11 The Cave(2)
What Aiden said to them is like dropping a huge bomb on their mind. Each one of those words could make anybody go wild.
After all, Demon beasts, Magic stones, and most importantly Supreme Archmage Inheritance are things that will make anybody's eyes burn with greed. Nolan didn't try to hide his excitement as he said to Aiden.
"Are you sure about it? I mean let's not talk about demon beasts and magic stones, are you sure about the Great Archmage thing?".
This time it wasn't Aiden who answered but Emelia who decided to talk first and said to Nolan, "Sir, about the Magic stone vine. I must say that What Mister Aiden says is true. Looking at the cave, I can say for sure that the cave is only a little part of the whole thing. I suspect that the vine and magic stone are in the whole canyon and perhaps even go deeper to the whole inner desert".
When Nolan heard what she said, he felt already happy that he could die at any moment. Having a mana stone vein as big as the whole inner desert is something worth celebrating much more than even the inheritance.
After all, until now, Alcos city's main economy came from the ores found in the underwater caves at the edge of the island but thanks to this magic vein, they can enter the industry of mana stone and then magic weapons and magic items manufacturing.
After all, all kinds of things in this world work on mana stones as a main source of energy but also as secondary currency in commerce and deals. It's also used in refilling a person's magic since these stones are a natural source of mana.
The strategic importance of mana stones and Moxi island who's sleeping under a fortune right now made Nolan feel like he's dreaming right now and as he felt that he couldn't be any happier, Aiden gave him even more surprising news as he continued speaking and said to Nolan with a little contempt in his voice.
"Hmph, do you think that I am an idiot or what? of course, I know what I am talking about. In fact, the cave isn't a cave but more of a tunnel that lets you enter the inner desert without going from above".
This time it was Lyssia, Wanda, and Nolan who felt a little bit shocked as Wanda then said, "how did we never discover such a tunnel. I mean we lived here for almost six hundred years and it was never mentioned in the records about such a tunnel".
Nolan then said, "It's possible that we missed it. After all, the inner desert is a mysterious place that is the only left not fully searched even after all these years. Some people said that place is an ancient ruin protected with ancient magic while others said that a divine beast is protecting the whole area.
Even I also went there and aside from the huge number of magic beasts swarming around, there was one particular place at the center. Whoever tried to go there, he will face a magic barrier that appears and prevent anybody from trying to enter".
Saya: "So then no one has ever seen what is inside?".
Wanda: "Yes. there were few cases of Adventurers coming from other places around the continent trying to break it but they could never do it. it's like trying to break a huge wall but this time a magic wall".
Lyssia: "At first, no one knew about the place that but with the revolution thirty years ago and the sudden rise of the adventurers around here, all people of the continent came and even higher-ups from the guild came to inspect the place but they couldn't enter too".
At that moment Aiden coughed a little and then interrupted, "cough...Yea....that's the place I entered and I found this and it mentioned...."
"....."
Aiden noticed Lyssia, Wanda, and Nolan's expressions of total surprise and shock as they opened their jaws while looking at him. Saya, Emelia, and Alexia became surprised but not as much as the other three because they weren't even born thirty years ago and so didn't know the meaning behind his words.
Aiden didn't wait for them as he got out from his pocket an emblem that was shaped like a shield. The emblem also has a wand in the center together with a book. Nolan who saw this felt a little numb as he thought that he saw it wrong but then he remembered something and started laughing like crazy.
Aiden: "Did he finally lose it?".
Lyssia: "look what you did Alexia, you made him go crazy".
Alexia: "In my defense. he always looked like this".
Lyssia and Aiden at the same time nodded and said, "You're right".
Wanda: "Sis! Mister Aiden! please focus".
Both Saya and Emelia couldn't keep up their laughs as they looked at how these people talked with each other. they all seemed funny to them. Finally, Nolan spoke as he continues laughing.
"Hahahahaha, I can't believe it. Of all the places that the treasure could've been, it was this whole time here. On Moxi island!. Where did you find the emblem Aiden? we need to go get it. we need to have the treasure of the Supreme Archmage Charles. Our Island will truly rise like the Nayo north island of we have it".
"Hey, Old man didn't you listen to me? the treasure isn't on this island. It only mentions where it is".
Nolan: "What? really.....so it isn't on the island. Sigh, at least we have the vein and that's enough but wait...tell us where it is so we can get it. We need to go to that place".
Supreme Archmage is the level just below Saint-level Mage. they say that Great Archmages are invincible under the Saint-level. It's the highest level a Mortal can get to before becoming a Saint.
There are 12 ranks in the mage path and anyone who wants to reach the peak must really work hard to become the strongest. Every 4 ranks are considered as a big realm.
The first 4 ranks are considered as the Mortal Mage realm. Each one of the four is divided into ten stages. After reaching the peak of rank 4, the mage will find a big bottleneck that will make him into a transcendent Mage, an Archmage under the condition of being able to able to surmount it.
They can then live for at least 500 years. In the transcendent big realm, There are 4 ranks which are from Rank-1 till Rank-4 Archmage. Each rank also divided into 4 levels, beginner, intermediate, and advanced and peak.
A rank-4 Archmage or also known as Supreme Archmage are very powerful people and are known for their huge amounts of pure Mana. It's said that in the Lefia kingdom, only one person reached that level.
This is why Nolan was so excited because of the importance of a Supreme Archmage inheritance. It can even change the fate. of someone and create a new path of power for him but now they don't have a chance since the treasure isn't here on the island.
Aiden started getting annoyed and then said, "Just listen to me. I said that the inheritance isn't on the island but the way to reach it is still on the island. I even went to that place but I got bored and went back".
Nolan, Lyssia: ".....HOW?!!!"
Wanda this time seemed calmer and said, "you went there? do you mean the place of the inheritance? how?".
Lyssia and Nolan and all the others are truly shocked because of how much Information Aiden dumped on them. Aiden then said to them.
" Well, ..."
-------------------------------
[Flashback no jutsu].
[A month ago].
"I really like this way of traveling. Too bad that it also melts anything on its way".
Aiden right now is standing on a fireball and traveling through the desert going directly toward the inner desert. He used Cruel Sun to try and travel fast towards the location Nolan told him about.
It didn't take him that long as he reached the place in a few hours thanks to the speed which he was going with. Right now, Aiden is standing right at the cliff of the canyon looking around him.
"Sigh, that old man Nolan is really starting to annoy me more and more with missions. I should've rejected him back then but the bastard tricked me. Well, I should've expected that from a pervert man".
At that time, Nolan decided to give this mission to Aiden so that he can investigate the rumors of the inner desert and since Aiden could go in and out easily, he accepted the quest.
Right now, It's nearly high noon and Aiden's power is enveloping the whole canyon. Aiden made the Cruel Sun vanish and then decided to go and jump as he decided to try a free fall.
*Woosh*
*boom*
After a few seconds, Aiden landed on the ground. he then walked for some time and found the cave entrance. He decided to also walk and discovered that there are many magic stones.
Aiden read a lot of books about this world and also studied the things around here so he knew what magic stones are. He also found that this may be a vein of magic stones so he decided to mention that in his report.
There were a lot of magic stones of all sizes. Aiden took a little with him so he can use them to practice his meditation technique. After moving to the inner part of the cave, he noticed a little light and discovered that this cave was in fact a tunnel and has another end.
That end may even take to another part of the desert. When he was about to reach the center of the cave. A shadow appeared from behind above in the ceiling and directly went to his head to attack him.
*Swoosh*
The shadow was very fast and his attack was very fatal and deadly. Unfortunately, he met Aiden at the wrong time. He met him at the peak of his power.
*Boom*
Before he even reached Aiden's neck, Aiden moved fast to the side, and then he hit him in the front with a powerful punch. Aiden who easily evaded saw the shadow bounce back immediately and hit the wall of the cave.
"It seems like we have some foolish challenger who wants to take me down with a sneak attack. You are at least better than some others who tried to attack me directly".
When the shadow hit the wall, Aiden was able to see what it was and he was really a little shocked. It looked like a big black cat with red eyes and a long thin black tail. He also noticed a special aura around him.
"Oh, he's already dead. Well, that's unfortunate. For now, let me see his mana crystal .....wait a minute, this isn't a normal magic beast. It's a demon beast. hmm, I wonder how they're still alive".
Demon Beasts are a special type in the evolution of Magic beasts just like Divine beasts. It's said that after a magic beast evolves and reaches a high rank in its own evolution, it can decide its path whether its the demonic path or the divine path.
It's at that time that a demon beast bloodline is created and after that, all the descendants of that demon vast will have his bloodline and sometimes even inherit some of their memories.
At first, most of the demon beasts ancestors worked for the stronger demons but after some time just like the other magic beasts, got more powerful and gained intelligence and even rebelled and fought against their masters aka the high ranks demons.
two hundred thousand years ago when the demons disappeared, the demon beasts also disappeared with them but there are still few of them out there in the western continent hidden in parts where civilization hasn't reached.
Unfortunately, because they are a type of magic beast, they were hunted down more than other magic beasts because their Mana crystals match the divine beasts in purity.
After continuous hunting, only a little number remained, and even then they're still hiding until now afraid of being discovered. Aiden got out of the tunnel and covered his eye as the sun was too strong. Aiden found himself in the center part of the inner desert.
"This isn't the place where I used to go? Did the desert change or what? No, wait. Maybe this is the place inside the barrier. hmmm"
Aiden was right cause now, he's standing inside the inner desert center that was covered by a barrier all these years.
"Seems like there are demonic beasts as well. this is completely unexpected and it seems likely that when I go deeper, perhaps I will meet more beasts will".
Magic beasts also have their path of evolution and the same as mage or warriors ranks, magic beasts have twelve ranks. Each rank is then divided into 4 sub-levels respectively, low, middle, high, peak, and perfect.
Divine beasts and Demonic beasts are those who have a special bloodline that gives them more abilities than other normal magic beasts.
Aiden who continued to walk all the way met many demon beasts but he was able to defeat them easily. The more he walked to the inner parts, the more beasts he met and the stronger they become.
Finally, after walking for a couple of hours, Aiden reached what seemed to be huge ruins. Aiden noticed the huge old pillars that became completely rotten and decayed because of the sand. He could also notice the remains of what previously seemed like a great wall.
But what surprised him most was the huge pyramid structure at the center with a flat top that seemed to have something at the top. Aiden wanted to go and inspect the place so he started walking there.
Suddenly, Aiden noticed something fishy. The sand around him started moving, and the earth also shaking. He felt himself slowly drowning but then jumped a little to look down and see what is happening. At that moment, he noticed something like a tail coming out of the sand.
"Is that....."
Suddenly, a golden scorpion appeared out of the ground. It was a Giant golden Scorpion. You could see the blood like red eyes.
Aiden: "Seems like we might have a problem".
