Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Part 2 Chapter 6: Destination (2)
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Jamie had sent everyone away, thinking he'd rest a bit more.
His condition hadn't fully returned yet, so he planned to meditate alone.
If only the uninvited guest hadn't appeared outside the door.
"Sigh. This damn popularity."
Jamie spoke to the person standing outside the door with an annoyed look.
"Don't stand there looking all shabby. Come in."
With that, the door opened, and a man in a white mask—Jin—entered the room without making a sound.
Even though he was right in front of him, his presence was barely detectable. It was no exaggeration to call him a top-tier assassin.
A man who wielded near-invincible power under the moon, with his 'Moonlight Resonance'. Jamie thought that if he truly attempted an assassination, few could stop him.
"What do you want?"
"I heard you woke up after just three days, so I came to check."
"Well, well. Since when did we get so close?"
"I heard you're still quite young, so why do you lack respect for your elders?"
"...Out of nowhere?"
Jamie was momentarily speechless at Jin's words, which sounded like something from an old fogey.
Moreover, he doubted if the Jin he'd seen before was the same as this one.
Did his personality change completely in peacetime, unlike during battle?
As Jamie sat there with his mouth agape in disbelief, Jin chuckled softly.
"Just kidding."
"So you know how to joke around."
"Something like that."
"Uh... so what's up? You're not seriously here just to visit the sick, are you?"
"I had a few questions."
Jin pulled a chair over without permission and sat in front of the bed.
Jamie looked at the bolder-than-expected man and asked.
"What are you curious about?"
"What was that light? I saw it. The light you created blew half of that massive serpent's body away."
It was a light reminiscent of the midday sun.
The distance was far, and the brightness should have obscured what happened, but under the moonlight, Jin could see more than anyone else in the world.
Since the light was also under the moonlight, he could glimpse fragments of what occurred inside.
An enormous amount of energy had erupted.
He was certain it was the greatest energy he'd ever sensed.
"That serpent was a monster even I couldn't handle alone. I was planning to join forces with you, but you didn't need my help. So I got curious. What exactly is the power that let you take down such a beast single-handedly? Are you perhaps..."
Jin trailed off, but he seemed to have a rough guess.
Jamie understood Jin's curiosity.
So he answered straightforwardly, without beating around the bush.
"An incomplete 9th Circle spell, 'Let There Be Light (Fiat Lux)'."
Jin's eyes widened in shock.
So that light really was a 9th Circle spell.
He'd suspected it, but hearing it confirmed sent shivers down his spine.
The pinnacle realm.
The domain all mages dreamed of but humans could never reach.
Jamie was saying he'd set foot in that realm.
Frontier had remarkable mages, but none had reached the 9th Circle.
On the other hand, he was puzzled.
"Incomplete?"
If it was 9th Circle, why mention incomplete?
Jamie replied nonchalantly.
"Just like it sounds—it's not a perfect 9th Circle. It's half-baked."
Even so, the spell itself was real.
Jin vividly recalled the light that had burst forth, even three days later.
If he'd been standing in front of it, could he have blocked it?
Not a chance—he would've been swept away with the moonlight.
By a boy not even thirteen years old.
"You're one creepy strong kid."
"What?"
"The birth of a 9th Circle mage. The world will be rocked once again. I can hardly believe it even hearing it directly."
"That's why."
"Hm?"
"I regret saying it, so please don't tell anyone."
At that request, Jin tilted his head, unable to comprehend.
His mask hid his expression, but he was probably furrowing one eyebrow.
"Why? Don't you want Seldam's national power and prestige to rise even higher?"
"My country's prosperity is always welcome, but it's not time to reveal it yet."
Jamie knew what had happened to past mages who'd reached the 9th Circle.
They weren't even recorded in history books; entire national records had been erased.
All due to the influence of the 12 Churches.
He didn't know why they erased records of 9th Circle mages, but Jamie guessed it was fear of another Diablo Volpir being born.
To the 12 Gods, Diablo Volpir was a nightmare incarnate.
'Maybe it's fine since Pyro's around.'
Even so, there was no need to create unnecessary risks by revealing it.
If he did reveal it, it should be when he could wield it masterfully.
At least when he could survive a dragon's threat.
Jamie explained vaguely without revealing that far.
"It could get complicated if it leaks out prematurely, so even if it's revealed, I'll do it myself later."
"What if I spill it?"
"Hm. In that case..."
Jamie glanced at the early evening moon rising by the window, then gave Jin a cold stare.
"One of us might end up dead."
A faint purple glow flickered in his shadow-obscured eyes.
Jin felt a chill, cold sweat trickling down his cheek.
Good thing he was wearing the mask.
Without it, his unsightly face would have been fully exposed.
'What a ruthless kid.'
If they fought again, Jamie Welton wouldn't hold back, and the match would end quickly.
Jin had no confidence in blocking that light.
"Noted."
"By the way, I have a question too."
"Ask away. You answered mine, so I'll answer what I can."
"Are you from Han too?"
His mask hid his features, but his black hair, clothing style, and the silk wrapping on his curved sword hilt felt Han-like.
"How'd you know? You didn't investigate me."
"Your overall vibe is similar to Han people."
"That lightweight?"
"Not personality—clothing, hilt wrapping, that sort of thing."
"Ah."
Jin looked at his clothes and sword anew, then smirked.
"Sharp eyes."
"There's a country to the east of our continent, right? I've never been, so I don't know much. What's it like?"
"A land called Ryeo."
"Ryeo? Hard to pronounce."
"It's tricky with this accent. Magic civilization is barely developed. Think of it as a world where most carry cold weapons."
"No mages at all?"
"There are shamans similar to mages. They handle sorcery, but in my view, they're nothing compared to mages. As I said, it's a land developed around cold weapons."
"Oh? Sorcery. That's intriguing as a mage."
"Anyway, mostly warriors—samurai, or swordsmen."
"Are all Ryeo's warriors as strong as you?"
Jin shook his head as if it were obvious they weren't.
"If they were all peak experts... Sword Masters, Roen wouldn't have fallen to us."
"True. But 'peak expert'?"
"You don't miss a thing."
"Mage habits."
"That's what they call Sword Masters in Ryeo."
"What's above that?"
"If we subdivide realms: Transcendent Peak, Flower Realm, Mystery Realm. Anything beyond is legendary and meaningless. Really, post-Mystery Realm is all legend."
"Complicated terms. Transcendent Peak about Grand Master level? Then Ryeo's martial prowess... gives me chills."
"Transcendent Peak experts are rare even in Ryeo—countable on one hand. And the realm divisions don't align perfectly with here. Sword Masters are similar to peak experts, but Transcendent Peak isn't necessarily Grand Master."
"How do you know?"
Jin adjusted his mask casually as if it were simple.
"Because Frontier's leader is a Grand Master."
"Isis, right?"
"She's a special race, but for sure, even among Ryeo's Transcendent Peak experts, I doubt more than two could face her."
Only two out of ten meant the other eight weren't Grand Masters.
"Oh..."
Jamie was the type to be curious about unknown fields, his eyes sparkling at new info.
Jin's words piqued his interest.
"So even pre-Grand Master state is Transcendent Peak?"
"Yes. Besides Isis, I've seen one other here who's reached Transcendent Peak."
"Who?"
Jin pointed at Jamie.
"The Sword Sage of your country. He's definitely at Transcendent Peak."
Indeed.
The Sword Sage was a monster infinitely close to Grand Master.
Not an opponent he could guarantee victory against with half a 9th Circle spell.
"Starting at that level, huh."
"Rumors say the Zenith Church's Seven Knights leader and the Sun God's Sword are Grand Masters too."
The Seven Knights' leader, Kreon, wasn't a Grand Master but close.
He'd only heard rumors of the Sun God's Sword, so he didn't know their true skill.
"Well, it's silly for a weakling like me to judge Transcendent Peak experts, but the point is Roen and Ryeo's realm divisions differ."
"So what's the Flower Realm?"
"Last Flower Realm expert in Ryeo was about a century ago, records say. His sword ascended to 'divine' status. Never seen it myself, so I can only guess the level."
Ryeo's top expert from a hundred years ago.
If Transcendent Peak covered from Sword Master fringe to Grand Master, Flower Realm logically followed Grand Master.
Suddenly, he recalled a past comrade swordsman.
Five years later, he still couldn't remember the name.
'That guy was Flower Realm or beyond.'
Not certain, but fighting back-to-back let him tell.
In swordsmanship, no one was stronger.
Why couldn't he remember the name?
As Jamie's face turned slightly serious,
"Records say he was the first Ryeo warrior to visit Roen."
"This land?"
"But no records remain. Or rather, I couldn't find any. Probably documented, but hidden away tight—nothing turned up."
"What's his name?"
"Don't know the given name, but the surname was recorded."
"What is it?"
"Cheok."
Hearing that, Jamie stared blankly into space like a statue.
Jin called to the suddenly stiff Jamie.
"Jamie Welton?"
"..."
"Hey!"
When Jin yelled and shook his leg, Jamie snapped out of it and blinked.
Then he looked at Jin and asked again.
"What was the surname?"
"Cheok."
"Cheok..."
—You're the mage at the pinnacle. I request a duel. My surname is Cheok.
Jamie's lips curved faintly.
—My name is Jun-kyung.
Cheok Jun-kyung.
The name came back to him.