Chapter 573 - Insight (1)
Srrng!
Gripping the hilt, he swiftly drew the bluish blade halfway out, then slid it back in. A refreshing resonance lingered by his ear.
How many times had he repeated the same motion.
In the blink of an eye, he stomped hard with his right foot and drew. The place where the light sword had passed was belatedly swept by a fierce gust of wind.
Power and speed.
Not only physical ability and mental strength, but even skill—at a level incomparable to the reckless rampaging of the past.
The extreme point of a warrior.
A state where, without clear distinction, one could claim to be perfected as a human.
If not for the opportunities bestowed by his lord, he would never have reached it.
Yet, even so, it is not enough.
Even when unleashing strikes at maximum speed, the stifling frustration would not be relieved. No matter how many times he replayed the countless battles at Daunt, the result was the same.
'…Sandir Paen.'
The transcendent of the previous era, who had appeared bearing his master's transplanted left arm, could step into a fleeting instant that no human body could ever reach.
Simply put, the man could perceive and act almost simultaneously.
Though they respectively wielded sword and spear as their main weapons, in that they both emphasized swiftness, Sandir was of the same nature as Adrian.
'Which is why the matchup is the worst.'
No matter how extraordinary [Silendar] was as a sword, if his own body were pierced before he could cut the enemy, the outcome was plain as day.
What should he do.
Adrian wrestled with the question again and again, until he went to find Enette.
The master who had reduced Sandir Paen to a wreck, if not he himself, then perhaps his disciple could offer an unexpected solution.
As a fellow swordsman.
By borrowing another's insight instead of clinging to pride, Adrian could sense his own inner transformation.
And so, today again, Enette, who spent her days shrunk into a corner of the bed, gave her answer. The conversation was exceedingly short.
In summary, it was three phrases.
───Since I am clumsy at anything but the orthodox method, I cannot offer any special advice. If you cannot shoulder it alone, then do not remain alone, and if your ability falls short, then simply fill the gap with something else…
Quite literally, a fundamental principle.
Nothing he truly needed to hear. Still, it served as a reminder that no other path existed.
The simplest breakthrough here, of course, would be for a transcendent to face a transcendent… but needless to say, such an option was unworthy of discussion.
To foist such a burden onto his lord, who would personally dispose of Balrog Bessias?
Unacceptable.
Absolutely not.
If he were to retreat when it was time to step forward, how could he claim to be his lord's sword. To kill that man must never be left to his lord.
In that sense, the possible methods narrowed down to just two.
'First, many against one.'
Gathering high-ranking forces to encircle and annihilate Sandir. In simple terms, offsetting the gap by sheer numerical superiority.
Any optimism that all would survive must be discarded without hesitation.
Casualties would be unavoidable.
Not only grave injuries, but Adrian or anyone else might meet death in the midst of battle. The opponent was a transcendent being, after all.
To assume, in the worst case, even total annihilation was only correct.
In exchange, there was a chance of victory.
How the process and outcome might unfold and conclude could not be said with certainty, but that this was the best stratagem was beyond dispute.
'And the second…'
Adrian stared at his own hand, and recalled a word both distant and near.
'Awakening.'
To step beyond the limits of the species, into the supreme realm, was the next-best measure. It sounded fanciful, but in theory, it was not impossible.
Physically and mentally, the minimum conditions had already been met.
With each moment that flowed through time, even now, he carried within him the potential for transcendence.
But.
A transcendent was said to be one chosen by the world itself. Countless were those who bore the seed of transcendence, yet in the end never blossomed.
Then, with the need for power looming so close at hand, could such a choice truly arrive within this short time.
He did not hold certainty.
He did not place belief.
Adrian had no thought of praying for such luck, not even the slightest.
It was not merely that he normally rejected reliance on fortune… what he truly considered was another kind of transcendence.
'I wish to walk the path my lord has pioneered.'
Not chosen, but choosing.
The indescribable presence he had witnessed in the Blue Mountains, and the heavens splitting open in response, still shone vividly in his memory.
Of course, apart from his conviction, it remained vague.
For he could not conjure a clear image of himself attaining the same transcendence as his lord.
But what else could he do.
Since he refused to long for a choice as others did, he had no option but to advance with his own feet. To be satisfied and complacent at the extreme point was far too premature.
Adrian clenched his fist tightly.
At that moment.
───Senior says the preparations are complete, gather at the Grand Hall, right now.
The summons was issued.
***
Though they had analyzed and replicated the teleportation magic circle connected to Balrog's domain, not all forces could be deployed.
If there were too many people, Verden would find it difficult to respond precisely in unforeseen situations, and above all, there was a limit to the transfer itself.
Because the magic circle unfolded centered on the caster, it was impossible to send only others.
The number of transferrable individuals was also restricted.
Thus, the selected party totaled eight… to be exact, six individuals and two entities. For magically, golems were regarded as living beings.
The Sage of Power, Osgar.
Unia.
Cain.
Adrian.
Isabella.
Alpha.
Beta.
And finally, Verden himself.
"From here, the place we shall enter is one none may set foot in without Balrog's permission. Therefore, there is little likelihood of elaborate traps, but conversely, we may face Balrog Bessias head-on."
Perhaps not only the highest forces of the Bohemirn magic tower, but also Sandir Paen, and the unofficial experimental subjects, might be waiting.
It was a rather pessimistic assumption.
Yet it was always proper judgment not to avert one's eyes from the worst. And to prepare countermeasures accordingly.
"Our foremost priority remains the main objective, but if things go awry, we will retreat first. Of course, we won't know the details until we go inside."
Verden turned his gaze to the twins.
"Since scouting is impossible, no one can guarantee how things will turn out. If the burden feels heavy, it is wise to leave it for next time. There will be opportunities in the future to shoulder a key role."
"Sorry, but I must very politely decline such consideration. I'm not the same as the me who once challenged you and got beaten down."
"The same goes for me, senior."
The twins too had grown, after leaving the Society's island and living in the land without a master.
Unia had fought a one-on-one magic duel with the elder of the volcano island's magic tower and seized victory, and Cain had subdued the Mercenary King in a chaotic melee.
With overwhelming talent, combined with adequate experience, they were already at elder-class level strength.
That was the main reason Verden included the two in this operation.
"Hahahahaha! Yes! That's how my children should be, truly admirable."
"Ah! You're messing up my hair!"
Osgar, proud, roughly ruffled the twins' hair.
It had been he who had picked up the abandoned infants, Unia and Cain, crying endlessly in the rain-soaked streets, and raised them.
Verden slowly shifted his gaze.
As though urging their departure, intense eyes were fixed upon him.
Alpha, perched at Adrian's chest, and Beta, on Isabella's shoulder, also flashed their oval single eyes.
[Preparation complete.]
[Awaiting orders.]
There was no need for delay.
Whoong.
Verden manipulated mana with both hands, constructing a precise form.
The circles of mana that floated around his body began to rotate, then descended vertically, merging one by one with the floor.
As they spread out, they reproduced the unique magic circle of a transcendent, bearing the distinct colors of the space attribute and a special structure.
Verden summoned [Interis].
"Let's depart."
The moment all gathered around him, the teleportation circle activated.
The Grand Hall of the great hall was engulfed in light.
***
The ceiling was high, and the radius of the floor spanned dozens of meters, an empty void.
As the magic circle physically carved in its center flickered, magic-stone lamps automatically lit up, dispelling the darkness.
Flash!
Soon after, a chilling current swirled greatly, and presence filled the space.
At the vanguard, Verden, Adrian, Cain, and Osgar guarded north, south, east, and west, while Isabella and Unia widened their field of vision from the rear.
…Even after some time had passed, no change was detected. No sign of anyone approaching them.
'So, no one is here.'
Given that even such a large-scale space ripple drew no reaction, there was a high possibility that Balrog's private laboratory was empty.
Though it was too soon for certainty.
"Scan."
At the signal, Alpha and Beta each scanned the area. The cones of mana light spread outward, probing the structure.
[…Scan complete. Three entrances confirmed, located exactly 180 degrees apart, in front and to the left and right. Interpreted as passages leading downward.]
[The structures of each entrance differ slightly. Of them, the front entrance is presumed to lead to the deepest part.]
By dividing roles, the constructs shortened the time and gained more information.
There were no immediate enemies detected, and all of the facilities here needed to be checked. Moving together down all three paths would be inefficient.
"As planned, we'll split into three teams. Team One will investigate the right entrance, Team Two the left entrance. I will take the front."
Team One───Isabella, Cain, Osgar, Beta.
Team Two───Adrian, Unia, Alpha.
Team Three───Verden.
Alpha and Beta, with their outstanding magical analysis, would support each team.
Separately, since Beta's frame was compressed, its weight was tremendous for its size, it had to remain with Isabella, who alone could bear it.
And Verden, being capable of handling any situation by himself, would move alone.
"If the link to the communication devices is cut, it will be treated as a danger signal, so maintain real-time operation. If anything happens, no matter how trivial, report immediately."
"Do not worry, Sacred One. Such complacency I cast off long ago."
Unia and Cain let out breaths tinged with tension as they gripped staff and magic sword, while Osgar seemed slightly excited.
For to uncover the dark secrets of none other than the master of the Bohemirn magic tower, both magical curiosity and blood surged.
Swish.
At Verden's gesture, each team moved simultaneously.
The search began.
***
According to Enette's memories, the left entrance should lead to the sector where the unofficial experimental subjects were kept.
The other two entrances remained unknown, but whether mage or human, psychologically, the most important things were always hidden in the deepest place.
Thus Verden chose the front entrance that led downward.
Bypassing a wide yet steep spiral staircase, he descended straight down the open center with
With Arcane concealing his mana reaction, stealth was ensured.
Before long, he descended so deep the entrance above was no longer visible, and reached the bottom, where a barren corridor appeared.
A single door stood in the distance.
'…No traps.'
Even so, without letting down his guard, he heightened his senses to the utmost as he moved. Kiiing. Manipulating the device of magic circles, he opened the door.
He stepped inside and examined the surroundings.
The interior was empty.
Except for a massive rectangular object placed at the center.
'Doesn't seem like decoration. What is it for?'
Even when he used
Yet, no matter how closely he observed, nothing special could be found.
...
Despite investing several minutes, he had gained nothing. At last, Verden opted for a more primitive method.
Thunk, thunk.
He lightly knocked to gauge the material, and walked while running his hand along it, feeling out the structure.
Touch is a very delicate sensory organ.
Then it happened.
…!
The instant his palm brushed the object's corner, mana rippled, and in response, light rose upon the object.
"So this was the answer."
Before Verden's eyes, a three-dimensional map of the continent unfolded.