Chapter 316: Something is Strange (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 316: Something is Strange (3)
The next day.
Before heading to see Heinkel as he had the day before, Alon was speaking with Penia when Evan approached.
"Marquis."
"Evan, where have you been?"
"The Information Guild for a moment."
"…Is there an Information Guild here too?"
"No, not exactly, but they’ve been seeking me out frequently to deliver information lately. More importantly, there is something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I’ve heard that many strange phenomena are occurring in Ashtalon recently."
"In Ashtalon?"
"Yes."
Evan relayed a specific piece of information.
"What kind of phenomena?"
"They vary, but the most prominent is being described as a state of frenzy."
"Frenzy?"
"Yes. They say the monsters are killing each other."
Alon tilted his head in confusion.
"…Isn't that something that could happen normally?"
Most monsters possessed low intelligence and lacked reason, often viewing anything other than their own species as an enemy. Unless there was a significant size difference, like between a goblin and an ogre, it wasn't unheard of for them to hunt and prey upon one another.
However, Evan shook his head.
"The point is that their prey isn't other species. It's—"
"They're preying on their own kind?"
Evan did not deny Penia’s interjection.
Penia wore a peculiar expression.
"…I’ve never heard of such a thing. Is that rumor actually true?"
"It came from the Information Guild, so it should be reliable."
"How strange. Usually, members of the same species don't attack each other."
While she puzzled over it, Evan continued.
"At any rate, because of this, the forests near the Shuhtalian border are said to be constantly stained red."
"Is that a metaphor?"
"No. Apparently, it’s literal. It seems they aren't calling it a 'strange phenomenon' for nothing."
"It sounds like they're killing every living thing they lay eyes on," Evan concluded. Alon fell into deep thought.
‘…Was there ever a case like this among the events I know?’
No. Among the phenomena he had seen in Psychedelia, nothing matched this information. At least, not as far as he knew.
‘It’s not Divine Possession, and it shouldn't be a Strange Gate phenomenon….’
He spent a moment blankly retracing the events of Ashtalon.
"Marquis, you can think about it later. You have an appointment, don't you?"
"…Right."
Nodding at Evan’s reminder, Alon halted his complex train of thought and stood up to meet Heinkel.
[I’m not going.]
Basiliora, who had been as quiet as a corpse inside the ring since yesterday, slipped under the covers of the bed. Leaving him behind, Alon headed to the library.
[You’re here.]
"Did you finish your business?"
[Well—something like that.]
Heinkel looked at Alon and nodded. However, her gaze was slightly averted from him. It was as if she were looking at something just a bit above his head—
[Anyway, shall we continue yesterday’s conversation?]
"You mean the part about information being contained within degraded magic?"
Alon replied, focusing his mind.
[Right. First… how much do you actually know?]
"Only that the Ice Spear is a degraded version of the Ice Crystal Flower Spear, as I mentioned yesterday."
[You didn't know anything beyond that?]
"That is correct."
Heinkel fell silent for a moment before speaking.
[First, let me ask: you’re familiar with Tier Magic, of course?]
Tier Magic.
Since Alon used magic through Phrases and Hand Seals, he hadn't paid it much mind. However, excluding the Origins that could be used upon reaching the 8th Tier, the world of Psychedelia had specific spells assigned to each Tier. These were known as Tier Magic.
"I am."
When Alon nodded, she spoke plainly.
[Right. Every bit of Tier Magic you know is a degraded version.]
A brief silence followed as he processed those words.
"…All of Tier Magic?"
[Well, that’s the simple way of putting it. Actually, it’s hard to strictly define it as 'degraded.' To be more precise, it’s not so much that it’s degraded… but that 'Tier Magic' itself is closer to a form of information transmission.]
"…Information transmission?"
[Exactly.]
Alon immediately asked a question.
"How did you find that out?"
[Hmm—]
She seemed to contemplate how to answer before slowly opening her mouth.
[I suspected even when I was alive that Tier Magic wasn't just simple magic. However, I failed to grasp the intent behind it.]
"…Intent?"
[Hmm—how should I explain this?]
Seeing that Alon didn't quite understand, Heinkel let out a small "Ah" of realization.
Whoosh—
She manifested an Ice Spear in front of her.
[You know how to make an Ice Spear, right?]
"Yes."
[Then explaining it is simple.]
Heinkel cleared her throat and began her explanation in earnest.
[As you know, the elements that constitute magic are the amount of mana, the structure, and the array. And if you change this array just a little bit…]
With a crack!, the shape of the Ice Spear twisted into a spiral.
[It would probably look like this.]
"…This is."
[It’s similar to the Ice Spear used by the Blue Magic Tower, isn't it? Now, if we change the mana structure instead of the array—]
The Ice Spear before them distorted grotesquely, quickly transforming into a sphere bristling with sharp thorns.
[—it becomes like this. Do you recognize what this resembles?]
"…It’s similar to the magic used by the mages of the Red Magic Tower," Penia answered this time. Heinkel nodded and continued to change the Ice Spear into various forms.
Sometimes it was longer than a standard Ice Spear; other times, it transformed into the shape of a massive blade rather than a spear. After showing them these variations, Heinkel asked:
[What did you learn from what I just showed you?]
"…The characteristics of each Magic Tower?"
[Correct. To begin with, the five separate towers each take Tier Magic and apply slight variations to create their own unique characteristics.]
"That’s one of the reasons the towers are divided by color in the first place," Heinkel muttered to herself before raising her voice again.
[But the point I want to emphasize more fundamentally here is 'degree of freedom.']
"…Degree of freedom?"
[Yes. As you know, in most magic created by mages—excluding Tier Magic—the mana amount, structure, and array are fixed. That goes for Origins as well.]
"…."
[To put it simply, increasing the amount of mana in a spell doesn't necessarily make it stronger. If you try to twist the array like you can with Tier Magic, the spell often fails to activate or fails and explodes. But Tier Magic isn't like that.]
Heinkel spoke while freely twisting and reshaping the Ice Spear.
[Even if you change the array excessively, it doesn't fail. Even if you adjust the structure or mana amount at will.]
"…Couldn't that just mean the magic was exceptionally well-crafted?"
[I don't think so.]
"Why is that?"
Instead of answering, Heinkel scattered mana into the air. The mana, clearly visible to both of them, instantly formed an Ice Spear. In that moment, both Alon and Penia wore expressions of pure shock.
It wasn't because the Ice Spear had any special properties. The reason they were surprised was—
[Do you see?]
"…It can be made that simply?"
[Yes.]
It was because it had been created through an incredibly simple process.
To create an Ice Spear—no, to perform any Tier Magic—one normally had to go through three specific processes, regardless of any arrangements made. However, the Ice Spear Heinkel created was closer to being instantaneous, completely ignoring those steps.
Anyone who handled magic would have no choice but to be stunned.
[Let me tell you first, this isn't possible just because I’m a genius. This is Tier Magic, after all.]
"This is?"
[Hard to believe, isn't it? But it is Tier Magic. I simply removed the parts that were useless for manifesting the spell.]
Heinkel continued her explanation.
[In other words, the one who created Tier Magic couldn't have been unaware that the spell could be manifested without such complex processes.]
"So they intentionally included information they wanted to pass down to future generations?"
[Exactly.]
"I only recently realized through Penia that the magical process itself is 'information,'" Heinkel added.
[Anyway, it’s a good thing for you. We can't use the magic you use, but you, just by researching Tier Magic—]
"…Can obtain new magic."
[Precisely.]
She agreed as if she had been waiting for him to say it.
[By any chance, do you want to try an experiment?]
"An experiment?"
[Yes. Actually, I’ve already finished a rough investigation of the 1st Tier spell, Light, by decomposing it. What do you think?]
"If you teach me, I’ll give it a try."
A new experiment began.
* * *
The outskirts of the desert city, Colony.
In a cave beneath a landscape where nothing but desert stretched out.
"Huff— huff—"
Seolrang sat down on the dark floor, exhaling exhausted breaths. The gauntlet lay before her. Looking at it with a pained expression, Seolrang’s face darkened with gloom.
"…Why isn't it working…?"
Muttering with frustration and irritation, she had been struggling for months to pass the next trial set by the Essence. But so far, she had met only with failure.
"…."
Anxiety began to take root in her eyes. At the same time, a scene from the past played in her mind.
Inside a vast forest where everything was burning away, the figure of Sin walking with such arrogance. And herself, collapsing from a single blow, unable to offer even the slightest resistance.
"…No."
Having recalled that sight unconsciously, Seolrang shook her head violently. She couldn't protect her Mentor at this level.
With an even more anxious expression, Seolrang was scowling at the Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe when—
[Do you need power?]
She heard a voice. It was tiny, like a whisper barely reaching her ear—
"…!"
Yet the voice was incredibly clear. Seolrang reflexively turned her gaze to one side.
And there.
[If you desire power, I shall give it to you.]
A Black Dragon was watching her from within the abyss-like darkness of the cave.
[Well? Do you want it?]
The black entity spoke as if tempting her.
"…."
As Seolrang’s pupils trembled slightly, the black entity—no, the dragon as dark as the void—spoke as if seizing the opportunity.
[Accept me, and I shall grant you power. Power that doesn't require you to rely on such trials…!]
The moment it spoke the words Seolrang desired.
"…Huh?"
Seolrang, who had been staring at the black thing with trembling eyes until a moment ago, let out a low exclamation as if something had just occurred to her. Then, a smile spread across her face.
[?]
The Black Dragon wore a look of bewilderment.
"Then lend me some of that power."
[Good, a wise choice! Accept me and infinite power—]
Seolrang’s words fell casually.
"No, I don't need you to give it to me. Just let me borrow it for a bit."
[…?]
"I'll use it and give it right back."
[…??]
The dragon froze, its expression turning dull with confusion. Seolrang looked at the Essence of the Golden Mane Tribe and licked her lips hungrily.