Translator: SumTLMan
“Am I right in remembering that the most reliable cultivation method for the Savage Grottoes is the —Montos Eight-Sided Guidance Method—? With a minimum effectiveness value of thirteen, could it be the method Angel has chosen to cultivate?”
“Yet, even if that’s the case, his progression is exceptionally rapid. Unless Angel’s innate talent harmonizes perfectly with the Montos Eight-Sided Guidance Method, perhaps even exceeding a compatibility of twenty?”
Suis murmured to himself for quite some time, still left somewhat puzzled in the end.
“Regardless of his cultivation method, it’s his business,” Eureka said, stretching leisurely. “I’m hardly curious about his secrets, I can barely manage myself at this point. What I’m concerned with is whether this potion you’ve given me is useful or not.”
Eureka’s words pulled Suis back from his contemplative detour.
Suis passed the faintly green potion in his hand to Eureka, “It should be effective, but considering the extent of your injury… caused by that individual… it remains to be seen how much recovery it could foster.”
This potion, known as the “Rhythm of Lawlessness,” though a product of the Innovator school, had incorporated some ancient order school’s guiding methods. Among the elementary potions of the innovators, it was one of the more difficult ones to brew.
The application of the “Rhythm of Lawlessness” was also not the traditional ingestion, but was more akin to the techniques of the order school. Through a specific rhythmic sequence, the potion’s effects were activated.
Suis extended his long fingers to touch the potion bottle, their tips moving swiftly in a rhythm. A series of laws resembling the laws of order flew out from the potion bottle. These laws, composed of intricate runes, orderly and harmonious like a flight of geese heading south, swirled around Eureka before eventually merging into her forehead.
With each law seeping into her forehead, Eureka felt an overwhelming sense of relief, as if her long-depleted mental energy source had been rejuvenated.
However, this sensation lasted only a fleeting moment.
After the laws entered her forehead, they would naturally navigate towards the mental sea. The mental sea is a phantasmal existence similar to the mental space; upon reaching the mental sea, the laws would mend the damage of the mental power following the laws of order.
If one were to envision the mental sea as an actual tranquil ocean, Eureka’s sea was close to depletion. At the center of her ocean, there was a black hole, as though the void had been slashed open; this represented the injury to Eureka’s mental power.
Every law that ventured into this black hole made nary a ripple, creating no discernible effect apart from granting Eureka a moment of relief.
Time elapsed, and all the laws were eventually swallowed by the black hole. Eureka felt a fleeting impression of the black hole shrinking, only to dismiss it as an illusion.
“How is it? Is there any effect?” Suis’ eyes were laden with concern as he regarded Eureka.
Eureka shook her head: “The effect is negligible…virtually non-existent…”
Seeing the crestfallen expression on Suis’ face, Eureka hesitated before adding, “In fact, I feel the injury to my mental strength has lessened somewhat. It may be working, but it probably requires a significant amount of Rhythm of Lawlessness.”
Suis sighed, “Several ingredients for the Rhythm of Lawlessness are quite rare. At most, I can craft thirty doses. With my success rate, I may be able to successfully create five vials. Rhythm of Lawlessness is the most effective mental strength restoration elixir I can concoct. If even that shows little effect, I fear other potions… will be equally ineffective.”
Eureka also fell silent, forcing a bitter smile, “It seems… this injury is going to persist for a while… But it doesn’t matter. At least now, under the grace of Angel and the comforting presence of the Demeter, the pain from my mental injuries has significantly reduced.”
Suis glanced at the Demeter, then back at Eureka, “Maybe, I should speak with Angel again?”
……
Unbeknownst to Angel, Eureka and Suis were discussing him behind his back. Upon returning, he immediately immersed himself in his research.
He was close to completing the rune for Silent Closure, missing only the final piece. Angel hoped to push through in one fell swoop and complete it.
Two days later, Angel had finally mastered the entirety of the rune for Silent Closure.
According to his calculations, his creation should reach the intermediate rank. This would undoubtedly trigger an Omen Sign of alchemy. Although such signs generally don’t impact bystanders, out of caution, Angel chose not to perform the crafting within the manor.
Accompanied by Toby, he ventured to the outskirts to carry out his alchemical work.
The locale of choice remains the secluded zone that Angel had previously chosen for the integration of his powers.
The process of crafting unfolded seamlessly, yet the time Angel was drawn into the Vision Space following the conclusion of the crafting process and triggered by the Omen Sign was relatively lengthy.
The test this time in the Vision Space seemed extremely compatible with the “Geometric Lock” that he had crafted.
Angel found himself in a realm of Rubik’s cubes, where each cell of the cube represented a lock. With each lock opened, the Rubik’s cube would rotate once. Angel needed to unlock these locks following a specific pattern and, in the end, restore the cube to the uniform color on all six sides.
For Angel, blessed with supercomputing abilities, this was not challenging. However, this Rubik’s cube was a fourth-order cube, implying substantial calculations. Coupled with the fact that he needed not only to unlock but also to discern the rotation pattern of the Rubik’s cube, it took a considerable amount of time.
It took Angel an entire night to break through the Vision Space.
As the Vision Space dissipated, nebulous clusters of Omen Signs, filled with complex information, gradually scattered from the sky.
Before Angel could inspect the “Geometric Lock” he had crafted, a stern, husky voice rang in his ear: “Leave here at once. The range of your crafting Omen Sign is vast, and the guides of several wizard organizations, including Song of the Deep Sea, are heading toward your location.”
This voice was not unfamiliar to Angel; it was Suis.
“Heeding the tone of Suis, a guide has appeared on the Old Land Continent?” Angel wasn’t concerned about why Suis was here but rather mulled over his words. Given the time frame and that the sea routes of Whale Whisker Sea were now wide open, it seemed quite possible. “…But normally, the guides of these wizard organizations are reluctant to visit the Old Land Continent. Why have they all come now, including those from Song of the Deep Sea?”
Angel didn’t believe that Suis was deceiving him, as there was no reason for that.
He had no desire to encounter these guides, especially if members from Song of the Deep Sea were among them.
Without any further ado, Angel hastily tucked the “Geometric Lock” into his bracelet. Summoning Toby to transform into Griffin form, he accelerated with gravity lines and disappeared from the site in an instant.
Following Angel’s departure, Suis appeared at the location where Angel had been crafting before.
“In less than a day, it has become an intermediate rank work, nearly on par with a Master Enchanter.” Suis murmured softly. When the Omen Sign of alchemy appeared here, he hurried over. When he saw that it was Angel who triggered the Omen Sign of alchemy, he was not surprised. However, Suis was a bit incredulous about Angel’s speed of crafting.
Suis glanced towards the northwest and then to the south. Apprentices from both directions were swiftly rushing over, mainly those guides he had previously seen at the Vichy Harbor.
With a gentle wave of his hand, Suis eradicated all of Angel’s remaining pheromones and any alchemical debris that might be related. These guides may not notice these details, but to prevent Angel’s identity from being exposed and implicating Eureka, Suis had to clean up properly.
After handling everything, Suis melted into the darkness of the night.
Shortly thereafter, three figures appeared at the spot. They looked at each other without surprise at the others’ appearance, even engaging in an interesting exchange.
“That was an Omen Sign of alchemy just now, wasn’t it?” The one speaking was a woman clad in a black and blue witch’s robe. She was exceedingly charming, with two slim snakes of green and red entwined around her neck and a broom in her hand.
“It should be.” The round voice came from a man wrapped in a black robe. His exposed hand resembled dry wood with a hint of a budding sprout visible.
“The person doing the alchemy has left… I originally wanted to meet them, but I didn’t expect to miss them.” The woman sighed regretfully, a spark of keen interest quickly flashing in her eyes.
The third figure, who had remained silent, was a chubby young man with a hat. He was from the Song of the Deep Sea, who had previously met with Suis at Vichy Harbor.
He pulled out a golden scroll, gently sweeping it around. After a moment, his brow furrowed.
“Not a single trace. It seems… that alchemist is extremely cautious.” The chubby man caressed the fish scales on the back of his hand and suddenly smiled, musing to himself: Could the alchemist who appeared on Edge Island be the target?
The plump fellow did not voice his thoughts, instead, he affably fixed his gaze on the other two.
“Feilin of the Twin Serpents from Hurricane Tower, Henry the Silent Treant of Gravity Forest, it’s been a while,” the plump man arched his eyebrows, “I have a minor inquiry, I wonder if you could enlighten me?”
Henry and Feilin turned their gaze to the plump man, their eyes bearing a trace of vigilance. They had originally traveled on the same freight ship and were not unfamiliar with the man’s identity.
The plump man hailed from the Song of the Deep Sea, referring to himself as “Gold”. Not only had Gold’s prowess reached its zenith, his association with the Song of the Deep Sea alone was enough to dissuade the duo from provoking him.
“I just want to clear a small doubt,” Gold grinned, but a glint of cold light leaked from his nearly closed eyes, “Earlier, I thought you both were merely making a stopover at Vichy Harbor. However, after all this time, neither of you have left with the ship. So tell me, are you planning to stay on Edge Island to find talented ones? I remember that it’s been quite a while since your wizard organizations have been to Edge Island. Why have you suddenly chosen to come here?”
“Our course has always been nearby, it’s just that we seldom come to Edge Island. However, it’s your Song of the Deep Sea that has truly never been seen around Edge Island. You’re asking me, I should be the one asking you,” retorted Feilin disdainfully.
“No comment,” responded the Silent Treant, Henry, preparing to turn and depart.
“Don’t be in such a hurry,” but Gold’s figure flashed, appearing in front of Henry. Henry was taken aback and reflexively extended his hand, a myriad of vines gushing out from his palm.
Gold’s chuckling voice emanated from the enclosing vines, “Tut tut, I didn’t start this one…”