Chapter 95
Barmoldor resisted.
He spat at Taesan, hurling curses and insults, calling him a lowly creature following filthy bloodlines, and proclaiming that the gods would strike him down.
Taesan’s response was simple.
He activated the Proof of Self.
Barmoldor clamped his mouth shut and began to shiver uncontrollably, banging his head on the ground.
“This is quite convenient.”
Taesan comfortably listened to Barmoldor’s explanation about magic, its manifestation methods, and what the Mage Tower was, understanding one thing after another.
“And it turns out to be useless.”
In Vekeseta, there existed a place called the Mage Tower, revered by all mages, housing countless magical schools.
The schools specialized in a variety of magics:
A school that dealt with barriers.
A school that manipulated space.
A school that harnessed the power of nature.
A school that materialized mana itself for use.
Each school was distinct and varied, with many mages choosing one that suited them best to train in.
However, being distinct also meant having clear limitations.
Taesan’s learning might have been challenging, but his magic was not confined in any direction. Whether it was ice, fire, or spatial magic, he could learn it all once past certain restrictions.
But here, if you handled cold, you could only use ice magic; if you dealt with space, only spatial magic was usable, making it very restrictive.
This was a significant drawback.
“And the incantations are mandatory.”
The magic Taesan learned did not require him to utter anything, though there might be a slight delay in activation. However, here, every spell had to be initiated with words.
The most significant problem was that the power of the magic itself was negligible.
“Basic perception magic is only usable by mid-level mages and above, right?”
“Yes, yes…”
Basic detection, a simple magic Taesan possessed, only allowed for the perception of objects’ locations.
Although very rudimentary and effectively a discarded magic due to its inferiority to Clairvoyance, it was deemed an advanced spell in Vekeseta, only accessible to high-level mages.
“And Frost Origin, Frost Arrow, is considered an advanced spell in the cold magic school.”
A spell inaccessible unless one was the head of their school. That was Frost Arrow.
Other beginner spells were similar.
The handling of Scorching Orb was akin to Frost Arrow, and Invisibility was even more esteemed. Invisibility, which hid not just one’s appearance but also their presence, was treated as ancient magic here.
Taesan looked down at Barmoldor, trembling with a cold expression.
“As I thought… not much to it.”
The magic he was learning was directly bestowed by the god of magic.
Compared to the magic of the schools in Vekeseta, which were human-made, no matter how excellent, they couldn’t compare to a god of magic. The difference was as vast as between humans and insects.
Though somewhat expected, it was still disappointing.
“So, the only thing worth learning here is Aura.”
Barmoldor trembled, listening to Taesan, his body racked with fear.
Handling magic from several schools at once, along with superior physical prowess far beyond an elite swordsman.
And possessing both quantity and quality of power, Barmoldor was thoroughly defeated.
He just wanted to escape from here. Any direction would do, even death.
“Then I’ll let you go.”
Taesan’s sword flickered.
With a smile, Barmoldor died.
[Your Soul Rank has activated. The difference in soul level between you and your opponent is too great. You gained nothing from your opponent.] Taesan dismissed the system window.
Anetsha, waiting inside the cave, peeked out.
“Is it over?”
“Yes.”
Taesan nodded.
Inspecting the bodies, Anetsha couldn’t hide her amazement.
“Really strong. Judging by the color of their robes, they were mid to high-level mages from the Mage Tower, yet you dealt with them so effortlessly…”
“Their level is just too low.”
[It’d be strange if they were any higher.] The ghost spoke matter-of-factly.
[If it were easy to become strong outside, there’d be no reason for adventurers to enter the labyrinth.] The labyrinth was entered by the chosen from various worlds, called heroes.
Yet, even they often perished before reaching the 10th floor. Taesan had surpassed the 20th. By skill level, he was equivalent to someone who had reached the 30th floor.
Vekeseta’s strength was average. It would be strange if someone there could match Taesan.
“I know, but it’s still disappointing.”
Taesan’s words made Anetsha glance at him briefly. Taesan waved his hand dismissively.
“What’s for today?”
“Yes. It’s steamed fish. I tried adding various things, and it turned out quite well.”
The simple iron pot inside the cave emitted a delicious aroma.
Taesan, pleased, sat down in front of the pot. As he tasted the fish, he enjoyed the rich flavors.
“Delicious.”
Anetsha had insisted on at least cooking, feeling indebted to Taesan.
There was no downside for Taesan, who agreed, planning to eat produced food if it tasted bad, but it was unexpectedly excellent.
Eventually, Taesan also looked forward to meal times.
Not that he cared about food, but even he had taste buds. Enjoying delicious meals was naturally pleasurable.
Anetsha smiled brightly at Taesan’s approval.
“Thank you. It’s been a very long time since I’ve cooked, but I’m glad it’s still good.”
“When did a princess learn to cook?”
“It was my hobby. I was in charge of most of the cooking at parties. Father initially objected, saying it was dangerous, but eventually, he enjoyed it.”
She mused wistfully but quickly suppressed the rising emotions.
Eight years.
It was a long time, enough for memories to fade into grey.
While eating, Taesan glanced at Anetsha.
She looked better than when he first saw her. The grime had reduced, and her tangled hair had somewhat improved.
However, due to the hardship, she was malnourished and pale.
Taesan reached into his inventory. Anetsha jumped, surprised.
“Space magic?”
“Something like that.”
Taesan pulled out a potion and tossed it to her.
“Try this.”
“Red potion? What is this?”
“Good for your body.”
He briefly explained.
Curiously examining the bottle, Anetsha uncapped and drank it.
Then her eyes widened.
“Huh?”
Her cheeks filled out, and her pale face flushed with color.
The years of suffering and malnutrition were reversed.
“Ta, Taesan? What is this?”
“Stamina recovery potion. I thought so.”
Stamina potions could heal even severe wounds.
There was no reason why they couldn’t restore a body weakened by malnutrition.
Anetsha stared at the empty bottle, her face turning pale.
“I, such a precious thing… for me…”
“Not that precious. Well, maybe expensive by your standards?”
The potion cost 200G. Anetsha was valued at 1,000G. Whether they were of equal value was uncertain, but she was worth one-fifth of Anetsha.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not important to me.”
He had more than ten stamina potions in his inventory.
“Th, thank you…”
Anetsha deeply bowed, her eyes filled with gratitude.
She felt an overwhelming sense of thankfulness toward Taesan, who not only defeated elite swordsman and mages but also healed her with such a valuable item.
“How did you…?”
“Not precious, I told you. Brought from the labyrinth.”
“…”
Anetsha asked in a small voice.
“Perhaps, made by a mage…”
“You know about it?”
“Yes, it’s been passed down in legends. When I was young, my father occasionally told me stories before bedtime.”
Anetsha recounted like a fairy tale.
“Once upon a time, there was a great archmage.”
“So great, he lost interest in the ordinary world.”
“He sought a world that could rekindle his emotions. He proposed to the transcendents to create a vast world where great warriors, mages, and heroes would come to risk their lives in battle.”
“The transcendents gladly agreed.”
“And so, the legendary labyrinth was created.”
Hearing Anetsha, Taesan was surprised.
‘They know about the labyrinth.’
As if guessing his thoughts, the ghost whispered.
[It’s passed down in stories to those with a lineage. I learned that way and entered the labyrinth.] Indeed, it made sense. No matter how deep or inhabited by transcendents, if unknown, no one would seek it. Thus, the exceptional ones likely knew about it.
Anetsha was equally astonished.
“Really… from there.”
She had always loved the stories of mages and the labyrinth. Great beings risking their lives under the gaze of gods was enough to fuel a child’s dreams.
But she thought those were mere legends.
Now, Taesan before her claimed to have come from there.
The inhabitant of a story she cherished since childhood was now real, protecting her.
The fact delighted Anetsha immensely. She managed to compose herself and asked.
“That’s why you’re learning Aura.”
“In my world, there was no Aura. Intrigued by something new, I wanted to learn.”
“No Aura?”
“Strictly speaking, no swordsmanship or magic either.”
“Wow…”
Anetsha’s eyes sparkled.
She had been fleeing for eight years, likely since her single-digit years, unable to meet anyone, desperately surviving alone. Though physically possible to become desolate, it was hard to grow mentally during that time.
Cautiously, Anetsha asked.
“Would it be okay to ask about your world, Taesan?”
“Hm? Curious about my world?”
“Yes… but don’t worry if it’s troublesome.”
She hurriedly waved her hands, startled. Taesan chuckled softly.
“No problem.”
“Ah…”
Anetsha’s face lit up with joy.
After that, their routine included a new activity. After dealing with pursuers, eating, and before sleeping, they shared stories.
It wasn’t a long conversation, and there was still no clear way to learn Aura, leaving them with plenty of time, so Taesan complied.
She was curious about many things, asking Taesan about his world – if there were demons, what they used instead of magic, and what people did there.
Taesan answered each question.
No demons, only humans existed. Instead of magic, they used technology called electricity. People worked more in stationary positions than physical labor.
She was amazed, lighting up with each answer, and asked more questions.
It wasn’t a bad feeling for Taesan. It felt like caring for a small child. He thought it would be dull, but it was sufficient to pass the time.
And Taesan also asked Anetsha various questions. About Vekeseta, the demons, and what the Demon God and Harmon were like.
“Harmon has only been a god for less than a hundred years?”
“Yes. Originally, our world didn’t have a specific god. Everyone worshipped different deities. Then, our world’s god was born. That was Harmon.”
Anetsha smiled bitterly.
“In a way… our main god.”
The demons worshipped the Demon God, but the Demon God wasn’t exclusive to Vekeseta. The god that could be called Vekeseta’s was only Harmon.
The main god sought her annihilation, her people’s extinction. She fought back tears at the thought.
Taesan consoled her, and soon, Anetsha fell asleep.
“He’s becoming more dependent.”
[It’s understandable. Who else can she trust? Makes sense. Hm. A god born less than a hundred years ago…]
“Do you have any guesses?”
After pondering, the ghost spoke up.
[I mentioned before, right? Those born as gods have all disappeared. The current gods all transcended from mortality.] “Right. You suspected they invaded our world.”
Who trampled upon Earth?
Completing the Demon God’s quest would reveal their identity.