Chapter 848: Insidious Plot
Of course, it made complete sense that Rank 4 beings resided in the heart of the Murky Mountains.
It was a primal stretch of land untouched by Magi for thousands of years, after all.
None of the powerful Magi of the four major races dared to set foot inside, and none of the powerful magical beasts bothered to descend the mountains.
Firstly, the Murky Mountains provided these magical beasts with the perfect habitat. Moreover, they had enough resources to sustain themselves for their entire lifeti.
Secondly, and most importantly, it just didn’t make sense for the powerful magical beasts to set foot into the lands governed by the humanoid species when the Murky Mountains provided them with everything they needed.
Thus, over the centuries, a tacit agreent had ford between the Mana Core Magi and the magical beasts of similar strength residing in the Murky Mountains.
One thing that Adam had noticed while venturing through the Murky Mountains was that only magical beasts had advanced to the station of the Mana Core Rank.
aning, ogres, orcs, trolls, and goblins were always at strength equivalent to the Mana Vortex Rank or lower.
Goblins were worse off, as he had never seen a hobgoblin stronger than a Mana Liquefaction Magus.
He wondered why that was…
After the banquet was over, Adam was guided to his personal quarters. The raven-haired youth decided to stay here for a few days and relax.
The last few months had stretched his nerves to almost a breaking point. He had to be vigilant at all tis.
Even while taking a dump, he constantly had to look over his shoulder, worried a magical leopard might pounce on him.
Only now, for the first ti in months, could he truly unwind.
Furthermore, there was another reason why he chose to stay here for a couple of days.
During his travels through the Murky Mountains, he had already received the founder’s journals as well as tos on ritual magic!
He couldn’t study them there. But now, he finally could. Morevoer, he couldn’t wait to begin reading Aldo Wagner’s journal entries.
Finally, he would be able to uncover more truth about the portal on Luna, and dig deeper into the thod to venture into the Greater Universe.
“Brother, brother!” Valerian ran circles around him in the dimly lit room. “Can I go take a look at the city? Please?”
Adam’s heart ward. “Alright, but don’t go past the city walls.”
“Myu!” The young dragon nodded. Then, with a swift leap onto the window ledge, he jumped down and vanished into the streets below.
Adam shook his head, revealing a faint smile. He walked to the window and gently shut the pane.
He looked in the direction Valerian had run off to, thinking to himself, Poor guy…
Must have felt claustrophobic inside my spirit sea all this while.
While traveling through the Murky Mountains, Adam had sternly warned him about leaving his spirit sea. After all, in that dangerous place, anything could have happened.
Only when he reached the boundaries of the mountains did he allow the young dragon to co out and travel alongside him.
Adam gazed at Towar’s skyline, taking in the tall, fortified buildings, slanted rooftops, and smoke rising from the chimneys.
The streets below buzzed faintly with noise. The commotion was mainly about his sudden arrival.
Adam couldn’t help but smile.
This feels nice, he thought.
It was the first ti in months he felt even a little at ease… though a part of him had this feeling sothing would go wrong. Soon.
His expression gardually turned solemn. He turned around and walked towards the bathroom. The wooden bathtub had already been filled with warm water by the servants.
He conjured a few vials containing mystical, shimring liquids and poured them into the bathtub.
As a strange, magical reaction began swirling in the tub, he stripped off his filthy clothes. His body was dirty and caked in gri. He was in desperate need of a bath.
But before that, he tied his long, lustrous hair that reached till his waist. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he conjured Nighthollow from his earring. In one swift motion, he cut his hair short.
They were now dium-length, short hair, and much more convenient. Then, he walked towards the mirror hanging from the wall and proceeded to shave his thick beard.
My goodness, I truly look like a barbarian from ancient tis, he exclaid inwardly.
It was the first ti in months he had seen his reflection in a mirror.
As strands of beard fell towards the basin, they vanished before they could even graze the cold surface.
There was no way Adam would leave behind anything that could lead others directly to him.
For example, if his strand of hair or a drop of blood was used as the material component for a divination spell, it would be very easy for others to pinpoint his exact location.
Worse yet, there were even spells that could curse him from far away distances using the sa thod.
That is why he made sure to erase all traces of himself wherever he went. Even during battles! He would ensure that not a drop of his blood was left behind.
By the ti he finished shaving, he looked several years younger, and a strange feeling settled in his chest.
He caressed his cheek and muttered softly, “Maybe I should have kept a stubble, at least?”
A mont later, he shrugged. “Eh, whatever.”
He turned toward the wooden bathtub, the water inside now shimring with a faint blue glow, signaling that it was ready.
Adam sank into the tub, finding a comfortable position as the warm water enveloped him. He closed his eyes, letting out a contented sigh as he lay back, the tension of the past months slowly lting away.
Of course, he still had the Sphere of Resonance activated.
Several minutes later, he opened his eyes. His dark pupils flashed with a peculiar light, and he conjured a leatherbound journal from his earrings.
He took a deep breath and flipped the cover open, beginning to read the journal entries of the founder of the Twilight Brotherhood.
***
‘Bartholow’s recent journey to the Spirit World… has unearthed sothing dark, sothing that should have remained buried, forgotten, forever lost!
‘I have witnessed empires crumble under its weight. I have watched once-noble heroes fall into madness because of it.
‘What… What has he uncovered?!
‘No, no, no, this is a mistake!
‘I must warn him, I must reach him before it’s too late. He is not just a friend… He is a brother to .
‘But I… I cannot!
‘I cannot let him be drawn to the insidious plots of the Devils of the Nine Hells!!’
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