Chapter 920: The Summit (3)
Ssssssizzle!!
Every time the crimson lava dripped, a grating noise and a heat haze shimmered into existence.
A lake of lava, pooled in the center of a dark cavern, scattering immense heat. A waterfall of heat cascaded from above, maintaining and constructing the form of a lake that could not exist naturally underground.
The Furnace of the Sunken Spring, on the 18th and lowest floor of Gisusingung.
“Palace Lord.”
On a metal platform at the edge of the lake, a woman in a suit stood with her hands politely clasped as she spoke.
“The preparations for the tempering are complete. You must cool your body, so please stop coughing now.”
[…Hmph, is it that time already?]
At that moment, a languid telepathic message echoed from the middle of the massive lava lake.
Splash!!
A metallic sphere of complex design shot up from the lake, revealing the body of an ordinary human beneath it. As the metallic sphere that replaced its head rotated, the body below the neck slowly walked across the lake. A bizarre sight, seemingly unaffected by the heat of the lava that could melt even metal.
Ssssssizzle!!
It walked out of the lake, streams of molten lava dripping from between its arms and shoulders. With a single gesture, it shook off the remaining heat, and a prepared gown was draped over its body. As it sat in an armchair placed next to the lava lake, the woman in the suit approached and began to gently handle the metallic sphere.
“I will adjust in the order of Yeokgeum, Seobeol, Jihak, and Baeksul.”
Gisusingung was an order that handled spellcraft that manipulated the propensity of metal. However, that spellcraft was exceedingly delicate and complex, only able to exist under an organic balance. This was because to wield the paradox of ‘propensity’ within the laws of spellcraft, the caster themself had to perceive perfect balance.
The ‘tempering’ was a process of periodic adjustment to ensure the caster could correctly perceive this balance. For human thought and judgment are never neutral; they are biased and flawed. The process was to correct this by beating and refining the contents of one’s mind within a heat that surpassed all limits. It was clear proof that the spellcraft of Gisusingung no longer functioned as a power meant for humans.
Click, whirr!
Black, silver, gold, and red metals mixed and rotated, emitting a strange noise. Cheoknoe, Olinic, who had entrusted the adjustment of the sphere to the woman’s touch, let out a soft sigh.
[I am tired, Raquin. And I feel even more tired these days for some reason.]
“If the Palace Lord had not handed two embers to Cheonbeon, you could be resting more comfortably in the furnace now.”
The woman called Raquin replied calmly.
“The ember of Monstrous Flame and the Harmonizing Color of the Thought Spring. They were far too valuable to be given to a rootless magician.”
[Raquin… I told you, it couldn’t be helped.]
Olinic replied, his voice slow and drawn out as if he were sleepy.
[Had I not intervened, the final battle between Cheonbeon and Adamant Thunder would have been delayed far longer than scheduled. In the worst case, it might have dragged on until the summit.]
“…”
[He was a cautious man, unlike a flame sorcerer. He wouldn’t have moved before calculating his chances of victory. Indeed, the martial prowess he displayed during the decisive battle was truly phenomenal, but….]
Olinic shrugged.
[As they say, the success or failure of human endeavors is decided by the heavens. He was just a little short against a sorcerer who could open the sky and call down lightning.]
“I saw the lower ranks discussing the outcome of the battle that day.”
Raquin answered evenly.
“They said that if the thought-form hadn’t interfered, the fight might have gone in a slightly different direction.”
[Hooh, and so?]
“Naturally, I disciplined them and locked them in the Metal-Refining Chamber for a week as punishment…”
[…]
At Raquin’s clueless response, Olinic looked up with an expression of disbelief.
[No, Raquin. I was asking what conclusion they came to. Did you lock them up for a week without even hearing them out?]
“They said they were merely discussing a claim that had become a hot topic on the Deep Web. I judged it not worth listening to.”
[Hah… I was about to ask for the details, thinking they weren’t wrong.]
“Pardon?”
[That battle was concluded in a way that deliberately left some room for ambiguity. It seems there are still many discerning eyes even in the underworld.]
As Olinic muttered this nonchalantly, Raquin’s expression hardened slightly.
“…Are you saying the two magicians colluded on the outcome beforehand?”
[I don’t know the specific circumstances. Who could know what conversation took place within Cheonbeon’s Domain?]
Olinic said, letting his head rest in Raquin’s hands.
[However, it’s clear they prioritized their respective goals over the immediate outcome. Cheonbeon wanted his master, and Adamant Thunder wanted to subjugate the thought-form, so they must have reached an agreement quickly. That’s why the battle ended so strangely fast right after the Domain was deployed.]
“In that case…”
[You regret that I gave Cheonbeon the embers of Monstrous Flame and Harmonizing Color, but I think that if not for this moment, I could not have used them in such a way.]
Olinic murmured.
[The Monstrous Flame had become too corrupt a power to be used for adjustments, and the ember of Harmonizing Color is a power that ultimately belongs to her. It is enough that it was handed over before its value diminished, used as a catalyst to hasten Cheonbeon’s actions.]
“I believe it was not a power that would lose its value as easily as you say.”
[That is also true. Cheonbeon himself probably didn’t feel like he tested its full performance.]
Olinic said leisurely.
[If it wasn’t all burned away and some remained, it wouldn’t be strange for the flames to rise again from the ashes, would it?]
Finally understanding Olinic’s words, Raquin’s complexion changed slightly.
“…Surely, you aren’t looking forward to a rematch between the two great magicians?”
[Who knows. For now, it is a matter beyond my reach. However, even with one defeat, it is an undeniable fact that his talent is comparable to Adamant Thunder’s.]
Whirrrrr!!
The moment Raquin released her hands, Olinic’s sphere began to rotate violently, quickly finding its position. Through days of tempering and adjustment, the spellcraft is maintained, and perfection is sought in the lake of lava. Rising from his seat while still in the gown, Olinic looked down at Raquin and smiled.
[If even that defeat left some room for doubt, wouldn’t there be a chance to use it again someday?]
“I find that hard to imagine. I think it will be rare for the paths of such monsters to cross again.”
[Well, perhaps.]
Olinic didn’t bother to argue against Raquin’s blunt denial. Instead, he simply raised his hand with a slow motion and drew upon his mana.
In that instant, the entire Furnace of the Sunken Spring began to tremble violently. The metal parts enveloping the furnace resonated in response to his will, swirling fiercely as they rose into the air.
Metal Forging of Extreme Propensity.
Jeonryungeumgu Type 0.
Kugugugugu!!!
Hundreds of thousands of metal parts swirled and assembled in mid-air, transforming into a giant metallic sphere above the lava lake. A smooth metal sphere, its surface densely engraved with intricate cracks and circuits.
Fwoosh!!
The moment Olinic took a light step forward, his form instantly appeared atop the giant sphere. At the moment the sphere that replaced his head and the Jeonryungeumgu rotating beneath his feet synchronized their rotational speed.
Charrrrrrk!!
The metallic sphere instantly pulled Olinic inside, embracing him and emitting an intense magical power.
[It is time, Raquin. Let us prepare for an outing.]
Olinic muttered, his cold gaze gleaming from between the metal plates of the sphere.
[Depending on how that lightning sorcerer handles the other powerhouses at the summit, this time, I will know for sure.]
“For someone rumored to be holed up in their lab, you’re quite diligent.”
A vast library where old tomes and ancient documents were stacked in layers. Walking past bookshelves far taller than himself, Lennok followed a hazy veil and asked.
“You snuck out to watch the last fight, and now this. Have you developed a hobby for outings?”
Olivera’s personal research lab. A secret sanctum created by partitioning the domain permitted only to a Level 8 ultimate-class superhuman. It had been a while since he had come to this lab, which could transform into various spaces depending on its purpose, much like folding and unfolding the pages of a book.
[You, on the other hand, have developed quite a foul mouth since I last saw you.]
Beyond the wavering veil between the bookshelves, Olivera, who had been stroking an old parchment, scoffed.
[It is quite amusing to see you run rampant, having forgotten all the grace I’ve shown you.]
“That’s enough spite. Let’s talk about the summit.”
Lennok sat down on a pile of books, took out his inhaler, and spoke. In place of a cigarette that might spark, he vaporized and inhaled a liquid made from a mixture of several medicinal herbs.
Pfft, pfft-
Lennok, not letting go of the inhaler despite wrinkling his face at the foul taste, asked.
“You seem quite relaxed for someone who contacted me through Virgil. Don’t tell me you plan on participating yourself?”
[There have been many mutually embarrassing moments to now face those proud losers in person.]
Olivera sneered.
[I’d find it more beneficial to watch your little prank play out one more time.]
“Coming from someone who called me here at this point in time, that doesn’t sound very convincing.”
Is there someone among the summit attendees that Olivera finds awkward to face directly? He was being indirect, but it was likely related to grudges from the civil war.
Lennok shook his head calmly.
“I expected you wouldn’t be straightforward. What are you plotting?”
He didn’t expect to be able to find the Director herself with Olivera’s Mystic Eye. He had planned to ask for help tracking the Director’s traces if she attended the summit, but perhaps Olivera had no intention of participating himself in the first place.
However, Olivera’s next words were somewhat beyond Lennok’s expectations.
[I plan to send a proxy.]
“A proxy? That doesn’t sound like you.”
Lennok furrowed his brow.
“They said they’re setting up a siege barrier around the entire satellite city, so they’ll try to block most variables through spellcraft. It’s highly likely that entry will be forbidden to anyone not in a host body that is practically the original.”
[Don’t worry, I have no intention of seeking your help even if you say that.]
Olivera said in a relaxed voice.
[I have already prepared the necessary personnel. Even if the summit is held under Anathema’s name, bypassing the procedures is not difficult for me.]
“It seems you have a talented individual among your executives who can do such a thing. Well, someone like Virgil wouldn’t be a bad choice…”
If Olivera, with his Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye, was determined to pull a trick, it wouldn’t be impossible. If he made a high-ranking vampire like Virgil his proxy, it might be possible to bypass security, given the venue’s nature of allowing the entry of corpses.
Although Lennok said as much, he hadn’t actually expected every ultimate-class superhuman to participate in person. Lennok, who was trying to find someone at the summit, had no reason not to, but surely someone would use their head or pull some strings to safely reap the benefits.
“If you’ve already prepared the method and the person, why did you call me?”
[…]
Instead of answering, Olivera tossed the old parchment he was holding over the veil. The parchment rolled out from behind the hazy veil and landed at Lennok’s feet.
Lennok picked it up and unfolded it. Engraved on the parchment was the sigil of a goat shedding tears of blood.
“…”
[Among the nobles of Ars Nova, there are few names left that still maintain their lineage.]
As Lennok frowned at the shape of the sigil, which made no attempt to hide its ominous nature, Olivera spoke.
[Anathema is one of the very few names that still retains significant status and power.]
“…So this is about Armas von Anathema.”
Lennok nodded. He had remembered the name ever since he heard it from the necromancer.
The Eye of Evil Extermination. A Level 8 Dragon Sorcerer. A hero of the civil war. He had heard various epithets, but the reason Lennok remembered the name so vividly was for another reason entirely. The necromancer’s attitude, as if the name Anathema itself held meaning. That was what had given Lennok a strong sense of unease.
“Is this goat shedding tears of blood the symbol of Anathema?”
[The reason that name still holds power is surprisingly simple.]
Olivera said.
[It is because Anathema was a noble family exiled from the central city. It is an ironic tale that because it happened before Ars Nova fell, they were able to preserve their lineage.]
“…”
[But even such a minor coincidence, in this world, is an incomparably precious piece of causality and fate.]
From beyond the veil, Olivera’s eyes, now turned completely toward Lennok, flashed.
[A deal, magician.]
Olivera said.
[Make contact with Anathema and bring me a part of his body.]
“…How absurd.”
Finally realizing what Olivera wanted, Lennok laughed.
“Bring you a part of Anathema’s body during the summit? Do you think that’s even possible?”
[Though its light has faded with the passage of time, the talent and privilege Anathema possesses are real. It is a pure crystal of causality, undamaged even as the central city fell.]
“Why do you need something like that?”
[Because the miracle I am trying to achieve cannot be expected to succeed without such a fortuitous causality.]
“…”
Olivera’s gaze shone intensely.
[I am not particularly seeking your understanding. Naturally, I will pay a fitting price.]
“A fitting price, you say.”
Lennok scoffed.
“This is a completely different story from the Deadrise situation. You know that, right?”
Capturing Peshia Grisbern, the Ghost Princess of Deadrise, was something he had to do regardless of Olivera’s request, as she was an enemy he had to defeat. She was an opponent he was bound to clash with in the process of building his Magic Tower, so he had merely acted on it during that process. For a deal like this, to bring back a part of the body of an Anathema he had never even met, the price Lennok would have to receive would have to be very handsome indeed.
“Even though it’s piggybacking on the summit, it’s essentially adding another job to my plate.”
Lennok inhaled from his device and tilted his head back.
“I’ll need to confirm the payment for success in advance, of course, and this time, I’ll need a down payment as well. If even one thing isn’t to my liking, we’ll call it off.”
[Do you think I would be empty-handed while trying to move a difficult sorcerer like you?]
“You’re going to pay the price yourself?”
[Of course.]
Olivera laughed.
[If you succeed in this, I will personally lend a hand so that you can go straight to the Outer Tribulation City.]
“…”
The expression vanished from Lennok’s face.
The rainbow-hued eyes watching Lennok from beyond the veil curved into a smile.
[You look so pleased you can hardly contain yourself.]
“…An interesting answer.”
Lennok stood up, setting down the inhaler he was holding, and smiled.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever said a word about the Outer Tribulation City.”
[Did you not consult the Harmonizing Color of Sinclair about that matter?]
“Harmonizing Color…?”
The Sinclair Magic Tower. The person he had consulted about Kundara… was he referring to Claris Richellen? A magician of her stature, a teacher to Aris Richellen, wouldn’t have carelessly blabbered about such a fact. As Lennok wondered how he had found out, Olivera spoke.
[To enter Kundara, you must forcibly adjust the timing to match when the star’s orbital cycle is twisted.]
“…”
[A time that would normally have to be estimated by calculating the star’s rotation, I can advance with my power.]
Come to think of it, Claris had also mentioned the term ‘orbital cycle’. She had said there would be a change in the orbital cycle based on the barrier at the Central Front. As his memory reached that point, Lennok’s expression changed slightly.
“Wait, don’t tell me…”
[Let me tell you here the fact that the Harmonizing Color could not speak of due to the laws of the long-lived.]
Olivera smiled.
[The barrier currently blocking Ars Nova is the work of Kundara. If I offer this fact as a down payment, will that suffice as an answer?]