Stellar Echo: Heart of the Myst

[lordanl]

"Well, it's nothing much—just that we've known each other for a while and decided to form a team to explore the ruin." Zoe replied calmly to Christine's question, casting a glance full of superiority in her direction.

"Rather, I didn't know you were acquainted with Erik, Disciple Taylor." Elara quickly added in a cheerful tone, though her inflection at the end hinted at something more.

"Fufu." Christine smiled elegantly, her eyes throwing daggers at Zoe and Elara, who responded with scornful, defiant stares of their own. Then Christine spoke in a casual tone,

"It's not like we really know each other—it's just that we happened to meet and naturally started talking. It truly is a pleasure to meet such a charming gentleman as Disciple Erik."

At Christine's pointed words, Elara and Zoe shot her warning glares, which she effortlessly ignored as she turned to Erik with a smile and asked.

"But it really is a good thing to form teams for exploration. It must be quite encouraging to work closely with someone as capable as Disciple Erik."

"It's nothing like that. It was just a random idea Zoe and Elara had to help guide me a little. After all, I'm the youngest and lack experience."

Erik lied naturally, which brought beautiful smiles to Elara and Zoe's faces. After all, the star-haired young man had just handed them the initiative regarding the team they had agreed to form—or, in other words, he had just elegantly and subtly crushed the door Christine was trying to force open for herself.

Wanting to capitalize on the initiative Erik had just given them, Zoe quickly tried to speak—but at that moment, a young man approached. He had short black hair with red tips at the top and wore a sleek cobalt-blue plate armor adorned with ornate golden trim, filigree, and runes. A segmented skirt decorated with more runes and a flowing cape hanging from his pauldrons completed his impressive look.

"Hello again, Disciple Belmonte, Disciple Laverne." Ethan greeted politely before turning to Christine with a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Ethan Williams, disciple of Master Jessica Roa."

"Oh, a pleasure to meet you as well, Disciple Williams. I'm Christine Taylor, disciple of Master Albert Taylor."

Christine replied with a charming smile, acting as if it were the first time she had ever seen the young man, with not the slightest intention of mentioning their clash during the tournament.

Ethan, aware that Elara and Zoe weren't particularly fond of the hot chick standing in front of him, quickly turned to look at Erik—the young man he had heard so much about and was eager to meet. He extended his right hand as he spoke in a cordial tone.

"Direct Disciple Erik, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I've heard a lot about you from my master and my sister."

"The pleasure is mine, Direct Disciple Williams. I've also heard about you from Master Roa and Miss Laura." Erik replied kindly, taking Ethan's offered hand in greeting—though the look Ethan gave him stirred a fair bit of curiosity in Erik's mind.

(Is it just my imagination, or is this guy looking at me with a mix of pity and camaraderie? What a strange way to look at someone you're meeting for the first time…)

"Hehehe, I hope the things they said were at least half as good as what I've heard about you. Still, it really was a surprise to find out that Direct Disciple Erik knew my sister." Ethan said with a cheerful and casual tone as he released Erik's hand.

"It was just as surprising for me when I found out Laura was your older sister." Erik replied just as casually, selectively ignoring part of what the young man had said.

...

Meanwhile, the girls had been listening to the conversation between the two young men, which left Elara and Zoe quite surprised. After all, they were used to hearing from Liliana how unsociable Erik was. So the fact that he knew a woman well enough to call her by her first name—and without any title—immediately put them on alert.

"I really didn't know Disciple Williams had a sister. Is she a university student?" Elara asked casually, though her eyes revealed a slight trace of anxiety. Ethan, unaware of the mild concern reflected in Elara and Zoe's eyes, responded with a smile.

"Oh, yes. My older sister has been part of the Arcane Order since she was little, and she graduated from the university a long time ago. She currently runs the auction house her paternal grandparents left her."

"Oh, I suppose that's where Disciple Erik met her." Zoe commented with a smile, though her eyes were fixed intently on Erik's reaction. He simply responded in a relaxed tone.

"You suppose correctly. I happened to visit her auction house some time ago, and that's where I met her."

"What a coincidence. Truly, the world of direct disciples is a small one." Christine commented with her usual charming tone, feeling a bit left out of the conversation. Erik couldn't help but nod in agreement and reply sincerely.

"That's exactly what I thought—it was quite the coincidence."

…

As the group of young disciples continued chatting about random topics, a new group entered the hall—men and women clad in matte black futuristic-style armor, engraved with runes that faintly glowed. Some of them carried flags bearing the insignia of the Arcane Order.

What caught Erik's attention, however, was that many of them were holding what looked like magical versions of the assault rifles from his past life. Although he knew such weapons existed and were widely used among the infantry of the Arcane Order's armies, it was the first time he had ever seen them with his own eyes—university guards never carried them.

"The Honorable Director and the Esteemed Masters of the Order will now be present. Form ranks!"

Upon reaching the front of the hall, the apparent squad leader shouted the announcement, prompting the young disciples to quickly begin forming lines. At the same time, Christine spoke in her usual alluring and seductive tone.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting Disciple Erik and Disciple Williams. I hope we can encounter each other inside the ruin… and perhaps cooperate."

With that said, Christine walked toward the center of the hall in a sensual manner, her hips swaying fluidly—somehow reminiscent of a seductive serpent—which inevitably made Ethan swallow hard, earning him a look of disgust from both Elara and Zoe.

"Erik, be very careful with that woman. She's a well-known vixen at the university and loves taking advantage of men who fall for her charms." Elara said, somewhat pleased to notice that Erik didn't even glance in Christine's direction as she walked away.

"Yes, Erik, try not to get involved with that woman. She only brings trouble." Zoe added seriously, also ignoring Ethan.

"Don't worry. I have no interest in getting involved with her. Let's just go form up." Erik replied casually, giving the matter little importance. The others nodded and quickly moved to take their places.

As Erik approached his spot in the formation, he pulled out a notebook with a yellow cover and quickly wrote down a name. At that moment, Seraphina asked in a neutral, professional tone.

"Young Master, did that young lady catch your attention?"

"Who? Christine Taylor?" Erik asked while putting the notebook back into his storage ring and turning to look at Seraphina, who nodded with a professional, emotionless expression. He quickly added in a serious tone.

"More than catching my interest, she gave me the creeps the moment I saw her. If I could've, I would've run away right then. That kind of woman is one of the worst enemies you can have. The best thing to do is play along just enough not to draw attention and stay as far away as possible. Women like that are like a wasp nest."

"The worst kind of enemy?" Seraphina asked curiously, though her expression now carried a much more relaxed smile. Erik then explained.

"Yes, one of the worst. That kind of woman is usually a specialist in creating enemies for you, and it doesn't matter whether you're on good or bad terms with her—her mere presence causes spineless fools to start targeting you. Just like a wasp nest. But when she does it deliberately, it's several times worse, since they're usually expert manipulators as well.

"So if you add that to her beauty and social standing, you can already imagine the amount of trouble she can cause. After all, humanity may lack many things, but it'll never run out of idiots who can only think with the head down below—and when they have power, they're a damn unbearable karma."

Erik added with a harsh expression, almost as if recalling a terrible memory, as he adjusted his posture. Meanwhile, Seraphina—who shamelessly remained at her young master's side—smiled slightly with visible satisfaction. And curiously, although the beautiful maid should have stood out like a sore thumb in the orderly lines formed by the young disciples, for some strange reason, no one seemed to notice her.

Shortly after the ranks were formed, a flash of light marked the sudden arrival of the Director, accompanied by all the Master-level mages who had been with him at the port—except for Adrian, who was nowhere to be seen. At that moment, the Director spoke in a serious tone.

"We're about to disembark, so remember to stand firm and not disgrace the name of the Arcane Order in front of the other factions."

""""YES, DIRECTOR!""""

The assembled youths shouted in unison, while the Director discreetly chuckled upon seeing Seraphina standing among the ranks behind Erik. Immediately after their response, a flash of light filled the hall, and everyone vanished from the room—leaving the once-bustling luxurious hall completely empty. Moments later, several staff members entered and began cleaning up quickly.

…

When the flash faded, Erik found himself greeted by a curious sight. He now stood upon an asteroid that seemed to span several kilometers in diameter—large enough to destroy a planet. It was surrounded by an energy shield formed of glowing hexagons, very similar to the one protecting the university, which Erik theorized must be responsible for the breathable air.

At the center of the asteroid stood something that could only be described as a fortress of impervious metal, bathed in a faint silver glow from the countless runes carved across its surface.

This metallic fortress was enclosed by another force field similar to the one around the asteroid and was heavily guarded by what appeared to be the military forces of all four major factions—each with weapons at the ready and sharp eyes. However, in Erik's opinion, the ones that stood out the most were the soldiers from the Order. Their futuristic armor was truly impressive.

Looking around, Erik spotted several groups composed of a few older individuals and around a hundred youths, all surrounded by armed personnel and others carrying flags with various symbols. However, only the guards of the Arcane Order wore matching futuristic-looking armor and wielded "magical rifles." The rest were clad in more traditional forms of armor.

Analyzing the scene more closely, Erik noticed that each of the other three groups had a figure standing at the front who exuded an incomprehensible power—so intense it seemed to bend the very space around them. Each of these central figures was surrounded by several others radiating a devastating level of strength, though clearly less than that of the person in the center.

As if performing some kind of strange greeting, the moment the Arcane Order's group arrived, the young people from the other three factions ignited their mana—almost as if trying to showcase their power—causing the air around them to fluctuate violently, taking Erik a bit by surprise.

In response to the "warm welcome", the youths of the Arcane Order ignited their mana as well, something Erik quickly mimicked. However, he soon noticed that under the pressure of the other three groups, they seemed to be slightly overwhelmed, making them appear a bit weak and vulnerable.

After thinking it through for a moment, Erik began to subtly manipulate the surrounding Myst, which for some reason felt noticeably "thicker" and "heavier" than usual—yet still easy for him to control.

Careful not to let anyone realize he was the one behind it, Erik made the Myst "dance" energetically around his group, which immediately boosted their momentum by several orders of magnitude—soon leaving the other groups in the dust.

Noticing how effective his trick had been, Erik looked around with a satisfied smile, which allowed him to see that the Director, his masters, and Thalia were all watching him with small smiles—especially the Director, who for a moment seemed to be struggling not to burst out laughing.

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***
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Spoiler: Ethan's armor

Spoiler: Armor and weapons of the Arcane Order Army

Spoiler: Asteroid

 

[lordanl]

"Hehehe, it seems your little factions get weaker by the day. Even joining forces, they can't keep up with my Arcane Order anymore." The Director remarked confidently, his voice radiating power as he looked at the three others standing before the groups. His words caused their expressions to sour for a brief moment.

"Don't get too cocky, Lysander. As always, you're just relying on cheap tricks to stand out."

A man who appeared to be around 35 years old replied with irritation, prompting Erik to take a closer look at him, noticing a few curious details. The man had sharp, well-defined features, and together with his neatly styled short brown hair and the elegant, aristocratic-looking dark robe he wore, he projected an imposing and attractive presence.

But what caught Erik's attention the most were the man's piercing golden eyes, which looked strikingly similar to Eleonora's—so much so that they seemed to share some kind of connection, as if they were related in some way.

"Hehehe, are you really so desperate that you're calling the Myst connection a cheap trick? Seems like your Meridian Federation isn't doing too well these days." The Director replied with disdain as he stared at the golden-eyed man, whose brow furrowed in response.

"Sounds like you're begging for a beating, Lysander." The man said in a heavy tone as his mana ignited and the space around him began to tremble.

"Well, I've been meaning to stretch these old bones anyway…" The Director replied confidently, just as an imposing sword appeared in his hand, radiating a violet ethereal light while the space around him began to fluctuate dangerously.

"Oh, a fight? How fun. Let's get started already."

As the two legendary-level figures glared at each other with hostility, a melodic voice filled with power and dignity echoed through the air, prompting Erik to turn his head with curiosity—only to find a woman of wild beauty, holding both a sword and a battleaxe in her hands.

The woman had long, pale-blonde hair braided over her shoulders and wore an imposing Viking-style armor made of leather and metal, designed for high mobility. It also featured a prominent neckline that accentuated her generous bust.

But the most striking thing about her were the runic tattoos that covered her body—from her forehead to her chest, arms, and legs—which glowed with a mystical, supernatural blue light that matched her deep blue eyes.

"Don't say something so terrifying, Yrsa. If you join in the fun, we'll definitely miss the opening of the ruin and have to wait another three months."

Looking at the wild beauty, the Director commented cheerfully as his sword vanished from his hand and he calmed his mana—something the golden-eyed man did as well, albeit with an annoyed groan.

"You're right about that. A shame—it would've been fun."

The fierce and stunning warrior woman replied with a hint of disappointment in her tone as her sword and battleaxe disappeared. Then, with a subtle smile, she added.

"But I must say, the young ones from your Arcane Order this generation are quite impressive."

Erik's muscles tensed instinctively as he felt a subtle gaze of curiosity coming from the legendary-level ruler of the Boreal League. Though he tried to act like nothing was happening, doing his best to ignore the woman who was triggering all kinds of warning signals in his mind.

"Hehehe, what can I say? My Arcane Order has always been full of geniuses."

The Director remarked with a subtle hint of disdain in his tone as he glanced toward the groups accompanying the other three faction leaders—each made up of only three or four Master-level individuals. It was a pitiful sight compared to the eight proud Master-level powerhouses standing behind him.

"Taking in traitors makes it easy to pad your numbers." The golden-eyed man remarked at that moment, glaring at Eleonora with open hostility.

"How pathetic you look, making such cheap excuses, Aelric FULGUR."

Eleonora snapped almost instantly, her voice dripping with contempt as she placed sharp emphasis on the man's surname, her beautiful golden eyes glowing dangerously. The ruler of the Meridian Federation attempted to pressure her with his aura, but the Director immediately countered with his own, speaking in a mocking and scornful tone.

"Did it really hurt you that much that a descendant separated from you by more than ten generations rejected your pathetic Meridian Federation? You truly look pathetic, Aelric."

"That treacherous bitch is the pathetic one—for daring to reject her ancestor. Her rightful place was at my side, since she owes everything she has to my bloodline."

Aelric snapped back in anger—after all, he still remembered the day he had personally extended an olive branch to that ungrateful bitch, offering her the chance to redeem the sins of her exiled bastard son who had died pathetically hundreds of thousands of years ago, leaving behind that joke of an empire called Silverwood. But the treacherous woman had the audacity to reject him and make a fool of him.

"Right, that's why all your descendants reach the Master level before they're even five thousand years old."

The Director retorted sarcastically, his tone laced with mockery as he glanced at a golden-eyed man standing near Aelric. This man appeared to be around forty and bore a notable resemblance to the ruler of the Meridian Federation—one of the arrogant bastard's direct descendants, who had managed to reach the Master level within the last hundred thousand years, doing so at the age of eighty thousand after consuming the resources of entire planets.

…

While the Legend-level figures argued, unnoticed by most—but not by those paying close attention—a notebook appeared in Erik's hand. It had a black cover with subtle golden metallic threadwork along the edges. Despite being a completely ordinary notebook, it seemed to radiate an infinite murderous intent, enough to send chills down the spine of anyone who laid eyes on it.

Without saying a word, Erik wrote something in the notebook in a slow, methodical manner, almost as if performing a personal ritual. Once finished, he closed the notebook using only the fingers of his left hand while staring at the Meridian Federation's group. The sound of paper snapping shut echoed—but for those watching closely, it carried the unmistakable weight of a guillotine slicing through the neck of the condemned.

The Director, who—even in the midst of his argument—had never stopped keeping an eye on Erik, could easily sense how the Myst surrounding the star-haired young man subtly began to turn 'cold and murderous', resonating with the boy's emotions. This led him to glance at Aelric with a mixture of pity and mockery.

(You're seriously screwed, Aelric. You just pissed off none other than the most talented man in recorded history—someone who checks every box to be a true child of the Myst—and to top it all off, is beloved by the most terrifying spirits I've encountered in my entire existence.

(Rest in peace, old rival... your absurd arrogance has finally caught up with you, and you've just signed your death warrant. And if Erik truly has some of Tal'veren in him… you may have doomed your entire faction too.)

Meanwhile, on the faces of Eleonora, Sigrún, and Seraphina, charming smiles appeared as their hearts beat with intensity. They knew perfectly well what Erik's notebook represented—and seeing the man they loved becoming enraged on their behalf, seeking vengeance, made them feel incredibly cherished and protected. His actions made it clear that they mattered more to him than his usual aversion to conflict.

Meanwhile, on Thalia's face—who had also been watching Erik—there appeared a beautiful smile full of approval. Though she didn't know what the notebook meant, she was sensitive enough to feel a genuine murderous intent radiating from him. She found the star-haired young man increasingly interesting and attractive, which made her shake her head, amused at herself. Anyone hearing her thoughts might think she was interested in someone several thousand years younger—a complete absurdity.

(How ridiculous... it's not like I'm a cradle-robber like Eleonora and Sigrún. I just find him a little interesting because of his incredible connection to the Myst—it could really help me improve. And he's also very smart... and talented... and funny... and creative… and maybe a little handsome...

(Anyway, it's purely academic interest! I'm only paying attention because of that, and maybe to annoy Sigrún and Eleonora. That's all! I'm not a cradle-robber, and I'm definitely not a husband-stealer!)

"Alright, stop barking like bitches already—you look pathetic."

As Thalia tried to come to terms with her own thoughts, the wild beauty in Viking armor commented casually, looking at Aelric and the Director.

"As sharp-tongued as ever, Yrsa." The Director said casually, while Aelric let out an irritated growl and crossed his arms, to which Yrsa replied dismissively.

"Whatever. Let's leave the youngsters alone to get to know each other—I want to speak with you both."

Before continuing, Yrsa turned to look at an Asian man dressed in an elegant traditional robe, which blended aesthetically with light armor featuring intricate details—especially on the pauldrons, which somehow resembled wings thanks to their sharp, stylized design.

Despite standing at the front of the Jade Lotus Union's group, the man had not spoken a single word and had simply observed everything around him with a calm, serious expression. Combined with his perfectly styled long hair and finely trimmed beard and mustache, he exuded an air of authority and elegance.

"This includes you as well, Xiuwen."

The man simply nodded with poise at Yrsa's words and vanished from the scene in a flash, quickly followed by the other legend-level figures, who disappeared moments later.

…

The disappearance of the legend-levels acted like a signal—shortly afterward, the Master-levels began talking amongst themselves or gathering with Master-levels from other factions, forming small cliques, something the younger ones quickly began to imitate.

Soon, across the arid asteroid, all kinds of tables, chairs, and other furnishings began to appear, creating a kind of impromptu social gathering, albeit with clear divisions—the Master-levels grouped several dozen meters away from the younger crowd, who began to chat among themselves.

As for Erik, he simply found a secluded ledge and sat down in front of an elegant table that had appeared out of nowhere, where Seraphina promptly served some cookies and a bit of tea with great professionalism. After eating a cookie, he took a book from his storage ring and began to read.

A few minutes later, a handsome young Asian man appeared in front of Erik. He had short, neatly styled black hair and dark eyes, and was dressed in a traditional black Asian robe embroidered with intricate gold-thread patterns on the sleeves and chest.

"Long time no see, Erik."

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Erik looked up to find Chen Ming—the young man from the Jade Lotus Union whom he had met during his first university class with Professor Sunflare, and whom he occasionally helped with calculations and similar matters. Erik greeted him with a smile.

"It really has been a while."

Erik set the book he had been reading on the table and smiled as an elegant chair materialized in front of him. Chen sat down just as Seraphina served him a cup of tea.

"So, how did the family meeting go?" As Chen tasted the tea, Erik asked casually, and the young man responded a moment later with a rather peculiar expression.

"Well… you could say it went pretty well. At the very least, my father was quite pleased with my progress."

"Then why that look?" Erik asked, slightly curious, prompting Chen to smile somewhat awkwardly as he answered.

"Things happened, hehe."

"Family secret?" Erik asked casually while picking up a cookie, to which Chen replied with a hint of discomfort, imagining how the star-haired boy might react once he heard it.

"Not exactly… and actually, it involves you."

"Me? What do I have to do with your family matters?" Erik asked, clearly confused, and Chen replied with a small sigh.

"I'd have to tell you the whole story."

"Then give me a summary." Erik replied casually while Seraphina refilled his cup of tea, to which Chen responded with a bitter smile.

"I'll try."

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[lordanl]

"I'll try."

After speaking, Chen proceeded to taste the exquisite tea—tea that was not only ridiculously expensive, but also something money alone couldn't buy. It relaxed his mind and slightly nourished his mana. Then he set the cup on the table and began recounting his story in a serious tone.

"Well, actually, it all happened during the family gathering. At first, everything was going pretty well. All the younger generation members of the clan were showing their progress in formation techniques, and I managed to stand out quite a bit—I was the only one who could deploy all the formations. The problem began when the youngest son of my third uncle showed up."

"I still can't get used to the way you number your relatives..." Erik commented casually in the middle of Chen's story, to which Chen quickly replied in a calm tone.

"It's by seniority. I've told you this already. And don't interrupt my story."

"Alright, alright, carry on." Erik said casually while taking a cookie, and Chen nodded before continuing seriously.

"Anyway, as I was saying, everything was going well. I was the best among the younger generation, and my father was quite proud. But then Zhang Ming, the son of my third uncle, showed up—and everything changed. I don't know how he did it, but the bastard managed to master two of the ancestral formations."

"Ancestral formations?" Erik asked back, a bit confused, to which Chen replied in a serious tone.

"The secret ones."

"Ohh, I see. So he totally crushed you."

Erik commented with realization, understanding the core of the problem—since the techniques were supposed to be secret, getting outside help was difficult, and if someone managed to master them before everyone else, they'd naturally be seen as more talented. At that moment, Chen nodded and continued speaking.

"Exactly. And as you can imagine, my father didn't like that one bit—especially because my third uncle has always had his eyes on the patriarch's seat and holds considerable influence within the elder council. Having a son with superior talent would be the perfect excuse to put pressure on my father. So I had to improvise."

"Wait, wait—you can just casually talk about internal clan conflict like that?" Erik asked, somewhat confused as he looked at Chen, who replied with a small smile.

"Well, it's not exactly a big secret. Honestly, it's something that can be figured out pretty easily. Besides, I involved you this time, so it's better if you know."

"…What the hell did you drag me into?" Upon hearing Chen's answer, Erik's expression soured as he asked in a blunt tone, to which Chen chuckled awkwardly before beginning to explain more seriously.

"Hehe, it's not a big deal—let me finish the story, and it'll all make sense. So, as I was saying, when that idiot Zhang Ming managed to show off by successfully deploying two of the ancestral formations, he started mocking me and challenging me with that arrogant attitude of his. At the same time, my third uncle was trying to pressure my father with the elders from his camp.

"That didn't leave me with many options, so I had to come up with an excuse for why I couldn't deploy the ancestral formations. The only thing I could think of was saying I was focusing on a project to improve formation efficiency—which, if successful, could be applied to the ancestral formations as well, making it a major breakthrough for the clan and all that.

"But as you can imagine, they didn't believe me. So I had no choice but to show them the prototype you deployed in your garden the other day. Luckily, everything went well, and it worked in a similar way—though interestingly, it only improved efficiency by about 35%. Still, that was more than enough to leave everyone speechless."

"But that still doesn't explain how I'm involved. I haven't published any academic paper on the subject, or… don't tell me you gave me the credit?" Erik asked, a bit surprised, to which Chen nodded and replied with a slightly helpless expression.

"It's not like I had much choice. While showing the prototype really helped me get out of that situation, the clan is now expecting results—and I know myself, I don't have the capability. So I had to say it was a joint project with you. That also made it more believable as to why I hadn't been studying the ancestral formations actively."

"So you're expecting us to improve the efficiency of the formations…" Erik sighed and took a bite of his cookie before continuing.

"But I don't think I'll have the time. As interesting as formations are, I've got way too much on my plate right now."

"Oh, no, no—I never expected you to actually make time for it. I just wanted to inform you, so there wouldn't be any trouble later. I'll be working on it as much as I can on my own. After all, no one knows what a monster you are when it comes to formations, so I easily claimed that small result took us a decade of development and only happened by pure chance.

"So I've got at least three or four decades before they get desperate and start pressuring me for results. In the meantime, I'll focus on mastering the ancestral formations and the prototype you created that day. If I can deploy it the same way you did and back it up with solid theory, the old men in my family will be jumping for joy.

"So there's more than enough time for you to spare a couple of afternoons to help your good friend Chen. And, as always, your name goes first; I'll cover all expenses, and I'll write the paper. They gave me a nice budget to work with—and a few things I'm sure you'll find interesting. So it's a win-win. What do you say?"

"You're a damn shameless bastard, you know that?" Erik said with amusement, to which Chen laughed cheerfully and replied.

"Hahaha, well, you've got to make the most of the resources at hand."

Erik shook his head and thought for a moment, quickly concluding that it wasn't a bad deal. Sure, Chen would be gaining resources and reputation from his work, but the guy wasn't stupid, and he'd known him long enough to know he'd never dare take the credit for himself. Plus, he never forgot to bring something interesting whenever he asked for help.

So in reality, Chen would get to enjoy the honor of being listed as co-author—something he was used to trading for favors in his past life—while he would gain access to interesting resources from the Jade Lotus Union, or more specifically, from the Zazen Discipline, which was the most "inaccessible" to him.

"Well, I suppose I can help you out—just don't push it. Everything in moderation." Erik said with a smile after a few moments, to which Chen responded cheerfully with a satisfied and relaxed expression.

"Hahaha, of course."

While chatting with Chen, Erik glanced around and easily spotted Elara and Zoe chatting with different people, while Ethan was shamelessly flirting with women from all sorts of factions—and it looked like things were going pretty well for him. Several of them seemed ready to jump on him, especially a gorgeous blonde wearing a mage's robe.

Taking in the general landscape of the youth section, Erik then turned his attention to the Master-level section, where he spotted his own masters speaking with members from various factions. Judging by their expressions, though, it was safe to say that Sigrún was pestering them quite a bit.

Particularly, a beautiful Asian woman with long jet-black hair, dressed in an elegant and intricate white robe that looked as if it were made from a piece of cloud—highlighting her slender and agile figure. She looked like she was about to start steaming from the ears at any moment, her face slightly flushed and her teeth tightly clenched.

...

After a while, Elara and Zoe finally made their way to Erik's table, having barely managed to escape the endless tide of people trying to flirt with them or approach them in some way. The two beautiful young women felt as if they had reached a safe oasis—since, for some reason, no one dared get too close to Erik's table, even though many kept eyeing the star-haired boy with visible desire.

As soon as Elara and Zoe arrived in front of Erik, a pair of elegant chairs appeared before the table, and the girls sat down with familiarity. At that moment, Seraphina—ever the perfect maid—swiftly served them tea and desserts with a professional smile.

"A pleasure to meet the renowned direct disciples of the Arcane Order. My name is Chen Ming, a humble cultivator from the Ming family and a student of the Arcane University."

Upon seeing the two stunning women, Chen quickly stood up and gave a slight bow as he greeted them. They responded with a gentle smile while sipping the delicious tea prepared by Seraphina.

"There's no need for such formality, fellow Chen Ming. Since you're a friend of Erik's, you can be more relaxed and informal." Elara said casually, to which Zoe nodded and added.

"Yes, a friend of Erik's is a friend of ours as well—no need for excessive formalities."

"Thank you very much. Your humility and warmth truly deserve admiration."

Chen responded with a smile and sat back down, though he couldn't help but glance subtly at Erik, wondering how that antisocial guy—who looked like the very air outside his mansion bothered him—had managed to become so familiar with two of the most sought-after beauties of the younger generation.

(This guy's a monster in more ways than one… getting close to him back then was honestly one of the best decisions I could've made...)

"Don't worry about that—it's not humility. It's simply the natural treatment a friend of Erik should receive from us."

While Chen was lost in deep reflection, Zoe elegantly spoke as she picked up a small dessert from the table, snapping him out of his thoughts and prompting him to turn toward her in slight surprise.

"Zoe's right, don't overthink it." Elara added casually before turning to look at Erik and continuing to speak with a beautiful smile.

"But setting that aside, it's really nice how you've managed to create your own little island away from all those annoying people, Erik."

"What can I say? Apparently, I have a natural talent for repelling others. So if you ever need someone cleared out, call me—I'm pretty good at it."

Erik joked, though the comment didn't earn a laugh from Elara, Zoe, or even Seraphina. Instead, all three stared at him in silence. Not wanting to be scolded again, the star-haired boy quickly changed the subject with a smile.

"But the Master-level section over there looks pretty lively. Any idea why?"

"Hmm, hard to say. But from what I've heard from my grandfather, those gatherings usually turn into a competition to see who has the best disciple."

Zoe commented casually, following Erik's lead in changing the subject. After all, she was just starting to get along better with him, and it wasn't a good idea to become annoying—her best strategy was to play along and keep him happy.

"Yeah, my master's told me similar things. Also, this is the first time Master Eldurdóttir gets to talk about her disciple, and it looks like she's really enjoying herself."

Elara added with some amusement as she looked toward the beautiful Master-level woman with golden hair, prompting Erik to glance in the same direction. There he saw Sigrún laughing cheerfully and teasing everyone around her, having fun like a little girl.

"Yeah, she looks like she's having a blast—so much so that the other Master-levels seem on the verge of a nervous breakdown…"

Erik added casually, just as he noticed a young man from the Jade Union approaching. He wore an elegant, traditional white robe, and his long hair was tied up with a pair of metal hairpins.

"A pleasure to meet you, Disciple Erik, Disciple Belmonte, Disciple Laverne. We're organizing a small friendly competition among the younger generation, and I would humbly like to extend an invitation. It would be an honor to have you participate."

Upon arriving, the young man spoke with style and grace, though his attention was mainly on Erik. Erik turned to look at him and asked in return, noticing that in the distance, several youths from different factions were gathering and setting up tables and chairs.

"Competition?... What kind of competition?"

"It'll be a casual arts competition, nothing too serious." The young man replied with a relaxed smile, though there was a strange gleam in his eyes as he looked into Erik's green ones.

"Arts?" Erik couldn't help but murmur in confusion, prompting Seraphina to lean close to his ear and whisper softly in a voice only he could hear.

[Young master, he's referring to things like poetry, music, chess, and similar disciplines. Since battles aren't always possible, it's quite common among the younger generation of the Jade Lotus Union and the Meridian Federation to hold these kinds of 'competitions' to stand out and attract attention.]

"Oh, I see. Sorry, I'm not really interested in the arts, so I'll pass—but thanks for the invitation."

Now understanding the context, Erik looked at the young man and replied disinterestedly, which caused a cunning glint to flash in the young man's eyes. He quickly responded.

"It would be a shame for Disciple Erik not to join. We were truly hoping to witness the talents of someone so renowned—someone who's left the galaxy in shock."

"Well, there's nothing to see. I don't know anything about 'arts'." Erik replied casually, which brought a complicated expression to the faces of Elara, Zoe, and Chen, who couldn't react in time to stop him.

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For his part, upon hearing Erik's response, the young man from the Jade Lotus Union put on a fake expression of surprise, though his eyes gleamed with a nearly sadistic glint of mockery. He then began to speak in an exaggerated tone—worse than a bad theater actor.

"How can it be that the 'great' disciple Erik doesn't even possess basic knowledge of the arts? That just can't be true because if it were, he'd be nothing more than a random country bumpkin. I mean, how could anyone have an even remotely interesting conversation with someone like that?"

The young man's comment drew a cold stare from Erik, who looked him up and down with detached indifference before speaking in a calm and measured voice—though his tone was so unusually cold that it caught Chen, Elara, and Zoe by surprise.

"Well, what can you do? I'm just a poor, random country bumpkin. But I think there are still a few interesting things we could talk about—alchemy and artificery, for example. This poor bumpkin has managed to earn a couple of one-star licenses in those fields.

"So, while I may not measure up to someone of such exalted status—someone who can afford to call me a bumpkin and still take part in art competitions instead of doing actual work—I still know a few things we could discuss."

"…"

Upon hearing the response, the young man fell completely silent—mainly because the aura Erik was emitting was nearly suffocating him. But it was also true that he simply didn't have anything good enough to say in return. That gave Erik the perfect opportunity to continue, which he did with a relaxed, casual expression as he reached out to grab a cookie.

"Oh, we could also talk about recent developments. Perhaps you could tell me a bit about the patents you've registered. After all, if a 30-year-old country bumpkin managed to file a few, I imagine someone of your caliber must have a good number under their belt. It would be a pleasant experience for me to speak with someone who's ahead of me on the path."

Biting into his cookie, Erik looked directly into the black eyes of the young man from the Lotus Union, who was starting to show visible signs of panic. He couldn't help but tremble slightly as he watched the star-haired youth bite into the cookie, feeling as if he himself might be devoured next. That's when Elara, who had been quite irritated with the fool, chimed in with a mocking tone.

"You're giving him too much credit, Erik. The so-called core disciple of the Xiao family we have here hasn't even started a proper profession—how could he possibly have created anything worth registering? Then again, patents are a thing of our Order. Over in their precious Lotus Union, they still hoard knowledge like squirrels, terrified of competition and the idea that someone might actually surpass their pitiful little skills."

Upon hearing Elara, Erik turned to look at the beautiful girl and gave her a knowing smile before turning back to the young man and speaking in a calm tone—though subtly sarcastic and mocking.

"Oh, then it was my misunderstanding. My apologies. So what's actually going on is that this 'great figure' must have dazzled the galaxy with his mastery of the 'arts', participating in all sorts of competitions and earning renown. I see."

At that moment, Zoe lowered her teacup from her lips and added in a calm, explanatory tone, looking directly at Erik—as if explaining something that was just basic common sense—completely ignoring the idiot from the Jade Union.

"You've misunderstood again, Erik. Besides his mother, no one even knows his name. It's just that among so-called 'aristocratic' families, it's common to raise their children in the 'arts' to display their 'superiority' and 'refinement.' And that's all most of these mediocre types have to show off, since they don't excel at anything else."

"Oh, I see—now everything makes sense."

Erik gave Zoe a small smile, then turned and stared directly into the eyes of the young man, who looked like he was about to choke, and continued in a calm voice—but with sarcasm so thick that Elara and Zoe had to pinch themselves discreetly to keep from bursting into laughter.

"It's perfectly understandable that a 'great figure' like yourself wouldn't need to bother learning a profession or developing knowledge to create wealth. After all, you have your family's fortune to spend—something you surely fought for with all your might in your mother's womb for who knows how long. Such an arduous battle, shared only by every other viviparous being in the universe.

"A world of difference from a poor country bumpkin like me, who has to work tirelessly just to register a few patents and try to amass some wealth before turning thirty. My apologies—it's truly hard for a bumpkin like me to imagine the 'great hardships' of an aristocrat and his exalted understanding of the arts. I'll try to pay more attention from now on."

. . .

Meanwhile, over in the Masters' pavilion, Eleonora and Sigrún—who had been frowning just moments ago at the shameless attempt to humiliate their beloved disciple—were now smiling with pride and no small amount of arrogance.

"Our apologies—we truly failed to teach our disciple the 'arts'. It's just that he's been so focused on earning his licenses and developing 'a few' patents that his schedule's been a little tight. But once he finishes registering his latest discoveries—which are a bit more advanced than the handful of patents he casually developed in his early years—we'll be sure to polish his artistic style properly."

Sigrún spoke with a tone of "regret," as though she were genuinely remorseful about this "oversight" and sincerely planned to teach Erik those silly arts—prompting Eleonora to follow with a discreet smile.

"Yes, we really failed there, Sig. How could we let our Erik reach the age of thirty without learning the arts? Being an Ascended-Expert, an Artificer, an Alchemist, and having his academic papers circulate across the galaxy clearly isn't enough—we really need to reflect on this."

The double strike from Eleonora and Sigrún caused a massive and indiscriminate "massacre" among the Master-level figures present, who had to summon every ounce of self-control not to spit on the floor in disgust. After all, how many of their own children, grandchildren, or disciples had learned the arts before the age of thirty? None. At that age, the most they could do was train desperately just to reach the Apprentice level and barely be considered geniuses.

But now there stood a monster capable of reaching the Ascended level, while also possessing such dazzling academic achievements that, frankly, several of the Master-levels present couldn't even match. Inevitably, a single thought began to take root in the minds of Masters from various factions: someone this monstrous could only be allowed to exist within our faction—otherwise, it would be better if he didn't exist at all.

"Fufufu, I suppose I could help with that. My Elara excels at both piano and chess, so she'd make a fine teacher for Erik."

Used to the constant boasting from Eleonora and Sigrún, Thalia was the first to react, commenting casually with a smile on her lips as she gazed off at Erik—who was stylishly ignoring the young man lying unconscious on the floor, suffocated by the sheer pressure of the star-haired boy's aura, which had paralyzed him to the point he couldn't even breathe. She found him genuinely attractive.

"There's no need, Thalia. I myself possess certain accomplishments in the field of the arts, so I'm more than qualified to educate OUR Erik on the matter. Nevertheless, I appreciate the offer." Eleonora said with elegance, though she couldn't help but place a subtle, somewhat possessive emphasis on her beloved disciple.

"Fufu, my apologies—I meant no offense to the great Imperial Princess Silverwood." Thalia replied in a calm tone, though a playful smirk crept across her face.

"Fufu, how could that be? I merely didn't wish to trouble the "great princess" of the Arcane Order with the task of educating OUR little disciple." Eleonora countered with equal grace, landing her blow with refined precision. Thalia's expression immediately soured, and she had no choice but to cross her arms and fall silent, accepting her defeat with obedient restraint.

. . .

While Eleonora and Thalia were having their little spat, a beautiful woman from the Jade Lotus Union cast a casual glance toward a slim young man with similar features, who radiated a scholarly aura and was the center of attention among a large group of youths gathering for the upcoming "arts competition."

Just one look was all the young man needed to understand the message the woman was silently conveying. With an elegant smile, he quickly excused himself from the group surrounding him and began making his way toward Erik, followed closely by two other young men.

Upon reaching Erik's table, the young man casually waved his right hand, and the two youths accompanying him quickly moved to pick up the first young man—now unconscious on the floor, rendered breathless by Erik's aura. He then gave a small bow toward Elara and Zoe.

"Our apologies for the rudeness of the young man from our family." The scholarly youth said calmly, before turning his gaze directly to Erik and continuing with a scornful smile.

"But the Ascended Erik is absolutely right—our origins are far too different to understand each other easily. After all, what could an aristocrat possibly learn from a country bumpkin who can't even afford a surname?"

The moment those words left the young man's mouth, the smiles on Eleonora and Sigrún's faces vanished almost instantly—replaced by cold expressions filled with murderous intent. That reaction brought a smile to the woman from the Arcane Order, who had only moments ago been clenching her teeth in anger, while Thalia, Jessica, and Seraphina began observing the new arrival with unreadable expressions.

"And look how strange life is: this country bumpkin can't even afford a surname, yet you know who I am—and I have no idea who you are."

Erik, for his part, simply turned to look at the new young man and spoke in a calm voice, casually studying him as he reached for another cookie. The young man before him gave a soft smile in response and replied.

"It's barely comprehensible—country bumpkins are nothing more than frogs at the bottom of a well, unable to see the bigger picture, yet still arrogant enough to think they know everything."

"Curious notion. I wonder what's more impressive: a random shooting star in a universe full of them, or a frog in a well that the whole world has heard about." Erik replied calmly, reaching out to take his cup of tea, which caused the young man's gaze to sharpen as he responded.

"You speak with wit, Ascended Erik, I'll give you that. But even a famous frog is still just a creature confined to its pond. We, on the other hand…" The young man paused briefly and extended his hand slightly, as if encompassing the entire crowd on the asteroid, before continuing with a smile.

"We have seen 'oceans'."

"Oceans, huh?" Erik replied casually, then took a sip of his tea, followed by a slight smile.

"Seems you crossed one just to meet a simple 'frog'. How adventurous."

"That's an innate trait of those who pursue excellence, Ascended Erik. Sometimes even the simplest frog on the path can teach us by example what we must avoid." The young man replied in a measured and elegant tone as he placed his hands behind his back. Erik nodded in return and remarked calmly.

"A very true statement. Even the simplest, most mundane creature can teach us something—like not wasting time on useless little ego contests, wouldn't you agree?"

"For you to dare call a tradition that has been upheld for millions of years a mere ego contest only proves that an education in the arts isn't the only thing you're lacking, Ascended Erik. Respect for one's elders is a fundamental virtue for any proper human being." The young man replied with a subtle smile—one that only made Erik's own smile grow slightly wider. Crossing one leg over the other, Erik responded.

"Well then, if that's the case, I must apologize. But I do ask for a bit of indulgence—it's a common mistake among us young people not to fully grasp the hardships of our elders. Don't worry though, we'll reach that age eventually and understand it better... even if from a different height. Don't you think so, Mister Nameless Revealed-level?"

Erik ended by subtly raising his teacup toward the young man, almost as if offering a toast, before taking a calm sip. Meanwhile, Zoe and Elara had to pinch themselves even harder to keep from bursting into laughter.

"I see even frogs grow fangs when their well becomes too small." The young man remarked, letting out a short chuckle before adding with a faint glint in his eyes.

"But if you're so eager to know my name, you'll be invited to learn it in a more appropriate setting. There, words alone won't be enough. Though I suppose for a mere Ascended, it might be a bit difficult to 'rise above.'"

Just at that moment, Erik snapped his fingers, which caused a flicker of confusion in the young man from the Lotus Union. But almost instantly, the elegant and refined youth felt two bursts of hot air hitting his body—prompting him to slowly lift his gaze, only to find himself face to face with two massive canine snouts full of razor-sharp teeth, poised to devour him in a single bite. That's when Erik's calm voice echoed through the air.

"My apologies—my pups tend to act on their own in certain situations. That's on me—they still need more training."

At Erik's words, Kaiser and Tiberius backed away from the young man, though they continued to stare at him like prey, their gazes filled with murderous intent. At the same time, their bodies shimmered with power—Kaiser crackling with silvery electric sparks, and Tiberius surrounded by a dark mist that seemed to devour all light.

Meanwhile, the young man from the Lotus Union couldn't help but tremble slightly. Even though his magical artifacts and other protective treasures might have saved his life if those wolves had actually attacked, the fact that he hadn't seen the attack coming was utterly terrifying. It was enough to plant the illusion in his mind that the star-haired youth standing before him held his life in his hands—and that all it would take was a simple snap of his fingers to end it.

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The moment the wolves moved to attack, the Master-level woman from the Lotus Union narrowed her eyes, filled with murderous intent—but almost instantly, five terrifying killing auras surrounded her from all sides, as two ethereal-looking women appeared at her sides.

"Make a single move, and it'll be the last thing you ever do."

Eleonora spoke in an icy voice, just as the other three Master-level members of the Jade Lotus Union ignited their mana, causing the very air to tremble. At the same time, an angry male voice spoke coldly—though it could only be heard by the Master-levels present.

"Are you treating us like nothing? Or are you declaring war on our Jade Lotus Union?"

"Do you think your pathetic excuse of a faction scares anyone?"

Sigrún quickly replied in a cold voice, while turning her gaze toward a man who appeared to be in his forties, with long pale blue hair and features typical of the Lotus Union. He wore an elegant black robe, characteristic of cultivators. Sigrún then added in a mocking tone.

"I'd love to see you stand up from that chair and declare war—go on, show me if you've got the guts."

"A tiger that hides its claws isn't a sick cat, Sigrún. Don't press your luck."

At that moment, another Master-level from the Lotus Union—this one standing, appearing to be around twenty-five years old, with long black hair tipped in silver and holding a beautiful black Jian sword behind his back—spoke with a cold tone and a sharp gaze.

At the same time, the killing intents of the Master-levels from the Arcane Order and the Jade Lotus Union intertwined in a silent battle, imperceptible to anyone below their level. But the winner of that 'fight' was far too obvious.

The Order had twice as many Master-levels present—the other side didn't stand a chance. However, just then, the killing intents of the three Master-levels from the Meridian Federation flared up, more or less evening the scales, though the fact that they were one short was still noticeable.

"I suppose it was to be expected—rats of the same kind always gather."

At that moment, Eleonora spoke with a scornful tone as she turned her gaze toward the Meridian Federation group, which consisted of two men and one woman. Among them, a man with golden eyes stood out, staring back at her coldly.

But just then, Sigrún turned to admire her beloved disciple, who had calmly stopped his young wolves from devouring the idiot who clearly didn't value his life—now simply eating a cookie as he watched his pathetic excuse of an opponent flee in shame.

That scene was so endearing to Sigrún that it completely erased her anger and killing intent, while a smile full of pride bloomed on her beautiful face. With a tone of utter smugness, she commented.

"But thinking it over… it's a common mistake among us youngsters—not fully understanding the struggles of decrepit old folks. Maybe I was being too harsh. What do you think, Eli?"

Sigrún's sudden words nearly made all the Master-levels present stumble—some couldn't help but glance at her in slight disbelief. It was genuinely difficult for them to understand how that troublesome woman could switch moods so drastically. Not even someone with bipolar disorder could manage something like that, which inevitably led the Master-levels from the Lotus Union and the Meridian Federation to exchange confused looks among themselves.

Meanwhile, Eleonora had to restrain herself from bursting into laughter at the sight of her sworn sister's expression—one that resembled a proud child reveling in a mischievous act. She could easily imagine what Sigrún was thinking: trying to imitate Erik and "win with style" instead of resorting to brute force as she usually did.

"That may be true, although I think it's important to set a precedent—that no one messes with our disciple or what belongs to him. Otherwise, they'll face a very painful death." Eleonora quickly added in a calm voice, directing a sharp gaze at the woman beside her. Sigrún nodded in agreement and replied.

"You're absolutely right. It's important to set a precedent. Do you think we should do something special to make it even clearer?"

"There's no need to do anything else." Thalia quickly interjected in a composed voice, wanting to prevent the troublemaking duo from causing a scene. She then added in a firm tone.

"Erik is a direct disciple of our Arcane Order, and if there's one thing that defines us, it's that we protect our own. And everyone knows the Arcane Order has never feared a war—no matter who the enemy is."

"Hehehe, as expected from my granddaughter."

At that moment, the cheerful voice of the Director echoed in the minds of all the Master-levels present, and immediately afterward, the figures of the four Legendary-level individuals materialized before them. The Director crossed his arms and looked directly at both Aelric and Xiuwen—the Regents of the Meridian Federation and the Jade Lotus Union, respectively—before asking.

"You're absolutely right. If someone lays a hand on one of our own, we'll crush everything in our path. So if it's a fight you want, now's the time to say it."

Though the Director's voice sounded casual, Aelric and Xiuwen couldn't help but narrow their eyes slightly. While it went unnoticed by most, those of similar power could feel it clearly—an aura as sharp as a blade surrounding him, ready to erupt at any moment. And that aura made one thing perfectly clear: he was dead serious. Which made things very problematic.

While Lysander wasn't vastly stronger than either of them in terms of raw power, both Legendary-level figures were painfully aware of one factor that changed the situation entirely—experience. Battle experience far beyond what either of them, or any other human Legendary-level, could even begin to imagine.

Even though no one at their level lacked experience in life-and-death combat—after all, their rise to power had been anything but peaceful—Lysander was in a league of his own. He had committed the most reckless act any human could dare to undertake… and not only returned alive, but much stronger than before. Lysander had dared to explore the universe on his own.

Although none of the Legendary-level beings knew for certain what Lysander experienced during his journey through the universe, what they did know was that he not only gained overwhelming power—reaching the Legendary level, as he had only been a Master-Peak when he left. Also, his technique and combat skill allowed him to fight all three of them at once without losing. Moreover, from his journey, he also brought back a certain terrifying monster that made the Arcane Order literally impregnable.

But without a doubt, the one who felt most uneasy at Lysander's sudden seriousness was none other than Aelric. After all, provoking Lysander a little was usually harmless—the guy might fight a bit or, at worst, swindle some resources and let things go. But a serious Lysander was a whole different matter. There was a reason he looked like the oldest of the four, despite being the youngest. And Aelric could still hear the warning of that red-haired monster echoing in his mind.

"Old man, while it's a common mistake for us youngsters not to understand the hardships of you decrepit elders, this time I like your style—let's start a war and show them who's boss."

As the tension among the Legendary-levels quickly rose, Sigrún spoke with a cheerful tone, hands on her hips, while Eleonora chuckled softly beside her, and Thalia facepalmed in exasperation. She truly couldn't understand how that troublemaking blonde could turn Erik's sharp and clever retort into such a dumb and reckless insult.

"Hehe, that's a great line—I like it."

For his part, the Director turned to look at Sigrún with an amused smile, almost like a father watching the antics of his mischievous daughter. That made Sigrún laugh in delight, and she quickly replied in a voice full of smug pride, puffing out her chest.

"Right? Totally worthy of my Erik."

"We should find a good calligrapher and have it framed." The Director responded cheerfully, which made Sigrún's eyes light up. She nodded quickly and replied.

"That's a great idea, old man—seriously, you come up with the best stuff."

Meanwhile, the others present exchanged confused looks, unsure where all the fighting spirit had suddenly gone. But the Legendary-levels understood perfectly well—this was Lysander's way of offering them a graceful exit. Though, of course, he'd likely show up later to swindle them as usual, so they'd better hide their truly valuable treasure before he arrived.

Similarly, Eleonora and Thalia couldn't help but chuckle a little. While Sigrún could be impulsive, she was far from foolish. Knowing the Director well, she offered him an excuse to deescalate the fight. After all, even though she would kill and dance on the corpse if anyone ever laid a hand on her Erik, he had already won—utterly defeating his opponent. There was no need to sour his victory with a greater conflict, or worse, make him feel guilty about it.

As the Director and Sigrún began a lighthearted debate about how to frame the phrase, the beautiful blonde Master-level couldn't help but feel her heartache—a sentiment shared by Eleonora. After all, the mockery directed at their Erik for lacking a surname still stung deeply. It struck a nerve like few things could because it was a wound they had been avoiding for many years now.

That insult tore at their hearts and nearly drove them to madness—especially Sigrún. After all, she was the one who gave Erik his name when he didn't have one. And at the time, since she still needed to verify his backstory, she refrained from giving him a surname, knowing how delicate a matter that could be across the galaxy.

But as time passed, that sweet child became a handsome and captivating young man who ended up stealing her heart. And Erik's lack of a surname began to weigh on her more and more, filling her with regret for not having given him one back then. At the same time, the three of them—she, Eleonora, and Seraphina—wanted Erik to choose a surname for himself—one that would truly represent him. After all, that surname would one day be carried by their future children.

The problem was that reason and emotion don't always align. While rationally, they wanted Erik to choose a surname of his own—just as Sigrún had done, taking one in honor of her master and adoptive mother—the pain and shame she felt for never giving a last name to the one she loved, who had once lacked even a first name, didn't lessen in the slightest.

…

…

…

At Erik's table—where the little 'war' between Master-levels had gone completely unnoticed by everyone except Seraphina, who had pulled out a full plate of ultra-special cookies to spoil her young master—Zoe looked at Erik with sparkling eyes and said in a voice full of admiration.

"You were amazing, Erik. You completely destroyed him."

"It was just a casual conversation, nothing special." Erik replied in good spirits as he reached for one of the ultra-special cookies. At that moment, Elara spoke up with a delighted smile.

"Don't be so humble. That was honestly the first time I've seen someone lead another person around by the nose like that."

"Oh? You noticed?" Erik turned to look at her with a playful smile as he asked, to which Elara cheerfully replied.

"Not at first, but when I saw your smile and heard your next response, I figured that's what was going on."

"Well, the guy was throwing around 'truths', so I just returned the favor." Erik said with a laugh, then broke into genuine laughter.

Erik commented playfully, then laughed—a moment when Elara and Zoe exchanged a glance, a particular sparkle in their eyes. Meanwhile, Chen stared at the star-haired boy in surprise; he truly found it hard to grasp how someone who rarely spoke with others could be so eloquent—an absolute mystery.

(Maybe I should read more… Erik is always doing it. Maybe that's what I'm missing…)

As Chen reflected on the path his life was taking, Erik turned to look at his beautiful fellow disciples and spoke in a more serious tone.

"But setting that aside, things have gotten a bit complicated, so... are you still sure you want to team up with me?" Erik asked doubtfully, then casually pointed toward the group from the Lotus Union and added.

"Those guys want to skin me alive."

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Elara and Zoe looked in the direction Erik was pointing, only to find several young members of the Jade Union staring back at him with hostile intent—especially those from the Xiao family, who seemed to be overflowing with murderous intent.

"Hahaha, since when are we afraid of the Lotus Union? Even if nothing had happened, they would've come after us anyway, so don't underestimate us, Erik." Elara said with a defiant smile, to which Zoe added gracefully.

"Elara's right. Those small-minded would've found any excuse to come after us no matter what. Or… could it be that you don't want to team up with us anymore?"

"Of course not; I was just asking to be sure." Erik replied with a smile, then turned to look at Chen and asked casually while grabbing a cookie.

"And you? Are you sure you won't get into trouble for being here?"

"Not so much getting into trouble. They might try to come after me a bit, though. After all, the one who just ran off was none other than Xiao Tianji—or Tianji Xiao in Galactic Standard—one of the most prominent young members of the Xiao clan.

"He's a Revealed-Peak cultivator at just 250 years old, so he's pretty famous and commands entire legions of followers, not to mention he's highly valued by his family. So yeah, it's a bit problematic."

Chen Ming replied in a serious tone, then brought his teacup—just refilled by Seraphina—to his lips while discreetly glancing at the wolves beside Erik. They had managed to catch off guard someone who should have been able to kill them effortlessly—a truly insane feat. Everything surrounding the star-haired boy was undeniably strange.

"I see… that might be a bit of a problem. If I give it my all, at best, I might be able to hold my own against a Revealed-Advanced for a short time. But a 'Peak', three sub-ranks above, that's completely beyond my capabilities." Erik said calmly, not a hint of fear on his face, which made Chen feel compelled to ask, somewhat concerned.

"So, what are you going to do? If you run into that guy inside, you can be sure he'll try to kill you."

"Well, if it were a direct fight, I'd definitely lose. But Kaiser and Tiberius proved something—while I'm weaker, he can't easily detect me. So it's not a lost cause. Besides, killing me isn't that easy."

Erik replied calmly, knowing that the various rings on his hands were filled with all kinds of protective measures his masters and Seraphina had prepared for him—almost obsessively. Then the star-haired boy looked Chen straight in the eyes and added, calmly but firmly.

"If we meet inside, don't attack me—or I won't show any mercy."

"How could you even think that? In fact, if we meet inside, let's team up."

Chen quickly replied, a bit nervously, as for some reason Erik's gaze gave him a slight chill. Still, his words were sincere—he truly believed that teaming up with Erik was the right decision. After all, he had never in his life met someone so intelligent and talented.

On top of that, the star-haired boy had the backing of two of the wealthiest Master-level figures in the galaxy, as they stood at the very top of the pyramids of Alchemy and Artificery. That meant Erik wouldn't bother fighting over minor gains, which gave a less fortunate young cultivator like him a chance to earn some valuable items if he negotiated properly.

…

After a while, the Director's voice echoed in the ears of Erik, Zoe, and Elara, while a much heavier, authority-laden voice resonated in Chen's mind—the voice of the Legend-level Regent of his faction. After exchanging farewells, Erik once again lined up in order—though this time without Seraphina, who had to walk away with a sad expression on her face—before taking his place behind Sigrún and Eleonora.

Before long, the group from the Arcane Order, followed by the other three factions, marched in perfect formation toward the massive metal bunker, which was heavily guarded by agents from all four factions. Soon, the enormous metallic doors of the bunker slowly began to open automatically.

On the other side of the door lay an immense hallway seemingly built for giants, with tightly packed runes of all kinds carved into the metallic walls and even more heavily armed agents standing guard—clearly stronger than those stationed outside.

The young members of the four factions quickly entered the bunker, leaving the Master and Legendary level ones behind. Meanwhile, Erik, with the help of the surrounding Myst, could sense the curious 'invisible barriers' they passed through every so often. Shortly after, they came upon another door.

After passing through four similar doors, the young ones arrived at an immense hall, which was guarded by only eight individuals—two from each faction. Unlike everyone they had seen so far, these eight wore no armor or weapons. On the contrary, they emanated a colossal presence, comparable to that of a star.

As all the youths entered the massive hall, the eight Master-levels—seated with their eyes closed at various spots around the room—opened their eyes simultaneously. Then they muttered a few words, causing one of the 'walls' of the hall to slowly rise, releasing a faint light.

On the other side of the 'wall' was a chamber where every square inch was covered in thousands of runes. At the far end stood a pair of circular structures, one on the ceiling and one on the floor, both with a powerful spectral blue light at their center, interconnected by a thin line of the same glowing hue.

"This is the entrance to the ruin, which, as you all know, only opens once every six months. That is the minimum amount of time you must remain inside. According to the initial exploration missions, the only way to exit is through a similar structure that activates on the same interval."

One of the Master-levels suddenly spoke in a solemn and heavy voice that, for some reason, seemed to carry the weight of age and experience—a world apart from the jovial and relaxed tone Erik had grown accustomed to from most Master-levels. In response, all the young people nodded respectfully, just as another Master-level added in an equally heavy and ancient voice.

"The gate has already begun to open and will remain open for exactly 35 minutes. The moment the light covers the entire structure—that is when you must jump in."

After delivering the message, all the Master-levels returned to their positions, closing their eyes once again and appearing like hyper-realistic statues—it was even hard to tell if they were breathing. At that moment, Erik quickly called Zoe and Elara over to join him. As soon as they were close, he created an invisible isolation barrier and began to speak.

"Girls, I don't know if we'll get separated after crossing that gate, like during the exam, so I've been working on a little countermeasure. Want to try our luck and see if it works?"

Hearing Erik's words, Zoe and Elara's eyes lit up like lanterns. After all, that had been one of their main concerns—the random teleportation during the trial wasn't done without reason; it was because such phenomena were common in ancient ruins.

"How confident are you that it'll work?" Elara asked excitedly, to which Erik replied in a calm tone.

"Although so far, I've only tested it with Liliana a couple of times using one of my master's teleportation spells—and it worked—I don't know how well it'll hold up here, so it's more of a gamble."

"It's always a gamble when trying to interfere with the workings of a ruin." Zoe added, a bit excited, and continued.

"But if your method worked with a Master-level spell, then there's a high chance it will work here too. It's definitely worth trying—we'd gain a huge advantage by staying together."

As she spoke, Zoe found Erik's calm expression increasingly attractive, something that made her heart stir. Elara nodded in agreement, her eyes shining as she looked at the star-haired boy.

"Zoe's right—this is a great opportunity. So tell us, Erik, what do we need to do?"

"Not much." Erik replied as a pale gray braided cord appeared in his hand, covered with a multitude of carved runes. He continued, pointing to it.

"We'll hold hands, and I'll channel mana into both of you, while this artifact will aid the process by masking your mana with mine—making it seem like we're just one person, which should trick the spell or formation trying to separate us."

Erik's words brought a soft blush to the cheeks of both maidens. Even though it was only holding hands, physical contact with men wasn't common for them—especially not with someone as remarkable as Erik.

"Sounds good to me. Though I don't think we'll be the only ones trying something like this, if we succeed, we'll gain a huge advantage." Elara quickly said, doing her best to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.

"I agree. But… is there any chance we could bring more people? Wouldn't having a larger group help us capitalize on that advantage?" Zoe asked with a small smile, though her cheeks were also temptingly tinged with a soft pink.

"With my method, it's not really viable. Masking another person's mana with mine—even with the artifact—is already quite complex. That's why direct contact is necessary. I'd say two people is the absolute limit." Erik explained as he looked at Elara and Zoe, who both nodded in understanding and added.

"Makes sense. And besides, we don't have any guarantee that it's even going to work. After all, there were others who tried to trick the random teleportation in the past, and as far as anyone knows, only a few have succeeded, and only just, since luck plays a big role." Elara said thoughtfully, to which Zoe added with a smile.

"That's true too. But the methods recorded in the archives are quite different from the one you've developed, Erik—so it just might work."

"Well, it's still a gamble, so let's go in with that mindset." Erik nodded and replied calmly.

"Then let's go!!"

"It's time for the adventure to begin."

With Elara and Zoe's words, the light connecting the circular structures on the ceiling and floor expanded in size until, shortly after, it formed a beautiful column of bluish light.

"The gate is open. You may enter."

When the voice of one of the Master-levels—who, for some reason, gave Erik the impression of being an ancient turtle, "slow" and "heavy"—resonated through the hall, many eager young people began jumping into the column of light. Others held hands and jumped in groups, and some even activated artifacts that enclosed several members together before leaping.

"Are you ready?"

At that moment, Erik asked in a calm voice as he extended his hands toward Elara and Zoe. A soft, alluring blush appeared on the cheeks of the beautiful ladies, but even so, they timidly took the young emerald-eyed boy's hands.

As soon as Erik's hands met the delicate ones of Elara and Zoe, two rope-like artifacts wrapped themselves around their hands and wrists on their own, almost like living serpents, and then began to glow softly.

Almost instantly, both Zoe and Elara began to feel a warm and powerful mana slowly flooding into them, sending waves of strange sensations through their bodies—especially as this unfamiliar mana started flowing through their mana circulatory systems, giving them the distinct feeling that it was taking control of them.

Little by little, the girls felt Erik's mana intertwining with their own, then gradually enveloping it completely—somehow masking it. This made them feel as if, in some strange way, they were becoming one with Erik. And the moment that thought crossed their minds, both of them entered a strange state in which they began to feel the surrounding Myst with astonishing clarity.

"All right, let's jump."

Lost in that unusual state, Elara and Zoe could only nod in autopilot, so Erik quickly led them toward the column of light. Then he jumped into it—channeling all his focus into masking the girls' mana with his own, while simultaneously drawing the surrounding Myst to envelop them like a cocoon.

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When Erik jumped into the column of light, he suddenly found himself in a strange space where he couldn't tell up from down. The only source of illumination was a distant sphere of light, from which beams seemed to emerge, sweeping across the bizarre space like some kind of scanner.

But Erik was not alone in this strange space; thanks to the faint light, he could see some people in the distance, as well as spheres of energy and even flying artifacts, which would occasionally disappear—and sometimes, some artifacts and energy spheres were brutally destroyed.

Fascinated by the strange scene before him, Erik began to channel the Myst to sense it more deeply, but that made him open his eyes in surprise. For some reason, he completely lost his connection to the Myst whenever he moved a little away from it, something he had never experienced before.

(What's going on…?)

Filled with doubts, Erik tried to concentrate on the Myst, but suddenly felt the artifacts that helped him mask Elara and Zoe's mana fail, causing him to lose control over the girls' mana. He quickly looked down and saw that the cord connecting them looked incredibly worn and on the verge of snapping.

Without thinking—and almost instinctively—Erik pulled the two young women towards him, hugging them tightly against his body. At that moment, he focused completely on making all the Myst he could reach surround them like a thick cocoon, while activating all the defenses on his armor.

Simultaneously, the Myst around Erik began to move erratically, almost as if it were indignantly scolding its peers who refused to obey his commands. At that moment, the star-haired young man began to feel the distant Myst grow "lighter," slowly falling under his control. Soon after, immense amounts of Myst began to dance around him, forming a gigantic cocoon.

Inside the Myst cocoon, Erik looked around with a bit of surprise, not understanding how the Myst had suddenly come back under his control so easily. But at that moment, the beam of light that seemed to be scanning the space reached him, dazzling him and forcing him to close his eyes.

…

"What is this…?"

When Erik was able to open his eyes again, he found himself standing in what seemed to be a dimly lit rocky cavern. The only source of light was a kind of crystal stalactites emitting faint glimmers of light in different colors. Without paying too much attention to that, he quickly lowered his gaze to check on the girls in his arms.

Looking down, Erik saw the two young ladies staring at each other in absolute astonishment, their faces so red that even their ears were blushing. This inevitably provoked an amused chuckle from the star-haired boy, who quickly let them go and took a step back, asking at the same time.

"Are you both all right?"

"Y-yes."

Elara quickly nodded her head like a chicken, doing her best to hide her red face. At the same time, Zoe responded by regaining her firm and elegant demeanor, although her voice couldn't help but tremble a little, and her blushing face didn't help her maintain her image.

"E-everything's fine."

"That's good, and I apologize—the situation got a little out of control, and I was forced to keep you close to prevent us from being separated."

Erik commented in a calm tone as he looked at his armor—or, more specifically, at the detailed data that appeared in his field of vision when he focused on it. This caused Elara and Zoe to exchange confused glances, before asking,

"Things got out of control? What do you mean, Erik?" Elara asked, confused, looking directly at the handsome, star-haired young man. At that moment, Zoe asked seriously as her blush slowly faded.

"Did something happen?"

"So you really didn't notice anything…" Erik remarked, not particularly surprised as he finished checking his armor. Then he raised his head to look at the pair of beautiful young women and continued speaking in a more serious tone.

"Although I don't really know how or why, when we jumped into the column of light, we entered a strange space. I assume it was specially prepared to analyze anyone who tries to enter, but for some reason, I saw spells and magical artifacts getting torn apart in that place, and the same thing happened to ours—look."

As he finished, Erik pointed to the girls' wrists, where traces of the frayed rope could still be seen, just about to fall off. This prompted the two young women to lift their arms for a closer look, feeling a bit surprised.

"Something like that really did happen…" Elara commented in a complicated voice as she examined the rope in her hands, to which Zoe added while gripping the hilt of her katana at her waist.

"It's scary—I didn't even feel a thing."

"How was it for you? What did you feel? From my perspective, you both seemed to be in some kind of trance." Erik asked, full of curiosity, to which Zoe replied, still feeling a bit uneasy.

"Actually, for me, it was like no time passed at all. Right before jumping into the entrance, I strangely felt the Myst around me with unusual precision, so I focused on that, and before I knew it, we were already here."

"It was the same for me—we jumped into the entrance and were already here, instantly." Elara nodded and added in a serious tone, no longer showing any trace of her earlier blush.

"Wait, you started to sense the Myst better?" Erik asked, both confused and curious, as he looked at Zoe, who answered calmly, though by the end of her words her voice took on a dreamy quality.

"Yes. When your mana completely enveloped mine, I started to sense the Myst with incredible clarity, to the point that it felt like, if I tried, I could extend my consciousness infinitely through it. It was truly amazing…"

"Actually, it was the same for me—I had never felt the Myst like that before. It was as if I could sense the Myst merging with my senses and becoming a part of me…" Elara added, in a state not much different from Zoe's.

For his part, Erik listened with equal parts surprise and curiosity. After all, even if the girls were exaggerating and it wasn't quite so grand, feeling the Myst as an extension of oneself was something natural for him. According to what he had heard from his masters, it was a sign of having reached one of the highest levels of connection with the Myst, something that only very few people were capable of achieving.

"What an interesting occurrence… Could it have been the rope? But when I tried it with Liliana, she didn't mention anything like that. Maybe she didn't want to tell me? Or maybe the environment had some influence? After all, Liliana didn't enter any sort of trance either…"

Curious, Erik commented to himself while he pulled out his notebook and quickly began jotting down several notes—something Elara and Zoe couldn't help but watch with curiosity. After all, nowadays, it was uncommon for anyone to use pen and paper to take notes or anything like that; that's what crystal cards and similar artifacts were for.

"Well, for now, we don't have any more information about that event, so it's best to set it aside and focus on what's important. Which direction should we take?" After putting away his notebook, Erik spoke in a calm tone while starting to carefully study the cavern's surroundings. At that moment, Zoe commented seriously,

"First, we should carry out an initial exploration of the area and secure our position. We still have to adapt to the Myst in this place—it's too strange; I can barely even sense it…"

"It certainly is strange. It feels almost ghostly and incredibly scarce… it might take us weeks to adapt…" Elara commented in a serious tone as she raised her left hand in front of her, where a small flame appeared, flickering gently.

"…"

For his part, Erik couldn't help but look at the pair of young women a bit confused. Although the Myst in the area was indeed a bit "heavier," it wasn't that bad—it was much better than in that strange space, so it shouldn't be so difficult to connect to it. Not wanting to say something that could be misinterpreted, instead he called out softly.

"Kaiser, Tiberius, Ebonique."

As Erik's voice faded, two cute wolf pups emerged from his shadow, one with silvery-white fur and the other jet-black. At the same time, a small cluster of black lightning manifested above him, quickly taking the form of a small dragon-snake about 30 cm long. At that moment, the star-haired boy spoke in a calm voice.

"Then let me explore the surroundings a bit. For now, you can stay here and try to adapt to the Myst, since I don't sense anything nearby, so it should be safe."

"You don't sense anything…?"

Hearing Erik, Elara asked in return, watching the pair of adorable wolves and the dragon-snake that quickly landed on Erik's head, almost blending in with his dark hair adorned with stars and galaxies.

"When did you extend your [Ethereal Projection]?" Also studying the cute pair of wolves, Zoe asked, slightly confused, to which Erik replied with a calm smile.

"I didn't. I'm using [Mystic Awareness]."

Upon hearing Erik, Elara and Zoe couldn't help but widen their eyes slightly, visibly surprised. After all, Mystic Awareness was the most difficult to master of the advanced techniques for harmonizing with the Myst. It allowed mana users to accelerate their thoughts and connect more deeply with the Myst. But the best part was that this technique made it possible to passively sense mana in the surroundings, essentially turning the user into a living radar.

Although with Ethereal Projection a mana user could also extend their consciousness and sense their surroundings with great clarity—as if they were actually touching them—and much better than Mystic Awareness, which only detected mana—the latter had an overwhelming advantage over the former: not only was its range greater, but since it was a "passive" detection, it was almost undetectable. In contrast, Ethereal Projection could be sensed by any mana user, even from a distance.

For this reason, while it was common for armors to include long-range detection functions, these were always turned off by default. After all, they weren't much different from Ethereal Projection and were therefore easily detectable, which greatly diminished their usefulness. Moreover, they could interfere with the user's own detection ability.

Additionally, Mystic Awareness had another advantage that made it very valuable and useful: since it detected mana, it was possible to estimate an enemy's level quite accurately through it. And while those with a high level of mana control could fool it, they were a minority. Moreover, an expert user could notice mana concealment, so even in those cases, it remained a valuable technique, as it allowed the user to detect a potential danger.

"You really have mastered Mystic Awareness…?" Elara asked as she stared into Erik's green eyes. He replied in a calm tone, just as the wolves began to grow in size.

"Yes, I discovered it by accident a few years ago."

"You truly are an unmatched genius…"

With a voice that reflected her astonishment, Zoe spoke almost as a sigh. After all, Mystic Awareness was the gateway to master-level mana control and harmony with the Myst techniques, and it was so difficult to master that it wasn't uncommon to find sages who couldn't use it.

"I wouldn't go that far. I just happen to be good at a few things, including mastering Mystic Awareness. But there are others that, no matter how hard I try, I just can't get right. In any case, let me handle exploring the surroundings—for now, focus on adapting to the Myst."

Erik said in a calm tone while petting the heads of the pair of wolves, who had grown enough that their heads were now level with his chest. At that moment, Elara commented in a calm voice—though inside, her heart was racing a mile a minute. After all, such a handsome and capable man was far too attractive for her innocent heart.

"You're truly humble, Erik… but I have a question. I've heard that if a mana user isn't adapted to the Myst of a specific area, the range of their Mystic Awareness drops drastically. So, approximately how far can you cover?"

"About ten kilometers in all directions approximately."

Erik answered calmly, which made Elara widen her eyes and ask hastily, visibly shocked. After all, that was the maximum theoretical range someone at the Ascended level could manage, so his answer could only mean one thing.

"Could it be that you don't need to adapt to the Myst in this place, Erik? You can already connect to it at your full capacity?"

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"Could it be that you don't need to adapt to the Myst in this place, Erik? You can already connect to it at your full capacity?"

"More or less."

Erik replied with a calm smile, which made Elara swallow hard, trying to keep her instincts under control. At that moment, she turned to look at Zoe, who already seemed to have lost the battle, as she gazed at the young man with fascination, her eyes practically heart-shaped.

(At least I'm doing better than her…)

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Elara added to herself, then turned to Erik and spoke in a calm tone.

"In that case, there's no point in staying here. Let's move together—although the power of our spells and techniques will be somewhat diminished, it's manageable, and for now, it's more important to understand this place's characteristics."

"…I agree, splitting up right now doesn't seem like a good idea." After taking a few deep breaths, Zoe managed to calm herself enough to speak in a measured tone, to which Erik nodded casually and said.

"Alright, then let's check out the surroundings first." Erik quickly turned to look at the pair of wolves, then gave a firm order.

"Kaiser, Tiberius, you two lead the way. Stay alert for anything strange and don't go too far."

After two powerful confirming growls, the pair of wolves moved ahead, walking with a rather attractive style, as if they had a special rhythm. Then they stopped a few meters ahead, where they began to sniff the ground and the air, searching for possible threats. At that moment, Erik communicated with his contracted spirit.

"Ebonique, if you notice anything strange, let me know."

"You can count on it."

Ebonique quickly replied in a cheerful voice, which immediately caught Zoe and Elara's attention, since the fact that the spirit could speak meant she was a mature spirit, making her combat potential equal to Erik's—turning her into a powerful ally.

After all, a mature spirit was equivalent to a human Sage level, but because of how spirit contracts worked, they could only unleash power equivalent to the maximum mana potential of the contractor who summoned them. For example, Hiyori, the fox spirit contracted to Zoe, was actually an Ancient Spirit—equivalent to a Master-level—but when summoned by Zoe, she could only exert power equivalent to Ascended-Peak.

With the wolves up ahead, the group walked through the rocky cavern, staying completely alert. But no matter how far they went, the scenery barely seemed to change, making them think they might be walking in circles, until, after a while, they heard a couple of faint wolf howls. That immediately made Zoe and Elara reach for their weapons, but at that moment, Erik smiled cheerfully and commented in a relaxed tone,

"They found an air current."

Hearing Erik's announcement, Zoe and Elara smiled with a hint of excitement but still kept their hands on their weapons—since finding an exit was good but also carried risks. Zoe quickly looked at Erik and asked in a serious tone.

"Erik, how much experience do you have with team combat?"

"Not much, honestly."

Erik replied with a calm smile, which made the two girls nod in understanding, as they had suspected as much. After all, he was only 30 years old—it was already an inconceivable miracle that at such a young age he had achieved such impressive academic accomplishments, as well as a battle feat as remarkable as defeating a knight two centuries older and several times stronger than him in a one-on-one duel. It was only natural that he might lack experience in some areas.

"I see. So, in your duel, I noticed you were able to fight both at close and long range, but I imagine you're more focused on the path of magic, is that right?" Zoe quickly asked seriously, to which Erik nodded and explained.

"Yes, although I know a sword technique from the Zazen discipline, I'm only halfway there with it. I have much more confidence in my spells."

"You really never stop surprising us…"

Upon hearing his explanation, Zoe couldn't help but look at Erik in surprise once again. It didn't really make much sense for a mage to learn a sword technique, since they could never truly bring out its full potential—especially from the Revealed level onwards. If his masters had let him try, it was for a reason. But quickly returning to reality, the beautiful black-haired young woman spoke again.

"But putting that aside, since you'll be fighting mainly as a mage, you'll stay in the center with Elara. She'll explain what you need to keep in mind." Zoe turned to Elara, who nodded seriously, already holding her staff in her hand, so the beautiful knight continued.

"In the meantime, I'll take the front along with your wolves and handle any melee fighters, and I'll leave my contracted spirit to watch the rear. In turn, you could have your spirit or one of your wolves join her at the rear."

"Understood. Ebonique, would you like to cover our rear?" Erik quickly nodded and asked his reliable spirit, who immediately rose into the air and began to grow in size, speaking in a calm and elegant tone.

"Leave it to me. No one will touch your back."

"Perfect. Hiyori-sama."

Zoe quickly nodded in satisfaction and called her own spirit, at which point a burst of fire materialized in front of her, quickly taking the form of an elegant nine-tailed fox. Once fully materialized, with its beautiful white fur accented with red, it bowed respectfully.

"Greetings. I am Hiyori, spirit of the celestial flames."

"Hello, Hiyori. I'm Erik—we've met before, but I didn't get the chance to greet you." Erik quickly replied with a calm smile, and the beautiful nine-tailed fox straightened up, then spoke in a cheerful yet courteous tone.

"That is indeed the case, Erik-sama. It truly is a pleasure that we finally have the opportunity."

While Hiyori and Erik chatted pleasantly, Zoe couldn't help but look at her contracted spirit with a slight surprise. Although she herself was not particularly arrogant or dismissive, Hiyori was still an Ancient Spirit, possessing great dignity—she would not bow easily to anyone. This also caught Elara's attention, as when she first met the impressive spirit, Hiyori hadn't bowed or anything of the sort, just offered a polite greeting.

This fact inevitably made the pair of beautiful young women look at the star-haired young man with growing interest and curiosity, feeling that the handsome youth was truly a box full of endless surprises and mysteries. This only magnified his charm several times over. But at that moment, Erik's voice sounded again, pulling them out of their little daydream.

"Well, Hiyori, this is Ebonique, my contracted spirit. She'll be watching the rear with you—I hope you two can get along."

Erik said with a calm smile as he placed his hand on Ebonique's scales, who had grown to nearly two meters and was now in her dragon form. This caused an almost imperceptible shudder in the fox spirit, who forced herself to speak after the dragon's bright purple eyes glanced at her with a dangerous light.

"Of course, Erik-sama, you can count on it."

"Thank you very much, then. If we have some free time later, I'd like to talk with you a bit more." Erik said with a cheerful smile, to which Hiyori quickly nodded elegantly and replied.

"It will be a genuine pleasure."

After answering, Hiyori walked slowly toward the rear, where she discreetly bowed in front of the impressive dragon, who simply looked at her for a moment, then put her head back next to Erik so he could gently stroke her scales and give her a bit of delicious mana.

"Alright, let's get moving. Stay completely alert and be ready to fight at any moment."

With the formation ready, Zoe spoke in a firm voice and then positioned herself at the front between the two wolves, who quickly began to lead the way by following the air current. At that moment, Erik activated the dynamic mapping functions of his armor and walked confidently behind Zoe. Elara turned to look at him and began to explain in a serious tone.

"Erik, to fight as a mage in a group, you need to pay attention to two things. First, you must always keep enough mana to cast a defensive barrier—never try to cast a spell that consumes too much because even though the knights will handle melee defense, their usual tactic against spells is to dodge, so they're not very good at blocking those attacks.

"Second, in every attack team, there will always be two commanders: a general commander, who sets the overall pattern for the team, and a second who focuses on directing the tactics of the mages. So, while you should listen to the first commander, the orders of the second are vital, and you must follow them as closely as possible, since failing to do so could bring down the whole team.

"Since you lack experience in this area, for this occasion, Zoe will take the role of first commander, and I'll be the second. And although we'll get to this later, keep in mind that to coordinate well, we need to determine the spells we can use together, since they're a powerful weapon in crucial moments. And although I heard from Liliana that you mainly excel at Myst constructs, I'd like to know if you're familiar with elemental spells."

With a calm expression, Erik took a notebook from his storage ring and began to take notes, paying close attention to Elara's explanation. When he heard her request at the end, the star-haired boy took a different notebook from his storage ring and offered it to the beautiful young woman with short golden hair, explaining in a clear tone.

"I suppose Liliana must have told you that I don't have elemental affinities, so I mainly focus on Myst constructs. Even so, I know several attack spells with fire, electricity, and darkness affinities. In this notebook, there's a list of them—you can read it and tell me how we can best combine our efforts. To be honest, I've never cast a spell in combination with someone else before."

Looking at the notebook, Elara couldn't help but find the star-haired youth a bit unusual. It was really the first time someone had given her a list of the spells they knew. Also, the fact that he lacked experience might be a bit problematic, since it was a clear sign he'd never taken a combat class at university. But recalling the impressive display of skill Erik had shown in his duel, Elara convinced herself it wouldn't be too serious.

"I'll read it later. For now, you can focus entirely on using Myst constructs while we get used to each other. We'll only fight if we have the advantage; otherwise, we'll withdraw—so stay very alert." After a few seconds, Elara extended her left hand, retrieving the notebook, to which Erik nodded in understanding and put it away as he spoke.

"Understood."

"By the way, always keep your weapons ready—you never know what might happen."

Noticing that the star-haired youth's weapons were still at his waist, Elara kindly reminded him. Erik nodded again, then took hold of the handles of his machetes. At that moment, for some reason, Elara felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, as if the young man's calm and scholarly demeanor had suddenly been sublimated into an infinitely sharp aura, capable of cutting with just a touch.

Although surprised, Elara chose not to say anything and instead focused entirely on her surroundings, ready to react to the slightest change. Not long after, in the distance, the group saw a flash of light—giving the impression of light at the end of the tunnel—at which point Zoe asked in a firm tone,

"Erik, do you detect any presences?"

"Only what seem to be large insects—there are quite a few, but they're weak. At best, they're Initiate level." Erik quickly replied, which made Zoe nod before she spoke seriously.

"I see. Even so, we'll proceed with caution. Be ready to engage in combat at any moment."

After a unanimous nod from Erik and Elara, Zoe began to move cautiously toward the light, until they soon came across an irregular arch. There, just as Erik had mentioned, there were several insects resembling moths about 40 cm long, carrying rocks in their legs as they flew toward a hole in the ceiling of the cavern.

Curious, Erik focused on the strange moths. At that moment, a screen materialized in his field of vision, thanks to his impressive armor, displaying a detailed summary of what he was seeing, which easily allowed him to get an idea of what they were—and more importantly, how to deal with them.

...

[Species: Geomoth.]

[Typical Strength Level: Initiate-level.]

[Habitat: Abandoned mines, natural tunnels, deep caverns.]

[Elemental Affinity: Earth]

[Known Weaknesses: Highly vulnerable to electricity.]

[Threat Level: Medium-low.]

[Known Abilities:

[*Rock Manipulation: Capable of lifting, throwing, or shaping rock in amounts proportional to their numbers. When acting as a swarm, they can cause massive collapses.

[*Mineralized Wings: Their wings are coated with a fine layer of crystalline dust. They can reflect light, partially camouflage in mineral environments, or deflect small projectiles.

[*Swarm Coordination: Geomoths are linked by a rudimentary echo-impulse system that allows them to act as a single unit when they detect intruders.]

[Behavior:

[*Extreme Territoriality: They attack in swarms as soon as they detect vibrations foreign to their colony. They do not retreat, even if several are killed.

[*Nocturnal: Rarely seen on the surface. They detest direct sunlight.

[*Accelerated Reproduction: They lay crystalline eggs hidden in cracks; a single mother can produce up to 100 larvae in one lunar cycle.]

[Important Data:

[*At deeper levels, they can form "Hive Cores," led by a Geoqueen, which is much larger and more dangerous.]

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[lordanl]

"They're Geomoths. While they aren't strong, they're quite territorial and always attack in large numbers, which makes them a bit troublesome…" Upon seeing the enormous moths, Elara quickly commented in a serious tone, to which Zoe nodded and then turned to look at Erik, asking in an equally serious voice.

"How many can you sense nearby, Erik?"

Although he could already feel a considerable number in the vicinity, Erik still closed his eyes and increased the amount of mana he sent to the mana gathering point in his head, accelerating his thoughts. At the same time, he fully focused on the Myst, which allowed him to extend his consciousness and clearly sense each individual presence within his range of perception. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Zoe to reply.

"Around 300, but if you want, I can try something. I have the perfect spell for situations like this."

"Really? What's the spell called?" Elara asked, sounding somewhat curious, to which Erik replied calmly.

"Chain Arc. It's a spell with an electric affinity."

"Well, it can't hurt to try. While they're troublesome, Geomoths are still manageable, so this is a good opportunity to get an idea of your skill with elemental spells."

Zoe commented in a calm voice, at which point Kaiser and Ebonique cheerfully approached Erik, visibly eager to join in. The star-haired boy shook his head and replied in a relaxed tone.

"You heard her. This is a test to see how effective I am with elemental spells, so I have to do it alone."

"The power of your contracted spirit is part of your own power, so there's no problem."

Ebonique quickly replied in a strict tone, at which point Kaiser barked happily, almost as if to say it was the same with contracted magical animals, which made Erik laugh in amusement. He then commented casually while pointing his right machete forward.

"I'll do it alone this time. Next time, it'll be Ebonique, then Kaiser and Tiberius, so Zoe and Elara can get a clearer idea of how we work as a team."

"I suppose that's fine… though those insects are far too weak for you to show anything interesting…" Ebonique commented calmly while watching the insects in the distance, to which Erik nodded and replied as various runes materialized around his machete.

"True, but it's better than nothing."

As Erik's voice faded, what looked like a small arrow of electricity shot out from his machete, striking one of the moths directly. At that moment, two arcs of electricity shot from it, hitting two other moths, which in turn released two electric arcs each, striking four more. This initiated a chain reaction that, within seconds, caused the entire Geomoth swarm to fall to the ground completely charred.

"It really was the perfect spell…"

Seeing how easily the entire swarm fell—a threat that could have given them quite a bit of trouble—Elara couldn't help but comment in a strange voice that mixed admiration and disbelief. Zoe could only nod in response, but the beautiful knight quickly turned to Erik and spoke in a serious tone with a hint of fascination.

"That was an impressive spell, Erik. From now on, if you have a similar means, let us know—I have the feeling that things will be much easier that way."

"Of course." Erik replied with a calm and composed smile, while Kaiser, Tiberius, and Ebonique raised their heads proudly, as if showing off on behalf of their beloved contractor.

Meanwhile, Hiyori, the nine-tails fox spirit, watched all this in complete silence, holding her breath in disbelief. After all, she still found it inconceivable that such a highly regarded figure from the spirit realm could act that way—and even more absurd that he would make a contract with a human.

But although Hiyori was doubting reality itself, she did not dare show the slightest hint of it. After all, she had been warned that if she did, she would understand why spirits were only 'quasi-immortal'. Knowing the stories about that esteemed figure, the fox spirit was absolutely certain that just a snap of her fingers would be more than enough to make good on her word.

"Well then, let's move on."

After a few minutes, confirming that the entire colony was indeed dead, Zoe gave the order to advance. Everyone returned to their positions and followed closely behind her, successfully making their way through the irregular archway that looked like the exit of a cave. But when they saw what was on the other side, the three young people couldn't help but stop in their tracks, completely awestruck by the scene before them.

Right in front of the irregular arch was what appeared to be a gorge of dark rock. From which it was clear that they were actually inside a colossal cavern, filled with a mysterious whitish mist that made it difficult to see the entire place. However, thanks to various sources of light, they could make out different buildings seemingly carved directly into the stone, giving the impression that they were standing before an ancient, forgotten city full of mysteries.

Standing near the edge of the rocky cliff, everyone realized that the place where they had been was nothing more than a small cave in one of the walls of the underground city—a city so vast and imposing that, even though they were several thousand meters above it, they seemed like mere ants looking at an elephant.

"This is incredible…"

Taking in the scene, which was so breathtaking that they truly felt like ants before it, Elara commented in a slightly dreamy voice, to which Zoe and Erik couldn't help but nod. At that moment, the star-haired youth focused on the city, hoping information would appear.

[Lost city.
[Although much is still unknown, the information that has been gathered suggests that this city is filled with all kinds of structures containing different secrets, from seemingly infinite libraries to complete gardens…]

As Erik read, he was suddenly enveloped by countless small golden chains that seemed to emerge from the very air. At that moment, the screen before his eyes began to flicker erratically, and at the same time, he could hear the enraged growls of Ebonique and the wolves. But keeping calm, the star-haired boy turned to look at his companions, realizing that they were in a similar situation.

But before he could do anything, Erik saw the chains shatter into tiny fragments and then disappear into nothingness. At that moment, he felt his mental connection to the most powerful artifacts given to him by his masters—artifacts he kept in a special storage ring—suddenly cut off at great speed, causing him to open his eyes in disbelief.

Hurriedly, Erik glanced at his right hand while channeling his mana into the ring that stored his magical artifacts, but no matter how hard he tried, it remained completely inert, without the slightest response. This put a solemn expression on his face, but it quickly grew even more grave when he felt his armor's weight increase exponentially, going from featherlight to weighing several tons in an instant.

Realizing the reason, Erik tried to activate various functions of the armor, but no matter what he attempted, absolutely nothing happened, confirming his suspicions: somehow, those golden chains had managed to disable his magical artifacts. With an incredibly serious tone, he announced while gathering all his mana and Myst around him.

"I've lost my magical artifacts, Tiberius."

At his master's call, the massive jet-black wolf instantly turned into a shadow and merged with the ground, forming a circle so dark it seemed to absorb all light. The circle then expanded to about three meters in diameter, at which point Erik ordered solemnly.

"Jump."

Immediately after speaking, Erik jumped into the circle along with Kaiser and Ebonique, who had both shrunk down to just over 50 cm in size and were completely consumed by the dark circle in mere moments. At that point, Elara and Zoe, who were still a bit confused by what had happened, decided to trust their companion and jumped into the black circle at the same time.

Almost simultaneously, Hiyori, who had also shrunk to a size similar to Ebonique's, leaped into the circle, vanishing just like the others. At that moment, the circle of darkness quickly shrank until it disappeared, leaving the place in a gloomy silence.

Immediately after jumping, Erik emerged from a deep shadow in one of the corners of the cavern they had walked through just moments before, closely followed by Kaiser and Ebonique. At that moment, the latter asked in a visibly angry and worried voice.

"Are you alright, Erik?"

"Yes, but all my magical artifacts have stopped working, including my storage rings." Erik quickly replied in a grim tone while simultaneously extending his [Ethereal Projection], creating a sphere of mana nearly a kilometer in radius around him where nothing could escape his perception.

At that moment, Elara and Zoe emerged from the darkness, catching Erik's words, which immediately prompted them to check their own storage rings, only to realize that, indeed, they were not functioning. This cast incredibly dark expressions over their faces; after all, their potions were stored there, and losing them was practically like losing an arm and a leg—their combat capabilities would be drastically reduced.

Although shocked, Elara and Zoe did not panic and maintained their composure, gripping their weapons tightly and extending their own [Ethereal Projections]. They then slowly moved to form a calm formation behind Erik, all of them scanning in every direction and ready to attack at any moment. Since if those chains were an enemy attack, whoever was responsible would likely arrive soon to finish the job.

"…It seems like no one is coming… could it have been an automatic defense mechanism of the city…?"

After a few moments, Zoe asked in a low and measured voice, standing with her back to Erik and Elara in a stance ready to draw her katana at any moment. Although all of her armor was completely inactive, the sword somehow remained floating near her waist, defying gravity. Elara responded in a serious tone.

"It's possible, but there was no mention of anything like that in the initial exploration documents."

"There's a way both things could be true at once—there could be activation conditions." Erik replied in a serious tone, to which Elara quickly nodded in realization, then began speaking hurriedly, almost as if organizing her thoughts.

"That's highly probable, since there are several things that are different from the initial exploration. First, there are more people—400 in total, far more than the 40 who entered that time. Also, we're using highly specialized artifacts, a world apart from the weapons and military armor used by those who entered before. The average power level is also much higher. So it could be any one of those factors, maybe a combination, or even all three at once."

"Whatever the case." Zoe quickly commented in an incredibly serious tone.

"That doesn't change the fact that we're in a critical situation. Besides the fact that our defense and offense will be greatly weakened, without potions we'll hardly be able to survive long battles, and without the support functions of the armor, things will get even more complicated. There are even spells and techniques we won't be able to use anymore."

At that moment, Erik asked in an equally grim voice while looking at Ebonique, who seemed a bit lost in thought.

"Ebonique, you can usually communicate with Ignis in the spirit dimension, right?"

"Eh? Oh, yes, I can." Hearing Erik, the pensive Ebonique snapped out of her thoughts and replied while looking at him, but imagining the reason for the question, she asked calmly.

"Do you want me to ask Ignis to inform your masters about what happened?"

"Yes, it's better if they know."

Erik replied thoughtfully, which brought a bit of hope back into Elara and Zoe's eyes, though not much, since it was unlikely that those outside could do anything in the short term. At that moment, Erik spoke in a dark tone.

"We no longer have access to the map to the exit, nor do we have any way to efficiently map this place, so finding a way out will be a monumental task. And don't forget, it was our turn to enter because not even the Legendary-levels were able to break this place's restrictions, so help might not come for who knows how long—if it comes at all. We're on our own.

"Without food or shelter, and constantly at risk of being ambushed by other participants. Plus, whatever managed to affect artifacts of the level we're using, it can't be just anything. Practically, nothing in the galaxy should be able to do something like that, which only tells us one thing: we're truly in a special ruin, and who knows what it has in store for us next."

Upon hearing Erik's words, the two young women lowered their gazes slightly in apprehension. After all, he was right—they were in an incredibly desperate situation and could die at any moment. But right then, the pair of beautiful girls heard the slightly surprised voice of the star-haired youth.

"Zoe… why is your katana still floating?"

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[lordanl]

"Zoe… why is your katana still floating?"

"I don't know; all my armor shut down, even its weight reduction, but the suspension system is still working perfectly."

Zoe replied, somewhat intrigued, as she looked at her hip, then glanced over her shoulder to her back, where she saw the handsome, starry-haired young man straighten his posture before placing his machetes at his waist. They also floated steadily, without the slightest fluctuation. At that moment, the young man gave an order, his tone visibly curious.

"Kaiser and Tiberius, stay alert."

With Erik's command, the pair of wolves—each nearly two meters tall—took up positions on opposite sides and extended their mana to detect anything approaching. The girls, equally curious, lowered their guard and turned to look at the young man.

"Why do you think it's still working, Erik?"

Elara asked, her tone curious with a hint of apprehension, as she searched for anything on her own armor that might still be functioning, but with no luck. At that moment, Erik responded thoughtfully, his right hand on his chin as he alternated his gaze between Zoe's waist and his own, more specifically at their floating weapons.

"I don't know… that suspension system is one of the easiest things to make and pretty much one of the first things you learn in artificery. But at the same time, because it has endless applications—not just in combat but also in industry, commerce, and daily life—it's something that's been improved and simplified over millions of years, and it's believed to have reached perfection.

"So, it comes down to one of three possibilities: First, it's true that the system is perfect and flawless, which means that even those golden chains, capable of completely deactivating Master-level Artifacts, were unable to make it fail. Second, it's so simple that it wasn't even detected as something to attack. Or third, it was deliberately left untouched."

"Does it matter whether it was deliberate or just overlooked?" At Erik's explanation, Zoe asked with a serious tone, prompting Elara to nod and reply just as seriously.

"It's very important. If it was simply overlooked, that means whatever caused this has flaws—flaws we might be able to understand, take advantage of, and even exploit for our benefit. That could help us recover our magical artifacts, or at least some of them, attack others, or find a way to get out of here.

"But if it was deliberate, then there's an intention, a plan, an objective, which could be either good or bad for us. In that case, we need to focus all our efforts on figuring it out because there could even be active manipulation that might change the rules of the game at any moment."

"I understand. But is there any way for us to know for sure which scenario we're in?"

Hearing the explanation, Zoe nodded in understanding, and immediately after, she asked in a serious tone, looking at the starry-haired boy, who seemed completely lost in thought—but even so, he managed to reply in a slightly dreamy voice.

"None. And without my tools, studying our artifacts in detail isn't really possible, which pretty much rules out any chance of getting real certainty..."

"What are you thinking about, Erik…?"

Seeing Erik so deep in thought, Elara couldn't help but ask, a bit curious, which made the starry-haired boy shake his head slightly, then look at her and respond calmly.

"I was just recalling something I read about a scenario that's somewhat similar to this one, to get an idea of what we might be facing. Although honestly, I hope we don't end up going through the same thing."

"What kind of scenario?"

Zoe asked, looking at Erik with curiosity. He quickly explained while shifting his leather coat into different positions, trying to adapt to it, since now, it weighed a couple of tons and prevented him from moving properly.

"To sum it up: During an exploration of some ancient ruins, carried out by sixteen Master-levels and at least a hundred Arcane-levels around 127,000 years ago, it happened that as soon as the last member of the team entered, the interior space was completely sealed off, which basically rendered any spatial magical artifact below Master-level useless.

"But the most terrifying part is this—the truly terrifying thing is that after they came out, they realized that not only had the space been sealed. While they spent four years inside the ruins, outside only a bit more than four months had passed, and no one, not even the Legendary-levels present, noticed anything strange had happened."

""Temporal dilation…""

Upon hearing Erik, Elara, and Zoe couldn't help but exclaim at the same time, a slight tremor in their voices, sharing the same thought as the starry-haired boy. They silently prayed with all their might that this wasn't actually happening. Just being without their armors and storage rings for six months would already be deadly enough that they couldn't be sure everyone would make it out alive—if that turned into six years, they didn't even want to imagine it.

"Well, there's no point in focusing on that, since we won't know for sure unless six months go by. So, let's focus on what's important. Since no one has come this whole time, we can assume it wasn't a direct attack, and it's possible the other participants are in a similar situation. That means our priority now is to secure water, food, and shelter.

"We're going to be here for a long time, and we need to prepare as quickly as possible. Our bodies need huge amounts of nutrients to function properly, and if we don't manage to find a proper and abundant food source, we'll starve to death in less than a week."

As the girls looked at each other in silent panic, Erik commented in a calm tone, finally leaving his coat alone—after all, no matter how he moved it, it was still incredibly uncomfortable to have several tons weighing on him, no matter how strong he was. At that moment, Zoe and Elara snapped back to reality and turned to look at him.

"You're right, Erik. Sorry about that; we panicked a little." Elara quickly apologized, a bit embarrassed, but Erik waved his hand to show it didn't matter, so the beautiful short-haired blonde continued speaking in a serious tone.

"And about your suggestion, I completely agree. Treasure hunting is the least of our concerns now—we need a lot of food, and if I remember correctly, the initial exploration documents mentioned that some of the city's buildings have secrets, and some even have pocket dimensions with their own flora and fauna."

"Truly, I'm sorry, Erik. I promise it won't happen again." Zoe apologized quickly, giving a small bow, then looked at Elara and spoke seriously.

"And you're not mistaken—I remember exactly the same thing, and I also remember the map and the locations of the buildings they explored. Even though it's just a basic map from the initial exploration, with a lot of gaps, we should be able to reach one of those buildings without too much trouble."

"Perfect, then let's go. I just hope the locations haven't changed…"

Erik commented calmly, then picked up his machetes, which also weighed tons, making them rather awkward to handle. With a casual movement, he slashed at a nearby stalactite, which soon after fell to the ground with a perfect cut. The starry-haired boy nodded and remarked,

"Well, at least the base materials are still pretty good, so they're still usable."

"Good thinking, Erik. Before we head out, let's test our weapons a bit. We need to know how much our combat effectiveness has dropped."

Seeing what Erik had done, Zoe quickly praised him with a smile, then stepped forward and took an Iaido stance in front of a massive stalactite. She took a deep breath, and with an incredibly swift movement, drew her sword, cut the stalactite, and sheathed her blade again. She couldn't help but shake her head in visible disappointment.

"I'm way too slow. The armor gets in the way, and both the sharpness and mana conduction of the sheath have dropped as well. Right now, I can only use about 60 to 70% of my strength…"

As the now-minced stalactite crashed to the ground, Zoe couldn't help but remark in clear frustration. At that moment, Elara—who had a volleyball-sized fireball floating above her hand—spoke up in a similar tone.

"It's the same for me. Besides, I'm a pure mage; I can barely handle my armor. And unlike you two, I don't have a contract with a spirit or anything like that, so I basically have no way to fly…"

"Well, flying isn't such a big problem."

Erik commented calmly as he began to rise into the air on a platform of Myst that appeared under his feet out of nowhere, causing both Elara and Zoe to look at him in admiration.

"It really is impressive how you manage to create Myst constructs so stealthily…" Zoe remarked in a calm voice, already plotting how useful that ability could be for ambushes. Elara spoke up after a small sigh.

"It's truly impressive. So I'm going to have to rely on you, Erik."

"Don't worry about it. This is a complicated situation, and we need to adapt." Erik replied quickly, landing softly on the ground, which caused the earth to tremble slightly due to his several-ton weight. At that moment, Zoe commented seriously,

"You're absolutely right about that, but let's leave the chatting for later. We need to move fast, since other groups might have the same idea as us and get ahead."

After Elara and Erik both nodded in agreement, the group took up formation again, with the spirits in the rear and the wolves leading the way along with Zoe. At that moment, Erik couldn't help but use his contract with Ebonique to ask, a little puzzled.

[Is something wrong, Ebonique? You've been really quiet.]

[Well, I wanted to see how you'd handle yourself in a situation like this, and I have to say I'm very satisfied. But be careful—even though I'm not exactly sure what's going on, I can sense a familiar presence here.] Ebonique replied quickly in a calm tone, which led Erik to ask in slight surprise.

[Is this the work of a spirit?]

[While it's unlikely, the fact that their presence is here is highly suspicious, so it's best to be cautious.]

Ebonique quickly responded in a calm voice, keeping silent about the real reason for her quietness—the fact that she was undecided, unsure whether to manifest a part of her true body and blow the place to pieces to get her Erik out of the complicated situation he was in or to simply keep maintaining her current incarnation, which followed the contract's rules and could only use such a pitifully small amount of power.

After all, a situation like this was perfect for Erik to train and mature. Besides, although her incarnation was pathetically weak, she could still materialize small portions of her true body to defend her Erik from any danger in that place.

But at the same time, she was feeling cautious because of the presence she could sense nearby—another Eternal, one she could handle easily enough with her true body if she really tried, but it would be very troublesome to alert them since it would be a disaster if they found out about Erik.

Moreover, materializing parts of her true body without alerting him would be problematic—not only would it take her a long time, but she also wouldn't be able to keep them materialized for long, which would undoubtedly be fatal for her Erik in a critical situation. It was simply too great a risk for her to take lightly.

(How troublesome… And if I try to contact Ignis to distract them, that would definitely raise suspicions, which would only make things worse. We still haven't completely hidden Erik, and if they investigate closely enough, they'll definitely find clues…)

Frustrated and annoyed, Ebonique could only continue to follow Erik in silence, trying to think of a solution that would allow her to keep her Erik safe without alerting the other Eternals in the process. At the same time, the powerful spirit couldn't help but regret not having examined the place more carefully before Erik entered.

After all, even though the presence of the Eternal had been well hidden and only became clear when those golden chains appeared, if she had properly checked things out—materializing even a small part of her true body—she could have easily noticed the inconsistency. She would have taken Erik as far away from that place as possible.

(Damn it… I got too complacent. I never imagined that this backward place could have traces of another Eternal besides Ignis… what a huge mistake…)

As Ebonique silently berated herself for her arrogance, Erik considered whether he should tell his companions what he had discussed with his reliable spirit. But, remembering their reaction when he mentioned the possibility of temporal dilation, he decided to keep it to himself.

The girls were already worried enough about their current situation. If he added the possibility of a mature or even stronger spirit being involved, they might end up falling apart completely. Besides, when you're facing a weapon, it doesn't matter if it's a pistol or a machine gun—death is almost certain with either—so it was better for the girls to keep hope alive for now. After all, nothing had been confirmed yet.

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[lordanl]

"It's really impressive, no matter how many times I see it…"

Upon arriving once again at the rocky cliff, Elara couldn't help but comment with slight excitement as she gazed at the impressive underground city in the distance. Zoe could only nod in agreement, but quickly added in a serious tone.

"It's true, but now is not the time for that—we need to move quickly."

"You're right." Elara quickly nodded and shook her head slightly to bring herself back to reality, at which point Erik spoke in a calm tone.

"It's best if we go down to the ground. If we move through the air, we might draw too much attention."

"That's true; let's do it."

Zoe quickly nodded in agreement along with Elara, and at that moment Erik conjured a magic circle on the ground a few meters away from him, which summoned a platform of solidified Myst in a hexagonal, crystalline shape—large enough for everyone to stand on without feeling cramped.

At the moment the platform materialized, Erik jumped, aiming to land at its center, but due to the significant difference in weight compared to usual, he lost his balance a little. Although he managed to recover in midair, he ended up landing on one corner of the platform. At that moment, he turned to look at the girls and commented in a calm tone.

"Although Ebonique is big enough, she's a bit possessive about who rides on her, so it's better if we use a platform."

Knowing that spirits were quite selective about who they allowed to touch them—since even Hiyori didn't let anyone other than her contractor ride her—Elara and Zoe nodded calmly and carefully jumped onto the platform, managing to land on it without much trouble. At that moment, the wolves climbed up to settle at Erik's sides, while Ebonique and Hiyori simply flew close to the platform, each measuring about a meter in length.

"I really don't understand how you can achieve something like this…"

Soon, the platform began to move slowly through the air, then started to descend along the wall as if it were an elevator. At that moment, Elara couldn't help but comment in bewilderment. After all, her mage's common sense told her that what she was seeing with her own eyes was impossible, as it broke two universally accepted concepts that were pure common sense.

In the first place, solidified Myst shouldn't be able to move once formed, since at the moment of its formation, it linked its relative position to the object with the greatest mass nearby, which was generally the planet itself. Although it was possible, through a spell, to force the Myst construct to link its position to a specific object and, through it, move the Myst construct, this process was troublesome enough that most people preferred to use mana constructs instead.

But even more shocking than that was the fact that, in principle, using a mana construct to fly wasn't something within the abilities of a mere Ascended-level. After all, mana constructs were affected by gravity, so to keep them in the air, you had to apply a force equal and opposite to their weight, along with a driving force to move forward, turn, and so on. Not only did this require great control, but also significant calculation power, so for all practical purposes, it was better to simply have a magical artifact for flying.

…

"In reality, it's actually much easier than you think." Upon hearing Elara's comment, Erik turned to look at her and explained in a casual tone.

"Unlike mana constructs, with Myst constructs, being subject to gravity is optional—it depends on how you set them up. And somehow, I have the ability to affect Myst constructs even after they've been formed, so I just create a floating platform, and then to move it, I simply shift its position one axis at a time. So, essentially, it's even easier than driving."

While explaining, Erik didn't forget to keep a constant watch on his surroundings using his Mystical Awareness, at which point Zoe asked with slight curiosity.

"Erik, why did you create the platform with a magic circle this time? Before, you made one without anything, and for the electricity spell, you used runes. You also did something similar during the duel."

"Oh, that's because Myst constructs, just like mana constructs, depend a lot on their structure for their strength and so on. So, although I can create them without a spell, their structure is very flimsy and can only support a few tons of weight. Any more than that, and they break. As for why the magic circle—it's for efficiency.

"The magic system that offers the most solid and organized structure is sacred geometry, so that's what I use to create Myst constructs. But when it comes to converting neutral mana into elemental mana, the Aegis system is much more efficient, which is vital for me since I don't have affinities. Any elemental spell costs me twice as much as it would a mage with affinity, so I have to be as efficient as possible."

Erik answered in a calm tone, gradually increasing the speed of their descent so as not to disturb anyone on the platform. After all, they were so high up that if he didn't, it would take forever to reach the ground. At that moment, Elara commented in a calm voice.

"By the way, I just remembered that your list of spells ended up in your storage ring… I guess now you'll have to tell me the spells yourself."

"That's true. So, before we go down, I'll mention the most important ones so you can get an idea…"

Upon hearing Elara, Erik quickly began to list the different spells he knew. Although there were some in the list that he had modified himself, almost all of them had been taught to him by his masters or by Seraphina. Since his reliable personal maid would occasionally practice with him and teach him tricks for close combat along with some spells of the darkness affinity.

By the time he finished reciting the spells he knew, the platform finally reached the ground. Erik quickly made it disappear and began to study the surroundings cautiously, especially the city visible in the distance through layers of mist. At that moment, Elara couldn't help but comment in a somewhat astonished voice, since she never imagined the list would be so long.

"You know quite a lot of spells, Erik…"

"A bit, but it wasn't by choice—it was out of necessity. Unlike a conventional mage with elemental affinities, I can't really alter a spell midway, since I rely on the spell itself to convert my mana into elemental mana. Any changes either greatly increase the cost or directly affect the conversion, which causes the spell to fail completely."

Erik replied as he crouched down to touch the rocky ground, which was covered by what appeared to be a very fine, pearly white sediment. He took some between his fingers and noticed it was extremely fine, almost like talcum powder. He rubbed it a bit between his fingers, producing a soft crunching sound, as if he were rubbing microscopic crystals together.

"Silica…?"

Erik muttered to himself as he turned to look at the wall, then glanced up at the ceiling, focusing on the mist that filled the area. At that moment, Zoe asked, a bit confused.

"What's wrong?"

"This sediment seems to be silica. Breathing it in for a prolonged period can cause severe respiratory diseases…"

Erik replied in a serious tone while channeling a bit of mana into the powder between his fingers. This caused a faint iridescent glow—so small and subtle that Erik had to try it several more times to confirm it, at which point he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

"SARI…!"

"SARI? What's that?" Elara asked, seeing how surprised Erik was. He quickly replied, hastily taking off his coat while explaining with a smile.

"It's the acronym for [Silica Aligned with Resonant Isotopes]. Basically, it's ordinary silica mixed with a small amount of Zaryonite-381, which makes it conductive to mana. We need to collect it—it'll be incredibly useful later on. But don't use spells; do it manually."

"Wasn't our priority to look for food?"

Elara asked, a little surprised to see Erik using his elegant coat to gather the strange dust on the ground. Ebonique and the wolves began to use their tails to collect the white dust, followed by Hiyori, who didn't dare stay still while the Dragon was working. At that moment, the star-haired boy replied in a serious tone, not stopping for a single moment.

"Yes, but this is important too. Quickly—we have to gather as much as we can; it will be a strategic resource in the near future."

Hearing the seriousness in Erik's words, Zoe and Elara couldn't help but look at each other for a moment, but they quickly nodded to one another, deciding to trust the boy. After all, they were a team, and he undoubtedly had the most outstanding academic achievements of their generation. If there was anyone they should listen to, it was him.

Since Erik had explicitly told them not to use spells, the pair of young women looked at each other, realizing they had nothing with them except their weapons and armor—so they basically had nothing to sweep up the sediment with. This led them to look around, but all that surrounded them were rocks, which made them let out a small sigh before crouching down and starting to gather the fine sediment with their hands.

"What are you going to use this powder for, Erik?"

While gathering the sediment with her tail, Ebonique asked, a bit curious. She had decided to trust Erik and stay by his side rather than alert the other Eternal, since the consequences of an investigation on his part would be too much to handle. After all, she couldn't kill him, and if he discovered even the slightest clue and leaked it, it would be a disaster that neither she nor Ignis even working together, could manage—and her Erik was still too weak to expose him to something like that.

Besides, life itself was a risk, something she had forgotten, so the experience would be useful not only for Erik but also for herself. She had to remind herself to set aside her arrogance and focus on what was important, because now she wasn't alone. She had Erik, and he was still so weak that a single misstep could cause her to lose him forever.

"Well, for a lot of things, but basically, this will be the key to our survival in this place." Erik replied in a cheerful tone, which made Ebonique ask, full of curiosity.

"Is this powder really that impressive?"

"Yes. Although on its own it's a bit useless, if you process it properly, it can be used as a substitute for several things. It's a bit complicated to explain, but you'll see later."

Erik answered brightly. Zoe and Elara listened with great interest, since neither of them really knew what he meant—they had both focused almost entirely on developing their strength and perfecting their techniques and spells, barely having time for anything else.

After a couple of hours, they all managed to gather a small mountain of pearly white powder on Erik's leather coat. He couldn't help but nod in satisfaction before crouching down to grab the corners of the coat and wrap up the entire pile of powder.

"Now we can go look for food."

"Are you seriously not going to tell us what you want that powder for?"

Shaking her hands, now completely dusted with powder, Zoe asked in a slightly annoyed tone. At that moment, Erik stretched his hand toward the bundled-up coat, creating a magic circle beneath it, which formed a hexagonal prismatic barrier that completely covered it.

"It's not that I want to be mysterious—I just don't want to get your hopes up and then let you down. That would be too discouraging in a situation like this."

Erik replied in a calm tone as he made the prismatic sphere with the coat inside rise into the air and begin to float at his side, linking its relative position to his belt. At that moment, Elara spoke in a serious tone while brushing the powder off her hands.

"Erik, we're not so fragile that you need to protect us from something like this. We're perfectly capable of understanding that we're in a complex situation and things might not go as planned. So trust us and tell us—keeping us in the dark could be harmful in the long run, since, without realizing it, we might end up getting in the way of your plans."

"You're right about that. I suppose I should tell you..." Erik said, bringing his hand to his chin as if seriously considering his next words. After a moment, he added in a serious tone.

"Well, don't get too excited, but with SARI you can create two very important things: one, magic chalk, and two, potion bases."

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"Potions…? That's right, you're a one-star alchemist…"

Hearing Erik's words, Zoe couldn't help but comment in a low voice, wanting to keep herself under control. At that moment, Elara, who was clenching her small fists tightly, quickly asked seriously—because if they managed to create potions, specifically mana recovery potions, their chances of survival would increase exponentially.

"What are the chances you'll be able to make potions in this situation, Erik…?"

"I wouldn't dare talk about probabilities, since even though SARI can be used as a substitute for a certain active ingredient in preparing the base for the most basic potions—also known as Enchanted Spring Water—that's just the base. We still need the active ingredients, the catalysts, and so on.

"Besides, there's something you can't forget: at the very least, I need a cauldron. And while I could create one if we find some scrap with the right properties, a cauldron is, ultimately, still an artifact. We don't know if those golden chains will show up again to destroy it, so the odds are against us—which is why I tried not to mention anything for now."

Erik explained in a calm and measured tone as he studied the two girls, especially their expressions, which shifted subtly but rapidly. After a few seconds, Zoe let out a heavy sigh, then took a deep breath, managing to compose her emotions completely. She then looked directly at the starry-haired boy and spoke in a serious tone.

"Thank you for telling us, Erik. And while I understand why you didn't want to mention it, from now on, keep us informed about things like this. You're a one-star alchemist and artificer, so you know many things that we don't, but we're still a team—and in a situation as delicate as this, our best option is to work together to survive. If we lack crucial information, we could end up making mistakes that could be fatal."

"I understand, and you're right. In the future, I'll make sure to share things clearly." Erik replied in a serious tone, acknowledging that Zoe was right. At that moment, Elara turned to look at him and spoke in an almost solemn voice.

"Speaking of which, I think it would be best for Erik to take on the role of leader. Your knowledge and skills will be crucial for our survival. Also, I remember you once mentioned you survived for years on a deserted island, so you have some experience. As leader, you'll be able to guide us better."

When they heard Elara, Zoe and Erik turned to look at her with a bit of surprise, but after a few seconds, Zoe nodded and then shared her opinion in a tone similar to her blonde friend's.

"…You're right, Elara. Erik is the most suitable to be our leader. Even though he's the youngest, his achievements and knowledge far surpass ours." Zoe quickly turned to look at Erik again and asked in a serious tone.

"What do you say, Erik? Will you be our leader?"

"Accept it—leadership is your natural place, hehe."

Before Erik could answer, Ebonique spoke up in a cheerful voice, somehow puffing out her chest in her dragon form. After all, the fact that other humans would willingly submit to her Erik without him having to force or threaten them was a pure show of skill that made her feel incredibly proud. In that regard, her Erik was even better than she was, as she knew that if it weren't for her power, there would hardly be anyone willing to follow and obey her.

"Haha, since when am I a natural leader?"

For his part, Erik couldn't help but laugh in amusement at Ebonique's words, then asked in a slightly playful tone, to which the imposing dragon spirit replied in a slightly arrogant tone.

"Since always. You were born a leader."

"If that's the case, what would be the point of being a leader? There wouldn't be any merit in it." Erik replied in a casual tone as he reached out to gently stroke the scales of his spoiled spirit, who couldn't help but let out a strange, bewildered sound.

"Eh?"

While the dragoness seemed to be reconsidering all her opinions and worldview, Erik turned to look at the girls and spoke in a serious tone.

"Well, if you really think I'm the right person for the job, I'll take it. Even though it was a long time ago, I actually do have some experience surviving in tough situations, and I believe that if we do things well enough, we'll make it out of here alive."

"Excellent! And since you're the leader now, what do you think we should do next?" Zoe nodded in satisfaction and quickly asked, sounding a bit more upbeat, to which Erik replied seriously.

"We should explore the surroundings a bit. I know a few spells to create drinking water, so we won't get dehydrated in the short term, and we can go a couple of days without food. Now that we've found SARI, we can prioritize finding two things: underground water with traces of Zaryonite, which will make creating the potion base much easier, and if we're lucky, Mycelis."

"Mycelis?" Elara asked, a bit confused, to which Erik nodded and explained.

"A mushroom that grows in dark, humid, hot environments with a high concentration of Myst. With it, you can make a minor mana recovery potion—not a great one, but in our situation, it'll be a big help."

"That's exactly what we need—more than food! Are you sure there's any of it around here?" Zoe asked, slightly excited, to which Erik nodded calmly and explained.

"It's possible. After all, Zaryonite forms spontaneously in places with high concentrations of Myst, enough heat to melt rock, and extreme pressure. If we find any place that still has some of those conditions, even if only in residual form, it's highly likely we'll find it.

"Also, the fact that the SARI is well-preserved on the surface indicates that the environment stabilized slowly, creating the perfect conditions. So, we need to look for a cavity with moisture, some lingering heat, and traces of porous material, like petrified roots or structures with a high silica content."

"Then let's get going—the sooner, the better!" Elara quickly said with a visibly excited smile, a sign of just how worried she'd been before. Erik nodded calmly, then stepped forward.

"I'll guide you. You two haven't adapted to the surrounding Myst yet, and a high concentration of it will be the biggest indicator."

Seeing their master move, the pair of wolves, who had been looking around, quickly moved to his sides, each staying about a meter away from him. At that moment, Zoe spoke up in a serious tone.

"Then I'll take the lead. Let's stick to the formation and stay alert."

Following the same formation as before—with Zoe at the front with the wolves, Erik and Elara in the center, and the spirits in the back—the group advanced, following Erik's directions. He not only guided them toward the area with the highest concentration of Myst but also trusted his intuition, which had saved him countless times on that island. For some strange reason, it even helped him find what he needed, ever since his time on the island.

"Stop."

Just as he expected, after walking among the rocks for a while, Erik suddenly felt the urge to stop. He crouched down and placed two fingers on the ground, closing his eyes as several runes appeared around the earth. Elara and Zoe fell silent, holding their breath in anticipation, while Ebonique watched her beloved contractor with shining eyes.

After a few seconds, Erik suddenly opened his eyes and dispelled the runes on the ground. He then placed his whole palm on the earth and created a magic circle, which began to slowly move the rock as if it were some kind of liquid. Quickly, a sort of water vapor started to rise, at which point Erik announced seriously.

"Don't breathe in the vapor."

With Erik's warning, the girls and the wolves stepped back, as did the starry-haired boy. After a few seconds, the vapor cleared, revealing a rather deep well. Elara created a small sphere of fire to illuminate the bottom, revealing a small pool of stagnant water, dark as a mirror, which made her clench her small fists tightly.

"Bingo."

At Erik's cheerful comment, Elara and Zoe exchanged glances filled with restrained excitement, wanting to jump for joy but at the same time afraid to get their hopes up if things didn't work out in the end. At that moment, the starry-haired boy created a magic circle on the ground, causing the stone to start moving like a liquid with a mind of its own, quickly forming several large cup-like shapes.

Using his phantom hands—constructs of invisible Myst shaped like arms that he could control at will—Erik took one of the stone cups and lowered it into the well, carefully collecting the stagnant water. Then he brought the filled cup back up, used a spell to reshape the cup's outer rock into a sphere, and immediately cast another spell to create an extra-strong prismatic barrier of solidified Myst around it, linking its relative position to his belt so that it floated behind him.

After repeating the process several times, Erik managed to collect all the water from the well. With a quick motion, he took off his belt and handed it to Elara, causing all the floating prismatic barriers to move with it, as he spoke in a serious tone.

"I'm going down to look for Mycelis mushrooms. Places like this well are actually perfect for their growth."

"I understand. Be careful." Elara took the belt with a firm grip, then responded seriously, which made Erik smile a little in amusement as he replied calmly,

"Don't worry, it's just a well."

Right after speaking, Erik jumped into the well. At the same moment, Ebonique grew larger to surround the well completely, while the wolves positioned themselves in opposite directions, keeping a close watch on the surroundings. This prompted Elara and Zoe to prepare their weapons and stand guard, alert to any suspicious movement in the area.

…

Falling rapidly through the dark well, Erik quickly created a Myst platform that slowed his descent until he reached the hottest part of the well. There, he extended a hand, which was soon surrounded by conjured runes. Shortly after, these created a small sphere of light that illuminated the surroundings.

Following the mental image in his mind—a product of his Mystical Awareness, which allowed him to perceive mana above a certain concentration in the area—Erik quickly located a couple of cracks, where he found a small blue-gray mushroom with slight violet reflections. This made him smile happily; it was exactly the mushroom he'd been looking for: the Mycelis mushroom.

With great care, Erik quickly harvested the mushroom and sent it up using his phantom hand. He then began searching for more in the area, soon finding six more. But as he picked the last one, Erik noticed what looked like translucent threads of wet glass in the crack, which inevitably made him grin with delight. After all, he recognized those roots.

"Vidrena Roots… what luck! Now we have the stabilizing agent, hehe."

With fluid movements, Erik quickly detached the crystalline roots, then spread them out in one hand and continued searching, managing to find only three more mushrooms and another stretch of roots. At that point, he was forced to go back up, which allowed him to see that everyone outside was seriously guarding the hole, making him greet them with a smile.

"I'm back, and I have good news."

Hearing Erik's voice again, Elara and Zoe quickly jumped up to look at him, their eyes filled with hope. Zoe asked in a restrained voice.

"How did it go?"

"Pretty well, it was a good harvest—I even found a stabilizing agent."

Erik replied calmly as he had the phantom hands display the mushrooms and roots he had gathered, which made the girls' eyes shine brightly. Elara then asked, visibly excited as she held out her hand to Erik, the belt he'd given her still hanging from it.

"What's next—what should we look for now?"

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"Well, we already have the base, the active agent, and the stabilizer, so all we're missing is the catalyst—and if we're lucky, a preservative agent too. That would allow us to store the potions for long periods of time, and in a resource-scarce situation like this, that'll be vital."

Erik replied calmly as he fastened his belt again. This made the girls quite excited, as it meant they already had almost half of what they needed to create the potions. At that moment, Zoe spoke in a serious tone—though the way she gripped the handle of her katana showed she was equally nervous and excited.

"Then let's move. The sooner we secure the resources, the better. Where should we go next, Erik?"

"Let's head into the city. It's unlikely we'll find the scrap we need for the cauldron or the rest of the ingredients out here." Erik responded calmly, prompting Elara and Zoe to look toward the imposing underground city. That's when the starry-haired boy picked up one of the mushrooms in his hand and motioned for Tiberius and Kaiser to come closer.

"Kaiser, Tiberius, stay alert for this scent. If you pick it up anywhere, let me know."

The pair quickly ran to Erik's side, wagging their tails happily. At that moment, the starry-haired boy gave the order in a serious tone, which caught the attention of the two girls. They watched as Erik extended his open hand toward the two wolves, each nearly a meter tall, who began sniffing the mushroom before barking happily in confirmation.

Once he received the wolves' confirmation, Erik created a new prismatic barrier to keep both the mushrooms and the roots safe. He also linked its relative position to his belt. Then he grabbed his machetes—an unspoken signal for everyone to get ready. They quickly took their positions.

"Let's go."

At Erik's command, the group moved forward with steady steps, with Zoe and the wolves leading the way as they ventured into the colossal city. They paid close attention to their surroundings, alert for any enemies, and soon arrived at the first building—a small house seemingly carved directly into the rock. At that moment, Zoe turned to look at Erik, who quickly understood and spoke in a calm tone.

"It's clear. I don't sense anyone."

Having confirmed what he felt through his ethereal projection, Zoe quickly pushed open the stone door, revealing a dark, time-worn interior. In one corner, they could just make out what looked like a stone bed and a sort of shelf made of the same material. Carefully, she stepped closer to the shelf, but it was completely empty. She quickly returned to report.

"It's completely empty."

"Let's move on." Erik calmly ordered once again, setting the team back in motion. But just as they were about to reach the next building, Erik, Ebonique, and Hiyori all turned their heads to the left at the exact same time.

"Stop." Erik ordered quickly, causing everyone to halt in their tracks. At that moment, the starry-haired boy asked his trusted spirit, slightly confused.

"Was that a spirit, Ebonique?"

"Yes, a newborn one." Ebonique responded promptly, just as Elara asked with a hint of curiosity.

"What's going on, Erik?"

"I somehow heard a spirit's cry, and according to Ebonique, it's a newborn spirit."

"A newborn spirit…?"

Hearing Erik's words, Zoe couldn't help but ask, slightly confused. Meanwhile, her contracted spirit, Hiyori, couldn't hide her surprise as she looked at Erik. Even though she had also heard it, she was a spirit— a regular human shouldn't be that sensitive. But at the same time, the fact that such a prominent figure had chosen him as a contractor couldn't be meaningless. So perhaps this was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to that boy's abilities.

"Zoe… do you think…?"

Upon hearing Erik, Elara turned to look at Zoe and asked in a low voice. The image of a certain young man with black hair tipped in green had inevitably come to mind at the mention of a newborn spirit. Zoe nodded in response, then turned to Erik and asked seriously.

"Erik, can we go check it out? We know someone who's contracted with a newborn spirit that has an incredibly useful ability—it can 'smell' mana and trace it back to its source. It might be him."

"That's impressive, but keep in mind that given the complicated situation we're in, we need to be very cautious. So first, we'll observe from a distance and decide what to do based on what we see." Erik replied quickly and seriously, to which Zoe and Elara both nodded in agreement.

"I completely agree. Our safety comes first." Elara said firmly, and Zoe added in a similar tone.

"I feel the same. If the situation turns out to be too complicated, it's better to retreat. It would be a shame, but difficult situations require strong wills."

"I'm glad you can see it so clearly. And in that case..." Erik said, visibly satisfied, before turning to look at the black-furred wolf. At that moment, he gave a serious command.

"Tiberius."

At his master's words, the wolf quickly began to merge with the shadows, his darkness spreading outward until it soon covered them all. Erik then explained in a serious tone.

"With this, we'll remain mostly unnoticed—but Tiberius can't maintain it for long, so let's move quickly. I'll lead the way."

At Erik's words, the group advanced at full speed under the cloak of darkness, moving through the stone city along its darkest paths, stretching their perception to the limit, and staying fully alert—until, after a few minutes, Erik gave a firm command.

"Stop."

"It looks like the newborn spirit is on the verge of losing consciousness."

Ebonique announced at that very moment as she gazed into the distance. Erik nodded in response, his expression serious. After all, he could already sense, several kilometers away, a humanoid figure at the Ascended level fleeing at full speed alongside a smaller figure—from something much larger and more powerful.

"It's a single person, and they're fleeing from something at the Revealed level, heading this way. If we wait a bit, we'll see them." Erik explained calmly, prompting Elara to ask in a serious tone.

"Should we prepare a joint spell, Erik?"

"Let's wait a little. First, I want to see exactly what it is that's chasing them. I've never sensed a presence like this—it's a bit strange." Erik quickly replied in a thoughtful tone. The image forming in his mind of the figure was a bit odd—like a ball with legs or something along those lines.

"To me, it actually feels a bit familiar... but I can't quite remember from where."

Ebonique said in a thoughtful tone, trying to search through a specific memory within her vast and deep ocean of recollections—so vast, in fact, that she couldn't pinpoint exactly where or when she had come into contact with something similar.

"Well, we'll see it soon. Maybe once you lay eyes on it, you'll remember."

Erik replied calmly, to which Ebonique nodded before shrinking in size and landing on Erik's shoulder. This inevitably caused a small shiver in the fox spirit. At that moment, Zoe spoke in a low voice, gripping the hilt of her katana tightly.

"If things go south, I'll try to hold the enemy back—then you all finish it off."

At Zoe's words, Erik and Elara calmly nodded, and after just a few minutes, they began to feel light tremors in the ground, along with what sounded like urgent, low-pitched squeals. At the same time, the air around them started to swirl. That was when, emerging from the darkness, came a handsome young man with olive-toned skin and long black hair tied in a ponytail, the tips dyed a pale green—whom Zoe and Elara instantly recognized as Frank Svensson.

"Erik, it's him."

Zoe reported quickly and seriously, her eyes fixed on the direction Frank was fleeing from. Erik gave a calm nod as he studied the small, footed cloud floating above the visibly frightened young man's head. The creature seemed on the verge of falling asleep, letting out urgent but increasingly faint squeals.

"So that's what a newborn spirit looks like... I imagined something different…"

"Well, that little one is far too young, so its final form will probably end up looking very different. But in reality, spirits come in all shapes, colors, and sizes—there are even newborn spirits the size of planets, though they're extremely rare."

Ebonique explained quickly in a calm tone, prompting Erik to nod. But instead of responding, he quickly turned to look behind the young man, where from the darkness emerged a massive leg—at least two meters long—seemingly made of some kind of yellowish metal. It struck the ground forcefully, causing a tremor, and then revealed its full form: an enormous sphere with limbs, covered in engraved runes.

"So it's a magical artifact..." Seeing the runes softly glowing, Erik commented in realization, at which point Elara spoke up seriously.

"It looks a bit like an ancient golem, and those were usually built to be highly resistant to magic. So our best option will be to rely on a knight to take it down."

"I don't think I can face it alone—especially not in this situation, with my armor getting in the way and my sword only at half effectiveness." Zoe quickly replied, then bit her lip in frustration, realizing this was exactly the kind of complicated situation that might force them to retreat. At that moment, Erik spoke in a serious tone.

"That 'Golem' is essentially a magical artifact. The fact that it's functioning carries too many implications, so it needs to be studied. Wait here—I have a way to deal with it."

"That's too risky." Elara quickly said as she reached out and grabbed Erik's wrist. But he simply smiled and replied calmly, handing her his belt once again.

"Don't worry. I really do have a way to deal specifically with something like this—just like I did with the hive earlier."

"Are you telling the truth…?" Zoe asked with concern, afraid that Erik might be acting recklessly. This prompted Ebonique to speak in a proud and cheerful tone.

"Girl, you're a long way from understanding my Erik's abilities. Just sit back and enjoy the show."

Hearing the spirit boast like that, Elara and Zoe exchanged slightly surprised glances—but even so, it helped ease their worries. After all, the one speaking was at the very least a mature spirit, so her words carried some weight.

"We understand—but be careful, Erik." Elara said solemnly as she let go of his wrist. In response, the starry-haired boy gave a reassuring smile as he stepped forward, machetes in hand.

"Don't worry, this won't take long. Ebonique."

"Hehe."

At Erik's call, Ebonique laughed joyfully before transforming into a dark electric bolt and striking him directly. Instead of harming him, the impact caused ghostly dark scales to begin appearing on the sides of his face, along with two elegant, crown-like ghostly horns on his head. A long, equally ghostly dark tail formed on his back, and arcs of dark electricity began to flicker around him.

Though the tail, scales, and horns were made of a dark, translucent hue, a closer look revealed they were subtly adorned with stars and galaxies, as if they were an extension of Erik's starry hair—something that made Hiyori stare in disbelief, nearly overcome with the urge to flee the place with all her strength. At that moment, a cold voice filled with murderous intent echoed in her mind.

[You're already sealed, so don't try anything stupid. You saw nothing—in fact, you weren't even here. Understood?]

[Completely understood, Ebonique Nox-sama. What's here is merely an unconscious incarnation, so it's to be expected that it will disappear without sending any memories to the main body.] Hiyori replied quickly; her voice hurried and full of fear. At that moment, the voice of that esteemed figure echoed once more in her mind.

[I like smart girls like you. I'll remember you.]

[Thank you very much for considering me, Ebonique Nox-sama.] Hiyori responded swiftly and seriously, though her fur inevitably bristled. She quickly hid it, terrified of raising any suspicion.

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Upon entering the state of [Spiritual Empowerment], one of the abilities he could use thanks to his contract with Ebonique—which allowed him to merge with her—Erik felt his total mana capacity nearly double. However, the reason he activated a time-limited ability like that wasn't because of the empowerment itself, but because in that state, he could use a specific spell that took advantage of Ebonique's unique ability. This would be incredibly effective against that ball with legs.

With a calm motion, Erik drew a horizontal line in front of him with his machete, causing several rune-geomantic circles to form a few meters away. These circles conjured 11 arrows made of solidified Myst, with engraved runes on their surfaces—something that Elara and Zoe watched with wide eyes, completely stunned.

The moment the arrows fully formed, the runes on their surfaces activated simultaneously, causing them to glow with ominous black electric arcs before shooting off at high speed toward the Golem, tracing different paths through the air. At that same moment, Erik kicked the ground hard, launching himself toward the Golem and leaving behind a faint trail of dark electricity.

Almost instantly, the 11 arrows struck the Golem in a precise pattern—five hitting its limbs and head, while the other six impacted the front of its spherical body, forming a perfect hexagon. At that moment, thick arcs of dark electricity surged across the Golem's body, causing it to freeze abruptly, completely locked in place.

At the same time, the Golem's body began to glow erratically, as if struggling against the dark lightning, but the arcs only grew larger and more powerful, holding it firmly where it stood. The hexagon of arrows on its chest caused that specific area to appear dull and dim.

In that instant, Erik appeared in front of it, surrounded by dark electricity. He then moved his machetes so fast they nearly vanished from sight, unleashing a barrage of invisible flying slashes that sliced the front of the Golem into tiny pieces—leaving a hexagon-shaped hole right at the center of the arrow-formed hexagon.

Through the hole, Erik could see a crystalline sphere floating in the center of the Golem's chest. Inside it, a large number of Zazen Discipline runes glowed faintly, resembling a snow globe, while dark electric arcs crackled around it. He quickly sent a phantom hand to grab it, managing to separate it from the Golem's body after a bit of effort.

Once the crystal sphere was detached, the Golem stopped glowing entirely and then began to slowly fall to the ground. At that moment, Erik deactivated his Spiritual Empowerment, separating from Ebonique while gritting his teeth to endure the burning sensation coursing through his mana circuit system.

After all, even though his mana capacity doubled—allowing him to cast more powerful spells—it still took a toll on his body. That was an ability he couldn't afford to overuse, or he would end up in a serious condition.

"Your unique ability is seriously broken, Ebonique. This thing couldn't even fight back." Shifting slightly to adjust to the pain, Erik remarked as he watched the Golem fall to the ground—at which point Ebonique cheerfully responded.

"This is Ebonique Nox for you, hehe."

Ebonique's ability could be described as either simple or complex, but without a doubt, it was extremely powerful. If mana was defined as a combination of Myst and the physical and mental energy of a living being, Ebonique's ability allowed her to forcibly separate them—almost like electrolysis—which essentially made her immune to magic. Any spell that entered her Domain would simply break down into nothing.

But even more terrifying was the fact that this "decomposed mana" wasn't lost. She could absorb it to enhance her own mana and nearly indestructible body, pushing it beyond its limits temporarily—and in some cases, even permanently. So while Ignis was virtually immortal, able to recover from any wound, Ebonique couldn't even be wounded. Any attack aimed at her only made her stronger.

Of course, that was the full extent of her special ability when using her true body. The version Erik was able to use through her incarnation was much weaker—barely able to manifest through his dark lightning, extremely slow at decomposing mana, and incapable of extending the lightning beyond his own body. Normally, this would have forced Erik to make direct contact with his target in order to use the ability.

But Erik wasn't her proud contractor for nothing. Over the years, he had come to understand her special ability well enough to, using his knowledge of Artificery and Eleonora's help, activate the lightning through magical artifacts perfectly synchronized with him. He later applied that knowledge to his ongoing personal project to create magical artifacts made entirely of mana, ultimately developing a spell capable of using her special ability at range—something that left Ignis so stunned, she couldn't close her mouth for several hours.

…

…

…

When the Golem finally collapsed to the ground, creating a loud crash that made the earth tremble, Elara and Zoe—who had seemed lost in thought—snapped back to reality. They turned to look at each other, disbelief written all over their faces. After all, that starry-haired boy had just shown them something almost absurd, far beyond anything he had displayed up until now.

First of all, Zoe couldn't even comprehend how he was able to use Spiritual Empowerment—one of the most advanced abilities that could be executed through a spirit contract. It required synchronizing mana and consciousness with the spirit, a task so complex and difficult that not even an Arcane-level, let alone herself, could easily accomplish it.

But even more terrifying was that the power she had sensed from Erik in those brief moments was at least twice his normal strength—something incredibly strange, given that Spiritual Empowerment was only supposed to increase total mana capacity by 50% and allow the contractor to partially use the spirit's special ability. What Erik had shown was far beyond that—but that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Meanwhile, Elara was in shock, struggling to believe she had truly seen rune-geomantic refinement being used to cast a combat spell—the dream of many mages across the galaxy. But that wasn't all; there was something even more frightening. Those arrows had engraved runes on them, almost as if they were magical artifacts. And if what she imagined was true, she had just witnessed a revolution that could change magic as she knew it.
…

Upon hearing the loud crash behind him, Frank—who was running with everything he had and on the verge of passing out from mana exhaustion—turned his head to look back. He came to a sudden stop. After all, behind him was the imposing Golem that had nearly killed him several times, now completely defeated and lying on the ground. A young man with starry hair was gently descending, entirely focused on the crystal sphere in his hand.

"Frank."

As he struggled to catch his breath, with Lirio collapsing onto his head, completely exhausted, Frank heard an elegant and melodic voice to his left. He recognized it instantly and quickly turned to look, finding a young woman of exquisite beauty, her features perfectly symmetrical in a way that made her appear both energetic and endearing. Her short golden hair and green eyes complemented her presence, and several prismatic barriers made of a crystalline material floated behind her.

"Dear direct disciple, it's a pleasure to see you again…" With a heavy breath, Frank greeted her respectfully, bowing as best he could. At that moment, Elara replied in a calm tone.

"There's no need for such formality, though I would like to know—was it a coincidence that you're here?"

"No, it wasn't. I actually asked Lirio to track you down." Frank quickly responded with sincerity. The beautiful young women nodded in acknowledgment, and then Elara spoke again, her voice steady.

"I figured as much. But let's meet up with Erik first before we continue. Come."

Upon hearing the voice of the beautiful golden-haired young woman, Frank turned to look at the starry-haired youth in the distance. Erik appeared to be examining the fallen Golem while speaking with Zoe, surrounded by two impressive wolves, each about two meters tall—one silver-white and the other jet black—and a majestic eastern dragon, roughly three meters long, flying above him.

Noticing that Elara had started walking toward the young man, Frank quickly took a deep breath, trying to catch a bit of air, then followed behind her. Soon after, he got close enough to hear Zoe's voice.

"Erik, the truth is I've been meaning to mention this for a while, but the opportunity never came up, so I'll take advantage of the moment and ask now. If it's not too much trouble, when there's time, I'd like us to train together a bit. Experiencing your 'Blade Qi' firsthand would be a great help to me."

Zoe spoke with a heavy but humble tone, her gaze fixed on Erik, who was studying the Golem with interest. He quickly turned to look at her and asked with curiosity.

"Blade Qi? Is it the same as Sword Qi? I read about the concept in a sword technique I bought some time ago, but I really couldn't understand what it meant when it said: 'Sword Qi is the shadow of the swordsman's soul, of his Dao, projected beyond the edge of his blade. It is the echo of a simple truth: iron is fleeting, but the will that drives it is eternal.'"

Hearing the genuine confusion and doubt in the tone of the starry-haired boy, Zoe couldn't help but laugh a little, amused. After all, it was quite entertaining for her to see that even a genius of his caliber had fallen into what was known as "the Zazen Discipline Trap." But she quickly composed herself and explained with a smile.

"Fufu, so even you fell for that. But those are just euphemisms. For some reason, practitioners of the Zazen Discipline love them—especially the ancient ones. You were lucky not to run into a 'poet.' Those guys write their books and techniques in the form of poems, and some are so convoluted that you spend more time trying to figure out what they mean than actually learning the technique.

"But to put it more clearly, when they talk about 'Dao', they're referring to the deep understanding of a specific art—in this case, the martial art of swordsmanship. And when your comprehension of that art becomes so refined that it resonates with the Myst and allows you to manifest your will, that's when you get things like 'Blade Qi' or 'Sword Qi'. Among other effects, this means you can cut at a distance—and at the most advanced levels, even with a mere thought."

"So that's what it is… Why don't they just call it 'long-range magic edge'? That's what I called it…" Erik replied in disbelief, which made Zoe look at him strangely before asking in confusion.

"Why would you call it long-range magic edge? They're not even similar."

"What do you mean they're not? They're the same. With the magic edge, you just tell your mana to become sharp, and it can cut. From there, you just mix in a bit of Myst to extend the effect at a distance, and that's it—you've got an invisible flying slash." Erik explained, sounding a bit puzzled. Zoe's eyes widened in disbelief, and she asked in a quiet voice.

"You really see it that way…? You just tell your mana to cut and mix in Myst to extend it…?"

"Yeah, it was even easier than creating my first Myst construct."

Nodding calmly, Erik replied without hesitation, which triggered a strange mix of defeat, frustration, and injustice in Zoe's chest. After all, the magic edge was an incredibly complicated technique, known as the first true trial of a knight. Not only did it require precise mana control, but the user's mind also had to be incredibly clear and focused—since even a single distraction could cause the physical manifestation of mana to dissipate.

Moreover, that magic edge was typically based on elemental affinity, as that made it significantly easier. Elemental mana was far easier to manifest in reality. Neutral mana, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. A magic edge formed from neutral mana was one of the most difficult knightly trials. While elemental magic edges were effective, they inevitably suffered from elemental weaknesses—for example, a fire-based magic edge would lose much of its power against water.

Meanwhile, neutral mana magic had no weaknesses, remaining effective against any element and in any situation. Therefore, the vast majority of people born without elemental affinities—or with affinities inappropriate for combat—choose to become knights. It is a sure path to prominence, and once they achieve this great feat, they could even become stronger than someone with elemental affinities.

"I see… anyway, I'd like to train with you at some point…"

After taking a moment to calm the urge to punch someone that had risen in her heart, Zoe commented in a restrained voice, to which Erik easily nodded and responded with a calm smile.

"Of course, once we manage to stabilize a bit, we can give it a try."

"I'd also like to talk with you, Erik." At that moment, Elara spoke in a calm and elegant voice and continued.

"Although I won't ask you about spellcasting using rune-geomantic refinement, since I imagine Master Silverwood will publish that in due time, I would like to ask you a bit about that black lightning spell you used. I've never seen anything like it, and it intrigues me a little. Though if it's a secret, I'll understand."

Hearing the blonde girl, Erik turned to look at her, then responded in a casual tone, without the slightest interest in correcting the beautiful girl's misunderstanding.

"It's not really a secret, but it's something still in development, and for now, it's something only I can do, so there's not much to say about it."

"I see..." Elara commented, with a slight trace of disappointment in her tone, but she quickly composed herself and pointed to Frank before continuing to speak.

"Putting that aside for now, I'd like to introduce you to Frank Svensson, a university student who was part of our team in the selection tournament. He's a skilled wind mage, and his spirit has a very useful, unique ability."

"Svensson?" Upon hearing the last name, Erik couldn't help but comment with some curiosity, which led Frank to quickly introduce himself in a serious tone.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, direct disciple Erik. I'm Frank Svensson—my family owns and founded 'Svens Shoes.'"

"Oh, so it's not a coincidence. Nice to meet you; I'm Erik. I really like the boots your company makes."

Erik greeted cheerfully as he extended his hand toward Frank for a handshake, which caught the young student slightly off guard. He quickly composed himself and shook the famous direct disciple's hand with a bit of nervousness as he spoke.

"Although Direct Disciple Faye had mentioned something to me, it's truly an honor for us that our product is worthy of such praise."

"Don't flatter me too much, or I might end up believing it." Letting go of Frank's hand, Erik replied in a calm tone, though his gaze inevitably landed on the small cloud with legs above Frank's head. With a hint of interest in his voice, he asked.

"Would you mind if I took a closer look at your contracted spirit?"

"It's better if you don't, Erik."

Before Frank could respond, Ebonique interjected in a serious tone, prompting Erik to turn and look at her with a bit of confusion. At that moment, the dragon spirit explained in a firm voice.

"If that little one comes into contact with your mana, it's highly likely it will break its contract with that young man, regardless of the consequences."

"Are you serious?" Erik asked, somewhat surprised, to which Ebonique nodded solemnly and replied. Meanwhile, Hiyori, not wanting to hear any of it, hid her head.

"Very serious. So avoid coming into contact with him."

"I see… I didn't know my mana had that particular effect…" Erik said, a bit thoughtful, prompting Ebonique to shake her head and explain.

"It's not that it has that property—it's simply that it's 'delicious' enough to become addictive for younger spirits. But we'll talk about that later. Right now, you have more important things to take care of."

"Well, you're right about that—though remind me to bring up the topic later." Erik said in a calm tone as he turned his gaze back to Frank. At that moment, he asked in a serious voice while pointing at the Golem.

"Frank, how did you end up being chased by this thing?"

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