Arthur Empire

With the A.I. Chip’s deductions, Leylin instantly obtained the spell’s model, and learnt all of its weaknesses.

‘The darkness elemental particles just aren’t concentrated enough in the central continent. Perhaps it can only be used in a paradise for dark Magi like the subterranean world.’

“Fight darkness with light!” A holy white radiance was formed at Leylin’s fingertip. While he was a dark Magus himself, it wasn’t like he couldn’t use any life or light element spells.

In reality, with enough spiritual force and access to spell models, Magi could employ spells of any type. However, there was a difference due to vitality and elemental affinity. Leylin might be extremely proficient with darkness spells, even having an added bonus to their power, but he would find it difficult to use light and life element spells, and the power could even be diminished.

Now, for instance, the light-type spell that Leylin was casting consumed a lot of energy to produce a spell half as strong as one by a regular Magus. He’d long since solidified darkness elemental particles, something that only made it harder for him to use light spells.

However, with Leylin’s current strength, even a small portion of his power would cause the spell to be a bane to all darkness.

Leylin seemed to move exceedingly slowly, but somehow arrived above the monster before it could do anything. The light-tipped finger tapped the centre of the monster’s skull.

“Awoo!” A bit of light shone above the monster’s head, before it began to flicker and become more dazzling.

*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* Like the sound of glass breaking, many cracks appeared on its head and it then exploded, melting into nothingness amidst the white light.

“Mm! Light-type spells can still restrain darkness-type spells, but that also depends on the strength of both parties.”

Leylin had his own understanding of the relationship between elements. If darkness elemental particles were to be likened to fire, then light-type energy particles would be like water.

While a ladle of water could extinguish sparks, it could do nothing against a sea of fire.

On the other hand, if the fire was intense enough, a few droplets of rainwater would be evaporated.

“Awoo…” After the monster head was easily smashed by Leylin, the black giant took several steps back. In its dull, mechanical eyes, traces of terror could be seen.

He let out a few meaningless howls and made to escape.

But how could Leylin let go of such a great guinea pig?

“Stay here!” Along with Leylin’s slight smile, a few black shackles appeared in mid-air and bound him tightly. No matter how the giant kept snarling, there was nothing he could do against these chains.

Soon after, his figure shrunk in size till it entered a crystal ball in Leylin’s hands, like a bug that was frozen in amber.

“Mm! The hoarding spell works, which means he isn’t some living being but a magic being without a soul!”

While it was just a short period of time exchanging blows with him, Leylin now had an understanding of the composition of the giant.

He had evidently gone through the refining of a Branded Swordsman and had even reached a very high level. His body had already gone through elemental modification and become crystallised and somewhat translucent.

This material was the best to make magic beings. After elemental modification, flesh not only retained its original defensive and offensive abilities, it could use spells without obstructions.

In just a short period of time, this was all Leylin could tell. For things on a deeper level, he would need to do more experiments and dissection.

“This… lord, thank you for… your help!”

At this moment, Leylin noticed the young adventurer collapsed on the ground at the side. He was evidently a Magus, though he had a very low rank. This was all the strength he had, and yet had come to explore. He was rather lucky not to die from the mechanisms or curses.

“Hm? This language?” His thanks meant nothing to Leylin, but the language he spoke in delighted Leylin.

“It’s very similar to the Twilight Language, though there are minute differences in pronunciation. There’s no need to learn a new language!”

Leylin was surprised, but then found this reasonable. Twilight Zone was a part of the subterranean world, and was only isolated because of the battle between two Morning Stars. Before that happened, they must have been using the same language and writing as the subterranean world.

“Mm. What’s your name?” Since the issue with language was solved, Leylin had no desire to search his soul.

The information he needed was too high-levelled, and someone with such a tiny role would not know much.

With Leylin’s Dreamscape force field, he was confident he could make this person reveal basic information on the culture and geography unwittingly.

“My– My name is Jo– Jorgian!” The young Magus was silent for a while and then stated his name.

“Your name is very unique!” Leylin commented. It wasn’t unexpected for the social customs of the underground world to be different from Magi on the surface.

“By the way, where is this… What’s the world outside like?”

Leylin asked without holding back. A hazy force field was produced from his body. This was the ability he had gained after undergoing dreamscape modification, and he possessed powerful illusory strength.

Ever since he had gotten this, Leylin would not search souls or any similar methods unless it was truly necessary.

A Magus who played around with souls would not have a good name in the Magus World. When unnecessary, Leylin still wished to maintain his reputation.

A good reputation was still a benefit. If used well, he might even obtain unexpected rewards.

“This is the Thunderbird region, and rumoured to be the holyland of the Lyas family...” After Leylin’s words, Jorgian first looked daze, eyes losing focus, before he began to disclose everything unwittingly.

The more he heard, the more Leylin looked solemn.

“Poor little guy! He’s been enticed into adventuring into someone else’s restricted area…” After he’d listened to everything, Leylin watched Jorgian, eyes full of pity.

‘This little guy has definitely fallen into some huge conspiracy…’

However, this was none of his business. He’d found out that this was the territory of the Arthur Empire underground, and this was a massive empire. There were large numbers of other races outside, and had a surface area countless times larger than Twilight Zone.

In the Arthur Empire, there had never been a lack of Morning Star ranks. There were even rumours of Radiant Moon Magi.

Such good news allowed Leylin to confirm that there was a huge possibility of this place being the complete first layer of the underground.

“Hm?” After Leylin got all the intel he wanted, Jorgian immediately looked alert, and then turned sorrowful, “My apologies… at the thought of my companions, I became absent-minded…”

In his memories, Leylin had only asked why he had come to these ruins. He, who thought back to his comrades, was lost in thought.

A sad feeling rose in his heart, and he did not suspect any changes to his memories.

When it came to manipulating memories, Leylin was at the level of a grandmaster. This little Magus had had his memories altered and yet not discovered it at all.

As long as Leylin wanted to, he could work out a brand new set of memories from childhood to adulthood for any Magus below Morning Star without the other party noticing.

This was obviously something normal Radiant Moons or even Breaking Dawn Monarchs could do, but with the A.I. Chip’s abilities to simulate reality, it just took more time and effort on Leylin's end.

“Alright, Mister Jorgian! I understand all you’ve gone through. Forgive me for my bluntness, but this is a place you really shouldn’t be in. It’s better for you to leave with me!”

Leylin took several steps forward. In exchange for the intel he had been given, he didn’t mind saving the boy on the way and send him out of the ruins.

“Mm, thank you so much, my lord!” Jorgian’s eyes were full of gratitude as he followed closely behind Leylin, as if afraid he would be left behind.

After all the dangers today, he knew very well that if Leylin did not bring him along, he would be trapped in the ruins sooner or later and die by the hands of the mechanisms.

……

*Hualala!* Numerous pitch-black lightning formed a cage with all types of beasts roaring.

A black dot the size of sesame constantly grew in size amidst the lightning and eventually turned into two figures, dashing out while braving the lightning.

“Alright, we’re out!”

Leylin shook his robes and put Jorgian, who was in his arms, down.

“We’re… out?” He still looked dazed. He had never known how dangerous the ruins were. Things had been smooth-sailing when he had entered, but while exiting, they had met with many dangers, especially the lightning jail at the exit. He’d remembered that when he had first arrived, there was no such spell pattern sealed here.

Seeing this, he was extremely relieved. If not for Leylin, he would probably die in the ruins even if he had nine lives.

Jorgian couldn’t help but look at the black structures behind him. The ruins were now like a monster with its mouth wide open, swallowing the lives of all adventurers.

“My lord, do you think… we should… leave now?”

Jorgian asked carefully. He’d grown to understand Leylin’s terrifying abilities after following him around.

“That’s not possible now.”

Leylin shook his head.

“Why?” Jorgian could not understand, and his expression quickly changed.

A few streaks of blue figures appeared around them at some point, surrounding them.