Chapter 629 - Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

It's already been half a month since they stayed in the floating city. While Hughes was immersed in studying at the Crystal Tower, Shei was focused on recovering. She experienced a fierce battle with Nevida at the Tree of Origin, suffered severe injuries with both arms nearly torn off, and even after barely reattaching them, she overexerted herself in another fight. Though she can’t recall doing so, she wielded powers that should not exist in this age. No matter how advanced her martial arts were or how precious her potions, the injuries were too severe. It was only after controlling her rampant martial energies and consuming potions and nourishing foods that Shei could regain her strength. She clenched and unclenched her slightly trembling hands, readjusting her senses. “There’s still some awkwardness in my movements. Not that it matters since I control my whole body with martial energy when I exert myself…” Injuries were injuries, and scars were scars. Shei wasn't a vampire; once something falls off and is reattached, it leaves significant marks on her body. In the Magical Federation, there was a screen made of crystal. Shei approached it and pressed the second gem. With a smooth sound, the crystal flipped over to reveal a mirror reflecting Shei. Watching herself in the mirror for a moment, Shei stiffly removed her top. Her healthy, well-toned body appeared in the crystal screen, starkly contrasting her formerly skinny and unimpressive figure. Through numerous regressions, her body had become visibly fitter. However, the wounds around her shoulders stood out like blemishes on jade. The methods of blood sorcery, martial arts, potions, and Hughes's surgery had mended them seamlessly, but the scars still remained. Although Shei seldom worried about her body, the prominent scars evoked a bittersweet feeling. But soon, Shei shook her head to rid herself of such concerns. “Once I regress, this body will reset anyway. It’s silly to worry about it.” She couldn't even understand why she had these sentiments. She had never felt regret over her injuries before. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t been moving my body much. I’m having too many idle thoughts.” Shei changed her bandages and put her clothes back on. Glancing at her reflection one last time, she turned the mirror back into a screen and turned away. “Perhaps I should visit the Crystal Tower.” Even if she wasn't great at studying, she might acquire knowledge about magic there. And Hughes would be there too. Shei visited the Crystal Tower. And witnessed Hughes wielding a hammer. "Haah! Crystal Ember!" A magician shouted forcefully, curling his body. Immediately after, crystals sprouted from his body, encasing him tightly. Like a bug trapped in amber, the fortified magician rolled down the corridor. This was Crystal Ember, a defensive magic devised by Ember, a disciple on the sixth floor of the Crystal Tower. It created sturdy crystals around the caster to protect them from attacks. I examined the crystals encasing the magician and jotted down notes. "Decent casting time, good crystal form, caster’s condition. Ah, senior, if you can hear me, roll your eyes up and down.... Good." Everything was satisfactory up to this point. I nodded and then picked up the hammer next to me, striking Ember's crystal forcefully. With a clanging sound, shattered crystals scattered in every direction, and the impact resonated through my hand. "Crystal strength is decent. Yes, it looks good. You might even present this at the showcase." 'Wait! The crystal's too sturdy, and I can't break it! Help, Hughes! I can't breathe!' "Retraction on that statement. There are still adjustments needed. We need to modify the structure so the caster can attempt disassembly from within." It seems the effect was too successful. I tied a rope around the senior's crystal, threw it into the central elevator, and sent it up. A magician riding the elevator saw the senior trapped in the crystal and gasped in surprise. I addressed the magician. "Senior Glecia. Please take Senior Ember to Senior Ditrox on the seventh floor. Let them know their crystal dissolution ability is needed." "Uh, um... Ditrox? That senior is intimidating..." "Just say I sent them. Tell them I’ll dismiss the time they dismantled my high crystal as a favor. Got it?" "Oh, um, yes..." The magician nodded and proceeded to ascend with the senior's crystal. I turned away without watching them leave. "Avant-garde senior." "Oh! Yes...!" Avant-garde, waiting nearby, came running to me like a puppy when I called out. I paused my steps until she approached. Avant-garde clung beside me as we began walking together. "We’re using Senior Ember's lab today. We'll be practicing compound magic circles there. Of course, it will be you, Avant-garde senior, practicing. I’ll just observe since I can't use magic." "Uh, um...! Junior!" "Yes?" "Well, I discovered a new method about magical amplification... Uh, resonance amplification, and I was wondering..." It seemed like she mustered a lot of courage to bring this up, as she was hesitantly about to speak. "Disciple on the sixth floor, Hughes. You have a visitor." "Yes?" Hearing someone call for me, I turned to see an apprentice magician from the first floor leading Shei towards me. I excused myself from Avant-garde and approached. "By rights, external visitors shouldn’t be allowed beyond the middle floors, but..." "Thank you. I owe you one. I'll make sure to repay the favor generously someday." "...Please carry on with your work. You have my respect always." The apprentice, newly ascended to the third floor, bowed and retreated. Giving away a few high crystals from the eighth floor last time has resulted in these conveniences. It’s wise to treat people well. It pays off. ‘...Strange. Hughes acts like he's lived here for years. Did he hypnotize them?’ Getting along with people doesn’t require years. Hypnosis is even less necessary. Do you need hypnosis to get friendly with others? "Shei, what brings you to the Crystal Tower?" "Oh, nothing much. Since my body’s healed, I thought I might try to learn some magic." ‘Saying I had nothing else to do sounds lame.’ So, you had nothing else to do. The floating city serves as the hub of the Magical Federation, an airborne city under the Demon King's rule. It's exceedingly safe and stable. If anything, it's a serendipity to be here, and the only thing to gain from this place is magic. “Really? We were planning to practice compound magic circles. Would you like to observe, Shei?” “Compound magic circles? What's that?” “It’s a technique where you overlap two magic circles to artificially create a mana distortion, which then amplifies mana. It's twice as complex and unstable, making it hard to control, but the amplification is massive. My only weakness is my low mana, so I'm aiming to amplify it through compound magic circles.” “Hmm... Ah, that?” ‘What's that? Aren’t magic circles just drawings? Can they really amplify mana?’ Watching her nod like she understood completely when she clearly didn’t. How much easier it would be if she just admitted she didn’t know. Shei displayed the classic bravado of a regressor. “I’ll take a look too. Maybe I can be of some help.” “Alright. Follow me. Avant-garde senior, Shei would like to observe too. Is that okay?” “Uh...” Avant-garde’s face was filled with discontent, her mouth tightly shut. “Uh, hey! Junior! You can’t show outside visitors the knowledge of the Crystal Tower!” “Well, Shei has an emblem too, you know? Even if it’s just a guest one.” “B-but! It’s my research! You can’t just let anyone see someone else's work!” ‘Who does she think she is, just barging in here!’ Avant-garde was firmly opposed. Hmm. What to do? It would be troublesome to send Shei away, but I can’t ignore Avant-garde either. I need to smooth things over. I turned to face Avant-garde and spoke. “It’s our research. A joint effort between Avant-garde senior and myself, on mana amplification for my sake.” “Right! Our research!” “But, Avant-garde senior, I’m desperate. There’s no time to pick and choose methods.” “What?” I looked down, wearing an expression half resigned, and continued. “The descent is in a week, isn’t it? When the floating city nears the lower realms, I’ll have to leave and prepare to ascend the Celestial Gate.” The floating city is a space only the chosen among the chosen can reach. Just being here is a kind of privilege. They might let me stay for now, but once the descent happens, I’m supposed to leave the floating city. I have only a week left here. It’s sufficient to learn the knowledge of the Crystal Tower, but it's too short to fix my chronic condition. “I don’t have the luxury to be picky about people or methods. If I descend to the lower realms like this, I’ll be disqualified from the Celestial Gate before even attempting, due to a lack of mana.” Avant-garde shook her head vigorously and exclaimed. “No...! Junior, you must come to the Crystal Tower! If you’re here, the Crystal Tower can break its long stagnation and rise to another level! Thanks to you, I became a disciple on the sixth floor too!” “I’m hoping for that too. To make it happen, I need a method to amplify my innate mana.” “I’ll find it for you!” “I believe in you, but not seeking other methods would be negligence. As much as you’re seeking a method, I have to energetically search too. Even if it means taking help from someone.” Not that Shei would be much help. Avant-garde couldn’t win against me. With a disgruntled expression, she went to Ember’s lab, inserted a one-time key, and channelled mana into it. The single-use crystal key dissolved smoothly, unlocking Ember’s lab. Shei grumbled, looking at Avant-garde. “What’s with the fuss? It’s just watching some magic.” “It’s something to fuss over. Don’t martial artists hide their weaknesses by avoiding showing their training scenes? Magic is even more so. Follow the wizard's etiquette here in the magic tower.” “…You’ve become quite the wizard! So impressive!” I could confidently say it: Shei was no help at all. “Why bother amplifying such a measly amount of mana? There’s hardly any amplification.” Shei commented indifferently, watching the mana flow through her mystic sight. Mana? Shei, who’s handled various treasures, relics, and consumed countless elixirs, has an amount of mana comparable to that of a tower lord. Mana sensing? Shei’s mystical eyes visualize even mana in a tangible form. Plus her innate sensitivity makes her reactive to all kinds of forces. A talent seemingly born for becoming a magician. No wonder the Green Tower Lord called her a chosen one, or why the Blue Tower Lord wanted her as a disciple. Completely opposite to me. Including understanding. “The mana flowing within the magic circles isn’t mine, you know. I need to boost my initiator mana. Please differentiate between initiator mana and manifested mana.” “Forget it, junior. We’re not communicating. Let’s just do it ourselves.” Avant-garde effectively dismissed Shei as a fool. It was a precise insight befitting a wizard. While Shei might be a simpleton, she knew when she was being dismissed as one. With a pouting expression, Shei sat down and asked, “Hughes, are you really thinking of becoming a wizard?” Well, what could I say? I intercepted Avant-garde's impending retort and answered. “Shei, I think I’ve finally found my calling.” “What’s that?” “Honestly, all those years of relentlessly pushing myself physically were off. People should pursue work that suits their abilities. For someone with such lofty, brilliant intellect like mine, it’s fitting to undertake matching work.” “Are you really planning to ascend through the Celestial Gate and learn magic in the floating city?” “Yes. Who knows? Once I solve my chronic mana deficiency, I might have a tremendous card in my hand!” ‘Of course. As the King of Humans, you’d theoretically be able to utilize all sorts of magic. If demons can do it, why not magic?’ “And wouldn’t a magic-wielding me be even more helpful to you, Shei?” Although I intended to persuade her, Shei thought for a moment and shook her head. “Not really. You're fine just the way you are now.” How can she make such fluttering remarks so nonchalantly? Probably said without much thought, but even so. “It’s said that those who ascend the Celestial Gate can receive special advice from the Demon King. He answers any question, as long as it falls within his knowledge.” “Wait. The Demon King?” Mentioning the Demon King had changed Shei's expression. In the floating city, the only person Shei had business with was the Demon King himself. The Demon King held the key to the Button of 'Arrogance', the Star of the Apocalypse, an essential piece. “Yes. If I ascend the Celestial Gate and have an audience with the Demon King, wouldn’t that be an enormous achievement?” “You didn’t forget.” “How could I forget something so important? It’s the top priority.” ‘I thought you might be putting ‘Arrogance’ aside to focus on learning magic.’ Having shed a concern, Shei stood up with a light heart, her expression refreshingly different compared to when she first arrived. She headed toward the door of the laboratory. “I don’t think I’ll be much help here. Do your best, Hughes. I’ll get moving too.” “Yes. Take care.” “And... Avant-garde? Take good care of Hughes.” “Tch!” The sound of displeasure came from Avant-garde. Wearing a victorious smile, Shei left the lab, unfazed by the sound of her tongue-clicking. Perhaps she was just bored all along. It’s good that her mood improved. “Focus, junior! You said there’s no time, so stop dawdling!” For some reason, as Shei’s mood lifted, Avant-garde’s seemed to sour. What’s with her now?