Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: The Millennium Mage's Lineage
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After laying waste to the Eye Design group and finishing off even their leader...
Leyzon safely made his way out, bringing Gorgodon with him.
Waiting just outside were Poison Spider and Granfin, right on cue.
They had been engaged in a heated debate under Pauli's protection.
"Poison Spider."
"Ah, Lord Leyzon, you've arrived."
"This is Gorgodon."
Leyzon gestured toward Gorgodon, who had followed him.
Poi son Spider promptly stood and offered a greeting.
"A pleasure. I'm Niafrine Agrasil, a friend of Siliel."
"A friend of that elven upstart, huh. Birds of a feather flock together—must be a fellow researcher."
"Yes, I'm quite interested in talent research myself."
Gorgodon seemed to take a liking to Poison Spider.
He had experience with Siliel, their mutual research partner, after all.
"Keh, another land beast."
Granfin, on the other hand, recoiled at the sight of Gorgodon.
Apparently, he wasn't thrilled about another of his kind.
"Did you make this one, little guest?"
Gorgodon eyed Granfin with interest.
Short and stocky, with a skeletal frame.
Among the undead Leyzon had created, this was one of the least combat-oriented.
"Yeah, he's a land beast origin too."
"Haha, you've made quite the amusing creation."
Gorgodon chuckled as he scooped Granfin up effortlessly.
Granfin flailed wildly, looking ready to lunge, but it was pointless.
Gorgodon was the sort who treated hero-grade dungeons like his own backyard.
A mere Granfin posed no threat.
"Groundskeeper."
Just then, the Landkeeper appeared.
He had deliberately waited for everyone to emerge.
"Landkeeper, looks like you're the one who tipped them off to my location."
"Heh, caught me. Then you should've hidden better."
"Selling out a fellow land beast from our generation—nice hustle."
Even as Leyzon showed his displeasure, the Landkeeper just laughed heartily.
"So, how'd the talk go?"
Gorgodon's gaze shifted to Leyzon.
"He promised to protect me from the Millennium Mage."
"From the Millennium Mage? Well, damn, that's no small ask."
The Landkeeper shot Leyzon an impressed look, as if to say that was quite the demand.
"Makes sense, though. You're not like us from the start, so taking down the Ossuary fits."
Evidently, the Landkeeper already knew of the Ossuary's demise.
"The Ossuary fell?"
Gorgodon, however, was hearing this for the first time.
She let out a hollow chuckle.
"This guy's even more impressive than I thought."
Leyzon's stock rose further in Gorgodon's eyes.
"And with the Ossuary gone as a check, the Millennium Mage won't have time for this side with all the prophets itching to crawl into the Empire."
Now that the restraining Ossuary was out of the picture...
The prophets—excluding the Puppet Troupe—were clamoring to infiltrate the Empire.
And the Millennium Mage was busy blocking them all.
That explained why he hadn't shown up despite Leyzon's rampage so far.
In a twist, Leyzon had ended up tying up the Millennium Mage's feet.
"Feels like the contract's kinda redundant now."
With the Millennium Mage already occupied...
Did he really need to bother with a deal from Leyzon?
"No take-backs on a done deal."
But the contract was already in motion.
As Leyzon stood firm, Gorgodon clicked her tongue.
"Clever one."
Gorgodon had only been half-joking anyway; she showed no real intent to back out.
"Abyss, we'll be heading out now."
Meanwhile, Rockroden signaled his departure.
He had followed Leyzon solely to meet Gorgodon.
With Gorgodon now cooperating, there was no reason to linger.
"Yeah, thanks for the help."
"Didn't do much."
"True. Come to think of it, I did all the heavy lifting."
Leyzon had handled convincing Gorgodon solo.
Rockroden turned away without further ado.
"The ark's completion is near."
As he left, Rockroden dropped a casual hint.
"The Empire's days are numbered too. You know the imperial family's movements are anything but normal."
Apparently, Rockroden had eyes inside the palace.
"Yeah, that's why I've been poking around."
"Don't make the wrong choice on a whim."
Times being what they were...
One misstep could decide everything.
Leyzon made a mental note of Rockroden's words.
With that, Rockroden departed with his women in tow.
"Gorgodon, we'll talk on the way. Landkeeper, what about you?"
Leyzon had previously invited the Landkeeper to Sahā Village.
With necromancers gathering there...
Having him along wouldn't hurt.
"City life never suited this old beast."
But the Landkeeper seemed set on his path.
"I'll live my way. Why would a beast hole up in one spot?"
The Landkeeper was a free spirit.
Leyzon didn't press him.
"Fair enough. Just keep it in mind—for when the Empire crumbles, it'd be a decent spot to drop by."
"Hahaha, noted."
"Senile old coot—bet he kicks it before then."
Gorgodon harshly mocked the Landkeeper.
They parted ways with the Landkeeper there.
Thus, Leyzon set off on the road back to Sahā Village.
Thanks to Estelle, the return trip was instantaneous.
Back in Sahā Village, Leyzon immediately asked Gorgodon about her talent research.
"If it's the stuff she researched with that elven kid, this is it."
Gorgodon pulled documents from her ever-present bag.
Leyzon tried reading them but couldn't make heads or tails.
It was like a layperson tackling an engineering paper.
He knew plenty about necromancy, but this was beyond him.
He handed the documents straight to Granfin and Poison Spider.
Both were natural-born researchers.
They pored over the materials together, then reacted with shock.
"This is research maximizing only the strengths of land beasts and parasites. No sane person would touch it."
Granfin stuck out his tongue at the documents.
Even to a born researcher like him, it was beyond imagination.
"...That Siliel bastard hid all his hard work just to pull off something like this."
Poi son Spider sighed, finally looking away from the papers.
"Why do you think he kept it secret?"
"Guy's always been a jerk. Probably wanted to brag once it was done."
They were all quite the eccentrics.
"Gorgodon, can we apply these results right now?"
Gorgodon, now puffing on a mana cig, shook her head.
"Never tested it in practice. Got into it out of curiosity, that's all.
The elf kid took it solo from there—his own wild stunt."
The result was Piran.
Piran's talent was top-tier among necromancers.
Even without raising his corruption level, his pure necromancy skills had skyrocketed.
It was firmly in the realm of genius.
Leyzon wanted to shatter that talent ceiling too.
"Poison Spider, Granfin—what do you two think? Can you push this research further?"
Primal magic tied into skills to some degree.
Skills topped out at stage three output.
Without breaking the talent ceiling, you couldn't access primal magic's true power.
"We have to."
Poi son Spider showed resolve.
To him, this was his friend's work.
And it applied to his current disciple too.
"It might help not just you, Lord Leyzon, but maybe even Piran."
"Master."
Piran clenched his fist, visibly moved.
"Not thrilled about jumping on some madmen's research."
Granfin grumbled.
He had no issue starting from scratch.
But leeching off others' work rubbed him wrong.
"Lacking confidence?"
Leyzon prodded lightly.
"...Me, lacking confidence?"
And it hooked him easily.
Granfin snorted and slammed the documents down.
"This barely even trips me up. I'll whip it into practical use in no time."
With that, he had recruited two researchers.
Leyzon turned to Gorgodon last.
"Well, can't back out now that I'm here. Guess I'll see it through as an initial researcher."
The talent ceiling research would continue.
Leyzon's goal: break through without rebirth, like Piran.
He hoped the trio's efforts bore fruit.
"So, Gorgodon—now tell me about the Millennium Mage."
The talent research was settled.
Next up: the Millennium Mage gunning for her.
Know your enemy, win every battle.
Gorgodon took a long drag on her mana cig.
Exhaled smoke, then finally spoke.
"That guy's a chain-smoker too. Hooked on mana cigs, just like me."
Mana cigs held mana as a drug.
Essentially narcotic painkillers.
Forced mana inhalation smoothed circulation.
But the artificial load wrecked the body.
People smoked to cool overheated circuits after heavy mana drain.
Repeat enough, and you can't quit even in daily life.
"We once messed up each other's circuits bad."
Gorgodon chuckled ruefully.
Leyzon's eyes narrowed slightly at that.
"By any chance, is the Millennium Mage a land beast origin?"
"Half and half. Kinda like that blue-haired guy you saw."
Empire and land beast blood, like Rockroden.
The Millennium Mage was mixed blood too.
"But his half is a bit more unique."
Leyzon raised a questioning brow.
"Unique how?"
Gorgodon smirked.
She took another drag, then pointed at the ceiling.
"The one land beast who reached the skies and became a sky beast."
Sky beast.
The term conjured Transcendents instantly.
"The Millennium Mage—half his blood is pure sky beast."
Leyzon's eyes widened.
Transcendent bloodline.
The Millennium Mage was a direct descendant of a Transcendent.