Chapter 25
Chapter 25
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Trial of the Essence of Light
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thud, thud.
Dershion silently headed somewhere.
“…….”
I followed along for now, but honestly, I was anxious enough to go mad.
No matter how well I’d been treated for two months and shaken off Aldeon’s bad reputation, I just couldn’t trust this old man.
Who knew what kind of eccentric task he’d make me do this time?
“Um…… may I ask what you called me for?”
I couldn’t hold back and spoke first.
But was my worry unfounded?
What came from Dershion’s mouth was surprisingly normal.
No, it was helpful to me.
Very much so.
“I intend to bestow upon you the [Essence of Light].”
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
He was suddenly giving me the [Essence of Light]?
There hadn’t been a word about it for two months, so I thought the rumors were just hot air.
“……Is that for real?”
“Yes. From the moment the evaluation ended, I always planned to give it to you. It just required a lot of preparation beforehand.”
“……Huh.”
I had no idea what preparations he meant, but there was no sign of him lying.
So he was really handing it over……
Why?
‘……Don’t trust it. There’s definitely some scheme.’
I kept doubting, and doubting again.
But by the time we reached Dershion’s room and the essence was placed before my eyes, I couldn’t help but waver.
“This is the [Essence of Light].”
“This is it…….”
Shwaaaa—
A transparent crystal stone emitting a brilliant white light.
Aldeon’s secret technique that granted a heroic growth-type trait.
The crystallization of light magic.
Far more beautiful than anything I’d seen in the game, it was right in front of me now.
“It’s too early to be surprised.”
Snap!
When Dershion snapped his fingers, all the light magic lamps in the room went out.
All I could see was pitch-black darkness and the radiant [Essence of Light] illuminating it.
“Light shines even brighter in the darkness.”
“…….”
I was entranced by its beauty, lost in a daze.
“We call the light that illuminates the deepest darkness…… ‘true light.’ Aldeon is the school that pursues that true light.”
“……True light.”
“From generations before my ancestors, we’ve pondered and attempted endlessly. Ways to behold the true light. But every result was failure.”
“Then you still haven’t seen that light?”
“That was true until now.”
As he said that, Dershion smiled faintly.
Unlike before, it was a genuine smile.
“Three months ago, I received a ‘revelation.’ That revelation showed me the way to behold the true light.”
“……What is that method?”
“It was very simple. Something we could have realized just from the fundamentals. We were the fools. Searching for that simple answer from afar…… Tsk.”
What on earth was he talking about?
I wanted a more detailed explanation, but Dershion shook his head.
“You’ll know soon enough. What you need to know now is…….”
Swish.
Dershion reached out and caressed the [Essence of Light].
A deep shadow rippled as his fingers moved.
“Only those who fully accept this essence can draw forth the true light. I’ve decided to give this essence to you.”
“……Why me? There are elders more devoted to light than I am.”
“Didn’t I say? We’ve been through many trials and errors. They won’t do. Only young, exceptional talents can draw forth the light.”
“……So you opened the magic tower and held the evaluation? To find talents like me?”
“Yes.”
Even after Dershion’s explanation ended, many questions remained.
What was this revelation? What was the way to draw forth the light? How did he trust that I wouldn’t just take the essence and run?
But Dershion seemed utterly unconcerned with my doubts.
“Choose. Will you become the key to unlocking the light?”
His eyes were filled only with the determination to see the light.
Probably just like my eyes gazing at the essence now.
‘It’s not even a choice.’
I still couldn’t fathom Dershion’s true intentions, and I had no idea what eccentric demand he’d make once I used Aldeon’s secret technique.
But even knowing that, I had no options.
The [Essence of Light] was one of the essential items for my build.
In this world filled with evil, it was the trait that made a mage shine the brightest.
Therefore.
“I’ll do it.”
I had to accept whatever risks came with it.
“A good choice.”
Dershion, with a satisfied smile, placed the [Essence of Light] on my hand.
“Use it.”
“Yes.”
I swallowed dryly once, then spoke.
Using the [Essence of Light] wasn’t difficult.
Just reciting the prescribed lines.
“O light, respond to me—.”
The change began in that instant.
Fwaaaah—!
As if bursting forth pent-up power, a brilliant white light shot out from the crystal stone.
It instantly dyed the dark room pure white, and I reflexively closed my eyes.
When I opened them again.
I was alone in a vast white space.
A phenomenon as intense as when I first fell into this world and tore the trait selection ticket.
“……Where is this?”
Even I had never seen this space before.
There was no such scene in the game.
Just a system message saying I’d acquired the trait.
“What am I supposed to do?”
I stepped forward cautiously, aware this could be a trap set by Dershion.
At least my heart wasn’t racing wildly, which was a relief.
Of course, whether the awakening effect applied here was unknown, so I couldn’t let my guard down.
After a few steps.
Rustle.
Something dark and murky slowly rose from the floor out of nowhere.
Against the white background, it looked like black ink.
It writhed and twisted, changing shape as if alive.
“What is that?”
I sensed danger the moment that question arose.
Shwick!
Thump!
With a threatening sound, my heart pounded.
I instinctively turned my head, but it, now a spike, grazed my cheek.
Sizzle.
A stinging pain, and something flowing from my cheek.
……Blood.
“Attacking out of nowhere? Where’d you learn manners like that?”
Crackle!
I immediately summoned electric orbs and counterattacked the unknown thing.
The orbs fired as fast as the spike it shot.
It, in slime form, bent its body into a ‘C’ to dodge the orb.
“……!!”
Crackle!
But the second orb I created hit it squarely.
“That hurt, huh?”
“☐☐☐☐……!!”
I couldn’t understand it, but it seemed pretty pissed.
Judging by the horns sprouting all over its body.
I responded by firing light.
Zing.
Using light magic in combat for the first time.
The mana climbing my [Holy Staff] transformed into a beam of light.
Like shooting a laser from the staff.
Bang!
“☐……!”
Struck by the light beam, it scattered into gray ash.
I figured light was its weakness since the electric orbs weren’t working well……
“What? It’s over already?”
The fight ended more anticlimactically than expected.
No experience gain sensation either.
Most importantly, I still hadn’t escaped this space.
With no choice, I raised my guard again and walked forward.
Soon, I encountered another black slime.
Not sure if it was the same one.
But one thing was clear……
“☐☐☐☐!!”
It was bigger.
Zing!
I fired a light beam without hesitation, obliterating it.
A few more steps forward.
Another black slime appeared.
The previous one was about half my size…… This one was big enough to swallow me whole.
And moreover.
Ziiing!
Hop! Hop……!
It hopped around, refusing to take hits anymore, dodging my light magic.
That’s when it hit me.
What I had to do here.
“It’s a trial.”
In this pure white space, I had to keep slaying increasingly stronger evils and press on endlessly.
Toward some unknown destination.
***
Boom!
The massive black slime crashed down with a heavy thud.
……Calling it a slime at this point felt wrong.
“☐☐…….”
Huge iron horns on both heads, beast fur covering its body, hooves supporting its giant frame.
And its signature iron mace.
It looked just like an upper demon race from [Devil Fantasy], the ‘Minotaur.’
Though its combat power wasn’t the same.
If it were, I’d have been skewered on its horns and turned into human kebab long ago.
It seemed balanced to my level.
Thanks to that, I took it down after two hours.
Shhh—
It scattered into gray ash.
That’s when the light began to fade.
Dershion’s room slowly revealed from the ceiling.
“……Finally over?”
Wobble—
My legs gave out for a moment, nearly collapsing.
Thud!
I barely caught myself with my staff.
Honestly, I was holding on purely by willpower now.
I’d taken down fifty of those black slimes that constantly changed form, size, and abilities.
I didn’t know the exact time, but it felt like over twenty hours.
If only I’d prepared mentally……
I never imagined using the [Essence of Light] would be this grueling.
But anyway…… now it’s fine.
That ordeal is finally over.
“Yoo Hanes!”
Someone called me urgently.
Not a welcome voice. The grating tone belonged to the room’s owner, Dershion Pigma.
“……Were you waiting?”
“Waiting? Only five minutes have passed since you used the essence.”
“Ah…….”
Fuck, five minutes…… Then who’s gonna acknowledge all the hell I went through in there……?
My face soured involuntarily, but Dershion ignored it and got straight to the point.
“So…… did you succeed?”
He knew exactly how tough it was, having gone through many trials himself.
This damn old coot.
Not in the best mood, but I still gladly shared the good news.
“……Yes, I succeeded.”
But an unexpected question followed from Dershion.
“How far……?”
“Pardon?”
“How far did you succeed, I said!”
How far? Was there levels to it?
I honestly recounted what happened in there.
And then.
“……Minotaur? Then…… you reached the end?”
Dershion showed uncharacteristic surprise.
His eyes wide round.
Soon, he burst into mad laughter.
“Uhahat! Uhahaha!”
A near-maniacal sight.
I soon learned why.
“I’m truly proud of you. To reach the Storytelling Realm from the start! With this, Aldeon is one step closer to the true light!”
I didn’t hear anything else.
Only one phrase from Dershion lodged in my ears.
Storytelling Realm.
“Huh?”
That was what NPCs in [Devil Fantasy] called ‘legendary traits.’
Then it hit me.
All the dogged suffering I’d endured in this world…… was acknowledged not by people, but by the reward.