Chapter 722: Burglary (15)
Hall of the Sun. A world of infinite flames, enveloping consciousness and burning bright.
A magnificent fiery ideation, passed down through generations of Tower Lords, expanded and maintained.
RUMBLE-RUMBLE-RUMBLE!!!
Lennok slowly walked, observing the altar of fire rising, fueled by will-thought.
Even at this moment, the Taiji Incarnation’s ritual was trying to envelop Lennok and use him as a sacrifice, but it didn’t matter.
One of the fragments of Lennok’s transcendent talent: Target-Designated Resistance.
He knew that the ritual magic, specifically designated to sacrifice him, would not bear proper fruit.
Of course, given that the ritual magic used by the Tower Lord is presumed to be from the Old World’s magic system, it was too early for absolute certainty.
Nevertheless, the moment Lennok entered this Hall of the Sun, he instinctively knew his judgment was correct.
ROAR-ROAR-ROAR!!!
Passing through the blinding corridor of flames, he reached the end of the hall, where a colossal altar, engulfed in roaring fire, came into view.
In the world of consciousness, the limits of perception and sensation were synonymous with size and speed.
The altar in the hall was so immense that, subjectively, it felt like a structure easily exceeding tens of meters.
Eight altars, boasting such grand scale, stood within the vast hall.
Whoosh!!!
Above the eight altars, suns of various colors and brilliance glowed and burned, illuminating the hall.
Lennok stood emotionless in the center of the hall, gazing at the radiating brilliance of the suns from all directions.
The sun. He already understood that it symbolized the very origin of the Blaiver Magic Tower.
The Tower Lord’s ultimate fate: constantly gathering the ideation of flames, turning himself into an endlessly radiating heat source.
If the Magic Tower’s succession of authority had proceeded correctly, eight altars and suns should have perfectly existed in the true consciousness space accessed through the Phoenix Hall.
However, the first, second, and seventh altars had no suns.
“……”
The seventh sun, the Phoenix Hall, was in Lennok’s possession, so that explained it, but the absence of the first and second suns felt jarring.
What did it mean that the will-thoughts of those who first opened the Tower were not present in this consciousness space?
It likely meant that the Tower Lord’s succession of authority hadn’t proceeded smoothly.
But what truly captured Lennok’s gaze was the sight of a bluish sun burning atop the eighth altar.
Crrrck…!!
The eighth sun, located at the very end of the altars, seemed to be condensed plasma rather than flame.
While emitting a strange, alien flame unlike the other suns, its form burned precariously, as if it could shatter and split apart at any moment.
It trembled and cracked, pitifully struggling to maintain its shape.
It writhed desperately to remain on the altar, hiding its fragility within the heat of the other remaining suns.
The moment Lennok slowly moved and stood before the precarious plasma.
“[…Unbelievable.]”
A voice echoed from the eighth altar.
The Tower Lord’s gentle voice, which had just turned the theme park ruins into a sea of fire.
“[An outsider, who has received neither the Magic Tower’s teachings nor its legacy… has somehow acquired all the qualifications to stand before this altar.]”
That voice, which had consistently maintained its composure, was now filled with an emotion clear for anyone to discern.
“[Are you saying something has happened now that has never occurred in the Tower’s long history?]”
The Tower Lord wasn’t flustered or afraid that Lennok had set foot in this hall.
It was the shock of a sanctuary being trespassed by an outsider.
The shame of revealing the hall’s true form, which should have been forbidden to anyone but himself.
He was simply lamenting this situation that had slipped beyond his control.
“If we’re being precise, wouldn’t you say this is something you brought about?”
Lennok slowly raised his hand, extending it towards the altar, and asked.
“When you’ve laid down deep roots, there’s naturally not enough space in your mind to plant new saplings later.”
“[….]”
“You must have known that once you wield magic from another world, the existing Hierarchy cannot help but be shaken.”
The Taiji Incarnation is powerful magic, but it runs counter to the principles of amplification and expansion that the Tower seeks.
An Old World ritual magic that seems to place meaning not on the ideation of flame itself, but on the process of combustion.
An Old World magic system, fundamentally different from what is common in this world.
Within his inner self, having already reached the pinnacle of mastery with the Magic Tower’s unique magic, there was no longer room for a new magic system.
If he ignored that and forcibly learned new magic, it was inevitable that even his Root Mindscape would be shaken.
This was unavoidable unless one had initially grown multiple roots to prepare for such an eventuality, or possessed a transcendentally vast self and ideation.
The moment Lennok realized this, he grasped the authority of the Phoenix Hall and entered the consciousness space of the past Tower Lords.
Reaching the Root Mindscape of the eighth Tower Lord, he was now directly conversing with him.
“All I did was slip into the crack in the ideation that you created.”
Standing before the altar, Lennok turned to the Tower Lord and smiled.
“How does it feel to have your house burgled by an outsider?”
At that moment, a new answer finally emerged from beyond the eighth sun.
“[…Fine.]”
CRACK!!!
Cracks split open between the silent suns, transforming them into something like the maw of a colossal beast.
Dripping flames as hot as saliva, the sun uttered a quiet voice.
“[I was mistaken, Adamant Thunder.]”
“……”
“[I understand that you have obtained legitimate qualifications. And that you possess an ideation of flame sufficient to reach the peak.]”
The Tower Lord spoke in a voice devoid of emotion.
“[If you wield such great flame magic and have achieved so much, then the path you have walked must surely not have been easy.]”
Despite being enraged and lamenting Lennok’s actions, the Tower Lord’s speed in composing himself was astonishingly quick.
It wasn’t reluctant acceptance, but a genuine acknowledgment that this chain of causality was not wrong.
“[Let us make a deal, qualified one.]”
“A deal?”
“[The Phoenix Hall you hold is my master’s remnant, and originally the symbol of the sun that should have existed on the seventh altar.]”
The Tower Lord said.
“[If Tatiana entrusted that destiny to you, then its return must also be through your will. I shall offer a fitting price.]”
“What good would offering a price now do, what with—”
“[I will not ask you to join the Tower. Bowing to the Magic Tower’s order would also not be a satisfactory alternative for you.]”
The teeth of the distorted plasma sun seemed to subtly twist for a moment.
“[But what if I were to grant you passage through the First Gateway to the greatest city on this continent?]”
“……”
Lennok’s eyes narrowed as he grasped the meaning of those words.
One of the reasons the Blaiver Magic Tower solidified its current standing, and a strategic stronghold recognized even on the outskirts of the Central Front.
The First Gateway, created to lead to the central city of Ars Nova. He was offering to transfer its ownership to Lennok right now.
“[It is enough if you simply return the Phoenix Hall entirely to the hall. With just that, I will swear upon my Geas to uphold my promise.]”
The Tower Lord whispered.
The plasma sun smiled at Lennok, swaying faintly.
“[Tatiana, the wizard who betrayed the Tower, the rebels of Deadrise, and even the old crones of Vulcan. I will handle everything personally. You need only claim the fruits of that labor for yourself.]”
The Tower Lord knew how meaningless it was to reproach Lennok for learning pyromantic magic or to inquire into how he acquired the Phoenix Hall.
The situation where the Tower’s consciousness had chosen a new successor, despite him being undeniably present as the Tower Lord.
Separate from the anger and betrayal he felt at this fact, was his self-control in setting aside emotions and making the best alternative judgment for the situation.
Had he quickly prioritized and extracted the best alternative conditions, even as his very foundation precariously shook?
The boldness to not waver and even concede his greatest trump card was quite impressive.
Even Lennok, listening, was momentarily intrigued by the offer.
But Lennok, knowing all this, slowly shook his head.
“Tower Lord. You seem to be mistaken about something.”
Lennok replied with a smile.
“All those proposals are meaningless from the moment I gained the authority. Everything you obtained with your authority will be granted to me in the same way.”
The moment his authority over the Phoenix Hall was formally recognized, making him a Successor, Lennok could freely enter and exit the Tower’s Solar System.
A situation where both the Tower Lord and Lennok coexisted in this space, which should have originally been accessible only to the Tower’s highest authority, the Tower Lord himself.
The Eighth and Ninth, who had both inherited the same authority from the Seventh Tower Lord.
This paradox where what was possible for the Tower Lord became possible for Lennok, and what was the Tower Lord’s became Lennok’s.
But this paradox was not caused by Lennok, but by the Tower Lord’s own taboo.
“[…Indeed. There is no longer even room for negotiation, is there?]”
The silent Tower Lord sighed.
Yet, his sun appeared astonishingly calm, without any wavering or anger.
“[But those are undeniable words. If it cannot be avoided, then this too must be a tribulation to be overcome.]”
“Tribulation?”
“[Did I steal the magic of another world without any resolve, turning my disciples into fuel?]”
The Tower Lord murmured.
“[I spared no means or methods. I cast aside even my prestige and pride. And I willingly endured the distortions that came with the process.]”
“……”
“[If you wish to seize this beautiful world from me, then do as you please. You have already acquired legitimate qualifications.]”
The plasma sun burning before him formed a grotesque smile.
“[But if you fail to perfectly crush me today, then you should know that next time, the opportunity will be mine.]”
“Opportunity, you say…”
“[Feel free to harm me, shatter me, break me apart in this hall. I will surely rise again and reclaim everything.]”
A futile promise to look to the future, even as he admitted his inability to harm Lennok here and now.
But Lennok knew that the Tower Lord’s words were by no means empty threats.
The Blaiver Magic Tower Lord was a meticulous and cunning strategist, spoken of openly even on the Central Front.
He was a monster who, even during the chaotic times of the Central government, maintained a delicate balance and held an undeniable position within the front.
Especially since passing through the First Gateway of the front, which he powered, absolutely required the Tower’s cooperation.
If he were to become hostile with the Tower Lord at this point, future conflicts would inevitably arise.
Moreover, the Tower Lord himself was a peak wizard who had already transcended Hierarchy and reached level 8.
Even Lennok could not easily gauge the level of his power, as he freely wielded two lineages of pyromantic magic.
Perhaps he, too, was a monster like Myeong, who had long ago restrained his overflowing talent and capabilities, keeping his physical body anchored in the present world.
If he could descend for a moment using Duren’s body as an avatar and effortlessly cast this level of ritual magic…
He was undoubtedly a monster far beyond what he revealed, one who would spare no means or methods for his own gain.
“Tower Lord. Do you still not understand?”
But Lennok, knowing this, let out a small laugh.
“What I intend to do is not to lay a hand on your ideation, or to kill you. From the start, such a thing wouldn’t be possible between holders of the same authority in this consciousness space.”
“[…What?]”
Lennok didn’t answer, slowly walking past the eighth altar.
Next to the altar was a vast, empty clearing in the hall. He slowly bent down and placed his hand there.
The moment Lennok’s hand touched the burning field of flames, a clear ripple spread out as if on a lake.
BOOM!!!
At the distinct pulsation that echoed from that alone, the other suns trembled.
“[What are you doing?]”
“What your master’s will-thought desired and yearned for.”
Lennok, withdrawing his hand and standing up, looked back at the Tower Lord’s sun.
“To engrave new meaning into this hall that you left empty…”
THUMP!!!!
The moment Lennok finished speaking, the Hall of the Sun, enveloped in flames, pulsed and trembled violently.
A deep resonance, like a heartbeat. The throb of a new birth.
Flames flowing from all directions gathered, surging up and beginning to rotate vigorously before Lennok.
ROAR-ROAR-ROAR!!!
The appearance of a new altar, sculpted from flames, in the empty, new clearing of the hall.
Realizing that this was the manifestation of a ninth altar, completely different from the existing ones, the Tower Lord’s ideation trembled.
WHOOSH!!!
The colossal Hall of Flames began to rotate, centered around the ninth altar and Lennok.
An illusion as if this entire consciousness space was being overwhelmed by a single wizard.
Transcendent intuition and an unassailable ego were driven into this place, becoming an absolute standard within the consciousness space.
CRASH!!!
An incredibly vivid will settled upon the empty ninth altar.
Hot flames instantly ignited and converged upon the formless will-thought, beginning to rotate atop the altar.
The ninth heat source burning above the hall.
Only then, realizing Lennok’s true intention, did the Tower Lord unleash a booming voice.
“[You intend to disregard my existence and raise a new sun!!!!]”
A soul-shaking roar, as if he felt immense shock and inspiration from the action itself.
“[How truly audacious, wizard…!! Do you believe your will can remain and burn eternally in this hall, even alone!!]”
But Lennok ignored the Tower Lord’s command and focused on his task.
He would not use his Domain.
In this consciousness space, not reality, all that was needed to unleash his Kaleidoscope was resolve.
From the moment the ninth altar was established, Lennok clearly understood what he had to do.
What was needed was the avatar’s Ideation of Flame, which burned all things.
The heart of the answerer, standing on a field of ash.
Pyromantic Magic Property Transformation
Source Hierarchy Ideation Manifestation
[Black Annihilating Starfall]
ROOOOAAAR!!!!
At that moment, the flames burning atop the ninth altar turned pitch black, and began to swell wildly in size.
The entire consciousness space distorted and vibrated as if it would explode.
As if tearing space itself and forcibly carving into that spot, Lennok’s will transcended time and space, slamming onto the altar like a scar.
“[Welcome to being the Ninth Sun, Successor.]”
Finally, a pitch-black sun surged onto the ninth altar, mournfully beginning to burn.
CRAAAAAASH!!!
The moment the Ninth Sun was engraved, an illusion of the entire Hall of Flames turning black.
The boundless consciousness space was engulfed solely by the will-thought of one person.
“[Hahahaha!!!]”
At the sight of the hall, which should have been his, being completely overturned, the Tower Lord burst into insane laughter.
He knew what kind of blow this situation would deliver him, yet he neither denied nor rejected it.
“[Indeed, such days exist. Is it only today or yesterday that things haven’t gone according to plan!!!]”
It was madness, close to self-immolation, having already transcended the relationship of profit and loss by a vast margin.
“[Come, Successor!! Devour the altars and display your sun!!]”
The Tower Lord screamed maniacally, unleashing his bluish plasma to its fullest extent.
“[Even this tribulation, I shall make it fuel for myself…!!!]”
Leaving the Tower Lord, who was unleashing his indescribable will-thought, the landscape of the hall blurred before Lennok’s eyes.
As a backlash from imprinting a new sun into the hall by forcefully driving in his remaining will-thought, the consciousness space could no longer be maintained.
Lennok, with the form of the Black Sun rising behind him on the altar, smiled.
“Interesting words. We’ll have to see until the very end who becomes the fuel.”
While he couldn’t directly interfere with the Tower Lord’s ideation in this space, it was enough without it.
As the Taiji Incarnation ritual was certain to fail, the future where the Tower Lord would bear the backlash was also confirmed.
Even if Lennok, exhausted from continuous battles, didn’t force himself, this series of events would undoubtedly cause immense harm to the Tower Lord.
He had probably suffered irreparable damage just from the losses incurred at this moment.
For today, he would have to be satisfied with imprinting Lennok’s ideation, which would never be erased, onto the very origin of the Tower.
“But next time, this won’t be the end. The day we meet again…”
Lennok, looking at the black-stained Hall of the Sun, turned away without hesitation and said.
“I will reclaim that Tower and the entire Hall.”
At that moment, the world of flames completely collapsed, and Lennok’s consciousness returned to reality.