of the spirit-body are a ritual dependent on the root Mind Imprint and doctrine. You probably found traces of Croken in me in a similar way, didn’t you?”
Lennok muttered as he walked down towards the snowy field.
“A tracking ability so powerful that it follows the traces of a spirit rather than physical traces… it seems impossible unless your Mind Imprint itself is deeply intertwined with Croken.”
“Th-that……”
Rapperd stammered, at a loss for words, then let his ears droop.
“No need for explanation, then. Was this what you were aiming for from the start?”
“Not exactly, but if your Mind Imprint involved a powerful tracking ability, I did think I’d like to know its principle.”
Lennok glanced at the spirit-body floating above his head and muttered.
“But this won’t be of much use to me. Unless it’s a Mind Imprint and way of thinking suitable for a summoning ritual, the spirit-body won’t function properly.”
“Hmm…… You’ve already proven your talent for summoning magic by summoning the spirit-body. Perhaps you might even be able to accept the doctrine of the god I believe in.”
“No, it’s fine. Although I borrowed the form of the ritual and spell, this power was ultimately created for physical ability users. Unless I can project my Mind Imprint, it won’t be of much help—”
Kwoooh!
At that moment, the spirit-body floating above Lennok’s head suddenly began to tremble wildly, changing its form erratically.
As Lennok and Rapperd simultaneously looked up with blank expressions, golden ripples appeared on the spirit-body, and an enormous amount of magic dispersed in all directions.
Paaah-ah-ah-ah!
The sound of the world splitting apart, like when a golden kaleidoscope Domain was deployed.
Immediately after, Lennok, seeing the spirit-body dividing and attempting to multiply, stood up abruptly with a rare look of bewilderment.
“What… is this? What in the world is happening……”
While Rapperd muttered with a dazed expression, Lennok, grasping the situation, moved instantly.
Standing opposite his spirit-body, Lennok quickly formed hand seals before its vibrating form.
What he wanted was the seal for summoning magic. To forcibly cancel the summoning ritual by overwriting it with summoning magic here.
Kwooong!
Immediately after, the spirit-body blurred and disappeared, and the magic that had been swirling over the snowy field also gradually lost its center and began to vanish.
“Hoo……”
“……”
‘That was close.’
Lennok sighed, seeing Rapperd’s dazed gaze fixed on him.
Considering the kaleidoscope pattern that had just appeared on the spirit-body’s surface, it wasn’t hard to guess what had happened.
The spirit-body, arbitrarily created by following Rapperd’s method, had overloaded, exceeding its limits as Lennok’s Mind Imprint was projected onto it.
If he had foolishly stood by, it wouldn’t have been strange for an explosion or abnormal phenomenon beyond Lennok’s control to occur.
While confirming that there was still room for research in the concept of summoning itself was a good thing, he had no intention of revealing it in such an open place.
Lennok gestured towards Rapperd, who was still unable to easily extricate himself from the recent incident.
“Let’s return to the Floating Island. I’ll tell you about Croken Asylus on the way.”
“Uh, huh? O-okay…… I understand.”
Only then did Rapperd snap out of it and begin to walk after Lennok.
His ears were strangely drooped, and his tail hung limp.
Whatever the reason for what had just happened, he must have realized that Lennok’s power was greater than he had anticipated in the process.
Lennok deliberately started talking about information regarding Croken first to distract Rapperd.
Rapperd initially seemed unable to fully focus on Lennok’s words, but as he began to speak seriously about the alligator giant’s whereabouts, Rapperd quickly became engrossed.
His obsession with and desire for revenge against Croken must be that strong.
Perhaps because he had told Grisha to keep her distance just before descending from the island, the distance had widened a bit compared to when the battle began.
While Rapperd was silent after hearing the details about Croken, Lennok also fell into thought.
‘As expected, this isn’t enough……’
Ever since confronting Lieutenant General Treffen, who had crossed the threshold of level 8, Lennok had begun to seriously consider transcending Hierarchy.
The Domain of a spellcaster who had completed their Hierarchy and determined the scenery of their Mind Imprint.
The Miniature Universe of a physical ability user who had completed Self-transformation and charted the direction of their mind.
It was thought that these two possibilities, diverging from a single inner world, followed entirely different paths.
But Treffen had remodeled his Miniature Universe, almost transforming it into a Domain-like form.
Although he lacked the time and power to complete it, it was true that his distorted Mind Imprint, projected as the Miniature Universe: Ironclad Divine Path, was closer to a spellcaster’s power than a physical ability user’s.
If so, isn’t freely traversing between the two paths with a single Mind Imprint the very proof of ascending to level 8?
He had considered that mastering both powers given to the Archmage realm might be the key to reaching level 8.
However, Lennok himself couldn’t even perfectly control his own Domain yet, so attempting to transform this Mind Imprint into a Miniature Universe was akin to suicide.
If his own capabilities were insufficient, what if he started by imitating an already completed Miniature Universe and progressed step by step?
To resolve this question, he had obliged Rapperd’s offer and observed his Miniature Universe, but he hadn’t gained as much as he had hoped.
‘As expected, imitating another person’s Miniature Universe is difficult. The fundamental Mind Imprint is missing.’
The core of deploying a Domain or Miniature Universe lies in the root Mind Imprint residing within the caster.
No matter how perfectly one could mimic and imitate the overflowing magical flow, it was merely an outer shell.
Rapperd’s Miniature Universe, projecting his intuition into scent, was the essence of time he had accumulated living with superior sensory organs since birth.
Lennok could read and imitate the magical flow generated in that process, but he couldn’t grasp the essence of his mind.
‘Forcibly imitating a Mind Imprint and shaking one’s ego is the worst outcome. My mind is already teetering with just the kaleidoscope……’
Imitating a Miniature Universe was merely one method to ascend to the highest realm.
Lennok had no intention of changing the determined scenery or direction of his Mind Imprint in the slightest.
Because the kaleidoscope of possibilities he had drawn with all his capabilities and talent possessed the potential to hold absolute superiority over any other Mind Imprint.
Just vaguely envisioning that scenery in his mind was already a miracle.
He had to restrain himself from desiring in the wrong direction here.
However, considering the extent of power and might of the monsters he would face in the future……
“Evan-nim?”
Lost in thought, Lennok returned to the Floating Island and snapped his head up at Lapis’s voice.
She and the other Watchers were looking at him in silence.
What was contained in their gazes, as they looked at the wizard who had subdued an Archmage-level physical ability user, a dauntless warrior who had survived countless battlefields, without even using a Domain, was not mere surprise.
It was fear, as if looking at an incomprehensible being. Awe at an unexpected level of power. Jealousy and vigilance towards a practitioner far more superior than anticipated.
These were feelings he had experienced many times and could never get used to, yet now they were all too familiar.
Lennok somewhat guessed the reason for the emotions in their gazes and nodded.
‘It must be because of Davi.’
The Baraceda Liberation Front used Gearsight equipment, and Lennok, having already gained control of their network through Davi, was able to deal with them absurdly easily.
But to the other Watchers watching the entire situation from above the Floating Island, it must have seemed like Lennok instantly killed the soldiers by a method they couldn’t possibly understand.
It was not strange for them to regard Lennok not just as a wizard, but as an incomprehensible monster.
“You worked hard.”
Someone naturally placed a hand on Lennok’s shoulder and whispered.
“……Evelyn.”
“Let’s head inside and rest for today. I got Lapis’s permission. Selecting the personnel to enter the labyrinth and beginning the full-scale securing of the labyrinth entrance will happen tomorrow.”
At her natural words, Lennok skillfully relaxed his expression and smiled.
“……Right. I’ve been awake for too long today. It’s about time to rest.”
More than a full day had passed since he responded to Lapis’s summons, traveling thousands of kilometers.
As soon as he was summoned in the middle of the snowfield, he rescued her, dealt with enemies, went up to the Floating Island for a meeting, and even took care of Rapperd.
“I’m busy just maintaining the Floating Island, so I won’t participate in team assignments. See you tomorrow.”
“I hope to be on the same team as Evan-nim.”
As Grisha and Seon-myeong offered their farewells and departed, Lennok and Evelyn also walked towards the mansion inside the Floating Island.
The other Watchers, as if on cue, made way for them.
“Team? What do you mean?”
“Roughly, after the summoning order ends, we’ve decided to move in two-person teams to secure the main entrances of the labyrinth.”
“Two-person teams?”
“With other Watchers being summoned besides you, our numbers have increased quite a bit. We’ve been focused on not being pushed out of the snowfield, but now it’s about time to enter the labyrinth itself.”
Evelyn said in a casual tone.
“We’ll determine the entrances using pre-acquired maps, form teams, and enter the labyrinth. Moving in two-person teams is like insurance.”
“How do you plan to do it? There must be people whose dispositions or abilities don’t match.”
“I suggested it to Lapis, and we found a suitable method. Agents often need this kind of team formation.”
“What method?”
“That’s a secret. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
“……”
Evelyn chuckled, looking at Lennok’s twitching eyebrow.
“For now, we’re planning to decide randomly. If team members are assigned arbitrarily, there can be complaints within the chain of command. The Watchers gathered here are all experienced veterans, so the possibility of that is low, but……”
“To reduce potential complaints? For that, it’s a very cautious approach…… Well, fine. I can easily manage to lead one person.”
Saying so, Lennok opened the door to his assigned room.
If there was a good thing about summoning an entire Floating Island, perhaps it was not having to sleep under the night sky in the desolate snowfield.
Of course, this mansion wouldn’t last long under the Ascendant’s magic, but it was enough if it held out until they entered the labyrinth.
Thud!
Lennok was about to close the door when he saw Evelyn naturally follow him into his room and tilted his head.
“……What’s wrong?”
Click.
Evelyn said nothing, simply locking the door.
The moment Lennok fell silent at her sudden action, she strode over, sat on the bed in the corner, and stared at Lennok intently.
“Imitating Rapperd’s Miniature Universe was a very dangerous thing to do. You know that, don’t you?”
“……”
For a brief moment, Lennok forgot to answer and met her transparent eyes.
She seemed embarrassed by her nickname, ‘Emerald Archer,’ but Lennok thought the nickname suited Evelyn perfectly.
Her seemingly indifferent expression and cold tone. Yet, he could somewhat understand her thoughts from her gaze, which didn’t hide her emotions but mixed them in.
“……You knew. I thought I wouldn’t get caught.”
“I’m an archer, after all. My eyesight is quite good compared to others.”
Evelyn faintly smiled, lifting her eyes with both hands in a dazed manner, and Lennok let out a small laugh.
Evelyn, after confirming Lennok’s expression, nodded with a slightly relieved look.
“I wanted to talk to you about that. You seemed to be thinking a lot.”
“……”
“I helped you with your combat training on the way to the Claronis, remember?”
She asked, propping her chin on her hands.
“Do you remember what I said then?”
“I remember. It was about how far one must cross the line to ascend higher.”
Lennok nodded.
“Back then, it was hard enough just to remember, but now I can understand. Perhaps the ultimate realm is……”
“Perhaps it’s the process of giving up what you shouldn’t give up.”
“……”
“Because while the methods for walking along a path are somewhat fixed, the methods for deviating from a path are all unique.”
Evelyn’s green eyes glowed softly.
“Then, to deviate from the path, shouldn’t one act in a completely different way from one’s past self?”
An Archmage, achieved by completing the seven stages of Self-transformation that form a superhuman’s Hierarchy.
However, while the fruits obtained in that process may differ depending on each person’s Mind Imprint, the process of reaching that point is somewhat fixed.
The Property Transformation of magic awakened at level 6 Commander Wizard. The basic Domain learned in the latter half of Commander Wizard.
The awakening of a Domain and Miniature Universe scenery upon reaching level 7 Archmage. And the process of determining one’s Mind Imprint.
The trials and errors accumulated by countless pioneers throughout this world’s history have vaguely outlined the path to completing Hierarchy.
But the realm of level 8 is different.
It is a process that transcends merely completing Hierarchy, becoming a new transcendence.
And the meaning of transcending established laws can only apply differently to everyone.
The rules, methods, meanings, and concepts are all different.
Only the fruits obtained as a result of reaching the highest realm exist.
It was a completely different kind of vagueness compared to finding and completing one’s own Mind Imprint before reaching level 7.
A realm where there is no set method or path, only the result of having reached it.
This is because the name ‘level 8 ultimate ability user’ is received in different ways by everyone who challenges it.
The process of reaching a result by following an unfixed path.
It must be through such a form of awakening that one reaches that realm, and as a result, realizes the knack of interfering with spacetime.
There was a reason why wizards who reached level 8 were called by the grand moniker of Archmage.
Ascending to the ultimate realm is already so vague, how much more abstruse and arduous must it be to reach ascension?
Just qualifying to challenge ascension means reaching level 9 and being called a Transcendent, so for Lennok currently, it was difficult to guess what that achievement truly meant.
“Evelyn, what about you?”
Lennok asked.
“On the way to the Claronis back then, you were thinking about what to abandon to ascend higher.”
“……”
“The fact that you’re no longer thinking about it now…… Is it because you no longer need to be concerned?”
The next day, early dawn.
Lapis opened her mouth, gathering the Watchers who had rested for about six hours.
“Everyone, please pay attention.”
Everyone gathered here was an experienced practitioner accustomed to combat. Moreover, they were only those who had fought together for nearly a month, synchronizing their efforts.
For such individuals, six hours was a relatively long time for maintenance.
But even after such sweet rest, the Watchers’ expressions were faintly stiff with tension.
Everyone knew the reason Lapis had managed the Watchers’ condition so thoroughly:
It was to immediately enter the deepest part of the snowfield once this team assignment was over.
She held up the black box she was holding above her head so everyone could see it clearly.
“Inside this are thirty gems, each paired by color. Those who pick the same colored gem will arbitrarily form a team and then disperse.”
The Watchers’ mouths opened slightly at the fist-sized gem that popped out of her hand.
To replace team assignment tools with such large gems. How much wealth must have been accumulated for that to be possible?
If Lapis intended to display the prestige or wealth of the Eyes of Blue, it was undoubtedly a perfectly effective performance.
When Lapis finished speaking, the Watchers began to pick up gems one by one.
Gems of various colors poured out, and some immediately formed teams.
If they got along, they formed a team; if not, they politely declined and waited for their turn to end.
This was possible because everyone gathered here possessed the capability to move alone, yet also understood the reason for forming teams.
Although there had been a chaotic disagreement in the meeting room earlier, it had only happened because they possessed such capabilities and autonomous judgment.
Lapis had not brought in mediocre practitioners just to inflate the organization’s size.
Rather, she had extended a hand only to those who could think for themselves in any situation and agree to her will of their own volition.
Lennok could vaguely discern that fact even amidst this simple lottery process.
Even with such a crude method of team formation, if the individual capabilities were excellent, a rather plausible decision-making process would naturally unfold.
‘Evelyn……’
Lennok remained lost in thought, looking at the long queue behind him.
The unexpected possibility he found in the spirit-body that mimicked Rapperd’s summoning ritual. The conversation he had with Evelyn about the ultimate realm.
How far did her answer reach? Lennok could grasp some clues from yesterday’s exchange.
‘I can’t believe she was thinking something like that.’
Had she arrived at a different answer than the one she had given Lennok during their journey to the Claronis?
After hearing her words, Lennok couldn’t help but re-evaluate the concept of the ultimate realm that he had previously held.
No matter what, there was something to learn from her way of thinking, having lived as an Agent in a mega-city for a long time.
In terms of having more conversations about such a realm, it would be good if he were teamed with her in this assignment, but……
‘That’s unlikely.’
Lapis was not foolish. She wouldn’t randomly pair two of the most powerful Watchers under her command, even arbitrarily.
Even if by some coincidence the two of them ended up on the same team, they would eventually try to form the optimal team through some agreement.
The most Lennok could hope for was perhaps being teamed with someone favorable to him, like Seon-myeong or Garrick.
Just as Lennok was thinking that and averted his gaze.
“Uh-huh-huh.”
Evelyn was casting a sidelong glance at Lennok, letting out a sly laugh.
The moment their eyes met, she quickly turned her head like lightning, but……
She couldn’t do anything about the cold sweat running down her bright red neck.
“……”
“……”
What in the world was she thinking?
Lennok sighed and looked up at the sky.