Chapter 45: The Soul of a Magician

Chapter 45: The Soul of a Magician

Sorting the rewards, where he kept some magical crafting materials for Eve since they were Epic-rated, she would have greater use in the mid-phase content than Elyse, who had yet to start the Tower's Quests. He now shifted to look around the Magic Laboratory.

Every inch of the laboratory seemed to hum with latent magic.

Elyse, trailing slightly behind Odin, kept her eyes moving, scanning the destroyed magical artifacts abandoned in the wreckage. Broken vials, shattered crystal orbs, and decayed alchemical apparatus were scattered across the stone floor, remnants of experiments long forgotten.

Once filled with scrolls and tomes, shelves were either empty or lined with dust-covered books that disintegrated at the slightest touch.

For a 'Chosen One' this place that gave you an idea of greater rewards was just an illusion that stung at the heart. 

How much gold was being lost with those lost artifacts?

"I wonder what kind of research was conducted here." Elyse whispered, her voice hushed in the silence.

Odin glanced over his shoulder at her. His glowing crimson eyes seemed to pierce through the gloom, their faint light giving him an almost spectral appearance. "Probably nothing good, considering we're talking about Mages."

Elyse's eyes narrowed, her amber gaze fixed on Odin as she placed her hands on her hips. "... Hey, we're not crazy people, alright?"

"Aha, Lucas is leading the charts amongst the craziest mages in the whole game. You're still a long way from reaching his depravity."

Malfurion was already sifting through the scattered remnants of a nearby table. His fingers traced the surface of a half-broken sigil etched into the wood, trying to make sense of the intricate design.

"Be careful not to trigger another Hidden Boss." Elyse sarcastically told the Druid, standing behind Odin and Malfurion, while crossing her arms as she surveyed the ruins. "As if the giant labyrinth guardian wasn't bad enough. Now we're missing a Dark Mage from appearing."

Odin chuckled dryly but didn't take his eyes off of any unassuming place in the Laboratory.

He wasn't in the mood to repeat the same mistake by activating a Magical Trap to wipe him.

His eyes flickered briefly with a deep red light, and Elyse caught it, her curiosity again piqued. She had seen those crimson eyes flare up since beginning their 'Adventure'. 

She knew Odin's IRL eye color was green since he didn't modify his avatar like other Top Rankers who might feel insecure about their looks.

"What exactly do your eyes see in this place?" she asked, stepping closer to him, her amber gaze lingering on his face.

Odin stood up, his gaze still focused on the table but now with a knowing grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "You'd be surprised what I can see," he said cryptically, leaving her question unanswered.

Ahead, he had spotted something out of place, a subtle indentation in the wall near the far side of the room. 

It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but Odin's heightened senses had picked it out. A cold draft flowed from the small crack, an unnatural chill that stood out even in the already frigid laboratory air.

"There's something here," Odin said quietly, stepping toward the wall with a focused expression.

Elyse and Malfurion followed closely behind him, their gazes locked on the wall. Odin ran his hand along the surface, feeling for any inconsistencies. The stone felt cold to the touch, and the draft grew stronger as he moved his hand across the crack. 

"Feels like we've found a hidden passage," Odin remarked, glancing back at his companions. "Get ready. This Great Mage might set more magic traps."

Without waiting for a response, he raised the Labyrinth Guardian's Blade and drove the blade into the crack with a swift, precise strike. The wall gave way with a loud crunch, revealing a hidden passageway behind it. 

Cold mist poured out from the opening, swirling around them as the temperature dropped further.

"Not exactly the warmest welcome,"

Elyse shivered slightly but stepped forward, her curiosity outweighing any discomfort. "Where do you think this leads? Another chamber?"

"Only one way to find out," Odin said, already moving ahead, his crimson eyes glowing brighter as he peered into the darkness.

Elyse and Malfurion exchanged glances before following him into the hidden passage.

The cold mist thickened as they moved deeper into the corridor, clinging to their skin like icy tendrils. The walls were smoother here, untouched by the laboratory's wear and decay. It was as if this section had been preserved, hidden away from the ravages of time.

"I don't like this. We should return and just get to Purphoros." Elyse muttered, her voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.

Odin remained silent, his gaze fixed ahead. The corridor eventually opened up into a small, dimly lit chamber. It starkly contrasted the vast, chaotic laboratory they had just left behind. 

He was preparing for another encounter with a Boss Monster, but to his surprise, this new chamber was small, akin to a small studio apartment room.

This room was pristine, almost untouched by time. At the center stood a simple wooden table, and three treasure chests of varying sizes were upon it.

"Well, Elyse, you can still leave." Malfurion said, stepping forward cautiously.

Odin's eyes, however, were locked onto the largest chest (1) in the middle. It was ornate, gilded in gold, and encrusted with jewels, far too grand for its surroundings.

'You want me to open that shiny chest? Heh, I'm not getting fooled by this trope. I know that among those Treasure Chests, there are Mimics.'

His instincts screamed at him not to follow his first impulse since this was too easy, too obvious and could be as easily a trap.

His gaze flicked to the second chest (2), smaller but still impressive. It had an intricate locking mechanism where the Braham Key he collected could fit in if he tried.

Something about it unsettled him, but it didn't scream "trap" like the first. Then, his eyes shifted to the third chest—unassuming, plain, almost forgotten in the shadow of the grander treasures. 

"That one," Odin muttered, moving toward the third chest.

Behind him, Elyse crossed her arms, her amber eyes scanning the room for further danger. "We should just move on. There's no point in risking more traps."

"Stop complaining, Elisabeth. We're not passing up potential loot. I've learned that Odin's instincts are usually right."

Odin ignored them both, focusing entirely on the chest and the key fragments he had gathered through the labyrinth.

They were irregular in shape, each piece cut at strange, jagged angles, but they were meant to fit together somehow, akin to a Lego. With a soft click, the first two pieces snapped together, seamlessly merging like two halves of a whole, and the last piece clicked into place with a soft hum.

[You have completed the item 'Braham Treasure Chest Key']

His hands moved to open the 3rd chest, deftly opening the plain wooden box. The lock clicked open, and the lid creaked as it rose. 

Inside, something glinted in the faint light of the chamber. Odin's breath caught as he lifted a pair of gloves, black as night, woven with shimmering threads of silver. The weight of the item felt light, akin to a gryphon feather.

[You have gained the item 'Braham's Gloves (Unique)' from the Treasure Chest.]

'Ohh shit! This is a Unique item. Let's check its stats.'

The first reward had him pleasantly shocked.

[Braham's Gloves]

Rating: Unique

Durability: 115/115 | Defense: 130 | Attack Speed: +10%

* Intelligence will rise by 10%

* Magic casting speed will increase by 20%.

* You can cast two types of magic at the same time. 

* Magic critical chance is increased by 5%. 

* 20% reduction in skill cooldown time.

★ The skill 'Arcane Focus' will be generated. Active - 200 MP (Cooldown: 2 minutes): Grants Arcane Focus, increasing spell accuracy by an additional 20% and reducing the chance of being interrupted while casting spells for 15 seconds.

Gloves that Great Magician Braham loved.

Crafted by Great Magician Braham himself, these gloves were designed to enhance the magical prowess of their wearer. Woven from griffon leather and lined with enchanted silver thread

Their black iron plating offers unmatched protection, while the silver etchings along the fingers focus the wearer's magic, making every cast accurate and deadly.

It is imbued with Braham's mysterious magic.

User Restriction: Level 200 or higher.

Weight: 50

--

It was rare for him to ogle at an item, but for those pairs of gloves, he didn't shy away from giving the image of a degenerate. It overshadowed any equipment he had gained in his seven-month journey inside this Fantasy World.

'Have I stepped on some goblin or troll shit?'

Odin lifted his Lycanthrope Boots to check if they were soiled, but there was no trash apart from dust and some stuck rocks.

'Yeah, I also doubted having stepped on shit.'

'Then, my only option? Has all my misfortune in the Boss Fight finally become good fortune?'

A wary smile crept across his face.

He spit twice on the floor rapidly, a superstitious gesture to ward off any lingering bad luck, as he had learned from his Parents, who had far more life experiences than he could ever comprehend.

'Ghosts of my enemies, fuck off! You better not curse my luck with the second Chest.'

Taking the key from the opened chest, he moved on to Chest (2), ignoring the glamorous one altogether.

This one had a certain weight, a foreboding energy that made his skin prickle. Still, Odin was never one to shy away from a challenge. He placed the key in the lock and unlocked it, slowly lifting the box lid.

Then, from inside the box, a sharp streak of light moved on to strike Odin's heart, but instantly, his Sovereign Insight signaled with Red the warnings that he would die if he allowed this light to touch him. 

'Huh? Was my theory wrong? The glamorous one was the real chest!? Fuck, I have to dodge that.'

'Blessing of Wind. Zephyr's Swiftness, activate!'

His body reacted with a burst of Zephyr's Swiftness. He twisted to the side, narrowly dodging the strike.

The light seared past him, dissipating with a sharp crackle into the air. Odin's breath hitched, the near-miss leaving his heart pounding in his chest. His crimson eyes glowed intensely as they scanned the room for the source of the attack.

A low, dark chuckle echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down their spines, mainly Elyse, who had weak knees from the start of her Satisfy World journey.

[Hoh? A mortal simpleton has managed to avoid my surprise gift?]

A voice drawled, smooth yet laced with malice. It carried a dangerous charm, the voice that could belong to a powerful and sinister being.

Odin's eyes narrowed, his body tense, ready for battle if it presented itself. "Show yourself," he demanded, his voice cold.

Behind him, Elyse's heart skipped a beat. The moment the light had shot out, she had feared the worst. Her eyes were wide as she realized Odin had narrowly escaped certain death. 

"Odin!"

Her gaze was fixed on the iron box, and she was preparing to attack whatever monster was residing in that box. Then, white smoke emerged from the box. There was someone inside. 

Without thinking, Elyse gathered her mana, channeling it into her hands, preparing a Fire Lance. 

The glowing orange flames shone in her palms, ready to attack whatever had emerged from the iron chest. Just as she was about to release the spell, a shadowy figure began to manifest from within the smoke.

Malfurion, too, sprang into action, summoning roots that snaked toward the box, ready to entrap whatever entity lay within. But as his magic reached the chest, there was a loud finger snap, and the roots disintegrated into dust when they came into contact with the shadow's aura.

The mysterious voice, thick with disdain, cut through the haze of smoke.

[The magic of this generation has degenerated so low. All of my blood, sweat, and tears, only to witness monkeys and ants using magic.]

In the meantime, someone's shadow appeared from the box that was emitting smoke. 

Elyse detected it and surprisingly finished quicker than before her Fire Lance casting, which could be attributed to the Mana Orb.

Nevertheless, the moment her flames made contact with the shadow, they, too, disintegrated, fizzling out like dying embers. The figure effortlessly absorbed the fire as though it were merely a snack.

[I'm not welcome in the world after 300 years? It's sad.] 

The voice said, carrying a mocking tone.

The shadow protruding from the box extended a finger, and a spell was cast instantly. It was a small magic missile that flashed like sparks three times, one for Elyse, one for Malfurion, and another one for Odin. 

Elyse and Malfurion had this shocked expression, feeling death's scythe around their necks.

But before the missiles could strike, Odin moved. His eyes flashed, and he summoned a barrier of wind with a quick motion. Using 'Wind Wall'.

The air around him surged, forming a protective shield that deflected the incoming spells. The arcane missiles collided with the wind barrier, their energy dispersing harmlessly into the air. 

Odin stood firm, his Guardian Blade still in hand, as the last energy faded.

The shadow paused as though reassessing the situation. Then, in a voice laced with intrigue, it spoke again. 

[Heh? You stopped my Enhanced Spell? There are still humans worth breathing.]

'I need a silver weapon blessed by the Priests of the Rebecca Church for my attacks to be effective against ghosts.'

Odin thought, but then another idea crossed his mind. 'However, with Zephyr's Swiftness active, I'm not exactly a 'target' either.'

Odin wasn't one to be intimidated. He had some experience facing a ghost, and while he didn't have a Silver Sword or Holy Water on him, he had another ability that might work against the intangible.

His crimson eyes glowed sharply, the light flickering like a burning flame against the darkness.

Without a word, he stepped forward, shifting his stance as his mind focused, calling upon the legendary ability of the 'Manifestation of Will'.

The air around him rippled, bending to his command. He raised his free hand slightly, and from his sheer force of will, an invisible blade began to form, coalescing from the surrounding energy. 

He thrust his hand forward.

In an instant, the invisible blade sliced through the air with a blinding speed, aimed directly at the shadow's core. It moved with the force of Odin's focused will, cutting through the chamber's cold mist as he aimed to cleave the shadow apart, shattering whatever dark magic held it together.

The shadow's figure twitched as if startled by the sudden, unseen attack. 

Its mocking demeanor faltered for the briefest of moments as it sensed the invisible blade careening toward it. But just before the strike could land, a shimmering barrier of pure mana materialized around the shadow. The ethereal shield absorbed the force of the Manifestation of Will, its surface glowing with an eerie violet hue.

[Impressive.] 

The shadow's tone no longer seemed amused but instead got laced with curiosity. 

[To think a mere mortal who didn't even reach Transcendence could possess such a Willpower. You're worth standing before me, child.]

[You almost reached me.]

Odin's gaze remained unflinching, but deep down. He was coming up with strategies to stay alive against this new Boss encounter.

Following the short exchange of 'gifts,' the shadow chose to materialize since it got its interest picked by the Knight. 

Swiftly, the shadow took the form of a long-haired, handsome man around the same height as Odin. The eyes that could be seen through the flowing hair were sharp, with a distinctive red color darker than Odin's. 

He looked at Elyse and Malfurion before looking at Odin like he wasn't interested in them.

'Has the ghost taken a corporeal form? Better check it since I'm using Zephyrs.'

Meanwhile, Odin attacked using his new skill, 'Blade of Echoes', but the attack simply moved past the mysterious man. 

[You have consumed 500 MP.]

His Guardian Blade pulsed, a crackling arcane force building at its edge. With a swift motion, he swung the blade forward, unleashing a shockwave of arcane energy that rippled outward in a frontal cone, the attack aiming to hit Braham directly.

Elyse and Malfurion instinctively stepped back, the sheer pressure of the move radiating outward, kicking up loose dust and debris.

But the attack didn't land as expected.

The arcane wave passed through Braham as though he weren't even there, cutting through his semi-translucent form and dissipating against the stone walls behind him. Braham's expression remained unmoved, the corners of his lips curling into a smirk. His feet, still floating above the ground, never once wavered.

[Futile] 

Braham said calmly, his voice carrying an unsettling resonance. 

[You cannot harm what is beyond your reach.]

The corners of his lips twitched into a smile as he addressed Braham. "I guess I can't take you down the conventional route,"

Odin began, sheathing his sword momentarily. "But since you can cast magic, you must have a mana reservoir. And that's not infinite, I assume? Showing up in that humanoid form must drain your mana."

Braham's smirk deepened. [Quite perceptive] he said with a slow nod. [Has anyone ever told you that you have good eyes?]

Odin shrugged casually. "Yeah, my doctor. Says I've got 20/20 vision. Thanks for the concern."

The ancient mage's eyes gleamed, a touch of amusement mixed with the undercurrent of something darker. 

[I can smell your sarcasm, mortal. But no, I'm not talking about something as trivial as ordinary sight. You have the eyes—the ones even the gods fear.]

[The Absolute Eyes that are spoken of only in myths.]

For the briefest moment, Odin's heart skipped a beat. Inside, his mind was racing. 'How does he know about that? Does he know about Sovereign Insight?'

He had never spoken of his Sovereign Insight ability to anyone, not even his lover, Mi-Jung, and now this ghost was hinting at his ability. But Odin wasn't about to let Braham get any more leverage. He responded with his usual bravado.

"You're confusing it, man. It's just lots of carrots and vitamins to get such good eyesight and taking care of my body." 

Braham's smirk grew wider, his red eyes gleaming with a knowing glint. 

[Is that so?] 

He asked the mockery in his voice clear. 

[And what, pray tell, do those extraordinary eyes of yours see when you look at me?]

Odin folded his arms, feigning a relaxed stance. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "maybe you need some calcium and potassium to help regenerate a skeleton or something? I forgot what potassium does for the body. Ah, yes, it's good for nerves and muscles."

The tension in the air broke momentarily as Braham gave a low chuckle. [You're amusing, mortal. But your little act won't fool me.] 

His voice turned sharper, more serious. [You possess the Absolute Eyes. It's not something you can hide, not from me.]

Odin was bullshitting this mysterious man, not wanting to confirm any of its assumptions, but deep down he was shocked because, in those exact moments, he was checking this ghost with his 'Sovereign Insight', and his status window was revealed.

[Braham Eshwald - LV.???] (Orange)

Braham's voice interrupted his thoughts. 

[Irrelevant. Drop the act, it won't help you here. You're not Pagma's Successor that I am waiting for, but you also possess something that I wish to study at all costs.]

[I can also sense something else.] 

Braham paused, his gaze sharpening as he studied Odin more intently. 

[The scent of Titans clings to you. Intriguing.]

Braham's gaze sharpened as he uttered his next words. 

[Ahh, I remember... those ignorant humans claiming that the world's rulers, the so-called Kings and Emperors, possess a faint trace of Titan blood in their veins.]

[Yours, however…]

Braham's eyes narrowed as he floated a little closer, the air growing colder around him, 

[Yours is far more pronounced. It lingers like a curse.]

Odin, listening carefully while keeping up his nonchalant attitude, couldn't afford to dismiss the mage's words anymore. He took mental notes about what was being said since it was related to his 'Saharan Successor' Class.

If he would draw a line in the sand, this Labyrinth had more to offer to Odin than 70% of all Dungeons and Raids he participated in all this time.

Odin's playful façade dropped entirely. His eyes became cold, calculated, as he took a deep breath.

"Fine," he said, the levity vanishing from his voice. "No need to dance around the subject. Let's be honest, I've got an important meeting in three hours, so let's cut to the chase." 

His gaze hardened while his eyes flashed with a deeper redness. 

"I assume you're Braham Eshwald, the Great Magician of Legends who has created the current Magic System of Humanity?"