[175] 2. Geuffin's Gate (2)
"It's estimated Master went to Heaven roughly eighty years ago. Do you know what that implies?"
"No, I don't."
"The Master before he went to Heaven and the Master who came back are listed at entirely different ranks by the Mage Association. In other words, he realized something in Heaven and became an archmage. Every mage wants to become an archmage. Knowing that and still not going to Heaven makes no sense."
Shirone had to admit it. If Arkein returned from Heaven as a Rank 3, then whatever awakened him had to exist in Heaven.
Seeing Shirone waver, Canis finally spilled the last scrap of information.
"Most of what was written on Master's note were single words, but at the end there was one full sentence."
"What sentence?"
"It said, 'That place is the origin of everything. The source of the Schema and…'"
Rian's eyes lit.
"Schema?"
Canis ignored him and went on.
"A forgotten ancient magic…"
Amy asked, "Ancient magic?"
"Ancient weapons that lie silent…"
Tess shouted, "Ancient weapons!"
Canis frowned.
"…Are you two doing that on purpose?"
"Hohoho! Sorry. Hurry up and finish it."
Tess's joking tone irritated Canis, but he recited the full sentence.
"It said, 'I leave it in this Meta Gate and depart.' That's how the note ended."
It was a message left so that anyone who didn't know about Heaven wouldn't be able to access the information.
Even the Harvester who inherited Arkein's memories only found the secret place after wandering the continent. The fact he drew a curtain to the end showed how much he wanted this kept secret.
Still, leaving a record like that felt like the irrepressible mischief of a brat.
Though only one sentence, the note contained crucial information. First, Schema and magic exist in Heaven. That meant humans were likely there. And ancient artifacts must be piled up like mountains.
Through his writing, Arkein was effectively saying: swordsmen and mages of the world, beyond the Meta Gate ancient artifacts lie in heaps.
So what were these ancient artifacts? No history book recorded them.
Shirone began to grasp what Heaven might be like.
"Ancient magic. Ancient artifacts. The origin of everything."
"Right. Master knew. Since when have humans learned Schema and wielded magic? If it were purely biological, Schema ought to manifest in animals too. But no matter how far back you go, there's nothing about the birth of Schema or the Spirit Zone. Do you see what that means?"
"That humans understood it from the beginning. It's paradoxical, but that's the implication?"
"Exactly. More precisely, Schema and magic existed before humans. Kadum called Heaven home. It sounds like myth, but from here on we should use myth as our compass."
A world before recorded history waited for them. The origin of humanity that no scholar had uncovered might be hidden somewhere among the unmeasurable stars.
"I've told you everything I know. The conclusion is that I'm going. To follow Master's will and to advance my magic. Arin and I have agreed on this. No matter what happens, there will be no regret."
"I—I want to go too!"
Amy announced she would join.
Opportunities to raise one's magic don't come often. The fact Canis and Arin would become rivals from the same school also swayed her. No matter how dangerous, there's a Meta Gate, right? To refuse to even try despite a way back would be foolish.
"If Amy's going, I'm going too! Shirone, let's go!"
Tess sided with Amy. If ownerless ancient weapons were waiting, there was no reason not to go.
A single Meta Gate was worth a fortune. Ancient weapons were forged from metals not found in this world. Even picking up a stray scrap could cover the cost.
"No. I'm not taking anyone. I won't go either. It's too dangerous. I don't think going to Heaven is the right choice."
Everyone stared, stunned by Shirone's words.
It was a waste to give up now. This was a once-in-a-lifetime chance no mage would get again. Didn't Arkein himself rise to archmage after gaining enlightenment in Heaven?
"I know it's dangerous. But Canis can return, can't he?"
"That's not the issue. Whether there's an exit or not doesn't matter. Just because I can open Heaven's gate doesn't mean I'll throw you all into danger."
Canis ground his teeth.
Shirone's universal-love spirit was as obvious as someone about to leap off a cliff. That was why Canis had planned every strategy to bring things to this point. But even that couldn't break Shirone's stubbornness.
"If you're that scared, don't go. But we made a deal. You'll have to let Arin and me enter Heaven."
"No. I won't let you go either."
"You bastard! Now you betray us?"
"Even if you think that, I can't. Besides, you're my classmate now. I can't open the gate and send you into the abyss."
"Who asked you to worry about my life? I'll take care of myself! And we can come back anytime!"
Amy, who usually respected Shirone's wishes, took Canis's side this time.
"Come on, Shirone. It's an amazing opportunity. Didn't we accept this level of risk from the start? You came this far to learn about Miro, didn't you?"
Shirone's voice grew sharp.
"Put yourself in my place. Could you ask us to march into Heaven's gate? Would you lead us to that star we just saw?"
'No—never.'
That was the issue. It wasn't only danger.
Had Shirone come alone, given the current circumstances, he would have entered Heaven without hesitation.
But as an Unlocker, to shoulder his friends' lives and go in recklessly would be childish. He had the responsibility to make the most mature decision among them.
While he was lost in thought, Amy flicked Shirone's forehead. Holding his stinging brow, Shirone looked at her in disbelief as she said,
"Of course I'd say we should go to Heaven. This is a once-in-the-world chance."
Amy lied.
Worrying about a friend's safety also undermines cold judgment. She thought easing that burden was the first step.
But Shirone had already seen through it.
"Don't lie. This is seriously dangerous. Even with a Meta Gate, do you know where it leads? It's not like we'll go and immediately come back. The more you want to go, the higher the risk—why don't you get that?"
"Then why did you bring me here in the first place?"
"What? That's—"
"You said you'd feel reassured. That's why you came to my house, right? Or were you hoping to take a girl sightseeing?"
Amy snapped aggressively. It worked—Shirone had no answer. He was responsible for bringing a senior class whose days were precious out to the island.
Tess thumped his chest and supported Amy.
"I feel the same. Even if you open the gate, whether I follow is my choice. You don't need to worry about that. And if we go anyway, Rian and I can be real help."
In any party, swordsmen mattered. They had courage and animal instincts mages lacked. A single second they carved out could be the turning point between life and death for a mage.
While Shirone struggled, someone knocked at the door.
Canis had hidden the Meta Gate, but the knocker waited for permission before entering.
When Shirone allowed it, Mahatu came in—an unwelcome guest.
The group stared at him in silence. Mahatu hesitated, then spoke.
"I apologize for the trouble earlier. I came to make a formal apology."
"It's fine. It's all forgotten."
Of course Amy hadn't forgotten, but she decided to accept his visit—she suspected Mahatu's reason was more than an apology.
As expected, Mahatu cut to the point.
"Will you go to Heaven?"
Shirone didn't answer. Persuaded strongly by his friends, he'd nearly been swayed; doubts still hung.
"Do not go."
The friends' faces tightened.
According to the chieftain, Shirone held the key to the Kergo tribe's fate. It was surprising that Mahatu, who knew that better than anyone, would try to stop him.
Canis, who thought Shirone was almost convinced, snapped irritably when Mahatu spoke.
"What do you mean, don't go?"
"Please excuse me for a moment."
Mahatu crossed his arms. As he inhaled his muscles swelled and a focused energy poured from his eyes.
It was overwhelming pressure.
Shirone's group felt as if their bodies were being pushed backward. Maybe they actually were. Had Mahatu attacked with killing intent, they might not have been able to breathe.
Mahatu, who had no intention of humiliating them, let the pressure go almost immediately. Still, the air remained heavy.
"I apologize. I displayed clumsy strength out of place."
No one really believed Mahatu's apology.
Strength is never absolute, but the line between master and novice is clear. At his level, Mahatu had to know his own power.
"I cannot go to Heaven. I failed to prove my skill in the Chamber of Achievement and Sacrifice."
Shirone understood Mahatu's point. He was using his own performance as a yardstick to indicate Heaven's difficulty.
You can't perfectly compare warriors and mages, but it was convincing enough.
"Kergo warriors take the test too?"
"Of course. If you prove your strength in the Chamber of Achievement and Sacrifice, the Kergo warriors are also granted qualification to go to Heaven."
"But to go there you need—"
"Yes. You must have an Unlocker. When the gate to Heaven buried in volcanic ash was restored, many left for Heaven. But few returned. That is why Miro created the Chamber of Achievement and Sacrifice, so people could verify their skills. Unlockers are an exception, but unless you can pass by skill, it's best not to go."
Not only was it surprising that so few returned, but Mahatu mentioning Miro was unexpected.
"How do you know Miro? Did you meet her in person?"
"No. But most of the leadership knows of her."
"Tell us in more detail. We came here to learn about Miro."
"So you did."
Mahatu realized why Shirone hadn't been swayed by gold or women. People connected to Miro would certainly be different from libertine Unlockers.
"Five hundred years ago a civil war broke out in Kergo. It was a conflict between a faction that followed the angels and one that opposed them. The anti-angel faction won. But a sudden volcanic eruption drove the tribe to the brink of extinction. The followers of the angels interpreted the eruption as a calamity sent by the angels."
The scholars' claim that Ruf started the rebellion was wrong. The mere mention of the word 'angel' made clear this was a first-class secret shared only by Kergo's leadership.
"Two hundred and fifty years later, an outsider came. His name was McClain Goffin. Like Shirone, he was an Unlocker. He restored the Kergo ruins buried in volcanic ash and opened the gate to Heaven. We call that gate Goffin's Gate. But the event ultimately sparked another disturbance. The unrest from 250 years ago was stoked anew. This time the pro-angel faction won, the regime changed. That is the Kergo of today."