Chapter 381: Regret and Longing (6)

Whoosh…!!

Cold wind seeping between his outstretched fingers.

Lennok slowly looked down at his hand, fully aware of the chilling sensation.

He faced the artifact ring newly placed on his index finger: Feigenbaum’s Eye.

It was an artifact originally designed to help analyze the reverse side of spells or barrier formations through an imaginary dimension.

While some of its functions were paralyzed because he used the ring immediately to save Evelyn, that very fact allowed for something else.

He activated the impaired ring by facing its pupil.

Simultaneously, he drew up the precarious Mystic Eye in his left eye, which seemed about to shatter at any moment, and faced the ring’s pupil.

The functions of the Mystic Eye and the imaginary dimension crossed hundreds of times in a fleeting moment, stretching Lennok’s consciousness infinitely.

Screeeeeech…!!

With a sound like paper slowly tearing, everything around him slowed down.

It was the infinite division of consciousness that Jindun had used during their last conversation to speak with Lennok.

He couldn’t attempt it consciously yet, but between the perceived consciousness that felt infinitely slow, a combination of the ring’s and Mystic Eye’s abilities was at play.

Standing on that similar timeline, Lennok completed a series of calculations in an instant and returned to reality.

Flash!!

“Hoo…!!”

As Lennok exhaled a low sigh and drew up his magic power, countless threads of magic extended from his fingers and clung to the underside of the Floating Island.

Clatter!!

At the same time, he began to rapidly disintegrate the mounds of earth and stone that formed the island, scattering them downwards.

The lighter Floating Island sped up, but this would inevitably shorten the time it could be maintained.

“Evan? What in the…?”

Lapis, with a puzzled expression, started to speak but then paused, staring blankly downwards.

The mounds of earth, which had seemed to fall haphazardly carried by Lennok’s magic threads, began to form something as they dropped from beneath the island.

A vast labyrinth of earth, drawn like a painting in the middle of the wide snowfield.

As the earthy labyrinth imbued with Lennok’s magic was completed, the snow on the snowfield rose in response, reinforcing the thickness of the walls.

The labyrinth, instantly constructed from beneath the ground, trapped the Watchers and pursuers who were engaging in combat beneath the Floating Island, all at once.

Crumble, crumble, rumble…!!!

[Run forward.]

Immediately after, Lennok’s amplified voice echoed from above the Floating Island.

Upon hearing his words, all the Watchers began to move without a moment’s hesitation.

“They’re escaping, catch them!!”

“They’re escaping into the labyrinth!”

“Fools, what can you do with such a makeshift labyrinth…!”

The pursuers also immediately ran to chase the Floating Island, but as soon as they entered the labyrinth, they noticed a change and raised their heads.

Dash, dash, dash!!

The distance widened much faster than before, even though they were running at the same speed.

Unlike the Watchers who immediately exited the labyrinth from the opposite side, the pursuers couldn’t advance even when they destroyed the labyrinth walls.

Only then did the pursuers, realizing what Lennok had done, gasp in astonishment.

“Large-scale spatial distortion… To interfere with space to this extent with crude mounds of earth…!!”

“Is he individually pinpointing those who enter the labyrinth and assigning different perceptions of distance?!”

“Eyes of Blue, how can he perform such a miracle without even using a Domain…!!”

The other Watchers watching from behind also surmised what Lennok was doing and silently held their breaths.

Jindun’s Conceptual Realm. Lennok’s miniature labyrinth, which imitated a fragment of the Hanghasa Labyrinth, even if only slightly.

Lennok had succeeded in temporarily manifesting the spatial distortions that shifted and twisted differently for those moving inside the labyrinth, right here, using Jindun’s barrier magic and power.

It was an imitation only possible for Lennok, who had not only witnessed the principle of countless diverging labyrinth paths, each manifesting different possibilities and timelines for individuals, from beginning to end, but had also directly met Jindun and received his answers.

Despite being infinitely crude compared to the true form of the Hanghasa Labyrinth, its effect was undeniable.

The pursuers, realizing that destroying one or two labyrinth walls was useless, quickly exited the labyrinth, but it was already too late.

The Floating Island, having gained speed with its lighter body, and the Watchers who had reboarded it, were disappearing towards the end of the snowfield.

In this situation, where the difference in wizardry power was already palpable, such a sudden widening of distance was fatal.

The pursuers, quickly recognizing the situation, stopped first, while some slower-witted individuals had their bodies torn apart by the bombardment fired from the edge of the island.

Boom!!!

As explosions erupted across the snowfield, and the pursuers swallowed hard, the Floating Island’s shape blurred beyond the blizzard.

“Damn it… Considering they don’t operate in the Northern Continent, this was practically our last chance.”

“No wonder they quickly became a hegemonic force in the East. Their skills are extraordinary.”

“At this rate, we might face them on the central front soon.”

“Let’s go back. It’d be better to search among the ruins of the Hanghasa Labyrinth instead.”

One by one, those who had been staring at the island with lingering regret began to turn away.

As soon as they exited the snowfield, a dry forest made of withered trees came into view.

Slender trees stood in a line, boasting heights of several meters, with a cold lake between them.

The northern forest, utterly silent.

As if the tranquility, where not a ripple stirred on the lake, were a lie.

The enormous Floating Island floated up and plunged directly into the lake.

KWA-AAAAANG!!

Its entire mass plunged into the water, completely overturning the thin ice surface of the lake.

Waves surged as if in a tempest at sea, expelling all the water accumulated in the lake.

More than half of the Floating Island, plunged in and inverted, shot out of the lake due to its own momentum, cutting a long path through the middle of the forest.

The majestic trees snapped like chopsticks and were pushed aside, scattering dust and dirt in all directions.

“Cough, cough!!”

“This is nasty…”

“Is everyone alright?”

Covered in dust, Watchers, one by one, picked themselves up from the shattered fragments of the ruined Floating Island.

The warriors, who were the first to recover, quickly traced the path the Floating Island had taken and began to survey the surroundings.

“…Are they gone?”

“Yes. It seems we’ve shaken off all pursuit.”

One of the Watchers replied in a weak voice.

“If it weren’t for Evan, we might have had to fight for at least half a day. Things went easier than expected.”

“No, if you think about it, the island suddenly plunging into the lake was also because Evan used the Floating Island’s earth as he pleased.”

“He did his best. Can you still say that after seeing him?”

“Ugh…”

At the sight of Lennok, pale and clutching a nearby fallen tree, retching, the Watchers fell silent.

In reality, it was just a bout of motion sickness during the brief moment the Floating Island crashed, but outwardly, he looked exactly as if he had overexerted himself doing his best for the Watchers.

The atmosphere among the Watchers, looking at Lennok’s hunched back, became solemn.

“…There was a reason why Lapis held that wizard in such high regard.”

“His skill and judgment are extraordinary, like when he single-handedly faced three monsters from the Magic Tower and The Vanguard in the deepest part of the labyrinth.”

“Even though he’s not a Watcher yet, he’s worthy of being invited to the summons. Where did such a man appear from?”

Meanwhile, Evelyn, having recovered, was gently patting Lennok’s back with a concerned look.

“Spit it out, spit it out.”

“Hold on, if you hit my back like that…”

“I told you, it’s better to just throw up.”

Evelyn’s patting on his back exquisitely stimulated Lennok’s empty stomach, making him vomit its contents.

Lennok, who had inadvertently vomited in front of her, turned his head with a crumpled face.

“…I never imagined I’d run out of motion sickness medicine. When I get back, I’ll have to restock.”

He had packed all sorts of emergency medicine for this journey, but he had used it all up traveling between the snowfield, the labyrinth, and the Floating Island.

Before worrying about other things, Lennok first asked Lapis, who was lingering nearby, about the most pressing matter on his mind.

“How is Grisha’s condition?”

“…She’s here.”

Grisha, leaning against a tree behind Lapis, waved her hand with a haggard expression.

Ironically, even that appearance looked better than Lennok’s pale face after a brief bout of motion sickness.

Lennok looked at Grisha’s face, then took out a potion from his pocket and offered it to her.

Grisha, who had been sweating profusely, widened her eyes at the sight, then chuckled.

“You’ve become strangely polite after going into the labyrinth. Surely you weren’t taught manners by an Ascendant, were you?”

Lennok lightly chuckled at Grisha’s playful remark, even as she opened the potion cap.

“Seeing that you’re friends with an 8-level Summoner, I’m getting a sense of your age.”

“Ah, Nora… It’s already been well over 50 years since that rascal became the Grand Matron of Enolas Magic Tower.”

Grisha shrugged uncomfortably and said.

“Enolas is one of the most powerful Magic Towers in the Southern Continent. If Nora says so, you might need her help someday in the future.”

“Thanks to you. Before I saw your face, she looked like she could easily kill me.”

“Hehe… Nora was extremely hot-headed even when she was young. She’d become friends with people she fought like enemies, and then easily turn them into enemies again. Perhaps she survived and became the Grand Matron of the Magic Tower precisely because of her eccentric personality.”

Grisha offered a bitter smile, as if reminiscing about old memories.

“I’m glad that old connection could be of some help, even in this way. I barely did anything in this whole affair.”

“…”

To say that would be inaccurate, as without her presence, maintaining such a Floating Island wouldn’t have been possible in the first place.

However, Grisha seemed to feel considerable responsibility for not being able to directly participate in the labyrinth’s events.

Instead of offering her trite comfort, Lennok subtly looked around and asked her something else.

“You seemed acquainted with Olivera Ron Maize. Could you briefly explain the inside story?”

It was a situation where he had to meet her separately for the sake of the Mystic Eye’s restoration.

Jenny had said that when Olivera visited her, Olivera had shown interest in the doll Grisha had given her.

He figured he could gather some general information by asking about her while Grisha was recalling past events.

However, upon hearing her name, Grisha didn’t show any particular reaction, instead offering an awkward smile.

“Olivera… It’s been quite a while since I heard that name. I’m sorry, but unlike Nora, I don’t have much to tell you about her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Olivera completely changed after settling in the mega-city.”

“…”

“After that, we only occasionally acknowledged each other’s existence; we never met. I only heard rumors that after the project failed, she’s been clinging to some inexplicable research.”

The Black Consumer Project of the mega-city. Machina’s Ascension Gate. Military City’s Myriad Ghost Parade.

Each was a monumental project aiming to realize a grand miracle, and all were remnants of a past that ended in utter failure.

Grisha was saying that Olivera Ron Maize was also one of the direct stakeholders involved in those projects.

“There was a time when everyone was filled with hope. A time when they believed they could dedicate themselves to a miracle greater than themselves… Now, it’s all meaningless.”

Grisha’s murmured soliloquy, her voice hollow.

Her voice, as she wearily rubbed her temples, slowly faded.

“But still, I… won’t regret…”

Lennok looked down at Grisha, who had instantly fallen asleep, her head bowed as if her batteries had run out, and slowly stood up.

It was only natural that Grisha’s body wasn’t normal after moving the Floating Island at high speed for over a full day.

No matter how vast her magical power, such strenuous operation would be unthinkable for a living being under normal circumstances.

If anything, it felt more unusual that Grisha could fall asleep soundly even after using such immense magical power.

Lapis, watching from the side, carefully placed the coat draped over her shoulder onto Grisha’s body.

“Considering Grisha’s magic reserves, she might not wake up for about a day.”

“Alright… We’ll have to rest in this forest.”

The moment Lennok muttered with a small sigh, a heavy thud echoed directly behind him.

Thump!!

It was the sound of Rapperd, the dog-headed giant, dropping the load he was carrying onto the ground.

Lennok grimaced, realizing it was a pile of firewood made by splitting all the nearby trees.

Jiel, who was moving the tent veils, grumbled beside him.

“We need to light a fire and get ready for bed before night falls, so hurry up. What are you still hesitating for?”

From all directions, Watchers cleared stones and wood to make sleeping spots and set up tents.

Some lit campfires, while others found food from the collapsed Floating Island and began to cook.

The Watchers naturally set up watches and kept guard, acting as if they had done this many times before.

In front of these Watchers, Lapis puffed out her chest with a triumphant expression.

“Ahem.”

“…Why are you so proud?”

Lennok asked, but then chuckled, turning his head towards the darkening sky.

After leaving the snowfield, the air that had been only cold now felt warm, and the sunset seemed to slow down slightly.

From being summoned to the Northern Continent and camping outside the labyrinth, to engaging in a race inside the labyrinth and finally meeting an Ascendant to get answers.

He was finally realizing that the long, long journey in the Northern Continent was coming to an end.

Lennok and Evelyn then stayed in the forest with the Watchers for a full day.

The Watchers seemed to surmise that Lennok had met Jindun, but they didn’t bring it up first.

When they first arrived inside the labyrinth, what they saw was Lennok single-handedly confronting three supers with a unconscious Evelyn.

Everyone guessed how fierce the battle had been inside the labyrinth for the two of them to reach that point, and how impressive it was.

Perhaps Lennok’s combat power, delaying two 8-levels and one 7-level, had left a particularly strong impression?

No Watchers protested Lennok’s qualifications anymore.

Instead, most approached him with a newfound familiarity, seemingly impressed by his help during their escape from the snowfield.

“Evan, you won’t believe what this guy said before you arrived…”

“You don’t believe him, do you? I always trust our boss’s judgment.”

“Don’t lie, for Lapis’s birthday present, this idiot actually gave her a magic-engineering teddy bear…”

“Hey, hey, quiet down!!”

“He just saw her as a complete child… How can organizational discipline be like this… We need to quickly expel such a rude fellow…”

Although he had only spent one night among them, Lennok could clearly feel the bond among the Watchers.

It wasn’t just because they were working towards a common goal, but probably thanks to Lapis’s efforts to make the Eyes of Blue this way.

Lennok understood the Lighthouse Keeper’s desire to make the Eyes of Blue not just a mere society, but a place where various skilled individuals would want to be a part of.

While mingling appropriately with the Watchers, Lennok couldn’t explain to them what had happened with the Ascendant.

The conversation and secrets he shared with Jindun were fundamentally related to Lennok’s very essence.

Even though he considered the Eyes of Blue reliable enough, he had to choose his words carefully.

Instead, Lennok separately informed Lapis and Evelyn that the leader of Pandemonium had appeared and personally taken Jindun’s life.

Considering her stance and interests, having declared a direct confrontation with Pandemonium, he felt it was only right to tell the two of them this much in advance.

Upon hearing Lennok’s words, Lapis stayed up all night without sleeping.

Once her contemplation was over, she would surely discuss what Pandemonium was aiming for and desired with those she trusted.

Lennok believed that from that point on, it was Lapis’s choice.

Early the next morning, after a day had passed.

Lennok stood facing the Watchers with Evelyn.

Lapis, standing at the front of the Watchers’ formation, silently looked up at the two of them.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come back with us?”

“There’s an Agent branch in a nearby city. If we get train tickets from there, we can be back in the city in three days.”

Evelyn patted Lapis’s shoulder in response to her worried words.

“Evan agreed, so we’re heading that way. I’ve been away from my Agent work for too long anyway.”

“To do so much work and then go back to work again, city people are just impossible to understand, aren’t they?”

Jiel scratched his shaggy hair, and Lance, the curse sorcerer, chuckled.

“Everyone values different things. As long as we can be where we’re needed, when we’re needed, like this moment, that’s enough.”

“The Lighthouse Keeper is too soft. The doctrine of salvation demands nothing less than dedicating everything to the goal.”

“Don’t talk such old-fashioned nonsense. Does Lapis look like that kind of person?”

Lennok and Lapis chuckled together, watching Rapperd and the vampire youth start to bicker.

“It would be great if I could greet the other Watchers next time.”

“I’ve generally heard about it. It’s a shame I couldn’t see the 8-level Watchers.”

He knew that there were indeed transcended abilities among the newly recruited Watchers from the previous meeting.

It would have been good if he could have met them once before getting a sense of the realm, but everyone had their own circumstances.

Since the Eyes of Blue was active not only in this snowfield but also across various parts of the continent, it was natural that some Watchers were busy.

Upon hearing Lennok’s words, Lapis subtly gauged his expression and asked.

“Next time, will Evan also be standing in the same place as them?”

“Well…”

Lennok merely offered a bitter smile, unable to give a clear answer.

He had a general idea of how to deviate from the path. He believed he had already grasped both the direction and the method.

However, from now on, it was solely up to Lennok himself.

Lennok had always trusted and had confidence in himself, but this time, it was difficult to easily predict what outcome awaited him at the end.

“What are you going to do?”

“Thanks to you, Evan, for telling me about my grandmother, my own dilemma is over too.”

“…”

The brief exchange about the previous Lighthouse Keeper during his conversation with Jindun.

Jindun’s despairing prophecy that there was no fourth, and the reason why the previous Lighthouse Keeper acted as she did.

Despite hearing the truth from the Ascendant himself, Lapis remained unchanged.

She had resolved from the beginning to move forward, no matter what answer she received.

“Up until now, we’ve continued our activities mainly in the East, building up our strength, but from now on, we also plan to move towards the front lines.”

“The front lines, you mean…”

There were several front lines that a leader of the Eyes of Blue might refer to, but Lennok felt he knew what Lapis meant.

The most intense battlefield in this world, even decades later.

The grand battlefield where the most powerful forces and wills across the entire continent clashed.

“The final legacy left in Central City Ars Nova… The Eyes of Blue will now acquire that legacy and stand at a turning point to save the world.”

Guido Cult, Order Alliance, Power Awakening Vanguard, Ether Garden, countless powerful Magic Towers and martial sects.

Lapis intended to officially step onto the central front, where all these entities were focused.