Chapter 116 - Guide’s Gift (2)
3
After Azell left the County of Karzark, he hadn’t sparred with Kairen. The reasons were simple. He had to constantly monitor the magical energy shunt that he had placed inside Laura. Then there was the need for him to deal with the Dragon weapon, Vitan’s Chalice.
‘As expected, an item infused with magic is troublesome for me.’
The distortion of space wasn’t the only function possessed by Vitan’s Chalice. Variety of magical spells were infused into this Dragon weapon. All Dragon weapons from magicians were like this. Niberis possessed the Book of Darkness, and it also was infused with magical spells. When one inherited a Dragon weapon from a magician, a magical spell one wasn’t skilled enough to use through one’s own skills could be used if it was infused into the Dragon weapon.
However, Azell wasn’t a magician. It would have been great if he could use it by providing the magical energy. This particular Dragon Weapon wouldn’t activate automatically. The magic spells infused into the Vitan’s chalice were linked using a high level method. All these magical spells were easy to use only if one was able to use this link.
“This really is a tool for a magician. It is incompatible with me.”
Azell grumbled to himself. Laura, who was observing him from the opposite side, was dumbfounded by his words.
“It has only been several days, yet you’ve already master the Vitan’s Maze.”
“If it has nothing to do with magic, it isn’t a problem for me.”
Azell was learning the functions of the Vitan’s Chalice at a surprisingly rapid pace. He had already learned the Vitan’s Maze, and he was successful in partially forming the ‘The Goblet containing the heaven’s tears’.
However, he couldn’t use any of the magic infused into the item. This was why he couldn’t even operate it at half its capacity.
“So are you experienced in dealing with a variety of Dragon Weapons?”
“Are you interrogating me?”
“If you are really the Azell Karzark, I might be.”
Laura had those intentions, so she didn’t deny it. Azell spoke.
“Have fun speculating.”
“.......”
Laura had a sulky look as she closed her mouth. Azell smirked as he looked at her.
‘Anyways, this girl... Does she really have no ill-intentions towards us?’
If one inherited a Dragon weapon from a wielder, who had ill intent, it was basically like keeping a bomb inside one’s body. This was why Azell was constantly monitoring the Vitan’s Chalice to see if any changes took place. If he was hit in the back of the head, while his guard was down, it would be the end of him.
However, a week had passed, and there was no signs of trouble. In the case of the Vitan’s Chalice, the item did seem discontent at being owned by Azell, but it didn’t show any signs of putting up a fight or cause him harm.
‘Hmm.......’
The Dragon weapons all possessed a sense of self. This was why the Vitan’s Chalice knew about Azell’s existence, and it did harbor a feeling of hesitancy towards him. Every time he perceived the Vitan’s Chalice, its feelings were sent towards him.
However, at the same time, Dragon Weapons were tools. Once the proper process of being transferred to a new owner occurred, the Dragon weapon became subservient. The feelings about the past was less important. The new owner was the most important being to the Dragon weapon.
Azell suddenly spoke.
“This might be a bit abrupt, but... Your disguise is flawless.”
Laura looked like a human woman right now. Instead of wearing a dress that made her look like a daughter of a noble, she wore a simple traveler’s clothes. Moreover, she had hidden all the special characteristics of a Dragon Demon. Her appearance was eye catching, but in the end, she looked like a human. Azell’s eyes could see through the illusion, so he could see her real self. However, there was something he couldn’t detect.
“What method are you using to hide your Dragon Demon magic?”
Even Laura’s Dragon Demon magic was completely hidden, and even a person with highly developed senses would see her as a human magician. Laura answered him.
“I used magic.”
“Was it a spell developed within the Plain of Darkness?”
“Yes.”
“I see. You guys have to hide within human society, so I’m guessing the disguise has to be airtight. The fact that you guys were able to develop a spell that;s so easy to learn is impressive.”
“What do you mean?”
“All the Dragon Demon king worshippers seems to be using that particular spell. Ah, I guess the only ones, who have to hide their Dragon Demon magic, are the top-tier troops. Maybe, it is a difficult spell to use.”
“It is very difficult.”
“Huh?”
“It is a very difficult magic for the rank and file to use.”
Azell shook his head in disbelief as he asked the question.
“Let me stop you right there... How difficult is it? For example, could a member of the Dragon’s Shadow pull it off?”
“Dragon’s Shadow? Which Dragon’s Shadow are you talking about?”
Laura tilted her head in confusion. Azell furrowed his brows.
“There are more than one organizations like the Dragon’s Shadow?”
“At the very least, each country has one. It is unusual to see more than two in a country. The organizations on the bottom all have similar names.”
“...basically, one or two of the lower organizations could gather enough high quality fighters to contend with a fighter like the Dragon Demon Princess? Are you sure these are the lower end organizations?”
“These are the organizations at the bottom of the totem pole. Didn’t Yuren Rizester tell you about them?”
“What are you talking about?”
“There is an apparatus with the Plain of Darkness that churns out fighters. These are certified fighters”
“Such high quality troops can be developed so easily?”
Azell was surprised. Laura spoke.
“The number isn’t that high. I wouldn’t call the process to be easy. They keep sorting them. Each members are chosen for a role most suited for them, and they are developed.”
“When you say they are specialized.... So a fighter, who has the same level of fighting capability as a magician, only knows about fighting? The fighter’s knowledge about magic and how to respond to magic is much inferior to the magician?”
“Yes.”
“Such a method... Hmm. It is unacceptable.”
In an army, each soldier learned a specialized skill. For example, let us say there was a knight, who was excellent at horsemanship, archery and closed combat. An archer in the army would be at the very least on par with the knight in terms of shooting a bow. However, the archer would be worse at everything else. It wouldn’t even be comparable.
This was how the Dragon Demon king worshippers were developed. The ‘rank and file’ magicians were specialized to be only used in battle. They were given all kinds of inhumane drugs. Rituals were used to bring up their magical energy. On the surface, they looked like high level magicians. However, if one looked at their overall abilities, they were incomprehensibly weak.
Laura spoke.
“The rank and file members uses a device.”
“There is a device that allows one to hide one’s Dragon Demon magic?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have one?”
At his question, Laura shook her head from side to side. According to her explanation, the act of learning it was the difficult part. However, once one learns it, the magical consumption of the spell wasn’t that high, and it could be maintained indefinitely.
This was why most didn’t feel the need to learn the magic. They preferred to use a one-off magical device that could replicate the same effect instead of going through the difficult process of learning it. However, there were always problems with magical devices. Different magic magic spells could clash, and the capacity of magic it could hide was a limiting factor. This was why it wasn’t too wise to use magical devices as a quick fix.
Azell queried.
“Still, I placed magical shunts inside you, so it should be restricting your use of magic... Are you sure you can keep up with us?”
“You really are like a magician.”
Laura replied with an off-the-wall answer. When Azell looked puzzled, she spoke.
“The way you maintain the magical shunts, and the methods you use.... I’m starting to think you are actually a magician.”
“Spirit Order is merely a different facet of magic.”
In truth, Azell’s Spirit Order techniques was completely off the beaten path of common sense. He was able to change the properties of the magical energy, and certain techniques he used was able to be controlled from a distance. If one compared him to a regular Spirit Order Practitioner... He was a transcendent warrior, who used a power that was closest to magic.
Azell spoke.
“It is hard to do it only with magic possessed by a human. However, once you know how to wield the power of the Dragon, it is possible..”
If a Spirit Order Practitioner wanted to move forward into the ultimate stage, one had to eventually complete the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual. Dragon Demon magic had many use if one was able to acquire it.
“There are less constraints when dealing with magic.”
This was the conclusion he came to when he studied the fundamental phenomena behind raising and controlling magic. If one possessed Dragon Demon magic, one could circumvent the steps needed to use magic. However, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say the Dragon Demon magic was mainly used to make Dragon Demon Qi. Magicians had no other use for the Dragon Demon magic.
By comparison, Spirit Order was a technique that promoted the use of the senses. Dragon Demon magic had a special characteristic of being able to bring an image into reality. Spirit Order was able to take advantage of this fact more so than magic.
Laura spoke.
“...I never knew that.”
“If it is as Yuren said, the humans in the Plain of Darkness aren’t allowed to conduct the Dragon Slayer’s Ritual. They have no Spirit Order Practitioner, who possess Dragon Demon magic. It is understandable that you do not know about it.”
Azell had learned this very useful information. At the very least, there was a huge restriction placed in how the Dragon Demon king worshippers developed their Spirit Order practitioners.
Azell spoke.
“Anyways.... I guess I didn’t answer your question again. ”
“It’s all right.”
Laura spoke as she looked up at the empty air.
“I’m used to all of this now.”
“I thought you’ve never moved in this fashion before.”
“I’m not talking about that.”
Laura was talking about the restriction caused by the magical shunts in her Energy Pulse. She thought about her past as she spoke.
“While I learned how to use magic, I went through a lot of hardships. At times, they put Curses on us. We had to face dangerous situations, while our abilities were compromised.”
As she went through such training, her siblings started to die one by one. Laura had also escaped from the throes of death several times.
“.......”
Azell had thought she had experienced forceful restriction of her magic as part of her magic training, but he never expected this. He was at a loss for words. However, Laura didn’t show any signs of anxiety as she talked about her past.
Suddenly, there was an odd light in her eyes. Her expression hadn’t changed much, but he could feel that she was feeling a complicated emotion.
“This feels strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m conversing with someone about my past... I never expected it to feel like this.”
“You’ve never talk about it with anyone?”
“I never had anyone I could talk to.”
“.......”
“Somehow, this feels embarrassing, but.... It isn’t a bad feeling.”
Laura closed her eyes as she spoke those words.
4
The next day, the party decided to change course. It was at Yuren’s request.
“The guide has a gift for you, and he told me where to find it.”
“...you keep saying that. Do you really think you can entice me to go with you with those words?”
“I don’t know what else to say. Aside from that, I do have other useful information....”
Yuren told Azell about the Plain of Darkness, who was about to sow chaos in the human world. Azell and Kairen furrowed their brows.
“They are capable of pulling off such a plan. However, the source of this information is a bit....”
“Sadly, I don’t have any other explanations for this.”
Yuren let out a bitter laugh. He felt sad every time he had to explain about his guide. It would have been better if he was a man of faith. He could just say god was guiding his actions. Howeveer, he couldn’t do that....
Yuren spoke.
“All the high quality information I know was revealed to me by the guide. I was a candidate in the Development Center, so I didn’t know much about anything.”
“Mmm. Laura?”
“...I do think this this relationship is quite peculiar.”
After betraying the Dragon Demon king worshippers, Yuren had been actively trying to help Azell. His words had a ring of truth to it. This was why Azell was trying to confirm the information with Laura. She had been a high ranked officer in the Plain of Darkness not too long ago.
It was a highly ridiculous situation if one organized the information.
Laura spoke.
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