thefictionvixens Page 38
Page 38
[As evening approached, after tirelessly searching for seven or eight hours, you suddenly received devastating news.]
Artemis is dead.
"what?"
Latis instinctively stood up and exclaimed.
He took a deep breath for a while, looked at the robin he had woken up, nodded apologetically, and walked out of the tent.
The cold wind in the forest at night brushed against his face, and Latis gradually calmed down, thinking:
"No, don't panic. The most important thing is to figure out what happened. This is just a simulation, and it only has a general outline, which we discovered beforehand. Latis, calm down. Arte has only just set off; nothing should happen to her yet. Complete the simulation, retrieve the memories, and then we can find out what the crisis really is."
His feverish forehead gradually cooled down, and he simply sat cross-legged on the ground and continued to look at the simulated text.
Fortunately, Ge Ying was still alive. Instead of returning to the village to see the little girl, you went straight to the scene where the soldiers discovered her.
The silver-haired half-elf lay quietly in the middle of the densely vegetated lake, supported by twisting branches and vines. You used all-terrain walking to run directly across the water to his side. Seeing the sharp, bloody hole in his chest, you felt a sudden pang of heartache.
["Artemis, how could you just leave like this! What about our promise? Didn't you promise to become King Herod? I... I haven't even played cards with you yet!" You held Artemis, who looked like Sleeping Beauty, and wept bitterly.]
Suddenly, you remember you have the skill to communicate with the dead, so you quickly change your title and cast a spell on Ateliers.
"I heard everything, didn't I?" The ethereal half-elf appeared before you and said this with a smile, then asked curiously, "So what does 'playing cards' mean?"
You remained silent, only asking him what had caused his death. Ateliers told you it was a sixth-ring level griffin that attacked him and Going while he was collecting materials for the Bird of Knowledge. To protect Going, he held the griffin back, but in the end…
"I brought her out here, so I have to take responsibility for her." The half-elf said this with his usual serious and rigid expression, but you know his rigidity wasn't just about his old-fashioned appearance and words; it stemmed from his golden character and unwavering loyalty.
He didn't exchange many pleasantries, but rather, as if giving his last instructions, quickly taught you some old-school mage techniques. After a moment's hesitation, he told you about your origins.
"Ah? I'm a descendant of the Titans?" You fell silent, the series of side effects—dying from excessive semen—making you completely unwilling to activate your bloodline. However, the half-elf said, "What belongs to you, I don't want anyone to take away. It's a pity I can no longer avenge you."
[You then realized that he chose to stay in Norard to avenge you. You were speechless, your mind a jumbled mess, like an undergraduate thesis filled with academic garbage.]
"Time's almost up, I have to go." Ateliers didn't feign sorrow over her impending death; she said gently, "Big brother, take good care of yourself. I'll be watching over you from the glittering sea of stars!"
"Even if the road ahead is shattered, I urge you to become the King of Atlantis." In his final moments, the half-elf gazed at the night sky and spoke to you, a verdant seed emerging from his body and flowing into your soul.
[You silently cast the petrification spell, randomly selected from the Eye of Herod, on the half-elf's remains, and brought the half-elf's statue and his grimoire back to the village.]
[Goying, who had awakened from her coma, cried and frantically apologized to you. You had no intention of blaming her, and simply joked that if she didn't live a good life, you should give her a good spanking for the deceased Ateliers.]
[Going wasn't frightened by you. On the contrary, she very seriously stated that she would definitely live well and avenge the half-elf in the future.]
You didn't pay much attention to the little girl's joke, still immersed in that lingering sadness. You replayed seven seasons of Shitball Express in your mind, but it didn't bring you the slightest bit of a smile.
[Seven days have passed since you recovered from your grief. The robin who had been watching over you tells you that Yashutia has continued her adventures in the wilderness alone, and that she is determined to reach Legendary status and take revenge on that wretched griffin you spoke of.]
[Goying also left a few days ago with the warriors' journey. It's said she vowed to become the strongest warrior, but you can't help but wonder if she can keep up with that group of warriors who are practically reincarnations of starving ghosts.]
Strangely enough, after emerging from your grief, you were no longer dazed, but instead filled with strength and unwavering will, as if the deceased half-elf had awakened within you.
Thinking of this, you swore a fierce vow to find that griffin and avenge Ateliers a hundred times over!
[But you are still too weak, so you set off again for Londia. The robin followed you all the way, and you told her that she was now free to enjoy her life, but she just looked at you with that calm face. You had no choice but to acquiesce to her following you.]
[You arrived in Lundia without incident, and using Miss Mitu's handkerchief to conceal the blasphemous mark on your body, you successfully entered the prosperous magical capital.]
[You inquired about information regarding the magic academy and how to enter it, and quickly made your choice.]
In Lundia, once a mage reaches a high rank, they gain the right to build mage towers within the city and recruit apprentices. This is the most common learning path for ordinary people—finding a reliable high-ranking mage and applying to become their apprentice.
However, becoming an apprentice in a mage tower is a long and uncertain path to advancement, with no guarantee of a good salary. You can't gamble your future on the character of a stranger, nor can you find the most suitable mage tower master among hundreds of others. Therefore, you decide to enter the magic academy.
There are three large academies in Lundia, the largest of which is the Green Vine Academy you saw in the simulation. This is a comprehensive academy mainly open to the general public, and its admission requirements are relatively lenient.
The second-ranked academy is Queen Whiteley's Academy, an institution for nobles and elites. It offers a pathway to the Norard royal family, and even the academy's name changes to reflect the reigning monarch.
[Given your peasant background, you're obviously not the target user of this academy, so you head straight for the third academy.]
The third large academy doesn't have an official name. Its instructors occasionally refer to it as the "Academy of Ancient Learning," meaning it draws upon ancient methods, but it's commonly known as the "Civil Engineering Academy" because most of its courses are related to civil engineering and related materials.
[The moment you saw the name of this academy, your inner beast from your past life suddenly resurfaced, and without looking back, you took the robin and registered for the entrance exam.]
[The results were excellent. Because your major was related to materials, and you possessed Level 3 Alchemy, you passed the apprentice exam with great ease. Meanwhile, the Robin, leveraging her familiarity with materials, also gained admission to the Civil Engineering preparatory program alongside you.]
[However, what really annoys you is that the top scorer in this entrance exam wasn't you or the robin, but a muscular bald guy. But there's nothing you can do; this guy named Bald Mugo clearly has a naturally gifted body, how could you, a mere mortal, possibly compare?]
[A year later, you were honorably promoted to a first-year student in the Civil Engineering Department, becoming a first-ring mage and a level three warrior. Meanwhile, Robin had already skipped a grade to enter the third year, and that Bald Mugo was even more extraordinary, skipping directly to the fourth year to become a prospective high-level mage and beginning preparations to build a mage tower in the city.]
You were astonished by this, but not at all envious. Because the path to becoming a mage in the Civil Engineering Department differed from other schools; the mages here started with materials and researched a rather unique path.
[They will research at the academy to find the most suitable material ratios for themselves, fusing a container within their bodies to hold magical power; this container is called a magic engine.]
[Subsequently, with the help of their mentors, they will refine their meditation techniques, shifting from absorbing magic essence themselves to channeling it into a vessel, with the mage acting merely as a conduit.]
Unlike the human body, containers made of special materials are easy to upgrade, and there's no need to worry about the problem of a swimming pool leaking out 8 out of 10 magic elements. Therefore, mages in the Civil Engineering Academy level up much faster.
The downside is that this type of mage is highly dependent on the magic network and must use it to run the "Engine Spell" once a day; otherwise, they will lose control of the magic engine.
Of course, in this era where magic networks are ubiquitous, they aren't worried about this issue, but you are different. For some reason, you seem more wary of magic networks.
So, after completing most of the material-related knowledge in your first year, you chose to drop out. Although you're still only a first-level mage, your alchemy level has already reached level six. The robin didn't choose to go with you, probably because she felt she wasn't strong enough to help you. You didn't say much and bid her farewell.
Just as you finished crafting some scrolls and were about to return to Thickroot Village, you reconnected with someone you had almost forgotten.
[This person is the mage who researches enlightenment magic in the magic network. Upon learning that you are about to depart for Crude Root Village, this person proposed to meet you in person.]
You met in the Golden Hall of Lundia. As you expected, she was a fallen noblewoman, but you didn't expect her to be a woman.
[The sixth-ring mage, whose real name is Frico, is quite good-looking, but what attracts you most are her deep dark circles under her eyes after staying up all night, and the subtle sense of sudden death revealed by her occasional dazed expression—all of which feel incredibly familiar to you, a typical office worker.]
[You traveled through the portal in the Golden Hall to Crownstone City, the main city of the Forest Territory. Before entering the portal, you saw a female knight in golden armor; you knew she was one of your old flames, Jennifer. Unfortunately, you had other matters to attend to, and could only gaze at her deeply before leaving.]
[You and Frico arrive in Crown Stakes. The rich, fresh scent of plants reminds you of your good brother, and you can't wait to set off back to Roughroot Village.]
At this moment, Frico suddenly suggested that she test the Enlightenment spell near Crownstone City to see if it would still be ineffective. You hesitated because she had only brought three Onyx stones with her this time, and you didn't want her to use them up so quickly, as you still needed her as a combatant for your sixth-circle mage.
"It's okay, I know what you're thinking." Seeing your hesitation, Fury sensed your thoughts through her "corporate slave radar." She said weakly, "After I run out of materials, I'll have to go to some miserable part-time work. If you can afford a daily wage of fifty gold coins or more, I'll do anything."
[That's so tragic, you deeply resonate with it. Who hasn't worked themselves to the bone on a freelance project? So you used your persuasive skills to manipulate her, then haggled with her, bringing her daily wage down to twenty-five gold whites.]
[It's a pity there are no streetlights in this other world, otherwise you, Latis, would surely be hanging there one day for everyone to admire.]
Chapter 54 You really are a public bus?
[Freiko carefully selected her experimental subject: a second-ring level fish-tailed cat. This is a widely distributed amphibious monster with low intelligence; although highly aggressive, it has poor attention span, making it very easy to capture. After the experiment, it can be sold on the black market as materials or a pet.]
"With just two catnip stalks, you easily captured this silly cat. Looking at the fish-tailed cat, still dazed and clung to the catnip in its cage, oblivious to its capture, Frico said with absolute certainty, 'With this level of intelligence and purity, the Enlightenment spell will definitely succeed!'"
[Let me state upfront that this enlightenment method is specifically for those with intellectual disabilities; those who are too intelligent are actually unsuitable for enlightenment. Pretty precise, isn't it?]
[Freiko connected to the magic network and used the Enlightenment spell. The expensive agate gradually turned to dust in her hand, a hazy, pale blue-green glow enveloping the fish-tailed cat. However, her expression grew increasingly grim. A minute later, the light faded, and Freiko said dejectedly, "I failed."]
You were shocked. How could this be? Is it really possible that these days, just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can be smart enough to pass a global math competition?
You looked at each other, then returned to town, sold the fishtail cat, and used the twenty white gold coins as payment to hitch a ride in an oxcart to Roughroot Village. It must be said, you've got some money to burn – trading a thousand gold coins for a cat worth twenty!
You returned to the cabin in Going with Frico. More than a year has passed, and the little girl still hasn't returned. But that's normal; in your plan, she would need at least five years to complete the warrior's journey around the continent.
You see the half-elf statue still lying peacefully on the bed, and can't help but gently stroke its face.
Seeing how much you love this statue, Frico couldn't help but wonder why you left it here, now covered in dust. After you explained its origins, she generously used her meager resources to cast a solidifying shrinking spell on the statue.
[You look at the half-elf figure, now scaled to 1/12, and lovingly insert it into your pectoral muscle. It's incredibly overpowered, but this is your Atlantic way of expressing your deepest affection.]
[You and Frico analyzed in detail why the Enlightenment Spell on the monsters failed: First, it might be that Frico's skills were lacking, but she vehemently swore on her professional competence that it wasn't her fault. Seeing the Disintegration Spell poised to be unleashed in her hand, you wisely ruled out this possibility.]
[First, it's possible that the intelligence level of monsters has increased to at least the level of a ten-year-old human child; second, the monsters' understanding of magic has inexplicably improved, exceeding the scope of what could be called enlightenment; third, it's possible that monsters have evolved some kind of magical immunity to enlightenment spells; fourth, in the Senhai Territory region, enlightenment spells automatically become ineffective.]
Although none of these possibilities seem very likely, you can't be sure that it's not the real reason.
[You produced the magic detector you created using alchemy. It's a small device that can automatically navigate and record spell fluctuations. You recreated it to resemble Yashutia's alchemy hut. Although the miniature twenty hairy legs aren't as terrifying as the real thing, they still made Frico uncomfortable. Every wrinkle on her tightly closed eyes spoke of her resistance.]
[You spent the entire night idly browsing the magic network, waiting for the magic detector to return. You noticed someone saying that a Noral bloodline warrior had appeared near the Kingdom of Andora. You knew that Andora was famous for its bloodline abilities, so you thought to yourself, "That place is truly amazing. Even Norals can mutate there. I wonder if bringing a tire there would turn me into a Michelin Tire Man."]
Early this morning, the miniature hairy hut returned to your side. You looked at it; it had formed a model of magical fluctuations.
At night, most magical fluctuations were at the first or second ring level, with a few at the third or fourth ring. However, as dawn approached, a bright red sixth-ring magical fluctuation was conspicuously imprinted on the detector's map, twenty miles east of Coughroot Village.
[You know there's a sixth-ring griffin nearby, but you're unsure if there are other sixth-ring monsters, or if it's just a fleeting magical fluctuation left behind by a sixth-ring mage. So you decide to extend the detection time to create a sufficiently accurate map of the magical ecosystem.]
[A year has passed in the blink of an eye, and you've risen to the rank of second-circle mage and fourth-level warrior. Meanwhile, Frico has exhausted all her agate but still hasn't found a research direction to break through. She desperately wants to leave, but you tricked her into signing a long-term contract, buying her for a shockingly low price of twenty gold coins a day for a full five years.]
What's even more surprising is that you didn't even pay her in cash, but instead gave her a piece of agate that you casually took when you purchased materials every fifty days. Compared to the astonishing amount you made selling alchemical products, a single piece of agate was practically insignificant to the trader.
[The "corporate slave mage" is like this: all they have to do is obediently be exploited, while the "capitalist alchemist" has to consider many more things.]
[You retrieved the magic detector that had been left out for a whole year, roughly pried open its twenty hairy legs to reveal the delicate white receiver core inside, and took out the map that had been used to construct the model. Now it's time for you to test your results!]
On the map, filled with low-level spell fluctuations, a clear line of sixth-circle magic was visible. This line formed a figure-eight shape, with one end bordering Dragonhorn Territory and the other half circling around Thickroot Village. And along this line, one could clearly see the lake where the half-elf had perished.
Although there are other high-level magic routes worth noting on the map, you spotted this one immediately. The melody of revenge began to echo in your mind; victory was within reach!
[You and Frico have completed all preparations, calculated the intervals between the griffins' arrivals, and begun to lie in wait along its path.]
[A day passed, and just when you thought it wouldn't come, a loud cry rang out overhead. At the same time, the spell's information appeared before your eyes. You glanced at it casually, but almost screamed out loud.]
[Sixth Ring Racial Spell - Soaring Wings]
[Cyber Police - Lilili (Dragon Horn Cliff Griffin) #Online]
"Fuck!"
Latis sprang up from the ground, breaking two tree branches, and peeked out from the treetop before landing with a thud.
He rubbed his eyes, glanced at the simulated text again, and stared wide-eyed.
After a long while, he belatedly pulled the branch stuck between his pectoral muscles from the nipple opening, muttering:
"Magic Network, Magic Network, are you really just a public bus?"
Chapter 55 Latis Enjoys Life
[If you had known beforehand that monsters also had cyber police—no, even just that monsters could access the magic network—your preparations would have increased exponentially. Unfortunately, by the time all this happened, your and Frico's spells had already soared into the air.]
[You reacted swiftly, severing the griffin from the magic network; however, at the same moment, you and Frico were also disconnected from the magic network.]
"Huh?" Having never experienced an internet outage before, Frico was completely stunned. Looking at the griffin still flapping its wings and looking down at you from the sky, a bead of cold sweat trickled down your face.
When the magic network is no longer a weapon exclusive to mages, or rather, when mages leave the magic network, they are no longer the invincible masters who roam the continent, but rather fragile vases that shatter at the slightest touch.
Having exhausted all your spell scrolls, you barely managed to escape with Frico and returned to Roughroot Village in a sorry state.