Minker

Vallynor, immersed in water and surrounded by tentacles, felt himself emerging from the water. Looking around, he saw where these tentacles came from. The owner of the tentacles was a humanoid with hands and legs, and the tentacles grew from his chin instead of a beard. His skin was somewhat bluish, resembling a corpse's skin.

The tentacles placed Vallynor on the floor, then shrank back to their owner, Henry. They now looked like a living beard, swaying back and forth.

"You must be the boy everyone is talking about. My name is Henry, and at Caesar's request, I will be your guide today. In return, tell me more about your world, specifically the aquatic world," Henry greeted Vallynor joyfully and was already ready to go out into the city with him. However, he paused, raised one finger, and said:

"Wait a bit. I need to finish my day's work first, and you can use magic to dry your clothes or change into something else." Henry turned and quickly approached a pool of water. Empty barrels were nearby. Henry grabbed guts, eyeballs, leaves, and hair in his hands.

Vallynor watched from the side and asked himself, "How do you brew potions?" Then he thought about his clothes. He didn't know how to use magic to dry them. He hadn't studied that spell. Maybe Henry would teach him... but there wasn't enough time. He looked at his wet necromancer's cloak and decided to change it anyway.

Henry tossed ingredients into each barrel and filled them with water from the pool. Then he put one tentacle into each barrel. The water, which was initially pure white, began to cloud and turn brown. Then it started to boil and bubble, and the water's color slowly turned golden.

When the last barrel of water turned golden, Henry happily turned around and exclaimed, "The beer is ready!"

"So soon?" - a male voice came from the door. "Henry, if you're joking like that, know that it's not funny," said the man, opening the door to the room. He was dressed as a bartender.

Seeing Vallynor, he stopped and began to assess him.

"This is the boy everyone is talking about. Caesar asked me to show him around the city. So, I decided to prepare the beer earlier," Henry said, approaching the man and looking at Vallynor. Internally, Vallynor breathed a sigh of relief that he managed to change into different clothes before this man arrived.

"What's your name, kid?" the man who just entered asked, dressed as a bartender with a red bow tie.

"Vallynor," Vallynor answered, examining the man.

"Don't look at me like that; I prefer women. Call me Minker. But you can call me Min or Mink. I'm the owner of the Hope Restaurant. But everyone jokes and calls it Nadya's. If you want to try fresh delicacies and drink alcohol at reasonable prices, you can come here," Minker said, extending his hand for a handshake. Vallynor shook his hand.

"Mink, we need to go. It will be dark soon, and all the drunks and whores will crawl out of their holes and start working," Henry said, patting Vallynor on the shoulder a few times. Then he turned to Minker.

"For such a green boy, it's really dangerous. Alright, all the beer barrels are in place. Tomorrow we'll need wine. Lia ordered it. So you know what needs to be done on time... And you, Vallynor, remember if you want to enjoy delicious food, come to me. I'll even give you a discount if you tell me about your world," Minker said, approaching the barrels and tasting each one, lifting them with magic or telekinesis. He took a tiny drop for a sip. Vallynor couldn't understand which type of magic he used, spirit magic, or telekinesis. After all, he didn't utter any spells and didn't feel streams of energy.

Henry looked at Minker skeptically and then pointed his finger at Vallynor, signaling him to follow. From behind, he heard:

"The taste is mediocre, hmmm. You were too hasty."

"I'll do better next time."

"Alright. Leave through the back exit. I have many customers right now. Unless, of course, you don't want to get lost with Vallynor for a few days because of their questions."

"Thanks for the advice," Henry called out, opening the door and gesturing for Vallynor to follow him.

Vallynor, observing from the side, didn't know what to say. Henry looked like a monster with tentacles, but Minker treated him like an employee, and they even had a good relationship.

"Vallynor, never, ever go to his restaurant if you don't have enough money. You should have at least ten times more. And if Minker offers a discount, know that there's a catch. Minker loves money a lot. He's even willing to go against the Nightmare Queen, Lia, for it. So be careful with everything related to him," Henry warned Vallynor unexpectedly.

Henry began to warn Vallynor about Minker. He advised him to be extremely cautious in all financial dealings with him.

As they exited the building through dark corridors, Vallynor saw the sun for the first time since he arrived in this world. It amazed him and brought a strong sense of joy. Stepping into its rays, he felt the long-forgotten warmth. Old happy memories started to flood him. However, the joy didn't last long. Henry coughed several times, pulling Vallynor out of his reverie.

"Let's hurry; sunset is approaching, and all the drunks come out at night," Henry said, covering his skin with some slimy substance. Sensing Vallynor's curious gaze, he inhaled and explained, "This slime protects my skin from the artificial sun we created. It's no different from the real star, except that it requires a lot of energy."

"You created this sun?" Vallynor was shocked. He already understood how powerful magic could be, but creating an artificial sun was beyond belief, even after reading all those books. Vallynor instinctively created an imaginary ceiling, like growing limbs, which was disproved by Baba Yaga and her soup. Now, no matter what one might think, creating an artificial sun seemed more like a miracle, even if using science.

"Surprised?" Henry asked.

"That's an understatement. I never thought a person could create a sun," Vallynor replied, looking at the blue sky, feeling nostalgia.

"Know that not only humans but also thousands of beings, including elves, dwarves, and other races, participated in this. I myself helped by pouring hot liquids into them with my colleagues. Let's go already. But first, tell me what form you will choose. If you want to conceal your identity... forget it; everyone knows everyone here. If you want to remain anonymous, you'll have to assume the appearance of one of the city's inhabitants, but even then, you'll give yourself away immediately. Just try to attract less attention," Henry advised.

Vallynor nodded in understanding and followed Henry. As they emerged from an alley, Vallynor saw a massive building that clearly belonged to the magical city. Various objects flew in the sky, living trees spread their branches, and buildings had huge dimensions and unusual shapes. Some houses even floated in the air. On one of the massive structures, Vallynor noticed... televisions. He carefully examined the scene and saw several humanoid beings installing magical devices. Then they replaced those devices with regular televisions. It looked strange. Glancing at Henry, Vallynor noticed joy on his face. But how? Half of his tentacles covered part of his face, but even so, they moved more actively than before, and he was clearly watching the televisions.

"What happened?" Vallynor couldn't help but ask. He wanted to know why science had infiltrated his dream city, where only magic should reign.

"Do you see those huge black panels made of glass and various metals? That's technology that reproduces previously recorded events and displays them. In the past, the same could be done with magic, but it consumed too much mana. As a result, there was a ban on frequent use of magic. With the appearance of these technological panels, more mana will be available in the air, which means the ban on using magic will be weakened," Henry explained.

"A ban on using magic? But what did Minker use?" Vallynor asked puzzled. He couldn't understand why magic couldn't be used.

"You must know that when you use a spell, you spend mana. But mana is energy, and the more you use it, the 'dirtier' it becomes. And the dirtier the mana, the weaker the spell, the harder it is to cast, and so on. And do you know how to purify mana?" Vallynor shook his head, pondering. Could it be that, like souls, mana should be directed to a river? But then, where does all this 'dirt' go?

Henry shook his head and mumbled under his tentacles, "It will take a long time." Then he said, "Mana must go through cycles, traveling through the universe and moving from one world to another. It's like transferring mana from one reality to another... And Minker used mental power known as telekinesis. It can be developed using mind and soul magic, combining them... But it's better to ask Caesar or Gabriel about it. They love teaching others and talking about smart things," he added, looking at the sun. Then he continued, "And when will they replace the sun with a new one? I want to spend more time with Mia."

"Replace the sun?" Vallynor asked, wanting to make sure he heard everything correctly. Replace the sun? Creating a sun could be understood somehow. After all, this wasn't some third-rate story where the main character, finding themselves in another world with unbeatable power and the bonus of a virgin shield, becomes a dumb hero, and so on. This world could be compared to the legendary Asgard and the soul god, Odin. Anything was possible here.

"Yes, they will replace it. The current sun operates on mana. But as you know, there's very little mana. That's why they decided to replace it with a technological version that will run on electricity, and special devices will purify the mana. These devices will also generate electricity. This sun will be worse than the existing one, but everything will remain more or less the same. Let me show you the city," Henry said, already tired of explaining such simple things to Vallynor. Understanding this, Vallynor silently followed him.

Pointing with his finger, Henry briefly told Vallynor about each building: where the shops were, pubs, clubs, forges, banks, where to get loans, where to pay taxes, and so on.

"Taxes?"

"Yes, taxes. Who the hell came up with this? This curse came to this city with the very same person. Because of these taxes, I have to work several hours every day. But before, I could sleep as much as I wanted. I could even sleep for several centuries, not waking up, and only waking up for journeys to other worlds to bring chaos and destruction," Henry began to complain without even realizing it.

"Who is this person?"

"The same as you—appeared out of nowhere. And now, pretending to be a dragon, he shouts: 'I am Taxes!'... Or rather, 'I am the Chosen.' So be careful with your purse."

"I'm curious; what currency do you use?" Vallynor pondered. He was interested in what money looked like in this world. But after thinking, he realized that money would always have some value. After all, this world was already dying, and something had to be relied upon to preserve the value of money.

"Souls, hmm? Ah, right, you wouldn't know. Souls have some purity in them. You can hand over a jar and receive soul-value tablets in return. There are also souls processed into the form of coins, which can be used both as currency and as food."

"Who are you?" - While Henry was telling Vallynor about money, a man spoke from behind Vallynor.

Vallynor turned his head and saw a man resembling a red dragon with a long neck and a beer belly, who was looking at Vallynor with interest.

"Hey, Henry, what did you forget here in the city? The sun is still high, aren't you afraid of turning into a dried fish?" said the red dragon, smiling.

"Ne fan, what did you forget here? Your friends are still asleep," Henry said, laughing, shaking Ne fan's hand.

"No, I'm going to Horkim. They say he's back and sitting in the kitchen with a bottle. He must be feeling down. I want to find out what happened and help him. I don't want him to sink back into depression."

"Ah, help meaning empty the bottle... But you helped him before when he lost the title," Henry nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm still curious about what happened this time. I want to know if we need to call Eralidar's sister. But first, you didn't say who this young fellow is. He must be Baba Yaga's student, right?"

"Yes, this is Vallynor. Vallynor, meet Ne fan, a dragon, the son of the Queen of the Forest and a master of martial arts. Ne fan, meet Vallynor; tomorrow he'll become Caesar's apprentice," Henry introduced Vallynor to Ne fan, considering whether to entrust Vallynor to Ne fan's care. After all, he was the sun and genuinely scorching.

"Hello, Vallynor, pleased to meet you. I hope you'll share many new and interesting things with a beer in hand," Ne fan said with a smile and shook hands with Vallynor.

"I'm also pleased to meet you, Ne fan. Henry, let's go together to Horkim's?" Vallynor asked Henry, hoping to find out what happened to Horkim and see the forge of this legendary blacksmith.

"Why not," Henry replied, glancing at the sun out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, it'll be more fun together. Let's go already and chat along the way. I don't want to witness another suicide attempt," Ne fan said.

During the walk through the city, Vallynor learned and saw many new and interesting things. People, creatures, and even monster-like beings approached him, inviting him for a drink or lunch; some offered knowledge exchange. In return for novels and stories he had read in his world, they revealed the secrets of the universes.

Sometimes musicians with instruments approached Vallynor, wishing to hear new compositions and bring back the vanished muse. However, they all ended up disappointed when they learned that Vallynor couldn't play any instrument.

Vallynor also encountered women of different sizes and kinds who made quite obvious hints at their openness and invited him to spend the night with them. It unpleasantly surprised him, and he remembered the state his dignity was in.

With each conversation with people, Vallynor became more convinced that, despite their legendary status, they were still just humans. They lived here like prisoners in a dead world, waiting for their souls to decay completely. Learning more about this world and the city, Vallynor thought that those who remained could still think and be more aggressive and cruel. However, on the contrary, they had gone through much and still remained humans.

Sometimes Vallynor encountered strange buildings with eyes that looked at him with interest. He even managed to have a conversation with one of them. He also saw a gigantic tower with four eyes instead of clocks—one on each side. Later, he found out that they were small magical beings working as mana filters, gradually purifying it from impurities. There were also trees that, like the cursed forest, spoke through the touch of their leaves. They were interested in the cursed forest and the fate of the old woman and, in exchange, gifted Vallynor with fruits he had never seen before. Of course, there were familiar apples, bananas, and such.

Sometimes, while Vallynor was exploring the city, Henry would chat with Ne fan as they walked towards Horkim's forge.

Vallynor examined buildings filled with technological devices, such as televisions, solar panels, and more. It was intriguing whether these solar panels worked if the sun wasn't real. Perhaps they still functioned if properly set up.

In the process of his contemplations, Vallynor came to the conclusion that he found himself in a future world, not a magical city. With each step, it became increasingly evident how technology replaced magic.

Behind Vallynor appeared a man dressed entirely in black, his face completely hidden. He extended his black hands from his shadow, grabbed Vallynor, and enveloped them both in black smoke, vanishing before everyone's eyes.

Henry and Ne fan turned around, seeing only emptiness. Henry shook his head and turned to Ne fan, saying, "Let's continue on our way to Horkim's."

"Aren't you worried about Vallynor? This must be Riku's doing. Only he is capable of such," Ne fan said, scratching his head.

"No, everything will be fine. I'm sure we'll find him in Horkim's forge," Henry said, watching his skin slowly begin to dry. He took some slime and started rubbing it on his body, muttering, "Why did Caesar choose me?"

"Wait for me!" Ne fan shouted, glancing back at the spot where Vallynor had been, not realizing that Henry continued on without him.

Upon awakening, Vallynor immediately realized that he was on the street as the sun shone brightly overhead. Thinking he was bound, he made a hesitant attempt to move. To his surprise, he wasn't restrained. He could move his arms and legs freely. Why can I move? Perhaps the kidnapper was confident that I wouldn't be able to escape.

"Vallynor, you arrived in this world several years ago. You managed to survive and even became a necromancer. Tell me, what do you think about hired assassins?" The mysterious kidnapper's voice resounded from all directions.

Hearing the visitor's words, Vallynor began to ponder. Was he truly in danger? Caesar, as the ruler of the city, wouldn't allow hired killers to get close to him. Perhaps he knows who kidnapped Vallynor? He doesn't hear cries, sirens, or any signs of a search. That means they're not looking for him. And from Caesar's behavior, he got a strange feeling that he sees the future.

Rapidly analyzing all the clues available, Vallynor deduced that he wasn't in danger.

"Hm? You figured it out? You have a good mind, but it's slow. If you were my target, you wouldn't have had a fraction of a second to analyze the situation and make the right decision. You'd be dead. But this flaw can be fixed by increasing your level and undergoing special training to strengthen your mind."

"Why did you kidnap me?" Vallynor asked directly, realizing that his assumption was correct.

"I am Riku, the master of shadows, an assassin. People call me a progressive ninja. I not only hide and steal, but I also kill using dirty techniques, like a shinobi. I want to make you my apprentice."

"What?" - Vallynor couldn't even think, staring into nothingness.

"We all know what Caesar wants, and we support him. I am an unusual person. I almost never taught anyone my techniques. At most, I gave some advice or conducted lessons. But I never passed on everything I know. This world will soon fall. I have lived for so long that I begin to understand those who die, screaming that they don't want to die, knowing that their end is near. I realized that I need an heir in this world."

"Why did you choose me?"

"There is another candidate. There was a guy, but now he's flying away, screaming that he is the chosen one. I have already taught all the others for the most part, leaving only the most important. And they will all perish with me, fading into history, soon to be forgotten. But you are different. Become my apprentice."