Chapter 244 - Infinite Mage

"It might be better to give them a heads-up." As Armin made his decision, Nade returned carrying two quivers, each holding 20 arrows. When Armin inquired about the total cost, Nade replied it was 4 gold. Amy approached Armin and whispered, "Isn't this too expensive? Just one archery set costs half of your reputation value, Armin." "It is pricey, but considering that, it must be of the highest quality. It might even have additional abilities. 'The Master of This World' isn't someone who would swindle others. Of course, Nade might be crafty, but given his responsibility here, he seems to favor decent projectiles." Armin referred to Shirone as 'The Master of This World' to keep Nade, who was listening, from catching on. Having witnessed firsthand how sensitive keywords could trigger reactions back at the inn, Amy quickly understood and nodded in agreement. "Yes. Nade isn't the type to carelessly trade low-quality items." Reina paid the 4 gold. Meeting 'The Master of This World' would render money unnecessary in any case. Reina strapped one quiver to her back and another to her thigh. Then, she slipped three arrows between her fingers, positioning them atop her bow, completing her preparations. Amy, floating her Jack O' Lantern, glanced at Armin. Though there were only two of them, their resolve was akin to an army ready to advance. "Are you ready? We're about to meet 'The Master of This World.'" Reina inquired, "But where do we start searching?" "No need to go far. He's everywhere, after all." Armin turned his gaze to where Nade stood. Seeing this, Amy and Reina stepped aside to clear the path. "Do you know where Shirone is?" Amy gasped, caught off guard. Though it wasn't a major issue, the intense attention they had received back at the inn was not something she wished to experience again. Just as expected, Nade stared blankly at Armin without blinking. Yet, unlike the innkeeper, who feigned ignorance, Nade, being a complex entity, did not react the same way. "Why are you looking for Shirone?" Armin's lips curled into a smile. It seemed this weapons shop held a significant impression within Shirone’s consciousness. "In that case, we can't miss this opportunity." Armin heightened the intensity of his keywords. "Shirone is going to die soon. We're trying to help him before that happens." Amy swallowed hard, waiting for Nade's response. How would Shirone's consciousness react to Armin's words? Nade, with an impassive expression, stared back at Armin and, in a voice completely different from before, warned, "Leave. This is not your world." Armin realized he had connected to Shirone's avatar and pressed further, "Is that a refusal? Shirone, reconsider. You need our help. Tell us where you are." As Nade remained silent, unusual phenomena began to occur in his body. His pupils vanished, turning into deep black voids, and his entire form started to succumb to shadow. "Dammit! Is this a failure?" Armin hurriedly retreated. "What happened? What's going on?" "This is just the beginning! Get out now!" As Armin shouldered through the door, Reina followed, bow at the ready. Amy took one last glance back. The Nade she knew disappeared, replaced by a swiftly approaching black shadow. Her heart nearly dropped with fright as she exited the store; similar entities converged from all sides. Amy immediately cast a Shining spell. As the light surged, raindrops became vividly visible. Within the veil of rainfall, shadows stood out. They resembled human forms but had unnaturally elongated waists and arms. The most bizarre feature was their faces. Like whirlpools pulling one into the abyss, thin lines of light spun spiraling. "Armin, what on earth is that...?" "They are Egoists." Amy tilted her head slightly, asking again, "Egoists?" "Don't be deceived by their appearance. Their forms are ever-changing." "Ssshhhaaa!" As an Egoist lunged, Armin cast Flicker to evade the encirclement. As people fled from buildings, they too transformed and pursued him. Armin executed Flicker repeatedly. His form vanished, leaving only the rippling shockwaves marking his path through space. Meanwhile, Reina, now familiar with her bow, swiftly launched arrows, three at a time, not hindered by the sound of rain, but rather predicting the enemy's movements, her arrows seemed to curve and hit the Egoists. "Ssshhhaaa!" As Armin and Reina fiercely counterattacked, Amy was separately engaged with one formidable Egoist—Nade's transformed version. Nade's Egoist adopted forms fitting tactical needs, relentlessly pressing Amy. With four arms poking like drills and an extending waist dodging Amy's rapid-fire Fire Strike, Amy found herself heavily tested. The number of Egoists swarming in grew, turning the surroundings into a sea of shadows. Armin's Flicker magic proved ineffective in leaving the battlefield, and delaying further wasn't an option. Amy cast Firewall to divide the enemies from allies. Concentrating intensely, a wall of fire surged twice its normal height, incinerating Egoists standing along its line. As Nade's Egoist paused its attack and examined Amy intently, she recalled hearing Shirone's voice from the shop and shouted, "Shirone! It's me, Amy!" The Egoist remained silent, but there was no doubt it understood. Its head tilted slightly at a 45-degree angle. Chapter 6: A Great Secret (5) "We've come to save you! Where are you right now?" "Ssshhhaaa!" Nade bent all four of his arms towards the sky and let out a roar. Instantly, all Egoists froze in place. Amy caught her breath, her heart racing at the possibility that her voice might have reached Shirone. But the subsequent events were grim. The Egoists elongated as if being sucked into something, then defied gravity by rising up along the falling rain. They arced through the sky before being absorbed into Nade's Egoist. Absorbing its cohorts, the Egoist's form began rapidly transforming. It grew over three meters tall, sprouting insect-like legs from its shoulders, sides, and waist. Its tail swelled like a bee’s abdomen, and its face distorted grotesquely, resembling a twisted sausage. The facial structure split open, revealing jagged teeth, and a long tongue snaked out, waving sinuously. "Kreeee!" Amy's face turned pallid. She couldn't fathom that this monstrosity could be Shirone. The amalgamation of all nearby Egoists formed a truly ghastly entity. As the creature set a foot down, the ground quaked with a thunderous thud. The certainty that they could not win weighed on them, yet Amy steadied her resolve, ready to fight despite the odds. Retreating at this stage would mean they couldn't save Shirone. Even if she had to die here, she was ready to stand her ground. "Alright, let's do this!" "Great job! Now, let's run!" As Armin dashed by and spoke, Amy shot him a bewildered look but then swiftly canceled her magic and sprinted away. Reina followed suit immediately. The three ran with all their might. From afar, the wails of the Egoist pierced through the rainfall, echoing ominously. Armin sought refuge in a secluded alley, leaning against a wall as he slumped down. Amy and Reina sat across from him, heads lifted to gulp in air, as raindrops pounded their faces like a shower. Amy, not yet fully caught her breath, asked, "What on earth are those things? How can they exist in Shirone's consciousness?" "They are manifestations of the human's inherent selfish defense mechanisms, intertwined with projections. The stronger the projection, the more formidable the Egoist becomes." Amy thought back to when Nade was the strongest. "But is it okay to just run away like this?" "When the self-consciousness is under attack, Egoists materialize from nearby projections. However, in a state of primal terror like now, the Egoist's properties vanish, rendering it unable to locate us. They are indeed powerful, but eliminating them yields no benefit, so escape is the better option." Reina, resting her elbows on her knees, buried her face in her hands. Steam rose from her body due to their intense sprint. "Did we fail because we couldn't implant the keyword?" "It's not us who failed, but Shirone who rejected it. He is highly wary. Considering the real-world circumstances, it’s understandable." Amy inquired, "Will we have to keep fighting things like that in the future?" "For now, it's our only option. We need to continue implanting keywords until Shirone accepts our help. Without Shirone guiding us, there's no way to descend to the 1st level." "But those entities are part of Shirone's consciousness, right? Can't we persuade them?" Arius shook his head soberly. "Egoists are part of the self-defense mechanism every human possesses. They perceive every entity, aside from Shirone, as an enemy. The moment the keyword for 'death' is inputted, even we, who have earned 7 and 10 gold worth of trust, aren’t exempt. It's nothing to resent. The world is perceived as 'me and others,' but to the Egoist, it’s solely about 'me, myself, and I.' They lack any concept of others." Having felt the blind hostility of the Egoists all too keenly, Amy shuddered. "How do we fight against them in the future? They're incredibly strong." "No, this is merely a weaker version. The closer we get to the deeper layers, the stronger the Egoist becomes. That's why we must locate Shirone's avatar in the upper layers quickly. If it comes down to the 1st level, the domain of instincts, the Egoist could gain control over most of Shirone's consciousness to protect him, essentially matching the power of Shirone, the Master of This World. That's why divers never venture into the deep sea. Arius wouldn't have embarked on this path if Shirone's unconsciousness wasn’t weakened." Amy's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "In that case, doesn’t the same situation apply to Arius and Zion? As they delve deeper, the Egoists grow stronger. They might not make it alive before they reach him." Armin shook his head. "No. He’s likely taking a detour around Shirone. As a mentalist specialized in human psyche, the diver interprets the significance imbued in the seemingly ordinary world here. Arius will deduce and navigate his way downwards. The chances increase once below the REM level where Shirone’s unconscious may substantially collapse. Arius is likely betting on that scenario." Reina suggested, "Then why don’t we adopt Arius’s approach? Since Amy knows Shirone well, she might be able to interpret the objects here." "Hmm, the form of consciousness varies from person to person. Some are stair-like, some are plaza-like, there are corridor forms and phase spaces. However, normally, the gateways to lower levels are structured as basements. It’s the most natural configuration in consciousness." Amy interjected, "Then shouldn't we look for a basement here too?" Arius chuckled at the suggestion. It seemed these women still hadn't grasped how terrifying the human psyche could be. Then again, this was only the 11th level. "I've only shared general theories with you. The human mind is incredibly complex and delicate. If you're not an expert, you would need to search through all the basements of this world. Even if you find one, there's no guarantee it will be the entrance to the 10th level. Regardless, we won't get there before them. But if we can meet Shirone here, we might turn the tables. We must continue injecting keywords." Reina looked troubled. "Every time we do, the Egoist will find us, won't it?" "This is the only way. That's why I advised you not to come along. It's odd to say after having received your help, but it’s the truth." Amy did not regret her decision. It just felt unsettling that Shirone seemed to be attacking her. "Sigh. It feels strange to fight Shirone’s mind." Armin gave her a stern look. "Amy, get a grip." "Pardon?" "This is not the time to be sentimental. As you’ve seen by now, other people's minds are extremely dangerous places. Even the best divers at Arius’s level have lost their lives here in droves." "I understand. That’s why I’m on edge." "Are you really?" Amy turned to Armin with a puzzled expression. She was genuinely tense, even prepared to risk her life. "Don't be mistaken. Shirone isn't tormenting us. We're the ones intruding and causing chaos in his domain. This is Shirone's most private space, which he wouldn’t want anyone to see. Amy, you stepped into that space. To then react with anger or disappointment at this world's response is both cowardly and low." "That's..." Amy found herself at a loss for words. She hadn't considered Shirone's perspective as Armin described it. Imagining someone invading her mind and scrutinizing everything was horrifying. "We're not on our way to meet Shirone but his avatar. The avatar will likely be nothing like the Shirone you know. Amy, you didn’t retrieve it. It’s natural to feel disappointed, but to the avatar, it may be perfectly reasonable. Should you encounter Shirone's avatar, whatever his behavior, he might not seem like Shirone to you at all." Reina added, "Yet, it’s probably the truest form of Shirone." "Yes. What we know about others is only the external aspect. An avatar, however, encompasses all emotions, including the shameful and embarrassing parts one wouldn't reveal to anyone. We're here to witness that." As Amy considered this, she took a deep breath and slapped her cheeks repeatedly. Her face stung, but it snapped her out of her daze. Armin was right; she had not been prepared, nor was she truly nervous. "Alright, I won’t judge anything." Armin saw the cold, determined look in Amy's eyes and finally gave a satisfied smile. Without this level of resolve, it was impossible to survive in someone else's mind. If a man’s inner thoughts revealed his love confession was purely animalistic desire, or if a friend’s true feelings were rooted in jealousy and envy—how many could know such truths without feeling betrayed? Arius reiterated, "Ataraxia is likely deeper than stage three. That place holds everything you’d never want to show others." "Yes. I won’t concern myself with anything. I too have feelings I'd rather keep hidden. I apologize for being immature. My unretrieved thoughts must have stirred my emotions." Reina commented, "That's alright. I hadn’t considered it either. And I’d probably feel disappointed without retrieval too." Amy offered a bittersweet smile. "Shirone probably has resentment towards me as well. I've been thinking about it all wrong. Regardless of one's mental fortitude, everyone has human emotions." Armin scanned the street outside the alley, then turned slowly to look at Amy. "What did you just say?" "Huh? Oh, I mentioned something about Shirone having human emotions..." "No, not that. Did you say 'Diamond Mind'?" Amy blinked, taken aback by Armin's unexpectedly serious expression, and quickly responded. "Yes. There’s a renowned monk named Etella at school who mentioned it. She said to wield Ataraxia, one must achieve the level of a Diamond Mind." "Damn, I’m an idiot...!" Armin slapped his forehead. How had he not realized? Ataraxia, while ingrained at the instinct level, was an overwhelming concept for humans to contain. Under normal circumstances, it would devastate one's psyche. However, Shirone was employing it. Thus, the teacher, Etella, had hit the mark. "My apologies, Amy. I’ve been overly arrogant. I’ve been a fool and should be smacked a few times." "Huh? What did I do...?" Taking hold of Amy’s shoulders, Armin infused encouragement. "You've saved us. Follow me. We’re going to find Shirone." Reina readied her bow and stood. "So, are we fighting Egoists?" "No. We’ll take a detour, just like Arius." Armin felt assured of their success. With this method, they could catch up to Arius. Additionally, it was a path Zion and his group, needing to evade Shirone, wouldn't be able to use even if they knew. Leading his companions back onto the street, Armin noticed that the terror of the Egoist seemed to have dissipated, as none were visible nearby. They traversed through ankle-deep rainwater, arriving at the outskirts by the main road where a carriage stood, and a coachman sat drenched in the rain. The coachman wore a narrow-brimmed magician's hat, casting a shadow over his face so deep one couldn't discern his features. It was as if he were faceless. As Armin approached, the coachman, without even glancing his way, said, "We're not running today." Armin pulled out all his remaining gold coins, showing them. "I urgently need to be somewhere. Please reconsider." The amount exceeded what was necessary for trust, so the coachman couldn’t outright refuse. As expected, his tone softened slightly, though he still seemed hesitant. "It's hard to operate on a day like this. The rain’s just too heavy. Where on earth do you need to go in such weather?"