Chapter 416: Truth and Requiem (1)

“They say once you start accumulating debt, you can’t stop.”

Davi, curled up on Lennok’s discarded coat and yawning, muttered.

“Turns out it wasn’t about money, but about the social lives of organisms?”

“…Lately, you’ve been saying a lot of strangely painful things.”

Lennok, drenched in sweat and clad only in a shirt, chuckled as he looked back at Davi.

“Seems you’ve grown quite interested in humans.”

A secluded construction site, utterly devoid of human traces.

Amidst the chill ruins, where cement dust danced in the air, Lennok stood with both hands raised, deep in concentration.

Now that he was back in the city, he had resumed various training and research that had been impossible in the labyrinth due to circumstances. On the outskirts of the Cartel’s undeveloped zone, a place he hadn’t visited in quite some time, Lennok was dedicated to refining his spatial magic.

As Lennok turned his gaze back, focusing his mana on the concrete debris, Davi snorted and shook her head.

“I don’t want ignorance about other organisms holding us back. I’m a good spirit who takes good care of my master.”

“Yes, yes, thank you very much.”

Though she spoke as if pouting, Lennok didn’t think Davi was wrong. While she particularly enjoyed attention and praise, if there was a reason for a spirit who previously paid little mind to individual humans to change her attitude now, it must be because of Lennok.

Conversely, did it mean that even from Davi’s perspective, who had little interest in others, there were people influencing Lennok?

As that thought occurred to him, Lennok slowly withdrew his fluctuating mana and regulated his breathing.

“……”

He had no intention of denying that the premises Lennok had considered were subtly shifting with changes in time and environment. However, if such changes occurred, their direction had to move in a way that Lennok could control. Increasing variables when the world’s ending was still uncertain was not a good choice. Even Lennok himself, driven by an inexplicable certainty and intuition, desired an answer, but he also understood that the outcome could be tragic. What meaning could an illusion built on vague promises hold? It was impossible to clearly define an uncertain future, or to deceive others with such lies.

It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by prolonged contemplation. Lennok ended his musings and refocused on the immediate issue.

“…Even by incorporating barrier magic, improving the efficiency of spatial transference itself remains a distant goal.”

Crackle! At his gesture, the space before him warped as if crumpled paper, then tore apart, unable to bear the strain. Simultaneously, the heavy concrete block in front of Lennok shattered into pieces along the rift, then burned and melted, succumbing to the friction between spaces.

Hiss!

The acrid smell of melting cement stung his nose, but Lennok’s expression remained unchanged.

“Activating the spatial transference spell itself consumes an enormous amount of mana, and increasing the area is like pouring oil on fire.”

“That conclusion was reached a long time ago, wasn’t it?”

Davi replied, wagging her tail.

“Unless you define a new Domain within the spatial magic system and refine it there, expecting greater efficiency than this is difficult… The research log from 84 days, 5 hours, and 48 minutes ago has a record of it.”

“…You didn’t have to tell me. I came back here today specifically to solve that problem.”

Lennok kept brief logs of his magical achievements, storing them within Davi’s database. Even if Davi wasn’t of much help in discussing magical theories, organizing his thoughts by talking things through with someone else was beneficial. Having properly realized this, Lennok had already conveyed some of his insights to Davi and set up measures for her to analyze them in real-time. Even if there wasn’t a significant immediate effect, who knew? Perhaps Davi, having fully understood Lennok’s theories, might one day become a proper sorcerer herself. It was a thought that made him chuckle, but it didn’t require much time or effort, so it didn’t matter. The real effort and time, which needed to be meticulously carved out, were to be invested in the new spatial magic research he was about to attempt.

“Shall we begin?”

Vwoom! As he touched his left eye, his purple Mystic Eye emerged, beginning to diffuse a faint violet glow. The cracks that densely covered the Mystic Eye remained, but his vision no longer deteriorated. With the awakening of the new Mystic Eye, its output had been distributed, adjusting to a level that was no longer harmful to his body.

“Haa…”

Lennok exhaled softly, then without hesitation, pulled out a large scroll from his pocket and unfurled it.

Rustle! Papyrus Argenteus. One of the spell weapons acquired in Jindun’s Hanghasa Labyrinth, originally intended for recording and using complex barrier formations or spells that required prior preparation. While undoubtedly a versatile item, capable of serving simply as a mana reservoir, Lennok had only one purpose in mind for this spell weapon since he first obtained it: the complex spatial leap spell, [Flicker], which consumed immense mana, required pre-incantation, and demanded intricate calculations. Was this not the perfect spell to record on the Papyrus and use like a consumable? Despite knowing this, he hadn’t been able to record the Flicker spell on the Papyrus until now because of a functional conflict between the two spells and the artifact. Papyrus Argenteus was an artifact that recorded spells or barrier formations by compressing them to their limit between its pages. Naturally, this process interfered with spatial and spell information. Lennok’s Flicker spell, which directly manipulated spatial systems in the same way, clashed with the Papyrus’s fundamental operating principle, making it impossible to record within it.

‘Spatial interference is an exceedingly precise and delicate task, and it’s understandable that two already perfected systems of artifacts and spells would clash. However…’

Conversely, it was undoubtedly a problem Lennok had to solve to use the Flicker spell without worrying about mana consumption. It was a much more feasible task than inflating his mana to an absurd degree or drastically reducing the mana consumption of spatial spells. And if he combined the new abilities he had acquired so far, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

Whoosh…! Carefully, he placed his hand on the page of the Papyrus, drawing a small circle with his finger. The other spell weapon on his finger, [Feigenbaum’s Eye], illuminated an imaginary dimension, forcefully opening another space onto the Papyrus.

Creak! Overloading Feigenbaum’s Eye, which observed the imaginary dimension, allowed direct interference for merely 0.75 seconds. While this was a fleeting moment for human reaction speed, the Papyrus began to fixate in a state with the imaginary dimension open the moment Lennok touched his right eye. Lennok’s right Mystic Eye was an ability awakened by imitating Olivera’s The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye. While it couldn’t yet compare to her Mystic Eye, which observed and fixed the results of cause and effect, it could fix and maintain a situation that was progressing magically.

Woooong! A passage to the imaginary dimension opened on the wide scroll page, a situation forcefully fixed by the power of his Mystic Eye. With trembling hands, Lennok slowly began to inscribe the pre-prepared magic circle of the Flicker spell onto it.

Sizzle! As he began to imbue the Flicker magic barrier array, previously diagrammed with Jindun’s barrier magic, a violent repulsion caused a sound like tearing paper to echo. It was the repulsion between different spatial systems. A side effect occurring in the process of forcing it in from the other side of the imaginary dimension using unconventional means.

“Haa…!!”

Despite the cold wind blowing, thick beads of sweat endlessly streamed down Lennok’s forehead, clad only in a light shirt. The imaginary dimension’s grayish glow inversely spread up his arm, dulling the sensation in his fingertips, but conversely, the Flicker’s magic circle slowly began to be carved onto the Papyrus’s surface.

Crack! A thunderous sound, as if bedrock that had been sealed for ages was splitting apart. It was like a precarious balance, built by grinding all of Lennok’s capabilities and methods to their extreme precision. The moment the Flicker’s magic circle was fully inscribed onto the scroll, as if drawn by an invisible hand, a powerful shockwave burst forth from the scroll, flinging Lennok’s body backward.

Bang! Lennok was sent plummeting outside the wall of a remote high-rise building under construction.

“Master!!”

A bewildered Davi leaped up, scurried, and stomped her feet, ready to jump down to the same spot.

Flash! Lennok, reappearing in a flash above Davi’s head, grabbed the little fox’s scruff and began to fall dozens of meters downward.

“Don’t worry too much.”

“Oh?”

The cyber spirit tilted her head, cradled in Lennok’s arms. Lennok, clutching his shirt flapping in the wind, smiled contentedly as he continued to fall with his back to the ground.

“It seems I succeeded.”

[Flicker]

Lennok vanished as if flashing in mid-air. It didn’t stop at once; he flashed twice more in the air, instantly traversing the windy night sky. He extended threads of mana, grasped a nearby building, and glided. Then, he used Flicker once more to leap inside the building and dashed through an office.

Pitter-patter! He was drenched in sweat and gasping for breath but didn’t stop. He waved his arms and stumbled forward, then used Flicker again to leap into the air. He rode the wind, falling through the cold night air.

Whoosh! The sharp sound of wind whistled past his ears. The chilling cold brushed his face. Even as he gasped for air until his lungs felt like bursting, Lennok couldn’t stop smiling. Despite using Flicker repeatedly like this, there was not an ounce of change in Lennok’s mana. The Flicker spell already recorded on the Papyrus was being consumed instead, directly moving Lennok’s body. Although he had to leap according to the pre-recorded distance and speed, he felt he had found a way to temporarily escape the burden of mana. His fingers trembled at the thought that he had finally acquired mobility useful even in combat.

“Haa… I thought I was going to die.”

Davi, perched on Lennok’s shoulder, looking at him, sighed and hung dangling from his shirt collar. Lennok embraced Davi and continued to run until his breath gave out, flickering, leaping again.

Flash-flash-flash! Lennok’s body was drenched in sweat after several airborne dashes. Yet, a certainty close to euphoria spread across his face.

“Haa, haa…!! I’m ready.”

He rolled up the Papyrus, which slowly floated and circled around him, and turned. Lennok, standing with one shoe pressing against the building’s exterior wall, looked down at the distant ground below and muttered, “Now it’s time to meet Madrich.”

The undeveloped zone sprawled across the outermost periphery of the mega-city. Specifically, the coastline at the southeastern tip of the continent. Even before the sea was properly visible, the salty tang in the air and the cold sea breeze buffeted Lennok’s body. With his hands in his coat pockets, Lennok hunched his shoulders, about to slowly reveal himself, concealing his presence.

“Van, over here.”

A voice from behind a thick rock quietly called Lennok’s name. Lennok naturally nodded and walked toward the speaker. The man, leaning his back against the rock and inspecting his equipment, acknowledged Lennok with a slight bow. Lennok approached him and quietly asked,

“Agent?”

“I’m Strument, from the Field Response Team. It’s an honor to work with the external consultant I’ve only heard rumors about.”

He had a strong impression with his short-cropped hair. His disciplined posture and demeanor were striking.

“I heard you were from the Navy.”

“It’s been over five years since I was discharged. Honestly, it’s hard to call me a soldier at this point in my career.”

Strument replied nonchalantly, then turned and started moving first.

“Let’s go. All preparations were completed before Van arrived.”

“The information I gave you beforehand was just this coastline, and only an approximate location. Do you already have some idea what’s going on?”

Lennok appreciated Strument’s straightforward attitude, moving directly to the point after a brief exchange of greetings. However, it would be strange if such bold movements weren’t imbued with certainty. As expected, Strument, walking ahead, quietly nodded.

“Originally, I didn’t intend to accept this mission. Even putting aside a promotion exam that holds little meaning for me, my memories of this sea area aren’t particularly good.”

“……”

“But when I heard that the one who had settled in this sea area might be that Military Spirit Sorcerer, I had no choice.”

Even though they had come to the coast, Strument’s footsteps did not lead to the sea. Instead, they led only to a small hill overlooking the sea, to a simple grassy patch created on the outskirts of the salty sandy beach. On that grassy patch stood hundreds of densely packed, elongated gravestones. On various parts of the gravestones, worn away by the sea wind, were inscribed the names of the deceased and military-like ranks. Only then did Lennok realize exactly where they were and quietly muttered,

“A Naval Cemetery.”

“If the Military Spirit Sorcerer has taken root in this sea area, there’s only one thing he’d want.”

Strument, facing hundreds of gravestones, muttered with an unidentifiable expression.

“I couldn’t stand the thought of my friends, who should be resting in peace, being used like that.”

“……”

It wasn’t hard to imagine what had happened for the now-defunct City Government-direct Naval forces to be disbanded. Just like Lieutenant General Treppen of the Defense Force, whom Lennok had faced, it was a reality where they lost scale and power, weakened, and were ultimately abandoned like dogs after a hunt. Could one assert that the same hadn’t happened to the Navy? Lennok, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and placing it in his mouth, turned to Strument and said,

“Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll contact the Agent’s side separately to arrange compensation.”

“…Are you truly going to be alright going alone?”

Strument, still hesitating and unable to easily leave despite Lennok’s words, said, “Team Leader Marcia told me to consider dissuading you if the situation looked too dangerous, Van.”

“Didn’t we just meet?”

Lennok chuckled.

“That’s right. To be honest, I never said anything like this to my comrades even when I was in the Navy.”

Strument scratched his head with an awkward expression.

“Team Leader Marcia would be very sad.”

“……”

Lennok fell silent. Lennok, silently tapping the unlit cigarette in his mouth, patted Strument’s shoulder and stood up.

“I’ll do my best to prevent such a misfortune from happening.”

“…If you go down from the center of the cemetery, at the 6 o’clock direction, there should be a crypt leading underground. It was the preferred method of the disbanded Naval command.”

Strument said that, then took a step back and bowed his head.

“I wish you good luck.”

He was a man who knew how to hold his tongue, even with more to say. He must have been an outstanding soldier in the Defense Force. Yet, the fact that even such a man couldn’t endure for long was proof of how dire the situation of the Defense Force was at the time. Considering Lieutenant General Treppen’s downfall and the City Government’s newly established Air Force, it wasn’t difficult to infer the underlying circumstances. Lennok, however, neatly put such thoughts aside and turned his gaze toward the cemetery.

“Haa…”

He knew he was walking into the opponent’s prepared trap, yet he couldn’t stop. Ultimately, it was Lennok’s role to uncover the hidden secrets. If Lennok didn’t take the risk, the opponent would simply maintain their stance and wait for an endless conclusion. He had to move before all those mistakes flowed away, leaving behind a handful of regret. There would be no regrets. He had always convinced himself with trivial excuses and flimsy reasons, but perhaps it was because he had fully accepted his desire to leave meaning in every moment.

All preparations were complete. From now on, it was a problem that rested solely on Lennok’s shoulders.

Clunk! Beneath the massive cornerstone in the center of the cemetery. As he extended mana into a crack there, stairs leading underground naturally appeared. Lennok confirmed Strument’s now-empty spot, then immediately moved down the stairs. The sight of the coat-clad wizard disappearing underground coincided with the moon subtly shifting its angle. Immediately after, the hundreds of gravestones vanished as if ghosts, leaving behind only a quiet grassy patch.

Shhh…

He descended the cold stone steps into an endless underground space. As Lennok went down the stairs, he realized his position was rapidly changing through his sensory sphere and slowed his pace.

‘Spatial distortion… Sorcerers nearing Level 8 use it like breathing. Is this a method of placing only the entrance in the sea area and shifting the internal location?’

With every step, Lennok’s own coordinates, checked with mana, skipped rapidly, moving him further out of the sea area.

‘This is definitely not an ordinary Military Spirit Sorcerer. Then, who on earth…?’

How could a sorcerer from the Military Spirit city of Yorta exert such immense influence on the mega-city’s decision-making? What was the meaning of this massive cemetery and crypt Lennok was now passing through? It was undoubtedly an opportunity to discover all those reasons and meanings.

Lennok’s determined strides quickened, and he stopped before a stone door that appeared at the end of the seemingly endless underground staircase.

“Young.”

Tap! A small-framed old man had appeared before the stone door at some point, quietly smiling as he looked at Lennok.

“Young and full of vitality. A desire I haven’t encountered in decades.”

“That face…”

Lennok frowned, discerning that the old man standing before him was the very same one who had given instructions to participants just before the start of the Grimoire Gang’s race.

Despite Lennok’s reaction, the old man continued, unfazed.

“To refuse my offer and seek out my sanctuary yourself. That audacity is commendable, but what’s more astonishing is the sheer ability to turn such an audacious idea into a meaningful outcome.”

On the old man’s face, a faint, undeniable admiration was now visible as he looked at Lennok.

“I am not generous enough to permit uninvited guests, but if you wished to captivate me, this was an excellent judgment. To find this sea area and descend to the crypt’s entrance after just a single encounter.”

“……”

“Good. I should give a gift to the child who found the answer without being asked a question.”

As the old man abruptly turned his back, the stone door of the crypt began to open. The old man glanced back at Lennok, then continued walking.

“Follow me. I too have prepared the answers you seek.”