Tomb (3)
—Bring back the 'most powerful thing' from within this tomb.
This was the content of the first trial.
Tension etched across the children's faces.
"The most powerful thing……."
"They probably mean pick out a grimoire or a weapon, right?"
"But isn't that too broad? I heard no one's ever counted all the grimoires and weapons stored here."
The children hesitated, unable to take that first step forward.
Among them stood fourteen-year-old Mihaden Kirchheis, biting his lip hard.
Even as one of Rohbark's direct grandchildren, this boy had failed twice in this tomb before.
'If I fail again this year, I'm done for. I'll be exiled from Kirchheis Castle!'
Of course, his mother's family was a noble house in the Allied Empire, so Mihaden wouldn't lack for a life.
But he couldn't avoid being abandoned by his father.
Not as harsh as the other uncles, but his father, Linde Kirchheis, wasn't exactly merciful either.
So he had to succeed this time.
Fortunately, Mihaden had one hint.
'This is similar to the final trial from two years ago.'
Back then, the trial had been to fetch the 'most valuable thing' from the tomb.
The top scorer's answer at the time had been—
'A key to the secret vault that Holy Hero Ulfrik supposedly hid somewhere in the world. One of its replicas.'
And Mihaden had submitted an old swordsmanship manual, earning a pitiful score.
A bitter memory.
'I knew my answer wasn't the right one. Of course there were more valuable items.'
This place overflowed with treasures far pricier than replica vault keys or dusty manuals.
Over the past five hundred years, countless grimoires and artifacts had been preserved here.
'But I had no choice. I couldn't take out anything else…….'
The problem was that tiny children's hands couldn't easily retrieve anything.
Because of the powerful spells on the bookshelves.
'To take a valuable item, you have to pay an equal price. No magic or stamina can be spared—the shelves are enchanted that way.'
That was the main obstacle of this trial.
And this year, it was first up.
He had to think carefully and plan his moves.
Muttering to himself, he took a step forward.
"Think, Mihaden. Think hard……."
What would be best?
What could he take from here to score high while conserving strength?
'I should go for a weapon. Pick a suitable cherished blade from one of the family heads famous for swordsmanship.'
Mihaden made up his mind and turned.
A few other children seemed to have the same idea, scanning the weapons.
But then, Mihaden witnessed something utterly bizarre.
All the kids were in a frenzy—except for one.
'Kirian……?'
The castle shut-in young master.
His cousin brother, orphaned yet rumored to possess incredible talent.
That kid stood stock-still, doing absolutely nothing.
With his eyes closed, no less.
Mihaden scowled deeply.
'What the hell is he doing? Nap time?'
An unbelievable attitude.
But the next moment.
"……."
Kirian cracked his eyes open and extended both palms forward.
A blue glow began to bloom between his pale fingers.
Mana.
A spark ignited in Mihaden's mind.
'Crazy! He's using that as his answer? For real?'
Kirian's chosen answer.
The most powerful thing in this tomb.
It was his own mana.
Special Spell 'Domination' deployed.
Mana flow in this area dominated.
Seizing dominance.
[Hmm, your mana, eh…… Clever, but isn't it a bit too arrogant?]
Hierniorn, watching from the sidelines, voiced his concern.
He wasn't wrong.
Mana was fluid energy.
The more you gathered, the stronger it became; scatter it, and it weakened just as easily.
And the mana I could currently condense had its limits.
[Think it over again. Even a mere artifact left by a 7-star mage would be hard to beat. Your talent is impressive, but in total mana…….]
'I know. This place is crawling with amazing artifacts.'
[So what'll you do?]
'Just watch.'
I began gathering mana right there, making a show of it.
The nearby kids flinched.
Some even pointed.
"That kid's gathering mana to submit as his answer?"
"Ha! What a joke."
"Hey, ignore him and go find a weapon."
The other children probably had a rough idea of the artifacts stored in the Tomb of Books and Swords.
So they'd surely bring something that easily surpassed my mana reserves.
'The safe choice.'
But a few participants harbored different thoughts.
"……."
Several burly kids watched me silently from afar.
Not their first time here, judging by their size.
Probably on their last chance.
Desperate, cornered.
'Watch closely, Hiern. Haste blinds the eyes.'
[Huh? Oh, incoming! Those guys are all heading for you……!]
Startled, Hierniorn soared high.
The kids strode toward me, gearing up for a fight.
But I shook my head.
'No need yet. Timing's not right.'
[Timing?]
'We're all thinking the same.'
[……?]
'We'll give each other time to max out our mana. Then snatch it for the high score.'
[What? Snatch? Ah……!]
Hierniorn finally got it and let out a gasp.
With that, the kids began gathering mana en masse.
I smirked and nodded.
"Yeah, that's how it should be."
Of course, the responses weren't friendly.
No—the war had already begun.
"Hey, shut-in. Shut your trap and gather mana."
"You focus. I'll take it all."
"Shut up! You all here to play?"
Sharp voices rang out.
Hierniorn, perched on my shoulder, shook his head.
[Such venomous brats. Stealing each other's mana. And you planned this from the start.]
'Yep. Knew it'd go this way.'
Kids who'd made the same call as me.
Presenting their gathered mana as the tomb's 'most powerful thing'.
But not just submitting their own.
Mana could be combined.
'Worth a greedy shot.'
Bigger.
Steal others' gathered mana, merge it with yours, submit.
Plunder strategy.
Foolish resolve born of greed for top score.
[Ha! Milk-toothed whelps…….]
'Come on, Hiern, that's Kirchheis for you.'
[Right you are! This is the damned Kirchheis way!]
Nothing faster than stealing to rise.
So they raced like it was a competition, scraping up power.
I led the pack, of course.
"Huuuuh……."
"Gaaah!"
Small power gets swallowed by the big.
To chase me, the first to start, they had to overextend.
Or strike first, eat or be eaten.
"Gimme that!"
"Hand it over!"
"Get lost!"
Five kids gnashed teeth, pulling mana particles and clashing.
Pure plunder, take and retake.
My surroundings swirled with mana like a storm.
No—growing into a massive updraft.
"Wh-what the hell!"
"Shouldn't we stop it?"
A powder keg moment.
Murmurs rose from the spectator seats as the chaos escalated.
Tangled mana flows were dangerous in themselves.
One explosion without timely guardian intervention, and a couple deaths wouldn't be surprising.
[Oh no. One slip and…….]
'The kids all die. So I'll give 'em one chance to back out.'
A chance to turn back.
Among the sweating kids, I spotted a familiar face.
Didn't know the name.
"Hey, five hundred gold."
"What……?"
"You. Weren't you the son of Uncle Linde who got five hundred gold from the one-eyed merchant? What's your name?"
"……Mihaden. You bastard."
"Right, Mihaden. Release your mana and step back now. Grab a decent artifact and submit it. You'll pass this trial."
I meant it.
Recover remaining mana, go textbook route—first trial cleared.
But Mihaden wouldn't hear it.
"Shut up! What do you know?!"
"You'll regret it."
"I said shut it!"
"……."
The others were the same.
Proving their Kirchheis blood, they pressed stubbornly.
No quitters—I gave a wry smile.
Too perfectly as planned; almost sighed.
"Fine, got it. Can't be helped. I'll take it all. Thanks, everyone."
"What……?"
"Big talk from a punk!"
Blank stares mixed with sneers.
Whatever—I flipped the raging mana's direction in one go.
Mana particles screamed, tangling and distorting.
Abundant mana greatly improves mana heart condition.
Current mana capacity: 100%.
Excess mana remains in circuits.
Using my Transcendent Eye to find flow gaps, spreading my mana wide to devour it all in one gulp.
I'd dominated mana against a mega mecha golem puppeteer.
Against tomb-failed kids? Child's play.
"Urk!"
"Guh, guh!"
"Haaah……."
The kids collapsed in unison.
Retched and rolled.
Overload from max-effort gathering, sudden reversal and ownership theft.
[Tsk tsk. Pathetic. So pathetic. You're no better. Could've gone easy—what's the harm?]
'Had to. That's the trial's point.'
As Hierniorn clucked his tongue.
I bundled the massive mana clump and took it to the tomb spirit.
The hazy figure stared, then spoke.
"Quite the hefty mana gathered…… Submit as is……?"
"Yes, like this."
"Very well……. Recorded……."
Scores announced after all submissions.
Unlike artifact kids, mine was purely mine.
So disposable.
I swallowed the gathered mana whole—
Perfect condition post-trial.
And one more—
[First submission means bonus points. Even without, first place is yours.]
Bonus for first submitter.
Now just wait out the trial's end leisurely.
Then our eyes met.
"Kuhahaha……."
Mihaden, the one I'd offered a chance.
Mana drained, despair trembling his hands.
He whipped his gaze to me.
Thick curses erupted.
"You damned brat! This is your fault!"
Bloodshot eyes bulging, Mihaden charged.
Unexpected—but he clutched a small dagger.
I grinned instead.
Close-quarters brawl?
'Now that's my specialty.'
Thrilling, even.
Couldn't help smiling.