Chapter 614 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

The capital of the Magician’s Federation, the city of Buyeoseong, floats gracefully like a moon in the endless sky. The serene and gentle city traversing the heavens is not only the capital but also the emblem of the Magician’s Federation. The overwhelming magic that elevates an entire city to a constellation in the sky demonstrates the immense power and greatness of the Federation. The common people, crawling on the ground, gaze up at Buyeoseong with longing. Only magicians have the right to ascend to Buyeoseong. Thus, the commoners desperately have children and teach them magic, for it's the only path to social advancement. Both water and people gather in low places. This is simply because the law of gravity pulls everything downward. Buyeoseong, which defies the very law of gravity, is a golden land where supreme knowledge and authority converge. And I was aiming for such a Buyeoseong... yet I was falling. "Uwaaaaah!" My scream pierced through the air as I traversed the skies. The turbulent winds tore at my body relentlessly. At this rate, the speed should decrease, yet it only accelerated. Reverse Gravity. Among white magic, it is considered a high-difficulty spell that reverses the direction of gravity on the caster. Simply put, it is a magic that makes one fall in the opposite direction, towards the sky. Does that mean one escapes this world? Yes. There is no ground to step on in the sky, so one could soar indefinitely without hitting anything. Running out of magic in mid-air is a problem, and if not, being flung into the vast emptiness of the universe where even your corpse cannot be retrieved is another. Thus, Reverse Gravity is deemed a formidable yet impractical spell, akin to a half-dead useless trick. However, there is no magic as apt for reaching Buyeoseong skimming the edge of the sky. “Buyeoseong drifts all across the Federation. Searching for it with flying spells is a waste of magic and time. Riding the trail of the heavens is the most rational path.” Lankart casually explained while adjusting the trajectory. As if a comet were falling diagonally across the sky, the three of us soared in the same fashion. Even as we pierced the clouds, there was no sign of slowing down. The air thinned, yet the wind became even more fierce. Gasping for breath, I managed to say: “Barb, the wind is too strong, ugh!” “What? I can't hear you well. Save what you have to say. We can discuss it leisurely once we reach Buyeoseong.” “No, I mean the wind is strong, OOF!” Yet, my voice could not catch up to Lankart and was buried in the roaring wind. Lankart, perhaps believing I would remain intact even in such an extreme situation, took no extra measures. That is the issue. Lankart is a magician. A sorcerer who has unraveled not only white and black magic but also unique arcane arts. It would be quicker to count things impossible for him than those possible. Engulfed by the strong winds, he maintained his composure. And Lankart firmly believes that I, whom he has acknowledged, am of a similar stature. He is confident that I, too, can navigate through any hardship that I can solve. So, he must have pushed me into this abyss. Ah, if only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have insisted on constantly being the best. Stirring unnecessary feelings of inferiority... Just as I was debating whether to endure with regeneration... “Celestial Swordplay, Zephyr.” A brief slash brushed past my eyes. Shei’s divine blade cut through the oncoming wind, holding the air firm. Phew. Saved. Who knew breathing could be such a blessing. Relieved, I spoke freely with my regained breath. “Wow. You saved me. Thank you, Shei.” “...Hmph. It wasn’t for you. I needed to avoid the wind too.” ‘I just couldn’t stand watching you shiver mid-flight.’ What’s that supposed to mean? Her words and thoughts are entirely different. Claiming it wasn’t for me... Though I respect others' privacy, I can’t help but expose such obvious lies. “Come on. You did it for me, didn’t you?” “What? You're imagining things.” “Imagination, huh. Then where did that divine blade come from? It’s been protecting you all this time as you float around. You used your ability because you saw me suffering from the cold.” “…Oh?” ‘Did I... say that unconsciously? No, I just thought about returning the favor since I owe him…’ What? Was she just blurting it out without thinking because she’s embarrassed? Well, speaking so quickly must be a talent. Maybe it’s because of that Celestial Swordsmanship or something. “I’m not arguing. I just want to thank you. It would be a waste if my heartfelt thanks didn’t reach you. Thank you, Shei.” “…Uh, yeah. Sure. If you're thankful, who am I to refuse. Keep it in mind.” “If this were before, you wouldn’t have lifted a finger whether I was cold or not. You must have become more social while traveling together. I’m touched.” “I’ve always had social skills! It’s just that, until now, you didn’t exactly come across as trustworthy!” That comment implies that now, I do seem trustworthy. How endearing. Embarrassed by her own words, yet she utters even more mortifying ones. Here, it would be virtuous to let it slide without pointing it out... “Hmm? So, does that mean you find me trustworthy now?” Really? For Shei’s sake, wouldn’t it be better to quickly clear any misunderstandings before they pile up? Realizing what she had just said, Shei gave a start. ‘Huh? Is Hughes trustworthy? Can I say he isn’t trustworthy... when he’s consistently helped me? Even in my weakest moments, he never betrayed me. He’s the most amiable ally across all timelines. He’s trustworthy... right?’ “…Uh, well. I guess….” Shei, unaccustomed to hearing or saying cringeworthy words, found her voice gradually retreating. Riding the momentum, I said: “You guess? Oh my. I’ve apparently become somewhat trustworthy to Shei. That’s also touching. People have always said I’m all talk and no trust.” I continued with a playful remark, knowing full well the earnestness in Shei's evolving trust. "If you don't need it, I'll dispel the Zephyr!" "What? I never said I didn't need it. I said thank you. Why do you always have to take it the wrong way when I'm just expressing gratitude?" "You're the one who keeps arguing!" "I'm just being honest about my feelings. Isn’t it Shei who’s being argumentative?" "Quiet!" "Gaaaaah! Ah, I can't breathe!" Hold on. If you suddenly dispel the Zephyr, how am I to breathe?! No, more than that—why is breathing even harder than before? What's happening here? Clutching my chest, which felt like it was about to burst, I surveyed my surroundings. Just a few minutes ago, the view was an enchanting scene with a golden sun reflecting off a sea of clouds. The land below seemed like toy blocks, as if viewing a map, and mountain peaks piercing through the clouds appeared in the distance. It was peculiar and beautiful. However, the scene drastically changed while briefly conversing with Shei. The first thing to change was the color. Beyond blue and navy, hues close to black filled the view above—an endless void that would never fade no matter how far it reached or submerged itself. An eternal void unfolded beyond gaze, where one could fall forever without end. From the ground, clouds seemed part of the sky, but that perception was like a frog in a well trying to measure the sky. From this altitude, clouds appeared more like soft, draping garments grazing the earth. Rain and thunderstorms seemed no more than sweat droplets and static electricity at best. The grandeur of nature, revered as divine blessings so far, appeared entirely trivial here. What even is the realm of the heavens? Can clouds, rain, and lightning be the only criteria for such a realm? They can't even encompass the rounded curves of Mother Earth's expanse. Moreover... beyond us remains a far longer journey into the void that would take eternity to traverse. It's all so insignificant. Elevating humans as rulers of all creation. Praising clouds creeping beneath us as heavenly palaces. This flimsy, hollow sky that ends with a brief ascent. And the ignorance of humans yet to reach that final boundary. All of it becomes utterly insignificant compared to the cold and empty truth. "Connection to the trail of ages. Reverse Gravity, End." Lankart's murmuring reached me, transcending space. Moments later, the spell causing us to fall upward ceased, and our bodies started descending again towards the distant Mother Earth. The body of Mother Earth formed a smooth and gentle curve. Perhaps due to this, our descending trajectory was more of a curve than a straight line. Maybe we always lived in a world of curves, but humanity's shallow and fragmented comprehension accepted it as straight lines. Breathing was no longer an issue. Shei expanded the form of the celestial blade into a sphere, encapsulating the space. As she pulled me inside, she shouted. "Hughes! Hold on tight! If you let go, you'll get lost!" Although we were following the same trajectory and unlikely to get lost, I needed the air provided by the celestial blade as well, so I held onto Shei. Meanwhile, our bodies moved in an elliptical path along the curved horizon. Were we ascending, or descending? No longer easy to discern, and frankly, it didn’t matter. We were simply in motion. That was all. Beholding the vistas of the universe, striving to keep a scant breath of air, descending in an orbit, and drifting in gravity’s absence. Without needing to differentiate anything, it was only after moving quite a ways that we noticed it. Amidst the clouds, looming above them was Buyeoseong. The encounter felt miraculous. In such an expansive universe, meeting this point that is Buyeoseong—how else to call it but a miracle? “Buyeoseong….” Even Shei, who feared nothing, was overwhelmed by the sight, filled with awe, and her sentiments were deeply relatable. But having read Lankart's thoughts, I was relatively unfazed by such emotions. This immense trajectory, once a mystery, now fell within the boundaries of understanding. “We’ve arrived.” When Buyeoseong became visible to the naked eye, Lankart muttered. I squinted, taking in the sight of Buyeoseong below. Said to have been crafted by the Golden Mirror itself, Buyeoseong was equally magnificent. The entire city was constructed atop dark monotone stone, with five towers standing guard in the form of a pentagram. The intricately crisscrossed paths resembled a magical circle, filled with dazzling gold and pure silver in between. This magical city displayed a mysterious and beautiful grandeur, blending seamlessly with the backdrop of the sky. And in the heart of Buyeoseong loomed a massive tower, dwarfing the five surrounding ones. Pure blue magical light coursed along its surface. That must be... Babylon, where the Demon King resides. As Buyeoseong gradually drew closer, Lankart grimaced as though bothered by something. “Did the trajectory adjustment cause this? How annoying. Hughes, prepare to defend.” “Huh? Me? Prepare to defend? How?” “Just figure it out.” As Lankart waved a hand dismissively. The five magic towers moved simultaneously. Like regarding uninvited guests, they aimed at us precisely, amassing lights of various colors. Even from this distance, the concentrated magical power was visible as the towers gathered strength and shot towards us.