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...
"Young Master! There is a city not far from here!" Greem's voice echoed through the carriage.
Leylin, who was lounging comfortably inside the pitch-black carriage with Anna and the two other girls massaging him, lazily opened his eyes.
"Hmm," he acknowledged.
"According to the markings on the map, we should have already entered Eastwoods Province. This is Roran City, which is situated at the provincial borders," Fraser added from outside.
Leylin adjusted the map in his A.I. Chip. The faint blue map projected in his vision revealed a red line linking multiple cities. Roran City was west of Extre Night City, rely a few days' journey.
"After months of traveling, we are finally arriving, huh?" Leylin muttered with a hint of amusent.
The journey had been anything but dull for Leylin. He had thoroughly enjoyed himself, venting his stress on the three beautiful won who accompanied him. anwhile, his four knights had followed his orders to make the carriage as appealing to bandits as possible.
And the results were as expected.
Bandits and beasts attacked them countless tis, only for Leylin's knights to drive them to the brink of death. Leylin himself would then deliver the final blow, slowly but surely growing stronger through his soulbound devourer. Though the growth was slow, Leylin wasn't picky. It extended the journey, but he enjoyed every mont of it.
'I can find ways to accelerate my power growth once I reach Extre Night City. I also have a few theories to test.' Leylin thought as he gazed at the approaching gates of Roran City.
The guards at the entrance respectfully bowed as the black carriage passed through. To the people of Eastwoods Province, a man with a luxurious carriage, four knights, and beautiful won attending to him could only be seen as an idle noble.
Leylin smirked.
---
Upon entering the city, Leylin wasted no ti.
He hired a rcenary group known as the Roran Hawks. They were familiar with the terrain and could guide him through the safest routes to Extre Night City. Although Leylin initially felt his four knights could handle any threat, he chose to hire the rcenaries anyway. He understood that relying on only a few people was inefficient in unfamiliar territory.
A dozen rugged rcenaries, clad in broken armor and wielding spears and bows, escorted the large black carriage as it slowly left Roran City.
---
After seven days of travel, the group finally arrived at Extre Night City.
Leylin, satisfied with the journey, and hired the rcenaries in his force paying them generously. He then had a small al at an inn before heading towards his true destination: the residence of the renowned scholar, Murphy.
Extre Night City had a gothic atmosphere. The sharp spikes on rooftops and smooth stone pavents exuded wealth and sophistication. As Leylin and Anna walked through the eastern side of the city, the surroundings beca more refined. Flowers lined the roads, and a grand fountain sparkled in the sunlight. (Image)
Leylin couldn't help but smile.
Eventually, they reached a white two-story villa with a sign reading, "Cecelia Main Street, 59."
Leylin rang the bell. A crisp chi echoed, followed by hurried footsteps.
A ticulous butler appeared at the door, his expression polite yet guarded.
"May I ask who you are, sir? Do you have an appointnt?" the butler inquired.
"Leylin Farlier. I am here to visit the owner of this villa," Leylin replied with a calm smile.
The butler's face showed hesitation.
"Sir, as you know, Master Murphy is a renowned scholar. His schedule is extrely packed, perhaps—"
Before the butler could finish, a young maid hurriedly whispered into his ear. The butler's expression changed imdiately. He bowed deeply.
"Master invites you to the living room."
Leylin chuckled and withdrew the faint aura he had been releasing, which had subtly notified the manor lord.
---
The villa's living room was spacious and elegantly decorated. There were no gaudy golden ornants or gems, but the room radiated an aura of history and sophistication.
By the fireplace, an elderly scholar with white hair and a long beard sat in a dark red recliner. His eyes appeared cloudy, but there was a flicker of intelligence within them.
When he saw Leylin, the old man's eyes lit up.
"Welco, my young friend!" Murphy spread his arms in an inviting gesture.
Leylin stepped forward and embraced the old scholar.
"My honor to et you, good sir," Leylin said with respect. He then presented an exquisite leather cap with a Night Hawk's feather attached to it.
In Extre Night City, offering a leather cap with the Night Hawk's feather symbolized peaceful intent and friendship. It was a traditional gift when visiting for the first ti. (Image)
Murphy smiled warmly as he accepted the gift.
"You understand the customs well, young man. I can already tell you're not an ordinary traveler," the old scholar remarked.
Leylin simply smiled.
"Alright, let's reintroduce ourselves! Murphy, level 3 acolyte! I have been a resident of Extre Night City for 3 years now..." The old man's eyes showed signs of his reminiscing past events.
"So then, guest from afar, how about you?"
"Leylin Farlier, level 2 acolyte and wandering Magus. I have recently co to Extre Night City and wish to reside here for several years." Leylin smiled and executed the bow between Magi.
"I detect signs of youth in your body. Being able to advance into level 2 acolyte at this age, you have a rather great aptitude!" Murphy sighed in admiration.
"Just lucky.." Leylin demurred.
...
Leylin easily settled in Extre Night City with Murphy's help. Both him and Murphy shared a deep conversation about various topics, Murphy was deeply impressed by his knowledge and scholarly achievents. He also appreciated his attitude and they get along pretty well.
Leylin started to acquire a few shops with the help of a shop permit from the City Lord, which was easily handled by Murphy. Leylin collected lot of different samples of common herbs, experinting to make a few new types of potions.
He also focused on collecting materials to make a Magic Artifact.
---
In the dimly lit underground chamber of his newly acquired manor in Extre Night City, Leylin Farlier sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor. The faint glimrs of light from the runic inscriptions on the walls cast eerie shadows, adding to the mysterious atmosphere of the room.
The manor above was bustling with activity. His four knights patrolled the periter, ever vigilant. The rcenary group, Roran Hawks, maintained a presence around the estate, ensuring no unwanted eyes lingered. Anna, his loyal steward and personal attendant, diligently handled the managent of the household while assisting Leylin in preparing various potions and experints involving strange creatures and ancient artifacts. While the two bed slaves kept him company at night.
Yet, within this secluded chamber, Leylin found solace. Here, away from the mundane world, he could pursue the forbidden knowledge that fueled his relentless ambition.
His A.I. Chip interface hovered in his mind's eye, cold and emotionless as always, displaying his current status:
[Leylin Farlier: Knight. Level 2 Acolyte. Summon—Level 1 Acolyte, Level 2 Acolyte. Strength: 5.1, Agility: 5.4, Vitality: 4.6, Spiritual Force: 5.8. Magical Power: 5 (synchronized with Spiritual Force). Status: Healthy.]
Leylin's gaze turned sharp as he contemplated a daring experint that had been brewing in his mind for weeks. He wanted to push the boundaries of soul manipulation and see if he could fuse his two summoned acolytes into a singular, more powerful entity.
"AI Chip," Leylin commanded, his voice echoing slightly in the underground lab, "Initiate soul fusion experint. Is it feasible?"
[Beep! Analyzing... 62% probability of failure. Risk of spiritual backlash: High.]
Leylin's eyes narrowed. "Proceed anyway."
The Ethereal Soulbound Space
Leylin's consciousness sank into the depths of his soulbound space.
Before him stretched an infinite, swirling void of grey mist, where countless fragnts of souls danced and wailed. Amidst this endless expanse stood two shadowy figures—his Level 1 and Level 2 Acolyte summons. Both were bound to his soul through ancient magic, their existences shackled to his will.
With a thought, Leylin commanded the two souls to move toward one another.
The mist within the space trembled as the A.I. Chip executed the fusion protocol. The two acolytes, one weaker and the other slightly stronger, began to rge. Their ethereal forms twisted and contorted, emitting bone-chilling wails that echoed through the soulbound space.
The mont their souls made contact, violent spiritual energy erupted, sending ripples through the void. Their bodies resisted, their souls writhing in agony as if they were ancient wraiths being torn apart.
[Warning! Unstable fusion detected. Probability of collapse: 94%.]
"Force it through!" Leylin gritted his teeth. Even if it ended it failure, he needs to collect valuable data for future interventions.
The A.I. Chip obeyed without hesitation, intensifying the fusion process. The two souls scread as their spiritual essences were forcefully bound together. Yet, just as Leylin's eyes glead with anticipation, the fusion failed spectacularly.
BOOM!
A terrifying shockwave burst from the point of convergence, shattering the souls into fragnts. The backlash struck Leylin's very core. (Image)
In the physical world, Leylin coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face paled, and his body trembled as excruciating pain surged through his mind.
[Warning! Damage to Spiritual Force. Imdiate recovery recomnded.]
Leylin's vision blurred as he struggled to stabilize his trembling soul. With sheer willpower, he commanded the A.I. Chip to activate the Soulbound Devourer, that allowed him to absorb the remnants of shattered souls.
Dark tendrils of energy erged from the surroundings, greedily consuming the dissipating fragnts of the failed summons. Leylin felt a faint, bitter warmth flowing back into his soul, but it was far from enough to nd the damage.
He reached for several vials of shimring blue potions on the nearby wooden table and downed them one by one. A faint, cooling sensation spread through his body as the potions worked to soothe his injured soul.
With a deep breath, Leylin closed his eyes and entered a ditative state. The elentary breathing technique he cultivated began to circulate his spiritual energy, slowly repairing the fractures within his soul.
Hours passed. When Leylin finally reopened his eyes, the A.I. Chip displayed his current status:
[Leylin Farlier: Knight. Level 2 Acolyte. Summon—None. Strength: 5.1, Agility: 5.4, Vitality: 4.6, Spiritual Force: 2 (5.8). Magical Power: 2 (5). Status: Healthy.]
Leylin sighed, a hint of frustration flashing in his eyes. "So, I lost two capable summons and damaged my spiritual force… All for nothing."
[Beep! Failed experint data collected, defragnting the new findings and running simulations to find probable cause of failure. Estimated ti to completion: 169 hours 28 minutes.]
'I guess not all for nothing.' He leaned back against the cold stone wall, his expression cold and calculating.
"Fortunately, with my natural affinity to the soul attribute, I can recover within fifteen days. If I devour enough souls, I can accelerate the process... But the loss of those two acolytes is unfortunate."
Leylin's eyes flickered with a strange light. This failure did not discourage him. On the contrary, it only fueled his thirst for knowledge.
"The path of a Magus is paved with blood and failure. Only those who dare to push beyond the limits of mortal understanding can ascend."
He stood up and adjusted his robes. The dim light in the lab reflected off his cold, almost inhuman eyes.
"I need to hunt more souls."
With a wave of his hand, Leylin activated the hidden chanism that sealed the underground lab. He ascended the stone staircase, erging into the luxurious interior of his manor.
Anna, who had been waiting outside the door, bowed respectfully. "Young Master, you have received an invitation for a banquet from Lord Murphy."
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