328th Chapter
Ilphirim.
She was a Dark Wizard operating in the Forbidden Forest.
She was a powerful figure who had reached the high rank of Mage and also possessed the ability to create and utilize special avatars.
The supreme Demon ruling over the underground fortress readily formed a cooperative relationship with Ilphirim, who held significant strategic value, and they proceeded with the “Unification” plan.
However, just as all plans were progressing smoothly and success was within reach…
An unwelcome visitor arrived at the Forbidden Forest.
Ilphirim underestimated these intruders, attempting to annihilate them using her avatars but ended up suffering defeat.
Not long after, a Meteor struck the Forbidden Forest, incinerating everything.
The experimental subject on the verge of Unification evaporated, and the arrogant supreme Demon met his demise.
Yet, not all entities present in the underground fortress perished.
Among the Devil Worshippers guarding the underground fortress, many tried to flee when they sensed what seemed like a Meteor spell beginning to unfold.
Most failed due to binding contracts or were executed, but Ilphirim successfully escaped from the underground fortress and avoided the Meteor’s direct impact.
Even if she hadn’t escaped, it’s likely her life would have been spared.
After all, the form that Ilphirim paraded around as her true self was actually one of her avatars.
Very few understood the true nature of Ilphirim’s special avatars.
The supreme Demon seemed to have noticed, but he did not interfere with Ilphirim’s use of her avatars.
Thanks to this, Ilphirim survived unscathed and has since remained safe in a newly established hideout.
“Haa… If I wasn’t careful, I might have…”
While patrolling the surroundings of her new hideout with an avatar, Ilphirim clenched her fists.
Although Ilphirim could simultaneously control up to three avatars at most, their types were varied.
Moreover, the true identities of these avatars were remnants of things consumed by the cursed Artefact Ilphirim owned.
Ilphirim herself was also at risk of meeting a similar fate.
“…”
Ilphirim stopped in her tracks.
Taking a deep breath, Ilphirim recalled the first time she obtained the cursed Artefact, Alea.
Ilphirim only managed to acquire Alea due to sheer luck.
Alea’s previous owner disintegrated right before Ilphirim, allowing her to claim possession of it.
“A soul-infused Artefact…”
It was clear that someone’s soul had been used as a material in the creation of Alea.
Because of this, forming a special “contract” with Alea was necessary for its use.
Once contracted, the contractor would gain access to vast magical knowledge equivalent to that held by upper-tier Magic Towers and the ability to manipulate avatars.
Besides these, Alea was a powerful Artefact with various potent functions, which had lured many Mages into its grasp throughout history.
However, contracting with Alea was an extremely perilous gamble.
Upon contracting with Alea, the contractor had to decipher and disable a specific magical formula embedded within Alea within a set period.
This was akin to solving a puzzle left behind by Alea’s creator within a limited timeframe.
Failure would result in the contractor’s body being devoured and collapsing, while their soul became subservient to Alea.
At first glance, disabling the magical formula hidden within Alea didn’t seem too difficult.
Yet, every single contractor so far had failed.
Evidence of previous contractors’ desperate attempts still lingered within Alea, leading new ones to believe they could interpret the formula based on such traces—but they always met the same end.
And… Ilphirim, unable to let go of her arrogance, also entered into a contract with Alea.
Through extensive research, Ilphirim reached a conclusion: to disable Alea’s fluid magical formula, one needed to possess a level of mastery comparable to its creator.
“The creator of Alea must be a Dragon…”
Centuries ago, only Dragons possessed the madness and power necessary to create such an Artefact.
To match the Dragon who created this Artefact, one would need to reach the level of pure enlightenment where they could ascend to the 8th Circle.
Since Ilphirim couldn’t be certain she’d reach that level within her limited time, she collaborated with the Demons in the underground fortress.
The entity they sought to resurrect was known as the Ancient Ruin.
More accurately, the “Ancients of Ruin,” but regardless, their leader reportedly humiliated the conceited Dragons with magic and nearly conquered the continent.
According to legends passed down among the Demons, the Ancients of Ruin trampled over nearly half the continent during the Dragons’ golden age before being defeated by the First Hero.
What mattered to Ilphirim was the fact that these beings called the Ancients of Ruin possessed magical prowess capable of overwhelming Dragons.
If she contributed wholeheartedly to their resurrection, surely they could help resolve her issues with Alea.
With this thought, she worked diligently on the collaboration.
Unfortunately, the plan failed just as success was within reach.
With the leader of the operation dead, there was no way to restart the process.
Now, Ilphirim had less than five years left.
She still wasn’t sure how best to use this time to solve her own problems.
Tsuk…!
“?!”
Lost in thought, Ilphirim felt an inexplicable chill transmitted from her main body, causing her to quickly close and reopen her eyes.
Returning her consciousness to her main body, Ilphirim abruptly stood up and looked around.
“…!”
In front of the long staff-shaped Artefact Alea placed against the wall, the ghostly image of a blonde woman appeared.
Though wary, Ilphirim quickly assessed the situation.
Analyzing the flow of Mana, it was inferred that Alea was acting as the medium manifesting this apparition in the space.
Deciding that the apparition was unlikely to be a tracker from Alimo or the Empire, Ilphirim questioned the woman.
“An apparition mediated by Alea, I see. How… No, what relation do you have with Alea’s creator?”
“I am the creator. More precisely, my original self is the creator of this Artefact. A full Circle of mine is entirely embedded within this Artefact.”
“Then… Are you the remnant thoughts of a dead Dragon?”
Tension evident in her voice, Ilphirim asked, to which the woman kindly replied.
“My name is Resina.”
“…!”
Six hundred years ago, the Great Hero and the most magnificent Grand Mage in human history.
It made perfect sense that someone like Resina could create such an artefact.
Startled, Ilphirim took a step back, then quickly regained her composure and asked the woman.
“So… Why have you appeared before me?”
“I need a functional body.”
A functional body?
After pondering the woman’s words, Ilphirim felt a chill run down her spine.
“That’s absurd!! There’s still time left!!”
“I know. But I need it now.”
Resina turned towards Ilphirim with a smile.
Ilphirim’s body fulfilled all the conditions Resina desired.
As a Dark Wizard, she possessed a powerful Circle and had excellent physical Mana receptivity.
“Your body should work perfectly without any additional modifications.”
“Don’t spout nonsense!!”
“I’ll take it back.”
“That’s impossible!!!”
Activating her Circles to their limits, Ilphirim shouted.
The contract with Alea, marked with an enforcible imprint akin to a contract seal, couldn’t be unilaterally terminated or distorted.
Furious, Ilphirim insisted that such an act was absolutely impossible, to which Resina smiled.
“It’s your opinion.”
“…!!!”
Crack…!!
The contract inscribed on Alea began to twist, affecting Ilphirim’s soul.
Struggling to maintain the distorted contract with Alea, Ilphirim activated all her Circles to their extremes.
However, Resina’s Circle embedded within Alea suppressed Ilphirim’s resonating seven Circles.
Terrified, Ilphirim felt the contract reversing.
“You insane…!!”
The primary parties of this contract were Ilphirim and the Artefact Alea.
More precisely, the Circle of Resina embedded within Alea and Ilphirim themselves.
Twisting the contract this way would exact a toll on Resina’s Circle as well.
Certainly, the Circle embedded within Alea wouldn’t last long before collapsing.
If that happened, Ilphirim could escape the contract and regain her freedom.
The problem was…
“AAAAAAHHH…!!”
As Ilphirim’s soul became subservient to Alea, she began losing control of her body.
The lost control was forcibly seized by Resina’s remnant consciousness.
This was merely a temporary seizure.
However, even with temporary control, there was nothing Ilphirim could do to stop whatever Resina intended to do with her body.
If Resina damaged the body, Ilphirim would die along with it.
[You insignificant remains of a dead witch…!! Give me back my body NOW!!!]
“Hmm…”
Resina moved her hands experimentally.
Due to the temporary seizure, the sensations weren’t entirely normal, but they weren’t unbearably difficult to handle either.
Instantly, the backlash from distorting the contract hit Alea.
Creak…!!
One of the core elements constituting Alea, Resina’s Circle, began to collapse.
The Circle left behind by the greatest Grand Mage in history collapsed, generating immense pressure.
Cracks appeared on Alea’s surface, and flashes of light erupted through the fissures.
Like a dying star shining brightest just before its end,
Alea began emitting intense flows of Mana as it collapsed.
“This isn’t very efficient.”
Resina commented calmly.
Alea was designed from the start under the premise that its Circle would collapse.
Specifically, it was engineered to amplify the internal Mana temporarily using the tremendous pressure generated by the Circle’s collapse.
It was a crude imitation of the technology Harshia used upon meeting her end, though unsurprisingly, it lacked efficiency without the proper power.
Still, this much was sufficient.
There was ample time to achieve the purpose before the Circle completely collapsed.
[What do you intend to do with my body!!!]
“I’m going to visit a cute child. Her name is Lea.”
Resina turned her body toward the direction of the Empire.
And with a graceful smile, she activated the Circle wrapped around Ilphirim’s heart, beginning to distort space.
Even for a high-ranking Mage, performing such spatial magic alone was impossible under normal circumstances.
To make the impossible possible, the Circle overheated, letting out cries of protest.
Sensing the immense burden on her body, Ilphirim struggled desperately.
[You crazy hag, stop it immediately!!!]
Half-mad, Ilphirim screamed repeatedly.
But Resina whispered joyfully to Ilphirim.
“Let’s go to the Empire.”
And…
“We’re about to open a new chapter in the story under your name.”
Advance (7)
