novelzi Chapter 160: Ages (1)
Chapter 160: Ages (1)
Chapter 160: Ages (1)
[Main Quest: Ages]
The main quest branches off in many ways. Sometimes, an independent quest circles back to the main quest, while other times, the main quest itself splits into an independent quest.
However, the main quest always found its way back to the story’s core. I took in my surroundings. Shadows hung heavy, thick as fog, and each step made the ground crunch beneath me, as though dusted with shards of frost.
"Hmm."
I took a moment to assess my condition. The steep fall had left me with more than a few wounds. If it weren’t for my Iron Man body, I’d likely be lying here as nothing but shattered bones.
"How tiresome."
I wrapped Duct Tape around the wound. The bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the deep ache in the bruised bone began to fade. As I discovered, Duct Tape had many uses—even as a makeshift healing aid. In a world where healing magic had faded into legend, that was good enough for me.
I took out the map a soldier had handed me before I arrived. It was just a basic map, meant to outline the surrounding areas of the Northern Region—not this crevasse.
However, my Midas Touch granted magical effects to the category of maps itself. Here, in this area where mana glowed brightly in the air, my available mana noticeably increased. If I also gathered the mana from my staff...
[Manifested Level 5 Midas Touch]
Even with Deculein’s body, performing such a miracle that consumed 5,000 mana wasn’t entirely impossible. At Level 5—fueled by 5,000 mana—Midas Touch unleashed strength on a whole new level, one far beyond that of Level 4.
This was a defining feature of this world, as symbolic numbers like 5, 10, 15, and 20 set clear thresholds that established order within the levels.
Zzzzzt—!
Sparks ignited in my grip, a flash of lightning illuminating the darkness around me. The surge of magic flowed swiftly into the map, turning the plain sheet into a glowing artifact alive with pulsing blue light.
───────
[Rapturous Map]@@@@
◆ Description
: A map artifact that records the surrounding area and is imbued with special effects from the Midas Touch.
◆ Category
: Rare Magic Item ⊃ Map
◆ Special Effects
: Automatically maps terrain features within a 500m radius.
: Marks the owner’s location, tracks nearby life within a 300m radius.
: Navigates the path forward.
[Midas Touch : Level 5]
───────
At this level, it was practically no different from a minimap in any other game. The next level—Level 10—might be out of reach, but with 5,000 mana, I could use it in such extraordinary ways.
I looked at the map, and even the shadowed areas were intricately detailed. A red line—likely from the special effect to navigate the path—traced my route forward. I followed the map’s navigation exactly as it was laid out before me.
Crunch, crunch— Crunch, crunch—
Each step crunched on biscuit crumbs beneath my feet. I pressed onward, steeling myself against a force that could have been the cold or the darkness, relying on my Iron Man attribute to keep moving. Then, a light source appeared in the distance—a crystal tree, radiant blue and shimmering with brilliance.
"Is this what it was?"
Suddenly, a related scenario surfaced in my mind, and fragments of a long-buried memory began to come to life. I moved closer in that direction.
[Main Quest: Ages]
◆ Join the Sanctuary, Age
: Store Currency +1
: Mana Point +100
I may not know much about this main quest itself, but the sanctuary known as the Ages is crucial to the story’s progression.
The Ages was a sanctuary created by the archmage Demakan when he withdrew from the Mortal Realm. It had been a gift he left for future generations, constructed with the help of his brother, Murkan, his cousin Rohakan, and Rohakan’s protégé, Idnik.
I reached out and touched the crystal tree. The names of the Ages’ members were inscribed across its blue, flickering surface, and I traced each name one by one.
Demakan
Murkan
Rohakan
Idnik
Drjekdan
The surface was lined with familiar, celebrated names. But as my eyes traveled downward, one section caught me off guard—a single name carved in rough, scribbled strokes stood out from the rest.
Epherene Luna
“... Epherene Luna?”
I couldn’t understand why this name was here. Writing it off as a prank didn’t add up; it served no purpose, and the messy scribble wasn’t something just anyone could replicate. Besides, there was no way Epherene could have gotten here before I did...
At that moment...
— Professor?
A voice rippled through the air, and my eyes flew open. It was Epherene’s—her voice from the future, one I had heard before.
“You...”
— Is it you, Professor?
I looked around, but no one was nearby—only a lone crystal tree shimmering in shades of blue. Meanwhile, Epherene’s voice continued to echo in the stillness.
— Would you be willing to answer me?
“... Indeed,” I answered briefly.
She let out a sigh of relief, rich with unmistakable sincerity.
— Phew... I’m so relieved it’s you, Professor. Really, I am.
I couldn’t see her face, but I could envision it clearly—her hand resting over her heart as she sighed in relief. Then, with a soft laugh, she began to speak.
— Do you happen to be wondering what this is all about?
"Indeed. By nature—as any mage would."
— Hehe. Yes... ta-da! I planted a fragment of Kaidezite here, which remained from the dismantling at Lokralen.
Epherene’s response was brief, but I understood well enough that future Epherene and Deculein had been freed from Lokralen and returned here without any lasting mental harm.
Together, they had planted a fragment of Kaidezite within the crystal tree of the Ages, creating a phenomenon known as the Temporal Randomness. It was likely something along those scenarios.
"And yet, you continue to remain out of sight."
“I couldn’t allow the incidents from Lokralen to happen again. But together with you, Professor—I mean, I wanted at least one opportunity to speak with you. Because of my own desire, I planted a fragment of Kaidezite in this crystal tree to create a simple shared space-time. I think doing this probably cost me about ten years of my life.”
I shook my head. Ten years of her life—she had spoken of it as if it were a joke, but it was likely true. Even an archmage would have to sacrifice at least that much to create a magical space of this scale.
“What made you certain of my arrival?”
Epherene responded without a moment’s delay.
— Because you told me, Professor.
I stood there, looking through the tree and into the void beyond.
— I just waited here because you told me, Professor.
In the hollow emptiness, her voice settled softly, flowing through the silence like verses of a song.
— That’s all.
***
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
Stars dotted the early dawn over the Northern Region. The night hung soft and heavy like a blanket, but the air was sharp and biting with cold. Epherene and Sophien dashed onward through the morning air.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
No, it was the imperial horse for the Empress—Theragon, named with nobility in the runic language—that dashed forward with both women riding astride. The horse moved with steady power, cautious and considerate of his riders. Though Epherene was usually prone to motion sickness, she felt surprisingly at ease, lulled by his smooth and rhythmic pace.
"This should be the place, Your Majesty," Epherene said, pointing ahead. The horse slowed, as if it understood her—an incredibly clever creature.
“This place, here?”
“It appears I am not actually present there.”
If I had been present, she wouldn’t have mentioned wanting at least one opportunity to speak with me.
— ... Yes, that’s right.
Her voice softened into a quiet sigh.
— It’s difficult knowing you’re not here, Professor. I wish I could see you just once more, right in front of me... Would it be possible if I could somehow change the past or the future?
“No.”
I silenced her words firmly. It was completely impossible—a line of magical prohibition drawn that no one should ever cross.
“Even if the future were to change, there would be no chance for us to meet again. The Lokralen was abandoned after your time. If you somehow managed the impossible and reshaped events through much effort, it would no longer be your world.
“To change the future, you’d need to change the past from within it—and not even the greatest mage can bring back one who is long gone.”
I knew nothing of the connection she shared with my future self or the events that had shaped her world. All I knew was that her timeline did not align with mine. Whatever bonds she had forged, they weren’t mine to hold. Above all, the future was immutable. Whether in her world I had died or departed to reality—whatever the case might be...
— ... Ugh!
Thud—!
An intense quake rippled through the ground—it was almost certainly Epherene's magic at effect.
“Epherene, do you intend to fracture the earth itself?”
— It wasn’t me; the timing just happened to match up. Besides, how could anyone change the past using magic from the far future? That’s completely impossible.
There was a trace of irritation woven into her voice.
I replied calmly, “Then?”
— There are likely many enemies around you, Professor—monsters only you are meant to face. Think of it as a passage into the Ages.
I looked to the right of the crystal tree. Somehow, without my noticing, quite a crowd of monsters had already gathered.
Grrrrroooowwwl... Grrroowl...
They watched from a distance, tongues flickering in the air—a sight both grotesque and disgusting. Still, they dared not approach, likely held back by the crystal tree’s magical barrier.
"All is well."
— Really?
"I was originally meant to remain here for approximately a week, regardless."
Given that this space increased my mana capacity significantly and accelerated my recovery, spending a week here would be well worth it.
— Is it because of... me, Professor?
“No.”
Not at all. My goal was to infuse my suit and equipment with Midas Touch, elevating it all to Level 5.
— ... Of course, you can’t just say yes, even for the sake of politeness. Well, that’s fair enough—I’ll give you that~
I pulled out a blade of Wood Steel and waited for my mana to recharge. The red eyes of the monsters glinted ominously from across the way, but they’d be taken care of by week’s end.
“Epherene, are you applying yourself diligently to your work as a mage?” I asked, waiting for my mana to fully restore.
She didn’t respond.
“Epherene.”
When I repeated myself, she finally responded with a curt reply.
— Professor, didn’t you tell me not to change the future—no, the past?
I remained silent.
— Then there’s nothing left for me to do. It feels like I’ve lost my purpose...
Detecting a hint of petulance in her voice, I shook my head and replied, "How unexpected."
— Hmm? What is unexpected, Professor?
"That you'd listen so well to what I say."
The conversation halted, and she seemed completely at a loss for words. At that moment, my mana reached back to its full 5,000 mana capacity.
[Status Effect: Crystal Tree’s Spirit]
◆ Mana Recovery Rate +300%
It was all a result of this crystal tree. A mana recovery rate of +300% was unprecedented.
Regardless, I gathered every bit of my mana and infused it into the Wood Steel, imbuing it with the power of the Midas Touch.
However, I added a special condition to the process—it would be specialized for attacks. Mana rushed through my veins like wildfire, blazing outward as it condensed into the blade, embedding its unique attributes into the Wood Steel.
“Hmm.”
The enhancement was unmistakable; a faint bluish sheen now glimmered across the Wood Steel.
───────
[Wood Steel]
◆ Description
: A magical weapon crafted from Wood Steel.
: A cherished item bound to Deculein, it demands caution in the hands of any other.
: Enhanced by Midas Touch, all of its capabilities are greatly amplified.
◆ Category
: Magic Item ⊃ Weapon
◆ Special Effects
: Penetrates magic spells.
: Learns and adapts in combat autonomously.
: Specialized for destruction.
[Midas Touch: Level 5]
───────
— Professor, did you do something just now?
In response to Epherene’s question, I composed myself and replied, "I have other matters to take care of, but I’ll need to wait until my mana recovers. In the meantime, if there’s anything you wish to ask, feel free."
— ... Heh.
Epherene laughed, as if mocking me—or worse, as if she found me somewhat condescending, which I found even more irritating. Then, she added,
— Professor, I have no questions. There’s nothing I don’t already know.
“How arrogant.”
— ... Oh, I mean, let me correct that. There is one thing I don’t know.
I turned the Wood Steel in my hand, guiding it with Telekinesis. The blade cut through the air with a sharpness that seemed to tear the very fabric of space.
— What I don’t know is you, Professor. I still don’t understand you.
Epherene’s words brought me to a halt. I looked toward the chair where she sat—or rather, where I assumed she was sitting—and asked, "Are you bored?"
— No, not at all, Professor. I’m just... so happy I could almost cry.
“... Sounds like you’re bored. Here, keep yourself busy with this,” I said, creating a small cube and placing it on the table. No matter where she was in time, this would reach her. “Did it come through?”
— ... Yes. All of a sudden, a cube appeared right in front of me.
“Entertain yourself with that.”
— Entertain myself with this little cube...?
Condescending, her words mumbling, then she fell silent. Epherene said nothing more—or perhaps she couldn’t. Now and then, a faint sigh slipped out, her voice trembling like a dew-laden leaf.
Maybe she was actually crying, but I paid it no mind. Emotions are for one to resolve alone; tears don’t stop just because someone says so, nor does laughter come simply because it’s asked.
“The enhanced attribute appears to function as intended.”
I kept my attention on the steady recovery of my mana and the refinement of Midas Touch...