Translator: SumTLMan
Angel’s understanding dawned upon hearing Vaudeurs’ explanation. The so-called death intent was in reality a kind of death mark.
Those marked by this death aura would find all their senses disrupted, subjected to hallucinations, such as the arrival of death’s agents. They would be relentlessly pursued by whispers of death, driving them into endless insanity. Ultimately, led by the death intent, they would pass through the Moliere Land passage to the original Tan Continent.
This narrative seemed quite childlike to Angel, yet the situations described by Vaudeurs aligned almost identically with what he encountered with Gusia.
If Vaudeurs spoke the truth, Angel could only acknowledge the extreme misfortune of those marked by this death aura.
After all, this was nothing more than the instinctive behavior of Garm.
Those tainted by Garm’s death breath almost invariably met their end in death, their souls dissipated by Garm’s consumption. If Kurland were here, he would carry out the execution on Garm’s behalf, at least allowing the souls of those people to remain.
“Why not interfere with Garm? Allow it to move elsewhere, wouldn’t that prevent these deaths?” The one asking was Greaves, not out of empathy for humans, but noting that not only humans vanished from the external Cold Ancient Ruins, many demons would also fall prey.
“Why should it be moved? There’s no need for that.” Vaudeurs’ tone remained calm and unruffled as ever, yet somehow, everyone felt a cold indifference that overlooked life.
They were considering from the perspective of the victims, but they failed to consider the power and background of this Garm. What could be done if it acted recklessly?
Greaves bit his lip, “So, no one can survive?”
Vaudeurs replied, “Actually, there was one who escaped from Garm’s death aura.”
“Who?”
“Let me think.” Vaudeurs pondered for a moment, “It seems like it happened a hundred years ago. A man who called himself Puccio managed to escape from Garm’s maw.”
Puccio? The others hadn’t heard of this name, but Angel, coincidentally, knew this person.
“Sin City Wanderer, Puccio!”
Popoca and Greaves turned their gaze toward him as Angel began to explain softly.
Actually, long ago, Frost Moon Alliance had planned to establish the Cold Ancient Ruins as a stronghold city, since demons and monsters did not appear there. Though there were rumors about humans disappearing now and then, it wasn’t given much importance by Frost Moon.
In the end, it was only when a gifted and renowned genius wizard of true knowledge——”Sin City Wanderer” Puccio, disappeared in the Cold Ancient Ruins a hundred years ago that it drew Frost Moon’s attention. They later discovered that over a thousand people had vanished there in the recorded thousand years.
This prompted Frost Moon to abandon their plans of turning the Cold Ancient Ruins into a stronghold city.
“Where did this human called Puccio end up, in the end?” Greaves inquired curiously. Based on Angel’s account, Puccio had disappeared for a century, which meant he never returned to the Wizarding World of the Southern Region.
Vaudeurs did not reply but instead lifted his gaze, looking through his totem mask to the Gate of Bones high in the sky.
“Puccio traveled to other Phase Planes?” Greaves surmised, with an epiphany.
Vaudeurs nodded: “He offered some items to exchange for a chance to journey to other Phase Planes, to which I ultimately agreed.”
Angel didn’t question what items Puccio had used to secure this opportunity. However, pondering all the conversations and the minute details that transpired since encountering Vaudeurs, it was apparent that Vaudeurs likely hadn’t lied.
Even if half-truths were interwoven, Angel believed at least a majority of it was true. This realization fostered a sense of confusion and unease within him.
He tentatively asked, “Does that mean that once Garm awakens, we can depart?”
Vaudeurs nodded, “Indeed.”
“When will Garm awaken? Will we not be tainted by the death aura?”
“Garm’s waking moments are brief, perhaps just a few seconds. However, the frequency of its awakening is high; sometimes it stirs every few days, at most it would not surpass half a month,” Vaudeurs paused before adding, “As for your concern about the death aura, with Kurland’s gift, it will not touch you.”
Angel glanced at the crow feather in his hand and refrained from speaking further. Rather, it was Popoca, who had been quiet all along, who suddenly asked, “What price do we need to pay?”
Vaudeurs had been overly congenial throughout the journey, even if their efforts to save the continent indirectly spared Vaudeurs. Yet, given his status as a powerful Elder, this demeanor felt somewhat overly friendly.
Especially considering Vaudeurs’ indifferent attitude towards the humans exterminated by Garm outside. The stark contrast heightened their suspicions.
Vaudeurs fell silent, and amidst the quietude, a faint chill coursed down everyone’s spine.
After a while, Vaudeurs calmly replied, “No price needs to be paid, this is my way of repaying the savior.”
On hearing this, Greaves sighed in relief. However, both Popoca and Angel did not share the same optimism.
“Garm is still slumbering; why don’t you rest in the fortress in the meantime?”
…
This was a circular stone chamber, with a hexagram-shaped carpet placed at its center. In the middle of the carpet was a small, exquisite table, and on it, a silver candlestick. The white candle within it burned with a soft, warm glow.
Greaves lay in front of the table, his gaze intensely fixed on the “Luminescent Eye” in his hand.
Popoca sat a bit further off, the candlelight just bright enough to illuminate his vague silhouette, yet insufficient to discern him clearly.
Angel, in contrast, was sitting across from Greaves, silently perceiving the changes within himself since the fusion with his right eye.
This tranquil scene sustained for approximately half an hour.
Popoca abruptly shattered the silence, “I suspect this Vaudeurs has ulterior motives. He let us leave without asking for anything in return, it’s rather unusual.”
“Is it so peculiar for him to let us go? He said he was expressing gratitude because the shop owner saved the continent,” Greaves swiftly retorted, shooting him a side-eye.
“But even if Angel dispersed the power of the true spirit throughout the continent, and even if Vaudeurs shares the glory and downfall of the original Tan Continent, this is not the reason he rushed to summon Angel here. He could completely ignore us. Yet, he didn’t do so and deliberately invited Angel to the Land of Darkness, he must be up to something,” argued Popoca.
Greaves pondered over this, seeing some sense in it. Nevertheless, facing Popoca, he couldn’t admit defeat, “Who initially claimed it would be safe to head in this direction? You even used some kind of luck spell to determine it. Why now don’t you trust your own luck spell?”
Popoca was silent for a moment, “The luck spell could have been shielded.”
“Vaudeurs is an Elder, would he need to resort to such a thing? If he truly wanted to act, a single finger would suffice to crush us.”
The debate between Popoca and Greaves gave rise to a stalemate, each holding opposing views, yet each finding some merit in the other’s argument.
This only made the situation all the more elusive.
And as for the man, Vaudeurs, he was shrouded in even more mystery.
Watching their argument escalate, Angel stood up, “I’m going out for a bit. Continue arguing if you must, but no violence.”
His final remark was a warning to Greaves.
Seeing Angel leave, Popoca didn’t linger either. He couldn’t defeat Greaves now, and Greaves harbored a deep desire to kill him. While Angel was around, he could maintain some control over the situation. But with Angel gone, he was at a sheer disadvantage against Greaves. Despite not fearing death, he hoped to see his sister one last time before his end.
Popoca went to a separate room on the other side of the stone chamber, a room designated for him alone.
Angel, on the other hand, pushed open the stone chamber’s massive door and stepped outside.
Upon exiting, Angel saw a platform complete with a balustrade. Walking to the stone balustrade, he had a panoramic view of Cold Ancient City.
This location was a strategic point of Cold Ancient City, which, according to Vaudeurs, was once the dwelling place of the city’s religious personnel.
Beneath their feet was a prayer chapel towering dozens of meters high.
The reason Vaudeurs had arranged for them to rest here was twofold: firstly, the prayer chapel would not be invaded by the ghosts; secondly, it was rumored that Garm was slumbering in the basement of the chapel.
Leaning against the railing, Angel gazed out over Cold Ancient City.
Cold Ancient City, while not the most exquisite city Angel had laid his eyes upon, was all made of stone, devoid of any wooden material, exuding a sense of primitive grandeur. Within Angel’s heart, when comparing through the lens of grandiosity, perhaps only Emberstone Titan could be considered as equally monumental. However, Emberstone Titan was filled with the ingenious designs of wizards, standing in the sky, bathed in radiant sunlight, inherently possessing a grandeur bonus. In contrast, Cold Ancient City had a pure, raw impression of originality. The natives of the Ancient Cold Era used stones to their utmost, merging roughness and refinement seamlessly, and the density of its architecture was the highest Angel had seen, causing the city’s grandeur to diverge from that of Emberstone Titan.
As Angel admired, he couldn’t help but become reflective.
However, architecture, after all, wasn’t what Angel was most concerned about. His gaze ultimately settled on the Phase Gateway hovering in the sky.
In the past, Puccio was able to traverse to other planes through this gateway via a transaction.
Could he, Angel, carry out the same transaction?
Angel remained silent for a moment, shaking his head.
Contemplating a journey to other planes was premature at this point. There was no need to ponder this far.
Still, Angel was certain that if other wizards in the Southern Region were aware of this Phase Gateway, they would probably go insane. The entrance to the original Tan Continent was on the surface of the Abyss. Vaudeurs seemed like a native capable of trading, holding both the geographical advantage and the goodwill of the people. These factors were sufficient to draw the gaze of every wizard.
As Angel’s thoughts galloped, a figure suddenly appeared by his side.
Turning his head, Angel found that it was Vaudeurs, the one wearing the totem mask.
“Esteemed savior, there are some matters I wish to discuss with you,” Vaudeurs said.