Chapter 170: Forbidden Magic(1)
Chapter 170: Forbidden Magic(1)
"Forbidden magic? Are you referring to necromancy?"
Arwen asked back, her expression clouded with confusion at the words 'forbidden magic' that had escaped Piren's lips. There were many types of magic in the world, and among them were those deemed too horrific to ever be used.
The most prominent example was necromancy. It was the art of raising the dead as 'undead,' a practice favored by demons during the Great Demon War.
The higher one's mastery of necromancy, the stronger the resurrected undead became, and the greater the psychological pressure they exerted on their foes. Furthermore, by their very nature, the undead allowed for infinite wars of attrition; while the opponent's strength withered, the power of the undead only grew by the day.
Fortunately, they had been narrowly defeated thanks to the presence of 'Divine Power' and the 'World Tree,' but their remnants still lingered in this world. The most notable example being the demons.
Since demons possessed 'Black Mana,' they were capable of using necromancy. However, they too were a race that had suffered greatly at the hands of the ancient demons, so they strictly forbade necromancy, if nothing else.
Recently, traces of demon worshippers secretly using necromancy had been appearing everywhere, and it had even been mentioned previously in the Xenon Chronicle. In the Xenon Chronicle, necromancy was regarded as a magic that should never even be attempted.
Aside from that, black magic—which gained power through human sacrifice or spread terrible curses and plagues—was also forbidden. In fact, since necromancy was technically a subset of black magic, it was more accurate to say that black magic itself was the forbidden art.
"It is not black magic like necromancy. It is the purest form of magic, yet it is forbidden because it brings about a horrific catastrophe."
"Hmm... It is difficult to grasp through words alone."
Hearing Piren's answer, Arwen looked at Volume 14 of the Xenon Chronicle with a puzzled expression. She couldn't easily predict what kind of development had occurred to make Piren act this way.
If it wasn't black magic like necromancy, then what on earth could it be? Moreover, there was one point that baffled her the most.
It was the fact that in the Xenon Chronicle, magic was often cast without a proper explanation. Rather than teaching detailed principles, the narrative usually just described that a certain magic had been activated.
If there was a point of criticism in the Xenon Chronicle, it was the sparse descriptions of magic, but this was largely unavoidable since Isaac was not a mage. Furthermore, magic was not properly standardized among humans.
Then, in what form was this forbidden magic described that Piren was reacting like this? Arwen glanced at Piren, who was still waiting with a stiff expression, and then opened the book.
Since things had come to this, she figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to figure it out while reading Volume 14.
As expected, Albenheim has been completely occupied.
The World Tree had been completely neutralized by the devious schemes of Lucifer, the Sin of Pride, and Albenheim had been invaded by demons. Naturally, the warriors of Albenheim fought back time and again, but it was difficult to stop the demons that surged forward like a tidal wave.
If the warriors of Albenheim defeated five demons, the demons sent ten more; if they managed to block even those, twenty more were sent.
The corrupted World Tree was recognized as a sort of coordinate and became a gate, and further, it even became nourishment for Diabolus, making the situation the absolute worst of the worst. The remaining elven warriors were fighting as one, but Albenheim was effectively destroyed.
Xenon's party also stood against the demons in Albenheim alongside a Dark Elf they met by chance, but a retreat was a foregone conclusion due to the presence of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The Council... they were all slaughtered. Serves them right.
The Council, which served as the Senate in the Xenon Chronicle, was evaluated as an extreme representation of the elves' negative traits—ostracizing Xenon's party and even attempting to imprison Jin simply because he was a demon.
They had managed state affairs in place of Elisha, who had become a near-invalid after Kair's death, but they had kicked Xenon's party out of Albenheim under the guise of an investigation. That party included the warlord 'Luden,' who had long been a thorn in the Council's side.
However, the Council was decapitated without even putting up a proper fight against the demons. Furthermore, they were resurrected as undead and hounded Xenon's party until the very end.
This alone was enough reason for the Senate to be in an uproar, but it wasn't enough. There was still a long way to go until the page Perrin had mentioned.
But if Diabolus is resurrected, how will the story go? Won't it just end?
At this rate, the Great Demon Diabolus would be resurrected. The World Tree possessed the nourishment to resurrect even a Great Demon, which was why Albenheim had been invaded first.
And according to the setting, Diabolus possessed immense martial power. One could get the gist of it from the fact that he could shatter mountain ranges with a single gesture, let alone invert heaven and earth.
Just as Arwen was about to immerse herself in the increasingly dire situation, she glanced up to check on Piren. He was still waiting with a face frozen stiff.
She was slowly reaching the page he had mentioned. What kind of magic could it be? Arwen turned the page, immersing herself even deeper.
...Even Eir is joining in?
Eir was one of the warriors and the representative of the Dark Elves who appeared in Volume 13. A warrior who held the title of 'Dark Guide,' granted to the most outstanding warrior among the Dark Elves.
In other words, she possessed martial power on par with Luden, the warlord. And now, such a warrior had begun to fight to protect Albenheim.
The Dark Elves in reality had also been exiled after a horrific civil war long ago, but their love for their homeland remained strong. It was only natural, as Albenheim was the spiritual home where the God had personally allowed them to take root.
Therefore, it was not strange at all for the Dark Elves in the Xenon Chronicle to fight for Albenheim. And even if ethnic conflicts remained, 'Luden' and 'Eir' became one for the sake of Albenheim.
And the place where that unified heart was directed was the corrupted World Tree. Originally a gift from God, it was now a giant tree that had to be destroyed.
If they retreated now, Diabolus would be resurrected, and the world would head toward destruction. There was only one choice left for the two heroes, who knew this fact better than anyone.
But it will be hard to break through the Seven Deadly Sins...
They would struggle against Lucifer alone, yet the other Seven Deadly Sins were also deployed. Other elves were providing support so they could clear a path, but they clearly recognized it was impossible.
So, there was only one choice left. 'Cooperation.'
And it wasn't about the two of them combining to produce a power of 2, but a power of 10 to burn down the corrupted World Tree.
The Elf hero, Luden, and the Dark Elf hero, Eir, also knew this and forced the final choice.
Fusion... you say? What kind of ability is this?
The ability to become 'one' in the truest sense, 'Fusion.'
It transforms the mana, knowledge, and divine power accumulated over hundreds of years, and finally, even the ego, into pure energy.
Using the physical body as kindling, it transforms so that the flames of mana can burn fiercely.
Luden, who followed the God of Light, and Eir, who followed the God of Darkness. Because they possessed different natures, it could be dangerous, but their 'roots' were of the same race.
[Submit to this overwhelming power!]
Soon, the two heroes, transformed into a single massive entity of energy, began to march toward the corrupted World Tree. The energy entity, which was neither Luden nor Eir, moved forward, speaking in a voice that mixed the two's tones.
With a light gesture, even high-ranking demons were consumed and annihilated by the immense energy, to say nothing of the lesser demons beneath them.
If the limit of output a human body could produce was 100, the pure energy entity was far beyond that. Furthermore, since it would naturally dissipate once all energy was lost, it even possessed the property of trying to absorb all surrounding energy.
And it replenished that energy by absorbing the surrounding demons. It even considered the black mana dwelling within the demons as mere 'energy,' so there was no problem in its advance.
The problem was that the ability did not distinguish between friend and foe. According to the description, even the elven warriors supporting the vicinity were sucked in.
While even the Seven Deadly Sins were flustered by the completely unexpected situation and could not bring themselves to act, the energy entity had already reached the World Tree.
Sensing a crisis, Diabolus hurriedly gave orders to the Seven Deadly Sins, but the energy entity was one step faster. Subsequently, they—or he—reached out toward the corrupted World Tree and murmured softly.
[For Albenheim.]
The appearance of the energy entity ended there. After that, the perspective shifted back to Xenon's party.
Xenon's party, who had been evacuating the remaining residents of Albenheim, felt a massive flow of mana from the direction of the World Tree and turned their gaze there simultaneously.
And what entered their sight was a massive explosion enveloping the entire World Tree. A flash of light so bright it momentarily blinded them erupted, then gradually subsided.
As the light faded, the World Tree, which had stood firm for 3,000 years, had vanished without a trace, leaving only a giant mushroom cloud. The noble sacrifice of the two heroes had slightly delayed the Great Demon's resurrection.
"... ..."
Arwen blinked her grey eyes once the episode concluded. True to the Xenon Chronicle, once she was drawn in, she read without realizing how much time had passed.
However, she could not lose sight of her original purpose. She took her eyes off the book and looked ahead.
"Have you finished reading?"
Piren asked in his characteristic aged voice, as if he had realized Arwen had finished the crucial part. Arwen felt a momentary embarrassment at the fact that she had been reading the Xenon Chronicle so mindlessly, but she cleared her throat and answered.
"I have read all the parts you mentioned. The scene where Luden and Eir become a pure energy entity and destroy the World Tree is impressive. But is this a problem?"
"...Your Majesty. Three thousand years is a very long time, even for us elves. Just as a river's downstream runs dry if the upstream dries up, so it is with history and tradition. If the ancestors lose all records, nothing is passed down to the descendants."
Piren explained to Arwen using a metaphor that even a layman could understand. Arwen made a subtle expression at his explanation, then immediately realized what he meant.
The fact that it had been blocked since the time of the ancestors meant that the records had been intentionally made to disappear. In fact, most records of the civil war with the Dark Elves had been lost, though a few were kept in the Holy Land.
But to have completely eradicated the records themselves must mean the ancestors judged it to be an extremely serious matter. Arwen showed Volume 14 to Piren and asked urgently.
"Th-then, are you saying the content written here is the magic that was lost in the past?"
"That is correct. The name of that magic, described as Fusion, is 'Unification.' That magic was also used during the Great Demon War 3,000 years ago. It transforms a person into a pure energy entity and combines that energy to give birth to a massive lifeform. In the book, only two people became energy entities, but in reality, many more are possible."
"That's..."
Arwen was so stunned she was speechless. At the same time, a question arose.
Was Isaac, who even knew about lost magic, truly a prophet or a person from the future? And how did Piren know of this magic's existence and that it was forbidden?
Various questions swirled in her mind, but first was how Piren knew of this magic. She glanced at the book once, then asked Piren in a low, sinking voice.
"...Then how do you know that this magic is forbidden? If it's you, you must also know why it was forbidden."
"Of course. Before that, there is another reason why I am certain Xenon is a prophet or a person from the future. It is the impact that occurs after becoming an energy entity. A mass of energy without a physical body is destined to eventually dissipate. To delay that fate even slightly, it indiscriminately devours surrounding energy. You must have seen the description that not only demons but even the supporting warriors were sucked into the energy entity."
"A massive energy has the property of absorbing the energy around it... I have heard that theory before. And the Senate, including yourself, dismissed it as nonsense and discarded it."
"It was because it was the truth, not nonsense. Energy that is impossible to even measure has the property of absorbing everything around it."
"... ..."
Because it was too dangerous a truth, they deceived people by calling it a lie. Arwen's expression grew increasingly stiff.
"During the Great Demon War, the situation was so urgent that we had no choice but to use Unification, but not after the war ended. Our ancestors realized through Unification that a person could be used as a single, massive source of mana. But Your Majesty, surely you know what happens the moment this fact leaks out?"
"... ..."
Using a person as 'mana.' The moment that fact became widely known, there was a high probability that horrific human experimentation would take place under the surface.
Not only that, but civilization was now more highly developed than during the Great Demon War, and the population had increased several times over. As Piren explained, Fusion—that is, Unification—was a magic that could be performed by many people, not just two as depicted in the Xenon Chronicle.
If a few specific individuals performed it with malicious intent... it was obvious that a horrific catastrophe would occur. If there was energy left around it, it would not dissipate and would only move forward.
The ancestors likely anticipated this and completely discarded the records. Arwen let out a silent groan at the situation, which was more serious than she thought, and then asked quietly.
"Before that, I will ask once more. How do you know about this forbidden magic?"
"My father told me, and his father told him, and his father before him. Though the written records vanished, the danger was passed down by word of mouth."
"Is it truly a dangerous magic? Not just a pretext to find Xenon?"
"If it were just that, why would I have sought Your Majesty out despite the rudeness? This book has already spread widely in the human world. We must ban its publication as soon as possible and, furthermore, find Xenon."
"Mmm..."
If taken at face value, it was an extremely serious matter. This magic called Unification was something that should never be known to the world, and if they weren't careful, they might cross a point of no return.
But that didn't mean she could just bring Isaac here. Arwen stared blankly at Volume 14 of the Xenon Chronicle with a troubled gaze when a question suddenly occurred to her.
Was this Unification something only elves could use, or could other races use it as well? If only elves could use it?
Then she could stop it on her own. Even if a few thoughtless people tried to conduct experiments without knowing any better, she could just punish them then.
Above all, if the Xenon Chronicle was truly a 'book of prophecy,' there was no big problem. The Fusion mentioned in the Xenon Chronicle was explained not as something just anyone could use, but as an ability that only a warrior with noble mental strength could perform.
Luden and Eir, as depicted in the Xenon Chronicle, were heroes who chose sacrifice to protect their homeland and, further, to prevent the resurrection of the Great Demon Diabolus. If only such heroes could perform Fusion, wouldn't it be fine?
Of course, the theory itself—that massive energy sucks in surrounding energy—was dangerous. However, this could be controlled through agreements with the leaders of each nation.
There are still many unsettling parts...
Because of the way the Senate usually acted up, it was hard to believe him readily. He could have been using this as a pretext to bring Isaac.
Arwen quickly organized her thoughts and then turned her gaze to Piren. Piren was still waiting, his expression unchanged.
"Council Member Piren. I will ask one last thing."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Is the Unification you mentioned something only we elves can use? Or can other races use it as well?"
"It is something only we elves, chosen by God, can use. For we elves are the race with the purest mana."
Then there was no problem. A few foolish humans might say they'd try it themselves, but they would likely be stopped immediately.
And to humans, mages were extremely precious assets. They wouldn't be crazy enough to do such a thing.
However, the human experimentation was a bit concerning. But since this was no different from a form of human sacrifice, it could be categorized as 'black magic' and strictly forbidden. If anyone violated it, the Holy Theocracy could personally execute them.
There was no need to be too hasty. Isaac wouldn't have written it wanting such a result, so she could just visit him later and ask him directly.
I should also seriously ask him if he's a real prophet.
Perhaps Isaac had written it in the book because he had actually seen it. Arwen leaned toward that possibility and answered Piren.
"Then there should be no problem. If only elves can use it, it won't be an issue. We can just control it ourselves."
"But Your Majesty. The mere fact that such forbidden magic is known will cause great problems. Please consider it carefully. This is not a matter to be taken lightly."
"Hmm. Why are you so anxious? Are you perhaps lacking confidence? You, who have governed Albenheim until now? Or else..."
Arwen trailed off for a moment, then asked tentatively, as if a thought had occurred to her.
"Is it because of the Dark Elves?"
Flinch—
Piren flinched slightly at those words. At that reaction, Arwen smiled inwardly.
I knew it.